BACKGROUND: Falls are common in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and frequently occur when walking and crossing obstacles. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether people with mild to moderately severe PD have abnormal centre of mass (CoM) motion in response to the perturbations of level-ground walking and obstacle crossing. METHOD: Mediolateral excursion and ...

BACKGROUND: The influence of tinnitus on speech reception is under debate. A few previous studies addressed this issue and compared speech reception in groups with and without tinnitus, with tinnitus arising in both ears or in the same test ear. Recently, we demonstrated that loudness of tinnitus in single-sided deafness ...

This paper shows that fundamental frequency, Fo, can be a cue to type of intonation. The work centers on three main intonation patterns in Ika Igbo and English. Ika Igbo is a language that manifests intonation in addition to lexical tone. These intonation patterns are Low Rise (LR), High Rise ...

This study is part of the documentation and conservation of Tsuut'ina (formerly Sarcee, Sarsi; ISO 639-3: srs), a northern Dene (Athabascan) language by a collaboration of academic and community members. Tsuut'ina is a tone language. Contrary to Dene tonogenesis theory and unlike reports on all other Dene tone languages, Tsuut'ina ...

Older adults experience speech perception difficulties that are not explained by audiometric thresholds. One hypothesis is that temporal processing deficits contribute to these speech-in-noise difficulties. To test this, threshold for mistuning was measured for a component within a complex of unresolved harmonics-a cue that likely depends on sensitivity to envelope ...

Determinants of a positive patterning advantage (that is, an advantage for positive patterning over negative patterning) in human causal reasoning were examined in an experiment that compared simple patterning discriminations (A, B vs. AB) to complex patterning discriminations (AB, BC, AC vs. ABC). As predicted by a cue constellation analysis ...

OBJECTIVE:: We hypothesized that training to expert-derived levels of speed and motion will lead to improved learning and will translate to better operating room (OR) performance of novices than training to goals of speed or motion alone. BACKGROUND:: Motion tracking has been suggested to be a more sensitive performance metric ...

To examine gait patterns and gait quality, 7 twins with cerebral palsy were measured preoperatively and after surgical intervention. The aim was to study differences and/or similarities in gait between twins, the influence of personal characteristics and birth conditions, and to describe the development of gait over time after single ...

BACKGROUND: Reducing sedentary time and increasing lifestyle activities, including light-intensity activity, may be an option to help prevent metabolic syndrome (MetS). The purpose of the present study was to examine whether objectively measured light-intensity lifestyle activity and sedentary time is associated with MetS, independent of moderate--vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). ...

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether light physical activity is beneficially associated with insulin resistance, similar to moderate and/or vigorous physical activity. This cross-sectional study was performed to determine the relationship between the amount of light physical activity, as determined with a triaxial accelerometer, and insulin resistance. METHODS: A total of ...

Background:Sitting cross-legged as an activity of daily living and its kinematics have significantly different demands on the arthroplasty of hip and knee, which can be referred in the design of joint arthroplasty.Objectives:The purpose of this study was to obtain the kinematics of the lower limb in Chinese people during cross-legged ...

The purpose of this study is to identify joint motion patterns by classifying the full range of motion (ROM) into several sections. Forty participants were stratified by age and gender and they performed 18 full-swing motions at a self-selected speed. Joint angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, and subjective discomfort rating ...

This study measured reading workstation monitors and the viewing environment currently available within BreastScreen New South Wales (BSNSW) centres to determine levels of adherence to national and international guidelines. Thirteen workstations from four BSNSW service centres were assessed using the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 18 Quality ...

Neurophysiological evidence has consistently shown that, compared to younger animals, single neurons in aged mammalian visual cortex exhibit reduced selectivity to stimulus direction and orientation. It has been suggested that this may be due, in part, to increased internal noise in the aged visual system. This study measured contrast thresholds ...

Background: Most cochlear implant (CI) users describe music as a noise-like and unpleasant sound. Using behavioral tests, most prior studies have shown that perception of pitch-based melody and timbre is poor in CI users. Purpose: This article will focus on cortical encoding of timbre changes in CI users, which may ...

The influence of normal aging in early, intermediate and high-level visual processing is still poorly understood. We have addressed this important issue in a large cohort of 653 subjects divided into five distinct age groups, [20;30[, [30;40[, [40;50[, [50;60[and [60;[. We applied a broad range of psychophysical tests, testing distinct ...

OBJECTIVE:: The aim of the study was to measure and compare speech perception in users of electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) supported by a hearing aid in the unimplanted ear and in bilateral cochlear implant (CI) users under different noise and sound field conditions. Gap listening was assessed by comparing performance in ...

