bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Constrained Bilinear Quadratic Regulator for the Optimal Semi-Active Control Problem
Authors: Halperin I. , Agranovich G. , Ribakov Y.
Published: July 2017

Semi-active systems provide an attractive solution for the structural vibration problem. A useful approach, aimed to simplify the control design, is to divide the control system into two parts: an actuator and a controller. The actuator generates a force that tracks a command which is generated by the controller. Such approach reduces the complexity of the control law design as it allows for complex properties of the actuator to be considered separately. In this study, the semi-active control design problem is treated in the framework of optimal control theory by using bilinear representation, a quadratic performance index, and a constraint on the sign of the control signal. The optimal control signal is derived in a feedback form by using Krotov's method. To this end, a novel sequence of Krotov functions which suits the multi-input constrained bilinear-quadratic regulator problem is formulated by means of quadratic form and differential Lyapunov equations. An algorithm is proposed for the optimal control computation. A proof outline for the algorithm convergence is provided. The effectiveness of the suggested method is demonstrated by numerical example. The proposed method is recommended for optimal semi-active feedback design of vibrating plants with multiple semi-active actuators.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Blast Wave Interaction With a Three Level Building
Authors: Massoni Jacques , Biamino Laurent , Jourdan Georges , Igra Ozer , Houas Lazhar
Published: July 2017

The present work shows that weak blast waves that are considered as being harmless can turn to become fatal upon their reflections from walls and corners inside a building. In the experimental part, weak blast waves were generated by using an open-end shock tube. A three level building model was placed in vicinity to the open-end of the used shock tube. The evolved wave pattern inside the building rooms was recorded by a sequence of schlieren photographs; also pressure histories were recorded on the rooms' walls. In addition, numerical simulations of the evolved flow field inside the building were conducted. The good agreement obtained between numerical and experimental results shows the potential of the used code for identifying safe and dangerous places inside the building rooms penetrated by the weak blast wave.
Templated deprotonative metalation of polyaryl systems: Facile access to simple, previously inaccessible multi-iodoarenes
Authors: Martínez-Martínez Antonio J. , Justice Stephen , Fleming Ben J. , Kennedy Alan R. , Oswald Iain D. H. , O’Hara Charles T.
Published: July 2017

Building blocks for pharmaceutical/electronic materials have been prepared using a templated C–H bond–breaking approach.
Aerobiology: Experimental Considerations, Observations, and Future Tools
Authors: Haddrell Allen E. , Thomas Richard J.
Published: July 2017

Understanding airborne survival and decay of microorganisms is important for a range of public health and biodefense applications, including epidemiological and risk analysis modeling. Techniques for experimental aerosol generation, retention in the aerosol phase, and sampling require careful consideration and understanding so that they are representative of the conditions the bioaerosol would experience in the environment. This review explores the current understanding of atmospheric transport in relation to advances and limitations of aerosol generation, maintenance in the aerosol phase, and sampling techniques. Potential tools for the future are examined at the interface between atmospheric chemistry, aerosol physics, and molecular microbiology where the heterogeneity and variability of aerosols can be explored at the single-droplet and single-microorganism levels within a bioaerosol. The review highlights the importance of method comparison and validation in bioaerosol research and the benefits that the application of novel techniques could bring to increasing the understanding of aerobiological phenomena in diverse research fields, particularly during the progression of atmospheric transport, where complex interdependent physicochemical and biological processes occur within bioaerosol particles.
Initial Gut Microbial Composition as a Key Factor Driving Host Response to Antibiotic Treatment, as Exemplified by the Presence or Absence of Commensal Escherichia coli
Authors: Ju Tingting , Shoblak Yasmeen , Gao Yanhua , Yang Kaiyuan , Fouhse Janelle , Finlay B. Brett , So Yee Wing , Stothard Paul , Willing Benjamin P.
Published: July 2017

Antibiotics are important for treating bacterial infection; however, efficacies and side effects of antibiotics vary in medicine and experimental models. A few studies have correlated microbiota composition variations with health outcomes in response to antibiotics; however, no study has demonstrated causality. We had noted variation in colonic expression of C-type lectins, regenerating islet-derived protein 3β (Reg3β) and Reg3γ, after metronidazole treatment in a mouse model. To investigate the effects of specific variations in the preexisting microbiome on host response to antibiotics, mice harboring a normal microbiota were allocated to 4 treatments in a 2-by-2 factorial arrangement with or without commensal
Escherichia coli
and with or without metronidazole in drinking water.
E. coli
colonized readily without causing a notable shift in the microbiota or host response. Metronidazole administration reduced microbiota biodiversity, indicated by decreased Chao1 and Shannon index values, and altered microbiota composition. However, the presence of
E. coli
strongly affected metronidazole-induced microbiota shifts. Remarkably, this single commensal bacterium in the context of a complex population led to variations in host responses to metronidazole treatment, including increased expression of antimicrobial peptides Reg3β and Reg3γ and intestinal inflammation indicated by tumor necrosis factor alpha levels. Similar results were obtained from 2-week antibiotic exposure and with additional
E. coli
isolates. The results of this proof-of-concept study indicate that even minor variations in initial commensal microbiota can drive shifts in microbial composition and host response after antibiotic administration. As well as providing an explanation for variability in animal models using antibiotics, the findings encourage the development of personalized medication in antibiotic therapies.

IMPORTANCE
This work provides an understanding of variability in studies where antibiotics are used to alter the gut microbiota to generate a host response. Furthermore, although providing evidence only for the one antibiotic, the study demonstrated that initial gut microbial composition is a key factor driving host response to antibiotic administration, creating a compelling argument for considering personalized medication based on individual variations in gut microbiota.
Molybdenum-Based Diazotrophy in a Sphagnum Peatland in Northern Minnesota
Authors: Warren Melissa J. , Lin Xueju , Gaby John C. , Kretz Cecilia B. , Kolton Max , Morton Peter L. , Pett-Ridge Jennifer , Weston David J. , Schadt Christopher W. , Kostka Joel E. , Glass Jennifer B.
Published: July 2017

Microbial N
2
fixation (diazotrophy) represents an important nitrogen source to oligotrophic peatland ecosystems, which are important sinks for atmospheric CO
2
and are susceptible to the changing climate. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the active microbial group and type of nitrogenase mediating diazotrophy in an ombrotrophic
Sphagnum
-dominated peat bog (the S1 peat bog, Marcell Experimental Forest, Minnesota, USA); and (ii) to determine the effect of environmental parameters (light, O
2
, CO
2
, and CH
4
) on potential rates of diazotrophy measured by acetylene (C
2
H
2
) reduction and
15
N
2
incorporation. A molecular analysis of metabolically active microbial communities suggested that diazotrophy in surface peat was primarily mediated by
Alphaproteobacteria
(
Bradyrhizobiaceae
and
Beijerinckiaceae
). Despite higher concentrations of dissolved vanadium ([V] 11 nM) than molybdenum ([Mo] 3 nM) in surface peat, a combination of metagenomic, amplicon sequencing, and activity measurements indicated that Mo-containing nitrogenases dominate over the V-containing form. Acetylene reduction was only detected in surface peat exposed to light, with the highest rates observed in peat collected from hollows with the highest water contents. Incorporation of
15
N
2
was suppressed 90% by O
2
and 55% by C
2
H
2
and was unaffected by CH
4
and CO
2
amendments. These results suggest that peatland diazotrophy is mediated by a combination of C
2
H
2
-sensitive and C
2
H
2
-insensitive microbes that are more active at low concentrations of O
2
and show similar activity at high and low concentrations of CH
4
.

IMPORTANCE
Previous studies indicate that diazotrophy provides an important nitrogen source and is linked to methanotrophy in
Sphagnum
-dominated peatlands. However, the environmental controls and enzymatic pathways of peatland diazotrophy, as well as the metabolically active microbial populations that catalyze this process, remain in question. Our findings indicate that oxygen levels and photosynthetic activity override low nutrient availability in limiting diazotrophy and that members of the
Alphaproteobacteria
(
Rhizobiales
) catalyze this process at the bog surface using the molybdenum-based form of the nitrogenase enzyme.
Detection of Diazotrophy in the Acetylene-Fermenting Anaerobe Pelobacter sp. Strain SFB93
Authors: Akob Denise M. , Baesman Shaun M. , Sutton John M. , Fierst Janna L. , Mumford Adam C. , Shrestha Yesha , Poret-Peterson Amisha T. , Bennett Stacy , Dunlap Darren S. , Haase Karl B. , Oremland Ronald S.
Published: July 2017

Acetylene (C
2
H
2
) is a trace constituent of the present Earth's oxidizing atmosphere, reflecting a mixture of terrestrial and marine emissions from anthropogenic, biomass-burning, and unidentified biogenic sources. Fermentation of acetylene was serendipitously discovered during C
2
H
2
block assays of N
2
O reductase, and
Pelobacter acetylenicus
was shown to grow on C
2
H
2
via acetylene hydratase (AH). AH is a W-containing, catabolic, low-redox-potential enzyme that, unlike nitrogenase (N
2
ase), is specific for acetylene. Acetylene fermentation is a rare metabolic process that is well characterized only in
P. acetylenicus
DSM3246 and DSM3247 and
Pelobacter
sp. strain SFB93. To better understand the genetic controls for AH activity, we sequenced the genomes of the three acetylene-fermenting
Pelobacter
strains. Genome assembly and annotation produced three novel genomes containing gene sequences for AH, with two copies being present in SFB93. In addition, gene sequences for all five compulsory genes for iron-molybdenum N
2
ase were also present in the three genomes, indicating the cooccurrence of two acetylene transformation pathways. Nitrogen fixation growth assays showed that DSM3426 could ferment acetylene in the absence of ammonium, but no ethylene was produced. However, SFB93 degraded acetylene and, in the absence of ammonium, produced ethylene, indicating an active N
2
ase. Diazotrophic growth was observed under N
2
but not in experimental controls incubated under argon. SFB93 exhibits acetylene fermentation and nitrogen fixation, the only known biochemical mechanisms for acetylene transformation. Our results indicate complex interactions between N
2
ase and AH and suggest novel evolutionary pathways for these relic enzymes from early Earth to modern days.

