bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Durability and Acoustic Performance of a Novel Two-Layer Pavement System
Authors: Tekampe Sabine , Oeser Markus
Published: December 2023

In the quest for more sustainable pavement solutions, this study demonstrates the successful strengthening of a unique noise-reducing two-layer road surface. While existing noise-reducing pavements reveal high acoustic efficiency, they lack mechanical strength, and earlier research efforts addressed the optimization of the individual components of this system, and a comprehensive perspective on its integrated performance remained elusive. Therefore, this research bridges this knowledge gap through an in-depth laboratory evaluation, in which the requirements for the realization of a full-scale demonstrator were defined, followed by a comprehensive performance assessment in terms of acoustic and mechanical strength. The post-construction assessment reveals the system’s multifaceted strengths, considering noise reduction, resilience under heavy traffic, pavement deflections, and skid resistance, assessed by CPX measurements, accelerated pavement tests using the MLS 30, skid resistance tests employing the pendulum test, as well as the slow-moving longitudinal friction test (MicroGriptester) and falling weight deflectometer (FWD) measurements. Although the optimized system implies lower noise-reduction potential, it exhibits great strength compared to previous noise-reducing pavements. In general, the system offers viable noise mitigation solutions for urban highways, particularly in settings where traditional noise abatement measures are constrained by space. The insights from this study serve as a valuable reference for the development and evaluation of innovative road engineering materials and technologies.
Sustainability of Transport Sector Companies: Bankruptcy Prediction Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Silva Amélia Ferreira da , Brito José Henrique , Lourenço Mariline , Pereira José Manuel
Published: December 2023

Understanding business failure within the transport industry is crucial for formulating an effective competitive policy. Acknowledging the pivotal role of financial stability as a cornerstone of sustainability, this study undertakes a comparative investigation between statistical models forecasting business failure and artificial intelligence-based models within the context of the transport sector. The analysis spans the temporal period from 2014 to 2021 and encompasses a dataset of 4866 companies from four South European countries: Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. The models created were linear support vector machines (L-SVMs), kernel support vector machines (K-SVMs), k-nearest neighbors (k-NNs), logistic regression (LR), decision trees (DTs), random forests (RFs), extremely random forests (ERFs), AdaBoost, and neural networks (NNs). The models were implemented in Python using the scikit-learn package. The results revealed that most models exhibited high precision and accuracy, ranging from 71% to 73%, with the ERF model outperforming others in both predictive capacity and accuracy. It was also observed that artificial intelligence-based models outperformed statistical models in predicting business failure, with particular emphasis on the AdaBoost and ERF models. Thus, we conclude that the results confirm the hypothesis that the artificial intelligence models were superior in all metrics compared to the results obtained by logistic regression.
The Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Driving Forces of the Coupled and Coordinated Development between New Urbanization and Rural Revitalization
Authors: Li Guofu , Zhang Xiue
Published: December 2023

In the 21st century’s global push for sustainable development, strategies for new urbanization and rural revitalization in China have transitioned from traditional geographic expansion to a focus on high-quality integration across ecological, social, and economic dimensions. Employing advanced methods such as the entropy weight TOPSIS, coupling coordination model, kernel density estimation, Markov chain, and geographic detector, this study comprehensively explores the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms of urban–rural integration in China from 2001 to 2022. Key findings reveal increasing coupling coordination degrees in each province, with significant spatial variations. Notably, during the 15th Five-Year Plan, all regions, including eastern, central, and western areas, exhibited low-level coupling coordination. However, a decreasing ladder-like distribution emerged during the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plans, forming a development pattern centered on eastern coastal regions and spreading inland. The central regions experienced significant changes in development kernel density, while the national eastern and western regions remained relatively stable. Looking ahead, highly coupled regions are expected to maintain leadership, positively influencing neighboring areas and propelling overall urban–rural development towards sustainable goals. Conversely, low-level coupled regions require deeper reforms for leap-frog development. The core driving forces behind spatiotemporal differences in coupling coordination degrees involve innovation within the environment, government capabilities, openness to the outside world, and population agglomeration. Secondary roles are played by factors like non-agricultural industrialization, per capita GDP, government investment, and market conditions, while education, healthcare, transportation, and natural resource levels act as bridges in spatiotemporal differentiation. Overall, this study provides a concise spatiotemporal interpretation and strategic recommendations for urban–rural sustainable integration development, advancing towards a more harmonious, green, and just future in alignment with the core principles of sustainable development.
Energy Potential of Urban Green Waste and the Possibility of Its Pelletization
Authors: Mašán Vladimír , Burg Patrik , Souček Jiří , Slaný Vlastimil , Vaštík Lukáš
Published: December 2023

