The purpose of this study is to address the problem of ancient towns dying out in developing countries,particularly China.Intensifying conflicts between human settlements and the natural environment are described,and ...The purpose of this study is to address the problem of ancient towns dying out in developing countries,particularly China.Intensifying conflicts between human settlements and the natural environment are described,and guidelines are proposed for the development of waterside ancient towns in China’s southern Shaanxi Province in the interest of conserving cultural and natural heritage.The towns of Qingmuchuan,Fenghuang and Houliu were selected as representative examples due to their strong reputation among tourists.They have the characteristics of traditional southern Shaanxi towns,but each has a completely different layout,space and structure.The comparative findings of this research provide a point of reference for establishing guidelines to preserve the integrity of ancient towns worldwide.In this paper,we compare the geographical conditions with the layout and texture of the streets by Google Earth Pro.And we analyze the details of spaces along the river zones,architectural styles and building decorations in order to research the relationship between the natural environment and the human settlement conditions.We note the unfortunate common trend of commercial development steadily taking over the natural environment,particularly the rivers and unique elements of the old towns.Finally,we summarize the similarities and differences of the spatial forms among these towns and put forward proposals for the further development of ancient towns.This research is important for all regions which stand to lose their national treasures.Consequently,measures should be to taken to curtail hyper development before we lose our historicscenery.展开更多
Dear Editor,Male infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy in a fertile female partner even after 12 months of unprotected intercourse.In humans,it accounts for 40%-50%of cases of infertility,1 and ...Dear Editor,Male infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy in a fertile female partner even after 12 months of unprotected intercourse.In humans,it accounts for 40%-50%of cases of infertility,1 and it occurs most often due to problems with sperm production or sperm delivery.Male infertility is commonly due to deficiencies in semen,and semen quality is used as a surrogate measure of male fecundity.Primary ciliary dyskinesia(PCD)is a rare cause of male infertility.2,3 It is an autosomal recessive genetic condition that causes abnormal function of cilia.Cilia are microscopic finger-like projections on the surface of the cells.展开更多
World War II led to a reallocation of many countries’political roles.Some nations got stronger after the war while others lost their past advantages and became less powerful.During the post-war period,many genres of ...World War II led to a reallocation of many countries’political roles.Some nations got stronger after the war while others lost their past advantages and became less powerful.During the post-war period,many genres of art schools were established,first in Europe followed by America and then Asia,resulting in a collision between China and the West as Western art served to inspire Chinese art.This study examines the works of Wu Guanzhong and Zao Wou-ki and discusses how post-war Western art had influenced Chinese art and what changes had been brought to artistic styles of Chinese art.展开更多
The earliest known image of the binding of Isaac,known as the Akedah,is on a Torah shrine in a synagogue in Dura Europos,Syria dating before 244(fig.1).It shows a fully developed iconography of a young Isaac on the al...The earliest known image of the binding of Isaac,known as the Akedah,is on a Torah shrine in a synagogue in Dura Europos,Syria dating before 244(fig.1).It shows a fully developed iconography of a young Isaac on the altar with the burning wood,the ram by the tree,Abraham holding the knife,and the hand of God issuing from a cloud.Though the visual narrative is largely based on the account of the Akedah in Genesis 22,it also relies on details found in other Jewish literary sources that include the Talmud,Targum Onkelos,Targum Pseudo-Jonathan,commentary on Genesis by Rashi,Midrash account of Pirkei De Rabbi Eliezer,and Genesis Rabbah.This paper will present unexplored Jewish sources for the iconography of the Akedah/Sacrifice of Isaac in art of Late Antiquity.展开更多
While images are central to the discipline of art history, surprisingly little research has been conducted on the uses of digital environments for teaching in the discipline. Over the past decade, more studies have em...While images are central to the discipline of art history, surprisingly little research has been conducted on the uses of digital environments for teaching in the discipline. Over the past decade, more studies have emerged considering the egalitarian space that can be used by students and teachers in web-based applications and social media. A body of literature has begun to emerge out of a small network of scholars and educators interested in digital humanities and art history, providing examples of how new tools can be integrated into the standard slideshow and lecture format of the field. At the same time, the latest technology that proves revolutionary for the field has had very little study-virtual reality (VR). Additionally, sensory evidence for digital art history and the creation of immersive interactive and multimodal environments for knowledge production is still underexplored. As multiple educational metaverses are currently under development, understanding best practices and pedagogical use of VR has never been timelier. This study seeks to review the pedagogical use of VR in art history current in the field and introduces results from a study of the most effective ways to use these immersive experiences using Bloom’s revised taxonomy. Results confirm that the most effective method to structure VR assignments is to provide training on the technology, provide students with the necessary instructional material to introduce the concept, skill or technique to be learned, create or select an immersive experience that reinforces that topic, and conclude with a debrief or discussion about major takeaways from the experience.展开更多
