A comparison of methods for modeling soundscape dimensions based on different datasetsa).

Soundscape studies vary considerably in study design, statistical methods, and model fit metrics used. Due to this confounding of data and methods, it is difficult to assess the suitability of statistical modelling techniques used in the literature. Therefore, five different methods and two performance metrics were applied to three existing soundscape datasets to model soundscape Pleasantness and Eventfulness based on seven acoustic and three sociodemographic predictors.

Musical instruments as dynamic sound sources.

Unlike electro-acoustic sound sources, musical instruments have a time-varying, dynamic directivity, due to the note-dependent radiation behavior of the instrument and due to the expressive movements that musicians perform with their instrument. While previous studies have generally examined the directivity of the static, unmoved instrument for specific notes played, we show the individual and combined contributions of these two factors to a temporal modulation of the radiation behavior, based on motion tracking of typical movement patterns for all instruments of a classical symphony orchestra and on the directivity measured for all partials over the entire pitch range of these instruments. The effect of this modulation, which is manifested by changes in timbre and room acoustic excitation, was determined by spectral variations in the free field and under reverberant conditions, as well as by a modulation of room acoustic parameters.

Day-to-day loudness assessments of indoor soundscapes: Exploring the impact of loudness indicators, person, and situation.

This study investigates loudness perception in real-world contexts using predictors related to the sound, situation, or person. In the study, 105 participants recorded 6594 sound environments in their homes, which were then evaluated based on the Experience Sampling Method. Hierarchical linear regressions using a loudness level based on ISO 532-1 allowed for obtaining the best model fits for predicting perceived loudness and explaining the highest variance.

Taming Calabi-Yau Feynman Integrals: The Four-Loop Equal-Mass Banana Integral.

Certain Feynman integrals are associated to Calabi-Yau geometries. We demonstrate how these integrals can be computed with the method of differential equations. The four-loop equal-mass banana integral is the simplest Feynman integral whose geometry is a nontrivial Calabi-Yau manifold.

IL-13 determines specific IgE responses and SARS-CoV-2 immunity after mild COVID-19 and novel mRNA vaccination.

After recovery, mild and severe COVID-19 diseases are associated with long-term effects on the host immune system, such as prolonged T-cell activation or accumulation of autoantibodies. In this study, we show that mild SARS-CoV-2 infections, but not SARS-CoV-2 spike mRNA vaccinations, cause durable atopic risk factors such as a systemic Th2- and Th17-type environment as well as activation of B cells responsive of IgE against aeroallergens from house dust mite and mold. At an average of 100 days post mild SARS-CoV-2 infections, anti-mold responses were associated with low IL-13 levels and increased pro-inflammatory IL-6 titers.

Assessing room acoustic listening expertise.

Musicians and music professionals are often considered to be expert listeners for listening tests on room acoustics. However, these tests often target acoustic parameters other than those typically relevant in music such as pitch, rhythm, amplitude, or timbre. To assess the expertise in perceiving and understanding room acoustical phenomena, a listening test battery was constructed to measure the perceptual sensitivity and cognitive abilities in the identification of rooms with different reverberation times and different spectral envelopes.

Head-related transfer function recommendation based on perceptual similarities and anthropometric features.

Individualization of head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) can improve the quality of binaural applications with respect to the localization accuracy, coloration, and other aspects. Using anthropometric features (AFs) of the head, neck, and pinna for individualization is a promising approach to avoid elaborate acoustic measurements or numerical simulations. Previous studies on HRTF individualization analyzed the link between AFs and technical HRTF features.

Directional sound source modeling using the adjoint Euler equations in a finite-difference time-domain approach.

An adjoint-based approach for synthesizing complex sound sources by discrete, grid-based monopoles in finite-difference time-domain simulations is presented. Previously, Stein, Straube, Sesterhenn, Weinzierl, and Lemke [(2019). J.

Singing in different rooms: Common or individual adaptation patterns to the acoustic conditions?

A classical singing performance occurring in different rooms is likely to vary for different reasons. This study investigates to which extent this variation is due to different acoustic conditions. To analyse the performance of four singers rendering four musical pieces in eight different rooms, room acoustical parameters were used to predict musical performance features extracted from recordings based on linear mixed-effects models.

Adjoint-based optimization of sound reinforcement including non-uniform flow.

The determination of optimal geometric arrangements and electronic drives of loudspeaker arrays in sound reinforcement applications is an ill-posed inverse problem. This paper introduces an innovative method to determine complex driving functions, also considering complex environmental conditions. As an alternative to common frequency domain methods, the authors present an adjoint-based approach in the time domain: Acoustic sources are optimized in order to generate a given target sound field.

A round robin on room acoustical simulation and auralization.

A round robin was conducted to evaluate the state of the art of room acoustic modeling software both in the physical and perceptual realms. The test was based on six acoustic scenes highlighting specific acoustic phenomena and for three complex, "real-world" spatial environments. The results demonstrate that most present simulation algorithms generate obvious model errors once the assumptions of geometrical acoustics are no longer met.

