bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Safety of Drug Treatment in Patients with Neuropathic Pain: Data from Ambulatory Care in a Real-Life Setting
Authors: Vocca Cristina , Rania Vincenzo , Siniscalchi Antonio , Palleria Caterina , Marcianò Gianmarco , Galati Cecilia , Catarisano Luca , Mastrangelo Valentina , Corasaniti Franco , Monea Francesco , Muraca Lucia , Citraro Rita , D’Agostino Bruno , Gallelli Luca , De Sarro Giovambattista
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Drug treatment can be related to the development of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Aim: In this paper, we evaluated ADRs in patients admitted to the Ambulatory of Pain Medicine of the University Hospital Renato Dulbecco in Catanzaro. Methods: We conducted a prospective analysis between 1 February 2021 and 20 July 2023 on patients with neuropathic pain referred to the Ambulatory of Pain Medicine of “Renato Dulbecco” University Hospital in Catanzaro (Calabria, Italy). Patients aged >18 years with clinical signs of neurologic pain and a score upon completing the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions (DN4) questionnaire of ≥4 were included. The association between drugs and ADR or between drugs and drug–drug-interactions (DDIs) was evaluated using Naranjo’s probability scale and Drug Interaction Probability Scale (DIPS), respectively. Results: During the study period, we analyzed 2370 patients referred to the ambulatory of pain medicine. After the evaluation of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 33.5% of patients were enrolled. All patients presented at least one comorbidity and daily used a mean of five drugs (range 3–11). Using the Naranjo score, the development of ADRs was documented in 112 patients (score 6). Using parametric and non-parametric statistical analysis, we failed to report an association between ADR and dosage or ADR and patient characteristics. Conclusion: Our results show the development of ADRs in 18% of patients with neuropathic pain. This low percentage of drug interaction could be a limitation in real life because it is probably due to the site of the study and the appropriate prescription of drugs. Therefore, it shows that it is necessary to motivate healthcare to pay attention to the prescription of drugs in poly-treated patients to reduce the risk of ADRs.
Effect of Different Additives on the Quality of Rehydrated Corn Grain Silage: A Systematic Review
Authors: Diogénes Luciana Viana , Pereira Filho José Morais , Edvan Ricardo Loiola , de Oliveira Juliana Paula Felipe , Nascimento Romilda Rodrigues do , Santos Edson Mauro , Alencar Elisvaldo José Silva , Mazza Pedro Henrique Soares , Oliveira Ronaldo Lopes , Bezerra Leilson Rocha
Published: December 2023

This review aimed to analyze the effects of additives in producing silage from rehydrated corn grains for ruminants. The control treatment studies used in this analysis involved corn grain rehydrated with water only. To be included in the review, the studies needed to follow standardized criteria, including the absence of additives in the control treatment and the silage evaluation of the in animals such as cattle, goats, and sheep. A total of fifteen publications between 2014 and 2023 were included in the final dataset. The PROC ANOVA of SAS was used to compare the results, which included a random effect of comparison within the study, performing a paired comparison. It was observed that additives did not influence the chemical composition, pH, organic acid, ethanol content, microbial population, fermentative losses, aerobic stability, and dry matter in vitro digestibility of rehydrated corn grain silage (p > 0.05). Using additives in corn silage is a promising practice that can significantly benefit silage fermentation. Moisture silage additives mitigate high mycotoxin levels, enhance aerobic stability, improve cell wall digestibility, and increase the efficiency of utilization of silage nitrogen by ruminants. Using fermentation-stimulating additives (Lactobacillus buchneri) can improve the quality of rehydrated corn grain silage. There are still a few studies and more research to elucidate the best additives and the ideal amount to be added to ground corn grain silage.
Intelligent Drone Swarms to Search for Victims in Post-Disaster Areas
Authors: Haddad Matheus Nohra , Santos Andréa Cynthia , Duhamel Christophe , Coco Amadeu Almeida
Published: December 2023

This study presents the Drone Swarms Routing Problem (DSRP), which consists of identifying the maximum number of victims in post-disaster areas. The post-disaster area is modeled in a complete graph, where each search location is represented by a vertex, and the edges are the shortest paths between destinations, with an associated weight, corresponding to the battery consumption to fly to a location. In addition, in the DSRP addressed here, a set of drones are deployed in a cooperative drone swarms approach to boost the search. In this context, a V-shaped formation is applied with leader replacements, which allows energy saving. We propose a computation model for the DSRP that considers each drone as an agent that selects the next search location to visit through a simple and efficient method, the Drone Swarm Heuristic. In order to evaluate the proposed model, scenarios based on the Beirut port explosion in 2020 are used. Numerical experiments are presented in the offline and online versions of the proposed method. The results from such scenarios showed the efficiency of the proposed approach, attesting not only the coverage capacity of the computational model but also the advantage of adopting the V-shaped formation flight with leader replacements.
In Situ Water Quality Monitoring Using an Optical Multiparameter Sensor Probe
Authors: Goblirsch Tobias , Mayer Thomas , Penzel Stefanie , Rudolph Mathias , Borsdorf Helko
Published: December 2023

