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To understand the extent of anthropogenic noise in the ocean, it is essential to compare the differences between modern noise environments and their pre-industrial equivalents. The Santa Barbara Channel, off the coast of Southern California, is a corridor for the transportation of goods to and from the busiest shipping ports in the Western hemisphere. Commercial ships introduce high levels of underwater noise into the marine environment. To quantify the extent of noise in the region, we modeled pre-industrial ocean noise levels, driven by wind, and modern ocean noise levels, resulting from the presence of both ships and wind. By comparing pre-industrial and modern underwater noise levels, the low-frequency (50 Hz) acoustic environment was found to be degraded by more than 15 dB. These results can be used to identify regions for noise reduction efforts, as well as to model scenarios to identify those with the greatest potential to support marine conservation efforts.

Abstract: Traffic noise is a pervasive pollutant that affects wildlife at individual and group levels through mechanisms such as disrupting communication, affecting antipredator strategy, and/or changing how they use space within a habitat. Urbanization is expanding rapidly—few places remain untouched by anthropogenic noise disturbance—so understanding the implications of noise on wildlife behavior is paramount to conservation efforts. We asked whether traffic noise could change space use and social network metrics in flocks of captive birds. Specifically, we quantified the effects of playbacks of traffic noise on individual sociality (weighted degree, number of social partners weighted by the frequency of interactions with those social partners) and flock clustering (global clustering coefficient, connectivity of neighbors). In this study, we recorded social interactions and space use of flocks of captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) before, during, and after an experimental traffic noise introduction in two treatments: high- and lower-amplitude noise. Our results demonstrated that individual sociality and flock clustering increased in response to the noise introduction in both high-amplitude and low-amplitude treatments. Additionally, birds in the high-amplitude treatment spent more time in the room with active playback during noise playback whereas birds in the lower-amplitude treatment decreased time spent in the room closest to the high-amplitude treatment. Increased social behavior in response to traffic noise could influence disease transmission, social learning, and mating dynamics. We suggest future studies explore the mechanisms driving increased social behavior in traffic noise, such as perceived predation risk, vigilance, and cross-sensory interference.

The marine environment is increasingly subject to changes driven by anthropogenic stressors which may alter species' key behaviors and impact phenotypic plasticity. Such stressors rarely occur in isolation, yet our understanding of how simultaneous stresses affect marine organisms is limited. Here, we study the combined impacts of a major global stressor, temperature increase, and a local stressor, anthropogenic noise, upon key defensive traits of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas. We tested the color change and behavioral responses of crabs in relatively colder and warmer water, and in the presence of natural ambient or ship noise. Using image analysis and a model of predator vision, we demonstrate that crabs change color, and improve camouflage, fastest in warmer water in the absence of anthropogenic noise. When anthropogenic noise was present, it adversely impacted crab color change and camouflage, to the extent that the accelerated change due to temperature was negated. In addition, anthropogenic noise affected C. maenas' behavior, reducing the likelihood and increasing the latency of antipredator response to stimuli. This reveals an interaction between the 2 stressors, with the combination of temperature and noise eliciting different biological responses compared with the effects of each stressor in isolation. Our study demonstrates how such interactions between anthropogenic stressors may impact marine life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral and environmental risk factors are critical in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these risk factors will offer valuable insights for targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, noncoding RNA (ncRNA) expression, and epitranscriptomic modifications, have emerged as key mediators connecting behavioral and environmental risk factors to CVD risk and progression. These epigenetic alterations can profoundly impact on cardiovascular health and susceptibility to CVD by influencing cellular processes, development, and disease risk over an individual's lifetime and potentially across generations. This review examines how behavioral and environmental risk factors affect CVD risk and health outcomes through epigenetic regulation. We review the epigenetic effects of major behavioral risk factors (such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and obesity) and environmental risk factors (including air and noise pollution) in the context of CVD pathogenesis. Additionally, we explore epigenetic biomarkers, considering their role as causal or surrogate indicators, and discuss epigenetic therapeutics targeting the mechanisms through which these risk factors contribute to CVD. We also address future research directions and challenges in leveraging epigenetic insights to reduce the burden of CVD related to behavioral and environmental factors and improve public health outcomes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of behavioral and environmental epigenetics in CVD and offer valuable strategies for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Trees in urban environments provide us with shade, heat mitigation, flood abatement, noise and pollution reduction, pollination, beauty, and much more. However, many of these benefits are strongly connected to tree size and vitality, with larger, healthier trees providing ecosystem services more effectively, which means that selecting the right tree for site and function is crucial in order to gain all benefits from our urban trees. Summary: Trees play a major role in the Earth's biogeochemical processes, influencing soil production, hydrological, nutrient and carbon cycles, and the global climate. They store about 50% of the world's terrestrial carbon stocks, and provide habitats for a wide range of other species, supporting at least half of the Earth's known terrestrial plants and animals. Trees are not only found in forests and other natural ecosystems, but also in urban environments. Most of the human population is concentrated in cities, towns and villages, so urban trees are critical to meet on‐going and future social, economic and environmental challenges. However, many urban tree populations are strongly challenged by a changing climate, outbreaks of pests and pathogens and an urban development with increasingly dense cities and a high proportion of impermeable surface materials. The importance of intraspecific variation needs to be better acknowledged in this context, since poor matching of trees and the local climate and growing conditions can lead to extensive loss of valuable trees. By using the right genetic plant material for the challenging urban environments, a more resilient tree population with a greater diversity and higher capacity for delivering ecosystem services can be gained. Here, we wish to discuss the need to consider intraspecific variation when planning resilient tree populations for urban environments and how seed banks and botanical garden play important roles in efforts to improve the matching of genetic plant material for future environmental challenges. Strategies to enrich urban tree diversity and increase resilience are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icebreaker