Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration.

Research on astronaut health and model organisms have revealed six features of spaceflight biology that guide our current understanding of fundamental molecular changes that occur during space travel. The features include oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysregulation, epigenetic changes (including gene regulation), telomere length alterations, and microbiome shifts. Here we review the known hazards of human spaceflight, how spaceflight affects living systems through these six fundamental features, and the associated health risks of space exploration. We also discuss the essential issues related to the health and safety of astronauts involved in future missions, especially planned long-duration and Martian missions.

A second space age spanning omics, platforms and medicine across orbits.

The recent acceleration of commercial, private and multi-national spaceflight has created an unprecedented level of activity in low Earth orbit, concomitant with the largest-ever number of crewed missions entering space and preparations for exploration-class (lasting longer than one year) missions. Such rapid advancement into space from many new companies, countries and space-related entities has enabled a 'second space age'. This era is also poised to leverage, for the first time, modern tools and methods of molecular biology and precision medicine, thus enabling precision aerospace medicine for the crews. The applications of these biomedical technologies and algorithms are diverse, and encompass multi-omic, single-cell and spatial biology tools to investigate human and microbial responses to spaceflight. Additionally, they extend to the development of new imaging techniques, real-time cognitive assessments, physiological monitoring and personalized risk profiles tailored for astronauts. Furthermore, these technologies enable advancements in pharmacogenomics, as well as the identification of novel spaceflight biomarkers and the development of corresponding countermeasures. In this Perspective, we highlight some of the recent biomedical research from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, European Space Agency and other space agencies, and detail the entrance of the commercial spaceflight sector (including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Axiom and Sierra Space) into aerospace medicine and space biology, the first aerospace medicine biobank, and various upcoming missions that will utilize these tools to ensure a permanent human presence beyond low Earth orbit, venturing out to other planets and moons.

Transportation Noise Pollution and Cardiovascular Health.

Epidemiological studies have found that transportation noise increases the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with solid evidence for ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. According to the World Health Organization, at least 1.6 million healthy life years are lost annually from traffic-related noise in Western Europe. Traffic noise at night causes fragmentation and shortening of sleep, elevation of stress hormone levels, and increased oxidative stress in the vasculature and the brain. These factors can promote vascular (endothelial) dysfunction, inflammation, and arterial hypertension, thus elevating cardiovascular risk. The present review focusses on the indirect, nonauditory cardiovascular health effects of noise. We provide an updated overview of epidemiological research on the effects of transportation noise on cardiovascular risk factors and disease, and mechanistic insights based on the latest clinical and experimental studies and propose new risk markers to address noise-induced cardiovascular effects in the general population. We will discuss the potential effects of noise on vascular dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation in humans and animals. We will elaborately explain the underlying pathomechanisms by alterations of gene networks, epigenetic pathways, circadian rhythm, signal transduction along the neuronal-cardiovascular axis, and metabolism. We will describe current and future noise mitigation strategies. Finally, we will conduct an overall evaluation of the status of the current evidence of noise as a significant cardiovascular risk factor.

Enhanced amygdala-cingulate connectivity associates with better mood in both healthy and depressive individuals after sleep deprivation.

Sleep loss robustly disrupts mood and emotion regulation in healthy individuals but can have a transient antidepressant effect in a subset of patients with depression. The neural mechanisms underlying this paradoxical effect remain unclear. Previous studies suggest that the amygdala and dorsal nexus (DN) play key roles in depressive mood regulation. Here, we used functional MRI to examine associations between amygdala- and DN-related resting-state connectivity alterations and mood changes after one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD) in both healthy adults and patients with major depressive disorder using strictly controlled in-laboratory studies. Behavioral data showed that TSD increased negative mood in healthy participants but reduced depressive symptoms in 43% of patients. Imaging data showed that TSD enhanced both amygdala- and DN-related connectivity in healthy participants. Moreover, enhanced amygdala connectivity to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) after TSD associated with better mood in healthy participants and antidepressant effects in depressed patients. These findings support the key role of the amygdala-cingulate circuit in mood regulation in both healthy and depressed populations and suggest that rapid antidepressant treatment may target the enhancement of amygdala-ACC connectivity.

Morning resting hypothalamus-dorsal striatum connectivity predicts individual differences in diurnal sleepiness accumulation.

