bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial Matérn Fields Driven by Non‐Gaussian Noise
Authors: Bolin David
Published: October 2013

The article studies non‐Gaussian extensions of a recently discovered link between certain Gaussian random fields, expressed as solutions to stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs), and Gaussian Markov random fields. The focus is on non‐Gaussian random fields with Matérn covariance functions, and in particular, we show how the SPDE formulation of a Laplace moving‐average model can be used to obtain an efficient simulation method as well as an accurate parameter estimation technique for the model. This should be seen as a demonstration of how these techniques can be used, and generalizations to more general SPDEs are readily available.
Bone‐muscle unit activity, salivary steroid hormones profile, and physical effort over a 3‐week stage race
Authors: Grasso D. , Corsetti R. , Lanteri P. , Di Bernardo C. , Colombini A. , Graziani R. , Banfi G. , Lombardi G.
Published: October 2013

Muscle traction and bone metabolism are functionally linked and co‐regulated by a series of factors. Although a role for steroid hormones was hypothesized, a clear definition of the bone–muscle interconnection still lacks. To investigate this relationship, we studied bone metabolism, muscle activity, and salivary steroid hormones profile in relation with the physical effort across a cycling stage race, a model of effort in absence of load. Nine pro‐cyclists were recruited; body weight and power output/energy expenditure were recorded. Diet was kept constant. Saliva was collected at days −1, 4, 8, 12, 14, 19, and 23; blood and urine were collected at days −1, 12, and 23. Salivary steroid hormones [cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, and estradiol], serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatine kinase (CK) activities, plasma sclerostin, and urinary calcium and phosphorous were measured. Cortisol remained constant, testosterone decreased at day 4, and estradiol and DHEA firstly increased and then returned to basal levels. Hormone concentrations were not correlated with plasma volume shifts. LDH, CK, AST, sclerostin, and urinary calcium and phosphorous increased. DHEA and estradiol correlated with the physical effort and the bone‐muscular markers. A relationship between muscle activity, in absence of load, and bone resorption emerged under a putative regulation by DHEA and estradiol.
Anaemia, iron deficiency and a common polymorphism of iron‐regulation, TMPRSS6 rs855791, in Rwandan children
Authors: Danquah Ina , Gahutu Jean‐Bosco , Zeile Irene , Musemakweri Andre , Mockenhaupt Frank P.
Published: October 2013

Anaemia in children living in sub‐Saharan Africa is common, but its causes are diverse. In 545 children below 5 years of age from rural southern Rwanda, we assessed the role of iron deficiency (ID) and of the TMPRSS6 736(V) (rs855791) allele, known to reduce iron status and haemoglobin (Hb) levels, in anaemia and Hb concentrations. Anaemia (Hb <11 g/dl) was present in 34.4% of the children and ID (ferritin <12 ng/ml) in 17.6%. The TMPRSS6 736(V) allele was uncommon (allele frequency, 0.096) and not associated with ID. In multivariate analysis, ID was positively associated with anaemia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.67) to an extent comparable with α+‐thalassaemia, breastfeeding, inflammation and low household income, but the odds were substantially higher in Plasmodium falciparum infection (adjusted odds ratio, 10.3). These findings were verified in a multivariate analysis of Hb concentrations. The TMPRSS6 736(V) allele only tended to be associated with low Hb levels. TMPRSS6 736(V) is comparatively rare among Rwandan children and may only slightly contribute to low Hb concentrations. Preventable causes of anaemia, notably ID and P. falciparum infection, largely outweigh its impact and need to be addressed to improve the haematological status of children in the study area.
Serum antibodies against βH‐crystallins in the American Cocker Spaniel
Authors: Kanemaki Nobuyuki , Fukiage Chiho , Ichikawa Yoichiro , Shearer Thomas R. , Azuma Mitsuyoshi
Published: October 2013

Objective

To detect antibodies for lens βH‐crystallins in the serum from the American Cocker Spaniel (ACS) presenting with and without cataracts and with and without uveitis.

Animal Studied

Seventy‐three American Cocker Spaniels and six normal Beagles.

Procedures

Sera were collected from 73 ACSs, including those with normal lenses and those with cataracts, or uveitis. Fractionated, normal Beagle lens βH‐crystallins were separated by one‐ or two‐dimensional electrophoresis. The separated lens βH‐crystallins were used on immunoblots as sentinel substrates against which the ACS sera were tested for the presence of antibodies against βH‐crystallins.

Results

Sera from approximately two‐thirds of study animals contained antibodies to some βH‐crystallin polypeptides, but reactivity varied among patients. Contrary to some hypotheses, serum antibodies to groups of βH‐crystallins did not relate to the stages of cataract. However, detailed analysis by two‐dimensional immunoblotting and mass spectrometry showed that three spots originating from βA1‐crystallin were detected only in sera from cataract patients.

