bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome‐wide association and polygenic risk score estimation of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Kinh Vietnamese—A pilot study
Authors: Mai Thao Phuong , Luong Bac An , Ma Phat Tung , Tran Thang Viet , Dinh Ngo Tat Thang , Hoang Chi Khanh , Van Tran Luong , Le Bao Hoang , Vu Hoang Anh , Le Linh Hoang Gia , Le Khuong Thai , Truong Steven , Tran Nam Quang , Do Minh Duc
Published: July 2024

A genome‐wide association study (GWAS) is a powerful tool in investigating genetic contribution, which is a crucial factor in the development of complex multifactorial diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major healthcare burden in the Western Pacific region; however, there is limited availability of genetic‐associated data for type 2 diabetes in Southeast Asia, especially among the Kinh Vietnamese population. This lack of information exacerbates global healthcare disparities. In this study, 997 Kinh Vietnamese individuals (503 with type 2 diabetes and 494 controls) were prospectively recruited and their clinical and paraclinical information was recorded. DNA samples were collected and whole genome genotyping was performed. Standard quality control and genetic imputation using the 1000 Genomes database were executed. A polygenic risk score for type 2 diabetes was generated in different models using East Asian, European, and mix ancestry GWAS summary statistics as training datasets. After quality control and genetic imputation, 107 polymorphisms reached suggestive statistical significance for GWAS (≤5 × 10−6) and rs11079784 was one of the potential markers strongly associated with type 2 diabetes in the studied population. The best polygenic risk score model predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus had AUC = 0.70 (95% confidence interval = 0.62–0.77) based on a mix of ancestral GWAS summary statistics. These data show promising results for genetic association with a polygenic risk score estimation in the Kinh Vietnamese population; the results also highlight the essential role of population diversity in a GWAS of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Hematology and serum biochemistry of free‐ranging mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) at La Pacifica, Costa Rica
Authors: Larsen R. Scott , Moresco Anneke , Meneses Ana , Glander Kenneth E.
Published: July 2024

Background

Hematologic and blood biochemical values are key tools for assessing primate health. A long‐term behavioral study of howler monkeys at a single site (La Pacífica, Guanacaste, Costa Rica), afforded the opportunity to develop baseline values for a large group of animals, evaluating differences between adult males and females and comparing to a report in the same population two decades later.

Methods

In 1998, 64 free‐ranging mantled howler monkeys were anesthetized and sampled for hematologic and biochemical analysis.

Results

Blood analysis is reported for 29 adult females, 9 juvenile females, 19 adult males and 3 juvenile males. Four adults were excluded due to external injury or disease. There were few significant differences between adult females, juvenile females, and adult males.

Conclusions

Baseline blood parameters are useful for determining normal values for howler monkey populations. The values for total protein, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, liver enzymes and potassium differed from a later study in 2019 may indicate changes that are influencing howler monkey health.
Turning down employee voice with humour: A mixed blessing for employee voice resilience?
Authors: Hamstra Melvyn R. W. , Guzman Felipe A. , Qian Si , Schreurs Bert , Jawahar I. M. (Jim)
Published: July 2024

Given that not all suggestions can be implemented, understanding how supervisors can turn down employee voiced suggestions while not discouraging employees voicing in the future is critical for theoretical and practical reasons. Supervisors may use humour when not endorsing employees' suggestions as they attempt to ease tension by injecting something lighthearted, but doing so, we argue, is not uniformly beneficial. Hence, we conducted a preregistered study that tests how supervisors' use of humour when turning down an employee's voiced suggestion affects voice resilience. Utilizing signaling theory, we theorize supervisors' use of humour when turning down voice strengthens voice safety but weakens voice impact perceptions. Indirectly, humour therefore may constitute a mixed blessing for voice resilience (voice behaviour after voice non‐endorsement). Additionally, we hypothesized that the positive link between humour and voice safety and the negative link between humour and voice impact are moderated by supervisor–employee relationship quality (leader–member exchange (LMX)). We tested these predictions in a time‐lagged study of 343 employees whose voice was recently turned down. Humour indeed increased voice resilience via voice safety; against expectations, humour positively related to voice impact (via it, resilience). LMX is significantly moderated. However, unexpectedly, humour helped voice safety, impact and the resilience of low LMX employees.
Current understanding and new insights in the treatment of IgA nephropathy
Authors: Zhang Yuemiao , Zhang Hong
Published: July 2024

