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Method to measure tone of axial and proximal muscle.
Gurfinkel, Victor S; Cacciatore, Timothy W; Cordo, Paul J; Horak, Fay B
The control of tonic muscular activity remains poorly understood. While abnormal tone is commonly assessed clinically by measuring the passive resistance of relaxed limbs, no systems are available to study tonic muscle control in a natural, active state of antigravity support. We have developed a device (Twister) to study tonic regulation of axial and proximal muscles during active postural maintenance (i.e. postural tone). Twister rotates axial body regions relative to each other about the vertical axis during stance, so as to twist the neck, trunk or hip regions. This twisting imposes length changes on axial muscles without changing the body's relationship to gravity. Because Twister does not provide postural support, tone must be regulated to counteract gravitational torques. We quantify this tonic regulation by the restive torque to twisting, which reflects the state of all muscles undergoing length changes, as well as by electromyography of relevant muscles. Because tone is characterized by long-lasting low-level muscle activity, tonic control is studied with slow movements that produce "tonic" changes in muscle length, without evoking fast "phasic" responses. Twister can be reconfigured to study various aspects of muscle tone, such as co-contraction, tonic modulation to postural changes, tonic interactions across body segments, as well as perceptual thresholds to slow axial rotation. Twister can also be used to provide a quantitative measurement of the effects of disease on axial and proximal postural tone and assess the efficacy of intervention. PMID:22214974
The immediate effect of PNF pattern on muscle tone and muscle stiffness in chronic stroke patient
Wang, Joong-San; Lee, Sang-Bin; Moon, Sang-Hyun
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on muscle tone and muscle stiffness in stroke patients. [ Subjects and Methods] The subjects consisted of 15 patients with chronic stroke (stroke group) and 15 healthy persons (healthy group). We measured the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation intervention on the lower extremity using a muscle tone measurement device; this detected changes in muscle tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles. [Results] Measurements taken before the intervention showed that, on average, the lower extremity muscles of the stroke group showed abnormally increased muscle tone and stiffness compared to the lower extremity muscles of the healthy group. After the intervention, the average muscle tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles of the stroke group decreased, but this change was insignificant, and the differences between the two groups were also insignificant. [Conclusion] Based on the findings of this study, we recommend proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation treatment of both affected and non-affected sides to decrease the abnormally increased muscle tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles of chronic stroke patients. PMID:27134394
Effects of Age, Sex, and Body Position on Orofacial Muscle Tone in Healthy Adults
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dietsch, Angela M.; Clark, Heather M.; Steiner, Jessica N.; Solomon, Nancy Pearl
Purpose: Quantification of tissue stiffness may facilitate identification of abnormalities in orofacial muscle tone and thus contribute to differential diagnosis of dysarthria. Tissue stiffness is affected by muscle tone as well as age-related changes in muscle and connective tissue. Method: The Myoton-3 measured tissue stiffness in 40 healthy…
Immediate effects of kinematic taping on lower extremity muscle tone and stiffness in flexible flat feet
Wang, Joong-San; Um, Gi-Mai; Choi, Jung-Hyun
[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the immediate effects of kinematic taping on the tone and stiffness in the leg muscles of subjects with flexible flat feet. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 30 subjects, 15 in the kinematic taping and 15 in the sham taping group, were administered respective taping interventions. Subsequently, the foot pressure and the tone and stiffness in the tibialis anterior, rectus femoris, medial gastrocnemius, and the long head of the biceps femoris muscles of both the lower extremities were measured. [Results] The foot pressure of the dominant leg significantly decreased in the kinematic taping group. The muscle tone and stiffness in the rectus femoris muscle of the dominant and non-dominant leg, tibialis anterior muscle of the dominant leg, medial gastrocnemius muscle of the non-dominant leg, and the stiffness in the dominant leg significantly decreased. The muscle tone and stiffness generally increased in the sham taping group. However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups. [Conclusion] This study demonstrated that kinematic taping on flexible flat feet had positive effects of immediately reducing the abnormally increased foot pressure and the tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles. PMID:27190479
The effects of non-elastic taping on muscle tone in stroke patients: a pilot study
Kim, Ji Young; Chung, Jun Sub; Jang, Gwon Uk; Park, Seol; Park, Ji Won
[Purpose] Hemiplegia occurs when posturing with a dominant flexor tone is present in the upper limbs, thus preventing increased abnormal tone. We attempted to improve the side effects of this condition using elbow re-positioning with non-elastic tape; this method is used to modulate abnormal muscle tone in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Fourteen post-stroke patients were included in this study. Non-elastic tape was applied to the elbow joint in a spiral manner. Before and after the tape was applied, the degree of spasticity (hypertonia) was measured in the elbow flexor muscles using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Global synkinesis (GS) intensity using electromyography (EMG) was measured in the biceps brachii and triceps brachii during voluntary isometric elbow contractions of the contralateral upper limbs. [Results] Application of non-elastic tape at the elbow joint significantly changed the GS intensity, but no significant changes were found when compared with the MAS. [Conclusion] This study demonstrates that non-elastic tape can be used to decrease abnormal elbow flexor tone. The findings may be used to influence the choice of intervention regarding muscle tone and spastic elbow flexion. PMID:26834377
An analysis on muscle tone of lower limb muscles on flexible flat foot
Um, Gi-Mai; Wang, Joong-San; Park, Si-Eun
[Purpose] The aim of this study was to examine differences in the muscle tone and stiffness of leg muscles according to types of flexible flat foot. [Subjects and Methods] For 30 subjects 10 in a normal foot group (NFG), 10 in group with both flexible flat feet (BFFG), and 10 in a group with flexible flat feet on one side (OFFG), myotonometry was used to measure the muscle tone and stiffness of the tibialis anterior muscle (TA), the rectus femoris muscle (RF), the medial gastrocnemius (MG), and the long head of the biceps femoris muscle (BF) of both lower extremities. [Results] In the measurement results, only the stiffness of TA and MG of the NFG and the BFFG showed significant differences. The muscle tone and stiffness were highest in the BFFG, followed by the OFFG and NFG, although the difference was insignificant. In the case of the OFFG, there was no significant difference in muscle tone and stiffness compared to that in the NGF and the BFFG. Furthermore, in the NFG, the non-dominant leg showed greater muscle tone and stiffness than the dominant leg, although the difference was insignificant. [Conclusion] During the relax condition, the flexible flat foot generally showed a greater muscle tone and stiffness of both lower extremities compared to the normal foot. The stiffness was particularly higher in the TA and MG muscles. Therefore, the muscle tone and stiffness of the lower extremity muscles must be considered in the treatment of flat foot. PMID:26644650
Human resting muscle tone (HRMT): narrative introduction and modern concepts.
Masi, Alfonse T; Hannon, John Charles
Human resting muscle (myofascial) tone (HRMT) is the passive tonus or tension of skeletal muscle that derives from its intrinsic (EMG-silent) molecular viscoelastic properties. The word tone has been used to convey varying clinical and physiological features that have led to confusion and controversy. HRMT is the vital low-level, passive tension, and resistance to stretch that contributes importantly to maintain postural stability in balanced equilibrium positions. In contrast, co-contraction of muscle is an active neuromotor control that provides greater levels of tonus for increased stabilization. Functionally, HRMT is integrated with other passive fascial and ligamentous tensional networks of the body to form a biotensegrity system. This review aims to achieve better understandings of HRMT and its functional roles. Nature is frugal and man's adaptations to gravitational forces and erect postures seemingly evolved mechanisms in skeletal muscle tissues to economically enhance stability. Normal passive muscle tone helps to maintain relaxed standing body posture with minimally increased energy costs (circa 7% over supine), and often for prolonged durations without fatigue. Available data infer polymorphic variations in normal myofascial tone. However, few quantitative studies have been performed to establish normal frequency distributions of degrees of myofascial tone. Clinical experience indicates that persons with certain symptomatic musculoskeletal conditions may have palpably increased resting muscle firmness or hardness (EMG-silent), such as that of the upper trapezius in tension-type headache, and the lumbodorsal extensors (hartspann) in degenerative lumbar disc disease and ankylosing spondylitis. In summary, resting skeletal muscle tone is an intrinsic viscoelastic tension exhibited within the body's kinematic chains. It functions inseparably from fascial (i.e., myofascial) tissues and ligamentous structures. Thus, HRMT is a passive myofascial property which
Dopamine receptors in the substantia nigra are involved in the regulation of muscle tone.
Double, K L; Crocker, A D
The aim of the present study was to localize the dopamine receptors involved in the regulation of muscle tone. A strategy was used whereby the effects on muscle tone of injecting the irreversible dopamine receptor antagonist N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) in discrete brain regions were assessed. Increases in muscle tone were measured as changes in electromyographic activity of the gastrocnemius and tibialis muscles of conscious, unrestrained rats. No increases in muscle tone were found after injections of EEDQ into the anterior and posterior striatum, which produced marked reductions in dopamine receptor concentration. The effects of muscle tone of injecting EEDQ into the substantia nigra pars reticulata were also assessed. Large increases in muscle tone were observed associated with inactivation of either D1 or D2 dopamine receptors in the substantia nigra. The increased muscle tone was not reduced by subcutaneous administration of apomorphine, despite the presence of a normal population of striatal dopamine receptors. These findings provide evidence that dopamine receptors in the substantia nigra play an important role in the regulation of muscle tone. Further, they challenge the hypothesis that the muscle rigidity of Parkinson disease results primarily from loss of striatal dopamine receptor stimulation. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 3 PMID:7878037
Role of smooth muscle cell mineralocorticoid receptor in vascular tone.
Tarjus, Antoine; Belozertseva, Ekaterina; Louis, Huguette; El Moghrabi, Soumaya; Labat, Carlos; Lacolley, Patrick; Jaisser, Frédéric; Galmiche, Guillaume
Identification of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in the vasculature (i.e., endothelial and smooth muscle cells) raised the question of its role in vascular function and blood pressure control. Using a mouse model with conditional inactivation of MR in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) (MR(SMKO)), we have recently shown that the VSMC MR is crucial for aldosterone-salt-induced carotid stiffening. In the present study, we have investigated the specific contribution of the VSMC MR in the regulation of vascular tone in large vessels. In MR(SMKO) mice, contractions induced by potassium chloride and calcium (Ca(2+)) are decreased in the aorta, whereas contraction is normal in response to phenylephrine and caffeine. The difference in response to Ca(2+) suggests that the VSMC-specific deficiency of the MR modifies VSM Ca(2+) signaling but without altering the intracellular Ca(2+) store handling. The relaxation induced by acetylcholine is not affected by the absence of MR. However, the relaxation induced by Ach in the presence of indomethacin and the relaxation induced by sodium nitroprussiate are significantly reduced in MR(SMKO) mice compared to controls. Since endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity is increased in mutant mice, their altered relaxation reflects impairment of the nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathway. In addition to altered NO and Ca(2+) signaling, the activity of myosin light chain and its regulators, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin phosphatase (MLCP), is reduced. In conclusion, MR expressed in VSMC is required for NO and Ca(2+) signaling pathways and contractile protein activity leading to an altered contraction/relaxation coupling. PMID:25262754
Mechanisms of intrinsic tone in ferret vascular smooth muscle.
Pawlowski, J; Morgan, K G
1. Circular strips from ferret aorta were used to investigate the mechanism of the intrinsic basal tone. 2. Determinations of stiffness using small sinusoidal length changes showed an abolition of both stiffness and force with cooling, but the temperature dependence of the change in active stiffness did not parallel that of force. At temperatures below 22 degrees C there appeared to be a relatively large population of attached, non-force-generating cross-bridges, indicating that separate mechanisms are involved in regulating cross-bridge attachment and the force per cross-bridge. 3. Active intrinsic tone was not affected by removal of extracellular Ca2+ or removal of endothelium. 4. Intracellular ionized Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) as measured with the photoprotein aequorin, did not significantly change when intrinsic tone was abolished by cooling. 5. Myosin light chain phosphorylation, as measured by 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, significantly decreased on cooling, but the temperature dependence of phosphorylation did not parallel that of force. The change in phosphorylation in the absence of a change in [Ca2+]i suggests the presence of a constitutively active Ca(2+)-independent form of myosin light chain kinase. 6. Maximal concentrations of staurosporine inhibited but did not eliminate intrinsic tone. 7. Changes in myosin light chain kinase and protein kinase C activities may explain part but not all of the intrinsic tone. PMID:1593466
Reduced Pelvic Floor Muscle Tone Predisposes to Persistence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms after Puerperium.
Bhat, Chandana; Khan, Mahjabeen; Ballala, Kirthinath; Kamath, Asha; Pandey, Deeksha
Pregnant primiparous women at term were enrolled in the study. ICIQ-FLUTS questionnaire was used to find out prevalence of LUTS. MOS was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength. Women were followed up after 8-10 weeks of delivery to find out remission or persistence of these symptoms. We found that increased frequency of micturition was the most common (82%) LUTS seen in primiparous women at term. More than half (51%) of these women who complained of LUTS had a poor pelvic floor muscle tone (MOS grade 3). Out of those who had symptoms during pregnancy 11% remained symptomatic even after puerperium. Interestingly 61% of those with persistence of symptoms demonstrated a very poor pelvic floor muscle tone at term (MOS grade 2), while the remaining 39% also had a tone of only MOS grade 3. Thus women with LUTS during pregnancy should be screened for their pelvic floor muscle tone with simple MOS system which will help to predict the persistence of these symptoms later on. Women with a low score (three or less) should be triaged for regular pelvic floor muscle exercises. PMID:27119044
Reduced Pelvic Floor Muscle Tone Predisposes to Persistence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms after Puerperium
Bhat, Chandana; Khan, Mahjabeen; Ballala, Kirthinath; Kamath, Asha
Pregnant primiparous women at term were enrolled in the study. ICIQ-FLUTS questionnaire was used to find out prevalence of LUTS. MOS was used to assess pelvic floor muscle strength. Women were followed up after 8–10 weeks of delivery to find out remission or persistence of these symptoms. We found that increased frequency of micturition was the most common (82%) LUTS seen in primiparous women at term. More than half (51%) of these women who complained of LUTS had a poor pelvic floor muscle tone (MOS grade 3). Out of those who had symptoms during pregnancy 11% remained symptomatic even after puerperium. Interestingly 61% of those with persistence of symptoms demonstrated a very poor pelvic floor muscle tone at term (MOS grade 2), while the remaining 39% also had a tone of only MOS grade 3. Thus women with LUTS during pregnancy should be screened for their pelvic floor muscle tone with simple MOS system which will help to predict the persistence of these symptoms later on. Women with a low score (three or less) should be triaged for regular pelvic floor muscle exercises. PMID:27119044
An Effective Oral Motor Intervention Protocol for Infants and Toddlers with Low Muscle Tone.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kumin, Libby; Von Hagel, Kimberly Chapman; Bahr, Diane Chapman
Parents were trained to provide infants (n=4) with low muscle tone secondary to Down Syndrome with a home intervention oral motor training program. Four case studies indicate that all four children demonstrated improved oral motor function for eating, drinking, and speaking. (Contains references.) (DB)
Smooth muscle BK channel activity influences blood pressure independent of vascular tone in mice
Sachse, Gregor; Faulhaber, Jörg; Seniuk, Anika; Ehmke, Heimo; Pongs, Olaf
The large conductance voltage- and Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel is an important determinant of vascular tone and contributes to blood pressure regulation. Both activities depend on the ancillary BKβ1 subunit. To determine the significance of smooth muscle BK channel activity for blood pressure regulation, we investigated the potential link between changes in arterial tone and altered blood pressure in BKβ1 knockout (BKβ1−/−) mice from three different genetically defined strains. While vascular tone was consistently increased in all BKβ1−/− mice independent of genetic background, BKβ1−/− strains exhibited increased (strain A), unaltered (strain B) or decreased (strain C) mean arterial blood pressures compared to their corresponding BKβ1+/+ controls. In agreement with previous data on aldosterone regulation by renal/adrenal BK channel function, BKβ1−/− strain A mice have increased plasma aldosterone and increased blood pressure. Consistently, blockade of mineralocorticoid receptors by spironolactone treatment reversibly restored the elevated blood pressure to the BKβ1+/+ strain A level. In contrast, loss of BKβ1 did not affect plasma aldosterone in strain C mice. Smooth muscle-restricted restoration of BKβ1 expression increased blood pressure in BKβ1−/− strain C mice, implying that impaired smooth muscle BK channel activity lowers blood pressure in these animals. We conclude that BK channel activity directly affects vascular tone but influences blood pressure independent of this effect via different pathways. PMID:24687584
Regulation of vascular tone and arterial blood pressure: role of chloride transport in vascular smooth muscle.
Hübner, Christian A; Schroeder, Björn C; Ehmke, Heimo
Recent studies suggest that primary changes in vascular resistance can cause sustained changes in arterial blood pressure. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about Cl(-) homeostasis in vascular smooth muscle cells. Within vascular smooth muscle cells, Cl(-) is accumulated above the electrochemical equilibrium, causing Cl(-) efflux, membrane depolarization, and increased contractile force when Cl(-) channels are opened. At least two different transport mechanisms contribute to raise [Cl(-)] i in vascular smooth muscle cells, anion exchange, and cation-chloride cotransport. Recent work suggests that TMEM16A-associated Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) currents mediate Cl(-) efflux in vascular smooth muscle cells leading to vasoconstriction. Additional proteins associated with Cl(-) flux in vascular smooth muscle are bestrophins, which modulate vasomotion, the volume-activated LRRC8, and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Cl(-) transporters and Cl(-) channels in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) significantly contribute to the physiological regulation of vascular tone and arterial blood pressure. PMID:25588975
Flexor and extensor muscle tone evaluated using the quantitative pendulum test in stroke and parkinsonian patients.
Huang, Han-Wei; Ju, Ming-Shaung; Lin, Chou-Ching K
The aim of this study was to evaluate the flexor and extensor muscle tone of the upper limbs in patients with spasticity or rigidity and to investigate the difference in hypertonia between spasticity and rigidity. The two experimental groups consisted of stroke patients and parkinsonian patients. The control group consisted of age and sex-matched normal subjects. Quantitative upper limb pendulum tests starting from both flexed and extended joint positions were conducted. System identification with a simple linear model was performed and model parameters were derived. The differences between the three groups and two starting positions were investigated by these model parameters and tested by two-way analysis of variance. In total, 57 subjects were recruited, including 22 controls, 14 stroke patients and 21 parkinsonian patients. While stiffness coefficient showed no difference among groups, the number of swings, relaxation index and damping coefficient showed changes suggesting significant hypertonia in the two patient groups. There was no difference between these two patient groups. The test starting from the extended position constantly manifested higher muscle tone in all three groups. In conclusion, the hypertonia of parkinsonian and stroke patients could not be differentiated by the modified pendulum test; the elbow extensors showed a higher muscle tone in both control and patient groups; and hypertonia of both parkinsonian and stroke patients is velocity dependent. PMID:26765753
TTX, cations and spider venom modify avian muscle tone in vitro
Herzig, Volker; Hodgson, Wayne C; Rowan, Edward G
Agents that reduce skeletal muscle tone may have a number of useful clinical applications, e.g., for muscle spasticity and other muscle disorders. Recently, we reported that the venoms of two species of Australian theraphosid (Araneae, Theraphosidae) spiders (Coremiocnemis tropix and Selenotholus foelschei) reduced the baseline tension of chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation. The purpose of this study was to determine the underlying physiology mediating the change in muscle tension, which was addressed by conducting isometric tension experiments. We found that MgCl2 (20mM), CaCl2 (20mM), tetrodotoxin (1μM) or C. tropix venom (2μl/ml) produced a similar decrease in baseline tension, whereas d-tubocurarine (100μM), gadolinium (1mM), verapamil (10mM), an increase in osmotic pressure by the addition of glucose (40mM), or the presence/absence of electrical stimulation did not produce a significant change in baseline tension. We suggest that mechanosensitive or muscle TTX-sensitive sodium channels are activated during muscle stretch. This may have implications for the treatment of stretch induced muscle damage. PMID:21544174
Modulation of Muscle Tone and Sympathovagal Balance in Cervical Dystonia Using Percutaneous Stimulation of the Auricular Vagus Nerve.
Kampusch, Stefan; Kaniusas, Eugenijus; Széles, Jozsef C
Primary cervical dystonia is characterized by abnormal, involuntary, and sustained contractions of cervical muscles. Current ways of treatment focus on alleviating symptomatic muscle activity. Besides pharmacological treatment, in severe cases patients may receive neuromodulative intervention such as deep brain stimulation. However, these (highly invasive) methods have some major drawbacks. For the first time, percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (pVNS) was applied in a single case of primary cervical dystonia. Auricular vagus nerve stimulation was already shown to modulate the (autonomous) sympathovagal balance of the body and proved to be an effective treatment in acute and chronic pain, epilepsy, as well as major depression. pVNS effects on cervical dystonia may be hypothesized to rely upon: (i) the alteration of sensory input to the brain, which affects structures involved in the genesis of motoric and nonmotoric dystonic symptoms; and (ii) the alteration of the sympathovagal balance with a sustained impact on involuntary movement control, pain, quality of sleep, and general well-being. The presented data provide experimental evidence that pVNS may be a new alternative and minimally invasive treatment in primary cervical dystonia. One female patient (age 50 years) suffering from therapy refractory cervical dystonia was treated with pVNS over 20 months. Significant improvement in muscle pain, dystonic symptoms, and autonomic regulation as well as a subjective improvement in motility, sleep, and mood were achieved. A subjective improvement in pain recorded by visual analog scale ratings (0-10) was observed from 5.42 to 3.92 (medians). Muscle tone of the mainly affected left and right trapezius muscle in supine position was favorably reduced by about 96%. Significant reduction of muscle tone was also achieved in sitting and standing positions of the patient. Habituation to stimulation leading to reduced stimulation efficiency was observed and
Abnormal skeletal muscle bioenergetics in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Thompson, C. H.; Kemp, G. J.; Taylor, D. J.; Conway, M.; Rajagopalan, B.; O'Donoghue, A.; Styles, P.; McKenna, W. J.; Radda, G. K.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the skeletal muscle metabolic manifestations of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the calf muscle was performed on volunteers from a centre specialising in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. PATIENTS: Five patients with abnormal beta myosin heavy chain protein in cardiac and skeletal muscle and five patients with a troponin T abnormality in cardiac muscle were compared with healthy controls. RESULTS: High energy phosphate metabolism in vivo was examined in a non-invasive manner. In resting muscle, the beta myosin heavy chain group had a higher ratio of phosphocreatine to ATP concentration (4.51 (SD 0.17)) than either the troponin T group (3.88 (0.42)) or controls (n = 16; 4.04 (0.40)). Exercise duration was reduced compared to controls, and during the fourth minute of exercise phosphocreatine depletion and muscle acidification were greater in both patient groups. After exercise, the recovery of phosphocreatine-an index of oxidative metabolic capacity of the muscle-was slower in the beta myosin heavy chain group (mean half time 0.65 (0.08) minutes) than in the troponin T group (0.60 (0.17) minutes) or controls (0.48 (0.14) minutes). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise metabolism was abnormal in both groups of subjects, and the affected contractile protein determined the metabolic changes in muscle at rest and during recovery. In patients with abnormal beta myosin heavy chain protein, there was a decrease in oxidative capacity consistent with the reduction in mitochondria reported in muscle biopsy studies of similar patients. PMID:9326994
Auditory processing abnormalities in schizotypal personality disorder: An fMRI experiment using tones of deviant pitch and duration
Dickey, Chandlee C.; Morocz, Istvan A.; Niznikiewicz, Margaret A.; Voglmaier, Martina; Toner, Sarah; Khan, Usman; Dreusicke, Mark; Yoo, Seung-Schik; Shenton, Martha E.; McCarley, Robert W.
Background One of the cardinal features of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) is language abnormalities. The focus of this study was to determine whether or not there are also processing abnormalities of pure tones differing in pitch and duration in SPD. Methods Thirteen neuroleptic-naïve male subjects met full criteria for SPD and were group-matched on age and parental socioeconomic status to 13 comparison subjects. Verbal learning was measured with the California Verbal Learning Test. Heschl's gyrus volumes were measured using structural MRI. Whole-brain fMRI activation patterns in an auditory task of listening to tones including pitch and duration deviants were compared between SPD and control subjects. In a second and separate ROI analysis we found that peak activation in superior temporal gyrus (STG), Brodmann Areas 41 and 42, was correlated with verbal learning and clinical measures derived from the SCID-II interview. Results In the region of the STG, SPD subjects demonstrated more activation to pitch deviants bilaterally (p<0.001); and to duration deviants in the left hemisphere (p=0.005) (two-sample t). SPD subjects also showed more bilateral parietal cortex activation to duration deviants. In no region did comparison subjects activate more than SPD subjects in either experiment. Exploratory correlations for SPD subjects suggest a relationship between peak activation on the right for deviant tones in the pitch experiment with odd speech and impaired verbal learning. There was no difference between groups on Heschl's gyrus volume. Conclusions These data suggest that SPD subjects have inefficient or hyper-responsive processing of pure tones both in terms of pitch and duration deviance that is not attributable to smaller Heschl's gyrus volumes. Finally, these auditory processing abnormalities may have significance for the odd speech heard in some SPD subjects and downstream language and verbal learning deficits. PMID:18555666
Two methods of measuring muscle tone applied in patients with decerebrate rigidity.
Tsementzis, S A; Gillingham, F J; Gordon, A; Lakie, M D
Two methods were used to measure muscle tone in patients with decerebrate rigidity. In the first method forces of square waveform were applied and the calculated compliance of the joint was used as an index of rigidity. Oscillatory transients were seen at the same frequency as the physiological tremor. The range of normal variation in compliance was large and the values measured in the patients flucuated markedly which limited the value of this index. In the second method, where forces of sinusoidal waveform were employed, the resonant frequency of the joint was measured and used as an index of rigidity. This index proved reliable and reproducible. PMID:7354353
[Regulation of vasomotor tone of small skeletal muscle veins by intrinsic mechanisms].
Szénási, Annamária; Dörnyei, Gabriella; Rácz, Anita; Debreczeni, Béla; Koller, Ákos
In many developed countries the prevalence of venous disorders and its consequences are higher than that of arterial diseases. Thus it is very important to understand the exact physiological and pathophysiological function of small veins and their control mechanisms. Small veins and venules have an important role in the regulation of capillary fluid exchange, as well as return of the venous blood into the heart. However, there is only limited knowledge available regarding the role of local mechanisms controlling the vasomotor tone and diameter of small veins. In the last decade the authors focused on the elucidation of these mechanisms in isolated skeletal muscle venules of rats. Their results suggest that the tone of small veins is controlled by the integration of several mechanisms, activated by the intraluminal pressure and flow/wall shear stress, in addition to numerous local mediators synthesized and released from the smooth muscle and endothelium. These mechanisms are involved - in a complex manner - in the control of postcapillary resistance, thus regulation of tissue blood supply, venous return and consequently in the modulation of the cardiac output, as well. PMID:27177786
Oculomotor nerve and muscle abnormalities in congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles.
Engle, E C; Goumnerov, B C; McKeown, C A; Schatz, M; Johns, D R; Porter, J D; Beggs, A H
Congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles is an autosomal dominant congenital disorder characterized by bilateral ptosis, restrictive external ophthalmoplegia with the eyes partially or completely fixed in an infraducted (downward) and strabismic position, and markedly limited and aberrant residual eye movements. It has been generally thought that these clinical abnormalities result from myopathic fibrosis of the extraocular muscles. We describe the intracranial and orbital pathology of 1 and the muscle pathology of 2 other affected members of a family with chromosome 12-linked congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles. There is an absence of the superior division of the oculomotor nerve and its corresponding alpha motor neurons, and abnormalities of the levator palpebrae superioris and rectus superior (the muscles innervated by the superior division of the oculomotor nerve). In addition, increased numbers of internal nuclei and central mitochondrial clumping are found in other extraocular muscles, suggesting that the muscle pathology extends beyond the muscles innervated by the superior division of cranial nerve III. This report presents evidence that congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles results from an abnormality in the development of the extraocular muscle lower motor neuron system. PMID:9066352
KV7 channels regulate muscle tone and nonadrenergic noncholinergic relaxation of the rat gastric fundus.
Ipavec, V; Martire, M; Barrese, V; Taglialatela, M; Currò, D
Voltage-dependent type 7 K+ (KV7) channels play important physiological roles in neurons and muscle cells. The aims of the present study were to investigate the motor effects of KV7 channel modulators in the rat gastric fundus and the expression of KV7 channels in this tissue. Muscle tone and electrical field stimulation (EFS)-evoked relaxations of precontracted longitudinal muscle strips of the rat gastric fundus were investigated under nonadrenergic noncholinergic conditions by organ bath studies. Gene expression was studied by real-time PCR and tissue localization of channels was investigated by immunohistochemistry. The KV7 channel blocker XE-991 induced concentration-dependent contractions, with mean pD2 and Emax of 5.4 and 48% of the maximal U46619-induced contraction, respectively. The KV7 channel activators retigabine and flupirtine concentration-dependently relaxed U46619-precontracted strips, with pD2s of 4.7 and 4.4 and Emax of 93% and 91% of the maximal relaxation induced by papaverine, respectively. XE-991 concentration-dependently inhibited retigabine-induced relaxation with a pIC50 of 6.2. XE-991 and DMP-543, another KV7 channel blocker, increased by 13-25% or reduced by 11-21% the relaxations evoked by low- or high-frequency EFS, respectively. XE-991 also reduced the relaxation induced by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) by 33% of controls. Transcripts encoded by all KV7 genes were detected in the fundus, with 7.4 and 7.5 showing the highest expression levels. KV7.4 and 7.5 channels were visualized by confocal immunofluorescence in both circular and longitudinal muscle layers. In conclusion, in the rat proximal stomach, KV7 channels appear to contribute to the resting muscle tone and to VIP- and high-frequency EFS-induced relaxation. KV7 channel activators could be useful relaxant agents of the gastric smooth muscle. PMID:21740972
Nonadrenergic, noncholinergic responses stabilize smooth muscle tone, with and without parasympathetic activation, in guinea-pig isolated airways.
Lindén, A; Löfdahl, C G; Ullman, A; Skoogh, B E
In guinea-pig isolated airways, nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) neural responses converge towards a similar level of smooth muscle tone, via a contraction when the tone is low prior to stimulation, and via a relaxation when the tone is high prior to stimulation. We wanted to assess the effect of simultaneous parasympathetic activation on these converging NANC responses, with and without the addition of sympathetic activation. In guinea-pig isolated airways, the spontaneous airway tone was initially abolished by indomethacin (10 microM). In one series, adrenergic depletion by guanethidine (10 microM) was then established, with and without cholinergic blockade by atropine (1 microM). In another series, either cholinergic blockade by atropine (1 microM) or no blockade was utilized. Responses to electrical field stimulation (1,200 mA, 0.5 ms, 3 Hz for 240 s) were studied with no induced tone, at a moderate (0.3 microM) and at a near-maximum (6 microM), histamine-induced tone. The mean level of the tonus equilibrium (% of maximum tone) was higher with the simultaneous NANC and parasympathetic activation than with NANC activation alone (75% compared with 44%, in the main bronchus, n = 8). The level of the tonus equilibrium was also higher with the simultaneous NANC, sympathetic and parasympathetic activation than with NANC and sympathetic activation only (49% compared with 21%, in the main bronchus, n = 8). The pattern was similar in the distal trachea. In conclusion, NANC neural responses can stabilize smooth muscle tone, and this stabilizing effect can be modulated by both parasympathetic and sympathetic activation, in guinea-pig isolated airways. PMID:8472834
Upper extremity muscle tone and response of tidal volume during manually assisted breathing for patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation
Morino, Akira; Shida, Masahiro; Tanaka, Masashi; Sato, Kimihiro; Seko, Toshiaki; Ito, Shunsuke; Ogawa, Shunichi; Yokoi, Yuka; Takahashi, Naoaki
[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to examine, in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation, if the response of tidal volume during manually assisted breathing is dependent upon both upper extremity muscle tone and the pressure intensity of manually assisted breathing. [Subjects] We recruited 13 patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation, and assessed their upper extremity muscle tone using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS). The subjects were assigned to either the low MAS group (MAS≤2, n=7) or the high MAS group (MAS≥3, n=6). [Methods] The manually assisted breathing technique was applied at a pressure of 2 kgf and 4 kgf. A split-plot ANOVA was performed to compare the tidal volume of each pressure during manually assisted breathing between the low and the high MAS groups. [Results] Statistical analysis showed there were main effects of the upper extremity muscle tone and the pressure intensity of the manually assisted breathing technique. There was no interaction between these factors. [Conclusion] Our findings reveal that the tidal volume during the manually assisted breathing technique for patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation depends upon the patient's upper extremity muscle tone and the pressure intensity. PMID:26357431
The effects of horseback riding participation on the muscle tone and range of motion for children with spastic cerebral palsy
Baik, Kwang; Byeun, Jung-Kyun; Baek, Jae-Keun
The objective of this research is to verify the effects of horseback riding participation on the muscle tone of pelvic limbs and articular range of motion for children with spastic cerebral palsy. The research target is 16 children with spastic cerebral palsy, 8 children for the experimental group and 8 children for the control group. As a tool to measure the muscle tone, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), was used and a goniometer was used to measure the range of motion (ROM). A therapeutic horseback riding program was conducted to an experimental group of 8 children with spastic cerebral palsy in the therapeutic horseback riding for 60 min a day, 2 days a week and a total of 12 weeks. The results are as follows: First, the participation in the therapeutic horseback riding program showed a statistically significant difference in the muscle tone for the knee of children with spastic cerebral palsy (P< 0.01). Second, though the difference in knee muscle tone between the experimental group and the control group was statistically insignificant, the average was improved by the participation. Third, the participation in the therapeutic horseback riding program showed a statistically significant difference in the hip-joint motion range for the knee of children with spastic cerebral palsy (P< 0.01). Fourth, though the difference in the hip joint motion range between the experimental group and the control group was statistically insignificant, the average was improved by the participation. PMID:25426462
Dual mechanism of action of nicorandil on rabbit corpus cavernosal smooth muscle tone.
Hsieh, G C; Kolasa, T; Sullivan, J P; Brioni, J D
The potential of ATP-sensitive potassium channel openers (KCOs) for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction has recently been suggested based on positive clinical outcomes following intra-cavernosal administration of pinacidil. Agents that increase the levels of cGMP via elevation of nitric oxide (NO) nitroglycerin, for example, are also effective in improving erectile function preclinically and clinically. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects and mechanism of the action of nicorandil on rabbit corpus cavernosum. The in vitro regulation of smooth muscle tone was assessed in isolated cavernosal tissues pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Nicorandil, but not its major metabolite, relaxed phenylephrine-precontracted cavernosum smooth muscle with an EC(50) of 15 microM. The effects of nicorandil were only partially reversed by the K(ATP) channel blocker glyburide (10 microM) or by a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazole [4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 3 microM). However, a combination of ODQ and glyburide completely blocked the relaxant effects of nicorandil. The results of the present study indicate that nicorandil can relax rabbit cavernosal tissue in vitro via a mechanism that involves activation of K(ATP) channels and stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase. PMID:11494082
Indirect Estimates of Jaw Muscle Tension in Children with Suspected Hypertonia, Children with Suspected Hypotonia, and Matched Controls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Connaghan, Kathryn P.; Moore, Christopher A.
Purpose: In this study, the authors compared indirect estimates of jaw-muscle tension in children with suspected muscle-tone abnormalities with age- and gender-matched controls. Method: Jaw movement and muscle activation were measured in children (ages 3 years, 11 months, to 10 years) with suspected muscle-tone abnormalities (Down syndrome or…
Effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation on cumulative fatigue and muscle tone of the erector spinae
Kang, Da-Haeng; Jeon, Jae-Keun; Lee, Joon-Hee
[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the effect of low-frequency electrical stimulation on fatigue recovery of the erector spinae with cumulative fatigue induced by repeated lifting and lowering work. [Subjects] Thirty-two healthy men volunteered to participate in this study and they were randomly divided into three groups: a MC group of 12 persons who underwent microcurrent, a TENS group of 10 persons who underwent Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and a control group of 10 persons who only rested. [Methods] Cumulative fatigue was induced and then, EMG, muscle tone, CK and LDH serum levels of the erector spinae were measured. Each group then underwent the assigned intervention and was re-measured. To analyze the differences in fatigue between before and after the intervention, the paired t-test was conducted, while groups were compared using analysis of covariance with a control group. [Results] The MC groups showed a significant reduction in muscle fatigue and decreased muscle tone when compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were found between the TENS and control groups. [Conclusion] These results suggest that microcurrent stimulation was effective for recovery from cumulative muscle fatigue while TENS had no effect. PMID:25642049
Effects of training using video games on the muscle strength, muscle tone, and activities of daily living of chronic stroke patients.
Lee, Gyuchang
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of training using video games played on the Xbox Kinect on the muscle strength, muscle tone, and activities of daily living of post-stroke patients. [Subjects] Fourteen stroke patients were recruited. They were randomly allocated into two groups; the experimental group (n=7) and the control group (n=7). [Methods] The experimental group performed training using video games played on the Xbox Kinect together with conventional occupational therapy for 6 weeks (1 hour/day, 3 days/week), and the control group received conventional occupational therapy only for 6 weeks (30 min/day, 3 days/week). Before and after the intervention, the participants were measured for muscle strength, muscle tone, and performance of activities of daily living. [Results] There were significant differences pre- and post-test in muscle strength of the upper extremities, except the wrist, and performance of activities of daily living in the experimental group. There were no significant differences between the two groups at post-test. [Conclusion] The training using video games played on the Xbox Kinect had a positive effect on the motor function and performance of activities of daily living. This study showed that training using video games played on the Xbox Kinect may be an effective intervention for the rehabilitation of stroke patients. PMID:24259810
Abnormal Cortex-Muscle Interactions in Subjects with X-linked Kallmann's Syndrome and Mirror Movements
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Farmer, S. F.; Harrison, L. M.; Mayston, M. J.; Parekh, A.; James, L. M.; Stephens, J. A.
X-linked Kallmann's (XKS) subjects, who display mirror movements, have abnormal corticospinal tracts which innervate motoneurons of the left and right distal muscles of the upper limb. The size of the abnormal ipsilateral projection is variable. We have used coherence and cumulant analysis between EEG and first dorsal interosseous muscle (1DI) EMG…
Brainstem control of locomotion and muscle tone with special reference to the role of the mesopontine tegmentum and medullary reticulospinal systems.
Takakusaki, Kaoru; Chiba, Ryosuke; Nozu, Tsukasa; Okumura, Toshikatsu
The lateral part of the mesopontine tegmentum contains functionally important structures involved in the control of posture and gait. Specifically, the mesencephalic locomotor region, which may consist of the cuneiform nucleus and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN), occupies the interest with respect to the pathophysiology of posture-gait disorders. The purpose of this article is to review the mechanisms involved in the control of postural muscle tone and locomotion by the mesopontine tegmentum and the pontomedullary reticulospinal system. To make interpretation and discussion more robust, the above issue is considered largely based on our findings in the experiments using decerebrate cat preparations in addition to the results in animal experimentations and clinical investigations in other laboratories. Our investigations revealed the presence of functional topographical organizations with respect to the regulation of postural muscle tone and locomotion in both the mesopontine tegmentum and the pontomedullary reticulospinal system. These organizations were modified by neurotransmitter systems, particularly the cholinergic PPN projection to the pontine reticular formation. Because efferents from the forebrain structures as well as the cerebellum converge to the mesencephalic and pontomedullary reticular formation, changes in these organizations may be involved in the appropriate regulation of posture-gait synergy depending on the behavioral context. On the other hand, abnormal signals from the higher motor centers may produce dysfunction of the mesencephalic-reticulospinal system. Here we highlight the significance of elucidating the mechanisms of the mesencephalic-reticulospinal control of posture and locomotion so that thorough understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of posture-gait disorders can be made. PMID:26497023
Antidepressants Increase REM Sleep Muscle Tone in Patients with and without REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
McCarter, Stuart J.; St. Louis, Erik K.; Sandness, David J.; Arndt, Katlyn A.; Erickson, Maia K.; Tabatabai, Grace M.; Boeve, Bradley F.; Silber, Michael H.
. Further prospective RSWA analyses are necessary to clarify the relationships between antidepressant treatment, psychiatric disease, and RBD. Citation: McCarter SJ, St. Louis EK, Sandness DJ, Arndt KA, Erickson MK, Tabatabai GM, Boeve BF, Silber MH. Antidepressants Increase REM sleep muscle tone in patients with and without REM sleep behavior disorder. SLEEP 2015;38(6):907–917. PMID:25325487
Effect of whole-body vibration exercise in a sitting position prior to therapy on muscle tone and upper extremity function in stroke patients
Boo, Jung-A; Moon, Sang-Hyun; Lee, Sun-Min; Choi, Jung-Hyun; Park, Si-Eun
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of whole-body vibration exercise in a sitting position prior to therapy in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Fourteen chronic stroke patients were included in this study. Prior to occupational therapy, whole-body exercise was performed for 10 minutes, 5 times per week, for a total of 8 weeks. Muscle tone and upper extremity function were measured. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) was used to measure muscle tone, and the Manual Function Test (MFT) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale (FugM) were used to measure upper extremity function. [Results] MAS score was significantly decreased, and MFT and FugM were significantly increased. [Conclusion] These results indicate that whole-body vibration exercise in a sitting position prior to therapy had a positive effect on muscle tone, and upper extremity function in stroke patients. PMID:27065354
Effect of whole-body vibration exercise in a sitting position prior to therapy on muscle tone and upper extremity function in stroke patients.
Boo, Jung-A; Moon, Sang-Hyun; Lee, Sun-Min; Choi, Jung-Hyun; Park, Si-Eun
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of whole-body vibration exercise in a sitting position prior to therapy in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Fourteen chronic stroke patients were included in this study. Prior to occupational therapy, whole-body exercise was performed for 10 minutes, 5 times per week, for a total of 8 weeks. Muscle tone and upper extremity function were measured. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) was used to measure muscle tone, and the Manual Function Test (MFT) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale (FugM) were used to measure upper extremity function. [Results] MAS score was significantly decreased, and MFT and FugM were significantly increased. [Conclusion] These results indicate that whole-body vibration exercise in a sitting position prior to therapy had a positive effect on muscle tone, and upper extremity function in stroke patients. PMID:27065354
Regulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Tone by Adipose-Derived Contracting Factor
Meyer, Matthias R.; Fredette, Natalie C.; Barton, Matthias; Prossnitz, Eric R.
Obesity and arterial hypertension, important risk factors for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, are characterized by an increase in vascular tone. While obesity is known to augment vasoconstrictor prostanoid activity in endothelial cells, less is known about factors released from fat tissue surrounding arteries (perivascular adipose). Using lean controls and mice with either monogenic or diet-induced obesity, we set out to determine whether and through which pathways perivascular adipose affects vascular tone. We unexpectedly found that in the aorta of obese mice, perivascular adipose potentiates vascular contractility to serotonin and phenylephrine, indicating activity of a factor generated by perivascular adipose, which we designated "adipose-derived contracting factor" (ADCF). Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) fully prevented ADCF-mediated contractions, whereas COX-1 or COX-2-selective inhibition was only partially effective. By contrast, inhibition of superoxide anions, NO synthase, or endothelin receptors had no effect on ADCF activity. Perivascular adipose as a source of COX-derived ADCF was further confirmed by detecting increased thromboxane A2 formation from perivascular adipose-replete aortae from obese mice. Taken together, this study identifies perivascular adipose as a novel regulator of arterial vasoconstriction through the release of COX-derived ADCF. Excessive ADCF activity in perivascular fat under obese conditions likely contributes to increased vascular tone by antagonizing vasodilation. ADCF may thus propagate obesity-dependent hypertension and the associated increased risk in coronary artery disease, potentially representing a novel therapeutic target. PMID:24244459
Managing Lower Extremity Muscle Tone and Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy via Eight-Week Repetitive Passive Knee Movement Intervention
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cheng, Hsin-Yi Kathy; Ju, Yan-Ying; Chen, Chia-Ling; Chang, Ya-Ju; Wong, Alice May-Kuen
This study used a repeated measures design to assess the effect of an eight-week repetitive passive movement (RPM) intervention on lower extremity muscle tone and function in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Eighteen children (aged 9.5 [plus or minus] 2.1 years) with spastic CP were randomly assigned to a knee RPM intervention condition of 3…
Positioning and Care of the Low-Tone Child.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tracy, Barbara
The brochure offers guidelines on the everyday care and handling of infants with low muscle tone, in order that positioning, carrying, and other daily activities can be done in ways that will enhance the development of the child and prevent abnormal postures and patterns of movement. Proper positioning in the prone, supine, side lying, and sitting…
Effects of vibrotactile stimulation on the control of muscle tone and movement facilitation in children with cerebral injury.
Katusić, Ana; Mejaski-Bosnjak, Vlatka
Afferent signals from the muscle's proprioceptors play important role in the control of muscle tone and in the facilitation of movements. Peripheral afferent pathway enables the restoration of connections with supraspinal structures and so includes mechanism of synaptic inhibition in the performance of normal movement. Different sensory stimuli, as vibrotactile stimulation, excite muscle's proprioceptors which then send sensorimotor information via spinal cord. In this way afferent signals promote cortical control and modulation of movements. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of vibrotactile stimulation on the spasticity and motor performance in children with cerebral injury. Subjects included in this study were 13 children who were developing the classification of spastic cerebral palsy. For all children perinatal brain damage was documented by medical reports and neonatal brain ultrasound scan. At the mean age of 3 years and 6 months subject underwent the assessment of motor development by Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM-88). Gross Motor Classification System (GMFCS) has been used to classify functions of lower extremities. Therapeutic intervention was conducted once a week during 3 months. All subjects were stimulated with vibrotactile stimuli of 40Hz in duration of 20 minutes in order to reduce spasticity. After the ending of the treatment subjects underwent second assessment of motor performance and the classification of lower extremities functions. The results have shown that there was a significant improvement in motor performance, what has been seen in the facilitation of rotations, better postural trunk stability and head control and in greater selectivity of movements. Further randomized, control trial investigations with bigger sample and included spasm scale are needed to gain better insight in the role of vibrotactile stimulation in the facilitation of normal movements. PMID:21648312
The effect of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel inhibitors on the vagal control of guinea pig airway smooth muscle tone
McGovern, Alice E; Robusto, Jed; Rakoczy, Joanna; Simmons, David G; Phipps, Simon; Mazzone, Stuart B
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Subtypes of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) family of cation channels are widely expressed on nerves and smooth muscle cells in many organ systems, where they serve to regulate membrane excitability. Here we have assessed whether HCN channel inhibitors alter the function of airway smooth muscle or the neurons that regulate airway smooth muscle tone. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The effects of the HCN channel inhibitors ZD7288, zatebradine and Cs+ were assessed on agonist and nerve stimulation-evoked changes in guinea pig airway smooth muscle tone using tracheal strips in vitro, an innervated tracheal tube preparation ex vivo or in anaesthetized mechanically ventilated guinea pigs in vivo. HCN channel expression in airway nerves was assessed using immunohistochemistry, PCR and in situ hybridization. KEY RESULTS HCN channel inhibition did not alter airway smooth muscle reactivity in vitro to exogenously administered smooth muscle spasmogens, but significantly potentiated smooth muscle contraction evoked by the sensory nerve stimulant capsaicin and electrical field stimulation of parasympathetic cholinergic postganglionic neurons. Sensory nerve hyperresponsiveness was also evident in in vivo following HCN channel blockade. Cs+, but not ZD7288, potentiated preganglionic nerve-dependent airway contractions and over time induced autorhythmic preganglionic nerve activity, which was not mimicked by inhibitors of potassium channels. HCN channel expression was most evident in vagal sensory ganglia and airway nerve fibres. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS HCN channel inhibitors had a previously unrecognized effect on the neural regulation of airway smooth muscle tone, which may have implications for some patients receiving HCN channel inhibitors for therapeutic purposes. PMID:24762027
Prenatal Hypoxia–Ischemia Induces Abnormalities in CA3 Microstructure, Potassium Chloride Co-Transporter 2 Expression and Inhibitory Tone
Jantzie, Lauren L.; Getsy, Paulina M.; Denson, Jesse L.; Firl, Daniel J.; Maxwell, Jessie R.; Rogers, Danny A.; Wilson, Christopher G.; Robinson, Shenandoah
Infants who suffer perinatal brain injury, including those with encephalopathy of prematurity, are prone to chronic neurological deficits, including epilepsy, cognitive impairment, and behavioral problems, such as anxiety, inattention, and poor social interaction. These deficits, especially in combination, pose the greatest hindrance to these children becoming independent adults. Cerebral function depends on adequate development of essential inhibitory neural circuits and the appropriate amount of excitation and inhibition at specific stages of maturation. Early neuronal synaptic responses to γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) are initially excitatory. During the early postnatal period, GABAAR responses switch to inhibitory with the upregulation of potassium-chloride co-transporter KCC2. With extrusion of chloride by KCC2, the Cl− reversal potential shifts and GABA and glycine responses become inhibitory. We hypothesized that prenatal hypoxic–ischemic brain injury chronically impairs the developmental upregulation of KCC2 that is essential for cerebral circuit formation. Following late gestation hypoxia–ischemia (HI), diffusion tensor imaging in juvenile rats shows poor microstructural integrity in the hippocampal CA3 subfield, with reduced fractional anisotropy and elevated radial diffusivity. The loss of microstructure correlates with early reduced KCC2 expression on NeuN-positive pyramidal neurons, and decreased monomeric and oligomeric KCC2 protein expression in the CA3 subfield. Together with decreased inhibitory post-synaptic currents during a critical window of development, we document for the first time that prenatal transient systemic HI in rats impairs hippocampal CA3 inhibitory tone. Failure of timely development of inhibitory tone likely contributes to a lower seizure threshold and impaired cognitive function in children who suffer perinatal brain injury. PMID:26388734
Prenatal Hypoxia-Ischemia Induces Abnormalities in CA3 Microstructure, Potassium Chloride Co-Transporter 2 Expression and Inhibitory Tone.
Jantzie, Lauren L; Getsy, Paulina M; Denson, Jesse L; Firl, Daniel J; Maxwell, Jessie R; Rogers, Danny A; Wilson, Christopher G; Robinson, Shenandoah
Infants who suffer perinatal brain injury, including those with encephalopathy of prematurity, are prone to chronic neurological deficits, including epilepsy, cognitive impairment, and behavioral problems, such as anxiety, inattention, and poor social interaction. These deficits, especially in combination, pose the greatest hindrance to these children becoming independent adults. Cerebral function depends on adequate development of essential inhibitory neural circuits and the appropriate amount of excitation and inhibition at specific stages of maturation. Early neuronal synaptic responses to γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) are initially excitatory. During the early postnatal period, GABAAR responses switch to inhibitory with the upregulation of potassium-chloride co-transporter KCC2. With extrusion of chloride by KCC2, the Cl(-) reversal potential shifts and GABA and glycine responses become inhibitory. We hypothesized that prenatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury chronically impairs the developmental upregulation of KCC2 that is essential for cerebral circuit formation. Following late gestation hypoxia-ischemia (HI), diffusion tensor imaging in juvenile rats shows poor microstructural integrity in the hippocampal CA3 subfield, with reduced fractional anisotropy and elevated radial diffusivity. The loss of microstructure correlates with early reduced KCC2 expression on NeuN-positive pyramidal neurons, and decreased monomeric and oligomeric KCC2 protein expression in the CA3 subfield. Together with decreased inhibitory post-synaptic currents during a critical window of development, we document for the first time that prenatal transient systemic HI in rats impairs hippocampal CA3 inhibitory tone. Failure of timely development of inhibitory tone likely contributes to a lower seizure threshold and impaired cognitive function in children who suffer perinatal brain injury. PMID:26388734
Abnormal tracheal smooth muscle function in the CF mouse
Wallace, Helen L; Southern, Kevin W; Connell, Marilyn G; Wray, Susan; Burdyga, Theodor
Increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) contractility is thought to underlie symptoms of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). In the cystic fibrosis (CF) airway, ASM anomalies have been reported, but have not been fully characterized and the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We examined ASM in an adult CF mouse tracheal ring preparation, and determined whether changes in contractility were associated with altered ASM morphology. We looked for inherent changes in the cellular pathways involved in contractility, and characterized trachea morphology in the adult trachea and in an embryonic lung culture model during development. Results showed that that there was a reduction in tracheal caliber in CF mice as indicated by a reduction in the number of cartilage rings; proximal cross-sectional areas of cftr−/− tracheas and luminal areas were significantly smaller, but there was no difference in the area or distribution of smooth muscle. Morphological differences observed in adult trachea were not evident in the embryonic lung at 11.5 days gestation or after 72 h in culture. Functional data showed a significant reduction in the amplitude and duration of contraction in response to carbachol (CCh) in Ca-free conditions. The reduction in contraction was agonist specific, and occurred throughout the length of the trachea. These data show that there is a loss in the contractile capacity of the CF mouse trachea due to downregulation of the pathway specific to acetylcholine (ACh) activation. This reduction in contraction is not associated with changes in the area or distribution of ASM. PMID:24400140
Diacylglycerol-containing docosahexaenoic acid in acyl chain modulates airway smooth muscle tone.
Hichami, Aziz; Morin, Caroline; Rousseau, Eric; Khan, Naim A
We synthesized and assessed the role of a diacylglycerol (DAG)-containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), that is, 1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-sn-glycerol (SDHG), in the contraction of guinea pig airway smooth muscle (ASM). We compared its action with 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (SAG) and 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (1,2-DiC8), a stable DAG analog. The three DAGs (SAG, SDHG, and 1,2-DiC8) induced reversible concentration-dependent contraction of ASM. SDHG induced higher guinea pig ASM contraction than did SAG and 1,2-DiC8. The effects of SDHG were blocked, to different extents, by nifedipine (L-type Ca2+ channel blocker). By employing GF-109203X (protein kinase C [PKC] inhibitor) and lanthanum (La3+), a nonselective cation channel blocker, we observed that SDHG evoked ASM contractile response via PKC-dependent and PKC-independent (but Ca2+-dependent) pathways. Interestingly, SAG exerted its action only by increasing [Ca2+]i and did not require PKC activation. To probe the implication of calcium mobilization, we employed thapsigargin (TG), which also induced ASM contraction in a calcium-dependent manner. SDHG and 1,2-DiC8, in a PKC-dependent manner, induced the phosphorylation of CPI-17 (myosin light chain phosphatase inhibitor of 17 kD). Furthermore, SAG and TG failed to phosphorylate CPI-17 in ASM cells. Our results suggest that different DAG species, produced during a dietary supplementation with fatty acids, could modulate the reactivity of airway smooth muscles in a PKC-dependent and -independent manner, and hence, may play a critical role in health and disease. PMID:15961724
The role of videofluoroscopy and ultrasound in assessing pharyngoesophageal muscle tone after laryngectomy.
Tićac, Robert; Candrlić, Barbara; Juranić, Jurica; Pavelić, Goran; Pedisić, Dijana; Pusić, Marin; Velepic, Marko; Starcević, Radan; Miletić, Damir
The aim of this study was to compare the respective value of videofluoroscopy and ultrasound for assessment of the tonicity of the neoglottis and determination of the exact neolaryngeal segment of hypertonicity. We examined twelve patients who had developed inadequate tracheoesophageal voice following total laryngectomy and installation of tracheoesophageal prosthesis. We assumed that the cause of the unsatisfactory voice quality in our patients was neolaryngeal muscle spasm. After determining the exact hypertonic segment, we administered lidocaine intramuscularly and tried to act on the hypertonic segment. By means of videofluoroscopy as gold standard for comparison with ultrasound examination, we followed the passage of contrast through the neo-larynx and watched for dilatation of the segment during swallowing, phonation and at rest to determine whether there were any tonus disturbances or differences before and after lidocaine injection. In conclusion, a combination of the two methods could yield better results in voice restoration. Videofluoroscopy is the method of choice for initial assessment and determination of the hypertonic segment, while ultrasound is the method to apply to facilitate administering the drug more precisely. PMID:23397770
Abnormal splicing switch of DMD's penultimate exon compromises muscle fibre maintenance in myotonic dystrophy.
Rau, Frédérique; Lainé, Jeanne; Ramanoudjame, Laetitita; Ferry, Arnaud; Arandel, Ludovic; Delalande, Olivier; Jollet, Arnaud; Dingli, Florent; Lee, Kuang-Yung; Peccate, Cécile; Lorain, Stéphanie; Kabashi, Edor; Athanasopoulos, Takis; Koo, Taeyoung; Loew, Damarys; Swanson, Maurice S; Le Rumeur, Elisabeth; Dickson, George; Allamand, Valérie; Marie, Joëlle; Furling, Denis
Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a dominant neuromuscular disease caused by nuclear-retained RNAs containing expanded CUG repeats. These toxic RNAs alter the activities of RNA splicing factors resulting in alternative splicing misregulation and muscular dysfunction. Here we show that the abnormal splicing of DMD exon 78 found in dystrophic muscles of DM1 patients is due to the functional loss of MBNL1 and leads to the re-expression of an embryonic dystrophin in place of the adult isoform. Forced expression of embryonic dystrophin in zebrafish using an exon-skipping approach severely impairs the mobility and muscle architecture. Moreover, reproducing Dmd exon 78 missplicing switch in mice induces muscle fibre remodelling and ultrastructural abnormalities including ringed fibres, sarcoplasmic masses or Z-band disorganization, which are characteristic features of dystrophic DM1 skeletal muscles. Thus, we propose that splicing misregulation of DMD exon 78 compromises muscle fibre maintenance and contributes to the progressive dystrophic process in DM1. PMID:26018658
Abnormal splicing switch of DMD's penultimate exon compromises muscle fibre maintenance in myotonic dystrophy
Rau, Frédérique; Lainé, Jeanne; Ramanoudjame, Laetitita; Ferry, Arnaud; Arandel, Ludovic; Delalande, Olivier; Jollet, Arnaud; Dingli, Florent; Lee, Kuang-Yung; Peccate, Cécile; Lorain, Stéphanie; Kabashi, Edor; Athanasopoulos, Takis; Koo, Taeyoung; Loew, Damarys; Swanson, Maurice S.; Le Rumeur, Elisabeth; Dickson, George; Allamand, Valérie; Marie, Joëlle; Furling, Denis
Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a dominant neuromuscular disease caused by nuclear-retained RNAs containing expanded CUG repeats. These toxic RNAs alter the activities of RNA splicing factors resulting in alternative splicing misregulation and muscular dysfunction. Here we show that the abnormal splicing of DMD exon 78 found in dystrophic muscles of DM1 patients is due to the functional loss of MBNL1 and leads to the re-expression of an embryonic dystrophin in place of the adult isoform. Forced expression of embryonic dystrophin in zebrafish using an exon-skipping approach severely impairs the mobility and muscle architecture. Moreover, reproducing Dmd exon 78 missplicing switch in mice induces muscle fibre remodelling and ultrastructural abnormalities including ringed fibres, sarcoplasmic masses or Z-band disorganization, which are characteristic features of dystrophic DM1 skeletal muscles. Thus, we propose that splicing misregulation of DMD exon 78 compromises muscle fibre maintenance and contributes to the progressive dystrophic process in DM1. PMID:26018658
Muscle MRI reveals distinct abnormalities in genetically proven non-dystrophic myotonias.
Morrow, Jasper M; Matthews, Emma; Raja Rayan, Dipa L; Fischmann, Arne; Sinclair, Christopher D J; Reilly, Mary M; Thornton, John S; Hanna, Michael G; Yousry, Tarek A
We assessed the presence, frequency and pattern of MRI abnormalities in non-dystrophic myotonia patients. We reviewed T1-weighted and STIR (short-tau-inversion-recovery) 3T MRI sequences of lower limb muscles at thigh and calf level in 21 patients with genetically confirmed non-dystrophic myotonia: 11 with CLCN1 mutations and 10 with SCN4A mutations, and 19 healthy volunteers. The MRI examinations of all patients showed hyperintensity within muscles on either T1-weighted or STIR images. Mild extensive or marked T1-weighted changes were noted in 10/21 patients and no volunteers. Muscles in the thigh were equally likely to be affected but in the calf there was sparing of tibialis posterior. Oedema was common in calf musculature especially in the medial gastrocnemius with STIR hyperintensity observed in 18/21 patients. In 10/11 CLCN1 patients this included a previously unreported "central stripe", also present in 3/10 SCN4A patients but no volunteers. Degree of fatty infiltration correlated with age (rho=0.46, p<0.05). Muscle MRI is frequently abnormal in non-dystrophic myotonia providing evidence of fatty infiltration and/or oedema. The pattern is distinct from other myotonic disorders; in particular the "central stripe" has not been reported in other conditions. Correlations with clinical parameters suggest a potential role for MRI as a biomarker. PMID:23810313
Combined whole body vibration and balance training using Vibrosphere®: improvement of trunk stability, muscle tone, and postural control in stroke patients during early geriatric rehabilitation.
