<p>The expansion of wind energy production creates an increase in wind turbine (WT) noise. The purpose of this paper is to examine if a possible reduction of WT noise might be achieved by adding natural ambient sounds, so called auditory masking. A loudness experiment was conducted to explore this possibility, using four ambient sounds of trees, birds and water as maskers. Sixteen listeners assessed the loudness of WT noise heard alone or in the presence of 40 dB masking sounds, using the method of magnitude estimation. Partial masking of WT noise was found in the presence of all ambient sounds. The masking effect corresponded to a dB-reduction of the WT noise from a few dB for signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) close to 0 dB up to around 10 dB at -15 dB S/N. These results indicate that addition of ambient sounds may be a useful method for masking unwanted noise from wind turbines.</p>

Cause-Related Marketing(CRM), which was initiated by American Express Company in 1981 to support the arts in San Francisco raising fund. Many academic researches have tried to discover the benefit and risk of CRM since 1990s. Print advertisement is a main channel for CRM. Therefore, how to structure CRM ads, especially for the focus of visual component, will be important in CRM campaigns. Based on previous studies relevant to charitable donations, this study compares the effects of cause-focused and product-focused CRM ads through experimental design method. In addition, donation magnitude and consumer mood are also considered to observe how they sway the effectiveness of CRM ads. The present study employs an experimental design to investigate the effects of the types of visual component (cause-focused vs. product-focused), donation magnitude (5% of invoice price vs. 20% of invoice price) and consumer mood (positive vs. negative) on CRM effectiveness. A 2x2x2 factorial design is conducted. Eight different scenarios are established and the ad effects are measured by purchase intention and attitude toward the brand. The results indicate that the cause-focused ads are more effective than the product-focused ads. Although donation magnitude does not make a difference in a cause-focused ad, but low donation magnitude leads to higher purchase intention when a product-focused ad is presented. Positive mood facilitates the advertising effects of cause-focused ads. Finally, low donation magnitude and positive mood enhance the advertising effects of product-focused ads. The implications of these findings are discussed as well as the limitations and directions for future research.

An exploratory study of the geomorphology of Florida's springs was conducted using morphometric analysis. Spatial datasets for spring locations, elevation data, physiography, geology and hydrography were acquired for incorporation and analysis with GIS technology. ArcGIS 9 was used to measure certain morphometric parameters from the spatial data for Florida's springs. Other Parameters representing physical and dimensional characteristics of the springs were acquired from FGS Bulletin 66, Springs of Florida. All measured and collected data was compiled into a usable morphometric database. The data is described statistically and summarized according to the spatial distribution of Florida's springs with respect to geology and landforms. This examination is carried out at two different scales; 1) the entire population of Florida's 754 springs is examined with emphasis placed upon geology, physiography, and elevation, 2) a subset of 102 springs that is deemed to be a representative sample is examined according to all morphometric parameters. It was concluded that the presence of karst terrain at the majority of the spring sites that were examined in this study is the prevailing factor that has influenced where springs have resurged in Florida. This was observed at both scales in the study. It is also concluded that spring sites in Florida are strongly linked to lower elevations, and therefore that elevation also influences their distribution. Suggestions for future research are posed, including specific ways in which the current methodology can be expanded upon and improved.

Fifty-eight children of varying math abilities, ranging in age from 7 to 8 years, were tested to investigate the influence of certain low-level cognitive abilities on their use of spatial representations of number magnitude (i.e., the so-called mental number line). A number-line estimation task and a number comparison task were administered to measure their use of the mental number line. A combined spatial-cueing and flanker task was used to assess three attention networks: executive functioning, alerting, and visual attention orienting. Visuospatial working memory was assessed with a mental rotation task, and intelligence was measured with a short-form IQ test. Regression results showed that visuospatial working memory ability was related to performance on the mental number line tasks. Hence, children with stronger visuospatial working memory ability are able to more efficiently manipulate the mental number line, and thus perform better on tasks involving understanding of number magnitude. / October 2015

The expansion of wind energy production creates an increase in wind turbine (WT) noise. The purpose of this paper is to examine if a possible reduction of WT noise might be achieved by adding natural ambient sounds, so called auditory masking. A loudness experiment was conducted to explore this possibility, using four ambient sounds of trees, birds and water as maskers. Sixteen listeners assessed the loudness of WT noise heard alone or in the presence of 40 dB masking sounds, using the method of magnitude estimation. Partial masking of WT noise was found in the presence of all ambient sounds. The masking effect corresponded to a dB-reduction of the WT noise from a few dB for signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) close to 0 dB up to around 10 dB at -15 dB S/N. These results indicate that addition of ambient sounds may be a useful method for masking unwanted noise from wind turbines.

