Situated dissemination : critiquing the materiality and visuality of HCI knowledges through a local dissemination practice

PhD ThesisThis practice-led thesis investigates how research dissemination is currently understood as a practice in HCI. The focus on understanding research dissemination as a practice is motivated by recent debates within HCI communities about the disciplinary basis of HCI, by increasing competition amongst HCI conferences to expand their audiences, and by the emergence of new dissemination forms to accommodate growing interdisciplinary work in HCI. Organisations such as the ACM SIGCHI (Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction) regularly promote new dissemination forms, however these top-down calls for submissions have not yet generated critical discussions about the materiality of HCI knowledges, and the impact of new dissemination media on that materiality. This is the focus of this thesis, which investigates the way macro dissemination cultures in HCI impact on micro dissemination practice in an HCI workplace and identifies how the future practice of dissemination in HCI may be implicated. The investigation is carried out through three workplace-based case studies, which draw on ethnographic principles, and are informed by selected feminist critiques of science, theories of representation and by performance arts practice. These case studies form an overarching process of critiquing research dissemination in situ, as well as illustrating the developing methodological approach, which moves from participant observation to performance and practice based engagements. All three case studies are located in Open Lab, Newcastle University, where I worked and where I was based as a PhD student between 2013 to 2016. Chapters 4-6 document and critique how research dissemination is organised as routine work in an HCI workplace, and discuss how reflexive accounts of research may be suppressed or diminished by routinised dissemination practice. I describe the production of CHI videos as a genre of research videos in HCI. I present the results of focus groups and surveys on CHI video, in which I draw from my freelance videography experience and new membership of the HCI workplace to unpick the visuality of CHI videos as a new medium of dissemination in HCI. Secondly, I discuss my participation in the organisation and production of another dissemination artefact, the CHI booklets. I illustrate how the production of the booklets is routinised and carried out by different members of the research group. I draw connections between local dissemination practice to a wider network of the ACM SIGCHI iv community. I discuss how the materiality of HCI knowledges is addressed through the production of dissemination artefacts. Lastly, in chapter 6, I present the process of making research fictions (RF). I develop such making as a concept to engage HCI practitioners in performatively critiquing local dissemination practice. Based on my arts practice I interrogate the materiality of dissemination and utilise the theory of reenactment from performance arts to produce a series of alternative dissemination artefacts in the workplace. In conclusion, I identify the shortage of critical dialogues and methodological resources within HCI for fully understanding and engaging with dissemination practice. Drawing on the case studies, I offer a theory of ‘Situated Dissemination’ (SD) which contributes to the literature in HCI on embodied thinking/interaction/design, as well as extending HCI methodologies on workplace studies. The theory of SD is offered as a framework for critiquing dissemination practice in HCI and as providing innovative alternatives to routinised dissemination practice as situated and embodied practice in HCI workplaces

Internet and gaming addiction: a systematic literature review of neuroimaging studies

In the past decade, research has accumulated suggesting that excessive Internet use can lead to the development of a behavioral addiction. Internet addiction has been considered as a serious threat to mental health and the excessive use of the Internet has been linked to a variety of negative psychosocial consequences. The aim of this review is to identify all empirical studies to date that used neuroimaging techniques to shed light upon the emerging mental health problem of Internet and gaming addiction from a neuroscientific perspective. Neuroimaging studies offer an advantage over traditional survey and behavioral research because with this method, it is possible to distinguish particular brain areas that are involved in the development and maintenance of addiction. A systematic literature search was conducted, identifying 18 studies. These studies provide compelling evidence for the similarities between different types of addictions, notably substance-related addictions and Internet and gaming addiction, on a variety of levels. On the molecular level, Internet addiction is characterized by an overall reward deficiency that entails decreased dopaminergic activity. On the level of neural circuitry, Internet and gaming addiction led to neuroadaptation and structural changes that occur as a consequence of prolonged increased activity in brain areas associated with addiction. On a behavioral level, Internet and gaming addicts appear to be constricted with regards to their cognitive functioning in various domains. The paper shows that understanding the neuronal correlates associated with the development of Internet and gaming addiction will promote future research and will pave the way for the development of addiction treatment approaches

Security Issues in Healthcare Applications Using Wireless Medical Sensor Networks: A Survey

