bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal structure in the speech of persons with Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type
Authors: Carozza Linda , Cantor Pamela , Bell-Berti Fredericka
Published: September 2012

Although cognitive and language processes in dementia have been studied extensively, the question of motor speech degeneration in the course of dementing illness is a relatively unexplored area. The potential for early dissociation of motor functions of language at the level of speech production has not been explored; an interaction between motor speech and language production and perception changes should inform our understanding of the deterioration in dementia. In previous reports on two persons with DAT, we have shown inconsistent final lengthening and effects of syllable-final consonant voicing on vowel duration for one of the two speakers. We recorded one of the speakers again, and his speech was markedly slower. In this report, we expand our analysis to include three additional persons with mild-to-moderate DAT, from whom a series of 4-word phrases containing a target word occurring in phrase-medial or phrase final position was elicited. We will present the results of our analysis of final lengthening, compensatory shortening, and the effects of final consonant voicing on vowel duration.
Articulatory-to-acoustic relations in response to speaking rate modulation in talkers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Mefferd Antje , Entz Stephanie
Published: September 2012

The purpose of this study was twofold. One goal was to determine the effects of speaking rate modulation on tongue kinematic and vowel acoustic distinctiveness in talkers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Another goal was to determine the strength of articulatory-to-acoustic relations in response to speaking rate modulations in talkers with ALS. Six talkers with mild ALS and six healthy controls repeated “See a kite again” at their habitual rate, at a fast rate and a slow rate. The posterior tongue motion was captured simultaneously with the acoustic signal using a 3D electromagnetic articulograph (AG500). To determine kinematic and acoustic distinctiveness maximum tongue excursions and F1/F2 vowel space distance were calculated for the diphthong “ai” in “kite.” Preliminary findings showed a greater effect of rate modulation on acoustic distinctiveness than on articulatory distinctiveness for both groups of speakers. The predictability of acoustic distinctiveness based on articulatory distinctiveness varied greatly amongst talkers of both groups. Findings provide empirical evidence of quantal relations between incremental changes of vocal tract configuration and vowel acoustics. Further, findings yield important clinical implications to improve intelligibility and potential explanations for speaking rate declines in talkers with ALS.
Discriminating vocal tremor source from amplitude envelope modulations
Authors: Carbonell Kathy M. , Story Brad , Lester Rosemary , Lotto Andrew J.
Published: September 2012

Vocal tremor can have a variety of physiological sources. For example, tremors can result from involuntary oscillation of respiratory muscles (respiratory tremor), or of the muscles responsible for vocal fold adduction (adductory tremor) or lengthening (f0 tremor). While the sources of vocal tremor are distinct, they are notoriously difficult to categorize both perceptually and acoustically. In order to develop acoustic measures that can potentially distinguish sources of tremor, speech samples were synthesized using a kinematic model of the vocal folds attached to a model of the vocal tract and trachea [Titze, JASA, 75, 570-580; Story, 2005, JASA, 117, 3231-3254]. Tremors were created by modulating parameters of the vocal fold model corresponding to the three types mentioned above. The acoustic measures were related to temporal regularities in the amplitude envelope computed across the entire signal and select frequency bands. These measures could reliably categorize the samples by tremor source (as determined from a discriminant function analysis) even when compound tremors (created from more than one source) were included. These results supply initial support for an acoustic based approach to diagnosing tremor source and further evidence for the rich information about talker characteristics present in the temporal structure of the amplitude envelope.
Principal components analysis comparison of normal and glossectomy movement patterns in multiple tasks
Authors: Gallagher Caitlin R. , Woo Jonghye , Chen Hegang , Stone Maureen
Published: September 2012

Recent estimates suggest that 34,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. The lateral border of the tongue is one of the most common sites for lingual cancer and surgery resections both muscles and nerves leading to the tongue tip. One sound that is typically impaired is /s/ as it requires precise tongue shape, location and palatal contact, and small errors are acoustically salient. This study uses Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to compare motion patterns of the internal tongue during the word ‘geese’. The study will compare 4 subjects: one glossectomy patient and a matched control who produce an apical /s/, and another pair that produces a laminal /s/. A PCA will be run for all subjects and the principal patterns of variance will be determined. These patterns will be used to identify stable features of the motion and variations due to /s/-type and patient vs control. The complexity of each subject’s motion pattern will be studied to determine whether the patients have more variability in their motion due to strategies of motor adaptation, or less variability due to scarring and increased rigidity.
The role of respiratory/phonatory training and acoustic analysis in normalizing speaking rate in a case of scanning speech
Authors: Wang Emily Q. , Sanders Samantha A. , Liu Hanjun
Published: September 2012

