CONSIDERATIONS ON THE AGE OF THE “GLIMEE” IN TRANSYLVANIA

The paper is a synthesis of the palynological studies that have addressed the age of landslides in Transylvania. We discuss the configuration of the paleo-vegetation in the respective areas, but also the probable factors, abiotic or biotic, which promoted the landslides and the relative period when they occurred in Transylvania. The analysis indicates two major periods of onset for landslides, the Pleistocene and Holocene.

Velocity Profiler Optimization for High Precision Linear Servo Drives

When installing a servo linear electric drive on platforms with supports of passive vibration isolation during positioning, elastic vibrations occur with the natural frequency of the elastic platform. The features of the velocity profile of such an electric drive with the ability to limit the jerk are considered. A mathematical model and a structural diagram of an elastic system are presented. When simulating such a system, the dependences of overshoot on the relative period of vibrations were obtained. It is shown that the optimal jerk time - from the point of view of minimizing the overshoot - is its value equal to the period of the 1st resonance of the "elastic" platform. The calculation of the minimum value of the displacement, at which the efficiency of the choice of the optimal value of the jerk, is ensured. The proposed choice of the optimal jerk time is confirmed by the experimental study.

The usefulness of the acoustic and the capacity analysis of singing voice

Introduction: The aim of the study was to assess the acoustic and capacity analysis of singing voice using DiagnoScope Specialist software. Material and methods: The study was conducted in 120 adults subjects, including 74 women and 46 men aged 21-5, were divided into 3 groups: I -40 subjects (treatment group) – professional vocalists, II- 40 subjects (treatment group) – semiprofessional vocalists, III- 40 subjects (control group) – students of The Military Medical Faculty at Medical University of Lodz – nonsingers. The research methodology included: primary medical history, physical examination (otolaryngological), vdeolaryngoscopic examination, the GRBAS scale for subjective voice evaluation, diagnostic voice acoustic and capacity analysis using DiagnoScope Specialist software, survey on lifestyle patterns which may affect voice quality. Results: Average value of the fundamental frequency F0 was the highest in professional vocalists’ group was 316,46 Hz in women and 165,09 Hz in men, in semiprofessional vocalists’ group was accordingly 260,50 Hz and 149,26 Hz, in nonsingers’ group was accordingly 261,23 Hz and 159, 27 Hz. Average value of Jitter parameter in professional vocalists’ group was 0,30% in women and 0,54% in men, in semiprofessional vocalists’ group was accordingly 0,31% and 0,57%, in nonsingers’ group was 0,31% and 0,56%. Average value of Shimmer parameter in professional vocalists’ group was 3,27% in women and 3,75% in men, in semiprofessional vocalists’ group was accordingly 3,46% and 3,77%, in nonsingers’ group was 4,33% and 4,39%. Average value of NHR index in professional vocalists’ group was 3,28% in women and 6,00% in men, in semiprofessional vocalists’ group was accordingly 3,23% and 6,72%, in nonsingers’ group was 3,89% and 6,13%. Conclusions: Values of the parameters which are measuring the character of the voice, relative period-to-period fundamental frequency perturbations, relative period-to-period amplitude perturbation and level of buzzing together with other methods have diagnostic and predictive value in early detection of voice disorders. Capacity analysis in singing voice showed very low values of the following parameters: phonation time, true phonation time, no phonation coefficient, voice efficiency coefficient and voice capacity. Key words: The acoustic and capacity analysis, singing voice

Accurate Integration of Nonlinear Systems Using Newmark Explicit Method

In the step-by-step solution of a linear elastic system, an appropriate time step can be selected based on analytical evaluation resultsHowever, there is no way to select an appropriate time step for accurate integration of a nonlinear system. In this study, numerical properties of the Newmark explicit method are analytically evaluated after introducing the instantaneous degree of nonlinearity. It is found that the upper stability limit is equal to 2 only for a linear elastic system. In general, it reduces for instantaneous stiffness hardening and it is enlarged for instantaneous stiffness softening. Furthermore, the absolute relative period error increases with the increase of instantaneous degree of nonlinearity for a given product of the natural frequency and the time step. The rough guidelines for accurate integration of a nonlinear system are also proposed in this paper based on the analytical evaluation results. Analytical evaluation results and the feasibility of the rough guidelines proposed for accurate integration of a nonlinear system are confirmed with numerical examples.

Analytical Exploration of the Time History Analysis of Shock Response

It was experienced that a very small time step may be needed in the solution of the shock response from an impulse. In fact, this time step might be much smaller than the time step to have accurate representation of the impulse and negligible period distortion. It is theoretically verified that this difficulty is arising from the discontinuity in external force at the end of an impulse. In addition, a technique to estimate the relative amplitude error caused by this discontinuity is also developed. In fact, the accuracy of the shock response from a linear impulse is thoroughly explored both in amplitude and in period. Analytical results show that the accuracy is almost entirely dominated by the relative amplitude error tbr the impulse with significant discontinuity in external force at the end of the loading duration. Meanwhile, for the impulse without any discontinuity numerical accuracy is controlled by the relative period error in the solution of the shock response. Finally, guidelines to have accurate shock response from an impulse are proposed.

Surface EMG and Related Measures in Normal and Vocally Hyperfunctional Speakers

Surface electromyographic (EMG) signals were detected from the laryngeal area of 7 normal and 7 vocally hyperfunctional speakers during rest, two resisted-force maneuvers, vowel production, and connected speech. Vowel fundamental frequency, absolute and relative period perturbation, laryngeal-palpation ratings, and harshness ratings were acquired as well. The two groups differed significantly on all EMG measures except those associated with the resisted-force maneuvers, the vowel EMG-to-rest EMG ratio, and the speech EMG-to-rest EMG ratio. Moderately high correlations were evident between selected clinical measures and speech EMG values.