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Abstract Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common glomerular injury leading to end-stage renal disease. Monogenic FSGS is primarily ascribed to decreased podocyte integrity. Variants between residues 184 and 245 of INF2, an actin assembly factor, produce the monogenic FSGS phenotype. Meanwhile, variants between residues 57 and 184 cause a dual-faceted disease involving peripheral neurons and podocytes (Charcot–Marie–Tooth CMT/FSGS). To understand the molecular basis for INF2 disorders, we compared structural and cytoskeletal effects of INF2 variants classified into two subgroups: One (G73D, V108D) causes the CMT/FSGS phenotype, and the other (T161N, N202S) produces monogenic FSGS. Molecular dynamics analysis revealed that all INF2 variants show distinct flexibility compared to the wild-type INF2 and could affect stability of an intramolecular interaction between their N- and C-terminal segments. Immunocytochemistry of cells expressing INF2 variants showed fewer actin stress fibers, and disorganization of cytoplasmic microtubule arrays. Notably, CMT/FSGS variants caused more prominent changes in mitochondrial distribution and fragmentation than FSGS variants and these changes correlated with the severity of cytoskeletal disruption. Our results indicate that CMT/FSGS variants are associated with more severe global cellular defects caused by disrupted cytoskeleton-organelle interactions than are FSGS variants. Further study is needed to clarify tissue-specific pathways and/or cellular functions implicated in FSGS and CMT phenotypes

Objectives Occupation-based intervention (OBI) involves daily and meaningful activities for evaluation and intervention. Recently, the “aid for decision-making in occupation choice for hand” (ADOC-H) was developed to facilitate OBI in patients with hand injuries. We aimed to examine the efficacy of OBI using the ADOC-H combined with physical function-based interventions (PBI) for patients with distal radius fractures (DRF). Material and methods Patients with DRF were retrospectively allocated to two groups, ADOC-H group ( n = 14) and PBI group ( n = 14), and compared. Results Improvements in the Pain Catastrophizing Scale magnification and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire scores were significantly higher in the ADOC-H group than in the PBI group ( p < .05). The groups showed no differences in measure of physical function, such as range of motion and grip strength. Conclusion OBI using the ADOC-H combined with PBI is clinically useful for patients with DRF as it promotes use of the injured hand for daily activities in a step-by-step approach, improving psychological difficulties in using the hand.

In many plants, only the outermost cells are specified into the epidermis, with underlying mechanisms unknown. Here, the authors show that a key epidermis identity gene is activated in surface cells, via positional cues involving mechanical signals.

An optical fiber coupler composed of two side-polished fibers with different curvature is proposed. The live-fiber is polished with a typical radius of curvature of 0.25 m, while the branch-fiber is polished with a larger radius of curvature. Analysis shows that the proposed asymmetric structure improves the highest cross-transmission of the coupled light by up to 0.26 just by increasing the curvature of the branch-fiber (compared to the conventional symmetric arrangement) without increasing the insertion loss created by side-polishing. Experiments confirm that the proposed structure raises the highest cross-transmission by 0.15 on average when the curvature of the branch-fiber is set to 0.5 m while the curvature of the live-fiber is kept to the typical value as expected from the analysis. Our study will contribute to realizing a simple and compact machine for polishing live-fibers that offers the improved workability and portability needed for adding optical fiber couplers to live-fibers in the field.

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) have been considerably used for assessing the individual’s performance in various contexts. The optimal number of options in MCQs is a debatable issue, followed by contradictions and discussions, and is needed for a firm conclusion from empirical and hypothetical findings. This study aims to link theoretical concepts, including challenge-based gamification, zone of proximal development, and prospect theory, and generate insight into educational assessment using motion-in-mind measures. Classical test theory was used to determine reliability and validity. Variations of MCQs experimented: the number of options, settings, and scoring methods. The experimental data was gathered from human and AI simulations and measured using motion-in-mind. It was found that increasing the number of options in the MCQ makes the test more challenging, explaining an increase of mass in mind $m$ . The findings also revealed that time pressure provides competitiveness while scaffolding provides support. In addition, the hybrid system demonstrates the balance of education and entertainment. Finally, the results addressed the general discussion and analogical interpretation in the education context based on physics-in-mind values. These findings can be promising for analyzing the balance between competitiveness and entertainment while enabling the learning process in the practical assessment.

