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Purpose: The relationship between short-term memory for phonology and pitch was explored by examining accuracy scores for typically developing children for 5 experimental tasks: immediate nonword repetition (NWR), nonword repetition with an 8-s silent interference (NWRS), pitch discrimination (PD), pitch discrimination with an 8-s silent interference (PDS), and pitch matching (PM). Method: Thirty-six 7- and 8-year-old children (21 girls, 15 boys) with normal hearing, language, and cognition were asked to listen to and repeat nonsense words (NWR, NWRS), make a same versus different decision between 2 tones (PD, PDS), and listen to and then vocally reproduce a tone (PM). Results: Results showed no significant correlations between tasks of phonological memory and tests of pitch memory, that participants scored significantly better on nonword repetition tasks than PD and PM tasks, and that participants performed significantly better on tasks with no silent interference. Discussion: These findings suggest that, for typically developing children, pitch may be stored and rehearsed in a separate location than phonological information. Because of fundamental task differences, further research is needed to corroborate these data and determine the presence of developmental effects and neuroanatomical locations where a potential language/music overlap is occurring in children.

This paper calculates the change in optimal labor supply and total family welfare resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). We estimate labor supply elasticities for married families in the Current Population Survey from 2015 to 2017, using a joint family utility model. These elasticities are then used to simulate changes in optimal labor supply and resulting change in welfare among families with different characteristics under the new TCJA tax code. We find that optimal hours are lower post-TCJA, relative to before. However, there are differences across family members and family types. Both men's and women's optimal hours decline with income starting in the second quintile, but the decline is more dramatic for men. Overall, all families' welfare increased post-TCJA, with the gains in welfare disproportionately benefiting the wealthy; families with any self-employment income; families with children; and families renting, versus owning, their home. JEL classification: I30, J22, D19 Key words: family welfare, joint labor supply, microsimulation, TCJA https://doi.org/10.29338/wp2021-18, 1 Introduction and Backgrounds On December 31, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) became the most sweeping reform of the U.S. tax code since the Economic Growth and [...]

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of different speech conditions on background noise acceptance. A total of 23 stimulus pairings, differing in primary talker gender (female, male, conventional), number of background talkers (1, 4, 12), and gender composition of the background noise (female, male, mixed) were used to evaluate background noise acceptance. Method: A repeated measures research design was used. Participants were 15 female and 15 male young adults with normal hearing. Background noise acceptance was evaluated with the acceptable noise level (ANL). Results: The results revealed main effects of primary talker gender, number of background talkers, and listener gender. ANL was lower for conditions of a female primary talker and for conditions with multitalker backgrounds. Male listeners had significantly lower ANLs than female listeners. An interaction occurred between primary talker and background noise composition. For female primary talker conditions, the male talker backgrounds produced the lowest ANLs. For male primary talker conditions, the lowest ANLs were obtained with the female and male background talker conditions. Conclusions: Background noise acceptance depends on the listener and the stimulus condition. Stimulus selection can influence the measurement of ANL. The results support the use of the commercially available ANL materials.

This paper applies a standard treatment effects model to determine that participation in Freshman Learning Communities improves academic performance and retention. Not controlling for individual self-selection into Freshman Learning Communities participation leads one to incorrectly conclude that the impact is the same across race and gender groups. Accurately assessing the impact of any educational program is essential in determining what resources institutions should devote to it. A table with the reduced-form of OLS estimation for earned hours, full sample, is appended. (Contains 6 tables and 18 notes.)

Sentences recorded by four speakers with dysarthria and two control speakers were presented to listeners at three different rates: habitual, a 30% slower rate and a 30% higher rate. Rate changes were made by digitally manipulating the habitual sentences. Thirty young normal adult listeners rated the sentences for intelligibility (per cent correct words) and acceptability (via 9-point equal interval scale ranging from "terrible" through "excellent"). Intelligibility for each speaker remained unchanged across rate changes. Acceptability improved as rates increased for the two more intelligible impaired speakers. For the less intelligible impaired speakers, ratings were better and similar for the habitual and fast speaking rate conditions. Results are discussed in terms of the objective nature of intelligibility ratings vs. the subjective ratings of acceptability.

The emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) generated a need to quickly and accurately assemble up-to-date information related to its spread. In this research article, we propose two methods in which Twitter is useful when modelling the spread of COVID-19: (1) machine learning algorithms trained in English, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Italian are used to identify symptomatic individuals derived from Twitter. Using the geo-location attached to each tweet, we map users to a geographic location to produce a time-series of potential symptomatic individuals. We calibrate an extended SEIRD epidemiological model with combinations of low-latency data feeds, including the symptomatic tweets, with death data and infer the parameters of the model. We then evaluate the usefulness of the data feeds when making predictions of daily deaths in 50 US States, 16 Latin American countries, 2 European countries and 7 NHS (National Health Service) regions in the UK. We show that using symptomatic tweets can result in a 6% and 17% increase in mean squared error accuracy, on average, when predicting COVID-19 deaths in US States and the rest of the world, respectively, compared to using solely death data. (2) Origin/destination (O/D) matrices, for movements between seven NHS regions, are constructed by determining when a user has tweeted twice in a 24 h period in two different locations. We show that increasing and decreasing a social connectivity parameter within an SIR model affects the rate of spread of a disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes strategies to facilitate college students learning from scientific journal articles. Builds upon a variant of SQ3R as a basic strategy and utilizes a cognitive strategy instruction (CSI) model for sequencing instruction. (NH)

