bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Medical Marijuana Smoothed the Transition to Marijuana Legalization in the United States
Authors: Kilmer Beau , MacCoun Robert J.
Published: July 2017

Public support for legalizing marijuana use increased from 25% in 1995 to 60% in 2016, rising in lockstep with support for same-sex marriage. Between November 2012 and November 2016, voters in eight states passed ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana sales for nonmedical purposes—covering one-fifth of the US population. These changes are unprecedented but are not independent of the changes in medical marijuana laws that have occurred over the past 20 years. This article suggests five ways in which the passage and implementation of medical marijuana laws smoothed the transition to nonmedical legalization in the United States: (a) They demonstrated the efficacy of using voter initiatives to change marijuana supply laws, (b) enabled the psychological changes needed to destabilize the “war on drugs” policy stasis, (c) generated an evidence base that could be used to downplay concerns about nonmedical legalization, (d) created a visible and active marijuana industry, and (e) revealed that the federal government would allow state and local jurisdictions to generate tax revenue from marijuana.
Sound Absorption Structures: From Porous Media to Acoustic Metamaterials
Authors: Yang Min , Sheng Ping
Published: July 2017

The recent advent of acoustic metamaterials has initiated a strong revival of interest on the subject of sound absorption. The present review is based on the physics perspective as the coherent basis of this diverse field. For conventional absorbers, viscous dissipation and heat conduction at the fluid-solid interface, when expressed through micro-geometric parameters, yield an effective medium description of porous media and micro-perforated panels as effectual sound absorbers. Local resonances and their geometric and symmetry constraints serve as the framework for surveying a variety of acoustic metamaterial absorbers that can realize previously unattainable absorption spectra with subwavelength-scale structures. These structures include decorated membrane resonators, degenerate resonators, hybrid resonators, and coiled Fabry-Pérot and Helmholtz resonators. As the acoustic response of any structure or material must obey the causality principle, the implied constraint—which relates the absorption spectrum of a sample to its required minimum thickness—is presented as a means to delineate what is ultimately possible for sound-absorbing structures. The review concludes by describing a recently reported strategy for realizing structures that can exhibit custom-designed absorption spectra, as well as its implementation in the form of a broadband absorber with a thickness that is close to the minimum value as dictated by causality.
Structured X-Ray Optics for Laboratory-Based Materials Analysis
Authors: MacDonald Carolyn A.
Published: July 2017

Metamaterials provide a challenge for materials analysis, as large-scale 3D geometries confound traditional methods. X-ray optics that allow for novel beam geometries and for more efficient use of conventional X-ray sources can be important in defect and structure analysis to close the loop between design and performance. Fortunately, metamaterials have also provided a new variety of array and structured X-ray optics. Because X-rays barely interact with materials, their index of refraction in any material is only slightly different from unity, so it is very difficult to make the sort of refractive optics that are used for visible light. Instead, diffraction can be used to control the direction or wavelength of X-rays. Structured diffractive optics include transmission gratings, artificial multilayers, and arrays of curved crystals. X-rays also have very high reflectivity at grazing incidence. This phenomenon allows for reflective arrays such as multipore and polycapillary optics.
The Association of Haptoglobin Gene Variants and Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Huiqun , Wu Huan , Shi Lili , Yuan Xinlu , Yin Ying , Yuan Mingjie , Zhou Yushan , Hu Qianwen , Jiang Kui , Dong Jiancheng
Published: July 2017

Aims/Introduction. To collectively evaluate the association between haptoglobin (Hp) gene variants and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods. A comprehensive literature review was performed for eligible studies. After inclusion and exclusion selection as well as quality assessment, those studies meeting quality standards were included. In this study, diabetic patients with retinopathy were selected as the case group and those ones without DR were treated as the control group. The recessive model, allele model, additive model, heterozygote model, and homozygote model were utilized to investigate the association of three Hp gene variants and DR. Subgroup analysis on different severity of DR including nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) was also conducted.Results. Six trials from different regions were finally included. A total of 1145 subjects containing 564 T2DM patients with retinopathy were included. The recessive model, allele model, additive model, and homozygote model results showed that Hp gene variants were not associated with DR, NPDR, and PDR. However, the heterozygote model indicated the association of Hp gene variants with DR.Conclusions. No association was found between the Hp gene variants and PDR and NPDR. More studies are required to verify these findings.
Efficacy, Safety, and Overall Quality of Life of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Colorectal Cancer in Elderly Patients
Authors: Liu Liang , Shen Xingjie , Zhu Jingyu
Published: July 2017

