Choosing a Questionnaire Measuring Connectedness to Nature for Human-Computer Interaction User Studies

L’évaluation d’interfaces humain-machine visant à agir sur les attitudes et les comportements pro-environnementaux de leurs utilisateurs devrait tenir compte du rapport à la nature des participants : l’analyse d’études utilisateur dans ce contexte doit en effet pouvoir discriminer un possible effet sur les résultats obtenus. Cet article propose de guider le choix parmi 21 questionnaires issus de la littérature mesurant le rapport à la nature (via des échelles du construit Connectedness to Nature, CtN). Nous reprenons une revue et une analyse que nous avons conduites pour en choisir un répondant à nos besoins pour une étude recrutant sur l’espace public et pour étude utilisateur longitudinale visant à évaluer l’utilisation et l’impact d’interfaces à changement de forme sur des lieux de travail afin d’accompagner un comportement environnemental. Cet article analyse les questionnaires selon huit critères relatifs aux études utilisateurs en IHM pour la soutenabilité, reprend les résultats de méta-analyses et illustre deux choix de questionnaire, puis revient sur les limitations de l’offre de questionnaires pour des études utilisateur en IHM.Evaluation of human–computer interfaces that aim at shaping users’ pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors should consider measuring participants’ affinity with nature: analyses of user studies in this context have to discriminate a possible effect on the results. This paper proposes to guide the choice between 21 questionnaires available in the literature measuring the Connectedness to Nature (CtN) construct. We thus share a review and an analysis that we made to choose one scale questionnaire for our needs of a user study recruiting in public places and a longitudinal user study aiming to evaluate the use and impact of shape-changing interfaces at workplaces to assist pro-environmental behavior. This paper analyzes questionnaires through eight criteria for Sustainable HCI user studies, reports some meta-analyses’ results, illustrates two questionnaire choices, then overviews the limitations of available questionnaires for user studies in HCI

Tangibility and Engagement in Environmental Behavior: Toward a Longitudinal Study

De nombreuses interfaces ont été proposées afin d’accompagner un comportement environnemental dans les espaces domestiques. Cependant, d’après l’INSEE nous passions en 2019 1680 heures à travailler en moyenne, souvent dans un lieu dédié sur lequel un comportement environnemental peut également être adopté. Une étude préliminaire suggère une augmentation des qualités hédoniques et pragmatiques d’une interface tangible à éco-feedback sur le lieu de travail. Nous proposons d’explorer cette tendance à travers une étude longitudinale. Nous exposons les motivations théoriques et expérimentales de cette future étude également introduite dans le présent article.Many interfaces have been proposed to support environmental behavior in domestic spaces. However in France, according to INSEE we spent in 2019 1680 hours working on average, often in a dedicated place where an environmental behavior can also be adopted. A preliminary study suggests an increase in hedonic and pragmatic qualities of a tangible eco-feedback interface in the workplace. We propose to explore this trend through a longitudinal study. We outline the theoretical and experimental motivations for this future study also introduced in this paper

Reliability and validity of the French version of the global physical activity questionnaire

AbstractBackgroundThe Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) has been used to measure physical activity (PA) and sedentary time in France, but no study has assessed its psychometric properties. This study aimed to compare the reliability as well as criterion and concurrent validity of the French version of the GPAQ with the French International PA Questionnaire long form (IPAQ-LF) and use of an accelerometer in a general adult population.MethodsWe included 92 participants (students or staff) from the Medicine Campus at the University of Lorraine, Nancy (north-eastern France). The French GPAQ was completed twice, 7 days apart, to study test-retest reliability. The IPAQ-LF was used to assess concurrent validity of the GPAQ, and participants wore an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X+) for 7 days to study criterion validity. Reliability as well as concurrent and criterion validity of the GPAQ were tested by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Spearman correlation coefficient for quantitative variables, and Kappa and Phi coefficients for qualitative variables. Both concurrent and criterion validity of GPAQ were assessed by Bland-Altman plots.ResultsThe GPAQ showed poor to good reliability (ICC = 0.37–0.94; Kappa = 0.50–0.62) and concurrent validity (Spearman r = 0.41–0.86), but only poor criterion validity (Spearman r = 0.22–0.42). Limits of agreement for the GPAQ and accelerometer were wide, with differences between 286.5 min/day and 601.3 min/day.ConclusionThe French version of the GPAQ provides limited but acceptable reliability and validity for the measurement of PA and sedentary time. It may be used for assessing PA and sedentary time in a French adult population

