Search Results (1,546)

Storytelling is one of the most important learning activities for children since reading aloud from a picture book stimulates children’s curiosity, emotional development, and imagination. For effective education, the procedures for storytelling activities need to be improved according to the children’s level of curiosity. However, young children are not able to complete questionnaires, making it difficult to analyze their level of interest. This paper proposes a method to estimate children’s curiosity in picture book reading activities at five levels by recognizing children’s behavior using acceleration and angular velocity sensors placed on their heads. We investigated the relationship between children’s behaviors and their levels of curiosity, listed all observed behaviors, and clarified the behavior for estimating curiosity. Furthermore, we conducted experiments using motion sensors to estimate these behaviors and confirmed that the accuracy of estimating curiosity from sensor data is approximately 72%. Full article

(1) Background: This study aimed to integrate an augmented reality (AR) image-guided surgery (IGS) system, based on preoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, into clinical practice. (2) Methods: In preclinical and clinical surgical setups, an AR-guided visualization system based on Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 was assessed for complex lower third molar (LTM) extractions. In this study, the system’s potential intraoperative feasibility and usability is described first. Preparation and operating times for each procedure were measured, as well as the system’s usability, using the System Usability Scale (SUS). (3) Results: A total of six LTMs (n = 6) were analyzed, two extracted from human cadaver head specimens (n = 2) and four from clinical patients (n = 4). The average preparation time was 166 ± 44 s, while the operation time averaged 21 ± 5.9 min. The overall mean SUS score was 79.1 ± 9.3. When analyzed separately, the usability score categorized the AR-guidance system as “good” in clinical patients and “best imaginable” in human cadaver head procedures. (4) Conclusions: This translational study analyzed the first successful and functionally stable application of the HoloLens technology for complex LTM extraction in clinical patients. Further research is needed to refine the technology’s integration into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes. Full article

The story of Futijinhu 浮提金壺 (“Golden Pot of Futi”) in Shiyiji 拾遺記 (Record of Gleanings), whose authorship is traditionally attributed to Wang Jia (王嘉) from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, appears to be a Daoist rendition at first glance, reimagining the legend of Laozi’s Daodejing. However, upon closer examination of the depiction of “Golden Pot of Futi”, the characters with “Shentong Shanshu” (神通善書, supranormal cognition and exceptional writing ability) and the narrative of writing and its outcomes, it becomes evident that this tale harbors a multifaceted Buddhist essence. In the tale, one can observe the changes and diversity in the early methods of translating Buddhist scriptures into Chinese, the references and adaptations of Buddhist imagery and narratives by Daoists, the understanding and imagination of materials used for writing Buddhist scriptures and early iconographic forms, and even the author’s insights and responses to the evolving religious landscape of their era. When placed in a broader historical context, exploring the Buddhist elements in this tale further aids in understanding the dynamic interactions between Buddhism and Daoism during the Wei and Jin periods. Full article

This study examines the lives of marriage migrants, primarily coming from the Philippines to non-highly urbanised areas (i.e., “rural” areas) of South Korea. It looks at how these women negotiate gender norms and expectations in these multicultural families within the context of state-led multiculturalism. Semi-structured interviews with 20 Filipino marriage migrants were conducted from August to September 2023 in selected areas of Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong Province) and Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla Province). Based on the data gathered, it was found that these women have navigated gendered cultural expectations in the Korean household, thus reproducing gendered norms within the traditional Korean family and playing a significant role in keeping the family intact. However, there are also instances where these gendered expectations were subverted within these families. This study would like to interrogate whether these women are able to re-imagine a different kind of “womanhood” away from traditional family norms, thus challenging existing models of how marriage migrants are expected to perform in the context of what I call “performative multiculturalism” in ethnonationalist states such as South Korea and Japan. Full article

