Intercultural Differences in the Perception of HVAC Sound Quality in Car Cabins: From Conventional to Electric Vehicles

In electric-powered cars, the production of which is increasing, the HVAC system is responsible for most of the noise inside the car’s cabin, causing significant discomfort for passengers. Moreover, the noise produced by the HVAC affects the perceptible sound inside the car cabin, significantly impacting the perceived quality of the vehicle. It is thus essential to investigate and quantify people’s preferences concerning HVAC noise. Our previous research revealed differences in the HVAC noise between hybrid electric (HEV) and internal combustion engine (ICEV) vehicles. A subsequent factor analysis revealed that the adjectives used to describe the sounds can be grouped into two main dimensions: Aesthetic and Loudness. The present paper highlights the results of a listening test that aimed to identify possible differences in the perception of HVACs’ sound quality between Italian and Japanese subject groups, for ICEV and HEV, in different functioning conditions. Results revealed that the most remarkable difference emerges at high air flow rates, where the Japanese group perceived the quality of sound and annoyance, respectively, to be significantly lower and significantly higher than the Italian group.

Japanese subject-oriented adverbs in a scope-based theory of adverbs

While English exhibits a clausal-manner alternation that is sensitive to where adverbs occur in clausal structure (e.g., Rudely, John left vs. John left rudely), it has not been clear to what extent Japanese behaves the same way. The present study argues, in the spirit of a scope-based theory of adverb licensing, that there is evidence that the Japanese adverbial system is scope-based similarly to its English counterpart. Focusing on mental attitude adverbs, the paper argues that Ernst’s (2002) generalization holds for Japanese: that subject-oriented adverbs lose their otherwise available clausal readings when pure manner adverbs c-command them in the same clause. The paper also claims that clausal mental attitude adverbs must be clause-mates of Tense, which is not reduced to the scope-based theory.

Genetically independent phenotype analysis identifies LPA and VCAM1 as drug targets for human ageing

The length and quality of life is important to us all, yet identification of promising drug targets for human ageing using genetics has had limited success. Here, we combine six large European-ancestry genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of human ageing traits—healthspan, father and mother lifespan, exceptional longevity, frailty index, and self-rated health—in a principal component framework that maximises their shared genetic architecture. The first principal component (GIP1) is more heritable than the original studies and shows strong genetic correlations with length of life as well as multiple indices of mental and physical wellbeing. We identify 27 genomic regions associated with GIP1, and provide additional, independent evidence for an effect on human ageing for loci near HTT and MAML3 using a study of Finnish and Japanese subject survival. Across the genome, GIP1 associations are enriched in genes involved in haem metabolism and pathways related to transcription, neurogenesis, homeostasis, proteolysis, intracellular signalling, immunity, and the muscle system. Finally, using proteome-wide two-sample Mendelian randomisation and colocalisation, we provide robust evidence for a detrimental effect of blood levels of apolipoprotein(a) (LPA) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) on GIP1. Together, our results demonstrate that combining multiple ageing traits using genetic principal components enhances power to detect biological targets for human ageing.

Field Study on Nationality Differences in Thermal Comfort of University Students in Dormitories during Winter in Japan

Comfort in university dormitory buildings in Japan is under-investigated as compared to offices and residences. A winter field survey conducted in two university dormitories in Central Japan aimed at investigating the differences in thermal responses of occupants relative to nationality and; to estimate their neutral and comfortable temperature under identical climatic conditions. Acceptability of the indoor environment was invariably high. While evaluation and preference votes depended on nationality; thermal sensation vote did not. Both Japanese and non-Japanese subjects voted neutral at a mean indoor temperature of 22 C. The estimated probability of voting neutral for Japanese subjects was highest (65%) from 19 C to 22 C, while for non-Japanese subjects it was highest (75%) at a wider range: From 19 C to 24 C. Japanese students were more sensitive of and more critical about their indoor environment as opposed to the internationals (adjusted regression coefficients 0.55/K and 0.20/K). Griffiths’ model estimated the comfortable temperature for non-Japanese subjects at a 2 C wider range and at a 2 C higher average than for Japanese subject. Neutral and comfortable temperatures observed and estimated in the study were split above and below the recommended temperature threshold of 20 C for Japan in winter

Japanese subject markers in linguistic change: A quantitative analysis of data spanning 90 years and its theoretical implications

Based on a statistical analysis of a corpus data from the period of 1915–2005, this article discusses two variants for a subject marker in Japanese, and argues that it is a case of linguistic change in progress. While representing effects of three linguistic factors on the use of the variants, the chronological observation of each factor revealed that this phenomenon demonstrates the Constant Rate Effect. The quantitative data also provides firm evidence for effects of other independent diachronic changes on the current phenomenon, pushing the change further by shrinking the linguistic environment for the dying-out variant. Dissecting the relationship between those diachronic changes and the current phenomenon in a quantitative manner, the findings of the study reveal that the two competing hypotheses in theoretical syntax properly capture the essential syntactic properties of the phenomenon in the contemporary Japanese and the discrepancy of the two accounts is attributable to their data reflecting a different stage of its ongoing change.

