bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A level set-based topology optimization for fluid-structure coupled problems by using two-phase material model
Authors: Yamamoto Takashi , Noguchi Yuki , Yamada Takayuki , Izui Kazuhiro , Nishiwaki Shinji
Published: November 2016

In this study, we develop a two-phase material model mixed with a solid and fluid phases to represent an elastic material and an acoustic material in a unified set of governing equations. By applying the model, boundary conditions at boundaries between different two-phase materials are satisfied naturally, and the boundaries do not have to be expressed explicitly. This characteristic is effective for topology optimization of fluid-structure coupled problems by using finite element method. Consequently, we formulate an optimization method utilizing the two-phase material model and a level set method to express boundaries between different two-phase materials. An approximate method to obtain topological derivative is also developed by applying the variational analysis and the adjoint variable method. Topological derivative of an objective functional is considered to be proportional to the derivative of the level set functions with respect to time and the values of the level set functions are updated by solving time evolutionary reaction diffusion equation with a regularization term. After the verifications of the two-phase model, we present several numerical demonstrations for directional acoustic cloaking of a cylindrical obstacle placed in unbounded air medium.
Acoustic media with pore size distribution and assignment of the pore characteristic lengths and permeabilities
Authors: Horoshenkov Kirill V. , Niskanen Matti , Groby Jean-Philippe , Dazel Olivier , Duclos Aroune
Published: November 2016

The model by Champoux and Allard [J. Appl. Phys. 70(4), 1975-1979 (1991)] is used extensively for research and development of new porous media solutions and for predicting sound propagation in the presence of porous media. Four key non-acoustical parameters in this model which are rarely measured non-acoustically are: the viscous and thermal characteristic lengths, thermal permeability and Pride parameter Pride et al [Phys. Rev. B 47, 4964-4978 (1993)]. In this work we show how these parameters unambiguously relate to the pore size distribution which is a characteristic measured nonacoustically and more routinely. We compare the predictions by this model against the log-normal pore size distribution model by Horoshenkov et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 104, 1198-1209 (1998)] and show that these two models provide very close predictions when the four non-acoustic parameters are expressed through the mean pore size and its standard deviation. We also confirm these results through a 4-microphone impedance tube experiment in which we determine the dynamic density and complex bulk modulus of a range of porous media. We also study the values of the viscous and thermal characteristic lengths and viscous and thermal permeabilities which fit our acoustic data.
Effect of membranes at microscopic polygonal faces of polyurethane foam by using homogenization method
Authors: Yamamoto Takashi , Imae Yuki
Published: November 2016

Sound absorption coefficient in poroelastic media depends on the geometries in the microscopic scale. In some polyurethane foams that exhibit high sound absorption coefficients in the middle frequency range around 1 kHz, the faces of polygonal shape of microscopic structure are covered by thin membranes. Moreover, a hole is frequently found in some membranes. This type of microscopic structure is considered to contribute to the high sound absorption performance. Multi-scale analysis for sound-absorbing poroelastic media with periodic microscopic geometries has been recently proposed by one of the authors. In this method, the homogenization method based on the asymptotic expansions are utilized and further extended to express the viscous dissipation in the vicinity of the boundary between the solid and fluid phases, thermal dissipation from the fluid phase to the solid phase. Analysis in the microscopic scale is first performed by using a unit cell of the periodic structure and macroscopic properties are derived. The properties are then applied to calculate macroscopic response such as sound absorption coefficient. In this paper, we apply this multi-scale analysis and investigate numerically the relationship between the size of the hole in membranes and sound absorption performance.
Design and optimization of membrane-type acoustic metamaterials using genetic algorithms
Authors: Blevins Matthew G. , Lau Siu-Kit , Wang Lily M.
Published: November 2016

One of the most difficult problems in noise control is the attenuation of low frequency noise. Typical solutions require barriers with high density and/or thickness. Membrane-type acoustic metamaterials are a novel type of engineered material capable of high low-frequency transmission loss despite their small thickness and light weight. These materials are ideally suited to applications with strict size and weight limitations such as aircraft, automobiles, and buildings. This paper reviews computationally efficient dynamic models for designing membrane-type acoustic metamaterials that have been proposed by the authors, based on the impedance-mobility approach. The computational efficiency of the impedance-mobility models compared to finite element methods enables implementation in design tools based on a graphical user interface and in optimization schemes. Genetic algorithms are used to optimize the unit cell design for a variety of noise reduction goals, including maximizing transmission loss for broadband, narrow-band, and tonal noise sources. The degree to which the optimal configurations extend to systems of multiple unit cells and unit cells of different shapes is explored.
Characteristic analysis of screeching noise using 24bit/192 kHz high-resolution measurement system in anechoic room
Authors: Ogino Shuya , Okubo Kan
Published: November 2016

