Speech perception is essential for daily communication.Background noise or concurrent talkers,on the other hand,can make it challenging for listeners to track the target speech(i.e.,cocktail party problem).The present...Speech perception is essential for daily communication.Background noise or concurrent talkers,on the other hand,can make it challenging for listeners to track the target speech(i.e.,cocktail party problem).The present study reviews and compares existing findings on speech perception and unmasking in cocktail party listening environments in English and Mandarin Chinese.The review starts with an introduction section followed by related concepts of auditory masking.The next two sections review factors that release speech perception from masking in English and Mandarin Chinese,respectively.The last section presents an overall summary of the findings with comparisons between the two languages.Future research directions with respect to the difference in literature on the reviewed topic between the two languages are also discussed.展开更多
An experimental method with headphone virtual reproduction is proposed and a series of experiments to study forward masking effect when the masker and the masked signal are spatially separated in azimuth are conducted...An experimental method with headphone virtual reproduction is proposed and a series of experiments to study forward masking effect when the masker and the masked signal are spatially separated in azimuth are conducted. Then, the masking thresholds are compared with those when the masker and the masked signal source are at the same place. The results show that, although both the thresholds of 0° and ±30° sound images increase with the sound pressure level (SPL) of the masker, spatial unmasking may be really observed. The maximum unmasking is as large as 15 dB. This spatial unmasking effect is mainly attributed to better-ear contribution.展开更多
Phospholipase C zeta(PLCζ)is a sperm-specific protein that triggers oocyte activation.The analysis of PLCζexpression in human spermatozoa can be used as a diagnostic marker for oocyte activation deficiency.Our labor...Phospholipase C zeta(PLCζ)is a sperm-specific protein that triggers oocyte activation.The analysis of PLCζexpression in human spermatozoa can be used as a diagnostic marker for oocyte activation deficiency.Our laboratory has previously optimized a standard"in-house"assay to determine PLCζexpression in human spermatozoa.However,one study has suggested that an antigen unmasking method(AUM)would be more efficient in visualizing PLCζin human sperm.This study aimed to compare our established assay and AUM(involving HCl,acidic Tyrode's solution[AT],and heat).The mean relative fluorescence(RF)intensity of PLCζin frozen-thawed spermatozoa from fourteen fertile donors stained with the in-house method was significantly higher than three other AUM groups(in-house[mean±standard error of mean]:18.87±2.39 arbitrary units[a.u.]vs non-AUM:11.44±1.61 a.u.,AT-AUM:12.38±1.89 a.u.,and HCl-AUM:12.51±2.16 a.u.,P<0.05,one-way analysis of variance).The mean RF intensity of PLCζin AT-and HCl-treated spermatozoa from 12 infertile males was not significantly different from that of the non-AUM group.However,the in-house method resulted in the highest RF intensity(12.11±1.36 a.u.,P<0.01).Furthermore,specificity testing of antibody-antigen binding indicated that the in-house method showed more specific binding than spermatozoa treated by the AUM.In conclusion,our in-house method showed superior visualization and reliability than the AUM,thus supporting the continued use of our in-house assay for clinical research screening.展开更多
Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS), which has inhibited Human immune deficiency virus (HIV), in vitro, was used for trial-treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. Their plasma were tested for viral loads (...Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS), which has inhibited Human immune deficiency virus (HIV), in vitro, was used for trial-treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. Their plasma were tested for viral loads (VL): before and repeatedly during the treatment. The regimen was: MSAMS (50 mg/kg), MSAMS-stabilized Ampicillin trihydrate (7.5 mg/kg) and immunace extra protection?. After 4 weeks, it was reduced to 50 mg/kg (MSAMS) and the immune stimulant. When VL decreased bellow 50/ml, the treatment continued, 4 weeks before stopping. Mean-VL of four patients increased (P = 0.006) from 498.50 ± 33.37 to 1,072.50 ± 184.55, after 3.75±2.06 weeks and decreased (P = 0.040) to 407.33 ± 297.27 (18.29%) when the treatment-duration increased to 6.67 ± 2.31 weeks. Prolonging the duration to 12.00 ± 2.83 weeks led to 98.68% decrease of mean-VL of four other patients, from 24,250.00 ± 15,939.34 to 321.00 ± 229.38(P = 0.045). Two HIV positive persons treated for 4 weeks after their VL reduced bellow 50/ml have remained healthy, 10 and 16 months respectively, without routine antiretroviral medication.展开更多
For clinical trial of Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS, Antivirt<sup>®</sup>), on viral loads and CD4-lymphocytes counts of HIV/AIDS patients, 10 volunteers were treated. Thei...For clinical trial of Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS, Antivirt<sup>®</sup>), on viral loads and CD4-lymphocytes counts of HIV/AIDS patients, 10 volunteers were treated. Their blood samples were tested for viral loads and for CD4-lymphocytes counts, before the treatment and every 4 weeks during the medication. The regimen was: MSAMS (50 mg/kg), MSAMS-stabilized Ampicillin trihydrate (7.5 mg/kg) and immunace extra protection<sup>®</sup> (1 tablet/day), for 4 weeks. Then, it was reduced to 50 mg/kg (MSAMS) and the immune stimulant. When their viral loads become undetectable, they would be treated for additional 4 weeks. Initially, the Antivirt<sup>®</sup>-regimen appeared to worsen both HIV infection-load and immune deficiency but later relieved them. Patients’ mean-viral load increased (P = 0.020), from 1820.30 ± 868.75 to 2855.90 ± 960.98, after 4 weeks before reducing (P = 0.030) to 1565.20 ± 743.17, after 8 weeks. Similarly, their mean-CD4-lymphocytes count reduced (P = 0.008) from 496.80 ± 194.39 to 263.90 ± 149.26, after 4 weeks before improving (P = 0.001) to 507.90 ± 133.19, after 8 weeks.展开更多
文摘Speech perception is essential for daily communication.Background noise or concurrent talkers,on the other hand,can make it challenging for listeners to track the target speech(i.e.,cocktail party problem).The present study reviews and compares existing findings on speech perception and unmasking in cocktail party listening environments in English and Mandarin Chinese.The review starts with an introduction section followed by related concepts of auditory masking.The next two sections review factors that release speech perception from masking in English and Mandarin Chinese,respectively.The last section presents an overall summary of the findings with comparisons between the two languages.Future research directions with respect to the difference in literature on the reviewed topic between the two languages are also discussed.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10374031)
文摘An experimental method with headphone virtual reproduction is proposed and a series of experiments to study forward masking effect when the masker and the masked signal are spatially separated in azimuth are conducted. Then, the masking thresholds are compared with those when the masker and the masked signal source are at the same place. The results show that, although both the thresholds of 0° and ±30° sound images increase with the sound pressure level (SPL) of the masker, spatial unmasking may be really observed. The maximum unmasking is as large as 15 dB. This spatial unmasking effect is mainly attributed to better-ear contribution.