In this single case study, we report the role of respiratory/phonatory training in normalizing speaking rate in a patient with significant ataxic dysarthria, specifically, scanning speech, two years post a closed head injury from an MVA. The patient passed bilateral hearing screening, and scored 30/30 on the Mini-Mental State Exam, AQ of 97.2 on the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised and 58/60 on the Boston Naming Test. The initial speech analysis revealed the following: perceptually, the speech was slow with equal and excess stress and significant phonatory-prosodic insufficiency. Acoustically, the syllable duration was increased and equalized with very little variation in fundamental frequency or intensity. The phonatory-prosodic insufficiency was identified as the underlying deficit and targeted, which resulted in significant improvement in both overall speech intelligibility and naturalness of speech in seven weeks. Both self-rating and acoustic analyses were used throughout as means of feedback which contributed to the success of the treatment. The final acoustic analysis indicated normal syllable duration and speech prosody in spontaneous speech. The pre- and post-treatment audio clips will be used to accompany the acoustic analysis. The role of acoustic analysis in treatment of phonatory-prosodic insufficiency and its implication in dysarthria management in general will be discussed.
The effect of portable DAF usage in daily life on the speech intelligibility of dysarthrias
Authors: Shimura Eiji , Kakehi Kazuhiko
Published: September 2012

Dysarthria is a neurologic motor speech impairment due to a pathological change of nerve and muscle system. Several rehabilitation methods of speaking rate control have been widely used to improve speech intelligibility for mild dysarthria. Nevertheless, speech intelligibility of the dysarthric patients show almost no improvement outside of a clinic. Delayed auditory feedback(DAF)is one of the speaking rate control methods. Recently a small portable DAF device has been developed, which enables dysarthric patients to use it in their daily life. In this study, wearing a portable DAF, two dysarthric patients conducted a 20-minute practice per day for three months. In the practice, they instructed to prolong vowel length in DAF usage. Intelligibility tests for single-word utterance and for reading aloud a long sentence were conducted before and after the practices. As a result, the single-word intelligibility score increased from 84.0% to 90.6% in case1, and from 68.3% to 89.7% in case2. Additionally, vowel space in the F1-F2 space in case2 enlarged. Both the performance of long sentence reading and free conversation will be presented in the meeting. These results suggest that a portable DAF effectiveness in daily use. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI 10424889.
Automated prosodic labeling using soft computing
Authors: Bacuez Nicholas
Published: September 2012

Automated prosodic modeling/labeling usually relies on complex algorithms. However, as phonological research suggests, human beings do not process intonation in terms of algorithms but in terms of relative oppositions, linguistically encoded in words such as ‘higher’, ‘lower’, ‘longer’, ‘shorter’, and reflected by the notation: H, L, H*, L% … I have conceived an automated procedure -the 4 layer structure- based on linguistic human reasoning that locates the tones of each individual sentence in a corpus. The original time/f0 information (1st level) is scaled onto a 100 by 100 cartesian plane preserving relative oppositions of time and f0 (2nd level). At the pretonal-anchoring level (3rd level), syllables are divided into frames within which the highest and lowest points are marked as pretones; the contour is turned into a string of pretones (4 pretones per syllable) anchored to their position in the sentence. Finally, a multi-pass procedure (4th level) iteratively locates highest and lowest pretones forming larger movements until the entire sentence has been labeled. The procedure uses minimal logical and mathematical tools to quantify the difference between pretones (‘higher’ or ‘lower’) and the span of movements (consecutive ‘lower’ or ‘higher’). It was successfully applied to various corpora of French.
Locus equations as measures of consonantal variation in Wisconsin English: Revisiting the vowel-to-consonant transition
Authors: Fox Michael J.
Published: September 2012

Extant literature on vowel-to-consonant (VC) locus equations (defined as a regression line fit to F2 transition measurements of one consonant paired with many vowels) suggests that they lack the high linearity of the corresponding consonant-to-vowel ones (CV) [Sussman et al. 1997]. Measurements of the second formant taken at the vocalic midpoint and last glottal pulse yielded four VC locus equations from 31 respondents from west-central Wisconsin for the syllable-final consonants /d, t, g, k/ (n = 124). Previous work with WI English indicates the existence of a differential in locus equations for the voiced vs. voiceless velar stops [Purnell 2008]. Apical stops are included for comparison across place of articulation (i.e. apical to velar) with no differential expected. High levels of linearity were found for VC locus equations for all the consonants examined. Fitting second-order locus equations [Chennoukh, et al. 1995, 1997] to the coefficients revealed a differential between /g/ and /k/, but not /d/ and /t/. Moreover, discriminant analyses yielded higher classification rates for locus equations than for token level data. These results run counter to previous characterizations of VC locus equations and suggest the potential for the use of locus equations as measures of dialect-specific coarticulation.
Sensitivity of acoustic parameters of /s/ in adolescents
Authors: Shadle Christine H. , Koenig Laura L. , Preston Jonathan
Published: September 2012

