The influence of early reflections on the identification and lateralization of vowels

Sound coming directly from a source is often accompanied by reflections arriving from different directions. However, the "precedence effect" occurs when listeners judge such a source's direction: information in the direct, first-arriving sound tends to govern the direction heard for the overall sound. This paper asks whether the spectral envelope of the direct sound has a similar, dominant influence on the spectral envelope perceived for the whole sound. A continuum between two vowels was produced and then a "two-part" filter distorted each step. The beginning of this filter's unit-sample response simulated a direct sound with no distortion of the spectral envelope. The second part simulated a reflection pattern that distorted the spectral envelope. The reflections' frequency response was designed to give the spectral envelope of one of the continuum's end-points to the other end-point. Listeners' identifications showed that the reflections in two-part filters had a substantial influence because sounds tended to be identified as the positive vowel of the reflection pattern. This effect was not reduced when the interaural delays of the reflections and the direct sound were substantially different. Also, when the reflections were caused to precede the direct sound, the effects were much the same. By contrast, in measurements of lateralization the precedence effect was obtained. Here, the lateral position of the whole sound was largely governed by the interaural delay of the direct sound, and was hardly affected by the interaural delay of the reflections.     

Nonequilibrium phase transitions in pattern recognition and associative memory

It is shown that a recently devised abstract model of parallel computing for pattern recognition and associative memory can be interpreted as describing nonequilibrium phase transitions in analogy to those occurring in fluids and lasers.     

The relationship between noise and mode of delivery on recognition memory and working memory

The present research sought to investigate the effect of noise, comparable to that experienced in an aircraft cabin, on cognitive performance in terms of working memory and recognition memory. In addition, and since advancements in technology have long permitted the exchange of information via various media, the present research also sought to investigate the effect of in-cabin aircraft noise on the medium in which the target signal is delivered. Thirty-two participants (19 female), half non-native English speakers with an average age of 21.84 years (SD = 3.16), and all with normal hearing were asked to complete four different memory tasks under two different experimental factors. The first independent variable was noise, with two conditions: no noise versus wideband noise at 80 dBA. The second independent variable was mode of presentation, with two conditions: target signal presented aurally or visually. With the presentation of stimuli presented in a counterbalanced order, the results from a series of mixed repeated measures analyses revealed that working memory appears largely immune from the effects of wideband noise at 80 dBA. In contrast, recognition memory is most vulnerable to the effects of this noise. In terms of mode of delivery, presenting the target signal visually improves recall performance on the recognition memory task and two of the three working memory tasks (not the linguistics working memory task). Also noise had a greater effect on non-native English speakers on the recognition memory task. These results highlight the varying effect of noise on memory, and the benefits of considering alternate methods of presenting information in noisy settings, such as aviation.     

The combination of interaural time and intensity in the lateralization of high-frequency complex signals

In an effort to examine the rules by which information arising from interaural differences of time (IDT) and interaural differences of intensity (IDI) is combined, d"s were measured for trains of high-frequency clicks (4000 Hz, bandpass) possessing various combinations of IDT and IDI. The number of clicks was either 1 or 8, with the interclick interval either 2 or 10 ms. A 2-IFC task was employed in which the paired values of IDT and IDI favored one side during one interval and the other side during the other interval. Data obtained with the combined cues are compared to those obtained with IDTs or IDIs alone in order to determine the degree to which processing of the two cues is done independently. Results suggest that lateralization with such stimuli is based on the sum of the temporal and intensive differences and not on independent evaluations of their separate presences.     

The modulation of auditory novelty processing by working memory load in school age children and adults: a combined behavioral and event-related potential study

Background  

We investigated the processing of task-irrelevant and unexpected novel sounds and its modulation by working-memory load in children aged 9-10 and in adults. Environmental sounds (novels) were embedded amongst frequently presented standard sounds in an auditory-visual distraction paradigm. Each sound was followed by a visual target. In two conditions, participants evaluated the position of a visual stimulus (0-back, low load) or compared the position of the current stimulus with the one two trials before (2-back, high load). Processing of novel sounds were measured with reaction times, hit rates and the auditory event-related brain potentials (ERPs) Mismatch Negativity (MMN), P3a, Reorienting Negativity (RON) and visual P3b.     

