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J. Quehl

Bio: J. Quehl is an academic researcher from German Aerospace Center. The author has contributed to research in topics: Aircraft noise & Noise. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 20 publications receiving 310 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a passenger comfort or well-being index for helicopter and aircraft interior environments based on the integration of physical predictors for the flight situation and psychological predictors.
Abstract: Apparently passengers’ sensation of comfort and subjective well‐being are key concepts in the research on user acceptance of helicopter and aircraft systems. The design and development of advanced air transportation technologies require a fundamental, theory‐based understanding of these concepts. From the passengers point of view, helicopter and aircraft interior noise and vibration are primary physical factors underlying the perception of comfort and well‐being. In various judgmental contexts the influence of exposure to combined interior noise and vibration in helicopters and aircrafts will be analyzed by means of combined psychoacoustical, socioacoustical, and psychological research methods: Field experiments in a flight simulator and during real flight situations as well as laboratory experiments using a sound and vibration reproduction system will be carried out in order to examine the interactive effects of noise and vibration. The aim is to develop a passenger comfort or well‐being index for helicopter and aircraft interior environments. The index will be based on the integration of physical predictors for the flight situation and psychological predictors for the passengers’ sensation of comfort and well‐being.

1 citations

01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared reactions to aircraft and railway noise in the field and found that railway noise is less annoying than aircraft or road traffic noise. But, in a laboratory study performed at the DLR-Institute of Aerospace Medicine railway noise lead to higher degrees of sleep fragmentation than aircraft noise.
Abstract: Introduction: Surveys suggest that - at the same noise level - railway noise is less annoying than aircraft or road traffic noise. Thus, railway noise is less strongly regulated in some European countries. However, in a laboratory study performed at the DLR-Institute of Aerospace Medicine railway noise lead to higher degrees of sleep fragmentation than aircraft noise. Our objective was to compare reactions to aircraft and railway noise in the field. Methods: In a field study on railway noise, 33 healthy participants (mean age 36.2 years ± 10.3 (SD); 22 females) were examined during nine consecutive nights. Polysomnography and noise events were recorded during every night. In total, 8866 railway noise events were used for analysis of noise-induced awakenings. In a field study on aircraft noise, data from 64 subjects and 10658 noise events were recorded. The datasets from rail and aircraft noise were pooled to facilitate a direct comparison. Results: In agreement with former studies, macrostructure of sleep was only slightly altered by noise. Awakening probability (sleep stage changes to wake/S1) due to railway noise increased significantly from 6.5% at 35 dB(A) to 20.5% at 80 dB(A) maximum sound pressure level (p<0.0001). In the comparison of traffic noise sources, awakening probability decreased in the order freight train noise, aircraft noise, and passenger train noise. Different reaction probabilities were explained amongst others by the sound pressure rise time of the noise event. Conclusions: In contrast to the results of annoyance surveys, nocturnal freight train noise lead to significantly increased awakening probabilities that exceeded those observed for aircraft noise at the same maximum sound pressure level. In line with our laboratory findings these awakening probabilities were higher than for aircraft noise. Freight wagons that are technically outdated or more developed may result in different physiological reaction probabilities.

1 citations

01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: Investigating the relationship between attitude towards air traffic and sleep quality around Frankfurt Airport suggested that residents’ sleep quality and subjective evaluation of air traffic are related, however the causality of this relationship remains unclear.
Abstract: Annoyance and physiological responses induced by traffic noise exposure vary greatly among residents. Recently, differences in aircraft noise induced awakening reactions during sleep have partly been explained by stable individual vulnerabilities to noise. In 2012 as part of the NORAH sleep study, we investigated with a sample of 81 residents around Frankfurt Airport the relationship between attitude towards air traffic and sleep quality recorded polysomnographically at home. By using five-point rating scales the participants assessed their attitude towards air traffic (from 1 = negative to 5 = positive) and evaluated its necessity (from 1 = not necessary to 5 = highly necessary). Residents with a negative attitude towards air traffic (score < 3; N=28) took longer to fall asleep, spent more time awake after sleep onset, had a reduced sleep efficiency and less deep sleep. Participants who evaluated air traffic to be of no or moderate necessity (score < 4; N=22) slept less deeply. These statistically significant differences suggest that residents’ sleep quality and subjective evaluation of air traffic are related. The causality of this relationship, however, i.e. whether a negative attitude leads to more severe sleep disturbances or, conversely, whether poor sleep quality triggers a negative attitude towards air traffic, remains unclear.

