Neutrophil activator of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (NAM).

PubMed

Rollo, Ellen E; Hymowitz, Michelle; Schmidt, Cathleen E; Montana, Steve; Foda, Hussein; Zucker, Stanley

2006-01-01

We have isolated a novel soluble factor(s), neutrophil activator of matrix metalloproteinases (NAM), secreted by unstimulated normal human peripheral blood neutrophils that causes the activation of cell secreted promatrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2). Partially purified preparations of NAM have been isolated from the conditioned media of neutrophils employing gelatin-Sepharose chromatography and differential membrane filter centrifugation. NAM activity, as assessed by exposing primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) or HT1080 cells to NAM followed by gelatin zymography, was seen within one hour. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and hydroxamic acid derived inhibitors of MMPs (CT1746 and BB94) abrogated the activation of proMMP-2 by NAM, while inhibitors of serine and cysteine proteases showed no effect. NAM also produced an increase in TIMP-2 binding to HUVEC and HT1080 cell surfaces that was inhibited by TIMP-2, CT1746, and BB94. Time-dependent increases in MT1-MMP protein and mRNA were seen following the addition of NAM to cells. These data support a role for NAM in cancer dissemination.

Inventory of NAM Files on NOMADS

Science.gov Websites

Inventory of NAM Files on NOMADS GRIB Filter options Description Filename Cycles Available 12km nam.tCCz.priconest.hiresfFF.tm00.grib2 00,06,12,18 UTC OPeNDAP options Description Filename Cycles Available Hourly nam1hr_CCz

Individual differences reveal the basis of consonance.

PubMed

McDermott, Josh H; Lehr, Andriana J; Oxenham, Andrew J

2010-06-08

Some combinations of musical notes are consonant (pleasant), whereas others are dissonant (unpleasant), a distinction central to music. Explanations of consonance in terms of acoustics, auditory neuroscience, and enculturation have been debated for centuries. We utilized individual differences to distinguish the candidate theories. We measured preferences for musical chords as well as nonmusical sounds that isolated particular acoustic factors--specifically, the beating and the harmonic relationships between frequency components, two factors that have long been thought to potentially underlie consonance. Listeners preferred stimuli without beats and with harmonic spectra, but across more than 250 subjects, only the preference for harmonic spectra was consistently correlated with preferences for consonant over dissonant chords. Harmonicity preferences were also correlated with the number of years subjects had spent playing a musical instrument, suggesting that exposure to music amplifies preferences for harmonic frequencies because of their musical importance. Harmonic spectra are prominent features of natural sounds, and our results indicate that they also underlie the perception of consonance. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling The Hydrology And Water Allocation Under Climate Change In Rural River Basins: A Case Study From Nam Ngum River Basin, Laos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayasekera, D. L.; Kaluarachchi, J.; Kim, U.

2011-12-01

Rural river basins with sufficient water availability to maintain economic livelihoods can be affected with seasonal fluctuations of precipitation and sometimes by droughts. In addition, climate change impacts can also alter future water availability. General Circulation Models (GCMs) provide credible quantitative estimates of future climate conditions but such estimates are often characterized by bias and coarse scale resolution making it necessary to downscale the outputs for use in regional hydrologic models. This study develops a methodology to downscale and project future monthly precipitation in moderate scale basins where data are limited. A stochastic framework for single-site and multi-site generation of weekly rainfall is developed while preserving the historical temporal and spatial correlation structures. The spatial correlations in the simulated occurrences and the amounts are induced using spatially correlated yet serially independent random numbers. This method is applied to generate weekly precipitation data for a 100-year period in the Nam Ngum River Basin (NNRB) that has a land area of 16,780 km2 located in Lao P.D.R. This method is developed and applied using precipitation data from 1961 to 2000 for 10 selected weather stations that represents the basin rainfall characteristics. Bias-correction method, based on fitted theoretical probability distribution transformations, is applied to improve monthly mean frequency, intensity and the amount of raw GCM precipitation predicted at a given weather station using CGCM3.1 and ECHAM5 for SRES A2 emission scenario. Bias-correction procedure adjusts GCM precipitation to approximate the long-term frequency and the intensity distribution observed at a given weather station. Index of agreement and mean absolute error are determined to assess the overall ability and performance of the bias correction method. The generated precipitation series aggregated at monthly time step was perturbed by the change factors

Hupa Consonants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Ruth, Ed.; And Others

This modified alphabet booklet belongs to a series of bilingual instructional materials in Hupa and English. The booklet begins with a Hupa Unifon alphabet chart giving the symbols used to reproduce the most simple version of the sounds in the Hupa language. Nearly 200 basic vocabulary words and phrases are given. A Hupa consonant is followed by…

Psychophysical basis for consonant musical intervals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resnick, L.

1981-06-01

A suggestion is made to explain the acceptance of certain musical intervals as consonant and others as dissonant. The proposed explanation involves the relation between the time required to perceive a definite pitch and the period of a complex tone. If the former time is greater than the latter, the tone is consonant; otherwise it is dissonant. A quantitative examination leads to agreement with empirical data.

An Experimental Analysis of Treatment Effects on Consonant Clusters and Ambisyllabic Consonants in Two Adults with Developmental Phonological Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Edna Carter; Thompson, Cynthia K.

1987-01-01

The effects of treatment on errors in consonant clusters and in ambisyllabic consonants were investigated in two adults with histories of developmental phonological problems. Results indicated that treatment, consisting of a sound-referenced rebus approach, affected change in production of trained words as well as generalization to untrained words…

Effect of Vowel Context on the Recognition of Initial Consonants in Kannada.

PubMed

Kalaiah, Mohan Kumar; Bhat, Jayashree S

2017-09-01

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of vowel context on the recognition of Kannada consonants in quiet for young adults. A total of 17 young adults with normal hearing in both ears participated in the study. The stimuli included consonant-vowel syllables, spoken by 12 native speakers of Kannada. Consonant recognition task was carried out as a closed-set (fourteen-alternative forced-choice). The present study showed an effect of vowel context on the perception of consonants. Maximum consonant recognition score was obtained in the /o/ vowel context, followed by the /a/ and /u/ vowel contexts, and then the /e/ context. Poorest consonant recognition score was obtained in the vowel context /i/. Vowel context has an effect on the recognition of Kannada consonants, and the vowel effect was unique for Kannada consonants.

Does perceived stress mediate the effect of cultural consonance on depression?

PubMed

Balieiro, Mauro C; Dos Santos, Manoel Antônio; Dos Santos, José Ernesto; Dressler, William W

2011-11-01

The importance of appraisal in the stress process is unquestioned. Experience in the social environment that impacts outcomes such as depression are thought to have these effects because they are appraised as a threat to the individual and overwhelm the individual's capacity to cope. In terms of the nature of social experience that is associated with depression, several recent studies have examined the impact of cultural consonance. Cultural consonance is the degree to which individuals, in their own beliefs and behaviors, approximate the prototypes for belief and behavior encoded in shared cultural models. Low cultural consonance is associated with more depressive symptoms both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. In this paper we ask the question: does perceived stress mediate the effects of cultural consonance on depression? Data are drawn from a longitudinal study of depressive symptoms in the urban community of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. A sample of 210 individuals was followed for 2 years. Cultural consonance was assessed in four cultural domains, using a mixed-methods research design that integrated techniques of cultural domain analysis with social survey research. Perceived stress was measured with Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale. When cultural consonance was examined separately for each domain, perceived stress partially mediated the impact of cultural consonance in family life and cultural consonance in lifestyle on depressive symptoms. When generalized cultural consonance (combining consonance in all four domains) was examined, there was no evidence of mediation. These results raise questions about how culturally salient experience rises to the level of conscious reflection.

Consonant Acquisition in Young Cochlear Implant Recipients and Their Typically Developing Peers

PubMed Central

Jung, Jongmin; Ertmer, David J.

2017-01-01

Purpose Consonant acquisition was examined in 13 young cochlear implant (CI) recipients and 11 typically developing (TD) children. Method A longitudinal research design was implemented to determine the rate and nature of consonant acquisition during the first 2 years of robust hearing experience. Twenty-minute adult–child (typically a parent) interactions were video and audio recorded at 3-month intervals following implantation until 24 months of robust hearing experience was achieved. TD children were similarly recorded between 6 and 24 months of age. Consonants that were produced twice within a 50-utterance sample were considered “established” within a child's consonant inventory. Results Although the groups showed similar trajectories, the CI group produced larger consonant inventories than the TD group at each interval except for 21 and 24 months. A majority of children with CIs also showed more rapid acquisition of consonants and more diverse consonant inventories than TD children. Conclusions These results suggest that early auditory deprivation does not significantly affect consonant acquisition for most CI recipients. Tracking early consonant development appears to be a useful way to assess the effectiveness of cochlear implantation in young recipients. PMID:28474085

The basis of musical consonance as revealed by congenital amusia

PubMed Central

Cousineau, Marion; McDermott, Josh H.; Peretz, Isabelle

2012-01-01

Some combinations of musical notes sound pleasing and are termed “consonant,” but others sound unpleasant and are termed “dissonant.” The distinction between consonance and dissonance plays a central role in Western music, and its origins have posed one of the oldest and most debated problems in perception. In modern times, dissonance has been widely believed to be the product of “beating”: interference between frequency components in the cochlea that has been believed to be more pronounced in dissonant than consonant sounds. However, harmonic frequency relations, a higher-order sound attribute closely related to pitch perception, has also been proposed to account for consonance. To tease apart theories of musical consonance, we tested sound preferences in individuals with congenital amusia, a neurogenetic disorder characterized by abnormal pitch perception. We assessed amusics’ preferences for musical chords as well as for the isolated acoustic properties of beating and harmonicity. In contrast to control subjects, amusic listeners showed no preference for consonance, rating the pleasantness of consonant chords no higher than that of dissonant chords. Amusics also failed to exhibit the normally observed preference for harmonic over inharmonic tones, nor could they discriminate such tones from each other. Despite these abnormalities, amusics exhibited normal preferences and discrimination for stimuli with and without beating. This dissociation indicates that, contrary to classic theories, beating is unlikely to underlie consonance. Our results instead suggest the need to integrate harmonicity as a foundation of music preferences, and illustrate how amusia may be used to investigate normal auditory function. PMID:23150582

A mathematical model of medial consonant identification by cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Svirsky, Mario A; Sagi, Elad; Meyer, Ted A; Kaiser, Adam R; Teoh, Su Wooi

2011-04-01

The multidimensional phoneme identification model is applied to consonant confusion matrices obtained from 28 postlingually deafened cochlear implant users. This model predicts consonant matrices based on these subjects' ability to discriminate a set of postulated spectral, temporal, and amplitude speech cues as presented to them by their device. The model produced confusion matrices that matched many aspects of individual subjects' consonant matrices, including information transfer for the voicing, manner, and place features, despite individual differences in age at implantation, implant experience, device and stimulation strategy used, as well as overall consonant identification level. The model was able to match the general pattern of errors between consonants, but not the full complexity of all consonant errors made by each individual. The present study represents an important first step in developing a model that can be used to test specific hypotheses about the mechanisms cochlear implant users employ to understand speech.

Differential processing of consonants and vowels in lexical access through reading.

PubMed

New, Boris; Araújo, Verónica; Nazzi, Thierry

2008-12-01

Do consonants and vowels have the same importance during reading? Recently, it has been proposed that consonants play a more important role than vowels for language acquisition and adult speech processing. This proposal has started receiving developmental support from studies showing that infants are better at processing specific consonantal than vocalic information while learning new words. This proposal also received support from adult speech processing. In our study, we directly investigated the relative contributions of consonants and vowels to lexical access while reading by using a visual masked-priming lexical decision task. Test items were presented following four different primes: identity (e.g., for the word joli, joli), unrelated (vabu), consonant-related (jalu), and vowel-related (vobi). Priming was found for the identity and consonant-related conditions, but not for the vowel-related condition. These results establish the privileged role of consonants during lexical access while reading.

A mathematical model of medial consonant identification by cochlear implant users

PubMed Central

Svirsky, Mario A.; Sagi, Elad; Meyer, Ted A.; Kaiser, Adam R.; Teoh, Su Wooi

2011-01-01

The multidimensional phoneme identification model is applied to consonant confusion matrices obtained from 28 postlingually deafened cochlear implant users. This model predicts consonant matrices based on these subjects’ ability to discriminate a set of postulated spectral, temporal, and amplitude speech cues as presented to them by their device. The model produced confusion matrices that matched many aspects of individual subjects’ consonant matrices, including information transfer for the voicing, manner, and place features, despite individual differences in age at implantation, implant experience, device and stimulation strategy used, as well as overall consonant identification level. The model was able to match the general pattern of errors between consonants, but not the full complexity of all consonant errors made by each individual. The present study represents an important first step in developing a model that can be used to test specific hypotheses about the mechanisms cochlear implant users employ to understand speech. PMID:21476674

Computational Approach to Musical Consonance and Dissonance

PubMed Central

Trulla, Lluis L.; Di Stefano, Nicola; Giuliani, Alessandro

2018-01-01

In sixth century BC, Pythagoras discovered the mathematical foundation of musical consonance and dissonance. When auditory frequencies in small-integer ratios are combined, the result is a harmonious perception. In contrast, most frequency combinations result in audible, off-centered by-products labeled “beating” or “roughness;” these are reported by most listeners to sound dissonant. In this paper, we consider second-order beats, a kind of beating recognized as a product of neural processing, and demonstrate that the data-driven approach of Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA) allows for the reconstruction of the order in which interval ratios are ranked in music theory and harmony. We take advantage of computer-generated sounds containing all intervals over the span of an octave. To visualize second-order beats, we use a glissando from the unison to the octave. This procedure produces a profile of recurrence values that correspond to subsequent epochs along the original signal. We find that the higher recurrence peaks exactly match the epochs corresponding to just intonation frequency ratios. This result indicates a link between consonance and the dynamical features of the signal. Our findings integrate a new element into the existing theoretical models of consonance, thus providing a computational account of consonance in terms of dynamical systems theory. Finally, as it considers general features of acoustic signals, the present approach demonstrates a universal aspect of consonance and dissonance perception and provides a simple mathematical tool that could serve as a common framework for further neuro-psychological and music theory research. PMID:29670552

Structural Generalizations over Consonants and Vowels in 11-Month-Old Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pons, Ferran; Toro, Juan M.

2010-01-01

Recent research has suggested consonants and vowels serve different roles during language processing. While statistical computations are preferentially made over consonants but not over vowels, simple structural generalizations are easily made over vowels but not over consonants. Nevertheless, the origins of this asymmetry are unknown. Here we…

Basin-Wide Assessment on Impacts of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services in the Lower Mekong Basin

EPA Science Inventory

The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) covers parts of riparian countries of Lao PDR, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Thailand and supports over 60 million people for food and livelihood. Recently, the LMB is threatened by climate change. This paper aims to quantify water yields and sediment retent...

Mild Dissonance Preferred Over Consonance in Single Chord Perception

PubMed Central

Eerola, Tuomas

2016-01-01

Previous research on harmony perception has mainly been concerned with horizontal aspects of harmony, turning less attention to how listeners perceive psychoacoustic qualities and emotions in single isolated chords. A recent study found mild dissonances to be more preferred than consonances in single chord perception, although the authors did not systematically vary register and consonance in their study; these omissions were explored here. An online empirical experiment was conducted where participants (N = 410) evaluated chords on the dimensions of Valence, Tension, Energy, Consonance, and Preference; 15 different chords were played with piano timbre across two octaves. The results suggest significant differences on all dimensions across chord types, and a strong correlation between perceived dissonance and tension. The register and inversions contributed to the evaluations significantly, nonmusicians distinguishing between triadic inversions similarly to musicians. The mildly dissonant minor ninth, major ninth, and minor seventh chords were rated highest for preference, regardless of musical sophistication. The role of theoretical explanations such as aggregate dyadic consonance, the inverted-U hypothesis, and psychoacoustic roughness, harmonicity, and sharpness will be discussed to account for the preference of mild dissonance over consonance in single chord perception. PMID:27433333

Spanish Dyslexic Spelling Abilities: The Case of Consonant Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serrano, Francisca; Defior, Sylvia

2012-01-01

This paper investigates Spanish dyslexic spelling abilities: specifically, the influence of syllabic linguistic structure (simple vs consonant cluster) on children's spelling performance. Consonant clusters are phonologically complex structures, so it was anticipated that there would be lower spelling performance for these syllabic structures than…

Reading Fluency and Speech Perception Speed of Beginning Readers with Persistent Reading Problems: The Perception of Initial Stop Consonants and Consonant Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snellings, Patrick; van der Leij, Aryan; Blok, Henk; de Jong, Peter F.

2010-01-01

This study investigated the role of speech perception accuracy and speed in fluent word decoding of reading disabled (RD) children. A same-different phoneme discrimination task with natural speech tested the perception of single consonants and consonant clusters by young but persistent RD children. RD children were slower than chronological age…

NAM - Eta to NMM conversion 20060613

Science.gov Websites

North American Mesoscale (NAM) time slot. Currently the the Eta forecast model is used for the NAM, but Eta and its output will be available at the same time. There will be some minor addition of products MB per file (time step). - The following fields will be added: - omega @ 10, 20, & 30 mb - height

Phase locked neural activity in the human brainstem predicts preference for musical consonance.

PubMed

Bones, Oliver; Hopkins, Kathryn; Krishnan, Ananthanarayan; Plack, Christopher J

2014-05-01

When musical notes are combined to make a chord, the closeness of fit of the combined spectrum to a single harmonic series (the 'harmonicity' of the chord) predicts the perceived consonance (how pleasant and stable the chord sounds; McDermott, Lehr, & Oxenham, 2010). The distinction between consonance and dissonance is central to Western musical form. Harmonicity is represented in the temporal firing patterns of populations of brainstem neurons. The current study investigates the role of brainstem temporal coding of harmonicity in the perception of consonance. Individual preference for consonant over dissonant chords was measured using a rating scale for pairs of simultaneous notes. In order to investigate the effects of cochlear interactions, notes were presented in two ways: both notes to both ears or each note to different ears. The electrophysiological frequency following response (FFR), reflecting sustained neural activity in the brainstem synchronised to the stimulus, was also measured. When both notes were presented to both ears the perceptual distinction between consonant and dissonant chords was stronger than when the notes were presented to different ears. In the condition in which both notes were presented to the both ears additional low-frequency components, corresponding to difference tones resulting from nonlinear cochlear processing, were observable in the FFR effectively enhancing the neural harmonicity of consonant chords but not dissonant chords. Suppressing the cochlear envelope component of the FFR also suppressed the additional frequency components. This suggests that, in the case of consonant chords, difference tones generated by interactions between notes in the cochlea enhance the perception of consonance. Furthermore, individuals with a greater distinction between consonant and dissonant chords in the FFR to individual harmonics had a stronger preference for consonant over dissonant chords. Overall, the results provide compelling evidence

Consonant-recognition patterns and self-assessment of hearing handicap.

PubMed

Hustedde, C G; Wiley, T L

1991-12-01

Two companion experiments were conducted with normal-hearing subjects and subjects with high-frequency, sensorineural hearing loss. In Experiment 1, the validity of a self-assessment device of hearing handicap was evaluated in two groups of hearing-impaired listeners with significantly different consonant-recognition ability. Data for the Hearing Performance Inventory--Revised (Lamb, Owens, & Schubert, 1983) did not reveal differences in self-perceived handicap for the two groups of hearing-impaired listeners; it was sensitive to perceived differences in hearing abilities for listeners who did and did not have a hearing loss. Experiment 2 was aimed at evaluation of consonant error patterns that accounted for observed group differences in consonant-recognition ability. Error patterns on the Nonsense-Syllable Test (NST) across the two subject groups differed in both degree and type of error. Listeners in the group with poorer NST performance always demonstrated greater difficulty with selected low-frequency and high-frequency syllables than did listeners in the group with better NST performance. Overall, the NST was sensitive to differences in consonant-recognition ability for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners.

Analysis of Spanish consonant recognition in 8-talker babble.

PubMed

Moreno-Torres, Ignacio; Otero, Pablo; Luna-Ramírez, Salvador; Garayzábal Heinze, Elena

2017-05-01

This paper presents the results of a closed-set recognition task for 80 Spanish consonant-vowel sounds (16 C × 5 V, spoken by 2 talkers) in 8-talker babble (-6, -2, +2 dB). A ranking of resistance to noise was obtained using the signal detection d' measure, and confusion patterns were analyzed using a graphical method (confusion graphs). The resulting ranking indicated the existence of three resistance groups: (1) high resistance: /ʧ, s, ʝ/; (2) mid resistance: /r, l, m, n/; and (3) low resistance: /t, θ, x, ɡ, b, d, k, f, p/. Confusions involved mostly place of articulation and voicing errors, and occurred especially among consonants in the same resistance group. Three perceptual confusion groups were identified: the three low-energy fricatives (i.e., /f, θ, x/), the six stops (i.e., /p, t, k, b, d, ɡ/), and three consonants with clear formant structure (i.e., /m, n, l/). The factors underlying consonant resistance and confusion patterns are discussed. The results are compared with data from other languages.

Processing advantages for consonance: A comparison between rats (Rattus norvegicus) and humans (Homo sapiens).

PubMed

Crespo-Bojorque, Paola; Toro, Juan M

2016-05-01

Consonance is a salient perceptual feature in harmonic music associated with pleasantness. Besides being deeply rooted in how we experience music, research suggests consonant intervals are more easily processed than dissonant intervals. In the present work we explore from a comparative perspective if such processing advantage extends to more complex tasks such as the detection of abstract rules. We ran experiments on rule learning over consonant and dissonant intervals with nonhuman animals and human participants. Results show differences across species regarding the extent to which they benefit from differences in consonance. Animals learn abstract rules with the same ease independently of whether they are implemented over consonant intervals (Experiment 1), dissonant intervals (Experiment 2), or over a combination of them (Experiment 3). Humans, on the contrary, learn an abstract rule better when it is implemented over consonant (Experiment 4) than over dissonant intervals (Experiment 5). Moreover, their performance improves when there is a mapping between abstract categories defining a rule and consonant and dissonant intervals (Experiments 6 and 7). Results suggest that for humans, consonance might be used as a perceptual anchor for other cognitive processes as to facilitate the detection of abstract patterns. Lacking extensive experience with harmonic stimuli, nonhuman animals tested here do not seem to benefit from a processing advantage for consonant intervals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Tracking the emergence of the consonant bias in visual-word recognition: evidence with developing readers.

PubMed

Soares, Ana Paula; Perea, Manuel; Comesaña, Montserrat

2014-01-01

Recent research with skilled adult readers has consistently revealed an advantage of consonants over vowels in visual-word recognition (i.e., the so-called "consonant bias"). Nevertheless, little is known about how early in development the consonant bias emerges. This work aims to address this issue by studying the relative contribution of consonants and vowels at the early stages of visual-word recognition in developing readers (2(nd) and 4(th) Grade children) and skilled adult readers (college students) using a masked priming lexical decision task. Target words starting either with a consonant or a vowel were preceded by a briefly presented masked prime (50 ms) that could be the same as the target (e.g., pirata-PIRATA [pirate-PIRATE]), a consonant-preserving prime (e.g., pureto-PIRATA), a vowel-preserving prime (e.g., gicala-PIRATA), or an unrelated prime (e.g., bocelo -PIRATA). Results revealed significant priming effects for the identity and consonant-preserving conditions in adult readers and 4(th) Grade children, whereas 2(nd) graders only showed priming for the identity condition. In adult readers, the advantage of consonants was observed both for words starting with a consonant or a vowel, while in 4(th) graders this advantage was restricted to words with an initial consonant. Thus, the present findings suggest that a Consonant/Vowel skeleton should be included in future (developmental) models of visual-word recognition and reading.

Tracking the Emergence of the Consonant Bias in Visual-Word Recognition: Evidence with Developing Readers

PubMed Central

Soares, Ana Paula; Perea, Manuel; Comesaña, Montserrat

2014-01-01

Recent research with skilled adult readers has consistently revealed an advantage of consonants over vowels in visual-word recognition (i.e., the so-called “consonant bias”). Nevertheless, little is known about how early in development the consonant bias emerges. This work aims to address this issue by studying the relative contribution of consonants and vowels at the early stages of visual-word recognition in developing readers (2nd and 4th Grade children) and skilled adult readers (college students) using a masked priming lexical decision task. Target words starting either with a consonant or a vowel were preceded by a briefly presented masked prime (50 ms) that could be the same as the target (e.g., pirata-PIRATA [pirate-PIRATE]), a consonant-preserving prime (e.g., pureto-PIRATA), a vowel-preserving prime (e.g., gicala-PIRATA), or an unrelated prime (e.g., bocelo -PIRATA). Results revealed significant priming effects for the identity and consonant-preserving conditions in adult readers and 4th Grade children, whereas 2nd graders only showed priming for the identity condition. In adult readers, the advantage of consonants was observed both for words starting with a consonant or a vowel, while in 4th graders this advantage was restricted to words with an initial consonant. Thus, the present findings suggest that a Consonant/Vowel skeleton should be included in future (developmental) models of visual-word recognition and reading. PMID:24523917

Consonant acquisition in the Malay language: a cross-sectional study of preschool aged Malay children.

PubMed

Phoon, Hooi San; Abdullah, Anna Christina; Lee, Lay Wah; Murugaiah, Puvaneswary

2014-05-01

To date, there has been little research done on phonological acquisition in the Malay language of typically developing Malay-speaking children. This study serves to fill this gap by providing a systematic description of Malay consonant acquisition in a large cohort of preschool-aged children between 4- and 6-years-old. In the study, 326 Malay-dominant speaking children were assessed using a picture naming task that elicited 53 single words containing all the primary consonants in Malay. Two main analyses were conducted to study their consonant acquisition: (1) age of customary and mastery production of consonants; and (2) consonant accuracy. Results revealed that Malay children acquired all the syllable-initial and syllable-final consonants before 4;06-years-old, with the exception of syllable-final /s/, /h/ and /l/ which were acquired after 5;06-years-old. The development of Malay consonants increased gradually from 4- to 6 years old, with female children performing better than male children. The accuracy of consonants based on manner of articulation showed that glides, affricates, nasals, and stops were higher than fricatives and liquids. In general, syllable-initial consonants were more accurate than syllable-final consonants while consonants in monosyllabic and disyllabic words were more accurate than polysyllabic words. These findings will provide significant information for speech-language pathologists for assessing Malay-speaking children and designing treatment objectives that reflect the course of phonological development in Malay.

Effects of Word Position on the Acoustic Realization of Vietnamese Final Consonants.

PubMed

Tran, Thi Thuy Hien; Vallée, Nathalie; Granjon, Lionel

2018-05-28

A variety of studies have shown differences between phonetic features of consonants according to their prosodic and/or syllable (onset vs. coda) positions. However, differences are not always found, and interactions between the various factors involved are complex and not well understood. Our study compares acoustical characteristics of coda consonants in Vietnamese taking into account their position within words. Traditionally described as monosyllabic, Vietnamese is partially polysyllabic at the lexical level. In this language, tautosyllabic consonant sequences are prohibited, and adjacent consonants are only found at syllable boundaries either within polysyllabic words (CVC.CVC) or across monosyllabic words (CVC#CVC). This study is designed to examine whether or not syllable boundary types (interword vs. intraword) have an effect on the acoustic realization of codas. The results show significant acoustic differences in consonant realizations according to syllable boundary type, suggesting different coarticulation patterns between nuclei and codas. In addition, as Vietnamese voiceless stops are generally unreleased in coda position, with no burst to carry consonantal information, our results show that a vowel's second half contains acoustic cues which are available to aid in the discrimination of place of articulation of the vowel's following consonant. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An EPG Study of Palatal Consonants in Two Australian Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabain, Marija; Fletcher, Janet; Butcher, Andrew

2011-01-01

This study presents EPG (electro-palatographic) data on (alveo-)palatal consonants from two Australian languages, Arrernte and Warlpiri. (Alveo-)palatal consonants are phonemic for stop, lateral and nasal manners of articulation in both languages, and are laminal articulations. However, in Arrernte, these lamino-(alveo-)palatals contrast with…

The heat flow study in the Tertiary Basin of Vietnam offshore

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huyen, T.

1994-07-01

In Vietnam, study of heat flow has paralleled petroleum exploration activities. For a long time there had only been results on temperature gradients in the Tertiary basin. Recently, with its participation in CCOP's project on the establishment of heat flow regional maps (1992-1993) and the government's mineral resources program (1993-1995) (Coded KT-01-18), Vietnam Petroleum Institute's group on heat flow obtained results on heat flow. A heat flow study in the oil basinal area in Vietnam has been conducted using data from 76 exploratory wells. Thermal conductivity of 427 cores was measured using the quick thermal conductivity meter (QTM) within temperaturemore » gradients of wells calculated from well log data and from testing data. The average heat flow of sedimentary basins in Vietnam follows: Hanoi graben, 125 Q (mW/m2); north Gulf of Tonkin, 87 Q (mW/m2); south Gulf of Tonkin, 119 Q (mW/m2); Danang Graben, 89 Q (mW/m2); northeast-south Conson, 88 Q (mW/m2); southwest-south Conson, 85 Q (mW/m2); Mekong Basin, 64 Q (mW/m2).« less

Production of Consonants by Prelinguistically Deaf Children with Cochlear Implants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchard, Marie-Eve Gaul; Le Normand, Marie-Therese; Cohen, Henri

2007-01-01

Consonant production following the sensory restoration of audition was investigated in 22 prelinguistically deaf French children who received cochlear implants. Spontaneous speech productions were recorded at 6, 12, and 18 months post-surgery and consonant inventories were derived from both glossable and non-glossable phones using two acquisition…

Segmentation and Representation of Consonant Blends in Kindergarten Children's Spellings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werfel, Krystal L.; Schuele, C. Melanie

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the growth of children's segmentation and representation of consonant blends in the kindergarten year and to evaluate the extent to which linguistic features influence segmentation and representation of consonant blends. Specifically, the roles of word position (initial blends, final blends),…

Double Consonants in English: Graphemic, Morphological, Prosodic and Etymological Determinants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, Kristian

2016-01-01

What determines consonant doubling in English? This question is pursued by using a large lexical database to establish systematic correlations between spelling, phonology and morphology. The main insights are: Consonant doubling is most regular at morpheme boundaries. It can be described in graphemic terms alone, i.e. without reference to…

The Perceptibility of Duration in the Phonetics and Phonology of Contrastive Consonant Length

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Benjamin Bozzell

2012-01-01

This dissertation investigates the hypothesis that the more vowel-like a consonant is, the more difficult it is for listeners to classify it as geminate or singleton. A perceptual account of this observation holds that more vowel-like consonants lack clear markers to signal the beginning and ending of the consonant, so listeners don't perceive the…

Relationship between consonant recognition in noise and hearing threshold.

PubMed

Yoon, Yang-soo; Allen, Jont B; Gooler, David M

2012-04-01

Although poorer understanding of speech in noise by listeners who are hearing-impaired (HI) is known not to be directly related to audiometric hearing threshold, HT (f), grouping HI listeners with HT (f) is widely practiced. In this article, the relationship between consonant recognition and HT (f) is considered over a range of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Confusion matrices (CMs) from 25 HI ears were generated in response to 16 consonant-vowel syllables presented at 6 different SNRs. Individual differences scaling (INDSCAL) was applied to both feature-based matrices and CMs in order to evaluate the relationship between HT (f) and consonant recognition among HI listeners. The results showed no predictive relationship between the percent error scores (Pe) and HT (f) across SNRs. The multiple regression models showed that the HT (f) accounted for 39% of the total variance of the slopes of the Pe. Feature-based INDSCAL analysis showed consistent grouping of listeners across SNRs, but not in terms of HT (f). Systematic relationship between measures was also not defined by CM-based INDSCAL analysis across SNRs. HT (f) did not account for the majority of the variance (39%) in consonant recognition in noise when the complete body of the CM was considered.

Different Timescales for the Neural Coding of Consonant and Vowel Sounds

PubMed Central

Perez, Claudia A.; Engineer, Crystal T.; Jakkamsetti, Vikram; Carraway, Ryan S.; Perry, Matthew S.

2013-01-01

Psychophysical, clinical, and imaging evidence suggests that consonant and vowel sounds have distinct neural representations. This study tests the hypothesis that consonant and vowel sounds are represented on different timescales within the same population of neurons by comparing behavioral discrimination with neural discrimination based on activity recorded in rat inferior colliculus and primary auditory cortex. Performance on 9 vowel discrimination tasks was highly correlated with neural discrimination based on spike count and was not correlated when spike timing was preserved. In contrast, performance on 11 consonant discrimination tasks was highly correlated with neural discrimination when spike timing was preserved and not when spike timing was eliminated. These results suggest that in the early stages of auditory processing, spike count encodes vowel sounds and spike timing encodes consonant sounds. These distinct coding strategies likely contribute to the robust nature of speech sound representations and may help explain some aspects of developmental and acquired speech processing disorders. PMID:22426334

How culture shapes the body: cultural consonance and body mass in urban Brazil.

PubMed

Dressler, William W; Oths, Kathryn S; Balieiro, Mauro C; Ribeiro, Rosane P; Dos Santos, José Ernesto

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to develop a model of how culture shapes the body, based on two studies conducted in urban Brazil. Research was conducted in 1991 and 2001 in four socioeconomically distinct neighborhoods. First, cultural domain analyses were conducted with samples of key informants. The cultural domains investigated included lifestyle, social support, family life, national identity, and food. Cultural consensus analysis was used to confirm shared knowledge in each domain and to derive measures of cultural consonance. Cultural consonance assesses how closely an individual matches the cultural consensus model for each domain. Second, body composition, cultural consonance, and related variables were assessed in community surveys. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association of cultural consonance and body composition, controlling for standard covariates and competing explanatory variables. In 1991, in a survey of 260 individuals, cultural consonance had a curvilinear association with the body mass index that differed for men and women, controlling for sociodemographic and dietary variables. In 2001, in a survey of 267 individuals, cultural consonance had a linear association with abdominal circumference that differed for men and women, controlling for sociodemographic and dietary variables. In general, as cultural consonance increases, body mass index and abdominal circumference decline, more strongly for women than men. As individuals, in their own beliefs and behaviors, more closely approximate shared cultural models in socially salient domains, body composition also more closely approximates the cultural prototype of the body. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

British firms mark progress off Viet Nam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-11-23

British companies are making more inroads in exploring for oil and gas off Viet Nam. British Gas plc won a 25 year production sharing contract for a license off southern Viet Nam in the South China Sea. Meantime, London independent Lasmo plc started seismic surveys on the block adjoining the British Gas block. Separately, Thailand and Viet Nam have reached agreement to jointly explore for and develop oil and gas found in waters claimed by both countries. Plans call for the two countries to draw up joint development plans covering oil and gas resources in the southeastern fringe of themore » Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok officials say they would have preferred to delineate maritime boundaries with Hanoi, but opted for the joint development accord, noting that Thailand and Malaysia had taken 12 years to resolve a similar dispute.« less

Non-Adjacent Consonant Sequence Patterns in English Target Words during the First-Word Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aoyama, Katsura; Davis, Barbara L.

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to investigate non-adjacent consonant sequence patterns in target words during the first-word period in infants learning American English. In the spontaneous speech of eighteen participants, target words with a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (C[subscript 1]VC[subscript 2]) shape were analyzed. Target words were grouped into…

The Effect of Orthography on the Lexical Encoding of Palatalized Consonants in L2 Russian.

PubMed

Simonchyk, Ala; Darcy, Isabelle

2018-03-01

The current study investigated the potential facilitative or inhibiting effects of orthography on the lexical encoding of palatalized consonants in L2 Russian. We hypothesized that learners with stable knowledge of orthographic and metalinguistic representations of palatalized consonants would display more accurate lexical encoding of the plain/palatalized contrast. The participants of the study were 40 American learners of Russian. Ten Russian native speakers served as a control group. The materials of the study comprised 20 real words, familiar to the participants, with target coronal consonants alternating in word-final and intervocalic positions. The participants performed three tasks: written picture naming, metalinguistic, and auditory word-picture matching. Results showed that learners were not entirely familiar with the grapheme-phoneme correspondences in L2 Russian. Even though they spelled almost all of these familiar Russian words accurately, they were able to identify the plain/palatalized status of the target consonants in these words with about 80% accuracy on a metalinguistic task. The effect of orthography on the lexical encoding was found to be dependent on the syllable position of the target consonants. In intervocalic position, learners erroneously relied on vowels following the target consonants rather than the consonants themselves to encode words with plain/palatalized consonants. In word-final position, although learners possessed the orthographic and metalinguistic knowledge of the difference in the palatalization status of the target consonants-and hence had established some aspects of the lexical representations for the words-those representations appeared to lack in phonological granularity and detail, perhaps due to the lack of perceptual salience.

Verify MesoNAM Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauman, William H., III

2010-01-01

The AMU conducted an objective analysis of the MesoNAM forecasts compared to observed values from sensors at specified KSC/CCAFS wind towers by calculating the following statistics to verify the performance of the model: 1) Bias (mean difference), 2) Standard deviation of Bias, 3) Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and 4) Hypothesis test for Bias = O. The 45 WS LWOs use the MesoNAM to support launch weather operations. However, the actual performance of the model at KSC and CCAFS had not been measured objectively. The analysis compared the MesoNAM forecast winds, temperature and dew point to the observed values from the sensors on wind towers. The data were stratified by tower sensor, month and onshore/offshore wind direction based on the orientation of the coastline to each tower's location. The model's performance statistics were then calculated for each wind tower based on sensor height and model initialization time. The period of record for the data used in this task was based on the operational start of the current MesoNAM in mid-August 2006 and so the task began with the first full month of data, September 2006, through May 2010. The analysis of model performance indicated: a) The accuracy decreased as the forecast valid time from the model initialization increased, b) There was a diurnal signal in T with a cool bias during the late night and a warm bias during the afternoon, c) There was a diurnal signal in Td with a low bias during the afternoon and a high bias during the late night, and d) The model parameters at each vertical level most closely matched the observed parameters at heights closest to those vertical levels. The AMU developed a GUI that consists of a multi-level drop-down menu written in JavaScript embedded within the HTML code. This tool allows the LWO to easily and efficiently navigate among the charts and spreadsheet files containing the model performance statistics. The objective statistics give the LWOs knowledge of the model's strengths and

Enterovirus D68 in Viet Nam (2009-2015).

PubMed

Ny, Nguyen Thi Han; Anh, Nguyen To; Hang, Vu Thi Ty; Nguyet, Lam Anh; Thanh, Tran Tan; Ha, Do Quang; Minh, Ngo Ngoc Quang; Ha, Do Lien Anh; McBride, Angela; Tuan, Ha Manh; Baker, Stephen; Tam, Pham Thi Thanh; Phuc, Tran My; Huong, Dang Thao; Loi, Tran Quoc; Vu, Nguyen Tran Anh; Hung, Nguyen Van; Minh, Tran Thi Thuy; Xang, Nguyen Van; Dong, Nguyen; Nghia, Ho Dang Trung; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; van Doorn, H Rogier; Anscombe, Catherine; Le Van, Tan

2017-01-01

Since 1962, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been implicated in multiple outbreaks and sporadic cases of respiratory infection worldwide, but especially in the USA and Europe with an increasing frequency between 2010 and 2014. We describe the detection, associated clinical features and molecular characterization of EV-D68 in central and southern Viet Nam between 2009 and 2015. Enterovirus/rhinovirus PCR positive respiratory or CSF samples taken from children and adults with respiratory/central nervous system infections in Viet Nam were tested by an EV-D68 specific PCR. The included samples were derived from 3 different observational studies conducted at referral hospitals across central and southern Viet Nam between 2009 and 2015. Whole-genome sequencing was carried out using a MiSeq based approach. Phylogenetic reconstruction and estimation of evolutionary rate and recombination were carried out in BEAST and Recombination Detection Program, respectively. EV-D68 was detected in 21/625 (3.4%) enterovirus/rhinovirus PCR positive respiratory samples but in none of the 15 CSF. All the EV-D68 patients were young children (age range: 11.8 - 24.5 months) and had moderate respiratory infections. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the Vietnamese sequences clustered with those from Asian countries, of which 9 fell in the B1 clade, and the remaining sequence was identified within the A2 clade. One intra sub-clade recombination event was detected, representing the second reported recombination within EV-D68. The evolutionary rate of EV-D68 was estimated to be 5.12E -3 substitutions/site/year. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the virus was imported into Viet Nam in 2008. We have demonstrated for the first time EV-D68 has been circulating at low levels in Viet Nam since 2008, associated with moderate acute respiratory infection in children. EV-D68 in Viet Nam is most closely related to Asian viruses, and clusters separately from recent US and European viruses that were

Influence of consonant frequency on Icelandic-speaking children's speech acquisition.

PubMed

Másdóttir, Thóra; Stokes, Stephanie F

2016-04-01

A developmental hierarchy of phonetic feature complexity has been proposed, suggesting that later emerging sounds have greater articulatory complexity than those learned earlier. The aim of this research was to explore this hierarchy in a relatively unexplored language, Icelandic. Twenty-eight typically-developing Icelandic-speaking children were tested at 2;4 and 3;4 years. Word-initial and word-medial phonemic inventories and a phonemic implicational hierarchy are described. The frequency of occurrence of Icelandic consonants in the speech of 2;4 and 3;4 year old children was, from most to least frequent, n, s, t, p, r, m, l, k, f, ʋ, j, ɵ, h, kʰ, c, [Formula: see text], ɰ, pʰ, tʰ, cʰ, ç, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. Consonant frequency was a strong predictor of consonant accuracy at 2;4 months (r(23) = -0.75), but the effect was weaker at 3;4 months (r(23) = -0.51). Acquisition of /c/, /[Formula: see text]/ and /l/ occurred earlier, relative to English, Swedish, Dutch and German. A frequency-bound practice effect on emerging consonants is proposed to account for the early emergence of /c/, /[Formula: see text]/ and /l/ in Icelandic.

Importance of envelope modulations during consonants and vowels in segmentally interrupted sentencesa)

PubMed Central

Fogerty, Daniel

2014-01-01

The present study investigated the importance of overall segment amplitude and intrinsic segment amplitude modulation of consonants and vowels to sentence intelligibility. Sentences were processed according to three conditions that replaced consonant or vowel segments with noise matched to the long-term average speech spectrum. Segments were replaced with (1) low-level noise that distorted the overall sentence envelope, (2) segment-level noise that restored the overall syllabic amplitude modulation of the sentence, and (3) segment-modulated noise that further restored faster temporal envelope modulations during the vowel. Results from the first experiment demonstrated an incremental benefit with increasing resolution of the vowel temporal envelope. However, amplitude modulations of replaced consonant segments had a comparatively minimal effect on overall sentence intelligibility scores. A second experiment selectively noise-masked preserved vowel segments in order to equate overall performance of consonant-replaced sentences to that of the vowel-replaced sentences. Results demonstrated no significant effect of restoring consonant modulations during the interrupting noise when existing vowel cues were degraded. A third experiment demonstrated greater perceived sentence continuity with the preservation or addition of vowel envelope modulations. Overall, results support previous investigations demonstrating the importance of vowel envelope modulations to the intelligibility of interrupted sentences. PMID:24606291

Evaluation of NOAA's High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR), 12 km North America Model (NAM12) and 4km North America Model (NAM 4) hub-height wind speed forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pendergrass, W.; Vogel, C. A.

2013-12-01

As an outcome of discussions between Duke Energy Generation and NOAA/ARL following the 2009 AMS Summer Community Meeting, in Norman Oklahoma, ARL and Duke Energy Generation (Duke) signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) which allows NOAA to conduct atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) research using Duke renewable energy sites as research testbeds. One aspect of this research has been the evaluation of forecast hub-height winds from three NOAA atmospheric models. Forecasts of 10m (surface) and 80m (hub-height) wind speeds from (1) NOAA/GSD's High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model, (2) NOAA/NCEP's 12 km North America Model (NAM12) and (3) NOAA/NCEP's 4k high resolution North America Model (NAM4) were evaluated against 18 months of surface-layer wind observations collected at the joint NOAA/Duke Energy research station located at Duke Energy's West Texas Ocotillo wind farm over the period April 2011 through October 2012. HRRR, NAM12 and NAM4 10m wind speed forecasts were compared with 10m level wind speed observations measured on the NOAA/ATDD flux-tower. Hub-height (80m) HRRR , NAM12 and NAM4 forecast wind speeds were evaluated against the 80m operational PMM27-28 meteorological tower supporting the Ocotillo wind farm. For each HRRR update, eight forecast hours (hour 01, 02, 03, 05, 07, 10, 12, 15) plus the initialization hour (hour 00), evaluated. For the NAM12 and NAM4 models forecast hours 00-24 from the 06z initialization were evaluated. Performance measures or skill score based on absolute error 50% cumulative probability were calculated for each forecast hour. HRRR forecast hour 01 provided the best skill score with an absolute wind speed error within 0.8 m/s of observed 10m wind speed and 1.25 m/s for hub-height wind speed at the designated 50% cumulative probability. For both NAM4 and NAM12 models, skill scores were diurnal with comparable best scores observed during the day of 0.7 m/s of observed 10m wind speed and 1.1 m/s for hub

Call me Alix, not Elix: vowels are more important than consonants in own-name recognition at 5 months.

PubMed

Bouchon, Camillia; Floccia, Caroline; Fux, Thibaut; Adda-Decker, Martine; Nazzi, Thierry

2015-07-01

Consonants and vowels differ acoustically and articulatorily, but also functionally: Consonants are more relevant for lexical processing, and vowels for prosodic/syntactic processing. These functional biases could be powerful bootstrapping mechanisms for learning language, but their developmental origin remains unclear. The relative importance of consonants and vowels at the onset of lexical acquisition was assessed in French-learning 5-month-olds by testing sensitivity to minimal phonetic changes in their own name. Infants' reactions to mispronunciations revealed sensitivity to vowel but not consonant changes. Vowels were also more salient (on duration and intensity) but less distinct (on spectrally based measures) than consonants. Lastly, vowel (but not consonant) mispronunciation detection was modulated by acoustic factors, in particular spectrally based distance. These results establish that consonant changes do not affect lexical recognition at 5 months, while vowel changes do; the consonant bias observed later in development does not emerge until after 5 months through additional language exposure. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An acoustic study of nasal consonants in three Central Australian languages.

PubMed

Tabain, Marija; Butcher, Andrew; Breen, Gavan; Beare, Richard

2016-02-01

This study presents nasal consonant data from 21 speakers of three Central Australian languages: Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara and Warlpiri. The six nasals considered are bilabial /m/, dental /n/, alveolar /n/, retroflex /ɳ/, alveo-palatal /ɲ/, and velar /ŋ/. Nasal formant and bandwidth values are examined, as are the locations of spectral minima. Several differences are found between the bilabial /m/ and the velar /ŋ/, and also the palatal /ɲ/. The remaining coronal nasals /n n ɳ/ are not well differentiated within the nasal murmur, but their average bandwidths are lower than for the other nasal consonants. Broader spectral shape measures (Centre of Gravity and Standard Deviation) are also considered, and comparisons are made with data for stops and laterals in these languages based on the same spectral measures. It is suggested that nasals are not as easily differentiated using the various measures examined here as are stops and laterals. It is also suggested that existing models of nasal consonants do not fully account for the observed differences between the various nasal places of articulation; and that oral formants, in addition to anti-formants, contribute substantially to the output spectrum of nasal consonants.

Cross-Linguistic Differences in the Immediate Serial Recall of Consonants versus Vowels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissling, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

The current study investigated native English and native Arabic speakers' phonological short-term memory for sequences of consonants and vowels. Phonological short-term memory was assessed in immediate serial recall tasks conducted in Arabic and English for both groups. Participants (n = 39) heard series of six consonant-vowel syllables and wrote…

Impaired Perception of Sensory Consonance and Dissonance in Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Caldwell, Meredith T; Jiradejvong, Patpong; Limb, Charles J

2016-03-01

In light of previous research demonstrating poor pitch perception in cochlear implant (CI) users, we hypothesized that the presence of consonant versus dissonant chord accompaniment in real-world musical stimuli would not impact subjective assessment of degree of pleasantness in CI users. Consonance/dissonance are perceptual features of harmony resulting from pitch relationships between simultaneously presented musical notes. Generally, consonant sounds are perceived as pleasant and dissonant ones as unpleasant. CI users exhibit impairments in pitch perception, making music listening difficult and often unenjoyable. To our knowledge, consonance/dissonance perception has not been studied in the CI population. Twelve novel melodies were created for this study. By altering the harmonic structures of the accompanying chords, we created three permutations of varying dissonance for each melody (36 stimuli in all). Ten CI users and 12 NH listeners provided Likert scale ratings from -5 (very unpleasant) to +5 (very pleasant) for each of the stimuli. A two-way ANOVA showed main effects for Dissonance Level and Subject Type as well as a two-way interaction between the two. Pairwise comparisons indicated that NH stimuli pleasantness ratings decreased with increasing dissonance, whereas CI ratings did not. NH pleasantness ratings were consistently lower than CI ratings. For CI users, consonant versus dissonant chord accompaniment had no significant impact on whether a melody was considered pleasant or unpleasant. This finding may be partially responsible for the decreased enjoyment of many CI users during music perception and is another manifestation of impaired pitch perception in CI users.

Genetic characterization of the soybean Nested Association Mapping (NAM) population

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A population of nested association mapping (NAM) families can be a valuable resource to a research community. A set of NAM families were developed by crossing 40 diverse soybean genotypes to the common hub cultivar IA 3023. The 41 parents were sequenced with next generation sequencing for single nuc...

Biomechanically Preferred Consonant-Vowel Combinations Fail to Appear in Adult Spoken Corpora

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalen, D. H.; Giulivi, Sara; Nam, Hosung; Levitt, Andrea G.; Halle, Pierre; Goldstein, Louis M.

2012-01-01

Certain consonant/vowel (CV) combinations are more frequent than would be expected from the individual C and V frequencies alone, both in babbling and, to a lesser extent, in adult language, based on dictionary counts: Labial consonants co-occur with central vowels more often than chance would dictate; coronals co-occur with front vowels, and…

Brain MR image segmentation using NAMS in pseudo-color.

PubMed

Li, Hua; Chen, Chuanbo; Fang, Shaohong; Zhao, Shengrong

2017-12-01

Image segmentation plays a crucial role in various biomedical applications. In general, the segmentation of brain Magnetic Resonance (MR) images is mainly used to represent the image with several homogeneous regions instead of pixels for surgical analyzing and planning. This paper proposes a new approach for segmenting MR brain images by using pseudo-color based segmentation with Non-symmetry and Anti-packing Model with Squares (NAMS). First of all, the NAMS model is presented. The model can represent the image with sub-patterns to keep the image content and largely reduce the data redundancy. Second, the key idea is proposed that convert the original gray-scale brain MR image into a pseudo-colored image and then segment the pseudo-colored image with NAMS model. The pseudo-colored image can enhance the color contrast in different tissues in brain MR images, which can improve the precision of segmentation as well as directly visual perceptional distinction. Experimental results indicate that compared with other brain MR image segmentation methods, the proposed NAMS based pseudo-color segmentation method performs more excellent in not only segmenting precisely but also saving storage.

Influence of consonant voicing characteristics on sentence production in abductor versus adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

PubMed

Cannito, Michael P; Chorna, Lesya B; Kahane, Joel C; Dworkin, James P

2014-05-01

This study evaluated the hypotheses that sentence production by speakers with adductor (AD) and abductor (AB) spasmodic dysphonia (SD) may be differentially influenced by consonant voicing and manner features, in comparison with healthy, matched, nondysphonic controls. This was a prospective, single blind study, using a between-groups, repeated measures design for the independent variables of perceived voice quality and sentence duration. Sixteen subjects with ADSD and 10 subjects with ABSD, as well as 26 matched healthy controls produced four short, simple sentences that were systematically loaded with voiced or voiceless consonants of either obstruant or continuant manner categories. Experienced voice clinicians, who were "blind" as to speakers' group affixations, used visual analog scaling to judge the overall voice quality of each sentence. Acoustic sentence durations were also measured. Speakers with ABSD or ADSD demonstrated significantly poorer than normal voice quality on all sentences. Speakers with ABSD exhibited longer than normal duration for voiceless consonant sentences. Speakers with ADSD had poorer voice quality for voiced than for voiceless consonant sentences. Speakers with ABSD had longer durations for voiceless than for voiced consonant sentences. The two subtypes of SD exhibit differential performance on the basis of consonant voicing in short, simple sentences; however, each subgroup manifested voicing-related differences on a different variable (voice quality vs sentence duration). Findings suggest different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms for ABSD and ADSD. Findings also support inclusion of short, simple sentences containing voiced or voiceless consonants as part of the diagnostic protocol for SD, with measurement of sentence duration in addition to judments of voice quality severity. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Phonological Acquisition of Korean Consonants in Conversational Speech Produced by Young Korean Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minjung; Kim, Soo-Jin; Stoel-Gammon, Carol

2017-01-01

This study investigates the phonological acquisition of Korean consonants using conversational speech samples collected from sixty monolingual typically developing Korean children aged two, three, and four years. Phonemic acquisition was examined for syllable-initial and syllable-final consonants. Results showed that Korean children acquired stops…

Cognitive interference can be mitigated by consonant music and facilitated by dissonant music.

PubMed

Masataka, Nobuo; Perlovsky, Leonid

2013-01-01

Debates on the origins of consonance and dissonance in music have a long history. While some scientists argue that consonance judgments are an acquired competence based on exposure to the musical-system-specific knowledge of a particular culture, others favor a biological explanation for the observed preference for consonance. Here we provide experimental confirmation that this preference plays an adaptive role in human cognition: it reduces cognitive interference. The results of our experiment reveal that exposure to a Mozart minuet mitigates interference, whereas, conversely, when the music is modified to consist of mostly dissonant intervals the interference effect is intensified.

Cognitive interference can be mitigated by consonant music and facilitated by dissonant music

PubMed Central

Masataka, Nobuo; Perlovsky, Leonid

2013-01-01

Debates on the origins of consonance and dissonance in music have a long history. While some scientists argue that consonance judgments are an acquired competence based on exposure to the musical-system-specific knowledge of a particular culture, others favor a biological explanation for the observed preference for consonance. Here we provide experimental confirmation that this preference plays an adaptive role in human cognition: it reduces cognitive interference. The results of our experiment reveal that exposure to a Mozart minuet mitigates interference, whereas, conversely, when the music is modified to consist of mostly dissonant intervals the interference effect is intensified. PMID:23778307

Functional organization for musical consonance and tonal pitch hierarchy in human auditory cortex.

PubMed

Bidelman, Gavin M; Grall, Jeremy

2014-11-01

Pitch relationships in music are characterized by their degree of consonance, a hierarchical perceptual quality that distinguishes how pleasant musical chords/intervals sound to the ear. The origins of consonance have been debated since the ancient Greeks. To elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these musical fundamentals, we recorded neuroelectric brain activity while participants listened passively to various chromatic musical intervals (simultaneously sounding pitches) varying in their perceptual pleasantness (i.e., consonance/dissonance). Dichotic presentation eliminated acoustic and peripheral contributions that often confound explanations of consonance. We found that neural representations for pitch in early human auditory cortex code perceptual features of musical consonance and follow a hierarchical organization according to music-theoretic principles. These neural correlates emerge pre-attentively within ~ 150 ms after the onset of pitch, are segregated topographically in superior temporal gyrus with a rightward hemispheric bias, and closely mirror listeners' behavioral valence preferences for the chromatic tone combinations inherent to music. A perceptual-based organization implies that parallel to the phonetic code for speech, elements of music are mapped within early cerebral structures according to higher-order, perceptual principles and the rules of Western harmony rather than simple acoustic attributes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phonetic Effects on the Timing of Gestural Coordination in Modern Greek Consonant Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yip, Jonathan Chung-Kay

2013-01-01

Theoretical approaches to the principles governing the coordination of speech gestures differ in their assessment of the contributions of biomechanical and perceptual pressures on this coordination. Perceptually-oriented accounts postulate that, for consonant-consonant (C1-C2) sequences, gestural timing patterns arise from speakers' sensitivity to…

Consonant and Vowel Identification in Cochlear Implant Users Measured by Nonsense Words: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Rødvik, Arne Kirkhorn; von Koss Torkildsen, Janne; Wie, Ona Bø; Storaker, Marit Aarvaag; Silvola, Juha Tapio

2018-04-17

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to establish a baseline of the vowel and consonant identification scores in prelingually and postlingually deaf users of multichannel cochlear implants (CIs) tested with consonant-vowel-consonant and vowel-consonant-vowel nonsense syllables. Six electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles reporting consonant and vowel identification scores in CI users measured by nonsense words. Relevant studies were independently assessed and screened by 2 reviewers. Consonant and vowel identification scores were presented in forest plots and compared between studies in a meta-analysis. Forty-seven articles with 50 studies, including 647 participants, thereof 581 postlingually deaf and 66 prelingually deaf, met the inclusion criteria of this study. The mean performance on vowel identification tasks for the postlingually deaf CI users was 76.8% (N = 5), which was higher than the mean performance for the prelingually deaf CI users (67.7%; N = 1). The mean performance on consonant identification tasks for the postlingually deaf CI users was higher (58.4%; N = 44) than for the prelingually deaf CI users (46.7%; N = 6). The most common consonant confusions were found between those with same manner of articulation (/k/ as /t/, /m/ as /n/, and /p/ as /t/). The mean performance on consonant identification tasks for the prelingually and postlingually deaf CI users was found. There were no statistically significant differences between the scores for prelingually and postlingually deaf CI users. The consonants that were incorrectly identified were typically confused with other consonants with the same acoustic properties, namely, voicing, duration, nasality, and silent gaps. A univariate metaregression model, although not statistically significant, indicated that duration of implant use in postlingually deaf adults predict a substantial portion of their consonant identification ability. As there is no ceiling

How African American English-Speaking First Graders Segment and Rhyme Words and Nonwords With Final Consonant Clusters.

PubMed

Shollenbarger, Amy J; Robinson, Gregory C; Taran, Valentina; Choi, Seo-Eun

2017-10-05

This study explored how typically developing 1st grade African American English (AAE) speakers differ from mainstream American English (MAE) speakers in the completion of 2 common phonological awareness tasks (rhyming and phoneme segmentation) when the stimulus items were consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant (CVCC) words and nonwords. Forty-nine 1st graders met criteria for 2 dialect groups: AAE and MAE. Three conditions were tested in each rhyme and segmentation task: Real Words No Model, Real Words With a Model, and Nonwords With a Model. The AAE group had significantly more responses that rhymed CVCC words with consonant-vowel-consonant words and segmented CVCC words as consonant-vowel-consonant than the MAE group across all experimental conditions. In the rhyming task, the presence of a model in the real word condition elicited more reduced final cluster responses for both groups. In the segmentation task, the MAE group was at ceiling, so only the AAE group changed across the different stimulus presentations and reduced the final cluster less often when given a model. Rhyming and phoneme segmentation performance can be influenced by a child's dialect when CVCC words are used.

Viet Nam, once isolated, poised for significant role in oil and gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-07-15

This paper reports that Viet Nam is on its way up in the petroleum world. After years of international isolation, the country is poised for a flurry of exploration by international oil companies in the early 1990s. Viet Nam has joined the Soviet Union as the only members of the now dissolved, formerly Moscow dominated, 10 nation Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) that are self-sufficient in oil production. Moreover, Viet Nam has far outstripped neighboring China, which was not a CMEA member, in offshore oil flow even though China has a much larger Outer Continental Shelf. Prospects are thatmore » Viet Nam will continue to lead China in offshore oil production until 1995 at least.« less

Nasal Consonant Production in Broca's and Wernicke's Aphasics: Speech Deficits and Neuroanatomical Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurowski, Kathleen M.; Blumstein, Sheila E.; Palumbo, Carole L.; Waldstein, Robin S.; Burton, Martha W.

2007-01-01

The present study investigated the articulatory implementation deficits of Broca's and Wernicke's aphasics and their potential neuroanatomical correlates. Five Broca's aphasics, two Wernicke's aphasics, and four age-matched normal speakers produced consonant-vowel-(consonant) real word tokens consisting of [m, n] followed by [i, e, a, o, u]. Three…

Psychophysical Boundary for Categorization of Voiced-Voiceless Stop Consonants in Native Japanese Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamura, Shunsuke; Ito, Kazuhito; Hirose, Nobuyuki; Mori, Shuji

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychophysical boundary used for categorization of voiced-voiceless stop consonants in native Japanese speakers. Method: Twelve native Japanese speakers participated in the experiment. The stimuli were synthetic stop consonant-vowel stimuli varying in voice onset time (VOT) with…

How African American English-Speaking First Graders Segment and Rhyme Words and Nonwords with Final Consonant Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shollenbarger, Amy J.; Robinson, Gregory C.; Taran, Valentina; Choi, Seo-eun

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study explored how typically developing 1st grade African American English (AAE) speakers differ from mainstream American English (MAE) speakers in the completion of 2 common phonological awareness tasks (rhyming and phoneme segmentation) when the stimulus items were consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant (CVCC) words and nonwords.…

Combiner L'Education Et Le Travail; Experiences en Asie et en Oceanie: Viet Nam (Combining Education and Work; Experiences in Asia and Oceania: Viet Nam).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vien, Hguyen Khac

Educational policy in Viet Nam has closely followed the revolutionary movement. In the essentially democratic period from 1945 to 1960, Viet Nam created a nationwide 10-grade school system and fought illiteracy on a large scale. By 1960, as socialism began to predominate, especially in the North, traditional educational methods and values began to…

Evaluating Computational Models in Cognitive Neuropsychology: The Case from the Consonant/Vowel Distinction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knobel, Mark; Caramazza, Alfonso

2007-01-01

Caramazza et al. [Caramazza, A., Chialant, D., Capasso, R., & Miceli, G. (2000). Separable processing of consonants and vowels. "Nature," 403(6768), 428-430.] report two patients who exhibit a double dissociation between consonants and vowels in speech production. The patterning of this double dissociation cannot be explained by appealing to…

Costs of providing tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment services in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Minh, H V; Mai, V Q; Nhung, N V; Hoi, L V; Giang, K B; Chung, L H; Kien, V D; Duyen, N T; Ngoc, N B; Anh, T T; Phuong, T B; Ngan, T T; Khanh, P H

2017-09-01

To estimate the cost of providing tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment packages at different levels of health facilities in Viet Nam. This was a retrospective costing study from the providers' perspective using a standard costing approach. We included typical services for TB diagnosis and treatment based on standard protocols. The least expensive TB service was the 6-month isoniazid preventive therapy regimen for latent tuberculous infection provided by district health centres (US$7.20-14.30, accounting for 0.3-0.7% of Viet Nam's per capita gross domestic product [GDP] of US$2052.30 in 2014). The cost of diagnosing and treating a patient with drug-susceptible TB (the most common type of TB) ranged between US$51.20 and US$180.70, and represented 2.5-8.8% of Viet Nam's per capita GDP in 2014. The most expensive TB service was the diagnosis and treatment of a multidrug-resistant TB case (US$1568.20-2391.20), accounting for 76.4-116.5% of Viet Nam's per capita GDP in 2014). The cost of TB diagnosis and treatment services in Viet Nam varied according to level of health facility, type of TB, different costing options, and different staff cost scenarios.

Consonant and Vowel Processing in Word Form Segmentation: An Infant ERP Study.

PubMed

Von Holzen, Katie; Nishibayashi, Leo-Lyuki; Nazzi, Thierry

2018-01-31

Segmentation skill and the preferential processing of consonants (C-bias) develop during the second half of the first year of life and it has been proposed that these facilitate language acquisition. We used Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to investigate the neural bases of early word form segmentation, and of the early processing of onset consonants, medial vowels, and coda consonants, exploring how differences in these early skills might be related to later language outcomes. Our results with French-learning eight-month-old infants primarily support previous studies that found that the word familiarity effect in segmentation is developing from a positive to a negative polarity at this age. Although as a group infants exhibited an anterior-localized negative effect, inspection of individual results revealed that a majority of infants showed a negative-going response (Negative Responders), while a minority showed a positive-going response (Positive Responders). Furthermore, all infants demonstrated sensitivity to onset consonant mispronunciations, while Negative Responders demonstrated a lack of sensitivity to vowel mispronunciations, a developmental pattern similar to previous literature. Responses to coda consonant mispronunciations revealed neither sensitivity nor lack of sensitivity. We found that infants showing a more mature, negative response to newly segmented words compared to control words (evaluating segmentation skill) and mispronunciations (evaluating phonological processing) at test also had greater growth in word production over the second year of life than infants showing a more positive response. These results establish a relationship between early segmentation skills and phonological processing (not modulated by the type of mispronunciation) and later lexical skills.

Differential Processing of Consonance and Dissonance within the Human Superior Temporal Gyrus.

PubMed

Foo, Francine; King-Stephens, David; Weber, Peter; Laxer, Kenneth; Parvizi, Josef; Knight, Robert T

2016-01-01

The auditory cortex is well-known to be critical for music perception, including the perception of consonance and dissonance. Studies on the neural correlates of consonance and dissonance perception have largely employed non-invasive electrophysiological and functional imaging techniques in humans as well as neurophysiological recordings in animals, but the fine-grained spatiotemporal dynamics within the human auditory cortex remain unknown. We recorded electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals directly from the lateral surface of either the left or right temporal lobe of eight patients undergoing neurosurgical treatment as they passively listened to highly consonant and highly dissonant musical chords. We assessed ECoG activity in the high gamma (γhigh, 70-150 Hz) frequency range within the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and observed two types of cortical sites of interest in both hemispheres: one type showed no significant difference in γhigh activity between consonant and dissonant chords, and another type showed increased γhigh responses to dissonant chords between 75 and 200 ms post-stimulus onset. Furthermore, a subset of these sites exhibited additional sensitivity towards different types of dissonant chords, and a positive correlation between changes in γhigh power and the degree of stimulus roughness was observed in both hemispheres. We also observed a distinct spatial organization of cortical sites in the right STG, with dissonant-sensitive sites located anterior to non-sensitive sites. In sum, these findings demonstrate differential processing of consonance and dissonance in bilateral STG with the right hemisphere exhibiting robust and spatially organized sensitivity toward dissonance.

Differential Processing of Consonance and Dissonance within the Human Superior Temporal Gyrus

PubMed Central

Foo, Francine; King-Stephens, David; Weber, Peter; Laxer, Kenneth; Parvizi, Josef; Knight, Robert T.

2016-01-01

The auditory cortex is well-known to be critical for music perception, including the perception of consonance and dissonance. Studies on the neural correlates of consonance and dissonance perception have largely employed non-invasive electrophysiological and functional imaging techniques in humans as well as neurophysiological recordings in animals, but the fine-grained spatiotemporal dynamics within the human auditory cortex remain unknown. We recorded electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals directly from the lateral surface of either the left or right temporal lobe of eight patients undergoing neurosurgical treatment as they passively listened to highly consonant and highly dissonant musical chords. We assessed ECoG activity in the high gamma (γhigh, 70–150 Hz) frequency range within the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and observed two types of cortical sites of interest in both hemispheres: one type showed no significant difference in γhigh activity between consonant and dissonant chords, and another type showed increased γhigh responses to dissonant chords between 75 and 200 ms post-stimulus onset. Furthermore, a subset of these sites exhibited additional sensitivity towards different types of dissonant chords, and a positive correlation between changes in γhigh power and the degree of stimulus roughness was observed in both hemispheres. We also observed a distinct spatial organization of cortical sites in the right STG, with dissonant-sensitive sites located anterior to non-sensitive sites. In sum, these findings demonstrate differential processing of consonance and dissonance in bilateral STG with the right hemisphere exhibiting robust and spatially organized sensitivity toward dissonance. PMID:27148011

A comparison of the effects of filtering and sensorineural hearing loss on patients of consonant confusions.

PubMed

Wang, M D; Reed, C M; Bilger, R C

1978-03-01

It has been found that listeners with sensorineural hearing loss who show similar patterns of consonant confusions also tend to have similar audiometric profiles. The present study determined whether normal listeners, presented with filtered speech, would produce consonant confusions similar to those previously reported for the hearing-impaired listener. Consonant confusion matrices were obtained from eight normal-hearing subjects for four sets of CV and VC nonsense syllables presented under six high-pass and six-low pass filtering conditions. Patterns of consonant confusion for each condition were described using phonological features in sequential information analysis. Severe low-pass filtering produced consonant confusions comparable to those of listeners with high-frequency hearing loss. Severe high-pass filtering gave a result comparable to that of patients with flat or rising audiograms. And, mild filtering resulted in confusion patterns comparable to those of listeners with essentially normal hearing. An explanation in terms of the spectrum, the level of speech, and the configuration of this individual listener's audiogram is given.

Consonants, vowels and tones across Vietnamese dialects.

PubMed

PhȦm, Ben; McLeod, Sharynne

2016-04-01

Vietnamese is spoken by over 89 million people in Vietnam and it is one of the most commonly spoken languages other than English in the US, Canada and Australia. This study defines between one and nine different dialects of Vietnamese spoken in Vietnam. In Vietnamese schools, children learn Standard Vietnamese which is based on the northern dialect; however, if they live in other regions they may speak a different dialect at home. This paper describes the differences between the consonants, semivowels, vowels, diphthongs and tones for four dialects: Standard, northern, central and southern Vietnamese. The number and type of initial consonants differs per dialect (i.e. Standard = 23, northern = 20, central = 23, southern = 21). For example, the letter "r" is pronounced in the Standard and central dialects as the retroflex /ʐ/, northern dialect as the voiced alveolar fricative /z/ or the trilled /r/ and in the southern dialect as the voiced velar fricative /ɣ/. Additionally, the letter "v" is pronounced in the Standard, northern and central dialects as the voiced bilabial fricative /v/, the southern dialect as the voiced palatal approximant /j/ and in the lower northern dialect (Ninh Binh) as the voiceless bilabial fricative /f/. Similarly, the number of final consonants differs per dialect (i.e. Standard = 6, northern = 10, central = 10, southern = 8). Finally, the number and type of tones differs per dialect (i.e. Standard = 6, northern = 6, central = 5, southern = 5). Understanding differences between Vietnamese dialects is important so that speech-language pathologists and educators provide appropriate services to people who speak Vietnamese.

Characterisation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates lacking IS6110 in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Huyen, M N T; Tiemersma, E W; Kremer, K; de Haas, P; Lan, N T N; Buu, T N; Sola, C; Cobelens, F G J; van Soolingen, D

2013-11-01

The molecular diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in Viet Nam is often based on the detection of insertion sequence (IS) 6110 in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, 8-11% of M. tuberculosis strains in South-East Asia do not contain this target and this undermines the validity of these molecular tests. We quantified the frequency of M. tuberculosis strains lacking IS6110 in rural Viet Nam and studied their epidemiological and clinical characteristics. Consecutively diagnosed adult TB patients in rural Southern Viet Nam submitted two sputum samples for culture, IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) spoligotyping and 15-loci variable number tandem repeat typing. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to confirm the absence of IS6110 elements in strains lacking IS6110 hybridisation in RFLP. Among 2664 TB patient isolates examined, 109 (4.1%) had no IS6110 element. Compared to other strains, these no-copy strains were less often resistant to anti-tuberculosis drugs, particularly to streptomycin (adjusted OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1-0.5), and showed significant geographic variation. No associations with TB history or demographic factors were found. Strains without the IS6110 target pose a problem in Viet Nam as regards false-negative molecular TB diagnosis in PCR. Compared to other strains circulating in Viet Nam, no-copy strains are more susceptible to anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Does letter position coding depend on consonant/vowel status? Evidence with the masked priming technique.

