Genetic susceptibility of intervertebral disc degeneration among young Finnish adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Disc degeneration (DD) is a common condition that progresses with aging. Although the events leading to DD are not well understood, a significant genetic influence has been found. This study was undertaken to assess the association between relevant candidate gene polymorphisms and moderate DD in a well-defined and characterized cohort of young adults. Focusing on young age can be valuable in determining genetic predisposition to DD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the associations of existing candidate genes for DD among 538 young adults with a mean age of 19 belonging to the 1986 Northern Finland Birth Cohort. Nineteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 16 genes were genotyped. We evaluated lumbar DD using the modified Pfirrmann classification and a 1.5-T magnetic resonance scanner for imaging.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 538 individuals studied, 46% had no degeneration, while 54% had DD and 51% of these had moderate DD. The risk of DD was significantly higher in subjects with an allele G of <it>IL6 </it>SNPs rs1800795 (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.96) and rs1800797 (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02-1.85) in the additive inheritance model. The role of <it>IL6 </it>was further supported by the haplotype analysis, which resulted in an association between the GGG haplotype (SNPs rs1800797, rs1800796 and rs1800795) and DD with an OR of 1.51 (95% CI 1.11-2.04). In addition, we observed an association between DD and two other polymorphisms, <it>SKT </it>rs16924573 (OR 0.27 95% CI 0.07-0.96) and <it>CILP </it>rs2073711 in women (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.07-3.89).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicate that <it>IL6</it>, <it>SKT </it>and <it>CILP </it>are involved in the etiology of DD among young adults.</p

Studying user experience of health behavior change support systems:a qualitative approach to individuals’ perceptions of web-based interventions

Abstract Behavior change support systems (BCSSs) help people to achieve personal goals that they cannot necessarily achieve on their own. Typical BCSSs include health-related systems and applications. Significant policy and research attention has been aimed at information technologies that enable behavior change in regard to individuals’ health and wellbeing activities. The aim of this dissertation is to build a comprehensive view of health BCSSs, ranging from technology adoption to engagement, persuasion, and habit formation. As its main research question, the present thesis asks: What can user experiences of health BCSS reveal about behavior change? In addition, it proposes a framework for different approaches, which can help developers solve ethical issues in their BCSS design. This dissertation comprises four qualitative studies and one conceptual study. Hermeneutics has been the most influential research method in conducting these studies. Ontologically, hermeneutics leans toward socially constructed reality. The primary conceptual lenses for interpreting the data are the BCSS framework and Persuasive Systems Design model. This thesis extends prior research on eHealth, including non-adoption, flow esperience, use adherence, habit formation, and ethics. The results emphasize that persuasive systems design can affect user experience in different stages of system adoption and learning a new, healthier lifestyle. The presented work addresses health behavior change as a complex issue. Many individuals regard system usefulness in terms of perceived value for themselves rather than in terms of the system’s instrumental value. People are less likely to use the systems if they do not fit into their daily routines. Flow experience appears not to play as fundamental part in the BCSS use experience as is expected. The results suggest that self-monitoring, reminders and tunneling can help users to achieve better outcomes. These persuasive features can help increasing subject’s compliance and commitment, which in turn can help individuals to achieve better habits. Additionally this thesis presents a framework where different ethical approaches are divided to three distinct categories.Tiivistelmä Käyttäytymismuutosta tukevat tietojärjestelmät auttavat ihmisiä saavuttamaan henkilökohtaiset tavoitteensa, joita he eivät välttämättä yksin saavuttaisi. Tyypillisesti tällaiset järjestelmät ja applikaatiot liittyvät terveyteen. Sekä tutkimuksessa että julkishallinnossa on kiinnitetty huomiota, kuinka yksilöiden terveyttä ja hyvinvointia voidaan edistää informaatioteknologian avulla. Tämän väitöskirjan tarkoituksena on rakentaa kokonaisvaltainen näkemys terveyttä edistävistä käyttäytymismuutosta tukevista tietojärjestelmistä lähtien järjestelmän käytöstä ja osallistavuudesta, suostuttelevuuteen ja tapojen muodostumiseen. Väitöskirjan keskeisin tutkimuskysymys on: mitä käyttäjien kokemukset terveyttä edistävistä käyttäytymismuutosta tukevista tietojärjestelmistä paljastavat mitattavasta käyttäytymismuutoksesta? Lisäksi tämä väitöskirja tarjoaa viitekehyksen, joka voi auttaa suunnittelijoita ratkaisemaan eettisiä ongelmakohtia, kun he suunnittelevat käyttäytymismuutosta tukevia tietojärjestelmiä. Väitöskirja pitää sisällään neljä kvalitatiivista osajulkaisua ja yhden konseptuaalisen osajulkaisun. Hermeneutiikka on osajulkaisujen kannalta keskeisin tutkimusmenetelmä. Ontologisesti hermeneutiikka nojaa sosiaalisesti konstruoituun todellisuuteen. Aineiston tulkitsemisen kannalta keskeisimmät konseptuaaliset viitekehykset ovat olleet BCSS framework ja Persuasive Systems Design model. Väitöskirja laajentaa aiempaa tutkimuksellista näkökulmaa eHealth-teemasta pitäen sisällään näkökulmat järjestelmän hylkäämisestä, flow-kokemuksesta, järjestelmän käyttöön sitoutumisesta, elintapojen muodostumisesta ja eettisyydestä. Väitöskirjan tulokset korostavat, että suostuttelevien järjestelmien suunnittelumenetelmät voivat vaikuttaa käyttäjäkokemukseen eri vaiheissa järjestelmän käyttöönotosta uuden terveellisemmän elintavan omaksumiseen. Väitöskirjassa esitellyt osajulkaisut osoittavat, että terveyttä edistävä käyttäytymismuutos on monimutkainen kokonaisuus. Moni haastatelluista koki järjestelmän hyödyllisyyden liittyvän enemmän itsensä kehittämiseen kuin välineelliseen hyötyyyn. Ihmiset olivat vastentahtoisia käyttämään järjestelmää, jos se ei sopinut heidän arkielämäänsä. Väitöskirjan tulokset antavat ymmärtää, että itsemonitorointi, muistutukset ja tunnelointi auttavat käyttäytymismuutosta tukevien tietojärjestelmien käyttäjiä saavuttamaan parempia lopputuloksia. Nämä suostuttelevat elementit voivat helpottaa käyttäjiä noudattamaan ohjeita ja sitoutumaan muutosprosessiin kohti terveellisempiä elämäntapoja. Väitöskirja tarjoaa lisäksi viitekehyksen, jossa erilaiset eettiset lähestymistavat on jaotelty kolmeen eriteltävään kategoriaan

