Surrounding the Hindukush mountain chain is a stretch of land where as many as 50 distinct languages varieties of several language meet, in the present study referred to as “The Greater Hindukush” (GHK). In this area a large number of languages of at least six genera are spoken in a multi-linguistic setting. As the region is in part characterised by both contact between languages as well as isolation, it constitutes an interesting field of study of similarities and diversity, contact phenomena and possible genealogical connections. The present study takes in the region as a whole and attempts to characterise the morphology of the many languages spoken in it, by studying three parameters: phonological fusion, exponence, and flexivity in view of grammatical markers for Tense-Mood-Aspect, person marking, case marking, and plural marking on verbs and nouns. The study was performed with the perspective of areal typology, employed grammatical descriptions, and was in part inspired by three studies presented in the World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS). It was found that the region is one of high linguistic diversity, even if there are common traits, especially between languages of closer contact, such as the Iranian and the Indo-Aryan languages along the Pakistani-Afghan border where purely concatenative formatives are more common. Polyexponential formatives seem more common in the western parts of the GHK as compared to the eastern. High flexivity is a trait common to the more central languages in the area. As the results show larger variation than the WALS studies, the question was raised of whether large-scale typological studies can be performed on a sample as limited as single grammatical markers. The importance of the region as a melting-pot between several linguistic families was also put forward. / Språkkontakt och språksläktskap i Hindukushregionen, Vetenskapsrådet, Projektnummer: 421-2014-631

Egophoric marking as a potentially categorical expression in language is conceived of as a binary semantic contrast that marks an event as either involving one of the speech act participants (egophoric), or as one that does not (non-egophoric). Prima facie, the egophoric marking pattern resembles person indexing and has been interpreted as such. However, it appears that what is marked does not simply correspond to indexing the speech act roles of speaker and addressee. Rather, egophoric marking appears to encode the speech participant’s respective access to events/information in terms of ‘involvement’ and is therefore more akin to epistemic categories, such as evidentiality. This thesis presents a comparative study of egophoric marking on the basis of data from descriptions of relevant languages from the Barbacoan (South America), Nakh-Daghestanian (Caucasus) and Tibeto-Burman (Himalaya) language families. The study covers grammatical and functional properties, as well as diachronic aspects of egophoric marking systems. The findings are discussed in relation to typological studies on person and evidentiality in order to determine similarities and differences between egophoric marking and these associated categories. / Egoforicitet som en potentiell språklig kategori innebär en semantisk kontrast mellan händelser som involverar någon av taldeltagarna (egoforisk), och händelser som inte gör det (icke-egoforisk). Vid första anblick kan egoforicitet verka snarlik personkongruens (personböjning), och egoforicitet har ibland analyserats som sådan. Vid närmare undersökning uttrycker egoforicitet deltagarnas tillgång till en händelse med hänsyn till deras respektive delaktighet i denna, snarare än deras roller som talare eller mottagare. Detta gör att egoforicitet är mer lik en epistemisk kategori som t.ex. evidentialitet än personböjning. Uppsatsen diskuterar grammatiska, funktionella och diakrona egenskaper hos egoforicitets- markeringssystem. En typologisk-jämförande studie av egoforicitet görs baserad på data från beskrivningar av relevanta språk ur de Barbakoanska (Sydamerika), Nakh-Dagestanska (Kaukasus), och Tibetoburmesiska (Himalaya) språkfamiljerna. Resultaten jämförs med typologiska studier av personböjning och evidentialitet med syfte att identifiera likheter och skillnader mellan egoforicitet och dessa närbesläktade kategorier.

Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) é uma bactéria patogênica causadora de pneumonia e meningite. Sua cápsula polissacarídica (PRP) é considerada como principal fator de virulência e utilizada como antígeno vacinal. Hib é fastidioso e requer micronutrientes para seu desenvolvimento. A finalidade deste trabalho é estabelecer o meio quimicamente definido para desenvolvimento de Hib e produção de PRP. Inicialmente, definiu-se um meio a partir de dados da literatura. Este meio foi estudado através do delineamento de Plackett-Burman de 44 ensaios, obtendo-se valores máximos de DO540nm de 5,0 UA, e 227,7 mg/L de PRP. A análise estatística revelou que EDTA, NH4Cl, Cys e PVA podem ser removidos do meio sem impactar os parâmetros estudados e que Glm, Hipoxantina, Inosina, Tiamina, Hemina e Tween 80 apresentam efeito significativo positivo para produção de PRP. Analisando os meios estudados, foi possível verificar que a composição do E44 possibilitou produzir o PRP a US$ 16,50/g, sendo considerado o meio quimicamente definido estabelecido neste trabalho. / Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) is a pathogenic bacterium that causes pneumonia and meningitis. Its capsular polysaccharide (PRP) is considered as a major virulence factor and used as vaccine antigen. Hib is fastidious and requires micronutrients for its development. The purpose of this study is to establish the chemically defined medium for Hib development and PRP production. Initially, a medium was defined based in the literature. This medium was studied by the Plackett-Burman design of 44 trials, achieving maximum values of DO540nm of 5.0 AU and 227.7 mg / L of PRP. Statistical analysis revealed that EDTA, NH4Cl, Cys and PVA can be removed from the medium without impacting the parameters studied and Glm, Hypoxanthine, Inosine, Thiamine, Tween 80 and Hemin exhibit significant positive effect on the PRP production. Analyzing the studied media, it was possible to verify that the composition of E44 enabled to produce PRP to $ 16.50/g, being considered the chemically defined medium established in this work.

Charles University Faculty of Arts Institute of South and Central Asia Subject: Languages of Asia and Africa PhD Thesis The Description of Namuzi Language Supervisor: Mgr. Veronika Zikmundová, Ph.D 2017 Štěpán Pavlík Abstract This is the description of one of the endangered languages spoken by cca 5000 people in Sìchuān province in China - the Nàmùzī language. It is considered to be part of the Naic or the Qiangic branch of Tibeto-Burman. The description is based on the authentic data collected by the author during his two field trips to Xīcháng and Mùlǐ in winter 2011 and summer 2012. It is the first grammar description of this language in English and also the most comprehensive description of this language carried out to date. Chapter 1 provides the introduction on the sociolinguistic profile of this language, its genetic affiliation, previous research and methodology. Chapter 2 describes the phonology of the language, i.e. the syllable structure, description of initial consonants and consonant clusters, vowels and tones. Chapter 3 is the explanation of used analysis to define particular parts of speech. It introduces the criteria of defining word classes and the reasons for using functional approach. Chapter 4 contains the description of verbal classes, i.e. verbs, adjectival verbs and adverbs. Chapter 5...

One of the main problems encountered in chemical analysis operations in the field is collecting sufficient sample from the source and transferring that sample to the measurement instrument for fast separation and identification. I have been involved in developing a field-portable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system with solid phase microextraction (SPME) sampling for point detection of chemical agents. The objective is to minimize the analysis time between sampling and detection of a potential chemical threat. SPME offers a convenient means for sampling gaseous and liquid samples, concentrating the analytes, and transferring the analytes to the injection port of a GC system for separation and identification. GC-MS has advantages of high efficiency, speed, and applicability for field analysis. Work was done to optimize the SPME fiber coating, capillary column dimensions, and GC operating conditions to provide complete analysis within 3 minutes. Since isothermal operation of the GC was a prior requirement, many components in the chromatograms were unresolved. Therefore, a peak de-convolution algorithm was applied to allow for identification and quantitation of poorly resolved and often completely obscured trace components. Details of the instrumentation and optimization of operating conditions are described in this thesis.

