bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functioning of potassium and magnesium in photosynthesis, photosynthate translocation and photoprotection
Authors: Tränkner Merle , Tavakol Ershad , Jákli Bálint
Published: April 2018

Potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) are mineral nutrients that are required in large quantities by plants. Both elements critically contribute to the process of photosynthesis and the subsequent long‐distance transport of photoassimilates. If K or Mg is not present in sufficient quantities in photosynthetic tissues, complex interactions of anatomical, physiological and biochemical responses result in a reduction of photosynthetic carbon assimilation. As a consequence, excessive production of reactive oxygen species causes photo‐oxidation of the photosynthetic apparatus and causes an up‐regulation of photoprotective mechanisms. In this article, we review the functioning of K and Mg in processes directly or indirectly associated with photosynthesis. Focus is given to chloroplast ultrastructure, light‐dependent and ‐independent reactions of photosynthesis and the diffusion of CO2 – a major substrate for photosynthesis – into chloroplasts. We further emphasize their contribution to phloem‐loading and long‐distance transport of photoassimilates and to the photoprotection of the photosynthetic apparatus.
Lamenting the real and crying for the really real: Searching for silences and mourning martyrdom amongst Iranian volunteer militants
Authors: Saramifar Younes
Published: April 2018

Martyrdom, sacrifice, and the dedication of one's life to fight for a higher cause are central themes of Shi'i militancy. I recount my journey among Iranian Shi'i youth who fought or enlisted to fight in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria, to trace their ineffable experiences and silences, which they used to justify desires for martyrdom. I explore by way of an ethnography of mourning and the lamentation ceremonies of Muharram how individuals’ ineffable experiences and perplexities emerge as explanations of their own commitment to the cause. I call on the Lacanian Real to discuss how people craft the unarticulated, the unsaid and networks to navigate their subjectivity while they encounter the divine. I broaden the Lacanian Real through an exploration of Shi'i mystical notions, in order to address how Lacan's work can be applied in non‐European traditions of the unsaid and the unarticulated.
Sequential systematic anti‐mold prophylaxis with micafungin and voriconazole results in very low incidence of invasive mold infections in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Rosillo Claudia , Avila Ana Maria , Huang Yao‐Ting , Devlin Sean , Cho Christina , Montoro Juan , Maloy Molly A. , Papanicolaou Genovefa A. , Barba Pere , Perales Miguel‐Angel
Published: April 2018

Recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) are at high risk for invasive mold infections (IMI). The goal of the study is to describe the incidence and outcome of IMI in patients after allo‐HSCT in a large cohort of patients receiving anti‐mold prophylaxis. We conducted a retrospective review of 988 consecutive adults who underwent allo‐HSCT in our center from 2008 through 2014. Standard prophylaxis consisted of micafungin 150 mg IV daily from admission to day +7 ± 3 followed by voriconazole until day +75 to +100. Cases meeting criteria for proven or probable IMI according to EORTC‐MSG criteria were included. Median age at HSCT was 54 years. The most common diagnoses were acute myeloid leukemia (n = 351, 36%) and lymphoid malignancies (n = 248, 25%). Matched related or unrelated donors (URD) were used in 686 (69%) patients, mismatched URD in 142 (14%) and cord blood units in 154 (16%). Twenty‐one patients were diagnosed with IMI after allo‐HSCT, 19 probable and 2 proven, and one patient was diagnosed postmortem. Microbiological diagnosis was established in 9 cases, 5 of them being Aspergillus. One‐year cumulative incidence (CI) of IMI was 1.6% (95% CI 0.9‐2.5) while 12‐week overall survival after IMI was 39% (95% CI 24‐65) Analyzed by disease, there was a trend for a higher 1‐year CI of IMI in patients with ALL (5% [95% CI 1.6‐11.4]) when compared with AML (1.4%), MDS (1.5%) and lymphoma (1.2%), P = .06. The 1‐year CI of IMI after transplantation is low in patients receiving anti‐mold prophylaxis with micafungin bridged to voriconazole, although these infections are associated with a higher risk of mortality.
Graft loss attributed to possible transfusion‐transmitted ehrlichiosis following cord blood stem cell transplant
Authors: Mah Allison , Viola George M. , Ariza Heredia Ella , Rezvani Katayoun , Kebriaei Partow , Bhatti Micah M. , Han Xin , Shpall Elizabeth J. , Mulanovich Victor E.
Published: April 2018

We present a case of possible transfusion‐transmitted Ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in a heavily transfused cord blood transplant recipient, resulting in severe infection and graft loss. Transfusion‐transmitted, vector‐borne infections in immunocompromised individuals can have severe consequences, and should be considered in hospitalized patients receiving blood products with unexplained fever or sepsis.
Aspergillus infection of the larynx in a solid organ transplant recipient
Authors: Wisniowski‐Yáñez Andrea , Ramírez‐Anguiano Jaqueline , Rosado‐Canto Rodrigo , Valdivia‐Cayoja Adolfo , Pérez‐Gutiérrez Teresa , Cuellar‐Rodriguez Jennifer
Published: April 2018

