Persuasive technologies: a systematic literature review and application to PISA

Persuasive Technologies is an expansive eld that covers various research areas including engineering and social sciences. This document summarizes current and historical models of information processing, persuasion and persuasive systems design in order to place other studies in the eld within context. The Persuasive Systems Design Model is then selected as the most recent and comprehensive model in the eld, afer which a series of sample context analyses are performed using this model. The case used for these context analyses is the PISA tool. Finally, we consider the limitations and possible future work of this literature review

Computer literacy systematic literature review method

Although there have been many attempts to define the concept ‘computer literacy’, no consensus has been reached: many variations of the concept exist within litera-ture. The majority of papers does not explicitly define the concept at all, insteadusing an unjustified subset of elements related to computers to assess a subject’slevel of computer literacy. This can limit the generalizability of research and canlead to fallacious conclusions. This is an internal report listing the method by whichthe research was conducted

Targeted Chromosomal Insertion of Large DNA into the Human Genome by a Fiber-Modified High-Capacity Adenovirus-Based Vector System

A prominent goal in gene therapy research concerns the development of gene transfer vehicles that can integrate exogenous DNA at specific chromosomal loci to prevent insertional oncogenesis and provide for long-term transgene expression. Adenovirus (Ad) vectors arguably represent the most efficient delivery systems of episomal DNA into eukaryotic cell nuclei. The most advanced recombinant Ads lack all adenoviral genes. This renders these so-called high-capacity (hc) Ad vectors less cytotoxic/immunogenic than those only deleted in early regions and creates space for the insertion of large/multiple transgenes. The versatility of hcAd vectors is been increased by capsid modifications to alter their tropism and by the incorporation into their genomes of sequences promoting chromosomal insertion of exogenous DNA. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) can insert its genome into a specific human locus designated AAVS1. Trans- and cis-acting elements needed for this reaction are the AAV Rep78/68 proteins and Rep78/68-binding sequences, respectively. Here, we describe the generation, characterization and testing of fiber-modified dual hcAd/AAV hybrid vectors (dHVs) containing both these elements. Due to the inhibitory effects of Rep78/68 on Ad-dependent DNA replication, we deployed a recombinase-inducible gene switch to repress Rep68 synthesis during vector rescue and propagation. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that rep68-positive dHVs can be produced similarly well as rep68-negative control vectors. Western blot experiments and immunofluorescence microscopy analyses demonstrated transfer of recombinase-dependent rep68 genes into target cells. Studies in HeLa cells and in the dystrophin-deficient myoblasts from a Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patient showed that induction of Rep68 synthesis in cells transduced with fiber-modified and rep68-positive dHVs leads to increased stable transduction levels and AAVS1-targeted integration of vector DNA. These results warrant further investigation especially considering the paucity of vector systems allowing permanent phenotypic correction of patient-own cell types with large DNA (e.g. recombinant full-length DMD genes)

Behavior Change Support Systems for Privacy and Security

This article proposes to use Behavior Change Support Systems (BCSSs) to improve the security of IT applications and the privacy of its users. We discuss challenges specific to BCSSs applied to information security, list research questions to be answered in order to meet these challenges, and propose an architecture for the Personal Information Security Assistant (PISA), a software framework designed to improve the privacy-related behaviors of end-users

Measuring Computer Literacy Without Questionnaires

Behavior Change Support Systems (BCSS) benefit from understanding the user: a user profile can help select the right way to formulate an argument, selecting the right tone, format and content. Part of such a profile is an adequate representation of the computer literacy of a user. Unfortunately, computer literacy is commonly measured by asking the user to fill in a questionnaire. This an obstacle to the adoption of a BCSS, and as such is not a good way to build a model of a user's computer literacy. In this paper we describe the setup of a series of experiments intended to identify indicators that can be measured automatically and that correlate well with a relevant concept of computer literacy

ArgueSecure: Out-of-the-box Risk Assessment

Most established security risk assessment methodologies aim to produce ranked lists of risks. But ranking requires quantification of risks, which in turn relies on data which may not be available or estimations which might not be accurate. As an alternative, we have previously proposed argumentation-based risk assessment. In this paper, based on practitioner feedback, we introduce the latest iteration of this method accompanied by two dedicated tools: an online, collaborative web-portal and an offline version. We focus on the lessons learned in iteratively developing and evaluating these tools and the underlying framework. This new framework -- called ArgueSecure -- focuses on graphically modelling the risk landscape as a collapsible tree. This tree structure intuitively encodes argument traces, therefore maintaining traceability of the results and providing insight into the decision process

Formation of Disulfide-Linked Complexes between the Three Minor Envelope Glycoproteins (GP(2b), GP(3), and GP(4)) of Equine Arteritis Virus

