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Although group work activities are commonly employed in communicative second language (L2) classes, there are few studies that investigate how much teachers and students, the two main stakeholders, agree or differ on how group work activities should be conducted. To fill this gap, this study, which was carried out at a public university in Vietnam, examined the perceptions of both teachers and students to uncover matches and mismatches in their perceptions of important issues for effective group work implementation. The study explored the actual experiences of six teachers and ten students, who were chosen by convenience sampling. Thematic analysis of the interviews indicated that the benefits of group work were widely agreed upon, as were the preferences for group size and self-selection of group members. However, there was disagreement over ways of grouping, the role of leadership, and the use of peer assessment. The findings have significant implications for relevant stakeholders, especially in the Asian English as a foreign language (EFL) context, about what would work well and what needs to be addressed to maximize the effectiveness of group work implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical biosensors are optical technologies that evaluate changes in the refractive index as they monitor non‐covalent molecular interactions in real time. These make use of unsophisticated, label‐free analytical approaches, which do not require dyes to produce a visible signal. In this study, the efficiency of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor in detecting a single nucleotide mismatch in deoxyribonucleic acid is examined. The detection is based on the hybridization of a target DNA at 100 ng μL−1 with a complementary biotinylated probe as well as a partially complementary biotinylated with one nucleotide mismatch probe on a gold‐coated surface. Both probes are used at a concentration of 0.1 μm. The LSPR exhibited sensitivity by differentiating sample M+ from sample C+ through varying transmission intensities of 0.28 and 0.26 μA, respectively. Based on these findings, this approach demonstrates a great potential due to its ability to distinguish samples that differ with a single base pair, and its efficiency will be explored in the development of a point‐of‐care device as a simpler and cost‐effective approach for detection of various biologically and medically significant mutations such as antimicrobial resistance mutations. More work is underway to determine the robustness of the LSPR biosensor using the biotin–neutravidin approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alveolar lateral is phonetically and phonologically complex. Previous studies have shown that /l/ is one of the last segments to be acquired by typically developing Portuguese children. However, little is known about how Portuguese children with atypical development acquire /l/. In this paper, we investigate the acquisition of /l/ by Portuguese children with protracted phonological development (DLD; SSD). We explore the effect of syllable structure and segmental properties in the acquisition of /l/ and describe mismatches used for target /l/, thus contributing empirical evidence to the ongoing discussion on differential diagnoses for children with primary phonological disorders. Our results show that the lateral is more problematic in SSD than in DLD, with the manner of articulation being more problematic than its place. A syllable-segment interface effect was attested. Mismatches showed a preference for [w, ɾ, ø]. The results are discussed considering their implications for clinical practice and the role of target phonetic and phonological properties in the /l/ acquisition path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical biosensors are optical technologies that evaluate changes in the refractive index as they monitor non‐covalent molecular interactions in real time. These make use of unsophisticated, label‐free analytical approaches, which do not require dyes to produce a visible signal. In this study, the efficiency of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor in detecting a single nucleotide mismatch in deoxyribonucleic acid is examined. The detection is based on the hybridization of a target DNA at 100 ng μL−1 with a complementary biotinylated probe as well as a partially complementary biotinylated with one nucleotide mismatch probe on a gold‐coated surface. Both probes are used at a concentration of 0.1 μm. The LSPR exhibited sensitivity by differentiating sample M+ from sample C+ through varying transmission intensities of 0.28 and 0.26 μA, respectively. Based on these findings, this approach demonstrates a great potential due to its ability to distinguish samples that differ with a single base pair, and its efficiency will be explored in the development of a point‐of‐care device as a simpler and cost‐effective approach for detection of various biologically and medically significant mutations such as antimicrobial resistance mutations. More work is underway to determine the robustness of the LSPR biosensor using the biotin–neutravidin approach.