A physical phenomenon represented through a sudden change of acceleration, termed ‘jerk’ (or jolt), is a compelling phenomenon that humans feel and has been seen in practical application in comfort and wear-and-tear effects in mechanical and engineering domains (for instance, in a daily situation, jerk can be experienced when we take an elevator). The logistical model of the game progress model and development of game refinement had led to the same measures of ‘jerk’ from the game-playing field. However, the influence of ‘jerk’ in such a domain has been limited. Mirroring real-world problems, incomplete information games, such as card games, were utilized to investigate the influence of ‘jerk,’ denoted as $AD$ values ( $AD$ is the abbreviation of addictive, which means players are getting addicted to the game, and players have the tendency to repeat to play the game, implying that it is difficult to stop when the action associated with it have started), from the game-playing domain. Based on different rules designs and game complexities of several popular card games (Wakeng, Doudizhu, Winner, Big Two, Tien Len), the implications of $AD$ value relative to its predecessors, the $GR$ measure, and its extension (called motion in mind model) were investigated. It was discussed from the perspective of game design and game-playing experiences, where artificial intelligence (AI) agents conducted self-playing simulations and verified the findings with empirical data. The condition of play that affects players’ behavior was determined, outlined as the principle of play, and relationships between attractive and addictive games were established.

Technology advancements allowed the development of action games that packed multifaceted play in a single game while requiring fast-paced movements. Since modern action game is composed of boss battles, evaluating them was scarcely investigated. In this study, the analysis of the boss battle was conducted based on the God of War (GoW) series, where the underlying entertainment aspects of the game were identified. The information progress of the boss battle of each of the considered GoW series was modeled using the game refinement (GR) theory and its extension, called motion in mind. The evolution of challenge, anticipation, and unpredictability between different GoW series was identified while the entertainment aspects of the game were investigated. The evolutionary trend of the sophistication and unpredictability of the GoW series games provided insights into the intended narrative design, harmonic balance between skill and chance, and provided learning comfort for player mastery of the game-playing.

From the perspective of audiences, game refinement (GR) theory is a theory and measurement that was frequently used to assess the enjoyment and complex features of games. We conjectured that when we play a strategy game, there is a physical information process in our minds which subject to Newton’s laws. It focuses on the uncertainty of game outcomes, where the game’s components were abstracted to produce the game information progression utilizing the game outcome (achievement or solved uncertainty) and game length (usually designed by total steps or moves). This quantification defines the measure of informational acceleration, in which thrills and excitement may be measured using Newton’s second law F=ma (Informational acceleration is correlated with force in mind). Changes in acceleration, on the other hand, would have an impact on game dynamics, particularly in hostile scenarios. The jerk value is used to correct the game dynamic by using a derivative of the acceleration readings. In the gaming setting, many physical factors linked to psychological feelings are explored. To illustrate the physical and psychological relationships, the game information progress is represented in our minds. By determining reasonable informational jerk values related to the game process’s success rate and informational acceleration, this development of game refinement theory provides a more player-driven experience.

Abstract Camostat mesylate, an oral serine protease inhibitor, is used to treat chronic pancreatitis and reflux esophagitis. Recently, camostat mesylate and its active metabolite 4‐(4‐guanidinobenzoyloxy)phenylacetic acid (GBPA) were reported to inhibit the infection of cells by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by inhibiting type II transmembrane serine protease. We conducted a phase I study to investigate high‐dose camostat mesylate as a treatment for coronavirus disease 2019. Camostat mesylate was orally administered to healthy adults at 600 mg 4 times daily under either of the following conditions: fasted state, after a meal, 30 min before a meal, or 1 h before a meal, and the pharmacokinetics and safety profiles were evaluated. In addition, the time of plasma GBPA concentration exceeding the effective concentration was estimated as the time above half‐maximal effective concentration (EC50) by using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling and simulation. Camostat mesylate was safe and tolerated at all dosages. Compared with the fasted state, the exposure of GBPA after a meal and 30 min before a meal was significantly lower; however, no significant difference was observed at 1 h before a meal. The time above EC50 was 11.5 h when camostat mesylate 600 mg was administered 4 times daily in the fasted state or 1 h before a meal. Based on the results of this phase I study, we are currently conducting a phase III study.