Conclusion

Serum antibodies to βA1‐crystallin may be associated with the development of cataract.
Models for Crenulation of a Converging Shell
Authors: Margolin Len G. , Andrews Malcolm J.
Published: October 2013

We describe two models for the growth of perturbations on the inner surface of a converging shell: one for a solid shell and one for a shell of incompressible fluid. We consider the cases of both cylindrically and spherically symmetric geometries.
Modal Analysis of General Plate Structures
Authors: Xu Hongan , Li W. L. , Du Jingtao
Published: October 2013

A general analytical method, referred to as the Fourier spectral element method, is presented for the dynamic analysis of plate structures consisting of any number of arbitrarily oriented rectangular plates. The compatibility conditions between any two adjacent plates are generally described in terms of three-dimensional elastic couplers with both translational and rotational stiffnesses. More importantly, all plates involved can be arbitrarily restrained along any edges in contrast to the commonly imposed condition: each plate has to be simply supported along, at least, one pair of parallel edges. Thus, plate structures here are not limited to Levy-type plates as typically assumed in other techniques. The flexural and in-plane displacement fields on each plate are analytically expressed as accelerated Fourier series expansions and the expansion coefficients are considered as the generalized coordinates to be determined using the familiar Rayleigh–Ritz technique. The accuracy and reliability of the present method are validated by both finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental data for box structures under various boundary conditions.
Analysis and Observations of Current Density Sensitivity and Thermally Activated Mechanical Behavior in Electrically-Assisted Deformation
Authors: Magargee James , Fan Rong , Cao Jian
Published: October 2013

The flow of electric current through a metal during deformation has been observed to reduce its flow stress and increase its ductility. This observation has motivated the development of advanced “electrically-assisted” metal forming processes that utilize electric current to assist in the forming of high-strength and difficult-to-form materials, such as titanium and magnesium alloys. This method of heating provides attractive benefits such as rapid heating times, increased energy efficiency due to its localized nature, as well as the ability to heat the workpiece in the forming machine thus eliminating the transfer process between oven heating and forming. In this paper, a generalized method is proposed to relate applied electric current density to thermally activated mechanical behavior to better understand and improve the processing of metals during electrically-assisted deformation. A comparison is made of engineering metals studied experimentally as well as in the literature, and it is shown that the method provides insight into what some researchers have observed as the occurrence or absence of a “current density threshold” in certain materials. A new material parameter, “current density sensitivity,” is introduced in order to provide a metric for the relative influence of current density on a material's thermally activated plastic flow stress. As a result, the electric current necessary to induce thermal softening in a material can be estimated in order to effectively parameterize a wide range of advanced electrically-assisted forming processes. Thermally induced changes in material microstructure are observed and discussed with respect to the underlying deformation mechanisms present during electrically-assisted deformation. Finally, a strong correlation between thermally activated mechanical behavior and elastic springback elimination during sheet bending is demonstrated.
Comments on a Newly-Identified Destabilizing Rotordynamic Mechanism Arising in Vertical Hydraulic Turbines and the Back Shrouds of Centrifugal Impellers
Authors: Childs Dara W. , Muhammed Ameen
Published: October 2013

In three 2010 papers, Tsujimoto et al. (2010, “Moment Whirl Due to Leakage Flow in the Back Shroud Clearance of a Rotor,” Int. J. Fluid Mach. Syst., 3(3), pp. 235–244), Song et al. (2010, “Rotordynamic Instability Caused by the Fluid Force Moments on the Backshroud of a Francis Turbine Runner,” Int. J. Fluid Mach. Syst., 3(1), pp. 76–79), and Song et al. (2010, “Rotordynamic Moment on the Backshroud of a Francis Turbine Runner Under Whirling Motion,” ASME J. Fluids Eng., 132, p. 071102) discussed and explained a novel destabilizing mechanism arising in both hydraulic turbines and the back surface of vertical pump impellers. The destabilizing mechanism can be explained via a reaction force-moment model that includes both the customary radial displacement vector of an impeller plus the pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. This coupling between radial displacements and tilt plus the coupling of the shaft support structure can create negative damping. In 1993, Verhoeven et al. (1993, “Rotor Instability of a Single Stage Centrifugal Pump, Supersynchronous Whirling at Almost Twice the Operating Speed, A Case History,” Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Pump Noise and Vibration, pp. 457–468) identified negative damping arising from U-shaped wearing-ring seals as causing a super-synchronous instability in a horizontal coke-crusher pump. However, several case studies have been presented of super-synchronously unstable pumps for which (until now) no explanation could be provided. Tsujimoto–Song started with a 2DOF model for a vertically suspended disk via a cantilevered shaft. They used an f = ma model for the lateral displacements of the disk and used flexibility coefficients to account for reaction forces and moments from the back shroud of the impeller. The present work starts with a 4DOF model that includes the disk's displacements and pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. The Guyan reduction is used to create two reduced 2DOF models: model A that retains the displacements and discards the rotations and model B that retains the rotations and discards the displacements. Model A produces a requirement for instability that is inconsistent with Tsujimoto–Song's experience and predictions. However, it is useful in predicting the reaction moments produced by a nominally planar precession of the impeller. The instability requirement of Model B is consistent with Tsujimoto's experience and predictions. A comparison of the predicted reaction moments of model A and Tsujimoto's reaction-moment data supports the instability predictions of model B (and Tsujimoto–Song) that the instability arises due to coupling between the displacement and rotation degrees of freedom in the 4 × 4 damping matrix.
Solid-state photo-microphones or pressure sensors by total reflection
Authors: Suzuki Yasushi , Kido Ken’iti
Published: October 2013

