Quiet Space Research Articles

Investigating effect chains from cognitive and noise-induced short-term stress build-up to restoration in an urban or nature setting using 360° VR

Population growth and increasing urbanization leads to growing exposure to traffic noise and a decline in accessible green spaces that could promote restoration from noise-induced stress. The objective of this virtual reality laboratory study was to investigate the effect chains of noise and cognitive demand on the build-up of short-term stress, and subsequent restoration in either a natural green or urban built quiet space. Participants were first exposed to road traffic noise of different sound pressure levels (LAeq of 35, 55, or 75 dB), being randomly assigned to passive listening (low cognitive demand) or concurrently performing cognitively demanding tasks (high demand). The stress phase revealed higher levels of perceived stress as well as tonic skin conductance for the high demand over the low demand group, independent of noise exposure. Increasing noise exposure was associated with elevated noise annoyance ratings and lower self-assessed wellbeing. In the subsequent restoration phase, all measures of perceived restoration indicated a clear advantage for green over non-green spaces. Further, participants from the high-demand group who were immersed in the green restorative space displayed significantly lower skin conductance levels than those in the urban built spaces. The findings suggest that exposure to natural green spaces is beneficial for psychological as well as physiological restoration from short-term stress induced by noise and cognitive demand. Our study underlines the important beneficial role of urban green spaces, particularly in densely populated, noisy urban environments.

Transient upstream mesoscale structures: drivers of solar-quiet space weather

In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that space weather disturbances can be triggered by transient upstream mesoscale structures (TUMS), independently of the occurrence of large-scale solar wind (SW) structures, such as interplanetary coronal mass ejections and stream interaction regions. Different types of magnetospheric pulsations, transient perturbations of the geomagnetic field and auroral structures are often observed during times when SW monitors indicate quiet conditions, and have been found to be associated to TUMS. In this mini-review we describe the space weather phenomena that have been associated with four of the largest-scale and the most energetic TUMS, namely, hot flow anomalies, foreshock bubbles, travelling foreshocks and foreshock compressional boundaries. The space weather phenomena associated with TUMS tend to be more localized and less intense compared to geomagnetic storms. However, the quiet time space weather may occur more often since, especially during solar minima, quiet SW periods prevail over the perturbed times.

Zen Den: A Novel Approach to Promote Well-Being in the Workplace.

Purpose: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, holistic nurses at an academic level 1 trauma center in Hawaii utilized a novel holistic approach to combat stress and anxiety symptoms while promoting nurse's well-being. This assessment aimed to determine whether a brief session incorporating Reiki and meditation could decrease nurses' perceived stress and anxiety while increasing perceived happiness and coping ability. Methods: Two Reiki-certified holistic nurses developed a mobile 10-minute individual well-being session called "Zen Den." In each session, the holistic nurse provided hands-on Reiki concurrent with a meditation streamed by a free online application. Pre and post-self-assessments were measured using a Likert scale. Findings: Participants (N = 92) showed an average decrease in perceived stress by 46% and anxiety by 45%, and an increase in feelings of happiness by 17% and perceived coping ability by 18%. Conclusion: This novel approach to promote well-being in the workplace can be achieved using existing resources such as Reiki-trained staff, a quiet space, and a 10-minute well-being session with guided meditation using a free online application.

Engaging With Health Consumers in Scientific Conferences-As Partners not Bystanders.

It is now widely recognised that engaging consumers in research activities can enhance the quality, equity and relevance of the research. Much of the commentary about consumer engagement in research focuses on research processes and implementation, rather than dissemination in conference settings. This article offers reflections and learnings from consumers, researchers and conference organisers on the 12th Health Services Research Conference, a biennial conference hosted by the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ). We were awarded funds via a competitive application process by Bellberry Limited, a national not-for-profit agency with a focus on improving research quality, to incorporate consumer engagement strategies in conference processes and evaluate their impact. Strategies included consumer scholarships, a buddy system, designated quiet space and consumer session co-chairs; the reflections explored in this paper were collected in the funded, independent evaluation. Our insights suggest a need for more structured consumer involvement in conference planning and design, as well as the development of specific engagement strategies. To move toward active partnership in scientific conference settings, our experience reinforces the need to engage consumers as members in designing and conducting research and in presenting research and planning conference content and processes. Consumer engagement in research dissemination at conferences is the focus of this viewpoint article. Consumers were involved in the conception of this article and have contributed to authorship at all stages of revisions and edits.

