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The problem of coronal heating is one of the fundamental problems of solar physics. At present, it is again attracting great interest due to the appearance of a large amount of observational data of high spatial and temporal resolution. These data made it possible to diagnose plasma parameters from observations of waves and oscillations in coronal magnetic structures and, moreover, to introduce analytical constraints on the coronal heating function. In this paper, we propose an approach allowing us to impose constraints on the heating function based on data on the gravitational stratification of the solar atmosphere. The developed algorithm is applied to the altitude profiles of temperature and density in several regions of the solar corona obtained from direct modeling of EUV radiation from the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA). Assuming that the heating function is a power function of temperature and density, we determine the domain of power-index constraints allowing us to realize the observed altitude profiles. The obtained results are combined with the conditions of stability for the entropy and magnetoacoustic modes, to narrow the region of possible parameters further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present the first survey of quiet Sun features observed in hard X-rays (HXRs), using the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope ARray (NuSTAR), a HXR focusing optics telescope. The recent solar minimum, combined with NuSTAR’s high sensitivity, has presented a unique opportunity to perform the first HXR imaging spectroscopy on a range of features in the quiet Sun. By studying the HXR emission of these features, we can detect or constrain the presence of high temperature (> 5 MK) or non-thermal sources, to help understand how they relate to larger, more energetic solar phenomena, and determine their contribution to heating the solar atmosphere. We report on several features observed in the 28 September 2018 NuSTAR full-disk quiet Sun mosaics, the first of the NuSTAR quiet Sun observing campaigns, which mostly include steady features of X-ray bright points and an emerging flux region, which later evolved into an active region, as well as a short-lived jet. We find that the features’ HXR spectra are well fitted with isothermal models with temperatures ranging between 2.0 – 3.2 MK. Combining the NuSTAR data with softer X-ray emission from Hinode/XRT and EUV from SDO/AIA, we recover the differential emission measures, confirming little significant emission above 4 MK. The NuSTAR HXR spectra allow us to constrain the possible non-thermal emission that would still be consistent with a null HXR detection. We found that for only one of the features (the jet) was there a potential non-thermal upper limit capable of powering the heating observed. However, even here, the non-thermal electron distribution had to be very steep (effectively mono-energetic) with a low energy cut-off between 3 – 4 keV.

Purpose: We present a novel silent echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) readout, which uses an ultrasonic gradient insert to accelerate MRSI while producing a high spectral bandwidth (20 kHz) and a low sound level. Methods: The ultrasonic gradient insert consisted of a single-axis (z-direction) plug-and-play gradient coil, powered by an audio amplifier, and produced 40mT/m at 20 kHz. The silent EPSI readout was implemented in a phase-encodedMRSI acquisition. Here, the additional spatial encoding provided by this silent EPSI readout was used to reduce the number of phase-encoding steps. Spectroscopic acquisitions using phase-encoded MRSI, a conventional EPSI-readout, and the silent EPSI readout were performed on a phantom containing metabolites with resonance frequencies in the ppm range of brain metabolites (0-4 ppm). These acquisitions were used to determine sound levels, showcase the high spectral bandwidth of the silent EPSI readout, and determine the SNR efficiency and the scan efficiency. Results: The silent EPSI readout featured a 19-dB lower sound level than a conventional EPSI readout while featuring a high spectral bandwidth of 20 kHz without spectral ghosting artifacts. Compared with phase-encoded MRSI, the silent EPSI readout provided a 4.5-fold reduction in scan time. In addition, the scan efficiency of the silent EPSI readout was higher (82.5% vs. 51.5%) than the conventional EPSI readout. Conclusions: We have for the first time demonstrated a silent spectroscopic imaging readout with a high spectral bandwidth and low sound level. This sound reduction provided by the silent readout is expected to have applications in sound-sensitive patient groups, whereas the high spectral bandwidth could benefit ultrahigh-field MR systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Standardized Letter of Evaluation (SLOE) is designed to assist emergency medicine (EM) residency programs in differentiating applicants and in selecting those to interview. The SLOE narrative component summarizes the student’s clinical skills as well as their non-cognitive attributes. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to explore how students described in the SLOE as quiet are perceived by faculty and to better understand how this may impact their residency candidacy.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all SLOEs submitted to one EM residency program during one application cycle. We analyzed sentences in the SLOE narrative describing students as “quiet,”“shy,” and/or “reserved.” Using grounded theory, thematic content analysis with a constructivist approach, we identified five mutually exclusive themes that best characterized the usage of these target words.Results: We identified five themes: 1) quiet traits portrayed as implied-negative attributes (62.4%); 2) quiet students portrayed as overshadowed by more extraverted peers (10.3%); 3) quiet students portrayed as unfit for fast-paced clinical settings (3.4%); 4) “quiet” portrayed as a positive attribute(10.3%); and 5) “quiet” comments deemed difficult to assess due to lack of context (15.6%).Conclusion: We found that quiet personality traits were often portrayed as negative attributes. Further, comments often lacked clinical context, leaving them vulnerable to misunderstanding or bias. More research is needed to determine how quiet students perform compared to their non-quiet peers and to determine what changes to instructional practices may support the quiet student and help create a more inclusive learning environment. [West J Emerg Med. 2023;24(4)1–4.]

Introduction: The Standardized Letter of Evaluation (SLOE) is an emergency medicine (EM)-specific assessment designed to help EM residency programs differentiate applicants. We became interested in SLOE-narrative language referencing personality when we observed less enthusiasm for applicants described as “quiet” in their SLOEs. In this study our objective was to compare how quiet-labeled, EM-bound applicants were ranked compared to their non-quiet peers in the global assessment (GA) and anticipated rank list (ARL) categories in the SLOE.Methods: We conducted a planned subgroup analysis of a retrospective cohort study of all core EM clerkship SLOEs submitted to one, four-year academic EM residency program in the 2016-2017 recruitment cycle. We compared SLOEs of applicants who were described as “quiet,” “shy,” and/or “reserved” — collectively referred to as “quiet” — to SLOEs from all other applicants, referred to as “non-quiet.” We compared frequencies of quiet to non-quiet students in GA and ARL categories using chi-square goodness-of-fit tests with a rejection criteria (alpha) of 0.05.Results: We reviewed 1,582 SLOEs from 696 applicants. Of these, 120 SLOEs described quiet applicants. The distributions of quiet and non-quiet applicants across GA and ARL categories were significantly different (P < 0.001). Quiet applicants were less likely than non-quiet applicants to be ranked in the top 10% and top one-third GA categories combined (31% vs 60%) and more likely to be in the middle one-third category (58% vs 32%). For ARL, quiet applicants were also less likely to be ranked in the top 10% and top one-third categories combined (33% vs 58%) and more likely to be in the middle one-third category (50% vs 31%).Conclusion: Emergency medicine-bound students described as quiet in their SLOEs were less likely to be ranked in the top GA and ARL categories compared to non-quiet students. More research is needed to determine the cause of these ranking disparities and address potential biases in teaching and assessment practices.

Klasik Arap literatürü, sahip olduğu dilsel ve edebî yapısıyla duyguların en güzel şekilde aktarılabilmesine yönelik geniş imkânlar sunar. Mahfûzâtında bulunan kelime hazinesi ve bunların anlam dünyası, sadece kalıp ve lafızlardan müteşekkil bir dil olmadığının göstergesidir. Arap dilinde zihinlerdeki mana, somut göstergelerin yanında mütekellim tarafından susku yoluyla da muhatap kitleye iletilebilir. Bu durumu karşılayan kavram “samt” şeklinde ifade edilmiştir. İnsanın zihin dünyasında mutlak sessizlikten söz edilemez. Çünkü insan, varlığı anlama tebdil eylemek için yaratılmıştır ki bütün inanç, dil ve felsefe sistemlerinde insanı diğer varlıklardan ayıran “nâtıka” vasfı vurgulanmıştır. Fakat bu konuşma, sadece söz için gerekli olan envanteri içine alan bir konuşma türü değildir. Zira birçok dilde olduğu gibi Arap dili de belâgat kapsamına aldığı dinleme ve susmayı iletişim unsurlarından biri olarak kabul etmiştir. Hem anlamlı susmada hem de etkili dinlemede insanın bütün benliği devreye girer ve muhatabın bulunduğu duruma göre bazı mesajlar verir. Esasen kulakla başlayan bu durum bazen bir lafza bazen de sessizliğe bürünür. Görünen o ki susma, sözün siyak ve sibak bağlantısıdır. Susmanın edebî değerde olabilmesi için ise bir bağlam içinde görünmesi gerekir. Tam bu noktada “meânî” başta olmak üzere belâgatın bütün alanları samt kavramını inceleyen en geniş bilim alanlarıdır denilebilir. Çünkü samt, dilin derinliklerinde saklı olan edebî bir hüviyeti haizdir. Arap kültüründe daha pek çok kelime, bünyesinde “susma” anlamını taşımakla birlikte bu kavramların işaret etmiş oldukları iletişim ve sessizlik arasındaki dengeyi tespit edebilmek edebî açıdan en önemli hususlardan biridir. Zira sessizlik, bazen iletişimin bir parçası olarak kabul edilir ve düşünceyi derinleştirme veya duygusal bir ifade biçimi olarak kullanılırken bazen yalın bir sesten hâlî olma durumunu ortaya koyar. Bu nedenle susmanın etimolojisi, Arap toplumunun iletişim ve ifade biçimlerini anlamak için önemlidir. Kavram analizi açısından Arap dilinde “samt” kelimesinden sonra sırasıyla “sükût”, “insât”, “hudû’”, “isâha” gibi kavramların susma eylemine karşılık geldiği söylenebilir. Her birisinin müstakil anlam değeri olan bu kavramlar muktazâ-i hâle göre farklı kullanım alanlarına sahiptir. Ayrıca insanın ruh hali göz önünde bulundurulduğunda samtın beslendiği anlam merkezlerinin olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Bunlardan ilki “hüzün ve düşünce” merkezidir. Nitekim özellikle Cahiliye kültüründe şairler, kelimelerin yetersiz kaldığı durumlarda susarak duygularını daha etkili bir şekilde ifade etme yoluna gitmişlerdir. İkinci olarak sessizliğin “bilginin ehemmiyeti”ne işaret ettiği bir vakıadır. Nitekim bir bilginin öğretilmesi veya paylaşılması gereken bir zamanda gerçekleşen sükût, bu bilginin özel ve değerli olduğunu vurgular. Samtın içeriğindeki bir diğer anlam yükü “hürmet ve muhabbet”tir. İlk bakışta muhabbet bizatihi kelimelerle sohbet etmek gibi anlaşılsa da Anadolu irfânında da “kalpten kalbe bir yol vardır görünmez” özdeyişi gereği esasen muhabbetin kaynağı sükûttur. Samt, Arap edebiyatında manzum ve mensur birçok farklı türde inceleme konusu olmuştur. Araştırmada zikredilen klasik kaynaklarda samt kavramının temel manaları, dilsel analizi ve belâgat yönü gibi hususlar değerlendirilirken susmanın mana özellikleri şiir, hikâye, anekdot ve özlü sözlerle delillendirilmiştir. Edebiyat alanı ile dirsek teması halinde olan İslâmî ilimler, felsefe ve tarih gibi ilim dalları alanında kaleme alınan eserlerde de konunun hassasiyetle incelendiği müşahede edilmektedir. Bütün bu ilim dallarında samt konusunda ulaşılan sonuç diline hâkim olan insanın benliğini kontrol edebileceği yönündedir. Esasen samt, her fırsatta konuşma ile top yekün susma arasında bir yer tutmaktadır. Zikredilen edebî derinlikten hareketle bu çalışmada da iletişim metotlarının önemli bir unsuru olan samt/susma kavramının anlam boyutları, Arap Dili ve Belâgatı perspektifinden ele alınmaya çalışılmıştır.

What does it mean to be in solitude? Researchers building this nascent field are learning much about the potential affordances of solitude, but lack an agreed-upon definition or set of definitions. Arriving at that meaning is crucial to forming a solid foundation for studies that use both naturalistic and laboratory designs to explore outcomes of solitude. This study identified themes from semi-structured interviews with adults aged 19 to 80 from diverse backgrounds. We concluded that solitude is a state in which the dominant relationship is with the self. If not physically alone, people in solitude are mentally distanced from others and away from active technology-mediated interactions. Complete solitude involves both physical separation and inner focus, but solitude is best defined through a taxonomy that recognizes physical separation and internal focus as independent, sufficient characteristics. An internal focus benefits from (but is not defined by) balancing solitude with social time, quiet, and choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronal transients are known as sources of coronal upflows. With the commissioning of Solar Orbiter, it became apparent that coronal small-scale features are even more frequent than previously estimated. It was found that even small coronal features seen by Solar Orbiter can produce visible upflows. Therefore, it is important to study the plasma flows on small scales better and understand their atmospheric driving mechanisms. In this article, we present the results from a two-week coordinated multi-spacecraft observation campaign with Hinode, IRIS, and the GREGOR telescope. We identify a small region of coronal upflows with Doppler velocities of up to 16.5 km s−1. The upflows are located north of a coronal bright point in a coronal hole. We study the corona, the transition region, the chromosphere and the photospheric magnetic field to find evidence of underlying mechanisms for the coronal upflow. We find a complex photospheric magnetic field with several small mixed polarities that are the footpoints of different loops. Flux emergence and cancellation are observed at the constantly changing footpoints of the coronal loops. Reconnection of loops can be identified as the driver of the coronal upflow. Furthermore, the impact of the coronal activity triggers plasma flows in the underlying layers. This work highlights that frequent small coronal features can cause considerable atmospheric response and ubiquitously produce plasma upflows that potentially feed into the solar wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to determine the impact of uttering the word “quiet” on clinical workload during the overnight otolaryngology call shift and understand the factors contributing to resident busyness. Materials and Methods A multicenter, single‐blind, randomized‐controlled trial was conducted. A total of 80 overnight call shifts covered by a pool of 10 residents were randomized to the quiet or to the control group. At the start of shift, residents were asked to state aloud, “Today will be a quiet night” (quiet group) or “Today will be a good night” (control group). Clinical workload, as measured by number of consults, was the primary outcome. Secondary measures included number of sign‐out tasks, unplanned inpatient and operating room visits, number of phone calls and hours of sleep, and self‐perceived busyness. Results There was no difference in the number of total (P = 0.23), nonurgent (P = 0.18), and urgent (P = 0.18) consults. Tasks at signout, total phone calls, unplanned inpatient visits, and unplanned operating room visits did not differ between the control and quiet groups. While there were more unplanned operating room visits in the quiet group (29, 80.6%) compared to the control group (34, 94.4%), this was not found to be significant (P = 0.07). The majority of residents reported feeling “not busy” during control nights (18, 50.0%) compared to feeling “somewhat busy” during quiet nights (17, 47.2%; P = 0.42). Conclusion Contrary to popular belief, there is no clear evidence that uttering the word “quiet” significantly increases clinical workload.

