bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable sonic crystal made of resonating bamboo rods
Authors: Lagarrigue C. , Groby J. P. , Tournat V.
Published: January 2013

The acoustic transmission coefficient of a resonant sonic crystal made of hollow bamboo rods is studied experimentally and theoretically. The plane wave expansion and multiple scattering theory (MST) are used to predict the bandgap in transmission coefficient of a non-resonant sonic crystal composed of rods without holes. The predicted results are validated against experimental data for the acoustic transmission coefficient. It is shown that a sonic crystal made from a natural material with some irregularities can exhibit a clear transmission bandgap. Then, the hollow bamboo rods are drilled between each node to create an array of Helmholtz resonators. It is shown that the presence of Helmholtz resonators leads to an additional bandgap in the low-frequency part of the transmission coefficient. The MST is modified in order to account for the resonance effect of the holes in the drilled bamboo rods. This resonant multiple scattering theory is validated experimentally and could be further used for the description and optimization of more complex resonant sonic crystals.
ACOUSTICAL STANDARDS NEWS
Authors: Blaeser Susan B. , Schomer Paul D.
Published: January 2013

American National Standards (ANSI Standards) developed by Accredited Standards Committees S1, S2, S3, and S12 in the areas of acoustics, mechanical vibration and shock, bioacoustics, and noise, respectively, are published by the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). In addition to these standards, ASA publishes catalogs of Acoustical Standards, both National and International. To receive copies of the latest Standards catalogs, please contact Susan B. Blaeser.

Comments are welcomed on all material in Acoustical Standards News.

This Acoustical Standards News section in JASA, as well as the National and International Catalogs of Acoustical Standards, and other information on the Standards Program of the Acoustical Society of America, are available via the ASA home page: http://acousticalsociety.org.
The dynamics of the aspheric encapsulated bubble
Authors: Shao Weihang , Chen Weizhong
Published: January 2013

Based on hydrodynamics and elastic mechanics, a model is proposed for the aspheric encapsulated bubble (AEB) in liquid driven by a spherical ultrasound. The aspheric component of the bubble surfaces includes any complicated shape as a perturbation of the spherical symmetry. For example, the simple ovoid encapsulated bubble is studied numerically in the framework of this model. The results show that (1) the AEB will keep a stable aspheric oscillation under the spherical acoustic drive, which is impossible for the cavitation bubble; and (2) apart from the initial aspheric shape, the thickness distribution of the shell is an important factor to the AEB's oscillation. Apparently, the thinner shell is less stiff so that it has a relatively larger pulsation amplitude. Thereafter the dependence of the AEB's pressure resistance against rupture on its asphericity is presented. The asphericity is shown to degrade the encapsulated bubble's bearable driving pressure.
Quantifying humpback whale song sequences to understand the dynamics of song exchange at the ocean basin scale
Authors: Garland Ellen C. , Noad Michael J. , Goldizen Anne W. , Lilley Matthew S. , Rekdahl Melinda L. , Garrigue Claire , Constantine Rochelle , Daeschler Hauser Nan , Michael Poole M. , Robbins Jooke
Published: January 2013

Humpback whales have a continually evolving vocal sexual display, or “song,” that appears to undergo both evolutionary and “revolutionary” change. All males within a population adhere to the current content and arrangement of the song. Populations within an ocean basin share similarities in their songs; this sharing is complex as multiple variations of the song (song types) may be present within a region at any one time. To quantitatively investigate the similarity of song types, songs were compared at both the individual singer and population level using the Levenshtein distance technique and cluster analysis. The highly stereotyped sequences of themes from the songs of 211 individuals from populations within the western and central South Pacific region from 1998 through 2008 were grouped together based on the percentage of song similarity, and compared to qualitatively assigned song types. The analysis produced clusters of highly similar songs that agreed with previous qualitative assignments. Each cluster contained songs from multiple populations and years, confirming the eastward spread of song types and their progressive evolution through the study region. Quantifying song similarity and exchange will assist in understanding broader song dynamics and contribute to the use of vocal displays as population identifiers.
Acoustic and perceptual effects of changes in body layer stiffness in symmetric and asymmetric vocal fold models
Authors: Zhang Zhaoyan , Kreiman Jody , Gerratt Bruce R. , Garellek Marc
Published: January 2013

At present, it is not well understood how changes in vocal fold biomechanics correspond to changes in voice quality. Understanding such cross-domain links from physiology to acoustics to perception in the “speech chain” is of both theoretical and clinical importance. This study investigates links between changes in body layer stiffness, which is regulated primarily by the thyroarytenoid muscle, and the consequent changes in acoustics and voice quality under left-right symmetric and asymmetric stiffness conditions. Voice samples were generated using three series of two-layer physical vocal fold models, which differed only in body stiffness. Differences in perceived voice quality in each series were then measured in a “sort and rate” listening experiment. The results showed that increasing body stiffness better maintained vocal fold adductory position, thereby exciting more high-order harmonics, differences that listeners readily perceived. Changes to the degree of left-right stiffness mismatch and the resulting left-right vibratory asymmetry did not produce perceptually significant differences in quality unless the stiffness mismatch was large enough to cause a change in vibratory mode. This suggests that a vibration pattern with left-right asymmetry does not necessarily result in a salient deviation in voice quality, and thus may not always be of clinical significance.
Sound design of chimney pipes by optimization of their resonators
Authors: Rucz Péter , Trommer Thomas , Angster Judit , Miklós András , Augusztinovicz Fülöp
Published: January 2013