Normal-hearing listeners can perceptually segregate concurrent sound sources, but listeners with significant hearing loss or who wear a Cochlear Implant (CI) lag behind in this ability. Perceptual grouping mechanisms are essential to segregate concurrent sound sources and affect Comodulation Masking Release (CMR). Thus, CMR measurements in CI users could shed ...

The ability to separate concurrently occurring sounds based on periodicity cues is critical for parsing complex auditory scenes. This ability is enhanced in young adult musicians and reduced in older adults. Here, we investigated the impact of lifelong musicianship on concurrent sound segregation and perception using scalp-recorded ERPs. Older and ...

Tone triplets separated by a pause (ABA_) are a popular tone-repetition pattern to study auditory stream segregation. Such triplets produce a galloping rhythm when integrated, but isochronous rhythms when segregated. Other patterns lacking a pause may produce less-prominent rhythmic differences but stronger streaming. Here, we evaluated whether this difference is ...

OBJECTIVES:: Previous studies have shown that both younger adults and older adults with clinically normal hearing are able to detect a break in correlation (BIC) between interaurally correlated sounds presented over headphones. This ability to detect a BIC improved when the correlated sounds were presented over left and right loudspeakers ...

We demonstrate experimentally a subdiffraction light pattern, with a period down to 150 nm, at the surface of an optimized silicon nanostructured thin film. We show, using near-field and far-field characterization, that this subdiffraction pattern can be translated and rotated just by changing the illumination angle. The movable high frequency light ...

A previous behavioral study showed that a group of individuals with high vividness of visual imagery (High group), as determined from the score for the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ), could perceive the apparent motion path more strongly than a group of individuals with low vividness of visual imagery ...

BACKGROUND: Despite the strong association between turning and Freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD), there has been little research to evaluate the specific turn characteristics (i.e. turn angles) that might contribute to freezing. Therefore, the purpose of the present study has three aims: examine the turning gait kinematics ...

Abstract Approximately 64-70% of the variability in joint range of motion (ROM) is heritable. A common variant within a type V collagen (COL5A1) gene is associated with joint range of motion. Like type V collagen, types III, VI and XII collagen are also involved in fibril assembly and/or diameter regulation. ...

In the mammalian brain, form and motion are processed through two distinct pathways at early stages of visual processing. However, recent evidence suggests that these two pathways may interact. Here we used dynamic Glass patterns, which have been previously shown to create the perception of coherent motion in humans, despite ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Biofilm-related diseases such as caries and periodontal disease are prevalent chronic oral infections which pose significant oral and general health risks. Biofilms are sessile communities attached to surfaces. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been demonstrated to have a significant anti-microbial effect and presents as an alternative to treating ...

Using high-resolution microwave sky maps made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, we for the first time present strong evidence for motions of galaxy clusters and groups via microwave background temperature distortions due to the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. Galaxy clusters are identified by their constituent luminous galaxies observed by the Baryon ...

Abstract Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of 473 nm diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser on the curing depth of composite resins. Background data: Within the turbid media, light attenuates significantly because of the absorption and scattering. Materials and methods: For the study, three different ...

Surface texturing has been widely adopted to enhance the light extraction efficiency of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and chemical etching is a technique commonly used to produce surface texturing. This study employed femtosecond lasers to apply ITO films directly onto the surface of LEDs to generate periodic micro/nanostructures and roughen the ...

Significant enhancement in the light output from GaN-based green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was achieved with a hemicylindrical grating structure on the top layer of the diodes. The grating structure was first optimized by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, which showed that the profile of the grating structure was critical for ...

We report on the versatile effect of weak red laser light impinging on diblock copolymer [poly(isoprene-b-styrene)] dispersions in two selective solvents for each block. In the strongly scattering but transparent micellar solutions in hexane (a good solvent for polyisoprene), higher refractive index copolymer-rich fibers were formed. In the turbid dispersions ...

A far-ultraviolet transient absorption spectrometer based on time-resolved attenuated total reflectance (ATR) has been developed and tested for aqueous solutions of phenol and tryptophan in the region 170-185 nm. In this region, a stable tunable laser was not available, and therefore, white light from a laser-driven Xe lamp source was ...

The underlying principles involved in the interpretation of shoeprint comparisons have become a topical subject due to criticisms in the 2009 National Academy of Science (NAS) report on forensic sciences [1]. Difficulties in the application and understanding of these principles were also highlighted in a recent court ruling [2-5]. We ...

Intense pulsed light technologies have evolved significantly since their introduction to the medical community 20 years ago. Now such devices can be used safely and effectively for the cosmetic treatment of many vascular lesions, unwanted hair, and pigmented lesions. Newer technologies often give results equal to those of laser treatments.