While the significance of obtaining restful sleep at night and maintaining daytime alertness is well recognized for human performance and overall well-being, substantial variations exist in the development of sleepiness during diurnal waking periods. Despite the established roles of the hypothalamus and striatum in sleep-wake regulation, the specific contributions of this neural circuit in regulating individual sleep homeostasis remain elusive. This study utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and mathematical modeling to investigate the role of hypothalamus-striatum connectivity in subjective sleepiness variation in a cohort of 71 healthy adults under strictly controlled in-laboratory conditions. Mathematical modeling results revealed remarkable individual differences in subjective sleepiness accumulation patterns measured by the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Brain imaging data demonstrated that morning hypothalamic connectivity to the dorsal striatum significantly predicts the individual accumulation of subjective sleepiness from morning to evening, while no such correlation was observed for the hypothalamus-ventral striatum connectivity. These findings underscore the distinct roles of hypothalamic connectivity to the dorsal and ventral striatum in individual sleep homeostasis, suggesting that hypothalamus-dorsal striatum circuit may be a promising target for interventions mitigating excessive sleepiness and promoting alertness.

Objective alertness, rather than sleep duration, is associated with burnout and depression: A national survey of Japanese physicians.

Approximately 40% of Japanese physicians report working more than 960 hr of overtime annually, with 10% exceeding 1860 hr. To protect their health, annual overtime limits went into effect in 2024. The objective of this study was to investigate associations of self-reported sleep duration with psychological health and objective alertness. This was a cross-sectional National Survey for The Work Style Reform of Long Working Physicians. Physicians self-reported daily sleep duration, burnout (Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and traffic accidents. Alertness was then evaluated using the brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test. Of 20,382 physicians invited, 1226 completed the survey and brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test. Daily sleep duration was inversely associated with weekly work hours (ß = -5.4; 95% confidence interval -6.8 to -4.0, p < 0.0001). Sleep duration < 6 hr and ≥ 8 hr per day was associated with slower responses on the brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test (adjusted p < 0.05). An additional 10 hr worked per week was associated with a 0.40 point (95% confidence interval 0.08-0.72) increase in burnout severity and a 1.7% (95% confidence interval 0.1-3.3%) increase in odds of reporting a traffic accident. Increased brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test lapses, indicating lower alertness, were associated with worse symptoms of depression (ß = 0.23 points; 95% confidence interval 0.14-0.31, p < 0.0001) and burnout (ß = 0.25 points; 95% confidence interval 0.13-0.36, p < 0.0001). This study emphasizes the importance of sufficient sleep to maintain alertness, and supports limiting work hours for Japanese physicians to protect psychological health. Performance on the brief Psychomotor Vigilance Test may be a useful indicator of psychological health.

Sleep deprivation attenuates neural responses to outcomes from risky decision-making.

Sleep loss impacts a broad range of brain and cognitive functions. However, how sleep deprivation affects risky decision-making remains inconclusive. This study used functional MRI to examine the impact of one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD) on risky decision-making behavior and the underlying brain responses in healthy adults. In this study, we analyzed data from N = 56 participants in a strictly controlled 5-day and 4-night in-laboratory study using a modified Balloon Analogue Risk Task. Participants completed two scan sessions in counter-balanced order, including one scan during rested wakefulness (RW) and another scan after one night of TSD. Results showed no differences in participants' risk-taking propensity and risk-induced activation between RW and TSD. However, participants showed significantly reduced neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral insula for loss outcomes, and in bilateral putamen for win outcomes during TSD compared with RW. Moreover, risk-induced activation in the insula negatively correlated with participants' risk-taking propensity during RW, while no such correlations were observed after TSD. These findings suggest that sleep loss may impact risky decision-making by attenuating neural responses to decision outcomes and impairing brain-behavior associations.

Long-term influence of sleep/wake history on the dynamic neurobehavioural response to sustained sleep restriction.

Chronic sleep restriction, common in today's 24/7 society, causes cumulative neurobehavioural impairment, but the dynamics of the build-up and dissipation of this impairment have not been fully elucidated. We addressed this knowledge gap in a laboratory study involving two, 5-day periods of sleep restriction to 4 hr per day, separated by a 1-day dose-response intervention sleep opportunity. We measured sleep physiological and waking neurobehavioural responses in 70 healthy adults, each randomized to one of seven dose-response intervention sleep doses ranging from 0 to 12 hr, or a non-sleep-restricted control group. As anticipated, sleep physiological markers showed homeostatic dynamics throughout the study, and waking neurobehavioural impairment accumulated across the two sleep restriction periods. Unexpectedly, there was only a slight and short-lived effect of the 1-day dose-response intervention sleep opportunity. Whether the dose-response intervention sleep opportunity involved extension, further restriction or total deprivation of sleep, neurobehavioural functioning during the subsequent second sleep restriction period was dominated by prior sleep-wake history. Our findings revealed a profound and enduring influence of long-term sleep-wake history as a fundamental aspect of the dynamic regulation of the neurobehavioural response to sleep loss.

