The perception of Cantonese lexical tones by early-deafened cochlear implantees

This study investigated whether cochlear implant users can identify Cantonese lexical tones, which differ primarily in their FO pattern. Seventeen early-deafened deaf children (age=4 years, 6 months to 8 years, 11 months; postoperative period = 11 - 41 months) took part in the study. Sixteen children were fitted with the Nucleus 24 cochlear implant system; one child was fitted with a Nucleus 22 implant. Participants completed a 2AFC picture identification task in which they identified one of the six contrastive Cantonese tones produced on the monosyllabic target word /ji/. Each target stimulus represented a concrete object and was presented within a carrier phrase in sentence-medial position. Group performance was significantly above chance for three contrasts. However, the cochlear implant listeners performed much worse than a 6 1/2-year-old, moderately hearing impaired control listener who was tested on the same task. These findings suggest that this group of cochlear implant users had great difficulty in extracting the pitch information needed to accurately identify Cantonese lexical tones. © 2002 Acoustical Society of America.published_or_final_versio

Quality Aspects and Storage Evaluation of Freeze Dried Probiotic Pineapple Lassi Powder

Freeze dried probiotic pineapple lassi powder was developed using Bifidobacterium bifidum (NCDC 235). Quality aspects were determined in terms of physico-chemical parameters, vitamin composition and probiotic viability. Storage changes were monitored at 25±20C and -18±20C for 1 year. The reconstituted lassi has carbohydrate content of 22.2%, thiamin 2mg which meets 2/3rd of suggested micronutrient intake goal for those working either in cold or at high altitudes. The niacin content in the product is 2.27mg, riboflavin 0.375 mg and pyridoxine 67.5mg.  An increasing trend in ΔE values 0 to 6.06 was observed at 25±2°C while no significant difference (p<0.05) was observed at -18±20C.   pH decreased from 4.71 to 4.1 at 25±2°C and to 4.3 at -18°C±2°C  after 12 months.  Browning in terms of absorbance increased significantly (p<0.05) from 0.015 to 0.061 at 25±2°C.  Bifidobacterium bifidum count decreased from 9.55 log10 cfu.ml-1 to 8.87 log10 cfu.ml-1 and 8.95 log10 cfu.ml-1 after 12 months at 25±2°C and -18°C±2°C respectively. Probiotic viability did not change significantly throughout the storage period at both the temperatures. This instant powder can also be utilised as a health drink mix with reduced bulk suitable for combat conditions and in high altitudes to overcome logistic problems.

Chronic maternal depressive symptoms are associated with reduced socio-emotional development in children at 2 years of age: Analysis of data from an intervention cohort in rural Pakistan

Background: Maternal depression affects a high proportion of women during the antenatal and postnatal period in low- and middle-income countries. While maternal depression is recognized as a significant risk for poor early child development that warrants interventions, the effects of chronic maternal depression on children\u27s development are less understood. Objective: To determine the association of chronicity of maternal depressive symptoms and early child development in a rural population in southern Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This study employs data from the Pakistan Early Child Development Scale-Up Trial, a randomized controlled study that evaluated the integration of responsive stimulation and nutrition interventions in a community health service. In the present analysis, linear regression was used to test the effects of chronicity of high maternal depressive symptoms on children\u27s early development (n = 1205 mother-infant dyads). Children\u27s development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development at 24 months of age. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and every 6 months using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire. Results: No significant associations were observed between chronic maternal depressive symptoms and child cognitive, language, or motor development after adjusting for parental characteristics, the caregiving environment and socioeconomic variables. A negative significant association between chronicity of high maternal depressive symptoms and child socio-emotional development (β coefficient -2.57, 95% CI: -5.14; -0.04) was observed after adjusting for the selected variables. Conclusions: The results suggest that interventions designed to promote early child development should also integrate repeat screening for depression and longer-term psychosocial support for mothers