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide, and almost all patients are at risk of progression to end‐stage kidney disease within their lifetime. The mechanisms responsible for the presentation and development of IgAN are required for the development of highly targeted therapies for this disease. In this review, we first demonstrate the current treatment strategy of IgAN recommended by the 2021 KDIGO guideline. Then, we update the new insights into disease pathogenesis based on the well acknowledged ‘multiple‐hit hypothesis’ and provide the potential therapeutic targets involved in the upstream production of pathogenic IgA1 and the downstream complement activation. Finally, the recent large randomized controlled trials focusing on these novel targets have been summarized, among which Nefecon and Sparsentan have received approval and Telitacicept have been used off‐label for IgAN. In the future, emerging treatment approaches for IgAN is likely to evolve, which will signify a shift in the management of the IgAN from traditional immunosuppressive approaches to an era of targeted treatment based on the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms.
Comparative analyses of the information content of letters, characters, and inter‐word spaces across writing systems
Authors: Huang Linjieqiong , Reichle Erik D. , Li Xingshan
Published: July 2024

One difference among writing systems is how orthographic cues are used to demarcate words; although most alphabetic scripts use inter‐word spaces, some Asian scripts do not explicitly mark word boundaries (e.g., Chinese). It is unclear whether these differences are arbitrary or whether they are designed to maximize reading efficiency. Here, we show that spaces inserted between words in non‐demarcated scripts provide less information about word boundaries than spaces in demarcated scripts. Furthermore, despite the fact that less information is contained by inter‐word spaces than characters/letters of the same size, the information content of inter‐word spaces in demarcated scripts is closer to that of characters/letters compared to the information content of inter‐word spaces that are inserted in non‐demarcated scripts. These results suggest that the conventions used to demarcate word boundaries are sufficient to support efficient reading. Our findings provide new insights into the universals and variation across writing systems and shed light on the mental processes that support skilled reading.
Chinese Import Competition and Prices: Evidence from India*
Authors: Chakraborty Pavel , Henry Michael , Singh Rahul
Published: July 2024

How do output prices respond to trade shocks? Using detailed firm‐product level data on sales and quantity between 1996 and 2007, we study the causal effect of Chinese import competition on prices for Indian manufacturing firms. We find that Chinese import competition induces a significant decline in firm‐product prices. A 1 percentage point increase in the Chinese import penetration ratio reduces firm‐product prices by 3.5%. Further, this decline in prices is driven by a decline in markup, conditional on costs, as opposed to the pass through of cost savings to prices – providing evidence for pro‐competitive effect. This decline in prices and markup is less pronounced for firms owned by Business Groups compared to stand‐alone, privately owned firms. We also document a large decrease in marginal costs and an increase in markup with no significant effect on prices for firms on account of increased access to imported Chinese inputs.
Pyramiding of triple Clubroot resistance loci conferred superior resistance without negative effects on agronomic traits in Brassica napus
Authors: Baloch Amanullah , Shah Nadil , Idrees Fahad , Zhou Xueqing , Gan Longcai , Atem Jalal Eldeen Chol , Zhou Yuanwei , Piao Zhongyun , Chen Peng , Zhan Zongxiang , Zhang Chunyu
Published: July 2024

Clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae is becoming a serious threat to rapeseed (Brassica napus) production worldwide. Breeding resistant varieties using CR (clubroot resistance) loci is the most promising solution. Using marker‐assisted selection and speed‐breeding technologies, we generated Brassica napus materials in homozygous or heterozygous states using CRA3.7, CRA08.1, and CRA3.2 loci in the elite parental line of the Zhongshuang11 background. We developed three elite lines with two CR loci in different combinations and one line with three CR loci at the homozygous state. In our study, we used six different clubroot strains (Xinmin, Lincang, Yuxi, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Jixi) which are categorized into three groups based on our screening results. The newly pyramided lines with two or more CR loci displayed better disease resistance than the parental lines carrying single CR loci. There is an obvious gene dosage effect between CR loci and disease resistance levels. For example, pyramided lines with triple CR loci in the homozygous state showed superior resistance for all pathogens tested. Moreover, CR loci in the homozygous state are better on disease resistance than the heterozygous state. More importantly, no negative effect was observed on agronomic traits for the presence of multiple CR loci in the same background. Overall, these data suggest that the pyramiding of triple clubroot resistance loci conferred superior resistance with no negative effects on agronomic traits in Brassica napus.
Seasonal plasticity of stem embolism resistance and its potential driving factors in six temperate woody species
Authors: Ma Bo‐Long , Liao Su‐Hui , Lv Qing‐Zi , Huang Xin , Jiang Zai‐Min , Cai Jing
Published: July 2024