Many researches on the screeching sound have been investigated for some decades. Halpern et al.(1986) reported acoustic evaluation of “chilling sound” as a pioneering study. The screeching sound makes us feel so-called hair-raising, bloodcurdling chills, which is generated by scratching a blackboard and frosted glass with a fingernail, metal, and so on. This might be common sensation shared by the world. Although Halpern et al. (1986) employed a tape recorder of up to 20.0 kHz as a recording equipment, in recent years researchers can use a 24 bit/192 kHz high-resolution measurement system. The frequency range of screeching sound can’t be not fundamentally limited up to 20.0 kHz. Scratching should cause the sound above the human audible range; it is known as “Hypersonic effect.” In this study, therefore, we try to record and analyze the screeching noise at the frequency range of up to 96 kHz. We employ 24 bit/192 kHz high-resolution measurement system in anechoic room as a recording equipment. This presentation reports the findings from characteristic analysis of screeching sound obtained by high-resolution measurement. We demonstrate that scratching generates the sound above 20.0 kHz, and that so-called screeching noise have many overtone sounds above 20.0 kHz and remarkable features of like sawtooth wave.
Negative pulling acoustic radiation force on spheroids in Bessel vortex beams
Authors: Mitri Farid G.
Published: November 2016

The emergence of a negative pulling acoustic radiation force on rigid spheroids is examined, with the use of acoustical Bessel vortex (helicoidal) “tractor” beams. Numerical predictions based on the acoustical scattering phenomenon [F. G. Mitri, IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 62, 1809-1818 (2015); Ann. Phys. (NY) 363, 262-274 (2015)] that is extended to calculate the longitudinal acoustic radiation force (i.e., acting along the direction of wave propagation) illustrate the theory, with particular emphasis on the aspect ratio of the spheroid, the half-cone angle and order of the beam, as well as the dimensionless frequency parameter. It is shown that the Bessel vortex beam composed of progressive (i.e., traveling) waves is capable of generating a negative pulling force acting in opposite direction of the forward linear momentum density flux associated with the incident waves [F. G. Mitri, Europhys. Lett. 112, 34002 (2015)]. The scope of the analysis is further expanded to include the cases of standing and quasi-standing Bessel beam tweezers [F. G. Mitri, Wave Motion 57, 231-238 (2015)]. The results potentially suggest the use of Bessel “tractor” vortex beams for pulling, propelling, or manipulating arbitrary-shaped objects deviating from the spherical geometry for applications in remote sampling, particle manipulation, and handling, to name a few areas.
Challenges in understanding and modeling speech perception
Authors: Bronkhorst Adelbert W.
Published: November 2016

Speech perception performance is one of the most widely used measures in audiology and auditory research. Nevertheless, our understanding of how speech is processed by the auditory system is limited. This is not only due to the subject—the complexity of the speech signal itself and the intricacy of disentangling target speech from interfering sounds—but also to the way it is approached: different aspects of speech perception are studied by largely separate research communities. Also when only early processing of speech is considered, excluding psycholinguistic aspects and effects of memory and learning, at least three relevant research fields can be discriminated: audibility and masking, auditory scene analysis, and attention. Although there is increasing interest in the crosslinks between these fields, approaches are still insufficiently integrated and important questions remain unanswered. Furthermore, modeling efforts are lagging behind and are only partly driven by advances in neurophysiological research. After reviewing progress in the three fields, a conceptual model will be presented that attempts to tie results together. Finally, knowledge gaps and open research issues will be highlighted.
Adaptive speech modifications and its effect on communication effectiveness in complex acoustic environments
Authors: Iyer Nandini , Thompson Eric , Stillwagon Kelly , Ennis Zachariah , Willis Abbey , Simpson Brian
Published: November 2016

Previous studies of communication in noisy environment have shown that interlocutors, when residing in the same acoustic environment, continuously adapt their speech patterns in order to overcome communication difficulties (Cooke et al., 2014; Lindblom, 1990). However, little is known about the impact on communication when individuals are in disparate acoustic environments and if/how these individuals would adapt their speech to support effective communication. In this study, eight pairs of interlocutors were required to completed the “spot-the-difference” Diapix task (Van Engel et al., 2010) while being exposed to one of 2 acoustic environments presented at 85 dB SPL over headphones: 1) sparse (2-talker) babble; or 2) dense (8-talker) babble. In some conditions, both individuals were in similar acoustic environments while in others they were in different acoustic environments. A control condition, where both interlocutors communicated in quiet environments was also included. Preliminary results showed that the time for task completion increased when listeners communicated in a dense rather than sparse babble, thus indicating decreased communication efficiency. Acoustic characteristics of the speech produced in these adverse environments suggests that talkers modulate their speech for their own listening environment and not necessarily to meet the needs of their communication partners.
The contribution of acoustic complexity to speech-specific processing
Authors: Chiu Faith , Tuomainen Jyrki
Published: November 2016