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped, positive-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Arteriviridae of the order Nidovirales. Six transmembrane proteins have been identified in EAV particles: the nonglycosylated membrane protein M and the glycoprotein GP(5) (previously named G(L)), which occur as disulfide-bonded heterodimers and are the major viral envelope proteins; the unglycosylated small envelope protein E; and the minor glycoproteins GP(2b) (formerly designated G(S)), GP(3), and GP(4). Analysis of the appearance of the GP(2b), GP(3), and GP(4) proteins in viral particles by gel electrophoresis under reducing and nonreducing conditions revealed the occurrence of two different covalently linked oligomeric complexes between these proteins, i.e., heterodimers of GP(2b) and GP(4) and heterotrimers of GP(2b), GP(3), and GP(4). Shortly after their release from infected cells, virions contained mainly cystine-linked GP(2b)/GP(4) heterodimers, which were subsequently converted into disulfide-bonded GP(2b)/GP(3)/GP(4) trimers through the covalent recruitment of GP(3). This process occurred faster at a higher pH but was arrested at 4°C. Furthermore, the conversion was almost instantaneous in the presence of the thiol oxidant diamide. In contrast, the sulfhydryl-modifying agent N-ethylmaleimide inhibited the formation of disulfide-bonded GP(2b)/GP(3)/GP(4) trimers. Using sucrose density gradients, we could not demonstrate a noncovalent association of GP(3) with the cystine-linked GP(2b)/GP(4) dimer in freshly released virions, nor did we observe higher-order structures of the GP(2b)/GP(4) or GP(2b)/GP(3)/GP(4) complexes. Nevertheless, the instantaneous diamide-induced formation of disulfide-bonded GP(2b)/GP(3)/GP(4) heterotrimers at 4°C suggests that the three minor glycoproteins of EAV are assembled as trimeric complexes. The existence of a noncovalent interaction between the cystine-linked GP(2b)/GP(4) dimer and GP(3) was also inferred from coexpression experiments showing that the presence of GP(3) increased the electrophoretic mobility of the disulfide-bonded GP(2b)/GP(4) dimers. Our study reveals that the minor envelope proteins of arteriviruses enter into both covalent and noncovalent interactions, the function of which has yet to be established

Intra- and Intermolecular Disulfide Bonds of the GP(2b) Glycoprotein of Equine Arteritis Virus: Relevance for Virus Assembly and Infectivity

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped, positive-strand RNA virus belonging to the family Arteriviridae of the order Nidovirales. EAV virions contain six different envelope proteins. The glycoprotein GP(5) (previously named G(L)) and the unglycosylated membrane protein M are the major envelope proteins, while the glycoproteins GP(2b) (previously named G(S)), GP(3), and GP(4) are minor structural proteins. The unglycosylated small hydrophobic envelope protein E is present in virus particles in intermediate molar amounts compared to the other transmembrane proteins. The GP(5) and M proteins are both essential for particle assembly. They occur as covalently linked heterodimers that constitute the basic protein matrix of the envelope. The GP(2b), GP(3), and GP(4) proteins occur as a heterotrimeric complex in which disulfide bonds play an important role. The function of this complex has not been established yet, but the available data suggest it to be involved in the viral entry process. Here we investigated the role of the four cysteine residues of the mature GP(2b) protein in the assembly of the GP(2b)/GP(3)/GP(4) complex. Open reading frames encoding cysteine-to-serine mutants of the GP(2b) protein were expressed independently or from a full-length infectious EAV cDNA clone. The results of these experiments support a model in which the cysteine residue at position 102 of GP(2b) forms an intermolecular cystine bridge with one of the cysteines of the GP(4) protein, while the cysteine residues at positions 48 and 137 of GP(2b) are linked by an intrachain disulfide bond. In this model, another cysteine residue in the GP(4) protein is responsible for the covalent association of GP(3) with the disulfide-linked GP(2b)/GP(4) heterodimer. In addition, our data highlight the importance of the correct association of the minor EAV envelope glycoproteins for their efficient incorporation into viral particles and for virus infectivity

Generation of a Candidate Live Marker Vaccine for Equine Arteritis Virus by Deletion of the Major Virus Neutralization Domain

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped plus-strand RNA virus of the family Arteriviridae (order Nidovirales) that causes respiratory and reproductive disease in equids. Protective, virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNAb) elicited by infection are directed predominantly against an immunodominant region in the membrane-proximal domain of the viral envelope glycoprotein G(L), allowing recently the establishment of a sensitive peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on this particular domain (J. Nugent et al., J. Virol. Methods 90:167-183, 2000). By using an infectious cDNA we have now generated, in the controlled background of a nonvirulent virus, a mutant EAV from which this immunodominant domain was deleted. This virus, EAV-G(L)Δ, replicated to normal titers in culture cells, although at a slower rate than wild-type EAV, and caused an asymptomatic infection in ponies. The antibodies induced neutralized the mutant virus efficiently in vitro but reacted poorly to wild-type EAV strains. Nevertheless, when inoculated subsequently with virulent EAV, the immunized animals, in contrast to nonvaccinated controls, were fully protected against disease; replication of the challenge virus occurred briefly at low though detectable levels. The levels of protection achieved suggest that an immune effector mechanism other than VNAb plays an important role in protection against infection. As expected, infection with EAV-G(L)Δ did not induce a measurable response in our G(L)-peptide ELISA while the challenge infection of the animals clearly did. EAV-G(L)Δ or similar mutants are therefore attractive marker vaccine candidates, enabling serological discrimination between vaccinated and wild-type virus-infected animals