Voice Quality Changes Following Phonatory-Respiratory Effort Treatment (LSVT®) Versus Respiratory Effort Treatment for Individuals with Parkinson Disease

Perceptual ratings of hoarseness and breathiness were used to assess the efficacy of two intensive methods for treating dysarthrophonia in individuals with idiopathic Parkinson disease. One method emphasized phonatory-respiratory effort (the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, LSVT®) and the other emphasized respiratory effort alone (RET). Perceptual ratings were performed by two expert listeners based on random order presentation of the patients' pretreatment and posttreatment recordings of the “Rainbow Passage.” The listeners were blinded to the patients and their treatment group. Statistically significant pretreatment to posttreatment improvement in hoarseness and breathiness was observed in the LSVT® group but not in the RET group. The present findings are consistent with acoustic and physiologic findings reported previously, providing further evidence for the efficacy of the LSVT®.     

Differential phonatory characteristics of four women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Patients with specific neural subsystem involvement are often reported to present with particular perceptual characteristics of voice. This has been true for diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive disease in which mixed neurologic signs are present. This article reports acoustic data on the phonatory performance of four women diagnosed with ALS who had initial bulbar signs and progressive phonatory deterioration. The data presented here demonstrate that the phonatory characteristics of women with ALS are not uniform, but in fact may vary greatly from patient to patient.     

Calculating the Hausdorff dimension of tree structures

The dimension of certain tree structures is of importance in percolation theory, as well as in the theoretical treatment of many other branching processes. We present a method of determining the Hausdorff dimension of such structures by employing the technique of Mauldin and Williams. The dimension is calculated based on the probability of generation of each branch from its parent on the tree representing the process. We use this method to analyze the dimension of tree structures representing two-directional linear bonding between equally weighted monomers, and show how it can be used to model enzymatic reaction pathways.     

A singular finite element for Stokes flow: The stick–slip problem

Abrupt changes in boundary conditions in viscous flow problems give rise to stress singularities. Ordinary finite element methods account effectively for the global solution but perform poorly near the singularity. In this paper we develop singular finite elements, similar in principle to the crack tip elements used in fracture mechanics, to improve the solution accuracy in the vicinity of the singular point and to speed up the rate of convergence. These special elements surround the singular point, and the corresponding field shape functions embody the form of the singularity. Because the pressure is singular, there is no pressure node at the singular point. The method performs well when applied to the stick–slip problem and gives more accurate results than those from refined ordinary finite element meshes.     

The integrated singular basis function method for the stick-slip and the die-swell problems

We further develop a new singular finite element method, the integrated singular basis function method (ISBFM), for the solution of Newtonian flow problems with stress singularities. The ISBFM is based on the direct subtraction of the leading local solution terms from the governing equations and boundary conditions of the original problem, followed by a double integration by parts applied to those integrals with singular contributions. The method is applied to the stick-slip and the die-swell problems and improves the accuracy of the numerical results in both cases. In the case of the die-swell problem it considerably accelerates the convergence of the free surface profile with mesh refinement. The advantages and disadvantages of the ISBFM when compared to other singular methods are also discussed.     

Synthesis,characterization and in vitro antitumour activity of diorganotin bisxanthates [R2Sn(S2COR′)2] (R=Me,Et, nBu,Ph; R′=Et,iPr, Hex) and crystal structure of bis(O-ethyldithiocarbonato)diphenyltin(IV)

A series of diorganotin bisxanthate compounds, [R₂Sn(S₂COR′)₂] (R=Me, Et, nBu, tBu, and Ph; R′?Et, iPr and cHex) have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic methods (IR, NMR and FAB MS). The xanthate ligands chelate the R₂Sn moieties forming disparate Sn–S bonds leading to skew-trapezoidal biypramidal tin atom geometries. The crystal structure of a representative compound, [Ph₂Sn(S₂COEt)₂], confirms the spectroscopic results and shows the tin atom to be coordinated by two asymmetrically chelating xanthate ligands [Sn–S(1) 2.486(1), Sn–S(2) 3.052(1) Å and Sn–S(3) 2.484(1), Sn–S(4) 3.220(1) Å] with the two phenyl substituents lying over the weaker Sn–S interactions so that C–Sn–C is 126.5(1)°. Crystal data for [Ph₂Sn(S₂COEt)₂]: monoclinic space group P2₁/n: a=9.645(1), b=23.723(3), c=9.798(2) Å, ß=100.23(1)°, V=2206.2 ų, Z=4; 2708 data refined to final R 0.023. A selection of these compounds has been evaluated for activity against the L1210 mouse leukaemia cell line.     

On Bayes procedures

Summary A result of Doob regarding consistency of Bayes estimators is extended to a large class of Bayes decision procedures in which the loss functions are not necessarily convex. Rather weak conditions are given under which the Bayes procedures are consistent. One set involves restrictions on the a priori distribution and follows an example in which the choice of a priori distribution determines whether the Bayes estimators are consistent. Another example shows that the maximum likelihood estimators may be consistent when the Bayes estimators are not. However, the conditions given are of an essentially weaker nature than those established for consistency of maximum likelihood estimators.This paper was prepared with the partial support of the Office of Ordnance Research, U. S. Army, under Contract DA-04-200-ORD-171. While the paper was in press, its author Dr. Lorraine Schwartz suddenly died. Sit ei terra levis! (L. LC., J. N.)I am deeply indebted to Professor L. LeCam, under whose guidance I obtained the results established in my thesis and given in this paper.     

Probabilistic expectation and rationality in classical probability theory

Throughout the 18th century, the notion of probabilistic expectation was a matter of controversy among mathematicians. Despite its seminal role in the earliest formulations of mathematical probability, such as that of Huygens, expectation did not remain a fixed concept but underwent several striking shifts in definition. This paper argues that the conception of expectation was altered by mathematicians in a deliberate effort to capture the salient aspects of rational decision making. As the notion of rationality successively took on legal, economic, and then psychological overtones, the definition of probabilistic expectation followed suit.     

Localized grafting through chemical lift-off

In this work we present two techniques that provide localized functionalization of the surface of materials. Both lead to localized grafted thin organic films (10-200 nm). The localization is brought by a chemical lift-off process, which relies on patterned weakly bonded films as sacrificial layers, combined with electrochemical (SEEP) or chemical (GraftFast©) processes which provides the final robust pattern on the surface. Both grafting processes, which were recently described, take advantage of the redox activation of diazonium salts associated with vinylic monomers in aqueous solution, and lead to similar grafted polymer films. Thanks to the high difference in adhesion between the grafted polymer and the patterned sacrificial layer (either an ink or weakly bound self-assembled monolayers), the latter may be easily removed, which unveils uncovered areas of the substrate.