Over history, games have served multiple purposes. It serves as a fun activity for players who need the entertainment to become test-beds for artificial intelligence. Solving games is beneficial in providing a better understanding of how information is progressing throughout the game. Uncertainty in games affects the way a game is solved and the way the game is experienced. Previous works have interpreted uncertainty in the game progress through various means, but there have been no clear links among those interpretations. In this paper, the probability-based proof number search (PPNS) and single conspiracy number (SCN) were used as the domain-independent indicators to analyze how uncertainty affects various game elements. PPNS exploits information from certain and uncertain information to reach convergence in solving games. Meanwhile, SCN evaluates the game states’ difficulty and describes game-playing patterns to understand play positions better. The study’s objective focuses on finding the optimal difficulty ordering of a game solver, defining the indicator for entertainment, and linking game-tree search and entertainment in different game environments. Experiments results demonstrate the link between the search indicators and the measure of entertainment where uncertainty plays a vital role in both contexts, verified from both two-person and single-agent games. Such a situation is also crucial for both computation and entertainment measures since it impacts both the quality of information and the expected game-playing experience.

The gaming industry had rapidly been expanding globally, where it encompasses more than the purpose of recreational and increasingly becomes more immersive and engaging, and potentially leads to pathological gaming behaviors that lead to addiction. Such experience of engagement and addiction involves understanding the fundamental functions of the human mind’s dynamic state. This study uncovers the mind’s underlying physics via the analogy of motion (i.e., mass, velocity, etc.) using games as the source of information. This study also conjectures that the law of conservation in mind occurred in games where momentum and energy were conserved over time, where game-playing experience relative to the gambling psychology and perceptive force were identified from the objective and subjective perspectives. It was found that momentum conservation provides new engagement measures while energy conservation, considering several other factors, provides the necessary components of understanding the addiction mechanism in the game-playing context. This measurement is examined in various domains, such as popular boards and sports games, and public gambling, where its effectiveness is determined.

The game refinement theory focuses on the game designer perspective, where its application in various types of games provides evidence of the occurring paradigm shift. Utilizing the logistical model of game outcome uncertainty, it provides a platform for incorporating gamified experience observed in games to be adopted in domains outside of game while retaining the context of the game. Making games as a testbed, the implications of the game refinement theory have been observed in the educational and business perspective, while further explored its utility in interpreting some states of the human mind. In addition, a holistic view of design in games and in the real-world environments was discussed, where the prospects of the game refinement theory were also highlighted.

The process of 3D reconstruction is a basic problem in Computer Vision. However, recent researches have been successfully addressed by motion capture systems with body worn markers and multiple cameras. To recover 3Dreconstruction from fully-body human pose by single camera still remains a challenging problem. For instance, noisy background, variation in human appearance and self-occlusion were among these challenges. This thesis investigated methods of 3D reconstruction from monocular image sequences in dynamic activities such as sports. Six recent methods were selected based on they focused on recovery fully automated system for estimating 3D human pose for 2D joint location. These researches have been developed the algorithm that be able to solve ill-posed problem. Evaluation of the methods was divided in two sections. First, the theoretical and comparative study of each method was disclosed to identify the technique used, the problems that enquired and the results achieved in their approach. After that, the advantages and disadvantages of each method were listed. Also, several factors such as accuracy, self-occlusion and so on have been compared amongst these methods. In Second stage, based on the advantages found in the first stage of evaluation, three methods were chosen to be evaluated using specific data set. Initially, the codes of the three methods on PennAction dataset (tennis) were run and the performance of the methods in 3D reconstruction is showed. Then, the methods were tested on a mixed activities sequence from the CMU motion capture database. The novel of this study is evaluation of recent methods based on the accuracy of their performance on the specific dataset of tennis player. Also, we proposed a technique which combining specific advantages of each method to create a more efficient method for 3D reconstruction of 2D sequential images in the context of outdoor activities.

