Easing the smart home: Translating human hierarchies to intelligent environments

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02478-8_137Proceedings of 10th International Work-Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, IWANN 2009, Salamanca, Spain.Ubiquitous computing research have extended traditional environments in the so–called Intelligent Environments. All of them use their capabilities for pursuing their inhabitants’s satisfaction, but the ways of getting it are most of the times unclear and frequently unshared among different users. This last problem becomes patent in shared environments in which users with different preferences live together. This article presents a solution translating human hierarchies to the Ubicomp domain, in a continuing effort for leveraging the control capabilities of the inhabitants in their on–growing capable environments. This mechanism, as a natural ubicomp extension of the coordination mechanism used daily by humans, has been implemented over a real environment: a iving room equipped with ambient intelligence capabilities, and installed in two more: an intelligent classroom and an intelligent secure room.This work was partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology through the HADA project(TIN2007-64718) and by the chair UAM–Indra of Ambient Intelligenc

Young women with a disorder of sex development: learning to share information with health professionals, friends and intimate partners about bodily differences and infertility

Aim: To understand the experiences of young women with a disorder of sex development when sharing information about their body with healthcare professionals, friends and intimate partners. Background: Disorders of sex development are lifelong conditions that create bodily difference such as absence of reproductive organs which can impact on young women's fertility and sexual experiences. Design: Interpretive phenomenological analysis with thirteen young women (14-19 years old) with a disorder of sex development. Methods: The young women chose to participate in either a face-to-face semi-structured interview or to complete a paper diary between 2011-2012. Results: A superordinate theme focusing on the meaning bodily differences held for these young women is presented through three themes: self-awareness and communicating this to others; actualizing intimacy; and expressing meaning of altered fertility to self or professionals or partners. During early adolescence, the young women were guarded and reticent about sharing personal information about their disorder of sex development but as they moved towards adulthood, some of the young women learnt to engage in conversations with more confidence. Frustrations about their bodily differences and the limitations of their bodies were talked about as factors which limited physical spontaneity, impacted on their perceived sexual fulfilment and challenged the development or sustainability of close friendships or intimate partnerships. The young women wanted empathic, sensitive support from knowledgeable health professionals to help them understand their bodies. Conclusion: Attachment and a 'sense of being' were the concepts that were closely linked to the young women's development of a secure identity

Circadian rhythm of urinary pH in man with and without chronic antacid administration

In normal human volunteers, when urinary pH was plotted versus time, the circadian sine-wave type curve was not altered by chronic administration of a commercially available suspension containing a mixture of magnesium and aluminum hydroxides, although the antacid perturbed the entire curve in a more alkaline direction. A single dose of the antacid had little effect on urinary pH. There was a highly significant linear relationship between the change in hydrogen ion concentration during chronic antacid treatment and the initial control urinary hydrogen ion concentration, but there was no significant correlation between change in urinary pH and initial control urinary pH as has been previously reported. The above results were based on the evaluation of the hydrogen ion concentrations of 1562 separate urine samples collected from 24 normal subjects in a three treatment crossover study. It is recommended that: (1) research studies involving drug-drug interactions with antacids be designed to consider the effect of the antacid on the circadian rhythm of urinary pH, and (2) pH values not be averaged as commonly reported in the literature, but rather the pH values be converted to hydrogen ion concentrations before statistical analysis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46636/1/228_2004_Article_BF00561060.pd

Forgiveness and the Need to Belong

People who experience a strong need to belong might be particularly inclined to forgive wrongdoings to preserve social bonds. Three studies that utilized different methods and measures of forgiveness consistently demonstrated this is not the case. The authors found that individuals high in the need to belong report practicing forgiveness with less frequency and value it no more than those low in the need to belong (Study 1). In Study 2, they found that satisfying the need to belong led participants to express greater willingness to forgive hypothetical offenses compared to participants in a control group. Finally, in Study 3, the authors linked the need to belong to forgiveness of specific transgressions and found that this negative relationship was mediated by offense-related anger and perceptions of offense severity. These findings suggest that needing to belong paradoxically interferes with forgiveness, even though forgiving could promote the satisfaction of belongingness needs following transgressions.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

What influences students in their development of socio-emotional intelligence whilst at university?

