An instrumental study of consonant gemination

We investigate the temporal and kinematic properties of consonant gemination and heterosyllabic clusters as opposed to singletons and tautosyllabic clusters in Italian. The data show that the singleton versus geminate contrast is conveyed by specific kinematic properties in addition to systematic durational differences in both the consonantal and vocalic intervals; by contrast, tautosyllabic and heterosyllabic clusters differ significantly for the duration of the consonantal interval but do not vary systematically with respect to the vocalic interval and cannot be consistently differentiated at the kinematic level. We conclude that systematic variations in acoustic vowel duration and the kinematics of tongue tip gestures represent the phonetic correlates of the segmental phonological contrast between short and long consonants, rather than of syllable structure. Data are only partly consistent with the predictions of both moraic and gesture-based models of the syllable about the effects of syllable structure on speech production dynamics and call for a more gradient view of syllabification.

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CONSONANT GEMINATION

A Grammar of Neo-Aramaic ◽

10.1163/9789004305045_005 ◽

1999 ◽

pp. 56-61

Keyword(s):

Consonant Gemination

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Psychometric properties of the Attitudes towards Medical Communication Scale in nursing students

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.11034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e11034

Author(s):

Silvia Escribano ◽

Rocío Juliá-Sanchis ◽

Sofía García-Sanjuán ◽

Nereida Congost-Maestre ◽

María José Cabañero-Martínez

Keyword(s):

Nursing Students ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Measurement Instruments ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Instrumental Study ◽

Structural Equivalence ◽

Validation Procedure ◽

Adequate Communication ◽

Communication Scale

Background Adequate communication skills in healthcare professionals are one of the key elements required for achieving high-quality healthcare. Thus, measurement instruments able to assess the dimensions related to these skills, including attitudes towards communication, are useful and convenient tools. Objectives To (a) cross-culturally adapt and validate a scale to measure attitudes towards communication in a sample of nursing students in the Spanish environment; (b) describe the perceived attitudes of nursing degree students towards communication. Methods We conducted an instrumental study. First, we adapted the scale by applying a standardised linguistic validation procedure. After that, we determined its structural equivalence and evaluated its psychometric properties. Participants A total of 255 students participated; their average age was 22.66 years (SD = 4.75) and 82% were female. Results The internal consistency of the scale was adequate (0.75), and the data fit well with the model (CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99; RMSEA = .01 95% CI [.00–.05]). The overall instrument score poorly correlated with the self-efficacy in communication skills variable. Conclusions The attitudes towards communication scores for these nursing students were high. The Spanish version of the Attitudes Towards Health Communication scale had adequate psychometric properties and this tool could quickly and easily be applied to assess the attitudes of health profession students.

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New score scale for assessing the risk of establishing chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Medical Visualization ◽

10.24835/1607-0763-939 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 83-96

Author(s):

O. M. Zherko ◽

E. I. Shkrebneva

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Chronic Heart Failure ◽

Ejection Fraction ◽

Sinus Rhythm ◽

Preserved Ejection Fraction ◽

Dispersion Index ◽

Diagnostic Reliability ◽

Mechanical Dispersion ◽

Instrumental Study

The aim of the study was to develop a score scale for assessing the high risk of establishing chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), based on echocardiography (EchoCG) evidence.Materials and methods. A clinical and instrumental study of 175 patients, of which 108 (61.7%) women and 67 (38.3%) men, aged 71 [64; 78] years was performed in the 1st City Clinical Hospital in Minsk in 2017–2018. In order to validate the score scale for assessing the risk of HFpEF establishment in 2019–2020 a reproductive clinical and instrumental study of 129 patients was performed at the Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology, of which 55 (42.6%) were men and 74 (57.4%) women aged 65 [58; 70] years. Inclusion criteria: sinus rhythm, essential arterial hypertension, chronic coronary heart disease: atherosclerotic heart disease, past myocardial infarction of left ventricle (LV), after which at least six months have passed, necessary to stabilize the structural and functional parameters of the LV, HFpEF, informed consent of the patient. Exclusion criteria: primary mitral regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral valve repair or prosthetics, congenital heart defects, acute and chronic diseases of the kidneys, lungs. EchoCG was performed on ultrasound machines Siemens Acuson S1000 (Germany) and Vivid E9 (GE Healthcare, USA).Results. The developed scale for assessing the risk of establishing HFpEF in a patient with sinus rhythm including the criteria: LV diastolic dysfunction type II – 47 points, deceleration time of peak E of the transmitral blood flow DTE ≤171 ms – 25 points, the speed of early diastolic movement of the septal part of the mitral fibrous ring e'septal ≤7 cm/s – 25 points, LV early diastolic filling index E/е'septal >7.72 – 20 points, index of the end-systolic volume of the left atrium >34.3 ml/m2 – 24 points, has high diagnostic reliability (AUC 0.96, sensitivity (S) 96.6%, specificity (Sp) 83.2%) and reproducibility of results in an examination cohort of patients (AUC 0.99, S 98.8%, Sp 98.0%). A total score > 45 indicates a high probability of HFpEF. If the total score is ≤45, it is recommended to perform 2D Speckle Tracking EchoCG. The leading patho-functional mechanisms for the development of HFpEF are a decrease of LV global systolic longitudinal strain GLSAVG > −18.9% (S 94.9%, Sp 98.0%), GLS of the right ventricle (RV) > −19.9% (S 76.5%, Sp 88.5%), mechanical dispersion with LV mechanical dispersion index > 54.69 ms (S 70.7%, Sp 90.2%), RV mechanical dispersion index > 50.29 msec (S 78.1%, Sp 73.9%) and ventricular dyssynergy with LV global post systolic index >5.59% (S 82.6%, Sp 87.5%), RV global post systolic index > 2.17% (S 84.5%, Sp 69.9%).Conclusions. The use of the developed scale will improve the efficiency of ultrasound imaging of HFpEF.