Solid-state photo-microphones or pressure sensors are proposed. These sensors use a new principle, involving the optical total reflection at the boundary surface between glass and air. The critical angle for total reflection changes by the refractive index of air, which depends on the air density. Sound pressure changes the air density. Therefore, the sound pressure is measurable by detecting the intensity of the reflected light from the total reflection area. The sensitivity of the sensor is investigated theoretically. It is expected that the sensor has sufficient sensitivity for practical use, employing laser light and a curved boundary surface with a large radius of curvature. Some experiments are carried out to verify the theoretical investigations. A He-Ne laser or a laser diode is employed as a light source in the experiments. Experimental results show that the sensor has equivalent sensitivity to that which was theoretically estimated, but that sensitivity is very low. The sensor is useful as a pressure sensor, but it is difficult to realize a microphone for general use at the present. The microphones have no diaphragm and the upper limit in the frequency range is extremely high in principle.
Enhanced voided piezoelectric polymer for underwater acoustic sensors
Authors: Arvelo Juan , Busch-Vishniac Ilene , West James
Published: October 2013

A charged voided polymer has been shown to exhibit large piezoelectricity. This material consists of injected air bubbles into polypropylene. This sheet of voided material is then biaxially stretched to elongate the voids. After stretching this material, a strong electric field is applied to cause dielectric breakdown of the gas in the voids, creating electric charges that are trapped in the polymer frame. Since the sides of the voids have opposite charges, they form macroscopic dipoles. When an external force is applied to this material, the voids become narrower, causing stronger dipole strength. A simple model of this voided material was implemented to derive formulas to estimate its piezoelectric constant, electromechanical coupling factor, resonance frequency, and sensor sensitivity based on electrical and mechanical properties of the polymer and gas in the voids. These formulas and a survey of available polymers and gases yielded promising combinations that result in more sensitive voided materials that satisfy selected criteria. These criteria include high sensitivity and maximum service temperature, low dissipation factor, and high dynamic compressibility, but low hydrostatic compressibility. This talk will describe the model, derive the formulas, uncover measured properties of candidate polymers and gases, and show calculated sensitivity of selected polymer/gas combinations.
Analysis of a barrel-stave flextensional transducer using MAVART (model to analyze the vibrations and acoustic radiation of transducers) and ATILA (analysis of transducers by integration of LAplace equations) finite-element codes
Authors: Fleming Richard A. G. , Kwiecinski Mark , Jones Dennis F.
Published: October 2013

A small barrel-stave flextensional transducer, designed and tested at Defence Research and Development Canada—Atlantic, is a candidate sound source for underwater coastal surveillance and acoustic communications applications. This high-power transducer has an outside diameter, length, and mass of 5.7 cm, 12.7 cm, and 1.1 kg, respectively. The measured fundamental flexural resonance frequency was 1.8 kHz with a transmitting voltage response of 118 dB/1μPa-m/V and an omnidirectional radiation pattern. Two finite-element models were developed for this transducer using the finite-element codes MAVART (Model to Analyze the Vibrations and Acoustic Radiation of Transducers) and ATILA (Analysis of Transducers by Integration of LAplace equations). Comparisons are made between the calibration measurements and the model predictions. [Work supported in part by Sensor Technology Limited.]
Acoustic signal analysis for forensic applications
Authors: Begault Durand , Peltier Christopher
Published: October 2013

Acoustical analysis of audio signals is important in many legal contexts for determining the authenticity, originality, and continuity of recorded media; determining the circumstances of events in question that may have been recorded; for determining the audibility of signals; and for identification or elimination of talkers as a match to an unknown exemplar. Recorded media are analyzed in forensic applications using both familiar techniques (waveform and spectral analyses) and more novel methods (e.g., ferro fluid development of media; specialized tape heads with nonstandard reproduction characteristics; crystal microscopy; detection and matching to power grid frequencies). Audibility analyses frequently require careful reconstructive field measurements and criteria in excess of normally accepted standards. Voice identification-elimination protocols must account for examiner bias and exemplar quality and can be described using a receiver operator curve (ROC) model. This presentation gives an overview of these techniques and their comparative advantages for specific forensic applications.
Force-frequency effect of thickness mode langasite resonators
Authors: Zhang Haifeng , Turner Joseph A. , Yang Jiashi , Kosinski John A.
Published: October 2013