The seasonal plasticity of resistance to xylem embolism has been demonstrated in leaves of some tree species, but is controversial in stems. In this study, we investigated the seasonality of stem xylem resistance to embolism in six temperate woody species (four deciduous and two evergreen tree species) that were grown at the same site. The xylem conduit anatomy, the concentrations, and ratios of the main cation in the xylem sap, as well as the content of nonstructural carbohydrates (including soluble sugars and starch) were measured in each species under each season to reveal the potential mechanisms of seasonal change in embolism resistance. The stem of all species showed increasing resistance to embolism as seasons progressed, with more vulnerable xylem in spring, but no significant adjustment in the other three seasons. The seasonal plasticity of stem embolism resistance was greater in deciduous species than in evergreen. On a seasonal scale, conduit diameter and conduit implosion resistance, the ratios of K+/Ca2+ and K+/Na+, and starch content were generally not correlated with embolism resistance, suggesting that these are probably not the main drivers of seasonal plasticity of stem embolism resistance. The seasonality of embolism resistance provides critical information for better understanding plant hydraulics in response to seasonal environments, especially under climate change.
Lancaster correlation: A new dependence measure linked to maximum correlation
Authors: Holzmann Hajo , Klar Bernhard
Published: July 2024

We suggest novel correlation coefficients which equal the maximum correlation for a class of bivariate Lancaster distributions while being only slightly smaller than maximum correlation for a variety of further bivariate distributions. In contrast to maximum correlation, however, our correlation coefficients allow for rank and moment‐based estimators which are simple to compute and have tractable asymptotic distributions. Confidence intervals resulting from these asymptotic approximations and the covariance bootstrap show good finite‐sample coverage. In a simulation, the power of asymptotic as well as permutation tests for independence based on our correlation measures compares favorably with competing methods based on distance correlation or rank coefficients for functional dependence, among others. Moreover, for the bivariate normal distribution, our correlation coefficients equal the absolute value of the Pearson correlation, an attractive feature for practitioners which is not shared by various competitors. We illustrate the practical usefulness of our methods in applications to two real data sets.
Pre‐service middle school teachers' specialized content knowledge on sampling variability
Authors: Abu‐Ghalyoun Omar , Al‐Abed Adnan
Published: July 2024

This study investigates a range of non‐normative ideas that pre‐service teachers (PSTs) employ in reasoning about sampling variability. This issue was studied in the context of a content course on statistics and probability for pre‐service middle grade teachers at a Midwestern American university. Analysis of seven PSTs' video and screen records of task‐based interviews has articulated fundamental facets of sampling variability that have not yet been fully explicated in the literature, especially with middle grade PSTs. With the content expectation of sampling variability for middle grade students as suggested by policy reports in the United States of America, this study is particularly fertile ground for designing curricula that can support middle grade PSTs' development of critical specialized content knowledge on sampling variability.
Rove beetles occurred widely along the Pacific coasts of the Northern Hemisphere: Phylogeny and biogeography of the marine littoral Psammostiba (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)
Authors: Song Jeong‐Hun , Jung Jong‐Keun , Ahn Kee‐Jeong
Published: July 2024

The North Pacific distribution of coastal aleocharines has been explained as the result of either dispersal or vicariance. The rove beetle genus Psammostiba is a marine littoral group that occurs on the Pacific coasts of the Northern Hemisphere. We performed phylogenetic analysis of Psammostiba using molecular characters (4685 bp) to investigate their biogeographic patterns. The data were analysed using parsimony, Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods. Model‐based analyses showed the same pattern of Psammostiba species relationships, but parsimony analysis yielded different species relationships for the unresolved clade of Psammostiba. According to the reconstruction of the ancestral areas, both vicariance (two events) and dispersal (one event) have played roles in shaping its current distribution. Biogeographical analyses suggest that the common ancestor of Psammostiba occurred widely along the Pacific coasts of the Northern Hemisphere and underwent vicariance events.
Optimal Implant Positioning Following Total Knee Arthroplasty Using Predictive Dynamic Simulation
Authors: Danaei Behzad , McPhee John
Published: July 2024

In this paper, a novel method is proposed for the determination of the optimal subject-specific placement of knee implants based on predictive dynamic simulations of human movement following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Two knee implant models are introduced. The first model is a comprehensive 12-degree-of-freedom (DoF) representation that incorporates volumetric contact between femoral and tibial implants, as well as patellofemoral contact. The second model employs a single-degree-of-freedom equivalent kinematic (SEK) approach for the knee joint. A cosimulation framework is proposed to leverage both knee models in our simulations. The knee model is calibrated and validated using patient-specific data, including knee kinematics and ground reaction forces. Additionally, quantitative indices are introduced to evaluate the optimality of implant positioning based on three criteria: balancing medial and lateral load distributions, ligament balancing, and varus/valgus alignment. The knee implant placement is optimized by minimizing the deviation of the indices from their user-defined desired values during predicted sit-to-stand motion. The method presented in this paper has the potential to enhance the results of knee arthroplasty and serve as a valuable instrument for surgeons when planning and performing this procedure.
Full-Dimensional Proportional-Derivative Control Technique for Turing Pattern and Bifurcation of Delayed Reaction-Diffusion Bidirectional Ring Neural Networks
Authors: Du Xiangyu , Xiao Min , Luan Yifeng , Ding Jie , Rutkowski Leszek
Published: July 2024