The posterior dominant rhythm: an electroencephalographic biomarker for cognitive recovery after general anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The posterior dominant rhythm (PDR) was the first oscillatory pattern noted in the EEG. Evoked by wakeful eyelid closure, these oscillations dissipate over seconds during loss of arousal. The peak frequency of the PDR maintains stability over years, suggesting utility as a state biomarker in the surveillance of acute cognitive impairments. This EEG signature has not been systematically investigated for tracking cognitive dysfunction after anaesthetic-induced loss of consciousness. METHODS: This substudy of Reconstructing Consciousness and Cognition (NCT01911195) investigated the PDR and cognitive function in 60 adult volunteers randomised to either 3 h of isoflurane general anaesthesia or resting wakefulness. Serial measurements of EEG power and cognitive task performance were assessed relative to pre-intervention baseline. Mixed-effects models allowed quantification of PDR and neurocognitive trajectories after return of responsiveness (ROR). RESULTS: Individuals in the control group showed stability in the PDR peak frequency over several hours (median difference/inter-quartile range [IQR] of 0.02/0.20 Hz, P=0.39). After isoflurane general anaesthesia, the PDR peak frequency was initially reduced at ROR (median difference/IQR of 0.88/0.65 Hz, P<0.001). PDR peak frequency recovered at a rate of 0.20 Hz h-1. After ROR, the PDR peak frequency correlated with reaction time and accuracy on multiple cognitive tasks (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The temporal trajectory of the PDR peak frequency could be a useful perioperative marker for tracking cognitive dysfunction on the order of hours after surgery, particularly for cognitive domains of working memory, visuomotor speed, and executive function. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01911195.

Patient Safety Outcomes under Flexible and Standard Resident Duty-Hour Rules.

BACKGROUND: Concern persists that extended shifts in medical residency programs may adversely affect patient safety. METHODS: We conducted a cluster-randomized noninferiority trial in 63 internal-medicine residency programs during the 2015-2016 academic year. Programs underwent randomization to a group with standard duty hours, as adopted by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in July 2011, or to a group with more flexible duty-hour rules that did not specify limits on shift length or mandatory time off between shifts. The primary outcome for each program was the change in unadjusted 30-day mortality from the pretrial year to the trial year, as ascertained from Medicare claims. We hypothesized that the change in 30-day mortality in the flexible programs would not be worse than the change in the standard programs (difference-in-difference analysis) by more than 1 percentage point (noninferiority margin). Secondary outcomes were changes in five other patient safety measures and risk-adjusted outcomes for all measures. RESULTS: The change in 30-day mortality (primary outcome) among the patients in the flexible programs (12.5% in the trial year vs. 12.6% in the pretrial year) was noninferior to that in the standard programs (12.2% in the trial year vs. 12.7% in the pretrial year). The test for noninferiority was significant (P = 0.03), with an estimate of the upper limit of the one-sided 95% confidence interval (0.93%) for a between-group difference in the change in mortality that was less than the prespecified noninferiority margin of 1 percentage point. Differences in changes between the flexible programs and the standard programs in the unadjusted rate of readmission at 7 days, patient safety indicators, and Medicare payments were also below 1 percentage point; the noninferiority criterion was not met for 30-day readmissions or prolonged length of hospital stay. Risk-adjusted measures generally showed similar findings. CONCLUSIONS: Allowing program directors flexibility in adjusting duty-hour schedules for trainees did not adversely affect 30-day mortality or several other measured outcomes of patient safety. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; iCOMPARE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02274818.).

Sleep and Alertness in a Duty-Hour Flexibility Trial in Internal Medicine.