No presente trabalho estudamos aglomerados abertos e/ou grupos estelares não tão densos com o objetivo de identificar prováveis estágios dinâmicos evoluídos de aglomerados abertos. A seleção dos grupos estelares partiu de uma lista de candidatos relativamente concentrados mas pouco povoados que seriam prováveis candidatos ao fenômeno dinâmico buscado (Bica et aI. 2001 [7]). Estes candidatos estão localizados a latitudes Galáticas relativamente altas (Ibl > 15°). Os grupos estelares NGC 1252 e NGC 1901 foram estudados nas bandas B e V através de fotometria CCD. O aglomerado aberto clássico velho M67 (NGC 2682) e o grupo estelar NGC 2664 foram estudados nas bandas J e H com dados do catálogo infravermelho 2MASS. NGC 1252 é uma concentração com aproximadamente 20 estrelas localizada a 20' ao norte das coordenadas originais no New General Catalogue, e a sudoeste da extensa região previamente indicada como sendo o objeto na literatura. O diagrama cor-magnitude de NGC 1252 sugere um turnoff e uma sequência principal, e um total de 12 prováveis membros. Simulamos um diagrama cor-magnitude do campo Galático na direção de cada um dos grupos estelares. Para NGC 1252 a simulação não apresentou semelhanças com o mesmo, e sugere que NGC 1252 não se trate de uma flutuação de campo. O ajuste de isócronas para os prováveis membros é consistente com um avermelhamento E(B-V) = 0.02, uma distância ao Sol d0 = 0.64 ± 0.07 kpc (Z = -0.46 kpc) e uma idade de 3 ± 1 Gano. Os dados disponíveis indicam que não podemos descartar a possibilidade de NGC 1252 ser um grupo físico, e se o for as evidências apontam não para um aglomerado aberto clássico mas sim um aglomerado aberto remanescente. NGC 1901 é freqüentemente descrito como um aglomerado aberto, encontramos uma clara sequência principal e similaridade com as Hyades. Obtivemos um avermelhamento de E(B-V) = 0.04, d0 = 0.45 ± 0.04kpc (Z = -0.23 kpc) e uma idade de 0.6 ± 1Gano. NGC 1901 é conclusivamente um sistema físico, dinamicamente comparável ou mais evoluído que as Hyades. Como análises com o catálogo 2MASS apenas começam a ser feitas, utilizamos M67 como objeto de comparação. Investigamos também se existe alguma relação entre M67 e NGC 2664, pois estão projetados próximos (~ 1°). Para obtenção dos parâmetros fundamentais de M67 partimos de valores presentes na literatura, que constatamos não estarem perfeitamente estabelecidos. Obtivemos para M67 um avermelhamento E(J-H) = 0.0, d0 = 0.72 ± 0.07kpc, e idade de 3.5 ± 0.5Ganos. Para NGC 2664 obtivemos um diagrama cor-magnitude sugerindo uma sequência principal, e a ocorrência pelo menos de 9 prováveis membros. O ajuste de isócronas é compatível com um avermelhamento E(J-H) = 0.0, d0= 0.69 ± 0.1kpc e idade de 1.5 ± 0.5 Gano. Subtrações estatísticas no diagrama cormagnitude de estrelas de campos circundantes dão apoio a NGC 2664 como um sistema físico. Ele parece ser um remanescente de aglomerado aberto do disco velho com aproximadamente metade da idade de M67. Para uma análise conclusiva são necessários astrometria, velocidades radiais e tipos espectrais para todos os prováveis membros.Aglomerados abertos evoluemdinamicamente e modelos de N-corpos têm indicado que um grande número de remanescentes são esperados próximos à dissolução. Só recentemente iniciaram-se esforços sistemáticos para detectá-Ios observacionalmente. O presente estudo, baseado no