Benefits of active middle ear implants over hearing aids in patients with sloping high tone hearing loss: comparison with hearing aids

In questo studio retrospettivo, abbiamo confrontato i benefici oggettivi e soggettivi degli impianti attivi dell’orecchio medio (AMEI) rispetto alle tradizionali protesi acustiche (HA) nei pazienti con perdita dell’udito per le frequenze acute. Trentaquattro pazienti con ipoacusia neurosensoriale sono stati trattati con l’impianto di AMEI. Tra questi, sei avevano un audiogramma “in discesa” con perdita dell’udito per le frequenze acute, ed avevano usato per più di sei mesi HA. È stata quindi eseguita una valutazione oggettiva, tramite l’audiometria tonale e il test di riconoscimento delle parole, una versione coreana del “Hearing in Noise Test” (K-HINT), ed una valutazione soggettiva tramite il seguente questionario: Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB). I pazienti sono stati sottoposti ai suddetti test in tre occasioni distinte: 1) prima della chirurgia, senza protesi; 2) prima della chirurgia, con HA; 3) tre mesi dopo l’impianto di AMEI. Il guadagno medio per le alte frequenze (≥ 2 kHz) si è rivelato migliore con AMEI che con HA. Sebbene il risultato non ha raggiunto un livello di significatività statistica, gli impianti attivi dell’orecchio medio hanno mostrato un punteggio di riconoscimento delle parole superiore rispetto a HA. Ad ogni modo, il livello di comoda udibilità al quale il punteggio di riconoscimento delle parole è stato testato si è rivelato significativamente più basso con AMEI rispetto ad HA. Al K-HINT i pazienti con AMEI hanno mostrato un migliore riconoscimento rispetto ai risultati ottenuti con HA, sia in condizione di quiete sia di rumore. Gli score APAHB hanno rivelato che i pazienti erano più soddisfatti con AMEI. L’uso degli impianti attivi dell’orecchio medio in pazienti con perdita dell’udito per le frequenze acute ha permesso di ottenere risultati migliori rispetto all’utilizzo delle protesi tradizionali. Basandoci su questi dati, gli AMEI hanno offerto risultati oggettivi e soggettivi migliori, e pertanto, potrebbero rappresentare una valida alternativa per il trattamento delle ipoacusie con audiogramma in discesa

Time and Amplitude of Afterpulse Measured with a Large Size Photomultiplier Tube

We have studied the afterpulse of a hemispherical photomultiplier tube for an upcoming reactor neutrino experiment. The timing, the amplitude, and the rate of the afterpulse for a 10 inch photomultiplier tube were measured with a 400 MHz FADC up to 16 \ms time window after the initial signal generated by an LED light pulse. The time and amplitude correlation of the afterpulse shows several distinctive groups. We describe the dependencies of the afterpulse on the applied high voltage and the amplitude of the main light pulse. The present data could shed light upon the general mechanism of the afterpulse.Comment: 11 figure

Fast-ion redistribution and loss due to edge perturbations in the ASDEX Upgrade, DIII-D and KSTAR tokamaks

The impact of edge localized modes (ELMs) and externally applied resonant and non-resonant magnetic perturbations (MPs) on fast-ion confinement/transport have been investigated in the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG), DIII-D and KSTAR tokamaks. Two phases with respect to the ELM cycle can be clearly distinguished in ELM-induced fast-ion losses. Inter-ELM losses are characterized by a coherent modulation of the plasma density around the separatrix while intra-ELM losses appear as well-defined bursts. In high collisionality plasmas with mitigated ELMs, externally applied MPs have little effect on kinetic profiles, including fast-ions, while a strong impact on kinetic profiles is observed in low-collisionality, low q 95 plasmas with resonant and non-resonant MPs. In low-collisionality H-mode plasmas, the large fast-ion filaments observed during ELMs are replaced by a loss of fast-ions with a broad-band frequency and an amplitude of up to an order of magnitude higher than the neutral beam injection prompt loss signal without MPs. A clear synergy in the overall fast-ion transport is observed between MPs and neoclassical tearing modes. Measured fast-ion losses are typically on banana orbits that explore the entire pedestal/scrape-off layer. The fast-ion response to externally applied MPs presented here may be of general interest for the community to better understand the MP field penetration and overall plasma response.Ministerio de Economía y Empresa ((RYC-2011-09152 y ENE2012-31087)Marie Curie (Grant PCIG11-GA-2012-321455)US Department of Energy (DE-FC02-04ER54698, SC-G903402, DE-FG02-04ER54761, DE-AC02-09CH11466 and DE-FG02- 08ER54984)NRF Korea contract 2009-0082012MEST under the KSTAR projec

Vegetation in urban streets, squares, and courtyards

One of various ways in which vegetation cover used in the greening of urban areas can help improve the health and well-being of people is in how it changes the acoustic environment. This chapter presents findings of computer simulations and scale modelling to examine and quantify the effectiveness of green roof and green wall (vertical garden) systems in reducing road traffic noise for streets, squares, and roadside courtyards. Noise reduction by sound absorption in reflected and diffracted (over roofs) sound paths is investigated. Particular attention is paid to the importance of vegetation placement relative to the receiver/listening positions. Because the soil substrate used for the vertical walls has good sound absorption properties, it also can be used for green barriers. In this chapter, the effects of a low barrier made of green wall substrate are studied for an installation on the ground and on the top of buildings surrounding a courtyard