Copyright of Rozwój Regionalny & Polityka Regionalna is the property of Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza (IH UAM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We study point-like explosive events (EE), characterized by emission in the far wings of spectral lines, in a quiet region near the South Pole, using Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) spectra at two slit positions, slit-jaw (SJ) observations, and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) images. The events were best visible in Si iv spectra; they were weak in SJs, occasionally visible in 1600 Å and 304 Å AIA images, and invisible in higher temperature AIA images. We identified EEs from position–time images in the far wings of the Si iv lines and measured their distance from the limb. A Gaussian model of the height distribution showed that EEs occur in a narrow (0.9′′) height range, centered at 3.2′′ above the continuum limb at 2832.0 Å. On the disk, we found that they occur in network boundaries. Further, we studied the line profiles of two bright EEs above the limb and one on the disk. We found that what appears as broad-band emission is actually a superposition of 2 – 3 narrow-band Gaussian components with well-separated line profiles, indicating that material is expelled towards and/or away from the observer in discrete episodes in time and in space. The expelled plasma accelerates quickly, reaching line-of-sight (LOS) velocities up to 90 km s−1. Overall, the motion was practically along the LOS, as the velocity on the plane of the sky was small. In some cases, tilted spectra were observed that could be interpreted in terms of rotating motions of up to 30 km s−1. We did not find any strong absorption features in the wing of the Si iv lines, although in one case, a very weak absorption feature was detected. No motions indicative of jets were detected in SJ or AIA images. Reconnection in an asymmetric magnetic-field geometry, in the middle or near the top of small loops, is a plausible explanation of their observational characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on little-known but important differences between the Japanese word “a-sha (唖者[mute])”and its English equivalent“dumb.” In Japan“a-sha”is not considered a discriminatory term, but very few people use it now, mainly because“ro-a-sha (聾唖者[deaf-mute])”was almost replaced by“ro-sha (聾者[deaf])”soon after World War II under the influence of the American deaf education. On the contrary, in America the word “dumb” is regarded as derogatory when used to mean“speechless,” but apparently many Americans do not hesitate to use it in another sense:“stupid.” This must seem a little strange to Japanese people. To examine more thoroughly why this happens in America, I shed some light on the usage of the word “dumb” itself as well as its derivatives and synonyms including “Dumbo,” “dummy,” “dumbbell”and “dumbwaiter.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To characterize the acceleration capabilities of a silent head insert gradient axis that operates at the inaudible frequency of 20 kHz and a maximum gradient amplitude of 40 mT/m without inducing peripheral nerve stimulation. Methods: The silent gradient axis' acquisitions feature an oscillating gradient in the phase‐encoding direction that is played out on top of a cartesian readout, similarly as done in Wave‐CAIPI. The additional spatial encoding fills k‐space in readout lanes allowing for the acquisition of fewer phase‐encoding steps without increasing aliasing artifacts. Fully sampled 2D gradient echo datasets were acquired both with and without the silent readout. All scans were retrospectively undersampled (acceleration factors R = 1 to 12) to compare conventional SENSE acceleration and acceleration using the silent gradient. The silent gradient amplitude and the readout bandwidth were varied to investigate the effect on artifacts and g‐factor. Results: The silent readout reduced the g‐factor for all acceleration factors when compared to SENSE acceleration. Increasing the silent gradient amplitude from 31.5 mT/m to 40 mT/m at an acceleration factor of 10 yielded a reduction in the average g‐factor (gavg) from 1.3 ± 0.14 (gmax = 1.9) to 1.1 ± 0.09 (gmax = 1.6). Furthermore, reducing the number of cycles increased the readout bandwidth and the g‐factor that reached gavg = 1.5 ± 0.16 for a readout bandwidth of 651 Hz/pixel and an acceleration factor of R = 8. Conclusion: A silent gradient axis enables high acceleration factors up to R = 10 while maintaining a g‐factor close to unity (gavg = 1.1 and gmax = 1.6) and can be acquired with clinically