Healthcare applications are considered as promising fields for wireless sensor networks, where patients can be monitored using wireless medical sensor networks (WMSNs). Current WMSN healthcare research trends focus on patient reliable communication, patient mobility, and energy-efficient routing, as a few examples. However, deploying new technologies in healthcare applications without considering security makes patient privacy vulnerable. Moreover, the physiological data of an individual are highly sensitive. Therefore, security is a paramount requirement of healthcare applications, especially in the case of patient privacy, if the patient has an embarrassing disease. This paper discusses the security and privacy issues in healthcare application using WMSNs. We highlight some popular healthcare projects using wireless medical sensor networks, and discuss their security. Our aim is to instigate discussion on these critical issues since the success of healthcare application depends directly on patient security and privacy, for ethic as well as legal reasons. In addition, we discuss the issues with existing security mechanisms, and sketch out the important security requirements for such applications. In addition, the paper reviews existing schemes that have been recently proposed to provide security solutions in wireless healthcare scenarios. Finally, the paper ends up with a summary of open security research issues that need to be explored for future healthcare applications using WMSNs

Evaluation of the health-related quality of life of children in Schistosoma haematobium-endemic communities in Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis remains a global public health challenge, with 93% of the ~237 million infections occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Though rarely fatal, its recurring nature makes it a lifetime disorder with significant chronic health burdens. Much of its negative health impact is due to non-specific conditions such as anemia, undernutrition, pain, exercise intolerance, poor school performance, and decreased work capacity. This makes it difficult to estimate the disease burden specific to schistosomiasis using the standard DALY metric. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In our study, we used Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), a modular instrument available for ages 2-18 years, to assess health-related quality of life (HrQoL) among children living in a Schistosoma haematobium-endemic area in coastal Kenya. The PedsQL questionnaires were administered by interview to children aged 5-18 years (and their parents) in five villages spread across three districts. HrQoL (total score) was significantly lower in villages with high prevalence of S. haematobium (-4.0%, p<0.001) and among the lower socioeconomic quartiles (-2.0%, p<0.05). A greater effect was seen in the psychosocial scales as compared to the physical function scale. In moderate prevalence villages, detection of any parasite eggs in the urine was associated with a significant 2.1% (p<0.05) reduction in total score. The PedsQL reliabilities were generally high (Cronbach alphas ≥0.70), floor effects were acceptable, and identification of children from low socioeconomic standing was valid. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that exposure to urogenital schistosomiasis is associated with a 2-4% reduction in HrQoL. Further research is warranted to determine the reproducibility and responsiveness properties of QoL testing in relation to schistosomiasis. We anticipate that a case definition based on more sensitive parasitological diagnosis among younger children will better define the immediate and long-term HrQoL impact of Schistosoma infection

Database for mRNA Half-Life of 19 977 Genes Obtained by DNA Microarray Analysis of Pluripotent and Differentiating Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Degradation of mRNA is one of the key processes that control the steady-state level of gene expression. However, the rate of mRNA decay for the majority of genes is not known. We successfully obtained the rate of mRNA decay for 19 977 non-redundant genes by microarray analysis of RNA samples obtained from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Median estimated half-life was 7.1 h and only <100 genes, including Prdm1, Myc, Gadd45 g, Foxa2, Hes5 and Trib1, showed half-life less than 1 h. In general, mRNA species with short half-life were enriched among genes with regulatory functions (transcription factors), whereas mRNA species with long half-life were enriched among genes related to metabolism and structure (extracellular matrix, cytoskeleton). The stability of mRNAs correlated more significantly with the structural features of genes than the function of genes: mRNA stability showed the most significant positive correlation with the number of exon junctions per open reading frame length, and negative correlation with the presence of PUF-binding motifs and AU-rich elements in 3′-untranslated region (UTR) and CpG di-nucleotides in the 5′-UTR. The mRNA decay rates presented in this report are the largest data set for mammals and the first for ES cells

Tailoring surface plasmons of high-density gold nanostar assemblies on metal films for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Plasmonic systems based on metal nanoparticles on a metal film have generated great interest for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) chemical sensors. In this study, we describe the fabrication of ultrasensitive SERS substrates based on high-density gold nanostar assemblies on silver films with tailored surface plasmons, where multiple field enhancements from particle-film and interparticle plasmon couplings and lightening rod effects of sharp tips of nanostars contribute to the enormous Raman enhancements. We show that the interplay between interparticle and particle-film plasmon couplings of high-density gold nanostars (GNSs) on metal and dielectric films as a function of interparticle separation can be tailored to provide maximum SERS effects. We observe that the SERS enhancement factor (EF) of GNSs on a metal film as a function of interparticle separation follows a broken power law function, where the EF increases with the interparticle separation for the strong interparticle coupling range below an interparticle separation of ???0.8 times the GNS size, but decreases for the weak interparticle coupling range (for an interparticle separation of &gt;0.8 times the GNS size). Finally, we demonstrate the use of tailored plasmonic substrates as ultrasensitive SERS chemical sensors with an attomole level of detection capability of 2,4-dinitrotoluene, a model compound of nitroaromatic explosives.close6

