In this paper, the effects of soundproofing by polymer and carbon-nanotube (CNT) composites were investigated. The specimens for sound insulation measurement were fabricated with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)/CNT composites. Tests showed that sound transmission loss of ABS/CNT 15 vol.% composite was higher by 21.7% (4.1 dB) than that of pure ABS specimen at a frequency of 3400 Hz. It was found that the principal factor influencing the improvement of sound insulations of ABS/CNT composites was increased stiffness by CNT additives. To demonstrate the practical applicability of polymer/CNT composites, tests were conducted for the reduction of operational noise from mechanical relay.

A scanning electron microscopic study was performed to observe surface ultrastructures of excysted metacercariae and adults of Metagonimus miyatai. Metacercariae were collected from the scale of the pale chub (Zacco platypus), and adult flukes were harvested 1-4 weeks after infection to rats. In excysted metacercariae, the oral sucker was devoid of tegumental spines and had type I and type II sensory papillae. Anteriorly to the ventral sucker, spines were dense and digitated into 5-7 points, whereas near the posterior end of the body spines were sparse and digitated into 2-3 points. In one-week adults, 7 type II sensory papillae were arranged around the lip of the oral sucker, and at inner side of the lip one pair of small and two pairs of large type 1 sensory papillae were seen on each side. The distribution of tegumental spines was similar to that of metacercariae, but they were more differentiated with 9-11 pointed tips. In two- to four-week old adults, the surface ultrastructure was nearly the same as in one-week old adults, however, sperms were frequently seen entering into the Laurer's canal. Conclusively, the surface ultrastructure of M. miyatai was generally similar to that of M. yokogawai, however, differentiation of tegumental spines and distribution of sensory papillae around the oral sucker were different between the two species, which may be of taxonomic significance.

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This article proposes an analytical method that can be used to obtain the vibro-acoustic modal and forced response characteristics of a three-dimensional structural-acoustic coupled system, where the coupled system is composed of an acoustic cavity with a rectangular plate that is stiffened by a local stiffener. Through the proposed method, the effect of the local stiffener on the natural frequencies, modes, and forced responses is identified for the plate-cavity coupled system with the local stiffener. The relationship between the thickness and the location of the local stiffener on the vibro-acoustic modal characteristics and forced responses is investigated through the structural-acoustic modal coupling coefficient. The high peak-noise due to the strong modal coupling between the plate and acoustic modes can be effectively reduced by properly designing the local stiffener in the coupled system. Finally, the modal characteristics and frequency responses obtained by the proposed method are compared with those of finite-element analysis. The results of this article provide useful information for suppressing the booming noise generated by the strong modal coupling between the plate and acoustic modes in the coupled system.