Purpose. Studies reporting the treatment of early colorectal cancer (ECC) by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in elderly patients are lacking in China. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and overall quality of life of elderly patients with ECC who undergoing ESD. Methods. Three hundred and seventy-nine patients with 401 colorectal lesions entered into our study from March 2013 to March 2016 (Patients with an age 70 years old or older were divided into the elderly group and those who were less than 70-year-old entered the non-elderly group). Results. No significant differences were found in sex ratio, body mass index, location, endoscopic classification, pathological pattern, lesion size, mean procedure time, hospitalization days, complete excision, and en bloc resection rate between the two groups (P>0.05). No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of complications during and after ESD procedure (P>0.05). There were no statistical differences between two groups in Quality of life index (QL-Index) and European Organization for Research and Treatment quality of life version 3.0 questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) scores (P>0.05). Conclusion. ESD was relatively safe and effective for elderly patients with ECC, and it may be an recommended first-line treatment.
Efficacy and Tolerability of Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose in Patients with Iron Deficiency at a Hospital Outpatient Clinic: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Real-World Clinical Practice
Authors: Robalo Nunes António , Palricas Costa Ana , Rocha Sara Lemos , Garcia de Oliveira Ana
Published: July 2017

Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is an intravenous iron formulation to correct iron deficiency. Although its use has been extensively studied in clinical trials, real-world evidence regarding FCM treatment is scarce. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of FCM treatment in patients with iron deficiency, with or without anemia, at a hospital outpatient clinic. Data was collected retrospectively from medical records. During this 2-year study, 459 patients were included. Mean age was 58.6 ± 17.5 years and most patients received cumulative FCM doses of 501–1000 mg (63.2%). Six weeks after administration of FCM, efficacy endpoints hemoglobin increase ≥2 g/dL, hemoglobin increase ≥3 g/dL, and transferrin saturation > 20% were attained by 41%, 20%, and 63% of patients, respectively. Patients who received higher FCM doses showed significant reduced odds of not achieving hemoglobin increase ≥2 g/dL (501–1000 mg, adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18–0.62; 1001–3000 mg, OR: 0.19, 95% CI 0.07–0.49), compared to 500 mg doses. Treatment-emergent adverse events were documented in <4% of patients. In conclusion, FCM treatment was effective and well-tolerated by outpatients with iron deficiency at a hospital clinic, and its dosage should be adjusted to improve iron deficiency management in clinical practice.
Quantitative Method for Network Security Situation Based on Attack Prediction
Authors: Hu Hao , Zhang Hongqi , Liu Yuling , Wang Yongwei
Published: July 2017

Multistep attack prediction and security situation awareness are two big challenges for network administrators because future is generally unknown. In recent years, many investigations have been made. However, they are not sufficient. To improve the comprehensiveness of prediction, in this paper, we quantitatively convert attack threat into security situation. Actually, two algorithms are proposed, namely, attack prediction algorithm using dynamic Bayesian attack graph and security situation quantification algorithm based on attack prediction. The first algorithm aims to provide more abundant information of future attack behaviors by simulating incremental network penetration. Through timely evaluating the attack capacity of intruder and defense strategies of defender, the likely attack goal, path, and probability and time-cost are predicted dynamically along with the ongoing security events. Furthermore, in combination with the common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metric and network assets information, the second algorithm quantifies the concealed attack threat into the surfaced security risk from two levels: host and network. Examples show that our method is feasible and flexible for the attack-defense adversarial network environment, which benefits the administrator to infer the security situation in advance and prerepair the critical compromised hosts to maintain normal network communication.
A QSAR Study Based on SVM for the Compound of Hydroxyl Benzoic Esters
Authors: Wen Li , Li Qing , Li Wei , Cai Qiao , Cai Yong-Ming
Published: July 2017

Hydroxyl benzoic esters are preservative, being widely used in food, medicine, and cosmetics. To explore the relationship between the molecular structure and antibacterial activity of these compounds and predict the compounds with similar structures, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) models of 25 kinds of hydroxyl benzoic esters with the quantum chemical parameters and molecular connectivity indexes are built based on support vector machine (SVM) by using R language. The External Standard Deviation Error of Prediction (SDEPext), fitting correlation coefficient (R2), and leave-one-out cross-validation (Q2LOO) are used to value the reliability, stability, and predictive ability of models. The results show that R2 and Q2LOO of 4 kinds of nonlinear models are more than 0.6 and SDEPext is 0.213, 0.222, 0.189, and 0.218, respectively. Compared with the multiple linear regression (MLR) model (R2=0.421, RSD = 0.260), the correlation coefficient and the standard deviation are both better than MLR. The reliability, stability, robustness, and external predictive ability of models are good, particularly of the model of linear kernel function and eps-regression type. This model can predict the antimicrobial activity of the compounds with similar structure in the applicability domain.
Absence of Relationship between Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups and Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss
Authors: Graterol D. , Mir C. , Garcia-Vaquero C. , Braña I. , Pardo A. N. , Rochera-Villach M. I. , Lyakhovich A. , LLeonart M. E. , Lorente J.
Published: July 2017

