Infant Behavioral Speech Discrimination Procedures: A Systematic Review

Objective: The purpose of this capstone project was to conduct a systematic review of literature relating to two behavioral infant speech discrimination procedures to evaluate their potential clinical utility. The two procedures examined were the Observer-based Psychoacoustic Procedure (OPP) and the Visual Reinforcement of Infant Speech Discrimination (VRISD) method. The methodology utilized and the results obtained are examined for normal hearing infants and infants with hearing loss. The procedures are compared and contrasted in terms of potential clinical feasibility and modifications for potential clinical use are considered. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed using Pubmed and EBSCO Academic Search Complete databases accessible through the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center library to identify studies utilizing OPP or VRISD in infants under the age of 36 months. Inclusion criteria consisted subject age (under 36 months), use of speech stimuli or assessment of auditory abilities closely relating to speech perception, such as frequency and intensity discrimination, gap detection, and localization. Results: Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Findings indicated that VRISD studies generally required fewer trials than OPP studies to obtain discrimination results; however, OPP allows for testing of younger infants. The amount of time required for testers to be adequately trained was longer for OPP compared to VRISD. Sample sizes differed for the 2 procedures. Both procedures controlled for observer and response bias; however, this was more consistent for OPP studies. Some differences in discrimination ability between infants with normal hearing compared to infants with hearing loss were noted, as would be expected. VRISD studies consistently used phonemic stimuli and produced repeatable results in infants with and without hearing loss. OPP studies utilized speech stimuli and other psychoacoustic stimuli and assessed abilities related to speech perception. Discussion: While more research is warranted, both procedures have obtained repeatable results and an evaluation of the speech discrimination abilities of infants for a variety of speech contrasts can be performed. More studies employing larger sample sizes are needed for infants with hearing loss. VRISD may be easier to implement clinically as the procedures are more familiar to audiologists, requires less tester training, can be adapted to 1- and 2-tester conditions, and more quickly and easily provides discrimination results for different speech contrasts; however, OPP has an advantage in that it can be used with younger infants and the procedure incorporates more controls. Modifications must be made to procedures prior to clinical use, including standardization of stimuli and established shaping and training protocols. A proposed modification of the VRISD procedure is included for potential clinical use. These procedures, if used clinically, can potentially serve to monitor changes in speech discrimination with development, amplification and/or training

Deformed Pleistocene marine terraces along the Ionian sea margin of southern Italy: unveiling blind fault-related folds contribution to coastal uplift

Morphotectonic analysis and fault numeric modeling of uplifted marine terraces along the Ionian Sea coast of the Southern Apennines allowed us to place quantitative constraints on middle Pleistocene-Holocene deformation. Ten terrace orders uplifted to as much as +660 m were mapped along ~80 km of the Taranto Gulf coastline. The shorelines document both a regional and a local, fault-induced contribution to uplift. The intermingling between the two deformation sources is attested by three 10 km scale undulations superimposed on a 100 km scale northeastward tilt. The undulations spatially coincide with the trace of NW-SE striking transpressional faults that affected the coastal range during the early Pleistocene. To test whether fault activity continued to the present, we modeled the differential uplift of marine terraces as progressive elastic displacement above blind oblique-thrust ramps seated beneath the coast. Through an iterative and mathematically based procedure, we defined the best geometric and kinematic fault parameters as well as the number and position of fault segments. Fault numerical models predict two fault-propagation folds cored by blind thrusts with slip rates ranging from 0.5 to 0.7 mm/yr and capable of generating an earthquake with a maximum moment magnitude of 5.9–6.3. Notably, we find that the locus of predominant activity has repeatedly shifted between the two fault systems during time and that slip rates on each fault have temporally changed. It is not clear if the active deformation is seismogenic or dominated by aseismic creep; however, the modeled faults are embedded in an offshore transpressional belt that may have sourced historical earthquakes

