bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Binaurally integrated cross-correlation/auto-correlation mechanism (BICAM)
Authors: Braasch Jonas
Published: May 2016

A new precedence effect model is described that can use a binaural signal to robustly localize a sound source in the presence of multiple reflections. The model also extracts the delays (compared to the direct sound source) and lateral positions of each of the distinct reflections. A second-layer cross-correlation algorithm is introduced on top of a first layer autocorrelation/cross-correlation mechanism to determine the interaural time difference (ITD) of the direct sound source component. The ITD is then used to time align two auto-correlation functions obtained from the left and right ear signals to gather information about the reflections and form a binaural activity pattern. The model is able to simulate psychoacoustic lateralization results for a simulated direct sound source and a single reflection also for cases where the reflection exceeds the intensity of the direct sound (Haas Effect). Using head-related transfer functions to spatialize the sound sources, the model can accurately localize a speech signal in the presence of two or more early side reflections and late reverberation. The model can handle reverberation times of 2 s and above. [This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1320059.]
Squelch of room effects in everyday conversation
Authors: Shore Aimee , Hartmann William M. , Rakerd Brad , Ellis Gregory M. , Zahorik Pavel
Published: May 2016

When a conversation is recorded and then played back, listeners are aware of effects of the room that are not perceived in face-to-face conversation. The room effects, which are physically present, are said to be “squelched” under face-to-face conditions. Room effects include reverberation and coloration caused by reflections. The squelch effect has been attributed to the binaural nature of natural listening, based on binaural experiments with headphones [W. Koenig, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., {22}, 61–62 (1950)]. We report experiments on binaural and diotic listening to recordings of speech made at conversational distances in a room with normal frequency dependence of reverberation and a direct to reverberant power ratio between 1/2 and 1/3 at speech fundamental frequencies. Recordings were made with and without a head between the microphones. Listeners ranked the recordings in order of increasing perceived room effects. The data revealed a strong effect of distance, a weak effect of head diffraction, and an advantage for binaural listening somewhat smaller than the advantage of a factor of 2 in direct power. For a few listeners, binaural listening enhanced the room effects. The latter listeners apparently found that binaural differences produced especially prominent spatial effects. [Work supported by the AFOSR.]
Investigating phonetic bases of sound patterns in Mangetti Dune !Xung: Contributions of high frame rate ultrasound to the description of endangered languages
Authors: Miller Amanda L.
Published: May 2016

High frame rate lingual ultrasound methods (Miller and Finch 2011) allow investigations of consonant and vowel kinematics outside of the laboratory. I summarize the results of a number of studies that investigate place and manner of articulation in consonants produced with the pulmonic and lingual airstream mechanisms in the endangered Namibian language Mangetti Dune !Xung. Results show that clicks, like dorsal stops, exhibit different postures of the posterior part of the tongue when they precede [i] and [ɑ]. The tongue dorsum and root are retracted in the production of all four coronal clicks when they precede [ɑ], but differ in their postures when they precede [i]. Further, tongue dorsum and root postures are less variable within click types before [ɑ], than they are preceding [i]. Clicks also differ in the timing of the anterior and posterior releases, resulting in different constrictions being adjacent to following vowels, thus leading to different co-articulation patterns. Timing patterns of the two releases also contribute to our understanding of a diachronic sound change from an abrupt palatal click to a fricated post-alveolar click in this family. This body of research illustrates how high frame rate ultrasound contributes to descriptions of sound patterns in under-described languages.
A preliminary acoustic analysis of vowels and obstruents in San Juan Quiahije Chatino
Authors: Heredos Jacob , Milvert Kaitlynn , Cruz Hilaria
Published: May 2016

San Juan Quiahije (SJQ) Chatino is a language of the Zapotecan branch of the Otomanguean family, spoken by approximately 4000 people in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. While acoustic analyses of other varieties of Chatino exist, empirical acoustic data related to the phonetic inventory of SJQ Chatino is slim to nonexistent. As such, the current work presents a preliminary investigation of the stop consonants and vowels of SJQ Chatino. Data are from one female native speaker of SJQ and include words produced in isolation as well as in running speech. F1 and F2 values are used to plot the five oral and four nasal vowels of SJQ. With regard to the consonant inventory, contrastive voicing has been lost in at least one variety of Chatino and is marginal in a number of other varieties. Our data confirm that SJQ retains the contrast in coronal stops in at least some contexts. Voice onset times are reported, and negative values are found after initial /n/.
San Juan Quiahije Chatino: A look at tone
Authors: Feehan Colette , Berkson Kelly , Cavar Malgorzata , Cruz Hilaria
Published: May 2016