早晚期混响划分对理想比值掩蔽在语音识别性能上的影响

真实环境中存在的噪声和混响会降低语音识别系统的性能。封闭空间中的混响包括直达声、早期反射和后期混响3部分,它们对语音识别系统具有不同的影响.我们研究了早期反射和后期混响的不同划分方法,以其中的早期反射为目标语音,计算出了不同的理想比值掩蔽并研究了它们对语音识别系统性能的影响;在此基础上,利用双向长短时记忆网络(BLSTM)估计理想比值掩蔽,测试它们对语音识别系统性能的影响.实验结果表明,基于Abel早期反射和后期混响的划分方法,理想比值掩蔽能够降低词错误率约2.8%;基于BLSTM的估计方法过低估计了理想比值掩蔽,未能有效提高语音识别系统的性能。     

The emergence of semantic categorization in early visual processing: ERP indices of animal vs. artifact recognition

Background

Neuroimaging and neuropsychological literature show functional dissociations in brain activity during processing of stimuli belonging to different semantic categories (e.g., animals, tools, faces, places), but little information is available about the time course of object perceptual categorization. The aim of the study was to provide information about the timing of processing stimuli from different semantic domains, without using verbal or naming paradigms, in order to observe the emergence of non-linguistic conceptual knowledge in the ventral stream visual pathway. Event related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in 18 healthy right-handed individuals as they performed a perceptual categorization task on 672 pairs of images of animals and man-made objects (i.e., artifacts).

Results

Behavioral responses to animal stimuli were ~50 ms faster and more accurate than those to artifacts. At early processing stages (120–180 ms) the right occipital-temporal cortex was more activated in response to animals than to artifacts as indexed by posterior N1 response, while frontal/central N1 (130–160) showed the opposite pattern. In the next processing stage (200–260) the response was stronger to artifacts and usable items at anterior temporal sites. The P300 component was smaller, and the central/parietal N400 component was larger to artifacts than to animals.

Conclusion

The effect of animal and artifact categorization emerged at ~150 ms over the right occipital-temporal area as a stronger response of the ventral stream to animate, homomorphic, entities with faces and legs. The larger frontal/central N1 and the subsequent temporal activation for inanimate objects might reflect the prevalence of a functional rather than perceptual representation of manipulable tools compared to animals. Late ERP effects might reflect semantic integration and cognitive updating processes. Overall, the data are compatible with a modality-specific semantic memory account, in which sensory and action-related semantic features are represented in modality-specific brain areas.     

Electronic Energy Loss and Straggling of Protons in Metals

By making use of the linear-response dielectric theory and local electron density approximation, we calculate the electronic stopping cross section and energy straggling. of protons in metals. The correlation and exchange interaction of electron gas in metals is taken into consideration by introducing a local-field-correction function.in the dielectric function. The theoretical results are compared with experimental and empirical data, as well as with other previous theoretical results.     

Identification of syllables in noise: electrophysiological and behavioral correlates

This study was designed to characterize the effect of background noise on the identification of syllables using behavioral and electrophysiological measures. Twenty normal-hearing adults (18-30 years) performed an identification task in a two-alternative forced-choice paradigm. Stimuli consisted of naturally produced syllables [da] and [ga] embedded in white noise. The noise was initiated 1000 ms before the onset of the speech stimuli in order to separate the auditory event related potentials (AERP) response to noise onset from that to the speech. Syllables were presented in quiet and in five SNRs: +15, +3, 0, -3, and -6 dB. Results show that (1) performance accuracy, d', and reaction time were affected by the noise, more so for reaction time; (2) both N1 and P3 latency were prolonged as noise levels increased, more so for P3; (3) [ga] was better identified than [da], in all noise conditions; and (4) P3 latency was longer for [da] than for [ga] for SNR 0 through -6 dB, while N1 latency was longer for [ga] than for [da] in most listening conditions. In conclusion, the unique stimuli structure utilized in this study demonstrated the effects of noise on speech recognition at both the physical and the perceptual processing levels.     

