Die hohe Inzidenz von 300 bis 400 Herzinfarkten pro 100000 Personen der Bevölkerung in Deutschland pro Jahr zeigt die hohe gesundheitspolitische Bedeutung der Vorsorge. Die Betrachtung des Lärms als möglicher Kofaktor bei der Pathogenese des Herzinfarktes beziehungsweise des plötzlichen Herztodes bildete den Schwerpunkt der epidemiologischen Lärmstudie in Berlin. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigte sich dabei vorwiegend mitdem Zusammenhang zwischen der Lärmempfindlichkeit und der Lärmbelästigung durch STrassenverkehrslärm. In den Analysen wurde die Korrelation zwischen beiden Variablen und die mögliche Beeinflussung dieser Korrelation durch soziodemografische Faktoren bestimmt. Im Rahmen einer Fall-Kontroll-Studie wurden für den Zeitraum von zwei Jahren die Angaben von 2235 Probanden ausgewertet. Die Datenerhebung fand im Rahmen eines circa einstündigen Interviews im Krankenhaus statt. Die Gruppe der Fälle bildeten die Patienten mit akuten Herzinfarkt. Die Kontrollgruppe setzte / The high incidence of heart attacks in Germany (approximately 300 to 400 cases for every 100000 people) emphasises the importance of heart attack prevention as a public health issue.Consequently, an epidemiologic study investigating chronic noise as a cofactor of the pathogenesis of the heart attack or sudden heart death is being conducted at the Charite University Hospital, Berlin. This thesis describes the relation between noise annoyance through road traffic noise and noise sensitivity as part of the aforementioned study. The correlations were determined by analysis between both variables while taking into account the possible influence of socialogical factors such as age, sex, lifestyle.To this end, data from 2235 persons were evaluated in a case-control-study within a two year period. Collection and evaluation of the data took place in the hospital and included a 1 hour 1 interview with the subjects. The subjects were taken from a pool of patients with current acute heart attacks, defined as having a acute heart attack within the period of two to ten days previous to the interview. Surgical patients without current heart complications were used as the control study group. Noise annoyance in the daytime and noise sensitivity had a little correlation of rp = 0,23. Correlation was rp = 0,19 between noise annoyance in the nighttime and noise sensitivity. 19 percent of variations of noise annoyance in the daytime were explained by noise sensitivity, sex, income and marital status in a multivariate analysis. 18 percent of variations noise annoyance in the nighttime were explained by noise sensitivity, age and education. 17 percent of variations were explained by noise annoyance and all socialogical factors in the case of dependence of noise sensitivity. There is a significant, but only little correlation between noise sensitivity and noise annoyance. An independent and separate inspection of both factors should be made in clinical studies of heart and circulation diseases, which include noise sensitivity and noise annoyance.

Le bruit, en particulier celui dû au trafic routier, est cité par de nombreuses études comme une source de préoccupation sociétale majeure. Jusqu'à présent les réponses des pouvoirs publics ne se basent que sur une quantification énergétique de l'exposition sonore, souvent via la mesure ou l'estimation du LA ou du Lden, et des prises de décisions relatives à la diminution du niveau sonore. Or des études psychoacoustiques ont montré que le niveau sonore n'expliquait qu'une faible part de la gêne sonore ressentie. Il est donc intéressant d'avoir plus d'information sur la source de bruit et de ne pas la réduire à un simple niveau sonore. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons de concevoir un outil permettant d'estimer la gêne sonore associée à chaque véhicule du trafic routier via l'utilisation de son signal audio et de modèles de gêne sonore. Pour ce faire, le signal audio du véhicule est isolé de l'ensemble du trafic routier urbain grâce à l'utilisation de méthodes inverses et de grands réseaux de microphones ainsi que du traitement d'images pour obtenir sa trajectoire. Grâce à la connaissance de la trajectoire ainsi que du signal, le véhicule est classifié par une méthode de machine learning suivant la taxonomie de Morel et al. Une fois sa catégorie obtenue, la gêne spécifique du véhicule est estimée grâce à un modèle de gêne sonore utilisant des indices psychoacoustiques et énergétiques. Cela permet l'estimation des gênes sonores spécifiques à chaque véhicule au sein du trafic routier. L'application de cette méthode est faite lors d'une journée de mesure sur une grande artère parisienne. / Noise, especially road traffic noise, is cited by many studies as a source of major societal concern. So far, public responses are based only on energy quantification of sound exposure, often by measuring or estimating LA or Lden, and sound-level reduction related decision are taken. Nevertheless, psychoacoustic studies have shown that the sound level explains only a small part of the perceived noise annoyance. It is interesting to have more information about the source of noise and not to reduce the information to its sound level. In this thesis a tool is proposed for estimating the noise annoyance induced by each road vehicle using its audio signal and noise annoyance models. To do so, the audio signal of the vehicle is isolated by using inverse methods, large microphones arrays and image processing to obtain its trajectory. The knowledge of the trajectory and of the signal allows the vehicle to be classified by a machine learning method according to Morel et al. taxonomy. Once its category obtained, the specific annoyance of the vehicle is estimated thanks to a noise annoyance model using psychoacoustic and energetic indices. This allows the estimation of specific noise annoyance for each vehicle within the road traffic. The application of this method is made during a measurement day on a large Parisian artery.