Achieving national targets on renewable energy poses several challenges, especially in multi-level governance environments. Incentives and specifications on wind energy development might cause uneven progress or even discrepancies. Therefore, governments have commenced adopting 'positive planning' to combine energy targets with spatial and land-use planning. Yet detailed discussions regarding wind energy development remain scarce. In this paper, I explore three explanatory case studies in Germany and Sweden, aiming to provide policymakers and planners with essential knowledge while presenting significant challenges and key lessons learned. Positive planning appears to center on a strong energy target focus, limited space, and a balanced approach, shaped by the sociopolitical context. While Germany has recently embraced positive planning, Sweden started ambitiously but is encountering planning and policy challenges. Planning agencies play a vital role in promoting wind energy targets at mid-scale levels, yet legally binding targets matter. Striking a balance between energy targets and addressing land-use concerns without disregarding them requires managing a delicate trade-off. Early communication and inter-agency collaboration, as seen in Sweden, might facilitate identifying compromises, navigating trade-offs between species protection and renewable energy and offering municipal incentives. Nonetheless, negotiating satisfactory spatial trade-offs for a long-term proof of concept remains a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Groundwater potential has been adjudged a panacea to residential development and livelihood improvement. Negligence to its spatio-heterogeneity over an area of concern leads to mismatches, i.e. land use misappropriation. Pumping test data from 26 boreholes were used to produce both static water level and hydraulic head with static water level range of 221.6 m in Ede-oballa to 66.6 m in Obimo, while hydraulic head varies from 182.1 to 322.04 m in Okpuje and Opi, respectively. Elevation values range from 251 m in Okpuje to 536 m in Ede-Oballa. Using ArcGIS the thematic maps of static water level, hydraulic head and elevation were interpolated and simulated to generate groundwater potential distribution. The resultant groundwater potential indices were delineated and its capability evaluated. Result indicates that these have control or influence on groundwater potential. The map models produced in this study provide better understanding towards proper management and utilization of groundwater resources in the Nsukka region.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variant of concern (VoC) Omicron (B.1.1.529) has rapidly spread around the world, presenting a new threat to global public human health. Due to the large number of mutations accumulated by SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron, concerns have emerged over potentially reduced diagnostic accuracy of reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR), the gold standard diagnostic test for diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Thus, we aimed to assess the impact of the currently endemic Omicron sublineages BA.4 and BA.5 on the integrity and sensitivity of RT‐qPCR assays used for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) diagnosis via in silico analysis. We employed whole genome sequencing data and evaluated the potential for false negatives or test failure due to mismatches between primers/probes and the Omicron VoC viral genome. Methods: In silico sensitivity of 12 RT‐qPCR tests (containing 30 primers and probe sets) developed for detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) or available in the literature, was assessed for specifically detecting SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages, obtained after removing redundancy from publicly available genomes from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) databases. Mismatches between amplicon regions of SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron VoC and primers and probe sets were evaluated, and clustering analysis of corresponding amplicon sequences was carried out. Results: From the 1164 representative SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron VoC BA.4 sublineage genomes analyzed, a substitution in the first five nucleotides (C to T) of the amplicon's 3′‐end was observed in all samples resulting in 0% sensitivity for assays HKUnivRdRp/Hel (mismatch in reverse primer) and CoremCharite N (mismatch in both forward and reverse primers). Due to a mismatch in the forward primer's 5′‐end (3‐nucleotide substitution, GGG to AAC), the sensitivity of the ChinaCDC N assay was at 0.69%. The 10 nucleotide mismatches in the reverse primer resulted in 0.09% sensitivity for Omicron sublineage BA.4 for Thai N assay. Of the 1926 BA.5 sublineage genomes, HKUnivRdRp/Hel assay also had 0% sensitivity. A sensitivity of 3.06% was observed for the ChinaCDC N assay because of a mismatch in the forward primer's 5′‐end (3‐nucleotide substitution, GGG to AAC). Similarly, due to the 10 nucleotide mismatches in the reverse primer, the Thai N assay's sensitivity was low at 0.21% for sublineage BA.5. Further, eight assays for BA.4 sublineage retained high sensitivity (more than 97%) and 9 assays for BA.5 sublineage retained more than 99% sensitivity. Conclusion: We observed four assays (HKUnivRdRp/Hel, ChinaCDC N, Thai N, CoremCharite N) that could potentially result in false negative results for SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron VoCs BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages. Interestingly, CoremCharite N had 0% sensitivity for Omicron Voc BA.4 but 99.53% sensitivity for BA.5. In addition, 66.67% of the assays for BA.4 sublineage and 75% of the assays for BA.5 sublineage retained high sensitivity. Further, amplicon clustering and additional substitution analysis along with sensitivity analysis could be used for the modification and development of RT‐qPCR assays for detecting SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron VoC sublineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article follows the study of the anti-politics machine that explains why and how developmental projects fail, in the context of a little drought-stricken Karoo town called Vanwyksvlei, Northern Cape. The five (corporate) social responsibility programmes, under the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in South Africa, can be considered a failure and this reveals ‘mismatches’ and contradictions in what is considered ‘development’ between Vanwyksvlei’s residents and SKA. With ethnographic methods, semi-structured interviews and textual analysis, the ‘anti-politics machine’ is useful in deconstructing and depoliticising the relationship among developmental actors involved in the five programmes. Firstly, deconstructing and depoliticising the five programmes attempts to explain the success–failure binary of development that points to critiquing the development discourse from problem-orientated to a problem-solving orientation. Secondly, Habermas’ theory of communicative action aids in the quest of consensus through deliberative and negotiation strategies between local people, national governments and global organisations. Lastly, the significance of the anti-politics machine goes beyond accounting for the five failed corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and extends to the recognition of local sphere, not only to depoliticise the politics of astronomy knowledge with indigenous insight, but also assist in the urgency of water supply.

