bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A noise footprint calculator as a tool for education and practice
Authors: Torresin Simone , Maracchini Gianluca , Albatici Rossano , Aletta Francesco
Published: November 2023

Although noise pollution is a major environmental risk factor for public health, the general understanding of the phenomenon and the attention paid to it is secondary to other relevant environmental issues. The carbon footprint has proved useful to quantify and visualize the impact of human activities on the environment, to compare actions, and to monitor progress towards reducing environmental emissions. Similarly, a “noise footprint” framework could be beneficial for measuring and understanding the impact of human activities and personal/collective choices on the environment in terms of noise pollution. However, how can the noise footprint be reduced and what compensatory measures can be taken? One answer comes from the soundscape approach, which considers the acoustic environment as perceived by humans in context trough a trans-disciplinary approach. According to this perspective, sound stimuli are not necessarily a source of pollution (i.e., noise) but can also be a resource for healthier environments. Building on this knowledge, soundscape interventions can not only reduce the noise footprint, but even reverse the impact on the environment and society. The present contribution introduces the roadmap towards the development of a noise footprint calculator as a simple and accessible tool for education and practice, creating noise-aware citizens.
How does realistic classroom noise affect auditory selective attention?
Authors: Breuer Carolin , Leist Larissa , Fremerey Stephan , Raake Alexander , Klatte Maria , Fels Janina
Published: November 2023

In the past years, more and more effort has been made to bring the reality in the lab to investigate cognitive performance in a close-to real life manner and, thus, increase the validity of current research. A first step towards being ecologically valid is using a dynamic binaural reproduction, which offers an accurate representation and allows the participants to engage in the acoustic scene. In a study on noise effects regarding the auditory selective attention of children, Loh et al. 2021 found that children were impaired by noise, while adults remained unaffected. However, they used white noise at a comparably low signal-to-noise ratio. To investigate the impact of a realistic scenario, the current work investigated a fluctuating realistic classroom noise using typical noise sources such as writing and the movement of chairs. Additionally, semantically meaningful speech was added as an attention capturing noise source. To get first insights into the effects of this realistic noise, a pilot study was conducted with adult participants in a virtual classroom scene.
Comparative analysis of the heavy-weight floor impact noises using various shapes of EVA resilient materials
Authors: LEE Jakin , Haan Chan-Hoon
Published: November 2023

Social issues concerning the floor impact noises are increasing as apartments are being increased in Korea. The present study aims to improve the floor impact noises using various shapes of EVA resilient materials in composite floor structures. In order to this, three different shapes of EVA resilient materials were used including flat plate type, deck plate type, and cavity type of EVA. boards. All the composite structure consisted of PP panel, PET sound absorption materials and EVA resilient materials with a total depth of 40mm. Also, each shape of EVA has two different types according to the use of foothold of EVA materials. For the mount type of structure, the used numbers of EVA foothold was 25, 56, and 41 per 1 m2 of area. All the floor impact noise measurements were done at the recognized testing authority using impact ball as the standard heavy-weight floor impact sound source. The values of L’i, Fmax, and AW were deduced from every measurements. As a result, regardless of the EVA shapes, better performances were drawn when EVA footholds were used, i. e., mount type. It was shown that the average L’i, Fmax, and AW value of mount types was 41–42dB while average value of 47–48 dB for deck plate type. 50–55 dB for flat plate and cavity type were measured. It can be recognized that the good performance of mount type EVA materials is caused by the air layer gap around the EVA footholds as well as the low dynamic elastic modulus of EVA.
Changes in heavy-weight impact sound isolation by construction stage in new residential buildings
Authors: Yun Changyeon , Kim Jungho , Hwang Eeuichul , Kim Heejin
Published: November 2023

In Korea, 63% of the population lives in residential buildings. Due to the prevalence of residential buildings, there are constant disputes and complaints related to floor impact sound. To address the floor impact sound problems, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MOLIT) announced strong legal regulations from 2022. The law holds construction companies liable for compensation if they fail to meet the minimum sound insulation standard. The existing construction methods for floor structures were unable to meet the required minimum sound insulation standards, leading to the need for improvements. The evaluation process was enhanced by changing the source from bang-machine to impact ball, leading to more accurate assessments of floor impact sound insulation. In response to the challenges faced with existing methods, the research paper developed and applied a composite floor structure using a new material with increased area density. The performance of each construction stage in the new composite floor structure was measured and evaluated according to the ISO 16283-2 (testing) and ISO 717-2 (evaluation) standards. The implementation of the new composite floor structure with increased area density resulted in a noise reduction of up to 10 compared to the bare slab. [Work supported by the Industrial Technology Innovation Program (20023556, Development of personalized noise mitigation technology and service based on noise simulation to solve the noise problem in personal space) funded By MOTIE, Korea.]
Artificial intelligence technology applied to an unoccluded catheter for recognition of hemodynamic changes
Authors: Huang Li-Cheng , Tsai Yu-Ting , Lin Ming-Chih
Published: November 2023

