Prosodic realization of tonal target and F0 peak alignment in Mandarin neutral tone

Neutral tone in Mandarin is generally believed to lack tonal identity and exhibit more variability in its phonetic realization. We examined the tonal target of neutral tone in a prosodic word consisting of a full syllable (S) and one, two, or three neutral-tone syllables. In the experiment, the test words, presented in isolation and embedded in a carrier sentence, were read in two intonation patterns: declarative and interrogative. The results showed: (1) the tonal target of neutral tone is L(ow) at the end of the intonation phrase in declarative intonation and M(id) in question intonation; (2) its phonetic realization is influenced by intonation patterns, the tone of S and the number of neutral-tone syllables in the prosodic word; (3) the influence of the tone of S is more robust in shorter sequences than in longer ones with three neutral-tone syllables; (4) placement of the F0 peak in T2 (LH) and the neutral tone immediately following T3 (L) is susceptible to the number of neutral-tone syllables. It seems clear from our study that while the tonal target of neutral tone is related to prosodic structure, its actual F0 scaling is sensitive to prosodic manipulations such as intonation patterns and prosodic word length. In addition, tonelessness of neutral tone allows for more freedom in the alignment of the F0 peak, whose temporal coordination with its segmental host is, nevertheless, subject to both phonological and phonetic constraints.

How ‘public’ is communicated in China’s public diplomacy: communicating environmental justice in the case of air pollution in China

This study re-evaluates the media communications of the domestic public’s interests related to environmental justice in the case of China’s air pollution in China’s public diplomacy initiatives. It examines media representations of environmental justice by China’s state-sponsored China Daily, and compares them with the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, and British and American mainstream newspapers. The examination starts from 2015, when Beijing issued the first ever red alert for air pollution, to 2018, when air pollution still haunted the country. This study finds that, besides the general policy schemes of smog mitigation, China Daily extended coverage to the general causes of smog and the domestic public’s detailed demands for smog mitigation. It mainly adopted a neutral tone in covering environmental justice. The obvious discrepancy in coverage patterns between China Daily and other news media appears in the tone of covering ‘adequacy’ in environmental justice, with the former being neutral and the latter adopting more critical voices. This study offers a better understanding of China’s evolving governmental stances in dealing with environmental justice issues in the case of air pollution.

Development of a digital pill and respondent behavioral intervention (PrEPSteps) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence among stimulant using men who have sex with men

The efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (MSM) is contingent upon consistent adherence. Digital pill systems (DPS) provide real-time, objective measurement of ingestions and can inform behavioral adherence interventions. Qualitative feedback was solicited from MSM who use stimulants to optimize a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based intervention (LifeSteps), used in conjunction with a DPS, to promote PrEP adherence (PrEPSteps). Seven focus groups and one individual qualitative interview were conducted in Boston, MA with cisgender, HIV-negative MSM who reported stimulant use and current PrEP use or interest. Focus groups and interviews explored reactions to the DPS and PrEPSteps messaging components: contingent reinforcement (CR), corrective feedback (CF), LifeSteps, and substance use Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). Quantitative assessments were administered. Qualitative data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Twenty MSM participated. Most were White (N = 12), identified as homosexual or gay (N = 15), and college-educated (N = 15). Ages ranged from 24 to 68 years (median 35.5). Participants were willing to engage with the DPS and viewed it as beneficial for promoting adherence. Confirmatory CR messages were deemed acceptable, and a neutral tone was preferred. CF messages were viewed as most helpful and as promoting individual responsibility. LifeSteps was perceived as useful for contextualizing nonadherence. However, SBIRT was a barrier to DPS use; concerns around potential substance use stigma were reported. MSM who use stimulants were accepting of the DPS and PrEPSteps intervention. CR, CF, and LifeSteps messages were viewed as helpful, with modifications pertaining to tone and content; SBIRT messages were not preferred.

Tocqueville, Democratic Poetry, and the Religion of Humanity

The Religion of Humanity has typically been associated with Auguste Comte's positivism. Within liberal philosophical debate, John Stuart Mill's measured advocacy for it has received some attention, especially given his otherwise well-known emphasis on the tension between religion and liberty. Yet Alexis de Tocqueville's perceptive awareness of the Religion of Humanity as an evolving phenomenon, expressed through his discussion of democratic poetry, remained largely unnoticed. Of course, Tocqueville's essential religio-political task was to promote a modified version of Christianity and buttress the standing of religious morality as an outside barrier against human action motivated by democratic materialism, notwithstanding the secular doctrine of self-interest well understood. Indeed, despite the neutral tone of Tocqueville's discussion of democratic poetry, elsewhere his critique of democratic pantheism, writers and orators, theatre, and historians warned against excessive veneration of humanity, which amounted to a sublimation of the dogma of the sovereignty of the people.