An optimization method, based on an acoustic waveguide model of chimney and resonator, was developed and tested by laboratory measurements of experimental chimney pipes. The dimensions of the chimney pipes are modified by the optimization algorithm until the specified fundamental frequency is achieved, and a predetermined harmonic partial overlaps with an eigenfrequency of the pipe. The experimental pipes were dimensioned by the optimization method for four different scenarios and were built by an organ builder. The measurements show excellent agreement between the measured sound spectra and calculated input admittances. The developed optimization method can be used for sound design of chimney pipes.
Investigation of contact acoustic nonlinearities on metal and composite airframe structures via intensity based health monitoring
Authors: Romano P. Q. , Conlon S. C. , Smith E. C.
Published: January 2013

Nonlinear structural intensity (NSI) and nonlinear structural surface intensity (NSSI) based damage detection techniques were improved and extended to metal and composite airframe structures. In this study, the measurement of NSI maps at sub-harmonic frequencies was completed to provide enhanced understanding of the energy flow characteristics associated with the damage induced contact acoustic nonlinearity mechanism. Important results include NSI source localization visualization at ultra-subharmonic (nf/2) frequencies, and damage detection results utilizing structural surface intensity in the nonlinear domain. A detection metric relying on modulated wave spectroscopy was developed and implemented using the NSSI feature. The data fusion of the intensity formulation provided a distinct advantage, as both the single interrogation frequency NSSI and its modulated wave extension (NSSI-MW) exhibited considerably higher sensitivities to damage than using single-sensor (strain or acceleration) nonlinear detection metrics. The active intensity based techniques were also extended to composite materials, and results show both NSSI and NSSI-MW can be used to detect damage in the bond line of an integrally stiffened composite plate structure with high sensitivity. Initial damage detection measurements made on an OH-58 tailboom (Penn State Applied Research Laboratory, State College, PA) indicate the techniques can be transitioned to complex airframe structures achieving high detection sensitivities with minimal sensors and actuators.
The role of linguistic and indexical information in improved recognition of dysarthric speech
Authors: Borrie Stephanie A. , McAuliffe Megan J. , Liss Julie M. , O'Beirne Greg A. , Anderson Tim J.
Published: January 2013

This investigation examined perceptual learning of dysarthric speech. Forty listeners were randomly assigned to one of two identification training tasks, aimed at highlighting either the linguistic (word identification task) or indexical (speaker identification task) properties of the neurologically degraded signal. Twenty additional listeners served as a control group, passively exposed to the training stimuli. Immediately following exposure to dysarthric speech, all three listener groups completed an identical phrase transcription task. Analysis of listener transcripts revealed remarkably similar intelligibility improvements for listeners trained to attend to either the linguistic or the indexical properties of the signal. Perceptual learning effects were also evaluated with regards to underlying error patterns indicative of segmental and suprasegmental processing. The findings of this study suggest that elements within both the linguistic and indexical properties of the dysarthric signal are learnable and interact to promote improved processing of this type and severity of speech degradation. Thus, the current study extends support for the development of a model of perceptual processing in which the learning of indexical properties is encoded and retained in conjunction with linguistic properties of the signal.
Auditory training of speech recognition with interrupted and continuous noise maskers by children with hearing impairment
Authors: Sullivan Jessica R. , Thibodeau Linda M. , Assmann Peter F.
Published: January 2013

Previous studies have indicated that individuals with normal hearing (NH) experience a perceptual advantage for speech recognition in interrupted noise compared to continuous noise. In contrast, adults with hearing impairment (HI) and younger children with NH receive a minimal benefit. The objective of this investigation was to assess whether auditory training in interrupted noise would improve speech recognition in noise for children with HI and perhaps enhance their utilization of glimpsing skills. A partially-repeated measures design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of seven 1-h sessions of auditory training in interrupted and continuous noise. Speech recognition scores in interrupted and continuous noise were obtained from pre-, post-, and 3 months post-training from 24 children with moderate-to-severe hearing loss. Children who participated in auditory training in interrupted noise demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in speech recognition compared to those who trained in continuous noise. Those who trained in interrupted noise demonstrated similar improvements in both noise conditions while those who trained in continuous noise only showed modest improvements in the interrupted noise condition. This study presents direct evidence that auditory training in interrupted noise can be beneficial in improving speech recognition in noise for children with HI.
Automated extraction and classification of time-frequency contours in humpback vocalizations
Authors: Ou Hui , Au Whitlow W. L. , Zurk Lisa M. , Lammers Marc O.
Published: January 2013