This study seeks to provide a reliable means for physicians to diagnose hemorrhagic complications associated with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. We employ the YOLOv4 algorithm to analyze cardiac parameters from the echocardiography device's ultrasonic wave, such as left ventricular ejection time (LVET), left ventricular internal dimension-diastole (LVIDd), left ventricular internal dimension-systole (LVIDs), posterior wall thickness at end-systole (HES), and RR interval. The proposed model has achieved an impressive average detection accuracy of 89.4% for these five parameters. Additionally, the further evaluation of cardiac function can be done by deriving the end-systolic wall stress (ESWS) and left ventricle rate-corrected mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (mVcFc) values from these parameters. As a result, it indicates that the accuracy of ESWS and mVcFc values is 88.7% and 90.3%, respectively. With this deep learning-based approach, physicians can confidently evaluate the cardiac function of ELBW infants and diagnose PDA-related hemorrhagic complications.
Auditory separation and perceptual advantage in team sports players: A behavioral study
Authors: Antony Reethee , Fazio Stephanie , Falguera Isabel , Scheinberg Erica , Schaedler Emma , Padappam Kandi Sreedhanya
Published: November 2023

There is a dearth of research related to perceptual advantages in noise, specifically in speech perceptual skills. In an initial study from this lab, the investigators observed that perceptual advantage was present in team sports players with higher percent correct scores relative to non-team sports players, specifically in noise. Research is required to understand if the perceptual advantage is present only for players engaged in specific team sports or not, hence the need for this study. The purpose of this study was to compare speech discrimination and identification skills in soccer players, other team sports players, and non-team sports persons. Thirty participants in the age range of 20-45 years were recruited: 10 soccer players, 10 other team sports players, (e.g., football), and 10 with no experience in team sports. Speech sounds /a/ and /s/ were presented in quiet and in the presence of background noise using speech babble at 0 signal-to-noise ratio. The procedure included a speech discrimination task using AX paradigm and speech identification using four closed-set response. Percent correct responses and reaction times were measured and analyzed using mixed model ANOVA. The findings from the study help towards applying speech in noise perception in sports rehabilitation.
Noninvasive investigation of dysphagia by auscultation of acoustics of deglutition by high impedance earphones placed in the ear canals
Authors: Biswas Amitava , Kearns Kevin
Published: November 2023

This ongoing investigation is utilizing basic communication hardware originally distributed by Radio Shack. The earphones in these devices can work as microphones, receiving vocal utterances through the pharyngeal tissue. We are investigating the potential of such systems to monitor normal and abnormal swallowing sounds just like medical personnel monitor the heart and the lungs by auscultating with stethoscopes. Compared to regular passive stethoscopes, our setup permits stable location, signal amplification, noise filtration, digital storage, post-processing, and statistical analyses of the acoustics of deglutition. Initial findings of this study will be presented. The limitations of this study and future course of action will be discussed.
A binaural room impulse response dataset and Shorelining psychophysical task for the evaluation of auditory sensory augmentation
Authors: Sun Huiyuan , Nguyen Minh , Zhu Howe , Nguyen Vincent , Lin Chin-Teng , Jin Craig
Published: November 2023

Sensory augmentation using spatial sound presented in augmented-reality (AR) can assist people with low vision or blindness in navigating their environment (Katz et al., 2012). Nonetheless, in many situations, the poor quality of the binaural sound rendered using current tool sets limits the potential capability of the assistive technology. In particular, acoustic environments with near-field sources and reflections pose significant challenges. In this work, we provide a reference binaural room impulse response (BRIR) dataset with near-field sources and reflections and an associated shorelining psychophysical task that is useful for the evaluation of AR spatial audio. The dataset consists of 12∼small loudspeakers arranged on a 3-by-4 grid in a complex acoustic environment. BRIR measurements are recorded using the Head and Torso Simulator (HATS) for 17∼different receiver positions with a 5o angular resolution. Room impulse response measurements are also recorded using the Eigenmike for each of the 17 receiver positions. Using the Razer Anzu smart glasses to render the binaural AR spatial audio, we compare psychophysical performance on the shorelining navigation task using the recorded dataset and various existing binaural AR tool sets.
A theory of vowel dispersion based on probabilistic modeling of optimized speakers and listeners
Authors: McGahay John
Published: November 2023