STIL, a peculiar molecule from styles, specifically dephosphorylates the pollen receptor kinase LePRK2 and stimulates pollen tube growth in vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>LePRK1 and LePRK2 are two pollen receptor kinases localized to the plasma membrane, where they are present in a high molecular weight complex (LePRK complex). LePRK2 is phosphorylated in mature and germinated pollen, but is dephosphorylated when pollen membranes are incubated with tomato or tobacco style extracts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we show that LePRK2 dephosphorylation is mediated by a heat-, acid-, base-, DTT- and protease-resistant component from tobacco styles. Using LePRK2 phosphorylation as a tracking assay for purification, style exudates were subjected to chloroform extraction, anionic exchange, and C18 reverse-phase chromatography columns. We finally obtained a single ~3,550 Da compound (as determined by UV-MALDI-TOF MS) that we named STIL (for <b>St</b>yle <b>I</b>nteractor for <b>L</b>ePRKs). STIL increased pollen tube lengths of <it>in vitro </it>germinated pollen in a dose-dependent manner.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We propose that the LePRK complex perceives STIL, resulting in LePRK2 dephosphorylation and an increase in pollen tube growth.</p

Morfologia e morfometria del settore ionico del Golfo di Taranto.

Il versante Ionico del Golfo di Taranto \ue8 caratterizzato dalla presenza di alti strutturali e bacini che rappresentano l\u2019espressione morfologica di sistemi di faglie pleistoceniche transpressive. La dorsale di Amendolara si estende per 45 Km in direzione N130\ub0E, ed \ue8 caratterizzato dalla presenza di tre alti batimetrici minori (denominati Amendolara, Rossano e Cariati). Verso NE, la dorsale di Capo Spulico si estende per 40 Km in direzione !N115\ub0E. Durante la Campagna Oceanografica \u201cTeatioca\u201d sono stati acquisiti 1100Km2 di dati batimetrici multibeam e profili sismici monocanale ad alta (Sparker) ed altissima risoluzione (Subbottom Chirp). L\u2019analisi integrata dei nuovi dati ha consentito di ottenere una sintesi morfostrutturale preliminare dell\u2019area sud-orientale del Golfo di Taranto [Santoro et al., 2012]. L\u2019insieme dei dati morfometrici evidenzia un ruolo chiave nell\u2019attivit\ue0 traspressiva della faglia che borda a SW la dorsale di Amendolara, in quanto la regolarit\ue0 dei pendii rivolti a S \ue8 legata alla deformazione e sollevamento dei versanti, che tende a superare l\u2019effetto dei processi erosivi (versanti a controllo morfostrutturale). Il processo di basculamento guidato dall\u2019azione della faglia sembra essere all\u2019originedei processi responsabili dell\u2019erosione gravitazionale canalizzata sui pendii esposti a nord (versanti a controllo morfosedimentario). Sette ordini di terrazzi sono stati riconosciuti sul top del Banco di Amendolara, attraverso tecniche di analisi dei picchi nel diagramma di distribuzione delle quote [Passaro et al., 2011]. Tale dato e le statistiche sui profili estratti dal DTM testimoniano la presenza di tassi differenziali di sollevamento ed un complessivo tilt (verso E) del settore frontale ionico dell\u2019Appennino Meridionale, in accordo con quanto suggerito in letteratura [Ferranti et al., 2009]. Bibliografia Ferranti, L., Santoro, E., Mazzella, M.E., Monaco, C., Morelli, D., (2009). Active transpression in the northern Calabria Apennines, southern Italy. Tectonophysics, 476 (1-2), 226-251. Passaro, S., Ferranti, L., de Alteriis, G., (2011). The use of high resolution elevation histograms for mapping submerged terraces: a test from the Eastern Tyrrhenian Sea and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. Quat. Int., 232, 1-2, 238-249. Santoro, E., Ferranti, L., Passaro, S., Burrato, P., Morelli, D., (2012). Morphometric analysis in the offshore of the southern Taranto Gulf: unveiling the structures controlling the Late Pleistocene-Holocene bathymetric evolution. Rend. On. Soc. Geol. It., 21 (2), 1132-1135