DESIGN OF EFFICIENT BDC ADDER IN QUANTAM DOT CELLULAR AUTOMOTA

The development of the CMOS virtual layout lies in decreasing the approach generation, projected to quit inside the next few years because of CMOS critical bodily limits. Among the growing technology recently proposed as options to the conventional CMOS, Quantum-dot mobile automata (QCA) is one of the maximum promising solutions to format extremely-low-electricity and surely excessive pace virtual circuits. Efficient QCA-based totally completely implementations have been showed for numerous binary and decimal arithmetic circuits, however full-size upgrades are nevertheless possible if the good judgment gates inherently to be had within the QCA generation are well exploited. Conventional unique adders need lengthy eliminate and excessive strength consumption to acquire correct results. Efficient QCA-primarily based absolutely in reality implementations had been verified for numerous binary and decimal mathematics circuits; however huge enhancements are despite the fact that feasible if the good judgment gates inherently to be had within the QCA generation are well exploited. This quick proposes a brand new approach to design QCA-based absolutely BCD adders. Exploiting innovative common experience formulations and motive designed QCA modules, computational velocity substantially higher than current contrary numbers are achieved without sacrificing either the occupied location or the cells depend

A new constant market share competitiveness index

Constant-market-share analysis (CMSA) is one of the most widely employed descriptive tool for measuring the export competitiveness of a country relative to other countries or regions of trade for goods and services. Typically, export growth is attributed to growth in the country’s export competitiveness and also to the growth effect of the market itself. However, CMSA measurement is prone to a number of methodological short comings which stems from the CMS identities used in the analysis. Namely, the discrete approximation of continuously changing trade patterns, the interaction effects term residual from the CMS identity decomposition and the arbitrary choice of weights attached to base periods. This paper addresses some of the short comings of the classic CMSA approach. Within a geometric framework we reexamine the CMS decomposition and propose a new net-share approach that is easier to implement and interpret. For researchers and policy makers, this methodology presents a simpler but more consistent measurement for more accurate CMS measurement and interpretations of changing trade patterns

The draft genome of Andean Rhodopseudomonas sp. strain AZUL predicts genome plasticity and adaptation to chemical homeostasis

The genus Rhodopseudomonas comprises purple non-sulfur bacteria with extremely versatile metabolisms. Characterization of several strains revealed that each is a distinct ecotype highly adapted to its specific micro-habitat. Here we present the sequencing, genomic comparison and functional annotation of AZUL, a Rhodopseudomonas strain isolated from a high altitude Andean lagoon dominated by extreme conditions and fluctuating levels of chemicals. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis of 39 strains of this genus showed that the genome of AZUL is 96.2% identical to that of strain AAP120, which suggests that they belong to the same species. ANI values also show clear separation at the species level with the rest of the strains, being more closely related to R. palustris. Pangenomic analyses revealed that the genus Rhodopseudomonas has an open pangenome and that its core genome represents roughly 5 to 12% of the total gene repertoire of the genus. Functional annotation showed that AZUL has genes that participate in conferring genome plasticity and that, in addition to sharing the basal metabolic complexity of the genus, it is also specialized in metal and multidrug resistance and in responding to nutrient limitation. Our results also indicate that AZUL might have evolved to use some of the mechanisms involved in resistance as redox reactions for bioenergetic purposes. Most of those features are shared with strain AAP120, and mainly involve the presence of additional orthologs responsible for the mentioned processes. Altogether, our results suggest that AZUL, one of the few bacteria from its habitat with a sequenced genome, is highly adapted to the extreme and changing conditions that constitute its niche.Fil: Guardia, Aisha E. Ingeniería de Interfases y Bioprocesos. Instituto de Tecnología de Materiales (INTEMA-CONICET-UNMdP); Argentina.Fil: Busalmen, Juan P. Ingeniería de Interfases y Bioprocesos. Instituto de Tecnología de Materiales (INTEMA-CONICET-UNMdP); Argentina.Fil: Wagner, Agustín. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina.Fil: Di Capua, Cecilia Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET-UNR); Argentina.Fil: Cortez, Néstor. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET-UNR); Argentina.Fil: Beligni, María V. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB-CONICET-UNMdP); Argentina

