bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of rhythmic entrainment in speech production using real-time magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Goldstein Louis , Proctor Michael I. , Lammert Adam
Published: October 2011

It has been shown that subjects may recruit extra-linguistic articulators during the rhythmic production of speech (Tiede, 2010), that sympathetic head movement is associated with dysfluencies in running speech (Hadar, 1984), and that the magnitude of this activity positively correlates with both speaking rate and increased effort in accelerating speech production tasks (Hadar, 1991; Tiede, 2011). It is unclear at what level of linguistic organization this entrainment occurs. We examined patterns of articulation and head movement during an accelerated repetitive speech task involving multi-gestural segments, in order to gain more insights into the coordinative bases of this behavior. Real-time magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine the production of paired English words, contrasting along various articulations, e.g., “cop-top,” “kid-kim,” “flee-free,” “muck-duck.” Subjects' upper airways were imaged in the midsagittal plane while producing trochaic repetitions of each word pair in time to an accelerating metronome. Labial, tongue tip, tongue body and velic activity, as well as gross head movement, were tracked with direct image analysis (Lammert, 2010). Spontaneous head nodding was frequently observed in coordination with the prosodic foot. Nodding was observed to increase in amplitude with speech rate and during production of stimuli containing complex segments. [Work supported by NIH].
Perceptual importance of the voice source spectrum from H2 to 2 kHz
Authors: Kreiman Jody , Garellek Marc
Published: October 2011

Modeling the source spectrum requires understanding of the perceptual importance of different spectral-domain attributes of the voice source. Although the roles of H1-H2 and high-frequency harmonics in quality perception are somewhat understood, the extent of spectral detail that is perceptually significant in other frequency ranges is not known. This experiment examined the perceptual importance of amplitude difference between the second and fourth harmonics (H2-H4), which varies with linguistically significant changes in mode of phonation and pitch. To further determine if sensitivity depends on H1-H2 or on F0, we synthesized non-pathological male (F0=100 Hz) and female voices (F0 = 200 Hz) and manipulated the values of H2-H4 by 1 dB increments over a 20 dB range, for three different H1-H2 levels. Listeners heard pairs of stimuli in a 1-up, 2-down adaptive paradigm, and variations in just-noticeable-difference for H2-H4 as a function of F0 and H1-H2 were assessed with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Discussion will focus on the extent to which H2-H4 sensitivity covaries with F0, H1-H2, and the shape of the spectrum above H4. [Work supported by NSF and NIH.]
The role of vowel transitions in the perception of Mandarin sibilants
Authors: Chang Yung-hsiang Shawn
Published: October 2011

Vocalic formant transitions have been reported to play a role in identification of sibilants in English (e.g., Whalen, 1981), Shona (Bladon et al., 1987), and other languages. In distinguishing the Mandarin /s/-/ʂ/ contrast, while F2 at vowel onset is suggested to reflect the vocal tract configuration at the moment of fricative release into the vowel (Stevens et al., 2004), it has never been studied whether this acoustic cue contributes to phoneme perception. This study used a F2 continuum spliced between a fricative highly confusable between /s/ and /ʂ/ and the vowel /a/ for an identification task on 16 native listeners. The results did not show a categorical perception effect on /sa/ and /ʂa/ distinction along the F2 continuum. The second experiment used the naturally produced /sa/ and /ʂa/ whose vocalic transitions were cross-spliced to investigate if the listeners were affected by misleading formant transitions. Listeners' goodness ratings revealed no sensitivity to the acoustic manipulation. It was concluded that F2 is not a primary cue for the place distinction of Mandarin /s/ and /ʂ/. Our findings support Wagner et al.'s (2006) observation that the contribution of formant transitions to fricative perception is language-specific and depends on spectral similarity among target fricatives.
Vowel nasality as a perceptual cue to pharyngeal consonants in moroccan arabic
Authors: Zellou Georgia, E.
Published: October 2011

Pharyngeal consonants have been shown cross-linguistically to be co-articulated with velopharyngeal port opening (Bladon and Al-Bamerni, 1982, Elgendy, 2001). We examined whether coarticulatory vowel nasality is a perceptual cue to an adjacent pharyngeal, and/or nasal, consonant in Moroccan Arabic (MA). Monosyllabic MA words spoken by a native speaker containing a pharyngeal, voiced /ʕ/ or voiceless /ℏ/, or a nasal /n,m/ were cross-spliced with vowels from other contexts creating two conditions per word: “Oral” stimuli were pharyngeals cross-spliced with pharyngealized vowels (i.e., adjacent to /d ʕ/) or nasals cross-spliced with oral vowels (i.e., adjacent to /d/). “Nasal” stimuli were cross-spliced with nasal vowels. The stimuli were presented to nine native MA speakers in a timed lexical repetition task. An RM ANOVA of repetition times showed a significant interaction between nasality, consonant, and directionality [F(7,324) = 3.755, p=0.046]. For anticipatory coarticulation, vowel nasality resulted in faster RTs, indicating facilitated perception for voiced /ʕ/ (t(52) = 1.67, p =.001) but not voiceless /ℏ/. For carryover coarticulation, vowel nasality resulted in faster RTs for /ℏ/ (t(52)=2.05,p = .02), but not /ʕ/. In both directions, vowel nasality resulted in faster RTs for nasals. These results indicate that MA listeners use vowel nasality as a perceptual cue to a word with a pharyngeal segment.
Low-level adjustments to gross-categorical mismatches in the perception of accented speech
Authors: Sumner Meghan , Tilsen Samuel
Published: October 2011