Typology of Informal Learning Spaces (ILS) in Sustainable Academic Education: A Systematic Literature Review in Architecture and Urban Planning

Informal learning spaces (ILS) offer unique opportunities for students to interact and develop skills in a more social, resilient, and sustainable environment. However, there is a lack of a definitive typology for ILS and related design factors and outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the typology of ILS in academic education, including relevant design factors and positive outcomes from architectural and urban planning perspectives. A systematic literature review was conducted on articles published between 2004 and 2024 from four databases: Scopus, ScienceDirect, Emerald Insights, and IEEE Xplore. The included articles are in English and based on empirical data published in peer-reviewed journals, focusing on informal learning and its settings. A total of 37 full-text articles were included in the descriptive review, from which two categories and six types were identified: private indoor quiet space, semi-private/semi-public indoor space, public indoor space, public sustainable space, public outdoor space, and comprehensive space. The results also revealed seven categories of factors affecting these types of ILS: personal aspects, spatial design, physical settings, resources, social aspects, natural environment, and perceived environment. Furthermore, these ILS significantly contributed to five categories of positive outcomes: learning efficacy, socialisation, refreshment and relaxation, health outcomes, and sustainable development. Therefore, this SLR significantly contributed to the definition and typology of ILS in sustainable higher education.

Anatomy of a Song

Anatomy of a Song

Beyond Words

Beyond Words

Apartment with Acoustics Environment Approach in Center Jakarta

Environmental acoustics have an important architectural role that has a major influence on the productivity, health and sustainability of cities. living and proximity to the workplace have become essential needs for workers and entrepreneurs in today’s era. As many still work using the hybrid system, where workers require a comfortable living space as well as a comfortable workspace to support productivity, meetings and work can be done in the same place. SOHO apartments provide a solution to this problem, but they are prone to acoustic issues due to their open plan and loft concepts. The large volume of space requires special treatment, especially in terms of reverberation time. Excessive reverberation time can disrupt the productivity of residents and workers. A quiet space is needed to support these activities. This study aims to explain how environmental acoustics can improve the quality of a room and increase productivity and healthy through the application of acoustic absorbent material. However, the use of absorbent material is not very good for the environment if its use is not appropriate, therefore the selection of absorbent material must be analyzed carefully, so that what is obtained is PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) material which supports all aspects of the SOHO apartment’s space needs and also material recycling up to 90%-99% which is good for sustainability. This study uses a combination method of observation and precedent studies. The results of this research involve the application of parameters to address acoustic issues in SOHO apartments and improve the acoustic quality of the space.

Eliciting perspectives on remote healthcare delivery from service users with psychosis in the community: a cross-sectional survey study.

The transition towards remote healthcare has been rapidly accelerated in recent years due to a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, however, few studies have explored service users' views of remote mental healthcare, particularly in community mental health settings. As part of a larger study concerned with the development of a remotely delivered psychosocial intervention, a survey was conducted with service users with psychosis (N = 200) from six NHS trusts across England to gain cross-sectional data about service users' opinions and attitudes towards remote interventions and explore how digital access varies across different demographic groups and geographical localities. The majority of service users had access to technological devices and a quiet space to receive care. Age was a key factor in motivation to engage with remote care as older participants had less access to technological devices and the internet, and reported less confidence to learn how to use new technologies compared to younger participants. Differences in access and attitudes towards remote care were found across the different geographical localities. Over half of the participants (53.1%) preferred a hybrid model (i.e., mixture of face-to-face and remotely delivered treatment), with only 4.5% preferring remote treatment exclusively. Factors that both encourage and deter service users from engaging with remote care were identified. The findings of this study provide important information about the environmental and clinical barriers that prevent, or limit, the uptake of remotely delivered care for people with psychotic disorders. Although service users often have the ability and capacity to receive remote care, providers need to be cognisant of factors which may exacerbate digital exclusion and negatively impact the therapeutic alliance.

Chromotherapy Method in Rehabilitation Center for Drug Addict

This study explains about color as a therapy in rehabilitation center for narcotics. Nowadays, color in architecture is not only aesthetically pleasing but also affects people emotionally and psychologically because it can stimulate the nervous system. Using color as a therapy or Chromotherapy has been used from ancient times until now and the effect of its application in health facilities can provide psychological well-being and create therapeutic environment for patients healing process. Narcotics patients get negative impact physically and psychologically from the drug itself, they usually have high stress levels. The factors that can increase stress in a drug addict patient are negative emotions, people, and environment. By paying attention to the quality of color in the drug healing environment, it can reduce or eliminate stressors that come from the environment. This can have positive effects such as a calming effect, reduce stress and make the patient feel better. In other words, architectural designs that tend towards quiet space will be a good design for building a rehabilitation center.