Merkert, J; Butz, S; Nieczaj, R; Steinhagen-Thiessen, E; Eckardt, R
Strokes are a leading cause of disability, immobility, and reduced ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) among the elderly. Balance and postural control are often affected in stroke patients. Physical therapy for the lower back to improve posture, mobility, and ADLs can be very time consuming. In this randomized, controlled study of 66 geriatric patients (mean age 74.5 years) with stroke-related paresis or hemiplegia, it was demonstrated that stroke patients may benefit more from 3 additional weeks of combined whole body vibration and balance training than from a comprehensive inpatient geriatric rehabilitation program in terms of trunk stability, postural control, and muscle tone. PMID:21505939
Abnormal skeletal muscle oxidative capacity after lung transplantation by 31P-MRS.
Evans, A B; Al-Himyary, A J; Hrovat, M I; Pappagianopoulos, P; Wain, J C; Ginns, L C; Systrom, D M
Although lung transplantation improves exercise capacity by removal of a ventilatory limitation, recipients' postoperative maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) remains markedly abnormal. To determine if abnormal skeletal muscle oxidative capacity contributes to this impaired aerobic capacity, nine lung transplant recipients and eight healthy volunteers performed incremental quadriceps exercise to exhaustion with simultaneous measurements of pulmonary gas exchange, minute ventilation, blood lactate, and quadriceps muscle pH and phosphorylation potential by 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). Five to 38 mo after lung transplantation, peak VO2 was decreased compared with that of normal control subjects (6.7 +/- 0.4 versus 12.3 +/- 1.0 ml/min/kg, p < 0.001), even after accounting for differences in age and lean body weight. Neither ventilation, arterial O2 saturation nor mild anemia could account for the decrease in aerobic capacity. Quadriceps muscle intracellular pH (pH(i)) was more acidic at rest (7.07 +/- 0.01 versus 7.12 +/- 0.01 units, p < 0.05) and fell during exercise from baseline values at a lower metabolic rate (282 +/- 21 versus 577 +/- 52 ml/min, p < 0.001). Regressions for pH(i) versus VO2, phosphocreatine/inorganic phosphate ratio (PCr/Pi) versus VO2, and blood lactate versus pH(i) were not different. Among transplant recipients, the metabolic rate at which pH(i) fell correlated closely with VO2max (r = 0.87, p < 0.01). The persistent decrease in VO2max after lung transplantation may be related to abnormalities of skeletal muscle oxidative capacity. PMID:9032203
Branched-chain amino acid metabolism in rat muscle: abnormal regulation in acidosis
May, R.C.; Hara, Y.; Kelly, R.A.; Block, K.P.; Buse, M.G.; Mitch, W.E.
Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism is frequently abnormal in pathological conditions accompanied by chronic metabolic acidosis. To study how metabolic acidosis affects BCAA metabolism in muscle, rats were gavage fed a 14% protein diet with or without 4 mmol NH/sub 4/Cl x 100 g body wt/sup -1/ x day/sup -1/. Epitrochlearis muscles were incubated with L-(1-/sup 14/C)-valine and L-(1-/sup 14/C)leucine, and rates of decarboxylation, net transamination, and incorporation into muscle protein were measured. Plasma and muscle BCAA levels were lower in acidotic rats. Rates of valine and leucine decarboxylation and net transamination were higher in muscles from acidotic rats; these differences were associated with a 79% increase in the total activity of branched-chain ..cap alpha..-keto acid dehydrogenase and a 146% increase in the activated form of the enzyme. They conclude that acidosis affects the regulation of BCAA metabolism by enhancing flux through the transaminase and by directly stimulating oxidative catabolism through activation of branched-chain ..cap alpha..-keto acid dehydrogenase.
Normal protein content but abnormally inhibited enzyme activity in muscle carnitine palmitoyltransferase II deficiency.
Lehmann, Diana; Zierz, Stephan
The biochemical consequences of the disease causing mutations of muscle carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II) deficiency are still enigmatic. Therefore, CPT II was characterized in muscle biopsies of nine patients with genetically proven muscle CPT II deficiency. Total CPT activity (CPT I+CPT II) of patients was not significantly different from that of controls. Remaining activities upon inhibition by malonyl-CoA and Triton X-100 were significantly reduced in patients. Immunohistochemically CPT II protein was predominantly expressed in type-I-fibers with the same intensity in patients as in controls. Western blot showed the same CPT II staining intensity ratio in patients and controls. CPT I and CPT II protein concentrations estimated by ELISA were not significantly different in patients and in controls. Citrate synthase activity in patients was significantly increased. Total CPT activity significantly correlated with both CPT I and CPT II protein concentrations in patients and controls. This implies (i) that normal total CPT activity in patients with muscle CPT II deficiency is not due to compensatory increase of CPT I activity and that (ii) the mutant CPT II is enzymatically active. The data further support the notion that in muscle CPT II deficiency enzyme activity and protein content are not reduced, but rather abnormally inhibited when fatty acid metabolism is stressed. PMID:24602495
Normal Muscle Oxygen Consumption and Fatigability in Sickle Cell Patients Despite Reduced Microvascular Oxygenation and Hemorheological Abnormalities
Waltz, Xavier; Pichon, Aurélien; Lemonne, Nathalie; Mougenel, Danièle; Lalanne-Mistrih, Marie-Laure; Lamarre, Yann; Tarer, Vanessa; Tressières, Benoit; Etienne-Julan, Maryse; Hardy-Dessources, Marie-Dominique; Hue, Olivier; Connes, Philippe
Background/Aim Although it has been hypothesized that muscle metabolism and fatigability could be impaired in sickle cell patients, no study has addressed this issue. Methods We compared muscle metabolism and function (muscle microvascular oxygenation, microvascular blood flow, muscle oxygen consumption and muscle microvascular oxygenation variability, which reflects vasomotion activity, maximal muscle force and local muscle fatigability) and the hemorheological profile at rest between 16 healthy subjects (AA), 20 sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease (SC) patients and 16 sickle cell anemia (SS) patients. Results Muscle microvascular oxygenation was reduced in SS patients compared to the SC and AA groups and this reduction was not related to hemorhelogical abnormalities. No difference was observed between the three groups for oxygen consumption and vasomotion activity. Muscle microvascular blood flow was higher in SS patients compared to the AA group, and tended to be higher compared to the SC group. Multivariate analysis revealed that muscle oxygen consumption was independently associated with muscle microvascular blood flow in the two sickle cell groups (SC and SS). Finally, despite reduced muscle force in sickle cell patients, their local muscle fatigability was similar to that of the healthy subjects. Conclusions Sickle cell patients have normal resting muscle oxygen consumption and fatigability despite hemorheological alterations and, for SS patients only, reduced muscle microvascular oxygenation and increased microvascular blood flow. Two alternative mechanisms can be proposed for SS patients: 1) the increased muscle microvascular blood flow is a way to compensate for the lower muscle microvascular oxygenation to maintain muscle oxygen consumption to normal values or 2) the reduced microvascular oxygenation coupled with a normal resting muscle oxygen consumption could indicate that there is slight hypoxia within the muscle which is not sufficient to limit
Transfer of beta-amyloid precursor protein gene using adenovirus vector causes mitochondrial abnormalities in cultured normal human muscle.
Askanas, V; McFerrin, J; Baqué, S; Alvarez, R B; Sarkozi, E; Engel, W K
As in Alzheimer-disease (AD) brain, vacuolated muscle fibers of inclusion-body myositis (IBM) contain abnormally accumulated beta-amyloid precursor protein (beta APP), including its beta-amyloid protein epitope, and increased beta APP-751 mRNA. Other similarities between IBM muscle and AD brain phenotypes include paired helical filaments, hyperphosphorylated tau protein, apolipoprotein E, and mitochondrial abnormalities, including decreased cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) activity. The pathogenesis of these abnormalities in IBM muscle and AD brain is not known. We now report that direct transfer of the beta APP gene, using adenovirus vector, into cultured normal human muscle fibers causes structural abnormalities of mitochondria and decreased COX activity. In this adenovirus-mediated beta APP gene transfer, we demonstrated that beta APP overproduction can induce mitochondrial abnormalities. The data suggest that excessive beta APP may be responsible for mitochondrial and COX abnormalities in IBM muscle and perhaps AD brain. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 PMID:8577761
Effect of extraluminal ATP application on vascular tone and blood flow in skeletal muscle: implications for exercise hyperemia
Al-Khazraji, Baraa K.; Mortensen, Stefan P.; Jackson, Dwayne N.; Ellis, Christopher G.; Hellsten, Ylva
During skeletal muscle contractions, the concentration of ATP increases in muscle interstitial fluid as measured by microdialysis probes. This increase is associated with the magnitude of blood flow, suggesting that interstitial ATP may be important for contraction-induced vasodilation. However, interstitial ATP has solely been described to induce vasoconstriction in skeletal muscle. To examine whether interstitial ATP induces vasodilation in skeletal muscle and to what extent this vasoactive effect is mediated by formation of nitric oxide (NO) and prostanoids, three different experimental models were studied. The rat gluteus maximus skeletal muscle model was used to study changes in local skeletal muscle hemodynamics. Superfused ATP at concentrations found during muscle contractions (1–10 μM) increased blood flow by up to 400%. In this model, the underlying mechanism was also examined by inhibition of NO and prostanoid formation. Inhibition of these systems abolished the vasodilator effect of ATP. Cell-culture experiments verified ATP-induced formation of NO and prostacyclin in rat skeletal muscle microvascular endothelial cells, and ATP-induced formation of NO in rat skeletal muscle cells. To confirm these findings in humans, ATP was infused into skeletal muscle interstitium of healthy subjects via microdialysis probes and found to increase muscle interstitial concentrations of NO and prostacyclin by ∼60% and ∼40%, respectively. Collectively, these data suggest that a physiologically relevant elevation in interstitial ATP concentrations increases muscle blood flow, indicating that the contraction-induced increase in skeletal muscle interstitial [ATP] is important for exercise hyperemia. The vasodilator effect of ATP application is mediated by NO and prostanoid formation. PMID:23761642
Reducing abnormal muscle co-activation after stroke using a myoelectric-computer interface: a pilot study
Wright, Zachary A.; Zev Rymer, W.; Slutzky, Marc W.
Background A significant factor in impaired movement caused by stroke is the inability to activate muscles independently. While the pathophysiology behind this abnormal co-activation is not clear, reducing the co-activation could improve overall arm function. A myoelectric computer interface (MCI), which maps EMG signals to cursor movement, could be used as a treatment to help retrain muscle activation patterns. Objective To investigate the use of MCI training to reduce abnormal muscle co-activation in chronic stroke survivors. Methods Five healthy subjects and five stroke survivors with hemiparesis participated in multiple sessions of MCI training. The level of arm impairment in stroke survivors was assessed using the upper extremity portion of Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FMA-UE). Subjects performed isometric activations of up to five muscles. Activation of each muscle was mapped to different directions of cursor movement. The MCI specifically targeted one pair of muscles in each subject for reduction of co-activation. Results Both healthy subjects and stroke survivors learned to reduce abnormal co-activation of the targeted muscles with MCI training. Three out of five stroke survivors exhibited objective reduction in arm impairment as well (improvement in FMA-UE of 3 points in each of these subjects). Conclusions These results suggest that the MCI was an effective tool in directly retraining muscle activation patterns following stroke. PMID:24376069
Correcting of pronated feet reduce skeletal muscle injury in young women with biomechanical abnormalities
Tulaar, Angela B. M.; Immanuel, Suzana; Purba, A.; Mansyur, Muchtaruddin; Haryadi, Ratna Darjanti; Hadisoebroto, Ismail; Husni, Amin; Ibrahim, Nurhadi
Biomechanical abnormalities of pronated feet accompanied by functional leg length disparity may increase the risk of skeletal muscle injury. Objective of the study is to prove that correction of pronated feet by the foot orthoses will reduce the creatine kinase-MM (CK-MM) concentrations as the muscle injury indicator. The design study was double blind randomized clinical trials with control. Research subjects were divided into two groups, group 1 used the foot orthoses while group 2 did not used the foot orthoses. The whole subject examined the concentrations of the CK-MM enzyme before, and 24–72 hours after the walking test. The walking test was conducted 15 minutes with maximum speed. The concentration of the CK-MM enzyme before walking test on treatment group was 70.07±15.33 International Unit (IU), similar with the control group was 69.85±17.03 IU (P=0.971). The increased in CK-MM enzyme concentrations 45 hours after the walking test was lower in the treatment group (7.8±9 IU) than the control group (22.0±11.5 IU) (P=0.001). The CK-MM enzyme concentrations continued to decline in the treatment group after the second walking test (77.21±17.47 IU), and after the third walking test (69.86±11.88 IU) (P=0.018). The foot orthoses for correcting the pronated feet on the young women with biomechanical abnormalities is able to reduce the degree of the skeletal muscle injury after walking activity. PMID:27051564
Histology, composition, and quality traits of chicken Pectoralis major muscle affected by wooden breast abnormality.
Soglia, F; Mudalal, S; Babini, E; Di Nunzio, M; Mazzoni, M; Sirri, F; Cavani, C; Petracci, M
Only a few years ago, the poultry industry began to face a recent abnormality in breast meat, known as wooden breast, which frequently overlaps with white striping. This study aimed to assess the impact of wooden breast abnormality on quality traits of meat. For this purpose, 32 normal (NRM), 32 wooden (WB), and 32 wooden and white-striped (WB/WS) Pectoralis major muscles were selected from the same flock of heavy broilers (males, Ross 708, weighing around 3.7 kg) in the deboning area of a commercial processing plant at 3 h postmortem and used to assess histology, proximate (moisture, protein, fat, ash, and collagen) and mineral composition (Mg, K, P, Na and Ca), sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein patterns, and technological traits of breast meat. Compared to the normal group, WB/WS fillets showed more severe histological lesions characterized by fiber degeneration, fibrosis, and lipidosis, coupled with a significantly harder texture. With regard to proximate and mineral composition, abnormal samples exhibited significantly (P < 0.001) higher moisture, fat, and collagen contents coupled with lower (P < 0.001) amounts of protein and ash. Furthermore, increased calcium (131 vs. 84 mg kg(-1); P < 0.05) and sodium (741 vs. 393 mg kg(-1); P < 0.001) levels were found in WB/WS meat samples. The SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a significantly lower amount of calcium-ATPase (SERCA, 114 kDa), responsible for the translocation of Ca ions across the membrane, in normal breasts compared to abnormal ones. As for meat quality traits, fillets affected by wooden abnormality exhibited significantly (P < 0.001) higher ultimate pH and lower water-holding/water-binding capacity. In particular, compared to normal, abnormal samples showed reduced marinade uptake coupled with increased drip loss and cooking losses as well. In conclusion, this study revealed that meat affected by wooden breast or both wooden breast and white striping abnormalities exhibit poorer nutritional value, harder
Effect of r-TMS over standard therapy in decreasing muscle tone of spastic cerebral palsy patients.
Gupta, Meena; Lal Rajak, Bablu; Bhatia, Dinesh; Mukherjee, Arun
Spastic cerebral palsy (CP) is the one of most common neurological disorders occurring due to damage to the immature brain or any other brain lesion at the time of birth. To aid in making the life of the CP patient meaningful, several interventions such as medical, surgical and rehabilitation have been employed to date. Besides these, recently repetitive Transcranial magnetic stimulation (r-TMS) is a new found approach which is being employed for treating various neurological and psychological conditions. The aim of this study was to observe the effects of r-TMS on muscle spasticity in CP patients by stimulating the motor cortex area of the brain, which is responsible for muscle movements. In this study, 20 subjects diagnosed with CP were recruited and 10 each were placed in two groups, namely the research group (RG) (mean age, height and weight were 7.99 (SD = 4.66) years, 116.7 (SD = 23.57) cm and 21.40 (SD = 10.95) kg, respectively) and the control group (CG) (mean age, height and weight were 8.41 (SD = 4.32) years, 107.9 (SD = 26.33) cm, 21.40 (SD = 12.63) kg, respectively). r-TMS frequencies of 5 Hz and 10 Hz were administered for 15 min daily to patients in RG followed by standard therapy (ST) of 1 h duration daily for 20 days. Moreover, the patients in the control group (CG) were given only standard therapy (ST) of 1 h duration for 20 days. Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) was used as an outcome measure to determine the level of muscle spasticity. A pre- assessment of MAS score was performed on both RG and CG to determine the level of spasticity prior to starting therapy; and similarly post-assessment after 20 days was done to observe the changes post-therapy. Statistical analysis of pre vs post MAS scores showed that few muscles showed reduction in muscle tightness after administering only ST in the CG. On the contrary, the RG that underwent r-TMS therapy combined with ST showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in muscle tightness for all the
Skeletal muscle insulin resistance in hamsters with diabetes developed from obesity is involved in abnormal skeletal muscle LXR, PPAR and SREBP expression
Diabetic 'lipotoxicity' theory suggests that fat-induced skeletal muscle insulin resistance (FISMIR) in obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD), which leads to ectopic lipid accumulation in insulin-sensitive tissues, may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. However, the changes in gene expression and the molecular mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of FISMIR have not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study the changes in skeletal muscle gene expression were examined in FISMIR in obese insulin-resistant and diabetic hamster models induced by HFD with or without low-dose streptozotocin-treatment. Microarray technology and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to explore the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. The pathophysiological and metabolic features of obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans are closely resembled by these hamster models. The results of microarray analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes associated with metabolism were mostly related to the abnormal regulation and changes in the gene expression of liver X receptor (LXR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) transcriptional programs in the skeletal muscle from insulin-resistant and diabetic hamsters. The microarray findings confirmed by RT-qPCR indicated that the increased expression of SREBPs and LXRβ and the decreased expression of LXRα and PPARs were involved in the molecular mechanisms of FISMIR pathogenesis in insulin-resistant and diabetic hamsters. A significant difference in the abnormal expression of skeletal muscle LXRs, PPARs and SREBPs was found between insulin-resistant and diabetic hamsters. It may be concluded that the combined abnormal expression of LXR, PPAR and SREBP transcriptional programs may contribute to the development of FISMIR mediated by skeletal muscle lipid accumulation resulting from abnormal
Acute administration of ivacaftor to people with cystic fibrosis and a G551D-CFTR mutation reveals smooth muscle abnormalities
Adam, Ryan J.; Hisert, Katherine B.; Dodd, Jonathan D.; Grogan, Brenda; Launspach, Janice L.; Barnes, Janel K.; Gallagher, Charles G.; Sieren, Jered P.; Gross, Thomas J.; Fischer, Anthony J.; Cavanaugh, Joseph E.; Hoffman, Eric A.; Singh, Pradeep K.; Welsh, Michael J.; McKone, Edward F.; Stoltz, David A.
Background Airflow obstruction is common in cystic fibrosis (CF), yet the underlying pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. People with CF often exhibit airway hyperresponsiveness, CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is present in airway smooth muscle (ASM), and ASM from newborn CF pigs has increased contractile tone, suggesting that loss of CFTR causes a primary defect in ASM function. We hypothesized that restoring CFTR activity would decrease smooth muscle tone in people with CF. Methods To increase or potentiate CFTR function, we administered ivacaftor to 12 adults with CF with the G551D-CFTR mutation; ivacaftor stimulates G551D-CFTR function. We studied people before and immediately after initiation of ivacaftor (48 hours) to minimize secondary consequences of CFTR restoration. We tested smooth muscle function by investigating spirometry, airway distensibility, and vascular tone. Results Ivacaftor rapidly restored CFTR function, indicated by reduced sweat chloride concentration. Airflow obstruction and air trapping also improved. Airway distensibility increased in airways less than 4.5 mm but not in larger-sized airways. To assess smooth muscle function in a tissue outside the lung, we measured vascular pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index, which both decreased following CFTR potentiation. Finally, change in distensibility of <4.5-mm airways correlated with changes in PWV. Conclusions Acute CFTR potentiation provided a unique opportunity to investigate CFTR-dependent mechanisms of CF pathogenesis. The rapid effects of ivacaftor on airway distensibility and vascular tone suggest that CFTR dysfunction may directly cause increased smooth muscle tone in people with CF and that ivacaftor may relax smooth muscle. Funding This work was funded in part from an unrestricted grant from the Vertex Investigator-Initiated Studies Program. PMID:27158673
Abnormal Skeletal Muscle Regeneration plus Mild Alterations in Mature Fiber Type Specification in Fktn-Deficient Dystroglycanopathy Muscular Dystrophy Mice.
Foltz, Steven J; Modi, Jill N; Melick, Garrett A; Abousaud, Marin I; Luan, Junna; Fortunato, Marisa J; Beedle, Aaron M
Glycosylated α-dystroglycan provides an essential link between extracellular matrix proteins, like laminin, and the cellular cytoskeleton via the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. In secondary dystroglycanopathy muscular dystrophy, glycosylation abnormalities disrupt a complex O-mannose glycan necessary for muscle structural integrity and signaling. Fktn-deficient dystroglycanopathy mice develop moderate to severe muscular dystrophy with skeletal muscle developmental and/or regeneration defects. To gain insight into the role of glycosylated α-dystroglycan in these processes, we performed muscle fiber typing in young (2, 4 and 8 week old) and regenerated muscle. In mice with Fktn disruption during skeletal muscle specification (Myf5/Fktn KO), newly regenerated fibers (embryonic myosin heavy chain positive) peaked at 4 weeks old, while total regenerated fibers (centrally nucleated) were highest at 8 weeks old in tibialis anterior (TA) and iliopsoas, indicating peak degeneration/regeneration activity around 4 weeks of age. In contrast, mature fiber type specification at 2, 4 and 8 weeks old was relatively unchanged. Fourteen days after necrotic toxin-induced injury, there was a divergence in muscle fiber types between Myf5/Fktn KO (skeletal-muscle specific) and whole animal knockout induced with tamoxifen post-development (Tam/Fktn KO) despite equivalent time after gene deletion. Notably, Tam/Fktn KO retained higher levels of embryonic myosin heavy chain expression after injury, suggesting a delay or abnormality in differentiation programs. In mature fiber type specification post-injury, there were significant interactions between genotype and toxin parameters for type 1, 2a, and 2x fibers, and a difference between Myf5/Fktn and Tam/Fktn study groups in type 2b fibers. These data suggest that functionally glycosylated α-dystroglycan has a unique role in muscle regeneration and may influence fiber type specification post-injury. PMID:26751696
Abnormal Skeletal Muscle Regeneration plus Mild Alterations in Mature Fiber Type Specification in Fktn-Deficient Dystroglycanopathy Muscular Dystrophy Mice
Foltz, Steven J.; Modi, Jill N.; Melick, Garrett A.; Abousaud, Marin I.; Luan, Junna; Fortunato, Marisa J.; Beedle, Aaron M.
Glycosylated α-dystroglycan provides an essential link between extracellular matrix proteins, like laminin, and the cellular cytoskeleton via the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. In secondary dystroglycanopathy muscular dystrophy, glycosylation abnormalities disrupt a complex O-mannose glycan necessary for muscle structural integrity and signaling. Fktn-deficient dystroglycanopathy mice develop moderate to severe muscular dystrophy with skeletal muscle developmental and/or regeneration defects. To gain insight into the role of glycosylated α-dystroglycan in these processes, we performed muscle fiber typing in young (2, 4 and 8 week old) and regenerated muscle. In mice with Fktn disruption during skeletal muscle specification (Myf5/Fktn KO), newly regenerated fibers (embryonic myosin heavy chain positive) peaked at 4 weeks old, while total regenerated fibers (centrally nucleated) were highest at 8 weeks old in tibialis anterior (TA) and iliopsoas, indicating peak degeneration/regeneration activity around 4 weeks of age. In contrast, mature fiber type specification at 2, 4 and 8 weeks old was relatively unchanged. Fourteen days after necrotic toxin-induced injury, there was a divergence in muscle fiber types between Myf5/Fktn KO (skeletal-muscle specific) and whole animal knockout induced with tamoxifen post-development (Tam/Fktn KO) despite equivalent time after gene deletion. Notably, Tam/Fktn KO retained higher levels of embryonic myosin heavy chain expression after injury, suggesting a delay or abnormality in differentiation programs. In mature fiber type specification post-injury, there were significant interactions between genotype and toxin parameters for type 1, 2a, and 2x fibers, and a difference between Myf5/Fktn and Tam/Fktn study groups in type 2b fibers. These data suggest that functionally glycosylated α-dystroglycan has a unique role in muscle regeneration and may influence fiber type specification post-injury. PMID:26751696
Protein kinases in vascular smooth muscle tone--role in the pulmonary vasculature and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Ward, Jeremy P T; Knock, Greg A; Snetkov, Vladimir A; Aaronson, Philip I
Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is an adaptive mechanism that in the normal animal diverts blood away from poorly ventilated areas of the lung, thereby maintaining optimal ventilation-perfusion matching. In global hypoxia however, such as in respiratory disease or at altitude, it causes detrimental increases in pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary artery (PA) pressure. The precise intracellular pathways and mechanisms underlying HPV remain unclear, although it is now recognised that both an elevation in smooth muscle intracellular [Ca2+] and a concomitant increase in Ca2+ sensitivity are involved. Several key intracellular protein kinases have been proposed as components of the signal transduction pathways leading to development of HPV, specifically Rho kinase, non-receptor tyrosine kinases (NRTK), p38 mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase, and protein kinase C (PKC). All of these have been implicated to a greater or lesser extent in pathways leading to Ca2+ sensitisation, and in some cases regulation of intracellular [Ca2+] as well. In this article, we review the role of these key protein kinases in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) constriction, applying what is known in the systemic circulation to the pulmonary circulation and HPV. We conclude that the strongest evidence for direct involvement of protein kinases in the mechanisms of HPV concerns a central role for Rho kinase in Ca2+ sensitisation, and a potential role for Src-family kinases in both modulation of Ca2+ entry via capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) and activation of Rho kinase, though others are likely to have indirect or modulatory influences. In addition, we speculate that Src family kinases may provide a central interface between the proposed hypoxia-induced generation of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria and both the elevation in intracellular [Ca2+] and Rho kinase mediated Ca2+ sensitisation. PMID:15556675
MR abnormalities of the lateral pterygoid muscle in patients with nonreducing disk displacement of the TMJ.
Yang, Xiaojiang; Pernu, Hannu; Pyhtinen, Juhani; Tiilikainen, Petri A; Oikarinen, Kyösti S; Raustia, Aune M
The aim of this study was to investigate the pathological changes of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with anterior disk displacement with nonreduction (ADDnr) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to compare the abnormal findings of the LPM with the clinical symptoms and other pathological MRI alterations of the TMJ. Bilateral or unilateral ADDnr was demonstrated in 142 patents by MRI (176 TMJs; 106 females; 36 males; range 19 to 72 years; mean 43.9 years). In 123 TMJs, the LPMs were clearly observed in MRIs and analyzed in this study. Pathological changes of the LPM were found in 92 TMJs (74.8%) in MRI. Hypertrophy, atrophy and/or contracture were detected in the superior belly of the LPM (SBLPM) (35.8%, 44/123) or in the inferior belly of the LPM (IBLPM) (9.8%, 12/123) or in both bellies (29.3%, 36/123). The pathological changes of the LPM in MRI presented a significant association with the main clinical symptoms of TMJs with ADDnr, i.e. pain on jaw movement (P<0.01), pain in the LPM (P<0.01), pain in TMJ (P<0.05) and restricted jaw opening (P<0.05). The proportion of the abnormalities in LPM was significantly lower in TMJs with condylar limitation (63.6%) than in TMJs with condylar hypermobility (83.3%) and normal motion (88.9%)(P=0.008). Osteoarthritis was found to be correlated with condylar limitation (P<0.01). The results of this study indicate that the pathological changes of the LPM in TMJs with ADDnr could be detected by MRI and have a significant association with the main clinical symptoms of the patients. When condylar limitation happened, on the contrary, the pathological changes of the LPM in MRI were reduced. The alteration of the clinical symptoms in the patents with ADDnr might be associated with the pathological situations and symptoms of the LPM. PMID:12150268
Resonance at the wrist demonstrated by the use of a torque motor: an instrumental analysis of muscle tone in man.
Lakie, M; Walsh, E G; Wright, G W
The resonance of the relaxed wrist for flexion-extension movements in the horizontal plane has been investigated by using rhythmic torques generated by a printed motor. In the normal subject the resonant frequency of the wrist is ca. 2 Hz unless the torque is reduced below a certain critical value when the system is no longer linear and the resonant frequency rises. This critical torque level, and the damping are both less in women than men. The resonant frequency is uninfluenced by surgical anaesthesia. With added bias the increase of resonant frequency at low torques still occurs although the hand is now oscillating about a displaced mean position. It follows that the stiffening implied by this elevation of resonant frequency for small movements is neither the result of pre-stressing of the muscles nor of reflex activity. With velocity feed-back of appropriate polarity the system will oscillate spontaneously at its resonant frequency. If the peak driving torque is progressively reduced the resonant frequency increases abruptly, indicating that the system has stiffened. Perturbations delivered to the wrist may reduce its stiffness. The postural system is thixotropic with a 'memory time' of 1-2 s. The resonant frequency is elevated in voluntary stiffening. PMID:6481624
Abnormalities of AMPK Activation and Glucose Uptake in Cultured Skeletal Muscle Cells from Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Brown, Audrey E.; Jones, David E.; Walker, Mark; Newton, Julia L.
Background Post exertional muscle fatigue is a key feature in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Abnormalities of skeletal muscle function have been identified in some but not all patients with CFS. To try to limit potential confounders that might contribute to this clinical heterogeneity, we developed a novel in vitro system that allows comparison of AMP kinase (AMPK) activation and metabolic responses to exercise in cultured skeletal muscle cells from CFS patients and control subjects. Methods Skeletal muscle cell cultures were established from 10 subjects with CFS and 7 age-matched controls, subjected to electrical pulse stimulation (EPS) for up to 24h and examined for changes associated with exercise. Results In the basal state, CFS cultures showed increased myogenin expression but decreased IL6 secretion during differentiation compared with control cultures. Control cultures subjected to 16h EPS showed a significant increase in both AMPK phosphorylation and glucose uptake compared with unstimulated cells. In contrast, CFS cultures showed no increase in AMPK phosphorylation or glucose uptake after 16h EPS. However, glucose uptake remained responsive to insulin in the CFS cells pointing to an exercise-related defect. IL6 secretion in response to EPS was significantly reduced in CFS compared with control cultures at all time points measured. Conclusion EPS is an effective model for eliciting muscle contraction and the metabolic changes associated with exercise in cultured skeletal muscle cells. We found four main differences in cultured skeletal muscle cells from subjects with CFS; increased myogenin expression in the basal state, impaired activation of AMPK, impaired stimulation of glucose uptake and diminished release of IL6. The retention of these differences in cultured muscle cells from CFS subjects points to a genetic/epigenetic mechanism, and provides a system to identify novel therapeutic targets. PMID:25836975
Sleep physiology: setting the right tone.
Blumberg, Mark S
Humans prone to cataplexy experience sudden losses of postural muscle tone without a corresponding loss of conscious awareness. The brain mechanisms underlying this debilitating decoupling are now better understood, thanks to a new study using cataplectic mice. PMID:24070441
Abnormal physiological conditions in acute schizophrenic patients on emergency admission: dehydration, hypokalemia, leukocytosis and elevated serum muscle enzymes.
Hatta, K; Takahashi, T; Nakamura, H; Yamashiro, H; Endo, H; Fujii, S; Fukami, G; Masui, K; Asukai, N; Yonezawa, Y
This study investigated varieties and incidence of abnormal physiological conditions in acute schizophrenic patients on emergency. Laboratory data obtained prior to treatment from patients, admitted on an emergency basis during an 18-month period, were evaluated retrospectively, as well as demographics and clinical characteristics. Of 259 male acute schizophrenic patients (ICD-10: F2), 6.9% revealed dehydration, a third had hypokalemia and leukocytosis, and two thirds showed elevated serum muscle enzymes. These percentages were statistically significant compared with those of outpatients. In addition, the former three of these conditions in the F2 group were as frequent as those in alcohol and/or psychoactive substance abusers (ICD-10: F1) on emergency admission, although elevated serum muscle enzymes in the F2 group was less frequent than that in the F1 group. In order to prevent these abnormal physiological conditions from worsening and becoming life-threatening, one fourth of the F2 group [dehydration, 6.9%, severe hypokalemia (< 3.0 mEq/l), 2.3%, and markedly elevated serum muscle enzymes (creatine phosphokinase > 1000 IU/l), 16.5%] required medical management such as fluid therapy and various types of monitoring. In cases of a behavioral emergency, laboratory screening and monitoring of urinary output were essential. Due to their lack of cooperation, case history, physical examination, and initial vital signs did not contribute to detection of their medical condition. PMID:9810481
Transcriptomic analysis reveals abnormal muscle repair and remodeling in survivors of critical illness with sustained weakness.
Walsh, Christopher J; Batt, Jane; Herridge, Margaret S; Mathur, Sunita; Bader, Gary D; Hu, Pingzhao; Dos Santos, Claudia C
ICU acquired weakness (ICUAW) is a common complication of critical illness characterized by structural and functional impairment of skeletal muscle. The resulting physical impairment may persist for years after ICU discharge, with few patients regaining functional independence. Elucidating molecular mechanisms underscoring sustained ICUAW is crucial to understanding outcomes linked to different morbidity trajectories as well as for the development of novel therapies. Quadriceps muscle biopsies and functional measures of muscle strength and mass were obtained at 7 days and 6 months post-ICU discharge from a cohort of ICUAW patients. Unsupervised co-expression network analysis of transcriptomic profiles identified discrete modules of co-expressed genes associated with the degree of muscle weakness and atrophy in early and sustained ICUAW. Modules were enriched for genes involved in skeletal muscle regeneration and extracellular matrix deposition. Collagen deposition in persistent ICUAW was confirmed by histochemical stain. Modules were further validated in an independent cohort of critically ill patients with sepsis-induced multi-organ failure and a porcine model of ICUAW, demonstrating disease-associated conservation across species and peripheral muscle type. Our findings provide a pathomolecular basis for sustained ICUAW, implicating aberrant expression of distinct skeletal muscle structural and regenerative genes in early and persistent ICUAW. PMID:27411715
Transcriptomic analysis reveals abnormal muscle repair and remodeling in survivors of critical illness with sustained weakness
Walsh, Christopher J.; Batt, Jane; Herridge, Margaret S.; Mathur, Sunita; Bader, Gary D.; Hu, Pingzhao; dos Santos, Claudia C.
ICU acquired weakness (ICUAW) is a common complication of critical illness characterized by structural and functional impairment of skeletal muscle. The resulting physical impairment may persist for years after ICU discharge, with few patients regaining functional independence. Elucidating molecular mechanisms underscoring sustained ICUAW is crucial to understanding outcomes linked to different morbidity trajectories as well as for the development of novel therapies. Quadriceps muscle biopsies and functional measures of muscle strength and mass were obtained at 7 days and 6 months post-ICU discharge from a cohort of ICUAW patients. Unsupervised co-expression network analysis of transcriptomic profiles identified discrete modules of co-expressed genes associated with the degree of muscle weakness and atrophy in early and sustained ICUAW. Modules were enriched for genes involved in skeletal muscle regeneration and extracellular matrix deposition. Collagen deposition in persistent ICUAW was confirmed by histochemical stain. Modules were further validated in an independent cohort of critically ill patients with sepsis-induced multi-organ failure and a porcine model of ICUAW, demonstrating disease-associated conservation across species and peripheral muscle type. Our findings provide a pathomolecular basis for sustained ICUAW, implicating aberrant expression of distinct skeletal muscle structural and regenerative genes in early and persistent ICUAW. PMID:27411715
Impaired energy metabolism and abnormal muscle histology in mut- methylmalonic aciduria.
Østergaard, E; Wibrand, F; Ørngreen, M C; Vissing, J; Horn, N
The authors report a 27-year-old man with B12-responsive mut- methylmalonic aciduria associated with pure muscle symptoms. Two mutations were found in the methylmalonyl-CoA mutase gene. An exercise test showed a reduced maximal workload and reduced oxygen uptake, and a muscle biopsy showed subsarcolemmal accumulation of mitochondria and normal respiratory chain enzyme activities. These findings may be caused by inhibition of mitochondrial energy metabolism by methylmalonate or its metabolites. PMID:16186538
Abnormal expression of the calmodulin gene in muscle from the dystrophic chicken
Hudecki, M.S.; Kibler, P.K.; Pollina, C.M.; Thacore, H.R.; Davis, P.J.; Davis, F.B.
Compared to that of genetically-related normal chickens, pectoralis muscle from the dystrophic chicken contained increased calmodulin measured by radioimmunoassay. Determined by the dot blot procedure, expression of the calmodulin gene was enhanced in muscle from affected animals. The bioactivity of the gene product was normal. Together with previous studies reporting of increased sarcoplasmic calmodulin suggest the latter is a cellular response to defective Ca/sup 2 +/ transport at the level of cell efflux or intracellular organelle (sarcoplasmic reticulum) uptake.
Detection of abnormal muscle activations during walking following spinal cord injury (SCI).
Wang, Ping; Low, K H; McGregor, Alison H; Tow, Adela
In order to identify optimal rehabilitation strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI) participants, assessment of impaired walking is required to detect, monitor and quantify movement disorders. In the proposed assessment, ten healthy and seven SCI participants were recruited to perform an over-ground walking test at slow walking speeds. SCI participants were given assistance from physiotherapists, if required, while they were walking. In agreement with other research, larger cadence and smaller step length and swing phase of SCI gait were observed as a result of muscle weakness and resultant gait instability. Muscle activation patterns of seven major leg muscles were collected. The EMG signal was processed by the RMS in frequency domain to represent the muscle activation power, and the distribution of muscle activation was compared between healthy and SCI participants. The alternations of muscle activation within the phases of the gait cycle are highlighted to facilitate our understanding of the underlying muscular activation following SCI. Key differences were observed (p-value=0.0006) in the reduced activation of tibialis anterior (TA) in single stance phase and rectus femoris (RF) in swing phase (p-value=0.0011). We can then conclude that the proposed assessment approach of gait provides valuable information that can be used to target and define therapeutic interventions and their evaluation; hence impacting the functional outcome of SCI individuals. PMID:23396198
Transcriptional Abnormalities of Hamstring Muscle Contractures in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Smith, Lucas R.; Chambers, Henry G.; Subramaniam, Shankar; Lieber, Richard L.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an upper motor neuron disease that results in a spectrum of movement disorders. Secondary to the neurological lesion, muscles from patients with CP are often spastic and form debilitating contractures that limit range of motion and joint function. With no genetic component, the pathology of skeletal muscle in CP is a response to aberrant complex neurological input in ways that are not fully understood. This study was designed to gain further understanding of the skeletal muscle response in CP using transcriptional profiling correlated with functional measures to broadly investigate muscle adaptations leading to mechanical deficits. Biospsies were obtained from both the gracilis and semitendinosus muscles from a cohort of patients with CP (n = 10) and typically developing patients (n = 10) undergoing surgery. Biopsies were obtained to define the unique expression profile of the contractures and passive mechanical testing was conducted to determine stiffness values in previously published work. Affymetrix HG-U133A 2.0 chips (n = 40) generated expression data, which was validated for selected transcripts using quantitative real-time PCR. Chips were clustered based on their expression and those from patients with CP clustered separately. Significant genes were determined conservatively based on the overlap of three summarization algorithms (n = 1,398). Significantly altered genes were analyzed for over-representation among gene ontologies and muscle specific networks. The majority of altered transcripts were related to increased extracellular matrix expression in CP and a decrease in metabolism and ubiquitin ligase activity. The increase in extracellular matrix products was correlated with mechanical measures demonstrating the importance in disability. These data lay a framework for further studies and development of novel therapies. PMID:22956992
Laing early onset distal myopathy: slow myosin defect with variable abnormalities on muscle biopsy
Lamont, P J; Udd, B; Mastaglia, F L; de Visser, M; Hedera, P; Voit, T; Bridges, L R; Fabian, V; Rozemuller, A; Laing, N G
Background Laing early onset distal myopathy (MPD1) is an autosomal dominant myopathy caused by mutations within the slow skeletal muscle fibre myosin heavy chain gene, MYH7. It is allelic with myosin storage myopathy, with the commonest form of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and with one form of dilated cardiomyopathy. However, the clinical picture of MPD1 is distinct from these three conditions. Objective To collate and discuss the histological features reported in the muscle biopsies of MPD1 patients and to outline the clinical features. Results The phenotype of MPD1 was consistent, with initial weakness of great toe/ankle dorsiflexion, and later development of weakness of finger extension and neck flexion. Age of onset was the only variable, being from birth up to the 20s, but progression was always very slow. The pathological features were variable. In this retrospective series, there were no pathognomonic diagnostic features, although atrophic type I fibres were found in half the families. Rimmed vacuoles are consistently seen in all other distal myopathies with the exception of Myoshi distal myopathy. However, they were found in a minority of patients with MPD1, and were not prominent when present. Immunohistochemical staining for slow and fast myosin showed co‐expression of slow and fast myosin in some type I fibres, possibly indicating a switch to type II status. This may be a useful aid to diagnosis. Conclusions The pathological findings in MPD1 are variable and appear to be affected by factors such as the specific muscle biopsied, the age of the patient at biopsy, and the duration of disease manifestations. PMID:16103042
Contribution of abnormal muscle and liver glucose metabolism to postprandial hyperglycemia in NIDDM
Mitrakou, A.; Kelley, D.; Veneman, T.; Jenssen, T.; Pangburn, T.; Reilly, J.; Gerich, J. )
To assess the role of muscle and liver in the pathogenesis of postprandial hyperglycemia in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we administered an oral glucose load enriched with (14C)glucose to 10 NIDDM subjects and 10 age- and weight-matched nondiabetic volunteers and compared muscle glucose disposal by measuring forearm balance of glucose, lactate, alanine, O2, and CO2. In addition, we used the dual-lable isotope method to compare overall rates of glucose appearance (Ra) and disappearance (Rd), suppression of endogenous glucose output, and splanchnic glucose sequestration. During the initial 1-1.5 h after glucose ingestion, plasma glucose increased by approximately 8 mM in NIDDM vs. approximately 3 mM in nondiabetic subjects (P less than 0.01); overall glucose Ra was nearly 11 g greater in NIDDM than nondiabetic subjects, but glucose Rd was not significantly different in NIDDM and nondiabetic subjects. The greater overall glucose Ra of NIDDM subjects was due to 6.8 g greater endogenous glucose output (13.7 +/- 1.1 vs. 6.8 +/- 1.0 g, P less than 0.01) and 3.8 g less oral glucose splanchnic sequestration of the oral load (31.4 +/- 1.5 vs. 27.5 +/- 0.9 g, P less than 0.05). Although glucose taken up by muscle was not significantly different in NIDDM and nondiabetic subjects (39.3 +/- 3.5 vs. 41.0 +/- 2.5 g/5 h), a greater amount of the glucose taken up by muscle in NIDDM was released as lactate and alanine (11.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 5.2 +/- 0.3 g in nondiabetic subjects, P less than 0.01), and less was stored (11.7 +/- 1.3 vs. 16.9 +/- 1.5 g, P less than 0.05). We conclude that increased systemic glucose delivery, due primarily to reduced suppression of endogenous hepatic glucose output and, to a lesser extent, reduced splanchnic glucose sequestration, is the predominant factor responsible for postprandial hyperglycemia in NIDDM.
Smooth muscle calcium and endothelium-derived relaxing factor in the abnormal vascular responses of acute renal failure.
Conger, J D; Robinette, J B; Schrier, R W
Abnormal renovascular reactivity, characterized by paradoxical vasoconstriction to a reduction in renal perfusion pressure (RPP) in the autoregulatory range, increased sensitivity to renal nerve stimulation (RNS), and loss of vasodilatation to acetylcholine have all been demonstrated in ischemic acute renal failure (ARF). To determine if ischemic injury alters vascular contractility by increasing smooth muscle cell calcium or calcium influx, the renal blood flow (RBF) response to reductions in RPP within the autoregulatory range and to RNS were tested before and after a 90-min intrarenal infusion of verapamil or diltiazem in 7-d ischemic ARF rats. Both calcium entry blockers, verapamil and diltiazem, blocked the aberrant vasoconstrictor response to a reduction in RPP and RNS (both P less than 0.001). In a second series of experiments the potential role of an ischemia-induced endothelial injury and of the absence of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) production were examined to explain the lack of vasodilatation to acetylcholine. Acetylcholine, bradykinin (a second EDRF-dependent vasodilator), or prostacyclin, an EDRF-independent vasodilator, was infused intrarenally for 90 min, and RBF responses to a reduction in RPP and RNS were tested in 7-d ischemic ARF rats. Neither acetylcholine nor bradykinin caused vasodilatation or altered the slope of the relationship between RBF and RPP. By contrast, prostacyclin increased RBF (P less than 0.001), but did not change the vascular response to changes in RPP. It was concluded that the abnormal pressor sensitivity to a reduction in RPP and RNS was due to changes in renovascular smooth muscle cell calcium activity that could be blocked by calcium entry blockers. A lack of response to EDRF-dependent vasodilators, as a result of ischemic endothelial injury, may contribute to the increased pressor sensitivity of the renal vessels. PMID:3261301
TNF-α Suppresses α-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression in Human Dermal Fibroblasts: An Implication for Abnormal Wound Healing
Goldberg, Mytien T.; Han, Yuan-Ping; Yan, Chunli; Shaw, Michael C.; Garner, Warren L.
Abnormal wound healing encompasses a wide spectrum, from chronic wounds to hypertrophic scars. Both conditions are associated with an abnormal cytokine profile in the wound bed. In this study, we sought to understand the dynamic relationships between myofibroblast differentiation and mechanical performance of the collagen matrix under tissue growth factor–β (TGF-β) and tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) stimulation. We found TGF-β increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and TNF-α alone decreased the basal α-SMA expression. When TGF-β1 and TNF-α were both added, the α-SMA expression was suppressed below the baseline. Real-time PCR showed that TNF-α suppresses TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast (fibroproliferative) phenotypic genes, for example, α-SMA, collagen type 1A, and fibronectin at the mRNA level. TNF-α suppresses TGF-β1-induced gene expression by affecting its mRNA stability. Our results further showed that TNF-α inhibits TGF-β1-induced Smad-3 phosphorylation via Jun N-terminal kinase signaling. Mechanical testing showed that TNF-α decreases the stiffness and contraction of the lattices after 5 days in culture. We proposed that changes in α-SMA, collagen, and fibronectin expression result in decreased contraction and stiffness of collagen matrices. Therefore, the balance of cytokines in a wound defines the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix and optimal wound healing. PMID:17554369
Caring for muscle spasticity or spasms
High muscle tone - care; Increased muscle tension - care; Upper motor neuron syndrome - care; Muscle stiffness - care ... Muscle spasticity, or spasms, causes your muscles to become stiff or rigid. It can also cause exaggerated, ...
Blood tests sometimes show abnormally high muscle enzymes. If a muscle disorder might also affect other family members, genetic testing may be done. When someone has symptoms and signs of a muscle disorder, tests such as an electromyogram , ...
Myopathic changes; Myopathy; Muscle problem ... Blood tests sometimes show abnormally high muscle enzymes. If a muscle disorder might also affect other family members, genetic testing may be done. When someone has symptoms and signs ...
Abnormal activation of potassium channels in aortic smooth muscle of rats with peritonitis-induced septic shock.
Kuo, Jiunn-Horng; Chen, Shiu-Jen; Shih, Chih-Chin; Lue, Wei-Ming; Wu, Chin-Chen
This study was conducted to examine the role of membrane hyperpolarization in mediating vascular hyporeactivity induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in endothelial-denuded strips of rat thoracic aorta ex vivo. The CLP for 18 h elicited a significant fall of blood pressure and a severe vascular hyporeactivity to norepinephrine as seen in severe sepsis. At the end of the in vivo experiments, thoracic aortas were removed from both CLP-treated and control rats. After removal of the endothelium, aortic segments were mounted in myographs for the recording of isometric tension and smooth muscle membrane potential. The membrane potential recording showed that a hyperpolarization was observed in the CLP-treated rats when compared with the control rats. This hyperpolarization was reversed by iberiotoxin (a large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker), 4-aminopyridine (a voltage-dependent K+ channel blocker), barium (an inward rectifier K+ channels blocker), N-(1-adamantyl)-N'-cyclohexyl-4-morpholinecarboxamidine hydrochloride (a pore-forming blocker of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K+ channels [KATP]), or methylene blue (a nonspecific guanylyl cyclase [GC] inhibitor). However, this hyperpolarization was not significantly affected by apamin (a small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker), glibenclamide (a sulfonylurea blocker of KATP), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (a NOS inhibitor), or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (an NO-sensitive GC inhibitor). In addition, the basal tension of the tissues obtained from CLP rats was increased simultaneously, whereas membrane potential was reversed. In contrast, none of these inhibitors had significant effects on the membrane potential or the basal tension in control tissues. Thus, we provide electrophysiological and functional evidence demonstrating that an abnormal activation of K+ channels in vascular smooth muscle in animals with septic shock induced by CLP. Our observations
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Burnham, Denis; Kim, Jeesun; Davis, Chris; Ciocca, Valter; Schoknecht, Colin; Kasisopa, Benjawan; Luksaneeyanawin, Sudaporn
The psycholinguistic status of lexical tones and phones is indexed via phonological and tonological awareness (PA and TA, respectively) using Thai speech. In Experiment 1 (Thai participants, alphabetic script and orthographically explicit phones/tones), PA was better than TA in children and primary school-educated adults, and TA improved to PA…
REM sleep abnormalities in severe athetoid cerebral palsy.
Hayashi, M; Inoue, Y; Iwakawa, Y; Sasaki, H
Various abnormalities of sleep have been reported in extrapyramidal diseases in adults. We have investigated the disturbances of REM sleep (SREM) in severe athetoid cerebral palsy (ACP) originating perinatally. Ten ACP patients, 5 males and 5 females ranging from 15 to 30 years old, were studied by means of all-night polygraphic examination. Three cases showed a marked decrease in rapid eye movements in SREM. Moreover, the tone of submental muscle in SREM was also disturbed in three. Regarding body movements during sleep, gross movements and twitch movements of the submental muscle were analyzed. In most of the patients, an abnormal distribution of body movements according to sleep stages was observed, the rate being significantly reduced in SREM. REMs, atonia and body movements are considered to be related to the brainstem function in animals. The results of the present study suggest that perinatal extrapyramidal diseases could also coincide with brainstem dysfunctions. PMID:2288380
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Donnelly, Simon
This paper outlines key tone and voice quality properties in Phuthi, a Nguni (Bantu) language spoken in southern Lesotho and the northern Transkei (South Africa). The focus is the phonological presence of high tone (H) in Phuthi, and its interaction with other tones, both H and L. From verbs that employ a single H tone sponsor (lexical paradigms),…
Effect of high-intensity pulse irradiation with linear polarized near-infrared rays on muscle tone in patients with cerebrovascular disease: a randomized controlled trial
Takeuchi, Nobuyuki; Takezako, Nobuhiro; Shimonishi, Yuko; Usuda, Shigeru
[Purpose] This study evaluated effects of a high-intensity linear polarized near-infrared ray irradiation for mitigation of muscle hypertonia. [Subjects] The subjects were 20 patients with cerebrovascular disease. [Methods] Subjects were randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received irradiation of the triceps surae. Passive range of motion and passive resistive joint torque of ankle dorsiflexion were measured before and after the intervention in knee extended and flexed positions. [Results] In the knee extended position, the mean changes in passive range of motion were 2.70° and −0.50° in the intervention and control groups, respectively, and the mean changes in passive resistive joint torque were −1.42 and −0.26 N·m in the intervention and control groups, respectively. In the knee flexed position, the mean changes in passive range of motion were 3.70° and 0.70° in the intervention and control groups, respectively, and the mean changes in passive resistive joint torque were −2.38 and −0.31 N·m in the intervention and control groups, respectively. In both knee positions, the mean changes in the two indices were greater in the intervention group than in the control group. [Conclusion] High-intensity linear polarized near-infrared ray irradiation increases passive range of motion and decreases passive resistive joint torque. PMID:26834360
Comparison of the Short-Term Outcomes after Postisometric Muscle Relaxation or Kinesio Taping Application for Normalization of the Upper Trapezius Muscle Tone and the Pain Relief: A Preliminary Study.
Ptaszkowski, Kuba; Slupska, Lucyna; Paprocka-Borowicz, Małgorzata; Kołcz-Trzęsicka, Anna; Zwierzchowski, Kamil; Halska, Urszula; Przestrzelska, Monika; Mucha, Dariusz; Rosińczuk, Joanna
The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the resting bioelectrical activity of the upper trapezius muscle (the UT muscle) before and after one of the two interventions: postisometric muscle relaxation (PIR) and Kinesio Taping (KT). Moreover a comparison between group results was conducted. From the initial 61 volunteers, 52 were selected after exclusion criteria and were allocated randomly to 2 groups: PIR group and KT group. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and completion of the intervention. The primary outcome measure was change in bioelectrical activity of UT muscle evaluated by surface electromyography (sEMG). Secondary outcomes included subjective assessment of pain using visual analogue scale (VAS). Significant differences were found only in KT group: the average resting bioelectrical activity decreased by 0.8 μV (p = 0.0237) and the average VAS result reduced by 2.0 points (p = 0.0001). Greater decrease of VAS results was recorded in KT group compared to PIR group (p = 0.0010). Both PIR and KT intervention did not influence significantly the resting bioelectrical activity of UT muscle. KT application was better for pain relief in the studied sample compared with PIR intervention. PMID:26347792
Comparison of the Short-Term Outcomes after Postisometric Muscle Relaxation or Kinesio Taping Application for Normalization of the Upper Trapezius Muscle Tone and the Pain Relief: A Preliminary Study
Ptaszkowski, Kuba; Slupska, Lucyna; Paprocka-Borowicz, Małgorzata; Kołcz-Trzęsicka, Anna; Zwierzchowski, Kamil; Halska, Urszula; Przestrzelska, Monika; Mucha, Dariusz; Rosińczuk, Joanna
The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the resting bioelectrical activity of the upper trapezius muscle (the UT muscle) before and after one of the two interventions: postisometric muscle relaxation (PIR) and Kinesio Taping (KT). Moreover a comparison between group results was conducted. From the initial 61 volunteers, 52 were selected after exclusion criteria and were allocated randomly to 2 groups: PIR group and KT group. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and completion of the intervention. The primary outcome measure was change in bioelectrical activity of UT muscle evaluated by surface electromyography (sEMG). Secondary outcomes included subjective assessment of pain using visual analogue scale (VAS). Significant differences were found only in KT group: the average resting bioelectrical activity decreased by 0.8 μV (p = 0.0237) and the average VAS result reduced by 2.0 points (p = 0.0001). Greater decrease of VAS results was recorded in KT group compared to PIR group (p = 0.0010). Both PIR and KT intervention did not influence significantly the resting bioelectrical activity of UT muscle. KT application was better for pain relief in the studied sample compared with PIR intervention. PMID:26347792
Regulation of renal artery smooth muscle tone by alpha1-adrenoceptors: role of voltage-gated calcium channels and intracellular calcium stores.
Eckert, R E; Karsten, A J; Utz, J; Ziegler, M
The ischemia induced vasospasm of the renal arterial blood vessels mediated by alpha1-adrenoceptors is of importance for the loss of kidney function. This is based on reduced perfusion of the kidney cortex occurring in kidney transplant and organ preserving surgery. The present study considered the intracellular mechanism of the norepinephrine (NE) induced renal artery vasospasm by using swine renal artery smooth muscle ring. Norepinephrine and phenylephrine (PE) induced dose-dependent and fully reversible isometric contractions with a threshold concentration of 10 nM (n = 7) and 10 nM (n = 4), and an EC50 of 0.3 microM and 1 microM, respectively. The receptor was identified as alpha1A-subtype. The contraction was completely inhibited by verapamil (IC50 = 1.51 microM; n = 11) and diltiazem (IC50 = 9.49 microM; n = 8) and 85% by nifedipine (IC50 = 0.13 microM; n = 21). Blockade of the intracellular inositol- 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive Ca2+ store by thapsigargin (1 microM, n = 7) or suppression of Ca2+ release from the intracellular Ca2+-sensitive Ca2+ store by ryanodine (100 microM, n = 4) inhibited the PE induced contraction by 39.5% and 47.6%, respectively. The results suggest a key role of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and intracellular Ca2+ stores in the alpha1A-adrenoceptor induced contraction of the renal artery. PMID:10850635
Skeletal Muscle Expression of the Adhesion-GPCR CD97: CD97 Deletion Induces an Abnormal Structure of the Sarcoplasmatic Reticulum but Does Not Impair Skeletal Muscle Function
Zyryanova, Tatiana; Schneider, Rick; Adams, Volker; Sittig, Doreen; Kerner, Christiane; Gebhardt, Claudia; Ruffert, Henrik; Glasmacher, Stefan; Hepp, Pierre; Punkt, Karla; Neuhaus, Jochen; Hamann, Jörg; Aust, Gabriela
CD97 is a widely expressed adhesion class G-protein-coupled receptor (aGPCR). Here, we investigated the presence of CD97 in normal and malignant human skeletal muscle as well as the ultrastructural and functional consequences of CD97 deficiency in mice. In normal human skeletal muscle, CD97 was expressed at the peripheral sarcolemma of all myofibers, as revealed by immunostaining of tissue sections and surface labeling of single myocytes using flow cytometry. In muscle cross-sections, an intracellular polygonal, honeycomb-like CD97-staining pattern, typical for molecules located in the T-tubule or sarcoplasmatic reticulum (SR), was additionally found. CD97 co-localized with SR Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA), a constituent of the longitudinal SR, but not with the receptors for dihydropyridine (DHPR) or ryanodine (RYR), located in the T-tubule and terminal SR, respectively. Intracellular expression of CD97 was higher in slow-twitch compared to most fast-twitch myofibers. In rhabdomyosarcomas, CD97 was strongly upregulated and in part more N-glycosylated compared to normal skeletal muscle. All tumors were strongly CD97-positive, independent of the underlying histological subtype, suggesting high sensitivity of CD97 for this tumor. Ultrastructural analysis of murine skeletal myofibers confirmed the location of CD97 in the SR. CD97 knock-out mice had a dilated SR, resulting in a partial increase in triad diameter yet not affecting the T-tubule, sarcomeric, and mitochondrial structure. Despite these obvious ultrastructural changes, intracellular Ca2+ release from single myofibers, force generation and fatigability of isolated soleus muscles, and wheel-running capacity of mice were not affected by the lack of CD97. We conclude that CD97 is located in the SR and at the peripheral sarcolemma of human and murine skeletal muscle, where its absence affects the structure of the SR without impairing skeletal muscle function. PMID:24949957
Functionally reduced sensorimotor connections form with normal specificity despite abnormal muscle spindle development: the role of spindle-derived NT3
Shneider, Neil A.; Mentis, George Z.; Schustak, Joshua; O'Donovan, Michael J.
Summary The mechanisms controlling the formation of synaptic connections between muscle spindle afferents and spinal motor neurons are believed to be regulated by factors originating from muscle spindles. Here, we find that the connections form with appropriate specificity in mice with abnormal spindle development caused by the conditional elimination of the neuregulin1 receptor ErbB2 from muscle precursors. However, despite a modest (~30%) decrease in the number of afferent terminals on motor neuron somata, the amplitude of afferent-evoked synaptic potentials recorded in motor neurons was reduced by ~80%, suggesting that many of the connections that form are functionally silent. The selective elimination of neurotrophin 3 (NT3) from muscle spindles had no effect on the amplitude of afferent-evoked ventral root potentials until the second postnatal week, revealing a late role for spindle-derived NT3 in the functional maintenance of the connections. These findings indicate that spindle-derived factors regulate the strength of the connections, but not their initial formation or their specificity. PMID:19369542
Metabolic abnormalities induced by mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle of the renal carcinoma Eker (TSC2+/-) rat model.
Aizawa, Yumi; Shirai, Tomomi; Kobayashi, Toshiyuki; Hino, Okio; Tsujii, Yoshimasa; Inoue, Hirofumi; Kazami, Machiko; Tadokoro, Tadahiro; Suzuki, Tsukasa; Kobayashi, Ken-Ichi; Yamamoto, Yuji
Tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) is a mediator of insulin signal transduction, and a loss of function in TSC2 induces hyperactivation of mTORC1 pathway, which leads to tumorigenesis. We have previously demonstrated that Eker rat model, which is heterozygous for a TSC2 mutation, exhibits hyperglycemia and hyperketonemia. The present study was to investigate whether these changes also can affect metabolism in skeletal muscle of the Eker rat. Wild-type (TSC2+/+) and Eker (TSC2+/-) rats underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, and the latter showed decrease in whole-body glucose utilization. Additionally, reductions in the expression of glycolysis-, lipolysis-, and ketone body-related genes in skeletal muscle were observed in Eker rats. Furthermore, ATP content and mitochondrial DNA copy number were lower in skeletal muscle of Eker rats. These data demonstrate that heterozygous to mutation TSC2 not only affects the liver metabolism, but also skeletal muscle metabolism, via mitochondrial dysfunction. PMID:27031579
Phonetics and Phonology of Chicahuaxtla Triqui Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Matsukawa, Kosuke
Chicahuaxtla Triqui (Otomanguean, Mexico) is one of the rare tone languages with five contrastive level tones and its underlying tone system is even more complicated than its surface five-level tone system. The complexity of its underlying tone system has developed through the historical tone shifts from Proto-Triqui. The surface tone system of…
Tones for Profoundly Deaf Tone-Language Speakers.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ching, Teresa
A study assessed the practical use of the simplified speech pattern approach to teaching lipreading in a tone language by comparing performance using an acoustic hearing-aid and a Sivo-aid in a tone labelling task. After initial assessment, subjects were given training to enhance perception of lexically contrastive tones, then post-tested. The…
Caring for muscle spasticity or spasms
... muscle tone - care; Increased muscle tension - care; Upper motor neuron syndrome - care; Muscle stiffness - care ... Krivickas LS. Motor neuron disease. In: Frontera, WR, Silver JK, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: ...