Variation in speech abounds. How do listeners understand a single word produced any number of ways as an instance of one particular word and not another? Sumner (2011) found that listeners perceive unaspirated voiceless stops [p] as a /p/ (rather than the native /b/) when exposed to more variation and when listeners are shifted down a VOT continuum in 5 ms steps. To understand this behavior, we compared order effects and noise in a phoneme categorization task in two conditions, both shifting listeners down a VOT continuum from a native /p/ (60 ms VOT) to a non-native /p/ (0 ms VOT). In one condition, listeners heard p-initial words with VOTS that made small steps down (5 ms) the continuum, with interspersed big jumps up (15–20 ms). In the other, listeners heard the same words with big jumps down and small steps up. Replicating Sumner (2011), listeners were successful in perceiving an unaspirated stop as voiceless. Interestingly, a difference between the conditions emerged, with greater boundary shifts made with big jumps down and small steps up. These results show (1) within-native-category fluctuations have no effect on categorization and (2) big differences in VOT serve as categorization anchors, while small steps drive perceptual adjustments.
Perception of Korean alveolar fricatives by American learners
Authors: Lee Ahrong , Park Hanyong
Published: October 2011

This paper presents experimental data on how native English-speaking adult learners perceive Korean voiceless alveolar fricatives in a task soliciting sensitivity to prosodic context. College students in a second semester Korean class were asked to identify tokens of the two contrasting Korean fricatives, lax /s/ and tense /ss/, using letters of the Korean alphabet while rating their confidence on a scale from 1 (not confident at all) to 7 (very confident). Four native speakers of Korean (M = 2; F = 2) produced 24 tokens of the target sounds in construction with /a/ in three different prosodic contexts, viz., prevocalic word-initial, pre-emphatic intervocalic, and post-emphatic intervocalic positions. The results show a tendency for subjects to classify both Korean fricatives as lax /s/ under most conditions, except that tense /ss/ was often separately identified when preceded by an emphasized vowel. Phonetically, Korean /ss/ is of greater duration and intensity in a post-emphatic context than elsewhere, hence more distinct from /s/ in both Korean and English and so, apparently, more easily identifiable for beginning learners.
The perception of Japanese pitch accent in “whispered” speech
Authors: Sugiyama Yukiko
Published: October 2011

The perception of Japanese pitch accent was investigated using “whispered” speech in which the F0 was artificially removed. While the F0 is said to be the primary cue for pitch accent in Japanese, it is not certain whether acoustic correlates other than F0 exist. The results of previous production studies that examined vowel duration or devoicing as a correlate of pitch accent are not consistent. The present study attempts to find correlates of pitch accent from the other end, i.e., perception. A native speaker of Tokyo Japanese produced 14 disyllabic minimal pairs that differed only in the presence or absence of accent (e.g., /hana*/ “flower” when accented vs. /hana/ “nose” when unaccented) in a carrier sentence. The utterances were then edited by replacing the F0 by random noise, creating artificial “whispered” speech. Twenty-two native speakers of Tokyo Japanese identified the words they heard in two kinds of stimuli, the 14 minimal pairs as produced by the speaker and the whispered speech. The results suggest evidence of pitch accent in whispered speech. Implications of the results for the nature of Japanese pitch accent and the perception of accent will be discussed.
Discrimination of Japanese affricate contrast by native speakers of Korean
Authors: Onishi Hiromi
Published: October 2011

It is known that Korean learners frequently experience difficulty producing the Japanese syllable /tsu/, which is often perceived as the syllable /t∫u/ by native Japanese speakers. The investigator administered an AXB discrimination test using these affricates (/tsu/-/t∫u/) in order to examine how well Korean native speakers can discriminate this contrast. These affricates were also tested in the shape of a whole syllable with the high-back vowel (/tsu/-/t∫u/). In addition, discrimination of the high-back vowel following the two affricates was also examined. The overall results suggest that native Korean speakers are capable of discriminating Japanese syllable /tsu/ from /t∫u/. However, the participants scored significantly lower for the vowel contrast than the syllable and consonant contrasts. Following the AXB test, an identification test was conducted using Hangul orthography in order to investigate the perceptual assimilation patterns. The results showed that the two syllables are assimilated to different syllables in Korean. The identification of the vowels showed that the /u/ in the contexts of /ts__/ was consistently assimilated to a single Korean category while some kind of vowel with preceding semivowel /j/ was selected most frequently for /u/ in the contexts of /t∫__/. These results are discussed based on Best's perceptual assimilation model.
Lexical tone processing by monolingual and bilingual speakers of tone and non tone languages
Authors: Danielson D. Kyle
Published: October 2011

