Writing for mobile media: The influences of text, digital design and psychological characteristics on the cognitive load of the mobile user

Text elements on the mobile smartphone interface make a significant contribution to the user’s interaction experience. In combination with other visual design features, these words curate the path of the mobile user on a journey through the information to satisfy a specific task. This study analyses the elements that influence the interpretation process and optimum presentation of information on mobile media. I argue that effective digital writing contributes to reducing the cognitive load experienced by the mobile user. The central discussion focuses on the writing of text for this medium, which I suggest forges an entirely unique narrative. The optimum writing approach is based on the multi-dimensional characteristics of hypertext, which allow the writer to facilitate the journey without the user losing control of the interpretation process. This study examines the relationship between the writer, the reader and the text, with a unique perspective on the mobile media writer, who is tasked with achieving balance between the functionality and humanity of digital interaction. To explore influences on the development of the relevant writing techniques, I present insights into the distinctive characteristics of the mobile smartphone device, with specific focus on the screen and keyboard. I also discuss the unique characteristics of the mobile user and show how the visual design of the interface is integral to the writing of text for this medium. Furthermore, this study explores the role, skills, and processes of the current and future digital writer, within the backdrop of incessant technological advancement and revolutionary changes in human-computer behaviour

A Correlation Study between the Shipley-Hartford Test of Mental Maturity and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) has been v recognized as a helpful tool to the psychologist in identifying abnormal characteristics (Leverenz, 1956; Modlin, 1956; Hathaway and Mckinley, 1967; Hock, 1970). Likewise the Shipley-Institute of Living Scale for Measuring Intellectual Impairment (S-H) has also been recognized as a helpful tool in identifying emotional impairment (Pollack, 1942; Halstead, 1943; Fleming, 1943; Wright, 1946; Garfield and Fey, 1948; Lewinsohn, 1963) . Despite the research which suggests both tests are capable of helpful diagnosis in the general area of psychological impairment (Welch, 1956; Lewinsohn, 1963), little if any work has been done examining the compatibility of the two instruments. Therefore, a correlation study was made between the two tests. Sixty-one male in-patients of the Wyoming State Hospital, between the ages of 18-45 (Garfield and Fey, 1948) and having a verbal IQ of 14. 3 years (Shipley and Burlingame, 1941), were administered both the S-H and the MMPI. The conceptual quotient (CQ), a measure of intellectual impairment based upon the assumption that where there is intellectual impairment, vocabulary is less affected than is the capacity for abstract thinking and that in such cases there will be a discrepancy between vocabulary level and the ability to handle abstract problems (Lewinsohn, 1963, p. 444) of the S-H, was correlated with the number of Peterson\u27s Psychotic Profile Signs (Peterson, 1954) a patient might acquire after taking the MMPI. Peterson\u27s model was chosen as the criteria for discriminating MMPI profiles because of its relative case of use and successful experimental value (Peterson, 1954). Secondly, the CQ score was correlated with each individual subtest T score of the MMPI. Analysis of the experimental data was achieved statistically by use of Pearson\u27s product-moment correlation. The results of the study showed no significant correlation between S-H\u27s CQ and Peterson\u27s signs. Further, no significant correlation was found with eight of the ten subtest scores on the MMPI and Shipley\u27s CQ. However, there was a low but significant correlation between Shipley\u27s CQ and the Hy and Mf subscales of the MMPI. No determining factor was found to explain the common variance in these two correlations

Patient and companion concerns when receiving a dementia diagnosis: an observational study of dementia diagnosis feedback meetings

Receiving a diagnosis of dementia is a life-changing event and can cause strong emotional reactions. The aim of this study was to examine patient and companion concerns expressed during dementia diagnosis feedback meetings. Sixty consultations between 19 health-care professionals (HCPs), 60 patients and 59 companions were video-recorded and transcribed. Concerns were identified from the transcripts and were (a) content analysed, (b) coded as elicited by the HCP or volunteered by the patient or companion, and (c) coded according to whether the HCP encouraged or discouraged elaboration of the concern. A total of 249 concerns were identified (average four concerns per consultation). There were three areas of findings: (a) patients and companions were concerned about the symptoms of dementia and receiving a diagnosis; other concerns related to patients’ mental and physical health, and prognosis, (b) HCPs elicited more patient than companion concerns and mostly elicited concerns aligned with the agenda of diagnosis feedback, and (c) HCPs were more likely to encourage elaboration when they elicited the concern. Nearly 40 per cent of concerns were discouraged by the HPC changing topic, with concerns about prognosis most commonly discouraged. The findings suggest that there were a wide variety of concerns at dementia diagnosis, many extending beyond the experience of dementia symptoms. HCP avoidance of concerns about prognosis demonstrated delicacy in discussing the deteriorating course of dementia