Effects of tone training on Cantonese tone-word learning.
Cooper, Angela; Wang, Yue
The present study examined the effect of improving lexical tone identification abilities on Cantonese tone-word learning. Native English non-musicians received training on Cantonese tones before learning the meanings of words distinguished by these tones. Their results were compared to English non-musicians and musicians who received no tone training. The tone-trainees obtained a similar level of word identification proficiency as musicians by the end of training and were significantly better than non-tone trained non-musicians. These results lend support for phonetic-phonological-lexical continuity in learning because enhancing listeners' perception of lower-level tonal information significantly contributed to success in a higher-level linguistic task. PMID:23927215
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2006-01-011 January 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a scene reminiscent of some of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B), Opportunity, images of terrain in the vicinity of Erebus Crater -- a substrate of light-toned rock, broken into polygonal forms, overlain by large, dark-toned, ripple-like drifts. However, this scene is many hundreds of kilometers away from Meridiani Planum -- it lies on the floor of an old impact crater near the northwest rim of the giant Hellas Basin. Location near: 21.0oS, 312.0oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer
Development of low postural tone compensatory patterns - predicted dysfunction patterns in lower part of the body.
Gogola, Anna; Saulicz, Edward; Kuszewski, Michał; Matyja, Małgorzata; Myśliwiec, Andrzej
Lower postural tone is not always associated with central nervous system structural damage. There is such kind of tone that stays within the broadly defined normal range, but is characterized by distinct decrease of tone of the deep muscles responsible for stabilization. External syndromes are features of active or passive compensation observed in the postural and motor patterns. Active compensation of the lower muscle tone is associated with excessive use of the superficial muscles for stabilization that leads to limitation of motion in the joints and to functional shortening of some muscles. Active compensation mechanisms in the lower part of the body cause decreased anterior pelvic tilt, functional shortening of the hamstring muscles and pes cavus (spastoidal type). Passive compensation is initiated in case of decreased tone of both deep and superficial muscles. Stabilization is kept with considerable participation of the spatial shape of bones, ligaments, meniscus and passive properties of the muscles. Tendency to hypermobility of the periarthritis elements is observed, which is manifested by increase of the physiological range of motion in the joints. As a result in the lower part of the body postural faults develop, which are characterized by increased lumbar lordosis, anterior pelvic tilt, valgus knee and feet (atetoidal type). Observations indicate that lower tone of the muscles responsible for stabilization triggers off the sequence of compensatory mechanisms that ultimately lead to specific postural faults. PMID:25182405
Altered Pharyngeal Muscles in Parkinson Disease
Mu, Liancai; Sobotka, Stanislaw; Chen, Jingming; Su, Hungxi; Sanders, Ira; Adler, Charles H.; Shill, Holly A.; Caviness, John N.; Samanta, Johan E.; Beach, Thomas G.
Dysphagia (impaired swallowing) is common in Parkinson disease (PD) patients and is related to aspiration pneumonia, the primary cause of death in PD. Therapies that ameliorate the limb motor symptoms of PD are ineffective for dysphagia. This suggests that the pathophysiology of PD dysphagia may differ from that affecting limb muscles but little is known about potential neuromuscular abnormalities in the swallowing muscles in PD. This study examined the fiber histochemistry of pharyngeal constrictor (PC) and cricopharyngeal (CP) sphincter muscles in postmortem specimens from 8 PD and 4 age-matched control patients. Pharyngeal muscles in PD patients exhibited many atrophic fibers, fiber type grouping, and fast-to-slow myosin heavy chain transformation. These alterations indicate that the pharyngeal muscles experienced neural degeneration and regeneration over the course of PD. Notably, the PD patients with dysphagia had a higher percentage of atrophic myofibers vs. with those without dysphagia and controls. The fast-to-slow fiber type transition is consistent with abnormalities in swallowing, slow movement of food and increased tone in the CP sphincter in PD patients. The alterations in the pharyngeal muscles may play a pathogenic role in the development of dysphagia in PD patients. PMID:22588389
Abnormal Activation of RhoA/ROCK-I Signaling in Junctional Zone Smooth Muscle Cells of Patients With Adenomyosis.
Wang, S; Duan, H; Zhang, Y; Sun, F Q
Adenomyosis (ADS) is a common estrogen-dependent gynecological disease with unknown etiology. The RhoA/Rho-kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway is involved in various cellular functions, including migration, proliferation, and smooth muscle contraction. Here we examined the potential role of this pathway in junctional zone (JZ) contraction in women with and without ADS. We demonstrated that in the normal JZ, RhoA and ROCK-I messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression was significantly higher in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle than in the secretory phase. Expression of RhoA and ROCK-I in the JZ from women with ADS was significantly higher than in the control women and showed no significant differences across the menstrual cycle. Treatment of JZ smooth muscle cells (JZSMCs) with estrogen at 0, 1, 10, or 100 nmol/L for 24 hours resulted in increased expression of RhoA, ROCK-I, and myosin light-chain (MLC) phosphorylation (p-MLC) in a dose-dependent manner. In parallel to its effects on p-MLC, estrogen-mediated, dose-dependent contraction responses in JZSMCs. Estrogen-mediated contraction in the ADS group was significantly higher than in the controls and also showed no significant differences across the menstrual cycle. These effects were suppressed in the presence of ICI 182780 or Y27632, supporting an estrogen receptor-dependent and RhoA activation-dependent mechanism. Our results indicate that the level of RhoA and ROCK-I increases in patients with ADS and the cyclic change is lost. Estrogen may affect uterine JZ contraction of ADS by enhancing RhoA/ ROCK-I signaling. PMID:26335177
Role of Microvascular Tone and Extracellular Matrix Contraction in the Regulation of Interstitial Fluid: Implications for Aortic Dissection.
Mallat, Ziad; Tedgui, Alain; Henrion, Daniel
The pathophysiology of aortic dissection is poorly understood, and its risk is resistant to medical treatment. Most studies have focused on a proposed pathogenic role of transforming growth factor-β in Marfan disease and related thoracic aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. However, clinical testing of this concept using angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists to block transforming growth factor-β signaling fell short of promise. Genetic mutations that predispose to thoracic aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections affect components of the extracellular matrix and proteins involved in cellular force generation. Thus, a role for dysfunctional mechanosensing in abnormal aortic wall remodeling is emerging. However, how abnormal mechanosensing leads to aortic dissection remains a mystery. Here, we review current knowledge about the regulation of interstitial fluid dynamics and myogenic tone and propose that alteration in contractile force reduces vascular tone in the microcirculation (here, aortic vasa vasorum) and leads to elevations of blood flow, transmural pressure, and fluid flux into the surrounding aortic media. Furthermore, reduced contractile force in medial smooth muscle cells coupled with alteration of structural components of the extracellular matrix limits extracellular matrix contraction, further promoting the formation of intramural edema, a critical step in the initiation of aortic dissection. The concept is supported by several pathophysiological and clinical observations. A direct implication of this concept is that drugs that lower blood pressure and limit interstitial fluid accumulation while preserving or increasing microvascular tone would limit the risk of dissection. In contrast, drugs that substantially lower microvascular tone would be ineffective or may accelerate the disease and precipitate aortic dissection. PMID:27444198
Tone clarity in mixed pitch/phonation type tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Andruski, Jean E.
Lexical tone identity is often determined by a complex of acoustic cues. In Green Mong, a Hmong-Mien language of Southeast Asia, a small subset of tones is characterized by phonation type in addition to pitch height, pitch contour, and duration, which characterize the remaining tones of the language. In tones that incorporate multiple cues to tonal identity, what makes a tone clear, or easy to recognize? This study examines acoustic and perceptual data to address this question. Six native speakers of Green Mong were asked to produce 132 phonological CV words in sentence context, using a conversational speaking style. Seventeen native speakers of the language were then asked to categorize three tones which have similar falling contours, but are differentiated by phonation type (breathy, creaky, and modal). Tokens that were correctly identified by 100% of the listeners were compared with tokens that were relatively poorly identified. Data indicate that the breathy- and creaky-voiced tones are less susceptible to identification errors than the modal-voiced tone. However, the clearest tokens of the three tones are also differentiated by details of pitch contour shape, and by duration. Similarities and differences between acoustic cue values for the best and worst tokens will be discussed.
Abnormal Histone Methylation is Responsible for Increased VEGF165a Secretion from Airway Smooth Muscle Cells in Asthma
Clifford, Rachel L.; John, Alison E.; Brightling, Christopher E.; Knox, Alan J.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), a key angiogenic molecule, is aberrantly expressed in several diseases including asthma where it contributes to bronchial vascular remodelling and chronic inflammation. Asthmatic human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells hypersecrete VEGF but the mechanism is unclear. Here we defined the mechanism in HASM cells from non-asthmatic (NA) and asthmatic (A) patients. We found that asthmatic cells lacked a repression complex at the VEGF promoter which was present in non-asthmatic cells. Recruitment of G9A, trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me3) and a resultant decrease in RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) at the VEGF promoter was critical to repression of VEGF secretion in non-asthmatic cells. At the asthmatic promoter H3K9me3 was absent due to failed recruitment of G9a; RNA pol II binding, in association with TAF1, was increased, H3K4me3 was present and Sp1 binding was exaggerated and sustained. In contrast DNA methylation and histone acetylation were similar in A and NA cells. This is the first study to show that airway cells in asthma have altered epigenetic regulation of remodelling gene(s). Histone methylation at genes such as VEGF may be an important new therapeutic target. PMID:22689881
Measurements of Neuromuscular Tone and Strength in Down's Syndrome Children.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Morris, A. F.; And Others
Twenty-eight Down's syndrome and 33 normal children (4 to 17 years old) were evaluated for patellar tendon reflex, muscle tone, and grip strength. Results indicated that Down's syndrome children had a less brisk and more irregular patellar reflex response than normal controls. (Author/SB)
Development of low postural tone compensatory patterns - predicted dysfunction patterns in upper part of the body.
Gogola, Anna; Saulicz, Edward; Kuszewski, Michał; Matyja, Małgorzata; Myśliwiec, Andrzej
Lower postural tone is not always associated with central nervous system structures damage. There is a such kind of tone that stays within the broadly defined normal range, but is characterized by distinct decrease of tone of the deep muscles responsible for stabilization. External syndromes are features of active or passive compensation observed in the postural and motor patterns. Active compensation of the lower muscle tone is associated with excessive use of the superficial muscles for stabilization that leads to limitation of motion in the joints and to functional shortening of some muscles. Active compensation mechanisms in the upper part of the body cause translation of the head before the line of the shoulders, high alignment of the shoulder girdle and increase of the thoracic kyphosis (spastoidal type). Passive compensation is initiated in case of decreased tone of both deep and superficial muscles. Stabilization is kept with considerable participation of the spatial shape of bones, ligaments, meniscus and passive properties of the muscles. Tendency to hypermobility of the periarthritis elements is observed, which is manifested by the increase of the physiological range of motion in the joints. As a result in the upper part of the body postural faults develop, which are characterized by decreased thoracic kyphosis and sunken chest (atetoidal type). These observations indicate that lower tone of the muscles responsible for stabilization triggers off the sequence of compensatory mechanisms that ultimately lead to specific postural faults. PMID:25182404
Tone Features, Tone Perception, and Peak Alignment in Thai
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Zsiga, Elizabeth; Nitisaroj, Rattima
This paper investigates the relationship between the phonological features of tone and tone perception in Thai. Specifically, it tests the hypothesis (proposed by Moren & Zsiga, 2006) that the principle perceptual cues to the five-way tonal contrast in Thai are high and low pitch targets aligned to moras. Results of four perception studies, one…
Strategies for Analyzing Tone Languages
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Coupe, Alexander R.
This paper outlines a method of auditory and acoustic analysis for determining the tonemes of a language starting from scratch, drawing on the author's experience of recording and analyzing tone languages of north-east India. The methodology is applied to a preliminary analysis of tone in the Thang dialect of Khiamniungan, a virtually undocumented…
Rhythm Deficits in "Tone Deafness"
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Foxton, Jessica M.; Nandy, Rachel K.; Griffiths, Timothy D.
It is commonly observed that "tone deaf" individuals are unable to hear the beat of a tune, yet deficits on simple timing tests have not been found. In this study, we investigated rhythm processing in nine individuals with congenital amusia ("tone deafness") and nine controls. Participants were presented with pairs of 5-note sequences, and were…
[Steroid-responsive sensorineural hearing loss with low tone loss].
Toriya, R; Yamashita, H; Hisashi, K; Komune, S; Komiyama, S
Five cases of sensorineural hearing loss of sudden onset were reviewed. They were not responsive to administration of ATP and Vit. B12, but very responsive to steroid administration. All the patients were male and showed hearing loss in low frequencies in pure tone audiogram. Administration of steroid recovered hearing impairment immediately. However, cessation of steroid aggravated the recovered hearing. Serological and immunological examinations did not show any abnormal findings on all the patients. It was considered that these five patients had characteristics of both steroid-sensitive and low tone-loss type sensorineural hearing losses. PMID:8566929
Development of low postural tone compensatory patterns in children - theoretical basis.
Gogola, Anna; Saulicz, Edward; Kuszewski, Michał; Matyja, Małgorzata; Myśliwiec, Andrzej
Neurological literature indicates the existence of children with low postural tone without association with central nervous system damage. This fact induces to think about mechanisms, which allow these children to maintain upright posture. There is a suspicion that compensatory mechanism included in this process, enables to achieve upright posture, but at expense of body posture quality. Observations of children's developmental stages caused determination of some postural tone area, which comprise both children with normotonia and with low postural tone without characteristics of central nervous system (CNS) damage. Set of specific qualities allows determination of two types of low postural tone: spastoidal and atetoidal type. Spastoidal type is characterized by deep trunk muscles (local) low postural tone compensated by excessive tension of superficial muscles (global). Atetoidal type includes children with low postural tone in both deep and superficial muscles. At inefficient active subsystem, verticalization proceeds at excessive use of passive subsystem qualities, that is meniscus, ligament, bone shape, and muscles passive features. From neurodevelopmental point of view compensatory mechanisms can be used in children with low postural tone in order to achieve upright posture, but at expense of body posture quality. PMID:25182403
Supersonic jet screech tone cancellation
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Nagel, R. T.; Denham, J. W.; Papathanasiou, A. G.
A new method of supersonic jet screech tone reduction is presented. The method utilizes a sound reflecting surface positioned upstream of the nozzle exit a distance of one-quarter wavelength of the fundamental screech tone. The reflector establishes a standing wave pattern of acoustic waves with a node at the nozzle exit plane. The pressure minimum at the exit halts the screech tone feedback mechanism. Experimental results indicate that the method eliminates supersonic jet screech as effectively as the currently accepted technique using an intrusive tab, but without distortion of the jet flow. The change in shock cell spacing, which occurs with an intrusive tab, does not occur when screech is cancelled with the new technique. The broadband shock-associated noise is also influenced much less when the jet screech tones are eliminated by the new method.
Interactive Enhancement Of Tone Scale
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Troxel, Donald E.; Schreiber, William F.; Burzinski, Nancy J.; Matson, Mark D.
The tone scale or gradation of a continuous tone picture is the most important factor related to the quality of an image. We have developed special purpose analog and digital circuitry that enables the real-time (30 updates per second) computation of a tone scale transformation which is then applied to a digitized picture being displayed on a television monitor. In our system the tone scale transformations are controlled by knobs that are labeled in terms meaningful to photographic artisans, rather than requiring an operator to specify points on a transfer characteristic, as is common with other systems. These knobs directly specify minimum and maximum densities, brightness, and shadow, highlight, and overall contrast. These control parameters may be selectively enabled by the operator. After the appropriate aesthetic modifications have been achieved on the television display, the operator may initiate the transformation of the complete stored image prior to subsequent computer processing or hard copy output.
Interactive Enhancement Of Tone Scale
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Troxel, Donald E.; Schreiber, William F.; Burzinski, Nancy J.; Matson, Mark D.
The tone scale or gradation of a continuous tone picture is the most important factor related to the quality of an image. We have developed special purpose analog and digital circuitry which enables the real-time (30 updates per second) computation of a tone scale transformation which is then applied to a digitized picture being displayed on a television monitor. In our system the tone scale transformations are controlled by knobs which are labelled in terms meaningful to photographic artisans, rather than requiring an operator to specify points on a transfer characteristic as is common with other systems. These knobs directly specify minimum and maximum densities, brightness, and shadow, highlight and overall contrast. These control parameters may be selectively enabled by the operator. After the appropriate aesthetic modifications have been achieved on the television display, the operator may initiate the transformation of the complete stored image prior to subsequent computer processing or hard copy output.
Carp myogens of white and red muscles. General composition and isolation of low-molecular-weight components of abnormal amino acid composition
Hamoir, G.; Konosu, S.
1. The general composition of the carp myogens of white and red muscles was examined by electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. 2. Eight and nine peaks were found in the electrophoretic analysis at pH7·3 and I0·075 of white and red muscle respectively. Lowering of the pH to 5 or 6 did not increase the number of peaks. The electrophoretic pattern of white-muscle myogen was remarkably different from that of red-muscle myogen, though ultracentrifugal analyses of the both types of myogen gave similar diagrams, in which about one-third of the total myogen sedimented slowly. 3. The pH–mobility curves of the myogen of white muscle indicated that the net charges of the components 2, 3 and 5 vary only slightly within the pH range 7·3–5·4, suggesting that their histidine content is very low. 4. The slow-sedimenting fraction of white-muscle myogen was isolated in fairly good yield by ammonium sulphate fractionation, by taking advantage of their high salting-out range, and the fraction was shown to be composed mainly of components 2, 3 and 5. 5. The same method of fractionation was applied to red-muscle myogen and the absence of the three components was confirmed. These results bring to light a new difference between the two types of fish muscle. PMID:14343157
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kazez, Daniel
The vague and virtually meaningless term "tone deaf" should be avoided because it encourages students to be incorrectly labeled as hopeless. If a student is oblivious to blatantly faulty intonation, and if his or her playing fails to improve after diligent practicing, a teacher should consider the possibility of diplacusis. (RM)
The molecular basis of the genesis of basal tone in internal anal sphincter
Zhang, Cheng-Hai; Wang, Pei; Liu, Dong-Hai; Chen, Cai-Ping; Zhao, Wei; Chen, Xin; Chen, Chen; He, Wei-Qi; Qiao, Yan-Ning; Tao, Tao; Sun, Jie; Peng, Ya-Jing; Lu, Ping; Zheng, Kaizhi; Craige, Siobhan M.; Lifshitz, Lawrence M.; Keaney Jr, John F.; Fogarty, Kevin E.; ZhuGe, Ronghua; Zhu, Min-Sheng
Smooth muscle sphincters exhibit basal tone and control passage of contents through organs such as the gastrointestinal tract; loss of this tone leads to disorders such as faecal incontinence. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this tone remain unknown. Here, we show that deletion of myosin light-chain kinases (MLCK) in the smooth muscle cells from internal anal sphincter (IAS-SMCs) abolishes basal tone, impairing defecation. Pharmacological regulation of ryanodine receptors (RyRs), L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) or TMEM16A Ca2+-activated Cl− channels significantly changes global cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the tone. TMEM16A deletion in IAS-SMCs abolishes the effects of modulators for TMEM16A or VDCCs on a RyR-mediated rise in global [Ca2+]i and impairs the tone and defecation. Hence, MLCK activation in IAS-SMCs caused by a global rise in [Ca2+]i via a RyR-TMEM16A-VDCC signalling module sets the basal tone. Targeting this module may lead to new treatments for diseases like faecal incontinence. PMID:27101932
Root Tone: A Holistic Approach to Tone Pedagogy of Western Classical Flute
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
BastaniNezhad, Arya
This article examines how key components of holistic tone production can help flutists form a resonant tone. This is framed in an exploration of tone pedagogy and includes a model of tone evaluation and education. This research is also applicable to other instrumentalists, especially wind players. In this case study information was collected by…
Perception of Mandarin Chinese Tone 2/Tone 3 and the Role of Creaky Voice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cao, Rui
Research has shown that lexical tones, a suprasegmental feature, are processed by native speakers as linguistic elements just like other segmental information. Among the four tones of Mandarin Chinese, in particular, Tone 2 and Tone 3 are very similar in their pitch contour shapes and thus can be difficult to distinguish in native and nonnative…
The Role of Tone Height, Melodic Contour, and Tone Chroma in Melody Recognition.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Massaro, Dominic W.; And Others
Relationships among tone height, melodic contour, tone chroma, and recognition of recently learned melodies were investigated. Results replicated previous studies using familiar folk songs, providing evidence that melodic contour, tone chroma, and tone height contribute to recognition of both highly familiar and recently learned melodies.…
Abnormal muscle development in the heldup3 mutant of Drosophila melanogaster is caused by a splicing defect affecting selected troponin I isoforms.
Barbas, J A; Galceran, J; Torroja, L; Prado, A; Ferrús, A
The troponin I (TnI) gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a family of 10 isoforms resulting from the differential splicing of 13 exons. Four of these exons (6a1, 6a2, 6b1, and 6b2) are mutually exclusive and very similar in sequence. TnI isoforms show qualitative specificity whereby each muscle expresses a selected repertoire of them. In addition, TnI isoforms show quantitative specificity whereby each muscle expresses characteristic amounts of each isoform. In the mutant heldup3, the development of the thoracic muscles DLM, DVM, and TDT is aborted. The mutation consists of a one-nucleotide displacement of the 3' AG splice site at the intron preceding exon 6b1, resulting in the failure to produce all exon 6b1-containing TnI isoforms. These molecular changes in a constituent of the thin filaments cause the selective failure to develop the DLM, DVM, and TDT muscles while having no visible effect on other muscles wherein exon 6b1 expression is minor. Images PMID:7680094
Neural signatures of lexical tone reading.
Kwok, Veronica P Y; Wang, Tianfu; Chen, Siping; Yakpo, Kofi; Zhu, Linlin; Fox, Peter T; Tan, Li Hai
Research on how lexical tone is neuroanatomically represented in the human brain is central to our understanding of cortical regions subserving language. Past studies have exclusively focused on tone perception of the spoken language, and little is known as to the lexical tone processing in reading visual words and its associated brain mechanisms. In this study, we performed two experiments to identify neural substrates in Chinese tone reading. First, we used a tone judgment paradigm to investigate tone processing of visually presented Chinese characters. We found that, relative to baseline, tone perception of printed Chinese characters were mediated by strong brain activation in bilateral frontal regions, left inferior parietal lobule, left posterior middle/medial temporal gyrus, left inferior temporal region, bilateral visual systems, and cerebellum. Surprisingly, no activation was found in superior temporal regions, brain sites well known for speech tone processing. In activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis to combine results of relevant published studies, we attempted to elucidate whether the left temporal cortex activities identified in Experiment one is consistent with those found in previous studies of auditory lexical tone perception. ALE results showed that only the left superior temporal gyrus and putamen were critical in auditory lexical tone processing. These findings suggest that activation in the superior temporal cortex associated with lexical tone perception is modality-dependent. PMID:25196948
Chapter 19, describes meiotic abnormalities. These include nondisjunction of autosomes and sex chromosomes, genetic and environmental causes of nondisjunction, misdivision of the centromere, chromosomally abnormal human sperm, male infertility, parental age, and origin of diploid gametes. 57 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
Intramuscular variation in fresh ham muscle color
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
This experiment was conducted to characterize a defect involving pale muscle tissue in the superficial, ventral portion of ham muscles, resulting in two-toned appearance of cured ham products. Biceps femoris muscles (n = 200), representing 3 production systems, were obtained from the ham-boning lin...
Perceptual image quality: Effects of tone characteristics
Delahunt, Peter B.; Zhang, Xuemei; Brainard, David H.
Tone mapping refers to the conversion of luminance values recorded by a digital camera or other acquisition device, to the luminance levels available from an output device, such as a monitor or a printer. Tone mapping can improve the appearance of rendered images. Although there are a variety of algorithms available, there is little information about the image tone characteristics that produce pleasing images. We devised an experiment where preferences for images with different tone characteristics were measured. The results indicate that there is a systematic relation between image tone characteristics and perceptual image quality for images containing faces. For these images, a mean face luminance level of 46–49 CIELAB L* units and a luminance standard deviation (taken over the whole image) of 18 CIELAB L* units produced the best renderings. This information is relevant for the design of tone-mapping algorithms, particularly as many images taken by digital camera users include faces. PMID:17235365
Regulation of Arterial Tone by Activation of Calcium-Dependent Potassium Channels
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brayden, Joseph E.; Nelson, Mark T.
Blood pressure and tissue perfusion are controlled in part by the level of intrinsic (myogenic) vascular tone. However, many of the molecular determinants of this response are unknown. Evidence is now presented that the degree of myogenic tone is regulated in part by the activation of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in arterial smooth muscle. Tetraethylammonium ion (TEA^+) and charybdotoxin (CTX), at concentrations that block calcium-activated potassium channels in smooth muscle cells isolated from cerebral arteries, depolarized and constricted pressurized cerebral arteries with myogenic tone. Both TEA^+ and CTX had little effect on arteries when intracellular calcium was reduced by lowering intravascular pressure or by blocking calcium channels. Elevation of intravascular pressure through membrane depolarization and an increase in intracellular calcium may activate calcium-activated potassium channels. Thus, these channels may serve as a negative feedback pathway to control the degree of membrane depolarization and vasoconstriction.
Multiple pure tone noise prediction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Han, Fei; Sharma, Anupam; Paliath, Umesh; Shieh, Chingwei
This paper presents a fully numerical method for predicting multiple pure tones, also known as "Buzzsaw" noise. It consists of three steps that account for noise source generation, nonlinear acoustic propagation with hard as well as lined walls inside the nacelle, and linear acoustic propagation outside the engine. Noise generation is modeled by steady, part-annulus computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A linear superposition algorithm is used to construct full-annulus shock/pressure pattern just upstream of the fan from part-annulus CFD results. Nonlinear wave propagation is carried out inside the duct using a pseudo-two-dimensional solution of Burgers' equation. Scattering from nacelle lip as well as radiation to farfield is performed using the commercial solver ACTRAN/TM. The proposed prediction process is verified by comparing against full-annulus CFD simulations as well as against static engine test data for a typical high bypass ratio aircraft engine with hardwall as well as lined inlets. Comparisons are drawn against nacelle unsteady pressure transducer measurements at two axial locations as well as against near- and far-field microphone array measurements outside the duct. This is the first fully numerical approach (no experimental or empirical input is required) to predict multiple pure tone noise generation, in-duct propagation and far-field radiation. It uses measured blade coordinates to calculate MPT noise.
... serious health problems (e.g. Down syndrome ). Single-Gene Abnormalities Sometimes the chromosomes are normal in number, ... blood flow to the fetus impair fetal growth. Alcohol consumption and certain drugs during pregnancy significantly increase ...
... of the skull and face. Craniofacial abnormalities are birth defects of the face or head. Some, like cleft ... palate, are among the most common of all birth defects. Others are very rare. Most of them affect ...
... include: Arthritis of the leg or foot joints Conversion disorder (a psychological disorder) Foot problems (such as a ... injuries. For an abnormal gait that occurs with conversion disorder, counseling and support from family members are strongly ...
... decade, newer techniques have been developed that allow scientists and doctors to screen for chromosomal abnormalities without using a microscope. These newer methods compare the patient's DNA to a normal DNA ...
Nail abnormalities are problems with the color, shape, texture, or thickness of the fingernails or toenails. ... Fungus or yeast cause changes in the color, texture, and shape of the nails. Bacterial infection may ...
Effects of Lexical Tone Contour on Mandarin Sentence Intelligibility
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chen, Fei; Wong, Lena L. N.; Hu, Yi
Purpose: This study examined the effects of lexical tone contour on the intelligibility of Mandarin sentences in quiet and in noise. Method: A text-to-speech synthesis engine was used to synthesize Mandarin sentences with each word carrying the original lexical tone, flat tone, or a tone randomly selected from the 4 Mandarin lexical tones. The…
The Phonology and Phonetics of Tone Perception
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ramadoss, Deepti
This dissertation studies the perception of tones in Thai, and aims to contribute to a formal characterization of speech perception more generally. Earlier work had argued that perception of tones involves retrieval of some abstract "autosegmental" representation provided by the phonology, while another line of work had argued for the…
Clause Structure and Tone in Sandawe.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Elderkin, Edward D.
In a tone language, tonal distinctions between words in sequence can often be analyzed using the same devices that are applied within the word (e.g., downdrift or downstep). However, it is proposed here that Sandawe is a tone language in which the tonal relationships between constituents in clause structure, and between constituents in phrase…
Heart rate variability and vagal tone in schizophrenia: A review.
Montaquila, Julian M; Trachik, Benjamin J; Bedwell, Jeffrey S
Recent heart rate variability (HRV) research has identified diminished levels of parasympathetic activity among schizophrenia patients. Over two dozen empirically-based studies have been published on this topic; primarily over the last decade. However, no theoretical review appears to have been published on this work. Further, only one empirical study has evaluated HRV research findings in the context of documented hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperactivity in schizophrenia. HRV research indicates that no abnormalities exist in the initial sympathetic stress response of schizophrenia patients. However, evidence has consistently demonstrated that patients exhibit a diminished capacity to recover from a stress response as a result of deficits in parasympathetic activity. Moreover, this diminished parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) response, also known as decreased vagal tone, has been found to relate to increased symptom severity. Although these findings may cause speculation that the observed vagal tone disruption merely results from anxiety produced by the presence of positive symptomology, additional studies have identified similar parasympathetic dysfunction among nonpsychotic relatives of individuals with schizophrenia. We posit that the resulting sympathovagal imbalance leads to an overall sympathetic dominance despite the fact that sympathetic nervous system activity is not abnormally elevated among patients. Implications are discussed within the context of the diathesis-stress/vulnerability-stress model, including the potential for identifying a mechanism of action by which environmental stressors may contribute to triggering first-episode psychosis. PMID:26343595
Physiological mechanisms of action of incretin and insulin in regulating skeletal muscle metabolism.
Abdulla, Haitham; Phillips, Bethan; Smith, Kenneth; Wilkinson, Daniel; Atherton, Philip J; Idris, Iskandar
Type II diabetes (T2D) is a progressive condition affecting approximately 350 million adults worldwide. Whilst skeletal muscle insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction are recognised causes of T2D, progressive loss of lean muscle mass (reducing surface area for glucose disposal area) in tandem with ageing-related adiposity (i.e. sarcopenic obesity) also plays an important role in driving hyperglycaemia progression. The anabolic effects of nutrition on the muscle are driven by the uptake of amino acids, into skeletal muscle protein, and insulin plays a crucial role in regulating this. Meanwhile glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) and glucose- dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) are incretin hormones released from the gut into the bloodstream in response to macronutrients, and have an established role in enhancing insulin secretion. Intriguingly, endocrine functions of incretins were recently shown to extend beyond classical insulinotropic effects, with GLP-1/GIP receptors being found in extra-pancreatic cells i.e., skeletal muscle and peripheral (muscle) microvasculature. Since, incretins have been shown to modulate blood flow and muscle glucose uptake in an insulin-independent manner, incretins may play a role in regulating nutrient-mediated modulation of muscle metabolism and microvascular tone, independently of their insulinotropic effects. In this review we will discuss the role of skeletal muscle in glucose homeostasis, disturbances related to insulin resistance, regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism, muscle microvascular abnormalities and disturbances of protein (PRO) metabolism seen in old age and T2D. We will also discuss the emerging non-insulinotropic role of GLP-1 in modulating skeletal muscle metabolism and microvascular blood flow. PMID:25323297
TRPV4 and the regulation of vascular tone
Filosa, Jessica .A.; Yao, Xiaoqiang; Rath, Geraldine
Recent studies have introduced the importance of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Subtype 4 (TRPV4) channels in the regulation of vascular tone. TRPV4 channels are expressed in both endothelium and vascular smooth muscle cells and can be activated by numerous stimuli including mechanical (e.g. shear stress, cell swelling, and heat) and chemical (e.g. epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), endocanabinoids, 4α-phorbol esters). In the brain, TRPV4 channels are primarily localized to astrocytic endfeet processes which wrap around blood vessels. Thus, TRPV4 channels are strategically localized to sense hemodynamic changes and contribute to the regulation of vascular tone. TRPV4 channel activation leads to smooth muscle cell hyperpolarization and vasodilation. Here we review recent findings on the cellular mechanisms underlying TRPV4-mediated vasodilation, TRPV4 channel interaction with other proteins including Transient Receptor Potential Channel 1 (TRPC1), small conductance (KCa2.3) and large conductance (KCa1.1) calcium-activated, potassium-selective channels and the importance of caveolin-rich domains for these interactions to take place. PMID:23107877
Adaptation of active tone in the mouse descending thoracic aorta under acute changes in loading.
Murtada, S-I; Lewin, S; Arner, A; Humphrey, J D
Arteries can adapt to sustained changes in blood pressure and flow, and it is thought that these adaptive processes often begin with an altered smooth muscle cell activity that precedes any detectable changes in the passive wall components. Yet, due to the intrinsic coupling between the active and passive properties of the arterial wall, it has been difficult to delineate the adaptive contributions of active smooth muscle. To address this need, we used a novel experimental-computational approach to quantify adaptive functions of active smooth muscle in arterial rings excised from the proximal descending thoracic aorta of mice and subjected to short-term sustained circumferential stretches while stimulated with various agonists. A new mathematical model of the adaptive processes was derived and fit to data to describe and predict the effects of active tone adaptation. It was found that active tone was maintained when the artery was adapted close to the optimal stretch for maximal active force production, but it was reduced when adapted below the optimal stretch; there was no significant change in passive behavior in either case. Such active adaptations occurred only upon smooth muscle stimulation with phenylephrine, however, not stimulation with KCl or angiotensin II. Numerical simulations using the proposed model suggested further that active tone adaptation in vascular smooth muscle could play a stabilizing role for wall stress in large elastic arteries. PMID:26220455
Tumor Necrosis Factor/Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Signaling Augments Resistance Artery Myogenic Tone in Diabetes.
Sauvé, Meghan; Hui, Sonya K; Dinh, Danny D; Foltz, Warren D; Momen, Abdul; Nedospasov, Sergei A; Offermanns, Stefan; Husain, Mansoor; Kroetsch, Jeffrey T; Lidington, Darcy; Bolz, Steffen-Sebastian
Diabetes strongly associates with microvascular complications that ultimately promote multiorgan failure. Altered myogenic responsiveness compromises tissue perfusion, aggravates hypertension, and sets the stage for later permanent structural changes to the microcirculation. We demonstrate that skeletal muscle resistance arteries isolated from patients with diabetes have augmented myogenic tone, despite reasonable blood glucose control. To understand the mechanisms, we titrated a standard diabetes mouse model (high-fat diet plus streptozotocin [HFD/STZ]) to induce a mild increase in blood glucose levels. HFD/STZ treatment induced a progressive myogenic tone augmentation in mesenteric and olfactory cerebral arteries; neither HFD nor STZ alone had an effect on blood glucose or resistance artery myogenic tone. Using gene deletion models that eliminate tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or sphingosine kinase 1, we demonstrate that vascular smooth muscle cell TNF drives the elevation of myogenic tone via enhanced sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling. Therapeutically antagonizing TNF (etanercept) or S1P (JTE013) signaling corrects this defect. Our investigation concludes that vascular smooth muscle cell TNF augments resistance artery myogenic vasoconstriction in a diabetes model that induces a small elevation of blood glucose. Our data demonstrate that microvascular reactivity is an early disease marker and advocate establishing therapies that strategically target the microcirculation. PMID:27207546
Children's Acquisition of Tone 3 Sandhi in Mandarin
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wang, Chiung-Yao
The purpose of the dissertation is to examine Mandarin-speaking children's acquisition of a syntax-dependent phonological rule Tone 3 Sandhi (T3S). A Tone 3 (low dipping tone) is changed to a Tone 2 (mid rising tone) when it is followed by another Tone 3. Application of T3S in fact involves a complex process. In setting up the prosodic domains…
Up-regulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 subunit Raptor by aldosterone induces abnormal pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell survival patterns to promote pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Aghamohammadzadeh, Reza; Zhang, Ying-Yi; Stephens, Thomas E; Arons, Elena; Zaman, Paula; Polach, Kevin J; Matar, Majed; Yung, Lai-Ming; Yu, Paul B; Bowman, Frederick P; Opotowsky, Alexander R; Waxman, Aaron B; Loscalzo, Joseph; Leopold, Jane A; Maron, Bradley A
Activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) subunit Raptor induces cell growth and is a downstream target of Akt. Elevated levels of aldosterone activate Akt, and, in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), correlate with pulmonary arteriole thickening, which suggests that mTORC1 regulation by aldosterone may mediate adverse pulmonary vascular remodeling. We hypothesized that aldosterone-Raptor signaling induces abnormal pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) survival patterns to promote PAH. Remodeled pulmonary arterioles from SU-5416/hypoxia-PAH rats and monocrotaline-PAH rats with hyperaldosteronism expressed increased levels of the Raptor target, p70S6K, which provided a basis for investigating aldosterone-Raptor signaling in human PASMCs. Aldosterone (10(-9) to 10(-7) M) increased Akt/mTOR/Raptor to activate p70S6K and increase proliferation, viability, and apoptosis resistance in PASMCs. In PASMCs transfected with Raptor-small interfering RNA or treated with spironolactone/eplerenone, aldosterone or pulmonary arterial plasma from patients with PAH failed to increase p70S6K activation or to induce cell survival in vitro Optimal inhibition of pulmonary arteriole Raptor was achieved by treatment with Staramine-monomethoxy polyethylene glycol that was formulated with Raptor-small interfering RNA plus spironolactone in vivo, which decreased arteriole muscularization and pulmonary hypertension in 2 experimental animal models of PAH in vivo Up-regulation of mTORC1 by aldosterone is a critical pathobiologic mechanism that controls PASMC survival to promote hypertrophic vascular remodeling and PAH.-Aghamohammadzadeh, R., Zhang, Y.-Y., Stephens, T. E., Arons, E., Zaman, P., Polach, K. J., Matar, M., Yung, L.-M., Yu, P. B., Bowman, F. P., Opotowsky, A. R., Waxman, A. B., Loscalzo, J., Leopold, J. A., Maron, B. A. Up-regulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 subunit Raptor by aldosterone induces abnormal pulmonary artery smooth
Positive tone oxide nanoparticle EUV (ONE) photoresists
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yu, Mufei; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Ober, Christopher K.
Nanoparticles with a variety of organic/inorganic combinations have been investigated and the negative tone patterning was demonstrated using EUV radiation. Zirconium methacrylate (ZrMAA) nanoparticles had sensitivity with EUV exposure as high as 4.2 mJ/cm2 with a resolution up to 22 nm, and an LER of 5.6 nm. Meanwhile, the dual-tone behavior of ZrMAA photoresists using e-beam and deep UV exposures is another attractive feature of the nanoparticle photoresists, which may be further applied with EUV lithography. The current study investigates the positive tone patterning of ZrMAA and the process-dependent image reversal. Our proposed patterning mechanism is further illustrated and optimized based in a positive tone behavior study.
Tone-activated, remote, alert communication system
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Baker, C. D.; Couvillon, L. A.; Hubbard, W. P.; Kollar, F. J.; Postal, R. B.; Tegnelia, C. R.
Pocket sized transmitter, frequency modulated by crystal derived tones, with integral loop antenna provides police with easy operating alert signal communicator which uses patrol car radio to relay signal. Communication channels are time shared by several patrol units.
Tone and prosodic organization in Cherokee nouns
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Johnson, Keith; Haag, Marcia
Preliminary observations in the speech of one speaker of Cherokee led us to postulate three factors affecting tone in Cherokee. (1) Tone may be lexically specified with distinctive low, low fall, low rise, and high tones. (2) There is a metrically determined high fall pattern which may be distributed over not more than 2 syllables from the right edge of a prosodic domain. (3) Intonational domains may be associated with discourse functions, marked by high fall, or by pitch range upstep. This paper tests these observations in recordings of word lists and sentences produced by five additional speakers. The analysis we give, positing both lexical tone and metrical prosodic accent, is not unique in descriptions of language, but is different from the usual description of Cherokee. [Work supported by NSF.
Muscle and reflex changes with varying joint angle in hemiparetic stroke
Mirbagheri, Mehdi M; Alibiglou, Laila; Thajchayapong, Montakan; Rymer, William Z
Background Despite intensive investigation, the origins of the neuromuscular abnormalities associated with spasticity are not well understood. In particular, the mechanical properties induced by stretch reflex activity have been especially difficult to study because of a lack of accurate tools separating reflex torque from torque generated by musculo-tendinous structures. The present study addresses this deficit by characterizing the contribution of neural and muscular components to the abnormally high stiffness of the spastic joint. Methods Using system identification techniques, we characterized the neuromuscular abnormalities associated with spasticity of ankle muscles in chronic hemiparetic stroke survivors. In particular, we systematically tracked changes in muscle mechanical properties and in stretch reflex activity during changes in ankle joint angle. Modulation of mechanical properties was assessed by applying perturbations at different initial angles, over the entire range of motion (ROM). Experiments were performed on both paretic and non-paretic sides of stroke survivors, and in healthy controls. Results Both reflex and intrinsic muscle stiffnesses were significantly greater in the spastic/paretic ankle than on the non-paretic side, and these changes were strongly position dependent. The major reflex contributions were observed over the central portion of the angular range, while the intrinsic contributions were most pronounced with the ankle in the dorsiflexed position. Conclusion In spastic ankle muscles, the abnormalities in intrinsic and reflex components of joint torque varied systematically with changing position over the full angular range of motion, indicating that clinical perceptions of increased tone may have quite different origins depending upon the angle where the tests are initiated. Furthermore, reflex stiffness was considerably larger in the non-paretic limb of stroke patients than in healthy control subjects, suggesting that the non
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cho, Sungseo; Vander Heyden, Anthony; Byers, Jeff D.; Willson, C. Grant
A great deal of progress has been made in the design of single layer positive tone resists for 193 nm lithography. Commercial samples of such materials are now available from many vendors. The patterning of certain levels of devices profits from the use of negative tone resists. There have been several reports of work directed toward the design of negative tones resists for 193 nm exposure but, none have performed as well as the positive tone systems. Polymers with alicyclic structures in the backbone have emerged as excellent platforms from which to design positive tone resists for 193 nm exposure. We now report the adaptation of this class of polymers to the design of high performance negative tone 193 nm resists. New systems have been prepared that are based on a polarity switch mechanism for modulation of the dissolution rate. The systems are based on a polar, alicyclic polymer backbone that includes a monomer bearing a glycol pendant group that undergoes the acid catalyzed pinacol rearrangement upon exposure and bake to produce the corresponding less polar ketone. This monomer was copolymerized with maleic anhydride and a norbornene bearing a bis-trifluoromethylcarbinol. The rearrangement of the copolymer was monitored by FT-IR as a function of temperature. The synthesis of the norbornene monomers will be presented together with characterization of copolymers of these monomers with maleic anhydride. The lithographic performance of the new resist system will also be presented.
Numerical simulation of the edge tone phenomenon
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dougherty, N. S.; Liu, B. L.; Ofarrell, J. M.
Time accurate Navier-Stokes computations were performed to study a class 2 (acoustic) whistle, the edge tone, and to gain knowledge of the vortex-acoustic coupling mechanisms driving production of these tones. Results were obtained by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations for laminar compressible air flow of a two dimensional jet issuing from a slit interacting with a wedge. Cases considered were determined by varying the distance from the slit to the wedge. Flow speed was kept constant at 1,750 cm/s as was the slit thickness of 0.1 cm, corresponding to conditions in the experiments of Brown. The analytical computations revealed edge tones to be present in four harmonic stages of jet flow instability over the wedge as the jet length was varied from 0.3 to 1.6 cm. Excellent agreement was obtained in all four edge tone stage cases between the present computational results and the experimentally obtained frequencies and flow visualization results of Brown. Specific edge tone generation phenomena and further confirmation of certain theories and empirical formulas concerning these phenomena were brought to light in this analytical simulation of edge tones.
General perceptual contributions to lexical tone normalization.
Huang, Jingyuan; Holt, Lori L
Within tone languages that use pitch variations to contrast meaning, large variability exists in the pitches produced by different speakers. Context-dependent perception may help to resolve this perceptual challenge. However, whether speakers rely on context in contour tone perception is unclear; previous studies have produced inconsistent results. The present study aimed to provide an unambiguous test of the effect of context on contour lexical tone perception and to explore its underlying mechanisms. In three experiments, Mandarin listeners' perception of Mandarin first and second (high-level and mid-rising) tones was investigated with preceding speech and non-speech contexts. Results indicate that the mean fundamental frequency (f0) of a preceding sentence affects perception of contour lexical tones and the effect is contrastive. Following a sentence with a higher-frequency mean f0, the following syllable is more likely to be perceived as a lower frequency lexical tone and vice versa. Moreover, non-speech precursors modeling the mean spectrum of f0 also elicit this effect, suggesting general perceptual processing rather than articulatory-based or speaker-identity-driven mechanisms. PMID:19507980
Underwater loudness for pure tones: Duration effects
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cudahy, Edward A.; Schwaller, Derek; Fothergill, David; Wolgemuth, Keith
The loudness of underwater pure tones was measured by loudness matching for pure tones from 100 to 16,000 Hz. The standard was a one second tone at 1000 Hz. The signal duration was varied from 20 milliseconds to 5 seconds. Subjects were instructed to match the loudness of the comparison tone at one of the test frequencies to the loudness of the standard tone. Loudness was measured at the threshold, the most comfortable loudness, and the maximum tolerable loudness. The intensity of the standard was varied randomly across the test series. The subjects were bareheaded U.S. Navy divers tested at a depth of 3 meters. All subjects had normal in-air hearing. Tones were presented to the right side of the subject from an array of underwater sound projectors. The sound pressure level was calibrated at the location of the subject's head with the subject absent. Loudness increased and threshold decreased as duration increased. The effect was greatest at the lowest and highest frequencies. The shape of the loudness contours across frequency and duration derived from these measurements are different from in-air measurements. [Research supported by ONR.
MeCP2 Affects Skeletal Muscle Growth and Morphology through Non Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms
Galli, Francesco; Tirone, Mario; Bellini, Elisa; Campana, Lara; Kilstrup-Nielsen, Charlotte; Rovere-Querini, Patrizia; Brunelli, Silvia; Landsberger, Nicoletta
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an autism spectrum disorder mainly caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene and affecting roughly 1 out of 10.000 born girls. Symptoms range in severity and include stereotypical movement, lack of spoken language, seizures, ataxia and severe intellectual disability. Notably, muscle tone is generally abnormal in RTT girls and women and the Mecp2-null mouse model constitutively reflects this disease feature. We hypothesized that MeCP2 in muscle might physiologically contribute to its development and/or homeostasis, and conversely its defects in RTT might alter the tissue integrity or function. We show here that a disorganized architecture, with hypotrophic fibres and tissue fibrosis, characterizes skeletal muscles retrieved from Mecp2-null mice. Alterations of the IGF-1/Akt/mTOR pathway accompany the muscle phenotype. A conditional mouse model selectively depleted of Mecp2 in skeletal muscles is characterized by healthy muscles that are morphologically and molecularly indistinguishable from those of wild-type mice raising the possibility that hypotonia in RTT is mainly, if not exclusively, mediated by non-cell autonomous effects. Our results suggest that defects in paracrine/endocrine signaling and, in particular, in the GH/IGF axis appear as the major cause of the observed muscular defects. Remarkably, this is the first study describing the selective deletion of Mecp2 outside the brain. Similar future studies will permit to unambiguously define the direct impact of MeCP2 on tissue dysfunctions. PMID:26098633
MeCP2 Affects Skeletal Muscle Growth and Morphology through Non Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms.
Conti, Valentina; Gandaglia, Anna; Galli, Francesco; Tirone, Mario; Bellini, Elisa; Campana, Lara; Kilstrup-Nielsen, Charlotte; Rovere-Querini, Patrizia; Brunelli, Silvia; Landsberger, Nicoletta
Rett syndrome (RTT) is an autism spectrum disorder mainly caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene and affecting roughly 1 out of 10.000 born girls. Symptoms range in severity and include stereotypical movement, lack of spoken language, seizures, ataxia and severe intellectual disability. Notably, muscle tone is generally abnormal in RTT girls and women and the Mecp2-null mouse model constitutively reflects this disease feature. We hypothesized that MeCP2 in muscle might physiologically contribute to its development and/or homeostasis, and conversely its defects in RTT might alter the tissue integrity or function. We show here that a disorganized architecture, with hypotrophic fibres and tissue fibrosis, characterizes skeletal muscles retrieved from Mecp2-null mice. Alterations of the IGF-1/Akt/mTOR pathway accompany the muscle phenotype. A conditional mouse model selectively depleted of Mecp2 in skeletal muscles is characterized by healthy muscles that are morphologically and molecularly indistinguishable from those of wild-type mice raising the possibility that hypotonia in RTT is mainly, if not exclusively, mediated by non-cell autonomous effects. Our results suggest that defects in paracrine/endocrine signaling and, in particular, in the GH/IGF axis appear as the major cause of the observed muscular defects. Remarkably, this is the first study describing the selective deletion of Mecp2 outside the brain. Similar future studies will permit to unambiguously define the direct impact of MeCP2 on tissue dysfunctions. PMID:26098633
Computational Support for Early Elicitation and Classification of Tone
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bird, Steven; Lee, Haejoong
Investigating a tone language involves careful transcription of tone on words and phrases. This is challenging when the phonological categories--the tones or melodies--have not been identified. Effects such as coarticulation, sandhi, and phrase-level prosody appear as obstacles to early elicitation and classification of tone. This article presents…
Analysis of audio-vestibular assessment in acute low-tone hearing loss.
Im, Gi Jung; Kim, Sung Kyun; Choi, June; Song, Jae Jun; Chae, Sung Won; Jung, Hak Hyun
Conclusion This study demonstrated excellent hearing recovery following the combined treatment of diuretic and oral steroid, and electrocochleography (ECoG) was significantly higher than normal side. This study reports characteristics of acute low-tone hearing loss (ALHL) that show the greater low-tone hearing loss, the higher ECoG, and excellent recovery, even-though low-tone hearing loss is worse, which can be different compared with sudden deafness. Objective To analyze ALHL without vertigo, this study compared the ALHL group with all patients exhibiting low-tone hearing loss and ear fullness. Hearing changes and vestibular functions were analyzed. Materials and methods ALHL was defined as a mean hearing loss of ≥ 30 dB at 125, 250, and 500 Hz, and ≤ 20 dB at 2, 4, and 8 kHz. From 156 cases of low-tone hearing loss of more than 10 dB without vertigo, 31 met the ALHL criteria and were subjected to audio-vestibular assessments including PTA, ECoG, vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing, and caloric testing. Results In ALHL, low-tone hearing loss was 42.7 ± 9.5 dB, and 83.9% of ALHL significantly recovered by more than 10 dB. The ECoG in ALHL was 0.334 ± 0.11 (higher than 0.25 ± 0.08 on the normal side) and ECoG abnormality was 35.5% (the greater low-tone hearing loss, the higher ECoG value). PMID:26963446
Functional Imaging of Human Vestibular Cortex Activity Elicited by Skull Tap and Auditory Tone Burst
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Noohi, Fatemeh; Kinnaird, Catherine; Wood, Scott; Bloomberg, Jacob; Mulavara, Ajitkumar; Seidler, Rachael
our stimulation method, we measured the ocular VEMP outside of the scanner. This measurement showed that both skull tap and auditory tone burst elicited vestibular evoked activation, indicated by eye muscle response. Our preliminary analyses showed that the skull tap elicited activation in medial frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, anterior cingulate, and putamen. The auditory tone bursts elicited activation in medial frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, inferior and superior parietal lobules. In line with our hypothesis, skull taps elicited a pattern of cortical activity closely similar to one elicited by auditory tone bursts. Further analysis will determine the extent to which the skull taps can replace the auditory tone stimulation in clinical and basic science vestibular assessments.
Hyperventilation, central autonomic control, and colonic tone in humans.
Ford, M J; Camilleri, M J; Hanson, R B; Wiste, J A; Joyner, M J
Symptoms attributable to hyperventilation are common among patients with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); indeed, some have suggested that hyperventilation may exacerbate the alimentary symptoms of IBS. Hyperventilation changes haemodynamic function through central and peripheral mechanisms; its effects on colonic motor function, however, are unknown. The aim of this study, therefore, was to assess the effects of hyperventilation on colonic tone and motility and on cardiovascular autonomic activity, and to discover if hypocapnia was critical to elicit the response. Phasic and tonic motility of the transverse and sigmoid colon, end tidal PCO2, pulse rate, and beat to beat pulse variability were assessed before, during, and after a five minute period of hypocapnic hyperventilation in 15 healthy volunteers; in seven other subjects, effects of both eucapnic and hypocapnic hyperventilation were evaluated. Hypocapnic but not eucapnic hyperventilation produced an increase in colonic tone and phasic contractility in the transverse and sigmoid regions and an increase in pulse rate and pulse interval variability. The findings are consistent with inhibition of sympathetic innervation to the colon or direct effects of hypocapnia on colonic smooth muscle, or both. These physiological gut responses suggest that some of the changes in colonic function are caused by altered brain or autonomic control mechanisms. PMID:7489935
Influence of playing wind instruments on activity of masticatory muscles.
Gotouda, A; Yamaguchi, T; Okada, K; Matsuki, T; Gotouda, S; Inoue, N
The aim of this study was to elucidate the influence of change in sound tone of playing wind instruments on activity of jaw-closing muscles and the effect of sustained playing for a long time on fatigue of jaw-closing muscles. Electromyograms (EMG) of 19 brass instrument players and 14 woodwind instrument players were measured while playing instruments in tuning tone and high tone and under other conditions. Nine brass instrument players and nine woodwind instrument players played instruments for 90 min. Before and after the exercise, power spectral analyses of EMG from masseter muscles at 50% of maximum voluntary clenching level were performed and mean power frequency (MPF) were calculated. Root mean square (RMS) of EMG in masseter and temporal muscles while playing were slightly larger than those at rest but extremely small in comparison with those during maximum clenching. Root mean square in orbicularis oris and digastric muscles were relatively large when playing instruments. In the brass instrument group, RMS in high tone was significantly higher than that in tuning tone in all muscles examined. In the woodwind instrument group, RMS in high tone was not significantly higher than that in tuning tone in those muscles. Mean power frequency was not decreased after sustained playing in both instrument groups. These findings indicate that contractive load to jaw-closing muscles when playing a wind instrument in both medium and high tone is very small and playing an instrument for a long time does not obviously induce fatigue of jaw-closing muscles. PMID:17716263
The Role of Amplitude Envelope in Lexical Tone Perception: Evidence from Cantonese Lexical Tone Discrimination in Adults with Normal Hearing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Zhou, Yining Victor
Previously published studies on the role of amplitude envelope in lexical tone perception focused on Mandarin only. Amplitude envelope was found to co-vary with fundamental frequency in Mandarin lexical tones, and amplitude envelope alone could cue tone perception in Mandarin which uses primarily tone contour for phonemic tonal contrasts. The…
Studying Emergent Tone-Systems in Nepal: Pitch, Phonation and Word-Tone in Tamang
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mazaudon, Martine
This paper focuses on the particular kinds of difficulties which arise in the study of an emergent tone-system, exemplified by Tamang in Nepal, where pitch, phonation and other laryngeal features combine in the definition of a tone. As a consequence, conducting a well-ordered analysis in stages first of phonetic transcription, then variation in…
Beating frequency and amplitude modulation of the piano tone due to coupling of tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cartling, Bo
The influence on a piano tone from weak coexcitation of damped adjacent tones due to coupling via the bridge is studied. The frequency and amplitude modulation of the sound resulting from coexcitation of one strong and one or two weak tones is analyzed. One weak tone causes frequency and amplitude modulation of the sound, and two weak tones produce beating frequency and amplitude modulation, where the beatings of the two modulations are of opposite phase. By digital recording of the sound of piano tones, the appearance of these phenomena is verified. The audibility of the observed frequency and amplitude modulation is discussed in terms of previously determined detection thresholds. The beating character of both frequency and amplitude modulations, however, distinguishes the phenomena from those previously studied and prompts further psychoacoustic investigations. It is shown that detuning of unison strings may significantly increase the frequency deviation of the frequency modulation in conjunction with affected amplitude modulation. The modulatory effects of coupling to adjacent tones therefore may possibly be utilized in the tuning process. A coupling of tones analogous to the situation in a piano may arise in other stringed musical instruments transferring string vibrations to a soundboard via a bridge. .
Beating frequency and amplitude modulation of the piano tone due to coupling of tones.
Cartling, Bo
The influence on a piano tone from weak coexcitation of damped adjacent tones due to coupling via the bridge is studied. The frequency and amplitude modulation of the sound resulting from coexcitation of one strong and one or two weak tones is analyzed. One weak tone causes frequency and amplitude modulation of the sound, and two weak tones produce beating frequency and amplitude modulation, where the beatings of the two modulations are of opposite phase. By digital recording of the sound of piano tones, the appearance of these phenomena is verified. The audibility of the observed frequency and amplitude modulation is discussed in terms of previously determined detection thresholds. The beating character of both frequency and amplitude modulations, however, distinguishes the phenomena from those previously studied and prompts further psychoacoustic investigations. It is shown that detuning of unison strings may significantly increase the frequency deviation of the frequency modulation in conjunction with affected amplitude modulation. The modulatory effects of coupling to adjacent tones therefore may possibly be utilized in the tuning process. A coupling of tones analogous to the situation in a piano may arise in other stringed musical instruments transferring string vibrations to a soundboard via a bridge. PMID:15898666
Infant Auditory Sensitivity to Pure Tones and Frequency-Modulated Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Leibold, Lori J.; Werner, Lynne A.
It has been suggested that infants respond preferentially to infant-directed speech because their auditory sensitivity to sounds with extensive frequency modulation (FM) is better than their sensitivity to less modulated sounds. In this experiment, auditory thresholds for FM tones and for unmodulated, or pure, tones in a background of noise were…
Direct Numerical Simulation of Automobile Cavity Tones
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kurbatskii, Konstantin; Tam, Christopher K. W.
The Navier Stokes equation is solved computationally by the Dispersion-Relation-Preserving (DRP) scheme for the flow and acoustic fields associated with a laminar boundary layer flow over an automobile door cavity. In this work, the flow Reynolds number is restricted to R(sub delta*) < 3400; the range of Reynolds number for which laminar flow may be maintained. This investigation focuses on two aspects of the problem, namely, the effect of boundary layer thickness on the cavity tone frequency and intensity and the effect of the size of the computation domain on the accuracy of the numerical simulation. It is found that the tone frequency decreases with an increase in boundary layer thickness. When the boundary layer is thicker than a certain critical value, depending on the flow speed, no tone is emitted by the cavity. Computationally, solutions of aeroacoustics problems are known to be sensitive to the size of the computation domain. Numerical experiments indicate that the use of a small domain could result in normal mode type acoustic oscillations in the entire computation domain leading to an increase in tone frequency and intensity. When the computation domain is expanded so that the boundaries are at least one wavelength away from the noise source, the computed tone frequency and intensity are found to be computation domain size independent.
Variation of Taiwanese tones in conversation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hsieh, Pei-Yu; Tsay, Jane
In laboratory research on tonal coarticulation in Taiwanese, one study [H.-B, Lin, Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of Connecticut (1988)] reported a perseveratory effect but no anticipatory effect, while another [S.-H. Peng, J. Phonetics 25, 371-400 (1997)] found a significant anticipatory effect. Peng also found tonal variation due to prosodic positions. Unlike these previous laboratory studies, this study attempts to investigate tonal coarticulation and prosodic effects on Taiwanese tones using natural conversations from the Taiwanese Spoken Corpus (Tsay and Myers, 2004), of which 56 min of recorded conversations were analyzed. Consistent with Lin, the results showed that tone is more affected by the preceding tone than by the following tone. The slope is more influenced by the preceding tone as well. As for prosodic effects, the results confirmed Peng, showing that F0 is the lowest in utterance-final position, while in other phrase-final positions it is slightly lower than in non-phrase-final position. This study thus demonstrates the results obtained in the laboratory do indeed carry over into actual conversation.
Eyeblink Conditioning Deficits Indicate Timing and Cerebellar Abnormalities in Schizophrenia
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brown, S.M.; Kieffaber, P.D.; Carroll, C.A.; Vohs, J.L.; Tracy, J.A.; Shekhar, A.; O'Donnell, B.F.; Steinmetz, J.E.; Hetrick, W.P.