Optical methods such as ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy are well-established analytical techniques for in situ water quality monitoring. A broad range of bio-logical and chemical contaminants in different concentration ranges can be detected using these methods. The availability of results in real time allows a quick response to water quality changes. The measuring devices are configured as portable multi-parameter probes. However, their specification and data processing typically cannot be changed by users, or only with difficulties. Therefore, we developed a submersible sensor probe, which combines UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy together with a flexible data processing platform. Due to its modular design in the hardware and software, the sensing system can be modified to the specific application. The dimension of the waterproof enclosure with a diameter of 100 mm permits also its application in groundwater monitoring wells. As a light source for fluorescence spectroscopy, we constructed an LED array that can be equipped with four different LEDs. A miniaturized deuterium–tungsten light source (200–1100 nm) was used for UV/Vis spectroscopy. A miniaturized spectrometer with a spectral range between 225 and 1000 nm permits the detection of complete spectra for both methods.
SiamPKHT: Hyperspectral Siamese Tracking Based on Pyramid Shuffle Attention and Knowledge Distillation
Authors: Qian Kun , Wang Shiqing , Zhang Shoujin , Shen Jianlu
Published: December 2023

Hyperspectral images provide a wealth of spectral and spatial information, offering significant advantages for the purpose of tracking objects. However, Siamese trackers are unable to fully exploit spectral features due to the limited number of hyperspectral videos. The high-dimensional nature of hyperspectral images complicates the model training process. In order to address the aforementioned issues, this article proposes a hyperspectral object tracking (HOT) algorithm callled SiamPKHT, which leverages the SiamCAR model by incorporating pyramid shuffle attention (PSA) and knowledge distillation (KD). First, the PSA module employs pyramid convolutions to extract multiscale features. In addition, shuffle attention is adopted to capture relationships between different channels and spatial positions, thereby obtaining good features with a stronger classification performance. Second, KD is introduced under the guidance of a pre-trained RGB tracking model, which deals with the problem of overfitting in HOT. Experiments using HOT2022 data indicate that the designed SiamPKHT achieves better performance compared to the baseline method (SiamCAR) and other state-of-the-art HOT algorithms. It also achieves real-time requirements at 43 frames per second.
A Smart Sensing Technologies-Based Intelligent Healthcare System for Diabetes Patients
Authors: Maqbool Sana , Bajwa Imran Sarwar , Maqbool Saba , Ramzan Shabana , Chishty Muhammad Junaid
Published: December 2023

An Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled human-centered smart healthcare monitoring system can be useful in life saving, specifically for diabetes patients. Diabetes and heart patients need real-time and remote monitoring and recommendation-based medical assistance. Such human-centered smart healthcare systems can not only provide continuous medical assistance to diabetes patients but can also reduce overall medical expenses. In the last decade, machine learning has been successfully implemented to design more accurate and precise medical applications. In this paper, a smart sensing technologies-based architecture is proposed that uses AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) for continuous monitoring and health assistance for diabetes patients. The designed system senses various health parameters, such as blood pressure, blood oxygen, blood glucose (non-invasively), body temperature, and pulse rate, using a wrist band. We also designed a non-invasive blood sugar sensor using a near-infrared (NIR) sensor. The proposed system can predict the patient’s health condition, which is evaluated by a set of machine learning algorithms with the support of a fuzzy logic decision-making system. The designed system was validated on a large data set of 50 diabetes patients. The results of the simulation manifest that the random forest classifier gives the highest accuracy in comparison to other machine learning algorithms. The system predicts the patient’s condition accurately and sends it to the doctor’s portal.
A Survey of CNN-Based Approaches for Crack Detection in Solar PV Modules: Current Trends and Future Directions
Authors: Hassan Sharmarke , Dhimish Mahmoud
Published: December 2023

Detection of cracks in solar photovoltaic (PV) modules is crucial for optimal performance and long-term reliability. The development of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) has significantly improved crack detection, offering improved accuracy and efficiency over traditional methods. This paper presents a comprehensive review and comparative analysis of CNN-based approaches for crack detection in solar PV modules. The review discusses various CNN architectures, including custom-designed networks and pre-trained models, as well as data-augmentation techniques and ensemble learning methods. Additionally, challenges related to limited dataset sizes, generalizability across different solar panels, interpretability of CNN models, and real-time detection are discussed. The review also identifies opportunities for future research, such as the need for larger and more diverse datasets, model interpretability, and optimized computational speed. Overall, this paper serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in using CNNs for crack detection in solar PV modules.
Automated Noise Recognition and Classification System Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Poulin Denis , Noel Thierry
Published: December 2023

