bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resolving room volume and structural vibration transfer issues at UW Green Bay’s Studio Arts Building
Authors: Strong John T.
Published: November 2019

The primary rehearsal spaces for the orchestral, band, and choral programs in the Music Department at the University of Wisconsin—Green Bay are hosted at the campus’ Studio Arts building, which was constructed in the early 1970’s and had not been significantly updated since then. The goal of the building’s renovation was to improve room acoustic response for both spaces, improve on the insufficient acoustic isolation between the large instrumental and choral rehearsal rooms, and to update HVAC services. Because of the many years of wear and undocumented alterations to the building, exploratory testing of airborne and structure-borne vibration paths was necessary to determine the contributing means of sound transfer between spaces. Acoustically isolated construction ultimately was utilized to increase separation between rooms as well as to introduce acoustic shaping to the choral rehearsal room, to maximize reverberation and avoid the typical acoustic pitfalls of a roughly cubic room volume. A new reflector array was installed in the large instrumental rehearsal room, as well as targeted absorptive and diffusive treatments. New variable acoustic treatments were designed and installed in both rooms, while noise and vibration control for new HVAC equipment realized suitably low background noise levels for both.
When a rehearsal space becomes something more—The DiMenna Center for Classical Music, New York, NY
Authors: Barbar Steve , Nittoli Anthony
Published: November 2019

The impetus for developing the Dimenna Center for Classical Music in New York was to create a venue that would enable the Orchestra of St. Luke’s—resident orchestra at Carnagie Hall (as well as a select group of additional ensembles)—to rehearse regularly. When the Dimenna Center was envisioned, many of the spaces available for rehearsal in New York were transformed to serve other purposes. Soon after the Dimenna Center opened, it succeeded in its primary mission—more than thirty ensembles are currently resident in the venue. However, the measures taken by the acoustics team in anticipation of providing an optimum rehearsal and recording space for a world class orchestra have also garnered notoriety. Despite its proximity to the subway, the box-in-box construction provides one of the quietest venues of it size for recording in New York. The addition of the E-Coustic System provides acoustic variability that produces optimum acoustical conditions for both rehearsal as well as recording. Recording highlights include the feature film soundtracks for soundtrack for The Girl On The Train, The Greatest Showman, and Hail, Caesar!; Broadway Cast Albums The King and I, Hello, Dolly, and a Grammy Award-winning album by Room Full of Teeth.
On geoacoustic inversions, sediment acoustics, and deep ocean ambient noise
Authors: Barclay David R.
Published: November 2019

During the period of 2005–2011, three topics in acoustical oceanography were actively investigated in the Buckingham Lab which combined field, lab, and theoretical work. Geoacoustic inversions in the low frequency (<500 Hz) band were carried out using the noise generated by a light aircraft off the coast of La Jolla, California, and during the MAKAI experiment in Kauai, Hawaii. The inversion relied on a comparison of data to an analytical model of a moving airborne source over a two-layer shallow water waveguide. In an effort to investigate the link between grain roughness and porosity to support the development of a theory of acoustic propagation in sediments, a statistical model for the two-dimensional shape of sand grains was developed from the digitized outlines of grains from a dozen locations, including deserts, beaches, and seabeds. Lastly, a family of autonomous free-falling ambient noise profilers known as Deep Sound, were designed, manufactured, and deployed, returning measurements of ambient noise from below the critical (or reciprocal) depth in the deep ocean. Field experiments were carried out in the San Diego trough, the Philippine Sea, the Tonga Trench, and the Sirena Deep and Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench.
Relationships among quantitative ultrasound-assessed hepatic health status, gut microbiota, and bile acids among adults with overweight or obesity
Authors: Thompson Sharon V. , Han Aiguo , Edwards Caitlyn G. , Erdman John W. , O'Brien, W. D. , Khan Naiman A. , Holscher Hannah D.
Published: November 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a progressive condition characterized by hepatic fat fraction (FF) ≥ 5%. The gut-microbiota-liver axis has been implicated in NAFLD development. Aim: to assess microbial taxa, bile acid concentrations, and FF among adults with overweight or obesity; cross-sectional study was conducted among adults (n = 118; 25–45 yr, BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2). NAFLD was assessed using quantitative ultrasound FF estimates based on attenuation and backscattered coefficients. Microbial analyses were conducted using 16S rRNA sequencing (V4 region) and QIIME2 version 2019.4. Fecal bile acid concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS. Bivariate correlations assessed relationships between FF and microbes or bile acids. General linear model univariate tests identified microbial taxa differences by presence or absence of NAFLD. Hepatic FF was positively correlated with Proteobacteria (r = 0.21, p = 0.02) and inversely associated with fecal glycodeoxycholic acid (r=-0.25, p = 0.03). Participants with NAFLD presented with greater relative abundances of Proteobacteria (p = 0.03), including a trend toward enriched Sutterella (p = 0.06), and reduced Roseburia (<0.01). Participants with NAFLD presented with higher abundances of bacteria involved in fat and protein metabolism and depleted abundances of bacteria involved in fiber fermentation, providing evidence for a connection between diet and the gut-microbiota-liver axis. [Hass Avocado Board & USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch Project No. ILLU-698-902.]
Blood vessel effects in quantitative ultrasound attenuation and backscatter
Authors: Boehringer Andrew S. , Han Aiguo , Montes Vivian , Wolfson Tanya , Loomba Rohit , Andre Michael P. , Erdman John W. , O'Brien, W. D. , Sirlin Claude B.
Published: November 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Current diagnosis relies on invasive biopsy. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) may provide a noninvasive alternative, using parameters such as attenuation (AC) and backscatter (BSC) coefficients. This study examines how exclusion of larger blood vessels from fields of interest (FOI) affects AC and BSC measurements in NAFLD patient livers. 201 total participants with known or suspected NAFLD underwent liver right lobe QUS. Of these, 84 underwent a second QUS exam on the same day and 172 patients had contemporaneous MRI with computation of proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). AC and BSC were calculated from FOIs drawn on reconstructed B-mode images in two ways: FOIs that included as much of the liver as possible including blood vessels and FOIs modified manually to exclude larger blood vessels. Compared to blood vessel-exclusive FOIs, blood vessel-inclusive FOIs provided higher (<0.005) between-exam ICCs (AC, 0.715 vs 0.864; BSC, 0.685 vs 0.796). Spearman's correlation with MRI-PDFF was (AC, 0.422 vs 0.481; BSC, 0.653 vs 0.596). Results suggest that excluding vessels from FOIs makes QUS measurements less repeatable, although relationship with MRI-PDFF did not favor either FOI. [No. R01DK106419.]
Ultrasound surface wave elastography for assessing extremity lymphedema: A pilot clinical study
Authors: Zhou Boran , Bustos Hemer Samyd , Huang Tony , Shao Juntao , Manrique Oscar , Zhang Xiaoming
Published: November 2019