This experiment tested early Chinese–English bilinguals (age of arrival in Canada < 2 years) for lexical encoding processes of F0 contour (tone). Earlier experimentation (e.g., Mattock and Burnham, 2006) has indicated that processing of lexical tone differs between the two corresponding monolingual groups, demonstrating that English monolingual infants begin to disregard F0 contour differences in non word minimal pairs by the age of nine months, while Chinese monolingual infants do not exhibit this behavior. In the present study, three groups of participants were tested using a short-term memory encoding task (Dupoux et al., 2010) with non word minimal pairs differentiated only by F0 contour. Although the tone contours utilized in the experiment were non-native to all speakers, Chinese-dominant bilinguals (adult arrival in Canada) performed significantly better than English monolinguals in recalling long non word sequences differentiated only by these contours, while their performance in simple phoneme-differentiated sequences (e.g., [mu, fu]) was equal to that of the English speakers. However, the target group of early Chinese–English bilinguals produced scores corresponding to a bimodal distribution, with some speakers correlating to English monolinguals' performance and others corresponding to Chinese-dominant speakers' scores. Correspondence to one mode or another was analyzed using a series of sociolinguistic factors.
Speech-in-noise perception for new sentence-recognition materials: Normative data for a diverse non-native listener population
Authors: Smiljanic Rajka , Calandruccio Lauren , Rimikis Stacey
Published: October 2011

Even though the US population is becoming more diverse, there are no normalized sentence recognition tests for non-native English listeners. Recently, a large set of new test materials aimed at assessing speech recognition and hearing abilities for native and non-native listeners were developed by Smiljanic and Calandruccio [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 128(4), 2486]. Five hundred unique sentences divided into 20 lists were created. The target keywords were chosen from the most frequent lexical items occurring in naturally elicited conversations with 100 non-native talkers with varied linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The lists were equalized for syntactic structure, syllable count, high-frequency phonemes, and word frequency. Perception results revealed equal mean performance across lists for native listeners. Currently, we are in the process of collecting normative data for these materials. Results of speech-in-noise tests for a diverse group of non-native English listeners with various native language backgrounds and levels of English experience will be presented. Regression analyses will be performed to investigate how the listeners' linguistic experience, competence, and proficiency relate to their listening performance on these new sentence-recognition materials. The results of this study add to our current understanding of non-native listener-related factors that affect speech recognition in adverse listening conditions.
Acoustical Society of America Distinguished Service Citation
Authors: Hansen Uwe J.
Published: October 2011

The Distinguished Service Citation is awarded to a present or former member of the Society in recognition of outstanding service to the Society.
Comment on “Changes in Climatic Water Balance Drive Downhill Shifts in Plant Species’ Optimum Elevations”
Authors: Hijmans Robert J.
Published: October 2011

Crimmins
et al
. (Reports, 21 January 2011, p. 324) reported that plant species moved downhill between 1935 and 2005. They compared plot data for two time periods, ignoring that the modern plots were farther north than the historical plots. I contend that there is no support for a general downhill shift after correcting for this geographic bias.
Comment on “Changes in Climatic Water Balance Drive Downhill Shifts in Plant Species’ Optimum Elevations”
Authors: Wolf Adam , Anderegg William R. L.
Published: October 2011

Crimmins
et al
. (Reports, 21 January 2011, p. 324) presented a study that purports to show that plants in California are shifting downslope to maintain a constant water deficit. We argue that the results are limited in scope to just a handful of woody species in one part of the state and are confounded by methodological errors.
The Global Extent and Determinants of Savanna and Forest as Alternative Biome States
Authors: Staver A. Carla , Archibald Sally , Levin Simon A.
Published: October 2011

Savanna and forest are alternative states governed by fire at intermediate rainfall levels.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Industrial Strain Ketogulonicigenium vulgare WSH-001
Authors: Liu Liming , Li Yang , Zhang Jing , Zhou Zhemin , Liu Jie , Li Xiaomin , Zhou Jingwen , Du Guocheng , Wang Lei , Chen Jian
Published: October 2011

Ketogulonicigenium vulgare
is an industrial organism commonly used in the vitamin C industry. Here, we report the finished, annotated, and compared 3.28-Mbp high-quality genome sequence of
Ketogulonicigenium vulgare
WSH-001, a 2-keto-
l
-gulonic acid-producing industrial strain stocked in our laboratory.
Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli XH140A, Which Produces
l
-Threonine
Authors: Yang Huilin , Liao Yuling , Wang Bin , Lin Ying , Pan Li
Published: October 2011

Here we report the draft annotated genome sequence of
Escherichia coli
XH140A, which is used to produce
l
-threonine in industry. The genome sequence will allow the characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying its beneficial properties.
Comparative Performance of Human Papillomavirus DNA Testing Using Novel Sample Collection Methods
Authors: Gage Julia C. , Partridge Edward E. , Rausa Alfio , Gravitt Patti E. , Wacholder Sholom , Schiffman Mark , Scarinci Isabel , Castle Philip E.
Published: October 2011