Varroa mites, scientifically identified as Varroa destructor, pose a significant threat to beekeeping and cause one of the most destructive diseases affecting honey bee populations. These parasites attach to bees, feeding on their fat tissue, weakening their immune systems, reducing their lifespans, and even causing colony collapse. They also feed during the pre-imaginal stages of the honey bee in brood cells. Given the critical role of honey bees in pollination and the global food supply, controlling Varroa mites is imperative. One of the most common methods used to evaluate the level of Varroa mite infestation in a bee colony is to count all the mites that fall onto sticky boards placed at the bottom of a colony. However, this is usually a manual process that takes a considerable amount of time. This work proposes a deep learning approach for locating and counting Varroa mites using images of the sticky boards taken by smartphone cameras. To this end, a new realistic dataset has been built: it includes images containing numerous artifacts and blurred parts, which makes the task challenging. After testing various architectures (mainly based on two-stage detectors with feature pyramid networks), combination of hyperparameters and some image enhancement techniques, we have obtained a system that achieves a mean average precision (mAP) metric of 0.9073 on the validation set. Full article

In recent years, the widespread introduction of bike-sharing systems in China has had a profound impact on the daily lives of Chinese citizens and the development of the urban transport system. This article attempts to analyse the impact of this phenomenon on sustainability. The gradual improvement of related monitoring measures has facilitated the maturation of the bike-sharing industry from the initial stage of uncontrolled growth to the current stage of standardised management. By tracing the global development of bike-sharing systems with a special focus on China, this study sheds light on the platformisation of bicycles and their multiple impacts on technical, environmental, cultural, economic and social sustainability. Furthermore, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of bicycles in China and highlights the diverse impacts of platform-based bike sharing on various facets of Chinese society. The development of different bike-sharing systems in China is a unique and crucial case to interpret the current situation of bike sharing and imagine future scenarios. In contrast to the prevailing and uniform approach derived from the experiences of Northern European countries, the massive and widespread experimentation with different bike-sharing schemes in China reveals not only potentials and aspects of sustainability, innovation, and urban and social regeneration, but also some hidden shadows similar to those in small-scale contexts such as Northern Europe. Furthermore, this study emphasises the crucial role of sustainable development principles in addressing the urban challenges specific to China. Full article

Rethinking the powers of the imagination, Søren Kierkegaard both anticipates and challenges contemporary approaches to a descriptive philosophy of religion. In contrast to the reigning approaches to religion in his day, Kierkegaard reconceives philosophy as, first of all, descriptive of human, including specifically ethical and religious, existence. To this end, he develops conceptual tools, including a descriptive ontology of human existence, a “pluralist epistemology” exploring both cognitive and passional dimensions of religion, and a role for the poetic in philosophy, strikingly expressed in his observer figures who “imaginatively construct” “thought projects” to explore human existence. While this new descriptive account anticipates subsequent approaches to the philosophy of religion, it could be interpreted as another “objectivist” endeavor, yet Kierkegaard attempts more in this descriptive philosophy. He imaginatively deploys conceptual and rhetorical strategies maieutically to both describe and elicit self-reflection aimed at transformation, thus expanding the imagination’s uses for his readers. Comparing Kierkegaard to Pierre Hadot’s recovery of ancient Greek philosophy as “a way of life” will show how Kierkegaard also engages the particularity of “the Christian principle”, with implications for how philosophy can both describe and elicit the pathos of other religious traditions as well. Full article

This paper presents the findings from a systematic review of 29 websites and 13 frameworks that provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) educational resources for parents, educators, and children (birth–8 years of age). Our theoretical approach is rooted within a social semiotic perspective that has indicated that multimodality enables children to use different types of expression to communicate a message or share an idea. Using the PRISMA methodology and the narrative document analysis approach, the themes that emerged included how the content and resources available on the websites addressed whether multimodality supported STEM engagement in an inclusive manner. The findings revealed that there were scarce multimodal resources that engaged children with fun, interactive, and meaningful opportunities to be autonomous learners (e.g., children had agency) (n = 11 out of 29), moving between the digital and hands-on physical spaces (n = 8 out of 29), employing gamification for deep learning (n = 4 out of 29), and piquing children’s imagination, inquiry, and creativity, and links to everyday STEM scenarios were hardly present (n = 10 out of 29). The implications lie in addressing early STEM engagement by considering children’s learning abilities and agency, bearing in mind parents/educators’ sociocultural backgrounds, confidence in STEM awareness, and multimodal avenues for communicating STEM learning and inquiry. Full article

