This study explores the intricate symbiotic relationship between the Cantonese tonal system and Cantonese opera through an interdisciplinary lens of linguistics and musicology.Cantonese,with its complex tonal architec...This study explores the intricate symbiotic relationship between the Cantonese tonal system and Cantonese opera through an interdisciplinary lens of linguistics and musicology.Cantonese,with its complex tonal architecture and unique phonetic characteristics,serves not only as a communicative medium but as a structural blueprint for the melodic and rhythmic composition of Cantonese opera.Through historical tracing,phonological analysis,and performative interpretation,the paper examines how tonal contours directly shape vocal techniques,emotional expression,and narrative cadence within the opera tradition.The research further investigates how socio-cultural factors—ranging from regional identity,migration,and colonial modernity to contemporary digital transmission—have mediated the evolution and resilience of this art form.By demonstrating how linguistic tone and musical tune co-construct aesthetic experience and cultural memory,the paper offers a new theoretical model for understanding language-music co-evolution in tonal cultures.This inquiry not only affirms Cantonese opera’s role as a living archive of regional identity but also proposes strategies for its revitalization amidst the shifting conditions of modernity and globalization.展开更多
The starting point of this study is the theory of tonal consonance by Plomp and Levelt. The major reference point is the theory of Critical Band and its use for evaluating consonance of simple tones. On the basis of s...The starting point of this study is the theory of tonal consonance by Plomp and Levelt. The major reference point is the theory of Critical Band and its use for evaluating consonance of simple tones. On the basis of such empirical criterion, our aim consists in providing a method of estimating the value of consonance of complex tones, by taking account not only of the number of harmonics, but also of the intensity of the partials which contribute to forming the tone. By introducing a specific algorithm, the level of consonance of a chord of complex tones is expressed in terms both of frequency differences and sound intensity of the partials. The results give rise to a series of considerations and applications, ranging from displaying the order of consonance of all intervals within the octave up to evaluating the hierarchy of chords in the frame of a musical scale.展开更多
Objective:To explore the feasibility of five tones combined with electro-acupuncture for drug rehabilitation.Methods:Search and screen the literature related to drug rehabilitation with musical electrico-acupuncture i...Objective:To explore the feasibility of five tones combined with electro-acupuncture for drug rehabilitation.Methods:Search and screen the literature related to drug rehabilitation with musical electrico-acupuncture in PubMed,CNKI,CQVIP and Wanfang data to May 2019,and summarize and analyze the literature.Results:Either music therapy or acupuncture therapy has therapeutic responses respectively,and the combined use of both is more effective than the single-use.Conclusion:The combination of five tones and acupuncture is highly feasible for drug rehabilitation.展开更多
Children at 3 years old have mastered the production of the four citation tones. The acquisition sequence of citation tones in MC is T1-T4-T2-T3. However, children in younger age usually replace T3 with middle rising,...Children at 3 years old have mastered the production of the four citation tones. The acquisition sequence of citation tones in MC is T1-T4-T2-T3. However, children in younger age usually replace T3 with middle rising, middle falling tone or level tone, one of the most frequent wrong production is middle rising tone. As for T2 and T4, almost wrong productions are high-level tones.展开更多
This paper describes a method for recognizing Chinese tones in continuous speech. The first and second order differentials of the fundamental frequency logarithmically converted are used as feature parameters. A left-...This paper describes a method for recognizing Chinese tones in continuous speech. The first and second order differentials of the fundamental frequency logarithmically converted are used as feature parameters. A left-to-right hidden Markov modeling with five states, each of which is modeled by a single Gaussian distribution, expresses each of Chinese tones. Non-voiced portions are coded by random values normally distributed to uniformly deal with all the time frames in an utterance. Speaker dependent tone recognition was conducted for ten speakers. The average rate of 81.8% was obtained for these speakers.展开更多
For those who are going to work with English at an advanced level as English-majored students,teachers or researchers,a deeper understanding about intonation is very important.At this level,intonation deals with more ...For those who are going to work with English at an advanced level as English-majored students,teachers or researchers,a deeper understanding about intonation is very important.At this level,intonation deals with more complicated features such as prominence,key,termination,tone,pitch sequence,and orientation in interactions.As a matter of fact,knowledge of these aspects is of crucial importance for advanced learners of English:It can help language users gain more confidence and proficiency in speaking the target language as well as in arriving at a complete understanding of English interactions.Based on the qualitative and quantitative data,the survey reveals the effect of teaching tones on developing speaking skills for advanced students of the language.Regarding the practical applications,this study serves to build up students’awareness and provide useful practice of the knowledge of tones they have to deal with in speech,thus outlining ways to improve speaking skills for students in Vietnamese contexts.展开更多