Primary laryngeal aspergillosis is a rare condition. Only a few cases have been reported in the past years. Most of them have been reported in healthy patients or with a mild immunocompromised state. We report a case of primary laryngeal aspergillosis in a solid organ transplant recipient (SOT), an infection not previously described in this population; we reviewed the published literature in all populations.
A 20‐year experience with nocardiosis in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients in the Southwestern United States: A single‐center study
Authors: Majeed Aneela , Beatty Norman , Iftikhar Ahmad , Mushtaq Adeela , Fisher Julia , Gaynor Pryce , Kim Jeeyong C. , Marquez Jose L. , Mora Francisco E. , Georgescu Anca , Zangeneh Tirdad
Published: April 2018

Background

Nocardiosis is a life‐threatening opportunistic infection. Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at higher risk (incidence 0.04%‐3.5%) of developing nocardiosis. Rate of nocardiosis in the Southwestern US may be high due to environmental factors.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review study on 54 SOT patients diagnosed with Nocardia between 1997 and 2016 at our center. To explore the association of various risk factors with both the development of disseminated disease and mortality, a series of Fisher's exact tests was used.

Findings

Incidence of nocardiosis in SOT patients was 2.65%. Fisher's exact tests revealed no association between development of disseminated disease and the following variables: transplant rejection (P = 1), elevated tacrolimus levels (P = .4), and CMV viremia (P = .06). Also, we did not find any association between mortality and the variables we evaluated: type of transplant, transplant rejection, renal failure, disseminated nocardia, and patient's age. Overall mortality and 1‐year mortality were 17% and 11%.

Interpretation

Based on our findings, daily 1 DS TMP/SMX prophylaxis did not appear to provide reliable protection against nocardiosis. However, we could not state definitely that TMP/SMX prophylaxis was or wasn't protective because of lack control group. None of the Fisher's exact tests revealed associations between the tested risk factors and either disease dissemination or mortality. This could be due to a true lack of association between the variables in each pair. However, it is also likely that our relatively small sample size limited our power to detect underlying relationships that may be present. Compared with other studies, 1‐year mortality was lower at our institution (11% vs 16%).
Cytomegalovirus infection in living donor liver transplant recipients significantly impacts the early post‐transplant outcome: A single center experience
Authors: Yadav Sanjay Kumar , Saigal Sanjiv , Choudhary Narendra Singh , Saha Sujeet , Sah Jayant Kumar , Saraf Neeraj , Kumar Naveen , Goja Sanjay , Rastogi Amit , Bhangui Prashant , Soin A.S.
Published: April 2018

Background

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common viral infection in liver transplant recipients that influences the outcomes of liver transplantation. However, its impact on early outcomes following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is not fully defined in the Indian subcontinent. This study was done to assess the impact of CMV infection on early post‐transplant outcomes in LDLT recipients.

Methods

Out of 272 LDLTs performed from January 2012 to April 2013, 151 recipients underwent CMV viral load analysis in plasma within 90 days post LDLT based on clinical suspicion. Patients with CMV infection (n = 55) were compared with those without CMV infection (n = 96).

Results

The median time interval of CMV infection from LDLT was 25 days (range 2‐90 days). The mean age of study population was 48.92 years. About 116 (76.8%) of the patients were male. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) (39.1%)‐related chronic liver disease (CLD) was most common indication for liver transplant. No statistically significant difference was observed in etiology of liver disease (P = .38), Chid‐Turcotte‐Pugh (CTP) (P = .41), and Model for End‐stage Liver Disease (MELD) (P = .12) scores between the groups. Patients with CMV infection had significantly higher incidence of acute cellular rejection (16.1% vs 5.4%, P = .02); longer ICU stay (P = .01); and a higher overall 90‐day mortality (24.2% vs 6.7%, P = .001). Bacteremia and fungemia were significantly more common in the CMV infection group.

Conclusion

Cytomegalovirus infection significantly influences the early post LDLT outcomes and contributes to increased overall mortality.
Patient blood management, what does this actually mean for neonates and infants?
Authors: Crighton G. L. , New H. V. , Liley H. G. , Stanworth S. J.
Published: April 2018

Patient blood management (PBM) refers to an evidence‐based package of care that aims to improve patient outcomes by optimal use of transfusion therapy, including managing anaemia, preventing blood loss and improving anaemia tolerance in surgical and other patients who may need transfusion. In adults, PBM programmes are well established, yet the definition and implementation of PBM in neonates and children lags behind. Neonates and infants are frequently transfused, yet they are often under‐represented in transfusion trials. Adult PBM programmes may not be directly applicable to these populations. We review the literature in neonatal (and applicable paediatric) transfusion medicine and propose specific neonatal PBM definitions and elements.
Endosomal receptor trafficking: Retromer and beyond
Authors: Wang Jing , Fedoseienko Alina , Chen Baoyu , Burstein Ezra , Jia Da , Billadeau Daniel D.
Published: April 2018

The tubular endolysosomal network is a quality control system that ensures the proper delivery of internalized receptors to specific subcellular destinations in order to maintain cellular homeostasis. Although retromer was originally described in yeast as a regulator of endosome‐to‐Golgi receptor recycling, mammalian retromer has emerged as a central player in endosome‐to‐plasma membrane recycling of a variety of receptors. Over the past decade, information regarding the mechanism by which retromer facilitates receptor trafficking has emerged, as has the identification of numerous retromer‐associated molecules including the WASH complex, sorting nexins (SNXs) and TBC1d5. Moreover, the recent demonstration that several SNXs can directly interact with retromer cargo to facilitate endosome‐to‐Golgi retrieval has provided new insight into how these receptors are trafficked in cells. The mechanism by which SNX17 cargoes are recycled out of the endosomal system was demonstrated to involve a retromer‐like complex termed the retriever, which is recruited to WASH positive endosomes through an interaction with the COMMD/CCDC22/CCDC93 (CCC) complex. Lastly, the mechanisms by which bacterial and viral pathogens highjack this complex sorting machinery in order to escape the endolysosomal system or remain hidden within the cells are beginning to emerge. In this review, we will highlight recent studies that have begun to unravel the intricacies by which the retromer and associated molecules contribute to receptor trafficking and how deregulation at this sorting domain can contribute to disease or facilitate pathogen infection.
Reading Maxwell in Conceptual Physics
Authors: Bonham Scott W.
Published: April 2018

An important aspect of science education involves helping students learn to read and communicate scientific information and arguments. In this note, I would like to share a resource that I have come across which I have found to be a useful tool for helping students improve those skills, learn content material, and acquaint them with a great scientist. Specifically, this is having non-science college students in my course Light, Color and Vision read and discuss a letter by James Clerk Maxwell entitled “On the Theory of Colours in Relation to Colour-Blindness” (see Fig. 1).
Fast raypath separation based on low-rank matrix approximation in a shallow-water waveguide
Authors: Jiang Longyu , Song Wenbo , Zhang Zhe , Yang Chunfeng , Wang Shijie , Roux Philippe
Published: April 2018

Subspace algorithms based on higher-order cumulants were developed to achieve high-resolution separation in non-Gaussian processes. However, singular value decomposition (SVD) of a huge matrix is an unavoidable step of these algorithms. The memory space and running time required by the decomposition are super-linear with respect to the size of the matrix, which is prohibitive in terms of practical applications. Thus, in this paper, a fast raypath separation algorithm based on low-rank matrix approximation is proposed in a shallow-water waveguide. The experimental results illustrate that the proposed algorithm dramatically reduces the consumption of time and space, with arbitrarily small error, compared to conventional higher-order cumulant-based algorithms.
Effects of the container on structure function with impedance map analysis of dense scattering media
Authors: Luchies Adam C. , Oelze Michael L.
Published: April 2018

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) can be used to estimate acoustic properties of tissue microstructure. In one approach to QUS, the backscatter coefficient (BSC) is utilized to quantify and classify tissue state. From the BSC, parametric models can be constructed to relate the frequency-dependent BSC to geometrical properties of the underlying tissue. However, most of these parametric models are based on analytic expressions (e.g., Gaussian function) and not on actual tissue morphology. Impedance map analysis has been proposed to help identify sources of ultrasonic scattering in tissues and to develop improved models of scattering. Previously, two-dimensional impedance maps (2DZMs) were demonstrated to provide tissue models of three-dimensional (3D) structures for sparse scattering media. In the current study, 2DZMs analysis of dense scatterer media combining the structure function with impedance map analysis was studied through a series of simulations. The simulation analysis demonstrated that the correlation coefficient and power spectrum could be estimated for a dense collection of spheres using 2DZMs. The current finding implies that 2DZMs can capture information about the 3D spatial positions of scatterers in addition to information about the size and shape of the scatterers for a dense scattering media, which is expected to be encountered in many tissues.
Hearing loss and the future of auditory implants
Authors: Oxenham Andrew J.
Published: April 2018

Hearing loss is a major and growing health concern worldwide. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 17% of the adult population in the US (around 36 million people) report some form of hearing loss, with the proportion of affected individuals rising to nearly 50% among those aged 75 or older. Loss of hearing has been associated with increased social isolation, more rapid cognitive decline, and other more general health issues, although causal relationships have yet to be established. This tutorial will review the physiology of hearing loss, along with its perceptual consequences, as measured in the laboratory and experienced in everyday life. The focus of the tutorial will be on implantable technologies that have been used to alleviate severe hearing loss and deafness, with particular emphasis on cochlear implants. Although cochlear implants have enjoyed remarkable success over the past few decades, they do not restore normal hearing, and may be approaching their technological limits in terms of the benefits that patients can gain from them. The tutorial will end by exploring future directions of implantable and other technologies in the quest to restore and maintain hearing throughout the lifespan.
The face of the facility
Authors: Cudequest Brandon , Hoover K. Anthony
Published: April 2018

Lobbies and atria are a facility’s initial destination, the point of departure, the information center, and the security checkpoint. They define a building’s aesthetic, connect to the rest of the facility, require high speech intelligibility at key locations, and demand durability. The requirements can fluidly fluctuate throughout design, and the acoustics need to keep pace. This paper will discuss different projects where the lobby was central to a successful design. Highlights include a hospital atrium, wherein a balance was struck between speech intelligibility and speech privacy; an airport concourse where the prospect of tile grout lines was carefully considered; and a giant courthouse lobby with design goals at odds with design standards, and with bridges providing acoustical “shade” for security guards.
Modeling Cochlear Implant processing and bilateral performance in acoustic environments with multiple sources
Authors: Colburn H. Steven
Published: April 2018

