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Despite the huge importance of spoken language production in everyday life, little is known about the manner and extent to which the motor aspects of speech production evolve with advancing age, as well as the nature of the underlying senescence mechanisms. In this cross-sectional group study, we examined the relationship between age and speech production performance using a nonlexical speech production task in which spoken syllable frequency and phonological complexity were systematically varied to test hypotheses about underlying mechanisms. A nonprobabilistic sample of 60 cognitively healthy adults (18-83 years) produced meaningless nonwords aloud as quickly and accurately as possible. Error rate, vocal reaction time (RT), vocal RT variability, vocal response duration, and vocal response duration variability were used as dependent variables to characterize speech production performance. The results showed an overall increase in error rate, which occurred mainly in the final syllable position (coda). There was also an increase in vocal response duration and in duration variability with age, which was moderated by phonological complexity and syllable frequency. Finally, we also found an age-related change in the relationship between vocal RT and vocal response duration. Together, these findings were interpreted as reflecting an age-related decline in the planning and execution of speech movements in cognitively healthy adults.

The facial expression of pain can be decomposed in three sets of Action Units (AUs), the smallest discriminating facial movements: Brow lowering (B), Nose wrinkling + Upper lip raising (N), and Orbit tightening + Eyelid closure (O). This study compared the perception of realism and pain level from different onset orders of AUs in avatars. Seven videos of facial expressions of pain were created with four different avatars (2 women): six sequential onsets combining the three sets of AUs and one synchronized onset. 45 healthy adults (22 women; aged 23.6 ± 5.2 years) rated the realism of facial movements, and the level of intensity and unpleasantness of perceived pain. A more realistic expression was associated with the onset of O before or at the same time as N, a more intense expression was associated when B occurred last, and a higher level of unpleasantness was associated with the onset of N before B. Therefore, the sequence ONB yielded the highest ratings on both measures of realism and pain levels. These findings describe the perceived content of different orders of facial movements that could contribute to the creation of realistic pain-expressing virtual agents designed to study human-computer interactions.

The facial expression of pain can be decomposed in three sets of Action Units (AUs), the smallest discriminating facial movements: Brow lowering (B), Nose wrinkling + Upper lip raising (N), and Orbit tightening + Eyelid closure (O). This study compared the perception of realism and pain level from different onset orders of AUs in avatars. Seven videos of facial expressions of pain were created with four different avatars (2 women): six sequential onsets combining the three sets of AUs and one synchronized onset. 45 healthy adults (22 women; aged 23.6 ± 5.2 years) rated the realism of facial movements, and the level of intensity and unpleasantness of perceived pain. A more realistic expression was associated with the onset of O before or at the same time as N, a more intense expression was associated when B occurred last, and a higher level of unpleasantness was associated with the onset of N before B. Therefore, the sequence ONB yielded the highest ratings on both measures of realism and pain levels. These findings describe the perceived content of different orders of facial movements that could contribute to the creation of realistic pain-expressing virtual agents designed to study human-computer interactions.

Despite the huge importance of spoken language production in everyday life, little is known about the manner and extent to which the motor aspects of speech production evolve with advancing age as well as the nature of the underlying senescence mechanisms. In this crosssectional group study, we examined the relationship between age and speech production performance using a non-lexical speech production task in which spoken syllable frequency and phonological complexity were systematically varied to test hypotheses about underlying mechanisms. A non-probabilistic sample of 60 cognitively healthy adults (18 - 83 years) produced meaningless nonwords aloud as quickly and accurately as possible. Error rate, vocal reaction time, vocal reaction time variability, vocal response duration and vocal response duration variability were used as dependent variables to characterize speech production performance. The results showed an overall increase in error rate, which occurred mainly in the final syllable position (coda). There was also an increase in vocal response duration and induration variability with age, which was moderated by phonological complexity and syllable frequency. Finally, we also found an age-related change in the relationship between vocal reaction time and vocal response duration. Together, these findings were interpreted as reflecting an age-related decline in the planning and execution of speech movements in cognitively healthy adults.

"The Resolute Parka was an experiment in artist-run space-making, begun by sophia bartholomew in 2013 during a thematic visual arts residency at the Banff Centre. [...] HELLO, PARKA V.1 extends the conversations and artworks hosted in and around parka between 2013 and 2015, including projects by Casey Smallwood, Richelle Bear Hat, Walter Scott, Sarah Fuller, Suzanne Morrissette, Daisy Watkins Harvey, Steven Cottingham, Jeneen Frei Njootli, Daria Hirny, Amy Malbeuf, Alex Achtem, Willie Brisco, and Emma Hicks." -- Publisher's website.

Thirty-nine tumor-bearing patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with 3 subcutaneous injections of the MAGE-3.A1 peptide at monthly intervals. No significant toxicity was observed. Of the 25 patients who received the complete treatment, 7 displayed significant tumor regressions. All but one of these regressions involved cutaneous metastases. Three regressions were complete and 2 of these led to a disease-free state, which persisted for more than 2 years after the beginning of treatment. No evidence for a cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) response was found in the blood of the 4 patients who were analyzed, including 2 who displayed complete tumor regression. Our results suggest that injection of the MAGE-3.A1 peptide induced tumor regression in a significant number of the patients, even though no massive CTL response was produced.

Thirty-nine tumor-bearing patients with metastatic melanoma were treated with 3 subcutaneous injections of the MAGE-3.A1 peptide at monthly intervals. No significant toxicity was observed. Of the 25 patients who received the complete treatment, 7 displayed significant tumor regressions. All but one of these regressions involved cutaneous metastases. Three regressions were complete and 2 of these led to a disease-free state, which persisted for more than 2 years after the beginning of treatment. No evidence for a cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) response was found in the blood of the 4 patients who were analyzed, including 2 who displayed complete tumor regression. Our results suggest that injection of the MAGE-3.A1 peptide induced tumor regression in a significant number of the patients, even though no massive CTL response was produced., SCOPUS: ar.j, FLWIN, info:eu-repo/semantics/published