Imagine identifying your soundscape composition with a single click. Seti Media's innovative artificial intelligence (AI) system accomplishes this by deploying automated noise monitoring terminals that collect noise levels and audio recordings. The AI system enhances the data gathered
at the terminals, cross-references it, and automates the recognition and classification of audio recordings produced by various noise sources (e.g., cars, trucks, sirens, trains, jackhammers). With over 22 years in automated environmental monitoring, Seti Media has collected audio recordings
from over 2500 noise monitoring projects. These thousands of audio records have enabled the development of an efficient and reliable automated noise recognition and classification solution.
Reverberation time measurement issues
Authors: Davy John Laurence
Published: December 2023

The current ISO attempt to revise ISO 354 has ended in failure because the experts on the working group could not reach agreement in the required time frame. However, several important issues were identified. Some of these issues are discussed in this paper. The current ISO 354:2003
changed from using 30 dB of decay to using 20 dB of decay to determine the reverberation time. Unfortunately, the conversion of the theoretical formulae for the spatial and ensemble standard deviation from 30 dB to 20 dB of decay was not correct. The current version of the standard incorrectly
changed the maximum linear averaging time and changed from specifying the maximum exponential averaging time to specifying the maximum exponential time constant but did not halve the maximum value. There is also evidence that the maximum exponential averaging time can be increased by 50% without
biasing the measured reverberation time. When a discrete decay curve is analyzed, there are issues when deciding the first and last point to use when determining the reverberation time. During the attempted revision of the standard, it was proposed to specify a minimum amount of empty room
sound absorption. This did not reduce the spread of results in the round robin and this paper gives theoretical results which suggest that this is to be expected.
Acoustics of a Sitzprobe rehearsal
Authors: Dance Stephen
Published: December 2023

A Sitzprobe rehearsal is normally the first-time singers and orchestra play together. It requires the fire curtain to be lowered pushing the vocalist to the very edge of the stage. A series of acoustics tests were undertaken on behalf of The Royal Opera House to establish this change
in the environment as far as the musicians were concerned. Measurements were taken at two key positions, 2nd violins and the conductor location whilst a single sound source was positioned centre stage, the control condition, front of stage and around the auditorium. In addition, sound control
solutions were tested and proposes to reduce sound exposure are presented.
Optimized nonlocal active sound control with preservation of desired sound field
Authors: Hu Nan , Utyuzhnikov Sergey
Published: December 2023

In this study we implement nonlocal active sound control to shield a bounded domain from ambient noise generated outside. This technique is practically applicable even if internally generated desired sound exists. Within the protected domain, the secondary field provided by the controls
located at the perimeter neutralizes the external noise while preserving the desired sound unchanged. The generality of nonlocal active sound control facilitates its real-life application since only the total acoustic field at the boundary of the protected region is required as input data.
The external noise and internal desired sound are automatically separated. We investigate the optimized distributions of sensors and controls to make this method more practically realistic. A series of numerical experiments are carried out, illustrating that significant noise attenuation can
be achieved even with the sparse distribution of sensors and controls if the optimized distributions are implemented. The results also demonstrate that even two controls per wavelength enable to provide essential noise attenuation with optimized distributions.
Classroom transformation for better education: Part 2 - A preliminary study on acoustic design strategies for hybrid learning classrooms
Authors: Razali Abdul Wafi , Din Nazli Che , Yahya Musli Nizam , Sulaiman Raha , Razak Asrul Sani Abdul
Published: December 2023

The education scenario requires drastic changes because of the recent unforeseen global pandemic strikes. The worst global crisis in decades causes fundamental shifts in learning methods, from traditional face-to-face to a hybrid approach. Despite providing flexibility for students
to remotely participate in the lessons, it was found that students' ability to comprehend the subject matter has decreased, as they could not hear the lecture because of poor classroom acoustics. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop acoustic design strategies for the hybrid classroom
to provide an effective teaching and learning environment. This study centers on the effect of microphone configurations on speech intelligibility parameters, which include sound transmission index (STI) and speech clarity (C50). The study reveals that the quality of speech intelligibility
perceived by the microphone in the lecture rooms is influenced by the microphone's location and distance from the ceiling surface.
An experimental approach for analyzing pantograph noise contribution
Authors: Noh Heemin , Yoon Sungho , Hong Jiyoung
Published: December 2023