1 citations

01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: Results suggest that residents’ objective sleep quality and their subjective assessment of air traffic are related, and cause and effect of the relationship remain to be identified.
Abstract: Sleep disturbances and impaired quality of life are among frequent complaints from residents around airports. This paper aims at investigating whether psychological factors such as subjective attitude towards air traffic are related to the objective sleep quality of an individual. In 2012 as part of the NORAH sleep study, 74 residents around Frankfurt Airport rated their attitude towards air traffic and assessed its necessity. Polysomnography was recorded in residents’ home environment. In the NORAH study, a negative attitude towards air traffic was associated with a significantly impaired sleep quality (i.e. prolonged sleep onset latency: Δ 5.6 min, increased wake after sleep onset: Δ 12.3 min, reduced sleep efficiency: Δ 3 %, and less deep sleep: Δ 12.3 min). The assessment of air traffic as less necessary was related to a significant reduction in deep sleep duration (Δ 15.1 min). These results suggest that residents’ objective sleep quality and their subjective assessment of air traffic are related. Cause and effect of the relationship remain to be identified.
01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the results of two sleep studies conducted by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the NORAH study at Cologne/Bonn Airport and found that aircraft noise induced awakening probabilities are 3.8-7.5% higher for maximum indoor levels from 30-70 dB(A) at Cologne and Bonn airports whereas night time aircraft noise annoyance is considerably increased in Frankfurt.
Abstract: In the STRAIN study (2001/2002) the German Aerospace Center (DLR) measured the sleep of 64 residents (19-61 years old, average: 38 years) around Cologne/Bonn airport for 9 consecutive nights each with polysomnography. Cologne/Bonn airport has no night time restrictions for chapter 3 airplanes and is one of the busiest airports in Germany during the night. Frankfurt is the airport with the highest traffic volume in Germany. A night flight ban (11 p.m. - 5 a.m.) was implemented in October 2011. Traffic density during shoulder hours is high. DLR examined 83 Frankfurt airport residents (18-77 years old, average: 43 years) with polysomnography as part of the NORAH study in 2012. In both studies sound pressure level and noise events were recorded with microphones near the sleeper's ear. Participants filled out questionnaires each morning. The analysis shows that aircraft noise induced awakening probabilities are 3.8-7.5% higher for maximum indoor levels from 30-70 dB(A) at Cologne/Bonn Airport whereas night time aircraft noise annoyance is considerably increased in Frankfurt. The results of both studies are compared, and limitations of the comparisons are discussed.

Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies for public health is stressed, as Observational and experimental studies have shown that noise exposure leads to annoyance, disturbs sleep and causes daytime sleepiness.

1,189 citations

01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors stress the importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies for public health and stress that noise exposure leads to annoyance, disturbs sleep and causes daytime sleepiness, aff ects patient outcomes and staff performance in hospitals, increases the occurrence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and impairs cognitive performance in schoolchildren.
Abstract: Noise is pervasive in everyday life and can cause both auditory and non-auditory health eff ects. Noise-induced hearing loss remains highly prevalent in occupational settings, and is increasingly caused by social noise exposure (eg, through personal music players). Our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in noise-induced haircell and nerve damage has substantially increased, and preventive and therapeutic drugs will probably become available within 10 years. Evidence of the non-auditory eff ects of environmental noise exposure on public health is growing. Observational and experimental studies have shown that noise exposure leads to annoyance, disturbs sleep and causes daytime sleepiness, aff ects patient outcomes and staff performance in hospitals, increases the occurrence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and impairs cognitive performance in schoolchildren. In this Review, we stress the importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies for public health.