BACKGROUND: A purpose of duty-hour regulations is to reduce sleep deprivation in medical trainees, but their effects on sleep, sleepiness, and alertness are largely unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned 63 internal-medicine residency programs in the United States to follow either standard 2011 duty-hour policies or flexible policies that maintained an 80-hour workweek without limits on shift length or mandatory time off between shifts. Sleep duration and morning sleepiness and alertness were compared between the two groups by means of a noninferiority design, with outcome measures including sleep duration measured with actigraphy, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (with scores ranging from 1 [extremely alert] to 9 [extremely sleepy, fighting sleep]), and a brief computerized Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B), with long response times (lapses) indicating reduced alertness. RESULTS: Data were obtained over a period of 14 days for 205 interns at six flexible programs and 193 interns at six standard programs. The average sleep time per 24 hours was 6.85 hours (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.61 to 7.10) among those in flexible programs and 7.03 hours (95% CI, 6.78 to 7.27) among those in standard programs. Sleep duration in flexible programs was noninferior to that in standard programs (between-group difference, -0.17 hours per 24 hours; one-sided lower limit of the 95% confidence interval, -0.45 hours; noninferiority margin, -0.5 hours; P = 0.02 for noninferiority), as was the score on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (between-group difference, 0.12 points; one-sided upper limit of the 95% confidence interval, 0.31 points; noninferiority margin, 1 point; P<0.001). Noninferiority was not established for alertness according to the PVT-B (between-group difference, -0.3 lapses; one-sided upper limit of the 95% confidence interval, 1.6 lapses; noninferiority margin, 1 lapse; P = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: This noninferiority trial showed no more chronic sleep loss or sleepiness across trial days among interns in flexible programs than among those in standard programs. Noninferiority of the flexible group for alertness was not established. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and American Council for Graduate Medical Education; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02274818.).

Brain structure and neurocognitive function in two professional mountaineers during 35 days of severe normobaric hypoxia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Animal studies suggest that exposure to severe ambient hypoxia for several days may have beneficial long-term effects on neurodegenerative diseases. Because, the acute risks of exposing human beings to prolonged severe hypoxia on brain structure and function are uncertain, we conducted a pilot study in healthy persons. METHODS: We included two professional mountaineers (participants A and B) in a 35-day study comprising an acclimatization period and 14 consecutive days with oxygen concentrations between 8% and 8.8%. They underwent cerebral magnetic resonance imaging at seven time points and a cognitive test battery covering a spectrum of cognitive domains at 27 time points. We analysed blood neuron specific enolase and neurofilament light chain levels before, during, and after hypoxia. RESULTS: In hypoxia, white matter volumes increased (maximum: A, 4.3% ± 0.9%; B, 4.5% ± 1.9%) whilst gray matter volumes (A, -1.5% ± 0.8%; B, -2.5% ± 0.9%) and cerebrospinal fluid volumes (A, -2.7% ± 2.4%; B, -5.9% ± 8.2%) decreased. Furthermore, the number (A, 11-17; B, 26-126) and volumes (A, 140%; B, 285%) of white matter hyperintensities increased in hypoxia but had returned to baseline after a 3.5-month recovery phase. Diffusion weighted imaging of the white matter indicated cytotoxic edema formation. We did not observe changes in cognitive performance or biochemical brain injury markers. DISCUSSION: In highly selected healthy individuals, severe sustained normobaric hypoxia over 2 weeks elicited reversible changes in brain morphology without clinically relevant changes in cognitive function or brain injury markers. The finding may pave the way for future translational studies assessing the therapeutic potential of hypoxia in neurodegenerative diseases.

Education Outcomes in a Duty-Hour Flexibility Trial in Internal Medicine.

BACKGROUND: Concern persists that inflexible duty-hour rules in medical residency programs may adversely affect the training of physicians. METHODS: We randomly assigned 63 internal medicine residency programs in the United States to be governed by standard duty-hour policies of the 2011 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or by more flexible policies that did not specify limits on shift length or mandatory time off between shifts. Measures of educational experience included observations of the activities of interns (first-year residents), surveys of trainees (both interns and residents) and faculty, and intern examination scores. RESULTS: There were no significant between-group differences in the mean percentages of time that interns spent in direct patient care and education nor in trainees' perceptions of an appropriate balance between clinical demands and education (primary outcome for trainee satisfaction with education; response rate, 91%) or in the assessments by program directors and faculty of whether trainees' workload exceeded their capacity (primary outcome for faculty satisfaction with education; response rate, 90%). Another survey of interns (response rate, 49%) revealed that those in flexible programs were more likely to report dissatisfaction with multiple aspects of training, including educational quality (odds ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 2.73) and overall well-being (odds ratio, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.67 to 3.65). In contrast, directors of flexible programs were less likely to report dissatisfaction with multiple educational processes, including time for bedside teaching (response rate, 98%; odds ratio, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.49). Average scores (percent correct answers) on in-training examinations were 68.9% in flexible programs and 69.4% in standard programs; the difference did not meet the noninferiority margin of 2 percentage points (difference, -0.43; 95% CI, -2.38 to 1.52; P=0.06 for noninferiority). od Institute and the ACGME; iCOMPARE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02274818 .). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in the proportion of time that medical interns spent on direct patient care and education between programs with standard duty-hour policies and programs with more flexible policies. Interns in flexible programs were less satisfied with their educational experience than were their peers in standard programs, but program directors were more satisfied. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blo

