The computed force constants and vibrational spectra of cubane

The geometry, complete harmonic force field, and dipole moment derivatives of cubane, C₈H₈, have been calculated at the Hartree-Fock level using a 4–21 Gaussian basis set. The infrared and Raman spectra of cubane and four deuterated derivatives were calculated and compared with previously observed spectra. A set of five scale factors for the calculated force constants was then derived by least-squares fitting of the fundamental vibrational frequencies calculated from the scaled force field to the frequencies obtained by direct experimental measurement. The resulting scaled quantum-mechanical (SQM) force field, containing 73 unique elements, is believed to give an accurate representation of the harmonic vibrational potential of cubane. In most cases, the spectral assignments previously made from purely empirical considerations were confirmed, but a few corrections are proposed. The only major alteration is for an A_2u mode revised to appear at 1030 cm^?1 in the undeuterated molecule. Coriolis constants and approximate infrared intensities are also calculated.     

Hyperfine structure of 5d 2 D 3/2 135,137Ba ions by collinear fast beam laser-rf double resonance spectroscopy

The hyperfine structure of the metastable 5d ² D _3/2 state has been measured with high precision by collinear laser-rf double resonance spectroscopy on fast^135,137Ba ion beams. The present data are about 100 times more accurate than those obtained by classical fast beam laser spectroscopy.     

The Impact of Voice Disorders Among Teachers: Vocal Complaints, Treatment-Seeking Behavior, Knowledge of Vocal Care, and Voice-Related Absenteeism

Objectives

Teachers are at increased risk for developing voice disorders. Occupational risk factors have been extensively examined; however, little attention has been paid to the consequences of the vocal complaints. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge that teachers have about vocal care, treatment-seeking behavior, and voice-related absenteeism.

Methods

The study group comprised 994 teachers and 290 controls whose jobs did not involve vocal effort. All participants completed a questionnaire inquiring about vocal complaints, treatment-seeking behavior, voice-related absenteeism, and knowledge about vocal care. Comparisons were made between teachers with and without vocal complaints and with the control group.

Results

Teachers reported significantly more voice problems than the control population (51.2% vs 27.4%) (χ² = 50.45, df = 1, P < 0.001). Female teachers reported significantly higher levels of voice disorders than their male colleagues (38% vs 13.2%, χ² = 22.34, df = 1, P < 0.001). Teachers (25.4%) sought medical care and eventually 20.6% had missed at least 1 day of work because of voice problems. Female teachers were significantly more likely to seek medical help (χ² = 7.24, df = 1, P = 0.007) and to stay at home (χ² = 7.10, df = 1, P = 0.008) in comparison with their male colleagues. Only 13.5% of all teachers received information during their education.

Conclusions

Voice disorders have an impact on teachers' personal and professional life and imply a major financial burden for society. A substantial number of teachers needed medical help and was obligated to stay at home because of voice problems. This study strongly recommends the implementation of vocal education during the training of teacher students to prepare the vocal professional user.     

Tone detection and synthetic speech discrimination in band-reject noise by hearing-impaired listeners

Frequency resolution was evaluated for two normal-hearing and seven hearing-impaired subjects with moderate, flat sensorineural hearing loss by measuring percent correct detection of a 2000-Hz tone as the width of a notch in band-reject noise increased. The level of the tone was fixed for each subject at a criterion performance level in broadband noise. Discrimination of synthetic speech syllables that differed in spectral content in the 2000-Hz region was evaluated as a function of the notch width in the same band-reject noise. Recognition of natural speech consonant/vowel syllables in quiet was also tested; results were analyzed for percent correct performance and relative information transmitted for voicing and place features. In the hearing-impaired subjects, frequency resolution at 2000 Hz was significantly correlated with the discrimination of synthetic speech information in the 2000-Hz region and was not related to the recognition of natural speech nonsense syllables unless (a) the speech stimuli contained the vowel /i/ rather than /a/, and (b) the score reflected information transmitted for place of articulation rather than percent correct.     

Two-atom model for the calculation of surface blocking in medium and high energy ion scattering

A two-atom blocking model has been developed to analyze surface blocking patterns recently obtained in medium energy ion scattering experiments. In the model the mean square thermal vibration amplitude of a surface atom can be used as a fitting parameter in comparison with experimental results. Anisotropic surface vibrations have been taken into account by assuming a non-spherical Gaussian probability distribution for the thermal displacement of the surface atom. In addition, some analytical expressions have been derived for the effective nuber of target atoms contributing to the yield of ions backscattered into a blocking direction.     

Endor of a dislocation center in a deformed silicon

We present the first ENDOR measurements on dislocations in silicon, which measurements directly show the extended nature of the electron wave function on the dislocation.     

The successive polarographic determination of As(III) and As(V)

A method has been described for the successive polarographic determination of As(III) and As(V)in a sulphuric acid solution.A directly recorded polarogram shows a limiting current corresponding to the As(III) concentration, another polarogram, recorded with a second sample after reduction of As(V) to As(III) by hydrazine sulphate, gives a limiting current corresponding to the concentration As(II) + As(V).