A simplified geospace model for satellite design

This study introduced a simplified, integrated computational model to estimate the drag coefficient and surface charging within the plasma wake of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) spacecraft influenced by various solar activities. The model constituted four core modules: a solver for the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction, a magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling for electric field mapping, an ionization model for the F-layer of the ionosphere, and an estimation model for excess satellite drag and plasma wake size. The initial module adopted a simplified 1D ideal Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model while incorporating magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions to derive electric field data near Earth’s boundary. A simplified ionospheric model for the F-layer was implemented to compute the O+ and electron densities. Subsequently, the spacecraft drag coefficient and the plasma wake size were determined for varying solar wind speed inputs corresponding to quiet, intense, and extreme space weather conditions. In the case of extreme conditions with a solar wind speed of 1000 km/s, the results indicated that the excess satellite drag coefficient and plasma wake size increased to around ten percent.

Users’ perception and satisfaction with library facilities, resources and services in Crawford University, Nigeria

The purpose of the study was to investigate the user’s perception and level of satisfaction with the facilities, resources, and services provided by Crawford University Library. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study, and the population of the study was one thousand six hundred (1,600) undergraduate students of Crawford University for the 2021–2022 academic year. A stratified random sampling technique was used to determine the sample size. A questionnaire was the instrument of data collection. Data generated were analysed using the statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and results were presented in descriptive and inferential statistics, frequency counts, simple percentages, means, standard deviations and charts. It was found that the majority of the undergraduate students at Crawford University were satisfied with the facilities, resources, and services provided to them by the library. Nonetheless, the study concluded and recommended that there should be improvement, especially in the areas of availability of newspapers, provision of a comfortable environment and quiet space, toilet facilities, and internet facilities. Also, maintenance culture should be upheld, and damaged equipment should be repaired or replaced, as a conducive environment will help to sustain a high level of user satisfaction among library users, among others.

Metacognitive, Management and Affective Strategies of Dental Students at the Beginning and the End of the University Curriculum

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate students’ metacognitive, resource management, and affective strategies at the Faculty of Dentistry in Casablanca and to observe their evolution between the beginning and the end of their university course. Method: A questionnaire on the different strategies was distributed to students in their first and fifth years of the 2021/2022 academic year. Results: 79.4% of fifth-year students began preparing by creating a schedule, compared with 59.3% of first-year students. 65.2% of fifth-year students and 60.1% of first-year students could adapt their planning to circumstances and unforeseen events. 78% of fifth-year students vs. 68.9% of first-year students gave enough time to their studies without neglecting other important aspects of their lives. 81.9% of first-year students and 85.1% of fifth-year students used the internet to search for difficult words. Efficient time management was noted in the fifth-year compared to the first-year students, as 69.5% of fifth-year students stated. 54.8% of first-year and 70.2% of fifth-year students opted for a clean, quiet study space to maintain motivation. Conclusion: The strategies adopted by the two classes were largely similar. However, fifth-year students felt they had better stress management, time management, and understanding of medical vocabulary than first-year students. This means effective study strategies and the ability to manage them develop over the years.</p>

Development of a compact device for duct noises

Noise radiated from ducts associated with air conditioning equipment is one of the most important noises that must be addressed to create a quiet space. While it is relatively easy to reduce this noise if the equipment works at a constant frequency, it is difficult to reduce noises of various frequencies being generated depending on changes in its output. Although a side branch is one of the solutions for duct noises, a single side branch can only be effective for a specific frequency. On the other hand, multiple side branches can broaden the effect, However, the space required for side branches becomes very large and is not practical for use. In this study, a compact duct noise reduction device based on the side branch concept is proposed. The side branches of multiple lengths filled with porous materials are considered to achieve both a wide-band reduction and space saving. The design process of the device which can be installed easily is illustrated and the reduction performance are estimated by numerical studies.

JAVA Memory Care program: Facilitating social and occupational engagement for older adults living with advanced dementia.

