Search Results (323)

Subjective assessments of air pollution annoyance reveal that individuals’ focus on specific risks is influenced by their attachment to place, beliefs, values, and behavior rather than the composition or toxic effects of air pollutants. Additionally, the social context plays a role in shaping how communities react to and perceive air pollution impacts. This study examines residents’ environmental perceptions regarding the effects of settleable particles before and after the interruption of a large industrial source in the southern region of Espírito Santo, Brazil (South America). A second objective was to model the relationship between air pollution annoyance and other perceived variables under both scenarios. Data were collected through surveys conducted before and after the interruption of the industrial plant. The Pearson chi-square test and ordinal logistic regression model analyzed the data. Results indicate a shift in residents’ concerns with a focus on social and well-being issues. We also found a small number of items relating to dust annoyance and home ownership that can be used to predict the air pollution impact for individual community members. The findings show that settleable particles are directly perceived by exposed populations and significantly affect community health and quality of life. Full article

Background/Objectives: An exploratory study was conducted to investigate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761^® in the management of chronic tinnitus, and whether comorbidities have an impact on the treatment outcome. Methods: The exploratory, uncontrolled, open-label study enrolled 170 patients (Full Analysis Set) with chronic tinnitus who took 120 mg EGb 761^® twice daily for 24 weeks. Outcomes were assessed using the Tinnitus Questionnaire, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, and 11-Point Box Scales for loudness and annoyance. Comorbidities were recorded with audiometry, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire. The effectiveness was further examined in responder analyses (at least 30% score reduction in 3 out of 4 outcomes) and in subgroups defined by baseline anxiety, hearing impairment, stress and depression. Results: At week 24, significant improvements were observed in all tinnitus-related outcomes compared to baseline (all p < 0.0001). In subgroup analyses, patients with high baseline anxiety or stress as well as those with normacusis improved more, whereas baseline depression had no influence. The overall response rate was 18.8%. Conclusions: The results of this exploratory study indicate that EGb 761^® improved complaints in patients with chronic tinnitus. The therapy appears to be particularly beneficial for patients with normal hearing and/or concomitant anxiety and/or stress. Trial registration: The study was registered at ISRCTN (ISRCTN83863387, registration date 14 October 2016). Full article

Guidance information plays an important role in influencing metro passengers’ travel choices and enhancing their travel experience during unplanned service disruptions. However, limited research has examined passengers’ behavioral responses to personalized guidance information in such contexts. This study aims to fill the gap and explore the impact of personalized guidance information on passengers’ travel choice behavior during unplanned metro service disruptions. First, we reconstruct the decision-making process of metro passengers under disruption scenarios and design personalized guidance strategies, followed by a stated preference survey to collect preference data. Using data from Beijing, China, a hybrid utility–regret model is developed to analyze how the content and frequency of personalized guidance information affect passengers’ travel choice preferences. The results show that recommended plans with explanatory information are more likely to be adopted, particularly when explanations are framed from the passenger’s perspective. A single notification serves as a timely reminder, whereas overly frequent messages may trigger annoyance and reduce effectiveness. These findings provide practical implications for the design of personalized guidance strategies, thereby mitigating the impacts of metro service disruptions. Full article

This paper reviews, analyses, and suggests practical mitigation techniques at source for reducing vibration-induced annoyance to occupants in building structures that are built on top of significant railway infrastructure. The dynamic characteristics of vibration caused by wheel-rail interaction at metro train depots are different from those on main-lines and conventional studies. Ground-borne vibration in a building directly above a double-deck railway depot was investigated, focusing on vibration attenuation through rail track design, which is more effective and economic compared to treatments at receivers or along prorogation paths. A 2.5-Dimensional finite element model was established to simulate vibration transmission using different combinations of track-forms. Source contribution under different train running conditions has been evaluated by computing vibration levels along the main transmission path. Vibration levels at representative positions in the building rooms have been predicted using the numerical model and have been compared against site measurements at the corresponding locations after the completion of the construction of the depot and buildings. It was found that the 2.5D FE model enables a reasonable prediction of ground-borne vibration from the metro depot, and that by appropriate design of the track-form, a good level of vibration attenuation can be achieved in an economical way. Full article