Lymphedema is a condition in which protein-rich fluid accumulates in the tissue causing impaired limb function from swelling and stiffness. Understanding the mechanical properties of soft tissue in lymphedematous limbs is important in clinical diagnosis. We recently developed an ultrasound surface wave elastography (USWE) technique for measuring the shear wave speed of tissue. The aim of this study is to evaluate lymphedematous limb use USWE. A total of 11 patients with lymphedema were included. Both normal and affected extremities were measured. A 0.1-s harmonic vibration was generated by the indenter of the handheld shaker on the limb. Ultrasound probe was used for detecting the tissue motion. Shear wave speed of the tissue was measured using 2-D processing window technique. A region of interest was selected to measure superficial and deep fat tissues. The obtained results showed that the magnitudes of the wave speeds of both the superficial and deep fat tissue at lymphedema sites were statistically higher than those of the control sites, respectively. This suggests that USWE may be useful in assessing correlation between tissue stiffness and lymphedema and would enable physicians to monitor disease severity.
MHz-order surface acoustic wave thruster for underwater silent propulsion
Authors: Zhang Naiqing , Wen Yue , Friend James
Published: November 2019

High frequency surface acoustic waves with MHz order are able to generate intense acoustic streaming flow transformed from the attenuation of acoustic radiation pressure in viscous fluid. We here demonstrate the fluid propulsion force onto the device of SAW chip as a reaction force based on the change of momentum flux of acoustic streaming flow. A pendulum force balancing method is established to simply quantify 40 MHz SAW propulsion force onto lithium niobate (LN) chip. Propulsion force with 5 mN can be easily generated by applying ∼1 W power to SAW device. A theoretical model, along with acoustic streaming profile via particle image velocimetry, is proposed to explain the propulsion force based on applied power and different fluid viscosity. Finally, we propose a model optimizing LN chip size to perform maximum propulsion force per unit device area. The maximum force of ∼ 10 mN/cm2 with 1 W power using 40 MHz SAW has been performed in water. With high-frequency, short attenuation length, relatively low applied power and large propulsion force per surface area, it shows great potential of SAW-induced thruster for underwater silent propulsion and transportation.
Immersive wave control experimentation using compensated directive sources
Authors: Li Xun , Börsing Nele , Becker Theodor S. , van Manen Dirk-Jan , Curtis Andrew , Robertsson Johan O.
Published: November 2019

A physical boundary with embedded active sources can cancel acoustic waves incident on the boundary and also synthesize waves to fully control the acoustic field in an experimental setup (e.g., a water tank) such that the physical experiment is artificially immersed into a virtual domain and waves propagate seamlessly between the physical experiment and virtual domain. The acoustic representation theorem at the heart of the immersive experiment requires physical monopole sources to be deployed on the active boundary. However, real physical sources (e.g., piezoelectric transducers) project waves at sonic frequencies (e.g., 2–20 kHz) that do not fully conform to the theoretically required radiation pattern. If left uncorrected, using these physical sources causes the wavefield to deviate from those desired in immersive experiments. A method is proposed to compensate for the non-monopolar radiation pattern of the sources, and the compensation is incorporated into the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz extrapolation, which is used to determine the controlling field at the active boundary in real-time. Numerical simulations show that the method can effectively compensate for the undesired effects caused by such sources. The method is implemented as a pre-processing step that modifies the extrapolation Green's functions in the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz integral before the actual experiments take place and can be physically interpreted in terms of Huygens’ principle.
Theoretical considerations on low-frequency wave propagation in a duct of variable cross section with impedance exit conditions
Authors: Cho Juhyeong
Published: November 2019