Universities are commonly imagined as “enlightened institutions” that leave no room for discrimination. While studies from other countries and some studies from German universities cast doubt on this notion, the extent and characteristics of university students’ experiences of discrimination in Germany are not yet sufficiently researched. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess university students’ experiences of discrimination in a cross-sectional online survey. A total of 890 students completed the questionnaire. Of these, 45% reported that they had witnessed discrimination in the university, while 28% reported first-hand experiences. For those who had experienced discrimination themselves, it occurred repeatedly (68%) or regularly (15.5%). The most common grounds for discrimination were sex or gender (33% of all reported grounds for discrimination), non-German origin (12.5%) and having a chronic illness (7%). University lecturers were mentioned most often (by 80% of those who reported discrimination) as the perpetrators of discrimination. Taking these findings into consideration, universities should revisit their policies and structures that protect students against discrimination and support them in the case of harassment. This could entail obligatory training for university employees but should also consider that the university’s hierarchical structure facilitates abuses of power and can therefore be considered a variable in its own right. Full article

The independence and autonomy of both elderly and disabled people have been a growing concern in today’s society. Therefore, wheelchairs have proven to be fundamental for the movement of these people with physical disabilities in the lower limbs, paralysis, or other type of restrictive diseases. Various adapted sensors can be employed in order to facilitate the wheelchair’s driving experience. This work develops the proof concept of a brain–computer interface (BCI), whose ultimate final goal will be to control an intelligent wheelchair. An event-related (de)synchronization neuro-mechanism will be used, since it corresponds to a synchronization, or desynchronization, in the mu and beta brain rhythms, during the execution, preparation, or imagination of motor actions. Two datasets were used for algorithm development: one from the IV competition of BCIs (A), acquired through twenty-two Ag/AgCl electrodes and encompassing motor imagery of the right and left hands, and feet; and the other (B) was obtained in the laboratory using an Emotiv EPOC headset, also with the same motor imaginary. Regarding feature extraction, several approaches were tested: namely, two versions of the signal’s power spectral density, followed by a filter bank version; the use of respective frequency coefficients; and, finally, two versions of the known method filter bank common spatial pattern (FBCSP). Concerning the results from the second version of FBCSP, dataset A presented an F1-score of 0.797 and a rather low false positive rate of 0.150. Moreover, the correspondent average kappa score reached the value of 0.693, which is in the same order of magnitude as 0.57, obtained by the competition. Regarding dataset B, the average value of the F1-score was 0.651, followed by a kappa score of 0.447, and a false positive rate of 0.471. However, it should be noted that some subjects from this dataset presented F1-scores of 0.747 and 0.911, suggesting that the movement imagery (MI) aptness of different users may influence their performance. In conclusion, it is possible to obtain promising results, using an architecture for a real-time application. Full article

The UK government and many international experts have pointed out that nuclear energy has an important role to play in the transition towards a decarbonised energy system since it is the only freely manageable very low-carbon energy technology with 24/7 availability to complement renewables. Besides current investments in light water reactor technologies, we need innovation for improved fuel usage and reduced waste creation, like that offered by iMAGINE, for the required broad success of nuclear technologies. To allow for quick progress in innovative technologies like iMAGINE and their regulation, a timely investment into urgently needed experimental infrastructure and expertise development will be required to assure the availability of capacities and capabilities. The initial steps to start the development of such a new reactor physics experimental facility to investigate molten salt fast reactor technology are discussed, and a stepwise approach for the development of the experimental facility is described. The down selection for the choice for a diverse control and shutdown system is described through manipulating the reflector (control) and splitting the core (shutdown). The developed innovative core design of having the two core parts in two different rooms opens completely new opportunities and will allow for the manifestation of the request for separated operational and experimental crews, as nowadays requested by regulators into the built environment. The proposed physical separation of safety-relevant operational systems from the experimental room should on the one hand help to ease the access to the facility for visiting experimental specialists. On the other hand, the location of all safety-relevant systems in a now separated access-controlled area for the operational team will limit the risk of misuse through third party access. The planned experimental programme is described with the major steps as follows: core criticality experiments, followed by experiments to determine the neutron flux, neutron spectrum and power distribution as well as experiments to understand the effect of changes in reactivity and flux as a function of salt density, temperature and composition change. Full article