This qualitative study undertaken at a University in England investigates what influences the development of undergraduate students’ socio-emotional intelligence (SEI). Through a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with students and lecturers, the study highlights various approaches that the learning environment, both physical and cultural influenced their development of SEI. Learning in small groups where students felt safe and supported impacted on their sense of self, and helped develop their confidence. Reflecting on their own experience without constraints or assessed outcomes was also beneficial to these students. The lecturer’s knowledge and expertise, and how they modelled SEI were seen as imperative and meaningful to the development of students’ SEI. This paper concludes that students must be supported to develop holistically, integrating cognition and emotion, making practical suggestions as to how this may be achieved. Given the paucity of research in this area, opportunities for further research are highlighte

Developing the digital self-determined learner through heutagogical design

This empirical qualitative study investigates whether the introduction of heutagogy in contemporary nursing education can foster the development of the digital self-determined learner, who is prepared to work and live in the fourth industrial age and beyond. The impact of heutagogical design on learner process and outcomes is explored through qualitative framework analysis of learner data and reflective educator observations. Findings suggest that with careful scaffolding and courage in remaining true to the educational philosophy, this approach has the potential to develop learners who demonstrate key principles of heutagogy including non-linear learning, learner agency, capability, self-reflection and metacognition and double-loop learning. This innovative study provides insight into the process of developing the self-determined learner and encourages further research into flexible and learner-centred approaches across Higher Education

Qualitative systematic review of the acceptability, feasibility, barriers, facilitators and perceived utility of using physical activity in the reduction of and abstinence from alcohol and other drug use

Given the growing global increase in harm from alcohol and substance use, and the inadequacy of standard treatment to tackle the challenge, the use of physical activity (PA) interventions has received increased attention. The aim of this review is to identify common and cross cutting themes relating to how and why physical activity may impact on reduction of/abstinence from alcohol and other drug use to support future intervention design (including aspects of physical activity, barriers and facilitators, and elements of support which may have an impact). Twenty papers including qualitative data were included in the synthesis. A deductive coding framework was created and sought to identify biological, environmental and psycho-social barriers, facilitators and mechanisms of participants’ experience of engaging with physical activity interventions. Key themes supported in the evidence included how interventions influence use (e.g. reduced cravings, increases in bodily awareness and health and fitness, the development of positive focus and new identity, and increases in mood and quality of life); the impact of frequency, intensity, type, duration and timing of physical activity; perceived barriers and facilitators to engaging in physical activity (e.g. health and fitness, access and affordability, perceptions of others); and details of how much support and in what form best supports sustained changes in physical activity (e.g. social support and environment). Despite evidence being sparse, key barriers and facilitators pertinent to intervention design were identified. Recommendations for future research are indicated and the evidence promotes the need for individually tailored programmes of support for physical activity.Given the growing global increase in harm from alcohol and substance use, and the inadequacy of standard treatment to tackle the challenge, the use of physical activity (PA) interventions has received increased attention. The aim of this review is to identify common and cross cutting themes relating to how and why physical activity may impact on reduction of/abstinence from alcohol and other drug use to support future intervention design (including aspects of physical activity, barriers and facilitators, and elements of support which may have an impact). Twenty papers including qualitative data were included in the synthesis. A deductive coding framework was created and sought to identify biological, environmental and psycho-social barriers, facilitators and mechanisms of participants’ experience of engaging with physical activity interventions. Key themes supported in the evidence included how interventions influence use (e.g. reduced cravings, increases in bodily awareness and health and fitness, the development of positive focus and new identity, and increases in mood and quality of life); the impact of frequency, intensity, type, duration and timing of physical activity; perceived barriers and facilitators to engaging in physical activity (e.g. health and fitness, access and affordability, perceptions of others); and details of how much support and in what form best supports sustained changes in physical activity (e.g. social support and environment). Despite evidence being sparse, key barriers and facilitators pertinent to intervention design were identified. Recommendations for future research are indicated and the evidence promotes the need for individually tailored programmes of support for physical activity