942 citations

Book
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: Policy-makers and their advisers are provided with technical support in their quantitative risk assessment of environmental noise and can use the procedure for estimating burdens presented here to prioritize and plan environmental and public health policies.
Abstract: The health impacts of environmental noise are a growing concern. At least one million healthy life years are lost every year from traffic-related noise in the western part of Europe. This publication summarises the evidence on the relationship between environmental noise and health effects, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance, tinnitus, and annoyance. For each one, the environmental burden of disease methodology, based on exposure-response relationship, exposure distribution, background prevalence of disease and disability weights of the outcome, is applied to calculate the burden of disease in terms of disability-adjusted life-years. Data are still lacking for the rest of the WHO European Region. This publication provides policy-makers and their advisers with technical support in their quantitative risk assessment of environmental noise. International, national and local authorities can use the procedure for estimating burdens presented here to prioritize and plan environmental and public health policies.

794 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Evidence from epidemiologic studies demonstrates that environmental noise is associated with an increased incidence of arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke, and the importance of noise mitigation strategies for public health is stressed.
Abstract: The role of noise as an environmental pollutant and its impact on health are being increasingly recognized. Beyond its effects on the auditory system, noise causes annoyance and disturbs sleep, and it impairs cognitive performance. Furthermore, evidence from epidemiologic studies demonstrates that environmental noise is associated with an increased incidence of arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Both observational and experimental studies indicate that in particular night-time noise can cause disruptions of sleep structure, vegetative arousals (e.g. increases of blood pressure and heart rate) and increases in stress hormone levels and oxidative stress, which in turn may result in endothelial dysfunction and arterial hypertension. This review focuses on the cardiovascular consequences of environmental noise exposure and stresses the importance of noise mitigation strategies for public health.

516 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Based on the available evidence, transportation noise affects objectively measured sleep physiology and subjectively assessed sleep disturbance in adults and for children’s sleep.
Abstract: To evaluate the quality of available evidence on the effects of environmental noise exposure on sleep a systematic review was conducted. The databases PSYCINFO, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and the TNO Repository were searched for non-laboratory studies on the effects of environmental noise on sleep with measured or predicted noise levels and published in or after the year 2000. The quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE criteria. Seventy four studies predominately conducted between 2000 and 2015 were included in the review. A meta-analysis of surveys linking road, rail, and aircraft noise exposure to self-reports of sleep disturbance was conducted. The odds ratio for the percent highly sleep disturbed for a 10 dB increase in Lnight was significant for aircraft (1.94; 95% CI 1.61–2.3), road (2.13; 95% CI 1.82–2.48), and rail (3.06; 95% CI 2.38–3.93) noise when the question referred to noise, but non-significant for aircraft (1.17; 95% CI 0.54–2.53), road (1.09; 95% CI 0.94–1.27), and rail (1.27; 95% CI 0.89–1.81) noise when the question did not refer to noise. A pooled analysis of polysomnographic studies on the acute effects of transportation noise on sleep was also conducted and the unadjusted odds ratio for the probability of awakening for a 10 dBA increase in the indoor Lmax was significant for aircraft (1.35; 95% CI 1.22–1.50), road (1.36; 95% CI 1.19–1.55), and rail (1.35; 95% CI 1.21–1.52) noise. Due to a limited number of studies and the use of different outcome measures, a narrative review only was conducted for motility, cardiac and blood pressure outcomes, and for children’s sleep. The effect of wind turbine and hospital noise on sleep was also assessed. Based on the available evidence, transportation noise affects objectively measured sleep physiology and subjectively assessed sleep disturbance in adults. For other outcome measures and noise sources the examined evidence was conflicting or only emerging. According to GRADE criteria, the quality of the evidence was moderate for cortical awakenings and self-reported sleep disturbance (for questions that referred to noise) induced by traffic noise, low for motility measures of traffic noise induced sleep disturbance, and very low for all other noise sources and investigated sleep outcomes.

352 citations