文摘Phospholipase C zeta(PLCζ)is a sperm-specific protein that triggers oocyte activation.The analysis of PLCζexpression in human spermatozoa can be used as a diagnostic marker for oocyte activation deficiency.Our laboratory has previously optimized a standard"in-house"assay to determine PLCζexpression in human spermatozoa.However,one study has suggested that an antigen unmasking method(AUM)would be more efficient in visualizing PLCζin human sperm.This study aimed to compare our established assay and AUM(involving HCl,acidic Tyrode's solution[AT],and heat).The mean relative fluorescence(RF)intensity of PLCζin frozen-thawed spermatozoa from fourteen fertile donors stained with the in-house method was significantly higher than three other AUM groups(in-house[mean±standard error of mean]:18.87±2.39 arbitrary units[a.u.]vs non-AUM:11.44±1.61 a.u.,AT-AUM:12.38±1.89 a.u.,and HCl-AUM:12.51±2.16 a.u.,P<0.05,one-way analysis of variance).The mean RF intensity of PLCζin AT-and HCl-treated spermatozoa from 12 infertile males was not significantly different from that of the non-AUM group.However,the in-house method resulted in the highest RF intensity(12.11±1.36 a.u.,P<0.01).Furthermore,specificity testing of antibody-antigen binding indicated that the in-house method showed more specific binding than spermatozoa treated by the AUM.In conclusion,our in-house method showed superior visualization and reliability than the AUM,thus supporting the continued use of our in-house assay for clinical research screening.
文摘Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS), which has inhibited Human immune deficiency virus (HIV), in vitro, was used for trial-treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. Their plasma were tested for viral loads (VL): before and repeatedly during the treatment. The regimen was: MSAMS (50 mg/kg), MSAMS-stabilized Ampicillin trihydrate (7.5 mg/kg) and immunace extra protection?. After 4 weeks, it was reduced to 50 mg/kg (MSAMS) and the immune stimulant. When VL decreased bellow 50/ml, the treatment continued, 4 weeks before stopping. Mean-VL of four patients increased (P = 0.006) from 498.50 ± 33.37 to 1,072.50 ± 184.55, after 3.75±2.06 weeks and decreased (P = 0.040) to 407.33 ± 297.27 (18.29%) when the treatment-duration increased to 6.67 ± 2.31 weeks. Prolonging the duration to 12.00 ± 2.83 weeks led to 98.68% decrease of mean-VL of four other patients, from 24,250.00 ± 15,939.34 to 321.00 ± 229.38(P = 0.045). Two HIV positive persons treated for 4 weeks after their VL reduced bellow 50/ml have remained healthy, 10 and 16 months respectively, without routine antiretroviral medication.
文摘For clinical trial of Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS, Antivirt<sup>®</sup>), on viral loads and CD4-lymphocytes counts of HIV/AIDS patients, 10 volunteers were treated. Their blood samples were tested for viral loads and for CD4-lymphocytes counts, before the treatment and every 4 weeks during the medication. The regimen was: MSAMS (50 mg/kg), MSAMS-stabilized Ampicillin trihydrate (7.5 mg/kg) and immunace extra protection<sup>®</sup> (1 tablet/day), for 4 weeks. Then, it was reduced to 50 mg/kg (MSAMS) and the immune stimulant. When their viral loads become undetectable, they would be treated for additional 4 weeks. Initially, the Antivirt<sup>®</sup>-regimen appeared to worsen both HIV infection-load and immune deficiency but later relieved them. Patients’ mean-viral load increased (P = 0.020), from 1820.30 ± 868.75 to 2855.90 ± 960.98, after 4 weeks before reducing (P = 0.030) to 1565.20 ± 743.17, after 8 weeks. Similarly, their mean-CD4-lymphocytes count reduced (P = 0.008) from 496.80 ± 194.39 to 263.90 ± 149.26, after 4 weeks before improving (P = 0.001) to 507.90 ± 133.19, after 8 weeks.