To explore alternative cervical cancer screening approaches in an underserved population, we compared the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA assays in combination with different sample collection methods for primary cervical screening in the Mississippi Delta region. Three specimens were collected from women aged 26 to 65 years who were either routinely undergoing screening (
n
= 252) or not (
n
= 191): clinician-collected cervical specimens, clinician-collected cervicovaginal specimens, and self-collected cervicovaginal specimens taken at home. A novel collection device and medium were used for cervicovaginal sampling. Specimens were tested by three HPV DNA assays: hybrid capture 2 (HC2; Qiagen Corp., Gaithersburg, MD), Linear Array (LA; Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA), and Amplicor (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA). Liquid-based cytology was performed on cervical specimens. We compared the overall positivity (a proxy for clinical specificity) for any carcinogenic HPV genotype and calculated the agreement across assay and specimen type using McNemar's test for differences in test positivity. Across all three assays there were no significant differences between clinician-collected and self-collected cervicovaginal specimens (
P
> 0.01 for all comparisons). For both cervicovaginal specimens (clinician collected and self-collected), fewer women tested positive by HC2 than by LA or Amplicor (
P
< 0.01 for all comparisons). HC2 had the best agreement between specimens for all assays. HC2 is likely more clinically specific, although possibly less sensitive, than either PCR test. Thus, use of HC2 on cervicovaginal specimens for screening could result in fewer referrals compared to LA and Amplicor.
Sudden Death from Systemic Rotavirus Infection and Detection of Nonstructural Rotavirus Proteins
Authors: Nakano Ineko , Taniguchi Koki , Ishibashi-Ueda Hatsue , Maeno Yoshimasa , Yamamoto Naoki , Yui Akiko , Komoto Satoshi , Wakata Yasushi , Matsubara Tamehito , Ozaki Nozomu
Published: October 2011

A 2.5-year-old girl died suddenly during the course of rotavirus gastroenteritis. The autopsy showed encephalopathy with rotavirus systemic infection. Here, we provide evidence of rotavirus replication in multiple organs. Our findings clarify that rotavirus infection in children can extend beyond the intestinal tract through viremia.
Restricted Enzooticity of Hepatitis E Virus Genotypes 1 to 4 in the United States
Authors: Dong Chen , Meng Jihong , Dai Xing , Liang Jiu-Hong , Feagins Alicia R. , Meng Xiang-Jin , Belfiore Natalia M. , Bradford Carol , Corn Joseph L. , Cray Carolyn , Glass Gregory E. , Gordon Melvin L. , Hesse Richard A. , Montgomery Donald L. , Nicholson William L. , Pilny Anthony A. , Ramamoorthy Sheela , Shaver Douglas D. , Drobeniuc Jan , Purdy Michael A. , Fields Howard A. , Kamili Saleem , Teo Chong-Gee
Published: October 2011

Hepatitis E is recognized as a zoonosis, and swine are known reservoirs, but how broadly enzootic its causative agent, hepatitis E virus (HEV), is remains controversial. To determine the prevalence of HEV infection in animals, a serological assay with capability to detect anti-HEV-antibody across a wide variety of animal species was devised. Recombinant antigens comprising truncated capsid proteins generated from HEV-subgenomic constructs that represent all four viral genotypes were used to capture anti-HEV in the test sample and as an analyte reporter. To facilitate development and validation of the assay, serum samples were assembled from blood donors (
n
= 372), acute hepatitis E patients (
n
= 94), five laboratory animals (rhesus monkey, pig, New Zealand rabbit, Wistar rat, and BALB/c mouse) immunized with HEV antigens, and four pigs experimentally infected with HEV. The assay was then applied to 4,936 sera collected from 35 genera of animals that were wild, feral, domesticated, or otherwise held captive in the United States. Test positivity was determined in 457 samples (9.3%). These originated from: bison (3/65, 4.6%), cattle (174/1,156, 15%), dogs (2/212, 0.9%), Norway rats (2/318, 0.6%), farmed swine (267/648, 41.2%), and feral swine (9/306, 2.9%). Only the porcine samples yielded the highest reactivities. HEV RNA was amplified from one farmed pig and two feral pigs and characterized by nucleotide sequencing to belong to genotype 3. HEV infected farmed swine primarily, and the role of other animals as reservoirs of its zoonotic spread appears to be limited.
Identification and Characterization of an Immunogenic Hybrid Epitope Formed by both HIV gp120 and Human CD4 Proteins
Authors: Lewis George K. , Fouts Timothy R. , Ibrahim Sani , Taylor Brian M. , Salkar Rachita , Guan Yongjun , Kamin-Lewis Roberta , DeVico Anthony L.
Published: October 2011

