bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LES Analysis of Gas Flow and Mixing Process in an Unsteady Jet
Authors: Kondo Chihiro , Kawanabe Hiroshi , Kosaka Hidemasa , Shioji Masahiro
Published: April 2009

The flow and mixing process of unsteady jets are fundamentally analyzed by large eddy simulations. The effects of nozzle velocity and turbulence intensity on the turbulent eddy structure and mixing process between the nozzle fluid and ambient fluid were investigated. The results show that a toroidal-shaped vortex, which emerges around the jet tip, primarily accelerates the entraining flow. Furthermore, the difference of jet density affects the shape of toroidal vortex formed near jet tip and the air entrainment. Jet with lower density is less entrained and suppresses turbulent mixing.
Thermal Analysis of a Novel Continuous Flow Multi Layered Polymerase Chain Reaction Device
Authors: Barrett Brian , Davies Mark , Morris Angela
Published: April 2009

In this paper are presented the results of a thermal analysis on a high throughput droplet based, nucleic acid amplifier. Initial data of successful amplification of DNA is also presented. The advent of microfluidics offers many opportunities to integrate all functional steps of DNA analysis onto a single platform allowing for reduced analysis times, reduced sample volume requirements and higher throughput. There are many technical challenges facing this goal, thermal control being pivotal. This paper involves fundamental theoretical and experimental characterization of the core element of such a platform; a polymerise chain reaction (PCR) thermal cycler. The PCR process can be either a two-step or three-step temperature cycling procedure, depending on the chemistry involved. Presented in this paper is a thermal analysis of four, two-step thermocyclers arrayed in parallel. Two step PCR requires samples to be cycled through temperature ranges of 92–95°C and 60°C, the preciseness of these temperatures again depending on the chemistry involved. For optimum efficiency, fast heating and cooling between steps, and uniformity within each step is crucial. Our thermocycler design comprises a flow conduit in a serpentine pattern, machined in two segmented aluminium blocks, in which the conduit extends through the denaturation (92–95°C) and the annealing and extension (60°C) zones. Circular tubing, in which the samples are passed through to ensure biocompatibility for the reaction, is embedded in the machined channel which results in high heat transfer from the block to the sample. The device is then positioned in the vertical plane and an array of thermocyclers are formed by combining multiple planar systems. Thermofoil heaters are attached to the underside of the upper blocks creating the denaturation temperature, and by adjusting the air gap, passive thermal control is used to create the temperature required for the annealing and extension zone, thereby reducing the number of heaters and thus the power required. Theoretical thermal analysis of the device is performed, in conjunction with CFD simulations, experimental testing, and thermal imaging. Finally successful PCR of the gene ABL1 was performed.
Rapid Boiling of Droplets in an Ambient Liquid at Partial Superheat
Authors: Haustein Herman D. , Gany Alon
Published: April 2009

This work deals with the dynamics of rapid-boiling of a droplet, at medium-high superheat, rising in a host liquid environment. It considers the heat transfer, the superheat consumption and the hydrodynamics of the droplet as it boils. In the course of the research water-column experiments were conducted, and results are shown. Superheating was implemented by the sudden depressurization of the ambient liquid. Boiling was very rapid, concluding within several milliseconds, and high heat fluxes across the interface were obtained. Additionally, certain critical times in the boiling process were predicted and defined, and a novel criterion for the end of rapid boiling (liquid film collapse), is proposed. These defined critical times agree well with measured points of change in the boiling dynamics. From these results and analysis a deeper understanding of the three-fluid rapid boiling at medium-high superheat has been established, for the first time. In addition, various initial conditions were tested and their effect established qualitatively. This form of boiling, though being very rapid and sustaining high heat transfer rates, is non-explosive in nature, and therefore more designable and widely applicable.
Aluminum Foil/Carbon Nanotube Thermal Interface Materials
Authors: Cola Baratunde A. , Xu Xianfan , Fisher Timothy S.
Published: April 2009

Vertically oriented carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays have been simultaneously synthesized at relatively low growth temperatures (i.e., < 700°C) on both sides of aluminum foil via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The resulting CNT arrays were highly dense, and the average CNT diameter in the arrays was approximately 10 nm, much smaller than in previous work. Also, the CNT arrays were smaller in height than the arrays in previous work. At moderate pressures, the aluminum foil/CNT material achieves resistances as low as 10 mm2·K/W for relatively smooth and flat interfaces, similar to previous work. However, the aluminum foil/CNT material performs relatively poor for less ideal, rougher interfaces presumably due to the small height and very close packing of CNTs that decreases the materials ability to fill interfacial voids and conform to the geometry of the mating surfaces. It is also possible that the aluminum foil was slightly stiffened during CNT growth (through hydrogen embrittlement), which could further reduce the conformability of the aluminum foil/CNT material.
Effects of Flame Lift-Off Height on Soot Processes in Strongly Forced Methane-Air Laminar Diffusion Flames
Authors: Barve Vinayak V. , Ezekoye Ofodike A. , Clemens Noel T.
Published: April 2009