A time-frequency contour extraction and classification algorithm was created to analyze humpback whale vocalizations. The algorithm automatically extracted contours of whale vocalization units by searching for gray-level discontinuities in the spectrogram images. The unit-to-unit similarity was quantified by cross-correlating the contour lines. A library of distinctive humpback units was then generated by applying an unsupervised, cluster-based learning algorithm. The purpose of this study was to provide a fast and automated feature selection tool to describe the vocal signatures of animal groups. This approach could benefit a variety of applications such as species description, identification, and evolution of song structures. The algorithm was tested on humpback whale song data recorded at various locations in Hawaii from 2002 to 2003. Results presented in this paper showed low probability of false alarm (0%–4%) under noisy environments with small boat vessels and snapping shrimp. The classification algorithm was tested on a controlled set of 30 units forming six unit types, and all the units were correctly classified. In a case study on humpback data collected in the Auau Chanel, Hawaii, in 2002, the algorithm extracted 951 units, which were classified into 12 distinctive types.
Further examination of complex pitch perception in the absence of a place--rate match
Authors: Deeks John M. , Gockel Hedwig E. , Carlyon Robert P.
Published: January 2013

Oxenham et al. [Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 101, 1421–1425 (2004)] reported that listeners cannot derive a “missing fundamental” from three transposed tones having high carrier frequencies and harmonically related low-frequency modulators. This finding was attributed to complex pitch perception requiring correct tonotopic representation but could have been due to the very high modulator rate difference limens (DLs) observed for individual transposed tones. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that much lower DLs could be obtained for bandpass-filtered pulse trains than for transposed tones with repetition rates of 100 or 300 pps; however, DLs were still larger than for low-frequency pure tones. Experiment 3 presented three pulse trains filtered between 1375 and 1875, 3900 and 5400, and 7800 and 10 800 Hz simultaneously with a pink-noise background. Listeners could not compare the “missing fundamental” of a stimulus in which the pulse rates were, respectively, 150, 225, and 300 pps, to one where all pulse trains had a rate of 75 pps, even though they could compare a 150 + 225 + 300 Hz complex tone to a 75-Hz pure tone. Hence although filtered pulse trains can produce fairly good pitch perception of simple stimuli having low repetition rates and high-frequency spectral content, no evidence that such stimuli enable complex pitch perception in the absence of a place-rate match was found.
Auditory brainstem responses and auditory thresholds in woodpeckers
Authors: Lohr Bernard , Brittan-Powell Elizabeth F. , Dooling Robert J.
Published: January 2013

Auditory sensitivity in three species of woodpeckers was estimated using the auditory brainstem response (ABR), a measure of the summed electrical activity of auditory neurons. For all species, the ABR waveform showed at least two, and sometimes three prominent peaks occurring within 10 ms of stimulus onset. Also ABR peak amplitude increased and latency decreased as a function of increasing sound pressure levels. Results showed no significant differences in overall auditory abilities between the three species of woodpeckers. The average ABR audiogram showed that woodpeckers have lowest thresholds between 1.5 and 5.7 kHz. The shape of the average woodpecker ABR audiogram was similar to the shape of the ABR-measured audiograms of other small birds at most frequencies, but at the highest frequency data suggest that woodpecker thresholds may be lower than those of domesticated birds, while similar to those of wild birds.
Using dispersion equation for orthotropic media to model antiplane coherent wave propagation in cracked solids
Authors: Caleap Mihai , Aristégui Christophe , Poncelet Olivier
Published: January 2013

Attention is focused on the propagation of antiplane coherent wave obliquely incident on mutually parallel and randomly distributed cracks. A fundamental question in this study concerns the ability of describing the coherent wave propagation in all directions from the knowledge of the effective material properties along the effective principal directions, only. Its relevance is illustrated by considering two cases of coherent wave propagation: homogeneous and inhomogeneous waves. For both cases, the effective phase slownesses approximated from the dispersion equation specific for orthotropic homogeneous media are compared to reference results obtained from a direct calculation considering waves obliquely incident on cracks. This work reveals that the effective stiffnesses of this dispersion equation have to be dependent on the propagation direction of the incident wave in order to make this equation consistent.
Comment on “Resonant acoustic scattering by swimbladder-bearing fish” [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 64, 571–580 (1978)] (L)
Authors: Baik Kyungmin
Published: January 2013

Love's model for the acoustic scattering by a spherical viscous fluid shell filled with gas and surrounded by inviscid liquid [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 64, 571–580 (1978)] is reviewed. For certain material parameters, discrepancies are observed in Love's scattering cross section when compared with the exact solution near resonance. Those errors are corrected in this study. It is shown that there is excellent agreement between the corrected formulation and the exact solution in the resonance region where ka=1 and ϵ = b/a ≥ 2.5, where k is the acoustic wavenumber, and a and b are the inner and outer radii of the shell, respectively. Errors between Love's equation and the exact solution are not significant for the case of swimbladder-bearing fish where the bubble radius is typically greater than about 0.05 m, but could be large for bubbles and gas-bearing zooplankton where the radius is less than about 0.05 m.
Vocal fold vibrations at high soprano fundamental frequencies
Authors: Echternach Matthias , Döllinger Michael , Sundberg Johan , Traser Louisa , Richter Bernhard
Published: January 2013

Human voice production at very high fundamental frequencies is not yet understood in detail. It was hypothesized that these frequencies are produced by turbulences, vocal tract/vocal fold interactions, or vocal fold oscillations without closure. Hitherto it has been impossible to visually analyze the vocal mechanism due to technical limitations. Latest high-speed technology, which captures 20 000 frames/s, using transnasal endoscopy was applied. Up to 1568 Hz human vocal folds do exhibit oscillations with complete closure. Therefore, the recent results suggest that human voice production at very high F0s up to 1568 Hz is not caused by turbulence, but rather by airflow modulation from vocal fold oscillations.
The use of an ex vivo contrast study at the time of surgery to confirm the site of a perforated jejunal diverticulum
Authors: Zamani Amin , Peters Christopher John , Chadwick Stephen J
Published: January 2013

