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Research on visual menus, specifically panel and pie menus, has gained widespread attention in recent times. However, limited research focuses on the mid-air interaction when comparing these two menu types. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive comparison between panel and pie menus in the context of cursor-based mid-air interaction within a photo booth setting. The evaluation involved analyzing muscle activities, performance metrics, and user experience to quantify the differences between the two menus across three menu operations. Our results indicated that the pie menu offered notable advantages by reducing muscular loads, achieving shorter task completion times, and delivering an overall more enjoyable user experience, making it a preferable choice for mid-air interaction in photo booth settings. Conversely, the panel menu exhibited superior scores of learnability and demonstrated enhanced accuracy in the switching operation, suggesting that it might be a better choice for complex and precision-demanding tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of vehicular automation is to enhance driver comfort by reducing the necessity for active engagement in driving. This allows for the performance of non-driving-related tasks (NDRTs), with attention shifted away from the driving process. Despite this, there exists a discrepancy between current in-vehicle display configurations and the escalating demands of NDRTs. This study investigates drivers' preferences for in-vehicle display configurations within highly automated driving contexts. Utilizing virtual reality head-mounted displays (VR-HMDs) to simulate autonomous driving scenarios, this research employs Unity 3D Shape for developing sophisticated head movement tracking software. This setup facilitates the creation of virtual driving environments and the gathering of data on visual attention distribution. Employing an orthogonal experiment, this experiment methodically analyses and categorizes the primary components of in-vehicle display configurations to determine their correlation with visual immersion metrics. Additionally, this study incorporates subjective questionnaires to ascertain the most immersive display configurations and to identify key factors impacting user experience. Statistical analysis reveals that a combination of Portrait displays with Windshield Head-Up Displays (W-HUDs) is favored under highly automated driving conditions, providing increased immersion during NDRTs. This finding underscores the importance of tailoring in-vehicle display configurations to individual needs to avoid distractions and enhance user engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number and layout of options within pie menus are crucial for determining the direction of radial swiping in mid-air interactions, influencing the physical demands imposed on users. This research examined six distinct option quantities, referred to as menu breadth, and investigated two layouts, designated as menu orientations. These orientations encompass landscape and portrait formats, with the former positioning a top option centred parallel to the horizontal axis, while the latter situates two top options on either side of the vertical axis. The study employed comprehensive metrics, including muscle activity, wrist movement, user performance, and subjective assessments. Our results indicated that the breadth should be controlled to no more than six to ensure high efficiency and align with users’ interactive experience, while breadth 2 should be avoided to eliminate the potential risk of wrist musculoskeletal disorders. Besides, the portrait orientation for breadth 3 and the landscape orientation for breadth 6 were recommended for their lower physiological loads and higher efficiency. Also, the landscape orientation for breadth 4 should be favoured as it outperformed portrait orientation in both wrist movement dimensions. These findings could provide scientific design principles for using pie menus in mid-air interaction within future HCI applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have extensively explored inclusive tourism in rural areas in the recent past. However, several forms of inclusive tourism are associated with several limitations. Firstly, few tourists travel to rural places because they consider the developed areas unattractive. Secondly, the area is not attractive because the design and services do not match the area. Thirdly, the people living in rural areas are not content and happy. The aim of the present study is to propose a visualization method-based dynamic design strategy for exploring a new balance between tourism experience and local development. The research and application of the method were conducted in two traditional Chinese villages in western Zhejiang, China. The classification of landscape services (LS) and historical landscape elements (HLE) was used to define the design goals. The visualization method was used during the whole design and construction process of revitalizing Yuan Touli village. The results showed that the method allows for easy analysis and is an efficient tool for developing participant designs based on the different roles in village tourism. The visualization method can circumvent the limitations of ensuring inclusive tourism. The design definition, study's limitations and future research directions are presented in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments and treatments focused on pelvic asymmetry are common amongst health professionals. However, there is no clear evidence for the reliability of palpatory examinations for pelvic landmarks. This review aimed to investigate the reliability of palpatory examinations for pelvic landmarks. A systematic search was undertaken using eight databases from inceptions to 2021 January 8th, to identify relevant primary studies. Methodological quality of included studies was evaluated using quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability (QAREL). Data on kappa statistics were synthesized quantitatively. 