Sampling a signal at elevated sampling rates can be easily achieved by using time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters (TIADCs). TIADCs have more than one ADC in parallel. Each ADC samples the signal with a time gap of one sampling period and hence known as TIADC. The samples from all these ADCs are combined to reconstruct the signal. But the disadvantage of TIADCs is that they have mismatches like sampling time, gain and phase offset. The proposed work focuses on estimation and correction of these mismatches. For estimation of mismatches, teacher learner-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm was used and the estimated mismatches were used for correction by applying suitable operations. The proposed algorithm was applied for four-channel TIADCs. For estimation, a pilot signal is used which in this case is a monotonic sinusoidal signal. The estimation of mismatches was accurate and the correction was implemented for TIADCs with a sinusoidal input signal and the enhancement in signal quality was evaluated by finding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR). There is a significant enhancement in SNR and SNDR. The average enhancements in SNR and SNDR are 50 and 46 dB, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction proposes to investigate mismatches and indeterminacies in languages much more than has hitherto been done. Such seemingly unruly aspects of language(s), it is argued, are interesting since they may help shed light on the internal make-up of grammatical systems. The question of the internal make-up of grammar(s), it is argued, cannot be addressed by the normal modus operandi of linguistic research, which is to find matches (rather than mismatches) between the observable (sound and meaning) interface systems, and to find how the interface representations map unto each other deterministically: It is only in the “lo-fi” aspects of mappings that the internal mechanisms of the overall grammatical architecture may reveal themselves.

Abstract Background An inverted repeat is a DNA sequence followed downstream by its reverse complement, potentially with a gap in the centre. Inverted repeats are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes and they have been linked with countless possible functions. Many international consortia provide a comprehensive description of common genetic variation making alternative sequence representations, such as IUPAC encoding, necessary for leveraging the full potential of such broad variation datasets. Results We present IUPACpal, an exact tool for efficient identification of inverted repeats in IUPAC-encoded DNA sequences allowing also for potential mismatches and gaps in the inverted repeats. Conclusion Within the parameters that were tested, our experimental results show that IUPACpal compares favourably to a similar application packaged with EMBOSS. We show that IUPACpal identifies many previously unidentified inverted repeats when compared with EMBOSS, and that this is also performed with orders of magnitude improved speed.

Land use and land cover changes associated with urbanization have had a significant influence on ecosystem services (ESs), but previous studies have insufficiently focused on the relationships between ES supply and demand; these relationships are seldom considered in the science-policy frameworks of land use planning. In this study, a specific supply-demand indicator was constructed to measure ES supply and demand and their disparity across multiple scales in Jiangsu Province from 2000 to 2018. High spatial heterogeneity and mismatches of ES supply and demand were found in water yield, grain production, carbon sequestration, soil conservation, heat regulation, and recreation services. At provincial scale, the supplies of carbon sequestration and heat regulation services were smaller than their demands. At the 1-km2 grid scale, the ES supply and demand mismatches in urban areas were more serious than those in surrounding areas, especially for carbon sequestration and recreation services. Five ES supply-demand risk zones were identified based on the current status and trends of all ES supply and demand. Southern Jiangsu generally had high risks of ES mismatch, which should be reduced by strategic planning. Constructing the ES supply-demand indicator is a novel practice that assists in evaluating environmental issues and integrating them into further development decisions. This paper suggests that governments should reduce ES mismatches with reference to local conditions (economic development, industrial type, and ecological carrying capacity) and the actual situation of ES supply and demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater potential has been adjudged a panacea to residential development and livelihood improvement. Negligence to its spatio-heterogeneity over an area of concern leads to mismatches, i.e. land use misappropriation. Pumping test data from 26 boreholes were used to produce both static water level and hydraulic head with static water level range of 221.6 m in Ede-oballa to 66.6 m in Obimo, while hydraulic head varies from 182.1 to 322.04 m in Okpuje and Opi, respectively. Elevation values range from 251 m in Okpuje to 536 m in Ede-Oballa. Using ArcGIS the thematic maps of static water level, hydraulic head and elevation were interpolated and simulated to generate groundwater potential distribution. The resultant groundwater potential indices were delineated and its capability evaluated. Result indicates that these have control or influence on groundwater potential. The map models produced in this study provide better understanding towards proper management and utilization of groundwater resources in the Nsukka region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article follows the study of the anti-politics machine that explains why and how developmental projects fail, in the context of a little drought-stricken Karoo town called Vanwyksvlei, Northern Cape. The five (corporate) social responsibility programmes, under