A 63-year-old patient was diagnosed with acute jejunal diverticulitis and possible perforation. The patient was taken to the operating room for an exploratory laparotomy where a suspected segment of small bowel was resected. However, the surgical team was unsure whether the resected segment was the definite location of the perforation. A novel technique; using intraoperative contrast enhanced ex vivo x-ray photographs aided the surgical team in finding the exact location of the perforation and thus allowing the operating team to confidently and safely proceed with closure of the abdomen.
Kawasaki disease resembling acute colitis
Authors: Miyahara Masazumi , Hirayama Masahiro
Published: January 2013

This report presents a case of atypical Kawasaki disease (KD) in a 4-year-old boy developing with severe colitis accompanied by frequent diarrhoea and hypokalemic dehydration. Abdominal ultrasonography showed findings of left colon mucosal thickening and prominent dilatation of the colon. Antibiotic treatment was not effective. Some symptoms of KD appeared with progression of the illness. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was administered based on a diagnosis of incomplete KD on the ninth day of the illness. The patient became afebrile soon after IVIG therapy. Diarrhoea and other symptoms dramatically subsided. The patient has recovered during the 3-month follow-up and repeated echocardiograms were normal.
Waking up the healing potential of the bone:subtrochanteric non-union in femoral dysplasia successfully treated after 40 years of pain and disability
Authors: Kloen P , Nützinger Jorn
Published: January 2013

We describe a successful valgus osteotomy for a subtrochanteric non-union in a dysplastic femur that had not healed in 40 years despite many earlier attempts. The optimisation of biology and biomechanics in the subtrochanteric area shows that even in a longstanding and complex deformity around the hip salvage is possible.
Histological diagnosis of cardiac lipoma in an adult with tuberous sclerosis
Authors: Jabir Shehab , Al-Hyassat Samir
Published: January 2013

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder caused by mutations in either of the two genes, TSC1 or TSC2, which code for the proteins hamartin and tuberin, respectively. These proteins act as tumour-growth suppressors with mutations in their genes leading to multiple hamartomatous growths throughout the central nervous system, lungs, heart, kidneys, eyes and skin. There have been reports of patients with TSC having an increased incidence of cardiac neoplasms, especially rhabdomyomas. A much smaller proportion of TSC patients have also been reported to have either, angiomyolipomas or lipomas, the diagnosis in these cases being made via CT. We present the first case of an adult with TSC, where a histological diagnosis of cardiac lipoma was made and discuss its implications.
Asymmetric graves ophthalmopathy as a sole manifestation of autoimmune hypothyroidism
Authors: Verma Sudhir Kumar , Jain Nirdesh , Saraf Sameer , Singh Shailesh Kumar
Published: January 2013

Graves ophthalmopathy (GO) is commonly associated with hyperthyroidism, however its coexistence with hypothyroidism is seen uncommonly in 5% of cases. The ophthalmic signs in GO are usually bilaterally symmetrical, however in 10–15% of cases patients may present asymmetrically. The ophthalmic signs in GO are commonly seen with other systemic features of thyroid disease, however when a patient present with asymmetric ophthalmic signs in the absence of other thyroid manifestations, it is difficult to consider the possibility of thyroid disorder, which may result in delayed diagnosis and further progression of disease. Here, we report a case of 22-year-old man who presented with progressive painless bulging of right eye without other features of thyroid disease which on workup was diagnosed as a case of autoimmune hypothyroidism.
Ulcerative colitis associated with the herbal weight loss supplement Hydroxycut
Authors: Sivarajah Vernon , Abdul Quddus , Pardoe Helen , Lunniss Peter
Published: January 2013

A 25-year-old Iranian gentleman was admitted to hospital with severe bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. He had similar episodes in the past. On each occasion his symptoms developed following the consumption of the herbal weight loss supplement Hydroxycut Hardcore X. On this admission, a (CT) scan demonstrated bowel wall thickening and peri-colonic fat stranding in the sigmoid colon. On flexible sigmoidoscopy, a continuous length of congested mucosa with multiple small ulcers was seen extending up to the mid-transverse colon, in keeping with ulcerative colitis. Histological analysis of biopsies was taken at the time and confirmed this. He was started on steroids early during his admission but this only provided a transient clinical improvement. The addition of cyclosporine, which was later changed to azathioprine, did not improve his condition either. He therefore underwent an open subtotal colectomy with end ileostomy. He made a slow but steady recovery and was discharged 3 weeks later.
A wide-spread flagellate dermatitis
Authors: Hamer Sarah , Rabindranathnambi Rangarajan
Published: January 2013

A 45-year-old gentleman presented with an intensely itchy, widespread eruption which had been present for 5 days. He was otherwise fit and well. On examination there was a florid, erythematous, papular, flagellate rash over the trunk and limbs. The gentleman had eaten shiitake mushrooms 10 days earlier. The diagnosis was shiitake dermatitis and the rash settled spontaneously.
Outcomes of faecal occult blood tests requested outside the UK National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
Authors: McDonald Rosie , Tomlins Abigail , Smith Steve , Harmston Christopher
Published: January 2013

Background and aims

Faecal occult blood test (FOBt) is commonly requested by clinicians in both primary and secondary care. The aim of this study was to examine the use and outcomes of clinician-requested FOB testing in a single Trust taking part in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme pilots.