Acoustic parameters that are closely related to the source and filter properties of fricatives have been shown in previous work to be useful for comparing fricative spectra, as for instance in analyzing a database of /s/ productions by typical and misarticulating children aged 10 to 15. Those results were used to study the sensitivity of different parameters designed to measure the same underlying property. One parameter, the frequency of the main front-cavity resonance, is used to compute two others that measure the effect of labialized contexts, and the degree of sibilance; therefore, three methods of finding that resonance automatically were compared. Gender differences were found in the main resonance frequency and in measures of noise source growth during the fricative, so the use of two sets of heuristically-defined frequency bands were compared, as were spectral slope vs. sound level differences. The back-cavity resonances at low frequencies tend to be more prominent in typical children’s /s/ spectra than adults’, and still more so in certain types of misarticulation. Different measures of that prominence were compared. The parameters most sensitive to the difference between typical children’s and adult’s productions, and typical and misarticulating children’s productions of /s/, will be described.
The effect of bottom layering on the acoustic vector field
Authors: Dall'Osto David R. , Dahl Peter H.
Published: September 2012

A signal reflected from a layered sea-bed contains information pertaining to the sediment properties. Typically, a signal intended to probe the sea-bed is designed to have a large bandwidth to allow for time separation of arrivals from the multiple layers. Depending on the geometry, it may impossible to avoid interference of these arrivals. The interference of these multiple arrivals does establish a pattern observable in the vector intensity. Measurements of the vertical complex acoustic intensity of a near-bottom source (~λ from the seafloor) collected off the coast of New Jersey in 2006 demonstrate the effect of a sub-bottom layer and the observable interference pattern between the first bottom reflection and the sub-bottom reflection. The spatial structure of the complex intensity can be used to infer bottom properties, which are in close agreement with a number of experimental studies at this location. The observable in the complex intensity can also be directly measured with a particle motion sensor. Parabolic equation simulations of the experimental site are used to demonstrate both the characteristic of the vector field and the sensitivity of these vector properties to changes in the sediment properties.
A broadband model for a range of ocean sediments
Authors: Chotiros Nicholas , Isakson Marcia J.
Published: September 2012

In the context of the Biot theory of sound propagation in porous media, particularly water-saturated granular media, Yamamoto and Turgut [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 83(5), 1744–1751, May, 1988] have shown that the pore size distribution can have a profound effect on the frequency dependence of the attenuation of sound. In sandy sediments below the characteristic frequency, the attenuation is predicted to increase as the second power of frequency. In soft sediments, it is found that the rate of increase is closer to the first power. By adjusting the width of the pore size distribution, it is possible to smoothly change from the second power of frequency to the first power, in certain frequency bands. This suggests that pore size distribution may be a critical parameter in the determination of sound attenuation in the seabed. The model predictions are compared to measurements from the Shallow Water 2006 experiment as an illustration. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research, Ocean Acoustics Program.]
Validity of first-order perturbation theory for scattering from one-dimensional and two-dimensional rough surfaces described by power-law spectra
Authors: Tran Bryant M. , Joshi Sumedh , Isakson Marcia J.
Published: September 2012

First-order perturbation theory is a widely used model for estimating the backscatter of acoustic waves incident on a rough surface. The validity of perturbation theory for one-dimensional surfaces described by Gaussian spectra is well established. However, little has been done to confirm its range of validity when expanded to two-dimensional surfaces. Furthermore, the range of validity for surfaces described by power-law spectra has not been fully explored. This work seeks to benchmark first-order perturbation theory against a finite element method solution for scattering from one-dimensional and two-dimensional rough pressure-release surfaces described by power-law spectra. The relationship between ranges of validity of 1D and 2D surfaces will be considered. [Work sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, Ocean Acoustics.]
Broadband synthetic aperture matched field geoacoustic inversion with a single hydrophone
Authors: Tan Bien Aik , Yardim Caglar , Gerstoft Peter , Hodgkiss William
Published: September 2012

Traditionally matched-field geoacoustic inversion experiments sampled the acoustic field on long arrays and require powerful transmissions in order to reduce parameter uncertainty. However, single-hydrophone based geoacoustic inversion methods exist. Practically, these methods are attractive compared to the ones using long arrays. In a single hydrophone setup, spatial diversity is traded off for frequency diversity; the source is broadband. This paper uses single-hydrophone frequency coherent matched-field inversion and exploits extended-duration coherent transmissions (multiple LFM chirps) to increase signal to noise ratio. As a result, the overall signal becomes Doppler/motion intolerant. But Doppler can be modeled by including source and hydrophone horizontal motions. To correlate well with the measured field across a receiver trajectory and to incorporate a transmission across source trajectory, Doppler in waveguide and normal mode theory are applied. The method is demonstrated with 100-900 Hz LFM SW06 data with low signal to noise ratio.
Range and cross-range resolution from a three-dimensional linearized perturbative inversion scheme
Authors: Bender Christopher M. , Ballard Megan S. , Wilson Preston S.
Published: September 2012