This paper takes the learners who have a one-year experience of learning Chinese in Korean high schools as the investigated and studied sample,concludes the teaching methods of the first,second,third,and fourth Chines...This paper takes the learners who have a one-year experience of learning Chinese in Korean high schools as the investigated and studied sample,concludes the teaching methods of the first,second,third,and fourth Chinese tones,and focuses on the methods of tone teaching.展开更多
Background Blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） and magnetoencephalography are new techniques of brain functional imaging which can provide the information of excitation of neuro...Background Blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） and magnetoencephalography are new techniques of brain functional imaging which can provide the information of excitation of neurons by measure the changes of hemodynamics and electrophysiological data of local brain tissue. The purpose of this study was to study functional brain areas evoked by pure tones in healthy and sensorineural hearing loss subjects with these techniques and to compare the differences between the two groups. Methods Thirty healthy and 30 sensorineural hearing loss subjects were included in this study. In fMRI, block-design paradigm was used. During the active epoch the participants listened to 1000 Hz, sound pressure level 140 dB pure tones at duration 500 ms, interstimulus interval 1000 ms, which presented continuously via a magnetic resonance-compatible audio system. None stimulus was executed in control epoch. In magnetoencephalography study, every subject received stimuli of 1000 Hz tone bursts delivered to the bilateral ear at duration 8 ms, interstimulus intervals 1000 ms. Sound pressure level in healthy subjects was 30 dB; in sensorineural hearing loss subjects was 20 dB above everyone＇ s hearing threshold respectively. All subjects were examined with 306-channel whole-scalp neuromagnetometer. Results In fMRI, all subjects showed significant activations in bilateral Heschl＇s gyri, anterior pole of planum temporale, planum temporale, precentral gyri, postcentral gyri, supramarginal gyri, superior temporal gyri, inferior frontal gyri, occipital lobes and cerebellums. The healthy subjects had more intensive activation in bilateral Heschl＇s gyri, anterior pole of planum temporale, inferior frontal gyri, left superior temporal gyri and right planum temporale than the hearing loss subjects. But in precentral gyri, postcentral gyri and occipital lobes, the activation is more intensive in the hearing loss subjects. In magnetoencephalography study, both in the hearing loss and the healthy subjects, the most evident audio evoked fields activated by pure tone were N100m, which located precisely on the Heschl＇s gyrus. Compared with the hearing loss subjects, N100m of the healthy subjects was stronger and had longer latencies in right hemisphere. Conclusions Under proper pure tone stimulus the activation of auditory cortex can be elicited both in the healthy and the sensorineural hearing loss subjects. Either at objective equivalent stimuli or at subjectively perceived equivalent stimuli, the auditory responses were more intensive in healthy subjects than hearing loss subjects. The tone stimuli were processed in a network in human brain and there was an intrinsic relation between the auditory and visual cortex. Blood oxygen level dependent fMRI and magnetoencephalography could reinforce each other.展开更多
Often as a result ofbiofilm formation, drinking water distribution systems （DWDS） are regularly faced with the problem of microbial contamination. Quorum sensing （QS） systems play a marked role in the regulation o...Often as a result ofbiofilm formation, drinking water distribution systems （DWDS） are regularly faced with the problem of microbial contamination. Quorum sensing （QS） systems play a marked role in the regulation of microbial biofilm formation; thus, inhibition of QS systems may provide a promising approach to biofilm formation control in DWDS. In the present study, 22 bacterial strains were isolated from drinking water-related environments. The following properties of the strains were investigated： bacterial biofilm formation capacity, QS signal molecule N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones （AHLs） production ability, and responses to AHLs and AHL analogs, 3-chloro-4-（dichloromethyl）-5-hydroxy-2（5H）- furanone （MX） and 2（5H）-furanone. Four AHLs were added to developed biofilms at dosages ranging from 0.1 nmol.L J to 100nmol.L1. As a result, the biofilm growth of more than 1/4 of the isolates, which included AHL producers and non-producers, were significantly promoted. Further, the biofilm biomasses were closely associated with respective AHLs concentrations. These results provided evidence to support the idea that AHLs play a definitive role in biofilm formation in many of the studied bacteria. Meanwhile, two AHLs analogs demon- strated unexpectedly minimal negative effects on biofilm formation. This suggested that, in order to find an applicable QS inhibition approach for biofilm control in DWDS, the testing and analysis of more analogs is needed.展开更多