The Supreme Deity Talismans of XuHuo, as the mysterious visual artforms in Daoism, are significant ritual images created by Daoists during the Song and Yuan dynasties. This article explores the creation process of the SDTXH by applying psychoanalytic theory to analyze the literature related to their drawings in Daozang. The ritualistic concentration involved in writing the SDTXH resembles Jung’s systematic exercises aimed at eliminating critical attention, thus creating a vacuum in conscious. This vacuum serves as the key premise for active imagination, through which the unconscious is integrated into the conscious. Fuqiao, in fact, is a symbol dynamically depicting the process of the unconscious being inseminated by the conscious through immersion within it. This integration, or unity, represents the embodiment of concepts such as “mandala”, Guizhong, and Taiji. The SDTXH originate from Guizhong and essentially serve as archetypal images, similar to the sandplay images constructed by the clients. As the language of the unconscious, the SDTXH effectively bridge the conscious and unconscious, enabling the unconscious content, namely the archetype, to be symbolically expressed and bringing order to the creator through active imagination. The emergence of the SDTXH signifies the practitioner’s progress towards achieving psychic wholeness. Full article

Grounded in, and in dialogue with, Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida’s Luanda, Lisboa, Paraíso of 2018, this paper interrogates a particular time and place of coloniality and racial capital’s reproduction of Black fungibility in late twentieth-century Portugal, after formal decolonization in Africa and in the wake of Black migratory waves from the post/neo-colony (Angola in this case) to the former metropolis. Almeida’s novel provides a literary intervention in grappling with the economic and institutional reinvention of anti-Blackness in Europe after settler colonialism, while also imagining and inscribing modes of Black being within and beyond the materialities of white supremacy. Towards this end and against the racial, gendered, and ableist logics of capital, the Black body in Almeida’s novel becomes a site through which the relationships between humans and matter as well as mind and body are decolonially revised. Full article

Objective: Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) report to be especially prone to social emotions like shame and guilt. At the same time, these emotions seem to play an important role in BPD pathology. The present study aimed to deepen the knowledge about the processes behind shame and guilt in patients with BPD. Methods: Twenty patients with BPD and twenty healthy controls (HCs) took part in an experiment that induced shame and guilt by imagining scenarios during scanning using functional brain imaging. Participants also filled out self-report questionnaires and took part in diagnostic interviews. Results: BPD patients reported more proneness to guilt but not to shame than the HCs. There was no difference in the self-reported intensity rating of experimentally induced emotions between the groups. Between-group contrast of neural signals in the shame condition revealed a stronger activation of cingulate and fusiform gyrus for the BPD patients compared to the controls, and a more pronounced activation in the lingual gyrus and cuneus for the HCs. In the guilt condition, activation in the caudate nucleus, the fusiform gyrus, and the posterior cingulate cortex was stronger in BPD patients, while HC showed stronger activations in cuneus, lingual gyrus, and fronto-temporal regions. Conclusions: Differences in the neuro-functional processes between BPD patients and HC were found, even though the two groups did not differ in their self-report of subjective proneness to guilt and emotional intensity of shame and guilt during the experiment. While the HCs may be engaged more by the emotional scenarios themselves, the BPD patients may be more occupied with cognitive regulatory and self-referential processing. Full article

When working with, and learning about, the thermal balance of a chemical reaction, we need to consider two overlapping but conceptually distinct aspects: one relates to the process of reallocating entropy between reactants and products (because of different specific entropies of the new substances compared to those of the old), and the other to dissipative processes. Together, they determine how much entropy is exchanged between the chemicals and their environment (i.e., in heating and cooling). By making explicit use of (a) the two conjugate pairs chemical amount (i.e., amount of substance) and chemical potential, and entropy and temperature, respectively, (b) the laws of balance of amount of substance on the one hand and entropy on the other, and (c) a generalized approach to the energy principle, it is possible to create both imaginative and formal conceptual tools for modeling thermal balances associated with chemical transformations in general and exothermic and endothermic reactions in particular. In this paper, we outline the concepts and relations needed for a direct approach to chemical and thermal dynamics, create a model of exothermic and endothermic reactions, including numerical examples, and discuss how to relate the direct entropic approach to traditional models of these phenomena. Full article