Background.Many drugs used for cancer chemotherapy produce reactive oxygen species, thus leading to various complications including nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and ototoxicity.Objective.We have provided a haplogroup analysis of a cohort of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and compared factors associated with associated hearing loss.Study Design and Methods.This observational cohort study includes a pure-tone audiometry of the patients who underwent chemotherapeutic treatment. Medical history, presence of risk factors for hearing loss, toxic habits, and association with haplogroups have been determined.Results.40% of patients developed hearing loss after administration of cisplatin, which was bilateral and symmetrical and of high frequencies. The most frequent haplogroup was H with a slight overexpression of groups V and K and a low frequency of groups J and T. No association of the haplogroup types with the hearing loss has been found; however age was revealed as an important determining factor.Conclusions.Ototoxicity caused by cisplatin is manifested as bilateral, symmetrical, and predominantly high frequency hearing loss. Although we did not find a strong correlation of haplogroups with ototoxicity, our results revealed the existence of a risk group of elderly patients over 60, which are more susceptible to hearing loss induced by cisplatin, than young adults, regardless of preexisting hearing loss.
Deep Brain Stimulation of Hemiparkinsonian Rats with Unipolar and Bipolar Electrodes for up to 6 Weeks: Behavioral Testing of Freely Moving Animals
Authors: Badstuebner Kathrin , Gimsa Ulrike , Weber Immo , Tuchscherer Armin , Gimsa Jan
Published: July 2017

Although the clinical use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) is increasing, its basic mechanisms of action are still poorly understood. Platinum/iridium electrodes were inserted into the subthalamic nucleus of rats with unilateral 6-OHDA-induced lesions of the medial forebrain bundle. Six behavioral parameters were compared with respect to their potential to detect DBS effects. Locomotor function was quantified by (i) apomorphine-induced rotation, (ii) initiation time, (iii) the number of adjusting steps in the stepping test, and (iv) the total migration distance in the open field test. Sensorimotor neglect and anxiety were quantified by (v) the retrieval bias in the corridor test and (vi) the ratio of migration distance in the center versus in the periphery in the open field test, respectively. In our setup, unipolar stimulation was found to be more efficient than bipolar stimulation for achieving beneficial long-term DBS effects. Performance in the apomorphine-induced rotation test showed no improvement after 6 weeks. DBS reduced the initiation time of the contralateral paw in the stepping test after 3 weeks of DBS followed by 3 weeks without DBS. Similarly, sensorimotor neglect was improved. The latter two parameters were found to be most appropriate for judging therapeutic DBS effects.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Activity of Pd(II) Salen-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica
Authors: Sawisai Rotcharin , Wanchanthuek Ratchaneekorn , Radchatawedchakoon Widchaya , Sakee Uthai
Published: July 2017

Salen ligand synthesized from 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde was used as a palladium chelating ligand for the immobilization of the catalytic site. Mesoporous silica supported palladium catalysts were prepared by immobilizing Pd(OAc)2 onto a mesoporous silica gel through the coordination of the imine-functionalized mesoporous silica gel. The prepared catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), inductivity couple plasma (ICP), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The solid catalysts showed higher activity for the hydroamination of C-(tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-galactopyranosyl)allene with aromatic amines compared with the corresponding homogenous catalyst. The heterogeneous catalytic system can be easily recovered by simple filtration and reused for up to five cycles with no significant loss of catalytic activity.
Southeast Asian Medicinal Plants as a Potential Source of Antituberculosis Agent
Authors: Sanusi Shuaibu Babaji , Abu Bakar Mohd Fadzelly , Mohamed Maryati , Sabran Siti Fatimah , Mainasara Muhammad Murtala
Published: July 2017

Despite all of the control strategies, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major cause of death globally and one‐third of the world’s population is infected with TB. The drugs used for TB treatment have drawbacks of causing adverse side effects and emergence of resistance strains. Plant‐derived medicines have since been used in traditional medical system for the treatment of numerous ailments worldwide. There were nine major review publications on antimycobacteria from plants in the last 17 years. However, none is focused on Southeast Asian medicinal plants. Hence, this review is aimed at highlighting the medicinal plants of Southeast Asian origin evaluated for anti‐TB. This review is based on literatures published in various electronic database. A total of 132 plants species representing 45 families and 107 genera were reviewed; 27 species representing 20.5% exhibited most significant in vitro anti‐TB activity (crude extracts and/or bioactive compounds 0–<10 µg/ml). The findings may motivate various scientists to undertake the project that may result in the development of crude extract that will be consumed as complementary or alternative TB drug or as potential bioactive compounds for the development of novel anti‐TB drug.
Bionic Design for Reducing Adhesive Resistance of the Ridger Inspired by a Boar’s Head
Authors: Li Jianqiao , Yan Yunpeng , Chirende Benard , Wu Xuejiao , Wang Zhaoliang , Zou Meng
Published: July 2017