PubMed

Perea, Manuel; Acha, Joana

2009-02-01

Recently, a number of input coding schemes (e.g., SOLAR model, SERIOL model, open-bigram model, overlap model) have been proposed that capture the transposed-letter priming effect (i.e., faster response times for jugde-JUDGE than for jupte-JUDGE). In their current version, these coding schemes do not assume any processing differences between vowels and consonants. However, in a lexical decision task, Perea and Lupker (2004, JML; Lupker, Perea, & Davis, 2008, L&CP) reported that transposed-letter priming effects occurred for consonant transpositions but not for vowel transpositions. This finding poses a challenge for these recently proposed coding schemes. Here, we report four masked priming experiments that examine whether this consonant/vowel dissociation in transposed-letter priming is task-specific. In Experiment 1, we used a lexical decision task and found a transposed-letter priming effect only for consonant transpositions. In Experiments 2-4, we employed a same-different task - a task which taps early perceptual processes - and found a robust transposed-letter priming effect that did not interact with consonant/vowel status. We examine the implications of these findings for the front-end of the models of visual word recognition.

31 CFR 500.560 - Bank accounts of official representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. 500.560... governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. Specific licenses are issued authorizing payments from accounts of official representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North...

The Acquisition of Consonant Feature Sequences: Harmony, Metathesis, and Deletion Patterns in Phonological Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerlach, Sharon Ruth

2010-01-01

This dissertation examines three processes affecting consonants in child speech: harmony (long-distance assimilation) involving major place features as in "coat" [kouk]; long-distance metathesis as in "cup" [p[wedge]k]; and initial consonant deletion as in "fish" [is]. These processes are unattested in adult phonology, leading to proposals for…

A Constraint-Based Approach to Acquisition of Word-Final Consonant Clusters in Turkish Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gokgoz-Kurt, Burcu

2017-01-01

The current study provides a constraint-based analysis of L1 word-final consonant cluster acquisition in Turkish child language, based on the data originally presented by Topbas and Kopkalli-Yavuz (2008). The present analysis was done using [?]+obstruent consonant cluster acquisition. A comparison of Gradual Learning Algorithm (GLA) under…

On the Relevance of Natural Stimuli for the Study of Brainstem Correlates: The Example of Consonance Perception

PubMed Central

Cousineau, Marion; Bidelman, Gavin M.; Peretz, Isabelle; Lehmann, Alexandre

2015-01-01

Some combinations of musical tones sound pleasing to Western listeners, and are termed consonant, while others sound discordant, and are termed dissonant. The perceptual phenomenon of consonance has been traced to the acoustic property of harmonicity. It has been repeatedly shown that neural correlates of consonance can be found as early as the auditory brainstem as reflected in the harmonicity of the scalp-recorded frequency-following response (FFR). “Neural Pitch Salience” (NPS) measured from FFRs—essentially a time-domain equivalent of the classic pattern recognition models of pitch—has been found to correlate with behavioral judgments of consonance for synthetic stimuli. Following the idea that the auditory system has evolved to process behaviorally relevant natural sounds, and in order to test the generalizability of this finding made with synthetic tones, we recorded FFRs for consonant and dissonant intervals composed of synthetic and natural stimuli. We found that NPS correlated with behavioral judgments of consonance and dissonance for synthetic but not for naturalistic sounds. These results suggest that while some form of harmonicity can be computed from the auditory brainstem response, the general percept of consonance and dissonance is not captured by this measure. It might either be represented in the brainstem in a different code (such as place code) or arise at higher levels of the auditory pathway. Our findings further illustrate the importance of using natural sounds, as a complementary tool to fully-controlled synthetic sounds, when probing auditory perception. PMID:26720000

Vocalization Rate and Consonant Production in Toddlers at High and Low Risk for Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chenausky, Karen; Nelson, Charles, III.; Tager-Flusberg, Helen

2017-01-01

Background: Previous work has documented lower vocalization rate and consonant acquisition delays in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We investigated differences in these variables at 12, 18, and 24 months in toddlers at high and low risk for ASD. Method: Vocalization rate and number of different consonants were obtained from speech…

Frequency, Gradience, and Variation in Consonant Insertion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

An, Young-ran

2010-01-01

This dissertation addresses the extent to which linguistic behavior can be described in terms of the projection of patterns from existing lexical items, through an investigation of Korean reduplication. Korean has a productive pattern of reduplication in which a consonant is inserted in a vowel-initial base, illustrated by forms such as "alok"--"t…

Educating the educators at Hue Medical College, Hue, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Pron, A L; Zygmont, D; Bender, P; Black, K

2008-06-01

In June 2005, four faculty members from Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, conducted a nursing educator workshop in Hue, Viet Nam. Didactic and clinical instruction addressed paediatric, maternity, psychiatric and surgical nursing content as well as instructional methods and student evaluation techniques. This educator workshop was requested as means of increasing the professionalization of nursing in Viet Nam. Student nurses in Viet Nam are taught by physician-faculty. Between the cultural and economic factors that contribute to the current status and practice of nursing in Viet Nam and the lack of nurse educator role models, the nursing profession has many obstacles to overcome in their quest for increased autonomy. During the workshop, in addition to modelling interactive teaching methods as they taught the classroom and clinical content, these authors also demonstrated the level of knowledge expected of nurses in the USA. Despite much advance planning for this workshop, there were many challenges for the USA faculty. Some of the lessons learned which might help others included having a sense of humour, maintaining flexibility in teaching styles and content, being prepared for the cultural and religious influences on health care, and utilizing all of one's nursing skills to find creative solutions when teaching nursing in another country.

Culture and the Immune System: Cultural Consonance in Social Support and C-reactive Protein in Urban Brazil.

PubMed

Dressler, William W; Balieiro, Mauro C; Ribeiro, Rosane P; Dos Santos, José Ernesto

2016-06-01

In this article, we examine the distribution of a marker of immune system stimulation-C-reactive protein-in urban Brazil. Social relationships are associated with immunostimulation, and we argue that cultural dimensions of social support, assessed by cultural consonance, are important in this process. Cultural consonance is the degree to which individuals, in their own beliefs and behaviors, approximate shared cultural models. A measure of cultural consonance in social support, based on a cultural consensus analysis regarding sources and patterns of social support in Brazil, was developed. In a survey of 258 persons, the association of cultural consonance in social support and C-reactive protein was examined, controlling for age, sex, body mass index, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, depressive symptoms, and a social network index. Lower cultural consonance in social support was associated with higher C-reactive protein. Implications of these results for future research are discussed. © 2016 by the American Anthropological Association.

Gross CO2 and CH4 emissions from the Nam Ngum and Nam Leuk sub-tropical reservoirs in Lao PDR.

PubMed

Chanudet, Vincent; Descloux, Stéphane; Harby, Atle; Sundt, Håkon; Hansen, Bjørn Henrik; Brakstad, Odd; Serça, Dominique; Guerin, Frédéric

2011-11-15

Gross CO2 and CH4 emissions (degassing and diffusion from the reservoir) and the carbon balance were assessed in 2009-2010 in two Southeast Asian sub-tropical reservoirs: the Nam Ngum and Nam Leuk Reservoirs (Lao PDR). These two reservoirs are within the same climatic area but differ mainly in age, size, residence time and initial biomass stock. The Nam Leuk Reservoir was impounded in 1999 after partial vegetation clearance and burning. However, GHG emissions are still significant 10 years after impoundment. CH4 diffusive flux ranged from 0.8 (January 2010) to 11.9 mmol m(-2) d(-1) (April 2009) and CO2 diffusive flux ranged from -10.6 (October 2009) to 38.2 mmol m(-2) d(-1) (April 2009). These values are comparable to other tropical reservoirs. Moreover, degassing fluxes at the outlet of the powerhouse downstream of the turbines were very low. The tentative annual carbon balance calculation indicates that this reservoir was a carbon source with an annual carbon export (atmosphere+downstream river) of about 2.2±1.0 GgC yr(-1). The Nam Ngum Reservoir was impounded in 1971 without any significant biomass removal. Diffusive and degassing CO2 and CH4 fluxes were lower than for other tropical reservoirs. Particularly, CO2 diffusive fluxes were always negative with values ranging from -21.2 (April 2009) to -2.7 mmol m(-2) d(-1) (January 2010). CH4 diffusive flux ranged from 0.1 (October 2009) to 0.6 mmol m(-2) d(-1) (April 2009) and no degassing downstream of the turbines was measured. As a consequence of these low values, the reservoir was a carbon sink with an estimated annual uptake of - 53±35 GgC yr(-1). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time to unsuccessful tuberculosis treatment outcome, Cambodia, China, and Viet Nam.

PubMed

Hoa, N B; Sokun, C; Wei, C; Lauritsen, J M; Rieder, H L

2012-03-21

To determine the frequency and characteristics of patients with unsuccessful tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Random selection of TB case registers among all treatment units in Cambodia, two provinces in China, and Viet Nam. The data of two calendar years were analyzed to assess unsuccessful outcomes and their time of occurrence. Among the 33 309 TB patients, treatment was unsuccessful in respectively 10.1%, 3.0% and 9.1% of patients in Cambodia, China and Viet Nam. The risk of death was highest in Cambodia, higher among males than females, increased with age, and was more common among retreatment cases than new cases, and among patients with a high than a low sputum smear microscopy grade. Half of all deaths occurred in the first 2 months in Cambodia and within 11 weeks in China and Viet Nam. Median time to default was 3 months in Cambodia and Viet Nam, and about 2 months in China. Treatment was highly successful in the three study countries, with a low proportion of death and default. As the majority of defaulting occurs at the beginning of treatment, all countries should critically review their current policy of treatment support in this period.

The right ear advantage revisited: speech lateralisation in dichotic listening using consonant-vowel and vowel-consonant syllables.

PubMed

Sætrevik, Bjørn

2012-01-01

The dichotic listening task is typically administered by presenting a consonant-vowel (CV) syllable to each ear and asking the participant to report the syllable heard most clearly. The results tend to show more reports of the right ear syllable than of the left ear syllable, an effect called the right ear advantage (REA). The REA is assumed to be due to the crossing over of auditory fibres and the processing of language stimuli being lateralised to left temporal areas. However, the tendency for most dichotic listening experiments to use only CV syllable stimuli limits the extent to which the conclusions can be generalised to also apply to other speech phonemes. The current study re-examines the REA in dichotic listening by using both CV and vowel-consonant (VC) syllables and combinations thereof. Results showed a replication of the REA response pattern for both CV and VC syllables, thus indicating that the general assumption of left-side localisation of processing can be applied for both types of stimuli. Further, on trials where a CV is presented in one ear and a VC is presented in the other ear, the CV is selected more often than the VC, indicating that these phonemes have an acoustic or processing advantage.

Recent increase in sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Guilmoto, Christophe Z; Hoàng, Xuyên; Van, Toan Ngo

2009-01-01

Since the 1980s, sex ratio at birth (male births per 100 female births) has increased in many Asian countries as a result of selective abortions, but to date there has been no such evidence for Viet Nam. Our aim in this paper is to ascertain the situation with respect to sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam over the past five years. Original data were obtained from sample population surveys in Viet Nam recording annual birth rates since 2000 of about 450,000 women, as well as from two successive birth surveys conducted for the first time in 2007 (1.1 million births). The annual population surveys include specific information on birth history and mothers' characteristics to be used for the analysis of trends and differentials in sex ratio at birth. Birth history statistics indicate that the SRB in Viet Nam has recorded a steady growth since 2001. Starting from a level probably close to the biological standard of 105, the SRB reached 108 in 2005 and 112 in 2006, a value significantly above the normal level. An independent confirmation of these results comes from the surveys of births in health facilities which yielded a SRB of 110 in 2006-07. High SRB is linked to various factors such as access to modern health care, number of prenatal visits, level of higher education and employment status, young age, province of residence and prenatal sex determination. These results suggest that prenatal sex determination followed by selective abortion has recently become more common in Viet Nam. This recent trend is a consequence of various factors such as preference for sons, declining fertility, easy access to abortion, economic development as well as the increased availability of ultrasonography facilities.

Tuberculosis case notification data in Viet Nam, 2007 to 2012.

PubMed

Nhung, Nguyen Viet; Hoa, Nguyen Binh; Khanh, Pham Huyen; Hennig, Cornelia

2015-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and Viet Nam ranks 12 among the 22 high-TB burden countries. This study analyses surveillance data of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme in Viet Nam for the six-year period 2007 to 2012. During the study period, 598,877 TB cases (all forms) were notified, and 313,225 (52.3%) were new smear-positive cases. The case notification rate of new smear-positive cases was decreased, from 65 per 100,000 population in 2007 to 57 per 100,000 population in 2012; this decrease was observed for males and females in all age groups except males aged 0-14 and females aged 15-24 years. The male-to-female ratio of new smear-positive TB cases increased from 2.85 in 2007 to 3.02 in 2012. The average annual cure rate of new smear-positive cases was 90.3%. The high male-to-female ratio for new smear-positive TB cases in this notification data was lower than that from the 2007 TB prevalence survey in Viet Nam, suggesting a lower case detection for males. The decrease in new smear-positive case notification rates may reflect a decline in TB incidence in Viet Nam as several programmatic improvements have been made, although further research is required to increase case detection among young males and children.

Opposite patterns of hemisphere dominance for early auditory processing of lexical tones and consonants

PubMed Central

Luo, Hao; Ni, Jing-Tian; Li, Zhi-Hao; Li, Xiao-Ou; Zhang, Da-Ren; Zeng, Fan-Gang; Chen, Lin

2006-01-01

In tonal languages such as Mandarin Chinese, a lexical tone carries semantic information and is preferentially processed in the left brain hemisphere of native speakers as revealed by the functional MRI or positron emission tomography studies, which likely measure the temporally aggregated neural events including those at an attentive stage of auditory processing. Here, we demonstrate that early auditory processing of a lexical tone at a preattentive stage is actually lateralized to the right hemisphere. We frequently presented to native Mandarin Chinese speakers a meaningful auditory word with a consonant-vowel structure and infrequently varied either its lexical tone or initial consonant using an odd-ball paradigm to create a contrast resulting in a change in word meaning. The lexical tone contrast evoked a stronger preattentive response, as revealed by whole-head electric recordings of the mismatch negativity, in the right hemisphere than in the left hemisphere, whereas the consonant contrast produced an opposite pattern. Given the distinct acoustic features between a lexical tone and a consonant, this opposite lateralization pattern suggests the dependence of hemisphere dominance mainly on acoustic cues before speech input is mapped into a semantic representation in the processing stream. PMID:17159136

MesoNAM Verification Phase II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Leela R.

2011-01-01

The 45th Weather Squadron Launch Weather Officers use the 12-km resolution North American Mesoscale model (MesoNAM) forecasts to support launch weather operations. In Phase I, the performance of the model at KSC/CCAFS was measured objectively by conducting a detailed statistical analysis of model output compared to observed values. The objective analysis compared the MesoNAM forecast winds, temperature, and dew point to the observed values from the sensors in the KSC/CCAFS wind tower network. In Phase II, the AMU modified the current tool by adding an additional 15 months of model output to the database and recalculating the verification statistics. The bias, standard deviation of bias, Root Mean Square Error, and Hypothesis test for bias were calculated to verify the performance of the model. The results indicated that the accuracy decreased as the forecast progressed, there was a diurnal signal in temperature with a cool bias during the late night and a warm bias during the afternoon, and there was a diurnal signal in dewpoint temperature with a low bias during the afternoon and a high bias during the late night.

Intelligibility of American English Vowels and Consonants Spoken by International Students in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jin, Su-Hyun; Liu, Chang

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the intelligibility of English consonants and vowels produced by Chinese-native (CN), and Korean-native (KN) students enrolled in American universities. Method: 16 English-native (EN), 32 CN, and 32 KN speakers participated in this study. The intelligibility of 16 American English consonants and 16…

Contributions of cochlea-scaled entropy and consonant-vowel boundaries to prediction of speech intelligibility in noise

PubMed Central

Chen, Fei; Loizou, Philipos C.

2012-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that spectral change, as measured by cochlea-scaled entropy (CSE), predicts speech intelligibility better than the information carried by vowels or consonants in sentences. Motivated by this finding, the present study investigates whether intelligibility indices implemented to include segments marked with significant spectral change better predict speech intelligibility in noise than measures that include all phonetic segments paying no attention to vowels/consonants or spectral change. The prediction of two intelligibility measures [normalized covariance measure (NCM), coherence-based speech intelligibility index (CSII)] is investigated using three sentence-segmentation methods: relative root-mean-square (RMS) levels, CSE, and traditional phonetic segmentation of obstruents and sonorants. While the CSE method makes no distinction between spectral changes occurring within vowels/consonants, the RMS-level segmentation method places more emphasis on the vowel-consonant boundaries wherein the spectral change is often most prominent, and perhaps most robust, in the presence of noise. Higher correlation with intelligibility scores was obtained when including sentence segments containing a large number of consonant-vowel boundaries than when including segments with highest entropy or segments based on obstruent/sonorant classification. These data suggest that in the context of intelligibility measures the type of spectral change captured by the measure is important. PMID:22559382

Auditory-nerve responses predict pitch attributes related to musical consonance-dissonance for normal and impaired hearinga

PubMed Central

Bidelman, Gavin M.; Heinz, Michael G.

2011-01-01

Human listeners prefer consonant over dissonant musical intervals and the perceived contrast between these classes is reduced with cochlear hearing loss. Population-level activity of normal and impaired model auditory-nerve (AN) fibers was examined to determine (1) if peripheral auditory neurons exhibit correlates of consonance and dissonance and (2) if the reduced perceptual difference between these qualities observed for hearing-impaired listeners can be explained by impaired AN responses. In addition, acoustical correlates of consonance-dissonance were also explored including periodicity and roughness. Among the chromatic pitch combinations of music, consonant intervals∕chords yielded more robust neural pitch-salience magnitudes (determined by harmonicity∕periodicity) than dissonant intervals∕chords. In addition, AN pitch-salience magnitudes correctly predicted the ordering of hierarchical pitch and chordal sonorities described by Western music theory. Cochlear hearing impairment compressed pitch salience estimates between consonant and dissonant pitch relationships. The reduction in contrast of neural responses following cochlear hearing loss may explain the inability of hearing-impaired listeners to distinguish musical qualia as clearly as normal-hearing individuals. Of the neural and acoustic correlates explored, AN pitch salience was the best predictor of behavioral data. Results ultimately show that basic pitch relationships governing music are already present in initial stages of neural processing at the AN level. PMID:21895089

Time to unsuccessful tuberculosis treatment outcome, Cambodia, China, and Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Sokun, C.; Wei, C.; Lauritsen, J. M.; Rieder, H. L.

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency and characteristics of patients with unsuccessful tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Methods: Random selection of TB case registers among all treatment units in Cambodia, two provinces in China, and Viet Nam. The data of two calendar years were analyzed to assess unsuccessful outcomes and their time of occurrence. Results: Among the 33 309 TB patients, treatment was unsuccessful in respectively 10.1%, 3.0% and 9.1% of patients in Cambodia, China and Viet Nam. The risk of death was highest in Cambodia, higher among males than females, increased with age, and was more common among retreatment cases than new cases, and among patients with a high than a low sputum smear microscopy grade. Half of all deaths occurred in the first 2 months in Cambodia and within 11 weeks in China and Viet Nam. Median time to default was 3 months in Cambodia and Viet Nam, and about 2 months in China. Conclusions: Treatment was highly successful in the three study countries, with a low proportion of death and default. As the majority of defaulting occurs at the beginning of treatment, all countries should critically review their current policy of treatment support in this period. PMID:26392939

Tuberculosis case notification data in Viet Nam, 2007 to 2012

PubMed Central

Nhung, Nguyen Viet; Khanh, Pham Huyen; Hennig, Cornelia

2015-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and Viet Nam ranks 12 among the 22 high-TB burden countries. This study analyses surveillance data of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme in Viet Nam for the six-year period 2007 to 2012. During the study period, 598 877 TB cases (all forms) were notified, and 313 225 (52.3%) were new smear-positive cases. The case notification rate of new smear-positive cases was decreased, from 65 per 100 000 population in 2007 to 57 per 100 000 population in 2012; this decrease was observed for males and females in all age groups except males aged 0–14 and females aged 15–24 years. The male-to-female ratio of new smear-positive TB cases increased from 2.85 in 2007 to 3.02 in 2012. The average annual cure rate of new smear-positive cases was 90.3%. The high male-to-female ratio for new smear-positive TB cases in this notification data was lower than that from the 2007 TB prevalence survey in Viet Nam, suggesting a lower case detection for males. The decrease in new smear-positive case notification rates may reflect a decline in TB incidence in Viet Nam as several programmatic improvements have been made, although further research is required to increase case detection among young males and children. PMID:25960918

Pesticide regulations and farm worker safety: the need to improve pesticide regulations in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Phung, Dung Tri; Connell, Des; Miller, Greg; Rutherford, Shannon; Chu, Cordia

2012-06-01

Agricultural pesticide use in Viet Nam has more than tripled since 1990. However, pesticide legislation and regulations have not been developed in response to this large increase in usage, as a result of which pesticides pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. This paper identifies the need to improve pesticide regulations in Viet Nam through a comparative analysis of pesticide regulations in Viet Nam and the United States of America, where the rate of acute poisoning among agricultural workers is much lower than in Viet Nam and where information pertaining to pesticide regulations is made accessible to the public. The analysis identified several measures that would help to improve Viet Nam's pesticide regulations. These include enhancing pesticide legislation, clarifying the specific roles and active involvement of both the environmental and health sectors; performing a comprehensive risk-benefit evaluation of pesticide registration and management practices; improving regulations on pesticide suspension and cancellation, transport, storage and disposal; developing import and export policies and enhancing pesticide-related occupational safety programmes.

The processing of consonants and vowels during letter identity and letter position assignment in visual-word recognition: an ERP study.

PubMed

Vergara-Martínez, Marta; Perea, Manuel; Marín, Alejandro; Carreiras, Manuel

2011-09-01

Recent research suggests that there is a processing distinction between consonants and vowels in visual-word recognition. Here we conjointly examine the time course of consonants and vowels in processes of letter identity and letter position assignment. Event related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read words and pseudowords in a lexical decision task. The stimuli were displayed under different conditions in a masked priming paradigm with a 50-ms SOA: (i) identity/baseline condition e.g., chocolate-CHOCOLATE); (ii) vowels-delayed condition (e.g., choc_l_te-CHOCOLATE); (iii) consonants-delayed condition (cho_o_ate-CHOCOLATE); (iv) consonants-transposed condition (cholocate-CHOCOLATE); (v) vowels-transposed condition (chocalote-CHOCOLATE), and (vi) unrelated condition (editorial-CHOCOLATE). Results showed earlier ERP effects and longer reaction times for the delayed-letter compared to the transposed-letter conditions. Furthermore, at early stages of processing, consonants may play a greater role during letter identity processing. Differences between vowels and consonants regarding letter position assignment are discussed in terms of a later phonological level involved in lexical retrieval. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consonant Cluster Acquisition by L2 Thai Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rungruang, Apichai

2017-01-01

Attempts to account for consonant cluster acquisition are always made into two aspects. One is transfer of the first language (L1), and another is markedness effects on the developmental processes in second language acquisition. This study has continued these attempts by finding out how well Thai university students were able to perceive English…

[The role of inter-dental consonant si in treating articulation disorders].

PubMed

Jiang, Li-Ping; Wang, Guo-Min; Yang, Yu-Sheng; Liu, Qiong

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to rectify deviant tongue position and make accurate pronunciation via making use of the protrusion and containment effect of interdental consonant [si] for the tongue. One hundred and fifty-seven patients with articulation disorders (postpalatoplasty and non-cleft palate) which were diagnosed as velopharyngeal sufficiency were included in this study. There were 111 males and 46 females, aging from 5 to 28 years old. Among them,29 patients were pharyngeal fricative, 73 patients were palatalized misarticulation, 36 patients were lateralization misarticulation and 19 patients were misarticulation mixed with palatalized and lateralization. During the treatment, the patients were asked to stick out the tongue to make the tooth gently biting it and pronounce a interdental consonant si smoothly. When the tongue was fully protracted, the tongue was retracted to the lingual side of mandibular anterior teeth to produce a normal apex linguae consonant [s]. This training method had a significant effect for patients with articulation disorders. The effect was most significant for patients with pharyngeal fricative, with a effective rate of 96.55%(28/29), followed by 91.78%(67/73) in palatalized misarticulation, 84.21%(16/19) in palatalized mixed with lateralization misarticulation, and 77.78%(28/36) in lateralization misarticulation. Training the pronunciation of interdental consonant [si] may control the retrusion, arching and curling movement of tongue, which therefore provides an effective treatment for articulation disorders such as pharyngeal fricative, palatalized and lateralization misarticulation. Supported by Research Fund of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (Grant No.08DZ2271100), Shanghai leading Academic Discipline Project (Grant No.S30206), Research Fund of Bureau of Health of Shanghai Municipality(Grant No.2008160) and Phosphor Science Foundation of Educational Commission of Shanghai Municipality (Grant No.2000

Walking the Line: Quality Assurance Policy Development and Implementation in Vi?t Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Meggan

2014-01-01

Although Vi?t Nam's experiences with quality assurance (QA) policy development have been influenced by its relationships with, and funding from, the World Bank and regional organizations, the state-centric values of the Socialist Republic of Vi?t Nam still navigate the implementation process. The development of QA in Vietnamese higher education…

Home From the War: A Study of Psychiatric Problems in Viet Nam Returnees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strange, Robert E.; Brown, Dudley E., Jr.

1970-01-01

Fifty patients who developed psychiatric problems after return from tours of Viet Nam combat duty were compared with a group of patients who had not had such duty. The Viet Nam returnees reported more conflicts in intimate relationships and had a higher incidence of depression and somatization than did the noncombat group. A study was made of…

On the nature of consonant/vowel differences in letter position coding: Evidence from developing and adult readers.

PubMed

Comesaña, Montserrat; Soares, Ana P; Marcet, Ana; Perea, Manuel

2016-11-01

In skilled adult readers, transposed-letter effects (jugde-JUDGE) are greater for consonant than for vowel transpositions. These differences are often attributed to phonological rather than orthographic processing. To examine this issue, we employed a scenario in which phonological involvement varies as a function of reading experience: A masked priming lexical decision task with 50-ms primes in adult and developing readers. Indeed, masked phonological priming at this prime duration has been consistently reported in adults, but not in developing readers (Davis, Castles, & Iakovidis, 1998). Thus, if consonant/vowel asymmetries in letter position coding with adults are due to phonological influences, transposed-letter priming should occur for both consonant and vowel transpositions in developing readers. Results with adults (Experiment 1) replicated the usual consonant/vowel asymmetry in transposed-letter priming. In contrast, no signs of an asymmetry were found with developing readers (Experiments 2-3). However, Experiments 1-3 did not directly test the existence of phonological involvement. To study this question, Experiment 4 manipulated the phonological prime-target relationship in developing readers. As expected, we found no signs of masked phonological priming. Thus, the present data favour an interpretation of the consonant/vowel dissociation in letter position coding as due to phonological rather than orthographic processing. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

The Effect of Stress and Speech Rate on Vowel Coarticulation in Catalan Vowel-Consonant-Vowel Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Recasens, Daniel

2015-01-01

Purpose: The goal of this study was to ascertain the effect of changes in stress and speech rate on vowel coarticulation in vowel-consonant-vowel sequences. Method: Data on second formant coarticulatory effects as a function of changing /i/ versus /a/ were collected for five Catalan speakers' productions of vowel-consonant-vowel sequences with the…

Neural activity related to discrimination and vocal production of consonant and dissonant musical intervals.

PubMed

González-García, Nadia; González, Martha A; Rendón, Pablo L

2016-07-15

Relationships between musical pitches are described as either consonant, when associated with a pleasant and harmonious sensation, or dissonant, when associated with an inharmonious feeling. The accurate singing of musical intervals requires communication between auditory feedback processing and vocal motor control (i.e. audio-vocal integration) to ensure that each note is produced correctly. The objective of this study is to investigate the neural mechanisms through which trained musicians produce consonant and dissonant intervals. We utilized 4 musical intervals (specifically, an octave, a major seventh, a fifth, and a tritone) as the main stimuli for auditory discrimination testing, and we used the same interval tasks to assess vocal accuracy in a group of musicians (11 subjects, all female vocal students at conservatory level). The intervals were chosen so as to test for differences in recognition and production of consonant and dissonant intervals, as well as narrow and wide intervals. The subjects were studied using fMRI during performance of the interval tasks; the control condition consisted of passive listening. Singing dissonant intervals as opposed to singing consonant intervals led to an increase in activation in several regions, most notably the primary auditory cortex, the primary somatosensory cortex, the amygdala, the left putamen, and the right insula. Singing wide intervals as opposed to singing narrow intervals resulted in the activation of the right anterior insula. Moreover, we also observed a correlation between singing in tune and brain activity in the premotor cortex, and a positive correlation between training and activation of primary somatosensory cortex, primary motor cortex, and premotor cortex during singing. When singing dissonant intervals, a higher degree of training correlated with the right thalamus and the left putamen. Our results indicate that singing dissonant intervals requires greater involvement of neural mechanisms

Phylogeography of Recently Emerged DENV-2 in Southern Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Rabaa, Maia A.; Ty Hang, Vu Thi; Wills, Bridget; Farrar, Jeremy; Simmons, Cameron P.; Holmes, Edward C.

2010-01-01

Revealing the dispersal of dengue viruses (DENV) in time and space is central to understanding their epidemiology. However, the processes that shape DENV transmission patterns at the scale of local populations are not well understood, particularly the impact of such factors as human population movement and urbanization. Herein, we investigated trends in the spatial dynamics of DENV-2 transmission in the highly endemic setting of southern Viet Nam. Through a phylogeographic analysis of 168 full-length DENV-2 genome sequences obtained from hospitalized dengue cases from 10 provinces in southern Viet Nam, we reveal substantial genetic diversity in both urban and rural areas, with multiple lineages identified in individual provinces within a single season, and indicative of frequent viral migration among communities. Focusing on the recently introduced Asian I genotype, we observed particularly high rates of viral exchange between adjacent geographic areas, and between Ho Chi Minh City, the primary urban center of this region, and populations across southern Viet Nam. Within Ho Chi Minh City, patterns of DENV movement appear consistent with a gravity model of virus dispersal, with viruses traveling across a gradient of population density. Overall, our analysis suggests that Ho Chi Minh City may act as a source population for the dispersal of DENV across southern Viet Nam, and provides further evidence that urban areas of Southeast Asia play a primary role in DENV transmission. However, these data also indicate that more rural areas are also capable of maintaining virus populations and hence fueling DENV evolution over multiple seasons. PMID:20668540

Phylogeography of recently emerged DENV-2 in southern Viet Nam.

PubMed

Rabaa, Maia A; Ty Hang, Vu Thi; Wills, Bridget; Farrar, Jeremy; Simmons, Cameron P; Holmes, Edward C

2010-07-27

Revealing the dispersal of dengue viruses (DENV) in time and space is central to understanding their epidemiology. However, the processes that shape DENV transmission patterns at the scale of local populations are not well understood, particularly the impact of such factors as human population movement and urbanization. Herein, we investigated trends in the spatial dynamics of DENV-2 transmission in the highly endemic setting of southern Viet Nam. Through a phylogeographic analysis of 168 full-length DENV-2 genome sequences obtained from hospitalized dengue cases from 10 provinces in southern Viet Nam, we reveal substantial genetic diversity in both urban and rural areas, with multiple lineages identified in individual provinces within a single season, and indicative of frequent viral migration among communities. Focusing on the recently introduced Asian I genotype, we observed particularly high rates of viral exchange between adjacent geographic areas, and between Ho Chi Minh City, the primary urban center of this region, and populations across southern Viet Nam. Within Ho Chi Minh City, patterns of DENV movement appear consistent with a gravity model of virus dispersal, with viruses traveling across a gradient of population density. Overall, our analysis suggests that Ho Chi Minh City may act as a source population for the dispersal of DENV across southern Viet Nam, and provides further evidence that urban areas of Southeast Asia play a primary role in DENV transmission. However, these data also indicate that more rural areas are also capable of maintaining virus populations and hence fueling DENV evolution over multiple seasons.

Decoding vowels and consonants in spoken and imagined words using electrocorticographic signals in humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Xiaomei; Barbour, Dennis L.; Leuthardt, Eric C.; Schalk, Gerwin

2011-08-01

Several stories in the popular media have speculated that it may be possible to infer from the brain which word a person is speaking or even thinking. While recent studies have demonstrated that brain signals can give detailed information about actual and imagined actions, such as different types of limb movements or spoken words, concrete experimental evidence for the possibility to 'read the mind', i.e. to interpret internally-generated speech, has been scarce. In this study, we found that it is possible to use signals recorded from the surface of the brain (electrocorticography) to discriminate the vowels and consonants embedded in spoken and in imagined words, and we defined the cortical areas that held the most information about discrimination of vowels and consonants. The results shed light on the distinct mechanisms associated with production of vowels and consonants, and could provide the basis for brain-based communication using imagined speech.

Consonance in Information System Projects: A Relationship Marketing Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Pei-Ying

2010-01-01

Different stakeholders in the information system project usually have different perceptions and expectations of the projects. There is seldom consistency in the stakeholders' evaluations of the project outcome. Thus the outcomes of information system projects are usually disappointing to one or more stakeholders. Consonance is a process that can…

Relationship between Consonant Recognition in Noise and Hearing Threshold

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, Yang-soo; Allen, Jont B.; Gooler, David M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Although poorer understanding of speech in noise by listeners who are hearing-impaired (HI) is known not to be directly related to audiometric hearing threshold, "HT" (f), grouping HI listeners with "HT" (f) is widely practiced. In this article, the relationship between consonant recognition and "HT" (f) is…

A world-class target for ICDP drilling at Lake Nam Co, Tibetan Plateau, China: progresses and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, L.; Wang, J.; Daut, G.; Spiess, V.; Haberzettl, T.; Schulze, N.; Ju, J.; Lü, X.; Bergmann, F.; Haberkern, J.; Schwalb, A.; Mäusbacher, R.

2017-12-01

Lake Nam Co (ca. 2000 km2, 4718 m a.s.l., maximum depth: 100 m) is located at the interaction zone of the Westerlies and the Indian monsoon on the central Tibetan Plateau. It was part of a mega-lake during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 before the Last Glacial Maximum. A long term sedimentary record from Nam Co could therefore provide an excellent paleo-environmental sequence for regional and global comparative studies. This will to deepen our understanding of large scale atmospheric circulation shifts and the environmental links between the Tibetan Plateau at low latitudes and the North Atlantic region at high latitudes. A Nam Co deep drilling will fill the gap in two large scale ICDP/IODP drilling transects (N-S: Lake Baikal, Lake Qinghai, Bay of Bengal; W-E: Lake Van, Lake Issyk-Kul, South China Sea, Lake Towuti), which will show the great significance of monsoon dynamics on a long-term scale. Multidisciplinary researches have been conducted since 2005 by a Sino-German cooperative team. The progresses during the last decade are: 1) Detailed bathymetric surveying, including a shallow sediment profiler investigation (Innomar SES 2000 light, ca. 30 m sediment penetration); 2) Paleo-environmental reconstructions covering the past 24 ka; 3) Modern sediment distribution covering the entire lake; 4) Monitoring including water temperature profiles, sediment traps, seasonal airborne pollen collection; 5) Deep seismic survey penetrating up to 800 meters of lake sediments. Based on sediment rates from reference core NC08/01, seismic results show that an age of 500 ka may be reached at 500 m, and >1 Ma at the observed base. Faulting can be clearly detected in the seismic profiles, especially from MIS 5 to early Holocene, and shows the characteristics of normal faults or strike-slip faults. Both rotation of the layers and the close spacing, along with negative and positive offsets of the faults make a transtensional origin of the basin likely. An ICDP workshop proposal was

Factors that enhance English-speaking speech-language pathologists' transcription of Cantonese-speaking children's consonants.

PubMed

Lockart, Rebekah; McLeod, Sharynne

2013-08-01

To investigate speech-language pathology students' ability to identify errors and transcribe typical and atypical speech in Cantonese, a nonnative language. Thirty-three English-speaking speech-language pathology students completed 3 tasks in an experimental within-subjects design. Task 1 (baseline) involved transcribing English words. In Task 2, students transcribed 25 words spoken by a Cantonese adult. An average of 59.1% consonants was transcribed correctly (72.9% when Cantonese-English transfer patterns were allowed). There was higher accuracy on shared English and Cantonese syllable-initial consonants /m,n,f,s,h,j,w,l/ and syllable-final consonants. In Task 3, students identified consonant errors and transcribed 100 words spoken by Cantonese-speaking children under 4 additive conditions: (1) baseline, (2) +adult model, (3) +information about Cantonese phonology, and (4) all variables (2 and 3 were counterbalanced). There was a significant improvement in the students' identification and transcription scores for conditions 2, 3, and 4, with a moderate effect size. Increased skill was not based on listeners' proficiency in speaking another language, perceived transcription skill, musicality, or confidence with multilingual clients. Speech-language pathology students, with no exposure to or specific training in Cantonese, have some skills to identify errors and transcribe Cantonese. Provision of a Cantonese-adult model and information about Cantonese phonology increased students' accuracy in transcribing Cantonese speech.

fMRI Mapping of Brain Activity Associated with the Vocal Production of Consonant and Dissonant Intervals.

PubMed

González-García, Nadia; Rendón, Pablo L

2017-05-23

The neural correlates of consonance and dissonance perception have been widely studied, but not the neural correlates of consonance and dissonance production. The most straightforward manner of musical production is singing, but, from an imaging perspective, it still presents more challenges than listening because it involves motor activity. The accurate singing of musical intervals requires integration between auditory feedback processing and vocal motor control in order to correctly produce each note. This protocol presents a method that permits the monitoring of neural activations associated with the vocal production of consonant and dissonant intervals. Four musical intervals, two consonant and two dissonant, are used as stimuli, both for an auditory discrimination test and a task that involves first listening to and then reproducing given intervals. Participants, all female vocal students at the conservatory level, were studied using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during the performance of the singing task, with the listening task serving as a control condition. In this manner, the activity of both the motor and auditory systems was observed, and a measure of vocal accuracy during the singing task was also obtained. Thus, the protocol can also be used to track activations associated with singing different types of intervals or with singing the required notes more accurately. The results indicate that singing dissonant intervals requires greater participation of the neural mechanisms responsible for the integration of external feedback from the auditory and sensorimotor systems than does singing consonant intervals.

Factors Influencing Consonant Acquisition in Brazilian Portuguese-Speaking Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceron, Marizete Ilha; Gubiani, Marileda Barichello; de Oliveira, Camila Rosa; Keske-Soares, Márcia

2017-01-01

Purpose: We sought to provide valid and reliable data on the acquisition of consonant sounds in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. Method: The sample comprised 733 typically developing monolingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (ages 3;0-8;11 [years;months]). The presence of surface speech error patterns, the revised percentage consonants…

An EMA analysis of the effect of increasing word length on consonant production in apraxia of speech: a case study.

PubMed

Bartle, Carly J; Goozée, Justine V; Murdoch, Bruce E

2007-03-01

The effect of increasing word length on the articulatory dynamics (i.e. duration, distance, maximum acceleration, maximum deceleration, and maximum velocity) of consonant production in acquired apraxia of speech was investigated using electromagnetic articulography (EMA). Tongue-tip and tongue-back movement of one apraxic patient was recorded using the AG-200 EMA system during word-initial consonant productions in one, two, and three syllable words. Significantly deviant articulatory parameters were recorded for each of the target consonants during one, two, and three syllables words. Word length effects were most evident during the release phase of target consonant productions. The results are discussed with respect to theories of speech motor control as they relate to AOS.

Call Me Alix, Not Elix: Vowels Are More Important than Consonants in Own-Name Recognition at 5 Months

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouchon, Camillia; Floccia, Caroline; Fux, Thibaut; Adda-Decker, Martine; Nazzi, Thierry

2015-01-01

Consonants and vowels differ acoustically and articulatorily, but also functionally: Consonants are more relevant for lexical processing, and vowels for prosodic/syntactic processing. These functional biases could be powerful bootstrapping mechanisms for learning language, but their developmental origin remains unclear. The relative importance of…

Validation of an auditory sensory reinforcement paradigm: Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus campbelli) do not prefer consonant over dissonant sounds.

PubMed

Koda, Hiroki; Basile, Muriel; Olivier, Marion; Remeuf, Kevin; Nagumo, Sumiharu; Blois-Heulin, Catherine; Lemasson, Alban

2013-08-01

The central position and universality of music in human societies raises the question of its phylogenetic origin. One of the most important properties of music involves harmonic musical intervals, in response to which humans show a spontaneous preference for consonant over dissonant sounds starting from early human infancy. Comparative studies conducted with organisms at different levels of the primate lineage are needed to understand the evolutionary scenario under which this phenomenon emerged. Although previous research found no preference for consonance in a New World monkey species, the question remained opened for Old World monkeys. We used an experimental paradigm based on a sensory reinforcement procedure to test auditory preferences for consonant sounds in Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus campbelli campbelli), an Old World monkey species. Although a systematic preference for soft (70 dB) over loud (90 dB) control white noise was found, Campbell's monkeys showed no preference for either consonant or dissonant sounds. The preference for soft white noise validates our noninvasive experimental paradigm, which can be easily reused in any captive facility to test for auditory preferences. This would suggest that human preference for consonant sounds is not systematically shared with New and Old World monkeys. The sensitivity for harmonic musical intervals emerged probably very late in the primate lineage.

Consonants and Vowels: Different Roles in Early Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochmann, Jean-Remy; Benavides-Varela, Silvia; Nespor, Marina; Mehler, Jacques

2011-01-01

Language acquisition involves both acquiring a set of words (i.e. the lexicon) and learning the rules that combine them to form sentences (i.e. syntax). Here, we show that consonants are mainly involved in word processing, whereas vowels are favored for extracting and generalizing structural relations. We demonstrate that such a division of labor…

The Role of Consonant/Vowel Organization in Perceptual Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chetail, Fabienne; Drabs, Virginie; Content, Alain

2014-01-01

According to a recent hypothesis, the CV pattern (i.e., the arrangement of consonant and vowel letters) constrains the mental representation of letter strings, with each vowel or vowel cluster being the core of a unit. Six experiments with the same/different task were conducted to test whether this structure is extracted prelexically. In the…

Effects of language experience and expectations on attention to consonants and tones in English and Mandarin Chinese.

PubMed

Lin, Mengxi; Francis, Alexander L

2014-11-01

Both long-term native language experience and immediate linguistic expectations can affect listeners' use of acoustic information when making a phonetic decision. In this study, a Garner selective attention task was used to investigate differences in attention to consonants and tones by American English-speaking listeners (N = 20) and Mandarin Chinese-speaking listeners hearing speech in either American English (N = 17) or Mandarin Chinese (N = 20). To minimize the effects of lexical differences and differences in the linguistic status of pitch across the two languages, stimuli and response conditions were selected such that all tokens constitute legitimate words in both languages and all responses required listeners to make decisions that were linguistically meaningful in their native language. Results showed that regardless of ambient language, Chinese listeners processed consonant and tone in a combined manner, consistent with previous research. In contrast, English listeners treated tones and consonants as perceptually separable. Results are discussed in terms of the role of sub-phonemic differences in acoustic cues across language, and the linguistic status of consonants and pitch contours in the two languages.

Gastric and colo-rectal cancer mortality in Viet Nam in the years 2005-2006.

PubMed

Ngoan, Le Tran; Anh, Nguyen Thi Diep; Huong, Nguyen Thi Thanh; Thu, Nguyen Thi; Lua, Nguyen Thi; Hang, Lai Thi Minh; Bich, Nguyen Ngoc; Hieu, Nguyen Van; Quyet, Ha Van; Tai, Le Thi; Van, Do Duc; Khan, Nguyen Cong; Mai, Le Bach; Tokudome, Shinkan; Yoshimura, Takesumi

2008-01-01

The International Collaborative Epidemiological Study of Host and Environmental Factors for Stomach and Colorectal Cancers in Southeast Asian Countries (SEACs) has been conducted in Viet Nam from 2003 to 2008 on a case-control basis. For further effective primary prevention, we examined gastric and colorectal cancer mortality nationwide in eight regions of Viet Nam in 2005-06. Both demographic data and lists of all deaths in 2005-06 were obtained from all 10,769 commune health stations in Viet Nam. Five indicators included name, age, sex, date of death and cause of death was collected for each case. We selected only communes having the list of deaths with clear cause for each case and crude mortality rate for all causes from 300-600/100,000 as published by the Ministry of Health for a reasonable accuracy and completeness. Obtained data for all causes, all cancers, stomach and colorectal cancer deaths as well as demographic information were processed using Excel software and exported to STATA 8.0 for estimation of world age-standardized cancer mortality rates per 100,000. Data were available for 1,246 gastric cases, (819 male and 427 female) with age-standardized mortality rates from 12.7 to 31.3 per 100,000 in males and from 5.9 to 10.3 per 100,000 in females in the 8 regions of the country. For colorectal cancers, 542 cases (268 male and 274 female) gave mortality rates from 4.0 to 11.3 per 100,000 in males and from 3.0 to 7.8 per 100,000 in females. Stomach cancer mortality in males in the region of North East in the North Viet Nam (2005-06) was higher than that in Japan (2002) (31.3 versus 28.7 per 100,000) while colorectal cancer in Viet Nam was lower. While prevalence of Helicobacter pyloris infection in Viet Nam was from 70-75% in both males and females, the stomach cancer rate in males was significantly higher than in females, 31.3 versus 6.8 per 100,000, suggesting an influence of other environmental risk factors. Whether protective factors are operating

Characteristics of tuberculosis patients at intake in Cambodia, two provinces in China, and Viet Nam.

PubMed

Hoa, Nguyen B; Wei, Chen; Sokun, Chay; Lauritsen, Jens M; Rieder, Hans L

2011-05-23

The tuberculosis register is a critical data source for the information system of national tuberculosis control programs. From the information in the tuberculosis case register, it is possible to extend the standard analysis of age and sex characteristics among sputum smear-positive cases to all tuberculosis case categories. National tuberculosis programs might utilize such information to identify problems related to referral and access to diagnosis and treatment. Based on the electronic database we created, our objectives were to provide a detailed description of age and sex characteristics of tuberculosis patients at registration and to provide a comparison of age-specific sex characteristics among incident and prevalent sputum smear-positive cases. A representative sample of tuberculosis case registers from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005 was selected in Cambodia, two provinces in China and Viet Nam. Age and sex characteristics of cases in the three separate prevalence surveys in the three jurisdictions (Cambodia: year 2002; China: year 2000; and Viet Nam: year 2006-2007) were obtained for comparison. A total 37,635 patients had been registered during the period in the selected units in the three countries. Cases were more frequently male in all three countries with 53%, 71%, and 69% in Cambodia, China, and Viet Nam, respectively.The ratios of the female-to-male odds in the notification system to that in the prevalence survey in smear-positive cases in Cambodia, China and Viet Nam were 2.1, 0.9, and 1.8, respectively. Because of the small proportion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis registered in China, we limited the analysis on age and sex distribution for extrapulmonary cases to Cambodia and Viet Nam. The proportion with extrapulmonary tuberculosis among all cases was 18.5% in Cambodia and 15.7% in Viet Nam, decreasing in frequency with increasing age. Characteristics of patients greatly differed between countries and between patient categories. In Cambodia

Characteristics of tuberculosis patients at intake in Cambodia, two provinces in China, and Viet Nam

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The tuberculosis register is a critical data source for the information system of national tuberculosis control programs. From the information in the tuberculosis case register, it is possible to extend the standard analysis of age and sex characteristics among sputum smear-positive cases to all tuberculosis case categories. National tuberculosis programs might utilize such information to identify problems related to referral and access to diagnosis and treatment. Objectives Based on the electronic database we created, our objectives were to provide a detailed description of age and sex characteristics of tuberculosis patients at registration and to provide a comparison of age-specific sex characteristics among incident and prevalent sputum smear-positive cases. Methods A representative sample of tuberculosis case registers from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005 was selected in Cambodia, two provinces in China and Viet Nam. Age and sex characteristics of cases in the three separate prevalence surveys in the three jurisdictions (Cambodia: year 2002; China: year 2000; and Viet Nam: year 2006-2007) were obtained for comparison. Results A total 37,635 patients had been registered during the period in the selected units in the three countries. Cases were more frequently male in all three countries with 53%, 71%, and 69% in Cambodia, China, and Viet Nam, respectively. The ratios of the female-to-male odds in the notification system to that in the prevalence survey in smear-positive cases in Cambodia, China and Viet Nam were 2.1, 0.9, and 1.8, respectively. Because of the small proportion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis registered in China, we limited the analysis on age and sex distribution for extrapulmonary cases to Cambodia and Viet Nam. The proportion with extrapulmonary tuberculosis among all cases was 18.5% in Cambodia and 15.7% in Viet Nam, decreasing in frequency with increasing age. Conclusions Characteristics of patients greatly differed between

Potent L-lactic acid assimilation of the fermentative and heterothallic haploid yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae NAM34-4C.

PubMed

Tomitaka, Masataka; Taguchi, Hisataka; Matsuoka, Masayoshi; Morimura, Shigeru; Kida, Kenji; Akamatsu, Takashi

2014-01-01

We screened an industrial thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, KF7, as a potent lactic-acid-assimilating yeast. Heterothallic haploid strains KF7-5C and KF7-4B were obtained from the tetrads of the homothallic yeast strain KF7. The inefficient sporulation and poor spore viability of the haploid strains were improved by two strategies. The first strategy was as follows: (i) the KF7-5C was crossed with the laboratory strain SH6710; (ii) the progenies were backcrossed with KF7-5C three times; and (iii) the progenies were inbred three times to maintain a genetic background close to that of KF7. The NAM12 diploid between the cross of the resultant two strains, NAM11-9C and NAM11-13A, showed efficient sporulation and exhibited excellent growth in YPD medium (pH 3.5) at 35°C with 1.4-h generation time, indicating thermotolerance and acid tolerance. The second strategy was successive intrastrain crosses. The resultant two strains, KFG4-6B and KFG4-4B, showed excellent mating capacity. A spontaneous mutant of KFG4-6B, KFG4-6BD, showed a high growth rate with a generation time of 1.1 h in YPD medium (pH 3.0) at 35°C. The KFG4-6BD strain produced ascospores, which were crossed with NAM11-2C and its progeny to produce tetrads. These tetrads were crossed with KFG4-4B to produce NAM26-14A and NAM26-15A. The latter strain had a generation time of 1.6 h at 35°C in pH 2.5, thus exhibiting further thermotolerance and acid tolerance. A progeny from a cross of NAM26-14A and NAM26-15A yielded the strain NAM34-4C, which showed potent lactic acid assimilation and high transformation efficiency, better than those of a standard laboratory strain. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RapidNAM: generative manufacturing approach of nasoalveolar molding devices for presurgical cleft lip and palate treatment.

PubMed

Bauer, Franz Xaver; Schönberger, Markus; Gattinger, Johannes; Eblenkamp, Markus; Wintermantel, Erich; Rau, Andrea; Güll, Florian Dieter; Wolff, Klaus-Dietrich; Loeffelbein, Denys J

2017-08-28

Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) is an accepted treatment strategy in presurgical cleft therapy. The major drawbacks of the treatment listed in the literature relate to the time of the treatment and the coordination of the required interdisciplinary team of therapists, parents, and patients. To overcome these limitations, we present the automated RapidNAM concept that facilitates the design and manufacturing process of NAM devices, and that allows the virtual modification and subsequent manufacture of the devices in advance, with a growth prediction factor adapted to the patient's natural growth. The RapidNAM concept involves (i) the prediction of three trajectories that envelope the fragmented alveolar segments with the goal to mimic a harmonic arch, (ii) the extrusion from the larger toward the smaller alveolar segment along the envelope curves toward the harmonic upper alveolar arch, and (iii) the generation of the NAM device with a ventilation hole, fixation pin, and fixation points for the nasal stents. A feasibility study for a vector-based approach was successfully conducted for unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients. A comparison of the modified target models with the reference target models showed similar results. For further improvement, the number of landmarks used to modify the models was increased by a curve-based approach.

Speech training alters consonant and vowel responses in multiple auditory cortex fields

PubMed Central

Engineer, Crystal T.; Rahebi, Kimiya C.; Buell, Elizabeth P.; Fink, Melyssa K.; Kilgard, Michael P.

2015-01-01

Speech sounds evoke unique neural activity patterns in primary auditory cortex (A1). Extensive speech sound discrimination training alters A1 responses. While the neighboring auditory cortical fields each contain information about speech sound identity, each field processes speech sounds differently. We hypothesized that while all fields would exhibit training-induced plasticity following speech training, there would be unique differences in how each field changes. In this study, rats were trained to discriminate speech sounds by consonant or vowel in quiet and in varying levels of background speech-shaped noise. Local field potential and multiunit responses were recorded from four auditory cortex fields in rats that had received 10 weeks of speech discrimination training. Our results reveal that training alters speech evoked responses in each of the auditory fields tested. The neural response to consonants was significantly stronger in anterior auditory field (AAF) and A1 following speech training. The neural response to vowels following speech training was significantly weaker in ventral auditory field (VAF) and posterior auditory field (PAF). This differential plasticity of consonant and vowel sound responses may result from the greater paired pulse depression, expanded low frequency tuning, reduced frequency selectivity, and lower tone thresholds, which occurred across the four auditory fields. These findings suggest that alterations in the distributed processing of behaviorally relevant sounds may contribute to robust speech discrimination. PMID:25827927

H partitioning between NAMs in garnet-bearing peridotite at subsolidus conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demouchy, S. A.; Shcheka, S.; Denis, C. M. M.; Thoraval, C.

2017-12-01

Hydrogen distribution between nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs) of a garnet-lherzolite under subsolidus conditions has been investigated. Separated NAMs from a garnet-peridotite from Patagonia (Chile) are annealed together (olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and garnet) using a piston-cylinder at 3 GPa and 1100 °C using talc-Pyrex cell assembly for 10, 25 and 100 hours. The talc-pyrex assembly provides enough hydrogen in the system to re-equilibrate the hydrogen concentrations at high pressure. The three co-existing nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs, i.e., olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene) were successfully analyzed using FTIR. The resulting hydrogen concentrations exceed significantly the initial hydrogen concentration by a factor of 13 for olivine and a factor of 3 for both pyroxenes. Once mineral-specific infrared calibrations are applied, the average concentrations in NAMs are 115±12 ppm wt H2O for olivine, 635±75 ppm wt H2O for orthopyroxene and 1214±137 ppm wt H2O for clinopyroxene, garnet grains are dry. Since local equilibrium seems achieved over time (for 100 hours), the calculated concentration ratios are interpreted as mineral-to-mineral hydrogen partition coefficients (i.e., Nernst `s law) for a garnet-peridotite assemblage. It yields, based on mineral-specific infrared calibrations, Dopx/ol=5±1, Dcpx/ol= 10±2, and Dcpx/opx=1.9±0.4. While Dcpx/opx is in agreement (within error) with previous results from experimental studies and concentration ratios observed in mantle-derived peridotites, the Dpx/ol from this study are significantly lower than the values reported from mantle-derived xenoliths and also at odd with several previous experimental studies where melt and/or hydrous minerals co-exists with NAMs. The results confirm the sensitivity of hydrogen incorporation in olivine regarding the amount of water-derived species (H) in the system and/or the amount of water in the co-existing silicate melt. The results are in agreement with

Speech-Language Pathologists' Knowledge of Tongue/Palate Contact for Consonants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Sharynne

2011-01-01

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) rely on knowledge of tongue placement to assess and provide intervention. A total of 175 SLPs who worked with children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) drew coronal diagrams of tongue/palate contact for 24 English consonants. Comparisons were made between their responses and typical English-speaking adults'…

Actin polymerization drives septation of Listeria monocytogenes namA hydrolase mutants, demonstrating host correction of a bacterial defect.

PubMed

Alonzo, Francis; McMullen, P David; Freitag, Nancy E

2011-04-01

The Gram-positive bacterial cell wall presents a structural barrier that requires modification for protein secretion and large-molecule transport as well as for bacterial growth and cell division. The Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes adjusts cell wall architecture to promote its survival in diverse environments that include soil and the cytosol of mammalian cells. Here we provide evidence for the enzymatic flexibility of the murein hydrolase NamA and demonstrate that bacterial septation defects associated with a loss of NamA are functionally complemented by physical forces associated with actin polymerization within the host cell cytosol. L. monocytogenes ΔnamA mutants formed long bacterial chains during exponential growth in broth culture; however, normal septation could be restored if mutant cells were cocultured with wild-type L. monocytogenes bacteria or by the addition of exogenous NamA. Surprisingly, ΔnamA mutants were not significantly attenuated for virulence in mice despite the pronounced exponential growth septation defect. The physical force of L. monocytogenes-mediated actin polymerization within the cytosol was sufficient to sever ΔnamA mutant intracellular chains and thereby enable the process of bacterial cell-to-cell spread so critical for L. monocytogenes virulence. The inhibition of actin polymerization by cytochalasin D resulted in extended intracellular bacterial chains for which septation was restored following drug removal. Thus, despite the requirement for NamA for the normal septation of exponentially growing L. monocytogenes cells, the hydrolase is essentially dispensable once L. monocytogenes gains access to the host cell cytosol. This phenomenon represents a notable example of eukaryotic host cell complementation of a bacterial defect.

Visual Cues Contribute Differentially to Audiovisual Perception of Consonants and Vowels in Improving Recognition and Reducing Cognitive Demands in Listeners With Hearing Impairment Using Hearing Aids.

PubMed

Moradi, Shahram; Lidestam, Björn; Danielsson, Henrik; Ng, Elaine Hoi Ning; Rönnberg, Jerker

2017-09-18

We sought to examine the contribution of visual cues in audiovisual identification of consonants and vowels-in terms of isolation points (the shortest time required for correct identification of a speech stimulus), accuracy, and cognitive demands-in listeners with hearing impairment using hearing aids. The study comprised 199 participants with hearing impairment (mean age = 61.1 years) with bilateral, symmetrical, mild-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss. Gated Swedish consonants and vowels were presented aurally and audiovisually to participants. Linear amplification was adjusted for each participant to assure audibility. The reading span test was used to measure participants' working memory capacity. Audiovisual presentation resulted in shortened isolation points and improved accuracy for consonants and vowels relative to auditory-only presentation. This benefit was more evident for consonants than vowels. In addition, correlations and subsequent analyses revealed that listeners with higher scores on the reading span test identified both consonants and vowels earlier in auditory-only presentation, but only vowels (not consonants) in audiovisual presentation. Consonants and vowels differed in terms of the benefits afforded from their associative visual cues, as indicated by the degree of audiovisual benefit and reduction in cognitive demands linked to the identification of consonants and vowels presented audiovisually.

Oseltamivir resistance among influenza viruses: surveillance in northern Viet Nam, 2009-2012.

PubMed

Hoang Vu, Mai-Phuong; Nguyen, Co Thach; Nguyen, Le Khanh Hang; Nguyen, Thi Kim Phuong; Le, Quynh Mai

2013-01-01

Antiviral resistance has been reported in seasonal influenza A viruses and avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses in Viet Nam, raising concerns about the efficacy of treatment. We analysed specimens from two sources during the period 2009-2012: influenza-positive samples from influenza-like illness patients at sentinel clinics in northern Viet Nam and isolates from patients with confirmed A(H5N1) infections. Pyrosequencing was used to detect mutations: H275Y [for A(H1N1) and A(H5N1)], E119V [for A(H3N2)] and I117V [for A(H5N1)]. A neuraminidase inhibition assay was used to determine the Inhibitory Concentration 50 (IC₅₀) values for all influenza A and B isolates. There were 341 influenza A positive samples identified; influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was identified most frequently (n = 215). In 2009, oseltamivir resistance was observed in 100% (19 of 19) of seasonal A(H1N1) isolates and 1.4% (3/215) of A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates. This H275Y mutation was not found in influenza subtypes A(H5N1) or A(H3N2) isolates. In Viet Nam, seasonal and A(H5N1) influenza vaccines are not currently available; thus, effective treatment is required. The presence of oseltamivir-resistant viruses is therefore a concern. Active surveillance for oseltamivir resistance among influenza viruses circulating in Viet Nam should be continued.

Analysing Key Debates in Education and Sustainable Development in Relation to ESD Practice in Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balls, Emily

2016-01-01

This article is based on qualitative field research carried out in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, in 2013 for an MA dissertation in Education and International Development at the UCL Institute of Education. It analyses interpretations of education for sustainable development (ESD) in Viet Nam, relating these to key debates around instrumental and democratic…

Anatomical differences in the human inferior colliculus relate to the perceived valence of musical consonance and dissonance.

PubMed

Fritz, Thomas Hans; Renders, Wiske; Müller, Karsten; Schmude, Paul; Leman, Marc; Turner, Robert; Villringer, Arno

2013-10-01

Helmholtz himself speculated about a role of the cochlea in the perception of musical dissonance. Here we indirectly investigated this issue, assessing the valence judgment of musical stimuli with variable consonance/dissonance and presented diotically (exactly the same dissonant signal was presented to both ears) or dichotically (a consonant signal was presented to each ear--both consonant signals were rhythmically identical but differed by a semitone in pitch). Differences in brain organisation underlying inter-subject differences in the percept of dichotically presented dissonance were determined with voxel-based morphometry. Behavioral results showed that diotic dissonant stimuli were perceived as more unpleasant than dichotically presented dissonance, indicating that interactions within the cochlea modulated the valence percept during dissonance. However, the behavioral data also suggested that the dissonance percept did not depend crucially on the cochlea, but also occurred as a result of binaural integration when listening to dichotic dissonance. These results also showed substantial between-participant variations in the valence response to dichotic dissonance. These differences were in a voxel-based morphometry analysis related to differences in gray matter density in the inferior colliculus, which strongly substantiated a key role of the inferior colliculus in consonance/dissonance representation in humans. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biomechanically Preferred Consonant-Vowel Combinations Fail to Appear in Adult Spoken Corpora

PubMed Central

Whalen, D. H.; Giulivi, Sara; Nam, Hosung; Levitt, Andrea G.; Hallé, Pierre; Goldstein, Louis M.

2012-01-01

Certain consonant/vowel (CV) combinations are more frequent than would be expected from the individual C and V frequencies alone, both in babbling and, to a lesser extent, in adult language, based on dictionary counts: Labial consonants co-occur with central vowels more often than chance would dictate; coronals co-occur with front vowels, and velars with back vowels (Davis & MacNeilage, 1994). Plausible biomechanical explanations have been proposed, but it is also possible that infants are mirroring the frequency of the CVs that they hear. As noted, previous assessments of adult language were based on dictionaries; these “type” counts are incommensurate with the babbling measures, which are necessarily “token” counts. We analyzed the tokens in two spoken corpora for English, two for French and one for Mandarin. We found that the adult spoken CV preferences correlated with the type counts for Mandarin and French, not for English. Correlations between the adult spoken corpora and the babbling results had all three possible outcomes: significantly positive (French), uncorrelated (Mandarin), and significantly negative (English). There were no correlations of the dictionary data with the babbling results when we consider all nine combinations of consonants and vowels. The results indicate that spoken frequencies of CV combinations can differ from dictionary (type) counts and that the CV preferences apparent in babbling are biomechanically driven and can ignore the frequencies of CVs in the ambient spoken language. PMID:23420980

A situational review of infant and young child feeding practices and interventions in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Menon, Purnima; Ruel, Mariel; Hajeebhoy, Nemat

2011-01-01

Sub-optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are likely a significant contributor to high undernutrition rates in Viet Nam. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive review of IYCF practices in Viet Nam. The objectives of this paper were to review: 1) patterns/trends in IYCF in Viet Nam; 2) the barriers and facilitators to IYCF practices; and 3) interventions and policies and their effectiveness. Methods used include reviewing and analyzing existing data, summarizing and organizing the evidence into broad themes based on a pre-defined conceptual framework. Findings show that the proportion of children ever breastfed is almost universal and the median duration of breastfeeding is 13-18 months. However, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is low (8-17%) and appears to be declining over time. Information on complementary feeding is limited, but two key challenges are: early introduction, and low nutrient quality of complementary foods. Facilitators of optimal IYCF were support from 1) government progressive policies, 2) non-profit organizations and 3) family members. Barriers to optimal IYCF included 1) the lack of enforcement of, and compliance with the code of marketing breast milk substitutes, 2) inadequate knowledge among health care providers; and 3) maternal poor knowledge. These findings indicate that the evidence base on complementary feeding is weak in Viet Nam and needs to be strengthened. The review also reinforces that program and policy actions to improve IYCF in Viet Nam must target multiple stakeholders at different levels: the family, the health system and the private sector.

Pesticide regulations and farm worker safety: the need to improve pesticide regulations in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Connell, Des; Miller, Greg; Rutherford, Shannon; Chu, Cordia

2012-01-01

Abstract Agricultural pesticide use in Viet Nam has more than tripled since 1990. However, pesticide legislation and regulations have not been developed in response to this large increase in usage, as a result of which pesticides pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. This paper identifies the need to improve pesticide regulations in Viet Nam through a comparative analysis of pesticide regulations in Viet Nam and the United States of America, where the rate of acute poisoning among agricultural workers is much lower than in Viet Nam and where information pertaining to pesticide regulations is made accessible to the public. The analysis identified several measures that would help to improve Viet Nam’s pesticide regulations. These include enhancing pesticide legislation, clarifying the specific roles and active involvement of both the environmental and health sectors; performing a comprehensive risk–benefit evaluation of pesticide registration and management practices; improving regulations on pesticide suspension and cancellation, transport, storage and disposal; developing import and export policies and enhancing pesticide-related occupational safety programmes. PMID:22690037

Factors Associated With Adherence to Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM) by Caregivers of Infants Born With Cleft Lip and Palate.

PubMed

Esmonde, Nick O; Garfinkle, Judah S; Chen, Yiyi; Lambert, William E; Kuang, Anna A

2018-02-01

Identify factors associated with adherence to nasoalveolar molding (NAM) therapy. Retrospective case-control study. Tertiary referral center. Infants with cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, referred for NAM. One hundred thirty-five patients met criteria. Adherence to NAM therapy, defined as continuous use of the appliance and attendance of NAM adjustment visits. Female sex (OR = 2.85, 95% CI 1.21-6.74), bilateral cleft (OR = 2.88, 95% CI 1.29-6.46), and travel distance (OR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01) were independent predictors of nonadherence. Bilateral clefts (OR = 8.35, 95% CI 2.72-25.64) and public-payer insurance (OR = 3.67, 95% CI 1.13-11.91) for male patients were significantly associated with nonadherence, in our sex-stratified multivariate model. The majority of the families (58%) had public health insurance. Males comprised 77.0% of the cohort. NAM treatment adherence is impaired by bilateral clefts, female sex, increased travel distance, and public insurance. Further studies are warranted to investigate how these factors affect adherence, and to develop interventions to improve adherence in families at risk due to economic or psychosocial barriers.

Phenotypic assessments of peanut nested association mapping (NAM) populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nested association mapping (NAM) is a valuable innovation and multi-parental mapping population strategy in peanut genetics which increases the power to map quantitative trait loci and assists in extending the gene pool of elite peanut lines. In the peanut research community, two structured mapping ...

Stimulating the development of national Streptococcus suis guidelines in Viet Nam through a strategic research partnership.

PubMed

Horby, Peter; Wertheim, Heiman; Ha, Nguyen Hong; Trung, Nguyen Vu; Trinh, Dao Tuyet; Taylor, Walter; Ha, Nguyen Minh; Lien, Trinh Thi Minh; Farrar, Jeremy; Van Kinh, Nguyen

2010-06-01

Streptococcus suis is a common cause of adult bacterial meningitis in Viet Nam, and possibly other parts of Asia, yet this disabling infection has been largely neglected. Prevention, diagnosis and treatment are relatively straightforward and affordable but, in early 2007, no national diagnostic, case management or prevention guidelines existed in Viet Nam. Enhanced detection of S. suis infections was established in 2007 as part of a collaborative research programme between the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a key national hospital with very close links to the Ministry of Health, and a research group affiliated with Oxford University based in Viet Nam. The results were reported directly to policy-makers at the Ministry of Health. Viet Nam is a low-income country with a health-care system that has seen considerable improvements and increased autonomy. However, parts of the system remain fairly centralized the Ministry of Health. Following the improved detection and reporting of S. suis cases, the Ministry of Health issued guidance to all hospitals in Viet Nam on the clinical and laboratory diagnosis, treatment and prevention of S. suis. A public health laboratory diagnostic service was established at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and training courses were conducted for clinicians and microbiologists. Ministry of Health guidance on surveillance and control of communicable diseases was updated to include a section on S. suis. Research collaborations can efficiently inform and influence national responses if they are well positioned to reach policy-makers.

Effects of obstruent consonants on the F0 contour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, Helen M.

2003-10-01

When a vowel follows an obstruent consonant, the fundamental frequency in the first few tens of milliseconds of the vowel is influenced by the voicing characteristics of the consonant. The goal of the research reported here is to model this influence, with the intention of improving generation of F0 contours in rule-based speech synthesis. Data have been recorded from 10 subjects. Stops, fricatives, and the nasal /m/ were paired with the vowels /i,opena/ to form CVm syllables. The syllables mVm served as baselines with which to compare the obstruents. The target syllables were embedded in carrier sentences. Intonation was varied so that each target syllable was produced with either a high, low, or no pitch accent. Results vary among subjects, but in general, obstruent effects on F0 primarily occur when the syllable carries a high pitch. In that case, F0 is increased relative to the baseline following voiceless obstruents, but F0 closely follows the baseline following voiced obstruents. After voiceless obstruents, F0 may be increased for up to 80 ms following voicing onset. When a syllable carries a low or no pitch accent, F0 is increased slightly following all obstruents. [Work supported by NIH Grant No. DC04331.

The use of interval ratios in consonance perception by rats (Rattus norvegicus) and humans (Homo sapiens).