Certain antibodies from HIV-infected humans bind conserved transition state (CD4 induced [CD4i]) domains on the HIV envelope glycoprotein, gp120, and demonstrate extreme dependence on the formation of a gp120-human CD4 receptor complex. The epitopes recognized by these antibodies remain undefined although recent crystallographic studies of the anti-CD4i monoclonal antibody (MAb) 21c suggest that contacts with CD4 as well as gp120 might occur. Here, we explore the possibility of hybrid epitopes that demand the collaboration of both gp120 and CD4 residues to enable antibody reactivity. Analyses with a panel of human anti-CD4i MAbs and gp120-CD4 antigens with specific mutations in predicted binding domains revealed one putative hybrid epitope, defined by the human anti-CD4i MAb 19e. In virological and immunological tests, MAb 19e did not bind native or constrained gp120 except in the presence of CD4. This contrasted with other anti-CD4i MAbs, including MAb 21c, which bound unliganded, full-length gp120 held in a constrained conformation. Conversely, MAb 19e exhibited no specific reactivity with free human CD4. Computational modeling of MAb 19e interactions with gp120-CD4 complexes suggested a distinct binding profile involving antibody heavy chain interactions with CD4 and light chain interactions with gp120. In accordance, targeted mutations in CD4 based on this model specifically reduced MAb 19e interactions with stable gp120-CD4 complexes that retained reactivity with other anti-CD4i MAbs. These data represent a rare instance of an antibody response that is specific to a pathogen-host cell protein interaction and underscore the diversity of immunogenic CD4i epitope structures that exist during natural infection.
Acceptability and response to a postal survey using self-taken samples for HPV vaccine impact monitoring
Authors: Sinka Katy , Lacey Michelle , Robertson Chris , Kavanagh Kim , Cuschieri Kate , Nicholson Donna , Donaghy Martin
Published: October 2011

Objective

To assess the feasibility and acceptance of a postal survey to measure human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and monitor vaccine impact, using self-taken specimens from young women who do not attend their first cervical screening appointment.

Methods

Focus groups informed the survey design identifying factors that would influence acceptability. Postal testing kits were sent to a nationally representative sample of unscreened women. Overall response rate, the influence of different specimen types (urine or vaginal swab) and the receipt of a reminder letter on participation were calculated. Specimens were tested anonymously for HPV. Individual test results were not provided.

Results

Of 5500 kits sent, 725 were returned (13.2%). Fifty-two women actively opted out. There was a higher return rate for urine kits (13.7% vs 12%) and from those who received a reminder letter (15.5% vs 12.2%). Response was influenced by deprivation (10.3% in the most deprived quintile vs 16.2% in the least). Overall weighted HPV prevalence was 35.9% (40.0% from swab specimens and 31.9% from urine).

Conclusions

Some women were willing to participate in anonymised postal testing. However, the low uptake means that HPV prevalence results are difficult to interpret for ongoing surveillance. Monitoring HPV vaccine impact outwith the cervical screening programme remains challenging.
Palaeoposition of the Seychelles microcontinent in relation to the Deccan Traps and the Plume Generation Zone in Late Cretaceous-Early Palaeogene time
Authors: Ganerød M. , Torsvik T. H. , van Hinsbergen D. J. J. , Gaina C. , Corfu F. , Werner S. , Owen-Smith T. M. , Ashwal L. D. , Webb S. J. , Hendriks B. W. H.
Published: October 2011

The Early Palaeogene magmatic rocks of North and Silhouette Islands in the Seychelles contain clues to the Cenozoic geodynamic puzzle of the Indian Ocean, but have so far lacked precise geochronological data and palaeomagnetic constraints. New
40
Ar/
39
Ar and U–Pb dates demonstrate that these rocks were emplaced during magnetochron C28n; however,
40
Ar/
39
Ar and palaeomagnetic data from Silhouette indicate that this complex experienced a protracted period of cooling. The Seychelles palaeomagnetic pole (57.55°S and 114.22°E; A9512.3°,
N
=14) corresponds to poles of similar ages from the Deccan Traps after being corrected for a clockwise rotation of 29.4°±12.9°. This implies that Seychelles acted as an independent microplate between the Indian and African plates during and possibly after C27r time, confirming recent results based on kinematic studies. Our reconstruction confirms that the eruption of the Deccan Traps, which affected both India and the Seychelles and triggered continental break-up, can be linked to the present active Reunion hotspot, which is being sourced as a deep plume from the Plume Generation Zone.

Supplementary material:

Experimental data are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18482
.
Recruitment of motor units in the medial gastrocnemius muscle during human quiet standing: is recruitment intermittent? What triggers recruitment?
Authors: Vieira Taian M. M. , Loram Ian D. , Muceli Silvia , Merletti Roberto , Farina Dario
Published: October 2011

The recruitment and the rate of discharge of motor units are determinants of muscle force. Within a motoneuron pool, recruitment and rate coding of individual motor units might be controlled independently, depending on the circumstances. In this study, we tested whether, during human quiet standing, the force of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle is predominantly controlled by recruitment or rate coding. If MG control during standing was mainly due to recruitment, then we further asked what the trigger mechanism is. Is it determined internally, or is it related to body kinematics? While seven healthy subjects stood quietly, intramuscular electromyograms were recorded from the MG muscle with three pairs of wire electrodes. The number of active motor units and their mean discharge rate were compared for different sway velocities and positions. Motor unit discharges occurred more frequently when the body swayed faster and forward (Pearson R = 0.63; P < 0.0001). This higher likelihood of observing motor unit potentials was explained chiefly by the recruitment of additional units. During forward body shifts, the median number of units detected increased from 3 to 11 ( P < 0.0001), whereas the discharge rate changed from 8 ± 1.1 (mean ± SD) to 10 ± 0.9 pulses/s ( P = 0.001). Strikingly, motor units did not discharge continuously throughout standing. They were recruited within individual, forward sways and intermittently, with a modal rate of two recruitments per second. This modal rate is consistent with previous circumstantial evidence relating the control of standing to an intrinsic, higher level planning process.
Control of reflex reversal in stick insect walking: effects of intersegmental signals, changes in direction, and optomotor-induced turning
Authors: Hellekes Katja , Blincow Eric , Hoffmann Julia , Büschges Ansgar
Published: October 2011

