Reduction of speech signal deformation in patients after nasal septum surgery (Septolplasty)

Nasal blockage belongs to the most common symptoms of nasal diseases in vocal tract area. At the same frequency there appear acoustic symptoms, existing as the change of human voice color. Vocal and articulation disorders of the ear, nose ane throat are usually observed in the form of closed rhinolalia and this observation can be performed both by patients and other listeners as well. Nasal polyps and nasal septum deviation are frequent reason of nasal blockage connected in consequence with decreased nasal ventilation. One of the main principles of the surgical treatment performed in mentioned situations is the restoration of nasal patency. The evaluation of the influence of nasal surgery on intensification of acoustic symptoms depends on verification of parameters of the human speech signal, so it was necessary to apply objective methods. That allowed to combine results of acoustic analysis with patient's subjective feeling and rhinomanometric evaluation of nasal patency. The main purpose of this research was to objectively evaluate the influence of surgical treatment improving nasal patency on deformation of the voice of operated patients

Lawson criterion for ignition exceeded in an inertial fusion experiment

For more than half a century, researchers around the world have been engaged in attempts to achieve fusion ignition as a proof of principle of various fusion concepts. Following the Lawson criterion, an ignited plasma is one where the fusion heating power is high enough to overcome all the physical processes that cool the fusion plasma, creating a positive thermodynamic feedback loop with rapidly increasing temperature. In inertially confined fusion, ignition is a state where the fusion plasma can begin "burn propagation" into surrounding cold fuel, enabling the possibility of high energy gain. While "scientific breakeven" (i.e., unity target gain) has not yet been achieved (here target gain is 0.72, 1.37 MJ of fusion for 1.92 MJ of laser energy), this Letter reports the first controlled fusion experiment, using laser indirect drive, on the National Ignition Facility to produce capsule gain (here 5.8) and reach ignition by nine different formulations of the Lawson criterion

Wpływ parametrów znaku o zmiennej treści na bezpieczeństwo i niezawodność systemu zarządzania ruchem drogowym

The topic of the variable message signs presented in this article was analysed in the aspect of proper choice of the light beam distribution angle. It was proven that the proper control of the beam is justified, depending on the road type and it’s course, since the proper distribution angle lead to a compromise of effectiveness and reliability. The effectiveness is a result of the S-U-U criterion (see - understand - use), and the important for the object lifespan growth in the reliability is a result of lowering the power. The natural context of the discussion, especially in regard to the conscious moulding the traffic security level, are the main national and union standards.Przedstawiona w artykule problematyka znaków o zmiennej treści została przeanalizowana w aspekcie właściwego doboru kąta dystrybucji wiązki świetlnej. Wykazano, że uzasadniona jest należyta kontrola tej wiązki, w zależności od rodzaju drogi i jej przebiegu, ponieważ właściwy kąt dystrybucji światła prowadzi do kompromisu efektywności i niezawodności. Efektywność wynika z kryterium Z-Z-Z (zauważyć – zrozumieć – zastosować), a istotny dla czasu życia obiektu wzrost niezawodności jest rezultatem obniżenia prądu zasilania. Naturalny kontekst dyskusji, zwłaszcza w odniesieniu do świadomego kształtowania poziomu bezpieczeństwa ruchu drogowego, stanowią krajowe i unijne normy prawne

