Multilevel annoyance modelling of short environmental sound recordings

The recent development and deployment of Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks (WASN) present new ways to address urban acoustic challenges in a smart city context. A focus on improving quality of life forms the core of smart-city design paradigms and cannot be limited to simply measuring objective environmental factors, but should also consider the perceptual, psychological and health impacts on citizens. This study therefore makes use of short (1–2.7 s) recordings sourced from a WASN in Milan which were grouped into various environmental sound source types and given an annoyance rating via an online survey with N = 100 participants. A multilevel psychoacoustic model was found to achieve an overall R = 0.64 which incorporates Sharpness as a fixed effect regardless of the sound source type and Roughness, Impulsiveness and Tonality as random effects whose coefficients vary depending on the sound source. These results present a promising step toward implementing an on-sensor annoyance model which incorporates psychoacoustic features and sound source type, and is ultimately not dependent on sound level.

Geochemistry of the surface and ground waters of the upper bassin of the river Llobregat

In this work the main geochemical characteristics of the surface and ground waters of the Upper basin of the River Llobregat are described and, discussed. The water samples analysed reveal sharply contrasting characteristics. In both the Fonts del Llobregat and River Bastareny catchments, calcium bicarbonated waters with a low mineral content clearly predominate. However, in the catchment of the River Arija, although the waters of the upper course and the main tributaries are also calcium bicarbonated, it is worth noting that at the confluence with the River Llobregat calcium sulphated water is found. The catchment of the River Saldes shows a greater heterogeneity, with calcium bicarbonated, sodium chloridized and calcium sulphated waters, and thus at the confluence with the River Llobregat the water is sodium-calcium bicarbonated-sulphated. Principal components analysis enables us to arrive at a synthesis which clearly explains these characteristics. These results are fundamentally interpreted on the basis of the lithologies drained by the different watercourses.[es] En el presente estudio se presentan y discuten las principales características geoquímicas de las aguas superficiales y subterráneas de la Alta cuenca del río Llobregat hasta la entrada del río al embalse de La Baells. El conjunto de aguas analizadas presentan características muy contrastadas. Así, tanto en la subcuenca de las fuentes del Llobregat como en la del río Bastareny predominan las aguas bicarbonatadas cálcicas poco mineralizadas. En la subcuenca del río Arija, sí bien las aguas del curso alto y las de los principales afluentes también son bicarbonatadas cálcicas, destaca el hecho de que en la confluencia con el río Llobregat el agua es sulfatada cálcica. La subcuenca del río Saldes es la que presenta una mayor heterogeneidad, con aguas bicarbonatadas cálcicas, cloruradas sódicas y sulfatadas cálcicas, las cuales provocan que en la confluencia con el río Llobregat el agua sea bicarbonatada-sulfatada sódico-cálcica. El análisis de componentes principales ha permitido sintetizar estas características de forma muy clara. Los resultados se interpretan, esencialmente, a partir de las litologías drenadas por los distintos cursos de agua. [fr] Cette étude présente et discute des principales caractéristiques géochimiques des eaux superficielles et souterraines du haut-bassin du fleuve Llobregat (le point le plus en aval considéré se situe juste avant l'entrée du cours d'eau dans le lac de La Baells). L'ensemble des eaux analysées présente des caractéristiques très contrastées. Dans les sous-bassins des sources du Llobregat et du Bastareny prédominent des eaux bicarbonatées calciques peu minéralisées. Dans les sousbassin de la rivière Arija, sur son cours supérieur ainsi que ses principaux affluents, les eaux sont également bicarbonatées calciques, exceptées celles de la confluence avec le Llobregat qui sont sulfatées calciques. Le sous-bassin de la rivière Saldes est celui qui présente la plus grande hétérogénéité, avec des eaux bicarbonatées calciques, chlorurées sadiques et sulfatées calciques. Ces dernières sont responsables du fait qu'à la confluence avec la Llobregat les eaux soient bicarbonato-sulfato sodico-calciques. L'analyse en composantes principales a permis de discriminer nettement ces caractéristiques. Ces résultats sont essentiellement expliqués à partir de la lithologie des différents bassins versants drainés