Le stress environnemental croissant perçu dans les zones résidentielles crée un sentiment d’insécurité et une perception négative de la qualité de vie, plaçant la nuisance olfactive au coeur des préoccupations des études environnementales. Dans ce contexte, les travaux de recherche présentés dans cette thèse de doctorat ont été initiés dans le but d’aboutir à une méthode permettant d’évaluer et de représenter les niveaux de gêne olfactive sur un territoire. En conséquence, l’intérêt s’est porté non seulement sur les caractéristiques de la source et des sujets récepteurs mais aussi sur leur environnement au moment de la perception de la nuisance odorante. Plus particulièrement, l’objectif de cette nouvelle approche est de permettre de mesurer et de prévoir l’impact olfactif d’une industrie existante ou future sur un territoire donné. L’idée est de représenter le niveau de gêne olfactive et ses conséquences sur le territoire, afin d’avoir une meilleure gestion du site industriel en termes de rejets, mais aussi de fournir une aide à la décision claire et objective aux acteurs impliqués. La démarche développée s’articule autour de deux concepts : la gêne olfactive et le préjudice économique de cette gêne sur le territoire. Ces deux concepts sont définis par un ensemble de critères hétérogènes organisés et agrégés afin d’aboutir à un outil géographique et environnemental opérationnel. L’outil a été validé autour d’un site industriel permettant de confronter l’approche méthodologique développée et le résultat des mesures sur place. Les résultats de l’application de cette méthode sont de qualité satisfaisante et ouvrent la porte à de nombreuses perspectives de recherche. / The increasing environmental stress felt in residential areas leads to an unsafety sensation and to a negative life-quality perception, setting odor annoyance at the heart of environmental issues. Within this context, the research work presented in this doctoral thesis was initiated in order to result in a method allowing to assess and to represent the odor annoyance levels on a given territory. As a consequence, the interest has focused not only on the characteristics of the source and of the exposed targets, but also on their environment during the perception of the olfactory nuisance. To be more precise, the aim of this new approach is to make us able to measure and to forecast the olfactory impact of an existing or a future industry plant on a given territory. The main idea is to represent the level of odor annoyance and its consequences on the territory, in order to reach a best level of industrial plant management in terms of wastes as well as to provide a clear and objective decision support tool for the involved actors. The developed method revolves around two main concepts: the odor annoyance and the economical prejudice of this annoyance on the targeted territory. These two concepts are defined by a group of heterogeneous criteria, organized and aggregated in order to obtain a geographical and environmental operational tool. This tool has been validated for an industrial plant, thus comparing the developed approach to on the spot measurements results. The results of the application of this method came out satisfying and open numerous paths of inquiry.