Dispersion Theory (Liljencrants and Lindblom, 1972; Lindblom, 1986) holds that optimal vowel systems maximize perceptual contrast by maximizing psycho-acoustic distance between vowels, successfully predicting much of the acoustic typology of natural languages. Here we explore probabilistic models of optimized speakers and listeners to see if they might yield more accurate and principled predictions about vowel dispersion. Given a set of vowel distributions and a set of categorical perceptual boundaries optimized for those distributions, the optimal set of vowel distributions maximizing the percentage of correctly perceived tokens is not in general the same as the original set of distributions. This motivates an iterated confusion minimization algorithm that can model dispersion as an incremental diachronic process that achieves globally optimized vowel systems by locally optimizing each vowel category against its own perceptual boundaries at each generation. We show this model provides a principled explanation for several nuanced patterns observed in cross-linguistic corpora, including greater distances in F2 than F1 and even spacing of F1 in log(Hz) rather than auditory-based scales (Becker-Kristal, 2010). A new prediction of this model is that lower-probability vowel pairs should be less dispersed; survey work now in progress so far confirms this prediction.
Optimizing medical personnel speech recognition models using speech synthesis and reinforcement learning
Authors: Czyzewski Andrzej
Published: November 2023

Text-to-Speech synthesis (TTS) can be used to generate training data for building Automatic Speech Recognition models (ASR). Access to medical speech data is because it is sensitive data that is difficult to obtain for privacy reasons. Speech can be synthesized by mimicking different accents, dialects, and speaking styles in a medical language. Reinforcement Learning (RL), in the context of ASR, can be used to optimize a model. A model can be trained to minimize errors in speech-to-text transcription, especially for technical medical terminology. In this case, the “reward” to the RL model can be negatively proportional to the number of transcription errors. The paper presents a method and experimental study from which it is concluded that the combination of TTS and RL can enable the creation of a speech recognition model suited to the specific needs of medical personnel, helping to expand the training data and optimize the model to minimize transcription errors. The learning process used reward functions based on Mean Opinion Score (MOS), a subjective metric for assessing speech quality, and Word Error Rate (WER), which evaluates the quality of speech-to-text transcription. [The Polish National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) supported the project: “ADMEDVOICE- Adaptive intelligent speech processing system of medical personnel with the structuring of test results and support of therapeutic process,” no. INFOSTRATEG4/0003/2022.]
The soundscape of the southern Gulf of Mexico (Veracruz and Campeche)
Authors: Bazúa Durán Carmen , Morales Rincón Nataly
Published: November 2023

The southern part of the Gulf of Mexico is a large area where little is known about its soundscape. We measured the environmental noise in Laguna de Términos, Campeche, México from 2004 to 2008 in stations distributed homogeneously in this lagoon during 17 sampling periods using a digital audio tape recorder sampling at 48 kHz with 16 bits for 1 min at each station. We also measured the environmental noise off Alvarado, Veracruz, México in June 2023 using a digital audio tape recorder sampling at 96 kHz with 24 bits for 50 min at four stations. The environmental noise in the recordings was measured with a semi-automatic MATLAB routine designed for this purpose. We will present preliminary results on the environmental noise in these two coastal locations using snapping shrimp sounds as a measure to depict differences in time and space within and between locations. Changes in submarine environmental noise are helping us in understanding the effects of natural phenomena and antropogenic sounds in the distribution and abundance of marine wildlife, such as snapping shrimps and bottlenose dolphins. [Work supported by CONACyT-Campeche, PAPIIT&PASPA-UNAM, SMM, and UV.]
Clinical Implementation of Combined Quasi-Static Ultrasound Elastographic and Regional Blood Flow Assessment Techniques, in Areas of Forearm Myofascial Dysfunction, Before and After Osteopathic Physical Manipulation
Authors: Pedapati Chandhana , Keane James , Durr Timothy , Heath Deborah M. , Mast Douglas , Bay Curtis , Makin Inder Raj S.
Published: November 2023

A fast-growing area of high-resolution ultrasound imaging is localizing painful regions termed myofascial tender points (MTP). To mitigate pain and reduce musculoskeletal nodularity and stiffness, osteopathic physicians perform loco-regional osteopathic manipulative procedures (OMT). Current MTP-diagnostic and clinical efficacy criteria using sono-elastographic, or regional flow biomarkers are poorly characterized. This research aims to develop a well-grounded approach to identify forearm MTPs and track changes post-physical interventions, using elastography combined with regional power Doppler. A 44-subject clinical study cohort, was randomly divided in OMT, mild exercise and “rest” groups: imaging was performed using an open-platform SonixTouch Q + . During controlled tissue deformation (4.5-5 Hz), ultrasound elastography was performed by computing root-main-square (RMS) strain of beamformed ultrasound echoes (13 MHz, 15fps) for 3 s. Similarly, power Doppler maps were averaged over 5 seconds (5–12 fps), to evaluate regional blood flow. Data acquisition and processing sequence was repeated post-intervention. Changes in tissue stiffness as well as regional blood flow were compared pre- and post-intervention for all three human subject groups. With the experimental technique used in this study, a significant reduction in tissue stiffness, and increase in regional blood flow is demonstrated in the OMT group compared to the exercise and rest group.
Higher education audiometric research: HEAR—Onsite Assessment of Conservatoire Students
Authors: Dance Stephen , Vazquez Amos Ruben , Zepidou Georgia
Published: November 2023