损耗型单负材料双层结构的反射率及偏振度

通过传输矩阵法,理论研究了损耗型单负材料双层结构在不同入射角时的反射率和偏振度。结果表明,损耗型单负材料双层结构不同于常规介电材料,随着入射角的增大,p分量反射率比s分量的反射率大。随着损耗(电损耗和磁损耗)的增大,p波的反射率和s波的反射率差异减小,直到重合,偏振度变为0。对于损耗型单负材料双层结构,当MNG层厚度增大时,偏振度变化幅度减小;而当ENG层厚度增大时,偏振度变化幅度增大。     

HIRFL-CSR实验环中束流损失机制及寿命研究

分析了在储存环中回旋的离子束与残余气体分子、 内靶和冷却电子束相互作用时的损失机制及相应的束流寿命, 针对兰州重离子加速器冷却储存环实验环内靶模式, 计算了50—500 MeV/u 12C6+, 36Ar18+, 132Xe54+和 238U92+等束流在各种损失机制影响下所对应的束流寿命和总的束流寿命。 结果表明: 影响束流寿命的主要因素是与内靶分子（原子）之间的电荷交换及与冷却电子束之间的辐射复合; 对于重离子束 132Xe54+和 238U92+, 与冷却电子束之间的辐射复合是影响其储存寿命的主要因素。The loss mechanism and lifetime of ion beams in collisions with residual gas, internal target and electrons in e cooler in heavy ion cooler storage rings were studied. The partial beam lifetimes resulting from various loss mechanisms and the total beam lifetimes of 50—500 MeV/u12C6+, 36Ar18+, 132Xe54+ and 238U92+ stored in the experimental ring of the Cooler Storage Ring at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL CSR) were calculated. The calculations indicate that the charge exchange process between ion beams and the internal target, as well as the radiative recombination process with the electrons in e cooler restrict the beam lifetime considerably. For heavy ion beams such as 132Xe54+ and 238U92+, the radiative recombination is the dominant loss mechanism     

单模光纤中弯曲损耗的测试与分析

对单模光纤中弯曲损耗随弯曲半径(1～8 mm)和波长(1530～1565 nm)变化的实验进行了测试,结果显示弯曲损耗随弯曲半径和波长呈现振荡.理论分析表明由于光纤纤芯中的基模和在包层以及涂覆层中传播的Whispering-gallery模式之间的耦合,引起了弯曲损耗的振荡,理论分析结果和实验结果基本一致.     

Loss and heating of particles in small and noisy traps

We derive the life time and loss rate for a trapped atom that is coupled to fluctuating fields in the vicinity of a room-temperature metallic and/or dielectric surface. Our results indicate a clear predominance of near-field effects over ordinary blackbody radiation. We develop a theoretical framework for both charged ions and neutral atoms with and without spin. Loss processes that are due to a transition to an untrapped internal state are included. Received: 28 June 1999 / Revised version: 4 October 1999 / Published online: 10 November 1999     

Detection and recognition of cancer cells in vivo

A fundamentally new recognition method of bio-objects (e.g., cancer cells as the most important case of them) that escape the immune system supervision control is suggested. It is proposed to use a unified complex consisting of several molecular groups (e.g., antibodies or their fragments) bound with each other. Binding targets are localized on the surface of this bio-object. The choice of the targets is determined by antigen profiling being expressed on the surface of these bio-objects. The recognition efficiency appears to be notably higher than in a situation when molecular groups do not form a unified complex and act separately.     

Scaling dependence of memory windows and different carrier charging behaviors in Si nanocrystal nonvolatile memory devices

Based on the charge storage mode,it is important to investigate the scaling dependence of memory performance in silicon nanocrystal(Si-NC) nonvolatile memory(NVM) devices for its scaling down limit.In this work,we made eight kinds of test key cells with different gate widths and lengths by 0.13-μm node complementary metal oxide semiconductor(CMOS) technology.It is found that the memory windows of eight kinds of test key cells are almost the same of about1.64 V @ ±7 V/1 ms,which are independent of the gate area,but mainly determined by the average size(12 nm) and areal density(1.8×10~(11)/cm~2) of Si-NCs.The program/erase(P/E) speed characteristics are almost independent of gate widths and lengths.However,the erase speed is faster than the program speed of test key cells,which is due to the different charging behaviors between electrons and holes during the operation processes.Furthermore,the data retention characteristic is also independent of the gate area.Our findings are useful for further scaling down of Si-NC NVM devices to improve the performance and on-chip integration.