A brief history of spaceflight from 1961 to 2020: An analysis of missions and astronaut demographics.

Human spaceflight and the characteristics of people who become astronauts have changed over time. Here we present an analysis of n=1,265 manned spaceflights by n=562 astronauts from 1961-2020 to investigate historical trends over time and between space agencies in terms of astronaut demographics and spaceflight duration. Generalized linear models and generalized linear mixed models were implemented with adjustments for all available demographic data as covariates. Women continue to be underrepresented as astronauts, and were younger, had fewer children, and were less likely to have a military background than their male counterparts. Astronaut age has increased over time, although this increase was significant only for first-time spaceflights. The proportion of astronauts from civilian backgrounds has generally increased over time, although there is evidence this trend may be reversing. Spaceflight duration has increased over time, and has been longest for ROSCOSMOS cosmonauts and shortest for Chinese taikonauts. There were also differences between space agencies in terms of astronaut demographics, particularly between NASA and ROSCOSMOS, with first-time NASA astronauts more likely to be women, civilian and older than first-time ROSCOSMOS cosmonauts. As humankind embarks on exploration-class missions back to the lunar surface and then onward to Mars, and with new nations and commercial entities entering the international space community, the nature of spaceflight, and the diversity of the astronauts, will continue to evolve.

Test-retest reliability of cerebral blood flow for assessing brain function at rest and during a vigilance task.

Arterial spin labeled (ASL) perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used to assess regional brain activity and cerebrovascular function in both healthy and clinical populations. ASL perfusion imaging provides a quantitative measure of regional brain activity by determining absolute cerebral blood flow (CBF) values at a resting state or during task performance. However, the comparative reliability of these ASL measures is not well characterized. It is also unclear whether the test-retest reliability of absolute CBF or task-induced CBF change measures would be comparable to the reliability of task performance. In this study, fifteen healthy participants were scanned three times in a strictly controlled in-laboratory study while at rest and during performing a simple and reliable psychomotor vigilance test (PVT). The reliability of absolute CBF and task-induced CBF changes was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and compared to that of task performance. Absolute CBF showed excellent test-retest reliability across the three scans for both resting and PVT scans. The reliability of regional absolute CBF was comparable to that of behavioral measures of PVT performance, and was slightly higher during PVT scans as compared with resting scans. Task-induced regional CBF changes demonstrated only poor to moderate reliability across three scans. These findings suggest that absolute CBF measures are more reliable than task-induced CBF changes for characterizing regional brain function, especially for longitudinal and clinical studies.

Sleep and Work in ICU Physicians During a Randomized Trial of Nighttime Intensivist Staffing.

