Preaspirated /pp tt kk/ in standard Italian

This paper investigates preaspiration of geminate stops in Standard Italian /pp tt kk/. We first compare voiceless stops produced in isolated words according to speaker sex and then region (Northern, Central and Southern Italy). We find that the frequency and duration of preaspiration remain relatively stable across these sociophonetic categories. Given these patterns we suggest that the appearance of preaspirated stops is conditioned primarily by phonetic (consonant place, vowel type, lexical stress) rather than the sociophonetic factors under consideration

An articulatory and acoustic study of /u/ in preboundary position in French: The interaction of compensatory articulation, neutralization avoidance and featural enhancement

27 pagesInternational audienceThis study presents acoustic and electro-magnetic articulography (EMA) data for the back rounded vowel /u/ in preboundary position in French. Five boundary types are examined: the Utterance, the Intonational phrase, the Accentual phrase, the Word and the Syllable. The three speakers studied produce similar acoustic output, with both F1 and F2 becoming lower before stronger prosodic boundaries. However, the Utterance boundary has a particularly strong effect on F1, which is particularly low before this boundary. To achieve the acoustic output observed, the speakers adopt different articulatory strategies at different prosodic boundaries. The strategies observed before the strongest boundaries are tongue dorsum backing (coupled with either raising or lowering, depending on the speaker); tongue tip retraction; and lip protrusion. Somewhat unexpectedly in light of acoustic considerations, lip constriction is observed to be greater before the weaker prosodic boundaries. This result, considered in conjunction with the tongue data and with the lip protrusion data, leads us to suggest that the French speakers in our study are actively aiming to prevent F2 from becoming too high before the weaker prosodic boundaries. We suggest that a high F2 for /u/ may lead to perceptual confusion with the front rounded vowel /y/, which is also present in the French phoneme inventory. This result echoes our previous results for the front unrounded vowel /i/ (Tabain & Perrier, 2005. Articulation and acoustics of /i/ in preboundary position in French. Journal of Phonetics, 33, 77–100), and suggests that the structure of a language's phoneme inventory has important effects on the articulatory strategies adopted by its speakers

Fundamental frequency characteristics of infant vocalisations: a study in voice quality

No clear picture exists of the f0 developmental pattern of typically developing infants. Methodological differences (e.g. type of vocalisations included for analysis) have been found to contribute to this. This paper approaches the f0 characteristics of infant vocalisations from the perspective of modal and non-modal voice qualities to more fully understand their role in the overall developmental contour. The results presented in this paper support the notion that the f0 of infant vocalisations provides insight into how an infant learns to exercise vocal control and that voice quality is a useful category through which to investigate these developments

Quality of life in Sjögren syndrome patients

Quality of life is an essential component of the way Sjögren's syndrome should be evaluated, indicating that management of such patients as not a simple task one would think, but the life that the patient leads, and the quality of it must be engaged as a whole. Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune illness, slowly progressing and targeting the bodies exocrine glands. Ranging from xerophthalmia and xerostomia to more systemic and severe manifestations, Sjögren's syndrome may also co-exist with other diseases of autoimmune origin and also progress to more malignant scenarios. Somewhat subtle presentation leads to delays in all aspects, causing severe impairment of the life that this individual leads, both physically and mentally. Diagnosis remains one of the major difficulties, as it overlaps with other autoimmune diseases, making diagnosis usually a long and tedious process, burdening the patient and impairing their quality of life. The health related quality of life is a multifactorial assessment, and can be evaluated using different models to assess mental and physical well being, such as the Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire 36 (SF 36) and other patient centered questionnaires. The therapeutic management includes the separation into glandular and systemic manifestations and their respective treatment modalities. Symptomatic therapy dominates for the glandular manifestations, including replacement and stimulation of fluids, while various disease modifying drugs are used for these systemic or extraglandular manifestations. Impaired function is associated with reduced quality of life and symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and depression, as well as disease activity, illustrating the importance of optimal management of all aspects of the disease