In neural networks, the states of neural networks often exhibit significant spatio-temporal heterogeneity due to the diffusion effect of electrons and differences in the concentration of neurotransmitters. One of the macroscopic reflections of this time-spatial inhomogeneity is Turing pattern. However, most current research in reaction-diffusion neural networks has focused only on one-dimensional location information, and the remaining results considering two-dimensional location information are still limited to the case of two neurons. In this paper, we conduct the dynamic analysis and optimal control of a delayed reaction-diffusion neural network model with bidirectional loop structure. First, several mathematical descriptions are given for the proposed neural network model and the full-dimensional partial differential proportional-derivative (PD) controller is introduced. Second, by analyzing the characteristic equation, the conditions for Hopf bifurcation and Turing instability of the controlled network model are obtained. Furthermore, the amplitude equation of the controlled neural network is obtained based on the multiscale analysis method. Subsequently, we determine the key parameters affecting the formation of Turing pattern depending on the amplitude equation. Finally, multiple sets of computer simulations are carried out to support our theoretical results. It is found that the diffusion coefficients and time delays have significant effects on spatio-temporal dynamics of neural networks. Moreover, after reasonable parameter proportioning, the full-dimensional PD control method can alleviate the spatial heterogeneity caused by diffusion projects and time delays.
Attenuation and distortion components of age-related hearing loss: Contributions to recognizing temporal-envelope filtered speech in modulated noise
Authors: Fogerty Daniel , Ahlstrom Jayne B. , Dubno Judy R.
Published: July 2024

Older adults with hearing loss may experience difficulty recognizing speech in noise due to factors related to attenuation (e.g., reduced audibility and sensation levels, SLs) and distortion (e.g., reduced temporal fine structure, TFS, processing). Furthermore, speech recognition may improve when the amplitude modulation spectrum of the speech and masker are non-overlapping. The current study investigated this by filtering the amplitude modulation spectrum into different modulation rates for speech and speech-modulated noise. The modulation depth of the noise was manipulated to vary the SL of speech glimpses. Younger adults with normal hearing and older adults with normal or impaired hearing listened to natural speech or speech vocoded to degrade TFS cues. Control groups of younger adults were tested on all conditions with spectrally shaped speech and threshold matching noise, which reduced audibility to match that of the older hearing-impaired group. All groups benefitted from increased masker modulation depth and preservation of syllabic-rate speech modulations. Older adults with hearing loss had reduced speech recognition across all conditions. This was explained by factors related to attenuation, due to reduced SLs, and distortion, due to reduced TFS processing, which resulted in poorer auditory processing of speech cues during the dips of the masker.
Interference of the direct and ground-reflected waves in the atmosphere with volumetric scattering
Authors: Ostashev Vladimir E. , Breton Daniel J. , Wilson D. Keith
Published: July 2024

The interference of the direct and ground-reflected sound waves is significantly affected by volumetric scattering in the atmosphere, such as scattering by turbulence and forest. In the present article, the existing theory describing this interference is generalized to three somewhat independent but equally important cases. First, the attenuation of the direct and ground-reflected waves caused by backscattering is addressed. Second, the existing theory is extended for statistically quasi-homogeneous turbulence in which the variances and length scales of the temperature and wind velocity fluctuations depend on the height above the ground. Third, the existing theory, which was previously formulated only for near-horizontal sound propagation, is generalized to slanted sound propagation as pertinent to elevated sound sources. Numerical results for slanted propagation demonstrate that atmospheric turbulence can significantly increase the sound pressure level at the interference minima. The extended theory of the interference of the direct and ground-reflected waves in the atmosphere with volumetric scattering is important for practical applications, such as auralization of flying aircraft and sound propagation in a forest, and can be adapted to radio wave propagation.
Underwater acoustic propagation and scattering from a dynamic rough sea surface using the Finite-Difference Time-Domain method
Authors: Higgins Alex , Siderius Martin
Published: July 2024

