Applying Interpretation Principles to a Non-Western (Japanese) Training Context

Interpretive guides play an indispensable role in achieving tourism and sustainability outcomes. Although interpretation theory and best practice principles are supported by literature, they have been primarily developed in Western countries. Little work has been done to evaluate the cross-cultural applicability of using Western-based interpretation in training non-Western interpretive guides. This study evaluates the use of Western-based interpretive competencies in a Japanese training context. The efficacy of the training was assessed using quantitative and qualitative pre- and post-training data from all 42 trainees. Training programs were successful in improving trainees’ perceptions of the importance of links between individual roles and organisational goals, TORE (thematic / organised / relevant / enjoyable) qualities, story development, and reflection. They also improved trainees’ perceptions of their own capacity related to TORE. However, programs did not impact trainees’ ratings of their capacity to use storytelling or to foster reflection in their interpretive tours. These findings suggest that, when informed by the literature and research, Western-based interpretive competencies can successfully equip Japanese interpretive guides to utilise best practice principles to meet interpretive and organisational goals. Improvements, such as practice and reflective opportunities, are suggested for future training. More knowledge and evidence are needed to build a training framework that can help interpretive guides in other non-Western contexts to make use of best practice interpretation in their work

Promoting Successful Aging through Competitive Sports Participation Insights from Older Adults

In this study we explored the experience of competing in the Senior Games and the resultant contributions to the successful aging of older adults. We used in-depth interviews with older adults who participated in the National Senior Games. Analysis of the data produced five central themes: (a) perseverance, (b) career development and significant effort, (c) personal and social benefits, (d) unique ethos, and (e) identification as a senior athlete. We found that participating in the Senior Games as a form of serious leisure enhanced the well-being of older adults and could be utilized as a means by which to maintain a healthy lifestyle

Creation of Fluid Art “Sound of Ikebana” under Microgravity Using Parabolic Flight

[2022 International Conference for ADADA + CUMULUS] 26 - 27 November 2022, OnlineArt has been at the center of human spiritual life, and therefore, art in the future space age is an exciting subject. The authors, led by an artist, have been creating video artwork "Sound of Ikebana, " made by giving sound vibration to fluid and shooting it with a high-speed camera. To study its shape under zero gravity, we conducted the generation of the artwork under microgravity realized by parabolic flight. As the sound source, we used the birth cries of newborn babies, which also symbolize the future. We confirmed that a new shape that has never existed is created. Furthermore, a three-dimensional artwork was created by shooting the phenomenon from multiple viewpoints

Xenoantigen, an αGal epitope-expression construct driven by the hTERT-promoter, specifically kills human pancreatic cancer cell line

BACKGROUND: We previously reported the usefulness of the αGal epitope as a target molecule for gene therapy against cancer. To induce cancer cell specific transcription of the αGal epitope, an expression vector which synthesizes the αGal epitope under the control of a promoter region of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), NK7, was constructed. METHODS: NK7 was transfected into a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line, MIA cells, and telomerase-negative SUSM-1 cells served controls. Expression of the αGal epitope was confirmed by flow cytometry using IB4 lectin. The susceptibility of transfected MIA cells to human natural antibodies, was examined using a complement-dependent cytotoxic cross-match test (CDC) and a flow cytometry using annexin V. RESULTS: The αGal epitope expression was detected only on the cell surfaces of NK7-transfected MIA cells, i.e., not on naive MIA cells or telomerase negative SUSM-1 cells. The CDC results indicated that MIA cells transfected with NK7 are susceptible to human natural antibody-mediated cell killing, and the differences, as compared to NK-7 transfected telomerase negative SUSM-1 cells or telomerase positive naïve MIA cells, were statistically significant. The flow cytometry using annexin V showed a higher number of the apoptotic cells in NK-7 transfected MIA cells than in naïve MIA cells. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that αGal epitope-expression, under the control of the hTERT-promoter, may be useful in cancer specific gene therapy

3D Modeling and 3D Materialization of Fluid Art That Occurs in Very Short Time

19th IFIP TC 14 International Conference, ICEC 2020, Xi'an, China, November 10–13, 2020.Proceedings of ICEC2020We have been creating artworks called “liquid art” utilizing liquid dynamics phenomena. One of the liquid artworks is “Sound of Ikebana” which is created by giving sound vibration to color paints and shooting the phenomenon by a high-speed camera, which has been evaluated as “the artwork includes Japanese beauty.” To investigate further why it is evaluated in such a way and also to seek the possibility of its application in society, we tried to materialize it into 3D objects. As the phenomenon occurs in a very short time of less than one second, we have developed a specific experimental environment consisting of multiple high-speed cameras surrounding a speaker where the phenomenon occurs. Among various technologies to reconstruct the 3D model from multiple 2D images, we have chosen a method called Phase-Only Correlation and developed a 3D mesh model of a snapshot of “Sound of Ikebana.” Also using a 3D printer we have successfully obtained 3D materialized “Sound of Ikebana.

Development of the Executive Functions Questionnaire

This study was designed to develop the Executive Functions Questionnaire (EFQ) measuring executive functions and to investigate the construct validity by standardized questionnaires (the Error Proneness Questionnaire, the Everyday Memory Questionnaire, the Metacognition Questionnaire, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Short form of Five Factor Personality Questionnaire). EFQ was conducted to 567 normal adults, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded six scales: Planning, Absorption, Efficacy, Shifting, Self-consciousness and Sustaining-attention. Analysis of correlation revealed as follows. Functions of cognitive control (Efficacy, Shifting and Sustaining-attention) negatively correlated to EPQ and EMQ. Shifting positively correlated to the reappraisal strategy of ERQ, Self-consciousness did to MCQ, and Planning did to Controlling of FFPQ. Absorption did not show any expected significant correlation to the subscales of EPQ, although Absorption showed slightly positive correlation to Emotionality of FFPQ. These findings suggest that EFQ is valid to measure executive functions in normal adults.本研究は，実行機能を測る質問紙 (Executive Function Questionnaire，EFQ) の開発と，既存の質問紙 (失敗傾向質問紙 (EPQ), 日常記憶質問紙 (EMQ) ，メタ認知質問紙 (MCQ) ，感情調節尺度 (ERQ) ，5因子性格検査短縮版 (FFPQ-50) による構成概念妥当性の検討を目的とした。健常成人 (N=567) に調査を行い，探索的と確認的因子分析の結果，プランニング，熱中，効率，切り替え，自己意識，注意維持の6因子構造が得られた。相関分析の結果，認知的コントロールに関する効率，切り替えおよび注意の維持とEPQ やEMQ とに負の相関，切り替えとERQ の再評価方略，自己意識とMCQ，プランニングとFFPQ-50 の統制性に正の相関が示され，収束的妥当性が示された。熱中は予測したEPQ の下位尺度とは相関が認められず，FFPQ-50 の情緒不安定性と負の相関傾向のみが認められた。以上より健常成人の実行機能を測定する尺度としてEFQ の構成概念妥当性が示された