The work reported here focuses on the use of cochlear implants in situations with multiple sources, especially speech sources, and in other difficult environments. After a review of previous measurements and models of cochlear implant (CI) stimulation, recent modeling studies of speech processing in conditions with multiple inputs in complex acoustic environments will be discussed. As noted above, complex environments considered include conditions with multiple speech sources, and this talk focuses on effects of spatial separation and voice pitch differences in confusions related to source separation. These effects include both energetic and informational masking. Multiple implant factors will be addressed, including interaural variability in the timing of the left and right stimuli, the effects of independent left and right automatic gain control, and the interactions with and basic role of pulse rate in the implants. [Work supported by NIDCD 5 R01 DC000100.]
Characterization of soft marine sediments using vector sensors
Authors: Godin Oleg A. , Deal Thomas J. , Dong Hefeng
Published: April 2018

Horizontally and vertically polarized interface waves with phase speeds of 45–375 m/s were observed in the North Sea using a horizontal linear array of three-component seismometers [H. Dong et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 176–184 (2013)]. The waves were generated by a low-frequency shear wave source on the seafloor, which operated in the 2–60 Hz band. Dispersion curves of the interface waves exhibit linear dependences between the logarithm of phase speed and logarithm of frequency, with distinct slopes at large and small phase speeds. This suggests a geoacoustic model consisting of two sediment layers with power-law dependences of the shear wave speed on depth below seafloor [O. A. Godin and D. M. F. Chapman, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110, 1890–1907 (2001)]. In this paper, dispersion curves of interface waves are inverted for the shear wave speed profile in the sediments. Observations of lateral wave arrivals are used to corroborate the geoacoustic model suggested by the surface wave dispersion and constrain compressional wave speeds. Combining data for waves of different polarizations helps to identify various arrivals, check consistency of inversions, and evaluate sediment density.
Inter-sonographer reproducibility of ultrasonic attenuation backscatter coefficient measures in adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Han Aiguo , Sy Ethan Z. , Andre Michael P. , Loomba Rohit , Sirlin Claude B. , Erdman John W. , O'Brien W. D.
Published: April 2018

The attenuation coefficient (AC) and backscatter coefficient (BSC) measures in the liver were found repeatable and inter-transducer reproducible in previous studies. This study assesses the inter-sonographer reproducibility of the two parameters. 56 participants (sex: 20M, 36F; age: 51.5±13.5, 24–74 yo; BMI: 32.2±5.2, 23.9–47.4 kg/m2; 43 had MRI-PDFF: 15.6±10.4%, 0.7–41.1%) with known or suspected NAFLD each underwent two same-day ultrasound liver examinations performed by two sonographers (out of six in total) using the Siemens S3000® ultrasound system. Each examination included five RF acquisitions in separate breathholds from the right liver lobe and one from a calibrated phantom using the same settings. The AC and BSC were estimated using the reference phantom technique from each liver RF acquisition. AC and log-transformed BSC (10logBSC) are frequency-averaged within 2.6-3.0 MHz. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the inter-sonographer reproducibility. Without averaging multiple intra-examination acquisitions, ICC (95% confidence interval) was 0.79 (0.65, 0.88) for AC, and 0.85 (0.74, 0.91) for 10logBSC. Averaging five intra-examination acquisitions increased ICC to 0.86 (0.77, 0.92) for AC, and 0.89 (0.81, 0.94) for 10logBSC. Theseresults show excellent inter-sonographer reproducibility of AC and BSC in patients with known/suspected NAFLD. [Support: R01DK106419 and Siemens Medical Systems.]
Determination of the inverse, blocked, and pseudo forces for an air compressor bolted to a steel plate
Authors: Chen Keyu , Herrin David
Published: April 2018

For many machines, input forces cannot be directly measured, but representative forces may be determined using inverse approaches. Three approaches have been suggested in the literature for the determination of representative forces. The different approaches are described and then applied to an air compressor bolted to a steel plate. The three approaches are utilized to determine the inverse, blocked, and pseudo forces, respectively. The calculated indirect forces are then used to determine the response on the steel plate, and there is a good agreement between all three methods. The calculated forces are then used to predict the effect of a boundary condition modification to the steel plate.
Analytical and experimental methods for the non-destructive acoustic testing of fluid-filled critical infrastructure from the 19th century to the present
Authors: Richarz Harrison
Published: April 2018

From boreholes and chimneys, to pipelines, boilers, storage tanks, reactors, and water mains, non-destructive acoustic tests of fluid-filled conduits and shells help to monitor vital infrastructure across the globe. The theoretical treatment of wave propagation in such structures has its origin in the 19th century. In the intervening years, advances in sensors, data logging, and signal processing led to practical applications, first in oil exploration and later in other fields such as medicine and water distribution. This commercial activity accelerated the understanding of wave propagation in large scale multi-layered and multimaterial structures to create a host of new commercial applications. The paper explores the evolution and current state of these technologies and the acoustics behind them through an historical study of the progression of conduit wall impedance modeling and the problems of reflection and dispersion, as encountered in borehole and pipe inspection applications.
Measurement of ultrasound radiated from rodent repellents used in an occupational space, and auditory evaluation of the sound
Authors: Ueda Mari
Published: April 2018

