SPATIAL EFFECTS: 3D MOVEMENT OF A VIRTUAL SOUND SOURCE

This document intends to explain the audio development project proposed to emulate the spatial effect of having a sound source moving in a 3D sonic environment. Throughout this document the reader will see a detailed explanation of how the problem was approached, the specific requirements needed to achieve the result, how this requirements were implemented using MatLab coding and how the end product was tested to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution provided. MatLab files will also be provided so that the reader can associate the concepts being described in order to have a better understanding of the process followed to develop this application.Architecture & Allied Art

SPATIAL EFFECTS: 3D MOVEMENT OF A VIRTUAL SOUND SOURCE

This document intends to give the reader a first approach into the spatial effects aimed to recreate three dimensional sound atmospheres using a set of headphones as the auditory source for the listener. Throughout this document the reader will find an introductory approach to the spatial audio effects that will directly affect the results expected of a well-designed simulated 3D sound environment. The analysis of these effects will allow the reader a better understanding of the expected outcome of their application in recreating such environment through a set of headphones.Architecture & Allied Art

Constraints on the equation of state of dark energy and the Hubble constant from stellar ages and the CMB

We place tight constraints on the redshift-averaged, effective value of the equation of state of dark energy, w, using only the absolute ages of Galactic stars and the observed position of the first peak in the angular power spectrum of the CMB. We find w<-0.8 at the 68% confidence level. If we further consider that w > -1, this finding suggests that within our uncertainties, dark energy is indistinguishable from a classical vacuum energy term. We detect a correlation between the ages of the oldest galaxies and their redshift. This opens up the possibility of measuring w(z) by computing the relative ages of the oldest galaxies in the universe as a function of redshift, dz/dt. We show that this is a realistic possibility by computing dz/dt at z~0 from SDSS galaxies and obtain an independent estimate for the Hubble constant, H_0 = 69 \pm 12 km s-1 Mpc-1. The small number of galaxies considered at z>0.2 does not yield, currently, a precise determination of w(z), but shows that the age--redshift relation is consistent with a Standard LCDM universe with $w=-1$.Comment: Submitted to Ap

Compensatory Mortality in a Multiple Carnivore System: Consequences for Elk Calf Survival and Elk Population Dynamics in the Southern Bitterroot Valley

The recent expansion of large carnivores in North America may dramatically alter the population dynamics of their primary ungulate prey species. In response to declining elk (Cervus elaphus) calf recruitment in the southern Bitterroot Valley of Montana, we initiated a 3-yr study to determine the relative importance of top-down and bottom-up processes in explaining elk recruitment rates. We predicted that forage quality would interact with predation risk across the landscape, causing predation on elk calves to become more compensatory in areas of higher forage quality. Continuous-time survival modeling will be used to estimate the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down processes in explaining calf survival, and test the interaction of predation risk and forage quality. Overall, male elk calves have a 62.7-percent higher risk of mortality than females, and annual survival rates have significantly varied among years, with estimates of 0.27 in 2011, 0.42 in 2012, and 0.55 thus far in 2013. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are the most important mortality source for elk calves, with cause-specific mortality rates of 0.17 for lions; 0.04 for black bears (Ursus americana); 0.03 for wolves (Canis lupus); 0.08 for unknown predators; 0.10 for unknown; 0.04 for natural, non-predation; and 0.008 for human-related events. Calf survival data, together with adult survival, nutrition, and carnivore population data, will be used to develop an integrated population model to forecast the effect of habitat and carnivore densities on elk population trends. This tool may help managers balance carnivore and ungulate population objectives and is applicable across all areas experiencing carnivore recovery

Volúmenes molares aparentes de los anestésicos procaína-HCl y lidocaína-HCl en agua a temperaturas entre 278,15 y 313,15 K