vessels in the Canadian Arctic are used to monitor and maintain open shipping lanes during summer and fall. Icebreaker operating routes often overlap with important habitats of endemic Arctic marine mammals, leading to potential interactions and disturbance. In this study, we examined the frequency, proximity, and duration of encounter events between narwhals (Monodon monoceros) and icebreaker vessels in Tasiujaq (Eclipse Sound), Nunavut, an important summering area for this species. We combined tracking data from 25 narwhals equipped with satellite telemetry devices in Tasiujaq between 2016 and 2018 with automatic identification system (AIS) data for the same period from 7 icebreaker vessels. We defined an encounter event between a narwhal and an icebreaker as the total consecutive occurrences of an individual within 50 km of a vessel within 1 hour. For all years combined, 17 out of 25 narwhals had at least 1 encounter with an icebreaker and all 7 icebreakers were involved in at least 1 encounter. The closest distance (closest point of approach) recorded was <1 km and the longest cumulative duration of encounter events for 1 narwhal with 1 icebreaker was 121.6 hours (n = 27 encounter events over 17 days). Proximity and continuous exposure of narwhals to high levels of noise are a key concern when considering short‐ and long‐term effects on behavior and fitness of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the problem of noise pollution in urban areas has gained significant attention due to its detrimental impact on the health of residents. The present study aims to determine the current noise pollution scenario and direct and indirect association between the influencing factors on health issues of residents in an urban environment. The study utilized a partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to examine the hypotheses related to how individuals perceive noise pollution and its impact on their health. The research findings reveal that noise annoyance and noise sensitivity have a direct impact on noise induced health issues, while demographic characteristics and traffic noise have an indirect influence. Additionally, noise level monitoring was conducted during morning, afternoon, and evening hours to evaluate ambient noise levels and prepare noise maps. Analysis of the prepared noise maps revealed that many sampling locations show noise levels higher than, or close to, 70 dBA. The study aims to develop a decision-support tool that utilizes data on noise pollution levels and associated health issues to inform policy interventions for managing and controlling noise pollution in urban settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents a pioneering effort to integrate geographic information systems (GIS) and ensemble machine learning methods to predict noise levels on a university campus. Three ensemble models including random forest (RF), gradient boosting (GB), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) were developed to predict traffic noise based on data collected over a 4-week period at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) campus. Noise measurements were obtained during peak morning hours (7:30 to 9:30 a.m.) on weekdays within the UTM campus in Johor. Additional predictor variables, including data from the digital elevation model (DEM) and land use, were incorporated to capture the complex nonlinear relationships influencing noise levels. The models were optimized through hyperparameter tuning, resulting in high precision, as evidenced by performance metrics such as the coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean squared error (MSE). The XGB model emerged as the most accurate, with R2 = 0.96, MAE = 0.9, and MSE = 0.3. Noise maps generated using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation technique highlighted the spatial distribution of noise levels, classified into five classes considering WHO standards. The findings identified distance from roads, the number of light vehicles, and proximity to green areas as the most significant predictors. However, challenges remain in accurately predicting noise levels associated with other predictors. The outcomes of the study indicate the superior performance of the XGB model compared to the GB and RF models. The study recommends several measures to manage and control noise pollution on the UTM campus, including raising awareness, regulating and enforcing vehicle speed limits, reevaluating land use, installing sound insulation systems, and planting trees and vegetation buffer zones around and within educational buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effectiveness of noise management strategies, focusing on installing barriers to reduce urban noise pollution, particularly around hospitals. The research in Sakarya, Turkey, employs comprehensive noise measurements and modeling techniques to evaluate barrier interventions. The study included 24-h noise averages and specific measures for daytime, evening, and nighttime noise levels, using SoundPlan software for modeling and mapping. Results reveal that noise levels frequently exceed international thresholds, especially in high-traffic areas. However, introducing noise barriers significantly reduces noise levels, particularly at specific measurement points, demonstrating their effectiveness. This underscores the crucial role of noise management strategies in sensitive urban areas and highlights the urgency for proactive interventions to manage noise pollution. The study identifies the need for future research, including long-term studies to assess noise barriers' durability and sustained effectiveness, and the integration of other noise reduction measures such as green infrastructure. Practical applications of this research include informing urban planners and policymakers about effective strategies for mitigating noise pollution and improving public health. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into urban noise management by empirically demonstrating the effectiveness of barrier interventions in reducing noise pollution. It underscores the importance of proactive measures to protect human health and preserve environmental balance in sensitive urban areas. The findings advocate for the broader implementation of noise barriers and other complementary strategies in urban planning to enhance the quality of urban life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of prolonged infrasound (IS) exposure on brain function and behavior are largely unknown, with only one prior study investigating functional connectivity (FC) changes. In a long-term randomized-controlled trial, 38 participants were exposed to inaudible airborne IS (6 Hz, 80–90 dB) or sham devices for four weeks (8 h/night). We assessed FC changes in resting-state networks (auditory, default mode (DMN), sensorimotor (SMN), and executive control (ECN)), and explored IS 'sensitivity' as a predictor of identified significant FC changes. We also examined correlations between somatic symptoms and FC. IS exposure led to decreased FC in the right precuneus (DMN) and increased FC in the Vermis IV and V (SMN). In the ECN, we observed increased FC in the right frontal middle gyrus (BA8) and the right inferior parietal lobe, and decreased FC in another region of the right frontal middle gyrus. Changes in the ECN (right inferior parietal lobe) were negatively associated with self-reported annoyance from IS/low-frequency noise. A significant negative association was found between FC changes in the DMN (right precuneus) and somatic symptoms. Our study is the first to investigate prolonged IS exposure effects on brain FC, revealing changes in the vDMN, SMN, and ECN, but not in the auditory network. Future studies should assess annoyance and sensitivity markers, fine-grained measures of somatic symptoms, and stratify samples by sensitivity to uncover individual differences in response to IS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitous noise pollution has been associated with significant negative impacts on