Background Chinese tones are considered important in Chinese discrimination. However, the relevant reports on auditory central mechanisms concerning Chinese tones are limited. In this study, mismatch negativity （MMN...Background Chinese tones are considered important in Chinese discrimination. However, the relevant reports on auditory central mechanisms concerning Chinese tones are limited. In this study, mismatch negativity （MMN）, one of the event related potentials （ERP）, was used to investigate pre-attentive processing of Chinese tones, and the differences between the function of oddball MMN and that of control MMN are discussed. Methods Ten subjects （six men and four women） with normal hearing participated in the study. A sequence was presented to these subjects through a loudspeaker, the sequence included four blocks, a control block and three oddball blocks. The control block was made up of five components （one pure tone and four Chinese tones） with equiprobability. The oddball blocks were made up of two components, one was a standard stimulus （tone 1） and the other was a deviant stimulus （tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4）. Electroencephalogram （EEG） data were recorded when the sequence was presented and MMNs were obtained from the analysis of the EEG data. Results Two kinds of MMNs were obtained, oddball MMN and control MMN. Oddball MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP elicited by standard stimulation （tone 1） from that elicited by deviant stimulation （tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4） in the oddball block; control MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP elicited by the tone in control block, which was the same tone as the deviant stimulation in the oddball block, from the ERP elicited by deviant stimulation （tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4） in the oddball block. There were two negative waves in oddball MMN, one appeared around 150 ms （oddball MMN 1）, the other around 300 ms （oddball MMN 2）. Only one negative wave appeared around 300 ms in control MMN, which was corresponding to the oddball MMN 2. We performed the statistical analyses in each paradigm for latencies and amplitudes for oddball MMN 2 in discriminating the three Chinese tones and reported no significant differences. But the latencies and amplitudes for control MMN in discriminating the three tones all were significantly different. Conclusions There are evident waveforms for oddball and control MMN obtained in normal hearing persons, indicating that the change of Chinese tones could be detected in the pre-attentive stage. Because control MMN can eliminate reflects for physical characteristics of sound, it is the genuine memory-based pre-attentive processing. Since control MMN can reflect the differences of Chinese tones processing better than oddball MMN, it is more sensitive in evaluating pre-attentive processing in Chinese tones discrimination.展开更多
This study explores the variations in address forms within the Tinghu dialect of Yancheng city.The findings reveal that the ways individuals address one another in this region deviate from the established principles o...This study explores the variations in address forms within the Tinghu dialect of Yancheng city.The findings reveal that the ways individuals address one another in this region deviate from the established principles of tone sandhi theory.In Chinese phonology,it is generally assumed that individual characters serve as fundamental forms based on their standard pronunciations,with real-time pronunciations adapting to phonetic conditions.However,the study of address forms has not traditionally been integrated into this framework.Observations indicate that a wide range of addressing methods is employed in social interactions,reflecting the complexity of regional cultural traits and social dynamics.This research highlights the distinctive features of address forms in the Tinghu dialect,particularly in terms of tone sandhi,vocative expressions,and indirect address.By examining these unique characteristics,the study enhances our understanding of the principles governing tonal changes in Chinese.Furthermore,it offers valuable insights into the preservation and inheritance of regional dialects.展开更多
Background:The use of skincare cosmetics can enhance human skin integrity,appearance,and conditions.However,consumers nowadays are quite concerned about the efficacy of skincare cosmetics,particularly those with antio...Background:The use of skincare cosmetics can enhance human skin integrity,appearance,and conditions.However,consumers nowadays are quite concerned about the efficacy of skincare cosmetics,particularly those with antioxidant properties that can improve skin tone and skin health.Previous studies also reported that volatile organic compounds(VOCs)in skincare cosmetics could have beneficial effects on human skin.Objective:This research aims to evaluate the antioxidant properties of CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics as well as to investigate the presence of VOCs that could influence their skin tone improvement properties.Material and methods:The CHARMS^(TM)products used were cleanser,toner,essence,serum,moisturizer,scrub,and night cream.The skin tone improvement was assessed on 20 female volunteers’facial skin by using a colorimeter.The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)free radical scavenging assay,total phenolic content(TPC),and total flavonoid content(TFC).Meanwhile,the VOCs were measured using an electronic nose based on gas chromatography(e-nose-GC).Results:The findings show that skin tone was improved significantly by 3.23%in which the skin becomes lighter while skin redness was reduced by 5.75%after using the CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics.The results also show that the cleanser(21.55±0.23%)and the serum(23.60±0.19%)had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity.Contrarily,the moisturizer exhibited the highest TPC value(324.14±17.47 mg GAE/g),and the cleanser had the highest TFC value(24.68±1.57 mg QE/g).The VOCs detected in these skincare cosmetics such as limonene andγ-terpinene may have skin-lightening effects.Conclusion:It can be concluded that the tested products from CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics comply with the standard regulations and guidelines for Control of Cosmetic Products in Malaysia and can be used effectively as a daily skincare routine.展开更多
