The dolphin’s grammatical competency: Comments on Kako (1999)

Kako (1999) reviews the evidence for syntactic competencies in several animal species exposed to artificial language systems, emphasizing the importance of core syntactic properties such as argument structure and closed-class items. We present evidence from our dolphin studies for the acquisition of the closed-class functionality of demonstratives, prepositions, conjunctions, and locatives. Sensitivity to argument structure is also evidenced by wholly untrained and consistent interpretations of the dolphin to probes of anomalous syntactic structures. These results are generated within our comprehension-based paradigm, which enables us to provide convincing objective evidence for the development and generalization of concepts by the dolphin subject. Demonstrations of animal language competencies may illuminate certain aspects of human linguistic competence by suggesting that the particular modeled subsets can derive from general cognitive mechanisms, rather than language-specific ones.     

KDD, data mining, and the challenge for normative privacy

The present study examines certain challenges that KDD (Knowledge Discovery in Databases) in general and data mining in particular pose for normative privacy and public policy. In an earlier work (see Tavani, 1999), I argued that certain applications of data-mining technology involving the manipulation of personal data raise special privacy concerns. Whereas the main purpose of the earlier essay was to show what those specific privacy concerns are and to describe how exactly those concerns have been introduced by the use of certain KDD and data-mining techniques, the present study questions whether the use of those techniques necessarily violates the privacy of individuals. This question is considered vis-à-vis a recent theory of privacy advanced by James Moor (1997). The implications of that privacy theory for a data-mining policy are also considered.     

Travelling the Unpaved Road to Democracy from Communism: A Cross‐Cultural Perspective on Change

The basic subject of this article is change, how one copes with it, how it can or cannot be guided. More specifically, the author, a Czech‐American scholar, examines the processes and the trauma of the post‐1989 transition in his country of birth with an eye to how education, particularly higher education, can contribute to a successful outcome to transition affecting all of society while undergoing transition itself. Crucial to the presentation and arguments of the author is his conviction that the period of communist rule in Czechoslovakia, as in the other central and eastern European countries, was intellectually and morally damaging. For the citizens of the Czech Republic as well as for those of the other central and eastern European countries who also experienced communism and who are now trying to recover from it, it is necessary that they develop a clear understanding of what communism really represented and what it did to them. For them to gain this understanding, the catharsis that goes with it, and the possibility of developing successful reforms that will move their countries forward in a constructive way, they must develop a number of cross‐cultural skills through familiarity with a number of social science and educational disciplines that were more‐or‐less closed to them. The author proposes ways in which these skills can be learned and education at all levels profoundly reformed.     

Sum of squares of deviations

The question is whether or not we or any student are allowed to define a measure of variability in some other way that is not written in textbooks and officially approved. We compare the sum of squares of all deviations against the usual sum of squares of deviations from the mean.     

Kinematic differences of elite and high-performance tennis players in the cross court and down the line forehand

This study identified and compared the full body kinematics of different skill levels in the forehand groundstroke when balls were hit cross court and down the line. Forty-three three-dimensional retroreflective marker trajectories of six elite and seven high-performance players were recorded using an eight-camera 400 Hz, Vicon motion analysis system. The six highest horizontal velocity forehands with reliable kinematics of all participants were analysed for each specific situation (a total of 156 analysed shots). Significant differences (p < 0.01) and large effect sizes were observed between elite and high-performance players in linear velocity of the shoulder (2.0 vs. 1.2 m/s), angular velocity of the pelvis (295 vs. 168 degrees/s), and angular velocity of the upper trunk (453 vs. 292 degrees/s) at impact. The elite group showed a tendency towards higher racquet velocities at impact (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in angular displacement of the racquet, hip alignment, or shoulder alignment at the completion of the backswing; nor did angular displacement vary significantly at impact. Irrespective of the group, different shoulder, hip, and racquet angles were found at impact, depending on the situation. The results should assist coaches when striving to improve their players' forehand.     