Previous work has shown that for sufficiently high periodic forcing amplitudes, laminar diffusion flames can burn in an effectively partially premixed mode. Experimental observations show that the luminosity and sooting properties of the forced flames are significantly modified by the presence of strong forcing. In this work, simulations are performed to study the effects of strong forcing on flow field development in strongly forced laminar isothermal jets and methane air diffusion flames. Unforced and strongly forced cold-flow jets are simulated using a higher order finite volume CFD code. The jet was forced by varying the jet exit velocity over a range of forcing amplitudes and frequencies and it was found that the jet Strouhal number (St) was the important parameter in characterizing flowfield development. Further, the forced jets showed increased entrainment and increased entrainment rates as compared to the non-forced jets. The computations are performed for laminar methane–air diffusion flames. The combustion reactions were modeled using detailed gas-phase chemistry and complex thermo-physical properties. The radiation heat transfer was modeled using the S-6 Discrete Ordinates Method. A 2 equation soot chemistry model for soot nucleation, surface growth and oxidation was used. First an unforced flickering methane–air diffusion flame was modeled and then the flame was forced by varying the amplitude and frequency of the fuel velocity in the nozzle. Cases where the peak velocity in the fuel stream reached 6 times the mean velocity are examined. The internal nozzle flow was also simulated since the near-nozzle region was of particular interest due to the strong mixing processes occurring there and the subsequent effect on the flame properties. Lifted forced flames were also examined, and it was found that the partial premixing in the near nozzle region and increased oxygen entrainment in the forced flames can explain the reduction in soot production for the strongly forced flames.
Numerical Investigation on Mixed Convection in a Horizontal Channel Heated From Below
Authors: Foglia Giuseppe , Lanzaro Nicola , Manca Oronzio , Nardini Sergio
Published: April 2009

In this work mixed convection in a horizontal channel with the lower wall heated at uniform heat flux is studied numerically. A three dimensional problem is modeled and solved by means of the FLUENT code. The domain is made of a principal channel and two channels with adiabatic walls, one upstream the principal channel and the other downstream. The principal channel is formed by a uniformly heated horizontal wall, a parallel wall located above and two adiabatic vertical side walls. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers on thermal and fluid dynamic behavior in mixed convection in a horizontal channel heated from below. The analysis is carried out in transient regime in order to evaluate the thermal and fluid dynamic parameters as functions of the time. The Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers investigated are between 5 and 500 and 1.37×106 and 2.75×106 respectively. The corresponding Richardson number, Ri = Gr/Re2, holds values in the range 7.76 – 1.55 × 105. Wall temperature distributions and profiles along longitudinal and transversal coordinates are reported for different time values. Air velocity and temperature in the principal channel are presented along the longitudinal and transversal sections for some time values.
Study on Critical Heat Flux of High Velocity Liquid Flow
Authors: Sakurai Hisashi , Koizumi Yasuo , Ohtake Hiroyasu
Published: April 2009

Critical heat flux experiments of subcooled, thin, and high-velocity water flow were performed. The test flow channel was rectangular. The width of the flow channel was 2 mm and the height was 0.5 mm or 0.2 mm. The heat transfer surface was 2 mm × 2 mm. At the low heat flux, tinny bubbles were formed at the downstream part of the test heating surface. As the heat flux was increased, the bubble diameter increased and the coalescence of bubbles occurred. Then, the coalesced bubbles grew larger to cover the whole area of the heat transfer surface. Finally, the dried area appeared at the downstream end of the heat transfer surface to cause the critical heat flux condition. The critical heat flux was considerably higher than that of the subcooled flow boiling for the usual-size pipe as well as those of the saturated and the subcooled pool nucleate boiling. As the flow rate was increased, the period between the onset of boiling and the critical heat flux occurrence became narrow. The critical heat flux in the present experiments where the heat transfer surface was located at the just downstream of the flat channel outlet was considerably larger than those in the previous experiments where the heat transfer surface was located at the outlet end of the flat channel or the upstream of the outlet. By producing a fast jet along the surface and providing enough space for generated bubbles to leave from the surface, the critical heat flux was considerably augmented. Critical heat fluxes obtained in the present experiments were in in-between of the correlations for the flowing-upward film flow and for the flowing-downward film flow. The increasing trend for the flow rate was similar to that of the correlations.
Effect of Electric Fields on Two-Phase Impingement Heat Transfer
Authors: Feng Xin , Bryan James E.
Published: April 2009

The effect of electric fields applied to two-phase impingement heat transfer is explored for the first time. The application of an electric field between a capillary and heated surface results in the ability to control the free boundary flow from discreet drops to jets to sprays. Through an experimental study, the impingement heat transfer was evaluated over a range of operating and geometrical parameters using subcooled ethanol as the working fluid. The ability to change the mode of impinging mass did change the surface heat transfer. The characteristics of the impinging mass on heat transfer was dependent on capillary flow rate, applied voltage, capillary to heated surface spacing, capillary geometry, and heat flux. Enhancement occurred primarily at low heat fluxes (below 30 W/cm2) under ramified spray conditions where the droplet momentum promoted thin films on the heated surface. Higher heat fluxes resulted in greater vapor momentum from the surface minimizing the effect of different modes. However, under ramified spray conditions less mass was impacting the heated surface showing that heat transfer rates at higher heat fluxes were achievable with less mass, resulting in greater evaporation efficiency.
Performance of Aluminum and Carbon Foams for Heat Transfer Augmentation
Authors: Garrity Patrick T. , Klausner James F. , Mei Renwei
Published: April 2009

