bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The equivariant index theorem in entire cyclic cohomology
Authors: Perrot Denis 
Published: May 2008

AbstractLet G be a locally compact group acting smoothly and properly by isometries on a complete Riemannian manifold M, with compact quotient G\M. There is an assembly map which associates to any G-equivariant K-homology class on M, an element of the topological K-theory of a suitable Banach completion of the convolution algebra of continuous compactly supported functions on G. The aim of this paper is to calculate the composition of the assembly map with the Chern character in entire cyclic homology . We prove an index theorem reducing this computation to a cup-product in bivariant entire cyclic cohomology. As a consequence we obtain an explicit localization formula which includes, as particular cases, the equivariant Atiyah-Segal-Singer index theorem when G is compact, and the Connes-Moscovici index theorem for G-coverings when G is discrete. The proof is based on the bivariant Chern character introduced in previous papers.
Control effects and economic evaluation of pumpkin leaf extract on caterpillars of the small cabbage butterfly
Authors: XU R. , YANG S. , WU D. , KUANFG R.-P. 
Published: May 2008

SUMMARYThe control effect of Cucurbita ficifolia (pumpkin) leaf acetone extract on caterpillars of the small cabbage butterfly Pieris rapae Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) was observed in laboratory and field experiments from 1 March 2006 to 30 May 2007. The mechanism of the action by which pumpkin leaf extract (PLE) controls small cabbage caterpillars was examined for feeding restraint, and the values for 0·50 feeding restraint concentration (FC50) and 0·95 feeding restraint concentration (FC95) after 12 and 24 h were estimated. The results showed that the absolute anti-feeding activity for fourth instar caterpillars after 12 h was 0·65 and after 24 h was 0·56, while relative anti-feeding activity was 0·57 after 12 h and 0·59 after 24 h. Field experimental results indicated that the leaf protection effects increased up to day 7, while the feeding control effects remained constant. Comparison of the profits from pest management using indigenous pesticides, biological pesticides and chemical pesticides and without pest management suggested that there are currently economic benefits associated with the use of indigenous pesticides, such as PLE.
Pre-operative assessment of patients undergoing endoscopic, transnasal, transsphenoidal pituitary surgery
Authors: Lubbe D , Semple P 
Published: May 2008

AbstractObjective:To demonstrate the importance of pre-operative ear, nose and throat assessment in patients undergoing endoscopic, transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary tumours.Case reports:Literature pertaining to the pre-operative otorhinolaryngological assessment and management of patients undergoing endoscopic anterior skull base surgery is sparse. We describe two cases from our series of 59 patients undergoing endoscopic pituitary surgery. The first case involved a young male patient with a large pituitary macroadenoma. His main complaint was visual impairment. He had no previous history of sinonasal pathology and did not complain of any nasal symptoms during the pre-operative neurosurgical assessment. At the time of surgery, a purulent nasal discharge was seen emanating from both middle meati. Surgery was abandoned due to the risk of post-operative meningitis, and postponed until the patient's chronic rhinosinusitis was optimally managed. The second patient was a 47-year-old woman with a large pituitary macroadenoma, who presented to the neurosurgical department with a main complaint of diplopia. She too gave no history of previous nasal problems, and she underwent uneventful surgery using the endoscopic, transnasal approach. Two weeks after surgery, she presented to the emergency unit with severe epistaxis. A previous diagnosis of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia was discovered, and further surgical and medical intervention was required before the epistaxis was finally controlled.Conclusions:Pre-operative otorhinolaryngological assessment is essential prior to endoscopic pituitary or anterior skull base surgery. A thorough otorhinolaryngological history will determine whether any co-morbid diseases exist which could affect the surgical field. Nasal anatomy can be assessed via nasal endoscopy and sinusitis excluded. Computed tomography imaging is a valuable aid to decisions regarding additional procedures needed to optimise access to the pituitary fossa.
Laser output and multiple pinches of plasma in capillary discharge
Authors: YONGPENG ZHAO , QI WANG , YAO XIE , YUANLI CHENG , BOHAN LUAN 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe pinch process of plasma columns generated by capillary discharge is studied theoretically with a snow-plow model. The multiple pinch evolution of plasma is obtained from the theoretical results. The effects of pressure and current amplitude on multiple pinches are calculated, and the results show that the pinch time decreases nonlinearly with decreasing pressure or increasing current. In the experiment, the laser spike of Ne-like Ar at 46.9 nm is obtained with an X-ray diode (XRD). The pressure filling in the capillary is changed to observe the variation of lasing onset time. According to real current waveforms, the pinch process is simulated. The results show that the laser spike occurs around the third pinching time. In addition, the experimental results indicate that there is an optimum pressure for the laser output.
Psychological treatment of social anxiety disorder: a meta-analysis
Authors: Acarturk C. , Cuijpers P. , van Straten A. , de Graaf R. 
Published: May 2008