Three approaches to ethical considerations in the design of behavior change support systems

Abstract Many ethical questions arise when developing persuasive systems. It has become evident that there is no silver bullet which would make it easy to resolve all ethical issues in all cases. This paper seeks to analyze and define potential ways to address ethical considerations in persuasive systems design. We suggest that there are three main approaches: a guideline-based approach, stakeholder analysis, and involving users. This paper helps to understand the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches when developing behavior change support systems, which, by their very nature, request deep engagement and commitment from their users. A pragmatic goal for this paper is to help designers choose an approach for their projects at hand

5G and 6G broadband cellular network technologies as enablers of new avenues for behavioral influence with examples from reduced rural-urban digital divide

Abstract Two of the key information technologies with very high expectations to change our contemporary society are the fifth generation broadband cellular network technologies, which are already emerging to markets, and the foreseen sixth generation broadband cellular network technologies currently under research and development. The core promise of these next generation technologies lies especially in lower latency for providing users feedback on their behavior; thus, growing opportunities for influencing users in their everyday contexts. This viewpoint article seeks to discuss how these opportunities may impact future information technology in general and especially persuasive design and research before 2030. In addition, we will address challenges regarding the promise of 5G and 6G technologies. Information and communication technology can support individuals’ behavioral change only if they can access the technology. In this article, we will exemplify this by presenting possible ways to minimize the digital divide between rural and urban areas, wherein lies a general danger that the divide would increase further

Users’ perceptions of key blockchain features in games

Abstract The blockchain is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize the gaming industry among a wide range of different business fields. So far, only a few studies have been conducted about blockchain gaming. This study introduces a mobile game utilizing blockchain asset tokens and smart contracts. It was developed for research purposes and used to demonstrate blockchain-based games using semi-structured interviews. This study follows the exploratory research paradigm, which aims to map research of little-known areas. This study focuses on how participants perceived blockchain attributes such as trust, transparency, and user-generated content and how this affected engagement and their willingness to play the game again. Based on our evaluation, generating blockchain assets positively impacted player retention. According to the results, providing genuine asset ownership through the blockchain contributes to environmental engagement and self-engagement, as well as player retention. Another positive blockchain feature discovered from the interview data is user-generated content implementation into games