10 papers were included. Six papers had moderate methodological quality (50–70% in QAREL). Four pelvic landmarks, including anterior superior iliac spine, posterior superior iliac spine, sacral sulcus or inferior lateral angle were examined. For both inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, kappa statistics were consistently lower than 0.60 regardless of examiners' qualifications or experience levels, or standardisation trainings. As a result of meta-analyses, pooled kappa statics were consistently lower than 0.06 for all landmarks. Consistent evidence was found to suggest that palpatory examinations of pelvic landmarks to detect pelvic asymmetry do not have an acceptable reliability. Therefore, the current evidence does not support the use of these tests in clinical or educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile games are developing rapidly as an important part of the national economy. Gameplay is an important attribute, and a game's icon sometimes determines the user's initial impression. Whether the user can accurately perceive gameplay and affective quality through the icon is particularly critical. In this article, a two-stage perceptual matching procedure is used to evaluate the perceptual quality of six categories of games whose icons include characters as elements. First, 60 highly visual matching icons were selected as second-stage objects through classification tasks. Second, through the semantic differential method and correlation analysis, highly visual matching icons' affective matching quality was measured. Finally, a series of icon samples were determined, and element analysis was carried out. Several methods were proposed for improving the perceptual quality of game icons. Studying the perceptual matching relationship can better enhance the interaction between designers, developers, and users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible multi-color electrochromism has been achieved by mixing two colors at one working electrode using a hetero-multilayer layer-by-layer (LbL) film. The hetero-multilayer LbL film consists of a redox-conductive layer-by-layer (LbL) film (inner layer) and an electrochromic LbL film (outer layer). The redox-conductive film was constructed by LbL deposition of a cationic copolymer that contains ruthenium complexes and sodium polyacrylate, whereas the electrochromic LbL film was fabricated using Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles and poly(ethylene imine). The cyclic voltammogram of the hetero-multilayer film suggested that PB is located at two different sites. This difference in location enables controlling each PB redox reaction independently. As a result, the film exhibited visible electrochromic colors of conventional PB, that is blue due to the predominant presence of PB and yellow upon oxidizing PB to Prussian yellow (PY), as well as green for a mixture of PB and PY, even only one working electrode is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of artificial giant liposome incorporating ion transport channels and using nanoparticles of metal organic frameworks was demonstrated. The micropores of Prussian blue nanoparticles served as ion transport channels between the outer and inner phases of liposomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prussian blue (PB), an archetypal classic porous coordination polymer, has been rediscovered as a potential electrode material for ion secondary batteries due to its accommodations for alkali-metal ions. Many researchers have investigated the charge/discharge capacities of PB and its analogue (PBA) cells with binders. Binders, however, often obscure the underlying redox-coupled ion transport mechanism and the intrinsic transport pathways in PB and PBAs. Using binder-free PB film electrodes prepared by our low-temperature annealing method, we monitored the redox process accompanied by ion transport through simultaneous electrochemical and electrochromic measurements. We clarify that large pores of the defect lattice PB facilitate the efficient transport of bare and solvated Li+/K+, whereas small pores of the perfect lattice PB only allow bare Li+ to be transported up to inner lattice layers. This highlights the importance of pore/ion size selectivity and the (de)solvation effect. Quantum chemical calculations of a perfect lattice model revealed the size-dependent transport pathways of bare Li+ and K+, which microscopically corroborate the experimentally observed selectivity. In addition, spin density difference maps demonstrate that the Li+ transport can be facilitated not only by the electrochemical reduction of all FeIII centres but also by Li+-induced local redox reactions of the lattice framework. Our combined experimental and theoretical studies provide a fundamental understanding of the concealed structure–property relationship in PB films, thereby contributing to a more systematic design of high-performance PB/PBA electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A porous crystal family has been explored as alternatives of Nafion films exhibiting super-proton conductivities of ≥10−2 S cm−1. Here, the proton-conduction natures of a solution-processed film of nanoparticles (NPs) have been studied and compared to those of a Nafion film. A mono-particle film of Prussian-blue NPs is spontaneously formed on a self-assembled monolayer substrate by a one-step solution process. A low-temperature heating process of the densely packed, pinhole-free mono-particle NP film enables a maximum 105-fold enhancement of proton conductivity, reaching ca. 10−1 S cm−1. The apparent highest conductivity, compared to previously reported data of the porous crystal family, remains constant against humidity changes by an improved water-retention ability of the film. In our proposed mechanism, the high-performing solution-processed NP film suggests that heating leads to the self-restoration of hydrogen-bonding networks throughout their innumerable grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A specific electronic interaction among metal ions emerges in solution‐processed films of coordination polymer (CP) nanoparticles (NPs). The most classic CP, Prussian blue (PB), is alloyed with Ni to form FexNi3−x[Fe(CN)6]2 showing an identical X‐ray crystallographic phase in all composition ratios of 0≤x≤3. By surface modification using [Fe(CN)6]4−, the PB alloy NPs are dispersed into water, and spin‐coated films of the NPs adhere to indium‐tin‐oxide substrates via a low‐temperature heating process at 100 °C. It is revealed that systematic fine tuning of the electronic energy levels is optically and electrochemically possible in the films by controlling the composition ratios. This is possible due to the d(t2g)–π*(C≡N−) electronic conjugation among three redox‐active iron species, FeII−C≡N, FeIII−C≡N, and FeIII−N≡C, which coexist by alloying with Ni. The heating process conducts the restoration of discontinued d–π* bonding networks among the NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the March 2011 issue of "Critical Studies in Media Communication," is presented. Articles discussed include "Bursting the Bubble: A Case Study of Counter-framing in the Editorial Pages," by Catherine R. Squires, "'Brand America': Media and the Framing of 'Cosmopolitan' Identities," by Kathleen Glenister Roberts, "The Crisis of Public Values in the Age of the New Media," by Henry A. Giroux.