San Juan Quiahije (SJQ) Chatino is an under-documented indigenous language spoken in Oaxaca, Mexico, by some 3000 speakers. Like other members of the Eastern Chatino branch, SJQ has a complex tonal system—in particular, four tone levels and 11 lexical tones (14 when considering sandhi contexts). Excellent linguistic investigations of SJQ phonology (Cruz 2004, 2011) and discourse analysis (Cruz & Woodbury 2014, Cruz 2014) exist, but there is virtually no empirical phonetic work. We present exploratory and descriptive investigation of the tones of San Juan Quiahije Chatino. Data from one female native speaker largely align with the tonal description provided in Cruz (2011): our findings confirm the presence of a multitude of tones, and reveal that several lexical tones are merged in isolation. Furthermore, while depressor consonant effects—wherein tonal targets are lower after voiced obstruents than after voiceless obstruents—have traditionally been discussed primarily in the context of African languages (Bradshaw 1999), we discover a consistent lowering of tone by approximately 25 Hz after voiced consonants. The effect is present in both low and high tone contexts and perseverates throughout the vowel.
An acoustic analysis of the vowels and stop consonants of Bashkir
Authors: Berkson Kelly H. , Carter Matthew C. , Robbins Christopher M.
Published: May 2016

Bashkir is a language of the Volga-Kipchak branch of the Turkic language family, spoken by approximately 1.2 million ethnic Bashkirs primarily in the autonomous Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. Minimal research has been conducted on Bashkir in English, and what research has been conducted in either Russian or English focuses on the morphophonemics, syntax, and semantics of the language: acoustic investigation of Bashkir, meanwhile, is nearly nonexistent. This study is a preliminary examination of the phonetics of Bashkir. Using data from a female native speaker in her early 50s from Ufa, Bashkortostan, we present instrumental analysis of vowels in both pre-stressed and stressed positions, as well as voice onset time measures for oral stops. The vocalic data, in particular, are surprising in multiple ways: while they largely align with descriptions of the Bashkir vowel space provided by previous sources, with mid vowels that are reduced in most positions and that also have a large, variable range in the vowel space, they also suggest that the realization of one vowel phoneme may differ substantially from previous descriptions.
The acoustics of strengthened glides in Kirundi
Authors: Kochetov Alexei
Published: May 2016

Strengthening of post-consonantal glides /w/ and /j/ to obstruents or nasals is cross-linguistically uncommon, especially when the process is synchronically conditioned. This study investigates acoustic correlates of post-consonantal glide strengthening in Kirundi, an eastern Bantu language spoken in Burundi. The materials included words with /w/ or /j/ preceded by labial obstruent or nasal consonants /p, b, v, m/—the contexts that have been previously described to trigger the process. The morphological context was also varied, with sequences occurring at prefix-root or suffix-root boundaries, or within a root. Four female and four male native speakers produced the word list in a carrier sentence three times. The analysis involved phonetic classification of strengthened glides, as well as their duration and spectral measurements (frication/burst spectra and following vowel formants). The results showed that the post-consonantal /w/ was consistently realized as an oral or nasal stop agreeing with the preceding consonant in voicing and nasality, consistently with previous descriptive accounts. The realization of the post-consonantal /j/, however, was considerably more variable across and within speakers, ranging from a palatal stop or nasal to a weakly fricated/nasalized glide, and showing some sensitivity to morphological structure.
A sociophonetic account of morphophonemic variation in Palestinian Arabic
Authors: Cotter William M.
Published: May 2016

This study presents findings from sociolinguistic fieldwork on Palestinian Arabic in the Gaza Strip and Jordan. The sample includes 30 speakers representing three age groups, both genders, and three Palestinian communities: indigenous Gaza City residents, refugees from Jaffa who live in Gaza City, and Gaza City refugees living in Jordan. Linear mixed effects analyses are presented on the vowel raising of the Arabic feminine ending /ah/. The traditional dialect of Gaza realizes this morpheme consistently as [a] (Bergsträsser 1915), with all other Levantine city dialects raising the feminine ending to [e] or [i] except after back consonants (Al-Wer 2007). Similarly, the traditional Jordanian dialect in the area in which Gaza City refugees live also raises this vowel to [e] (Herin 2014). Results indicate robust sociophonetic variation in the realization of this vowel across these communities. Jaffa refugees in Gaza, whose traditional dialect realizes this vowel as [e], are found to be lowering their realization of this vowel with each successive generation, with younger speakers showing a phonetic realization similar to young indigenous Gazans. Simultaneously, Gaza refugees in Jordan show higher phonetic realizations across generations, indicating convergence toward the local realization of this vowel in Jordanian Arabic.
A preliminary account of the Thangal sound system
Authors: McDonough Patricia , Arnold Erin , Berkson Kelly
Published: May 2016

This work presents instrumental acoustic analysis of Thangal, a severely under-resourced Tibeto-Burman language spoken primarily in the Senapati District of Manipur by around 2500 people. While some research has been conducted in recent years on related languages such as Rongmei, and several Thangal wordlists compiled mainly from data collected in the 1800s also exist, linguistic investigation of Thangal in the past century has been limited at best, and empirical phonetic investigation is nonexistent. We use data from wordlists produced by native Thangal speakers to compile a preliminary phonetic inventory of the language and map the Thangal vowel space. Initial notable observations include the existence of prenasalized plosives and both aspirated and unaspirated consonants. This work was undertaken at the request of the community, whose ultimate hope is to develop a practical orthography in service to developing written materials in Thangal.
Affricate contrasts in Déline Slavey
Authors: Percival Maida
Published: May 2016