In order to clarify the emission levels and hearing status of ultrasound used in an occupational spaces by pest control companies, three surveys were performed. The results of the acoustic field measurement showed that the rodent repellent device had a peak level and frequency of approximately 100 dB and 19 kHz, respectively. The results of an auditory evaluation experiment with 51 adult workers showed that younger workers recognized the ultrasound from the electronic rodent repellent device more clearly than the elderly workers.
Pressure reciprocity calibrations of laboratory standard microphones at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Authors: Wagner Randall
Published: April 2018

The reciprocity technique has long served as a method for pressure calibration of microphones. It is a primary method, which determines microphone sensitivities from first principles and does not require a previously calibrated acoustic transfer standard. For calibrations of laboratory standard microphones, this method is standardized and utilized at national measurement institutes worldwide. Standard microphones calibrated by reciprocity are in turn used to calibrate additional microphones and sound calibrators, which apply known sound pressures to calibrate acoustical measuring devices and systems. Reciprocity calibrations done at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is the national measurement institute for the U.S., provide its customers with accurate results traceable to the International System of Units (SI). These customers and organizations that utilize their services perform large numbers of secondary and further calibrations and measurements concerned with hearing conservation and testing, aircraft noise, noise regulation enforcement, acoustical test and measurement equipment, and auditory research. An overview of the reciprocity technique is presented along with a few examples of how customers of the NIST acoustical calibration services make use of their calibrated devices and calibration data.
A comparison of fractional-sized to full-sized cellos
Authors: Blanford Thomas , Shepherd Micah R.
Published: April 2018

Fractional-sized cellos (3/4, 1/2, etc.) are designed for the same musical playing range as a full-sized cello (4/4) but with scaled proportions for players for whom a full sized cello is too large. To compensate for the shorter string length of the smaller instruments, the strings are adjusted in order to obtain the correct tuning. The cello body vibration, which is strongly coupled to the internal air cavity, would not be expected to scale in the same manner as the strings. This causes the bridge impedance seen by the strings on the fractional-sized cellos to differ from the bridge impedance seen by the strings on a full-sized cello. In this talk, the physical dimensions of a ½ and ¾ cello are compared with a full cello. Drive point measurements are also compared to illustrate how the strings couple differently with body of each size cello. The fractional-sized cellos are found to exhibit a slightly different sound due to the bridge impedance mismatch.
Neal Viemeister’s contributions to understanding the dynamic range of the auditory system
Authors: Moore Brian C.
Published: April 2018

Most neurons in the auditory nerve show saturation of their firing rates in response to a tone with a moderate level presented at their characteristic frequency. However, humans can detect changes in intensity for levels up to 120 dB SPL. One explanation of this “dynamic range problem” is that intensity coding at high levels depends on the spread of cochlear excitation. To test this explanation, in 1974 Neal Viemeister measured the intensity discrimination of bursts of noise presented in a band-reject noise of fixed high intensity. He found that Weber’s law held even at high levels. He concluded that spread of excitation is not necessary for the auditory system to maintain its large dynamic range. In 1983 Neal Viemeister showed that, over a wide range of intensities, subjects could detect small differences in the intensity of a high-frequency band of noise (6-14 kHz, a frequency range where phase locking is essentially absent) presented with a complementary band-reject noise, showing that phase locking is not essential for intensity discrimination at high levels. In 1988 Neal Viemeister showed theoretically that a localized rate-based intensity code using a small number of neurons can account for intensity discrimination over a wide range of levels.
The gammawarp filterbank: A frequency-warped implementation of the dynamic compressive gammachirp filter
Authors: Kates James
Published: April 2018

This paper presents an alternative method for implementing a dynamic compressive gammachirp (dcGC) auditory filterbank. Instead of using a cascade of second-order sections, the new approach uses digital frequency warping to give the gammawarp filterbank. In the warped implementation, the unit delays in a conventional finite impulse-response (FIR) filter are replaced by first-order allpass filters. The set of warped FIR filter coefficients is constrained to be symmetrical, which results in a filter phase response that is identical for all filters in the filterbank. The dynamic variation in filter response is provided by interpolating the outputs of three linear filters adjusted for low-, medium-, and high-input signal levels. The gammawarp filterbank offers a substantial improvement in execution speed compared to previous dynamic gammachirp filter implementations. For a linear filterbank, the gammawarp execution time is comparable to that of a gammatone or linear second-order section gammachirp implementation for 32 bands, but there is a processing time advantage that increases as the number of bands is increased. For a dynamic compressive gammachirp filterbank, the gammawarp implementation is 27 to 47 times faster than the dcGC MATLAB code of Irino.
Musical instrument categorization is highly sensitive to spectral properties of earlier sounds
Authors: Assgari Ashley , Frazier Jonathan , Stilp Christian
Published: April 2018

Auditory perception is shaped by spectral properties of surrounding sounds. For example, when spectral properties differ between earlier (context) and later (target) sounds, this can produce spectral contrast effects (SCEs; i.e., categorization boundary shifts) that bias perception of later sounds. SCEs influence perception of speech and nonspeech sounds alike. When categorizing vowels or consonants, SCE magnitudes increased linearly with greater spectral differences between contexts and target speech sounds [Stilp et al. (2015) JASA; Stilp & Alexander (2016) POMA; Stilp & Assgari (2017) JASA]. Here, we tested whether this linear relationship between context spectra and SCEs generalizes to nonspeech categorization. Listeners categorized musical instrument targets that varied from French horn to tenor saxophone. Before each target, listeners heard a one-second music sample processed by spectral envelope difference filters that amplified / attenuated frequencies to reflect the difference between horn and saxophone spectra. By varying filter gain, filters reflected part of (25%, 50%, 75%) or the full (100%) difference between instrument spectra. As filter gains increased to reflect more of the difference between instrument spectra, SCE magnitudes increased linearly, parallel to speech categorization. Thus, a close relationship between context spectra and biases in target categorization appears to be fundamental to auditory perception.
Acoustic phonetic measurements of grammatical tones in Anyi
Authors: Koffi Ettien N.
Published: April 2018

Talkers and hearers of Anyi, a West African language of the Akan family, are very adept at discriminating between sentences containing verbs conjugated in the indicative, the intentional, and the subjunctive moods just by relying on subtle variations in pitch. A phonetic investigation is undertaken to determine as precisely as possible the acoustic cues that contribute the most to intelligibility. Ten speakers produced five sentences each in all three moods for a total of 150 utterances. The tone bearing units (TBU) on the subject pronoun and the disyllabic verbs are analyzed acoustically. The acoustic correlates investigated are F0, intensity, and duration. All in all, 810 TBUS are measured. The main findings are as follows. The F0 of the subject pronoun and of the verb are the most robust cues for discriminating between the declarative and the intentional moods. The differentiation between the intentional and the subjunctive moods rests principally on the F0 of the subject pronoun. The distinction between the indicative and the subjunctive moods depends mainly on the F0 of the verb and to a lesser extent on duration. Intensity does not seem to be a robust cue for discriminating between these three tone-induced grammatical constructions.
Towards an inventory of prosodic contours produced by English-acquiring 2-year-olds: The use of H* and H + !H*
Authors: Thorson Jill C. , Shattuck-Hufnagel Stefanie
Published: April 2018

One viewpoint of early prosody is that utterances are highly simplified in comparison to adult models, in part, due to biological constraints such as incomplete control of pitch production (Lieberman, 1967; Snow, 2006). In contrast, research in Catalan and Spanish shows that early utterances (under 2 years) consist of the basic intonational categories (Prieto et al., 2012), including contours that would not be predicted under a biological approach. Our primary question asks what is the inventory of contours produced by American English-acquiring toddlers. Based on work showing toddlers to have near adult-like acoustic realizations of certain pitch accents (Thorson, 2015), we hypothesize that children will demonstrate sophisticated intonational configurations; here we analyze specific pitch accent varieties in toddler speech. Spontaneous utterances of four 2-year-olds were analyzed. Pitch accents were annotated using ToBI (Beckman & Ayers, 1997) and acoustically analyzed. Results reveal three varieties of high pitch accents: (1) H*, rise in f0 on stressed syllable; (2) H + !H* complex-bitonal, higher f0 on preceding syllable, falling f0 throughout accented syllable; (3) H + !H* type-2, f0 plateau on preceding syllable continuing onto stressed syllable. Examining how toddlers use specific intonational elements helps to identify the prosodic contours that make up the child inventory.
Variation in English infant-directed speech
Authors: Lin Isabelle , Chong Adam J. , Sundara Megha
Published: April 2018

In adult-directed speech (ADS), words are rarely produced canonically. Infant-directed speech (IDS) has been argued to contain more canonical productions. However, recent analyses show that IDS is as variable as ADS. Then, how could infants learn to privilege canonical forms, as has been shown for adult listeners? Previous research on variation in IDS has focused on word-final productions. In this study, we investigate whether the extent of variation in IDS differs by the position of a segment in a word. We sampled IDS to 6 infants between 16 and 24-mo-old from the Providence corpus. Utterances with /t/, /d/, /n/, /s/ and /z/ were identified orthographically, forced-aligned, corrected, and transcribed by 3 phonetically-trained native speakers of English. This yielded 28,775 segment tokens in word initial, medial and final position. Results confirmed that IDS is at least as variable as ADS (canonical pronunciations < 50%). However, variation was limited to coda positions; on average, over 90% of onsets were produced canonically compared to just 60% of codas. This positional difference could benefit category learning. Word-initial segments would bolster acquisition of canonical forms, and possibly support word segmentation, while word-final variation would encourage learning of phonetic variants resulting from processes in connected speech.
Towards Doppler estimation and false alarm rejection for Continuous Active Sonar
Authors: Bates Jeffrey R. , Grimmett Doug , Canepa Gaetano , Tesei Alessandra
Published: April 2018

