Acoustic correlates of perceived sexual identity in preadolescent children's voices

This project was undertaken to provide information about the sexual characteristics of preadolescent children's voices. In one series of experiments, perceptual judgments of sexual identity were obtained in response to 73 children's productions of isolated whispered and normally phonated vowels, normally spoken sentences, and sentences spoken in a monotonous fashion (Bennett and Weinberg, 1978). The purpose of this portion of the project was to describe certain acoustic and temporal characteristics of these children's speech samples, and to assess the relationship of these variables to perceptual judgments of sexual identity. Sexual differences in the frequency location of vocal tract resonances were significantly correlated with listener judgments of child sex in all four utterance conditions. The origin of the observed differences in vocal tract resonance characteristics is discussed with reference to possible sexual differences in vocal tract size as well as certain articulatory behaviors. Average fundamental frequency was significantly related to listeners' sex identifications in two utterance conditions. However, the influence of this variable was considerably less pronounced when compared to vocal tract information. Although certain measures of fundamental frequency variability (mean duration of level inflections and the rate of frequency change associated with upward shifts) were significantly related to perceptual measures of sexual identity, these cues were also interpreted to play a secondary role in defining maleness and femaleness in these children's voices.     

Detailed mechanistic modeling of high-density polyethylene pyrolysis: Low molecular weight product evolution

A detailed, mechanistic model for high-density polyethylene pyrolysis was created based on the modeling framework developed in our previous work and was used to study the time evolution of low molecular weight products formed. Specifically, the role that unzipping, backbiting, and random scission reaction pathways play in the evolution of low molecular weight species was probed. The model tracked 151 species and included over 11,000 reactions. Rate parameters were adapted from our previous work, literature values, and regression against experimental data. The model results were found to be in excellent agreement with experimental data for the evolution of condensable low molecular weight products. The time evolution curves of specific low molecular weight products indicated that the random scission pathway was important for all species, while the backbiting pathway played a complementary role. Net rate analysis was used to further elucidate the competition between the pathways. Net rate analysis of end-chain radicals showed that the unzipping pathway was not competitive with the other pathways, as expected based on experimental yields of ethylene. The random scission pathway was found to be controlling, with the backbiting pathway playing a more minor role for product formation. By comparing the net rates for formation of specific mid-chain radicals via intramolecular hydrogen shift reactions, the contribution of the backbiting pathway was shown to vary, with radicals formed via the most facile x,x + 4-intramolecular hydrogen transfer reactions being favored.     

Quantum meaning of classical (field) theory for fermi systems

We investigate the cosmological consequences of a phase transition which is driven primarily by slow nucleation of bubbles of the new phase via the effectively zero temperature quantum tunneling process of Coleman and Callan. These bubbles will asymptotically fill an arbitrarily large fraction of the space, yet they never percolate. Instead they form finite clusters, with each cluster dominated by a single largest bubble. The large scale thermalization required by the original “inflationary universe” scenario does not take place. The Coleman-De Luccia formalism for bubble formation in curved space is reviewed, with minor extensions. We argue that a single uncollided bubble would contain much less total entropy than the observed universe, unless the Higgs field potential involves widely disparate mass scales, as in the new inflationary universe scenario. We also argue that finite clusters are unlikely to yield a homogeneous and isotropic region containing sufficient entropy. Thus, unless the Higgs potential has the special form required by the new inflationary scenario, it appears quite implausible that there was such a phase transition in our past.     

Densitometry of photomicrographic negatives for the determination of fluorophores in sections of tissue

Concentrations of fluorophores in histological sections can be determined by measuring the optical density of photomicrographic negatives of the fluorescence emission. This method allows measurements to be made with high resolution and high sensitivity. It is necessary to determine the relationship between fluorophore concentration and emission intensity, the effects of spatial and temporal variations in the intensity of the exciting illumination, and the characteristic curve of each film. A study of these problems with two model systems is described and the procedures necessary to obtain accurate and precise results are reviewed.     

Algorithmic treatment of the spin-echo effect

We analyze the apparent increase in entropy in the course of the spin-echo effect using algorithmic information theory. We show that although the state of the spins quickly becomes algorithmically complex, then simple again during the echo, the overall complexity of spins together with the magnetic field grows slowly, as the logarithm of the elapsed time. This slow increase in complexity is reflected in an increased difficulty in taking advantage of the echo pulse. Our discussion illustrates the fundamental role of algorithmic information content in the formulation of statistical physics, including the second law of thermodynamics, from the viewpoint of the observer.     

Measurement of opacity during the setting of the gel-forming solutions and the syneresis of gels of sodium oleate and sodium erucate in a fraction of turpentine

Summary The opacities of solutions giving rise to gels of sodium oleate and sodium erucate in a fraction of turpentine, increase during their setting and the syneresis of the set gels and reach a maximum value in about six hours. Increase in the concentration of soaps and the amounts of the addition agents brings about an increase in opacity changes with time.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird die Änderung der Opazität von Lösungen aus Natriumoleat und Natriumerucat in einer Terpentinfraktion während Gelbbildung untersucht. NebeLösungen, die nur Natriumoleat und Natriumerucat enthielten, wurden auch Lösungen untersucht, denen Additive wie Na- und K-Stearat u. a. zugesetzt worden waren.

     

Existence of localized electronic states at interfaces

A simple self-consistent atomic model is used to show that both true localized interface states as well as interface resonances can occur at the junction between a metal and a non-metal. These results resolve a controversy of long standing over whether or not true localized states (Bardeen states) can exist when one of the electrodes is a metal. Two distinct physical situations are considered for the metal-non-metal interface showing that these interface states may or may not exist depending upon the band gap of the non-metal and the coupling strength across the interface. In addition, results are presented for the case when both electrodes are non-metals (heterojunctions).