Due to ongoing changes in the European energy market, there is currently a need to find new and additional uses for waste materials. Horticultural waste, which has not yet been fully recognized, offers a relatively wide potential in this area. Although the properties of these wastes are not ideal for combustion, they can be used as a solid biofuel. The pellets that are produced, however, may have useful properties, either energetic or environmental, and are valuable when utilized in boilers. In this study, six examples of typical input raw materials were selected, analysed, and subsequently pelletized. The experimental results provided an overview of the physio-chemical properties of the evaluated samples. Specifically, the moisture content (9.2–27.8%), bulk density (131.4–242.8 kg·m−3 wt), ash content (3.0–28.0%), lower calorific value (11.3–16.2 MJ·kg−1), and major and minor elements, were evaluated. The pelletization process and resultant pellet characteristics, such as durability (96.3–98.8%), moisture content (7.5–11.5%), and dimensions, were also evaluated. In the statistical evaluation, significant differences were found between individual samples. In particular, both the branches and the mixture of perennial plants met the industry standard limits, showing that they are of sufficient quality. On the contrary, the sample of fallen leaves was particularly problematic with regard to a number of parameters (moisture, ash content, and calorific value). The overview of the analyses performed expands the current state of knowledge on the potential to use selected types of horticultural waste in the field of energy and for the production of shaped biofuels.
The Operational Mechanism of Agricultural Products Supply Chain Finance Based on the Mode-Capability-Customer Matching Approach
Authors: Li Yang , Liu Quanlong
Published: December 2023

The key to successful agricultural product supply chain finance of commercial banks lies in coordinating the relationship among the “supply chain finance model”, “banking serviceability”, and “user satisfaction”. Previous research on agricultural products supply chain finance rarely incorporated the operational level of commercial banks. To fill this gap, this paper transforms the operational problem of the agricultural product supply chain finance of commercial banks into a matching problem between the agricultural product supply chain finance model and customers under the constraint of serviceability. First, a matching model of “mode-capability-customer” of agricultural products supply chain finance is constructed based on the theory of bilateral matching; second, a measurement index system of matching degree and satisfaction is constructed, where matching degree and satisfaction are calculated; finally, the optimal matching model is studied. This paper proposes a model that matches agricultural supply chain finance with customer satisfaction, considering bank serviceability constraints. It improves the implementation of agricultural product supply chain finance by commercial banks. The study uses surveys and evaluations to assess stakeholder satisfaction and preferences. An operational research model optimizes the matching process between supply chain finance models and recipients, ensuring suitability. The paper provides a theoretical basis for rural financial services and practical recommendations for commercial bank supply chain finance, with valuable real-world applications.
Do Public-Led Housing Site Development Projects Affect Local Housing Prices: A Proposal for a Comprehensive Policy Evaluation Methodology
Authors: Kim Jina , Jee Seungmin , Ro Seunghan
Published: December 2023

As the population in urban areas increases, the importance of adequate public-led development policies for sustainable cities with affordable housing is becoming more highlighted. In this regard, this study aims to determine the effectiveness of public-led urban development policies for sustainable growth in urban areas, specifically measuring the effect of housing site development projects on housing prices. The geographical scope of the study is the project sites and their surrounding areas in South Korea, and the temporal background is from 2006 to 2023. The project sites were subdivided into four groups by using the Self-Organization Map (SOM), a machine-learning-based clustering analysis, to collect characteristics of each region. Then, the impact of the policy and the prediction of the real estate market of each cluster were analyzed by applying the DID and LSTM models, which have recently been proven to show a high validity. The results show that each cluster had different characteristics and effects from the development projects, depending not simply on the location, but on several characteristics, including the level of size, infrastructure installation, input cost, etc. Furthermore, it is expected for future studies that more detailed research should be conducted with larger datasets of the regional characteristics.
Insecticidal Activity of Selected Plant-Derived Essential Oils against Papaya Mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus)
Authors: Mwanauta Regina W. , Venkataramana Pavithravani B. , Ndakidemi Patrick A.
Published: December 2023

The current study aims to assess the effectiveness of three essential oils derived from neem, citrus, and garlic against papaya mealybug. Papaya seedlings were transplanted in the field in a completely randomized block design with eight treatments with four replications. The treatments included neem, citrus, and garlic oils in combination with isopropyl alcohol or paraffin oil as an adjuvant. Results from this study showed that neem oil at 1.5% + 0.2% isopropyl alcohol was effective against papaya mealybug by 93.0% equivalent to the positive control (imidacloprid) (99.4%), followed by citrus oil at 1.5% + isopropyl alcohol (76.3%) and citrus oil at 1.5% + paraffin oil (68.8%), compared with the untreated 0.01%. Similarly, application of the plant-derived essential oils and adjuvants resulted in positive effects on plant parameters (plant height, number of leaves, flower buds, number of fruits, and fruit weight) and, hence, increased papaya yield from an average of 38 to 90 fruits/plant at first harvest. The finding from this study provides an understanding of papaya farmers towards the use of natural plant products, particularly plant-derived essential oils, and their benefits, which may encourage farmers to increase papaya production and minimize the usage of synthetic pesticides to avoid pest resistance.
Chaotic Maps with Tunable Mean Value—Application to a UAV Surveillance Mission
Authors: Moysis Lazaros , Lawnik Marcin , Volos Christos , Baptista Murilo S. , Goudos Sotirios K.
Published: December 2023