The main feature of the boar’s head used to root around for food is the front part, which is similar to the ridger in terms of function, load, and environment. In this paper, the boar’s head was selected as the biological prototype for developing a new ridger. The point cloud of the head was captured by a 3D scanner, and then, the head surface was reconstructed using 3D coordinates. The characteristic curves of the front part of the boar’s head were extracted, and then, five cross-sectional curves and one vertical section curve were fitted. Based on the fitted curves, five kinds of bionic ridgers were designed. The penetrating resistances of the bionic ridgers and traditional ridger were tested at different speeds in an indoor soil bin. The test results showed that bionic ridger B had the best penetrating resistance reduction ratio of 16.67% at 4.2 km/h velocity. In order to further evaluate the performance of the best bionic ridger (bionic ridger B), both the bionic ridger and traditional ridger were tested in a field under the same working conditions. The field results indicate that the bionic ridger reduces penetrating resistance by 6.91% compared to the traditional ridger, and the test results validate that the bionic ridger has an effect on reducing penetrating resistance.
The Analysis of Etiology and Risk Factors for 192 Cases of Neonatal Sepsis
Authors: Xiao Ting , Chen Li-Ping , Liu Hui , Xie SiSi , Luo Yan , Wu Ding-Chang
Published: July 2017

This study aimed to investigate the etiology and risk factors of neonatal sepsis. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 192 patients with sepsis from August 2013 to March 2015. One hundred and six healthy neonates were used as the control group. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors and ROC curve analysis performed in laboratory which indicated a significant correlation. The results of univariate analysis showed that postnatal age, body weight, and parity were significantly related to neonatal sepsis (P<0.5). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that postnatal age and parity are independent risk factors for neonatal sepsis (OR were 1.176 and 0.692, resp., P<0.001). The maximum area underneath the curve (ROCAUC) of soluble CD14 (sCD14-ST), which was the most indicative biomarker of sepsis diagnostically, was 0.953 with sensitivity and specificity of 93.8% and 84.9%, respectively. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae were the main bacterial strains causing neonatal sepsis, while postnatal age was an independent risk factor for the onset of disease. sCD14-ST could be a potential useful diagnostic marker for pediatric sepsis.
Tunnelling of Massive/Massless Bosons from the Apparent Horizon of FRW Universe
Authors: Jusufi Kimet , Ovgun Ali , Apostolovska Gordana
Published: July 2017

We investigate the Hawking radiation of vector particles from the apparent horizon of a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) universe in the framework of quantum tunnelling method. Furthermore we use Proca equation, a relativistic wave equation for a massive/massless spin-1 particle (massless γ photons, weak massive W± and Z0 bosons, strong massless gluons, and ρ and ω mesons) together with a Painlevé space-time metric for the FRW universe. We solve the Proca equation via Hamilton-Jacobi (HJ) equation and the WKB approximation method. We recover the same result for the Hawking temperature associated with vector particles as in the case of scalar and Dirac particles tunnelled from outside to the inside of the apparent horizon in a FRW universe.
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia and Hyperparathyroid-Jaw Tumor Syndromes: Clinical Features, Genetics, and Surveillance Recommendations in Childhood
Authors: Wasserman Jonathan D. , Tomlinson Gail E. , Druker Harriet , Kamihara Junne , Kohlmann Wendy K. , Kratz Christian P. , Nathanson Katherine L. , Pajtler Kristian W. , Parareda Andreu , Rednam Surya P. , States Lisa J. , Villani Anita , Walsh Michael F. , Zelley Kristin , Schiffman Joshua D.
Published: July 2017

Children and adolescents who present with neuroendocrine tumors are at extremely high likelihood of having an underlying germline predisposition for the multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, including MEN1, MEN2A and MEN2B, MEN4, and hyperparathyroid-jaw tumor (HPT-JT) syndromes. Each of these autosomal dominant syndromes results from a specific germline mutation in unique genes: MEN1 is due to pathogenic MEN1 variants (11q13), MEN2A and MEN2B are due to pathogenic RET variants (10q11.21), MEN4 is due to pathogenic CDKN1B variants (12p13.1), and the HPT-JT syndrome is due to pathogenic CDC73 variants (1q25). Although each of these genetic syndromes share the presence of neuroendocrine tumors, each syndrome has a slightly different tumor spectrum with specific surveillance recommendations based upon tumor penetrance, including the age and location for which specific tumor types most commonly present. Although the recommended surveillance strategies for each syndrome contain similar approaches, important differences do exist among them. Therefore, it is important for caregivers of children and adolescents with these syndromes to become familiar with the unique diagnostic criteria for each syndrome, and also to be aware of the specific tumor screening and prophylactic surgery recommendations for each syndrome. Clin Cancer Res; 23(13); e123–e32. ©2017 AACR.