The airside heat transfer performance of three aluminum foam samples and three modified carbon foam samples are examined for comparison. The aluminum foam samples have a bulk density of 216 kg/m3 with pore sizes of 0.5, 1, and 2 mm. The modified carbon foam samples have bulk densities of 283, 374, and 403 kg/m3 and machined flow passages of 4 mm in diameter. The samples were placed in a forced convection arrangement using a cartridge heater as the heat source and ambient air as the sink. A constant heat flux of 30.6 kW/m2 is applied throughout the experiments with the mean air velocity ranging from 1 to 9 m/s as the control parameter. The Brinkman extended Darcy momentum model and a two equation non-equilibrium heat transfer model are employed to extract the interstitial heat transfer coefficients. Pressure drop measurements are correlated with the Darcy-Forcheimer relation. Empirical heat transfer correlations for the aluminum and carbon foam samples are provided.
Boiling Heat Transfer of R-134a Flowing in Horizontal Small-Diameter Tubes
Authors: Saitoh Shizuo , Daiguji Hirofumi , Hihara Eiji
Published: April 2009

The boiling heat transfer of refrigerant R-134a flow in horizontal small-diameter tubes with inner diameter of 0.51, 1.12, 2.0 and 3.1 mm was experimentally investigated. Local heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop were measured at a heat flux ranging from 5 to 39 kW/m2, mass flux from 100 to 450 kg/m2s, inlet vapor quality from 0 to 0.2, and evaporating pressure of 0.49 MPa, 3.0 and 3.7 MPa. Results showed that the local heat transfer coefficient tends to decrease at lower vapor quality with the decrease in tube diameter. The effect of heat flux on local heat transfer coefficient becomes significant with the decrease in tube diameter, while the effect of mass flux is weak especially for small diameter tube. With decreasing tube diameter, the flow inside it approached homogeneous flow, and the contribution of forced convective evaporation to the boiling heat transfer decreases. With the increase in pressure near the critical pressure (3.0 to 3.7 MPa), the heat transfer coefficient increased, and the effect of mass flux on the heat transfer coefficient became weak. These results implied that the nucleate boiling was dominant under high pressure conditions. A modified Chen-type correlation taking into account the effect of tube diameter was proposed for the prediction of boiling heat transfer of R-134a in horizontal tube. The effect of tube diameter on flow boiling heat transfer coefficient was characterized by the Weber number in gas phase. Comparison with experimental results showed that this correlation could be applied to a wide range of tube diameters (0.5 to 11 mm) and pressure conditions (reduced pressure from 0.1 to 0.9).
Turbulent Hierarchic Structure and Scalar Mixing in a Supersonic Mixing Layer at High Convective Mach Numbers
Authors: Maekawa Hiroshi , Watanabe Daisuke
Published: April 2009

Turbulent structures in a supersonic plane mixing layer at the convective Mach number of Mc=1.2 are studied using spatially developing DNS. High-resolution compact upwind-biased schemes developed by Deng & Maekawa (1996)[1] are employed for spatial derivatives. The numerical results indicate that the turbulent structures are generated after transition in the mixing layer, which are similar to the plane jet turbulent shear layer. The mixing layer Reynolds number based on the vorticity thickness reaches 6500. Unlike low Mach number mixing layers with a roller-like structure, hierarchic structures with hairpin packet-like structure and its cluster vortices are observed in the turbulent mixing layer. The effect of the turbulent hierarchic structure on scalar mixing is investigated using the DNS database. The visualized scalar field associated with vortical structure evolution of the turbulent mixing layer shows that the intermittent hairpin packet-like structure and its cluster govern a large-scale scalar mixing in the shear layer. The turbulent fine structure of pair vortices also plays an important role for scalar mixing. Furthermore, dilatational fields of the mixing layer show intense areoacoustic phenomena associated with the turbulent structure evolution.
Improved Lumped Models for a One-Dimensional Nonlinear Heat Conduction Problem
Authors: Su Ge , Tan Zheng , Su Jian
Published: April 2009

This work reports improved lumped-parameter models for a class of one-dimensional nonlinear heat conduction problems in a slab, cylinder or sphere with linearly temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and subject to combined convective and radiative boundary condition. The improved lumped models are obtained through two point Hermite approximations for integrals. It is shown by comparison with numerical solution of the original distributed parameter models that the higher order lumped models (H1, 1/H0, 0 approximation for slab and cylinder, H2, 1/H0, 0 for sphere) yield significant improvement of average temperature predictions over the classical lumped model.
Construction of Dynamic Models for an Air-Cooled CPU Chip Cooling Device
Authors: Zhang R. , Zhang C. , Jiang J.
Published: April 2009