Chaos-related applications are abundant in the literature, and span the fields of secure communications, encryption, optimization, and surveillance. Such applications take advantage of the unpredictability of chaotic systems as an alternative to using true random processes. The chaotic systems used, though, must showcase the statistical characteristics suitable for each application. This may often be hard to achieve, as the design of maps with tunable statistical properties is not a trivial task. Motivated by this, the present study explores the task of constructing maps, where the statistical measures like the mean value can be appropriately controlled by tuning the map’s parameters. For this, a family of piecewise maps is considered, with three control parameters that affect the endpoint interpolations. Numerous examples are given, and the maps are studied through a collection of numerical simulations. The maps can indeed achieve a range of values for their statistical mean. Such maps may find extensive use in relevant chaos-based applications. To showcase this, the problem of chaotic path surveillance is considered as a potential application of the designed maps. Here, an autonomous agent follows a predefined trajectory but maneuvers around it in order to imbue unpredictability to potential hostile observers. The trajectory inherits the randomness of the chaotic map used as a seed, which results in chaotic motion patterns. Simulations are performed for the designed strategy.
Alloy Quasicrystals: Perspectives and Some Open Questions at Forty Years
Authors: Maciá Enrique
Published: December 2023

Four decades have elapsed since the first quasiperiodic crystal was discovered in the Al–Mn alloy system, and much progress has been made during this time on the science of quasicrystals (QCs). Notwithstanding this, a significant number of open questions still remain regarding both fundamental and technological aspects. For instance: What are QCs good for? How can we improve the current provisional QC definition? What is the role of the underlying quasiperiodic order and the characteristic inflation symmetry of these compounds in the emergence of their unusual physicochemical properties? What is the nature of chemical bonding in QCs formed in different sorts of materials such as alloys, oxides, or organic polymers? Herein these and other closely related issues are discussed from an interdisciplinary perspective as well as prospective future work in the field in the years to come.
Asymmetry of Structural and Electrophysical Properties of Symmetrical Titania Nanotubes as a Result of Modification with Barium Titanate
Authors: Konstantinova Elizaveta , Zaitsev Vladimir , Kytina Ekaterina , Martyshov Mikhail , Savchuk Timofey , Butmanov Danil , Dronova Daria , Krupanova Daria , Volkova Lidiya , Tarasov Andrey
Published: December 2023

Anodic titania nanotubes (TiO2-NT) are very promising for use in photocatalysis and photovoltaics due to their developed surface, symmetrical structure and conductive properties, which, moreover, makes them a convenient matrix for creating various nanocomposites. Herein we propose a new facile way of synthesizing symmetrical TiO2-NT followed by a modification with barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles, combining the advantages of electrochemical oxidation and hydrothermal synthesis. The electrophysical and optoelectronic properties of the formed nanocomposites have been studied. An asymmetry of the current–voltage characteristics was revealed. It is shown that during the barium titanate deposition, a symmetry-breaking nanoheterojunction TiO2/BaTiO3 is formed. Using EPR spectroscopy, paramagnetic defects (titanium, barium and oxygen vacancies) in the samples were determined. It was observed for the first time that upon illumination of titania nanotubes modified with BaTiO3, the asymmetrical separation of photoexcited charge carriers (electrons and holes) between TiO2-NT and BaTiO3 occurs, followed by the capture of electrons and holes by defects. As a result, the photoinduced charge accumulates on the defects.
326K at E Protein Is Critical for Mammalian Adaption of TMUV
Authors: Liu Xingpo , Yan Dawei , Peng Shan , Zhang Yuee , Xu Bangfeng , Li Luzhao , Shi Xiaona , Ma Tianxin , Li Xuesong , Teng Qiaoyang , Yuan Chunxiu , Liu Qinfang , Li Zejun
Published: December 2023

Outbreaks of Tembusu virus (TMUV) infection have caused huge economic losses to the poultry industry in China since 2010. However, the potential threat of TMUV to mammals has not been well studied. In this study, a TMUV HB strain isolated from diseased ducks showed high virulence in BALB/c mice inoculated intranasally compared with the reference duck TMUV strain. Further studies revealed that the olfactory epithelium is one pathway for the TMUV HB strain to invade the central nervous system of mice. Genetic analysis revealed that the TMUV HB virus contains two unique residues in E and NS3 proteins (326K and 519T) compared with duck TMUV reference strains. K326E substitution weakens the neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence of TMUV HB in mice. Remarkably, the TMUV HB strain induced significantly higher levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and interferon (IFN)-α/β than mutant virus with K326E substitution in the brain tissue of the infected mice, which suggested that TMUV HB caused more severe inflammation in the mouse brains. Moreover, application of IFN-β to infected mouse brain exacerbated the disease, indicating that overstimulated IFN response in the brain is harmful to mice upon TMUV infection. Further studies showed that TMUV HB upregulated RIG-I and IRF7 more significantly than mutant virus containing the K326E mutation in mouse brain, which suggested that HB stimulated the IFN response through the RIG-I-IRF7 pathway. Our findings provide insights into the pathogenesis and potential risk of TMUV to mammals.
The CombE-IDMS Alternate Potency Method for H5N1 and H5N8 Cell-Based Vaccines
Authors: Donohue Matthew P. , Cao Zhijun , Bowen Thomas , Dickinson Robert , Zhang Ying , Qian Jiang
Published: December 2023

