Two-dimensional analysis of fluid motion in the cochlea resulting from compressional bone conduction

Fluid motion resulting from the compressional excitation of the cochlear capsule due to bone conduction is examined in this paper. Vibrations of the skull deform the shape of the cochlear capsule and give rise to motion the fluid. A two-dimensional channel having a height to length ratio equal to ε is used to model the cochlea. The cochlear pressure is expressed as an integral equation in the cochlear partition velocity. In the limit as ε approaches zero the integral equation is solved and the cochlear pressure is expressed as an asymptotic expansion in ε. Rapid spatial variation in the velocity of the cochlear partition requires one to treat high-order fluid modes within the cochlear fluid. Hence, evanescent pressure modes are included in the analysis. Asymmetry in the oval and the round window velocity is shown to give rise to a pressure gradient across the cochlear partition and basilar membrane displacement. The vibration amplitude of the cochlear partition is shown to depend on the value of the ratio of the oval and the round window impedance.     

Three-dimensional numerical modeling for global cochlear dynamics

A hybrid analytical-numerical model using Galerkin approximation to variational equations has been developed for predicting global cochlear responses. The formulation provides a flexible framework capable of incorporating morphologically based mechanical models of the cochlear partition and realistic geometry. The framework is applied for a simplified model with an emphasis on application of hybrid methods for three-dimensional modeling. The resulting formulation is modular, where matrices representing fluid and cochlear partition are constructed independently. Computational cost is reduced using two methods, a modal-finite-element method and a boundary element-finite-element method. The first uses a cross-mode expansion of fluid pressure (2.5D model) and the second uses a waveguide Green's-function-based boundary element method (BEM). A novel wave number approach to the boundary element formulation for interior problem results in efficient computation of the finite-element matrix. For the two methods a convergence study is undertaken using a simplified passive structural model of cochlear partition. It is shown that basilar membrane velocity close to best place is influenced by fluid and structural discretization. Cochlear duct pressure fields are also shown demonstrating the 3D nature of pressure near best place.     

Comparison of WKB calculations and experimental results for three-dimensional cochlear models.

The WKB asymptotic method is applied to the calculation of cochlear models with square scala cross section, for which the fluid motion is fully three dimensional. The analysis begins with the exact solution for wave propagation in a duct with constant properties. This solution is somewhat tedious but straightforward, since it requires a Fourier series expansion across the duct. Then with the formulation of Whitham [Linear and Nonlinear Waves (Wiley, New York, 1974)], the approximate solution is readily generated for the duct with properties which vary slowly along the length. Numerical calculations are carried out for the experimental models of Cannel [Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Warwick (1969)] and Helle [Dr.-Ing. disser., Technische Univ., Müchen (1974)] who furnish quantitative details of both "basilar membrane" response and model parameters. Without any free parameters for adjusting, the present WKB solution shows quite satisfactory agreement with the experimental model results. Computer time is reasonable; the calculation of displacement envelope and phase at a number of stations along the cochlea for a given frequency requires only one second of CPU time. Thus the credibility and practically of the approach is established for the investigation of yet more realistic and more elaborate cochlear models.     

Vorticity dynamics and sound generation in two-dimensional fluid flow

An approximate solution to the two-dimensional incompressible fluid equations is constructed by expanding the vorticity field in a series of derivatives of a Gaussian vortex. The expansion is used to analyze the motion of a corotating Gaussian vortex pair, and the spatial rotation frequency of the vortex pair is derived directly from the fluid vorticity equation. The resulting rotation frequency includes the effects of finite vortex core size and viscosity and reduces, in the appropriate limit, to the rotation frequency of the Kirchhoff point vortex theory. The expansion is then used in the low Mach number Lighthill equation to derive the far-field acoustic pressure generated by the Gaussian vortex pair. This pressure amplitude is compared with that of a previous fully numerical simulation in which the Reynolds number is large and the vortex core size is significant compared to the vortex separation. The present analytic result for the far-field acoustic pressure is shown to be substantially more accurate than previous theoretical predictions. The given example suggests that the vorticity expansion is a useful tool for the prediction of sound generated by a general distributed vorticity field.     

Nonlinear and active two-dimensional cochlear models: time-domain solution

A numerical solution method for two-dimensional (2-D) cochlear models in the time domain is presented. The method has particularly been designed for models with a cochlear partition having nonlinear and active mechanical properties. The 2-D cochlear model equations are reformulated as an integral equation for the acceleration of the basilar membrane (BM). This integral equation is discretized with respect to the spatial variable to yield a system of ordinary differential equations in the time variable. To solve this system, the variable step-size, fourth-order Runge-Kutta method described in Diependaal et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 82, 1655-1666 (1987)] is used. This method is robust and computationally efficient. The incorporation of a simple middle-ear model can be handled by this method. The method can also be extended to models in which the cochlear partition at each point along its length is represented by more than one degree of freedom.     