Prediction of speech intelligibility using pseudo-binaural room impulse responses.

Head orientation (HO) affects better-ear-listening and spatial-release-from-masking, which are two key aspects in binaural speech intelligibility. To incorporate HO in speech intelligibility prediction, binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs) for every HO of interest could be used. Due to the limited spectral bandwidth of speech, however, approximate representations might be sufficient, which can be measured more quickly.

Segmentation of binaural room impulse responses for speech intelligibility prediction.

The two most important aspects in binaural speech perception-better-ear-listening and spatial-release-from-masking-can be predicted well with current binaural modeling frameworks operating on head-related impulse responses, i.e., anechoic binaural signals.

Sound power and timbre as cues for the dynamic strength of orchestral instruments.

In a series of measurements, the sound power of 40 musical instruments, including all standard modern orchestral instruments, as well as some of their historic precursors from the classical and the baroque epoch, was determined using the enveloping surface method with a 32-channel spherical microphone array according to ISO 3745. Single notes were recorded at the extremes of the dynamic range ( and ) over the entire pitch range. In a subsequent audio content analysis, audio features were determined for all 3482 single notes using the timbre toolbox.

A measuring instrument for the auditory perception of rooms: The Room Acoustical Quality Inventory (RAQI).

With the Room Acoustical Quality Inventory (RAQI), a measuring instrument for the perceptual space of performance venues for music and speech has been developed. First, a focus group with room acoustical experts determined relevant aspects of room acoustical impression in the form of a comprehensive list of 50 uni- and bipolar items in different categories. Then,  = 190 subjects rated their acoustical impression of 35 binaurally simulated rooms from 2 listening positions, with symphonic orchestra, solo trumpet, and dramatic speech as audio content.

Planar Double Box Integral for Top Pair Production with a Closed Top Loop to all orders in the Dimensional Regularization Parameter.

We compute systematically for the planar double box Feynman integral relevant to top pair production with a closed top loop the Laurent expansion in the dimensional regularization parameter ϵ. This is done by transforming the system of differential equations for this integral and all its sub-topologies to a form linear in ϵ, where the ϵ^{0} part is strictly lower triangular. This system is easily solved order by order in the dimensional regularization parameter ϵ.

On the authenticity of individual dynamic binaural synthesis.

A simulation that is perceptually indistinguishable from the corresponding real sound field could be termed authentic. Using binaural technology, such a simulation would theoretically be achieved by reconstructing the sound pressure at a listener's ears. However, inevitable errors in the measurement, rendering, and reproduction introduce audible degradations, as it has been demonstrated in previous studies for anechoic environments and static binaural simulations (fixed head orientation).

Spectral equalization in binaural signals represented by order-truncated spherical harmonics.

The synthesis of binaural signals from spherical microphone array recordings has been recently proposed. The limited spatial resolution of the reproduced signal due to order-limited reproduction has been previously investigated perceptually, showing spatial perception ramifications, such as poor source localization and limited externalization. Furthermore, this spatial order limitation also has a detrimental effect on the frequency content of the signal and its perceived timbre, due to the rapid roll-off at high frequencies.

Simplifying Differential Equations for Multiscale Feynman Integrals beyond Multiple Polylogarithms.

In this Letter we exploit factorization properties of Picard-Fuchs operators to decouple differential equations for multiscale Feynman integrals. The algorithm reduces the differential equations to blocks of the size of the order of the irreducible factors of the Picard-Fuchs operator. As a side product, our method can be used to easily convert the differential equations for Feynman integrals which evaluate to multiple polylogarithms to an ϵ form.

Generation and analysis of an acoustic radiation pattern database for forty-one musical instruments.

A database of acoustic radiation patterns was recorded, modeled, and analyzed for 41 modern or authentic orchestral musical instruments. The generation of this database included recordings of each instrument over the entire chromatic tone range in an anechoic chamber using a surrounding spherical microphone array. Acoustic source centering was applied in order to align the acoustic center of the sound source to the physical center of the microphone array.

Double Copies of Fermions as Matter that Interacts Only Gravitationally.

Inspired by the recent progress in the field of scattering amplitudes, we discuss hypothetical particles which can be characterized as the double copies of fermions-in the same way gravitons can be viewed as double copies of gauge bosons. As the gravitons, these hypothetical particles interact only through gravitational interactions. We present two equivalent methods for the computation of the relevant scattering amplitudes.

Next-to-leading-order results for five, six, and seven jets in electron-positron annihilation.

We present next-to-leading order corrections in the leading color approximation for jet rates in electron-positron annihilation up to seven jets. The results for the two-, three-, and four-jet rates agree with known results. The NLO jet rates have been known previously only up to five jets.

Next-to-next-to-leading order corrections to three-jet observables in electron-positron annihilation.

I report on a numerical program, which can be used to calculate any infrared safe three-jet observable in electron-positron annihilation to next-to-next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant alpha(s). The results are compared to a recent calculation by another group. Numerical differences in three color factors are discussed and explained.