The noise generated from high-speed train is a major cause of discomfort and fatigue for passengers and bystanders. Aero-acoustic noise is particularly troublesome because it increases sharply when train speed increases, as opposed to noise caused by rolling and traction. The main sources
of aeroacoustic noise in high-speed trains include the front of the train, the inter-coach spacing, and the pantograph. Of these sources, the pantograph is the only source projected outside of the train in contact with high-voltage electric cables, which transmit electrical power to the train.
In this sense, it is difficult to distinguish the characteristics of the noise generated in the pantograph from the noise emitted by each major element by attaching a noise sensor to the pantograph. Therefore, we investigated the characteristics and the influence of the aero-acoustic noise
generated from a pantograph using various experimental approaches in a wind tunnel facility.
Research and application of combined noise reduction method by using noise reducing pavement and noise barrier
Authors: Li Mingliang , Yuan Minmin , Li Jun , Li Yingtao , Zhou Wei , Zu Yaqun
Published: December 2023

Traffic noise has become one of the most significant issues in environmental pollution complaints. In some cases, tyre/road noise level has exceeded the critical values of environmental regulations by more than 10 dB (A), and using single technical method, such as noise reducing pavement
or noise barrier, cannot solve the problem effectively. In this paper, research and application were carried out by considering combination of both noise reducing pavement and barrier. Based on analysis of characteristics of tyre/road noise spectrum, a design method of sound absorption performance
of barrier which will compensate the absorption ability of the pavement is proposed. Three types of noise barrier panel, namely diffusive, interference-type, and diamond-shaped sound absorption panels, were developed, which provide good complements to the absorption spectrum of porous asphalt
pavement. Trail section was built for validation on a practical expressway. Noise reducing pavement designed by considering travel lane differences were firstly constructed, and noise barriers with the three different types of sound absorption panel were installed along the road section. After
implementation, it shows that noise levels measured in the surrounding villages can be reduced by 10~13dB (A), and this method is proved effect for eliminating the severe pollution of tyre/road noise.
Enhanced finite-element model and acoustic test fixture to assess the objective occlusion effect induced by earplugs under bone-conducted stimulation
Authors: Sgard Franck , Xu Huiyang , Carillo Kevin , Wagnac Eric , De Guise Jacques
Published: December 2023

The occlusion effect refers to the increased perception, mainly at low frequencies, of bone-conducted sounds like physiological noises and one's own voice when one wears hearing protection devices. This phenomenon may lead to an acoustic discomfort and subsequently to less effective
protection. It can be quantified by an objective indicator defined as the difference between the sound pressure level in the open and occluded earcanal. Several finite-element models based on truncated outer ears are available in the literature for predicting the objective occlusion effect
but they suffer from several limitations mainly due to anatomical simplifications. In this paper, the occlusion effect of earplugs is assessed using an enhanced finite-element model and an augmented acoustic test fixture both based on the same real head geometry of a living participant. The
finite-element head model is evaluated by comparing numerical results with various experimental data. The augmented acoustic test fixture is evaluated itself with respect to the participant. Using the finite-element model, the variability of the occlusion effect induced by the uncertainty
on the stimulation position of the bone transducer, the position in the earcanal where the occlusion effect is assessed, and the uncertainty on the soft tissue Poisson's ratio is investigated.
Effects of step changes in railway noise exposure and earthquakes on sleep disturbance
Authors: Morihara Takashi , Murakami Yasuhiro , Shimoyama Koji , Morinaga Makoto , Yokoshima Shigenori , Tsujimura Sohei , Hiraguri Yasuhiro , Yano Takashi
Published: December 2023

In the areas spanning around 5 km north from Kumamoto Station (the northern area) and around 12 km south from the station (the southern area), Kyushu Shinkansen and conventional railway lines are closely parallel. After Kyushu Shinkansen Line was operated in 2011, the adjacent conventional
railway line was elevated in the northern area, a new station was operated in the southern area, and large earthquakes struck Kumamoto area from March to April, 2016. Through socio-acoustic surveys from 2011 to 2017, sleep disturbances were compared between before and after the earthquakes
per train type (Shinkansen and conventional train), area (north and south) and house type (detached and apartment). Sleep disturbance caused by Shinkansen railway for detached house in the northern area was significantly higher before than after the earthquakes. Sleep disturbance caused by
Shinkansen railway for apartment house in the southern area was significantly higher after than before the earthquakes. The former may be caused by more frequently closing bed room windows of detached houses in the northern area. The latter was probably because Shinkansen trains slowed down
just after the earthquakes and returned to the normal speed during the survey. There was no significant difference in the other six cases.
Differences in speech intelligibility in noise under Ambisonics-based virtual acoustic environments with varying sound recording/rendering methods
Authors: Hioka Yusuke , Hui C.T. Justine , Zhang Yunqi C. , D'Souza Alyssa , Wu Kenneth
Published: December 2023