Speech segments are delivered in an acoustically complex signal. This paper examines the role of acoustic complexity in speech-specific processing in the brain. Mismatch Negativity (MMN) is a deviance detection event-related response elicited by both speech and non-speech stimuli. Speech-specific MMN can further be sensitive to segment-driven categorisation processes (Näätänen et al., 1997). Existing research on the neural basis of speech processing often employs only pure tones as a non-speech control (Schofield et al, 2009). We investigate the specific contribution of acoustic complexity to speech-specific processing using a passive oddball task to elicit MMN in three conditions: speech, spectrally rotated speech, and pure tones. EEG event-related potentials were examined for scalp-based observations and source connectivity; source activity at the level of pyramidal cells in neuronal groups was modeled as dynamic states (Kiebel et al., 2007). Results indicate left lateralization only for acoustically complex sounds; both speech and rotated speech show within-region cortical coupling in left Heschl’s gyrus. However, an increase in feedforward activity towards left superior temporal gyrus is only observed in speech but not rotated speech. Pure tone stimuli do not elicit left lateralization. We conclude that acoustic complexity is a necessary but insufficient condition for speech-specific processing.
A study on the effect by adding reverberation to speech-like masking sound
Authors: Tang Jen W. , Wan Jacky , Hioka Yusuke
Published: November 2016

Problems arising from the acoustical privacy point of view in public spaces have been known to be an issue. The lack of acoustical privacy has been known to affect the human's health both physically and psychologically, thus keeping the acoustical privacy in public spaces will significantly reduce social loss. Masking is the most commonly practically used technique to make a target speech unintelligible to the unintended listeners without needing to install any physical structures. Time-reversed speech has been known to effectively mask information for speech privacy applications; however, the annoyance and distraction caused by the time-reversed speech is known to be higher than other masking sound. This study explores a solution to compromise the suggested problem by adding a reverberant effect to a time-reversed speech. Subjective listening tests have been conducted to measure the intelligibility of target speech, annoyance and distraction caused by the masking sound. The experimental results suggest that adding artificial reverberation to a time-reversed speech has a significant effect to reduce the annoyance level while maintaining the masking effectiveness of the original time-reversed speech. A trend was also observed that the addition of artificial reverberation could reduce the level of distraction caused by the masking sound.
Estimating realistic speech levels for virtual acoustic environments
Authors: Buchholz Jorg M. , Weisser Adam , Beechey Tim , Galloway James , Keidser Gitte , Freeston Katrina
Published: November 2016

Speech intelligibility is commonly assessed in rather unrealistic acoustic environments at negative signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). As a consequence, the results seem unlikely to reflect the subjects’ experience in the real world. To improve the ecological validity of speech tests, different sound reproduction techniques have been used by researchers to recreate field-recorded acoustic environments in the laboratory. Whereas the real-world sound pressure levels of these environments are usually known, this is not necessarily the case for the level of the target speech (and therefore the SNR). In this study, a two-talker conversation task is used to derive realistic target speech levels for given virtual acoustic environments. The talkers communicate with each other while listening to binaural recordings of the environments using highly open headphones. During the conversation their speech is recorded using close-talk microphones. Conversations between ten pairs of young normal-hearing talkers were recorded in this way in 12 different environments and the corresponding speech levels were derived. In this presentation, the methods are introduced and the derived speech levels are compared to results from the literature as well as from real sound-field recordings. The possibility of using this technique to generate environment-specific speech material with realistic vocal effort is discussed.
For some bilateral cochlear implantees, a second implant can cause interference rather than improved speech understanding in the presence of competing speech
Authors: Goupell Matthew , Stakhovskaya Olga , Bernstein Joshua G.
Published: November 2016

The goal of bilateral cochlear implantation is to provide binaural-processing benefits, such as improved sound localization and speech understanding in background noise. A recent study [Bernstein et al., Ear Hear. 37, 282-288] showed that bilateral cochlear-implant (BICI) listeners could receive up to 5 dB of binaural speech-understanding benefit when listening with two ears compared to one. However, one outlier demonstrated interference rather than improvement from the second ear, which warranted further investigation. We recruited nine BICI listeners with pre- or peri-lingual onset of deafness and/or a long duration of deafness in at least one ear. We hypothesized these listeners might also demonstrate interference in binaural speech understanding. They listened to a male target and a male interferer, both taken from the Coordinate Response Measure corpus, in monaural (target and interferer in one ear) and binaural (monaural target, diotic interferer) listening configurations. On average, listeners received 9 dB of interference from their second ear. For listeners with a much longer duration of deafness in one ear, interference patterns were asymmetrical (little interference in the first implanted ear, extreme interference in the second). These data demonstrate that certain spatial listening configurations may hinder the advantages of bilateral implants for some users.
Influence of clear speech on voice onset time and intelligibility of word-initial stop consonants in electrolaryngeal speech
Authors: Cox Steven R. , Raphael Lawrence , Doyle Philip C.
Published: November 2016

This study addressed the influence of clear speech (CS) on voice onset time (VOT) and intelligibility of word-initial (WI) stops in electrolaryngeal (EL) speech. Eighteen consonant-vowel-consonant words containing /p/, /t/, /k/, /b/, /d/, and /g/ in WI position were spoken by 10 laryngectomees in both habitual speech (HS) and clear speech (CS) conditions. Twelve, naive listeners transcribed a total of 4,320 words across HS and CS conditions of which 720 words (containing WI stops) were analyzed. Results indicate that when using CS, EL speakers produced stops with ~4 milliseconds of greater lag time compared to HS. Further, the intelligibility of WI stops improved 3.8% during CS. Finally, listeners omitted 2.22% more stops in WI position when using HS compared to CS. However, repeated measures analysis of variance revealed no significant effect of speaking condition on VOT or the intelligibility of stops. Collectively, these findings provide initial evidence that volitional attempts to make EL speech clearer via CS does not necessarily facilitate improved VOT or intelligibility for EL speakers.
Ideal binary masking based noise reduction and interleaved processing for bilateral cochlear implant users
Authors: Hossain Shaikat , Montazeri Vahid , Assmann Peter F.
Published: November 2016

