Extended speech intelligibility index for the prediction of the speech reception threshold in fluctuating noise

The extension to the speech intelligibility index (SII; ANSI S3.5-1997 (1997)) proposed by Rhebergen and Versfeld [Rhebergen, K.S., and Versfeld, N.J. (2005). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117(4), 2181-2192] is able to predict for normal-hearing listeners the speech intelligibility in both stationary and fluctuating noise maskers with reasonable accuracy. The extended SII model was validated with speech reception threshold (SRT) data from the literature. However, further validation is required and the present paper describes SRT experiments with nonstationary noise conditions that are critical to the extended model. From these data, it can be concluded that the extended SII model is able to predict the SRTs for the majority of conditions, but that predictions are better when the extended SII model includes a function to account for forward masking.     

Time-symmetric fluctuations in nonequilibrium systems

For nonequilibrium steady states, we identify observables whose fluctuations satisfy a general symmetry and for which a new reciprocity relation can be shown. Unlike the situation in recently discussed fluctuation theorems, these observables are time-reversal symmetric. That is essential for exploiting the fluctuation symmetry beyond linear response theory. In addition to time reversal, a crucial role is played by the reversal of the driving fields that further resolves the space-time action. In particular, the time-symmetric part in the space-time action determines the second order effects of the nonequilibrium driving.     

Search for dijet resonances in 7 TeV pp collisions at CMS

A search for narrow resonances in the dijet mass spectrum is performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 pb?1 collected by the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level are presented on the product of the resonance cross section, branching fraction into dijets, and acceptance, separately for decays into quark-quark, quark-gluon, or gluon-gluon pairs. The data exclude new particles predicted in the following models at the 95% confidence level: string resonances, with mass less than 2.50 TeV, excited quarks, with mass less than 1.58 TeV, and axigluons, colorons, and E6 diquarks, in specific mass intervals. This extends previously published limits on these models.     

Atomic force microscopy on chromosomes, chromatin and DNA: A review

The purpose of this review is to discuss the achievements and progress that has been made in the use of atomic force microscopy in DNA related research in the last 25 years. For this review DNA related research is split up in chromosomal-, chromatin- and DNA focused research to achieve a logical flow from large- to smaller structures. The focus of this review is not only on the AFM as imaging tool but also on the AFM as measuring tool using force spectroscopy, as therein lays its greatest advantage and future. The amazing technological and experimental progress that has been made during the last 25 years is too extensive to fully cover in this review but some key developments and experiments have been described to give an overview of the evolution of AFM use from 'imaging tool' to 'measurement tool' on chromosomes, chromatin and DNA.     

Characterization of a photonic strain sensor in silicon-on-insulator technology

Recently there has been growing interest in sensing by means of optical microring resonators in photonic integrated circuits that are fabricated in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Taillaert et al. [Proc. SPIE 6619, 661914 (2007)] proposed the use of a silicon-waveguide-based ring resonator as a strain gauge. However, the strong lateral confinement of the light in SOI waveguides and its corresponding modal dispersion where not taken into account. We present a theoretical understanding, as well as experimental results, of strain applied on waveguide-based microresonators, and find that the following effects play important roles: elongation of the racetrack length, modal dispersion of the waveguide, and the strain-induced change in effective refractive index.     

Polarized neutron scattering investigation of excitations at low momentum transfer in liquid Ga: The mystery continues

New polarized neutron scattering experiments are presented on liquid gallium just above the melting transition of 303 K in order to shed light on the origin of the observed increased Ga cross-section at small scattering angles that has previously been reported in the literature. Our polarized neutron scattering experiments show that this increased cross-section cannot be linked to any magnetic or incoherent process, a linkage that was needed to justify the interpretation of this broad mode as being part of the cage-diffusion process. Instead, the increased cross-section has to be attributed to a coherent process, in violation of the measured sum-rules.     

A reliability study of titanium silicide lines using micro-Raman spectroscopy and emission microscopy

Micro-Raman spectroscopy and emission microscopy are used to study the crystallographic phase of 0.25 μm wide TiSi₂ lines. It is demonstrated for the first time that emission microscopy allows very fast, simple, non-destructive mapping of the local phase of TiSi₂. The results show that there is a direct correlation between the resistance variation of these lines and the local occurrence of the high resistivity C49 phase of TiSi₂ in the lines.     

Effects of an accidentally strong resonance in the rotational spectrum of CH3CN and CH3CN in the 2ν8 state

An accidentally strong resonance has been revealed in the rotational spectrum of the state v₈ = 2 in each of the two molecules CH₃C¹⁴N and CH₃C¹⁵N. This resonance occurs between the energy levels l = 0, K = ±4 and l = ±2, K = ?2. A calculation of the effect of this resonance has led to the assignment of the corresponding absorption lines and finally to the evaluation of new molecular constants, including the value of the separation between the two levels which are perturbed by the resonance.     

Radiolyse wäßrigerd-Glucoselösungen in Gegenwart von zweiwertigen Kationen

The influence of Zn⁺⁺ and Cu⁺⁺ on the radiolysis of 10^?2 M aqueous glucose solution in the absence of oxygen was investigated. The formation of malonaldehyde, deoxysugars, ketodeoxysugars, glucosone and hydrogen was studied in relation to pH and irradiation dose. The Zn⁺⁺ or Cu⁺⁺ ions lead, especially in neutral solutions, to an increase of the yield of malonaldehyde, glucosone and deoxysugar, whereas the yield of H₂ drops. H₂O₂ could not be detected. Based on these results and literature data a probable reaction mechanism for the radiolysis of glucose in aqueous solutions is discussed, which in particular can explain the formation of the toxic malonaldehyde.