The present study investigates the differences in speech intelligibility in noise under Ambisonics-based virtual acoustic environments realised by various recording/rendering methods. Subjective listening tests were conducted under four different implementations of Ambisonics-based
virtual acoustic environments reproducing a seminar room using different modes of recording and rendering techniques. For recording, both first and higher order Ambisonics microphone arrays were utilised while for rendering headphones (binaural) and 32-ch loudspeaker array were used. The results
were also compared against the data collected in the real room. The experimental results suggest the speech intelligibility under virtual acoustic environments does not differ significantly regardless of the modes of recording and rendering, however it was generally lower than that in their
original room. The effect of spatial release from masking was also observed under the virtual acoustic environments when either/both the higher order Ambisonics microphone array or/and the 32-channel loudspeaker array were utilised for the implementation, however, it was limited to the case
when the speech source was located close to the listener.
Determination of railway noise contribution based on noise source identification and acoustic transfer function
Authors: Uda Toki , Kawaguchi Tsugutoshi
Published: December 2023

Environmental noise standards of noise for Japan's bullet trains, known as Shinkansen, are among the most stringent in the world. To reduce train noise and meet these standards, the contribution ratio of each noise source to the total noise at the observation point provisioned by the
Japanese government, 25 m from the nearest track must be determined. Although previous studies have determined the contribution ratio using multiple omnidirectional microphones and a 1-dimensional microphone array positioned at the observation point, we propose a new method to evaluate the
contribution ratio by combining the noise source identification with an acoustic experiment. The microphone array clearly measures the noise source distribution around a vehicle using signal processing of the deconvolution algorithm, indicating that bogies and pantographs are the dominant
aerodynamic noise sources. The transfer function of the radiated sound between the sources and observation point was determined in the acoustic model experiment with a viaduct and noise barrier. The contribution ratio obtained should be useful in assessing the noise reduction from shape modification.
Sound power level determination of roads in Tokyo using aerial photographs, machine learning, and ASJ RTN-Model 2018
Authors: ZHANG Xinyi , XU Wenrui , YONEMURA Miki , SAKAMOTO Shinichi
Published: December 2023

The traffic noise map is a visual representation of the sound level distribution in and around a road based on the sound power levels of vehicles on the road and the diffraction and reflection by the surrounding buildings. The purpose of creating the traffic noise map is to facilitate
the government, researchers, industry, and the public in their efforts to track trends in transportation-related noise. To create noise maps, sound power level determination is the most important. The road traffic noise prediction model "ASJ RTN-Model 2018" has been widely used for
road traffic noise prediction in Japan. Provided a method of calculating sound power level by vehicle classification, traveling speed, and driving mode. In the study, to obtain the vehicles' classification and coordinates, YOLO (You Only Look Once) was used to process the aerial photos. This
study constructed sound power level distribution on the road network in Tokyo. Additionally, the estimated data were compared with the measured data to confirm the estimated data's reliability.
Experimental study on the effect of visual information of source image to evaluate the annoyance of aircraft noise
Authors: Akiyama Asahi , Yonemura Miki , Sakamoto Shinichi
Published: December 2023

Laboratory tests in anechoic chambers are effective for evaluating environmental noise. In the actual environment, it is said that human reactions are greatly influenced not only by a sense of hearing but also by various senses, especially visual sensation. In this study, we experimentally
evaluated the annoyance of environmental noise using an audio-visual simulation system that combines a three-dimensional sound field system in an anechoic room and a video playback system equipped with a dome-shaped screen. Previous studies have shown that the annoyance of traffic noise changes
depending on the image presented, but aircraft noise is less affected by visual effects than other traffic noises. Therefore, in this study, we focused on aircraft noise and made experimental investigations. We considered two reasons why the annoyance evaluation of aircraft noise seems to
be less affected by vision: the small size of the visible image, and the high sound power level relative to the image. Accordingly, we experimentally evaluated the difference in perception of annoyance due to changes in the image size by presenting images of artificially changed sizes of aircraft
images as stimuli.
FMBEM simulation of the laboratory measurement of sound transmission loss in rectangular test rooms
Authors: Nishizawa Keiko , Inoue Naohisa , Sakuma Tetsuya
Published: December 2023

In order to predict sound transmission loss of building elements, the fast multipole boundary element method is applied to simulate the laboratory measurement method in rectangular test rooms specified by ISO 10140-2 (JIS A 1416) for all the frequency bands from 100 to 4 kHz. Firstly,
fine and simplified models are validated in comparison with theoretical and measured results for reference samples of membrane materials. Secondly, in addition to the sound pressure method, the sound intensity method is numerically simulated. As a result, it was shown that both models are
applicable at mid and high frequency bands, but a simplified model overestimates the transmission loss more than a fine model at low frequency bands. Regarding the sound intensity method, the simulated values are lower than those with the sound pressure method, however approaching the theoretical
values.
Experimental study on reduction of floor impact sound in wooden buildings
Authors: Tanaka Hikari , Tomitaka Ryu , Masuda Kiyoshi
Published: December 2023