Accumulating evidence indicates that individuals with schizophrenia manifest abnormalities in structures (cerebellum and basal ganglia) and neurotransmitter systems (dopamine) linked to internal-timing processes. A single-cue tone delay eyeblink conditioning paradigm comprised of 100 learning and 50 extinction trials was used to examine cerebellar…
Ion channel remodeling in vascular smooth muscle during hypertension: Implications for novel therapeutic approaches
Joseph, Biny K.; Thakali, Keshari M.; Moore, Christopher L.; Rhee, Sung W.
Ion channels are multimeric, transmembrane proteins that selectively mediate ion flux across the plasma membrane in a variety of cells including vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The dynamic interplay of Ca2+ and K+ channels on the plasma membrane of VSMCs plays a pivotal role in modulating the vascular tone of small arteries and arterioles. The abnormally-elevated arterial tone observed in hypertension thus points to an aberrant expression and function of Ca2+ and K+ channels in the VSMCs. In this short review, we focus on the three well-studied ion channels in VSMCs, namely the L-type Ca2+ (CaV1.2) channels, the voltage-gated K+ (KV) channels, and the large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels. First, we provide a brief overview on the physiological role of vascular CaV1.2, KV and BK channels in regulating arterial tone. Second, we discuss the current understanding of the expression changes and regulation of CaV1.2, KV and BK channels in the vasculature during hypertension. Third, based on available proof-of-concept studies, we describe the potential therapeutic approaches targeting these vascular ion channels in order to restore blood pressure to normotensive levels. PMID:23376354
Haematological abnormalities in mitochondrial disorders
Finsterer, Josef; Frank, Marlies
INTRODUCTION This study aimed to assess the kind of haematological abnormalities that are present in patients with mitochondrial disorders (MIDs) and the frequency of their occurrence. METHODS The blood cell counts of a cohort of patients with syndromic and non-syndromic MIDs were retrospectively reviewed. MIDs were classified as 'definite', 'probable' or 'possible' according to clinical presentation, instrumental findings, immunohistological findings on muscle biopsy, biochemical abnormalities of the respiratory chain and/or the results of genetic studies. Patients who had medical conditions other than MID that account for the haematological abnormalities were excluded. RESULTS A total of 46 patients ('definite' = 5; 'probable' = 9; 'possible' = 32) had haematological abnormalities attributable to MIDs. The most frequent haematological abnormality in patients with MIDs was anaemia. 27 patients had anaemia as their sole haematological problem. Anaemia was associated with thrombopenia (n = 4), thrombocytosis (n = 2), leucopenia (n = 2), and eosinophilia (n = 1). Anaemia was hypochromic and normocytic in 27 patients, hypochromic and microcytic in six patients, hyperchromic and macrocytic in two patients, and normochromic and microcytic in one patient. Among the 46 patients with a mitochondrial haematological abnormality, 78.3% had anaemia, 13.0% had thrombopenia, 8.7% had leucopenia and 8.7% had eosinophilia, alone or in combination with other haematological abnormalities. CONCLUSION MID should be considered if a patient's abnormal blood cell counts (particularly those associated with anaemia, thrombopenia, leucopenia or eosinophilia) cannot be explained by established causes. Abnormal blood cell counts may be the sole manifestation of MID or a collateral feature of a multisystem problem. PMID:26243978
Pilot-Tone System for Mobile Communications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Davarian, F.
In mobile communication system called tone-calibrated technique, pilot tone provides phase- and amplitude-calibration reference to enable coherent demodulation of signal at receiver despite fading. Signal received by or from mobile terminal faded due to motion of terminal and propagation of signal along multiple paths. Fading introduces random amplitude modulation and phase modulation with bandwidth of twice Doppler frequency shift. Degrading effects of multipath fading reduced. Tonecalibrated technique for use with phase-modulated data or telephony systems using Manchester digital pulse-code modulation.
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Arterial Myogenic Activation through Smooth Muscle Filamin A.
Retailleau, Kevin; Arhatte, Malika; Demolombe, Sophie; Peyronnet, Rémi; Baudrie, Véronique; Jodar, Martine; Bourreau, Jennifer; Henrion, Daniel; Offermanns, Stefan; Nakamura, Fumihiko; Feng, Yuanyi; Patel, Amanda; Duprat, Fabrice; Honoré, Eric
Mutations in the filamin A (FlnA) gene are frequently associated with severe arterial abnormalities, although the physiological role for this cytoskeletal element remains poorly understood in vascular cells. We used a conditional mouse model to selectively delete FlnA in smooth muscle (sm) cells at the adult stage, thus avoiding the developmental effects of the knockout. Basal blood pressure was significantly reduced in conscious smFlnA knockout mice. Remarkably, pressure-dependent tone of the resistance caudal artery was lost, whereas reactivity to vasoconstrictors was preserved. Impairment of the myogenic behavior was correlated with a lack of calcium influx in arterial myocytes upon an increase in intraluminal pressure. Notably, the stretch activation of CaV1.2 was blunted in the absence of smFlnA. In conclusion, FlnA is a critical upstream element of the signaling cascade underlying the myogenic tone. These findings allow a better understanding of the molecular basis of arterial autoregulation and associated disease states. PMID:26923587
Development affects in vitro vascular tone and calcium sensitivity in ovine cerebral arteries
Geary, Greg G; Osol, George J; Longo, Lawrence D
We have shown recently that development from neonatal to adult life affects cerebrovascular tone of mouse cerebral arteries through endothelium-derived vasodilatory mechanisms. The current study tested the hypothesis that development from fetal to adult life affects cerebral artery vascular smooth muscle (VSM) [Ca2+]i sensitivity and tone through a mechanism partially dependent upon endothelium-dependent signalling. In pressurized resistance sized cerebral arteries (∼150 μm) from preterm (95 ± 2 days gestation (95 d)) and near-term (140 ± 2 days gestation (140 d)) fetuses, and non-pregnant adults, we measured vascular diameter (μm) and [Ca2+]i (nm) as a function of intravascular pressure. We repeated these studies in the presence of inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS; with l-NAME), cyclo-oxygenase (COX; with indomethacin) and endothelium removal (E–). Cerebrovasculature tone (E+) was greater in arteries from 95 d fetuses and adults compared to 140 d sheep. Ca2+ sensitivity was similar in 95 d fetuses and adults, but much lower in 140 d fetuses. Removal of endothelium resulted in a reduction in lumen diameter as a function of pressure (greater tone) in all treatment groups. [Ca2+]i sensitivity differences among groups were magnified after E–. NOS inhibition decreased diameter as a function of pressure in each age group, with a significant increase in [Ca2+]i to pressure ratio only in the 140 d fetuses. Indomethacin increased tone and increased [Ca2+]i in the 140 d fetuses, but not the other age groups. Development from near-term to adulthood uncovered an interaction between NOS- and COX-sensitive substances that functioned to modulate artery diameter but not [Ca2+]i. This study suggests that development is associated with significant alterations in cerebral vascular smooth muscle (VSM), endothelium, NOS and COX responses to intravascular pressure. We speculate that these changes have important implications in the regulation of cerebral blood flow in
Development of a bedrest muscle stress apparatus
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Booher, C. R.; Hooper, S. L.; Setzer, D. N.
In attempting further to define the deleterious effects of spaceflight on the human body, measurement systems and techniques were devised to determine the loss of skeletal muscle strength and tone as a result of spaceflight exposure. In order to determine how the muscle degradation process progresses with time during nonuse, a system for measuring muscle stress during bedrest was developed. The Bedrest Muscle Stress Apparatus is configured to slip snugly over the foot board of a standard hospital bed. Data collected with this device correlated well with pre- and post-bedrest data collected with the original skeletal muscle stress apparatus.
Inherent tone of human bronchus: role of eicosanoids and the epithelium
Watson, N; Magnussen, H; Rabe, K F
Airway preparations of different species possess varying degrees of inherent tone which is the result of different metabolites of arachidonic acid in different species. In human bronchial smooth muscle in vitro we have investigated the effects of 5-lipoxygenase inhibition (zileuton, 10 μM), cyclo-oxygenase inhibition (indomethacin, 1 μM) and mechanical epithelium removal on inherent tone. The shunting of arachidonic acid by inhibition of one or other of these enzymes, as a possible explanation for the effects observed, has also been investigated. Zileuton caused a significant fall in tone either alone (−107±33 mg) or after cyclo-oxygenase inhibition (−203±48 mg) and this effect was not significantly altered by epithelial removal (−191±43 mg alone; −333±88 mg after indomethacin). Indomethacin increased tone when applied alone (160±94 mg), but this effect only reached statistical significance after 5-lipoxygenase inhibition, (210±81 mg; P<0.05). Epithelial removal did not alter the effect of indomethacin when applied alone (213±97 mg), but significantly reduced the effect of indomethacin after 5-lipoxygenase inhibition (34±23 mg; P<0.05). These data suggest that inherent tone in human bronchus is largely the result of contractile 5-lipoxygenase products. However, the involvement of cyclo-oxygenase products cannot entirely be discounted, since in the presence of 5-lipoxygenase inhibition contractile and relaxant eicosanoids originating from the bronchial epithelium appear to influence significantly inherent tone. PMID:9249244
Local adaptive tone mapping for video enhancement
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lachine, Vladimir; Dai, Min (.
As new technologies like High Dynamic Range cameras, AMOLED and high resolution displays emerge on consumer electronics market, it becomes very important to deliver the best picture quality for mobile devices. Tone Mapping (TM) is a popular technique to enhance visual quality. However, the traditional implementation of Tone Mapping procedure is limited by pixel's value to value mapping, and the performance is restricted in terms of local sharpness and colorfulness. To overcome the drawbacks of traditional TM, we propose a spatial-frequency based framework in this paper. In the proposed solution, intensity component of an input video/image signal is split on low pass filtered (LPF) and high pass filtered (HPF) bands. Tone Mapping (TM) function is applied to LPF band to improve the global contrast/brightness, and HPF band is added back afterwards to keep the local contrast. The HPF band may be adjusted by a coring function to avoid noise boosting and signal overshooting. Colorfulness of an original image may be preserved or enhanced by chroma components correction by means of saturation function. Localized content adaptation is further improved by dividing an image to a set of non-overlapped regions and modifying each region individually. The suggested framework allows users to implement a wide range of tone mapping applications with perceptional local sharpness and colorfulness preserved or enhanced. Corresponding hardware circuit may be integrated in camera, video or display pipeline with minimal hardware budget
The Segments and Tones of Soyaltepec Mazatec
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Beal, Heather D.
This dissertation describes the segments and tones of Soyaltepec Mazatec, an Oto-Manguean language of southern Mexico virtually undescribed in the literature with the exception of Pike (1956). The preliminary work done by Pike and subsequent analyses by Goldsmith (1990) and Pizer (1994) are reviewed giving evidence that the system is complex and…
Collaborative Documentation and Revitalization of Cherokee Tone
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Herrick, Dylan; Berardo, Marcellino; Feeling, Durbin; Hirata-Edds, Tracy; Peter, Lizette
Cherokee, the sole member of the southern branch of Iroquoian languages, is a severely endangered language. Unlike other members of the Iroquoian family, Cherokee has lexical tone. Community members are concerned about the potential loss of their language, and both speakers and teachers comment on the difficulty that language learners have with…
Tone-excited jet: Theory and experiments
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ahuja, K. K.; Lepicovsky, J.; Tam, C. K. W.; Morris, P. J.; Burrin, R. H.
A detailed study to understand the phenomenon of broadband jet-noise amplification produced by upstream discrete-tone sound excitation has been carried out. This has been achieved by simultaneous acquisition of the acoustic, mean velocity, turbulence intensities, and instability-wave pressure data. A 5.08 cm diameter jet has been tested for this purpose under static and also flight-simulation conditions. An open-jet wind tunnel has been used to simulate the flight effects. Limited data on heated jets have also been obtained. To improve the physical understanding of the flow modifications brought about by the upstream discrete-tone excitation, ensemble-averaged schlieren photographs of the jets have also been taken. Parallel to the experimental study, a mathematical model of the processes that lead to broadband-noise amplification by upstream tones has been developed. Excitation of large-scale turbulence by upstream tones is first calculated. A model to predict the changes in small-scale turbulence is then developed. By numerically integrating the resultant set of equations, the enhanced small-scale turbulence distribution in a jet under various excitation conditions is obtained. The resulting changes in small-scale turbulence have been attributed to broadband amplification of jet noise. Excellent agreement has been found between the theory and the experiments. It has also shown that the relative velocity effects are the same for the excited and the unexcited jets.
The value of visualizing tone of voice.
Pullin, Graham; Cook, Andrew
Whilst most of us have an innate feeling for tone of voice, it is an elusive quality that even phoneticians struggle to describe with sufficient subtlety. For people who cannot speak themselves this can have particularly profound repercussions. Augmentative communication often involves text-to-speech, a technology that only supports a basic choice of prosody based on punctuation. Given how inherently difficult it is to talk about more nuanced tone of voice, there is a risk that its absence from current devices goes unremarked and unchallenged. Looking ahead optimistically to more expressive communication aids, their design will need to involve more subtle interactions with tone of voice-interactions that the people using them can understand and engage with. Interaction design can play a role in making tone of voice visible, tangible, and accessible. Two projects that have already catalysed interdisciplinary debate in this area, Six Speaking Chairs and Speech Hedge, are introduced together with responses. A broader role for design is advocated, as a means to opening up speech technology research to a wider range of disciplinary perspectives, and also to the contributions and influence of people who use it in their everyday lives. PMID:23855927
Tone Holes and Frequency of Open Pipes.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Shult, Donald E.
Presented is an experiment which provides a study both of the end correction involved with open pipes and also of the effect that varying the size of the tone hole in the pipe has on its fundamental frequency. Discussed are equipment, formulas, background, and methods. (CW)
Two-tone distortion in intracochlear pressure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dong, Wei; Olson, Elizabeth S.
Two-tone distortion was measured in the intracochlear pressure in the base of the gerbil cochlea, close to the sensory tissue, where the local motions and forces of the organ of Corti can be detected. The measurements probe both the underlying nonlinear process that generates two-tone distortion, and the filtering and spreading of the distortion products. Some of our findings are as follows: (1) The observations were consistent with previous observations of two-tone distortion in BM motion [J. Neurophysiol. 77, 2385-2399 (1997); J. Neurophysiol. 78, 261-270 (1997)]. (2) Frequency sweeps show distortion product tuning and phase-versus-frequency behavior that is similar, but not identical, to single tone tuning. (3) The decay of distortion products with distance from the basilar membrane confirms the feasibility that they could drive the stapes by a direct fluid route, as proposed by Ren [Nat. Neurosci. 7, 333-334 (2004)]. (4) The phases of the distortion products within a single family (the group of distortion products generated by a single primary pair) in some cases alternated between 0° and 180° when referenced to the phases of the primaries. This behavior is predicted by a simple compressive nonlinearity. .
Study of the brightness of trumpet tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Poirson, Emilie; Petiot, Jean-François; Gilbert, Joël
This study focuses on a particular attribute of trumpet tones, the brightness, and on the physical characteristics of the instrument thought to govern its magnitude. On the one hand, an objective study was carried out with input impedance measurements, and, on the other hand, a subjective study with hearing tests and a panel of subjects. To create a set of different trumpets a variable depth mouthpiece was developed whose depth can be easily and continuously adjusted from ``deep'' to ``shallow.'' Using this mouthpiece and the same trumpet, several instruments were generated which may be played in three ways: (i) by a musician, (ii) by an artificial mouth, and (iii) using physical modeling simulations. The influence of the depth of the mouthpiece on the perception of the trumpet's tones was investigated, and the ability of a musician, the artificial mouth, or physical modeling simulations to demonstrate perceptively noticeable differences was assessed. Physical characteristics extracted from the impedance curves are finally proposed to explain the brightness of trumpet tones. As a result, the physical modeling simulations now seem to be mature enough to exhibit coherent and subtle perceptual differences between tones. This opens the door to virtual acoustics for instrument makers.
Is there a difference in the electromyographic activity of the pelvic floor muscles across the phases of the menstrual cycle?
Micussi, Maria Thereza; Freitas, Rodrigo Pegado; Angelo, Priscylla Helouyse; Soares, Elvira Maria; Lemos, Telma Maria; Maranhão, Técia Maria
[Purpose] To evaluate the electrical activity of the pelvic floor muscle in women during the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle and its correlation with estradiol and total testosterone levels. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study involved 30 women with ovulatory menstrual cycles. Total testosterone and estradiol levels were measured and the muscle tone and maximum voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles were evaluated using surface electromyography. [Results] Muscle tone was significantly lower during the follicular (21.1±3.3 μV) and ovulatory (27.1±5.9 μV) phases than the luteal phase (30.4±4.1 μV). The maximum voluntary contraction was not different across phases. The estradiol level on the 7th day of the menstrual cycle showed a strong positive correlation with muscle tone and maximum voluntary contraction, and the testosterone level was positively correlated with muscle tone on the 21st day. [Conclusion] Women have better muscle tone during the luteal phase. The muscle tone and maximum voluntary contraction were strongly correlated with the estradiol level on the 7th day, and the muscle tone was correlated with the testosterone level on the 21st day of the menstrual cycle. These findings suggest that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle alter pelvic floor muscle activity. PMID:26311960
Reduced Performance in Balance, Walking and Turning Tasks is Associated with Increased Neck Tone in Parkinson's Disease
Franzén, Erika; Paquette, Caroline; Gurfinkel, Victor S; Cordo, Paul J; Nutt, John G; Horak, Fay B
Rigidity or hypertonicity is a cardinal symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). We hypothesized that hypertonicity of the body axis affects functional performance of tasks involving balance, walking and turning. The magnitude of axial postural tone in the neck, trunk and hip segments of 15 subjects with PD (both ON and OFF levodopa) and 15 control subjects was quantified during unsupported standing in an axial twisting device in our laboratory as resistance to torsional rotation. Subjects also performed six functional tests (walking in a figure of eight [Figure of Eight], Timed Up & Go, Berg Balance Scale, supine rolling task [rollover], Functional Reach, and standing 360-deg turn-in-place) in the ON and OFF state. Results showed that PD subjects had increased tone throughout the axis compared to control subjects (p=0.008) and that this increase was most prominent in the neck. In PD subjects, axial tone was related to functional performance, but most strongly for tone at the neck and accounted for an especially large portion of the variability in the performance of the Figure of Eight test (rOFF=0.68 and rON=0.74, p<0.05) and the Rollover test (rOFF=0.67and rON=0.55, p<0.05). Our results suggest that neck tone plays a significant role in functional mobility and that abnormally high postural tone may be an important contributor to balance and mobility disorders in individuals with PD. PMID:19573528
The effect of inharmonic partials on pitch of piano tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Anderson, Brian E.; Strong, William J.
Piano tones have partials whose frequencies are sharp relative to harmonic values. A listening test was conducted to determine the effect of inharmonicity on pitch for piano tones in the lowest three octaves of a piano. Nine real tones from the lowest three octaves of a piano were analyzed to obtain frequencies, relative amplitudes, and decay rates of their partials. Synthetic inharmonic tones were produced from these results. Synthetic harmonic tones, each with a twelfth of a semitone increase in the fundamental, were also produced. A jury of 21 listeners matched the pitch of each synthetic inharmonic tone to one of the synthetic harmonic tones. The effect of the inharmonicity on pitch was determined from an average of the listeners' results. For the nine synthetic piano tones studied, pitch increase ranged from approximately two and a half semitones at low fundamental frequencies to an eighth of a semitone at higher fundamental frequencies. .
Constrained tone transformation technique for separation and combination of Mandarin tone and intonation.
Ni, Jinfu; Kawai, Hisashi; Hirose, Keikichi
This paper addresses a classical but important problem: The coupling of lexical tones and sentence intonation in tonal languages, such as Chinese, focusing particularly on voice fundamental frequency (F1) contours of speech. It is important because it forms the basis of speech synthesis technology and prosody analysis. We provide a solution to the problem with a constrained tone transformation technique based on structural modeling of the F1 contours. This consists of transforming target values in pairs from norms to variants. These targets are intended to sparsely specify the prosodic contributions to the F1 contours, while the alignment of target pairs between norms and variants is based on underlying lexical tone structures. When the norms take the citation forms of lexical tones, the technique makes it possible to separate sentence intonation from observed F0 contours. When the norms take normative F0 contours, it is possible to measure intonation variations from the norms to the variants, both having identical lexical tone structures. This paper explains the underlying scientific and linguistic principles and presents an algorithm that was implemented on computers. The method's capability of separating and combining tone and intonation is evaluated through analysis and re-synthesis of several hundred observed F0 contours. PMID:16583918
Nitric oxide influences red blood cell velocity independently of changes in the vascular tone.
Horn, Patrick; Cortese-Krott, Miriam M; Keymel, Stefanie; Kumara, Intan; Burghoff, Sandra; Schrader, Jürgen; Kelm, Malte; Kleinbongard, Petra
Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in regulation of vascular tone and blood flow. In the microcirculation blood flow is strongly dependent on red blood cells (RBC) deformability. In vitro NO increases RBC deformability. This study hypothesized that NO increases RBC velocity in vivo not only by regulating vascular tone, but also by modifying RBC deformability. The effects of NO on RBC velocity were analysed by intra-vital microscopy in the microcirculation of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the avian embryo at day 7 post-fertilization, when all vessels lack smooth muscle cells and vascular tone is not affected by NO. It was found that inhibition of enzymatic NO synthesis and NO scavenging decreased intracellular NO levels and avian RBC deformability in vitro. Injection of a NO synthase-inhibitor or a NO scavenger into the microcirculation of the CAM decreased capillary RBC velocity and deformation, while the diameter of the vessels remained constant. The results indicate that scavenging of NO and inhibition of NO synthesis decrease RBC velocity not only by regulating vascular tone but also by decreasing RBC deformability. PMID:21480762
p66Shc regulates renal vascular tone in hypertension-induced nephropathy.
Miller, Bradley; Palygin, Oleg; Rufanova, Victoriya A; Chong, Andrew; Lazar, Jozef; Jacob, Howard J; Mattson, David; Roman, Richard J; Williams, Jan M; Cowley, Allen W; Geurts, Aron M; Staruschenko, Alexander; Imig, John D; Sorokin, Andrey
Renal preglomerular arterioles regulate vascular tone to ensure a large pressure gradient over short distances, a function that is extremely important for maintaining renal microcirculation. Regulation of renal microvascular tone is impaired in salt-sensitive (SS) hypertension-induced nephropathy, but the molecular mechanisms contributing to this impairment remain elusive. Here, we assessed the contribution of the SH2 adaptor protein p66Shc (encoded by Shc1) in regulating renal vascular tone and the development of renal vascular dysfunction associated with hypertension-induced nephropathy. We generated a panel of mutant rat strains in which specific modifications of Shc1 were introduced into the Dahl SS rats. In SS rats, overexpression of p66Shc was linked to increased renal damage. Conversely, deletion of p66Shc from these rats restored the myogenic responsiveness of renal preglomerular arterioles ex vivo and promoted cellular contraction in primary vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) that were isolated from renal vessels. In primary SMCs, p66Shc restricted the activation of transient receptor potential cation channels to attenuate cytosolic Ca2+ influx, implicating a mechanism by which overexpression of p66Shc impairs renal vascular reactivity. These results establish the adaptor protein p66Shc as a regulator of renal vascular tone and a driver of impaired renal vascular function in hypertension-induced nephropathy. PMID:27270176
Tone Perception Ability of Cantonese-Speaking Children.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lee, Kathy Yuet Sheung; Chiu, Sung Nok; van Hasselt, Charles Andrew
Investigated a new research design for the collection of reliable tone perception data from found children, compared lexical and nonlexical items for testing tone perception ability, and identified the relative ease of perceiving the three basic tone contrasts in Cantonese--high level/high rising, high level/low falling, and high rising/low…
Effect of tones on vocal attack time in Cantonese speakers.
Ma, Estella P-M; Baken, R J; Roark, Rick M; Li, P-M
Vocal attack time (VAT) is the time lag between the growth of the sound pressure signal and the development of physical contact of vocal folds at vocal initiation. It can be derived by a cross-correlation of short-time amplitude changes occurring in the sound pressure and electroglottographic (EGG) signals. Cantonese is a tone language in which tone determines the lexical meaning of the syllable. Such linguistic function of tone has implications for the physiology of tone production. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects of Cantonese tones on VAT. Sound pressure and EGG signals were simultaneously recorded from 59 native Cantonese speakers (31 females and 28 males). The subjects were asked to read aloud 12 disyllabic words comprising homophone pairs of the six Cantonese lexical tones. Results revealed a gender difference in VAT values, with the mean VAT significantly smaller in females than in males. There was also a significant difference in VAT values between the two tone categories, with the mean VAT values of the three level tones (tone 1, 3, and 6) significantly smaller than those of the three contour tones (tone 2, 4, and 5). The findings support the notion that norms and interpretations based on nontone European languages may not be directly applied to tone languages. PMID:21978793
English and Thai Speakers' Perception of Mandarin Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Li, Ying
Language learners' language experience is predicted to display a significant effect on their accurate perception of foreign language sounds (Flege, 1995). At the superasegmental level, there is still a debate regarding whether tone language speakers are better able to perceive foreign lexical tones than non-tone language speakers (i.e Lee et al.,…
Stress and Tone in Indo-Aryan Languages
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dhillon, Rajdip Kaur
The current work offers a comprehensive examination of stress and tone in ten Indo-Aryan languages, providing novel analyses within Optimality Theory. The languages are divided into three categories: those in which tone is attracted to stress; those in which stress is attracted to tone; and those in which no interaction between stress and tone…
Perception and Acoustic Correlates of the Taiwanese Tone Sandhi Group
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kuo, Chen-Hsiu
This dissertation investigates how the Taiwanese Tone Sandhi Groups are perceived, and the acoustic/phonetics correlates of listeners' judgments. A series of perception experiments have been conducted to scrutinize the following topics--Taiwanese tone neutralization, Tone Sandhi Group (TSG) as a prosodic domain, perceived boundary strength in…
Organising Western Spelling into Chinese Tone-Class Patterns.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jou, Bienming
The author discusses his concept of "tonal spelling" for Chinese. This system spells out the patterns for the tone classes without marking their tone values; the same spelling formation spells out the same tone class and makes tonal orthography a "regular, striking, neat and clean-shaven script." Following a discussion of the principles underlying…
Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, vascular tone and autoregulation of cerebral blood flow.
Brayden, Joseph E; Earley, Scott; Nelson, Mark T; Reading, Stacey
Members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) channel superfamily are present in vascular smooth muscle cells and play important roles in the regulation of vascular contractility. The TRPC3 and TRPC6 channels are activated by stimulation of several excitatory receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells. Activation of these channels leads to myocyte depolarization, which stimulates Ca2+ entry via voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCC), leading to vasoconstriction. The TRPV4 channels in arterial myocytes are activated by epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, and activation of the channels enhances Ca2+ spark and transient Ca2+-sensitive K+ channel activity, thereby hyperpolarizing and relaxing vascular smooth muscle cells. The TRPC6 and TRPM4 channels are activated by mechanical stimulation of cerebral artery myocytes. Subsequent depolarization and activation of VDCC Ca2+ entry is directly linked to the development of myogenic tone in vitro and to autoregulation of cerebral blood flow in vivo. These findings imply a fundamental importance of TRP channels in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle tone and suggest that TRP channels could be important targets for drug therapy under conditions in which vascular contractility is disturbed (e.g. hypertension, stroke, vasospasm). PMID:18215190
Age-related changes in rat intrinsic laryngeal muscles: analysis of muscle fibers, muscle fiber proteins, and subneural apparatuses.
Nishida, Naoya; Taguchi, Aki; Motoyoshi, Kazumi; Hyodo, Masamitsu; Gyo, Kiyofumi; Desaki, Junzo
We compared age-related changes in the intrinsic laryngeal muscles of aged and young adult rats by determining the number and diameter of muscle fibers, contractile muscle protein (myosin heavy chain isoforms, MHC) composition, and the morphology of the subneural apparatuses. In aged rats, both the numbers and the diameters of muscle fibers decreased in the cricothyroid (CT) muscle. The number of fibers, but not diameter, decreased in the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle. In the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle, neither the number nor the diameter of fibers changed significantly. Aging was associated with a decrease in type IIB and an increase in type IIA MHC isoform levels in CT muscle, but no such changes were observed in the TA or PCA muscles. Morphological examination of primary synaptic clefts of the subneural apparatus revealed that aging resulted in decreased labyrinthine and increased depression types in only the CT muscle. In the aged group, morphologically immature subneural apparatuses were found infrequently in the CT muscle, indicating continued tissue remodeling. We suggest, therefore, that age-related changes in the intrinsic laryngeal muscles primarily involve the CT muscle, whereas the structures of the TA and PCA muscles may better resist aging processes and therefore are less vulnerable to functional impairment. This may reflect differences in their roles; the CT muscle controls the tone of the vocal folds, while the TA and PCA muscles play an essential role in vital activities such as respiration and swallowing. PMID:23100084
Active control of turbomachine discrete tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fleeter, Sanford
This paper was directed at active control of discrete frequency noise generated by subsonic blade rows through cancellation of the blade row interaction generated propagating acoustic waves. First discrete frequency noise generated by a rotor and stator in a duct was analyzed to determine the propagating acoustic pressure waves. Then a mathematical model was developed to analyze and predict the active control of discrete frequency noise generated by subsonic blade rows through cancellation of the propagating acoustic waves, accomplished by utilizing oscillating airfoil surfaces to generate additional control propagating pressure waves. These control waves interact with the propagating acoustic waves, thereby, in principle, canceling the acoustic waves and thus, the far field discrete frequency tones. This model was then applied to a fan exit guide vane to investigate active airfoil surface techniques for control of the propagating acoustic waves, and thus the far field discrete frequency tones, generated by blade row interactions.
Modeling OAE responses to short tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Duifhuis, Hendrikus; Siegel, Jonathan
In 1999 Shera and Guinan postulated that otoacoustic emissions evoked by low-level transient stimuli are generated by coherent linear reflection (CRF or CLR). This hypothesis was tested experimentally, e.g., by Siegel and Charaziak[10] by measuring emissions evoked by short (1 ms) tone pips in chinchilla. Using techniques in which supplied level and recorded spectral information were used Siegel and Charaziak concluded that much of the emission was generated by a mechanism in a region extending basally from the peak of the traveling wave and that the action of the suppressor is to remove emission generators evoked by the tone-pip and not to generate nonlinear artifacts in regions basal to the peak region. The original formulation of the CRF theory does not account for these results This study addresses relevant cochlear model predictions.
Breathing abnormalities in sleep in achondroplasia.
Waters, K A; Everett, F; Sillence, D; Fagan, E; Sullivan, C E
Overnight sleep studies were performed in 20 subjects with achondroplasia to document further the respiratory abnormalities present in this group. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were recorded in 19 of the subjects to screen for the presence of brainstem abnormalities, which are one of the potential aetiological mechanisms. Fifteen children aged 1 to 14 years, and five young adults, aged 20 to 31 years were included. All had upper airway obstruction and 15 (75%) had a pathological apnoea index (greater than five per hour). Other sleep associated respiratory abnormalities, including partial obstruction, central apnoea, and abnormal electromyographic activity of accessory muscles of respiration, also showed a high prevalence. SEPs were abnormal in eight (42%), but there was no correlation between abnormal SEPs and apnoea during sleep, either qualitatively or quantitatively. A high prevalence of both sleep related respiratory abnormalities and abnormal SEPs in young subjects with achondroplasia was demonstrated. However, the sleep related respiratory abnormalities do not always result in significant blood gas disturbances or correlate with abnormal SEPs in this group. PMID:8215519
Sequential Grouping of Pure-Tone Percepts Evoked by the Segregation of Components from a Complex Tone
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Haywood, Nicholas R.; Roberts, Brian
A sudden change applied to a single component can cause its segregation from an ongoing complex tone as a pure-tone-like percept. Three experiments examined whether such pure-tone-like percepts are organized into streams by extending the research of Bregman and Rudnicky (1975). Those authors found that listeners struggled to identify the…
Functional Imaging of Human Vestibular Cortex Activity Elicited by Skull Tap and Auditory Tone Burst
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Noohi, F.; Kinnaird, C.; Wood, S.; Bloomberg, J.; Mulavara, A.; Seidler, R.
The current study characterizes brain activation in response to two modes of vestibular stimulation: skull tap and auditory tone burst. The auditory tone burst has been used in previous studies to elicit either the vestibulo-spinal reflex (saccular-mediated colic Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (cVEMP)), or the ocular muscle response (utricle-mediated ocular VEMP (oVEMP)). Some researchers have reported that air-conducted skull tap elicits both saccular and utricle-mediated VEMPs, while being faster and less irritating for the subjects. However, it is not clear whether the skull tap and auditory tone burst elicit the same pattern of cortical activity. Both forms of stimulation target the otolith response, which provides a measurement of vestibular function independent from semicircular canals. This is of high importance for studying otolith-specific deficits, including gait and balance problems that astronauts experience upon returning to earth. Previous imaging studies have documented activity in the anterior and posterior insula, superior temporal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, inferior frontal gyrus, and the anterior cingulate cortex in response to different modes of vestibular stimulation. Here we hypothesized that skull taps elicit similar patterns of cortical activity as the auditory tone bursts, and previous vestibular imaging studies. Subjects wore bilateral MR compatible skull tappers and headphones inside the 3T GE scanner, while lying in the supine position, with eyes closed. Subjects received both forms of the stimulation in a counterbalanced fashion. Pneumatically powered skull tappers were placed bilaterally on the cheekbones. The vibration of the cheekbone was transmitted to the vestibular system, resulting in the vestibular cortical response. Auditory tone bursts were also delivered for comparison. To validate our stimulation method, we measured the ocular VEMP outside of the scanner. This measurement showed that both skull tap and auditory
Congenital amusia in speakers of a tone language: association with lexical tone agnosia.
Nan, Yun; Sun, Yanan; Peretz, Isabelle
Congenital amusia is a neurogenetic disorder that affects the processing of musical pitch in speakers of non-tonal languages like English and French. We assessed whether this musical disorder exists among speakers of Mandarin Chinese who use pitch to alter the meaning of words. Using the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia, we tested 117 healthy young Mandarin speakers with no self-declared musical problems and 22 individuals who reported musical difficulties and scored two standard deviations below the mean obtained by the Mandarin speakers without amusia. These 22 amusic individuals showed a similar pattern of musical impairment as did amusic speakers of non-tonal languages, by exhibiting a more pronounced deficit in melody than in rhythm processing. Furthermore, nearly half the tested amusics had impairments in the discrimination and identification of Mandarin lexical tones. Six showed marked impairments, displaying what could be called lexical tone agnosia, but had normal tone production. Our results show that speakers of tone languages such as Mandarin may experience musical pitch disorder despite early exposure to speech-relevant pitch contrasts. The observed association between the musical disorder and lexical tone difficulty indicates that the pitch disorder as defining congenital amusia is not specific to music or culture but is rather general in nature. PMID:20685803
Aging effect on Mandarin Chinese vowel and tone identification.
Yang, Xiaohu; Wang, Yuxia; Xu, Lilong; Zhang, Hui; Xu, Can; Liu, Chang
Mandarin Chinese speech sounds (vowels × tones) were presented to younger and older Chinese-native speakers with normal hearing. For the identification of vowel-plus-tone, vowel-only, and tone-only, younger listeners significantly outperformed older listeners. The tone 3 identification scores correlated significantly with the age of older listeners. Moreover, for older listeners, the identification rate of vowel-plus-tone was significantly lower than that of vowel-only and tone-only, whereas for younger listeners, there was no difference among the three identification scores. Therefore, aging negatively affected Mandarin vowel and tone perception, especially when listeners needed to process both phonemic and tonal information. PMID:26520353
A Dynamic Treatment of Tone with Special Attention to the Tonal System of Igbo.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Clark, Mary Morris
An analysis of tone in language begins with the observation that the structural approach taken in segmental phonology, analyzing complex tones in terms of sequences of level tones, is not necessarily appropriate with tone languages. A different approach is proposed, a "dynamic-tone" theory that represents tone contours entirely in terms of two…
Airway smooth muscle changes in the nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia rat model.
Belik, Jaques; Davidge, Sandra T; Zhang, Wei; Pan, Jingyi; Greer, John J
In the fetal rat, nitrofen induces congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and pulmonary vascular remodeling similar to what is observed in the human condition. Airway hyperactivity is common in infants with CDH and attributed to the ventilator-induced airway damage. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that airway smooth muscle mechanical properties are altered in the nitrofen-induced CDH rat model. Lungs from nitrofen-exposed fetuses with hernias (CDH) or intact diaphragm (nitrofen) and untreated fetuses (control) were studied on gestation d 21. The left intrapulmonary artery and bronchi were removed and mounted on a wire myograph, and lung expression, content, and immunolocalization of cyclooxygenases COX-1 and COX-2 were evaluated. Pulmonary artery muscle in the CDH group had significantly (p < 0.01) lower force generation compared with control and nitrofen groups. In contrast, the same generation bronchial smooth muscle of the CDH and nitrofen groups developed higher force compared with control. Whereas no differences were found in endothelium-dependent pulmonary vascular muscle tone, the epithelium-dependent airway muscle relaxation was significantly decreased (p < 0.01) in the CDH and nitrofen groups. The lung mRNA levels of COX-1 and COX-2 were increased in the CDH and nitrofen groups. COX-1 vascular and airway immunostaining, as well as COX-1 and COX-2 lung protein content, were increased in the CDH group. This is the first report of airway smooth muscle abnormalities in the nitrofen-induced fetal rat model of CDH. We speculate that congenital airway muscle changes may be present in the human form of this disease. PMID:12612200
Muscle relaxants--the current position in the treatment of spasticity in orthopedics.
Zygmunt, Małgorzata; Sapa, Jacek
Muscle tone often exists concomitantly with pain symptoms in different neurological and orthopaedic disease entities. In order to overcome that painful symptom, it is crucial to integrate painkillers with adjunctive therapy using muscle relaxants which decrease the muscle tone. Muscle relaxants available in pharmaceutical trade suppress motor outflow through different mechanisms of action, these include drugs such as: Tizanidine, botulinum toxin, Baclofen, Tolperisone, Methocarbamol. Combining muscle relaxants with analgesics significantly improves the effectiveness of the treatment and allows to reduce drugs doses. PMID:26468180
Effect of Real and Simulated Microgravity on Muscle Function
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
In this session, Session JA3, the discussion focuses on the following topics: Changes in Calf Muscle Performance, Energy Metabolism, and Muscle Volume Caused by Long Term Stay on Space Station MIR; Vibrografic Signs of Autonomous Muscle Tone Studied in Long Term Space Missions; Reduction of Muscle Strength After Long Duration Space Flights is Associated Primarily with Changes in Neuromuscular Function; The Effects of a 115-Day Spaceflight on Neuromuscular Function in Crewman; Effects of 17-Day Spaceflight on Human Triceps Surae Electrically-Evoked Contractions; Effects of Muscle Unloading on EMG Spectral Parameters; and Myofiber Wound-Mediated FGF Release and Muscle Atrophy During Bedrest.
Traumatic Brain Injury Disrupts Cerebrovascular Tone Through Endothelial Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression and Nitric Oxide Gain of Function
Villalba, Nuria; Sonkusare, Swapnil K.; Longden, Thomas A.; Tran, Tram L.; Sackheim, Adrian M.; Nelson, Mark T.; Wellman, George C.; Freeman, Kalev
Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been reported to increase the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in the brain and can lead to loss of cerebrovascular tone; however, the sources, amounts, and consequences of excess NO on the cerebral vasculature are unknown. Our objective was to elucidate the mechanism of decreased cerebral artery tone after TBI. Methods and Results Cerebral arteries were isolated from rats 24 hours after moderate fluid‐percussion TBI. Pressure‐induced increases in vasoconstriction (myogenic tone) and smooth muscle Ca2+ were severely blunted in cerebral arteries after TBI. However, myogenic tone and smooth muscle Ca2+ were restored by inhibition of NO synthesis or endothelium removal, suggesting that TBI increased endothelial NO levels. Live native cell NO, indexed by 4,5‐diaminofluorescein (DAF‐2 DA) fluorescence, was increased in endothelium and smooth muscle of cerebral arteries after TBI. Clamped concentrations of 20 to 30 nmol/L NO were required to simulate the loss of myogenic tone and increased (DAF‐2T) fluorescence observed following TBI. In comparison, basal NO in control arteries was estimated as 0.4 nmol/L. Consistent with TBI causing enhanced NO‐mediated vasodilation, inhibitors of guanylyl cyclase, protein kinase G, and large‐conductance Ca2+‐activated potassium (BK) channel restored function of arteries from animals with TBI. Expression of the inducible isoform of NO synthase was upregulated in cerebral arteries isolated from animals with TBI, and the inducible isoform of NO synthase inhibitor 1400W restored myogenic responses following TBI. Conclusions The mechanism of profound cerebral artery vasodilation after TBI is a gain of function in vascular NO production by 60‐fold over controls, resulting from upregulation of the inducible isoform of NO synthase in the endothelium. PMID:25527626
A fundamental residue pitch perception bias for tone language speakers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Petitti, Elizabeth
A complex tone composed of only higher-order harmonics typically elicits a pitch percept equivalent to the tone's missing fundamental frequency (f0). When judging the direction of residue pitch change between two such tones, however, listeners may have completely opposite perceptual experiences depending on whether they are biased to perceive changes based on the overall spectrum or the missing f0 (harmonic spacing). Individual differences in residue pitch change judgments are reliable and have been associated with musical experience and functional neuroanatomy. Tone languages put greater pitch processing demands on their speakers than non-tone languages, and we investigated whether these lifelong differences in linguistic pitch processing affect listeners' bias for residue pitch. We asked native tone language speakers and native English speakers to perform a pitch judgment task for two tones with missing fundamental frequencies. Given tone pairs with ambiguous pitch changes, listeners were asked to judge the direction of pitch change, where the direction of their response indicated whether they attended to the overall spectrum (exhibiting a spectral bias) or the missing f0 (exhibiting a fundamental bias). We found that tone language speakers are significantly more likely to perceive pitch changes based on the missing f0 than English speakers. These results suggest that tone-language speakers' privileged experience with linguistic pitch fundamentally tunes their basic auditory processing.
Affective evaluation of simultaneous tone combinations in congenital amusia.
Marin, Manuela M; Thompson, William Forde; Gingras, Bruno; Stewart, Lauren
Congenital amusia is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired pitch processing. Although pitch simultaneities are among the fundamental building blocks of Western tonal music, affective responses to simultaneities such as isolated dyads varying in consonance/dissonance or chords varying in major/minor quality have rarely been studied in amusic individuals. Thirteen amusics and thirteen matched controls enculturated to Western tonal music provided pleasantness ratings of sine-tone dyads and complex-tone dyads in piano timbre as well as perceived happiness/sadness ratings of sine-tone triads and complex-tone triads in piano timbre. Acoustical analyses of roughness and harmonicity were conducted to determine whether similar acoustic information contributed to these evaluations in amusics and controls. Amusic individuals' pleasantness ratings indicated sensitivity to consonance and dissonance for complex-tone (piano timbre) dyads and, to a lesser degree, sine-tone dyads, whereas controls showed sensitivity when listening to both tone types. Furthermore, amusic individuals showed some sensitivity to the happiness-major association in the complex-tone condition, but not in the sine-tone condition. Controls rated major chords as happier than minor chords in both tone types. Linear regression analyses revealed that affective ratings of dyads and triads by amusic individuals were predicted by roughness but not harmonicity, whereas affective ratings by controls were predicted by both roughness and harmonicity. We discuss affective sensitivity in congenital amusia in view of theories of affective responses to isolated chords in Western listeners. PMID:26455803
Selective down-regulation of KV2.1 function contributes to enhanced arterial tone during diabetes.
Nieves-Cintrón, Madeline; Nystoriak, Matthew A; Prada, Maria Paz; Johnson, Kenneth; Fayer, William; Dell'Acqua, Mark L; Scott, John D; Navedo, Manuel F
Enhanced arterial tone is a leading cause of vascular complications during diabetes. Voltage-gated K(+) (KV) channels are key regulators of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contractility and arterial tone. Whether impaired KV channel function contributes to enhance arterial tone during diabetes is unclear. Here, we demonstrate a reduction in KV-mediated currents (IKv) in VSMCs from a high fat diet (HFD) mouse model of type 2 diabetes. In particular, IKv sensitive to stromatoxin (ScTx), a potent KV2 blocker, were selectively reduced in diabetic VSMCs. This was associated with decreased KV2-mediated regulation of arterial tone and suppression of the KV2.1 subunit mRNA and protein in VSMCs/arteries isolated from HFD mice. We identified protein kinase A anchoring protein 150 (AKAP150), via targeting of the phosphatase calcineurin (CaN), and the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T-cells c3 (NFATc3) as required determinants of KV2.1 suppression during diabetes. Interestingly, substantial reduction in transcript levels for KV2.1 preceded down-regulation of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BKCa) channel β1 subunits, which are ultimately suppressed in chronic hyperglycemia to a similar extent. Together, our study supports the concept that transcriptional suppression of KV2.1 by activation of the AKAP150-CaN/NFATc3 signaling axis contributes to enhanced arterial tone during diabetes. PMID:25670860
Visceral periadventitial adipose tissue regulates arterial tone of mesenteric arteries.
Verlohren, Stefan; Dubrovska, Galyna; Tsang, Suk-Ying; Essin, Kirill; Luft, Friedrich C; Huang, Yu; Gollasch, Maik
Periadventitial adipose tissue produces vasoactive substances that influence vascular contraction. Earlier studies addressed this issue in aorta, a vessel that does not contribute to peripheral vascular resistance. We tested the hypothesis that periadventitial adipose tissue modulates contraction of smaller arteries more relevant to blood pressure regulation. We studied mesenteric artery rings surrounded by periadventitial adipose tissue from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. The contractile response to serotonin, phenylephrine, and endothelin I was markedly reduced in intact vessels compared with vessels without periadventitial fat. The contractile response to U46619 or depolarizing high K+-containing solutions (60 mmol/L) was similar in vessels with and without periadventitial fat. The K+ channel opener cromakalim induced relaxation of vessels precontracted by serotonin but not by U46619 or high K+-containing solutions (60 mmol/L), suggesting that K+ channels are involved. The intracellular membrane potential of smooth muscle cells was more hyperpolarized in intact vessels than in vessels without periadventitial fat. Both the anticontractile effect and membrane hyperpolarization of periadventitial fat were abolished by inhibition of delayed-rectifier K+ (K(v)) channels with 4-aminopyridine (2 mmol/L) or 3,4-diaminopyridine (1 mmol/L). Blocking other K+ channels with glibenclamide (3 micromol/L), apamin (1 micromol/L), iberiotoxin (100 nmol/L), tetraethylammonium ions (1 mmol/L), tetrapentylammonium ions (10 micromol/L), or Ba2+ (3 micromol/L) had no effect. Longitudinal removal of half the perivascular tissue reduced the anticontractile effect of fat by almost 50%, whereas removal of the endothelium had no effect. We suggest that visceral periadventitial adipose tissue controls mesenteric arterial tone by inducing vasorelaxation via K(v) channel activation in vascular smooth muscle cells. PMID:15302842
Multiple pure tone noise generation and control.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Benzakein, M. J.; Kazin, S. B.; Savell, C. T.
The generation of multiple pure tones in supersonic fans is discussed. The theoretical results of Kurasaka are reviewed and compared with experimental data obtained on a 36-in. diameter, 1550 ft/sec, 1.6 pressure ratio fan. Detailed measurements on bow shock locations taken with pressure transducers indicate that blade to blade discrepancies are the source of MPT generation. The paper presents some experimental results on an attempt to reduce the shock strength, and subsequently the MPT's, through blade modifications. Other attempts at reducing the MPT's through wall treatment, high inlet flow Mach number, acoustically treated splitters - are discussed. Experimental data is presented on the validity of these noise reduction methods.
Role of hydrogen sulfide in skeletal muscle biology and metabolism
Veeranki, Sudhakar; Tyagi, Suresh C.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a novel endogenous gaseous signal transducer (gasotransmittor). Its emerging role in multiple facets of inter- and intra-cellular signaling as a metabolic, inflammatory, neuro and vascular modulator has been increasingly realized. Although H2S is known for its effects as an anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant molecule, the relevance of these effects in skeletal muscle biology during health and during metabolic syndromes is unclear. H2S has been implicated in vascular relaxation and vessel tone enhancement, which might lead to mitigation of vascular complications caused by the metabolic syndromes. Metabolic complications may also lead to mitochondrial remodeling by interfering with fusion and fission, therefore, leading to mitochondrial mitophagy and skeletal muscle myopathy. Mitochondrial protection by H2S enhancing treatments may mitigate deterioration of muscle function during metabolic syndromes. In addition, H2S might upregulate uncoupling proteins and might also cause browning of white fat, resulting in suppression of imbalanced cytokine signaling caused by abnormal fat accumulation. Likewise, as a source for H+ ions, it has the potential to augment anaerobic ATP synthesis. However, there is a need for studies to test these putative H2S benefits in different patho-physiological scenarios before its full-fledged usage as a therapeutic molecule. The present review highlights current knowledge with regard to exogenous and endogenous H2S roles in skeletal muscle biology, metabolism, exercise physiology and related metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and obesity, and also provides future directions. PMID:25461301
Regulation of skeletal muscle perfusion during exercise
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Delp, M. D.; Laughlin, M. H.
For exercise to be sustained, it is essential that adequate blood flow be provided to skeletal muscle. The local vascular control mechanisms involved in regulating muscle perfusion during exercise include metabolic control, endothelium-mediated control, propagated responses, myogenic control, and the muscle pump. The primary determinant of muscle perfusion during sustained exercise is the metabolic rate of the muscle. Metabolites from contracting muscle diffuse to resistance arterioles and act directly to induce vasodilation, or indirectly to inhibit noradrenaline release from sympathetic nerve endings and oppose alpha-adrenoreceptor-mediated vasoconstriction. The vascular endothelium also releases vasodilator substances (e.g., prostacyclin and nitric oxide) that are prominent in establishing basal vascular tone, but these substances do not appear to contribute to the exercise hyperemia in muscle. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells may also be involved in propagating vasodilator signals along arterioles to parent and daughter vessels. Myogenic autoregulation does not appear to be involved in the exercise hyperemia in muscle, but the rhythmic propulsion of blood from skeletal muscle veins facilitates venous return to the heart and muscle perfusion. It appears that the primary determinants of sustained exercise hyperemia in skeletal muscle are metabolic vasodilation and increased vascular conductance via the muscle pump. Additionally, sympathetic neural control is important in regulating muscle blood flow during exercise.
First Language Attrition: An Investigation of Taiwanese Tones and Tone Sandhi
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chang, Yufen
First language (L1) attrition research focuses on syntactic and morphological deterioration in environments where L1 "attriters" rarely have contact with their L1, such as immigrants. There is no study that investigates L1 attrition in tones and in contexts where L1 can still be often heard. This study examines this attrition type in…
Muscle wasting; Wasting; Atrophy of the muscles ... There are two types of muscle atrophy. Disuse atrophy occurs from a lack of physical activity. In most people, muscle atrophy is caused by not using the ...
Your muscles help you move and help your body work. Different types of muscles have different jobs. There are many problems that can affect muscles. Muscle disorders can cause weakness, pain or even ...
Muscle wasting; Wasting; Atrophy of the muscles ... There are two types of muscle atrophy: disuse and neurogenic. Disuse atrophy is caused by not using the muscles enough . This type of atrophy can often be ...
Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions or spasms in one or more of your muscles. They often occur after exercise or at night, ... to several minutes. It is a very common muscle problem. Muscle cramps can be caused by nerves ...
Recognition memory for single tones with and without context.
Dewar, K M; Cuddy, L L; Mewhort, D J
Sequences of seven tones were presented, and recognition memory for individual tones of each sequence was tested under varying degrees of context. With no context, the test required recognition of a tone isolated from the sequence; with full context, the tone to be recognized was embedded in the original sequence. A series of three experiments demonstrated that recognition memory was far more accurate under full-context conditions than under no-context conditions and that the superiority was not wholly attributable to the serial position information or the order information provided by the full context. It is suggested that in addition to the processing of limited information for the pitch of isolated tones, pattern (or relational) information is abstracted from a tone sequence and is retrieved in the presence of full context. PMID:845552
Resolution of lexical ambiguity by emotional tone of voice.
Nygaard, Lynne C; Lunders, Erin R
In the present study, the effects of emotional tone of voice on the perception of word meaning were investigated. In two experiments, listeners were presented with emotional homophones that had one affective meaning (happy or sad) and one neutral meaning. In both experiments, the listeners were asked to transcribe the emotional homophones presented in three different affective tones--happy, neutral, and sad. In the first experiment, trials were blocked by tone of voice, and in the second experiment, tone of voice varied from trial to trial. The results showed that the listeners provided more affective than neutral transcriptions when the tone of voice was congruent with the emotional meaning of the homophone. These findings suggest that emotional tone of voice affects the processing of lexically ambiguous words by biasing the selection of word meaning. PMID:12184559
Effect of musical experience on learning lexical tone categories.
Zhao, T Christina; Kuhl, Patricia K
Previous studies suggest that musicians show an advantage in processing and encoding foreign-language lexical tones. The current experiments examined whether musical experience influences the perceptual learning of lexical tone categories. Experiment I examined whether musicians with no prior experience of tonal languages differed from nonmusicians in the perception of a lexical tone continuum. Experiment II examined whether short-term perceptual training on lexical tones altered the perception of the lexical tone continuum differentially in English-speaking musicians and nonmusicians. Results suggested that (a) musicians exhibited higher sensitivity overall to tonal changes, but perceived the lexical tone continuum in a manner similar to nonmusicians (continuously), in contrast to native Mandarin speakers (categorically); and (b) short-term perceptual training altered perception; however, there were no significant differences between the effects of training on musicians and nonmusicians. PMID:25786956
Memory for pure tone sequences without contour.
Lefebvre, Christine; Jolicœur, Pierre
We presented pure tones interspersed with white noise sounds to disrupt contour perception in an acoustic short-term memory (ASTM) experiment during which we recorded the electroencephalogram. The memory set consisted of seven stimuli, 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 of which were to-be-remembered tones. We estimated each participant׳s capacity, K, for each set size and measured the amplitude of the SAN (sustained anterior negativity, an ERP related to acoustic short-term memory). We correlated their K slopes with their SAN amplitude slopes as a function of set size, and found a significant link between performance and the SAN: a larger increase in SAN amplitude was linked with a larger number of stimuli maintained in ASTM. The SAN decreased in amplitude in the later portion of the silent retention interval, but the correlation between the SAN and capacity remained strong. These results show the SAN is not an index of contour but rather an index of the maintenance of individual objects in STM. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Auditory working memory. PMID:26903419
Perception of touch quality in piano tones.
Goebl, Werner; Bresin, Roberto; Fujinaga, Ichiro
Both timbre and dynamics of isolated piano tones are determined exclusively by the speed with which the hammer hits the strings. This physical view has been challenged by pianists who emphasize the importance of the way the keyboard is touched. This article presents empirical evidence from two perception experiments showing that touch-dependent sound components make sounds with identical hammer velocities but produced with different touch forms clearly distinguishable. The first experiment focused on finger-key sounds: musicians could identify pressed and struck touches. When the finger-key sounds were removed from the sounds, the effect vanished, suggesting that these sounds were the primary identification cue. The second experiment looked at key-keyframe sounds that occur when the key reaches key-bottom. Key-bottom impact was identified from key motion measured by a computer-controlled piano. Musicians were able to discriminate between piano tones that contain a key-bottom sound from those that do not. However, this effect might be attributable to sounds associated with the mechanical components of the piano action. In addition to the demonstrated acoustical effects of different touch forms, visual and tactile modalities may play important roles during piano performance that influence the production and perception of musical expression on the piano. PMID:25373983
Correlation dimension of woodwind multiphonic tones.
Keefe, D H; Laden, B
A multiphonic is a regime of oscillation of woodwind musical instruments that is perceived as two or more simultaneously sounding pitches. The frequencies fl,m of the line spectral components of a measured woodwind multiphonic tone fit a biperiodic spectrum at low- to mid-playing levels. For the saxophone and clarinet multiphonics investigated, the two basis frequencies of the biperiodic spectrum are phase locked, that is, their ratio is equal to a ratio of small integers. A broadband spectrum is present in multiphonic spectra that exceeds instrumentation noise and window leakage associated with signal processing. The correlation dimension D of P. Grassberger and I. Procaccia [Physica D 9, 189-208 (1983)] is measured by embedding a single measured time series in higher-dimensional space, so as to reconstruct the phase space of the dynamical system. The time delay used in the dimensional reconstruction is chosen using information theory. For the particular multiphonics analyzed, the correlation dimension ranges from 2.5 to 2.9 for the saxophone and from 1.3 to 2.2 for the clarinet. One clarinet multiphonic shows possible additional dynamical complexity at small length scales in the embedding space, with a correlation dimension of 3.3. These results give quantitative evidence that some, but not all, multiphonic tones possess a strange attractor. PMID:1960272
Tone based command system for reception of very weak signals
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bokulic, Robert Steven (Inventor); Jensen, James Robert (Inventor)
This disclosure presents a communication receiver system for spacecraft that includes an open loop receiver adapted to receive a communication signal. An ultrastable oscillator (USO) and a tone detector are connected to the open loop receiver. The open loop receiver translates the communication signal to an intermediate frequency signal using a highly stable reference frequency from the USO. The tone detector extracts commands from the communication signal by evaluating the difference between tones of the communication signal.
Newborn's Motor Response to Pure-Tone Stimulation.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Olsho, Lynne Werner; Gillenwater, Jay M.
The effects of pure tone stimulation on ongoing motor activity of infants 1 to 4 days of age were studied using a passive, contactless monitoring device. Stimuli were pure tone bursts of 0.5, 1, and 4 kHz presented free field at an approximate level of 70 dB A. Signal trials consisted of 500 ms tone bursts, with rise/fall time equal to 10 ms, and…
Antimultipath communication by injecting tone into null in signal spectrum
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Davarian, Faramaz (Inventor)
A transmitter for digital radio communication creates a null by balanced encoding of data modulated on an RF carrier, and inserts a calibration tone within the null. This is accomplished by having the calibration tone coincide in phase and frequency with the transmitted radio frequency output, for coherent demodulation of data at the receiver where the tone calibration signal is extracted and used for multipath fading compensation.
Simultaneous suppression of tone burst-evoked otoacoustic emissions: Two and three-tone burst combinations.
Killan, Edward C; Lutman, Mark E; Thyer, Nicholas J
Previous investigations have shown that components of a tone burst-evoked otoacoustic emission (TBOAE) evoked by a 1 kHz tone burst (TB1) can be suppressed by the simultaneous presence of a 2 kHz tone burst (TB2) or a pair of tone bursts at 2 and 3 kHz (TB2 and TB3 respectively). No previous study has measured this "simultaneous suppression of TBOAEs" for both TB2 alone and TB2 and TB3 from the same ears, so that the effect of the additional presence of TB3 on suppression caused by TB2 is not known. In simple terms, three outcomes are possible; suppression increases, suppression is reduced or suppression is not affected. Comparison of previously reported simultaneous suppression data suggests TB3 causes a reduction in suppression, though it is not clear if this is a genuine effect or simply reflects methodological and ear differences between studies. This issue has implications for previously proposed mechanisms of simultaneous suppression of TBOAEs and the interpretation of clinical data, and is clarified by the present study. Simultaneous suppression of TBOAEs was measured for TB1 and TB2 as well as TB1, TB2 and TB3 at 50, 60 and 70 dB p.e. SPL from nine normal human ears. Results showed no significant difference between mean suppression obtained for the two and three-tone burst combinations, indicating the reduction of suppression inferred from comparison of previous data is likely a result of methodological and ear differences rather than a genuine effect. PMID:25959270
Identification of L- and T-type Ca2+ channels in rat cerebral arteries: role in myogenic tone development.
