Development of a script of phonemically balanced monosyllable lists of Mandarin-Chinese

Objectives To develop a set of monosyllable audiometry test material that can be used in speech recognition testing in Mandarin Chinese. Materials and Methods In an effort to improve reliability and efficiency in clinical practice, a set of 30 test lists of 25 monosyllable test items each was designed with consideration of the following: length of the list, phonemical balance (PB), word utility frequency, coverage of common words, and equivalency among lists. The 30 lists contained 750 monosyllabic words and were constructed on the basis of Chinese phoneme distribution probability summarized in the Manual of Acoustic. The occurrence incidence of the 22 consonants, 36 vowels, and 4 tones of the Chinese Mandarin characters in the 30 test lists were calculated. To achieve PB, 489 monosyllables were selected from the 2500 most commonly used Chinese characters and the 4000 most commonly used Chinese phrases to compile the 30 monosyllable test lists using a computer algorithm with manual adjustment. Results Thirty phonemical balanced word lists of common Mandarin Chinese monosyllabic words were compiled. Each list consisted of 25 monosyllables. A total of 489 phonemes (consonants, vowels and tones) were included in the set. Conclusions This set of lists can potentially be used as the basic lists for future development of Mandarin PB monosyllable speech test materials.

Exploring Phonetic Differences and Cross-Linguistic Influences: A Comparative Study of English and Mandarin Chinese Pronunciation Patterns

Exploring the differences in phonemes and cross-linguistic influences, particularly by comparing the pronunciation patterns of English and Mandarin, is crucial for language learners. Such comparative studies can help learners better understand and overcome the pronunciation difficulties encountered during second language acquisition. English and Mandarin have significant differences in their vowel and consonant systems, tones, intonation, and syllable structures. A deep understanding of these differences allows learners to engage in targeted pronunciation training, reducing accent interference. This research provides guidance for improving language teaching methods, enabling teachers to design more effective pronunciation strategies and exercises based on the students’ native language backgrounds, thus enhancing learning outcomes. Additionally, cross-linguistic studies aid in improving speech recognition and conversion technologies, achieving higher accuracy and naturalness in multilingual speech processing systems. From a cultural exchange perspective, understanding and respecting the phonetic characteristics of different languages help to enhance the effectiveness and mutual understanding in cross-cultural communication. The comparative study of English and Mandarin pronunciation patterns not only provides a theoretical foundation for language education and technological applications but also promotes effective communication in multilingual environments. This thesis uses a comparative research method to elucidate the study of English and Mandarin pronunciation patterns. It begins with an analysis of the characteristics and similarities of the pronunciation patterns in both languages. The thesis then examines the differences between English and Mandarin pronunciation patterns through four aspects: the number and complexity of vowel phonemes, types and distribution of consonant phonemes, tones and stress, and intonation and phonetic phenomena. Finally, based on the comparative analysis of the differences, the thesis offers targeted policy recommendations for learning English and Mandarin.

Investigation on the Integration of “Gao” in Hong Kong Chinese and Mainland Mandarin

From the diachronic dimension,this paper makes a two-way interactive investigation on the integration of Hong Kong Chinese and Mainland Mandarin.“Gao”is a delexical verb in contemporary Chinese.In different words and expressions related to“gao”character,there are mutual absorptions between Chinese mainland and Hong Kong,which is characterized by starting from nothing to something and from less to more.

Effect of ChREBP on carbohydrate feeding regulation in mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi

Carnivorous fish have poor tolerance to carbohydrate in feed and low utilization rate of carbohydrate.Therefore,the balance of carbohydrate and lipids in the nutrient metabolism of carnivorous fish,the ef fective conversion and utilization of carbohydrate and lipids,and the feedback regulation of feeding are the key links for the e fficient utilization of carnivorous fish feed.Carbohydrate response element binding protein(ChREBP)is a new transcription factor found in recent years in the glucose signaling pathway,and can also participate in feeding regulation.We performed in-vivo and in-vitro experiments to reveal the role of ChREBP in the glucose metabolism and feeding in mandarin fish.The mRNA expression of ChREBP and appetite regulatory factors were measured after intraperitoneal injection of glucose in mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi and cotransfection with glucose and glucose+siRNA in the hypothalamic cells in mandarin fish.The results reveal that at hour 2 and 4 post intraperitoneal injection with 1 mg/g BW glucose,the blood glucose level of the mandarin fish increased significantly,but food intake decreased significantly,and it also displayed a significantly increased ChREBP mRNA expression levels in liver.At hour 4 post injection,hypothalamic ChREBP mRNA level was significantly increased,whereas the mRNA expression levels of appetite genes neuropeptide Y(npy)and agouti-related peptide(AgRP)were decreased significantly.When the glucose concentration was 40 mmol/L,the expression level of ChREBP mRNA in mandarin fish hypothalamic cells was significantly up-regulated,but the expression level of appetite gene npy mRNA was down-regulated.When siRNA and glucose were co-transfected into mandarin fish brain cells,the expression level of chrebp mRNA was significantly decreased,and the appetite gene npy mRNA was significantly increased.The results indicated that glucose regulated food intake through the modulation of appetite gene npy by ChREBP.

The Grammatical Categorization of Mandarin在/zài:Spatiality,Temporality and Semantic Construal

Mandarin在(pinyin:zài)is the most frequently used character in representing spatial and temporal relationship.Current studies mostly focus on its lexical meaning and syntactic structure while cognitive features of its grammatical categories have been neglected.This paper investigates into the categorization of zài by conducting a morphosyntactic test among College English majors in China.The results show that:prototypes are organizing the grammatical categories of zài at all levels in terms of intra-categorial gradience;the semantic construal of zài construction could significantly influence the accuracy of the grammatical categorization of zài;the syntactic structure can provide viable cue for the identification of grammatical categories of zài;spatiality,temporality and the status of existing are three essential semantic features encoded by zài,the concurrence of which leads to various degree of inter-categorial vagueness,indicating a conflict between the rigid grammatical classification and the indeterminate nature of the grammatical functions of zai,suggesting the necessity to reconsider the efficacy of applying indiscriminately the Anglo-Saxon grammar into the study of Chinese spatial-temporal constructions.

Changes of Estrogen in Serum and Estrogen Receptor β in the Relevant Brain Regions Following Mating Behavior of the Male Mandarin Vole Microtus mandarinus

In order to investigate the estrogen and estrogen receptor β changes after mating behavior of male mandarin vole （Microtus mandarinus）, the radioimmunoassay （RIA） and immunohistochemistry methods were used to investigate changes of the serum estrogen （E） concentrations, estrogen immunoreactive neurons （E-IRs） and estrogen receptor β immunoreactive neurons （ERβ-IRs） in the relevant brain regions following mating behavior. Fifteen sexually matured male voles were randomly divided into three groups and treated differently： （1） control group： voles were exposed to clean hard-wood shavings （n=5）, （2） exposure group： voles were exposed to the soiled bedding for more than 24h on which estrous females had been placed （n=5）, and （3） mating group： voles were placed with an estrous female for more than 24h （n=5）. The results showed circulating serum E concentrations were significantly higher in the mating group than in the exposure group and the control group, and there were no significant difference between the exposure group and the control group. E-IRs and ERβ-IRs were detected in the following brain regions related to mating behavior： the arcuate nucleus （ARC）, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis （BST）, lateral septal nucleus （LS）, medial amygdaloid nucleus （ME）, medial preoptic area （MPO） and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus （VMH）. The results showed that there were significantly more E-IRs in the six brain regions in the mating group than in the control group and the exposure group, and there were no significant difference between the exposure group and the control group except for LS. There was no significant difference in ERβ-IRs in the six brain regions among the three groups, and there were some lighter -stained ERβ-IRs in these brain regions. The results suggested that estrogen affect mating activity of male mandarin voles, but ERβ might not play an important role in mating behavior of male mandarin voles. Instead, it might be through other receptors.

Unprotected condition of a new breeding Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) population in Pingshan, Hebei Province, China

A new breeding population of Mandarin Duck （Aix gaIericulata, Linnaeus） was first recorded in 2003 in Jiao- tanzhuang-Hehekou region of Pingshan county, Hebei Province, China. Recently, the gradually increasing population indicates that there are suitable breeding habitats （such as foraging habitats and nesting sites） for Mandarin Duck. However, these habitats are always close to human disturbances, which are the potential risk for their population. Therefore, it is urgent to put forward an applicable protection strategy, in order to strengthen the public awareness for this unprotected population.