Intracochlear pressure and derived quantities from a three-dimensional model

Intracochlear pressure is calculated from a physiologically based, three-dimensional gerbil cochlea model. Olson [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 103, 3445-3463 (1998); 110, 349-367 (2001)] measured gerbil intracochlear pressure and provided approximations for the following derived quantities: (1) basilar membrane velocity, (2) pressure across the organ of Corti, and (3) partition impedance. The objective of this work is to compare the calculations and measurements for the pressure at points and the derived quantities. The model includes the three-dimensional viscous fluid and the pectinate zone of the elastic orthotropic basilar membrane with dimensional and material property variation along its length. The arrangement of outer hair cell forces within the organ of Corti cytoarchitecture is incorporated by adding the feed-forward approximation to the passive model as done previously. The intracochlear pressure consists of both the compressive fast wave and the slow traveling wave. A Wentzel-Kramers-Brillowin asymptotic and numerical method combined with Fourier series expansions is used to provide an efficient procedure that requires about 1 s to compute the response for a given frequency. Results show reasonably good agreement for the direct pressure and the derived quantities. This confirms the importance of the three-dimensional motion of the fluid for an accurate cochlear model.     

Hydrodynamic boundary conditions: An emergent behavior of fluid–solid interactions

By using the Onsager principle of minimum energy dissipation, the hydrodynamic boundary conditions at the fluid–solid interface are shown to be the natural emergent behavior of microscopic interactions that lead to the interfacial tension and the tangential friction at the fluid–solid interface [T. Qian, C. Qiu, P. Sheng, J. Fluid Mech. 611 (2008) 333]. This is satisfying because the equations of motion, e.g., the Stokes equation, and the hydrodynamic boundary conditions can now be derived from a unified framework. The resulting continuum hydrodynamic formulation yields predictions for immiscible two-phase flows that are in quantitative agreement with molecular dynamic simulations. In particular, the classical problem of the moving contact line is resolved. We also show results on the moving contact line over chemically patterned surfaces which exhibit striking nanoscale characteristics as well as sub-quadratic dependence of the moving contact line dissipation on its average velocity.     

Fluid membranes in hydrodynamic flow fields: Formalism and an application to fluctuating quasispherical vesicles in shear flow

The dynamics of a single fluid bilayer membrane in an external hydrodynamic flow field is considered. The deterministic equation of motion for the configuration is derived taking into account both viscous dissipation in the surrounding liquid and local incompressibility of the membrane. For quasi-spherical vesicles in shear flow, thermal fluctuations can be incorporated in a Langevin-type equation of motion for the deformation amplitudes. The solution to this equation shows an overdamped oscillatory approach to a stationary tanktreading shape. Inclination angle and ellipticity of the contour are determined as a function of excess area and shear rate. Comparisons to numerical results and experiments are discussed. Received 20 August 1998     

Medial efferent effects on auditory-nerve responses to tail-frequency tones. I. Rate reduction.

One way medial efferents are thought to inhibit responses of auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs) is by reducing the gain of the cochlear amplifier thereby reducing motion of the basilar membrane. If this is the only mechanism of medial efferent inhibition, then medial efferents would not be expected to inhibit responses where the cochlear amplifier has little effect, i.e., at sound frequencies in the tails of tuning curves. Inhibition at tail frequencies was tested for by obtaining randomized rate-level functions from cat ANFs with high characteristic frequencies (CF > or = 5 kHz), stimulated with tones two or more octaves below CF. It was found that electrical stimulation of medial efferents can indeed inhibit ANF responses to tail-frequency tones. The amplitude of efferent inhibition depended on both sound level (largest near to threshold) and frequency (largest two to three octaves below CF). On average, inhibition of high-CF ANFs responding to 1 kHz tones was around 5 dB. Although an efferent reduction of basilar-membrane motion cannot be ruled out as the mechanism producing the inhibition of ANF responses to tail frequency tones, it seems more likely that efferents produce this effect by changing the micromechanics of the cochlear partition.     

