Units-first or tens-first: Does language matter when processing visually presented two-digit numbers?

in Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006) (2020), 73(5), 726-738

The linguistic structure of number words can influence performance in basic numerical tasks such as mental calculation, magnitude comparison, and transcoding. Especially the presence of ten-unit inversion ... [more ▼]

The linguistic structure of number words can influence performance in basic numerical tasks such as mental calculation, magnitude comparison, and transcoding. Especially the presence of ten-unit inversion in number words seems to affect number processing. Thus, at the beginning of formal math education, young children speaking inverted languages tend to make relatively more errors in transcoding. However, it remains unknown whether and how inversion affects transcoding in older children and adults. Here we addressed this question by assessing two-digit number transcoding in adults and fourth graders speaking French and German, that is, using non-inverted and inverted number words, respectively. We developed a novel transcoding paradigm during which participants listened to two-digit numbers and identified the heard number among four Arabic numbers. Critically, the order of appearance of units and tens in Arabic numbers was manipulated mimicking the "units-first" and "tens-first" order of German and French. In a third "simultaneous" condition, tens and units appeared at the same time in an ecological manner. Although language did not affect overall transcoding speed in adults, we observed that German-speaking fourth graders were globally slower than their French-speaking peers, including in the "simultaneous" condition. Moreover, French-speaking children were faster in transcoding when the order of digit appearance was congruent with their number-word system (i.e., "tens-first" condition) while German-speaking children appeared to be similarly fast in the "units-first" and "tens-first" conditions. These findings indicate that inverted languages still impose a cognitive cost on number transcoding in fourth graders, which seems to disappear by adulthood. They underline the importance of language in numerical cognition and suggest that language should be taken into account during mathematics education. [less ▲]

Universal (Meta-)Logical Reasoning: Recent Successes

in Science of Computer Programming (2018)

Classical higher-order logic, when utilized as a meta-logic in which various other (classical and non-classical) logics can be shallowly embedded, is suitable as a foundation for the development of a ... [more ▼]

Classical higher-order logic, when utilized as a meta-logic in which various other (classical and non-classical) logics can be shallowly embedded, is suitable as a foundation for the development of a universal logical reasoning engine. Such an engine may be employed, as already envisioned by Leibniz, to support the rigorous formalisation and deep logical analysis of rational arguments on the computer. A respective universal logical reasoning framework is described in this article and a range of successful first applications in philosophy, artificial intelligence and mathematics are surveyed. [less ▲]

Universal Design University: Removing Barriers and Enhancing Accessibility

in Simons, Maarten; Decuypere, Mathias; Vlieghe, Joris (Eds.) et al Curating the European University. Exposition and Public Debate (2011)

Universal families of extensions of coherent systems

E-print/Working paper (2013)

We prove a result of cohomology and base change for families of coherent systems over a curve. We use that in order to prove the existence of (non-split, non-degenerate) universal families of extensions ... [more ▼]

We prove a result of cohomology and base change for families of coherent systems over a curve. We use that in order to prove the existence of (non-split, non-degenerate) universal families of extensions for families of coherent systems (in the spirit of the paper "Universal families of extensions" by H. Lange). Such results will be applied in subsequent papers in order to describe the wallcrossing for some moduli spaces of coherent systems. [less ▲]

Universal Gaussian fluctuations on the discrete Poisson chaos

in Bernoulli (2014), 20(2), 697-715

Universal Hall conductance scaling in non-Hermitian Chern insulators

E-print/Working paper (2020)

Universal Intelligent Small Cell for Next Generation Cellular Networks

in Digital Communications and Networks (2016), 2(4), 167174

Exploring innovative cellular architectures to achieve enhanced system capacity and good coverage has become a critical issue towards realizing the next generation of wireless communications. In this ... [more ▼]

Exploring innovative cellular architectures to achieve enhanced system capacity and good coverage has become a critical issue towards realizing the next generation of wireless communications. In this context, this paper proposes a novel concept of Universal Intelligent Small Cell (UnISCell) for enabling the densification of the next generation of cellular networks. The proposed novel concept envisions an integrated platform of providing a strong linkage between different stakeholders such as street lighting networks, landline telephone networks and future wireless networks, and is universal in nature being independent of the operating frequency bands and traffic types. The main motivating factors for the proposed small cell concept are the need of public infrastructure re-engineering, and the recent advances in several enabling technologies. First, we highlight the main concepts of the proposed UnISCell platform. Subsequently, we present two deployment scenarios for the proposed UnISCell concept considering infrastructure sharing and service sharing as important aspects. We then describe the key future technologies for enabling the proposed UnISCell concept and present a use case example with the help of numerical results. Finally, we conclude this article by providing some interesting future recommendations. [less ▲]

Universal Plane Curve and Moduli Spaces of 1-dimensional Coherent Sheaves

in Communications in Algebra (2015), 43(2), 812-828

We show that the universal plane curve M of fixed degree d > 2 can be seen as a closed subvariety in a certain Simpson moduli space of 1-dimensional sheaves on a projective plane contained in the stable ... [more ▼]

We show that the universal plane curve M of fixed degree d > 2 can be seen as a closed subvariety in a certain Simpson moduli space of 1-dimensional sheaves on a projective plane contained in the stable locus. The universal singular locus coincides with the subvariety of M consisting of sheaves that are not locally free on their support. It turns out that the blow up of M along M' may be naturally seen as a compactification of M_B = M\M' by vector bundles (on support). [less ▲]

Universal plane curves and Simpson moduli spaces of 1-dimensional sheaves

Poster (2012, June)

We show that the universal plane curve M of fixed degree d > 2 can be seen as a closed subvariety in a certain Simpson moduli space of 1-dimensional sheaves on a projective plane contained in the stable ... [more ▼]

We show that the universal plane curve M of fixed degree d > 2 can be seen as a closed subvariety in a certain Simpson moduli space of 1-dimensional sheaves on a projective plane contained in the stable locus. The universal singular locus coincides with the subvariety of M consisting of sheaves that are not locally free on their support. It turns out that the blow up of M along M' may be naturally seen as a compactification of M_B = M\M' by vector bundles (on support). [less ▲]

Universal Reasoning, Rational Argumentation and Human-Machine Interaction

E-print/Working paper (2017)

Classical higher-order logic, when utilized as a meta-logic in which various other (classical and non-classical) logics can be shallowly embedded, is well suited for realising a universal logic reasoning ... [more ▼]

Classical higher-order logic, when utilized as a meta-logic in which various other (classical and non-classical) logics can be shallowly embedded, is well suited for realising a universal logic reasoning approach. Universal logic reasoning in turn, as envisioned already by Leibniz, may support the rigorous formalisation and deep logical analysis of rational arguments within machines. A respective universal logic reasoning framework is described and a range of exemplary applications are discussed. In the future, universal logic reasoning in combination with appropriate, controlled forms of rational argumentation may serve as a communication layer between humans and intelligent machines. [less ▲]