This paper aims at investigating the Mandarin tone perception of native Kam speakers in Rongjiang area through the categorical perception experiment,and comparing with the results of the native Mandarin speakers.The r...This paper aims at investigating the Mandarin tone perception of native Kam speakers in Rongjiang area through the categorical perception experiment,and comparing with the results of the native Mandarin speakers.The results show that the native Kam speakers are able to differentiate phonemic categories among the four Mandarin tones in pairs at the linguistic level.At the behavioral level,the tone perception of T1-T2,T1-T3(T3 as baseline),T1-T4,T2-T4 and T3-T4(T3 as baseline)continua is shown to be categorical,but the degree of categorization is significantly lower than that of the Mandarin speakers.In T1-T3(T1 as baseline),T2-T3 and T3-T4(T4 as baseline)continua,the kam speakers fail to establish categorical perception,exhibiting continuous perception instead.The results indicate that complex tone system of the Kam language does not facilitate the categorical perception of Mandarin tones by Kam speakers.展开更多
A perceptual experiment was conducted in which stimuli sliced from 12 StandardChinese syllables spoken in isolation were identified by 10 native speakers of Beijing dialect.The results of the experiment indicate that ...A perceptual experiment was conducted in which stimuli sliced from 12 StandardChinese syllables spoken in isolation were identified by 10 native speakers of Beijing dialect.The results of the experiment indicate that when the pre-onset or post-offest of a tone is extended to a large extent, the initial voiced consonant, the medial, the nasal coda, and the vocalic ending are not related to the tonal pitch; even when the post-offset is extended to a short extent, the nasal coda and the vocalic cnding are neither related to the tona1 pitch. Thus, with regard to the tonal domain of a Standard Chinese monosyllable in isolation, not only the initial voiced consonant and the medial, but also the nasal coda and the vocalic ending are excludedi in other words, the basic contour of Standard Chincse tone in isolation is mainly related to the syllabic vowel and its adjacent transition. Because F0 in the pre-onset and post- onset are not related to the tonal pitch, there is no exact match between F0 contour and tonal pitch.展开更多
Fundamental frequency difference limens were measured to study whether pitch perception of medium-rank harmonic complex tones depends on the resolvability of the compo- nents and to study the effect of masker tone on ...Fundamental frequency difference limens were measured to study whether pitch perception of medium-rank harmonic complex tones depends on the resolvability of the compo- nents and to study the effect of masker tone on discrimination performance. Target tone was presented alone, or mixed with the masker, which were filtered into the same bandpass frequency region （low, medium, or high） to obtain different resolvability. There were five kinds of funda- mental frequency difference and four kinds of phase combination between target and masker. Five young subjects participated in experiments, all of whom had normal hearing （thresholds ≤ 15 dB HL）. Results found fundamental frequency difference limens were increased with up-shift frequency region of the harmonics. The fundamental frequency difference between target and masker had a significant impact on the performance, while phase effects were small. Analysis suggested that resolvability of harmonics had a significant impact on the fundamental frequency difference limens, but pitch perception of medium-rank harmonics was not based on the resolv- ability. Analysis also suggested that most results of pitch perception of target-masker mixture were closely correlated with peaks on the excitation patterns.展开更多
PeopLe＇s visual perception and recognition of urban coLorscape tones change significantly in hazy weather. A psychoLogicaL experiment is conducted in this study to investigate visual comfort related to commercial and...PeopLe＇s visual perception and recognition of urban coLorscape tones change significantly in hazy weather. A psychoLogicaL experiment is conducted in this study to investigate visual comfort related to commercial and residential buildings. Visual observations are performed on the tones of an urban coLorscape during hazy weather and air poLLution in Harbin, China. Fifty-eight color samples selected through an orthogonaL method are evaluated through a Ukert scale by 30 subjects in a Laboratory setting. Statistical analysis is performed with the maximal information coefficient and R Language. Experimental results show that the changing threshold values of color tones are related to the visual comfort LeveLs of the subjects. The influence of the three factors of color tones on visual comfort Level is reLativeLy independent, and the effects of value and chroma contrast on color comfort Level are greater than that of hue contrast in hazy weather. Furthermore, the comfort recognition threshold values of color tones in hazy weather are determined through data comparisons and analyses.展开更多
This paper presents a reliable speaker-independent method of recognizing Chinese tones. An unbiased center-clipping autocorrelation algorithm of pitch period extraction is proposed. A two-dimensional decision vector i...This paper presents a reliable speaker-independent method of recognizing Chinese tones. An unbiased center-clipping autocorrelation algorithm of pitch period extraction is proposed. A two-dimensional decision vector is used for recognizing Chinese tones by passing the pitch period sequence through the procedures of data selection, error correction, data smoothing and curve fitting. The average correct rate of tone recognition for isolated Chinese syllables is over 98%.展开更多
