Automatic Detection of Laryngeal Pathology on Sustained Vowels Using Short-Term Cepstral Parameters: Analysis of Performance and Theoretical Justification

The majority of speech signal analysis procedures for automatic detection of laryngeal pathologies mainly rely on parameters extracted from time domain processing. Moreover, calculation of these parameters often requires prior pitch period estimation; therefore, their validity heavily depends on the robustness of pitch detection. Within this paper, an alternative approach based on cepstral- domain processing is presented which has the advantage of not requiring pitch estimation, thus providing a gain in both simplicity and robustness. While the proposed scheme is similar to solutions based on Mel-frequency cepstral parameters, already present in literature, it has an easier physical interpretation while achieving similar performance standards

Application of 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol for flotation-spectrophotometric determination of iron

Optimum conditions for flotation-spectrophotometric determination of iron with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) based on a 1:2 FeII-PAR complex were found to be as follows: flotation solvent (chloroform), shaking time (2 min), pH (4.5±0.5), concentration of PAR (2.0×10–4 mol L–1), reducing agent (hydroxylamine hydrochloride), solvent for the floated compound (dimethylsulphoxide, DMSO), wavelength for spectrophotometric measurements (718 nm), and volumes of the organic solvents (5 mL of chloroform and 3 mL of DMSO). Calibration graphs were compared for different volumes of the aqueous phase – 10 mL and 40 mL; the corresponding linear ranges were 0.30–1.3 mg mL–1 and 0.25–1.0 mg mL–1. The iron content was successfully determined in soil samples, reference standard materials (PS-1, COOMET No. 0001-1999 BG, SОD No. 310а-98; PS-2, COOMET No. 0002-1999 BG, SOD No. 311а-98; and PS-3, COOMET No. 0003-1999 BG, SOD No. 312а-98) and zinc sulfide concentrates. KEY WORDS: Iron(II), Fe-PAR complex, Flotation, Spectrophotometry, Soils, Zinc sulfide concentrates Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2016, 30(3), 325-332.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v30i3.

Stable U(IV) Complexes Form at High-Affinity Mineral Surface Sites

Uranium (U) poses a significant contamination hazard to soils, sediments, and groundwater due to its extensive use for energy production. Despite advances in modeling the risks of this toxic and radioactive element, lack of information about the mechanisms controlling U transport hinders further improvements, particularly in reducing environments where UIV predominates. Here we establish that mineral surfaces can stabilize the majority of U as adsorbed UIV species following reduction of UVI. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and electron imaging analysis, we find that at low surface loading, UIV forms inner-sphere complexes with two metal oxides, TiO2 (rutile) and Fe3O4 (magnetite) (at <1.3 U nm–2 and <0.037 U nm–2, respectively). The uraninite (UO2) form of UIV predominates only at higher surface loading. UIV–TiO2 complexes remain stable for at least 12 months, and UIV–Fe3O4 complexes remain stable for at least 4 months, under anoxic conditions. Adsorbed UIV results from UVI reduction by FeII or by the reduced electron shuttle AH2QDS, suggesting that both abiotic and biotic reduction pathways can produce stable UIV–mineral complexes in the subsurface. The observed control of high-affinity mineral surface sites on UIV speciation helps explain the presence of nonuraninite UIV in sediments and has important implications for U transport modeling

Treatment of Obesity with Thyroid hormones in Europe. Data from the THESIS* Collaboration

\ua9 The Author(s) 2024.Purpose: The use of thyroid hormones (TH) to treat obesity is unsupported by evidence as reflected in international guidelines. We explored views about this practice, and associations with respondent characteristics among European thyroid specialists. Methods: Specialists from 28 countries were invited to a survey via professional organisations. The relevant question was whether “Thyroid hormones may be indicated in biochemically euthyroid patients with obesity resistant to lifestyle interventions”. Results: Of 17,232 invitations 5695 responses were received (33% valid response rate; 65% women; 90% endocrinologists). Of these, 290 (5.1%) stated that TH may be indicated as treatment for obesity in euthyroid patients. This view was commoner among non-endocrinologists (8.7% vs. 4.7%, p &lt; 0.01), private practice (6.5% vs. 4.5%, p &lt; 0.01), and varied geographically (Eastern Europe, 7.3%; Southern Europe, 4.8%; Western Europe, 2.7%; and Northern Europe, 2.5%). Respondents from Northern and Western Europe were less likely to use TH than those from Eastern Europe (p &lt; 0.01). Gross national income (GNI) correlated inversely with this view (OR 0.97, CI: 0.96–0.97; p &lt; 0.001). Having national guidelines on hypothyroidism correlated negatively with treating obesity with TH (OR 0.71, CI: 0.55–0.91). Conclusions: Despite the lack of evidence, and contrary to guidelines’ recommendations, about 5% of respondents stated that TH may be indicated as a treatment for obesity in euthyroid patients resistant to life-style interventions. This opinion was associated with (i) respondent characteristics: being non-endocrinologist, working in private practice, treating a small number of hypothyroid patients annually and (ii) national characteristics: prevalence of obesity, Eastern Europe, low GNI and lack of national hypothyroidism guidelines

c-Type Cytochrome-Dependent Formation of U(IV) Nanoparticles by Shewanella oneidensis