Conceptualizing blockchain utilization in persuasive systems design

Abstract Blockchain technology has recently spread widely among different business and research domains, it has not yet been fully explored in the field of persuasive technologies. This paper attempts to define how blockchain technologies can be utilized when developing persuasive technologies and to position blockchain research topics in the persuasive technology domain. Data in persuasive systems are often sensitive and can benefit from the security feature blockchain has to offer. However, the immutability of data raises notable issues that impact compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In this paper, we discuss other benefits and challenges that may be of interest to designers, developers, and researchers who are keen on using blockchain to design the persuasive technologies they design

Fifth international workshop on behavior change support systems (BCSS 2017):proposal 1a

Abstract This workshop aims at connecting multidisciplinary researchers, practitioners and experts from a variety of scientific domains, such as information sciences, psychology, human-computer interaction, industrial design and medicine. This interactive workshop will act as a forum where experts from multiple disciplines can present their work, and can discuss and debate the pillars for persuasive technology. Topics for submissions include the design &amp; development and evaluation of behaviour change support systems. For more information see: https://bcssworkshop.wordpress.com/ This workshop is the result of the merger of two proposals, to be found below

Comparing technology acceptance of K-12 teachers with and without prior experience of learning management systems:a Covid-19 pandemic study

Abstract Covid-19 pandemic has caused a massive transformation in K-12 settings towards online education. It is important to explore the factors that facilitate online teaching technology adoption of teachers during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to compare Learning Management System (LMS) acceptance of Finnish K-12 teachers who have been using a specific LMS as part of their regular teaching before the Covid-19 pandemic (experienced group) and teachers who started using it for emergency remote teaching during the pandemic (inexperienced group). Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology framework, a self-report questionnaire was administered to 196 teachers (nexperienced = 127; ninexperienced = 69). Our findings showed no difference between the two groups of teachers in terms of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, LMS self-efficacy and satisfaction. However, the experienced group had higher behavioural intention to use LMS in the future, reported receiving higher online teaching support and displayed higher online teaching self-efficacy in terms of student engagement, classroom management, instructional strategies and ICT skills. For the experienced group, the most significant predictor of satisfaction with LMS was performance expectancy whereas for the inexperienced group, it was the effort expectancy. In terms of behavioural intention to use LMS in the future, the most significant predictor was the performance expectancy for both groups. Further, support was also a significant predictor of behavioural intention for the inexperienced group. Overall, our findings indicate that teachers should not be regarded as a unified profile when managing technology adoption in schools

Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-induced Ca²⁺ release regulates class IIa HDAC localization in mouse embryonic cardiomyocytes

Abstract In embryonic cardiomyocytes, sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-derived Ca²⁺ release is required to induce Ca²⁺ oscillations for contraction and to control cardiac development through Ca²⁺-activated pathways. Here, our aim was to study how SR Ca²⁺ release regulates cytosolic and nuclear Ca²⁺ distribution and the subsequent effects on the Ca²⁺-dependent localization of class IIa histone deacetylases (HDAC) and cardiac-specific gene expression in embryonic cardiomyocytes. Confocal microscopy was used to study changes in Ca²⁺-distribution and localization of immunolabeled HDAC4 and HDAC5 upon changes in SR Ca²⁺ release in mouse embryonic cardiomyocytes. Dynamics of translocation were also observed with a confocal microscope, using HDAC5-green fluorescent protein transfected myocytes. Expression of class IIa HDACs in differentiating myocytes and changes in cardiac-specific gene expression were studied using real-time quantitative PCR. Inhibition of SR Ca²⁺ release caused a significant decrease in intranuclear Ca²⁺ concentration, a rapid nuclear import of HDAC5 and subnuclear redistribution of HDAC4. Endogenous localization of HDAC5 and HDAC4 was mostly cytosolic and at the nuclear periphery, respectively. Downregulated expression of cardiac-specific genes was also observed upon SR Ca²⁺ release inhibition. Electrical stimulation of sarcolemmal Ca²⁺ influx was not sufficient to rescue either the HDAC localization or the gene expression changes. SR Ca²⁺ release controls subcellular Ca²⁺ distribution and regulates localization of HDAC4 and HDAC5 in embryonic cardiomyocytes. Changes in SR Ca²⁺ release also caused changes in expression of the developmental phase-specific genes, which may be due to the changes in HDAC-localization

From smartphone zombies to natural language processing – designing and evaluating behavior change support systems

Abstract The Eighth International Workshop on Behavior Change Support Systems was held as a virtual event due to the CoVid19 crisis. Despite of the challenging situation, researchers from around the globe joined together to discuss recent advances in Behavior Change Support Systems research. A wide variety of topics was presented from multiple perspectives. The selected papers can be separated to three themes: design and development; user and stakeholder involvement; and evaluation of Behavior Change Support Systems