Tailoring negative pressure by crystal defects: Crack induced hydride formation in Al alloys

Climate change motivates the search for non-carbon-emitting energy generation and storage solutions. Metal hydrides show promising characteristics for this purpose. They can be further stabilized by tailoring the negative pressure of microstructural and structural defects. Using systematic ab initio and atomistic simulations, we demonstrate that an enhancement in the formation of hydrides at the negatively pressurized crack tip region is feasible by increasing the mechanical tensile load on the specimen. The theoretical predictions have been used to reassess and interpret atom probe tomography experiments for a high-strength 7XXX-aluminium alloy that show a substantial enhancement of hydrogen concentration at structural defects near a stress-corrosion crack tip. These results contain important implications for enhancing the capability of metals as H-storage materials.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure

Urban environment soundscape evaluation: Milan case study of noise events perceptions by citizens

As one of the main urban environmental pollutants, noise is becoming a real public health concern due to its impact on citizen's well-being. Real-operation noise monitoring can help policy makers in improving the quality of urban environments. To this end, Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks (WASNs) have been deployed in crowded city centers in both America and Europe. The main application of WASNs is to measure the noise levels from road traffic. Yet, other types of sounds can be found in urban areas, which may also affect citizen's health. Here, we aim to evaluate the citizen's perception of different urban sounds considering their psychoacoustic characteristics, namely loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength and tonality. To this end, we have conducted an on-line and off-site listening test using a urban acoustic event dataset collected by WASNs in Milan. The dataset includes seven common urban noises such as sirens, horns, people talking, truck, works, among others. Participants have been asked to rate the level of agreement with adjectives such as loud, shrilling, disturbing, sharp or pleasant. The test responses from one hundred volunteers allow us to gather valuable information about people's perceptions of common urban noises

Imaging leachate runoff from a landfill using magnetotellurics: The Garraf karst case

Electrical and active source electromagnetic geophysical methods have been traditionally employed to approach and tackle environmental problems, such as those caused by landfills. However, since these problems are more consequential and cover broader areas, it is necessary to use deeper penetration methods, such as magnetotellurics. In the Garraf Massif (Catalan Coastal Ranges, NE Spain), an urban waste disposal landfill had been in operation from 1974 to 2006, during which more than 26 million metric tons of garbage had been deposited. This landfill overlies karstic terrain, thus principally impacting groundwater circulation. Previous electrical resistivity tomography profiles had partially imaged the infill but were not able to penetrate below the base of the original landfill. During 2019 and 2020 we performed a magnetotelluric study over the landfill and its surrounding with the goals of characterizing the electrical resistivity of the infill and below it. The 2D and 3D resistivity models confirmed the highly conductive nature of the leachate and allowed us to identify its presence below the landfill base, which we quantified with maximum thicknesses of 90 m. This proved that landfill leachate had filtered through the original impermeable layer, enhanced by the karstic drainage structure

Radon measurement in karstic waters with Lucas cell technique

Based on Lucas cell technique, the portable device named “PRASSI” (SILENA mod. 5S) was used to realise discrete radon measurements in water samples. The calibration factor is (64.766.9) cpmQBq21 and, with the present set-up for measuring radon in water, the detection and the determination limits are, respectively, 0.007 and 0.020 Bq. Thus, the device is well adapted for determining low radon content in karstic waters. Several discrete radon samplings were performed nearly every week in the three main springs of the Bastareny karstic system (Catalonian Pyrenees, N-E Spain). Thus, it was possible to estimate the reproducibility of the methodology as well as to characterise every spring of the aquifer in relation to their hydrogeological features. With the portable radon monitor, some useful measurements were achieved to estimate radon loss due to degassing process over short distances, with important consequences for radon studies in karstic waters. Lastly, it was possible to perform intensive sampling during a flood and the results point out the great variability of radon levels, closely related to the flow rate trend. That permitted also an intercomparison with other radon probes installed previously in every spring, for continuous radon measurements