Various techniques have been proposed to improve heat transfer efficiency for CPU chip cooling under steady-state conditions. To account for temperature variations as well as save energy and reduce the noise from the cooling fan, numerous active control schemes for CPU chip cooling have been investigated. The objective of this paper is to construct dynamic models of an active cooling device used for CPU chip cooling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. The dynamic models will be used to design controllers to achieve active chip cooling. The constructed dynamic model has two inputs, the heat flux generated by the chip and the cooling fan pressure. The output is the temperature of the case housing the chip. The results from the dynamic model constructed based on the frequency responses agrees well with those from the time domain CFD simulation.
Absolute pitch among students in an American music conservatory: Association with tone language fluency
Authors: Deutsch Diana , Dooley Kevin , Henthorn Trevor , Head Brian
Published: April 2009

Absolute pitch (AP), the ability to name a musical note in the absence of a reference note, is extremely rare in the U.S. and Europe, and its genesis is unclear. The prevalence of AP was examined among students in an American music conservatory as a function of age of onset of musical training, ethnicity, and fluency in speaking a tone language. Taking those of East Asian ethnicity, the performance level on a test of AP was significantly higher among those who spoke a tone language very fluently compared with those who spoke a tone language fairly fluently and also compared with those who were not fluent in speaking a tone language. The performance level of this last group did not differ significantly from that of Caucasian students who spoke only nontone language. Early onset of musical training was associated with enhanced performance, but this did not interact with the effect of language. Further analyses showed that the results could not be explained by country of early music education. The findings support the hypothesis that the acquisition of AP by tone language speakers involves the same process as occurs in the acquisition of a second tone language.
Finite-difference modeling of the monopole acoustic logs in a horizontally stratified porous formation
Authors: Guan Wei , Hu Hengshan , He Xiao
Published: April 2009

Monopole acoustic logs in a homogeneous fluid-saturated porous formation can be simulated by the real-axis integration (RAI) method to analytically solve Biot’s equations [(1956a) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 28, 168–178; (1956b) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 28, 179–191; (1962) J. Appl. Phys. 33, 1482–1498], which govern the wave propagation in poro-elastic media. Such analytical solution generally is impossible for horizontally stratified formations which are common in reality. In this paper, a velocity-stress finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm is proposed to solve the problem. This algorithm considers both the low-frequency viscous force and the high-frequency inertial force in poro-elastic media, extending its application to a wider frequency range compared to existing algorithms which are only valid in the low-frequency limit. The perfectly matched layer (PML) is applied as an absorbing boundary condition to truncate the computational region. A PML technique without splitting the fields is extended to the poro-elastic wave problem. The FDTD algorithm is validated by comparisons against the RAI method in a variety of formations with different velocities and permeabilities. The acoustic logs in a horizontally stratified porous formation are simulated with the proposed FDTD algorithm.
Attenuation of vocal responses to pitch perturbations during Mandarin speech
Authors: Liu Hanjun , Xu Yi , Larson Charles R.
Published: April 2009

The effect of stimulus timing on vocal responses to pitch-shifted feedback was investigated in different intonation patterns during Mandarin speech production. While speaking a four-word sentence consisting of the high-level tone, where the fundamental frequency (F0) of the final word was either increased (question intonation) or slightly falling (statement intonation), pitch-shift stimuli (±100 cents, 200 ms duration) were presented at three different times (160, 240, or 340 ms) after vocal onset. Results showed that in the question intonation, response magnitudes (16 cents) were significantly reduced for the 340 ms condition compared to the 160 (26 cents) or 240 (23 cents) ms conditions. No significant differences were found, however, as a function of stimulus timing in the statement intonation. These findings demonstrate that a planned change in F0 can cause a modulation in the reflexive response to a perturbation in voice pitch feedback and that there is a critical time period during which the response mechanisms are most sensitive to the planning process. These findings suggest an approach for the study of mechanisms involved in the timing of successive words during speech.
Virtual reflector representation theorem (acoustic medium)
Authors: Poletto Flavio , Wapenaar Kees
Published: April 2009

The virtual reflector method simulates new seismic signals by processing traces recorded by a plurality of sources and receivers. The approach is based on the crossconvolution of the recorded signals and makes it possible to obtain the Green’s function of virtual reflected signals as if in the position of the receivers (or sources) there were a reflector, even if said reflector is not present. This letter presents the virtual reflector theory based on the Kirchhoff integral representation theorem for wave propagation in an acoustic medium with and without boundary and a generalization to variable reflection coefficients for scattered wavefields.
Plate wave stop-bands in periodically poled lithium niobate
Authors: Ostrovskii I. V. , Klymko V. A. , Nadtochiy A. B.
Published: April 2009

The dispersion curves of four lowest plate acoustic waves (PAWs) in the ZX cut of a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) wafer are computed numerically and investigated experimentally. Experiment is in agreement with simulated dispersion curves. Calculations and measurements reveal the stop-bands in the dispersion curves of the PAW modes in PPLN despite a wafer that has uniform mechanical properties. At a specific wave number, within the frequencies of the stop-bands, the acoustic modes do not propagate.
The rotary subwoofer: A controllable infrasound source
Authors: Park Joseph , Garcés Milton , Thigpen Bruce
Published: April 2009

