517 research outputs found
From the 'Rescue of the Nation State' to the Emergence of European Spaces. EUIJ-Kansai Workshop on "New Research Horizons of the History of European Integration", May 10, 2008, Toyonaka (Osaka)
No full textThe aim of this paper is to make some contribution to the discussion on the future direction of the historical research on the European integration processes. What I intend to do here is, broadly, to link the contemporary European studies to the Historical studies, and concretely, to emphasise the transnational dimension of European integration. This exercise should be read as presenting my "wish list" to the Integration Historians
Cannabinoids inhibit peptidoglycan-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB and cell growth in U87MG human malignant glioma cells
No full textNuclear factor (NF)-κB is the key transcription factor involved in the inflammatory responses, and its activation aggravates tumors. Peptidoglycan (PGN), a main cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria, stimulates Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) and activates a number of inflammatory pathways, including NF-κB. Cannabinoids have been reported to exert anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects. The mechanisms underlying these actions, however, are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cannabinoids can suppress the PGN-induced activation of NF-κB and cell growth via cannabinoid receptors in U87MG human malignant glioma cells. PGN treatment induced the phosphorylation of NF-κB and cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The main endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, prevented the PGN-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB, which was reversed by the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist, AM281. The synthetic cannabinoid, WIN55,212-2, abolished the PGN-activated cell growth, and this effect was reversed by AM281. The preferential expression of CB1 rather than CB2 receptors in these cells was confirmed by reverse transcription-mediated polymerase chain reaction experiments and the observation that the WIN55,212-2-induced morphological changes were completely reversed by AM281 but not by the CB2 antagonist, AM630. Our finding that cannabinoids suppress the NF-κB inflammatory pathway and cell growth via CB1 receptors in glioma cells provides evidence for the therapeutic potential of targeting cannabinoid receptors for the treatment of inflammation-dependent tumor progression.Thesis of Ryosuke Echigo / 越後 亮介 博士論文 金沢大学医薬保健学総合研究科（保健学専攻
Heist Extravaganza:A Design Framework and Exemplars of Asymmetric Virtual Reality Controllers Based on Player Profiles
No full textVirtual Reality provides immersive experiences to players but can be limiting for bystanders and spectators. Asymmetric Virtual Reality (AVR) allows these people to join in on the game in a more social setting. In addition, this affords gameplay differentiation based on player motivation types. Although several frameworks for AVR exist, it is unclear how to design different interactions to improve social presence from the perspective of player types. Taking Yee’s Gamer Motivation Model as a basis, we investigated existing alternative game controllers and performed a small-scale co-design session with a VR game developer. Through this we arrive at five dimensions for AVR gameplay interactions: Immersive, Energetic, Precise, Explorative and Strategic. We developed an exemplar game called Heist Extravaganza, where each dimension is translated into a specific role and associated interface. A preliminary evaluation shows promise of the different roles and design implications are subsequently discussed.</p
From news to stories via an AI-supported retelling process.
No full textThis paper explores how AI-driven storytelling can transform news articles into fictional narratives using structured retelling techniques. We introduce NewsReteller, a system that explores the generative capabilities of Large Language Models to create stories from news content through three distinct approaches: genre-based storytelling, which adapts narratives to established literary styles; structured storytelling, which reshapes events using predefined biased schemes (story skeletons); and data-driven storytelling, which emphasizes factual clarity and analytical framing. To assess the system’s ability to reinterpret factual content, we generated multiple stories from a single news article using each of these approaches. The results illustrate how different retelling strategies influence narrative framing, thematic emphasis, and information presentation, highlighting the potential of our method to generate creative reinterpretations of real-world events
Automated Planning of Entertainment Content for Digital Health Interventions:A Technical Feasibility Study on Balance VS Fun
No full textDigital interventions can promote positive health outcomes, but maintaining user engagement remains a challenge. A major issue is that, while these interventions primarily consist of essential health-related tasks, such content is perceived as unengaging, leading to high dropout rates. In contrast, game content is inherently engaging, but effectively balancing it with health-focused activities presents a design challenge. In this study, we explore the use of automated planning to structure digital intervention content by integrating unengaging health tasks with engaging game content while maintaining a balanced fun ratio across levels. Through experimental validation, we demonstrate that automated planning can effectively balance fun activities while ensuring progression aligns with defined pacing constraints. Our findings suggest that this approach helps generate balanced levels, though scalability remains a challenge due to the excessive state space. Future research should focus on improving the scalability of automated planning solutions to enhance their practicality in health interventions.</p
EchoArtLink:Enhancing Social Connectedness Between Parents and Children Living Apart Through Digital Sound Visualization
No full textMore and more family members experience geographic separation over long distances due to global migration and the pursuit of better education and work opportunities. Maintaining social connectedness between children and parents who live apart becomes a critical challenge. This study introduces EchoArtLink, a system that collects sound data and transforms them into digital art displayed on family picture frames. This design leverages sound visualization technology to enhance social connectedness among family members living apart. This system offers two methods of sound visualization: visualizing activities recognized from sounds (Method activities) and visualizing the sound features directly without recognizing activities (Method features). This study conducted a mixed-methods experiment involving 10 participants and their geographically separated parents to explore how two visualization methods affect social connectedness differently between parents and children living apart. The results revealed that the participants gained higher levels of connectedness after experiencing both visualization methods. This study contributes to the field of social connectedness by offering a novel system and valuable insights into the role of sound visualization in long-distance family communication.</p
SimpleBounce: A simple package for the false vacuum decay
No full textWe present SimpleBounce, a C++ package for finding the bounce solution for the false vacuum decay. This package is based on a flow equation which is proposed by the author R. Sato (2020) and solves Coleman–Glaser–Martin’s reduced problem (S. R. Coleman et al. 1978): the minimization problem of the kinetic energy while fixing the potential energy. The bounce configuration is obtained by a scale transformation of the solution of this problem. For models with 1–8 scalar field(s), the bounce action can be calculated with O(0.1) % accuracy in O(0.1) s. This package is available at http://github.com/rsato64/SimpleBounce
APPLICATION OF A MARKOV PROCESS TO A MECHANICAL MODEL OF GRANULAR MATERIALS (2)
No full textIn the previous paper the author proposed a mechanical model of particulate materials as aMarkov process and explained the concepts of the potential barrier and the potential slip planewhich are introduced in the proposed model. Furthermore, the strain of particulate materialswas defined by using the change of contact angles at the contact points of particles and the dis-continuous motion of particles.In this paper the results of shearing tests obtained by the modified triaxial apparatus whichis designed and constructed, and can generate three different principal stresses are presented.The results of numerical experiments which are carried out by using the proposed model arealso presented. From both results it is shown that the proposed model can versatilely follow themechanical behaviours of particulate materials such as sands with complicated stress paths include-ing the stress reverse and repeated loading.In the previous paper the author proposed a mechanical model of particulate materials as aMarkov process and explained the concepts of the potential barrier and the potential slip planewhich are introduced in the proposed model. Furthermore, the strain of particulate materialswas defined by using the change of contact angles at the contact points of particles and the dis-continuous motion of particles.In this paper the results of shearing tests obtained by the modified triaxial apparatus whichis designed and constructed, and can generate three different principal stresses are presented.The results of numerical experiments which are carried out by using the proposed model arealso presented. From both results it is shown that the proposed model can versatilely follow themechanical behaviours of particulate materials such as sands with complicated stress paths include-ing the stress reverse and repeated loading
Strain-Dependent Soil Properties Estimated from Downhole Array Recordings at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant during the 2007 Niigata-Ken Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake
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