Study on Aroma Components in Fruit From Three Different Satsuma Mandarin Varieties

Fruit aroma of Guoqing 1, Miyagawa Wase, and Owari from three different Satsuma mandarin varieties were investigated by headspace solid phase microextraction （HS-SPME） combined with GC-MS. The results showed that there were 73, 71, and 66 aroma components in the three varieties, and the total contents were 584.67,505.29, and 494.63 μg g^-1, respectively. Total 29 constituents were common in the three varieties. It was also found that Guoqing 1, Miyagawa Wase, and Owari had 12, 5, and 2 unique components, respectively. The key aroma components were limonene, linalool, γ-terpinene, β- myrcene, α-pinene, and octanal in the three fruits. Guoqing 1 contained more key aroma compounds than Miyagawa Wase and Owari.

Reflection on Dialect Interference on Mandarin and the Second Language Acquisition of English Learners of Huangshi Dialect

Many findings have shown that positive and negative transfer from the first language influences the second language acquisition.Some observations illustrate that dialect incurs negative transfer on Mandarin learning.Twenty-nine English learners of Huangshi dialect are surveyed about their living and education environment,their second language acquisition and Mandarin learning in an attempt to prove the existence of dialect interference on Mandarin and the second language acquisition and explain the reasons of the difference among dialect,Mandarin and the second language acquisition,based on sound analysis.

Effects of Co-60 gamma-irradiation and refrigerated storage on the quality of Shatang mandarin

The effectiveness of Co-60 gamma irradiation in controlling citrus red mite(Panonychus citri McGregor)had been proved in our earlier work.However,whether it could be used as an alternative method to replace the current way of quarantine treatment against citrus red mites depends on the performances of effective doses on citrus fruits.This study was conducted to explore the effects of Co-60 gamma irradiation on the nutrient composition of citrus(Shatang mandarin);selected fruits were divided into different groups and each group was irradiated at 0.0,0.2,0.3,0.4,0.5,and 0.6,respectively.And then the treated fruits were stored at 4◦C and the nutrient composition was studied in the following days.The results showed that the shelf-life could be extended when fruits were irradiated in the dose range of 0.2–0.4 kGy,while most unirradiated citrus decayed by 15 d.It also turned out that the citrus irradiated at 0.5 and 0.6 kGy were fully decayed within 45 d of refrigerated storage.The content of total soluble solids(TSS),total sugar,ascorbic acid(AA),and titratable acidity had no significant differences compare to those of the control during the 15 d storage period.Nevertheless,the activities of peroxidase(POD)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)decreased after 15 d;the improvement of storage quality and shelf life may be explained by the change of the protective enzyme activity.In conclusion,the results of citrus fruit treated with irradiation at a certain dose indicated the potential use of Co-60 gamma irradiation as a safe quarantine treatment.©2014 Beijing Academy of Food Sciences.Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.

Comparison of social interaction and neural activation in the main olfactory bulb and the accessory olfactory bulb between Microtus mandarinus and Microtus fortis

To gain insight into the function of AOB and MOB during different social interaction and in different vole species,the behaviors and neural activation of the olfactory bulbs in social interactions of mandarin voles Microtus mandarinus and reed voles Microtus fortis were compared in the present research.Mandarin voles spent significantly more time attacking and sniffing their opponents and sniffing sawdust than reed voles.During same sex encounters,mandarin voles attacked their opponents for a significantly longer time and sniffed its opponent for shorter time compared with male-female interactions.However,no significant behavioral differences were found during encounters of two individual reed voles,regardless of gender composition of the pair.Using c-Fos as an indicator of neural activation,we observed that neural activation was significantly higher in almost all sub-regions of the main olfactory bulb(MOB)and the accessory olfactory bulb(AOB)of mandarin voles compared with reed voles.Numbers of c-Fos-ir neurons in almost all sub-regions of the AOB and the MOB during male-female interactions were also higher than those in interactions of the same sex.Anterior-posterior ratios of Fos-ir neurons in the AOBM(AOBMR)and the AOBG(AOBGR)in male-female interaction were significantly higher than those in interaction of the same sex.The AOBMR of male mandarin voles and reed voles were larger than those of females in male-female interactions.Behavioral patterns are consistent with cellular activity patterns.Consistent level of neural activation in MOB and AOB suggests important roles of both the main olfactory bulb and the accessory olfactory bulb in social interaction in two species.