Pengaruh media Augmented Reality tata cara penulisan huruf jepang (Hiragana dan Katakana) Pada Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Jepang Terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa

Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui (1) pengaruh hasil belajar dalam penggunaan media kartu interaktif dengan Augmented Reality tata cara penulisan huruf Hiragana dan Katakan pada mata pelajaran Bahasa Jepang siswa kelas X jurusan Ilmu Budaya dan Bahasa (IBB), (2) Mengetahui respon siswa setelah menggunakan media kartu interaktif interaktif tata cara penulisan huruf Hiragana dan Katakana berbasis Augmented Reality pada mata pelajaran Bahasa Jepang. Jenis penelitian ini adalah eksperimen semu (Quasi Eksperimen) dengan desain penelitian adalah Post Test Only Group. Populasi penelitian ini mencakup semua kelas X Jurusan Bahasa di SMA Negeri 1 Sawan Tahun Pelajaran 2017/2018. Penentuan sampel yang digunakan Simple Random Sampling dengan hasil yaitu kels X IBB 1 sebagi kelas kontrol dengan jumlah siswa 35 orang dan X IBB 3 sebagai kelas eksperimen dengan jumlah siswa 32 orang. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu metode tes untuk mengukur hasil belajar kemudian dianalisis dengan meliputi uji normalitas dan uji homogenitas dilanjutkan dengan menghitung uji hipotesis. Penggunaan metode kuesioner untuk mencari respon siswa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) terdapat hasil belajar yang lebih tinggi antara siswa yang belajar menggunakan media Augmented Reality tata cara penulisan huruf jepang (Hiragana dan Katakana) pada mata pelajaran bahasa jepang siswa kelas X jursan Bahasa SMA Negeri 1 Sawan. Hasil analisis uji-t memperoleh thitung sebesar 6,829 dan ttabel sebesar 1,6686 untuk dk sebesar 65 dengan taraf signifikan 5%. Berdasarkan kriteria pengujian diperoleh thitung> ttabel, ini berarti H1 diterima artinya terdapat pengaruh hasil belajar yang lebih tinggi antara siswa yang belajar menggunakan media kartu interaktif belajar tata cara penulisan huruf jepang (Hiragana dan Katakana) dibandingkan dengan media pembelajaran secara konvesional. (2) respon siswa dari penerapan Augmented Reality tata cara penulisan huruf jepang (Hiragana dan Katakana) adalah sangat positif dilihat dari rata – rata skor hasil angket respon siswa yaitu 85,19.Kata Kunci : Media kartu interaktif, Augmented Reality, respon siswa. This study aimed to investigate (1) whether there was significant difference on the use of interactive card with augmented reality on the steps of writing Hiragana and Katakana on students’ learning achievement on Japanese subject at tenth grade language and culture students (IBB), (2) to know students’ response on the use of interactive card of the steps of writing Hiragana and Katakana with augmented reality base on Japanese subject.This study was quasi experimental with post-test only control group design. The population of this study was tenth grade languagestudents of SMA Negeri 1 Sawan on academic year 2017/2018. The sampling technique of this study was simple random sampling technique with X IBB 1 was the control group with 35 students, and X IBB 3 was the experimental group with 32 students. The method of data collection was test to measure the students’ learning achievement, then normality, homogeneity, and hypothesis test was conducted. Questionnaire was also conducted to know students’ response toward the use of the interactive card. The result of the study showed that (1) there was significant difference on students’ learning achievement between students who were taught by using augmented reality media of the steps of writing Hiragana and Katakanaon Japanese subject of the tenth grade language students of SMA Negeri 1 Sawan. The result of t-test analysis was 6.829 and t-table was 1.6686 with dk 65 on the significant of 5%. Based on the testing criteria, it was found that t-count > t-table. It means that H1 accepted means that there is a higher influence of learning outcomes between students who learn to use interactive card media to learn Japanese letter writing procedures (Hiragana and Katakana) with conventional learning media (2) the students’ response with the use of augmented reality of the steps of writing Hiragana and Katakanawas positive based on the average score of the questionnaire with 85.19.keyword : interactive card media, augmented reality, students’ response