Abd El-Rahman, Rasha R; Harraz, Osama F; Brett, Suzanne E; Anfinogenova, Yana; Mufti, Rania E; Goldman, Daniel; Welsh, Donald G
L-type Ca(2+) channels are broadly expressed in arterial smooth muscle cells, and their voltage-dependent properties are important in tone development. Recent studies have noted that these Ca(2+) channels are not singularly expressed in vascular tissue and that other subtypes are likely present. In this study, we ascertained which voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels are expressed in rat cerebral arterial smooth muscle and determined their contribution to the myogenic response. mRNA analysis revealed that the α(1)-subunit of L-type (Ca(v)1.2) and T-type (Ca(v)3.1 and Ca(v)3.2) Ca(2+) channels are present in isolated smooth muscle cells. Western blot analysis subsequently confirmed protein expression in whole arteries. With the use of patch clamp electrophysiology, nifedipine-sensitive and -insensitive Ba(2+) currents were isolated and each were shown to retain electrical characteristics consistent with L- and T-type Ca(2+) channels. The nifedipine-insensitive Ba(2+) current was blocked by mibefradil, kurtoxin, and efonidpine, T-type Ca(2+) channel inhibitors. Pressure myography revealed that L-type Ca(2+) channel inhibition reduced tone at 20 and 80 mmHg, with the greatest effect at high pressure when the vessel is depolarized. In comparison, the effect of T-type Ca(2+) channel blockade on myogenic tone was more limited, with their greatest effect at low pressure where vessels are hyperpolarized. Blood flow modeling revealed that the vasomotor responses induced by T-type Ca(2+) blockade could alter arterial flow by ∼20-50%. Overall, our findings indicate that L- and T-type Ca(2+) channels are expressed in cerebral arterial smooth muscle and can be electrically isolated from one another. Both conductances contribute to myogenic tone, although their overall contribution is unequal. PMID:23103495
Separation of piano tones into tonal and broadband components
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Keane, Martin
Few studies have proposed simple objective methods to evaluate the quality of piano tones. Recordings of both sound and vibration of six pianos (two grands and four uprights) were analyzed. The results suggest an objective measure for piano tone quality. A method is given for splitting recorded tones into tonal and broadband components. The broadband vibration was found to be more intense in the upright pianos than in the grand pianos, this is due to differences in the construction of the keybed. There was no such difference found in the tonal component. These results suggest the hypothesis that a smaller broadband component correlates with higher quality in piano tones.
Compatibility between tones, head movements, and facial expressions.
Horstmann, Gernot; Ansorge, Ulrich
The study tests the hypothesis of an embodied associative triangle among relative tone pitch (i.e., high or low tones), vertical movement, and facial emotion. In particular, it is tested whether relative pitch automatically activates facial expressions of happiness and anger as well as vertical head movements. Results show robust congruency effects: happiness expressions and upward head tilts are imitated faster when paired with high rather than low tones, while anger expressions and downward head tilts are imitated faster when paired with low rather than high tones. The results add to the growing evidence favoring an embodiment account that emphasizes multimodal representations as the basis of cognition, emotion, and action. PMID:21604874
Contra-Rotating Open Rotor Tone Noise Prediction
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Envia, Edmane
Reliable prediction of contra-rotating open rotor (CROR) noise is an essential element of any strategy for the development of low-noise open rotor propulsion systems that can meet both the community noise regulations and cabin noise limits. Since CROR noise spectra exhibit a preponderance of tones, significant efforts have been directed towards predicting their tone content. To that end, there has been an ongoing effort at NASA to assess various in-house open rotor tone noise prediction tools using a benchmark CROR blade set for which significant aerodynamic and acoustic data have been acquired in wind tunnel tests. In the work presented here, the focus is on the nearfield noise of the benchmark open rotor blade set at the cruise condition. Using an analytical CROR tone noise model with input from high-fidelity aerodynamic simulations, tone noise spectra have been predicted and compared with the experimental data. Comparisons indicate that the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the data, especially for the dominant tones and for the overall sound pressure level of tones. The results also indicate that, whereas the individual rotor tones are well predicted by the combination of the thickness and loading sources, for the interaction tones it is essential that the quadrupole source is also included in the analysis.
Absence of cholinergic airway tone in normal BALB/c mice.
Larcombe, Alexander N; Zosky, Graeme R; Bozanich, Elizabeth M; Turner, Debra J; Hantos, Zoltan; Sly, Peter D
Basal airway smooth muscle (ASM) tone has not been demonstrated in mice in vivo. To determine whether basal ASM tone is present in mouse airways we measured respiratory system impedance (Zrs) before and after either atropine or bilateral vagotomy. Zrs was measured using forced oscillations delivered via a wave-tube during slow ( approximately 35s) inflation-deflation maneuvers between transrespiratory pressures (Prs) of 0 and 20 cm H2O. A constant-phase tissue model was applied to the Zrs to calculate airway resistance (R aw), tissue damping (G) and elastance (H). Thoracic gas volume (TGV) was determined plethysmographically at Prs=0 cm H2O and by integration of the inspiratory flow. The relationship between conductance (G aw=1/R aw) and TGV during inflation was also examined. Neither atropine nor vagotomy produced any change in R aw, H, eta (=G/H), TGV or the slope of G aw vs. TGV that was different to that observed in the relevant control groups. These data show that BALB/c mice do not have cholinergic ASM tone in vivo. PMID:18440286
Tsao, Chang-Yong
On the basis of strong research evidence, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common severe childhood form of muscular dystrophy, is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by out-of-frame mutations of the dystrophin gene. Thus, it is classified asa dystrophinopathy. The disease onset is before age 5 years. Patients with DMD present with progressive symmetrical limb-girdle muscle weakness and become wheelchair dependent after age 12 years. (2)(3). On the basis of some research evidence,cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure are usually seen in the late teens in patients with DMD. Progressive scoliosis and respiratory in sufficiency often develop once wheelchair dependency occurs. Respiratory failure and cardiomyopathy are common causes of death, and few survive beyond the third decade of life. (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). On the basis of some research evidence, prednisone at 0.75 mg/kg daily (maximum dose, 40 mg/d) or deflazacort at 0.9 mg/kg daily (maximum dose, 39 mg/d), a derivative of prednisolone (not available in the United States), as a single morning dose is recommended for DMD patients older than 5 years, which may prolong independent walking from a few months to 2 years. (2)(3)(16)(17). Based on some research evidence, treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, b-blockers, and diuretics has been reported to be beneficial in DMD patients with cardiac abnormalities. (2)(3)(5)(18). Based on expert opinion, children with muscle weakness and increased serum creatine kinase levels may be associated with either genetic or acquired muscle disorders (Tables 1 and 3). (14)(15) PMID:24488829
... cause. Can a longstanding head turn lead to any permanent problems? Yes, a significant abnormal head posture could cause permanent ... occipitocervical synostosis and unilateral hearing loss. Are there any ... postures? Yes. Abnormal head postures can usually be improved depending ...
... straw-yellow. Abnormally colored urine may be cloudy, dark, or blood-colored. Causes Abnormal urine color may ... red blood cells, or mucus in the urine. Dark brown but clear urine is a sign of ...
Tune in to the Tone: Lexical Tone Identification is Associated with Vocabulary and Word Recognition Abilities in Young Chinese Children.
Tong, Xiuli; Tong, Xiuhong; McBride-Chang, Catherine
Lexical tone is one of the most prominent features in the phonological representation of words in Chinese. However, little, if any, research to date has directly evaluated how young Chinese children's lexical tone identification skills contribute to vocabulary acquisition and character recognition. The present study distinguished lexical tones from segmental phonological awareness and morphological awareness in order to estimate the unique contribution of lexical tone in early vocabulary acquisition and character recognition. A sample of 199 Cantonese children aged 5-6 years was assessed on measures of lexical tone identification, segmental phonological awareness, morphological awareness, nonverbal ability, vocabulary knowledge, and Chinese character recognition. It was found that lexical tone awareness and morphological awareness were both associated with vocabulary knowledge and character recognition. However, there was a significant relationship between lexical tone awareness and both vocabulary knowledge and character recognition, even after controlling for the effects of age, nonverbal ability, segmental phonological awareness and morphological awareness. These findings suggest that lexical tone is a key factor accounting for individual variance in young children's lexical acquisition in Chinese, and that lexical tone should be considered in understanding how children learn new Chinese vocabulary words, in either oral or written forms. PMID:27483739
Mammen, Andrew
Patients with polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) present with the subacute onset of symmetric proximal muscle weakness, elevated muscle enzymes, myopathic findings on electromyography, and autoantibodies. DM patients are distinguished by their cutaneous manifestations. Characteristic features on muscle biopsy include the invasion of nonnecrotic muscle fibers by T cells in PM, perifascicular atrophy in DM, and myofiber necrosis without prominent inflammation in IMNM. Importantly, these are regarded as autoimmune diseases and most patients respond partially, if not completely, to immunosuppressive therapy. Patients with inclusion body myositis (IBM) usually present with the insidious onset of asymmetric weakness in distal muscles (e.g., wrist flexors, and distal finger flexors), often when more proximal muscle groups are relatively preserved. Although IBM muscle biopsies usually have focal invasion of myofibers by lymphocytes, the majority of IBM biopsies also include rimmed vacuoles. While most IBM patients do have autoantibodies, treatment with immunosuppressive agents does not improve their clinical course. Along with the presence of abnormally aggregated proteins on muscle biopsy, the refractory nature and relentless course of IBM suggest that the underlying pathophysiology may include a dominant myodegenerative component. This chapter will focus on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of the autoimmune myopathies and IBM. An emphasis will be placed on recent advances, indicating that these are a diverse family of diseases and that each of more than a dozen myositis autoantibodies is associated with a distinct clinical phenotype. PMID:27112692
Disorders of Pitch Production in Tone Deafness
Bella, Simone Dalla; Berkowska, Magdalena; Sowiński, Jakub
Singing is as natural as speaking for the majority of people. Yet some individuals (i.e., 10–15%) are poor singers, typically performing or imitating pitches and melodies inaccurately. This condition, commonly referred to as "tone deafness," has been observed both in the presence and absence of deficient pitch perception. In this article we review the existing literature concerning normal singing, poor-pitch singing, and, briefly, the sources of this condition. Considering that pitch plays a prominent role in the structure of both music and speech we also focus on the possibility that speech production (or imitation) is similarly impaired in poor-pitch singers. Preliminary evidence from our laboratory suggests that pitch imitation may be selectively inaccurate in the music domain without being affected in speech. This finding points to separability of mechanisms subserving pitch production in music and language. PMID:21811479
Sundberg, Johan; Bauer-Huppmann, Julia
Although the consonant is mostly considered as the start of a syllable in phonetics and orthography, musicians generally agree that the vowel onset in singing should be synchronized with the beat. As a test of this assumption, the current investigation analyzes the time interval between vowel onsets and piano accompaniment onsets in a set of songs performed by international vocal artists and published on commercial CD recordings. The results show that, most commonly, the accompanists synchronized their tones with the singers' vowel onsets. Nevertheless, examples of lead and lag were found, probably made for expressive purposes. The lead and lag varied greatly between songs, being smallest in a song performed in a fast tempo and longest in a song performed in a slow tempo. PMID:16564674
Spectral and temporal integration of brief tones
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hoglund, Evelyn M.
Spectral and temporal processing have an extensive history of research for the discrimination and integration of tones. The integration of both dimensions simultaneously, however, has received little attention in psychoacoustics. This dual integration is vital to our daily processing of sounds around us, and has also not been effectively addressed in the ecological acoustics research. For this reason, we still have essentially no understanding of how the auditory system processes sounds that are changing in both frequency and time domains at the same time. This study was designed to begin the process of measuring the basic detection of signals that vary in both spectral and temporal dimensions. Baseline measures of detection for 10 msec pure tones were taken and the levels adjusted so that all the frequencies could be detected at the same level of attenuation. The thresholds were then obtained for spectral integration of the signals and for temporal integration, so that these results could be compared with prior research. The signals were then varied on both dimensions simultaneously in several ways: with equal spectral and temporal step sizes, different spectral and temporal step sizes, random presentation, and with doubled spectral or temporal information. The data were also analyzed along several differences: spectral step size, temporal step size, frequency range, direction, slope, and predictability. The spectral and temporal integration conditions showed a good match with the results of prior research, showing that the current procedures and signals could be used to reliably compare to existing results. The spectrotemporal integration conditions showed the threshold for overall detection of the signals to be limited by the ability to integrate spectral information, while the temporal integration was much better. Additionally, very little influence could be seen by most of the differences in signals. Surprisingly, random presentation of frequencies did not
Exercise test in muscle channelopathies and other muscle disorders.
Kuntzer, T; Flocard, F; Vial, C; Kohler, A; Magistris, M; Labarre-Vila, A; Gonnaud, P M; Ochsner, F; Soichot, P; Chan, V; Monnier, G
We studied the percentage change in compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude and area during and after a 5-min maximal contraction of the muscle. The exercise test (ET) was performed on 64 patients with different muscle disorders and on 46 normal controls. The range of normal ET values was defined as the mean + 2 SD of the control values. The mean sensitivity of the test was 63% in the whole group with ion channel muscle disorders, the highest sensitivity being seen in primary periodic paralysis (81%) and the lowest in chloride channelopathies (17%). In thyrotoxic periodic paralysis, the ET was abnormal in the three of the four patients studied. In patients with myotonic dystrophy, a smaller than normal increase in CMAP amplitude occurred during and after exercise, whereas in proximal myotonic myopathy a normal initial increase in CMAP amplitude was followed by an abnormal decrement. We conclude that the ET can be of use in confirming abnormal muscle membrane excitability in patients with calcium and sodium channelopathies and thyrotoxic periodic paralysis. In chloride channelopathy, the test may also be abnormal, but shows no, or only a small, increase in amplitude or area in the immediate postexercise period. The test may also be abnormal in proximal myotonic myopathy, but is normal in myotonic dystrophy. PMID:10883004
Factors Influencing Sensitivity to Lexical Tone in an Artificial Language: Implications for Second Language Learning
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Caldwell-Harris, Catherine L.; Lancaster, Alia; Ladd, D. Robert; Dediu, Dan; Christiansen, Morten H.
This study examined whether musical training, ethnicity, and experience with a natural tone language influenced sensitivity to tone while listening to an artificial tone language. The language was designed with three tones, modeled after level-tone African languages. Participants listened to a 15-min random concatenation of six 3-syllable words.…
A Study of Neutral-Tone Syllables in Taiwan Mandarin
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Huang, Karen
This dissertation studies the realization of the rhythm of Taiwan Mandarin and focuses on the quality of its unstressed (neutral-tone) syllables. Taiwan Mandarin (TM) is often described as more syllable-timed than Standard Mandarin (SM). In TM, the unstressed syllables occur less frequently. The quality of the unstressed (neutral-tone) syllables…
Improving Tone Recognition with Nucleus Modeling and Sequential Learning
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wang, Siwei
Mandarin Chinese and many other tonal languages use tones that are defined as specific pitch patterns to distinguish syllables otherwise ambiguous. It had been shown that tones carry at least as much information as vowels in Mandarin Chinese [Surendran et al., 2005]. Surprisingly, though, many speech recognition systems for Mandarin Chinese have…
Contra-Rotating Open Rotor Tone Noise Prediction
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Envia, Edmane
Reliable prediction of contra-rotating open rotor (CROR) noise is an essential element of any strategy for the development of low-noise open rotor propulsion systems that can meet both the community noise regulations and the cabin noise limits. Since CROR noise spectra typically exhibits a preponderance of tones, significant efforts have been directed towards predicting their tone spectra. To that end, there has been an ongoing effort at NASA to assess various in-house open rotor tone noise prediction tools using a benchmark CROR blade set for which significant aerodynamic and acoustic data had been acquired in wind tunnel tests. In the work presented here, the focus is on the near-field noise of the benchmark open rotor blade set at the cruise condition. Using an analytical CROR tone noise model with input from high-fidelity aerodynamic simulations, detailed tone noise spectral predictions have been generated and compared with the experimental data. Comparisons indicate that the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the data, especially for the dominant CROR tones and their overall sound pressure level. The results also indicate that, whereas individual rotor tones are well predicted by the linear sources (i.e., thickness and loading), for the interaction tones it is essential that the quadrupole sources be included in the analysis.
Studies in the Phonology of Asian Languages, VIII, Vietnamese Tones.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Han, Mieko S.
An acoustic-phonetic study of six Vietnamese tones was carried out on approximately 3000 sound spectrograms of four native speakers of the Hanoi dialect. Three temporal segments, four pitch levels, and glottalization were identified as important cues for tone recognition. (Author/FWB)
The Study of Tone in Languages with a Quantity Contrast
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Remijsen, Bert
This paper deals with the study of tone in languages that additionally have a phonological contrastive of quantity, such as vowel length or stress. In such complex word-prosodic systems, tone and the quantity contrast(s) can be fully independent of one another, or they may interact. Both of these configurations are illustrated in this paper, and…
The Intragroup Stigmatization of Skin Tone Among Black Americans
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Harvey, Richard D.; LaBeach, Nicole; Pridgen, Ellie; Gocial, Tammy M.
The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which racial contexts moderate the importance and function of intragroup skin-tone stigma among Black Americans. One hundred and thirty-two Black students were recruited from both a predominantly Black university and a predominantly White university and completed measures on skin tone,…
Dissimilation in the Second Language Acquisition of Mandarin Chinese Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Zhang, Hang
This article extends Optimality Theoretic studies to the research on second language tone phonology. Specifically, this work analyses the acquisition of identical tone sequences in Mandarin Chinese by adult speakers of three non-tonal languages: English, Japanese and Korean. This study finds that the learners prefer not to use identical lexical…
Tone Gestures and Constraint Interaction in Sierra Juarez Zapotec
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tejada, Laura
This dissertation examines floating tones and tone gesture deactivation in Sierra Juarez Zapotec (SJZ), and provides an Optimality Theoretic account of tonal spreading and placement using insights from Articulatory Phonology. While the data portion of the dissertation is drawn from SJZ, the approach has broader implications for theories of tonal…
Slide rule-type color chart predicts reproduced photo tones
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Griffin, J. D.
Slide rule-type color chart determines the final reproduced gray tones in the production of briefing charts that are photographed in black and white. The chart shows both the color by drafting paint manufacturers name and mixture number, and the gray tone resulting from black and white photographic reproduction.
47 CFR 64.1514 - Generation of signalling tones.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
... 47 Telecommunication 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Generation of signalling tones. 64.1514 Section 64.1514 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... Services § 64.1514 Generation of signalling tones. No common carrier shall assign a telephone number...
47 CFR 64.1514 - Generation of signalling tones.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Generation of signalling tones. 64.1514 Section 64.1514 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... Services § 64.1514 Generation of signalling tones. No common carrier shall assign a telephone number...
47 CFR 64.1514 - Generation of signalling tones.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
... 47 Telecommunication 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Generation of signalling tones. 64.1514 Section 64.1514 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... Services § 64.1514 Generation of signalling tones. No common carrier shall assign a telephone number...
47 CFR 64.1514 - Generation of signalling tones.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
... 47 Telecommunication 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Generation of signalling tones. 64.1514 Section 64.1514 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... Services § 64.1514 Generation of signalling tones. No common carrier shall assign a telephone number...
47 CFR 64.1514 - Generation of signalling tones.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
... 47 Telecommunication 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Generation of signalling tones. 64.1514 Section 64.1514 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... Services § 64.1514 Generation of signalling tones. No common carrier shall assign a telephone number...
Musical experience and Mandarin tone discrimination and imitation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gottfried, Terry L.; Staby, Ann M.; Ziemer, Christine J.
Previous work [T. L. Gottfried and D. Riester, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 108, 2604 (2000)] showed that native speakers of American English with musical training performed better than nonmusicians when identifying the four distinctive tones of Mandarin Chinese (high-level, mid-rising, low-dipping, high-falling). Accuracy for both groups was relatively low since listeners were not trained on the phonemic contrasts. Current research compares musicians and nonmusicians on discrimination and imitation of unfamiliar tones. Listeners were presented with two different Mandarin words that had either the same or different tones; listeners indicated whether the tones were same or different. Thus, they were required to determine a categorical match (same or different tone), rather than an auditory match. All listeners had significantly more difficulty discriminating between mid-rising and low-dipping tones than with other contrasts. Listeners with more musical training showed significantly greater accuracy in their discrimination. Likewise, musicians' spoken imitations of Mandarin tones (model tokens presented by a native speaker) were rated as significantly more native-like than those of nonmusicians. These findings suggest that musicians may have abilities or training that facilitate their perception and production of Mandarin tones. However, further research is needed to determine whether this advantage transfers to language learning situations.
When Marking Tone Reduces Fluency: An Orthography Experiment in Cameroon.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bird, Steven
Examines the success of phonemic tone-marking for Dschang, a Grassfields Bantu language that uses tone to distinguish lexical items and some grammatical constructions. Participants from a variety of different age groups and educational backgrounds, and having different levels of exposure to the orthography, were tested on location in the Western…
Precision and accuracy in the reproduction of simple tone sequences.
Vos, P G; Ellermann, H H
In four experiments we investigated the precision and accuracy with which amateur musicians are able to reproduce sequences of tones varied only temporally, so as to have tone and rest durations constant over sequences, and the tempo varied over the musically meaningful range of 5-0.5 tones per second. Experiments 1 and 2 supported the hypothesis of attentional bias toward having the attack moments, rather than the departure moments, precisely times. Experiment 3 corroborated the hypothesis that inaccurate timing of short interattack intervals is manifested in a lengthening of rests, rather than tones, as a result of larger motor activity during the reproduction of rests. Experiment 4 gave some support to the hypothesis that the shortening of long interattack intervals is due to mnemonic constraints affecting the rests rather than the tones. Both theoretical and practical consequences of the various findings, particularly with respect to timing in musical performance, are discussed. PMID:2522528
Hole tone generated from almost choked to highly choked jets
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Umeda, Y.; Maeda, H.; Ishii, R.
The hole tone generated from the interaction of high-speed jets with a round hole was experimentally investigated in order to clarify its generation mechanism. Measurements of far-field pressure waves as well as schlieren flow visualization were carried out. The frequency characteristics of the present hole tone are similar to those of hole tones radiated from a low-speed jet. Flow visualization confirms that this hole tone is generated by essentially the same feedback mechanism as that of the impinging tone radiated from high-speed jets. When a ring vortex interacts with the plate with a hole, an acoustic pulse is emitted with a strong directional peak in the upstream direction. The acoustic pulse propagates outside the jet and forces the generation of a new eddy on reaching the nozzle lip. The new eddy grows as it propagates downstream to interact with the circumference of the hole.
Experimental Feedback Control of Flow Induced Cavity Tones
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Cabell, Randolph H.; Kegerise, Michael A.; Cox, David E.; Gibbs, Gary P.
An experimental study of the application of discrete-time, linear quadratic control design methods to the cavity tone problem is described. State space models of the dynamics from a synthetic jet actuator at the leading edge of the cavity to two pressure sensors in the cavity were computed from experimental data. Variations in model order, control order, control bandwidth, and properties of a Kalman state estimator were studied. Feedback control reduced the levels of multiple cavity tones at Mach 0.275, 0.35, and 0.45. Closed loop performance was often limited by excitation of sidebands of cavity tones, and creation of new tones in the spectrum. State space models were useful for explaining some of these limitations, but were not able to account for non-linear dynamics, such as interactions between tones at different frequencies.
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
There are approximately 650-850 muscles in the human body these include skeletal (striated), smooth and cardiac muscle. The approximation is based on what some anatomists consider separate muscle or muscle systems. Muscles are classified based on their anatomy (striated vs. smooth) and if they are v...
Neural regulation of tone in the oesophageal body: in vivo barostat assessment of volume-pressure relationships in the feline oesophagus.
Zhang, X; Tack, J; Janssens, J; Sifrim, D A
Recent combined manometric-barostat studies demonstrated that the oesophageal body exhibits both peristaltic contractions and tone. This study further characterized the neural modulation of tone in the feline oesophageal body. Simultaneous oesophageal barostat and manometry were performed in 20 adult cats under ketamine sedation. Oesophageal tone and peristalsis were assessed in the distal smooth muscle oesophagus. Cholinergic modulation was studied using neostigmine, erythromycin, atropine and vagotomy. Nitrergic regulation was assessed using sildenafil to increase cellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate and the nitric oxide synthase blocker Nomega-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA). The presence of a tonic contractile activity in the distal oesophageal body was confirmed. Peristaltic contractions proceeded along the oesophageal body over the background tonic contraction. Neostigmine and erythromycin enhanced (20-30%) whereas bilateral vagotomy and atropine strongly decreased oesophageal tone (50-60%). However, l-NNA increased (40%) and sildenafil decreased oesophageal tone (30%). Therefore, tonic contractile activity in the oesophageal body is mainly caused by a continuous cholinergic excitatory input. A nitric oxide inhibitory mechanism may have a complementary role in the regulation of oesophageal tone. PMID:14764201
Muscle Deoxygenation Causes Muscle Fatigue
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Murthy, G.; Hargens, A. R.; Lehman, S.; Rempel, D.
Muscle fatigue is a common musculoskeletal disorder in the work place, and may be a harbinger for more disabling cumulative trauma disorders. Although the cause of fatigue is multifactorial, reduced blood flow and muscle oxygenation may be the primary factor in causing muscle fatigue during low intensity muscle exertion. Muscle fatigue is defined as a reduction in muscle force production, and also occurs among astronauts who are subjected to postural constraints while performing lengthy, repetitive tasks. The objectives of this research are to: 1) develop an objective tool to study the role of decreased muscle oxygenation on muscle force production, and 2) to evaluate muscle fatigue during prolonged glovebox work.
Quantifying tone deafness in the general population.
Sloboda, John A; Wise, Karen J; Peretz, Isabelle
Many people reach adulthood without acquiring significant music performance skills (singing or instrumental playing). A substantial proportion of these adults consider that this has come about because they are "not musical." Some of these people may be "true" congenital amusics, characterized by specific and substantial anomalies in the processing of musical pitch and rhythm sequences, while at the same time displaying normal processing of speech and language. It is likely, however, that many adults who believe that they are unmusical are neurologically normal. We could call these adults "false" amusics. Acquisition of musical competence has multiple personal, social, and environmental precursors. Deficiencies in these areas may lead to lack of musical achievement, despite the fact that an individual possesses the necessary underlying capacities. Adults may therefore self-define as "unmusical" or "tone-deaf" for reasons unconnected to any underlying anomaly. This paper reports on two linked research studies. The first is an interview study with adults defining themselves as tone-deaf or unmusical. The interview schedule was designed to discover what criteria are being used in their self-definitions. Preliminary results suggest that performance criteria (e.g., judging oneself as unable to sing) play a major role, even for people who claim and demonstrate no perceptual deficits. The second study reports progress on the development of new subtests for a revised version of the Montreal Battery for the Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA, Peretz et al., 2003). This currently contains six tests that allow for the assessment of melodic perception: contour, intervals, scale, rhythm, meter, and recognition memory. The MBEA does not assess two capacities that are generally accepted as central to normal music cognition: harmony and emotion. The development and norming of the emotion subtest will be described. When completed, the MBEA(R) will form a robust screening device for use with
... common cause of muscle aches and pain is fibromyalgia , a condition that causes tenderness in your muscles ... imbalance, such as too little potassium or calcium Fibromyalgia Infections, including the flu, Lyme disease , malaria , muscle ...
Attention deficits revealed by passive auditory change detection for pure tones and lexical tones in ADHD children.
Yang, Ming-Tao; Hsu, Chun-Hsien; Yeh, Pei-Wen; Lee, Wang-Tso; Liang, Jao-Shwann; Fu, Wen-Mei; Lee, Chia-Ying
Inattention (IA) has been a major problem in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), accounting for their behavioral and cognitive dysfunctions. However, there are at least three processing steps underlying attentional control for auditory change detection, namely pre-attentive change detection, involuntary attention orienting, and attention reorienting for further evaluation. This study aimed to examine whether children with ADHD would show deficits in any of these subcomponents by using mismatch negativity (MMN), P3a, and late discriminative negativity (LDN) as event-related potential (ERP) markers, under the passive auditory oddball paradigm. Two types of stimuli-pure tones and Mandarin lexical tones-were used to examine if the deficits were general across linguistic and non-linguistic domains. Participants included 15 native Mandarin-speaking children with ADHD and 16 age-matched controls (across groups, age ranged between 6 and 15 years). Two passive auditory oddball paradigms (lexical tones and pure tones) were applied. The pure tone oddball paradigm included a standard stimulus (1000 Hz, 80%) and two deviant stimuli (1015 and 1090 Hz, 10% each). The Mandarin lexical tone oddball paradigm's standard stimulus was /yi3/ (80%) and two deviant stimuli were /yi1/ and /yi2/ (10% each). The results showed no MMN difference, but did show attenuated P3a and enhanced LDN to the large deviants for both pure and lexical tone changes in the ADHD group. Correlation analysis showed that children with higher ADHD tendency, as indexed by parents' and teachers' ratings on ADHD symptoms, showed less positive P3a amplitudes when responding to large lexical tone deviants. Thus, children with ADHD showed impaired auditory change detection for both pure tones and lexical tones in both involuntary attention switching, and attention reorienting for further evaluation. These ERP markers may therefore be used for the evaluation of anti-ADHD drugs that aim to
Hutchinson incisors; Abnormal tooth shape; Peg teeth; Mulberry teeth; Conical teeth ... The appearance of normal teeth varies, especially the molars. ... conditions. Specific diseases can affect tooth shape, tooth ...
Hutchinson incisors; Abnormal tooth shape; Peg teeth; Mulberry teeth; Conical teeth ... from many different conditions. Specific diseases can affect tooth shape, tooth color, time of appearance, or absence ...
Impaired learning of event frequencies in tone deafness.
Loui, Psyche; Schlaug, Gottfried
Musical knowledge is ubiquitous, effortless, and implicitly acquired all over the world via exposure to musical materials in one's culture. In contrast, one group of individuals who show insensitivity to music, specifically the inability to discriminate pitches and melodies, is the tone-deaf. In this study, we asked whether difficulties in pitch and melody discrimination among the tone-deaf could be related to learning difficulties, and, if so, what processes of learning might be affected in the tone-deaf. We investigated the learning of frequency information in a new musical system in tone-deaf individuals and matched controls. Results showed significantly impaired learning abilities in frequency matching in the tone-deaf. This impairment was positively correlated with the severity of tone deafness as assessed by the Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Amusia. Taken together, the results suggest that tone deafness is characterized by an impaired ability to acquire frequency information from pitched materials in the sound environment. PMID:22524379
The Neural Substrates Underlying the Implementation of Phonological Rule in Lexical Tone Production: An fMRI Study of the Tone 3 Sandhi Phenomenon in Mandarin Chinese
Chang, Claire H. C.; Kuo, Wen-Jui
This study examined the neural substrates underlying the implementation of phonological rule in lexical tone by the Tone 3 sandhi phenomenon in Mandarin Chinese. Tone 3 sandhi is traditionally described as the substitution of Tone 3 with Tone 2 when followed by another Tone 3 (33 →23) during speech production. Tone 3 sandhi enables the examination of tone processing in the phonological level with the least involvement of segments. Using the fMRI technique, we measured brain activations corresponding to the monosyllable and disyllable sequences of the four Chinese lexical tones, while manipulating the requirement on overt oral response. The application of Tone 3 sandhi to disyllable sequence of Tone 3 was confirmed by our behavioral results. Larger brain responses to overtly produced disyllable Tone 3 (33 > 11, 22, and 44) were found in right posterior IFG by both whole-brain and ROI analyses. We suggest that the right IFG was responsible for the processing of Tone 3 sandhi. Intense temporo-frontal interaction is needed in speech production for self-monitoring. The involvement of the right IFG in tone production might result from its interaction with the right auditory cortex, which is known to specialize in pitch. Future studies using tools with better temporal resolutions are needed to illuminate the dynamic interaction between the right inferior frontal regions and the left-lateralized language network in tone languages. PMID:27455078
Tone Burst Eddy-Current Thermography (tbet)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kumar, Ch. N. Kiran; Krishnamurthy, C. V.; Maxfield, Bruce W.; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan
This paper reports on a Tone Burst Eddycurrent Thermography (TBET) technique that uses short-time bursts of eddy-currents induced in conducting media to generate local heating inside the material. The transient diffusion of the heat inside the material, induced by pulsed/short-time induction heating, is imaged by measuring the transient temperature profiles on the surface of the material. The presence and characteristics of the defects inside the materials changes the surface temperature transients and thus can be used for the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of conducting materials. Axisymmetric numerical models of the conventional transient thermography technique are used to benchmark the TBET technique. From the temperature profile data, temperature contrast information is obtained for the different defect depths. Temperature contrast data obtained for TBET, in this process, was compared with that obtained from conventional transient thermography data. It was found that the frequency of the eddy-current and, consequently, the skin-depth of the induced field play an important role in the effective utilization of this technique. Simulation details and the experimental results are presented in the paper. Possible advantages of TBET over conventional flash thermography are also discussed and supported by experimental data.
Trumpet mouthpiece manufacturing and tone quality.
Zicari, Massimo; MacRitchie, Jennifer; Ghirlanda, Lorenzo; Vanchieri, Alberto; Montorfano, Davide; Barbato, Maurizio C; Soldini, Emiliano
This article investigates the relationship between the shape of the mouthpiece and its acoustical properties in brass instruments. The hypothesis is that not only different volumes but also particular cup shapes affect the embouchure and the tone quality in both a physical and perceivable way. Three professional trumpet players were involved, and two different internal cup contours characterized by a "U" and a "V" shape with two types of throat junction (round and sharp) were chosen, based on a Vincent Bach 1 [1/2] C medium mouthpiece. A third intermediate contour was designed as a combination of these. Over 600 sound samples were produced under controlled conditions, the study involving four different stages: (1) Simulation of air-flow, (2) analysis of the sound spectra, (3) study of the players' subjective responses, and (4) perceptual analysis of their timbral differences. Results confirm the U shape is characterized by a stronger air recirculation and produces stronger spectral components above 8 kHz, compared to the V shape. A round throat junction may also be preferable to a sharp one in terms of playability. There is moderate agreement on the aural perception of these differences although the verbal attributes used to qualify these are not shared. PMID:24180796
Localization of aerial pure tones by pinnipeds
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Holt, Marla M.; Schusterman, Ronald J.; Kastak, David; Southall, Brandon L.
In this study, minimum audible angles (MAAs) of aerial pure tones were measured in and compared between a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), and a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Testing was conducted between 0.8 and 16 kHz in the elephant seal and 0.8 and 20 kHz in the harbor seal and sea lion in a hemi-anechoic chamber using a left/right psychophysical procedure. Performance for the same frequencies was also quantified for discrete speaker separation of 5° from the mid-line. For all subjects, MAAs ranged from approximately 3° to 15° and were generally equal to or larger than those previously measured in the same subjects with a broadband signal. Performance at 5° ranged from chance to 97% correct, depending on frequency and subject. Poorest performance in the sea lion and harbor seal occurred at intermediate frequencies, which is consistent with the duplex theory of sound localization. In contrast, the elephant seal's poorest performance occurred at higher frequencies. The elephant seal's result suggests an inferior ability to utilize interaural level differences and is perhaps related to best hearing sensitivity shifted toward lower frequencies in this species relative to other pinnipeds.
Queen, Saulette R.; Smulevitz, Beverly; Rentfro, Anne R.; Vatcheva, Kristina P.; Kim, Hyunggun; McPherson, David D.; Hanis, Craig L.; Fisher-Hoch, Susan P.; McCormick, Joseph B.; Laing, Susan T.
SUMMARY BACKGROUND Resting ischemic electrocardiographic abnormalities have been associated with cardiovascular mortality. Simple markers of abnormal autonomic tone have also been associated with diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in some populations. Data on these electrocardiographic abnormalities and correlations with coronary risk factors are lacking among Mexican Americans wherein these conditions are prevalent. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the prevalent resting electrocardiographic abnormalities among community-dwelling Mexican Americans, and correlate these findings with coronary risk factors, particularly diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome. METHODS Study subjects (n=1280) were drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort comprised of community-dwelling Mexican Americans living in Brownsville, Texas at the United States-Mexico border. Ischemic electrocardiographic abnormalities were defined as presence of ST/T wave abnormalities suggestive of ischemia, abnormal Q waves, and left bundle branch block. Parameters that reflect autonomic tone, such as heart rate-corrected QT interval and resting heart rate, were also measured. RESULTS Ischemic electrocardiographic abnormalities were more prevalent among older persons and those with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome. Subjects in the highest quartiles of QTc interval and resting heart rate were also more likely to be diabetic, hypertensive, obese, or have the metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS Among Mexican Americans, persons with diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome were more likely to have ischemic electrocardiographic abnormalities, longer QTc intervals, and higher resting heart rates. A resting electrocardiogram can play a complementary role in the comprehensive evaluation of cardiovascular risk in this minority population. PMID:23515880
Prenatal imaging of distal limb abnormalities using OCT in mice
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Larina, Irina V.; Syed, Saba H.; Dickinson, Mary E.; Overbeek, Paul; Larin, Kirill V.
Congenital abnormalities of the limbs are common birth defects. These include missing or extra fingers or toes, abnormal limb length, and abnormalities in patterning of bones, cartilage or muscles. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a 3-D imaging modality, which can produce high-resolution (~8 μm) images of developing embryos with an imaging depth of a few millimeters. Here we demonstrate the capability of OCT to perform 3D imaging of limb development in normal embryos and a mouse model with congenital abnormalities. Our results suggest that OCT is a promising tool to analyze embryonic limb development in mammalian models of congenital defects.
Influence of auditory fatigue on masked pure-tone thresholds
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Parker, D. E.; Tubbs, R. L.; Johnston, P. A.; Johnston, L. S.
A description is presented of four related experiments involving conditions of 3-kHz low-intensity masking, a replication of experiment I with slight variations, 3-kHz high-intensity masking, and 6-kHz low-intensity masking. The frequencies of the tones which the observers detected were 3 and 6 kHz. The observed change in masked-tone threshold as a function of fatigue is discussed. It is found that masked-tone-detection thresholds remain essentially unchanged following fatigue if the masking-noise intensity is sufficiently great.
Vagal tone as an index of mental state
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Porges, Stephen W.
The utility of monitoring oscillations in the heart rate pattern as a window to the brain is discussed as an index of general central nervous system status. Quantification of the amplitude of respiratory sinus arrhythmia provides an accurate index of cardiac vagal tone. A number of studies have demonstrated the validity of this measure; the relationship between flight performance and vagal tone has also been studied. In general, the vagal tone index appears to monitor global states of the central nervous system and may be useful in screening the general state of pilots.
Structurally abnormal human autosomes
Chapter 25, discusses structurally abnormal human autosomes. This discussion includes: structurally abnormal chromosomes, chromosomal polymorphisms, pericentric inversions, paracentric inversions, deletions or partial monosomies, cri du chat (cat cry) syndrome, ring chromosomes, insertions, duplication or pure partial trisomy and mosaicism. 71 refs., 8 figs.
Attention deficits revealed by passive auditory change detection for pure tones and lexical tones in ADHD children
Yang, Ming-Tao; Hsu, Chun-Hsien; Yeh, Pei-Wen; Lee, Wang-Tso; Liang, Jao-Shwann; Fu, Wen-Mei; Lee, Chia-Ying
Inattention (IA) has been a major problem in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), accounting for their behavioral and cognitive dysfunctions. However, there are at least three processing steps underlying attentional control for auditory change detection, namely pre-attentive change detection, involuntary attention orienting, and attention reorienting for further evaluation. This study aimed to examine whether children with ADHD would show deficits in any of these subcomponents by using mismatch negativity (MMN), P3a, and late discriminative negativity (LDN) as event-related potential (ERP) markers, under the passive auditory oddball paradigm. Two types of stimuli—pure tones and Mandarin lexical tones—were used to examine if the deficits were general across linguistic and non-linguistic domains. Participants included 15 native Mandarin-speaking children with ADHD and 16 age-matched controls (across groups, age ranged between 6 and 15 years). Two passive auditory oddball paradigms (lexical tones and pure tones) were applied. The pure tone oddball paradigm included a standard stimulus (1000 Hz, 80%) and two deviant stimuli (1015 and 1090 Hz, 10% each). The Mandarin lexical tone oddball paradigm's standard stimulus was /yi3/ (80%) and two deviant stimuli were /yi1/ and /yi2/ (10% each). The results showed no MMN difference, but did show attenuated P3a and enhanced LDN to the large deviants for both pure and lexical tone changes in the ADHD group. Correlation analysis showed that children with higher ADHD tendency, as indexed by parents' and teachers' ratings on ADHD symptoms, showed less positive P3a amplitudes when responding to large lexical tone deviants. Thus, children with ADHD showed impaired auditory change detection for both pure tones and lexical tones in both involuntary attention switching, and attention reorienting for further evaluation. These ERP markers may therefore be used for the evaluation of anti-ADHD drugs that
[Nutritional abnormalities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
Gea, Joaquim; Martínez-Llorens, Juana; Barreiro, Esther
Nutritional abnormalities are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with a frequency ranging from 2 to 50%, depending on the geographical area and the study design. Diagnostic tools include anthropometry, bioelectrical impedance, dual energy radioabsortiometry and deuterium dilution, being the body mass and the lean mass indices the most frequently used parameters. While the most important consequences of nutritional abnormalities are muscle dysfunction and exercise limitation, factors implicated include an imbalance between caloric intake and consumption, and between anabolic and catabolic hormones, inflammation, tobacco smoking, poor physical activity, hypoxemia, some drugs and aging/comorbidities. The most important molecular mechanism for malnutrition associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease appears to be the mismatching between protein synthesis and breakdown. Among the therapeutic measures proposed for these nutritional abnormalities are improvements in lifestyle and nutritional support, although the use of anabolic drugs (such as secretagogues of the growth hormone) offers a new therapeutic strategy. PMID:24054776
NO contributes to abnormal vascular calcium regulation and reactivity induced by peritonitis-associated septic shock in rats.
Chen, Shiu-Jen; Li, Shaio-Yun; Shih, Chih-Chin; Liao, Mei-Huei; Wu, Chin-Chen
Calcium plays an important role in determining vascular smooth muscle tone. Norepinephrine (NE)-induced vascular contraction contains two components: 1) Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum as the fast phase and 2) Ca2+ influx via a voltage-dependent calcium channel as the slow phase. This study used functional isometric tension recording to evaluate mediators contributing to abnormal NE-induced Ca2+ handling and reactivity in isolated thoracic aortas from septic rats. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and thoracic aortas were removed at 18 h after CLP. Our results showed that rats that received CLP for 18 h manifested severe hypotension and vascular hyporeactivity to NE in vivo. This vascular hyporeactivity to NE was also observed in the aorta obtained from CLP-induced sepsis rat. Both the fast and slow phases of NE-induced contraction were reduced in aortas from sepsis rats. To clarify what possible mediators contribute to the abnormal Ca2+ handling in aortas from sepsis animals, inhibitors of Ca2+ channel and release were used. Inhibition by 2-aminoethoxy-diphenyl borane, ryanodine, and cyclopiazonic acid of the NE-induced contraction in Ca2+-free solution was greater in the aorta from sepsis rats and inhibitions of cyclopiazonic acid and ryanodine, but not of 2-aminoethoxy-diphenyl borane, were attenuated by NOS inhibitor N[omega]-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester. In addition, the attenuation of NE-induced contraction by nifedipine in the aorta was also greater in the CLP group. Our results suggest that abnormal NE-induced Ca2+ handling associated with vascular hyporeactivity in the CLP-induced sepsis is caused by a major decrease in sarcoplasmic reticulum function and a minor impairment of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels on membrane to Ca2+ handling, at least, in the aorta, and this could be attributed to an overproduction of NO in sepsis. PMID:19749606
Considerations in the placement of phase calibration tones
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Young, L. E.
In the use of tones to calibrate unwanted instrumental phases for very long baseline interferometry experiments, certain problems exist which are related to the placement of these phase calibrator tones. (1) A bias exists in an analytically generated stopping function used during correlation if its frequency satisfies the following condition; f = (f sub s)x(m)/n, where f sub s = sampling frequency, m = any integer, and n = any odd integer. (2) Due to the quantized representation of sine waves in the stopping function, odd harmonics of the fundamental frequencies are generated. Several mechanisms are available through which these harmonics can cause errors in the residual phase extracted from the recorded tones. (3) When multiple tones are injected into a pass band, intermodulation products can occur. The magnitude of these effects is discussed along with strategies designed to avoid them.
Optimum detection of tones transmitted by a spacecraft
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Simon, M. K.; Shihabi, M. M.; Moon, T.
The performance of a scheme proposed for automated routine monitoring of deep-space missions is presented. The scheme uses four different tones (sinusoids) transmitted from the spacecraft (S/C) to a ground station with the positive identification of each of them used to indicate different states of the S/C. Performance is measured in terms of detection probability versus false alarm probability with detection signal-to-noise ratio as a parameter. The cases where the phase of the received tone is unknown and where both the phase and frequency of the received tone are unknown are treated separately. The decision rules proposed for detecting the tones are formulated from average-likelihood ratio and maximum-likelihood ratio tests, the former resulting in optimum receiver structures.
Grey Component Replacement Research, Modelling Tone And Color Reproduction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fisch, Richard S.
Four different scanning Color Electronic Pagination System (CEPS) devices were tested to study their conventional and Grey Component Replacement/Undercolor Addition (GCR/UCA) tone and color response in the 4 color Positive Acting Offset Lithographic printing process. A common transparency input and ganged printing output was used. Inter and intra machine differences are disclosed. A new depiction of the full tone reproduction characteristics is presented for several different levels of GCR/UCA and conventional printing.
Frequency ratios and the discrimination of pure tone sequences.
Schellenberg, E G; Trehub, S E
We examined the effect of frequency ratios on the discrimination of patterns of alternating pure tones (ABABA). Listeners heard a repeating pattern presented in transposition (same frequency ratios between successive tones, different absolute frequencies) and were required to indicate when the pattern changed (different frequency ratios and absolute frequencies). Changes from patterns with simple frequency ratios to those with more complex ratios were more readily detected than were changes from complex ratios to simpler ratios. PMID:7984402
Continuous tone printing in silicone from CNC milled matrices
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hoskins, S.; McCallion, P.
Current research at the Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR) at the University of the West of England, Bristol, is exploring the potential of creating coloured pictorial imagery from a continuous tone relief surface. To create the printing matrices the research team have been using CNC milled images where the height of the relief image is dictated by creating a tone curve and then milling this curve into a series of relief blocks from which the image is cast in a silicone ink. A translucent image is cast from each of the colour matrices and each colour is assembled - one on top of another - resulting is a colour continuous tone print, where colour tone is created by physical depth of colour. This process is a contemporary method of continuous tone colour printing based upon the Nineteenth Century black and white printing process of Woodburytype as developed by Walter Bentley Woodbury in 1865. Woodburytype is the only true continuous tone printing process invented, and although its delicate and subtle surfaces surpassed all other printing methods at the time. The process died out in the late nineteenth century as more expedient and cost effective methods of printing prevailed. New research at CFPR builds upon previous research that combines 19th Century Photomechanical techniques with digital technology to reappraise the potential of these processes.
Pulsating proton aurora caused by rising tone Pc1 waves
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nomura, R.; Shiokawa, K.; Omura, Y.; Ebihara, Y.; Miyoshi, Y.; Sakaguchi, K.; Otsuka, Y.; Connors, M.
We found rising tone emissions with a dispersion of ˜1 Hz per several tens of seconds in the dynamic spectrum of a Pc1 geomagnetic pulsation (Pc1) observed on the ground. These Pc1 rising tones were successively observed over ˜30 min from 0250 UT on 14 October 2006 by an induction magnetometer at Athabasca, Canada (54.7°N, 246.7°E, magnetic latitude 61.7°N). Simultaneously, a Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms panchromatic (THEMIS) all-sky camera detected pulsations of an isolated proton aurora with a period of several tens of seconds, ˜10% variations in intensity, and fine structures of 3° in magnetic longitudes. The pulsations of the proton aurora close to the zenith of ATH have one-to-one correspondences with the Pc1 rising tones. This suggests that these rising tones scatter magnetospheric protons intermittently at the equatorial region. The radial motion of the magnetospheric source, of which the isolated proton aurora is a projection, can explain the central frequency increase of Pc1, but not the shorter period (tens of seconds) frequency increase of ˜1 Hz in Pc1 rising tones. We suggest that EMIC-triggered emissions generate the frequency increase of Pc1 rising tones on the ground and that they also cause the Pc1 pearl structure, which has a similar characteristic time.
Production and Perception of Tone 3 Focus in Mandarin Chinese
Lee, Yong-Cheol; Wang, Ting; Liberman, Mark
This study uses production and perception experiments to explore tone 3 focus in Mandarin Chinese. Overall, contrastive focus in Mandarin is clearly marked with increased duration, intensity, and pitch range: in the experiments, listeners identified focused syllables correctly more than 90% of the time. However, a tone 3 syllable offers a smaller capacity for pitch range expansion under focus, and also yields less intensity increase; in addition, local dissimilation increases the duration, intensity, and pitch range of adjacent syllables within the same phrase as a focused tone 3 syllable. As a result, tone 3 focus was less well identified by listeners (77.1%). We suggest that the relatively poor identification of tone 3 focus is due to the smaller capacity for pitch range expansion, the confusion from within-phrase local dissimilatory effects, and the relatively weak intensity of tone 3. This study demonstrates that even within a language where purely prosodic marking of focus is clear, the location of prosodic focus can be difficult to identify in certain circumstances. Our results underline the conclusion, established in other work, that prosodic marking of focus is not universal, but is expressed through the prosodic system of each language. PMID:27507951
Examination of voicing onset time during Mandarin tone productions
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chen, Yang; Ng, Manwa
The voice onset time (VOT) of stop consonant is defined as the time interval between the release of a stop and the onset of the following vowel (Lisker and Abramson, 1964, 1970). Previous studies indicated that VOT could be used as a perceptual cue for identification of both voicing and place of articulation of stops (Kewley-Port, 1983; Ladefoged, 2001). Abramson (1977) suggested VOT could be interpreted as interrelated acoustic consequences of variation in the relative timing of glottal and oral gestures. This study will attempt to extend the probe on this suggestion by comparing the VOT values among different tones. Mandarin, which is a tone language, where a change in the tone of a syllable leads to a change in meaning, will be used in the study. There are four contrastive tones in Mandarin, each of which is realized by changing the vocal pitch during the course of the syllable production. The proposed study will determine if VOT values for each of the six stop sounds (/p,b,t,d,k,g/) will vary with the variation of different tones at which each of the following vowel sounds is produced. The interrelationship between VOT and tone production will be discussed.
Production and Perception of Tone 3 Focus in Mandarin Chinese.
Lee, Yong-Cheol; Wang, Ting; Liberman, Mark
This study uses production and perception experiments to explore tone 3 focus in Mandarin Chinese. Overall, contrastive focus in Mandarin is clearly marked with increased duration, intensity, and pitch range: in the experiments, listeners identified focused syllables correctly more than 90% of the time. However, a tone 3 syllable offers a smaller capacity for pitch range expansion under focus, and also yields less intensity increase; in addition, local dissimilation increases the duration, intensity, and pitch range of adjacent syllables within the same phrase as a focused tone 3 syllable. As a result, tone 3 focus was less well identified by listeners (77.1%). We suggest that the relatively poor identification of tone 3 focus is due to the smaller capacity for pitch range expansion, the confusion from within-phrase local dissimilatory effects, and the relatively weak intensity of tone 3. This study demonstrates that even within a language where purely prosodic marking of focus is clear, the location of prosodic focus can be difficult to identify in certain circumstances. Our results underline the conclusion, established in other work, that prosodic marking of focus is not universal, but is expressed through the prosodic system of each language. PMID:27507951
The coordination of boundary tones and its interaction with prominence.
Katsika, Argyro; Krivokapić, Jelena; Mooshammer, Christine; Tiede, Mark; Goldstein, Louis
This study investigates the coordination of boundary tones as a function of stress and pitch accent. Boundary tone coordination has not been experimentally investigated previously, and the effect of prominence on this coordination, and whether it is lexical (stress-driven) or phrasal (pitch accent-driven) in nature is unclear. We assess these issues using a variety of syntactic constructions to elicit different boundary tones in an Electromagnetic Articulography (EMA) study of Greek. The results indicate that the onset of boundary tones co-occurs with the articulatory target of the final vowel. This timing is further modified by stress, but not by pitch accent: boundary tones are initiated earlier in words with non-final stress than in words with final stress regardless of accentual status. Visual data inspection reveals that phrase-final words are followed by acoustic pauses during which specific articulatory postures occur. Additional analyses show that these postures reach their achievement point at a stable temporal distance from boundary tone onsets regardless of stress position. Based on these results and parallel findings on boundary lengthening reported elsewhere, a novel approach to prosody is proposed within the context of Articulatory Phonology: rather than seeing prosodic (lexical and phrasal) events as independent entities, a set of coordination relations between them is suggested. The implications of this account for prosodic architecture are discussed. PMID:25300341
Experimental Feedback Control of Flow Induced Cavity Tones
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Cabell, Randolph H.; Kegerise, Michael A.; Cox, David E.; Gibbs, Gary P.
Discrete-time, linear quadratic methods were used to design feedback controllers for reducing tones generated by flow over a cavity. The dynamics of a synthetic jet actuator mounted at the leading edge of the cavity as observed by two microphones in the cavity were modeled over a broad frequency range using state space models computed from experimental data. Variations in closed loop performance as a function of model order, control order, control bandwidth, and state estimator design were studied using a cavity in the Probe Calibration Tunnel at NASA Langley. The controller successfully reduced the levels of multiple cavity tones at the tested flow speeds of Mach 0.275, 0.35, and 0.45. In some cases, the closed loop results were limited by excitation of sidebands of the cavity tones, or the creation of new tones at frequencies away from the cavity tones. Nonetheless, the results validate the combination of optimal control and experimentally-generated state space models, and suggest this approach may be useful for other flow control problems. The models were not able to account for non-linear dynamics, such as interactions between tones at different frequencies.
Pure-tone birdsong by resonance filtering of harmonic overtones
Beckers, Gabriël J. L.; Suthers, Roderick A.; Cate, Carel ten
Pure-tone song is a common and widespread phenomenon in birds. The mechanistic origin of this type of phonation has been the subject of long-standing discussion. Currently, there are three hypotheses. (i) A vibrating valve in the avian vocal organ, the syrinx, generates a multifrequency harmonic source sound, which is filtered to a pure tone by a vocal tract filter ("source-filter" model, analogous to human speech production). (ii) Vocal tract resonances couple with a vibrating valve source, suppressing the normal production of harmonic overtones at this source ("soprano" model, analogous to human soprano singing). (iii) Pure-tone sound is produced as such by a sound-generating mechanism that is fundamentally different from a vibrating valve. Here we present direct evidence of a source-filter mechanism in the production of pure-tone birdsong. Using tracheal thermistors and air sac pressure cannulae, we recorded sound signals close to the syringeal sound source during spontaneous, pure-tone vocalizations of two species of turtledove. The results show that pure-tone dove vocalizations originate through filtering of a multifrequency harmonic sound source. PMID:12764226
Vagal tone during infant contingency learning and its disruption.
Sullivan, Margaret Wolan
This study used contingency learning to examine changes in infants' vagal tone during learning and its disruption. The heart rate of 160 five-month-old infants was recorded continuously during the first of two training sessions as they experienced an audiovisual event contingent on their pulling. Maternal reports of infant temperament were also collected. Baseline vagal tone, a measure of parasympathetic regulation of the heart, was related to vagal levels during the infants' contingency learning session, but not to their learner status. Vagal tone levels did not vary significantly over session minutes. Instead, vagal tone levels were a function of both individual differences in learner status and infant soothability. Vagal levels of infants who learned in the initial session were similar regardless of their soothability; however, vagal levels of infants who learned in a subsequent session differed as a function of soothability. Additionally, vagal levels during contingency disruption were significantly higher among infants in this group who were more soothable as opposed to those who were less soothable. The results suggest that contingency learning and disruption is associated with stable vagal tone in the majority of infants, but that individual differences in attention processes and state associated with vagal tone may be most readily observed during the disruption phase. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 58: 366-381, 2016. PMID:26517573
Congenital and acquired orthopedic abnormalities in patients with myelomeningocele.
Westcott, M A; Dynes, M C; Remer, E M; Donaldson, J S; Dias, L S
This article presents a radiologic review of the spectrum of acquired and congenital orthopedic abnormalities found in patients with myelomeningocele. These abnormalities are caused predominantly by muscle imbalance, paralysis, and decreased sensation in the lower extremity. Iatrogenic injury, such as a postoperative tethered cord, may also cause bone abnormalities. Selected images were obtained from more than 800 children. Important entities presented include spinal curvatures such as kyphosis, scoliosis, and lordosis; subluxation and dislocation of the hip, coxa valga, contractures of the hip, and femoral torsion; knee deformities; rotational abnormalities of the lower extremity and external and internal torsion; ankle and foot abnormalities such as ankle valgus, calcaneus foot, congenital vertical talus (rocker-bottom deformity), and talipes equinovarus; and metaphyseal, diaphyseal, and physeal fractures. Familiarity with congenital abnormalities and an understanding of the pathogenesis of acquired disorders in patients with myelomeningocele are essential for proper radiologic interpretation and timely therapy. PMID:1439018
Single-tone and two-tone AM-FM spectral calculations for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chou, Nee-Yin; Sachse, Glen W.
A generalized theory for optical heterodyne spectroscopy with phase modulated laser radiation is used which allows the calculation of signal line shapes for frequency modulation spectroscopy of Lorentzian gas absorption lines. In particular, synthetic spectral line shapes for both single-tone and two-tone modulation of lead-salt diode lasers are presented in which the contributions from both amplitude and frequency modulations are included.
The Case-Tone Factor in Igbo Nouns, with Special Reference to the Igbo Associative Construction.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Echeruo, Michael J. C.
Tone-based classification rules for Igbo nouns need modification because: (1) class 1 nouns (monosyllables with high tones) do not, as claimed, operate differently from other terminal high-tone nouns; and (2) class 6 nouns (di-syllabic with downstep tones) can be accounted for within class 2 and class 3 nouns known as HH and LH nouns). The proper…
"Jeopardy" in Abnormal Psychology.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Keutzer, Carolin S.
Describes the use of the board game, Jeopardy, in a college level abnormal psychology course. Finds increased student interaction and improved application of information. Reports generally favorable student evaluation of the technique. (CFR)
... Abnormal uterine bleeding is any bleeding from the uterus (through your vagina) other than your normal monthly ... or fibroids (small and large growths) in the uterus can also cause bleeding. Rarely, a thyroid problem, ...
... as cancer of the uterus, cervix, or vagina • Polycystic ovary syndrome How is abnormal bleeding diagnosed? Your health care ... before the fetus can survive outside the uterus. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A condition characterized by two of the following ...
Cytotoxic effects of five commonly abused skin toning (bleaching) creams on Allium cepa root tip mitosis.
Udengwu, O S; Chukwujekwu, J C
The Allium test was used to study the cytotoxic effects of five commonly abused skin toning creams--Ikb, Tura, Top gel, Dorot and Mililo. These creams are commonly used by some black skinned people (especially the females) as skin lightening (bleaching) agents. The results showed that all the five bleaching creams were mito-depressive in action. They exhibited both chromatoclassic and mitoclassic effects. Their depressive effects were found to increase with duration of treatment. The induced abnormalities included chromosome contraction, spindle breakages, c-metaphase, star anaphase, chromosome stickiness and sticky bridges, precocious chromosome movement as well as endomitosis. It is suggested that since all eukaryotic cells are basically the same, these observed abnormalities could be similar to the effects these chemicals have on human skin when they are applied. Some of these are known to cause alteration in melanin formation as well as the biosynthesis of the enzyme tyrosinase. Furthermore, since certain points on the chromosomes called fragile sites have been implicated in oncogenesis, the observed abnormalities may be part of (or include) the switching on mechanisms of such genes, which could be responsible for the transformation of normal skin cells to malignant cells in those who abuse these creams. PMID:19137826
Chromosomal Abnormalities and Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a common and serious psychiatric illness with strong evidence for genetic causation, but no specific loci yet identified. Chromosomal abnormalities associated with schizophrenia may help to understand the genetic complexity of the illness. This paper reviews the evidence for associations between chromosomal abnormalities and schizophrenia and related disorders. The results indicate that 22q11.2 microdeletions detected by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) are significantly associated with schizophrenia. Sex chromosome abnormalities seem to be increased in schizophrenia but insufficient data are available to indicate whether schizophrenia or related disorders are increased in patients with sex chromosome aneuploidies. Other reports of chromosomal abnormalities associated with schizophrenia have the potential to be important adjuncts to linkage studies in gene localization. Advances in molecular cytogenetic techniques (i.e., FISH) have produced significant increases in rates of identified abnormalities in schizophrenia, particularly in patients with very early age at onset, learning difficulties or mental retardation, or dysmorphic features. The results emphasize the importance of considering behavioral phenotypes, including adult onset psychiatric illnesses, in genetic syndromes and the need for clinicians to actively consider identifying chromosomal abnormalities and genetic syndromes in selected psychiatric patients. PMID:10813803
Effects of eating on vection-induced motion sickness, cardiac vagal tone, and gastric myoelectric activity
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Uijtdehaage, S. H.; Stern, R. M.; Koch, K. L.
This study investigated the effect of food ingestion on motion sickness severity and its physiological mechanisms. Forty-six fasted subjects were assigned either to a meal group or to a no-meal group. Electrogastrographic (EGG) indices (normal 3 cpm activity and abnormal 4-9 cpm tachyarrhythmia) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured before and after a meal and during a subsequent exposure to a rotating drum in which illusory self-motion was induced. The results indicated that food intake enhanced cardiac parasympathetic tone (RSA) and increased gastric 3 cpm activity. Postprandial effects on motion sickness severity remain equivocal due to group differences in RSA baseline levels. During drum rotation, dysrhythmic activity of the stomach (tachyarrhythmia) and vagal withdrawal were observed. Furthermore, high levels of vagal tone prior to drum rotation predicted a low incidence of motion sickness symptoms, and were associated positively with gastric 3 cpm activity and negatively with tachyarrhythmia. These data suggest that enhanced levels of parasympathetic activity can alleviate motion sickness symptoms by suppressing, in part, its dysrhythmic gastric underpinnings.
