Voice Training and Changing Weight—Are They Reflected in Speaking Fundamental Frequency, Voice Range, and Pitch Breaks of 13-Year-Old Girls? A Longitudinal Study

Objective

Assessment of the voice-change progress of 20 girls (12–13 years) over 1 year by observing changes in speaking fundamental frequency (SFo), voice range, and register pitch breaks in the context of weight, height, voice training, and self-perception.

Study Design

One-year longitudinal collective case study.

Method

Twenty girls were recorded at the beginning and end of a year; nine girls were recorded another three times. SFo, vocal range, and characteristics were analyzed and interactions between these data assessed against weight and height to indicate pubertal development, and to test the hypothesis that changes in weight, height, SFo, and pitch breaks were related. Effects of training and the girls' self-perception of their voice use were also assessed.

Results

Vocal characteristics changed as the girls passed through different weight ranges. During 47.5–52.4 kg (called band 2) and 52.4–57.5 kg (band 3), there was progressive contraction of vocal range and in some girls a slight rise in SFo between recording times 1 and 5. Both high- and low-pitch breaks were present in 45% of girls' voices. Girls in band 4 (<57.5 kg) had an increased vocal range, and pitch breaks in vocal-range areas that indicated the development of adult vocal registers. In this study, voice-trained girls were heavier, had higher SFo, used wider speech-range inflection, had a higher vocal range, and greater voice-use confidence; all girls lost confidence in their voice use over the year.

Conclusions

In this longitudinal study of twenty 13-year-old girls, voice changes in SFo, vocal range, and pitch-break frequency were synchronous with certain weight ranges. Girls with training registered higher maximum phonational frequency and were more confident in their voice use than girls without training.     

Analyses of lepidopteran sex pheromones by mass spectrometry

Lepidoptera, including about 150,000 species in the world, comprise the second largest insect group, and sex pheromones have been identified from virgin female moths of more than 600 species. The chemical structures are simple, but diverse, because species-specific pheromones play an important role in the reproductive isolation of each species. The pheromone content in each female is quite low, and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is most frequently utilized to reveal the chemical structure. Almost all pheromone components are straight-chain compounds and are classified into two major groups [i.e. unsaturated C₁₀-C₁₈ fatty alcohols and their derivatives (Type I) and C₁₇-C₂₃ polyenyl hydrocarbons and their epoxides (Type II)]. In addition to the unbranched compounds, some species secrete methyl-branched compounds (e.g., 2-ketones). For the identification of these compounds, determining the positions of the double bond, the epoxy ring, and the methyl group is an important key step. Copious spectral information measured by electron-impact ionization (70 eV) has been accumulated for these compounds. This review therefore deals with their spectral characteristics, namely, diagnostic ions, to apply them to pheromone studies on new target insects.     

Antioxidant activity,phytochemical screening,and total phenolic content of extracts from three genders of carob tree barks growing in Morocco

We evaluated the in vitro antioxidant property and phytochemical constituents of the crude ethyl acetate and methanol extract of the three genders of carob tree barks (spontaneous male, spontaneous female, and grafted female). The scavenging activity on DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) was determined, as well as the phenolic contents (Folin–Ciocalteu method) of both the extracts. The highest antioxidant activity and the higher amounts of total phenols were shown in methanol crude bark extract for the three genders. Variety significantly affected the phenol content and the antioxidant activity, with the spontaneous male variety globally showed a higher polyphenol concentration and antioxidant activity than the grafted female and spontaneous female.     

Quantification of γ-aminobutyric acid in the heads of houseflies (Musca domestica) and diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella (L.)), using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

A novel method was developed for quantifying the levels of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the heads of houseflies (Musca domestica) and diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella (L.)), using capillary electrophoresis with laser‐induced fluorescence detection (CE‐LIF). The GABA in sample was derivatized with 4‐chloro‐7‐nitro‐2,1,3‐benzoxadiazole (NBD‐Cl) prior to CE‐LIF analysis. In total, 32 mmol/L borate buffer, at pH 9.2 and containing 5.3 mmol/L β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) and 10.4 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was determined to be the optimum CE background electrolyte (BGE) for GABA analysis. The detection limit of GABA was 0.016 μmol/L. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the migration time and peak area of GABA were 1.78 and 4.93%, respectively. The average recoveries of 0.97, 3.88, and 5.83 μmol/L of GABA, each added to the head sample of housefly, ranged from 88.9 to 110.5%. This method is simple and applicable to GABA assays of the heads of insects. With this newly developed CE‐LIF method, the amounts of GABA in the heads of houseflies (M. domestica) and diamondback moths (P. xylostella (L.)) were measured. The results are relevant to the understandings of some insecticides and insecticide‐resistance mechanisms in pests.     

Lessons from nature: biomimetic subwavelength structures for high‐performance optics

In nature, optical structures in the subwavelength range have been evolved over millions of years. For example, in the form of ‘moth‐eye’ structures they show a strong anti‐reflective effect on the compound eyes of night‐active insects and therefore offer a successful protection over predators. In this contribution the advantages and challenges to transfer this natural concept of subwavelength structured optical interfaces to high‐end optical systems are discussed. Here, in comparison to alternative conventional multilayer systems, the bioinspired anti‐reflective structures offer a wide wavelength range and a broad angle dependency. Additionally, adhesion problems are reduced drastically. Simultaneously to the theoretical consideration of the best profile form of the subwavelength structures, appropriate realization technologies have been developed in recent years, where both top‐down and bottom‐up approaches have been investigated. Depending on the choice of the structuring technique, anti‐reflective subwavelength structures are applicable to a wide spectrum of optical elements ranging from micro‐optical components to aspheres for applications in imaging and also illumination setups of high‐end optical instruments.     