The HPT model applied to a kayak company's registration process

This case study describes the step‐by‐step application of the traditional human performance technology (HPT) model at a premier kayak company located on the coast of North Carolina. The HPT model was applied to address lost revenues related to three specific business issues: misinformed customers, dissatisfied customers, and guides not showing up for tours or lessons at the kayak company. The case study includes problem statements, organizational analysis, environmental analysis, gap analysis, cause analysis, and proposed interventions.     

The role of path length- and speed-related factors for the enhancement of section performance in alpine giant slalom

Knowing how to enhance alpine skiing performance is essential for effective coaching. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of path length- and speed-related factors for performance enhancement, while skiing on a homogeneously set/constantly inclined giant slalom course section (average gate distance: 27?m; offset: 8?m; slope inclination: 26°). During a video-based three-dimensional kinematic field-experiment, the data of six athletes who skied a two-gate section on four different types of skis were collected. The performance parameter analysed was section time. The performance predictors analysed were centre of mass (CoM), path length and the change in specific mechanical energy per entrance speed along the analysed section. Furthermore, since the current study examined alpine skiing performance within short sections, the skier’s entrance speed was also considered. Classified as a high-performance and a low-performance group based on section time, slow and fast trials significantly differed in CoM path length, the change in specific mechanical energy per entrance speed and entrance speed. The entrance speed of all trials analysed ranged between 15.25 and 17.66?m/s. In trials with both high and low entrance speed, the change in specific mechanical energy per entrance speed was found to be more relevant for the prediction of section time than CoM path length. However, further studies should investigate whether such a prioritization can be unrestrictedly generalized to other situations, such as entrance speeds, course sets, slope inclinations and competition disciplines different to those assessed in the current study.     

Kinematic analysis of proximal-to-distal and simultaneous motion sequencing of straight punches

Consecutive proximal-to-distal sequencing of motion is considered to be integral for generating high velocity of distal segments in many sports. Simultaneous usage of proximal and distal segments as seen in martial arts is by far less well investigated. Therefore, the aim of the study was to characterise and differentiate the concepts of consecutive (CSM) and simultaneous (SSM) sequence of motion in straight reverse punches as practised in Practical Wing Chun. Four experienced martial artists succeeded an eligibility test for technical proficiency in both concepts and performed a total number of 20 straight punches per concept. Eight MX13 Vicon cameras (250 fps) and Visual3D were used for motion capture and analyses. Both motion concepts showed proximal-to-distal sequencing of maximal joint velocities but, in SSM, this was coupled with simultaneous initiation. Key characteristics were: high pelvis momentum and backswing of shoulder and elbow (CSM); and importance of shoulder involvement (SSM). Different ranges of motion, timing aspects and achieved maximal angular velocities distinguished both concepts, which led to differences (p < 0.05) in fist velocity at contact, execution time, distance and horizontal shift of the centre of mass. Proper application of both concepts depends on the environmental setting, situational requirements and individual fighting style.     

Kinematic differences of elite and high-performance tennis players in the cross court and down the line forehand

This study identified and compared the full body kinematics of different skill levels in the forehand groundstroke when balls were hit cross court and down the line. Forty-three three-dimensional retro-reflective marker trajectories of six elite and seven high-performance players were recorded using an eight-camera 400 Hz, Vicon motion analysis system. The six highest horizontal velocity forehands with reliable kinematics of all participants were analysed for each specific situation (a total of 156 analysed shots). Significant differences (p < 0.01) and large effect sizes were observed between elite and high-performance players in linear velocity of the shoulder (2.0 vs. 1.2 m/s), angular velocity of the pelvis (295 vs. 168 °/s), and angular velocity of the upper trunk (453 vs. 292 °/s) at impact. The elite group showed a tendency towards higher racquet velocities at impact (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in angular displacement of the racquet, hip alignment, or shoulder alignment at the completion of the backswing; nor did angular displacement vary significantly at impact. Irrespective of the group, different shoulder, hip, and racquet angles were found at impact, depending on the situation. The results should assist coaches when striving to improve their players' forehand.