Quiet Office Research Articles

The English l sound produced by Korean students.

This study examined the lateral l sound produced by 16 Korean students in order to tap a possibility of using acoustical and perceptual criteria to distinguish lateral variants and eventually to assess student’s English pronunciation skills. The subjects read a short story in a quiet office at normal speed. Those words with the lateral sound in onset or coda positions and before a vowel of the following word were analyzed using PRAAT. The following results are shown. First, the majority of the subjects produced the clear l regardless of the contexts. Some students produced the sound as the Korean flap or the English glide /r/. A few missing cases were also seen. Second, the dark l was mostly produced by the subjects of English majors in coda position with a few cases before a vowel in a phrase. Visual displays from the computer analysis were helpful in determining lateral variants but sometimes personal listening to the given sound after temporal manipulation would be necessary in the cases of fast and weak productions of the target words. Further studies would be desirable to compare native productions of the lateral sound with those of non‐native speakers.

Brief Multiple Behavior Interventions in a College Student Health Care Clinic

Purpose This study examined the effects of brief image-based interventions, including a multiple behavior health contract, a one-on-one tailored consultation, and a combined consultation plus contract intervention, for impacting multiple health behaviors of students in a university health clinic. Methods A total of 155 college students attending a major southern university were recruited to participate in a study evaluating a health promotion program titled Project Fitness during the fall 2005 and spring 2006. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three treatments as they presented at the clinic: 1) a multiple behavior health contract, 2) a one-on-one tailored consultation, or 3) a combined consultation plus contract intervention. Baseline and 1-month post-intervention data were collected using computer-assisted questionnaires in a quiet office within the student health clinic. Results Omnibus repeated-measures analyses of variance were significant for drinking driving behaviors, F(2,136) = 4.43, p = .01, exercise behaviors, F(5,140) = 6.12, p = .00, nutrition habits, F(3,143) = 5.37, p = .00, sleep habits, F(2,144) = 5.03, p = .01, and health quality of life, F(5,140) = 3.09, p = .01, with improvements on each behavior across time. Analysis of group-by-time interaction effects showed an increase in the use of techniques to manage stress, F(2,144) = 5.48, p = .01, and the number of health behavior goals set in the last 30 days, F(2,143) = 5.35, p = .01, but only among adolescents receiving the consultation, or consultation plus contract. Effect sizes were consistently larger across health behaviors, and medium in size, when both consult and contract were used together. Conclusions Brief interventions using a positive goal image of fitness, and addressing a number of health habits using a contract and consultation strategy alone, or in combination, have the potential to influence positive changes in multiple health behaviors of college students attending a university primary health care clinic.

Comment on Short-Term Variation in Subjective Sleepiness

Subjective sleepiness at different times is often measured in studies on sleep loss, night work, or drug effects. However, the context at the time of rating may influence results. The present study examined sleepiness throughout the day at hourly intervals and during controlled activities [reading, writing, walking, social interaction (discussion), etc.] by 10-min. intervals for 3 hr. This was done on a normal working day preceded by a scheduled early rising (to invite sleepiness) for six subjects. Analysis showed a significant U-shaped pattern across the day with peaks in the early morning and late evening. A walk and social interaction were associated with low sleepiness, compared to sedentary and quiet office work. None of this was visible in the hourly ratings. There was also a pronounced afternoon increase in sleepiness, that was not observable with hourly ratings. It was concluded that there are large variations in sleepiness related to time of day and also to context and that sparse sampling of subjective sleepiness may miss much of this variation.

Effects of guidelines implementation in a surgical intensive care unit to control nighttime light and noise levels.