La lidocaína-HCl y procaína-HCl son anestésicos locales ampliamente usados en procedimientos quirúrgicos menores, sin embargo la información fisicoquímica acerca de su comportamiento volumétrico, así como de otras propiedades fisicoquímicas, aún es incompleta en la actualidad. Por esta razón, en este artículo se presentan los valores de densidad de algunas soluciones acuosas de estos dos fármacos en función de la concentración (desde 0,0500 hasta 0,5000) mol kg–1 a diferentes temperaturas (278,15, 283,15, 288,15, 293,15, 298,15, 303,15, 308,15 y 313,15 K). Así mismo se presentan los volúmenes molares aparentes y volúmenes molares parciales a dilución infinita de los fármacos como electrolitos, y de otro lado, los volúmenes molares parciales a dilución infinita de los fármacos moleculares y las expansibilidades molares, los cuales fueron calculados a partir de los valores de densidad y composición de las mezclas. Los resultados obtenidos se interpretan en términos de interacciones soluto-solvente.Lidocaine-HCl and procaine-HCl are local anesthetic drugs widely used in minor chirurgic procedures, nevertheless, physicochemical information about their volumetric behavior, as well as for other aqueous properties, is not complete at present. In this context, in this article, densities of aqueous solutions of both drugs have been measured as a function of concentration (from 0.0500 to 0.5000) mol kg–1 at several temperatures, i.e. 278.15, 283.15, 288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15 K. The apparent molar volumes and partial molar volumes at infinite dilution for the electrolyte drugs were calculated, whereas, the partial molar volumes at infinite dilution and partial molar expansibilities for the molecular forms were also calculated. The dependence of these properties with temperature is shown. The results are interpreted in terms of interaction solute-solvent.Fil: Delgado, Daniel R.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Jimenez Kairuz, Alvaro Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Manzo, Ruben Hilario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Vargas, Edgar F.. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Martinez, Fleming. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Colombi

Cosmic Chronometers: Constraining the Equation of State of Dark Energy. I: H(z) Measurements

We present new determinations of the cosmic expansion history from red-envelope galaxies. We have obtained for this purpose high-quality spectra with the Keck-LRIS spectrograph of red-envelope galaxies in 24 galaxy clusters in the redshift range 0.2 < z < 1.0. We complement these Keck spectra with high-quality, publicly available archival spectra from the SPICES and VVDS surveys. We improve over our previous expansion history measurements in Simon et al. (2005) by providing two new determinations of the expansion history: H(z) = 97 +- 62 km/sec/Mpc at z = 0.5 and H(z) = 90 +- 40 km/sec/Mpc at z = 0.8. We discuss the uncertainty in the expansion history determination that arises from uncertainties in the synthetic stellar-population models. We then use these new measurements in concert with cosmic-microwave-background (CMB) measurements to constrain cosmological parameters, with a special emphasis on dark-energy parameters and constraints to the curvature. In particular, we demonstrate the usefulness of direct H(z) measurements by constraining the dark- energy equation of state parameterized by w0 and wa and allowing for arbitrary curvature. Further, we also constrain, using only CMB and H(z) data, the number of relativistic degrees of freedom to be 4 +- 0.5 and their total mass to be < 0.2 eV, both at 1-sigma.Comment: Submitted to JCA

A Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurial Approach for Business Intelligence in Strategic Technologies: Bio-Mems

We propose a knowledge-based entrepreneurial (KBE) approach for business intelligence in strategic technologies at industrial sectors. The KBE approach is at the convergence of business intelligence and knowledge management and is used for advising users in business decisions and potential risks. Our approach comprises both a technology roadmap model as well as a knowledge-based entrepreneurial portal for various technologies. We use the Biological-Micro-Electrical-and- Mechanical-Systems industry (Bio-MEMS) to illustrate the approach. The technology roadmap model identifies the main actors, defines their roles and specifies the issues to be addressed. It handles information about main products, market trends, companies, research centers, application domains, products, standardization, and intellectual properties issues. The portal provides knowledge about the main actors through automation facilities based on digital libraries, searching and knowledge extraction from databases, data-ware houses and the Web. We explain how the KBE is helping Bio-MEMS users in business analysis