The rotary subwoofer is a novel acoustic transducer capable of projecting infrasonic signals at high sound pressure levels. The projector produces higher acoustic particle velocities than conventional transducers which translate into higher radiated sound pressure levels. This paper characterizes measured performance of a rotary subwoofer and presents a model to predict sound pressure levels.
Predicting echo thresholds from speech onset characteristics
Authors: Miller Scott D. , Litovsky Ruth Y. , Kluender Keith R.
Published: April 2009

Echo threshold variability has previously been examined using stimuli that are carefully controlled and artificial (e.g., clicks and noise bursts), while studies using speech stimuli have only reported average thresholds. To begin to understand how echo thresholds might vary among speech sounds, four syllables were selected in pairs that contrasted abruptness vs gradualness of onset envelopes. Fusion and discrimination suppression thresholds, two echo thresholds commonly used to study the precedence effect, differed among syllables. Results were used to evaluate two predictive heuristics adapted from perceptual center (p-center) models.
Vocal tract modes based on multiple area function sets from one speaker
Authors: Story Brad H.
Published: April 2009

The purpose of this study was to derive vocal tract modes from a wider range of vowel area functions for a specific speaker than has been previously reported. Area functions from Story et al. [(1996). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 100, 537–554] and Story [(2008). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 123, 327–335] were combined in a composite set from which modes were derived with principal component analysis. Along with scaling coefficients, these modes were used to generate a [F1, F2] formant space. In comparison to formant spaces similarly generated based on the two area function sets alone, the combined version provides a wider range of both F1 and F2 values. This new set of modes may be useful for inverse mapping of formant frequencies to area functions or for modeling of vocal tract shape changes.
Estimating the operating point of the cochlear transducer using low-frequency biased distortion products
Authors: Brown Daniel J. , Hartsock Jared J. , Gill Ruth M. , Fitzgerald Hillary E. , Salt Alec N.
Published: April 2009

Distortion products in the cochlear microphonic (CM) and in the ear canal in the form of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are generated by nonlinear transduction in the cochlea and are related to the resting position of the organ of Corti (OC). A 4.8 Hz acoustic bias tone was used to displace the OC, while the relative amplitude and phase of distortion products evoked by a single tone [most often 500 Hz, 90 dB SPL (sound pressure level)] or two simultaneously presented tones (most often 4 kHz and 4.8 kHz, 80 dB SPL) were monitored. Electrical responses recorded from the round window, scala tympani and scala media of the basal turn, and acoustic emissions in the ear canal were simultaneously measured and compared during the bias. Bias-induced changes in the distortion products were similar to those predicted from computer models of a saturating transducer with a first-order Boltzmann distribution. Our results suggest that biased DPOAEs can be used to non-invasively estimate the OC displacement, producing a measurement equivalent to the transducer operating point obtained via Boltzmann analysis of the basal turn CM. Low-frequency biased DPOAEs might provide a diagnostic tool to objectively diagnose abnormal displacements of the OC, as might occur with endolymphatic hydrops.
Beamforming with microphone arrays for directional sources
Authors: Bouchard Christian , Havelock David I. , Bouchard Martin
Published: April 2009

Beamforming is done with an array of sensors to achieve a directional or spatially-specific response by using a model of the arriving wavefront. Real acoustic sources may deviate from the conventional plane wave or monopole model, causing decreased array gain or a total breakdown of beamforming. An alternative to beamforming with the conventional source model is presented which avoids this by using a more general source model. The proposed method defines a set of “sub-beamformers,” each designed to respond to a different spatial mode of the source. The outputs of the individual sub-beamformers are combined in a weighted sum to give an overall output of better quality than that of a conventional (monopole) beamformer. It is shown that with appropriate weighting, the optimum array gain can be achieved. A simple method is demonstrated to estimate the weighted sum, based on the observed data. The variance and bias of the estimate in the presence of noise are evaluated. Simulation and experimentally measured results are shown for a simple directive source. In the experiment, the proposed method provides an array gain of about 11 dB while beamforming using a point source model achieves only −4 dB.
Comment on “Measurement of the frequency dependence of the ultrasonic parametric threshold amplitude for a fluid-filled cavity”
Authors: Strasberg M.
Published: April 2009

Measurements of the threshold amplitude of the pump signal for parametric excitation of ultrasonic standing waves in a water-filled container are described in the paper of Teklu et al. [(2006). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120, 657–660]. The threshold is reported to increase with increasing pump frequency from 2 to 7 MHz, in apparent disagreement with earlier measurements made in 1970 over the same frequency range in similar apparatus showing a decrease in parametric threshold with increasing frequency. It is shown that the very theory presented in both papers may explain the frequency dependence observed with the new 2006 data rather than the old 1970 data if proper account is taken of the variation in the acoustic absorption coefficient of water with frequency. However, other questions raised by data in both papers indicate the possibility that the phenomenon they describe was not parametric excitation.
Forward-masking based gain control in odontocete biosonar: An evoked-potential study
Authors: Supin Alexander Ya. , Nachtigall Paul E. , Breese Marlee
Published: April 2009

Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were recorded during echolocation in a false killer whale Pseudorca crassidens. An electronically synthesized and played-back (“phantom”) echo was used. Each electronic echo was triggered by an emitted biosonar pulse. The echo had a spectrum similar to that of the emitted biosonar clicks, and its intensity was proportional to that of the emitted click. The attenuation of the echo relative to the emitted click and its delay was controlled by the experimenter. Four combinations of echo attenuation and delay were tested (−31 dB, 2 ms), (−40 dB, 4 ms), (−49 dB, 8 ms), and (−58 dB, 16 ms); thus, attenuation and delay were associated with a rate of 9 dB of increased attenuation per delay doubling. AEPs related to emitted clicks displayed a regular amplitude dependence on the click level. Echo-related AEPs did not feature amplitude dependence on echo attenuation or emitted click levels, except in a few combinations of the lowest values of these two variables. The results are explained by a hypothesis that partial forward masking of the echoes by the preceding emitted sonar pulses serves as a kind of automatic gain control in the auditory system of echolocating odontocetes.
Estimating cetacean population density using fixed passive acoustic sensors: An example with Blainville’s beaked whales
Authors: Marques Tiago A. , Thomas Len , Ward Jessica , DiMarzio Nancy , Tyack Peter L.
Published: April 2009

Methods are developed for estimating the size/density of cetacean populations using data from a set of fixed passive acoustic sensors. The methods convert the number of detected acoustic cues into animal density by accounting for (i) the probability of detecting cues, (ii) the rate at which animals produce cues, and (iii) the proportion of false positive detections. Additional information is often required for estimation of these quantities, for example, from an acoustic tag applied to a sample of animals. Methods are illustrated with a case study: estimation of Blainville’s beaked whale density over a 6day period in spring 2005, using an 82 hydrophone wide-baseline array located in the Tongue of the Ocean, Bahamas. To estimate the required quantities, additional data are used from digital acoustic tags, attached to five whales over 21 deep dives, where cues recorded on some of the dives are associated with those received on the fixed hydrophones. Estimated density was 25.3 or 22.5 animals/1000km2, depending on assumptions about false positive detections, with 95% confidence intervals 17.3–36.9 and 15.4–32.9. These methods are potentially applicable to a wide variety of marine and terrestrial species that are hard to survey using conventional visual methods.
Lasers in Medicine
Authors: Wertlen L
Published: April 2009

Lasers now have a wide variety of medical applications, ranging from the dissolution of coronary artery thrombus to the repair of a detatched retina. The main types of laser in medicine are surgical, photocoagulator, photoradiation therapy, and cold lasers which are used by acupuncturists. Cold lasers act directly on cells to improve healing and reduce inflammation. They are also used as an effective substitute for needling or electrical stimulation.
Pain and the Placebo Effect
Authors: Richardson P H
Published: April 2009

Many forms of placebo have been used in trials for pain relief. The most effective responses have been to injections and sophisticated looking equipment, but the response rate varies very widely depending on the circumstances and patient expectations. Also, the doctor's beliefs and expectations are of surprising importance, showing through even a double blind procedure. Every treatment, whether active or placebo, has a psychological effect on its recipient and this effect is strongly conditioned by the behaviour of the therapist.
Potentiation of Electroacupuncture-Induced Analgesia by Cck-B Antagonist L-365, 260 in Wistar Rats but Not in Acoustically-Evoked Epileptic Rats
Authors: Lioe-Ting Oei , Xiao-Hong Chen , van Ree Jan , Ji-Sheng Han
Published: April 2009

Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) is a neuropeptide with potent anti-opioid activity, which can antagonize morphine analgesia at nanogram dosage through activation of the CCK-B receptor in the central nervous system (CNS) of the rat. In the present study the CCK-B antagonist L-365,260 was injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) to Wistar rats to see its effect on the analgesia induced by electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation. A marked potentiation of EA-induced analgesia was observed. This potentiation was more prominent when EA of higher frequency was used, showing a rank order of 100Hz > 15Hz = 2/15Hz ≫ 2Hz.

In a strain of rat with acoustically-evoked epileptic seizures (P77PMC rats), an extraordinarily strong analgesic effect was observed when EA of 100Hz was used; an effect similar to that in Wistar rats pre-treated with L-365,260. However, icv injected L-365,260 did not potentiate the analgesic effect induced by EA of any frequency in P77PMC rats.

The results suggest that high frequency EA is more likely to increase the release of CCK-8 in the CNS as compared to low frequency EA; and also that P77PMC rats may have a functional deficit of the central CCK system probably due to a reduced rate of release of CCK-8 in the CNS, following EA stimulation.
Brief Acupuncture Treatment for Dermatitis Solaris: A Multicentre Pilot Study
Authors: Pothmann Raymund
Published: April 2009

The conventional dermatological therapy for urticaria solaris is often problematic in practice. Acute treatment is rarely successful; avoidance of exposure to the sun is isolating for the patient; and prophylaxis is too prolonged or unsafe.