IMPORTANCE
Here we show that a single
Pelobacter
strain can grow via acetylene fermentation and carry out nitrogen fixation, using the only two enzymes known to transform acetylene. These findings provide new insights into acetylene transformations and adaptations for nutrient (C and N) and energy acquisition by microorganisms. Enhanced understanding of acetylene transformations (i.e., extent, occurrence, and rates) in modern environments is important for the use of acetylene as a potential biomarker for extraterrestrial life and for degradation of anthropogenic contaminants.
Fifteen-minute consultation—the child with a developmental disability: is there an ocular or visual abnormality?
Authors: Salt Alison , Sargent Jenefer
Published: July 2017

Objective

To present a structured approach for an outpatient consultation for a child with developmental disability who may have an ocular or visual disorder.

Method

Review of relevant literature and description of the approach to ocular and visual assessment which could be used by any paediatrician.

Conclusion

A systematic approach to history, observation and examination of a child with a developmental disability will assist in identifying a possible visual problem. A structured referral letter will ensure that the child will receive the most appropriate assessment to clarify the problem and appropriate management in the eye clinic.
Solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura presenting as a giant intrathoracic mass
Authors: Raafat Eleeza , Karunasiri Deepthi , Kamangar Nader
Published: July 2017

Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs) are relatively rare neoplasms thought to originate from the submesothelial connective tissue. SFTs have been described in a variety of sites, including the pleura, orbit, lower respiratory tract, peritoneal cavity and heart. These neoplasms are usually benign, though locally aggressive, and metastatic behaviour has been observed in some cases. We describe a case of a 61-year-old man presenting with weight loss, poor appetite, malaise, worsening dyspnoea on exertion and lower extremity oedema, who was found to have a gigantic—21×21 cm—tumour occupying the entire right hemithorax causing compression and displacement of the mediastinum and liver. Transthoracic CT-guided biopsy revealed SFT of the pleura. The patient underwent preoperative angiography and embolisation of the tumour followed by successful surgical resection via thoracotomy.
Improving the transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care: the pediatric care provider's perspective in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Nakhla Meranda , Bell Lorraine E , Wafa Sarah , Dasgupta Kaberi
Published: July 2017

Objectives

The transition from pediatric to adult care is a high-risk period for the emerging adult with diabetes. We aimed to determine adequacy of pediatric transition care structures and explore the pediatric diabetes care provider's perceptions of transition care.

Research design and methods

In-depth interviews with pediatric diabetes care providers from 12 diabetes centers in Quebec were conducted. We queried alignment with Got Transition's six core elements of healthcare transition, experiences, and barriers to transition care. Interview transcripts were reviewed for themes.

Results

Three centers (25%) reported having any elements of formal and structured transition care preparation and planning. When referrals were within center (n=8), pediatric providers perceived that transition was smoother; information sharing relied heavily on verbal communication rather than documented medical summaries. Barriers included lack of adult providers, less flexibility in adult care scheduling, patient struggles with multiple new adult responsibilities, and insufficient understanding by adult providers of these challenges. There was a perception that the quality of pediatric care was better than adult care. Moving out of the pediatric care geographical region appeared to increase risk for poor follow-up. Patient satisfaction and regular follow-up in adult care were thought to be good measures of transition success. Programs that included overlap between pediatric and adult care were perceived as ideal.

Conclusions

Important gaps in transition care practices persist. Efforts should focus on improving education in transition practices for pediatric care providers and establishing formal transition policies and structures at the institutional level.
Suitable support for anxious hospice patients: what do nurses ‘know’, ‘do’ and ‘need’? An explanatory mixed method study
Authors: Zweers Danielle , de Graaf Everlien , Teunissen Saskia
Published: July 2017

Objective

To provide insight into what nurses know, do and need to provide support to anxious patients in hospice care (HC).

Methods

A mixed method study consisted of an online survey and focus groups (FGs) about what nurses know, do, and need was conducted. 336 HC nurses were invited to participate. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS. The χ2and t-tests were conducted to compare. The FGs were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

Results

The survey was completed by 265 nurses (79%), and five FGs (n=25) were conducted. Most nurses had >10 years working experience; mean age was 52. The majority (59%) felt that they were equipped with sufficient knowledge; however, lack of knowledge (31%) as well as lack of time (50%) were hampering factors. Identification of anxiety was difficult due to the variety of its expression. Tools for identifying were used by 37%. Interventions were generally chosen intuitively. A major responsibility was experienced in caring for patients with panic attacks during late night shifts, making immediate decisions necessary.