The overall goal of this work is to develop a sparse autonomous observing system to sample the four-dimensional ocean. For this purpose, a perturbative inversion scheme [S.D. Rajan, et. al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 82, pp. 998-1017 (1987) ] is applied to estimate water-column sound-speed in all three spatial dimensions at a single “snapshot” in time. The input data to the inversion are estimates of modal travel time calculated from measurements from a distributed network of acoustic sources and receivers. Temporal variability is assessed by carrying out repeated inversions for new realizations of the input data. In initial applications of the inversion scheme, out-of-plane propagation effects were ignored and the solution was obtained by assuming straight-line paths in the horizontal plane. The effect of neglecting horizontal refraction on solution accuracy is quantified. The vertical and horizontal resolution of the solution depends on the quantity of input data and on the quantity of sources and receivers, respectively. Thus, for a particular environment, the available data may be insufficient to quantify the given variability, resulting in uncertainty in the solution. This talk explores the effects of environmental variability and spatial resolution on the uncertainty of the solution. [Work supported by ARL:UT IR&D.]
Reconstructing surface wave profiles from reflected acoustic pulses
Authors: Walstead Sean , Deane Grant
Published: September 2012

Surface wave shapes are determined by analyzing underwater reflected acoustic signals. The acoustic signals (of nominal frequency 200 kHz) are forward scattered from the underside of surface waves that are generated in a wave tank and scaled to model smooth ocean swell. An inverse processing algorithm is designed and implemented to reconstruct the surface displacement profiles of the waves over one complete period. The inverse processing uses the surface scattered pulses collected at the receiver, an initial wave profile (two are considered), and a broadband forward scattering model based on Kirchhoff’s diffraction formula to iteratively adjust the surface until it is considered optimized or reconstructed. Two physical length scales over which information can be known about the surface are confirmed. An outer length scale, the Fresnel zone surrounding each specular reflection point, is the only region where optimized surfaces resulting from each initial profile converge within a resolution set by the inner length scale, a quarter-wavelength of the acoustic pulse. The statistical confidence of each optimized surface is also highest within a Fresnel zone. Future design considerations are suggested such as an array of receivers that increases the region of surface reconstruction by a factor of 2 to 3.
Sound speed measurement with direct-sequence spread spectrum signal combining time of flight and phase shift
Authors: Zhao Shen , Qiao Chun-jie , Wang Yue-ke , Huang Zhi-gang
Published: September 2012

Increasing demands for high accuracy and rapid measurement of sound speed have prompted the development of portable sound velocimeter in oceanography. Generally, sound speed can be established by CTD or TD (Time Delayed) method respectively. CTD method suffers from errors of corresponding sensors and application range of the converting equations. TD method, sing-around technique representative, is widely used in portable velocimeter. The accuracy of TD is proportional to receiving SNR and signal length. The duration of tone burst in convenient sing-around is limited by multi-echo, thus only a few valid data can be utilized. To address the problems, DSSS (Direct-Sequence-Spread-Spectrum) signal in continuous form is adopted to extract the TD directly, with which sound speed could be established related to laboratory derived equations, Del Grosso’s equation representative. Based on this method, two separate transducers were deployed with constant distance. Cross-correlation between received and transmitted (orthogonal form) signals is computed. Combine Time-of-Flight and Phase-Shift, the TD can be derived by two processes, the peak detecting of cross-correlation envelope and carrier phase estimating. Theoretic analyses and experiments indicate that the accuracy with DSSS relates to the period of PN sequence, the frequency of chip, and the linearity characteristic of electronic circuits and transducers.
Application of smoothing techniques to sequential geoacoustic inversion
Authors: Yardim Caglar , Gerstoft Peter , Hodgkiss William S.
Published: September 2012

Sequential Bayesian techniques such as particle filters have been successfully used to track a moving source in an unknown, complex, and evolving ocean environment. These methods treat both the source and the ocean parameters as non-stationary unknown random variables and sequentially estimate the best solution in addition to the uncertainties in the estimates. Particle filters are numerical methods called sequential Monte Carlo techniques that can operate on nonlinear systems with non-Gaussian probability density functions. Particle smoothers are a natural extension to the filters. A smoother is appropriate in applications where all data have already been observed and are readily available. Therefore, both past and future measurements can be exploited. Geoacoustic and source tracking is performed here using two smoother algorithms, the forward backward smoother and the two-filter smoother. The approach is demonstrated on experimental data collected during both the SWellEx-96 and SW06 experiments where the uncertainty in the estimates is reduced.
An unusual case of chronic urinary retention and bladder diverticulum presenting with unilateral lower limb swelling
Authors: Dyer James Edward , Gulur Dev , Das Sanjay , Pettersson Bo
Published: September 2012