Estimates from infectious disease models have constituted a significant part of the scientific evidence used to inform the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. These estimates can vary strikingly in their bias and variability. Epidemiological forecasts should be consistent with the observations that eventually materialize. We use simple scoring rules to refine the forecasts of a novel statistical model for multisource COVID-19 surveillance data by tuning its smoothness hyperparameter. This article is part of the theme issue 'Technical challenges of modelling real-life epidemics and examples of overcoming these'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper calculates the welfare cost to families of an unemployment shock. Using U.S. data, we find that, overall, an average annualized expected dollar equivalent welfare loss of $1,156 when the unemployment rate rises by one percentage point. The welfare loss is greater for married families than for single families and increases with education. We then estimate that a loss in purchasing power of 1.8 percent generates the same amount of welfare loss as a one-percentage-point rise in the unemployment rate. Additionally, the shock to purchasing power that a family is willing to endure to avoid a one percentage point increase in the aggregate unemployment rate rises with income. The results in this paper inform policymakers about the distributional implications of decisions likely to affect labor markets. JEL classification: I30, E52, J22, D19 Key words: family welfare, joint labor supply, microsimulation dual mandate, monetary policy, Family Welfare and the Cost of Unemployment 1. Introduction and Background The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the welfare cost of a shock to unemployment for families with [...]

Research has yielded a relationship between pitch matching and pitch discrimination. Good pitch marchers tend to be good pitch discriminators and are often judged to be vocally talented. Otoacoustic emission suppression measures the function of the efferent auditory system which may affect accuracy for pitch matching and pitch discrimination. Formally trained musicians show pitch matching and pitch discrimination superior to those of nonmusicians and have greater efferent otoacoustic emission suppression than nonmusicians. This study investigated the relationship among pitch matching, pitch discrimination, and otoacoustic emission suppression in individuals with no formal musical training and who showed varied pitch matching and pitch discrimination. Analysis suggested a significant relationship between pitch matching and pitch discrimination but not between otoacoustic emission suppression and pitch matching and pitch discrimination. Findings are presented in the context of previous research indicating a significant relationship between otoacoustic emission suppression and musical talent in trained musicians.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2006.02.009 Byline: Robert E. Moore Keywords: Language endangerment and revitalization; Writing; North American Indians; Consumption; Wonder; J.P. Harrington (1884-1961) Abstract: The central themes of a popular and scholarly literature of language endangerment are connected broadly to European concepts of Wonder and the Sublime, and specifically to an American ambivalence about 'progress' and environmental despoliation (also expressed, e.g., in 19th century American landscape painting). The documentation of 'vanishing' American Indian languages by John Peabody Harrington (1884-1961) -- carried out indefatigably, in secret, and always in 'salvage' mode -- is considered next. Harrington's vast Nachlass is today playing a central role in language revitalization and tribal recognition efforts of contemporary Native Californians, even as its contents, and its compiler, remain at least partly lodged in those same Romantic tropes of the Sublime (as was Harrington's own self-image, perhaps): limitless, forbidding, impenetrable. Writing as a way of rendering languages accessible and rescuing them from 'oblivion' is the unifying theme, ironically enough. Author Affiliation: Department of Linguistics, University of Illinois, 4080 FLB, 707 S. Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

An analysis of commercial policy development in emerging countries reveals that success has been related, in some way or another, to market openness and export success. There is however, difficulty in investigating this phenomenon as direct data is unobtainable. There is evidence that advanced social welfare systems do play a role in commercial policy success as this increases the competitiveness of industries by maintaining wage levels.

Metal ions have a biphasic effect on the viscosity of the capsular polysaccharide from the cyanobacterium Microcystis flos-aquae C3-40 at ph 7. Viscosity increases proportionately with metal ion concentration until a maximum value is reached, and then decreases at higher ion concentrations. Mono- and divalent metal cations have different effects. Divalent metal ions cause gelation in concentrated capsule suspensions and precipitation in dilute suspensions, but monovalent ions have no such effect.

Homelessness may affect 26 million people (14%) in the United States, an estimate much higher than previously published rates. In addition, the image of a homeless person may be different from the personally troubled citizen formerly described. In 1990, telephone interviewers asked 1507 Americans about their attitudes toward homelessness and whether they had ever experienced homelessness themselves. Data suggest a prevalence of approximately three times the rate of homelessness previously assessed. A strong association between homelessness, poverty, and socioeconomic status reveals the financial vulnerability of those who were previously homeless. The number of homeless people may be even higher if institutional and currently homeless populations, and those without telephones, are included in the evaluation.