Re-thinking technology and its growing role in enabling patient empowerment

© The Author(s) 2018. The presence and increase of challenges to eHealth in today’s society have begun to generate doubts about the capability of technology in patient empowerment, especially within the frameworks supporting empowerment. Through the review of existing frameworks and articulation of patient demands, weaknesses in the current application of technology to support empowerment are explored, and key constituents of a technology-driven framework for patient empowerment are determined. This article argues that existing usage of technology in the design, development and implementation of patient empowerment in the healthcare system, although well intentioned, is insufficiently constituted, primarily as a result of fragmentation. Systems theory concepts such as holism and iteration are considered vital in improving the role of technology in enabling patient empowerment

Exploring approaches to the generation and representation of heritage artefacts in video game contexts

© 2016, © 2016 University of Wollongong. Video games can allow players to explore environments, which are representative of, or contain elements of physical world cultures, for example, allowing a player to explore ancient Egypt in Pharaoh (Impressions Games, 1999, Pharaoh [PC Game]. Sierra Entertainment) or present day Chicago in Watchdogs (Ubisoft Montreal, 2014, [PlayStation 4 game] . Guildford), etc. Game designers need to make design decisions regarding how these environments are going to be represented, including which items are going to be utilized, how they are going to be used in the game, and the level of detail to which they are going to be presented. These decisions can lead to concerns regarding how particular cultures are represented. This article describes research undertaken to investigate the design process with respect to the inclusion of physical world cultures in virtual game environments. Within the study approaches used (including processes and methods) by game designers in the stages of conceptualization, design and delivery are explored. In addition, these are contextualized through an understanding of designer attitudes towards the inclusion of items with cultural meaning and their perspectives on the importance of cultural representation within video games. This involved interviewing eight video game designers from global contexts within the industry, all with the experience of generating cultural items for inclusion in video game contexts. These interviews were structured with a focus on exploring views, experiences, beliefs and motivations of the individuals and of their working teams. Analysis was carried out through the use of a methodological process of analytical induction with the coding of particular variables within each interview transcript, and the transformation of the complete set of codings into a set of conceptual statements. This article relates these conceptual statements to earlier work regarding close readings of particular video games and discusses the relationship between design processes (facilitated through the interviews) and realized game worlds (facilitated through the close readings)

Identification. The missing link between joint attention and imitation

In this paper we outline our hypothesis that human intersubjective engagement entails identifying with other people. We tested a prediction derived from this hypothesis that concerned the relation between a component of joint attention and a specific form of imitation. The empirical investigation involved “blind” ratings of videotapes from a recent study in which we tested matched children with and without autism for their propensity to imitate the self-/other-orientated aspects of another person's actions. The results were in keeping with three a priori predictions, as follows: (a) children with autism contrasted with control participants in spending more time looking at the objects acted upon and less time looking at the tester; (b) participants with autism showed fewer “sharing” looks toward the tester, and although they also showed fewer “checking” and “orientating” looks, they were specifically less likely to show any sharing looks; and, critically, (c) within each group, individual differences in sharing looks (only) were associated with imitation of self–other orientation. We suggest that the propensity to adopt the bodily anchored psychological stance of another person is essential to certain forms of joint attention and imitation, and that a weak tendency to identify with others is pivotal for the developmental psychopathology of autism

Using an inverse-logistic model to describe growth increments of blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) in Tasmania

A new description of growth in blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) with the use of an inverse-logistic model is introduced. The inverse-logistic model avoids the disadvantageous assumptions of either rapid or slow growth for small and juvenile individuals implied by the von Bertalanffy and Gompertz growth models, respectively, and allows for indeterminate growth where necessary. An inverse-logistic model was used to estimate the expected mean growth increment for different black-lip abalone populations around southern Tasmania, Australia. Estimates of the time needed for abalone to grow from settlement until recruitment (at 138 mm shell length) into the fishery varied from eight to nine years. The variability of the residuals about the predicted mean growth increments was described with either a second inverse-logistic relationship (standard deviation vs. initial length) or by a power relationship (standard deviation vs. predicted growth increment). The inverse-logistic model can describe linear growth of small and juvenile abalone (as observed in Tasmania), as well as a spectrum of growth possibilities, from determinate to indeterminate growth (a spectrum that would lead to a spread of maximum lengths)

Exploring the concept of ‘family recovery' in families and individuals with lived experience of psychosis