Conclusion

This study highlights the struggles of nurses caring for anxious patients in HC. Anxiety management is dependent on the competencies and preferences of the individual nurse. One-third of the nurses require additional training. According to HC nurses, the intervention set should include guidelines for applying assessment tools, effective communication strategies and decision models as well as prediction models in order to select tailored interventions. Future research should focus on patients’ perspectives in order to understand crucial measures for anxiety management.
PD-L1 protein expression in tumour cells and immune cells in mismatch repair protein-deficient and -proficient colorectal cancer: the foundation study using the SP142 antibody and whole section immunohistochemistry
Authors: El Jabbour Tony , Ross Jeffrey S , Sheehan Christine E , Affolter Kajsa E , Geiersbach Katherine B , Boguniewicz Ann , Ainechi Sanaz , Bronner Mary P , Jones David M , Lee Hwajeong
Published: July 2017

Aims

Routine application of PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in colorectal cancer (CRC) is limited due to lack of standardized scoring criteria, antibody clones, and intratumoral staining heterogeneity. We assessed PD-L1 protein expression on full face CRC tissue sections and applied two algorithms based on the published clinical trials that support the recent FDA approval for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI) therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

PD-L1/CD274 IHC (Roche/Ventana, clone SP142) was performed on representative tumour blocks from 52 mismatch repair-deficient (MMR-D) and 52 MMR-proficient (MMR-P) CRCs. Membranous PD-L1 expression was scored for the tumour cell (TC) and tumour-infiltrating immune cell (IC) components. PD-L1 positivity status was determined based on the published NSCLC clinical trials that utilized the Ventana SP142 assay. Hybrid capture-based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) was performed on a separate set of 2268 clinically advanced CRCs and the frequency of PD-L1/PD-L2 amplification was determined.

Results

PD-L1 expression in the TC and IC correlated with MMR-D (p=0.013, p<0.0001), T stage (p=0.036, p=0.0036) and clinical stage (p=0.022, p=0.0037). PD-L1 positivity status correlated with MMR-D by two algorithms. Five of 2268 (<1%) advansced CRCs demonstrated amplification of either thePD-L1orPD-L2genes by CGP.

Conclusions

PD-L1 expression in TC and IC is associated with advanced stage and MMR-D. PD-L1 positivity status by the published algorithm is associated with MMR-D.PD-L1amplification is extremely uncommon in CRC. Evaluation of whole tissue section and incorporation of IC staining enhance the sensitivity to screen patients who may benefit from ICPI therapy.
Implications and challenges for implementation of the FDA’s final deeming rule for waterpipe tobacco
Authors: Sutfin Erin L , Soule Eric K , McKelvey Karma , Jenson Desmond
Published: July 2017

For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDAs) Center for Tobacco Products now has regulatory authority over all tobacco products, including waterpipe tobacco. In the rule expanding its authority to cover all tobacco products, the FDA uses largely a one-size-fits-all approach. However, several aspects of waterpipe tobacco smoking make it unique from other tobacco products, which may require more specific, tailored rules. This paper describes the distinct features of waterpipe tobacco products and accessories, and identifies unique challenges to the current regulation posed by this form of tobacco use. Additionally, we highlight the need for further research-generated evidence to support additional rulemaking.
Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope Predicts Poor Outcome in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Tang Yi , Luo Qin , Liu Zhihong , Ma Xiuping , Zhao Zhihui , Huang Zhiwei , Gao Liu , Jin Qi , Xiong Changming , Ni Xinhai
Published: July 2017

Background

Few published studies have evaluated the power of the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (
OUES
) to predict outcomes in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (
IPAH
), who typically die of right‐sided heart failure. Our study sought to evaluate the power of
OUES
to predict clinical worsening and mortality in patients with
IPAH
.

Methods and Results

Patients with newly diagnosed
IPAH
who underwent symptom‐limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing from November 11, 2010, to June 25, 2015, in our hospital were prospectively enrolled and followed for up to 66 months. Clinical worsening and mortality were recorded. A total of 210 patients with
IPAH
(159 women; mean age, 32±10 years) were studied with a median follow‐up of 41 months. Thirty‐one patients died, 1 patient underwent lung transplantation, and 85 patients presented with clinical worsening. The univariate analysis revealed that
OUES
,
OUESI
(
OUESI
=
OUES
/body surface area), peak oxygen uptake (

V
˙

O
2

), peak

V
˙

O
2

/
kg

, ventilation (

V
˙

E

)/carbon dioxide output (

V
˙

CO
2

) slope, peak systolic blood pressure, heart rate recovery, pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac index, N‐terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide, and World Health Organization functional class were all predictive of clinical worsening and mortality (all
P
<0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that
OUESI
and cardiac index were independently predictive of clinical worsening, and
OUESI
and N‐terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide were independently predictive of mortality. Patients with
OUESI
≤0.52 m
−2
had a worse 5‐year survival rate than patients with
OUESI
>0.52 m
−2
(41.9% versus 89.8%,
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions

The
OUES
, a submaximal parameter obtained from cardiopulmonary exercise testing, provides prognostic information for predicting clinical worsening and mortality in patients with
IPAH
.
The Contribution of Inflammation to the Development of Hypertension Mediated by Increased Arterial Stiffness
Authors: Tomiyama Hirofumi , Shiina Kazuki , Matsumoto‐Nakano Chisa , Ninomiya Toshiharu , Komatsu Shunsuke , Kimura Kazutaka , Chikamori Taishiro , Yamashina Akira
Published: July 2017

Background

The mechanisms underlying the possible contribution of chronic inflammation to the development of hypertension remain unclear. We examined the longitudinal association of inflammation with the progression of vascular and/or renal abnormalities in the development of hypertension.