Optimization of sample preparation for MRI of formaldehyde-fixed brains

International audienceMagnetic resonance imaging of post-mortem brains allows long acquisition times up to several days and can be used to obtain high-resolution images at high field (7 T) which can be readily correlated with histological examination of the tissue. However, death and formaldehyde fixation are known to modify severely the relaxivity and diffusion properties of brain tissue. In particular, formaldehyde is known to shorten T2, which drastically reduces SNR.In order to counteract this effect and recover better SNR, free fixative can be washed out by soaking the sample in isotonic saline solution. This has been demonstrated in small biopsy-sized tissue samples, but little data is available concerning whole brain specimens.This study was designed to describe the kinetics of the change of relaxivity and diffusion properties of whole brain specimen at 7 T, during fixation, and during soaking in saline solution, in order to determine optimal soaking times.In the ewe brain, the fixation was found to stabilize after approximately 8 weeks, and the optimal duration of saline soaking is found to be around 3 weeks. These durations can be expected to be longer for larger specimen, such as human brains, which require longer penetration times

Serum IL-33, a new marker predicting response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis

Background. Recent works have suggested a possible link between IL-33 and B-cell biology. We aimed to study in different cohorts and with an accurate ELISA assay the possible association between serum IL-33 detection and response to rituximab (RTX) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Method. Serum IL-33, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated cyclic peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), high serum IgG level were assessed in 111 RA patients receiving a first course of 2 grams RTX (cohort 1) in an observational study and in 74 RA patients treated with the same schedule in routine care (cohort 2). Uni and multivariate analyzes identified factors associated with a European League Against Rheumatism response at 24 weeks. Results. At week 24, 84/111 (76%) and 54/74 (73%) patients reached EULAR response in the cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. Serum IL-33 was detectable in only 33,5% of the patients. In the combined cohorts, presence of RF or anti-CCP (OR 3.27, 95%CI [1.13-9.46]; p=0.03), high serum IgG (OR 2.32, 95%CI [1.01-5.33]; p=0.048) and detectable serum IL-33 (OR 2.40, 95%CI [1.01-5.72]; p=0.047) were all associated with RTX response in multivariate analysis. Combination of these 3 factors increased the likelihood to response to RTX. When serum IL-33 detection was added to seropositivity and serum IgG level, 100% of the patients with the 3 risk factors (corresponding to 9% of the population) responded to RTX (OR versus patients with none of the 3 risk factors = 29.61; 95% CI [1.30-674.79] p=0.034) Conclusion. Detectable serum IL-33 may predict clinical response to RTX, independently of and synergistically with autoantibodies and serum IgG level

