Methods for Noise Event Detection and Assessment of the Sonic Environment by the Harmonica Index

Managing Circadian Disruption due to Hospitalization: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the CircadianCare Inpatient Management System

The objective of the present study was to test the effects of an inpatient management system (CircadianCare) aimed at limiting the negative impact of hospitalization on sleep by enhancing circadian rhythmicity. Fifty inpatients were randomized to either CircadianCare (n = 25; 18 males, 62.4 ± 1.9 years) or standard of care (n = 25; 14 males, 64.5 ± 2.3 years). On admission, all underwent a full sleep-wake evaluation; they then completed daily sleep diaries and wore an actigraph for the whole length of hospitalization. On days 1 (T0), 7 (T1), and 14 (T2, if still hospitalized), salivary melatonin for dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and 24-h skin temperature were recorded. In addition, environmental noise, temperature, and illuminance were monitored. Patients in the CircadianCare arm followed 1 of 3 schedules for light/dark, meal, and physical activity timings, based on their diurnal preference/habits. They wore short-wavelength-enriched light-emitting glasses for 45 min after awakening and short-wavelength light filter shades from 18:00 h until sleep onset. While the first, primary registered outcome (reduced sleep-onset latency on actigraphy or diary) was not met, based on sleep diaries, there was a trend (0.05 < p < 0.1) toward an advance in bedtime for CircadianCare compared to standard of care patients between T0 and T1. Similarly, DLMO time significantly advanced in the small group of patients for whom it could be computed on both occasions, with untreated ones starting from earlier baseline values. Patients sleeping near the window had significantly higher sleep efficiency, regardless of treatment arm. As noise fluctuation increased, so did the number of night awakenings, regardless of treatment arm. In conclusion, the CircadianCare management system showed positive results in terms of advancing sleep timing and the circadian rhythm of melatonin. Furthermore, our study identified a combination of environmental noise and lighting indices, which could be easily modulated to prevent hospitalization-related insomnia.

Assessment of Road Noise Pollution in Urban Residential Areas—A Case Study in Piteşti, Romania

The paper addresses the problem of urban road noise, in the context of the European legislative requirements regarding noise pollution. The second noise mapping in Pitesti city, revealed that despite the proposed action plan after the first noise mapping, the noise pollution increased instead of decreasing. Considering that the proposed measures were insufficient to control road noise in the conditions of the estimated increase in road traffic, the authors developed complex research to identify how the road noise level is determined by the way of regulation of road traffic at intersections of the residential zone. Thus, noise and traffic measurements are made at the main road intersections in the central part of the city, determining the most relevant noise indicators for the specifics of urban traffic and residential areas. The results obtained lead to the conclusion that roundabouts bring a reduction in noise pollution compared to traffic light intersections only if the speed of vehicles in the roundabout is predictable: on preselected lanes and with speed timing.