Dene or North Slavey is a Dene (Athabaskan) language with nine affricates: /ts, tsʰ, ts’, t∫, t∫ʰ, t∫’, tɬ, tɬʰ, and tɬ’/. This paper provides a first investigation into the acoustics of these sounds using ~2000 tokens from eight speakers from Déline, NT, Canada. Within the lateral series, [tɬ] was found to be realized in a number of ways including [tɬ], [tɬl], [tl], and [tɬɮ], with phonetic voicing to varying degrees in the release. In contrast, [tɬʰ] was generally produced with a brief period of aspiration following the frication portion of the affricate, while ejectives were often followed by a brief period of silence between the frication and the vowel onset. COG measurements of [tɬ] (from the voiceless portion of the release) were lower than the alveolar and post-alveolar affricates, averaging 3500 Hz (s.d. = 2175 Hz). However, COG variation across and within speakers and words suggests varying place of articulation. Place of articulation may be less crucial to the identification of these sounds than manner cues such as the lateral component. Further work is underway to investigate differences in the distribution of energy in the frication and F0 perturbations between the different phonation types, and to investigate the alveolar and post-alveolar affricates in more depth.
Pitch specification of minor syllables in Sgaw Karen
Authors: West Luke
Published: May 2016

Sgaw Karen is a Tibeto-Burman language with both lexical tone and a major-minor syllable divide. Unlike major syllables, minor syllables are structurally reduced and do not bear overt phonological tone. This acoustic study investigates the fundamental frequency of these minor syllables, summarizing surface pitch patterns and providing evidence for a phonetic target. The first acoustic look at minor syllables in Karenic languages, a phonetically understudied language family, 58 unique minor syllable sequences of each possible length (~500 tokens) are elicited from one native speaker from the Karen State, Myanmar (Burma). Analysis of minor syllable sequences adjacent to lexical tones shows (1) a low pitch target around 185 Hz to which minor syllables asymptotically approximate when given sufficient time, and (2) this target is not explicable by contextual interpolation. Results address the general problem of tonal underspecification and interpret findings in the context of a minor syllable typology. Acoustic surface patterns of the Sgaw Karen minor syllable point to phonetic pitch targets of gradient strengths. Findings provide a foundation for detailed tonal/intonational analysis of Sgaw Karen, and demonstrates a framework for acoustic documentation of underspecified tonal units in understudied languages of Southeast Asian in general.
Simulations of three-dimensional, self-oscillating vocal fold replicas with liquid-filled cavities
Authors: Alvarez Eduardo J. , Thomson Scott L.
Published: May 2016

Synthetic, self-oscillating vocal fold replicas are used in bioreactors to study the response of injected cells to phono-mimetic vibrations. In this type of replica, cells are contained within a cylindrically shaped cavity that runs anterioposteriorly and that is located near the replica surface. During vocal fold replica flow-induced vibration, the cavity deforms, thereby subjecting the cells to a periodically varying stress field. The characteristics of this stress field are unknown, and experimental determination is not presently feasible. Therefore, in this research, numerical simulations of these self-oscillating, cell-containing synthetic replicas are studied. A three-dimensional vocal fold model containing a liquid-filled cavity, developed using the commercial software package ADINA, is described. The effects of glottal airflow are modeled using the mechanical energy equation to simulate the pressure distribution along the replica airway surface. The liquid-filled cavity is modeled through a fully coupled fluid-structure interaction solver, with the liquid region governed by the viscous, unsteady, three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. Estimates of the stress field within the cavity as well as the predicted influence of the cavity on replica vibration will be reported.
Rhotic articulation by first graders: A real-time three-dimensional ultrasound study
Authors: Foley Olivia , McNeil Sarah , Schlimm Katherine , Piper Amy , Lulich Steven M.
Published: May 2016

The rhotic /r/ in American English is a complex sound that is produced differently by different speakers and in different phonetic contexts, but there is currently little knowledge about how children articulate this sound, which is typically acquired late in development. In this study, the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation (GFTA-3) was administered to typically developing first graders (6 and 7 years old) as part of a 5-year longitudinal study. The GFTA-3 contains words in which /r/ occurs in a variety of syllable positions and phonetic contexts. Using 3D ultrasound imaging and palate impressions, it is possible to view the tongue shape in relation to the speaker’s palate. Since first graders are younger than the age at which /r/ is usually completely acquired, this presents an opportunity to see how /r/ is articulated by children who may not yet have mastered it. Initial results from this study will be presented, with the aim of empirically characterizing tongue shape and motion in /r/ production by first graders.
Asymmetry in incomplete neutralization
Authors: Kaplan Abby
Published: May 2016