Mating behavior induces changes of expression of Fos protein,plasma testosterone and androgen receptors in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) of the male mandarin vole Microtus mandarinus

In order to investigate the neuroendocrine mechanism of the mating behavior in the adult male mandarin voles Microtus mandarinus,the radioimmunoassay(RIA)and immunohistochemistry methods were used to investigate the differences in plasma testosterone(T)concentrations and distribution of T immunoreactive neurons(T-IRs),androgen receptor immunoreactive neurons(AR-IRs)and Fos protein immunoreactive neurons(Fos-IRs)in the accessory olfactory bulb(AOB)and the main olfactory bulb(MOB)following exposure to clean hard-wood shavings(control group),soiled bedding(exposure group)or contact with an estrous female(mating group).Results showed that plasma T concentration was significantly higher in the mating group than that in the exposure group,and both the mating group and the exposure group displayed significantly higher plasma T concentration than the control group.T-IRs,AR-IRs and Fos-IRs were investigated with the immunohistochemistry method in granule cell(GC)and mitral cell(MC)of the MOB and the AOB in the three groups.There were significantly more T-IRs,AR-IRs and Fos-IRs in MC and GC of the AOB in the mating group than that in the exposure group or the control group.T-IRs,AR-IRs and Fos-IRs did not show significant differences between the exposure group and the control group.Furthermore,obvious differences in MC and GC of the MOB were not found among the three groups.The results confirm that both changes of T and AR in the AOB might be underlying mating behavior in the adult male mandarin voles.

Discriminative tone model training and optimal integration for Mandarin speech recognition

Two discriminative methods for solving tone problems in Mandarin speech recognition are presented. First, discriminative training on the HMM （hidden Markov model） based tone models is proposed. Then an integration technique of tone models into a large vocabulary continuous speech recognition system is presented. Discriminative model weight training based on minimum phone error criteria is adopted aiming at optimal integration of the tone models. The extended Baum Welch algorithm is applied to find the model-dependent weights to scale the acoustic scores and tone scores. Experimental results show that tone recognition rates and continuous speech recognition accuracy can be improved by the discriminatively trained tone model. Performance of a large vocabulary continuous Mandarin speech recognition system can be further enhanced by the discriminatively trained weight combinations due to a better interpolation of the given models.

Field Identification and Prevention and Control Techniques of Citrus Huanglongbing of Orah Mandarin

In order to promote the development of Orah mandarin industry in Guangxi and reduce the harm of citrus huanglongbing to Orah mandarin,the pathogen,characteristics,occurrence regularity and field symptoms of citrus huanglongbing were summarized,and scientific prevention and control measures were put forward,such as strict implementation of quarantine system,cultivation and use of disease-free seedlings,strengthening field management,timely control of psyllid,timely removal of diseased trees,etc.

Geographical classification of Nanfeng mandarin by near infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics methods

Near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS),coupled with principal component analysis and wavelength selection techniques,has been sed to develop a robust and reliable reduced-spectrum classifi-cation model for determining the geographical origins of Nanfeng mandarins.The application of the changeable size moving window principal component analysis(CSMWPCA)provided a notably improved lassification model,with correct classification rates of 92.00%,100.00%,90.00%,100.00%,100.00%,100.00%and 100.00%for Fujian,Guangxi,Hunan,Baishe,Baofeng,Qiawan,Sanxi samples,respectively,as well as,a total dassification rate of 97.52%in the wavelength range from 1007 to 1296 nm.To test and apply the proposed method,the procedure was applied to the analysis of 59 samples in an independent test set.Good identification results(correct rate of 96.61%)were also received.The improvement achieved by the application of CSMWPCA method was particularly remarkable when taking the low complexities of the final model(290 variables)into account.The results of the study showed the great potential of NIRS as a fast,nondestructive and environmentally acceptable method for the rapid and reliable determination for geographical classifcation of Nanfeng mandarins.

Comparing Xi'an and Baoji Dialects in Guanzhong—How Mandarin Influences Two Dialects

As the main components of Northwestern mandarin,Xi'an dialect and Baoji dialect share similarities and disparities in many aspects.By making comparisons between Xi'an and Baoji dialects in terms of lexicon and syntax,this paper observes how mandarin has exerted impact on the two dialects above and finds out that Xi'an dialect is influenced more deeply by mandarin than Baoji dialect.

