For any knot T transverse to a given contact structure on a 3-manifold, we exhibit a Legendrian two-component link L = L1 t L2 such that T equals the transverse push-off of L1 and contact (+1)surgery on L has the same effect as a Lutz twist along T .

This paper analyses the effect of out-of-school contact in acquisition L2 English four groups students belonging to different educational levels: secondary education (n=38), baccalaurate (n=25), state language schools (n= 32) and university (n=18). Differences frequency with which learner engage types activities are analysed, i.e, films, games, music, reading, writing speaking, as well gender-r...

The accessibility of video technology has made it possible to utilize both the auditory and visual channels to present listening texts in the second language (L2) classroom and on L2 listening tests. However, there has been little research investigating the extent to which L2 listeners actually watch the video monitor when presented with a listening video text. The current study investigated te...

In both vertebrate and invertebrate visual systems, neurons form multiple-contact synapses at which a single presynaptic site releases neurotransmitter upon a discrete combination of different postsynaptic cells. Recognition mechanisms underlying the assembly of such synapses are not known. In Drosophila, photoreceptor terminals form tetrad synapses that incorporate an invariable pair of postsy...

This thesis explores the role of age in second language (L2) acquisition and first language (L1) attrition. The focus is on Voice Onset Time (VOT) in the production and categorical perception of word-initial L1 and L2 stops in highly advanced L1 Spanish learners of L2 Swedish. Using as the point of departure a maturational constraints perspective and the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH), Study ...

We report a step in constructing an in silico model of a neocortical column, focusing on the synaptic connection between layer 4 (L4) spiny neurons and L2/3 pyramidal cells in rat barrel cortex. It is based first on a detailed morphological and functional characterization of synaptically connected pairs of L4-L2/3 neurons from in vitro recordings and second, on in vivo recordings of voltage res...

We are interested in minimizing functionals with l2 data and gradient fitting term and l1 regularization term with higher order derivatives in a discrete setting. We examine the structure of the solution in 1d by reformulating the original problem into a contact problem which can be solved by dual optimization techniques. The solution turns out to be a ’smooth’ discrete polynomial spline whose ...

In this paper, we examine certain aspects of the French Accentual Phrase (AP) produced by monolingual Parisian and L2 speakers of French and discuss the implications language contact may have on our knowledge about the French prosodic system. We study the same text read by four monolingual Parisian speakers and two groups of different L2 speakers: four Central Africans and four Swiss Germans. T...

The present study focuses on the discrepancy between receptive and expressive language competence among bilingual children and tests possible explanatory factors of this gap. The sample consisted of 406 bilingual children with German as their second language (L2) and 46 different first languages. Receptive and expressive German language competence (L2) were measured with a standardized language...

Researchers have extensively compared different L2 learning contexts, such as EFL versus study-abroad, for their impacts on oral production; however, scant attention, if any, has been paid to comparing EFL settings in terms of input factors such as textbooks, amount of contacts in L2, and teachers. Accordingly, the effects of these factors on the oral production skills were investigated in this...