Rizik od maligniteta štitne žlijezde u bolesnika s pojedinačnim čvorom štitne žlijezde prema bolesnicima s multinodularnom strumom

The aim of the study was to compare the risk of thyroid malignancy in patients with a solitary thyroid nodule vs. patients with multinodular goiter. The prospective study included 406 patients who had one or more thyroid nodules and underwent ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration. There were 29 males and 377 females (male to female ratio 1:13). There were 117 (29%) patients (12 males and 105 females) with a solitary thyroid nodule, and 289 (71%) patients (17 males and 272 females) with multinodular goiter, age range 11-86 years, median 55 years. Upon cytologic examination definitive diagnosis of malignant tumor was made in six (5%) patients with a solitary thyroid nodule and in 15 (5%) patients with multinodular goiter. All patients with malignant tumors in both groups were females. It was concluded that there was no difference in the risk of thyroid malignancy between patients with a solitary thyroid nodule and patients with multinodular goiter.Cilj studije bio je usporediti rizik of maligniteta štitne žlijezde u bolesnika s pojedinačnim čvorom štitne žlijezde prema bolesnicima s multinodularnom strumom. U prospektivnu studiju bilo je uključeno 406 bolesnika koji su imali jedan ili više čvorova štitne žlijezde i podvrgnuti su ultrazvučno vođenoj tankoiglenoj biopsiji. Bilo je 29 muškaraca i 377 žena (omjer muških i ženskih bolesnika 1:13). Bilo je 117 (29%) bolesnika (12 muških i 105 ženskih) s pojedinačnim čvorom štitne žlijezde i 289 (71%) bolesnika (17 muških i 272 ženskih) s multinodularnom strumom, dobnoga raspona 11-86 godina, medijan 55 godina. Nakon citološke analize konačna dijagnoza zloćudnog tumora postavljena je u šestoro (5%) bolesnika s pojedinačnim čvorom štitne žlijezde i u 15 (5%) bolesnika s multinodularnom strumom. Sve osobe s malignim tumorom u objema skupinama bile su žene. Zaključeno je kako nema razlike u riziku od maligniteta štitne žlijezde među bolesnicima s pojedinačnim čvorom štitne žlijezde i onih s multinodularnom strumom

Aspiracijska punkcija tankom iglom tumora Hürthleovih stanica: kliničko- citomorfološka studija

Cytologic diagnosis of Hürthle cell neoplasm (HCN) includes both Hürthle cell adenoma (HCA) and Hürthle cell carcinoma (HCC). They are indistinguishable on the basis of cytologic examination because the criteria of malignancy are based on tissue architectural features of capsular and/or vascular invasion. All patients with subsequent histopathologic diagnosis of HCN of the thyroid and preoperative cytologic evaluation by fine needle aspiration (FNA) during the last six years were studied for a number of cytomorphologic features and clinical parameters (age, gender and nodule size) to determine the factors predictive of carcinoma. There were 17 cases in total, including 4 HCC and 13 HCA cases. Carcinoma was diagnosed in three of 13 (23%) women and in one of four (25%) men. Age range was 32-75 (median 57) years in adenoma patients and 46-70 (median 58) years in carcinoma patients. The mean tumor size was 4.5±3.41 cm and 3.07±1.82 cm in HCC and HCA patients, respectively. The cytomorphologic features indicative of HCC versus HCA were syncytial clusters and Hürthle cells with large nucleoli, whereas Hürthle cells showing pronounced nuclear and cellular pleomorphism in monolayered sheets with small nucleoli appeared to be characteristic of HCA (p<0.05 both). The presence of Hürthle cells in syncytial clusters with large nucleoli in thyroid nodule FNA should alert the observer of the possible HCC.Citološka dijagnoza tumora Hürthleovih stanica uključuje i adenom i karcinom Hürthleovih stanica. Oni se ne razlikuju jedan od drugoga na osnovi citološkog pregleda, jer kriterij za malignost počiva na histološkim obilježjima invazije čahure i/ili krvnih žila. U svih bolesnika s patohistološkom dijagnozom tumora Hürthleovih stanica štitnjače i citološkom evaluacijom prije operacijskog zahvata u posljednjih šest godina analizirane su brojne citomorfološke značajke i klinički parametri (dob, spol, najveći promjer čvora) da bi se odredili čimbenici koji bi upućivali na karcinom. Ukupno je bilo 17 bolesnika: 4 s karcinomom i 13 s adenomom Hürthleovih stanica. Karcinom je dijagnosticiran u jednog (25%) od 4 muškarca i u 3 (23%) od 13 žena. Dobni raspon u bolesnika s adenomom bio je 32-75 (medijan 57) godina, a u bolesnika s karcinomom 46-70 (medijan 58) godina. Prosječna veličina čvora u bolesnika s karcinomom bila je 4,5±3,41 cm, a u bolesnika s adenomom 3,07±1,82 cm. Citomorfološke značajke koje su upućivale na karcinom Hürthleovih stanica bile su sincicijske nakupine Hürthleovih stanica s velikim jezgricama (p<0,05). Hürthleove stanice u pločastim nakupinama s malim jezgricama (p<0,05) i značajnim pleomorfizmom stanica i jezgara bile su obilježje adenoma Hürthleovih stanica. Nalaz Hürthleovih stanica s velikim jezgricama u sincicijskim nakupinama mogao bi upozoravati na karcinom Hürthleovih stanica