Models for underwater acoustic propagation typically assume that the sea surface is smooth or rough but frozen in time. Long-duration transmissions on the order of tens of seconds are being considered for next-generation SONAR. These types of signals improve target resolution and tracking. However, they can interact with the sea surface at many different wave displacements during transmission. This violates the “frozen” boundary assumption and causes additional transmission losses and Doppler effects on the received signal. Full-wave propagation models can be used to better understand the mechanisms behind these phenomena. This understanding leads to better system design without having to perform expensive at-sea experiments. In this paper, a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is implemented to model the impact of roughness and motion on the sea surface. The FDTD method is a full-wave numeric technique that allows an arbitrary function to define the boundary points. Surface motion is accomplished by modifying these boundary points at each time step. A variable subgrid sea surface boundary technique is developed to improve the accuracy of these FDTD simulations. The rough, time-evolving sea surface is modeled using a Pierson-Moskowitz frequency spectrum, which is simple to implement and fully defined by wind speed and direction.
Acoustic cues of keyboard mechanics enable auditory localization of upright piano tones
Authors: Fontana Federico , Järveläinen Hanna , Papetti Stefano , De Pra Yuri
Published: July 2024

Piano tone localization at the performer's listening point is a multisensory process involving audition, vision, and upper limb proprioception. The consequent representation of the auditory scene, especially in experienced pianists, is likely also influenced by their memory about the instrument keyboard. Disambiguating such components is not obvious, and first requires an analysis of the acoustic tone localization process to assess the role of auditory feedback in forming this scene. This analysis is complicated by the acoustic behavior of the piano, which does not guarantee the activation of the auditory precedence effect during a tone attack, nor can it provide robust interaural differences during the subsequent free evolution of the sound. In a tone localization task using a Disklavier upright piano (which can be operated remotely and configured to have its hammers hit a damper instead of producing a tone), twenty-three expert musicians, including pianists, successfully recognized the angular position of seven evenly distributed notes across the keyboard. The experiment involved listening to either full piano tones or just the key mechanical noise, with no additional feedback from other senses. This result suggests that the key mechanical noise alone activated the localization process without support from vision and/or limb proprioception. Since the same noise is present in the onset of the full tones, the key mechanics of our piano created a touch precursor in such tones that may be responsible of their correct angular localization by means of the auditory precedence effect. However, the significance of pitch cues arriving at a listener after the touch precursor was not measured when full tones were presented. As these cues characterize a note and, hence, the corresponding key position comprehensively, an open question remains regarding the contribution of pianists' spatial memory of the instrument keyboard to tone localization.
Evaluating the uncertainty of laboratory measurements of low-frequency impact noise
Authors: Dong Wayland , Lo Verde John
Published: July 2024

Impact noise at low frequencies, specifically the third-octave bands below 100 Hz, is important to occupant reaction and are, therefore, routinely measured in field impact testing. For laboratory impact testing, the situation is less clear. Because the measured levels depend strongly on the specifics of the test chamber, it is expected that the reproducibility of low-frequency impact noise between laboratories to be poor and the translation to field measurements to be difficult. Despite these difficulties, the authors will demonstrate that it is possible to extract useful low frequency information from laboratory testing. The utility of laboratory testing for design of low-frequency impact noise is discussed.
Impact ball testing in a laboratory setting
Authors: Way Evelyn
Published: July 2024

Impact ball test data have been collected across multiple structures by a procedure similar to Annex A of ISO 10140-3:2021. The results are presented at a high level to examine where impact ball testing is useful and what design characteristics of different structural assemblies and floor finishes are highlighted by the impact ball as opposed to other impact sources including the standard tapping machine.
The relationship between noise sensitivity and the perception of floor impact noise
Authors: Sato Hiroshi , Chikai Manabu , Mahn Jeffrey , Cunha Iara B. , Mueller-Trapet Markus , Skoda Sabrina
Published: July 2024

Noise sensitivity is a factor that determines how an individual perceives how uncomfortable a sound is, and noise sensitivity is believed to affect the annoyance response to floor impact noise in dwellings. In this study, we conducted a survey using the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale given to subjects who participated in an evaluation of annoyance to floor impact noise and investigated the relationship with the results of the annoyance judgments. As with previous research, it is predicted that the reaction to annoyance to floor impact sound varies greatly depending on the listener’s noise sensitivity and that a reaction of “annoy” is more likely to occur in the high sensitivity group, while a “annoy” judgment is less likely to occur in the low sensitivity group.
Monitoring of ultrasound targeted drug delivery with liquid biopsy
Authors: Menezes Victor , Lee Hohyun , Arvanitis Costas
Published: July 2024