BackgroundOlder meta-analyses of the effects of psychological treatments of social anxiety disorder have found that these treatments have moderate to large effects. However, these earlier meta-analyses also included non-randomized studies, and there are many featured studies in this area which were published after the recent meta-analysis.MethodWe conducted a systematic literature search and identified 29 randomized studies examining the effects of psychological treatments, with a total of 1628 subjects. The quality of studies varied. For the analyses, we used the computer program comprehensive meta-analysis (version 2.2.021; Biostat, Englewood, NJ, USA).ResultsThe mean effect size on social anxiety measures (47 contrast groups) was 0.70, 0.80 on cognitive measures (26 contrast groups) and 0.70 both on depression (19 contrast groups) and general anxiety measures (16 contrast groups). We found some heterogeneity, so we conducted a series of subgroup analyses for different variables of the studies. Studies with waiting-list control groups had significantly larger effect sizes than studies with placebo and treatment-as-usual control groups. Studies aimed at subjects who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria for social anxiety disorder had smaller effect sizes than studies in which other inclusion criteria were used.ConclusionsThis study once more makes it clear that psychological treatments of social anxiety disorder are effective in adults, but that they may be less effective in more severe disorders and in studies in which care-as-usual and placebo control groups are used.
The heritability of hedonic capacity and perceived stress: a twin study evaluation of candidate depressive phenotypes
Authors: Bogdan R. , Pizzagalli D. A. 
Published: May 2008

BackgroundAnhedonia and stress sensitivity have been identified as promising depressive phenotypes. Research suggests that stress-induced anhedonia is a possible mechanism underlying the association between stress and depression. The present proof-of-concept study assessed whether hedonic capacity and stress perception are heritable and whether their genetic and environmental contributions are shared.MethodTwenty monozygotic (MZ) and 15 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs completed a probabilistic reward task that provides an objective behavioral measure of hedonic capacity (reward responsiveness) and completed several questionnaires including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Bivariate Cholesky models were used to investigate whether covariation between (1) depressive symptoms and hedonic capacity, (2) depressive symptoms and perceived stress, and (3) perceived stress and hedonic capacity resulted from shared or residual genetic and environmental factors.ResultsAdditive genetic (A) and individual-specific environment (E) factors contributed to 46% and 54% of the variance in hedonic capacity, respectively. For perceived stress, 44% and 56% of the variance was accounted for by A and E factors, respectively. The genetic correlation between depression and hedonic capacity was moderate (ra=0.29), whereas the correlation between depression and stress perception was large (ra=0.67). Genetic and environmental correlations between hedonic capacity and stress perception were large (ra=0.72 and re=−0.43).ConclusionsThe present study provides initial feasibility for using a twin approach to investigate genetic contributions of a laboratory-based anhedonic phenotype. Although these preliminary findings indicate that hedonic capacity and perceived stress are heritable, with substantial shared additive genetic contributions, replications in larger samples will be needed.
Pattern equivariant functions, deformations and equivalence of tiling spaces
Authors: KELLENDONK JOHANNES 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWe re-investigate the theory of deformations of tilings using P-equivariant cohomology. In particular, we relate the notion of asymptotically negligible shape functions introduced by Clark and Sadun to weakly P-equivariant forms. We then investigate more closely the relation between deformations of patterns and homeomorphism or topological conjugacy of pattern spaces.
Sharing risk: the Netherlands' new approach to pensions
Authors: PONDS EDUARD H. M. , RIEL BART VAN 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe solvency crisis in 2001–2004 urged Dutch pension funds to reconsider their final-pay plans with de facto unconditional indexation. Most pension funds switched to an average-wage plan with solvency-contingent indexation. This pension plan redesign was the outcome of a new compromise between the major stakeholders of Dutch pension funds. The redesign is of interest as it results in a hybrid combination of DB and DC. This new setting indeed greatly improves solvency risk management. Moreover, the new plan structure appears to be welfare-dominant compared to other collective plan settings and individual alternatives, as it improves the conditions for intergenerational risk sharing. However, drawbacks of the new plans are the lack of transparency and potential welfare loss for individuals because of the inherent contingent claim structure of the new plan. Moreover, the plan redesign has led to value redistribution from older to younger plan participants.
The Relationship Between Listener Comprehension and Intelligibility Scores for Speakers With Dysarthria
Authors: Hustad Katherine C. 
Published: May 2008

