Design in support of playfulness

Playful environments can be conceived as landscapes able to support an individual’s internal sense of playfulness and its external manifestation. These environments cultivate a sense of place where recreational, therapeutic, and educational resources are merged based on the conviction that nature is a positive influence. This project explores how outdoor spaces encompass the built and natural world, convey a sense of connection to spatial ephemera and phenomena, and ultimately how space can become spaces for individuals. The project explores the notion of playfulness and the meaning it may acquire for design within landscape architecture. The study aims to positively contribute to making people’s lives more playful, joyful, and cheerful. It intends to touch people\u27s lives gently, improve their quality of life, and influence the way they build and view the world more positively. Throughout the thesis, drawing acts as a tool for noticing, linking, and wayfinding the relationship between individuals and space as well as structural and ephemeral elements in the landscape. Through drawing, the investigation examines the process of communicating powerful and meaningful experiences and conveys a personal aesthetic approach to the landscape moments

Quantization of virtual Grothendieck rings and their structure including quantum cluster algebras

The quantum Grothendieck ring of a certain category of finite-dimensional modules over a quantum loop algebra associated with a complex finite-dimensional simple Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$ has a quantum cluster algebra structure of skew-symmetric type. Partly motivated by a search of a ring corresponding to a quantum cluster algebra of {\em skew-symmetrizable} type, the quantum {\em virtual} Grothendieck ring, denoted by $\mathfrak{K}_q(\mathfrak{g})$, is recently introduced by Kashiwara--Oh \cite{KO23} as a subring of the quantum torus based on the $(q,t)$-Cartan matrix specialized at $q=1$. In this paper, we prove that $\mathfrak{K}_q(\mathfrak{g})$ indeed has a quantum cluster algebra structure of skew-symmetrizable type. This task essentially involves constructing distinguished bases of $\mathfrak{K}_q(\mathfrak{g})$ that will be used to make cluster variables and generalizing the quantum $T$-system associated with Kirillov--Reshetikhin modules to establish a quantum exchange relation of cluster variables. Furthermore, these distinguished bases naturally fit into the paradigm of Kazhdan--Lusztig theory and our study of these bases leads to some conjectures on quantum positivity and $q$-commutativity

Upper torso and pelvis linear velocity during the downswing of elite golfers

BACKGROUND: During a golf swing, analysis of the movement in upper torso and pelvis is a key step to determine a motion control strategy for accurate and consistent shots. However, a majority of previous studies that have evaluated this movement limited their analysis only to the rotational movement of segments, and translational motions were not examined. Therefore, in this study, correlations between translational motions in the 3 axes, which occur between the upper torso and pelvis, were also examined. METHODS: The experiments were carried out with 14 male pro-golfers (age: 29 ± 8 years, career: 8.2 ± 4.8years) who registered in the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA). Six infrared cameras (VICON; Oxford Metrics, Oxford, UK) and SB-Clinc software (SWINGBANK Ltd, Korea) were used to collect optical marker trajectories. The center of mass (CoM) of each segment was calculated based on kinematic principal. In addition, peak value of CoM velocity and the time that each peak occurred in each segment during downswing was calculated. Also, using cross-correlation analysis, the degree of coupling and time lags of peak values occurred between and within segments (pelvis and upper torso) were investigated. RESULTS: As a result, a high coupling strength between upper torso and pelvis with an average correlation coefficient = 0.86 was observed, and the coupling between segments was higher than that within segments (correlation coefficient = 0.81 and 0.77, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Such a high coupling at the upper torso and pelvis can be used to reduce the degree of motion control in the central nervous system and maintain consistent patterns in the movement. The result of this study provides important information for the development of optimal golf swing movement control strategies in the future

Improvement in the photoelectrochemical responses of PCBM/TiO2 electrode by electron irradiation

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) responses of electron-irradiated [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)/TiO2 electrodes were evaluated in a PEC cell. By coating PCBM on TiO2 nanoparticle film, the light absorption of PCBM/TiO2 electrode has expanded to the visible light region and improved the PEC responses compared to bare TiO2 electrode. The PEC responses were further improved by irradiating an electron beam on PCBM/TiO2 electrodes. Compared to non-irradiated PCBM/TiO2 electrodes, electron irradiation increased the photocurrent density and the open-circuit potential of PEC cells by approximately 90% and approximately 36%, respectively at an optimum electron irradiation condition. The PEC responses are carefully evaluated correlating with the optical and electronic properties of electron-irradiated PCBM/TiO2 electrodes

Delayed surgical intervention in central cord syndrome with cervical stenosis

Study Design Review of the literature. Objective It is generally accepted that surgical treatment is necessary for central cord syndrome (CCS) with an underlying cervical stenosis. However, the surgical timing for decompression is controversial in spondylotic cervical CCS. The purpose of this study is to review the results of early and delayed surgery in patients with spondylotic cervical CCS. Methods MEDLINE was searched for English-language articles on CCS. There were 1,653 articles from 1940 to 2012 regarding CCS, 5 of which dealt with the timing of surgery for spondylotic cervical CCS. Results All five reports regarding the surgical timing of spondylotic cervical CCS were retrospective. Motor improvement, functional independence measures, and walking ability showed similar improvement in early and late surgery groups in the studies with follow-up longer than 1 year. However, greater improvement was seen in the early surgery group in the studies with follow-up shorter than 1 year. The complication rates did not show a difference between the early and late surgery groups. However, there are controversies regarding the length of intensive care unit stay or hospital stay for the two groups. Conclusions There was no difference in motor improvement, functional independence, walking ability, and complication rates between early and late surgery for spondylotic cervical CCS

Ruthenium Bottom Electrode Prepared by Electroplating for a High-density DRAM Capacitor

The possibility of Ru electroplating for application as the bottom electrode in high density dynamic random access memory ~DRAM! capacitors was investigated. Prior to Ru electroplating on a TiN substrate, HF cleaning and Pd activation were performed. Removal of Ti oxide from the TiN substrate by HF treatment enabled Pd activation, which enhanced the nucleation of Ru on TiN substrate. Optimized pretreatments led to a continuous Ru film deposition. The surface roughness was measured to be 4.4 nm at 45 nm Ru film on the bare substrate. Moreover Ru electroplating method was also applied to a capacitor node-type TiN wafer. The deposition rate of Ru on the patterned wafer was the same as that on a bare wafer. The film showed 93% step coverage and good adhesion, comparable to CVD Ru films

A Study on the Flora of 15 Islands in the Western Sea of Jeollanamdo Province, Korea

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the flora of 15 islands in Yeonggwang, Shinan, and Mokpo of the Jeollanamdo province and the distribution of major plants in order to use the results as fundamental data for studies on plants in islands. Field surveys were performed 25 times from 2004 to 2010 to investigate the flora in these regions. A total of 793 taxa including 123 families, 421 genera, 695 species, 2 subspeices, 88 varieties, and 8 forms was found. Korean endemic plants including Hepatica insularis and Galium koreanum were 6 taxa. 25 taxa of rare plants including Trachomitum lancifolium, Daphne kiusiana, and Centranthera cochinchinensis var. lutea were confirmed 120 taxa floristic special plant species were confirmed; 11 taxa of the fifth class, four taxa of the fourth class, 28 taxa of the third class. 78 taxa of naturalized plants were confirmed

Lumbar Stenosis: A Recent Update by Review of Literature

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc results in initial relative instability, hypermobility, and hypertrophy of the facet joints, particularly at the superior articular process. This finally leads to a reduction of the spinal canal dimensions and compression of the neural elements, which can result in neurogenic intermittent claudication caused by venous congestion and arterial hypertension around nerve roots. Most patients with symptomatic lumbar stenosis had neurogenic intermittent claudication with the risk of a fall. However, although the physical findings and clinical symptoms in lumbar stenosis are not acute, the radiographic findings are comparatively severe. Magnetic resonance imaging is a noninvasive and good method for evaluation of lumbar stenosis. Though there are very few studies pertaining to the natural progression of lumbar spinal stenosis, symptoms of spinal stenosis usually respond favorably to non-operative management. In patients who fail to respond to non-operative management, surgical treatments such as decompression or decompression with spinal fusion are required. Restoration of a normal pelvic tilt after lumbar fusion correlates to a good clinical outcome

A truly hyperbolic elastic metamaterial lens

Sub-wavelength imaging is possible if metamaterial lenses realizing hyperbolic or elliptic Equi-Frequency Contours (EFCs) are used. Theoretically, lenses exhibiting hyperbolic EFCs allow imaging with unlimited resolution, but only metamaterials of elliptic EFCs producing limited resolution have been so far realized in elastic field. Thus, an elastic metamaterial lens realizing truly hyperbolic EFCs can lead to superior-resolution ultrasonic imaging. This Letter presents the realization of an elastic lens exhibiting truly hyperbolic EFCs and its experimental verification. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLCclos