Uncomfortable Environment Research Articles

Diversity: How to Begin the Discussion

The perception of diversity and inclusion, as it relates to social justice, often evokes destructive responses, either spoken or unspoken. It is one of the ‘malicious problems’ found in the classroom, the workplace, and amongst other parts of our society. In challenging these problems with diversity and inclusion, conversations regarding the substantive aspects of oppression and inequitable distribution of power of one group over another must be initiated to educate or expand the thinking of our modern day society. Formulating solutions from these conversations, willing individuals must be able to name the issue, analyze its impact, and enact a positive change, while acknowledging the difficulties in creating conversations of an issue that is in dire need of revelation. This report provides a non-controversial presentation, beginning with reasons for resistance, followed by survival strategies, and ending with pro-active strategies to establish dialogue and to allow for personal stories. Further discussion will analyze aggressive behavior, examine critical core values for an individual and organization, discuss positive and effective methods for combating mistreatment, and empowerment strategies to respond positively to oppression. Strategies for engaging an organization are included, such as how to use these tools to co-create a vision for a welcoming environment in organizations, while acknowledging the uncomfortable atmosphere that surrounds the topic of cultural change. Accepting that this uncomfortable environment stems from fear itself, fear is a viable part of the process towards trust and resolution.

Chicks with decks: the female lived experience in poker

Though poker does not inherently discriminate between men and women, the proportion of men in the game is much higher than that of women. The authors describe the female lived experience in poker, including interactional barriers to participation from the moment they step foot in the door, to individual decisions at the table, and through to the time they depart. In-depth qualitative interviews with 13 recreational and professional poker players are used to explore these issues. Strategies women use to overcome the potentially uncomfortable and intimidating environment to persist in poker play are also explored, such as community-building through women-only poker games and adapting to and forming aggressive play strategies. It is suggested that poker be distinguished as a unique example of gender differences in gambling, a complex group interaction that goes beyond the current theory on gendered gambling preferences.

The Early-Stage Patient-Oriented Researcher in 2012: Challenges and Strategies

The Early-Stage Patient-Oriented Researcher in 2012: Challenges and Strategies

Silver nanoparticles: the powerful nanoweapon against multidrug-resistant bacteria

In the present scenario, pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors are facing the challenges of continuous increase in the multidrug-resistant (MDR) human pathogenic microbes. Re-emergence of MDR microbes is facilitated by drug and/or antibiotic resistance, which is acquired way of microbes for their survival and multiplication in uncomfortable environments. MDR bacterial infections lead to significant increase in mortality, morbidity and cost of prolonged treatments. Therefore, development, modification or searching the antimicrobial compounds having bactericidal potential against MDR bacteria is a priority area of research. Silver in the form of various compounds and bhasmas have been used in Ayurveda to treat several bacterial infections since time immemorial. As several pathogenic bacteria are developing antibiotic resistance, silver nanoparticles are the new hope to treat them. This review discusses the bactericidal potential of silver nanoparticles against the MDR bacteria. This multiactional nanoweapon can be used for the treatment and prevention of drug-resistant microbes.

Structural optimization of an automobile transmission case to minimize radiation noise using the model reduction technique

Vehicles should provide a comfortable environment for passengers. The noise from the transmission case is one of the causes of an uncomfortable environment. The transmission is composed of gears, shafts, bearing and cases. When transmission activity occurs, noise is transferred to the passengers through the transmission case. Design of the transmission case is performed in order to reduce the transmission noise. Acoustic analysis is carried out and structural optimization is utilized for the design to reduce the noise. Generally, the boundary element method (BEM) has been utilized for acoustic analysis. However, it is difficult to utilize the boundary element method in structural optimization because the cost to calculate the sensitivity information is fairly expensive. Instead, the finite element method (FEM) is employed for calculating the radiation noise of the transmission. Radiation noise is considered as the total noise from the transmission. Radiation noise is calculated at the outside of the transmission case and it can be expressed indirectly by multiplication of the velocity in the normal direction of the finite elements, the radiation efficiency and the characteristic acoustic impedance. The high frequencies are dominant for the transmission noise and the radiation efficiency is 1 at the high frequency range. Since the characteristic acoustic impedance has a constant value, the noise is the same as the norm of the velocity. The velocity of each finite element is calculated from modal analysis and the noise is expressed based on the average velocity of the vibrating structure. However, a long computation time is required to calculate the noise in a large scale structure such as a transmission. Thus, the entire model of transmission is condensed into the reduced model by the model reduction technique. The component mode synthesis (CMS) method is employed for the model reduction technique. The CMS method is an effective method for dynamic analysis of large and/or complex structures. The reduced model keeps the dynamic characteristics of the entire structure and it is used for structural optimization. In structural optimization, the design variables are the thicknesses of the groups of the transmission cases, the objective function is the mass of the structure and a constraint is imposed on the noise. An alternative formulation is made by exchanging the objective and constraint functions. The optimization results are discussed in terms of practical application.

Acting white: the ironic legacy of desegregation

Commentators from Bill Crosby to Barack Obama have observed the phenomenon of black schoolchildren accusing studious classmates of acting white. How did this contentious phrase, with roots in Jim Crow-era racial discord, become a part of the schoolyard lexicon, and what does it say about the state of racial identity in the American system of education? The answer, writes Stuart Buck in this frank and thoroughly researched book, lies in the complex history of desegregation. Although it arose from noble impulses and was to the overall benefit of the nation, racial desegregation was often implemented in a way that was devastating to black communities. It frequently destroyed black schools, reduced the numbers of black principals who could serve as role models, and made school a strange and uncomfortable environment for black children, a place many viewed as quintessentially white'. Drawing on research in education, history, and sociology as well as articles, interviews, and personal testimony, Buck reveals the unexpected result of desegregation and suggests practical solutions for making racial identification a positive force in the classroom.

Sedation for radiological imaging

To obtain high-quality CT and MRI scans, children may need to stay immobile in a particularly uncomfortable environment for a reasonable length of time. Although young infants may sleep after...

The effects of air temperature on office workers’ well-being, workload and productivity-evaluated with subjective ratings

Productivity bears a close relationship to the indoor environmental quality (IEQ), but how to evaluate office worker’s productivity remains to be a challenge for ergonomists. In this study, the effect of indoor air temperature (17 °C, 21 °C, and 28 °C) on productivity was investigated with 21 volunteered participants in the laboratory experiment. Participants performed computerized neurobehavioral tests during exposure in the lab; their physiological parameters including heart rate variation (HRV) and electroencephalograph (EEG) were also measured. Several subjective rating scales were used to tap participant’s emotion, well-being, motivation and the workload imposed by tasks. It was found that the warm discomfort negatively affected participants’ well-being and increased the ratio of low frequency (LF) to high frequency (HF) of HRV. In the moderately uncomfortable environment, the workload imposed by tasks increased and participants had to exert more effort to maintain their performance and they also had lower motivation to do work. The results indicate that thermal discomfort caused by high or low air temperature had negative influence on office workers’ productivity and the subjective rating scales were useful supplements of neurobehavioral performance measures when evaluating the effects of IEQ on productivity.

Nationalisms of and Against Zainichi Koreans in Japan

The North Korean association in Japan, Chongryun, which lacks independence from the North Korean regime, has preoccupied itself with political activities in its “home” country. It has created and intensified long‐distance nationalism among its members. Conservative Japanese government officials view North Korean long‐distance nationalists as a threat to Japan's national security and regional peace on the Korean peninsula. Meanwhile, certain Japanese have reacted with acts of violence and intimidation against them. For these Japanese reactive nationalists, the perceived enemy or threat from North Korea is located inside Japan itself, in the form of Chongryun. These North Korean long‐distance nationalists and Japanese reactive nationalists are creating an uncomfortable environment for North Koreans in Japan, who increasingly embrace an ideology of diasporic nationalism, or an independent existence from both their homeland and host society.

Contextual variables affecting aggressive behaviour in individuals with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities who live in a residential facility

Aggression is a common type of problem behaviour in clients with mild to borderline intellectual disability who live in a residential facility. We explored contextual events that elicit aggressive behaviour and variables that were associated with such events. Respondents were 87 direct-care staff members of 87 clients with aggressive behaviour who lived in a residential facility. Staff members completed the Contextual Assessment Inventory (CAI) and a questionnaire on demographic information and types, frequency and severity of aggressive behaviour. Internal consistency of the total CAI was excellent (alpha = 0.95), and Cronbach alpha's for the CAI sub-scales ranged from 0.75 to 0.93. Inter-rater agreement for the CAI could be considered good (mean intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.63). Both social and task-related events were reported to evoke aggressive behaviour of clients most often. Negative interactions, task characteristics and daily routines relatively often evoked aggressive behaviour while an uncomfortable environment, medication, illness and physiological states (i.e. physical and biological events) evoked aggressive behaviour least often. Mean CAI sub-scale scores were significantly related to gender, IQ and frequency of aggressive behaviour. The present study extends our knowledge regarding events that are associated with an increased probability of aggressive behaviour. Knowledge of these contextual variables may be helpful in designing programmes (e.g. applied behaviour analysis, social skills training and cognitive behavioural therapies) for the management and prevention of aggressive behaviour in clients with mild to borderline intellectual disability who live in a residential facility.

Metropolitan Governance: Institutional Roles and Interjurisdictional Cooperation

ABSTRACT:Theories of metropolitan governance tend to underemphasize the salience of jurisdictional politics and jurisdictional institutions. This paper uses a one-shot prisoner’s dilemma experiment, embedded within a questionnaire that was administered to local government officials in a metropolitan region, to evaluate how jurisdictionally based institutional roles (i.e., mayors, city-council members, executive-level administrators, department directors) affect the willingness of government officials to participate in metropolitan governance. Even though the incentives of one-shot prisoner’s dilemma games favor defection, we find government officials to be generally inclined toward participating in our proposed metropolitan governance scenario. Contrary to common views that metropolitan cooperation is an unnatural and uncomfortable environment for elected officials, we find elected executives to be particularly supportive of the proposed project. We also find that local government officials are likely to consider the expected benefits to the residents of other jurisdictions when deciding whether their government will participate in an interjurisdictional project.

Expectations from Japan

First of all, I would like to applaud the new Health Environments Research & Design Journal (HERD), the first interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal in the field of evidence-based design for healthcare environments.One of several things that I find quite interesting about this publication is that it will encourage manuscripts written not only by professionals but also by patients and families. My past experience carrying out field surveys in healthcare environments has demonstrated the difficulty of discovering the perspectives of real customers: patients in hospitals, the elderly in nursing homes, and their families. It will be worthwhile to collect and put this information into one journal.Another point of interest is that the journal is dealing specifically with healthcare environments. Although there are a number of international associations and organizations dedicated to the scientific relationship between environment and behavior (e.g., EDRA, PAPERS, IAAP, MERA [Japan], and EBRA [China]) that have published articles in a variety of fields, it requires a concerted effort to search out evidence applicable to healthcare environment design in these diverse journals.Healing EnvironmentOne of HERD's objectives, I suppose, will be to upgrade the environment of patients in hospitals, not only physically, but psychologically. Recently in Japan various activities have been conducted to promote the concept of and comfort to patients.In part due to the large emphasis on their function, medical facilities tend to be uncomfortable environments for inpatients. However, the emphasis on quality of life (QOL) in recent years has led to the cultivating of an awareness that the environments of medical facilities should grant and comfort to patients. (Cooper, 2006)In September 2001 the Recent Health Care Architecture in Japan symposium at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London brought together for the first time Architects for Health (AfH) U.K. and the Japan Institute of Healthcare Architecture, which I currently serve as President. The following spring in 2002, the Healing and Comfort Forum was launched with the earnest wish that fine art and music might be incorporated into medical facilities such as hospitals, clinics, hospices, and nursing facilities to transform them into places that provide healing and comfort. The Healing Environments Awards, which were organized by the Healing and Comfort Forum, focus on whether the activities in medical facilities improve the overall environment and create a place that provides healing and comfort. Selection criteria include whether an activity is continuous and can be updated. There is no limit to the scope of the art, which may include paintings, sculptures, photographs, objects, ikebana, collaborations, and so on. Works are not separated into professional and amateur categories.The Healing and Comfort Forum serves as a venue for information exchange by displaying and rewarding the activities of facilities in four categories-hospitals, clinics, hospices, and nursing care facilities-which are solicited nationwide. The 2002 Healing Environments award ceremony was arranged to coincide with the International Healthcare Engineering Symposium, the main theme of which was From Sick Care to Health Care. I chaired the event held by the Health Care Engineering Association of Japan and the large trade show, Hospex 2002, at the Big Sight Tokyo Bay area. Graham Cooper from AfH and the U.K .-based HD (Healthcare Design) Magazine was an invited keynote speaker at these events; since then he has become a healing environment ambassador to and from Japan.Another group, the Japan Society of Healing Environments, was established 10 years ago by Dr. Kazue Takayanagi, a pediatric specialist from Nohon Medical College. The members of this group are professionals, e.g., physicians, nurses, allied health practitioners, architects, engineers, medical instrument manufacturers, interior designers, and writers, as well as nonprofessionals such as patients, families, volunteers, and others who are interested in healing environments. …