Patterns of Plant Biomass Partitioning Depend on Nitrogen Source

Nitrogen (N) availability is a strong determinant of plant biomass partitioning, but the role of different N sources in this process is unknown. Plants inhabiting low productivity ecosystems typically partition a large share of total biomass to belowground structures. In these systems, organic N may often dominate plant available N. With increasing productivity, plant biomass partitioning shifts to aboveground structures, along with a shift in available N to inorganic forms of N. We tested the hypothesis that the form of N taken up by plants is an important determinant of plant biomass partitioning by cultivating Arabidopsis thaliana on different N source mixtures. Plants grown on different N mixtures were similar in size, but those supplied with organic N displayed a significantly greater root fraction. 15N labelling suggested that, in this case, a larger share of absorbed organic N was retained in roots and split-root experiments suggested this may depend on a direct incorporation of absorbed amino acid N into roots. These results suggest the form of N acquired affects plant biomass partitioning and adds new information on the interaction between N and biomass partitioning in plants

Methionine Sulfoxides on Prion Protein Helix-3 Switch on the α-Fold Destabilization Required for Conversion

BACKGROUND: The conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into the infectious form (PrP(Sc)) is the key event in prion induced neurodegenerations. This process is believed to involve a multi-step conformational transition from an alpha-helical (PrP(C)) form to a beta-sheet-rich (PrP(Sc)) state. In addition to the conformational difference, PrP(Sc) exhibits as covalent signature the sulfoxidation of M213. To investigate whether such modification may play a role in the misfolding process we have studied the impact of methionine oxidation on the dynamics and energetics of the HuPrP(125-229) alpha-fold. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using molecular dynamics simulation, essential dynamics, correlated motions and signal propagation analysis, we have found that substitution of the sulfur atom of M213 by a sulfoxide group impacts on the stability of the native state increasing the flexibility of regions preceding the site of the modification and perturbing the network of stabilizing interactions. Together, these changes favor the population of alternative states which maybe essential in the productive pathway of the pathogenic conversion. These changes are also observed when the sulfoxidation is placed at M206 and at both, M206 and M213. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that the sulfoxidation of Helix-3 methionines might be the switch for triggering the initial alpha-fold destabilization required for the productive pathogenic conversion

Integrative multi-omics analysis identifies a prognostic miRNA signature and a targetable miR-21-3p/TSC2/mTOR axis in metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that present variable outcomes. To date, no effective therapies or reliable prognostic markers are available for patients who develop metastatic PPGL (mPPGL). Our aim was to discover robust prognostic markers validated through models, and define specific therapeutic options according to tumor genomic features. : We analyzed three PPGL miRNome datasets (n=443), validated candidate markers and assessed them in serum samples (n=36) to find a metastatic miRNA signature. An integrative study of miRNome, transcriptome and proteome was performed to find miRNA targets, which were further characterized . : A signature of six miRNAs (miR-21-3p, miR-183-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-551b-3p, and miR-202-5p) was associated with metastatic risk and time to progression. A higher expression of five of these miRNAs was also detected in PPGL patients' liquid biopsies compared with controls. The combined expression of miR-21-3p/miR-183-5p showed the best power to predict metastasis (AUC=0.804, =4.67·10), and was found associated with pro-metastatic features, such as neuroendocrine-mesenchymal transition phenotype, and increased cell migration rate. A pan-cancer multi-omic integrative study correlated miR-21-3p levels with TSC2 expression, mTOR pathway activation, and a predictive signature for mTOR inhibitor-sensitivity in PPGLs and other cancers. Likewise, we demonstrated a repression and an enhanced rapamycin sensitivity upon miR-21-3p expression. : Our findings support the assessment of miR-21-3p/miR-183-5p, in tumors and liquid biopsies, as biomarkers for risk stratification to improve the PPGL patients' management. We propose miR-21-3p to select mPPGL patients who may benefit from mTOR inhibitors