Many previous studies have reported that speech segregation performance in multi-talker environments can be enhanced by two major acoustic cues: (1) voice-characteristic differences between talkers; ...(2) spatial separation between talkers. Here, the improvement they can provide for speech segregation is referred to as "release from masking." The goal of this study was to investigate how masking release performance with two cues is affected by various target presentation levels. Sixteen normal-hearing listeners participated in the speech recognition in noise experiment. Speech-on-speech masking performance was measured as the threshold target-to-masker ratio needed to understand a target talker in the presence of either same- or different-gender masker talkers to manipulate the voice-gender difference cue. These target-masker gender combinations were tested with five spatial configurations (maskers co-located or 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° symmetrically spatially separated from the target) to manipulate the spatial separation cue. In addition, those conditions were repeated at three target presentation levels (30, 40, and 50 dB sensation levels). Results revealed that the amount of masking release by either voice-gender difference or spatial separation cues was significantly affected by the target level, especially at the small target-masker spatial separation (±15°). Further, the results showed that the intersection points between two masking release types (equal perceptual weighting) could be varied by the target levels. These findings suggest that the perceptual weighting of masking release from two cues is non-linearly related to the target levels. The target presentation level could be one major factor associated with masking release performance in normal-hearing listeners.
ABSTRACT
Financial constraints have been found to play an important role on various aspects of firm behavior. Yet, their effects on firm survival have been largely neglected. We use a panel of 61,496 ...UK firms over the period 1997–2002 to study the effects of financial variables on firms' failure probabilities, differentiating firms into globally engaged and purely domestic. Estimating a wide range of specifications, we find that lower collateral and higher leverage result in higher failure probabilities for purely domestic than for globally engaged firms. This can be seen as evidence that global engagement shields firms from financial constraints.
Although it is generally accepted that women who work part-time are, on average, more satisfied in their jobs than their full-time counterparts, this is unlikely to be true for all women. Using the ...British Household Panel Survey, we estimate the determinants of job satisfaction using a fixed-effects linear regression and define categories of women according to their level of education, age cohort, family circumstances, and pathway into part-time work. We show that women who work part-time are more satisfied with their jobs, although the effect is noticeably weaker for key groups: those born in or after 1970, the better educated, and those who enter part-time employment directly from full-time work. We argue that these results reflect shifting attitudes by women towards their employment. Women today, especially those belonging to the younger cohort, expect more from their jobs and are beginning to express dissatisfaction if this is not realized.
Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) provides survival benefits but may result in considerable toxicity. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) ...measurements during CRT have not been widely reported. This paper reports HRQL data from the Selective Chemoradiation in Advanced Localised Pancreatic Cancer (SCALOP) trial, including validation of the QLQ-PAN26 tool in CRT.
Patients with locally advanced, inoperable, nonmetastatic carcinoma of the pancreas were eligible. Following 12 weeks of induction gemcitabine plus capecitabine (GEMCAP) chemotherapy, patients with stable and responding disease were randomized to a further cycle of GEMCAP followed by capecitabine- or gemcitabine-based CRT. HRQL was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the EORTC Pancreatic Cancer module (PAN26).
A total of 114 patients from 28 UK centers were registered and 74 patients randomized. There was improvement in the majority of HRQL scales during induction chemotherapy. Patients with significant deterioration in fatigue, appetite loss, and gastrointestinal symptoms during CRT recovered within 3 weeks following CRT. Differences in changes in HRQL scores between trial arms rarely reached statistical significance; however, where they did, they favored capecitabine therapy. PAN26 scales had good internal consistency and were able to distinguish between subgroups of patients experiencing toxicity.
Although there is deterioration in HRQL following CRT, this resolves within 3 weeks. HRQL data support the use of capecitabine- over gemcitabine-based chemoradiation. The QLQ-PAN26 is a reliable and valid tool for use in patients receiving CRT.
Voice-gender difference and spatial separation between talkers are important cues for speech segregation in multi-talker listening environments. The goal of this study was to investigate the ...interactions of these two cues to explore how they influence masking release in normal hearing listeners. Speech recognition thresholds in competing speech were measured, and masking release benefits by either voice-gender difference or spatial separation cues were calculated. Results revealed that the masking releases by those two cues are inversely related as a function of spatial separation, with a gender-specific difference of transition between the two types of masking release.
Introduction
Clinical trials must include diverse participants to ensure the wide applicability of results. However, people from ethnic minorities are included in clinical trials at rates lower than ...expected given their share of the population. Working with South Riverside Community Development Centre (SRCDC), Talking Trials used public engagement to foster discussions around the underrepresentation of those from minority ethnic communities in clinical trials and to identify and address concerns surrounding trial participation.
