bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Phonetics within the Study of Language
Authors: Diehl Randy L.
Published: November 2009

Phonologists have often held that phonetic ‘substance’ is more or less unrelated to phonological ‘form’. This view rests on assumptions about the phonetic domain that are highly questionable on empirical grounds. Evidence is reviewed suggesting that very few phonetic properties of vowels fail to serve the linguistic function of preserving and enhancing distinctiveness. Accordingly, much of what has been considered to be purely phonetic is also phonological in character; that is to say, the domains of phonetics and phonology overlap significantly. Finally, several well-known criticisms of the program of phonetic explanation in phonology are discussed and rejected.
Information for Mandarin Tones in the Amplitude Contour and in Brief Segments
Authors: Whalen D.H. , Xu Yi
Published: November 2009

While the tones of Mandarin are conveyed mainly by the F₀ contour, they also differ consistently in duration and in amplitude contour. The contribution of these factors was examined by using signal-correlated noise stimuli, in which natural speech is manipulated so that it has no F₀ or formant structure but retains its original amplitude contour and duration. Tones 2, 3 and 4 were perceptible from just the amplitude contour, even when duration was not also a cue. In two further experiments, the location of the critical information for the tones during the course of the syllable was examined by extracting small segments from each part of the original syllable. Tones 2 and 3 were often confused with each other, and segments which did not have much F₀ change were most often heard as Tonel. There were, though, also cases in which a low, unchanging pitch was heard as Tone 3, indicating a partial effect of register even in Mandarin. F₀ was positively correlated with amplitude, even when both were computed on a pitch period basis. Taken together, the results show that Mandarin tones are realized in more than just the F₀ pattern, that amplitude contours can be used by listeners as cues for tone identification, and that not every portion of the F₀ pattern unambiguously indicates the original tone.
Declination of Supralaryngeal Gestures in Spoken Italian
Authors: Vayra Mario , Fowler Carol A.
Published: November 2009

Two experiments investigate a weakening of supralaryngeal gestures in an utterance, analogous in some ways to declination of fundamental frequency and amplitude. In one experiment, acoustic measures revealed progressive centralization of stressed /i/, /a/ and /u/ left to right in trisyllabic utterances read by Tuscan subjects. A second experiment, using speakers of a different (Northern) variety of Standard Italian, found reduction in jaw opening for stressed /a/ left to right, but generally failed to replicate a centralization of /i/. This experiment further suggested that the progressive weakening of supralaryngeal gestures is largely a phrase level rather than a word level phenomenon. Both experiments found a different, V-shaped, pattern of opening to be generally characteristic of unstressed syllables.
Articulatory Phonology: An Overview
Authors: Browman Catherine P. , Goldstein Louis
Published: November 2009

An overview of the basic ideas of articulatory phonology is presented, along with selected examples of phonological patterning for which the approach seems to provide a particularly insightful account. In articulatory phonology, the basic units of phonological contrast are gestures, which are also abstract characterizations of articulatory events, each with an intrinsic time or duration. Utterances are modeled as organized patterns (constellations) of gestures, in which gestural units may overlap in time. The phonological structures defined in this way provide a set of articulatorily based natural classes. Moreover, the patterns of overlapping organization can be used to specify important aspects of the phonological structure of particular languages, and to account, in a coherent and general way, for a variety of different types of phonological variation. Such variation includes allophonic variation and fluent speech alternations, as well as ‘coarticulation’ and speech errors. Finally, it is suggested that the gestural approach clarifies our understanding of phonological development, by positing that prelinguistic units of action are harnessed into (gestural) phonological structures through differentiation and coordination.
Perception of the Stop/Glide Contrast in Infancy
Authors: Oller Kimbrough , Eilers Rebecca E. , Burns Rebecca , Urbano Richard
Published: November 2009

Much of the published research in infant speech perception has emphasized how well infants have done with a number of speech contrasts, and have noted similarities in pattern of discrimination of adults and infants. Often it has been suggested that infants begin life with the ability to perceive any speech contrast, and that the process of acquiring a language involves inhibition of the ability to perceive contrasts not present in the target language. Indeed some studies have shown infants able to discriminate contrasts on which adults fail if the contrasts are not drawn from the native language of the adults. Other studies, however, have suggested that infants may not always be so perceptually capable. The present work focusses on the stop-glide contrast. The results are inconsistent with the prevalent view and with previously reported studies on the perception of the stop-glide contrast by infants. The results indicate that in a vigilance paradigm adapted for both infant and adult testing, infants perform poorly on the contrasts when compared with adults. Furthermore the pattern of relative perception observed in the adults on stimuli with long or short vowels is quite unlike that of the infants. It is concluded that much work remains in order to evaluate the relative performance of infants and adults in speech perception, since it appears that changes in experimental paradigm or particular stimulus parameters may affect outcomes in fundamental ways.
Fronted Velars, Palatalized Velars, and Palatals
Authors: Keating Patricia , Lahiri Aditi
Published: November 2009