human health. However, current porous sound‐absorbing materials encounter considerable obstacles such as thick density, narrow absorbing band, and limited function. Here, a facile‐producing method for lightweight and efficiently sound‐absorbing aerogels made from bacterial cellulose (BC) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is presented. The fabricated anisotropic aerogels with directional pores exhibit a minimum density as low as 11.3 mg cm−3. Meanwhile, the lamellar aerogels with low areal density (20.89 mg cm−2) exhibit remarkable noise attenuation performance with the noise reduction coefficient of 0.51.Furthermore, the BC‐PVA‐Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.9Ti0.1O3 (BCZT) aerogels show enhanced sound absorption performance, and these aerogels are self‐powered sensors to monitor vehicle collisions and human gestures. The algorithm yields high accuracy in human gesture recognition (100%) based on the deep‐learning model. These aerogels offer an encouraging application prospect in the automobile field to realize car weight reduction and vehicle's intelligent control system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence has been identified as a particularly vulnerable age group with a high prevalence of insomnia and a heightened susceptibility to experiencing psychotic experiences, which in turn increases the risk of developing psychotic disorders. In particular, insomnia symptoms were found to be predominant among noise-sensitive adolescents exhibiting a higher level of noise annoyance. This study aimed to assess the moderating effect of insomnia severity between noise annoyance and psychotic disorders among Lebanese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 527 Lebanese adolescents. Participants filled a self-administered online questionnaire. Insomnia moderated the association between noise annoyance and psychotic disorders. Noise annoyance was significantly associated with a higher risk of emergence of psychotic disorders. At low and moderate levels of insomnia severity, higher noise annoyance was significantly associated with higher psychotic experiences. Understanding how these variables interact provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms leading to psychotic disorders among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to assess noise annoyance following the installation of various types of sound barriers on elevated roads and to forecast the noise reduction effect. The level of annoyance was evaluated using a five-level linguistic rating scale, and noise values were anticipated for each floor of the building using Cadna/A software based on different road service levels. The results showed that for each service level road, the sound barrier’s noise reduction impact was most pronounced at heights of 3.5–5m, and the ratio of the acoustic barrier’s length extension to its distance from the building should not be greater than 4:1. After comparison, it was found that the fully enclosed sound barrier has the best noise reduction effect. Additionally, the noise annoyance level varied significantly at different service levels, with 60.5dB chosen as the noise threshold value. This study could offer an optional path for noise reduction facility design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise from unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as "drones," will likely shape our acoustic environment in the near future. Yet, reactions of the population to this new noise source are still little explored. The objective of this study was to investigate short-term noise annoyance reactions to drones in a controlled laboratory experiment. Annoyance to (i) two quadcopters of different sizes in relation to common contemporary transportation noise sources (jet aircraft, propeller aircraft, helicopters, single car passbys), and (ii) different drone maneuvers (takeoff; landing; high, medium, and low flybys) flown at different speeds and elevations was systematically assessed. The results revealed that, at the same sound exposure level, drones are perceived as substantially more annoying than other airborne vehicles and passenger cars. Furthermore, for drone maneuvers, landings, and takeoffs are more annoying than flybys, as are maneuvers flown at low speed. Different loudness metrics (LAE, LDE, effective perceived noise level, psychoacoustic loudness level) accounted for drone noise annoyance ratings to an equal degree. An analysis of psychoacoustic parameters highlighted the significant link between drone noise annoyance and tonality, sharpness, and loudness level. The results suggest a different perception and an increased annoyance potential of drones, which will likely require specifically tailored legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution is an important environmental problem and in comparison, to other pollutants, the control of environmental noise has been hampered by insufficient knowledge as well as a lack of criteria. Power Plant industries have worldwide substantial progress and noise pollution is one of the considerable environmental impacts of various processes of these industries. This cross-sectional research aimed to study the sound levels to control noise pollution at different sections of the Mazandaran Thermal Power Plant in Iran. Sound pressure level measurements and frequency analysis were performed using the net" method where the results were compared with ACGIH Threshold Limit Values. It was found that inside the factory most of the measuring stations have high sound levels in comparison to industrial standards of 85 dB(A). Office buildings have the lowest sound pressure among measured areas. As 43% of measured stations are located in danger areas. Also, environmental noise measurements around Mazandaran Power Plant as an industrial residential area have revealed that sound levels were not higher than the admissible standards in Iran. The electricity generator's fan and Feed Water Pump section produce high levels of noise; therefore, a silencer and an enclosure were designed respectively. The amount of noise reduction for the enclosure was 38.7 dB(A) while the values of insertion loss and for the silencer 63.9 dB(A) reduction has been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exposure to excessive noise volumes is an occupational health and safety risk. Australian guidelines recommend a time weighted exposure maximum of 85 dB (dB) or a maximum peak noise level of up to 140 dB, as chronic and repeated high dB exposure can result in significant hearing impairment. The aim of this study was to assess the volume of noise generated by common surgical instruments while utilizing the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) app. Methods: Sound levels were measured using the NIOSH app. The NIOSH app was used to take equivalent continuous A‐weighted sound levels (LAeq) and the C‐weighted peak sound pressure (LCpeak) measurements for specific instruments while in use in theatre. A minimum of three readings per instrument were taken at immediate and working distances. Results: LAeq measurements ranged from 62.9 to 89.3 dB. The Padgett Dermatome and Frazier Sucker exceeded recommended exposure limits with an averaged LAeq reading of 85.7 dB(A) and 85.1 dB(A) respectively. LCpeak readings ranged from 89.9 to 114.7 dB(C) with none of the instruments exceeding a peak sound level beyond the recommended level of 140 dB(C). Conclusion: The cumulative effect of loud surgical instruments across prolonged or combined operations may result in theatre staff being exposed to hazardous noise levels, impacting the health and wellbeing of staff, staff performance and patient care. Utilization of a phone app can improve the awareness of noise pollution in theatres, thereby empowering staff to be proactive about their health and improvement of their work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the application of bio-inspired structures has garnered attention for enhancing the performance of fluid machinery. In this study, we experimentally