Assaying the potency of inactivated viral influenza vaccines is performed using single radial immunodiffusion, which is the globally accepted release method for potency. Under conditions of a rapidly emerging pandemic, such as the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, a recognized obstacle in the delivery of vaccines to the public is the time needed for the distribution of calibrated SRID reagents (antisera and antigen standards) to vaccine manufacturers. Previously, we first described a novel streamlined MS-based assay, CombE-IDMS, which does not rely on antisera/antibodies or reference antigens, as a potential rapidly deployable alternate potency method through a comparison with SRID on adjuvanted seasonal quadrivalent vaccine cell-based (aQIVc) materials. In this report, we further demonstrate that the CombE-IDMS method can also be applied to measure the potency of pre-pandemic H5N1 and H5N8 monovalent vaccine materials, each subtype both unadjuvanted and adjuvanted, through a forced degradation study. Overall, CombE-IDMS results align with those of the gold standard SRID method on both H5N1 and H5N8 materials under conditions of thermal, pH, oxidative and freeze/thaw stress, lending further evidence for the CombE-IDMS method’s suitability as an alternate assay for potency of both seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines.
Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease on Hemodialysis
Authors: Andhika Rizky , Anand Muhammad Iqbal , Tiara Marita Restie , Debora Josephine , Djauhari Hofiya , Susandi Evan , Mareta Adnes , Riswoko Asep , Susilawati Nopi , Indrati Agnes Rengga , Alisjahbana Bachti , Supriyadi Rudi
Published: December 2023

Patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis (ESKD-HD) have a high risk of contracting severe COVID-19. Vaccination can help reduce disease severity, but the immune dysregulation observed in these patients may result in an inadequate antibody response. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the immune response postvaccination in ESKD-HD patients. This prospective cohort study was conducted in two hemodialysis centers in Indonesia. We enrolled ESKD-HD patients (n = 143) pre- and postvaccination and compared them to healthy subjects (n = 67). SARS-CoV-2 antibody response was assessed using anti-S-RBD antibodies and SVNT % inhibition tests. We performed bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. Seropositive conversion was observed in 97% ESKD-HD subjects postvaccination. Compared with healthy subjects, ESKD-HD patients showed a comparable anti-S-RBD antibody titer postvaccination. mRNA vaccines remained a significant factor for the high immune response, while hypoalbuminemia correlated with lower immune response. In conclusion, ESKD-HD patients showed a robust immune response postvaccination. mRNA vaccines induced a stronger antibody response than other vaccines. Lower levels of serum albumin correlate with lower immune responses in ESKD-HD patients after vaccination.
Humoral Response Kinetics and Cross-Immunity in Hospitalized Patients with SARS-CoV-2 WT, Delta, or Omicron Infections: A Comparison between Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Cohorts
Authors: Kang Hyunhye , Lee Jihyun , Jung Jin , Oh Eun-Jee
Published: December 2023

With the ongoing evolution of severe acute respiratory virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise. This study aims to investigate the impact of vaccination status, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and disease severity on the humoral immune response, including cross-neutralizing activity, in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This retrospective cohort study involved 122 symptomatic COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a single center. Patients were categorized based on the causative specific SARS-CoV-2 variants (33 wild-type (WT), 54 Delta and 35 Omicron) and their vaccination history. Sequential samples were collected to assess binding antibody responses (anti-S/RBD and anti-N) and surrogate virus neutralization tests (sVNTs) against WT, Omicron BA.1, and BA.4/5. The vaccinated breakthrough infection group (V) exhibited higher levels of anti-S/RBD compared to the variant-matched unvaccinated groups (UVs). The Delta infection resulted in a more rapid production of anti-S/RBD levels compared to infections with WT or Omicron variants. Unvaccinated severe WT or Delta infections had higher anti-S/RBD levels compared to mild cases, but this was not the case with Omicron infection. In vaccinated patients, there was no difference in antibody levels between mild and severe infections. Both Delta (V) and Omicron (V) groups showed strong cross-neutralizing activity against WT and Omicron (BA.1 and BA.4/5), ranging from 79.3% to 97.0%. WT (UV) and Delta (UV) infections had reduced neutralizing activity against BA.1 (0.8% to 12.0%) and BA.4/5 (32.8% to 41.0%). Interestingly, patients who received vaccines based on the ancestral spike exhibited positive neutralizing activity against BA.4/5, even though none of the study participants had been exposed to BA.4/5 and it is antigenically more advanced. Our findings suggest that a previous vaccination enhanced the humoral immune response and broadened cross-neutralizing activity to SARS-CoV-2 variants in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Vaccination for Respiratory Syncytial Virus: A Narrative Review and Primer for Clinicians
Authors: See Kay Choong
Published: December 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant burden on public health, causing lower respiratory tract infections in infants, young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals. Recent development and licensure of effective RSV vaccines provide a promising approach to lessening the associated morbidity and mortality of severe infections. This narrative review aims to empower clinicians with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions regarding RSV vaccination, focusing on the prevention and control of RSV infections, especially among vulnerable populations. The paper explores the available RSV vaccines and existing evidence regarding their efficacy and safety in diverse populations. Synthesizing this information for clinicians can help the latter understand the benefits and considerations associated with RSV vaccination, contributing to improved patient care and public health outcomes.
Network-Scale Analysis of Sea-Level Rise Impact on Flexible Pavements
Authors: Rojali Aditia , Fuentes Hector R. , Chang Carlos M. , Ali Hesham
Published: December 2023

