This research examines how competing factors determine the articulation of English stop-stop sequences across word boundaries in both native (L1) and nonnative (L2) speech. The two general questions that drive this research are 1) how is consonantal coordination implemented across English words? And 2) is this implementation different in L1 versus L2 speech? A group of 15 native English (NE) speakers and a group of 25 native Mandarin speakers (NM) who use English as a foreign language (ESL) participated in this study. The stimuli employed in this research were designed along four major parameters: 1) place of articulation, 2) lexical frequency, 3) stress, and 4) speech rate. The release percentages and closure duration ratios produced by English and Mandarin speakers were measured. The results showed that place of articulation had different effects on English and Mandarin speakers in their English stop-stop coarticulation, especially in heterorganic clusters. Specifically, a place order effect (i.e., more releases and more overlap in front-back clusters than in back-front clusters; POE) was only partially supported in native speech but not shown at all in nonnative speech in the current research. The results also confirmed a gradient lexical frequency effect, finding a significant correlation between self-rated frequency and overlap. A group difference was observed in the interaction between the effects of place of articulation and categorical frequency (real words vs. nonwords). In addition, the results showed, unexpectedly, a stronger stress effect for the NM group rather than for the NE group. Further analyses showed that increased speech rate did not systematically induce increased temporal overlap, because speakers from both groups varied in their behavior, having either more or less overlap at the fast speech rate than at the slow rate. Lastly, the analyses found no correlation between closure duration ratio and perceived accent in L2 speech. This finding was not predicted, given that timing features had always been considered critical to foreign accent perception. / Graduate

For disperse system drug formulations, meaningful particle size distribution (PSD) comparators are essential in determining pharmaceutical equivalency and predicting biopharmaceutical equivalence in terms of the effect of particle size on the rate and extent of drug input. In formulation development and licensure, particle size characterization has been applied to establish relationships for bioequivalence of generic pharmaceutical drug products. The current approaches recommended by the US-FDA using median and span are not adequate to predict drug product performances or account for multi-modal PSD performance properties. The use of PSD similarity metric and the development and incorporation of drug release predictions based on PSD properties into PBPK models for various drug administration routes may provide a holistic approach for evaluating the effect of PSD differences on in vitro release of disperse systems and the resulting pharmacokinetic impact on drug product performance. The objectives of this study are to provide a rational approach for PSD comparisons by 1) developing similarity computations for PSD comparisons and 2) using PBPK-models to specifically account for PSD effects on drug input rates via a subcutaneous (SQ) administration route. Two techniques for measuring PSDs of reference (reference-listed drug product) and test (generic) drug products were investigated: OVL and PROB, as well as the current standard measurements of median and span. In addition, release rate profiles of each product pair simulated from modified Bikhazi and Higuchi’s model were used to compute release rate comparators such as similarity factor (f2) and fractional time ratios. A subcutaneous input PBPK model was developed and used to simulate blood concentration-time profiles of reference and test drug products. Pharmacokinetic responses such as AUC, Cmax, and Tmax were compared using standard bioequivalence criteria. PSD comparators, release rate comparators, and bioequivalence metrics were related to determine their relationships and identify the appropriate approach for bioequivalence waiver. OVL showed better predictions for bioequivalence compared to PROB, median, and span. For release profile comparisons, the f2 method was the best for bioequivalence prediction. The use of both release rate (e.g., f2) and PSD (e.g., OVL) comparison metrics significantly improved bioequivalence prediction to about 90%.

This paper describes the methods used mainly in the filtration of audio signals -- noise reduction. It realizes segmentation with variable lenght of segment, constant overlap add and segmentation with variable lenght of segment and overlap add. These methods are then compared with comon methods of segmentation in dependance of the lenght of segment and used window function by the thresholding method. For this purpose it uses the database of audio records. In the first part it desrcibes the technique of audio signal processing with comon method of segmentation. According to this method it continues in design of signal processing by variable segmentation method, in which it is needed to modify the shape of window function, which influences and attributes are explained in next chapter. In practical part it describes the implemented methods in MATLAB programming language with each steps of testing. It continues with chart of enclosed files and the evaluation of the results of hearing tests.

While a growing body of literature in the field of criminal justice documents the relationship between victimization and offending, only recently has this knowledge been applied to the study of intimate partner violence (IPV). Accordingly, questions remain with regard to the theoretical origins of mutual violence between intimates. In an effort to fill this void in the literature, the current study examines the etiology of moderate forms of mutual IPV, specifically assessing self-control theory's applicability to the victim-offender overlap in IPV. Data were obtained from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to investigate whether low self-control at Wave I predicts IPV victimization, IPV offending, or both IPV victimization and offending at Wave IV. The present study extends prior literature examining the role of self-control in IPV by (1) investigating the influence of self-control on the victim-offender overlap in IPV, (2) using longitudinal data, and (3) utilizing a sample of U.S. adults ages 24 to 33. While low self-control was found to significantly predict IPV offending and the overlap in IPV victimization and offending, low self-control failed to significantly predict IPV victimization. Policy implications, study limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