The characterization of brain cancer genetic and molecular characteristics along with monitoring their response to therapeutic interventions is critical for effective treatment. Liquid biopsy—a minimally invasive technique that uses cancer soluble markers, such as cell-free DNA, in blood samples—offers a unique method to characterize the molecular profile of brain tumors and monitor the response treatment, as their location limits the effectiveness of traditional methods, such as needle biopsy. However, due to the limited secretion of cancer soluble molecules from the tumor core and the bloodstream, presumably due to the presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), liquid biopsy suffers from low sensitivity. Here, we show that microbubble enhanced focused ultrasound (MB-FUS) can significantly enhance the secretion of macromolecules from the tumor core to the blood. We also observed that MB-FUS in combination with liquid biopsy can be used to assess chemotherapy effect on cell death type in brain tumors. Together our findings highlight the potential of liquid biopsy in combination with MB-FUS to overcome challenges associated with the limited secretion of cancer soluble molecules in the circulation and support its application for monitoring targeted drug delivery in brain tumors.
Super-resolution ultrasound imaging with monodisperse microbubbles in a chicken embryo model
Authors: Ternifi Redouane , Vivien Alexis , Lassus Anne , Lykakis Mina , Helbert Alexandre , Jeannot Victor , Gaud Emmanuel
Published: July 2024

ULM is a super-resolution imaging method that has transformed ultrasound imaging by beating the diffraction limit, enabling the visualization of blood vessel down to the capillary size. The development of innovative ultrasound responsive agents may allow to further improve the performance of this technology. Bracco is engaged in the formulation and the evaluation of various ultrasound responsive agents for ULM including monodisperse microbubbles. Our recent studies have shown that monodisperse microbubbles increase imaging sensitivity by an order of magnitude in comparison to polydisperse microbubbles. The benefit of this for ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) has been tested in vitro in flow phantom and in a chicken embryo chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) model. The performances of the monodisperse versus polydisperse formulations were evaluated through a collection of numeric metrics extracted from the super-resolved reconstructed CAM images, including not only quantitative criteria, such as the number of detected microbubbles or the rate of successful tracking, but also geometrical considerations such as vessel density or number of segments of the reconstructed vasculature. The study showed that monodisperse formulations outperformed the other polydisperse formulations, particularly using low to moderate microbubble concentrations.
Distortion map and correction for ultrasound localization microscopy imaging with a row–column array
Authors: Hansen-Shearer Joseph Thomas T. , Tang Meng-Xing
Published: July 2024

The row–column array is an emerging technology which can enable large fields of view without the need for a large number of electronic channels. In ultrasound localization microscopy, sparse microbubbles are localized and tracked to produce high-resolution images of the microvasculature. During the localization of the microbubbles, it is typically assumed that the center of the target observed can be used as a substitute for the true microbubble location. However, the true microbubble will be located at the onset of the received signal. This distortion between the true location and the observed location will result in a shift of the microbubble away from the true location, thus altering the accuracy of the images produced. In most forms of ultrasound imaging, this shift mostly manifests as a vertical shift so can often be safely ignored. However, we have observed that in row–column array imaging this distortion will be spatially variable and will result in distortions in the axial, elevational, and lateral directions, which can be on the order of a few wavelengths. Consequently, this distortion, if ignored, will result in inaccuracies in the resulting ultrasound localization microscopy images. Here, we present a technique to map and correct for these distortions.
Overview of the technical area in musical acoustics
Authors: Braasch Jonas , Piacsek Andrew A. , Scavone Gary
Published: July 2024

Musical acoustics was launched as one of the first Technical Committees of the Acoustical Society of America. The Technical Committee in Musical Acoustics (TCMU) is concerned with applying science and technology to the field of music. The four main areas are (1) physics of musical sound production in musical instruments and the voice, (2) music perception and cognition, (3) analysis and synthesis of musical sounds and compositions, and (4) recording and reproduction technology. The scopes of areas have changed over time; for example, current interests in using groundbreaking methods in artificial intelligence and computational acoustics to solve problems. There is substantial interdisciplinary overlap with other technical committees, such as Architectural Acoustics and Physiological and Psychological Acoustics. Musical acoustic studies sometimes only require relatively moderate equipment. Thus, they lend themselves well as a research entry point for undergraduate and even high school students—especially since there is often a natural interest in music from early on. However, research in the field can also become very complex and often requires cultural understanding and listening skills to interpret technical results and direct research meaningfully. On the practical side, the TCMU sometimes organizes concerts to augment the technical sessions.
Introducing the Structural Acoustics and Vibration Technical Committee
Authors: Naify Christina J.
Published: July 2024

The Structural Acoustics and Vibrations Technical Committee (TCSA) includes scientific study of vibrating structures, excited using either elastic or acoustic waves, and radiated acoustic fields from those structures. The committee members study a diverse range of physics relating to these basic phenomena, from damping and isolation, to active control, to modal response and a variety of techniques are used, including numerical modeling, analytical techniques, and experimental measurements. Due to the wide range of applications in which vibrating structures are found, TCSA is multidisciplinary, with many of our meeting sessions co-chaired across a wide range of complimentary TCs. Additionally, research fields span a range of disciplines in their practice, including industry, academia. and government. This talk will provide a brief overview into TCSA including historical highlights and future directions as well as summaries of some of the recent special sessions presented at Acoustical Society meetings.
Patterns of phonetic cue switching in older adults
Authors: DiNino Mishaela
Published: July 2024