Residents in aged care homes often report lack of life purpose and meaning and limited opportunities to contribute to their community. The JAVA Memory Care program is designed to facilitate engagement for older adults with advanced dementia. This study explored whether JAVA Memory Care engaged such adults meaningfully, on social and occupational levels, within one Australian residential care home. A mixed method design guided this exploration. Trained staff facilitated six JAVA groups over 2 months. Three sources of data were utilised. Observational data (qualitative and quantitative) were obtained using a narratively enhanced Assessment Tool for Social and Occupational Engagement (ATOSE). The other two data sources were qualitative and analysed thematically: reflections by the lead JAVA facilitator and data generated by a research discussion group. The quantitative data comprised 564 ATOSE behaviour markers. Participants were categorised as being engaged in 93% of these markers. Two of the three qualitative themes focused on the collective and self-expressive nature of participant engagement. The third theme focused on practicalities such as time pressures, facilitator training, resident selection, and resource preparation. For residents, the groups provided a context for relating meaningfully to others. The JAVA program achieved a high level of engagement. However, it was a time intensive intervention and required a person-centred philosophy, appropriate staff training, organisational support, and a suitable quiet space. The program had positive benefits, but practical issues identified needed to be considered before implementation.

Serving the Underserved: Formerly Incarcerated Students and Support Services

This study centered on the lived experiences of five community college students who were formerly incarcerated. Through interviews, the students shared their expectations before entering college, resources they found to be most helpful throughout their enrollment, and what they feel could make them more successful. The research focuses on the areas of academic learning, sense of belonging, and career preparedness. Results showed formerly incarcerated students were very independent when applying for college, but some standard procedures such as, applying for in-state residency for instance, are not streamlined. Formerly incarcerated students experienced difficulty using technology and finding the equipment and a quiet space to study. Active learning, connections with faculty and peers of similar interests, and helpful, trained advisors were all credited as adding to the success of formerly incarcerated students. These findings are discussed in relation to adjustments that can be made by community college administrators.

The status of e-learning, personality traits, and coping styles among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

The objective of this study was to explore the learning preferences and habits of medical students during the pandemic home e-learning, and to investigate the incidence of adverse emotions, optimistic character level and coping style. To explore the influencing factors of adverse emotions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from March to June 2022. Medical students were recruited from three universities in China, and a questionnaire survey was conducted. The questionnaires consisted of a "e-learning preferences and habits questionnaire", life orientation test questionnaire (LOT-R), and simple coping style questionnaire (SCSQ). Finally, a total of 492 medical students who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria became the research subjects and completed the survey. A total of 57.7% believed they experienced no adverse emotions during home e-learning. ① During the COVID-19 pandemic, the score of optimistic personality of medical students was (7.25 ± 1.933), and the score of pessimistic personality was (5.82 ± 2.240). The score of positive coping was (21.75 ± 5.379), and the score of negative coping was (11.75 ± 3.611). ② The occurrence of medical students' adverse emotions during e-learning was influenced by "Whether there is a private, quiet space to study", "Degree of knowledge mastery", "Physical discomfort or not", "Keep a regular schedule or not", "Optimistic personality tendency". This study demonstrates the during home e-learning, most medical students have their own learning equipment and can meet their learning needs. Their favorite mobile device to use is a mobile phone, and their favorite method of teaching is to provide course playback. More than half of medical students believe that they have some inconvenience in conducting research during home e-learning. With regard to teacher's real-time screen, the largest number of medical students support teachers turning on live screens so that they feel like they are interacting with the teacher. The preference for blended teaching is highest among medical students. In general, medical students were highly adaptive of the newest e-learning approach. Based on the statistic analysis, the factors that "Whether there is a private, quiet space to study", "Degree of knowledge mastery", "Physical discomfort or not", "Keep a regular schedule or not", and "Optimistic personality tendency" may be the influencing factors for the occurrence of adverse emotions.

On Earth’s habitability over the Sun’s main-sequence history: joint influence of space weather and Earth’s magnetic field evolution

