Culture of Sedentary Play in India – The Space Context

Abstract Playing of sedentary games with dice and playing board games have had a major role in the Indian culture since at least 3000 BCE. This is shown by archaeological sites and early literary references in the Rig-Veda, Mahabharata and other texts. Some of these games have survived in the form of boards, game pieces, dice and cards. Apart from actual sets, the traces of board games can also be found in Hindu rock cut temples. These sculptures and paintings appear across the medieval period. The list is exhaustive. The game play also finds its presence on numerous temple floorings, carved or inscribed. Why would somebody carve these board games on these spaces? Interestingly, throughout history, some board games have increased its popularity, and some have disappeared from artistic expressional record. How did one board game overtake the other in terms of its popularity in the later phases of history? What made these games socially acceptable and popular? Where were these games played? What was the space context? The paintings dominantly show royal houses, court rooms as spaces. Were there special pavilions used for game playing by Indian royals? In India board games were traditionally played at ground level. With growing European influence in the subcontinent in the 18th century, local elites adopted the western custom of elevated furniture for board games. Did this change the space context? The paper thus tries to evolve parameters to analyze the impact of board games on spaces and would throw light on the “space context” with reference to Indian board games tracing it to the contemporary time.

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Auditory Uta-Karuta: Development and Evaluation of an Accessible Card Game System Using Audible Cards for the Visually Impaired

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10060750 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 750

Author(s):

Haruna Miyakawa ◽

Noko Kuratomo ◽

Hisham E. Bilal Salih ◽

Keiichi Zempo

Keyword(s):

Visual Impairment ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Game Design ◽

Visually Impaired ◽

Design Method ◽

Card Game ◽

Board Game ◽

Fair Competition ◽

Board Games ◽

The Impact

Playing board games is important for people with a visually impairment, as it promotes interactive socialization and communication skills. However, some board games are not accessible to them at present. In this study, we proposed an auditory card game system that presents a card’s contents with auditory stimuli to all players, towards playing equally with others, regardless of whether they have a visual impairment or not as one of the solutions to make board games accessible. This proposal contributes significantly to expand the range of inclusive board games for the visually impaired. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the game allows for fair competition for people with visual impairments and to clarify the effects of the valuable parameters of the system on the players. The effectiveness of the proposed system was verified by having experimental participants play “Auditory Uta-Karuta”. The results suggested that the proposed system has the potential for an accessible board game design regardless of visual impairment. In the following experiment, we investigated the impact of each valuable parameter of the system on the player’s perception of the board games to clarify the appropriate audio cue design method. The results of this experiment will greatly assist in designing an appropriate board game using the proposed system.

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Revealing the impact of expertise on human planning with a two-player board game

10.31234/osf.io/rhq5j ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bas van Opheusden ◽

Gianni Galbiati ◽

Ionatan Kuperwajs ◽

Zahy Bnaya ◽

Yunqi li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Board Game ◽

Board Games ◽

Ample Opportunity ◽

Common Planning ◽

Lower Complexity ◽

The Impact ◽

Robust Evidence

Do skilled decision-makers plan further into the future than novices? This question has been investigated for almost 75 years, traditionally by studying expert players in complex board games like chess. However, the complexity of these games poses a barrier to detailed modeling of human behavior. Conversely, common planning tasks in cognitive science are often lower-complexity and impose a ceiling for the depth to which any player can plan. Here, we investigate expertise by studying decision-making in a board game which is at the limit of complexity that can be precisely modeled using state-of-the-art statistical techniques, and which has ample opportunity for skilled players to plan deeply. We find robust evidence for increased planning depth with expertise in both laboratory and large-scale naturalistic data.