A 64-year-old man presented with 1 month of gradual-onset left leg swelling and lower urinary tract symptoms including enuresis, frequency and poor stream. He was initially treated for suspected cellulitis, however, he returned 2 weeks later with persistence of his symptoms. Routine biochemical investigation revealed renal failure (Cr 623, Ur 29.9) and hyperkalaemia (K 7.2). Abdominal examination revealed a distended urinary bladder and an ultrasound scan revealed hydronephrosis, confirming the diagnosis of chronic high-pressure urinary retention. A urinary catheter was passed that initially drained 1.5 litre of clear urine. Shortly after insertion, this became heavily blood stained. A CT kidney ureter bladder (CTKUB) revealed a large mass behind the bladder thought to represent either an abscess or tumour. Cystoscopic correlation showed this to be a large, narrow-necked bladder diverticulum tensely distended with clot. Following successful clot evacuation and decompression of the bladder the leg swelling resolved and renal function improved.
Can you be too premature to develop pyloric stenosis?: Figure 1
Authors: Katumba-Lunyenya Jasper , Misra Indranil , Chawda Niketa , Erumbala Gokul
Published: September 2012

Diagnosis of Pyloric stenosis is rare in preterm babies. A case of pyloric stenosis diagnosed at 33+6postmenstrual age is reported. To our knowledge, this is the youngest postmenstrual age in the literature for a preterm infant to have a confirmed diagnosis of pyloric stenosis. The report also discusses issues that could delay the diagnosis of this condition in this patient population.
Primary malignant lymphoma of the uterine cervix
Authors: Binesh Fariba , Karimi zarchi Mojgan , Vahedian Hasanali , Rajabzadeh Yavar
Published: September 2012

Primary malignant lymphoma of the female genital tract is an extremely rare clinical entity. We report a case of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the uterine cervix. An 85-year-old woman presented with abnormal genital bleeding. A colposcopic examination revealed a mass in the uterine cervix. No other lesions were detected by the whole-body CT, gallium scintigraphy and bone marrow examination. The histological examination and immunohistochemical staining of the cervical biopsy material confirmed a diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma of the uterine cervix, clinical stage 1E (according to the Ann Arbor Staging Classification for Lymphomas). The patient was treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine (oncovin) and prednisone. Her family refused surgery and involved field irradiation. She was in good condition but after 5 months she expired due to myocardial infarction.
Duodenal perforation secondary to migration of endobiliary prosthesis
Authors: Smart Peter , Keenan Declan , Campbell William , Morris-Stiff Gareth
Published: September 2012

A 27-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain, four days post endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and insertion of an endobiliary stent. A plain abdominal film highlighted the stent in an atypical position within the abdomen. As such, the patient progressed to a CT scan, confirming a retroperitoneal perforation of the duodenum by the stent. Laparotomy returned the stent to the duodenum with a primary duodenal repair. This case highlights the high index of suspicion required in patients who present with acute abdominal pain post-ERCP.
Gigantic unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm presenting as an incidental murmur
Authors: Yagoub Hatim , Srinivas Bhanu Prakash , McCarthy James , Kiernan Thomas John
Published: September 2012

We report a case of a 56-year-old man referred by his family physician with an asymptomatic cardiac murmur. Trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) suggested an unruptured right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) causing extrinsic compression of the right ventricular outflow tract. This was confirmed with an ECG-gated cardiac CT showing a large right SVA measuring 35×37×42 mm in size. Coronary angiography demonstrated non-obstructive coronary artery disease. Ascending thoracic anterior in the right anterior oblique view delineated the right SVA. The patient underwent aortic valve sparing surgical repair of the aneurysm with an excellent result.Echocardiography confirmed obliteration of the aneurysm and normal aortic valve function postoperatively.
Survival over 6 years in a patient with brain metastases from melanoma treated with temozolomide: Figure 1
Authors: Koekkoek Johan A F , Wiggenraad Ruud G , Zwinkels Hanneke , Taphoorn Martin J B , Oosterkamp Rianne M
Published: September 2012

Cerebral metastases from melanoma are generally associated with a dismal prognosis with survival ranging from 3 to 6 months after treatment. Systemic chemotherapy for these patients has limited effect and evidence for an overall survival benefit from randomised controlled trials is lacking. We report on a 59-year-old patient with a history of malignant melanoma who presented with multiple cerebral metastases after previous surgery and combined whole brain and stereotactic radiotherapy. She has been in sustained remission and in excellent clinical condition after treatment with continued cycles of oral temozolomide for more than 6 years. To our knowledge, similar prolonged survival has been described only once in patients with multiple cerebral metastases from melanoma. This case demonstrates that temozolomide for metastatic central nervous system (CNS) disease in melanoma patients may be highly effective without CNS toxicity.
Acute transverse myelitis following Japanese encephalitis viral infection: an uncommon complication of a common disease: Figure 1
Authors: Verma Rajesh , Praharaj Heramba Narayan , Patil Tushar B , Giri Prithvi
Published: September 2012