relevant readout bandwidths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging the low-frequency radio Sun is an intrinsically challenging problem. Meter-wavelength solar emission spans angular scales from a few arcminutes to a few degrees. These emissions show temporal and spectral variability on sub-second and sub-MHz scales. The brightness temperature of these emissions also varies by many orders of magnitude, which requires high-dynamic-range spectroscopic snapshot imaging. With the unique array configuration of the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and the robust calibration and imaging pipeline, Automated Imaging Routine for the Compact Arrays for the Radio Sun (AIRCARS) produces the best spectroscopic snapshot solar images available to date. The working principle and the strength of this algorithm are demonstrated using statistical analysis and simulation. AIRCARS uses the partial phase stability of the MWA, which has a compact core with many antenna elements distributed over a small array footprint. The strength of this algorithm makes it a state-of-the-art calibration and imaging pipeline for low-frequency solar imaging, which is expected to be highly suitable for the upcoming Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and other future radio interferometers for producing high-dynamic-range and high-fidelity images of the Sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A novel silent imaging method is proposed that combines a gradient insert oscillating at the inaudible frequency 20 kHz with slew rate‐limited gradient waveforms to form a silent gradient axis that enable quiet and fast imaging. Methods: The gradient insert consisted of a plug‐and‐play (45 kg) single axis z‐gradient, which operated as an additional fourth gradient axis. This insert was made resonant using capacitors and combined with an audio amplifier to allow for operation at 20 kHz. The gradient field was characterized using field measurements and the physiological effects of operating a gradient field at 20 kHz were explored using peripheral nerve stimulation experiments, tissue heating simulations and sound measurements. The imaging sequence consisted of a modified gradient‐echo sequence which fills k‐space in readout lanes with a width proportional to the oscillating gradient amplitude. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated in‐vivo using 2D and 3D gradient echo (GRE) sequences which were reconstructed using a conjugate‐gradient SENSE reconstruction. Results: Field measurements yielded a maximum gradient amplitude and slew rate of 40.8 mT/m and 5178T/m/s at 20 kHz. Physiological effects such as peripheral nerve stimulation and tissue heating were found not to be limiting at this amplitude and slew rate. For a 3D GRE sequence, a maximum sound level of 85 db(A) was measured during scanning. Imaging experiments using the silent gradient axis produced artifact free images while also featuring a 5.3‐fold shorter scan time than a fully sampled acquisition. Conclusion: A silent gradient axis provides a novel pathway to fast and quiet brain imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article I engage with the work of Sylvia Wynter, Christina Sharpe, and Kevin Quashie, weaving in my own personal narrative of being presumed nonhuman to detail the everyday struggles Black women academics face. Herein I also illustrate how these struggles become sites of resistance, building, and hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine whether the use of the word, “Quiet” increases veterinary emergency service triage traffic or hospital admissions. Days were randomized to be a control or test phrase day. On control days, the phrase, “Have a nice day!” was announced to the entire hospital staff. On test days, the phrase, “Have a quiet day!” was announced. No statistical difference in mean number of patients presenting to the emergency service for triage (test phrase 30.1 ± 10.4 cases vs control phrase 30.3 cases ± 10.5, p = 0.91) or hospital admissions (test phrase 3.5 ±1.9 cases vs control phrase 4.3 ± 2.4 cases, p = 0.13) was found for 24 hours following phrase utterance. No statistical difference in mean number of patients presenting to the emergency service for triage (test phrase 2.7 ± 1.4 cases vs control phrase 2.6 ± 1.9 cases, p = 0.84) or hospital admissions (test phrase 0.3 ± 0.5 cases vs control phrase 0.5 ± 0.8 cases, p = 0.08) was found in the two-hour window immediately following phrase announcement. Despite popular myth, using the word, “Quiet” does not increase veterinary emergency service triage traffic or hospital admissions.