The development of games had been seen as an essential field of study in artificial intelligence. Although game concepts have been adopted in various problem domains, understanding the nature of game playing's underlying mechanism has been limited. This study investigates such a mechanism by adopting a logistic model of game outcome uncertainty where a measure of game refinement had been derived. Application of such a measure to the popular board and sports games have been conducted to determine its implication in determining sophisticated design and has defined the harmonic balance between skill and chance. A theoretical analysis using practical data confirms the effectiveness of the proposed model, where reasonable game length is determined based on the definition of a gamified experience. The model is further expanded with the analogy of physics in mind. The law of motions in the game is formalized by considering the derivatives of the game progress model, where the link between game refinement theory and flow theory is identified and discussed. In essence, the sophisticated game's underlying mechanism leads to a more natural yet pleasurable human experience.

Game refinement theory has been studied to derive a measurement of game sophistication. Recently, it has been developed as physics in mind, which may relate to the state of player's feelings such as satisfaction and comfort in mind. This article explores a link between game refinement theory and reinforcement schedule. A notion of winning hardness to achieve the goal (m) of a gamified activity, relative to the reinforcement schedules (N), is proposed through the physics in mind measures, which is utilized to quantify an activity's enjoyment. By applying these new measurements to various gaming activities, the sense of player satisfaction and sophistication in game-playing is induced. Indicators for cultural changes and their implications to game-playing landscapes and experiences were established based on evidence from various well-known games. From such findings, the link between game refinement theory and reinforcement schedule may imply that classifying the games according to our mind's psychological activities is vital in design decisions that largely influences people's quality of life.

The digital marketplace has rapidly grown, transitioning the market of video games from physical localized experiences to more networked, expanded, virtual spaces. With a highly competitive business market, platform governance policy allows for the emergence of rapidly growing publishing platforms for digital video games such as the Steam platform. This study demonstrated the importance of the meta-gaming of a platform based on the Steam platform; 18,658 Steam-listed games were acquired and analyzed from the Steam Store, Steam Spy, and Steam achievement databases. A detailed analysis was conducted where key research questions were formulated concerning the game information. This study found that digital badging (i.e., achievements) increases players’ engagement with the publishing platform with good auxiliary data (such as types, rating, releases, and prices). Based on such findings, an opportunity for a new business model is envisioned.

Challenges in education have continuously been addressed by integrating gamification, but a gap remains for game design principles that support user engagement. This paper outlines results obtained from integrating challenge-based gamification into an elementary school classroom to examine the emergence of student engagement and learning-related behavior. The approach was applied to logical puzzle quizzes where different gamification adjustments were captured and examined using physics' analogy (called the motion in mind concept). The structural experiment, with a mixed methods design, was designed around the notion of time pressure and the difficulty of gamifying the quizzing experience. This model was constructed to validate and expand the quantitative findings (motion in mind model) by including qualitative explorations (thematic analysis). The results revealed the potential synthesis of motion in mind and flow theory, and its relationships to engagement and learning were identified as a new conceptual scheme.

Experiments on groups of Checkers programs, playing by majority voting, were performed to investigate performance and stability. Homogeneous groups, copies of the same program, was used to perform these experiments instead of heterogeneous group that was more complicated by factors of different programs. Experiments were performed based on a search-depth of 5, 10 and 12 using the Samuel checkers program. Games of checkers were played between groups of size ranging from 1 up to 10 for each side. Experiment results suggest that group performance increases as a kind of logarithm function as the group size gradually increases for stronger player, and the performance slowly decreases in the case of a weaker player, stability seems to increase as the group size increases.