Objective:To analyze the effect of combining transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)with rehabilitation training in patients with upper limb dysfunction after stroke(ULDAS).Methods:A total of 130 ULDAS pa...Objective:To analyze the effect of combining transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)with rehabilitation training in patients with upper limb dysfunction after stroke(ULDAS).Methods:A total of 130 ULDAS patients who were hospitalized and rehabilitated in Wuxi Xinwu District Rehabilitation Hospital from May 2021 to May 2023 were selected and randomly divided into Group A(65 cases,rehabilitation training)and Group B(65 cases,rehabilitation training+TEAS).The effects of the two groups were compared.Results:After treatment,the upper limb functional indexes of Group B were better than those of Group A(P<0.05).The rate of muscle tone grades 0-4 in Group B was higher than those of Group A(P<0.05).Conclusion:The function of upper limbs and muscle strength of ULDAS patients improved by combining TEAS with rehabilitation training.展开更多
A number of publications have claimed that Mobitz type Ⅱ atrioventricular block(AVB)may occur during sleep.None of the reports defined type Ⅱ AVB and representative electrocardiograms were either misinterpreted or m...A number of publications have claimed that Mobitz type Ⅱ atrioventricular block(AVB)may occur during sleep.None of the reports defined type Ⅱ AVB and representative electrocardiograms were either misinterpreted or missing.Relatively benign Wenckebach type Ⅰ AVB is often misdiagnosed as Mobitz type Ⅱ which is an indication for a pacemaker.Review of the published reports indicates that Mobitz type II AVB does not occur during sleep when it is absent in the awake state.Conclusion:There is no proof that sleep is associated with Mobitz type Ⅱ AVB.展开更多
文摘This study explores the intricate symbiotic relationship between the Cantonese tonal system and Cantonese opera through an interdisciplinary lens of linguistics and musicology.Cantonese,with its complex tonal architecture and unique phonetic characteristics,serves not only as a communicative medium but as a structural blueprint for the melodic and rhythmic composition of Cantonese opera.Through historical tracing,phonological analysis,and performative interpretation,the paper examines how tonal contours directly shape vocal techniques,emotional expression,and narrative cadence within the opera tradition.The research further investigates how socio-cultural factors—ranging from regional identity,migration,and colonial modernity to contemporary digital transmission—have mediated the evolution and resilience of this art form.By demonstrating how linguistic tone and musical tune co-construct aesthetic experience and cultural memory,the paper offers a new theoretical model for understanding language-music co-evolution in tonal cultures.This inquiry not only affirms Cantonese opera’s role as a living archive of regional identity but also proposes strategies for its revitalization amidst the shifting conditions of modernity and globalization.
文摘The starting point of this study is the theory of tonal consonance by Plomp and Levelt. The major reference point is the theory of Critical Band and its use for evaluating consonance of simple tones. On the basis of such empirical criterion, our aim consists in providing a method of estimating the value of consonance of complex tones, by taking account not only of the number of harmonics, but also of the intensity of the partials which contribute to forming the tone. By introducing a specific algorithm, the level of consonance of a chord of complex tones is expressed in terms both of frequency differences and sound intensity of the partials. The results give rise to a series of considerations and applications, ranging from displaying the order of consonance of all intervals within the octave up to evaluating the hierarchy of chords in the frame of a musical scale.
基金This study is supported by Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research and Training(SRT)Program(No.2019074).
文摘Objective:To explore the feasibility of five tones combined with electro-acupuncture for drug rehabilitation.Methods:Search and screen the literature related to drug rehabilitation with musical electrico-acupuncture in PubMed,CNKI,CQVIP and Wanfang data to May 2019,and summarize and analyze the literature.Results:Either music therapy or acupuncture therapy has therapeutic responses respectively,and the combined use of both is more effective than the single-use.Conclusion:The combination of five tones and acupuncture is highly feasible for drug rehabilitation.
文摘Children at 3 years old have mastered the production of the four citation tones. The acquisition sequence of citation tones in MC is T1-T4-T2-T3. However, children in younger age usually replace T3 with middle rising, middle falling tone or level tone, one of the most frequent wrong production is middle rising tone. As for T2 and T4, almost wrong productions are high-level tones.
文摘This paper describes a method for recognizing Chinese tones in continuous speech. The first and second order differentials of the fundamental frequency logarithmically converted are used as feature parameters. A left-to-right hidden Markov modeling with five states, each of which is modeled by a single Gaussian distribution, expresses each of Chinese tones. Non-voiced portions are coded by random values normally distributed to uniformly deal with all the time frames in an utterance. Speaker dependent tone recognition was conducted for ten speakers. The average rate of 81.8% was obtained for these speakers.