Neutralizing patterns, such as final devoicing, are known to often be incomplete: “devoiced” final obstruents in languages such as Afrikaans may retain, e.g., longer preceding vowels than their voiceless counterparts. A common explanation for this phenomenon is that these partially devoiced obstruents are influenced by paradigmatically related obstruents that are fully voiced (e.g., Afrikaans hoe[t] ~ hoe[d]e, “hat(s)”). This proposal raises the question of whether such influence goes in the other direction too: is the [d] of hoe[d]e slightly devoiced, compared to a non-alternating [d] as in roe[d]e (“rod”)? The experiment presented here tests this hypothesis in 28 Afrikaans nouns as produced by nine native speakers; vowel length, closure duration, release duration, and glottal pulses were measured as cues for voicing. The results provide no evidence for partial devoicing of voiced stops under the influence of devoiced counterparts elsewhere in the paradigm; that is, the [d] of hoe[d]e is no less voiced than the [d] of roe[d]e. I conclude that incomplete neutralization is an asymmetrical phenomenon: segments subject to neutralization, as in hoe[t], may retain some contrasting cues; but these segments do not in turn encourage partial neutralization in morphologically related forms such as hoe[d]e.
Wigner cross-products encode relative phases
Authors: Lee James B.
Published: May 2016

Two distinct kinds of elements comprise the Wigner time-frequency distribution. First are elements occurring at the actual times and frequencies present in the signal: call these “actual” elements. Second are elements occurring at the arithmetic mean of the actual elements: call these “ephemeral” elements. The actual elements essentially are a power spectrum resolved in time and frequency; always they are positive. The ephemeral elements, sometimes called “cross-products,” can be positive, negative, both, or zero, depending on the relative phases of the actual elements; they encode phase information necessary to complete time-frequency representation of all information in the original signal.
The blind source separation and classification of diver's noise based on adaptive beamforming and frequency selection
Authors: Yang Juan , Sabra Karim G. , Xu Feng , An Xudong , Tang Hao , Jiang Lei , Li Peng
Published: May 2016

This paper introduces an algorithm to separate and classify the diver’s noise in the presence of other noise interferers. The passive detection and classification for divers has been discussed before by using the breathing rate as features. But the performance of this approach significantly diminishes when other noise sources existing simultaneously, especially the other divers or louder shipping noises. In this paper, the wideband MVDR is used as an adaptive beamformer for horizontal linear array to better discriminate the azimuth of diver source of interest and separate the noises from different sources. The frequency content of the diver noise is also estimated adaptively according to azimuth distribution with no prior knowledge to enhance the separation ability from noises of similar azimuth and used to improve the correct rate of the classification. The performance of the proposed algorithm is discussed using both diver noise recorded in tank and at-sea shipping noise recorded in ocean for varying signal to noise ratio.
Impulse suppression algorithm development of a compatible program for cochlear implant users
Authors: Saba Juliana , Lee Jaewook , Ali Hussnain , Ta Son , Nguyen Tuan , Hansen John H.
Published: May 2016

Cochlear implant patients are more likely to abstain from impulsive-like environments due to limitations of current sound processing strategies. Conventional sound processing algorithms in conjunction with automatic gain controls tend to suppress impulsive sounds achieved unfortunately at the cost of reducing speech intelligibility. In this work, we propose a signal processing algorithm to provide protection to cochlear implant users in impulsive/noisy environments. A 22-band Advanced Combination Encoder (ACE) sound processing strategy was used as the base algorithm for speech enhancement. We propose an adaptable mathematical relationship to define impulsive like sound conditions and use this relationship to reduce the intensity of electrical pulses without altering the frequency ranges associated with speech to maintain speech quality/intelligibility. By varying the floor level of the environment, the program reduced/increased suppression intensity to achieve an effective configuration for practical listening environments. The algorithm was implemented in MATLAB and evaluated in benchtop (offline) testing with one CI user. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed using a paired preference test, a quality test, and an intelligibility test. Results showed increased quality of sound by +18%, and an average quality rating of processed speech 6/10 compared against 2.67/10 of speech in an unprocessed impulsive environment.
A discourse on the effectiveness of digital filters at removing noise from audio
Authors: Kirch Nicole , Zhu Na
Published: May 2016

In real world applications, audio signals become degraded by irregular signals called noise. Cell phone, hearing aid, and audio recording industries rely on noise reduction in their signal processing to maintain clarity and intelligibility. This research project compares various digital filtering algorithms in their ability to remove noise without damaging the desired audio signal. The chosen filters operate either in the time or frequency domains: low pass, high pass, band pass, and windowing. Prerecorded and preprocessed samples of voice and music are saturated with computer generated noise or a physical noise source, and the original audio signals are then compared to the noisy and filtered signals. Effectiveness and unique characteristics of the filters are recorded and quantized. This data can be used in designing future acoustic devices.
Very high frequency underwater noise from breaking waves
Authors: Deane Grant B. , Stokes M. D.
Published: May 2016

In the absence of anthropogenic and biological sources and under wind-driven seas, underwater sound generated by breaking waves is the dominant source of high frequency ambient noise in the ocean. At frequencies above O (1000 Hz), this noise is generated by pulses of sound radiated by air bubbles entrained in actively breaking whitecaps. A history of measurements extending back more than 50 years has shown that the sound radiated by breaking waves is well-correlated with wind speed and extends in frequency to at least 20 kHz. Here, we present measurements of high frequency noise radiated by breaking laboratory waves. Focused wave packets in the Glass Wave Channel at the Hydraulics Laboratory at SIO generated breaking waves ranging in type from spilling to plunging, which were representative of small to medium scale waves on seas driven by 8–12 m/s winds. Measurements made with high frequency hydrophones (ITC 1089D) show that the noise spectrum from these waves extends beyond 400 kHz, challenging the assumption that noise above 100 kHz is dominated by thermal effects. Moreover, the slope of the noise spectrum is roughly −17 dB/decade, consistent with oceanic noise spectra at lower frequencies.
Sound production in two species of eelgrass
Authors: Rice Jeff
Published: May 2016