diagrama cor-magnitude indica que NGC1252 e NGC 2664 são prováveis candidatos ao fenômeno. NGC 1901 parece ser um elo entre um aglomerado aberto clássico e seus remanecentes. / ln the present work we study open clusters andjor loose stelIar groups in view of identifying probable late stages of open cluster dynamical evolution. The selection of stelIar groups was from a list of relatively concentrated and poorly populated probable candidates to open cluster remnants (Bica et aI. 2001 [7]). These candidates are located at relatively high galactic latitudes (lbl > 15°). The stelIar groups NGC 1252 and NGC 1901 are studied in the B and V bands with CCD photometry. The classical old open cluster M67 (NGC 2682) and the stelIar group NGC 2664 are studied in the J and H bands from the 2MASS survey. NGC 1252 consists of a concentration of about 20 stars centered ~ 20' north of the original New General Catalogue coordinates, and at the southwest edge ofthe large region previously assigned to this object in the literature. The colour-magnitude diagram of NGC 1252 suggests a turnoff and main sequence, and a total of 12 probable members.We simulated the Galactic field colour-magnitude diagrams in the directions of both stelIar groups. The field simulation for NGC 1252 is a poor match, suggesting that NGC 1252 is not a field fluctuation. lsochrone fitting to the probable members is consistent with a reddening E(B- V) = 0.02, a distance from the Sun de:)= 0.64 ± 0.07 Kpc (Z = -0.46 kpc) and an age 3 ± 1 Gyr. NGC 1252 connot be ruled out as a physical group with the available data. If so, evidence is found that it is not a classical open cluster, but rather an open cluster remnant. NGC 1901 is often described as an open cluster. We find a clear main sequence and NGC 1901 shares similarities with the Hyades. We derive E(B- V) = 0.04, de:)= 0.45 ± 0.04 kpc (Z= -0.23 kpc) and an age 0.6 ± 1 Gyr. NGC 1901 is conclusively a physical system, dynamicalIy comparable to or more evolved than the Hyades. The 2MASS infrared photometry is very recent, so we explore it by means of M67, which is used as comparison object. We investigate whether M67 and NGC2664 are related owing to the their angular proximity (~1°). To derive fundamental parameters for M67 we tested literature values, which we realized not to be perfectly established. We obtained for M67 E(J-H) = 0.0, de:) = 0.72 ± 0.07 kpc, and an age 3.5 ± Gyr. For NGC 2664 the colour-magnitude diagram suggests a main sequence, and 9 probable members. lsochrone fitting is compatible with E(J-H) = 0.0, de:)=0.69 ± 1, and an age 1.5 ± 0.5 Gyr. Statistical subtractions of surrounding field color-magnitude diagrams further support NGC 2664 as a physical stelIar group. If so, it appears to be an old disc open cluster remnant with about half the age of M67. For a more conclusive analysis astrometry, radial velocities and spectral types for alI probable members are required. Open clusters dynamically evolve and N-body simulations suggested that many remnants are expected close to dissolution. Only recently more systematic efforts have been made to observationalIy detect open cluster remnants. The present study based on the analysis of colour-magnitude diagrams indicates that NGC 1252 and NGC 2664 are probable candidates to the phenomenon. NGC 1901 appears to be a link between classical open clusters and their remnants.