According to traditional Chinese pathogenic understanding, acupuncture seems to be the treatment of choice for improving symptoms of superficial heat energy. A maximum of 3 sessions over 3 days using acupoints L1.11 and SP.10 led to significant improvement of acute symptoms within 2 days. This treatment was effective for several weeks, including exposure to the sun, for all 4 patients observed over the whole season. Thus acupuncture should be integrated in the dermatological treatment of so-called solar allergy.
Acupuncture Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders
Authors: Campbell Anthony
Published: April 2009

Acupuncture is an effective analgesic for most types of abdominal pain from peptic ulcer to diverticular disease. Additionally it can be helpful in settling other abdominal symptoms such as diarrhoea, hiccough and nausea and vomiting.

Simple needling over the affected area of the abdomen is successful for most problems, so that no special knowledge of traditional Chinese acupuncture is necessary.
A Comparison of Traditional and Western Scientific Acupuncture Practitioners
Authors: Mok Andrew
Published: April 2009

A survey was made of five medical and nine non-medical acupuncture practitioners in the South West Thames region. The medical group had a predominantly Western Scientific approach to acupuncture, while the non-medical considered themselves to use entirely Traditional Chinese forms of acupuncture.

The non-medical and traditional practitioners had a significantly greater expectation of cure following acupuncture treatment for a variety of problems including cancers. For each disease, the Western group tended to use a single formula derived from Traditional Chinese theories, while the traditionalists generally adapted their treatment to suit the individual patient rather than the disease.
The History and Development of Auriculotherapy
Authors: Hsü Elisabeth
Published: April 2009

Auriculotherapy was discovered in France in the I950's by Dr Paul Nogier. Folk wisdom that needling or cautery of the ear could affect vision or cure sciatic pain inspired him to develop his theory of an inverted foetal manikin superimposed on the ear. The theory was introduced into China in 1958 and its practice was enthusiastically promoted during the years of the “Cultural Revolution”. However, its French origins have gradually been forgotten in China, where Nogier's schema has been further adapted to fit Chinese medical philosophy.
The Roots and Development of Chinese Acupuncture: From Prehistory to Early 20Th Century
Authors: Ma Kan-Wen
Published: April 2009

The use of stone Acupuncture needles, the “Bian Shi”, is reported in several ancient Chinese manuscripts, pointing the origin of this form of medical treatment to Western China in the stone age. Early writings on silk fabrics and on stone have been retrieved from tombs and elsewhere to provide a fascinating insight on the useage and developement of acupuncture. Over many centuries the tradition has been passed between generations of physician-acupuncturist families who were the attendants of Emperors, and the leaders of the medical profession, teaching and writing texts that were studied throughout the East.
Study of Acupuncture Point Detection under General and Spinal Anaesthesia
Authors: Hardy Paul
Published: April 2009

An electrical point detector was used to locate a series of acupuncture points prior to and during both spinal and general anaesthesia. The detection and presence of the points was not influenced by either type of anaesthetic.
Treatment of Lichen Ruber Planus with Acupuncture
Authors: Iliev Emil
Published: April 2009

The standard treatment of Lichen ruber planus is with steroids, so any effective, alternative treatment is to be welcomed. A previous controlled trial of acupuncture in this disease had demonstrated its efficacy. This report is of a series of 57 patients treated over a 5 year period. Full relief of symptoms was achieved in 31.6% following a single course of 15 acupuncture sessions over 3 weeks. The remaining patients were given a second course of acupuncture after which 85.9% success was reported. The points used in treatment were determined by the causative factors of the disease in each patient and additional electroacupuncture was given where severe itching was a symptom.
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Musculo-Skeletal Pain in General Practice
Authors: Hynes John B
Published: April 2009

An audit of 28 patients treated with acupuncture for musculo-skeletal pain, of whom visual analogue scores were analysed for 20, showed a marked decrease in pain following treatment. Needles used in treatment cost less than 50p per session, but consultations were doubled in length to 20min.
Acupuncture in Stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Johansson Barbro B
Published: April 2009

This paper summarises earlier published data on acupuncture and electroacupuncture in stroke patients and discusses possible mechanisms behind the enhanced recovery obtained. Severely hemiparetic patients were entered into a randomised trial within 10 days of their stroke. Acupuncture, including electroacupuncture, was given twice a week for ten weeks to half of the patients, in addition to the daily physiotherapy and occupational therapy given to all. Patients given acupuncture recovered faster and more fully than the control stroke patients, with a significant difference in balance, mobility, activity of daily living and quality of life, an effect that persisted one year after stoke onset. In a follow-up 2 to 3.8 years after the stroke, the postural control of stroke survivors was compared with that of 23, age-matched, healthy subjects. Only half of the control stroke patients could perform the test, and the postural control pattern in those who could take part was significantly different from the healthy controls and acupuncture treated stroke patients, whereas there was no significant difference between acupuncture treated patients and healthy controls. The possible psychological effects of a greater expectation in patients given acupuncture has to be considered. Other studies have shown that special attention given to stroke patients in the early rehabilitation period can accelerate their recovery, but that the difference is usually lost at follow-up. Our results need confirmation, but we have hypothesised that sensory stimulation in the form of acupuncture may release substances that enhance brain plasticity after stroke, an hypothesis than can be tested in experimental studies. Whether or not the effects are specific for acupuncture, or can be obtained also by other kinds of sensory stimuli such as transcutaneous nerve stimulation is currently being investigated.
Whiplash Injuries
Authors: Baldry Peter
Published: April 2009