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an epidemic encephalitis characterised by altered sensorium, convulsions, headache, brainstem signs with pyramidal and extrapyramidal features. Immune-mediated manifestation as acute transverse myelitis (ATM) has not been previously reported in JE. We describe a 40-year-old man who presented with an acute onset quadriparesis with urinary retention, which was preceded by fever and headache 3 weeks prior. He had elevated IgM titres against JE virus in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. MRI of cervico-thoracic spine demonstrated signal intensity alterations extending from C1 to D10 spinal segments. The patient was treated with intravenous methyl prednisolone for 5 days. He regained normal power at 6 months follow-up and repeat MRI study demonstrated complete resolution of the lesion. We conclude that in a case of JE, one should be vigilant for early diagnosis of possible complication as ATM, in which an early institution of immunomodulator therapy prevents adverse consequences.
Review of exercise studies in breast cancer survivors: attention to principles of exercise training
Authors: Campbell Kristin L , Neil Sarah E , Winters-Stone Kerri M
Published: September 2012

Objectives

Research supports the use of exercise to improve quality of life and reduce the side effects of breast cancer treatment, such as fatigue and decreased aerobic capacity. Previously published reviews have focused on reporting the outcomes of exercise interventions, but have not critically examined the exercise prescriptions. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the application of the principles of exercise training in the exercise prescriptions reported in intervention studies for breast cancer survivors.

Methods

Databases were searched for randomised controlled trials of exercise in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Data were extracted to evaluate the application of the principles of exercise training, the reporting of the components of the exercise prescription and the reporting of adherence to the exercise prescription.

Results

Of the 29 papers included, none applied all principles of exercise training. Specificity was applied by 64%, progression by 41%, overload by 31%, initial values by 62% and diminishing returns and reversibility by 7% of trials. No study reported all components of the exercise prescription.

Conclusion

The application of the principles of exercise training varied greatly, and reporting of the exercise prescribed and completed was incomplete. When principles of exercise training are applied to the development of exercise protocols, there is greater confidence that non-significant findings reflect lack of efficacy of exercise rather than deficiencies in the prescription. Incomplete reporting of the exercise prescription and adherence to the prescription limits the reproducibility of the intervention, and the ability to determine the dose of exercise received by participants.
Television viewing time and reduced life expectancy: a life table analysis
Authors: Veerman J Lennert , Healy Genevieve N , Cobiac Linda J , Vos Theo , Winkler Elisabeth A H , Owen Neville , Dunstan David W
Published: September 2012

Background

Prolonged television (TV) viewing time is unfavourably associated with mortality outcomes, particularly for cardiovascular disease, but the impact on life expectancy has not been quantified. The authors estimate the extent to which TV viewing time reduces life expectancy in Australia, 2008.

Methods

The authors constructed a life table model that incorporates a previously reported mortality risk associated with TV time. Data were from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, a national population-based observational survey that started in 1999–2000. The authors modelled impacts of changes in population average TV viewing time on life expectancy at birth.

Results

The amount of TV viewed in Australia in 2008 reduced life expectancy at birth by 1.8 years (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 8.4 days to 3.7 years) for men and 1.5 years (95% UI: 6.8 days to 3.1 years) for women. Compared with persons who watch no TV, those who spend a lifetime average of 6 h/day watching TV can expect to live 4.8 years (95% UI: 11 days to 10.4 years) less. On average, every single hour of TV viewed after the age of 25 reduces the viewer's life expectancy by 21.8 (95% UI: 0.3–44.7) min. This study is limited by the low precision with which the relationship between TV viewing time and mortality is currently known.

Conclusions

TV viewing time may be associated with a loss of life that is comparable to other major chronic disease risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity.
Staff's perception of abuse in healthcare: a Swedish qualitative study
Authors: Swahnberg Katarina , Wijma Barbro
Published: September 2012

Objective

The study aim was to apprehend staff's perception of abuse in healthcare (AHC) after an intervention based on ‘Forum Play’, and make comparisons to preintervention interviews and interviews with male and female patients. AHC can be described as a failing encounter from the patient's perspective.

Design

Qualitative interview follow-up study.

Setting

A Swedish Women's Clinic.

Participants

In a preintervention study 21 staff members were interviewed. Eligible for the follow-up study were 14 informants who had participated in the intervention. Four declined participation leaving ten informants for this study.

Intervention

During January 2008–January 2009, all staff members (N=136) were invited to participate in Forum Play workshops. Seventy-four participants took part in at least 1 of the 17 half-day workshops.

Primary outcome measures

Staffs perception of AHC.

Results

The core category, ‘a summoning stone in the shoe’, was constructed of five categories: ‘Dehumanising the patient’, ‘Unacceptable: you are bound to act!’, ‘Ubiquitous’, ‘Unintentional’ and ‘Relative’. Forum Play had demonstrated possibilities to act even in seemingly ‘impossible’ situations, and that the taboo status of AHC was altered at the clinic. When our results were compared to those in the preintervention study, we found anincreasedawareness about AHC,moreconcrete examples of AHC, astrongerempathy for patients, andfewerexplanations, justifications and trivialisations of AHC.