No presente trabalho estudamos aglomerados abertos e/ou grupos estelares não tão densos com o objetivo de identificar prováveis estágios dinâmicos evoluídos de aglomerados abertos. A seleção dos grupos estelares partiu de uma lista de candidatos relativamente concentrados mas pouco povoados que seriam prováveis candidatos ao fenômeno dinâmico buscado (Bica et aI. 2001 [7]). Estes candidatos estão localizados a latitudes Galáticas relativamente altas (Ibl > 15°). Os grupos estelares NGC 1252 e NGC 1901 foram estudados nas bandas B e V através de fotometria CCD. O aglomerado aberto clássico velho M67 (NGC 2682) e o grupo estelar NGC 2664 foram estudados nas bandas J e H com dados do catálogo infravermelho 2MASS. NGC 1252 é uma concentração com aproximadamente 20 estrelas localizada a 20' ao norte das coordenadas originais no New General Catalogue, e a sudoeste da extensa região previamente indicada como sendo o objeto na literatura. O diagrama cor-magnitude de NGC 1252 sugere um turnoff e uma sequência principal, e um total de 12 prováveis membros. Simulamos um diagrama cor-magnitude do campo Galático na direção de cada um dos grupos estelares. Para NGC 1252 a simulação não apresentou semelhanças com o mesmo, e sugere que NGC 1252 não se trate de uma flutuação de campo. O ajuste de isócronas para os prováveis membros é consistente com um avermelhamento E(B-V) = 0.02, uma distância ao Sol d0 = 0.64 ± 0.07 kpc (Z = -0.46 kpc) e uma idade de 3 ± 1 Gano. Os dados disponíveis indicam que não podemos descartar a possibilidade de NGC 1252 ser um grupo físico, e se o for as evidências apontam não para um aglomerado aberto clássico mas sim um aglomerado aberto remanescente. NGC 1901 é freqüentemente descrito como um aglomerado aberto, encontramos uma clara sequência principal e similaridade com as Hyades. Obtivemos um avermelhamento de E(B-V) = 0.04, d0 = 0.45 ± 0.04kpc (Z = -0.23 kpc) e uma idade de 0.6 ± 1Gano. NGC 1901 é conclusivamente um sistema físico, dinamicamente comparável ou mais evoluído que as Hyades. Como análises com o catálogo 2MASS apenas começam a ser feitas, utilizamos M67 como objeto de comparação. Investigamos também se existe alguma relação entre M67 e NGC 2664, pois estão projetados próximos (~ 1°). Para obtenção dos parâmetros fundamentais de M67 partimos de valores presentes na literatura, que constatamos não estarem perfeitamente estabelecidos. Obtivemos para M67 um avermelhamento E(J-H) = 0.0, d0 = 0.72 ± 0.07kpc, e idade de 3.5 ± 0.5Ganos. Para NGC 2664 obtivemos um diagrama cor-magnitude sugerindo uma sequência principal, e a ocorrência pelo menos de 9 prováveis membros. O ajuste de isócronas é compatível com um avermelhamento E(J-H) = 0.0, d0= 0.69 ± 0.1kpc e idade de 1.5 ± 0.5 Gano. Subtrações estatísticas no diagrama cormagnitude de estrelas de campos circundantes dão apoio a NGC 2664 como um sistema físico. Ele parece ser um remanescente de aglomerado aberto do disco velho com aproximadamente metade da idade de M67. Para uma análise conclusiva são necessários astrometria, velocidades radiais e tipos espectrais para todos os prováveis membros.Aglomerados abertos evoluemdinamicamente e modelos de N-corpos têm indicado que um grande número de remanescentes são esperados próximos à dissolução. Só recentemente iniciaram-se esforços sistemáticos para detectá-Ios observacionalmente. O presente estudo, baseado no diagrama cor-magnitude indica que NGC1252 e NGC 2664 são prováveis candidatos ao fenômeno. NGC 1901 parece ser um elo entre um aglomerado aberto clássico e seus remanecentes. / ln the present work we study open clusters andjor loose stelIar groups in view of identifying probable late stages of open cluster dynamical evolution. The selection of stelIar groups was from a list of relatively concentrated and poorly populated probable candidates to open cluster remnants (Bica et aI. 2001 [7]). These candidates are located at relatively high galactic latitudes (lbl > 15°). The stelIar groups NGC 1252 and NGC 1901 are studied in the B and V bands with CCD photometry. The classical old open cluster M67 (NGC 2682) and the stelIar group NGC 2664 are studied in the J and H bands from the 2MASS survey. NGC 1252 consists of a concentration of about 20 stars centered ~ 20' north of the original New General Catalogue coordinates, and at the southwest edge ofthe large region previously assigned to this object in the literature. The colour-magnitude diagram of NGC 1252 suggests a turnoff and main sequence, and a total of 12 probable