文摘For those who are going to work with English at an advanced level as English-majored students,teachers or researchers,a deeper understanding about intonation is very important.At this level,intonation deals with more complicated features such as prominence,key,termination,tone,pitch sequence,and orientation in interactions.As a matter of fact,knowledge of these aspects is of crucial importance for advanced learners of English:It can help language users gain more confidence and proficiency in speaking the target language as well as in arriving at a complete understanding of English interactions.Based on the qualitative and quantitative data,the survey reveals the effect of teaching tones on developing speaking skills for advanced students of the language.Regarding the practical applications,this study serves to build up students’awareness and provide useful practice of the knowledge of tones they have to deal with in speech,thus outlining ways to improve speaking skills for students in Vietnamese contexts.
文摘This paper takes the learners who have a one-year experience of learning Chinese in Korean high schools as the investigated and studied sample,concludes the teaching methods of the first,second,third,and fourth Chinese tones,and focuses on the methods of tone teaching.
文摘Background Blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） and magnetoencephalography are new techniques of brain functional imaging which can provide the information of excitation of neurons by measure the changes of hemodynamics and electrophysiological data of local brain tissue. The purpose of this study was to study functional brain areas evoked by pure tones in healthy and sensorineural hearing loss subjects with these techniques and to compare the differences between the two groups. Methods Thirty healthy and 30 sensorineural hearing loss subjects were included in this study. In fMRI, block-design paradigm was used. During the active epoch the participants listened to 1000 Hz, sound pressure level 140 dB pure tones at duration 500 ms, interstimulus interval 1000 ms, which presented continuously via a magnetic resonance-compatible audio system. None stimulus was executed in control epoch. In magnetoencephalography study, every subject received stimuli of 1000 Hz tone bursts delivered to the bilateral ear at duration 8 ms, interstimulus intervals 1000 ms. Sound pressure level in healthy subjects was 30 dB; in sensorineural hearing loss subjects was 20 dB above everyone＇ s hearing threshold respectively. All subjects were examined with 306-channel whole-scalp neuromagnetometer. Results In fMRI, all subjects showed significant activations in bilateral Heschl＇s gyri, anterior pole of planum temporale, planum temporale, precentral gyri, postcentral gyri, supramarginal gyri, superior temporal gyri, inferior frontal gyri, occipital lobes and cerebellums. The healthy subjects had more intensive activation in bilateral Heschl＇s gyri, anterior pole of planum temporale, inferior frontal gyri, left superior temporal gyri and right planum temporale than the hearing loss subjects. But in precentral gyri, postcentral gyri and occipital lobes, the activation is more intensive in the hearing loss subjects. In magnetoencephalography study, both in the hearing loss and the healthy subjects, the most evident audio evoked fields activated by pure tone were N100m, which located precisely on the Heschl＇s gyrus. Compared with the hearing loss subjects, N100m of the healthy subjects was stronger and had longer latencies in right hemisphere. Conclusions Under proper pure tone stimulus the activation of auditory cortex can be elicited both in the healthy and the sensorineural hearing loss subjects. Either at objective equivalent stimuli or at subjectively perceived equivalent stimuli, the auditory responses were more intensive in healthy subjects than hearing loss subjects. The tone stimuli were processed in a network in human brain and there was an intrinsic relation between the auditory and visual cortex. Blood oxygen level dependent fMRI and magnetoencephalography could reinforce each other.
文摘Often as a result ofbiofilm formation, drinking water distribution systems （DWDS） are regularly faced with the problem of microbial contamination. Quorum sensing （QS） systems play a marked role in the regulation of microbial biofilm formation; thus, inhibition of QS systems may provide a promising approach to biofilm formation control in DWDS. In the present study, 22 bacterial strains were isolated from drinking water-related environments. The following properties of the strains were investigated： bacterial biofilm formation capacity, QS signal molecule N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones （AHLs） production ability, and responses to AHLs and AHL analogs, 3-chloro-4-（dichloromethyl）-5-hydroxy-2（5H）- furanone （MX） and 2（5H）-furanone. Four AHLs were added to developed biofilms at dosages ranging from 0.1 nmol.L J to 100nmol.L1. As a result, the biofilm growth of more than 1/4 of the isolates, which included AHL producers and non-producers, were significantly promoted. Further, the biofilm biomasses were closely associated with respective AHLs concentrations. These results provided evidence to support the idea that AHLs play a definitive role in biofilm formation in many of the studied bacteria. Meanwhile, two AHLs analogs demon- strated unexpectedly minimal negative effects on biofilm formation. This suggested that, in order to find an applicable QS inhibition approach for biofilm control in DWDS, the testing and analysis of more analogs is needed.