Conclusion

In this follow-up study staff's perception of AHC was closer to the patient's perspective. Compared to the preintervention interviews staff showed a greater willingness not only to acknowledge AHC, but also to take on a responsibility to act in order to stop or prevent AHC. Explanations for this stance could be that Forum Play had showed staff that there were possibilities to act, and that the taboo status of AHC had been broken at the clinic.
Iron intake, haemoglobin and risk of gestational diabetes: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Helin Annika , Kinnunen Tarja Inkeri , Raitanen Jani , Ahonen Suvi , Virtanen Suvi M , Luoto Riitta
Published: September 2012

Objective

To investigate the possible association between total daily iron intake during pregnancy, haemoglobin in early pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women at increased risk of GDM.

Design

A prospective cohort study (based on a cluster-randomised controlled trial, where the intervention and the usual care groups were combined).

Setting

Primary healthcare maternity clinics in 14 municipalities in south-western Finland.

Participants

399 Pregnant women who were at increased risk of GDM participated in a GDM prevention trial and were followed throughout pregnancy.

Main outcome measurements

The main outcome was GDM diagnosed with oral glucose tolerance test at 26–28 weeks’ gestation or based on a diagnosis recorded in the Finnish Medical Birth registry. Data on iron intake was collected using a 181-item food frequency questionnaire and separate questions for supplement use at 26–28 weeks’ gestation.

Results

GDM was diagnosed in 72 women (18.1%) in the study population. The OR for total iron intake as a continuous variable was 1.006 (95% CI 1.000 to 1.011; p=0.038) after adjustment for body mass index, age, diabetes in first-degree or second-degree relatives, GDM or macrosomia in earlier pregnancy, total energy intake, dietary fibre, saturated fatty acids and total gestational weight gain. Women in the highest fifth of total daily iron intake had an adjusted OR of 1.66 (95% CI 0.84 to 3.30; p=0.15) for GDM. After excluding participants with low haemoglobin levels (≤120 g/l) already in early pregnancy the adjusted OR was 2.35 (95% CI 1.13 to 4.92; p=0.023).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that high iron intake during pregnancy increases the risk of GDM especially in women who are not anaemic in early pregnancy and who are at increased risk of GDM. These findings suggest that routine iron supplementation should be reconsidered in this risk group of women.
KOLMOGOROV COMPLEXITY AND CHAOTIC PHENOMENON IN COMPUTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTERFACE TEMPERATURE
Authors: MIHAILOVIĆ DRAGUTIN T. , MIMIĆ GORDAN
Published: September 2012

In this paper, we consider the chaotic phenomenon and Kolomogorov complexity in computing the environmental interface temperature. First, the environmental interface is defined in the context of the complex system, in particular for autonomous dynamical systems. Then we consider the following issues in modeling procedure: (i) how to replace given differential equations by appropriate difference equations in modeling of phenomena in the environmental world? (ii) whether a mathematically correct solution to the corresponding differential equation or system of equations is always physically possible and (iii) phenomenon of chaos in autonomous dynamical systems in environmental problems, in particular in solving the energy balance equation to calculate environmental interface temperature. The difference form of this equation for computing the environmental interface temperature is discussed and analyzed depending on parameters of equation, using the Lyapunov exponent and sample entropy. Finally, the Kolmogorov complexity of time series obtained from this difference equation is analyzed.
THE STUDY OF THE PROPERTIES OF THE GROUND- AND LOW-LYING EXCITED STATES OF ASH2, ${\rm ASH}_{2}^{+}$ AND ${\rm ASH}_{2}^{-}$
Authors: HUO YANLI , WANG MEISHAN , YANG CHUANLU , WANG HONGFEI , MA ZIXIA
Published: September 2012

The properties of the ground and excited states of AsH2 , [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] have been investigated by using symmetry-adapted-cluster (SAC)/symmetry-adapted-cluster configuration interaction (SAC-CI) method. The geometry of the ground state of AsH2 is optimized at SAC method with different basis sets. The calculated results with cc-pVTZ and cc-pVQZ basis sets are in very good agreement with the experimental and previous theoretical data. The geometry and the properties of eight low-lying electronic excited states of AsH2 are obtained at SAC-CI/cc-pVTZ and SAC-CI/cc-pVQZ level, including geometries, vertical excitation energies, adiabatic excitation energies, transition dipole moments, and oscillation strengths. Employing the same theoretical level as AsH2 , the geometries, adiabatic ionization potentials (AIPs), and vertical ionization potentials (VIPs) of the ground and eight low-lying electronic states of [Formula: see text] are investigated as well as the geometries, vertical detachment energies (VDEs) and adiabatic detachment energies (ADEs) of nine electronic states of [Formula: see text]. Comparing with the available experimental or previous theoretical data, the SAC/SAC-CI/cc-pVTZ and SAC/SAC-CI/cc-pVQZ results are reliable for AsH2 , [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The predicted results can afford the useful information for one to deeply investigate them from the spectral experiment.
ORTHOGONAL WAVELET TRANSFORM OF SIGNAL BASED ON COMPLEX B-SPLINE BASES
Authors: ZHU XIU-GE , LI BAO-BIN , LI DENG-FENG
Published: September 2012