In recent years, wooden buildings have been attracting attention from the viewpoint of promoting sustainable construction through the use of wood. In Japan, laws promoting the use of wood have been enacted and the number of wooden apartment buildings is increasing. However, the structural
members used in wooden buildings are lighter and less rigid than those in reinforced concrete buildings, so sound insulation performance is generally poor. In particular, it is difficult to achieve good insulation performance against heavy floor impacts. In this paper, we describe a study
that was conducted for the purpose of reducing floor impact sound in wooden buildings. The ability of two damping materials developed by the authors to reduce floor impact sound was tested. One is a damping material for floors that acts like tuned mass dampers (TMDs) to reduce floor vibrations.
The other is a damping material for ceilings that is inserted above the ceiling panels to increase ceiling damping and attenuate vibration. These countermeasures were experimentally tested in a building constructed using the wooden frame wall method (two-by-four system) and their ability to
reduce floor impact sound was confirmed.
A simplified approach to measuring tactical noise from firearms - relative to STANREC 4785
Authors: Huseby Morten
Published: December 2023

Soldiers firing a small arm will emit sound that has a position disclosing effect, that may lead to incoming enemy fire. Recently NATO STANREC 4785 "Testing Protocol on Acoustic Signature Measurement of Small Arms Suppressors" has been released to quantify this. While this
standard may do a good job at quantifying the position disclosing effect, some report that the standard is to complicated to use. The question is then if it is possible to design a method that is easier to use, which still produce usable results. Here we present a suggestion for one such method.
The suggested method is compared to the STANREC for one example, using the AK-47 rifle.
On site acoustical characterization of a removable urban pavement with functionalized surface
Authors: Cesbron Julien , Rouy Lise , Gary Vincent , Lelong Joël , Klein Philippe , Le Bellec Adrien , Gennesseaux Éric , Sedran Thierry
Published: December 2023

Removable urban pavement consists in an assembly of cement concrete slabs that can be easily removed or replaced for maintenance purposes. Within the I-STREET CUD-SF project, a removable urban pavement with functionalized surface was implemented in the inner city of Nantes in France.
The slabs are made of cement concrete with a dense body and a porous top layer of grading 0/6 and porosity 25%, enabling water drainage and sound absorption. The demonstrator was approximately 31 m long by 6 m wide. Road surface texture was measured in 3D, leading to classical texture indicators
and assessment of irregularities at the junction between slabs. Sound absorption was also measured by the extended surface method. Noise performance of the pavement was assessed at 30 km/h by the Statistical Pass-By and the Close-Proximity methods. Pass-by noise level was reduced by 2.3 dBA
by comparison with the old pavement. Close-Proximity noise levels have shown a reduction of 3.4 dBA by comparison with an old DAC 0/10. The noise abatement is mainly due to a decrease in the frequency range between 800 Hz and 1600 Hz. Noise measurements will be repeated after one year to highlight
a possible evolution of acoustical performance.
Acoustic simulation using a frequency domain FEM with air absorption
Authors: Okuzono Takeshi , Yoshida Takumi
Published: December 2023

Recently, the applicability of wave-based acoustic simulations that solve the Helmholtz equation has been expanding drastically to high-frequency ranges and large spaces with the development of higher efficient methods. Although standard acoustic simulations generally solve the lossless
Helmholtz equation, considering the air absorption effect will contribute to increasing prediction accuracy at higher frequencies. This paper presents an accuracy and efficiency assessment of frequency-domain FEM (FD-FEM) acoustic simulations with air absorption effect based on the ISO 9613-1
model. First, the accuracy of FD-FEM, including the air absorption model, is verified at frequencies up to 20 kHz via a plane wave propagation problem in a long duct. Then, we will demonstrate its efficiency via a real-scale 2D office problem. Results reveal that considering air absorption
can increase computational efficiency for higher frequencies as an additional benefit.
Vibration attenuation band tuning by active stiffness control of local resonators of metamaterials
Authors: Jian Yupei , Shen Yincheng , Hu Guobiao , Tang Lihua , Aw Kean
Published: December 2023

This paper presents a design of metamaterials with a broader bandgap by active stiffness control of local resonators. A series of cantilever beams are connected to the host structure, serving as local resonators to open the bandgap for vibration attenuation. The piezoelectric transducers
bonded on the cantilever beams are shunted to a negative capacitance-negative inductance series circuit (NCNL). The variation of the effective modulus of the piezoelectric sample when connected to NCNL is discussed. In addition, the effect of the NC circuit and negative capacitance in series
with positive inductance (NC-L) circuit on the effective modulus of shunted piezoelectric transducers is also analyzed for comparison. By tuning the NCNL circuit, the elastic modulus of the beam-type resonator exhibits frequency-dependent, which will achieve active stiffness tuning. Subsequently,
the transmittance analysis of a metamaterial beam with active stiffness resonators is conducted using finite element method. The finite element results show that a broader attenuation band can be achieved by properly selecting the parameters of NC-NL circuits. This work provides a promising
method for effective vibration attenuation using metamaterials.
Psychological evaluation of auditory warning signal for train horn
Authors: Kim Ki-Hong
Published: December 2023