Algorytm numeryczny Particle-in-Cell dla problemu elektrostatycznego

Existing global models of interaction between the solar wind (SW) and the local interstellar medium (LISM) describe the heliosphere that arises as a result of this interaction. There is a strong motivation to develop a kinetic model using the Particle-in-Cell (PIC) method to describe phenomena which appear in the heliosphere. This is however a long term scientific goal. This paper describes an electrostatic Particle-in-Cell numerical model developed in the Institute of Aviation in Warsaw, winch includes mechanical and charge exchange collisions between particles in the probabilistic manner using Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method. This is the first step into developing simulations of the heliosphere incorporating kinetic effects in collisionless plasmas. In this paper we focus only on presenting the work, which have been done on the numerical PIC algorithm.Istniejące globalne modele oddziaływania wiatru słonecznego (SW) z lokalną materią międzygwiazdową (LISM) opisują heliosferę, która powstaje w wyniku interakcji tych dwóch ośrodków. Istnieje silna motywacja do opracowania modelu kinetycznego wykorzystującego metodę Particle-in-Cell (PIC) w celu opisu zjawisk, które zachodzą w heliosferze. Jednakże jest to długoterrninowy cel naukowy. W artykule przedstawiono elektrostatyczny model numeryczny PIC. opracowany w Instytucie Lotnictwa w Warszawie, który obejmuj e kolizje mechaniczne i rezonansową wymianę ładunków pomiędzy cząstkami w sposób probabilistyczny metodą Direct Simulation Monte Carlo. Jest to pierwszy krok w opracowywaniu symulacji heliosfery zawierającej efekty kinetyczne w plazmach bezzderzeniowych. W tym artykule koncentrujemy się tylko na prezentowaniu prac, które zostały wykonane z wykorzystaniem algorytmu numerycznego PIC

System preselekcyjnego pomiaru parametrów pojazdów samochodowych w ruchu

Heavy goods vehicles moving on public roads are driven by people belonging to all walks of society, including those, who for the price paid by others are ready to multiply their own profits. This problem is discussed in the article, in particular in terms of overloading car's. There is pointed out on the technical implications of such actions. Later in the paper are presented the basic assumptions of lorries pre-selection weighting, which could be treated as a potential reason to the implementation of time-consuming exact weighting procedure. The discussion of hardware-software solution of pre-selection weighing systems was related to practical applications in national conditions. The article highlighted the problem of dynamic effects, significantly influencing the process of weighting in motion.Pojazdy ciężarowe poruszające się po drogach publicznych kierowane są przez ludzi należących do pełnego przekroju społecznego, w tym także takich, którzy za cenę płaconą przez innych są gotowi do pomnażania własnych zysków. Problem ten poruszono w artykule, w szczególności w aspekcie przeciążenia samochodu. Wskazano na skutki techniczne takiego działania. W dalszej części opracowania przedstawiono podstawowe założenia preselekcyjnego ważenia samochodów ciężarowych, stanowiącego przyczynek do wykonania czasochłonnej procedury ważenia dokładnego. Dyskusję rozwiązania sprzętowo-programowego systemów ważenia preselekcyjnego odniesiono do praktycznych aplikacji w warunkach krajowych. W artykule zwrócono uwagę na problematykę dynamicznych efektów, istotnie wpływających na proces ważenia w czasie ruchu pojazdu

The management system of detours in urban areas

This article presents a concept of detour management system for the traffic flow that run through congested areas of the urban agglomerations. This system, using the wide range of the ITS devices, allows to judge the current traffic conditions on the highly urbanized areas and, on the basis of the received data, direct the traffic on the alternative routes, by means of an active traffic information system

Data from: No support for the sexy‐sperm hypothesis in the seed beetle: sons of monandrous females fare better in post‐copulatory competition

The sexy-sperm hypothesis posits that polyandrous females derive an indirect fitness benefit from multi-male mating because they increase the probability their eggs are fertilized by males whose sperm have high fertilizing efficiency, which is assumed to be heritable and conferred on their sons. However, whether this process occurs is contentious because father-to-son heritability may be constrained by the genetic architecture underlying traits important in sperm competition within certain species. Previous empirical work has revealed such genetic constraints in the seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus, a model system in sperm competition studies in which female multi-male mating is ubiquitous. Using the seed beetle, I tested a critical prediction of the sexy-sperm hypothesis that polyandrous females produce sons that are on average more successful under sperm competition than sons from monandrous females. Contrary to the prediction of the sexy-sperm hypothesis, I found that sons from monandrous females had significantly higher relative paternity in competitive double matings. Moreover, post-hoc analyses revealed that these sons produced significantly larger ejaculates when second to mate, despite being smaller. This study is the first to provide empirical evidence for post-copulatory processes favoring monandrous sons and discusses potential explanations for the unexpected bias in paternity