文摘Background Chinese tones are considered important in Chinese discrimination. However, the relevant reports on auditory central mechanisms concerning Chinese tones are limited. In this study, mismatch negativity （MMN）, one of the event related potentials （ERP）, was used to investigate pre-attentive processing of Chinese tones, and the differences between the function of oddball MMN and that of control MMN are discussed. Methods Ten subjects （six men and four women） with normal hearing participated in the study. A sequence was presented to these subjects through a loudspeaker, the sequence included four blocks, a control block and three oddball blocks. The control block was made up of five components （one pure tone and four Chinese tones） with equiprobability. The oddball blocks were made up of two components, one was a standard stimulus （tone 1） and the other was a deviant stimulus （tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4）. Electroencephalogram （EEG） data were recorded when the sequence was presented and MMNs were obtained from the analysis of the EEG data. Results Two kinds of MMNs were obtained, oddball MMN and control MMN. Oddball MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP elicited by standard stimulation （tone 1） from that elicited by deviant stimulation （tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4） in the oddball block; control MMN was obtained by subtracting the ERP elicited by the tone in control block, which was the same tone as the deviant stimulation in the oddball block, from the ERP elicited by deviant stimulation （tone 2 or tone 3 or tone 4） in the oddball block. There were two negative waves in oddball MMN, one appeared around 150 ms （oddball MMN 1）, the other around 300 ms （oddball MMN 2）. Only one negative wave appeared around 300 ms in control MMN, which was corresponding to the oddball MMN 2. We performed the statistical analyses in each paradigm for latencies and amplitudes for oddball MMN 2 in discriminating the three Chinese tones and reported no significant differences. But the latencies and amplitudes for control MMN in discriminating the three tones all were significantly different. Conclusions There are evident waveforms for oddball and control MMN obtained in normal hearing persons, indicating that the change of Chinese tones could be detected in the pre-attentive stage. Because control MMN can eliminate reflects for physical characteristics of sound, it is the genuine memory-based pre-attentive processing. Since control MMN can reflect the differences of Chinese tones processing better than oddball MMN, it is more sensitive in evaluating pre-attentive processing in Chinese tones discrimination.
文摘This study explores the variations in address forms within the Tinghu dialect of Yancheng city.The findings reveal that the ways individuals address one another in this region deviate from the established principles of tone sandhi theory.In Chinese phonology,it is generally assumed that individual characters serve as fundamental forms based on their standard pronunciations,with real-time pronunciations adapting to phonetic conditions.However,the study of address forms has not traditionally been integrated into this framework.Observations indicate that a wide range of addressing methods is employed in social interactions,reflecting the complexity of regional cultural traits and social dynamics.This research highlights the distinctive features of address forms in the Tinghu dialect,particularly in terms of tone sandhi,vocative expressions,and indirect address.By examining these unique characteristics,the study enhances our understanding of the principles governing tonal changes in Chinese.Furthermore,it offers valuable insights into the preservation and inheritance of regional dialects.
基金funded by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia(UTHM)under Industrial Grant,M066 together with Matching Grant,Q003.
文摘Background:The use of skincare cosmetics can enhance human skin integrity,appearance,and conditions.However,consumers nowadays are quite concerned about the efficacy of skincare cosmetics,particularly those with antioxidant properties that can improve skin tone and skin health.Previous studies also reported that volatile organic compounds(VOCs)in skincare cosmetics could have beneficial effects on human skin.Objective:This research aims to evaluate the antioxidant properties of CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics as well as to investigate the presence of VOCs that could influence their skin tone improvement properties.Material and methods:The CHARMS^(TM)products used were cleanser,toner,essence,serum,moisturizer,scrub,and night cream.The skin tone improvement was assessed on 20 female volunteers’facial skin by using a colorimeter.The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)free radical scavenging assay,total phenolic content(TPC),and total flavonoid content(TFC).Meanwhile,the VOCs were measured using an electronic nose based on gas chromatography(e-nose-GC).Results:The findings show that skin tone was improved significantly by 3.23%in which the skin becomes lighter while skin redness was reduced by 5.75%after using the CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics.The results also show that the cleanser(21.55±0.23%)and the serum(23.60±0.19%)had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity.Contrarily,the moisturizer exhibited the highest TPC value(324.14±17.47 mg GAE/g),and the cleanser had the highest TFC value(24.68±1.57 mg QE/g).The VOCs detected in these skincare cosmetics such as limonene andγ-terpinene may have skin-lightening effects.Conclusion:It can be concluded that the tested products from CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics comply with the standard regulations and guidelines for Control of Cosmetic Products in Malaysia and can be used effectively as a daily skincare routine.
基金supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China(22&ZD213)
文摘This paper aims at investigating the Mandarin tone perception of native Kam speakers in Rongjiang area through the categorical perception experiment,and comparing with the results of the native Mandarin speakers.The results show that the native Kam speakers are able to differentiate phonemic categories among the four Mandarin tones in pairs at the linguistic level.At the behavioral level,the tone perception of T1-T2,T1-T3(T3 as baseline),T1-T4,T2-T4 and T3-T4(T3 as baseline)continua is shown to be categorical,but the degree of categorization is significantly lower than that of the Mandarin speakers.In T1-T3(T1 as baseline),T2-T3 and T3-T4(T4 as baseline)continua,the kam speakers fail to establish categorical perception,exhibiting continuous perception instead.The results indicate that complex tone system of the Kam language does not facilitate the categorical perception of Mandarin tones by Kam speakers.
