A comparison of steady-state evoked potentials to modulated tones in awake and sleeping humans.

Steady-state evoked potential responses were measured to binaural amplitude-modulated (AM) and combined amplitude- and frequency-modulated (AM/FM) tones. For awake subjects, AM/FM tones produced larger amplitude responses than did AM tones. Awake and sleeping responses to 30-dB HL AM/FM tones were compared. Response amplitudes were lower during sleep and the extent to which they differed from awake amplitudes was dependent on both carrier and modulation frequencies. Background EEG noise at the stimulus modulation frequency was also reduced during sleep and varied with modulation frequency. A detection efficiency function was used to indicate the modulation frequencies likely to be most suitable for electrical estimation of behavioral threshold. In awake subjects, for all carrier frequencies tested, detection efficiency was highest at a modulation frequency of 45 Hz. In sleeping subjects, the modulation frequency regions of highest efficiency varied with carrier frequency. For carrier frequencies of 250 Hz, 500 Hz, and 1 kHz, the highest efficiencies were found in two modulation frequency regions centered on 45 and 90 Hz. For 2 and 4 kHz, the highest efficiencies were at modulation frequencies above 70 Hz. Sleep stage affected both response amplitude and background EEG noise in a manner that depended on modulation frequency. The results of this study suggest that, for sleeping subjects, modulation frequencies above 70 Hz may be best when using steady-state potentials for hearing threshold estimation.     

Distribution of magnetization in an easy-plane ferromagnet

Physics and Mathematics Division with Computational Center of the Bashkir Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 80, No. 3, pp. 470–473, September, 1989.     

Electrochemical Recovery of Silver from Lead Alloys in Chloride Melts

Electrochemical separation of lead-silver alloys into the constituents by thin-layer electrolysis in molten electrolytes, with bismuth as metal separator, is studied. It is proposed to determine the extent of component recovery by potentiometry.     

An unstructured mesh finite volume method for modelling saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers

In this paper, a two-dimensional finite volume unstructured mesh method (FVUM) based on a triangular background interpolation mesh is developed for analysing the evolution of the saltwater intrusion into single and multiple coastal aquifer systems. The model formulation consists of a ground-water flow equation and a salt transport equation. These coupled and non-linear partial differential equations are transformed by FVUM into a system of differential/algebraic equations, which is solved using backward differentiation formulas of order one through five. Simulation results are compared with previously published solutions where good agreement is observed.     

Odd-Excited Binomial States of the Radiation Field and Some of Their Statistical Properties

In this paper a new state called odd-excited binomial state (OEBS) is introduced. It interpolates between the odd number state and the odd-excited coherent state. We discuss some statistical properties, such as the Glauber second-order correlation function and squeezing phenomenon (normal and amplitude-squared squeezing) for this state. The quasiprobability distribution functions (Husimi Q-function and Wigner W-function) are also examined.     

Interlaboratory comparisons and improvements of methods for acid number determination in used motor oils

The results of two interlaboratory comparisons of acid number determinations in used motor oils are discussed. It is shown that the comparability of the measurement results is not as good as that required by known standards for petroleum products. The problem is motor oil contaminants which accumulated during use, and which are the source of a matrix effect in the acid number determination. The standard methods’ drawbacks are analyzed and some improvements are proposed. Repeatability and accuracy of the improved methods are evaluated. Received: 11 December 2001 Accepted: 15 February 2002     

Effect of trapping centers of luminescent properties of bismuth orthogermanate

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 54, No. 6, pp. 970–975, June, 1991.     

Self-transparency effect in a twisted nematic liquid crystal cell

In a twisted nematic liquid crystal cell we report and study the self-transparency effect induced by the creation of an isotropic droplet. A simple theoretical model is presented and good agreement with experimental data is found. In a two beams configuration transistor-like behavior is observed and theoretically discussed.     

New universality classes in “Percolative” dynamics

We study a site analogue of directed percolation. Random trajectories are generated and their critical behavior is studied. The critical behavior corresponds to that of simple percolation in some of the parameter space, but elsewhere the exponents reveal new universality classes. As a byproduct, we use the model to make an improved estimate of the percolation hull exponents and to calculate the site percolation probability for the square lattice.