A Forensic Speaker Identification Study. An Auditory-Acosutic Analysis of Phonetic Features and an Exploration of the "Telephone Effect"

This study investigates the formant, fundamental frequency, and speech tempo parameters in a forensic speaker identification setting and whether these are adequate features to use in an auditory-acoustic analysis. Furthermore, the 'telephone effect' as described by Künzel (2001) is examined and analysed in terms of whether it applies to the aforementioned phonetic features. The results showed that all three parameters proved to be efficient and appropriate for forensic speaker identification practices, but that the articulation rate of the disputed sample was heavily affected by a task-effect. In terms of the intercept recordings, F1 values, especially those of close vowels, were found to be affected, consistent with Künzel's findings (2001). Mean fundamental frequency values were not altered by the intercept sample, but the standard deviation was, resulting in values twice as high compared to direct recordings.Aquest estudi investiga els paràmetres de formant, freqüència fonamental, i velocitat de l'articulació en un entorn de la identificació forense del parlant i si aquests paràmetres són adequats per utilitzar en una anàlisi auditiva-acústica. D'altra banda, 'l'efecte telefònic' descrit per Künzel (2001) és examinat i analitzat pel que fa a si és aplicable a les característiques fonètiques esmentades anteriorment. Els resultats van mostrar que els tres paràmetres són eficients i adequats per a les pràctiques d'identificació forense del parlant, però que la velocitat de l'articulació estava molt afectada per un efecte de tasca. Pel que fa a les gravacions interceptades, els valors de l'F1, especialment els de les vocals tancades, es van trobar afectats, la qual cosa és consistent amb els resultats de l'experiment de Künzel (2001). Els valors mitjans de la freqüència fonamental no van ser alterats per l'enregistrament telefònic, però la desviació estàndar, sí, mostrant valors el doble d'alts comparats amb les gravacions directes

An Exploratory analysis of individual variation in schwa epenthesis in Flemish Dutch and Scottish English

This study examines schwa epenthesis as it occurs in Flemish Dutch and Scottish English from a forensic phonetic perspective in terms of the potential it exhibits for speaker comparison purposes, as prior investigations have shown that sociolinguistic variables-such as schwa insertion-may also reveal individual speaker variability. An analysis of spontaneous speech samples for two homogeneous groups of speakers revealed that schwa epenthesis in Flemish showed higher inter-speaker variability than in Scottish English. This suggests that while Flemish schwa insertion may potentially be suitable for use in forensic phonetic environments, this process in Scottish English is not.Aquest estudi investiga la inserció epentètica d'una vocal neutra com ocorre en el neerlandès flamenc i l'anglès escocès des d'una perspectiva fonètica forense quant a la variabilitat individual de parlants i el seu potencial a l'hora de dur a terme comparacions de parlants. Una anàlisi de parla espontània de dos grups homogenis demostra que la inserció epentètica d'una vocal neutra en neerlandès flamenc mostra més variació inter-parlant que en anglès escocès. Així, els resultats suggereixen que aquest procés en neerlandès flamenc podria ser adequat per utilitzar-se en contexts fonètics forenses mentre que en anglès escocès no ho és

Emerging technologies and their potential for generating new assistive technologies

Limited access to assistive technology (AT) is a well-recognized global challenge. Emerging technologies have potential to develop new assistive products and bridge some of the gaps in access to AT. However, limited analyses exist on the potential of these technologies in the AT field. This paper describes a study that aimed to provide an overview of emerging technological developments and their potential for the AT field. It involved conducting a gray literature review and patent analysis to create an overview of the emerging enabling technologies that may foster the development of new AT products and services and identify emerging AT applications. The analysis identified seven enabling technologies that are relevant to the AT field. These are artificial intelligence, emerging human-computer interfaces, sensor technology, robotics, advances in connectivity and computing, additive manufacturing and new materials. Whilst there are over 3.7 million patents related to these enabling technologies, only a fraction of them–11,000 patents were identified in the analysis specifically related to AT (0.3%). The paper presents some of the promising examples. Overall, the results indicate that there is an enormous potential for new AT solutions that capitalize on emerging technological advances

Complement component 4A protein levels are negatively related to frontal volumes in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Background: Excessive C4A-gene expression may result in increased microglia-mediated synaptic pruning. As C4A overexpression is observed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), this mechanism may account for the altered brain morphology (i.e. reduced volume and cortical thickness) and cognitive symptoms that characterize SSD. Therefore, this study investigates the association of C4A serum protein levels with brain morphology and cognition, and in particular whether this association differs between recent-onset SSD (n = 69) and HC (n = 40). Methods: Serum C4A protein levels were compared between groups. Main outcomes included total gray matter volume, mean cortical thickness and cognitive performance. Regression analysis on these outcomes included C4A level, group (SSD vs. HC), and C4A*Group interactions. All statistical tests were corrected for age, sex, BMI, and antipsychotic medication dose. Follow-up analyses were performed on separate brain regions and scores on cognitive sub-tasks. Results: The group difference in C4A levels was not statistically significant (p = 0.86). The main outcomes did not show a significant interaction effect (p &gt; 0.13) or a C4A main effect (p &gt; 0.27). Follow-up analyses revealed significant interaction effects for the left medial orbitofrontal and left frontal pole volumes (p &lt; 0.001): C4A was negatively related to these volumes in SSD, but positively in HC. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that C4A was negatively related to – specifically – frontal brain volumes in SSD, but this relation was inverse for HC. The results support the hypothesis of complement-mediated brain volume reduction in SSD. The results also suggest that C4A has a differential association with brain morphology in SSD compared to HC.</p