The present study investigates the interaction between ideal binary masking (IdBM) noise reduction and interleaved processing for bilateral cochlear implant (CI) users and normal-hearing (NH) listeners attending to vocoder simulations. IdBM decomposes a signal into time-frequency (T-F) bins and retains only regions where the target is higher than a local threshold (LC). IdBM benefits in CI users have been found to be limited due to factors such as current spread from neighboring electrodes. Interleaving channels across ears in bilateral CI users has been one approach to mitigating the effects of current spread. In the present experiments we tested NH listeners attending to vocoder simulations and CI users with IEEE sentences presented from different azimuths in speech-shaped noise at 5 dB signal-to-noise ratio and IdBM processing with LC values of 5 and -10 dB. Speech intelligibility was poorer for the interleaved condition in the presence of noise. As predicted, however, greater IdBM benefits were found for interleaved compared to non-interleaved processing for both NH and CI listeners. For CI users, the LC value of 5 dB led to greater improvements whereas the NH listeners had comparable benefits for both LC values. Findings have relevance for the clinical application of interleaved processing.
Do clear-speech consonants always provide the best intelligibility for hearing-impaired listeners?
Authors: Makashay Matthew J. , Solomon Nancy P. , Summers Van
Published: November 2016

Hearing-aid amplification enhances speech intelligibility for many hearing-impaired (HI) listeners in quiet, but often provides no clear benefit in noise. Requesting that talkers use clear speech is one strategy to overcome these listening challenges. Paradoxically, one feature of clear speech is a shift to higher frequencies, which may move speech energy into a frequency range that is inaudible or has more distortion for certain HI listeners. Conversely, casual conversational speech may shift speech energy into a lower frequency range that is more audible or has less distortion. This study examined the intelligibility of 21 casually- and clearly-spoken American English coda consonants in nonsense syllables for 9 aided normal-hearing and 18 aided HI listeners. As expected, most clear-speech consonants yielded higher recognition scores. However, certain phonological processes common in casual speech, namely affrication and palatalization, generated significantly higher scores than their clear counterparts for some HI listeners in noise. These results have implications for coaching conversational partners of aided HI listeners. [The views expressed in this abstract are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.]
Acoustic measures versus crowdsourced listeners’ ratings: Evaluating the efficacy of treatment for hypokinetic dysarthria
Authors: Nightingale Christopher , Swartz Michelle T. , Ramig Lorraine A. , McAllister Byun Tara
Published: November 2016

Clinical interventions for speech disorders aim to produce changes that are not only acoustically measurable or perceptible to trained professionals, but are also apparent to naïve listeners. Due to the difficulty of collecting ratings from a suitably large sample, few researchers evaluate speech interventions relative to this criterion. Crowdsourcing technologies could enable a shift toward a more naturalistic standard to evaluate speech interventions. This project compared 35 naïve crowdsourced listeners’ ratings against acoustic measures of speech samples collected from patients with hypokinetic dysarthria secondary to Parkinson’s Disease. The data come from a published efficacy study (Sapir et al., 2007) that documented significant acoustic changes after a period of intensive treatment, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment. Specifically, the ratio of mean F2 in /i/ versus /u/, calculated for each subject, was greater in post-treatment relative to pre-treatment samples. Mixed-effects logistic regression indicated that words elicited post-treatment, presented in randomly ordered pairs with words elicited pre-treatment, were significantly more likely to be rated “more clear” (beta = 1.24, SE =.46, p <.01). This result supports the original conclusion of Sapir et al. (2007); it also supports the validity of crowdsourcing as a means to obtain ratings of disordered speech data.
Prosodic changes in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Patel Sona , Parveen Sabiha , Anand Supraja
Published: November 2016

Parkinson’s disease often results in a hypokinetic dysarthria, causing well-known effects on speech and voice. Speech from individuals with Parkinson’s is typically studied through listening tasks (i.e., by family members and naïve listeners) and is known to affect intelligibility. However, the exact speech changes causing degradations in speech quality have not been defined. Previous investigations have focused on standard measures of mean fundamental frequency, intensity, and rate. We hypothesize that speech changes are present at the prosodic level in addition to at the acoustic level. To test this hypothesis, we collected spontaneous conversational speech samples from 15 individuals with Parkinson’s and 13 age-and-gender matched neurologically healthy speakers (Control group). Several parameters were extracted from the speech signal to describe rate, phrasing, and stress in addition to fundamental frequency and intensity. These measures were compared with listener ratings of intelligibility performed by 12 naïve listeners. Listeners rated the speech samples using a visual analog scale. Preliminary findings suggest that prosody is impaired in Parkinson’s disease. Statistical analysis of variance between the speaker groups (Parkinson’s vs. Controls) are reported in addition to linear regressions with listener ratings. Our findings can facilitate in early diagnosis and the development of targeted speech therapy for individuals with Parkinson’s.
Mathematical error in the American Medical Association and American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery percent binaural hearing impairment calculation
Authors: Clark Ashley N. , Leavitt Ron
Published: November 2016