Langasite resonators are of recent interest for a variety of applications because of their good temperature behavior, good piezoelectric coupling, low acoustic loss, and high Q factor. The force-frequency effect describes the shift in resonant frequency a resonator experiences due to the application of a mechanical load. A clear understanding of this effect is essential for many design applications such as pressure sensors. In this presentation, the frequency shift is analyzed theoretically and numerically for thin, circular langasite plates subjected to a diametrical force. The results are compared with experimental measurements of the same system for a variety of langasite resonators with various material orientations. In addition, the sensitivity of force-frequency effect is analyzed with respect to the nonlinear material constants. A comparison between the force-frequency effect of langasite and quartz resonators is also made. Finally, the application of such measurements for determining third-order elastic constants is discussed. [Work supported by ARO.]
SRA: An online tool for spectral and roughness analysis of sound signals
Authors: Vassilakis Pantelis
Published: October 2013

SRA performs spectral and roughness analysis on user-submitted 250- to 1000-ms-long portions of sound files (.wav/.aif formats). Spectral analysis incorporates an improved STFT algorithm [K. Fitz and L. Haken, J. Aud. Eng. Soc. 50(11), 879–893 (2002)] and automates spectral peak-picking using the Loris open source C++ class library [Fitz and Haken (CERL Sound Group)]. Users can manipulate three spectral analysis/peak-picking parameters: analysis bandwidth, spectral-amplitude normalization, and spectral-amplitude threshold. Instructions describe the parameters in detail and suggest settings appropriate to the submitted files and questions of interest. The spectral values obtained from the analysis enter a roughness estimation model [P. N. Vassilakis, Sele. Rep. in Ethnomusicol. 12, 119–144 (2005)], outputting roughness values for each individual sine-pair in the file’s spectrum and for the entire file. The roughness model quantifies the dependence of roughness on a sine-pair’s (a) intensity (combined amplitude of the sines), (b) amplitude fluctuation degree (amplitude difference of the sines), (c) amplitude fluctuation rate (frequency difference of the sines), and (d) register (lower sine frequency). Presentation of the roughness estimation model and the online tool will be followed by a discussion of research studies employing it and an outline of future possible applications. [Work supported by DePaul University and Eastern Washington University. Programmed by K. Fitz.]
The measurement of the hysteretic nonlinearity parameter of a field soil by the phase shift method: A long-term survey
Authors: Lu Zhiqu
Published: October 2013

Soil properties significantly affect the performance of the acoustic landmine detection. The climate and seasonal changes cause the variations of soil properties and smear landmine signature over time. On the other hand, soil is a complicated granular material that exhibits strong nonlinear acoustic behaviors. To understand the weather and seasonal effects on nonlinear acoustic behaviors of soils, a phase shift method is used to measure the hysteretic nonlinearity parameter of a field soil. The technique is based on measuring the variation of phase difference between two transducers, i.e., the phase shift, induced by changing sound level. The hysteretic nonlinear parameter can be extracted from the measured phase shift as a function of sound level or dynamic strain. In a long-term survey, the nonlinearity parameter, sound speed, and environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, soil water potential, and rainfall precipitation are measured. It is found that the nonlinearity parameter is much more sensitive than sound speed to the climate change. Soil water potential is the predominant factor that affects the nonlinearity parameter and sound speed of the shallow field soil.
Fast acoustic integral-equation solver for complex inhomogeneous media
Authors: Bleszynski Elizabeth , Bleszynski Marek , Jaroszewicz Thomas
Published: October 2013

We describe elements and representative applications of an integral-equation solver for large-scale computations in acoustic wave propagation problems. In the solver construction we used elements of our previously developed fast integral-equation solver for Maxwell’s equations. In comparison with the conventional integral equation approach (method of moments), our solver achieves significant reduction of execution time and memory through the FFT-based matrix compression. One particular aspect of the solver we discuss, pertinent to its high efficiency and accuracy, is an efficient treatment of problems associated with subwavelength discretization. We illustrate the approach and its application on the example of a numerical simulation of acoustic wave propagation through the human head. [Work was supported by a grant from AFOSR.]
Acoustic analog of electronic Bloch oscillations and Zener tunneling
Authors: Sánchez-Dehesa José , Sanchis-Alepuz Helios , Kosevich Yu. A. , Torrent Daniel
Published: October 2013

