Cross-language activation during word recognition in child second-language learners and the role of executive function

We investigated lexical retrieval processes in 4- to 6-year-old German–English bilinguals by exploring cross-language activation during second-language (L2) word recognition of cognates and noncognates in semantically related and unrelated contexts in young learners of English. Both button presses (reaction times and accuracies) and eye-tracking data (percentage looks to target) yielded a significant cognate facilitation effect, indicating that the children’s performance was boosted by cognate words. Nonetheless, the degree of phonological overlap of cognates did not modulate their performance. Moreover, a semantic interference effect was found in the children’s eye movement data. However, in these young L2 learners, cognate status exerted a comparatively stronger impact on L2 word recognition than semantic relatedness. Finally, correlational analyses on the cognate and noncognate performance and the children’s executive function yielded a significant positive correlation between noncognate performance and their inhibitory control, suggesting that noncognate processing depended to a greater extent on inhibitory control than cognate processing

Processing to learn noncanonical word orders:Exploring linguistic and cognitive predictors of reanalysis in early L2 sentence comprehension

To test the contributions of processing to L2 syntax learning, this study explores (cross-) linguistic and cognitive predictors of sentence reanalysis in the L2 comprehension of relative clauses among low-intermediate L1 German adolescent learners of L2 English. Specifically, we test the degree to which L2 comprehension is affected by L2 proficiency, reanalysis ability in a related, earlier-acquired L2 structure (questions), reanalysis ability of relative clauses in the L1, cognitive control, and cognitive capacity. In visual-world eye-tracking experiments, 141 adolescent German-speaking L2 learners of English selected target pictures for auditorily presented questions and relative clauses in the L1 and in the L2. The results showed a strong subject preference for L2 relative clauses. Learners' L2 proficiency and their processing of object questions in the L2 predicted reanalysis for object relatives in eye movements, reaction times, and comprehension accuracy. In contrast, there was no evidence that cognitive control or working memory systematically affected the processing of object relatives. These findings suggest that linguistic processing outweighs cognitive processing in accounting for individual differences in low-intermediate L2 acquisition of complex grammar. Specifically, learners recruit shared processing mechanisms and routines across grammatical structures to pave a way in the acquisition of syntax.</p

Stratification of yerba mate seeds in a commercial nursery and the emergence monitoring

Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. is a native species in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Propagation is carried out by seeds that have a low germination rate and morphophysiological dormancy. In order to increase the germination percentage, stratification treatments and emergence monitoring were tested. For this, yerba mate seeds were subjected to stratification treatments: Treatment 1 - seeds between two sand layers; Treatment 2 - seeds between two sand layers and commercial substrate covered with corn straw; Treatment 3 - seeds between two sand layers with the addition of 4.0 g "L" ^"-1"  of slow-release fertilizer (16-8-12 - 6 months); Treatment 4 - seeds between two sand layers covered with corn straw; and a control treatment - seeds without stratification. The stratification period for all treatments was 180 days, and at 120, 150, and 180 days, 100 seeds were removed per repetition from each treatment for emergence tests, with weekly observation for 180-days in a completely randomized design. After that period, the tetrazolium test was performed with the seeds that did not emerge. At 120-days of stratification there was no emergence and at 150-days it was 0.83%. At 180-days, treatment 3 showed the highest percentage - 13.19%. Seeds without stratification do not germinate and after 180-days of emergence the amount of non-viable seeds increased in all treatments. Stratification in sand with slow-release fertilizer favors the emergence of yerba mate seedlings.The propagation of Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. is carried out by seeds that have a low germination rate and morphophysiological dormancy. In order to increase the germination percentage, stratification treatments and emergence monitoring were tested. For this, yerba mate seeds were subjected to stratification treatments: Treatment 1 - seeds between two sand layers; Treatment 2 - seeds between two sand layers and commercial substrate covered with corn straw; Treatment 3 - seeds between two sand layers with the addition of 4.0 g  of controlled-release fertilizer; Treatment 4 - seeds between two sand layers covered with corn straw; and a control treatment - seeds without stratification. The stratification period for all treatments was 180 days, and at 120, 150, and 180 days, 100 seeds were removed per repetition from each treatment for emergence tests, with weekly observation for 180-days in a completely randomized design. After that period, the tetrazolium test was performed with the seeds that did not emerge. At 120-days of stratification there was no emergence and at 150-days it was 0.83%. At 180-days, treatment 3 showed the highest percentage - 13.19%. Seeds without stratification do not germinate and after 180-days of emergence the amount of non-viable seeds increased in all treatments. Stratification in sand, combined with controlled-release fertilizer favors yerba mate seedlings emergence. After 180-days of emergence in germinator plants at 25°C, there is an increase in non-viable seeds amount. Seeds that did not undergo the stratification process do not germinate and present a higher dormant seeds percentage after 180-days of emergence