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors:An observational cohort studs

Objective: To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical, psychological, and social aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors. Materials and methods: Prospectively collected data from the NETherlands QUality of life and BIomedical Cohort study in HNC were used. All patients were diagnosed and treated before the COVID-19 pandemic. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) collected 24 and 36 months after treatment (M24 and M36) were compared between survivors who completed both assessments before the COVID-19 pandemic and those who completed M24 before but M36 during the pandemic. Personal, clinical, physical, psychological, social, and lifestyle characteristics of the survivors assessed at baseline or M24 were investigated as potential effect modifiers. Results: In total, 318 HNC survivors were included, of which 199 completed both M24 and M36 before the COVID-19 pandemic and 119 completed M24 before but M36 during the pandemic. Changes in HRQOL between 24 and 36 months follow-up did not differ between the two groups for any of the PROMs. Nevertheless, in some subgroups of HNC survivors the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the course of HRQOL for several PROMs while it positively affected the course of HRQOL for other PROMs. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect HRQOL in HNC survivors in general, but some subgroups were affected in a positive and others in a negative way.</p

Starting from scratch: patient-reported outcome questionnaires & their role in an integrative medicine primary care minimum-dataset

Aim This research explored the use of patient questionnaires for evaluating integrative medicine (IM) clinics in the primary care setting. Background Integrative medicine (IM) combines traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine with conventional biomedicine. With more clinics in Australia offering IM, it is important to evaluate outcomes. Methods Mixed methods were used. This included a case study of an IM clinic in Sydney, Australia; interviews with 20 patients and 13 staff at the clinic; and a systematic literature review of patient questionnaires. Results Challenges for meausring IM outcomes limitations with routine clinical data collection, selecting appropriate questionnaires able to measure the wide range of IM outcomes whilst minimizing responder burden, patient recruitment and practitioner support. Electronic questionnaires have many advantages. Alternative formats such as paper are still needed. Not all interviewees were interested in cohort results or research and instead wanted to access their individual patient results. Discussion The results from the studies were synthesised and a set of recommendations are offered. Conclusions Patient questionnaires could be used to establish a minimum dataset for use in research, health service development, and informing and improving individual patient care. A bottom-up approach that adresses stakeholders’ needs for a dataset is essential

In-gas-cell laser ionization spectroscopy in the vicinity of 100Sn: Magnetic moments and mean-square charge radii of N=50-54 Ag

In-gas-cell laser ionization spectroscopy studies on the neutron deficient 97-101Ag isotopes have been performed with the LISOL setup. Magnetic dipole moments and mean-square charge radii have been determined for the first time with the exception of 101Ag, which was found in good agreement with previous experimental values. The reported results allow tentatively assigning the spin of 97,99Ag to 9/2 and confirming the presence of an isomeric state in these two isotopes, whose collapsed hyperfine structure suggests a spin of 1/2 . The effect of the N=50 shell closure is not only manifested in the magnetic moments but also in the evolution of the mean-square charge radii of the isotopes investigated, in accordance with the spherical droplet model predictions

An Observational Study of the First Experience with Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent High-Grade Glioma in Two Belgian University Hospitals

Background. Bevacizumab (BEV), a humanized immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that inhibits VEGF has demonstrated activity against recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGG) in phase II clinical trials. Patients and Methods. Data were collected from patients with recurrent HGG who initiated treatment with BEV outside a clinical trial protocol at two Belgian university hospitals. Results. 19 patients (11 M/8 F) were administered a total of 138 cycles of BEV (median 4, range 1–31). Tumor response assessment by MRI was available for 15 patients; 2 complete responses and 3 partial responses for an objective response rate of 26% for the intent to treat population were observed on gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images; significant regressions on T2/FLAIR were documented in 10 out of 15 patients (67%). A reduced uptake on PET was documented in 3 out of 4 evaluable patients. The six-month progression-free survival was 21% (95% CI 2.7–39.5). Two patients had an ongoing tumor response and remained free from progression after 12 months of BEV treatment. Conclusions. The activity and tolerability of BEV were comparable to results from previous prospective phase II trials. Reduced uptake on PET suggests a metabolic response in addition to an antiangiogenic effect in some cases with favorable clinical outcome