Percent hearing loss calculation forms the basis of computation for those whose hearing has been damaged in industry or in the military. As such medical professionals are admonished to use the best science available when making these important calculations. Unfortunately, current computational methods do not meet current high standards of scientific evidence and are riddled with mathematical and psychoacoustic errors. A number of these errors will be discussed in this poster session.
Temporal gap and amplitude modulation detection evaluated using the electrically evoked auditory change complex in patients with auditory brainstem implants
Authors: He Shuman , McFayden Tyler C. , Shahsavarani Bahar S. , Gill Katherine E.
Published: November 2016

This study aims to objectively evaluate temporal processing capabilities using the electrically evoked auditory change complex (eACC) in patients with auditory brainstem implants (ABIs). Study participants include seven Cochlear Nucleus 24M ABI recipients (six children and one adult). All children received ABIs due to cochlear nerve deficiency and the adult recipient was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type II (NF-2). The speech processor was bypassed and electrical stimulus was a biphasic pulse train directly sent through individual electrodes of the ABI. Gap durations tested in this study ranged from 4 to 256 ms. Amplitude modulation frequency was 10 Hz. Modulation depths tested in this study ranged from 1% to 99%. Behavioral gap detection thresholds were also obtained for two participants. The eACCs were evoked by temporal gaps and amplitude modulations. The shortest gap duration and the smallest amplitude modulation depth that can be used to evoke the eACC vary across study participants and across stimulating electrodes within individual participants. These preliminary data also suggest that the temporal gap detection primarily depends on subcortical auditory neural structures. The eACC can be used to objectively evaluate temporal processing capabilities in both adult and pediatric ABI recipients.
Naming practice app on tablets and communication robots for people with aphasia
Authors: Kuroiwa Shingo , Horiuchi Yasuo , Muranishi Sachiyo , Furukawa Daisuke , Ishihata Kyohei , Morimoto Akihiko , Suzuki Hiroji
Published: November 2016

Aphasia is a language disorder that negatively affects a person's ability to understand and generate language. Although it has been said that patients in the chronic phase are not likely to recover their ability, a number of recent studies report that highly frequent and continuous training enables recovery. Therefore, we have started a project that aims to improve the environment in which people with aphasia can continue language learning at home. In this presentation, we demonstrate naming practice apps, using speech recognition technology for people with aphasia. They can check whether their utterances are accurate, through the use of speech recognition and they can listen to the correct pronunciation of words through the use of speech synthesis. Field trials using the app for tablets have been conducted since Dec. 2014, and for the communication robot, Pepper, since Dec. 2015. Although the average of speech recognition accuracy was 61 % (false acceptance: 2%, false rejection: 37%), the participants accepted the poor robustness of the speech recognition, and tried to speak clearly. Some participants felt as if the robot was somewhat similar to a child, and others understood its inflexibility, and so in consequence they both accepted its low speech recognition ability.
Comparison of speech rate and intelligibility between children with cerebral palsy and typically developing children in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Chu-Yin , Chen Li-mei , Lin Yu Ching , Hustad Katherine C. , Kent Raymond D.
Published: November 2016

Due to the defect of speech motor control, cerebral palsied children (CP) with dysarthria often show slower, weaker, and imprecise articulation with poor coordination, which have profound impact on speech intelligibility (Hodge & Gotzke, 2014; Hustad, Gorton, & Lee, 2010). It was reported that CP children had lower speech rate and intelligibility than typically developing (TD) children. However, little research discussed the application of this finding in languages other than English. The present study investigated the correlations between speech rate and intelligibility in 4 Mandarin-speaking CP children aged 4-8 and 4 TD children aged 5. Speech data were collected from the repetition tasks of sentences ranging from 3 to 8 words. Speech rate were calculated through WPM (words per minute) and IWPM (intelligible words per minute), and speech intelligibility of each child was judged by three listeners. The results showed that: 1) TD had significantly higher mean intelligibility and slightly higher IWPM than the CP group; 2) Mean WPM of CP was higher than TD; 3) Higher WPM in CP did not correspond to higher intelligibility. Contrary to the previous findings, in the present study, CP showed higher WPM but lower intelligibility. This discrepancy requires further examinations in future studies.
Gender and School-Level Differences in Students’ Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity Levels When Taught Basketball Through the Tactical Games Model
Authors: Harvey Stephen , Smith Megan L. , Song Yang , Robertson David , Brown Renee , Smith Lindsey R.
Published: November 2016