PubMed

Crespo-Bojorque, Paola; Toro, Juan M

2015-02-01

Traditionally, physical features in musical chords have been proposed to be at the root of consonance perception. Alternatively, recent studies suggest that different types of experience modulate some perceptual foundations for musical sounds. The present study tested whether the mechanisms involved in the perception of consonance are present in an animal with no extensive experience with harmonic stimuli and a relatively limited vocal repertoire. In Experiment 1, rats were trained to discriminate consonant from dissonant chords and tested to explore whether they could generalize such discrimination to novel chords. In Experiment 2, we tested if rats could discriminate between chords differing only in their interval ratios and generalize them to different octaves. To contrast the observed pattern of results, human adults were tested with the same stimuli in Experiment 3. Rats successfully discriminated across chords in both experiments, but they did not generalize to novel items in either Experiment 1 or Experiment 2. On the contrary, humans not only discriminated among both consonance-dissonance categories, and among sets of interval ratios, they also generalized their responses to novel items. These results suggest that experience with harmonic sounds may be required for the construction of categories among stimuli varying in frequency ratios. However, the discriminative capacity observed in rats suggests that at least some components of auditory processing needed to distinguish chords based on their interval ratios are shared across species. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

The Processing of Consonants and Vowels during Letter Identity and Letter Position Assignment in Visual-Word Recognition: An ERP Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vergara-Martinez, Marta; Perea, Manuel; Marin, Alejandro; Carreiras, Manuel

2011-01-01

Recent research suggests that there is a processing distinction between consonants and vowels in visual-word recognition. Here we conjointly examine the time course of consonants and vowels in processes of letter identity and letter position assignment. Event related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read words and pseudowords in…

Across the Board: Nam-Gyu Park.

PubMed

Park, Nam-Gyu

2016-09-22

In this series of articles, the board members of ChemSusChem discuss recent research articles that they consider of exceptional quality and importance for sustainability. This entry features Prof. Nam-Gyu Park, who highlights the recent work on mixed-cation mixed-anion perovskite materials toward high efficiency perovskite solar cells. He summarizes the work that has brought us to the current stage of research and suggests possible future paths for further advancement. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analysis of socio-political and health practices influencing sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Pham, Bang Nguyen; Hall, Wayne; Hill, Peter S; Rao, Chalapati

2008-11-01

Viet Nam has experienced rapid social change over the last decade, with a remarkable decline in fertility to just below replacement level. The combination of fertility decline, son preference, antenatal sex determination using ultrasound and sex selective abortion are key factors driving increased sex ratios at birth in favour of boys in some Asian countries. Whether or not this is taking place in Viet Nam as well is the subject of heightened debate. In this paper, we analyse the nature and determinants of sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam, including a small family size norm, recent reinforcement by the Government of the "one-to-two child" family policy, traditional son preference, easy access to antenatal ultrasound screening and legal abortion, and an increase in the proportion of one-child families. In order to prevent an increased sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam, we argue for the relaxation of the one-to-two child family policy and a return to the policy of "small family size" as determined by families, in tandem with a comprehensive approach to promoting the value of women and girls in society, countering traditional gender roles, and raising public awareness of the negative social consequences of a high sex ratio at birth.

Globalization and the Governance of Education in Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

London, Jonathan D.

2010-01-01

In a globalizing world, local and global governance arrangements are increasingly interdependent, which produces harmonization in some instances and new tensions and contradictions in others. Analysis shows that successive waves of globalization have affected the governance of education in Viet Nam differently. It shows that the globalization of…

Infants' Discrimination of Consonants: Interplay between Word Position and Acoustic Saliency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Stephanie L.; Zamuner, Tania; Engel, Kathleen; Fais, Laurel; Curtin, Suzanne

2016-01-01

Research has shown that young infants use contrasting acoustic information to distinguish consonants. This has been used to argue that by 12 months, infants have homed in on their native language sound categories. However, this ability seems to be positionally constrained, with contrasts at the beginning of words (onsets) discriminated earlier.…

The Effect of Anatomic Factors on Tongue Position Variability during Consonants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudy, Krista; Yunusova, Yana

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the effect of palate morphology and anthropometric measures of the head on positional variability of the tongue during consonants. Method: An electromagnetic tracking system was used to record tongue movements of 21 adults. Each talker produced a series of symmetrical VCV syllables containing one of the…

Neural Measures of a Japanese Consonant Length Discrimination by Japanese and American English Listeners: Affects of Attention

PubMed Central

Hisagi, Miwako; Shafer, Valerie L.; Strange, Winifred; Sussman, Elyse S.

2015-01-01

This study examined automaticity of discrimination of a Japanese length contrast for consonants (miʃi vs. miʃʃi) in native (Japanese) and non-native (American-English) listeners using behavioral measures and the event-related potential (ERP) mismatch negativity (MMN). Attention to the auditory input was manipulated either away from the auditory input via a visual oddball task (Visual Attend), or to the input by asking the listeners to count auditory deviants (Auditory Attend). Results showed a larger MMN when attention was focused on the consonant contrast than away from it for both groups. The MMN was larger for consonant duration increments than decrements. No difference in MMN between the language groups was observed, but the Japanese listeners did show better behavioral discrimination than the American English listeners. In addition, behavioral responses showed a weak, but significant correlation with MMN amplitude. These findings suggest that both acoustic-phonetic properties and phonological experience affects automaticity of speech processing. PMID:26119918

Delivery cost of human papillomavirus vaccination of young adolescent girls in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam.

PubMed

Levin, Carol E; Van Minh, Hoang; Odaga, John; Rout, Swampa Sarit; Ngoc, Diep Nguyen Thi; Menezes, Lysander; Araujo, Maria Ana Mendoza; LaMontagne, D Scott

2013-08-01

To estimate the incremental delivery cost of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of young adolescent girls in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam. Data were collected from a sample of facilities that participated in five demonstration projects for hpv vaccine delivery: school-based delivery was used in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam; health-centre-based delivery was also used in Viet Nam; and integrated delivery, which involved existing health services, was also used in Uganda. Microcosting methods were used to guide data collection on the use of resources (i.e. staff, supplies and equipment) and data were obtained from government, demonstration project and health centre administrative records. Delivery costs were expressed in 2009 United States dollars (US$). Exclusively project-related expenses and the cost of the vaccine were excluded. The economic delivery cost per vaccine dose ranged from US$ 1.44 for integrated outreach in Uganda to US$ 3.88 for school-based delivery in Peru. In Viet Nam, the lowest cost per dose was US$ 1.92 for health-centre-based delivery. Cost profiles revealed that, in general, the largest contributing factors were project start-up costs and recurrent personnel costs. The delivery cost of HPV vaccine was higher than published costs for traditional vaccines recommended by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). The cost of delivering HPV vaccine to young adolescent girls in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam was higher than that for vaccines currently in the EPI schedule. The cost per vaccine dose was lower when delivery was integrated into existing health services.

Circulation of influenza B lineages in northern Viet Nam, 2007-2014.

PubMed

Le, Thi Thanh; Pham, Thu Hang; Pham, Thi Hien; Nguyen, Le Khanh Hang; Nguyen, Co Thach; Hoang, Vu Mai Phuong; Tran, Thu Huong; Nguyen, Vu Son; Ngo, Huong Giang; Le, Quynh Mai

2015-01-01

Influenza B viruses circulate throughout Viet Nam, and their activities vary by region. There have been two antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses co-circulating in the past 20 years; however, only one lineage is selected as a component of contemporary trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines. To improve the understanding of circulating influenza B lineages and influenza vaccine mismatches, we report the virus lineages circulating in northern Viet Nam over an eight-year period (2007-2014). Lineages of 331 influenza B viruses were characterized by haemagglutination inhibition assay against standard reference ferret (Yamagata) and sheep (Victoria) antisera. Sequence analysis of the haemagglutinin gene was performed in 64 selected influenza B isolates. The proportion of influenza B lineages changed by year. The Yamagata lineage predominated in 2007, 2008 and 2012; the Victoria lineage predominated in 2009-2014 except 2012. The two lineages showed continuous evolution over time. The Northern Hemisphere's influenza vaccine components were mismatched with the predominant circulating viruses in 2007, 2009 and 2014. The seasonality of influenza B activity is more variable in tropical and subtropical regions than in temperate zones. Our data showed a common co-circulation of both influenza B lineages in northern Viet Nam, and it was difficult to predict which one was the predominant lineage. Quadrivalent influenza vaccines containing both lineages may improve the effectiveness of influenza vaccine programmes in the future.

The fourth national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nhung, N V; Hoa, N B; Sy, D N; Hennig, C M; Dean, A S

2015-06-01

Viet Nam's Fourth National Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey was conducted in 2011. To determine the prevalence of resistance to the four main first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs in Viet Nam. Eighty clusters were selected using a probability proportion to size approach. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) against the four main first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs was performed. A total of 1629 smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) patients were eligible for culture. Of these, DST results were available for 1312 patients, including 1105 new TB cases, 195 previously treated TB cases and 12 cases with an unknown treatment history. The proportion of cases with resistance to any drug was 32.7% (95%CI 29.1-36.5) among new cases and 54.2% (95%CI 44.3-63.7) among previously treated cases. The proportion of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases was 4.0% (95%CI 2.5-5.4) in new cases and 23.3 (95%CI 16.7-29.9) in previously treated cases. The fourth drug resistance survey in Viet Nam found that the proportion of MDR-TB among new and previously treated cases was not significantly different from that in the 2005 survey. The National TB Programme should prioritise the detection and treatment of MDR-TB to reduce transmission of MDR-TB in the community.

Visual speech discrimination and identification of natural and synthetic consonant stimuli

PubMed Central

Files, Benjamin T.; Tjan, Bosco S.; Jiang, Jintao; Bernstein, Lynne E.

2015-01-01

From phonetic features to connected discourse, every level of psycholinguistic structure including prosody can be perceived through viewing the talking face. Yet a longstanding notion in the literature is that visual speech perceptual categories comprise groups of phonemes (referred to as visemes), such as /p, b, m/ and /f, v/, whose internal structure is not informative to the visual speech perceiver. This conclusion has not to our knowledge been evaluated using a psychophysical discrimination paradigm. We hypothesized that perceivers can discriminate the phonemes within typical viseme groups, and that discrimination measured with d-prime (d’) and response latency is related to visual stimulus dissimilarities between consonant segments. In Experiment 1, participants performed speeded discrimination for pairs of consonant-vowel spoken nonsense syllables that were predicted to be same, near, or far in their perceptual distances, and that were presented as natural or synthesized video. Near pairs were within-viseme consonants. Natural within-viseme stimulus pairs were discriminated significantly above chance (except for /k/-/h/). Sensitivity (d’) increased and response times decreased with distance. Discrimination and identification were superior with natural stimuli, which comprised more phonetic information. We suggest that the notion of the viseme as a unitary perceptual category is incorrect. Experiment 2 probed the perceptual basis for visual speech discrimination by inverting the stimuli. Overall reductions in d’ with inverted stimuli but a persistent pattern of larger d’ for far than for near stimulus pairs are interpreted as evidence that visual speech is represented by both its motion and configural attributes. The methods and results of this investigation open up avenues for understanding the neural and perceptual bases for visual and audiovisual speech perception and for development of practical applications such as visual lipreading

News and Views: YAM@NAM 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-06-01

The Young Astronomers' Meeting (YAM) sessions at NAM focused on extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology, with six invited up-and-coming speakers who showcased their work - and signed the YAM banner in true celebrity style! Organizers Mark Westmoquette, Anaïs Rassat and Joe Zuntz (pictured with the RAS President Michael Rowan-Robinson), believe that encouraging the nation's younger generation of astronomers is of primary importance for developing and sustaining the health of the UK astronomy community, and look forward to seeing YAM playing an increasingly central role in the future.

Consonant Inventories in the Spontaneous Speech of Young Children: A Bootstrapping Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Severen, Lieve; Van Den Berg, Renate; Molemans, Inge; Gillis, Steven

2012-01-01

Consonant inventories are commonly drawn to assess the phonological acquisition of toddlers. However, the spontaneous speech data that are analysed often vary substantially in size and composition. Consequently, comparisons between children and across studies are fundamentally hampered. This study aims to examine the effect of sample size on the…

General contrast effects in speech perception: effect of preceding liquid on stop consonant identification.

PubMed

Lotto, A J; Kluender, K R

1998-05-01

When members of a series of synthesized stop consonants varying acoustically in F3 characteristics and varying perceptually from /da/ to /ga/ are preceded by /al/, subjects report hearing more /ga/ syllables relative to when each member is preceded by /ar/ (Mann, 1980). It has been suggested that this result demonstrates the existence of a mechanism that compensates for coarticulation via tacit knowledge of articulatory dynamics and constraints, or through perceptual recovery of vocal-tract dynamics. The present study was designed to assess the degree to which these perceptual effects are specific to qualities of human articulatory sources. In three experiments, series of consonant-vowel (CV) stimuli varying in F3-onset frequency (/da/-/ga/) were preceded by speech versions or nonspeech analogues of /al/ and /ar/. The effect of liquid identity on stop consonant labeling remained when the preceding VC was produced by a female speaker and the CV syllable was modeled after a male speaker's productions. Labeling boundaries also shifted when the CV was preceded by a sine wave glide modeled after F3 characteristics of /al/ and /ar/. Identifications shifted even when the preceding sine wave was of constant frequency equal to the offset frequency of F3 from a natural production. These results suggest an explanation in terms of general auditory processes as opposed to recovery of or knowledge of specific articulatory dynamics.

Antibiotic use and resistance in emerging economies: a situation analysis for Viet Nam

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Antimicrobial resistance is a major contemporary public health threat. Strategies to contain antimicrobial resistance have been comprehensively set forth, however in developing countries where the need for effective antimicrobials is greatest implementation has proved problematic. A better understanding of patterns and determinants of antibiotic use and resistance in emerging economies may permit more appropriately targeted interventions. Viet Nam, with a large population, high burden of infectious disease and relatively unrestricted access to medication, is an excellent case study of the difficulties faced by emerging economies in controlling antimicrobial resistance. Methods Our working group conducted a situation analysis of the current patterns and determinants of antibiotic use and resistance in Viet Nam. International publications and local reports published between 1-1-1990 and 31-8-2012 were reviewed. All stakeholders analyzed the findings at a policy workshop and feasible recommendations were suggested to improve antibiotic use in Viet Nam. Here we report the results of our situation analysis focusing on: the healthcare system, drug regulation and supply; antibiotic resistance and infection control; and agricultural antibiotic use. Results Market reforms have improved healthcare access in Viet Nam and contributed to better health outcomes. However, increased accessibility has been accompanied by injudicious antibiotic use in hospitals and the community, with predictable escalation in bacterial resistance. Prescribing practices are poor and self-medication is common – often being the most affordable way to access healthcare. Many policies exist to regulate antibiotic use but enforcement is insufficient or lacking. Pneumococcal penicillin-resistance rates are the highest in Asia and carbapenem-resistant bacteria (notably NDM-1) have recently emerged. Hospital acquired infections, predominantly with multi-drug resistant Gram-negative organisms

Antibiotic use and resistance in emerging economies: a situation analysis for Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Kinh Van; Thi Do, Nga Thuy; Chandna, Arjun; Nguyen, Trung Vu; Pham, Ca Van; Doan, Phuong Mai; Nguyen, An Quoc; Thi Nguyen, Chuc Kim; Larsson, Mattias; Escalante, Socorro; Olowokure, Babatunde; Laxminarayan, Ramanan; Gelband, Hellen; Horby, Peter; Thi Ngo, Ha Bich; Hoang, Mai Thanh; Farrar, Jeremy; Hien, Tran Tinh; Wertheim, Heiman F L

2013-12-10

Antimicrobial resistance is a major contemporary public health threat. Strategies to contain antimicrobial resistance have been comprehensively set forth, however in developing countries where the need for effective antimicrobials is greatest implementation has proved problematic. A better understanding of patterns and determinants of antibiotic use and resistance in emerging economies may permit more appropriately targeted interventions.Viet Nam, with a large population, high burden of infectious disease and relatively unrestricted access to medication, is an excellent case study of the difficulties faced by emerging economies in controlling antimicrobial resistance. Our working group conducted a situation analysis of the current patterns and determinants of antibiotic use and resistance in Viet Nam. International publications and local reports published between 1-1-1990 and 31-8-2012 were reviewed. All stakeholders analyzed the findings at a policy workshop and feasible recommendations were suggested to improve antibiotic use in Viet Nam.Here we report the results of our situation analysis focusing on: the healthcare system, drug regulation and supply; antibiotic resistance and infection control; and agricultural antibiotic use. Market reforms have improved healthcare access in Viet Nam and contributed to better health outcomes. However, increased accessibility has been accompanied by injudicious antibiotic use in hospitals and the community, with predictable escalation in bacterial resistance. Prescribing practices are poor and self-medication is common - often being the most affordable way to access healthcare. Many policies exist to regulate antibiotic use but enforcement is insufficient or lacking.Pneumococcal penicillin-resistance rates are the highest in Asia and carbapenem-resistant bacteria (notably NDM-1) have recently emerged. Hospital acquired infections, predominantly with multi-drug resistant Gram-negative organisms, place additional strain on

Delivery cost of human papillomavirus vaccination of young adolescent girls in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Van Minh, Hoang; Odaga, John; Rout, Swampa Sarit; Ngoc, Diep Nguyen Thi; Menezes, Lysander; Araujo, Maria Ana Mendoza; LaMontagne, D Scott

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective To estimate the incremental delivery cost of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of young adolescent girls in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam. Methods Data were collected from a sample of facilities that participated in five demonstration projects for HPV vaccine delivery: school-based delivery was used in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam; health-centre-based delivery was also used in Viet Nam; and integrated delivery, which involved existing health services, was also used in Uganda. Microcosting methods were used to guide data collection on the use of resources (i.e. staff, supplies and equipment) and data were obtained from government, demonstration project and health centre administrative records. Delivery costs were expressed in 2009 United States dollars (US$). Exclusively project-related expenses and the cost of the vaccine were excluded. Findings The economic delivery cost per vaccine dose ranged from US$ 1.44 for integrated outreach in Uganda to US$ 3.88 for school-based delivery in Peru. In Viet Nam, the lowest cost per dose was US$ 1.92 for health-centre-based delivery. Cost profiles revealed that, in general, the largest contributing factors were project start-up costs and recurrent personnel costs. The delivery cost of HPV vaccine was higher than published costs for traditional vaccines recommended by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Conclusion The cost of delivering HPV vaccine to young adolescent girls in Peru, Uganda and Viet Nam was higher than that for vaccines currently in the EPI schedule. The cost per vaccine dose was lower when delivery was integrated into existing health services. PMID:23940406

Towards a lifelong learning society through reading promotion: Opportunities and challenges for libraries and community learning centres in Viet Nam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, Zakir

2016-04-01

The government of Viet Nam has made a commitment to build a Lifelong Learning Society by 2020. A range of related initiatives have been launched, including the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Centre for Lifelong Learning (SEAMEO CELLL) and "Book Day" - a day aimed at encouraging reading and raising awareness of its importance for the development of knowledge and skills. Viet Nam also aims to implement lifelong learning (LLL) activities in libraries, museums, cultural centres and clubs. The government of Viet Nam currently operates more than 11,900 Community Learning Centres (CLCs) and is in the process of both renovating and innovating public libraries and museums throughout the country. In addition to the work undertaken by the Viet Nam government, a number of enterprises have been initiated by non-governmental organisations and non-profit organisations to promote literacy and lifelong learning. This paper investigates some government initiatives focused on libraries and CLCs and their impact on reading promotion. Proposing a way forward, the paper confirms that Viet Nam's libraries and CLCs play an essential role in promoting reading and building a LLL Society.

Innovative data tools: a suite for managing peer outreach to key affected populations in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Jacka, David; Van Hai, Nguyen; Trinh, Nguyen Kieu; Boisen, Neil; Neukom, Josselyn

2012-01-01

Problem The paper tools used to monitor outreach work in all major cities in Viet Nam had substantial writing requirements for each contact with difficulty maintaining confidentiality. Action This paper describes the development of a Unique Identifier Code (UIC), a field data collection notebook (databook) and a computer data entry system in Viet Nam. The databook can document 40 individual clients and has space for commodity distribution, group contacts and needles/syringe collection for each month. Outcome Field implementation trials of the UIC and databook have been undertaken by more than 160 peer outreach workers to document their work with people who inject drugs (PWID) and sex workers (SW). Following an expanded trial in Hai Phong province, there have been requests for national circulation of the databook to be used by peer educators documenting outreach to PWID, SW and men who have sex with men. The standardized UIC and databook, in a variety of locally adapted formats, have now been introduced in more than 40 of the 63 provinces in Viet Nam. Discussion This development in Viet Nam is, to our knowledge, the first example of the combination of a confidential UIC and an innovative, simple pocket-sized paper instrument with associated customized data-entry software for documenting outreach. PMID:23908919

Innovative data tools: a suite for managing peer outreach to key affected populations in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nga, Nguyen Thien; Jacka, David; Van Hai, Nguyen; Trinh, Nguyen Kieu; Boisen, Neil; Neukom, Josselyn

2012-07-01

The paper tools used to monitor outreach work in all major cities in Viet Nam had substantial writing requirements for each contact with difficulty maintaining confidentiality. This paper describes the development of a Unique Identifier Code (UIC), a field data collection notebook (databook) and a computer data entry system in Viet Nam. The databook can document 40 individual clients and has space for commodity distribution, group contacts and needles/syringe collection for each month. Field implementation trials of the UIC and databook have been undertaken by more than 160 peer outreach workers to document their work with people who inject drugs (PWID) and sex workers (SW). Following an expanded trial in Hai Phong province, there have been requests for national circulation of the databook to be used by peer educators documenting outreach to PWID, SW and men who have sex with men. The standardized UIC and databook, in a variety of locally adapted formats, have now been introduced in more than 40 of the 63 provinces in Viet Nam. This development in Viet Nam is, to our knowledge, the first example of the combination of a confidential UIC and an innovative, simple pocket-sized paper instrument with associated customized data-entry software for documenting outreach.

Completeness and consistency in recording information in the tuberculosis case register, Cambodia, China and Viet Nam.

PubMed

Hoa, N B; Wei, C; Sokun, C; Lauritsen, J M; Rieder, H L

2010-10-01

Tuberculosis (TB) case registers in Cambodia, two provinces in China and in Viet Nam. To determine completeness and consistency of information for quarterly reports on case finding and treatment outcome. A representative sample of TB case registers was selected in Cambodia, in two provinces in China and in Viet Nam. Quarterly reports were reproduced from double-entered, validated data to determine completeness and consistency. The dataset comprised 37,635 patient records in 2 calendar years. Only 0.2%, 3.6% and 1.1% of cases, respectively, in Cambodia, the two China provinces, and Viet Nam did not allow classification for the quarterly report on case finding. If the treatment outcome was reported as cured, it was correct in 99.9%, 85.7%, and 98.5% of the respective three jurisdictions: errors were mostly due to misclassification of completion as cure. Under-reporting of failures was more frequent than over-reporting in Cambodia and Viet Nam, while in the two provinces in China 84% of reported failures did not actually meet the bacteriological criterion. This evaluation demonstrates that recording essential information is exemplary in all three countries. It will be essential to carefully supervise the ability of staff to correctly define TB treatment outcome results in all three countries.

The promises and perils of hospital autonomy: reform by decree in Viet Nam.

PubMed

London, Jonathan D

2013-11-01

This article investigates impacts of hospital autonomization in Viet Nam employing a "decision-space" framework that examines how hospitals have used their increased discretion and to what effect. Analysis suggests autonomization is associated with increased revenue, increasing staff pay, and greater investment in infrastructure and equipment. But autonomization is also associated with more costly and intensive treatment methods of uncertain contribution to the Vietnamese government's stated goal of quality healthcare for all. Impacts of autonomization in district hospitals are less striking. Despite certain limitations, the analysis generates key insights into early stages of hospital autonomization in Viet Nam. Copyright © 2013 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Evaporation variability of Nam Co Lake in the Tibetan Plateau and its role in recent rapid lake expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Ning; Szilagyi, Jozsef; Niu, Guo-Yue; Zhang, Yinsheng; Zhang, Teng; Wang, Binbin; Wu, Yanhong

2016-06-01

Previous studies have shown that the majority of the lakes in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) started to expand rapidly since the late 1990s. However, the causes are still not well known. For Nam Co, being a closed lake with no outflow, evaporation (EL) over the lake surface is the only way water may leave the lake. Therefore, quantifying EL is key for investigating the mechanism of lake expansion in the TP. EL can be quantified by Penman- and/or bulk-transfer-type models, requiring only net radiation, temperature, humidity and wind speed for inputs. However, interpolation of wind speed data may be laden with great uncertainty due to extremely sparse ground meteorological observations, the highly heterogeneous landscape and lake-land breeze effects. Here, evaporation of Nam Co Lake was investigated within the 1979-2012 period at a monthly time-scale using the complementary relationship lake evaporation (CRLE) model which does not require wind speed data. Validations by in-situ observations of E601B pan evaporation rates at the shore of Nam Co Lake as well as measured EL over an adjacent small lake using eddy covariance technique suggest that CRLE is capable of simulating EL well since it implicitly considers wind effects on evaporation via its vapor transfer coefficient. The multi-year average of annual evaporation of Nam Co Lake is 635 mm. From 1979 to 2012, annual evaporation of Nam Co Lake expressed a very slight decreasing trend. However, a more significant decrease in EL occurred during 1998-2008 at a rate of -12 mm yr-1. Based on water-level readings, this significant decrease in lake evaporation was found to be responsible for approximately 4% of the reported rapid water level increase and areal expansion of Nam Co Lake during the same period.

Acoustical study of the development of stop consonants in children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imbrie, Annika K.

2003-10-01

This study focuses on the acoustic patterns of stop consonants and adjacent vowels as they develop in young children (ages 26-33) over a six month period. The acoustic properties that are being measured for stop consonants include spectra of bursts, frication noise and aspiration noise, and formant movements. Additionally, acoustic landmarks are labeled for measurements of durations of events determined by these landmarks. These acoustic measurements are being interpreted in terms of the supraglottal, laryngeal, and respiratory actions that give rise to them. Preliminary data show that some details of the child's gestures are still far from achieving the adult pattern. The burst of frication noise at the release tends to be shorter than adult values, and often consists of multiple bursts. From the burst spectrum, the place of articulation appears to be normal. Finally, coordination of closure of the glottis and release of the primary articulator is still quite variable, as is apparent from a large standard deviation in VOT. Analysis of longitudinal data on young children will result in better models of the development of the coordination of articulation, phonation, and respiration for motor speech production. [Work supported by NIH Grants Nos. DC00038 and DC00075.

Acoustical study of the development of stop consonants in children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imbrie, Annika K.

2004-05-01

This study focuses on the acoustic patterns of stop consonants and adjacent vowels as they develop in young children (ages 2.6-3.3) over a 6-month period. The acoustic properties that are being measured for stop consonants include spectra of bursts, frication noise and aspiration noise, and formant movements. Additionally, acoustic landmarks are labeled for measurements of durations of events determined by these landmarks. These acoustic measurements are being interpreted in terms of the supraglottal, laryngeal, and respiratory actions that give rise to them. Preliminary data show that some details of the child's gestures are still far from achieving the adult pattern. The burst of frication noise at the release tends to be shorter than adult values, and often consists of multiple bursts, possibly due to greater compliance of the active articulator. From the burst spectrum, the place of articulation appears to be normal. Finally, coordination of closure of the glottis and release of the primary articulator is still quite variable, as is apparent from a large standard deviation in VOT. Analysis of longitudinal data on young children will result in better models of the development of motor speech production. [Work supported by NIH Grants DC00038 and DC00075.

The Effects of Background Noise on Dichotic Listening to Consonant-Vowel Syllables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sequeira, Sarah Dos Santos; Specht, Karsten; Hamalainen, Heikki; Hugdahl, Kenneth

2008-01-01

Lateralization of verbal processing is frequently studied with the dichotic listening technique, yielding a so called right ear advantage (REA) to consonant-vowel (CV) syllables. However, little is known about how background noise affects the REA. To address this issue, we presented CV-syllables either in silence or with traffic background noise…

OptoGluNAM4.1, a Photoswitchable Allosteric Antagonist for Real-Time Control of mGlu4 Receptor Activity.

PubMed

Rovira, Xavier; Trapero, Ana; Pittolo, Silvia; Zussy, Charleine; Faucherre, Adèle; Jopling, Chris; Giraldo, Jesús; Pin, Jean-Philippe; Gorostiza, Pau; Goudet, Cyril; Llebaria, Amadeu

2016-08-18

OptoGluNAM4.1, a negative allosteric modulator (NAM) of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4) contains a reactive group that covalently binds to the receptor and a blue-light-activated, fast-relaxing azobenzene group that allows reversible receptor activity photocontrol in vitro and in vivo. OptoGluNAM4.1 induces light-dependent behavior in zebrafish and reverses the activity of the mGlu4 agonist LSP4-2022 in a mice model of chronic pain, defining a photopharmacological tool to better elucidate the physiological roles of the mGlu4 receptor in the nervous system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Some Cenozoic hydrocarbon basins on the continental shelf of Vietnam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dien, P.T.

1994-07-01

The formation of the East Vietnam Sea basins was related to different geodynamic processes. The pre-Oligocene basement consists of igneous, metamorphic, and metasediment complexes. The Cretaceous-Eocene basement formations are formed by convergence of continents after destruction of the Tethys Ocean. Many Jurassic-Eocene fractured magmatic highs of the Cuulong basin basement constitute important reservoirs that are producing good crude oil. The Paleocene-Eocene formations are characterized by intramountain metamolasses, sometimes interbedded volcanic rocks. Interior structures of the Tertiary basins connect with rifted branches of the widened East Vietnam Sea. Bacbo (Song Hong) basin is predominated by alluvial-rhythmic clastics in high-constructive deltas, whichmore » developed on the rifting and sagging structures of the continental branch. Petroleum plays are constituted from Type III source rocks, clastic reservoirs, and local caprocks. Cuulong basin represents sagging structures and is predominated by fine clastics, with tidal-lagoonal fine sandstone and shalestone in high-destructive deltas that are rich in Type II source rocks. The association of the pre-Cenozoic fractured basement reservoirs and the Oligocene-Miocene clastic reservoir sequences with the Oligocene source rocks and the good caprocks is frequently met in petroleum plays of this basin. Nan Conson basin was formed from complicated structures that are related to spreading of the oceanic branch. This basin is characterized by Oligocene epicontinental fine clastics and Miocene marine carbonates that are rich in Types I, II, and III organic matter. There are both pre-Cenozoic fractured basement reservoirs, Miocene buildup carbonate reservoir rocks and Oligocene-Miocene clastic reservoir sequences, in this basin. Pliocene-Quaternary sediments are sand and mud carbonates in the shelf facies of the East Vietnam Sea back-arc basin. Their great thickness provides good conditions for maturation and

Maternal health care utilization in Viet Nam: increasing ethnic inequity.

PubMed

Målqvist, Mats; Lincetto, Ornella; Du, Nguyen Huy; Burgess, Craig; Hoa, Dinh Thi Phuong

2013-04-01

To investigate changes that took place between 2006 and 2010 in the inequity gap for antenatal care attendance and delivery at health facilities among women in Viet Nam. Demographic, socioeconomic and obstetric data for women aged 15-49 years were extracted from Viet Nam's Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for 2006 (MICS3) and 2010-2011 (MICS4). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine if antenatal care attendance and place of delivery were significantly associated with maternal education, maternal ethnicity (Kinh/Hoa versus other), household wealth and place of residence (urban versus rural). These independent variables correspond to the analytical framework of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Large discrepancies between urban and rural populations were found in both MICS3 and MICS4. Although antenatal care attendance and health facility delivery rates improved substantially between surveys (from 86.3 to 92.1% and from 76.2 to 89.7%, respectively), inequities increased, especially along ethnic lines. The risk of not giving birth in a health facility increased significantly among ethnic minority women living in rural areas. In 2006 this risk was nearly five times higher than among women of Kinh/Hoa (majority) ethnicity (odds ratio, OR: 4.67; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.94-7.43); in 2010-2011 it had become nearly 20 times higher (OR: 18.8; 95% CI: 8.96-39.2). Inequity in maternal health care utilization has increased progressively in Viet Nam, primarily along ethnic lines, and vulnerable groups in the country are at risk of being left behind. Health-care decision-makers should target these groups through affirmative action and culturally sensitive interventions.

Criteria for prioritization of HIV programs in Viet Nam: a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Safarnejad, Ali; Pavlova, Milena; Son, Vo Hai; Phuong, Huynh Lan; Groot, Wim

2017-11-13

With the decline in funding for Viet Nam's response to the HIV epidemic, there is a need for evidence on the criteria to guide the prioritization of HIV programs. There is a gap in the research on the relative importance of multiple criteria for prioritizing a package of interventions. This study elicits preferences and the trade-offs made between different HIV programs by relevant stakeholders and decision-makers in Viet Nam. It also pays attention to how differences in social and professional characteristics of stakeholders and their agency affiliations shape preferences for HIV program criteria in Viet Nam. This study uses self-explicated ranking and discrete choice experiments to determine the relative importance of five criteria - effectiveness, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, rate of investment and prevention/treatment investment ratio - to stakeholders when they evaluate and select hypothetical HIV programs. The study includes 69 participants from government, civil society, and international development partners. Results of the discrete choice experiment show that overall the feasibility criterion is ranked highest in importance to the participants when choosing a hypothetical HIV program, followed by sustainability, treatment to prevention spending ratio, and effectiveness. The participant's work in management, programming, or decision-making has a significant effect on the importance of some criteria to the participant. In the self-explicated ranking effectiveness is the most important criterion and the cost-effectiveness criterion ranks low in importance across all groups. This study has shown that the preferred HIV program in Viet Nam is feasible, front-loaded for sustainability, has a higher proportion of investment on prevention, saves more lives and prevents more infections. Similarities in government and civil society rankings of criteria can create common grounds for future policy dialogues between stakeholders. Innovative models of planning should

Perceptual Confusions of American-English Vowels and Consonants by Native Arabic Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafiro, Valeriy; Levy, Erika S.; Khamis-Dakwar, Reem; Kharkhurin, Anatoliy

2013-01-01

This study investigated the perception of American-English (AE) vowels and consonants by young adults who were either (a) early Arabic-English bilinguals whose native language was Arabic or (b) native speakers of the English dialects spoken in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where both groups were studying. In a closed-set format, participants…

Investigation into Korean EFL Learners' Acquisition of English /s/ + Consonant Onset Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jungyoun

2016-01-01

This paper investigated the phonological acquisition of English /s/ + consonant onset clusters by Korean learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) who varied in their levels of proficiency. The data were collected from twenty eighth-graders in a Korean secondary school, who were divided into two groups according to their proficiency: low-…

Consonant Accuracy after Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Thomas F.; Dollaghan, Christine; Janosky, Janine; Rusiewicz, Heather Leavy; Small, Steven L.; Dick, Frederic; Vick, Jennell; Adelson, P. David

2013-01-01

Purpose: The authors sought to describe longitudinal changes in Percentage of Consonants Correct--Revised (PCC-R) after severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI), to compare the odds of normal-range PCC-R in children injured at older and younger ages, and to correlate predictor variables and PCC-R outcomes. Method: In 56 children injured…

Some Aspects of the Teaching of English in Viet Nam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Van Diem

In regard to the teaching of English, which is replacing French as a foreign language, Viet Nam presents some unique aspects and some individual problems. More secondary school students are selecting English as their foreign language choice; English departments in the universities are expanding rapidly; the teacher shortage is increasing. One…

The costs of uncoordinated infrastructure management in multi-reservoir river basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeuland, Marc; Baker, Justin; Bartlett, Ryan; Lacombe, Guillaume

2014-10-01

Though there are surprisingly few estimates of the economic benefits of coordinated infrastructure development and operations in international river basins, there is a widespread belief that improved cooperation is beneficial for managing water scarcity and variability. Hydro-economic optimization models are commonly-used for identifying efficient allocation of water across time and space, but such models typically assume full coordination. In the real world, investment and operational decisions for specific projects are often made without full consideration of potential downstream impacts. This paper describes a tractable methodology for evaluating the economic benefits of infrastructure coordination. We demonstrate its application over a range of water availability scenarios in a catchment of the Mekong located in Lao PDR, the Nam Ngum River Basin. Results from this basin suggest that coordination improves system net benefits from irrigation and hydropower by approximately 3-12% (or US12-53 million/yr) assuming moderate levels of flood control, and that the magnitude of coordination benefits generally increases with the level of water availability and with inflow variability. Similar analyses would be useful for developing a systematic understanding of the factors that increase the costs of non-cooperation in river basin systems worldwide, and would likely help to improve targeting of efforts to stimulate complicated negotiations over water resources.

Nonlinear frequency compression: Influence of start frequency and input bandwidth on consonant and vowel recognitiona)

PubMed Central

Alexander, Joshua M.

2016-01-01

By varying parameters that control nonlinear frequency compression (NFC), this study examined how different ways of compressing inaudible mid- and/or high-frequency information at lower frequencies influences perception of consonants and vowels. Twenty-eight listeners with mild to moderately severe hearing loss identified consonants and vowels from nonsense syllables in noise following amplification via a hearing aid simulator. Low-pass filtering and the selection of NFC parameters fixed the output bandwidth at a frequency representing a moderately severe (3.3 kHz, group MS) or a mild-to-moderate (5.0 kHz, group MM) high-frequency loss. For each group (n = 14), effects of six combinations of NFC start frequency (SF) and input bandwidth [by varying the compression ratio (CR)] were examined. For both groups, the 1.6 kHz SF significantly reduced vowel and consonant recognition, especially as CR increased; whereas, recognition was generally unaffected if SF increased at the expense of a higher CR. Vowel recognition detriments for group MS were moderately correlated with the size of the second formant frequency shift following NFC. For both groups, significant improvement (33%–50%) with NFC was confined to final /s/ and /z/ and to some VCV tokens, perhaps because of listeners' limited exposure to each setting. No set of parameters simultaneously maximized recognition across all tokens. PMID:26936574

Evolutionary history of the NAM-B1 gene in wild and domesticated tetraploid wheat.

PubMed

Lundström, Maria; Leino, Matti W; Hagenblad, Jenny

2017-12-20

The NAM-B1 gene in wheat has for almost three decades been extensively studied and utilized in breeding programs because of its significant impact on grain protein and mineral content and pleiotropic effects on senescence rate and grain size. First detected in wild emmer wheat, the wild-type allele of the gene has been introgressed into durum and bread wheat. Later studies have, however, also found the presence of the wild-type allele in some domesticated subspecies. In this study we trace the evolutionary history of the NAM-B1 in tetraploid wheat species and evaluate it as a putative domestication gene. Genotyping of wild and landrace tetraploid accessions showed presence of only null alleles in durum. Domesticated emmer wheats contained both null alleles and the wild-type allele while wild emmers, with one exception, only carried the wild-type allele. One of the null alleles consists of a deletion that covers several 100 kb. The other null-allele, a one-basepair frame-shift insertion, likely arose among wild emmer. This allele was the target of a selective sweep, extending over several 100 kb. The NAM-B1 gene fulfils some criteria for being a domestication gene by encoding a trait of domestication relevance (seed size) and is here shown to have been under positive selection. The presence of both wild-type and null alleles in domesticated emmer does, however, suggest the gene to be a diversification gene in this species. Further studies of genotype-environment interactions are needed to find out under what conditions selection on different NAM-B1 alleles have been beneficial.

Reviewing Sonority for Word-Final Sonorant+Obstruent Consonant Cluster Development in Turkish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topbas, Seyhun; Kopkalli-Yavuz, Handan

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the acquisition patterns of sonorant+obstruent coda clusters in Turkish to determine whether Turkish data support the prediction the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP) makes as to which consonant (i.e. C1 or C2) is more likely to be preserved in sonorant+obstruent clusters, and the error patterns of…

Implementation of GINA guidelines in Ho Chi Minh City: a model for Viet Nam.

PubMed

Tho, N V; Loan, H T H; Thao, N T P; Dung, N T T; Lan, L T T

2012-12-21

The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines have not been implemented effectively in primary care settings in Viet Nam. To estimate the proportion of patients with controlled asthma and the direct health care costs of managing asthma according to GINA guidelines at four out-patient clinics in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam. One hundred and six patients with asthma were treated and followed up according to GINA guidelines for 12 months. Clinical and pulmonary function responses and direct health care costs were evaluated every 3 months during the study. The proportion of patients with controlled asthma rose from 1.0% at the start of the study to 36.8% by the end of the study (P < 0.0001). The proportion of patients who had at least one hospitalisation per year decreased significantly, from 32.1% to 5.7% (P < 0.0001). The annual per patient median direct health care cost was US$169. Using asthma controllers continuously gave better asthma control than using them intermittently (OR 12.9, 95%CI 4.7-35.7). The implementation of GINA guidelines at out-patient clinics in HCMC, Viet Nam, improved asthma control with modest direct health care costs.

The Scientific and Technical Revolution in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vien, Nguyen Khac

1979-01-01

Discussed are the reasons for the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam's scientific backwardness. A development project which will enable this country to become a modern, economically self-sufficient country by the year 2000 is outlined. (BT)

Teachers' feeling of belonging, exhaustion, and job satisfaction: the role of school goal structure and value consonance.

PubMed

Skaalvik, Einar M; Skaalvik, Sidsel

2011-07-01

In their daily teaching and classroom management, teachers inevitably communicate and represent values. The purpose of this study was to explore relations between teachers' perception of school level values represented by the goal structure of the school and value consonance (the degree to which they felt that they shared the prevailing norms and values at the school), teachers' feeling of belonging, emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and motivation to leave the teaching profession. The participants were 231 Norwegian teachers in elementary school and middle school. Data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling (SEM). Teachers' perception of mastery goal structure was strongly and positively related to value consonance and negatively related to emotional exhaustion, whereas performance goal structure, in the SEM model, was not significantly related to these constructs. Furthermore, value consonance was positively related to teachers' feeling of belonging and job satisfaction, whereas emotional exhaustion was negatively associated with job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was the strongest predictor of motivation to leave the teaching profession. A practical implication of the study is that educational goals and values should be explicitly discussed and clarified, both by education authorities and at the school level.

Glimpses of Arctic Ocean shelf-basin interaction from submarine-borne radium sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadko, David; Aagaard, Knut

2009-01-01

Evidence of shelf-water transfer from temperature, salinity, and 228Ra/ 226Ra sampling from the nuclear submarine USS L. Mendel Rivers SCICEX cruise in October, 2000 demonstrates the heterogeneity of the Arctic Ocean with respect to halocline ventilation. This likely reflects both time-dependent events on the shelves and the variety of dispersal mechanisms within the ocean, including boundary currents and eddies, at least one of which was sampled in this work. Halocline waters at the 132 m sampling depth in the interior Eurasian Basin are generally not well connected to the shelves, consonant with their ventilation within the deep basins, rather than on the shelves. In the western Arctic, steep gradients in 228Ra/ 226Ra ratio and age since shelf contact are consistent with very slow exchange between the Chukchi shelf and the interior Beaufort Gyre. These are the first radium measurements from a nuclear submarine.

The formulation and implementation of a national helmet law: a case study from Viet Nam.

PubMed

Passmore, Jonathon W; Nguyen, Lan Huong; Nguyen, Nam Phuong; Olivé, Jean-Marc

2010-10-01

Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in Viet Nam. In 2008, official data reported 11 243 deaths and 7771 serious injuries on the roads, of which an estimated 60% of fatalities occur in motorcycle riders and passengers. In recognition of this problem, Viet Nam has had partial motorcycle helmet legislation since 1995. However, for a variety of reasons, implementation and enforcement have been limited. On 15 December 2007, Viet Nam's first comprehensive mandatory helmet law came into effect, covering all riders and passengers on all roads nationwide. Penalties increased ten-fold and cohorts of police were mobilized for enforcement. The Viet Nam national helmet legislation was developed and implemented by the National Traffic Safety Committee. Despite past barriers to enforcement, increased policing in 2008 led to 680 000 infringements being issued for non-helmet wearing. While changes in helmet wearing were not nationally observed, significant increases were documented in selected provinces in the first six months of the law's introduction. In Da Nang, helmet wearing increased from 27 to 99%. In the first three months after the law took effect, surveillance data from 20 urban and rural hospitals, found the risk of road traffic head injuries and deaths decreased by 16% and 18% respectively. Political leadership, intensive advanced public education and stringent enforcement have contributed to the successful implementation of the new law. Through continual monitoring of the legislation, loopholes detrimental to the effectiveness of the law have been identified and addressed.

The formulation and implementation of a national helmet law: a case study from Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Lan Huong; Nguyen, Nam Phuong; Olivé, Jean-Marc

2010-01-01

Abstract Problem Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in Viet Nam. In 2008, official data reported 11 243 deaths and 7771 serious injuries on the roads, of which an estimated 60% of fatalities occur in motorcycle riders and passengers. In recognition of this problem, Viet Nam has had partial motorcycle helmet legislation since 1995. However, for a variety of reasons, implementation and enforcement have been limited. Approach On 15 December 2007, Viet Nam's first comprehensive mandatory helmet law came into effect, covering all riders and passengers on all roads nationwide. Penalties increased ten-fold and cohorts of police were mobilized for enforcement. Local setting The Viet Nam national helmet legislation was developed and implemented by the National Traffic Safety Committee. Relevant changes Despite past barriers to enforcement, increased policing in 2008 led to 680 000 infringements being issued for non-helmet wearing. While changes in helmet wearing were not nationally observed, significant increases were documented in selected provinces in the first six months of the law’s introduction. In Da Nang, helmet wearing increased from 27 to 99%. In the first three months after the law took effect, surveillance data from 20 urban and rural hospitals, found the risk of road traffic head injuries and deaths decreased by 16% and 18% respectively. Lessons learnt Political leadership, intensive advanced public education and stringent enforcement have contributed to the successful implementation of the new law. Through continual monitoring of the legislation, loopholes detrimental to the effectiveness of the law have been identified and addressed. PMID:20931064

Object-based attention modulates the discrimination of level increments in stop-consonant noise bursts

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This study tested the hypothesis that object-based attention modulates the discrimination of level increments in stop-consonant noise bursts. With consonant-vowel-consonant (CvC) words consisting of an ≈80-dB vowel (v), a pre-vocalic (Cv) and a post-vocalic (vC) stop-consonant noise burst (≈60-dB SPL), we measured discrimination thresholds (LDTs) for level increments (ΔL) in the noise bursts presented either in CvC context or in isolation. In the 2-interval 2-alternative forced-choice task, each observation interval presented a CvC word (e.g., /pæk/ /pæk/), and normal-hearing participants had to discern ΔL in the Cv or vC burst. Based on the linguistic word labels, the auditory events of each trial were perceived as two auditory objects (Cv-v-vC and Cv-v-vC) that group together the bursts and vowels, hindering selective attention to ΔL. To discern ΔL in Cv or vC, the events must be reorganized into three auditory objects: the to-be-attended pre-vocalic (Cv–Cv) or post-vocalic burst pair (vC–vC), and the to-be-ignored vowel pair (v–v). Our results suggest that instead of being automatic this reorganization requires training, in spite of using familiar CvC words. Relative to bursts in isolation, bursts in context always produced inferior ΔL discrimination accuracy (a context effect), which depended strongly on the acoustic separation between the bursts and the vowel, being much keener for the object apart from (post-vocalic) than for the object adjoining (pre-vocalic) the vowel (a temporal-position effect). Variability in CvC dimensions that did not alter the noise-burst perceptual grouping had minor effects on discrimination accuracy. In addition to being robust and persistent, these effects are relatively general, evincing in forced-choice tasks with one or two observation intervals, with or without variability in the temporal position of ΔL, and with either fixed or roving CvC standards. The results lend support to the hypothesis. PMID:29364931

Inclusion in Viet Nam: More than a Decade of Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villa, Richard A.; Tac, Le Van; Muc, Pham Minh; Ryan, Susan; Thuy, Nguyen Thi Minh; Weill, Cindy; Thousand, Jacqueline S.

2003-01-01

This article traces the evolution of special education policies and services and the introduction of inclusive education as a service delivery model in Viet Nam. The impact of a series of inclusion projects and resultant goals of the Ministry of Education and Training to expand inclusive education are described. (Contains 8 references.) (Author/CR)

Mismatch Responses to Lexical Tone, Initial Consonant, and Vowel in Mandarin-Speaking Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chia-Ying; Yen, Huei-ling; Yeh, Pei-wen; Lin, Wan-Hsuan; Cheng, Ying-Ying; Tzeng, Yu-Lin; Wu, Hsin-Chi

2012-01-01

The present study investigates how age, phonological saliency, and deviance size affect the presence of mismatch negativity (MMN) and positive mismatch response (P-MMR). This work measured the auditory mismatch responses to Mandarin lexical tones, initial consonants, and vowels in 4- to 6-year-old preschoolers using the multiple-deviant oddball…

Financial burden of household out-of pocket health expenditure in Viet Nam: findings from the National Living Standard Survey 2002-2010.

PubMed

Van Minh, Hoang; Kim Phuong, Nguyen Thi; Saksena, Priyanka; James, Chris D; Xu, Ke

2013-11-01

In Viet Nam, household direct out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure as a share of the total health expenditure has been always high, ranging from 50% to 70%. The high share of OOP expenditure has been linked to different inequity problems such as catastrophic health expenditure (households must reduce their expenditure on other necessities) and impoverishment. This paper aims to examine catastrophic and poverty impacts of household out-of-pocket health expenditure in Viet Nam over time and identify socio-economic indicators associated with them. Data used in this research were obtained from a nationally representative household survey, Viet Nam Living Standard Survey 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010. The findings revealed that there were problems in health care financing in Viet Nam - many households encountered catastrophic health expenditure and/or were pushed into poverty due to health care payments. The issues were pervasive over time. Catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment problems were more common among the households who had more elderly people and those located in rural areas. Importantly, the financial protection aspect of the national health insurance schemes was still modest. Given these findings, more attention is needed on developing methods of financial protection in Viet Nam. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Circulation of influenza B lineages in northern Viet Nam, 2007–2014

PubMed Central

Le, Thi Thanh; Pham, Thu Hang; Pham, Thi Hien; Nguyen, Le Khanh Hang; Hoang, Vu Mai Phuong; Tran, Thu Huong; Nguyen, Vu Son; Ngo, Huong Giang

2015-01-01

Introduction Influenza B viruses circulate throughout Viet Nam, and their activities vary by region. There have been two antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses co-circulating in the past 20 years; however, only one lineage is selected as a component of contemporary trivalent seasonal influenza vaccines. To improve the understanding of circulating influenza B lineages and influenza vaccine mismatches, we report the virus lineages circulating in northern Viet Nam over an eight-year period (2007–2014). Methods Lineages of 331 influenza B viruses were characterized by haemagglutination inhibition assay against standard reference ferret (Yamagata) and sheep (Victoria) antisera. Sequence analysis of the haemagglutinin gene was performed in 64 selected influenza B isolates. Results The proportion of influenza B lineages changed by year. The Yamagata lineage predominated in 2007, 2008 and 2012; the Victoria lineage predominated in 2009–2014 except 2012. The two lineages showed continuous evolution over time. The Northern Hemisphere’s influenza vaccine components were mismatched with the predominant circulating viruses in 2007, 2009 and 2014. Discussion The seasonality of influenza B activity is more variable in tropical and subtropical regions than in temperate zones. Our data showed a common co-circulation of both influenza B lineages in northern Viet Nam, and it was difficult to predict which one was the predominant lineage. Quadrivalent influenza vaccines containing both lineages may improve the effectiveness of influenza vaccine programmes in the future. PMID:26798557

Influence of Initial and Final Consonants on Vowel Duration in CVC Syllables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naeser, Margaret A.

This study investigates the influence of initial and final consonants /p, b, s, z/ on the duration of four vowels /I, i, u, ae/ in 64 CVC syllables uttered by eight speakers of English from the same dialect area. The CVC stimuli were presented to the subjects in a frame sentence from a master tape. Subjects repeated each sentence immediately after…

Combined top-down and bottom-up climate change impact assessment for the hydrological system in the Vu Gia- Thu Bon River Basin.

PubMed

Tra, Tran Van; Thinh, Nguyen Xuan; Greiving, Stefan

2018-07-15

Vu Gia- Thu Bon (VGTB) River Basin, located in the Central Coastal zone of Viet Nam currently faces water shortage. Climate change is expected to exacerbate the challenge. Therefore, there is a need to study the impacts of climate change on water shortage in the river basin. The study adopts a combined top-down and bottom-up climate change impact assessment to address the impacts of climate change on water shortage in the VGTB River Basin. A MIKE BASIN water balance model for the river basin was established to simulate the response of the hydrological system. Simulations were performed through parametrically varying temperature and precipitation to determine the vulnerability space of water shortage. General Circulation Models (GCMs) were then utilized to provide climate projections for the river basin. The output from GCMs was then mapped onto the vulnerability space determined earlier. In total, 9 out of 55 water demand nodes in the simulation are expected to face problematic conditions as future climate changes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perception of Consonants in Reverberation and Noise by Adults Fitted with Bimodal Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Michelle; Kokkinakis, Kostas

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of a contralateral hearing aid to the perception of consonants, in terms of voicing, manner, and place-of-articulation cues in reverberation and noise by adult cochlear implantees aided by bimodal fittings. Method: Eight postlingually deafened adult cochlear implant (CI) listeners…

Strategies for the Production of Spanish Stop Consonants by Native Speakers of English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zampini, Mary L.

A study examined patterns in production of Spanish voiced and voiceless stop consonants by native English speakers, focusing on the interaction between two acoustic cues of stops: voice closure interval and voice onset time (VOT). The study investigated whether learners acquire the appropriate phonetic categories with regard to these stops and if…

Surface ozone at Nam Co in the inland Tibetan Plateau: variation, synthesis comparison and regional representativeness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Xiufeng; Kang, Shichang; de Foy, Benjamin; Cong, Zhiyuan; Luo, Jiali; Zhang, Lang; Ma, Yaoming; Zhang, Guoshuai; Rupakheti, Dipesh; Zhang, Qianggong

2017-09-01

Ozone is an important pollutant and greenhouse gas, and tropospheric ozone variations are generally associated with both natural and anthropogenic processes. As one of the most pristine and inaccessible regions in the world, the Tibetan Plateau has been considered as an ideal region for studying processes of the background atmosphere. Due to the vast area of the Tibetan Plateau, sites in the southern, northern and central regions exhibit different patterns of variation in surface ozone. Here, we present continuous measurements of surface ozone mixing ratios at Nam Co Station over a period of ˜ 5 years (January 2011 to October 2015), which is a background site in the inland Tibetan Plateau. An average surface ozone mixing ratio of 47.6 ± 11.6 ppb (mean ± standard deviation) was recorded, and a large annual cycle was observed with maximum ozone mixing ratios in the spring and minimum ratios during the winter. The diurnal cycle is characterized by a minimum in the early morning and a maximum in the late afternoon. Nam Co Station represents a background region where surface ozone receives negligible local anthropogenic emissions inputs, and the anthropogenic contribution from South Asia in spring and China in summer may affect Nam Co Station occasionally. Surface ozone at Nam Co Station is mainly dominated by natural processes involving photochemical reactions, vertical mixing and downward transport of stratospheric air mass. Model results indicate that the study site is affected differently by the surrounding areas in different seasons: air masses from the southern Tibetan Plateau contribute to the high ozone levels in the spring, and enhanced ozone levels in the summer are associated with air masses from the northern Tibetan Plateau. By comparing measurements at Nam Co Station with those from other sites on the Tibetan Plateau, we aim to expand the understanding of ozone cycles and transport processes over the Tibetan

Childhood Tuberculosis in Northern Viet Nam: A Review of 103 Cases

PubMed Central

Blount, Robert J.; Tran, Bao; Jarlsberg, Leah G.; Phan, Ha; Thanh Hoang, Van; Nguyen, Nhung Viet; Lewinsohn, Deborah A.; Nahid, Payam

2014-01-01

Background Childhood tuberculosis causes significant morbidity and mortality in Southeast Asia, yet little is known about the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of this disease in Viet Nam. Objectives To determine the demographics, clinical presentations, radiographic and microbiologic findings, treatment regimens, and outcomes of children admitted with tuberculosis (TB) to a national referral hospital in Viet Nam. Methods We conducted a retrospective case series study of children ≤ 15 years old with bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed TB admitted to a national referral hospital in Ha Noi, Viet Nam from January through December 2007. Results One hundred three children were identified: median age 5 years (IQR 2-10), 44% female, 99% Kinh ethnicity, 27% residing in Ha Noi, 88% with BCG vaccination, 27% with known TB contact, and 38% malnourished. Intrathoracic TB was present in 62%, extrathoracic in 52%, both intra and extrathoracic in 19%, and undetermined site in 5%. The most common extrathoracic manifestation was peripheral lymphadenitis, and children under 5 were more likely to have miliary TB or both intra and extrathoracic TB. Fever and failure to thrive were common presenting symptoms among all participants (65% and 56%, respectively), 66% of those with intrathoracic TB presented with cough, and 92% of those with TB meningitis presented with severe neurologic impairment. Acid-fast bacilli smears and mycobacterial cultures were positive in 18% and 21% of children tested, and histopathology was positive in 88% of those biopsied. There were no adverse drug reactions necessitating change in therapy, and no inpatient mortality. Conclusions Extrathoracic TB was common, treatment well tolerated and clinical outcomes excellent. Culture confirmation rates were low and emphasize the need for improved diagnostics. PMID:24818967

Childhood tuberculosis in northern Viet Nam: a review of 103 cases.

PubMed

Blount, Robert J; Tran, Bao; Jarlsberg, Leah G; Phan, Ha; Thanh Hoang, Van; Nguyen, Nhung Viet; Lewinsohn, Deborah A; Nahid, Payam

2014-01-01

Childhood tuberculosis causes significant morbidity and mortality in Southeast Asia, yet little is known about the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of this disease in Viet Nam. To determine the demographics, clinical presentations, radiographic and microbiologic findings, treatment regimens, and outcomes of children admitted with tuberculosis (TB) to a national referral hospital in Viet Nam. We conducted a retrospective case series study of children ≤ 15 years old with bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed TB admitted to a national referral hospital in Ha Noi, Viet Nam from January through December 2007. One hundred three children were identified: median age 5 years (IQR 2-10), 44% female, 99% Kinh ethnicity, 27% residing in Ha Noi, 88% with BCG vaccination, 27% with known TB contact, and 38% malnourished. Intrathoracic TB was present in 62%, extrathoracic in 52%, both intra and extrathoracic in 19%, and undetermined site in 5%. The most common extrathoracic manifestation was peripheral lymphadenitis, and children under 5 were more likely to have miliary TB or both intra and extrathoracic TB. Fever and failure to thrive were common presenting symptoms among all participants (65% and 56%, respectively), 66% of those with intrathoracic TB presented with cough, and 92% of those with TB meningitis presented with severe neurologic impairment. Acid-fast bacilli smears and mycobacterial cultures were positive in 18% and 21% of children tested, and histopathology was positive in 88% of those biopsied. There were no adverse drug reactions necessitating change in therapy, and no inpatient mortality. Extrathoracic TB was common, treatment well tolerated and clinical outcomes excellent. Culture confirmation rates were low and emphasize the need for improved diagnostics.

News and Views: Bottom-up boost at NAM; Spreading the word from the NAM; S3 gets together at the NAM; YAM@NAM 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-06-01

Delegates at the simultaneous National Astronomy Meeting, UK Solar Physics meeting and Spring MIST meeting were impressed by the warm welcome and efficient organization from the hosts, the University of Central Lancaster in Preston. The meetings were successful in terms of the number of participants and the breadth and depth of science discussed, but also in terms of the spread of that science across the media. The newly formed Solar System Science (S3) group (see A&G 47 4.39) met at the National Astronomy Meeting hosted by the University of Central Lancaster at Preston in April. The meeting was well attended and many pressing issues were discussed, reflecting a productive first year. The Young Astronomers' Meeting (YAM) sessions at NAM focused on extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology, with six invited up-and-coming speakers who showcased their work - and signed the YAM banner in true celebrity style! Organizers Mark Westmoquette, Anaïs Rassat and Joe Zuntz (pictured with the RAS President Michael Rowan-Robinson), believe that encouraging the nation's younger generation of astronomers is of primary importance for developing and sustaining the health of the UK astronomy community, and look forward to seeing YAM playing an increasingly central role in the future.

The Relative Position Priming Effect Depends on Whether Letters Are Vowels or Consonants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunabeitia, Jon Andoni; Carreiras, Manuel

2011-01-01

The relative position priming effect is a type of subset priming in which target word recognition is facilitated as a consequence of priming the word with some of its letters, maintaining their relative position (e.g., "csn" as a prime for "casino"). Five experiments were conducted to test whether vowel-only and consonant-only…

Phylodynamics of Enterovirus A71-Associated Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Geoghegan, Jemma L; Tan, Le Van; Kühnert, Denise; Halpin, Rebecca A; Lin, Xudong; Simenauer, Ari; Akopov, Asmik; Das, Suman R; Stockwell, Timothy B; Shrivastava, Susmita; Ngoc, Nghiem My; Uyen, Le Thi Tam; Tuyen, Nguyen Thi Kim; Thanh, Tran Tan; Hang, Vu Thi Ty; Qui, Phan Tu; Hung, Nguyen Thanh; Khanh, Truong Huu; Thinh, Le Quoc; Nhan, Le Nguyen Thanh; Van, Hoang Minh Tu; Viet, Do Chau; Tuan, Ha Manh; Viet, Ho Lu; Hien, Tran Tinh; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; Grenfell, Bryan T; Stadler, Tanja; Wentworth, David E; Holmes, Edward C; Van Doorn, H Rogier

2015-09-01

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is a major cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and is particularly prevalent in parts of Southeast Asia, affecting thousands of children and infants each year. Revealing the evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics of EV-A71 through time and space is central to understanding its outbreak potential. We generated the full genome sequences of 200 EV-A71 strains sampled from various locations in Viet Nam between 2011 and 2013 and used these sequence data to determine the evolutionary history and phylodynamics of EV-A71 in Viet Nam, providing estimates of the effective reproduction number (Re) of the infection through time. In addition, we described the phylogeography of EV-A71 throughout Southeast Asia, documenting patterns of viral gene flow. Accordingly, our analysis reveals that a rapid genogroup switch from C4 to B5 likely took place during 2012 in Viet Nam. We show that the Re of subgenogroup C4 decreased during the time frame of sampling, whereas that of B5 increased and remained >1 at the end of 2013, corresponding to a rise in B5 prevalence. Our study reveals that the subgenogroup B5 virus that emerged into Viet Nam is closely related to variants that were responsible for large epidemics in Malaysia and Taiwan and therefore extends our knowledge regarding its associated area of endemicity. Subgenogroup B5 evidently has the potential to cause more widespread outbreaks across Southeast Asia. EV-A71 is one of many viruses that cause HFMD, a common syndrome that largely affects infants and children. HFMD usually causes only mild illness with no long-term consequences. Occasionally, however, severe infection may arise, especially in very young children, causing neurological complications and even death. EV-A71 is highly contagious and is associated with the most severe HFMD cases, with large and frequent epidemics of the virus recorded worldwide. Although major advances have been made in the development of a potential EV-A71

Phylodynamics of Enterovirus A71-Associated Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Kühnert, Denise; Halpin, Rebecca A.; Lin, Xudong; Simenauer, Ari; Akopov, Asmik; Das, Suman R.; Stockwell, Timothy B.; Shrivastava, Susmita; Ngoc, Nghiem My; Uyen, Le Thi Tam; Tuyen, Nguyen Thi Kim; Thanh, Tran Tan; Hang, Vu Thi Ty; Qui, Phan Tu; Hung, Nguyen Thanh; Khanh, Truong Huu; Thinh, Le Quoc; Nhan, Le Nguyen Thanh; Van, Hoang Minh Tu; Viet, Do Chau; Tuan, Ha Manh; Viet, Ho Lu; Hien, Tran Tinh; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; Grenfell, Bryan T.; Stadler, Tanja; Wentworth, David E.; Holmes, Edward C.; Van Doorn, H. Rogier

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is a major cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and is particularly prevalent in parts of Southeast Asia, affecting thousands of children and infants each year. Revealing the evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics of EV-A71 through time and space is central to understanding its outbreak potential. We generated the full genome sequences of 200 EV-A71 strains sampled from various locations in Viet Nam between 2011 and 2013 and used these sequence data to determine the evolutionary history and phylodynamics of EV-A71 in Viet Nam, providing estimates of the effective reproduction number (Re) of the infection through time. In addition, we described the phylogeography of EV-A71 throughout Southeast Asia, documenting patterns of viral gene flow. Accordingly, our analysis reveals that a rapid genogroup switch from C4 to B5 likely took place during 2012 in Viet Nam. We show that the Re of subgenogroup C4 decreased during the time frame of sampling, whereas that of B5 increased and remained >1 at the end of 2013, corresponding to a rise in B5 prevalence. Our study reveals that the subgenogroup B5 virus that emerged into Viet Nam is closely related to variants that were responsible for large epidemics in Malaysia and Taiwan and therefore extends our knowledge regarding its associated area of endemicity. Subgenogroup B5 evidently has the potential to cause more widespread outbreaks across Southeast Asia. IMPORTANCE EV-A71 is one of many viruses that cause HFMD, a common syndrome that largely affects infants and children. HFMD usually causes only mild illness with no long-term consequences. Occasionally, however, severe infection may arise, especially in very young children, causing neurological complications and even death. EV-A71 is highly contagious and is associated with the most severe HFMD cases, with large and frequent epidemics of the virus recorded worldwide. Although major advances have been made in the development of a

What You Know, What You Do, and How You Feel: Cultural Competence, Cultural Consonance, and Psychological Distress

PubMed Central

Dressler, William W.; Balieiro, Mauro C.; dos Santos, José E.

2018-01-01

Describing the link between culture (as a phenomenon pertaining to social aggregates) and the beliefs and behaviors of individuals has eluded satisfactory resolution; however, contemporary cognitive culture theory offers hope. In this theory, culture is conceptualized as cognitive models describing specific domains of life that are shared by members of a social group. It is sharing that gives culture its aggregate properties. There are two aspects to these cultural models at the level of the individual. Persons have their own representations of the world that correspond incompletely to the shared model—this is their ‘cultural competence.’ Persons are also variable in the degree to which they can put cultural models into practice in their own lives—this is their ‘cultural consonance.’ Low cultural consonance is a stressful experience and has been linked to higher psychological distress. The relationship of cultural competence per se and psychological distress is less clear. In the research reported here, cultural competence and cultural consonance are measured on the same sample and their associations with psychological distress are examined using multiple regression analysis. Results indicate that, with respect to psychological distress, while it is good to know the cultural model, it is better to put it into practice. PMID:29379460

Modeling the effect of channel number and interaction on consonant recognition in a cochlear implant peak-picking strategy.

PubMed

Verschuur, Carl

2009-03-01

Difficulties in speech recognition experienced by cochlear implant users may be attributed both to information loss caused by signal processing and to information loss associated with the interface between the electrode array and auditory nervous system, including cross-channel interaction. The objective of the work reported here was to attempt to partial out the relative contribution of these different factors to consonant recognition. This was achieved by comparing patterns of consonant feature recognition as a function of channel number and presence/absence of background noise in users of the Nucleus 24 device with normal hearing subjects listening to acoustic models that mimicked processing of that device. Additionally, in the acoustic model experiment, a simulation of cross-channel spread of excitation, or "channel interaction," was varied. Results showed that acoustic model experiments were highly correlated with patterns of performance in better-performing cochlear implant users. Deficits to consonant recognition in this subgroup could be attributed to cochlear implant processing, whereas channel interaction played a much smaller role in determining performance errors. The study also showed that large changes to channel number in the Advanced Combination Encoder signal processing strategy led to no substantial changes in performance.

The effects of placing an operational research fellow within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Programme.

PubMed

Hoa, N B; Nhung, N V; Kumar, A M V; Harries, A D

2016-12-21

In April 2009, an operational research fellow was placed within the Viet Nam National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP). Over the 6 years from 2010 to 2015, the OR fellow co-authored 21 tuberculosis research papers (as principal author in 15 [71%]). This constituted 23% of the 91 tuberculosis papers published in Viet Nam during this period. Of the 21 published papers, 16 (76%) contributed to changes in policy ( n = 8) and practice ( n = 8), and these in turn improved programme performance. Many papers also contributed important evidence for better programme planning. Highly motivated OR fellows embedded within NTPs can facilitate high-quality research and research uptake.

Real-Time Monitoring of Mountain Conifer Growth Response to Seasonal Climate and the Summer Monsoon in the Great Basin of North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strachan, S.; Biondi, F.

2013-12-01

Tree rings in the American intermountain west are often used for palaeoclimatic purposes, including reconstructions of precipitation, temperature, and drought. Specific seasonal phenomena such as the North American Monsoon (NAM) are also being identified in tree-ring studies as being related to certain growth features in the rings (such as early-onset 'false' latewood). These relationships have historically been developed using statistical relationships between tree-ring chronologies and regional weather observations. In zones near the periphery of the NAM, summertime precipitation may be more sporadic, yet localized vegetation assemblages in the northern Mojave desert and Great Basin regions indicate that these events are still important for some ecosystems which have established in areas where NAM activity is present. Major shifts in NAM behavior in the past may have been recorded by tree rings, and identifying the specific mechanisms/circumstances by which this occurs is critical for efforts seeking to model ecosystem response to climate changes. By establishing in-situ monitoring of climate/weather, soils, and tree-growth variables in Pinus ponderosa scopulorum and Pinus monophylla zones at study sites in eastern/southern Nevada, we are able to address these issues at very fine spatial and temporal scales. Data from two seasons of monitoring precipitation, solar radiation, air temperature, soil temperature, soil water content, tree sap flow, tree radial distance increment, and hourly imagery are presented. Point dendrometers along with sap flow sensors monitor growth in these ponderosa pine around the clock to help researchers understand tree-ring/climate relationships.

The Prosodic Licensing of Coda Consonants in Early Speech: Interactions with Vowel Length

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Kelly; Yuen, Ivan; Cox, Felicity; Demuth, Katherine

2016-01-01

English has a word-minimality requirement that all open-class lexical items must contain at least two moras of structure, forming a bimoraic foot (Hayes, 1995).Thus, a word with either a long vowel, or a short vowel and a coda consonant, satisfies this requirement. This raises the question of when and how young children might learn this…

Vowel and Consonant Lessening: A Study of Articulating Reductions and Their Relations to Genders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Grace Hui Chin; Chien, Paul Shih Chieh

2011-01-01

Using English as a global communicating tool makes Taiwanese people have to speak in English in diverse international situations. However, consonants and vowels in English are not all effortless for them to articulate. This phonological reduction study explores concepts about phonological (articulating system) approximation. From Taiwanese folks'…

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition budget in a subtropical hydroelectric reservoir (Nam Theun II case study, Lao PDR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adon, Marcellin; Galy-Lacaux, Corinne; Serça, Dominique; Guerin, Frederic; Guedant, Pierre; Vonghamsao, Axay; Rode, Wanidaporn

2016-04-01

With 490 km² at full level of operation, Nam Theun 2 (NT2) is one of the largest hydro-reservoir in South East Asia. NT2 is a trans-basin hydropower project that diverts water from the Nam Theun river (a Mekong tributary) to the Xe Ban Fai river (another Mekong tributary). Atmospheric deposition is an important source of nitrogen (N), and it has been shown that excessive fluxes of N from the atmosphere has resulted in eutrophication of many coastal waters. A large fraction of atmospheric N input is in the form of inorganic N. This study presents an estimation of the atmospheric inorganic nitrogen budget into the NT2 hydroelectric reservoir based on a two-year monitoring (July 2010 to July 2012) including gas concentrations and precipitation. Dry deposition fluxes are calculated from monthly mean surface measurements of NH3, HNO3 and NO2 concentrations (passive samplers) together with simulated deposition velocities, and wet deposition fluxes from NH4+ and NO3- concentrations in single event rain samples (automated rain sampler). Annual rainfall amount was 2500 and 3160 mm for the two years. The average nitrogen deposition flux is estimated at 1.13 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 from dry processes and 5.52 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 from wet ones, i.e., an average annual total nitrogen flux of 6.6 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 deposited into the NT2 reservoir. The wet deposition contributes to 83% of the total N deposition. The nitrogen deposition budget has been also calculated over the rain tropical forest surrounding the reservoir. Due to higher dry deposition velocities above forested ecosystems, gaseous dry deposition flux is estimated at 4.0 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 leading to a total nitrogen deposition about 9.5 kgN.ha-1.yr-1. This result will be compared to nitrogen deposition in the African equatorial forested ecosystems in the framework of the IDAF program (IGAC-DEBITS-AFrica).