Liposomal antagomiR-155-5p restores anti-inflammatory macrophages and improves arthritis in preclinical models of rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: We previously reported an increased expression of microRNA‐155 (miR‐155) in the blood monocytes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that could be responsible for impaired monocyte polarization to anti‐inflammatory M2‐like macrophages. In this study, we employed two preclinical models of RA, collagen‐induced arthritis and K/BxN serum transfer arthritis, to examine the therapeutic potential of antagomiR‐155‐5p entrapped within PEGylated (polyethylene glycol [PEG]) liposomes in resolution of arthritis and repolarization of monocytes towards the anti‐inflammatory M2 phenotype. Methods: AntagomiR‐155‐5p or antagomiR‐control were encapsulated in PEG liposomes of 100 nm in size and −10 mV in zeta potential with high antagomiR loading efficiency (above 80%). Mice were injected intravenously with 1.5 nmol/100 μL PEG liposomes containing antagomiR‐155‐5p or control after the induction of arthritis. Results: We demonstrated the biodistribution of fluorescently tagged PEG liposomes to inflamed joints one hour after the injection of fluorescently tagged PEG liposomes, as well as the liver's subsequent accumulation after 48 hours, indicative of hepatic clearance, in mice with arthritis. The injection of PEG liposomes containing antagomiR‐155‐5p decreased arthritis score and paw swelling compared with PEG liposomes containing antagomiR‐control or the systemic delivery of free antagomiR‐155‐5p. Moreover, treatment with PEG liposomes containing antagomiR‐155‐5p led to the restoration of bone marrow monocyte defects in anti‐inflammatory macrophage differentiation without any significant functional change in other immune cells, including splenic B and T cells. Conclusion: The injection of antagomiR‐155‐5p encapsulated in PEG liposomes allows the delivery of small RNA to monocytes and macrophages and reduces joint inflammation in murine models of RA, providing a promising strategy in human disease.imag

Safety and efficacy of low-dose sirolimus in the PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Spectrum

Purpose PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) encompasses a range of debilitating conditions defined by asymmetric overgrowth caused by mosaic activating PIK3CA variants. PIK3CA encodes the p110α catalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), a critical transducer of growth factor signaling. As mTOR mediates the growth-promoting actions of PI3K, we hypothesized that the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus would slow pathological overgrowth. Methods Thirty-nine participants with PROS and progressive overgrowth were enrolled into open-label studies across three centers, and results were pooled. For the primary outcome, tissue volumes at affected and unaffected sites were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry during 26 weeks of untreated run-in and 26 weeks of sirolimus therapy. Results Thirty participants completed the study. Sirolimus led to a change in mean percentage total tissue volume of –7.2% (SD 16.0, p = 0.04) at affected sites, but not at unaffected sites (+1.7%, SD 11.5, p = 0.48) (n = 23 evaluable). Twenty-eight of 39 (72%) participants had ≥1 adverse event related to sirolimus of which 37% were grade 3 or 4 in severity and 7/39 (18%) participants were withdrawn consequently. Conclusion This study suggests that low-dose sirolimus can modestly reduce overgrowth, but cautions that the side-effect profile is significant, mandating individualized risk–benefit evaluations for sirolimus treatment in PROS

Perceptual–motor constraints on decision making: The case of the manual search behavior for hidden objects in toddlers

International audienceIn the C-not-B task, 2.5-year-old children tend to look for an object in a location to which the hiding agent moved his hand (C) after moving an object from A to B. In three experiments, the authors investigated the nature of the constraints underlying toddlers’ performance in this task. In Experiment 1, 2.5-year-olds were tested in a new version of the C-not-B task to investigate whether reaching with a detour leads to inhibition of direct visuomotor activation. The findings show that toddlers succeed more in the C-not-B task when a transparent barrier obstructs the path of the reaching movement. The results of Experiment 2 indicate that the successful performance of the children with a barrier cannot merely be the consequence of the longer duration of arm movements. In Experiment 3, pointing responses generated more toddlers’ success in the C-not-B task than did reaching responses. These experiments suggest that decision-making processes and judgments in toddlers are affected by constraints intrinsic to the perceptual–motor system.Highlights► We investigated toddlers’ performance in a manual search task for hidden objects. ► Toddlers succeed when a transparent barrier obstructs the reaching path. ► Pointing responses generated more toddlers’ success than did reaching responses. ► Decision-making processes in toddlers are affected by perceptual–motor constraints

Serum IL-33 level is associated with auto-antibodies but not with clinical response to biologic agents in rheumatoid arthritis

Trial registration Rotation or Change of Biotherapy After First Anti-TNF Treatment Failure for Rheumatoid Arthritis (ROC), registered 22 October 2009, NCT0100044