PurposeThis study examined the relationship between listener comprehension and intelligibility scores for speakers with mild, moderate, severe, and profound dysarthria. Relationships were examined across all speakers and their listeners when severity effects were statistically controlled, within severity groups, and within individual speakers with dysarthria.MethodSpeech samples were collected from 12 speakers with dysarthria secondary to cerebral palsy. For each speaker, 12 different listeners completed 2 tasks (for a total of 144 listeners): One task involved making orthographic transcriptions, and 1 task involved answering comprehension questions. Transcriptions were scored for the number of words transcribed correctly. Responses to comprehension questions were scored on a 3-point scale according to their accuracy.ResultsAcross all speakers, the Pearson product–moment correlation between comprehension and intelligibility scores was nonsignificant when the effects of severity were factored out and residual scores were examined. Within severity groups, the same relationship was significant only for the mild group. Within individual speaker groups, the relationship was nonsignificant for all but 2 speakers with dysarthria. Percentage of correct scores for listener comprehension was descriptively higher than percentage of correct intelligibility scores for all groups.ConclusionFindings suggest that transcription intelligibility scores do not accurately reflect listener comprehension scores. Measures of both intelligibility and listener comprehension may provide a more complete description of the information-bearing capability of dysarthric speech than either measure alone.
Laryngeal Muscles Are Spared in the Dystrophin DeficientmdxMouse
Authors: Thomas Lisa B. , Joseph Gayle L. , Adkins Tracey D. , Andrade Francisco H. , Stemple Joseph C. 
Published: May 2008

PurposeDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)is caused by the loss of the cytoskeletal protein, dystrophin. The disease leads to severe and progressive skeletal muscle wasting. Interestingly, the disease spares some muscles. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of dystrophin deficiency on 2 intrinsic laryngeal muscles, the posterior cricoarytenoid and the thyroarytenoid, in the mouse model.MethodLarynges from dystrophin-deficientmdxand normal mice were examined histologically.ResultsResults demonstrate that despite the absence of dystrophin in themdxlaryngeal muscles, membrane damage, inflammation, necrosis, and regeneration were not detected in the assays performed.ConclusionsThe authors concluded that these muscles are 1 of only a few muscle groups spared in this model of dystrophin deficiency. The muscles may count on intrinsic and adaptive protective mechanisms to cope with the absence of dystrophin. Identifying these protective mechanisms may improve DMD management. The study also highlights the unique aspects of the selected laryngeal skeletal muscles and their dissimilarity to limb skeletal muscle.
Articulatory Movements During Vowels in Speakers With Dysarthria and Healthy Controls
Authors: Yunusova Yana , Weismer Gary , Westbury John R. , Lindstrom Mary J. 
Published: May 2008

Purpose
This study compared movement characteristics of markers attached to the jaw, lower lip, tongue blade, and dorsum during production of selected English vowels by normal speakers and speakers with dysarthria due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Parkinson disease (PD). The study asked the following questions: (a) Are movement measures different for healthy controls and speakers with ALS or PD, and (b) Are articulatory profiles comparable for speakers with ALS and speakers with PD?