Polymorphisms in genes involved in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs in the Kazakhs of Kazakhstan

A list of SNPs that were not found in heterozygous or homozygous variants. (DOC 83 kb

Monitoring Anti-PEG Antibodies Level upon Repeated Lipid Nanoparticle-Based COVID-19 Vaccine Administration

PEGylated lipids are one of the four constituents of lipid nanoparticle mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, various concerns have been raised on the generation of anti-PEG antibodies and their potential role in inducing hypersensitivity reactions following vaccination or in reducing vaccine efficacy due to anti-carrier immunity. Here, we assess the prevalence of anti-PEG antibodies, in a cohort of vaccinated individuals, and give an overview of their time evolution after repeated vaccine administrations. Results indicate that, in our cohort, the presence of PEG in the formulation did not influence the level of anti-Spike antibodies generated upon vaccination and was not related to any reported, serious adverse effects. The time-course analysis of anti-PEG IgG showed no significant booster effect after each dose, whereas for IgM a significant increase in antibody levels was detected after the first and third dose. Data suggest that the presence of PEG in the formulation does not affect safety or efficacy of lipid-nanoparticle-based COVID-19 vaccines

Enhancement of clonogenicity of human multiple myeloma by dendritic cells

Infiltration by dendritic cells (DCs) is a common feature of most human tumors. Prior studies evaluating the interaction of DCs with tumors have focused largely on their immunologic properties (for review see Banchereau, J., and R.M. Steinman. 1998. Nature. 392:245–252). In this study, we show that the clonogenicity of several human tumor cell lines and primary tumor cells from myeloma patients is enhanced by their interactions with DCs. Myeloma cells cultured in the presence of DCs have an altered phenotype with an increased proportion of cells lacking terminal plasma cell differentiation marker CD138. DC–tumor interaction also leads to the up-regulation of B cell lymphoma 6 expression in myeloma cells. Effects of DCs on myeloma cells are inhibited by blockade of the receptor activator of NF-kB (RANK)–RANK ligand and B cell–activating factor–APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand)-mediated interactions. Together, these data suggest that tumor–DC interactions may directly impact the biology of human tumors, particularly multiple myeloma, and may be a target for therapeutic intervention

Cu2+-induced self-assembly and amyloid formation of a cyclic d,l-α-peptide: Structure and function

In a wide spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases, self-assembly of pathogenic proteins to cytotoxic intermediates is accelerated by the presence of metal ions such as Cu2+. Only low concentrations of these early transient oligomeric intermediates are present in a mixture of species during fibril formation, and hence information on the extent of structuring of these oligomers is still largely unknown. Here, we investigate dimers as the first intermediates in the Cu2+-driven aggregation of a cyclic D,L-alpha-peptide architecture. The unique structural and functional properties of this model system recapitulate the self-assembling properties of amyloidogenic proteins including beta-sheet conformation and cross-interaction with pathogenic amyloids. We show that a histidine-rich cyclic D,L-alpha-octapeptide binds Cu2+ with high affinity and selectivity to generate amyloid-like cross-beta-sheet structures. By taking advantage of backbone amide methylation to arrest the self-assembly at the dimeric stage, we obtain structural information and characterize the degree of local order for the dimer. We found that, while catalytic amounts of Cu2+ promote aggregation of the peptide to fibrillar structures, higher concentrations dose-dependently reduce fibrillization and lead to formation of spherical particles, showing self-assembly to different polymorphs. For the initial self-assembly step to the dimers, we found that Cu2+ is coordinated on average by two histidines, similar to self-assembled peptides, indicating that a similar binding interface is perpetuated during Cu2+-driven oligomerization. The dimer itself is found in heterogeneous conformations that undergo dynamic exchange, leading to the formation of different polymorphs at the initial stage of the aggregation process