Acoustic characteristics in ducts of variable cross section have been gaining extensive attention as they have been used in various applications such as mufflers, tunable acoustic resonators, etc. The present study deals with theoretical analysis of low-frequency wave propagation in a duct of variable cross sectional area with arbitrary impedance exit conditions to formulate the complex amplitudes of the reflected and/or transmitted waves and examine how the reflection/transmission coefficient at the area expansion/constriction is affected by the exit boundary condition and the dimensions such as the cross sectional area ratio and the axial length. Some of the results, for instance, show that, whenever the magnitude of the exit reflection coefficient is one (|Rexit| = 1), e.g., for a closed or an open exit, the magnitude of the reflection coefficient at the area change is also conserved ( = 1) regardless of the dimensions of a duct while the phase of the reflection coefficient varies depending on its dimensions. Attainable ranges of the reflection coefficient at the area change are also evaluated depending on its dimensions and the exit impedance. This study will provide useful formulations and insights in the design of a noise attenuator or a resonator, for instance, with an adjustable-length partial blockage in it.
Optimal damping for a bend containing a microperforated panel
Authors: Yang Cheng , Sack Stefan , Åbom Mats
Published: November 2019

Microperforated panels (MPPs) with a backing cavity can be used as liners on duct walls to damp acoustic waves. However, recent studies show that a MPP (without the backing cavity) placed inside a duct also could give rise to an effective damping. But only if there is an acoustic pressure gradient across the MPP, e.g., as in a duct bend. This offers a new way of designing MPP for control of duct acoustics and leads to a variety of potential applications. In particular, the widely used guide vanes in a bend might be replaced by MPPs which serve as an acoustic damping treatment, while at the same time maintain the aerodynamic performance. In this work, the optimal damping by a MPP in a bend will be investigated based on the so called Cremer impedance theory. A derivation of the governing equation associated with this optimal value will be made for this configuration and the procedure for solving the equation presented. The trajectory of the axial wavenumber in the complex domain is investigated as well as the resulting optimal damping and the Cremer impedance. The results will be compared with the corresponding Cremer solution for a straight duct. Finally, possibilities to realize the Cremer impedance required for the optimal damping in a bend is discussed.
Demonstration study of applying bias-flow perforated liner on damping self-excited thermoacoustic oscillations in T-shaped thermoacoustic combustor
Authors: Zhao Dan , Guan Di , Tarique A.
Published: November 2019

Self-excited thermoacoustic instability is undesirable in propulsion and power generation systems due to its detrimental effects. In this work, we conducted experimental demonstration study of applying bias-flow perforated liners on attenuating self-excited thermoacoustic oscillations in a premixed T-shaped combustor. For this, two perforated liners with different porosities and variable bias flow rate are experimentally tested and compared. It is found that in the absence of bias flow (cooling flow), the premixed flame can produce and sustain limit cycle oscillations. The amplitude and frequency of the dominant thermoacoustic mode are approximately 215 Hz and 140 dB. However, as the cooling flow velocity is increased to 5.5 m/s, the limit cycle oscillations are completely attenuated. More than 50 dB sound pressure level reduction is achieved. High-frequency modes are dampen by more than 25 dB. Further experimental test is conducted on the perforated liner with a porosity of 2.9%. Similar attenuation effect is achieved. Finally, during the transient growth process, dominant mode switching from high (non-harmonic) to low frequency is observed. The present work shed lights on the optimum design of perforated liner on attenuating thermoacoustic instability and the dynamic behaviours of the transient growth process.
Introduction to the Technical Committee on Engineering Acoustics
Authors: Haberman Michael R.
Published: November 2019

This talk will provide an introduction to ongoing work in the Technical Committee on Engineering Acoustics (TCEA) of the Acoustical Society of America, which is one of the most diverse Technical Committees of the Society. Engineering Acoustics encompasses the theory and practice of creating tools for investigating acoustical phenomena and applying knowledge of acoustics to practical utility. This includes the design and modeling of acoustical and vibrational transducers, arrays, and transduction systems in all media and frequency ranges. It is also concerned with the design of acoustical instrumentation, metrology, and the calibration of those systems. It further considers all aspects of measurement and computational techniques as they relate to acoustical phenomena and their utility. The talk will provide an introduction to a broad range of research topics in TCEA, with specific emphasis on exciting new areas of research.
Introduction to the Technical Committee for Noise
Authors: Phillips James E.
Published: November 2019