Method

Nineteen healthy controls and 15 speakers with dysarthria participated in this study. The severity of dysarthria varied across individuals and between the 2 disorder groups. The stimuli were 10 words (i.e.,
seed, feed, big, dish, too, shoo, bad, cat, box,
and
dog
) embedded into sentences read at a comfortable reading rate. Movement data were collected using the X-ray microbeam. Movement measures included distances, durations, and average speeds of vowel-related movement strokes.

Results
Differences were found (a) between speakers with ALS and healthy controls and (b) between speakers with ALS and PD, particularly in movement speed. Tongue movements in PD and ALS were more consistently different from healthy controls than jaw and lower lip movements. This study showed that the effects of neurologic disease on vowel production are often articulator-, vowel-, and context-specific.

Conclusions
Differences in severity between the speakers with PD and ALS may have accounted for some of the differences in movement characteristics between the groups. These factors need to be carefully considered when describing the nature of speech disorder and developing empirically based evaluation and treatment strategies for dysarthria.
The Influence of Fundamental Frequency and Sound Pressure Level Range on Breathing Patterns in Female Classical Singing
Authors: Collyer Sally , Thorpe C. William , Callaghan Jean , Davis Pamela J. 
Published: May 2008

PurposeThis study investigated the influence of fundamental frequency (F0) and sound pressure level (SPL) range on respiratory behavior in classical singing.MethodFive trained female singers performed an 8-s messa di voce (a crescendo and decrescendo on one F0) across their musical F0 range. Lung volume (LV) change was estimated, and chest-wall kinematic behavior (dimensional change in ribcage [RC] and abdominal [AB] wall) was recorded using triaxial magnetometry.ResultsThe direction of F0 influence on LV excursion (LVE) varied among singers, but SPL range appeared to be less important than duration to LVE. LVE was generally evenly divided between crescendo and decrescendo. Kinematic patterns differed markedly among singers, despite task consistency, and RC and AB paradoxing was widespread.ConclusionEach singer maintained her characteristic kinematic pattern regardless of F0 or SPL range, although these did influence aspects of RC and AB behavior. Given the essential role of breathing in classical singing, further work is needed to understand how singers develop their highly individual respiratory strategies and the principles by which each singer’s breathing strategy can be optimized.
Efficacy of the Discreteness of Voicing Category (DOVC) Measure for Characterizing Voicing Errors in Children With Cochlear Implants: A Report
Authors: Bharadwaj Sneha V. , Graves Amanda G. 
Published: May 2008

Purpose

This investigation explored the utility of an acoustic measure, called the discreteness of voicing category (DOVC), in identifying voicing errors in stop consonants produced by children with cochlear implants. Another objective was to examine the perceptual relevance of the DOVC measure and 2 commonly used voice onset time (VOT)-based measures, namely, mean VOT and ΔVOT (e.g., VOT /

/ − VOT /

/).

Method

Phonetic transcription and acoustic analyses were carried out on syllable–initial /

/ and /

/ produced by 10 children with cochlear implants. The DOVC was calculated as the difference between the shortest VOT value of a voiceless stop and the longest VOT value of a voiced stop across several productions of each.

Results
Phonetic transcription revealed that 4 of the 10 talkers demonstrated atypical voicing distinctions. Acoustic analyses indicated that the DOVC measure identified these same 4 talkers as producing atypical values, whereas mean VOT and ΔVOT identified a different set of talkers as demonstrating values outside the normal ranges.