members.We simulated the Galactic field colour-magnitude diagrams in the directions of both stelIar groups. The field simulation for NGC 1252 is a poor match, suggesting that NGC 1252 is not a field fluctuation. lsochrone fitting to the probable members is consistent with a reddening E(B- V) = 0.02, a distance from the Sun de:)= 0.64 ± 0.07 Kpc (Z = -0.46 kpc) and an age 3 ± 1 Gyr. NGC 1252 connot be ruled out as a physical group with the available data. If so, evidence is found that it is not a classical open cluster, but rather an open cluster remnant. NGC 1901 is often described as an open cluster. We find a clear main sequence and NGC 1901 shares similarities with the Hyades. We derive E(B- V) = 0.04, de:)= 0.45 ± 0.04 kpc (Z= -0.23 kpc) and an age 0.6 ± 1 Gyr. NGC 1901 is conclusively a physical system, dynamicalIy comparable to or more evolved than the Hyades. The 2MASS infrared photometry is very recent, so we explore it by means of M67, which is used as comparison object. We investigate whether M67 and NGC2664 are related owing to the their angular proximity (~1°). To derive fundamental parameters for M67 we tested literature values, which we realized not to be perfectly established. We obtained for M67 E(J-H) = 0.0, de:) = 0.72 ± 0.07 kpc, and an age 3.5 ± Gyr. For NGC 2664 the colour-magnitude diagram suggests a main sequence, and 9 probable members. lsochrone fitting is compatible with E(J-H) = 0.0, de:)=0.69 ± 1, and an age 1.5 ± 0.5 Gyr. Statistical subtractions of surrounding field color-magnitude diagrams further support NGC 2664 as a physical stelIar group. If so, it appears to be an old disc open cluster remnant with about half the age of M67. For a more conclusive analysis astrometry, radial velocities and spectral types for alI probable members are required. Open clusters dynamically evolve and N-body simulations suggested that many remnants are expected close to dissolution. Only recently more systematic efforts have been made to observationalIy detect open cluster remnants. The present study based on the analysis of colour-magnitude diagrams indicates that NGC 1252 and NGC 2664 are probable candidates to the phenomenon. NGC 1901 appears to be a link between classical open clusters and their remnants.

No presente trabalho estudamos aglomerados abertos e/ou grupos estelares não tão densos com o objetivo de identificar prováveis estágios dinâmicos evoluídos de aglomerados abertos. A seleção dos grupos estelares partiu de uma lista de candidatos relativamente concentrados mas pouco povoados que seriam prováveis candidatos ao fenômeno dinâmico buscado (Bica et aI. 2001 [7]). Estes candidatos estão localizados a latitudes Galáticas relativamente altas (Ibl > 15°). Os grupos estelares NGC 1252 e NGC 1901 foram estudados nas bandas B e V através de fotometria CCD. O aglomerado aberto clássico velho M67 (NGC 2682) e o grupo estelar NGC 2664 foram estudados nas bandas J e H com dados do catálogo infravermelho 2MASS. NGC 1252 é uma concentração com aproximadamente 20 estrelas localizada a 20' ao norte das coordenadas originais no New General Catalogue, e a sudoeste da extensa região previamente indicada como sendo o objeto na literatura. O diagrama cor-magnitude de NGC 1252 sugere um turnoff e uma sequência principal, e um total de 12 prováveis membros. Simulamos um diagrama cor-magnitude do campo Galático na direção de cada um dos grupos estelares. Para NGC 1252 a simulação não apresentou semelhanças com o mesmo, e sugere que NGC 1252 não se trate de uma flutuação de campo. O ajuste de isócronas para os prováveis membros é consistente com um avermelhamento E(B-V) = 0.02, uma distância ao Sol d0 = 0.64 ± 0.07 kpc (Z = -0.46 kpc) e uma idade de 3 ± 1 Gano. Os dados disponíveis indicam que não podemos descartar a possibilidade de NGC 1252 ser um grupo físico, e se o for as evidências apontam não para um aglomerado aberto clássico mas sim um aglomerado aberto remanescente. NGC 1901 é freqüentemente descrito como um aglomerado aberto, encontramos uma clara sequência principal e similaridade com as Hyades. Obtivemos um avermelhamento de E(B-V) = 0.04, d0 = 0.45 ± 0.04kpc (Z = -0.23 kpc) e uma idade de 0.6 ± 1Gano. NGC 1901 é conclusivamente um sistema físico, dinamicamente comparável ou mais evoluído que as Hyades. Como análises com o catálogo 2MASS apenas começam a ser feitas, utilizamos M67 como objeto de comparação. Investigamos também se existe alguma relação entre M67 e NGC 2664, pois estão projetados próximos (~ 1°). Para obtenção