Talker-identification training using simulations of binaurally combined electric and acoustic hearing: generalization to speech and emotion recognition

Understanding speech in background noise, talker identification, and vocal emotion recognition are challenging for cochlear implant (CI) users due to poor spectral resolution and limited pitch cues with the CI. Recent studies have shown that bimodal CI users, that is, those CI users who wear a hearing aid (HA) in their non-implanted ear, receive benefit for understanding speech both in quiet and in noise. This study compared the efficacy of talker-identification training in two groups of young normal-hearing adults, listening to either acoustic simulations of unilateral CI or bimodal (CI+HA) hearing. Training resulted in improved identification of talkers for both groups with better overall performance for simulated bimodal hearing. Generalization of learning to sentence and emotion recognition also was assessed in both subject groups. Sentence recognition in quiet and in noise improved for both groups, no matter if the talkers had been heard during training or not. Generalization to improvements in emotion recognition for two unfamiliar talkers also was noted for both groups with the simulated bimodal-hearing group showing better overall emotion-recognition performance. Improvements in sentence recognition were retained a month after training in both groups. These results have potential implications for aural rehabilitation of conventional and bimodal CI users.     

Dynamical thermal effects in InGaAsP microtubes at telecom wavelengths

We report on the observation of a dynamical thermal effect in InGaAsP microtubes at telecom wavelengths. The microtubes are fabricated by releasing a strained semiconductor bilayer and are picked up by abruptly tapered optical fibers for subsequent coupling with adiabatically tapered optical fibers. As a result of absorption by InAs quantum dots embedded in the tube structure, these microtubes show dynamical thermal effects at wavelengths around 1525 nm and 1578 nm, while they are passive at longer wavelengths near 1634 nm. The photon absorption induced thermal effect is visualized by generating a pair of microbottles. The dynamical thermal effect can be avoided or exploited for passive or active applications by utilizing appropriate resonance wavelengths.     

Arsolyl-supported intermetallic dative bonding

The first examples of late transition metal η⁵-arsolyls (L = CO, P(OMe)₃; R = Ph, Me, Et, SiMe₃; R′ = Ph, H, Me, Et, Me) serve as ditopic donors to extraneous metal centres (M = Pt^II, Au^I, Hg^II) through both conventional As → M and polar-covalent (dative) Co → M interactions.

Cobalt carbonyl reacts with arsoles to provide the first late transition metal η⁵-arsolyls. These serve as ditopic donors to extraneous metal centres (M = Pt^II, Au^I, Hg^II) through both conventional AsM and polar-covalent (dative) CoM interactions.     

Spectroscopic Studies of Mononuclear Molybdenum Enzyme Centers

A concise review is provided of the contributions that various spectroscopic methods have made to our understanding of the physical and electronic structures of mononuclear molybdenum enzymes. Contributions to our understanding of the structure and function of each of the major families of these enzymes is considered, providing a perspective on how spectroscopy has impacted the field.     

ChemInform Abstract: Structure and Heats of Formation of Iodine Fluorides and the Respective Closed‐Shell Ions from CCSD(T) Electronic Structure Calculations and Reliable Prediction of the Steric Activity of the Free‐Valence Electron Pair in ClF6‐, BrF6‐, and IF6‐

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