Articulatory and acoustic characteristics of various stop consonants in Czech, Hungarian, English, and Russian are compared: velars before back and before front vowels, palatalized velars, and palatals. The articulatory data consist of X-ray tracings and palatograms taken from the literature. The acoustic data consist of LPC spectra of brief intervals at stop release and at vowel onset. These data indicate that all of these consonant types are distinct. Contextual fronting of velars is a gradient effect, less extreme than phonemic palatalization of velars. True palatals are even further forward on the palate and contrast with contextually fronted velars before front vowels. Thus these consonant types should not be collapsed by feature systems.
Beyond Sentence Prosody: Paragraph Intonation in Dutch
Authors: Sluijter A.M.C. , Terken J.M.B.
Published: November 2009

The present research aims at a partial model for synthesized text intonation, restricted to utterances consisting of a single intonation phrase. Intonational characteristics of short utterances in different positions within a paragraph are investigated. The effects of position in the paragraph on sentence prosody are mainly located in the beginning of the utterance. A model is formulated to capture the main findings. The model is then perceptually evaluated. The results indicate that the model can be used to improve the naturalness of rule-based intonation in a system for automatic text-to-speech conversion.
The Prosody of Information Units in Spontaneous Monologue
Authors: Swerts Marc , Geluykens Ronald
Published: November 2009

This article describes a perceptual evaluation of the prosodic structure of a spontaneously produced monologue. It was found that the speaker studied demarcates larger-scale topical units in spoken discourse by means of intonation (use of melodic boundary markers, scaling of maxima in pitchmovements, general decline in average pitch) and by the use of pauses with variable durations. In a perception test, it was examined to what extent these prosodic devices may be important to listeners. Subjects were confronted with three unintelligible (band-pass-filtered) versions of a fragment of the elicited monologue: (1) with the original prosody unchanged; (2) with constant pause duration and the original speech melody; (3) with monotonous pitch and the original pause structure. They were instructed to indicate the boundaries of the larger-scale topical units in the three versions. Subjects were able to detect correctly the major discourse boundaries in all three filtered versions in a significant number of cases. They performed best when confronted with version 1. Versions 1 and 2, in their turn, did better than version 3, which suggests that, in the performance of this speaker, intonation is a perceptually more important factor than pause for the clarification of the topical make-up of a text, though the latter dimension is certainly not negligible.
A Study on Prosody and Discourse Structure in Cooperative Dialogues
Authors: Nakajima Shin’ya , Allen James F.
Published: November 2009

This article describes how well prosodic information correlates with the topic structure of discourse. To investigate this correlation systematically, we first introduce the notion of utterance
unit, which can be viewed as the basic unit in conversations. We then define four topic boundary classes: topic
shift, topic
continuation, elaboration, and speech-act
continuation. The prosodic parameters – onset fundamental frequency (F0), final F0, and peak F0 ratio – are measured at these topic boundaries to show how these prosodic parameters change with the topic structure. Finally, we discuss discourse structure identification via the prosodic parameters.
Phonetic and Phonological Features of Approximants in Athabaskan and Eskimo
Authors: Cook Eung-Do
Published: November 2009

The Athabaskan and Eskimo approximants, particularly [j], [w], and [l], behave phonologically like obstruents. In both language families, [j], which alternates with a sibilant, is phonologically [+coronal], although its coronality has been questioned on phonetic grounds. These approximants best illustrate Sapir’s [1925] notion of ‘a true point in pattern’ which must be defined ‘over and above its natural [phonetic] classification on organic and acoustic grounds’. The fact that approximants are classified phonologically as sonorants or obstruents in different languages is incompatible with the universality of distinctive features and their phonetic properties. This problem is resolved by placing a phonological boundary for [+/––sonorant] somewhat differently in the continuum of the sonority hierarchy, depending on how approximants behave in individual languages.
Cross-Language Influence on the Production of Mandarin /f/ and /x/ and Taiwanese /h/ by Native Speakers of Taiwanese Amoy
Authors: Peng Shu-hui
Published: November 2009

The present study examines the patterns of interference between a first (here, Amoy) and second language (here, Mandarin) by comparing the production of a Mandarin phone [f] (a ‘new’ phone) with another Mandarin phone [x] (which is ‘similar’ to an Amoy phone [h]) by three groups of native Amoy subjects differentiated by proficiency in Mandarin. Their Mandarin production was also compared to that of Mandarin monolinguals. The spectrum of each consonant was analyzed to show the frequency range and energy of the fricative. In general, native Amoy speakers interpreted Mandarin /f/ and /x/ in terms of their first language phones [hw] and [h], but showed different patterns of interference for different proficiency levels. The least proficient simply substituted the Amoy phones for the Mandarin. More proficient speakers could approximate the Mandarin monolingual phonetic norm for the ‘new’ phone [f] more accurately than for the ‘similar’ phone [x]. The most proficient showed little Amoy-to-Mandarin interference on even the ‘similar’ phone [x]. On the other hand, the most proficient showed some interference from Mandarin /x/ on their Amoy production.
Individual Variation in Measures of Voice
Authors: Holmberg Eva B. , Perkell Joseph S. , Hillman Robert E. , Gress Carla
Published: November 2009

