Spectral enhancement of Polish vowels to improve their identification by hearing impaired listeners

Abnormalities in the cochlear function usually cause broadening of the auditory filters which reduces the speech intelligibility. An attempt to apply a spectral enhancement algorithm has been undertaken to improve the identification of Polish vowels by subjects with cochlear-based hearing-impairment. The identification scores of natural (unprocessed) vowels and spectrally enhanced (processed) vowels has been measured for hearing-impaired subjects. It has been found that spectral enhancement improves vowel scores by about 10% for those subjects, however, a wide variation in individual performance among subjects has been observed. The overall vowels identification scores obtained were 85% for natural vowels and 96% for spectrally enhanced vowels.     

Measurement of the K α to L α and K β to L β intensity ratios of seven elements in the atomic number range 52≤ Z ≤62 using photoionization at 59.5 keV1

The Kα to Lα and Kβ to Lβ intensity ratios of seven elements have been measured following photoionization at 59.5 keV by using a Si (Li) detector (FWHM=155 eV at 5.96 keV). The intensity ratios were determined by measuring K and L x-rays emitted from a standard target of a given element. The theoretical values of the Kα to Lα and Kβ to Lβ intensity ratios were calculated using theoretically tabulated values of shell/subshell photoionization cross sections, fluorescence yields, Coster-Kronig transition probabilities, and radiative decay rates for ηKLi≠ and ηKLi=0. The measured values are in good agreement with theoretical results. From Optika i Spektroskopiya, Vol. 97, No. 2, 2004, pp. 186–189. Original English Text Copyright ? 2004 by A. Kü?ük?nder, S?ğüt, E. Kü?ük?nder, Büyükkasap. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

Combined intra-intermolecular criss-cross cycloaddition of a new fluorinated unsymmetrical allenylazine with alkynes

The reaction of a new fluorinated unsymmetrical allenylazine with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and phenylacetylene affords the combined intra-intermolecular criss-cross cycloaddition products, 2,3-disubstituted-1,10-diazatricyclo[5.2.1.0^4,10]deca-2,6-diene derivatives. The products contain three fused five-membered rings with two nitrogen atoms within an unsaturated heterocyclic system. The structures were assigned using 2D NMR correlations and in the case of the phenylacetylene adduct by X-ray structure analysis.     

Asymptotic properties of computationally efficient alternative estimators for a class of multivariate normal models

Parameters of Gaussian multivariate models are often estimated using the maximum likelihood approach. In spite of its merits, this methodology is not practical when the sample size is very large, as, for example, in the case of massive georeferenced data sets. In this paper, we study the asymptotic properties of the estimators that minimize three alternatives to the likelihood function, designed to increase the computational efficiency. This is achieved by applying the information sandwich technique to expansions of the pseudo-likelihood functions as quadratic forms of independent normal random variables. Theoretical calculations are given for a first-order autoregressive time series and then extended to a two-dimensional autoregressive process on a lattice. We compare the efficiency of the three estimators to that of the maximum likelihood estimator as well as among themselves, using numerical calculations of the theoretical results and simulations.     

Lyapunov-type inequalities for nonlinear systems

In this paper, by using elementary analysis, we establish some new Lyapunov-type inequalities for nonlinear systems of differential equations, special cases of which contain the well-known equations such as Emden-Fowler-type and half-linear equations. The inequalities obtained here can be used as handy tools in the study of qualitative behaviour of solutions of the associated equations.     

Anodic stripping coulometry with collection for absolute trace analysis of lead, using flow-through electrochemical cells with porous working electrodes

Summary Flow-through electrochemical cells with porous working electrodes made of crushed reticulated vitreous carbon and plated with mercury were used for absolute analysis of trace amounts of lead by anodic stripping coulometry with collection (ASCWC) in a flow system. The role of mercury coating, flow rate and pH were investigated. The coulombic content of the collection peak corresponded to the theoretical values calculated by Faraday's law in a concentration range from about 10^–9 to 10^–6 mol/l. The relative error and the relative standard deviation was +0.15% and 0.8%, respectively for 2×10^–6 mol/l analyte concentration. The absolute detection limit (3 s) was 0.1 ng of Pb, the linear response range 7×10⁴. One leave from: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Slovak Technical University, CS-812 37 Bratislava, Czechoslovakia     

Crystal and molecular structures of 1-[3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propenoyl]pyrrolidine.

The crystal structure of 1-[3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propenoyl]pyrrolidine (C15H19NO3) (I) has been determined by X-ray analysis. It crystallizes orthorhombic space group Pbca with a = 24.295(3), b = 15.086(3), c = 7.552(3)A, V = 2768(1)A3, Z = 8, Dcalc = 1.254 g/cm3, mu = (Mo K(alpha)) = 0.87 cm(-1). The title compound has analgesic activity of cycloaliphatic amine part. The molecule is deviated from planar configuration.     

Intramolecular hemiacetals. The acid-base-catalyzed ring-chain interconversion of 2-substituted 2-hydroxy-4,4-dimethylmorpholinium cations in aqueous solution.

The ring-chain tautomerism in aqueous solution of some aryl-substituted morpholinium salts (bromides), has been studied and equilibrium constants are reported. In the crystals the substrates exist entirely in their cyclic forms as hemiacetals, but in aqueous solution NMR measurements reveal that an equilibrium is established between the cyclic (hemiacetal) and the noncyclic (ketone) form, the degree of ring-opening being more pronounced with electron-donating aryl substituents at the carbonyl carbon. The kinetics of the ring-chain interconversion in water has been investigated spectrophotometrically by a 'pH jump' stopped-flow technique. General base catalysis is observed with a Br?nsted beta value apparently independent of substituent and equal to 0.60. The Hammett rho values for various base catalysts are close to those for very similar intermolecular reactions involving hemiacetal breakdown, leading to the suggestion of a 'normal' class n mechanism for base catalysis. For acid catalysis, however, a quite different situation is encountered, since no general acid but only (weak) catalysis by the hydronium ion can be detected. We believe this deviation from 'normal' general acid catalysis is caused by an electrostatic interaction, and we suggest that it might result from a change in the usual class e mechanism for general acid catalysis by a situation in which rate-limiting concerted proton transfer is replaced by rate-limiting preprotonation. This is supported by the observed drastic change in Hammett rho value for catalysis by the hydronium ion, compared with the 'normal' case. An interesting case is encountered for the 4-aminophenyl-substituted substrate, in which the amino group becomes protonated in acid solution, thus representing a new substituent. Despite this complication, the various equilibrium and rate constants may also be evaluated experimentally for this substrate.