一个高效的离散Boltzmann爆轰模型

构建一个适用于爆轰过程模拟的离散Boltzmann模型.该模型由一个离散Boltzmann方程和一个唯象反应率方程构成;在物理建模上,它等效于一个传统Navier-Stokes模型外加一个关于热动非平衡行为的粗粒化模型.与传统流体模型相比,它能够提供更多的动力学和动理学信息.该模型采用16个离散速度,相比于使用33个离散速度的模型具有更高的运算效率,模型中引入了额外自由度,通过调节额外自由度的数目,可以模拟各种不同比热比的爆轰.采用爆轰问题中的一些经典算例对所建立的模型进行数值验证.结果表明：该模型不仅对传统流体模型所能模拟的爆轰问题有效,而且能够用于一些传统流体模型不能描述的非平衡过程,有利于对爆轰问题的深入研究.     

耳蜗中tip-link张力与静纤毛运动动力学研究

诠释耳蜗的主动感音放大机制一直是未解的医学难题.这种机制与耳蜗中外毛细胞顶端的静纤毛运动密切相关,静纤毛运动又受到tip-link张力与淋巴液流体力的调节.因此,研究静纤毛运动过程中tip-link张力是诠释耳蜗的主动感音放大机制的重要环节.本文把静纤毛视为变形体,基于泊肃叶流动理论并结合分布参数模型,推导了静纤毛运动的解析解.研究了盖膜剪切荷载作用下静纤毛和淋巴液相互作用的动力响应以及tip-link张力的变化规律.研究发现:当静纤毛的杨氏模量减小时,在小于峰值频率的区域,tip-link张力显著增大,f₂的峰值频率减小.以往的研究将静纤毛作为刚体,势必导致低频声音信号作用减弱.当系数c=0 (无黏性阻力)时,f₂频率选择特性存在;当μ=0(无压力)时,f₂频率选择特性消失,因此淋巴液可能是通过在静纤毛间产生压强的方式来调节毛束的频率特性的.另外,盖膜剪切荷载频率越高,静纤毛轴弯曲越明显,发束内外域的压强差也越大.     

Comparison of WKB and finite difference calculations for a two-dimensional cochlear model.

There are many points of uncertainty in the subject of cochlear models. In this paper only the question of efficient computing methods is addressed. For the cochlear model with a one-dimensional approximation for the fluid motion, Zweig, Lipes, and Pierce [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 59, 975-982 (1976)] have shown that the WKB method agrees well with a direct numerical integration. For the two-dimensional fluid model, Neely [E.D. thesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (1977)] has shown that a direct finite difference solution is an order of magnitude faster than the integral equation approach used by Allen [J. Acoust. Soc. Am 61, 110-119 (1977)]. In the present work, a formal WKB solution is derived following Whitham [Linear and Nonlinear Waves (Wiley, New York, 1974)]. The advantage of this formulation is simplicity, but the disadvantage is that no error estimate is available. We find that the numerical results from the WKB solution agree well with those of Neely (1977), while the computer time is reduced by another order of magnitude. Thus, the WKB method seems to offer the satisfactory accuracy, efficiency, and flexibility for treating the more realistic cochlear models.     

The “backward looking” effect in the lattice hydrodynamic model

The novel lattice hydrodynamic model is presented by incorporating the “backward looking” effect. The stability condition for the the model is obtained using the linear stability theory. The result shows that considering one following site in vehicle motion leads to the stabilization of the system compared with the original lattice hydrodynamic model and the cooperative driving lattice hydrodynamic model. The Korteweg-de Vries (KdV, for short) equation near the neutral stability line is derived by using the reductive perturbation method to show the traffic jam which is proved to be described by KdV soliton solution obtained from the KdV equation. The simulation result is consistent with the nonlinear analysis.     

A macro-mechanical model of the guinea pig cochlea with realistic parameters

The post-mortem transfer function of the cochlea of the guinea pig was compared to the transfer function generated by a model with parameters derived from physical measurements of the guinea pig cochlea. Both the formulation and parameters of the model were carefully chosen to be realistic using evidence from published measurements. The fit between the transfer function of the model and recent mechanical measurements of the passive guinea pig cochlear response was good, with a root mean square ratio of 6.3 dB in amplitude and 0.33 pi rad in phase. The model was used to explore the effect of cochlear partition mode factor and duct geometry upon the mechanical response of the cochlea. Possible inadequacies of the model which could explain the remaining differences between the output of the model and measurements are discussed.     

Explicit relations for the radial distribution functions for one-dimensional lattice (arbitrary spacing) fluids and solutions

It is pointed out that the size of the matrix required to formulate the grand partition function for a one-dimensional lattice fluid for a fixed and finite range of the interatomic potential varies linearly with the density of lattice points used and hence is much smaller and more manageable than the expected size (which varies exponentially with the same quantity) and thus allows very fine grids to be examined. Using the matrix treatment of the grand partition function, it is shown that the radial distribution function for a one-dimensional fluid or solution can be formulated as an explicit matrix product which is simply performed by computer. The resulting distribution functions (which can be extrapolated to the continuum by varying the lattice spacing) are useful as starting solutions for the iterative solution of integral equations for three-dimensional fluids.     

A parametric model of the spectral periodicity of stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions

A model for estimating the spectral period of stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs) is presented. The model characterizes the frequency spectrum of an SFOAE in terms of four parameters which can be directly related to cochlear mechanical quantities featuring in the theory of SFOAE generation proposed by Zweig and Shera [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 98, 2018-2047 (1995)]. The results of applying the parametric model to SFOAEs generated by cochlear models suggest that it gives a sensitive measure of spectral period. It is concluded that the parametric model may be a useful tool for detecting small changes in cochlear function using SFOAE measurements.     

High-synchrony cochlear compound action potentials evoked by rising frequency-swept tone bursts

The auditory compound action potential (CAP) represents synchronous VIIIth nerve activity. Clicks or impulses have been used in the past to produce this synchrony under the assumption that the wide spectral spread inherent in transient signals will activate a large portion of the cochlear partition. However, the observation that only auditory nerve units tuned above 3 kHz contribute to synchronous activity in the N1P1 complex of the CAP [Dolan et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 73, 580-591 (1983)] suggests that temporal delays imposed by the traveling wave result in an asynchronous pattern of VIIIth nerve activation. In order to determine if units tuned below 3 kHz could be recruited into the CAP response, the present study uses tone bursts of exponentially rising frequency to hypothetically activate synchronous discharges of VIIIth nerve fibers along the length of the cochlear partition. The equations defining the frequency sweeps are calculated to be the inverse of the delay-line characteristics of the guinea pig cochlear partition. The resultant sweeps theoretically cause a constant phase displacement of a large portion of the cochlear partition at one time. Compound action potentials recorded in response to the rising frequency sweeps were compared to CAPs evoked by corresponding falling frequency sweeps and clicks. Analysis of the CAP waveforms showed narrower N1 widths and larger N1 and P1 amplitudes for rising sweeps when compared to falling sweeps. This is consistent with the hypothesis of increased synchrony. A further test of the hypothesis was made by using high-pass masking noise to evaluate the contributions of discrete cochlear locations to the CAP ("derived" CAP). Latency functions of the derived CAPs for clicks and falling frequency sweeps showed progressive increases in latency as the cutoff frequency of the high-pass filter was lowered. The latency of the derived CAP for these stimulus conditions reflects traveling wave delays [Aran and Cazals, "Electrocochleography: Animal studies," in Evoked Electrical Activity in The Auditory Nervous System (Academic, New York, 1978)]. In contrast, derived CAPs obtained from rising sweeps showed no change in latency for any cutoff frequencies, indicating a constant delay of response for fibers with different characteristic frequencies (CFs). These results support the theoretical premise underlying the derivation of the rising sweep: Spectral energy with the appropriate temporal organization, dictated by basilar membrane traveling wave properties, will increase CAP synchrony.     

A wake oscillator with frequency dependent coupling for the modeling of vortex-induced vibration

The aim of this paper is to improve the phenomenological modeling of vortex-induced vibration of an elastically mounted cylinder in fluid flow. To this end an attempt is made to introduce a wake oscillator model that conforms to both the free and forced vibration experiments. This approach is new as in the past wake oscillator models have been tuned to the free vibration experiments only. First, an existing wake oscillator model is improved by properly including the effect of stall and that of the relatively large attack angles in the course of vortex-induced vibration. Then, to comply with the forced vibration experiments, the model is enhanced by introducing frequency dependent coupling. Such a coupling allows reproduction of the measured frequency dependence of the fluid force on the cylinder. The time domain representation of this coupling is a convolution integral. It is found in this paper that if the wake oscillator is modeled with a Van der Pol equation, it is impossible to find one set of frequency dependent coefficients that conforms to the forced vibration experiments at all amplitudes of cylinder motion. Moreover, the frequency dependencies identified for each frequency separately do not seem to satisfy the Kramers-Kronig relations. Based on the above findings, it is concluded that the nonlinearities in the wake oscillator model used in this paper cannot accurately model the results of vortex-induced vibration measurements. The idea proposed in this paper, that a consistent wake oscillator model must conform to the forced vibration experiments as well, is expected to be a powerful tool in the search for the correct nonlinearity.