The observation of Bloch oscillations in sound propagation through a multilayer of two different fluidlike components is predicted. In order to obtain the equivalent to the acoustic analog of a Wannier-Stark ladder [E. E. Mendez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 60, 2426–2429 (1988)], a set of cavities with increasing thickness is employed. Bloch oscillations were theoretically predicted as time-resolved oscillations in transmission in direct analogy to electronic Bloch oscillations in semiconductor superlattices [J. Feldmann et al., Phys. Rev. B 46, R7252–R7255 (1992)]. Finally, an experimental setup is proposed to observe the phenomenon by using arrays of cylindrical rods in air, which acoustically behaves as a fluidlike system with effective sound velocity and density [D. Torrent et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 204302 (2006)]. For the proposed system, Bloch oscillations and Zener tunneling are confirmed by using multiple scattering simulations. [Work supported by MEC of Spain.]
Transmission of bone-conducted sound measured acoustically and psycho-acoustically
Authors: Reinfeldt Sabine , Stenfelt Stefan , Hakansson Bo
Published: October 2013

The transcranial transmission is important in the bone-conducted (BC) audiometry where the BC hearing thresholds depend on the stimulation position. It is also important for fitting of BC hearing aids; the transcranial transmission determines the amount of the sound that reaches the contralateral cochlea. Previous reported transcranial transmission results seem to depend on the method used. Here, a comparison between the transcranial transmission measured with BC hearing thresholds and ECSP is performed for both open and occluded ear canal. A BC transducer provided stimulation at both mastoids and the forehead. The ECSP was measured with a probe microphone and the BC hearing thresholds were obtained while masking the nontest ear. The transcranial transmission was determined as the BC hearing threshold or the ECSP for contralateral stimulation relative ipsilateral stimulation. The transmission from the forehead was calculated in a similar way. The transcranial transmission was similar for BC hearing thresholds and ECSP above 800 Hz; this indicates that the ECSP can be used as an estimator of the relative hearing perception by BC. The transcranial transmission results are also similar to vibration measurements of the cochleae made in earlier studies. Hence, vibration measurements of the cochleae can also estimate relative BC hearing.
Customization of head-related transfer functions using principal components analysis in the time domain
Authors: Shin Ki H. , Park Youngjin
Published: October 2013

Pinna responses were separated from HRIRs (head-related impulse responses) of 45 subjects in the CIPIC HRTF (head-related transfer function) database and modeled as linear combinations of five basic temporal shapes (basis functions) by PCA (principal components analysis) accounting for more than 90% of the variance in the original pinna responses per each selected elevation angle in the median plane. By adjusting the weight of each basis function computed for a specific height to replace the pinna response in the KEMAR HRIR at the same height with the resulting pinna response and listening to the filtered stimuli over headphones, four subjects were able to create a set of median HRIRs that outperformed the KEMAR HRIRs in producing elevation effects in the median plane. Since the monoaural spectral features due to the pinna are strongly dependent on elevation instead of azimuth, similar elevation effects could also be generated at different azimuthal positions simply by inserting the customized median pinna responses into the KEMAR HRIRs at other azimuths and varying the ITD (interaural time difference) according to the direction as well as the size of the subject’s own head.
Possible involvement of the spiral limbus in chinchilla cochlear mechanics
Authors: Rhode William S.
Published: October 2013

Differences between cochlear mechanical tuning curves and those of auditory nerve fibers (ANFs) exist. In particular, mechanical transfer functions exhibit a high-frequency plateau; ANFs frequency threshold curves (FTCs) do not. ANF-FTCs may have a low-frequency slope due to a velocity forcing function operating on inner hair cells at low frequencies. Neither basilar membrane velocity nor displacement adequately explain the entire ANF tuning curve. A displacement sensitive interferometer was used to study basilar membrane and spiral limbus mechanics in the 6-kHz region of the chinchilla cochlea. The spiral limbus vibrates at the same phase as the basilar membrane nearly up to the location’s characteristic frequency. In the plateau region, the limbus appears to vibrate 0 to 20 dB less than the basilar membrane. The basilar membrane/limbus amplitude transfer function has a low-frequency slope of ∼3 dB/oct at low frequencies and is ∼10 dB lower than the basilar membrane amplitude at 1 kHz. It appears that spiral limbus vibration may contribute to the excitation of the cilia of the inner hair cells. [Work supported by NIDCD grant R01 DC001910.]
The effects of antioxidants on cochlear mechanics
Authors: Acker-Mills Barbara , Hill Melinda , Ebuen Angeline
Published: October 2013

Several studies have evaluated the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on temporary threshold shifts (TTSs) in humans. Work at USAARL found that NAC did not reduce TTSs compared to a placebo, but suppressed otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) more than a placebo, indicating that NAC may reduce outer hair cell activity. Kramer et al. [JAAA, 17(4), (2006)] found similar results, where NAC did not affect thresholds in people who had TTSs from exposure to loud music. However, OAEs also did not differ between NAC and placebo. Toppilla et al. [XXII Barany Society Meeting (2002)] measured thresholds and balance in people exposed to loud music and found that while NAC did not affect TTS, it reduced noise-induced balance impairment. The current study administered NAC and measured cochlear microphonics, compound action potentials, and OAEs to evaluate cochlear function. The vestibular myogenic potential was measured to assess the effect of NAC on the saccule. The results provide a comprehensive analysis of the effect of NAC on the auditory system and one component of the vestibular system. [Work supported by the U.S. Army ILIR program. The work is that of the authors and is not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense.]
Study of auditory temporal processing of language and music in stroke patients
Authors: Hsieh Li , Baubie Tamara
Published: October 2013

