P2P Mapper: From User Experiences to Pattern-Based Design

User experience is an umbrella term referring to a collection of information that covers the user’s behavior and interaction with a system. It is observed when the user is actively using a service or interacting with information, includes expectations and perceptions, and is influenced by user characteristics and application or service characteristics. User characteristics include knowledge, experience, personality and demographics. We propose a process and supporting software tool called Persona to Pattern (P2P) Mapper, which guides designers in modeling user experiences and identifying appropriate design patterns. The three-step process is: Persona Creation (a representative persona set is developed), Pattern Selection (behavioral patterns are identified resulting in an ordered list of design patterns for each persona), and Pattern Composition (patterns are used to create a conceptual design). The tool supports the first two steps of the process by providing various automation algorithms for user grouping and pattern selection combined with the benefit of rapid pattern and user information access. Persona and pattern formats are augmented with a set of discrete domain variables to facilitate automation and provide an alternative view on the information. Finally, the P2P Mapper is used in the redesign of two different Bioinformatics applications: a popular website and a visualization tool. The results of the studies demonstrate a significant improvement in the system usability of both applications

Factors associated with adverse obstetric events following induction of labour: a retrospective study in a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Background: Induction of labour (IOL) remains an indispensable intervention in obstetric practice; however, it may be associated with significant untoward perinatal outcomes. This study determined the major adverse outcomes of IOL and the associated factors at a tertiary hospital in Ghana Methods: Retrospective study involving women with singleton gestations, conducted at the Korle Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with adverse outcomes of IOL. Findings: A total of 195 women who had IOL were analysed with 161 (82.6%) and 34 (17.4%) undergoing vaginal and caesarean deliveries respectively. The main IOL methods used included Misoprostol (91.3%), Oxytocin (5.1%) and Foley’s catheter (3.6%). Composite adverse perinatal outcomes occurred in 46 neonates (23.6%) comprising perinatal deaths (7.2%) and or NICU admission (21.0%). Caesarean delivery following IOL was significantly associated with nulliparity, gestational age <41 weeks, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and birth weight ≥3.5kg. Gestational age <41 weeks and birth weight <2.5kg weresignificantly associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Five women (2.6%) had uterine rupture all of which occurred in the misoprostol group. Conclusion: Induction of labour may result in significant perinatal complications which are related to both maternal (nulliparity and hypertension) and fetal (gestational age and birth weight) factors. Strict selection criteria and continuous fetal-maternal monitoring are strongly recommended to improve the birth outcomes of IOL. Keywords: Induction of labour; adverse outcomes; Ghana

UX in the Arab World - Research Trends and Challenges for a Better Understanding and Collaboration

During the last decade, a considerable number of studies question how HCI is perceived and how the cultural differences are considered. However, very few focused on eliciting the cultural factors of UX and the underlying integration of UX research methods. In this paper, we overview the literature on UX research in the Arab world. Among others, our findings show that UX research focused on two main themes (1) elicitation of UX guidelines and UX patterns (best UX practices) to match the Arab culture (2) identification of the factors influencing UX in the Arab region. The findings also illustrate existing efforts to raise awareness of HCI and conclude with some research challenges that draw a road map for a better collaboration between Arab researchers and the international community

Framework for examination of software quality characteristics in conflict: A security and usability exemplar

© 2020, © 2020 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license. Standards and best practices for software quality guide on handling each quality characteristic individually, but not when two or more characteristics come into conflict such as security and usability. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (a) to argue on the importance of handling the conflicts between quality characteristics in general; (b) to formulate a framework for conflict examination of the software quality characteristics, we do so while considering the specific case of security and usability. In line with the objectives, a framework called Pattern-oriented Design Framework (PoDF) was formulated. The PoDF provides a mechanism for identification of the conflicts, modeling the conflicts to illuminate the reason for their occurrence, and eliciting the suitable trade-offs between the conflicting characteristics. The suitable trade-offs are thus documented as design patterns. The patterns can assist developers and designers in handling the conflicts in other but similar context of use. To validate and instantiate the PoDF, two studies were conducted. Usable security patterns discovered as a result of the studies are also presented in the paper