Cultural consonance, a 5HT2A receptor polymorphism, and depressive symptoms: a longitudinal study of gene x culture interaction in urban Brazil.

PubMed

Dressler, William W; Balieiro, Mauro C; Ribeiro, Rosane P; Dos Santos, José Ernesto

2009-01-01

In this study in urban Brazil we examine, as a predictor of depressive symptoms, the interaction between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 2A receptor in the serotonin system (-1438G/A) and cultural consonance in family life, a measure of the degree to which an individual perceives her family as corresponding to a widely shared cultural model of the prototypical family. A community sample of 144 adults was followed over a 2-year-period. Cultural consonance in family life was assessed by linking individuals' perceptions of their own families with a shared cultural model of the family derived from cultural consensus analysis. The -1438G/A polymorphism in the 2A serotonin receptor was genotyped using a standard protocol for DNA extracted from leukocytes. Covariates included age, sex, socioeconomic status, and stressful life events. Cultural consonance in family life was prospectively associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, the interaction between genotype and cultural consonance in family life was significant. For individuals with the A/A variant of the -1438G/A polymorphism of the 2A receptor gene, the effect of cultural consonance in family life on depressive symptoms over a 2-year-period was larger (beta = -0.533, P < 0.01) than those effects for individuals with either the G/A (beta = -0.280, P < 0.10) or G/G (beta = -0.272, P < 0.05) variants. These results are consistent with a process in which genotype moderates the effects of culturally meaningful social experience on depressive symptoms. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Perceptual Recovery from Consonant-Cluster Simplification in Korean Using Language-Specific Phonological Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Taehong; McQueen, James M.

2011-01-01

Two experiments examined whether perceptual recovery from Korean consonant-cluster simplification is based on language-specific phonological knowledge. In tri-consonantal C1C2C3 sequences such as /lkt/ and /lpt/ in Seoul Korean, either C1 or C2 can be completely deleted. Seoul Koreans monitored for C2 targets (/p/ or /k/, deleted or preserved) in…

Disease spectrum and management of children admitted with acute respiratory infection in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, T K P; Nguyen, D V; Truong, T N H; Tran, M D; Graham, S M; Marais, B J

2017-06-01

To assess the acute respiratory infection (ARI) disease spectrum, duration of hospitalisation and outcome in children hospitalised with an ARI in Viet Nam. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of ARI admissions to primary (Hoa Vang District Hospital), secondary (Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children) and tertiary (National Hospital of Paediatrics in Ha Noi) level hospitals in Viet Nam over 12 months (01/09/2015 to 31/08/2016). Acute respiratory infections accounted for 27.9% (37 436/134 061) of all paediatric admissions; nearly half (47.6%) of all children admitted to Hoa Vang District Hospital. Most (64.6%) of children hospitalised with an ARI were <2 years of age. Influenza/pneumonia accounted for 69.4% of admissions; tuberculosis for only 0.3%. Overall 284 (0.8%) children died; most deaths (269/284; 94.7%) occurred at the tertiary referral hospital. The average duration of hospitalisation was 7.6 days (median 7 days). The average direct hospitalisation cost per ARI admission was 157.5 USD in Da Nang Provincial Hospital. In total, 62.6% of admissions were covered by health insurance. Acute respiratory infection is a major cause of paediatric hospitalisation in Viet Nam, characterised by prolonged hospitalisation for relatively mild disease. There is huge potential to reduce unnecessary hospital admission and cost. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Perception of Non-Native Consonant Length Contrast: The Role of Attention in Phonetic Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porretta, Vincent J.; Tucker, Benjamin V.

2015-01-01

The present investigation examines English speakers' ability to identify and discriminate non-native consonant length contrast. Three groups (L1 English No-Instruction, L1 English Instruction, and L1 Finnish control) performed a speeded forced-choice identification task and a speeded AX discrimination task on Finnish non-words (e.g.…

Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Human Parainfluenza Viruses 1-4 in Children from Viet Nam.

PubMed

Linster, Martin; Do, Lien Anh Ha; Minh, Ngo Ngoc Quang; Chen, Yihui; Zhe, Zhu; Tuan, Tran Anh; Tuan, Ha Manh; Su, Yvonne C F; van Doorn, H Rogier; Moorthy, Mahesh; Smith, Gavin J D

2018-05-01

HPIVs are serologically and genetically grouped into four species that account for up to 10% of all hospitalizations due to acute respiratory infection in children under the age of five. Genetic and epidemiological data for the four HPIVs derived from two pediatric cohorts in Viet Nam are presented. Respiratory samples were screened for HPIV1-4 by real-time PCR. Demographic and clinical data of patients infected with different HPIV were compared. We used a hemi-nested PCR approach to generate viral genome sequences from HPIV-positive samples and conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. In total, 170 samples tested positive for HPIV. HPIV3 was most commonly detected in our cohort and 80 co-detections of HPIV with other respiratory viruses were found. Phylogenetic analyses suggest local endemic circulation as well as punctuated introductions of new HPIV lineages. Viral gene flow analysis revealed that Viet Nam is a net importer of viral genetic diversity. Epidemiological analyses imply similar disease severity for all HPIV species. HPIV sequences from Viet Nam formed local clusters and were interspersed with sequences from diverse geographic regions. Combined, this new knowledge will help to investigate global HPIV circulation patterns in more detail and ultimately define more suitable vaccine strains.

Consonant Cluster Production in Children with Cochlear Implants: A Comparison with Normally Hearing Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faes, Jolien; Gillis, Steven

2017-01-01

In early word productions, the same types of errors are manifest in children with cochlear implants (CI) as in their normally hearing (NH) peers with respect to consonant clusters. However, the incidence of those types and their longitudinal development have not been examined or quantified in the literature thus far. Furthermore, studies on the…

Participatory support to farmers in improving safety and health at work: building WIND farmer volunteer networks in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Kawakami, Tsuyoshi; Van, Vhu Nhu; Theu, Nguyen Van; Khai, Ton That; Kogi, Kazutaka

2008-10-01

The government of Viet Nam places a high priority on upgrading the quality of farmers' lives. Providing adequate occupational safety and health (OSH) protection for all farmers is an important challenge. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) of Viet Nam trained WIND (Work Improvement in Neighbourhood Development) farmer volunteers. From 2004-2007, MOLISA in cooperation with ministries of health and agriculture trained 480 WIND farmer volunteers in selected 14 provinces. Trained farmer volunteers trained their neighbouring farmers and expanded their networks. The WIND training programme produced in Cantho, Viet Nam in 1996, was used as the core training methodology. The WIND action-checklist, good example photo-sheets, and other participatory training materials were designed for WIND farmer volunteers as practical training tools. The volunteers trained 7,922 farmers. The trained farmers implemented 28,508 improvements in materials handling, work posture, machine and electrical safety, working environments and control of hazardous chemicals, and welfare facilities. The provincial support committees organized follow-up workshops and strengthen the WIND farmer volunteer networks. The system of WIND farmer volunteers proved effective in extending practical OSH protection measures to farmers at grassroots level. The system of WIND farmer volunteers was adopted in the First National Programme on Labour Protection and OSH of Viet Nam as a practical means in OSH and is now further expanding within the framework of the National Programme.

Distance Education Policy and Public Awareness in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vuth, Doung; Than, Chhuon Chan; Phanousith, Somphone; Phissamay, Phonpasit; Tai, Tran Thi

2007-01-01

The current project brings together academic and governmental specialists from Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam (CLV), in a collaborative study of the prospects for distance education (DE) in those countries. The study's overall objectives are to: (1) survey and take stock of existing educational scenarios and problems in CLV; (2) document the…

Player or referee? Aid effectiveness and the governance of health policy development: Lessons from Viet Nam.

PubMed

Dodd, Rebecca; Olivé, Jean-Marc

2011-01-01

Viet Nam is one of the brightest stars in the constellation of developing countries. Its remarkable achievements in reducing poverty and improving health and education outcomes are well known, and as a result it has enjoyed generous aid programmes. Viet Nam also has a reputation for taking a strong lead in disciplining its donors and pushing for more efficient and effective forms of aid delivery, both at home and internationally. This article discusses how efforts to improve the effectiveness of aid intersect with policy-making processes in the health sector. It presents a quantitative review of health aid flows in Viet Nam and a qualitative analysis of the aid environment using event analysis, participant observation and key informant interviews. The analysis reveals a complex and dynamic web of incentives influencing the implementation of the aid effectiveness agenda in the health sector. There are contradictory forces within the Ministry of Health, within government as a whole, within the donor community and between donors and government. Analytical frameworks drawn from the study of policy networks and governance can help explain these tensions. They suggest that governance of health aid in Viet Nam is characterised by multiple, overlapping 'policy networks' which cut across the traditional donor-government divide. The principles of aid effectiveness make sense for some of these communities, but for others they are irrational and may lead to a loss of influence and resources. However, sustained engagement combined with the building of strategic coalitions can overcome individual and institutional incentives. This article suggests that aid reform efforts should be understood not as a technocratic agenda but as a political process with all the associated tensions, perverse incentives and challenges. Partners thus need to recognise - and find new ways of making sense of - the complexity of forces affecting aid delivery.

Gaze Duration Biases for Colours in Combination with Dissonant and Consonant Sounds: A Comparative Eye-Tracking Study with Orangutans.

PubMed

Mühlenbeck, Cordelia; Liebal, Katja; Pritsch, Carla; Jacobsen, Thomas

2015-01-01

Research on colour preferences in humans and non-human primates suggests similar patterns of biases for and avoidance of specific colours, indicating that these colours are connected to a psychological reaction. Similarly, in the acoustic domain, approach reactions to consonant sounds (considered as positive) and avoidance reactions to dissonant sounds (considered as negative) have been found in human adults and children, and it has been demonstrated that non-human primates are able to discriminate between consonant and dissonant sounds. Yet it remains unclear whether the visual and acoustic approach-avoidance patterns remain consistent when both types of stimuli are combined, how they relate to and influence each other, and whether these are similar for humans and other primates. Therefore, to investigate whether gaze duration biases for colours are similar across primates and whether reactions to consonant and dissonant sounds cumulate with reactions to specific colours, we conducted an eye-tracking study in which we compared humans with one species of great apes, the orangutans. We presented four different colours either in isolation or in combination with consonant and dissonant sounds. We hypothesised that the viewing time for specific colours should be influenced by dissonant sounds and that previously existing avoidance behaviours with regard to colours should be intensified, reflecting their association with negative acoustic information. The results showed that the humans had constant gaze durations which were independent of the auditory stimulus, with a clear avoidance of yellow. In contrast, the orangutans did not show any clear gaze duration bias or avoidance of colours, and they were also not influenced by the auditory stimuli. In conclusion, our findings only partially support the previously identified pattern of biases for and avoidance of specific colours in humans and do not confirm such a pattern for orangutans.

Gaze Duration Biases for Colours in Combination with Dissonant and Consonant Sounds: A Comparative Eye-Tracking Study with Orangutans

PubMed Central

Mühlenbeck, Cordelia; Liebal, Katja; Pritsch, Carla; Jacobsen, Thomas

2015-01-01

Research on colour preferences in humans and non-human primates suggests similar patterns of biases for and avoidance of specific colours, indicating that these colours are connected to a psychological reaction. Similarly, in the acoustic domain, approach reactions to consonant sounds (considered as positive) and avoidance reactions to dissonant sounds (considered as negative) have been found in human adults and children, and it has been demonstrated that non-human primates are able to discriminate between consonant and dissonant sounds. Yet it remains unclear whether the visual and acoustic approach–avoidance patterns remain consistent when both types of stimuli are combined, how they relate to and influence each other, and whether these are similar for humans and other primates. Therefore, to investigate whether gaze duration biases for colours are similar across primates and whether reactions to consonant and dissonant sounds cumulate with reactions to specific colours, we conducted an eye-tracking study in which we compared humans with one species of great apes, the orangutans. We presented four different colours either in isolation or in combination with consonant and dissonant sounds. We hypothesised that the viewing time for specific colours should be influenced by dissonant sounds and that previously existing avoidance behaviours with regard to colours should be intensified, reflecting their association with negative acoustic information. The results showed that the humans had constant gaze durations which were independent of the auditory stimulus, with a clear avoidance of yellow. In contrast, the orangutans did not show any clear gaze duration bias or avoidance of colours, and they were also not influenced by the auditory stimuli. In conclusion, our findings only partially support the previously identified pattern of biases for and avoidance of specific colours in humans and do not confirm such a pattern for orangutans. PMID:26466351

Scramble in the South China Sea: Regional Conflict and U.S. Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-14

Basin Phu Kanh Basin Cuu Long Basin Nam Con Son Basin South China Sea Platform Baram Delta Basin Palawan Shelf Basin Greater Sarawak Basin...Basin 183 10,599 Greater Sarawak Basin 618 34,083 Phu Kanh Basin 116 10,679 Baram Delta Basin 4,056 12,546 Cuu Long Basin 1,599 487 Palawan Shelf

Functional abnormalities in the cortical processing of sound complexity and musical consonance in schizophrenia: evidence from an evoked potential study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Previous studies have demonstrated functional and structural temporal lobe abnormalities located close to the auditory cortical regions in schizophrenia. The goal of this study was to determine whether functional abnormalities exist in the cortical processing of musical sound in schizophrenia. Methods Twelve schizophrenic patients and twelve age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited, and participants listened to a random sequence of two kinds of sonic entities, intervals (tritones and perfect fifths) and chords (atonal chords, diminished chords, and major triads), of varying degrees of complexity and consonance. The perception of musical sound was investigated by the auditory evoked potentials technique. Results Our results showed that schizophrenic patients exhibited significant reductions in the amplitudes of the N1 and P2 components elicited by musical stimuli, to which consonant sounds contributed more significantly than dissonant sounds. Schizophrenic patients could not perceive the dissimilarity between interval and chord stimuli based on the evoked potentials responses as compared with the healthy controls. Conclusion This study provided electrophysiological evidence of functional abnormalities in the cortical processing of sound complexity and music consonance in schizophrenia. The preliminary findings warrant further investigations for the underlying mechanisms. PMID:23721126

Dengue Virus in Sub-tropical Northern and Central Viet Nam: Population Immunity and Climate Shape Patterns of Viral Invasion and Maintenance

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-05

or the U.S. Government. * E-mail: j.aaskov@qut.edu.au Introduction Dengue viruses (DENV) are single-stranded, positive-sense, mosquito -borne RNA...transmission intensities, as cool winter temperatures in northern Viet Nam may reduce mosquito breeding and survival and increase extrinsic incubation times...Nam may reduce mosquito populations and virus replica- tion to levels that are not conducive to year-round DENV transmission. Finally, we found that

Co-existence of Paragonimus harinasutai and Paragonimus bangkokensis metacercariae in fresh water crab hosts in central Viet Nam with special emphasis on their close phylogenetic relationship.

PubMed

Doanh, Pham Ngoc; Hien, Hoang Van; Nonaka, Nariaki; Horii, Yoichiro; Nawa, Yukifumi

2012-09-01

During our epidemiological surveys for Paragonimus species in central Viet Nam, we found four morphologically different Paragonimus metacercariae in mountainous crabs. They were identified as metacercariae of Paragonimus westermani, P. bangkokensis, P. proliferus, and P. harinasutai in the order of their prevalence in crab hosts. This is the first discovery of P. harinasutai in Viet Nam, co-inhabiting with P. bangkokensis and other species. Metacercariae of P. harinasutai were given orally to a cat to obtain adult worms. Then, ITS2 and CO1 sequences of metacercariae and adults of P. harinasutai, and metacercariae of P. bangkokensis collected from the same place were determined for analyses of phylogenetic relationships to other P. harinasutai and P. bangkokensis populations as well as related species. The results of molecular analyses showed that P. harinasutai from Quang Binh province of central Viet Nam was almost completely identical with those from Vientiane, Lao PDR; P. bangkokensis from Quang Binh, Viet Nam was also almost completely identical with those from Lao PDR and from Quang Ninh province, Viet Nam. Except for one P. harinasutai isolate from China, all populations of P. harinasutai and P. bangkokensis from Thailand, Lao and Viet Nam make a single clade in both ITS2 and CO1 trees. In ITS2 sequences, AT deletion and ATC insertion were observed in some isolates of both species, indicating recent gene flow between P. harinasutai and P. bangkokensis. Moreover, because of their extremely high genetic similarities and their co-inhabitation in the same crab hosts found in Thailand, Lao PDR and Viet Nam, they should be considered as the sister species at the early stage of divergence. In addition, P. microrchis previously described from Yunnan, China should be placed as the synonym of P. harinasutai, because of their morphological and molecular similarities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation and norming of the Intelligibility in Context Scale in Northern Viet Nam.

PubMed

Phạm, Ben; McLeod, Sharynne; Harrison, Linda J

2017-01-01

Vietnamese is one of the 20 most commonly spoken languages in the world; however, there are no standardised tools to assess Vietnamese children's speech. This study aimed to validate and norm the Vietnamese version of the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS-VN). Data were collected from parents of 181 children (aged 2;0-5;11) living in Ha Noi, Northern Viet Nam. The mean ICS-VN score was 4.43 (out of a maximum of 5), indicating that children were 'usually' to 'always' intelligible; however, item-level scores demonstrated significant differences between communication partners. Children with parental concerns about speech and language had significantly lower mean scores than children without parental concerns. Scores also differed by children's age, parents' occupation and mothers' education level but not by sex of child or fathers' education level. The ICS-VN had good psychometric properties indicating it to be a valid tool for use with Vietnamese-speaking children in Northern Viet Nam.

Prevalence of latent tuberculous infection among adults in the general population of Ca Mau, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Marks, G B; Nhung, N V; Nguyen, T A; Hoa, N B; Khoa, T H; Son, N V; Phuong, N T B; Tin, D M; Ho, J; Fox, G J

2018-03-01

The study was conducted in a randomly selected sample of persons aged 15 years living in Ca Mau Province, southern Viet Nam. To estimate the prevalence of latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) in the general adult population of this province of Viet Nam. The secondary objective was to examine age and sex differences in prevalence. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a cluster-random sample of the population. Clusters were subcommunes. The presence of LTBI was assessed using the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube test system. QuantiFERON tests were performed among 1319 persons aged 15 years (77.7% of those selected). The overall prevalence of positive tests was 36.8% (95%CI 33.4-40.3). The prevalence of a positive test was lower in females than in males (31.0% vs. 44.7%, OR 0.57, 95%CI 0.45-0.72, P < 0.0001). The prevalence of positive tests increased with increasing age quintile (P < 0.0001). More than one third of the general adult population in a province in southern Viet Nam have evidence of LTBI. Although LTBI prevalence is higher in males, the sex difference is not as great as that for TB notification rates.

The Effects of Within-Sequence Acoustic Similarity on the Short-Term Retention of Consonants and Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcer, D.; And Others

1977-01-01

Compares the rates of forgetting of five-item sequences of acoustically similar and dissimilar consonants and words in the absence of proactive and retroactive interference in order to test whether within sequence similarity rather than stimulus length would have a greater influence on retention. (Author/RK)

The Consonant-Weighted Envelope Difference Index (cEDI): A Proposed Technique for Quantifying Envelope Distortion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, Eric C.; Souza, Pamela E.; Gallun, Frederick J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The benefits of amplitude compression in hearing aids may be limited by distortion resulting from rapid gain adjustment. To evaluate this, it is convenient to quantify distortion by using a metric that is sensitive to the changes in the processed signal that decrease consonant recognition, such as the Envelope Difference Index (EDI;…

Matrix Effects in SIMS Analysis of Hydrogen in Nominally Anhydrous Minerals (NAMs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosenfelder, J. L.; Rossman, G. R.

2014-12-01

Accurate analysis of trace H in NAMs has become important with recognition that even small amounts of H influence geochemical and geophysical processes. FTIR and SIMS can measure concentrations down to ~1 ppmw H2O. However, a major limitation is that they rely on standards calibrated with other methods. SIMS matrix effects for H in NAMs are poorly constrained, but are likely dominated by differences in mean atomic mass. Here we use volatile-free molar weight (VFMW) normalized to one O/mol as a proxy for this parameter [cf. 1]. Our goal is to constrain SIMS matrix effects by combining our work on olivine [2], pyroxene [3], and feldspar [4] with new data on kyanite, zircon, and 37 garnets (pyropes, grossulars, spessartines, and andradites), while critically evaluating absolute calibrations of IR absorption coefficients (ɛi) for H in NAMs. All of these NAMs taken together span a wider range in VFMW (~32-45) than in previous comparisons [5, 6] concentrating only on olivine, pyroxene, and pyrope-rich garnet (VFMW ~ 34-37). Our results and conclusions include the following: 1) SIMS-FTIR comparisons demonstrate that ɛi is wavenumber dependent for feldspar, zircon, grossular, and clinopyroxene, in accord with theory and empirical calibrations on hydrous materials. On the other hand, a factor of 3 difference in ɛi for H defects in olivine [7] is unsupported by our data [2]. 2) Calibration slopes (for plots of ppmw H2O vs. 16OH/30Si × SiO2) correlate positively with VFMW, an effect not discerned in previous work [6]. This result is also opposite to a study demonstrating a negative correlation for hydrous phases and glasses [1]. This discrepancy may be related to differences in analytical methods (e.g., Cs+ vs. O- primary beam, collection of OH- versus H+). 3) Scatter in the trend of calibration slopes vs. VFMW is likely due to uncertainties in ɛi. Another possible factor is the structure of the matrix, which can affect the kinetic energy of cascade collisions leading to

Compiling mortality statistics from civil registration systems in Viet Nam: the long road ahead.

PubMed

Rao, Chalapati; Osterberger, Brigitta; Anh, Tran Dam; MacDonald, Malcolm; Chúc, Nguyen Thi Kim; Hill, Peter S

2010-01-01

Accurate mortality statistics, needed for population health assessment, health policy and research, are best derived from data in vital registration systems. However, mortality statistics from vital registration systems are not available for several countries including Viet Nam. We used a mixed methods case study approach to assess vital registration operations in 2006 in three provinces in Viet Nam (Hòa Bình, Thùa Thiên-Hué and Bình Duong), and provide recommendations to strengthen vital registration systems in the country. For each province we developed life tables from population and mortality data compiled by sex and age group. Demographic methods were used to estimate completeness of death registration as an indicator of vital registration performance. Qualitative methods (document review, key informant interviews and focus group discussions) were used to assess administrative, technical and societal aspects of vital registration systems. Completeness of death registration was low in all three provinces. Problems were identified with the legal framework for registration of early neonatal deaths and deaths of temporary residents or migrants. The system does not conform to international standards for reporting cause of death or for recording detailed statistics by age, sex and cause of death. Capacity-building along with an intersectoral coordination committee involving the Ministries of Justice and Health and the General Statistics Office would improve the vital registration system, especially with regard to procedures for death registration. There appears to be strong political support for sentinel surveillance systems to generate reliable mortality statistics in Viet Nam.

A rapid assessment and response approach for socially marketed nutrition commodities in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Turk, Tahir; Quang, Nguyen Dinh; Nga, Tran Thuy; Phuong, Huynh; Tung, Le Van Anh; Trang, Vu Hoang

2017-01-01

The leading cause of death in children in developing countries is protein-energy malnutrition. In Viet Nam, 25.9% of children under 5 experience stunted growth and 6.6% are moderately wasted. Iron deficiency anaemia and vitamin A deficiency contribute to these and other malnutrition conditions. Given these factors, more evidence based approaches are required to improve understanding of current attitudes, opinions and behaviours of mothers with young children, in order to operationalise social marketing of nutrition commodities in Viet Nam. A literature review supported a rapid assessment and response method involving semi-structured interviews with 77 stakeholders and focus group discussions with 80 program beneficiaries from four geographic locations in the north and south of Viet Nam. Discussion agendas were developed to address key program issues with grounded theory utilized for data analysis. Data analysis highlighted challenges and opportunities within the six Ps of social marketing: Supply and demand side issues included: cost and the quality of products, the limited scale of interventions and promotional activities. Policy issues identified related to current policies that inhibited the broader promotion and distribution of micronutrient products, and opportunities for improved dialogue with policy partners. Partnerships further emphasized the need for public private partnerships to support the social change process. Implications for theory, policy, and practice indicates that rapid assessment and response is a cost-effective, pragmatic method of public health research, in resource constrained settings, to explore policies and behaviours amenable to change and build stakeholder engagement in the program.

Seismic while drilling: Operational experiences in Viet Nam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, M.; Einchcomb, C.

1997-03-01

The BP/Statoil alliance in Viet Nam has used seismic while drilling on four wells during the last two years. Three wells employed the Western Atlas Tomex system, and the last well, Schlumberger`s SWD system. Perceived value of seismic while drilling (SWD) lies in being able to supply real-time data linking drill bit position to a seismic picture of the well. However, once confidence in equipment and methodology is attained, SWD can influence well design and planning associated with drilling wells. More important, SWD can remove uncertainty when actually drilling wells, allowing risk assessment to be carried out more accurately andmore » confidently.« less

Symptoms and risk factors for stroke in a community-based observational sample in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Annette L; Ngo, Quang Van; Ly, Kiet A; Ton, Thanh G N; Longstreth, W T; Vo, Tung T; Heitzinger, Kristen; Pham, Chien H; Tirschwell, David L

2012-09-01

Viet Nam is experiencing a health transition from infectious to chronic disease. Data on cardiovascular diseases, including strokes, are limited. Data were randomly collected from six communities in Da Nang, Viet Nam, on participant demographics, medical history, blood pressure, anthropometrics and health behavior using World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Stroke symptoms were collected by self-report with the standardized Questionnaire for Verifying Stroke Free Status. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the presence of stroke symptoms. One thousand six hundred and twenty one adults were examined with a mean age of 52.0 years (± 12.5 years), of which 56.1% were women. 27.3% of the participants were found to have hypertension, 26.2% used tobacco, and 16.1% were overweight. More than two-thirds of the participants with hypertension were unaware of their condition. Almost one fourth of the participants were identified by the questionnaire as previously experiencing at least one stroke symptom. Age, rural residence, and education were associated with the presence of stroke symptoms. Models adjusted for demographics found hypertension, high cholesterol, reported severe chest pain, former smoking, and being overweight to be associated with a higher prevalence of stroke symptoms. The high frequency of stroke symptoms in Da Nang calls for further evaluation and interventions to reduce hypertension and other risk factors for chronic disease in Viet Nam and other health transition countries.

Using lot quality-assurance sampling and area sampling to identify priority areas for trachoma control: Viet Nam.

PubMed

Myatt, Mark; Mai, Nguyen Phuong; Quynh, Nguyen Quang; Nga, Nguyen Huy; Tai, Ha Huy; Long, Nguyen Hung; Minh, Tran Hung; Limburg, Hans

2005-10-01

To report on the use of lot quality-assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys undertaken within an area-sampling framework to identify priority areas for intervention with trachoma control activities in Viet Nam. The LQAS survey method for the rapid assessment of the prevalence of active trachoma was adapted for use in Viet Nam with the aim of classifying individual communes by the prevalence of active trachoma among children in primary school. School-based sampling was used; school sites to be sampled were selected using an area-sampling approach. A total of 719 communes in 41 districts in 18 provinces were surveyed. Survey staff found the LQAS survey method both simple and rapid to use after initial problems with area-sampling methods were identified and remedied. The method yielded a finer spatial resolution of prevalence than had been previously achieved in Viet Nam using semiquantitative rapid assessment surveys and multistage cluster-sampled surveys. When used with area-sampling techniques, the LQAS survey method has the potential to form the basis of survey instruments that can be used to efficiently target resources for interventions against active trachoma. With additional work, such methods could provide a generally applicable tool for effective programme planning and for the certification of the elimination of trachoma as a blinding disease.

Positive and negative metacognitions about alcohol use among university students: Psychometric properties of the PAMS and NAMS French versions.

PubMed

Gierski, Fabien; Spada, Marcantonio M; Fois, Eveline; Picard, Aurélie; Naassila, Mickaël; Van der Linden, Martial

2015-08-01

Metacognitions about the positive and negative effects of alcohol use have been associated with various patterns of drinking. The aim of the present study was to validate French versions of the Positive Alcohol Metacognitions Scale (PAMS) and the Negative Alcohol Metacognitions Scale (NAMS) developed by Spada and Wells (2008, Addict. Behav. 33, 515) and to investigate the relationship between metacognitions and patterns of alcohol use among university students. Responses of 1600 university students who participated in an internet survey-based study on alcohol use were submitted to confirmatory (N=800, mean age 20.40 years, 45.50% male) and exploratory (N=800, mean age 20.34 years, 45.38% male) factor analyses in two separate samples. Alcohol use, binge drinking and mood were also assessed. In line with the original versions of the scales, results provided support for a two-factor structure of the French PAMS and NAMS. Both scales revealed adequate internal reliability. Good temporal stability was found for the two factors of the NAMS, whereas one factor of the PAMS showed weakness across time. Predictive validity revealed that negative alcohol metacognitions about the uncontrollability of alcohol use were found to be consistently associated with alcohol use and binge drinking, whereas positive metacognitions about alcohol use were found to be differentially associated with alcohol use and binge drinking. The French versions of the PAMS and NAMS exhibited suitable psychometric properties. This study also emphasized the role of metacognitions about alcohol use in drinking behaviour among university students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survey of Food-hygiene Practices at Home and Childhood Diarrhoea in Hanoi, Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Takanashi, Kumiko; Chonan, Yuko; Quyen, Dao To; Khan, Nguyen Cong; Poudel, Krishna C.

2009-01-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the potential factors of food-hygiene practices of mothers on the prevalence of diarrhoea among their children. Mothers who had children aged 6 months–5 years were recruited in a hamlet in Viet Nam. The food-hygiene practices included hand-washing, method of washing utensils, separation of utensils for raw and cooked food, and the location where foods were prepared for cooking. A face-to-face interview was conducted, and data on 206 mothers were analyzed. The risk of diarrhoea was significantly higher among children whose mothers prepared food for cooking somewhere other than the table (typically on the ground) compared to children whose mothers prepared food on the table (adjusted odds ratio=2.85, 95% confidence interval 1.11–7.28). The results indicate that food-hygiene practices of mothers, such as avoiding preparing food for cooking on the ground, has a potential impact in preventing diarrhoea among children in Viet Nam. PMID:19902795

Children's Identification of Consonants in a Speech-Shaped Noise or a Two-Talker Masker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leibold, Lori J.; Buss, Emily

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate child-adult differences for consonant identification in a noise or a 2-talker masker. Error patterns were compared across age and masker type to test the hypothesis that errors with the noise masker reflect limitations in the peripheral encoding of speech, whereas errors with the 2-talker masker reflect target-masker…

Origin of worldwide cultivated barley revealed by NAM-1 gene and grain protein content

PubMed Central

Wang, Yonggang; Ren, Xifeng; Sun, Dongfa; Sun, Genlou

2015-01-01

The origin, evolution, and distribution of cultivated barley provides powerful insights into the historic origin and early spread of agrarian culture. Here, population-based genetic diversity and phylogenetic analyses were performed to determine the evolution and origin of barley and how domestication and subsequent introgression have affected the genetic diversity and changes in cultivated barley on a worldwide scale. A set of worldwide cultivated and wild barleys from Asia and Tibet of China were analyzed using the sequences for NAM-1 gene and gene-associated traits-grain protein content (GPC). Our results showed Tibetan wild barley distinctly diverged from Near Eastern barley, and confirmed that Tibet is one of the origin and domestication centers for cultivated barley, and in turn supported a polyphyletic origin of domesticated barley. Comparison of haplotype composition among geographic regions revealed gene flow between Eastern and Western barley populations, suggesting that the Silk Road might have played a crucial role in the spread of genes. The GPC in the 118 cultivated and 93 wild barley accessions ranged from 6.73 to 12.35% with a mean of 9.43%. Overall, wild barley had higher averaged GPC (10.44%) than cultivated barley. Two unique haplotypes (Hap2 and Hap7) caused by a base mutations (at position 544) in the coding region of the NAM-1 gene might have a significant impact on the GPC. Single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of NAM-1 associated with GPC in barley could provide a useful method for screening GPC in barley germplasm. The Tibetan wild accessions with lower GPC could be useful for malt barley breeding. PMID:26483818

Contrast effects on stop consonant identification.

PubMed

Diehl, R L; Elman, J L; McCusker, S B

1978-11-01

Changes in the identification of speech sounds following selective adaptation are usually attributed to a reduction in sensitivity of auditory feature detectors. An alternative explanation of these effects is based on the notion of response contrast. In several experiments, subjects identified the initial segment of synthetic consonant-vowel syllables as either the voiced stop [b] or the voiceless stop [ph]. Each test syllable had a value of voice onset time (VOT) that placed it near the English voiced-voiceless boundary. When the test syllables were preceded by a single clear [b] (VOT = -100 msec), subjects tended to identify them as [ph], whereas when they were preceded by an unambiguous [ph] (VOT = 100 msec), the syllables were predominantly labeled [b]. This contrast effect occurred even when the contextual stimuli were velar and the test stimuli were bilabial, which suggests a featural rather than a phonemic basis for the effect. To discount the possibility that these might be instances of single-trial sensory adaptation, we conducted a similar experiment in which the contextual stimuli followed the test items. Reliable contrast effects were still obtained. In view of these results, it appears likely that response contrast accounts for at least some component of the adaptation effects reported in the literature.

Role of alcohol in hospitalized road trauma in Viet nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Nam Phuong; Passmore, Jonathon; Tran, Lan Thi Ngoc; Luong, Anh Mai

2013-01-01

To assess the blood alcohol concentration (BAC; dependent variable) of patients with road traffic injuries (RTIs) presenting at 3 provincial and central hospitals in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam by age, sex, and road user type (independent variables). This survey formed part of the Viet Nam Road Traffic Injury Prevention Project, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. RTIs are a leading cause of death and disability in Viet Nam, with 14,690 deaths and 143,940 injuries reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2010. Research estimates suggest that motorcycle riders and passengers account for 60 percent of fatalities. Alcohol has long been suspected of being a leading cause of road traffic collisions and injuries. However, until now data on this relationship have been limited. A descriptive cross-sectional study measuring BAC in all consenting patients with RTIs presenting at 3 provincial or central hospitals between July 2009 and September 2010. All results were anonymous and summary information on key variables was sent to MOH and the World Health Organization (WHO) on a monthly basis. Of the 36,418 patients with RTIs presenting to these 3 hospitals between July 2009 and September 2010, BAC analysis was completed on 14,990 patients (41.2%), representing all patients with RTIs 15 years of age and above who consented to anonymous testing. BAC results ranged from 0 to 0.589 g/dL blood, with a mean of 0.0441 g/dL being the average concentration among all tested patients. Of all patients tested, 56.8 percent had no detectable alcohol in their system. Motorcycle riders were most commonly represented in the tested sample (70.7%), with 27.8 percent having a BAC above the legal limit (0.05 g/dL). Car or other vehicle drivers represented 2.7 percent of the sample, with 63.4 percent tested having a BAC above 0 g/dL, the legal limit for these road users. The results of this preliminary study indicate that 29.1 percent of all car drivers and motorcycle riders presenting at

On the interaction of deaffrication and consonant harmony*

PubMed Central

Dinnsen, Daniel A.; Gierut, Judith A.; Morrisette, Michele L.; Green, Christopher R.; Farris-Trimble, Ashley W.

2010-01-01

Error patterns in children’s phonological development are often described as simplifying processes that can interact with one another with different consequences. Some interactions limit the applicability of an error pattern, and others extend it to more words. Theories predict that error patterns interact to their full potential. While specific interactions have been documented for certain pairs of processes, no developmental study has shown that the range of typologically predicted interactions occurs for those processes. To determine whether this anomaly is an accidental gap or a systematic peculiarity of particular error patterns, two commonly occurring processes were considered, namely Deaffrication and Consonant Harmony. Results are reported from a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of 12 children (age 3;0 – 5;0) with functional phonological delays. Three interaction types were attested to varying degrees. The longitudinal results further instantiated the typology and revealed a characteristic trajectory of change. Implications of these findings are explored. PMID:20513256

High-risk and multiple human papillomavirus infections among married women in Can Tho, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Vu, Lan Thi Hoang

2012-07-01

The two currently licensed human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are highly efficacious in preventing cervical pre-cancers related to HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18. Before implementing a large-scale HPV vaccine campaign in Viet Nam, information about the prevalence of infection with the HPV vaccine types is required. This study was done in Can Tho, the province with the highest prevalence of cervical cancer in the south of Viet Nam, to explore the distribution of other high-risk types of HPV among married women in this province. The study employed a cross-sectional design with multistage sampling. A total of 1000 participants were randomly selected, interviewed and given gynaecological examinations. HPV infection status and HPV genotyping test were completed for all participants. A broad spectrum of HPV types was reported in this study. The prevalence of cases infected with HPV 16 and/or 18 was 7%; the prevalence of cases infected with other high-risk HPV types was 6%. The highest prevalence for single and multiple infections, as well as for high-risk infections, was reported for the youngest age group (less than 30 years). While it is relevant to implement an HPV vaccine campaign in Viet Nam due to the high prevalence of infection with HPV 16 and/or 18, it is important to note that one can be infected with multiple types of HPV. Vaccination does not protect against all types of high-risk HPV. Future vaccine campaigns should openly disclose this information to women receiving vaccines.

Restricted Consonant Inventories of 2-Year-Old Finnish Children with a History of Recurrent Acute Otitis Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haapala, Sini; Niemitalo-Haapola, Elina; Raappana, Antti; Kujala, Tiia; Kujala, Teija; Jansson-Verkasalo, Eira

2015-01-01

Many children experience recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) in early childhood. In a previous study, 2-year-old children with RAOM were shown to have immature neural patterns for speech sound discrimination. The present study further investigated the consonant inventories of these same children using natural speech samples. The results showed…

Using lot quality-assurance sampling and area sampling to identify priority areas for trachoma control: Viet Nam.

PubMed Central

Myatt, Mark; Mai, Nguyen Phuong; Quynh, Nguyen Quang; Nga, Nguyen Huy; Tai, Ha Huy; Long, Nguyen Hung; Minh, Tran Hung; Limburg, Hans

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To report on the use of lot quality-assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys undertaken within an area-sampling framework to identify priority areas for intervention with trachoma control activities in Viet Nam. METHODS: The LQAS survey method for the rapid assessment of the prevalence of active trachoma was adapted for use in Viet Nam with the aim of classifying individual communes by the prevalence of active trachoma among children in primary school. School-based sampling was used; school sites to be sampled were selected using an area-sampling approach. A total of 719 communes in 41 districts in 18 provinces were surveyed. FINDINGS: Survey staff found the LQAS survey method both simple and rapid to use after initial problems with area-sampling methods were identified and remedied. The method yielded a finer spatial resolution of prevalence than had been previously achieved in Viet Nam using semiquantitative rapid assessment surveys and multistage cluster-sampled surveys. CONCLUSION: When used with area-sampling techniques, the LQAS survey method has the potential to form the basis of survey instruments that can be used to efficiently target resources for interventions against active trachoma. With additional work, such methods could provide a generally applicable tool for effective programme planning and for the certification of the elimination of trachoma as a blinding disease. PMID:16283052

Improving the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected individuals in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, D T M; Hung, N Q; Giang, L T; Dung, N H; Lan, N T N; Lan, N N; Yen, N T B; Bang, N D; Ngoc, D V; Trinh, L T T; Beasley, R P; Ford, C E; Hwang, L-Y; Graviss, E A

2011-11-01

District 6, An Hoa Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam. To evaluate the performance of various algorithms in tuberculosis (TB) screening and diagnosis in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected population in HCMC, Viet Nam. A cross-sectional study of 397 consecutive HIV-infected patients seeking care at the An Hoa Clinic from August 2009 to June 2010. Data on participant demographics, clinical status, chest radiography (CXR) and laboratory results were collected. A multiple logistic regression model was developed to assess the association of covariates and pulmonary TB (PTB). The prevalence of sputum culture-confirmed PTB, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) positive TB, and multidrugresistant TB among the 397 HIV-infected patients was respectively 7%, 2%, and 0.3%. Adjusted odds ratios for low CD4+ cell count, positive sputum smear, and CXR to positive sputum culture were respectively 3.17, 32.04 and 4.28. Clinical findings alone had poor sensitivity, but combining CD4+ cell count, AFB sputum smear and CXR had a more accurate diagnostic performance. Results suggest that symptom screening had poor clinical performance, and support the routine use of sputum culture to improve the detection of TB disease in HIV-infected individuals in Viet Nam. However, when routine sputum culture is not available, an algorithm combining CD4+ cell count, AFB sputum smear and CXR is recommended for diagnosing PTB.

Swedish spring wheat varieties with the rare high grain protein allele of NAM-B1 differ in leaf senescence and grain mineral content.

PubMed

Asplund, Linnéa; Bergkvist, Göran; Leino, Matti W; Westerbergh, Anna; Weih, Martin

2013-01-01

Some Swedish spring wheat varieties have recently been shown to carry a rare wildtype (wt) allele of the gene NAM-B1, known to affect leaf senescence and nutrient retranslocation to the grain. The wt allele is believed to increase grain protein concentration and has attracted interest from breeders since it could contribute to higher grain quality and more nitrogen-efficient varieties. This study investigated whether Swedish varieties with the wt allele differ from varieties with one of the more common, non-functional alleles in order to examine the effect of the gene in a wide genetic background, and possibly explain why the allele has been retained in Swedish varieties. Forty varieties of spring wheat differing in NAM-B1 allele type were cultivated under controlled conditions. Senescence was monitored and grains were harvested and analyzed for mineral nutrient concentration. Varieties with the wt allele reached anthesis earlier and completed senescence faster than varieties with the non-functional allele. The wt varieties also had more ears, lighter grains and higher yields of P and K. Contrary to previous information on effects of the wt allele, our wt varieties did not have increased grain N concentration or grain N yield. In addition, temporal studies showed that straw length has decreased but grain N yield has remained unaffected over a century of Swedish spring wheat breeding. The faster development of wt varieties supports the hypothesis of NAM-B1 being preserved in Fennoscandia, with its short growing season, because of accelerated development conferred by the NAM-B1 wt allele. Although the possible effects of other gene actions were impossible to distinguish, the genetic resource of Fennoscandian spring wheats with the wt NAM-B1 allele is interesting to investigate further for breeding purposes.

Swedish Spring Wheat Varieties with the Rare High Grain Protein Allele of NAM-B1 Differ in Leaf Senescence and Grain Mineral Content

PubMed Central

Asplund, Linnéa; Bergkvist, Göran; Leino, Matti W.; Westerbergh, Anna; Weih, Martin

2013-01-01

Some Swedish spring wheat varieties have recently been shown to carry a rare wildtype (wt) allele of the gene NAM-B1, known to affect leaf senescence and nutrient retranslocation to the grain. The wt allele is believed to increase grain protein concentration and has attracted interest from breeders since it could contribute to higher grain quality and more nitrogen-efficient varieties. This study investigated whether Swedish varieties with the wt allele differ from varieties with one of the more common, non-functional alleles in order to examine the effect of the gene in a wide genetic background, and possibly explain why the allele has been retained in Swedish varieties. Forty varieties of spring wheat differing in NAM-B1 allele type were cultivated under controlled conditions. Senescence was monitored and grains were harvested and analyzed for mineral nutrient concentration. Varieties with the wt allele reached anthesis earlier and completed senescence faster than varieties with the non-functional allele. The wt varieties also had more ears, lighter grains and higher yields of P and K. Contrary to previous information on effects of the wt allele, our wt varieties did not have increased grain N concentration or grain N yield. In addition, temporal studies showed that straw length has decreased but grain N yield has remained unaffected over a century of Swedish spring wheat breeding. The faster development of wt varieties supports the hypothesis of NAM-B1 being preserved in Fennoscandia, with its short growing season, because of accelerated development conferred by the NAM-B1 wt allele. Although the possible effects of other gene actions were impossible to distinguish, the genetic resource of Fennoscandian spring wheats with the wt NAM-B1 allele is interesting to investigate further for breeding purposes. PMID:23555754

Dichotic beats of mistuned consonances.

PubMed

Feeney, M P

1997-10-01

The beats of mistuned consonances (BMCs) result from the presentation of two sinusoids at frequencies slightly mistuned from a ratio of small integers. Several studies have suggested that the source of dichotic BMCs is an interaction within a binaural critical band. In one case the mechanism has been explained as an aural harmonic of the low-frequency tone (f1) creating binaural beats with the high-frequency tone (f2). The other explanation involves a binaural cross correlation between the excitation pattern of f1 and the contralateral f2--occurring within the binaural critical band centered at f2. This study examined the detection of dichotic BMCs for the octave and fifth. In one experiment with the octave, narrow-band noise centered at f2 was presented to one ear along with f1. The other ear was presented with f2. The noise was used to prevent interactions in the binaural critical band centered at f2. Dichotic BMCs were still detected under these conditions, suggesting that binaural interaction within a critical band does not explain the effect. Localization effects were also observed under this masking condition for phase reversals of tuned dichotic octave stimuli. These findings suggest a new theory of dichotic BMCs as a between-channel phase effect. The modified weighted-image model of localization [Stern and Trahiotis, in Auditory Physiology and Perception, edited by Y. Cazals, L. Demany, and K. Horner (Pergamon, Oxford, 1992), pp. 547-554] was used to provide an explanation of the between-channel mechanism.

Seasonality of Groundwater Recharge in the Basin and Range Province, Western North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neff, K. L.; Meixner, T.; Ajami, H.; De La Cruz, L.

2015-12-01

For water-scarce communities in the western U.S., it is critical to understand groundwater recharge regimes and how those regimes might shift in the face of climate change and impact groundwater resources. Watersheds in the Basin and Range Geological Province are characterized by a variable precipitation regime of wet winters and variable summer precipitation. The relative contributions to groundwater recharge by summer and winter precipitation vary throughout the province, with winter precipitation recharge dominant in the northern parts of the region, and recharge from summer monsoonal precipitation playing a more significant role in the south, where the North American Monsoon (NAM) extends its influence. Stable water isotope data of groundwater and seasonal precipitation from sites in Sonora, Mexico and the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas were examined to estimate and compare groundwater recharge seasonality throughout the region. Contributions of winter precipitation to annual recharge vary from 69% ± 41% in the southernmost Río San Miguel Basin in Sonora, Mexico, to 100% ± 36% in the westernmost Mojave Desert of California. The Normalized Seasonal Wetness Index (NSWI), a simple water budget method for estimating recharge seasonality from climatic data, was shown to approximate recharge seasonality well in several winter precipitation-dominated systems, but less well in basins with significant summer precipitation.

Neuronal periodicity detection as a basis for the perception of consonance: a mathematical model of tonal fusion.

PubMed

Ebeling, Martin

2008-10-01

A mathematical model is presented here to explain the sensation of consonance and dissonance on the basis of neuronal coding and the properties of a neuronal periodicity detection mechanism. This mathematical model makes use of physiological data from a neuronal model of periodicity analysis in the midbrain, whose operation can be described mathematically by autocorrelation functions with regard to time windows. Musical intervals produce regular firing patterns in the auditory nerve that depend on the vibration ratio of the two tones. The mathematical model makes it possible to define a measure for the degree of these regularities for each vibration ratio. It turns out that this measure value is in line with the degree of tonal fusion as described by Stumpf [Tonpsychologie (Psychology of Tones) (Knuf, Hilversum), reprinted 1965]. This finding makes it probable that tonal fusion is a consequence of certain properties of the neuronal periodicity detection mechanism. Together with strong roughness resulting from interval tones with fundamentals close together or close to the octave, this neuronal mechanism may be regarded as the basis of consonance and dissonance.

Prediction of consonant recognition in quiet for listeners with normal and impaired hearing using an auditory model.

PubMed

Jürgens, Tim; Ewert, Stephan D; Kollmeier, Birger; Brand, Thomas

2014-03-01

Consonant recognition was assessed in normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired (HI) listeners in quiet as a function of speech level using a nonsense logatome test. Average recognition scores were analyzed and compared to recognition scores of a speech recognition model. In contrast to commonly used spectral speech recognition models operating on long-term spectra, a "microscopic" model operating in the time domain was used. Variations of the model (accounting for hearing impairment) and different model parameters (reflecting cochlear compression) were tested. Using these model variations this study examined whether speech recognition performance in quiet is affected by changes in cochlear compression, namely, a linearization, which is often observed in HI listeners. Consonant recognition scores for HI listeners were poorer than for NH listeners. The model accurately predicted the speech reception thresholds of the NH and most HI listeners. A partial linearization of the cochlear compression in the auditory model, while keeping audibility constant, produced higher recognition scores and improved the prediction accuracy. However, including listener-specific information about the exact form of the cochlear compression did not improve the prediction further.

The association of estimated salt intake with blood pressure in a Viet Nam national survey.

PubMed

Jensen, Paul N; Bao, Tran Quoc; Huong, Tran Thi Thanh; Heckbert, Susan R; Fitzpatrick, Annette L; LoGerfo, James P; Ngoc, Truong Le Van; Mokdad, Ali H

2018-01-01

To evaluate the association of salt consumption with blood pressure in Viet Nam, a developing country with a high level of salt consumption. Analysis of a nationally representative sample of Vietnamese adults 25-65 years of age who were surveyed using the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to Surveillance protocol. Participants who reported acute illness, pregnancy, or current use of antihypertensive medications were excluded. Daily salt consumption was estimated from fasting mid-morning spot urine samples. Associations of salt consumption with systolic blood pressure and prevalent hypertension were assessed using adjusted linear and generalized linear models. Interaction terms were tested to assess differences by age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and rural/urban status. The analysis included 2,333 participants (mean age: 37 years, 46% male, 33% urban). The average estimated salt consumption was 10g/day. No associations of salt consumption with blood pressure or prevalent hypertension were observed at a national scale in men or women. The associations did not differ in subgroups defined by age, smoking, or alcohol consumption; however, associations differed between urban and rural participants (p-value for interaction of urban/rural status with salt consumption, p = 0.02), suggesting that higher salt consumption may be associated with higher systolic blood pressure in urban residents but lower systolic blood pressure in rural residents. Although there was no evidence of an association at a national level, associations of salt consumption with blood pressure differed between urban and rural residents in Viet Nam. The reasons for this differential association are not clear, and given the large rate of rural to urban migration experienced in Viet Nam, this topic warrants further investigation.

Consonant identification in noise using Hilbert-transform temporal fine-structure speech and recovered-envelope speech for listeners with normal and impaired hearinga)

PubMed Central

Léger, Agnès C.; Reed, Charlotte M.; Desloge, Joseph G.; Swaminathan, Jayaganesh; Braida, Louis D.

2015-01-01

Consonant-identification ability was examined in normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired (HI) listeners in the presence of steady-state and 10-Hz square-wave interrupted speech-shaped noise. The Hilbert transform was used to process speech stimuli (16 consonants in a-C-a syllables) to present envelope cues, temporal fine-structure (TFS) cues, or envelope cues recovered from TFS speech. The performance of the HI listeners was inferior to that of the NH listeners both in terms of lower levels of performance in the baseline condition and in the need for higher signal-to-noise ratio to yield a given level of performance. For NH listeners, scores were higher in interrupted noise than in steady-state noise for all speech types (indicating substantial masking release). For HI listeners, masking release was typically observed for TFS and recovered-envelope speech but not for unprocessed and envelope speech. For both groups of listeners, TFS and recovered-envelope speech yielded similar levels of performance and consonant confusion patterns. The masking release observed for TFS and recovered-envelope speech may be related to level effects associated with the manner in which the TFS processing interacts with the interrupted noise signal, rather than to the contributions of TFS cues per se. PMID:26233038

'Never testing for HIV' among men who have sex with men in Viet Nam: results from an Internet-based cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

García, Macarena Cecilia; Duong, Quyen Le; Mercer, Licelot Eralte; Meyer, Samantha Beth; Ward, Paul Russell

2013-12-28

Men who have sex with men in Viet Nam have been under-studied as a high-risk group for HIV infection, and this population's percentage and determinants of HIV testing have not been comprehensively investigated. A national Internet-based survey of self-reported sexual and health seeking behaviours was conducted between August and October 2011 with 2077 Vietnamese men who had sex with men in the last twelve months to identify the frequency of 'never testing for HIV' among Internet-using MSM living in Viet Nam, as well as the factors associated with this HIV-related high-rish behavior. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the demographic characteristics and behaviours predicting never testing for HIV. A total of 76.5% of men who have sex with men who were surveyed reported never having been voluntarily tested for HIV. Predictors of never being tested included having a monthly income less than VND 5 Million, being a student, using the Internet less than 15 hour per week, and not participating in a behavioural HIV intervention. Never testing for HIV is common among Internet-using men who have sex with men in Viet Nam. Given the dangerously high prevalence of this high-risk behaviour, our findings underscore the urgent need for segmented and targeted HIV prevention, care and treatment strategies, focusing on drastically reducing the number of men who have sex with men never testing for HIV in Viet Nam.

Structural Principles or Frequency of Use? An ERP Experiment on the Learnability of Consonant Clusters

PubMed Central

Wiese, Richard; Orzechowska, Paula; Alday, Phillip M.; Ulbrich, Christiane

2017-01-01

Phonological knowledge of a language involves knowledge about which segments can be combined under what conditions. Languages vary in the quantity and quality of licensed combinations, in particular sequences of consonants, with Polish being a language with a large inventory of such combinations. The present paper reports on a two-session experiment in which Polish-speaking adult participants learned nonce words with final consonant clusters. The aim was to study the role of two factors which potentially play a role in the learning of phonotactic structures: the phonological principle of sonority (ordering sound segments within the syllable according to their inherent loudness) and the (non-) existence as a usage-based phenomenon. EEG responses in two different time windows (adversely to behavioral responses) show linguistic processing by native speakers of Polish to be sensitive to both distinctions, in spite of the fact that Polish is rich in sonority-violating clusters. In particular, a general learning effect in terms of an N400 effect was found which was demonstrated to be different for sonority-obeying clusters than for sonority-violating clusters. Furthermore, significant interactions of formedness and session, and of existence and session, demonstrate that both factors, the sonority principle and the frequency pattern, play a role in the learning process. PMID:28119642

Diagnosis of the influence of the solar cycle in the annular character of the NAM using RAM.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de La Torre, L.; Gimeno, L.; Tesouro, M.; Nieto, R.; Añel, J. A.; Ribera, P.; García, R.; Hernández, E.

2003-04-01

It has been suggested that the North Atlantic Oscillation is a regional expression of the so called Northern Hemisphere Annular Mode (NAM), although some evidences have been found against this hypothesis. However, recent studies conect the spatial structure of the NAM with the phase of solar cycle, being annular-like only for the periods of high solar activity. With this work we try to make a contribution to the debate by using atmospheric relative angular momentum (RAM) to diagnose the annular character of the mode. Correlations of RAM vs. temperature and geopotential height at different levels for high activity years show a more zonally extended pattern than those for low activity years. Moreover, the Atlantic pattern is always shown, even when using RAM computed by 60º longitude sectors. On the other hand, the Pacific pattern almost dissapear.

Control of malaria: a successful experience from Viet Nam.

PubMed Central

Hung, Le Q.; Vries, Peter J. de; Giao, Phan T.; Nam, Nguyen V.; Binh, Tran Q.; Chong, M. T.; Quoc, N. T. T. A.; Thanh, T. N.; Hung, L. N.; Kager, P. A.

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To follow malaria prospectively in an ethnic minority commune in the south of Viet Nam with high malaria transmission and seasonal fluctuation, during malaria control interventions using insecticide-treated bednets (ITBNs) and early diagnosis and treatment (EDT) of symptomatic patients. METHODS: From 1994 onwards the following interventions were used: distribution of ITBNs to all households with biannual reimpregnation; construction of a health post and appointment of staff trained in microscopic diagnosis and treatment of malaria; regular supply of materials and drugs; annual cross-sectional malaria surveys with treatment of all parasitaemic subjects, and a programme of community involvement and health education. Surveys were held yearly at the end of the rainy season. During the surveys, demographic data were updated. Diagnosis and treatment of malaria were free of charge. Plasmodium falciparum infection was treated with artesunate and P. vivax infection with chloroquine plus primaquine. FINDINGS: The baseline survey in 1994 recorded 716 inhabitants. Of the children under 2 years of age, 37% were parasitaemic; 56% of children aged 2-10 years, and 35% of the remaining population were parasitaemic. P. falciparum accounted for 73-79% of these infections. The respective splenomegaly rates for the above-mentioned age groups were 20%, 56%, and 32%. In 1999, the proportion of parasitaemic subjects was 4%, 7% and 1%, respectively, of which P.falciparum contributed 56%. The splenomegaly rate was 0%, 5% and 2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of ITBNs and EDT, provided free of charge, complemented by annual diagnosis and treatment during malaria surveys and community involvement with health education successfully brought malaria under control. This approach could be applied to other regions in the south of Viet Nam and provides a sound basis for further studies in other areas with different epidemiological patterns of malaria. PMID:12219158

The Relation between Order of Acquisition, Segmental Frequency and Function: The Case of Word-Initial Consonants in Dutch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Severen, Lieve; Gillis, Joris J. M.; Molemans, Inge; van den Berg, Renate; De Maeyer, Sven; Gillis, Steven

2013-01-01

The impact of input frequency (IF) and functional load (FL) of segments in the ambient language on the acquisition order of word-initial consonants is investigated. Several definitions of IF/FL are compared and implemented. The impact of IF/FL and their components are computed using a longitudinal corpus of interactions between thirty…

‘Never testing for HIV’ among Men who have Sex with Men in Viet Nam: results from an internet-based cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Men who have sex with men in Viet Nam have been under-studied as a high-risk group for HIV infection, and this population’s percentage and determinants of HIV testing have not been comprehensively investigated. Methods A national Internet-based survey of self-reported sexual and health seeking behaviours was conducted between August and October 2011 with 2077 Vietnamese men who had sex with men in the last twelve months to identify the frequency of ‘never testing for HIV’ among Internet-using MSM living in Viet Nam, as well as the factors associated with this HIV-related high-rish behavior. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the demographic characteristics and behaviours predicting never testing for HIV. Results A total of 76.5% of men who have sex with men who were surveyed reported never having been voluntarily tested for HIV. Predictors of never being tested included having a monthly income less than VND 5 Million, being a student, using the Internet less than 15 hour per week, and not participating in a behavioural HIV intervention. Conclusions Never testing for HIV is common among Internet-using men who have sex with men in Viet Nam. Given the dangerously high prevalence of this high-risk behaviour, our findings underscore the urgent need for segmented and targeted HIV prevention, care and treatment strategies, focusing on drastically reducing the number of men who have sex with men never testing for HIV in Viet Nam. PMID:24373483

The association of estimated salt intake with blood pressure in a Viet Nam national survey

PubMed Central

Bao, Tran Quoc; Huong, Tran Thi Thanh; Heckbert, Susan R.; Fitzpatrick, Annette L.; LoGerfo, James P.; Ngoc, Truong Le Van; Mokdad, Ali H.

2018-01-01

Objective To evaluate the association of salt consumption with blood pressure in Viet Nam, a developing country with a high level of salt consumption. Design and setting Analysis of a nationally representative sample of Vietnamese adults 25–65 years of age who were surveyed using the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to Surveillance protocol. Participants who reported acute illness, pregnancy, or current use of antihypertensive medications were excluded. Daily salt consumption was estimated from fasting mid-morning spot urine samples. Associations of salt consumption with systolic blood pressure and prevalent hypertension were assessed using adjusted linear and generalized linear models. Interaction terms were tested to assess differences by age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and rural/urban status. Results The analysis included 2,333 participants (mean age: 37 years, 46% male, 33% urban). The average estimated salt consumption was 10g/day. No associations of salt consumption with blood pressure or prevalent hypertension were observed at a national scale in men or women. The associations did not differ in subgroups defined by age, smoking, or alcohol consumption; however, associations differed between urban and rural participants (p-value for interaction of urban/rural status with salt consumption, p = 0.02), suggesting that higher salt consumption may be associated with higher systolic blood pressure in urban residents but lower systolic blood pressure in rural residents. Conclusions Although there was no evidence of an association at a national level, associations of salt consumption with blood pressure differed between urban and rural residents in Viet Nam. The reasons for this differential association are not clear, and given the large rate of rural to urban migration experienced in Viet Nam, this topic warrants further investigation. PMID:29346423

Factors associated with breastfeeding intent among mothers of newborn babies in Da Nang, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong Thi Kim; Tran, Hoang Thi; Thai, Thuy Thi Thanh; Foster, Kirsty; Roberts, Christine L; Marais, Ben J

2018-01-01

Breastfeeding is recognized as the single most cost-effective intervention to reduce child morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have explored perceived barriers to breastfeeding and factors associated with breastfeeding intent among mothers of newborn babies in Viet Nam. We conducted a study to assess breastfeeding initiation rates, intent to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months or more and perceived barriers to breastfeed among mothers of newborn babies in Da Nang, Viet Nam. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of mothers in the postnatal wards of Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children in central Viet Nam from 10 February 2017 to 24 February 2017, following implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Essential Newborn Care (ENC) package. Of 286 mothers surveyed, 259 (90.6%) initiated breastfeeding; 203/258 (78.7%) within 1 hour (h) of birth. Most (207, 72.4%) mothers indicated intent to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months or more, but this was lower among mothers of preterm babies (82.2% versus 20.0%, p  < 0.001) and those without post-secondary school education (74.8% versus 55.6%, p  = 0.02). Amongst mothers struggling to establish breastfeeding, 18/27 (66.7%) had a Cesarean section. Planned non-exclusive breastfeeding was mostly (39, 60.9%) motivated by mothers' concern that their milk supply would be insufficient for their baby's growth requirements. Most mothers had good knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding and indicated strong decision autonomy. We documented high rates of early breastfeeding establishment and intent to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months or more. This probably reflects high levels of maternal education and successful implementation of the WHO ENC package. Mothers of premature babies may benefit from additional support.

Detection of potentially novel paramyxovirus and coronavirus viral RNA in bats and rats in the Mekong Delta region of southern Viet Nam.

PubMed

Berto, A; Anh, P H; Carrique-Mas, J J; Simmonds, P; Van Cuong, N; Tue, N T; Van Dung, N; Woolhouse, M E; Smith, I; Marsh, G A; Bryant, J E; Thwaites, G E; Baker, S; Rabaa, M A

2018-02-01

Bats and rodents are being increasingly recognized as reservoirs of emerging zoonotic viruses. Various studies have investigated bat viruses in tropical regions, but to date there are no data regarding viruses with zoonotic potential that circulate in bat and rat populations in Viet Nam. To address this paucity of data, we sampled three bat farms and three wet markets trading in rat meat in the Mekong Delta region of southern Viet Nam. Faecal and urine samples were screened for the presence of RNA from paramyxoviruses, coronaviruses and filoviruses. Paramyxovirus RNA was detected in 4 of 248 (1%) and 11 of 222 (4.9%) bat faecal and urine samples, respectively. Coronavirus RNA was detected in 55 of 248 (22%) of bat faecal samples; filovirus RNA was not detected in any of the bat samples. Further, coronavirus RNA was detected in 12 of 270 (4.4%) of rat faecal samples; all samples tested negative for paramyxovirus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the bat paramyxoviruses and bat and rat coronaviruses were related to viruses circulating in bat and rodent populations globally, but showed no cross-species mixing of viruses between bat and rat populations within Viet Nam. Our study shows that potentially novel variants of paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses commonly circulate in bat and rat populations in Viet Nam. Further characterization of the viruses and additional human and animal surveillance is required to evaluate the likelihood of viral spillover and to assess whether these viruses pose a risk to human health. © 2017 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Functional asymmetry and effective connectivity of the auditory system during speech perception is modulated by the place of articulation of the consonant- A 7T fMRI study

PubMed Central

Specht, Karsten; Baumgartner, Florian; Stadler, Jörg; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Pollmann, Stefan

2014-01-01

To differentiate between stop-consonants, the auditory system has to detect subtle place of articulation (PoA) and voice-onset time (VOT) differences between stop-consonants. How this differential processing is represented on the cortical level remains unclear. The present functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) study takes advantage of the superior spatial resolution and high sensitivity of ultra-high-field 7 T MRI. Subjects were attentively listening to consonant–vowel (CV) syllables with an alveolar or bilabial stop-consonant and either a short or long VOT. The results showed an overall bilateral activation pattern in the posterior temporal lobe during the processing of the CV syllables. This was however modulated strongest by PoA such that syllables with an alveolar stop-consonant showed stronger left lateralized activation. In addition, analysis of underlying functional and effective connectivity revealed an inhibitory effect of the left planum temporale (PT) onto the right auditory cortex (AC) during the processing of alveolar CV syllables. Furthermore, the connectivity result indicated also a directed information flow from the right to the left AC, and further to the left PT for all syllables. These results indicate that auditory speech perception relies on an interplay between the left and right ACs, with the left PT as modulator. Furthermore, the degree of functional asymmetry is determined by the acoustic properties of the CV syllables. PMID:24966841

Identification of QTL conferring resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei) and leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) in barley using nested association mapping (NAM).

PubMed

Vatter, Thomas; Maurer, Andreas; Perovic, Dragan; Kopahnke, Doris; Pillen, Klaus; Ordon, Frank

2018-01-01

The biotrophic rust fungi Puccinia hordei and Puccinia striiformis are important barley pathogens with the potential to cause high yield losses through an epidemic spread. The identification of QTL conferring resistance to these pathogens is the basis for targeted breeding approaches aiming to improve stripe rust and leaf rust resistance of modern cultivars. Exploiting the allelic richness of wild barley accessions proved to be a valuable tool to broaden the genetic base of resistance of barley cultivars. In this study, SNP-based nested association mapping (NAM) was performed to map stripe rust and leaf rust resistance QTL in the barley NAM population HEB-25, comprising 1,420 lines derived from BC1S3 generation. By scoring the percentage of infected leaf area, followed by calculation of the area under the disease progress curve and the average ordinate during a two-year field trial, a large variability of resistance across and within HEB-25 families was observed. NAM based on 5,715 informative SNPs resulted in the identification of twelve and eleven robust QTL for resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust, respectively. Out of these, eight QTL for stripe rust and two QTL for leaf rust are considered novel showing no overlap with previously reported resistance QTL. Overall, resistance to both pathogens in HEB-25 is most likely due to the accumulation of numerous small effect loci. In addition, the NAM results indicate that the 25 wild donor QTL alleles present in HEB-25 strongly differ in regard to their individual effect on rust resistance. In future, the NAM concept will allow to select and combine individual wild barley alleles from different HEB parents to increase rust resistance in barley. The HEB-25 results will support to unravel the genetic basis of rust resistance in barley, and to improve resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust of modern barley cultivars.

Kinematic Analysis of Lingual Movements during Consonant Productions in Dysarthric Speakers with Friedreich's Ataxia: A Case-by-Case Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Folker, Joanne E.; Murdoch, Bruce E.; Cahill, Louise M.; Delatycki, Martin B.; Corben, Louise A.; Vogel, Adam P.

2011-01-01

Articulatory kinematics were investigated using electromagnetic articulography (EMA) in four dysarthric speakers with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). Specifically, tongue-tip and tongue-back movements were recorded by the AG-200 EMA system during production of the consonants t and k as produced within a sentence utterance and during a rapid syllable…

Dioxin reservoirs in southern Viet Nam--a legacy of Agent Orange.

PubMed

Dwernychuk, L Wayne; Cau, Hoang Dinh; Hatfield, Christopher T; Boivin, Thomas G; Hung, Tran Manh; Dung, Phung Tri; Thai, Nguyen Dinh

2002-04-01

In the isolated Aluoi Valley of central Viet Nam, very high levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) were measured in soil, fish fat, duck fat, pooled human blood and breast milk samples collected from A So village between 1996 and 1999. The village was situated on a former military base occupied by US Special Forces between 1963 and 1966. TCDD was a contaminant of the herbicide "Agent Orange", aerially sprayed in the valley between 1965 and 1970, and stored at the A So base. Measured levels were lower near the sites of two other former US bases in the valley which had been occupied for shorter periods of time. In areas where Agent Orange had been applied by low-flying aircraft, levels of TCDD in soil, food and human samples were elevated, but lower than those near the three former US bases. We confirm the apparent food chain transfer of TCDD from contaminated soil to cultured fish pond sediments to fish and duck tissues, then to humans as measured in whole blood and breast milk. We theorize that the Aluoi Valley is a microcosm of southern Viet Nam, where numerous reservoirs of TCDD exist in the soil of former military installations south of the former demilitarized zone. Large quantities of Agent Orange were stored at many sites, used in ground and aerial applications, and spilled. TCDD, through various forms of soil disturbance, can be mobilized from these reservoirs after decades below the surface, and subsequently, introduced into the human food chain.

Young infants’ perception of liquid coarticulatory influences on following stop consonants

PubMed Central

FOWLER, CAROL A.; BEST, CATHERINE T.; McROBERTS, GERALD W.

2009-01-01

Phonetic segments are coarticulated in speech. Accordingly, the articulatory and acoustic properties of the speech signal during the time frame traditionally identified with a given phoneme are highly context-sensitive. For example, due to carryover coarticulation, the front tongue-tip position for /l/ results in more fronted tongue-body contact for a /g/ preceded by /l/ than for a /g/ preceded by /r/. Perception by mature listeners shows a complementary sensitivity—when a synthetic /da/–/ga/ continuum is preceded by either /al/ or /ar/, adults hear more /g/s following /l/ rather than /r/. That is, some of the fronting information in the temporal domain of the stop is perceptually attributed to /l/ (Mann, 1980). We replicated this finding and extended it to a signal-detection test of discrimination with adults, using triads of disyllables. Three equidistant items from a /da/–/ga/ continuum were used preceded by /al/ and /ar/. In the identification test, adults had identified item ga5 as “ga,” and da1 as “da,” following both /al/ and /ar/, whereas they identified the crucial item d/ga3 predominantly as “ga” after /al/ but as “da” after /ar/. In the discrimination test, they discriminated d/ga3 from da1 preceded by /al/ but not /ar/; compatibly, they discriminated d/ga3 readily from ga5 preceded by /ar/ but poorly preceded by /al/. We obtained similar results with 4-month-old infants. Following habituation to either ald/ga3 or ard/ga3, infants heard either the corresponding ga5 or da1 disyllable. As predicted, the infants discriminated d/ga3 from da1 following /al/ but not /ar/; conversely, they discriminated d/ga3 from ga5 following /ar/ but not /al/. The results suggest that prelinguistic infants disentangle consonant-consonant coarticulatory influences in speech in an adult-like fashion. PMID:2270188

Air Pressure Responses to Sudden Vocal Tract Pressure Bleeds during Production of Stop Consonants: New Evidence of Aeromechanical Regulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zajac, David J.; Weissler, Mark C.