Air horns are commonly used to signal danger or caution during railroad operations. The main objectives of those auditory signals (i.e., whistle cords) are to "warn of danger," "call attention," and "notification of approach" in the situation before an
accident occurs or "report an emergency" to those around after an accident occurs. Further, in case of using auditory signals in nonemergency situations (e.g., during the departure or arrival of a train), loud or unpleasant sounds should be avoided to the greatest possible extent,
considering noise pollution in the environment. This study examined the nature of auditory signals for railroad vehicles through psycho-acoustic experiments using 11 types of auditory stimuli, including a "short, rapid horn sound" and a "long, slow horn sound." In the rating
experiments, the auditory stimuli were presented via headphones to individual participants. The results indicated that upon initiating the auditory signal with an electronic horn sound (less unpleasant and dangerous impression) before blowing the air horn to alert perceived danger, the impressions
of "warning," "caution," and "danger" tended to decrease, whereas those of "pleasantness," "quietness," and "relaxedness" tended to increase. The combined usage of electric and air horns can effectively provide auditory signals for
maintaining the safety of railroad operations while addressing the associated noise pollution.
Level set-based topology optimization for programmable acoustic structures
Authors: Noguchi Yuki , Yamada Takayuki
Published: December 2023

Controlling acoustic waves is essential in noise-reduction applications. Acoustic structures, which can efficiently manipulate acoustic waves based on their structural design, have been used to achieve the desired wave propagation behaviors. To meet various demands on sound propagation,
it is crucial to design acoustic structures with multiple functionalities. In this research, we propose a level set-based topology optimization method for acoustic structures with desired acoustic performances that depend on their deformation. Firstly, we introduce a mathematical model that
represents acoustic wave propagation based on the Helmholtz equation and the coordinate transformation. Next, we formulate the optimization problem based on the framework of a level set-based topology optimization method. A two-dimensional numerical example is provided to demonstrate the validity
of the proposed method. As an example, we optimize a sound reflective structure with the desired acoustic responses that are dependent on the deformation of the optimized structure.
Planning for a quieter environment in Hong Kong: Construction Noise Management Plan
Authors: LEE Benson Yau Hang , LIN Flora Kit Mei , CHENG Tommy Kit Wing , LEE Chee Kwan , TSANG Terence Sai Wing
Published: December 2023

Daytime construction noise is one of the most annoying noise problems according to the findings of a household opinion survey in Hong Kong. Normally detail construction methods and equipment involved for a project are only available in the detail design stage and sometimes even after
tendering of a construction contract. Early consideration on the use of quieter construction methods and equipment before tendering are essential to ensure such methods/equipment would be adopted and hence a new construction noise impact assessment approach is proposed. Under the new approach
only qualitative assessment, which includes the identification of the key noisy activities and the commitment of adopting quieter construction method/equipment, would be carried out in the early planning stage and then followed by the submission of a Construction Noise Management Plan (CNMP)
before tendering. The CNMP should include quantitative assessment and the particular specifications in construction contracts for adopting the quieter construction methods/equipment. To further assist the project proponents in preparing CNMP, a new web-based platform called Web-CNMP has also
been developed. This paper will outline control and management of construction noise in Hong Kong, the rationale and details of this new approach, Web-CNMP and explain how they can improve the noise environment.
Experimental and numerical study on transfer force characteristics and sound pressure in air layer of dry-type double floor system
Authors: CAO Da , AIDA Yu , INOUE Naohisa , SAKUMA Tetsuya
Published: December 2023

The dry-type double floor system is a floor finishing structure that is mainly composed of floor panels and support legs, and widely installed for apartment buildings and offices in Japan. In this paper, an experimental study is conducted firstly. Several small specimens composed of
ten support legs and floor panels are made, and the elastic properties of floor panels are determined by using the impact hammer in advance. In the experiment, two boundary conditions of the air layer are examined where the periphery of the specimen is fully open or closed by wooden frames.
The transfer force of each support leg, the sound pressure of the air layer and the displacements of floor panels are measured while impacted by the standard rubber ball. Then, a numerical study is conducted by finite element analysis. The support legs and floor panels are built as Kelvin-Voigt
model and plate element respectively. The vibro-acoustic analysis is conducted to investigate the influence of the air layers. It is shown that the gravity of floor panels and the contact condition of support legs on the concrete slab should be modelled to improve the accuracy of numerical
analysis.
Acoustic modes in a rectangular flow duct with a wall of finite acoustic impedance value
Authors: Goto Tomonobu , Maeda Kuri , Nakai Tonau , Nishimura Masaharu
Published: December 2023