The Tactical Games Model (TGM) prefaces the cognitive components of physical education (PE), which has implications for physical activity (PA) accumulation. PA recommendations suggest students reach 50% moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, this criterion does not indicate the contribution from vigorous physical activity (VPA). Consequently, this study investigated: a) the effects of TGM delivery on MVPA/VPA and, b) gender/school level differences. Participants were 78 seventh and 96 fourth/fifth grade coeducational PE students from two different schools. Two teachers taught 24 (middle) and 30 (elementary) level one TGM basketball lessons. Students wore Actigraph GT3× triaxial accelerometers. Data were analyzed using four one-way ANOVAs. Middle school boys had significantly higher MVPA/VPA (34.04/22.37%) than girls (25.14/15.47%). Elementary school boys had significantly higher MVPA/VPA (29.73/18.33%) than girls (23.03/14.33%). While TGM lessons provide a context where students can accumulate VPA consistent with national PA recommendations, teachers need to modify lesson activities to enable equitable PA participation.
The SPARK Programs: A Public Health Model of Physical Education Research and Dissemination
Authors: McKenzie Thomas L. , Sallis James F. , Rosengard Paul , Ballard Kymm
Published: November 2016

SPARK [Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids], in its current form, is a brand that represents a collection of exemplary, research-based, physical education and physical activity programs that emphasize a highly active curriculum, on-site staff development, and follow-up support. Given its complexity (e.g., multiple school levels, inclusion of both physical education and self-management curricula), SPARK features both diverse instructional and diverse curricular models. SPARK programs were initially funded by the NIH as two separate elementary and middle school intervention studies, and the curriculum and instructional models used in them embody the HOPE (Health Optimizing Physical Education) model. This paper reviews background information and studies from both the initial grants (1989–2000) and the dissemination (1994-present) phases of SPARK, identifies program evolution, and describes dissemination efforts and outcomes. Procedures used in SPARK may serve as models for others interested in researching and disseminating evidence-based physical education and physical activity programs.
Epidermal mechano-acoustic sensing electronics for cardiovascular diagnostics and human-machine interfaces
Authors: Liu Yuhao , Norton James J. S. , Qazi Raza , Zou Zhanan , Ammann Kaitlyn R. , Liu Hank , Yan Lingqing , Tran Phat L. , Jang Kyung-In , Lee Jung Woo , Zhang Douglas , Kilian Kristopher A. , Jung Sung Hee , Bretl Timothy , Xiao Jianliang , Slepian Marvin J. , Huang Yonggang , Jeong Jae-Woong , Rogers John A.
Published: November 2016

Researchers report advances in materials and designs for skin-integrated devices capable of measuring acoustic signatures.
A molecular mechanism of chaperone-client recognition
Authors: He Lichun , Sharpe Timothy , Mazur Adam , Hiller Sebastian
Published: November 2016

Conformation and dynamics of a chaperone-client interaction at the atomic level show a basic underlying mechanism.
Shape of a slowly rotating star measured by asteroseismology
Authors: Gizon Laurent , Sekii Takashi , Takata Masao , Kurtz Donald W. , Shibahashi Hiromoto , Bazot Michael , Benomar Othman , Birch Aaron C. , Sreenivasan Katepalli R.
Published: November 2016

A star is discovered to be the roundest natural object ever measured.
What now for science?
Authors: Holt Rush
Published: November 2016

Faced with the uncertainty of what the 2016 U.S. presidential election means for science, we may find some reassurance in understanding that the health of the nation's scientific enterprise depends on much more than the attitudes of the particular person who is president. We must not forget that members of Congress and other national, state, local, and international officials also make policy and collectively constitute a considerable force that is in many ways more influential than the president alone. There is now important work to do ensuring that all citizenry, including the president, understand the powerful benefits of science and that decisions made with scientific input are more likely to succeed.
Complete Genome Sequences of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Phages vB_PaeP_PcyII-10_P3P1 and vB_PaeM_PcyII-10_PII10A
Authors: Pourcel Christine , Midoux Cédric , Latino Libera , Petit Marie-Agnès , Vergnaud Gilles
Published: November 2016

vB_PaeP_PcyII-10_P3P1 and vB_PaeM_PcyII-10_PII10A are
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
bacteriophages belonging, respectively, to the
Lit1virus
genus of the
Podoviridae
family and the
Pbunavirus
genus of the
Myoviridae
family. Their genomes are 72,778 bp and 65,712 bp long, containing 94 and 93 predicted open reading frames, respectively.
Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum Kanjika 2007, Isolated from Kanjika, a South Indian Traditional Food
Authors: Divyashri G. , Rajagopal K. , Prapulla S. G.
Published: November 2016

The draft genome sequence of
Lactobacillus plantarum
Kanjika 2007, isolated from the South Indian staple, medicinal, and traditional food kanjika, is reported here. The whole genome consists of 3.16 Mb with a G+C content of 44.7% and 3,009 protein-coding genes, 78 tRNAs, and 4rRNAs (5S-23S-16S).
Complete Genome Sequence of the Siphoviral Bacteriophage Ec-ZZ2, Which Is Capable of Lysing Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Li Jinghua , Shi Hongyan , Zhao Chunyan , Hao Yuchong , He Yingze , Sun Yanbo
Published: November 2016