2004-01-01

Two studies were conducted to evaluate short-latency vocal tract air pressure responses to sudden pressure bleeds during production of voiceless bilabial stop consonants. It was hypothesized that the occurrence of respiratory reflexes would be indicated by distinct patterns of responses as a function of bleed magnitude. In Study 1, 19 adults…

Drinking & driving in Viet Nam: prevalence, knowledge, attitudes, and practices in two provinces.

PubMed

Bachani, Abdulgafoor M; Jessani, Nasreen S; Pham, V Cuong; Quang, La Ngoc; Nguyen, Phuong N; Passmore, Jonathon; Hyder, Adnan A

2013-12-01

Viet Nam is experiencing a shift in its burden of disease profile with injuries becoming more prominent. A history of high alcohol involvement in road traffic crashes despite stringent laws led to increased enforcement by police, enhanced public education messaging and targeted social marketing campaigns in Ha Nam and Ninh Binh provinces in Viet Nam. This study aims to illustrate the changes in prevalence (November 2010 to December 2011) and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) around alcohol use and drink-driving for the year 2011. Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) was collected through police enforcement checkpoints in the two provinces. The proportion of drivers with BrAC above the legal limit was plotted over time for both provinces. The trend in prevalence of drink-driving over time was further assessed using Poisson regression models. Prevailing KAPs were determined through surveying randomly selected road users over the age of 17 years at gas stations at quarterly intervals. Cross tabulations of key variables as well Chi-Square statistic were used to assess associations. A total of 8,404 drivers were tested for BrAC levels of which less than 0.25% were female. Of 1,639 drivers displaying BrAC levels in excess of the legal limit, 87.3% were car drivers, 7.9% motorcyclists and 86% were between the ages of 25 and 44 years. KAP surveys captured 1,661 drivers over the study period. The prevalence of self-reported drink-driving increased 6 percentage points among respondents aged 27-36. Between 44% (January 2011) and 49% (December 2011) of respondents indicated awareness of a drinking and driving Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or BrAC limit and only 25% of all study participants recalled being penalized for a traffic violation - none of which were for drink-driving. While there has been some reduction in drink-driving prevalence, inadequate or incorrect knowledge on drink-driving legislation appears to be an impediment to greater gains. Increased

The World Report on Disability in relation to the development of speech-language pathology in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Atherton, Marie; Dung, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc; Nhân, Võ Hoàng

2013-02-01

Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall (2013) argue that recommendations made within the World Report on Disability provide an opportunity for speech-language pathologists to consider new ways of developing services for people with communication and swallowing disorders. They propose that current approaches to the delivery of speech-language pathology services are largely embedded within the medical model of impairment, thereby limiting the ability of services to meet the needs of people in a holistic manner. In this paper, the criticality of selecting an appropriate service delivery model is discussed within the context of a recently established post-graduate speech therapy education programme in Viet Nam. Driving forces for the implementation of the program will be explored, as will the factors that determined the choice of service delivery. Opportunities and challenges to the long-term viability of the program and the program's potential to meet the needs of persons with communication and swallowing disorders in Viet Nam will be considered.

Multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships among men who have sex with men in Viet Nam: results from a National Internet-based Cross-sectional Survey.

PubMed

García, M C; Duong, Q L; Meyer, S B; Ward, P R

2016-03-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are one of the largest HIV risk groups in Viet Nam and have been understudied. Sexual concurrency and multiple sex partnerships may contribute to high HIV incidence among MSM in Viet Nam. Limited information is available on concurrency and multiple sexual partnerships among MSM in Viet Nam or on the extent to which this population engages in concurrent and multiple unprotected anal intercourse. Data are from a self-administered Internet-based survey of Vietnamese MSM aged 18 years or older, having sex with male partner(s) in the last 12 months and recruited from social networking MSM-specific websites in Viet Nam. Multiple partnerships and concurrency were measured using the UNAIDS-recommended sexual partner matrix, a key component in the questionnaire. Concurrent and multiple sexual partnerships were analyzed at the individual level. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the demographic characteristics and behaviors associated with multiple sexual partnerships. A total of 1695 MSM reported on multiple sexual partnerships; 69.5% indicated multiple sexual partnerships in the last 6 months. A total of 257 MSM reported on concurrent sexual partnerships, with 51.0% reporting penetrative sex with concurrent partners in the last 6 months. Respondents were more likely to engage in multiple sexual partnerships if they were no longer a student, consumed alcohol before and/or during sex, used the Internet to meet casual sex partners and had never participated in a behavioral HIV intervention. Multiple sexual partnerships in the previous 6 months were common among MSM surveyed, as was sexual concurrency. High levels of multiple and concurrent sexual partnerships may be catalyzing the transmission of HIV among MSM in Viet Nam. Given the high prevalence of this high-risk sexual behavior, our findings underscore the urgent need for targeted prevention efforts, focusing on the reduction of multiple and concurrent sexual partners

Maternal health care utilization in Viet Nam: increasing ethnic inequity

PubMed Central

Lincetto, Ornella; Du, Nguyen Huy; Burgess, Craig; Hoa, Dinh Thi Phuong

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective To investigate changes that took place between 2006 and 2010 in the inequity gap for antenatal care attendance and delivery at health facilities among women in Viet Nam. Methods Demographic, socioeconomic and obstetric data for women aged 15–49 years were extracted from Viet Nam’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for 2006 (MICS3) and 2010–2011 (MICS4). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine if antenatal care attendance and place of delivery were significantly associated with maternal education, maternal ethnicity (Kinh/Hoa versus other), household wealth and place of residence (urban versus rural). These independent variables correspond to the analytical framework of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Findings Large discrepancies between urban and rural populations were found in both MICS3 and MICS4. Although antenatal care attendance and health facility delivery rates improved substantially between surveys (from 86.3 to 92.1% and from 76.2 to 89.7%, respectively), inequities increased, especially along ethnic lines. The risk of not giving birth in a health facility increased significantly among ethnic minority women living in rural areas. In 2006 this risk was nearly five times higher than among women of Kinh/Hoa (majority) ethnicity (odds ratio, OR: 4.67; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.94–7.43); in 2010–2011 it had become nearly 20 times higher (OR: 18.8; 95% CI: 8.96–39.2). Conclusion Inequity in maternal health care utilization has increased progressively in Viet Nam, primarily along ethnic lines, and vulnerable groups in the country are at risk of being left behind. Health-care decision-makers should target these groups through affirmative action and culturally sensitive interventions. PMID:23599548

Impact of Adverse Events Following Immunization in Viet Nam in 2013 on chronic hepatitis B infection.

PubMed

Li, Xi; Wiesen, Eric; Diorditsa, Sergey; Toda, Kohei; Duong, Thi Hong; Nguyen, Lien Huong; Nguyen, Van Cuong; Nguyen, Tran Hien

2016-02-03

Adverse Events Following Immunization in Viet Nam in 2013 led to substantial reductions in hepatitis B vaccination coverage (both the birth dose and the three-dose series). In order to estimate the impact of the reduction in vaccination coverage on hepatitis B transmission and future mortality, a widely-used mathematical model was applied to the data from Viet Nam. Using the model, we estimated the number of chronic infections and deaths that are expected to occur in the birth cohort in 2013 and the number of excessive infections and deaths attributable to the drop in immunization coverage in 2013. An excess of 90,137 chronic infections and 17,456 future deaths were estimated to occur in the 2013 birth cohort due to the drop in vaccination coverage. This analysis highlights the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage and swiftly responding to reported Adverse Events Following Immunization in order to regain consumer confidence in the hepatitis B vaccine. Copyright © 2015 World Health Organization; licensee Elsevier. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Seroprevalence survey of avian influenza A(H5N1) among live poultry market workers in northern Viet Nam, 2011.

PubMed

Dung, Tham Chi; Dinh, Pham Ngoc; Nam, Vu Sinh; Tan, Luong Minh; Hang, Nguyen Le Khanh; Thanh, Le Thi; Mai, Le Quynh

2014-01-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) is endemic in poultry in Viet Nam. The country has experienced the third highest number of human infections with influenza A(H5N1) in the world. A study in Hanoi in 2001, before the epizootic that was identified in 2003, found influenza A(H5N1) specific antibodies in 4% of poultry market workers (PMWs). We conducted a seroprevalence survey to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to influenza A(H5N1) among PMWs in Hanoi, Thaibinh and Thanhhoa provinces. We selected PMWs from five markets, interviewed them and collected blood samples. These were then tested using a horse haemagglutination inhibition assay and a microneutralization assay with all three clades of influenza A(H5N1) viruses that have circulated in Viet Nam since 2004. The overall seroprevalence was 6.1% (95% confidence interval: 4.6-8.3). The highest proportion (7.2%) was found in PMWs in Hanoi, and the majority of seropositive subjects (70.3%) were slaughterers or sellers of poultry. The continued circulation and evolution of influenza A(H5N1) requires comprehensive surveillance of both human and animal sites throughout the country with follow-up studies on PMWs to estimate the risk of avian-human transmission of influenza A(H5N1) in Viet Nam.

Geometric and electronic structures of silicon-sodium binary clusters. I. Ionization energy of SinNam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishi, Reiko; Iwata, Suehiro; Nakajima, Atsushi; Kaya, Koji

1997-08-01

Sodium doped silicon clusters (SinNam; 1⩽n⩽14, 1⩽m⩽5) produced by two types of laser vaporization were studied. The adsorption of Na atoms on the Sin clusters leads the substantial lowering of the ionization energy, Ei, of SinNam clusters. Their reactivity toward NO molecules was measured with a fast flow reactor, and the anticorrelation between the Eis and the reactivity was clearly observed; species having low Ei exhibit high reactivity and vice versa. Moreover, the clear parallelism between the Eis of SinNa and the EAs of Sin is found. This is consistent with the fact that the structure of SinNa clusters keeps the frame of the corresponding Sin cluster unchanged and that the electronic structure of SinNa is similar to that of the corresponding negative ion Sin-. In addition to the experimental studies, the geometries, adsorption energies, and vertical ionization energies of SinNa (n=1-7) were investigated with ab initio MO calculations including electron correlation; The Møller-Plesset perturbation theory was used and the configuration interaction (CI) calculation was carried out, particularly for a diatomic molecule, SiNa.

Determining aspects of ethnicity amongst persons of South Asian origin: the use of a surname-classification programme (Nam Pehchan).

PubMed

Macfarlane, Gary J; Lunt, Mark; Palmer, Benedict; Afzal, Cara; Silman, Alan J; Esmail, Aneez

2007-03-01

Name-based classification systems are potentially useful in identifying study samples based on probable ethnic minority group. The aim of the current study was to assess the validity of the Nam Pehchan name classification programme of religion and language against subject self-report. A population-based cross-sectional survey conducted in areas of the North-West and West Midland regions of England with a relatively high density of South Asian ethnic minority groups. The sampling frame was age-sex registers of selected general practices and subjects were classified according to language and religion using the Nam Pehchan programme. These were compared with responses by subjects on a self-complete postal questionnaire. One thousand nine hundred and forty-nine subjects who participated, classified themselves as South Asian. Sensitivity in identifying religion was high amongst Muslims (92%) and Sikhs (86%), and somewhat lower in Hindus (62%). Specificity exceeded 95% for all ethnic groups. The vast majority of subjects assigned Punjabi or Gujarati as their main South Asian language indicated that they did in fact speak these languages (97% and 94%, respectively). Subjects assigned Urdu or Bengali, however, were less likely to do so (61% and 35%, respectively). The name-based classification system Nam Pehchan has demonstrated high levels of accuracy in some sub-groups of the South Asian population in determining subjects likely language spoken and religion-and is likely to be a useful additional tool when information on ethnicity is not already available.

Second trimester abortion in Viet Nam: changing to recommended methods and improving service delivery.

PubMed

Tuyet, Hoang T D; Thuy, Phan; Trang, Huynh N K

2008-05-01

In Viet Nam, abortion has been legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy since the 1960s. There are about one million induced abortions every year. First trimester abortion is provided at central, provincial, district and commune level, while second trimester abortion is provided only at central and provincial level. For second trimester abortion, dilatation and evacuation (D&E) has been introduced at some central and provincial hospitals, and medical abortion protocols have been included in the draft National Standards and Guidelines currently being updated. However, Kovac's, an unsafe method, is still often used at many provincial hospitals. While access to first trimester abortion services is not difficult, there are still many barriers to second trimester abortion, especially for young, unmarried women. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, increase access to safe abortion and improve quality of care, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health is working with others to establish national policies and developing effective models for women-friendly comprehensive abortion care, including post-abortion family planning. This paper, based on published information, interviews and observations by the second author of service delivery in 2006-2008, provides an overview of second trimester abortion services in Viet Nam and ongoing plans for improving them.

Management and treatment outcomes of patients enrolled in MDR-TB treatment in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Phuong, N T M; Nhung, N V; Hoa, N B; Thuy, H T; Takarinda, K C; Tayler-Smith, K; Harries, A D

2016-03-21

The programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in Viet Nam has been rapidly scaled up since 2009. To document the annual numbers of patients enrolled for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment during 2010-2014 and to determine characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients initiating treatment during 2010-2012. A retrospective cohort study using national reports and data from the national electronic data system for drug-resistant TB. The number of patients enrolled annually for MDR-TB treatment increased from 97 in 2010 to 1522 in 2014. The majority of patients were middle-aged men who had pulmonary disease and had failed a retreatment regimen; 77% had received ⩾2 courses of TB treatment. Favourable outcomes (cured and treatment completed) were attained in 73% of patients. Unfavourable outcomes included loss to follow-up (12.5%), death (8%) and failure (6.3%). Having had ⩾2 previous treatment courses and being human immunodeficiency virus-positive were associated with unfavourable outcomes. Increasing numbers of patients are being treated for MDR-TB each year with good treatment outcomes under national programme management in Viet Nam. However, there is a need to increase case detection-currently at 30% of the estimated 5100 MDR-TB cases per year, reduce adverse outcomes and improve monitoring and evaluation.

Collaborative activities and treatment outcomes in patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Huyen, T T T; Nhung, N V; Shewade, H D; Hoa, N B; Harries, A D

2016-03-21

The National Tuberculosis (TB) Programme in Viet Nam and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). To determine 1) at national level between 2011 and 2013, the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, uptake of TB-HIV interventions and adverse treatment outcomes among TB-HIV patients; and 2) in HCMC in 2013, patient characteristics associated with adverse outcomes. An ecological study reviewing aggregate nationwide data and a retrospective cohort review in HCMC. Nationwide, from 2011 to 2013, HIV testing increased in TB patients from 58% to 68% and antiretroviral therapy (ART) increased in TB-HIV patients from 54% to 63%. Adverse treatment outcomes in TB-HIV patients increased from 24% to 27%, largely due to transfer out (5-9% increase) and death. The Northern and Highland regions showed poor uptake of TB-HIV interventions. In HCMC, 303 (27%) of 1110 TB-HIV patients had adverse outcomes, with higher risks observed in those with previously treated TB, those diagnosed as HIV-positive before TB onset and those never placed on cotrimoxazole or ART. Despite improving HIV testing rates and TB-HIV interventions, adverse outcomes in TB-HIV patients remain at about 26%. Characteristics predicting higher risk of adverse outcomes must be addressed if Viet Nam wishes to end the TB epidemic by 2030.

Early Predictors of Growth in Diversity of Key Consonants Used in Communication in Initially Preverbal Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woynaroski, Tiffany; Watson, Linda; Gardner, Elizabeth; Newsom, Cassandra R.; Keceli-Kaysili, Bahar; Yoder, Paul J.

2016-01-01

Diversity of key consonants used in communication (DKCC) is a value-added predictor of expressive language growth in initially preverbal children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studying the predictors of DKCC growth in young children with ASD might inform treatment of this under-studied aspect of prelinguistic development. Eighty-seven…

The Elimination of Illiteracy and the Use of Complementary Education in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

To counteract the legacy of 80 years of colonial rule in North Viet Nam, President Ho Chi Minh outlined government objectives in the Declaration of Independence in 1945. Major objectives included combatting ignorance and illiteracy. To work toward these objectives, the government established a Department of Popular Education and encouraged…

Examining the Seven-Flag "Chieu Hoi" Pass: A Primary Document from the American War in Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelmann, Ted

2006-01-01

During the Viet Nam war, U.S. military helicopters dropped "Chieu Hoi" (safe conduct) passes over suspected enemy locations to encourage enemy soldiers to surrender. This article presents a classroom activity that encourages students to examine a "Chieu Hoi" pass as a primary historical document, identify its various elements,…

Relative importance of temporal information in various frequency regions for consonant identification in quiet and in noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apoux, Frédéric; Bacon, Sid P.

2004-09-01

The relative importance of temporal information in broad spectral regions for consonant identification was assessed in normal-hearing listeners. For the purpose of forcing listeners to use primarily temporal-envelope cues, speech sounds were spectrally degraded using four-noise-band vocoder processing. Frequency-weighting functions were determined using two methods. The first method consisted of measuring the intelligibility of speech with a hole in the spectrum either in quiet or in noise. The second method consisted of correlating performance with the randomly and independently varied signal-to-noise ratio within each band. Results demonstrated that all bands contributed equally to consonant identification when presented in quiet. In noise, however, both methods indicated that listeners consistently placed relatively more weight upon the highest frequency band. It is proposed that the explanation for the difference in results between quiet and noise relates to the shape of the modulation spectra in adjacent frequency bands. Overall, the results suggest that normal-hearing listeners use a common listening strategy in a given condition. However, this strategy may be influenced by the competing sounds, and thus may vary according to the context. Some implications of the results for cochlear implantees and hearing-impaired listeners are discussed.

Characteristics of the acquisition of sonorant consonants orthography in Brazilian children from a São Paulo municipality.

PubMed

Vaz, Suellen; Pezarini, Isabela de Oliveira; Paschoal, Larissa; Chacon, Lourenço

2015-01-01

To describe the spelling performance of children with regard to the record of sonorant consonants in Brazilian Portuguese language, to verify if the errors in their records were influenced by the accent in the word, and to categorize the kinds of errors found. For this current survey, 801 text productions were selected as a result of the development of 14 different thematic proposals, prepared by 76 children from the first grade of primary school, in 2001, coming from two schools of a city from São Paulo, Brazil. Of these productions, all words with sonorant consonants in a syllabic position of simple onset were selected. They were then organized as they appeared as pre-tonic, tonic, and post-tonic syllables, unstressed and tonic monosyllables. The following was observed: the number of hits was extremely higher than that of errors; higher occurrence of errors in non-accented syllables; higher occurrence of phonological substitutions followed by omissions and, at last, orthographic substitutions; and higher number of substitutions that involved graphemes referring to the sonorant class. Considering the distribution of orthographic data between hits and errors, as well as their relationship with phonetic-phonological aspects, may contribute to the comprehension of school difficulties, which are usually found in the first years of literacy instruction.

Identification of QTL conferring resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei) and leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) in barley using nested association mapping (NAM)

PubMed Central

Vatter, Thomas; Maurer, Andreas; Perovic, Dragan; Kopahnke, Doris; Pillen, Klaus

2018-01-01

The biotrophic rust fungi Puccinia hordei and Puccinia striiformis are important barley pathogens with the potential to cause high yield losses through an epidemic spread. The identification of QTL conferring resistance to these pathogens is the basis for targeted breeding approaches aiming to improve stripe rust and leaf rust resistance of modern cultivars. Exploiting the allelic richness of wild barley accessions proved to be a valuable tool to broaden the genetic base of resistance of barley cultivars. In this study, SNP-based nested association mapping (NAM) was performed to map stripe rust and leaf rust resistance QTL in the barley NAM population HEB-25, comprising 1,420 lines derived from BC1S3 generation. By scoring the percentage of infected leaf area, followed by calculation of the area under the disease progress curve and the average ordinate during a two-year field trial, a large variability of resistance across and within HEB-25 families was observed. NAM based on 5,715 informative SNPs resulted in the identification of twelve and eleven robust QTL for resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust, respectively. Out of these, eight QTL for stripe rust and two QTL for leaf rust are considered novel showing no overlap with previously reported resistance QTL. Overall, resistance to both pathogens in HEB-25 is most likely due to the accumulation of numerous small effect loci. In addition, the NAM results indicate that the 25 wild donor QTL alleles present in HEB-25 strongly differ in regard to their individual effect on rust resistance. In future, the NAM concept will allow to select and combine individual wild barley alleles from different HEB parents to increase rust resistance in barley. The HEB-25 results will support to unravel the genetic basis of rust resistance in barley, and to improve resistance against stripe rust and leaf rust of modern barley cultivars. PMID:29370232

Accreditation of Viet Nam's Higher Education: Achievements and Challenges after a Dozen Years of Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Huu Cuong; Evers, Colin; Marshall, Stephen

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of Viet Nam's approach to higher education quality assurance during the past dozen years since its establishment, focusing on the achievements and challenges. Design/methodology/approach: This is a desktop analysis study. The paper analyses the policies and practices related to…

Development and genetic characterization of an Advanced Backcross-Nested Association Mapping (AB-NAM) population of wild × cultivated barley

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The ability to access alleles from unadapted germplasm collections is a long-standing problem for geneticists and breeders. Here we developed, characterized, and demonstrated the utility of a wild barley advanced backcross-nested association mapping (AB-NAM) population. We developed this population ...

Iodine status in late pregnancy and psychosocial determinants of iodized salt use in rural northern Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Tran, Thach; Biggs, Beverley; Tran, Tuan; Dwyer, Terry; Casey, Gerard; Tho, Dang Hai; Hetzel, Basil

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective To establish iodine status among pregnant women in rural northern Viet Nam and explore psychosocial predictors of the use of iodized salt in their households. Methods This prospective study included pregnant women registered in health stations in randomly-selected communes in Ha Nam province. At recruitment (< 20 weeks of gestation), sociodemographic factors, reproductive health, intimate partner relationship, family violence, symptoms of common mental disorders and use of micronutrient supplements were assessed. During a second assessment (> 28 weeks of gestation) a urine specimen was collected to measure urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and iodized salt use was assessed. Predictors were explored through univariable analyses and multivariable linear and logistic regression. Findings The 413 pregnant women who provided data for this study had a median UIC of 70 µg/l; nearly 83% had a UIC lower than the 150 µg/l recommended by the World Health Organization; only 73.6% reported using iodized salt in any form in their households. Iodized salt use was lower among nulliparous women (odds ratio, OR: 0.56; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.32–0.96); less educated women (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.16–0.71); factory workers or small-scale traders (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.31–0.86), government workers (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.13–0.89) and women with common mental disorders at recruitment (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.38–0.98). Conclusion The decline in the use of iodized salt in Viet Nam since the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme was suspended in 2005 has placed pregnant women and their infants in rural areas at risk of iodine deficiency disorders. PMID:22084527

Seroprevalence survey of avian influenza A(H5N1) among live poultry market workers in northern Viet Nam, 2011

PubMed Central

Dung, Tham Chi; Dinh, Pham Ngoc; Nam, Vu Sinh; Tan, Luong Minh; Hang, Nguyen Le Khanh; Thanh, Le Thi

2014-01-01

Objective Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) is endemic in poultry in Viet Nam. The country has experienced the third highest number of human infections with influenza A(H5N1) in the world. A study in Hanoi in 2001, before the epizootic that was identified in 2003, found influenza A(H5N1) specific antibodies in 4% of poultry market workers (PMWs). We conducted a seroprevalence survey to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to influenza A(H5N1) among PMWs in Hanoi, Thaibinh and Thanhhoa provinces. Methods We selected PMWs from five markets, interviewed them and collected blood samples. These were then tested using a horse haemagglutination inhibition assay and a microneutralization assay with all three clades of influenza A(H5N1) viruses that have circulated in Viet Nam since 2004. Results The overall seroprevalence was 6.1% (95% confidence interval: 4.6–8.3). The highest proportion (7.2%) was found in PMWs in Hanoi, and the majority of seropositive subjects (70.3%) were slaughterers or sellers of poultry. Discussion The continued circulation and evolution of influenza A(H5N1) requires comprehensive surveillance of both human and animal sites throughout the country with follow-up studies on PMWs to estimate the risk of avian–human transmission of influenza A(H5N1) in Viet Nam. PMID:25685601

Early marriage and intimate partner violence among adolescents and young adults in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Hong Le, Minh Thi; Tran, Thach Duc; Nguyen, Huong Thanh; Fisher, Jane

2014-03-01

Research about the association between early marriage and intimate partner violence (IPV) in low-income countries has yielded conflicting evidence. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of and associations between early marriage, and IPV among adolescents and young adults in Viet Nam. Secondary analysis of data from the national Survey Assessment of Viet Namese Youth-Round II (SAVY-II) conducted in 2009-2010, which assessed a representative cohort of people aged 14 to 25 years recruited via a systematic household survey was undertaken. Prevalence was established using descriptive statistics. The association between early marriage and IPV was examined using multiple logistic regressions, adjusting for potential risk factors. Of 10,044 participants, 1,701 had ever married and were included in analyses. Early marriage (before age 18), and experiences of verbal, physical, or sexual IPV were more common among females than males. More young married men than women reported experiences of controlling behaviors by their partners. Early marriage, being illiterate, and exposure to sexual abuse were associated with experience of IPV among young females, but not among young males. Poverty and exposure to family violence was associated with IPV in both sexes. Addressing early marriage, low educational opportunities for girls, childhood sexual abuse, family violence, and poverty should be considered in strategies to reduce IPV in Viet Nam.

Collaborative activities and treatment outcomes in patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Nhung, N. V.; Shewade, H. D.; Hoa, N. B.; Harries, A. D.

2016-01-01

Setting: The National Tuberculosis (TB) Programme in Viet Nam and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Objectives: To determine 1) at national level between 2011 and 2013, the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, uptake of TB-HIV interventions and adverse treatment outcomes among TB-HIV patients; and 2) in HCMC in 2013, patient characteristics associated with adverse outcomes. Design: An ecological study reviewing aggregate nationwide data and a retrospective cohort review in HCMC. Results: Nationwide, from 2011 to 2013, HIV testing increased in TB patients from 58% to 68% and antiretroviral therapy (ART) increased in TB-HIV patients from 54% to 63%. Adverse treatment outcomes in TB-HIV patients increased from 24% to 27%, largely due to transfer out (5–9% increase) and death. The Northern and Highland regions showed poor uptake of TB-HIV interventions. In HCMC, 303 (27%) of 1110 TB-HIV patients had adverse outcomes, with higher risks observed in those with previously treated TB, those diagnosed as HIV-positive before TB onset and those never placed on cotrimoxazole or ART. Conclusion: Despite improving HIV testing rates and TB-HIV interventions, adverse outcomes in TB-HIV patients remain at about 26%. Characteristics predicting higher risk of adverse outcomes must be addressed if Viet Nam wishes to end the TB epidemic by 2030. PMID:27051604

Management and treatment outcomes of patients enrolled in MDR-TB treatment in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Nhung, N. V.; Hoa, N. B.; Thuy, H. T.; Takarinda, K. C.; Tayler-Smith, K.; Harries, A. D.

2016-01-01

Setting: The programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in Viet Nam has been rapidly scaled up since 2009. Objectives: To document the annual numbers of patients enrolled for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment during 2010–2014 and to determine characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients initiating treatment during 2010–2012. Design: A retrospective cohort study using national reports and data from the national electronic data system for drug-resistant TB. Results: The number of patients enrolled annually for MDR-TB treatment increased from 97 in 2010 to 1522 in 2014. The majority of patients were middle-aged men who had pulmonary disease and had failed a retreatment regimen; 77% had received ⩾2 courses of TB treatment. Favourable outcomes (cured and treatment completed) were attained in 73% of patients. Unfavourable outcomes included loss to follow-up (12.5%), death (8%) and failure (6.3%). Having had ⩾2 previous treatment courses and being human immunodeficiency virus-positive were associated with unfavourable outcomes. Conclusion: Increasing numbers of patients are being treated for MDR-TB each year with good treatment outcomes under national programme management in Viet Nam. However, there is a need to increase case detection—currently at 30% of the estimated 5100 MDR-TB cases per year, reduce adverse outcomes and improve monitoring and evaluation. PMID:27051608

Sharp and round shapes of seen objects have distinct influences on vowel and consonant articulation.

PubMed

Vainio, L; Tiainen, M; Tiippana, K; Rantala, A; Vainio, M

2017-07-01

The shape and size-related sound symbolism phenomena assume that, for example, the vowel [i] and the consonant [t] are associated with sharp-shaped and small-sized objects, whereas [ɑ] and [m] are associated with round and large objects. It has been proposed that these phenomena are mostly based on the involvement of articulatory processes in representing shape and size properties of objects. For example, [i] might be associated with sharp and small objects, because it is produced by a specific front-close shape of articulators. Nevertheless, very little work has examined whether these object properties indeed have impact on speech sound vocalization. In the present study, the participants were presented with a sharp- or round-shaped object in a small or large size. They were required to pronounce one out of two meaningless speech units (e.g., [i] or [ɑ]) according to the size or shape of the object. We investigated how a task-irrelevant object property (e.g., the shape when responses are made according to size) influences reaction times, accuracy, intensity, fundamental frequency, and formant 1 and formant 2 of vocalizations. The size did not influence vocal responses but shape did. Specifically, the vowel [i] and consonant [t] were vocalized relatively rapidly when the object was sharp-shaped, whereas [u] and [m] were vocalized relatively rapidly when the object was round-shaped. The study supports the view that the shape-related sound symbolism phenomena might reflect mapping of the perceived shape with the corresponding articulatory gestures.

Impacts on Breastfeeding Practices of At-Scale Strategies That Combine Intensive Interpersonal Counseling, Mass Media, and Community Mobilization: Results of Cluster-Randomized Program Evaluations in Bangladesh and Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Menon, Purnima; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Saha, Kuntal Kumar; Tran, Lan Mai; Sanghvi, Tina; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Afsana, Kaosar; Haque, Raisul; Frongillo, Edward A.; Ruel, Marie T.; Rawat, Rahul

2016-01-01

Background Despite recommendations supporting optimal breastfeeding, the number of women practicing exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) remains low, and few interventions have demonstrated implementation and impact at scale. Alive & Thrive was implemented over a period of 6 y (2009–2014) and aimed to improve breastfeeding practices through intensified interpersonal counseling (IPC), mass media (MM), and community mobilization (CM) intervention components delivered at scale in the context of policy advocacy (PA) in Bangladesh and Viet Nam. In Bangladesh, IPC was delivered through a large non-governmental health program; in Viet Nam, it was integrated into government health facilities. This study evaluated the population-level impact of intensified IPC, MM, CM, and PA (intensive) compared to standard nutrition counseling and less intensive MM, CM, and PA (non-intensive) on breastfeeding practices in these two countries. Methods and Findings A cluster-randomized evaluation design was employed in each country. For the evaluation sample, 20 sub-districts in Bangladesh and 40 communes in Viet Nam were randomized to either the intensive or the non-intensive group. Cross-sectional surveys (n ~ 500 children 0–5.9 mo old per group per country) were implemented at baseline (June 7–August 29, 2010, in Viet Nam; April 28–June 26, 2010, in Bangladesh) and endline (June 16–August 30, 2014, in Viet Nam; April 20–June 23, 2014, in Bangladesh). Difference-in-differences estimates (DDEs) of impact were calculated, adjusting for clustering. In Bangladesh, improvements were significantly greater in the intensive compared to the non-intensive group for the proportion of women who reported practicing EBF in the previous 24 h (DDE 36.2 percentage points [pp], 95% CI 21.0–51.5, p < 0.001; prevalence in intensive group rose from 48.5% to 87.6%) and engaging in early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) (16.7 pp, 95% CI 2.8–30.6, p = 0.021; 63.7% to 94.2%). In Viet Nam, EBF increases

Impacts on Breastfeeding Practices of At-Scale Strategies That Combine Intensive Interpersonal Counseling, Mass Media, and Community Mobilization: Results of Cluster-Randomized Program Evaluations in Bangladesh and Viet Nam.

PubMed

Menon, Purnima; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Saha, Kuntal Kumar; Khaled, Adiba; Kennedy, Andrew; Tran, Lan Mai; Sanghvi, Tina; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Baker, Jean; Alayon, Silvia; Afsana, Kaosar; Haque, Raisul; Frongillo, Edward A; Ruel, Marie T; Rawat, Rahul

2016-10-01

Despite recommendations supporting optimal breastfeeding, the number of women practicing exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) remains low, and few interventions have demonstrated implementation and impact at scale. Alive & Thrive was implemented over a period of 6 y (2009-2014) and aimed to improve breastfeeding practices through intensified interpersonal counseling (IPC), mass media (MM), and community mobilization (CM) intervention components delivered at scale in the context of policy advocacy (PA) in Bangladesh and Viet Nam. In Bangladesh, IPC was delivered through a large non-governmental health program; in Viet Nam, it was integrated into government health facilities. This study evaluated the population-level impact of intensified IPC, MM, CM, and PA (intensive) compared to standard nutrition counseling and less intensive MM, CM, and PA (non-intensive) on breastfeeding practices in these two countries. A cluster-randomized evaluation design was employed in each country. For the evaluation sample, 20 sub-districts in Bangladesh and 40 communes in Viet Nam were randomized to either the intensive or the non-intensive group. Cross-sectional surveys (n ~ 500 children 0-5.9 mo old per group per country) were implemented at baseline (June 7-August 29, 2010, in Viet Nam; April 28-June 26, 2010, in Bangladesh) and endline (June 16-August 30, 2014, in Viet Nam; April 20-June 23, 2014, in Bangladesh). Difference-in-differences estimates (DDEs) of impact were calculated, adjusting for clustering. In Bangladesh, improvements were significantly greater in the intensive compared to the non-intensive group for the proportion of women who reported practicing EBF in the previous 24 h (DDE 36.2 percentage points [pp], 95% CI 21.0-51.5, p < 0.001; prevalence in intensive group rose from 48.5% to 87.6%) and engaging in early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) (16.7 pp, 95% CI 2.8-30.6, p = 0.021; 63.7% to 94.2%). In Viet Nam, EBF increases were greater in the intensive group (27.9 pp

Harm reduction and “Clean” community: can Viet Nam have both?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The findings of our research show that while police play multiple roles in the fight against drug-related crime, they often perceived their tasks – especially preventing and controlling drug use on the one hand, and supporting harm reduction on the other – as contradictory, and this creates tensions in their work and relations with their communities. Although they are leaders and implementers of harm reduction, not all police know about it, and some remain skeptical or perceive it as contradictory to their main task of fighting drugs. Methadone treatment is seen by some as in competition with their main task of coordinating conventional drug treatment in the rehabilitation center. The history of drug use and the evolution of discourses on drug use in Viet Nam have created these conflicting pressures on police, and thus created contradictory expectations and led to different views and attitudes of police regarding various harm reduction measures. This might aid understanding why, despite the comprehensive and progressive policies on HIV/AIDS and harm reduction in Viet Nam, it is not easy for police to actively and effectively support and be involved in harm reduction at the ground level. To promote the wider acceptance of harm reduction the concept of community safety must be expanded to include community health; harm reduction must be integrated into the “new society” movement; and laws and policies need further revision to reduce contradiction between current drug laws and HIV laws. Harm reduction guidelines for police and other actors need to be disseminated and supported, embodying better ways of working between sectors, and all sectors in the partnership require support for building capacity to contribute to the overall goal. PMID:22769430

Observed linkages between the northern annular mode/North Atlantic Oscillation, cloud incidence, and cloud radiative forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ying; Thompson, David W. J.; Huang, Yi; Zhang, Minghong

2014-03-01

The signature of the northern annular mode/North Atlantic Oscillation (NAM/NAO) in the vertical and horizontal distribution of tropospheric cloudiness is investigated in CloudSat and CALIPSO data from June 2006 to April 2011. During the Northern Hemisphere winter, the positive polarity of the NAM/NAO is marked by increases in zonally averaged cloud incidence north of ~60°N, decreases between ~25 and 50°N, and increases in the subtropics. The tripolar-like anomalies in cloud incidence associated with the NAM/NAO are largest over the North Atlantic Ocean basin/Middle East and are physically consistent with the NAM/NAO-related anomalies in vertical motion. Importantly, the NAM/NAO-related anomalies in tropospheric cloud incidence lead to significant top of atmosphere cloud radiative forcing anomalies that are comparable in amplitude to those associated with the NAM/NAO-related temperature anomalies. The results provide observational evidence that the most prominent pattern of Northern Hemisphere climate variability is significantly linked to variations in cloud radiative forcing. Implications for two-way feedback between extratropical dynamics and cloud radiative forcing are discussed.

Statistical and Hydrological evaluation of precipitation forecasts from IMD MME and ECMWF numerical weather forecasts for Indian River basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohite, A. R.; Beria, H.; Behera, A. K.; Chatterjee, C.; Singh, R.

2016-12-01

Flood forecasting using hydrological models is an important and cost-effective non-structural flood management measure. For forecasting at short lead times, empirical models using real-time precipitation estimates have proven to be reliable. However, their skill depreciates with increasing lead time. Coupling a hydrologic model with real-time rainfall forecasts issued from numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems could increase the lead time substantially. In this study, we compared 1-5 days precipitation forecasts from India Meteorological Department (IMD) Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) with European Center for Medium Weather forecast (ECMWF) NWP forecasts for over 86 major river basins in India. We then evaluated the hydrologic utility of these forecasts over Basantpur catchment (approx. 59,000 km2) of the Mahanadi River basin. Coupled MIKE 11 RR (NAM) and MIKE 11 hydrodynamic (HD) models were used for the development of flood forecast system (FFS). RR model was calibrated using IMD station rainfall data. Cross-sections extracted from SRTM 30 were used as input to the MIKE 11 HD model. IMD started issuing operational MME forecasts from the year 2008, and hence, both the statistical and hydrologic evaluation were carried out from 2008-2014. The performance of FFS was evaluated using both the NWP datasets separately for the year 2011, which was a large flood year in Mahanadi River basin. We will present figures and metrics for statistical (threshold based statistics, skill in terms of correlation and bias) and hydrologic (Nash Sutcliffe efficiency, mean and peak error statistics) evaluation. The statistical evaluation will be at pan-India scale for all the major river basins and the hydrologic evaluation will be for the Basantpur catchment of the Mahanadi River basin.

Culture as a mediator of gene-environment interaction: Cultural consonance, childhood adversity, a 2A serotonin receptor polymorphism, and depression in urban Brazil.

PubMed

Dressler, William W; Balieiro, Mauro C; Ferreira de Araújo, Luiza; Silva, Wilson A; Ernesto Dos Santos, José

2016-07-01

Research on gene-environment interaction was facilitated by breakthroughs in molecular biology in the late 20th century, especially in the study of mental health. There is a reliable interaction between candidate genes for depression and childhood adversity in relation to mental health outcomes. The aim of this paper is to explore the role of culture in this process in an urban community in Brazil. The specific cultural factor examined is cultural consonance, or the degree to which individuals are able to successfully incorporate salient cultural models into their own beliefs and behaviors. It was hypothesized that cultural consonance in family life would mediate the interaction of genotype and childhood adversity. In a study of 402 adult Brazilians from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, conducted from 2011 to 2014, the interaction of reported childhood adversity and a polymorphism in the 2A serotonin receptor was associated with higher depressive symptoms. Further analysis showed that the gene-environment interaction was mediated by cultural consonance in family life, and that these effects were more pronounced in lower social class neighborhoods. The findings reinforce the role of the serotonergic system in the regulation of stress response and learning and memory, and how these processes in turn interact with environmental events and circumstances. Furthermore, these results suggest that gene-environment interaction models should incorporate a wider range of environmental experience and more complex pathways to better understand how genes and the environment combine to influence mental health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trimodal speech perception: how residual acoustic hearing supplements cochlear-implant consonant recognition in the presence of visual cues.

PubMed

Sheffield, Benjamin M; Schuchman, Gerald; Bernstein, Joshua G W

2015-01-01

As cochlear implant (CI) acceptance increases and candidacy criteria are expanded, these devices are increasingly recommended for individuals with less than profound hearing loss. As a result, many individuals who receive a CI also retain acoustic hearing, often in the low frequencies, in the nonimplanted ear (i.e., bimodal hearing) and in some cases in the implanted ear (i.e., hybrid hearing) which can enhance the performance achieved by the CI alone. However, guidelines for clinical decisions pertaining to cochlear implantation are largely based on expectations for postsurgical speech-reception performance with the CI alone in auditory-only conditions. A more comprehensive prediction of postimplant performance would include the expected effects of residual acoustic hearing and visual cues on speech understanding. An evaluation of auditory-visual performance might be particularly important because of the complementary interaction between the speech information relayed by visual cues and that contained in the low-frequency auditory signal. The goal of this study was to characterize the benefit provided by residual acoustic hearing to consonant identification under auditory-alone and auditory-visual conditions for CI users. Additional information regarding the expected role of residual hearing in overall communication performance by a CI listener could potentially lead to more informed decisions regarding cochlear implantation, particularly with respect to recommendations for or against bilateral implantation for an individual who is functioning bimodally. Eleven adults 23 to 75 years old with a unilateral CI and air-conduction thresholds in the nonimplanted ear equal to or better than 80 dB HL for at least one octave frequency between 250 and 1000 Hz participated in this study. Consonant identification was measured for conditions involving combinations of electric hearing (via the CI), acoustic hearing (via the nonimplanted ear), and speechreading (visual cues

Water incorporation in NAMs after antigorite and chlorite dehydration reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padrón-Navarta, José Alberto; Hermann, Jörg

2014-05-01

Subduction zones play a fundamental role in the deep water cycle making the Earth unique among other terrestrial planets. Water is incorporated into hydrous minerals during seafloor alteration of the oceanic lithosphere. During subduction of the oceanic lithosphere, dehydration of these hydrous minerals produces a fluid phase. A part of this fluid phase will be recycled back to the Earth's surface through hydrothermal aqueous fluids or through hydrous arc magmas, whereas another part of the water will be transported to the deep mantle by Nominally Anhydrous Minerals (NAMs) such as olivine, pyroxene and garnet. The partitioning of water between these two processes is crucial for our understanding of the mantle-scale water recycling in the Earth. This can be investigated experimentally under water-saturated conditions because this situation is met during dehydration reactions. However relatively low temperature conditions for such reactions make challenging these experiments. An alternative can be found in the natural record. The Alpine Betic-Rif orogen together with Central and Western Alps offer an invaluable diversity of ultramafic lenses that record a significant range of pressure-temperature and cooling rates. Hence these samples portray an excellent data set of 24 samples to survey the transfer of fluids from hydrous phases (brucite, antigorite and chlorite) to NAMs (olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and garnet). Well-studied samples from these localities have been selected for water measurement using FTIR spectroscopy. The selected suite comprises the following high-pressure peridotite outcrops: Malenco serpentinite, Cerro del Almirez (1.6-1.9 GPa and 680-710ºC), Alpe Arami (3.2 GPa and 840ºC), Cima di Gagnone (3.0 GPa and 750-800ºC) and Alpe Albion (0.6 GPa and 730ºC). The infrared signature of olivine in all localities contains water (hydroxyl groups) associated to intrinsic defects (mostly point defects related to Ti4+) and extrinsic submicroscopic

Improving hospital death certification in Viet Nam: results of a pilot study implementing an adapted WHO hospital death report form in two national hospitals.

PubMed

Walton, Merrilyn; Harrison, Reema; Chevalier, Anna; Esguerra, Esmond; Van Duong, Dang; Chinh, Nguyen Duc; Giang, Huong

2016-01-01

Viet Nam does not have a system for the national collection of death data that meets international requirements for mortality reporting. It is identified as a 'no-report' country by the WHO. Verbal autopsy reports are used in the community but exclude deaths in hospitals. This project was undertaken in Bach Mai National General Hospital and Viet Duc Surgical and Trauma Hospital in Viet Nam from 1 March 2013 to 31 March 2015. In phase 1, a modified hospital death report form, consistent with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, was developed. Small group training in use of the report form was delivered to 427 doctors. In phase two, death data were collected, collated and analysed. In phase three, a random sample (7%) of all report forms was checked for accuracy and completeness against medical records. During the 23 months of the study, 3956 deaths were recorded. Across both hospitals, 222 distinct causes of deaths were recorded. Traumatic cerebral oedema was the immediate cause of death (15% of cases, 575/3956 patients), followed by septic shock (13%, 528/3956), brain compression (11%, 416/3956), intracerebral haemorrhage (8%, 336/3956) and pneumonia (5%, 186/3956); 67% (2639/3956) of patients were discharged home to die and 33% (1314/3956) of deaths were due to a road traffic accident, or injury at home or at work. This study confirms the viability of implementing a death report form system compliant with international standards in hospitals in Viet Nam and provides the foundation for introducing a national death report form scheme. These data are critical to comprehensive knowledge of causes of death in Viet Nam. Death data about patients discharged home to die is presented for the first time, with implications for countries where this is a cultural preference.

Integrating dynamic ecohydrological relations with the catchment response: A multi-scale hydrological modeling effort in a monsoonal regime basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendez-Barroso, L. A.; Vivoni, E.; Robles-Morua, A.; Yepez, E. A.; Rodriguez, J. C.; Watts, C.; Saiz-Hernandez, J.

2013-05-01

Seasonal vegetation changes highly affect the energy and hydrologic fluxes in semiarid regions around the world. Accounting for different water use strategies among drought-deciduous ecosystems is important for understanding how these exploit the temporally brief and localized rainfall pulses of the North American Monsoon (NAM). Furthermore, quantifying these plant-water relations can help elucidate the spatial patterns of ecohydrological processes at catchment scale in the NAM region. In this effort, we focus on the San Miguel river basin (~ 3500 km2) in Sonora, Mexico, which exhibits seasonal vegetation greening that varies across ecosystems organized along mountain fronts. To assess the spatial variability of ecohydrological conditions, we relied on diverse tools that included multi-temporal remote sensing observations, model-based meteorological forcing, ground-based water and energy flux measurements and hydrologic simulations carried out at multiple scales. We evaluated the impact of seasonal vegetation dynamics on evapotranspiration (ET), its partitioning into soil evaporation (E) and plant transpiration (T), as well as their spatiotemporal patterns over the course of the NAM season. We utilized ground observations of soil moisture and evapotranspiration estimated by the eddy covariance method at two sites, as well as inferences of ET partitioning from stable isotope measurements, to test the numerical simulations. We found that ecosystem phenological differences lead to variations in the time to peak in transpiration during a season and in the overall seasonal ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration (T/ET). A sensitivity analysis of the numerical simulations revealed that vegetation cover and the soil moisure threshold at which stomata close exert strong controls on the seasonal dominance of transpiration or evaporation. The dynamics of ET and its partitioning are then mapped spatially revealing that mountain front ecosystems utilize water differently

Are consonant intervals music to their ears? Spontaneous acoustic preferences in a nonhuman primate.

PubMed

McDermott, Josh; Hauser, Marc

2004-12-01

Humans find some sounds more pleasing than others; such preferences may underlie our enjoyment of music. To gain insight into the evolutionary origins of these preferences, we explored whether they are present in other animals. We designed a novel method to measure the spontaneous sound preferences of cotton-top tamarins, a species that has been extensively tested for other perceptual abilities. Animals were placed in a V-shaped maze, and their position within the maze controlled their auditory environment. One sound was played when they were in one branch of the maze, and a different sound for the opposite branch; no food was delivered during testing. We used the proportion of time spent in each branch as a measure of preference. The first two experiments were designed as tests of our method. In Experiment 1, we used loud and soft white noise as stimuli; all animals spent most of their time on the side with soft noise. In Experiment 2, tamarins spent more time on the side playing species-specific feeding chirps than on the side playing species-specific distress calls. Together, these two experiments suggest that the method is effective, providing a spontaneous measure of preference. In Experiment 3, however, subjects showed no preference for consonant over dissonant intervals. Finally, tamarins showed no preference in Experiment 4 for a screeching sound (comparable to fingernails on a blackboard) over amplitude-matched white noise. In contrast, humans showed clear preferences for the consonant intervals of Experiment 3 and the white noise of Experiment 4 using the same stimuli and a similar method. We conclude that tamarins' preferences differ qualitatively from those of humans. The preferences that support our capacity for music may, therefore, be unique among the primates, and could be music-specific adaptations.

Development and Genetic Characterization of an Advanced Backcross-Nested Association Mapping (AB-NAM) Population of Wild × Cultivated Barley

PubMed Central

Nice, Liana M.; Steffenson, Brian J.; Brown-Guedira, Gina L.; Akhunov, Eduard D.; Liu, Chaochih; Kono, Thomas J. Y.; Morrell, Peter L.; Blake, Thomas K.; Horsley, Richard D.; Smith, Kevin P.; Muehlbauer, Gary J.

2016-01-01

The ability to access alleles from unadapted germplasm collections is a long-standing problem for geneticists and breeders. Here we developed, characterized, and demonstrated the utility of a wild barley advanced backcross-nested association mapping (AB-NAM) population. We developed this population by backcrossing 25 wild barley accessions to the six-rowed malting barley cultivar Rasmusson. The 25 wild barley parents were selected from the 318 accession Wild Barley Diversity Collection (WBDC) to maximize allelic diversity. The resulting 796 BC2F4:6 lines were genotyped with 384 SNP markers, and an additional 4022 SNPs and 263,531 sequence variants were imputed onto the population using 9K iSelect SNP genotypes and exome capture sequence of the parents, respectively. On average, 96% of each wild parent was introgressed into the Rasmusson background, and the population exhibited low population structure. While linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay (r2 = 0.2) was lowest in the WBDC (0.36 cM), the AB-NAM (9.2 cM) exhibited more rapid LD decay than comparable advanced backcross (28.6 cM) and recombinant inbred line (32.3 cM) populations. Three qualitative traits: glossy spike, glossy sheath, and black hull color were mapped with high resolution to loci corresponding to known barley mutants for these traits. Additionally, a total of 10 QTL were identified for grain protein content. The combination of low LD, negligible population structure, and high diversity in an adapted background make the AB-NAM an important tool for high-resolution gene mapping and discovery of novel allelic variation using wild barley germplasm. PMID:27182953

A multicentre molecular analysis of hepatitis B and blood-borne virus coinfections in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Dunford, Linda; Carr, Michael J; Dean, Jonathan; Nguyen, Linh Thuy; Ta Thi, Thu Hong; Nguyen, Binh Thanh; Connell, Jeff; Coughlan, Suzie; Nguyen, Hien Tran; Hall, William W; Thi, Lan Anh Nguyen

2012-01-01

Hepatitis B (HBV) infection is endemic in Viet Nam, with up to 8.4 million individuals estimated to be chronically infected. We describe results of a large, multicentre seroepidemiological and molecular study of the prevalence of HBV infection and blood-borne viral coinfections in Viet Nam. Individuals with varying risk factors for infection (n = 8654) were recruited from five centres; Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa and Can Tho. A mean prevalence rate of 10.7% was observed and levels of HBsAg were significantly higher in injecting drug users (IDUs) (17.4%, n = 174/1000) and dialysis patients (14.3%, n = 82/575) than in lower-risk groups (9.4%; p<0.001). Coinfection with HIV was seen in 28% of HBV-infected IDUs (n = 49/174) and 15.2% of commercial sex workers (CSWs; n = 15/99). HCV infection was present in 89.8% of the HBV-HIV coinfected IDUs (n = 44/49) and 40% of HBV-HIV coinfected CSWs (n = 16/40). Anti-HDV was detected in 10.7% (n = 34/318) of HBsAg positive individuals. Phylogenetic analysis of HBV S gene (n = 187) showed a predominance of genotype B4 (82.6%); genotypes C1 (14.6%), B2 (2.7%) and C5 (0.5%) were also identified. The precore mutation G1896A was identified in 35% of all specimens, and was more frequently observed in genotype B (41%) than genotype C (3%; p<0.0001). In the immunodominant 'a' region of the surface gene, point mutations were identified in 31% (n = 58/187) of sequences, and 2.2% (n = 4/187) and 5.3% (n = 10/187) specimens contained the major vaccine escape mutations G145A/R and P120L/Q/S/T, respectively. 368 HBsAg positive individuals were genotyped for the IL28B SNP rs12979860 and no significant association between the IL28B SNP and clearance of HBsAg, HBV viral load or HBeAg was observed. This study confirms the high prevalence of HBV infection in Viet Nam and also highlights the significant levels of blood-borne virus coinfections, which have important implications for hepatitis-related morbidity and development of effective

Auditory brainstem responses to stop consonants predict literacy.

PubMed

Neef, Nicole E; Schaadt, Gesa; Friederici, Angela D

2017-03-01

Precise temporal coding of speech plays a pivotal role in sound processing throughout the central auditory system, which, in turn, influences literacy acquisition. The current study tests whether an electrophysiological measure of this precision predicts literacy skills. Complex auditory brainstem responses were analysed from 62 native German-speaking children aged 11-13years. We employed the cross-phaseogram approach to compute the quality of the electrophysiological stimulus contrast [da] and [ba]. Phase shifts were expected to vary with literacy. Receiver operating curves demonstrated a feasible sensitivity and specificity of the electrophysiological measure. A multiple regression analysis resulted in a significant prediction of literacy by delta cross-phase as well as phonological awareness. A further commonality analysis separated a unique variance that was explained by the physiological measure, from a unique variance that was explained by the behavioral measure, and common effects of both. Despite multicollinearities between literacy, phonological awareness, and subcortical differentiation of stop consonants, a combined assessment of behavior and physiology strongly increases the ability to predict literacy skills. The strong link between the neurophysiological signature of sound encoding and literacy outcome suggests that the delta cross-phase could indicate the risk of dyslexia and thereby complement subjective psychometric measures for early diagnoses. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Examination of the neighborhood activation theory in normal and hearing-impaired listeners.

PubMed

Dirks, D D; Takayanagi, S; Moshfegh, A; Noffsinger, P D; Fausti, S A

2001-02-01

Experiments were conducted to examine the effects of lexical information on word recognition among normal hearing listeners and individuals with sensorineural hearing loss. The lexical factors of interest were incorporated in the Neighborhood Activation Model (NAM). Central to this model is the concept that words are recognized relationally in the context of other phonemically similar words. NAM suggests that words in the mental lexicon are organized into similarity neighborhoods and the listener is required to select the target word from competing lexical items. Two structural characteristics of similarity neighborhoods that influence word recognition have been identified; "neighborhood density" or the number of phonemically similar words (neighbors) for a particular target item and "neighborhood frequency" or the average frequency of occurrence of all the items within a neighborhood. A third lexical factor, "word frequency" or the frequency of occurrence of a target word in the language, is assumed to optimize the word recognition process by biasing the system toward choosing a high frequency over a low frequency word. Three experiments were performed. In the initial experiments, word recognition for consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) monosyllables was assessed in young normal hearing listeners by systematically partitioning the items into the eight possible lexical conditions that could be created by two levels of the three lexical factors, word frequency (high and low), neighborhood density (high and low), and average neighborhood frequency (high and low). Neighborhood structure and word frequency were estimated computationally using a large, on-line lexicon-based Webster's Pocket Dictionary. From this program 400 highly familiar, monosyllables were selected and partitioned into eight orthogonal lexical groups (50 words/group). The 400 words were presented randomly to normal hearing listeners in speech-shaped noise (Experiment 1) and "in quiet" (Experiment 2) as

The use of a computerized database to monitor vaccine safety in Viet Nam.

PubMed Central

Ali, Mohammad; Canh, Gia Do; Clemens, John D.; Park, Jin-Kyung; von Seidlein, Lorenz; Minh, Tan Truong; Thiem, Dinh Vu; Tho, Huu Le; Trach, Duc Dang

2005-01-01

Health information systems to monitor vaccine safety are used in industrialized countries to detect adverse medical events related to vaccinations or to prove the safety of vaccines. There are no such information systems in the developing world, but they are urgently needed. A large linked database for the monitoring of vaccine-related adverse events has been established in Khanh Hoa province, Viet Nam. Data collected during the first 2 years of surveillance, a period which included a mass measles vaccination campaign, were used to evaluate the system. For this purpose the discharge diagnoses of individuals admitted to polyclinics and hospitals were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 guidelines and linked in a dynamic population database with vaccination histories. A case-series analysis was applied to the cohort of children vaccinated during the mass measles vaccination campaign. The study recorded 107,022 immunizations in a catchment area with a population of 357,458 and confirmed vaccine coverage of 87% or higher for completed routine childhood vaccinations. The measles vaccination campaign immunized at least 86% of the targeted children aged 9 months to 10 years. No medical event was detected significantly more frequently during the 14 days after measles vaccination than before it. The experience in Viet Nam confirmed the safety of a measles vaccination campaign and shows that it is feasible to establish health information systems such as a large linked database which can provide reliable data in a developing country for a modest increase in use of resources. PMID:16193545

New Constraints on Baja California-North America Relative Plate Motion Since 11 Ma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, S. E.; Skinner, L. A.; Darin, M. H.; Umhoefer, P. J.; Oskin, M. E.; Dorsey, R. J.

2013-12-01

Tectonic reconstructions of the Pacific-North America (PAC-NAM) plate boundary across the Gulf of California and Salton Trough (GCAST) constrain the controversial magnitude of Baja California microplate-North America (BCM-NAM) relative motion since middle Miocene time. We use estimates of total PAC-NAM relative dextral-oblique motion from the updated global plate-circuit model (Atwater and Stock, 2013; GSA Cordilleran Mtg) to resolve the proportion of this motion on faults east of the BCM. Modern GPS studies and offset of late Miocene cross-gulf geologic tie points both suggest that BCM has never been completely coupled to the Pacific plate. Thus, our preferred GCAST reconstruction uses 93% BCM-PAC coupling from the present back to 6 Ma. We assume BCM-PAC coupling of 60% between 6 and 7 Ma, and 25% between 7 and 11 Ma, to avoid unacceptable overlap of continental crustal blocks between Baja California and the Sierra Madre Occidental (on stable NAM). Using these coupling ratios and PAC-NAM stage Euler poles, we determine the azimuth and velocity of individual points on the BCM in 1 million year increments back to 11 Ma. This procedure accounts for minor clockwise rotation of BCM that occurred during oblique rifting, and shows how total BCM-NAM relative motion increases from north to south due to greater distance from the Euler pole. Finer-scale restoration of tectonic blocks along significant (>1 km offset) faults, across extensional (e.g. pull-apart and half-graben) basins, and by vertical-axis rotation is constrained by local geologic and marine-geophysical datasets and accomplished via the open-source Tectonic Reconstruct ArcGIS tool. We find that restoration across the Gulf of California completely closes marine basins and their terrestrial predecessors between 6 and 9 Ma. Latest Miocene opening of these basins was coincident with a ~10° clockwise azimuthal change from 8 to 6 Ma in PAC-NAM relative motion, as revealed by the global plate circuit model. The

A Self-Sustained Education System for a Developing Country: The Case of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Dien Ngoc

Viet Nam's average annual population growth rate is 2.6%, which accounts for a large youth population: 37.7% of the total population is under age 15, compared with an average of 20% in developed or newly industrialized countries. A free basic education for all children is almost impossible to provide. With consideration of the Vietnamese people's…

Prevalence of and risk factors for violent disciplinary practices at home in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Cappa, Claudia; Dam, Hang

2014-02-01

Data on parenting practices and the use of violence in child rearing remain scarce worldwide, hindering prevention efforts. This study examines disciplinary methods used on children at home in Viet Nam. It is based on data collected from 2010 to 2011 through the fourth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS4)-a household survey program supported by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that focuses on women and children in low- and middle-income countries. Respondents in the survey were asked 11 questions relating to disciplinary measures used in the preceding month on one randomly selected child (2-14 years old) in each household. A final question about attitudes probed adults' views on the need for physical punishment in child rearing. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to estimate the prevalence of violent and nonviolent forms of discipline, and to identify risk factors associated with violent punishment. Results showed that three in four children in Viet Nam are disciplined through violent means. The exposure of Vietnamese children to violent forms of discipline was significantly associated with varied characteristics of both children and their caregivers. Moreover, the use of violent disciplinary practices on children was strongly associated with positive attitudes toward corporal punishment. Risk factors for violent child discipline identified in this study can inform future interventions to promote positive practices and to protect Vietnamese children against violence in the home.

Voice Onset Time for the Word-Initial Voiceless Consonant /t/ in Japanese Spasmodic Dysphonia-A Comparison With Normal Controls.

PubMed

Yanagida, Saori; Nishizawa, Noriko; Mizoguchi, Kenji; Hatakeyama, Hiromitsu; Fukuda, Satoshi

2015-07-01

Voice onset time (VOT) for word-initial voiceless consonants in adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) and abductor spasmodic dysphonia (ABSD) patients were measured to determine (1) which acoustic measures differed from the controls and (2) whether acoustic measures were related to the pause or silence between the test word and the preceding word. Forty-eight patients with ADSD and nine patients with ABSD, as well as 20 matched normal controls read a story in which the word "taiyo" (the sun) was repeated three times, each differentiated by the position of the word in the sentence. The target of measurement was the VOT for the word-initial voiceless consonant /t/. When the target syllable appeared in a sentence following a comma, or at the beginning of a sentence following a period, the ABSD patients' VOTs were significantly longer than those of the ADSD patients and controls. Abnormal prolongation of the VOTs was related to the pause or silence between the test word and the preceding word. VOTs in spasmodic dysphonia (SD) may vary according to the SD subtype or speaking conditions. VOT measurement was suggested to be a useful method for quantifying voice symptoms in SD. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Social Class and School Conditions on Educational Enrollment and Achievement of Boys and Girls in Rural Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Phuong L.

2006-01-01

This study examines the effects of parental SES, school quality, and community factors on children's enrollment and achievement in rural areas in Viet Nam, using logistic regression and ordered logistic regression. Multivariate analysis reveals significant differences in educational enrollment and outcomes by level of household expenditures and…

Symptoms and Risk Factors for Stroke in a Community-Based Observational Sample in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Fitzpatrick, Annette L.; Van Ngo, Quang; Ly, Kiet A.; Ton, Thanh G.N.; Longstreth, W.T.; Vo, Tung T; Heitzinger, Kristen; Pham, Chien H.; Tirschwell, David L.

2013-01-01

Background Viet Nam is experiencing a health transition from infectious to chronic disease. Data on cardiovascular diseases, including strokes, are limited. Methods Data were randomly collected from six communities in Da Nang, Viet Nam, on participant demographics, medical history, blood pressure, anthropometrics and health behavior using World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Stroke symptoms were collected by self-report with the standardized Questionnaire for Verifying Stroke Free Status. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the presence of stroke symptoms. Results 1,621 adults were examined with a mean age of 52.0 years (± 12.5 years), of which 56.1% were women. 27.3% of the participants were found to have hypertension, 26.2% used tobacco, and 16.1% were overweight. More than two-thirds of the participants with hypertension were unaware of their condition. Almost one fourth of the participants were identified by the questionnaire as previously experiencing at least one stroke symptom. Age, rural residence, and education were associated with the presence of stroke symptoms. Models adjusted for demographics found hypertension, high cholesterol, reported severe chest pain, former smoking, and being overweight to be associated with a higher prevalence of stroke symptoms. Conclusions The high frequency of stroke symptoms in Da Nang calls for further evaluation and interventions to reduce hypertension and other risk factors for chronic disease. PMID:23538875

A psychoacoustic method for studying the necessary and sufficient perceptual cues of American English fricative consonants in noise.

PubMed

Li, Feipeng; Trevino, Andrea; Menon, Anjali; Allen, Jont B

2012-10-01

In a previous study on plosives, the 3-Dimensional Deep Search (3DDS) method for the exploration of the necessary and sufficient cues for speech perception was introduced (Li et al., (2010). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 127(4), 2599-2610). Here, this method is used to isolate the spectral cue regions for perception of the American English fricatives /∫, 3, s, z, f, v, θ, δ in time, frequency, and intensity. The fricatives are analyzed in the context of consonant-vowel utterances, using the vowel /α/. The necessary cues were found to be contained in the frication noise for /∫, 3, s, z, f, v/. 3DDS analysis isolated the cue regions of /s, z/ between 3.6 and 8 [kHz] and /∫, 3/ between 1.4 and 4.2 [kHz]. Some utterances were found to contain acoustic components that were unnecessary for correct perception, but caused listeners to hear non-target consonants when the primary cue region was removed; such acoustic components are labeled "conflicting cue regions." The amplitude modulation of the high-frequency frication region by the fundamental F0 was found to be a sufficient cue for voicing. Overall, the 3DDS method allows one to analyze the effects of natural speech components without initial assumptions about where perceptual cues lie in time-frequency space or which elements of production they correspond to.

Etude des sequences de type consonne constrictive plus voyelle en francais, a l'aide de la radiocinematographie et de l'oscillographie (A Study of the Constrictive Consonant Plus Vowel Sequences in French, Using X-Ray Filming and Oscillography). Publication B-148.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rochette, Claude; Simard, Claude

A study of the phonetic combination of a constrictive consonant (specifically, [f], [v], and [r]) and a vowel in French using x-ray and oscillograph technology focused on the speed and process of articulation between the consonant and the vowel. The study considered aperture size, nasality, labiality, and accent. Articulation of a total of 407…

Assessing the effect of physical differences in the articulation of consonants and vowels on audiovisual temporal perception

PubMed Central

Vatakis, Argiro; Maragos, Petros; Rodomagoulakis, Isidoros; Spence, Charles

2012-01-01

We investigated how the physical differences associated with the articulation of speech affect the temporal aspects of audiovisual speech perception. Video clips of consonants and vowels uttered by three different speakers were presented. The video clips were analyzed using an auditory-visual signal saliency model in order to compare signal saliency and behavioral data. Participants made temporal order judgments (TOJs) regarding which speech-stream (auditory or visual) had been presented first. The sensitivity of participants' TOJs and the point of subjective simultaneity (PSS) were analyzed as a function of the place, manner of articulation, and voicing for consonants, and the height/backness of the tongue and lip-roundedness for vowels. We expected that in the case of the place of articulation and roundedness, where the visual-speech signal is more salient, temporal perception of speech would be modulated by the visual-speech signal. No such effect was expected for the manner of articulation or height. The results demonstrate that for place and manner of articulation, participants' temporal percept was affected (although not always significantly) by highly-salient speech-signals with the visual-signals requiring smaller visual-leads at the PSS. This was not the case when height was evaluated. These findings suggest that in the case of audiovisual speech perception, a highly salient visual-speech signal may lead to higher probabilities regarding the identity of the auditory-signal that modulate the temporal window of multisensory integration of the speech-stimulus. PMID:23060756

Violation of Bans on Tobacco Advertising and Promotion at Points of Sale in Viet Nam: Trend from 2009 - 2015.

PubMed

Huong, Le Thi Thanh; Long, Tran Khanh; Son, Phung Xuan; Huyen, Do Phuc; Linh, Phan Thuy; Bich, Nguyen Ngoc; Lam, Nguyen Xuan; Anh, Le Vu; Tuyet-Hanh, Tran Thi

2016-01-01

Comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising and promotion were introduced through tobacco control legislation in Viet Nam, but it has been established that violations of the bans are very common. This study was conducted to explore the trend in violations of bans on tobacco advertising and promotion at points of sale in Viet Nam in the past six years and to explore any differences in the violation situations before and after the Law on Tobacco Control came into effect on 1st May 2013. Quantitative data were collected through observation of violations of the bans on tobacco advertising and promotion at points of sale in 10 provinces throughout Viet Nam in four survey rounds (2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015). Variation in violation prevalence over time was examined by chi-square test using a Bonferini method. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify the factors that may have influences on different types of violation. A level of significance of p<0.05 was used for all tests in this article. The most common form of violation was the display of more than one pack/one carton of a cigarette brand. Violation of bans on tobacco advertising increased while violations on promotion ban and on displaying tobacco decreased through time. Some factors associated with the tobacco advertising and promotion bans included surveyed years, types of points of sale, regions and areas where the points of sale were located. The enforcement of the bans did not improve even after the issuance and the enactment of the Law on Tobacco Control. This suggests that the monitoring and enforcement of bans on tobacco advertising and promotion at points of sale should be strengthened. Penalties should be strictly applied for violators as indicated in the current tobacco control legislation.

Decreasing In-home Smoking of Adults—Results from a School-based Intervention Program in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Huong, Le Thi Thanh; Long, Tran Khanh; Anh, Le Vu; Cook, Margaret; Capra, Mike

2016-01-01

It is indicated that children are involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke from adults, mainly at their home environment. This study aimed at describing the effectiveness of the school-based intervention to decrease the in-home smoking situation of adults so as to decrease children's exposure to secondhand smoke at home during the year 2011–2012 in a rural district in Hanoi, Viet Nam. This school-based intervention program (intervention and control group) involved 804 children aged 8 to 11 years from August 2011 to May 2012 in a rural district of Hanoi, Viet Nam. Children were taught in class about the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and about how to negotiate with fathers not to smoke in-home. Then children applied what they learnt, including staying away from secondhand smoke and persuading fathers not to smoke in-home in order to decrease children's exposure to secondhand smoke. Chi square test, t-test and multinominal logistic regression were applied in data analysis. The results showed that children's reported their father's in-home smoking decreased from 83.0% pre-intervention to 59.8% post-intervention (p < 0.001) in the intervention school while no change happened in the control school. The study found that the better changed smoking location of adult smokers as reported by children associated with the school who received intervention activities (adjusted OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.28–3.24). Poorer changed attitudes towards secondhand smoke of children associated with a lower percentage of better change in smoking location of their fathers/other adult smokers (aOR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28–0.96). Children's poorer changed knowledge towards secondhand smoke also associated with poorer changed smoking location of adult smokers (aOR = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.07–7.76). It is recommended by this study that similar school based intervention approaches should be applied in primary schools in Viet Nam to increase children's awareness on the adverse health effects of

Decreasing In-home Smoking of Adults-Results from a School-based Intervention Program in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Huong, Le Thi Thanh; Long, Tran Khanh; Anh, Le Vu; Cook, Margaret; Capra, Mike

2016-01-01

It is indicated that children are involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke from adults, mainly at their home environment. This study aimed at describing the effectiveness of the school-based intervention to decrease the in-home smoking situation of adults so as to decrease children's exposure to secondhand smoke at home during the year 2011-2012 in a rural district in Hanoi, Viet Nam. This school-based intervention program (intervention and control group) involved 804 children aged 8 to 11 years from August 2011 to May 2012 in a rural district of Hanoi, Viet Nam. Children were taught in class about the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and about how to negotiate with fathers not to smoke in-home. Then children applied what they learnt, including staying away from secondhand smoke and persuading fathers not to smoke in-home in order to decrease children's exposure to secondhand smoke. Chi square test, t-test and multinominal logistic regression were applied in data analysis. The results showed that children's reported their father's in-home smoking decreased from 83.0% pre-intervention to 59.8% post-intervention ( p < 0.001) in the intervention school while no change happened in the control school. The study found that the better changed smoking location of adult smokers as reported by children associated with the school who received intervention activities (adjusted OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.28-3.24). Poorer changed attitudes towards secondhand smoke of children associated with a lower percentage of better change in smoking location of their fathers/other adult smokers (aOR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.96). Children's poorer changed knowledge towards secondhand smoke also associated with poorer changed smoking location of adult smokers (aOR = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.07-7.76). It is recommended by this study that similar school based intervention approaches should be applied in primary schools in Viet Nam to increase children's awareness on the adverse health effects of secondhand

Normative data for a computer-assisted version of the auditory three-consonant Brown-Peterson paradigm in the elderly French-Quebec population.