OBJECTIVES: To compare sleep, work hours, and behavioral alertness in faculty and fellows during a randomized trial of nighttime in-hospital intensivist staffing compared with a standard daytime intensivist model. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Medical ICU of a tertiary care academic medical center during a randomized controlled trial of in-hospital nighttime intensivist staffing. PATIENTS: Twenty faculty and 13 fellows assigned to rotations in the medical ICU during 2012. INTERVENTIONS: As part of the parent study, there was weekly randomization of staffing model, stratified by 2-week faculty rotation. During the standard staffing model, there were in-hospital residents, with a fellow and faculty member available at nighttime by phone. In the intervention, there were in-hospital residents with an in-hospital nighttime intensivist. Fellows and faculty completed diaries detailing their sleep, work, and well-being; wore actigraphs; and performed psychomotor vigilance testing daily. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Daily sleep time (mean hours [SD]) was increased for fellows and faculty in the intervention versus control (6.7 [0.3] vs 6.0 [0.2]; p < 0.001 and 6.7 [0.1] vs 6.4 [0.2]; p < 0.001, respectively). In-hospital work duration did not differ between the models for fellows or faculty. Total hours of work done at home was different for both fellows and faculty (0.1 [< 0.1] intervention vs 1.0 [0.1] control; p < 0.001 and 0.2 [< 0.1] intervention vs 0.6 [0.1] control; p < 0.001, respectively). Psychomotor vigilance testing did not demonstrate any differences. Measures of well-being including physical exhaustion and alertness were improved in faculty and fellows in the intervention staffing model. CONCLUSIONS: Although no differences were measured in patient outcomes between the two staffing models, in-hospital nighttime intensivist staffing was associated with small increases in total sleep duration for faculty and fellows, reductions in total work hours for fellows only, and improvements in subjective well-being for both groups. Staffing models should consider how work duration, sleep, and well-being may impact burnout and sustainability.

Effectiveness of incentives and follow-up on increasing survey response rates and participation in field studies.

BACKGROUND: Questionnaires are valuable data collection instruments in public health research, and can serve to pre-screen respondents for suitability in future studies. Survey non-response leads to reduced effective sample sizes and can decrease representativeness of the study population, so high response rates are needed to minimize the risk of bias. Here we present results on the success of different postal questionnaire strategies at effecting response, and the effectiveness of these strategies at recruiting participants for a field study on the effects of aircraft noise on sleep. METHODS: In total, we mailed 17 rounds of 240 questionnaires (total n = 4080) to randomly selected households around Atlanta International Airport. Different mailing rounds were varied in the length of the questionnaire (11, 26 or 55 questions), survey incentive (gift card or $2 cash), number of follow-up waves (0, 2 or 3), incentive for participating in a 5-night in-home sleep study ($100, $150 or $200), and address personalization. RESULTS: We received completed questionnaires from 407 respondents (response rate 11.4%). Personalizing the address, enclosing a $2 cash incentive with the initial questionnaire mailing and repeated follow-up mailings were effective at increasing response rate. Despite the increased expense of these approaches in terms of each household mailed, the higher response rates meant that they were more cost-effective overall for obtaining an equivalent number of responses. Interest in participating in the field study decreased with age, but was unaffected by the mailing strategies or cash incentives for field study participation. The likelihood that a respondent would participate in the field study was unaffected by survey incentive, survey length, number of follow-up waves, field study incentive, age or sex. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-issued cash incentives and sending follow-up waves could maximize the representativeness and numbers of people from which to recruit, and may be an effective strategy for improving recruitment into field studies.

Noise exposure-response relationships established from repeated binary observations: Modeling approaches and applications.

Noise exposure-response relationships are used to estimate the effects of noise on individuals or a population. Such relationships may be derived from independent or repeated binary observations, and modeled by different statistical methods. Depending on the method by which they were established, their application in population risk assessment or estimation of individual responses may yield different results, i.e., predict "weaker" or "stronger" effects. As far as the present body of literature on noise effect studies is concerned, however, the underlying statistical methodology to establish exposure-response relationships has not always been paid sufficient attention. This paper gives an overview on two statistical approaches (subject-specific and population-averaged logistic regression analysis) to establish noise exposure-response relationships from repeated binary observations, and their appropriate applications. The considerations are illustrated with data from three noise effect studies, estimating also the magnitude of differences in results when applying exposure-response relationships derived from the two statistical approaches. Depending on the underlying data set and the probability range of the binary variable it covers, the two approaches yield similar to very different results. The adequate choice of a specific statistical approach and its application in subsequent studies, both depending on the research question, are therefore crucial.

Aviation Noise Impacts: State of the Science.

Noise is defined as "unwanted sound." Aircraft noise is one, if not the most detrimental environmental effect of aviation. It can cause community annoyance, disrupt sleep, adversely affect academic performance of children, and could increase the risk for cardiovascular disease of people living in the vicinity of airports. In some airports, noise constrains air traffic growth. This consensus paper was prepared by the Impacts of Science Group of the Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection of the International Civil Aviation Organization and summarizes the state of the science of noise effects research in the areas of noise measurement and prediction, community annoyance, children's learning, sleep disturbance, and health. It also briefly discusses civilian supersonic aircraft as a future source of aviation noise.