Methods

Data from a single Trust was used. The Trust's pathology reporting system was searched retrospectively for all FOBt study requests in 1 year. In patients with a positive test, the Trust's clinical results reporting system was searched to determine the type and outcome of any investigations. Patients with positive tests were cross-matched with the Trust's colorectal cancer database to detect interval cancers.

Results

1363 FOB tests were requested during the calendar year. 715 (52.5%) were completed. Mean age was 60.6 years, 30.7% of patients were in the screening age group. 60 (4.4%) patients were FOBt positive. Total colonic imaging was performed in only 22% of those who were FOBt positive. Significant pathology was detected in five patients (0.4%) including three colonic carcinomas. There were no interval cancers in the FOBt-positive group.

Conclusions

The number of FOBt requests has increased with the introduction of a colorectal cancer screening programme. The FOBt completion rate and colonic imaging rate in FOBt-positive patients outside the national screening programme was low. Guidelines for the use of FOBt outside of screening are needed.
Evaluation of three selective chromogenic media, CHROMagar ESBL, CHROMagar CTX-M and CHROMagar KPC, for the detection ofKlebsiella pneumoniaeproducing OXA-48 carbapenemase
Authors: Hornsey Michael , Phee Lynette , Woodford Neil , Turton Jane , Meunier Daniele , Thomas Claire , Wareham David W
Published: January 2013

Three selective chromogenic culture media (CHROMagars ESBL, CTX-M and KPC) were evaluated for their ability to support the growth of nineKlebsiella pneumoniaeisolates producing OXA-48 carbapenemase in combination with other β-lactamases. CHROMagar ESBL and CHROMagar KPC were the most sensitive media, supporting growth of all isolates with a detection limit as low as < 100 CFU/ml. Five isolates failed to grow on CHROMagar CTX-M, and five were recovered on CHROMagar KPC only at counts > 106 CFU/ml. Both CHROMagar ESBL and CHROMagar KPC may be useful for enhanced isolation ofK pneumoniaeproducing OXA-48-like carbapenemases.
LONG-TERM ADJUSTMENT OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE: EVIDENCE FROM SINGAPORE, HONG KONG AND TAIWAN
Authors: CHONG TERENCE TAI-LEUNG , TAK-YAN LAW DANIEL , ZOU LIN
Published: January 2013

This paper examines the impact of profitability, stock price performance and growth opportunity on the capital structure of firms in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In contrast to Kayhan and Titman (2007), it is found that firms in these three Chinese-dominated economies strongly prefer debt to equity or internal fund financing. They also take advantage of stock price appreciation by issuing more shares. An adjustment model for debt ratios is estimated. The results suggest that the leverage ratios of these firms slowly adjust toward their target levels. Deviations from the target due to the pecking order and market timing effects are found to be significant.
PROPORTIONAL PRODUCTION TRADE-OFFS IN DEA
Authors: ALIREZAEE M. R. , BOLOORI F.
Published: January 2013

The "trade-offs Data envelopment analysis (DEA)" model is built by adding an extra axiom to the traditional production possibility set. The axiom introduces some replacement relations as production rules between inputs and outputs and leads to some extensions to the production possibility set. It provides more discriminatory power of decision-making units (DMUs) in DEA models, and the results are more adaptable to real conditions. In this paper, these variations are defined in proportional forms, which make the variation proportionate to DMUs' sizes. So we call them proportional trade-offs, and they offer some advantages in comparison with simple trade-off vectors, which depend on input or output units of measurements. First of all, the proportional trade-offs vectors can fairly consider the DMUs' abilities and their strengths in adapting to the proposed changes. Secondly, it will be seen that proportional trade-off vectors can be used as a generalization of usual returns to scales (RTS), and finally the proportional trade-offs models cover the basic DEA models and their related production possibility set (PPSs) as special cases.
DYNAMICS IN PERTURBED VERY DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS: THEORY AND EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE
Authors: YINNON TAMAR A. , ELIA VITTORIO
Published: January 2013

Perturbed very dilute aqueous solutions are investigated by analyzing their electric conductivity (χ). Foci include titrations and quasi-periodic oscillations of χ spanning several months. The χ data reflect persistent dissipative supramolecular self-organization. This paper's successful consistent explanations of the χ measurements corroborate earlier quantum field theoretical predictions. For example: (1) Permanent polarization results from quantum electro-dynamical interactions mediated auto-ordering of water molecules and molecular aggregates which have electric dipole moments. (2) The aggregates are created by exciting very dilute aqueous solutions, generating long lasting (cold) vortices in crystalline-like-structured super-fluidic domains. These domains are only present when the concentration (C) is lower than a solute dependent transitions concentration (Ctrans). Typically, Ctransis of the order of 10-4M or below.
AB INITIOMOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS ON LOCAL STRUCTURE AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES IN LIQUIDSbFROM 913 K TO 1193 K
Authors: HAO QING-HAI , LI Y. D. , KONG XIANG-SHAN , LIU C. S.
Published: January 2013

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations on liquid Sb have been carried out at five different temperatures from 913 K to 1193 K. We have investigated the temperature dependence of structure properties including structural factor S(Q), pair correlation function g(r), bond-angle distribution function g3(θ), cluster properties and bond order parameter Q4and Q6. A shoulder was reproduced in the high wave number side of the first peak in the S(Q) implying that the residual structure units of crystalline Sb remain in liquid Sb . There is a noticeable bend at around 1023 K in the temperature dependence of the first-peak height of S(Q), the cluster properties and bond order parameter Q4, respectively, indicating that an abnormal structural change may occur at 973–1023 K.
NONLINEAR VIBRATION ANALYSIS FOR AN AIRFLOW-EXCITED TRANSLATING STRING
Authors: WANG YUEFANG , LÜ LEFENG , HUANG LIHUA
Published: January 2013

The nonlinear vibration of transverse motion of a translating string excited by steady wind force is investigated in this paper. The stability of the equilibrium configuration is analyzed and the generation of limit cycles via multiple Hopf bifurcations is presented. Single-, double-, and quadruple-Hopf bifurcations are determined in the parametric space. The limit-cycle response is solved through the method of Incremental Harmonic Balance, with its stability determined by Floquet multipliers. For the forced vibration, the coexistence of periodic and quasiperiodic motions is found with varying excitation frequency and amplitude. The Neimark–Sacker (NS) bifurcation and the flip bifurcation are demonstrated in an example. The continuation software MATCONT is adopted to identify the fold and NS bifurcations of periodic motions, as well as other codim-2 bifurcations of NS–NS, the Chenciner and the 1:1, 1:3, and 1:4 resonances. These bifurcations present the complexity of the string dynamics induced by steady wind excitations.
THE HOMOGENEOUS LIFT TO THE (1, 1)-TENSOR BUNDLE OF A RIEMANNIAN METRIC
Authors: PEYGHAN ESMAEIL , NASRABADI HASSAN , TAYEBI AKBAR
Published: January 2013

By using a Riemannian metric on a differentiable manifold, the homogeneous lift metric is introduced on the (1, 1)-tensor bundle of the Riemannian manifold. Some geometric objects related to this metric, such as the Levi-Civita connection, Riemannian curvature tensor and sectional curvature are calculated. Also, a para-Nordenian structure on the (1, 1)-tensor bundle with this metric is constructed and interesting properties of this structure are studied.
CHARACTERISTIC PROPERTIES AND RECOGNITION OF GRAPHS IN WHICH GEODESIC AND MONOPHONIC CONVEXITIES ARE EQUIVALENT
Authors: MALVESTUTO FRANCESCO M. , MEZZINI MAURO , MOSCARINI MARINA
Published: January 2013

Let G be a connected graph. A subset X of V(G) is g-convex (m-convex) if it contains all vertices on shortest (induced) paths between vertices in X. We state characteristic properties of graphs in which every g-convex set is m-convex, based on which we show that such graphs can be recognized in polynomial time. Moreover, we state a new convexity-theoretic characterization of Ptolemaic graphs.
Lower plate geometry controlling the development of a thrust-top basin: the tectonosedimentary evolution of the Ofanto basin (Southern Apennines)
Authors: Casciello Emilio , Esestime Paolo , Cesarano Massimo , Pappone Gerardo , Snidero Marco , Vergés Jaume
Published: January 2013

The Ofanto basin is a Pliocene–Pleistocene thrust-top basin that formed with an unusual east–west orientation along the frontal part of the Southern Apennine Allochthon during the latest stages of tectonic transport. Its tectonic and sedimentary evolution was studied integrating field surveys, biostratigraphic analyses and the interpretation of a large seismic grid. Well data and seismic interpretation indicate that a large east–west-trending normal fault underlies the northern margin of the basin, displacing the Apulian carbonates that form the foreland and the footwall of the Southern Apennine Allochthon. In our reconstruction the Ofanto basin formed at the rear of the bulge caused by buttressing of the Southern Apennine Allochthon against this normal fault. In a second stage of contraction, the footwall of the Southern Apennine Allochthon was involved in deformation with a different trend from the normal faulting and buttressing. This caused eastward tilting of the basin and broad folding around its eastern termination. Good stratigraphic constraints permit the age of buttressing to be defined as Early Pliocene, and that of the shortening in the Apulian carbonates as Early Pleistocene. This study highlights the importance of early orogenic normal faults in conditioning the evolution of the frontal parts of orogenic wedges.