the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in South Africa, can be considered a failure and this reveals 'mismatches' and contradictions in what is considered 'development' between Vanwyksvlei's residents and SKA. With ethnographic methods, semi-structured interviews and textual analysis, the 'anti-politics machine' is useful in deconstructing and depoliticising the relationship among developmental actors involved in the five programmes. Firstly, deconstructing and depoliticising the five programmes attempts to explain the success-failure binary of development that points to critiquing the development discourse from problem-orientated to a problem-solving orientation. Secondly, Habermas' theory of communicative action aids in the quest of consensus through deliberative and negotiation strategies between local people, national governments and global organisations. Lastly, the significance of the anti-politics machine goes beyond accounting for the five failed corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and extends to the recognition of local sphere, not only to depoliticise the politics of astronomy knowledge with indigenous insight, but also assist in the urgency of water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The urban green infrastructure has to provide multiple benefits to citizens. • Tools that assess the effectiveness of the urban green infrastructure are needed. • We quantified the ES delivered by each urban green and blue space in the city. • The index of mismatches between supply and demand of ES (MbSDES) is a useful tool. • The spatially explicitly index identified deficit areas to urban planners and managers. The contribution of urban green infrastructure (UGI) to human well-being has been demonstrated in several studies. A common method to evaluate such contributions is to measure the ecosystem services (ES) provided by the vegetation or water bodies present in urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) that constitute the UGI. The efficiency and spatial distribution of diverse types of UGBS in the provision of various ES could be considered by urban planners or managers to define specific objectives in future planning processes. In this context, we propose a methodological approach to develop an effective UGI based on an index of mismatches between supply and demand of ES (MbSDES) that addresses the mismatches between supply and demand for three ES (run-off retention, air purification, and cooling) provided by different UGBS in the city of Bilbao (Basque Country, North Spain). ES supply and demand for the three ES were at the urban neighbourhood level. The results indicate that there was a clear mismatch between ES supply and demand in the study area with 35% of the neighbourhood showing negative values for the MbSDES, which indicated that the actual UGBS do not satisfy the demand for ES. Hence, those areas with ES supply deficits should be a priority when planning new green areas (parks, tree lines, urban gardens) within the municipality. This challenge could be addressed by selecting the type of UGBS structure that is planned and improving the net efficiency of the UGI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a pragmatic solution to utterances where the various indicators of time and aspect (tenses, lexical-conceptual features of Aktionsart, adverb phrases and contextual cues) seem to have divergent temporal reference and aspectual properties. This type of cases is usually treated at the semantic level as 'mismatches' and resolved compositionally through logical operations of 'aspectual coercion'. We suggest on the contrary that no such effect of 'mismatch resolution' or 'coercion' is at work: these utterances are worked out inferentially according to the various pieces of evidence they provide for their relevance, in line of Deirdre Wilson's and Dan Sperber's (1995) relevance theory. Such utterances give rise to cognitive effects that are hardly attainable by apparently more literal formulations, while being cost-effective. Our analysis follows the work of Escandell-Vidal and Leonetti (2011) about the rigidity and thus prevalence of computational linguistic expressions, called 'procedural expressions' by Blakemore (1987) within Sperber and Wilson's (1995[1986]) framework, relevance theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An inverted repeat is a DNA sequence followed downstream by its reverse complement, potentially with a gap in the centre. Inverted repeats are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes and they have been linked with countless possible functions. Many international consortia provide a comprehensive description of common genetic variation making alternative sequence representations, such as IUPAC encoding, necessary for leveraging the full potential of such broad variation datasets. Results: We present IUPACpal, an exact tool for efficient identification of inverted repeats in IUPAC-encoded DNA sequences allowing also for potential mismatches and gaps in the inverted repeats. Conclusion: Within the parameters that were tested, our experimental results show that IUPACpal compares favourably to a similar application packaged with EMBOSS. We show that IUPACpal identifies many previously unidentified inverted repeats when compared with EMBOSS, and that this is also performed with orders of magnitude improved speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) can detect the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a highly specific manner. However, a decrease in the specificity of PCR assays for their targets may lead to false negative results. METHODS: Here, 177 high-coverage complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from 13 Brazilian states were aligned with 15 WHO recommended PCR assays. RESULTS: Only 3 of the 15 completely aligned to all Brazilian sequences. Ten assays had mismatches in up to 3 sequences and two in many sequences. CONCLUSION: These results should be taken into consideration when using PCR-based diagnostics in Brazil.

