Transfer of reading-related cognitive skills in learning to read Chinese (L1) and English (L2) among Chinese elementary school children

This study investigated transfer of reading-related cognitive skills between learning to read Chinese (L1) and English (L2) among Chinese children in Hong Kong. Fifty-three Grade 2 students were tested on word reading, phonological, orthographic and rapid naming skills in Chinese (L1) and English (L2). The major findings were: (a) significant correlations between Chinese and English measures in phonological awareness and rapid naming, but not in orthographic skills; (b) significant unique contribution of Chinese and English rapid naming skills and English rhyme awareness for predicting Chinese word reading after controlling for all the Chinese and English cognitive measures; (c) significant unique contribution of English phonological skills and Chinese orthographic skills (a negative one) for predicting English word reading after controlling for all the English and Chinese cognitive measures; and (d) significant unique contribution of Chinese rhyme awareness for predicting English phonemic awareness. These findings provide initial evidence that developing reading-related cognitive skills in English may have facilitative effects on Chinese word reading development. They also suggest that Chinese orthographic skills or tactics may not be helpful for learning to read English words among ESL learners; and that Chinese rhyme awareness facilitates the development of English phonemic awareness which is an essential skill predicting ESL learning. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.postprin

An efficient design or fractional-delay digital FIR filters using the Farrow structure

Fractional-delay digital filter (FD-DF), implemented using the Farrow (1988) structure, is very attractive in providing online tuning delay of digital signals. This paper proposes a new method for the design of such Farrow-based FD-DF using sum-of-powers-of-two (SOPOT) coefficients. Using the SOPOT coefficient representation, coefficient multiplication can be implemented with limited number of shifts and additions. Design examples show that the proposed method can greatly reduce the design time and complexity of the Farrow structure while providing comparable phase and amplitude responses.published_or_final_versio

On the design and efficient implementation of the Farrow structure

This letter proposes an efficient implementation of the Farrow structure using sum-of-powers-of-two (SOPOT) coefficients and multiplier-block (MB). In particular, a novel algorithm for designing the Farrow coefficients in SOPOT form is detailed. Using the SOPOT coefficient representation, coefficient multiplication can be implemented with limited number of shifts and additions. Using MB, the redundancy between multipliers can be fully exploited through the reuse of the intermediate results generated. Design examples show that the proposed method can greatly reduce the complexity of the Farrow structure while providing comparable phase and amplitude responses.published_or_final_versio

Left ventricular torsional mechanics and myocardial iron load in beta-thalassaemia major: a potential role of titin degradation

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Attenuation of Hind-limb Ischemia in Mice with Endothelial-like Cells Derived from Different Sources of Human Stem Cells

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Dynamic dyssynchrony and impaired contractile reserve of the left ventricle in beta-thalassaemia major: an exercise echocardiographic study

BACKGROUND: Performance of the left ventricle during exercise stress in thalassaemia patients is uncertain. We aimed to explore the phenomenon of dynamic dyssynchrony and assess contractile reserve in patients with beta-thalassaemia major and determine their relationships with myocardial iron load. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-two thalassaemia patients (16 males), aged 26.8+/-6.9 years, without heart failure and 17 healthy controls were studied. Their left ventricular (LV) volumes, ejection fraction, systolic dyssynchrony index (SDI), and myocardial acceleration during isovolumic LV contraction (IVA) were determined at rest and during submaximal bicycle exercise testing using 3-dimensional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Myocardial iron load as assessed by T2* cardiac magnetic resonance in patients were further related to indices of LV dyssynchrony and contractile reserve. At rest, patients had significantly greater LV SDI (p4.6%, control+2SD) increased from baseline 25% to 84% in patients. Delta SDI(exercise-baseline) correlated with exercise-baseline differences in LV ejection fraction (p<0.001) and stroke volume (p = 0.006). Compared with controls, patients had significantly less exercise-induced increase in LV ejection fraction, cardiac index, and IVA (interaction, all p<0.05) and had impaired contractile reserve as reflected by the gentler IVA-heart rate slope (p = 0.018). Cardiac T2* in patients correlated with baseline LV SDI (r = -0.44, p = 0.011) and IVA-heart rate slope (r = 0.36, p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Resting LV dyssynchrony is associated with myocardial iron load. Exercise stress further unveils LV dynamic dyssynchrony and impaired contractile reserve in patients with beta-thalassaemia major.published_or_final_versio

Characterization and Comparison of 2 Distinct Epidemic Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clones of ST59 Lineage.