Implementation of NICE Clinical Guideline 95 for assessment of stable chest pain in a rapid access chest pain clinic reduces the mean number of investigations and cost per patient

Objective In 2010, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK published Clinical Guideline 95 (CG95) advocating risk stratification of patients using ‘CADScore’ to guide appropriate cardiac investigations for chest pain of recent onset. Implementation of the guideline in the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was evaluated to see if it led to a reduction in the average cost of the diagnostic journey per patient and fewer investigations per patient in order to confirm a diagnosis. Methods This was a single centre study at a Tertiary Centre in Central London. The investigative journey for each patient presenting to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic (RACPC) at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was recorded. Retrospective analysis on this data was performed. Results Data for 4968 patients presenting to the RACPC from 2004 to 2012 was analysed and a size-matched cohort of 1503 patients preimplementation and postimplementation of the guidelines was compared. The mean cost of investigations postimplementation was £291.83 as compared to £319.54 preimplementation of the guidelines despite higher costs associated with some of the recommended initial investigations. The mean number of tests per patient postguidelines was 0.78 compared to 0.97 for preguidelines. An approximate twofold increase in patients not requiring tests was seen post-CG95 implementation (245 pre-CG95 vs 476 post-CG95)

Remote preconditioning in normal and hypertrophic rat hearts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of our study was to investigate whether remote preconditioning (RPC) improves myocardial function after ischemia/reperfusion injury in both normal and hypertrophic isolated rat hearts. This is the first time in world literature that cardioprotection by RPC in hypertrophic myocardium is investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Four groups of 7 male Wistar rats each, were used: Normal control, normal preconditioned, hypertrophic control and hypertrophic preconditioned groups. Moderate cardiac hypertrophy was induced by fludrocortisone acetate and salt administration for 30 days. Remote preconditioning of the rat heart was achieved by 20 minutes transient right hind limb ischemia and 10 minutes reperfusion of the anaesthetized animal. Isolated Langendorff-perfused animal hearts were then subjected to 30 minutes of global ischemia and reperfusion for 60 minutes. Contractile function and heart rhythm were monitored. Preconditioned groups were compared to control groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and the product LVDP × heart rate (HR) were significantly higher in the hypertrophic preconditioned group than the hypertrophic control group while left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and severe arrhythmia episodes did not differ. Variances between the normal heart groups were not significantly different except for the values of the LVEDP in the beginning of reperfusion.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Remote preconditioning seems to protect myocardial contractile function in hypertrophic myocardium, while it has no beneficial effect in normal myocardium.</p

Predictors of agreement between general practitioner detection of dementia and the revised Cambridge Cognitive Assessment (CAMCOG-R)

BACKGROUND: Dementia is a complex and variable condition which makes recognition of it particularly difficult in a low prevalence primary care setting. This study examined the factors associated with agreement between an objective measure of cognitive function (the revised Cambridge Cognitive Assessment, CAMCOG-R) and general practitioner (GP) clinical judgment of dementia. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 165 GPs and 2,024 community-dwelling patients aged 75 years or older. GPs provided their clinical judgment in relation to each of their patient's dementia status. Each patient's cognitive function and depression status was measured by a research nurse using the CAMCOG-R and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), respectively. RESULTS: GPs correctly identified 44.5% of patients with CAMCOG-R dementia and 90% of patients without CAMCOG-R dementia. In those patients with CAMCOG-R dementia, two patient-dependent factors were most important for predicting agreement between the CAMCOG-R and GP judgment: the CAMCOG-R score (p = 0.006) and patient's mention of subjective memory complaints (SMC) to the GP (p = 0.040). A higher CAMCOG-R (p < 0.001) score, female gender (p = 0.005), and larger practice size (p < 0.001) were positively associated with GP agreement that the patient did not have dementia. Subjective memory complaints (p < 0.001) were more likely to result in a false-positive diagnosis of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Timely recognition of dementia is advocated for optimal dementia management, but early recognition of a possible dementia syndrome needs to be balanced with awareness of the likelihood of false positives in detection. Although GPs correctly agree with dimensions measured by the CAMCOG-R, improvements in sensitivity are required for earlier detection of dementia.C. Dimity Pond, Karen E. Mate, Jill Phillips, Nigel P. Stocks, Parker J. Magin, Natasha Weaver and Henry Brodat

Remote postconditioning by humoral factors in effluent from ischemic preconditioned rat hearts is mediated via PI3K/Akt-dependent cell-survival signaling at reperfusion