The architecture of FR-CNN. • A reconstruction tool maps 1-D signals to 2-D images. • CNN is applied to extract features from reconstructed images. • Conditional monitoring is developed for photovoltaic power systems. • Time series of signals and images are dealt with in real time. • Excellent performance is achieved under mismatched conditions. The cutting-edge monitoring technique of photovoltaic power systems tends to employ cloud servers for big data analysis in the wake of smart sensors and internet of things (IoT). Various mismatch phenomena of photovoltaic arrays are generated due to the external and internal interactions, which would be identified by an appropriate monitoring approach. However, high dimensional sequential data provided by multiple sensors challenges the existing monitoring technologies. This paper proposes a dimension reduction technology mapping multiple sequence signals to a sequence of images which are processed further by a convolutional neural network (CNN), resulting in a novel condition monitoring system for photovoltaic array systems. Firstly, multiple sources of 1-dimensional time-series data are rearranged to construct 2-dimensional time-series images. Then, the CNN algorithm automatically extracts the underlying graphical features from data of 2-dimensional images for condition monitoring. Experiments were carried out upon self-made solar power stations to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method for real-world solar power systems. It shows that the data driven approach could identify effectively key operation conditions from the historical data with a negligible loss of features at the presence of mismatched phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction proposes to investigate mismatches and indeterminacies in languages much more than has hitherto been done. Such seemingly unruly aspects of language(s), it is argued, are interesting since they may help shed light on the internal make-up of grammatical systems. The question of the internal make-up of grammar(s), it is argued, cannot be addressed by the normal modus operandi of linguistic research, which is to find matches (rather than mismatches) between the observable (sound and meaning) interface systems, and to find how the interface representations map unto each other deterministically: It is only in the "lo-fi" aspects of mappings that the internal mechanisms of the overall grammatical architecture may reveal themselves. The introduction also points out that our concern is independent of the various theoretical orientations linguists may choose for their work, since the problem presents itself in all approaches to language research currently available, it seems – if in slightly different ways. We propose, in sum, that mismatches and indeterminacies are an extremely worthwhile field for future linguistic research, and one that should be on the agenda (or minimally, within the field of view) for linguists of all theoretical convictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explain an unusual agreement pattern that arises between Tunisian Arabic broken plurals and their targets. For example, a verb may agree with a plural subject in all ɸ -features or, rather oddly, in singular/feminine, even when the subject (the controller) is masculine plural. Developing an idea first briefly sketched—but ultimately not adopted—by Zabbal (2002), we argue that broken plurals are hybrid nouns. Hybrid nouns have been the topic of much recent research (Corbett, 2000, 2015; den Dikken, 2001; Wechsler and Zlatić, 2003; Danon, 2011, 2013; Matushansky, 2013; Landau, 2015; Smith, 2015): either their syntactic or semantic features can be the target of agreement, creating the possibility of an agreement mismatch. Using Harbour's (2011, 2014) theory of number, coupled with some innovations, we provide the featural make-up of Tunisian Arabic broken plurals and contrast it with that of collectives, on the one hand, and sound plurals, on the other. We propose that the feminine agreement seen with broken plurals is associated with a [+ group] feature, one that is exponed as - a. In the course of the discussion, we will argue that all gender features are visible at LF (Hammerly, 2018) and that semantic agreement is routinely possible with nouns that are low on the Animacy Hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The remarkable diversity and mobility of Newcastle disease viruses (NDV) includes virulent viruses of genotype VI. These viruses are often referred to as pigeon paramyxoviruses 1 because they are normally isolated and cause clinical disease in birds from the Columbidae family. Genotype VI viruses occasionally infect, and may also cause clinical disease in poultry. Thus, the evolution, current spread and detection of these viruses are relevant to avian health. Results Here, we describe the isolation and genomic characterization of six Egyptian (2015), four Pakistani (2015), and two Ukrainian (2007, 2013) recent pigeon-derived NDV isolates of sub-genotype VIg. These viruses are closely related to isolates from Kazakhstan, Nigeria and Russia. In addition, eight genetically related NDV isolates from Pakistan (2014–2016) that define a new sub-genotype (VIm) are described. All of these viruses, and the ancestral Bulgarian (n = 2) and South Korean (n = 2) viruses described here, have predicted virulent cleavage sites of the fusion protein, and those selected for further characterization have intracerebral pathogenicity index assay values characteristic of NDV of genotype VI (1.31 to 1.48). A validated matrix gene real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) NDV test detect all tested isolates. However, the validated rRT-PCR test that is normally used to identify the virulent fusion gene fails to detect the Egyptian and Ukrainian viruses due to mismatches in primers and probe. A new rapid rRT-PCR test to determine the presence of virulent cleavage sites for viruses from sub-genotypes VIg was developed and evaluated on these and other viruses. Conclusions We describe the almost simultaneous circulation and continuous evolution of genotype VI Newcastle disease viruses in distant locations, suggesting epidemiological connections among three continents. As pigeons are not migratory, this study suggests the need to understand the possible role of human activity in the dispersal of these viruses. Complete genomic characterization identified previously unrecognized genetic diversity that contributes to diagnostic failure and will facilitate future evolutionary studies. These results highlight the importance of conducting active surveillance on pigeons worldwide and the need to update existent rapid diagnostic protocols to detect emerging viral variants and help manage the disease in affected regions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate some of the main drivers of high unemployment rates in the European Union countries starting from two sources highlighted in the economic literature: the shortfall of the aggregate demand and the increasing labour market mismatches. Our analysis is based on a panel database and focuses on two objectives: to measure the long and short-term impact of GDP growth on unemployment over recent years for different categories of labour market participants (young, older and low educated workers) and to evaluate the relationship between mismatches related to skills (educational and occupational) and unemployment. One of the main conclusions is that unemployment rates of young and low educated workers are more responsive to economic growth variations both in the long and short run, while unemployment rates of older workers show a greater capacity of adjustment. In addition, occupational mismatches seem to have a significant long-term impact on the changes in unemployment of all categories of unemployed, whereas the short run effect is rather mixed, varying across countries. One explanation is the fact that during crisis, economy’s structure tends to change more rapidly than labour market and educational system can adapt.