Through analysis of the ISO 1999 dataset it was found that half of noise induced hearing damage occurs in the first three years of adult life. As a result the Higher Education Audiometric Research project was founded in the UK with the ambition of minimizing this damage through educational awareness and on-site testing and assessment. In the UK, 50% of this age group are in higher education. Through the newly established UK Hearing Conversation Association awareness was raised through the “Love Sound – Listen with Care” campaign. Using long-term links with the Royal Academy of Music two on-site hearing screening methodologies were compared in a pilot study involving 23 students. The obvious advantage of onsite testing and assessment being convenience. The two methodologies were audiometry using Kudawave Prime based on active noise canceling headphones, and otoacoustic emissions using Hearing Coach software and Path Medical instrumentation. Presented are the results in terms of consistency, test-retest, and ease of use/practical application.
Estimation methodology for three-dimensional acoustic modeling: Predicting surf noise soundscapes in coastal urban environments
Authors: Johnson Simon D.
Published: November 2023

This research develops an estimation methodology for coastal surf noise soundscapes for implementation in three-dimensional acoustic modeling to improve communication of acoustic design and for assessment with sustainability, wellness and acoustic standards. As sustainability standards include more parameters relating to soundscapes, it is becoming increasing important to develop methods of communicating acoustics to designers in the built environment. Three-dimensional acoustic modeling provides a graphical tool for designers to engage with and understand the impacts multidisciplinary engineering and design decisions have on the soundscape of different parts of a project. As a nation with many coastal urban environments, the view, scents and sounds are all marketing and wellness points for residential and commercial projects. The methodology includes consideration of typical software-agnostic three-dimensional modeling inputs, capabilities and graphical outputs as well as the primary variables that influence measurement and prediction of coastal surf noise in relation to the constant environmental noise. Coast surf noise measurements have been collected and undertaken as part of this work and the data within the method may be updated for most locally measured data. This research aims to enhance the demonstration of soundscapes, facilitating more informed decision-making fostering sustainable development in acoustics, engineering and design.
An expanding mechanical role for the tiny mammalian endolymphatic duct: 1. Modification of Békésy model is specifically needed to cope with ambient pressure variation—with weather, altitude or ocean depth
Authors: LePage Eric L.
Published: November 2023

von Békésy’s pioneering work and two-chamber model with basilar membrane (BM) separating the perilymph chambers was a first-pass assumption which worked to explain basic frequency-band analysis. Yet it did not cover psychoacoustical phenomena. Nor did it cover the repeated demonstrations by this author of baseline displacements of the BM, nor mysterious changes in the volume of the tiny endolymphatic duct—even in human ears with normal thresholds. Since 2009 the duct has been shown to possess all the necessary characteristics of a pressure vessel, viz., it is lined with aquaporins and tight junctions while the cells of the stria vascularis maintain a strict osmotic gradient. We submit that such evolutionary change was necessary because ambient pressure changes are too large to be corrected by passive equalization and need to be actively eliminated to preserve hearing sensitivity. Any theory must cover marine mammals which have adapted to ocean pressures measured in megapascals. In this case, infrasound is modelled as a varying pressure pedestal which must be cancelled. This video presentation covers one possible mechanical configuration for how such a cancelation might be achieved—a hypothesized feedback control system utilizing outer hair cell somatic motility plus our previously-modelled otolith-based pressure transducer.
What, if anything, is coincidence detection?
Authors: Joris Philip X. , Lu Hsin-Wei , Franken Tom , Smith Philip H.
Published: November 2023

Neural delays and coincidence detection are neural operations posited as key elements in temporal processing, in the auditory system and beyond. Although longstanding physiological evidence for coincidence detectors exists at a phenomenological level, mechanistic examinations have only recently been performed. We review intracellular recordings from two cell types which are traditionally regarded as prototypes of coincidence detectors. Neurons in the medial superior olive (MSO) are sensitive to “coincidences” in action potentials from the ipsi- and contralateral ear, making the neurons sensitive to interaural temporal differences. Octopus cells in the cochlear nucleus are sensitive to “coincidences” of action potentials across inputs tuned to a wide range of frequencies. We found that in both cases, the spike output of neurons does not simply reflect coincidences of input spikes. When inputs vary in strength, their sequence of activation is an important determinant of response strength. Maximal output is not just determined by the maximal number of coincidences, but reflects temporal input structure in interaction with intrinsic (membrane) properties. These observations suggest a simpler mechanism of temporal sensitivity than traditional lag and coincidence proposals.
Transitioning concert hall soundscapes to vehicle interiors based on psychoacoustic evaluations
Authors: Jeon Jin Yong , Lee Haram , Yoon Hyowon , Santika Beta Bayu , Park Dongchul , Kim Juin
Published: November 2023