Teaching Recursive Thinking using Unplugged Activities

Traditionally, recursion is primarily taught using coding activities, presenting a high cognitive load for novice programmers. A possible method to teach recursion to novice programmers is the use of unplugged activities, engaging tasks not involving coding. Despite having been shown to improve students’ understanding of computational thinking, it has been argued that unplugged activities alone are not effective to teach recursion. In response, the authors engaged novice programmers who are non-computer science students by utilising unplugged visual activities to illustrate basic recursion concepts. Thereafter, the students were shown how to implement the activities with coding. The authors created three activities that illustrate recursion using breadth-first search (BFS) and depth-first search (DFS) algorithms. An evaluation study with 19 students was conducted in an on-line teaching environment. Empirical results show that most students learned the covered activities. Further, the students reported that the activities were engaging, and helped them learn how to think recursively

Le concept de série dans les manuels au niveau collégial : registres de représentation et activités cognitives

Au niveau postsecondaire, les concepts mathématiques avancés seraient des concepts difficiles à appréhender pour beaucoup d’étudiants. Le concept de série fait partie de ces concepts avancés que les étudiants rencontrent pour la première fois de façon formelle dans leurs études postsecondaires (au niveau collégial, Cégep, dans le contexte québécois). Ce concept a un très grand nombre d’applications et ce, aussi bien en mathématiques que dans le domaine scientifique. Cependant, sa complexité propre et sa nature contre-intuitive font qu’il est très difficile à appréhender par certains étudiants. Parmi les difficultés d’appréhension, dans un grand nombre de cas, on peut trouver la conception que la somme d’une infinitude de termes donnera une quantité qui ne peut être qu’infiniment grande. Étant donné l’importance et la complexité de ce concept, on pourrait s’attendre à ce qu’il soit pris en compte avec une grande attention par la recherche. Cependant, notre recension d’écrits montre qu’il y a très peu d’études centrées sur le concept de somme infinie. Dans ce mémoire, nous allons présenter des résultats d’une analyse effectuée sur dix-sept manuels utilisés dans les Cégeps du Québec. Les résultats de cette analyse nous ont permis de prendre conscience que les manuels utilisés par l’enseignement actuel font rarement usage du registre graphique et que le registre algébrique est souvent privilégié. Ainsi, la plupart des manuels utilisés dans les Cégeps utilisent rarement les représentations visuelles qui pourraient être un outil important pouvant contribuer dans une appréhension complète du concept de série et les graphiques sont pratiquement absents dans tous les exercices et problèmes que ces manuels proposent. Par ailleurs, les résultats de notre recherche montre que les applications mathématiques et extramathématiques sont rares, et ce, bien que les sommes infinies soient un concept essentiel dans l’introduction d’autres concepts mathématiques et qu’elles permettent de modéliser plusieurs phénomènes. De plus, parmi le peu d’applications extramathématiques qui apparaissent dans les dix-sept manuels, beaucoup sont peu utiles à l’appréhension du concept en question étant donné que celles-ci sont artificielles (applications difficiles à réaliser dans la vie quotidienne). Enfin, nos résultats de recherche nous révèlent que le contenu des manuels en lien avec le concept de série mériterait d’être réajusté afin de permettre aux étudiants une meilleure appréhension de ce concept.At the post high school level, advanced mathematical concepts are difficult to grasp for many students. The series concept is one such advanced concept that students meet for the first time formally in their postsecondary studies (Cégep in the Québec context). This concept has a very large number of applications both in mathematics and in science. However, its own complexity and nature against-intuitive make it very difficult to understand by some students. Among the difficulties to apprehend it, in many cases, we can find the idea that the sum of an infinite number of terms will give a quantity which will necessarily be infinitely large. Given the importance and complexity of this concept, one might expect it to be considered with great attention by the research. However, our literature review shows that there are very few studies focusing on the concept of infinite sum. In this Masters thesis, we will present the results of an analysis carried out on seventeen textbooks used in Cégeps in Quebec. The results of this analysis have allowed us to realize that the textbooks used by the current education rarely make use of the graphic register and that the algebraic register is often favored. Thus, most of the textbooks used in Cégeps rarely use visual representations that could be an important tool that can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the concept of series and graphics are virtually absent in all the exercises and problems that these books offer. Furthermore, the results of our research show that mathematical and extramathematical applications are scarce, although infinite sums are a key concept in the introduction of other mathematical concepts and they allow modeling several phenomena. Moreover, among the few extramathematical applications that appear in the seventeen textbooks, many are of little use to the understanding of the concept in question since they are artificial (difficult applications to perform in daily life). Finally, our research results reveal that the content of textbooks in connection with the concept of series deserves to be readjusted to allow students a better understanding of this concept