SUMMARY Public Health Management MANAGEMENT OF MOTORWAY TRANSPORT–GENERATED NOISE IMPACT ON HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN LITHUANIA Žibutė Chmieliauskienė Scientific work supervisor Prof., Dr. Habil. Žilvinas Padaiga Kaunas University of Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine. Kaunas, 2005.- 100p. Aim of the study – to investigate the process of managing transport-generated noise impact on human health and quality of life in Lithuania. Objectives: 1) to generalize investigations of managing motorway transport-generated noise identification, impact on human health and quality of life, 2) to assess the impact of the motorway AI Vilnius- Kaunas on the health of local residents and the effects on quality of life, 3) to give recommendations for the management and control of motorway-generated noise. Expected results: Justification of the management of transport-generated noise impact on human health. Methods of investigation. In order to assess motorway transport-generated noise impact on human health and quality of life the motorway AI (IX B) Vilnius – Kaunas was selected and the neighboring residential farmsteads. In each noise level zone at the interval of 5 dBA the residential farmsteads were identified: 1) respondents, living within the zone of the increased traffic noise ≥55dBA (in a day time), and 2) respondents, living within the zone of permissible traffic noise <55dBA (control group). The questionnaire inquiry was carried out, the total... [to full text]

Les émissions odorantes constituent un enjeu environnemental dont l'importance n'a cessé de croître dans les zones urbaines et industrielles. Les émissions anthropogéniques de composés soufrés contribuent à une concentration locale excédant fortement le seuil de perception. Afin de satisfaire des contraintes règlementaires de plus en plus strictes, les procédés biologiques dont la biofiltration sont une alternative intéressante car respectueuse de l'environnement et de moindre coût. Les seuils de perception des composés soufrés, très bas (µg. m-3), obligent à atteindre des efficacités d'abattement particulièrement élevées, le résiduel de concentration pouvant être à l'origine d'un impact notable sur les populations riveraines. L'étude a donc consisté à améliorer les performances des biofiltres concernant l'élimination des composés soufrés i) en ajustant certains paramètres opératoires clefs tels que le sens de circulation de l'effluent gazeux, le pH et l'ensemencement du matériau support, ii) en considérant le dimensionnement des biofiltres mis en œuvre (unités pilotes de laboratoire et semi-industrielles) et iii) la complexité du gaz à traiter (mono-polluant et mélange de composés à traiter). / Odorous emissions are a serious concern whose importance became higher in urban and industrial areas. Anthropogenic emissions of sulphur compounds lead to local concentration that exceeds strongly the odour threshold of human nose. In order to fulfil legal requirements that have become stricter in recent years, biological processes and biofiltration more accurately are an interesting alternative as biofilters provide an expanding variety of opportunities for economical and environmentally friendly solutions for many waste gas emissions. The odour thresholds of sulphur compounds are very low (µg.m3 air) and then require that biofilters provide high removal efficiency as the residual concentration can induce an odorous impact on neighbourhood populations.Hence, the study consisted in improving biofilters performances concerning sulphur compounds treatment i) by upgrading important operating parameters such as air flow distribution, pH and inoculation of packing material, ii) by considering biofilters design (laboratory and semi-industrial pilot units) and iii) the gaseous effluent complexity (only one pollutant and mixture of different compounds).

This thesis operates, unashamedly, from the premise that every act of criticism involves a self-reflexive gesture of one's own concerns and ideological imprintings. For this reason Chapter One establishes the writer's own involvement - both autobiographical and theoretical - in notions of male rage and the 'working through' of these concerns. Chapter Two conducts an overview of male rage and the extant systemic literature on the subject. It sets out the various positions on the subject and posits the importance of gender (over generation) in the praxis of therapy. Furthermore, it explores the possibility that the male is equally, but differently, troubled by the hegemonic forces of patriarchy as is the woman. Without diminishing the legitimacy of the woman's experience in the face of male rage, the argument is forwarded that the male is caught in a similar struggle but without the feminine articulatory resources. This chapter details the lack of male power in the face of his supposed muscular omnipotence. Seminal analytic approaches to the question of gender are raised in Chapter Three. Working through Freud, Klein, Lacan and Masters and Johnson an attempt is made to plot the 'evolution' of the feminine and the masculine. Central to this debate is the bi-polarization of gender relations within the same sex (biology/construction) and without (phallic/vaginal, clitoral, passive/active). What emerges is that femininity is bi-focal and that the woman has more resources at her disposal that hitherto acknowledged. While the woman is always double - as both clitoral and vaginal, as lover and mother- it appears that male sexuality is far more precarious than generally perceived. It is this dis-ease on the part of the male that translates itself into envy and, with it, the need to denigrate