Noise presents both a health hazard and a societal hazard. Community noise, product noise, noise generated within the built environment, and noise within the work environment have affected where and how we interact with the soundscapes where we live and work. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Noise Abatement and Control was responsible for noise regulations that rate the production and reduction of noise until it was defunded. Federal agencies such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have conducted research to develop regulations for occupational noise exposures. Recent community noise issues have focused on windfarms and the low-frequency noise that nearby residents might experience. This presentation will cover a wide range of noise-related topics and highlight efforts in standards for noise assessment and noise control.
An Introduction to the Technical Committee on Animal Bioacoustics
Authors: Holt Marla M.
Published: November 2019

Animal Bioacoustics as a field of research involves the study of sound in non-human animals. The range of this field is wide and includes all aspects of sound production and reception, communication and associated behaviors, acoustic ecology and effects of noise/sound, and passive and active acoustic methods for monitoring individuals, populations, habitats and ecosystems. Members of the Technical Committee on Animal Bioacoustics (TCAB) come from diverse backgrounds, including those with training in biology, ecology, engineering, mathematics, oceanography, physics, and psychology. Many TCAB members also participate in the activities of other ASA Technical Committees including Acoustical Oceanography, Engineering Acoustics, Noise, Psychological and Physiological Acoustics, Signal Processing, and Underwater Acoustics, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the field. As Chair, I will highlight the history of TCAB, some of the popular and emerging areas of research in Animal Bioacoustics, and the ways that ASA members can get involved in this exciting area of acoustics.
An introduction to the Acoustical Oceanography Technical Committee
Authors: Colosi John A. , Deane Grant B.
Published: November 2019

Acoustics is a critical modality for interpreting the ocean environment, as evidenced by the complex acoustic physiology and sophisticated auditory processing capability of marine organisms, for example. The acoustical oceanography (AO) technical committee (TC) seeks to foster a broad range of work in pure and applied acoustics aimed at gaining new and fundamental understanding of physical, biological, geophysical, and chemical processes in the ocean and at its boundaries. With this focus, the AO TC is necessarily strongly interdisciplinary, having close ties to other TC’s such as animal bioacoustics, physical acoustics, signal processing, and underwater acoustics. This talk will describe many of the break-through discoveries that have been made in our field and point to inspiring present and future work.
The Technical Committee on Musical Acoustics: Integral part of the interdisciplinary nature of acoustics
Authors: Morrison Andrew C.
Published: November 2019

The Technical Committee on Musical Acoustics (TCMU) of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is concerned with the application of science and technology to the field of music. Traditionally, the areas of interest for those doing musical acoustics have included: the physics of musical sound production, questions of music perception and cognition, and the analysis and synthesis of musical sounds and composition. It is clear that many of the technical committees of the ASA are highly interdisciplinary and TCMU is no exception. The TCMU organizes special sessions often featuring a family of musical instruments, a style of music, or a technique of musical performance. Additionally, sessions have featured innovative techniques for studying acoustics which have broad application across the other technical committees. TCMU also regularly hosts musical performances at ASA meetings and visits to local music venues or musical instrument factories in order to connect researchers to practitioners. The TCMU encourages all members of the ASA to engage with us in the pursuit of understanding the production, radiation, perception, and cognition of musical sounds.
Evaluation of noise exposure and risk of hearing impairment in judicial transcribers
Authors: Zaborowski Kamil , Dudarewicz Adam , Zamojska-Daniszewska Malgorzata , Pawlaczyk-Luszczynska Malgorzata
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate noise exposure and risk of hearing impairment in judicial transcribers. Noise measurements and questionnaire inquiry were carried out in a group of 15 employees, aged 38.0 ± 0.8 years. Sound pressure levels emitted by headphones were measured using the MIRE technique according to ISO 11904-1:2008. The risk of noise-induced hearing loss was estimated according to the guidelines of ISO 1999:2013.The diffuse-field-related A-weighted equivalent-continuous sound pressure levels measured under headphones reached values from 62 to 80.7 dB. The study subjects worked as transcribers on average for 4–7 h a day. Consequently, the individual daily noise exposure levels in the examined group ranged from 61.2 to 79.9 dB. Such exposures for 10 years of occupational work pose a risk of hearing impairment (the mean hearing threshold at frequencies of 2, 3, and 4 kHz > 20 dB) reaching 3.5%. Almost three fourth of the employees reported their hearing deterioration (73.3%), whereas nearly a half of them experienced temporary hearing symptoms due to usage of headphones (43.3%).It is recommended that the transcribers should be covered by the hearing protection programme.
Mechanism of stiffness reduction in a thin broadband noise absorber
Authors: Huang Lixi
Published: November 2019