Measures of inferred subglottal air pressure, glottal airflow waveform characteristics, sound pressure level (SPL) and the acoustic spectral slope were studied for individual speakers with normal voices. Combinations of different levels of sub-glottal air pressure and varying glottal configurations could result in the same SPL. Relatively high air pressure levels were associated with a steep spectral slope, reflecting a more sinusoidal glottal waveform and a relatively abducted membranous glottis, which would result in damping of F1. Data suggested that the interarytenoid glottal opening could vary without systematically affecting SPL or voice quality. The results indicate that the principles of production-related economy of effort and physiological, acoustic and perceptual constraints may apply to voice production.
What’s in a Schwa?
Authors: Koopmans-van Beinum Florien J.
Published: November 2009

Although the schwa sound is by far the most frequent vowel in Dutch, it has up to now been phonetically the most neglected. We used an existing database of vowel sounds from focus words in spontaneous speech and in lexically the same text, read aloud by one male speaker, to analyse durational and spectral characteristics of schwas, and we compared the results with data on schwa diphones used in Dutch text-to-speech synthesis. It turned out that, contrary to what is usually thought, lexical schwa sounds in natural continuous speech are considerably shorter than other short vowels, that there is no strong consonantal influence on schwa duration, that schwa sounds display a spectral spread larger than any other vowel, and that surrounding consonants seem to play a role with respect to the midpoint formant distribution of the schwa within the whole vowel system. In no way can the schwa be considered as the ‘bench-mark’ of a speaker’s vowel system.
Listeners’ Normalization of Vowel Quality Is Influenced by ‘Restored’ Consonantal Context
Authors: Ohala John J. , Feder Deborah
Published: November 2009

When listeners’ identifications of speech sounds are influenced by adjacent sounds, is it only the quantitative phonetic characteristics of these neighboring sounds that matter, or could their qualitative linguistic identity play a role? We tested this by inducing subjects to ‘restore’ a noise-obliterated medial consonant in VCe utterances by first presenting them with several prior utterances where this medial consonant could be heard clearly and was consistently the same, either a /b/ or a /d/. Included as V were synthetic steady-state vowels from the /i-u/ continuum. More /u/’s were identified out of this continuum in the environment of physically present /d/’s than /b/’s. Restored /d/’s had the same effect, thus indicating that the influence of context need not operate only via physical phonetic features. These results suggest that strict phonetic invariance of phonological units may not be necessary.
Prolegomena to a Theory of the Sound Pattern of the First Spoken Language
Authors: MacNeilage Peter F.
Published: November 2009

Although it would seem fundamental to the understanding of human beings, there has been virtually no attempt, in modern science, to develop a theory regarding the sound pattern of the first language. As a step towards such a theory, I suggest that ontogeny may recapitulate phylogeny. I propose that the pattern of open/close alternation of the mandible underlying the syllable which first appears in infants at the babbling stage is the missing link in the evolution of speech from ancestral primate vocal signals. In addition, I suggest that the conjoint set of sounds and sound patterns favored in babbling and early words, and in the world’s languages, constitutes, in effect, the fossil record of true speech, and I provide a tentative enumeration of this set.
Phonetics of Intervocalic Consonant Perception: Retrospect and Prospect
Authors: Pickett J.M. , Bunnell Timothy , Revoile Sally G.
Published: November 2009

This article reviews the production characteristics and perceptual cues of intervocalic consonants as a background for acoustic studies of consonant perception in fluent speech. Data show that in conversation intervocalic consonants occur much more commonly than consonants in initial or final position; all phonetic features are strongly represented. Production characteristics of intervocalic consonants are seen to depend on the tempo and rhythmic conditions of the syllables of which they are components. At a moderate tempo, consonants in syllable-final position combine with the onset consonant of the following syllable. This affects durational characteristics and may be explained by higher energy efficiency of CV units in production. Phonological phenomena are related to the shifts in syllable position and the temporal compensations of intervocalic consonant production. Studies of consonant perception in fluent context have dealt with tempo of utterance, position in word, and rhythmic pattern, as well as phonemic context. Major phenomena are effects of coarticulation, invariance in consonant perception, and cue interaction and masking. Much evidence suggests a dominance of the perceptual cues in the CV portion of VCCV and VCV sequences. We suggest that exploration of perception variables that affect consonants in fluent context would be expedited by reorienting experimental procedures to employ listener adjustment of stimuli, instead of the traditional phoneme identification and discrimination procedures with large sets of constant stimuli. Most of the relevant literature deals with stop consonants. Lateral, rhotic, and nasal consonants also deserve intensive study because of their very frequent occurrence. Theoretical issues of phoneme perceptual invariance and motor vs. auditory theory of perception are discussed in relation to proposed experiments which vary syllable tempo and stress pattern.
Effects of Focus Distribution, Pitch Accent and Lexical Stress on the Temporal Organization of Syllables in Dutch
Authors: Sluijter A.M.C. , van Heuven V.J.
Published: November 2009