See all articles in the online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.
Molecular Screening of MKRN3, DLK1, and KCNK9 Genes in Girls with Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty
Authors: Grandone Anna , Capristo Carlo , Cirillo Grazia , Sasso Marcella , Umano Giuseppina Rosaria , Mariani Michela , Miraglia Del Giudice Emanuele , Perrone Laura
Published: July 2017

Background: Mutations in the imprinted gene MKRN3 have been described as a common genetic cause of idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP), in particular in familial cases. However, the exact prevalence of mutations is unknown. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in 2 other imprinted genes, DLK1 and KCNK9, have been associated with age at menarche. We investigated the prevalence of mutations in MKRN3, DLK1, and KCNK9 genes in a cohort of girls with idiopathic CPP. Methods: MKRN3, DLK1, and KCNK9 coding regions were sequenced in 60 girls with idiopathic CPP (familial in 23 cases). Results: Three mutations, including a new one, in MKRN3 were found in 2 familial cases (c.1229G>A; p.Cys410Ter and c.477_485del; p.Pro160Cysfs*14) (8.7%) and in 1 sporadic case (c.982C>T; p.Arg328Cys) (2.8%). We did not find rare variants in DLK1 and KCNK9 genes. Conclusions: (1) The prevalence of MKRN3 mutations in our cohort was similar to that reported in the literature in sporadic cases but lower than previously described in familial ones. This could be due to different inheritance patterns of families studied; (2) we expanded the phenotype of MKRN3 defects describing 3 more patients with MKRN3 mutations; and (3) point mutations in DLK1 and KCNK9 at least do not seem to be a common cause of CPP in girls.
Two new species in the annelid genus Stygocapitella (Orbiniida, Parergodrilidae) with comments on their biogeography
Authors: STRUCK TORSTEN H. , KOCZULA JENS , STATECZNY DAVE , MEYER CHRISTIAN , PURSCHKE GÜNTER
Published: July 2017

Many interstitial species with limited dispersal capacity are in fact complexes of cryptic species showing a seemingly cosmopolitan distribution. The interstitial annelid Stygocapitella subterranea (Orbiniida, Parergodrilidae) is such a complex with populations in Northern America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand and a tropical distribution gap. Herein we present new records of Stygocapitella from South Africa, which is morphologically substantially different from S. subterranea. Additionally, using specimens from both hemispheres and morphological, nuclear and mitochondrial data as well as principal component analyses and a newly developed measurement for morphological disparity we show furthermore that the cryptic species complex of S. subterranea is not as cryptic as assumed as the Australian populations are morphologically and genetically different from the European population. Hence, we herein describe two new species, S. minuta and S. australis, within this complex from the Southern hemisphere. Additionally, we assigned a neotype for S. subterranea. This increases numbers of species known for Stygocapitella from one to three and for Parergodrilidae from two to four. Moreover, our results support an origin of this species complex on the Southern hemisphere and that both the split of S. minuta from the other two and S. subterranea from S. australis was several tens of millions years ago. Hence, the distribution of this complex was not driven by recent events, but rather it represents a strong case of decelerated morphological evolution as only slight differences in the morphology could be observed after all.
Redescription and commentary on the Chinese mayfly Vietnamella sinensis (Ephemeroptera: Vietnamellidae)
Authors: HU ZE , MA ZHEN-XING , LUO JUAN-YAN , ZHOU CHANG-FA
Published: July 2017

The genus Vietnamella Tshernova, 1972 is reviewed and 3 valid species are confirmed. They are V. ornata (Tshernova, 1972), V. sinensis (Hsu, 1936) (=V. dabieshanensis You & Su, 1987, new synonym; =V. qingyuanensis Zhou & Su, 1995, new synonym; =V. guadunensis Zhou & Su, 1995, new synonym) and V. thani Tshernova, 1972. The nymphal and key imaginal characters of V. sinensis are described and figured. The monogeneric family Vietnamellidae has long series of autapomorphies (two pairs of projections on head, modified mandibles, slender maxillae with few setae, round hindwings, and half of egg covered with single cap) and some plesiomorphies (seven pairs of gills, large hindwings, few marginal intercalaries on forewings). The structures of mouthparts, head and forefemora suggest that nymphs of Vietnamella may be able to move substrates and scrape food from them. Morphological evidences show that the family Vietnamellidae is a basal clade of Ephemerelloidea.
A new genus of Phlugidini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) with asymmetrical mandibles
Authors: CHAMORRO-RENGIFO JULIANA , OLIVIER RENAN DA SILVA
Published: July 2017

During collection of katydids carried out in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, five individuals of a species belonging to Phlugidini were captured. Males have remarkable asymmetric mandibles, different from those of the already known genera. The female is very similar to one recently described from Bolivia in genus Phlugiola Karny, 1907. However, male and female feature a combination of characters that does not conform to that genus. Here we propose a new monospecific genus, Anisophlugis Chamorro-Rengifo & Olivier n. gen., whose type species is Phlugiola appendicula Gorochov, 2015.
Cues for the Discrimination of American English Fricatives in Spoken Syllables
Authors: Harris Katherine Safford
Published: July 2017

