User experience in cross-cultural contexts

This dissertation discusses how interdisciplinary UX teams can consider culturally sensitive design elements during the UX design process. It contributes a state-of-the-art meta review on UX evaluation methods, two software tool artifacts for cross-functional UX teams, and empirical insights in the differing usage behaviors of a website plug-in of French, German and Italian users, website design preferences of Vietnamese and German users, as well as learnings from a field trip that focused on studying privacy and personalization in Mumbai, India. Finally, based on these empirical insights, this work introduces the concept culturally sensitive design that goes beyond traditional cross-cultural design considerations in HCI that do not compare different approaches to consider culturally sensitive product aspects in user research

User experience in cross-cultural contexts

This dissertation discusses how interdisciplinary UX teams can consider culturally sensitive design elements during the UX design process. It contributes a state-of-the-art meta review on UX evaluation methods, two software tool artifacts for cross-functional UX teams, and empirical insights in the differing usage behaviors of a website plug-in of French, German and Italian users, website design preferences of Vietnamese and German users, as well as learnings from a field trip that focused on studying privacy and personalization in Mumbai, India. Finally, based on these empirical insights, this work introduces the concept culturally sensitive design that goes beyond traditional cross-cultural design considerations in HCI that do not compare different approaches to consider culturally sensitive product aspects in user research

Imaging of metabolic activity adaptations to UV stress, drugs and differentiation at cellular resolution in skin and skin equivalents – Implications for oxidative UV damage

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Biodynamische Beleuchtung - Die Wirkung von Licht auf den Menschen in Hinblick auf anwendungsspezifische Umsetzungen biologisch wirksamer Beleuchtung in der Praxis

Natürliches Licht ist für Menschen unentbehrlich. Es unterstützt das Sehen, sorgt für Wohlbefinden und beeinflusst unsere Aktivierungs- und Erholungsphasen. Somit wirkt es dreifach: visuell, emotional und biologisch. Die biologische Wirkung des Lichts taktet die innere Uhr des Menschen. Vor allem der dadurch beeinflusste Anteil der Hormone Cortisol und Melatonin im Körper bestimmt Schlaf- und Wachphasen, aber auch Herzfrequenz, Blutdruck und Stimmung. Lange Zeiten, in denen Menschen heute künstlichem Licht und damit oft biologischer Dunkelheit ausgesetzt sind, machen eine gute Beleuchtung umso wichtiger. Biodynamisches Licht (Human Centric Lighting) kann vor allem in Räumen mit wenig Tageslichtversorgung sowie in den Wintermonaten, wenn die innere Uhr kaum mit dem Tageslicht synchronisiert wird, das Wohlbefinden nachhaltig stärken. Das Waldmann Lichtmanagementsystem VTL entstand in enger wissenschaftlicher Abstimmung. Es bringt die Dynamik des natürlichen Tageslichts in Innenräume und erweitert dadurch die emotionalen und ergonomischen Aspekte der Lichtqualität. Im Büro, in der Industrie und in Pflege- und Gesundheitseinrichtungen

Altered Memory Capacities and Response to Stress in p300/CBP-Associated Factor (PCAF) Histone Acetylase Knockout Mice

International audienceChromatin remodeling by posttranslational modification of histones plays an important role in brain plasticity, including memory, response to stress and depression. The importance of H3/4 histones acetylation by CREB-binding protein (CBP) or related histone acetyltransferase, including p300, was specifically demonstrated using knockout (KO) mouse models. The physiological role of a related protein that also acts as a transcriptional coactivator with intrinsic histone acetylase activity, the p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF), is poorly documented. We analyzed the behavioral phenotype of homozygous male and female PCAF KO mice and report a marked impact of PCAF deletion on memory processes and stress response. PCAF KO animals showed short-term memory deficits at 2 months of age, measured using spontaneous alternation, object recognition, or acquisition of a daily changing platform position in the water maze. Acquisition of a fixed platform location was delayed, but preserved, and no passive avoidance deficit was noted. No gender-related difference was observed. These deficits were associated with hippocampal alterations in pyramidal cell layer organization, basal levels of Fos immunoreactivity, and MAP kinase activation. PCAF KO mice also showed an exaggerated response to acute stress, forced swimming, and conditioned fear, associated with increased plasma corticosterone levels. Moreover, learning and memory impairments worsened at 6 and 12 months of age, when animals failed to acquire the fixed platform location in the water maze and showed passive avoidance deficits. These observations demonstrate that PCAF histone acetylase is involved lifelong in the chromatin remodeling necessary for memory formation and response to stress

Valproate and Amitriptyline Exert Common and Divergent Influences on Global and Gene Promoter-Specific Chromatin Modifications in Rat Primary Astrocytes

Aberrant biochemical processes in the brain frequently go along with subtle shifts of the cellular epigenetic profile that might support the pathogenic progression of psychiatric disorders. Although recent reports have implied the ability of certain antidepressants and mood stabilizers to modulate epigenetic parameters, studies comparing the actions of these compounds under the same conditions are lacking. In this study, we screened amitriptyline (AMI), venlafaxine, citalopram, as well as valproic acid (VPA), carbamazepine, and lamotrigine for their potential actions on global and local epigenetic modifications in rat primary astrocytes. Among all drugs, VPA exposure evoked the strongest global chromatin modifications, including histone H3/H4 hyperacetylation, 2MeH3K9 hypomethylation, and DNA demethylation, as determined by western blot and luminometric methylation analysis, respectively. CpG demethylation occurred independently of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) suppression. Strikingly, AMI also induced slight cytosine demethylation, paralleled by the reduction in DNMT enzymatic activity, without affecting the global histone acetylation status. Locally, VPA-induced chromatin modifications were reflected at the glutamate transporter (GLT-1) promoter as shown by bisulfite sequencing and acetylated histone H4 chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. Distinct CpG sites in the distal part of the GLT-1 promoter were demethylated and enriched in acetylated histone H4 in response to VPA. For the first time, we could show that these changes were associated with an enhanced transcription of this astrocyte-specific gene. In contrast, AMI failed to stimulate GLT-1 transcription and to alter promoter methylation levels. In conclusion, VPA and AMI globally exerted chromatin-modulating activities using different mechanisms that divergently precipitated at an astroglial gene locus