628. Cancer Immunotherapy Against Murine Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Dendritic Cells Activated by Sendai Virus

[Background] Antigen-presenting cells, particularly dendritic cells (DCs) are important elements of antigen-specific adaptive immunity. Antigen-loaded DCs have now been used as a vaccine to improveimmunity against various cancer. However, the efficacy of therapeutic vaccination against cancer using DCs in the current clinical studies has been limited because of inadequate DC treatment, lack of established administration routes of DCs or uncomfortable environment to DC around tumor. We here report a novel method to activate DCs ex vivo by use of recombinant Sendai virus (SeV) for cancer immunotherapy. In vitro treatment with SeV led DCs to highly activated levels as indicated by surface markers, such as co-stimulatory molecules. We examined efficacy of SeV-activated DCs against murine squamous carcinoma (SCC VII).

Does Zolpidem Enhance the Yield of Polysomnography?

An uncomfortable environment or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) intolerance may cause poor sleep efficiency during polysomnography and result in a poor-quality study. Unsatisfactory polysomnograms often must be repeated. Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics may improve sleep efficiency without disruption of sleep architecture. We hypothesized that premedication with zolpidem improves polysomnogram quality and decreases the need to restudy. We retrospectively reviewed 200 consecutive polysomnograms. Zolpidem premedication was not standardized and was prescribed at the discretion of consulting sleep physicians, who were unaware of this study. We compared the quality of polysomnograms between patients who received zolpidem 10 mg prior to polysomnography and those who did not. A poor-quality polysomnogram was defined as having insufficient sleep time to allow for diagnosis, incomplete CPAP titration with a resulting apnea-hypopnea index > 10 on the highest level of CPAP achieved, or complete CPAP intolerance. Of 200 records reviewed, 54 patients (27%) received zolpidem. Demographics did not differ between groups. Premedication with zolpidem resulted in improved sleep latency (11.8 +/- 9.5 minutes vs 26.0 +/- 19.9 minutes, p = .002) and sleep efficiency (89.5% +/- 5.6% vs 78.8 +/- 12.3, p < .0001). Zolpidem premedication resulted in significantly fewer studies meeting criteria for poor quality (7.4% vs 33.6%, p = .005). Of the 49 studies meeting criteria for poor quality, 21 were repeated using zolpidem, showing significant improvements in sleep latency (10.8 +/- 7.1 minutes vs 42.8 +/- 30.5 minutes, p = .0004) and sleep efficiency (89.5% +/- 4.9% vs 61.8% +/- 13.7%, p < .0001). No study repeated with zolpidem met criteria for poor quality. Pretreatment with zolpidem significantly improved polysomnographic quality and may decrease the need to repeat polysomnograms.

The Effects of a Nap Opportunity in Quiet and Noisy Environments on Driving Performance

While napping has previously been shown to alleviate the effects of sleep loss, before advocating the use of naps in transport accident campaigns it is necessary to consider whether a nap opportunity in a noisy uncomfortable environment can produce the same benefits as a nap opportunity in conditions that are conducive to sleep. To examine this, eight participants drove a driving simulator for 50 min at 11:00 h on three different test days. The simulator used has previously been found to be sensitive to the effects of sleep loss, alcohol consumption, and time of day. All three sessions were conducted after one night of sleep loss. Prior to driving during each session the participants either had a 60 min nap opportunity in a quiet or noisy environment, or no nap opportunity. Driving performance and reaction time while driving were measured, as were subjective sleepiness and ratings of sleep quality. No significant benefits of nap opportunities on driving performance were found. Levels of subjective sleepiness were not affected by the nap opportunity condition; however, sleep was rated as more refreshing and restful after a nap in a quiet environment compared to noisy environment. The measures of effect size reported suggest further research is required to unequivocally test the effects of nap opportunities on driving ability.

Effects of a Nocturnal Environment Perceived as Warm on Subsequent Daytime Sleep in Humans

We studied the influence of a nocturnal environment perceived as warm on the subsequent daytime sleep of healthy human subjects (20-25 years old). From 00:00 to 8:00, they were kept awake and exposed to either a thermoneutral and comfortable (CN) or a warm and uncomfortable (EW) environment, as assessed by the predicted mean vote/percentage of persons dissatisfied questionnaire (PMV/PPD). The subjects then slept from 8:00 to 14:00 in a thermoneutral environment. Sleep was scored according to the Rechtschaffen and Kales criteria. Rectal temperature was recorded from 22:00 to the end of the sleep period. Compared to CN, a significant but moderate hyperthermia (0.3-0.4 degrees C) occurred rapidly in EW, and was maintained throughout the night. This modest difference disappeared during subsequent sleep spent at thermal comfort. Exposure to a warm uncomfortable environment before bedtime significantly increased the duration (+37%) and percentage of rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). This hypnic response could be due to interactions occurring between thermoregulatory, circadian, and sleep mechanisms. It could also be ascribed to synergic actions of the neurophysiological (among others, involving the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis) and psychological (involving memory processing) processes developed when the organism faces a moderate stress.

