Individual and level-dependent differences in masking for adults with normal and impaired hearing

Simultaneous, on-frequency masking is commonly assumed to be linear with increasing noise intensity. However, some evidence suggests that, expressed in terms of signal-to-noise ratio changes with background level changes, masking slopes can vary from 0 dB/dB. These results and evidence from a large sample of subjects with normal and impaired hearing demonstrate level-dependent changes in masking, large individual differences in masking among subjects with similar thresholds in quiet, and significant correlations of masking slope with other estimates of auditory function measured in the same backgrounds.     

Longitudinal changes in speech recognition in older persons

Recognition of isolated monosyllabic words in quiet and recognition of key words in low- and high-context sentences in babble were measured in a large sample of older persons enrolled in a longitudinal study of age-related hearing loss. Repeated measures were obtained yearly or every 2 to 3 years. To control for concurrent changes in pure-tone thresholds and speech levels, speech-recognition scores were adjusted using an importance-weighted speech-audibility metric (AI). Linear-regression slope estimated the rate of change in adjusted speech-recognition scores. Recognition of words in quiet declined significantly faster with age than predicted by declines in speech audibility. As subjects aged, observed scores deviated increasingly from AI-predicted scores, but this effect did not accelerate with age. Rate of decline in word recognition was significantly faster for females than males and for females with high serum progesterone levels, whereas noise history had no effect. Rate of decline did not accelerate with age but increased with degree of hearing loss, suggesting that with more severe injury to the auditory system, impairments to auditory function other than reduced audibility resulted in faster declines in word recognition as subjects aged. Recognition of key words in low- and high-context sentences in babble did not decline significantly with age.     

Phosphor preparation by ion implantation

6H silicon carbide crystals have been subjected to ¹¹B⁺ ion implantation and subsequent annealing and found to show the yellow boron photoluminescence.     

Synthesis, modification, and characterization of a family of homologues of exo-calix

A general strategy for the preparation of the family of exo-[n.m.n.m]metacyclophanes (n,m > or = 3) in 6-steps (starting from 2-bromoanisole) that utilizes a [2 + 2] approach to furnish the exo-metacyclophane ring in good to moderate yield is described. The soluble copper catalyst [CuBr-LiSPh-LiBr-THF] is used to efficiently couple Grignard and alkyl or ether tosylate reagents in several of the synthetic steps, including the ring construction in the final step. The exo-[n.m.n.m]metacyclophane ring is conformationally mobile on the NMR time scale, and X-ray crystallography reveals that exo-[3.3.3.3]metacyclophane 2a assumes a cone conformation, and that exo-[6.6.6.6]metacyclophane 6a assumes a chair conformation. Molecular mechanics calculations show that both conformations for each exo-metacyclophane are very similar in energy. Regiocontrol over the alkylation and acylation of the phenolic oxygens of 2b is problematic, although the preparation of the tetraacetylated 18 and alkylation of 2b with CH2BrCl to furnish the methylene-linked mono- and bis-adducts 19 and 20 are straightforward.     

Preparation and X-ray crystal structure of hexakis(1-methylimidazoline-2(3H)-thione)tetrakis(nitrato)dilead(II)

The title complex, prepared by reacting lead(II) nitrate with a stoichiometric amount of 1-methylimidazoline-2(3H)-thione (mimt) in water, crystallizes in the triclinic space group P with a = 9.334(2), b = 11.340(4), c = 11.398(3) Å, = 108.24(2), β = 95.69(2), γ = 100.27(2)° and Z = 1. In the solid state, the molecules show an unusual dimeric structure, with the formula [(mimt)₂(NO₃)₂Pb(μ-mimt)₂Pb(NO₃)₂(mimt)₂].     

A general methodology for the synthesis of transition metal pnictide nanoparticles from pnictate precursors and its application to iron-phosphorus phases

Nanoparticles of iron phosphide have been prepared through a new strategy involving the reductive annealing of nanoparticulate iron phosphate precursors cast onto atomically flat mica surfaces. This route appears to be general for a range of transition metals and pnicogens and avoids the use of highly toxic and pyrophoric agents such as Pn(SiMe3)3 (Pn = P, As), which are commonly employed in the synthesis of pnictide nanoparticles.     

A new multidimensional integral relationship between heat flux and temperature for direct internal assessment of heat flux

This paper derives a new integral relationship between heat flux and temperature in a transient, two-dimensional heat conducting half space. A unified mathematical treatment is proposed that is extendable to higher-dimensional and finite-region geometries. The analytic expression provides the local heat flux perpendicular to the front surface solely based on an embedded line of temperature sensors parallel to the surface. The relationship does not require apriori knowledge of the surface boundary condition. A new sensor strategy is analytically conceived based on the integral relationship for estimating the local, in-depth heat flux without surface instrumentation. It should further be clarified that the integral relationship requires only knowledge of the local, in-depth temperature and heating/cooling rate (time rate of change of temperature). The resulting formulation is mildly ill-posed and either requires digital filtering of the temperature signal to remove high frequency components of noise or the development of direct heating/cooling rate sensors. This paper (a) develops the new mathematical relationship; (b) demonstrates that the proposed relationship reduces to well-known (i) one-dimensional results under the appropriate assumptions; and, (ii) two-dimensional surface results; and, (c) provides a simple numerical example validating the concept.     

Self-assembled monolayer initiated electropolymerization: a route to thin-film materials with enhanced photovoltaic performance

Continuing progress in the field of organic polymer photovoltaic (PV) devices requires the development of new materials with better charge-transport efficiency. To improve this parameter, we have investigated surface-attached bilayer polymer PV thin films prepared starting from a covalently attached monolayer of an electroactive initiator using sequential electropolymerization of dithiophene and its derivatives. These systems were found to show significantly increased photocurrent generation quantum yields as compared to systems made through conventional approaches. In addition, the described PV thin films possess remarkable mechanical, air, and photostability. These properties likely arise from the more uniform and better ordered bulk layer morphologies as well as tighter covalently bonded contacts at the interfacial junctions, contributing to improved charge transport. While more studies on the fundamental reasons behind the discovered phenomenon are currently underway, this information can be readily applied to build more efficient organic polymer photovoltaics.