Reconsidering lateral vocalisation: Evidence from perception and production of Australian English /l/.

Lateral vocalisation is assumed to arise from changes in coronal articulation but is typically characterised perceptually without linking the vocalised percept to a coronal articulation. Therefore, we examined how listeners' perception of coda /l/ as vocalised relates to coronal closure. Perceptual stimuli were acquired by recording laterals produced by six speakers of Australian English using electromagnetic articulography (EMA).

Spectral contrast reduction in Australian English /l/-final rimes.

Vowel contrasts may be reduced or neutralized before coda laterals in English [Bernard (1985). The Cultivated Australian: Festschrift in Honour of Arthur Delbridge, pp. 319-332; Labov, Ash, and Boberg (2008).

Characterizing spoken responses in masked-onset priming of reading aloud using articulography.

A key method for studying articulatory planning at different levels of phonological organization is masked-onset priming. In previous work using that paradigm the dependent variable has been acoustic response time (RT). We used electromagnetic articulography to measure articulatory RTs and the articulatory properties of speech gestures in non-word production in a masked-onset priming experiment.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Hole Quality Prediction in Micro-Drilling Using Multiple Sensors.

The prevalence of micro-holes is widespread in mechanical, electronic, optical, ornaments, micro-fluidic devices, etc. However, monitoring and detection tool wear and tool breakage are imperative to achieve improved hole quality and high productivity in micro-drilling. The various multi-sensor signals are used to monitor the condition of the tool.

Thermal Motion of DNA in an MspA Pore.

We report on an experiment and calculations that determine the thermal motion of a voltage-clamped single-stranded DNA-NeutrAvidin complex in a Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A nanopore. The electric force and diffusion constant of DNA inside a Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A pore were determined to evaluate the thermal position fluctuations of DNA. We show that an out-of-equilibrium state returns to equilibrium so quickly that experiments usually measure a weighted average over the equilibrium position distribution.

De novo sequencing and variant calling with nanopores using PoreSeq.

The accuracy of sequencing single DNA molecules with nanopores is continually improving, but de novo genome sequencing and assembly using only nanopore data remain challenging. Here we describe PoreSeq, an algorithm that identifies and corrects errors in nanopore sequencing data and improves the accuracy of de novo genome assembly with increasing coverage depth. The approach relies on modeling the possible sources of uncertainty that occur as DNA transits through the nanopore and finds the sequence that best explains multiple reads of the same region.

Electrical pulse fabrication of graphene nanopores in electrolyte solution.

Nanopores in graphene membranes can potentially offer unprecedented spatial resolution for single molecule sensing, but their fabrication has thus far been difficult, poorly scalable, and prone to contamination. We demonstrate an fabrication method that nucleates and controllably enlarges nanopores in electrolyte solution by applying ultra-short, high-voltage pulses across the graphene membrane. This method can be used to rapidly produce graphene nanopores with subnanometer size accuracy in an apparatus free of nanoscale beams or tips.

Slovakia health system review.

The Health Systems in Transition (HiT) profiles are country-based reports that provide a detailed description of a health system and of policy initiatives in progress or under development. HiTs examine different approaches to the organization, financing and delivery of health services, and the role of the main actors in health systems; describe the institutional framework, process, content and implementation of health and health care policies; and highlight challenges and areas that require more in-depth analysis. The Slovak health system is a system in progress.

Sensitivity of ecotoxicological tests in analysis of superfund sites.

During the analysis of environmental risk posed by hazardous waste disposal sites, ecological impact on whole ecosystems should be assessed. It requires a complex testing scheme where surrogate species represent key elements of the ecosystem. However, different organisms are exposed to a differing degree, also, their sensitivity to the same contaminant may vary.

Evaluation of some alternative guidelines for risk assessment of various habitats.

Recently, some relatively inexpensive and simple methods suitable for classification of dangerous wastes and pollution of surface water have been developed. In order to compare the performance of the various alternative bioassays a series of examinations have been carried out with Thamnotox kits and Daphnia heart test. In addition, duckweed, as a relatively new bioindicator has been used.

Role of environmental factors on the reproducibility of Lemna test.

Lemna minor is a species easy to collect and culture in laboratory, and can give rapid test results. However, in order to standardise toxicity tests using Lemna minor as test organism, it is important to find out what natural variability different populations might have. Five Lemna populations were used for comparison.

Evidence against an effect of endothelin-1 on blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial cell integrity in healthy men.

On the basis of an array of preclinical experimental results, it has been widely assumed that endothelin-1 (ET-1) may affect blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial cell function, thereby playing a pathophysiological role in various cardiovascular diseases in humans. However, confirmation of this assumption is still lacking. ET-1 or placebo was administered intravenously to 12 healthy volunteers in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, crossover trial.

Effects of endothelin-1 on circulating adhesion molecules in man.

Several studies point to a role for endothelin-1 (ET-1) in enhancing adhesion molecule expression and leucocyte adhesion. We thus hypothesized that ET-1 would induce expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells and by leucocytes in humans, and hence compared with placebo the effect of a continuous 6-h ET-1 infusion on plasma levels of circulating (c)E-selectin, cP-selectin, intercellular and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1. In addition, we investigated the effects of ET-1 on expression of the leucocyte adhesion molecules CD11b/CD18 and L-selectin on monocytes and neutrophils.