PubMed

Callahan, Brandy L; Belleville, Sylvie; Ferland, Guylaine; Potvin, Olivier; Tremblay, Marie-Pier; Hudon, Carol; Macoir, Joël

2014-01-01

The Brown-Peterson task is used to assess verbal short-term memory as well as divided attention. In its auditory three-consonant version, trigrams are presented to participants who must recall the items in correct order after variable delays, during which an interference task is performed. The present study aimed to establish normative data for this test in the elderly French-Quebec population based on cross-sectional data from a retrospective, multi-center convenience sample. A total of 595 elderly native French-speakers from the province of Quebec performed the Memoria version of the auditory three-consonant Brown-Peterson test. For both series and item-by-item scoring methods, age, education, and, in most cases, recall after a 0-second interval were found to be significantly associated with recall performance after 10-second, 20-second, and 30-second interference intervals. Based on regression model results, equations to calculate Z scores are presented for the 10-second, 20-second and 30-second intervals and for each scoring method to allow estimation of expected performance based on participants' individual characteristics. As an important ceiling effect was observed at the 0-second interval, norms for this interference interval are presented in percentiles.

Risk Factors for Chronic Disease in Viet Nam: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Rao, Chalapati; Nhung, Nguyen Thi Trang; Marks, Geoffrey; Hoa, Nguyen Phuong

2013-01-01

Introduction Chronic diseases account for most of the disease burden in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in Asia. We reviewed literature on chronic disease risk factors in Viet Nam to identify patterns and data gaps. Methods All population-based studies published from 2000 to 2012 that reported chronic disease risk factors were considered. We used standard chronic disease terminology to search PubMed and assessed titles, abstracts, and articles for eligibility for inclusion. We summarized relevant study information in tables listing available studies, risk factors measured, and the prevalence of these risk factors. Results We identified 23 studies conducted before 2010. The most common age range studied was 25 to 64 years. Sample sizes varied, and sample frames were national in 5 studies. A combination of behavioral, physical, and biological risk factors was studied. Being overweight or obese was the most common risk factor studied (n = 14), followed by high blood pressure (n = 11) and tobacco use (n = 10). Tobacco and alcohol use were high among men, and tobacco use may be increasing among Vietnamese women. High blood pressure is common; however, people’s knowledge that they have high blood pressure may be low. A high proportion of diets do not meet international criteria for fruit and vegetable consumption. Prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing. None of the studies evaluated measured dietary patterns or total caloric intake, and only 1 study measured dietary salt intake. Conclusion Risk factors for chronic diseases are common in Viet Nam; however, more recent and context-specific information is required for planning and monitoring interventions to reduce risk factors and chronic disease in this country. PMID:23306076

First record of a cave species of Euscorpiops Vachon from Viet Nam (Scorpiones, Euscorpiidae, Scorpiopinae).

PubMed

Lourenço, Wilson R; Pham, Dinh-Sac

2013-07-01

Euscorpiops cavernicola sp. n., belonging to the family Euscorpiidae Laurie, is described on the basis of two male and two female specimens collected in the Hua Ma cave located in the Quang Khe commune, Ba Be district of Bac Kan province in Viet Nam. The new species presents most features exhibited by scorpions within the genus Euscorpiops, however it may represent the first discovered Scorpiopinae species exhibiting certain adaptations to cave life. Copyright © 2013 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Pull-Apart vs. Subduction Rollback Mechanisms For The Cenozoic Formation Of Bohai Basin, Eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellanos, H. A.; Mann, P.

2005-12-01

The Bohai basin of eastern China covers an area of about 200,000 km2 and forms one of a family of basins that record Cenozoic extension along the eastern margin of Asia from Viet Nam to northeastern Russia. Two very different deformational mechanisms have been proposed for the Cenozoic formation of the Bohai basin. The first model proposes a two-stage extension model consisting of Paleogene rifting in a WNW-ESE direction followed by Neogene thermal subsidence that controlled overlying and less deformed sag basins above the rifted section (Ye et al., 1985). The mechanism for two-stage rifting is generally attributed to rollback of the subducted Pacific plate beneath the Asian continent, lithospheric extension of the overriding continental plate, and thermally-driven, regional subsidence. A second model invokes a more localized Cenozoic pull-apart basin formed at a right-step in a right-lateral shear system parallel to the Asian continental margin (Allen et al., 1997). Earthquakes and GPS data indicate that right-lateral strike-slip faulting continues to the present-day in a pattern consistent with the regional-scale "lazy-Z" map pattern of the Cenozoic Bohai depocenter. Allen et al. (1997) propose the subsurface of the large pull-apart structure contains diffuse, sub-parallel strike-slip faults offset by smaller-scale, intrabasinal stepovers. In order to better distinguish the timing and mechanism for the formation of the Bohai basin, we have interpreted 1400 km of offshore 2D seismic data, a 3D seismic volume, and integrated lithostratigraphic data from 6 wells that are tied to these reflection data. Three major units were identified and mapped on a basin-wide scale: basement, a syn-rift unit, and a post-rift sag unit. Thickening trends and ages indicate the syn-rift phase occurred from late Paleocene to late Oligocene. Basin opening occurred on a series of half-grabens trending NNE-SSW. Rifting ended during the late Oligocene when a regional uplift and erosional

Towards a Lifelong Learning Society through Reading Promotion: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries and Community Learning Centres in Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hossain, Zakir

2016-01-01

The government of Viet Nam has made a commitment to build a Lifelong Learning Society by 2020. A range of related initiatives have been launched, including the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Centre for Lifelong Learning (SEAMEO CELLL) and "Book Day"--a day aimed at encouraging reading and raising awareness of its…

A Multicentre Molecular Analysis of Hepatitis B and Blood-Borne Virus Coinfections in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Dunford, Linda; Carr, Michael J.; Dean, Jonathan; Nguyen, Linh Thuy; Ta Thi, Thu Hong; Nguyen, Binh Thanh; Connell, Jeff; Coughlan, Suzie; Nguyen, Hien Tran; Hall, William W.; Thi, Lan Anh Nguyen

2012-01-01

Hepatitis B (HBV) infection is endemic in Viet Nam, with up to 8.4 million individuals estimated to be chronically infected. We describe results of a large, multicentre seroepidemiological and molecular study of the prevalence of HBV infection and blood-borne viral coinfections in Viet Nam. Individuals with varying risk factors for infection (n = 8654) were recruited from five centres; Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa and Can Tho. A mean prevalence rate of 10.7% was observed and levels of HBsAg were significantly higher in injecting drug users (IDUs) (17.4%, n = 174/1000) and dialysis patients (14.3%, n = 82/575) than in lower-risk groups (9.4%; p<0.001). Coinfection with HIV was seen in 28% of HBV-infected IDUs (n = 49/174) and 15.2% of commercial sex workers (CSWs; n = 15/99). HCV infection was present in 89.8% of the HBV-HIV coinfected IDUs (n = 44/49) and 40% of HBV-HIV coinfected CSWs (n = 16/40). Anti-HDV was detected in 10.7% (n = 34/318) of HBsAg positive individuals. Phylogenetic analysis of HBV S gene (n = 187) showed a predominance of genotype B4 (82.6%); genotypes C1 (14.6%), B2 (2.7%) and C5 (0.5%) were also identified. The precore mutation G1896A was identified in 35% of all specimens, and was more frequently observed in genotype B (41%) than genotype C (3%; p<0.0001). In the immunodominant ‘a’ region of the surface gene, point mutations were identified in 31% (n = 58/187) of sequences, and 2.2% (n = 4/187) and 5.3% (n = 10/187) specimens contained the major vaccine escape mutations G145A/R and P120L/Q/S/T, respectively. 368 HBsAg positive individuals were genotyped for the IL28B SNP rs12979860 and no significant association between the IL28B SNP and clearance of HBsAg, HBV viral load or HBeAg was observed. This study confirms the high prevalence of HBV infection in Viet Nam and also highlights the significant levels of blood-borne virus coinfections, which have important implications for

Consequences of gestational diabetes in an urban hospital in Viet Nam: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Hirst, Jane E; Tran, Thach S; Do, My An T; Morris, Jonathan M; Jeffery, Heather E

2012-01-01

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing and is a risk for type 2 diabetes. Evidence supporting screening comes mostly from high-income countries. We aimed to determine prevalence and outcomes in urban Viet Nam. We compared the proposed International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criterion, requiring one positive value on the 75-g glucose tolerance test, to the 2010 American Diabetes Association (ADA) criterion, requiring two positive values. We conducted a prospective cohort study in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Study participants were 2,772 women undergoing routine prenatal care who underwent a 75-g glucose tolerance test and interview around 28 (range 24-32) wk. GDM diagnosed by the ADA criterion was treated by local protocol. Women with GDM by the IADPSG criterion but not the ADA criterion were termed "borderline" and received standard care. 2,702 women (97.5% of cohort) were followed until discharge after delivery. GDM was diagnosed in 164 participants (6.1%) by the ADA criterion, 550 (20.3%) by the IADPSG criterion. Mean body mass index was 20.45 kg/m(2) in women with out GDM, 21.10 in women with borderline GDM, and 21.81 in women with GDM, p<0.001. Women with GDM and borderline GDM were more likely to deliver preterm, with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of 1.49 (95% CI 1.16-1.91) and 1.52 (1.03-2.24), respectively. They were more likely to have clinical neonatal hypoglycaemia, aORs of 4.94 (3.41-7.14) and 3.34 (1.41-7.89), respectively. For large for gestational age, the aORs were 1.16 (0.93-1.45) and 1.31 (0.96-1.79), respectively. There was no significant difference in large for gestational age, death, severe birth trauma, or maternal morbidity between the groups. Women with GDM underwent more labour inductions, aOR 1.51 (1.08-2.11). Choice of criterion greatly affects GDM prevalence in Viet Nam. Women with GDM by the IADPSG criterion were at risk of preterm delivery and neonatal hypoglycaemia, although this criterion

Sensitivity, completeness and agreement of the tuberculosis electronic system in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Thai, L H; Nhat, L M; Shah, N; Lyss, S; Ackers, M

2017-12-21

Setting: Since 2011, tuberculosis (TB) clinics in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam, have been entering data from a paper-based TB treatment register into an electronic database known as VITIMES (Viet Nam TB Information Management Electronic System), which is currently used in parallel with the paper system. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity, completeness and agreement of data in VITIMES with that of paper-based registers among TB patients co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) being treated for TB in HCMC. Design: This was a retrospective data review of all TB-HIV patients receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment in each of the 24 district TB clinics in HCMC in 2013. Data were abstracted from the paper-based TB treatment registers at district level and extracted electronically at the provincial level. Records were matched based on name, age and address. The sensitivity, completeness and agreement of the electronic data were compared with data from the paper system. Results: The findings showed that the electronic system had high sensitivity (99.2%), high completeness (87-99%) and high agreement (κ 0.78-0.97) for all variables. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that data are being correctly entered into VITIMES and that patient data can be directly entered into VITIMES instead of having a parallel, paper-based system.

Sensitivity, completeness and agreement of the tuberculosis electronic system in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Nhat, L. M.; Shah, N.; Lyss, S.; Ackers, M.

2017-01-01

Setting: Since 2011, tuberculosis (TB) clinics in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam, have been entering data from a paper-based TB treatment register into an electronic database known as VITIMES (Viet Nam TB Information Management Electronic System), which is currently used in parallel with the paper system. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity, completeness and agreement of data in VITIMES with that of paper-based registers among TB patients co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) being treated for TB in HCMC. Design: This was a retrospective data review of all TB-HIV patients receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment in each of the 24 district TB clinics in HCMC in 2013. Data were abstracted from the paper-based TB treatment registers at district level and extracted electronically at the provincial level. Records were matched based on name, age and address. The sensitivity, completeness and agreement of the electronic data were compared with data from the paper system. Results: The findings showed that the electronic system had high sensitivity (99.2%), high completeness (87–99%) and high agreement (κ 0.78–0.97) for all variables. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that data are being correctly entered into VITIMES and that patient data can be directly entered into VITIMES instead of having a parallel, paper-based system. PMID:29584795

Can health systems be enhanced for optimal health services through disease-specific programs? Results of field studies in Viet Nam and Cambodia.

PubMed

Egami, Y; Fujita, N; Akashi, H; Matsumoto, Y; Ohara, H; Takeuchi, M

2012-02-01

Developing better health systems is the key to delivering optimal health services, although more evidence of effective strategies to do so is needed. Field surveys were conducted in Viet Nam and Cambodia to identify best practices in addressing health system bottlenecks to scale up disease control programs. The two countries were compared over time using a framework for analysis developed by the authors. In Viet Nam, a health system was in place for decades at the central to municipal levels, although it was fragile until the 1990s, when the government started taking measures. In Cambodia, the previous health system had been destroyed during previous internal conflict. In the post-conflict period, the health system was rebuilt with support for programs followed by centralization of health services. In different settings, different measures were taken to deal with similar bottlenecks. In Cambodia, vertical programs were dominant, so the government sought to centralize drug management to deal with shortages of essential drugs, while Viet Nam sought to mobilize resources to ensure drug distribution at all levels. This study shows there is no single successful approach to health systems, and a systemic approach needs to be taken because elimination of one bottleneck may reveal another. Efforts to enhance disease-specific programs may not always contribute to overall enhancement of the health system, and the best possible approach may not be the same in different countries. Further study is needed to explore common issues and principles for effective strategies to enhance health systems in different contexts.

Strategies Used by Cantonese Speakers in Pronouncing English Initial Consonant Clusters: Insights into the Interlanguage Phonology of Cantonese ESL Learners in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Alice Y. W.

2006-01-01

This article discusses the strategies used by Cantonese ESL learners to cope with their problems in pronouncing English initial consonant clusters. A small-scale research study was carried out with six secondary and six university students in Hong Kong, who were asked to perform four speech tasks: the reading of a word list, the description of a…

Patterns of the utilization of prenatal diagnosis services among pregnant women, their satisfaction and its associated factors in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Doan, Duong Thi Thuy; Nguyen, Huong Thi Thu; Bui, Ha Thi Thu

2017-02-01

This study aimed at understanding the patterns of the utilization of prenatal diagnostic (PND) services among pregnant women, their satisfaction and its associated factors at three regional prenatal diagnostic centres in Viet Nam. A cross-sectional design was used, with a consecutive sampling method to recruit pregnant women who used PND services at the three biggest regional PND services centres in Viet Nam between January and June, 2014. A total of 298 participants, about 100 participants per centre were interviewed and included in data analysis. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression methods were applied to identify association between satisfaction of women and their socio-economic characteristics. 80% of pregnant women received counselling on PND services, whilst 90% received ultrasonography services; 65.4% were satisfied with the PND services they used. Pregnant women, who were in a lower income group and received counselling but did not receive ultrasonography, were more likely to have higher satisfaction levels of PND services. A process to ensure that every pregnant woman receives sufficient PND counselling before and after receiving PND testing must be given careful and thorough consideration.

HỖ TRỢ CỦA GIA ĐÌNH ĐỐI VỚI NAM TIÊM CHÍCH MA TÚY NHIỄM HIV TẠI HÀ NỘI

PubMed Central

Ngọc, Lùng Bích; Ly, An Thanh; Hòa, Trần Thị; Giang, Lê Minh

2016-01-01

Nghiên cứu định tính nhằm mô tả hỗ trợ của gia đình trong chăm sóc sức khỏe, đặc biệt trong điều trị HIV và nghiện chắt của nam tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV tại Hà Nội. Kết quả phân tích cho thấy gia đình chủ yếu hỗ trợ tài chính, tinh thần và chăm sóc sức khỏe trong khi các hỗ trợ thông tin liên quan đến điều trị HIV và nghiện chất cho nam tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV của gia đình còn khá hạn chế. Hỗ trợ của gia đình cho nam tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV khác nhau giữa các giai đoạn sử dụng ma túy, nhiễm HIV, điều trị HIV và điều trị nghiện chất. Đáng chú ý là việc tiết lộ tình trạng nhiễm HIV đã giúp các nam tiêm chích ma túy nhận được nhiều hơn sự hỗ trợ từ gia đình. Các can thiệp nhằm nâng cao hiệu quả điều trị HIV và điều trị nghiện chất cho nam tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV cần tính đến sự tham gia hỗ trợ của gia đình. PMID:28393100

Modeling phoneme perception. II: A model of stop consonant discrimination.

PubMed

van Hessen, A J; Schouten, M E

1992-10-01

Combining elements from two existing theories of speech sound discrimination, dual process theory (DPT) and trace context theory (TCT), a new theory, called phoneme perception theory, is proposed, consisting of a long-term phoneme memory, a context-coding memory, and a trace memory, each with its own time constants. This theory is tested by means of stop-consonant discrimination data in which interstimulus interval (ISI; values of 100, 300, and 2000 ms) is an important variable. It is shown that discrimination in which labeling plays an important part (2IFC and AX between category) benefits from increased ISI, whereas discrimination in which only sensory traces are compared (AX within category), decreases with increasing ISI. The theory is also tested on speech discrimination data from the literature in which ISI is a variable [Pisoni, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 36, 277-282 (1964); Cowan and Morse, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 79, 500-507 (1986)]. It is concluded that the number of parameters in trace context theory is not sufficient to account for most speech-sound discrimination data and that a few additional assumptions are needed, such as a form of sublabeling, in which subjects encode the quality of a stimulus as a member of a category, and which requires processing time.

Isolation and Selection of Microalgal Strains from Natural Water Sources in Viet Nam with Potential for Edible Oil Production.

PubMed

Thao, Tran Yen; Linh, Dinh Thi Nhat; Si, Vo Chi; Carter, Taylor W; Hill, Russell T

2017-06-23

Industrial vegetable oil production in Viet Nam depends on oil seeds and crude plant oils that are currently more than 90% imported. As the first step in investigating the feasibility of using microalgae to provide Viet Nam with a domestic source of oil for food and edible oil industries, fifty lipid-producing microalgae were isolated and characterized. The microalgae were isolated from water sources ranging from freshwater to brackish and marine waters from a wide geographic distribution in Viet Nam. Initial analyses showed that 20 of the 50 strains had good growth rates, produced high biomass and had high lipid content, ranging up to 50% of dry weight biomass. 18S rRNA gene sequence analyses of the 50 strains showed a great diversity in this assemblage of microalgae, comprising at least 38 species and representatives of 25 genera : Chlamydomonas , Poterioochromonas , Scenedesmus , Desmodesmus , Chlorella , Bracteacoccus , Monoraphidium , Selenastrum , Acutodesmus , Mychonastes , Ankistrodesmus , Kirchneriella , Raphidocelis , Dictyosphaerium , Coelastrella , Schizochlamydella , Oocystidium , Nannochloris , Auxenochlorella , Chlorosarcinopsis , Stichococcus , Picochlorum , Prasinoderma , Chlorococcum , and Marvania. Some of the species are closely related to well-known lipid producers such as Chlorella sorokiniana , but some other strains are not closely related to the strains found in public sequence databases and likely represent new species. Analysis of oil quality showed that fatty acid profiles of the microalgal strains were very diverse and strain-dependent. Fatty acids in the microalgal oils comprised saturated fatty acids (SFAs), poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The main SFA was palmitic acid. MUFAs and PUFAs were dominated by oleic acid, and linoleic and linolenic acids, respectively. Some strains were especially rich in the essential fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA), which comprised more than 20% of the

Isolation and Selection of Microalgal Strains from Natural Water Sources in Viet Nam with Potential for Edible Oil Production

PubMed Central

Thao, Tran Yen; Linh, Dinh Thi Nhat; Si, Vo Chi; Carter, Taylor W.; Hill, Russell T.

2017-01-01

Industrial vegetable oil production in Viet Nam depends on oil seeds and crude plant oils that are currently more than 90% imported. As the first step in investigating the feasibility of using microalgae to provide Viet Nam with a domestic source of oil for food and edible oil industries, fifty lipid-producing microalgae were isolated and characterized. The microalgae were isolated from water sources ranging from freshwater to brackish and marine waters from a wide geographic distribution in Viet Nam. Initial analyses showed that 20 of the 50 strains had good growth rates, produced high biomass and had high lipid content, ranging up to 50% of dry weight biomass. 18S rRNA gene sequence analyses of the 50 strains showed a great diversity in this assemblage of microalgae, comprising at least 38 species and representatives of 25 genera: Chlamydomonas, Poterioochromonas, Scenedesmus, Desmodesmus, Chlorella, Bracteacoccus, Monoraphidium, Selenastrum, Acutodesmus, Mychonastes, Ankistrodesmus, Kirchneriella, Raphidocelis, Dictyosphaerium, Coelastrella, Schizochlamydella, Oocystidium, Nannochloris, Auxenochlorella, Chlorosarcinopsis, Stichococcus, Picochlorum, Prasinoderma, Chlorococcum, and Marvania. Some of the species are closely related to well-known lipid producers such as Chlorella sorokiniana, but some other strains are not closely related to the strains found in public sequence databases and likely represent new species. Analysis of oil quality showed that fatty acid profiles of the microalgal strains were very diverse and strain-dependent. Fatty acids in the microalgal oils comprised saturated fatty acids (SFAs), poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The main SFA was palmitic acid. MUFAs and PUFAs were dominated by oleic acid, and linoleic and linolenic acids, respectively. Some strains were especially rich in the essential fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA), which comprised more than 20% of the fatty acids in these strains

Art as a Political Act: Expression of Cultural Identity, Self-Identity, and Gender by Suk Nam Yun and Yong Soon Min

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caruso, Hwa Young Choi

2005-01-01

This cross-cultural study explored the lives of two contemporary Korean/Korean American women artists--Suk Nam Yun and Yong Soon Min--who live in Seoul, South Korea, and Los Angeles, California. The author's research focused on the artists' identity formation, artistic expression, professional achievements, and the role of art as a political act.…

Spectral Coefficient Analyses of Word-Initial Stop Consonant Productions Suggest Similar Anticipatory Coarticulation for Stuttering and Nonstuttering Adults.

PubMed

Maruthy, Santosh; Feng, Yongqiang; Max, Ludo

2018-03-01

A longstanding hypothesis about the sensorimotor mechanisms underlying stuttering suggests that stuttered speech dysfluencies result from a lack of coarticulation. Formant-based measures of either the stuttered or fluent speech of children and adults who stutter have generally failed to obtain compelling evidence in support of the hypothesis that these individuals differ in the timing or degree of coarticulation. Here, we used a sensitive acoustic technique-spectral coefficient analyses-that allowed us to compare stuttering and nonstuttering speakers with regard to vowel-dependent anticipatory influences as early as the onset burst of a preceding voiceless stop consonant. Eight adults who stutter and eight matched adults who do not stutter produced C 1 VC 2 words, and the first four spectral coefficients were calculated for one analysis window centered on the burst of C 1 and two subsequent windows covering the beginning of the aspiration phase. Findings confirmed that the combined use of four spectral coefficients is an effective method for detecting the anticipatory influence of a vowel on the initial burst of a preceding voiceless stop consonant. However, the observed patterns of anticipatory coarticulation showed no statistically significant differences, or trends toward such differences, between the stuttering and nonstuttering groups. Combining the present results for fluent speech in one given phonetic context with prior findings from both stuttered and fluent speech in a variety of other contexts, we conclude that there is currently no support for the hypothesis that the fluent speech of individuals who stutter is characterized by limited coarticulation.

Trends in Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke Exposure Levels at Home among Viet Nam School Children Aged 13-15 and Associated Factors.

PubMed

Lam, Nguyen Tuan; Nga, Pham Thi Quynh; Minh, Hoang Van; Giang, Kim Bao; Hai, Phan Thi; Huyen, Doan Thu; Linh, Nguyen Thuy; Van, Duong Khanh; Khue, Luong Ngoc

2016-01-01

Second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure at home, especially among children, is a serious issue in Viet Nam. During the past decade, much effort has been taken for tobacco control in the country, including various prgorammes aiming to reduce SHS exposure among adults and children. This article analysed trends and factors associated with SHS exposure at home among school children aged 13-15 in Viet Nam, using the Global Youth Tobacco Surveys conducted in 2007 and 2014. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods with logistic regression were applied. Overall, there was a significant reduction in the level of exposure, from 58.5% (95%CI: 57.6-59.3) in 2007 to 47.1% (95%CI: 45.4-48.8) in 2014. Of the associated factors, having one or both parents smoking was significantly associated with the highest odds of SHS exposure at home (OR=5.0; 95%CI: 4.2-6.1). Conversely, having a mother with a college or higher education level was found to be a protective factor (OR=0.5; 95%CI: 0.3-0.8).

Genesis of economic relevant fresh groundwater resources in Pleistocene/ Neogene aquifers in Nam Dinh (Red River Delta, Vietnam).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, F.; Ludwig, R. R.; Noell, U.; Hoang, H. V.; Pham, N. Q.; Larsen, F.; Lindenmaier, F.

2012-04-01

In the Southern Red River Delta (Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam), a local lens of low saline pore water of high quality has been identified in unconsolidated Pleistocene and Neogene aquifers, which are regionally known to contain brackish and saline pore waters. Since the 1990ies, ongoing overexploitation of the fresh groundwater results in decreasing GW heads up to 0.6 m/a and the development of a regional abstraction cone. The presented study focuses on distribution and genesis of fresh and saline pore waters and reflects the results in frame of the regional hydrogeological context. Observations of the geological structure and groundwater dynamics combined with hydrochemical and isotopic studies suggest adjacent Triassic hard rock aquifers as the major source for fresh Pleistocene and Neogene groundwater. Salinization status in the economically most relevant Pleistocene aquifer has been studied based on archive and new hydrochemical and geophysical data. Own hydrochemical field studies as well as laboratory measurements of the specific resistivity of dry sediment samples allow the translation of induction logging data from existing monitoring wells into vertical pore water salinity profiles. This approach suggests the regional occurrence of saline pore water in shallow Holocene sediments in the working area, as confirmed by pore water studies in Hoan et al. (2010). Interpretation of induction logging and stable isotope data suggest vertical diffusion of saline pore water in shallow Holocene sediments as a source for high saline pore water in deeper aquifers. Analytical diffusion modeling for a period of 3000 years confirms that vertical diffusion of Holocene paleo-sea water can explain saline pore water in Pleistocene and Neogene aquifers in a stagnant environment. The constant influx of fresh groundwater from adjacent Triassic hard rocks results in flushing of the primary Pleistocene and Neogene pore water and inhibits the infiltration of saline water from marine

Gauging the Acceptability of HIV Vaccines: An Exploratory Study Examining Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs among Injecting Drug Users in Viet Nam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, France

2007-01-01

In contrast to other countries in Southeast Asia, the HIV/ AIDS epidemic is in the initial stages in Viet Nam, although the rates have increased notably since 1997. This study examined attitudes towards the use of an HIV vaccine (when one becomes available) as a means for preventing the disease. Since injecting drug users are the great majority of…

The Neural Representation of Consonant-Vowel Transitions in Adults Who Wear Hearing Aids

PubMed Central

Tremblay, Kelly L.; Kalstein, Laura; Billings, Cuttis J.; Souza, Pamela E.

2006-01-01

Hearing aids help compensate for disorders of the ear by amplifying sound; however, their effectiveness also depends on the central auditory system's ability to represent and integrate spectral and temporal information delivered by the hearing aid. The authors report that the neural detection of time-varying acoustic cues contained in speech can be recorded in adult hearing aid users using the acoustic change complex (ACC). Seven adults (50–76 years) with mild to severe sensorineural hearing participated in the study. When presented with 2 identifiable consonant-vowel (CV) syllables (“shee” and “see”), the neural detection of CV transitions (as indicated by the presence of a P1-N1-P2 response) was different for each speech sound. More specifically, the latency of the evoked neural response coincided in time with the onset of the vowel, similar to the latency patterns the authors previously reported in normal-hearing listeners. PMID:16959736

Enlargement of the supraglottal cavity and its relation to stop consonant voicing.

PubMed

Westbury, J R

1983-04-01

Measurements were made of saggital plane movements of the larynx, soft palate, and portions of the tongue, from a high-speed cinefluorographic film of utterances produced by one adult male speaker of American English. These measures were then used to approximate the temporal variations in supraglottal cavity volume during the closures of voiced and voiceless stop consonants. All data were subsequently related to a synchronous acoustic recording of the utterances. Instances of /p,t,k/ were always accompanied by silent closures, and sometimes accompanied by decreases in supraglottal volume. In contrast, instances of /b,d,g/ were always accompanied both by significant intervals of vocal fold vibration during closure, and relatively large increases in supraglottal volume. However, the magnitudes of volume increments during the voiced stops, and the means by which those increments were achieved, differed considerably across place of articulation and phonetic environment. These results are discussed in the context of a well-known model of the breath-stream control mechanism, and their relevance for a general theory of speech motor control is considered.

Between-Frequency and Between-Ear Gap Detections and Their Relation to Perception of Stop Consonants.

PubMed

Mori, Shuji; Oyama, Kazuki; Kikuchi, Yousuke; Mitsudo, Takako; Hirose, Nobuyuki

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that between-channel gap detection, which includes between-frequency and between-ear gap detection, and perception of stop consonants, which is mediated by the length of voice-onset time (VOT), share common mechanisms, namely relative-timing operation in monitoring separate perceptual channels. The authors measured gap detection thresholds and identification functions of /ba/ and /pa/ along VOT in 49 native young adult Japanese listeners. There were three gap detection tasks. In the between-frequency task, the leading and trailing markers differed in terms of center frequency (Fc). The leading marker was a broadband noise of 10 to 20,000 Hz. The trailing marker was a 0.5-octave band-passed noise of 1000-, 2000-, 4000-, or 8000-Hz Fc. In the between-ear task, the two markers were spectrally identical but presented to separate ears. In the within-frequency task, the two spectrally identical markers were presented to the same ear. The /ba/-/pa/ identification functions were obtained in a task in which the listeners were presented synthesized speech stimuli of varying VOTs from 10 to 46 msec and asked to identify them as /ba/ or /pa/. The between-ear gap thresholds were significantly positively correlated with the between-frequency gap thresholds (except those obtained with the trailing marker of 4000-Hz Fc). The between-ear gap thresholds were not significantly correlated with the within-frequency gap thresholds, which were significantly correlated with all the between-frequency gap thresholds. The VOT boundaries and slopes of /ba/-/pa/ identification functions were not significantly correlated with any of these gap thresholds. There was a close relation between the between-ear and between-frequency gap detection, supporting the view that these two types of gap detection share common mechanisms of between-channel gap detection. However, there was no evidence for a relation between the perception of stop

M-X Environmental Technical Report. Environmental Characteristics of Alternative Designated Deployment Areas, Land Ownership/Land Use Patterns.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-22

i - ishing supply of water from the Ogalalla Basin in the TX-NM reu, especially after the year 2000. Prior to that year there3 is pr . be additional...Table 3.1.1-4 confirm these observations. Due to the arid environment of the Great Basin almost all of the harvested cropland occurs on land which is...counties, through 2000.1 SIN ANII. BAI N BASIN B-\\SI :,A ,IE.ACHS BASIN NAM.\\EAC E NUMBhR CRLE! big Smoky Valley Coal Valley N-171 0 Tonopah Flat) N-137A

Completeness and reliability of mortality data in Viet Nam: Implications for the national routine health management information system

PubMed Central

Phuong Hoa, Nguyen; Walker, Sue M.; Hill, Peter S.; Rao, Chalapati

2018-01-01

Background Mortality statistics form a crucial component of national Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). However, there are limitations in the availability and quality of mortality data at national level in Viet Nam. This study assessed the completeness of recorded deaths and the reliability of recorded causes of death (COD) in the A6 death registers in the national routine HMIS in Viet Nam. Methodology and findings 1477 identified deaths in 2014 were reviewed in two provinces. A capture-recapture method was applied to assess the completeness of the A6 death registers. 1365 household verbal autopsy (VA) interviews were successfully conducted, and these were reviewed by physicians who assigned multiple and underlying cause of death (UCOD). These UCODs from VA were then compared with the CODs recorded in the A6 death registers, using kappa scores to assess the reliability of the A6 death register diagnoses. The overall completeness of the A6 death registers in the two provinces was 89.3% (95%CI: 87.8–90.8). No COD recorded in the A6 death registers demonstrated good reliability. There is very low reliability in recording of cardiovascular deaths (kappa for stroke = 0.47 and kappa for ischaemic heart diseases = 0.42) and diabetes (kappa = 0.33). The reporting of deaths due to road traffic accidents, HIV and some cancers are at a moderate level of reliability with kappa scores ranging between 0.57–0.69 (p<0.01). VA methods identify more specific COD than the A6 death registers, and also allow identification of multiple CODs. Conclusions The study results suggest that data completeness in HMIS A6 death registers in the study sample of communes was relatively high (nearly 90%), but triangulation with death records from other sources would improve the completeness of this system. Further, there is an urgent need to enhance the reliability of COD recorded in the A6 death registers, for which VA methods could be effective. Focussed consultation among

Completeness and reliability of mortality data in Viet Nam: Implications for the national routine health management information system.

PubMed

Hong, Tran Thi; Phuong Hoa, Nguyen; Walker, Sue M; Hill, Peter S; Rao, Chalapati

2018-01-01

Mortality statistics form a crucial component of national Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). However, there are limitations in the availability and quality of mortality data at national level in Viet Nam. This study assessed the completeness of recorded deaths and the reliability of recorded causes of death (COD) in the A6 death registers in the national routine HMIS in Viet Nam. 1477 identified deaths in 2014 were reviewed in two provinces. A capture-recapture method was applied to assess the completeness of the A6 death registers. 1365 household verbal autopsy (VA) interviews were successfully conducted, and these were reviewed by physicians who assigned multiple and underlying cause of death (UCOD). These UCODs from VA were then compared with the CODs recorded in the A6 death registers, using kappa scores to assess the reliability of the A6 death register diagnoses. The overall completeness of the A6 death registers in the two provinces was 89.3% (95%CI: 87.8-90.8). No COD recorded in the A6 death registers demonstrated good reliability. There is very low reliability in recording of cardiovascular deaths (kappa for stroke = 0.47 and kappa for ischaemic heart diseases = 0.42) and diabetes (kappa = 0.33). The reporting of deaths due to road traffic accidents, HIV and some cancers are at a moderate level of reliability with kappa scores ranging between 0.57-0.69 (p<0.01). VA methods identify more specific COD than the A6 death registers, and also allow identification of multiple CODs. The study results suggest that data completeness in HMIS A6 death registers in the study sample of communes was relatively high (nearly 90%), but triangulation with death records from other sources would improve the completeness of this system. Further, there is an urgent need to enhance the reliability of COD recorded in the A6 death registers, for which VA methods could be effective. Focussed consultation among stakeholders is needed to develop a suitable mechanism and

Visual Cues Contribute Differentially to Audiovisual Perception of Consonants and Vowels in Improving Recognition and Reducing Cognitive Demands in Listeners with Hearing Impairment Using Hearing Aids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moradi, Shahram; Lidestam, Bjorn; Danielsson, Henrik; Ng, Elaine Hoi Ning; Ronnberg, Jerker

2017-01-01

Purpose: We sought to examine the contribution of visual cues in audiovisual identification of consonants and vowels--in terms of isolation points (the shortest time required for correct identification of a speech stimulus), accuracy, and cognitive demands--in listeners with hearing impairment using hearing aids. Method: The study comprised 199…

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Tuberculosis Infection among Hospital Workers in Hanoi, Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Nobuyuki; Yanai, Hideki; Toyota, Emiko; Sakurada, Shinsaku; Huu Thuong, Pham; Cuong, Vu Cao; Nanri, Akiko; Mizoue, Tetsuya; Matsushita, Ikumi; Harada, Nobuyuki; Higuchi, Kazue; Tuan, Le Anh; Keicho, Naoto

2009-01-01

Background Transmission of tuberculosis (TB) to health care workers (HCWs) is a global issue. Although effective infection control measures are expected to reduce nosocomial TB, HCWs' infection has not been assessed enough in TB high burden countries. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of TB infection and its risk factors among HCWs in Hanoi, Viet Nam. Methodology/Principal Findings A total of 300 HCWs including all staff members in a municipal TB referral hospital received an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-TubeTM, followed by one- and two-step tuberculin skin test (TST) and a questionnaire-based interview. Agreement between the tests was evaluated by kappa statistics. Risk factors for TB infection were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Among the participants aged from 20 to 58 years (median = 40), prevalence of TB infection estimated by IGRA, one- and two-step TST was 47.3%, 61.1% and 66.3% respectively. Although the levels of overall agreement between IGRA and TST were moderate, the degree of agreement was low in the group with BCG history (kappa = 0.29). Working in TB hospital was associated with twofold increase in odds of TB infection estimated by IGRA. Increased age, low educational level and the high body mass index also demonstrated high odds ratios of IGRA positivity. Conclusions/Significance Prevalence of TB infection estimated by either IGRA or TST is high among HCWs in the hospital environment for TB care in Viet Nam and an infection control program should be reinforced. In communities with heterogeneous history of BCG vaccination, IGRA seems to estimate TB infection more accurately than any other criteria using TST. PMID:19710920

Ephemeral rivers and their development: testing an approach to basin management committees on the Kuiseb River, Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botes, A.; Henderson, J.; Nakale, T.; Nantanga, K.; Schachtschneider, K.; Seely, M.

Ephemeral rivers are located in the world’s drylands where aridity and climate variability are key environmental determinants. The Kuiseb River is one of two diversely developed ephemeral rivers in western-central Namibia. From up to down stream, freehold-tenure farmers, a national park, communal farmers and the port and municipality of Walvis Bay all derive water from this source. Upstream farmers impound surface water during brief rainfall periods while remaining stakeholders’ abstract water from the alluvial aquifer. The draft Water Resources Management Act for Namibia devotes one chapter to basin management committees as mechanisms to ensure more equitable, efficient and effective sharing of water resources and their benefits. Two pilot committees are being established in Namibia, one of which is in the Kuiseb basin. The Environmental Learning and Action in the Kuiseb project, implemented by the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia in close consultation with Namibia’s Water Resources Management Review with funding from the European Union, has brought all stakeholders together. The Department of Water Affairs, NamWater and the Gobabeb Training and Research Centre are contributing information to enhance understanding of the river’s functions and services provided. All stakeholders are sharing information concerning their needs, expectations and contributions toward integrated management of the Kuiseb. After negotiation for one-and-a-half years, a formal committee is established and mechanisms for its functioning and sustainability are being identified. The main benefit to date is the dialogue, good will and interest that have been established amongst the stakeholders. If the momentum is maintained, this will lead to a new, more integrated approach to resource management in the entire basin.

Psychological and Social Factors Associated with Late Pregnancy Iron Deficiency Anaemia in Rural Viet Nam: A Population-Based Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Tran, Thach Duc; Biggs, Beverley-Ann; Tran, Tuan; Casey, Gerard J.; Hanieh, Sarah; Simpson, Julie Anne; Dwyer, Terence; Fisher, Jane

2013-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between psychological and social factors and late pregnancy IDA among pregnant women in rural Viet Nam. Methods Pregnant women from 50 randomly-selected communes within Ha Nam province were recruited and assessed at 12 - 20 weeks gestation (Wave 1, W1). They were followed up in the last trimester (Wave 2, W2). IDA was defined as Haemoglobin < 11 g/dL and serum ferritin < 15 ng/mL. Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale-Vietnam (EPDS-V). Persistent antenatal CMD was defined as having an EPDS-V score ≥ 4 in both W1 and W2. Hypothesis models were tested by Structural Equation Modeling analyses. Results A total of 378 women provided complete data at both W1 and W2. The incidence risk of IDA in the third trimester was 13.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 9.8-16.7). Persistent CMD was found in 16.9% (95% CI: 13.1-20.7) pregnant women and predicted by intimate partner violence, fear of other family members, experience of childhood abuse, coincidental life adversity, and having a preference for the sex of the baby. There was a significant pathway from persistent CMD to IDA in late pregnancy via the length of time that iron supplements had been taken. Receiving advice to take iron supplements and higher household wealth index were indirectly related to lower risk of late pregnancy IDA. Early pregnancy IDA and being multi-parous also contributed to late pregnancy IDA. Conclusions Antenatal IDA and CMD are prevalent public health problems among women in Viet Nam. The link between them suggests that while direct recommendations to use iron supplements are important, the social factors associated with common mental disorders should be addressed in antenatal care in order to improve the health of pregnant women and their infants. PMID:24167605

Psychological and social factors associated with late pregnancy iron deficiency anaemia in rural Viet Nam: a population-based prospective study.

PubMed

Tran, Thach Duc; Biggs, Beverley-Ann; Tran, Tuan; Casey, Gerard J; Hanieh, Sarah; Simpson, Julie Anne; Dwyer, Terence; Fisher, Jane

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between psychological and social factors and late pregnancy IDA among pregnant women in rural Viet Nam. Pregnant women from 50 randomly-selected communes within Ha Nam province were recruited and assessed at 12 - 20 weeks gestation (Wave 1, W1). They were followed up in the last trimester (Wave 2, W2). IDA was defined as Haemoglobin < 11 g/dL and serum ferritin < 15 ng/mL. Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale-Vietnam (EPDS-V). Persistent antenatal CMD was defined as having an EPDS-V score ≥ 4 in both W1 and W2. Hypothesis models were tested by Structural Equation Modeling analyses. A total of 378 women provided complete data at both W1 and W2. The incidence risk of IDA in the third trimester was 13.2% (95% confidence interval (CI): 9.8-16.7). Persistent CMD was found in 16.9% (95% CI: 13.1-20.7) pregnant women and predicted by intimate partner violence, fear of other family members, experience of childhood abuse, coincidental life adversity, and having a preference for the sex of the baby. There was a significant pathway from persistent CMD to IDA in late pregnancy via the length of time that iron supplements had been taken. Receiving advice to take iron supplements and higher household wealth index were indirectly related to lower risk of late pregnancy IDA. Early pregnancy IDA and being multi-parous also contributed to late pregnancy IDA. Antenatal IDA and CMD are prevalent public health problems among women in Viet Nam. The link between them suggests that while direct recommendations to use iron supplements are important, the social factors associated with common mental disorders should be addressed in antenatal care in order to improve the health of pregnant women and their infants.

The online measured black carbon aerosol and source orientations in the Nam Co region, Tibet.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Ming, Jing; Li, Zhongqin; Wang, Feiteng; Zhang, Guoshuai

2017-11-01

Equivalent black carbon (eBC) mass concentrations were measured by an aethalometer (AE-31) in the Nam Co, central Tibet from 2010 to 2014. Different from previous filter-sampling studies (Ming et al., J Environ Sci 22(11):1748-1756, 2010; Zhao et al., Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:5827-5838, 2013), the first high-resolution online eBC measurement conducted in central Tibet is reported here, allowing to discuss the diurnal variations as well as seasonal variabilities of eBC. Average daily eBC concentration was 74 ± 50 ng/m 3 , reflecting a global background level. Meteorological conditions influenced eBC concentrations largely at seasonal scale, which are higher in February-May but lower in June-January. The highest eBC concentrations (greater than 210 ng/m 3 ) were more associated with the W and WSW winds smaller than 6 m/s. The diurnal variations of eBC showed plateaus from 10:00 to 15:00 with seasonal variations, associated with local anthropogenic activities, such as indigenous Tibetan burning animal waste and tourism traffic. The PBLHs showed a co-variance with eBC concentrations, implicating close sources. The aerosol optical depths derived from the MODIS data over the Nam Co Observatory Station (NCOS)-included sub-area (30° N-40° N, 90° E-100° E) showed significant relationship with eBC concentrations. This suggests that nearby or short-distance sources other than long-distance transported pollutants could be important contributors to eBC concentrations at the NCOS, different from the conclusions suggested by previous studies.

Impact of mandatory motorcycle helmet wearing legislation on head injuries in Viet Nam: results of a preliminary analysis.

PubMed

Passmore, Jonathon; Tu, Nguyen Thi Hong; Luong, Mai Anh; Chinh, Nguyen Duc; Nam, Nguyen Phuong

2010-04-01

To compare estimated prevalence of head injuries among road traffic injury patients admitted to hospitals, before and after the introduction of a mandatory helmet law in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. Before and after study of all road traffic injury patients with head injuries admitted to 20 provincial and central hospitals 3 months before and after the new law came into effect on 15 December 2007. Relative risk was computed and comparison made for the periods of 3 months before and after the new law. The study found a 16 percent reduction in the risk of road traffic head injuries (4683 to 3522; relative risk [RR] 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81-0.87) and an 18 percent reduction in the risk of road traffic death (deaths in hospital plus injured patients discharged to die at home; 566 to 417; RR 0.82; 95% CI 0.73-0.93). Over the first 3 months of the comprehensive mandatory helmet legislation there has been a significant reduction in the risk of road traffic head injuries among patients admitted to 20 hospitals. The Viet Nam Government's decision to require all motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets is suspected of leading to positive road safety benefits and should be seen as a policy example for other low- and middle-income countries with a high utilization of motorcycles for transport.

Allergen sensitisation among chronic respiratory diseases in urban and rural areas of the south of Viet Nam.

PubMed

Chu, H T; Godin, I; Phuong, N T; Nguyen, L H; Hiep, T T M; Michel, O

2018-02-01

To evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for allergen sensitisation among patients with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) in southern Viet Nam. An environmental questionnaire and skin prick tests for airborne and food allergens were administered to patients with CRD, defined as individuals with respiratory symptoms and lung function defects. Of 610 CRD patients, 56% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 31% were asthma patients; 80% were males. The most frequent sensitisers were dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae 22%, Blomia tropicalis 19%, D. pteronyssinus 18%) and cockroach droppings (13%). Among study participants, 37% were from rural settings and 36% from urban areas, whereas 27% had migrated from rural to urban areas. Compared with people from rural areas, being born in an urban area was a risk factor for sensitisation to mites (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.11-2.20, P < 0.02). In multivariate analysis, place of birth remained a risk factor for mite sensitisation. Compared with the native urban population, the risk of mite sensitisation was not significantly different among patients born in rural areas and those migrating to urban areas. Dust mites and cockroach droppings were the most frequent allergens among people with CRD in the south of Viet Nam. Compared with the urban population, being native to a rural area was protective against mite sensitisation, but this effect ceased to be significant after migration from rural to urban areas.

Brief behavioural surveys in routine HIV sentinel surveillance: a new tool for monitoring the HIV epidemic in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Thanh, Duong Cong; Hien, Nguyen Tran; Tuan, Nguyen Anh; Ha, Hoang Thi Thanh; Thang, Pham Hong; Ha, Nguyen Thi Thanh; Tuan, Le Anh; Quang, Tran Dai; Tram, Tran Hong; Le Hai, Nguyen; Huong, Phan Thi Thu; Son, Vo Hai; Duc, Bui Hoang; Nga, Nguyen Thien; Jacka, David; Sabin, Keith

2015-01-01

In this report we describe a new approach in HIV sentinel surveillance that was piloted in Viet Nam in 2009 and is currently being rolled out in all provinces. It comprises a brief behavioural questionnaire added to the HIV sentinel surveillance surveys conducted routinely among people who inject drugs, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. Timely reporting of data from this system has resulted in improvements to HIV prevention efforts for most at-risk populations.

Flora of Nam Kading National Protected Area I: a new species of yellow-flowered Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae), S. namkadingensis.

PubMed

Souladeth, Phetlasy; Tagane, Shuichiro; Zhang, Meng; Okabe, Norikazu; Yahara, Tetsukazu

2017-01-01

A new species of Acanthaceae, Strobilanthes namkadingensis Soulad. & Tagane from Nam Kading National Protected Area, Bolikhamxay Province, central Laos, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by long spicate inflorescences consisting of 6-32 flowers, yellow corolla, the absence of long white hairs on the bracts and 4-6 seeds per capsule. Three DNA barcode regions of the partial genes for the large sub-unit ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase ( rbcL ) and maturase K ( matK ) and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) are also provided.

Spatio-temporal variability of modern sedimentation rates in Lake Nam Co, central Tibetan Plateau, China -- the first results from sediment traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Ju, J.; Daut, G.; Wang, Y.; Maeusbacher, R.; Zhu, L.

2013-12-01

As a big and deep lake in high altitude environment, Nam Co has played an important role in the past decade concerning paleoenvironmental change study. However, the modern process monitoring research is still insufficient in this lake to understand the variations in the modern sedimentation patterns. Sediment traps are widely used in lakes monitoring and research, providing the modern sedimentation rates (SR) and flux information as well as the materials for multidisciplinary studies. Here we present the first and preliminary result of spatio-temporal variability of SR in Nam Co based on one-year sediment traps data. Three integrated self-made traps mooring were deployed in different areas in Nam Co, which were eastern area (T1, ~57m depth), middle area (T2, ~93m depth) and western area (T3, ~62m depth). There were three layers traps in T1 and T3 station while four layers in T2 station. Additionally, a time-series automatic samples changing trap (Technicap PPS 3/3, France) was set up in the bottom (~90m depth) of T2 station with a sampling interval of two weeks. All traps were established in late May, 2012 and collected in Mid-September, 2012 for the first time. Then after winter time, samples were again collected in late May, 2013. Therefore, we got results for two periods, namely summer half year (May-September) and winter half year (September-next May). The results showed remarkable variation of SR vertically in all three stations, the bottom layers received much more materials than the up and middle layers. This fact could be attributed to the distinct influence of high density flows occurring at the lake bottom. This is also supported by multiprobe measurements showing high turbidity in the water body close to the bottom. In shallow areas (T1 and T3) the SR were higher than that of deep area (T2), which could probably reflect the different distance from the terrestrial source to the sites where the traps were deployed. In T1 and T2 stations, SR of winter half

Collision-induced basalt eruptions at Pleiku and Buôn Mê Thuột, south-central Viet Nam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoàng, Nguyễn; Flower, Martin F. J.; Chí, Cung Thu'ọ'ng; Xuân, Phạm Tích; Quý, Hoàng Văn; Sơn, Trần Thanh

2013-09-01

Neogene-Quaternary basalts occur as dispersed volcanic clusters in the vicinity of the Tethyan tectonic belt, possibly representing 'far-field' effects of the Early Tertiary collisions of Gondwana fragments with the southern margin of Eurasia. In Indochina, such a 'Diffuse Igneous Province' post-dates the 45-42 Ma 'hard' India-Asia collision and southeastward, collision induced (c. 30-17 Ma.), extrusion of Indochina. Extrusion was accommodated by left-lateral strike-slip shearing on the Ailao Shan-Red River Fault, coeval with seafloor spreading in the East Viet Nam (South China) Sea. The Indochina basalts mostly comprise shield-building tholeiites capped by small-volume undersaturated types, the latter often bearing mantle xenoliths and 'exotic' xenocrysts such as sapphire, zircon. They appeared at c. 17 Ma, more-or-less coinciding with the cessation of both continental extrusion and seafloor spreading. At this point extensional stress appears to have shifted westwards to continental Indochina, with magmatic activity appearing, characteristically, at 'pull-apart' basins. However, the relationship of mantle melting beneath this region to its geodynamic setting is controversial, being variously attributed to mantle plumes, extreme lithospheric stretching, and lateral asthenospheric displacement. There is little or no definitive evidence for regional mantle upwelling while lithosphere stretching alone appears to be insufficient to allow for melting, Here, we present geochemical and Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic (and paleomagnetic data), for cored sections from the Pleiku and Buon Mê Thuột plateaus in south-central Viet Nam, representative in most respects of the Indochina province as a whole. In the Pleiku shield olivine tholeiite flows are intercalated with quartz tholeiites while, in contrast, alkali basalts predominate over olivine tholeiite in the Buon Mê Thuột (BMT) shield. The first of these features (in Pleiku) probably reflects crustal wall-rock reaction while

Water allocation assessment in low flow river under data scarce conditions: a study of hydrological simulation in Mediterranean basin.

PubMed

Bangash, Rubab F; Passuello, Ana; Hammond, Michael; Schuhmacher, Marta

2012-12-01

River Francolí is a small river in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) with an average annual low flow (~2 m(3)/s). The purpose of the River Francolí watershed assessments is to support and inform region-wide planning efforts from the perspective of water protection, climate change and water allocation. In this study, a hydrological model of the Francolí River watershed was developed for use as a tool for watershed planning, water resource assessment, and ultimately, water allocation purposes using hydrological data from 2002 to 2006 inclusive. The modeling package selected for this application is DHI's MIKE BASIN. This model is a strategic scale water resource management simulation model, which includes modeling of both land surface and subsurface hydrological processes. Topographic, land use, hydrological, rainfall, and meteorological data were used to develop the model segmentation and input. Due to the unavailability of required catchment runoff data, the NAM rainfall-runoff model was used to calculate runoff of all the sub-watersheds. The results reveal a potential pressure on the availability of groundwater and surface water in the lower part of River Francolí as was expected by the IPCC for Mediterranean river basins. The study also revealed that due to the complex hydrological regime existing in the study area and data scarcity, a comprehensive physically based method was required to better represent the interaction between groundwater and surface water. The combined ArcGIS/MIKE BASIN models appear as a useful tool to assess the hydrological cycle and to better understand water allocation to different sectors in the Francolí River watershed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adequacy of anti-tuberculosis drug prescriptions in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Lauritsen, J. M.; Rieder, H. L.

2012-01-01

Setting: National Tuberculosis Program, Viet Nam, 2008. Objectives: To determine drug prescription adherence to national guidelines, to examine factors associated with an erroneous dosage of rifampin (RMP) and to evaluate the impact of an insufficient RMP dosage on treatment outcome. Methods: A representative sample of 30 treatment units was randomly selected. All patient treatment cards enrolled in these units were obtained, and data were double-entered and validated before calculating the adequacy of the individual drug prescriptions. Results: Of 3412 tuberculosis treatment cards, 3225 (94.5%) had information on treatment regimen and the patient’s weight. Treatment was successful in 89.4%. Prescriptions of tablets/vials conforming to recommendations were found for respectively 91.2%, 89.9%, 92.3% and 94.6% of the patients for RMP/isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and streptomycin. Patients in the 25–39 kg weight bracket received insufficient dosages. This was almost entirely attributable to patients at the end of the weight bracket. Nevertheless, no significant association was found between treatment failure and death, body weight and insufficient RMP dosage. Conclusions: Adherence to national recommendations was high. RMP was given in insufficient dosage for patients at the end of a weight range bracket, but the under-dosage was small and did not measurably affect treatment outcome. PMID:26392937

Adequacy of anti-tuberculosis drug prescriptions in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Hoa, N B; Lauritsen, J M; Rieder, H L

2012-03-21

National Tuberculosis Program, Viet Nam, 2008. To determine drug prescription adherence to national guidelines, to examine factors associated with an erroneous dosage of rifampin (RMP) and to evaluate the impact of an insufficient RMP dosage on treatment outcome. A representative sample of 30 treatment units was randomly selected. All patient treatment cards enrolled in these units were obtained, and data were double-entered and validated before calculating the adequacy of the individual drug prescriptions. Of 3412 tuberculosis treatment cards, 3225 (94.5%) had information on treatment regimen and the patient's weight. Treatment was successful in 89.4%. Prescriptions of tablets/vials conforming to recommendations were found for respectively 91.2%, 89.9%, 92.3% and 94.6% of the patients for RMP/isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and streptomycin. Patients in the 25-39 kg weight bracket received insufficient dosages. This was almost entirely attributable to patients at the end of the weight bracket. Nevertheless, no significant association was found between treatment failure and death, body weight and insufficient RMP dosage. Adherence to national recommendations was high. RMP was given in insufficient dosage for patients at the end of a weight range bracket, but the under-dosage was small and did not measurably affect treatment outcome.

Enterovirus serotypes in patients with central nervous system and respiratory infections in Viet Nam 1997-2010.

PubMed

B'Krong, Nguyen Thi Thuy Chinh; Minh, Ngo Ngoc Quang; Qui, Phan Tu; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Nghia, Ho Dang Trung; Do, Lien Anh Ha; Nhung, Nguyen Ngoc; Van Vinh Chau, Nguyen; Thwaites, Guy; Van Tan, Le; van Doorn, H Rogier; Thanh, Tran Tan

2018-04-12

Enteroviruses are the most common causative agents of human illness. Enteroviruses have been associated with regional and global epidemics, recently, including with severe disease (Enterovirus A71 and D68), and are of interest as emerging viruses. Here, we typed Enterovirus A-D (EV) from central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory infections in Viet Nam. Data and specimens from prospective observational clinical studies conducted between 1997 and 2010 were used. Species and serotypes were determined using type-specific RT-PCR and viral protein 1 or 4 (VP1, VP4) sequencing. Samples from patients with CNS infection (51 children - 10 CSF and 41 respiratory/rectal swabs) and 28 adults (28 CSF) and respiratory infection (124 children - 124 respiratory swabs) were analysed. Twenty-six different serotypes of the four Enterovirus species (A-D) were identified, including EV-A71 and EV-D68. Enterovirus B was associated with viral meningitis in children and adults. Hand, foot and mouth disease associated Enteroviruses A (EV-A71 and Coxsackievirus [CV] A10) were detected in children with encephalitis. Diverse serotypes of all four Enterovirus species were found in respiratory samples, including 2 polio-vaccine viruses, but also 8 CV-A24 and 8 EV-D68. With the exception of EV-D68, the relevance of these viruses in respiratory infection remains unknown. We describe the diverse spectrum of enteroviruses from patients with CNS and respiratory infections in Viet Nam between 1997 and 2010. These data confirm the global circulation of Enterovirus genera and their associations and are important for clinical diagnostics, patient management, and outbreak response.

Brief behavioural surveys in routine HIV sentinel surveillance: a new tool for monitoring the HIV epidemic in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Hien, Nguyen Tran; Tuan, Nguyen Anh; Ha, Hoang Thi Thanh; Thang, Pham Hong; Ha, Nguyen Thi Thanh; Tuan, Le Anh; Quang, Tran Dai; Tram, Tran Hong; Le Hai, Nguyen; Huong, Phan Thi Thu; Son, Vo Hai; Duc, Bui Hoang; Nga, Nguyen Thien; Jacka, David; Sabin, Keith

2015-01-01

In this report we describe a new approach in HIV sentinel surveillance that was piloted in Viet Nam in 2009 and is currently being rolled out in all provinces. It comprises a brief behavioural questionnaire added to the HIV sentinel surveillance surveys conducted routinely among people who inject drugs, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. Timely reporting of data from this system has resulted in improvements to HIV prevention efforts for most at-risk populations. PMID:25960922

[Detection of endpoint for segmentation between consonants and vowels in aphasia rehabilitation software based on artificial intelligence scheduling].

PubMed

Deng, Xingjuan; Chen, Ji; Shuai, Jie

2009-08-01

For the purpose of improving the efficiency of aphasia rehabilitation training, artificial intelligence-scheduling function is added in the aphasia rehabilitation software, and the software's performance is improved. With the characteristics of aphasia patient's voice as well as with the need of artificial intelligence-scheduling functions under consideration, the present authors have designed a set of endpoint detection algorithm. It determines the reference endpoints, then extracts every word and ensures the reasonable segmentation points between consonants and vowels, using the reference endpoints. The results of experiments show that the algorithm is able to attain the objects of detection at a higher accuracy rate. Therefore, it is applicable to the detection of endpoint on aphasia-patient's voice.

Short-Term Effect of Two Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Training Programs on the Vocal Quality of Future Occupational Voice Users: "Resonant Voice Training Using Nasal Consonants" versus "Straw Phonation"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meerschman, Iris; Van Lierde, Kristiane; Peeters, Karen; Meersman, Eline; Claeys, Sofie; D'haeseleer, Evelien

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the short-term effect of 2 semi-occluded vocal tract training programs, "resonant voice training using nasal consonants" versus "straw phonation," on the vocal quality of vocally healthy future occupational voice users. Method: A multigroup pretest--posttest randomized control…

The Effect of Intermittent Antenatal Iron Supplementation on Maternal and Infant Outcomes in Rural Viet Nam: A Cluster Randomised Trial

PubMed Central

Hanieh, Sarah; Ha, Tran T.; Simpson, Julie A.; Casey, Gerard J.; Khuong, Nguyen C.; Thoang, Dang D.; Thuy, Tran T.; Pasricha, Sant-Rayn; Tran, Thach D.; Tuan, Tran; Dwyer, Terence; Fisher, Jane; Biggs, Beverley-Ann

2013-01-01

Background Anemia affects over 500 million women, and in pregnancy is associated with impaired maternal and infant outcomes. Intermittent antenatal iron supplementation is an attractive alternative to daily dosing; however, the impact of this strategy on infant outcomes remains unclear. We compared the effect of intermittent antenatal iron supplementation with daily iron supplementation on maternal and infant outcomes in rural Viet Nam. Methods and Findings This cluster randomised trial was conducted in Ha Nam province, Viet Nam. 1,258 pregnant women (<16 wk gestation) in 104 communes were assigned to daily iron–folic acid (IFA), twice weekly IFA, or twice weekly multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplementation. Primary outcome was birth weight. Mean birth weight was 3,148 g (standard deviation 416). There was no difference in the birth weights of infants of women receiving twice weekly IFA compared to daily IFA (mean difference [MD] 28 g; 95% CI −22 to 78), or twice weekly MMN compared to daily IFA (MD −36.8 g; 95% CI −82 to 8.2). At 32 wk gestation, maternal ferritin was lower in women receiving twice weekly IFA compared to daily IFA (geometric mean ratio 0.73; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.80), and in women receiving twice weekly MMN compared to daily IFA (geometric mean ratio 0.62; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.68), but there was no difference in hemoglobin levels. Infants of mothers who received twice weekly IFA had higher cognitive scores at 6 mo of age compared to those who received daily IFA (MD 1.89; 95% CI 0.23 to 3.56). Conclusions Twice weekly antenatal IFA or MMN did not produce a clinically important difference in birth weight, when compared to daily IFA supplementation. The significant improvement in infant cognitive outcomes at 6 mo of age following twice weekly antenatal IFA requires further exploration, and provides additional support for the use of intermittent, rather than daily, antenatal IFA in populations with low rates of iron deficiency. Trial registration

Patterns and risk factors of inconsistent condom use among men who have sex with men in Viet Nam: Results from an Internet-based cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

García, Macarena C; Duong, Quyen L; Mercer, Licelot C Eralte; Meyer, Samantha B; Koppenhaver, Todd; Ward, Paul R

2014-01-01

Survey data from men who have sex with men (MSM) in Asian cities indicate drastic increases in HIV prevalence. It is unknown which factors are most important in driving these epidemics. The objective of this study was to identify patterns of condom use among MSM Internet users living in Viet Nam, as well as risk factors associated with inconsistent condom use and non-condom use. A national Internet-based survey of sexual behaviours was administered in 2011. Results showed that 44.9% of MSM reported not using a condom during their last anal sex encounter with a male partner. MSM were less likely to report condom use during anal sex with long-term partners than with casual partners. Twenty-three and a half per cent of MSM surveyed had ever taken an HIV test and received the results. Study findings highlight the urgent need for targeted strategies focused on increasing the rate of consistent condom use during anal sex with male partners among MSM in Viet Nam.

Common perinatal mental disorders in northern Viet Nam: community prevalence and health care use

PubMed Central

Tran, Thach; La, Buoi thi; Kriitmaa, Kelsi; Rosenthal, Doreen; Tran, Tuan

2010-01-01

Abstract Objective To establish the prevalence of common perinatal mental disorders their determinants, and their association with preventive health care use among women in one rural and one urban province in northern Viet Nam. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of cohorts of pregnant women and mothers of infants recruited systematically in 10 randomly-selected communes. The women participated in psychiatrist-administered structured clinical interviews and separate structured interviews to assess sociodemographic factors, reproductive health, the intimate partner relationship, family violence and the use of preventive and psychiatric health care. Associations between these variables and perinatal mental disorders were explored through univariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression. Findings Among women eligible for the study (392), 364 (93%) were recruited. Of these, 29.9% (95% confidence interval, CI: 25.20–34.70) were diagnosed with a common perinatal mental disorder (CPMD). The frequency of such disorders during pregnancy and in the postpartum period was the same. Their prevalence was higher among women in rural provinces (odds ratio, OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.19–3.93); exposed to intimate partner violence (OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.12–3.96); fearful of other family members (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 1.05–10.71) or exposed to coincidental life adversity (OR: 4.40; 95% CI: 2.44–7.93). Fewer women with a CPMD used iron supplements than women without a CPMD, but the results were not statistically significant (P = 0.05). None of the women studied had ever received mental health care. Conclusion Perinatal depression and anxiety are prevalent in women in northern Viet Nam. These conditions are predominantly determined by social factors, including rural residence, poverty and exposure to family violence. At present the needs of women with common perinatal mental disorders are unrecognized and not attended to and their participation in essential

Velopharyngeal Status of Stop Consonants and Vowels Produced by Young Children with and without Repaired Cleft Palate at 12, 14, and 18 Months of Age: A Preliminary Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eshghi, Marziye; Vallino, Linda D.; Baylis, Adriane L.; Preisser, John S.; Zajac, David J.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The objective was to determine velopharyngeal (VP) status of stop consonants and vowels produced by young children with repaired cleft palate (CP) and typically developing (TD) children from 12 to 18 months of age. Method: Nasal ram pressure (NRP) was monitored in 9 children (5 boys, 4 girls) with repaired CP with or without cleft lip and…

Work outside the home is the primary barrier to exclusive breastfeeding in rural Viet Nam: insights from mothers who exclusively breastfed and worked.

PubMed

Dearden, Kirk A; Quan, Le Nga; Do, Mai; Marsh, David R; Pachón, Helena; Schroeder, Dirk G; Lang, Tran Thi

2002-12-01

This study assessed barriers to exclusive breastfeeding in rural Viet Nam and identified how a few mothers were able to exclusively breastfeed despite barriers. A cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative assessment was carried out among 120 mothers of infants less than six months old in northern Viet Nam. Only 24% of the mothers exclusively breastfed. Adjusting for infant's age and who attended delivery, the risk of not exclusively breastfeeding was 14.0 times greater for women who had returned to work than for women who had not. Exclusively breastfeeding mothers (n = 4) who worked differed from other mothers in important ways. They all felt they had enough milk, all knew the appropriate time to introduce foods and liquids, and most were supported in their breastfeeding decisions by commune health workers and family members. This research suggests strategies that can be implemented now to increase exclusive breastfeeding in rural work environments. These include improving knowledge about the introduction of water and semi-solids, addressing perceptions of milk insufficiency, securing support from others, and presenting mothers with options for exclusively breastfeeding, even when they work outside the home.

Using exceedance probabilities to detect anomalies in routinely recorded animal health data, with particular reference to foot-and-mouth disease in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Richards, K K; Hazelton, M L; Stevenson, M A; Lockhart, C Y; Pinto, J; Nguyen, L

2014-10-01

The widespread availability of computer hardware and software for recording and storing disease event information means that, in theory, we have the necessary information to carry out detailed analyses of factors influencing the spatial distribution of disease in animal populations. However, the reliability of such analyses depends on data quality, with anomalous records having the potential to introduce significant bias and lead to inappropriate decision making. In this paper we promote the use of exceedance probabilities as a tool for detecting anomalies when applying hierarchical spatio-temporal models to animal health data. We illustrate this methodology through a case study data on outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Viet Nam for the period 2006-2008. A flexible binomial logistic regression was employed to model the number of FMD infected communes within each province of the country. Standard analyses of the residuals from this model failed to identify problems, but exceedance probabilities identified provinces in which the number of reported FMD outbreaks was unexpectedly low. This finding is interesting given that these provinces are on major cattle movement pathways through Viet Nam. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in stop consonant voicing in two regional varieties of American English

PubMed Central

Jacewicz, Ewa; Fox, Robert Allen; Lyle, Samantha

2010-01-01

This study is an acoustic investigation of the nature and extent of consonant voicing of the stop /b/ in two dialectal varieties of American English spoken in south-central Wisconsin and western North Carolina. The stop /b/ occurred at the juncture of two words such as small bids, in a position between two voiced sonorants, i.e. the liquid /l/ and a vowel. Twenty women participated, ten representing the Wisconsin and ten the North Carolina variety, respectively. Significant dialectal differences were found in the voicing patterns. The Wisconsin stop closures were usually not fully voiced and terminated in a complete silence followed by a closure release whereas North Carolina speakers produced mostly fully voiced closures. Further dialectal differences included the proportion of closure voicing as a function of word emphasis. For Wisconsin speakers, the proportion of closure voicing was smallest when the word was emphasized and it was greatest in non-emphatic positions. For North Carolina speakers, the degree of word emphasis did not have an effect on the proportion of closure voicing. The results suggest different mechanisms by which closure voicing is maintained in these two dialects, pointing to active articulatory maneuvers in North Carolina speakers and passive in Wisconsin speakers. PMID:20198112

Shared epitopes of glycoprotein A and protein 4.1 defined by antibody NaM10-3C10.

PubMed

Rasamoelisolo, M; Czerwinski, M; Willem, C; Blanchard, D

1998-06-01

We have produced the murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) NaM70-3C10 (IgM) from splenocytes of mice immunized with human red blood cells (RBCs). The MAb agglutinated untreated as well as trypsin, chymotrypsin, neuraminidase, or ficin-treated RBCs from controls. In contrast, control RBCs treated with papaine or bromelaine were not agglutinated. On immunoblots, the MAb bound to glycophorin A (GPA) and to a 80 kDa protein identified as protein 4.1. Analysis by agglutination of variant RBCs carrying hybrid glycophorins made of the N-terminus (amino acids 1-58) of GPA and of the C-terminus (amino acids 27-72) of glycophorin B (GPB) and competition-inhibition test using purified GPA and a synthetic peptide corresponding to the amino acid sequence 48-58 of GPA demonstrated that the epitope is located within residues 48-58 of GPA. Epitope analysis with immobilized peptides showed that the MAb recognizes the sequence 53Pro-Pro-Glu-Glu-GIu58 of GPA. A homologous sequence is also present within amino acids 395 to 405 of protein 4.1. Finally, the MAb bound to 16 kDa chymotryptic peptide of protein 4.1, which carries the above amino acid sequence. In conclusion, it may be assumed that NaM70-3C10 specifically recognizes a common epitope on the extracellular domain of GPA and on the intracellular protein 4.1; this specificity explains the persistence of the 80 kDa band on blots when RBCs are treated with papain.