It has sometimes been assumed that the identification of the fricatives of American English in CV syllables depends primarily on the characteristics of the noise (i.e., nonvocalic) portion of the speech sound. A second possibility is that characteristics of the vocalic portion—previously shown to be cues for the perception of other consonants—are important for the fricatives. These alternatives were tested by combining the noise from one spoken fricative-vowel syllable with the voiced portion of another. Results indicate that the important cues for the fricatives /s/ and /∫/ are given by the noise but that the differentiation of /f/ and /θ/ is accomplished primarily on the basis of cues contained in the vocalic part of the syllable. Similar results were obtained for the voiced counterparts of these sounds.
Fries on Word Classes
Authors: Lascelles Monica
Published: July 2017

Examination of “The Structure of English” (Fries, 1952) has led to the following conclusions. The attempt by Fries to handle parts of speech as structural meaning units into which word classes enter, shows an attempt to deal with too many features of English at one time. Although it may be seen that he was aiming to present the diversity of free form patternings in which words with certain bound form ranges can occur, the result has provided suggestions for future research, rather than a clear statement of the formal characteristics of English words. The definitive criteria for the parts of speech are not precise, and there is also a tendency to proceed from meaning assumptions to form, instead of from form to meaning by way of strict descriptive analysis. Some ideas about the nature of syntactic classes (and constants) are introduced and related to Fries's views.
The Social and the Individual in Language
Authors: Leontiev Alexis N. , Leontiev Alexis A.
Published: July 2017

The behaviourist view of language, which reduces it to a system of stimuli and responses, is too limited, since it leaves out of account the function of apprehension (prise de conscience). Language embodying socially accumulated and generalised experience reflects the phenomena of the surrounding world in the human mind in the form of consciousness. Thus, consciousness is a form of reflection which is social by nature. It is inconceivable without the mastery of language.

At the same time “speech capacity”, i.e. the mastery of language, is determined by inborn psycho-physiological mechanisms common to all human beings. The relation between language as a social and a psychological phenomenon is dynamic, revealing itself in mutual transformations. Individual language is not an “imprint” of the objective system, as F. de Saussure believed it to be, but a product of its active reconstruction.

To analyse this relation it is necessary to investigate the process of transformation of the objective phenomena of social language into individual, and that of the transformation of individual-psychological formations into phenomena of social consciousness. The process of mastery of language is important because the only real existence of language not only as a form of individual consciousness but also as a form of social consciousness is its existence in the minds of real individuals.

These transformations are due to the fact that the laws which govern the phenomena change just as the laws change when phenomena studied by one science are transformed into phenomena studied by another.
Further Studies in Intonation
Authors: Denes P. , Milton-William J.
Published: July 2017

Working definitions of intonation and of the label to be attached to $$ categories were established. The correlations be $$ categories and $$ characteristics were explored for monosyllabic utterances. The relationship between intonation and fundamental frequency was in many cases found to be strong, but often other factors, such as the speech habits of the individual speakers, varied these relationships considerably. Marked similarities between the fundamental frequency and the intensity variations with time were found for many intonation categories; a notable exception was the “high rise” or “question” category. Comparisons of the acoustic characteristics of utterances and of the correct recognition by listeners of the intonation classes showed that fundamental frequency, intensity and duration formed a complex pattern of cues: the fundamental frequency often played the dominant part, but in numerous cases recognition was strongly influenced by other characteristics.
Duration of Post-Stress Intervocalic Stops and Preceding Vowels
Authors: Sharf Donald J.
Published: July 2017

Measurements of the duration of the closure of post-stress, intervocalic stops in two-syllable words, of the vowels that precede them, and of vowels preceding stops in monosyllabic words were made from the speech of one speaker with intervocalic ‘voiced t’. Results for monosyllabic words indicate a vowel duration ratio of 2:3 before voiceless and voiced stops and four intrinsically short vowels, /I, ∊, Λ, U/. The duration ratio of vowels before stops in two-syllable words and those in mono-syllabic words is 2:3. There is the same indication of four intrinsically short vowels in two-syllable words. The average difference in vowel duration before voiced and voiceless alveolar stops is only 0·9 csec. while it is more than 3 csec. before the other stops. Closure duration difference between voiced and voiceless alveolar cognates was found to be insignificant as compared to the differences for bilabial and velar cognates.
Linguistic Codes, Hesitation Phenomena and Intelligence
Authors: Bernstein Basil
Published: July 2017

Two linguistic codes have been proposed, elaborated and restricted. These codes are regarded as functions of different social structures. The codes are considered to entail qualitatively different verbal planning orientations which control different modes of self-regulation and levels of cognitive behaviour. Social class differences in the use of the codes were postulated and the hesitation phenomena associated with them predicted. Speech samples were obtained and the hesitation phenomena analysed from a discussion situation involving small groups of middle-class and working-class subjects with varying I.Q. profiles.
Coincidental Variation as a Source of Confusion in the Experimental Study of Rate
Authors: Clevenger Theodore , Clark Margaret Leitner
Published: July 2017