The present study aimed at determining whether short-term exposure to art in shared common areas in congregate housing units could affect health and health determinants among the residents. Ten residents (mean age 80....The present study aimed at determining whether short-term exposure to art in shared common areas in congregate housing units could affect health and health determinants among the residents. Ten residents (mean age 80.4 years) at one block were exposed to visual art environmental enrichment in common areas over a period of three months. Thirteen persons (mean age 86.6 years) living in another block played in-house boule. Cornell’s test, Mini-Mental tests (MMT), and face recognition test were performed to assess depression, cognition, and episodic memory, respectively before and after the intervention. The results show that visual art environmental enrichment in common areas and lack of stimulating and guiding dialogues show a change in depression scores in the intervention group (p = 0.018) and the control group (p = 0.009). MMT scores improved only in the control group (p = 0.003). No changes in episodic memory in any of the groups were observed. It could be concluded that in order to obtain a positive result of short term visual art environmental enrichment, guiding art dialogues conducted by nurses, as described in previous research, should be added to visual art environmental enrichment in healthcare settings.展开更多
Dear Editor,Inguinal hernia repair(IHR)performed during childhood is a prevalent etiological factor for obstructive azoospermia(OA)attributed to vasal injury.OA couples can achieve pregnancy through intracytoplasmic s...Dear Editor,Inguinal hernia repair(IHR)performed during childhood is a prevalent etiological factor for obstructive azoospermia(OA)attributed to vasal injury.OA couples can achieve pregnancy through intracytoplasmic sperm injection or natural pregnancy after microsurgical anastomosis.Recent advancements have highlighted the potential utility of laparoscopy-assisted vasovasostomy for treating OA caused by childhood herniorrhaphy.展开更多
This study was performed to investigate a potential marker for the presence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate following varicocelectomy in Chinese men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles. The micro-RNA （miR...This study was performed to investigate a potential marker for the presence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate following varicocelectomy in Chinese men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles. The micro-RNA （miR）-192a levels in seminal plasma and testicular tissue were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction from 60 men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles （Group A： 27 men with spermatozoa found in the ejaculate after surgery; Group B： 33 men without spermatozoa found in the ejaculate after surgery） and 30 controls. The seminal plasma and testicular tissue miR-192a levels were higher in Group B than in Group A and the controls （P〈 0.001）, and there was no significant difference between Group A and the controls （P〉 0.05）. Apoptosis and proliferation assays with miR mimics and inhibitors showed that miR-192a induced GC-2 cell apoptosis through the activation of Caspase-3 protein. Thus, seminal plasma miR-192a appears to be a potential marker for successfully indicating spermatozoa in the ejaculate following microsurgical varicocelectomy in men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles. Seminal plasma miR-192a may be a useful clinical marker for prescreening to determine which patients with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles would benefit from varicocelectomy.展开更多
This study on the development of a psychotherapy program based on the relationship between forests and human health focused on actively considering the natural ecological environment. This study categorized and compar...This study on the development of a psychotherapy program based on the relationship between forests and human health focused on actively considering the natural ecological environment. This study categorized and compared an art psychotherapy program that simply moved to an outdoor space and a forest-art therapy program that actively utilized the forest environment as a medium. The characteristics of the natural environment, such as openness, change, and diversity, shortened the amount of time participants took to develop a rapport and open up and played a vital role in recovering mental health. After a bold attempt at integrating forest environment and art psychotherapy by going beyond outdoor art therapy, there were significant results pertaining to improvements in mental disorders in today’s society, including stress vulnerabilities, depression, anxiety, and aggression. The research results verified that the developed forest-art therapy method had greater efficacy in relation to both the Stress Vulnerability-Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale and the Stress Vulnerability-Self-Regulation Scale.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate the pudendal nerve segments that could be identified on magnetic resonance neurography(MRN) before and after surgical marking of different nerve segments.METHODS: The hypothesis for this study was tha...AIM: To evaluate the pudendal nerve segments that could be identified on magnetic resonance neurography(MRN) before and after surgical marking of different nerve segments.METHODS: The hypothesis for this study was that pudendal nerve and its branches would be more easily seen after the surgical nerve marking. Institutional board approval was obtained. One male and one female cadaver pelvis were obtained from the anatomy board and were scanned using 3 Tesla MRI scanner using MR neurography sequences. All possible pudendal nerve branches were identified. The cadavers were then sent to the autopsy lab and were surgically dissected by a peripheral nerve surgeon and an anatomist to identify the pudendal nerve branches. Radiological markers were placed along the course of the pudendal nerve and its branches. The cadavers were then closed and rescanned using the same MRN protocol as the premarking scan. The remaining pudendal nerve branches were attempted to be identified using the radiological markers. All scans were read by an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist.RESULTS: The pre-marking MR Neurography scans clearly showed the pudendal nerve at its exit from the lumbosacral plexus in the sciatic notch, at the level of the ischial spine and in the Alcock's Canal in both cadavers. Additionally, the right hemorrhoidal branch could be identified in the male pelvis cadaver. The perineal and distal genital branches could not be identified. On post-marking scans, the markers were used as identifiable structures. The location of the perineal branch, the hemorroidal branch and the dorsal nerve to penis(in male cadaver)/clitoris(in female cadaver) could be seen. However, the visualization of these branches was suboptimal. The contralateral corresponding nerves were poorly seen despite marking on the surgical side. The nerve was best seen on axial T1W and T2W SPAIR images. The proximal segment could be seen well on 3D DW PSIF sequence. T2W SPACE was not very useful in visualization of this small nerve or its branches.CONCLUSION: Proximal pudendal nerve is easily seen on MR neurography, however it is not possible to identify distal branches of the pudendal nerve even after surgical marking.展开更多