The game ‘Mafia’ is a logic puzzle that has been a top-rated party game played worldwide. Many studies have been dedicated to determining the best character combination to keep players engaged while analyzing the overall death toll. Although it has only two-sided plays, there are multiple combinations of characters in which each character’s rules are different. This paper explores the game’s sophistication using the game refinement theory and motion in mind model while measuring the entertainment of each character’s actions. It then focuses on the dynamics of minority versus majority behaviors during the game process. Computer simulations were conducted to collect the data of each character and assess the entertainment impacts. Moreover, the energy value of each character was computed based on the motion in mind model. The results show that when the number of ‘Mafia’ and the number of ‘Sheriffs’ are equal, the sophistication of each character is maximized. In addition, the data indicates the player engagement in the following order: Mafia>Sheriff>Citizen. Thus, it can be concluded that the actions of the Mafia character are the most complicated and significantly impact the game. It is expected that the results in this study enable game designers to improve each character’s perspective and examine possible enhancements from the viewpoint of entertainment.

In this research, the concept of Game Refinement Theory is applied to quantify the entertainment value of the game of TIGERS AND GOATS. This paper explores the game to get some compelling estimates of Game Refinement (GR) value of the game at various stages. The comparison of value is done for the two popular variants of the game. Also, we have compared the value with respect to the difficulty level of the game and the winning scenario. The results indicate that the game becomes more of a serious game with the increasing difficulty. The paper focuses on one main question - Why did we lose one of the game variants while the other one is still well sought-after and if there is any history behind this? After doing some research, we found that the game variant AADU PULI ATTAM which has lost its popularity has much lower game refinement value than the popular variant (BAGH CHAL). With this, we also present the hypothesis on their timeline that BAGH CHAL is an evolved version of AADU PULI ATTAM.

This paper explores the attractiveness and sophistication of Realm of Valor (ROV) using game refinement theory and analyzes its business model by gamification. ROV is one of the most attractive and popular MOBA games in mobile platform. It is free-to-play (F2P) game which is the most popular business model for mobile platform. The result shows that ROV has game refinement value in sophisticated zone that implies entertainment and competitiveness experiences. Moreover, the results are used to make a comparison of platform transformation of MOBA genre which causes from quick time battle characteristics. We also present the result of evolution skin revenue essentially increase over the year due to number of mobile users. Finally, ROV is one of the best examples in monetization while introducing suitable characteristics for the mobile platform such that players can feel entertainment and excitement.

Abstract Background Intestinal duplication, a congenital malformation, is considered a rare condition, particularly in adults. Although it affects young children, a minority of patients remains asymptomatic until adulthood. Here, we describe a case of an intestinal duplication cyst that caused intussusception by a unique mechanism. Case presentation A 19-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for intermittent abdominal pain. Computed tomography revealed colonic intussusception induced by a nodular mass in the ileocecal region. Urgent ileocecal resection was performed because of the risk of colonic ischemia. The resected material comprised a stool-filled noncommunicating cyst that protruded into the enteric lumen at the ileocecal valve. Histological analyses revealed that the inner wall of the cyst was lined with colonic mucosa and that the muscle layer of the cyst was shared with that of the original enteric wall; furthermore, the cyst had a vestige of an opening site in the wall. We concluded that the cyst was an intestinal duplication that poured stool into its lumen through the tiny orifice, thereby triggering intussusception. Conclusions The present case suggests that stool-pouring can cause intussusception into the space of an intestinal duplication lesion.

We design a temporary optical coupler to obtain high injection and extraction efficiencies while keeping the bending loss low with the aim of realizing optical cable re-routing without service interruption. The temporary optical coupler injects/extracts signal lights into/from a fiber by using fiber bending. The extraction efficiency is improved by using a double-clad fiber or a graded-index fiber for light injection and extraction while the injection efficiency is maintained compared with that of a conventional temporary optical coupler that uses a single-mode fiber. This improvement enables us to realize an optical cable re-routing operation support system that requires no service interruption.