The influence of pre-existing negative affect on store purchase intentions

This study investigates the effects of two negative emotions, boredom and distress, on purchase intentions. The two emotions basically differ on their levels of arousal (low versus high). Based on notions of adaptively coping with negative emotions, it is proposed that willingness to purchase is a manifestation of a goal-directed attempt to improve one’s emotional state. The results of an experiment suggested that “when bored subjects were offered the prospect of shopping in a favorable environment” they expressed higher purchase intentions; however, when offered the prospect of shopping in an uncomfortable environment, they expressed lower purchase intentions. Higher distress led to higher purchase intentions. The differences in purchase intentions between boredom and distress were interpreted by the restriction in attentional capacity induced by heightened arousal. The results also showed that (a) personal relevance accentuated boredom’s influence, and (b) considering the prospect of a favorable store experience reduced levels of positive affect. Implications of the theory and findings for understanding the influence of negative affect on store patronage are discussed.

The multicultural workplace: comfort, safety and migrant nurses

The changing composition of Australian society has resulted in the reality of a multicultural workplace. With this comes the need to examine issues related to cultural wellbeing within an occupational setting. Migrant women nurses from non-English speaking backgrounds participated in this phenomenological study, which examined their experiences working as nurses within the New South Wales health care system. Participants described traumatic experiences around entering the nursing work environment. Familiar and comfortable roles such as being a woman, a colleague and a nurse were altered and made uncomfortable by the imposition of disturbing and unfamiliar roles. This discomfort was compounded by what was experienced as an uncomfortable and perilous work environment. The task for these women became one of finding sanctuary and comfort and finally, of establishing a place for themselves. This paper will take the reader on the journey from being a stranger to finding a place and will raise issues for discussion surrounding culture and safety in the nursing workplace.

Body Composition and Maximum Alactic Anaerobic Performance During a One Month Stay at High Altitude

Prolonged altitude exposure usually leads to considerable weight loss of which a large part is from muscle tissue. This loss reduces maximum alactic anaerobic muscle power. It was hypothesized that most of the weight loss may simply be the result of malnutrition due to lack of palatable food in an uncomfortable environment. To test this hypothesis eight healthy male subjects (age 33.7 +/- 4.6 S.C. yr), well acclimatized to prevent symptoms of acute mountain sickness, were exposed for 4 weeks to an altitude of 5050 m with access to a large choice of palatable food in comfortable conditions. Body weight (with a scale), body composition (from skinfolds), arm muscle plus bone cross-sectional area (Am + b) and muscle plus bone leg volume (Vm+b) (from skinfolds and circumferences), maximum voluntary contraction force of the elbow flexors (MVC, with a load cell) and maximum jumping height (Hmax, on a platform) were measured before departure (SL) and in the first (ALT1), second (ALT2) and fourth week (ALT4) of their altitude sojourn. Three-day dietary records were obtained at SL and at ALT4. Body mass had decreased significantly at ALT2 (-3.8%) and at ALT4 (-4.6%) likely reflecting changes in body water homeostasis. No changes were found in %fat, Am+b, Vm+b, MVC or Hmax. Average dietary intake at SL was 8.96 +/- 1.45 MJ and had increased to 13.59 +/- 3.07 MJ at ALT4. In conclusion, up to an altitude of 5050 m loss of body mass from fat and muscle tissue, and hence impairment of maximum anaerobic muscle power (alactic) appears to be avoidable by food intake matched to energy expenditure. The latter may be achieved simply by proper acclimatization, sufficient comfort and availability of palatable food.

Open‐plan Offices: Kill or Cure?

Describes how the communicational and economies‐of‐scale advantages of open‐plan offices are lost when working groups have to endure uncomfortable and uncontrollable environments resulting from lack of consideration of their needs at the planning stage and from management and maintenance deficiencies thereafter. Concludes that facilities managers who lack the resources to run the open‐plan system properly should kill it and go for shallow‐depth cellular offices with simpler services; cure it only if there is full understanding of, and resources to provide for, all the elements of its management.