investigated the effects of introducing a bio-inspired cutout structure to the propellers of drones, aiming to improve thrust efficiency and reduce noise levels. Our results demonstrated reductions in noise levels compared to conventional propellers. Parametric studies revealed that the roundness of the structure significantly influenced both flight efficiency and noise levels, suggesting its importance for replicating the inherent fluid characteristics found in nature. Additionally, optimal parameters for noise reduction, such as the length of the cutout, angle of incision relative to the flow direction, and the distance between the gap were identified. Although no improvements in flight efficiency were observed, most of the models investigated exhibited only around a 5% reduction in efficiency compared to the standard propellers, suggesting practical applicability for scenarios such as nighttime drone operations in urban areas. The noteworthy reduction in sound pressure levels in the mid- to high-frequency range achieved by the bio-inspired propellers in this study holds the potential to address the issue of drone noise pollution and encourage drone operations in urban areas. Moreover, the confirmed decrease in sound pressure at specific frequencies and the suggested controllability hint at the possibility of enhancing sound source localization performance using drones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, A-weighted noise levels were recorded for the entire day (24 h) at each site along the major urban roads of Kurukshetra city in India. The traffic flow (volume and composition) was also recorded simultaneously. Thereafter, the relevant noise and traffic descriptors were computed to assess the traffic noise pollution. The equivalent 2-hourly traffic noise levels, L e q , 2 h , exhibited a somewhat cyclic pattern having noise crests and troughs over the 24 h in the case of all the four studied urban roads, thus identifying the peak and lean noise hours. The equivalent day time noise levels ( L D ) and night time noise levels ( L N ) were in the range of 68.06 – 80.73 dB(A) and 44.12 – 70.91 dB(A) respectively, exceeding the permissible levels as per Indian standards and WHO guidelines at all sites, except L N at two sites. The day-night average noise levels with 24-h' base time, L D N , was above WHO limits of 70 dB(A) barring five sites. The proposed relationship between L D N and passenger car unit (PCU) per hour has the potential application in estimating noise levels from traffic flow data with a high coefficient of determination of 0.8774. The noise climate (N C) and traffic noise index (T N I) varied from 21.62 to 46.01 dB(A) and 116.16 – 187.53 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detection adopting deep-learning has strongly promoted the development of intensive aquaculture. However, shrimp larvae, as an important aquatic organism, are more difficult to be detected than others. On the one hand, they have indeed small sizes, which will cause them to be easily ignored due to the background noise pollution. On the other hand, affected by environmental factors and the fact that shrimp larvae like to move fast as jumping, the images of shrimp larvae often appear blurry. In order to obtain better shrimp larvae detection performance, we propose an improved anchor-free method called CAGNet in this paper. Compared with YOLOX_s, three structures including backbone, neck, and head have been improved in the proposed method. Firstly, we ameliorate the backbone by adding a coordinate attention module to extract more location information and semantic information of shrimp larvae at different levels. Secondly, an adaptively spatial feature fusion module is introduced to the neck. It can adaptively integrate effective shrimp larvae features from different levels and suppress the interference of conflicting information arising from the background. Moreover, in the head, we use GIoU module instead of conventional IoU for more accurate bounding box regression. We conducted experiments by collecting shrimp larvae data from a real aquaculture farm. Compared with the general object detection methods and previous related research, CAGNet has achieved better performance in Precision, Recall, F1 Score, and AP@0.5:0.95. Hence, the proposed method can be effectively applied to shrimp larvae detection in intensive aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable tourism is a dynamic, complex system in which continuous interaction between economic, social, and environmental components will take place. The complexity of the system occurs because of nonlinear interactions between these components. Further, in a dynamic condition, econometric models based on historical data will not provide a realistic solution. However, the plan towards achieving tourism sustainability is mostly based on the past behaviour of heterogeneous factors and assumes that these factors will behave in the same way in the future as well. This approach is inefficient for understanding the underlying structure of the complex system and fails to address the issue of sustainability in a feasible way. Therefore, the present study addresses the issue of sustainable tourism using a system dynamic approach for Mussoorie, India. The results of the study reveal that the existing tourism policy is more in favour of enhancement of tourism at the cost of degrading air quality through increase in carbon emissions, loss of water spring bodies, increase in noise pollution, over exploitation of natural resources and reflecting the myopic approach of the existing policy. This study confirms that the existing approach will emasculate the objective of sustainable tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses new challenges to Arctic marine mammals, with increasing vessel traffic and associated underwater noise pollution emerging as significant threats. The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), an endemic Arctic cetacean, faces these new threats. The Eastern Canada‐West Greenland (ECWG) bowhead whale population migrates through areas with the highest levels of vessel traffic in the Canadian Arctic. Here, we document the spatial and temporal overlap between 36 satellite‐tagged ECWG bowhead whales and vessels equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders during 2012–2017. We report 1,145 instances where vessels were within 125 km of a tagged whale, with 306 occurrences within distances ≤50 km. Overlap between vessels and tagged bowhead whales was quantified monthly within years to investigate individual whale encounter rates. Results indicate that ECWG bowhead whales encounter the majority (79%) of vessels annually during August–October, with the highest number of encounters (42%) observed in September. Encounter rates ranged from 0.25 to 0.51 vessels encountered per day per whale during August–October compared to <0.07 vessels per day in all other months in this study. To better inform conservation strategies, further research is required to assess bowhead whale behavioral responses relative to distance from vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution negatively impacts people's mental and physiological health. Unfortunately, not only is noise present in hospital environments, but its level frequently exceeds recommended thresholds. The efficacy of passive acoustic absorbers in reducing indoor noise in these scenarios has been well-documented. Conversely, given their inorganic composition and their origin in the petrochemical industry, most of these materials present a risk to human health. Over the last few years, there has been a notable increase in research on eco-friendly, low-toxicity, and biocompatible materials. This work outlines a methodology for fabricating recycled acoustic panels from plastic bottles and PET felt composites. This study encompasses three key objectives: (i) a comprehensive biocompatibility assessment of the panels, (ii) an evaluation of their thermal and acoustic properties, and (iii) their applicability in several case