dos parâmetros fundamentais de M67 partimos de valores presentes na literatura, que constatamos não estarem perfeitamente estabelecidos. Obtivemos para M67 um avermelhamento E(J-H) = 0.0, d0 = 0.72 ± 0.07kpc, e idade de 3.5 ± 0.5Ganos. Para NGC 2664 obtivemos um diagrama cor-magnitude sugerindo uma sequência principal, e a ocorrência pelo menos de 9 prováveis membros. O ajuste de isócronas é compatível com um avermelhamento E(J-H) = 0.0, d0= 0.69 ± 0.1kpc e idade de 1.5 ± 0.5 Gano. Subtrações estatísticas no diagrama cormagnitude de estrelas de campos circundantes dão apoio a NGC 2664 como um sistema físico. Ele parece ser um remanescente de aglomerado aberto do disco velho com aproximadamente metade da idade de M67. Para uma análise conclusiva são necessários astrometria, velocidades radiais e tipos espectrais para todos os prováveis membros.Aglomerados abertos evoluemdinamicamente e modelos de N-corpos têm indicado que um grande número de remanescentes são esperados próximos à dissolução. Só recentemente iniciaram-se esforços sistemáticos para detectá-Ios observacionalmente. O presente estudo, baseado no diagrama cor-magnitude indica que NGC1252 e NGC 2664 são prováveis candidatos ao fenômeno. NGC 1901 parece ser um elo entre um aglomerado aberto clássico e seus remanecentes. / ln the present work we study open clusters andjor loose stelIar groups in view of identifying probable late stages of open cluster dynamical evolution. The selection of stelIar groups was from a list of relatively concentrated and poorly populated probable candidates to open cluster remnants (Bica et aI. 2001 [7]). These candidates are located at relatively high galactic latitudes (lbl > 15°). The stelIar groups NGC 1252 and NGC 1901 are studied in the B and V bands with CCD photometry. The classical old open cluster M67 (NGC 2682) and the stelIar group NGC 2664 are studied in the J and H bands from the 2MASS survey. NGC 1252 consists of a concentration of about 20 stars centered ~ 20' north of the original New General Catalogue coordinates, and at the southwest edge ofthe large region previously assigned to this object in the literature. The colour-magnitude diagram of NGC 1252 suggests a turnoff and main sequence, and a total of 12 probable members.We simulated the Galactic field colour-magnitude diagrams in the directions of both stelIar groups. The field simulation for NGC 1252 is a poor match, suggesting that NGC 1252 is not a field fluctuation. lsochrone fitting to the probable members is consistent with a reddening E(B- V) = 0.02, a distance from the Sun de:)= 0.64 ± 0.07 Kpc (Z = -0.46 kpc) and an age 3 ± 1 Gyr. NGC 1252 connot be ruled out as a physical group with the available data. If so, evidence is found that it is not a classical open cluster, but rather an open cluster remnant. NGC 1901 is often described as an open cluster. We find a clear main sequence and NGC 1901 shares similarities with the Hyades. We derive E(B- V) = 0.04, de:)= 0.45 ± 0.04 kpc (Z= -0.23 kpc) and an age 0.6 ± 1 Gyr. NGC 1901 is conclusively a physical system, dynamicalIy comparable to or more evolved than the Hyades. The 2MASS infrared photometry is very recent, so we explore it by means of M67, which is used as comparison object. We investigate whether M67 and NGC2664 are related owing to the their angular proximity (~1°). To derive fundamental parameters for M67 we tested literature values, which we realized not to be perfectly established. We obtained for M67 E(J-H) = 0.0, de:) = 0.72 ± 0.07 kpc, and an age 3.5 ± Gyr. For NGC 2664 the colour-magnitude diagram suggests a main sequence, and 9 probable members. lsochrone fitting is compatible with E(J-H) = 0.0, de:)=0.69 ± 1, and an age 1.5 ± 0.5 Gyr. Statistical subtractions of surrounding field color-magnitude diagrams further support NGC 2664 as a physical stelIar group. If so, it appears to be an old disc open cluster remnant with about half the age of M67. For a more conclusive analysis astrometry, radial velocities and spectral types for alI probable members are required. Open clusters dynamically evolve and N-body simulations suggested that many remnants are expected close to dissolution. Only recently more systematic efforts have been made to observationalIy detect open cluster remnants. The present study based on the analysis of colour-magnitude diagrams indicates that NGC 1252 and NGC 2664 are probable candidates to the phenomenon. NGC 1901 appears to be a link between classical open clusters and their remnants.

