Supplementary Functions Research Articles

Text availability and the speaker’s visibility in simultaneous interpreting: effects on the process, product, and interpreters’ perceptions

ABSTRACT The input condition in simultaneous interpreting (SI) varies in practice, yet the effects of different input modalities on SI still remain largely unknown. To that end, text availability and the speaker’s visibility, two typical sources of multimodal input, were chosen to explore the effects of input modality on the SI process (fluency), product (accuracy), and interpreters’ perceptions. Data were collected from thirty student interpreters performing four comparable speeches from English to Chinese in four different conditions: audio-only, audio-video (speaker visible), audio-text (verbatim text available), and audio-video-text (speaker visible and verbatim text available). The results from analyzing audio recordings, questionnaires, and interview data showed that the increase in redundant information did not deteriorate the interpreting fluency and accuracy. Input modality had a significant effect on SI, with text availability significantly facilitating source language comprehension and target language production at the global level. However, text availability also introduced challenges in ear-eye-voice coordination at the local level. Additionally, the speaker’s visibility performed a supplementary function by promoting engagement and providing paralinguistic cues that facilitate communication. Individual differences existed in interpreters’ perceptions under different input conditions, with different challenges reported. These findings expand our understandings of multimodal processing in SI.

Small signal analysis of DC voltage control based on a virtual resistance of DC/DC converter integrated in a multiterminal DC grid

AbstractThe future multi‐terminal direct‐current (MTDC) grid will require the interconnection of point‐to‐point high‐voltage (HV) DC links with different specifications such as DC voltage level, system grounding configuration and HVDC technology. To adapt these differences, it is obligatory for DC/DC converters to interconnect HVDC links. Additionally, they are capable of providing supplementary functionalities as they are highly controllable devices. In this article, a primary virtual resistance DC voltage controller associated with DC/DC converter is proposed for managing DC grid voltages of the interconnected HVDC grids, increasing the reliability of the system. The commonly known topology, Front‐to‐Front Modular Multilevel Converter (F2F‐MMC) is adopted for DC/DC converter. Time‐domain simulations are performed using EMTP software for validating the controller behaviour under power disturbances and large events of loss of one converter in a MMC‐based MTDC system. The converters are modelled using reduced order modelling (ROM) methodology. Apart from this, dynamic studies have been carried out using a linear state space model for small‐signal stability analysis of a HVDC system integrating DC/DC converter with a virtual resistance DC voltage controller. The results are examined through parametric sensitivity analysis.

Making Sense of Emoji

AbstractMany online messages now contain emoji – these small images have quickly become an important means of communicating. Yet they have not yet been taken seriously in philosophy of language. In this exploratory paper, I attempt to remedy this neglect by analysing the communicative functions of emoji. I argue that emoji have at least three communicative functions. Firstly, they can serve a replicative function, in that they can play the same role as words and punctuation, thereby replicating the function of existing written communicative devices. Secondly, they can serve a compensatory function, in the sense that they can be used to make up for features of face-to-face conversation which are lost in written online conversation. Thirdly, they can serve supplementary functions, in that we can perform new communicative acts with emoji which we could not previously perform either in written or face-to-face communication.

Pathogenicity islands in bacteria of upper respiratory tract infection

Children's upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs)—infections of the upper respiratory tract without symptoms of pneumonia—represent a significant socioeconomic and epidemiological issue. The study of microbial pathogenicity, which is a complex multifactorial process complicated by the coordinated activity of genetic regions linked to virulence and resistance determinants, has accelerated due to increased awareness of infectious diseases in humans caused by microbial pathogens. Pathogenicity islands and resistance islands are essential to the evolution of pathogens and seem to work in tandem during the bacterial infection process. While pathogenicity islands encourage the development of illness, Additionally, pathogenicity islands are part of a vast array of genomic islands that play a vital role in the transmission of bacterial genes. They encode essential characteristics such as virulence, antibiotic resistance, and other supplementary functions.