studies to evaluate potential acoustic enhancements. Specifically, antifungal resistance tests, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emission assessment, and cell viability experiments were conducted successfully. Additionally, experimental procedures were performed to determine the thermal conductivity and thermal resistance of the proposed material, along with its sound absorption coefficients in diffuse field conditions. Finally, the potential benefits of using this biomaterial in healthcare environments to reduce noise and improve acoustic comfort were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some recent studies highlight that vehicular traffic and honking contribute to more than 50% of noise pollution in urban or sub-urban areas in developing countries, including Indian cities. Frequent honking has an adverse effect on health and hampers road safety, the environment, etc. Therefore, recognizing the various vehicle honks and classifying the honk of different vehicles can provide good insights into environmental noise pollution. Moreover, classifying honks based on vehicle types allows for the inference of contextual information of a location, area, or traffic. So far, the researchers have done outdoor sound classification and honk detection, where vehicular honks are collected in a controlled environment or in the absence of ambient noise. Such classification models fail to classify honk based on vehicle types. Therefore, it becomes imperative to design a system that can detect and classify honks of different types of vehicles to infer some contextual information. This paper presents a novel framework A C lassi H onk that performs raw vehicular honk sensing, data labeling, and classifies the honk into three major groups, i.e., light-weight vehicles, medium-weight vehicles, and heavy-weight vehicles. Raw audio samples of different vehicular honking are collected based on spatio-temporal characteristics and converted them into spectrogram images. A deep learning-based multi-label autoencoder model (MAE) is proposed for automated labeling of the unlabeled data samples, which provides 97.64% accuracy in contrast to existing deep learning-based data labeling methods. Further, various pre-trained models, namely Inception V3, ResNet50, MobileNet, and ShuffleNet are used and proposed an Ensembled Transfer Learning model (EnTL) for vehicle honks classification and performed comparative analysis. Results reveal that EnTL exhibits the best performance compared to pre-trained models and achieves 96.72% accuracy in our dataset. In addition, context of a location is identified based on these classified honk signatures in a city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of urban green spaces on traffic noise reduction has been extensively studied at the level of single vegetation, hedges, etc., but there is a lack of corresponding studies at the scale of spatial patterns of urban green spaces. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the relationship between the spatial pattern of urban green space and the change in green space's noise reduction capacity. Through the morphology spatial pattern analysis method, this analysis divides the urban green space in the Fuzhou high-tech zone into seven types of elements with different ecological definitions and simulates the noise condition of the urban environment with the presence of green space as well as without the presence of green space by computer simulation, calculates the distribution map of the noise reduction produced by the urban green space, and analyzes the correlation between the seven types of green space elements and the noise reduction with the geographically weighted regression modeling analysis. The study finds that (1) Urban green space patterns can significantly affect the net noise reduction of green space. Areas with high green coverage can produce a stronger green space noise reduction effect. (2) More complex green space shapes and more fragmented urban green space can produce higher noise reduction. (3) The green space close to the source of noise can exert a stronger noise reduction effect. Therefore, in the process of planning and design, from the perspective of improving the urban acoustic environment, the configuration of high-quality green spaces in areas with higher levels of noise pollution should be given priority, which may have better noise reduction effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing road shelter forests is a key method to reduce traffic noise pollution. However, the characteristics of various types of road shelter forests and their effectiveness in reducing traffic noise remain extensively unexplored. This study focused on five types of pure road shelter forests (PFs) and one type of mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest (MCBLF). By conducting field noise monitoring and spectrum simulations, we analyzed average mass density, additional noise reduction and economic benefits. With a forest belt width of 60 m, the MCBLF reduced additional noise by 6.6 dB(A). Additionally, Forest height, crown shape, average mass density and noise frequency were all positively linked to noise reduction. The width of shelter forests was the main factor affecting noise reduction. Linear regression analysis results showed that cumulative mass surface density was a significant factor in noise reduction (p < 0.01, R2 = 0.93). Furthermore, the type and composition of the shelter forest had indirect effects on noise reduction. The MCBLF had better noise-reducing effects compared to both broad-leaved PFs and needle-leaved PFs due to its more complex structure. Interestingly, as the forest belt became wider, the noise reduction benefits per unit area decreased, implying that a 10 m wide forest belt offered higher economic returns. Considering that a 10 m wide shelter forest belt did not meet noise reduction requirements. This study suggested that the 20 m wide MCBLF was an optimal choice as an urban road shelter forest, providing both effective noise reduction and maximized economic benefits. Our findings provide a basis for the construction and sustainable development of road shelter forests with noise reduction functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Legislation and environmental jurisprudence" published in Environmental Legal News in September 2024 compiles information on various environmental topics. Issues such as water, air quality, climate change, noise pollution, deforestation, environmental law, energy, protected natural areas, environmental taxation, mining, liability for damages, health, fishing, plastics, sanctioning procedure, chemicals, transportation, and urban planning are addressed. Authors and specialized journals are cited for each topic. [Extracted from the article]

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is an emerging transportation system that aims at revolutionizing urban mobility through the deployment of small electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The development of UAM is largely driven by advances in Intelligent Technology (IT). This review article provides an overview of the UAM system and discusses the application of IT in UAM. Major challenges facing UAM are also identified, and an outlook on the future of this promising transportation system is presented. Our main conclusions suggest that IT is a fundamental driver of UAM, enabling a range of applications such as air traffic management and autonomous drone control. However, the UAM system is facing a number of challenges, including eVTOL technology, system integration issues, and noise pollution. Despite these challenges, the future of UAM appears promising; as a disruptive transportation mode, UAM is expected to play an important role in addressing the growing demand of urban transportation in the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in noise emissions is associated with an increase in the population, with anthropic activities, and it is in urban centers where a series of effects on both the