High-resolution observations of polar crown and high-latitude filaments are scarce. We present a unique sample of such filaments observed in high-resolution H α narrow-band filtergrams and broad-band images, which were obtained with a new fast camera system at the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT), Tenerife, Spain. The Chromospheric Telescope (ChroTel) provided full-disk context observations in H α , Ca ii K, and He i 10830 Å. The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) provided line-of-sight magnetograms and ultraviolet (UV) 1700 Å filtergrams, respectively. We study filigree in the vicinity of polar crown and high-latitude filaments and relate their locations to magnetic concentrations at the filaments' footpoints. Bright points are a well studied phenomenon in the photosphere at low latitudes, but they were not yet studied in the quiet network close to the poles. We examine size, area, and eccentricity of bright points and find that their morphology is very similar to their counterparts at lower latitudes, but their sizes and areas are larger. Bright points at the footpoints of polar crown filaments are preferentially located at stronger magnetic flux concentrations, which are related to bright regions at the border of supergranules as observed in UV filtergrams. Examining the evolution of bright points on three consecutive days reveals that their amount increases while the filament decays, which indicates they impact the equilibrium of the cool plasma contained in filaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balancing the needs of those students who prefer quiet study spaces with the needs of students who prefer to talk openly and collaborate with their peers is a challenge faced by many academic libraries. This review surveys articles published from 1981 to 2019 on the topic of noise in academic libraries and the views of librarians on how to address this issue as well as how students perceive noise. Keywords describing this topic were searched in scholarly databases, and the articles selected for this review were chosen by examining their relevance to this topic. The articles selected for the review described various means of addressing noise issues, including the use of noise meters, lighting levels, and seating arrangements. The authors present this review to assist academic librarians in dealing with patrons who prefer different volume levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ethik in der Medizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Conventional T2 *-weighted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is performed with echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequences that create substantial acoustic noise. The loud acoustic noise not only affects the activation of the auditory cortex, but may also interfere with resting state and task fMRI experiments.Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of a novel, quiet, T2 *, whole-brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD)-fMRI method, termed Looping Star, compared to conventional multislice gradient-echo EPI.Study Type: Prospective.Phantom/subjects: Glover stability QA phantom; 10 healthy volunteers.Field Strength/sequence: 3.0T: gradient echo (GE)-EPI and T2 * Looping Star fMRI.Assessment: Looping Star fMRI was presented and compared to GE-EPI with a working memory (WM) task and resting state (RS) experiments. Temporal stability and acoustic measurements were obtained for both methods. Functional maps and activation accuracy were compared to evaluate the performance of the novel sequence.Statistical Tests: Mean and standard deviation values were analyzed for temporal stability and acoustic noise tests. Activation maps were assessed with one-sample t-tests and contrast estimates (CE). Paired t-tests and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) were used to compare fMRI sensitivity and performance.Results: Looping Star presented a 98% reduction in sound pressure compared with GE-EPI, with stable temporal stability (0.09% percent fluctuation), but reduced temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) (mean difference = 15.9%). The novel method yielded consistent activations for RS and WM (83.4% and 69.5% relative BOLD sensitivity), which increased with task difficulty (mean CE 2-back = 0.56 vs. 0-back = 0.08, P < 0.05). A few differences in spatial activations were found between sequences, leading to a 4-8% lower activation accuracy with Looping Star.Data Conclusion: Looping Star provides a suitable approach for whole-brain coverage with sufficient spatiotemporal resolution and BOLD sensitivity, with only 0.5 dB above ambient noise. From the comparison with GE-EPI, further developments of Looping Star fMRI should target increased sensitivity and spatial specificity for both RS and task experiments.Level Of Evidence: 2.Technical Efficacy Stage: 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:739-751. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the Ecosystem Service (ES) concept into practice might be a challenging task as it has to take into account previous “traditional” policies and approaches that have evaluated nature and biodiversity differently. Among them the Habitat (92/43/EC) and Bird Directives (79/409/EC), the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), and the Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) have led to the evaluation/designation of areas in Europe with different criteria. In this study our goal was to understand how the ES capacity of an area is related to its designation and if areas with multiple designations have higher capacity in providing ES. We selected four catchments in Greece with a great variety of characteristics covering over 25% of the national territory. Inside the catchments we assessed the ES capacity (following the methodology of Burkhard et al. 2009) of areas designated as Natura 2000 sites, Quiet areas and Wetlands or Water bodies and found those areas that have multiple designations. Data were analyzed by GLM to reveal differences regarding the ES capacity among the different types of areas. We also investigated by PCA synergies and trade-offs among different kinds of ES and tested for correlations among landscape properties, such as elevation, aspect and slope and the ES potential. Our results show that areas with different types or multiple designations have a different capacity in providing ES. Areas of one designation type (Protected or Quiet Areas) had in general intermediate scores in most ES but scores were higher compared to areas with no designation, which displayed stronger capacity in provisioning services. Among Protected Areas and Quiet Areas the latter scored better in general. Areas that combined both designation types (Protected and Quiet Areas) showed the highest capacity in 13 out of 29 ES, that were mostly linked with natural and forest ecosystems. We found significant synergies among most regulating, supporting and cultural ES which in turn display trade-offs with provisioning services. The different ES are spatially related and display strong correlation with landscape properties, such as elevation and slope. We suggest that the designation status of an area can be used as an alternative tool for environmental policy, indicating the capacity for ES provision. Multiple designations of areas can be used as proxies for locating ES “hotspots”. This integration of “traditional” evaluation and designation and the “newer” ES concept forms a time- and cost-effective way to be adopted by stakeholders and policy-makers in order to start complying with new standards and demands for nature conservation and environmental management.

Description According to theatrical superstition, saying "Macbeth" in the theater when you aren't actively performing or rehearsing foreshadows impending doom. In a similar way, in the hospital, its own production of sorts where medical staff is under pressure to perform, it's the "Q" word. We all dread the "Q" word and are vexed with anyone who dares say it. Yet sometimes wandering the hospital during night float, I often feel a profound sense of "Quiet." The word is typically associated with a lack of it, but I find there is a certain peace with being alone with one's thoughts. Residency can be an isolating endeavor, and this particular type of quiet reflection doesn't come around often in a busy hospital. When it does, I think about the other people in this shared space that we work in who may also be feeling the same way, which is bizarrely comforting. However, I probably wouldn't say so out loud, especially under a full moon., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The author declares no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 HCA Physician Services, Inc. d/b/a Emerald Medical Education.)

Today, the scientists and researchers from almost every corner of the world are well aware of the adverse effects of geomagnetic storms on our highly expensive electrical and electromagnetic systems such as power grid transmission, satellite communication, RF communication systems, etc. The severe damaging effects of these storms on human health and on other inhabitants of the biosphere are also not unknown. A survey of literature on space science reveals that location or space dependency of these geomagnetic storms has already been established. Now the question may arise—Are geomagnetic storms time-dependent? To answer this question, a laborious exercise has been performed. K-index data obtained from the US Department of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center, for the year, started from 1994 to 2014 (21 years) over three different locations namely Fredericksburg, College, and Estimated Planetary, are analyzed statistically for the eight different time periods namely 00:00–03:00, 03:00–06:00, 06:00–09:00, 09:00–12:00, 12:00–15:00, 15:00–18:00, 18:00–21:00, 21:00–24:00 hours respectively. Results thus obtained have concluded that apart from space or location dependency the geomagnetic storms are time-dependent also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple studies have documented the effect of noise in the hospital environment on the healing and well-being of patients. None, however, specifically addresses how quiet might enhance comfort among individuals in pain. A quantitative study was conducted to examine the impact of a quiet environment on the comfort of post-operative patients ages birth to 6 years in four medical/surgical inpatient care areas of an urban children's hospital. No significant difference in comfort levels was noted between the experimental and control groups. However, two themes merit further study. Parents were reluctant to participate in the study despite the potential to enhance the child's comfort. All noise levels measured were above recommendations regardless of study group assignment. The escalation of noise in the hospital setting is evident and it is in the best interests of patients for nurses to find ways to lessen this element of stress. In addition, it may be necessary to revisit established noise guidelines for hospital settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]