Impression Evaluation Research Articles

Hybrid Robotics for Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery: Preclinical Evaluation and Surgeon First Impression

A robotic endoscope holder should theoretically provide various advantages in transnasal endoscopic skull base surgery, but only recently has a robotic system become commercially available. The objective of this study was to provide a preclinical evaluation of potential advantages and surgeon first impression of this robotic hybrid solution. Thirty skull base surgeons, attending the Joint European Diploma of Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery 2018-2019 in Paris, France, were enrolled. A questionnaire, mainly concerning personal surgical experience and habits, was administered. The test phase consisted of 2 different dry-lab tasks, performed with and without EndoscopeRobot, according to randomization and on 2 different days. A modified NASA Task Load Index test was subsequently administered via e-mail to all participants. Completion times and modified Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills in Endoscopy scores of the videotaped tasks were recorded. Nineteen otorhinolaryngologic surgeons and 11 neurosurgeons, with different surgical habits and endoscopic experience, were enrolled. No one appeared unfavorable a priori to robotic endoscopic surgery. Although the robot did not provide an advantage in the simple grasping task 1, a trend toward better completion times and efficacy was evident in the bimanual task 2, when performed with the robot and bimanually. According to the modified NASA Task Load Index test, surgeons felt more successful with the robot in task 2, finding it less stressful and mentally demanding. Endoscopic skull base surgeons seem to view a hybrid robotic solution positively. EndoscopeRobot seems to provide a benefit to the single surgeon with experience in bimanual endoscopic surgery. Further preclinical and clinical evaluation of this technology is necessary.

Impression Evaluation Focusing on the End-of-Sentence Style of Utterance in Driving Support Agent Based on Politeness Theory

Impression Evaluation Focusing on the End-of-Sentence Style of Utterance in Driving Support Agent Based on Politeness Theory

Study on the differences of Chinese handwriting characteristics among different population

Objective To investigate the differences of handwriting characteristics among different genders, educational backgrounds and ages. Methods The ESP1020 was used to collect 1 474 handwriting samples throughout the country, and the collected handwriting samples were quantized by the self-developed HCAS software.The system could automatically extract 36 objective handwriting features, such as the average character area, at the same time, 4 subjective handwriting features such as the overall beauty are quantified by the overall impression evaluation method . Finally, forty handwriting characteristics data were introduced into SPSS23.0 for statistical analysis. Results There were statistically significant differences in 11 handwriting characteristics between male and female, such as average Chinese characters height ((6.960±1.843) mm, (6.757±1.762) mm, t=2.16, P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in 21 handwriting characteristics between the groups with different educational backgrounds, including the average Chinese characters area in primary school and junior high school((52.175 6±33.989 5)mm2), in senior high school and technical secondary school((64.320 7±63.123 5)mm2) and in junior college or above((63.815 3±58.147 4)mm2)(t=5.42, P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in 28 handwriting characteristics in different age groups, such as writing time, pen pressure and Chinese characters area(P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusions Demographic variables such as gender, education background and age have different effects on different aspects of handwriting characteristics. Key words: Chinese characters; Handwriting characteristics; Handwriting analysis; Group comparison

Are seaweeds the food of the future? Challenges for its conservation and introduction in the Portuguese diet

Introduction: Seaweeds are well known for their nutritional value [1]. The ALGA4FOOD project [https://alga4food.wixsite.com/pt-pt] [2] aims: i) researching new seaweed conservation processes (e.g. lyophilization, pascalization, MAP, etc.) which optimize functional and organoleptic characteristics; ii) develop strategies for its introduction in the Portuguese diet. Materials and methods 1 : Raw Materials: Seven seweed species (Ulva rigida, Codium tomentosum, Undaria pinnatifida, Saccorhiza polyschides, Gracilaria gracilis, Osmundea pinnatifida, Chondracanthus teedei var. Lusitanicus) were collected in north and central Portugal. Porphyra sp. and Ulva rigida for sensorial analysis were cultivated in an IMTA system. Instrumental Analysis: Each seaweed was frozen with liquid nitrogen and ground. Samples were maintained at −20 °C until microextraction by HS-SPME, using 30 g of fresh seaweed and 104 g of milli-Q water with 30% NaCl (PA). Ulva rigida was also dried and 6.75 g of the dried seaweed and 117 g of the saline solution were used. Compounds extracted were analyzed and identified by GC-MS. Product Development and Sensory Analysis: Dried pastas enriched with U. rigida and Porphyra sp. were developed and affective acceptance tests, using as control a 100% semolina (Triticum durum) pasta, were performed. The panel was composed by 60 untrained testers, and a structured hedonic scale of 1 to 9 points was used for the evaluation of appearance, color, aroma, texture, flavour, overall impression and food suitability. Data was submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey’s multiple comparison tests. Results: Instrumental analysis: GC-MS identified 57 different organic compounds (167 in total): 28 aldehydes, 4 alcohols; 10 hydrocarbons; 3 ethers; 8 ketones; 4 other functional groups (1 containing sulphur, 2 iodine and 1 bromine). For U. rigida, results showed that the main compounds contributing for its fresh flavour profile (β-ionone and 2,4-decadienal) were different from those for the dried seaweed, meaning that fresh U. rigida has a higher aromatic richness than the dried one. Sensory analysis: The results showed no significant differences between the average values for texture, flavour, overall impression and food suitability. However, the appearance, colour and aroma attributes were significantly different particularly for the control and Porphyra sp. formulations [3]. Discussion and conclusions: The exploratory process showed that both instrumental and sensorial analysis, as well as the concepts underlying cooking creativity [3], are of great value for the development of new seaweed food products. GC-MS technique, together with sensory analysis, showed similarities between Undaria pinnatifida and collard greens (Brassica oleracea var. Acephala). Based on this, the seaweed was introduced in the traditional soup “caldoverde”, and preliminary tests showed good acceptance. Sensory analysis of pasta showed that green seaweed, due to their subtle maritime flavour, have a greater potential for cooking applications than the red seaweed [2,3].