In this study, in line with the paradigm shift in the design of interior spaces for future autonomous vehicles, the vehicle interior spaces were categorized according to their suitability for music appreciation and a design for an optimal soundscape design to that of a concert hall was proposed. Based on the sound field investigation conducted with 360-deg camera video and binaural audio recorded inside the vehicle, audibilized computer models were created in a virtual reality environment for comparison with conventional rectangular halls. These models' auralization audio files were subject to a psychoacoustic evaluation experiment of the soundscape. Evaluation indicators were selected based on the collected data, and through a comparative analysis of these indicators, parameters for transitioning the soundscape of a concert hall into a vehicle interior were proposed.
Zebrafish models of sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: Coffin Allison
Published: November 2023

Sensorineural hearing loss negatively impacts over 450 million people worldwide. While we know that insults such as ototoxic drugs and noise damage sensory hair cells, our understanding of damage mechanisms is incomplete. Zebrafish are an exciting vertebrate model for research on fundamental mechanisms of hair cell damage. In addition to the inner ear, zebrafish have a lateral line system containing clusters of externally located hair cells. These hair cells are homologous to vertebrate inner ear hair cells and respond similarly to ototoxic damage. Our lab uses the lateral line system to determine the ototoxic potential of COVID-19 therapies; with over 900 medications currently in clinical trials, it is highly likely that a subset of those medications causes mild hearing loss that is not detected in clinical settings. In addition, while ototoxicity is a significant concern for patients exposed to these medications, acoustic damage and age-related hearing loss are far more prevalent in the general population. Our lab developed a zebrafish model of acoustic trauma and showed that noise exposure causes synaptic damage and hair cell loss in the larval lateral line analogous to the damage observed in the mammalian cochlea. Finally, we show that aged adult zebrafish lose both lateral line and inner ear hair cells similar to hair cell loss seen in aging mammals. Collectively, our research demonstrates that zebrafish are a tractable model to understand mechanisms of sensorineural hearing loss and to test therapeutic strategies.
Simulation-based training of neural networks for low-frequency sonar target classification
Authors: Choo Yeon-Seong , Byun Sung-Hoon , Kim Sea-Moon , Jang Jeong-Bin
Published: November 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely used in various fields, but obtaining sufficient underwater acoustic data for AI training remains challenging. Even if simulation data are used for training, the classification accuracy could be lowered due to changes in the environment around the target. This study presents the research findings on training neural networks for target classification using data generated through simulations. We trained neural networks using target scattering signals obtained through finite element analysis for various environments. Subsequently, we utilized trained neural networks to classify the spherical shells on the seabed acquired in water tank experiments. To solve the problem of lack of data for AI training, we generated training data by applying realistic variations of parameters such as sound speed of water, target material properties, and thickness. Such training data provide more meaningful information than noise-added data. The targets considered were spherical shells with and without internal spaces. Although the target classification accuracy is not yet high enough, it is expected to be used to overcome the lack of data by applying to untrained targets. [Work supported by KIMST funded by the Agency of Korea Coast Guard (KIMST-20210547) and by KRISO funded by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (PES4380).]
Towards data-driven physical modeling synthesis
Authors: Darabundit Champ C. , Scavone Gary
Published: November 2023

A current research trend is the combination of physical models with machine learning. These hybrid models leverage the strength of both fields and require smaller datasets in training. Trained models are interpretable and well suited towards solving inverse problems. We present recent advancements on differentiable digital waveguide and reed modeling. The proposed models are implemented in the PyTorch framework and can extract physical parameters from audio data. The proposed models allows us to examine player interactions by retrieving player parameters from audio data.
The effect of cant angle on the sound production of mutually inclined rectangular supersonic jets
Authors: Edgington-Mitchell Daniel , Weightman Joel , Nogueira Petronio
Published: November 2023

Rectangular nozzle geometries offer a number of benefits over their axisymmetric counterparts, particularly for military aviation. Among these benefits are altered thermal and noise signatures, ease of airframe integration, and simpler thrust vectoring. Many next-generation tactical aircraft concepts employ two rectangular jets in close proximity. These jets can couple together, producing high-amplitude acoustic tones that are deleterious to aircraft structure. In this work, we take a combined experimental and theoretical approach to examine the effect of cant angle (i.e., mutual inclination angle) on the jets' proclivity to couple. We employ modal decomposition of flow visualization data alongside resonance predictions based on linear stability theory to explore the degree to which mutual inclination can suppress resonance.
Modernization of the “Noise Database for Prediction of Noise on Construction and Open Sites.”
Authors: Tribby Jesse
Published: November 2023

The “Noise Database for Prediction of Noise on Construction and Open Sites” was prepared by Hepworth Acoustics Ltd in 2004, distributed by the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and updated in 2005 and 2006. It has been adopted worldwide and provides a degree of standardization of assumptions used for certain projects. With access to thousands of results from sound power testing done in general accordance with ISO methodology, which uses multiple microphone positions to account for directional noise emissions, there is a unique opportunity in Australia to significantly improve the quality of the database. Improvements to the database would include a broader range of equipment and larger sample sizes allowing a better understanding of statistical uncertainty, options for reasonable and feasible attenuation, and low-frequency noise components that the DEFRA database is currently lacking. This could be used as a reference for both acousticians and regulators to improve the quality and consistency of assumptions used in the assessment of noise impact from a wider range of projects.
Acoustic signals received on buoyancy gliders in the Beaufort Sea
Authors: Van Uffelen Lora , Desrochers Jessica , Pomales Velázquez Luis O. , Salazar Isaac , Webster Sarah , Dzieciuch Matthew A. , Worcester Peter F.
Published: November 2023