Linear frequency modulated (LFM) continuous active sonar (CAS) waveforms show promise for use in target tracking given that waveforms can be split into sub-waveforms (sub-bands), thereby increasing the target refresh rate. However, reducing the duration and bandwidth of the sub-band decreases the SNR/SRR, adversely affecting detection. We present a target detection technique in which sub-bands are averaged incoherently while exploiting the range bias error (commonly observed in large duration LFM CAS waveforms with significant Doppler) to significantly improve detection. Sub-band averaging, known to reduce the false alarm rate, also mitigates channel coherence losses while maintaining detectability in CAS. A method for performing incoherent averaging over many possible Doppler shifts and identifying contacts via clustering in the 3-dimensional range-bearing-Doppler parameter space will be described. Finally, the promising results obtained with this technique on data acquired by the 2016 Littoral CAS Multi-National Joint Research Project sea trial will be shown. [This work was funded by NATO Allied Command Transformation Future Solutions Branch under the Autonomous Security Network Programme and the LCAS MN-JRP.]
Squalene epoxidase drives NAFLD-induced hepatocellular carcinoma and is a pharmaceutical target
Authors: Liu Dabin , Wong Chi Chun , Fu Li , Chen Huarong , Zhao Liuyang , Li Chuangen , Zhou Yunfei , Zhang Yanquan , Xu Weiqi , Yang Yidong , Wu Bin , Cheng Gong , Lai Paul Bo-San , Wong Nathalie , Sung Joseph J. Y. , Yu Jun
Published: April 2018

Squalene epoxidase is a therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma arising from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Evaluation of Amphotericin B Lipid Formulations for Treatment of Severe Coccidioidomycosis
Authors: Sidhu Ritam , Lash David B. , Heidari Arash , Natarajan Piruthiviraj , Johnson Royce H.
Published: April 2018

Patients with severe coccidioidomycosis infections are often treated with either amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) or liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB). Outcome data with these agents in severe coccidioidomycosis cases are currently lacking. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of ABLC and L-AmB in treating severe coccidioidomycosis. A retrospective pre-post study design was employed. Chart reviews were completed from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2014 for all patients who received lipid-based amphotericin B. Inclusion criteria included having a follow-up complement fixation (CF) titer or a treatment emergent adverse event (TEAE) prior to follow-up. Patients with meningeal involvement and pregnant patients were excluded. Treatment outcomes were assessed based on documented completion of therapy as well on symptoms, complement fixation titer, and changes to laboratory monitoring parameters. A total of 108 patients were identified, 69 of whom met the inclusion criteria. There were no statistical differences in demographics or disease burden in those that received ABLC and those that received L-AmB, except that those who received L-AmB were more likely to have previously diagnosed chronic kidney disease (
n
L-AmB
= 4, 12.5% vs
n
ABLC
= 0, 0.0%;
P
= 0.042) and to have a lower creatinine clearance at the start of therapy (L-AmB = 79.6 mg/dl versus ABLC = 100.4 mg/dl;
P
= 0.008). Successful treatment was achieved in 27 (73.0%) of ABLC patients and 22 (68.8%) of L-AmB patients (
P
= 0.700). Amphotericin B was discontinued due to documented completion of therapy for 17 (45.9%) ABLC patients and 18 (56.3%) L-AmB patients (
P
= 0.553). Acute kidney injury (AKI) was the documented reason of treatment cessation for 10 (27.0%) ABLC and 1 (3.1%) L-AmB patient (
P
= 0.007). ABLC and L-AmB both appear to be equally efficacious in the treatment of severe coccidioidomycosis. L-AmB may have less renal toxicity than ABLC and may be the preferred agent in baseline renal impairment.
In Vitro
Activity of Ceftazidime-Avibactam against Isolates from Patients in a Phase 3 Clinical Trial for Treatment of Complicated Intra-abdominal Infections
Authors: Stone Gregory G. , Newell Paul , Bradford Patricia A.
Published: April 2018

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens has generated a requirement for new treatment options. Avibactam, a novel non-β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor, restores the activity of ceftazidime against Ambler class A, C, and some class D β-lactamase-producing strains of
Enterobacteriaceae
and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. The
in vitro
activities of ceftazidime-avibactam versus comparators were evaluated against 1,440 clinical isolates obtained in a phase 3 clinical trial in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01499290). Overall,
in vitro
activities were determined for 803
Enterobacteriaceae
, 70
P. aeruginosa
, 304 Gram-positive aerobic, and 255 anaerobic isolates obtained from 1,066 randomized patients at baseline. Susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution. The most commonly isolated Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and anaerobic pathogens were
Escherichia coli
(
n
= 549),
Streptococcus anginosus
(
n
= 130), and
Bacteroides fragilis
(
n
= 96), respectively. Ceftazidime-avibactam was highly active against isolates of
Enterobacteriaceae
, with an overall MIC
90
of 0.25 mg/liter. In contrast, the MIC
90
for ceftazidime alone was 32 mg/liter. The MIC
90
value for ceftazidime-avibactam (4 mg/liter) was one dilution lower than that of ceftazidime alone (8 mg/liter) against isolates of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. The ceftazidime-avibactam MIC
90
for 109 ceftazidime-nonsusceptible
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates was 2 mg/liter, and the MIC range for 6 ceftazidime-nonsusceptible
P. aeruginosa
isolates was 8 to 32 mg/liter. The MIC
90
values were within the range of susceptibility for the study drugs permitted per the protocol in the phase 3 study to provide coverage for aerobic Gram-positive and anaerobic pathogens. These findings demonstrate the
in vitro
activity of ceftazidime-avibactam against bacterial pathogens commonly observed in cIAI patients, including ceftazidime-nonsusceptible
Enterobacteriaceae
. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01499290.)
Impact of Currently Marketed Tampons and Menstrual Cups on Staphylococcus aureus Growth and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1 Production
In Vitro
Authors: Nonfoux Louis , Chiaruzzi Myriam , Badiou Cédric , Baude Jessica , Tristan Anne , Thioulouse Jean , Muller Daniel , Prigent-Combaret Claire , Lina Gérard
Published: April 2018