Commentary on the special issue on the impact of myogenic tone in health and disease.
Roman, Richard J; Van Dokkum, Richard P E
Autoregulation is a vital homeostatic mechanism that helps maintain constant delivery of oxygen to organs despite fluctuations in arteriolar pressure. Autoregulation of blood flow to elevations in pressure is largely mediated by the myogenic response of small arteries and arterioles which constrict in response to elevations in distending pressure. There is now general agreement that the myogenic response is an intrinsic property of vascular smooth muscle cells in the vessel wall that involves depolarization and calcium influx through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC), calcium/ calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase and actin myosin-based contraction. Despite intensive investigation, however, the mechanotransduction events that initiate the myogenic response and the signaling pathways involved remain uncertain. This special issue on the Impact of Myogenic Tone in Health and Disease includes 9 papers that address current thought regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying myogenic control of vascular tone in the renal, cerebral and coronary circulations and the evidence that impairments in the myogenic response contribute to the development of vascular and end organ damage associated with hypertension, diabetes and aging. PMID:24066930
Evidence for the emergence of leg sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone with age in healthy women
Moore, David J.; Barlow, Matthew A.; Gonzales, Joaquin U.; McGowan, Cheri L.; Pawelczyk, James A.; Proctor, David N.
Abstract While muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is elevated with advancing age, correlational evidence suggests that, in contrast to men, basal MSNA is not related to resting lower limb hemodynamics in women. However, limited data exists in women that have attempted to directly assess the degree of limb sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone, and whether it is altered with age. To address this issue, we measured changes in femoral artery vascular conductance (FVC) during an acute sympatho‐inhibitory stimulus (−60 mm Hg neck suction, NS) in groups of healthy younger (n = 8, 23 ± 1 years) and older (n = 7, 66 ± 1 years) women. The percent change in FVC in response to NS was significantly augmented in the older (P = 0.006 vs. young) women. Although NS caused no significant change (3 ± 3%, P = 0.33) in FVC in the young women, there was a robust increase in FVC (21 ± 5%, P = 0.003) in the old women. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that in women, leg sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone emerges with age. PMID:25626874
Evidence for the emergence of leg sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone with age in healthy women.
Moore, David J; Barlow, Matthew A; Gonzales, Joaquin U; McGowan, Cheri L; Pawelczyk, James A; Proctor, David N
While muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is elevated with advancing age, correlational evidence suggests that, in contrast to men, basal MSNA is not related to resting lower limb hemodynamics in women. However, limited data exists in women that have attempted to directly assess the degree of limb sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone, and whether it is altered with age. To address this issue, we measured changes in femoral artery vascular conductance (FVC) during an acute sympatho-inhibitory stimulus (-60 mm Hg neck suction, NS) in groups of healthy younger (n = 8, 23 ± 1 years) and older (n = 7, 66 ± 1 years) women. The percent change in FVC in response to NS was significantly augmented in the older (P = 0.006 vs. young) women. Although NS caused no significant change (3 ± 3%, P = 0.33) in FVC in the young women, there was a robust increase in FVC (21 ± 5%, P = 0.003) in the old women. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that in women, leg sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone emerges with age. PMID:25626874
Context, Contrast, and Tone of Voice in Auditory Sarcasm Perception.
Voyer, Daniel; Thibodeau, Sophie-Hélène; Delong, Breanna J
Four experiments were conducted to investigate the interplay between context and tone of voice in the perception of sarcasm. These experiments emphasized the role of contrast effects in sarcasm perception exclusively by means of auditory stimuli whereas most past research has relied on written material. In all experiments, a positive or negative computer-generated context spoken in a flat emotional tone was followed by a literally positive statement spoken in a sincere or sarcastic tone of voice. Participants indicated for each statement whether the intonation was sincere or sarcastic. In Experiment 1, a congruent context/tone of voice pairing (negative/sarcastic, positive/sincere) produced fast response times and proportions of sarcastic responses in the direction predicted by the tone of voice. Incongruent pairings produced mid-range proportions and slower response times. Experiment 2 introduced ambiguous contexts to determine whether a lower context/statements contrast would affect the proportion of sarcastic responses and response time. Results showed the expected findings for proportions (values between those obtained for congruent and incongruent pairings in the direction predicted by the tone of voice). However, response time failed to produce the predicted pattern, suggesting potential issues with the choice of stimuli. Experiments 3 and 4 extended the results of Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, to auditory stimuli based on written vignettes used in neuropsychological assessment. Results were exactly as predicted by contrast effects in both experiments. Taken together, the findings suggest that both context and tone influence how sarcasm is perceived while supporting the importance of contrast effects in sarcasm perception. PMID:25286867
High skeletal muscle adenylate cyclase in malignant hyperthermia.
Willner, J H; Cerri, C G; Wood, D S
Malignant hyperthermia occurs in humans with several congenital myopathies, usually in response to general anesthesia. Commonly, individuals who develop this syndrome lack symptoms of muscle disease, and their muscle lacks specific pathological changes. A biochemical marker for this myopathy has not previously been available; we found activity of adenylate cyclase and content of cyclic AMP to be abnormally high in skeletal muscle. Secondary modification of protein phosphorylation could explain observed abnormalities of phosphorylase activation and sarcoplasmic reticulum function. PMID:6271806
... that affect the muscles (such as trichinosis or toxoplasmosis ) Muscle disorders such as muscular dystrophy or congenital ... nodosa Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyositis - adult Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis Toxoplasmosis Trichinosis Update Date 9/8/2014 Updated by: ...
... cause weakness, pain or even paralysis. Causes of muscle disorders include Injury or overuse, such as sprains or strains, cramps or tendinitis A genetic disorder, such as muscular dystrophy Some ... muscles Infections Certain medicines Sometimes the cause is not ...
Measurement of intraindividual airway tone heterogeneity and its importance in asthma.
Brown, Robert H; Togias, Alkis
While airways have some degree of baseline tone, the level and variability of this tone is not known. It is also unclear whether there is a difference in airway tone or in the variability of airway tone between asthmatic and healthy individuals. This study examined airway tone and intraindividual airway tone heterogeneity (variance of airway tone) in vivo in 19 individuals with asthma compared with 9 healthy adults. All participants underwent spirometry, body plethysmography, and high-resolution computed tomography at baseline and after maximum bronchodilation with albuterol. Airway tone was defined as the percent difference in airway diameter after albuterol at total lung capacity compared with baseline. The amount of airway tone in each airway varied both within and between subjects. The average airway tone did not differ significantly between the two groups (P = 0.09), but the intraindividual airway tone heterogeneity did (P = 0.016). Intraindividual airway tone heterogeneity was strongly correlated with airway tone (r = 0.78, P < 0.0001). Also, it was negatively correlated with the magnitude of the distension of the airways from functional residual capacity to total lung capacity at both baseline (r = -0.49, P = 0.03) and after maximum bronchodilation (r = -0.51, P = 0.02) in the asthma, but not the healthy group. However, we did not find any relationship between intraindividual airway tone heterogeneity and conventional lung function outcomes. Intraindividual airway tone heterogeneity appears to be an important characteristic of airway pathophysiology in asthma. PMID:27103654
Categorical perception of lexical tones in mandarin-speaking congenital amusics
Huang, Wan-Ting; Liu, Chang; Dong, Qi; Nan, Yun
Previous research suggests that within Mandarin-speaking congenital amusics, only a subgroup has behavioral lexical tone perception impairments (tone agnosia), whereas the rest of amusics do not. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the categorical nature of lexical tone perception in Mandarin-speaking amusics with and without behavioral lexical tone deficits. Three groups of listeners (controls, pure amusics, and amusics with tone agnosia) participated in tone identification and discrimination tasks. Indexes of the categorical perception (CP) of a physical continuum of fundamental frequencies ranging from a rising to level tone were measured. Specifically, the stimulus durations were manipulated at 100 and 200 ms. For both stimulus durations, all groups exhibited similar categorical boundaries. The pure amusics showed sharp identification slopes and significantly peaked discrimination functions similar to those of normal controls. However, such essential characteristics for the CP of lexical tones were not observed in amusics with tone agnosia. An enlarged step-size from 20 to 35 Hz was not able to produce any discrimination peaks in tone agnosics either. The current study revealed that only amusics with tone agnosia showed a lack of categorical tone perception, while the pure amusics demonstrated typical CP of lexical tones, indicating that the deficit of pitch processing in music does not necessarily result in the deficit in the CP of lexical tones. The different performance between congenital amusics with and without tone agnosia provides a new perspective on the proposition of the relationship between music and speech perception. PMID:26136714
Subgroup differences in the lexical tone mismatch negativity (MMN) among Mandarin speakers with congenital amusia.
Nan, Yun; Huang, Wan-ting; Wang, Wen-jing; Liu, Chang; Dong, Qi
The association/dissociation of pitch processing between music and language is a long lasting debate. We examined this music-language relationship by investigating to what extent pitch deficits in these two domains were dissociable. We focused on a special neurodevelopmental pitch disorder - congenital amusia, which primarily affects musical pitch processing. Recent research has also revealed lexical tone deficits in speech among amusics. Approximately one-third of Mandarin amusics exhibits behavioural difficulties in lexical tone perception, which is known as tone agnosia. Using mismatch negativities (MMNs), our current work probed lexical tone encoding at the pre-attentive level among the Mandarin amusics with (tone agnosics) and without (pure amusics) behavioural lexical tone deficits compared with age- and IQ-matched controls. Relative to the controls and the pure amusics, the tone agnosics exhibited reduced MMNs specifically in response to lexical tone changes. Their tone-consonant MMNs were intact and similar to those of the other two groups. Moreover, the tone MMN reduction over the left hemisphere was tightly linked to behavioural insensitivity to lexical tone changes. The current study thus provides the first psychophysiological evidence of subgroup differences in lexical tone processing among Mandarin amusics and links amusics' behavioural tone deficits to impaired pre-attentive tone processing. Despite the overall music pitch deficits, the subgroup differences in lexical tone processing in Mandarin-speaking amusics suggest dissociation of pitch deficits between music and speech. PMID:26638759
A weak-scattering model for turbine-tone haystacking
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McAlpine, A.; Powles, C. J.; Tester, B. J.
Noise and emissions are critical technical issues in the development of aircraft engines. This necessitates the development of accurate models to predict the noise radiated from aero-engines. Turbine tones radiated from the exhaust nozzle of a turbofan engine propagate through turbulent jet shear layers which causes scattering of sound. In the far-field, measurements of the tones may exhibit spectral broadening, where owing to scattering, the tones are no longer narrow band peaks in the spectrum. This effect is known colloquially as 'haystacking'. In this article a comprehensive analytical model to predict spectral broadening for a tone radiated through a circular jet, for an observer in the far field, is presented. This model extends previous work by the authors which considered the prediction of spectral broadening at far-field observer locations outside the cone of silence. The modelling uses high-frequency asymptotic methods and a weak-scattering assumption. A realistic shear layer velocity profile and turbulence characteristics are included in the model. The mathematical formulation which details the spectral broadening, or haystacking, of a single-frequency, single azimuthal order turbine tone is outlined. In order to validate the model, predictions are compared with experimental results, albeit only at polar angle equal to 90°. A range of source frequencies from 4 to 20kHz, and jet velocities from 20 to 60ms-1, are examined for validation purposes. The model correctly predicts how the spectral broadening is affected when the source frequency and jet velocity are varied.
Evaluation of HEXORR Tone Assistance Mode Against Spring Assistance.
Godfrey, Sasha Blue; Holley, Rahsaan J; Lum, Peter S
Robots are a promising tool for rehabilitation, and research suggests combining assistance with subject participation to maintain motivation and engagement. In this study, we compare two different types of robotic assistance for hand rehabilitation: Tone, a novel method designed to directly compensate for the user's hypertonia, and Spring, a commonly used method simulating a spring-like force attracting the subject to the target position. Eight chronic stroke subjects played a Gate Game, where they guide a ball through a sweeping, on-screen gate. Each subject was exposed to 5 modes: unassisted, assisted by the Spring and Tone modes, and "delay" modes where the assistance was provided after a period without assistance. Compared to unassisted trials, subjects produced less positive work and more negative work with all types of assistance but also reached a larger ROM and scored higher on the game. Notably, subjects produced more positive work overall with Tone compared to Spring. Further, subjects produced positive work over a significantly shorter range with Spring compared to Unassisted, while there was no difference between Tone and Unassisted. While both modes were effective at enabling the training of a larger workspace, these results suggest Tone assistance maintains a greater level of subject engagement and participation, likely making it a useful tool for hand rehabilitation. PMID:25667355
Dynamic resistance training decreases sympathetic tone in hypertensive ovariectomized rats.
Shimojo, G L; Palma, R K; Brito, J O; Sanches, I C; Irigoyen, M C; De Angelis, K
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resistance exercise training on hemodynamics and cardiac autonomic control in ovariectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats. Female rats were divided into 4 groups: sedentary control (SC), sedentary hypertensive (SH), sedentary hypertensive ovariectomized (SHO), and resistance-trained hypertensive ovariectomized (RTHO). Resistance exercise training was performed on a vertical ladder (5 days/week, 8 weeks) at 40-60% maximal load. Direct arterial pressure was recorded. Vagal and sympathetic tones were measured by heart rate (HR) responses to methylatropine (3 mg/kg, iv) and propranolol (4 mg/kg, iv). Ovariectomy resulted in additional increases in blood pressure in hypertensive rats and was associated with decreased vagal tone. Resistance exercise trained rats had lower mean arterial pressure than untrained rats (RTHO: 159±2.2 vs SHO: 177±3.4 mmHg), as well as resting bradycardia (RTHO: 332±9.0 vs SHO: 356±5 bpm). Sympathetic tone was also lower in the trained group. Moreover, sympathetic tone was positively correlated with resting HR (r=0.7, P<0.05). The additional arterial pressure increase in hypertensive rats caused by ovarian hormone deprivation was attenuated by moderate-intensity dynamic resistance training. This benefit may be associated with resting bradycardia and reduced cardiac sympathetic tone after training, which suggests potential benefits of resistance exercise for the management of hypertension after ovarian hormone deprivation. PMID:25831206
SBS mitigation with 'two-tone' amplification: a theoretical model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bronder, T. J.; Shay, T. M.; Dajani, I.; Gavrielides, A.; Robin, C. A.; Lu, C. A.
A new technique for mitigating stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) effects in narrow-linewidth Yb-doped fiber amplifiers is demonstrated with a model that reduces to solving an 8×8 system of coupled nonlinear equations with the gain, SBS, and four-wave mixing (FMW) incorporated into the model. This technique uses two seed signals, or 'two-tones', with each tone reaching its SBS threshold almost independently and thus increasing the overall threshold for SBS in the fiber amplifier. The wavelength separation of these signals is also selected to avoid FWM, which in this case possesses the next lowest nonlinear effects threshold. This model predicts an output power increase of 86% (at SBS threshold with no signs of FWM) for a 'two-tone' amplifier with seed signals at 1064nm and 1068nm, compared to a conventional fiber amplifier with a single 1064nm seed. The model is also used to simulate an SBS-suppressing fiber amplifier to test the regime where FWM is the limiting factor. In this case, an optimum wavelength separation of 3nm to 10nm prevents FWM from reaching threshold. The optimum ratio of the input power for the two seed signals in 'two-tone' amplification is also tested. Future experimental verification of this 'two-tone' technique is discussed.
The vascular Ca2+-sensing receptor regulates blood vessel tone and blood pressure.
Schepelmann, M; Yarova, P L; Lopez-Fernandez, I; Davies, T S; Brennan, S C; Edwards, P J; Aggarwal, A; Graça, J; Rietdorf, K; Matchkov, V; Fenton, R A; Chang, W; Krssak, M; Stewart, A; Broadley, K J; Ward, D T; Price, S A; Edwards, D H; Kemp, P J; Riccardi, D
The extracellular calcium-sensing receptor CaSR is expressed in blood vessels where its role is not completely understood. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the CaSR expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is directly involved in regulation of blood pressure and blood vessel tone. Mice with targeted CaSR gene ablation from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were generated by breeding exon 7 LoxP-CaSR mice with animals in which Cre recombinase is driven by a SM22α promoter (SM22α-Cre). Wire myography performed on Cre-negative [wild-type (WT)] and Cre-positive (SM22α)CaSR(Δflox/Δflox) [knockout (KO)] mice showed an endothelium-independent reduction in aorta and mesenteric artery contractility of KO compared with WT mice in response to KCl and to phenylephrine. Increasing extracellular calcium ion (Ca(2+)) concentrations (1-5 mM) evoked contraction in WT but only relaxation in KO aortas. Accordingly, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures of KO animals were significantly reduced compared with WT, as measured by both tail cuff and radiotelemetry. This hypotension was mostly pronounced during the animals' active phase and was not rescued by either nitric oxide-synthase inhibition with nitro-l-arginine methyl ester or by a high-salt-supplemented diet. KO animals also exhibited cardiac remodeling, bradycardia, and reduced spontaneous activity in isolated hearts and cardiomyocyte-like cells. Our findings demonstrate a role for CaSR in the cardiovascular system and suggest that physiologically relevant changes in extracellular Ca(2+) concentrations could contribute to setting blood vessel tone levels and heart rate by directly acting on the cardiovascular CaSR. PMID:26538090
Inhibitory effects and mechanisms of intestinal electrical stimulation on gastric tone, antral contractions, pyloric tone, and gastric emptying in dogs
Zhao, Xiaotuan; Yin, Jieyun; Chen, Jihong; Song, Gengqing; Wang, Lijie; Zhu, Hongbing; Brining, Doug; Chen, Jiande D. Z.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of intestinal electrical stimulation (IES) on gastric tone, antral and pyloric contractions, and gastric emptying in dogs. Female hound dogs were equipped with a duodenal or gastric cannula, and one pair of serosal electrodes was implanted in the small intestine. The study consisted of five different experiments. Liquid gastric emptying was assessed by collection of chyme from the duodenal cannula in a number of sessions with and without IES and with and without N-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA). Postprandial antral and pyloric contractions were measured with and without IES and in the absence and presence of l-NNA or phentolamine by placement of a manometric catheter into the antrum and pylorus via the duodenal cannula. Gastric tone was assessed by measurement of gastric volume at a constant pressure. Gastric emptying was substantially and significantly delayed by IES or l-NNA compared with the control session. IES-induced delay of gastric emptying became normal with addition of l-NNA. IES reduced gastric tone, which was blocked by l-NNA. IES also inhibited antral contractions (frequency and amplitude), and this inhibitory effect was not blocked by l-NNA but was blocked by phentolamine. IES alone did not affect pyloric tone or resistance, but IES + l-NNA decreased pyloric tone. In conclusion, IES reduces gastric tone via the nitrergic pathway, inhibits antral contractions via the adrenergic pathway, does not affect pyloric tone, and delays liquid gastric emptying. IES-induced delay of gastric emptying is attributed to its inhibitory effects on gastric motility. PMID:18945955
Muscle cramps in two standard poodles with hypoadrenocorticism.
Saito, Miyoko; Olby, Natasha J; Obledo, Leticia; Gookin, Jody L
Two standard poodles were evaluated for painful, episodic muscle cramps affecting their thoracic and pelvic limbs. Both dogs had been diagnosed with hypoadrenocorticism and were being treated with fludrocortisone acetate and prednisone when evaluated for muscle cramps. However, the muscle cramping started approximately 1 month prior to the diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism. Findings on general physical examination included lethargy and dehydration. Neurological examination was normal between episodes. Serum biochemical abnormalities included hyperalbuminemia, azotemia, hyponatremia, hypochloremia, and hyperkalemia. Altering treatment to desoxycorticosterone pivalate resolved the electrolyte abnormalities and the episodes of muscle cramping in both dogs. The authors conclude that hypoadrenocorticism can be associated with episodes of painful muscle cramping in standard poodles. PMID:12220028
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Goodwyn, Lauren; Salm, Sarah
Teaching the anatomy of the muscle system to high school students can be challenging. Students often learn about muscle anatomy by memorizing information from textbooks or by observing plastic, inflexible models. Although these mediums help students learn about muscle placement, the mediums do not facilitate understanding regarding integration of…
The Theory of Adaptive Dispersion and Acoustic-phonetic Properties of Cross-language Lexical-tone Systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alexander, Jennifer Alexandra
Lexical-tone languages use fundamental frequency (F0/pitch) to convey word meaning. About 41.8% of the world's languages use lexical tone (Maddieson, 2008), yet those systems are under-studied. I aim to increase our understanding of speech-sound inventory organization by extending to tone-systems a model of vowel-system organization, the Theory of Adaptive Dispersion (TAD) (Liljencrants and Lindblom, 1972). This is a cross-language investigation of whether and how the size of a tonal inventory affects (A) acoustic tone-space size and (B) dispersion of tone categories within the tone-space. I compared five languages with very different tone inventories: Cantonese (3 contour, 3 level tones); Mandarin (3 contour, 1 level tone); Thai (2 contour, 3 level tones); Yoruba (3 level tones only); and Igbo (2 level tones only). Six native speakers (3 female) of each language produced 18 CV syllables in isolation, with each of his/her language's tones, six times. I measured tonal F0 across the vowel at onset, midpoint, and offglide. Tone-space size was the F0 difference in semitones (ST) between each language's highest and lowest tones. Tone dispersion was the F0 distance (ST) between two tones shared by multiple languages. Following the TAD, I predicted that languages with larger tone inventories would have larger tone-spaces. Against expectations, tone-space size was fixed across level-tone languages at midpoint and offglide, and across contour-tone languages (except Thai) at offglide. However, within each language type (level-tone vs. contour-tone), languages with smaller tone inventories had larger tone spaces at onset. Tone-dispersion results were also unexpected. The Cantonese mid-level tone was further dispersed from a tonal baseline than the Yoruba mid-level tone; Cantonese mid-level tone dispersion was therefore greater than theoretically necessary. The Cantonese high-level tone was also further dispersed from baseline than the Mandarin high-level tone -- at midpoint
Screech Tones of Supersonic Jets from Bevelled Rectangular Nozzles
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tam, Christopher K. W.; Shen, Hao; Raman, Ganesh
It is known experimentally that an imperfectly expanded rectangular jet from a thin-lip convergent nozzle emits only a single dominant screech tone. The frequency of the screech tone decreases continuously with increase in jet Mach number. However, for a supersonic jet issued from a bevelled nozzle or a convergent-divergent nozzle with straight side walls, the shock cell structure and the screech frequency pattern are fairly complicated and have not been predicted before. In this paper, it is shown that the shock cell structures of these jets can be decomposed into waveguide modes of the jet flow. The screech frequencies are related to the higher-order waveguide modes following the weakest-link screech tone theory. The measured screech frequencies are found to compare well with the predicted screech frequency curves.
Achieving Electric-Acoustic Benefit with a Modulated Tone
Brown, Christopher A.; Bacon, Sid P.
Objective When either real or simulated electric stimulation from a cochlear implant (CI) is combined with low-frequency acoustic stimulation (electric-acoustic stimulation [EAS]), speech intelligibility in noise can improve dramatically. We recently showed that a similar benefit to intelligibility can be observed in simulation when the low-frequency acoustic stimulation (low-pass target speech) is replaced with a tone that is modulated both in frequency with the fundamental frequency (F0) of the target talker and in amplitude with the amplitude envelope of the low-pass target speech (Brown & Bacon 2009). The goal of the current experiment was to examine the benefit of the modulated tone to intelligibility in CI patients. Design Eight CI users who had some residual acoustic hearing either in the implanted ear, the unimplanted ear, or both ears participated in this study. Target speech was combined with either multitalker babble or a single competing talker and presented to the implant. Stimulation to the acoustic region consisted of no signal, target speech, or a tone that was modulated in frequency to track the changes in the target talker's F0 and in amplitude to track the amplitude envelope of target speech low-pass filtered at 500 Hz. Results All patients showed improvements in intelligibility over electric-only stimulation when either the tone or target speech was presented acoustically. The average improvement in intelligibility was 46 percentage points due to the tone and 55 percentage points due to target speech. Conclusions The results demonstrate that a tone carrying F0 and amplitude envelope cues of target speech can provide significant benefit to CI users and may lead to new technologies that could offer EAS benefit to many patients who would not benefit from current EAS approaches. PMID:19546806
The influence of pipe organ reed curvature on tone quality.
Plitnik, George R; Angster, Judit
Although organ flue pipes have been widely studied, the same claim cannot be made for pipe organ reed stops. Given certain design constraints, such as the type of reed stop being voiced and the desired tone quality, the reed voicer must use consummate skill to curve the reed tongue so as to produce the best and most stable tone as well as to guarantee that each pipe blends with its neighbors. The amount and type of curve given to a reed tongue influences not only the harmonic structure of the steady-state sound but also the attack. There are two fundamentally different types of curvature that can be given to a reed tongue, the trompette (chorus reed) curve (which gives a bright sound) and the smooth-toned curve employed for clarinet pipes. This study investigated the effect of reed curvature on the vibration and tone (as assessed by professionals) on reed tongues of both types. Two F2 (8'F, 87.3 Hz) pipes (a trompette and a clarinet) were constructed and voiced with differently curved tongues to produce a variety of tones. The vibration of the reed tongue was measured under typical conditions by laser vibrometer; the pressure waves in the boot and in the shallot were measured by means of one-quarter inch microphones, and the pipe's sound was recorded at the egress. By performing various measurements simultaneously, phase differences were also determined, the extreme sensitivity of tone to reed curvature was demonstrated, and a recently proposed theory of reed vibration was shown to be more accurate than the standard model. PMID:23145630
Screech tones from free and ducted supersonic jets
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tam, C. K. W.; Ahuja, K. K.; Jones, R. R., III
It is well known that screech tones from supersonic jets are generated by a feedback loop. The loop consists of three main components. They are the downstream propagating instability wave, the shock cell structure in the jet plume, and the feedback acoustic waves immediately outside the jet. Evidence will be presented to show that the screech frequency is largely controlled by the characteristics of the feedback acoustic waves. The feedback loop is driven by the instability wave of the jet. Thus the tone intensity and its occurrence are dictated by the characteristics of the instability wave. In this paper the dependence of the instability wave spectrum on the azimuthal mode number (axisymmetric or helical/flapping mode, etc.), the jet-to-ambient gas temperature ratio, and the jet Mach number are studied. The results of this study provide an explanation for the observed screech tone mode switch phenomenon (changing from axisymmetric to helical mode as Mach number increases) and the often-cited experimental observation that tone intensity reduces with increase in jet temperature. For ducted supersonic jets screech tones can also be generated by feedback loops formed by the coupling of normal duct modes to instability waves of the jet. The screech frequencies are dictated by the frequencies of the duct modes. Super resonance, resonance involving very large pressure oscillations, can occur when the feedback loop is powered by the most amplified instability wave. It is proposed that the observed large amplitude pressure fluctuations and tone in the test cells of Arnold Engineering Development Center were generated by super resonance. Estimated super-resonance frequency for a Mach 1.3 axisymmetric jet tested in the facility agrees well with measurement.
Two-tone intermodulation analysis of communication satellite transponders
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Riddle, L. P.
Amplitudes of the in-band intermodulation products that arise when two equal-amplitude sinusoids are transmitted through a satellite transponder can be found from a linear transformation when the transponder characteristic is represented by a polynomial. Conversely, the nonlinearity that produces the intermodulation levels measured in a two-tone test can be found from the inverse transformation. As an application, the bandpass nonlinearity is deduced that gives rise to two-tone IM amplitudes that were measured during orbital tests of a satellite transponder, and compared with the measured bandpass characteristic.
Numerical investigation of the tone noise mechanism over laminar airfoils
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Desquesnes, G.; Terracol, M.; Sagaut, P.
This paper presents the first numerical investigation via direct numerical simulation of the tone noise phenomenon occurring in the flow past laminar airfoils. This phenomenon corresponds to the radiation of discrete acoustic tones in some specific flow conditions, and has received much attention since the 1970s, and several experimental studies have been carried out to identify and understand the underlying physical mechanisms. However, several points remain to be clarified in order to provide a complete explanation of its origin. The flow around a two-dimensional NACA0012 airfoil is considered in order to have a deeper understanding of the tone noise phenomenon. Consistently with previous experimental studies, it is shown that depending on the Reynolds number and angle of attack, two different types of acoustic spectrum are observed: one which exhibits a broadband contribution with a dominant frequency together with a sequence of regularly spaced discrete frequencies, while the other one is only characterized by a simple broadband contribution. The first configuration is typical of the tone noise phenomenon. The present work shows that in this case, the mean flow on the pressure side of the airfoil exhibits a separation bubble near the trailing edge and the main tone frequency is close to the most amplified frequency of the boundary layer. The mechanism proposed in previous works for the main tone generation is therefore validated by numerical simulation. On the other hand, the analysis of the suction side boundary layer reveals that there is no separation and that the most amplified frequency is different from the main tonal one. However, the suction side boundary layer is highly receptive to the tone frequency. Finally, an original explanation for the existence of the secondary discrete frequencies observed in the radiated pressure spectrum is given. They are associated to a bifurcation of the airfoil wake from a symmetric to a non-symmetric vortex pattern. A
Diseases and disorders of muscle.
Pearson, A M; Young, R B
Muscle may suffer from a number of diseases or disorders, some being fatal to humans and animals. Their management or treatment depends on correct diagnosis. Although no single method may be used to identify all diseases, recognition depends on the following diagnostic procedures: (1) history and clinical examination, (2) blood biochemistry, (3) electromyography, (4) muscle biopsy, (5) nuclear magnetic resonance, (6) measurement of muscle cross-sectional area, (7) tests of muscle function, (8) provocation tests, and (9) studies on protein turnover. One or all of these procedures may prove helpful in diagnosis, but even then identification of the disorder may not be possible. Nevertheless, each of these procedures can provide useful information. Among the most common diseases in muscle are the muscular dystrophies, in which the newly identified muscle protein dystrophin is either absent or present at less than normal amounts in both Duchenne and Becker's muscular dystrophy. Although the identification of dystrophin represents a major breakthrough, treatment has not progressed to the experimental stage. Other major diseases of muscle include the inflammatory myopathies and neuropathies. Atrophy and hypertrophy of muscle and the relationship of aging, exercise, and fatigue all add to our understanding of the behavior of normal and abnormal muscle. Some other interesting related diseases and disorders of muscle include myasthenia gravis, muscular dysgenesis, and myclonus. Disorders of energy metabolism include those caused by abnormal glycolysis (Von Gierke's, Pompe's, Cori-Forbes, Andersen's, McArdle's, Hers', and Tauri's diseases) and by the acquired diseases of glycolysis (disorders of mitochondrial oxidation). Still other diseases associated with abnormal energy metabolism include lipid-related disorders (carnitine and carnitine palmitoyl-transferase deficiencies) and myotonic syndromes (myotonia congenita, paramyotonia congenita, hypokalemic and hyperkalemic
Opposite Phenotypes of Muscle Strength and Locomotor Function in Mouse Models of Partial Trisomy and Monosomy 21 for the Proximal Hspa13-App Region
Brault, Véronique; Duchon, Arnaud; Romestaing, Caroline; Sahun, Ignasi; Pothion, Stéphanie; Karout, Mona; Borel, Christelle; Dembele, Doulaye; Bizot, Jean-Charles; Messaddeq, Nadia; Sharp, Andrew J.; Roussel, Damien; Antonarakis, Stylianos E; Dierssen, Mara; Hérault, Yann
The trisomy of human chromosome 21 (Hsa21), which causes Down syndrome (DS), is the most common viable human aneuploidy. In contrast to trisomy, the complete monosomy (M21) of Hsa21 is lethal, and only partial monosomy or mosaic monosomy of Hsa21 is seen. Both conditions lead to variable physiological abnormalities with constant intellectual disability, locomotor deficits, and altered muscle tone. To search for dosage-sensitive genes involved in DS and M21 phenotypes, we created two new mouse models: the Ts3Yah carrying a tandem duplication and the Ms3Yah carrying a deletion of the Hspa13-App interval syntenic with 21q11.2-q21.3. Here we report that the trisomy and the monosomy of this region alter locomotion, muscle strength, mass, and energetic balance. The expression profiling of skeletal muscles revealed global changes in the regulation of genes implicated in energetic metabolism, mitochondrial activity, and biogenesis. These genes are downregulated in Ts3Yah mice and upregulated in Ms3Yah mice. The shift in skeletal muscle metabolism correlates with a change in mitochondrial proliferation without an alteration in the respiratory function. However, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production from mitochondrial complex I decreased in Ms3Yah mice, while the membrane permeability of Ts3Yah mitochondria slightly increased. Thus, we demonstrated how the Hspa13-App interval controls metabolic and mitochondrial phenotypes in muscles certainly as a consequence of change in dose of Gabpa, Nrip1, and Atp5j. Our results indicate that the copy number variation in the Hspa13-App region has a peripheral impact on locomotor activity by altering muscle function. PMID:25803843
Counteracting Muscle Atrophy using Galvanic Stimulation of the Vestibular System
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Fox, Robert A.; Polyakov, Igor
The unloading of weight bearing from antigravity muscles during space flight produces significant muscle atrophy and is one of the most serious health problems facing the space program. Various exercise regimens have been developed and used either alone or in combination with pharmacological techniques to ameliorate this atrophy, but no effective countermeasure exists for this problem. The research in this project was conducted to evaluate the potential use of vestibular galvanic stimulation (VGS) to prevent muscle atrophy resulting from unloading of weight bearing from antigravity muscles. This approach was developed based on two concepts related to the process of maintaining the status of the anti-gravity neuromuscular system. These two premises are: (1) The "tone," or bias on spinal motorneurons is affected by vestibular projections that contribute importantly to maintaining muscle health and status. (2) VGS can be used to modify the excitability, or 'tone' of motorneuron of antigravity muscles. Thus, the strategy is to use VGS to modify the gain of vestibular projections to antigravity muscles and thereby change the general status of these muscles.
RGS2 squelches vascular Gi/o and Gq signaling to modulate myogenic tone and promote uterine blood flow.
Jie, Li; Owens, Elizabeth A; Plante, Lauren A; Fang, Zhuyuan; Rensing, Derek T; Moeller, Kevin D; Osei-Owusu, Patrick
Uterine artery blood flow (UABF) is critical to maintaining uterine perfusion in nonpregnant states and for uteroplacental delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus during pregnancy. Impaired UABF is implicated in infertility and several pregnancy complications including fetal growth restriction, small for gestational age, and preeclampsia. The etiology of abnormal UABF is not known. Here, we determined whether deficiency or loss of RGS2, a GTPase-activating protein for Gq/11 and Gi/o class G proteins, affects UABF in nonpregnant mice. We used Doppler ultrasonography to assess UABF in wild type (WT), Rgs2 heterozygous (Rgs2+/-), and homozygous knockout (Rgs2-/-) mice. Video microscopy was used for ex vivo examination of uterine artery myogenic tone and fura-2 imaging for in vitro assessment of internal stores Ca(2+) release. We found that baseline UABF velocity was markedly decreased while impedance measured as resistive index (WT = 0.58 ± 0.04 vs. Rgs2-/- = 0.71 ± 0.03, P < 0.01) and pulsatile index (WT = 0.90 ± 0.06 vs. Rgs2-/- = 1.25 ± 0.11, P < 0.01) was increased in Rgs2-/- mice. Uterine artery tone was augmented in Rgs2+/- and Rgs2-/- mice, which was normalized to WT levels following Gi/o and Gq inactivation. Conversely, blockade of ryanodine receptors increased WT myogenic tone to RGS2 mutant levels. The data together indicate that RGS2 deficiency decreases UABF by increasing myogenic tone at least partly through prolonged G protein activation. Mutations that decrease vascular RGS2 expression may be a predisposition to decreased uterine blood flow. Targeting G protein signaling therefore might improve uterine and uteroplacental underperfusion disorders. PMID:26811058
Just-noticeable difference of tone pitch contour change for Mandarin congenital amusics.
Huang, Wan-Ting; Nan, Yun; Dong, Qi; Liu, Chang
Congenital amusia is a neuro-developmental disorder that may affect the processing of both music pitch and lexical tone. In the present study, the just-noticeable differences (JNDs) of tone pitch contour change were examined for three groups of Mandarin-native listeners: amusics with (tone agnosics) and without lexical tone difficulties (pure amusics), and matched controls. Tone agnosics showed significantly larger JNDs than normal controls, while pure amusics performed comparably with the controls. These results suggest that only those amusics with behavioral lexical tone deficits might be psychophysically impaired in pitch contour discrimination. PMID:26233070
Autonomic control of colonic tone and the cold pressore test.
Ford, M J; Camilleri, M; Joyner, M J; Hanson, R B
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular responses to cold stimulation are well characterised. It is unclear, however, whether cold pain stimulates responses in colonic tone in the transverse and sigmoid regions. AIMS: To assess the effects of cold stimulation on tone nd motility in the transverse and sigmoid colon and on cardiovascular autonomic activity. METHODS: Phasic and tonic motility of the transverse and sigmoid colon, pulse rate, and beat to beat pulse variability (which are measures of centrally mediated changes in autonomic function) were measured before, during, and after a standard cold pressor test in 22 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Cold pain induced a significant increase in colonic tone but not phasic contractility in the transverse and sigmoid regions. Simultaneously, cold pain increased pulse interval variability. CONCLUSION: The findings are consistent with the hypotheses that cold pain produces coactivation of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic limbs of the autonomic nervous system and that cold induced changes in colonic tone are temporally associated with alterations in central autonomic nervous activity. PMID:8881823
Computer Pure-Tone and Operator Stress: Report III.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dow, Caroline; Covert, Douglas C.
Pure-tone sound at 15,750 Herz generated by flyback transformers in many computer and video display terminal (VDT) monitors has stress-related productivity effects in some operators, especially women. College-age women in a controlled experiment simulating half a normal work day showed responses within the first half hour of exposure to a tone…
Gold Toning the Domesday Book Gives Better than Archival Performance.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ker, Niel
A restoration project in Great Britain's Public Record Office marked the 900th anniversary of the Domesday Book, the oldest public record in the United Kingdom. The two volumes of the Domesday Book were rebound and microfilmed, and the microfilm was gold-toned for further protection. Contacts for further information are listed. (MES)
An Isoperimetric Inequality for Fundamental Tones of Free Plates
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chasman, Laura
We establish an isoperimetric inequality for the fundamental tone (first nonzero eigenvalue) of the free plate of a given area, proving the ball is maximal. Given tau greater than 0, the free plate eigenvalues omega and eigenfunctions upsilon are determined by the equation Delta Delta upsilon - tau Delta upsilon = omega upsilon together with…
Short and long term representation of an unfamiliar tone distribution
Diercks, Charlette; Troje, Nikolaus F.; Cuddy, Lola L.
We report on a study conducted to extend our knowledge about the process of gaining a mental representation of music. Several studies, inspired by research on the statistical learning of language, have investigated statistical learning of sequential rules underlying tone sequences. Given that the mental representation of music correlates with distributional properties of music, we tested whether participants are able to abstract distributional information contained in tone sequences to form a mental representation. For this purpose, we created an unfamiliar music genre defined by an underlying tone distribution, to which 40 participants were exposed. Our stimuli allowed us to differentiate between sensitivity to the distributional properties contained in test stimuli and long term representation of the distributional properties of the music genre overall. Using a probe tone paradigm and a two-alternative forced choice discrimination task, we show that listeners are able to abstract distributional properties of music through mere exposure into a long term representation of music. This lends support to the idea that statistical learning is involved in the process of gaining musical knowledge.
Tone at the Top: Are You Doing the Right Thing?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Belachew, Abinet Y.
Never is the "tone at the top" more important than during times of economic distress. With an unprecedented number of state and local governments struggling to balance the budget, facing staggering operational cost increases, and even laying off employees, executive management and boards throughout the country are challenged to foster a positive,…
Fan Noise Source Diagnostic Test: Tone Modal Structure Results
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Heidelberg, Laurence J.
This investigation is part of a test series that was extremely comprehensive and included aerodynamic and acoustic testing of a fan stage using two different fan rotors and three different stator designs. The test series is known as the Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) and was conducted by NASA Glenn as part of the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program. Tone mode measurements of one of the rotors with three different stators were made. The stator designs involve changes in vane count and sweep at constant solidity. The results of both inlet and exhaust tone mode measurements are presented in terms of mode power for both circumferential and radial mode orders. The results show benefits of vane sweep to be large, up to 13 dB in total tone power. At many conditions, the increase in power due to cutting on the rotor/stator interaction is more than offset by vane sweep. The rotor locked mode is shown as an important contributor to tone power when the blade tip speed is near and above Mach one. This is most evident in the inlet when the direct rotor field starts to cut on.
Context, Contrast, and Tone of Voice in Auditory Sarcasm Perception
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Voyer, Daniel; Thibodeau, Sophie-Hélène; Delong, Breanna J.
Four experiments were conducted to investigate the interplay between context and tone of voice in the perception of sarcasm. These experiments emphasized the role of contrast effects in sarcasm perception exclusively by means of auditory stimuli whereas most past research has relied on written material. In all experiments, a positive or negative…
Studying Tones in North East India: Tai, Singpho and Tangsa
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Morey, Stephen
Drawing on nearly 20 years of study of a variety of languages in North East India, from the Tai and Tibeto-Burman families, this paper examines the issues involved in studying those languages, building on three well established principles: (a) tones are categories within a language, and the recognition of those categories is the key step in…
The Politics of Implementing a Touch-Tone Telephone Registration.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Joss, Ruth
Touch-tone telephone/voice response registration is an exciting and effective use of advanced technology in college management, but the transition to the system must be well planned, the needs of all users considered, good compromises sought, and faculty and students convinced it will work. Then it must be successful. (Author/MSE)
Amplitude modulation reduces loudness adaptation to high-frequency tones.
Wynne, Dwight P; George, Sahara E; Zeng, Fan-Gang
Long-term loudness perception of a sound has been presumed to depend on the spatial distribution of activated auditory nerve fibers as well as their temporal firing pattern. The relative contributions of those two factors were investigated by measuring loudness adaptation to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated 12-kHz tones. The tones had a total duration of 180 s and were either unmodulated or 100%-modulated at one of three frequencies (4, 20, or 100 Hz), and additionally varied in modulation depth from 0% to 100% at the 4-Hz frequency only. Every 30 s, normal-hearing subjects estimated the loudness of one of the stimuli played at 15 dB above threshold in random order. Without any amplitude modulation, the loudness of the unmodulated tone after 180 s was only 20% of the loudness at the onset of the stimulus. Amplitude modulation systematically reduced the amount of loudness adaptation, with the 100%-modulated stimuli, regardless of modulation frequency, maintaining on average 55%-80% of the loudness at onset after 180 s. Because the present low-frequency amplitude modulation produced minimal changes in long-term spectral cues affecting the spatial distribution of excitation produced by a 12-kHz pure tone, the present result indicates that neural synchronization is critical to maintaining loudness perception over time. PMID:26233027
Lexical Tone Awareness among Chinese Children with Developmental Dyslexia
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Li, Wing-Sze; Ho, Connie Suk-Han
This study examined the extent and nature of lexical tone deficit in Chinese developmental dyslexia. Twenty Cantonese-speaking Chinese dyslexic children (mean age 8 ; 11) were compared to twenty average readers of the same age (CA control group, mean age 8 ; 11), and another twenty younger average readers of the same word reading level (RL control…
Distant Melodies: Statistical Learning of Nonadjacent Dependencies in Tone Sequences
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Creel, Sarah C.; Newport, Elissa L.; Aslin, Richard N.
Human listeners can keep track of statistical regularities among temporally adjacent elements in both speech and musical streams. However, for speech streams, when statistical regularities occur among nonadjacent elements, only certain types of patterns are acquired. Here, using musical tone sequences, the authors investigate nonadjacent learning.…
Chinese and English Infants' Tone Perception: Evidence for Perceptual Reorganization
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mattock, Karen; Burnham, Denis
Over half the world's population speaks a tone language, yet infant speech perception research has typically focused on consonants and vowels. Very young infants can discriminate a wide range of native and nonnative consonants and vowels, and then in a process of "perceptual reorganization" over the 1st year, discrimination of most nonnative…
Tone-burst technique measures high-intensity sound absorption
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Powell, J. G.; Van Houten, J. J.
Tone-burst technique, in which narrow-bandwidth, short-duration sonic pulse is propagated down a standing-wave tube, measures sound absorbing capacity of materials used in jet engine noise abatement. Technique eliminates effects of tube losses and yields normal-incidence absorption coefficient of specimen.
Woodwind Tone Hole Acoustics and the Spectrum Transformation Function.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Keefe, Douglas Howard
This report describes an investigation of woodwind musical instrument tone holes and their effect on the radiated spectrum, the total dissipation, the stability of oscillation, the psychoacoustical cues important in perception, and the tuning and response of the instrument. Varying tone hole proportions significantly affect the radiative and frictional damping near a single hole, the mutual interactions between holes, the onset of streaming and turbulence near the holes, and the perceived woodwind timbre. The interconnections between related fields are explored through a brief review of sound production in woodwinds plus more extensive reviews of room and psychological acoustics. A theoretical and experimental discussion of the spectrum transformation function from the mouthpiece into the room relates all these fields. Also, considered are differences between cylindrical and conical bore woodwinds, the systematic shifts in saxophone spectra produced by the beating of the reed, the coupling of many closely spaced tone holes to the room excitation, the role of the player, and the results pertaining to computer music synthesis. The complicated acoustical flow inside the main air column near a single tone hole has been examined using a Green function, integral equation approach. A variational formulation allows explicit calculation of the open and closed hole impedance parameters needed in the transmission line description of a woodwind, and experiments have verified the theory in detail. Major acoustical topics considered are listed below. The effective length t(,e) of an open hole, relevant for instrument design and modification, is calculated and measured in terms of the main bore diameter 2a, hole diameter 2b, and the height t of the hole chimney; the effect of a hanging pad is a semi-empirical correction on t(,e). When the fundamental plane-wave mode of the main air column oscillation is at a pressure node, both the open and closed hole series impedances are
K(V)7 potassium channels: a new therapeutic target in smooth muscle disorders.
Stott, Jennifer B; Jepps, Thomas A; Greenwood, Iain A
Potassium channels are key regulators of smooth muscle tone, with increases in activity resulting in hyperpolarisation of the cell membrane, which acts to oppose vasoconstriction. Several potassium channels exist within smooth muscle, but the KV7 family of voltage-gated potassium channels have been identified as being crucial mediators of this process in a variety of smooth muscle. Recently, KV7 channels have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension, as well as being implicated in other smooth muscle disorders, providing a new and inviting target for smooth muscle disorders. PMID:24333708
Auditory stream segregation in monkey auditory cortex: effects of frequency separation, presentation rate, and tone duration
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fishman, Yonatan I.; Arezzo, Joseph C.; Steinschneider, Mitchell
Auditory stream segregation refers to the organization of sequential sounds into ``perceptual streams'' reflecting individual environmental sound sources. In the present study, sequences of alternating high and low tones, ``...ABAB...,'' similar to those used in psychoacoustic experiments on stream segregation, were presented to awake monkeys while neural activity was recorded in primary auditory cortex (A1). Tone frequency separation (ΔF), tone presentation rate (PR), and tone duration (TD) were systematically varied to examine whether neural responses correlate with effects of these variables on perceptual stream segregation. ``A'' tones were fixed at the best frequency of the recording site, while ``B'' tones were displaced in frequency from ``A'' tones by an amount=ΔF. As PR increased, ``B'' tone responses decreased in amplitude to a greater extent than ``A'' tone responses, yielding neural response patterns dominated by ``A'' tone responses occurring at half the alternation rate. Increasing TD facilitated the differential attenuation of ``B'' tone responses. These findings parallel psychoacoustic data and suggest a physiological model of stream segregation whereby increasing ΔF, PR, or TD enhances spatial differentiation of ``A'' tone and ``B'' tone responses along the tonotopic map in A1.
Shenoy, Anant M.; Markowitz, Jennifer A.; Bonnemann, Carsten G.; Krishnamoorthy, Kalpathy; Bossler, Aaron D.; Tseng, Brian S.
A term female infant was evaluated for global developmental delay, hypotonia, hyporeflexia, diffuse weakness including facial muscles, and visual impairment with optic nerve hypoplasia. In the absence of family history or perinatal concerns, an extensive investigation was performed, including lab studies, muscle biopsy, brain MRI and focused genetic testing. This revealed elevated serum CK, a structurally abnormal brain, and a dystrophic-appearing muscle biopsy with evidence of a glycosylation defect in the alpha-dystroglycan complex. Of the 6 known related genes, testing of the POMGnT1 gene showed three heterozygous missense mutations. Thus her history, examination, biopsy specimen, imaging, laboratory, and genetic studies are all consistent with the diagnosis of Muscle-Eye-Brain (MEB) disease. MEB is one of an emerging spectrum of congenital disorders that involve both central and peripheral nervous systems, described further in this case report. PMID:20215985
Emerging role of G protein-coupled receptors in microvascular myogenic tone.
Kauffenstein, Gilles; Laher, Ismail; Matrougui, Khalid; Guérineau, Nathalie C; Henrion, Daniel
Blood flow autoregulation results from the ability of resistance arteries to reduce or increase their diameters in response to changes in intravascular pressure. The mechanism by which arteries maintain a constant blood flow to organs over a range of pressures relies on this myogenic response, which defines the intrinsic property of the smooth muscle to contract in response to stretch. The resistance to flow created by myogenic tone (MT) prevents tissue damage and allows the maintenance of a constant perfusion, despite fluctuations in arterial pressure. Interventions targeting MT may provide a more rational therapeutic approach in vascular disorders, such as hypertension, vasospasm, chronic heart failure, or diabetes. Despite its early description by Bayliss in 1902, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying MT remain poorly understood. We now appreciate that MT requires a complex mechanotransduction converting a physical stimulus (pressure) into a biological response (change in vessel diameter). Although smooth muscle cell depolarization and a rise in intracellular calcium concentration are recognized as cornerstones of the myogenic response, the role of wall strain-induced formation of vasoactive mediators is less well established. The vascular system expresses a large variety of Class 1 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) activated by an eclectic range of chemical entities, including peptides, lipids, nucleotides, and amines. These messengers can function in blood vessels as vasoconstrictors. This review focuses on locally generated GPCR agonists and their proposed contributions to MT. Their interplay with pivotal G(q-11) and G(12-13) protein signalling is also discussed. PMID:22637750
Hydrogen peroxide induced responses of cat tracheal smooth muscle cells
Bauer, V; Oike, M; Tanaka, H; Inoue, R; Ito, Y
The effects of hydrogen peroxide H2O2 (10−6 and 10−3 M) on membrane potential, membrane currents, intracellular calcium concentration, resting muscle tone and contractions elicited by electrical field stimulation (EFS) and carbachol were examined in cat tracheal strips and isolated smooth muscle cells. H2O2 (10−4 and 10−5 M) enhanced the amplitude of contractions and excitatory junction potentials (e.j.p.) evoked by EFS without changing muscle tone and resting membrane potential of the tracheal smooth muscle, and enhanced the contraction induced by carbachol (10−8 M). At an increased concentration (10−3 M), H2O2 elevated resting muscle tone and marginally hyperpolarized the membrane in the majority of the cells. In 51 out of 56 cells examined, H2O2 (10−6–10−3 M) elicited an outward current at a holding potential of −40 mV and enhanced the frequency of the spontaneous transient outward current (STOC). In 20 cells the outward current was preceded by a small inward current. In the other cells, H2O2 elicited only an inward current or did not affect the background current. In Ca2+ free solution the action of H2O2 on the resting muscle tone, STOCs, background current and on the current induced by ramp depolarization was significantly reduced. H2O2 (10−4 M) increased the intracellular ionized calcium concentration both in the absence and presence of external Ca2+. However, the effect developed faster and was of a higher amplitude in the presence of external Ca2+. These results suggest that H2O2 increases intracellular Ca2+, with a subsequent augmentation of stimulation-evoked contractions, and enhances Ca2+ and voltage-sensitive potassium conductance. PMID:9222542
Transonic Tones and Excess Broadband Noise in Overexpanded Supersonic Jets
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Zaman, Khairul B. M. Q.
Noise characteristics of convergent-divergent (C-D) nozzles in the overexpanded regime are the focus of this paper. The flow regime is encountered during takeoff and landing of certain airplanes and also with rocket nozzles in launch-pad environment. Experimental results from laboratory-scale single nozzles are discussed. The flow often undergoes a resonance accompanied by emission of tones (referred to as transonic tones). The phenomenon is different from the well-known screech tones. Unlike screech, the frequency increases with increasing supply pressure. There is a staging behavior odd harmonic stages occur at lower pressures while the fundamental occurs in a range of relatively higher pressures. A striking feature is that tripping of the nozzle s internal boundary layer tends to suppress the resonance. However, even in the absence of tones the broadband levels are found to be high. That is, relative to a convergent case and at same pressure ratio, the C-D nozzles are found to be noisier, often by more than 10dB. This excess broadband noise (referred to as EBBN) is further explored. Its characteristics are found to be different from the well-known broadband shockassociated noise ( BBSN ). For example, while the frequency of the BBSN peak varies with observation angle no such variation is noted with EBBN. The mechanisms of the transonic tone and the EBBN are not completely understood yet. They appear to be due to unsteady shock motion inside the nozzle. The shock drives the flow downstream like a vibrating diaphragm, and resonance takes place similarly as with acoustic resonance of a conical section having one end closed and the other end open. When the boundary layer is tripped, apparently a breakdown of azimuthal coherence suppresses the resonance. However, there is still unsteady shock motion albeit with superimposed randomness. Such random motion of the internal shock and its interaction with the separated boundary layer produces the EBBN.
Morphological abnormalities in elasmobranchs.
Moore, A B M
A total of 10 abnormal free-swimming (i.e., post-birth) elasmobranchs are reported from The (Persian-Arabian) Gulf, encompassing five species and including deformed heads, snouts, caudal fins and claspers. The complete absence of pelvic fins in a milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus may be the first record in any elasmobranch. Possible causes, including the extreme environmental conditions and the high level of anthropogenic pollution particular to The Gulf, are briefly discussed. PMID:25903257
Effects of production training and perception training on lexical tone perception--A behavioral and ERP study.
Lu, Shuang; Wayland, Ratree; Kaan, Edith
The present study recorded both behavioral data and event-related brain potentials to examine the effectiveness of a perception-only training and a perception-plus-production training procedure on the intentional and unintentional perception of lexical tone by native English listeners. In the behavioral task, both the perception-only and the perception-plus-production groups improved on the tone discrimination abilities after the training session. Moreover, the participants in both groups generalized the improvements gained through the trained stimuli to the untrained stimuli. In the ERP task, the Mismatch Negativity was smaller in the post-training task than in the pre-training task. However, the two training groups did not differ in tone processing at the intentional or unintentional level after training. These results suggest that the employment of the motor system does not specifically benefit the tone perceptual skills. Furthermore, the present study investigated whether some tone pairs are more easily confused than others by native English listeners, and whether the order of tone presentation influences non-native tone discrimination. In the behavioral task, Tone2-Tone1 (rising-level) and Tone2-Tone4 (rising-falling) were the most difficult tone pairs, while Tone1-Tone2 and Tone4-Tone2 were the easiest tone pairs, even though they involved the same tone contrasts respectively. In the ERP task, the native English listeners had good discrimination when Tone2 and Tone4 were embedded in strings of Tone1, while poor discrimination when Tone1 was inserted in the context of Tone2 or Tone4. These asymmetries in tone perception might be attributed to the interference of native intonation system and can be altered by training. PMID:26206301
Chromosome abnormalities in glioma
Li, Y.S.; Ramsay, D.A.; Fan, Y.S.
Cytogenetic studies were performed in 25 patients with gliomas. An interesting finding was a seemingly identical abnormality, an extra band on the tip of the short arm of chromosome 1, add(1)(p36), in two cases. The abnormality was present in all cells from a patient with a glioblastoma and in 27% of the tumor cells from a patient with a recurrent irradiated anaplastic astrocytoma; in the latter case, 7 unrelated abnormal clones were identified except 4 of those clones shared a common change, -Y. Three similar cases have been described previously. In a patient with pleomorphic astrocytoma, the band 1q42 in both homologues of chromosome 1 was involved in two different rearrangements. A review of the literature revealed that deletion of the long arm of chromosome 1 including 1q42 often occurs in glioma. This may indicate a possible tumor suppressor gene in this region. Cytogenetic follow-up studies were carried out in two patients and emergence of unrelated clones were noted in both. A total of 124 clonal breakpoints were identified in the 25 patients. The breakpoints which occurred three times or more were: 1p36, 1p22, 1q21, 1q25, 3q21, 7q32, 8q22, 9q22, 16q22, and 22q13.
[Congenital foot abnormalities].
Delpont, M; Lafosse, T; Bachy, M; Mary, P; Alves, A; Vialle, R
The foot may be the site of birth defects. These abnormalities are sometimes suspected prenatally. Final diagnosis depends on clinical examination at birth. These deformations can be simple malpositions: metatarsus adductus, talipes calcaneovalgus and pes supinatus. The prognosis is excellent spontaneously or with a simple orthopedic treatment. Surgery remains outstanding. The use of a pediatric orthopedist will be considered if malposition does not relax after several weeks. Malformations (clubfoot, vertical talus and skew foot) require specialized care early. Clubfoot is characterized by an equine and varus hindfoot, an adducted and supine forefoot, not reducible. Vertical talus combines equine hindfoot and dorsiflexion of the forefoot, which is performed in the midfoot instead of the ankle. Skew foot is suspected when a metatarsus adductus is resistant to conservative treatment. Early treatment is primarily orthopedic at birth. Surgical treatment begins to be considered after walking age. Keep in mind that an abnormality of the foot may be associated with other conditions: malposition with congenital hip, malformations with syndromes, neurological and genetic abnormalities. PMID:25524290
Loudness perception of low tones undergoing partial masking by higher tones in orchestral music in concert halls.
Nishihara, Noriko; Hidaka, Takayuki
Objective acoustical parameters for halls are often measured in 1-octave bands with mid-frequencies from 125 to 4000 Hz. In reality, the frequency range of musical instruments is much wider than that, and the fundamentals of the lower notes of bass instruments are contained in 31.5 or 63 Hz bands. Overtones of fundamentals in these bands fall in 125 Hz band. This report presents subjective experiments designed to determine to what extent the overtones in 125 Hz band and higher bands influence the loudness sensation of the components in 63 Hz band. In the experiments, the 125 Hz and higher components of the musical tone are used to act as a masker against the lower component used as a maskee. The threshold of the difference between G(125 Hz) and G(lower band) that just enables one to hear the fundamental tones in the lower band is determined. Masked loudness of 63 Hz sinusoidal tone caused by partial masking noise with higher frequencies was determined based on a similar procedure to the masked loudness-matching function. The result indicates that the difference in loudness of low tone will not be noticeable even if G changed by ±2.5 to ±3 dB, at least when there are other accompanying instruments. PMID:22894202
Abnormal pressures as hydrodynamic phenomena
Neuzil, C.E.
So-called abnormal pressures, subsurface fluid pressures significantly higher or lower than hydrostatic, have excited speculation about their origin since subsurface exploration first encountered them. Two distinct conceptual models for abnormal pressures have gained currency among earth scientists. The static model sees abnormal pressures generally as relict features preserved by a virtual absence of fluid flow over geologic time. The hydrodynamic model instead envisions abnormal pressures as phenomena in which flow usually plays an important role. This paper develops the theoretical framework for abnormal pressures as hydrodynamic phenomena, shows that it explains the manifold occurrences of abnormal pressures, and examines the implications of this approach. -from Author
Implicit and explicit statistical learning of tone sequences across spectral shifts.
Daikoku, Tatsuya; Yatomi, Yutaka; Yumoto, Masato
We investigated how the statistical learning of auditory sequences is reflected in neuromagnetic responses in implicit and explicit learning conditions. Complex tones with fundamental frequencies (F0s) in a five-tone equal temperament were generated by a formant synthesizer. The tones were subsequently ordered with the constraint that the probability of the forthcoming tone was statistically defined (80% for one tone; 5% for the other four) by the latest two successive tones (second-order Markov chains). The tone sequence consisted of 500 tones and 250 successive tones with a relative shift of F0s based on the same Markov transitional matrix. In explicit and implicit learning conditions, neuromagnetic responses to the tone sequence were recorded from fourteen right-handed participants. The temporal profiles of the N1m responses to the tones with higher and lower transitional probabilities were compared. In the explicit learning condition, the N1m responses to tones with higher transitional probability were significantly decreased compared with responses to tones with lower transitional probability in the latter half of the 500-tone sequence. Furthermore, this difference was retained even after the F0s were relatively shifted. In the implicit learning condition, N1m responses to tones with higher transitional probability were significantly decreased only for the 250 tones following the relative shift of F0s. The delayed detection of learning effects across the sound-spectral shift in the implicit condition may imply that learning may progress earlier in explicit learning conditions than in implicit learning conditions. The finding that the learning effects were retained across spectral shifts regardless of the learning modality indicates that relative pitch processing may be an essential ability for humans. PMID:25192632
Perceptual assimilation of lexical tone: the roles of language experience and visual information.