Točnost ultrazvučno vođene aspiracije tankom iglom u bolesnika s nodularnom bolešću štitnjače

The aim of the study was to evaluate effectiveness of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration in patients with nodular thyroid disease. Over a 7-year period, there were 457 patients with nodular thyroid disease who underwent ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration with subsequent histologic verification. Diagnostic fine needle aspiration findings were classified into one of the following categories: benign, indeterminate and malignant. The cytologic diagnosis of benign finding was histologically confirmed in 206 (99.5%) of 207 patients. Of 166 patients with indeterminate cytology, 25 (15.1%) were shown to be malignant, 107 (64.4%) were adenomas, and 34 (20.5%) were non-neoplastic lesions. Of 76 patients with malignant fine needle aspiration cytology, histologic examination indicated carcinoma in 67 (88%), follicular adenoma in seven (9%) and nodular goiter in two (3%) patients. There were 246 true negative, 178 true positive, one false negative, and 24 false positive findings, yielding a sensitivity of 99%, specificity of 91%, accuracy of 94%, positive predictive value of 88% and negative predictive value of 99%, false negative rate of 0.2% and false positive rate of 5%. The study confirmed the ultrasound guided thyroid fine needle aspiration to be a reliable screening test for patients with thyroid nodules. Following a benign fine needle aspiration result of thyroid nodule the physician can be 99% sure that the lesion is indeed benign.Cilj studije bio je procijeniti pouzdanost ultrazvučno vođene aspiracije tankom iglom u bolesnika s nodularnom bolešću štitnjače. Tijekom 7-godišnjeg razdoblja bilo je 457 bolesnika s nodularnom bolešću štitnjače u kojih je učinjena ultrazvučno vođena tankoiglena aspiracija s naknadnom histološkom potvrdom. Dijagnostički tankoigleni aspirati su klasificirani u jednu od slijedećih kategorija: benigne, neodređene i maligne. Citološka dijagnoza benignog nalaza histološki je potvrđena u 206 (99,5%) od 207 bolesnika. Od 166 bolesnika s neodređenim citološkim nalazom 25 (15,1%) ih se je pokazalo malignim, 107 (64,4%) su bili adenomi, a 34 (20,5%) su bile ne-neoplastične promjene. Od 76 bolesnika s malignom citologijom tankoiglenog aspirata histološki je pregled utvrdio 67 (88%) karcinoma; sedmoro (9%) ih je imalo folikularni adenom, a dvoje (3%) nodularnu strumu. Bilo je 246 stvarno negativnih, 178 stvarno pozitivnih, jedan lažno negativan i 24 lažno pozitivna nalaza, što je pokazalo osjetljivost od 99%, specifičnost od 91%, točnost od 94%, pozitivnu prediktivnu vrijednost od 88%, negativnu prediktivnu vrijednost od 99%, te stopu lažno negativnih i lažno pozitivnih nalaza od 0,2% odnosno 5%. Ova je studija potvrdila da je ultrazvučno vođena aspiracija tankom iglom pouzdan test probira za bolesnike s čvorovima štitnjače. Na osnovi benignog rezultata tankom iglom aspirata čvora štitnjače liječnik može biti 99% siguran da je promjena doista benigna