The buoyancy glider is a quiet and persistent underwater acoustic receiving platform. Traveling in a sawtooth pattern, buoyancy gliders equipped with acoustic recorders can sample acoustic transmissions at many ranges and depths with respect to moored acoustic sources transmitting on a timed schedule. In the Beaufort Sea, six broadband acoustic tomography sources consecutively transmitted 135-s linear frequency modulated (LFM) swept-frequency signals centered near 250 Hz every 4 h. These signals were received by two Seagliders at ranges up to 500 km and depths between the surface and 800 m in the summer of 2017. Sources were moored within the Beaufort Duct, a sound-speed minimum characteristic of the region, at a depth of approximately 180 m. Due to the presence of this duct, many acoustic paths are focused within a relatively narrow depth span, resulting in a complicated arrival structure. Pulse-compressed acoustic signals received on the gliders are interpreted in the context of broadband acoustic arrival predictions. The individual snapshots of acoustic arrival structure that make up this unique dataset offer insight into the acoustic travel-time arrival structure as it evolves with range from a transmitting source.
Soundscapes of the central Red Sea mesophotic reef zones
Authors: Havlik Michelle-Nicole , Steckbauer Alexandra , Parry Anieka , Marchese Fabio , Ezeta Watts Marta , Benzoni Francesca , Duarte Carlos
Published: November 2023

Despite covering a large amount of seafloor & representing a significant percentage of coral reef ecosystem biomass, Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) globally have been largely understudied in comparison to their shallow counterparts. The Red Sea is a unique and biodiverse tropical ecosystem, where few mesophotic coral reefs have been studied. To define spatiotemporal activity of marine life and characterize the soundscapes of the MCE in the Central Red Sea, two locations were surveyed at 70–80 m, as well as at two adjacent shallow reef sites at ∼10 m depth, respectively, during the winter (Jan 2022) and summer (Jul–Aug 2022) seasons. The results of this study, the first of its kind in the Red Sea, show a clear shift in the soundscape between seasons, as well as between the shallow and mesophotic zones, driven mainly by a change in fish and invertebrate chorusing. During the study periods, temperature and oxygen levels in the mesophotic zone remained relatively stable, in comparison to the shallow reef zone which saw a steep temperature increase and large diel fluctuations in oxygen in the summer. Chronic exposure to shipping noise is evident across Red Sea MCE soundscapes and the resulting potential effects are discussed.
Accurate prediction of signal waveform in the convergence zone of the South China Sea based on frequency shift compensation
Authors: Yang Fujin , Ni Yuhuai , Hu Tao , Lu Licheng
Published: November 2023

In a deep-sea environment in the South China Sea, a towed sound source is near the surface, and the acoustic signal is received by the vertical array of submersible buoys. The correlation values between the predicted and the measured signal waveform of the first two convergence zones (CZs) are poor, both below 0.5. The sea condition of the test area is good, the hydrological environment changes little in the horizontal direction. The analysis shows that when the underwater acoustic waveform is predicted, due to the relative motion of the transmitting and receiving elements, the channel dispersion caused by the Doppler effect leads to signal distortion. Therefore, the sampling frequency is broadened by 0.125 times to both ends, and the frequency shift corresponding to the maximum value of the waveform correlation peak is used as the optimal compensation for Doppler frequency offset. The results calculated by the RAM model show that the predicted and measured signal waveforms are in good agreement, and the correlation degree is significantly improved. Among them, the average normalized correlation values of the measured and predicted waveforms at different receiving depths in the first and second CZs are 0.84 and 0.82, respectively.
Reliability and Validity of the Repetition-Counting Feature of the Push Band 2.0 at Different Repetition Speeds
Authors: VanZant River , Erickson Jacob , Dewar Madison , Williams Devin , Schmidt Michael D.
Published: November 2023