The integration of culture and tourism is an important way for opera to highlight the value of the era.With the deepening of the integration of culture and tourism,the development and communication of traditional Chin...The integration of culture and tourism is an important way for opera to highlight the value of the era.With the deepening of the integration of culture and tourism,the development and communication of traditional Chinese culture and art,including opera,has also initiated a new exploration in the integration of culture and tourism.展开更多
There has been disagreement over the value of purchasing space in the metaverse, but many businesses including Nike, The Wendy’s Company, and McDonald’s have jumped in headfirst. While the metaverse land rush has be...There has been disagreement over the value of purchasing space in the metaverse, but many businesses including Nike, The Wendy’s Company, and McDonald’s have jumped in headfirst. While the metaverse land rush has been called an “illusion” given underdeveloped infrastructure, including inadequate software and servers, and the potential opportunities for economic and legal abuse, the “real estate of the future” shows no signs of slowing. While the current virtual space of the metaverse is worth $6.30 billion, that is expected to grow to $84.09 billion by the end of 2028. But the long-term legal and regulatory considerations of capitalizing on the investment, as well as the manner in which blockchain technology can secure users’ data and digital assets, has yet to be properly investigated. With the metaverse still in a conceptual phase, building a new 3D social environment capable of digital transactions will represent most of the initial investment in time in human capital. Digital twin technologies, already well-established in industry, will be ported to support the need to architect and furnish the new digital world. The return on and viability of investing in the “real estate of the future” raises questions fundamental to the success or failure of the enterprise. As such this paper proposes a novel framing of the issue and looks at the intersection where finance, technology, and law are converging to prevent another Dot-com bubble of the late 1990s in metaverse-based virtual real estate transactions. Furthermore, the paper will argue that these domains are technologically feasible, but the main challenges for commercial users remain in the legal and regulatory arenas. As has been the case with the emergence of online commerce, a legal assessment of the metaverse indicates that courts will look to traditional and established legal principles when addressing issues until the enactment of federal and/or state statutes and accompanying regulations. Lastly, whereas traditional regulation of real estate would involve property law, the current legal framing of ownership of metaverse assets is governed by contract law.展开更多
Various regions are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the increased frequency of floods due to the recent changes in climate and precipitation patterns throughout the world.As a result,specific infrastructures,notab...Various regions are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the increased frequency of floods due to the recent changes in climate and precipitation patterns throughout the world.As a result,specific infrastructures,notably bridges,would experience significant flooding for which they were not intended and would be submerged.The flow field and shear stress distribution around tandem bridge piers under pressurized flow conditions for various bridge deck widths are examined using a series of three-dimensional(3D)simulations.It is indicated that scenarios with a deck width to pier diameter(Ld/p)ratio of 3 experience the highest levels of turbulent disturbance.In addition,maximum velocity and shear stresses occur in cases with Ld/p equal to 6.Results indicate that increasing the number of piers from 1 to 2 and 3 results in the increase of bed shear stress by 24%and 20%respectively.Finally,five machine learning algorithms,including Decision Trees(DT),Feed Forward Neural Networks(FFNN),and three Ensemble models,are implemented to estimate the flow field and the turbulent structure.Results indicated that the highest accuracy for estimation of U,and W,were obtained using AdaBoost ensemble with R2=0.946 and 0.951,respectively.Besides,the Random Forest algorithm outperformed AdaBoost slightly in the estimation of V and turbulent kinetic energy(TKE)with R2=0.894 and 0.951,respectively.展开更多
This paper advances a new concept of textile-meltglue cloth, and introduces the readers to the basic principle of melt-glue cloth. On the basis of melt spinning, the spinneret can be replaced by a spinning device that...This paper advances a new concept of textile-meltglue cloth, and introduces the readers to the basic principle of melt-glue cloth. On the basis of melt spinning, the spinneret can be replaced by a spinning device that consists of an outer spinneret (a loop)and an inner spinneret ( a round plate), and between them there is an interval circle on which the centers of the holes are evenly distributed. When the machine is running, the outer spinneret (or the inner one) is fixed, the inner spinneret (or the outer one)is spinning, and a columnar net will be obtained.Then it will be excided with the help of a cutter in transporting it. Finally the once-forming melt-glue cloth will be produced. Compared with the traditional woven fabric, melt-glue cloth has a lot of special features and a bright future of application.展开更多
In analazying the form in architectural monuments or in a more comprehensive way, study of the monuments itself is one of the most fundamental and most important aspects of architecture that has several benefits and e...In analazying the form in architectural monuments or in a more comprehensive way, study of the monuments itself is one of the most fundamental and most important aspects of architecture that has several benefits and effects. One of the benefits of recognizing the shape of different building architecture is the categorization of architecture into different historical periods that can help us better understand the process of historical architectural developments in the past. Among the architectural monuments of Iran, Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz which is a Qajar Mosque is one of the most important Mosques in Shiraz which is less focused in the previous studies. This article, which is mainly based on empirical research and field studies, was conducted for studying the architecture of the mosque and analyzing and explaining the most important architectural features of this monument. The main questions of this article are the following: 1) What are the most basic architectural features of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque and how different parts are organized and built next to each other? 2) What choices and opting out of the architectural design of the building have been carried out? To find the best answers to these questions, first we analyzed the structure and overall fitness of the Mosque and its characteristics had been enumerated. Then, we introduced and analyze the main sectors that make up the corpus such as the mosque entrance, courtyard, naves and porches, in which the form and structure of each of these sectors as well as their consort with each other in shaping the overall architecture of the mosque, are analyzed and discussed. The summary of the findings in the form of empirical statements is presented at the end of the article.展开更多
Cryopreservation of rare testicular-retrieved spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)in patients with severe oligozoospermia and azoospermia remains a major challenge in clinical practice.This study eva...Cryopreservation of rare testicular-retrieved spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)in patients with severe oligozoospermia and azoospermia remains a major challenge in clinical practice.This study evaluated the Cryopiece system as a potential technique to cryopreserve rare human spermatozoa for ICSI.Small numbers of ejaculated(24 patients)and testicular(13 patients)spermatozoa were cryopreserved using the Cryopiece system.The total number of recovered spermatozoa and motility were assessed after thawing.Thirty-seven couples underwent ICSI using spermatozoa cryopreserved by the Cryopiece system,and ICSI outcomes(rates of fertilization,embryo cleavage,and clinical pregnancy)were evaluated.The average sperm post-thaw retrieval rate was 79.1%,and motility was 29.7%.Ejaculated spermatozoa had a higher post-thaw motility(32.5%)than testicular spermatozoa(21.8%;P=0.005).ICSI achieved a fertilization rate of 61.9%,embryo cleavage rate of 84.6%,and clinical pregnancy rate of 43.3%.The ICSI outcomes in the ejaculated and testicular frozen-thawed spermatozoa were similar.Assisted oocyte activation(AOA)after ICSI with motile(72.1%)or immotile(71.9%)spermatozoa resulted in a significantly higher fertilization rate than that when using motile spermatozoa without AOA(52.0%;P=0.005).However,AOA did not enhance the clinical pregnancy rate(55.6%or 40.0%vs 35.3%;P=0.703).The Cryopiece system is simple and useful for the cryopreservation of small numbers of ejaculated or testicular spermatozoa for ICSI in patients with severe oligozoospermia or nonobstructive azoospermia.展开更多
Based on the characteristics of regional culture,the application strategies of regional cultural elements in the design of cultural and creative products were analyzed.The aim is to effectively combine cultural and cr...Based on the characteristics of regional culture,the application strategies of regional cultural elements in the design of cultural and creative products were analyzed.The aim is to effectively combine cultural and creative design with regional cultural elements to provide contemporary life with regional cultural and creative products,better serve modern needs,and enhance public awareness in the form of aesthetics.Firstly,the research status of regional culture and cultural and creative product design was summarized,and then the relationship between regional culture and product design was discussed from the aspects of appearance,material and craftsmanship.Afterwards,the value of regional cultural and creative product design was proposed,and the general strategies of regional cultural and creative products were further sorted out to make people feel the pleasure brought by the deep and strong regional culture.展开更多
Malawi has one of the highest rates of HIV prevalence in the world, and accounts for 4% of the total number of people living in sub-Saharan Africa with HIV. Approximately one million people in Malawi were living with ...Malawi has one of the highest rates of HIV prevalence in the world, and accounts for 4% of the total number of people living in sub-Saharan Africa with HIV. Approximately one million people in Malawi were living with HIV in 2016, with 24,000 HIV-related deaths. The Option B+ program, first implemented in Malawi, aimed to initiate ART for all pregnant women, regardless of their CD4 cell count or disease stage. This study serves to analyze and assess the effectiveness of Option B+ retention, in relation to the facilitation of how various social and cultural barriers were handled. A literature review of 29 publications was conducted. Careful evaluation of various studies indicates that although there is a myriad of reasons explaining low levels of retention, the women who were at the highest risk for low retention were young pregnant women who were treated on the same day of HIV-diagnosis. Solutions focused around women and their partners or communities showed promising evidence of success in increasing adherence, as these strategies likely provided women reliable social and emotional support to address major barriers to retention such as a lack of support from male partners, ineffective education from healthcare workers, or stigma towards their HIV disclosure statue.展开更多
This report explored psychodynamic developments that adolescents undergo in their process of self-realization and self-identification, including separation-individuation and ego development. The paper maked a case for...This report explored psychodynamic developments that adolescents undergo in their process of self-realization and self-identification, including separation-individuation and ego development. The paper maked a case for art therapy as a resource and non-confrontational outlet to guide adolescents through their development and search for their self-identity. The role of the art therapist is presented as an alternative source of support and containment which may be lacking through the adolescents’ peers and parents. The paper ultimately argued that art therapy had many therapeutic qualities that could help the adolescent in their search and consolidation of the self.展开更多