Estratificação de sementes de erva-mate em viveiro comercial e acompanhamento da emergência

The propagation of Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. is carried out by seeds that have a low germination rate and morphophysiological dormancy. In order to increase the germination percentage, stratification treatments and emergence monitoring were tested. For this, yerba mate seeds were subjected to stratification treatments: Treatment 1 - seeds between two sand layers; Treatment 2 - seeds between two sand layers and commercial substrate covered with corn straw; Treatment 3 - seeds between two sand layers with the addition of 4.0 g L-1 of controlled-release fertilizer; Treatment 4 - seeds between two sand layers covered with corn straw; and a control treatment - seeds without stratification. The stratification period for all treatments was 180 days, and at 120, 150, and 180 days, 100 seeds were removed per repetition from each treatment for emergence tests, with weekly observation for 180-days in a completely randomized design. After that period, the tetrazolium test was performed with the seeds that did not emerge. At 120-days of stratification there was no emergence and at 150-days it was 0.83%. At 180-days, treatment 3 showed the highest percentage - 13.19%. Seeds without stratification do not germinate and after 180-days of emergence the amount of non-viable seeds increased in all treatments. Stratification in sand, combined with controlled-release fertilizer favors yerba mate seedlings emergence. After 180-days of emergence in germinator plants at 25°C, there is an increase in non-viable seeds amount. Seeds that did not undergo the stratification process do not germinate and present a higher dormant seeds percentage after 180-days of emergence.A propagação da Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil. é realizada por sementes que apresentam baixa taxa de germinação e dormência morfofisiológica. Com o intuito de aumentar a porcentagem de germinação foram testados tratamentos de estratificação e acompanhamento da emergência. Para isso, sementes de erva-mate foram submetidas a tratamentos de estratificação: Tratamento 1 - sementes entre duas camadas de areia; Tratamento 2 - sementes entre duas camadas de areia e substrato comercial coberto por de palha de milho; Tratamento 3 - sementes entre duas camadas de areia com adição de 4,0 g L-1 de adubo de liberação controlada; Tratamento 4 - sementes entre duas camadas de areia coberta com palha de milho; e um tratamento controle - sementes sem estratificação. O período de estratificação de todos os tratamentos foi de 180 dias, e aos 120, 150 e 180 dias foram retiradas 100 sementes por repetição de cada tratamento para os testes de emergência, com acompanhamento semanal durante 180 dias em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Após esse período, com as sementes não emergidas foi realizado o teste de tetrazólio. Aos 120 dias de estratificação não houve emergência e aos 150 dias foi de 0,83%. Aos 180 dias, o tratamento 3 apresentou a maior porcentagem - 13,19%. Sementes sem estratificação não germinam e após 180 dias de emergência aumentou a quantidade de sementes não viáveis em todos os tratamentos. A estratificação em areia, aliada ao adubo de liberação controlada favorece a emergência das plântulas de erva-mate. Após 180 dias de emergência em germinador a 25°C ocorre aumento na quantidade de sementes não viáveis. Sementes que não passaram pelo processo de estratificação não germinam e apresentam maior porcentagem de sementes dormentes após 180 dias de emergência

Vitis labrusca L. germination: influence of treatments to break dormancy, storage and ripening point of fruits

Grapevine seeds have morphophysiological dormancy, which complicates their germination, an important step in obtaining new plants after crossing during breeding. The objective of this work was to establish the ideal conditions for Vitis labrusca L. ‘Isabella’ seed storage conditions, the method for breaking seed dormancy, ripening of fruits at harvest, need for fungicide application before seed sowing and their germination. The seeds were submitted to three tests with (1 and 2) different treatments to break seed dormancy and storage in two conditions for two different times (Isabella), and (3) seeds from unripe and ripe fruits treated or untreated with fungicide. Germination was monitored two times per week. The percentage of germination (%G), germination mean time (GMT), and germination speed index (GSI) were calculated. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were compared using the LSD-Fisher test (p &lt; 0.05). The 12-month storage at a controlled temperature (25±2°C) provided the best germination results (up to 19.5% of G%). Stratification for 90 or 120 days on wet paper or sand at 5±2°C of seeds from mature fruits is the most suitable for the germination of Isabella seeds (65% to 72% of G%, and 1.73 and 1.95 of GSI for the treatments of stratification on wet sand for 120 days). It is also not necessary to apply fungicide on seeds before sowing, as long as disinfestation with 70% alcohol and sodium hypochlorite 1%, and triple washing with water is done (no statistical difference for seeds from ripe fruits treated or not with fungicide, 58% and 64.7% of %G, and 1.37 and 1.22 of GSI, respectively)