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IMPLANT TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE TOOTH WEAR ON THE OCCLUSAL SURFACE

Archiv Euromedica ◽

10.35630/2199-885x/2021/11/2/27 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 104-107

Author(s):

Vladimir Tlustenko ◽

Valentina Tlustenko ◽

Sergey Komlev ◽

Alexander Ivaschenko ◽

Vladimir Koshelev

Keyword(s):

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Treatment Algorithm ◽

Tooth Wear ◽

Masticatory Muscles ◽

Occlusal Surface ◽

Lower Jaw ◽

Instrumental Study ◽

Asynchronous Operation ◽

Stage 1 ◽

Implant Treatment

Examination along with implant treatment was carried out in 21 patients with severe tooth wear on the occlusal surface. This disorder features a variety of clinical symptoms including changes in the facial features and the lower jaw movement amplitude, disturbed canine and incisor guidance, supercontacts, asynchronous operation of the masticatory muscles, etc. We have proposed a treatment algorithm aimed at eliminating these issues. The temporary non-removable dentures allowed creating occlusal marks (Stage 1) followed with their transfer onto permanent orthopedic structure (Stage 2) using implants. The complexity of the approach to treating this disease, as well as the effectiveness of our method has been confirmed by clinical data and the outcomes obtained through an instrumental study involving electromyography and electronic axiography. The extra additional research methods employed, such as electromyography and electronic axiography, allowed to assess the activity of masticatory muscles and the lower jaw articulation, thus to ensure occlusal-articulation interaction when restoring the lower facial height.

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Laboratory and instrumental study of knee joints in patients with early gonarthrosis: search for relationship

Medical academic journal ◽

10.17816/maj43455 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 99-106

Author(s):

V. I. Klementeva ◽

T. V. Chernisheva ◽

K. V. Korochina ◽

I. E. Korochina

Keyword(s):

Subchondral Bone ◽

Interleukin 6 ◽

Clinical History ◽

Knee Joints ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Instrumental Study ◽

Early Progression ◽

Instrumental Methods ◽

Important Marker

Aimwas to identify features of subchondral bone remodeling and synovitis severity in patients with early knee osteoarthritis using laboratory and instrumental methods. Materials and methods.The study covered 60 patients with I-II radiological stages (by J. Kellgren and J. Lawrence, 1952) of gonarthrosis (according to R.D. Altman, 1991). Complex of clinical (history, complaints, palpation of joints, pain assessment by Visual Analogue Scale [VAS]), laboratory (interleukin-6, osteocalcin, Beta-Cross Laps, C-reactive protein [CRP] and others) and instrumental (X-ray, ultrasonography of knee joints) examinations of patients was carried out with subsequent statistical data processing. Results.In patients with stage II gonarthrosis, Beta-Cross Laps, CRP levels, osteophyte size were significantly higher, and articular cartilage thickness was lower in comparison with stage I group. Correlations were found between: pain intensity according to VAS and volume of upper torsion of knee joint; interleukin-6 and osteophyte size, volume of upper torsion, Beta-Cross Laps; level of Beta-Cross Laps and osteocalcin, osteophyte size; and some other relationships. Conclusion. In patients with I-II radiological stages of gonarthrosis, remodeling of subchondral bone is observed and accompanied by tissue turnover changes that it is could be used in targeted therapy. Serum Beta-Cross Laps is important marker for early progression of gonarthrosis.

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Non-durational acoustic correlates of word-initial consonant gemination in Kelantan Malay: The potential roles of amplitude and f0

Journal of the International Phonetic Association ◽

10.1017/s0025100318000142 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 23-60

Author(s):

Mohd Hilmi Hamzah ◽

John Hajek ◽

Janet Fletcher

Keyword(s):

Native Speakers ◽

Initial Position ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Rare Word ◽

Acoustic Correlates ◽

Closure Duration ◽

Disyllabic Words ◽

Consonant Gemination ◽

Manner Of Articulation ◽

Magnitude Difference

This study reports on non-durational acoustic correlates of typologically rare word-initial consonant gemination in Kelantan Malay (KM) by focusing on two acoustic parameters – amplitude and f0. Given the unusual characteristics of the word-initial consonant contrast and its potential maintenance in domain-initial environments, this study sets to examine the extent to which amplitude and f0 can potentially characterise such a contrast in KM in addition to the cross-linguistically established acoustic correlate of closure duration. The production data involved elicited materials from sixteen KM native speakers. RMS and f0 values were measured at the start of the vowel following stops and sonorants produced in isolation (i.e. utterance-initial position) and in a carrier sentence (i.e. utterance-medial position). Results indicate that the consonant contrast is reflected in systematic differences in (i) vowel onset amplitude and f0 following the target consonant and (ii) the ratios of amplitude and f0 across two syllables of disyllabic words. There are also effects of utterance position, manner of articulation and voicing type on the magnitude of contrast between singletons and geminates with utterance-initial voiceless stops generally showing the greatest magnitude difference. The conclusion is drawn that the KM word-initial singleton/geminate consonant contrast can be associated with a set of acoustic parameters alongside closure duration.

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