Language-specific developmental differences in speech production: a cross-language acoustic study

Speech productions of 40 English- and 40 Japanese-speaking children (aged 2-5) were examined and compared with the speech produced by 20 adult speakers (10 speakers per language). Participants were recorded while repeating words that began with "s" and "sh" sounds. Clear language-specific patterns in adults' speech were found, with English speakers differentiating "s" and "sh" in 1 acoustic dimension (i.e., spectral mean) and Japanese speakers differentiating the 2 categories in 3 acoustic dimensions (i.e., spectral mean, standard deviation, and onset F2 frequency). For both language groups, children's speech exhibited a gradual change from an early undifferentiated form to later differentiated categories. The separation processes, however, only occur in those acoustic dimensions used by adults in the corresponding languages.     

Influence of HbA1c on short-term blood pressure variability in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy

The aim of this study was to understand the characteristics of blood pressure(BP)variability in subjects with diabetic nephropathy(DN),and identify the probable predictors affecting BP variability.Fifty-one chronic kidney disease(CKD)-hypertensive patients without diabetes(NDN group)and sixty type 2 diabetic patients with overt DN(DN group)were enrolled in this study.The values of short-term BP variability were obtained from 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring(ABPM).Variance analysis or nonparametric analysis revealed that 24-h systolic BP variability and nighttime systolic BP variability of the DN group were significantly higher than those of the NDN group[(12.23±3.66)vs.(10.74±3.83)mmHg,P<0.05;(11.23±4.82)vs.(9.48±3.69)mmHg,P<0.05].Then the patients of the DN group were divided into two groups according to glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c)level:Group A(HbA1c<7%)and Group B(HbA1c≥7%),and the t-test showed that patients in Group B had larger 24-h diastolic,daytime diastolic,and nighttime systolic/diastolic BP variability compared with Group A.In the DN group,partial correlation analysis revealed that HbA1c exhibited a strong association with 24-h diastolic,daytime diastolic,nighttime systolic and diastolic BP variability(P<0.001,P<0.001,P<0.05,and P<0.001,respectively).Taken together,larger short-term BP variability was detected in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy and renal insufficiency.It may imply that the optimal BP variability level could benefit from a better glycaemic control.     

影响环形预应力混凝土电杆力学性能的因素

分析了环形预应力混凝土电杆在生产过程中影响其力学性能的主要因素,包括有电杆的混凝土强度、钢筋骨架和钢筋张拉、离心速度和时间、蒸汽养护温度和时间、以及保护层厚度等。通过对环形预应力混凝土电杆生产工艺的分析得出,只有严格按照电杆制造技术条件组织生产,才能生产出力学性能优异的电杆产品,     

Identification of quantitative trait loci and epistasis for root characteristics and root exudations in maize （Zea mays L.） under deficient phosphorus

The phosphorus uptake （PU） in above-ground parts of plant, root characteristics and root exudations as well as the quantitative trait loci （QTLs） associated with these characteristics were determined for a F2：3 population derived from the cross of two contrasting maize （Zea mays L.） genotypes, 082 and Yel07. A total of 241 F2：3 families were evaluated in replicated trials under deficient phosphorus conditions in 2007 at two sites （Kaixian County and Southwest University, Chongqing, P. R. China）. The results show pleiotropy and close linkage among QTLs. Four common regions in different environments were in bnlg100- bnlg1268b （bins 1.02） for QTL of H＋, bnlg1268a-umc1290a （bins 1.09） for QTL of AP （acid phospbatase activity）, dupssrl5- P 1MT/a （bins 6.06） for QTLs of PU （phosphorus uptake） and RW （root weight）, and P IM3/d-P1M3/g （bins9.04） for QTLs of PU and AP. These QTLs are non-environment or minor QTLs x environment. By epistatic analysis, three main QTLs and eighteen QTLs x QTLs interactions were detected for the seven measured characteristics. These QTLs may affect trait expression by epistatic interaction with the other loci, and make a substantial contribution to phosphorus utilization efficiency, which should be considered when breeding maize varieties with high P efficiency. Two regions were detected in dupssrl 5- P1MT/a （bins 6.06） for QTL of RW and P1M3/d- P 1M3/g （bins 9.04） for QTL of PU and AP. They were detected in two different environments and by two methods of QTL analysis, which were useful for marker-assisted selection.     

ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT: THE USE OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN TEACHING ENGLISH

Ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅｉｓｎｏｔｏｎｌｙａｔｏｏｌｏｆｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｃａｔｉｏｎ ,ｂｕｔａｌｓｏａｍｅａｎｓｔｏｒｅｆｌｅｃｔｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌｆｅａｔｕｒｅｓｏｆａｎａ ｔｉｏｎ.(Ｈａｌｌｉｄａｙ ,1973:ｐ .41) .Ｉｔｉｓａｍｉｘｅｄｅｍ ｂｏｄｉｍｅｎｔｏｆｔｈａｔｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ.ＩｎＢ .Ｗ .Ｒｏｂｉｎｅｔｔ’ｓｖｉｅｗ ,ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅｕｓａｇｅｒｅｆｌｅｃｔｓｔｈｅｃｕｌｔｕｒｅｏｆａｓｏｃｉ ｅｔｙ (1978:ｐ .133) .Ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅｕｓａｇｅｃａｎｎｏｔｅｘｉｓｔｏｕｔｓｉｄｅａｃｅｒｔａｉｎｓｏｃ…     

钢轨钢中氧化物含量的统计分析

对用模铸和连铸生产的钢轨钢进行了夹杂物含量的统计分析,以确定获得合理的氧化物体积百分数评定值所需测定的试样数。运用统计分析得出的方法,评定了用在快速试验线（ＦＡＳＴ）上进行重载试验的四种钢轨钢的氧化物体积百分数和链状氧化物长度。本文详细介绍了评定结果,并根据钢轨钢洁净度评定,讨论了夹杂物含量统计分析的意义。     

基于二模复杂网络的隐性知识发现方法研究——以潜在药物靶点挖掘为例

[目的/意义] 通过构建二模复杂网络模型，揭示隐藏在海量文献中的隐性知识。[方法/过程] 通过NetworkX复杂网络工具包，依据任意两个节点的共现关系构建二模复杂网络模型；对网络模型中节点的共现关系进行加权，计算网络的拓扑信息并进行AP聚类，提取节点间的直接关系；采用AUC方法对AA、JC、加权改进的wAA和wJC等4种链路预测算法进行评价，遴选出最合适的预测算法，并对复杂网络的隐性关系进行预测分析。[结果/结论] 以潜在药物靶点挖掘为例进行的实证研究结果表明，wAA链路预测算法为最优的链路预测算法；二模复杂网络模型、指标和方法体系在美国化学文摘社数据库中的药物靶点挖掘中具有一定的有效性。下一步计划在其他数据库中或其他研究领域中进行尝试，以进一步验证该模型的通用性和有效性。     

Pan Yuliang＇s Damaged Oil Paintings Restored Successfully

Editor＇s note： In June 2005, Director of Anhui Provincial Museum Hu Xinmin announced, “After seven months of hard work done by experts across the Taiwan Straits led by Taiwanese oil restoration expert Li Fuchang, 108 damaged oil paintings out of the museum＇s whole collection of Pan Yuliang＇s 361 oil paintings have been successfully restored in Hefei. We will select some one hundred oil works of her and display them next year in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung. This exhibition will serve as a bridge facilitating cross-straits cultural exchange.”     

Husband and Wife Painters Displayed Their Art in Japan

The exhibition entitled “The Water and Ink World： Contemporary Chinese Painters Yang Lizhou and Wang Yingchun”, planned and organized by China-Japan Friendship Association, was displayed in the early summer in the association＇s art museum.     

Decisions Hispanic families make after the identification of deafness

This study examines the decision-making process for Hispanic families living in the United States who have a child with a hearing loss. Twenty-nine families in four geographical areas shared their experiences in searching for appropriate interventions and making choices regarding communication and education. We explored the impact of language, culture, minority status, and access to information and services on the decision-making process. The results indicate that the deliberations of Hispanic parents are often complicated by language and cultural barriers and by limited access to information, resources, and a full range of options. The communication method chosen tended to be the one recommended by professionals, usually a combination of spoken English and sign language. Parents frequently expressed the hope that their child would learn Spanish as well. These subjects displayed a higher degree of assertiveness in obtaining services for their children than other studies have suggested.