Prevalence of resistance to second-line tuberculosis drug among multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients in Viet Nam, 2011

PubMed Central

Tran, Huong Thi Giang; Bui, Quyen Thi Tu

2016-01-01

Introduction Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) represents an emerging public health problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 9.7% of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases are defined as XDR-TB globally. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of drug resistance to second-line TB drugs among MDR-TB cases detected in the Fourth National Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey in Viet Nam. Methods Eighty clusters of TB cases were selected using a probability-proportion-to-size approach. To identify MDR-TB cases, drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed for the four major first-line TB drugs. DST of second-line drugs (ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin) was performed on isolates from MDR-TB cases to identify pre-XDR and XDR cases. Results A total of 1629 smear-positive TB cases were eligible for culture and DST. Of those, DST results for first-line drugs were available for 1312 cases, and 91 (6.9%) had MDR-TB. Second-line DST results were available for 84 of these cases. Of those, 15 cases (17.9%) had ofloxacin resistance and 6.0% were resistant to kanamycin and capreomycin. Five MDR-TB cases (6.0%) met the criteria of XDR-TB. Conclusion This survey provides the first estimates of the proportion of XDR-TB among MDR-TB cases in Viet Nam and provides important information for local policies regarding second-line DST. Local policies and programmes that are geared towards TB prevention, early diagnosis and treatment with effective regimens are of high importance. PMID:27508089

Prevalence of resistance to second-line tuberculosis drug among multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients in Viet Nam, 2011.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hoa Binh; Nguyen, Nhung Viet; Tran, Huong Thi Giang; Nguyen, Hai Viet; Bui, Quyen Thi Tu

2016-01-01

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) represents an emerging public health problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 9.7% of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases are defined as XDR-TB globally. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of drug resistance to second-line TB drugs among MDR-TB cases detected in the Fourth National Anti-Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey in Viet Nam. Eighty clusters of TB cases were selected using a probability-proportion-to-size approach. To identify MDR-TB cases, drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed for the four major first-line TB drugs. DST of second-line drugs (ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, capreomycin) was performed on isolates from MDR-TB cases to identify pre-XDR and XDR cases. A total of 1629 smear-positive TB cases were eligible for culture and DST. Of those, DST results for first-line drugs were available for 1312 cases, and 91 (6.9%) had MDR-TB. Second-line DST results were available for 84 of these cases. Of those, 15 cases (17.9%) had ofloxacin resistance and 6.0% were resistant to kanamycin and capreomycin. Five MDR-TB cases (6.0%) met the criteria of XDR-TB. This survey provides the first estimates of the proportion of XDR-TB among MDR-TB cases in Viet Nam and provides important information for local policies regarding second-line DST. Local policies and programmes that are geared towards TB prevention, early diagnosis and treatment with effective regimens are of high importance.

MALACOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE FULLY OPERATIONAL NAM THEUN 2 HYDROELECTRIC DAM PROJECT IN KHAMMOUANE PROVINCE, CENTRAL LAO PDR.

PubMed

Sri-aroon, Pusadee; Chusongsang, Phiraphol; Chusongsang, Yupa; Limpanont, Yanin; Surinthwong, Pornpimol; Vongphayloth, Khamsing; Brey, Paul T

2015-09-01

We conducted a malacological investigation in four districts of the Nam Theun 2 (NT2) hydroelectric dam project area, Khammouane Province, central Lao PDR (Nakai, Gnommalath, Mahaxai and Xe Bang Fai), after the first and second years of full operation in March 2010 and November 2011 to determine health risks for humans. A total 10,863 snail specimens (10 families/23 species) from 57 sampling stations and 12,902 snail specimens (eight families/21 species) from 66 sampling stations were collected in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Neotricula aperta (gamma race), the intermediate host for Schistosoma mekongi, was found in large numbers (5,853 specimens) in 2010 in Nam Gnom (downstream) at Station 25 (Mueang Gnommalath: Gnommalath District) and in fewer numbers (170 specimens) at Station 26 (Ban Thathod: Gnommalath District). In 2011, significantly fewer numbers (434 specimens) of N. aperta were found at Station 25. No snails were found to be infected with S. mekongi; however, 3.6% and 0.45% of Bithynia (D.). s. goniomphalos specimens collected were found to be infected with Opisthorchis viverrini (human liver fluke) during 2010 and 2011, respectively. Pomacea canaliculata, the rice crop pest, the intermediate host of Angiostrongylus (Parastrongylus) cantonensis, was found in the greatest numbers during 2010 and 2011; the prevalence increased significantly from 1.3% in 2010 to 53.3% in 2011. We also found seasonal variation in snail populations in terms of abundance and diversity. The snail fauna and risk for transmission of parasitic diseases need to be monitored continuously to evaluate the long-term impact of the dam project.

The new Nam Co Multichannel Seismic Campaign in June/July 2016 - Fresh Results and Perspectives for a Future ICDP Drilling Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daut, G.; Spiess, V.; Haberzettl, T.; Schwenk, T.; Schulze, N.; Haberkern, J.; Bergmann, F.; Gernhardt, F.; Wang, J.; Ju, J.; Huang, L.; Zhu, L.

2016-12-01

In June/July 2016, a multichannel seismic survey was executed on Lake Nam Co to further explore the opportunities for a deep drilling ICDP project. For acquisition, a streamer (Teledyne Inc.) of 64 m active length with 32 single hydrophone was used and sound emission was carried out with a mini GI Gun of 2 x 0.1 L chamber volume, operated at pressures between 50 bar and 140 bar, providing frequencies between 50 Hz and >600 Hz. The data acquired with the MaMuCS recording system were sampled with 1/8 ms for a length of 2 seconds. Additionally, all survey lines were recorded with a parametric echosounder (Innomar SES 200 light) to cover the uppermost ca. 25 m of the sediment sequence (last glacial-Holocene period) in high resolution. These data can serve as a modern analogs for interpreting the deep seismic lines in terms of older glacial-interglacial cycles. 91 seismic profiles were shot using shot rates between 6 and 14 with ship's speed around 4.5 knots during most of the survey, ensuring a good signal/noise ratios and complete coverage of the lake basin. Selected profiles were shot at a speed of 3.0 knots to allow lower frequencies down to 50 Hz to be recorded and to penetrate deeper (>500 ms TWT) into the sedimentary sequence. The basin formation appears to be controlled by the overall tectonic framework revealing significant activity in the latest Quaternary. Extensional, strike-slip and presumably flower structures indicate a complex fault and subsidence pattern, which could not yet be resolved in detail during the field work, but awaits further post-expedition analyses. The dense grid near the thickest sediment packages, assumed to reach back at least to MIS 5 in age, will allow a detailed investigation of sedimentary structures, sediment transport and dispersal patterns. In particular periods of higher and lower lake level can be identified and used as preliminary stratigraphic markers due to their characteristic seismic facies, revealing very low amplitudes

Exploration and development offshore southern Vietnam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferguson, A.M.

1996-01-01

In Vietnam, the major focus of the oil and gas industry is on the Nam Con Son and Cuu Long Basins in the southern offshore area. Major licensing first occurred here in the early 1970s. Some exploration was also undertaken by foreign companies in the early 1980s. In 1981, the Soviet Union undertook to assist Vietnam with the development of oil and gas. Vietsovpetro, a joint venture between the then Soviet Oil and Gas Ministry and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation was formed. Most of Vietsovpetro's efforts have been to develop the Bach Ho field in the Cuu Longmore » Basin. This now produces [approximately]130000 bopd. The most recent large scale licensing round occurred in 1992, and, at present, there are over thirty foreign companies active in these Basins' blocks . The first phase of exploration is ending and successes in the Nam Con Son Basin include the BP-led Lan Tay/Lan Do gas discoveries and Pedco's gas discoveries. Mitsubishi's and Petronas' oil discoveries in the Cuu Long Basin have attracted much attention also. The Dai Hung oil field (BHP-operated) has been producing since late 1994. Certain blocks are being appraised, and exploration work is also continuing. Areas of the Cuu Long Basin that were part of Vietsovpetro's acreage, but which may soon be re-licensed, have generated keen interest. The presence of an active upstream industry - exploring, appraising, developing and producing - indicates the emergence of Vietnam as an important East Asian oil and gas player.« less

Exploration and development offshore southern Vietnam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferguson, A.M.

1996-12-31

In Vietnam, the major focus of the oil and gas industry is on the Nam Con Son and Cuu Long Basins in the southern offshore area. Major licensing first occurred here in the early 1970s. Some exploration was also undertaken by foreign companies in the early 1980s. In 1981, the Soviet Union undertook to assist Vietnam with the development of oil and gas. Vietsovpetro, a joint venture between the then Soviet Oil and Gas Ministry and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation was formed. Most of Vietsovpetro`s efforts have been to develop the Bach Ho field in the Cuu Longmore » Basin. This now produces {approximately}130000 bopd. The most recent large scale licensing round occurred in 1992, and, at present, there are over thirty foreign companies active in these Basins` blocks . The first phase of exploration is ending and successes in the Nam Con Son Basin include the BP-led Lan Tay/Lan Do gas discoveries and Pedco`s gas discoveries. Mitsubishi`s and Petronas` oil discoveries in the Cuu Long Basin have attracted much attention also. The Dai Hung oil field (BHP-operated) has been producing since late 1994. Certain blocks are being appraised, and exploration work is also continuing. Areas of the Cuu Long Basin that were part of Vietsovpetro`s acreage, but which may soon be re-licensed, have generated keen interest. The presence of an active upstream industry - exploring, appraising, developing and producing - indicates the emergence of Vietnam as an important East Asian oil and gas player.« less

Spatial patterns of soil n-alkane δD values on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for monsoon boundaries and paleoelevation reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Yan; Fang, Xiaomin; Tian, Qian

2012-10-01

Between 2010 and 2011, this project collected and analyzed forty-nine superficial soil samples, for wax-derivedn-alkaneδD values (δDwax), along a south to north transect of the Tibetan Plateau, from the southern Plateau and Nepalese Himalayas, passing through the Nam Co basin, to Qilian Mountains. Twenty-two paired river water samples were also collected from northeastern Tibet during this period and analyzed forδD (δDRW). The δDRW and δDwaxvalues become progressively more negative northward from ˜27.5°N, and reach a minimum at ˜30.6°N (Nam Co basin). North of the Nam Co basin, to 35°N, isotope values increase, due to increasing contributions from the year-round westerlies and recycled moisture from the Plateau. Relatively high and constantδDwax and δDRW values prevail in areas north of ˜35°N in northeastern Tibet. Results show that these δDwaxvalues vary considerably with location and relate closely to the influences of the summer monsoon and circulation changes. These changes track the spatial variability of isotopes from modern river water and precipitation at large spatial scales. Paleoelevation reconstructions should take into account the impact of mixing between continental and monsoon-derived moisture on the relationships with elevation andδDwax (and linear isotopic lapse rates) for central northeastern Tibet. Based on extended and more sensitive (relative to δ18O) δDwax and δDRW values, we infer that in the past the westerlies reached further south, to the north piedmont of the Nyainqentanglha Range, and that Indian Summer Monsoon moisture pushes across the Tanggula Mountains and approaches the Kunlun Mountains.

A model immunization programme to control Japanese encephalitis in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Yen, Nguyen Thu; Liu, Wei; Hanh, Hoang Duc; Chang, Na Yoon; Duong, Tran Nhu; Gibbons, Robert V; Marks, Florian; Thu, Nghiem Anh; Hong, Nguyen Minh; Park, Jin Kyung; Tuan, Pham Anh; Nisalak, Ananda; Clemens, John D; Xu, Zhi-Yi

2015-03-01

In Viet Nam, an inactivated, mouse brain-derived vaccine for Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been given exclusively to ≤ 5 years old children in 3 paediatric doses since 1997. However, JE incidence remained high, especially among children aged 5-9 years. We conducted a model JE immunization programme to assess the feasibility and impact of JE vaccine administered to 1-9 year(s) children in 3 standard-dose regimen: paediatric doses for children aged <3 years and adult doses for those aged ≥ 3 years. Of the targeted children, 96.2% were immunized with ≥ 2 doses of the vaccine. Compared to the national immunization programme, JE incidence rate declined sharply in districts with the model programme (11.32 to 0.87 per 100,000 in pre-versus post-vaccination period). The rate of reduction was most significant in the 5-9 years age-group. We recommend a policy change to include 5-9 years old children in the catch-up immunization campaign and administer a 4th dose to those aged 5-9 years, who had received 3 doses of the vaccine during the first 2-3 years of life.

A Model Immunization Programme to Control Japanese Encephalitis in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Yen, Nguyen Thu; Hanh, Hoang Duc; Chang, Na Yoon; Duong, Tran Nhu; Gibbons, Robert V.; Marks, Florian; Thu, Nghiem Anh; Hong, Nguyen Minh; Park, Jin Kyung; Tuan, Pham Anh; Nisalak, Ananda; Clemens, John D.; Xu, Zhi-yi

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT In Viet Nam, an inactivated, mouse brain-derived vaccine for Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been given exclusively to ≤5 years old children in 3 paediatric doses since 1997. However, JE incidence remained high, especially among children aged 5-9 years. We conducted a model JE immunization programme to assess the feasibility and impact of JE vaccine administered to 1-9 year(s) children in 3 standard-dose regimen: paediatric doses for children aged <3 years and adult doses for those aged ≥3 years. Of the targeted children, 96.2% were immunized with ≥2 doses of the vaccine. Compared to the national immunization programme, JE incidence rate declined sharply in districts with the model programme (11.32 to 0.87 per 100,000 in pre-versus post-vaccination period). The rate of reduction was most significant in the 5-9 years age-group. We recommend a policy change to include 5-9 years old children in the catch-up immunization campaign and administer a 4th dose to those aged 5-9 years, who had received 3 doses of the vaccine during the first 2-3 years of life. PMID:25995736

Liver disease in Viet Nam: screening, surveillance, management and education: a 5-year plan and call to action.

PubMed

Gish, Robert G; Bui, Tam D; Nguyen, Chuc T K; Nguyen, Duc T; Tran, Huy V; Tran, Diem M T; Trinh, Huy N

2012-02-01

Despite a high prevalence of liver disease in Viet Nam, there has been no nationwide approach to the disease and no systematic screening of at-risk individuals. Risk factors include chronic hepatitis B (estimated prevalence of 12%), chronic hepatitis C (at least 2% prevalence), and heavy consumption of alcohol among men. This combination of factors has resulted in liver cancer being the most common cause of cancer death in Viet Nam. There is a general lack of understanding by both the general public and health-care providers about the major risk to health that liver disease represents. We report here the initial steps taken as part of a comprehensive approach to liver disease that will ultimately include nationwide education for health-care providers, health educators, and the public; expansion of nationwide screening for hepatitis B and C followed by hepatitis B virus vaccination or treatment of chronic hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C; education about alcoholic liver disease; long-term surveillance for liver cancer; reduction of infection transmission related to medical, commercial, and personal re-use of contaminated needles, syringes, sharp instruments, razors, and inadequately sterilized medical equipment; and ongoing collection and analysis of data about the prevalence of all forms of liver disease and the results of the expanded screening, vaccination, and treatment programs. We report the beginning results of our pilot hepatitis B screening program. We believe that this comprehensive nationwide approach could substantially reduce the morbidity and mortality from liver disease and greatly lessen the burden in terms of both lives lost and health-care costs. © 2011 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Applications of multispectral imagery to water resources development planning in the lower Mekong Basin (Khmer Republic, Laos, Thailand and Viet-Nam)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vankiere, W. J.

1973-01-01

The use of ERTS imagery for water resources planning in the lower Mekong Basin relates to three major issues: (1) it complements data from areas, which have been inaccessible in the past because of security; this concerns mainly forest cover of the watersheds, and geological features, (2) it refines ground surveys; this concerns mainly land forms, and soils of existing and planned irrigation perimeters, and (3) it provides new information, which would be almost or entirely impossible to detect with ground surveys or conventional photography; this concerns the mechanism of flooding and drainage of the delta; siltation of the Great Lake and mapping of acidity, possibly also of salinity, in the lower delta; sedimentation and fisheries in the Mekong Delta estuarine areas.

Integrated Hydrographical Basin Management. Study Case - Crasna River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visescu, Mircea; Beilicci, Erika; Beilicci, Robert

2017-10-01

Hydrographical basins are important from hydrological, economic and ecological points of view. They receive and channel the runoff from rainfall and snowmelt which, when adequate managed, can provide fresh water necessary for water supply, irrigation, food industry, animal husbandry, hydrotechnical arrangements and recreation. Hydrographical basin planning and management follows the efficient use of available water resources in order to satisfy environmental, economic and social necessities and constraints. This can be facilitated by a decision support system that links hydrological, meteorological, engineering, water quality, agriculture, environmental, and other information in an integrated framework. In the last few decades different modelling tools for resolving problems regarding water quantity and quality were developed, respectively water resources management. Watershed models have been developed to the understanding of water cycle and pollution dynamics, and used to evaluate the impacts of hydrotechnical arrangements and land use management options on water quantity, quality, mitigation measures and possible global changes. Models have been used for planning monitoring network and to develop plans for intervention in case of hydrological disasters: floods, flash floods, drought and pollution. MIKE HYDRO Basin is a multi-purpose, map-centric decision support tool for integrated hydrographical basin analysis, planning and management. MIKE HYDRO Basin is designed for analyzing water sharing issues at international, national and local hydrographical basin level. MIKE HYDRO Basin uses a simplified mathematical representation of the hydrographical basin including the configuration of river and reservoir systems, catchment hydrology and existing and potential water user schemes with their various demands including a rigorous irrigation scheme module. This paper analyzes the importance and principles of integrated hydrographical basin management and develop a case

Scandcleft randomised trials of primary surgery for unilateral cleft lip and palate: 5. Speech outcomes in 5-year-olds - consonant proficiency and errors.

PubMed

Willadsen, Elisabeth; Lohmander, Anette; Persson, Christina; Lundeborg, Inger; Alaluusua, Suvi; Aukner, Ragnhild; Bau, Anja; Boers, Maria; Bowden, Melanie; Davies, Julie; Emborg, Berit; Havstam, Christina; Hayden, Christine; Henningsson, Gunilla; Holmefjord, Anders; Hölttä, Elina; Kisling-Møller, Mia; Kjøll, Lillian; Lundberg, Maria; McAleer, Eilish; Nyberg, Jill; Paaso, Marjukka; Pedersen, Nina Helen; Rasmussen, Therese; Reisæter, Sigvor; Andersen, Helene Søgaard; Schöps, Antje; Tørdal, Inger-Beate; Semb, Gunvor

2017-02-01

Normal articulation before school start is a main objective in cleft palate treatment. The aim was to investigate if differences exist in consonant proficiency at age 5 years between children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) randomised to different surgical protocols for primary palatal repair. A secondary aim was to estimate burden of care in terms of received additional secondary surgeries and speech therapy. Three parallel group, randomised clinical trials were undertaken as an international multicentre study by 10 cleft teams in five countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the UK. Three different surgical protocols for primary palatal repair were tested against a common procedure in the total cohort of 448 children born with non-syndromic UCLP. Speech audio- and video-recordings of 391 children (136 girls and 255 boys) were available and transcribed phonetically. The main outcome measure was Percent Consonants Correct (PCC) from blinded assessments. In Trial 1, arm A showed statistically significant higher PCC scores (82%) than arm B (78%) (p = .045). No significant differences were found between prevalences in Trial 2, A: 79%, C: 82%; or Trial 3, A: 80%, D: 85%. Across all trials, girls achieved better PCC scores, excluding s-errors, than boys (91.0% and 87.5%, respectively) (p = .01). PCC scores were higher in arm A than B in Trial 1, whereas no differences were found between arms in Trials 2 or 3. The burden of care in terms of secondary pharyngeal surgeries, number of fistulae, and speech therapy visits differed. ISRCTN29932826.

Memory plasticity in older adults: Cognitive predictors of training response and maintenance following learning of number-consonant mnemonic.

PubMed

Sandberg, Petra; Rönnlund, Michael; Derwinger-Hallberg, Anna; Stigsdotter Neely, Anna

2016-10-01

The study investigated the relationship between cognitive factors and gains in number recall following training in a number-consonant mnemonic in a sample of 112 older adults (M = 70.9 years). The cognitive factors examined included baseline episodic memory, working memory, processing speed, and verbal knowledge. In addition, predictors of maintenance of gains to a follow-up assessment, eight months later, were examined. Whereas working memory was a prominent predictor of baseline recall, the magnitude of gains in recall from pre- to post-test assessments were predicted by baseline episodic memory, processing speed, and verbal knowledge. Verbal knowledge was the only significant predictor of maintenance. Collectively, the results indicate the need to consider multiple factors to account for individual differences in memory plasticity. The potential contribution of additional factors to individual differences in memory plasticity is discussed.

Abundance and prevalence of Aedes aegypti immatures and relationships with household water storage in rural areas in southern Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Le Anh P; Clements, Archie C A; Jeffery, Jason A L; Yen, Nguyen Thi; Nam, Vu Sinh; Vaughan, Gregory; Shinkfield, Ramon; Kutcher, Simon C; Gatton, Michelle L; Kay, Brian H; Ryan, Peter A

2011-06-01

Since 2000, the Government of Viet Nam has committed to provide rural communities with increased access to safe water through a variety of household water supply schemes (wells, ferrocement tanks and jars) and piped water schemes. One possible, unintended consequence of these schemes is the concomitant increase in water containers that may serve as habitats for dengue mosquito immatures, principally Aedes aegypti. To assess these possible impacts we undertook detailed household surveys of Ae. aegypti immatures, water storage containers and various socioeconomic factors in three rural communes in southern Viet Nam. Positive relationships between the numbers of household water storage containers and the prevalence and abundance of Ae. aegypti immatures were found. Overall, water storage containers accounted for 92-97% and 93-96% of the standing crops of III/IV instars and pupae, respectively. Interestingly, households with higher socioeconomic levels had significantly higher numbers of water storage containers and therefore greater risk of Ae. aegypti infestation. Even after provision of piped water to houses, householders continued to store water in containers and there was no observed decrease in water storage container abundance in these houses, compared to those that relied entirely on stored water. These findings highlight the householders' concerns about the limited availability of water and their strong behavoural patterns associated with storage of water. We conclude that household water storage container availability is a major risk factor for infestation with Ae. aegypti immatures, and that recent investment in rural water supply infrastructure are unlikely to mitigate this risk, at least in the short term.

Where "Sign Language Studies" Has Led Us in Forty Years: Opening High School and University Education for Deaf People in Viet Nam through Sign Language Analysis, Teaching, and Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodward, James; Hoa, Nguyen Thi

2012-01-01

This paper discusses how the Nippon Foundation-funded project "Opening University Education to Deaf People in Viet Nam through Sign Language Analysis, Teaching, and Interpretation," also known as the Dong Nai Deaf Education Project, has been implemented through sign language studies from 2000 through 2012. This project has provided deaf…

Caribbean basin framework, 3: Southern Central America and Colombian basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kolarsky, R.A.; Mann, P.

1991-03-01

The authors recognize three basin-forming periods in southern Central America (Panama, Costa Rica, southern Nicaragua) that they attempt to correlate with events in the Colombian basin (Bowland, 1984): (1) Early-Late Cretaceous island arc formation and growth of the Central American island arc and Late Cretaceous formation of the Colombian basin oceanic plateau. During latest Cretaceous time, pelagic carbonate sediments blanketed the Central American island arc in Panama and Costa Rica and elevated blocks on the Colombian basin oceanic plateau; (2) middle Eocene-middle Miocene island arc uplift and erosion. During this interval, influx of distal terrigenous turbidites in most areas ofmore » Panama, Costa Rica, and the Colombian basin marks the uplift and erosion of the Central American island arc. In the Colombian basin, turbidites fill in basement relief and accumulate to thicknesses up to 2 km in the deepest part of the basin. In Costa Rica, sedimentation was concentrated in fore-arc (Terraba) and back-arc (El Limon) basins; (3) late Miocene-Recent accelerated uplift and erosion of segments of the Central American arc. Influx of proximal terrigenous turbidites and alluvial fans in most areas of Panama, Costa Rica, and the Colombian basin marks collision of the Panama arc with the South American continent (late Miocene early Pliocene) and collision of the Cocos Ridge with the Costa Rican arc (late Pleistocene). The Cocos Ridge collision inverted the Terraba and El Limon basins. The Panama arc collision produced northeast-striking left-lateral strike-slip faults and fault-related basins throughout Panama as Panama moved northwest over the Colombian basin.« less

Study design and the estimation of the size of key populations at risk of HIV: lessons from Viet Nam.

PubMed

Safarnejad, Ali; Groot, Wim; Pavlova, Milena

2018-01-30

Estimation of the size of populations at risk of HIV is a key activity in the surveillance of the HIV epidemic. The existing framework for considering future research needs may provide decision-makers with a basis for a fair process of deciding on the methods of the estimation of the size of key populations at risk of HIV. This study explores the extent to which stakeholders involved with population size estimation agree with this framework, and thus, the study updates the framework. We conducted 16 in-depth interviews with key informants from city and provincial governments, NGOs, research institutes, and the community of people at risk of HIV. Transcripts were analyzed and reviewed for significant statements pertaining to criteria. Variations and agreement around criteria were analyzed, and emerging criteria were validated against the existing framework. Eleven themes emerged which are relevant to the estimation of the size of populations at risk of HIV in Viet Nam. Findings on missing criteria, inclusive participation, community perspectives and conflicting weight and direction of criteria provide insights for an improved framework for the prioritization of population size estimation methods. The findings suggest that the exclusion of community members from decision-making on population size estimation methods in Viet Nam may affect the validity, use, and efficiency of the evidence generated. However, a wider group of decision-makers, including community members among others, may introduce diverse definitions, weight and direction of criteria. Although findings here may not apply to every country with a transitioning economy or to every emerging epidemic, the principles of fair decision-making, value of community participation in decision-making and the expected challenges faced, merit consideration in every situation.

Episiotomy rate in Vietnamese-born women in Australia: support for a change in obstetric practice in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Trinh, Anh T; Khambalia, Amina; Ampt, Amanda; Morris, Jonathan M; Roberts, Christine L

2013-05-01

To describe the use of episiotomy among Vietnamese-born women in Australia, including risk factors for, and pregnancy outcomes associated with, episiotomy. This population-based, retrospective cohort study included data on 598 305 singleton, term (i.e. ≥ 37 weeks' gestation) and vertex-presenting vaginal births between 2001 and 2010. Data were obtained from linked, validated, population-level birth and hospitalization data sets. Contingency tables and multivariate analysis were used to compare risk factors and pregnancy outcomes in women who did or did not have an episiotomy. The episiotomy rate in 12 208 Vietnamese-born women was 29.9%, compared with 15.1% in Australian-born women. Among Vietnamese-born women, those who had an episiotomy were significantly more likely than those who did not to be primiparous, give birth in a private hospital, have induced labour or undergo instrumental delivery. In these women, having an episiotomy was associated with postpartum haemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 1.26; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.08-1.46) and postnatal hospitalization for more than 4 days (aOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.00-1.29). Among multiparous women only, episiotomy was positively associated with a third- or fourth-degree perineal tear (aOR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.31-3.06); in contrast, among primiparous women the association was negative (aOR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.37-0.60). Episiotomy was performed in far fewer Vietnamese-born women giving birth in Australia than in Viet Nam, where more than 85% undergo the procedure, and was not associated with adverse outcomes. A lower episiotomy rate should be achievable in Viet Nam.

EIA models and capacity building in Viet Nam: an analysis of development aid programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doberstein, Brent

2004-04-01

There has been a decided lack of empirical research examining development aid agencies as 'agents of change' in environmental impact assessment (EIA) systems in developing countries, particularly research examining the model of environmental planning practice promoted by aid agencies as part of capacity building. This paper briefly traces a conceptual framework of EIA, then introduces the concept of 'EIA capacity building'. Using Viet Nam as a case study, the paper then outlines the empirical results of the research, focusing on the extent to which aid agency capacity-building programs promoted a Technical vs. Planning Model of EIA and on the coherencemore » of capacity-building efforts across all aid programs. A discussion follows, where research results are interpreted within the Vietnamese context, and implications of research results are identified for three main groups of actors. The paper concludes by calling for development aid agencies to reconceptualise EIA capacity building as an opportunity to transform developing countries' development planning processes.« less

Thermal state of the Arkoma Basin and the Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Youngmin

1999-12-01

One of the most fundamental physical processes that affects virtually all geologic phenomena in sedimentary basins is the flow of heat from the Earth's interiors. The Arkoma Basin and the Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma, are a prolific producer of both oil and natural gas. Both basins also have important geologic phenomena. Understanding the thermal state of the these basins is crucial to understanding the timing and extent of hydrocarbon generation, the genesis of Mississippi Valley-type ore deposits, and the origin of overpressures in the Anadarko Basin. In chapter one, heat flow and heat production in the Arkoma basin and Oklahoma Platform are discussed. Results of this study are not generally supportive of theories which invoke topographically driven regional groundwater flow from the Arkoma Basin in Late Pennsylvanian-Early Permian time (˜290 Ma) to explain the genesis of geologic phenomena. In chapter 2, different types of thermal conductivity temperature corrections that are commonly applied in terrestrial heat flow studies are evaluated. The invariance of the relative rankings with respect to rock porosity suggests the rankings may be valid with respect to in situ conditions. Chapter three addresses heat flow and thermal history of the Anadarko Basin and the western Oklahoma Platform. We found no evidence for heat flow to increase significantly from the Anadarko Basin in the south to the Oklahoma Platform to the north. In chapter four, overpressures in the Anadarko Basin, southwestern Oklahoma are discussed. Using scale analyses and a simple numerical model, we evaluated two endmember hypotheses (compaction disequilibrium and hydrocarbon generation) as possible causes of overpressuring. Geopressure models which invoke compaction disequilibrium do not appear to apply to the Anadarko Basin. The Anadarko Basin belongs to a group of cratonic basins which are tectonically quiescent and are characterized by the association of abnormal pressures with natural gas

Infant Perception of Non-Native Consonant Contrasts that Adults Assimilate in Different Ways*

PubMed Central

Best, Catherine C.; McRoberts, Gerald W.

2009-01-01

Numerous findings suggest that non-native speech perception undergoes dramatic changes before the infant’s first birthday. Yet the nature and cause of these changes remain uncertain. We evaluated the predictions of several theoretical accounts of developmental change in infants’ perception of non-native consonant contrasts. Experiment 1 assessed English-learning infants’ discrimination of three isiZulu distinctions that American adults had categorized and discriminated quite differently, consistent with the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM: Best, 1995; Best et al., 1988). All involved a distinction employing a single articulatory organ, in this case the larynx. Consistent with all theoretical accounts, 6–8 month olds discriminated all contrasts. However, 10–12 month olds performed more poorly on each, consistent with the Articulatory-Organ-matching hypothesis (AO) derived from PAM and Articulatory Phonology (Studdert-Kennedy & Goldstein, 2003), specifically that older infants should show a decline for non-native distinctions involving a single articulatory organ. However, the results may also be open to other interpretations. The converse AO hypothesis, that non-native between-organ distinctions will remain highly discriminate to older infants, was tested in Experiment 2. using a non-native Tigrinya distinction involving lips versus tongue tip. Both ages discriminated this between-organ contrast well, further supporting the AO hypothesis. Implications for theoretical accounts of infant speech perception are discussed. PMID:14748444

Perceptual recovery from consonant-cluster simplification in Korean using language-specific phonological knowledge.

PubMed

Cho, Taehong; McQueen, James M

2011-08-01

Two experiments examined whether perceptual recovery from Korean consonant-cluster simplification is based on language-specific phonological knowledge. In tri-consonantal C1C2C3 sequences such as /lkt/ and /lpt/ in Seoul Korean, either C1 or C2 can be completely deleted. Seoul Koreans monitored for C2 targets (/p/ or / k/, deleted or preserved) in the second word of a two-word phrase with an underlying /l/-C2-/t/ sequence. In Experiment 1 the target-bearing words had contextual lexical-semantic support. Listeners recovered deleted targets as fast and as accurately as preserved targets with both Word and Intonational Phrase (IP) boundaries between the two words. In Experiment 2, contexts were low-pass filtered. Listeners were still able to recover deleted targets as well as preserved targets in IP-boundary contexts, but better with physically-present targets than with deleted targets in Word-boundary contexts. This suggests that the benefit of having target acoustic-phonetic information emerges only when higher-order (contextual and phrase-boundary) information is not available. The strikingly efficient recovery of deleted phonemes with neither acoustic-phonetic cues nor contextual support demonstrates that language-specific phonological knowledge, rather than language-universal perceptual processes which rely on fine-grained phonetic details, is employed when the listener perceives the results of a continuous-speech process in which reduction is phonetically complete.

Hydrogeologic framework of sedimentary deposits in six structural basins, Yakima River basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, M.A.; Vaccaro, J.J.; Watkins, A.M.

2006-01-01

The hydrogeologic framework was delineated for the ground-water flow system of the sedimentary deposits in six structural basins in the Yakima River Basin, Washington. The six basins delineated, from north to south are: Roslyn, Kittitas, Selah, Yakima, Toppenish, and Benton. Extent and thicknesses of the hydrogeologic units and total basin sediment thickness were mapped for each basin. Interpretations were based on information from about 4,700 well records using geochemical, geophysical, geologist's or driller's logs, and from the surficial geology and previously constructed maps and well interpretations. The sedimentary deposits were thickest in the Kittitas Basin reaching a depth of greater than 2,000 ft, followed by successively thinner sedimentary deposits in the Selah basin with about 1,900 ft, Yakima Basin with about 1,800 ft, Toppenish Basin with about 1,200 ft, Benton basin with about 870 ft and Roslyn Basin with about 700 ft.

Use of eschar swabbing for the molecular diagnosis and genotyping of Orientia tsutsugamushi causing scrub typhus in Quang Nam province, Vietnam.

PubMed

Le Viet, Nhiem; Laroche, Maureen; Thi Pham, Hoa L; Viet, Nho L; Mediannikov, Oleg; Raoult, Didier; Parola, Philippe

2017-02-01

Scrub typhus is a rickettsiosis which is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi and occurs throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Molecular diagnosis of rickettsioses using eschar swabs has recently emerged, and may be very useful for the diagnosis of these diseases in tropical settings. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect O. tsutsugamushi DNA in whole blood and eschar swab specimens of 67 patients who were clinically suspected of scrub typhus in Quang Nam province, Vietnam. Among the 20 patients for whom both eschar and whole blood were obtained, 17 (85%) of the eschar specimens and 5 (25%) of the whole blood specimens tested positive for O. tsutsugamushi. Genetic analysis of the 56-kDa TSA gene sequences demonstrated that the 14 sequences obtained in this study, including 12 eschar swabs and 2 whole blood specimens, were related to 4 groups: Karp, Kawasaki, Gilliam (JG-v and TG-v) and TA716. The majority (9/14; 64.4%) of contemporary O. tsutsugamushi genotypes in Quang Nam province were related to the Karp group. These results suggest that polyclonal antigen pools used for serological testing in the future should contain at least Karp, Kawasaki, Gilliam and TA716 antigens for Vietnamese patients, as well as patients who have traveled to Vietnam. qPCR after eschar swabbing should be considered for molecular diagnosis of scrub typhus in endemic patients as well as in travelers, since it is easy to perform and appears very useful for the rapid detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in the early phase of infection.

Use of eschar swabbing for the molecular diagnosis and genotyping of Orientia tsutsugamushi causing scrub typhus in Quang Nam province, Vietnam

PubMed Central

Le Viet, Nhiem; Laroche, Maureen; Thi Pham, Hoa L.; Viet, Nho L.; Mediannikov, Oleg; Raoult, Didier; Parola, Philippe

2017-01-01

Background Scrub typhus is a rickettsiosis which is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi and occurs throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Molecular diagnosis of rickettsioses using eschar swabs has recently emerged, and may be very useful for the diagnosis of these diseases in tropical settings. Methodology/Principal findings Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect O. tsutsugamushi DNA in whole blood and eschar swab specimens of 67 patients who were clinically suspected of scrub typhus in Quang Nam province, Vietnam. Among the 20 patients for whom both eschar and whole blood were obtained, 17 (85%) of the eschar specimens and 5 (25%) of the whole blood specimens tested positive for O. tsutsugamushi. Genetic analysis of the 56-kDa TSA gene sequences demonstrated that the 14 sequences obtained in this study, including 12 eschar swabs and 2 whole blood specimens, were related to 4 groups: Karp, Kawasaki, Gilliam (JG-v and TG-v) and TA716. The majority (9/14; 64.4%) of contemporary O. tsutsugamushi genotypes in Quang Nam province were related to the Karp group. Conclusions These results suggest that polyclonal antigen pools used for serological testing in the future should contain at least Karp, Kawasaki, Gilliam and TA716 antigens for Vietnamese patients, as well as patients who have traveled to Vietnam. qPCR after eschar swabbing should be considered for molecular diagnosis of scrub typhus in endemic patients as well as in travelers, since it is easy to perform and appears very useful for the rapid detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi in the early phase of infection. PMID:28241043

Supervisors and accomplices: extra-marital sex among migrant construction workers in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Thuy, Bui Thi Thanh; Kretchmar, Joshua

2008-06-01

This study examines the influence of social networks on the sexual relations of migrant construction workers in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. Research included observation and interviews with members of two different groups of workers. The first group, together with their employer (cai), came from the same village; the second group came from different villages. Of interest in the present study was how social relationships among workers and their employers influence extra-marital sexual activity. In the group where workers and their cai came from the same village of origin, fear of acquiring a bad reputation made these workers reluctant to seek sex services, since accounts of their behaviour were transmitted quickly home. In contrast, workers from the group who came from different villages often went out together to purchase sex. The absence of direct links to their villages of origin made it easier for these latter workers to conceal their activity. The implication of these findings for sexual safety and risk are discussed.

Active transtensional intracontinental basins: Walker Lane in the western Great Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jayko, Angela S.; Bursik, Marcus

2012-01-01

The geometry and dimensions of sedimentary basins within the Walker Lane are a result of Plio-Pleistocene transtensive deformation and partial detachment of the Sierra Nevada crustal block from the North American plate. Distinct morpho-tectonic domains lie within this active transtensive zone. The northeast end of the Walker Lane is partly buried by active volcanism of the southern Cascades, and adjacent basins are filled or poorly developed. To the south, the basin sizes are moderate, 25–45km × 15–10 km, with narrow 8-12km wide mountain ranges mainly oriented N-S to NNE. These basins form subparallel arrays in discrete zones trending about 300° and have documented clockwise rotation. This is succeeded to the south by a releasing stepover domain ∼85-100km wide, where the basins are elongated E-W to ENE, small (∼15-30km long, 5-15km wide), and locally occupied by active volcanic centers. The southernmost part of the Walker Lane is structurally integrated, with high to extreme relief. Adjacent basins are elongate, 50-200km long and ∼5 -20km wide. Variations in transtensive basin orientations in the Walker Lane are largely attributable to variations in strain partitioning. Large basins in the Walker Lane have 2-6km displacement across basin bounding faults with up to 3 km of clastic accumulation based on gravity and drill hole data. The sedimentary deposits of the basins may include interbedded volcanic deposits with bimodal basaltic and rhyolitic associations. The basins may include lacustrine deposits that record a wide range of water chemistry from cold fresh water conditions to saline-evaporative

Using Pooled Local Expert Opinions (PLEO) to Discern Patterns in Sightings of Live and Dead Manatees (Trichechus senegalensis, Link 1785) in Lower Sanaga Basin, Cameroon

PubMed Central

Mayaka, Theodore B.; Takoukam Kamla, Aristide; Self-Sullivan, Caryn

2015-01-01

We aimed at unveiling patterns in live and dead manatee sightings in the Lower Sanaga Basin, Cameroon. For this purpose, the expert opinions of 133 local fishers were collected during in-person interviews, distilled using categorical data analysis, and checked against scientific literature. The five main results are as follows: manatees were sighted averagely once a week in lakes, rivers, and the coast & estuaries, mostly in group sizes of 2-3; the odds of sighting live manatees (respectively dead manatees) decreased (respectively increased) from inland lakes to estuaries and the coast, via rivers; manatee carcasses were reported in all habitats, albeit more frequently in rivers; a distribution map based on fishers’ reports show two manatee concentration areas: Lake Ossa and the Malimba-Mbiako section of River Sanaga; the number of manatees was perceived as increasing despite incidental and directed catches. Thus, our findings corroborate earlier assessments of the Lower Sanaga Basin as being a major manatee conservation area. Additionally, from these results and the literature, we identified three hypotheses about local manatee persistence: deep pools such as lakes offer year round sanctuaries, not just dry-season refugia; seasonality of specific habitat variables determine manatee occurrence patterns; and local variability in habitat encroachment mediate the meta-population dynamics of manatee in the Lower Sanaga Basin. Finally, we examine the implications for data requirements in light of the small ecological scale at which the surveyed fishers ply their trade. Thus, consonant with the Malawi principles for the ecosystem approach to management (www.cbd.int/ecosystem), we recommend collecting data preferably at landscape scale, through a participatory monitoring program that fully integrates scientific and traditional knowledge systems. This program should include, amongst others, a standardised necropsy protocol for collecting mortality and biological data

Cigarette Smoking among Adolescents aged 13-15 in Viet Nam and Correlates of Current Cigarette Smoking: Results from GYTS 2014 Data.

PubMed

Huong, Le Thi; Vu, Nga Thi Thu; Dung, Nguyen Ngoc; Xuan, Le Thi Thanh; Giang, Kim Bao; Hai, Phan Thi; Huyen, Doan Thu; Khue, Luong Ngoc; Lam, Nguyen Tuan; Minh, Hoang Van; Nga, Pham Thi Quynh

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to report the rate of current and ever cigarette smoking and explore correlates of current cigarette smoking among adolescents aged 13-15 in Viet Nam. This analysis was derived from GYTS survey, which comprised of 3,430 adolescents aged 13-15, conducted in 2014 in 13 cities and provinces of Viet Nam. We calculated the weighted rates of current and ever cigarette smoking and reported patterns of smoking behavior. We also performed logistic regression to explore correlates of current cigarette smoking behavior. The weighted rate of ever cigarette smoking was 9.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.5 %-10.5%), in which the weighted rate among males (15.4%; 95% CI: 13.6%-17.0%) was higher than that among females (4.2%; 95% CI: 3.3%-5.1%). The weighted rate of current cigarette smoking was relatively low at 2.5% (95%CI: 2.0%- 3.0%) with higher weighted rate among males (4.9%; 95% CI: 3.8%-5.9%) compared to the corresponding figure among females (0.2%; 95% CI: 0.0 %-0.5%). Current cigarette smoking was significantly higher among males than females, in students aged 15 versus 13 years old, and in students who had several or all close friends smoking and students with daily observation of smoking at school. For greater smoking reduction outcomes, we recommend that tobacco interventions for adolescents should consider targeting more male students at older ages, establish stricter adherence to school-based banning of cigarette smoking, engage both smoking and nonsmoking adolescents and empower adolescents to resist peer smoking influence as well as changing their norms or beliefs towards smoking benefits.

A molecular approach to the genus Alburnoides using COI sequences data set and the description of a new species, A. damghani, from the Damghan River system (the Dasht-e Kavir Basin, Iran) (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae)

PubMed Central

Roudbar, Arash Jouladeh; Eagderi, Soheil; Esmaeili, Hamid Reza; Coad, Brian W.; Bogutskaya, Nina

2016-01-01

Abstract The molecular status of nine species of the genus Alburnoides from different river drainages in Iran and additionally by seven species from Europe was assessed. mtDNA COI gene sequences from freshly collected specimens and available NCBI data revealed four major phylogenetic lineages. Based on the results, a distinct taxon from the Cheshmeh Ali (Ali Spring), a Damghan River tributary in the endorheic Dasht-e Kavir basin, northern Iran, which is the closest sister to Alburnoides namaki (Namak Lake basin) + Alburnoides coadi (Nam River in the endorheic Dasht-e Kavir basin) is considered as a new species, Alburnoides damghani sp. n. It is distinguished from other Alburnoides species in Iran by a combination of character states including: a weakly-developed, variably-scaled, ventral keel from completely scaleless to completely scaled, a short snout with the tip of the mouth cleft on a level with the lower margin of the pupil or slightly lower, a small eye (eye horizontal diameter slightly to markedly less than interorbital width), commonly 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays, commonly 11−12½ branched anal-fin rays, 40−46(47) total lateral-line scales, 2.5–4.2 or 2.5–4.1 pharyngeal teeth, gill rakers short and widely spaced, 6−8 in total, 39−41 (commonly 40), total vertebrae, (19)20(21) abdominal vertebrae, 19−21 (most commonly 20) caudal vertebrae, abdominal vertebral region most commonly equal to or longer than caudal region, and most common vertebral formulae 20+20 and 21+19. PMID:27110204

A molecular approach to the genus Alburnoides using COI sequences data set and the description of a new species, A. damghani, from the Damghan River system (the Dasht-e Kavir Basin, Iran) (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae).

PubMed

Roudbar, Arash Jouladeh; Eagderi, Soheil; Esmaeili, Hamid Reza; Coad, Brian W; Bogutskaya, Nina

2016-01-01

The molecular status of nine species of the genus Alburnoides from different river drainages in Iran and additionally by seven species from Europe was assessed. mtDNA COI gene sequences from freshly collected specimens and available NCBI data revealed four major phylogenetic lineages. Based on the results, a distinct taxon from the Cheshmeh Ali (Ali Spring), a Damghan River tributary in the endorheic Dasht-e Kavir basin, northern Iran, which is the closest sister to Alburnoides namaki (Namak Lake basin) + Alburnoides coadi (Nam River in the endorheic Dasht-e Kavir basin) is considered as a new species, Alburnoides damghani sp. n. It is distinguished from other Alburnoides species in Iran by a combination of character states including: a weakly-developed, variably-scaled, ventral keel from completely scaleless to completely scaled, a short snout with the tip of the mouth cleft on a level with the lower margin of the pupil or slightly lower, a small eye (eye horizontal diameter slightly to markedly less than interorbital width), commonly 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays, commonly 11-12½ branched anal-fin rays, 40-46(47) total lateral-line scales, 2.5-4.2 or 2.5-4.1 pharyngeal teeth, gill rakers short and widely spaced, 6-8 in total, 39-41 (commonly 40), total vertebrae, (19)20(21) abdominal vertebrae, 19-21 (most commonly 20) caudal vertebrae, abdominal vertebral region most commonly equal to or longer than caudal region, and most common vertebral formulae 20+20 and 21+19.

Rocky Mountain Tertiary coal-basin models and their applicability to some world basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, R.M.

1989-01-01

Tertiary intermontane basins in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States contain large amounts of coal resources. The first major type of Tertiary coal basin is closed and lake-dominated, either mud-rich (e.g., North Park Basin, Colorado) or mud plus carbonate (e.g., Medicine Lodge Basin, Montana), which are both infilled by deltas. The second major type of Tertiary coal basin is open and characterized by a preponderance of sediments that were deposited by flow-through fluvial systems (e.g., Raton Basin, Colorado and New Mexico, and Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana). The setting for the formation of these coals varies with the type of basin sedimentation, paleotectonism, and paleoclimate. The mud-rich lake-dominated closed basin (transpressional paleotectonism and warm, humid paleoclimate), where infilled by sandy "Gilbert-type" deltas, contains thick coals (low ash and low sulfur) formed in swamps of the prograding fluvial systems. The mud- and carbonate-rich lake-dominated closed basin is infilled by carbonate precipitates plus coarse-grained fan deltas and fine-grained deltas. Here, thin coals (high ash and high sulfur) formed in swamps of the fine-grained deltas. The coarse-clastic, open basins (compressional paleotectonism and warm, paratropical paleoclimate) associated with flow-through fluvial systems contain moderately to anomalously thick coals (high to low ash and low sulfur) formed in swamps developed in intermittently abandoned portions of the fluvial systems. These coal development patterns from the Tertiary Rocky Mountain basins, although occurring in completely different paleotectonic settings, are similar to that found in the Tertiary, Cretaceous, and Permian intermontane coal basins in China, New Zealand, and India. ?? 1989.

Contrasting basin architecture and rifting style of the Vøring Basin, offshore mid-Norway and the Faroe-Shetland Basin, offshore United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöpfer, Kateřina; Hinsch, Ralph

2017-04-01

The Vøring and the Faroe-Shetland basins are offshore deep sedimentary basins which are situated on the outer continental margin of the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Both basins are underlain by thinned continental crust whose structure is still debated. In particular the nature of the lower continental crust and the origin of high velocity bodies located at the base of the lower crust are a subject of discussion in recent literature. Regional interpretation of 2D and 3D seismic reflection data, combined with well data, suggest that both basins share several common features: (i) Pre-Cretaceous faults that are distributed across the entire basin width. (ii) Geometries of pre-Jurassic strata reflecting at least two extensional phases. (iii) Three common rift phases, Late Jurassic, Campanian-Maastrichtian and Palaeocene. (iv) Large pre-Cretaceous fault blocks that are buried by several kilometres of Cretaceous and Cenozoic strata. (iii). (v) Latest Cretaceous/Palaeocene inversion. (vi) Occurrence of partial mantle serpentinization during Early Cretaceous times, as proposed by other studies, seems improbable. The detailed analysis of the data, however, revealed significant differences between the two basins: (i) The Faroe-Shetland Basin was a fault-controlled basin during the Late Jurassic but also the Late Cretaceous extensional phase. In contrast, the Vøring Basin is dominated by the late Jurassic rifting and subsequent thermal subsidence. It exhibits only minor Late Cretaceous faults that are localised above intra-basinal and marginal highs. In addition, the Cretaceous strata in the Vøring Basin are folded. (ii) In the Vøring Basin, the locus of Late Cretaceous rifting shifted westwards, affecting mainly the western basin margin, whereas in the Faroe-Shetland Basin Late Cretaceous rifting was localised in the same area as the Late Jurassic phase, hence masking the original Jurassic geometries. (iii) Devono-Carboniferous and Aptian/Albian to Cenomanian rift phases

VU6010608, a Novel mGlu7 NAM from a Series of N-(2-(1H-1,2,4-Triazol-1-yl)-5-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)benzamides.

PubMed

Reed, Carson W; McGowan, Kevin M; Spearing, Paul K; Stansley, Branden J; Roenfanz, Hanna F; Engers, Darren W; Rodriguez, Alice L; Engelberg, Eileen M; Luscombe, Vincent B; Loch, Matthew T; Remke, Daniel H; Rook, Jerri M; Blobaum, Anna L; Conn, P Jeffrey; Niswender, Colleen M; Lindsley, Craig W

2017-12-14

Herein, we report the structure-activity relationships within a series of mGlu 7 NAMs based on an N -(2-(1 H -1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-5-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)benzamide core with excellent CNS penetration ( K p 1.9-5.8 and K p,uu 0.4-1.4). Analogues in this series displayed steep SAR. Of these, VU6010608 ( 11a ) emerged with robust efficacy in blocking high frequency stimulated long-term potentiation in electrophysiology studies.

Potential for deep basin-centered gas accumulation in Hanna Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Michael S.; Dyman, Thaddeus S.; Nuccio, Vito F.

2001-01-01

The potential for a continuous-type basin-centered gas accumulation in the Hanna Basin in Carbon County, Wyoming, is evaluated using geologic and production data including mud-weight, hydrocarbon-show, formation-test, bottom-hole-temperature, and vitrinite reflectance data from 29 exploratory wells. This limited data set supports the presence of a hypothetical basin-centered gas play in the Hanna Basin. Two generalized structural cross sections illustrate our interpretations of possible abnormally pressured compartments. Data indicate that a gas-charged, overpressured interval may occur within the Cretaceous Mowry, Frontier, and Niobrara Formations at depths below 10,000 ft along the southern and western margins of the basin. Overpressuring may also occur near the basin center within the Steele Shale and lower Mesaverde Group section at depths below 18,000 to 20,000 ft. However, the deepest wells drilled to date (12,000 to 15,300 ft) have not encountered over-pressure in the basin center. This overpressured zone is likely to be relatively small (probably 20 to 25 miles in diameter) and is probably depleted of gas near major basement reverse faults and outcrops where gas may have escaped. Water may have invaded reservoirs through outcrops and fracture zones along the basin margins, creating an extensive normally pressured zone. A zone of subnormal pressure also may exist below the water-saturated, normal-pressure zone and above the central zone of overpressure. Subnormal pressures have been interpreted in the center of the Hanna Basin at depths ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 ft based on indirect evidence including lost-circulation zones. Three wells on the south side of the basin, where the top of the subnormally pressured zone is interpreted to cut across stratigraphic boundaries, tested the Niobrara Formation and recovered gas and oil shows with very low shut-in pressures.

Mapping wetlands in the Lower Mekong Basin for wetland resource and conservation management using Landsat ETM images and field survey data.

PubMed

MacAlister, Charlotte; Mahaxay, Manithaphone

2009-05-01

The Mekong River Basin is considered to be the second most species rich river basin in the world. The 795,000 km(2) catchment encompasses several ecoregions, incorporating biodiverse and productive wetland systems. Eighty percent of the rapidly expanding population of the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB), made up in part by Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam, live in rural areas and are heavily reliant on wetland resources. As the populations of Cambodia and Lao PDR will double in the next 20 years, pressure on natural resources and particularly wetlands can only increase. For development planning, resource and conservation management to incorporate wetland issues, information on the distribution and character of Mekong wetlands is essential. The existing but outdated wetland maps were compiled from secondary landuse-landcover data, have limited coverage, poor thematic accuracy and no meta-data. Therefore the Mekong River Commission (MRC) undertook to produce new wetland coverage for the LMB. As resources, funding and regional capacity are limited, it was determined that the method applied should use existing facilities, be easily adaptable, and replicable locally. For the product to be useful it must be accepted by local governments and decision makers. The results must be of acceptable accuracy (>75%) and the methodology should be relatively understandable to non-experts. In the first stage of this exercise, field survey was conducted at five pilot sites covering a range of typical wetland habitats (MRC wetland classification) to supply data for a supervised classification of Landsat ETM images from the existing MRC archive. Images were analysed using ERDAS IMAGINE and applying Maximum Likelihood Classification. Field data were reserved to apply formal accuracy assessment to the final wetland habitat maps, with resulting accuracy ranging from 77 to 94%. The maps produced are now in use at a Provincial and National level in three countries for resource and

Forty women parliamentarians gather to reaffirm commitment to the ICPD, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

PubMed

1995-01-01

Over 40 delegates attended the Indo-China Female Parliamentarians Conference on the Status of Women and Reproductive Health held in Viet Nam in June 1995. The conference was organized by the Vietnamese Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development. Participants noted that, in Indochina, the participation of women in local politics has been blocked by the absence of laws and policies on gender equality. Recommended, to remedy this situation, were the following measures: 1) implementation of programs on women's status outlined at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development; 2) allocation of sufficient resources for programs in the areas of maternal-child health, family planning, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention; 3) enactment of laws banning child prostitution and violence against women; 4) promotion of changes in men's sexual behaviors that spread AIDS; 5) encouragement of women to increase their knowledge of and participation in political action; and 6) appeals to international agencies and nongovernmental organizations to develop programs for Indochinese women.

Drainage areas of the Twelvepole Creek basin, West Virginia; Big Sandy River basin, West Virginia; Tug Fork basin, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, M.W.

1979-01-01

Drainage areas were determined for 61 basins in the Twelvepole Creek basin, West Virginia; 11 basins of the Big Sandy River Basin, West Virginia; and 210 basins in the Tug Fork basin of Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Most basins with areas greater than 5 square miles were included. Drainage areas were measured with electronic digitizing equipment, and supplementary measurements were made with a hand planimeter. Stream mileages were determined by measuring, with a graduated plastic strip, distances from the mouth of each stream to the measuring point on that stream. Mileages were reported to the nearest one-hundredth of a mile in all cases. The latitude and longitude of each measuring point was determined with electronic digitizing equipment and is reported to the nearest second. The information is listed in tabular form in downstream order. Measuring points for the basins are located in the tables by intersecting tributaries, by counties, by map quadrangles, or by latitude and longitude. (Woodard-USGS)

New Classification of Impact Basins and Its Implications for Basin Evolution on the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, J.; Liu, J.; Guo, D.

2016-12-01

Large impact basins, the comprehensive results of internal and external dynamic geological processes, are the principal topographic features on the Moon. Study on evolution of those large impact basins provides important clues for understanding early history of the Moon. However, to classify the impact basins before anyone can link their characteristics to basin evolution, discrepancies occur among different classification systems, of which some did not to consider the effect of filled basalt [1] or some did not to consider the category of non-mascon basins [2, 3]. In order to clarify the ambiguous basin types caused by different classifications, we re-examined impact basins ≥ 200 km in diameter (66 in total; excluding SPA basin) using the GRAIL geophysical data, LRO DEM data and LP geochemical data from NASA Planetary Data System. We chose two major category labels: mascon or not [1, 2, 3] and the basin floor is covered by basalt/basaltic materials or not [4, 5]; plus, we considered topographic signatures as the clue of timescale. As a result, the 66 impact basins were classified into four categories: Type I (20), mascon basins with basalt or basaltic materials and most of them show well-preserved topography signature; Type II (28), mascon basins without basalt or basaltic materials, most of them are located on the farside with preserved topography signature; Type III (11), non-mascon basins with basalt or basaltic materials, most basins of this type are dated as Pre-Nectarian except for Van de Graaff basin and showing severely degraded topography; Type IV (6), non-mascon basins without basalt or basaltic materials, all basins of this type are dated as Pre-Nectarian with severely degraded topography. This new classification scheme can be easily applied to various lunar basins and help us to locate important information about early environment or thermal state of the Moon by comparison study of regional geological evolution of different basin types. References [1

GIS and local knowledge in disaster management: a case study of flood risk mapping in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Tran, Phong; Shaw, Rajib; Chantry, Guillaume; Norton, John

2009-03-01

Linking community knowledge with modern techniques to record and analyse risk related data is one way of engaging and mobilising community capacity. This paper discusses the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) at the local level and the need for integrating modern technology and indigenous knowledge into disaster management. It suggests a way to mobilise available human and technical resources in order to strengthen a good partnership between local communities and local and national institutions. The paper also analyses the current vulnerability of two communes by correlating hazard risk and loss/damage caused by disasters and the contribution that domestic risk maps in the community can make to reduce this risk. The disadvantages, advantages and lessons learned from the GIS flood risk mapping project are presented through the case study of the Quang Tho Commune in Thua Thien Hue province, central Viet Nam.

Relative Importance of Different Attributes of Graphic Health Warnings on Tobacco Packages in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Giang, Kim Bao; Chung, Le Hong; Minh, Hoang Van; Kien, Vu Duy; Giap, Vu Van; Hinh, Nguyen Duc; Cuong, Nguyen Manh; Manh, Pham Duc; Duc, Ha Anh; Yang, Jui-Chen

2016-01-01

Graphic health warnings (GHW) on tobacco packages have proven to be effective in increasing quit attempts among smokers and reducing initial smoking among adolescents. This research aimed to examine the relative importance of different attributes of graphic health warnings on tobacco packages in Viet Nam. A discrete choice experimental (DCE) design was applied with a conditional logit model. In addition, a ranking method was used to list from the least to the most dreadful GHW labels. With the results from DCE model, graphic type was shown to be the most important attribute, followed by cost and coverage area of GHW. The least important attribute was position of the GHW. Among 5 graphic types (internal lung cancer image, external damaged teeth, abstract image, human suffering image and text), the image of lung cancer was found to have the strongest influence on both smokers and non-smokers. With ranking method, the image of throat cancer and heart diseases were considered the most dreadful images. GHWs should be designed with these attributes in mind, to maximise influence on purchase among both smokers and non-smokers.

Estimating tectonic history through basin simulation-enhanced seismic inversion: Geoinformatics for sedimentary basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tandon, K.; Tuncay, K.; Hubbard, K.; Comer, J.; Ortoleva, P.

2004-01-01

A data assimilation approach is demonstrated whereby seismic inversion is both automated and enhanced using a comprehensive numerical sedimentary basin simulator to study the physics and chemistry of sedimentary basin processes in response to geothermal gradient in much greater detail than previously attempted. The approach not only reduces costs by integrating the basin analysis and seismic inversion activities to understand the sedimentary basin evolution with respect to geodynamic parameters-but the technique also has the potential for serving as a geoinfomatics platform for understanding various physical and chemical processes operating at different scales within a sedimentary basin. Tectonic history has a first-order effect on the physical and chemical processes that govern the evolution of sedimentary basins. We demonstrate how such tectonic parameters may be estimated by minimizing the difference between observed seismic reflection data and synthetic ones constructed from the output of a reaction, transport, mechanical (RTM) basin model. We demonstrate the method by reconstructing the geothermal gradient. As thermal history strongly affects the rate of RTM processes operating in a sedimentary basin, variations in geothermal gradient history alter the present-day fluid pressure, effective stress, porosity, fracture statistics and hydrocarbon distribution. All these properties, in turn, affect the mechanical wave velocity and sediment density profiles for a sedimentary basin. The present-day state of the sedimentary basin is imaged by reflection seismology data to a high degree of resolution, but it does not give any indication of the processes that contributed to the evolution of the basin or causes for heterogeneities within the basin that are being imaged. Using texture and fluid properties predicted by our Basin RTM simulator, we generate synthetic seismograms. Linear correlation using power spectra as an error measure and an efficient quadratic

Epidemiology, Seasonality, and Predictors of Outcome of AIDS-Associated Penicillium marneffei Infection in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Wolbers, Marcel; Quang, Vo Minh; Chinh, Nguyen Tran; Huong Lan, Nguyen Phu; Lam, Pham Si; Kozal, Michael J.; Shikuma, Cecilia M.; Day, Jeremy N.; Farrar, Jeremy

2011-01-01

Background. Penicillium marneffei is an important human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–associated opportunistic pathogen in Southeast Asia. The epidemiology and the predictors of penicilliosis outcome are poorly understood. Methods. We performed a retrospective study of culture-confirmed incident penicilliosis admissions during 1996–2009 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Seasonality of penicilliosis was assessed using cosinor models. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of death or worsening disease based on 10 predefined covariates, and Cox regression was performed to model time-to-antifungal initiation. Results. A total of 795 patients were identified; hospital charts were obtainable for 513 patients (65%). Cases increased exponentially and peaked in 2007 (156 cases), mirroring the trends in AIDS admissions during the study period. A highly significant seasonality for penicilliosis (P < .001) but not for cryptococcosis (P = .63) or AIDS admissions (P = .83) was observed, with a 27% (95% confidence interval, 14%–41%) increase in incidence during rainy months. All patients were HIV infected; the median CD4 cell count (62 patients) was 7 cells/μL (interquartile range, 4–24 cells/μL). Hospital outcome was an improvement in 347 (68%), death in 101 (20%), worsening in 42 (8%), and nonassessable in 23 (5%) cases. Injection drug use, shorter history, absence of fever or skin lesions, elevated respiratory rates, higher lymphocyte count, and lower platelet count independently predicted poor outcome in both complete-case and multiple-imputation analyses. Time-to-treatment initiation was shorter for patients with skin lesions (hazard ratio, 3.78; 95% confidence interval, 2.96–4.84; P < .001). Conclusions. Penicilliosis incidence correlates with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Viet nam. The number of cases increases during rainy months. Injection drug use, shorter history, absence of fever or skin

Geologic Basin Boundaries (Basins_GHGRP) GIS Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This is a coverage shapefile of geologic basin boundaries which are used by EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. For onshore production, the facility includes all emissions associated with wells owned or operated by a single company in a specific hydrocarbon producing basin (as defined by the geologic provinces published by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists). This layer is limited to the contiguous United States.

Basin analysis of tertiary strata in the Pattani Basin, Gulf of Thailand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chonchawalit, A.; Bustin, R.M.

The stratigraphic and structural evolution of the Pattani basin, the most prolific petroleum basin in Thailand, reflects the extensional tectonics of continental southeast Asia. East-west extension, a product of the northward collision of India with Eurasia since the early Tertiary resulted in the formation of a series of north-south-trending sedimentary basins including the Pattani basin. Subsidence and thermal histories of the basin can generally be accounted for by nonuniform lithospheric stretching. The validity of nonuniform lithospheric stretching as a mechanic for the formation of the Pattani basin is confirmed by a reasonably good agreement between modeled and observed vitrinite reflectancemore » at various depths and locations. The amount of stretching and surface heat flow generally increases from the basin margin to the basin center. Crustal stretching factor ([beta]) ranges from 1.3 at the basin margin to 2.8 in the center. Subcrustal stretching factor ([sigma]) ranges from 1.3 at the margin to more than 3.0 in the center. The stretching of the lithosphere may have extended basement rocks as much as 45 to 90 km and may have caused the upwelling of asthenosphere, resulting in high heat flow. The sedimentary succession in the Pattani basin is divisible into synrift and postrift sequences. The synrift sequences comprise (1) late Eocene ( ) to early Oligocene alluvial fan, braided river, and flood-plain deposits; (2) late Oligocene to early Miocene floodplain and channel deposits; and (3) an early Miocene regressive package of marine to nonmarine sediments. Deposition of synrift sequences corresponded to rifting and extension, which included episodic block faulting and rapid subsidence. Postrift succession comprises (1) an early to middle Miocene regressive package of shallow marine to nonmarine sediments, (2) a late early Miocene transgressive package; and (3) a late Miocene to Pleistocene transgression succession.« less

Tectonic framework of Turkish sedimentary basins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yilmaz, P.O.

1988-08-01

Turkey's exploration potential primarily exists in seven onshore (Southeast Turkey platform, Tauride platform, Pontide platform, East Anatolian platform, Interior, Trace, and Adana) basins and four offshore (Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea) regional basins formed during the Mesozoic and Tertiary. The Mesozoic basins are the onshore basins: Southeast Turkey, Tauride, Pontide, East Anatolian, and Interior basins. Due to their common tectonic heritage, the southeast Turkey and Tauride basins have similar source rocks, structural growth, trap size, and structural styles. In the north, another Mesozoic basin, the Pontide platform, has a much more complex history and very littlemore » in common with the southerly basins. The Pontide has two distinct parts; the west has Paleozoic continental basement and the east is underlain by island-arc basement of Jurassic age. The plays are in the upper Mesozoic rocks in the west Pontide. The remaining Mesozoic basins of the onshore Interior and East Anatolian basins are poorly known and very complex. Their source, reservoir, and seal are not clearly defined. The basins formed during several orogenic phases in mesozoic and Tertiary. The Cenozoic basins are the onshore Thrace and Adana basins, and all offshore regional basins formed during Miocene extension. Further complicating the onshore basins evolution is the superposition of Cenozoic basins and Mesozoic basins. The Thrace basin in the northwest and Adana basin in the south both originate from Tertiary extension over Tethyan basement and result in a similar source, reservoir, and seal. Local strike-slip movement along the North Anatolian fault modifies the Thrace basin structures, influencing its hydrocarbon potential.« less

SURVEY OF CROSS-BASIN BOAT TRAFFIC, ATCHAFALAYA BASIN, LOUISIANA

EPA Science Inventory

For flood control and for the preservation and enhancement of environmental quality of overflow swamp habitats, introduction of sediment from the Atchafalaya Basin Main Channel into backwater areas of the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway should be minimized. This introduction occurs ma...

San Mateo Creek Basin

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The San Mateo Creek Basin comprises approximately 321 square miles within the Rio San Jose drainage basin in McKinley and Cibola counties, New Mexico. This basin is located within the Grants Mining District (GMD).

Left ear dichotic listening performance on consonant-vowel combinations and digits in subtypes of reading-disabled children.

PubMed

Morton, L L; Siegel, L S

1991-02-01

Twenty reading comprehension-disabled (CD) and 20 reading comprehension and word recognition-disabled (CWRD), right-handed male children were matched with 20 normal-achieving age-matched controls and 20 normal-achieving reading level-matched controls and tested for left ear report on dichotic listening tasks using digits and consonant-vowel combinations (CVs). Left ear report for CVs and digits did not correlate for any of the groups. Both reading-disabled groups showed lower left ear report on digits. On CVs the CD group showed a high left ear report but only when there were no priming precursors, such as directions to attend right first and to process digits first. Priming effects interfered with the processing of both digits and CVs. Theoretically, the CWRD group seems to be characterized by a depressed right hemisphere, whereas the CD group may have a more labile right hemisphere, perhaps tending to overengagement for CV tasks but vulnerable to situational precursors in the form of priming effects. Implications extend to (1) subtyping practices in research with the learning-disabled, (2) inferences drawn from studies using different dichotic stimuli, and (3) the neuropsychology of reading disorders.

Turn Basin Construction

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-14

Modifications are underway at the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the arrival of the agency's massive Space Launch System (SLS) core booster aboard the barge Pegasus. Construction workers with Southeast Cherokee Construction Inc. work to shore up the turn basin area. A crane will be used to lift up precast concrete poles and position them to be driven to a depth of about 70 feet into the bedrock below the water around the turn basin. The upgrades are necessary to accommodate the 300,000-pound core booster aboard the modified Pegasus barge. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the upgrades to the turn basin wharf.

Supply- and Demand-Side Factors Influencing Utilization of Infant and Young Child Feeding Counselling Services in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong H; Kim, Sunny S; Nguyen, Tuan T; Tran, Lan M; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Frongillo, Edward A; Ruel, Marie T; Rawat, Rahul; Menon, Purnima

2016-01-01

Adequate utilization of services is critical to maximize the impact of counselling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), but little is known about factors affecting utilization. Our study examined supply- and demand-side factors associated with the utilization of IYCF counselling services in Viet Nam. We used survey data from mothers with children <2y (n = 1,008) and health staff (n = 60) from the evaluation of a program that embedded IYCF counseling into the existing government health system. The frequency of never users, one-time users, repeat users, and achievers of the recommended minimum number of visits at health facilities were 45.1%, 13.0%, 28.4% and 13.5%, respectively. Poisson regression showed that demand-generation strategies, especially invitation cards, were the key factors determining one-time use (Prevalence ratio, PR 3.0, 95% CI: 2.2-4.2), repeated use (PR 3.2, 95% CI: 2.4-4.2), and achievement of minimum visits (PR 5.5, 95% CI: 3.6-8.4). Higher maternal education was associated with higher utilization both for one-time and repeated use. Being a farmer, belonging to an ethnic minority, and having a wasted child were associated with greater likelihood of achieving the minimum recommended number of visits, whereas child stunting or illness were not. Distance to health center was a barrier to repeated visits. Among supply-side factors, good counselling skills (PR: 1.3-1.8) was the most important factor associated with any service use, whereas longer employment duration and greater work pressure of health center staff were associated with lower utilization. Population attributable risk estimations showed that an additional 25% of the population would have achieved the minimum number of visits if exposed to three demand-generation strategies, and further increased to 49% if the health staff had good counseling skills and low work pressure. Our study provides evidence that demand-generation strategies are essential to increase utilization of facility

Supply- and Demand-Side Factors Influencing Utilization of Infant and Young Child Feeding Counselling Services in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Phuong H.; Kim, Sunny S.; Nguyen, Tuan T.; Tran, Lan M.; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Frongillo, Edward A.; Ruel, Marie T.; Rawat, Rahul; Menon, Purnima

2016-01-01

Adequate utilization of services is critical to maximize the impact of counselling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), but little is known about factors affecting utilization. Our study examined supply- and demand-side factors associated with the utilization of IYCF counselling services in Viet Nam. We used survey data from mothers with children <2y (n = 1,008) and health staff (n = 60) from the evaluation of a program that embedded IYCF counseling into the existing government health system. The frequency of never users, one-time users, repeat users, and achievers of the recommended minimum number of visits at health facilities were 45.1%, 13.0%, 28.4% and 13.5%, respectively. Poisson regression showed that demand-generation strategies, especially invitation cards, were the key factors determining one-time use (Prevalence ratio, PR 3.0, 95% CI: 2.2–4.2), repeated use (PR 3.2, 95% CI: 2.4–4.2), and achievement of minimum visits (PR 5.5, 95% CI: 3.6–8.4). Higher maternal education was associated with higher utilization both for one-time and repeated use. Being a farmer, belonging to an ethnic minority, and having a wasted child were associated with greater likelihood of achieving the minimum recommended number of visits, whereas child stunting or illness were not. Distance to health center was a barrier to repeated visits. Among supply-side factors, good counselling skills (PR: 1.3–1.8) was the most important factor associated with any service use, whereas longer employment duration and greater work pressure of health center staff were associated with lower utilization. Population attributable risk estimations showed that an additional 25% of the population would have achieved the minimum number of visits if exposed to three demand-generation strategies, and further increased to 49% if the health staff had good counseling skills and low work pressure. Our study provides evidence that demand-generation strategies are essential to increase utilization of

Simulation of streamflow in small drainage basins in the southern Yampa River basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parker, R.S.; Norris, J.M.