population and the environment occur. The present study covered the evaluation of the noise behavior in the city of Cuenca during 2019, for which monitoring was carried out in 31 points distributed in the city based on the average daily traffic, the ordinance of use and occupation of the land and the dynamics of the population. The national environmental standard TULSMA (Unified Text of Secondary Legislation of the Ministry of the Environment) was taken as a reference. To establish the comparison of the data collected with a (low-cost, noise level) sensor and a sound level meter, measurements were made in 6 monitoring stations established on the basis of noise complaints made by citizens to the autonomous decentralized municipal government of Cuenca (GAD) and the security conditions to place for the placement of the equipment. The results showed that noise, in the city of Cuenca during 2019, noise is above the TULSMA environmental standard in Zone EQ1 (100% of the measurements), Zone R1 (96% of the measurements), Zone CM (100% of the measurements) and in Zone ID3 / ID4 (72% of the measurements). There was a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.8) and determination coefficient (R2 >0.6), between the data collected with the sensor and the sound level meter. It is worth highlighting the use of the calibrated sound level meter when making sound measurements with various instruments, as it allows the data to be verified and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay analyzes the interconnected struggles of US military occupation in Okinawa and Hawai'i through analysis of noise pollution, aircraft crashes, and community responses to these issues. While the violence of airbases transforms air into a space of violence, I turn to the ways that Okinawan and Hawaiian communities articulate their respective sovereignties through the wind. I read legal testimonies from the first noise pollution lawsuit in Okinawa and community testimonies from across O'ahu, putting them in conversation with poetry by Nakazato Yūgō and Brandy Nālani McDougall. Against military reports that implicate wind as a threat which facilitates aircraft accidents and death, the testimony and poetry elucidate how wind builds relation and enables the preservation of intergenerational memory. This archive challenges state formulations of "resolution" by elucidating how deeper histories than the state has considered press onto the body, carrying into the present not only historical wounds but also the capacity for their healing. The sovereignty of wind that they put forth marks a renewal of relationships to air and memory at the same time they are organized around radical returns of land, of night, of the body itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution in hospitals has increased over the last few years to a level that can threaten the health and productivity of staff and patient safety. There are many control measures to reduce hospital noise. However, there is still no consensus on the best measures. This study aims to prioritize the control measures for reducing hospital noise. The work is divided into three phases. The first phase identifies and categorizes noise sources in hospitals through a review of the state-of-the art literature using Scopus®, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase,™ and Web of Science™. The second phase identifies possible strategies for reduction of hospital noise and the best criteria for their adoption using findings from the literature review and interviews with corresponding experts. The third phase uses Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) method and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (fuzzy TOPSIS) method to weigh the criteria and to prioritize the control measures. Based on the results, hospital noise sources were classified into four groups: outdoor noise sources (29.7%), noise produced by domestic facilities (20.8%), indoor noise from human activities (27.5%), and noise produced by diagnostic and treatment equipment (22%). The study further arrives at a set of 9 criteria and 22 alternatives ranked using FAHP and fuzzy TOPSIS. The criteria's weights were determined using the FAHP method, with feasibility (0.175), effectiveness (0.143), and interference with staff activities (0.140) being the most important criteria. It was found that engineering controls such as substitution of noisy equipment (rank = 1), using acoustic enclosures (rank = 2), using double-glazed windows (rank = 2), and soundproofing walls, doors, and windows (rank = 3) have priority for reducing hospital noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully enclosed noise barriers (FENBs) are increasingly being installed on high-speed railway bridges for noise pollution control. However, the aerodynamic effects of high-speed trains passing FENBs have an adverse impact on barrier durability and generate micro-pressure waves. In this paper, a numerical model of a train passing an FENB on a bridge is established. The aerodynamic pressure distribution along the FENB is analyzed for both a single train and two trains passing one another. The propagation characteristics and evolution mechanisms of pressure waves are then investigated. The results show that the pressure is lower at the ends of the FENB and higher in the middle along the direction of train travel. The peak positive and negative pressures at the mid-span are 1.95 and 4.47 times higher than those at the ends, respectively. This distribution is caused by the propagation, superposition, reflection, and attenuation of pressure waves. Compression waves account for 78.9% of the peak positive pressure. An amplification factor must be considered when estimating the impact of two trains passing one another. Analysis of five pressure-relief schemes shows that arranging a single pressure-relief hole at a high-pressure location effectively alleviates the over-pressure in the FENB. The overall pressure-relief effect is an exponential function of the single opening area. Considering a constant opening area, arranging several relief holes at equal spacing optimizes the adverse pressure distribution compared with the single-hole relief scheme. The equivalent forces of the multi-hole scheme are 3.35% and 7.58% lower than in the single-hole scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric drones serve diverse functions, including delivery and surveillance. Nonetheless, they encounter significant challenges due to their annoying noise emissions. To address this issue, a sound database was created from experiments conducted in a hover-test-bench and real flights operated indoors. These experiments involved a wide range of parameter variations and operational conditions. A global digital user study involving 578 participants was conducted to assess drone noise annoyance. Furthermore, correlations between annoyance levels, psychoacoustic metrics, sociocultural factors, and technical/operational parameters were analyzed. The effects of implementing acoustic optimization modifications on the drone's performance were quantified with a conceptual design tool. The findings indicate that reducing the levels of loudness, sharpness, tonality, and roughness or fluctuation strength led to an improvement in annoyance. Differences in variable importance of psychoacoustic metrics dependent on the specific model were found. Sociocultural factors did not affect annoyance. Technical and operational parameters impacted annoyance, especially when reducing blade tip speed. A 20% reduction in tip speed showed potential through tool application as it maintained acceptable drone performance while beneficially targeting annoyance. A multi-disciplinary optimization is recommended to maintain operational efficiency. Last, psychoacoustic metrics were validated as an effective measure to evaluate a design solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In listening tests of noise annoyance, subjects act as "measuring instruments". Noise annoyance of different subjects induced by a same noise