In this paper, an orthogonal wavelet transform of signal based on complex B-spline bases is given. The new wavelet transform realizes accurate computation of coefficients of complex B-spline base functions. It integrates good properties of orthogonality, symmetry and continuity, and offers better approximations to continuous signal than do the Haar wavelet and Daubechies wavelets. All algorithms of the new orthogonal wavelet transform are based on explicit formulas and easy to be implemented.
EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF NANOCOMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH SINUSOIDAL CARBON NANOTUBES
Authors: GOLESTANIAN HOSSEIN , HAMEDI MAHDIEH
Published: September 2012

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess exceptional mechanical properties and are therefore suitable candidates for use as reinforcements in composite materials. Substantial improvements in mechanical properties of polymers have been attained through the addition of small amounts of CNTs. The CNTs, however, form complicated shapes and do not usually appear as straight reinforcements when introduced in polymer matrices. In this paper, theory of elasticity of anisotropic materials and finite element method (FEM) are used to determine effective mechanical properties of sinusoidal-nanotube reinforced polymers. The effects of CNT shape, orientation, and CNT distribution on nanocomposite effective properties are investigated by modeling different CNT-reinforced polymers. Also, the effects of interface strength on nanocomposite properties are investigated using an elastic interface model. The results indicate that even a slight nanotube curvature significantly reduces the reinforcing efficiency of sinusoidal — nanotubes compared to straight nanotubes. Also, in-plane isotropy was observed in the results obtained from the random CNT reinforced polymer. Finally, increasing the interface strength results in higher nanocomposite longitudinal modulus.
Objects of Affect: Photography Beyond the Image
Authors: Edwards Elizabeth
Published: September 2012

This review considers the impact and efficacy of material thinking in anthropological studies of photographs and photographic practices. Such analytical strategies have moved the analysis of photographs beyond that of the visual alone and illuminated the cultural work required of photographs. After reviewing key analytical positions of social biography, visual economy, and photography complex, I explore the material work of photographs through two registers: the idea of “placing”, in which photographs become active in assemblages of objects, and the processes of material repurposing and remediation of the humble ID photography. These strands are drawn together in the idea of a sensory photograph, entangled with orality, tactility, and haptic engagement. The article argues that photographs cannot be understood through visual content alone but through an embodied engagement with an affective object world, which is both constitutive of and constituted through social relations.
Chimpanzees and the Behavior ofArdipithecus ramidus
Authors: Stanford Craig B.
Published: September 2012

The living great apes and, in particular, the chimpanzee have served as models of the behavior and ecology of earliest hominins for many decades. The reconstructions of Ardipithecus ramidus have, however, called into question the relevance of great-ape models. This paper reviews the ways in which human evolutionary scholars have used field data on the great apes to build models of human origins. I consider the likely behavioral ecology of A. ramidus and the relevance of the great apes for understanding the earliest stages of hominin evolution. I argue that the Ardipithecus fossils strongly support a chimpanzee model for early hominin behavioral ecology. They indicate a chimpanzee-like hominoid that appears to be an early biped or semibiped, adapted to both terrestrial and arboreal substrates. I suggest how paleoanthropologists may more realistically extrapolate from living apes to extinct hominoid behavior and ecology.
Weighted Phase Lag Index and Graph Analysis: Preliminary Investigation of Functional Connectivity during Resting State in Children
Authors: Ortiz Erick , Stingl Krunoslav , Münßinger Jana , Braun Christoph , Preissl Hubert , Belardinelli Paolo
Published: September 2012

Resting state functional connectivity of MEG data was studied in 29 children (9-10 years old). The weighted phase lag index (WPLI) was employed for estimating connectivity and compared to coherence. To further evaluate the network structure, a graph analysis based on WPLI was used to determine clustering coefficient (C) and betweenness centrality (BC) as local coefficients as well as the characteristic path length (L) as a parameter for global interconnectedness. The network’s modular structure was also calculated to estimate functional segregation. A seed region was identified in the central occipital area based on the power distribution at the sensor level in the alpha band. WPLI reveals a specific connectivity map different from power and coherence. BC and modularity show a strong level of connectedness in the occipital area between lateral and central sensors.Cshows different isolated areas of occipital sensors. Globally, a network with the shortestLis detected in the alpha band, consistently with the local results. Our results are in agreement with findings in adults, indicating a similar functional network in children at this age in the alpha band. The integrated use of WPLI and graph analysis can help to gain a better description of resting state networks.