Methods and Results

In 3274 middle‐aged Japanese men without hypertension at the study baseline, brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and serum CRP (C reactive protein) levels were measured annually during a 9‐year period. During this study period, 474 participants (14.5%) developed hypertension. Analysis of the repeated‐measures data revealed that sustained elevation of serum
CRP
levels was associated with a longitudinal increase of the brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity. A linear mixed model analysis revealed that higher log‐transformed serum
CRP
values (log
CRP
) at each measurement were associated with a higher annual increase of the brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (estimate=32.553±11.635 cm/s per log
CRP
,
P
=0.018), and that higher values of the brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity at each measurement were associated with a higher annual elevation of blood pressure (estimate=0.025±0.002 mm Hg per log
CRP
,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

In middle‐aged Japanese men without hypertension at study baseline, long‐term active inflammation appears to be associated with a longitudinal increase of arterial stiffness. In turn, this longitudinal increase of arterial stiffness appears to be associated with longitudinal elevation of blood pressure to the hypertensive range. Thus, systemic inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension by the progression of arterial stiffness.
Gene Expression Profiles for the Identification of Prevalent Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Thériault Sébastien , Whitlock Richard , Raman Kripa , Vincent Jessica , Yusuf Salim , Paré Guillaume
Published: July 2017

Background

Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (
AF
) can be difficult, requiring cumbersome investigations. We aimed to determine the association of established whole‐blood gene expression scores with prevalent
AF
and to evaluate their performance for the identification of
AF
in a SIRS (Steroids in Cardiac Surgery) trial cohort.

Methods and Results

Whole‐blood, transcriptome‐wide gene expression profiling was performed using the Illumina Human
HT
‐12 Expression BeadChip in 416 participants (65% men) before surgery, including 91 with a diagnosis of
AF
. An
AF
gene score (
GS
) calculated from 7 genes reported to be upregulated in
AF
and a validated GS for biological age based on 1254 genes related to aging were both independently associated with
AF
diagnosis before surgery in multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusting for known risk factors (
P
=0.0006 and
P
=0.003). Addition of
AF
and biological age
GSs
to clinical risk factors led to significant improvement in area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (from 0.77 to 0.80;
P
=0.03), continuous net reclassification improvement index (
P
<0.0001), and integrated discrimination improvement index (
P
=0.0002). When stratifying
AF
by subtype,
AF GS
was mainly associated with paroxysmal
AF
(
P
=0.003), whereas the biological age
GS
was mainly associated with permanent
AF
(
P
=0.017).

Conclusions

We validated the existence of a blood gene expression signature for prevalent
AF
and showed that biological age derived from gene expression is significantly associated with prevalent
AF
. These findings suggest a potential utility of blood gene expression for the identification of patients with
AF
, particularly paroxysmal
AF
. This result could have implications for the prevention and management of cryptogenic stroke.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
00427388.
Two‐Year Changes in Proteinuria and the Risk of Stroke in the Chinese Population: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Anxin , Liu Xiaoxue , Su Zhaoping , Chen Shuohua , Zhang Nan , Wu Shouling , Wang Yongjun , Wang Yilong
Published: July 2017

Background

Whether changes in proteinuria are associated with incident stroke in the general population is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between changes in proteinuria and incident stroke and its subtypes.

Methods and Results

The current study included 60 940 Chinese participants (mean age, 50.69 years) who were free of stroke at the time of surveys (2006–2007 and 2008–2009). Participants were divided into 4 categories according to 2‐year changes in proteinuria: no proteinuria, remittent proteinuria, incident proteinuria, and persistent proteinuria. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios and their 95%
CI
s for stroke. After a median follow‐up period of 6.92 years, 1769 individuals developed stroke. After adjustment for confounding factors, incident proteinuria and persistent proteinuria were associated with increased risk of stroke (hazard ratio, 1.46 [95%
CI
, 1.26–1.68] and hazard ratio, 1.71 [95%
CI
, 1.42–2.06], respectively) compared with no proteinuria, which were higher than proteinuria detected at one single point (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95%
CI
, 1.09–1.43). The effect size for risk of stroke subtypes including ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke was similar.