This study focused on functional lateralization of temporal processing of language and music for nine stroke patients and nine normal controls. Subjects were asked to discriminate short versus long sounds in ABX tasks, and then to reproduce sequences of short and long sounds they heard. The reproduction tasks consisted of sequences of 3, 4, and 5 sounds. The linguistic stimuli were nonsense CVC syllables, and the musical stimuli were computer-generated musical notes with the timbres of French horn and trombone. Both linguistic and music stimuli were controlled for frequency and intensity, and varied only for duration (i.e., 500 and 750 ms). Our findings are consistent with previous studies; the left hemisphere specializes in linguistics, while the right hemisphere in music. Moreover, both hemispheres appeared to work closely together in processing temporal information. Both left- and right-hemisphere-damaged patients performed worse than controls. Most subjects performed better with music than language. Patients with left posterior lesions performed worse compared to patients with left or right anterior lesions, particularly with linguistic stimuli. Patients with right anterior lesions not only involved with temporal processing in music, but also in linguistic stimuli. Our study provided additional information regarding transient temporal processing in language and music.
Human bioacoustic biology: Acoustically anomalous vocal patterns used to detect biometric expressions relating to structural integrity and states of health
Authors: Edwards Sharry
Published: October 2013

Computerized analyses of acoustically anomalous vocal patterns are being used as biomarkers for predictive, prediagnostic, and efficient management of individual biological form and function. To date, biometrically distinct vocal data have resulted in outcomes that would be considered improbable by contemporary medical standards. For instance, independent EMG conclusions confirmed the regeneration of nerve tissue for a multiple sclerosis patient who used acoustic bioinformation to guide his primary therapy. Another study monitored the amounts of synthetic labor hormones present during induced labor. False labor costs amount to millions of dollars each year in insurance and hospital resources. The use of noninvasive, possibly remote, vocal profiling could ameliorate such costs. Anomalous vocal acoustics are being investigated by many health-related organizations including Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and the Institute of Automatic Control Engineering in Taiwan. Complementary research studying molecular frequencies of cellular chemistry is being done by James Gimjewski, Ph.D., UCLA, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Known as BioAcoustic Biology, this research modality has the potential to advance current health care standards for biological function, disease processes, and metabolism. Organizations such as the Acoustical Society of America are considering standards for technically defining human bioacoustics. This paper would expand that language.
Active noise control simulations using minimization of energy density in a mock helicopter cabin
Authors: Thomas Jared , Lovstedt Stephan P. , Blotter Jonathan , Sommerfeldt Scott D. , Serrano Norman S. , Egelston Allan
Published: October 2013

Helicopter cabin noise is dominated by low-frequency tonal noise, making it an ideal candidate for active noise control. Previous work in active control of cabin noise suggests an energy density approach to be a good solution [B. Faber and S.D. Sommerfeldt, Global Control in a Mock Tractor Cabin Using Energy Density, Proc. ACTIVE 04, Sept. 2004.] Simulations for active noise control using energy density minimization have been made using recorded data from a Robinson R44 helicopter. Initial computer models show substantial noise reductions in excess of 6 dB at the error sensor are possible. Performance results for computer models and simulations in a mock cab for different control arrangements will be compared.
Direct computation of degenerate elastodynamic solution of elastic wave propagation in a thick plate
Authors: Ghorieshi Jamal
Published: October 2013

The limiting form of elastodynamic solutions as frequency tends to zero leads to the elastostatic eigenvalue equations. However, this limiting procedure is not convenient. It is cumbersome when applied to the solutions obtained using Stokes potentials and, in the case of utilizing Lames potentials, it does not produce static solutions that are a function of position alone. In this paper it is shown that the exact solutions of elastostatic problems can, in general, be obtained in a straightforward manner by the use of harmonic potentials without recourse to any special limiting form of analysis. This method is applied to an infinite, elastic thick plate with traction-free parallel surfaces and the elastostatic eigenvalue equation. It is shown that the problem can be solved exactly in terms of harmonic functions, one of which is a scalar and the other one is a vector. It is noted that results are in agreement with the published solutions.
Measurement of structural intensity using patch near-field acoustical holography
Authors: Saijyou Kenji
Published: October 2013