Reid, Amanda; Burnham, Denis; Kasisopa, Benjawan; Reilly, Ronan; Attina, Virginie; Rattanasone, Nan Xu; Best, Catherine T
Using Best's (1995) perceptual assimilation model (PAM), we investigated auditory-visual (AV), auditory-only (AO), and visual-only (VO) perception of Thai tones. Mandarin and Cantonese (tone-language) speakers were asked to categorize Thai tones according to their own native tone categories, and Australian English (non-tone-language) speakers to categorize Thai tones into their native intonation categories-for instance, question or statement. As comparisons, Thai participants completed a straightforward identification task, and another Australian English group identified the Thai tones using simple symbols. All of the groups also completed an AX discrimination task. Both the Mandarin and Cantonese groups categorized AO and AV Thai falling tones as their native level tones, and Thai rising tones as their native rising tones, although the Mandarin participants found it easier to categorize Thai level tones than did the Cantonese participants. VO information led to very poor categorization for all groups, and AO and AV information also led to very poor categorizations for the English intonation categorization group. PAM's predictions regarding tone discriminability based on these category assimilation patterns were borne out for the Mandarin group's AO and AV discriminations, providing support for the applicability of the PAM to lexical tones. For the Cantonese group, however, PAM was unable to account for one specific discrimination pattern-namely, their relatively good performance on the Thai high-rising contrast in the auditory conditions-and no predictions could be derived for the English groups. A full account of tone assimilation will likely need to incorporate considerations of phonetic, and even acoustic, similarity and overlap between nonnative and native tone categories. PMID:25465395
Feeling Abnormal: Simulation of Deviancy in Abnormal and Exceptionality Courses.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Fernald, Charles D.
Describes activity in which student in abnormal psychology and psychology of exceptional children classes personally experience being judged abnormal. The experience allows the students to remember relevant research, become sensitized to the feelings of individuals classified as deviant, and use caution in classifying individuals as abnormal.…
Statistical Analysis of Pure Tone Audiometry and Caloric Test in Herpes Zoster Oticus
Kim, Jin; Jung, Jinsei; Moon, In Seok; Lee, Ho-Ki
Objectives Pure tone audiometry and caloric test in patients with herpes zoster oticus were performed to determine the biologic features of the varicella zoster virus (VZV) and the pathogenesis of vestibulocochlear nerve disease in herpes zoster oticus. Study Design A retrospective chart review of 160 patients with herpes zoster oticus was designed in order to determine the classic characteristics of vestibulocochlear nerve disease associated with the syndrome. Speech frequency and isolated high frequency acoustic thresholds were analyzed based on severity of facial paralysis and patient age. Patients without cochlear symptoms were selected randomly, and audiological function was evaluated. Patients with symptoms of vestibular dysfunction underwent the caloric test, and canal paresis was analyzed according to the severity of facial paralysis and the age of each patient. Results Among the 160 patients, 111 exhibited pure tone audiometry; 26 (79%) of the patients with cochlear symptoms and 44 (56%) of the patients without cochlear symptoms had abnormal audiological data. Among the patients without cochlear symptoms, 15 (19%) had hearing loss at speech frequency, and 42 (54%) had hearing loss isolated to high frequency. The incidence of cochlear symptoms in herpes zoster oticus was not related to the severity of facial paralysis. The incidence of patients with isolated high frequency hearing loss statistically increased with age, however the incidence of patients with speech frequency hearing loss did not increase. Thirteen patients complained vertigo, and the incidence of vestibular disturbances and the value of canal paresis in the caloric test increased to statistical significance in parallel with increasing severity of facial paralysis. Conclusion Mild or moderate cochlear symptoms with high frequency hearing loss were related to age, and severe vestibular symptoms were related to the severity of facial paralysis after onset of herpetic symptoms. This study might
Neural Control of Fundamental Frequency Rise and Fall in Mandarin Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Howell, Peter; Jiang, Jing; Peng, Danling; Lu, Chunming
The neural mechanisms used in tone rises and falls in Mandarin were investigated. Nine participants were scanned while they named one-character pictures that required rising or falling tone responses in Mandarin: the left insula and right putamen showed stronger activation between rising and falling tones; the left brainstem showed weaker…
Learning a Tonal Language by Attending to the Tone: An in Vivo Experiment
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Liu, Ying; Wang, Min; Perfetti, Charles A.; Brubaker, Brian; Wu, Sumei; MacWhinney, Brian
Learning the Chinese tone system is a major challenge to students of Chinese as a second or foreign language. Part of the problem is that the spoken Chinese syllable presents a complex perceptual input that overlaps tone with segments. This complexity can be addressed through directing attention to the critical features of a component (tone in…
Effects of Tone-Quality Conditions on Perception and Performance of Pitch among Selected Wind Instrumentalists.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Worthy, Michael D.
Evaluates the effects of changes in tone quality on the perception of pitch and determines the extent to which the same tone-quality conditions affect the performance of pitch of 64 high school and university wind instrumentalists. Indicates that tone-quality conditions affected the perception and performance of pitch. (CMK)
Perception of Mandarin Lexical Tones when F0 Information Is Neutralized
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Liu, Siyun; Samuel, Arthur G.
In tone languages, the identity of a word depends on its tone pattern as well as its phonetic structure. The primary cue to tone identity is the fundamental frequency (F0) contour. Two experiments explore how listeners perceive Mandarin monosyllables in which all or part of the F0 information has been neutralized. In Experiment 1, supposedly…
Just noticeable difference of tone pitch contour change for English- and Chinese-native listeners.
Liu, Chang
Just noticeable differences of tone pitch contour discrimination were examined for young English- and Mandarin Chinese-native listeners to examine categorical features of tone perception for the two groups of listeners. Three types of stimuli were used: A Mandarin Chinese vowel, an English vowel, and tonal glides. Level, rising, and falling tones within or across tone boundaries served as the standard stimuli to measure thresholds of tone pitch discrimination. Performance was equivalent between English- and Chinese-native listeners for level tones, but significantly differed for rising and falling tones, regardless of the type of stimuli. English listeners showed significantly lower thresholds at the offset of F0 shifts than Chinese listeners, while Chinese listeners discriminated tone pitch changes at the onset with significantly lower thresholds than their English peers. These psychophysical results, combined with tone perception reported in other studies, indicated that Mandarin-native listeners perceived lexical tones in a categorical manner, based on their lexical tone experience, whereas English-native listeners perceived tones on a psychophysical base. PMID:24116436
47 CFR 11.12 - Two-tone Attention Signal encoder and decoder.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Two-tone Attention Signal encoder and decoder... SYSTEM (EAS) General § 11.12 Two-tone Attention Signal encoder and decoder. Existing two-tone Attention... equipment meets the requirements of § 11.32(a)(9) and 11.33(b). Effective January 1, 1998, the...
Influences of Vowel and Tone Variation on Emergent Word Knowledge: A Cross-Linguistic Investigation
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Singh, Leher; Hui, Tam Jun; Chan, Calista; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick
To learn words, infants must be sensitive to native phonological contrast. While lexical tone predominates as a source of phonemic contrast in human languages, there has been little investigation of the influences of lexical tone on word learning. The present study investigates infants' sensitivity to tone mispronunciations in two groups of…
The Tonology of Itoman Okinawan: A Phonological Analysis of the Nominal Tone System
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Takara, Nobutaka
Itoman, one of the varieties spoken in the southern part of Okinawa Island, exhibits several tone patterns. Although the tone patterns of Itoman were examined in previous studies (Nakasone ms., Hattori 1959, Oshiro 1963, and Hirayama et al. 1966), they ended at the descriptive level, and no phonological accounts for the surface tone patterns were…
Perception of Mandarin Tones: The Effect of L1 Background and Training
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wang, Xinchun
This study investigates whether native Hmong speakers' first language (L1) lexical tone experience facilitates or interferes with their perception of Mandarin tones and whether training is effective for perceptual learning of second (L2) tones. In Experiment 1, 3 groups of beginning level learners of Mandarin with different L1 prosodic background…
Colorism in the Classroom: How Skin Tone Stratifies African American and Latina/o Students
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hunter, Margaret
Although racial inequality is frequently studied in education, skin tone stratification has received less attention from educational researchers. Inequality by skin tone, also known as "colorism", contributes to larger patterns of racial inequality for African Americans and Latina/os. Discrimination by skin tone affects many dimensions…
Effects of Fundamental Frequency and Duration Variation on the Perception of South Kyungsang Korean Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chang, Seung-Eun
The perception of lexical tones is addressed through research on South Kyungsang Korean, spoken in the southeastern part of Korea. Based on an earlier production study (Chang, 2008a, 2008b), a categorization experiment was conducted to determine the perceptually salient aspects of the perceptual nature of a high tone and a rising tone. The…
Perceived Pitch of Violin and Cello Vibrato Tones among Music Majors
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Geringer, John M.; MacLeod, Rebecca B.; Allen, Michael L.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived pitch of string vibrato tones. The authors used recordings of acoustic instruments (cello and violin) to provide both vibrato stimulus tones and the nonvibrato tones that listeners adjusted to match the perceived pitch of the vibrato stimuli. We were interested especially in whether there…
Miller, Timothy M; Layzer, Robert B
Muscle cramps are a common problem characterized by a sudden, painful, involuntary contraction of muscle. These true cramps, which originate from peripheral nerves, may be distinguished from other muscle pain or spasm. Medical history, physical examination, and a limited laboratory screen help to determine the various causes of muscle cramps. Despite the "benign" nature of cramps, many patients find the symptom very uncomfortable. Treatment options are guided both by experience and by a limited number of therapeutic trials. Quinine sulfate is an effective medication, but the side-effect profile is worrisome, and other membrane-stabilizing drugs are probably just as effective. Patients will benefit from further studies to better define the pathophysiology of muscle cramps and to find more effective medications with fewer side-effects. PMID:15902691
Abnormal human sex chromosome constitutions
Chapter 22, discusses abnormal human sex chromosome constitution. Aneuploidy of X chromosomes with a female phenotype, sex chromosome aneuploidy with a male phenotype, and various abnormalities in X chromosome behavior are described. 31 refs., 2 figs.
Exercises to Improve Gait Abnormalities
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Cardiac and other abnormalities in the sudden infant death syndrome.
Naeye, R L; Whalen, P; Ryser, M; Fisher, R
Many victims of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have abnormally heavy cardiac right ventricles. The degree of this abnormality is directly proportional to: a) the mass of muscle about small pulmonary arteries, b) the amount of brown fat retention about adrenal glands, and c) the presence of hepatic erythropoiesis. The pulmonary arterial abnormality is probably the result of chronic alveolar hypoventilation, while brown fat retention and hepatic erythropoiesis are likely consequences of chronic hypoxemia. These abnormalities are found in both SIDS victims who die with and those who die without mild respiratory tract infections. However, there are some differences between the two SIDS groups. Infected victims die at an older age and have smaller thymus glands and larger spleens; there is a greater proportion of males in the infected victims than in the noninfected victims. PMID:1247080
[Evaluation of central dopaminergic tone in diabetes mellitus].
Mainini, E; Martinelli, I; Scarsi, G; Mazzi, C
The role of dopaminergic ways in human copulatory activity and the high frequency of impotence in diabetes mellitus are well known. In order to study the involvement of the central dopaminergic tone in diabetic impotence we have evaluated the PRL and TSH response to metoclopramide (MCP 10 mg ev) in 28 diabetic male patients (15 ID including 6 impotent and 13 NID including 5 impotent ) compared with 9 healthy controls. All subjects were investigated for the presence of neuropathy, retinopathy, macroangiopathy, gonadal and thyroid diseases. The PRL response to MCP was greater (p less than 0.05) in impotent patients than in controls at 60' and 90' in ID, and at 30' and 120' in NID. There was no significant difference in TSH increase and in PRL and TSH response areas between the groups considered. In conclusion, the dopaminergic tone is substantially normal in diabetic patients, while some PRL hyperresponsiveness to MCP exists in impotent diabetics. PMID:1815118
Azimuthal Directivity of Fan Tones Containing Multiple Modes
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Heidelberg, Laurence J.; Sutliff, Daniel L.; Nallasamy, M.
The directivity of fan tone noise is generally measured and plotted in the sideline or flyover plane and it is assumed that this curve is the same for all azimuthal angles. When two or more circumferential (m-order) modes of the same tone are present in the fan duct, an interference pattern develops in the azimuthal direction both in the duct and in the farfield. In this investigation two m-order modes of similar power were generated in a large low speed fan. Farfield measurements and a finite element propagation code both show substantial variations in the azimuthal direction. Induct mode measurement were made and used as input to the code. Although these tests may represent a worst case scenario, the validity of the current practice of assuming axisymmetry should be questioned.
Recent progress of negative-tone imaging with EUV exposure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fujimori, Toru; Tsuchihashi, Toru; Itani, Toshiro
This study describes the recent progress of negative-tone imaging with EUV exposure (EUV-NTI) compared with positive-tone development (PTD). NTI uses organic solvent-based developer to provide low swelling and smooth-dissolving behavior. Therefore, EUV-NTI is expected to offer several advantages in terms of performance, especially for improving line-width roughness (LWR), which is expected to resolve the resolution, LWR, and sensitivity (RLS) tradeoff. Herein, novel chemical amplified resist materials for EUV-NTI are investigated to improve LWR and sensitivity. Results indicate that the EUV-NTI has better performance than PTD, with `single digit mJ/cm2,while maintaining the LWR performance. Furthermore, EUV-NTI processing such as the pre-applied bake (PAB) temperature, post-exposure bake (PEB) temperature, development procedure, and rinse procedure are very effective for improving the lithographic performance. In addition, the lithographic performance with NXE3100 scanner is also reported.
Triadin Deletion Induces Impaired Skeletal Muscle Function*
Oddoux, Sarah; Brocard, Julie; Schweitzer, Annie; Szentesi, Peter; Giannesini, Benoit; Brocard, Jacques; Fauré, Julien; Pernet-Gallay, Karine; Bendahan, David; Lunardi, Joël; Csernoch, Laszlo; Marty, Isabelle
Triadin is a multiple proteins family, some isoforms being involved in muscle excitation-contraction coupling, and some having still unknown functions. To obtain clues on triadin functions, we engineered a triadin knock-out mouse line and characterized the physiological effect of triadin ablation on skeletal muscle function. These mice presented a reduced muscle strength, which seemed not to alter their survival and has been characterized in the present work. We first checked in these mice the expression level of the different proteins involved in calcium homeostasis and observed in fast muscles an increase in expression of dihydropyridine receptor, with a large reduction in calsequestrin expression. Electron microscopy analysis of KO muscles morphology demonstrated the presence of triads in abnormal orientation and a reduction in the sarcoplasmic reticulum terminal cisternae volume. Using calcium imaging on cultured myotubes, we observed a reduction in the total amount of calcium stored in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Physiological studies have been performed to evaluate the influence of triadin deletion on skeletal muscle function. Muscle strength has been measured both on the whole animal model, using hang test or electrical stimulation combined with NMR analysis and strength measurement, or on isolated muscle using electrical stimulation. All the results obtained demonstrate an important reduction in muscle strength, indicating that triadin plays an essential role in skeletal muscle function and in skeletal muscle structure. These results indicate that triadin alteration leads to the development of a myopathy, which could be studied using this new animal model. PMID:19843516
Reduction of blade passage tone by angle modulation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fiagbedzi, Y. A.
Blade staggering has been used in both centrifugal and axial flow fans to reduce discrete tones. Impeller hub resilience, causing fan torsional oscillations, appears to be equivalent to blade staggering in that both lead to angle modulation of the blade passage sound. By using Jacobi-Anger expansions, the sound reductions resulting from the angle modulation effects of these two equivalent techniques are predicted. Excellent agreement is found with published data.
Affective tone of mothers' statements to restrict their children's eating.
Pesch, Megan H; Miller, Alison L; Appugliese, Danielle P; Rosenblum, Katherine L; Lumeng, Julie C
Maternal restrictive feeding behaviors have been associated with child weight status. The affective tone of mothers' statements intended to restrict their children's eating has not been examined. The objectives of this study were to describe the affective tone of mothers' restrictive feeding behaviors (positive or negative), and to test the association of child and mother characteristics with rates of Restriction with Positive Affect, Restriction with Negative Affect and Total Restriction. A total of 237 low-income child-mother dyads (mean child age 5.9 years) participated in a videotaped standardized laboratory eating protocol, during which mothers and children were both presented with large servings of cupcakes. A coding scheme was developed to count each restrictive statement with a positive affective tone and each restrictive statement with a negative affective tone. To establish reliability, 20% of videos were double-coded. Demographics and anthropometrics were obtained. Poisson regression models were used to test the association between characteristics of the child and mother with counts of Restriction with Positive Affect, Restriction with Negative Affect, and Total Restriction. Higher rates of Restriction with Positive Affect and Total Restriction were predicted by child obese weight status, and mother non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity. Higher rates of Restriction with Negative Affect were predicted by older child age, child obese weight status, mother non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, and lower mother education level. In conclusion, in this study mothers of obese (vs. non-obese) children had higher rates of restriction in general, but particularly higher rates of Restriction with Negative Affect. Rather than being told not to restrict, mothers may need guidance on how to sensitively restrict their child's intake. Future studies should consider the contributions of maternal affect to children's responses to maternal restriction. PMID:27090342
Spirometric abnormalities among welders
Rastogi, S.K.; Gupta, B.N.; Husain, T.; Mathur, N.; Srivastava, S. )
A group of manual welders age group 13-60 years having a mean exposure period of 12.4 {plus minus} 1.12 years were subjected to spirometry to evaluate the prevalence of spirometric abnormalities. The welders showed a significantly higher prevalence of respiratory impairment than that observed among the unexposed controls as a result of exposure to welding gases which comprised fine particles of lead, zinc, chromium, and manganese. This occurred despite the lower concentration of the pollutants at the work place. In the expose group, the smoking welders showed a prevalence of respiratory impairment significantly higher than that observed in the nonsmoking welders. The results of the pulmonary function tests showed a predominantly restrictive type of pulmonary impairment followed by a mixed ventilatory defect among the welders. The effect of age on pulmonary impairment was not discernible. Welders exposed for over 10 years showed a prevalence of respiratory abnormalities significantly higher than those exposed for less than 10 years. Smoking also had a contributory role.
Children with Down Syndrome Improved in Motor Functioning and Muscle Tone Following Massage Therapy
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hernandez-Reif, Maria; Field, Tiffany; Largie, Shay; Mora, Dana; Bornstein, Joan; Waldman, Ronnie
Twenty-one moderate to high functioning young children (mean age, two years) with Down syndrome receiving early intervention (physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy) were randomly assigned to additionally receive two 0.5-hour massage therapy or reading sessions (control group) per week for two months. On the first and last day…
Voice quality and tone identification in White Hmong
Garellek, Marc; Keating, Patricia; Esposito, Christina M.; Kreiman, Jody
This study investigates the importance of source spectrum slopes in the perception of phonation by White Hmong listeners. In White Hmong, nonmodal phonation (breathy or creaky voice) accompanies certain lexical tones, but its importance in tonal contrasts is unclear. In this study, native listeners participated in two perceptual tasks, in which they were asked to identify the word they heard. In the first task, participants heard natural stimuli with manipulated F0 and duration (phonation unchanged). Results indicate that phonation is important in identifying the breathy tone, but not the creaky tone. Thus, breathiness can be viewed as contrastive in White Hmong. Next, to understand which parts of the source spectrum listeners use to perceive contrastive breathy phonation, source spectrum slopes were manipulated in the second task to create stimuli ranging from modal to breathy sounding, with F0 held constant. Results indicate that changes in H1-H2 (difference in amplitude between the first and second harmonics) and H2-H4 (difference in amplitude between the second and fourth harmonics) are independently important for distinguishing breathy from modal phonation, consistent with the view that the percept of breathiness is influenced by a steep drop in harmonic energy in the lower frequencies. PMID:23363123
Processing Cantonese lexical tones: Evidence from oddball paradigms.
Jia, S; Tsang, Y-K; Huang, J; Chen, H-C
Two event-related potential (ERP) experiments were conducted to investigate whether Cantonese lexical tones are processed with general auditory perception mechanisms and/or a special speech module. Two tonal features (f0 direction and f0 height deviation) were manipulated to reflect acoustic processing, and the contrast between syllables and hums was used to reveal the involvement of a speech module. Experiment 1 adopted a passive oddball paradigm to study a relatively early stage of tonal processing. Mismatch negativity (MMN) and novelty P3 (P3a) were modulated by the interaction between tonal feature and stimulus type. Similar interactions were found for N2 and P3 in Experiment 2, where more in-depth tonal processing was examined with an active oddball paradigm. Moreover, detecting tonal deviants of syllables elicited N1 and P2 that were not found in hum detection. Together, these findings suggest that the processing of lexical tone relies on both acoustic and linguistic processes from the early stage. Another noteworthy finding is the absence of brain lateralization in both experiments, which challenges the use of a lateralization pattern as evidence for processing lexical tones through a special speech module. PMID:26265553
Dual transmission model of the fetal heart tone
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Baker, Donald A.; Zuckerwar, Allan J.
Detection of the fetal heart tone by auscultation is sometimes easy, other times very difficult. In the model proposed here, the level of difficulty depends upon the position of the fetus within the maternal abdomen. If the fetus lies in the classical left/right occiput anterior position (head down, back against the maternal abdominal wall), detection by a sensor or stethoscope on the maternal abdominal surface is easy. In this mode, named here the ``direct contact'' mode, the heartbeat pushes the fetus against the detecting sensor. The motion generates pressure by impact and does not involve acoustic propagation at all. If the fetus lies in a persistent occiput posterior position (spine-to-spine, fetus facing forward), detection is difficult. In this, the ``fluid propagation'' mode, sound generated by the fetal heart and propagating across the amniotic fluid produces extremely weak signals at the maternal surface, typically 30 dB lower than those of the direct contact mode. This reduction in tone level can be compensated by judicious selection of detection frequency band and by exploiting the difference between the background noise levels of the two modes. Experimental clinical results, demonstrating the tones associated with the two respective modes, will be presented.
An Experimental Study of Fan Inflow Distortion Tone Noise
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Koch, L. Danielle
The tone noise generated when a fan ingests circumferentially distorted flow was studied by an experiment conducted with the Advanced Noise Control Fan at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The inflow was distorted by inserting cylindrical rods radially into the duct. The rods were arranged in circumferentially irregular patterns in three of the five configurations tested. Rods were held in place using a mounting ring with 30 equally spaced holes placed at an axial location one rotor chordlength upstream of the fan. Acoustic pressure was measured in the inlet and exhaust duct of the fan using the Rotating Rake fan tone measurement system. Sound power levels, calculated from the measured data, were plotted as a function of circumferential mode. An analytic description of the unsteady pressure distribution at the interaction plane between the stationary rods and the fan rotor is presented in a form suitable for representing the circumferentially irregularly placed rods. Terms in the analytical description for sound power were proven to be useful in determining the dominant circumferential modes measured in the experiment and the differences in mode power level between the configurations tested. Insight gained through this work will be useful in the development of tools to compute fan inflow distortion tone noise.
Age effects in discrimination of intervals within rhythmic tone sequences.
Fitzgibbons, Peter J; Gordon-Salant, Sandra
This study measured listener sensitivity to increments of a target inter-onset interval (IOI) embedded within tone sequences that featured different rhythmic patterns. The sequences consisted of six 50-ms 1000-Hz tone bursts separated by silent intervals that were adjusted to create different timing patterns. Control sequences were isochronous, with all tonal IOIs fixed at either 200 or 400 ms, while other patterns featured combinations of the two IOIs arranged to create different sequential tonal groupings. Duration difference limens in milliseconds for increments of a single sequence IOI were measured adaptively by adjusting the duration of an inter-tone silent interval. Specific target IOIs within sequences differed across discrimination conditions. Listeners included younger normal-hearing adults and groups of older adults with and without hearing loss. Discrimination performance measured for each of the older groups of listeners was observed to be equivalent, with each group exhibiting significantly poorer discrimination performance than the younger listeners in each sequence condition. Additionally, the specific influence of variable rhythmic grouping on temporal sensitivity was found to be greatest among older listeners. PMID:25618068
Positive-tone processing of plasma-polymerized methylsilane (PPMS)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dabbagh, Gary; Hutton, Richard S.; Cirelli, Raymond A.; Reichmanis, Elsa; Novembre, Anthony E.; Nalamasu, Omkaram
Plasma polymerized methylsilane (PPMS) films exposed to UV light in the presence of air undergo photo-oxidation to produce a glass-like material, PPMSO, which can be selectively removed using aqueous HF based chemistries. We find that PPMS, used in such positive tone imaging processes, suffers from several drawbacks which make it an unattractive candidate for use as an imaging layer in positive tone resist schemes. We have used infrared and X- ray photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize the PPMS films. We have found evidence for the presence of bridging methylene groups in the Si-Si backbone of the PPMS polymer at the PPMS/Substrate interface. This thin underlayer of a polycarbosilane material is initially deposited in the PPMS CVD process and is insoluble in aqueous or vapor HF contributing to residue after the development. The limitation as to how rapidly PPMS films can be photo- oxidized in the presence of air using high-fluence laser steppers is determined by the rate of oxygen diffusion into the PPMS films during exposure. This reciprocity failure exhibited by PPMS films may limit positive tone PPMS processing from consideration in high-throughput UV based lithography.
Spectral density affects the intelligibility of tone-vocoded speech: Implications for cochlear implant simulations.
Rosen, Stuart; Zhang, Yue; Speers, Kathryn
For small numbers of channels, tone vocoders using low envelope cutoff frequencies are less intelligible than noise vocoders, even though the noise carriers introduce random fluctuations into the crucial envelope information. Here it is shown that using tone carriers with a denser spectrum improves performance considerably over typical tone vocoders, at least equaling, and often surpassing, the performance possible with noise vocoders. In short, the spectral sparseness of tone vocoded sounds for low channel numbers, separate from the degradations introduced by using only a small number of channels, is an important limitation on the intelligibility of tone-vocoded speech. PMID:26428833
Effects of attention to and awareness of preceding context tones on auditory streaming.
Weintraub, David M; Metzger, Brian A; Snyder, Joel S
This study determined whether facilitation of auditory stream segregation could occur when facilitating context tones are accompanied by other sounds. Facilitation was measured as the likelihood of a repeated context tone that could match the low (A) or high (B) frequency of a repeating ABA test to increase the likelihood of hearing the test as segregated. We observed this type of facilitation when matching tones were alone, or with simultaneous bandpass noises or continuous speech, neither of which masked the tones. However, participants showed no streaming facilitation when a harmonic complex masked the context tones. Mistuning or desynchronizing the context tone relative to the rest of the complex did not facilitate streaming, despite the fact that the context tone was accessible to awareness and attention. Even presenting the context tone in a separate ear from the rest of the harmonic complex did not facilitate streaming, ruling out peripheral interference. Presenting the test as mistuned or desynchronized tones relative to complex tones eliminated the possibility that timbre changes from context to test interfered with facilitation resulting from the context. These results demonstrate the fragility of streaming facilitation and show that awareness of and attention to the context tones are not sufficient to overcome interference. PMID:24188403
The Time Course for Processing Vowels and Lexical Tones: Reading Aloud Thai Words.
Davis, Chris; Schoknecht, Colin; Kim, Jeesun; Burnham, Denis
Three naming aloud experiments and a lexical decision (LD) experiment used masked priming to index the processing of written Thai vowels and tones. Thai allows for manipulation of the mapping between orthography and phonology not possible in other orthographies, for example, the use of consonants, vowels and tone markers in both horizontal and vertical orthographic positions (HOPs and VOPs). Experiment I showed that changing a vowel between prime and target slowed down target naming but changing a tone mark did not. Experiment I used an across item-design and a different number of HOPs in the way vowels and tones were specified. Experiment 2 used a within-item design and tested vowel and tone changes for both 2-HOP and 3-HOP targets separately. The 3-HOP words showed the same tone and vowel change effect as Experiment 1, whereas 2-HOP items did not. It was speculated that the 2-HOP result was due to the variable position of the vowel affecting priming. Experiment 3 employed a more stringent control over the 2-HOP vowel and tone items and found priming for the tone changes but not for vowel changes. The final experiment retested the items from Experiment 3 with the LD task and found no priming for the tone change items, indicating that the tone effect in Experiment 3 was due to processes involved in naming aloud. In all, the results supported the view that for naming a word, the development of tone information is slower than vowel information. PMID:27363253
Effects of Early Bilingual Experience with a Tone and a Non-Tone Language on Speech-Music Integration
Asaridou, Salomi S.; Hagoort, Peter; McQueen, James M.
We investigated music and language processing in a group of early bilinguals who spoke a tone language and a non-tone language (Cantonese and Dutch). We assessed online speech-music processing interactions, that is, interactions that occur when speech and music are processed simultaneously in songs, with a speeded classification task. In this task, participants judged sung pseudowords either musically (based on the direction of the musical interval) or phonologically (based on the identity of the sung vowel). We also assessed longer-term effects of linguistic experience on musical ability, that is, the influence of extensive prior experience with language when processing music. These effects were assessed with a task in which participants had to learn to identify musical intervals and with four pitch-perception tasks. Our hypothesis was that due to their experience in two different languages using lexical versus intonational tone, the early Cantonese-Dutch bilinguals would outperform the Dutch control participants. In online processing, the Cantonese-Dutch bilinguals processed speech and music more holistically than controls. This effect seems to be driven by experience with a tone language, in which integration of segmental and pitch information is fundamental. Regarding longer-term effects of linguistic experience, we found no evidence for a bilingual advantage in either the music-interval learning task or the pitch-perception tasks. Together, these results suggest that being a Cantonese-Dutch bilingual does not have any measurable longer-term effects on pitch and music processing, but does have consequences for how speech and music are processed jointly. PMID:26659377
Effects of Early Bilingual Experience with a Tone and a Non-Tone Language on Speech-Music Integration.
Asaridou, Salomi S; Hagoort, Peter; McQueen, James M
We investigated music and language processing in a group of early bilinguals who spoke a tone language and a non-tone language (Cantonese and Dutch). We assessed online speech-music processing interactions, that is, interactions that occur when speech and music are processed simultaneously in songs, with a speeded classification task. In this task, participants judged sung pseudowords either musically (based on the direction of the musical interval) or phonologically (based on the identity of the sung vowel). We also assessed longer-term effects of linguistic experience on musical ability, that is, the influence of extensive prior experience with language when processing music. These effects were assessed with a task in which participants had to learn to identify musical intervals and with four pitch-perception tasks. Our hypothesis was that due to their experience in two different languages using lexical versus intonational tone, the early Cantonese-Dutch bilinguals would outperform the Dutch control participants. In online processing, the Cantonese-Dutch bilinguals processed speech and music more holistically than controls. This effect seems to be driven by experience with a tone language, in which integration of segmental and pitch information is fundamental. Regarding longer-term effects of linguistic experience, we found no evidence for a bilingual advantage in either the music-interval learning task or the pitch-perception tasks. Together, these results suggest that being a Cantonese-Dutch bilingual does not have any measurable longer-term effects on pitch and music processing, but does have consequences for how speech and music are processed jointly. PMID:26659377
... The most common cause of muscle cramps during sports activity is not getting enough fluids. Often, drinking ... alone does not always help. Salt tablets or sports drinks, which also replenish lost minerals, can be ...
... be done include: Complete blood count (CBC) Other blood tests to look at muscle enzymes (creatine kinase) and possibly a test for Lyme disease or a connective tissue disorder Physical therapy may be helpful.
Moncayo, Jorge; Bogousslavsky, Julien
Generation and control of eye movements requires the participation of the cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum and brainstem. The signals of this complex neural network finally converge on the ocular motoneurons of the brainstem. Infarct or hemorrhage at any level of the oculomotor system (though more frequent in the brain-stem) may give rise to a broad spectrum of eye movement abnormalities (EMAs). Consequently, neurologists and particularly stroke neurologists are routinely confronted with EMAs, some of which may be overlooked in the acute stroke setting and others that, when recognized, may have a high localizing value. The most complex EMAs are due to midbrain stroke. Horizontal gaze disorders, some of them manifesting unusual patterns, may occur in pontine stroke. Distinct varieties of nystagmus occur in cerebellar and medullary stroke. This review summarizes the most representative EMAs from the supratentorial level to the brainstem. PMID:22377853
The Enduring Significance of Skin Tone: Linking Skin Tone, Attitudes Toward Marriage and Cohabitation, and Sexual Behavior.
Landor, Antoinette M; Halpern, Carolyn Tucker
Past evidence has documented that attitudes toward marriage and cohabitation are related to sexual behavior in adolescence and young adulthood. This study extends prior research by longitudinally testing these associations across racial/ethnic groups and investigating whether culturally relevant variations within racial/ethnic minority groups, such as skin tone (i.e., lightness/darkness of skin color), are linked to attitudes toward marriage and cohabitation and sex. Drawing on family and public health literatures and theories, as well as burgeoning skin tone literature, it was hypothesized that more positive attitudes toward marriage and negative attitudes toward cohabitation would be associated with less risky sex, and that links differed for lighter and darker skin individuals. The sample included 6872 respondents (49.6 % female; 70.0 % White; 15.8 % African American; 3.3 % Asian; 10.9 % Hispanic) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The results revealed that marital attitudes had a significantly stronger dampening effect on risky sexual behavior of lighter skin African Americans and Asians compared with their darker skin counterparts. Skin tone also directly predicted number of partners and concurrent partners among African American males and Asian females. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings for adolescence and young adulthood. PMID:26979445
Vascular smooth muscle in hypertension.
Winquist, R J; Webb, R C; Bohr, D F
The cause of the elevated arterial pressure in most forms of hypertension is an increase in total peripheral resistance. This brief review is directed toward an assessment of recent investigations contributing information about the factors responsible for this increased vascular resistance. Structural abnormalities in the vasculature that characterize the hypertensive process are 1) changes in the vascular media, 2) rarefication of the resistance vessels, and 3) lesions of the intimal vascular surface. These abnormalities are mainly the result of an adaptive process and are secondary to the increase in wall stress and/or to pathological damage to cellular components in the vessel wall. Functional alterations in the vascular smooth muscle are described as changes in agonist-smooth muscle interaction or plasma membrane permeability. These types of changes appear to play a primary, initiating role in the elevation of vascular resistance of hypertension. These alterations are not the result of an increase in wall stress and they often precede the development of high blood pressure. The functional changes are initiated by abnormal function of neurogenic, humoral, and/or myogenic changes that alter vascular smooth muscle activity. PMID:6282652
Novel inhibition of contractility by wortmannin in skeletal muscle
Hong, S J; Chang, C C
The effects of wortmannin and 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-1[4H]-benzopyran-4-one (LY294002), inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, on the contractile responses of murine skeletal muscle were studied. Wortmannin (10–100 μM) suppressed twitch and tetanic contraction evoked by field stimulation of diaphragm without causing elevation of muscle tone. The inhibition was quasi-irreversible with IC50∼15 μM. In contrast, LY294002 increased twitch responses and elevated muscle tone.Wortmannin reversibly depressed the maximal slope of action potential upstroke by ∼40% and inhibited the membrane depolarization and spontaneous burst of action potential induced by crotamine, a polypeptide toxin that activates the Na+ channel of skeletal muscle.Wortmannin inhibited contractures evoked by high K+, ryanodine and caffeine, but potentiated the contracture induced by rapamycin, which binds to myoplasmic FK506 binding protein, an immunophilin closely associated with the ryanodine receptor. The contractures elicited by cardiotoxin, which disrupts the integrity of sarcolemma and thereby elevates `myoplasmic' Ca2+ level, were suppressed only slightly.In placed left atrium and ventricular strip, wortmannin and LY294002 produced a positive inotropic effect.The results suggest that, in addition to depressing the Ca2+ mobilization from sarcoplasmic reticulum, wortmannin exerts a novel inhibitory action on the excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle but not in cardiac muscle. PMID:9692768
Disorders of paravertebral lumbar muscles: from pathology to cross-sectional imaging.
Bierry, Guillaume; Kremer, Stéphane; Kellner, Frauke; Abu Eid, Maher; Bogorin, Adriana; Dietemann, Jean-Louis
Paravertebral lumbar muscles are important for spine stabilization and mobility. They may be abnormal in several disorders that may be associated with pain or functional impairment. Special attention should be paid to the paravertebral muscles during imaging, so that a possible muscular disease is not overlooked, especially in patients with low back pain. This article reviews such imaging abnormalities. PMID:18463867
Role of Adenosine Receptor(s) in the Control of Vascular Tone in the Mouse Pudendal Artery.
Labazi, Hicham; Tilley, Stephen L; Ledent, Catherine; Mustafa, S Jamal
Activation of adenosine receptors (ARs) has been implicated in the modulation of renal and cardiovascular systems, as well as erectile functions. Recent studies suggest that adenosine-mediated regulation of erectile function is mainly mediated through A2BAR activation. However, no studies have been conducted to determine the contribution of AR subtype in the regulation of the vascular tone of the pudendal artery (PA), the major artery supplying and controlling blood flow to the penis. Our aim was to characterize the contribution of AR subtypes and identify signaling mechanisms involved in adenosine-mediated vascular tone regulation in the PA. We used a DMT wire myograph for muscle tension measurements in isolated PAs from wild-type, A2AAR knockout, A2BAR knockout, and A2A/A2BAR double-knockout mice. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression of the AR subtypes. Data from our pharmacologic and genetic approaches suggest that AR activation-mediated vasodilation in the PA is mediated by both the A2AAR and A2BAR, whereas neither the A1AR nor A3AR play a role in vascular tone regulation of the PA. In addition, we showed that A2AAR- and A2BAR-mediated vasorelaxation requires activation of nitric oxide and potassium channels; however, only the A2AAR-mediated response requires protein kinase A activation. Our data are complemented by mRNA expression showing the expression of all AR subtypes with the exception of the A3AR. AR signaling in the PA may play an important role in mediating erection and represent a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. PMID:26718241
Detection and localization of sounds: Virtual tones and virtual reality
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Peter Xinya
Modern physiologically based binaural models employ internal delay lines in the pathways from left and right peripheries to central processing nuclei. Various models apply the delay lines differently, and give different predictions for the detection of dichotic pitches, wherein listeners hear a virtual tone in the noise background. Two dichotic pitch stimuli (Huggins pitch and binaural coherence edge pitch) with low boundary frequencies were used to test the predictions by two different models. The results from five experiments show that the relative dichotic pitch strengths support the equalization-cancellation model and disfavor the central activity pattern (CAP) model. The CAP model makes predictions for the lateralization of Huggins pitch based on interaural time differences (ITD). By measuring human lateralization for Huggins pitches with two different types of phase boundaries (linear-phase and stepped phase), and by comparing with lateralization of sine-tones, it was shown that the lateralization of Huggins pitch stimuli is similar to that of the corresponding sine-tones, and the lateralizations of Huggins pitch stimuli with the two different boundaries were even more similar to one another. The results agreed roughly with the CAP model predictions. Agreement was significantly improved by incorporating individualized scale factors and offsets into the model, and was further unproved with a model including compression at large ITDs. Furthermore, ambiguous stimuli, with an interaural phase difference of 180 degrees, were consistently lateralized on the left or right based on individual asymmetries---which introduces the concept of "earedness". Interaural phase difference (IPD) and interaural time difference (ITD) are two different forms of temporal cues. With varying frequency, an auditory system based on IPD or ITD gives different quantitative predictions on lateralization. A lateralization experiment with sine tones tested whether human auditory system is an
Evaluation of the influence of muscle deactivation on other muscles and joints during gait motion.
Komura, Taku; Prokopow, Przemyslaw; Nagano, Akinori
When any muscle in the human musculoskeletal system is damaged, other muscles and ligaments tend to compensate for the role of the damaged muscle by exerting extra effort. It is beneficial to clarify how the roles of the damaged muscles are compensated by other parts of the musculoskeletal system from the following points of view: From a clinical point of view, it will be possible to know how the abnormal muscle and joint forces caused by the acute compensations lead to further physical damage to the musculoskeletal system. From the viewpoint of rehabilitation, it will be possible to know how the role of the damaged muscle can be compensated by extra training of the other muscles. A method to evaluate the influence of muscle deactivation on other muscles and joints is proposed in this report. Methodology based on inverse dynamics and static optimization, which is applicable to arbitrary motion was used in this study. The evaluation method was applied to gait motion to obtain matrices representing (1) the dependence of muscle force compensation and (2) the change to bone-on-bone contact forces. These matrices make it possible to evaluate the effects of deactivation of one of the muscles of the musculoskeletal system on the forces exerted by other muscles as well as the change to the bone-on-bone forces when the musculoskeletal system is performing the same motion. Through observation of this matrix, it was found that deactivation of a muscle often results in increment/decrement of force developed by muscles with completely different primary functions and bone-on-bone contact force in different parts of the body. For example, deactivation of the iliopsoas leads to a large reduction in force by the soleus. The results suggest that acute deactivation of a muscle can result in damage to another part of the body. The results also suggest that the whole musculoskeletal system must go through extra retraining in the case of damage to certain muscles. PMID:14996554
Effect of the antitussive glaucine on bronchomotor tone in man.
Constant, O; Slavin, B; Lehane, J R; Jordan, C; Jones, J G
In view of the observation that the antitussive agent glaucine prevents histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs we investigated this agent for a possible peripheral action in man, using a new method for measuring changes in bronchomotor tone. The forced airflow oscillation method was used to determine respiratory resistance (Rrs) over a range of lung volumes (VL) in seven healthy supine subjects. Computer analysis of the hyperbolic relationship between Rrs and VL was used to determine the asymptotic resistance and yield estimates of lower airways conductance (Glaw). Specific lower airways conductance (sGlaw) was expressed as the slope of the linear plot of Glaw against VL and is a sensitive index of bronchomotor tone. After baseline measurements of sGlaw subjects received placebo or 60 mg glaucine orally according to a double-blind crossover protocol. Histamine, 500 micrograms, was inhaled 45 minutes later. Measurements of sGlaw were repeated every 10 minutes for two hours. Although there was a trend towards bronchodilatation after glaucine administration (sGlaw = 130% of baseline) there was no significant difference from the effect of placebo (sGlaw = 89% of baseline). After inhalation of histamine sGlaw fell to 26% of baseline after both glaucine and placebo (p less than 0.01). In a further study three subjects received glaucine and placebo according to an identical protocol except that the histamine was omitted. Again the increase in sGlaw failed to achieve significance. Glaucine does not affect the bronchoconstrictor response to histamine in man and there is no convincing evidence of an effect on resting bronchomotor tone. PMID:6612639
Effect of the antitussive glaucine on bronchomotor tone in man.
Constant, O; Slavin, B; Lehane, J R; Jordan, C; Jones, J G
In view of the observation that the antitussive agent glaucine prevents histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs we investigated this agent for a possible peripheral action in man, using a new method for measuring changes in bronchomotor tone. The forced airflow oscillation method was used to determine respiratory resistance (Rrs) over a range of lung volumes (VL) in seven healthy supine subjects. Computer analysis of the hyperbolic relationship between Rrs and VL was used to determine the asymptotic resistance and yield estimates of lower airways conductance (Glaw). Specific lower airways conductance (sGlaw) was expressed as the slope of the linear plot of Glaw against VL and is a sensitive index of bronchomotor tone. After baseline measurements of sGlaw subjects received placebo or 60 mg glaucine orally according to a double-blind crossover protocol. Histamine, 500 micrograms, was inhaled 45 minutes later. Measurements of sGlaw were repeated every 10 minutes for two hours. Although there was a trend towards bronchodilatation after glaucine administration (sGlaw = 130% of baseline) there was no significant difference from the effect of placebo (sGlaw = 89% of baseline). After inhalation of histamine sGlaw fell to 26% of baseline after both glaucine and placebo (p less than 0.01). In a further study three subjects received glaucine and placebo according to an identical protocol except that the histamine was omitted. Again the increase in sGlaw failed to achieve significance. Glaucine does not affect the bronchoconstrictor response to histamine in man and there is no convincing evidence of an effect on resting bronchomotor tone. PMID:6612639
Ictal Cardiac Ryhthym Abnormalities
Ali, Rushna
Cardiac rhythm abnormalities in the context of epilepsy are a well-known phenomenon. However, they are under-recognized and often missed. The pathophysiology of these events is unclear. Bradycardia and asystole are preceded by seizure onset suggesting ictal propagation into the cortex impacting cardiac autonomic function, and the insula and amygdala being possible culprits. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) refers to the unanticipated death of a patient with epilepsy not related to status epilepticus, trauma, drowning, or suicide. Frequent refractory generalized tonic-clonic seizures, anti-epileptic polytherapy, and prolonged duration of epilepsy are some of the commonly identified risk factors for SUDEP. However, the most consistent risk factor out of these is an increased frequency of generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTC). Prevention of SUDEP is extremely important in patients with chronic, generalized epilepsy. Since increased frequency of GTCS is the most consistently reported risk factor for SUDEP, effective seizure control is the most important preventive strategy. PMID:27347227
Whitaker, Lucy; Critchley, Hilary O D
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a common and debilitating condition with high direct and indirect costs. AUB frequently co-exists with fibroids, but the relationship between the two remains incompletely understood and in many women the identification of fibroids may be incidental to a menstrual bleeding complaint. A structured approach for establishing the cause using the Fédération International de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique (FIGO) PALM-COEIN (Polyp, Adenomyosis, Leiomyoma, Malignancy (and hyperplasia), Coagulopathy, Ovulatory disorders, Endometrial, Iatrogenic and Not otherwise classified) classification system will facilitate accurate diagnosis and inform treatment options. Office hysteroscopy and increasing sophisticated imaging will assist provision of robust evidence for the underlying cause. Increased availability of medical options has expanded the choice for women and many will no longer need to recourse to potentially complicated surgery. Treatment must remain individualised and encompass the impact of pressure symptoms, desire for retention of fertility and contraceptive needs, as well as address the management of AUB in order to achieve improved quality of life. PMID:26803558
L-band tone-code-data transponder calibration
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Brisken, A. F.
The objectives of this program were to identify and quantify factors which affect the performance of the L-band tone-code-data ranging transponders. Specific objectives included the following: (1) assemble the L-band ranging transponder, previously deployed in Hawaii for the tracking of the ATS-5 satellite, at the GE Radio-Optical Observatory; (2) configure the observatory to conduct calibration exercises with the transponder; and (3) conduct sufficient calibration experiments to demonstrate factors which degrade transponder accuracy, precision, and reliability, to quantify these factors where possible, and to verify long term transponder stability under controlled conditions.
Light-toned Rock Outcrop in Aureum Chaos
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2006-01-0130 October 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an outcrop of light-toned, layered, sedimentary rock in Aureum Chaos. The darker material, which includes ripples, is composed of windblown sand and granules. This scene is located near 3.8oS, 26.2oW, and covers an area roughly 7.7 km by 3 km (4.8 by 1.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the terrain from the top/upper right. This southern autumn image was acquired on 14 July 2006.
An Isoperimetric Inequality for Fundamental Tones of Free Plates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chasman, L. M.
We establish an isoperimetric inequality for the fundamental tone (first nonzero eigenvalue) of the free plate of a given area, proving the ball is maximal. Given τ>0, the free plate eigenvalues omega and eigenfunctions u are determined by the equation DeltaDelta u-τDelta u = omega u together with certain natural boundary conditions. The boundary conditions are complicated but arise naturally from the plate Rayleigh quotient, which contains a Hessian squared term |D^2u|^2. We adapt Weinberger's method from the corresponding free membrane problem, taking the fundamental modes of the unit ball as trial functions. These solutions are a linear combination of Bessel and modified Bessel functions.
Cost effective processes by using negative-tone development application
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yamamoto, Kei; Kato, Keita; Ou, Keiyu; Shirakawa, Michihiro; Kamimura, Sou
The high volume manufacturing with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is delaying due to its light source issue. Therefore, ArF-immersion lithography has still been the most promising technology for down scaling of device pitch. As the limitation of ArF-immersion single patterning is considered to be nearly 40nm half pitch (hp), ArF-immersion lithography has necessity to be extended by combining processes to achieve sub- 20nm hp patterning. Recently, there are many reports about the extension of ArF-immersion lithography, e.g., self-aligned multiple patterning (SAMP) and litho-etch-litho-etch (LELE) process. These methods have been realized by the combination of lithography, deposition, and etching. On the other aspect, 1-D layout is adopted for leading devices, which contains additional cut or block litho and etch processes to form 2-D like layout. Thus, according to the progress of down scaling technologies, number of processes increases and the cost of ownership (CoO) can not be neglected. Especially, the number of lithography steps and etching steps has been expanded by the combination of processes, and it has come to occupy a large portion of total manufacturing cost. We have reported that negative tone development (NTD) system using organic solvent developer have enough resolution to achieve fine narrow trench or contact hole patterning, since negative tone imaging enables to apply bright mask for these pattern with significantly high optical image contrast compared to positive tone imaging, and it has contributed high throughput multiple patterning. On the other hand, NTD system is found to be useful not only for leading device node, but also for cost effective process. In this report, we propose the cost effective process using NTD application. In the viewpoint of cost down at exposure tool, we have developed KrF-NTD resist which is customized for organic solvent developer. Our KrF-NTD resist has resolution comparable with ArF positive tone development
Computation of Tone Noises Generated in Viscous Flows
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Loh, Ching Y.; Jorgenson, Philip C. E.
Three benchmark problems from the current and previous CAA workshops involving tone noise generated in viscous flows are investigated using the CE/SE finite volume method. The CE/SE method is first briefly reviewed. Then, the benchmark problems, namely, flow past a single cylinder (CAA Workshop II problem), flow past twin cylinders (from the current CAA Workshop IV, Category 5, Problem 1) and flow past a deep cavity with overhang (CAA Workshop III problem) are investigated. Generally good results are obtained in comparison with the experimental data.
Single-tone parameter estimation from discrete-time observations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Rife, D. C.; Boorstyn, R. R.
Estimation of the parameters of a single-frequency complex tone from a finite number of noisy discrete-time observations is discussed. The appropriate Cramer-Rao bounds and maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation algorithms are derived. Some properties of the ML estimators are proved. The relationship of ML estimation to the discrete Fourier transform is exploited to obtain practial algorithms. The threshold effect of one algorithm is analyzed and compared to simulation results. Other simulation results verify other aspects of the analysis.
Interactions of hormones with the vascular endothelium. Effects on the control of vascular tone.
Pohl, U; Kaas, J
Due to their anatomical location vascular endothelial cells are an obvious target for hormones which are transported by the bloodstream. Studies on cultured endothelial cells, isolated vessels and the intact organism revealed the existence of multiple interactions between endothelial cells and circulating hormones. Not only are endothelial cells involved in the clearance of some specific circulating hormones, but they also form a tight barrier for other hormones thus preventing or attenuating their direct effects on vascular smooth muscle. Endothelial cells are also involved in the production of circulating angiotensin II by the angiotensin converting enzyme. Probably the most significant effect of hormones in vascular control is the ability of many of them to modulate the release of vasoactive autacoids such as nitric oxide, prostaglandins and endothelin-1. Aside from acute stimulating effects on autacoid production, some hormones, particularly steroids, exert chronic effects on vasoactive-factor gene expression. Apparently, in the control of vascular tone, interactions between circulating hormones and the endothelium play a major role. However, the functional significance of these interactions, especially in pathophysiologic conditions remains to be determined. PMID:8185724
Abnormal topological organization of the white matter network in Mandarin speakers with congenital amusia
Zhao, Yanxin; Chen, Xizhuo; Zhong, Suyu; Cui, Zaixu; Gong, Gaolang; Dong, Qi; Nan, Yun
Congenital amusia is a neurogenetic disorder that mainly affects the processing of musical pitch. Brain imaging evidence indicates that it is associated with abnormal structural and functional connections in the fronto-temporal region. However, a holistic understanding of the anatomical topology underlying amusia is still lacking. Here, we used probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging tractography and graph theory to examine whole brain white matter structural connectivity in 31 Mandarin-speaking amusics and 24 age- and IQ-matched controls. Amusics showed significantly reduced global connectivity, as indicated by the abnormally decreased clustering coefficient (Cp) and increased normalized shortest path length (λ) compared to the controls. Moreover, amusics exhibited enhanced nodal strength in the right inferior parietal lobule relative to controls. The co-existence of the lexical tone deficits was associated with even more deteriorated global network efficiency in amusics, as suggested by the significant correlation between the increments in normalized shortest path length (λ) and the insensitivity in lexical tone perception. Our study is the first to reveal reduced global connectivity efficiency in amusics as well as an increase in the global connectivity cost due to the co-existed lexical tone deficits. Taken together these results provide a holistic perspective on the anatomical substrates underlying congenital amusia. PMID:27211239
Abnormal topological organization of the white matter network in Mandarin speakers with congenital amusia.
Zhao, Yanxin; Chen, Xizhuo; Zhong, Suyu; Cui, Zaixu; Gong, Gaolang; Dong, Qi; Nan, Yun
Congenital amusia is a neurogenetic disorder that mainly affects the processing of musical pitch. Brain imaging evidence indicates that it is associated with abnormal structural and functional connections in the fronto-temporal region. However, a holistic understanding of the anatomical topology underlying amusia is still lacking. Here, we used probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging tractography and graph theory to examine whole brain white matter structural connectivity in 31 Mandarin-speaking amusics and 24 age- and IQ-matched controls. Amusics showed significantly reduced global connectivity, as indicated by the abnormally decreased clustering coefficient (Cp) and increased normalized shortest path length (λ) compared to the controls. Moreover, amusics exhibited enhanced nodal strength in the right inferior parietal lobule relative to controls. The co-existence of the lexical tone deficits was associated with even more deteriorated global network efficiency in amusics, as suggested by the significant correlation between the increments in normalized shortest path length (λ) and the insensitivity in lexical tone perception. Our study is the first to reveal reduced global connectivity efficiency in amusics as well as an increase in the global connectivity cost due to the co-existed lexical tone deficits. Taken together these results provide a holistic perspective on the anatomical substrates underlying congenital amusia. PMID:27211239
Regulation of NADPH oxidases in skeletal muscle.
Ferreira, Leonardo F; Laitano, Orlando
The only known function of NAD(P)H oxidases is to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Skeletal muscles express three isoforms of NAD(P)H oxidases (Nox1, Nox2, and Nox4) that have been identified as critical modulators of redox homeostasis. Nox2 acts as the main source of skeletal muscle ROS during contractions, participates in insulin signaling and glucose transport, and mediates the myocyte response to osmotic stress. Nox2 and Nox4 contribute to skeletal muscle abnormalities elicited by angiotensin II, muscular dystrophy, heart failure, and high fat diet. Our review addresses the expression and regulation of NAD(P)H oxidases with emphasis on aspects that are relevant to skeletal muscle. We also summarize: i) the most widely used NAD(P)H oxidases activity assays and inhibitors, and ii) studies that have defined Nox enzymes as protagonists of skeletal muscle redox homeostasis in a variety of health and disease conditions. PMID:27184955
covert contrast: The acquisition of Mandarin tone 2 and tone 3 in L2 production and perception
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mar, Li-Ya
This dissertation investigates the occurrence of an intermediate stage, termed a covert contrast, in the acquisition of Mandarin Tone 2 (T2) and Tone 3 (T3) by adult speakers of American English. A covert contrast is a statistically reliable distinction produced by language learners that is not perceived by native speakers of the target language (TL). In second language (L2) acquisition, whether a learner is judged as having acquired a TL phonemic contrast has largely depended on whether the contrast was perceived and transcribed by native speakers of the TL. However, categorical perception has shown that native listeners cannot perceive a distinction between two sounds that fall within the same perceptual boundaries on the continuum of the relevant acoustic cues. In other words, it is possible that native speakers of the TL do not perceive a phonemic distinction that is produced by L2 learners when that distinction occurs within a phonemic boundary of TL. The data for the study were gathered through two elicitations of tone production, a longitudinal analysis, and two perception tasks. There were three key findings. First, both elicitations showed that most of the L2 participants produced a covert contrast between T2 and T3 on at least one of the three acoustic measures used in the study. Second, the longitudinal analysis reveals that some L2 participants progressed from making a covert contrast to a later stage of implementing an overt one, thereby supporting the claim that making a covert contrast is an intermediate stage in the process of acquiring a L2 phonemic contrast. Third, results of the perceptual tasks showed no reliable difference in identifying and discriminating Mandarin T2 and T3 on the part of the L2 learners who produced a covert contrast and those who produced an overt contrast, indicating that there was no reliable difference in the two groups' ability to perceive the target tones. In all, the occurrence of a covert contrast in the process of
Time-intensity trading functions for selected pure tones.
Young, L L
A substantial number of investigations have examined the ability of the auditory system to trade time for intensity on a lateralization task. Most of these investigations, however, have employed clicks and noise bursts as stimuli with interaural disparities between onset times. Consequently, there is a lack of quantitative data for time-intensity trades where pure tones that had identical onset times but disparate phase were employed as signals. For this reason we employed sinusoids ranging from 200 to 2000 Hz and determined the extent to which the intensity of one signal must be decreased to achieve a midline image when interaural phase disparities of 0 degrees to 360 degrees were imposed between the binaural signals in 30 degree increments. The time-intensity trading functions yielded in this experiment demonstrate that (1) not unexpectedly, the largest time-intensity trades were accomplished for the lower frequencies; (2) the maximum time-intensity trade for each frequency occurred at interaural phase disparities of 90 degrees and 270 degrees; and (3) when the low-frequency tones were 180 degrees out of phase, essentially the same intraaural intensity relationship was required to achieve midline as was needed for the 0 degree interaural phase condition. PMID:1271802
Computing Axisymmetric Jet Screech Tones Using Unstructured Grids
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Jorgenson, Philip C. E.; Loh, Ching Y.
The space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) method is used to solve the conservation law form of the compressible axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations. The equations are time marched to predict the unsteady flow and the near-field screech tone noise issuing from an underexpanded circular jet. The CE/SE method uses an unstructured grid based data structure. The unstructured grids for these calculations are generated based on the method of Delaunay triangulation. The purpose of this paper is to show that an acoustics solution with a feedback loop can be obtained using truly unstructured grid technology. Numerical results are presented for two different nozzle geometries. The first is considered to have a thin nozzle lip and the second has a thick nozzle lip. Comparisons with available experimental data are shown for flows corresponding to several different jet Mach numbers. Generally good agreement is obtained in terms of flow physics, screech tone frequency, and sound pressure level.
Computing Axisymmetric Jet Screech Tones using Unstructured Grids
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Jorgenson, Philip C. E.; Loh, Ching Y.
The purpose of this paper is to show that computations with an aeroacoustic feedback loop, the jet screech noise, can be obtained using truly unstructured grid technology. Numerical results are presented for a nozzle with two different lip thicknesses which will be referred to in this paper as a thin and a thick lip nozzle respectively. The space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) method is used to solve the conservation laws of the compressible axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations. The equations are time marched to predict the unsteady flow and the near-field screech tone noise issuing from an underexpanded circular jet. The CE/SE method uses an unstructured grid based data structure. The unstructured grids for these calculations are generated based on the method of Delaunay triangulation. Comparisons of numerical results with available experimental data are shown for flows corresponding to several different jet Mach numbers. Generally good agreement is obtained in terms of flow physics, screech tone frequency, and sound pressure level.
Political partisanship influences perception of biracial candidates' skin tone.
Caruso, Eugene M; Mead, Nicole L; Balcetis, Emily
People tend to view members of their own political group more positively than members of a competing political group. In this article, we demonstrate that political partisanship influences people's visual representations of a biracial political candidate's skin tone. In three studies, participants rated the representativeness of photographs of a hypothetical (Study 1) or real (Barack Obama; Studies 2 and 3) biracial political candidate. Unbeknownst to participants, some of the photographs had been altered to make the candidate's skin tone either lighter or darker than it was in the original photograph. Participants whose partisanship matched that of the candidate they were evaluating consistently rated the lightened photographs as more representative of the candidate than the darkened photographs, whereas participants whose partisanship did not match that of the candidate showed the opposite pattern. For evaluations of Barack Obama, the extent to which people rated lightened photographs as representative of him was positively correlated with their stated voting intentions and reported voting behavior in the 2008 Presidential election. This effect persisted when controlling for political ideology and racial attitudes. These results suggest that people's visual representations of others are related to their own preexisting beliefs and to the decisions they make in a consequential context. PMID:19934033
Predicting the decay time of solid body electric guitar tones.
Paté, Arthur; Le Carrou, Jean-Loïc; Fabre, Benoît
Although it can be transformed by various electronic devices, the sound of the solid body electric guitar originates from, and is strongly linked with, the string vibration. The coupling of the string with the guitar alters its vibration and can lead to decay time inhomogeneities. This paper implements and justifies a framework for the study of decay times of electric guitar tones. Two damping mechanisms are theoretically and experimentally identified: the string intrinsic damping and the damping due to mechanical coupling with the neck of the guitar. The electromagnetic pickup is shown to not provide any additional damping to the string. The pickup is also shown to be far more sensitive to the out-of-plane polarization of the string. Finally, an accurate prediction of the decay time of electric guitar tones is made possible, whose only requirements are the knowledge of the isolated string dampings and the out-of-plane conductance at the neck of the guitar. This prediction can be of great help for instrument makers and manufacturers. PMID:24815284
Vagal tone: effects on sensitivity, motility, and inflammation.