A Fully Programmable DAQ Board of Vibrational Signals from IEPE Sensors: Hardware and Software Design, Performance Analysis

Vibration analysis is commonly used to assess machinery conditions, earthquake detection, and structural monitoring. Commercially available DAQs (Data Acquisition Systems) feature high costs and limited versatility in terms of end-user hardware/firmware customization, making it difficult to adapt them to the input signal features and add supplementary functionalities. Hence, this research aims to develop a custom acquisition board for detecting vibration signals via IEPE (Integrated Electronic Piezoelectric) sensors, considering the limitations of commercially available systems, and building upon solutions found in the literature. The DAQ board was intended for remote vibration monitoring of infrastructure and machinery for industrial applications, allowing the implementation of predictive maintenance strategies. The proposed DAQ board has two independent and fully configurable channels, which can be set for acquiring signals from IEPE sensors or generic voltage sources. The DAQ board relies on the STM32F401 microcontroller to manage the acquisition from high-speed ADCs, process data, and store them in mass memory (SD card). During acquisition, the DAQ implements a batch acquisition strategy based on a buffer flash memory for temporarily storing ADCs data, which are iteratively poured into mass memory. Also, the board has Bluetooth connectivity to transmit acquired data and receive commands remotely. A prototype of the DAQ board was developed and tested with several waveforms, including vibration signals. The tests showed that the board can acquire vibration signals and compute the FFT onboard. The DAQ demonstrated a good balance between performance, accuracy, flexibility, and cost, making it suitable for several industrial applications and allowing for scalability and integration potential.

Motivations for Using Non-Initial Conditionals and Their Pragmatical Functions

There has been a lack of attention to the order of conditional clauses and resultant clauses in the study of conditional sentences in the Chinese research field. One commonality of human languages is that the conditional clause precedes the resultant clause. Previous researchers have given comprehensive explanations for the predominant antecedent order of initial conditional clauses, but there is still a research gap concerning the motivations for using non-initial conditionals and their pragmatical functions. With the help of the corpus, this paper focuses on the phenomenon of non-initial conditionals and explores the motivation for using them and their pragmatic functions. The current study finds that there are 2 main motivations for the use of non-initial conditional clauses, namely, to maintain discourse coherence and to act as post hoc complements; there are four main pragmatic functions of non-initial conditionals: boundary function, assessment function, euphemism function, and supplementary function. Similar microscopic studies help us reconceptualize conditional sentences’ actual role in communication to further reveal the dynamic nature of natural language communication.

Multifaceted Functionalities of Bridge-Type DC Reactor Fault Current Limiters: An Experimentally Validated Investigation

With the ongoing expansion and interconnection of electrical power systems, alongside the rapid proliferation of renewable distributed generations (DGs), the short-circuit extent in the power grid is experiencing a significant rise. Fault current limiters (FCLs) have been introduced in an effort to address this issue, ensuring the robustness and sustainability of expensive power system components when confronted with short-circuit faults. Among the various types of FCLs, bridge-type DC reactor fault current limiters (BDCR-FCLs) have emerged as one of the most promising options. While BDCR-FCLs have shown excellent properties in limiting harmful short-circuit currents, they are also advantageous in other respects. This paper investigates the supplementary functionalities of BDCR-FCLs as a multifaceted device towards the enhancement of the quality of supplied energy in terms of total harmonic distortion (THD) reduction, power factor (PF) correction, peak current reduction for nonlinear loads, and soft load variation effects, as well as their capability to limit fault current. To this aim, the capabilities of BDCR-FCLs have been studied through various simulated case studies in PSCAD/EMTDC software V5.0.1, in addition to experimental tests considering an AC microgrid connected to a DC system. The experimental and simulation investigations verify the superior multifaceted functionalities BDCR-FCLs introduce in addition to their excellent fault current-limiting capabilities. The results show that PF improved by 6.7% and 7%, respectively, in simulation and experimental tests. Furthermore, the current THD decreased by 20% and 18% in the simulation and experiment, respectively.

Machine Learning Based Customized Solution for Deafness and Mute People

Individuals with hearing or speech impairments often possess a higher degree of familiarity with sign language due to its widespread usage. Consequently, a noticeable communication divide exists between those with such impairments and the general populace. A pivotal solution in bridging this gap involves employing human sign language interpreters. Regrettably, the scarcity of sign language interpreters worldwide in comparison to the number of individuals with hearing or speech impairments has resulted in certain individuals being unable to bear the cost of a human interpreter each time they engage in conversation. To address this issue, it is imperative to automate communication in a manner that liberates the deaf community from dependence on human translators. This article centers on the development of an application capable of real-time conversion between American Sign Language and text, along with supplementary functionalities aimed at dismantling the communication barriers faced by individuals with hearing or speech challenges when interacting with the broader public. the primary objective of this application is to accurately perceive and interpret the user's sign language. The initial stage involves training the system to recognize and interpret signs utilizing algorithms for object recognition and motion tracking. For this purpose, a convolutional neural network model was trained employing a meticulously curated American Sign Language dataset. Subsequently, the recognized signs are translated into English, forming grammatically sound words. Incorporated within the system are a language translator and a virtual sign keyboard, augmenting its capabilities. Moreover, a text-to-text transformer, structured on an encoder-decoder framework, is harnessed to identify grammatical inaccuracies and generate coherent phrases. For a comprehensive understanding of the process, detailed elaboration will follow in subsequent sections.