A virulent bacteriophage (Ec-ZZ2) that infects
Enterococcus faecium
was isolated from sewage. The bacteriophage belongs to the family
Siphoviridae
and has a linear double-stranded DNA genome, with a length of 41,170 bp and a 34.59% G+C content, which is highly similar to
Enterococcus
phage IME-EF4.
Draft Genome Sequence for a Urinary Isolate of Nosocomiicoccus ampullae
Authors: Hilt Evann E. , Price Travis K. , Diebel Katherine , Putonti Catherine , Wolfe Alan J.
Published: November 2016

A draft genome sequence for a urinary isolate of
Nosocomiicoccus ampullae
(UMB0853) was investigated. The size of the genome was 1,578,043 bp, with an observed G+C content of 36.1%. Annotation revealed 10 rRNA sequences, 40 tRNA genes, and 1,532 protein-coding sequences. Genome coverage was 727× and consisted of 32 contigs, with an
N
50
of 109,831 bp.
Complete Plastome Sequence of
Ludwigia octovalvis
(Onagraceae), a Globally Distributed Wetland Plant
Authors: Liu Shih-Hui , Edwards Christine , Hoch Peter C. , Raven Peter H. , Barber Janet C.
Published: November 2016

Here, we present the first plastome of
Ludwigia octovalvis
(Onagraceae, Myrtales) as well as the first plastome in the subfamily Ludwigioideae. This genome is notable for its contracted inverted repeat regions and an expanded small single-copy region compared to other species in the orders Myrtales and Geraniales.
Draft Genome Sequence of Robinsoniella peoriensis 6600698, a Confounder of Clostridium difficile Diagnosis
Authors: Roberts Chrissy h. , Shaw Helen Alexandra , Ferguson Natalie , Holland Mark , Wren Brendan W. , Stabler Richard A.
Published: November 2016

Robinsoniella peoriensis
is a Gram-positive, strictly anaerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped organism. Here, we report the draft genome of
R. peoriensis
6600698, initially classified as
Clostridium difficile
due to growth on selective agar, a fecal
gdh
PCR-positive result, and clinical symptoms.
R. peoriensis
is a potential confounder of
C. difficile
diagnosis.
Genome Sequences of Three Species of
Hanseniaspora
Isolated from Spontaneous Wine Fermentations
Authors: Sternes Peter R. , Lee Danna , Kutyna Dariusz R. , Borneman Anthony R.
Published: November 2016

Members of the genus
Hanseniaspora
represent a significant proportion of the normal flora of grape berries and play a significant role in wine fermentation. Here, we present genome sequences for three species of
Hanseniaspora
,
H. opuntiae
,
H. osmophila
, and
H. uvarum
, which were isolated from spontaneous Chardonnay wine fermentation.
Genome Sequences of Two Salmonella enterica Serovar Kentucky Isolates Recovered from Poultry Carcasses in the United States
Authors: Haley Bradd J. , Kim Seon Woo , Liljebjelke Karen , Guard Jean , Van Kessel Jo Ann S.
Published: November 2016

We report here the draft genome sequences of two
Salmonella enterica
serovar Kentucky eBurstGroup 15 isolates collected from poultry carcasses in Georgia (USA).
Genome Sequence of an Acinetobacter baumannii Strain Carrying Three Acquired Carbapenemase Genes
Authors: Oinuma Ken-Ichi , Suzuki Masato , Sato Kanako , Nakaie Kiyotaka , Niki Makoto , Takizawa Etsuko , Niki Mamiko , Shibayama Keigo , Yamada Koichi , Kakeya Hiroshi , Kaneko Yukihiro
Published: November 2016

The emergence of multiple-carbapenemase-producing
Acinetobacter
strains has been a serious concern during the past decade. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of an
Acinetobacter baumannii
strain isolated from a Japanese patient with three acquired carbapenemase genes:
bla
NDM-1
,
bla
TMB-1
, and
bla
OXA-58
.
Draft Genome Sequence of Marine-Derived Aeromonas caviae CHZ306, a Potential Chitinase Producer Strain
Authors: Cardozo Flávio Augusto , Zimpel Cristina Kraemer , Guimaraes Ana Marcia Sa , Pessoa Adalberto , Rivera Irma Nelly Gutierrez
Published: November 2016

We report here a draft genome sequence of
Aeromonas caviae
CHZ306, a marine-derived bacterium with the ability to hydrolyze chitin and express high levels of chitinases. The assembly resulted in 65 scaffolds with approximately 4.78 Mb. Genomic analysis revealed different genes encoding chitin-degrading enzymes that can be used for chitin derivative production.
Interventions for paediatric surgery patients with comorbid autism spectrum disorder: a systematic literature review
Authors: Koski Scott , Gabriels Robin L , Beresford Carol
Published: November 2016

Aims

To survey perioperative management practices for paediatric patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods

A systematic review was carried out of empirical studies and case reports published in peer-reviewed journals of current best practices and behavioural interventions for paediatric patients with ASD who had undergone surgery.