The shifting relationships of rate variables present a challenge to experimental design. A variable which seemingly is totally independent may, under certain conditions, become dependent or at least coincidentally dependent upon the other variables. The resulting tautological relationships make the isolation of a single rate variable difficult.
The Intelligibility of Excerpts from Conversation
Authors: Pollack Irwin , Pickett J. M.
Published: July 2017

Excised speech samples, excerpted from the conversational speech of college female speakers, were presented to listeners for identification. The average intelligibility of such samples increases with the duration of the excised utterance, and is relatively independent of the average rate of speaking. The results are interpreted such that talkers aim for a constant precision of communication, trading off the precision of enunciation associated with the rate of speaking against the additional context associated with the number of words.
Effects of Feedback on Oral Encoding Behaviour
Authors: Stolz Walter S. , Tannenbaum Percy H.
Published: July 2017

The effect of knowledge of performance on oral encoding facility was investigated. Subjects were placed in an oral examination situation and were provided with ostensibly authentic (but actually manipulated) evaluations of their performance while they answered questions. Dependent variables included rate and duration of various hesitation phenomena, voice loudness, and stage fright. Positive feedback was found to have a slight but facilitative effect on encoding, while negative feedback appeared to be generally disruptive in its influence.
The Acquisition of a Word
Authors: Bullowa Margaret , Jones Lawrence G. , Duckert Audrey R.
Published: July 2017

A longitudinal study of normal first language acquisition is being conducted by a group including linguists and students of behaviour. Babies are studied from birth and followed by weekly observations with their mothers in their own homes. Raw data consists of (1) tape-recorded sound track of baby, mother and environmental sounds, (2) concurrent dictated description of behaviour and interaction of subjects by psychiatrist-observer and (3) stop-frame film of subjects. Taped infant vocalization is studied by two linguists independently. This contribution focusses on one subject's acquisition of the word “shoe” from her first acquaintance with the word in association with the object to her capacity to use the word spontaneously with definitive pronunciation. Six stages are described and documented: Stage 1—Mother pronounces word in association with object; Stage 2—Child attempts imitation which mother rejects; Stage 3—Child's imitation accepted by mother; Stage 4—Child uses word spontaneously in association with object and is understood by mother; Stage 5—Child uses word spontaneously when object is not present; Stage 6—Child achieves adult pronunciation of word. At this point the word could be understood by anyone without context. Advantage of joint behavioural and linguistic study of speech development is stressed.
A Cross Cultural Study of Speech Rate
Authors: Osser Harry , Peng Frederick
Published: July 2017

This paper describes an experimental attempt to investigate the ‘cultural stereotype’ judgment of speech-rate, i.e. the judgment that people speaking in a language that is foreign to the listener always appear to be talking very rapidly. Two samples of speech were obtained from 6 native Japanese speakers and 6 native American-English speakers. Analyses of both samples failed to reveal significant differences in speech-rate between the two groups. Some implications of the results are formulated and finally several hypotheses are proposed to account for the ‘cultural stereotype’ judgment of speech rate.
Vocal Emphasis in Experimenters' Instruction Reading as Unintended Determinant of Subjects' Responses
Authors: Duncan Starkey , Rosenthal Robert
Published: July 2017

Sound motion pictures were made of three male experimenters administering an experiment in person perception to 10 subjects. The task called for subjects to rate the degree of success or failure of people pictured in photographs. An analysis of the experimenters' suprasegmental phonemes and paralanguage from the sound track showed that no subject was exposed to identical vocal emphases of those portions of the instructions listing the subject's response alternatives. All subjects (5) who heard greater emphasis on the rating alternatives associated with success subsequently rated the photos as being of more successful people than the subjects (5) who heard greater emphasis on the failure alternatives (p = 0.004). The correlation between differential vocal emphasis and subjects' subsequent ratings was +0.72 (p < 0.01). The way in which the experimenter reads instructions to subjects, even when instructions are read accurately, can serve as a significant determinant of the subjects' responses to an experimental procedure.
Recall for Answers to "Conducive" Questions
Authors: Fillenbaum Samuel
Published: July 2017

The phrasing of a question may reveal presumptions as to its answer. In the case of negative Yes-No questions a grammatical analysis suggests that neg + some questions are biased to a " Yes " reply, while neg + any questions are biased to a " No" reply. There are data indicating that, indeed, listeners predominantly believe that the questioner expects a positive answer in the first case, and a negative answer in the second case. The present study was carried out to discover whether such" conducive " presumptions in questions may systematically bias recall of their answers, and to determine the locus or loci of such an effect. It was found that recall was systematically biased by question format, the results indicating a significant effect of question format at time of recall test, and also suggesting an independent effect as a fiinction of question format at time of original presentation of the information. Some comments are made on the implications of these findings.
Transformations and the Understanding of Sentences
Authors: Wright Patricia
Published: July 2017