When an agreement controller contains conflicting semantic and formal features, the predicates that agree with it can differ with respect to the type of features they reflect. With the second person pronoun used for politely addressing a single referent, finite verbs always agree in (formal) plural number, while participles in some languages may or must agree in (natural) singular number and gender. Building on the claims from the previous literature that the honorific pronoun formally encodes both the grammatical features (plural number and person) and the natural gender and singular number, the analysis proposed in this paper derives the variation in predicate agreement by combining the formal tools of feature geometries, separate probing and variation in the ordering of Agree operations. The main claim advanced by the paper is that predicates differ with respect to the φ-features they probe for, and the order in which this probing applies.

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Historical novel is a novel that has as its setting a period of history and that attempts to convey the spirit, manners, and social conditions of a past age with realistic detail and fidelity (which is in some cases only apparent fidelity) to historical fact. The work may deal with actual historical personages, or it may contain a mixture of fictional and historical characters. The historical novel Ponniyin Selvan taken for our analysis is a mixture of fictional and historical characters. The events are also both historical and fictional. Translating such a historical novel is a challenging task for the translator. Arguably, the barriers to translation of the historical novel from Tamil to English are even higher since the challenges are many which include taking the readers not only to a new language situation but also to a period in the past. Before resorting to translation, the translator has to be sure that the novel to be translated meets the exacting standards of native English readers of historical fiction. The translator Indra Neelameggham who translated the first part of Ponniyin Selvan has done her job with meticulous care. The translated version can be taken as a model to those who resort to translation of historical novels. The strategies adopted by Indra Neelamggham to make her venture palatable to English readers are highly commendable. So, it is worth attempting to learn lessons from her translated work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While numerous studies have approached honorification mainly focusing on how honorific forms and features agree with each other in syntactic derivation, the present study focuses on mismatches between a referent and the verb that the referent depends on with respect to honorification. If Korean honorification is a syntactic phenomenon, the mismatches in honorification must be fully accounted for as syntactic agreement cannot be disobeyed in principle. However, either theoretical or empirical inquiry into the mismatches in honorification has not received due attention. Systematic theoretical research on the issue is scant and the empirical endeavors are even rarer. Therefore, the full range of acceptability variance for different honorific expressions remains unknown, which hinders a livelier discussion about honorification. In this context, the present work employs two widely supported methods of linguistic research, viz. acceptability judgment testing and corpus exploration, in order to account for cases of the honorific mismatches. First, the cross-validation reveals that there is no a posteriori evidence for believing that Korean honorification undergoes a syntactic agreement. The experimental results indicate that Korean native speakers largely allow the mismatches involving a referent in an honorific form and a verb in a non-honorific form. Furthermore, they reveal that this type of mismatch forms occurs almost twice as frequently as the forms in perfect agreement in the corpus. These results demonstrate that the syntactic agreement-based approach conflicts with the native speakers' acceptability judgments and the language usage in daily speech. Second, the present study empirically corroborates the evidence that Korean honorification is semantically/pragmatically controlled. On the one hand, it is borne out that the mismatches involving a referent in a non-honorific form and a verb in an honorific form are mostly disallowed. These mismatches are instances of semantic restriction (i.e., anomalies); the head lexically imposes a blocking constraint on its dependent (not vice versa) with respect to the meaning and marking of honorifications. On the other hand, the empirical findings support the validity of the pragmatic conception that speakers manipulate the attitudes toward a given discourse situation and thereby choose the most appropriate honorific form out of the different forms with different degrees of deference. Since the most salient entity to the speaker in discourse (mentally as well as physically) is the hearer, the hearer (if honorable) tends to receive the strongest deference in honorific expressions; it turns out that if the verb is honorifically marked almost two-thirds of the associated referents refer to the honorable hearer. In addition, the mismatches with a referent in a non-honorific form and a verb in an honorific form can appear when the speaker needs to modulate their attitude of deference to an extreme degree or the honorific feature of the referent is semantically underspecified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is concerned with the problem of existence of periodic structures in words from formal languages. Squares (that is, fragments of the form xx, where x is an arbitrary word) and Δ-squares (that is, fragments of the form xy, where a word x differs from a word y by at most Δ letters) are considered as periodic structures. We show that in a binary alphabet there exist arbitrarily long words free from Δ-squares with length at most 4Δ+4. In particular, a method of construction of such words for any Δ is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper explores 'framed tautologies', occurring with (i) expressions that overtly introduce individuals to which the asserted content is related, (ii) spatiotemporal adjuncts, and (iii) universal quantifiers. Drawing on data from COCA and other web-based sources, we examine the contribution of the frame-setters and the strategies used to build a consistent interpretation. When the frame-setter restricts the validity of tautologies to a specific individual, we distinguish between judge for/to -phrases indicating the opinion-holder, and functional standard for -phrases indicating the specific individual to whom the tautology applies. Tautologies with spatiotemporal frames pattern with other stative propositions, in that the scope of locative and temporal phrases has to be fixed inferentially: it can be (i) the whole sentence as an abstract object; (ii) a discourse-salient implicit topic, identified as the attitude-holder or the source of the belief expressed, and (iii) the subject of the tautology. Universal quantifiers guide the addressee towards the literal, non-vague interpretation of the tautology. Interpreting a framed tautology is a matter of reconciling the semantics of an analytic proposition with that of a non-matching frame – either too restrictive or redundant. Hence, their analysis is relevant to understanding how interpretive processes deal with constructions containing mismatches. Highlights • Despite being stative and always true, tautologies are used with restrictive frame-setters. • Frame-setters introduce an opinion-holder, or add locative and temporal indications. • We explore interpretative strategies of framed tautologies and the role of frame-setters. • We contribute to the general analysis of interpreting constructions with semantic mismatches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several questionnaire design texts emphasize a dual role of question wording: the wording needs to express what is being measured and tell respondents how to answer. Researchers tend to focus heavily on the first of these goals, but sometimes overlook the second, resulting in question wording that does not match the response options provided (i.e. mismatches). Common examples are yes/no questions with ordinal or nominal response options, open-ended questions with closed-ended response options, and check-all-that apply questions with forced-choice response options. A slightly different type of mismatch utilizes a question stem that can be read as asking for two different types of answers with no indication of which type should be provided. In this paper, we report the results of twenty-two experimental comparisons of data quality indicators (i.e. item nonresponse and response time) and response distributions across matched and mismatched versions of questions from a postal mail survey and a telephone survey. We find that mismatched items generally have lower data quality than matched items and that substantive results differ significantly across matched and mismatched designs, especially in the telephone survey. The results suggest that researchers should be wary of mismatches and should strive for holistic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected in several animal species. After transmission to animals, the virus accumulates mutations in its genome as adaptation to the new animal host progresses. Therefore, we investigated whether these mutations result in mismatches with the diagnostic PCR assays and suggested proper modifications to the oligo sequences accordingly. A comprehensive bioinformatic analysis was conducted using 28 diagnostic PCR assays and 793 publicly available SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from animals. Sixteen out of the investigated 28 PCR assays displayed at least one mismatch with their targets at the 0.5% threshold. Mismatches were detected in seven, two, two, and six assays targeting the ORF1ab, spike, envelope, and nucleocapsid genes, respectively. Several of these mismatches, such as the deletions and mismatches at the 3’ end of the primer or probe, are expected to negatively affect the diagnostic PCR assays resulting in false-negative results. The modifications to the oligo sequences should result in stronger template binding by the oligos, better sensitivity of the assays, and higher confidence in the result. It is necessary to monitor the targets of diagnostic PCR assays for any future mutations that may occur as the virus continues to evolve in animals.

Background: DNA hybridization is at the basis of most current technologies for genotyping and sequencing, due to the unique properties of DNA base-pairing that guarantee a high grade of selectivity. Nonetheless the presence of single base mismatches or not perfectly matched sequences can affect the response of the devices and the major challenge is, nowadays, to distinguish a mismatch of a single base and, at the same time, unequivocally differentiate devices read-out of fully and partially matching sequences.Results: We present here two platforms based on different sensing strategies, to detect mismatched and/or perfectly matched complementary DNA strands hybridization into ssDNA oligonucleotide monolayers. The first platform exploits atomic force microscopy-based nanolithography to create ssDNA nano-arrays on gold surfaces. AFM topography measurements then monitor the variation of height of the nanostructures upon biorecognition and then follow annealing at different temperatures. This strategy allowed us to clearly detect the presence of mismatches. The second strategy exploits the change in capacitance at the interface between an ssDNA-functionalized gold electrode and the solution due to the hybridization process in a miniaturized electrochemical cell. Through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements on extended ssDNA self-assembled monolayers we followed in real-time the variation of capacitance, being able to distinguish, through the difference in hybridization kinetics, not only the presence of single, double or triple mismatches in the complementary sequence, but also the position of the mismatched base pair with respect to the electrode surface.Conclusion: We demonstrate here two platforms based on different sensing strategies as sensitive and selective tools to discriminate mismatches. Our assays are ready for parallelization and can be used in the detection and quantification of single nucleotide mismatches in microRNAs or in genomic DNA.