In recent developments in phonological theory two independent representations for prosodic prominence are needed in languages such as Dutch and English. A nonculminative auto-segmental structure with high and low tones accounts for pitch accents in focused constituents, whereas a culminative metrical structure which is phonetically coded in relative duration accounts for the lexical stress position in a word. The most farreaching consequence following from this proposal is that relative temporal structure of a word does not change if a pitch accent is shifted to an unstressed syllable. Our results show that, if a pitch accent is shifted (through focus manipulation) from the stressed onto the unstressed syllable, rhyme durations are more or less inverted. Therefore, the assumption of completely independent tonal and metrical structure is largely untenable. However, our results also show a small residual effect of the original stress pattern after the accent shift, which can be accounted for by a metrical grid representation.
Kleine Phonetik und Große Phonetik
Authors: Tillmann Hans G.
Published: November 2009

The aim of this paper is to answer the two questions ‘What is phonetics?’ and ‘Is it a discipline in its own right?’ Because there seem to exist different answers, these questions are of some interest. Sometimes, phonetics is seen as less than a fully fledged discipline, i.e. merely a part of other disciplines. But on the other hand, it seems equally true that phonetics can be said to be more than just one single discipline, in which case we would get a whole set of ‘phonetic sciences’. Neither of those two paradoxical, or even contradictory, alternatives presents a satisfying solution. In the following we would like to show that phonetics can be called a well-defined discipline in exactly two different senses. Phonetics can be seen as one of two very specific versions of scientifically approaching what will be called the
phonetic
facts
of
spoken
language. Such facts are a necessary condition for every natural speech act, because there is no speech act without observable phonetic facts. Together, these two versions of scientifically dealing with phonetic facts, a smaller and a larger one, form phonetics as a whole discipline in its own right. This contribution to the Festschrift is written in German, mainly because its title cannot be easily translated into English; for further explanations, please refer to note on p. 158.
Interactions of Fundamental Frequency Contour and Perceived Duration in Norwegian
Authors: van Dommelen Wim A.
Published: November 2009

This study investigates the influence of fundamental frequency (F₀) contour on perceived vowel duration in Norwegian. In the first of four experiments, a falling vs. flat contour in short vs. long vowels in isolated monosyllables was shown to cause a perceptual lengthening of the vowel. Contrary to the expectations, embedding the monosyllables sentence-medially in experiment 2 did not turn the lengthening into a shortening effect. Also unexpectedly, a rising vs. flat contour did not influence perceived duration in monosyllables (experiment 3). Experiment 4 focused on falling as well as rising contours in disyllabic test words. Here, too, a lenghtening effect was found only for a falling pattern. In parallel with experiment 2, the presence of the test word’s second syllable did not turn perceptual lengthening into perceptual shortening. Comparison of the present results with data previously reported for German leads to the conclusion that the interaction of Fo contour and perceived vowel duration is language-specific and cannot be explained by assuming a universal psychophysical mechanism.
An Interactive Technique for Matching Speaker Identity
Authors: Carlson Rolf , Granström Björn
Published: November 2009

A speaker recognition experiment is described where subjects are asked to identify 1 out of 12 unknown speakers from short samples of speech. All were male speakers without strong regional accents and unknown to the subject group. The task was to match the voice of a test utterance to one of the speakers. The test was run individually as an interactive computer-controlled task. Results on speed and precision of this task are presented. The result demonstrates that it is possible for subjects to quite accurately match unknown voices, speaking different utterances, if the test utterances are reasonably long. However, listeners differ widely in this ability. The study will be used as a baseline for synthesis of speaker characteristics.
The Place of Articulation Distinction in Voiced Oral Stops: Evidence from Burst Spectra and Formant Transitions
Authors: Cassidy Stephen , Harrington Jonathan
Published: November 2009

This study concerns the extent to which place of articulation in the voiced obstruents /b d dz g/ can be separated from spectral parameters taken in the burst, formant transitions, and a combination of the two. Classifications were obtained by training on citation-form data produced by male speakers and testing on (i) citation-form data produced by female speakers and (ii) continuous speech data produced by the same male speakers. The results show that there is more information for the place distinction in the burst than in formant transitions; when the parameters are combined into a single model, classification scores are improved for the citation-form data, but not for the continuous speech data. The highest classification scores were in the vicinity of 90% correct for both types of data on the combined parameters. The results are seen as supporting a model of sufficient discriminability rather than one in which phonetic categories are characterised by invariant acoustic cues.
A Perceptual Comparison of the /i/–/e/ and /u/–/o/ Contrasts in English and in Spanish: Universal and Language-Specific Aspects
Authors: Bradlow Ann R.
Published: November 2009