IT Teaching Labs: Innovations in a Distance Education Era

Computer laboratories, or simply labs, are crucial in many fields including Information Technologies (IT), Management Information Systems (MIS), Computer Science (CS) and Software Engineering (SE). Labs play a vital role in helping students achieve the know-how and develop problem solving, communication and collaboration skills. Traditional labs comprising desktop computers organized into lines or U shapes have been around for almost forty years. Many of the contemporary labs look very different from their ancestors they are designed to facilitate a myriad of learning activities including solo learning, testing and perhaps foremost, collaborative group work. This paper reviews some ergonomics issues and investigates examples of innovative labs being developed nowadays. We elaborate on the innovative labs\u27 powerfulness in addressing the drawbacks of traditional labs as well in supporting innovative teaching methods, student creativity and interactions, and the education eco-system engagement. Further, we present several ergonomic tips as a lab proposal for Zayed University (ZU) and under the computing education research umbrella

Sexual and reproductive health in Accra, Ghana

Objective: To describe sexual and reproductive health among women in Accra and explore the burden of sexual and reproductive ill health among this urban population.Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: We analysed data from the WHSA-II (n=2814), a cross-sectional household survey on women’s health, and supplemental data from an in-depth survey (n=400), focus groups discussions (n=22) and in-depth interviews (n=20) conducted among a subsample of women which focused specifically on reproductive health issues.Results: Modern contraceptive use was uncommon. More than one third of women reported ever using abstinence; condoms, injectables and the pill were the most commonly reported modern methods ever used. The total fertility rate among this sample of women was just 2.5 births. We found a considerable burden of sexual and reproductive ill health; one in ten women reported menstrual irregularities and almost one quarter of women reported symptoms of a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) or Reproductive Tract Infection (RTI) in the past 6 months. Focus group results and indepth interviews reveal misperceptions about contraceptionside-effects and a lack of information.Conclusion: In urban Ghana, modern contraceptive use is low and a significant proportion of women experience reproductive ill health (defined here as menstrual irregularity or RTI, UTI, STI symptoms). Increasedaccess to information, products and services about for preventive care and contraception could improve reproductive health. More research on healthy sexuality and the impact of reproductive ill health on sexual experienceis needed

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Sonography in chronic distension of the abdomen and apparent pregnancy

Abstract Objective: To find out the causes of chronic distension of the abdomen in women who thought they were pregnant; and the role of sonography in their management. Method: A retrospective study Results: There were 394 patients in the study. The mean age was 36.2 ± 1.7. Uterine fibroids (42%) and ovarian benign tumours (11%) were the main findings. Cancer of the cervix (10%) cancer of endometrium 3.3%; cancer of ovary (3.6%) and medical conditions -obesity (6.3%), cirrhosis of liver 3.8% were also important findings. The sensitivity for using sonography in diagnosing fibroids, ovarian cancers and benign ovarian tumours was 90.4%; 66%; and 86% respectively. Conclusion: Sonography can exclude pregnancy and it is reliable in diagnosing many causes of chronic abdominal distension. Histopathology is mandatory in ovarian tumours

Is there a safe limit of delay for emergency caesarean section in Ghana? Results of analysis of early perinatal outcome

Objective: To determine the limits of delaying caesarean section in a busy obstetric unit in a developing country setting that is not associated with neonatal survival.Methods: Retrospective cohort study of emergency cesarean sections. Indications were sub-divided into imminent threat and no imminent threat to fetal wellbeing. The primary outcomes was a composite measure of adverse perinatal outcome including stillbirth, 5-minute Apgar score < 7 and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Effect of decision-to-delivery interval on perinatal outcomes was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.Results: 495 women met inclusion criteria (142 ‘imminent threat’ group, 353 ‘no imminent threat’ group). The median decision-to-delivery interval was significantly shorter in the ‘imminent threat’ group (2.25 [95% CI 1.38 - 5.83] versus 3.42 [95% CI 1.83 - 5.85] hours, p <0.001). Only 1.7% and 12.7% sections were performed within 30 minutes and 1 hour, respectively. Risk of the composite outcome was significantly higher in the ‘imminent threat group (46.5% versus 31.2%, RR=1.49 [95% CI 1.18 – 1.89],  p=0.001). A 95% probability of ‘live intact’ survival occurred at 1hr and 2hrs respectively, for the imminent threat and the no imminent threat groupsConclusion: Increasing decision-to-delivery interval is associated with higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, but a 95% live intact survival can be achieved if the delivery occurs within 2 hours.Key words: Limits of delay, caesarean section, Ghana, perinatal outcom