A study on the consumer’s value consciousness for Kyoto &lt;i&gt;Takase-gawa&lt;/i&gt; River

Urban rivers are spaces related to urban planning, and it is necessary to improve urban rivers and its surroundings integrally.In order to make better use of urban rivers, it is desirable for residents to participate in regional planning. Especially, it is said that the waterside plan should be conducted by dwellers living there. The purpose of this research is to clarify the consciousness of dwellers' value to the landscape of the whole river roadside including its surroundings. We conducted a questionnaire survey for people living around the Takase-gawaRiver in Kyoto City. The questionnaires were given to 1,000 houses randomly extracted located 250m from the center of Takase-gawaRiver by using GIS. The questionnaire contains "the use actual situation", "the influence given a dweller by urban river" and "an impression evaluation of the urban river". As a result, it was found that the Takase-gawaRiver and its surroundings are spaces that emphasize life rather than commercial for dwellers. Most of the dwellers evaluated the Takase-gawaRiver and its surroundings positively.However, depending on the age of the dwellers, the purpose of use and the evaluation of the attachment to the Takase-gawa River were different.

Impression Evaluation between Color Vision Types - Blue Considered Lively by Elderly People &amp;#x2013;

Impression Evaluation between Color Vision Types - Blue Considered Lively by Elderly People &amp;#x2013;

Evaluation of Sparkle Impression Considering Observation Distance

Evaluation of Sparkle Impression Considering Observation Distance

The Influence of Spatial Arrangement on Impression Evaluation in Artworks

The Influence of Spatial Arrangement on Impression Evaluation in Artworks

The Evaluation of Affective Impression of Social Reading System Using Others' Comments

The Evaluation of Affective Impression of Social Reading System Using Others' Comments

Statistical validation of utility of head-mounted display projection-based experimental impression evaluation for sequential streetscapes

This study compared the impression structure of streetscapes gained from field experiments with that from head-mounted display virtual reality experiments. The results were as follows: (1) the field experiment experience had a slight influence on the impressions reported from the head-mounted display experiment; (2) few items exhibited significant differences in impression values for the two experiments; (3) the impression structure comprised three factors—“Openness,” “Balance,” and “Activity”—in both experiments, and (4) no significant difference appeared between the two experiments relative to the subscale scores of these three factors. These results show that head-mounted display experiments can substitute field experiments.

Proposal of a Polarity Dictionary Based on the Human Impression Evaluation in order to Improve the Accuracy in Temporal Analysis of “Flaming” Phenomena

Proposal of a Polarity Dictionary Based on the Human Impression Evaluation in order to Improve the Accuracy in Temporal Analysis of “Flaming” Phenomena

Pre-clinical Evaluation of Intraocular Lenses through Simulated Implantation

The development of new optical designs for intraocular lenses (IOL) is a major challenge for lens manufacturers, as postoperative patient satisfaction is difficult to assess a priori with new concepts. Until now, invasive clinical investigations were carried out for this purpose. In contrast, the simulated implantation of IOLs allows a risk-free determination of the achievable visual performance and a subjective evaluation of the visual impression of new optical concepts. For intraocular lens manufacturers, this offers, on the one hand, the possibility to take the subjective perception of test persons into account during the development and optimization of novel lens designs and, on the other hand, to carry out comparative performance tests with known products before the first implantation. By means of simulated implantation, subjectively optimized IOLs may lead to a better postoperative visual quality for the patients and minimize the risk of a cost-intensive development of products with clinically unacceptable visual perception achievements due to optical side effects. The application of the simulated implantation during the preoperative patient consultation may enable the determination of the patient's subjective visual preferences and result in a targeted IOL selection recommendation. In addition to an improved selection from an existing IOL portfolio, IOL manufacturers could also offer individualized multifocal IOLs that match the patient's previous preference pattern. This article explains the technical background and application scenarios of the simulated implantation and introduces current procedures and devices.

情報提示が「におい」の印象評価に及ぼす影響

情報提示が「におい」の印象評価に及ぼす影響

1B4-3 Impression Evaluation of Enclosed Arcade Using VR

1B4-3 Impression Evaluation of Enclosed Arcade Using VR

Objective Evaluation of Impression of Faces with Various Female Hairstyles Using Field of Visual Perception

Objective Evaluation of Impression of Faces with Various Female Hairstyles Using Field of Visual Perception

Proposal of the head-heart-base technique as an innovative method to describe and evaluate the aroma profile of wine and cider

ABSTRACTA novel method for the sensory evaluation of wine and cider is proposed that combines advantages of other commonly used techniques while simplifying a tasting protocol that is more accessible for unexperienced panelists. The method is based on panelist’s evaluation of samples in three discrete and directed steps; evaluation of head, heart, and base characters. The technique provides the sensory analyst with a simplified approach to difference testing and, in many instances, helps statistically differentiate samples by reducing panelist confusion. The head aroma is defined as the first impression after removing the lid from a covered glass prior to agitating the sample. The heart aroma is defined as the primary impression after agitating the sample. The base character is defined as the final aroma impression and retronasal evaluation of the product. Each component is evaluated independently using a generalized grouping of descriptors; sensory impression or grouping descriptors can be refined if the analyst aims to draw a higher level of detail or descriptive analysis from their panel. Application of the proposed analytical protocol suggests that the technique is simple for less-experienced panelists to learn and follow, and allowed them to easily focus on the testing attributes with minimal confusion of confounding factors.

The Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy Augmentation of Antipsychotic Treatment on Cognitive Functions in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia.

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) continues to be a challenge in modern psychiatry. Most of these patients have severe neurocognitive deficits. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has proved effective and safe in the treatment of TRS, but because of potential neurocognitive adverse effects, it is associated with many controversies. The aim of this prospective, open study was to evaluate the effects of ECT augmentation of antipsychotics on cognitive functions in patients with TRS. Overall, 31 inpatients with TRS were included, 16 men, with an average (SD) age of 34.1 (11.187) years. The evaluation of clinical symptoms and global impression, as well as verbal memory, visual memory, working memory, psychomotor speed, verbal fluency, and executive functioning, was conducted before and after the completion of ECT treatment. We ran a series of paired-samples t tests, and the Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons reduced the significance level to P = 0.004. The neurocognitive domains that demonstrated statistically significant improvement were immediate and delayed verbal memory, and executive functioning, whereas statistical trend was observed for visual memory and psychomotor speed. None of the neurocognitive functions exhibited significant deterioration after the ECT treatment. Electroconvulsive therapy was effective in reducing general symptoms of schizophrenia, resulting in more than 30% decrease in the overall symptom severity measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Notwithstanding some limitations of this study, the combination of ECT and antipsychotics has improved several neurocognitive domains, without evidence of worsening of any cognitive functions.

SRIM Scheme: An Impression-Management Scheme for Privacy-Aware Photo-Sharing Users

Abstract With the development of online social networks (OSNs) and modern smartphones, sharing photos with friends has become one of the most popular social activities. Since people usually prefer to give others a positive impression, impression management during photo sharing is becoming increasingly important. However, most of the existing privacy-aware solutions have two main drawbacks: ① Users must decide manually whether to share each photo with others or not, in order to build the desired impression; and ② users run a high risk of leaking sensitive relational information in group photos during photo sharing, such as their position as part of a couple, or their sexual identity. In this paper, we propose a social relation impression-management (SRIM) scheme to protect relational privacy and to automatically recommend an appropriate photo-sharing policy to users. To be more specific, we have designed a lightweight face-distance measurement that calculates the distances between users’ faces within group photos by relying on photo metadata and face-detection results. These distances are then transformed into relations using proxemics. Furthermore, we propose a relation impression evaluation algorithm to evaluate and manage relational impressions. We developed a prototype and employed 21 volunteers to verify the functionalities of the SRIM scheme. The evaluation results show the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed scheme.

Impression Evaluation between Color Vision Types

Impression Evaluation between Color Vision Types

Effects of facial expressions on impression evaluation for Japanese stuttering voices

Many studies have highlighted that speech disfluencies, such as stuttering, can negatively affect communication. In this study, the authors investigated listeners’ impressions of Japanese words spoken with stuttering characteristics. We investigated the manner in which different facial expressions can contribute to improving these impressions. Recordings of male and female voices of short Japanese words were modified to have stuttering characteristics by using sound editing software. Then, the listeners’ impressions of the modified voices were examined by using the semantic differential method. The impression evaluation scores of the stuttering voices were compared with those of the original voices (without stuttering). In addition, the authors conducted an experiment to investigate whether the listeners’ impressions of stuttering characteristics could be changed by facial expressions. The results of this study showed that the listeners evaluated the stuttering voices much more negatively than the ones without stuttering characteristics. However, they rated the same stuttering voices very positively when the voices were accompanied by videos of smiling facial expressions. When presented with sullen facial expressions, the listeners returned negatively rating to the stuttering voices. These results suggest that the quality of communication can be highly improved when a speaker smiles, even if the speaker’s speech is not fluent. The result can be useful not only for human–human communication but also for human–machine communication.