Avaliação da qualidade de sementes de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil.) oriundas de diferentes plantas matrizes

Yerba mate seedlings with genetic and physiological quality, high rates of sowing survival and resistance to environmental stresses are necessary for the implantation and establishment of productive plants that will provide quality raw material. However, the production of seedlings, in most cases is carried out from seeds, which are collected from mother-plants with few selection criteria. In this sense, the work aimed to investigate the quality of the seeds of yerba mate after processing by flotation from different mother-plants, by obtaining information about the biometric characterization (longitudinal and transversal measure), water content, a thousand-seed weight, evaluation of the seed integrity and viability through the tetrazolium test. The seeds were collected from 10 mother-plants located in three cities in the yerba-mate region Alto Vale do Taquari – RS state, Brazil. In the integrity assessment, the number of not full (empty and deteriorated) and full (with and without visible embryo) seeds was counted. In the tetrazolium test, the percentage of viable and non-viable seeds was evaluated. The seeds of the different parent plants showed statistical differences for all the variables analyzed. The analysis showed that there are differences related to biometric parameters and water content and, consequently, in the weight of a thousand seeds. Yerba mate shows a varied percentage of empty and deteriorated seeds. The percentage of non-viable seeds is high, which significantly reduces the viability of the seed lot.Mudas de erva-mate com qualidade genética e fisiológica, altos índices de sobrevivência no plantio e resistência a estresses ambientais são necessários para a implantação e estabelecimento de ervais produtivos que irão fornecer matéria-prima de qualidade. No entanto, a produção de mudas, na maioria dos casos, é realizada a partir de sementes, as quais são coletadas de plantas matrizes com poucos critérios de seleção. Nesse sentido, o trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a qualidade das sementes de erva-mate após pré-limpeza por flutuação de diferentes plantas matrizes, por meio da obtenção de informações sobre a caracterização biométrica (medida longitudinal e transversal), teor de água, peso de mil sementes, avaliação da integridade das sementes e viabilidade por meio do teste de tetrazólio. As sementes foram coletadas de 10 plantas matrizes localizadas em três municípios da região ervateira Alto Vale do Taquari – RS, Brasil. Na avaliação da integridade foram contabilizadas a quantidade de sementes não íntegras (vazias e deterioradas) e íntegras (com e sem embrião visível). E no teste de tetrazólio foi avaliada a porcentagem de sementes viáveis e não viáveis. As sementes das diferentes plantas matrizes apresentaram diferenças estatísticas para todas as variáveis analisadas. As análises mostraram que há diferenças relacionadas à biometria e teor de água e, consequentemente, no peso de mil sementes. A erva-mate apresenta percentual variado de sementes vazias e deterioradas. A porcentagem de sementes não viáveis é alta, o que reduz significativamente a viabilidade de um lote de sementes

Bovine Tooth Discoloration Induced by Endodontic Filling Materials for Primary Teeth

Objective. This study evaluated the discoloration potential of endodontic materials used in primary teeth. Material and Methods. Dentine-enamel blocks were prepared from 75 bovine teeth, assorted in five experimental groups (n=15). The tested materials included an MTA-based material; zinc oxide and eugenol cement (ZOE); Vitapex; and calcium hydroxide thickened with zinc oxide (Calen + ZO). The color measurements were performed using a spectrophotometer at the following intervals: prior to (T0) and after placement of the filling (T1) and after 1 week (T2), 1 month (T3), 3 months (T4), 6 months (T5), and 9 months (T6). Data were submitted to ANOVA with repeated measures and Tukey’s test. Results. The time had a significant effect on the color variation (ΔE00⁎) (p<0.0001). The effect of the materials on the color variation (ΔE00⁎) was statistically significant (p=0.004). Interactions between time and materials demonstrated a significant effect on the values (ΔE00⁎) (p<0.0001). The ZOE cement showed the highest darkening effect (p=0.018). Conclusion. The MTA-based material showed the smallest discoloration during the experimental time; however, it was similar to the other materials and to the control group. Zinc oxide and eugenol showed higher discoloration