sample, or noise annoyance of a same subject induced by a same noise sample in different experimental groups, are different due to the varying psychological scale of subjects. To unify subjects' psychological scale and accurately determine perceived annoyance, it is necessary to investigate the optimal noise annoyance data calibration method. Based on the master scale transformation, three kinds of annoyance data calibration methods, i.e., individual annoyance data calibration, sound sample annoyance data calibration, and a combination of both methods, were explored. The effectiveness of three methods for unifying subjects' psychological scale was ascertained. Results showed that the individual annoyance data calibration was the most effective among the three calibration methods. After calibration, the difference between annoyance induced by a same sound sample in any two different experimental sound sample groups declined significantly. The determination coefficient of the fitting curve between psychoacoustic annoyance and perceived annoyance, R2, upgraded significantly. By comprehensively applying listening test methods and annoyance data calibration methods suggested in this study, the psychological scale of the subjects can be as unified as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop effective strategies to address noise annoyance, it is essential to develop an explanatory model of the psychological mechanism(s) by which noise becomes annoying. Two online studies were conducted in which a total of 193 participants completed speech perception tasks with varying degrees of background noise. Signal-to-noise ratio levels ranged from −2 to −10 dB. The crucial manipulation in both experiments concerned participants' sense of control over the noise level in the task. Dependent measures were task performance, a self-reported measure of frustration with the task, and self-reported sensitivity (trait) to noise. Results showed small but significant effects of noise sensitivity and sense of control on subjective frustration. In both experiments, more noise-sensitive individuals expressed greater frustration than did those reporting less noise sensitivity. In addition, in experiment 2 there was a significant interaction between sense of control and noise level. Listeners under the higher noise-level conditions expressed relatively similar degrees of frustration irrespective of their sense of control, while those under the lower noise-level condition showed lower frustration with greater sense of control. Results support Stallen's [(1999). Noise Health 1(3), 69–79] theoretical framework of noise annoyance, but also suggest the need for further research under more ecologically plausible conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution is ranked as the third environmental pollution that can interfere with communication, recreation, or concentration. Hence, choosing the best materials could be one way to resolve a sustainable solution for noise pollution problems. Materials like bagasse are suitable composite materials for construction. Its natural fiber properties exhibit a good absorber characteristi c that would be used for acoustics barriers. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the sound absorption of bagasse using the twomicrophone transfer function method. Using two different thicknesses for the samples, 2.0 cm and 4.0 cm, the measured sound absorption coefficients were considerably higher than the conventional concrete. The measurements revealed that the 4.0 cm samples exhibited better sound absorption behavior between the two thicknesses, having a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of 40% to 80%. It can be noted that it has shown consistency in the energy absorption throughout the frequency range of 250 Hz - 3000 Hz. Meanwhile, for the 2.0 cm-thickness samples, bagasse's performance is less absorptive from 250 Hz-1000 Hz but becomes more absorptive as it goes to higher frequencies with a peak value of approximately 95%. Also, the material's density and the sample's thickness influence the measured sound absorption coefficients. The result implies that bagasse, a green waste, can be a suitable candidate for acoustic building applications. Its advantages included low-cost materials from renewable sources, non-toxicity, and comparably high performance compared to standard or commercial products. These types of barriers can positively impact the noise level in the areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise has become one of the most critical environmental challenges. As one of noise kinds, the discomfort level of environmental noise can affect both personal quality of life and hearing sensitivity. An example is workplace noise pollution, which affects employees' regular functioning and profoundly impacts their mental, auditory health, and psychological well-being. In order to tackle these issues, the need for adaptive intelligent systems has significantly grown. This study aims to evolve a neuro-fuzzy model for predicting the effects of noise pollution on employee's work efficiency as a function of noise level and exposure time at Al-DORA Power Plant in Baghdad city. Participants' responses were used to develop a neural-fuzzy logic model based on artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy inference systems (FIS). The model is performed using the fuzzy logic toolbox inherited from the MATLAB software. The measurements were carried out for duration of nine weeks, three times a day during summer, and the extensive noise level was up to 110 dB. Results in the trapezoidal-shaped membership form showed a discernible pattern or trend in the fluctuation of membership degree in relation to noise levels. The same trend could be seen for the exposure time. Furthermore, the results showed that the efficiency of the workers depends on the noise level and exposure duration. It has been confirmed that a medium noise level can influence workers' performance over a medium exposure time to a certain degree. Moreover, low noise levels can still affect the performance of workers who are exposed to noise for long durations. With this clear relationship between noise levels, exposure time, and mental work efficiency, organizations can implement certain strategies to optimize their acoustic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a new active control algorithm for the active cancellation of vibroacoustic noise radiated from the compressor installed under each passenger's seat in autonomous bus. The compressor is used for a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system which provide air conditioning for each passenger in autonomous bus. The sound radiated from the compressor of the HVAC system is a high-frequency annoyance noise caused by vibroacoustic noise due to the shell vibration of the compressor. The dominant frequency components of the vibroacoustic noise are harmonics of the rotation frequency of the reciprocating compressor. The HVAC system generates vibroacoustic noise dominantly in the frequency range between 200 and 600 Hz. Such noise is not only distinctly perceptible but also contributes to passenger discomfort and negatively impacts the perceived quality of the vehicle. The aim of this paper is to attenuate the vibroacoustic noise of the HVAC system by developing an active noise control (ANC) system. Generally, the widely recognized filtered-X least mean squared (FXLMS) algorithm has been successfully implemented to active noise control of reciprocating compressor. However, its performance was found lacking outside the peak frequency of compressor operation noise. To address this, the conjugate gradient algorithm was employed to enhance ANC performance. The conjugate gradient algorithm has a lower residual error and faster convergence rate compared to the FXLMS algorithm. As a consequence, the implementation of the conjugate gradient-based ANC algorithm resulted in enhanced noise reduction not only at the peak frequencies, which correspond to the compressor operation frequency, but