Discussion on how to implement a verbal scale in a forensic laboratory: benefits, pitfalls and suggestions to avoid misunderstandings

In a recently published guideline for evaluative reporting in forensic science, the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) recommended the use of the likelihood ratio for the measurement of the value of forensic results. As a device to communicate the probative value of the results, the ENFSI guideline mentions the possibility to define and use a verbal scale, which should be unified within a forensic institution. This paper summarizes discussions held between scientists of our institution to develop and implement such a verbal scale. It intends to contribute to general discussions likely to be faced by any forensic institution that engages in continuous monitoring and improving of their evaluation and reporting format. We first present published arguments in favour of the use of such verbal qualifiers. We emphasize that verbal qualifiers do not replace the use of numbers to evaluate forensic findings, but are useful to communicate the probative value, since the weight of evidence in terms of likelihood ratio are still apprehended with difficulty by both the forensic scientists, especially in absence of hard data, and the recipient of information. We further present arguments that support the development of the verbal scale we propose. Recognising the limits of the use of such a verbal scale, we then discuss its disadvantages: it may lead to the spurious view according to which the value of the observations made in a given case is relative to other cases. Verbal qualifiers are also prone to misunderstandings and cannot be coherently combined with other evidence. We therefore recommend not using the verbal qualifier alone in a written statement. While scientists should only report on the probability of the findings - and not on the probability of the propositions, which are the duty of the Court - we suggest showing examples to let the recipient of information understand how the scientific evidence affects the probabilities of the propositions. To avoid misunderstandings, we also advise to mention in the statement what the results do not mean. Finally, we are of the opinion that if experts were able to coherently articulate numbers, and if recipients of information could properly handle such numbers, then verbal qualifiers could be abandoned completely. At that time, numerical expressions of probative value will be appropriately understood, as other numerical measures that most of us understand without the need of any further explanation, such as expressions for length or temperature

Geometria e modellazione di un sistema di retro-scorrimenti attivosulla base di dati di geofisica marina ad alta risoluzione:la Dorsale di Amendolara (Golfo di Taranto).

Nuovi dati sismici ad alta (Sparker) ed altissima (Subbottm Chirp) risoluzione, acquisiti durante la Campagna Oceanografica “Teatioca_2010”, integrati da dati sismici multicanale ad alta penetrazione, pubblici disponibili sul sito www.videpi.com, calibrati con pozzi profondi, batimetrici multifascio e carotaggi, rivelano che la dorsale di Amendolara, estensione sottomarina della zona frontale del sistema a thrust dell’Appennino meridionale, è stata controllata nel Quaternario da un sistema di retro-scorrimenti e faglie transpressive (ATFS) che dislocano verso SW la catena mio-pliocenica NE-vergente. Il pacco di sequenze deposizionali attribuito, sulla base della facies sismica e della presenza di discordanze controllate dalle oscillazioni glacio-eustatiche, al Pleistocene medio-superiore risulta piegato in maniera consistente con le strutture desumibili dai profili multicanale. I dati morfometrici e sismici documentano che la dorsale, orientata NW-SE, è formata da 3 banchi lunghi ~10-20 km, cresciuti sopra rampe di sovrascorrimenti ciechi (~2 km) disposti en-echelon a formare un sistema segmentato. Sono stati individuati e modellati i segmenti di Amendolara a NW e Cariati a SE, collegati da una più piccola rampa laterale (segmento di Rossano). La modellazione numerica calibrata sui dati batimetrici e sismici indica che le rampe hanno inclinazione di ~45° e sono radicate a ~10 km di profondità a possibili scollamenti o strutture maggiori. I tassi di scorrimento negli ultimi 4-500 ka, calcolati per i segmenti sulla base degli strati di crescita nei bacini sin tettonici variano da 0.5-0-9 mm/a per il segmento di Amendolara a 0.35-0.5 mm/a per quello di Cariati. L’ATFS coincide con una fascia di moderata sismicità (Mw<4.7) con meccanismi focali inversi o transpressivi. L’orientazione degli assi di strain incrementale (sismico) e finito (geologico, come documentano i dati a terra) suggerisce per i segmenti dell’ATFS un movimento da inverso a obliquo sinistro. In base alla dimensione dei segmenti di faglia, nell’ipotesi di deformazione puramente elastica, si stima una magnitudo potenziale massima per l’ATFS di M~6.1-6.4, ma è verosimile che buona parte della deformazione sia asismica o microsismica. L’epicentro macrosismico del terremoto del 1988 (Mw=4.9) ricade su un tratto del segmento di Cariati che mostra rotture a fondo mare e possibile risalita di fluidi localizzata lungo strutture attive. La crescita dell’ATFS è stata verosimilmente controllata da un interfaccia meccanica tra la spessa crosta apula e la crosta ionica assottigliata o in parte oceanica, quando in tempi recenti la convergenza Adria-Europa ha prevalso sull’arretramento della cerniera della subduzione ionica