Measurement of power flow in a structure, called the structural intensity (SI), is essential for vibration control and noise reduction. The near-field acoustical holography (NAH)-based measurement method is suitable to analyze the interrelationship between SI and acoustic intensity (AI) because NAH-based methods provide measurements of SI and AI simultaneously. Use of NAH requires the measurement of a pressure field over a complete surface located exterior to the structure. Therefore, if the measurement aperture is smaller than the structure, reconstructed results from the pressure on the finite aperture are seriously contaminated. This finite aperture effect prevents implementation of this NAH-based method on an actual large-scale structure such as a ship. Patch NAH and regularization method for SI measurement are applied to overcome this difficulty. This method enables implementation of the NAH-based SI measurement method in a large-scale structure. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by experiment.
The effect of phonological neighborhood density and word frequency on vowel production and perception in clear speech
Authors: Smiljanic Rajka , Viau Josh , Bradlow Ann
Published: October 2013

Previous research showed that phonological neighborhood density and word frequency influence word recognition (Luce and Pisoni, 1998) and vowel production (Wright, 2002; Munson and Solomon, 2004; Munson, to appear), suggesting an interaction of lexical and phonetic factors in speech production and perception Here, we explore whether hyperarticulated, intelligibility-enhancing clear speech shows similar sensitivity to lexical-level structure. Nine American English talkers (five females, four males) produced 40 monosyllabic easy (frequent words with few lexical neighbors) and hard (infrequent words with many lexical neighbors) words in conversational and clear speech. Twenty-four subjects participated in a word-in-noise listening test. Results revealed a large effect of style on intelligibility and vowel production: words were more intelligible and vowels were longer and more dispersed in clear compared to conversational speech. Moreover, the female talkers produced larger vowel spaces than male talkers in both speaking styles. Vowels in hard words were marginally more dispersed than vowels in easy words in both speaking styles. However, within both speaking styles, easy and hard words were equally intelligible and of approximately equal duration. These results showed that phonetic properties of vowels were enhanced equally in clear speech regardless of their lexical properties.
Russian and Spanish listener’s perception of the English tense/lax vowel contrast: Contributions of native language allophony and individual experience
Authors: Kondaurova Maria V. , Francis Alexander L.
Published: October 2013

We examined the influence of listeners native phonology on the perception of American English tense and lax front unrounded vowels ([i] and [■]). These vowels are distinguishable according to both spectral quality and duration. Nineteen Russian, 18 Spanish, and 16 American English listeners identified stimuli from a beat-bit continuum varying in nine spectral and nine duration steps. English listeners relied predominantly on spectral quality when identifying these vowels, but also showed some reliance on duration. Russian and Spanish speakers relied entirely on duration. Three additional tests examined listeners allophonic use of vowel duration in their native languages. Duration was found to be equally important for the perception of lexical stress for all three language groups. However, the use of duration as a cue to postvocalic consonant voicing differed due to phonotactic differences across the three languages. Group results suggest that non-native perception of the English tense/lax vowel contrast is governed by language-independent psychoacoustic factors and/or individual experience. Individual results show large variability within all three language groups, supporting the hypothesis that individual differences in perceptual sensitivity as well as the more frequently cited factors of second language education and experience play an important role in cross-language perception.
Effect of speaking rate on individual talker differences in voice-onset-time
Authors: Theodore Rachel M. , Miller Joanne L. , DeSteno David
Published: October 2013

Recent findings indicate that individual talkers systematically differ in phonetically relevant properties of speech. One such property is voice-onset-time (VOT) in word-initial voiceless stop consonants: at a given rate of speech, some talkers have longer VOTs than others. It is also known that for any given talker, VOT increases as speaking rate slows. We examined whether the pattern of individual differences in VOT holds across variation in rate. For example, if a given talker has relatively short VOTs at one rate, does that talker also have relatively short VOTs at a different rate? Numerous tokens of /ti/ were elicited from ten talkers across a range of rates using a magnitude-production procedure. VOT and syllable duration (a metric of speaking rate) were measured for each token. As expected, VOT increased as syllable duration increased (i.e., rate slowed) for each talker. However, the slopes as well as the intercepts of the functions relating VOT to syllable duration differed significantly across talkers. As a consequence, a talker with relatively short VOTs at one rate could have relatively long VOTs at another rate. Thus the pattern of individual talker differences in VOT is rate dependent. [Work supported by NIH/NIDCD.]
Variation in vowel production
Authors: Perkell Joseph , Zandipour Majid , Ghosh Satrajit , Menard Lucie , Lane Harlan , Tiede Mark , Guenther Frank
Published: October 2013

Acoustic and articulatory recordings were made of vowel productions by young adult speakers of American English—ten females and ten males—to investigate effects of speaker and speaking condition on measures of contrast and dispersion. The vowels in the words teat, tit, tet, tat, tot, and toot were embedded in two-syllable ‘‘compound words’’ consisting of two CVC syllables, in which each of the two syllables comprised a real word, the consonants were /p/, /t/ or /k/, the two adjoining consonants were always the same, the first syllable was unstressed and the second stressed. Variations of phonetic context and stress were used to induce dispersion around each vowel centroid. The compound words were embedded in a carrier phrase and were spoken in normal, clear, and fast conditions. Initial analyses of F1 and F2 on 15 speakers have shown significant effects of speaker, speaking condition (and also vowel, stress, and context) on vowel contrast, and dispersion around means. Generally, dispersions increased and contrasts diminished going from clear to normal to fast conditions. Results of additional analyses will be reported. [Work supported by NIDCD, NIH.]
Attitudinal correlate of final rise-fall intonation in Japanese
Authors: Sadanobu Toshiyuki
Published: October 2013