National museums of communication and postal service in postal miniature of Germany, France and Russia

In the second half of the 19th century, almost simultaneously with the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874, postal museums began to open across Europe. The first postal museums opened in the UPU founding countries — Germany and Russia. The objectives and concepts of these museums were presented differently to their organizers. In Germany they tried to cover the history of the world mail, in Russia — the development of telegraph, as the most modern means of communication, and France — demonstrated a desire to become the capital of typology. The creation of postal museums, which were seen not only as cultural phenomena but also as a national strategic element, also involved national governments (or their departments). The Second World War changed not only philatelic themes, but also influenced changes in display activities. Today there are postal museums in virtually every country in the world, but not every philatelic production reflects the stages of their creation and development. Images of world postal museums, their creators and exhibits in the Timbrology media space emphasize that postage stamps, in addition to their main purpose — payment for postal messages, perform supplementary functions — advertising and educational.

Gold Polymer Nanomaterials: A Promising Approach for Enhanced Biomolecular Imaging.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) possess unique optical properties, making them highly attractive nanomaterials for biomedical research. By exploiting the diverse optical characteristics of various gold nanostructures, significant enhancements can be achieved in biosensing and biomedical imaging fields. The potential of AuNPs can be enhanced by creating hybrid nanocomposites with polymers, which offer supplementary functionalities, responsiveness, and enhanced biocompatibility. Moreover, polymers can modify the surface charges of AuNPs, thereby improving or controlling the efficiency of cellular uptake and the distribution of these nanoparticles within the body. Polymer modification using AuNPs offers a wide array of benefits, including improved sensitivity, specificity, speed, contrast, resolution, and penetration depth. By incorporating AuNPs into the polymer matrix, these enhancements synergistically enhance the overall performance of various applications. This versatile approach opens promising possibilities in fields such as biomedicine, nanotechnology, and sensor development, providing a powerful platform for advanced research and technological innovations. In this review, the recent advancements in polymer-AuNPs synthesis and their applications in bioimaging will be covered. Prospects and challenges associated with polymer-AuNPs-based bioimaging agents in preclinical and clinical investigations will be discussed.

HBsAg Status, Molecular Detection and Therapy Evaluation of Hepatitis B Patient

The management of chronic hepatitis B involves various therapeutic approaches, including nucleotide analogs (NUCs) and pegylated-interferon alpha (peg-IFN), either in isolation or in combination. Reverse transcriptase enzyme is competitively inhibited by NUCs, which effectively suppresses HBV replication and lowers viral load. Concerning their cost-effectiveness, high response rates, low side effects, and oral administration, NUCs are recommended. Prolonged use, particularly of NUCs with a low genetic barrier or as monotherapy, can, however, lead to resistance, long-term safety issues, and the need for ongoing treatment. Physicians and other healthcare professionals are extremely concerned about the emergence of resistance and possible safety concerns related to the long-term use of NUCs. Moreover, the requirement for continuous therapy presents notable obstacles concerning patient adherence, distribution of healthcare resources, and overall economic viability. To clarify these problems and direct the creation of more potent and long-lasting treatment plans for chronic hepatitis B, urgent research is required. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) detection is frequently accomplished via the use of the Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA), which is a crucial early serologic marker for screening and diagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular testing is employed to confirm the presence of HBsAg. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was the technique we utilized to verify the outcomes. Twenty-eight of the HBsAg-positive patients at W.Z. Johannes Kupang Hospital had positive PCR results, highlighting the significance of molecular confirmation. The results of this study emphasize the value of precise HBsAg testing and the supplementary function of molecular confirmation in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B. Furthermore, it clarifies the current therapeutic approaches applied to this patient population, highlighting the necessity of customized therapeutic approaches based on each patient's unique profile and potential complications.

Verbal-Like Effects of Nonverbal Stimuli.