Sound absorption by fibrous material is often considered broadband but poor in performance when the frequency is low. A new absorber is considered thin or otherwise when its thickness is compared with such a fibrous absorber for a given performance requirement. The performance of the latter is poor due to air stiffness in a compact design. This study first introduces a composite structure based on a parallel array of resonators with or without fibrous filling. The array is shown to introduce equivalent negative stiffness which is accompanied by a surge in system damping derived from resonator coupling. In principle, high damping is required for optimal absorption when the system as a whole is not operating at its resonance. However, the frequency dependency of such a composite system is too complex to be exactly optimal. The performance of the array structure is compared with a new fibrous absorber embedded with mass made from impervious membranes. The bandwidth and other characters of the two absorbers are compared when the incident sound has the typical environmental noise spectrum. Conclusions are shown to contradict with a few widespread misconceptions.
Real-time audio signal processing using system-on-chip field programmable gate arrays
Authors: Snider Ross K. , Vannoy Trevor , Eaton James , Blunt Matthew , Galacci E. Bailey , Williams Justin , Davis Tyler B.
Published: November 2019

System-on-Chip (SoC) Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are ideal for real-time signal processing due to their low, deterministic latency and high performance. To showcase the utility of our open FPGA computational platform for real-time audio signal processing and computational modeling, several applications have been implemented. We have ported the openMHA hearing aid software [1] to our platform to show that pre-existing audio processing software can be implemented in SoC FPGAs by making external audio interfaces show up as a sound card. To highlight the ability to perform real-time computational modeling on our performance platform, we are implementing a real-time version of Laurel Carney’s auditory-nerve model [2] running in its own custom accelerator in the FPGA fabric. To illustrate the ability to develop DSP algorithms in MathWork’s Simulink and then implement them in the FPGA fabric we have taken several algorithms from Issa Panahi’s group [3] to show both frame-based processing (noise reduction) and sample-based processing (dynamic range compression). Finally, we show that the platform can be used to visualize audio signals using a real-time spectrogram where FFTs are computed in the FPGA fabric. [1] www.openmha.org. [2] JASA 126, 2390–2412. [3] www.utdallas.edu/ssprl/hearing-aid-project/.
Discrimination of chronic and transient sound sources in marine soundscapes
Authors: Baumann-Pickering Simone , Frasier Kaitlin E. , Roch Marie A. , McKenna Megan F. , Fristrup Kurt M. , Stanley Jenni , Margolina Tetyana , Joseph John E. , Hatch Leila
Published: November 2019

Soundscapes are comprised of chronic and transient sounds that overlap each other in time and frequency. These sound sources can be of anthropogenic, geological or biological origin. We automatically discriminated and classified sources with an unsupervised learning strategy based on clustering and subsequent training of a neural net. The parameter space was comprised spectral features and variation of these features over time. We document how different time and frequency binning influenced the outcome of the machine learning for the different sources. This analysis is based on multi-month data collected within several US National Marine Sanctuaries as part of the SanctSound project (https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/monitoring/sound/). The project aims to characterize soundscapes within sanctuaries including assessing the influence of anthropogenic noise on marine life in their boundaries. We are testing whether the automated process helps to gain comparable results across the very different sanctuary habitats located in temperate to subtropical waters.
Differentiating marine mammal clicks using time-series properties
Authors: Martin Bruce , Mouy Xavier , Gaudet Briand , Kowarski Katie
Published: November 2019

Automatic detection of marine animal vocalizations is increasingly used to analyse the extensive acoustic datasets collected from autonomous passive acoustic recorders, resulting in a constant effort to improve detector accuracy and develop new and more efficient detection methods. Differentiating between the clicks produced by odontocete species can be especially problematic due to overlapping time and frequency characteristics. Classifiers for clicks are often based on short-time Fourier transforms or Wigner-Ville transforms which are computationally expensive. We propose a computationally efficient method of detecting and differentiating between clicks based on a two stage classifier. First, an initial classification is obtained using three features derived from the time series of the click. Second, the cepstrum is used to determine the inter-click interval. The method was tested on recordings which included clicks produced by small dolphins, killer, pilot and sperm whales, as well as at least three species of beaked whales. This new approach increases the efficiency of analysis and provides reliable species classification.
Broadband modeling of mid-frequency transmission measurements
Authors: Jackson Darrell , Tang Dajun , Thorsos Eric I. , Hefner Brian T. , Porter Michael B. , Henderson Laurel
Published: November 2019

Acoustic transmission measurements are commonly used to infer seafloor properties needed in simulations to predict sonar performance. Successful inversion of transmission data requires use of models for acoustic seafloor interaction as well as propagation. In the present work, a time-domain model for broadband reflection (Thorsos et al., this meeting) is combined with the BELLHOP ray-tracing code. The model is developed to handle explosive sources. Plausible seafloor geoacoustic parameters are explored using this model. Issues of uniqueness and inadequacies of the model will be discussed. [Work sponsored by ONR.]
Remote acoustic illumination using time reversal and a surface ship
Authors: Song Hee-Chun , Byun Gihoon , Kim Jea Soo
Published: November 2019