In many animals, the effects of sensory feedback on motor output change during locomotion. These changes can occur as reflex reversals in which sense organs that activate muscles to counter perturbations in posture control instead reinforce movements in walking. The mechanisms underlying these changes are only partially understood. As such, it is unclear whether reflex reversals are modulated when locomotion is adapted, such as during changes in walking direction or in turning movements. We investigated these questions in the stick insect Carausius morosus, where sensory signals from the femoral chordotonal organ are known to produce resistance reflexes at rest but assistive movements during walking. We studied how intersegmental signals from neighboring legs affect the generation of reflex reversals in a semi-intact preparation that allows free leg movement during walking. We found that reflex reversal was enhanced by stepping activity of the ipsilateral neighboring rostral leg, whereas stepping of contralateral legs had no effect. Furthermore, we found that the occurrence of reflex reversals was task-specific: in the front legs of animals with five legs walking, reflex reversal was generated only during forward and not backward walking. Similarly, during optomotor-induced curved walking, reflex reversal occurred only in the middle leg on the inside of the turn and not in the contralateral leg on the outside of the turn. Thus our results show for the first time that the nervous system modulates reflexes in individual legs in the adaptation of walking to specific tasks.
Rare Cause of Stricture Esophagus—Sarcoma: A Case Report and Review of the literature
Authors: Patricia S. , Saikat Das , Rajesh B. , Rajesh I. , Selvamani B. , Subhashini John
Published: October 2011

Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma account for the vast majority of oesophageal malignancies. Other malignancies known to occur in the oesophagus include melanoma, sarcoma, and lymphoma. Among the sarcomas, carcinosarcoma is the commonest with both carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements followed by leiomyosarcoma of mesenchymal origin. Other sarcomas reported in the literature are liposarcoma, synovial sarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, granulocytic sarcoma, histiocytic sarcoma, schwannoma rhabdomyosarcoma, and epithelioid sarcoma. We report a case of malignant spindle cell tumour of oesophagus. Sarcomas of esophagus present as a polypoid exophytic soft tissue mass. Our patient presented with a stricture which is a rare presentation. Locally aggressive treatment with surgery is beneficial, and local palliative treatment including radiotherapy is worthwhile.
Undiagnosed HIV Presenting with Lymphoid Interstitial Pneumonitis
Authors: Rizqallah Jason J. , Shah Christopher T. , Oluwole Oladoyin , Sheagren John N.
Published: October 2011

Undiagnosed or untreated human immunodeficiency virus infection can lead to devastating complications. We present a case of a 41-year-old woman who was found to have HIV-related lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis. LIP is uncommon, and its presentation can be quite similar to that of other chronic lung conditions. This case illustrates one of the possible protean manifestations of untreated HIV and is a sobering reminder of the need to screen all adults for HIV infection. Additionally, further invasive diagnostic testing may be required to guide therapy in patients with advanced acquired immune deficiency syndrome. This patient's LIP was likely related to long-standing unrecognized HIV disease.
Gastric Cancer in the Setting of Persistently Elevated Human Chorionic Gonadotropin: A Case Report
Authors: Walker LaToya R. , Erler Brian
Published: October 2011

A 35-year-old woman presented to the emergency room for the evaluation of failed surgical and medical management of a suspected ectopic pregnancy. When imaging studies were performed, she had lymphadenopathy and diffuse sclerosis of the osseous framework. Multiple biopsies were performed and revealed poorly differentiated metastatic carcinoma with signet ring features. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy confirmed the findings of a Stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma. Signs and symptoms of gastric carcinoma are vague. However, to our knowledge, an elevation in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is not an associated finding. Persistence of hCG has many causes from abnormal pregnancy to menopause and other forms of cancer.
Evolutionary Computation and Its Applications in Neural and Fuzzy Systems
Authors: Zhang Biaobiao , Wu Yue , Lu Jiabin , Du K.-L.
Published: October 2011

Neural networks and fuzzy systems are two soft‐computing paradigms for system modelling. Adapting a neural or fuzzy system requires to solve two optimization problems: structural optimization and parametric optimization. Structural optimization is a discrete optimization problem which is very hard to solve using conventional optimization techniques. Parametric optimization can be solved using conventional optimization techniques, but the solution may be easily trapped at a bad local optimum. Evolutionary computation is a general‐purpose stochastic global optimization approach under the universally accepted neo‐Darwinian paradigm, which is a combination of the classical Darwinian evolutionary theory, the selectionism of Weismann, and the genetics of Mendel. Evolutionary algorithms are a major approach to adaptation and optimization. In this paper, we first introduce evolutionary algorithms with emphasis on genetic algorithms and evolutionary strategies. Other evolutionary algorithms such as genetic programming, evolutionary programming, particle swarm optimization, immune algorithm, and ant colony optimization are also described. Some topics pertaining to evolutionary algorithms are also discussed, and a comparison between evolutionary algorithms and simulated annealing is made. Finally, the application of EAs to the learning of neural networks as well as to the structural and parametric adaptations of fuzzy systems is also detailed.
Antilipogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities ofCodonopsis lanceolatain Mice Hepatic Tissues after Chronic Ethanol Feeding
Authors: Cha Areum , Choi Youngshim , Jin Yoojeong , Sung Mi-Kyung , Koo Yun-Chang , Lee Kwang-Won , Park Taesun
Published: October 2011