STUDENT CONCERNS FOR ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE ACTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS DURING COVID-19

This paper shares a summary of the self-reported concerns of 134 first-year engineering students around engagement in online active learning environments during COVID-19. The students had volunteered to participate in remote weekly problem-solving workshops for four weeks that utilized Active Learning techniques. In this paper, we specifically analyze samples from the students who participated in only one workshop and responded to the following question: What concerns do you have that might limit your ability to engage in online active learning environments? Twenty of the participants reported no concerns. The tone of each student's response and personal feelings reported were also analyzed. Then, a thematic analysis of each student response was made, with the transcription and coding agreement being performed by two coders. As expected, most of the students expressed their concerns in a negative or neutral tone, and only a few expressed an affinity for current educational settings. Word mining of feeling terms shows that more students had verbalized being disengaged, followed by distracted and uncomfortable and none communicated a positive feeling. Our thematic analysis showed that learning socially (72/114, or 63%) is the most pressing concern for the students, followed by more personal regulating factors such as attitude and motivation (44%), quality of physical and virtual study environment (40%), as well as the guidance received from the course administrators (24%). Findings suggest the need for developing a global understanding of what active learning in an online environment entails in the context of engineering education, and to develop and adjust tools and practices to help students learn in this new context.

Can Dogs’ Origins and Interactions with Humans Affect Their Accomplishments? A Study on the Responses of Shelter and Companion Dogs during Vocal Cue Training

The inclusion of life history as a possible influential factor is pivotal in studies on behavior, welfare, and cognition. Shelter dogs have usually experienced a life involving poor social interactions with humans. Thus, we aimed to investigate the behavioral responses of shelter dogs (SDs) and companion dogs (CDs) during the training of two vocal cues (“sit”, “paw”), as well as the possible associations between their responses and the behaviors of trainers. We studied 15 SDs and 15 CDs in up to eight five-minute training sessions. Dogs’ and trainers’ behaviors were recorded and analyzed (through GLM, GLMM, correlation and Mann–Whitney tests). Shelter dogs responded to more cues per session, with shorter latencies and fewer repetitions of cues. Moreover, SDs spent more time wagging their tails. Dogs’ sex and trainers’ behaviors were also associated with differences in dogs’ responses. The use of a reproachful tone of voice was associated with a greater number of cues responded to, shorter latencies, and fewer repetitions of cues. However, this type voice/discourse was also linked to a greater exhibition of non-training behaviors (e.g., exploring the room or jumping on the trainer), and to dogs spending less time next to the trainer and wagging their tails. On the other hand, the use of a neutral tone of voice and laughter, besides being linked to performance, was also associated with longer durations of tail wagging. Furthermore, the duration of the trainers’ orientation to dogs was correlated with the orientation of the dogs to the trainers. Our data suggest that, even when having experienced social deprivation from humans, SDs’ capacities to learn vocal cues were preserved, possibly due to ontogenic homeostasis processes. Shelter dogs’ greater interest in the sessions may be also credited to their socially-deprived routine. Our outcomes also point to an association between friendly interactions during training and dog performance and excitement, which suggests that such interactions may have the potential to improve SD welfare.

Comparing the Five Measures of Media Reputation Attributes in Local and National Newspapers

Researchers have developed multiple measures to assess media reputation as a driving force of corporate reputation. This study compared five measures that have been used to examine the seven attributes of media reputation. These five measures of media reputation have different fundamental assumptions such as linearity, inclusion of neutral tone items, and negative items. A content analysis of 2,817 news articles regarding nine big food corporations revealed significant differences in the media reputation attribute scores between elite national newspapers and local newspapers using the five measures. The findings indicate that these measures cannot substitute for one another, and using elite national newspapers versus local newspapers would lead to significantly different assessments of media reputation.

Filling and retouching techniques in outdoor tiles with saline efflorescence problems. A case study

This article will be focusing on a retouching conservation and restoration treatment, of two figurative ceramic tiles panels belonging to the Baroque artistic period. The ceramic tiles of blue and white colors dating from the final of the 18th century are inserted in a relevant historical period for the Portuguese tiles art entitled Grande produção Joanina. The purpose of the intervention was the return the readability of the scenes in the panels, without hiding major signs of degradation. This conservation treatment was made within a rehabilitation project of the building that holds them, which had its own intervention criteria and in which the conservation criteria had to fit. One of the issues during this case study, was to find a commitment between the conservation ethical approaches, considering the panels will continue to be exposed outdoors and there are soluble salts present on the wall where they are settled. The intervention criteria chosen was made, using diverse solutions within materials and techniques such as the application of new ceramic elements, filling gaps with lime mortars and al fresco retouching. A capillarity and permeability based method was used to fill the glazed gaps. Retouching methods were tested including neutral tone or continuing the shapes and tones. In the end al fresco retouching method was chosen and the preparation of the new ceramic elements supported by a study of graphic and photographic documentation, completing the big gaps in the panels. The results of the chosen al fresco technique show a satisfactory level of mimicry, enough to return the readability of the panel. This technique revealed to be suitable for the retouching of ceramic substrates affected by soluble salts. The reading of the scene panels became passively also, by completion the missing parts, with the introduction of new elements what, was achieved with success too.