Supplementary material:

A 3D reconstruction of the base of the Pliocene deposits of the Ofanto basin, based on seismic interpretation, is available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18559
.
Interpreting the stratigraphic architecture of fluvial systems in internally drained basins
Authors: Fisher John A. , Nichols Gary J.
Published: January 2013

Models for fluvial architecture tend to focus on the effects of sea-level oscillation and syndepositional tectonics in creating and removing accommodation space and determining the relative distribution of channel and overbank deposits in the stratigraphic record. However, in basins of internal drainage sea-level change does not exert any influence and in settings where basin centre lakes are very shallow, fluctuations in lake level have little impact on the fluvial system. If there is variation in tectonic subsidence across the area this will affect depositional patterns, but otherwise subsidence does not play a role in affecting sediment distribution in an endorheic setting. The Luna and Huesca Systems were deposited in the endorheic Ebro Basin at a time when deformation in the adjacent Pyrenees had largely ceased. Hundreds of metres of fluvial and lacustrine sediment accumulated, raising the level of the basin centre by stratigraphic aggradation and back-filling of hinterland valleys. During aggradation the systems appear to have maintained a constant slope across the fluvial profile. The resulting stratigraphic architecture is well displayed in the Ebro Basin and provides a case study of architectural patterns in endorheic settings, which is in marked contrast to those described from fluvial successions formed in externally draining systems.
The phylogenetic and palaeogeographic evolution of the miogypsinid larger benthic foraminifera
Authors: Boudagher-Fadel Marcelle K. , David Price G.
Published: January 2013

Access to new material from South Africa, Corsica, Cyprus, Syria and Sumatra has allowed a systematic biostratigraphic comparison and correlation of the miogypsinids from the Mediterranean–West Africa and the Indo-Pacific provinces, and for the first time from South Africa. Twelve new species have been identified:
Neorotalia tethyana, Miogypsinella bornea, Miogypsina subiensis, M. niasiensis, M. regularia, M. samuelia, Miolepidocyclina banneri, Miogypsinella cyprea, Miogypsina mcmillania, M. africana, M. ianmacmilliana
and
M. southernia
. The palaeogeographical evolution of the miogypsinids started with a trans-Atlantic migration of
Neorotalia
from the Americas, where miogypsinids had originated. The eastward migration followed two paths: one to the south towards South Africa, where a distinct phylogenetic lineage, but similar to that found in America, developed but went extinct in the Burdigalian; the other to the north, through the Mediterranean corridor. During the Chattian and Aquitanian significant miogypsinid forms evolved in the Mediterranean from the morphologically distinct Mediterranean
Neorotalia
and migrated, within a few million years of their first appearance, into the Indo-Pacific, where they diversified further. The tectonically driven closure of the seaway between the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific in the Burdigalian triggered the extinction of Mediterranean miogypsinids in the Langhian. Miogypsinids survived in the Indo-Pacific into the Serravallian.
Late Cenozoic geological evolution of the northern North Sea: development of a Miocene unconformity reshaped by large-scale Pleistocene sand intrusion
Authors: Løseth H. , Raulline B. , Nygård A.
Published: January 2013

Despite hundreds of wells and extensive 3D seismic coverage, the late Cenozoic geological evolution is still not completely understood in the prolific northern North Sea hydrocarbon province. This is mainly due to post-depositional modification of sediment body geometries by injections of large volumes of sand. Using high-quality 3D seismic and well data above the Snorre and Visund Fields we propose a new late Cenozoic geological model that describes pre-injection geomorphological forms and sand injection events.

The northern North Sea was exposed during mid- and late Miocene times (10 myr), simultaneously with the regional Miocene compression phase. Subaerial and coastal cliff erosion formed escarpments, up to 100 m high. Around the Miocene–Pliocene boundary the northern North Sea subsided below sea level and a layer of glauconitic sand was deposited. During the early Pleistocene glacial period, high fluid pressures fractured the regional Hordaland Group seal. Fluidized sand either vented to the sea floor or was deposited in irregular sand bodies up to 150 m thick. Above them, the injected sand lifted the overburden and formed irregular mounds that reshaped the top Hordaland Group unconformity regionally. During the glacial period the area was tilted regionally by 0.3° towards the NNE.
Palynostratigraphy and vegetation history of the Triassic–Jurassic transition in East Greenland
Authors: Mander Luke , Kürschner Wolfram M. , McElwain Jennifer C.
Published: January 2013

We present a palynological study of a terrestrial Triassic–Jurassic (Tr–J;
c
. 200 Ma) boundary section at Astartekløft, East Greenland. We have generated a new palynostratigraphic scheme and vegetation history for this locality, and have integrated these with existing carbon isotope records. Samples for palynological analysis were collected from precisely the same stratigraphic horizons as plant macrofossils and samples used for geochemical analyses. Our results highlight four local sporomorph assemblage zones that are compositionally distinct from each other at Astartekløft. The extremely low abundance of
Classopollis
pollen in all samples, and the pronounced decline of
Ricciisporites tuberculatus
during the Late Rhaetian are notable features of the sporomorph record of Tr–J vegetation at Astartekløft. Correlation of Astartekløft and a marine Tr–J boundary section at St Audrie’s Bay, UK, provides no support for the idea that extinction and diversity loss in terrestrial ecosystems preceded biotic change in marine ecosystems at the Tr–J. Instead, the available data support suggestions that the onset of the Tr–J biotic crisis was synchronous in terrestrial and marine environments. Peak extinction among plants at Astartekløft occurred relatively late in the sequence of events across the Tr–J, and may represent a response to long-term cumulative effects of volcanism at this time.