This article addresses the problem of the main factors driving sectoral unemployment in the Mediterranean countries most affected by this phenomenon. The choice of the four countries (Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal) relies on the fact that they are dealing with the highest unemployment rates in the European Union and a certain typology of the economic structure. The originality of our research is offered by its direction, less tackled until now, namely the focus on the particularities of the economic sectors, trying to capture differences between them. The importance and the impact of the results are supported by the methods used to produce them, indicators and econometric models that are on trend and bring extra information to available studies. Descriptive statistics and mismatch indexes are used to outline the economic and labour market structure, while the econometric models built on panel data capture the impact of factors such as GVA growth, specialization and labour market mismatches on the unemployment rate at six economic sectors level. Our paper makes three contributions to the literature. First, we have demonstrated that agriculture is the sector of activity less sensitive to output fluctuations in terms of unemployment and can become a buffer for the jobless in times of recessions. Second, we have proved that industry, as a whole, is highly responsive to economic developments and bad specialization could worsen unemployment situation in this sector. Third, we showed that educational mismatches have a significant impact on unemployment in those sectors of activity that employ low educated workforce.

Integrated assessment of ecosystem services involves the recognition of value pluralism and the inclusion of the different components of ecosystem services, ranging from supply to social demand and interest. Supply refers to the capacity of ecosystems to provide services, while demand refers to the allocation of money or willingness to obtain a particular service and interest to the importance assigned to services. Yet, a comprehensive assessment of ecosystem services which integrates these three components is still unexplored. This paper proposes a methodological approach to examine (mis)matches, i.e. differences or similarities in quality or quantity, when analysing the supply, demand and interest components of ecosystem services. We assessed twelve ecosystem services in four different units socioeconomically and environmentally similar of the social-ecological system of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve in Northern Spain. Results showed that the different ecosystem services components provide divergent but complementary information regarding their value. We also found that the information obtained is consistent across different spatial units with similar socio-economic characteristics, suggesting that the mismatch patterns among ecosystem services components are more related to the set of ecosystem services assessed than the socio-economic characteristics and land uses of the area of study. Our findings strengthen arguments of former calls for integration of the biophysical, monetary and socio-cultural values addressed by the supply, demand and interest components of ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the problem of the main factors driving sectoral unemployment in the Mediterranean countries most affected by this phenomenon. The choice of the four countries (Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal) relies on the fact that they are dealing with the highest unemployment rates in the European Union and a certain typology of the economic structure. The originality of our research is offered by its direction, less tackled until now, namely the focus on the particularities of the economic sectors, trying to capture differences between them. The importance and the impact of the results are supported by the methods used to produce them, indicators and econometric models that are on trend and bring extra information to available studies. Descriptive statistics and mismatch indexes are used to outline the economic and labour market structure, while the econometric models built on panel data capture the impact of factors such as GVA growth, specialization and labour market mismatches on the unemployment rate at six economic sectors level. Our paper makes three contributions to the literature. First, we have demonstrated that agriculture is the sector of activity less sensitive to output fluctuations in terms of unemployment and can become a buffer for the jobless in times of recessions. Second, we have proved that industry, as a whole, is highly responsive to economic developments and bad specialization could worsen unemployment situation in this sector. Third, we showed that educational mismatches have a significant impact on unemployment in those sectors of activity that employ low educated workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The networked nature of energy systems produces geographies of connection, but the focus of this paper is on geographies of disconnection, exploring the multi-scalar processes which shape the context in which energy landscapes emerge. It does so, first, by presenting a case study of farmers' attitudes to perennial energy crops in south-west Scotland. Their strong antipathy to converting farmland to short-rotation coppice, and the reasons for their negative attitudes, exemplify some of the wider mismatches and disconnects which the paper goes on to discuss. These include socio-political and socio-cultural mismatches, and a range of essentially geographical disconnects which are scalar in nature, such as the familiar local-global tension and the mismatch between the scales (both temporal and spatial) at which environmental and human systems organise and function. The discussion shows how these disjunctions not only affect energy geographies but also raise far-reaching questions about the ability of current governance structures and liberal democratic systems to respond swiftly and effectively to global challenges. The way that these mismatches are negotiated will mould both the character of future energy landscapes and the speed at which they take shape.

Phylogeny inference has moved in recent years from the analysis of a single or few proteins to that of whole proteomes. However, the reconstruction of evolutionary trees for big number of species poses a significant computational challenge when using complete proteomes, even when relatively fast pairwise sequence comparison algorithms are used. We present a distributed approach that relies on the computation of distance measures based on maximal shared substrings within a bounded Hamming distance. The distributed system we built to implement this approach is flexible in that it supports a variety of design choices. It is based on the Spark framework and covers all the steps required by our approach, starting from the initial indexing of a set of FASTA sequences up to producing a report detailing the distances among these sequences, ranked according to a user-defined measure. Here we apply it to compare all proteins of selected organisms, divide them into groups and perform the comparisons within each group separately. The groups include: the functionally characterized proteins, the ribosomal proteins, and the unannotated proteins. We compute the average distances within the groups and evaluate their relationship and ability to capture the evolutionary closeness of organisms. We run experiments on selected species using a Hadoop computing cluster running Spark. The results show that the system implementing our approach is scalable and accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]