and belittle woman as the object of that envy. In Chapter 4 an attempt is made to overlap the seemingly divergent fields of analytic and systemic methodologies via the involvement of the therapist in the eco-system of analysis. The substantial role of the therapist -- and the coercive forces placed on him/her by the couple -- is used to modify Elkaim's model and to introduce the need for a telling of the particular stories that concentrate on the unique narratives of the warring couple rather than the patriarchal regime under which these stories are constrained. Before encountering these narratives an essay is made at establishing a methodology of sorts. Newton's scientific formulations are used in order to question the binary opposition that has been, historically, established between quantitative (male) and qualitative (female) methodologies. In the process of questioning this binary opposition it becomes clear that any form of objectifying approach constitutes a refuge from the messiness that is intrinsic to the therapeutic process. The experimental methodology that is posited is precisely one that engages in the narratives of male violence - four extracts are considered, each exposing different articulations of male violence. The question of female subjectivity (and the attendant power of the sorority) is returned to in light of these stories. Central to this section is the notion that male subjectivity is far more convoluted - perhaps more that the feminine counterpart - than initially conceived. The original identification with the (m)other forever displaces him in that the later identification with the father remains distant and contrived. For the purposes of maintaining the dialogic nature of this work, a feminist appraisal of the rage narratives concludes the thesis. Don Quixote is used, by way of an Epilogue, to offer three representations of male subjectivity and to look towards alternative subject positions for the male under patriarchy. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Thesis (DPhil (Geography and Environmental Studies))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The use of average energy aircraft noise contours as the sole means for guiding aircraft noise-based planning around airports is being questioned increasingly. A growing proportion of residents who live in neighbourhoods adjacent to airports are dissatisfied with the averaging procedure that is employed. In their experience of exposure to aircraft noise, particularly in the evening and at night when they are at home, the average energy aircraft noise descriptors are misleading. In order to effectively analyse the socio-spatial interaction of annoyance at and interference by aircraft noise, an alternative approach has been suggested – a supplemental noise perspective. Conventional approaches to aircraft noise land use planning based on average energy noise descriptors run the risk of being ineffectual, or even counterproductive, because they do not consider the central aspects of disturbance, namely the loudness of an event and the number of times events are heard. Consequently, an alternative measure to ameliorate the limitations of average energy noise contours is needed by which airport neighbours, the aviation industry and town planners can better understand the nature of the problem. Although supplemental noise analysis is not new, this study applies it to a South African international airport (OR Tambo) for the first time. The airport’s operations are typical of many busy airports close to large urban areas, serving domestic, regional and international routes. Reportedly, there have been few complaints about noise emanating from the airport, but when they are made they are usually about evening and night-time aircraft noise events. In the context of South Africa as a developing society in transition, where growth of urban settlements continues apace, average energy aircraft noise information must be enhanced by providing supplemental noise information. This study investigated the broad issue of land use planning around airports by employing two aircraft noise prediction models, namely the Integrated Noise Model and the Transparent Noise Information Package, to establish the various potential effects and consequences of night-time aircraft noise in noise zones demarcated according to supplemental aircraft noise information. The effects and consequences examined include annoyance, disturbance of sleep, telephone conversations, watching television and work or study, and the likelihood that people will move away to escape night-time aircraft noise. The perceptions of residents living in neighbourhoods around the airport were surveyed and the responses analysed according to noise zones classified as supplemental noise information. The results show that the airport’s neighbours are annoyed by aircraft noise and that aircraft noise interferes with normal household activities. This annoyance and interference decreases with increasing distance from the airport. Furthermore, reported annoyance and interference is greater in those areas where higher numbers of noise events are encountered, even at relatively low noise levels of 60 LAmax – something not evident from average energy noise contours. This finding strengthens the argument that it is insufficient to provide only average energy aircraft noise information when studying the impact of aircraft noise. To understand the situation more fully, supplemental noise information is essential. The study concludes with a framework constructed to apply supplemental aircraft noise information to the abatement and mitigation measures normally used to deal with aircraft noise.