This study evaluated the antilipogenic and anti-inflammatory effects ofCodonopsis lanceolata(C. lanceolata) root extract in mice with alcohol-induced fatty liver and elucidated its underlying molecular mechanisms. Ethanol was introduced into the liquid diet by mixing it with distilled water at 5% (wt/v), providing 36% of the energy, for nine weeks. Among the three different fractions prepared from theC. lanceolataroot, theC. lanceolatamethanol extract (CME) exhibited the most remarkable attenuation of alcohol-induced fatty liver with respect to various parameters such as hepatic free fatty acid concentration, body weight loss, and hepatic accumulations of triglyceride and cholesterol. The hepatic gene and protein expression levels were analysed via RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. CME feeding significantly restored the ethanol-induced downregulation of the adiponectin receptor (adipoR) 1 and of adipoR2, along with their downstream molecules. Furthermore, the study data showed that CME feeding dramatically reversed ethanol-induced hepatic upregulation of toll-like receptor- (TLR-) mediated signaling cascade molecules. These results indicate that the beneficial effects of CME against alcoholic fatty livers of mice appear to be with adenosine- and adiponectin-mediated regulation of hepatic steatosis and TLR-mediated modulation of hepatic proinflammatory responses.
The Impact of Mild Stroke on Participation in Physical Fitness Activities
Authors: Hildebrand Mary , Brewer Megan , Wolf Timothy
Published: October 2011

Objective. To compare participation in moderate to high intensity physical activities in persons before and after a mild stroke.Methods. We used data from the Cognitive Rehabilitation and Research Group to examine changes in moderate to high intensity physical activity participation in persons who had a mild stroke as defined by an NIH Stroke Scale score of less than 6 (N=127). Using the Activity Card Sort, we compared the participants' high-demand leisure activity (leisure activities that are moderate to high intensity physical activities) participation at 6-months after stroke with their prestroke level.Results. We found a significant decrease in numbers of high-demand leisure activities in all participants and in each demographic group after mild stroke.Conclusion. These results suggest that persons after mild stroke are not retaining the high-demand leisure activities they were doing prior to their stroke. Health professionals must promote participation in high-demand leisure activities in patients with mild stroke as a tool to enhance health and fitness.
The nature of employer’s involvement in social work education: An international exploration
Authors: Shardlow Steven , Scholar Helen , Munro Liz , McLaughlin Hugh
Published: October 2011

Email interviews and internet inquiries were used to explore the nature and extent of employer engagement in qualifying social work education programmes across 10 countries: Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, UK and USA. Findings indicate considerable variations in the nature and extent of engagement in admissions processes, programme management and assessment of student competence. Practice learning/field education was the main area for employer engagement. The desirability of employer engagement is discussed.
Post-industrialisation, Immigration and Unemployment: How and Why the Impact of Immigration on Unemployment Differs between Dutch Cities
Authors: van der Waal Jeroen
Published: October 2011

Studies on the substitution thesis in advanced economies show scattered results: the impact of immigration on the wages and likelihood of unemployment of the less educated varies strongly. Both studies on the substitution thesis itself and studies on the unequal post-industrial development of urban economies, suggest that this is because the substitution thesis is conditional on the type of urban economy. The empirical validity of this suggestion is tested by comparing the impact of immigration on the employment level of the less educated among 22 Dutch metropolitan areas. The findings corroborate the central hypothesis: in strong service-oriented urban economies, the impact of immigration on unemployment levels is mitigated because of high labour demand for the less educated.
Otolaryngologic Manifestations of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody–Associated Vasculitis
Authors: Nakamaru Yuji , Takagi Dai , Oridate Nobuhiko , Homma Akihiro , Fukuda Satoshi
Published: October 2011

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis is characterized by systemic necrotizing vasculitis, and patients fall into 2 groups: those with proteinase 3–ANCA and those with myeloperoxidase‐ANCA. As infections are a trigger of ANCA‐associated vasculitis, this disease tends to localize in areas around the upper airway. In this study, the authors compared ear and nasal symptoms between patients with proteinase 3–ANCA and those with myeloperoxidase‐ANCA. We undertook a retrospective case series study of 34 patients diagnosed with ANCA‐associated vasculitis. The otologic symptoms were divided into 3 types: chronic otitis media, secretory otitis media, and sensorineural hearing loss. Chronic otitis media was more common in patients with proteinase 3–ANCA (P =. 001), whereas secretory otitis media was more frequently found in patients with myeloperoxidase‐ANCA (P =. 007). Crust formation (P =. 001), saddle nose (P =. 024), and sinusitis (P =. 001) were more common in patients with proteinase 3–ANCA than in those with myeloperoxidase‐ANCA. Marked differences were observed in the disease spectrum between the 2 ANCA groups.
Bridging Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Efficient Health Care Decision Making with Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)
Authors: Goetghebeur Mireille M. , Wagner Monika , Khoury Hanane , Levitt Randy J. , Erickson Lonny J. , Rindress Donna
Published: October 2011