Results

The final sample included 11 articles published between 1997 and 2016 that met broad inclusion criteria of surveying perioperative interventions for the ASD population. There is broad endorsement across the scant publications on this topic of the following practices: increased attention to individual patient needs, rehearsal and other desensitisation efforts, departure from a sole focus on sedation or restraint of the combative or uncooperative patient and engaging caregivers in tuning perioperative management to individual needs.

Conclusions

This review supports the need for an individualised structure and approach to the perioperative care of these unique patients.
Bacteraemia due toParvimonas micra, a commensal pathogen, in a patient with an oesophageal tumour
Authors: García Carretero Rafael , Luna-Heredia Esther , Olid-Velilla Monica , Vazquez-Gomez Oscar
Published: November 2016

A man aged 53 years was admitted to our hospital due to general malaise, fever and chills for the past 24 hours. He had a history of chronic alcoholic liver disease. The blood tests showed leucocytosis with neutrophilia, lactic acidosis and acute-phase reactants. The blood cultures were positive forParvimonas micra, an anaerobic pathogen which is part of the flora of the oral cavity. There was no evidence of abscess formation in either the examination or the imaging tests, but in the work-up that followed, a gastroscopy showed a stenotic oesophageal mass that turned out to be an invasive squamous cell carcinoma.
Assessment of CardiOvascular Remodelling following Endovascular aortic repair through imaging and computation: the CORE prospective observational cohort study protocol
Authors: Nauta Foeke J H , Kamman Arnoud V , Ibrahim El-Sayed H , Agarwal Prachi P , Yang Bo , Kim Karen , Williams David M , van Herwaarden Joost A , Moll Frans L , Eagle Kim A , Trimarchi Santi , Patel Himanshu J , Figueroa C Alberto
Published: November 2016

Introduction

Thoracic aortic stent grafts are orders of magnitude stiffer than the native aorta. These devices have been associated with acute hypertension, elevated pulse pressure, cardiac remodelling and reduced coronary perfusion. However, a systematic assessment of such cardiovascular effects of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is missing. TheCardiOvascularRemodelling followingEndovascular aortic repair (CORE) study aims to (1) quantify cardiovascular remodelling following TEVAR and compare echocardiography against MRI, the reference method; (2) validate computational modelling of cardiovascular haemodynamics following TEVAR using clinical measurements, and virtually assess the impact of more compliant stent grafts on cardiovascular haemodynamics; and (3) investigate diagnostic accuracy of ECG and serum biomarkers for cardiac remodelling compared to MRI.

Methods and analysis

This is a prospective, nonrandomised, observational cohort study. We will use MRI, CT, echocardiography, intraluminal pressures, ECG, computational modelling and serum biomarkers to assess cardiovascular remodelling in two groups of patients with degenerative thoracic aneurysms or penetrating aortic ulcers: (1) patients managed with TEVAR and (2) control patients managed with medical therapy alone. Power analysis revealed a minimum total sample size of 20 patients (α=0.05, power=0.97) to observe significant left ventricular mass increase following TEVAR after 1 year. Consequently, we will include 12 patients in both groups. Advanced MRI sequences will be used to assess myocardial and aortic strain and distensibility, myocardial perfusion and aortic flow. ECG, echocardiography and serum biomarkers will be collected and compared against the imaging data. Computational models will be constructed from each patient imaging data, analysed and validated. All measurements will be collected at baseline (prior to TEVAR) and 1-year follow-up. The expected study period is 3 years.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been approved by the University of Michigan IRB. The results will be disseminated through scientific journals and conference presentations.

Trial registration number

NCT02735720.
Prognostic factors of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies complicated with interstitial lung disease: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kamiya Hiroyuki , Panlaqui Ogee Mer , Izumi Shinyu , Sozu Takashi
Published: November 2016

Introduction

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies may be an overlapping disease complex. Although interstitial lung disease affects the mortality and the morbidity of the disease, a clinical course and the prognosis of the disease complicated with interstitial lung disease are diverse among individuals and prognostic factors have yet to be clarified. This article aims to report the rationale and the methodology of a future intended systematic review and meta-analysis of prognostic factors of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies complicated with interstitial lung disease.

Methods and analysis

Participants are eligible if they are diagnosed as polymyositis/dermatomyositis, clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis or antisynthetase syndrome complicated with interstitial lung disease. Primary outcomes are all-cause and pulmonary-cause mortality and secondary outcomes include a progression of the disease and a deterioration of health-related quality of life. All primary studies of any design aside from case reports or case series are included. 2 reviewers will search electronic databases such as the MEDLINE, the EMBASE and the Science Citation Index Expanded and extract relevant data independently. A risk of bias in individual studies is evaluated based on the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. Meta-analysis will be conducted if 3 or more studies are available for each outcome and pooled effects will be presented by the odds ratio (OR). Where combining data is inappropriate due to a small number of studies or substantial heterogeneity, the result is reported qualitatively. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis are also considered based on clinical and methodological differences such as clinical manifestations, study designs and the quality of studies. The evidence level is assessed following the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method.

Ethics and dissemination

This study raises no ethical issues as it is based on the findings of previously published articles. The result will be reported in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

Trial registration number

CRD42016036999.