The acoustic field in a rectangular flow duct of infinite length was numerically investigated. One of the walls of the duct was assumed to have finite acoustic impedance while the other three were rigid walls. Uniform flow profile was also assumed. The propagation constants, namely,
complex wave numbers, were calculated for various impedance values and the Mach numbers of the flow from the boundary condition on the finite impedance wall derived by Myers. First, we calculated the propagation constant without uniform flow. If all four walls are rigid and the frequency of
the sound is under the cut-off frequency, only zeroth mode propagates along the duct and higher modes decay rapidly. In contrast, if one wall has a finite impedance value, two modes can have comparable amount of attenuation. The acoustic field in the duct would be a superposition of those
less decaying modes depending on the inlet condition. As for the flow effect, the attenuation tends to be decreasing in fair wind, and vice versa. This tendency, however, is not general because the propagation constant moves on the complex plane in intricate manner.
Influence of changes in the sound environment when conversation is interrupted on facilitation of conversation
Authors: Sato Takahiro , Hyodo Shinya , Kobayashi Masahito , Tsujimura Sohei
Published: December 2023

To construct a method for activating meetings on knowledge creative activity by feedback control of the sound environment according to the meeting situation, the experiment simulating a meeting was conducted to examine the facilitation effect of conversation by changing the sound environment
at the break in conversation. To form a meeting from subjects with different social attributes, the experiment was conducted in groups of four people including office workers and students. The results of the experiment on the five groups showed that the students tended to improve their evaluations
of the ease of conversation and mental burden by changing the sound environment when there was a break in the conversation. Based on the result that students tended to be more nervous than office workers under the experimental condition in which the sound environment was not changed, it is
possible that changing the sound environment when conversation is interrupted has a positive effect on people who have higher tension due to relationship with other attendees. On the other hand, it was suggested that students' evaluation of ease of work was more susceptible to changes in the
sound environment because they spent more time listening to other subjects' statement than office workers.
Research on the optimal excitation threshold interval of targeted energy transfer for piezoelectric nonlinear energy sink
Authors: SHAO Jianwang , ZHAO Huihong , LUO Qimeng , WU Binxing , WU Xian
Published: December 2023

In this paper, in order to design a piezoelectric nonlinear energy sink system (NES), a coupling system of elastic plate and piezoelectric nonlinear energy sink is established. The nonlinear stiffness and damping are realized by the shunt circuit of piezoelectric materials. By using
the harmonic balance method to analyze the forced vibration characteristics of the coupling system, it is found that within a certain range of harmonic excitation amplitude, the targeted energy transfer (TET) phenomenon occurs in the system. There is a threshold interval for the TET phenomenon
of the system, where the TET does not occur when the excitation is less than the lower limit of the threshold. When the excitation exceeds the upper limit of the threshold, the system response appears a new high amplitude branch. The definite solution to the lower limit of the excitation threshold
is determined, but when the system parameters are different, the high amplitude branch of the system response will appear above or below the amplitude of the platform. The results of this paper give the solution of the optimal TET excitation threshold interval in these two different cases
and are helpful to design a NES for different applications.
Noise contribution analysis of road noise with transfer path analysis based on neural network in the box car system
Authors: Park Uyeup , Kang Yeon June
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces a new approach for transfer path analysis (TPA) combined with neural network technique. For the TPA experiment, the box car model consisting of active and passive systems were manufactured, and road noise simulation experiment were conducted through shaker excitation
at various locations. Time domain data was measured and converted into a large amount of complex-valued frequency domain data according to the acquisition block for training the neural network model. The number of layers and nodes of the model were determined by considering the physical characteristics
of the system, and normalization and momentum were adjusted to improve accuracy and calculation efficiency. The reliability of the model was verified by comparing the noise contribution results with the classical TPA method. Unlike the existing TPA methods, only the operating data is needed
to perform the neural network based TPA. This proposed method reduces the cost of measurement step such as impact test to identify the propagation paths of the noise.
Study on the Acoustic Properties of Light-weight PU-GF Composites by Content of Glass Fiber for Automotive Interior Trim Parts
Authors: Woo Jang Chang , Park Jang Seok
Published: December 2023

Recently, the demand for Light-weight vehicles in the automobile industry has increased in response to environmental regulations and the need for improved fuel efficiency, leading to the development of highly functional materials. The lightening of materials has the greatest impact
on reducing vehicle weight, and the headlining, which takes up a significant portion of a vehicle, is a suitable target for material Light-weight research. The current mass-produced headlining structure is multi-layered, containing a high proportion of glass fiber material and polyurethane
foam to reinforce bending strength. This study has developed a lighter product by combining the existing PU foam used in headlining with polyurethane and glass fiber, and the effects of different types of glass fiber on product characteristics were confirmed through sound absorption and physical
property test. The results of the study conducted sound absorption tests and found similar performance to mass-produced products.