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Speech intelligibility can be defined as "the degree to which a speaker's intended message is recovered by a listener". Loss of intelligibility is one of the most frequent complaints in patients suffering from speech disorder, impairing communication. Measurement of intelligibility is therefore an important parameter in follow-up. We developed a French version of the "Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, 2nd edition" (FDA-2), an intelligibility test recognized internationally in its English version. The present study details the construction of the test and its preliminary validation. We first compiled a set of words and phrases in French, based on the criteria defined in FDA-2. In a second step, we validated the test in healthy subjects in normal and noisy conditions, to check sensitivity to speech signal degradation. The test proved valid and sensitive, as scores were significantly lower for noise-degraded stimuli. This French-language intelligibility test can be used to evaluate speech disorder: for example, in dysarthria, head and neck cancer or after cochlear implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The per capita consumption of electricity in Abu Dhabi is one of the highest in the world. Air cooling (AC) in the residential sector is responsible for much of this consumption. A preliminary energy survey of 36 residential units (18 villas and 18 flats) was carried out in Abu Dhabi, followed by a more detailed energy audit of 15 villas owned and occupied by Emirati citizens. The mean per capita use of electricity in villas was 16,874 ± 4421 kWh/ca/yr and the mean energy intensity was 349.1 ± 102.6 kWh/m 2 . AC and domestic water heating (DWH) systems operate 24 h/day in most rooms of 12 villas, including times of no occupancy, and at least 9–14 h/day in most rooms of the other three dwellings. Building characteristics of the villas audited do not meet minimum Estidama Pearl 1 requirements, and their orientation often maximizes exposure to solar radiation. Model simulations provided estimates of the large energy savings achievable by increasing the AC thermostat temperature to 24 °C, by switching off AC and DWH when these are not needed and by retrofitting villas with roof insulation. These results highlight the importance of occupants’ behaviour for energy conservation in the residential sector of Abu Dhabi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this work was to assess the feasibility of a fixed-film biological aerated filtration process for the treatment of the leachate produced at Harnhill landfill site (South Gloucestershire, UK). The laboratory scale plant consisted of four identical biological aerated filters (a triplicate and a “control” column) packed with small brick fragments. Biofilm formed within 24h of immersion of the support material in the reactor, and had a high resistance to antibiotics and other toxic agents. The plant maintained a stable operation in the 20–45°C temperature range, showing the best results (35.4±6.6% COD removal and 73.9±5.5% BOD5 reduction) at 40°C. The lowest COD and BOD5 values obtained at the outlet of the columns were 7067mg/L and 1050mg/L, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work reviews (i) the most recent information on waste arisings and waste disposal options in the world, in the European Union (EU), in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEDC) countries, and in some developing countries (notably China) and (ii) the potential direct and indirect impact of waste management activities on health. Though the main focus is primarily on municipal solid waste (MSW), exposure to bioaerosols from composting facilities and to pathogens from sewage treatment plants are considered. The reported effects of radioactive waste are also briefly reviewed. Hundreds of epidemiological studies reported on the incidence of a wide range of possible illnesses on employees of waste facilities and on the resident population. The main conclusion of the overall assessment of the literature is that the evidence of adverse health outcomes for the general population living near landfill sites, incinerators, composting facilities and nuclear installations is usually insufficient and inconclusive. There is convincing evidence of a high risk of gastrointestinal problems associated with pathogens originating at sewage treatment plants. In order to improve the quality and usefulness of epidemiological studies applied to populations residing in areas where waste management facilities are located or planned, preference should be given to prospective cohort studies of sufficient statistical power, with access to direct human exposure measurements, and supported by data on health effect biomarkers and susceptibility biomarkers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We outline a general strategy for the non-perturbative renormalisation of composite operators in discretisations based on Neuberger fermions, via a matching to results obtained with Wilson-type fermions. As an application, we consider the renormalisation of the four-quark operators entering the and effective Hamiltonians. Our results are an essential ingredient for the determination of the low-energy constants governing non-leptonic kaon decays. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present the first numerical implementation of a non-perturbative renormalization method for lattice operators, based on the study of correlation functions in coordinate space at short Euclidean distance. The method is applied to compute the renormalization constants of bilinear quark operators for the non-perturbative -improved Wilson action in the quenched approximation. The matching with perturbative schemes, such as , is computed at the next-to-leading order in continuum perturbation theory. A feasibility study of this technique with Neuberger fermions is also presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We show that, if the formula for the topological charge density operator suggested by the use of fermions obeying the Ginsparg–Wilson relation is employed, it is possible to give a precise and unambiguous definition of the topological susceptibility in full QCD, χfulltL, for finite quark masses on the lattice. The lattice expression of χfulltL looks like the formal continuum one, in the sense that no power divergent subtractions are needed for its proper definition. As a consequence, the small mass behaviour of χfulltL leads directly to a multiplicative renormalizable definition of the chiral condensate that does not require any power divergent subtraction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The RI/MOM non-perturbative renormalization scheme is studied on the lattice in SU(3) quenched QCD with Wilson fermions. The gauge dependence of some fermion bilinear renormalization constants is discussed by comparing data which have been gauge-fixed in two different realizations of the Landau gauge and in a generic covariant gauge. The very good agreement between the various sets of results and the theory indicates that the numerical uncertainty induced by the lattice gauge-fixing procedure is below our statistical errors which are of the order of few percent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We show how it is possible to give a precise and unambiguous implementation of the Witten–Veneziano formula for the η′ mass on the lattice, which looks like the formal continuum one, if the expression of the topological charge density operator, suggested by fermions obeying the Ginsparg–Wilson relation, is employed. By using recent numerical results from simulations with overlap fermions in 2 (abelian Schwinger model) and 4 (QCD) dimensions, one obtains values for the mass of the lightest pseudo-scalar flavour-singlet state that agree within errors with theoretical expectations and experimental data, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Naringenin (NAR), flavonoid abundant in the genus Citrus, has been reported to interact with the large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BK). Since activators of BK channels expressed in cardiac mitochondria trigger protective effects in several models of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), this work aimed to evaluate the potential cardioprotective effects of NAR and the involvement of mitochondrial BK channels. In an in vivo model of acute infarct in rats, NAR (100mg/kg i.p.) significantly reduced the heart injury induced by I/R. This effect was antagonized by the selective BK-blocker paxilline (PAX). The cardioprotective dose of NAR did not cause significant effects on the blood pressure. In Largendorff-perfused rat hearts submitted to ischemia/reperfusion, NAR improved the post-ischemic functional parameters (left ventricle developed pressure and dP/dt) with lower extension of myocardial injury. On isolated rat cardiac mitochondria, NAR caused a concentration-dependent depolarization of mitochondrial membrane and caused a trans-membrane flow of thallium (potassium-mimetic cation). Both these effects were antagonized by selective blockers of BK channels. Furthermore, NAR half-reduced the calcium accumulation into the matrix of cardiac mitochondria exposed to high calcium concentrations. In conclusion, NAR exerts anti-ischemic effects through a “pharmacological preconditioning” that it is likely to be mediated, at least in part, by the activation of mitochondrial BK channels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: : The aim of the present study was to analyze if alterations of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) characteristics occurred in platelet membranes of patients affected by primary fibromyalgia (FM). Design and methods: : Platelets were obtained from 30 patients with FM. Evaluation of kinetic parameters of PBR was performed using [3H] PK11195 as specific radioligand compared with 16 healthy volunteers. Results: : The results showed a significant increase of PBR binding sites value in platelet membranes from FM patients (B max was 5366±188 fmol/mg vs. controls, 4193±341 fmol/mg, mean±SEM) (**p <0.01) but not for affinity value (K d was 4.90±0.39 nM vs. controls, 4.74±0.39 nM, mean±SEM) (p >0.05). Symptom severity scores (pain and tiredness) were positively correlated with B max. Conclusions: : Our results showed an up-regulation of PBR in platelets of FM patients, and this seems to be related to the severity of fibromyalgic symptoms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]