There have been numerous anecdotal reports that a species of the aquatic plant known as eelgrass (Zostera marina) makes an audible bubbling sound that can be heard on warm, sunny days in estuarine waters at low tide. This champagne-like fizzing sound results from the expiration of oxygen by the plant during photosynthesis and can be heard as airborne sound by listening closely to the surface of the water. The author recorded this sound in July of 2014 in the shallow mudflats of Puget Sound in Washington. Recordings were made of both airborne and underwater sounds. On the same day in the same general area, the author also recorded similar bubbling from a different, non-native species of eelgrass (Zostera japonica). The sounds of the two species were compared, revealing clear and distinct sound signatures for each. These recordings suggest that sound production in the two species of eelgrass is strongly present and may provide opportunities for further research.
More delays for ITER, as partners balk at costs
Authors: Clery Daniel , Cho Adrian
Published: May 2016

Review warns that new timeline could still be too optimistic.
Uniform patchy and hollow rectangular platelet micelles from crystallizable polymer blends
Authors: Qiu Huibin , Gao Yang , Boott Charlotte E. , Gould Oliver E. C. , Harniman Robert L. , Miles Mervyn J. , Webb Stephen E. D. , Winnik Mitchell A. , Manners Ian
Published: May 2016

Growing patterned rectangular objects

The growth of patterned objects usually requires a template to aid the positioning of multiple materials. Qiu
et al.
used the seeded growth of a crystallizable block copolymer and a homopolymer to produce highly uniform rectangular structures (see the Perspective by Ballauff). Chemical etching, or dissolution, of uncross-linked regions of the rectangular structures produced perforated platelet micelles. The sequential addition of different blends and cross-linking/dissolution strategies allowed the formation of well-defined hollow rectangular micelles, which can be functionalized in a variety of ways.

Science
, this issue p.
697
; see also p.
656
Comment on “Cycling Li-O
2
batteries via LiOH formation and decomposition”
Authors: Shen Yue , Zhang Wang , Chou Shu-Lei , Dou Shi-Xue
Published: May 2016

Liu
et al
. (Research Article, 30 October 2015, p. 530) described a lithium-oxygen (Li-O
2
) battery based on lithium iodide (LiI)–assisted lithium hydroxide (LiOH) formation and decomposition. We argue that LiOH cannot be oxidized by triiodide (I
3
–
). The charge capacity is from the oxidation of I
–
instead of LiOH. The limited-capacity cycling test is misleading when the electrolyte contributes considerable parasitic reaction capacity.
Self-assembly creates 2D materials
Authors: Ballauff Matthias
Published: May 2016

Carefully chosen mixtures of polymers form rectangular platelets in solution
Measuring slow slip offshore
Authors: Tréhu Anne M.
Published: May 2016

Monitoring changes in the seafloor might be used for earthquake and tsunami forecasting
O-Specific Polysaccharide-Specific Memory B Cell Responses in Young Children, Older Children, and Adults Infected with Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa in Bangladesh
Authors: Aktar Amena , Rahman M. Arifur , Afrin Sadia , Faruk M. Omar , Uddin Taher , Akter Aklima , Sami M. Israk Nur , Yasmin Tahirah , Chowdhury Fahima , Khan Ashraful I. , Leung Daniel T. , LaRocque Regina C. , Charles Richelle C. , Bhuiyan Taufiqur Rahman , Mandlik Anjali , Kelly Meagan , Kováč Pavol , Xu Peng , Calderwood Stephen B. , Harris Jason B. , Qadri Firdausi , Ryan Edward T.
Published: May 2016

Cholera caused by
Vibrio cholerae
O1 confers at least 3 to 10 years of protection against subsequent disease regardless of age, despite a relatively rapid fall in antibody levels in peripheral blood, suggesting that memory B cell responses may play an important role in protection. The
V. cholerae
O1-specific polysaccharide (OSP) component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is responsible for serogroup specificity, and it is unclear if young children are capable of developing memory B cell responses against OSP, a T cell-independent antigen, following cholera. To address this, we assessed OSP-specific memory B cell responses in young children (2 to 5 years,
n
= 11), older children (6 to 17 years,
n
= 21), and adults (18 to 55 years,
n
= 28) with cholera caused by
V. cholerae
O1 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We also assessed memory B cell responses against LPS and vibriocidal responses, and plasma antibody responses against OSP, LPS, and cholera toxin B subunit (CtxB; a T cell-dependent antigen) on days 2 and 7, as well as days 30, 90, and 180 after convalescence. In all age cohorts, vibriocidal responses and plasma OSP, LPS, and CtxB-specific responses peaked on day 7 and fell toward baseline over the follow-up period. In comparison, we were able to detect OSP memory B cell responses in all age cohorts of patients with detectable responses over baseline for 90 to 180 days. Our results suggest that OSP-specific memory B cell responses can occur following cholera, even in the youngest children, and may explain in part the age-independent induction of long-term immunity following naturally acquired disease.
Complete Genome Sequences of Seven Helicoverpa armigera SNPV-AC53-Derived Strains
Authors: Noune Christopher , Hauxwell Caroline
Published: May 2016