Sites from which whiplash injury pain (acute neck sprain) may arise include myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), facet joints and the intervertebral discs. There are various methods of deactivating MTrPs; that recommended is superficial dry needling. Pain referral patterns from facet joint and MTrP nociceptors are similar, so failure to obtain appreciable pain relief from MTrP deactivation necessitates a diagnostic, fluoroscopically controlled, facet joint block. Disc pain may occur either because of damage to the innervated annulus fibrosus of an intact disc, or because of nerve root pressure when a disc ruptures.

Most whiplash patients (75%) become pain free within 3–6 months. The remainder are said to have the late whiplash syndrome. This was formerly thought to be due to neuroticism or compensation seeking avarice, but it is currently considered to have a genuine organic basis. Possible causes include overlooked facet joint damage, undetected disc damage and various self perpetuating MTrP pain persisting mechanisms.
Electroacupuncture Analgesia in Major Abdominal and Pelvic Surgery: A Randomised Study
Authors: Poulain P , Léandri E Pichard , Laplanche A , Montange F , Bouzy J , Truffa-Bachi J
Published: April 2009

Proponents of acupuncture anaesthesia have tended to look on it as a replacement for conventional anaesthesia. This randomised, controlled trial involving 250 cancer patients undergoing abdominal or pelvic surgery, has aimed to assess the use of electroacupuncture as the sole analgesic, but within a standard anaesthetic. It was found that while there was little difference between the per-operative requirement for anaesthetic drugs, all the non acupuncture group required fentanyl, compared to only 5% of the electroacupuncture group (P<0.001). Time to spontaneous respiration (P<0.02) and extubation (P<0.001) immediately post-operatively was reduced in the acupuncture group.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was used for post-operative pain relief in the acupuncture group, while the control group received non-narcotic analgesics. There was no significant difference in the numbers of patients complaining of pain, but the requirement for additional analgesia was less when TENS was used (P<0.01). There was no difference in the period of post-operative ileus as measured by the return of normal bowel sounds. However the return to normal self caring was significantly improved in the acupuncture group (P<0.02). Both practically and economically this is probably the most important beneficial aspect of electroacupuncture demonstrated by this study.
Phantom Limb Pain Responds to Distant Skin Magnets: Support for the Functional Existence of Acupuncture Meridians
Authors: Töysä Timö
Published: April 2009

Phantom leg pain in 10 patients was treated with skin magnets to the ipsilateral superior ends, on the thorax, of the leg Yin-meridians (KI.27, LR.14 and SP.21). The majority of patients reported relief of phantom pain while skin magnets were in situ, but in general this benefit was lost soon after stopping treatment. In two cases the method appeared more effective than morphine, and in a few patients it seemed to have some prophylactic benefit.
Measuring Pain
Authors: White Adrian
Published: April 2009

Accurate outcome measures are important both in clinical practice and in research. Measurement of pain should include intensity, relief-seeking behaviour and changes in function. Beliefs and attitudes to pain are of crucial importance and various instruments for assessing these are discussed. Primary outcome measures used in clinical trials must be valid, reliable, specific and sensitive.
Local Corticosteroid Injection Therapy
Authors: Bourne I H J
Published: April 2009

The advent of injectable insoluble corticosteroids in 1952 allowed steroid injected at tender spots to remain long enough to destroy affected tissue and allow regrowth of normal fibres. Injection of small doses of triamcinolone and lignocaine directly into trigger points has proved a success in relieving chronic pain associated with localised fibromyalgic lesions in 70% of the author's personal series of 840 patients. Each steroid injection given in this series has been recorded with a diagram of its exact position. This has shown that recurrence of pain is very rarely associated with recurrence of tenderness at the injected trigger point, and that injection of other tender points nearby is likely to prove effective.

Intra-articular corticosteroid injection is reported as providing poor pain relief in arthritic disease except when there is seepage out of the joint space into the synovium and periarticular ligaments, but intra-synovial injection gives consistent local symptomatic relief.
Point-Penetration Acupuncture: Historical Development and Clinical Application
Authors: Jun Pang , Zhi-yong Han , Richardson Faye
Published: April 2009

Point-penetration is a traditional acupuncture method, described in early Chinese texts and developed through the ages, in which a needle is inserted at one point and advanced internally to reach a second point. It is thus characterised by the use of fewer points but stronger stimulation: resulting in improved efficacy. Through clinical observation four types of point-penetration have been identified with different therapeutic indications: perpendicular, horizontal, oblique and perimeter. Each method is described, with prescriptions for specific diseases and case reports giving insertion and manipulation techniques. Point-penetration acupuncture appears to be an acceptable, viable therapy for a variety of conditions.