Fifteen currently marketed intravaginal protection products (11 types of tampon and 4 types of menstrual cup) were tested by the modified tampon sac method to determine their effect on
Staphylococcus aureus
growth and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) production. Most tampons reduced
S. aureus
growth and TSST-1 production, with differences based on brand and composition, and the level of
S. aureus
growth was higher in destructured than in unaltered tampons. We observed higher levels of
S. aureus
growth and toxin production in menstrual cups than in tampons, potentially due to the additional air introduced into the bag by cups, with differences based on cup composition and size.

IMPORTANCE
Menstrual toxic shock syndrome is a rare but severe disease. It occurs in healthy women vaginally colonized by
Staphylococcus aureus
producing toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 using intravaginal protection, such as tampons or menstrual cups. Intravaginal protection induces TSS by the collection of catamenial products, which act as a growth medium for
S. aureus
. Previous studies evaluated the impact of tampon composition on
S. aureus
producing toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, but they are not recent and did not include menstrual cups. This study demonstrates that highly reproducible results for
S. aureus
growth and TSST-1 production can be obtained by using a simple protocol that reproduces the physiological conditions of tampon and cup usage as closely as possible, providing recommendations for tampon or cup use to both manufacturers and consumers. Notably, our results do not show that menstrual cups are safer than tampons and suggest that they require similar precautions.
Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) Polymerase PhaC1 and PHB Depolymerase PhaZa1 of Ralstonia eutropha Are Phosphorylated
In Vivo
Authors: Juengert Janina R. , Patterson Cameron , Jendrossek Dieter
Published: April 2018

In this study, we screened poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthase PhaC1 and PHB depolymerase PhaZa1 of
Ralstonia eutropha
for the presence of phosphorylated residues during the PHB accumulation and PHB degradation phases. Thr373 of PHB synthase PhaC1 was phosphorylated during the stationary growth phase but was not modified during the exponential and PHB accumulation phases. Ser35 of PHB depolymerase PhaZa1 was identified in the phosphorylated form during both the exponential and stationary growth phases. Additional phosphosites were identified for both proteins in sample-dependent forms. Site-directed mutagenesis of the codon for Thr373 and other phosphosites of PhaC1 revealed a strong negative impact on PHB synthase activity. Modifications of Thr26 and Ser35 of PhaZa1 reduced the ability of
R. eutropha
to mobilize PHB in the stationary growth phase. Our results show that phosphorylation of PhaC1 and PhaZa1 can be important for the modulation of the activities of PHB synthase and PHB depolymerase.

IMPORTANCE
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and related polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are important intracellular carbon and energy storage compounds in many prokaryotes. The accumulation of PHB or PHAs increases the fitness of cells during periods of starvation and under other stress conditions. The simultaneous presence of PHB synthase (PhaC1) and PHB depolymerase (PhaZa1) on synthesized PHB granules in
Ralstonia eutropha
(alternative designation,
Cupriavidus necator
) was previously shown in several laboratories. These findings imply that the activities of PHB synthase and PHB depolymerase should be regulated to avoid a futile cycle of simultaneous synthesis and degradation of PHB. Here, we addressed this question by identifying the phosphorylation sites on PhaC1 and PhaZa1 and by site-directed mutagenesis of the identified residues. Furthermore, we conducted
in vitro
and
in vivo
analyses of PHB synthase activity and PHB contents.
Molecular Epidemiology of Extraintestinal PathogenicEscherichia coli
Authors: Johnson James R. , Russo Thomas A.
Published: April 2018

Extraintestinal pathogenicEscherichia coli(ExPEC) are important pathogens in humans and certain animals. Molecular epidemiological analyses of ExPEC are based on structured observations ofE. colistrains as they occur in the wild. By assessing real-world phenomena as they occur in authentic contexts and hosts, they provide an important complement to experimental assessment. Fundamental to the success of molecular epidemiological studies are the careful selection of subjects and the use of appropriate typing methods and statistical analysis. To date, molecular epidemiological studies have yielded numerous important insights into putative virulence factors, host-pathogen relationships, phylogenetic background, reservoirs, antimicrobial-resistant strains, clinical diagnostics, and transmission pathways of ExPEC, and have delineated areas in which further study is needed. The rapid pace of discovery of new putative virulence factors and the increasing awareness of the importance of virulence factor regulation, expression, and molecular variation should stimulate many future molecular epidemiological investigations. The growing sophistication and availability of molecular typing methodologies, and of the new computational and statistical approaches that are being developed to address the huge amounts of data that whole genome sequencing generates, provide improved tools for such studies and allow new questions to be addressed.