Sound localization in the median sagittal plane by listeners with presbyacusis

In Experiment 1, a group of listeners with substantial hearing loss due to presbyacusis and a group of listeners with normal hearing were given three localization tests: a frontal plane test in which they judged whether sounds came from the left, overhead, or the right; a sagittal plane test in which they judged whether sounds came from directly in front, overhead, or behind; and an elevation test in which they judged the vertical position of sounds coming from in front. The two groups performed similarly on the frontal plane test, which chiefly depended upon their ability to use binaural localization cues. They performed differently on the sagittal plane and elevation tests, for which the predominant localization cues were spectral. The listeners with presbyacusis were substantially less accurate than those with normal hearing in both of these instances. They had particular difficulty judging source elevation, rarely scoring much above chance. Follow-up testing of a group of subjects in the early stages of presbyacusis showed localization performance that was intermediate to the other two groups, but far more like that of the normal-hearing listeners. In Experiment 2, additional tests were run with the following conditions designed to encourage improved performance by listeners with presbyacusic hearing loss: (1) filtering of stimuli to preclude masking of more informative high-frequency components by low frequencies; (2) simplification of the elevation test and greater spatial separation of its loudspeaker sources; and (3) use of hearing aids. Conditions 1 and 2 had no appreciable effect on performance; condition 3 significantly improved presbyacusic listeners' ability to localize in the sagittal plane, particularly when sounds came from the front.     

Assessment model of dam operation risk based on monitoring data

Although the dams produce remarkable social and economic benefits, the threat made by unsafe dams to the life and property of people who live in the lower river area is un-negligible. Based on the monitoring data which reflect the safety condition of dams, the risk degree concept is proposed and the analysis system and model for evaluating risk degree (rate) are established in this paper by combining the reliability theory and field monitoring data. The analysis method for risk degree is presented based on Bayesian approach. A five-grade risk degree system for dam operation risk and corresponding risk degree is put forward according to the safety condition of dams. The operation risks of four cascade dams on some river are analyzed by the model and approach presented here and the result is adopted by the owner.     

Effects of various post-treatments on carbon nanotube films for reliable field emission

In this report, the FE characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) treated using both thermal annealing and mechanical coatings on the as-grown CNTs systematically studied. It was found that in the high temperature annealed samples, CNTs were attacked at its root during annealing due to a small amount of oxygen, and were pulled out of the substrate in places after FE measurements because of the contact resistance. However, for the mechanically coated samples both with spin on glass (SOG) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), CNTs were found to be nearly intact after FE measurements and showed reliable FE characteristics over repeatable voltage scan. The reliability of CNTs during FE could be owing to the strong adhesion of CNTs to the substrate both by SOG and PMMA coatings.     

The critical pressure and impeding pressure of Al evaporation during induction skull melting processing of TiAl

In this article, two key pressures, the critical pressure P _crit and the impeding pressure P _impe of elemental evaporation, are defined and studied based on the calculation relationship between the evaporation loss rate N _m and the chamber pressure P during melting of titanium-aluminum alloys. When the chamber pressure is below P _crit or above P _impe, N _m tends to the maximum or the minimum value and remains almost unchanged. However, if P _crit<P<P _impe, with the increase of the chamber pressure, N _m declines sharply. A method has been put forward to calculate P _crit and P _impe of Al evaporation in a Ti-XAl (at pct) (X=25 to 50) melt. The calculation result shows that P _crit or P _impe is a second-order function of the molar percentage of Al and the melt temperature.     

新增探明储量的经济可采储量计算方法

提出了新增探明储量有无经济可采储量的判别方法。在此基础上，通过对立已开发油田技术可采储量经济转化率与油藏空气渗透率的相关关系式和图版，根据储层的空气渗透率，计算新增探明储量的经济转化率和经济可采储量。该方法参数易取，计算简便，对于快速、准确计算新增探明储量的经济可采储量具有重要意义。     

调谐质量阻尼器参数设计中的两个问题

本文以单自由度系统安装一个调谐质量阻尼器（简称TMD）为例，对抗风和抗震两类不同激励工况下TMD的参数设计问题进行了理论研究与对比分析。通过给出相对误差系数的概念，定量评价了不同的参数方法对TMD减振性能的影响程度。本文的研究为TMD的参数设计提供了理论指导。     

建立水利工程管理运行新机制的思考

水利工程管理体制改革，是党中央、国务院根据我国经济和社会可持续发展需要，针对我国水利工作存在的突出问题做出的一项重大决策，通过改革，初步建立了职能清晰、权责明确、管理科学、经营规范、管养分离的新的水利工程管理体制。从根本上改变了过去长期形成的水利工程管理体制不顺、机制不活、经费不足、工程失修、安全不保的局面。     

Reynolds number-dependent permeability of wastewater sludge flocs

Most theoretical models assume constant permeability of wastewater sludge floc. This work shows that, at creeping flow limit with small intrafloc Reynolds number, the permeability of floc can not only be affected by floc structure, but also by the external flow condition. The three-dimensional structure of flocs using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) was firstly probed. Then, the volumetric grid models for sludge flocs were constructed. We noted that the floc permeability could keep unchanged, increased, or decreased at increased Reynolds number (Re). Flow redistribution among channels of various sizes contributes to the noted Re-dependent permeability of flocs.     

Robustness analysis of responses of vibration control structures with uncertain parameters using interval algorithm

Variations in system parameters due to uncertainties may result in system performance deterioration. Uncertainties in modeling of structures are often considered to ensure that control system is robust with respect to response errors. Hence, the uncertain concept plays an important role in vibration control of the engineering structures. The paper discusses the robustness of responses of vibration control systems with the uncertain parameters. The vibration control problem of an uncertain system is approximated by a deterministic one. The uncertain parameters are described by interval variables. The uncertain state matrix is constructed directly using system physical parameters and avoided to use bounds in Euclidean norm. The feedback gain matrix is determined based on the deterministic systems, and then it is applied to the actual uncertain systems. A method to calculate the upper and lower bounds of responses of the closed-loop system with uncertain parameters is presented. The upper bounds of responses can be used to estimate the robustness of responses of the controlled system with uncertain parameters. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the applications of the present approach.