Measuring and Facilitating Human-Computer Interaction

This thesis investigates two modes of facilitating repair in human-computer interaction (HCI). These two aspects of facilitation are mode of instruction, namely minimal manuals, and the use of emotional experience. In the first experiment, an additional 'from-scratch' design guideline was added to Carroll's (1990) guidelines for minimalist documentation in an attempt to formalise the source and type of content included in such manuals. A minimal manual was designed for e-mail using both his and the new guideline. The manual had approximately 13% of the pages of the commercial manual; it resulted in 30% faster learning and more effective use of the e-mail system overall, and significantly better performance on individual subtasks; including the recovery from errors. Significantly more users were satisfied with it than with the conventional manual. Carroll's general principles of manual design for minimal manuals were found to be a good basis for design, and it is suggested that his guidelines be combined with the proposed 'from scratch' method. Having formalised the last remaining guideline for design, it was then possible for the second experiment to consider the issue of the level of explanation of information required within the minimal manual. A second minimal manual was designed, which had a recipe-type format. This manual, once developed, was tested against the original manual designed in study one. No siginificant user performance differences were observed in a comparison test, however users reported overall that they subjectively preferred to use the original manual which promoted exploration and learning, rather than the recipe-style manual. Thus it would appear that making explicit instructional steps does not serve to further facilitate interaction. The latter part of the thesis attempted to further the understanding of human emotion within the HCI context. It was necessary to develop two new HCI measurement instruments to this end. The third experiment developed the first instrument. A checklist of cognitions and emotions, which when administered would give an indication of those cognitions and emotions. When administered, it would give an indication of those cognitions and emotions that are experienced when interacting with an interface. By a factor analytic procedure a set of 53 cognition and emotion statements was reduced to the manageable form of 10. This measurement instrument was subsequently employed in the fourth experiment. The aim of the fourth experiment was to measure human emotion during difficulties in interaction, and to discover whether the documented relation between emotion and facial expression holds true in the HCI context. If so, then recommendations could be made for the use of facial expression as a form of emotion feedback into computer systems, in the form of interface agents. 30 naive computer users completed a computer graphics task. During the task, their facial expressions were recorded by video, and their cognitions and state of progress were recorded, to see if there existed any relation between different types of episodes (getting stuck, making progress, and neutral episodes where nothing good and nothing bad is happening) and facial expression and emotion. The analysis of the users' facial expressions was conducted using an abridged version of Ekman and Friesen's (1978) Facial Action Coding System (the second instrument that had to be introduced by this thesis to the field). The occurrence and extremity of cognition and emotion experienced when users were stuck was measured by the checklist of cognitions previously designed and developed for this purpose. The facial expressions which were evident during episodes of progress, episodes of getting stuck, and neutral episodes were not significantly different from one another, despite there being a lot of emotional activity occuring. The thesis makes the following recommendations: (a) Firstly, that the design of user documentation should involve a synthesis of minimalist guidelines and a 'from-scratch' methodology. (b) Secondly, that cognitive coping techniques be developed alongside other methods of user assistance. (c) That it is necessary to not only develop new measurement instruments for HCI, but also to develop a framework to guide the optimal choice and combination of instruments employed

Prostatic trypsin-like kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) and other prostate-expressed tryptic proteinases as regulators of signalling via proteinase-activated receptors (PARs)

The prostate is a site of high expression of serine proteinases including members of the kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) family, as well as other secreted and membrane-anchored serine proteinases. It has been known for some time that members of this enzyme family elicit cellular responses by acting directly on cells. More recently, it has been recognised that for serine proteinases with specificity for cleavage after arginine and lysine residues (trypsin-like or tryptic enzymes) these cellular responses are often mediated by cleavage of members of the proteinase-activated receptor (PAR) family - a four member sub-family of G protein-coupled receptors. Here, we review the expression of PARs in prostate, the ability of prostatic trypsin-like KLKs and other prostate-expressed tryptic enzymes to cleave PARs, as well as the prostate cancer-associated consequences of PAR activation. In addition, we explore the dysregulation of trypsin-like serine proteinase activity through the loss of normal inhibitory mechanisms and potential interactions between these dysregulated enzymes leading to aberrant PAR activation, intracellular signalling and cancer-promoting cellular changes

Striking Encounters: Problematics with Experience, Reflexivity and Learning

This article seeks to explore a series of encounters where we engage with research with a view to learning differently. We argue that every encounter is a form of research if we can marshall the connecting threads and consider the individual as both singularity and collective. We use reflexivity to go beyond reflection and strive to construct knowledge as individual and collective purpose. We draw upon striking examples to explore how issues of learning, reflexivity, and pedagogy develop thinking in education, especially in Higher Education (HE). We seek to move beyond accounts of experience that merely describe and report and which borrow from humanistic accounts of a subject (one which both experiences and who thinks) an approach which we dub “De(s)-carting.” We then move toward explorations, which seek more engaged, concrete, ethical approaches that open up possibilities and offer alternative conceptions of working with experience in education, in all its variety