Sequence type (ST) 59 is an epidemic lineage of community-associated (CA) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates. Taiwanese CA-MRSA isolates belong to ST59 and can be grouped into 2 distinct clones, a virulent Taiwan clone and a commensal Asian-Pacific clone. The Taiwan clone carries the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes and the staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) VT, and is frequently isolated from patients with severe disease. The Asian-Pacific clone is PVL-negative, carries SCCmec IV, and a frequent colonizer of healthy children. Isolates of both clones were characterized by their ability to adhere to respiratory A549 cells, cytotoxicity to human neutrophils, and nasal colonization of a murine and murine sepsis models. Genome variation was determined by polymerase chain reaction of selected virulence factors and by multi-strain whole genome microarray. Additionally, the expression of selected factors was compared between the 2 clones. The Taiwan clone showed a much higher cytotoxicity to the human neutrophils and caused more severe septic infections with a high mortality rate in the murine model. The clones were indistinguishable in their adhesion to A549 cells and persistence of murine nasal colonization. The microarray data revealed that the Taiwan clone had lost the ø3-prophage that integrates into the β-hemolysin gene and includes staphylokinase- and enterotoxin P-encoding genes, but had retained the genes for human immune evasion, scn and chps. Production of the virulence factors did not differ significantly in the 2 clonal groups, although more α-toxin was expressed in Taiwan clone isolates from pneumonia patients. In conclusion, the Taiwan CA-MRSA clone was distinguished by enhanced virulence in both humans and an animal infection model. The evolutionary acquisition of PVL, the higher expression of α-toxin, and possibly the loss of a large portion of the β-hemolysin-converting prophage likely contribute to its higher pathogenic potential than the Asian-Pacific clone

Androgen deprivation therapy and fracture risk in Chinese patients with prostate carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) increases fracture risk in men with carcinoma of the prostate, but little is known about the fracture risk for different types of ADT. We studied the fracture risk amongst Chinese patients with carcinoma of the prostate prescribed different ADT regimens. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a single-centered observational study that involved 741 patients with carcinoma of the prostate from January 2001 to December 2011. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 5 years, 71.7% of the study cohort received ADT and the incidence rate of fracture was 8.1%. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that use of ADT was significantly associated with risk of incident fracture (Hazard Ratio [HR] 3.60; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI] 1.41-9.23; p = 0.008), together with aged >75 years and type 2 diabetes. Compared with no ADT, all three types of ADT were independently associated with the risk of incident fracture: anti-androgen monotherapy (HR 4.47; 95% CI 1.47-13.7; p = 0.009), bilateral orchiectomy ± anti-androgens (HR 4.01; 95% CI 1.46-11.1; p = 0.007) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists ± anti-androgens (HR 3.16; 95% CI 1.18-8.43; p = 0.022). However, there was no significant difference in the relative risks among the three types of ADT. CONCLUSIONS: Fracture risk increases among all types of ADT. Clinicians should take into account the risk-benefit ratio when prescribing ADT, especially in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.published_or_final_versio

Metronomic oral cyclosphosphamide as third-line systemic treatment or beyond in patients with inoperable locoregionally advanced recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma

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Image informatics strategies for deciphering neuronal network connectivity

Brain function relies on an intricate network of highly dynamic neuronal connections that rewires dramatically under the impulse of various external cues and pathological conditions. Among the neuronal structures that show morphologi- cal plasticity are neurites, synapses, dendritic spines and even nuclei. This structural remodelling is directly connected with functional changes such as intercellular com- munication and the associated calcium-bursting behaviour. In vitro cultured neu- ronal networks are valuable models for studying these morpho-functional changes. Owing to the automation and standardisation of both image acquisition and image analysis, it has become possible to extract statistically relevant readout from such networks. Here, we focus on the current state-of-the-art in image informatics that enables quantitative microscopic interrogation of neuronal networks. We describe the major correlates of neuronal connectivity and present workflows for analysing them. Finally, we provide an outlook on the challenges that remain to be addressed, and discuss how imaging algorithms can be extended beyond in vitro imaging studies