This study investigates the potential damage to flexible pavements caused by rising groundwater tables resulting from sea-level rise. A case study was conducted in Miami-Dade County, Southeast Florida, a low-lying area at high risk of inundation and rising groundwater table due to sea-level rise. Flexible pavement specifications are differentiated using functional classification, and the reduced service life for various roadway types due to rising groundwater tables is predicted. The study utilized regional groundwater table maps for future sea-level rise scenarios to identify the saturated unbound layers for each roadway. An improved multilayer linear elastic model incorporating an unsaturated modulus resilient module, capable to handle saturated subgrade to base layer, is employed to quantify pavement response for each classified road at a network scale. The results indicate that the groundwater table response due to sea-level rise will extend further inland, impacting coastal infrastructure and inland areas. This study contributes to a network-scale deterministic pavement model tailored specifically for assessing the impact of sea-level rise on pavement performance. Given the increasing threats posed by sea-level rise, flooding, and infrastructure vulnerability, a comprehensive tool is provided for planners, pavement engineers, and policymakers.
Impacts of Human Activities and Climate Change on Freshwater Fish—Volume II
Authors: De Santis Vanessa , Jeppesen Erik , Volta Pietro , Korkmaz Mustafa
Published: December 2023

Freshwater fishes are at the center of the freshwater biodiversity crisis [...]
Enhanced Adsorption of Cu2+ from Aqueous Solution by Sludge Biochar Compounded with Attapulgite-Modified Fe
Authors: Wang Ruoan , Ren Jun , Ren Hanru , Tao Ling , Wu Chaohui , Sun Xinni , Lv Mairong
Published: December 2023

Three types of modified sludge biochar were produced for the adsorption of copper in aqueous solutions via the calcium-based magnetic (CaCO3, Fen+) treatment (CA–BC), nanozero-valent iron (nZVI) treatment (nZVI–BC), and iron (Fe3+) treatment (FA–BC) of raw biochar. The results suggested that the adsorption capacity for Cu2+ of calcium-based magnetic attapulgite/sludge biochar (CA–BC) prepared from CaCO3, FeCl3, and FeSO4 is 38.01% greater than that of unmodified biochar and 6.41% to 17.5% greater than that of the other biochar. The CA-BC contained a variety of ferrite-containing and hydroxide-functional groups, as well as a more developed pore structure. The existence of H+ reduced the adsorption capacity of the biochar for Cu2+. A high initial concentration of Cu2+ could increase Cu2+ adsorption on CA–BC. Combined with theoretical calculations, the adsorption efficiency of CA–BC in different systems was explored. The results revealed that CA–BC achieved a maximum removal rate of 92.644% at a pH of 6 with a reaction time of 157 min and an initial Cu2+ concentration of 2.813 mg/L. These results suggest that CA–BC shows great potential for removing Cu2+ from aqueous solutions.
Water Quality Evaluation of Groundwater and Dam Reservoir Water: Application of the Water Quality Index to Study Sites in Greece
Authors: Kalaitzidou Kyriaki , Ntona Maria Margarita , Zavridou Eythimia , Tzeletas Stefanos , Patsialis Thomas , Kallioras Andreas , Zouboulis Anastasios , Virgiliou Christina , Mitrakas Manassis , Kazakis Nerantzis
Published: December 2023