Wild-type baculovirus isolates typically consist of multiple strains. We report the full genome sequences of seven alphabaculovirus strains derived by passage through tissue culture from
Helicoverpa armigera
SNPV-AC53 (KJ909666).
Genome Sequence of Marichromatium gracile YL-28, a Purple Sulfur Bacterium with Bioremediation Potential
Authors: Zhang Xiaobo , Zhao Chungui , Hong Xuan , Chen Shicheng , Yang Suping
Published: May 2016

The draft genome sequence of
Marichromatium gracile
YL-28 contains 3,840,251 bp, with a G+C content of 68.84%. The annotated genome sequence provides the genetic basis for revealing its role as a purple sulfur bacterium in the harvesting of energy and the development of bioremediation applications.
Draft Genome Sequences of 37 Salmonella enterica Strains Isolated from Poultry Sources in Nigeria
Authors: Useh Nicodemus M. , Ngbede Emmanuel O. , Akange Nguavese , Thomas Milton , Foley Andrew , Keena Mitchel Chan , Nelson Eric , Christopher-Hennings Jane , Tomita Masaru , Suzuki Haruo , Scaria Joy
Published: May 2016

Here, we report the availability of draft genomes of several
Salmonella
serotypes, isolated from poultry sources from Nigeria. These genomes will help to further understand the biological diversity of
S. enterica
and will serve as references in microbial trace-back studies to improve food safety.
Genome Sequences of Salmonella enterica subsp.
enterica
Serovar Lubbock Strains Isolated from Liver Abscesses of Feedlot Cattle
Authors: Amachawadi Raghavendra G. , Thomas Milton , Nagaraja Tiruvoor G. , Scaria Joy
Published: May 2016

The genome sequencing of 13
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Lubbock strains isolated from liver abscesses of feedlot cattle is reported here. The availability of these genomes will help to further understand the etiologic role of
Salmonella
strains in liver abscesses of cattle and will serve as references in microbial trace-back studies to improve food safety.
Genome Sequence of the Banana Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens PS006
Authors: Gamez Rocío M. , Rodríguez Fernando , Ramírez Sandra , Gómez Yolanda , Agarwala Richa , Landsman David , Mariño-Ramírez Leonardo
Published: May 2016

Pseudomonas fluorescens
is a well-known plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR). We report here the first whole-genome sequence of PGPR
P. fluorescens
evaluated in Colombian banana plants. The genome sequences contains genes involved in plant growth and defense, including bacteriocins, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, and genes that provide resistance to toxic compounds.
Genome Sequence of Riemerella anatipestifer Strain RCAD0122, a Multidrug-Resistant Isolate from Ducks
Authors: Song Xiao-Heng , Zhou Wang-Shu , Wang Jiang-Bo , Liu Ma-Feng , Wang Ming-Shu , Cheng An-Chun , Jia Ren-Yong , Chen Shun , Sun Kun-Feng , Yang Qiao , Wu Ying , Chen Xiao-Yue , Zhu De-Kang
Published: May 2016

Riemerella anatipestifer
is an important pathogenic bacterium in waterfowl and other avian species. We present here the genome sequence of
R. anatipestifer
RCAD0122, a multidrug-resistant strain isolated from infected ducks. The isolate contains at least nine types of antibiotic resistance-associated genes.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Pseudomonas
sp. EpS/L25, Isolated from the Medicinal Plant
Echinacea purpurea
and Able To Synthesize Antimicrobial Compounds
Authors: Presta Luana , Bosi Emanuele , Fondi Marco , Maida Isabel , Perrin Elena , Miceli Elisangela , Maggini Valentina , Bogani Patrizia , Firenzuoli Fabio , Di Pilato Vincenzo , Rossolini Gian Maria , Mengoni Alessio , Fani Renato
Published: May 2016

We announce here the draft genome sequence of
Pseudomonas
sp. strain EpS/L25, isolated from the stem/leaves of the medicinal plant
Echinacea purpurea
. This genome will allow for comparative genomics in order to identify genes associated with the production of bioactive compounds and antibiotic resistance.
Genome Sequence of the Multiantibiotic-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Strain C68 and Insights on the pLRM23 Colonization Plasmid
Authors: García-Solache Mónica , Rice Louis B.
Published: May 2016

Enterococcus faecium
infections are a rising concern in hospital settings. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonize the gastrointestinal tract and replace nonresistant strains, complicating the treatment of debilitated patients. Here, we present a polished genome of the multiantibiotic-resistant strain C68, which was obtained as a clinical isolate and is a useful experimental strain.
Draft Genome Sequence of Vancomycin-Susceptible, Ampicillin-Intermediate Enterococcus faecium Strain D344RRF
Authors: García-Solache Mónica , Rice Louis B.
Published: May 2016