Conclusions

Changes in proteinuria exposure, particularly persistent proteinuria, are more likely to reflect the risk of stroke, compared with proteinuria collected at a single time point in the general population.
Expendable Current Profiler for Measuring the Electric Field Induced by Ocean Currents
Authors: Liu Shenghui , Zhang Qisheng , Zhao Xiao , Li Tong , Zhang Xinyue , Li Shuhan
Published: July 2017

In this study, an expendable current profiler sensor is developed to satisfy the actual requirements of an expendable current profiler for measuring electric fields induced by ocean currents. The electric field induced by ocean currents is an important process variable for investigating the motion characteristics of ocean currents; however, accurate measurement thereof is affected by various factors. Amplitude modulation is used to modulate the measured signals into narrow-band, single-frequency signals, thereby reducing the noise level of the sensor when measuring the electric field induced by ocean currents and for extracting ocean current signals in the nanovolt range under high background noise. In this study, front-end weak signal processing circuits are designed, strong interfering signals induced by the descent of the expendable current profiler probe are partially offset by a compensation circuit for the in-phase electric field component, and useful signals are extracted using a filter circuit. System on a programmable chip technology is used for the digital processing module of the expendable current profiler probe, thereby achieving rapid development, rapid optimization, and software/hardware integration of the digital processing module, as well as enhancing the overall performance of the system. In addition, dynamic data transmission technology using an enameled wire with a diameter of 0.1 mm and a length of 2 km is developed to achieve dynamic data transmission requirements for the expendable current profiler surface float. Finally, the ocean current electric field data and ocean temperature data are acquired through experiments.
Quantitative Studies in the Balance of Power
Authors: Schroeder Paul W.
Published: July 2017

Quantitative studies in the history of international relations have become increasingly prominent in recent years, yet have been largely ignored by diplomatic historians. The author, a diplomatic historian, examines a recent, promising effort to test balance of power theory through a quantitative analysis of the events of European diplomatic history, 1870–1881, as recorded by historians. He concludes that though the research involved is impressive and the conclusions reached both sensible and provocative, the project appears to ignore certain inherent limitations in its historical materials and certain complexities of international relations in its efforts to achieve objective ratings of cooperation vs. conflict, activity vs. passivity, and alignment vs. opposition. In addition, the objective indices for power and status seem inadequate and misleading in important respects.
International Conflict and the Problem of Attribution
Authors: Rosenberg Shawn W. , Wolfsfeld Gary
Published: July 2017

The authors develop a social psychological model, the attributional consistency model, in order to describe the attributions individuals make to explain the activity of groups. The model is then used to suggest how policy makers determine the causes of the action taken by nations in conflict. As an empirical test of the theory, observations on the Middle East conflict made by those who were associated in one of several ways with either Israel or the Arab nations were examined. An argument detailing the value of the model in studying the dynamics of international conflict is also presented.
Consciousness of Linguistic Contact: Empirical Findings and A Critique
Authors: Doob Leonard W.
Published: July 2017

In South Tyrol (northern Italy), where approximately two-thirds of the people speak German and almost all the rest Italian, secondary-school children were asked to indicate the expressions in each other's language they found pleasant and unpleasant as well as those they customarily employ in conversation. Although the two samples designated categories of expression with almost equal frequency (except that higher percentages of German speakers tended to dislike profanity in Italian but to claim to use it), both intra– and intergroup variability was marked with respect to the cited words, phrases, and sentences. The direct, frontal attack on the problem of linguistic contact seems to provide only tentative, minimal, albeit provocative cues concerning the psychological needs that such changes may satisfy.
Some Further Experiments in The Perception of Resonant Consonants
Authors: Obrecht Dean H. , Babcock William R.
Published: July 2017

A series of forty-eight stimulus patterns were painted and converted to sound by the pattern playback. Variations were made in F2 transition frequencies, in the frequency of F1 resonances, and in the presence or absence of resonances in the F2 and F3 regions. The test was administered for identification as /m, n, ñ, ŋ, or 1/. Subjects were only partially naive in some cases.

Results indicate that the principal discrimination cues are definitely the F2 transition onset frequency and the frequency of the F1 resonance portion. F2 and F3 resonances apparently operate as powerful cues only in the presence of maximally ambiguous F2 information.
Spectral Analysis of Fluctuations in Sound Energy in Certain Insects and Humans
Authors: Fischer Roland , England S. J. M.
Published: July 2017

Power density spectra of the fluctuations in sound energy are presented in stridulations emitted by Pterophylla Camellifolia. The original emplitude recording, used for the computation of power spectra, reveals a characteristic temporal pause-stridulation-pause pattern possibly related to the insect's available metabolic energy.

It is suggested that power spectra be used not only for insect identification and philogenetic characterization, but also to define normal as well as pathological speech patterns including the tracing of possible genetic involvement of speech defects by analysis of the speech of siblings and parents of probands.
The Effect on Word Recognition of the Frequency of Word Association
Authors: Gross Herbert S.
Published: July 2017

The subjects' task in the present experiment was the recognition of the second of a pair of freely associated words, tachistoscopically presented. A stimulus word from a word association test is used as a “set-inducing” word. It was predicted that response words which are frequent associates of the set-inducing word would be more quickly recognized than response words that are infrequently associated with the set-inducing word.