The author discusses the idea about the word critical. The author cites the conversation on how critical race theory, critical pedagogy, critical legal studies, critical rhetoric, critical literacy studies, and critical theory relate to each other and how it would help clarify commitments of the scholars and the field of critical scholarship. He mentions that with a conception of critical that has a finer edge has the potential to formulate and shape materially conscious and scholarly practices.

Rural tourism has become a hot topic in China in the context of the nation's rural revitalisation. Rural tourism allows tourists to experience local life and promotes local economic development. However, there is considerable controversy over the landscape design of ancient Chinese villages. Many problems, such as how to design and protect the landscape of these ancient villages and how to improve the tourist experience, are not resolved. For our research object, we selected the ancient Gaotiankeng Village in Kaihua County, Zhejiang Province. Using questionnaires, image interviews, and some user experience techniques such as mental maps, we collected user experience data by assessing design cases. The visualisation method presented a wide range of experience in the landscape and planning field. This study primarily used computer image processing, image entropy calculation, and colour mapping to process the data. A visualisation framework was defined to highlight the landscape aesthetics, landscape service, and tourists' emotion. The results indicated the relationship of three elements. The objective of our study was to develop a method of landscape design and planning that can effectively enhance tourists' experience and provide practical suggestions for rural landscapes and relatively better services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the image of China from the perspective of the U.S. "Old China" represents China as a Cold War enemy and an ancient civilization, while "new China" evokes China's efforts to modernize yet is still under authoritarian rule. Topics include three assumptions on the positions of power of China and the U.S., the China's hosting of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China's treatment of Tibet, the earthquake in the Sichuan province of China in 2008, and human rights issues in China.

Abstract: A stable silica membrane having excellent H2/N2 permeance ratio (over 1000) was prepared by the counter diffusion chemical vapor deposition method using tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) and O2 as reactants at 873K. TMOS and O2 were provided in the opposing geometry of the substrates, and silica layer was deposited in the substrate pores. Apparent activation energies through the silica membranes increased with increasing deposition temperatures. The activation energy of H2 was ca. 20kJmol−1 through the membrane. H2 permeance at 873K permeation test was 1.5×10−7 molm−2 s−1 Pa−1. H2/N2 permeance ratio was kept for 21h under the typical steam-reforming conditions of methane for a membrane reactor (76kPa of steam at 773K). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ultralight materials exhibit superelastic behavior depending on the selection, blending, and carbonization of the materials. Recently, ultimate low-density materials of 5 mg/cm3 or less have attracted attention for applications such as sensors, electrodes, and absorbing materials. In this study, we fabricated an ultralight material composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and we investigated the effect of density, composition, and weight average molecular weight of CMC on elastic recovery properties of ultralight CNT/CMC composites. Our results showed that the elastic recovery properties can be improved by reducing the density of the composite, lowering the mass ratio of CNTs, and using CMC with small molecular weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A preface to the journal is presented which notes that Professor Aimee Carrillo Rowe has written a guest preface exploring the issue's theme of racial formation and media.

The article discusses a study which investigated the visible cathodoluminescence (CL) from silicon (Si) implanted with neodymium (Nd) and dysprosium (Dy) ions. The study aimed to analyze the visible luminescence properties of Nd- and Dy-ion implanted Si and the difference in the CL spectra of as implanted and N2-annealed samples. Study authors concluded that CL is observed in Nd- and Dy-ion implanted Si due to thermal oxidation.