Abrupt rise and subsequent fall intonation is common at the end of intonation units in Japanese, but its attitudinal correlate has not been fully elucidated yet. This intonation appears in the literature of the 1960’s as politicians’ way of speech, and nowadays not only politicians but many speakers including older generations often use it. However, this intonation is stigmatized as childish, and many people devalue it as an unintelligent way of speaking by young people. Where does this great gap between reality and image of this intonation come from? This presentation addresses this problem by focusing on natural conversation of Japanese daily life. The conclusions are as follows: (i) Rise-fall intonation often appears when the speaker talks about high-level knowledge, whereas it disappears when the speaker talks about their personal experience. (ii) Rise-fall intonation at the end of an intonation conveys the speaker’s being so occupied with speaking that intonation unit. The childish image comes from the speaker’s unawareness of their overall speech because of being occupied with local process. [Work supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sport, and Culture, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), 16202006, and by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, SCOPE 041307003.]
Language and gender differences in speech overlaps in conversation
Authors: Yuan Jiahong , Liberman Mark , Cieri Christopher
Published: October 2013

Language and gender differences in speech overlaps in conversation were investigated, using the LDC CallHome telephone speech corpora of six languages: Arabic, English, German, Japanese, Mandarin, and Spanish. To automatically obtain the speech overlaps between two sides in a conversation, each side was segmented into pause and speaking segments, and the overlap segments during which both sides were speaking were time stamped. Two types of speech overlaps are distinguished: (1) One side takes over the turn before the other side finishes (turn-taking type). (2) One side speaks in the middle of the other side’s turn (backchannel type). It was found that Japanese conversations have more short (less than 500 ms) turn-taking type of overlap segments than the other languages. The average number of such segments per 10 min of conversation for Japanese was 62.6 whereas the average numbers for the other languages ranged from 37.9 to 43.3. There were, however, no significant differences among the languages on the backchannel type of overlaps. Cross-linguistically, conversations between two females contained more speech overlaps (both types) than those between a male and a female or between two males, and there was no significant difference between the latter two.
The comparison between Thai and Japanese temporal control characteristics using segmental duration models
Authors: Hansakunbuntheung Chatchawarn , Sagisaka Yoshinori
Published: October 2013

This paper compares the temporal control characteristics between Thai and Japanese read speech data using segmental duration models. The same and the different control characteristics have been observed from phone level to sentence level. The language-dependent and language-independent control factors have also been observed. In phone and neighboring phone level, different characteristics are found. Japanese vowel durations are mainly compensated by only adjacent preceding and following phones, which results from mora timing. Unlike Japanese, Thai vowel durations are affected by two succeding phones. It can be guessed that the differences come from syllabic structures. In word level, most content words tend to have longer phone durations while function words have shorter ones. In phrase level, both languages express duration lengtening of syllable/mora at the phrase initial and final. For language-specific factors, Thai tones express small alteration on phone duration. The comparisions explore the duration characteristics of the languages and give more understanding to be used in speech synthesis and second-language learning research. [Work supported in part by Waseda Univ. RISE research project of ‘‘Analysis and modeling of human mechanism in speech and language processing’’ and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research A-2, No. 16200016 of JSPS.]
Underwater noise as source of information on conditions and dynamics of ocean environments
Authors: Furduev Alexander V.
Published: October 2013

Leonid Brekhovskikh wrote in his book The Ocean and the Human (1987): ‘‘Ocean noise is as important oceanographic parameter as temperature, current, and wind.’’ Brekhovskikh created and headed the Laboratory of Acoustic Methods of Ocean Research in 1956. One of the scientific directions of the Laboratory was investigation of underwater noise both as interference for sound reception and a source of environmental information. Long-term studies on the unique acoustic research vessels created under the initiative of Brekhovskikh resulted in numerous important findings, including ambient noise spectra and envelopes of acoustic fluctuations, depth dependence of noise directivity, and mechanisms of ambient noise generation. Brekhovskikh was always eager to find practical applications of scientific results. Different methods of ensuring noise immunity of hydroacoustic arrays were developed under his supervision. Passive methods of acoustic navigation based on use of natural noise were suggested. Techniques for underwater acoustic monitoring of the ocean based either on ambient noise analysis or reemission of noise from a point away from the receiving system have been developed. The success of the team of scientists headed by Brekhovskikh was determined by the creative atmosphere around him: there was neither competition nor commercial interests. The common goal was knowledge of the ocean.