High-frequency associates were found to yield shorter recognition times than two other classes of matched infrequent associates and the results are significant beyond the 0.05 level.
Negro Children's Speech : Some Social Class Differences in Word Predictability
Authors: Williams Frederick , Wood Barbara Sundene
Published: July 2017

Language samples of junior high school aged Negro girls of low and middle socio-economic classes were subjected to word predictability procedures undertaken by additional students from the same two populations. Results indicated that the middle class students could readily approximate the language of the middle and low class samples, but the lower class students did significantly more poorly in approximating the language of the middle class students, although they performed as well as the middle class students in approximating language in samples from students of their same social status.
Symmetry of Clauses and the Psychological Significance of Left-Branching
Authors: Goldman-Eisler Frieda , Cohen Michele
Published: July 2017

This paper deals with the questions of symmetry in sentence clauses, and of the psychological significance of left-branching. Texts based on spontaneous and prepared speech, drawn from populations ranging from political speakers to schizophrenic patients were analysed. The results showed that symmetry is not a characteristic of clauses and longer clauses consisting of five or more words to the left or right of the verb, or both, showed a significant tendency towards asymmetry. Measures of left-branching (LB) were thus shown to be independent of or inversely related to measures of right branching (RB).

The comparative study of LB as well as RB in respect of individual consistency and psychological significance showed LB to be a discriminative and individually consistent measure and consequently a psychological indicator while RB did not qualify as such.
Psychological Variables and Ability to Pronounce a Second Language
Authors: Taylor Linda L. , Catford John C. , Guiora Alexander Z. , Lane Harlan L.
Published: July 2017

The following study tested the hypothesis that the ability to speak a second language authentically or like a native speaker was related to an individual's sensitivity to cues in interpersonal situations, his empathic capacity. A test of empathy consisted of silent film clips shown at various speeds; subjects were asked to indicate each change in facial expression they observed. A test group of 28 University students took this and additional control tests including the Thematic Apperception Test. These subjects learned basic conversations in Japanese in four one-hour sessions. Their pronunciation was rated by native speakers on general authenticity and on specific phonetic details for five spontaneous sentences and five sentences repeated after the instructor. Results indicated differences in speaking skills which were related to two clusters of variables representing independent personality characteristics: an empathy dimension defined by four variables (tolerance to anxiety, intelligence, involvement in emotional experiences, and perception of emotional expression) was related to correct pronunciation of specific details in spontaneous sentences, while an intuition dimension (tolerance to anxiety, intelligence, and psychological mindedness) was significantly related to general authenticity of pronunciation of repeated sentences.
Syntactic and Strategic Aspects of the Comprehension of Indirect and Direct Object Constructions By Children
Authors: Scholes Robert J. , Tanis David C. , Turner Angela
Published: July 2017

One hundred children aged five to thirteen were asked to demonstrate their comprehension of ambiguous and unambiguous double-object constructions of English sentences. In the unambiguous cases article or disjuncture clues were used to indicate which words of the sentence predicates belonged to the indirect and direct object constituents.

Results indicate that children tend to prefer a reading of the ambiguous sentences in which the last two nominal elements of nominal + nominal + nominal predicates are assigned to the direct object (as opposed to assigning only the last noun to the direct object). For unambiguous sentences, the younger children have great difficulty in correctly assigning the indicated constituent structure while the older children (and adults) have little difficulty. The use of the article as the indicator of constituent structure is found to be, for the children, a superior clue to the use of disjuncture, and the acquisition of the two comprehensional skills appears to proceed independently.
Age Changes in the Ability To Replicate Foreign Pronunciation and Intonation
Authors: Tahta Sonia , Wood Margaret , Loewenthal Kate
Published: July 2017

This study looked at the abilities of 5 - 15 year old monolingual English schoolchildren to replicate foreign pronunciation and intonation. Performance was judged after only one exposure and repetition. Ability to replicate pronunciation declined fairly steadily over the whole age-range studied. By contrast, ability to replicate intonation remained steadily good until 8, then dropped rapidly until 11. There was a slight, not wholly reliable improvement after 11, but, basically, 11-15 year-olds replicated intonation poorly. When given a sufficient amount of practice, all subjects tested could replicate intonation well; the number of trials required showed a rapid change from 8-11. The findings agree well with long-term studies of fluent L2 speakers, in which younger ages of acquisition are associated with better chances of a native pronunciation and intonation. Other studies of learners still acquiring an L2 have showed, however, that older learners have better chances of a native accent; an attempt is made to reconcile these findings with those of the present study.
Frequency Effects on the Processing of Ambiguous Words in Sentence Contexts
Authors: Lucas Margery M.
Published: July 2017