Effects of Storage and Preservation of Postharvest Gonggan Mandarin(Citrus reticulata)Fruit Immersion in Salicylic Acid Combined with Calcium Chloride

[Objectives]To investigate the effects and mechanism of fruit immersion treatment with salicylic acid(SA),calcium chloride(CaCl_(2))solutions at different concentrations or their combinations on post-harvest preservation of Gonggan Mandarin(Citrus reticulata)fruit.[Methods]13 experiments(2 storage temperatures,3 control treatments,3 concentrations of SA solution,4 concentrations of CaCl_(2) solution and 3 combinations of SA+CaCl_(2) solution for fruit immersion treatment)were conducted for 90 d.Gonggan fruit weight loss rate,rotting rate,disease index,disease type,soluble solids and organic acids content,and the differences in the activity of six enzymes(APX,PPO,CHI,CAT,SOD,PAL)related to fruit disease resistance were detected regularly.[Results]With the increase of storage days,the weight loss rate,rotting rate and disease index increased,the content of soluble solids and organic acids decreased,the activity of APX,PPO,CHI and SOD increased,and the activity of CAT and PAL decreased.However,the increase or decrease of fruit loss at low temperature was the smallest,and the increase or decrease of fruit at natural room temperature was the largest.Gonggan fruit cleaning before storage is an effective preservation and fresh-keeping technology,but its preservation and fresh-keeping effect is far less than that of fruit immersion by SA,CaCl_(2) and SA+CaCl_(2) compound solution.The effect of fruit immersion by SA solution was greater than that of fruit immersion by CaCl_(2) solution;the best concentration of SA alone was 6.0 mmol/L,which was not significantly different from 3.0 mmol/L,but the effect of 9.0 mmol/L decreased;the best concentration of CaCl_(2) alone was 6.0 mmol/L,which was significantly better than 3.0 and 9.0 mmol/L;the optimal concentration combination of SA+CaCl_(2) compound solution for fruit immersion treatment was 6.0 mmol/L SA+3.0 mmol/L CaCl_(2).[Conclusions]The fruit immersion by SA,CaCl_(2) and their compound solutions induced the increase of activity of six enzymes related to disease resistance in Gonggan fruit,and PPO and CHI were judged to be two key enzymes based on response intensity.

Relationship between Ponkan Mandarin Fruit Quality and Nutrient Concentrations

Five age groups of trees were carried out in order to study relationships between the deterioration of Ponkan mandarin fruit quality and changes in tissues nutrient concentrations with tree age.Fruit quality and nutrient concentrations in fruits and leaves were measured.Comprehensive fruit quality decreased in the order:5-year-old > 13-year-old > 38-year-old > 8-year-old >18-year-old.In 18-year-old trees,calcium(Ca) concentrations of fruit and leaf were lower,while potassium(K) and boron(B) concentrations of fruit and magnesium(Mg) and manganese(Mn) concentrations of leaf were higher.Negative relationships were observed between fruit total soluble solids and leaf B,while positive relationships were observed between fruit total soluble solids and leaf and fruit Ca concentrations,and between titratable acidity and leaf Mn.Fruit quality decreasing with tree age most likely resulted from an imbalance of high K,Mg and B but lower Ca concentrations in leaves and fruits.

Should Students Be Encouraged to Speak Indigenous Dialects Instead of Mandarin?

Recently, a change in the Chinese textbooks used in Shanghai＇s pri mary schools triggered a buzz on the Internet. In the second-gradeChinese textbook published hy Shanghai Educational Publishing House, ＂tuaipo＂ was changed to ＂laolao.＂ These two terms have the same meaning, both referring to one＇s maternal grandmother. In most regions of south China, including Shanghai.

Choosing Mandarin Senegal’s public and private schools keep up with demand for study of the Chinese language

In Dakar, Happy Kids Kindergarten has set itself an ambitious challenge： to teach Senegalese toddlers to speak Chinese. This kindergarten, located in Ngor District, boasts of being the first trilingual school in Senegal. In addition to French （the country＇s official language） and English, the school also teaches Mandarin. With China being the world＇s most popu lous country and second largest economy, there is much to benefit from it this decision.