离体正常乳腺组织350～850 nm波段光谱特性

采用带有积分球附件的紫外/可见/近红外分光光度计测量了离体正常乳腺组织在350～850 nm光谱范围的反射率和透射率,运用反向倍加法得到了离体正常乳腺组织在相应光谱范围的光学参数,分析了正常乳腺组织的光学穿透深度随波长的变化情况。实验结果表明：350～850 nm波段正常乳腺组织的约化散射系数μ′_s大于吸收系数μ_a。μ′_s随着波长的增加而减小,即从350 nm波长值为9.731 mm-1～850 nm波长值为1.476 mm-1。μ_a从350 nm波长值为0.798 mm-1～850 nm波长值为0.102 mm-1,410 nm波长处存在一个吸收峰,其值为0.506 mm-1。光学穿透深度随着波长的增加而增大,从350 nm波长值为0.199 mm-1～850 nm波长值为1.439 mm。基于反向倍加法计算获得乳腺组织的光学参数,采用Monte Carlo模拟得到其相应光谱范围的反射率和透射率,并与实际测量值进行比较,二者的一致性较好。实验结果为乳腺组织的光活检及其光学治疗提供重要参考。     

柑皮挥发油对衣蛾驱虫作用的初步研究

用水浴回流法从柑皮中提取挥发油,分离并签定出16种组分,主要组分为橙皮甙等黄酮类化合物,同时进行了挥发油对衣蛾驱虫作用的实验.实验显示,不同浓度的柑皮挥发油均对衣蛾有较强的驱避及杀伤作用.柑皮挥发油气.味芳香,对人体无毒,价廉,不污染环境,有着很好的应用前景.     

Ultrasound assisted formation of essential oil nanoemulsions: Emerging alternative for Culex pipiens pipiens Say (Diptera: Culicidae) and Plodia interpunctella Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) management

Over the last years, nanotechnology has contributed to the development of new botanical insecticides formulations based on essential oils (EO), which are safe for the human health and the environment. Nanoemulsions (NEs) can enhance the bioactivity of the EO to prevent the premature volatility and degradation of the active ingredients. In our work, geranium EO (Geranium maculatum L.) was used to develop micro and nanoemulsions adding Tween 80 as surfactant. For NEs formulation, ultrasound was applied and the physicochemical and ultrasound parameters were optimized: oil: surfactant ratio = 1:2, ultrasound power = 65 W, sonication time = 2 min, cycles = 30 on/20 off and ultrasonic probe distance = 3.7 cm. The NEs obtained had 13.58 nm and polydisperse index (PDI) values of 0.069. They were stored at 25 °C and were stable for 60 days.The present study also demonstrated the potential of NEs to enhance the toxicity of geranium EO against larvae of Culex pipiens pipiens (EO LC₅₀ = 80.97 ppm, NEs LC₅₀ = 48.27 ppm) and Plodia interpunctella (EO + β-cypermethrin LD₅₀ = 0.16 μg larvae⁻¹, NEs + β-cypermethrin LD₅₀ = 0.07 μg larvae⁻¹). Overall, our findings pointed out that NEs can increase twofold the insecticidal efficacy of EO, and thus, they can be considered further for the development of botanical insecticides.     

松毛虫赤眼蜂雌性触角五种感器的超微结构(膜翅目:赤眼蜂科)

利用透射电镜研究了松毛虫赤眼蜂(Trichogramma dendrklimi)雌性触角5种感器。观察到毛形感器远端神经树状突膨大成为外节,外节的端部有细管体,说明它是属于机械感器,具有触觉的功能。刺形感器和坛形感器是化学感器,前者的角质壁上见有嗅孔分布,后者角质壁出现11～13条纵列狭窄的凹沟,每条凹沟都通向内部的大室。ⅰ型感器有两种形态:ⅰ型Ⅰ占绝大多数,在其角质壁上无嗅孔,感觉神经树状突分布在感器的内腔中,可能是一种具有触觉作用的机械感器,极少数为ⅰ型Ⅱ,在毛的内腔出现大室和小室,感觉神经树状突只伸向内腔的小室,根据有大、小室的存在,它们具有味觉作用,但从它的基部收缢的特点,说明又有触觉的功能,所以是具有双重性质的感器。至于栓锥感器,树状突出现在内腔,但从结构上没有嗅孔这一特征分析,可以归属为机械感器。     

Stereospecific synthesis of all four isomeric 6,8-heneicosadien-11-ones: sex pheromone components of the painted apple moth Teia anartoides

The stereospecific synthesis of all four isomeric 6,8-heneicosadien-11-ones, sex pheromone components of the painted apple moth, Teia anartoides, is reported using the Suzuki-coupling of vinyl boronic acid and vinyl iodide intermediates.