To detect the degradation of clean water, it is necessary to characterize its quality through water quality indices using seasonal water sampling and analysis. In the present study, the initialization of the monitoring by surface and dam water sampling was conducted in multiple areas of Greece, including the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf, Mouriki, and Marathonas basins, during both the dry and wet periods of 2022. The dam reservoirs were also monitored by capturing their orthomosaic mapping. The classification of the samples according to the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) showed that all dam water samples examined and Mouriki area samples have excellent water quality in terms of physical and chemical characteristics. However, some samples from the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf and Marathonas basins suffer from seawater intrusion, which is indicated by the high concentration levels of Na+ and Cl−, and anthropogenic activities shown by the elevated concentrations of NO3−. Moreover, the high concentration of As in samples from the Eastern Thermaikos Gulf is attributed to geothermal fluids. The importance of Cl−, NO3−, and As presence in water quality at the studied areas is also verified by the sensitivity analysis performed, pointing out the requirement of sustainable management.
A simulation and diagnosis of tire radiation noise
Authors: Kosaka Fumihiko , Fujii Hiroshi , Kodama Yuji
Published: December 2023

Due to the recent pass-by noise regulation, reduction of tire noise has been being required. In order to meet the requirements of the regulation, it is important to simulate and diagnose tire radiation noise for efficiently finding a quieter tire structure. In this paper, an accurate
simulation model is employed. With the model tire radiation physics are diagnosed by patch contribution and wavenumber contribution. The diagnosis showed that radiation was dominantly generated at near contact patch and lower wavenumber component dominantly contributed to radiation. In order
to further diagnose about what behavior contributes, an approach that calculates radiation efficiency of wavetypes is proposed. The proposed approach finds high radiation efficiency wavetypes at each frequencies so that behavior of highly contributing to radiation at frequencies of interest
can efficiently be found, which helps designers to think about design modification to reduce tire radiation noise.
Evaluation of the Respective Effects of Microphone Type and Dummy Head Type on Measured Head-Related Transfer Functions
Authors: Grandjean Pierre , Robin Olivier , Berry Alain , Gauthier Philippe-Aubert
Published: December 2023

A dummy head is a tool used to generate binaural recordings, i.e. recordings when listened to through headphones that allow for the listener to hear from the dummy's perspective. A dummy head typically includes pinnae and ear canals in which microphones are placed. The global shape
of a dummy head replicates an average-sized human head, and variations around this average will depend on the manufacturer (pinnae of different size, presence of a nose or a mouth). This paper describes measurements conducted on two dummy heads in order to evaluate and rank the respective
influence of microphone type and dummy head shape on spatialization cues. Four possible cross configurations are tested, that is head 1 or 2 with microphones pair 1 or 2. For each configuration, head-related transfer functions are measured in an anechoic room for various azimuth and elevation
angles. The results obtained show that the effect of the dummy head shape is larger than the effect of the microphone type on measured head-related transfer functions. A practical implication of this result is found when microphones have to be replaced on a given dummy head.
Simulation result of the effects of radiation noise from long-distance ships on marine mammals
Authors: Yamada Chika , Tsuchio Toshio , Shimizu Etsuro , Sakai Masahiro
Published: December 2023

In recent, there is a worldwide concern that underwater noise from human activities may have impacted marine life. The international community recognizes the underwater radiated noise from navigational ships may have consequences on marine life. However, there is no scientific evidence
for these, so they need to be investigated. MLIT launched the project with the aim of understanding the current status of underwater noise by navigational ships. In this project, a hydrophone has been installed in the sea off Ohshima Island since 2020 to measure the noise by navigational ships
around the hydrophone. The purpose of this study , first is to calculate the source level of ship radiation noise using the normal mode method with the ship noise data obtained from hydrophone measurements. Second is to simulate the propagation of the source level using Parabolic Equation
(PE) with the marine environment of the propagation path as a parameter. Finally, based on the results of propagation simulations, we examine the impact of ship noise on whales. As a result, revealed the noise levels emitted from RORO vessels, and by simulating the propagation of the noise
levels, it was possible to confirm the distances that affect the whale's hearing.
Experimental study on improving the noise and vibration characteristics of electric brake systems using order analysis
Authors: Woo Jeongwoo , Kang Yeon June , Kim Byung Jun
Published: December 2023

In this study, the occurrence of driving noise and vibration was analyzed through an understanding of the driving mechanism of an electric brake system, and research was conducted to derive insights into improving the noise, vibration, and harshness performance. Because a brake system
consists of very complex parts, accurately determining the dynamic characteristics of the entire system is often difficult, but it is a crucial process. Therefore, the noise frequency generated during brake operation should be checked, and operational deflection shape information of the corresponding
frequency band should be obtained. Through this, correlation can be confirmed by comparing the noise with the vibration level of each component. Additionally, order analysis using a color map is performed to understand the relationship between the rotational excitation of the motor and the
system's response. When this rotational excitation component excites the natural frequency of the system, the response of the system increases. Thus, resonance may be avoided by changing the dynamic characteristics of the main vibration component, causing the natural frequency to move. Experimental
results were verified through theoretical analysis of the motor and ball screw of the driving part.
Prediction-segmentation tasks for self-supervision of anomaly detection networks under noisy conditions
Authors: Choi Jihoon , Chu Gyouk , Choi Jung-Woo
Published: December 2023