Primary phonetic cues for identifying speech in quiet may be unreliable in background noise, requiring listeners to utilize cues more resistant to masking to accurately recognize speech. Previous experiments demonstrated that individuals rely mainly on voice onset time (VOT) to categorize /bir/-/pir/ sounds in quiet but rely on fundamental frequency (F0) when VOT is masked by noise. As older adults report challenges perceiving speech in noise, the current study investigated whether older adults exhibited poor ability to switch reliance from VOT to F0 in broadband noise. Young (aged 18–30) and older (aged 55+) adults with normal or near-normal hearing categorized /bir/ and /pir/ sounds that were manipulated on a continuum of VOT and F0. No group differences were found in cue weights in quiet or when noise was presented at a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 0 dB. However, when SNR ranged from + 6 to -4 dB, young adults relied on F0 even at the best SNR, whereas older adults continued relying on VOT until significantly poorer SNRs, suggesting that older adults may exhibit maladaptive strategies for phonetic cue switching. Continued use of cues even as they become less reliable may help explain why older adults experience difficulty identifying speech in noise.
Eye track, you listen: Listening effort in cochlear implant users
Authors: Robinson Anthony Q. , Sevich Victoria A. , Tamati Terrin N.
Published: July 2024

Cochlear Implant (CI) users can experience mental fatigue from the listening effort needed to process the degraded speech information delivered by the implant. Listening effort is unique to the individual CI user and may provide insight into the strengths and weaknesses of real-world speech communication. To analyze listening effort, an eye tracker lab was built utilizing pupillometry that evaluates pupil dilation to detect cognitive load. My experience working in the lab and potential applications for pupillometry in CI research will be presented. Research will have implications for better understanding factors affecting speech recognition in CI users, including predictive speech, familiarity, and talker context, and top-down strategies.
Portable automated rapid testing: Validation of automated testing on older listeners from India
Authors: Prabhu Prashanth , Pattundan Vardha , Priya Sonal , Das Dibyendu , Patro Chhayakanta , Srinivasan Nirmal Kumar , Gallun Frederick J.
Published: July 2024

Portable automated rapid testing (PART) is an iPad application (https://braingamecenter.ucr.edu/games/p-a-r-t/) capable of measuring various psychoacoustic thresholds in an automated and rapid format using commercially available headphones. The app has been validated previously in native speakers of English and an adapted version of the app has been validated in young normal hearing listeners from Mexico. Previous research from our labs indicated that the thresholds obtained using non-speech tasks did not differ significantly between the native and the non-native speakers of English while the native speakers of English had significantly better thresholds in the speech task. However, there was no significant difference in the amount of spatial release from masking between the groups. Here, we present psychoacoustic threshold data for a large cohort of older listeners from India with various English proficiencies. The thresholds obtained from this group will be compared against previously published thresholds based on native speakers of English. It is hypothesized that the results would be similar to what was found earlier with younger listeners from India. These results will give us the evidence to start using this app to measure thresholds of various central auditory processing measures in non-native speakers of English.
Performance of logistic regression analyses in the identification of inner ear synapse pathology
Authors: McGee JoAnn , Lin Xiaohui , Li Hongzhe , Venezia Jonathan H. , Leek Marjorie R. , Walsh Edward J.
Published: July 2024

Currently, a diagnostic tool to identify cochlear synaptopathy in humans is unavailable. However, several features of electrophysiological responses evoked by auditory stimuli have been evaluated that may serve as useful indicators of synapse pathology. This study is part of a larger project whose goal is to develop a statistical model designed to accurately and reliably detect cochlear synaptopathy in humans. Univariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify electrophysiological outcomes that predict synapse pathology in a guinea pig model and the relative performance of each model was evaluated. Previous efforts to assess model performance included area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve. In this report, metrics, such as F1-score and Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC), were included. Expectations are that analyses that incorporate true negatives, as does MCC, will more completely describe the performance of the binary classification of interest here: synapse pathology or synapse normalcy. Findings will be presented in the context of a non-human mammalian model with the ultimate purpose of developing a statistical model that can be used to optimize the diagnosis of synapse pathology in humans. [Work supported by the Department of Defense Award #W81XWH-19-1-0862.]
Effects of noise exposure on peripheral auditory function, temporal envelope coding, and speech perception in service members with normal hearing
Authors: Monfiletto Angela , Srinivasan Nirmal Kumar , Patro Chhayakanta
Published: July 2024