The static drill-rooted energy pile is an emerging green technology increasingly applied in coastal soft soil areas. Existing research has mainly focused on its heat transfer and bearing characteristics, while studies on its environmental impacts remain limited. Based on the Green Building Evaluation Standard and the Life Cycle Assessment method and drawing on practical energy pile projects in coastal areas, this study developed an environmental impact assessment system for energy piles. A comprehensive evaluation method was established, incorporating four indicators: muck and slurry discharge, vibration, noise, and carbon reduction benefits. Using a pilot project, field testing and theoretical analysis were conducted to assess the environmental impact of static drill-rooted energy piles. The results revealed that muck and slurry discharge is significantly lower compared to bored energy piles. Vibration levels at a site office located 30 m from the construction point were below the annoyance threshold of 0.05 g in terms of relative vibration acceleration. Noise levels dropped below the emission limit of 85 dB at a distance of 5 m. Carbon emissions during the material production stage were reduced by 22–45% compared to bored energy piles and by 12% during the construction stage. During the operation stage, compared to air-source heat pumps, electricity savings of 0.691–0.836 kWh per hour and CO₂ emission reductions of 0.471–0.57 kg per hour were achieved. Based on the comprehensive scoring of all indicators, the static drill-rooted energy pile technology received an overall rating of ‘‘excellent.’’ This study provided an evaluation framework for the environmental assessment of energy piles and contributed positively to promoting the development of green infrastructure. Full article

Background: Tinnitus has been increasingly reported during the COVID-19 pandemic, following both infection and vaccination. While these reports suggest that pandemic-related factors may influence the onset or worsening of tinnitus, the perceptual characteristics and functional consequences of such cases remain poorly understood. This study examined the nature, severity, and communication-related impact of self-reported tinnitus following COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: A total of 770 adults who self-reported new or worsened tinnitus after vaccination completed a structured online survey between August 2021 and May 2023. Standardized instruments included the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ), and visual analog scales assessing loudness discomfort and hyperacusis-related symptoms. Analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, and correlation matrices. Results: Respondents reported moderate to severe tinnitus-related distress, with the greatest impacts on emotional control, sleep, and relaxation. Many described communication difficulties in noisy or multi-talker environments, despite relatively preserved spatial hearing and sound quality. A substantial subset endorsed hyperacusis symptoms, including sound-induced annoyance, fear, and intolerance. Correlation analyses revealed strong associations between emotional, cognitive, and auditory domains, underscoring the multidimensional burden of tinnitus in this population. Conclusions: Self-reported tinnitus after COVID-19 vaccination was associated with distress, sleep disruption, and communication difficulties, mirroring patterns commonly observed in tinnitus more broadly. Although causality cannot be determined, these findings highlight the importance of comprehensive audiological and psychological assessment for individuals reporting auditory complaints after vaccination and support the inclusion of functional hearing outcomes in tinnitus evaluation protocols. Full article

Ground-borne vibrations caused by railway traffic represent a significant environmental concern, particularly in densely populated or vibration-sensitive urban areas. These phenomena can lead to discomfort and annoyance among residents, interfere with the operation of sensitive equipment, and even threaten the integrity of heritage sites or structurally vulnerable buildings and infrastructures. Building on these concerns, this paper presents a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge on the subject. It begins by examining the impacts of ground-borne vibrations on both people and structures, followed by an overview of the regulatory frameworks implemented in different countries to manage these effects, with a focus on four examples from Europe and North America. The review then systematically explores the key factors associated with the generation and propagation of ground-borne noise and vibrations. Furthermore, prediction methodologies are categorised into four groups—analytical and semi-analytical, numerical, empirical and AI-based models—and critically assessed. Finally, the paper reviews mitigation strategies applied at the source, along the propagation path, and at the receiver, assessing their effectiveness in reducing the identified impacts. Full article