Purpose: To assess the interdevice reliability and validity of the repetition-counting feature of the Push Band 2.0. Methods: Thirty college-aged participants (aged 18–24 years) simultaneously wore two Push Band 2.0 devices and performed 10 common resistance training exercises at four different tempos over the course of two testing sessions. Twelve repetitions were completed with visual confirmation for each set of exercises and compared with repetition estimates from the Push Band 2.0. Interdevice reliability was quantified using single measures intraclass correlation coefficients with 95% confidence intervals while validity was assessed via mean absolute percent error and mean percent error. Results: Interdevice reliability was found to be good to very good regardless of exercise type or tempo, as all intraclass correlation coefficients were >.770. Validity of the repetition-counting feature of the device was dependent on both exercise type and tempo, as exercises that did not involve rotation of the device throughout the movement demonstrated greater mean absolute percent error (31.0% average of all four tempos) and mean percent error (−29.9% average of all four tempos) than those that required such rotation (average mean absolute percent error of 3.5% and mean percent error of −1.6% across all four tempos). Conclusions: This study supports the reliability of the repetition-counting feature of the Push Band 2.0. However, device accuracy appears to be dependent on the type of movement and the speed at which the movement is performed, with greater accuracy observed during faster exercise tempos and exercises involving rotation of the device during movement execution.
Complete genome sequence of
Brachybacterium
sp. GU-2 (Actinomycetota), isolated from the massive coral
Porites lobata
Authors: Shimpi Gaurav G. , De la Vega Pablo , Bentlage Bastian
Published: November 2023

Brachybacterium
sp. GU-2 was isolated from the hard coral
Porites lobata
found in Apra Harbor, Guam, Micronesia. This genome sequence will be beneficial to understand the role of actinomycetes in coral holobionts. The
Brachybacterium
genome contains several gene clusters for bioactive compounds, including antibiotics.
Complete genome sequence of
Solobacterium moorei
JCM 10645
T
isolated from a human stool sample
Authors: Oshibuchi Kota , Yang Jiayue , Obana Nozomu , Fukuda Shinji , Arakawa Kazuharu
Published: November 2023

Solobacterium moorei
JCM 10645
T
is an obligately anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium that was isolated from a human stool sample, generally known as a bacterium associated with sepsis, bacteremia, halitosis, and periodontal disease. In this study, we report the complete genome sequence of this strain, which is 2.615 Mbp with a 37.2% GC content.
Massive rare earth element storage in sub-continental lithospheric mantle initiated by diapirism, not by melting
Authors: Zhu XinXiang , Liu Yan , Hou Zengqian
Published: November 2023

Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential metals for modern technologies. Recent studies suggest that subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) remelting, previously fertilized by subducted marine sediments, leads to formation of REE-bearing rocks. However, the transfer mechanism of REE-rich sediments from the subducted slab to the overlying mantle wedge is unclear. We present high-pressure experiments on natural REE-rich marine sediments at 3–4 GPa and 800–1000 °C to constrain the phase relations, sediment melting behavior, and REE migration during subduction. Our results show recrystallization into an eclogite-like assemblage, with melting only occurring at 4 GPa, 1000 °C, experiments. Regardless of melting behavior, REE are refractory and mostly hosted by apatite. Buoyancy calculations suggest that most of the eclogite-like residues would form solid-state diapirs, ascending to the SCLM, resulting in the REE-fertilized source. Such flux may be required for substantial REE transport during subduction, as a foundation for economic-grade mineralization.
Automated Assessment of Hazards of Aftershocks of the Mw 7.8 Earthquake in Turkey of February 6, 2023*
Authors: Baranov S. V. , Shebalin P. N. , Vorobieva I. A. , Selyutskaya O. V.
Published: November 2023

Abstract—This paper analyzes the use of the automated aftershock hazards assessment system (AFCAST) through the example of a series of aftershocks of the Mw 7.8 earthquake in Turkey of February 6, 2023 (the Pazarcik earthquake). The paper presents automated estimates of the aftershock activity area, the magnitude of the strongest aftershock, and the duration of the hazardous period, yielded using data on the main shock and on the first aftershocks.
Is there an optimal place for holding the tracheal tube during intubation? A proof-of-concept randomised clinical trial
Authors: Sahoo Manisha , Tripathy Swagata , Mishra Nitasha , Saha Dona
Published: November 2023

Background

The optimal way to hold an endotracheal tube (ETT) during intubation has not been studied. In this randomised clinical trial, we examined the effect of site—holding the ETT in two different positions on time and ease of intubation by anaesthesia trainees.

Methods

A single-centre, randomised trial of intubations of stable patients with uncomplicated airways was conducted from 15 September 2019 to 31 May 2021 in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India. A previous pilot study performed in the unit determined the comparator positions for the ETT and the sample size for a 20% difference for the primary outcome of mean time to intubation (TTI). Patients were randomised at the time of the intubation; anaesthesia trainees held the ETT at 19 or 24 cm according to the patient’s assignment. Video recordings of intubations were independently reviewed by two assessors blinded to the assignment. Secondary outcomes were intubation success, ease of intubation and complications. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were performed.

Results

360 adults were randomised (180/arm) and intubated by 19 trainees. In intention-to-treat analysis, there was no significant difference in TTI. Sixteen times, trainees assigned to hold the ETT at 24 cm moved their grip distally (closer to the cuff) during the procedure. In a per-protocol analysis, TTI for those whose grip remained at 24 cm was shorter than those holding at 19 cm: 6.6 (SD 3.0) vs 7.6 (SD 4.2) s (95% CI for the difference 0.2 to 1.7 s), p=0.01. In both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses, there was no difference in first-pass success or ease of intubation between techniques. Eight patients assigned to 19 cm group and four assigned to 24 cm developed sore throats.

Conclusion

In stable patients with uncomplicated airways, there was no significant difference in TTI based on the site at which trainees were assigned to hold the ETT. However, the shorter TTI at 24 cm in per-protocol analysis and fewer sore throat observed suggest this practice change warrants further investigation.

Trial registration number

CTRI/ 2019/09/021201.
THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC POLICY CHANGE ON OUTWARD FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA’S INVESTMENT IN CANADA
Authors: LI SHI , CHEN CALEB HUANYONG , FAN DI , ZHAO LONG
Published: November 2023

The resurgence of anti-globalization has made multinational companies concerned about the impact of host countries’ economic policy change on outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). However, existing studies mainly focus on improving a host country’s institutional environment but ignore the impact of anti-globalization policies. This paper aims to complement this line of research by considering the effect of one-time economic policy shock on OFDI. In particular, using a unique dataset, this paper empirically investigates the effect of Canada’s review policy on investments by Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The results suggest that an intensified review policy effectively discouraged Chinese SOEs from investing in Canada. However, as a coping strategy to the review policy, Chinese SOEs continued to invest in Canada by adding more funding to the existing projects, establishing new businesses or investing in small-scale deals.
Full-Reference Image Quality Assessment Using Self-Attention and Multiscale Features
Authors: Li Yutong , Liao Xiaofeng , Zhou Mingliang , Ji Cheng , Wei Xuekai , Yue Hong
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we construct a deep framework for full-reference image quality assessment (FR-IQA) by combining convolution and self-attention features; this approach effectively uses multiscale features to mimic the image evaluation in human eyes. We achieve the integration of information from local to global. First, convolutional neural network (CNN) and encoder of Swin transformer are used to extract multiscale paired features. Second, for each type of features, we fuse them after converting them to a fixed number of channels. For the fused features, we use the square of the difference between two pixel values at the corresponding channel positions to represent the features of the distortion degree. Then, we introduce a recurrent neural network (RNN) to capture the global features. Finally, for the two types of features, we use the full connection (FC) layer to regress two scores and then add the weights to compute the ultimate perceived score. By training and testing on publicly available FR-IQA datasets, experimental results further validate the superiority of our approach.
Bootstrap-Based Resampling Methods for Software Reliability Measurement Under Small Sample Condition
Authors: Zhang Wei , Jiang Jianhui
Published: November 2023

Highly reliable software systems rarely fail during tests because they are usually designed with fault-tolerant mechanisms and tested comprehensively. It is usually difficult to obtain sufficient failure data to carry out reliability measurements by using traditional software reliability models. These models are typically based on probabilistic statistics, and the measurement accuracy cannot be guaranteed with insufficient failure data. We propose a nonparametric bootstrap (NBP) resampling method and six parametric bootstrap (PB) resampling methods to construct software reliability models for small sample conditions based on commonly used models, i.e., the Jelinski–Moranda (J–M), Goel–Okumoto (G–O), Musa–Okumoto (M–O), Schneidewind, Duane and Littlewood-Verrall models. The bootstrap is a statistical procedure that resamples a single dataset to create many simulated samples. Our experimental results on fourteen failure datasets collected from industry and academia show that the proposed models improve by 10.2–18.0% failure time prediction accuracy, 24.7–30.7% curve fitting accuracy, and 7.7–42.9% reliability measurement accuracy compared with the original models. Furthermore, our approaches achieve 58.3–91.1% better failure time prediction accuracy in the case of small sample conditions compared to state-of-the-art machine learning and neural network-based methods. Overall, our approaches can perform more accurate reliability measurements than the original models even in scenarios with limited failure data.
Internet of Things Security Early Warning Model Based on Deep Learning in Edge Computing Environment
Authors: Zhong Jiayong , Lv Xiaohong , Hu Ke , Chen Yongtao , He Yingchun
Published: November 2023

Aiming at the problems of poor real-time processing and low security performance caused by the massive information of the Internet of things, a security early warning model of the Internet of things based on deep learning in edge computing environment is proposed. Firstly, the system architecture of the Internet of things is designed by using the edge computing technology, in which the intelligent router is used to obtain the network stub and send it to the nearest edge computing node for anomaly detection. Then, the attention mechanism is used to improve the long short-term memory network (LSTM), and the multidimensional LSTM model is constructed. At the same time, it is used to analyze the combined network data. Finally, according to the set threshold value, judge whether there is abnormal behavior in the network, and give early warning in time to take security defense measures. The experimental analysis of the proposed model based on NS2 simulation platform shows that its early warning success rate and time are 95.2% and 20.6[Formula: see text]ms, respectively, and it can detect and defend various network attacks well, with high security performance.