Speech signal processing for voice communications can be characterised in terms of silence compression, noise reduction, and speech compression. The limit in the channel bandwidth of voice communication systems requires efficient compression of speech and silence signals while retaining the voice quality. Silence compression by means of both voice activity detection (VAD) and comfort noise generation could present transparent speech-quality while substantially lowering the transmission bit-rate, since pause regions between talk spurts do not include any voice information. Thus, this thesis proposes smoothed likelihood ratio-based VAD, designed on the basis of a behavioural analysis and improvement of a statistical model-based voice activity detector. Input speech could exhibit noisy signals, which could make the voice communication fatiguing and less intelligible. This task can be alleviated by noise reduction as a preprocessor for speech coding. Noise characteristics in speech enhancement are adapted typically during the pause regions classified by a voice activity detector. However, VAD errors could lead to over- or under- estimation of the noise statistics. Thus, this thesis proposes mixed decision-based noise adaptation based on a integration of soft and hard decision-based methods, defined with the speech presence uncertainty and VAD result, respectively. At low bit-rate speech coding, the sinusoidal model has been widely applied because of its good nature exploiting the phase redundancy of speech signals. Its performance, however, can be severely smeared by mis-estimation of the pitch. Thus, this thesis proposes a robust pitch estimation technique based on the autocorrelation of spectral amplitudes. Another important parameter in sinusoidal speech coding is the spectral magnitude of the LP-residual signal. It is, however, not easy to directly quantise the magnitudes because the dimensions of the spectral vectors are variable from frame to frame depending on the pitch. To alleviate this problem, this thesis proposes mel-scale-based dimension conversion, which converts the spectral vectors to a fixed dimension based on mel-scale warping. A predictive coding scheme is also employed in order to exploit the inter-frame redundancy between the spectral vectors. Experimental results show that each proposed technique is suitable for enhancing speech quality for voice communications. Furthermore, an improved speech coder incorporating the proposed techniques is developed. The vocoder gives speech quality comparable to TIA/EIA IS-127 for noisy speech whilst operating at lower than half the bit-rate of the reference coder. Key words: voice activity detection, speech enhancement, pitch, spectral magnitude quantisation, low bit-rate coding.

Consumers are constantly evaluating quantitative information, such as the prices of different products, the time spent on an activity, or the distance covered during one day. Substantial research in psychology has demonstrated that judgments of quantity in one dimension (e.g., numbers) influence subsequent judgments on another dimension (e.g., time). The present research contributes to a growing body of work by exploring how the shared representation of time, space, and numbers affects consumer perceptions and behaviors. My first dissertation essay explores how the organization of time on a spatial plane affects temporal judgments, product evaluations, and intertemporal discounting (i.e., time-space interaction). It has been well documented that Western consumers typically arrange temporal sequences following a past-left, future-right spatial pattern. Merging insights gained from numerical cognition and time psychology, the author develops a framework to explain how displaying temporal sequences congruently with this spatial organization of time increases subjective estimations of time and biases consumers toward present rewards. My second dissertation essay seeks to understand how and why expressing quantitative information in symbolic code (i.e., “6”) compared to verbal code (i.e., “six”) affects magnitude judgments and product evaluations (i.e., time-number interaction). Two rival accounts to explain the symbol-verbal effect are described and tested: (1) a systematic processing account based on Arabic symbols’ perceptual and cognitive features and (2) a fluency account based on the frequency of use and facilitation of processing Arabic symbols. This research has important managerial implications related to the effective communication of quantitative information.