also in frequency ranges outside these peak frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, noise pollution has become a considerable environmental concern, with extended exposure linked to numerous health problems, including sleep disturbances, elevated blood pressure, psychological health, and hormone levels. This research delves into the effects of road traffic noise on the cognitive growth of school-aged children, a group particularly sensitive to environmental stressors. The study measured ambient noise levels using two sound level meters and assessed students' performance in cognitive tasks in both prevailing and controlled quiet environments. Cognitive assessments were employed to determine the influence of noise on learning outcomes, and a survey was conducted to investigate both the direct and indirect effects of noise pollution on their health and mental well-being. Results indicate that the observed noise levels significantly surpassed the limit of 35 dB(A) (inside the classroom) set by the World Health Organization (WHO), highlighting a critical level of noise pollution exposure among students. A comparison of student performance showed marked improvements in a controlled, quiet environment compared to the prevailing conditions. Statistical analyses, including paired t-tests, confirmed these findings in most classes. Exposure condition changes significantly decreased by 8.5 dB(A) and 13.6 dB(A) in noise levels at schools A and B, respectively. Additionally, evaluation of cognitive scores pointed to a more pronounced effect of noise pollution on female students than male students. Perception surveys showed severe exposure to noise-induced annoyance and speech intelligibility in the classroom. The study emphasizes the urgent need for effective noise reduction measures in schools to protect children's health and enhance their cognitive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nested within the crisis of our attention economy, the siren is undergoing a profound transformation, prompted by our ongoing alarm fatigue and noise pollution, as well as the near-obsolescence and inefficiency of public sound system broadcasts. Employing an interdisciplinary approach from specialists in the field of sound studies, behavioural psychology, policy advisors and creative practitioners, this roundtable article aims to unpack the critical potential of reimagining sirens, extending physically beyond ear-centred listening, conceptually beyond immediate timeframes, and opening up to new collaborative methodologies across academia, industry, artistic networks and more, to tackle today's urgent need to recalibrate emergency signals for the immediate and the distant future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escalating transportation demands have mandated extensive construction of highways in proximity to residential zones, culminating in heightened vehicular noise levels. This investigation centered on the assessment of noise pollution across diverse sites in Lahore, Pakistan, with a specific focus on the Lahore Ring Road (LRR) and surrounding regions. Variables including land utilization, road categorization, arboreal presence, physical impediments, and distances between noise sources and receivers were meticulously analyzed. Utilizing a UNI-T-MS6700 sound level meter, measurements spanning LA99, LA90, LA50, LA10, and LA1 exposed concerning findings, notably recording 80.5 dB from motorcycles in Township (Ali Road) and peaking at 86.5 dB from trucks in Model Town (Ferozepur Road) and Township (Ali Road). While Sui Gas Society demonstrated an 8 dB(A) noise reduction via purposeful tree planting (15 feet), DHA Phase V exhibited a marginal 3 dB(A) decrease due to the absence of such interventions (20 feet). Strikingly, Ashiana-E-Quaid displayed a substantial 19 dB(A) reduction attributed to a considerable distance between noise sources and receivers (300 feet), notwithstanding the absence of trees and barriers. All surveyed locations surpassed the Punjab EPD-prescribed limit of 45-55 dBA, resulting in stress (62.5%) and sleep disruptions (43.3%) among residents. This study underscores the critical roles of tree plantation and source-receiver distance in noise abatement, underscoring the necessity for urban architecture designed with noise barriers to efficaciously manage traffic-related noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details in birdsong parameters convey information about fitness, quality and motivational state of the signaller. Perception of these song details may affect decision making of receivers in territorial defence and mate choice. Whether the message in the song is perceived or not may have major consequences for the birds' reproductive success. Consequently, birds may suffer fitness consequences from masking by other sounds in the environment. We conducted two different playback experiments to test whether song consistency, a sexually selected performance trait expressed in the temporal and spectral parameters of song, is perceived under different noise conditions. In the first experiment, we found that blue tits, Cyanistes caeruleus , are less able to assess the performance levels of song, but still detect the song stimuli under experimentally high broadband noise levels. Blue tits also responded with more songs overall, independent of song stimulus variation to playback of song stimuli under noisy conditions. When song stimulus variants were exposed simultaneously with a narrow band of noise in the second experiment, blue tits showed reduced capacity to discriminate only when the band of noise overlapped in frequency with the song. Results from this experiment support the notion that it is indeed the masking, rather than nonauditory effects of noise that cause the change in behaviour. Overall, our results show that there are noisy conditions that do not affect detection but still affect perception of information in the detailed structure of songs. Not being able to respond appropriately to songs that differ in performance level is likely to have negative fitness consequences and contribute to a detrimental impact of anthropogenic noise on individuals and populations. • Blue tits were exposed to white noise and narrow-band noise conditions. • Detection of conspecific songs was not affected under any noise conditions. • Discrimination of variation in song performance was affected by high noise levels. • Discrimination of song performance was reduced only by spectrally overlapping noise. • Blue tits showed a stronger territorial response under higher noise levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution has been considered as a serious threat to the health of humans. The application of sound absorption materials is an effective noise reduction approach. Fibrous materials exhibit the unique micro-structures including small diameter, large specific surface area, and high porosity, which has been widely developed for sound absorption. Recently, rapid growth has been observed in the coating treatment of fibrous based materials and composites for acoustic applications, which can be attributed to the advantages of a facile production process, cost-effectiveness, and good sound absorption capability. This review aims to provide a brief overview on different coating layers of fibrous materials for improved sound absorption properties. The details of various factors affecting the acoustic behavior of coating materials are described. Among them, polymer coating is a widely used acoustic treatment method, adding particles and nanofiber materials to the polymer matrix, and carrying out structural design, which can further improve the sound absorption performance of textile materials. According to the different needs of the application field, different coating treatment methods have their own advantages. In summary, coating materials are promising to be used in buildings and interiors for efficient noise reduction and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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