Laryngeal Hyperfunction During Whispering: Reality or Myth?

For years, otolaryngologists and voice therapists have warned voice patients that whispering causes more trauma to the larynx than normal speech. However, no large series of patients has ever been examined fiberoptically during whispering to test this hypothesis. As part of our routine examination, patients are asked to count from 1 to 10 in a normal voice and in a whispered voice. We reviewed recorded fiberoptic examinations of 100 patients who had voice complaints. We compared supraglottic hyperfunction and vocal fold closure during the normal and whispered phonation of each patient. Sixty-nine percent of the patients demonstrated increased supraglottic hyperfunction with whispered voice. Eighteen percent had no change, and 13% had less severe hyperfunction. The most common glottal configuration during whisper was an inverted Y, which resulted from compression of the anterior and middle thirds of the true vocal folds. However, 12 patients had no true vocal fold contact during whispered voice, despite having adequate glottic closure with normal voice. Although whispering involves more severe hyperfunction in most patients, it does not seem to do so in all patients. In some patients, it may be less traumatic than normal voice.     

Local Structure of Glassy Lithium Phosphorus Oxynitride Thin Films: A Combined Experimental and Ab Initio Approach

Lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) is an amorphous solid-state lithium ion conductor displaying exemplary cyclability against lithium metal anodes. There is no definitive explanation for this stability due to the limited understanding of the structure of LiPON. Herein, we provide a structural model of RF-sputtered LiPON. Information about the short-range structure results from 1D and 2D solid-state NMR experiments. These results are compared with first principles chemical shielding calculations of Li-P-O/N crystals and ab initio molecular dynamics-generated amorphous LiPON models to unequivocally identify the glassy structure as primarily isolated phosphate monomers with N incorporated in both apical and as bridging sites in phosphate dimers. Structural results suggest LiPON′s stability is a result of its glassy character. Free-standing LiPON films are produced that exhibit a high degree of flexibility, highlighting the unique mechanical properties of glassy materials.     

Microwave‐assisted derivatization of cellulose in an ionic liquid: An efficient,expedient synthesis of simple and mixed carboxylic esters

Microwave (MW)‐assisted cellulose dissolution in ionic liquids (ILs) has routinely led either to incomplete biopolymer solubilization, or its degradation. We show that these problems can be avoided by use of low‐energy MW heating, coupled with efficient stirring. Dissolution of microcrystalline cellulose in the IL 1‐allyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride has been achieved without changing its degree of polymerization; regenerated cellulose showed pronounced changes in its index of crystallinity, surface area, and morphology. MW‐assisted functionalization of MCC by ethanoic, propanoic, butanoic, pentanoic, and hexanoic anhydrides has been studied. Compared with conventional heating, MW irradiation has resulted in considerable decrease in dissolution and reaction times. The value of the degree of substitution (DS) was found to be DS_ethanoate > DS_propanoate > DS_butanoate. The values of DS_pentanoate and DS_hexanoate were found to be slightly higher than DS_ethanoate. This surprising dependence on the chain length of the acylating agent has been reported before, but not rationalized. On the basis of the rate constants and activation parameters of the hydrolysis of ethanoic, butanoic, and hexanoic anhydrides in aqueous acetonitrile (a model acyl transfer reaction), we suggest that this result may be attributed to the balance between two opposing effects, namely, steric crowding and (cooperative) hydrophobic interactions between the anhydride and the cellulosic surface, whose lipophilicity has increased, due to its partial acylation. Four ethanoate‐based mixed esters were synthesized by the reaction with a mixture of the two anhydrides; the ethanoate moiety predominated in all products. The DS is reproducible and the IL is easily recycled. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 48: 134–143, 2010     

Making sense of policy choices: understanding the roles of value predispositions, mass media, and cognitive processing in public attitudes toward nanotechnology

Using a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,015 adults in the United States, this study examines how value predispositions, communication variables, and perceptions of risks and benefits are associated with public support for federal funding of nanotechnology. Our findings show that highly religious individuals were less supportive of funding of nanotech than less religious individuals, whereas individuals who held a high deference for scientific authority were more supportive of funding of the emerging technology than those low in deference. Mass media use and elaborative processing of scientific news were positively associated with public support for funding, whereas factual scientific knowledge had no significant association with policy choices. The findings suggest that thinking about and reflecting upon scientific news promote better understanding of the scientific world and may provide a more sophisticated cognitive structure for the public to form opinions about nanotech than factual scientific knowledge. Finally, heuristic cues including trust in scientists and perceived risks and benefits of nanotech were found to be associated with public support for nanotech funding. We conclude with policy implications that will be useful for policymakers and science communication practitioners.     