Time-reversal (TR) transmission of the Green's function between a time-reversal mirror (TRM) and a probe source (PS) in an acoustic waveguide produces a spatio-temporal focus at the PS location. The TR focus then behaves as a virtual point source in the outbound direction with respect to the TRM. Further, a collection of adjacent TR focuses may constitute a virtual source array (VSA) that can serve as a remote platform, redirecting the focused field to a selected location beyond the VSA for which the Green's function is not available a priori. The practical limitation to the VSA implementation, however, is the requirement of a PS at multiple adjacent locations to obtain the Green's functions between TRM and VSA. Alternatively, this work proposes to utilize a surface ship radiating broadband noise as a PS in conjunction with the waveguide invariant theory, instantly generating a horizontal VSA. The feasibility of remote acoustic illumination using a ship and a TRM is demonstrated using numerical simulations in shallow water.
Town School for boys, theater/gymnasium
Authors: Duty Jason R.
Published: November 2019

During their expansion project, the Town School for Boys in San Francisco created an underground concrete shell for a future gymnasium/450 seat multi-purpose theater with a rooftop playfield above it. They initially planned for a junior high school-sized basketball court at 74 feet × 42 feet. Years later, the project build-out began and design challenges were encountered, including: (1) The school requested a high school-sized basketball court (84 feet × 50 feet). (2) Music classrooms above the stage area were added to the project scope. (3) The project was immediately adjacent to residences. (4) Large ventilation openings on the concrete roof meant that HVAC system noise at the property lines and noise intrusion from the playfield were both issues. (5) Impact noise from the playfield was audible in the shell space. (6) The school wanted to concurrently use the playfield and the theater. (7) A late gift from a donor at the beginning of construction triggered a major redesign of the room acoustics. This paper will cover the history of the project, as well as the challenges and design solutions, which included stepped concrete floating floors, spring isolated ceilings, complicated mechanical system design, and variable acoustics.
Exploring the effects of aircraft noise on bioacoustic activity in national parks
Authors: Kleist Nathan , Fristrup Kurt M.
Published: November 2019

In the course of measuring and analyzing environmental acoustic conditions in U. S. National Park units, a large number of acoustical recordings have been aurally reviewed by trained technicians who noted the presence of a wide variety of sound sources. For this presentation, we analyzed changes in bioacoustic activity in relation to sounds from nearby people and distant aircraft. A central question for our analysis was the relevant time scale of exposure, as it is plausible that natural choruses are affected both by the immediate stimuli they experience as well as their recent history of exposure to similar stimuli. The large sample size—600 000 observations—enabled us to investigate data-driven models that document the decay of effects with increasing time lag between exposure and response.
A comparison of humpback whale singing and ambient noise cycles in the Gulf of Tribugá, Chocó, Colombia
Authors: Valentina-Huertas Laura , Paula-Rey Maria , Seger Kerri , Perazio Christina E. , Botero Natalia , Gonzalez Valeria , Luna-Acosta Andrea
Published: November 2019

To monitor potential changes in the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) singing cycle, typical singing intensities, and acoustic behaviors requires a baseline understanding of singing activity in the context of an acoustic environment that is minimally disturbed. The Gulf of Tribugá in the Colombian Pacific (the breeding ground for Stock G) was named a Hope Spot in June 2019 as a local conservation campaign against the Colombian government’s plans to build an international port here. To document this minimally disturbed acoustic ecosystem, data were recorded at Morro Mico from October to November 2018. An Ecological Acoustic Recorder (EAR) collected data on a 33.3% duty cycle at a 15 kHz sampling rate. Power spectral densities were explored across several bands up to 6250 Hz and were used to rank sound source influence and to detect diel and lunar cycles. Spectrograms in Raven Pro 1.5 were used to manually classify sounds into six groups: dolphins, humpback whales, fish, wind and rain, snapping shrimp, and boats. These sound source time series combined with power spectral density and humpback whale song intensity cycles now serves as the first year of a baseline study in preparation to document the effects of a pending major construction project.
How acoustics informs understanding of foraging behavior and effects of vessels and noise on killer whales
Authors: Holt Marla M. , Tennessen Jennifer B. , Hanson Brad , Emmons Candice , Giles Deborah , Hogan Jeffery , Wright Brianna M. , Thornton Sheila
Published: November 2019

Foraging in toothed whales and dolphins is fundamentally tied to the use of sound. Resident-type killer whales (Orcinus orca) use echolocation to locate and capture fast-moving salmon and other fish prey. In addition to prey availability, disturbance from vessels and noise is a threat to the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population given considerable levels of commercial shipping, fishing, whale-watching and recreational vessel traffic in urban waterways that the whales use for feeding. In this study, we utilized suction cup-attached digital acoustic recording tags (DTAGs) to (1) describe whale acoustic and movement behavior during different phases of foraging that can be differentiated from other behaviors, (2) investigate vessel and noise effects on behavior and foraging outcomes in the endangered population, (3) compare foraging behavior between the endangered population that is struggling with population recovery and another population (Northern Resident killer whales) that is increasing in numbers, and (4) characterize diel patterns of foraging and other behaviors to describe their full activity budget and inform management of vessel traffic and noise during urban expansion along the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. This presentation will highlight results to date and implications for the conservation and management of marine protected species.
McGurk doesn’t work: Individual differences and task demands explain the McGurk illusion
Authors: Getz Laura M. , Toscano Joseph C.
Published: November 2019