Service members face a significant risk of hearing impairment due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds in military settings. Detecting early signs of hearing loss is challenging, as they are often subtle and not easily identified through conventional clinical tests. In our study, we investigated the effects of noise exposure on electrophysiological, behavioral, and self-report measures of hearing damage in young adults, including both military and non-military individuals with normal audiometric thresholds. Participants completed a comprehensive test battery, covering standard and extended high-frequency pure-tone audiometry (0.25–16 kHz), a noise exposure structured interview, electrocochleography (ECochG), amplitude modulation (AM) detection threshold, and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking (SRM). Preliminary ECochG analyses suggested physiological deficits indicative of cochlear synaptopathy in service members. The discussion will focus on the correlation between physiological results and perceptual findings obtained through AM and SRM measures, aiming to understand the links between observed deficits and the perceptual challenges faced by service members in the context of subclinical hearing damage induced by noise exposure.
Delay-constrained hearing aid speech enhancement using a wireless remote microphone
Authors: Lu Austin , Zhuang Yongjie , Corey Ryan M. , Singer Andrew C.
Published: July 2024

Hearing aids have been shown in literature to offer better noise reduction and spatial cue preservation when used alongside a remote microphone. Oftentimes, this is in ideal conditions where both devices are synchronized and can transmit data losslessly and instantaneously. In practice, hearing aids tend to receive remote microphone data via wireless link, which incurs a slew of adverse effects. Among these, transmission delay is of particular importance, as hearing aids already have tight constraints on allowable end-to-end delay. Typically, this delay constraint is under 10 ms for perceptual reasons. In this work, we study a filter designed for hearing aids with a network-delayed remote microphone. Originally, the filter is derived and analyzed in the time frequency domain without explicit consideration of the delay constraints. We rederive the filter to address this gap, and seek to measure the effect of the network delay and delay constraints on overall performance.
Discovery and learning of feature geometry in underwater acoustic sensing: Case studies and challenges in active sonar applications
Authors: Sen Gupta Ananya , Kirsteins Ivars P. , Christensen Andrew J. , Linhardt Timothy
Published: July 2024

Interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) and related machine learning (ML) techniques are gaining popularity for underwater acoustic sensing applications. However, interpretability of machine learnt features poses a fundamental challenge to successful application of these powerful data science techniques to underwater acoustics. Autonomous sonar target recognition is especially interesting from the data science perspective as beyond target-specific features, a sonar ping response typically includes significant interference from the environment, e.g., clutter, multipath scattering, etc. Such environmental interference, resulting from complex, dynamic, unpredictable, and often unknown factors, manifest as identifiable structures in acoustic color or alternate multi-dimensional feature representations that can lead to machine learning and classification errors. In this talk, we will discuss these challenges commonly encountered in underwater acoustics using case studies from field experiments in active sonar target recognition. Some results will also include physics-driven simulations in this domain to provide robust ground truths. In particular, we will posit how braided feature geometry and its representation, as well geometry of overlap between features can render a sonar target feature informative, explainable, and discoverable. [Work funded by the ONR Grant Nos. N000142112420 and N000142312503 and DoD Navy (NEEC) Grant No. N001742010016.]
Studs' impact on sound transmission in double-leaf partitions
Authors: Idczak Julia
Published: July 2024

Double-leaf partitions constructed by two parallel plasterboard panels installed on steel studs are widely used in building constructions. Although it is known that the studs significantly influence vibroacoustic behavior of the plates, there has not been extensive research on this topic. This study focuses on the impact of steel studs on the sound transmission in double-leaf constructions. In order to fully analyze the impact of the steel stud element, a comparison between experimental data from a double leaf partition with a mechanical connection using steel studs and a theoretical model that disregards any mechanical connection between the parallel plasterboard panels was conducted. Results presenting radiation efficiency, transmission loss, and velocity level differences in a grid of points equally distributed on the radiating side of a structure highlight the influence of steel studs in double-leaf constructions indicating frequency ranges, where the studs’ impact is mostly significant.
Introducing the sound transmission loss suite at the British Columbia Institute of Technology
Authors: Ohm Won S. , Tamanna Omid
Published: July 2024

A sound transmission loss suite is a facility for measuring the airborne sound insulation by building elements such as wall assemblies and partitions. It consists of two neighboring reverberation chambers (called the source and receiving rooms), where the only significant sound transmission path is presented by the test specimen, enclosed in the common wall separating the two chambers. In this talk, an overview of the sound transmission loss suite that was newly built and commissioned at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in late 2023 is given. The suite is comprised of two reverberation chambers with interior volumes of 200 m3 (source room) and 125 m3 (receiving room) and can test for frequencies from 63 to 20000 Hz, making it one of a kind in Western Canada. The talk touches upon the acoustical characteristics of the suite and the relevant test method for measuring transmission loss according to the ASTM E90 standard. [Work supported by Canada Foundation for Innovation—Project No. 36346.]