Ba(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3电子结构第一性原理计算及光学性能研究

Ba(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ (BMN)复合钙钛矿陶瓷具有高介电常数和高品质因子等介电性能, 预示了其在光学领域的应用前景. 本文采用第一性原理方法计算了BMN的电子结构, 对其本征光学性能进行分析和预测. 对固相合成六方相BMN的XRD 测试结果进行Rietveld精修(加权方差因子R_wp=6.73%, 方差因子R_p=5.05%), 在此基础上建立晶体结构模型并对其进行几何优化. 运用基于密度泛函理论(DFT)的平面波赝势方法, 对六方相BMN晶体模型的能带、态密度和光学性质进行理论计算. 结果表明BMN的能带结构为间接带隙, 禁带宽度E_g=2.728 eV. Mg-O和Ba-O以离子键结合为主, Nb-O以共价键结合为主, 费米面附近的能带主要由O-2p和Nb-4d 态电子占据, 形成了d-p轨道杂化. 修正带隙后, 计算了BMN沿[100]和[001]方向上的复介电函数、吸收系数和反射率等光学性质. 结果表明, BMN近乎光学各向同性, 在可见光区, 其本征透过率为77%< T <83%, 折射率为1.91< n <2.14, 并伴随一定的色散现象. 实验测试结果与理论计算结果相吻合.     

COMPONENT ALLEE EFFECTS AND STAGE‐SPECIFIC PREDATION: A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL ISSUES

In this paper, we propose a two‐stage structured population model subject to component Allee effects in fecundity and maturation, and with two disturbances (predation only and harvest and predation) acting on both stages. It is shown that this combination leads to a demographic Allee effect—a characteristic that could be exploited in pest biological control, but on the other hand, it represents a bane in conservation biology. The analysis is performed for disturbances with functional responses type 2 and 3, and the models show that they yield qualitatively similar results. This characteristic is discussed from the species conservation and biological control point of view, together with possible extensions of this work.     

Quantitative analysis of closantel and rafoxanide in bovine and ovine muscles by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

An HPLC method with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) was described for the quantitative determination of closantel and rafoxanide in bovine and ovine muscles. A structural analog closely related to rafoxanide, viz., N-[4-(4-chlorophenoxy)phenyl]-2-hydroxy-3,5-diiodobenzamide, was synthesized as an internal standard. Bovine and ovine muscles were extracted with acetonitrile-acetone (60 + 40, v/v) followed by cleanup on mixed mode anionic exchange SPE cartridges. After evaporation and reconstitution with the mobile phase, the sample was analyzed by HPLC-FLD using internal standard calibration. The method was validated by using fortified bovine and ovine muscles at 15, 30, and 60 microg/kg. The accuracy and RSD were 70-110% and < or =10%, respectively.     

基于多分辨分析的沪深股市相关性分析

为了有效地揭示沪深股市不同交易周期股票交易的相关性,本文采用极大重叠离散小波变换,将上证指数和深圳成指高频收益率分解在不同的交易周期上,对各个周期的收益率采用semi-GPD模型作为其边缘分布分别进行拟合,在此基础上采用Copula函数方法建立同周期收益率的联合分布,度量了沪深两市同周期交易的相关性.实证表明,不同交易周期所表现出的相关性存在明显差异,并且随着交易期的增长,沪深两市非对称结构逐步明显。     

An efficient RNA-cleaving DNA enzyme that synchronizes catalysis with fluorescence signaling

DNA enzymes are single-stranded DNA molecules with catalytic capabilities that are isolated from random-sequence DNA libraries by "in vitro selection". This new class of catalytic biomolecules has the potential of being used as unique molecular tools in a variety of innovative applications. Here we describe the creation and characterization of an RNA-cleaving autocatalytic DNA, DEC22-18, that uniquely links chemical catalysis with real-time fluorescence signaling capability in the same molecule. A trans-acting DNA molecule, DET22-18, was also developed from DEC22-18 that behaves as a true enzyme with a k(cat) of approximately 7 min(-1)-a rate constant that is the second largest ever reported for a DNA enzyme. It cleaves a chimeric RNA/DNA substrate at the lone RNA linkage surrounded by a closely spaced fluorophore-quencher pair-a unique structure that permits the synchronization of the chemical cleavage with fluorescence signaling. DET22-18 has a stem-loop structure and can be conjugated with DNA aptamers to form allosteric deoxyribozyme biosensors.