Background. Health care decision making is complex and requires efficient and explicit processes to ensure transparency and consistency of factors considered. Objectives. To pilot an adaptable decision-making framework incorporating multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) in health technology assessment (HTA) with a pan-Canadian group of policy and clinical decision makers and researchers appraising 10 medicines covering 6 therapeutic areas. Methods. An appraisal group was convened and participants were asked to express their individual perspectives, independently of the medicines, by assigning weights to each criterion of the MCDA core model: disease severity, size of population, current practice and unmet needs, intervention outcomes (efficacy, safety, patient reported), type of health benefit, economics, and quality of evidence. Participants then assigned performance scores for each medicine using available evidence synthesized in a “by-criterion” HTA report covering each of the MCDA CORE model criteria. MCDA estimates of perceived value were calculated by combining normalized weights and scores. Feedback on the approach was collected through structured discussion. Results. Relative weights on criteria varied widely, reflecting the diverse perspectives of participants. Scores for each criterion provided a performance measure, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of each medicine. MCDA estimates of perceived value ranged from 0.42 to 0.64 across medicines, providing comprehensive measures incorporating a large spectrum of criteria. Participants reported that the framework provided an efficient approach to systematic consideration in a pragmatic format of the multiple elements guiding decision, including criteria and values (MCDA core model) and evidence (HTA “by-criterion” report). Conclusions. This proof-of-concept study demonstrated the usefulness of incorporating MCDA in HTA to support transparent and systematic appraisal of health care interventions. Further research is needed to advance MCDA-based approaches to more effective healthcare decision making.
Discursive Fault Lines: Reproducing White Habitus in a Racially Diverse Community
Authors: Burke Meghan A.
Published: October 2011

This is a qualitative study detailing the links between racial discourse and social action. Specifically, this article provides evidence for the ways in which a white habitus is reproduced in a racially diverse community, despite the best intentions of its community members. This is chiefly due to the influence of national color-blind ideologies and the diversity discourse that follows. Because this ideology and discourse are individual in nature and centered on a white norm, it chiefly produces consumption-driven actions for individuals and collective action that protects those with racial privilege. While prior studies have detailed the influence of this ideology on racial attitudes and examined the contours of diversity discourse generally, this study utilizes the racial formations approach to make concrete links to social outcomes in a diverse community. These findings are particularly significant given the hope vested in racially diverse communities as the nation itself becomes more diverse.
Labor and Capital in the Current Crisis
Authors: Valencia Adrián Sotelo
Published: October 2011

The supremacy of fictitious capital together with the contraction of average growth rates and the global economic production system have plunged capitalism into severe crisis. The crisis is not simply a contradiction between real and speculative economies, as these are merely manifestations of the difficulties that confront productive expansion and the valuation of capital. At this point, timid state intervention and exchange rate regulation are insufficient policies to calm the profound crisis being experienced by Europe and the United States. While it may not spell the end of the capitalist system, it does mark depletion of its progressive phase and its capacity to sustain further development of the productive forces. This signifies a contradictory phase of structural stagnation as the planet’s natural resources and ecological systems become incorporated into a massive chain of exploitation, thus redefining the historical context in which the global working class must organize and struggle.
The Labor of a Lifetime?
Authors: McPhedran Samara
Published: October 2011

Objectives: The structural aging of the population and withdrawal of older people from the labor force have become common themes within Western social policy discourse and have particular relevance to policy development around health and aging. The current study examines whether particular occupation types are associated with both poor health and an increased likelihood of labor force exit. Methods: Longitudinal data are used to examine workforce participation among older Australians (aged between 55 and 64, in 2002). Results: Older workers in trades, labor, and production occupations, the majority of whom are men, have poorer general health than their counterparts in other occupations and are also the most likely to exit the workforce. Discussion: These findings suggest that a number of older men in Australia (and, indeed, elsewhere) may face both poor health and limited employment opportunities in areas that match their abilities and experience. These individuals may experience a number of years out of the labor force, highlighting a role for targeted policies and programs.
Contribution of chassis key subsystems to rollover stability control
Authors: Lu S-B , Li Y-N , Choi S-B
Published: October 2011

The current paper presents an integrated control strategy to improve rollover stability of a vehicle by considering chassis key subsystems. In order to achieve this goal, a quantitative study on control authority and the effective working region of active front steering (AFS), active braking (AB), and active suspension (AS) control for rollover prevention is carried out based on a full vehicle model which includes the non-linear tyre model and the effect of dynamic coupling. After investigating the control authority and effective working area of AFS, AB, and AS subsystems, an integrated control strategy for rollover stability is formulated. In this formulating process, the control strategy for each subsystem is also designed by considering its contribution to rollover stability. A comparison between the proposed integrated control strategy and the single control action of each subsystem is made through computer simulation. It is demonstrated that both anti-rollover ability and lateral stability are greatly improved by implementing the proposed integrated control scheme. Specifically, the peak of roll angle and the root mean square (RMS) of side slip angle with integrated control are reduced by 38.9 per cent and 47.1 per cent, respectively, relative to those of the passive system.