1989-01-01

Coal mining operations in northwestern Colorado commonly are located in areas that have minimal available water-resource information. Drainage-basin models can be a method for extending water-resource information to include periods for which there are no records or to transfer the information to areas that have no streamflow-gaging stations. To evaluate the magnitude and variability of the components of the water balance in the small drainage basins monitored, and to provide some method for transfer of hydrologic data, the U.S. Geological Survey 's Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System was used for small drainage basins in the southern Yampa River basin to simulate daily mean streamflow using daily precipitation and air-temperature data. The study area was divided into three hydrologic regions, and in each of these regions, three drainage basins were monitored. Two of the drainage basins in each region were used to calibrate the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System. The model was not calibrated for the third drainage basin in each region; instead, parameter values were transferred from the model that was calibrated for the two drainage basins. For all of the drainage basins except one, period of record used for calibration and verification included water years 1976-81. Simulated annual volumes of streamflow for drainage basins used in calibration compared well with observed values; individual hydrographs indicated timing differences between the observed and simulated daily mean streamflow. Observed and simulated annual average streamflows compared well for the periods of record, but values of simulated high and low streamflows were different than observed values. Similar results were obtained when calibrated model parameter values were transferred to drainage basins that were uncalibrated. (USGS)

Father's involvement and its effect on early breastfeeding practices in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Bich, Tran Huu; Hoa, Dinh Thi Phuong; Ha, Nguyen Thanh; Vui, Le Thi; Nghia, Dang Thi; Målqvist, Mats

2016-10-01

Fathers have an important but often neglected role in the promotion of healthy breastfeeding practices in developing countries. A community-based education intervention was designed to mobilize fathers' support for early breastfeeding. This study aimed to evaluate an education intervention targeting fathers to increase the proportion of early breastfeeding initiation and to reduce prelacteal feeding. Quasi-experimental study design was used to compare intervention and control areas located in two non-adjacent rural districts that shared similar demographic and health service characteristics in northern Viet Nam. Fathers and expectant fathers with pregnant wives from 7 to 30 weeks gestational age were recruited. Fathers in the intervention area received breastfeeding education materials, counselling services at a commune health centre and household visits. They were also invited to participate in a breastfeeding promotion social event. After intervention, early breastfeeding initiation rate was 81.2% in the intervention area and 39.6% in the control area (P < 0.001). Babies in the intervention area were more likely to be breastfed within the first hour after birth [odds ratio (OR) 7.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.81-12.12] and not to receive any prelacteal feeding (OR 4.43, 95% CI 2.88-6.82) compared with those in the control area. Fathers may positively influence the breastfeeding practices of mothers, and as a resource for early childcare, they can be mobilized in programmes aimed at improving the early initiation of breastfeeding. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

JACK CREEK BASIN, MONTANA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kiilsgaard, Thor H.; Van Noy, Ronald M.

1984-01-01

A mineral survey of the Jack Creek basin area in Montana revealed that phosphate rock underlies the basin. The phosphate rock is in thin beds that dip steeply and are broken and offset by faults. These features plus the rugged topography of the region would make mining difficult; however, this study finds the area to have a probable mineral-resource potential for phosphate. Sedimentary rock formations favorable for oil and gas also underlie the basin. No oil or gas has been produced from the basin or from nearby areas in southwestern Montana, but oil and gas have been produced from the same favorable formations elsewhere in Montana. The possibility of oil and gas being produced from the basin is slight but it cannot be ignored.

Contribution of a contralateral hearing aid to perception of consonant voicing, intonation, and emotional state in adult cochlear implantees.

PubMed

Most, Tova; Gaon-Sivan, Gal; Shpak, Talma; Luntz, Michal

2012-01-01

Binaural hearing in cochlear implant (CI) users can be achieved either by bilateral implantation or bimodally with a contralateral hearing aid (HA). Binaural-bimodal hearing has the advantage of complementing the high-frequency electric information from the CI by low-frequency acoustic information from the HA. We examined the contribution of a contralateral HA in 25 adult implantees to their perception of fundamental frequency-cued speech characteristics (initial consonant voicing, intonation, and emotions). Testing with CI alone, HA alone, and bimodal hearing showed that all three characteristics were best perceived under the bimodal condition. Significant differences were recorded between bimodal and HA conditions in the initial voicing test, between bimodal and CI conditions in the intonation test, and between both bimodal and CI conditions and between bimodal and HA conditions in the emotion-in-speech test. These findings confirmed that such binaural-bimodal hearing enhances perception of these speech characteristics and suggest that implantees with residual hearing in the contralateral ear may benefit from a HA in that ear.

A framework model for water-sharing among co-basin states of a river basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, N. K.; Azad, Shambhu

2018-05-01

A new framework model is presented in this study for sharing of water in a river basin using certain governing variables, in an effort to enhance the objectivity for a reasonable and equitable allocation of water among co-basin states. The governing variables were normalised to reduce the governing variables of different co-basin states of a river basin on same scale. In the absence of objective methods for evaluating the weights to be assigned to co-basin states for water allocation, a framework was conceptualised and formulated to determine the normalised weighting factors of different co-basin states as a function of the governing variables. The water allocation to any co-basin state had been assumed to be proportional to its struggle for equity, which in turn was assumed to be a function of the normalised discontent, satisfaction, and weighting factors of each co-basin state. System dynamics was used effectively to represent and solve the proposed model formulation. The proposed model was successfully applied to the Vamsadhara river basin located in the South-Eastern part of India, and a sensitivity analysis of the proposed model parameters was carried out to prove its robustness in terms of the proposed model convergence and validity over the broad spectrum values of the proposed model parameters. The solution converged quickly to a final allocation of 1444 million cubic metre (MCM) in the case of the Odisha co-basin state, and to 1067 MCM for the Andhra Pradesh co-basin state. The sensitivity analysis showed that the proposed model's allocation varied from 1584 MCM to 1336 MCM for Odisha state and from 927 to 1175 MCM for Andhra, depending upon the importance weights given to the governing variables for the calculation of the weighting factors. Thus, the proposed model was found to be very flexible to explore various policy options to arrive at a decision in a water sharing problem. It can therefore be effectively applied to any trans-boundary problem where

On the soil moisture estimate at basin scale in Mediterranean basins with the ASAR sensor: the Mulargia basin case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fois, Laura; Montaldo, Nicola

2017-04-01

Soil moisture plays a key role in water and energy exchanges between soil, vegetation and atmosphere. For water resources planning and managementthesoil moistureneeds to be accurately and spatially monitored, specially where the risk of desertification is high, such as Mediterranean basins. In this sense active remote sensors are very attractive for soil moisture monitoring. But Mediterranean basinsaretypicallycharacterized by strong topography and high spatial variability of physiographic properties, and only high spatial resolution sensorsare potentially able to monitor the strong soil moisture spatial variability.In this regard the Envisat ASAR (Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar) sensor offers the attractive opportunity ofsoil moisture mapping at fine spatial and temporal resolutions(up to 30 m, every 30 days). We test the ASAR sensor for soil moisture estimate in an interesting Sardinian case study, the Mulargia basin withan area of about 70 sq.km. The position of the Sardinia island in the center of the western Mediterranean Sea basin, its low urbanization and human activity make Sardinia a perfect reference laboratory for Mediterranean hydrologic studies. The Mulargia basin is a typical Mediterranean basinin water-limited conditions, and is an experimental basin from 2003. For soil moisture mapping23 satellite ASAR imagery at single and dual polarization were acquired for the 2003-2004period.Satellite observationsmay bevalidated through spatially distributed soil moisture ground-truth data, collected over the whole basin using the TDR technique and the gravimetric method, in days with available radar images. The results show that ASAR sensor observations can be successfully used for soil moisture mapping at different seasons, both wet and dry, but an accurate calibration with field data is necessary. We detect a strong relationship between the soil moisture spatial variability and the physiographic properties of the basin, such as soil water storage capacity

Deep inflow into the Mozambique Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Read, J. F.; Pollard, R. T.

1999-02-01

More than 200 conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) stations were worked around the Southwest Indian Ridge and Del Caño Rise as part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment. A selection of these data provides information about the inflow of bottom water into the Mozambique Basin. The basin is closed below 3000 m, yet the inflow is significantly large, of order 1 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s-1). Estimates of the basin-scale upwelling at 4000 m suggest that the vertical velocity is also large, 10 × 10-5 cm s-1 or more, an order of magnitude greater than global ocean estimates. Examination of the characteristics of the bottom water in the Mozambique and Agulhas Basins and the Prince Edward Fracture Zone shows that bottom water enters the Mozambique Basin from the Agulhas Basin and also directly from the Enderby Basin. Most of the transport enters the Mozambique Basin via the Agulhas Basin, where two regions of northward flow below 4000 m are found. The major flow, on the eastern flank of the Mozambique Ridge, is through and above the deep, extending (5900 m) trench that connects the Agulhas and Mozambique Basins. The second, weaker flow enters the Transkei Basin along the deep eastern flank of the Agulhas Plateau, then turning east into the Mozambique Basin. The only source of bottom water to the Agulhas Basin is the Enderby Basin, but a more direct route between the Enderby and Mozambique Basins exists via the Prince Edward fracture, which extends deeper than 4000 m throughout its length and links the two basins directly across the Southwest Indian Ridge. Full depth CTD stations trace the changing characteristics of the deep and bottom water in the fracture, and moored current meter data show the strength and persistence of the throughflow. Strong mixing with the overlying deep water elevates the salt content of the bottom water by comparison with the other water in the Mozambique Basin. Thus two distinct bottom waters of the Mozambique Basin originate in the same place

Basins in ARC-continental collisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Draut, Amy E.; Clift, Peter D.; Busby, Cathy; Azor, Antonio

2012-01-01

Arc-continent collisions occur commonly in the plate-tectonic cycle and result in rapidly formed and rapidly collapsing orogens, often spanning just 5-15 My. Growth of continental masses through arc-continent collision is widely thought to be a major process governing the structural and geochemical evolution of the continental crust over geologic time. Collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with passive continental margins (a situation in which the arc, on the upper plate, faces the continent) involve a substantially different geometry than collisions of intra-oceanic arcs with active continental margins (a situation requiring more than one convergence zone and in which the arc, on the lower plate, backs into the continent), with variable preservation potential for basins in each case. Substantial differences also occur between trench and forearc evolution in tectonically erosive versus tectonically accreting margins, both before and after collision. We examine the evolution of trenches, trench-slope basins, forearc basins, intra-arc basins, and backarc basins during arc-continent collision. The preservation potential of trench-slope basins is low; in collision they are rapidly uplifted and eroded, and at erosive margins they are progressively destroyed by subduction erosion. Post-collisional preservation of trench sediment and trench-slope basins is biased toward margins that were tectonically accreting for a substantial length of time before collision. Forearc basins in erosive margins are usually floored by strong lithosphere and may survive collision with a passive margin, sometimes continuing sedimentation throughout collision and orogeny. The low flexural rigidity of intra-arc basins makes them deep and, if preserved, potentially long records of arc and collisional tectonism. Backarc basins, in contrast, are typically subducted and their sediment either lost or preserved only as fragments in melange sequences. A substantial proportion of the sediment derived from

Basin-scale hydrogeologic modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Person, Mark; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Ge, Shemin; Garven, Grant

1996-02-01

Mathematical modeling of coupled groundwater flow, heat transfer, and chemical mass transport at the sedimentary basin scale has been increasingly used by Earth scientists studying a wide range of geologic processes including the formation of excess pore pressures, infiltration-driven metamorphism, heat flow anomalies, nuclear waste isolation, hydrothermal ore genesis, sediment diagenesis, basin tectonics, and petroleum generation and migration. These models have provided important insights into the rates and pathways of groundwater migration through basins, the relative importance of different driving mechanisms for fluid flow, and the nature of coupling between the hydraulic, thermal, chemical, and stress regimes. The mathematical descriptions of basin transport processes, the analytical and numerical solution methods employed, and the application of modeling to sedimentary basins around the world are the subject of this review paper. The special considerations made to represent coupled transport processes at the basin scale are emphasized. Future modeling efforts will probably utilize three-dimensional descriptions of transport processes, incorporate greater information regarding natural geological heterogeneity, further explore coupled processes, and involve greater field applications.

Superposition of tectonic structures leading elongated intramontane basin: the Alhabia basin (Internal Zones, Betic Cordillera)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Martos, Manuel; Galindo-Zaldivar, Jesús; Martínez-Moreno, Francisco José; Calvo-Rayo, Raquel; Sanz de Galdeano, Carlos

2017-10-01

The relief of the Betic Cordillera was formed since the late Serravallian inducing the development of intramontane basins. The Alhabia basin, situated in the central part of the Internal Zones, is located at the intersection of the Alpujarran Corridor, the Tabernas basin, both trending E-W, and the NW-SE oriented Gádor-Almería basin. The geometry of the basin has been constrained by new gravity data. The basin is limited to the North by the Sierra de Filabres and Sierra Nevada antiforms that started to develop in Serravallian times under N-S shortening and to the south by Sierra Alhamilla and Sierra de Gádor antiforms. Plate convergence in the region rotated counter-clockwise in Tortonian times favouring the formation of E-W dextral faults. In this setting, NE-SW extension, orthogonal to the shortening direction, was accommodated by normal faults on the SW edge of Sierra Alhamilla. The Alhabia basin shows a cross-shaped depocentre in the zone of synform and fault intersection. This field example serves to constrain recent counter-clockwise stress rotation during the latest stages of Neogene-Quaternary basin evolution in the Betic Cordillera Internal Zones and underlines the importance of studying the basins' deep structure and its relation with the tectonic structures interactions.

Climate of a high altitude lake basin and lake-atmosphere interactions - observations and atmospheric modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maussion, F.; Kropacek, J.; Finkelnburg, R.; Scherer, D.

2012-04-01

Large lakes and inland water bodies have a significant influence on their local climate. The hydrometeorological effect of inland water bodies is varying greatly between seasons, years and contrasting climatic conditions. It is generally hypothesised that the cool air above the lake will inhibit convection in summer; conversely, the relatively warm lake in late-autumn will initiate convective instability that may generate strong snowfalls. In this study we focus on the lake Nam Co (2'000 sq.km, 4700 m a.s.l). Located in a transition zone between the continental climate of Central Asia and the Indian Monsoon system, the Nam Co lake is covered by ice from mid-January to end of April and reaches surface temperatures of 13 °C in summer. We address three main research questions: (i) what is the influence of the Nam Co lake on local meteorological variables over the course of the year, (ii) what is the impact of the timing of the lake freezing on late-autumn and winter precipitation fields and (iii) how will the influence of the lake evolve in the context of a changing climate? In order to answer these questions, we combine satellite observations of lake surface temperatures from the ARC-Lake product and atmospheric modelling using the WRF model. The spatio-temporal variability of temperature, wind and precipitation fields during the last decade are analyzed using high-resolution (up to 2 km) simulations. The positive impact of the assimilation of the lake surface temperatures for the initialization of the model is analysed and discussed, as well as the combined influences of the large scale (westerlies, monsoon) and local (orographic) forcings. Our results are of relevance for any regional climate or hydrological modelling study and bring new insights in our understanding of the complex hydrometeorological processes taking place on the Tibetan Plateau.

Acoustic cue weighting in the singleton vs geminate contrast in Lebanese Arabic: The case of fricative consonants.

PubMed

Al-Tamimi, Jalal; Khattab, Ghada

2015-07-01

This paper is the first reported investigation of the role of non-temporal acoustic cues in the singleton-geminate contrast in Lebanese Arabic, alongside the more frequently reported temporal cues. The aim is to explore the extent to which singleton and geminate consonants show qualitative differences in a language where phonological length is prominent and where moraic structure governs segment timing and syllable weight. Twenty speakers (ten male, ten female) were recorded producing trochaic disyllables with medial singleton and geminate fricatives preceded by phonologically short and long vowels. The following acoustic measures were applied on the medial fricative and surrounding vowels: absolute duration; intensity; fundamental frequency; spectral peak and shape, dynamic amplitude, and voicing patterns of medial fricatives; and vowel quality and voice quality correlates of surrounding vowels. Discriminant analysis and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were used to assess each acoustic cue's contribution to the singleton-geminate contrast. Classification rates of 89% and ROC curves with an area under the curve rate of 96% confirmed the major role played by temporal cues, with non-temporal cues contributing to the contrast but to a much lesser extent. These results confirm that the underlying contrast for gemination in Arabic is temporal, but highlight [+tense] (fortis) as a secondary feature.

Los Angeles Basin

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-29

The Los Angeles Basin is bordered on the north by the San Gabriel Mountains. Other smaller basins are separated by smaller mountain ranges, like the Verdugo Hills, and the Santa Monica Mountains in this image from NASA Terra spacecraft.

Use of System Thinking Software for Determining Climate Change Impacts in Water Balance for the Rio Yaqui Basin, Sonora, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapia, E. M.; Minjarez, J. I.; Espinoza, I. G.; Sosa, C. M.

2013-05-01

Climate change in Northwestern Mexico and its hydrological impact on water balance, water scarcity and flooding events, has become a matter of increasing concern over the past several decades due to the region's semiarid conditions. Changes in temperature, precipitation, and sea level will affect agriculture, farming, and aquaculture, in addition to compromising the quality of water resources for human consumption. According to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007), Global Circulation Models (GCMs) can provide reliable estimations of future climate conditions in addition to atmospheric processes that cause them, based on different input scenarios such as A2 (higher emission of greenhouse gases) and B1 (lower emission of GHG), among others. However, GCM`s resolution results to coarse in regions which have high space and time climate variability. To remediate this, several methods based on dynamical, statistical and empirical analysis have been proposed for downcaling. In this study, we evaluate possible changes in precipitation and temperature for the "Rio Yaqui Basin" in Sonora, Mexico and assess the impact of such changes on runoff, evapotranspiration and aquifer recharge for the 2010-2099 period of time. For this purpose, we analyzed the results of a Bias Corrected and Downscaled Climate Projection from the World Climate Research Programme's (WCRP's) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3) multi-model dataset: UKMO-HADCM3 from the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction. Northwest Mexico is under the influence of the North American Monsoon (NAM), a system affecting the states of Sinaloa and Sonora where the precipitation regimes change drastically during the summer months of June, July and August. It is associated to the sharp variations of topography, precipitation and temperature regimes in the region, so the importance of analyzing the downscaled climate projections. The Rio Yaqui Basin is one of

Food residue recycling by swine breeders in a developing economy: a case study in Da Nang, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Kato, Takaaki; Pham, Dung Thi Xuan; Hoang, Hai; Xue, Yonghai; Tran, Quang Van

2012-12-01

This study provides a detailed description of food residue collection by swine breeders in Da Nang, Viet Nam. In January 2011, the study surveyed 30 swine breeders in two villages with respect to locations, methods, prices, quantities, and prospects for food residue collection. The sampled swine breeders regularly visited 55 locations in central Da Nang to collect raw food residue. They then transferred the food residue to their piggeries, boiled it, and fed it to their swine. A regression analysis revealed that the total amount of food residue collected by a farm depends on the number of swine in the farm and the number of collections made per day. Swine breeders in Da Nang were estimated to collect 26.3 metric tons of organic waste per day, which amounted to 4.1% of domestic waste collected by the local government. Among the sampled swine breeders, 93% answered that they would continue using food residue for the next five years. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk Behaviors for HIV and HCV Infection Among People Who Inject Drugs in Hai Phong, Viet Nam, 2014.

PubMed

Duong, Huong Thi; Jarlais, Don Des; Khuat, Oanh Hai Thi; Arasteh, Kamyar; Feelemyer, Jonathan; Khue, Pham Minh; Giang, Hoang Thi; Laureillard, Didier; Hai, Vinh Vu; Vallo, Roselyne; Michel, Laurent; Moles, Jean Pierre; Nagot, Nicolas

2017-06-13

We examined the potential for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) transmission across persons who inject drugs (PWID), men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and female commercial sex workers (CSW) PWID and the potential for sexual transmission of HIV from PWID to the general population in Hai Phong, Viet Nam. Using respondent driven and convenience sampling we recruited 603 participants in 2014. All participants used heroin; 24% used non-injected methamphetamine. HIV prevalence was 25%; HCV prevalence was 67%. HIV infection was associated with HCV prevalence and both infections were associated with length of injecting career. Reported injecting risk behaviors were low; unsafe sexual behavior was high among MSM-PWID and CSW-PWID. There is strong possibility of sexual transmission to primary partners facilitated by methamphetamine use. We would suggest future HIV prevention programs utilize multiple interventions including "treatment as prevention" to potential sexual transmission of HIV among MSM and CSW-PWID and from PWID to the general population.

The mangrove's contribution to people: Interdisciplinary pilot study of the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve in Viet Nam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cormier-Salem, Marie-Christine; Van Trai, Nguyen; Burgos, Ariadna; Durand, Jean-Dominique; Bettarel, Yvan; Klein, Judith; Duc Huy, Hoang; Panfili, Jacques

2017-10-01

The main objective of this pilot study, conducted in June 2015 in the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (Can Gio MBR, Viet Nam), was to develop an interdisciplinary approach to assess some key services provided by reforested mangroves subject to external pressures and varying management policies. We focused on the abundance of viruses, bacteria, endo- and epi- and macrofauna and the diversity of crabs in the mangrove and the exploitation of its resources. The main social finding was that the local inhabitants are aware of the levels of protection of the different zones within the Can Gio MBR and respect them. The core and the buffer zones seem to present a similar ecological status. Genotyping showed a low level of crab diversity although there were many different morphotypes. In the future, we need to understand the stakeholders' general perception of the biodiversity and environment changes by developing an integrated, multi-scale approach.

BASINS Technical Notes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has developed several technical notes that provide in depth information on a specific function in BASINS. Technical notes can be used to answer questions users may have, or to provide additional information on the application of features in BASINS.

SimBasin: serious gaming for integrated decision-making in the Magdalena-Cauca basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craven, Joanne; Angarita, Hector; Corzo, Gerald

2016-04-01

The Magdalena-Cauca macrobasin covers 24% of the land area of Colombia, and provides more than half of the country's economic potential. The basin is also home a large proportion of Colombia's biodiversity. These conflicting demands have led to problems in the basin, including a dramatic fall in fish populations, additional flooding (such as the severe nationwide floods caused by the La Niña phenomenon in 2011), and habitat loss. It is generally believed that the solution to these conflicts is to manage the basin in a more integrated way, and bridge the gaps between decision-makers in different sectors and scientists. To this end, inter-ministerial agreements are being formulated and a decision support system is being developed by The Nature Conservancy Colombia. To engage stakeholders in this process SimBasin, a "serious game", has been developed. It is intended to act as a catalyst for bringing stakeholders together, an illustration of the uncertainties, relationships and feedbacks in the basin, and an accessible introduction to modelling and decision support for non-experts. During the game, groups of participants are led through a 30 year future development of the basin, during which they take decisions about the development of the basin and see the impacts on four different sectors: agriculture, hydropower, flood risk, and environment. These impacts are displayed through seven indicators, which players should try to maintain above critical thresholds. To communicate the effects of uncertainty and climate variability, players see the actual value of the indicator and also a band of possible values, so they can see if their decisions have actually reduced risk or if they just "got lucky". The game works as a layer on top of a WEAP water resources model of the basin, adapted from a basin-wide model already created, so the fictional game basin is conceptually similar to the Magdalena-Cauca basin. The game is freely available online, and new applications are being

Mechanics of forearc basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassola, Teodoro; Willett, Sean D.; Kopp, Heidrun

2010-05-01

In this study, the mechanics of forearc basins will be the object of a numerical investigation to understand the relationships between wedge deformation and forearc basin formation. The aim of this work is to gain an insight into the dynamics of the formation of the forearc basin, in particular the mechanism of formation of accommodation space and the preservation of basin stratigraphy. Our tool is a two-dimensional numerical model that includes the rheological properties of the rock, including effective internal friction angle, effective basal friction angle and thermally-dependent viscosity. We also simulate different sedimentation rates in the basin, to study the influence of underfilled and overfilled basin conditions on wedge deformation. The stratigraphy of the basin will also be studied, because in underfilled conditions the sediments are more likely to undergo tectonic deformation due to inner wedge deformation. We compare the numerical model with basins along the Sunda-Java Trench. This margin shows a variety of structural-settings and basin types including underfilled and overfilled basins and different wedge geometries. We interpret and document these structural styles, using depth migrated seismic sections of the Sunda Trench, obtained in three surveys, GINCO (11/98 - 01/99), MERAMEX (16/09/04 - 7/10/04) and SINDBAD (9/10/06 - 9/11/06) and made available through the IFM-GEOMAR and the Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften and Rohstoffe (BGR). One important aspect of these margins that we observe is the presence of a dynamic backstop, characterized by older accreted material, that, although deformed during and after accretion, later becomes a stable part of the upper plate. We argue that, following critical wedge theory, it entered into the stable field of a wedge either by steepening or weakening of the underlying detachment. As a stable wedge, this older segment of the wedge acts as a mechanical backstop for the frontal deforming wedge. This dynamic

Isotopic composition and elemental concentrations in groundwater in the Kuiseb Basin and the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin, Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kgabi, Nnenesi A.; Atekwana, Eliot; Ithindi, Johanna; Uugwanga, Martha; Knoeller, Kay; Motsei, Lebogang; Mathuthu, Manny; Kalumbu, Gideon; Amwele, Hilma R.; Uusizi, Rian

2018-05-01

We assessed environmental tracers in groundwater in two contrasting basins in Namibia; the Kuiseb Basin, which is a predominantly dry area and the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin, which is prone to alternating floods and droughts. We aimed to determine why the quality of groundwater was different in these two basins which occur in an arid environment. We analysed groundwater and surface water for the stable isotope ratios of hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) by cavity ring-down spectroscopy and metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The δ2H and δ18O of surface water in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin plot on an evaporation trend below the global meteoric water line (GMWL) and the local meteoric water line (LMWL). The δ2H and δ18O of some groundwater samples in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin also plot on the evaporation trend, indicating recharge by evaporated rain or evaporated surface water. In contrast, the δ2H and δ18O of groundwater samples in the Kuiseb Basin plot mostly along the GMWL and the LMWL, indicating direct recharge from unevaporated rain or unevaporated surface water. Fifty percent of groundwater samples in the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin was potable (salinity < 1 ppt) compared to 79 % in the Kuiseb Basin. The high salinity in the groundwater of the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin does not appear to be caused by evaporation of water (evapo-concentration) on surface prior to groundwater recharge, but rather by the weathering of the Kalahari sediments. The low salinity in the Kuiseb Basin derives from rapid recharge of groundwater by unevaporated rain and limited weathering of the crystalline rocks. The order of abundance of cations in the Kuiseb Basin is Na > K > Ca > Mg vs. Na > Mg > Ca > K for the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin. For metals in the Kuiseb Basin the order of abundance is Fe > Al > V > As > Zn vs. Al > Fe > V> As > Zn for the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin. The relative abundance of cations and metals are attributed to the differences in geology of the basins and the

Analysis of consonant /s/ and syllables in Malay language using electropalatography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zin, Syatirah Mat; Suhaimi, Fatanah M.; Noor, Siti Noor Fazliah Mohd; Ismail, Nurul Iffah; Zali, Nurulakma

2016-12-01

During articulation and speech, tongue is in contact with hard palate. This contact can be measured using an Electropalatography (EPG). EPG is widely used for speech therapy among subjects having cleft palate, congenital aglossia, and phonemic paraphasic disorder, and also for language analysis and therapy. This study aims to analyse the production of /s/ and syllables by a Malay adult speaker using the Reading EPG palate with 62 electrodes that are built to match the tongue-palate contact. The vowel used in this study are /a/, /i/ and /u/. Data was analysed using Articulate Assist 1.18 software. There are four parts of palate zones, namely alveolar, post-alveolar, palatal and velar. In this study, there are three normal Malay-speaking adults with age ranging from 30 to 35 years old (mean age of 32 years). In the production of /s/, the percentage contact for subject 1 is 16% at the left side and 32% at the right side. For subject 2, there is 39% in the left side and 32% in the right side. Subject 3 has 13% contact in the left side and 29% in the right side. In the production of /as/ percentage contact is 19% at the left side and 29% at the right side for subject 1.19% at the left side and 16% at the right side for subject 2. While subject 3 has 23% contact at the left side and 35% at the right side. In the production of /is/, subject 1 has shown 32% at both side, 3% at the left side and 10 at the right side for subject 2, and 19% at the left side and 32% at the right side for subject 3. In the production of /us/, percentage contact for left and right side are 42% and 26% for subject 1. Subject 2 showed a symmetrical contact at both side whereas subject 3 has 16% at the left side and 26% at the right side. Results indicate that combination of consonant /s/ with different vowels produce different tongue and palate contacts patttern.

Home-Based Care and Perceived Quality of Life Among People Living with HIV in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

PubMed

Bui, Quyen Thi Tu; Brickley, Deborah Bain; Tieu, Van Thi Thu; Hills, Nancy K

2018-03-31

We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine the perceptions of quality of life among people living with HIV who received home-based care services administered through outpatient clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Data were collected from a sample of 180 consecutively selected participants (86 cases, 94 controls) at four outpatient clinics, all of whom were on antiretroviral therapy. Quality of life was evaluated using the WHOQOL-BREF instrument. In adjusted analysis, those who received home-based care services had a quality of life score 4.08 points higher (on a scale of 100) than those who did not receive home-based care services (CI 95%, 2.32-5.85; p < 0.001). The findings suggest that home-based care is associated with higher self-perceptions of quality of life among people living with HIV.

Turn Basin Construction

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-14

Modifications are underway at the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the arrival of the agency's massive Space Launch System (SLS) core stage aboard the barge Pegasus. Precast concrete poles are being driven to a depth of about 70 feet into the bedrock below the water around the turn basin. The upgrades are necessary to accommodate the increased weight of the core stage along with ground support and transportation equipment aboard the modified barge Pegasus. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the upgrades to the turn basin wharf.

Large Sanjiang basin groups outside of the Songliao Basin Meso-Senozoic Tectonic-sediment evolution and hydrocarbon accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, M.; Wu, X.

2015-12-01

The basis geological problem is still the bottleneck of the exploration work of the lager Sanjiang basin groups. In general terms, the problems are including the prototype basins and basin forming mechanism of two aspects. In this paper, using the field geological survey and investigation, logging data analysis, seismic data interpretation technical means large Sanjiang basin groups and basin forming mechanism of the prototype are discussed. Main draw the following conclusions： 1. Sanjiang region group-level formation can be completely contrasted. 2. Tension faults, compressive faults, shear structure composition and structure combination of four kinds of compound fracture are mainly developed In the study area. The direction of their distribution can be divided into SN, EW, NNE, NEE, NNW, NWW to other groups of fracture. 3. Large Sanjiang basin has the SN and the EW two main directions of tectonic evolution. Cenozoic basins in Sanjiang region in group formation located the two tectonic domains of ancient Paleo-Asian Ocean and the Pacific Interchange. 4. Large Sanjiang basin has experienced in the late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of two-stage and nine times. The first stage, developmental stage basement, they are ① Since the Mesozoic era and before the Jurassic; ② Early Jurassic period; The second stage, cap stage of development, they are ③ Late Jurassic depression developmental stages of compression; ④ Early Cretaceous rifting stage; ⑤ depression in mid-Early Cretaceous period; ⑥ tensile Early Cretaceous rifting stage; ⑦ inversion of Late Cretaceous tectonic compression stage; ⑧ Paleogene - Neogene; ⑨ After recently Ji Baoquan Sedimentary Ridge. 5. Large Sanjiang basin group is actually a residual basin structure, and Can be divided into left - superimposed (Founder, Tangyuan depression, Hulin Basin), residual - inherited type (Sanjiang basin), residual - reformed (Jixi, Boli, Hegang basin). there are two developed depression and the mechanism

Chicxulub impact basin: Gravity characteristics and implications for basin morphology and deep structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharpton, Virgil L.; Burke, Kevin; Hall, Stuart A.; Lee, Scott; Marin, Luis E.; Suarez, Gerardo; Quezada-Muneton, Juan Manuel; Urrutia-Fucugauchi, Jaime

1993-01-01

The K-T-aged Chicxulub Impact Structure is buried beneath the Tertiary carbonate rocks of the Northern Yucatan Platform. Consequently its morphology and structure are poorly understood. Reprocessed Bouguer (onshore) and Free Air (offshore) gravity data over Northern Yucatan reveal that Chicxulub may be a 200-km-diameter multi-ring impact basin with at least three concentric basin rings. The positions of these rings follow the square root of 2 spacing rule derived empirically from analysis of multi-ring basins on other planets indicating that these rings probably correspond to now-buried topographic basin rings. A forward model of the gravity data along a radial transect from the southwest margin of the structure indicates that the Chicxulub gravity signature is compatible with this interpretation. We estimate the basin rim diameter to be 204 +/- 16 km and the central peak ring diameter (D) is 104 +/- 6 km.

Basin-centered gas evaluated in Dnieper-Donets basin, Donbas foldbelt, Ukraine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Law, B.E.; Ulmishek, G.F.; Clayton, J.L.; Kabyshev, B.P.; Pashova, N.T.; Krivosheya, V.A.

1998-01-01

An evaluation of thermal maturity, pore pressures, source rocks, reservoir quality, present-day temperatures, and fluid recovery data indicates the presence of a large basin-centered gas accumulation in the Dnieper-Donets basin (DDB) and Donbas foldbelt (DF) of eastern Ukraine (Fig. 1).

Application of groundwater sustainability indicators to the Upper Pliocene aquifer in Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngo, T. M.; Lee, J.; Lee, H.; Woo, N. C.

2013-12-01

Groundwater plays an importance role for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses in Ho Chi Minh city, Viet Nam. This study is objected to evaluate the sustainability of groundwater by using groundwater sustainability indicators (GWSIs) defined by UNESCO/IAEA/IAH Working Group on Groundwater Indicators at aquifer scale (the Upper Pliocene aquifer). There are four main indicators selected and one new indicator designed for the particular characteristic of Ho Chi Minh city which is under influence of by saline-water intrusion. The results indicated groundwater of the Upper Pliocene aquifer, the main groundwater supply source, is generally in the unsustainable state. The abstraction of groundwater, which was much greater than its capability, is probably causing the serious state of annual groundwater depletion and saline-water intrusion. The GWSIs, which expressed in such a simple way but scientifically-based and policy-relevant, proved its usefulness in evaluating the sustainability of groundwater at the aquifer scale in Ho Chi Minh city, and subsequently should be incorporated in water resource management practices.

Mechanisms of intracratonic and rift basin formation: Insights from Canning Basin, northwest Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Andre Adriano

2000-10-01

The Canning basin was investigated in order to determine the mechanisms responsible for its initiation and development. The basement morphology, determined using magnetic and gravity inversion techniques, was used to map the distribution, amplitude and subsidence history of the basin. The sag development of the Canning basin is hypothesized to be a consequence of a major late Proterozoic thermal event that induced broad-scale uplift, extrusion of tholeiitic basalt, and substantial crustal erosion. The development of the Canning basin is consistent with removal of up to 11 km of crustal rocks, followed by isostatic re-adjustment during the cooling of the lithosphere. Earlier models that employed both lower crustal metamorphism and erosion are considered inappropriate mechanisms for intracratonic basin formation because this work has shown that their effects are mutually exclusive. The time scale for the metamorphic-related subsidence is typically short (<10 m.y.) and the maximum subsidence is small (<4 km) compared to the long subsidence (ca. 200 m.y.) and maximum depths (6--7 km) recorded in the Canning basin. Observed amplitudes and rates of basement subsidence are compatible with a thermal anomaly that began to dissipate in the early Cambrian and lasted until the Permian. Punctuating the long-lived intracratonic basin subsidence is a series of extensional pulses that in Silurian to Carboniferous/Permian time led to the development of several prominent normal faults in the northeastern portion of the Canning basin (Fitzroy graben). Stratigraphic and structural data and section-balancing techniques have helped to elucidate the geometry and evolution of the basin-bounding fault of the Fitzroy graben. The fault is listric, with a dip that decreases from approximately 50° at the surface to 20° at a depth of 20 km, and with an estimated horizontal offset of 32--41 km. The southern margin of the Fitzroy graben was tilted, truncated, and onlapped from the south

Origin of the earth's ocean basins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frex, H.

1977-01-01

The earth's original ocean basins were mare-type basins produced 4 billion years ago by the flux of asteroid-sized objects responsible for the lunar mare basins. Scaling upwards from the observed number of lunar basins for the greater capture cross-section and impact velocity of the Earth indicates that at least 50 percent of an original global crust would have been converted to basin topography. These basins were flooded by basaltic liquids in times short compared to the isostatic adjustment time for the basin. The modern crustal dichotomy (60 percent oceanic, 40 percent continental crust) was established early in the history of the earth, making possible the later onset of plate tectonic processes. These later processes have subsequently reworked, in several cycles, principally the oceanic parts of the earth's crust, changing the configuration of the continents in the process. Ocean basins (and oceans themselves) may be rare occurrences on planets in other star systems.

A consonant construction of the hyaloid and retinal vascular systems by the angiogenic process.

PubMed

Gergely, K; Gerinec, A

2011-01-01

There has been much debate as to whether the retinal vasculature forms by angiogenesis or vasculogenesis, thus angiogenesis is now accepted. We suppose that signals necessary for proper localization and development of the hyaloid and retinal vascular systems are already in place prior to the time at which these systems are developed. The remarkable conservation of vascular patterning suggests that specific genetic programs coordinate its formation. Evidence for a genetic program comes particularly from the characterization of gene-targeted mice and mutational analysis in zebrafish, but the exact genetic pathways remain poorly defined. Considering all the things from the aspect of angiogenesis significant differences exist between the mentioned vascular systems only in their lifetime (a) and location (b): (a) The hyaloid vasculature is a complex of transient intraocular vessels, while the retinal vessels are adapted for the whole life. (b) The hyaloid system fills the interior of the optic cup and this way "occupies" three-dimensional space while the distribution of the retinal vessels is relatively planar (two-dimensional) in the retina. We assume that retinal vessels are "built" in the same manner as the hyaloid vasculature and the outcomes at the embryological, histological, cellular and molecular levels confirm it. We show a consonant construction of both systems. The human organism does not have any rational reason to build up one system (i.e. the hyaloid vasculature) by angiogenesis and practically the same system (i.e. the retinal vessels) by another, de novo process, in the eye. It would be a waste of energy and various essential molecules. Thus, it seems that the retinal vascular system is an advanced copy of the hyaloid vessels (Tab. 1, Ref. 143).

Midplate seismicity exterior to former rift-basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dewey, J.W.

1988-01-01

Midplate seismicity associated with some former rift-zones is distributed diffusely near, but exterior to, the rift basins. This "basin-exterior' seismicity cannot be attributed to reactivation of major basin-border faults on which uppercrustal extension was concentrated at the time of rifting, because the border faults dip beneath the basins. The seismicity may nonetheless represent reactivation of minor faults that were active at the time of rifting but that were located outside of the principal zones of upper-crustal extension; the occurrence of basin-exterior seismicity in some present-day rift-zones supports the existence of such minor basin-exterior faults. Other hypotheses for seismicity exterior to former rift-basins are that the seismicity reflects lobes of high stress due to lithospheric-bending that is centered on the axis of the rift, that the seismicity is localized on the exteriors of rift-basins by basin-interiors that are less deformable in the current epoch than the basin exteriors, and that seismicity is localized on the basin-exteriors by the concentration of tectonic stress in the highly elastic basin-exterior upper-crust. -from Author

Seismic Characterization of the Jakarta Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cipta, A.; Saygin, E.; Cummins, P. R.; Masturyono, M.; Rudyanto, A.; Irsyam, M.

2015-12-01

Jakarta, Indonesia, is home to more than 10 million people. Many of these people live in seismically non-resilient structures in an area that historical records suggest is prone to earthquake shaking. The city lies in a sedimentary basin composed of Quaternary alluvium that experiences rapid subsidence (26 cm/year) due to groundwater extraction. Forecasts of how much subsidence may occur in the future are dependent on the thickness of the basin. However, basin geometry and sediment thickness are poorly known. In term of seismic hazard, thick loose sediment can lead to high amplification of seismic waves, of the kind that led to widespread damage in Mexico city during the Michoacan Earthquake of 1985. In order to characterize basin structure, a temporary seismograph deployment was undertaken in Jakarta in Oct 2013- Jan 2014. A total of 96 seismic instrument were deployed throughout Jakarta were deployed throughout Jakarta at 3-5 km spacing. Ambient noise tomography was applied to obtain models of the subsurface velocity structure. Important key, low velocity anomalies at short period (<8s) correspond to the main sedimentary sub-basins thought to be present based on geological interpretations of shallow stratigraphy in the Jakarta Basin. The result shows that at a depth of 300 m, shear-wave velocity in the northern part (600 m/s) of the basin is lower than that in the southern part. The most prominent low velocity structure appears in the northwest of the basin, down to a depth of 800 m, with velocity as low as 1200 m/s. This very low velocity indicates the thickness of sediment and the variability of basin geometry. Waveform computation using SPECFEM2D shows that amplification due to basin geometry occurs at the basin edge and the thick sediment leads to amplification at the basin center. Computation also shows the longer shaking duration occurrs at the basin edge and center of the basin. The nest step will be validating the basin model using earthquake events

An intramontane pull-apart basin in tectonic escape deformation: Elbistan Basin, Eastern Taurides, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusufoğlu, H.

2013-04-01

The Elbistan Basin in the east-Central Anatolia is an intramontane structural depression in the interior part of the Anatolide-Tauride Platform. The Neogene fill in and around Elbistan Basin develops above the Upper Devonian to lower Tertiary basement and comprises two units separated by an angular unconformity: (1) intensely folded and faulted Miocene shallow marine to terrestrial and lacustrine sediments and (2) nearly flat-lying lignite-bearing lacustrine (lower unit) and fluvial (upper unit) deposits of Plio-Quaternary Ahmetçik Formation. The former is composed of Lower-Middle Miocene Salyan, Middle-upper Middle Miocene Gövdelidağ and Upper Miocene Karamağara formations whereas the latter one is the infill of the basin itself in the present configuration of the Elbistan Basin. The basin is bound by normal faults with a minor strike-slip component. It commenced as an intramontane pull-apart basin and developed as a natural response to Early Pliocene tectonic escape-related strike-slip faulting subsequent to post-collisional intracontinental compressional tectonics during which Miocene sediments were intensely deformed. The Early Pliocene time therefore marks a dramatic changeover in tectonic regime and is interpreted as the beginning of the ongoing last tectonic evolution and deformation style in the region unlike to previous views that it commenced before that time. Consequently, the Elbistan Basin is a unique structural depression that equates the extensional strike-slip regime in east-Central Anatolia throughout the context of the neotectonical framework of Turkey across progressive collision of Arabia with Eurasia. Its Pliocene and younger history differs from and contrasts with that of the surrounding pre-Pliocene basins such as Karamağara Basin, on which it has been structurally superimposed.

Active intra-basin faulting in the Northern Basin of Lake Malawi from seismic reflection data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shillington, D. J.; Chindandali, P. R. N.; Scholz, C. A.; Ebinger, C. J.; Onyango, E. A.; Peterson, K.; Gaherty, J. B.; Nyblade, A.; Accardo, N. J.; McCartney, T.; Oliva, S. J.; Kamihanda, G.; Ferdinand, R.; Salima, J.; Mruma, A. H.

2016-12-01

Many questions remain about the development and evolution of fault systems in weakly extended rifts, including the relative roles of border faults and intra-basin faults, and segmentation at various scales. The northern Lake Malawi (Nyasa) rift in the East African Rift System is an early stage rift exhibiting pronounced tectonic segmentation, which is defined by 100-km-long border faults. The basins also contain a series of intrabasinal faults and associated synrift sediments. The occurrence of the 2009 Karonga Earthquake Sequence on one of these intrabasinal faults indicates that some of them are active. Here we present new multichannel seismic reflection data from the Northern Basin of the Malawi Rift collected in 2015 as a part of the SEGMeNT (Study of Extension and maGmatism in Malawi aNd Tanzania) project. This rift basin is bound on its east side by the west-dipping Livingstone border fault. Over 650 km of seismic reflection profiles were acquired in the Northern Basin using a 500 to 1540 cu in air gun array and a 1200- to 1500-m seismic streamer. Dip lines image a series of north-south oriented west-dipping intra-basin faults and basement reflections up to 5 s twtt near the border fault. Cumulative offsets on intra-basin faults decrease to the west. The largest intra-basin fault has a vertical displacement of >2 s two-way travel time, indicating that it has accommodated significant total extension. Some of these intra-basin faults offset the lake bottom and the youngest sediments by up to 50 s twtt ( 37 m), demonstrating they are still active. The two largest intra-basin faults exhibit the largest offsets of young sediments and also correspond to the area of highest seismicity based on analysis of seismic data from the 89-station SEGMeNT onshore/offshore network (see Peterson et al, this session). Fault patterns in MCS profiles vary along the basin, suggesting a smaller scale of segmentation of faults within the basin; these variations in fault patterns

Basin fill evolution and paleotectonic patterns along the Samfrau geosyncline: the Sauce Grande basin-Ventana foldbelt (Argentina) and Karoo basin-Cape foldbelt (South Africa) revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Gamundí, O. R.; Rossello, E. A.

As integral parts of du Toit's (1927) ``Samfrau Geosyncline'', the Sauce Grande basin-Ventana foldbelt (Argentina) and Karoo basin-Cape foldbelt (South Africa) share similar paleoclimatic, paleogeographic, and paleotectonic aspects related to the Late Paleozoic tectono-magmatic activity along the Panthalassan continental margin of Gondwanaland. Late Carboniferou-earliest Permian glacial deposits were deposited in the Sauce Grande (Sauce Grande Formation) and Karoo (Dwyka Formation) basins and Falkland-Malvinas Islands (Lafonia Formation) during an initial (sag) phase of extension. The pre-breakup position of the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands on the easternmost part of the Karoo basin (immediately east of the coast of South Africa) is supported by recent paleomagnetic data, lithofacies associations, paleoice flow directions and age similarities between the Dwyka and the Lafonia glacial sequences. The desintegration of the Gondwanan Ice Sheet (GIS) triggered widespread transgressions, reflected in the stratigraphic record by the presence of inter-basinally correlatable, open marine, fine-grained deposits (Piedra Azul Formation in the Sauce Grande basin, Prince Albert Formation in the Karoo basin and Port Sussex Formation in the Falkland Islands) capping glacial marine sediments. These early postglacial transgressive deposits, characterised by fossils of the Eurydesma fauna and Glossopteris flora, represent the maximum flooding of the basins. Cratonward foreland subsidence was triggered by the San Rafael orogeny (ca. 270 Ma) in Argentina and propogated along the Gondwanan margin. This subsidence phase generated sufficient space to accommodate thick synorogenic sequences derived from the orogenic flanks of the Sauce Grande and Karoo basins. Compositionally, the initial extensional phase of these basins was characterized by quartz-rich, craton-derived detritus and was followed by a compressional (foreland) phase characterized by a paleocurrent reversal and dominance of

Effect of basin physical characteristics on solute fluxes in nine alpine/subalpine basins, Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sueker, J.K.; Clow, D.W.; Ryan, J.N.; Jarrett, R.D.

2001-01-01

Alpine/subalpine basins may exhibit substantial variability in solute fluxes despite many apparent similarities in basin characteristics. An evaluation of controls on spatial patterns in solute fluxes may allow development of predictive tools for assessing basin sensitivity to outside perturbations such as climate change or deposition of atmospheric pollutants. Relationships between basin physical characteristics, determined from geographical information system (GIS) tools, and solute fluxes and mineral weathering rates were explored for nine alpine/subalpine basins in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, using correlation analyses for 1993 and 1994 data. Stream-water nitrate fluxes were correlated positively with basin characteristics associated with the talus environment; i.e., the fractional amounts of steep slopes (??? 30??), unvegetated terrain and young debris (primarily Holocene till) in the basins, and were correlated negatively with fractional amounts of subalpine meadow terrain. Correlations with nitrate indicate the importance of the talus environment in promoting nitrate flux and the mitigating effect of areas with established vegetation, such as subalpine meadows. Total mineral weathering rates for the basins ranged from about 300 to 600 mol ha-1 year -1. Oligoclase weathering accounted for 30 to 73% of the total mineral weathering flux, and was positively correlated with the amount of old debris (primarily Pleistocene glacial till) in the basins. Although calcite is found in trace amounts in bedrock, calcite weathering accounted for up to 44% of the total mineral weathering flux. Calcite was strongly correlated with steep slope, unvegetated terrain, and young debris-probably because physical weathering in steep-gradient areas exposes fresh mineral surfaces that contain calcite for chemical weathering. Oligoclase and calcite weathering are the dominant sources of alkalinity in the basins. However, atmospherically deposited acids consume much of the

Effect of basin physical characteristics on solute fluxes in nine alpine/subalpine basins, Colorado, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sueker, Julie K.; Clow, David W.; Ryan, Joseph N.; Jarrett, Robert D.

2001-10-01

Alpine/subalpine basins may exhibit substantial variability in solute fluxes despite many apparent similarities in basin characteristics. An evaluation of controls on spatial patterns in solute fluxes may allow development of predictive tools for assessing basin sensitivity to outside perturbations such as climate change or deposition of atmospheric pollutants. Relationships between basin physical characteristics, determined from geographical information system (GIS) tools, and solute fluxes and mineral weathering rates were explored for nine alpine/subalpine basins in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, using correlation analyses for 1993 and 1994 data. Stream-water nitrate fluxes were correlated positively with basin characteristics associated with the talus environment; i.e., the fractional amounts of steep slopes ( 30°), unvegetated terrain and young debris (primarily Holocene till) in the basins, and were correlated negatively with fractional amounts of subalpine meadow terrain. Correlations with nitrate indicate the importance of the talus environment in promoting nitrate flux and the mitigating effect of areas with established vegetation, such as subalpine meadows. Total mineral weathering rates for the basins ranged from about 300 to 600 mol ha-1 year-1. Oligoclase weathering accounted for 30 to 73% of the total mineral weathering flux, and was positively correlated with the amount of old debris (primarily Pleistocene glacial till) in the basins. Although calcite is found in trace amounts in bedrock, calcite weathering accounted for up to 44% of the total mineral weathering flux. Calcite was strongly correlated with steep slope, unvegetated terrain, and young debris - probably because physical weathering in steep-gradient areas exposes fresh mineral surfaces that contain calcite for chemical weathering. Oligoclase and calcite weathering are the dominant sources of alkalinity in the basins. However, atmospherically deposited acids consume much of the

Turn Basin Construction

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-14

Modifications are underway at the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the arrival of the agency's massive Space Launch System (SLS) core stage aboard the barge Pegasus. A crane will be used to lift up precast concrete poles and position them to be driven to a depth of about 70 feet into the bedrock below the water around the turn basin. The upgrades are necessary to accommodate the 300,000-pound core booster aboard the modified Pegasus barge. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the upgrades to the turn basin wharf.

Sediment-hosted micro-disseminated gold mineralization constrained by basin paleo-topographic highs in the Youjiang basin, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianming; Ye, Jie; Ying, Hanlong; Liu, Jiajun; Zheng, Minghua; Gu, Xuexiang

2002-06-01

The Youjiang basin is a Devonian-Triassic rift basin on the southern margin of the Yangtze Craton in South China. Strong syndepositional faulting defined the basin-and-range style paleo-topography that further developed into isolated carbonate platforms surrounded by siliciclastic filled depressions. Finally, thick Triassic siliciclastic deposits covered the platforms completely. In the Youjiang basin, numerous sediment-hosted, micro-disseminated gold (SMG) deposits occur mainly in Permian-Triassic chert and siliciclastic rocks. SMG ores are often auriferous sedimentary rocks with relatively low sulfide contents and moderate to weak alteration. Similar to Carlin-type gold ores in North America, SMG ores in the Youjiang basin are characterized by low-temperature mineral assemblages of pyrite, arsenopyrite, realgar, stibnite, cinnabar, marcasite, chalcedony and carbonate. Most of the SMG deposits are remarkably distributed around the carbonate platforms. Accordingly, there are platform-proximal and platform-distal SMG deposits. Platform-proximal SMG deposits often occur in the facies transition zone between the underlying platform carbonate rocks and the overlying siliciclastic rocks with an unconformity (often a paleo-karst surface) in between. In the ores and hostrocks there are abundant synsedimentary-syndiagenetic fabrics such as lamination, convolute bedding, slump texture, soft-sediment deformation etc. indicating submarine hydrothermal deposition and syndepositional faulting. Numerous fluid-escape and liquefaction fabrics imply strong fluid migration during sediment basin evolution. Such large-scale geological and fabric evidence implies that SMG ores were formed during basin evolution, probably in connection with basinal fluids. It is well known that basinal fluids (especially sediment-sourced fluids) will migrate generally (1) upwards, (2) towards basin margins or basin topographic highs, (3) and from thicker towards thinner deposits during basin evolution

Mapping Monthly Water Scarcity in Global Transboundary Basins at Country-Basin Mesh Based Spatial Resolution.

PubMed

Degefu, Dagmawi Mulugeta; Weijun, He; Zaiyi, Liao; Liang, Yuan; Zhengwei, Huang; Min, An

2018-02-01

Currently fresh water scarcity is an issue with huge socio-economic and environmental impacts. Transboundary river and lake basins are among the sources of fresh water facing this challenge. Previous studies measured blue water scarcity at different spatial and temporal resolutions. But there is no global water availability and footprint assessment done at country-basin mesh based spatial and monthly temporal resolutions. In this study we assessed water scarcity at these spatial and temporal resolutions. Our results showed that around 1.6 billion people living within the 328 country-basin units out of the 560 we assessed in this study endures severe water scarcity at least for a month within the year. In addition, 175 country-basin units goes through severe water scarcity for 3-12 months in the year. These sub-basins include nearly a billion people. Generally, the results of this study provide insights regarding the number of people and country-basin units experiencing low, moderate, significant and severe water scarcity at a monthly temporal resolution. These insights might help these basins' sharing countries to design and implement sustainable water management and sharing schemes.

A 13,500 Year Record of Holocene Climate, Fire and Vegetation from Swan Lake, Idaho, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahl, D.; Anderson, L.; Miller, D. M.; Rosario, J. J.; Starratt, S.; McGeehin, J. P.; Bright, J. E.

2015-12-01

Modern climate dynamics in the western US are largely determined by a combination of two factors: 1) the strength and position of midlatitude pressure systems, which, in turn, are responsible for the generation and trajectory of winter storms, and 2) the strength of the North America Monsoon (NAM) which brings summer precipitation northward in response to northern hemisphere warming. Paleoclimate records from the Great Basin of the western US suggest some coherence in the timing of major climatic shifts during the Holocene. However, knowledge of the timing and magnitude of these changes at local scales, which can help explain the relative contribution of midlatitude winter storms vs. NAM, is lacking in many places. Here we present new data that constrain the timing and magnitude of late glacial and Holocene climate variability in the northeastern Great Basin, provide insight into past spatial variability of precipitation patterns in the western US, and improve our understanding of regional scale influences on Great Basin climate. In 2011, a 7.65 m sediment core was raised from Swan Lake, a small wetland located in southeastern Idaho that was formed in the spillway channel created by the catastrophic flooding of Lake Bonneville ~18 ka BP. Pollen, charcoal, clumped isotope, diatom, ostracod, and sedimentological data are used to reconstruct vegetation, fire history, and lake level/groundwater flux over the last 13,500 years. Age control is provided by 19 AMS radiocarbon determinations, which are reported as thousands of calibrated years before present (ka BP). This effort builds on earlier work by Bright (1966) who reported on pollen, macrofossils, and sediment type from Swan Lake. Our data suggest cool and wet conditions prevailed until around 12.3 ka BP, after which a drying trend begins. The early Holocene was marked by a warmer, drier climate, which persisted until around 6.2 ka BP. Moister conditions after 6.2 ka BP likely resulted from a combination of enhanced

Great Basin Experimental Range: Annotated bibliography

Treesearch

E. Durant McArthur; Bryce A. Richardson; Stanley G. Kitchen

2013-01-01

This annotated bibliography documents the research that has been conducted on the Great Basin Experimental Range (GBER, also known as the Utah Experiment Station, Great Basin Station, the Great Basin Branch Experiment Station, Great Basin Experimental Center, and other similar name variants) over the 102 years of its existence. Entries were drawn from the original...

Thermal regimes of Malaysian sedimentary basins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abdul Halim, M.F.

1994-07-01

Properly corrected and calibrated thermal data are important in estimating source-rock maturation, diagenetics, evolution of reservoirs, pressure regimes, and hydrodynamics. Geothermal gradient, thermal conductivity, and heat flow have been determined for the sedimentary succession penetrated by exploratory wells in Malaysia. Geothermal gradient and heat-flow maps show that the highest average values are in the Malay Basin. The values in the Sarawak basin are intermediate between those of the Malay basin and the Sabah Basin, which contains the lowest average values. Temperature data were analyzed from more than 400 wells. An important parameter that was studied in detail is the circulationmore » time. The correct circulation time is essential in determining the correct geothermal gradient of a well. It was found that the most suitable circulation time for the Sabah Basin is 20 hr, 30 hr for the Sarawak Basin and 40 hr for the Malay Basin. Values of thermal conductivity, determined from measurement and calibrated calculations, were grouped according to depositional units and cycles in each basin.« less

Frequency and sources of basin floor turbidites in alfonso basin, Gulf of California, Mexico: Products of slope failures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez-Yajimovich, Oscar E.; Gorsline, Donn S.; Douglas, Robert G.

2007-07-01

Alfonso Basin is a small margin basin formed by extensional tectonics in the actively rifting, seismically active Gulf of California. The basin is centered at 24°40' N and 110° 38' W, and is a closed depression (maximum depth 420 m) with an effective sill depth of about 320 m (deepest sill), a width of 20 km and length of 25 km. Basin floor area below a depth of 350 m is about 260 km 2. The climate is arid to semiarid but was wetter during the early (ca. 10,000-7000 Calendar years Before Present [BP]) and middle Holocene (ca. 7000-4000 Cal. Years BP). Basin-wide turbidity currents reach the floor of Alfonso Basin at centennial to millennial intervals. The peninsular drainages tributary to the basin are small and have maximum flood discharges of the order of 10 4m 3. The basin-floor turbidites thicker than 1 cm have volumes of the order of 10 6m 3 to 10 8m 3 and require a much larger source. The largest turbidite seen in our cores is ca. 1 m thick in the central basin floor and was deposited 4900 Calendar Years Before Present (BP). Two smaller major events occurred about 1500 and 2800 Cal. Years BP. Seismicity over the past century of record shows a clustering of larger epicenters along faults forming the eastern Gulf side of Alfonso Basin. In that period there have been four earthquakes with magnitudes above 7.0 but all are distant from the basin. Frequency of such earthquakes in the basin vicinity is probably millennial. It is concluded that the basin-wide turbidites thicker than 1 cm must be generated by slope failures on the eastern side of the basin at roughly millennial intervals. The thin flood turbidites have a peninsular source at centennial frequencies.

Intra- and inter-basin mercury comparisons: Importance of basin scale and time-weighted methylmercury estimates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Paul M.; Journey, Celeste A.; Bringham, Mark E.; Burns, Douglas A.; Button, Daniel T.; Riva-Murray, Karen

2013-01-01

To assess inter-comparability of fluvial mercury (Hg) observations at substantially different scales, Hg concentrations, yields, and bivariate-relations were evaluated at nested-basin locations in the Edisto River, South Carolina and Hudson River, New York. Differences between scales were observed for filtered methylmercury (FMeHg) in the Edisto (attributed to wetland coverage differences) but not in the Hudson. Total mercury (THg) concentrations and bivariate-relationships did not vary substantially with scale in either basin. Combining results of this and a previously published multi-basin study, fish Hg correlated strongly with sampled water FMeHg concentration (p = 0.78; p = 0.003) and annual FMeHg basin yield (p = 0.66; p = 0.026). Improved correlation (p = 0.88; p < 0.0001) was achieved with time-weighted mean annual FMeHg concentrations estimated from basin-specific LOADEST models and daily streamflow. Results suggest reasonable scalability and inter-comparability for different basin sizes if wetland area or related MeHg-source-area metrics are considered.

The Seroprevalence and Seroincidence of Enterovirus71 Infection in Infants and Children in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Tran, Chau Bich Nguyen; Nguyen, Hieu Trong; Phan, Ha Thanh Thi; Tran, Ngoc Van; Wills, Bridget; Farrar, Jeremy; Santangelo, Joseph D.; Simmons, Cameron P.

2011-01-01

Enterovirus 71 (EV71)-associated hand, foot and mouth disease has emerged as a serious public health problem in South East Asia over the last decade. To better understand the prevalence of EV71 infection, we determined EV71 seroprevalence and seroincidence amongst healthy infants and children in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. In a cohort of 200 newborns, 55% of cord blood samples contained EV71 neutralizing antibodies and these decayed to undetectable levels by 6 months of age in 98% of infants. The EV71 neutralizing antibody seroconversion rate was 5.6% in the first year and 14% in the second year of life. In children 5–15 yrs of age, seroprevalence of EV71 neutralizing antibodies was 84% and in cord blood it was 55%. Taken together, these data suggest EV71 force of infection is high and highlights the need for more research into its epidemiology and pathogenesis in high disease burden countries. PMID:21765891

Cue-specific effects of categorization training on the relative weighting of acoustic cues to consonant voicing in English

PubMed Central

Francis, Alexander L.; Kaganovich, Natalya; Driscoll-Huber, Courtney

2008-01-01

In English, voiced and voiceless syllable-initial stop consonants differ in both fundamental frequency at the onset of voicing (onset F0) and voice onset time (VOT). Although both correlates, alone, can cue the voicing contrast, listeners weight VOT more heavily when both are available. Such differential weighting may arise from differences in the perceptual distance between voicing categories along the VOT versus onset F0 dimensions, or it may arise from a bias to pay more attention to VOT than to onset F0. The present experiment examines listeners’ use of these two cues when classifying stimuli in which perceptual distance was artificially equated along the two dimensions. Listeners were also trained to categorize stimuli based on one cue at the expense of another. Equating perceptual distance eliminated the expected bias toward VOT before training, but successfully learning to base decisions more on VOT and less on onset F0 was easier than vice versa. Perceptual distance along both dimensions increased for both groups after training, but only VOT-trained listeners showed a decrease in Garner interference. Results lend qualified support to an attentional model of phonetic learning in which learning involves strategic redeployment of selective attention across integral acoustic cues. PMID:18681610

Trầm Cảm Ở Thành Viên Gia Đình Của Nam Tiêm Chích Ma Túy Nhiễm HIV Tại Hà Nội Năm 2016

PubMed Central

Thúy, Đào Thị Diệu; Hoàng, Trần Minh; Thúy, Đinh Thanh; Mai, Phạm Phương; Giang, Lê Minh

2018-01-01

Đa số người tiêm chích ma túy ở Việt Nam đang sống cùng gia đình và điều này tạo ra gánh nặng không nhỏ trong việc chăm sóc. Mục tiêu nghiên cứu là mô tả đặc điểm trầm cảm ở thành viên gia đình của nam tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV và một số yếu tố liên quan. Số liệu nghiên cứu cắt ngang thu thập từ 138 người là thành viên gia đình của nam tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV tại Hà Nội. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy có xấp xỉ 20% mẫu nghiên cứu có dấu hiệu trầm cảm ở mức độ từ nhẹ đến rất nặng. Gánh nặng chăm sóc và mối quan hệ gia đình có liên quan với trầm cảm ở thành viên gia đình. Nghiên cứu cho thấy nhu cầu can thiệp để cải thiện mối quan hệ gia đình, giảm bớt gánh nặng chăm sóc nhằm nâng cao sức khỏe tinh thần ở thành viên gia đình người tiêm chích ma túy nhiễm HIV. PMID:29367942

Constraining Basin Depth and Fault Displacement in the Malombe Basin Using Potential Field Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beresh, S. C. M.; Elifritz, E. A.; Méndez, K.; Johnson, S.; Mynatt, W. G.; Mayle, M.; Atekwana, E. A.; Laó-Dávila, D. A.; Chindandali, P. R. N.; Chisenga, C.; Gondwe, S.; Mkumbwa, M.; Kalaguluka, D.; Kalindekafe, L.; Salima, J.

2017-12-01

The Malombe Basin is part of the Malawi Rift which forms the southern part of the Western Branch of the East African Rift System. At its southern end, the Malawi Rift bifurcates into the Bilila-Mtakataka and Chirobwe-Ntcheu fault systems and the Lake Malombe Rift Basin around the Shire Horst, a competent block under the Nankumba Peninsula. The Malombe Basin is approximately 70km from north to south and 35km at its widest point from east to west, bounded by reversing-polarity border faults. We aim to constrain the depth of the basin to better understand displacement of each border fault. Our work utilizes two east-west gravity profiles across the basin coupled with Source Parameter Imaging (SPI) derived from a high-resolution aeromagnetic survey. The first gravity profile was done across the northern portion of the basin and the second across the southern portion. Gravity and magnetic data will be used to constrain basement depths and the thickness of the sedimentary cover. Additionally, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data is used to understand the topographic expression of the fault scarps. Estimates for minimum displacement of the border faults on either side of the basin were made by adding the elevation of the scarps to the deepest SPI basement estimates at the basin borders. Our preliminary results using SPI and SRTM data show a minimum displacement of approximately 1.3km for the western border fault; the minimum displacement for the eastern border fault is 740m. However, SPI merely shows the depth to the first significantly magnetic layer in the subsurface, which may or may not be the actual basement layer. Gravimetric readings are based on subsurface density and thus circumvent issues arising from magnetic layers located above the basement; therefore expected results for our work will be to constrain more accurate basin depth by integrating the gravity profiles. Through more accurate basement depth estimates we also gain more accurate displacement

Three-dimensional modeling of pull-apart basins: implications for the tectonics of the Dead Sea Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katzman, Rafael; ten Brink, Uri S.; Lin, Jian

1995-01-01

We model the three-dimensional (3-D) crustal deformation in a deep pull-apart basin as a result of relative plate motion along a transform system and compare the results to the tectonics of the Dead Sea Basin. The brittle upper crust is modeled by a boundary element technique as an elastic block, broken by two en echelon semi-infinite vertical faults. The deformation is caused by a horizontal displacement that is imposed everywhere at the bottom of the block except in a stress-free “shear zone” in the vicinity of the fault zone. The bottom displacement represents the regional relative plate motion. Results show that the basin deformation depends critically on the width of the shear zone and on the amount of overlap between basin-bounding faults. As the width of the shear zone increases, the depth of the basin decreases, the rotation around a vertical axis near the fault tips decreases, and the basin shape (the distribution of subsidence normalized by the maximum subsidence) becomes broader. In contrast, two-dimensional plane stress modeling predicts a basin shape that is independent of the width of the shear zone. Our models also predict full-graben profiles within the overlapped region between bounding faults and half-graben shapes elsewhere. Increasing overlap also decreases uplift near the fault tips and rotation of blocks within the basin. We suggest that the observed structure of the Dead Sea Basin can be described by a 3-D model having a large overlap (more than 30 km) that probably increased as the basin evolved as a result of a stable shear motion that was distributed laterally over 20 to 40 km.

Turn Basin Construction

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-14

Modifications are underway at the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the arrival of the agency's massive Space Launch System (SLS) core stage aboard the barge Pegasus. Equipment is staged and a crane will be used to lift up precast concrete poles and position them to be driven to a depth of about 70 feet into the bedrock below the water around the turn basin. The upgrades are necessary to accommodate the increased weight of the core stage along with ground support and transportation equipment aboard the modified barge Pegasus. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the upgrades to the turn basin wharf.

Turn Basin Construction

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-14

Modifications are underway at the Launch Complex 39 turn basin wharf at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the arrival of the agency's massive Space Launch System (SLS) core stage aboard the barge Pegasus. A crane will be used to lift up precast concrete poles and position them to be driven to a depth of about 70 feet into the bedrock below the water around the turn basin. The upgrades are necessary to accommodate the increased weight of the core stage along with ground support and transportation equipment aboard the modified barge Pegasus. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the upgrades to the turn basin wharf.

Laramide basin CSI: Comprehensive stratigraphic investigations of Paleogene sediments in the Colorado Headwaters Basin, north-central Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dechesne, Marieke; Cole, James Channing; Trexler, James H.; Cashman, Patricia; Peterson, Christopher D

2013-01-01

The Paleogene sedimentary deposits of the Colorado Headwaters Basin provide a detailed proxy record of regional deformation and basin subsidence during the Laramide orogeny in north-central Colorado and southern Wyoming. This field trip presents extensive evidence from sedimentology, stratigraphy, structure, palynology, and isotope geochronology that shows a complex history that is markedly different from other Laramide synorogenic basins in the vicinity.We show that the basin area was deformed by faulting and folding before, during, and after deposition of the Paleogene rocks. Internal unconformities have been identified that further reflect the interaction of deformation, subsidence, and sedimentation. Uplift of Proterozoic basement blocks that make up the surrounding mountain ranges today occurred late in basin history. Evidence is given to reinterpret the Independence Mountain uplift as the result of significant normal faulting (not thrusting), probably in middle Tertiary time.While the Denver and Cheyenne Basins to the east were subsiding and accumulating sediment during Late Cretaceous time, the Colorado Headwaters Basin region was experiencing vertical uplift and erosion. At least 1200 m of the upper part of the marine Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale was regionally removed, along with Fox Hills Sandstone shoreline deposits of the receding Interior Seaway as well as any Laramie Formation–type continental deposits. Subsidence did not begin in the Colorado Headwaters Basin until after 60.5 Ma, when coarse, chaotic, debris-flow deposits of the Paleocene Windy Gap Volcanic Member of the Middle Park Formation began to accumulate along the southern basin margin. These volcaniclastic conglomerate deposits were derived from local, mafic-alkalic volcanic sources (and transitory deposits in the drainage basin), and were rapidly transported into a deep lake system by sediment gravity currents. The southern part of the basin subsided rapidly (roughly 750–1000 m