The attraction of games comes from the player being able to have fun in games. Gambling games that are based on the Variable-Ratio schedule in Skinner’s experiment are the most typical addictive games. It is necessary to clarify the reason why typical gambling games are simple but addictive. Also, the Multiarmed Bandit game is a typical test for Skinner Box design and is most popular in the gambling house, which is a good example to analyze. This article mainly focuses on expanding on the idea of the motion in mind model in the scene of Multiarmed Bandit games, quantifying the player’s psychological inclination by simulation experimental data. By relating with the quantification of player satisfaction and play comfort, the expectation’s feeling is discussed from the energy perspective. Two different energies are proposed: player-side (Er) and game-side energy (Ei). This provides the difference of player-side (Er) and game-side energy (Ei), denoted as Ed to show the player’s psychological gap. Ten settings of mass bandit were simulated. It was found that the setting of the best player confidence (Er) and entry difficulty (Ei) can balance player expectation. The simulation results show that when m=0.3,0.7, the player has the biggest psychological gap, which expresses that player will be motivated by not being reconciled. Moreover, addiction is likely to occur when m∈[0.5,0.7]. Such an approach can also help the developers and educators increase edutainment games’ efficiency and make the game more attractive.

The compensation system called komi has been used in scoring games such as Go. In Go, White (the second player) is at a disadvantage because Black gets to move first, giving that player an advantage; indeed, the winning percentage for Black is higher. The perceived value of komi has been re-evaluated over the years to maintain fairness. However, this implies that this static komi is not a sufficiently sophisticated solution. We leveraged existing komi methods in Go to study the evolution of fairness in board games and to generalize the concept of fairness in other contexts. This work revisits the notion of fairness and proposes the concept of dynamic komi Scrabble. We introduce two approaches, static and dynamic komi, in Scrabble to mitigate the advantage of initiative (AoI) issue and to improve fairness. We found that implementing the dynamic komi made the game attractive and provided direct real-time feedback, which is useful for the training of novice players and maintaining fairness for skilled players. A possible interpretation of physics-in-mind is also discussed for enhancing game refinement theory concerning fairness in games.

This paper explores the effects of the winning streak on users' motivation and engagement in Duolingo's language course. The winning streak has been used in sport and video games to describe a consecutive number of successful actions and increase players' attention to complete their goal. Similarly, in gamified education system, the winning streak is employed as a game element to boost up motivation of learners. By applying game refinement theory as an assessment method, enjoyment of two user groups in Duolingo is measured to compare. The results indicate that the winning streak can boost up learners' motivation and attention to complete their goals. It also expressed that the winning streak is more significant for advanced learners who are in the high level of milestone than those who are in the low level of milestone.

Due to the advent of the Internet, massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have been enjoyed worldwide by many players simultaneously, and game publishers’ revenues have reached billions of dollars from subscriptions alone. Frequent updates (e.g., versioning) and new contents (e.g., quest system) are the typical strategies adopted by developers to keep MMORPG experiences fresh and attractive. What makes such strategies attractive and retains the interest of players in MMORPGs? This study focuses on one aspect of a popular MMORPG: the player’s experience of the quest systems of Final Fantasy XIV (FF14). The different quest systems were analyzed considering Bartle’s players’ classification, specifically for the explorers and achievers. From an information science perspective, such an analysis can be achieved via game refinement (GR) theory, which formulates the information of the game’s progression into a measurable model of game sophistication. On top of that, we used the concept of motion in mind, which was derived from concepts in physics. It maps game progression information to enable the possible quantification and approximation of players’ mental movements and affective experiences in the game. Based on the analysis of the collected data using the proposed measures of GR and motion in mind, the impact of regular updates on players in long-term games is discussed. Insights from the study provide guidance and suggestions for potential improvements in long-term game design.

The notion of comfort with respect to rides, such as roller coasters, is typically addressed from the perspective of a physical ride, where the convenience of transportation is redefined to minimize risk and maximize thrill. As a popular form of entertainment, roller coasters sit at the nexus of rides and games, providing a suitable environment to measure both mental and physical experiences of rider comfort. In this paper, the way risk and comfort affect such experiences is investigated, and the connection between play comfort and ride comfort is explored. A roller coaster ride simulation is adopted as the target environment for this research, which combines the feeling of being thrill and comfort simultaneously. At the same time, this paper also expands research on roller coaster rides while bridging the rides and games via the analogy of the law of physics, a concept currently known as motion in mind. This study’s contribution involves a roller coaster ride model, which provides an extended understanding of the relationship between physical performance and the mental experience relative to the concept of motion in mind while establishing critical criteria for a comfortable experience of both the ride and play.

The cloning of the ATML1 gene, encoding an HD-ZIP class IV transcription factor, was first reported in 1996. Because ATML1 mRNA was preferentially detected in the shoot epidermis, cis-regulatory sequences of ATML1 have been used to drive gene expression in the outermost cells of the shoot apical meristem and leaves, even before the function of ATML1 was understood. Later studies revealed that ATML1 is required for developmental processes related to shoot epidermal specification and differentiation. Consistent with its central role in epidermal development, ATML1 activity has been revealed to be restricted to the outermost cells via several regulatory mechanisms. In this review, we look back on the history of ATML1 research and provide a perspective for future studies.

Variants of best-first search algorithms and their expansions have continuously been introduced to solve challenging problems. The probability-based proof number search (PPNS) is a best-first search algorithm that can be used to solve positions in AND/OR game tree structures. It combines information from explored (based on winning status) and unexplored (through Monte Carlo simulation) nodes from a game tree using an indicator called the probability-based proof number (PPN). In this study, PPNS is employed to solve randomly generated positions in Connect Four and Othello, in which the results are compared with the two well-known best-first search algorithms (proof number search (PNS) and Monte Carlo proof number search). Adopting a simple improvement parameter in PPNS reduces the number of nodes that need to be explored by up to 57%. Moreover, further observation showed the varying importance of information from explored and unexplored nodes in which PPNS relies critically on the combination of such information in earlier stages of the Othello game. Discussion and insights from these findings are provided where the potential future works are briefly described.

DouDiZhu, a multiplayer game with incomplete information, is the most popular card game in China. Although there are many DouDiZhu card games in the world, the specific characteristics of classical DouDiZhu card games are a harmonious combination of player numbers, player characters (landlords and peasants), deck numbers, and scoring systems. However, research on the complexity and attractiveness of DouDiZhu has not established. Therefore, in this paper, artificial intelligence (AI) players of different levels of DouDiZhu game were constructed for research, self-game simulation was conducted for DouDiZhu AI players, and game refinement measures were used to evaluate and identify the best Settings of the game. The results show that classical DouDiZhu provides the most complex game setup for all types of DouDiZhu AI players, while also clarifying its popularity.

This paper explores a mathematical model of game progress. We claim that a realistic model of the game progress during the in-game period is not linear but exponential. The second derivative value, i.e., acceleration in the sense of dynamics, is derived from the model and we propose to use the value as a measure of game refinement. T his i s b ecause a cceleration o f g ame p rogress s hould b e r elated t o t he e motional impact i n our minds, as thrill or engagement in games. We also evaluate well known games using our theory like sport games, that would further be classified by the rule to finish the game. It is expected that the game refinement theory will be widely used as a tool to assess the quality of various types of games as a new game theory.

Thyroglobulin gene mutation is a rare cause of congenital hypothyroidism, but thyroglobulin gene mutations are thought to be associated with thyroid cancer development. A 21-year-old Japanese man treated with levothyroxine for congenital hypothyroidism had an enlarged thyroid gland with undetectable serum thyroglobulin despite elevated serum TSH level. The patient was diagnosed with thyroglobulin gene mutation, with compound heterozygosity for Gly304Cys missense mutation and Arg432X nonsense mutation. Ultrasonography showed a hypovascular large tumor in the left lobe that appeared as a cold nodule on thyroid scintigraphy. He underwent total thyroidectomy, but pathological study did not reveal findings of thyroid carcinoma, but rather a hyperplastic nodule with hemorrhage. Strong cytoplasmic thyroglobulin immunostaining was observed, but sodium iodide symporter immunostaining was hardly detected in the hyperplastic nodule. The clinical characteristics of patients with thyroglobulin gene mutations are diverse, and some patients are diagnosed by chance on examination of goiter in adults. The presence of thyroid tumors that appear as cold nodules on thyroid scintigraphy should consider the potential for thyroid carcinoma, if the patient has relatively low serum thyroglobulin concentration in relation to the degree of TSH without thyroglobulin autoantibody.