Enterococcus faecium
is an important nosocomial pathogen, causing a substantial health burden due to high resistance to antibiotics and its ability to colonize the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we present the draft genome of vancomycin-susceptible, ampicillin-intermediate strain D344RRF, a rifampicin/fusidic acid-resistant and commonly used laboratory strain, which is useful in studying the transfer of antibiotic resistance.
Cardiac arrest due to a missed diagnosis of Boerhaave's syndrome
Authors: Davies Jennifer , Spitzer David , Phylactou Maria , Glasser Martin
Published: May 2016

A 91-year-old presented with a rare cause of cardiac arrest. He was initially admitted with severe back pain following vomiting and diagnosed with probable aspiration pneumonia. On day 3 of admission, he was discovered in cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was started. On intubation, a left-sided pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema were noted. Needle decompression showed gastric fluid leaking from the cannula. The patient regained a cardiac output, and a subsequent CT scan confirmed a large pneumomediastinum with air tracking to the neck and chest, and bilateral pneumothoraces. A diagnosis of Boerhaave's syndrome was made. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit but did not survive. This case demonstrates the importance of looking for and treating the rarer reversible causes of cardiac arrest, and of maintaining a high index of suspicion for Boerhaave's syndrome. Despite its rarity, Boerhaave's syndrome is often misdiagnosed on initial presentation, leading to delayed treatment and poor outcomes.
Doppler ultrasound findings in a patient with primary infertility and triorchidism
Authors: Aziz Wajahat , Rehman Khaleeq Ur , Rafique Muhammad Zafar
Published: May 2016

Polyorchidism, presence of more than two testes in a scrotum, is a rare clinical entity. To date, about 200 cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of triorchidism in a patient presenting with a 7-year history of primary infertility. Clinical examination revealed two completely separate testes with two separate epididymides and single vas suggesting a complete division of the genital ridge and partial duplication of the vas deferens. In our patient, the clinical picture together with ultrasound findings were characteristic enough to exclude other diagnoses, allowing conservative management. We also present the Doppler ultrasound findings of this rare condition, which may be helpful for comparison in patients with triorchidism who present with testicular torsion.
A customised ENT admissions proforma and novel online ‘clerking collaborative’
Authors: Hariri Ahmad A , Edmiston Rachel , Mani Navin , Lloyd Simon K
Published: May 2016

Objectives

Admissions clerking proformas are commonly used in hospitals to aid complete patient assessment. Much variation remains in the format of these forms and they frequently fail to account for local-specific and specialty-specific factors. We developed and piloted the use of a novel ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinic admissions clerking proforma and created a national online ‘clerking collaborative’.

Methods

Doctors completed ‘mock clerkings’ for 6 common acute ENT presentations by both traditional methods (freehand) and using our customised ENT diagrams. Participants were timed throughout the process and asked to complete a feedback survey. A senior ENT clinician provided structured feedback comparing the quality of each type of clerking.

Results

9 junior doctors participated in the exercise. 5 participants started with freehand drawings while the remainder used our clerking proforma first. Our customised diagrams provided accurate representations of the clinical scenarios, and were easier and faster to complete than free drawings. They were also easier to interpret and best represented the clinical findings compared with freehand clerkings. A website (MyClerking.co.uk) was created to disseminate the clerking proforma and to allow other clinicians to contribute improvements.

Conclusions

Accurate and legible clerkings are essential to allow for continuity of care and management. This is particularly important in ENT, where drawings are frequently used to describe clinical findings. Our predrawn diagrams speed up the clerking process and allow for more accurate depiction of findings. We have designed an online ‘clerking collaborative’ where doctors can download our proforma, contribute improvements and upload their own ideas for other specialties.
Primary care interventions to improve transition of youth with chronic health conditions from paediatric to adult healthcare: a systematic review
Authors: Bhawra Jasmin , Toulany Alene , Cohen Eyal , Moore Hepburn Charlotte , Guttmann Astrid
Published: May 2016

Objective

To determine effective interventions to improve primary care provider involvement in transitioning youth with chronic conditions from paediatric to adult care.

Design

Systematic review. Multiple electronic databases were searched including Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science (from 1 January 1947 to 5 August 2015). Evidence quality was assessed using a 36-point scoring system for disparate study designs.

Setting

Studies with paediatric-to-adult transition programmes and interventions involving primary care providers or in primary care settings.

Participants

Youth aged 16 years and over.

Outcomes

Relevant outcomes were grouped into 3 main domains based on the Triple Aim Framework: experience of care, population health, cost.

Results

A total of 1888 unique citations were identified, yielding 3 studies for inclusion. Overall, primary care provider roles were not well defined. 2 studies used case managers to facilitate referrals to primary care, and the remaining study was the only 1 situated in a primary care setting. None of the studies examined transition in all 3 Triple Aim Framework domains. The most commonly reported outcomes were in the cost domain.