Psychoacoustic metrics offer a valuable complement to traditional noise evaluation methods for gear transmissions, as they account for the human perception of sound quality rather than relying solely on physical measurements. While parameters such as overall sound pressure level (SPL) and spectral content quantify noise intensity and frequency distribution, they often fail to reflect subjective annoyance caused by tonal or high-frequency components common in gear systems. This review provides a structured overview of how psychoacoustic metrics—including loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength, and tonality—are applied in the analysis of gear transmission noise. Relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search across multiple scientific databases, with 54 meeting the inclusion criteria. The findings highlight both the benefits and limitations of these metrics, and present examples of their industrial application in automotive and mechanical engineering contexts. The review also identifies gaps in current research, particularly in integrating psychoacoustic evaluation with predictive modelling and machine learning, and suggests directions for future work. Full article

The purpose of the study is to investigate human physiological responses to construction noise exposure using deep learning, applying electroencephalography (EEG) and electro-dermal activity (EDA) sensors. Construction noise is a pervasive occupational stressor that affects physiological states and impairs cognitive performance. EEG sensors capture neural activity related to perception and attention, and EDA reflects autonomic arousal and stress. In this study, twenty-five participants were exposed to impulsive noise from pile drivers and tonal noise from earth augers at three intensity levels (40, 60, and 80 dB), while EEG and EDA signals were recorded simultaneously. Convolutional neural networks (CNN) were utilized for EEG and long short-term memory networks (LSTM) for EDA. The results depict that EEG-based models consistently outperformed EDA-based models, establishing EEG as the dominant modality. In addition, decision-level fusion enhanced robustness across evaluation metrics by employing complementary information from EDA sensors. Ablation analyses presented that model performance was sensitive to design choices, with medium EEG windows (6 s), medium EDA windows (5–10 s), smaller batch sizes, and moderate weight decay yielding the most stable results. Further, retraining with ablation-informed hyperparameters confirmed that this configuration improved overall accuracy and maintained stable generalization across folds. The outcome of this study demonstrates the potential of deep learning to capture multimodal physiological responses when subjected to construction noise and emphasizes the critical role of modality-specific design and systematic hyperparameter optimization in achieving reliable annoyance detection. Full article

Auditory cues are an important, though often overlooked, component of the multisensory experience of food consumption, directly influencing consumer perception and enjoyment. This study investigates how prior food-related experiences affect the perception and preference for food sounds, with a focus on artisanal bread, a popular staple food with distinctive auditory characteristics. A group of 113 participants was recruited and assigned to one of the two groups: 53 attended a bread-making workshop to establish enriched audiovisual associations, while 60 watched bread-making videos online, which represented a comparatively limited form of sensory engagement. Participants rated their perceived comfort levels for three distinct bread-related food sounds before and after the intervention. Sound recognition performance was also assessed as well as the appeal of the sounds. The results revealed that those who attended the workshop evaluated the close-up food sounds significantly more positively than those who watched the videos instead. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that greater visual involvement during the workshop/watching videos was associated with increased comfort and decreased annoyance for the close-up bread sounds. These findings underscore the importance of multisensory integration experiences, particularly audiovisual integration, in shaping consumer responses and preferences for food sounds. To make sure that consumers feel comfortable and even hungry when they listen to food-related audial content, it is beneficial to incorporate familiar food sounds and, where possible, reinforce these with visual or experiential cues. Content that leverages multisensory associations and aligns with listeners’ prior experiences is likely to be more effective in eliciting positive sensory and emotional responses. Full article

This study intends to identify and quantify the individual, perceptual, and contextual factors associated with odor-related perception and to assess the perception of odor sources according to meteorological conditions. Two face-to-face seasonal community surveys were conducted using stratified random sampling with proportional allocation, yielding representative samples of residents in a southern Brazilian city, where mild constant temperatures throughout the year and shifting prevailing wind directions expose residents to different odor sources. Chi-Square tests were applied to assess associations between odor perception and qualitative variables, while logistic regression was used to identify predictors of higher annoyance. Results showed that prevailing wind direction influenced source attribution, with steel industry and sewage-related sites most frequently cited. Proximity to the steel plant increased both source recognition and annoyance levels. Reported impacts included closing windows and reducing outdoor activities. Self-reported respiratory problems consistently predicted higher annoyance levels in both surveys. The statistical methods were effective in analyzing the likelihood of odor-related perception and its relationship with explanatory variables. These findings highlight the value of a data-driven approach—specifically, integrating wind direction, source proximity, and community-based perception—to support urban environmental management and guide odor mitigation strategies. Full article