HISTORY OF COUNTERINTELLIGENCE: DOUBLE AGENTS IN WORLD WAR II

Sastavnice obavještajnog sustava u suvremenom demokratskom društvu imaju ključnu ulogu u zaštiti nacionalne sigurnosti i nacionalnih interesa. Obavještajni sustavi sastavljeni su od obavještajnih, sigurnosnih i protuobavještajnih službi koje koriste različite metode i discipline prikupljanja podataka kako bi im vlastitom obradom i analizom dale dodanu vrijednost i pretvorile ih u intelligence. U prvom dijelu rada su definirani temeljni pojmovi vezani za obavještajni sustav i sustav nacionalne sigurnosti. Detaljnije je prikazano i objašnjeno protuobavještajno djelovanje i njegova uloga u doba mira i rata, s naglaskom na područja djelovanja, ciljeve, metode i tehnike. U drugom dijelu rada prikazani su obavještajni sustavi Ujedinjenog Kraljevstva i Njemačke između dva svjetska rata te u Drugom svjetskom ratu. Uporabom metode studije slučaja prikazani su sukobi i razlike između njih, te je na kraju izveden zaključak o njihovoj uspješnosti u ostvarenju vlastite misije – pobjede u ratu.Services that constitute the intelligence system in a contemporary democratic society play a key role in the protection of its national security and national interests. The intelligence system comprises intelligence, security and counterintelligence services. These services utilize different methods and collection disciplines in order to add value to the collected data through their processing and analysis, ultimately creating intelligence. The first part of this work presents the basic concepts of intelligence and national security. The field of counterintelligence and its role in peace and war is presented in more detail, emphasizing its fields of activity, goals, methods and techniques. The second part covers the intelligence systems of the United Kingdom and Germany in the interwar period and during the Second World War. Utilizing the case-study method, the work presents the conflict between the two aforementioned (counter)intelligence systems, their respective differences, and finally draws a conclusion about their efficacy in achieving their mission – victory in war

Quality of life in Sjoegren syndrome patients

Quality of life is an essential component of the way Sjögren's syndrome should be evaluated, indicating that management of such patients as not a simple task one would think, but the life that the patient leads, and the quality of it must be engaged as a whole. Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune illness, slowly progressing and targeting the bodies exocrine glands. Ranging from xerophthalmia and xerostomia to more systemic and severe manifestations, Sjögren's syndrome may also co-exist with other diseases of autoimmune origin and also progress to more malignant scenarios. Somewhat subtle presentation leads to delays in all aspects, causing severe impairment of the life that this individual leads, both physically and mentally. Diagnosis remains one of the major difficulties, as it overlaps with other autoimmune diseases, making diagnosis usually a long and tedious process, burdening the patient and impairing their quality of life. The health related quality of life is a multifactorial assessment, and can be evaluated using different models to assess mental and physical well being, such as the Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire 36 (SF 36) and other patient centered questionnaires. The therapeutic management includes the separation into glandular and systemic manifestations and their respective treatment modalities. Symptomatic therapy dominates for the glandular manifestations, including replacement and stimulation of fluids, while various disease modifying drugs are used for these systemic or extraglandular manifestations. Impaired function is associated with reduced quality of life and symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and depression, as well as disease activity, illustrating the importance of optimal management of all aspects of the disease