Towards the design of universal immunosurfaces for SPR-based assays : a review

Surface biofunctionalization, including chemical activation and attachment of the bioreceptor, is an essential step to provide reliable detection of biomolecular binding events monitored by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), the most employed optical biosensor, and other biosensor techniques. Recent progress in the area of immobilization procedures are aimed at producing reproducible interfacial surfaces that enable the sensitive and specific recognition of the analyte. Antibodies are still the most employed bioreceptors for SPR assays. A wide range of strategies have been proposed to maximize the SPR immunosensor performance by controlling the stability and orientation of the immobilized antibody. This article reviews the most recent advancements in random and oriented antibody immobilization approaches for SPR biosensing applications, with a special focus on the research that have been done to find universal linkers, which can allow the use of the same functionalized surface for different applications

Procalcitonin levels in acute exacerbation of COPD admitted in ICU: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Antibiotics are recommended for severe acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) admitted to intensive care units (ICU). Serum procalcitonin (PCT) could be a useful tool for selecting patients with a lower probability of developing bacterial infection, but its measurement has not been investigated in this population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a single center prospective cohort study in consecutive COPD patients admitted to the ICU for AECOPD between September 2005 and September 2006. Sputum samples or tracheal aspirates were tested for the presence of bacteria and viruses. PCT levels were measured at the time of admittance, six hours, and 24 hours using a sensitive immunoassay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty nine AECOPD patients were included, 31 of which (79%) required a ventilator support at admission. The median [25%–75% interquartile range] PCT level, assessed in 35/39 patients, was: 0.096 μg/L [IQR, 0.065 to 0.178] at the time of admission, 0.113 μg/L [IQR, 0.074 to 0.548] at six hours, and 0.137 μg/L [IQR, 0.088 to 0.252] at 24 hours. The highest PCT (PCTmax) levels were less than 0.1 μg/L in 14/35 (40%) patients and more than 0.25 μg/L in 10/35 (29%) patients, suggesting low and high probability of bacterial infection, respectively. Five species of bacteria and nine species of viruses were detected in 12/39 (31%) patients. Among the four patients positive for <it>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</it>, one had a PCTmax less than 0.25 μg/L and three had a PCTmax less than 0.1 μg/L. The one patient positive for <it>Haemophilus influenzae </it>had a PCTmax more than 0.25 μg/L. The presence or absence of viruses did not influence PCT at time of admission (0.068 vs 0.098 μg/L respectively, <it>P </it>= 0.80).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The likelihood of bacterial infection is low among COPD patients admitted to ICU for AECOPD (40% with PCT < 0.1 μg/L) suggesting a possible inappropriate use of antibiotics. Further studies are necessary to assess the impact of a procalcitonin-based therapeutic strategy in critically ill COPD patients.</p

Study of the decays B->D_s1(2536)+ anti-D(*)

We report a study of the decays B -> D_s1(2536)+ anti-D(*), where anti-D(*) is anti-D0, D- or D*-, using a sample of 657 x 10^6 B anti-B pairs collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. The branching fractions of the decays B+ -> D_s1(2536)+ anti-D0, B0 -> D_s1(2536)+ D- and B0 -> D_s1(2536)+ D*- multiplied by that of D_s1(2536)+ -> (D*0K+ + D*+K0) are found to be (3.97+-0.85+-0.56) x 10^-4, (2.75+-0.62+-0.36) x 10^-4 and (5.01+-1.21+-0.70) x 10^-4, respectively.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figues, submitted to PRD (RC

Evidence for B- -> tau- nu_bar with a Semileptonic Tagging Method

We present a measurement of the decay B- -> tau- nu_bar using a data sample containing 657 million BB_bar pairs collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. A sample of BB_bar pairs are tagged by reconstructing one B meson decaying semileptonically. We detect the B- -> tau- nu_bar candidate in the recoil. We obtain a signal with a significance of 3.6 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties, and measure the branching fraction to be Br(B- -> tau- nu_bar) = [1.54+0.38-0.37(stat)+0.29-0.31(syst)]*10^-4. This result confirms the evidence for B- -> tau- nu_bar obtained in a previous Belle measurement that used a hadronic B tagging method.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, corrected references, to appear in PRD-R