Five seconds after hearing a simple affirmative sentence that was either active or passive, subjects were asked a question about the sentence. The question was sometimes in the active and sometimes the passive voice. It was found that when both sentence and question had the same voice fewer errors were made than when there was a syntactic mismatch. Furthermore in the matched conditions there was no difference between the active and the passive voice. This was interpreted as evidence that subjects did not transform the sentences after hearing them, for had they done so the passive questions might have been consistently more difficult, and perhaps also the passive sentences. The greater difficulty observed when the voice of the question differed from that of the sentence was attributed to subjects having to make transformations in this situation. If forcing people to make transformations results in more errors, this also suggests that people do not normally carry out such processing as an integral part of understanding sentences.

Analysis was carried out of the errors made on different parts of the sentence, but no clear interpretation of this data was possible. The verb was seen to be closely related to the grammatical subject of the sentence, which is to be expected if the sentences were not being transformed. But fewer errors were made when the correct answer was the agent of the verb. This might have been the effect of a specific question form.
Dialect and Identification in Persuasive Messages
Authors: Houck Charles L. , Bowers John Waite
Published: July 2017

Using northern college students as subjects, this experiment attempted to examine the effects of regional identification in responses to speeches relevant and irrelevant to regional norms. For a moderately-toned speech opposing integration of southern colleges, a southern dialect enhanced judgements of competence without weakening judgements of trustworthiness in comparison with responses to the same speech in a northern dialect. For the other speech, opposing government aid to needy college students, the northern dialect received higher rating on trustworthiness and much higher ratings on competence than did the southern dialect. These results were interpreted to indicate that on the irrelevant topic the northern dialect predisposed the subjects to be less critical than the southern dialect did. On the relevant topic, the southern dialect, combined with the surprisingly moderate stand taken, predisposed the subjects to credit the speaker with greater competence than the northern dialect did.
The Interaction of Sentence Characteristics and Mode of Presentation in Recall
Authors: Feldman Carol F.
Published: July 2017

The present study was designed to demonstrate that the recall of sentences in a conventional experiment is different from recall in even the most minimally conversational conditions when sentences include certain structures characteristic of ordinary speech. Sentences were constructed which included modal verbs, and the words "even" and "only" (called here underdetermined elements), alone and in combination with negation and question transformations. In a control experiment sentences included these transformations but lacked underdetermined elements.

Twenty subjects heard such modal sentences on a tape recording. Twenty other subjects heard the same sentences in a conversational setting in which the sentences were said by an experimental accomplice and the subject replied briefly after hearing each one.

Recall of the modal sentences was different in the two conditions. In the tape condition there was a decrement with increasing grammatical complexity but not in the conversation condition. The difference between the conditions can be attributed to the underdetermined elements. The addition of these elements to a sentence causes a decrement in the tape condition but not in the conversation condition. The addition of ordinary transformations to modal sentences affects recall in the two conditions the same way. Hence even in modal sentences, the differential effect can be attributed specifically to underdetermined elements but not to ordinary transformations.

Recall of the ordinary transformed sentences in the control experiment was the same in both conditions. Hence the effects found in the main experiment are not specific for modal sentences.
Synthesis By Rule as a Tool for Phonological Research
Authors: Mattingly Ignatius G.
Published: July 2017

The phonologist, having analysed a corpus of phonetic data and proposed tentative phonological rules, must test these rules by generating novel utterances for acceptance or rejection by an informant. There are certain methodological problems in such testing which could be avoided by the use of speech synthesized by rule. Synthesis by rule is now a practical technique, and a synthesis-by-rule system at Haskins Laboratories has been used to formulate rules for General American English.
Effects of Reward Schedule Changes on Children's Speech Fluency
Authors: Marshall Robert C. , Cullinan Walter L.
Published: July 2017

Speech disfluency indices were obtained for 50 young normal-speaking males who told stories about 30 situational pictures under continuous and/or partial (random) reward conditions. Four groups of ten children each received 100% rewards for the first ten responses (Condition I) and either 100%, 75%, 50%, or 25% rewards for the last 20 responses (Condition II). A fifth group of ten children received 50% rewards for the first 20 responses (Condition I) and 100% rewards for the last ten responses (Condition II). The four groups having reward schedule changes tended to have lower proportions of vocal segregates and higher proportions of revisions in Condition II than in Condition I, whereas the group receiving 100% rewards in both Conditions showed only slight changes and in the opposite directions. Significant changes in total disfluency were not obtained. The three groups changed from continuous to partial reward tended to have higher disfluency indices for those responses following non-reward than for those following reward in Condition II for all disfluency categories, except revisions.