Stimuli produced by verbal responses (verbal stimuli) usually reveal something about the speakers who emitted them and about the environment where the verbal responses occurred (i.e., verbal stimuli can evoke in the listeners responses concerning the speakers and their environments). Verbal stimuli can also constitute supplementary stimulation that evokes responses which are already strong in the repertoire of some listeners or readers. Stimuli not produced by verbal responses (nonverbal stimuli), topographically similar to verbal stimuli, cannot reveal anything about speakers and their environments, but some of them can evoke responses that are already strong in the repertoire of some listeners or readers. Therefore, nonverbal stimuli allow one to distinguish clearly between the two functions of verbal stimuli. This article adopts a Skinnerian perspective and explores the implications of the supplementary function of stimuli for what is usually called understanding (and misunderstanding). Even when verbal stimuli are misunderstood, they can evoke verbal or nonverbal responses that are useful to the listeners. This effect can play a major role when it comes to aesthetic responses made to literary works, for example. Implications of the supplementary function of verbal stimuli for translations of ancient texts are also discussed. As supplementary stimulation, verbal stimuli can produce notable effects on the behavior of listeners and readers (even when the stimuli are misunderstood), although traditional mentalistic approaches to verbal behavior tend to neglect them.

Convergence analysis of a positivity-preserving numerical scheme for the Cahn-Hilliard-Stokes system with Flory-Huggins energy potential

A finite difference numerical scheme is proposed and analyzed for the Cahn-Hilliard-Stokes system with Flory-Huggins energy functional. A convex splitting is applied to the chemical potential, which in turns leads to the implicit treatment for the singular logarithmic terms and the surface diffusion term, and an explicit update for the expansive concave term. The convective term for the phase variable, as well as the coupled term in the Stokes equation, is approximated in a semi-implicit manner. In the spatial discretization, the marker and cell difference method is applied, which evaluates the velocity components, the pressure and the phase variable at different cell locations. Such an approach ensures the divergence-free feature of the discrete velocity, and this property plays an important role in the analysis. The positivity-preserving property and the unique solvability of the proposed numerical scheme are theoretically justified, utilizing the singular nature of the logarithmic term as the phase variable approaches the singular limit values. An unconditional energy stability analysis is standard, as an outcome of the convex-concave decomposition technique. A convergence analysis with accompanying error estimate is provided for the proposed numerical scheme. In particular, a higher order consistency analysis, accomplished by supplementary functions, is performed to ensure the separation properties of numerical solution. In turn, using the approach of rough and refined error estimates, we are able to derive an optimal rate convergence. To conclude, several numerical experiments are presented to validate the theoretical analysis.

Current and future roles of the automotive and ICT sectoral systems in autonomous driving - Using the innovation system approach to assess value chain transformation

In this paper, we assess the current and future roles of the automotive and the information and communication technology (ICT) sectoral systems in the provision of autonomous driving and draw conclusions on the potential configuration of the corresponding value chains. We approach the question of value chain transformation from an innovation system perspective, combining sectoral, national and technological perspectives on innovation systems. We introduce a supplementary function at the intersection of the sectoral and technological innovation systems that describes the interactions between the automotive and the ICT system. By choosing indicators that allow for the sectoral and national differentiation of activities, we are able to identify differences and similarities in engagement between the automotive and ICT sectors and countries. Furthermore, we find various and changing types of interactions and relationships, such as competition, cooperation or spill-over, between the sectoral systems. Our findings underline the relevance of contextual factors to the dynamics and design of innovation systems, based on which we propose an approach for integrating different perspectives into one study. We find the strength of the innovation system perspective in its structuring and holistic characteristics and demonstrate its applicability to the assessment of value chain transformation.

The ground electronic state of CS: A global multi-isotopologue direct potential fit analysis

A collection of 6759 pure-rotational and vibrational–rotational spectroscopic line positions available for seven isotopologues of the ground X1Σ+ electronic state of carbon monosulfide has been employed in a weighted nonlinear least-squares direct fit to the potential energy function of 12C32S and supplementary functions describing breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. All radial functions are represented by compact analytical models having proper theoretical asymptotic behavior. The spectroscopic line positions are reproduced on average to within the associated experimental uncertainties by the quantum–mechanical eigenvalues of the derived Hamiltonians for individual isotopologues. The potential energy function is constrained to obey the theoretical radial behavior both at short-range and at long-range. Accurate quantum–mechanical vibrational term values and rotational and centrifugal distortion constants are provided for all stable isotopologues of CS included in the least-squares fits.