Visual speech cues play an important role in speech recognition, and the McGurk effect is a classic demonstration of this. In the original McGurk and MacDonald (1976) experiment, 98% of participants reported an illusory “fusion” percept of /d/ when listening to the spoken syllable /b/ and watching the visual speech movements for /g/. However, recent work (e.g., Mallick et al., 2015) shows that subject and task differences influence the proportion of fusion responses. In the current study, we varied task (forced-choice versus open-ended), stimuli (synthetic versus naturally produced), design (mixed versus blocked audio-visual and single-modality trials), and data collection environment (lab versus Mechanical Turk) to investigate the robustness of the McGurk effect. Across all conditions, we found a low number of fusion responses. Rather than a robust perceptual illusion, we therefore argue that the McGurk effect is a product of individual differences and task demands.
Accurate detection of spatially calibrating laser points during transnasal, fiberoptic, laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy using support vector machine
Authors: Ghasemzadeh Hamzeh , Deliyski Dimitar , Hillman Robert E. , Mehta Daryush D.
Published: November 2019

Performing calibrated spatial measurements of vocal fold structures (including pathology) and kinematics during phonation is essential for developing patient-specific voice production models and better quantifying treatment outcomes. Unfortunately, conventional videoendoscopic images cannot provide such measurements. However, adding laser-based fiducial markers to the field of view (FOV) can provide measurements in the coronal and transverse planes. Accurate detection of the laser points during in vivo recordings is a pre-requisite of such a measurement. This study presents a novel method based on machine learning for detection of the laser points. A custom-developed transnasal, fiberoptic endoscope projected a pattern of 7 × 7 green laser points on the FOV during sustained vowel tokens, which was recorded with a color high-speed video camera at 6000 frames per second. Analysis of the images showed that each laser point travels along a unique and deterministic trajectory. Based on this, the classification score of a support vector machine was employed for maximizing the posterior probability and finding the most probable laser point in each trajectory. Classification features were tailored to account for geometrical shape and gradient profile of laser points. Additionally, features were extracted from red, green, and blue color channels for accurate distinction between laser points and reflection light.
Variability is variable: Individual differences in articulatory variation
Authors: Harper Sarah , Goldstein Louis
Published: November 2019

The extent of the variability observed for a specific articulatory parameter or dimension differs across segments in a language (Amerman et al., 1970 and Vaissiere, 1983). Previous research suggests that these differences are related to the contribution of the parameter to the maintenance of phonological contrast (e.g., Keating, 1990) or to the effect of the parameter on the hypothesized goal of a phonological unit (Nieto-Castanon et al., 2005). In this study, we extend this research to individual differences in articulation by examining whether individual speakers differ in the extent of the variability they exhibit along a given articulatory parameter. Tongue tip kinematics from 40 American English speakers in the Wisconsin X-Ray Microbeam Corpus (Westbury, 1994) were analyzed to determine the variation in the location and degree of the tongue tip constriction gesture for each speaker in a subset of the consonants (/s/, /l/, /ɹ/, and /t/). Results indicate that the extent of the variability observed along these constriction dimensions varies markedly both between and within speakers, with speakers differing not only in the amount of variation they exhibit along each dimension but also in which dimension exhibits more variability. [Work supported by NIH.]
Coordination of tongue muscle shortening and volume shifting in speech
Authors: Stone Maureen , Xing Fangxu , Garrett Katie , Boroun Atefeh , Woo Jonghye , Prince Jerry L.
Published: November 2019

Tongue motion to execute speech motions uses complex 3-D muscle architecture. For example, the motion into /s/ requires the tongue to extend its tip anteriorly, groove its superior surface, and brace itself laterally. To facilitate this, orthogonal, interdigitated tongue muscles allow complex deformations and motions, which create subtle and local shape changes along the tongue surface. This talk will examine anterior-posterior tongue motion from two perspectives: muscle shortening and volume shifting. We measure tagged and cine MR images for two speech tasks, “a geese” versus “a souk,” which move the tongue primarily forward versus backward. The talk will focus on the genioglossus, verticalis, transverse, superior, and inferior longitudinal muscles. These five muscles comprise over 50% of the tongue mass and deform it in three major directions: anterior-posterior, superior-inferior, and medial-lateral. The muscle shortening patterns will be compared to the percent of the tongue anterior to specific tooth landmarks for the consonant /s/ in both words. The /s/’s differ in word position and vowel context. Similarities between the two will help specify the coordination between muscles and deformation for /s/; differences will inform us as to the effect of vowel context/word placement.
An analysis of a thermoacoustic vocal tract model
Authors: Vawdrey Joshua , Beatty Stephen , King Matthew , Amin Masood , Andersen Bonnie
Published: November 2019