Annoyance due to relatively high levels of sound and noise, above 50 dB, has been well documented in noise assessment literature. The potential for annoyance or disturbance from low amplitude sound, below 50 dB to the threshold of an individual’s hearing, is not as well documented. The thesis presents a new approach to the measurement and assessment of intrusive noise and low amplitude sound. Acoustical and sound quality measures are integrated with measures of loudness, pitch, dissonance and tonality to provide physical measures of sound. Individual amenity is assessed with respect to personal noise sensitivity and personal attitudes to sound in the environment, the environment itself and the perceived qualities of the audible sound. A decision-support methodology to integrate perceived noise with noise performance indicators, annoyance criteria, personal noise sensitivity and amenity is presented. A method for rating intrusive noise is derived. Designs for sound measurement and calibration instrumentation are described. Methods to measure and assess low amplitude sound are presented. Keywords annoyance, intrusive-noise, noise-sensitivity, sound-quality, soundscape

This thesis operates, unashamedly, from the premise that every act of criticism involves a self-reflexive gesture of one's own concerns and ideological imprintings. For this reason Chapter One establishes the writer's own involvement - both autobiographical and theoretical - in notions of male rage and the 'working through' of these concerns. Chapter Two conducts an overview of male rage and the extant systemic literature on the subject. It sets out the various positions on the subject and posits the importance of gender (over generation) in the praxis of therapy. Furthermore, it explores the possibility that the male is equally, but differently, troubled by the hegemonic forces of patriarchy as is the woman. Without diminishing the legitimacy of the woman's experience in the face of male rage, the argument is forwarded that the male is caught in a similar struggle but without the feminine articulatory resources. This chapter details the lack of male power in the face of his supposed muscular omnipotence. Seminal analytic approaches to the question of gender are raised in Chapter Three. Working through Freud, Klein, Lacan and Masters and Johnson an attempt is made to plot the 'evolution' of the feminine and the masculine. Central to this debate is the bi-polarization of gender relations within the same sex (biology/construction) and without (phallic/vaginal, clitoral, passive/active). What emerges is that femininity is bi-focal and that the woman has more resources at her disposal that hitherto acknowledged. While the woman is always double - as both clitoral and vaginal, as lover and mother- it appears that male sexuality is far more precarious than generally perceived. It is this dis-ease on the part of the male that translates itself into envy and, with it, the need to denigrate and belittle woman as the object of that envy. In Chapter 4 an attempt is made to overlap the seemingly divergent fields of analytic and systemic methodologies via the involvement of the therapist in the eco-system of analysis. The substantial role of the therapist -- and the coercive forces placed on him/her by the couple -- is used to modify Elkaim's model and to introduce the need for a telling of the particular stories that concentrate on the unique narratives of the warring couple rather than the patriarchal regime under which these stories are constrained. Before encountering these narratives an essay is made at establishing a methodology of sorts. Newton's scientific formulations are used in order to question the binary opposition that has been, historically, established between quantitative (male) and qualitative (female) methodologies. In the process of questioning this binary opposition it becomes clear that any form of objectifying approach constitutes a refuge from the messiness that is intrinsic to the therapeutic process. The experimental methodology that is posited is precisely one that engages in the narratives of male violence - four extracts are considered, each exposing different articulations of male violence. The question of female subjectivity (and the attendant power of the sorority) is returned to in light of these stories. Central to this section is the notion that male subjectivity is far more convoluted - perhaps more that the feminine counterpart - than initially conceived. The original identification with the (m)other forever displaces him in that the later identification with the father remains distant and contrived. For the purposes of maintaining the dialogic nature of this work, a feminist appraisal of the rage narratives concludes the thesis. Don Quixote is used, by way of an Epilogue, to offer three representations of male subjectivity and to look towards alternative subject positions for the male under patriarchy. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

This project investigated the correlation between measured impact sound insulation and perceived walking sound annoyance in schools. The correlation was tested by performing standardized impact sound insulation measurements for different floor structures and comparing the measurement results with subjective perception of recorded walking for the same floor structures. Subjective perception of walking sound was evaluated by performing listening tests based on the recorded walking sounds. Five structures were tested, four different CLT structures and one concrete structure. The objective was to determine the significance of the frequencies below 100 Hz for perceived walking sound annoyance and to investigate whether the inclusion of frequencies below 100 Hz in the evaluation of impact sound insulation would improv the correlation between measured and perceived impact sound. The results from the listening tests showed that the rated walking sound annoyance for the structures did not correlate to the structures’ measured impact sound insulation. For example, the structure with the worst impact sound insulation was not rated the worst from the listening tests. Improvements to the correlation between measured and perceived impact sound were seen when the impact sound insulation was evaluated from 25 Hz, but the correlation was still not fully satisfactory.