Research on multi-market strategies for virtual power plants with hydrogen energy storage

As the main body of resource aggregation, Virtual Power Plant (VPP) not only needs to participate in the external energy market but also needs to optimize the management of internal resources. Different from other energy storage, hydrogen energy storage systems can participate in the hydrogen market in addition to assuming the backup supplementary function of electric energy. For the Virtual Power Plant Operator (VPPO), it needs to optimize the scheduling of internal resources and formulate bidding strategies for the electric-hydrogen market based on external market information. In this study, a two-stage model is constructed considering the internal and external interaction mechanism. The first stage model optimizes the operation of renewable energy, flexible load, extraction storage, and hydrogen energy storage system based on the complementary characteristics of internal resources; the second stage model optimizes the bidding strategy to maximize the total revenue of the electricity energy market, auxiliary service market and hydrogen market. Finally, a typical scenario is constructed and the rationality and effectiveness of the strategy are verified. The results show that the hybrid VPP with hydrogen storage has better economic benefits, resource benefits and reliability.

Methyl salicylate-accelerated cellular NO production improves mitochondrial and cytosolic antioxidants in preserving ‘Sucrier’ banana peel spotting during storage

The mitochondria, serving as the central organelle, play a pivotal role in driving cellular processes and orchestrating senescence in plant. Additionally, they are implicated in the occurrence of physiological disorders in harvested crops. This study aimed to elucidate the connection between mitochondrial activity and the development of senescent spotting and uncover the supplementary function of MeSA immersion in facilitating the generation of nitric oxide (NO), which in turn activates the expression of mitochondrial and cytosolic reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes, thereby enhancing their efficiency in neutralizing ROS. The findings of this study revealed a compelling association between diminished mitochondrial activity and the development of peel spotting. Notably, a decline in mitochondrial redox status on day 3 to day 6, as evidenced by triphenyltrtrazolium chloride reduction, coupled with reduction in the expression of antioxidant genes, became increasingly prominent as the severity of spotting lesions intensified, particularly in the vicinity of the affected areas. Intriguingly, treatment with MeSA exhibited a significant elevation in NO accumulation during the initial 3 d coinciding with the upregulation of mitochondrial antioxidant gene expressions. The augmented expression of these genes facilitated the preservation of mitochondrial redox capacity, consequently leading to a reduction in oxidative damage, which corresponded remarkably well with the decrease in peel spotting. Hence, our study highlights the role of MeSA upregulated NO-mediated antioxidative genes, which, in turn, assume a pivotal function in safeguarding mitochondrial integrity and mitigating the occurrence of peel spotting in ‘Sucrier’ bananas.

To Chat or Not To Chat: Text-Based Interruptions From Peers Improve Learner Confidence in an Online Lecture Environment

Technology-driven interactions are becoming commonplace, particularly as online classes, telecommuting, and virtual meetings across distances and time zones have all increased in popularity. Platforms such as Google Meet, Skype, Webex, and Zoom use synchronous audio-visual communication supported by text-based chat, emoticon responses, and other supplementary functions. Given this uptick in the use of video conferencing with dynamic integrated features, it is important to understand how attention and cognitive resources may be taxed in these environments, and what that may ultimately do to participants’ ability to comprehend the target content. In the current study, we investigated the impact of topically-relevant student-initiated text chat frequency on comprehension during an online lecture. The findings revealed that chat involvement alone does not affect learning itself. Chat activity was found to not be a distraction but in fact, a facilitator of increased confidence in learning in an online lecture environment when controlling for other outside distractions. Overall, the findings suggest that relevant chat content is not distracting, and can be helpful in reinforcing concepts through supportive examples in adjacent modalities.

Focus on host/organ unregulated response: a common cause of critical illness.

Focus on host/organ unregulated response: a common cause of critical illness.

A new fault type classification method in the presence of inverter-based resources

Fault type classification is a critical stage in modern distance relays for activating the effective phase and ground distance elements. It is also used for some supplementary functions such as single-pole tripping and reclosing, teleprotection, and fault location. Traditional fault type classifiers are based on the symmetrical or superimposed components of the current signal. However, owing to the unconventional behavior of inverter-based resources (IBRs) compared to the synchronous generators, traditional methods are not reliable in the presence of IBRs. For example, modern grid codes impose some restrictions in terms of injected current during asymmetrical fault which put the accuracy of conventional fault classification methods in danger. Fault resistance could also affect the accuracy of fault type classification method. In this paper, first, the fault current signature of IBRs is analytically derived. Then, impacts of modern grid code and fault resistance on the conventional fault classification are properly evaluated by executing some simulation studies. Finally, a new fault classifier is proposed which is based on symmetrical components of the local voltage and current during asymmetrical faults. The proposed classifier presents a satisfactory degree of security in the faulted phase identification in the presence of IBRs under different host grid codes. Performance of the proposed method is properly analysed with different simulation scenarios such as different fault locations, fault resistances, pre-fault condition, test systems, and host grid codes in PSCAD/EMTDC software.