QUALINET white paper on definitions of Immersive Media Experience (IMEx)

With the coming of age of virtual/augmented reality and interactive media, numerous definitions, frameworks, and models of immersion have emerged across different fields ranging from computer graphics to literary works. Immersion is oftentimes used interchangeably with presence as both concepts are closely related. However, there are noticeable interdisciplinary differences regarding definitions, scope, and constituents that are required to be addressed so that a coherent understanding of the concepts can be achieved. Such consensus is vital for paving the directionality of the future of immersive media experiences (IMEx) and all related matters. The aim of this white paper is to provide a survey of definitions of immersion and presence which leads to a definition of immersive media experience (IMEx). The Quality of Experience (QoE) for immersive media is described by establishing a relationship between the concepts of QoE and IMEx followed by application areas of immersive media experience. Influencing factors on immersive media experience are elaborated as well as the assessment of immersive media experience. Finally, standardization activities related to IMEx are highlighted and the white paper is concluded with an outlook related to future developments

The role of modern retailers to ensure quality in the food sector: the case of organic strawberry consumption in Italy

Major changes have occurred in the agri-food sector, generating new and more complex concepts of food quality. One of the most significant indicators of these changes is market restructuring, in terms of rapid concentration among retailers, the dominance of chain stores and their imposition of cost and quality constraints. Retailers currently play a more important role in ensuring food product quality and safety than public authorities. To analyze this new aspect in the food sector, we carried out a survey on organic strawberry consumption in Italy. This segment of the organic sector is particularly interesting because the conventional strawberry may be considered an unsafe product due to the large use of chemical inputs in the production process. Nevertheless, the demand for organic strawberries demand is fairly low. We attempted to investigate such concerns through a questionnaire-based survey submitted to a representative sample of 318 Italian households. The questionnaire was structured into three areas of information to collect data related to consumer preferences for different characteristics of organic strawberries and psychometric and socio-economic variables. The data were analyzed using a Logit model to derive a demand estimate for organic strawberries. Our first results indicate the presence of a major role played by modern retailers and consumer lifestyles to drive the final demand of high-quality and safe food products.food quality and food safety, organic strawberry consumption, modern retail, Logit model., Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Perceptions of Race and Ancestry in Teaching, Research, and Public Engagement in Biological Anthropology

The concept of race has a complex history in the field of biological anthropology. Despite increased recognition of the racist origins of the discipline, there remains little agreement about what the concept means, how it is used, or how it is discussed. The present study presents the results of a survey of biological anthropologists to investigate the relationship of biological anthropology/ists with race and ancestry. The survey focuses on the areas of research, public engagement, and teaching as related to these concepts. Results indicate that a large majority of biological anthropologists argue for the separation of race (as a social not biological concept) from ancestry. The majority of respondents argued that ancestry categories should be based on geography (e.g., Asian, European, and African), and more anthropologists thought the terms “Hispanic/Latino” were inappropriate ancestry categories. While the majority of respondents felt that discussions of these terms were not matters of “political correctness,” nearly a quarter of respondents suggested that concerns over the moral and ethical implications of research (e.g., photos, terminology, ancestry, etc.) result in the silencing of anthropological research. Overwhelmingly, respondents felt that anthropologists have a responsibility to ensure the avoidance of misappropriation of their work in race science and by white nationalists/supremacists. Some differences in survey responses were found among respondents in relation to sub-discipline, educational level, location of respondents, age, self-identified racial/ethnic categories, and gender. In regard to teaching, survey results indicate that these concepts are minimally covered in university classrooms. When taught, topics focused on the colonialist/racist history of anthropology, the presence of white privilege/supremacy, and racism. Based on the results of this survey, we argue for greater public engagement on these concepts, a standardized system of teaching race and ancestry, and a disciplinary conversation about practice and terminology. In this way, biological anthropologists can best place themselves to combat racism in a socially responsible way

Econometric Models of Network Formation

This article provides a selective review on the recent literature on econometric models of network formation. The survey starts with a brief exposition on basic concepts and tools for the statistical description of networks. I then offer a review of dyadic models, focussing on statistical models on pairs of nodes and describe several developments of interest to the econometrics literature. The article also presents a discussion of non-dyadic models where link formation might be influenced by the presence or absence of additional links, which themselves are subject to similar influences. This is related to the statistical literature on conditionally specified models and the econometrics of game theoretical models. I close with a (non-exhaustive) discussion of potential areas for further development

Digital transformation readiness : perspectives on academia and library outcomes in information literacy

This study examines the readiness of a faculty for the social challenges caused by the digital transformation in academia with the use of covariance-based structural equation modeling (CBSEM). Based on the survey results, we have examined the interplay between factors related to digital transformation. The concepts of information literacy and digital literacy related to academic librarianship were used as the basis for the self-efficacy and empowerment necessary to achieve individual success during digital changes in the academic community. We then checked how such a sense of empowerment among academics explains the presence of information culture in this community and different approaches to information management. The factors of information management and information use were presented as affecting a university's institutional readiness for the new requirements of digital transformation from the perspective of governance issues. The findings highlight that information literacy underlies academics' empowerment and a high level of self-efficacy driven by this literacy can also be indirectly translated into the formation of pro-active information culture that strengthens an academic's position in creating information use outcomes and by making them ready for digital transformation. Through information literacy outcomes the academic libraries can turn out to be an important transformative force in terms of digital changes at universities

Categories, Concepts and Units : Representing energy demand in and through time

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E-democracy: exploring the current stage of e-government

Governments around the world have been pressured to implement e-Government programs in order to improve the government-citizen dialogue. The authors of this article review prior literature on such efforts to find if they lead to increased democratic participation ("e-Democracy") for the affected citizens, with a focus on the key concepts of transparency, openness, and engagement. The authors find that such efforts are a starting point toward e-Democracy, but the journey is far from complete

Effects of Simulated Student Interaction on Student Perceptions of Teaching Presence

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the instructor posting in online discussions as a simulated student; particularly the impact simulated student interaction (SSI) had on the instructor/student relationship. Student perceptions were examined using a modified version of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) survey to determine what impact SSI had on teaching presence, cognitive presence, and social presence within the online classroom. The full 34 item CoI Survey was piloted in the summer of 2014 at a small comprehensive university located in northeast Texas. A factor analysis was conducted on the data and the top items from each factor in the instrument extracted. The resulting 17 item instrument demonstrated both validity and reliability. This modified CoI Survey was used in the fall of 2014 with three special education courses making up a control group and an intervention group in a pre-post experimental design. An ANOVA was performed to compare the results of the pre-course and post-course surveys by group. The ANOVA showed a statistically significant difference for all three factors for the intervention group between the pre- and post-course survey, while no significance between surveys was shown for the control group

The conceptual relevance of assessment measures in patients with mild/mild-moderate Alzheimer\u27s disease

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the conceptual relevance of four measures of disease activity in patients with mild/mild-moderate Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD): (1) the Alzheimer\u27s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale; (2) the Alzheimer\u27s Disease Cooperative Study–Activities of Daily Living Inventory; (3) the Neuropsychiatry Inventory; and (4) the Dependence Scale. Methods: A conceptual model depicting patient experience of mild AD was developed via literature review; concepts were compared with the items of the four measures. Relevance of the concepts included in the four measures was evaluated by patients with mild AD in a survey and follow-up interviews. Results: The four measures assessed few of the symptoms/impacts of mild AD identified within the literature. Measured items addressing emotional impacts were deemed most relevant by participants but were included in the measures only superficially. Discussion: The four assessment measures do not appear to capture the concepts most relevant to/important to patients with mild/mild-moderate AD. © 2018 The Author