Conclusion
Preliminary findings suggest that the DOVC measure corresponded with perceptual data better than the other acoustic measures examined in the present study. Data indicate that the DOVC measure may provide perceptually relevant information concerning the production of voicing distinctions.
Age-Related Changes to Speech Breathing With Increased Vocal Loudness
Authors: Huber Jessica E. , Spruill John 
Published: May 2008

PurposeThe present study examines the effect of normal aging on respiratory support for speech when utterance length is controlled.MethodFifteen women (M= 71 years of age) and 10 men (M= 73 years of age) produced 2 sentences of different lengths in 4 loudness conditions while respiratory kinematics were measured. Measures included those related to lung volume and chest wall movements.ResultsData from the older adults were compared with previously published data from 30 young adults. A significant Age × Sex effect was demonstrated. Older men produced speech at higher lung volumes than younger men. No significant differences existed between older and younger women. Older adults tended to use more abdominal movement in loud speech than younger adults, especially when talking in noise. Some of the mechanisms used by the older adults to support increased loudness in response to the cues differed from those used by the younger adults. Age-related differences were larger when participants produced the longer utterance as compared with the shorter one.ConclusionsReduced chest wall compliance, pulmonary elastic recoil, and laryngeal closure may explain the findings. These data can be used to help distinguish normal age-related changes from disease-related changes.
Why Do Preschool Language Abilities Correlate With Later Reading? A Twin Study
Authors: Harlaar Nicole , Hayiou-Thomas Marianna E. , Dale Philip S. , Plomin Robert 
Published: May 2008

Purpose
Language acquisition is predictive of successful reading development, but the nature of this link is poorly understood.

Method
A sample of 7,179 twin pairs was assessed on parent–report measures of syntax and vocabulary at ages 2, 3, and 4 years and on teacher assessments of reading achievement (RA) at ages 7, 9, and 10 years. These measures were used to construct latent factors of early language ability (LA) and RA in structural equation model-fitting analyses.

Results

The phenotypic correlation between LA and RA (
r
= .40) was primarily due to shared environmental influences that contribute to familial resemblance. These environmental influences on LA and RA overlapped substantially (
r
C
= .62). Genetic influences made a significant but smaller contribution to the phenotypic correlation between LA and RA, and showed moderate overlap (
r
A
= .36). There was also evidence for a direct causal influence of LA on RA.

Conclusions
The association between early language and later reading is underpinned by common environmental and genetic influences. The effects of some risk factors on RA may be mediated by language. The results provide a foundation for more fine-grained studies that examine links between specific measures of language, reading, genes, and environments.
Estimating When and How Words Are Acquired: A Natural Experiment on the Development of the Mental Lexicon
Authors: Auer Edward T. , Bernstein Lynne E. 
Published: May 2008

Purpose
Sensitivity of subjective estimates of age of acquisition (AOA) and acquisition channel (AC; printed, spoken, signed) to differences in word exposure within and between populations that differ dramatically in perceptual experience was examined.

Methods
Fifty participants with early-onset deafness and 50 participants with normal hearing rated 175 words in terms of subjective AOA and AC. Additional data were collected using a standardized test of reading and vocabulary.

Results

Participants with early-onset deafness rated words as learned later (
M
= 10 years) than did participants with normal hearing (
M
= 8.5 years),
F
(1, 99) = 28.59,
p
< .01. Group-averaged item ratings of AOA were highly correlated across the groups (
r
= .971) and with normative order of acquisition (deaf:
r
= .950, hearing:
r
= .946). The groups differed in their ratings of AC (hearing: printed = 30%, spoken = 70%, signed = 0%; deaf: printed = 45%, spoken = 38%, signed = 17%).

Conclusions
Subjective AOA and AC measures are sensitive to between- and within-group differences in word experience. The results demonstrate that these subjective measures can be applied as proxies for direct measures of lexical development in studies of lexical knowledge in adults with prelingual onset deafness.