Increased Dietary Trp, Thr, and Met Supplementation Improves Performance, Health, and Protein Metabolism of Weaned Piglets under Mixed Management and Poor Housing Conditions

A sanitary challenge was carried out to induce suboptimal herd health while investigating the effect of amino acids supplementation on piglet responses. Weaned piglets of high sanitary status (6.33 ± 0.91 kg of BW) were distributed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement into two similar facilities with contrasting sanitary conditions and two different diets. Our results suggest that increased Trp, Thr, and Met dietary supplementation could support the immune systems of piglets under a sanitary challenge. In this manner, AA+ supplementation improved the performance and metabolism of piglets under mixed management and poor sanitary conditions. No major temporal microbiome changes were associated with differences in performance regardless of sanitary conditions or diets. Since piglets often become mixed in multiple-site production systems and facility hygiene is also often neglected, this study suggests that increased Trp, Thr, and Met (AA+) dietary supplementation could contribute to mitigating the side effects of these harmful risk factors in modern pig farms

Pain, anxiety, and catastrophizing among pregnant women with dental pain, undergoing root canal treatment

Abstract This prospective study aims to evaluate dental pain, anxiety, and catastrophizing levels in pregnant women undergoing root canal treatment. Sixty pregnant and non-pregnant women presenting dental pain and an indication for root canal treatment were included in the study. Dental anxiety and catastrophizing were investigated using validated questionnaires. The endodontic intervention was performed, and a numerical scale measured preoperative and postoperative dental pain. The results were analyzed using STATA software 12.0. Unadjusted analyses assessed the association between pregnancy and pain, anxiety, and catastrophizing levels. Multiple linear regression models using ‘forward stepwise’ entry procedures were used to assess the independent effects of variables on pain scores. The significance level was set at 0.05. Initially, most patients experienced intense dental pain. The levels of dental pain, dental anxiety, and catastrophizing did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Logistic regression showed that postoperative pain was associated with irreversible pulpitis diagnosis (OR = 4.78; 95%CI 1.55–13.55) and high catastrophizing levels (OR = 1.96; 95%CI 1.01–3.84). Preoperative and postoperative pain rates and anxiety and catastrophizing were similar between pregnant and non-pregnant patients. Postoperative pain was associated with irreversible pulpitis diagnosis and high catastrophizing levels. The similarity between pregnant and non-pregnant women regarding preoperative and postoperative dental pain and catastrophizing and anxiety levels supports the indication of root canal treatment during the gestational period whenever necessary

AMPD1 gene mutations are associated with obesity and diabetes in Polish patients with cardiovascular diseases

Previous studies showed an association of the common functional polymorphism (C34T, Gln12Stop) in the adenosine monophosphate deaminase-1 (AMPD1) gene with survival in heart failure (HF) and/or coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the study was to search for other mutations in selected regions of the AMPD1 gene in Polish CAD and HF patients, and to analyze their associations with obesity and diabetes. Exons 2, 3, 5, and 7 of AMPD1 were scanned for mutations in 97 patients with CAD without HF (CAD+ HF−), 104 patients with HF (HF+), and 200 newborns from North-Western Poland using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and direct sequencing. Frequencies of AMPD1 C34T mutation, as well as novel A99G, G512A, IVS4-6delT, and C784T sequence alterations, were similar in the three groups, but 860T mutated allele was less frequent in the combined CAD+ HF− and HF+ groups than in the controls (1.7% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.040). Heterozygous 34CT genotype was associated with lower (odds ratio [OR] = 0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.13–0.81) and 860AT with higher (OR = 13.7, 95%CI = 1.6–118) prevalence of diabetes or hyperglycemia in relation to wild-type homozygotes. Abdominal obesity was more frequent in 860AT patients than in wild-type homozygotes and 34CT heterozygotes (86% vs. 40% vs. 29%, p < 0.05). Nine genes containing polymorphisms linked with AMPD1 C34T mutation were found in the HapMap database. AMPD1 C34T nonsense mutation is associated with reduced prevalence of diabetes and obesity in patients with CAD or HF, but A860T substitution seems to exert opposite metabolic effects and should always be accounted for in the studies of the AMPD1 genotype