Consumers\u27 Online Cognitive Scripts:A Neurophysiological Approach

A cognitive script is a predetermined sequence of actions that define a well-known situation. Building on neuroscience literature, the objectives of this research-in-progress are to verify and validate that consumers activate cognitive scripts when shopping online, understand how cognitive scripts are formed by consumers over multiple online shopping trips, and investigate how consumers activating different cognitive scripts respond when facing a novel shopping environment. Twenty-one novice participants (i.e., no digital music purchase experience) were assigned to either an “intrascript” condition (multiple visits to a single website) or an “interscript” condition (single visits to multiple websites). Using psychometric and neurophysiological measures, our results suggest that intrascript consumers appear to use more automatic processing, while interscript consumers use more controlled processing. In addition, when visiting a new website, interscript consumers perceive this website as easier to use than intrascript consumers. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed

Design Blueprint for Stress-Sensitive Adaptive Enterprise Systems

Stress is a major problem in the human society, impairing the well-being, health, performance, and productivity of many people worldwide. Most notably, people increasingly experience stress during human-computer interactions because of the ubiquity of and permanent connection to information and communication technologies. This phenomenon is referred to as technostress. Enterprise systems, designed to improve the productivity of organizations, frequently contribute to this technostress and thereby counteract their objective. Based on theoretical foundations and input from exploratory interviews and focus group discussions, the paper presents a design blue-print for stress-sensitive adaptive enterprise systems (SSAESes). A major characteristic of SSAESes is that bio-signals (e.g., heart rate or skin conductance) are integrated as real-time stress measures, with the goal that systems automatically adapt to the users’ stress levels, thereby improving human-computer interactions. Various design interventions on the individual, technological, and organi- zational levels promise to directly affect stressors or moderate the impact of stressors on important negative effects (e.g., health or performance). However, designing and deploying SSAESes pose significant challenges with respect to technical feasibility, social and ethical accept- ability, as well as adoption and use. Considering these challenges, the paper proposes a 4-stage step-by-step implementation approach. With this Research Note on technostress in organizations, the authors seek to stimulate the discussion about a timely and important phenomenon, particularly from a design science research perspective

Ixekizumab and ustekinumab in psoriasis: post-hoc comparison of onset and duration of treatment response.

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Using Psycho-physiological Interaction Analysis with fMRI Data in IS Research: A Guideline

The integration of neuroscientific methods in Information Systems (IS) research to better understand how the brain interacts with IS-relevant context has gained in importance. Many papers that highlight the potential of neuroIS and that discuss methodological issues associated with using functional brain imaging already exist. However, neuroIS researchers have to keep in mind that the emergence of complex mental processes such as trust in IS contexts is based on activity in a network of brain regions rather than on activity in one area alone. Accordingly, we introduce psycho-physiological interaction (PPI) analysis, a technique that one can use to analyze fMRI data. Specifically, we review how one can conduct PPI analysis, provide a concrete research example, and show how this analysis can inform IS trust research. Thus, we introduce neuroIS researchers working in the domain of functional brain imaging to advanced fMRI analyses methods and show, based on the example of trust, how these methods can enhance our understanding of the nature of IS constructs

Investigating the Effect of Input Device on Memory Retrieval: Evidence from Theta and Alpha Band Oscillations

The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of input device on brain oscillations in Alpha and Theta frequency bands, and the effect of Alpha/Theta on memory retrieval in a recall task. Prior neuroscience research suggests that memory performance is associated with synchronization in Theta band and desynchronization in Alpha band. A between-subject experiment was designed and the electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded during memory retrieval. Preliminary analysis suggests a negative relationship between the Alpha/Theta frequencies and recognition rate during memory retrieval. The effect of input device on the Alpha/Theta frequencies is not significant, but post hoc analysis suggests that the relationship between the Alpha/Theta frequencies and recognition rate differs depending on the input device used

Antiviral Screen against Canine Distemper Virus-Induced Membrane Fusion Activity.

Canine distemper virus (CDV), a close relative of the human pathogen measles virus (MeV), is an enveloped, negative sense RNA virus that belongs to the genus Morbillivirus and causes severe diseases in dogs and other carnivores. Although the vaccination is available as a preventive measure against the disease, the occasional vaccination failure highlights the importance of therapeutic alternatives such as antivirals against CDV. The morbilliviral cell entry system relies on two interacting envelope glycoproteins: the attachment (H) and fusion (F) proteins. Here, to potentially discover novel entry inhibitors targeting CDV H, F and/or the cognate receptor: signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) proteins, we designed a quantitative cell-based fusion assay that matched high-throughput screening (HTS) settings. By screening two libraries of small molecule compounds, we successfully identified two membrane fusion inhibitors (F2736-3056 and F2261-0043). Although both inhibitors exhibited similarities in structure and potency with the small molecule compound 3G (an AS-48 class morbilliviral F-protein inhibitor), F2736-3056 displayed improved efficacy in blocking fusion activity when a 3G-escape variant was employed. Altogether, we present a cell-based fusion assay that can be utilized not only to discover antiviral agents against CDV but also to dissect the mechanism of morbilliviral-mediated cell-binding and cell-to-cell fusion activity

Touch Screen as Input Device: Does it Influence Memory Retrieval?

The main objective of this research is to investigate how input device type influences users’ memory retrieval (i.e., stimulus recognition). We build upon prior research on the somatosensory (tactile) system to argue that the use of a direct input device (i.e., touch screen) involves a multisensory experience and more cerebral activities than an indirect input device (i.e., mouse), leading to richer information encoding, and consequently to better information retrieval from memory. A one-factor between-subject experimental design was used to test our hypotheses. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either a mouse or touch screen input device condition. Our results indicate that for individuals with higher need for touch, input device influences activity in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), a brain region associated with multisensory experience, during memory retrieval and stimulus recognition

Optimization of care for patients with hereditary angioedema living in rural areas

BACKGROUND: People living in rural areas of the United States experience greater health inequality than individuals residing in urban or suburban locations and encounter several barriers to obtaining optimal health care. Health disparities are compounded for patients with rare diseases such as hereditary angioedema (HAE), an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by recurrent, severe abdominal pain and life-threatening oropharyngeal or laryngeal swelling. OBJECTIVE: To explore the challenges of managing patients with HAE in rural areas and suggest possible improvements for optimizing care. DATA SOURCES: PubMed was searched for articles on patient care management, treatment challenges, rural health, and HAE. STUDY SELECTIONS: Relevant articles were selected and reviewed. RESULTS: Challenges in managing HAE in the rural setting were identified, including obtaining a diagnosis of HAE, easy access to a physician with expertise in HAE, continuity of care, availability of telemedicine services, access to approved HAE therapies, patient education, and economic barriers to treatment. Ways to improve HAE patient care in rural areas include health care provider recognition of the patient with undiagnosed HAE, development of individualized management plans, expansion of telemedicine, effective care at the local level, appropriate access to HAE medication, and increased awareness of patient support and advocacy groups. CONCLUSION: For patients with HAE living in rural areas, optimal care is complicated by health disparities. Given the scarcity with which these topics have been covered in the literature to date, it is intended that this article will serve as the impetus for a range of further initiatives focused on improving access to care