An active oblique-contractional belt at the transition between the Southern Apennines and Calabrian Arc: The Amendolara Ridge, Ionian Sea, Italy

High-resolution, single-channel seismic and multibeam bathymetry data collected at the Amendolara Ridge, a key submarine area marking the junction between the Apennine collision belt and the Calabrian subduction forearc, reveal active deformation in a supposedly stable crustal sector. New data, integrated with existing multichannel seismic profiles calibrated with oil-exploratory wells, show that middle to late Pleistocene sediments are deformed in growth folds above blind oblique-reverse faults that bound a regional pop-up. Data analysis indicates that ~10 to 20 km long banks that top the ~80 km long, NW-SE trending ridge are structural culminations above en echelon fault segments. Numeric modeling of bathymetry and stratigraphic markers suggests that three 45\ub0 dipping upper crustal (2\u201310km) fault segments underlie the ridge, with slip rates up to ~0.5mm/yr. Segments may be capable with M~ 6.1\u20136.3 earthquakes, although an unknown fraction of aseismic slip undoubtedly contributes to deformation. The fault array that bounds the southern flank of the ridge (Amendolara Fault System) parallels a belt of Mw<4.7 strike-slip and thrust earthquakes, which suggest current left-oblique reverse motion on the array. The eastern segment of the array shows apparent morphologic evidence of deformation and might be responsible for Mw 64 5.2 historic events. Late Pliocene-Quaternary growth of the oblique contractional belt is related to the combined effects of stalling of Adriatic slab retreat underneath the Apennines and subduction retreat of the Ionian slab underneath Calabria. Deformation localization was controlled by an inherited mechanical interface between the thick Apulian (Adriatic) platform crust and the attenuated Ionian Basin crust

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in diagnosis of pleural effusion of malignant origin

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in differentiating benign from malignant exudative pleural effusions. METHODS: This is a unicentre observational study including 97 consecutive patients with exudative pleural effusions. Metalloproteinase-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 were measured in pleural effusion and serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The activity of metalloproteinase-9 was also evaluated by substrate zymography. The data were correlated with final diagnosis of pleural effusions to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Of the 97 eligible patients, 6 were excluded. Of the 91 patients included in the study, 70 had malignant pleural effusions and 21 had benign pleural effusions. Both in sera and pleural effusions, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (P < 0.0001), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (P < 0.0001) and carcinoembryonic antigen (P < 0.0001) levels were higher in neoplastic patients than in benign group. Zymography analysis showed a most prominent band at a molecular weight of 92 kDa (metalloproteinase-9) whereas a less intense band was observed at 72 kDa (metalloproteinase-2). A significant correlation was found between metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels in pleural effusion (P < 0.0001; r = 0.8) and serum (P < 0.03; r = 0.2). Pleural effusion metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels showed higher value of sensitivity (97 and 91%, respectively) and specificity (90 and 95%, respectively) compared with other standard markers. Serum metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels showed similar results. Among 70 neoplastic patients, 29 had negative pleural cytology. Of these, 25 presented elevated levels of metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, whereas 4 patients had elevated levels of one of the two markers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 might be valuable markers in differentiating benign from malignant pleural effusions. Their levels are neither influenced by the histology and tumour origin nor by the presence of tumour cells in pleural effusions. Thus, their use in clinical practice could help in the selection of patients needing more invasive procedures, such as thoracoscopic biopsy