Conclusions

There is limited empiric evidence to guide primary care interventions to improve transition outcomes for youth with chronic conditions. Future research and policy should focus on developing and evaluating coordinated transition interventions to better integrate primary care for high need populations.
How can we help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer? A systematic review of intervention studies
Authors: Latter Sue , Hopkinson Jane B , Richardson Alison , Hughes Jane A , Lowson Elizabeth , Edwards Deborah
Published: May 2016

Background

Family carers play a significant role in managing pain and associated medicines for people with advanced cancer. Research indicates that carers often feel inadequately prepared for the tasks involved, which may impact on carers’ and patients’ emotional state as well as the achievement of optimal pain control. However, little is known about effective methods of supporting family carers with cancer pain medicines.

Aims

To systematically identify and review studies of interventions to help carers manage medicines for pain in advanced cancer. To identify implications for practice and research.

Method

A systematic literature search of databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and AMED) was carried out to identify studies of pain medication management interventions that involved family carers of patients with advanced cancer, and reported specific outcomes for family carers. Patient pain outcomes were also sought. Studies were quality appraised; key aspects of study design, interventions and outcomes were compared and a narrative synthesis of findings developed.

Results

8 studies were included; all had significant methodological limitations. The majority reported improvements in family carer knowledge and/or self-efficacy for managing pain medicines; no effect on patient pain outcomes; and no adverse effects. It was not possible to discern any association between particular intervention characteristics and family carer outcomes.

Conclusions

Current evidence is limited, but overall suggests face-to-face educational interventions supported by written and/or other resources have potential to improve carers’ knowledge and self-efficacy for pain management. Further research is needed to identify how best to help family carers manage pain medicines for patients with advanced cancer.
A Frobenius theorem for corank-1 continuous distributions in dimensions two and three
Authors: Luzzatto S. , Türeli̇ S. , War K. M.
Published: May 2016

We formulate a notion of (uniform) asymptotic involutivity and show that it implies (unique) integrability of corank-1 continuous distributions in dimensions three or less. This generalizes and extends a classical Frobenius theorem, which says that an involutive [Formula: see text] distribution is uniquely integrable.
Kinetics of the persistent photocurrent in a-Si:H
Authors: Freitas Ruben Jeronimo , Shimakawa Koichi
Published: May 2016

Although the persistent photocurrent (PPC) in amorphous hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is known to be dominated by dispersive recombination kinetics which produce the power low decay, [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the dispersion parameter, the reason for the occurrence of the dispersive reaction is not clear. We discuss the origin of the dispersive nature in the PPC in a-Si:H. It is shown that band edge modulation due to microscopic inhomogeneity may play an important role in the PPC dynamics.
Boundary conditions for Maxwell fields in Kerr-AdS spacetimes
Authors: Wang Mengjie
Published: May 2016

Perturbative methods are useful to study the interaction between black holes and test fields. The equation for a perturbation itself, however, is not complete to study such a composed system if we do not assign physically relevant boundary conditions. Recently we have proposed a new type of boundary conditions for Maxwell fields in Kerr-anti-de Sitter (Kerr-AdS) spacetimes, from the viewpoint that the AdS boundary may be regarded as a perfectly reflecting mirror, in the sense that energy flux vanishes asymptotically. In this paper, we prove explicitly that a vanishing energy flux leads to a vanishing angular momentum flux. Thus, these boundary conditions may be dubbed as vanishing flux boundary conditions.
A Crise Hídrica na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (2014-2015)
Authors: Custódio Vanderli
Published: May 2016

Este artigo sobre a crise hídrica na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo entre os anos 2014-2015, objetiva caracterizá-la e situá-la num contexto temporal mais amplo. Com apoio bibliográfico se intenta demonstrar que essa não é uma crise nova e sim uma nova fase de uma crise secular pela frágil gestão e planejamento no abastecimento de água para São Paulo por parte do Poder Público, bem como evidenciar que as medidas estruturais (obras) e não estruturais (programas, legislação etc.) possuem histórico caráter emergencial. Como resultado espera-se contribuir para o enriquecimento da abordagem da problemática.
The Malaria-High Blood Pressure Hypothesis
Authors: Etyang Anthony O. , Smeeth Liam , Cruickshank J. Kennedy , Scott J. Anthony G.
Published: May 2016

Rationale:

Several studies have demonstrated links between infectious diseases and cardiovascular conditions. Malaria and hypertension are widespread in many low- and middle-income countries, but the possible link between them has not been considered.

Objective:

In this article, we outline the basis for a possible link between malaria and hypertension and discuss how the hypothesis could be confirmed or refuted.

Methods and Results:

We reviewed published literature on factors associated with hypertension and checked whether any of these were also associated with malaria. We then considered various study designs that could be used to test the hypothesis. Malaria causes low birth weight, malnutrition, and inflammation, all of which are associated with hypertension in high-income countries. The hypothetical link between malaria and hypertension can be tested through the use of ecological, cohort, or Mendelian randomization studies, each of which poses specific challenges.

Conclusions:

Confirmation of the existence of a causative link with malaria would be a paradigm shift in efforts to prevent and control hypertension and would stimulate wider research on the links between infectious and noncommunicable disease.