Industrial odour is a common pollution concern raised with local regulatory authorities, with communities citing impacts to their mental health and wellbeing. We performed a systematic review to determine if industrial odours are associated with psychosocial wellbeing in nearby communities. PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 2003 and 2023, assessing associations between industrial odour and psychosocial wellbeing (mental health or quality of life). Critical appraisal of the studies was conducted using JBI’s assessment tools. We undertook a narrative synthesis of results. After screening, 13 articles met the inclusion criteria: 11 cross-sectional and 2 longitudinal studies. Sample sizes ranged from 23 to 25,236 participants. Odour exposure was assessed through self-reported measures (intensity, annoyance) and objective measures (proximity to source, odorous chemical concentration). Psychosocial health outcomes included stress, psychological distress, quality of life, depression and anxiety. Of the 13 studies, 11 identified an association between odour exposure and poorer psychosocial wellbeing, with the strongest evidence relating to quality of life. However, the critical appraisal identified quality issues with most studies. The findings suggest that industrial odours may be associated with poorer psychosocial wellbeing for nearby residents, particularly in terms of quality of life. Future research using consistent objective and subjective measures of odour exposure, and prospective data collection, would strengthen the quality of the evidence. Full article

Environmental noise exposure is omnipresent, but the type of noise source and its appraisal may differ in varying contexts. For instance, studies have found significant differences in annoyance ratings between urbanisation levels. In this article, a re-analysis of existing survey data is presented, assessing noise annoyance and sleep disturbance from road traffic and railway noise in a random sample stratified by rural, suburban, and inner-city areas. Noise exposure was estimated using modelled L_den and L_night levels. Exposure–response curves showed greater annoyance at lower road traffic noise levels compared to the WHO guidelines (10% highly annoyed at 35 dB L_den vs. WHO 53 dB L_den). Railway noise annoyance aligned with the WHO estimates; however, sleep disturbance was lower at comparable exposure levels (3% highly sleep-disturbed at 53 dB L_night vs. WHO 44 dB). This re-analysis provides robust exposure–response relationships. The findings indicate higher levels for road traffic noise annoyance in Germany compared to international standards. A resulting policy implication is to link regular population surveys to noise action planning as a form of public participation. This approach enables the development of measures tailored to local conditions and supports the estimation of potential impacts, such as the number of people who may benefit from reduced noise exposure. Full article

This study examines the impact of aircraft noise on annoyance and sleep disturbances among residents near Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 2019 to 2023. It aims to assess the specific effects of aircraft noise exposure on sleep quality, as well as changes in exposure due to reduced air traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys conducted before and during the pandemic revealed that, despite lower noise levels, residents continued to report high levels of annoyance, indicating a complex exposure-response relationship. This study evaluates both the impact of aircraft noise levels and the role of non-acoustic factors in mitigating sleep disturbances and shaping residents’ responses over time. The study’s findings support the applicability of WHO guidelines in this context and emphasize the importance of considering both noise reduction and community engagement in noise management strategies. Full article

This study aims to investigate the effects of phase synchronisation on tonal noise reduction in a multi-rotor UAV using an electronic phase-locking system. Experiments at the University of Bristol explored the impact of relative phase angle, propeller spacing, and blade geometry on acoustic performance, including psychoacoustic annoyance. Results show that increasing the phase angle consistently reduces the sound pressure level (SPL) due to destructive interference. For the two-bladed configuration, the highest noise reduction occurred at relative phase angle $\Delta \psi ={90}^{\circ }$, with a 19 dB decrease at the first blade-passing frequency (BPF). Propeller spacing had minimal impact when phase synchronisation was applied. The pitch-to-diameter ($P/D$) ratio also influenced results: for $P/D=0.55$, reductions ranged from 13–18 dB; and for $P/D=1.0$, reductions ranged from 10–20 dB. Maximum psychoacoustic annoyance was observed when propellers were in phase ($\Delta \psi =0^{\circ }$), while annoyance decreased with increasing phase angle, confirming the effectiveness of phase control for noise mitigation. For the five-bladed configuration, the highest reduction of 15 dB occurred at $\Delta \psi ={36}^{\circ }$, with annoyance levels also decreasing with phase offset. Full article