University of Saint Mary

About: University of Saint Mary is a education organization based out in Leavenworth, Kansas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 2276 authors who have published 2399 publications receiving 58990 citations. The organization is also known as: University of St. Mary & University of St Mary.

Situation-evoking stimuli, domain of reference, and the incremental interpretation of lexical ambiguity.

Abstract: In two experiments, we examined the influence of situation-evoking stimuli on the resolution of lexical ambiguity. In Experiment 1, we examined situation-evoking stimuli at an early NP position. Readers were asked to establish whether specific entities were likely to participate as agents in contextually defined situations. Naming latencies demonstrated that defined situations headed by likely agents evoked a domain of reference that included only the situation-appropriate meaning of a targeted lexical ambiguity. In contrast, defined situations headed by unlikely agents evoked a domain of reference that did not include either meaning of the intended ambiguous word. In Experiment 2, we examined situation-evoking stimuli at a later direct object position. The specificity of the theme/patient role filler was manipulated, where the linguistic expressions were either specific or general with respect to a given contextual situation. The results showed that contexts with specific situation-evoking stimuli were rated as strongly biased and provided a domain of reference for the immediate resolution of lexical ambiguity, whereas contexts with nonspecific role fillers were rated as ambiguous and provided a domain of reference that was supportive of both meanings of an ambiguous word. The results were discussed within a contextual-feature-sensitive model of language processing.

The quasar PG 0844+349 in an X-ray weak state

Abstract: In 2009 March the well-studied quasar, PG 0844+349, was discovered with Swift to be in an X-ray weak state. A follow-up XMM–Newton observation several weeks later generated a good-quality spectrum of the source, showing substantial curvature and spectral hardening. In combination with archival data at two previous epochs when the source was in a bright state, we examine the long-term spectral and timing properties of PG 0844+349 spanning nearly 10 yr and a factor of 10 in brightness. Partial covering and blurred reflection models are compared to the data at each flux state while attempting to maintain consistency between the various epochs. In terms of the blurred reflection model, PG 0844+349 is in a reflectiondominated state during the 2009 X-ray weak observations, which can be understood in terms of light bending. Moreover, the light bending scenario can also account for the short-term (i.e. ∼1000 s) spectral variability in the source. Other models cannot be decisively ruled out, but we note distinguishing features of the models that can be explored for in higher signal-to-noise ratio data from current and future observatories.

Contradication in China's financial reforms: the relationship between blanks and enterprises

Abstract: This paper investigates the effects of the reforms in China's financial sector on enterprise performance Particular attention is paid to the effect of the increased role played by banks as a result of the major reorganization of the banking system which occurred in 1984 It is argued that, although China's banks now possess considerable power to discriminate between enterprises in the allocation of credit, in practice this power is seldom used and enterprises have not been subjected to significantly increased financial discipline as a result of the reforms The reasons for this are discussed and the prospects for further reform assessed Copyright 1989 by Oxford University Press