Two experiments were run to investigate language-specific and universal acoustic-perceptual characteristics of the /i/–/e/ and /u/–/o/ contrasts in two languages that differ widely in the sizes of their vowel inventories, namely, English and Spanish. In order to investigate the relationship between production and perception of these two vowel pairs, the first experiment compared the acoustic and perceptual characteristics of the /i/–/e/ and /u/–/o/ contrasts within each of the two languages. In order to investigate the responses of listeners to non-native stimuli, the second experiment presented native listeners of English and Spanish with synthetic /i/–/e/ and /u/–/o/ stimuli that were modeled after natural vowels as spoken by speakers of the other language. The results indicated a close production-perception link, as well as a degree of flexibility of the perceptual vowel space in response to stimuli that are structured around non-native vowel category locations. These results suggest that listeners perceive vowel stimuli with reference to a specific phonemic vowel system, and, if necessary, will adjust their perceptual vowel system to match the stimuli. Additionally, a comparison of the absolute locations of the /i/–/e/ and /u/–/o/ perceptual boundaries across the two languages indicated the presence of universally preferred, inventory-independent boundary locations.
The Acquisition of a Complex Phonological Contrast: Voice Timing Patterns of English Final Stops by Native French Speakers
Authors: Laeufer Christiane
Published: November 2009

This study examines the acquisition of the phonetic implementation of English final stops by two groups of French speakers. Investigated are parameters which demand a high degree of accuracy in the timing of the sequential movements of the glottal and supraglottal articulators. Rate of acquisition is found to be high for absolute vowel durations and unaspirated final stop release bursts. It is lower for flapping of alveolar stops and relative vowel durations, and it is lowest for extra-short stop closures and short-lag realization of voiced stops. The results confirm those obtained for initial stops. The factors facilitating the acquisition of L2 segments with close counterparts in L1 are the degree of perceptual salience of the various subsegmental intervals and the existence in L1 of allophonic variants similar in realization to the L2 segment. Acquisition begins with the positive transfer of these variants to L2 and their distributional extension to new contexts. In the presence of facilitating factors, it is restricted to the first few years of L2 exposure. In their absence, it requires longer exposure and is limited. Acquisition also strongly depends on individual factors.
Age of Learning Affects Rate-Dependent Processing of Stops in a Second Language
Authors: Flege James Emil , Schmidt Anna Marie , Wharton Glenn
Published: November 2009

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of speaking rate changes on the perception of English stop consonants by four groups of subjects: English and Spanish monolinguals, ‘early’ Spanish/English bilinguals who learned English in childhood, and ‘late’ bilinguals who learned English in adulthood. Subjects identified, and then later rated for goodness as exemplars of the English /p/ category, the members of two voice onset time (VOT) continua. The English monolinguals identified a well-defined range of VOT stimuli as English /p/, and stimuli with longer VOT values as ‘exaggerated’ instances of English /p/. Their goodness ratings increased as VOT increased, then showed a systematic decrease as VOT began to exceed values typical for English /p/. The English monolinguals’ goodness ratings also varied systematically as a function of speaking rate, which was simulated in the two continua by varying syllable duration. The Spanish monolinguals, on the other hand, failed to consistently identify any of the stimuli as English /p/. Although speaking rate influenced their goodness ratings, the Spanish monolinguals’ rate effects differed significantly from the English monolinguals’. The early bilinguals resembled the English monolinguals, and differed from the Spanish monolinguals to a greater extent than did the late Spanish/English bilinguals. This was taken as support for the hypothesis that early bilinguals are more likely than are late bilinguals to establish new phonetic categories for stop consonants in a second language.
Phonetic Interpretation of the Word Accent Contrast in Swedish: Evidence from Spontaneous Speech
Authors: Engstrand Olle
Published: November 2009

Fundamental frequency (F₀) correlates of the Swedish tonal word accents, ‘grave’ and ‘acute’, were studied in spontaneous speech produced by 3 male speakers of Central Standard Swedish. The grave accent was invariably marked by an F₀ fall on the primary stress syllable, while the corresponding F₀ contour in acute words seemed to be predictable from sentence-level intonation. The latter observation, which could not be tested on the basis of spontaneous speech data, was confirmed in a companion paper in which a controlled speech material was analysed. In combination, the two papers corroborate the view that an F₀ fall is a positive phonetic feature of the grave accent, while the acute accent constitutes the unmarked member of the contrast. They also illustrate the methodological advantage of using complementary spontaneous and controlled speech materials.
Ethical Issues in Intrauterine Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Walters LeRoy
Published: November 2009

This essay considers ethical problems raised by recent developments in intrauterine diagnosis and therapy. Diagnostic and therapeutic innovations applicable to the previable fetus and to the possibly viable or viable fetus are briefly described. A central ethical issue prior to viability is whether intrauterine therapy for fetal health problems should be attempted or whether selective abortion should be chosen as an alternative. Beyond viability, an important question is the extent to which a pregnant woman is morally obligated to accept risks to her own life or health for the sake of the fetus.
Fetal Transfusion
Authors: Queenan John T.
Published: November 2009