Methods
We conducted three workshops with 13 co‐researchers from minority ethnic backgrounds. We explored perceptions and understanding of clinical trials alongside participatory art activities to help move away from verbocentric methods of communication. These artworks formed an exhibition that was presented to the community, prompting further discussions and engagement.
Findings
Co‐production workshops were an effective tool to introduce the public to trial research. With little knowledge of clinical trials at the beginning of the process, our co‐researchers formed a cohesive group, sharing initial fears and mistrust towards trials. As conversations progressed these attitudes clearly shifted. Artwork produced during the workshops was incorporated into an exhibition. Quotes and creative pieces from the group were included to reflect the themes identified. Presenting the exhibition at Riverside Festival enabled further engagement with a wider diverse community. The focus on co‐production helped build a network of individuals new to research and keen to become involved further.
Conclusion
Inclusive and democratic co‐production, enriched by participatory art practices, provided a powerful means of enabling our group to create new insights and foster new relationships. Projects like Talking Trials can diversify the research process itself—for example, four co‐researchers have commenced lay research partner roles on trial management groups and a lay advisory group is in development.
Patient or Public Contribution
Three members of staff at SRCDC were on the project delivery group and involved in the initial project design, subsequently helping to connect us with members of the Riverside community to work as co‐researchers. Two of the SRCDC staff are co‐authors of this manuscript. The project had 13 public co‐researchers guiding the direction of this research and creating the artwork displayed in the art exhibition.
This paper uses data from the China Health and Retirement Survey to estimate the causal effect child out‐migration has on the health of parents in China. For rural parents, we show that after ...controlling for self‐selection, child out‐migration has a detrimental effect not only on subjective well‐being and mental health but also on cognitive function and physical health when measured using a series of clinical tests and health biomarkers. In contrast, for urban parents, only a few health effects are significant, and those that are tend to be positive. In terms of the mechanism through which migration affects parental health, we find that it is differences in the level of physical support that parents require that is central to explaining many of the health effects we observe. For those who require little physical support, the income effect helps to mitigate the negative effects associated with child out‐migration, while for more vulnerable groups of parents, the economic benefits of migration are currently no substitute for the loss of informal support networks when a child migrates.
Over the last decade there has been considerable research into the treatment, management, and quality of life of people living with multiple myeloma. However, there has been limited investigation ...into topics deemed important to patients and caregivers within this community. We conducted a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership to establish the 'Top 10 Priorities for Myeloma Research', informed by patient and public partners.
A research team and steering group were established in 2019 to conduct the myeloma priority setting partnership. Steering group members included patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers who advised the research team and oversaw the scope of the project, grounded on their lived experience. Following the James Lind Alliance guidelines for identification and ranking of research questions, we used surveys and a virtual workshop to collect and prioritize questions posed by myeloma patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers across Canada.
The Top 10 list of priorities for myeloma research was finalized at the consensus-building workshop and encompassed questions related to diagnosis, treatment, management, and living well with myeloma. A final participant evaluation survey elicited a positive response.
The myeloma priority setting partnership identified the research priorities of people living with myeloma, caregivers, and healthcare providers to inform clinical research on this disease going forward. This project underscores the importance of patient and public engagement in the identification of research questions, highlighting the concerns of people affected by myeloma to ultimately improve the lives of people living with this disease.
This paper finds evidence of severe health deficits among young children who were exposed to the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency in Northern Uganda (1987–2007). We employ a ...difference‐in‐differences approach to estimate a 0.74 standard deviation deficit in height‐for‐age z‐scores among children exposed to the fighting for a period of more than 9 months. Extending our analysis, we use a mediation model to investigate the transmission mechanisms through which the war may have affected childhood nutrition. We find support for the hypothesis that deficits occurred partly through changes in the frequency at which younger children received solid or semi‐solid foods.
This article uses data from the Labour Force Survey to examine the effect sexual orientation has on wages in Britain. In doing so it provides the first empirical investigation of the effect being in ...a same-sex legal partnership has on wages. The results show that gay cohabitees and lesbians face a wage premium compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Decomposition results show that for gay cohabitees this arises due to differences in observable characteristics, while lesbians not only earn significantly more due to differences in their observable characteristics, but they also receive a higher return for these characteristics. In contrast, although no significant difference in earnings is observed for men in a legal partnership, decomposition results suggest that legally partnered gay males should earn more due to differences in their observable characteristics, while there is also evidence that they face barriers to advancement to senior positions, or a glass ceiling.
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