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The Portrayal of Islam in Some Early Nigerian Newspapers (1880-1910)

American Journal of Islam and Society ◽

10.35632/ajis.v6i2.2828 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 319-328

Author(s):

Salahudeen Yusuf

Keyword(s):

18Th Century ◽

Religious Conflict ◽

Intellectual Honesty ◽

The People ◽

Late 18Th Century ◽

The Press ◽

External Threat ◽

History Of ◽

The 19Th Century ◽

The Impact

The history of Islam in part of what is known today as Nigeria datesto about the loth Century. Christianity dates to the late 18th Century. Bythe middle of the 19th Century, when Nigerian newspapers began to appearon the streets of Nigeria, both religions had won so many followers and extendedto so many places in Nigeria that very few areas were untouched bytheir influence. The impact of both religions on their adherents not only determinedtheir spiritual life, but influenced their social and political lives aswell. It therefore became inevitable that both religions receive coverage frommost of the newspapers of the time. How the newspapers as media of informationand communication reported issues about the two religions is thetheme of this paper.Rationale for the StudyThe purpose of this study is to highlight the context in which such earlynewspapers operated and the factors that dictated their performance. Thisis because it is assumed that when a society faces external threat to its territory,culture, and independence, all hands (the press inclusive) ought tobe on deck to resist the threat with all might. Were newspapers used as verbalartillery and how did they present each religion? It is also assumed thatin a multireligious society a true press should be objective and serve as avanguard in the promotion of the interest of the people in general and notcreate or foster an atmosphere of religious conflict. The study also aims atfinding out whether the papers promoted intellectual honesty and fosteredthe spirit of unity particularly when the society was faced with the encroachmentof the British who posed a threat to their freedom, culture, economy ...

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The ground-level ozone concentration is inversely correlated with the number of COVID-19 cases in Warsaw, Poland

Air Quality Atmosphere & Health ◽

10.1007/s11869-021-01009-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Oskar Wiśniewski ◽

Wiesław Kozak ◽

Maciej Wiśniewski

Keyword(s):

Wind Speed ◽

Ozone Concentration ◽

Inverse Correlation ◽

Ground Level ◽

Viral Agent ◽

The Novel ◽

Weather Factors ◽

Ground Level Ozone ◽

The Many ◽

The Impact

AbstractCOVID-19, which is a consequence of infection with the novel viral agent SARS-CoV-2, first identified in China (Hubei Province), has been declared a pandemic by the WHO. As of September 10, 2020, over 70,000 cases and over 2000 deaths have been recorded in Poland. Of the many factors contributing to the level of transmission of the virus, the weather appears to be significant. In this work, we analyze the impact of weather factors such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and ground-level ozone concentration on the number of COVID-19 cases in Warsaw, Poland. The obtained results show an inverse correlation between ground-level ozone concentration and the daily number of COVID-19 cases.

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Sexuality and Affection in the Time of Technological Innovation: Artificial Partners in the Japanese Context

Religions ◽

10.3390/rel12050296 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 296

Author(s):

Beatriz Yumi Aoki ◽

Takeshi Kimura

Keyword(s):

18Th Century ◽

Human Life ◽

Human Sexuality ◽

Sexual Intimacy ◽

Ancient History ◽

Human Relationships ◽

Living Things ◽

Long Time ◽

History Of ◽

The Impact

Recent years have witnessed an increase in the number of academic studies on the impact of technological advancements on human life, including possible transformations and changes in human sexuality following the development of sex-related devices, such as sex robots. In this context, terms such as posthuman sexuality, digisexuality, and techno-sexuality have emerged, signaling possible new understandings of sexual, intimacy, and emotional practices. It is important to note that ancient history shows that humankind has for a long time been fascinated with their relationship to non-living things, mostly human-like figures, such as dolls. The Ningyo (人形, the Japanese term for doll) has a long history of usage, and has deep religious and animistic significance in the Japanese context—there are records of sexual use as early as the 18th century. With this context in mind, this paper focuses on three Japanese examples, aiming to shine a light on beyond-human relationships, which include a Japanese man’s marriage to a digital character, sex dolls, and communicative robots, from both a sexual and emotional perspective. In a new horizon of sexual and romantic possibilities, how will humans respond, and what can emerge from these interactions?

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The Early Days of Personal Solar Ultraviolet Dosimetry

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos11020125 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 125 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brian Diffey

Keyword(s):

Uv Radiation ◽

Human Exposure ◽

Ground Level ◽

Uv Exposure ◽

Population Exposure ◽

Atmospheric Ozone ◽

Quantitative Understanding ◽

Solar Uv ◽

The Impact ◽

Solar Ultraviolet

In the early 1970s, environmental conservationists were becoming concerned that a reduction in the thickness of the atmospheric ozone layer would lead to increased levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation at ground level, resulting in higher population exposure to UV and subsequent harm, especially a rise in skin cancer. At the time, no measurements had been reported on the normal levels of solar UV radiation which populations received in their usual environment, so this lack of data, coupled with increasing concerns about the impact to human health, led to the development of simple devices that monitored personal UV exposure. The first and most widely used UV dosimeter was the polymer film, polysulphone, and this review describes its properties and some of the pioneering studies using the dosimeter that led to a quantitative understanding of human exposure to sunlight in a variety of behavioral, occupational, and geographical settings.

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PREDATION BY CALOSOMA SYCOPHANTA L. (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE): EVIDENCE FOR A LARGE IMPACT ON GYPSY MOTH, LYMANTRIA DISPAR L. (LEPIDOPTERA: LYMANTRIIDAE), PUPAE

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent1171117-9 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 117 (9) ◽

pp. 1117-1126 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Ronald M. Weseloh

Keyword(s):

Gypsy Moth ◽

Lymantria Dispar ◽

Ground Level ◽

Mortality Factor ◽

Substantial Impact ◽

Entire Study ◽

Dispersal Potential ◽

Capture Recapture ◽

The Impact ◽

Entire Study Area

AbstractThe impact of predation by Calosoma sycophanta L. on an increasing prey population was assessed by recapturing marked adult beetles, periodically observing tagged gypsy moth pupae, and examining gypsy moth pupal remains in different microhabitats. Adult beetles dispersed in random directions but many tended to remain near the trap at which they were originally caught, suggesting a low dispersal potential. About 75% of the adult beetles present in the plot on one day were still present the next day. Capture–recapture estimates suggested that there were at most about 250 male beetles and half as many females/ha in the plot. Calosoma larvae destroyed 70% of tagged gypsy moth pupae under burlap bands on tree trunks near ground level, which was much more than any other mortality factor. Although this percentage was the same when mortality was assessed by looking at pupal remains within 5 m of the ground on tree trunks, pupae higher in trees and on leaves were not attacked as frequently. On average, about 40% of the pupae present in the entire study area were destroyed by Calosoma larvae. Each female beetle in the site would have had to produce about 30 progeny to have this effect. These data suggest that a relatively low number of adult beetles can have a substantial impact on gypsy moth populations.

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Integrative approach using Yersinia pestis genomes to revisit the historical landscape of plague during the Medieval Period

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1812865115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 115 (50) ◽

pp. E11790-E11797 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Amine Namouchi ◽

Meriam Guellil ◽

Oliver Kersten ◽

Stephanie Hänsch ◽

Claudio Ottoni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Yersinia Pestis ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

18Th Century ◽

Human Movement ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Medieval Period ◽

Trade Routes ◽

Historical Landscape ◽

Genomic Studies ◽

History Of

Over the last few years, genomic studies on Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of all known plague epidemics, have considerably increased in numbers, spanning a period of about 5,000 y. Nonetheless, questions concerning historical reservoirs and routes of transmission remain open. Here, we present and describe five genomes from the second half of the 14th century and reconstruct the evolutionary history of Y. pestis by reanalyzing previously published genomes and by building a comprehensive phylogeny focused on strains attributed to the Second Plague Pandemic (14th to 18th century). Corroborated by historical and ecological evidence, the presented phylogeny, which includes our Y. pestis genomes, could support the hypothesis of an entry of plague into Western European ports through distinct waves of introduction during the Medieval Period, possibly by means of fur trade routes, as well as the recirculation of plague within the human population via trade routes and human movement.

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Investigating the impact of regional transport on PM<sub>2.5</sub> formation using vertical observation during APEC 2014 Summit in Beijing

10.5194/acp-2016-745 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Yang Hua ◽

Shuxiao Wang ◽

Jiandong Wang ◽

Jingkun Jiang ◽

Tianshu Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Ground Level ◽

Point Sources ◽

Asia Pacific ◽

Regional Transport ◽

Observation Methods ◽

Pollutants Transport ◽

Accumulation Of Pollutants ◽

Primary Emissions ◽

The Impact

Abstract. During APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Economic Leaders' 2014 Summit in Beijing, strict regional air emission control was implemented, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the transport and formation mechanism of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This study explores the use of vertical observation methods to investigate the influence of regional transport on PM2.5 pollution in Beijing before and during the APEC Summit. Vertical profiles of extinction coefficient, wind, temperature and relative humidity were monitored. Three PM2.5 pollution episodes were analysed. In episode 1 (October 27th to November 1st), regional transport accompanied with the accumulation of pollutants under unfavourable meteorological conditions led to the pollution. In episode 2 (November 2nd to 5th), pollutants left from episode 1 were retained in the boundary layer for 2 days in the region and then settled down to the surface, leading to an explosive increase of PM2.5. The regional transport of aged aerosols played a crucial role in the heavy PM2.5 pollution. In episode 3 (November 6th to 11th), emission from large point sources had been controlled for several days while primary emissions from diesel vehicle might lead to the pollution. It is found that ground-level observation of meteorology condition and air quality could not fully explain the pollution process while vertical parameters (aerosol optical profile, wind profile, relatively humidity profile and temperature profile) improved the understanding of regional transport influence on heavy pollution process. Further vertical observations are needed to investigate the pollutants transport especially during the explosive increase pollution episode.

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Entrainment and Mixing of Transported Ozone Layers: Implications for Surface Air Quality in the Western U.S.

EPJ Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/epjconf/202023703012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 237 ◽

pp. 03012

Author(s):

Christoph Senff ◽

Andrew Langford ◽

Raul Alvarez ◽

Tim Bonin ◽

Alan Brewer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Air Quality ◽

Mixed Layer ◽

Las Vegas ◽

Surface Ozone ◽

Ground Level ◽

San Joaquin Valley ◽

Fire Emissions ◽

Ozone Transport ◽

The Impact

Recently, two air quality campaigns were conducted in the southwestern United States to study the impact of transported ozone, stratospheric intrusions, and fire emissions on ground-level ozone concentrations. The California Baseline Ozone Transport Study (CABOTS) took place in May – August 2016 covering the central California coast and San Joaquin Valley, and the Fires, Asian, and Stratospheric Transport Las Vegas Ozone Study (FAST-LVOS) was conducted in the greater Las Vegas, Nevada area in May – June 2017. During these studies, nearly 1000 hours of ozone and aerosol profile data were collected with the NOAA TOPAZ lidar. A Doppler wind lidar and a radar wind profiler provided continuous observations of atmospheric turbulence, horizontal winds, and mixed layer height. These measurements allowed us to directly observe the degree to which ozone transport layers aloft were entrained into the boundary layer and to quantify the resulting impact on surface ozone levels. Mixed layer heights in the San Joaquin Valley during CABOTS were generally below 1 km above ground level (AGL), while boundary layer heights in Las Vegas during FAST-LVOS routinely exceeded 3 km AGL and occasionally reached up to 4.5 km AGL. Consequently, boundary layer entrainment was more often observed during FAST-LVOS, while most elevated ozone layers passed untapped over the San Joaquin Valley during CABOTS.

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