In the Rh-sensitized pregnancy, direct treatment of the fetus has been practiced for over two decades. Although Rh immune prophylaxis has markedly decreased the incidence of Rh sensitization, there are still fetal deaths due to this disease. Current management of the severe form of Rh disease includes serial transabdominal intrauterine transfusions, preterm delivery and intensive neonatal care. Heart failure in the fetus may be treated by administering medications to the mother. Ascites or pericardial effusion are easy to detect with ultrasound imaging. Digoxin and diuretics have been used to reverse the ultrasound evidence of fetal congestive heart failure. Recently, direct fetal intravascular transfusion by fetoscopy has proven effective. In some instances, hydrops fetalis appears to be reversed by such transfusions. The use of promethazine and plasmapheresis have only limited success in ameliorating the disease in the fetus.
Congenital Malformations and Chromosomal Aberrations
Authors: Battin J.
Published: November 2009

Among a great number of chromosomal aberrations, the absence of cerebral malformations does not explain the reason for mental retardation and will lead to interpreting as normal the echography of a fetus which, after birth, will be revealed to have a trisomy. Trisomic brain anomalies are not constant or obligatory, but some of them (holoprosencephaly for 61 % of trisomy-13 and agenesis of corpus callosum for 8% of trisomy-18) have a degree of specificity. As for cerebral and cerebellar heterotopias, they cannot be considered as real malformations as they are frequently found in premature newborns and disappear with maturation, thus proving that they are a sign of immaturity. There is still a lot of work to be done before we are able to meet the request for fetal integrity formulated by contemporary couples.
Intrauterine Treatment of Hydrocephalus
Authors: Michejda Maria
Published: November 2009

The current status of the intrauterine treatment of fetal hydrocephalus is presented. The new data from the International Fetal Surgery Registry at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg are discussed. Technical problems of antenatal shunting, clinical trials and experimental treatment are assessed. The outcome of the antenatal diagnosis and treatment of fetal hydrocephalus is evaluated.
Management of Pregnancies Complicated by Fetal Central Nervous System Abnormalities
Authors: Bovicelli Luciano
Published: November 2009

The management options available for fetuses with hydrocephalus are reviewed. These options include termination of pregnancy, judicious use of destructive procedures, early delivery by cesarean section and postnatal shunting, and placement of ventriculoamniotic shunts. The frequency of associated anomalies and the need for further clinical trials are stressed.
Neonatal Medical Problems
Authors: Cocchi G. , Morini M.S.
Published: November 2009

The scope of clinical problems presented to the neonatologist by the antenatal diagnosis of a central nervous system anomaly is presented. The possibility of a missed fetal diagnosis and the need for careful clinical examination and judicious use of other diagnostic means are also stressed.
Management of Fetal Cardiac Structural Abnormalities
Authors: Ianniruberto Achille
Published: November 2009

This paper reviews the incidence of and risk factors associated with congenital cardiac malformations. The management options available are then reviewed. These include a detailed accurate diagnosis of the lesion and a functional assessment of cardiac activity. The importance of detecting major chromosomal anomalies is stressed with abortion being offered to the parents of a fetus with chromosomal anomalies or a highly fatal defect. The lack of clear-cut data on which to base the indications for cesarean section in these patients is stressed.
Prenatal Diagnosis and Management of Intrauterine Arrhythmias1
Authors: Kleinman Charles S.
Published: November 2009

The antenatal diagnosis of fetal arrhythmias can be a difficult proposition. This paper reports 234 cases of fetal cardiac arrhythmias. One hundred and ninety-four of these were isolated extrasystoles which resolved spontaneously in all except 2 cases. There were 9 patients with complete heart block. Three of these patients had structural anomalies and hydrops. Four other patients with heart block had evidence of maternal collagen disease. Sustained supraventricular tachyarrhythmias are the most common clinically important arrhythmias. Most of these can be successfully controlled with digoxin alone or with verapamil or propranolol. Atrial flutter is more difficult to control than supraventricular tachycardia.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Tract Obstructions
Authors: Carrera Jose Maria
Published: November 2009

The types of obstructive lesions of the gastrointestinal tract which can be diagnosed before birth are briefly reviewed. The importance of obtaining a karyotype in certain lesions (such as duodenal atresia) is stressed. The usefulness of the antenatal diagnosis of such lesions in planning obstetric management is stressed.
Gastrointestinal Tract Anomalies – Neonatal Medical Problems
Authors: Volpato Silvio , Guerrini Pietro , Padovani Ezio M. , Magnani Cinzia , Calzolari Elisa
Published: November 2009

The role of early diagnosis on the short-term prognosis of 55 infants with gastrointestinal tract malformations admitted to three neonatal intensive care units is reviewed. In this series antenatal diagnosis does not appear associated with better prognosis. The severity of the disorder and the association with other malformations are the most important determinants of outcome.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Abdominal Wall Defects
Authors: Catizone F.A.
Published: November 2009