Because of around-the-clock activities, environmental noise and light are among the many causes of sleep disturbance in an intensive care unit (ICU). The implementation of guidelines may potentially change behavior rules and improve sleep quality. A prospective interventional study, observing the effects of simple nighttime guidelines on light and noise levels in an ICU. A modern surgical ICU, subdivided into six identical three-bed rooms. Critically ill adult patients. Between two observation periods, five guidelines were implemented to decrease both light and noise during the night shift in the patient's room. Light levels and noise levels were obtained using a luxmeter and a sound level meter [A-weighted decibels (dB) scale] and were monitored continuously from 11 pm to 5 am both before (period P1) and after (period P2) the implementation of guidelines. Similar patient's gravity and nursing workload scores were observed between P1 and P2. A low mean (<5 Lux) and maximal light level were measured during both P1 and P2. The implementation of guidelines lowered mean light disturbance intensity with a greater variability of light during P2. All noise levels were high and corresponded more to a quiet office for noise level equivalents and to a busy restaurant for peak noise levels during both P1 and P2. Guidelines decreased the noise level equivalent (P1, 51.3 dB; P2, 48.3 dB), peak noise level (P1, 74.9 dB; P2, 70.8 dB), and the number of acoustic identified alarms (P1, 22.1 dB; P2, 15.8 dB) during P2. The night light levels were low during both periods, and lowering the light levels induced a greater variation of light, which may impair sleep quality. All measured noise levels were high during both periods, which could contribute to sleep disturbance, and the implementation of guidelines significantly lowers some important noise levels. The background noise level was unchanged.

Tenure and Community in Academe

he secretary ushers me into the office for my final interview of the day-an upper-level medical school administrator. He is running late. I await him in his quiet office that is resplendent with comfortable furniture and the trappings of what we have come to think of as the richest profession-medicine. The plush carpet, the rich wooden hues of the matching tables and chairs, the fleet of secretaries for one individual are impossible to find when I interview colleagues in other professions such as education or social work. Even medicine, however, has hit on hard times. This administrator's medical school is running a deficit in the millions. Threats of faculty layoffs are imminent; a lawsuit by faculty who feel that their contracts and rights of tenure have been abrogated is soon to be filed in court. I am here to interview the individual about his views on the problems of the medical school in general and, in particular, what changes, if any, need to be made to tenure codes. Over the last two years, I have interviewed close to 90 individuals on public and private campuses in the United States. In an age of rapid technological change that reorients not only how we work with our students, but also how we collect data, I also have received over 500 e-mail messages from colleagues in colleges and universities about what they see happening on their own campuses. Tenure is under attack. The medical school administrator, although speaking about issues germane to a medical school, echoes conversations I have had on other campuses and in other schools.

Real-time method for the measurement of noise exposure from communication headsets

A method for measuring noise exposure from communication headsets is presented. It is based on an accurate acousto-mechanical model of the human head, and a filter to transform the data from the eardrum level to equivalent diffuse free-field values. The filter fits an existing integrating sound-level meter (Bruel and Kjaer type 2231), allowing measurements in real-time. The measurements were validated by comparing them with those obtained with a sound-level meter in the free field and with a miniature microphone. The method is accurate, objective, relatively simple, and works with any kind of communication headset. Measurements of noise exposure from communication headsets were taken at eight sites. The noise exposure level L ex,8(the equivalent sound level L eq normalized to 8 h) varied from 64 to 81 dBA in quiet office settings and from 77 to 88 dBA in noisy environments, with one measurement at 95 dBA.

Immitance Audiometry

Immitance audiometry is a safe, simple, reliable, and relatively objective method of determining middle-ear function that provides advantages for examining the difficult patient because minimal cooperation is needed. Acoustic-immitance measurements obtain sophisticated data that give us valuable information about the middle ear mechanism as a whole. It can be used in a quiet office environment. Immitance audiometry can confirm a doubtful otoscopic diagnosis and screen for ear disease. There are limitations to observer reliability with otoscopy, which has good sensitivity but poor specificity, in contrast to immitance audiometry. The tympanogram can be classified into four different patterns on the basis of its characteristics. These patterns are diagnostic, distinguishing normal function from various types of middle ear pathology. Immitance audiometry has very high sensitivity and specificity. The acoustic reflex, a contraction of the stapedius muscle following an intense auditory stimulus, can be valuable in determining a conductive hearing loss and many other otologic diagnoses. As a screening tool, immitance audiometry is most valuable in populations at risk for middle ear effusion, primarily those aged 7 months to 5 years. Significant improvements in measurements of ear function also allow us to be more precise in the diagnoses of otosclerosis, perforation of the tympanic membrane, ossicular discontinuity, facial nerve dysfunction, and brain stem disorders.