For detecting anomalies from sounds generated by electronic devices, self-supervised learning of deep neural networks (DNNs) has been popularly employed. In self-supervised learning, a DNN model is trained over normal data to solve some pretext tasks, and test data giving reduced task
performance are regarded as anomalies. Popular choices for the pretext task are the reconstruction and the classification tasks, where a model is trained to predict masked parts of the spectrogram and to classify the internal classes of normal data, respectively. However, the reconstruction
task is hard to distinguish anomalies from noises in noisy conditions, and the classification task often fails to learn meaningful features when the diversity across internal classes is too small or too evident. We propose a combination of prediction and segmentation tasks to overcome these
limitations. For the proposed tasks, two different machine sounds are mixed with a constant ratio, and a model is trained to predict both the mixed spectrogram of future time and mixing ratio based on the present and past sound mixture. We train a WaveNet-based model using dual tasks simultaneously,
which shows remarkable performance improvements over the conventional models and achieves state-of-the-art performance on the DCASE 2020 Task 2 dataset.
Effects of Railway-induced Noise and Vibration on Sleep Disturbance in Detached Houses
Authors: Yokoshima Shigenori , Morihara Takashi , Matsumoto Yasunao
Published: December 2023

Railway-induced noise and vibrations cause adverse effects on the daily life of people living in detached houses, especially in Japanese urban districts. Our previous studies revealed that annoyance due to each of noise and vibrations differed according to railway category: high-speed
Shinkansen railway and conventional railway. In addition, we quantified the respective impact of noise and vibration exposures on individual annoyances by the above railway categories. Following these studies, we tried to clarify the effects of noise and vibrations on subjective sleep disturbance
of people living in detached houses. Datasets used for the analysis were common with the previous studies. Applying the multiple-logistic regression analysis to the individual data, we estimated respective effects of noise and vibration exposures on sleep disturbance. Night sound pressure
level and maximum vibration level in the vertical direction were used as noise and vibration exposures, respectively. In either railway category, sleep disturbance was affected not only by noise exposure but also by vibration exposure. In addition, we clarified that noise exposure has a larger
effect on sleep disturbance than vibration exposure for conventional railways; in contrast, for Shinkansen railways, vibration exposure more affected sleep disturbance than noise exposure.
Investigations on relationship between vibration characteristics and shapes of effect cymbals with finite element method
Authors: Izawa Kohei , Geng Yuting , Iwai Kenta , Nishiura Takanobu
Published: December 2023

Cymbals are musical instruments consisting of round brass plates in slightly concave shape that are struck against another or struck with a stick to make sounds. Their vibration characteristics depend on the shape of cymbals, therefore, some cymbals have been specially shaped for desired
characteristics, as called effect cymbals. Usually, it takes the craftsman numerous retrials in prototyping the effect cymbals to realize the desired characteristics. This leads to a large cost of prototyping effect cymbals. On the other hand, the cost can be significantly reduced if the optimal
shape for the desired sound can be estimated in advance. However, to estimate the shape, it is necessary to clarify the relationship between the shape of a certain cymbal and its vibration characteristics. In this paper, we focus on the effect cymbals with holes. Aiming to estimate the optimal
hole shape for desired sound, we investigate the relationship between the hole shape of hole effect cymbals and their vibration characteristics based on frequency response analysis by finite element method. We analyzed multiple models with different hole sizes for each cymbal, the analysis
results show that the vibration tends to be simpler as the hole size is larger.
Model optimization in system equivalent model mixing using analytical modal analysis
Authors: Nam Jeongmin , Kang Yeonjune , Park Sangyoung , Choi Injeong
Published: December 2023

This study pertains to the application of system equivalent model mixing to an experimental and analytical model. System equivalent model mixing is applied to a suspension subframe model, and virtual points at the suspension mount points are set as target points. Subsequently, the six
degree-of-freedom frequency response functions at the virtual points are predicted. To improve the accuracy of dynamic characteristic prediction at the target points, system equivalent model mixing with extended compatibility is applied. Points in the test or analysis that can be used to apply
system equivalent model mixing are not limited. The accuracy of the system equivalent model mixing is analyzed based on changes in the points in the analysis and test model. The mixing points for the system equivalent model are optimized via preliminary analysis in the pre-test stage.
Fantastic INMD - the past and the future
Authors: CHAN Silver Cheuk Kiu , CHONG Stephen Wai Tung , LAM Ken Yat ken , LEUNG Joe Cho Shing , LEE Chee Kwan , TSANG Terence Sai Wing
Published: December 2023

Like other metropolises, as the developable land for housing development becomes more limited in Hong Kong, more housing sites are inevitably situated closer to busy roads. With the concerted efforts by practitioners, Innovative Noise Mitigation Designs (INMD) which can effectively
reduce noise entering the residential units while allowing sufficient natural ventilation have been developed and implemented across the districts. With INMD and other active planning efforts, the general compliance rate against traffic noise in new residential developments boosted from about
80% to over 99%, benefitting over 130k citizens and increasing the housing supply by releasing those constrained lands. This also reduces the necessity of air-conditioning, and thus helps achieve carbon neutrality. The effectiveness of INMD was reviewed and results of post completion measurements
showed good agreement. Residents' surveys were also conducted to evaluate satisfaction towards INMD. Generally, the performance of the INMD were acceptable. Resources and efforts have been and will be continuingly engaged to further enhance and develop the INMD. Cutting edge innovations such
as metamaterials are being researched on. This paper outlines the latest development of INMDs, their applications and paints for the future.
High-frequency measurement method of normal-incidence sound absorption coefficient with a square cross-section impedance tube using eight microphones
Authors: Sanada Akira , Fujimoto Nozomu , Nakagawa Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

The authors have proposed a high-frequency measurement method of normal-incidence absorption coefficient with a circular cross-section impedance tube using eight microphones. This method enables measurement at frequencies about three times higher than the conventional two-microphone
method. This study investigates the case of using an impedance tube with a square cross-section. Four microphones are placed at intersections of the (2, 2) acoustic mode nodal lines in one cross-section. When the signals of these microphones are summed, the effects of higher-order acoustic
modes whose cut-on frequencies are lower than that of the (4, 0) acoustic mode are canceled. In this case, normal-incidence sound absorption coefficients can be measured at four times higher frequency than the conventional one. Numerical and experimental results are presented to demonstrate
the validity and feasibility of the method.
Designing of two-dimensional acoustic beamforming array using machine learning
Authors: Tripia Sirawit , Thida Worakrit , Danworaphong Sorasak
Published: December 2023

Acoustic beamforming arrays are used for locating sound sources and their performance is measured by their directivity pattern. Designing an acoustic beamforming array to meet specific performance requirements can be challenging and requires numerical optimization of various factors
such as array width, microphone positions, and the number of microphones. This study employed a Deep Neural Network (DNN) approach to predict the arrangement of a two-dimensional acoustic beamforming array giving the desired beam pattern. The DNN was trained on 90,000 microphone array designs
and beam patterns of 1-kHz sound. The prediction accuracy was evaluated based on the mean absolute errors (MAE) of beam patterns, frequency-averaged main lobe width (MLW), and maximum sidelobe level (MSL). The results for commonly designed arrays datasets such as Brüel & Kjær
style array had a 26.54% error in beam patterns, 2.34 degree/m error in MLW, and 4.21 dB error in MSL. However, for predicted arrays generated by the random array designs, the results were more accurate, with deviations of 22.08% in beam patterns, 1.82 degree/m error in MLW, and 5.07 dB in
MSL.
Sound perception in virtual environments
Authors: Dogan Asli Zeynep , Sorguc Arzu Gonenc
Published: December 2023

Virtual environments have been developing and changing the understanding of a space by means design, perception and usage. This study aims to contribute to the literature on the improvement of the auditory perception and cognition of virtual spaces used for education, training, and
gaming purposes. This study proposes to offer a realistic representation of soundscapes in virtual environments according to spatial qualities instead of misleading synthetic sounds by integrating acoustical simulations with the immersive environment and questioning the experience of a regular
user. The study explores the effects of acoustically simulated and immersive virtual soundscape design methods on auditory perception through changing forms and materials by series of cognitive experiments. The results revealed that the participants achieve more accurate results of source-localization,
self-localization, and distance guessing in an immersive environment than in the simulated environment. Also, they were more aware of the soundwalk route, spent more time on tasks, and evaluated the experience more positively in an immersive environment compared to simulations. Despite the
placement of the auralizations from the simulations as sound sources in immersive environments, there is still a lack of auditory representation of spatial qualities compared to the accurate calculation of acoustical parameters in a simulated environment.
Interactive soundscape design in enhancing perceived safety in urban spaces at night
Authors: Zhang Wenxue , Meng Qi , Li Mengmeng , Li Na
Published: December 2023

Based on previous findings relating soundscape to the psychological perception of urban pedestrians at night, this study selected several typical nighttime urban spaces that are prone to trigger crime panic emotions for the experiment, and used an interactive soundscape adjustment method
in which respondents independently mixed and adjusted six types of sound levels to obtain the combination of sound environments most conducive to a sense of safety, while completing the pre- and post-optimised sound environment safety The perception research questionnaire was also completed.
The results show that the soundscape created by people has a positive effect on the perception of safety. Footsteps and conversations were the most popular sounds in the soundscape mix, and the results inform the development of a friendly sound environment for the city at night, increasing
interaction with the urban public space by enhancing the perception of safety of pedestrians at night. Interactive soundscape design is more effective in enhancing safety in parkland than in street spaces and river walkways. Key words: Perceived safety, Interactive adjustment, Soundscape Creation