Influence of neighborhood-level socioeconomic deprivation and individual socioeconomic position on risk of developing type 2 diabetes in older men: a longitudinal analysis in the British Regional Heart Study cohort

INTRODUCTION: Evidence from longitudinal studies on the influence of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation in older age on the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is limited. This study investigates the prospective associations of neighborhood-level deprivation and individual socioeconomic position (SEP) with T2DM incidence in older age. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The British Regional Heart Study studied 4252 men aged 60-79 years in 1998-2000. Neighborhood-level deprivation was based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation quintiles for participants' 1998-2000 residential postcode. Individual SEP was defined as social class based on longest-held occupation. A cumulative score of individual socioeconomic factors was derived. Incident T2DM cases were ascertained from primary care records; prevalent cases were excluded. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the associations. RESULTS: Among 3706 men, 368 incident cases of T2DM were observed over 18 years. The age-adjusted T2DM risk increased from the least deprived quintile to the most deprived: HR per quintile increase 1.14 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.23) (p=0.0005). The age-adjusted T2DM HR in social class V (lowest) versus social class I (highest) was 2.45 (95% CI 1.36 to 4.42) (p=0.001). Both associations attenuated but remained significant on adjustment for other deprivation measures, becoming non-significant on adjustment for body mass index and T2DM family history. T2DM risk increased with cumulative individual adverse socioeconomic factors: HR per point increase 1.14 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.24). CONCLUSIONS: Inequalities in T2DM risk persist in later life, both in relation to neighborhood-level and individual-level socioeconomic factors. Underlying modifiable risk factors continue to need to be addressed in deprived older age populations to reduce disease burden

Patient and carer experience of hospital-based rehabilitation from intensive care to hospital discharge: mixed methods process evaluation of the RECOVER randomised clinical trial

Objectives To explore and compare patient/carer experiences of rehabilitation in the intervention and usual care arms of the RECOVER trial (ISRCTN09412438); a randomised controlled trial of a complex intervention of post-intensive care unit (ICU) acute hospital-based rehabilitation following critical illness.Design Mixed methods process evaluation including comparison of patients' and carers' experience of usual care versus the complex intervention. We integrated and compared quantitative data from a patient experience questionnaire (PEQ) with qualitative data from focus groups with patients and carers.Setting Two university-affiliated hospitals in Scotland.Participants 240 patients discharged from ICU who required ?48?hours of mechanical ventilation were randomised into the trial (120 per trial arm). Exclusion criteria comprised: primary neurologic diagnosis, palliative care, current/planned home ventilation and age 3?months postrandomisation.Interventions A complex intervention of post-ICU acute hospital rehabilitation, comprising enhanced physiotherapy, nutritional care and information provision, case-managed by dedicated rehabilitation assistants (RAs) working within existing ward-based clinical teams, delivered between ICU discharge and hospital discharge. Comparator was usual care.Outcome measures A novel PEQ capturing patient-reported aspects of quality care.Results The PEQ revealed statistically significant between-group differences across 4 key intervention components: physiotherapy (p=0.039), nutritional care (p=0.038), case management (p=0.045) and information provision (

A core outcome set for localised prostate cancer effectiveness trials

Objective: To develop a core outcome set (COS) applicable for effectiveness trials of all interventions for localised prostate cancer. Background: Many treatments exist for localised prostate cancer, although it is unclear which offers the optimal therapeutic ratio. This is confounded by inconsistencies in the selection, definition, measurement and reporting of outcomes in clinical trials. Subjects and methods: A list of 79 outcomes was derived from a systematic review of published localised prostate cancer effectiveness studies and semi-structured interviews with 15 prostate cancer patients. A two-stage consensus process involving 118 patients and 56 international healthcare professionals (HCPs) (cancer specialist nurses, urological surgeons and oncologists) was undertaken, consisting of a three-round Delphi survey followed by a face-to-face consensus panel meeting of 13 HCPs and 8 patients. Results: The final COS included 19 outcomes. Twelve apply to all interventions: death from prostate cancer, death from any cause, local disease recurrence, distant disease recurrence/metastases, disease progression, need for salvage therapy, overall quality of life, stress urinary incontinence, urinary function, bowel function, faecal incontinence, sexual function. Seven were intervention-specific: perioperative deaths (surgery), positive surgical margin (surgery), thromboembolic disease (surgery), bothersome or symptomatic urethral or anastomotic stricture (surgery), need for curative treatment (active surveillance), treatment failure (ablative therapy), and side effects of hormonal therapy (hormone therapy). The UK-centric participants may limit the generalisability to other countries, but trialists should reason why the COS would not be applicable. The default position should not be that a COS developed in one country will automatically not be applicable elsewhere. Conclusion: We have established a COS for trials of effectiveness in localised prostate cancer, applicable across all interventions which should be measured in all localised prostate cancer effectiveness trials

Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates, 2004–2005 Mumps Outbreak, England

As vaccinated children approach adolescence, immunity wanes, which may contribute to outbreaks