The Impact of Environment on the Productivity Attitudes of Intellectually Challenged Office Workers

Factors affecting the productivity of intellectually challenged office workers have not been systematically investigated. The impact of environment (lighting, noise, pleasant sounds, landscape, etc.) on the expressed productivity of 11 office workers engaged in decisionmaking, design, and/or creative work was explored in a realistic office setting. A novel feature in the experimental office environment was an “artificial window,” designed as a substitute for an outside window in an interior office, using motion picture loops of outdoor/nature scenes projected onto a back-projection screen. Matching nature sound or music could also be introduced as accompaniment. For long-term comfort and productivity, the artificial window was rated nearly as desirable as an outside window. Additional findings were that subjects preferred low-level music or nature sounds to a totally quiet office, and that introduction of these sounds could also block to some extent the undesirable effects of cyclic-pattern industrial noise. However, the introduction of music or nature sounds in concert with random-pattern noise, such as in a very noisy office, tended to accentuate the undesirable effects of the noise.

A New Train Performance Calculator

This paper describes a new train performance calculator recently placed in service by the Pennsylvania Railroad in Philadelphia. This calculator was developed to compute and record mechanically and quickly information required by a railroad to determine the economics, application, proper size, and tonnage ratings for new types of motive power, which information previously was assembled from a large number of tedious step-by-step mathematical calculations. The machine consists of three self-balancing, potentiometer-type, curve-drawing instruments, electrically interconnected, and a low-energy auxiliary circuit. The latter contains apparatus necessary to represent effective forces which influence the movement of a train and to represent certain types of motion which must be calculated to determine the performance of a theoretical train. The simplicity of its control and operation makes it suitable for continuous use in a quiet engineering office.

Power station centralized control centralized control for steam power stations

THE ULTIMATE in centralization of instrumentation and controls for a steam electric power station might be considered as only one operator for the whole station; this operator would be sitting in a quiet air-conditioned office with one load indicator and one control to start, adjust the load, and stop each main turbine generator. The boiler for each unit and all other equipment would operate automatically, and the man's only duties would be to operate the load controls in accordance with telephone dinstructions from the system load dispatcher. However, this ultimate in simplification is neither economical nor feasible for present-day steam turbine generators, boilers, and auxiliary equipment.

Factors Affecting Human Efficiency

LOADING pig-iron on a freight car, driving an automobile, typing a letter, delivering an oration, planning an advertising campaign, directing the policies of a state or corporation, writing a poem, or devising a scientific theory-all these are work, and all of them can be done with varying degrees of efficiency. It is quite apparent that there are great differences between even the few samples of work which we have mentioned. Some require more strength than others, some require more of what we call intelligence, some require more ambition, and so on. The muscular strength required is certainly an important characteristic of work. Strenuous muscular work can best be done by young, but fullgrown, males; it can best be done for short periods; it requires its own type of preparation and a particular kind of diet for the worker. One cannot reason that, because a bookkeeper does better on a light diet, in a quiet office, and with, perhaps, long but infrequent rests, that the same is true for the foundry hand. The amount of intelligence required also differentiates one kind of work from another. A business executive or military commander can hardly be too intelligent in his work. But a girl running an ending machine in a paperbox factory would find much thought or any other form of intelligent behavior quite a handicap. She would be like the centipede of the following well-known lines: