Vibratory and perceptual measurement of resonant voice

Purpose: This study set out to investigate whether there existed a correlation between auditory-perceptual judgment of resonant voice and the physical vibration in the facial bone. The magnitude of bone vibration in the facial bone during different types of voice production (resonant vs nonresonant vs strained voices) was also investigated. Method: Thirty-six healthy normal subjects produced three types of phonations: resonant voice, habitual nonresonant voice, and strained voice. A piezoelectric accelerometer was used to measure the vibrations in the nasal bridge and the perilaryngeal area during the phonation. Seventy-two selected nasal sounds (/ma/) produced under the resonant voice condition by these speakers were rated by two experienced speech pathologists on the magnitude of auditory-perceptual resonance using an 11-point equal-appearing interval scale. The magnitude of bone vibration was also compared across the three voice types. Results: Significant moderate correlations were found between the physical bone vibration and the auditory-perceptual rating of resonant voice at the nasal bridge of the facial bone (0.6). Resonant voice, compared with the strained and nonresonant voice types, was also found to have a significant increase in the magnitude of facial bone vibration. Nasal stimuli, compared with nonnasal stimuli, facilitated greater bone vibration during resonant voice production. Conclusion: Piezoelectric accelerometer, as an objective quantitative tool, measures reliably the extent of bone vibration in resonant voice phonation. It is a useful tool for determining the bone vibration in relation to resonant voice. © 2012 The Voice Foundation.postprin

Range Queries on Uncertain Data

Given a set $P$ of $n$ uncertain points on the real line, each represented by its one-dimensional probability density function, we consider the problem of building data structures on $P$ to answer range queries of the following three types for any query interval $I$: (1) top-$1$ query: find the point in $P$ that lies in $I$ with the highest probability, (2) top-$k$ query: given any integer $k\leq n$ as part of the query, return the $k$ points in $P$ that lie in $I$ with the highest probabilities, and (3) threshold query: given any threshold $\tau$ as part of the query, return all points of $P$ that lie in $I$ with probabilities at least $\tau$. We present data structures for these range queries with linear or nearly linear space and efficient query time.Comment: 26 pages. A preliminary version of this paper appeared in ISAAC 2014. In this full version, we also present solutions to the most general case of the problem (i.e., the histogram bounded case), which were left as open problems in the preliminary versio

Portable parallel kernels for high-speed beamforming in synthetic aperture ultrasound imaging

In medical ultrasound, synthetic aperture (SA) imaging is well-considered as a novel image formation technique for achieving superior resolution than that offered by existing scanners. However, its intensive processing load is known to be a challenging factor. To address such a computational demand, this paper proposes a new parallel approach based on the design of OpenCL signal processing kernels that can compute SA image formation in real-time. We demonstrate how these kernels can be ported onto different classes of parallel processors, namely multi-core CPUs and GPUs, whose multi-thread computing resources are able to process more than 250 fps. Moreover, they have strong potential to support the development of more complex algorithms, thus increasing the depth range of the inspected human volume and the final image resolution observed by the medical practitioner.published_or_final_versio

Vocal fold vibratory and acoustic features in fatigued Karaoke singers

Session 3aMU - Musical Acoustics and Speech Communication: Singing Voice in Asian CulturesKaraoke is a popular singing entertainment particularly in Asia and is gaining more popularity in the rest of world. In Karaoke, an amateur singer sings with the background music and video (usually guided by the lyric captions on the video screen) played by Karaoke machine, using a microphone and an amplification system. As the Karaoke singers usually have no formal training, they may be more vulnerable to vocal fatigue as they may overuse and/or misuse their voices in the intensive and extensive singing activities. It is unclear whether vocal fatigue is accompanied by any vibration pattern or physiological changes of vocal folds. In this study, 20 participants aged from 18 to 23 years with normal voice were recruited to participate in an prolonged singing task, which induced vocal fatigue. High speed laryngscopic imaging and acoustic signals were recorded before and after the singing task. Images of /i/ phonation were quantitatively analyzed using the High Speed Video Processing (HSVP) program (Yiu, et al. 2010). It was found that the glottis became relatively narrower following fatigue, while the acoustic signals were not sensitive to measure change following fatigue. © 2012 Acoustical Society of Americapublished_or_final_versio

Light atom quantum oscillations in UC and US

High energy vibrational scattering in the binary systems UC and US is measured using time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering. A clear set of well-defined peaks equally separated in energy is observed in UC, corresponding to harmonic oscillations of the light C atoms in a cage of heavy U atoms. The scattering is much weaker in US and only a few oscillator peaks are visible. We show how the difference between the materials can be understood by considering the neutron scattering lengths and masses of the lighter atoms. Monte Carlo ray tracing is used to simulate the scattering, with near quantitative agreement with the data in UC, and some differences with US. The possibility of observing anharmonicity and anisotropy in the potentials of the light atoms is investigated in UC. Overall the observed data is well accounted for by considering each light atom as a single atom isotropic quantum harmonic oscillator.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Comparison of Vlasov-Uehling-Uhlenbeck model with 4 π Heavy Ion Data

Streamer chamber data for collisions of Ar + KCl and Ar + BaI2 at 1.2 GeV/nucleon are compared with microscopic model predictions based on the Vlasov-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation, for various density-dependent nuclear equations of state. Multiplicity distributions and inclusive rapidity and transverse momentum spectra are in good agreement. Rapidity spectra show evidence of being useful in determining whether the model uses the correct cross sections for binary collisions in the nuclear medium, and whether momentum-dependent interactions are correctly incorporated. Sideward flow results do not favor the same nuclear stiffness parameter at all multiplicities

Preliminary Evaluation of Lectins as Fluorescent Probes of Seed Structure and Composition

Several commercially available fluoresceinisothiocyanate and rhodamine isothiocyanateconjugated plant lectins have been applied to cereal and oilseed tissues to permit identification and localization of specific structures and carbohydrates by fluorescence microscopy . Ulex europeaus Agglutinin I (UEAl) and Ricinis communis Agglutinin I (RCA I) showed specificity for the amyloids in rapeseed cotyledonary cell walls . Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) bound to rapeseed coat mucilage, as well as fungal hyphae in infected wheat . Lens culinaris Agglutinin (LCA) bound only to starch in cereal sections, and at higher magnifications of isolated starch granules , the annular structure was clearly visible

On the formation and decay of a molecular ultracold plasma

Double-resonant photoexcitation of nitric oxide in a molecular beam creates a dense ensemble of $50f(2)$ Rydberg states, which evolves to form a plasma of free electrons trapped in the potential well of an NO$^+$ spacecharge. The plasma travels at the velocity of the molecular beam, and, on passing through a grounded grid, yields an electron time-of-flight signal that gauges the plasma size and quantity of trapped electrons. This plasma expands at a rate that fits with an electron temperature as low as 5 K, colder that typically observed for atomic ultracold plasmas. The recombination of molecular NO$^+$ cations with electrons forms neutral molecules excited by more than twice the energy of the NO chemical bond, and the question arises whether neutral fragmentation plays a role in shaping the redistribution of energy and particle density that directs the short-time evolution from Rydberg gas to plasma. To explore this question, we adapt a coupled rate-equations model established for atomic ultracold plasmas to describe the energy-grained avalanche of electron-Rydberg and electron-ion collisions in our system. Adding channels of Rydberg predissociation and two-body, electron- cation dissociative recombination to the atomic formalism, we investigate the kinetics by which this relaxation distributes particle density and energy over Rydberg states, free electrons and neutral fragments. The results of this investigation suggest some mechanisms by which molecular fragmentation channels can affect the state of the plasma

Speech Intensity and Phonation Energy of Mandarin Broadcasters

Conference theme: Care of the Professional VoicePoster sessionIntroduction: The present study aimed to compare the speech intensity and its associated phonation energy (skin vibration on the neck) using accelerometers during voice production between broadcasting students and individuals with no broadcasting training. Method: Thirty two broadcasting students (17 males and 15 females, mean age = 21 years), with a minimum of three years of professional broadcasting training, were recruited to participate in the study ...published_or_final_versio