Trust transfer effects on values and attitudes toward China and the Shanghai Expo 2010

Despite the increasing popularity of events, the application of trust transfer concepts has yet to be investigated. Linking trust transfer, values, attitude, and behavioral intentions in a theoretical model, this study employs an on-site survey of visitors attending 2010 Shanghai World Expo to test the theory. The results suggest that positive emotional values attributed to the Expo were associated with positive emotions toward China. In addition, positive perceptions of functional values of the Expo carried over to improved perceived functional and emotional perceptions of China and positive attitudes towards the Expo

Evaluation of the internal stability of well-graded silty sand through the long-term seepage test

Suffusion is the phenomenon responsible for internal erosion, and is the process by which finer soil particles are moved through the constrictions between the larger soil particles by seepage forces. Generally, gap-graded soil is known to be susceptible to suffusion. Meanwhile, suffusion of well-graded silty sand and the resulting soil behavior are not well understood. Moreover, the previous researches on laboratory suffusion tests focused on the study of the critical hydraulic gradient, which triggers the internal instability of the soils within a short period of time. Therefore, in this study, long-term suffusion tests were conducted on well-graded silty sand under a hydraulic gradient lower than the critical value. As a result, abrupt increases in permeability and amount of soil discharged were observed due to the progressive migration of the soil particles, resulting in suffusion even at a relatively low hydraulic gradient

Effects of aiming lines and visual function on the golf putting alignment

Background: In golf, a player hits a ball with a club, aiming to transfer the ball successively into a series of hole cups in a course consisting of 18 (or fewer) holes. This study aimed to compare the impact of visual function and the presence and number of aiming lines on golf putting alignment between beginner and expert golfers. Methods: In this prospective comparative study, 43 participants with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) of corrected distance binocular visual acuity of –0.07 ± 0.74 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, who knew their average golf scores, were divided into beginner and expert golfers. Six visual function tests were conducted to assess heterotropia, dominant eye, verification of current spectacles, static visual acuity, stereopsis, and fixation disparity. At the putting distances of 1.5 m and 3 m, alignment errors were measured five times each, using golf balls with 1 and 3 aiming line(s) and putters with 1 and 3 aiming line(s). Results: The mean ± SD of age was 48.33 ± 10.07 years for study participants overall. The accuracy of ball alignment was not affected by the career or number of aiming lines, but the putter alignment was higher for the 3-lines putter than for the 1-line putter (P < 0.05). When the number and shape of the aiming line were the same for both the ball and putter, the aiming accuracy was found to be higher. In both stereopsis and fixation disparity, the combination of putting distance and a 3-lines ball showed negative values; all other combinations showed positive values, but no statistically significant correlation was detected (all P > 0.05). Conclusions: The accuracy of golf ball alignment did not depend on the number of aiming lines and the golfer’s career. However, the predicted putting success rate and subjective satisfaction were increased when three-line golf balls and putters were used, as compared to when one-line golf balls and putters were used. How to cite this article: Kim YJ, Jin YG, Koo BY, Jang JU, Mah KC. Effects of aiming lines and visual function on the golf putting alignment. Med Hypothesis Discov Innov Optom.2021 Spring; 2(1): 41-49. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51329/mehdioptometry12

Efficacy of a long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser in acute scar redness

Background The initial redness of the scar on a postoperative suture site is a natural phenomenon that fades over time. However, with a long period of redness, patients complain about cosmetic discomfort, and the possibility of pigmentation changes is induced. We investigated the use of a long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser as a noninvasive treatment for improving the redness of these scars. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on 36 patients who underwent excision of a nevus on the face. Fourteen patients received laser treatment and another 22 patients used only scar management ointment. Patients were followed up 1 week after the sutures were removed. The photographic images taken at the time of suture removal and 2 months later were reviewed. The evaluation was performed on a 7-point scale by adding the Japan Scar Workshop (JSW) scar scale’s redness and erythema scores. Results The average initial JSW scar scale score of the treatment group was 4.6, and that of the nontreatment group was 4.2. When the re-evaluation was performed 2 months later, the score of the treatment group decreased to 2.2 and that of the nontreatment group decreased to 3.1. The difference in the JSW scar scale between the treatment group and the nontreatment group according to laser performance was statistically significant (P=0.03). Conclusions The treatment method with a long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser that is less invasive and has a quick effect can be a good alternative for improving this initial scar redness

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a patient with a single functioning kidney

AbstractRetroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare disease characterized by the presence of fibroinflammatory tissue around the abdominal aorta and ureteral entrapment in most cases. Idiopathic RPF is frequently reported in association with autoimmune diseases; however, there have been few reports of idiopathic RPF associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Here, we report a case of idiopathic RPF with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a patient with a single functioning kidney, which was successfully treated by corticosteroid therapy and transient intraureteral stent insertion with a double-J catheter

Spin-orbit coupling effects on spin-phonon coupling in Cd2Os2O7

Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is essential in understanding the properties of 5d transition metal compounds, whose SOC value is large and almost comparable to other key parameters. Over the past few years, there have been numerous studies on the SOC-driven effects of the electronic bands, magnetism, and spin-orbit entanglement for those materials with a large SOC. However, it is less studied and remains an unsolved problem in how the SOC affects the lattice dynamics. We, therefore, measured the phonon spectra of 5d pyrochlore Cd2Os2O7 over the full Brillouin zone to address the question by using inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS). Our main finding is a visible mode-dependence in the phonon spectra, measured across the metal-insulator transition at 227 K. We examined the SOC strength dependence of the lattice dynamics and its spin-phonon (SP) coupling, with first-principle calculations. Our experimental data taken at 100 K are in good agreement with the theoretical results obtained with the optimized U = 2.0 eV with SOC. By scaling the SOC strength and the U value in the DFT calculations, we demonstrate that SOC is more relevant than U to explaining the observed mode-dependent phonon energy shifts with temperature. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the phonon energy can be effectively described by scaling SOC. Our work provides clear evidence of SOC producing a non-negligible and essential effect on the lattice dynamics of Cd2Os2O7 and its SP coupling.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication at Rapid Communication in Physical Review

Cognitive-Enhancing Effect of Aronia melanocarpa

Aronia melanocarpa (A. melanocarpa) berries are a fruit with a marked antioxidant effect. The objective of this study was to confirm the effect of A. melanocarpa berries extract against scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance test. Moreover, we determined a possible mechanism of the cognitive-enhancing effect involving AChE activity and BDNF and p-CREB expression in the hippocampus of mice. A. melanocarpa berries extract attenuated the learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine in the Morris water maze (79.3 ± 0.8 s of 200 mg/kg and 64.4 ± 10.7 s of 400 mg/kg on day 4) and passive avoidance tests (46.0 ± 41.1 s of 200 mg/kg and 25.6 ± 18.7 s of 400 mg/kg). A. melanocarpa berries extract reduced the acetylcholinesterase level in the hippocampus of scopolamine-injected mice and increased BDNF and p-CREB expression in the hippocampus. The major compound, cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, also reversed memory impairment. These results showed that A. melanocarpa berries extract improved memory impairment by inhibiting AChE and increasing BDNF and p-CREB expression, and cyanidin-3-O-galactoside may be responsible for the effect of A. melanocarpa berries extract