Short non-lethal ischemic episodes administered to hearts prior to (ischemic preconditioning, IPC) or directly after (ischemic postconditioning, IPost) ischemic events facilitate myocardial protection. Transferring coronary effluent collected during IPC treatment to un-preconditioned recipient hearts protects from lethal ischemic insults. We propose that coronary IPC effluent contains hydrophobic cytoprotective mediators acting via PI3K/Akt-dependent pro-survival signaling at ischemic reperfusion. Ex vivo rat hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion. IPC effluent administered for 10 min prior to index ischemia attenuated infarct size by ≥55% versus control hearts (P < 0.05). Effluent administration for 10 min at immediate reperfusion (reperfusion therapy) or as a mimetic of pharmacological postconditioning (remote postconditioning, RIPost) significantly reduced infarct size compared to control (P < 0.05). The IPC effluent significantly increased Akt phosphorylation in un-preconditioned hearts when administered before ischemia or at reperfusion, while pharmacological inhibition of PI3K/Akt-signaling at reperfusion completely abrogated the cardioprotection offered by effluent administration. Fractionation of coronary IPC effluent revealed that cytoprotective humoral mediator(s) released during the conditioning phase were of hydrophobic nature as all hydrophobic fractions with molecules under 30 kDa significantly reduced infarct size versus the control and hydrophilic fraction-treated hearts (P < 0.05). The total hydrophobic effluent fraction significantly reduced infarct size independently of temporal administration (before ischemia, at reperfusion or as remote postconditioning). In conclusion, the IPC effluent retains strong cardioprotective properties, containing hydrophobic mediator(s) < 30 kDa offering cytoprotection via PI3K/Akt-dependent signaling at ischemic reperfusion

Political transition and emergent forest-conservation issues in Myanmar.

Political and economic transitions have had substantial impacts on forest conservation. Where transitions are underway or anticipated, historical precedent and methods for systematically assessing future trends should be used to anticipate likely threats to forest conservation and design appropriate and prescient policy measures to counteract them. Myanmar is transitioning from an authoritarian, centralized state with a highly regulated economy to a more decentralized and economically liberal democracy and is working to end a long-running civil war. With these transitions in mind, we used a horizon-scanning approach to assess the 40 emerging issues most affecting Myanmar's forests, including internal conflict, land-tenure insecurity, large-scale agricultural development, demise of state timber enterprises, shortfalls in government revenue and capacity, and opening of new deforestation frontiers with new roads, mines, and hydroelectric dams. Averting these threats will require, for example, overhauling governance models, building capacity, improving infrastructure- and energy-project planning, and reforming land-tenure and environmental-protection laws. Although challenges to conservation in Myanmar are daunting, the political transition offers an opportunity for conservationists and researchers to help shape a future that enhances Myanmar's social, economic, and environmental potential while learning and applying lessons from other countries. Our approach and results are relevant to other countries undergoing similar transitions

Impact of physical activity level and dietary fat content on passive overconsumption of energy in non-obese adults

Background: Passive overconsumption is the increase in energy intake driven by the high-fat energy-dense food environment. This can be explained in part because dietary fat has a weaker effect on satiation (i.e. process that terminates feeding). Habitually active individuals show improved satiety (i.e. process involved in post-meal suppression of hunger) but any improvement in satiation is unknown. Here we examined whether habitual physical activity mitigates passive overconsumption through enhanced satiation in response to a high-fat meal. Methods: Twenty-one non-obese individuals with high levels of physical activity (HiPA) and 19 individuals with low levels of physical activity (LoPA) matched for body mass index (mean = 22.8 kg/m2) were recruited. Passive overconsumption was assessed by comparing ad libitum energy intake from covertly manipulated high-fat (HFAT; 50% fat) or high-carbohydrate (HCHO; 70% carbohydrate) meals in a randomized crossover design. Habitual physical activity was assessed using SenseWear accelerometers (SWA). Body composition, resting metabolic rate, eating behaviour traits, fasting appetite-related peptides and hedonic food reward were also measured. Results: In the whole sample, passive overconsumption was observed with greater energy intake at HFAT compared to HCHO (p  0.05). SWA confirmed that HiPA were more active than LoPA (p  0.05 for all). Conclusions: Non-obese individuals with high or low physical activity levels but matched for BMI showed similar susceptibility to passive overconsumption when consuming an ad libitum high-fat compared to a high-carbohydrate meal. This occurred despite increased total daily energy expenditure and improved body composition in HiPA. Greater differences in body composition and/or physical activity levels may be required to impact on satiation