The antenatal diagnosis of omphalocele and gastroschisis is briefly reviewed, together with the major differences between the two lesions. The frequency of associated anomalies in cases of omphalocele is stressed. The controversy regarding the mode and timing of delivery is outlined.
Genitourinary Tract Anomalies: Neonatal Surgical Problems
Authors: Domini R. , Cacciari A.
Published: November 2009

This paper is based on our experience in managing 79 cases of genitourinary tract anomalies diagnosed in utero and treated after birth. These babies seldom present as emergencies, and the antenatal diagnosis can usually be confirmed in the first few days of life. The surgical correction of these babies requires the services of a surgeon skilled and experienced in neonatal surgery. Surgeons experienced only in adult surgery may find these procedures technically difficult. Magnification is recommended. Postoperatively careful attention to fluid and electrolyte balance and correct functioning of drainage tubes is stressed. Antibiotic prophylaxis is vital, as is long-term follow-up.
In utero Therapy of Fetal Obstructive Uropathy
Authors: Grannum Peter
Published: November 2009

The sites of obstruction found during development are reviewed: high (ureteropelvic junction), mid (ureterovesical junction) and low (posterior urethral valves). Diagnostic evaluation of the fetal urinary tract is reviewed. The management of obstructive uropathies is briefly outlined and centres around the level of the lesion and whether the obstruction is unilateral or bileteral. Antenatal intervention is indicated whenever the function of both kidneys is threatened. The amount of amniotic fluid remains a good guide to renal function. The role of fetal urinary electrolytes as a prognostic indicator is not yet clarified.
Early Diagnosis of Intrauterine Growth Retardation by Doppler Ultrasound
Authors: Hackett G. , Campbell S.
Published: November 2009

The significance of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and the methods currently available for assessment of fetal growth are briefly reviewed. The use of Doppler ultrasound assessment of the flow velocity waveform (FVW) of the uteroplacental waveform at 16–18 weeks of gestation is outlined. A pilot study of 127 pregnancies suggested that the sensitivity of the test was 67% and the specificity 65%. The prediction value of a negative test was 92%. Six of the 14 cases of IUGR had a normal FVW, but 3 of these had asymmetrical morphology. Four of the 8 IUGR cases with an abnormal FVW required delivery by cesarean section. The FVW also appears to be a valuable predictor of pregnancy-induced hypertension and fetal asphyxia.
Management of Intrauterine Growth Retardation: Diagnostic and Clinical Aspects
Authors: Mandruzzato G.P. , D’Ottavio G. , Rustico M.A. , Alberico S. , Bogatti P. , Nesladek N.
Published: November 2009

A retrospective analysis of the ultrasonic charts of 150 pregnancies with a birth weight below the tenth percentile is presented. In all cases the first scan was carried out before the 20th week of gestation to assess gestational age measuring crown to rump length or biparietal diameter (BPD). Subsequent scans every 4 weeks measured BPD or abdominal circumference. Birth weight was below the fifth percentile in 70 cases and between the fifth and tenth percentiles in 80 cases. A risk condition was found in 32.26%. The first observation of an abnormal parameter was widely spread throughout the latter half of the pregnancy. The management of IUGR included close observation and often required planned delivery. Cesarean section was required in 30.75% of the cases. Acute fetal distress has been the indication in 17.6% of cases and chronic fetal distress in 41.3%. Perinatal mortality was 6.66%. The need for criteria that will accurately detect the fetus most at risk from complications of IUGR is stressed.
Management of Pregnancy with Poor Intrauterine Fetal Growth
Authors: Salvadori Bruno
Published: November 2009

This paper highlights the two main aims in the management of fetal growth retardation. The first is auxological (growth) improvement and the second is the selection of optimal timing and mode of delivery. These two competing management plans are presented against a background of the three different types of in utero growth retardation that have been recognized. Appropriate management of in utero growth retardation in our unit has resulted in a decrease in perinatal mortality from 16.7 to 1.2% and a reduction of major cerebral morbidity from 16.1 % to zero.
Is the Intrauterine Treatment of Fetal Hydrocephalus Helpful or Harmful?
Authors: Bannister Carys M.
Published: November 2009

An assessment of the current status of intrauterine treatment of fetal hydrocephalus is presented. An attempt is made to evaluate the outcome of clinical trials reported to the International Registry of Fetal Treatment. Future developments, based on the outcome of experiments with animal models, are discussed.
Utero-Placental Blood Velocity Resistance Index and Umbilical Venous pO2, pCO2, pH, Lactate and Erythroblast Count in Growth-Retarded Fetuses
Authors: Soothill P.W. , Nicolaides K.H. , Bilardo K. , Hackett G.A. , Campbell S.
Published: November 2009