Bonaz, B; Sinniger, V; Pellissier, S
The vagus nerve (VN) is a key element of the autonomic nervous system. As a mixed nerve, the VN contributes to the bidirectional interactions between the brain and the gut, i.e., the brain-gut axis. In particular, after integration in the central autonomic network of peripheral sensations such as inflammation and pain via vagal and spinal afferents, an efferent response through modulation of preganglionic parasympathetic neurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and/or preganglionic sympathetic neurons of the spinal cord is able to modulate gastrointestinal nociception, motility, and inflammation. A low vagal tone, as assessed by heart rate variability, a marker of the sympatho-vagal balance, is observed in functional digestive disorders and inflammatory bowel diseases. To restore a normal vagal tone appears as a goal in such diseases. Among the therapeutic tools, such as drugs targeting the cholinergic system and/or complementary medicine (hypnosis, meditation…), deep breathing, physical exercise, VN stimulation (VNS), either invasive or non-invasive, appears as innovative. There is new evidence in the current issue of this Journal supporting the role of VNS in the modulation of gastrointestinal functions. PMID:27010234
Binaural hearing in children using Gaussian enveloped and transposed tones.
Ehlers, Erica; Kan, Alan; Winn, Matthew B; Stoelb, Corey; Litovsky, Ruth Y
Children who use bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs) show significantly poorer sound localization skills than their normal hearing (NH) peers. This difference has been attributed, in part, to the fact that cochlear implants (CIs) do not faithfully transmit interaural time differences (ITDs) and interaural level differences (ILDs), which are known to be important cues for sound localization. Interestingly, little is known about binaural sensitivity in NH children, in particular, with stimuli that constrain acoustic cues in a manner representative of CI processing. In order to better understand and evaluate binaural hearing in children with BiCIs, the authors first undertook a study on binaural sensitivity in NH children ages 8-10, and in adults. Experiments evaluated sound discrimination and lateralization using ITD and ILD cues, for stimuli with robust envelope cues, but poor representation of temporal fine structure. Stimuli were spondaic words, Gaussian-enveloped tone pulse trains (100 pulse-per-second), and transposed tones. Results showed that discrimination thresholds in children were adult-like (15-389 μs for ITDs and 0.5-6.0 dB for ILDs). However, lateralization based on the same binaural cues showed higher variability than seen in adults. Results are discussed in the context of factors that may be responsible for poor representation of binaural cues in bilaterally implanted children. PMID:27106319
Electrocardiograph abnormalities revealed during laparoscopy
Nijjer, Sukhjinder; Dubrey, Simon William
This brief case presents a well patient in whom an electrocardiograph abnormality consistent with an accessory pathway was found during a routine procedure. We present the electrocardiographs, explain the underlying condition, and consider why the abnormality was revealed in this manner. PMID:22419949
Abnormal pressure in hydrocarbon environments
Law, B.E.; Spencer, C.W.
Abnormal pressures, pressures above or below hydrostatic pressures, occur on all continents in a wide range of geological conditions. According to a survey of published literature on abnormal pressures, compaction disequilibrium and hydrocarbon generation are the two most commonly cited causes of abnormally high pressure in petroleum provinces. In young (Tertiary) deltaic sequences, compaction disequilibrium is the dominant cause of abnormal pressure. In older (pre-Tertiary) lithified rocks, hydrocarbon generation, aquathermal expansion, and tectonics are most often cited as the causes of abnormal pressure. The association of abnormal pressures with hydrocarbon accumulations is statistically significant. Within abnormally pressured reservoirs, empirical evidence indicates that the bulk of economically recoverable oil and gas occurs in reservoirs with pressure gradients less than 0.75 psi/ft (17.4 kPa/m) and there is very little production potential from reservoirs that exceed 0.85 psi/ft (19.6 kPa/m). Abnormally pressured rocks are also commonly associated with unconventional gas accumulations where the pressuring phase is gas of either a thermal or microbial origin. In underpressured, thermally mature rocks, the affected reservoirs have most often experienced a significant cooling history and probably evolved from an originally overpressured system.
Haem degradation in abnormal haemoglobins.
Brown, S B; Docherty, J C
The coupled oxidation of certain abnormal haemoglobins leads to different bile-pigment isomer distributions from that of normal haemoglobin. The isomer pattern may be correlated with the structure of the abnormal haemoglobin in the neighbourhood of the haem pocket. This is support for haem degradation by an intramolecular reaction. PMID:708385
Abnormal Pitch Perception Produced by Cochlear Implant Stimulation
Zeng, Fan-Gang; Tang, Qing; Lu, Thomas
Contemporary cochlear implants with multiple electrode stimulation can produce good speech perception but poor music perception. Hindered by the lack of a gold standard to quantify electric pitch, relatively little is known about the nature and extent of the electric pitch abnormalities and their impact on cochlear implant performance. Here we overcame this obstacle by comparing acoustic and electric pitch perception in 3 unilateral cochlear-implant subjects who had functionally usable acoustic hearing throughout the audiometric frequency range in the non-implant ear. First, to establish a baseline, we measured and found slightly impaired pure tone frequency discrimination and nearly perfect melody recognition in all 3 subjects' acoustic ear. Second, using pure tones in the acoustic ear to match electric pitch induced by an intra-cochlear electrode, we found that the frequency-electrode function was not only 1–2 octaves lower, but also 2 times more compressed in frequency range than the normal cochlear frequency-place function. Third, we derived frequency difference limens in electric pitch and found that the equivalent electric frequency discrimination was 24 times worse than normal-hearing controls. These 3 abnormalities are likely a result of a combination of broad electric field, distant intra-cochlear electrode placement, and non-uniform spiral ganglion cell distribution and survival, all of which are inherent to the electrode-nerve interface in contemporary cochlear implants. Previous studies emphasized on the "mean" shape of the frequency-electrode function, but the present study indicates that the large "variance" of this function, reflecting poor electric pitch discriminability, is the main factor limiting contemporary cochlear implant performance. PMID:24551131
Abnormal pitch perception produced by cochlear implant stimulation.
Zeng, Fan-Gang; Tang, Qing; Lu, Thomas
Contemporary cochlear implants with multiple electrode stimulation can produce good speech perception but poor music perception. Hindered by the lack of a gold standard to quantify electric pitch, relatively little is known about the nature and extent of the electric pitch abnormalities and their impact on cochlear implant performance. Here we overcame this obstacle by comparing acoustic and electric pitch perception in 3 unilateral cochlear-implant subjects who had functionally usable acoustic hearing throughout the audiometric frequency range in the non-implant ear. First, to establish a baseline, we measured and found slightly impaired pure tone frequency discrimination and nearly perfect melody recognition in all 3 subjects' acoustic ear. Second, using pure tones in the acoustic ear to match electric pitch induced by an intra-cochlear electrode, we found that the frequency-electrode function was not only 1-2 octaves lower, but also 2 times more compressed in frequency range than the normal cochlear frequency-place function. Third, we derived frequency difference limens in electric pitch and found that the equivalent electric frequency discrimination was 24 times worse than normal-hearing controls. These 3 abnormalities are likely a result of a combination of broad electric field, distant intra-cochlear electrode placement, and non-uniform spiral ganglion cell distribution and survival, all of which are inherent to the electrode-nerve interface in contemporary cochlear implants. Previous studies emphasized on the "mean" shape of the frequency-electrode function, but the present study indicates that the large "variance" of this function, reflecting poor electric pitch discriminability, is the main factor limiting contemporary cochlear implant performance. PMID:24551131
Autonomic modification of intestinal smooth muscle contractility.
Montgomery, Laura E A; Tansey, Etain A; Johnson, Chris D; Roe, Sean M; Quinn, Joe G
Intestinal smooth muscle contracts rhythmically in the absence of nerve and hormonal stimulation because of the activity of pacemaker cells between and within the muscle layers. This means that the autonomic nervous system modifies rather than initiates intestinal contractions. The practical described here gives students an opportunity to observe this spontaneous activity and its modification by agents associated with parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve activity. A section of the rabbit small intestine is suspended in an organ bath, and the use of a pressure transducer and data-acquisition software allows the measurement of tension generated by the smooth muscle of intestinal walls. The application of the parasympathetic neurotransmitter ACh at varying concentrations allows students to observe an increase in intestinal smooth muscle tone with increasing concentrations of this muscarinic receptor agonist. Construction of a concentration-effect curve allows students to calculate an EC50 value for ACh and consider some basic concepts surrounding receptor occupancy and activation. Application of the hormone epinephrine to the precontracted intestine allows students to observe the inhibitory effects associated with sympathetic nerve activation. Introduction of the drug atropine to the preparation before a maximal concentration of ACh is applied allows students to observe the inhibitory effect of a competitive antagonist on the physiological response to a receptor agonist. The final experiment involves the observation of the depolarizing effect of K(+) on smooth muscle. Students are also invited to consider why the drugs atropine, codeine, loperamide, and botulinum toxin have medicinal uses in the management of gastrointestinal problems. PMID:26873897
Influences of vowel and tone variation on emergent word knowledge: a cross-linguistic investigation.
Singh, Leher; Hui, Tam Jun; Chan, Calista; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick
To learn words, infants must be sensitive to native phonological contrast. While lexical tone predominates as a source of phonemic contrast in human languages, there has been little investigation of the influences of lexical tone on word learning. The present study investigates infants' sensitivity to tone mispronunciations in two groups of infants. For one group (Chinese learners), tone is phonemic in their native language, and for the second group (English learners), tone is non-phonemic and constituted suprasegmental variation. In Experiment 1, English learners were trained on novel word-object pairings and tested on their recognition of correct pronunciations, tone and vowel mispronunciations of these words at 18 and 24 months. In Experiment 2a, bilingual English-Chinese learners were tested on a similar task translated into Chinese at the same age intervals. Results demonstrate that non-tonal learners treated tonal and vowel substitutions alike as mispronunciations at 18 months but only treated vowel substitutions as mispronunciations at 24 months. Tonal learners treated both tonal and vowel substitutions as mispronunciations at both ages. In Experiment 2b, bilingual non-tone language learners were tested on the same set of tasks replicating a similar set of results as monolingual non-tone language learners (Experiment 1). Findings point to an early predisposition to treat tone as a defining characteristic of words regardless of its lexical relevance at 18 months. Between 18 and 24 months, learners appear to ascribe lexical relevance to tone in a language-specific manner. The current study identifies the influences of tone variation on memories for newly learned words and the time period during which lexical tone - a highly frequent constituent of human languages - actually becomes lexical for early learners. Findings are contextualized with prevailing models of the developing lexicon. PMID:24118787
Respiratory and limb muscle dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a role for exercise training?
Abstract Respiratory and limb muscle dysfunction is emerging as an important pathophysiological abnormality in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Muscle abnormalities appear to occur frequently and promote dyspnea, fatigue, and exercise limitation in patients with PAH. Preliminary data suggest that targeted muscle training may be of benefit, although further evidence is required to consolidate these findings into specific recommendations for exercise training in patients with PAH. This article reviews the current evidence on prevalence, risk factors, and implications of respiratory and limb muscle dysfunction in patients with PAH. It also reviews the impact of exercise rehabilitation on morphologic, metabolic, and functional muscle profile and outcomes in PAH. Future research priorities are highlighted. PMID:26401245
A muscle strain is the stretching or tearing of muscle fibers. A muscle strain can be caused by sports, exercise, a ... something that is too heavy. Symptoms of a muscle strain include pain, tightness, swelling, tenderness, and the ...
Abnormal Activation of BMP Signaling Causes Myopathy in Fbn2 Null Mice.
Sengle, Gerhard; Carlberg, Valerie; Tufa, Sara F; Charbonneau, Noe L; Smaldone, Silvia; Carlson, Eric J; Ramirez, Francesco; Keene, Douglas R; Sakai, Lynn Y
Fibrillins are large extracellular macromolecules that polymerize to form the backbone structure of connective tissue microfibrils. Mutations in the gene for fibrillin-1 cause the Marfan syndrome, while mutations in the gene for fibrillin-2 cause Congenital Contractural Arachnodactyly. Both are autosomal dominant disorders, and both disorders affect musculoskeletal tissues. Here we show that Fbn2 null mice (on a 129/Sv background) are born with reduced muscle mass, abnormal muscle histology, and signs of activated BMP signaling in skeletal muscle. A delay in Myosin Heavy Chain 8, a perinatal myosin, was found in Fbn2 null forelimb muscle tissue, consistent with the notion that muscle defects underlie forelimb contractures in these mice. In addition, white fat accumulated in the forelimbs during the early postnatal period. Adult Fbn2 null mice are already known to demonstrate persistent muscle weakness. Here we measured elevated creatine kinase levels in adult Fbn2 null mice, indicating ongoing cycles of muscle injury. On a C57Bl/6 background, Fbn2 null mice showed severe defects in musculature, leading to neonatal death from respiratory failure. These new findings demonstrate that loss of fibrillin-2 results in phenotypes similar to those found in congenital muscular dystrophies and that FBN2 should be considered as a candidate gene for recessive congenital muscular dystrophy. Both in vivo and in vitro evidence associated muscle abnormalities and accumulation of white fat in Fbn2 null mice with abnormally activated BMP signaling. Genetic rescue of reduced muscle mass and accumulation of white fat in Fbn2 null mice was accomplished by deleting a single allele of Bmp7. In contrast to other reports that activated BMP signaling leads to muscle hypertrophy, our findings demonstrate the exquisite sensitivity of BMP signaling to the fibrillin-2 extracellular environment during early postnatal muscle development. New evidence presented here suggests that fibrillin-2 can
Effects of musical and linguistic experience on categorization of lexical and melodic tones.
Chang, Daniel; Hedberg, Nancy; Wang, Yue
This study investigated the categorization of Mandarin lexical tones and music melodic tones by listeners differing in linguistic and musical experience (English musicians, English non-musicians, and Mandarin non-musicians). Linguistic tonal continua were created from the Mandarin rising to level, and falling to level tones. Melodic continua were created by varying the note D under the context of C and E. The tasks involved tone discrimination and identification. Results revealed that musical training facilitated Mandarin tone categorization, with English musicians' tone identification approximating native Mandarin patterns, being more categorical than English non-musicians'. However, English musicians showed higher discrimination accuracy than Mandarin listeners but not English non-musicians. This suggests that musical experience was not advantageous in discriminating linguistic tonal variations, which requires listeners to ignore subtle physical differences in order to make categorical judgments. Similarly, Mandarin tone experience affected melodic tone identification, with Mandarin non-musicians approximating English musicians, showing more categorical patterns than English non-musicians. In contrast, Mandarin non-musicians' melodic discrimination was the poorest among the three groups, indicating that their experience with linguistic tone categorization may have decreased their sensitivity to fine-grained pitch variations. These results demonstrate bi-directional transfer of pitch proficiency between speech and music as a function of experience. PMID:27250140
Preattentive processing of emotional musical tones: a multidimensional scaling and ERP study.
Spreckelmeyer, Katja N; Altenmüller, Eckart; Colonius, Hans; Münte, Thomas F
Musical emotion can be conveyed by subtle variations in timbre. Here, we investigated whether the brain is capable to discriminate tones differing in emotional expression by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) in an oddball paradigm under preattentive listening conditions. First, using multidimensional Fechnerian scaling, pairs of violin tones played with a happy or sad intonation were rated same or different by a group of non-musicians. Three happy and three sad tones were selected for the ERP experiment. The Fechnerian distances between tones within an emotion were in the same range as the distances between tones of different emotions. In two conditions, either 3 happy and 1 sad or 3 sad and 1 happy tone were presented in pseudo-random order. A mismatch negativity for the emotional deviant was observed, indicating that in spite of considerable perceptual differences between the three equiprobable tones of the standard emotion, a template was formed based on timbral cues against which the emotional deviant was compared. Based on Juslin's assumption of redundant code usage, we propose that tones were grouped together, because they were identified as belonging to one emotional category based on different emotion-specific cues. These results indicate that the brain forms an emotional memory trace at a preattentive level and thus, extends previous investigations in which emotional deviance was confounded with physical dissimilarity. Differences between sad and happy tones were observed which might be due to the fact that the happy emotion is mostly communicated by suprasegmental features. PMID:24065950
Preattentive processing of emotional musical tones: a multidimensional scaling and ERP study
Spreckelmeyer, Katja N.; Altenmüller, Eckart; Colonius, Hans; Münte, Thomas F.
Musical emotion can be conveyed by subtle variations in timbre. Here, we investigated whether the brain is capable to discriminate tones differing in emotional expression by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) in an oddball paradigm under preattentive listening conditions. First, using multidimensional Fechnerian scaling, pairs of violin tones played with a happy or sad intonation were rated same or different by a group of non-musicians. Three happy and three sad tones were selected for the ERP experiment. The Fechnerian distances between tones within an emotion were in the same range as the distances between tones of different emotions. In two conditions, either 3 happy and 1 sad or 3 sad and 1 happy tone were presented in pseudo-random order. A mismatch negativity for the emotional deviant was observed, indicating that in spite of considerable perceptual differences between the three equiprobable tones of the standard emotion, a template was formed based on timbral cues against which the emotional deviant was compared. Based on Juslin's assumption of redundant code usage, we propose that tones were grouped together, because they were identified as belonging to one emotional category based on different emotion-specific cues. These results indicate that the brain forms an emotional memory trace at a preattentive level and thus, extends previous investigations in which emotional deviance was confounded with physical dissimilarity. Differences between sad and happy tones were observed which might be due to the fact that the happy emotion is mostly communicated by suprasegmental features. PMID:24065950
Synchronous changes of psychophysiological responses and tone pressure: effect of musical training.
Iwanaga, M
This study was designed to examine the relationship between psychophysiological responses and tone pressure during music. The main findings were as follows: (1) Mean increments of heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR) did not correlate with mean increments of tone pressure. (2) Musical individuals showed consistent changes between HR and tone pressure. (3) Non-musical person showed a high correlation between changes of HR and tone pressure in only a rhythmic and dynamic musical piece. These results showed that trained musicians respond differently from individuals having no musical training. PMID:7876040
Evoked magnetoencephalographic responses to omission of a tone in a musical scale.
Nemoto, Iku
The musical scale is a basis for melodies and can be a simple melody by itself. The present study investigated magnetoencephalographic (MEG) responses to omissions of one tone out of the C major scale. The tone preceding the omitted "target" tone was either prolonged or repeated. In another series, the tone after the target tone was repeated. In "normal" oddball experiments, the complete C major scale was presented more frequently than an incomplete scale lacking one tone, and in "reverse" oddball experiments, the roles were exchanged. In the normal oddball experiments, omission of any tone produced a response significantly different in amplitude from the standard response in the group of non-musicians, although the responses differed depending on the types of omission. The leading tone (B in the C major scale) was shown to elicit a large response when omitted and also when its presence was emphasized. The Reverse oddball experiments showed that repeated presentation of an incomplete scale lacking one tone temporarily reduced the influence of the complete scale but could not even temporarily replace it working as "standard." In addition, an auxiliary study was done to see possible influence of rhythmic variations. PMID:22712949
[Walking abnormalities in children].
Segawa, Masaya
Walking is a spontaneous movement termed locomotion that is promoted by activation of antigravity muscles by serotonergic (5HT) neurons. Development of antigravity activity follows 3 developmental epochs of the sleep-wake (S-W) cycle and is modulated by particular 5HT neurons in each epoch. Activation of antigravity activities occurs in the first epoch (around the age of 3 to 4 months) as restriction of atonia in rapid eye movement (REM) stage and development of circadian S-W cycle. These activities strengthen in the second epoch, with modulation of day-time sleep and induction of crawling around the age of 8 months and induction of walking by 1 year. Around the age of 1 year 6 months, absence of guarded walking and interlimb cordination is observed along with modulation of day-time sleep to once in the afternoon. Bipedal walking in upright position occurs in the third epoch, with development of a biphasic S-W cycle by the age of 4-5 years. Patients with infantile autism (IA), Rett syndrome (RTT), or Tourette syndrome (TS) show failure in the development of the first, second, or third epoch, respectively. Patients with IA fail to develop interlimb coordination; those with RTT, crawling and walking; and those with TS, walking in upright posture. Basic pathophysiology underlying these condition is failure in restricting atonia in REM stage; this induces dysfunction of the pedunculopontine nucleus and consequently dys- or hypofunction of the dopamine (DA) neurons. DA hypofunction in the developing brain, associated with compensatory upward regulation of the DA receptors causes psychobehavioral disorders in infancy (IA), failure in synaptogenesis in the frontal cortex and functional development of the motor and associate cortexes in late infancy through the basal ganglia (RTT), and failure in functional development of the prefrontal cortex through the basal ganglia (TS). Further, locomotion failure in early childhood causes failure in development of functional
Voice low tone to high tone ratio: a potential quantitative index for vowel [a:] and its nasalization.
Lee, Guo-She; Wang, Ching-Ping; Yang, Cheryl C H; Kuo, Terry B J
Hypernasality is associated with various diseases and interferes with speech intelligibility. A recently developed quantitative index called voice low tone to high tone ratio (VLHR) was used to estimate nasalization. The voice spectrum is divided into low-frequency power (LFP) and high-frequency power (HFP) by a specific cutoff frequency (600 Hz). VLHR is defined as the division of LFP into HFP and is expressed in decibels. Voice signals of the sustained vowel [a :] and its nasalization in eight subjects with hypernasality were collected for analysis of nasalance and VLHR. The correlation of VLHR with nasalance scores was significant (r = 0.76, p < 0.01), and so was the correlation between VLHR and perceptual hypernasality scores (r = 0.80, p < 0.01). Simultaneous recordings of nasal airflow temperature with a thermistor and voice signals in another 8 healthy subjects showed a significant correlation between temperature rate of nasal airflow and VLHR (r = 0.76, p < 0.01), as well. We conclude that VLHR may become a potential quantitative index of hypernasal speech and can be applied in either basic or clinical studies. PMID:16830950
Niflumic Acid Attenuated Pulmonary Artery Tone and Vascular Structural Remodeling of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Induced by High Pulmonary Blood Flow In Vivo.
Wang, Kai; Ma, Jianfa; Pang, Yusheng; Lao, Jinquan; Pan, Xuanren; Tang, Qiaoyun; Zhang, Feng; Su, Danyan; Qin, Suyuan; Shrestha, Arnav Prasad
Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) play a vital role in regulating pulmonary artery tone during pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induced by high blood flow. The role of CaCCs inhibitor niflumic acid (NFA) in vivo during this process requires further investigation. We established the PAH model by abdominal shunt surgery and treated with NFA in vivo. Fifty rats were randomly divided into normal, sham, shunt, NFA group 1 (0.2 mg/kg), and NFA group 2 (0.4 mg/kg). Pathological changes, right ventricle hypertrophy index, arterial wall area/vessel area, and arterial wall thickness/vessel external diameter were analyzed. Then contraction reactions of pulmonary arteries were measured. Finally, the electrophysiological characteristics of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells were investigated using patch-clamp technology. After 11 weeks of shunting, PAH developed, accompanied with increased right ventricle hypertrophy index, arterial wall area/vessel area, and arterial wall thickness/vessel external diameter. In the NFA treatment groups, the pressure and pathological changes were alleviated. The pulmonary artery tone in the shunt group increased, whereas it decreased after NFA treatment. The current density of CaCC was higher in the shunt group, and it was decreased in the NFA treatment groups. In conclusion, NFA attenuated pulmonary artery tone and structural remodeling in PAH induced by high pulmonary blood flow in vivo. CaCCs were involved and the augmented current density was alleviated by NFA treatment. PMID:26132368
Chromosomal abnormalities in human sperm
Martin, R.H.
The ability to analyze human sperm chromosome complements after penetration of zona pellucida-free hamster eggs provides the first opportunity to study the frequency and type of chromosomal abnormalities in human gametes. Two large-scale studies have provided information on normal men. We have studied 1,426 sperm complements from 45 normal men and found an abnormality rate of 8.9%. Brandriff et al. (5) found 8.1% abnormal complements in 909 sperm from 4 men. The distribution of numerical and structural abnormalities was markedly dissimilar in the 2 studies. The frequency of aneuploidy was 5% in our sample and only 1.6% in Brandriff's, perhaps reflecting individual variability among donors. The frequency of 24,YY sperm was low: 0/1,426 and 1/909. This suggests that the estimates of nondisjunction based on fluorescent Y body data (1% to 5%) are not accurate. We have also studied men at increased risk of sperm chromosomal abnormalities. The frequency of chromosomally unbalanced sperm in 6 men heterozygous for structural abnormalities varied dramatically: 77% for t11;22, 32% for t6;14, 19% for t5;18, 13% for t14;21, and 0% for inv 3 and 7. We have also studied 13 cancer patients before and after radiotherapy and demonstrated a significant dose-dependent increase of sperm chromosome abnormalities (numerical and structural) 36 months after radiation treatment.
Roles of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and myofilament Ca2+ sensitization in age-dependent cerebrovascular myogenic tone.
Charles, Shelton M; Zhang, Lubo; Cipolla, Marilyn J; Buchholz, John N; Pearce, William J
In light of evidence that immature arteries contain a higher proportion of noncontractile smooth muscle cells than found in fully differentiated mature arteries, the present study explored the hypothesis that age-related differences in the smooth muscle phenotype contribute to age-related differences in contractility. Because Ca(2+) handling differs markedly between contractile and noncontractile smooth muscle, the present study specifically tested the hypothesis that the relative contributions of Ca(2+) influx and myofilament sensitization to myogenic tone are upregulated, whereas Ca(2+) release is downregulated, in immature [14 days postnatal (P14)] compared with mature (6 mo old) rat middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). Myofilament Ca(2+) sensitivity measured in β-escin-permeabilized arteries increased with pressure in P14 but not adult MCAs. Cyclopiazonic acid (an inhibitor of Ca(2+) release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum) increased diameter and reduced Ca(2+) in adult MCAs but increased diameter with no apparent change in Ca(2+) in P14 MCAs. La(3+) (Ca(2+) influx inhibitor) increased diameter and decreased Ca(2+) in adult MCAs, but in P14 MCAs, La(3+) increased diameter with no apparent change in Ca(2+). After treatment with both La(3+) and CPA, diameters were passive in both adult and P14 MCAs, but Ca(2+) was decreased only in adult MCAs. To quantify the fraction of smooth muscle cells in the fully differentiated contractile phenotype, extents of colocalization between smooth muscle α-actin and SM2 myosin heavy chain were determined and found to be at least twofold greater in adult than pup MCAs. These data suggest that compared with adult MCAs, pup MCAs contain a greater proportion of noncontractile smooth muscle and, as a consequence, rely more on myofilament Ca(2+) sensitization and Ca(2+) influx to maintain myogenic reactivity. The inability of La(3+) to reduce cytosolic Ca(2+) in the pup MCA appears due to La(3+)-insensitive noncontractile smooth muscle
Detection of modulated tones in modulated noise by non-human primates.
Bohlen, Peter; Dylla, Margit; Timms, Courtney; Ramachandran, Ramnarayan
In natural environments, many sounds are amplitude-modulated. Amplitude modulation is thought to be a signal that aids auditory object formation. A previous study of the detection of signals in noise found that when tones or noise were amplitude-modulated, the noise was a less effective masker, and detection thresholds for tones in noise were lowered. These results suggest that the detection of modulated signals in modulated noise would be enhanced. This paper describes the results of experiments investigating how detection is modified when both signal and noise were amplitude-modulated. Two monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained to detect amplitude-modulated tones in continuous, amplitude-modulated broadband noise. When the phase difference of otherwise similarly amplitude-modulated tones and noise were varied, detection thresholds were highest when the modulations were in phase and lowest when the modulations were anti-phase. When the depth of the modulation of tones or noise was varied, detection thresholds decreased if the modulations were anti-phase. When the modulations were in phase, increasing the depth of tone modulation caused an increase in tone detection thresholds, but increasing depth of noise modulations did not affect tone detection thresholds. Changing the modulation frequency of tone or noise caused changes in threshold that saturated at modulation frequencies higher than 20 Hz; thresholds decreased when the tone and noise modulations were in phase and decreased when they were anti-phase. The relationship between reaction times and tone level were not modified by manipulations to the nature of temporal variations in the signal or noise. The changes in behavioral threshold were consistent with a model where the brain subtracted noise from signal. These results suggest that the parameters of the modulation of signals and maskers heavily influence detection in very predictable ways. These results are consistent with some results in humans and avians
Contribution of Bimodal Hearing to Lexical Tone Normalization in Mandarin-speaking Cochlear Implant Users
Luo, Xin; Chang, Yi-ping; Lin, Chun-yi; Chang, Ronald Y.
Native Mandarin normal-hearing (NH) listeners can easily perceive lexical tones even under conditions of great voice pitch variations across speakers by using the pitch contrast between context and target stimuli. It is however unclear whether cochlear implant (CI) users with limited access to pitch cues can make similar use of context pitch cues for tone normalization. In this study, native Mandarin NH listeners and pre-lingually deafened unilaterally implanted CI users were asked to recognize a series of Mandarin tones varying from Tone 1 (high-flat) to Tone 2 (mid-rising) with or without a preceding sentence context. Most of the CI subjects used a hearing aid (HA) in the non-implanted ear (i.e., bimodal users) and were tested both with CI alone and CI+HA. In the test without context, typical S-shaped tone recognition functions were observed for most CI subjects and the function slopes and perceptual boundaries were similar with either CI alone or CI+HA. Compared to NH subjects, CI subjects were less sensitive to the pitch changes in target tones. In the test with context, NH subjects had more (resp. fewer) Tone-2 responses in a context with high (resp. low) fundamental frequencies, known as the contrastive context effect. For CI subjects, a similar contrastive context effect was found statistically significant for tone recognition with CI+HA but not with CI alone. The results suggest that the pitch cues from CIs may not be sufficient to consistently support the pitch contrast processing for tone normalization. The additional pitch cues from aided residual acoustic hearing can however provide CI users with a similar tone normalization capability as NH listeners. PMID:24576834
Cortical Auditory Event Related Potentials (P300) for Frequency Changing Dynamic Tones
Kalaiah, Mohan Kumar
Background and Objectives P300 has been studied with a variety of stimuli. However, the nature of P300 has not been investigated for deviant stimuli which change its characteristics from standard stimuli after a period of time from onset. Subjects and Methods Nine young adults with normal hearing participated in the study. The P300 was elicited using an oddball paradigm, the probability of standard and deviant stimuli was 80% and 20% respectively. Six stimuli were used to elicit P300, it included two pure-tones (1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz) and four tone-complexes (tones with frequency changes). Among these stimuli, 1,000 Hz tone served as standard while others served as deviant stimuli. The P300 was recorded in five separate blocks, with one of the deviant stimuli as target in each block. Electroencephalographic was recorded from electrode sites Fz, Cz, C3, C4, and Pz. Latency and amplitude of components of the cortical auditory evoked potentials were measured at Cz. Results Waveforms obtained in the present study shows that, all the deviant stimuli elicited obligatory P1-N1-P2 for stimulus onset. 2,000 Hz deviant tone elicited P300 at a latency of 300 ms. While, tone-complexes elicited acoustic change complex (ACC) for frequency changes and finally elicited P300 at a latency of 600 ms. In addition, the results showed shorter latency and larger amplitude ACC and P300 for rising tone-complexes compared to falling tone-complexes. Conclusions Tone-complexes elicited distinct waveforms compared to 2,000 Hz deviant tone. Rising tone-complexes which had an increase in frequency elicited shorter latency and larger amplitude responses, which could be attributed to perceptual bias for frequency changes. PMID:27144230
Melodic Pitch Perception and Lexical Tone Perception in Mandarin-Speaking Cochlear Implant Users
Tao, Duoduo; Deng, Rui; Jiang, Ye; Galvin, John J.; Fu, Qian-Jie; Chen, Bing
Objectives To examine the relationship between lexical tone perception and melodic pitch perception in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users, and to investigate the influence of previous acoustic hearing on CI users' speech and music perception. Design Lexical tone perception and melodic contour identification (MCI) were measured in 21 prelingual and 11 postlingual young (age: 6–26 years old) Mandarin-speaking CI users. Lexical tone recognition was measured for four tonal patterns: Tone 1 (flat F0), Tone 2 (rising F0), Tone 3 (falling-rising F0), and Tone 4 (falling F0). MCI was measured using 9 five-note melodic patterns that contained changes in pitch contour, as well as different semitone spacing between notes. Results Lexical tone recognition was generally good (overall mean = 81% correct), and there was no significant difference between subject groups. MCI performance was generally poor (mean = 23% correct). MCI performance was significantly better for postlingual (mean = 32% correct) than for prelingual CI participants (18% correct). After correcting for outliers, there was no significant correlation between lexical tone recognition and MCI performance for prelingual or post-lingual CI participants. Age at deafness was significantly correlated with MCI performance only for postlingual participants. CI experience was significantly correlated with MCI performance for both prelingual and postlingual participants. Duration of deafness was significantly correlated with tone recognition only for prelingual participants. Conclusions Despite the prevalence of pitch cues in Mandarin, the present CI participants had great difficulty perceiving melodic pitch. The availability of amplitude and duration cues in lexical tones most likely compensated for the poor pitch perception observed with these CI listeners. Previous acoustic hearing experience seemed to benefit postlingual CI users' melodic pitch perception. Longer CI experience was associated with
Tone signal generator for producing multioperator tone signals using an operator circuit including a waveform generator, a selector and an enveloper
Dong, Q.; Jenkins, M.V.; Bernadas, S.R.
A frequency modulation (FM) tone signal generator for generating a FM tone signal is disclosed. The tone signal generator includes a waveform generator having a plurality of wave tables, a selector and an enveloper. The waveform generator furnishes a waveform signal in response to a phase angle address signal. Each wave table stores a different waveform. The selector selects one of the wave tables in response to a plurality of selection signals such that the selected wave table largely provides the waveform signal upon being addressed largely by the phase angle address signal. Selection of the selected wave table varies with each selection signal. The enveloper impresses an envelope signal on the waveform signal. The envelope signal is used as a carrier or modulator for generating the FM tone signal. 17 figs.
Tone signal generator for producing multioperator tone signals using an operator circuit including a waveform generator, a selector and an enveloper
Dong, Qiujie; Jenkins, Michael V.; Bernadas, Salvador R.
A frequency modulation (FM) tone signal generator for generating a FM tone signal is disclosed. The tone signal generator includes a waveform generator having a plurality of wave tables, a selector and an enveloper. The waveform generator furnishes a waveform signal in response to a phase angle address signal. Each wave table stores a different waveform. The selector selects one of the wave tables in response to a plurality of selection signals such that the selected wave table largely provides the waveform signal upon being addressed largely by the phase angle address signal. Selection of the selected wave table varies with each selection signal. The enveloper impresses an envelope signal on the waveform signal. The envelope signal is used as a carrier or modulator for generating the FM tone signal.
Tone calibration technique: A digital signaling scheme for mobile applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Davarian, F.
Residual carrier modulation is conventionally used in a communication link to assist the receiver with signal demodulation and detection. Although suppressed carrier modulation has a slight power advantage over the residual carrier approach in systems enjoying a high level of stability, it lacks sufficient robustness to be used in channels severely contaminated by noise, interference and propagation effects. In mobile links, in particular, the vehicle motion and multipath waveform propagation affect the received carrier in an adverse fashion. A residual carrier scheme that uses a pilot carrier to calibrate a mobile channel against multipath fading anomalies is described. The benefits of this scheme, known as tone calibration technique, are described. A brief study of the system performance in the presence of implementation anomalies is also given.
Tone generation by rotor-downstream strut interaction
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Woodward, R. P.; Balombin, J. R.
A JT15D fan stage was acoustically tested in the NASA Lewis anechoic chamber as part of the joint Lewis-Langley Research Center investigation of flight simulation techniques and flight effects using the JT15D engine as a common test vehicle. Suspected rotor-downstream support strut interaction was confirmed through the use of simulated support struts which were tested at three axial rotor-strut spacings. Tests were also performed with the struts removed. Inlet boundary layer suction in conjuction with an inflow control device was also explored. The removal of the boundary layer reduced the fan fundamental tone levels suggesting that the mounting and mating of such a device to the nacelle requires careful attention. With the same inflow control device installed good acoustic agreement was shown between the engine on an outdoor test stand and the fan in the anechoic chamber.
Tone generation by rotor-downstream strut interaction
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Woodward, R. P.; Balombin, J. R.
A JT15D fan stage was acoustically tested in the NASA Lewis anechoic chamber as part of the joint Lewis-Langley Research Center investigation of flight simulation techniques and flight effects using the JT15D engine as a common test vehicle. Suspected rotor-downstream support strut interaction was confirmed through the use of simulated support struts which were tested at three axial rotor-strut spacings. Tests were also performed with the struts removed. Inlet boundary layer suction in conjunction with an inflow control device was also explored. The removal of the boundary layer reduced the fan fundamental tone levels suggesting that the mounting and mating of such a device to the nacelle requires careful attention. With the same inflow control device installed good acoustic agreement was shown between the engine on an outdoor test stand and the fan in the anechoic chamber.
Multi-tone response of Nonlinear rf-SQUID metamaterials
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Daimeng; Trepanier, Melissa; Mukhanov, Oleg; Antonsen, Thomas; Ott, Edward; Anlage, Steven
We study the multi-tone response over a broad microwave frequency range of a nonlinear superconducting meta-atom and a metamaterial composed of Radio Frequency Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices (rf-SQUIDs). Nonlinearity in the SQUID metamaterial gives rise to large-range tunable resonance via dc/rf magnetic field and temperature, it also results in signal mixing through intermodulation distortion (IMD). Our metamaterial responds to multi-frequency signals and generates strong higher order intermodulation signals in a certain range of applied rf power. However, our meta-atom and metamaterial show a reduced third-order IMD generation around the resonance, which is unusual for typical nonlinear systems. The numerical simulation predicts the same IMD gap feature as in experiment. A comprehensive analytical model is applied to explain the phenomena, and methods to enhance, or reduce, intermodulation levels are explored. This work is supported by the NSF-GOALI and OISE programs through Grant # ECCS-1158644, and CNAM.
Adaptive optimization for pilot-tone aided phase noise compensation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cui, Sheng; Xu, Mengran; Xia, Wenjuan; Ke, Chanjian; Xia, Zijie; Liu, Deming
Pilot-tone (PT) aided phase noise compensation algorithm is very simple and effective, especially for flexible optical networks, because the phase noise coming from both Tx/Rx lasers and nonlinear cross phase modulation (XPM) during transmission can be adaptively compensated without high computational cost nonlinear operations, or the information of the neighboring channels and the optical link configuration. But to achieve the best performance the two key parameters, i.e. the pilot to signal power ratio and pilot bandpass filter bandwidth need to be optimized. In this paper it is demonstrated that constellation information can be used to adjust the two parameters adaptively to achieve the minimum BER in both homogenous and hybrid single carrier transmission systems with different LPN, XPM and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise distortions.
Light-toned Layered Outcrops in Valles Marineris Walls
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
[figure removed for brevity, see original site]Valles Marineris a system of troughs, chasms, and pit chains that stretches more than 4,000 km (2,500 miles) across the martian western hemisphere. Outcrops of layered material found in mounds and mesas within the chasms of the Valles Marineris were known from the pictures taken by Mariner 9 in 1972 and the Viking orbiters of 1976-1980. One example of the those known previously is the mesa labeled 'Candor Mensa' in the context image (above); another example is the mound in the center of Ganges Chasma. For several decades, it has been widely speculated among Mars scientists that the light- and dark-toned layered materials in the Valles Marineris might have formed in lakes that had once filled the chasms during the most recent epoch of martian history; others thought they might result from volcanic ash deposited in the chasms. Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images have confirmed the presence of light- and dark-toned layered sedimentary rock outcrops in the Valles Marineris, but they have also revealed many more than were previously known and they have shown several good examples that these materials are coming out of the walls of the Valles Marineris chasms. The fact that these materials come out of the chasm walls means that the layers do not represent lakes (or volcanic debris) that formed in the Valles Marineris. Instead, they represent materials deposited and buried long before there ever was a Valles Marineris. They are seen now because of the faulting and erosion that opened up and widened the Valles Marineris troughs. The context image is a mosaic of Viking 1 orbiter images taken in 1976 showing a portion of the wall that separates western Ophir Chasma from western Candor Chasma in the Valles Marineris. This area is located around 5oS, 74oW. The white box labeled 'M17-00467' shows the location of a subframe of MOC image M17-00467 that was acquired in July 2000 to allow scientists to
Light-toned Rocks First, 'Columbia Hills' Later
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2004-01-01This image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover's panoramic camera on sol 91 (April 5, 2004) shows the rover's ultimate destination - the eastern-lying 'Columbia Hills.' The rover will head toward the hills in coming sols, while stopping to investigate rocks and soils along the way. Of particular interest is the light-toned coating seen here on the low-lying rocks. Scientists intend to find out if this coating is the same as that observed on the well-studied rock dubbed 'Mazatzal.' They believe Mazatzal's coating may have formed by cementation of airborne dust, perhaps in a slightly wetter, past environment. The scientists also plan to determine if the soil here is the same as the somewhat cohesive soil seen near the rover's lander. Like the coatings, this soil may have formed in past moist environments. This image was taken with the panoramic camera's infrared (750 nanometer) filter.
SBS mitigation with multi-tone amplification: a theoretical model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zeringue, Clint; Dajani, Iyad; Bronder, T. Justin; Shay, Thomas; Robin, Craig
Two approaches to two- and three-tone seeding of high power ytterbium-doped fiber amplifiers are investigated using a symbolic and numerical code that solves a two point boundary problem consisting of a 12×12 system of nonlinear differential equations. Optimization of amplifier action is considered in relation to the two most dominant nonlinear effects: stimulated Brillouin scattering and four-wave mixing. One approach uses a large wavelength separation among the input seed beams, while in the other approach the seeds are separated by precisely twice the Brillouin shift. It is found that for both techniques significant increase in amplifier output can be obtained, although for the latter case a substantial amount of power is generated in the four-wave mixing sidebands.
An Isoperimetric Inequality for Fundamental Tones of Free Plates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chasman, L. M.
We establish an isoperimetric inequality for the fundamental tone (first nonzero eigenvalue) of the free plate of a given area, proving the ball is maximal. Given τ > 0, the free plate eigenvalues ω and eigenfunctions u are determined by the equation ΔΔ u - τΔ u = ωu together with certain natural boundary conditions. The boundary conditions are complicated but arise naturally from the plate Rayleigh quotient, which contains a Hessian squared term | D 2 u|2. We adapt Weinberger's method from the corresponding free membrane problem, taking the fundamental modes of the unit ball as trial functions. These solutions are a linear combination of Bessel and modified Bessel functions.
Thalamocortical mechanisms for integrating musical tone and rhythm.
Musacchia, Gabriella; Large, Edward W; Schroeder, Charles E
Studies over several decades have identified many of the neuronal substrates of music perception by pursuing pitch and rhythm perception separately. Here, we address the question of how these mechanisms interact, starting with the observation that the peripheral pathways of the so-called "Core" and "Matrix" thalamocortical system provide the anatomical bases for tone and rhythm channels. We then examine the hypothesis that these specialized inputs integrate acoustic content within rhythm context in auditory cortex using classical types of "driving" and "modulatory" mechanisms. This hypothesis provides a framework for deriving testable predictions about the early stages of music processing. Furthermore, because thalamocortical circuits are shared by speech and music processing, such a model provides concrete implications for how music experience contributes to the development of robust speech encoding mechanisms. PMID:24103509
Tone-Mapped Mean-Shift Based Environment Map Sampling.
Feng, Wei; Yang, Ying; Wan, Liang; Yu, Changguo
In this paper, we present a novel approach for environment map sampling, which is an effective and pragmatic technique to reduce the computational cost of realistic rendering and get plausible rendering images. The proposed approach exploits the advantage of adaptive mean-shift image clustering with aid of tone-mapping, yielding oversegmented strata that have uniform intensities and capture shapes of light regions. The resulted strata, however, have unbalanced importance metric values for rendering, and the strata number is not user-controlled. To handle these issues, we develop an adaptive split-and-merge scheme that refines the strata and obtains a better balanced strata distribution. Compared to the state-of-the-art methods, our approach achieves comparable and even better rendering quality in terms of SSIM, RMSE and HDRVDP2 image quality metrics. Experimental results further show that our approach is more robust to the variation of viewpoint, environment rotation, and sample number. PMID:26584494
Cohen, Caroline; Mouterde, Timothée; Quéré, David; Clanet, Christophe
The contraction of a muscle generates a force that decreases when increasing the contraction velocity. This "hyperbolic" force–velocity relationship has been known since the seminal work of A. V. Hill in 1938 [Hill AV (1938) Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 126(843):136–195]. Hill's heuristic equation is still used, and the sliding-filament theory for the sarcomere [Huxley H, Hanson J (1954) Nature 173(4412):973–976; Huxley AF, Niedergerke R (1954) Nature 173(4412):971–973] suggested how its different parameters can be related to the molecular origin of the force generator [Huxley AF (1957) Prog Biophys Biophys Chem 7:255–318; Deshcherevskiĭ VI (1968) Biofizika 13(5):928–935]. Here, we develop a capillary analog of the sarcomere obeying Hill's equation and discuss its analogy with muscles. PMID:25944938
Cohen, Caroline; Mouterde, Timothée; Quéré, David; Clanet, Christophe
The contraction of a muscle generates a force that decreases when increasing the contraction velocity. This "hyperbolic" force-velocity relationship has been known since the seminal work of A. V. Hill in 1938 [Hill AV (1938) Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 126(843):136-195]. Hill's heuristic equation is still used, and the sliding-filament theory for the sarcomere [Huxley H, Hanson J (1954) Nature 173(4412):973-976; Huxley AF, Niedergerke R (1954) Nature 173(4412):971-973] suggested how its different parameters can be related to the molecular origin of the force generator [Huxley AF (1957) Prog Biophys Biophys Chem 7:255-318; Deshcherevskiĭ VI (1968) Biofizika 13(5):928-935]. Here, we develop a capillary analog of the sarcomere obeying Hill's equation and discuss its analogy with muscles. PMID:25944938
The Study of Tone and Related Phenomena in an Amazonian Tone Language: Gavião of Rondônia
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Moore, Denny; Meyer, Julien
This paper describes the methods used to study the tone and some related phenomena of the language of the Gavião of Rondônia, Brazil, which is part of the Mondé branch of the Tupi family. Whistling of words by indigenous informants was discovered to be a very effective method for obtaining phonetic accuracy in tone and length. Methods were devised…
Requirement for functional BK channels in maintaining oscillation in venomotor tone revealed by species differences in expression of the β1 accessory subunits
Xu, Hui; Kandlikar, Sachin S; Westcott, Erika B; Fink, Gregory D; Galligan, James J
We determined the possible role of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels in regulation of venous tone in small capacitance veins and blood pressure. In rat mesenteric venous smooth muscle cells (MV SMC), BK channel α- and β1-subunits were co-expressed, unitary BK currents were detected, and single channel currents were sensitive to voltage and [Ca2+]i. Rat MV SMCs displayed Ca2+ sparks and iberiotoxin (IBTX)-sensitive spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs). Under resting conditions in vitro, rat MV exhibited nifedipine-sensitive spontaneous oscillatory constrictions. Blockade of BK channels by paxilline and Ca2+ sparks by ryanodine constricted rat MV. Nifedipine caused venodilation and blocked paxilline-, KCl (20 mM) and BayK 8644-induced contraction. Acute inhibition of BK channels with IBTX in vivo increased blood pressure and reduced venous capacitance, measured as an increase in mean circulatory filling pressure in conscious rats. BK channel α-subunits and L-type Ca2+ channel α1-C subunits are expressed in murine MV. However, these channels are not functional as murine MV lacked nifedipine-sensitive basal tone and rhythmic constrictions. Murine MV were also insensitive to paxilline, ryanodine, KCl and BayK8644, consistent with our previous studies showing that murine MV do not have BK β1-subunits. These data show that not only there are species-dependent properties in ion channel control of venomotor tone, but also that BK channels are required for rhythmic oscillations in venous tone. PMID:21885988
Modulation of Cardiac Potassium Current by Neural Tone and Ischemia.
Tomson, Todd T; Arora, Rishi
The cardiac action potential is generated by intricate flows of ions across myocyte cell membranes in a coordinated fashion to control myocardial contraction and the heart rhythm. Modulation of the flow of these ions in response to a variety of stimuli results in changes to the action potential. Abnormal or altered ion currents can result in cardiac arrhythmias. Abnormalities of autonomic regulation of potassium current play a role in the genesis of cardiac arrhythmias, and alterations in acetylcholine-activated potassium channels may play a key role in atrial fibrillation. Ischemia is another important modulator of cardiac cellular electrophysiology. PMID:27261826
A Model of Mandarin Tone Categories--A Study of Perception and Production
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Yang, Bei
The current study lays the groundwork for a model of Mandarin tones based on both native speakers' and non-native speakers' perception and production. It demonstrates that there is variability in non-native speakers' tone productions and that there are differences in the perceptual boundaries in native speakers and non-native speakers. There…
Monitor Tone Generates Stress in Computer and VDT Operators: A Preliminary Study.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dow, Caroline; Covert, Douglas C.
A near-ultrasonic pure tone of 15,570 Herz generated by flyback transformers in computer and video display terminal (VDT) monitors may cause severe non-specific irritation or stress disease in operators. Women hear higher frequency sounds than men and are twice as sensitive to "too loud" noise. Pure tones at high frequencies are more annoying than…
Perceived magnitude of two-tone-noise complexes - Loudness, annoyance, and noisiness
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hellman, R. P.
An investigation of the perceived effects of tonal components was undertaken to establish a broader data base for quantification and prediction of annoyance of sounds containing added tones. The current study was concerned with two-tone-noise complexes. The stimuli were tone pairs added to a low-pass noise that was attenuated by 5 dB/oct above 600 Hz. Overall perceived magnitude is shown to be a function of the frequency separation (Delta F) between the tonal components, tone-to-noise ratio, and the overall SPL of the noise-tone complex. Results obtained with two tones are compared to those obtained in an earlier study by Hellman (1984) with single tones. The observed effects appear relevant to the rules governing loudness summation across frequency, to measurements of psychoacoustic consonance and roughness, and to the issue of mutual masking among the component stimuli. The implications of the findings in relation to proposed tone-correction procedures are also discussed.
The Effect of Intertalker Variations on Acoustic-Perceptual Mapping in Cantonese and Mandarin Tone Systems
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Peng, Gang; Zhang, Caicai; Zheng, Hong-Ying; Minett, James W.; Wang, William S.-Y.
Purpose: This study investigates the impact of intertalker variations on the process of mapping acoustic variations on tone categories in two different tone languages. Method: Pitch stimuli manipulated from four voice ranges were presented in isolation through a blocked-talker design. Listeners were instructed to identify the stimuli that they…
Newborn Pain Cries and Vagal Tone: Parallel Changes in Response to Circumcision.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Porter, Fran Lang; And Others
The relation between cry acoustics and vagal tone in normal, healthy newborns undergoing an acutely stressful event was examined. Vagal tone was significantly reduced during the stressful event and was paralleled by significant increases in the pitch of the infants' cries. (PCB)
Production of Mandarin tone contrasts by musicians and non-musicians
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gottfried, Terry L.; Ouyang, Grace Yin-Hwei
Previous research has shown that native speakers of American English who are musicians perform better than non-musicians when identifying and producing the four phonemic tones of Mandarin. The present study corroborates these findings and analyzes acoustic properties of non-natives' tonal imitations. Listeners imitated Mandarin two-syllable word phrases that varied the vowel (/li/, /la/, /lu/) and tone (high-level, mid-rising, low-dipping, high-falling) of the first syllable. Four native Mandarin speakers rated the musicians, on average, to be better in their imitation of Mandarin tone 4 (high-falling) than non-musicians. There were no significant differences between groups in how they were rated on the other three tones. Acoustical analyses revealed that non-natives failed to match native speakers both in differences in initial F0 and in F0 contour (change from initial to final F0) across tones. Imitations by musicians did not show significant acoustic differences from non-musicians, except for tone 4, where musicians' imitations showed a significant decrease in F0 from initial to final portions of the syllable; the decrease in F0 for non-musicians was smaller and not significant. Creaky voice (often present in natives' tone 3 and 4) was observed in many non-native imitations, but was not restricted to tones 3 and 4.
On the origin of falling-tone chorus elements in Earth's inner magnetosphere
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Breuillard, H.; Agapitov, O.; Artemyev, A.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Le Contel, O.; Cully, C. M.; Angelopoulos, V.; Zaliznyak, Y.; Rolland, G.
Generation of extremely/very low frequency (ELF/VLF) chorus waves in Earth's inner magnetosphere has received increased attention recently because of their significance for radiation belt dynamics. Though past theoretical and numerical models have demonstrated how rising-tone chorus elements are produced, falling-tone chorus element generation has yet to be explained. Our new model proposes that weak-amplitude falling-tone chorus elements can be generated by magnetospheric reflection of rising-tone elements. Using ray tracing in a realistic plasma model of the inner magnetosphere, we demonstrate that rising-tone elements originating at the magnetic equator propagate to higher latitudes. Upon reflection there, they propagate to lower L-shells and turn into oblique falling tones of reduced power, frequency, and bandwidth relative to their progenitor rising tones. Our results are in good agreement with comprehensive statistical studies of such waves, notably using magnetic field measurements from THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) spacecraft. Thus, we conclude that the proposed mechanism can be responsible for the generation of weak-amplitude falling-tone chorus emissions.
The Utility of Chinese Tone Processing Skill in Detecting Children with English Reading Disabilities
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Anderson, Alida; Wang, Min
The utility of Chinese tone processing skill in detecting children with English reading difficulties was examined through differences in a Chinese tone experimental task between a group of native English-speaking children with reading disabilities (RD) and a comparison group of children with normal reading development (NRD). General auditory…
A Multinomial Model for Identifying Significant Pure-Tone Threshold Shifts
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schlauch, Robert S.; Carney, Edward
Purpose: Significant threshold differences on retest for pure-tone audiometry are often evaluated by application of ad hoc rules, such as a shift in a pure-tone average or in 2 adjacent frequencies that exceeds a predefined amount. Rules that are so derived do not consider the probability of observing a particular audiogram. Methods: A general…
Thresholds for a tone masked by constant, remote-frequency maskers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Werner, Lynne A.; Leibold, Lori J.
In an experiment examining informational masking in infants, Leibold (2004) reported that infants and adults exhibited masking of a tone by two tones of constant, remote frequencies. Neither informational nor energetic masking would be expected for adults under these conditions. In the present experiment, adults' detection of a tone masked by two constant frequency tones or two narrow bands of noise were compared. Fifteen young adults participated. The target tone was 1000-Hz, 300-ms duration with 16-ms rise/fall. Unmasked and two masked thresholds were estimated. The maskers were either tones of 581 and 2920 Hz or 50-Hz-wide noise bands centered at 556 and 2895 Hz. The duration of the maskers was 300 ms with 16-ms rise/fall. A one-interval adaptive procedure was used to estimate thresholds. The maskers repeated at 600-ms intervals. The target tone was presented simultaneously with the maskers on signal trials. Listeners received feedback whenever they correctly detected the target. About 75% of listeners demonstrated masking in both conditions, but the threshold in the two-noise condition was generally higher than in the two-tone condition. Thus, introducing a timbre difference between the target and masker did not reduce the amount of masking.
Skin-Tone Preferences and Self-Representation in Hispanic Children
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kaufman, Erin A.; Wiese, Deborah L.
Skin-tone preferences and colourism within Hispanic children have been largely unexamined in the psychological literature. The objectives of the current study were to investigate Hispanic children's skin-tone preferences and the effect of assessor race and ethnicity on those preferences. To carry out the study, Clark and Clark's colouring task was…
Production and Perception of Mandarin Tone in Adults with Cerebral Palsy
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jeng, Jing-Yi; Weismer, Gary; Kent, Ray D.
The primary objective of the present study was to document tone production and intelligibility deficits in Mandarin-speaking persons with cerebral palsy (CP). Spastic, athetoid, and mixed types of CP were studied, along with a control group, to investigate the possibility of tone production and intelligibility deficits that were differentially…
When Does Native Language Input Affect Phonetic Perception? The Precocious Case of Lexical Tone
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Yeung, H. Henny; Chen, Ke Heng; Werker, Janet F.
Previous studies have suggested that the perception of vowels and consonants changes from language-universal to language-specific between 6 and 12 months of age. This report suggests that language-specific perception emerges even earlier for lexical tones. Experiment 1 tested English-learners' perception of Cantonese tones, replicating declines in…
Activating without Inhibiting: Left-Edge Boundary Tones and Syntactic Processing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Roll, Mikael; Horne, Merle; Lindgren, Magnus
Right-edge boundary tones have earlier been found to restrict syntactic processing by closing a clause for further integration of incoming words. The role of left-edge intonation, however, has received little attention to date. We show that Swedish left-edge boundary tones selectively facilitate the on-line processing of main clauses, the…
Musically Tone-Deaf Individuals Have Difficulty Discriminating Intonation Contours Extracted from Speech
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Patel, Aniruddh D.; Foxton, Jessica M.; Griffiths, Timothy D.
Musically tone-deaf individuals have psychophysical deficits in detecting pitch changes, yet their discrimination of intonation contours in speech appears to be normal. One hypothesis for this dissociation is that intonation contours use coarse pitch contrasts which exceed the pitch-change detection thresholds of tone-deaf individuals (Peretz &…
Illusory Continuity without Sufficient Sound Energy to Fill a Temporal Gap: Examples of Crossing Glide Tones
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kuroda, Tsuyoshi; Nakajima, Yoshitaka; Eguchi, Shuntarou
The gap transfer illusion is an auditory illusion where a temporal gap inserted in a longer glide tone is perceived as if it were in a crossing shorter glide tone. Psychophysical and phenomenological experiments were conducted to examine the effects of sound-pressure-level (SPL) differences between crossing glides on the occurrence of the gap…
Identification of Acoustically Modified Mandarin Tones by Non-Native Listeners
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lee, Chao-Yang; Tao, Liang; Bond, Z. S.
This study investigated identification of fragmented Mandarin tones by non-native listeners. Monosyllabic Mandarin words were digitally processed to generate intact, silent-center, center-only, and onset-only syllables. The syllables were recorded with two carrier phrases such that the offset of the carrier tone and the onset of the target tone…
Neural Control of Rising and Falling Tones in Mandarin Speakers Who Stutter
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Howell, Peter; Jiang, Jing; Peng, Danling; Lu, Chunming
Neural control of rising and falling tones in Mandarin people who stutter (PWS) was examined by comparing with that which occurs in fluent speakers [Howell, Jiang, Peng, and Lu (2012). Neural control of fundamental frequency rise and fall in Mandarin tones. "Brain and Language, 121"(1), 35-46]. Nine PWS and nine controls were scanned. Functional…
Factors Affecting the Production of Vietnamese Tones: A Study of American Learners
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Nguyen, Hanh thi; Macken, Marlys A.
This study investigates factors that affect the accuracy of tone production by American students of Vietnamese as a second language (L2). Nine hypotheses are examined, each of which isolates a factor expected to affect production accuracy: (a) task type, (b) the position of a tone in a clause, (c) discourse distance between a model provided by a…
The Phonetics of Tone in Two Dialects of Dane-Zaa (Athabaskan)
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Miller, Julia Colleen
This dissertation is an investigation of acoustic properties of lexical tone in two dialects of Dane-zaa (Athabaskan). The noteworthy mirror-image tone systems of the H-marked Doig and L-marked Halfway dialects provide a unique opportunity to explore intrinsic differences in how pitch manifests in specific environments. The dissertation has three…
Perception of pitch height in lexical and musical tones by English-speaking musicians and nonmusicians.
Lee, Chao-Yang; Lekich, Allison; Zhang, Yu
The purpose of this study was to explore the music-speech relationship by examining pitch height perception in lexical and musical tones. English-speaking musicians and nonmusicians identified multispeaker Taiwanese level tones without typical cues for speaker normalization. The musicians also identified note names of piano, viola, and pure tones without a reference pitch. In the Taiwanese task, both the musicians and nonmusicians were able to identify tone height above chance, but only for tones at the extremes of the speakers' overall vocal range. The musicians only had a slight advantage over the nonmusicians. In the music task, none of the musicians met the criterion for absolute pitch. Timbre did not affect how accurately the musical tones were identified. No correlations were found between performance in the Taiwanese task and that in the music task. It was concluded that musicians' advantage in lexical tone perception arose from the ability to track F0 contours. The ability to identify pitch height in lexical tones appears to involve calibrating acoustic input according to gender-specific, internally stored pitch templates. PMID:24606295
Tone and Syntax in Rutooro, a Toneless Bantu Language of Western Uganda
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kaji, Shigeki
This paper explores the interaction of tone and syntax in Rutooro, a Bantu language of Western Uganda. Rutooro has lost its lexical tone but retains a phrasally defined high pitch that appears on the penultimate syllable--the default position in Bantu. This high pitch can work grammatically and in fact distinguishes between the noun phrase vs.…