An active oblique-contractional belt at the transition between the Southern Apennines and Calabrian Arc: The Amendolara Ridge, Ionian Sea, Italy

High-resolution, single-channel seismic and multibeam bathymetry data collected at the Amendolara Ridge, a key submarine area marking the junction between the Apennine collision belt and the Calabrian subduction forearc, reveal active deformation in a supposedly stable crustal sector. New data, integrated with existing multichannel seismic profiles calibrated with oil-exploratory wells, show that middle to late Pleistocene sediments are deformed in growth folds above blind oblique-reverse faults that bound a regional pop-up. Data analysis indicates that ~10 to 20 km long banks that top the ~80 km long, NW-SE trending ridge are structural culminations above en echelon fault segments. Numeric modeling of bathymetry and stratigraphic markers suggests that three 45° dipping upper crustal (2–10 km) fault segments underlie the ridge, with slip rates up to ~0.5 mm/yr. Segments may be capable with M ~ 6.1–6.3 earthquakes, although an unknown fraction of aseismic slip undoubtedly contributes to deformation. The fault array that bounds the southern flank of the ridge (Amendolara Fault System) parallels a belt of Mw < 4.7 strike-slip and thrust earthquakes, which suggest current left-oblique reverse motion on the array. The eastern segment of the array shows apparent morphologic evidence of deformation and might be responsible for Mw ≤ 5.2 historic events. Late Pliocene-Quaternary growth of the oblique contractional belt is related to the combined effects of stalling of Adriatic slab retreat underneath the Apennines and subduction retreat of the Ionian slab underneath Calabria. Deformation localization was controlled by an inherited mechanical interface between the thick Apulian (Adriatic) platform crust and the attenuated Ionian Basin crust

Interleukin 28 polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma development after direct acting antiviral therapy for chronihepatitis c

Background &amp; Aims: Cirrhotic patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remain at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) even after the sustained virologic response (SVR). We aimed to evaluate whether the IL28 (rs12979860) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) may constitute a predisposing genetic factor and to identify the SVR patients at risk of HCC. Methods: Two hundred patients undergoing DAAs treatment for chronic hepatitis C with advanced fibrosis (F3-F4) were consecutively enrolled. Besides normal routine laboratory testing for HCV, patients’ sera were evaluated also for retinol, retinol-binding protein 4 and the following SNPs: PNPLA3 (rs738409), TM6SF2 (rs58542926), MBOAT7 (rs641738), IL28B (rs12979860), TIMP-1 (rs4898), TIMP-2 (rs8179090), NF-kB promoter (rs28362491). Statistical analyses were conducted using Stata/SE 14.2 statistical software (Stata Corp, College Station, TX). Results: Almost all patients (197/200) obtained SVR24. Seventeen patients had a previous history of treated HCC before DAAs. Six patients developed HCC recurrence and five patients developed de novo HCC after a mean period of 18 months since EOT. All these patients had SVR. A significant association between IL28B – TT genotype and HCC development after DAAs therapy was observed (OR 4.728, CI 95% 1.222 – 18.297, p=0.024). Conclusion: IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism was significantly associated with HCC development after DAAs. Assessment of this SNP may better identify patients at risk of developing HCC after treatment. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these hypotheses