In 32 pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation, umbilical venous blood was sampled by cordocentesis and the utero-placental blood velocity resistance index (RI) was recorded using Doppier ultrasound. Significant correlations were found between the utero-placental RI and fetal hypoxia, hypercapnea, acidosis, hyperlactaemia and erythroblastosis.
In utero Bladder Diversion – Problems with Patient Selection
Authors: Weiner Carl , Williamson Roger , Bonsib Stephen M. , Erenberg Allen , Pringle Kevin , Smith Wilbur , Abu-Yousef Monzer
Published: November 2009

Based upon the concept that an obstruction-maldevelopment sequence is reversible after diversion, it has been suggested that the fetus with a bladder outlet obstruction is a potential candidate for in utero intervention. We report an infant who had both renal and pulmonary dysplasia at birth despite a technically successful diversion at 22 weeks’ gestation. The poor outcome suggests that the organ damage either occurs so early that it precludes corrective surgery, or that the maldevelopment is not the result of obstruction, but rather a primary mesodermal defect.
Persistent Diastolic Dysfunction Late After Valve Replacement in Severe Aortic Regurgitation
Authors: Villari Bruno , Sossalla Samuel , Ciampi Quirino , Petruzziello Bruno , Turina Juraj , Schneider Jakob , Turina Marko , Hess Otto M.
Published: November 2009

Background—

Regression of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy with normalization of diastolic function has been reported in patients with aortic stenosis late after aortic valve replacement (AVR). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of AVR on LV function and structure in chronic aortic regurgitation early and late after AVR.

Methods and Results—

Twenty-six patients were included in the present analysis. Eleven patients with severe aortic regurgitation were studied before, early (21 months) and late (89 months) after AVR through the use of LV biplane angiograms, high-fidelity pressure measurements, and LV endomyocardial biopsies. Fifteen healthy subjects were used as controls. LV systolic function was determined from biplane ejection fraction and midwall fractional shortening. LV diastolic function was calculated from the time constant of LV relaxation, peak filling rates, and myocardial stiffness constant. LV structure was assessed from muscle fiber diameter, interstitial fibrosis, and fibrous content. LV muscle mass decreased significantly by 38% early and 55% late after surgery. Ejection fraction was significantly reduced preoperatively and did not change after AVR (
P
=NS). LV relaxation was significantly prolonged before surgery (89±28 ms) but was normalized late after AVR (42±14 ms). Early and late peak filling rates were increased preoperatively but normalized postoperatively. Diastolic stiffness constant was increased before surgery (22±6 versus 9±3 in control subjects;
P
=0.0003) and remained elevated early and late after AVR (23±4;
P
=0.002). Muscle fiber diameter decreased significantly after AVR but remained increased at late follow-up. Interstitial fibrosis was increased preoperatively and increased even further early but decreased late after AVR. Fibrosis was positively linearly correlated to myocardial stiffness and inversely correlated to LV ejection fraction.

Conclusions—

Patients with aortic regurgitation show normalization of macroscopic LV hypertrophy late after AVR, although fiber hypertrophy persists. These changes in LV myocardial structure late after AVR are accompanied by a change in passive elastic properties with persistent diastolic dysfunction.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL: http://www.clinicaltrial.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00976625.
Transcription Factor Fos-Related Antigen-2 Induces Progressive Peripheral Vasculopathy in Mice Closely Resembling Human Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Maurer Britta , Busch Nicole , Jüngel Astrid , Pileckyte Margarita , Gay Renate E. , Michel Beat A. , Schett Georg , Gay Steffen , Distler Jörg , Distler Oliver
Published: November 2009

Background—

Microvascular damage is one of the first pathological changes in systemic sclerosis. In this study, we investigated the role of Fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2), a transcription factor of the activator protein-1 family, in the peripheral vasculopathy of systemic sclerosis and examined the underlying mechanisms.

Methods and Results—

Expression of Fra-2 protein was significantly increased in skin biopsies of systemic sclerosis patients compared with healthy controls, especially in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. Fra-2 transgenic mice developed a severe loss of small blood vessels in the skin that was paralleled by progressive skin fibrosis at 12 weeks of age. The reduction in capillary density was preceded by a significant increase in apoptosis in endothelial cells at week 9 as detected by immunohistochemistry. Similarly, suppression of Fra-2 by small interfering RNA prevented human microvascular endothelial cells from staurosporine-induced apoptosis and improved both the number of tubes and the cumulative tube lengths in the tube formation assay. In addition, cell migration in the scratch assay and vascular endothelial growth factor–dependent chemotaxis in a modified Boyden chamber assay were increased after transfection of human microvascular endothelial cells with Fra-2 small interfering RNA, whereas proliferation was not affected.

Conclusions—

Fra-2 is present in human systemic sclerosis and may contribute to the development of microvasculopathy by inducing endothelial cell apoptosis and by reducing endothelial cell migration and chemotaxis. Fra-2 transgenic mice are a promising preclinical model to study the mechanisms and therapeutic approaches of the peripheral vasculopathy in systemic sclerosis.