Yb³⁺/Er³⁺/Tm³⁺ tri-doped phosphate glass ceramics were prepared by a high-temperature melting method and thermal treatment technology. Upconversion (UC) emissions of the Yb³⁺/Er³⁺/Tm³⁺ tri-doped phosphate glass ceramic samples were studied under 975 nm excitation. The glass ceramic samples can simultaneously generate blue, green, and red emissions. The multicolor emission obtained was ...

Lights, lasers, and radiofrequency are unique sources of energy that are increasingly utilized for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. As the indications for these tools continue to increase and their use expands beyond physicians to aestheticians, physician-extenders, and technicians, the incidence of complications has also risen. It is imperative that operators ...

We experimentally demonstrate the coexistence of two opposite photo-effects, viz. fast photodarkening (PD) and slow photobleaching (PB) in Ge₁₉As₂₁Se₆₀ thin films, when illuminated with a laser of wavelength 671 nm. PD appears to begin instantaneously upon light illumination and saturates in tens of seconds. By comparison, PB is a slower ...

Lasers have many favorable features as a light source owing to their monochromaticity and coherence. This study examined the mechanical properties of composite resins that were light-cured using a diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser. Eight composite resins were light-cured using four different light sources (one quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH), two light-emitting diodes ...

Photodynamic rejuvenation therapy (PDRT) is a growing field in cosmetic dermatology. In this study, different sources of light (a yellow laser, a red laser and ultraviolet A (UVA) lamps) were used to activate a second-generation photosensitiser, hypericin. Uptake of hypericin was monitored over 24 h and efficacy of PDRT was assessed ...

The fabrication of a cross-wire p-i-n light emitting diode (LED) by molecular beam epitaxial overgrowth on mesa-patterned GaAs(100) substrates is presented. Micron-wide mesa stripes fabricated by standard photolithography are subsequently narrowed to sub-micron dimensions by GaAs overgrowth due to net migration towards the mesa top. Chains of InAs quantum dots ...

We present an assessment of the (6s^{2}) ^{1}S_{0}↔(6s6p)^{3}P_{0} clock transition frequency in ^{199}Hg with an uncertainty reduction of nearly 3 orders of magnitude and demonstrate an atomic quality factor Q of ∼10^{14}. The ^{199}Hg atoms are confined in a vertical lattice trap with light at the newly determined magic wavelength ...

We show theoretically that coherent light can be completely absorbed and transferred to surface plasmons in a two- or three-dimensional metallic nanostructure by exciting it with the time-reversed mode of the corresponding surface plasmon laser ("spaser"). The narrow-band perfect absorption is a generalization and application of the concept of critical ...

This Note presents a simple and flexible ns-to-ms transient absorption spectrometer based on pulsed light emitting diode (LED) technology that can be incorporated into existing ultrafast transient absorption spectrometers or operate as a stand-alone instrument with fixed-wavelength laser sources. The LED probe pulses from this instrument exhibit excellent stability (∼0.5%) ...

InGaN/GaN based nano-pillar light emitting diodes (LEDs) with a diameter of 200-300 nm and a height of 500 nm are fabricated by inductively coupled plasma etching using self-assembled ITO nano-dots as etching mask, which were produced by wet etching of the as-deposited ITO films. The peak PL intensity of the ...

Efficient luminescence was realized by suppressing not only excited-state distortion but also C-H vibrational quenching in a Cu complex. Organic light-emitting diodes containing the Cu complex as an emitting dopant exhibited a maximum external quantum efficiency of 7.4%.

A wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) visible light communiction (VLC) system employing red and green laser pointer lasers (LPLs) with directly modulating data signals is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. With the assistance of preamplifier and adaptive filter at the receiving sites, low bit error rate (BER) at 10m/500Mbps operation is obtained for each ...

An efficient blue light emitting diode based on solution processable pyrene-1,3-alt-calix[4]arene is demonstrated, providing a record current efficiency of 10.5 cd A(-1) in a simple non-doped OLED configuration. Complete suppression of pyrene aggregation in the solid state is achieved by controlling chromophore dispersion using the 1,3-alt-calix[4]arene scaffold.

Suspending super-aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films were processed into CNT thin yarns, about 1μm in diameter, by laser cutting and an ethanol atomization bath treatment. The fast high-temperature response under a vacuum was revealed by monitoring the incandescent light with a photo diode. The thin yarns can be electrically ...

An artificial nanofluidic diode system is prepared, mimicking the light-gated and pH-tunable ion channels that play an important role in life sciences. When UV light is off, the nanochannel is in the closed state, analogous to a resistance. Under UV light irradiation and at pH 7, the current flows from ...