Modern approaches for bioremediation of radionuclide contaminated environments are based on the ability of microorganisms to effectively catalyze changes in the oxidation states of metals that in turn influence their solubility. Although microbial metal reduction has been identified as an effective means for immobilizing highly-soluble uranium(VI) complexes in situ, the biomolecular mechanisms of U(VI) reduction are not well understood. Here, we show that c-type cytochromes of a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, are essential for the reduction of U(VI) and formation of extracelluar UO (2) nanoparticles. In particular, the outer membrane (OM) decaheme cytochrome MtrC (metal reduction), previously implicated in Mn(IV) and Fe(III) reduction, directly transferred electrons to U(VI). Additionally, deletions of mtrC and/or omcA significantly affected the in vivo U(VI) reduction rate relative to wild-type MR-1. Similar to the wild-type, the mutants accumulated UO (2) nanoparticles extracellularly to high densities in association with an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). In wild-type cells, this UO (2)-EPS matrix exhibited glycocalyx-like properties and contained multiple elements of the OM, polysaccharide, and heme-containing proteins. Using a novel combination of methods including synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy and high-resolution immune-electron microscopy, we demonstrate a close association of the extracellular UO (2) nanoparticles with MtrC and OmcA (outer membrane cytochrome). This is the first study to our knowledge to directly localize the OM-associated cytochromes with EPS, which contains biogenic UO (2) nanoparticles. In the environment, such association of UO (2) nanoparticles with biopolymers may exert a strong influence on subsequent behavior including susceptibility to oxidation by O (2) or transport in soils and sediments

Incorporation of uranium into hematite during crystallization from ferrihydrite

Ferrihydrite was exposed to U(VI)-containing cement leachate (pH 10.5) and aged to induce crystallization of hematite. A combination of chemical extractions, TEM, and XAS techniques provided the first evidence that adsorbed U(VI) (≈3000 ppm) was incorporated into hematite during ferrihydrite aggregation and the early stages of crystallization, with continued uptake occurring during hematite ripening. Analysis of EXAFS and XANES data indicated that the U(VI) was incorporated into a distorted, octahedrally coordinated site replacing Fe(III). Fitting of the EXAFS showed the uranyl bonds lengthened from 1.81 to 1.87 Å, in contrast to previous studies that have suggested that the uranyl bond is lost altogether upon incorporation into hematite the results of this study both provide a new mechanistic understanding of uranium incorporation into hematite and define the nature of the bonding environment of uranium within the mineral structure. Immobilization of U(VI) by incorporation into hematite has clear and important implications for limiting uranium migration in natural and engineered environments. © 2014 American Chemical Society

Characteristics of specialists treating hypothyroid patients: the “THESIS” collaborative

Copyright \ua9 2023 Žarković, Attanasio, Nagy, Negro, Papini, Perros, Cohen, Akarsu, Alevizaki, Ayvaz, Bednarczuk, Berta, Bodor, Borissova, Boyanov, Buffet, Burlacu, Ćirić, D\uedez, Dobnig, Fadeyev, Field, Fliers, Fr\uf8lich, F\ufchrer, Galofr\ue9, Hakala, Jiskra, Kopp, Krebs, Kršek, Kužma, Lantz, Laz\ufarov\ue1, Leenhardt, Luchytskiy, McGowan, Melo, Metso, Moran, Morgunova, Mykola, Beleslin, Niculescu, Perić, Planck, Poiana, Puga, Robenshtok, Rosselet, Ruchala, Riis, Shepelkevich, Unuane, Vardarli, Visser, Vrionidou, Younes, Yurenya and Heged\ufcs.Introduction: Thyroid specialists influence how hypothyroid patients are treated, including patients managed in primary care. Given that physician characteristics influence patient care, this study aimed to explore thyroid specialist profiles and associations with geo-economic factors. Methods: Thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to respond to a questionnaire, Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists: an International Survey (THESIS). Geographic regions were defined according to the United Nations Statistics Division. The national economic status was estimated using World Bank data on the gross national income per capita (GNI per capita). Results: 5,695 valid responses were received (response rate 33\ub70%). The mean age was 49 years, and 65\ub70% were female. The proportion of female respondents was lowest in Northern (45\ub76%) and highest in Eastern Europe (77\ub72%) (p &lt;0\ub7001). Respondent work volume, university affiliation and private practice differed significantly between countries (p&lt;0\ub7001). Age and GNI per capita were correlated inversely with the proportion of female respondents (p&lt;0\ub701). GNI per capita was inversely related to the proportion of respondents working exclusively in private practice (p&lt;0\ub7011) and the proportion of respondents who treated &gt;100 patients annually (p&lt;0\ub701). Discussion: THESIS has demonstrated differences in characteristics of thyroid specialists at national and regional levels, strongly associated with GNI per capita. Hypothyroid patients in middle-income countries are more likely to encounter female thyroid specialists working in private practice, with a high workload, compared to high-income countries. Whether these differences influence the quality of care and patient satisfaction is unknown, but merits further study