Bridge networks are expensive and complex infrastructures and are essential components of today's transportation systems. Despite the advancement in computer aided modeling and increasing the computational power which is increasing the accessibility for developing the fragility curves of bridges, the complexity of the problem and uncertainties involved in fragility analysis of the bridge structures in addition to difficulties in validating the results obtained from the analysis requires precaution in utilization of the results as a decision making tool. The main focus of this research is to address, study and treatment of uncertainties incorporated in various steps of performance based assessments (PBA) of the bridge structures. In this research the uncertainties is divided into three main categories. First, the uncertainties that come from ground motions time and frequency content alteration because of scarcity of the recorded ground motions in the database. Second, uncertainties associated in the modeling and simulation procedure of PBA, and third uncertainties originated from simplistic approach and methods utilized in the conventional procedure of PBA of the structures. Legitimacy of the scaling of ground motions is studied using the response of several simple nonlinear systems to amplitude scaled ground motions suites. Bias in the response obtained compared to unscaled records for both as recorded and synthetic ground motions. Results from this section of the research show the amount of the bias is considerable and can significantly affect the outcome of PBA. The origin of the bias is investigated and consequently a new metric is proposed to predict the bias induced by ground motion scaling without nonlinear analysis. Results demonstrate that utilizing the predictor as a scaling parameter can significantly reduce the bias for various nonlinear structures. Therefore utilizing the new metric as the intensity measuring parameter of the ground motions is recommended in PBA. To address the uncertainties associated in the modeling and simulation, MSSS concrete girder bridge class were selected due to the frequency of the construction in USCS region and lack of seismic detailing. A large scale parameters screening study is performed using Placket-Burman experimental design that considers a more complete group of parameters to decrease the computational expense of probabilistic study of the structure's seismic response. Fragility analysis for MSSS bridge is performed and the effect of removing the lesser important parameters the probabilistic demand model was investigated. This study reveals parameters reduction based on screening study techniques can be utilized to increase efficiency in fragility analysis procedure without compromising the accuracy of the outcome. The results from this study also provides more direct information on parameter reduction for PBA as well as provide insight into where future investments into higher fidelity finite element and constitutive models should be targeted. Conventional simplistic PBA approach does not account for the fundamental correlation between demand and capacity models. A more comprehensive PBA approach is presented and fragility analysis is performed with implementation of a new formulation in the component fragility analysis for MSSS bridge class and the outcome is compared with the one from conventional procedure. The results shows the correlation between demand and capacity affects the outcome of PBA and the fragility functions variation is not negligible. Therefore using the presented approach is necessary when accuracy is needed.

In this essay I attempt to show that both the weak interpretation and the strong interpretation of what John Searle calls the principle of self–referentiality for social phenomena should be abandoned. This, I argue, is because they give rise to what I, following Burman (2023), call ”location problems” for opaque social phenomena and for social wholes, as well as a faulty understanding of social power. Instead, I propose that we understand social phenomena as constitued by social practices, in turn constituted by individuals who have the know–how necessary to participate in the social practices (in the sense that they are reliably able to do so), while not necessarily knowing that they are participating in them. In doing this, I draw on Robert B. Brandom’s notion of a social practice from Making it Explicit (1994).

This thesis concerns languages in the Greater Hindukush, the area in northern Afghanistan and Pakistan, where a total of about 50 languages are spoken. The thesis’ topic is case systems and case alignment systems of nouns in an areal-typological perspective. This is investigated by using a representative sample. The grammatical relations of S, A and P, and the cases marking these, are investigated. The three attested alignment systems are accusative, ergative and split, and are clearly geogra-phically distributed, which indicates that their status is areal-typological. Based on the sample, there seems to be a tendency for the languages in the Greater Hindukush to exhibit split align-ment systems built on tense-aspect. Most languages employ accusative alignment in imperfect-tive, and ergative alignment in perfective tense-aspects. A compa­rison with a worldwide sample (WALS) is only partly possible, as this sample uses more categories than accusative, ergative and split, but the present sample supports the results in those categories which can be compared. A predominant pattern in core case syncretism is observed, with an opposition of the nomi­native singular versus the nominative plural and the oblique in both numbers. / Denna uppsats behandlar språk i Hindukush i norra Afghanistan och Pakistan, där sammanlagt ca 50 språk talas. Ämnet för studien är kasussystem och kasusmarkeringssystem vid substantiv ur ett areal­typologiskt perspektiv, vilket undersöks utifrån grammatikor i ett representativt urval av språken. De grammatiska relationerna mellan S, A och P och de kasus som markerar dessa under­­söks. Belagda kasusmarkeringssystem är ackusativ- och ergativsystem samt kluvet system. Systemen uppvisar en distinkt geografisk distribution, vilket antyder att kasusmarkeringssystemen är ett arealtypologiskt drag. Vidare pekar resultaten på ett kluvet system baserat på klyvning i tempus-aspekt som det dominerande kasusmarkeringssystemet i Hindukush. De flesta av språken använder ett ackusativt kasusmarkeringssystem i imperfektiva, och ett ergativt kasusmarke-ringssystem i perfektiva tempus-aspekt. En jämförelse med ett globalt sampel (WALS) är bara till viss del möjlig, eftersom studien i WALS använder fler kategorier än ackusativa, ergativa och kluvna system, men den här studien bekräftar resultaten i de kategorier som kan jämföras. Ett dominerande mönster för kärnkasussynkretism kan observeras, med sammanfall av nominativ plural och oblik i båda numerus. / Språkkontakt och språksläktskap i Hindukushregionen, Vetenskapsrådet, Projektnummer: 421-2014-631