Analysis of UX Cultural Probe: study of postgraduate taught students, University of Birmingham

This study was based on the production and analysis of a cultural probe research project that was completed by 10 Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students. This cultural probe, structured around a diary format, contained 10 tasks for participants to complete, each lasting under 30 minutes and to be completed over 10 days. The tasks were made as open as possible so that the data is user guided rather than entering the research project with any preconceptions or clear aims. This differs from common surveys that often have narrow questions. We can learn a huge amount about how our users experience (and feel about) services, spaces and products by adopting rich qualitative and quantitative research methods that come under the umbrella term ‘UX’ (User eXperience). Crucially UX research explores user behaviours and needs, not just what users say they want. UX research is becoming more important as higher education is being forced to adapt to the increased importance of students as high paying ‘customers’ of the university

Public views on the donation and use of human biological samples in biomedical research: a mixed methods study

Objective A mixed methods study exploring the UK general public's willingness to donate human biosamples (HBSs) for biomedical research.<p></p> Setting Cross-sectional focus groups followed by an online survey.<p></p> Participants Twelve focus groups (81 participants) selectively sampled to reflect a range of demographic groups; 1110 survey responders recruited through a stratified sampling method with quotas set on sex, age, geographical location, socioeconomic group and ethnicity.<p></p> Main outcome measures (1) Identify participants’ willingness to donate HBSs for biomedical research, (2) explore acceptability towards donating different types of HBSs in various settings and (3) explore preferences regarding use and access to HBSs.<p></p> Results 87% of survey participants thought donation of HBSs was important and 75% wanted to be asked to donate in general. Responders who self-reported having some or good knowledge of the medical research process were significantly more likely to want to donate (p<0.001). Reasons why focus group participants saw donation as important included: it was a good way of reciprocating for the medical treatment received; it was an important way of developing drugs and treatments; residual tissue would otherwise go to waste and they or their family members might benefit. The most controversial types of HBSs to donate included: brain post mortem (29% would donate), eyes post mortem (35%), embryos (44%), spare eggs (48%) and sperm (58%). Regarding the use of samples, there were concerns over animal research (34%), research conducted outside the UK (35%), and research conducted by pharmaceutical companies (56%), although education and discussion were found to alleviate such concerns.<p></p> Conclusions There is a high level of public support and willingness to donate HBSs for biomedical research. Underlying concerns exist regarding the use of certain types of HBSs and conditions under which they are used. Improved education and more controlled forms of consent for sensitive samples may mitigate such concerns.<p></p&gt

Consent for the use of human biological samples for biomedical research: a mixed methods study exploring the UK public’s preferences

OBJECTIVE: A mixed-methods study exploring the UK general public's views towards consent for the use of biosamples for biomedical research.<p></p> SETTING: Cross-sectional population-based focus groups followed by an online survey.<p></p> PARTICIPANTS: 12 focus groups (81 participants) selectively sampled to reflect a range of demographic groups; 1110 survey responders recruited through a stratified sampling method with quotas set on sex, age, geographical location, socioeconomic group and ethnicity.<p></p> MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Views on the importance of consent when donating residual biosamples for medical research; (2) preferences for opt-in or opt-out consent approaches and (3) preferences for different consent models.<p></p> RESULTS: Participants believed obtaining consent for use of residual biosamples was important as it was 'morally correct' to ask, and enabled people to make an active choice and retain control over their biosamples. Survey responders preferred opt-in consent (55%); the strongest predictor was being from a low socioeconomic group (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.41 to 3.57, p=0.001) and having a religious affiliation (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.81, p=0.04). Focus group participants had a slight preference for opt-out consent because by using this approach more biosamples would be available and facilitate research. Concerning preferred models of consent for research use of biosamples, survey responders preferred specific consent with recontact for each study for which their biosamples are eligible. Focus group participants preferred generic consent as it provided 'flexibility for researchers' and reduced the likelihood that biosamples would be wasted. The strongest predictor for preferring specific consent was preferring opt-in consent (OR 4.58, 95% CI 3.30 to 6.35, p=0.015) followed by non-'White' ethnicity (OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.23 to 7.14, p<0.001).<p></p> CONCLUSIONS: There is a preference among the UK public for ongoing choice and control over donated biosamples; however, increased knowledge and opportunity for discussion is associated with acceptance of less restrictive consent models for some people.<p></p&gt

Chemical vapor deposition thin films as biopassivation coatings and directly patternable dielectrics

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 2001.Includes bibliographical references.Organosilicon thin films deposited by pulsed plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PPECVD) and hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) were investigated as potential biopassivation coatings for neural probes. It was found that organosilicon films from identical precursors differ in structure according to the method of deposition. For films produced from the cyclic siloxane precursor, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, pulsed plasma excitation reduced crosslink density over continuous excitation and produced flexible films resistant to prolonged saline soak testing. Deposition via a thermal process, HFCVD, allowed films of novel organosilicon structure to be formed from both hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane and its eight-membered analog, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane. Characterization of these films was accomplished, and the effect of filament temperature on the chemical structure was elucidated. Silicon-silicon bonding and the retention of ring structures from the precursor was observed in HFCVD organosilicon films using Micro-Raman spectroscopy. A direct dielectric patterning process was proposed for semiconductor manufacturing. In this process, a dielectric material is patterned directly and developed without the need for a sacrificial photoresist layer. HFCVD fluorocarbon films are under consideration as low-dielectric constant interlayer dielectrics, and direct patterning of these materials was demonstrated using e-beam irradiation and supercritical CO2 development. The use of a gas-phase initiator species for HFCVD of fluorocarbon thin films was also demonstrated. Initiation enhanced deposition rates significantly and provided a means of selectively end-capping polymer chains present in the film structure.by Hilton G. Pryce Lewis.Ph.D

Advances in instrumentation at the W. M. Keck Observatory

In this paper we describe both recently completed instrumentation projects and our current development efforts in the context of the Observatory's science driven strategic plan which seeks to address key questions in observational astronomy for extra-galactic, Galactic, and planetary science with both seeing limited capabilities and high angular resolution adaptive optics capabilities. This paper will review recently completed projects as well as new instruments in development including MOSFIRE, a near IR multi-object spectrograph nearing completion, a new seeing limited integral field spectrograph for the visible wavelength range called the Keck Cosmic Web Imager, and the Keck Next Generation Adaptive Optics facility and its first light science instrument DAVINCI

Counting homomorphisms onto finite solvable groups

We present a method for computing the number of epimorphisms from a finitely-presented group G to a finite solvable group \Gamma, which generalizes a formula of G\"aschutz. Key to this approach are the degree 1 and 2 cohomology groups of G, with certain twisted coefficients. As an application, we count low-index subgroups of G. We also investigate the finite solvable quotients of the Baumslag-Solitar groups, the Baumslag parafree groups, and the Artin braid groups.Comment: 30 pages; accepted for publication in the Journal of Algebr