A simplified human vocal tract has been modelled by Arai as an educational tool that is able to produce the formants of vowel sounds [T. Arai, J. Acoust. Sci. Technol. 27, 6 (2006)]. By reconstructing Arai’s model as a thermoacoustic engine with heat exchangers and a stack in one of the three tubes, heat produced sounds that are resonant with the model with no external driving mechanism needed. Two configurations of the stack placement in the three-tube model were tested, one with the stack in the constriction region and one with the stack located near the closed end. Varying the constriction location in the second configuration produces sounds with frequencies close to the male /e/ and /o/ first formant, as well as the male /ae/ and /a/ of the second formant. The first configuration with the stack in the constriction was not able to produce sound at the temperatures used in this study, likely due to radiation losses caused by its structure. Using a one-dimensional wave equation and applying boundary conditions at the ends of each of the three tubes results in a transcendental equation, which determines the formant frequencies as the back cavity length is increased.
Source kernels for noise cross-correlation
Authors: Skarsoulis Emmanuel , Cornuelle Bruce
Published: November 2019

A wave-theoretic tool, the source kernel, is introduced to describe the sensitivity of the finite-frequency underwater noise cross-correlation function to the location of the noise sources taking into account the refractive features of the ocean environment. The cross correlation of the noise field at two receivers conveys information about the corresponding time-domain Green’s function (TDGF), provided that sufficient energy is channeled into the acoustic paths connecting the two locations. The efficiency of the TDGF recovery is determined by the receiver and noise source locations and characteristics, as well as by the refraction properties of the ocean sound channel. The source kernel takes these characteristics into account and highlights the locations where noise sources can have maximum impact on the cross-correlation output. The distribution and coherence of the noise sources can be specified in a variety of ways to investigate a wide range of scenarios, from random noise-source distributions to coherent radiators. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Progressive Resistance Plus Balance Training for Older Australians Receiving In-Home Care Services: Cost-Effectiveness Analyses Alongside the Muscling Up Against Disability Stepped-Wedge Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Hetherington Sharon , Swinton Paul , Henwood Tim , Keogh Justin , Gardiner Paul , Tuckett Anthony , Rouse Kevin , Comans Tracy
Published: November 2019

In this article, the authors assessed the cost-effectiveness of center-based exercise training for older Australians. The participants were recipients of in-home care services, and they completed 24 weeks of progressive resistance plus balance training. Transport was offered to all participants. A stepped-wedge randomized control trial produced pre-, post-, and follow-up outcomes and cost data, which were used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios per quality-adjusted life year gained. Analyses were conducted from a health provider perspective and from a government perspective. From a health-service provider perspective, the direct cost of program provision was $303 per person, with transport adding an additional $1,920 per person. The incremental cost–utility ratio of the program relative to usual care was $70,540 per quality-adjusted life year over 6 months, decreasing to $37,816 per quality-adjusted life year over 12 months. The findings suggest that Muscling Up Against Disability offers good value for the money within commonly accepted threshold values.
Clinical Significance of Low Serum Cryptococcal Antigen Titers by Lateral Flow Assay in Immunocompromised Patients: a Retrospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Dizon Erin , Seo Wonjae , Butler-Wu Susan M. , She Rosemary C.
Published: November 2019

Cryptococcus
species are associated with invasive fungal infections in immunosuppressed individuals. The clinical significance of low-titer cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) by lateral flow assay is frequently uncertain. We investigated the correlation of low CrAg titers with disease in an immunocompromised patient population. Patients with first-time positive CrAg results with low serum titers (≤1:10) at two medical centers (Los Angeles, CA) from April 2014 to July 2018 were included.
Molecular Characterization of Parvovirus Strain GX-Tu-PV-1, Isolated from a Guangxi Turkey
Authors: Zhang Yanfang , Xie Zhixun , Deng Xianwen , Xie Zhiqin , Xie Liji , Zhang Minxiu , Luo Sisi , Fan Qing , Huang Jiaoling , Zeng Tingting , Wang Sheng
Published: November 2019

The aim of the current study was to determine the genomic sequence of parvovirus strain GX-Tu-PV-1, which was isolated from a turkey in Guangxi Province, South China. The analysis showed that the genome sequence of GX-Tu-PV-1 was 81.3% to ∼99.3% similar to those of other turkey parvoviruses (TuPVs) and 79.8% to ∼92.1% related to chicken parvovirus (ChPV). This study will help in understanding the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of parvovirus in turkeys.
Complete Genome Sequence of Terriglobus albidus Strain ORNL, an Acidobacterium Isolated from the
Populus deltoides
Rhizosphere
Authors: Podar Mircea , Turner Joel , Burdick Leah H. , Pelletier Dale A.
Published: November 2019

Terriglobus albidus
strain ORNL is a heterotrophic soil acidobacterium isolated from the rhizosphere of an Eastern cottonwood tree (
Populus deltoides
) in Tennessee. Its 6.4-Mb chromosome was completely sequenced using PacBio long reads, and it encodes 5,010 proteins and 53 RNAs.