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the processing of ambiguous words that varied in frequency of use of their multiple interpretations. Biasing sentential contexts were used in a cross-modal priming paradigm in which targets were presented for lexical decision at two different intervals relative to the occurrence of the ambiguous word. The results replicate previous work showing that both interpretations of an ambiguous word are accessed and that there arc no differences in amount of priming due to frequency. During selection of the appropriate interpretation, however, there is evidence of sensitivity to information about frequency and context. The results indicate that, whereas lexical access is an autonomous process, selection of the appropriate interpretation is a post-lexical process that is influenced by frequency information and context. Recent challenges to the use of the lexical decision task and to the autonomy view of lexical access are also considered.
Voice Identification of Prepubertal Boys and Girls by Normally Sighted and Visually Handicapped Subjects
Authors: Günzburger D. , Bresser A. , Keurs M. Ter
Published: July 2017

Based on the assumption that prepubertal boys and girls do not differ with respect to larynx size, nor in size of the vocal cavities and, therefore, may be expected to have approximately the same fundamental and formant frequencies, an experiment was carried out in order to investigate whether listeners are still able to determine children's sex on the basis of a few speech samples. Sentences and to a somewhat smaller extent sustained vowels were categorized correctly on speakers' sex by a panel of normally sighted as well as visually handicapped listeners. In addition, evidence is provided that attribution of perceptual labels to children's speech samples corroborates traditional notions about adult men's and women's voices.
Morae and Syllables: Rhythmical Basis of Speech Representations in Neonates
Authors: Bertoncini Josiane , Floccia Caroline , Nazzi Thierry , Mehler Jacques
Published: July 2017

Are neonates sensitive to the different rhythmical units that are used in different spoken languages? And do they use these units to represent and discriminate multisyllabic words? In the present study, we used the High-Amplitude Sucking procedure to test whether 3-day-old French infants discriminate lists of Japanese words. The lists of words differed either in the number of syllabic units or in the number of sub-syllabic units such as morae. In Experiment 1, infants heard bisyllabic versus trisyllabic words (e.g.: iga vs. hekiga); in Experiment 2, they were presented with bimoraic versus trimoraic bisyllabic words (e.g.: iga vs. iNga). The results corroborate those obtained by Bijeljac-Babic, Bertoncini, and Mehler (1993), providing further evidence that neonates discriminate bisyllabic from trisyllabic words. In contrast, neonates do not appear to discriminate bisyllabic words that vary in number of sub-syllabic units. It is proposed that syllables are particularly salient units during the initial stage of speech processing, irrespective of which language and rhythmical structure is heard.
Sound Change in Child Language: A Study of Inter-Word Variation
Authors: Berg Thomas
Published: July 2017

The goal of this study is to retrace in minute detail a single step forward in the phonological development of a German-speaking child. The sound change under focus is the acquisition of velar stops in word-initial positions. Naturalistic data were collected on a daily basis over a period of approximately one year (3;4.9–4;3.20) until the process was nearly completed. Production accuracy was found to be under the influence of four factors — the nature of the velar stop (voiced or voiceless), the subsequent context, lexical stress and the individual word in which the critical consonant appeared. Progress was made not globally but in different subdomams at different points in time. Each phonological constellation gave rise to a distinct acquisitional pattern. While the velar stops were accurately produced before the alveolar nasal, they tended to be omitted before the rhotic and supplanted by the alveolar stops before the lateral. An attempt is made to identify the locus of the changes in a developing processing system consisting of linguistic units (nodes) and their interrelationships (associations). A comparison of the effects of inefficient nodes and those of inefficient associations suggests that learning in this child takes place by strengthening the associations rather than increasing the efficiency of processing on the nodes. Because modifying individual associations is quite a local repair process, it is argued that the acquisition of a new segment does not normally occur across the board. Instead, it is more appropriately conceived of as a gradual spread through the lexicon.
Focus, Accent, and Argument Structure: Effects on Language Comprehension
Authors: Birch Stacy , Clifton Charles
Published: July 2017

Four experiments investigated the effect of syntactic argument structure on the evaluation and comprehension of utterances with different patterns of pitch accents. Linguistic analyses of the relation between focus and prosody note that it is possible for certain accented constituents within a broadly focused phrase to project focus to the entire phrase. We manipulated focus requirements and accent in recorded question-answer pairs and asked listeners to make linguistic judgments of prosodic appropriateness (Experiments 1 and 3) or to make judgments based on meaningful comprehension (Experiments 2 and 4). Naive judgments of prosodic appropriateness were generally consistent with the linguistic analyses, showing preferences for utterances in which contextually new noun phrases accent and old noun phrases did not, but suggested that an accented new argument NP was not fully effective in projecting broad focus to the entire VP. However, the comprehension experiments did demonstrate that comprehension of a sentence with broad VP focus was as efficient when only a lexical argument NP accent as when both NP and verb accent. Such focus projection did not occur when the argument NP was an “independent quantifier” such as nobody or everything. The results extend existing demonstrations that the ease of understanding spoken discourse depends on appropriate intonational marking of focus to cases where certain structurally-defined words can project focus-marking to an entire phrase.