文摘A perceptual experiment was conducted in which stimuli sliced from 12 StandardChinese syllables spoken in isolation were identified by 10 native speakers of Beijing dialect.The results of the experiment indicate that when the pre-onset or post-offest of a tone is extended to a large extent, the initial voiced consonant, the medial, the nasal coda, and the vocalic ending are not related to the tonal pitch; even when the post-offset is extended to a short extent, the nasal coda and the vocalic cnding are neither related to the tona1 pitch. Thus, with regard to the tonal domain of a Standard Chinese monosyllable in isolation, not only the initial voiced consonant and the medial, but also the nasal coda and the vocalic ending are excludedi in other words, the basic contour of Standard Chincse tone in isolation is mainly related to the syllabic vowel and its adjacent transition. Because F0 in the pre-onset and post- onset are not related to the tonal pitch, there is no exact match between F0 contour and tonal pitch.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30800234)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(10151805702000000)the combination project in industry, education and research of the Ministry of Education,Guangdong Province(2011B090400315)
文摘Fundamental frequency difference limens were measured to study whether pitch perception of medium-rank harmonic complex tones depends on the resolvability of the compo- nents and to study the effect of masker tone on discrimination performance. Target tone was presented alone, or mixed with the masker, which were filtered into the same bandpass frequency region （low, medium, or high） to obtain different resolvability. There were five kinds of funda- mental frequency difference and four kinds of phase combination between target and masker. Five young subjects participated in experiments, all of whom had normal hearing （thresholds ≤ 15 dB HL）. Results found fundamental frequency difference limens were increased with up-shift frequency region of the harmonics. The fundamental frequency difference between target and masker had a significant impact on the performance, while phase effects were small. Analysis suggested that resolvability of harmonics had a significant impact on the fundamental frequency difference limens, but pitch perception of medium-rank harmonics was not based on the resolv- ability. Analysis also suggested that most results of pitch perception of target-masker mixture were closely correlated with peaks on the excitation patterns.
文摘PeopLe＇s visual perception and recognition of urban coLorscape tones change significantly in hazy weather. A psychoLogicaL experiment is conducted in this study to investigate visual comfort related to commercial and residential buildings. Visual observations are performed on the tones of an urban coLorscape during hazy weather and air poLLution in Harbin, China. Fifty-eight color samples selected through an orthogonaL method are evaluated through a Ukert scale by 30 subjects in a Laboratory setting. Statistical analysis is performed with the maximal information coefficient and R Language. Experimental results show that the changing threshold values of color tones are related to the visual comfort LeveLs of the subjects. The influence of the three factors of color tones on visual comfort Level is reLativeLy independent, and the effects of value and chroma contrast on color comfort Level are greater than that of hue contrast in hazy weather. Furthermore, the comfort recognition threshold values of color tones in hazy weather are determined through data comparisons and analyses.
基金The Project is Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘This paper presents a reliable speaker-independent method of recognizing Chinese tones. An unbiased center-clipping autocorrelation algorithm of pitch period extraction is proposed. A two-dimensional decision vector is used for recognizing Chinese tones by passing the pitch period sequence through the procedures of data selection, error correction, data smoothing and curve fitting. The average correct rate of tone recognition for isolated Chinese syllables is over 98%.
文摘Objective:To analyze the effect of combining transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)with rehabilitation training in patients with upper limb dysfunction after stroke(ULDAS).Methods:A total of 130 ULDAS patients who were hospitalized and rehabilitated in Wuxi Xinwu District Rehabilitation Hospital from May 2021 to May 2023 were selected and randomly divided into Group A(65 cases,rehabilitation training)and Group B(65 cases,rehabilitation training+TEAS).The effects of the two groups were compared.Results:After treatment,the upper limb functional indexes of Group B were better than those of Group A(P<0.05).The rate of muscle tone grades 0-4 in Group B was higher than those of Group A(P<0.05).Conclusion:The function of upper limbs and muscle strength of ULDAS patients improved by combining TEAS with rehabilitation training.
文摘A number of publications have claimed that Mobitz type Ⅱ atrioventricular block(AVB)may occur during sleep.None of the reports defined type Ⅱ AVB and representative electrocardiograms were either misinterpreted or missing.Relatively benign Wenckebach type Ⅰ AVB is often misdiagnosed as Mobitz type Ⅱ which is an indication for a pacemaker.Review of the published reports indicates that Mobitz type II AVB does not occur during sleep when it is absent in the awake state.Conclusion:There is no proof that sleep is associated with Mobitz type Ⅱ AVB.