Supplementary material

Plates of selected sporomorphs recovered from Astartekløft and a full pollen diagram are available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18553
.
Mercia Mudstone Formation caprock to carbon capture and storage sites: petrology and petrophysical characteristics
Authors: Armitage P. J. , Worden R. H. , Faulkner D. R. , Aplin A. C. , Butcher A. R. , Espie A. A.
Published: January 2013

Porous rocks in the subsurface are now used for carbon capture and storage (CCS), to help ameliorate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. These porous reservoir rocks require a caprock to retain the CO
2
. It is important to characterize caprock quality and its stability in the presence of elevated partial pressures of CO
2
. Lower Triassic sandstones are common in the UK and NW Europe and are being considered for future CCS projects. The caprock to these sandstones is the Middle and Upper Triassic Mercia Mudstone Group. We have studied the Mercia Mudstone using mineralogy, petrology and mercury injection porosimetry to assess its caprock quality. Detrital minerals are dominated by quartz, K-feldspar, illite and chlorite; diagenetic pore-filling minerals are dominated by calcite, dolomite and gypsum. In samples with abundant clay minerals, there are only small quantities of pore-filling diagenetic cements. Porosity is broadly uniform for both clay-rich and clay-poor samples. The cleaner (clay-poor) samples had their initial pore spaces filled with early diagenetic pore-filling carbonates and gypsum. Despite the broadly uniform porosity, mean pore throat diameter displays a strong inverse correlation with clay content whereas threshold capillary entry pressure shows a strong positive correlation with clay content. The more clay-rich samples represent much better caprock than the coarser-grained samples that contain abundant pore-filling cement. The samples could support potential column heights of supercritical CO
2
between 70 and 540 m and have calculated permeabilities between 10
−20
and 10
−19
m
2
; leakage would occur only on geological time scales, assuming that these samples are representative of the whole caprock. Because caprock quality correlates with illite content and illite will be relatively immune to elevated partial pressures of CO
2
, the Mercia Mudstone probably represents a durable caprock for future Lower Triassic sandstone CCS projects.
U–Pb zircon ages of Late Cretaceous Nain–Dehshir ophiolites, central Iran
Authors: Shafaii Moghadam Hadi , Corfu Fernando , Stern Robert J.
Published: January 2013

Late Cretaceous Zagros ophiolites are part of the
c
. 3000 km long Late Cretaceous Ophiolite Belt of SW Asia including the Troodos (Cyprus), eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Syria), Zagros (Iran) and Semail ophiolites (Oman). This ophiolite belt represents a magmatic forearc that formed when subduction of the Neotethys began along the SW margin of Eurasia. Geochronological data for Zagros ophiolites are limited to a few K–Ar and
40
Ar–
39
Ar ages. New thermal ionization mass spectrometry U–Pb zircon ages indicate that the Nain and Dehshir ophiolites of central Iran formed
c
. 101–103 Ma, with Nain (102.9 ± 0.3 Ma) being
c
. 1 Ma older than Dehshir (100.9 ± 0.2 Ma; 100.4 ± 0.1 Ma), and that these ophiolites were emplaced almost immediately after formation (Nain emplacement 101.2 ± 0.2 Ma; Dehshir emplacement 99.0 ± 1.1 Ma). These formation ages are significantly older than the 98–90 Ma U–Pb zircon ages of other Late Cretaceous ophiolites in this belt such as the Kizildag (Turkey), Semail (Oman) and Troodos ophiolites (Cyprus). If the subduction initiation model applies to this ophiolite belt, it suggests that subduction initiation began near the Zagros margin and propagated at
c
. 7 cm a
−1
to the east (Semail) and
c
. 15 cm a
−1
to the west (Troodos).

Supplementary materials:

Simplified geological maps of the Nain and Dehshir ophiolites, showing sample locations, are available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18554
.
NLRP1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes are essential for distinct outcomes of decreased cytokines but enhanced bacterial killing upon chronic Nod2 stimulation
Authors: Hedl Matija , Abraham Clara
Published: January 2013

Upon chronic microbial exposure and pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) stimulation, myeloid-derived cells undergo a distinct transcriptional program relative to acute PRR stimulation, with proinflammatory pathways being downregulated. However, other host-response pathways might be differentially regulated, and this concept has been relatively unexplored. Understanding mechanisms regulating chronic microbial exposure outcomes is important for conditions of ongoing infection or at mucosal surfaces, such as the intestine. The intracellular PRR nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 (Nod2) confers the highest genetic risk toward developing Crohn's disease (CD). We previously identified mechanisms mediating downregulation of proinflammatory pathways upon chronic Nod2 stimulation; here we sought to define how chronic Nod2 stimulation regulates bacterial killing. We find that, despite downregulating cytokine secretion upon restimulation through PRR and live bacteria, chronic Nod2 stimulation of human monocyte-derived macrophages enhances bacterial killing; this dual regulation is absent in CD Nod2-risk carriers. We show that chronic Nod2-mediated reprogramming of human monocyte-derived macrophages to a state of enhanced bacterial killing requires upregulated reactive oxygen/nitrogen species pathway function through increased p67phox/p47phox/nitric oxide synthase-2 expression; selectively knocking down each of these genes reverses the enhanced bacterial killing. Importantly, we find that, during chronic Nod2 stimulation, NLRP3/NLRP1 inflammasome-mediated caspase-1 activation with subsequent IL-1 secretion is essential for the subsequent bifurcation to downregulated proinflammatory cytokines and upregulated bacterial killing. Therefore, we identify mechanisms mediating the distinct inflammatory and microbicidal outcomes upon chronic stimulation of the CD-associated protein Nod2.