Global concerns toward environmental issues have induced growing demand for new approaches in the construction because of its considerable impact on the environment and use of natural resources. Through using construc...Global concerns toward environmental issues have induced growing demand for new approaches in the construction because of its considerable impact on the environment and use of natural resources. Through using construction sustainability tools, methods and techniques, a greener design can be applied during various building phases. In this connection, it is argued that the analytical and integrated models applied by Building Information Modelling (BIM) may also facilitate this process to be performed more efficiently. BIM and construction sustainability are quite different initiatives, but both have received much attention in recent years in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. A rigorous analysis of the interactions between them implies that a synergy exists which, if properly it is understood that can be helpful to reduce the environmental impacts of the AEC industry. A BIM-based design model can contribute to sustainability through its three main dimensions which are environmental, economic and social. In this paper, by reviewing the existing literature on BIM and construction sustainability and using a matrix to analyze construction sustainability dimensions and BIM functionalities a number of interactions have been discussed. It can be concluded that despite there are many improvements in implementation of BIM in environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, its potential impact on social dimension has not been explicitly explored hence further studies need to be undertaken in this area.展开更多
文摘The purpose of this study is to address the problem of ancient towns dying out in developing countries,particularly China.Intensifying conflicts between human settlements and the natural environment are described,and guidelines are proposed for the development of waterside ancient towns in China’s southern Shaanxi Province in the interest of conserving cultural and natural heritage.The towns of Qingmuchuan,Fenghuang and Houliu were selected as representative examples due to their strong reputation among tourists.They have the characteristics of traditional southern Shaanxi towns,but each has a completely different layout,space and structure.The comparative findings of this research provide a point of reference for establishing guidelines to preserve the integrity of ancient towns worldwide.In this paper,we compare the geographical conditions with the layout and texture of the streets by Google Earth Pro.And we analyze the details of spaces along the river zones,architectural styles and building decorations in order to research the relationship between the natural environment and the human settlement conditions.We note the unfortunate common trend of commercial development steadily taking over the natural environment,particularly the rivers and unique elements of the old towns.Finally,we summarize the similarities and differences of the spatial forms among these towns and put forward proposals for the further development of ancient towns.This research is important for all regions which stand to lose their national treasures.Consequently,measures should be to taken to curtail hyper development before we lose our historicscenery.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFC1002003)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2019M661521).
文摘Dear Editor,Male infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy in a fertile female partner even after 12 months of unprotected intercourse.In humans,it accounts for 40%-50%of cases of infertility,1 and it occurs most often due to problems with sperm production or sperm delivery.Male infertility is commonly due to deficiencies in semen,and semen quality is used as a surrogate measure of male fecundity.Primary ciliary dyskinesia(PCD)is a rare cause of male infertility.2,3 It is an autosomal recessive genetic condition that causes abnormal function of cilia.Cilia are microscopic finger-like projections on the surface of the cells.
文摘World War II led to a reallocation of many countries’political roles.Some nations got stronger after the war while others lost their past advantages and became less powerful.During the post-war period,many genres of art schools were established,first in Europe followed by America and then Asia,resulting in a collision between China and the West as Western art served to inspire Chinese art.This study examines the works of Wu Guanzhong and Zao Wou-ki and discusses how post-war Western art had influenced Chinese art and what changes had been brought to artistic styles of Chinese art.
文摘The earliest known image of the binding of Isaac,known as the Akedah,is on a Torah shrine in a synagogue in Dura Europos,Syria dating before 244(fig.1).It shows a fully developed iconography of a young Isaac on the altar with the burning wood,the ram by the tree,Abraham holding the knife,and the hand of God issuing from a cloud.Though the visual narrative is largely based on the account of the Akedah in Genesis 22,it also relies on details found in other Jewish literary sources that include the Talmud,Targum Onkelos,Targum Pseudo-Jonathan,commentary on Genesis by Rashi,Midrash account of Pirkei De Rabbi Eliezer,and Genesis Rabbah.This paper will present unexplored Jewish sources for the iconography of the Akedah/Sacrifice of Isaac in art of Late Antiquity.
文摘While images are central to the discipline of art history, surprisingly little research has been conducted on the uses of digital environments for teaching in the discipline. Over the past decade, more studies have emerged considering the egalitarian space that can be used by students and teachers in web-based applications and social media. A body of literature has begun to emerge out of a small network of scholars and educators interested in digital humanities and art history, providing examples of how new tools can be integrated into the standard slideshow and lecture format of the field. At the same time, the latest technology that proves revolutionary for the field has had very little study-virtual reality (VR). Additionally, sensory evidence for digital art history and the creation of immersive interactive and multimodal environments for knowledge production is still underexplored. As multiple educational metaverses are currently under development, understanding best practices and pedagogical use of VR has never been timelier. This study seeks to review the pedagogical use of VR in art history current in the field and introduces results from a study of the most effective ways to use these immersive experiences using Bloom’s revised taxonomy. Results confirm that the most effective method to structure VR assignments is to provide training on the technology, provide students with the necessary instructional material to introduce the concept, skill or technique to be learned, create or select an immersive experience that reinforces that topic, and conclude with a debrief or discussion about major takeaways from the experience.
文摘The present study aimed at determining whether short-term exposure to art in shared common areas in congregate housing units could affect health and health determinants among the residents. Ten residents (mean age 80.4 years) at one block were exposed to visual art environmental enrichment in common areas over a period of three months. Thirteen persons (mean age 86.6 years) living in another block played in-house boule. Cornell’s test, Mini-Mental tests (MMT), and face recognition test were performed to assess depression, cognition, and episodic memory, respectively before and after the intervention. The results show that visual art environmental enrichment in common areas and lack of stimulating and guiding dialogues show a change in depression scores in the intervention group (p = 0.018) and the control group (p = 0.009). MMT scores improved only in the control group (p = 0.003). No changes in episodic memory in any of the groups were observed. It could be concluded that in order to obtain a positive result of short term visual art environmental enrichment, guiding art dialogues conducted by nurses, as described in previous research, should be added to visual art environmental enrichment in healthcare settings.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFC2702701)Shanghai Scientific and Technological Project(No.20Y11907600)Clinical Research Innovation Plan of Shanghai General Hospital(No.CTCCR-2021C17).
文摘Dear Editor,Inguinal hernia repair(IHR)performed during childhood is a prevalent etiological factor for obstructive azoospermia(OA)attributed to vasal injury.OA couples can achieve pregnancy through intracytoplasmic sperm injection or natural pregnancy after microsurgical anastomosis.Recent advancements have highlighted the potential utility of laparoscopy-assisted vasovasostomy for treating OA caused by childhood herniorrhaphy.
文摘This study was performed to investigate a potential marker for the presence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate following varicocelectomy in Chinese men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles. The micro-RNA （miR）-192a levels in seminal plasma and testicular tissue were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction from 60 men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles （Group A： 27 men with spermatozoa found in the ejaculate after surgery; Group B： 33 men without spermatozoa found in the ejaculate after surgery） and 30 controls. The seminal plasma and testicular tissue miR-192a levels were higher in Group B than in Group A and the controls （P〈 0.001）, and there was no significant difference between Group A and the controls （P〉 0.05）. Apoptosis and proliferation assays with miR mimics and inhibitors showed that miR-192a induced GC-2 cell apoptosis through the activation of Caspase-3 protein. Thus, seminal plasma miR-192a appears to be a potential marker for successfully indicating spermatozoa in the ejaculate following microsurgical varicocelectomy in men with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles. Seminal plasma miR-192a may be a useful clinical marker for prescreening to determine which patients with nonobstructive azoospermia and varicoceles would benefit from varicocelectomy.
基金supported by the Korea Forest Welfare Institute and Korea Lottery Commission.
文摘This study on the development of a psychotherapy program based on the relationship between forests and human health focused on actively considering the natural ecological environment. This study categorized and compared an art psychotherapy program that simply moved to an outdoor space and a forest-art therapy program that actively utilized the forest environment as a medium. The characteristics of the natural environment, such as openness, change, and diversity, shortened the amount of time participants took to develop a rapport and open up and played a vital role in recovering mental health. After a bold attempt at integrating forest environment and art psychotherapy by going beyond outdoor art therapy, there were significant results pertaining to improvements in mental disorders in today’s society, including stress vulnerabilities, depression, anxiety, and aggression. The research results verified that the developed forest-art therapy method had greater efficacy in relation to both the Stress Vulnerability-Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale and the Stress Vulnerability-Self-Regulation Scale.
文摘AIM: To evaluate the pudendal nerve segments that could be identified on magnetic resonance neurography(MRN) before and after surgical marking of different nerve segments.METHODS: The hypothesis for this study was that pudendal nerve and its branches would be more easily seen after the surgical nerve marking. Institutional board approval was obtained. One male and one female cadaver pelvis were obtained from the anatomy board and were scanned using 3 Tesla MRI scanner using MR neurography sequences. All possible pudendal nerve branches were identified. The cadavers were then sent to the autopsy lab and were surgically dissected by a peripheral nerve surgeon and an anatomist to identify the pudendal nerve branches. Radiological markers were placed along the course of the pudendal nerve and its branches. The cadavers were then closed and rescanned using the same MRN protocol as the premarking scan. The remaining pudendal nerve branches were attempted to be identified using the radiological markers. All scans were read by an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist.RESULTS: The pre-marking MR Neurography scans clearly showed the pudendal nerve at its exit from the lumbosacral plexus in the sciatic notch, at the level of the ischial spine and in the Alcock's Canal in both cadavers. Additionally, the right hemorrhoidal branch could be identified in the male pelvis cadaver. The perineal and distal genital branches could not be identified. On post-marking scans, the markers were used as identifiable structures. The location of the perineal branch, the hemorroidal branch and the dorsal nerve to penis(in male cadaver)/clitoris(in female cadaver) could be seen. However, the visualization of these branches was suboptimal. The contralateral corresponding nerves were poorly seen despite marking on the surgical side. The nerve was best seen on axial T1W and T2W SPAIR images. The proximal segment could be seen well on 3D DW PSIF sequence. T2W SPACE was not very useful in visualization of this small nerve or its branches.CONCLUSION: Proximal pudendal nerve is easily seen on MR neurography, however it is not possible to identify distal branches of the pudendal nerve even after surgical marking.
文摘The integration of culture and tourism is an important way for opera to highlight the value of the era.With the deepening of the integration of culture and tourism,the development and communication of traditional Chinese culture and art,including opera,has also initiated a new exploration in the integration of culture and tourism.
文摘There has been disagreement over the value of purchasing space in the metaverse, but many businesses including Nike, The Wendy’s Company, and McDonald’s have jumped in headfirst. While the metaverse land rush has been called an “illusion” given underdeveloped infrastructure, including inadequate software and servers, and the potential opportunities for economic and legal abuse, the “real estate of the future” shows no signs of slowing. While the current virtual space of the metaverse is worth $6.30 billion, that is expected to grow to $84.09 billion by the end of 2028. But the long-term legal and regulatory considerations of capitalizing on the investment, as well as the manner in which blockchain technology can secure users’ data and digital assets, has yet to be properly investigated. With the metaverse still in a conceptual phase, building a new 3D social environment capable of digital transactions will represent most of the initial investment in time in human capital. Digital twin technologies, already well-established in industry, will be ported to support the need to architect and furnish the new digital world. The return on and viability of investing in the “real estate of the future” raises questions fundamental to the success or failure of the enterprise. As such this paper proposes a novel framing of the issue and looks at the intersection where finance, technology, and law are converging to prevent another Dot-com bubble of the late 1990s in metaverse-based virtual real estate transactions. Furthermore, the paper will argue that these domains are technologically feasible, but the main challenges for commercial users remain in the legal and regulatory arenas. As has been the case with the emergence of online commerce, a legal assessment of the metaverse indicates that courts will look to traditional and established legal principles when addressing issues until the enactment of federal and/or state statutes and accompanying regulations. Lastly, whereas traditional regulation of real estate would involve property law, the current legal framing of ownership of metaverse assets is governed by contract law.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.52179060 and 51909024).
文摘Various regions are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the increased frequency of floods due to the recent changes in climate and precipitation patterns throughout the world.As a result,specific infrastructures,notably bridges,would experience significant flooding for which they were not intended and would be submerged.The flow field and shear stress distribution around tandem bridge piers under pressurized flow conditions for various bridge deck widths are examined using a series of three-dimensional(3D)simulations.It is indicated that scenarios with a deck width to pier diameter(Ld/p)ratio of 3 experience the highest levels of turbulent disturbance.In addition,maximum velocity and shear stresses occur in cases with Ld/p equal to 6.Results indicate that increasing the number of piers from 1 to 2 and 3 results in the increase of bed shear stress by 24%and 20%respectively.Finally,five machine learning algorithms,including Decision Trees(DT),Feed Forward Neural Networks(FFNN),and three Ensemble models,are implemented to estimate the flow field and the turbulent structure.Results indicated that the highest accuracy for estimation of U,and W,were obtained using AdaBoost ensemble with R2=0.946 and 0.951,respectively.Besides,the Random Forest algorithm outperformed AdaBoost slightly in the estimation of V and turbulent kinetic energy(TKE)with R2=0.894 and 0.951,respectively.
文摘This paper advances a new concept of textile-meltglue cloth, and introduces the readers to the basic principle of melt-glue cloth. On the basis of melt spinning, the spinneret can be replaced by a spinning device that consists of an outer spinneret (a loop)and an inner spinneret ( a round plate), and between them there is an interval circle on which the centers of the holes are evenly distributed. When the machine is running, the outer spinneret (or the inner one) is fixed, the inner spinneret (or the outer one)is spinning, and a columnar net will be obtained.Then it will be excided with the help of a cutter in transporting it. Finally the once-forming melt-glue cloth will be produced. Compared with the traditional woven fabric, melt-glue cloth has a lot of special features and a bright future of application.
文摘In analazying the form in architectural monuments or in a more comprehensive way, study of the monuments itself is one of the most fundamental and most important aspects of architecture that has several benefits and effects. One of the benefits of recognizing the shape of different building architecture is the categorization of architecture into different historical periods that can help us better understand the process of historical architectural developments in the past. Among the architectural monuments of Iran, Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz which is a Qajar Mosque is one of the most important Mosques in Shiraz which is less focused in the previous studies. This article, which is mainly based on empirical research and field studies, was conducted for studying the architecture of the mosque and analyzing and explaining the most important architectural features of this monument. The main questions of this article are the following: 1) What are the most basic architectural features of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque and how different parts are organized and built next to each other? 2) What choices and opting out of the architectural design of the building have been carried out? To find the best answers to these questions, first we analyzed the structure and overall fitness of the Mosque and its characteristics had been enumerated. Then, we introduced and analyze the main sectors that make up the corpus such as the mosque entrance, courtyard, naves and porches, in which the form and structure of each of these sectors as well as their consort with each other in shaping the overall architecture of the mosque, are analyzed and discussed. The summary of the findings in the form of empirical statements is presented at the end of the article.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFC1002003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81771637 and No.81571488)+2 种基金Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Translational Medicine(No.TM202015 to ZJZ)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2019M661521)the Key Project of Research and Development of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China(No.2020BFH02002).
文摘Cryopreservation of rare testicular-retrieved spermatozoa for intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)in patients with severe oligozoospermia and azoospermia remains a major challenge in clinical practice.This study evaluated the Cryopiece system as a potential technique to cryopreserve rare human spermatozoa for ICSI.Small numbers of ejaculated(24 patients)and testicular(13 patients)spermatozoa were cryopreserved using the Cryopiece system.The total number of recovered spermatozoa and motility were assessed after thawing.Thirty-seven couples underwent ICSI using spermatozoa cryopreserved by the Cryopiece system,and ICSI outcomes(rates of fertilization,embryo cleavage,and clinical pregnancy)were evaluated.The average sperm post-thaw retrieval rate was 79.1%,and motility was 29.7%.Ejaculated spermatozoa had a higher post-thaw motility(32.5%)than testicular spermatozoa(21.8%;P=0.005).ICSI achieved a fertilization rate of 61.9%,embryo cleavage rate of 84.6%,and clinical pregnancy rate of 43.3%.The ICSI outcomes in the ejaculated and testicular frozen-thawed spermatozoa were similar.Assisted oocyte activation(AOA)after ICSI with motile(72.1%)or immotile(71.9%)spermatozoa resulted in a significantly higher fertilization rate than that when using motile spermatozoa without AOA(52.0%;P=0.005).However,AOA did not enhance the clinical pregnancy rate(55.6%or 40.0%vs 35.3%;P=0.703).The Cryopiece system is simple and useful for the cryopreservation of small numbers of ejaculated or testicular spermatozoa for ICSI in patients with severe oligozoospermia or nonobstructive azoospermia.
基金the Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation for Young Scholars of the Ministry of Education of China in 2018 (18YJC ZH197)。
文摘Based on the characteristics of regional culture,the application strategies of regional cultural elements in the design of cultural and creative products were analyzed.The aim is to effectively combine cultural and creative design with regional cultural elements to provide contemporary life with regional cultural and creative products,better serve modern needs,and enhance public awareness in the form of aesthetics.Firstly,the research status of regional culture and cultural and creative product design was summarized,and then the relationship between regional culture and product design was discussed from the aspects of appearance,material and craftsmanship.Afterwards,the value of regional cultural and creative product design was proposed,and the general strategies of regional cultural and creative products were further sorted out to make people feel the pleasure brought by the deep and strong regional culture.
文摘Malawi has one of the highest rates of HIV prevalence in the world, and accounts for 4% of the total number of people living in sub-Saharan Africa with HIV. Approximately one million people in Malawi were living with HIV in 2016, with 24,000 HIV-related deaths. The Option B+ program, first implemented in Malawi, aimed to initiate ART for all pregnant women, regardless of their CD4 cell count or disease stage. This study serves to analyze and assess the effectiveness of Option B+ retention, in relation to the facilitation of how various social and cultural barriers were handled. A literature review of 29 publications was conducted. Careful evaluation of various studies indicates that although there is a myriad of reasons explaining low levels of retention, the women who were at the highest risk for low retention were young pregnant women who were treated on the same day of HIV-diagnosis. Solutions focused around women and their partners or communities showed promising evidence of success in increasing adherence, as these strategies likely provided women reliable social and emotional support to address major barriers to retention such as a lack of support from male partners, ineffective education from healthcare workers, or stigma towards their HIV disclosure statue.
文摘This report explored psychodynamic developments that adolescents undergo in their process of self-realization and self-identification, including separation-individuation and ego development. The paper maked a case for art therapy as a resource and non-confrontational outlet to guide adolescents through their development and search for their self-identity. The role of the art therapist is presented as an alternative source of support and containment which may be lacking through the adolescents’ peers and parents. The paper ultimately argued that art therapy had many therapeutic qualities that could help the adolescent in their search and consolidation of the self.
文摘Global concerns toward environmental issues have induced growing demand for new approaches in the construction because of its considerable impact on the environment and use of natural resources. Through using construction sustainability tools, methods and techniques, a greener design can be applied during various building phases. In this connection, it is argued that the analytical and integrated models applied by Building Information Modelling (BIM) may also facilitate this process to be performed more efficiently. BIM and construction sustainability are quite different initiatives, but both have received much attention in recent years in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. A rigorous analysis of the interactions between them implies that a synergy exists which, if properly it is understood that can be helpful to reduce the environmental impacts of the AEC industry. A BIM-based design model can contribute to sustainability through its three main dimensions which are environmental, economic and social. In this paper, by reviewing the existing literature on BIM and construction sustainability and using a matrix to analyze construction sustainability dimensions and BIM functionalities a number of interactions have been discussed. It can be concluded that despite there are many improvements in implementation of BIM in environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, its potential impact on social dimension has not been explicitly explored hence further studies need to be undertaken in this area.