Guilds of species that share ecological similarities or recent ancestors are often the basis of studies concerning habitat partitioning. An interesting result of many of these studies is that means of partitioning in one area of sympatry may be different from those in disjunct areas of overlap. Here, we quantified the differences in habitat preference of two forest thrushes in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) has recently expanded its breeding range south along the spine of the Appalachians into the spruce-fir forests of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. There, it shares breeding habitat with the congeneric Veery (C. fuscescens), previously the only forest thrush breeding in this area. We used several multivariate analyses of habitat variables within both species' territories to understand how these species partition the available habitat and to test if these means of partitioning are similar to those found by other studies. We calculated the niche overlap to be 0.248, indicating that the habitat structures preferred by these two species are highly distinct. Hermit Thrushes generally preferred forest with a high degree of canopy closure, high percent coverage of leaf litter, and low percent cover below 3.0 m. Veery territories generally had a high percent of cover between 0.5 and 3.0 m (i.e., the shrub layer) and less canopy closure than the Hermit Thrush plots. Our data suggest that the Hermit Thrush is expanding south because it is attracted to the maturing of the spruce forests in this region.

Guilds of species that share ecological similarities or recent ancestors are often the basis of studies concerning habitat partitioning. An interesting result of many of these studies is that means of partitioning in one area of sympatry may be different from those in disjunct areas of overlap. Here, we quantified the differences in habitat preference of two forest thrushes in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) has recently expanded its breeding range south along the spine of the Appalachians into the spruce-fir forests of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. There, it shares breeding habitat with the congeneric Veery (C. fuscescens), previously the only forest thrush breeding in this area. We used several multivariate analyses of habitat variables within both species' territories to understand how these species partition the available habitat and to test if these means of partitioning are similar to those found by other studies. We calculated the niche overlap to be 0.248, indicating that the habitat structures preferred by these two species are highly distinct. Hermit Thrushes generally preferred forest with a high degree of canopy closure, high percent coverage of leaf litter, and low percent cover below 3.0 m. Veery territories generally had a high percent of cover between 0.5 and 3.0 m (i.e., the shrub layer) and less canopy closure than the Hermit Thrush plots. Our data suggest that the Hermit Thrush is expanding south because it is attracted to the maturing of the spruce forests in this region.

Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) is an invasive fish species native to Asia that has become increasingly abundant within the Mississippi River Basin during the past decade. Originally introduced to control snails that are an intermediate host for trematode parasites of fishes in aquaculture ponds, Black Carp are now present in several rivers in the U.S. and represent a potential threat to threatened and endangered mussel populations. Black Carp have historically been classified as molluscivores; however, a recent study that examined gut contents of Black Carp collected from the Mississippi River Basin indicated that Black Carp are opportunistic consumers that prey upon a wide variety of invertebrates and are flexible in their feeding modes. Despite the potential for Black Carp to compete with native riverine fish species for invertebrate prey, only one published study has compared Black Carp trophic position with that of native fishes in a small portion of the Black Carp’s invaded range. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess trophic overlap between Black Carp and two fish species native to the Mississippi River Basin using isotopic niche analysis and gut contents analysis. Dorsal muscle tissue samples were collected from Black Carp, Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), and Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and analyzed for δ13C and δ15N to assess each species’ isotopic niche. Freshwater Drum and Blue Catfish gut contents were also removed and analyzed and compared to published Black Carp stomach contents data. Gut contents analysis indicated differences in diet composition between Black Carp and the two native fish species. Chironomidae had the highest frequency of occurrence (67%) and percent of taxa by number (47%) for Freshwater Drum. Trichoptera had the highest frequency of occurrence (58%) and percent of taxa by number (30%) for Blue Catfish, and Gastropoda had the highest frequency of occurrence (16.5%) of any specific prey taxa for Black Carp. Black Carp showed low isotopic niche overlap (≤47%) with both native species when muscle tissue δ13C and δ15N data from all fish collection locations were combined and when assessment of isotopic niches was restricted to the subset of locations where all three species were collected. Isotopic niche overlap was also low (10-48%) between Black Carp and both native species when isotopic niches were compared at individual collection locations. Intraspecific isotopic niche overlap among fish collection locations was highly variable (0-69%) within each of the three species, highlighting the need to assess interspecific isotopic niche overlap by collection location. Broad isotopic niches exhibited by Black Carp in the Mississippi River and tributaries are indicative of substantial trophic diversity among individuals and use of multiple basal energy sources, consistent with a recently published study which found that Black Carp diet composition differed among individuals and that Black Carp consumed a variety of invertebrates, including non-benthic taxa.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第20987号 / 医博第4333号 / 新制||医||1027(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 伊達 洋至, 教授 長船 健二, 教授 一山 智 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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