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to analyse the Earth habitability with respect to the direct exposition of the Earth atmosphere to the solar wind (SW) along the Sun’s evolution on the main sequence including the realistic evolution of the space weather conditions and the Earth magnetic field. The MHD code PLUTO in spherical coordinates is applied to perform parametric studies with respect to the SW dynamic pressure and the interplanetary magnetic field intensity for different Earth magnetic field configurations. Quiet space weather conditions may not impact the Earth habitability. On the other hand, the impact of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICME) could lead to the erosion of the primary Earth atmosphere during the Hadean eon. A dipolar field of 30 μT is strong enough to shield the Earth from the Eo-Archean age as well as 15 and 5 μT dipolar fields from the Meso-Archean and Meso-Proterozoic, respectively. Multipolar weak field period during the Meso-Proterozoic age may not be a threat for ICME-like space weather conditions if the field intensity is at least 15 μT and the ratio between the quadrupolar (Q) and dipolar (D) coefficients is $\frac{Q}{D} \le 0.5$. By contrast, the Earth habitability in the Phanerozoic eon (including the present time) can be hampered during multipolar low field periods with a strength of 5 μT and $\frac{Q}{D} \ge 0.5$ associated with geomagnetic reversals. Consequently, the effect of the SW should be considered as a possible driver of Earth’s habitability.

Re-Purposing the Physical Space of an Academic Library in the Digital Era: A Case Study of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, New Delhi (India)

Objectives – The issue/return of books and other reading materials available on shelves in academic libraries has declined. Round-the-clock availability of information resources, high-speed internet, cheaper cost of data download, laptops, and smartphones are some of the reasons behind decreased usage of print reading materials. Users are spending more time studying, accessing e-resources, socializing with friends, and discussing with peer groups in the library building. Libraries in developed countries have already recognized the need of the hour and redesigned their spaces to create a variety of reading spaces, creative spaces, quiet spaces, and so forth in the existing building. But the libraries of the higher education institutions in India have not considered the users' needs concerning the library space. No such study has been conducted at large universities in India. This study was conducted with library users of the central library of two large universities located in New Delhi to find users' opinions and views to re-purpose the library space to meet users' needs. Methods – The survey method has been used to understand the use of the existing format of knowledge resources and the need of library users. The central point of the research questionnaire is to optimize the library space of the central libraries of the universities under study. Printed questionnaires were distributed to the users present in the reading halls of the libraries at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and Delhi University (DU), New Delhi, and online questionnaires were distributed to faculty members. The collected data were analyzed with Microsoft Excel, and various hypotheses were tested using non-parametric tests such as the sign test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results – Students and research scholars visit daily and spend more than four hours in the library building. They use their time in study, accessing e-resources in the reading halls of the library more than any other place. The users opined the reading halls should have wi-fi facilities, a power source to charge laptops and mobile phones, washrooms near every reading hall, a quiet reading space, and a clean ambient environment for long hours of study in the library building. Conclusion – Library users in the 21st century want more physical space to study, concentrate, socialize, and learn in the informal learning environment. They need library space with the latest infrastructure to connect to the digital world to retrieve study materials and print copies of study materials. Educational institutions should create more varied reading spaces for serious reading, pleasure reading, in-depth reading, and interactive learning spaces in new library buildings.

The Reticent Revolution of Sexual Daydreams

Daydreaming is a spoken word poem that captures the intimate moment in which a woman fantasizes about having sex with her ‘crush’. Although romantic and tender at times, this piece is not a snapshot of ‘everlasting love’ between two people, but of the reticent revolution of self-love, self-indulgence, and self-surrender that invokes sexual daydreams. brown’s (2019) ‘Pleasure Activism’ observes the sensual imagination as a private and safe place where we develop fantasies of what we desire – what we want to do to others, or what we want done to us by others or what we want to witness, while acknowledging that these fantasies are heavily influenced by cultural social norms and intersecting systems of hierarchy that can perpetuate the disempowerment of ourselves and others. This leads brown to recognize sexual fantasies as sites for radical healing and liberation – as a quiet space where we get to intentionally work on developing new fantasies and generate power in and/or out of the bedroom. Inspired by brown’s work, Daydreaming challenges androcentric and suppressive cultures of sexual exploitation and repression by (re)imagining and (re)claiming sex as something full of reciprocity, rapture, and vocality, thus disrupting the long-standing history of silencing survivors of sexual trauma and the patriarchal view that sexual pleasure is primarily for white straight cis men. As such, the poem embodies counter-hegemony, not only offering us an opportunity to see, feel, sense, and imagine differently, but to also (re)shape “our real-life desires and practices”, as brown (2019) puts it (p. 222). By creating space to envision new imaginary landscapes of sexual healing, sexual empowerment, and sexual liberation, Daydreaming reminds us of the power and potential of the radical sexual imagination to liberate a part of our (sexual) selves from within. It seeks to celebrate the political and liberating process of shamelessly luxuriating in our own erotic imaginations to activate our inner sexual worlds, and thus to produce social change.