Minimizing Conformity in Focus Group for Software Development

In order to create successful software or systems, user involvement is one of the essential activities in the software development process. When user involvement is solicited, participant attitudes and their knowledge level about the software are substantially related to the quality of participant feedback. Particularly, in a focus group test, which is one of the most widely used methods for attaining user feedback, if a participant is extremely passive or has no experience to share, he or she cannot provide productive feedback and, more importantly, may tend to conform to the viewpoints of others. This tendency can be problematic in focus groups because it decreases the likelihood that participants’ feedback stands for their true belief and further amplifies the strength of dominant voice in the group. In this research, conformity and its relationship with the knowledge level and assertiveness of participants in the focus group will be investigated in the context of a focus group test

Connecting to Unfamiliar Wi-Fi Hotspots - A Risk Taking Perspective

Public Wi-Fi provides a convenient, cost-effective means for network connectivity in areas where wired infrastructure would be impractical. However, the use of multiple access points and radio wave transmissions present formidable challenges to providing a secure platform. Considering the rapid growth in Wi-Fi hotspot deployments and their potential vulnerabilities, the damage from these malicious activities could be substantial. While organizations deploying hotspots have great control over the security posture of the Wi-Fi network, the consumer has little insight into the risk associated with a particular system. Despite widespread knowledge of potential vulnerabilities related to public Wi-Fi, many people still connect to unfamiliar hotspots. We explore user perceptions of public Wi-Fi risks and benefits when making a connection decision. We develop a public Wi-Fi connection calculus model based on the theoretical foundations of motivational determinants of risk taking behavior theory, technology threat avoidance theory, and the extended privacy calculus model

Analysis of Initial Baseline Clinical Parameters and Treatment Strategy Associated with Medication Failure in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Korea

Purpose To analyze the baseline clinical factors and medication treatment strategy used in cases with medication treatment failure of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods From January 2006 to December 2009, 677 BPH patients with at least 3 months of treatment with medication were enrolled. We analyzed clinical factors by medication failure (n=161) versus maintenance (n=516), by prostate size (less than 30 g, n=231; 30 to 50 g, n=244; greater than 50 g, n=202), and by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (less than 1.4 ng/mL, n=324; more than 1.4 ng/mL, n=353). Results Age, combination medication rate, PSA, and prostate volume were statistically different between the medication treatment failure and maintenance groups. By prostate size, the PSA and medication failure rates were relatively higher and the medication period was shorter in patients with a prostate size of more than 30 g. The combination medication rate was higher in patients with a prostate size of more than 50 g. The medication failure rate and prostate volume were higher in patients with a PSA level of more than 1.4 ng/mL. However, the combination treatment rate was not significantly different in patients with a PSA level lower than 1.4 ng/mL. Suggestive cutoffs for combination medication are a prostate volume of 34 g and PSA level of 1.9 ng/mL. Conclusions The clinical factors associated with medication failure were age, treatment type, and prostate volume. Combination therapy should be considered more in Korea in patients with a PSA level higher than 1.4 ng/mL and a prostate volume of between 30 and 50 g to prevent medication failure

Reinforcing effects of methamphetamine in an animal model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

Substrains of the Spontaneously Hypertensive rat (SHR), a putative animal model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), have demonstrated increased sensitivity to many drugs of abuse, including psychostimulants. Therefore, it was suggested that studies in SHR may help elucidate ADHD and comorbidity with substance use disorder (SUD). However, the drug intake profile of the SHR in the most relevant animal model of drug addiction, the self-administration (SA) test, and its response on the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm are not yet determined. In the present study, we employed SA and CPP tests to investigate the reinforcing effects of the psychostimulant methamphetamine in an SHR substrain obtained from Charles River, Japan (SHR/NCrlCrlj). Concurrent tests were also performed in Wistar rats, the strain representing "normal" heterogeneous population. To address if the presence of ADHD behaviors further increases sensitivity to the rewarding effect of methamphetamine during adolescence, a critical period for the onset of drug abuse, CPP tests were especially conducted in adolescent Wistar and SHR/NCrlCrlj. We found that the SHR/NCrlCrlj also acquired methamphetamine SA and CPP, indicating reinforcing effects of methamphetamine in this ADHD animal model. However, we did not observe increased responsiveness of the SHR/NCrlCrlj to methamphetamine in both SA and CPP assays. This indicates that the reinforcing effects of methamphetamine may be similar in strains and that the SHR/NCrlCrlj may not adequately model ADHD and increased sensitivity to methamphetamine

Fluoxetine Up-Regulates Bcl-xL Expression in Rat C6 Glioma Cells

Objective To analyze both differentially expressed genes and the Bcl-xL protein expression after acute and chronic treatment with fluoxetine in rat C6 glioma cells. Methods C6 glioma cells were cultured for 24 h or 72 h after treatment with 10 mu M fluoxetine, and gene expression patterns were observed using microarray and qRT-PCR. Then, cells were cultured for 6 h, 24 h, 72 h or 96 h after treatment with 10 mu M fluoxetine, and the expression of Bd-xL protein was measured using western blot. Results As determined by microarray, treatment with fluoxetine for 24 h up-regulated 33 genes (including Bcl-xL and NCAM140) and down-regulated 7 genes (including cyclin G-associated kinase). Treatment with fluoxetine for 72 h up-regulated 53 genes (including Gs alpha and Bcl-xL) and down-regulated 77 genes (including Gai2 and annexin V). Based on the qRT-PCR results, there was an increase in Gsa mRNA and a decrease in G alpha i2 mRNA at 72 h in fluoxetine-treated cells as compared to control, a result that was consistent with microarray. We also observed an increase in Bcl-xL mRNA (both at 24 h and at 72 h) in fluoxetine-treated cells as compared to control, demonstrating a tendency to increase gradually. Bcl-xL protein expression increased as the duration of fluoxetine treatment increased. Conclusion These results suggest that chronic treatment with fluoxetine not only initiates the cAMP pathway through inducing Gsa expression but also induces Bcl-xL expression, thus inhibiting apoptosis. Psychiatry Investig 2011;8:161-168This work was supported by the research fund of Hanyang University (HY-2010-N)

Large‐Scale, Ultrapliable, and Free‐Standing Nanomembranes

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97443/1/adma_201204619_sm_suppl.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97443/2/2167_ftp.pd