Search for sterile neutrino oscillation using RENO and NEOS data

We present a reactor model independent search for sterile neutrino oscillation using 2\,509\,days of RENO near detector data and 180 days of NEOS data. The reactor related systematic uncertainties are significantly suppressed as both detectors are located at the same reactor complex of Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant. The search is performed by electron antineutrino\,($\overline{\nu}_e$) disappearance between six reactors and two detectors with baselines of 294\,m\,(RENO) and 24\,m\,(NEOS). A spectral comparison of the NEOS prompt-energy spectrum with a no-oscillation prediction from the RENO measurement can explore reactor $\overline{\nu}_e$ oscillations to sterile neutrino. Based on the comparison, we obtain a 95\% C.L. excluded region of $0.1<|\Delta m_{41}^2|<7$\,eV$^2$. We also obtain a 68\% C.L. allowed region with the best fit of $|\Delta m_{41}^2|=2.41\,\pm\,0.03\,$\,eV$^2$ and $\sin^2 2\theta_{14}$=0.08$\,\pm\,$0.03 with a p-value of 8.2\%. Comparisons of obtained reactor antineutrino spectra at reactor sources are made among RENO, NEOS, and Daya Bay to find a possible spectral variation.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures: This manuscript has been significantly revised by the joint reanalysis by RENO and NEOS Collaborations. (In the previous edition, the RENO collaboration used publicly available NEOS data to evaluate the expected neutrino spectrum at NEOS.

Toolbox from the EC FP7 HOSANNA project for the reduction of road and rail traffic noise in the outdoor environment

yesThis paper offers a brief overview of innovative methods for road and rail traffic noise reduction between source and receiver. These include using new barrier designs, planting of trees, treatments of ground and road surfaces and greening of building façades and roofs using natural materials, like vegetation, soil and other substrates in combination with recycled materials and artificial elements. The abatements are assessed in terms of numerically predicted sound level reductions, perceptual effects and cost–benefit analysis. Useful reductions of noise from urban roads and tramways are predicted for 1-m-high urban noise barriers and these are increased by adding inter-lane barriers. A 3 m wide 0.3 m high lattice ground treatment, a carefully planted 15-m-wide tree belt and replacing 50 m of paved areas by grassland are predicted to give similar reductions. Tree belts are shown to be very cost-effective and combining tall barriers with a row of trees reduces the negative impact of wind. Green roofs may significantly reduce the noise at the quiet side of buildings

Tracking Performance of the Scintillating Fiber Detector in the K2K Experiment

The K2K long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment uses a Scintillating Fiber Detector (SciFi) to reconstruct charged particles produced in neutrino interactions in the near detector. We describe the track reconstruction algorithm and the performance of the SciFi after three years of operation.Comment: 24pages,18 figures, and 1 table. Preprint submitted to NI

Classification of a supersolid: Trial wavefunctions, Symmetry breakings and Excitation spectra

A state of matter is characterized by its symmetry breaking and elementary excitations. A supersolid is a state which breaks both translational symmetry and internal $U(1)$ symmetry. Here, we review some past and recent works in phenomenological Ginsburg-Landau theories, ground state trial wavefunctions and microscopic numerical calculations. We also write down a new effective supersolid Hamiltonian on a lattice. The eigenstates of the Hamiltonian contains both the ground state wavefunction and all the excited states (supersolidon) wavefunctions. We contrast various kinds of supersolids in both continuous systems and on lattices, both condensed matter and cold atom systems. We provide additional new insights in studying their order parameters, symmetry breaking patterns, the excitation spectra and detection methods.Comment: REVTEX4, 19 pages, 3 figure

Measurement of single pi0 production in neutral current neutrino interactions with water by a 1.3 GeV wide band muon neutrino beam

Neutral current single pi0 production induced by neutrinos with a mean energy of 1.3 GeV is measured at a 1000 ton water Cherenkov detector as a near detector of the K2K long baseline neutrino experiment. The cross section for this process relative to the total charged current cross section is measured to be 0.064 +- 0.001 (stat.) +- 0.007 (sys.). The momentum distribution of produced pi0s is measured and is found to be in good agreement with an expectation from the present knowledge of the neutrino cross sections.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Evidence for muon neutrino oscillation in an accelerator-based experiment

We present results for muon neutrino oscillation in the KEK to Kamioka (K2K) long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. K2K uses an accelerator-produced muon neutrino beam with a mean energy of 1.3 GeV directed at the Super-Kamiokande detector. We observed the energy dependent disappearance of muon neutrino, which we presume have oscillated to tau neutrino. The probability that we would observe these results if there is no neutrino oscillation is 0.0050% (4.0 sigma).Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure