A study on interaction-driven comparison between analog and digital gaming control interface on smartphone

This study aims to find empirical evidence of effectiveness levels: comfort, efficiency, and accuracy between analog and digital interface on smartphone game control through the two different usability tests: 1) A Pilot Study for measuring a correlation contrast with direct and indirect input control from six participants in a small group; 2) A Main Study for finding the effectiveness of “Tap-only affords” basis between a digital and analog input control. The usability test was analyzed by both qualitative and quantitative research methods. There was a total of the 81 participants who were divided into two big groups for comparing one hand and two hands input control, and nine participants per each group implemented a smartphone game based on different input control tasks. The findings appear that direct touch screen interaction is more effective on two hands input control tasks while using an indirect physical input control was more effective on one hand touchscreen

A study of enhanced and interactive online communication service : focusing on e-mail interface

Application of online communication services such as e-mails, e-cards and instant messaging are very useful tools as nonverbal communication for online users. Computer technology has been developing powerful engine tools to be able to convey messages using various methods. Although e-card and instant messenger in online communication services have developed significantly in both visual and functional approaches, it was discovered that e-mail hasn\u27t improved much even though the number of users has significantly increased compared to other services. The purpose of this study is to improve e-mail service both visually and interactively. This research is specifically focused on proposing a new environment for an e-mail program. Incoming and outgoing shows a great interaction between sending and receiving messages based on organized interface and functions. Outgoing is significantly improved and more useful for creating various types of messages. For instance, the user can create messages in terms of different interface environments depending on the formal or informal types of messages. Moreover, the user can classify e-mail into different categories such as personal, business and short memos. There is another consideration with creating kinetic messages in order to make them more personal and unique based on e-card service. In addition, the user can express messages by using kinetic typography based on different typefaces, colors, sounds, and motions. These elements are basic and simple categories in order to be able to create dynamic text messages. The prototype design shows different application tools for online users allowing them to create messages with multiple options. Thus, this research will address potential online communication services in the future

Effects of Dietary Lipid Source and Level on Growth Performance, Blood Parameters and Flesh Quality of Sub-adult Olive Flounder ()

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary lipid source and level on growth performance, blood parameters, fatty acid composition and flesh quality of sub-adult olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Eight experimental diets were formulated to contain 5% squid liver oil (SLO), 5% linseed oil (LO), 5% soybean oil (SO), a mixture of 1% squid liver oil, 2% linseed oil and 2% soybean oil (MIX), no lipid supplementation with high protein level (LL-HP), 10% squid liver oil (HL-SLO), a mixture of 1% squid liver oil, 4.5% linseed oil and 4.5% soybean oil (HL-VO), and 1% squid liver oil with high starch level (LL-HC), respectively. Two replicate groups of fish (average initial weight of 296 g) were fed the diets for 17 wks. After 5 wks, 11 wks and the end of the feeding trial, five fish from each tank were randomly sampled for analysis of body composition. At the end of the feeding trial, final mean weight of fish fed the LL-HP diet was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of fish fed the HL-VO diet, but did not differ significantly from those of fish fed the SLO, LO, SO, MIX, HL-SLO and LL-HC diets. Fish fed the LL-HP diet showed significantly higher feed efficiency than fish fed the LO, HL-SLO and HL-VO diets. Feed efficiency of fish fed the LO, SO and MIX diets were similar to those of fish fed the SLO and HL-SLO diets. Fish fed the HL-SLO diet showed significantly higher total cholesterol content in plasma compared with other diets. Fatty acid composition of tissues was reflected by dietary fatty acid composition. The highest linoleic (LA) and linolenic acid (LNA) contents in the dorsal muscle were observed in fish fed the SO and LO diets, respectively, regardless of feeding period. The highest eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content in the dorsal muscle was observed in fish fed the LL-HP and LL-HC diets after 11 and 17 weeks of feeding, respectively. Fish fed the SLO and HL-SLO diets showed higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content than that of other treatments after 11 and 17 weeks of feeding, respectively. Dietary inclusion of vegetable oils reduced n-3 HUFA contents in the dorsal muscle and liver of fish. The n-3 HUFA contents in tissues of fish fed the SLO and HL-SLO diets were higher than those of fish fed other diets, except for the LL-HP and LL-HC diets. Hardness, gel strength, chewiness and cohesiveness values of dorsal muscle in fish were significantly affected by dietary lipid source. The results of this study indicate that fish oil in fish meal based diets for sub-adult olive flounder could be replaced by soybean oil and linseed oil without negative effects on growth and feed utilizatio

A Study on Improvement of Mobile App for UNLV: Campus Safety Protocol in User Experience

According to The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), an average of 28,000 crimes were reported on college campuses across the United States in 2019. However, while many universities offer services to help students stay safe while on campus, students continue to feel unsafe. The University of Nevada Las Vegas’s (UNLV) proximity to the Las Vegas Strip causes campus to be vulnerable to crime. While UNLV offers students safety resources through their campus safety app, ‘RebelSafe,’ we found that only a small percentage of UNLV students actually use the app and wanted to pinpoint why. Thus, we focused our research on improving the usability and User Experience (UX) of this existing campus safety application by redesigning the app and conducting usability tests with the redesign. To test the effectiveness of the new redesign, our empirical study consists of three tasks for participants to execute: contacting police, requesting safety escorts, and accessing other safety resources. The findings from the usability testing help us analyze the difficulties users experience from the prototype. They also help us determine areas that are working and areas that need improvement. By focusing on the improvement of the existing UNLV RebelSafe mobile app, this study intends not only to specify an effective user interface design that fits into emergency protocol procedure but also to clarify the campus safety resources through a single mobile application.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/durep_lightning/1008/thumbnail.jp

Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract inhibits glutamate-induced cell death through inhibition of calcium signals and nitric oxide formation in cultured rat hippocampal neurons

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Proanthocyanidin is a polyphenolic bioflavonoid with known antioxidant activity. Some flavonoids have a modulatory effect on [Ca²⁺]_i. Although proanthocyanidin extract from blueberries reportedly affects Ca²⁺buffering capacity, there are no reports on the effects of proanthocyanidin on glutamate-induced [Ca²⁺]_ior cell death. In the present study, the effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) on glutamate-induced excitotoxicity was investigated through calcium signals and nitric oxide (NO) in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Pretreatment with GSPE (0.3-10 μg/ml) for 5 min inhibited the [Ca²⁺]_iincrease normally induced by treatment with glutamate (100 μM) for 1 min, in a concentration-dependent manner. Pretreatment with GSPE (6 μg/ml) for 5 min significantly decreased the [Ca²⁺]_iincrease normally induced by two ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists, N-methyl-D-aspartate and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA). GSPE further decreased AMPA-induced response in the presence of 1 μM nimodipine. However, GSPE did not affect the 50 mM K⁺-induced increase in [Ca²⁺]_i. GSPE significantly decreased the metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (<it>RS</it>)-3,5-Dihydroxyphenylglycine-induced increase in [Ca²⁺]_i, but it did not affect caffeine-induced response. GSPE (0.3-6 μg/ml) significantly inhibited synaptically induced [Ca²⁺]_ispikes by 0.1 mM [Mg²⁺]_o. In addition, pretreatment with GSPE (6 μg/ml) for 5 min inhibited 0.1 mM [Mg²⁺]_o- and glutamate-induced formation of NO. Treatment with GSPE (6 μg/ml) significantly inhibited 0.1 mM [Mg²⁺]_o- and oxygen glucose deprivation-induced neuronal cell death.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>All these data suggest that GSPE inhibits 0.1 mM [Mg²⁺]_o- and oxygen glucose deprivation-induced neurotoxicity through inhibition of calcium signals and NO formation in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.</p

Capsule Endoscopy to Detect Normally Positioned Duodenal Papilla: Performance Comparison of SB and SB2

Purpose. PillCam SB2 capsule endoscopy, an upgraded version of widely used SB capsule endoscopy, was examined for its performance by comparing with SB. Methods. Examinees with various indications were enrolled for SB2 capsule endoscopy; subjects were also enlisted for the old SB capsule endoscopy. Number of photo images containing papilla of Vater was counted. Shape of the papilla seen in each image was evaluated by scoring 3 (fully observable papilla), 2 (more than half outline), or 1 (less than half outline) points. Images obtained from SB and SB2 were also subjectively compared; resolution and brightness were scored by six experienced endoscopists. Results. Baseline characteristics of two study groups (n = 30 each) were not significantly different. Number of images of the papilla revealed to show similar results between SB (3.1 ± 1.1, range 1~5) and SB2 (3.1 ± 1.5, range 1~8) (P = 0.62). The maximum points of outline of papilla evaluated from each subject were also similar between two groups. New SB2 revealed to be superior to SB in terms of resolution but not significantly different in brightness. Conclusion. Our study showed that superiority of SB2 over SB is rather marginal on examining duodenal papilla

Remission of Cap Polyposis Maintained for More Than Three Years after Infliximab Treatment

Cap polyposis is a rare disorder with characteristic endoscopic and histological features; its etiology is still unknown, and no specific treatment has been established. We report a case of cap polyposis that improved remarkably after infliximab infusion and had no recurrence for 3 years