Introduction. Families play an important role in the clinical and personal recovery outcomes of people with lived experience of psychosis, yet they are also affected by their informal caregiving role. The contributions that families make to service user personal recovery outcomes, as well as to their own personal recovery journeys, has been referred to as ‘family recovery’. The aim of this review was to identify the core components of family recovery by reviewing the empirical research and existing models of family recovery. Methods: A systematic literature review of peer reviewed published literature on family recovery was undertaken. Assia, CINAHL, psychinfo, Medline, and Web of Science bibliographic databases were searched. Results: Twelve papers were identified that met inclusion criteria. These comprised eight descriptive models of family recovery and four empirical qualitative papers exploring staff and service user perspectives on family recovery. Family recovery reflected three key components: 1) how families promote the recovery outcomes of people with psychosis 2) the personal recovery needs of family members, and 3) promoting the recovery of the family system. Conclusions: An understanding of the family experiences of recovery may help to facilitate improved personal recovery outcomes for families. However, the literature remains in its infancy and is hampered by a lack of empirical research. Implications for practice and further research are outlined

White-headed Vultures Trigonoceps occipitalis show visual field characteristics of hunting raptors

The visual fields of Aegypiinae vultures have been shown to be adapted primarily to meet two key perceptual challenges of their obligate carrion-feeding behaviour: scanning the ground and preventing the sun’s image falling upon the retina. However, field observations have shown that foraging White-headed Vultures (Trigonoceps occipitalis) are not exclusively carrion-feeders; they are also facultative predators of live prey. Such feeding is likely to present perceptual challenges that are additional to those posed by carrion-feeding. Binocularity is the key component of all visual fields and in birds it is thought to function primarily in the accurate placement and time of contact of the talons and bill, especially in the location and seizure of food items. We determined visual fields in White-headed Vultures and two species of carrion-eating Gyps vultures, and show that the visual field of White-headed Vultures have more similarities with those of predatory raptors (e.g. Accipitrid hawks), compared with the taxonomically more closely related Gyps vultures. We found that maximum binocular field width in White-headed vultures (30°) is significantly wider than Gyps vultures (20°). The broader binocular fields in White-headed Vultures probably facilitate accurate placement and timing of the talons when capturing evasive live prey

PAYING FOR SCHOOLING IN RURAL VIRGINIA

Community/Rural/Urban Development, Public Economics,

Some expectations and perceptions of electronic transfer of prescription systems

This article summarises the findings of five focus group sessions discussing the Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (ETP), held in 2003 at Salford and Huddersfield Universities. The aim of this evaluation was to ascertain the views of the stakeholders towards the introduction of ETP and views on existing ETP pilot models. The eight hypotheses identified as most important from the findings [1] are described

Neuroenhancement of exposure therapy in anxiety disorders

Although exposure-based treatments and anxiolytic medications are more effective than placebo for treating anxiety disorders, there is still considerable room for further improvement. Interestingly, combining these two modalities is usually not more effective than the monotherapies. Recent translational research has identified a number of novel approaches for treating anxiety disorders using agents that serve as neuroenhancers (also known as cognitive enhancers). Several of these agents have been studied to determine their efficacy at improving treatment outcome for patients with anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. In this review, we examine d-cycloserine, yohimbine, cortisol, catecholamines, oxytocin, modafinil, and nutrients such as caffeine and amino fatty acids as potential neuroenhancers. Of these agents, d-cycloserine shows the most promise as an effective neuroenhancer for extinction learning and exposure therapy. Yet, the optimal dosing and dose timing for drug administration remains uncertain. There is partial support for cortisol, catecholamines, yohimbine and oxytocin for improving extinction learning and exposure therapy. There is less evidence to indicate that modafinil and nutrients such as caffeine and amino fatty acids are effective neuroenhancers. More research is needed to determine their long term efficacy and clinical utility of these agents.R34 MH086668 - NIMH NIH HHS; R01 AT007257 - NCCIH NIH HHS; R21 MH101567 - NIMH NIH HHS; R34 MH099311 - NIMH NIH HHS; R21 MH102646 - NIMH NIH HHS; K23 MH100259 - NIMH NIH HHS; R01 MH099021 - NIMH NIH HH

The Effects of Motivation, Technology and Satisfaction on Student Achievement in Face-to-Face and Online College Algebra Classes

Demand for online learning has increased in recent years due to the convenience of class delivery. However, some students appear to have difficulties with online education resulting in lack of completion. The study utilized a quantitative approach with archival data and survey design. The factors of demographics, motivation, technology, and satisfaction were compared for face-to-face and online students. MANCOVA tests were performed to analyze the data while controlling age and gender to uncover significant differences between the two groups. The sample and population for this study were predominantly Hispanic students. Motivation and Technology were non-significant, but satisfaction was proven to be significant. In face-to-face courses, females were more satisfied than males. While in online courses, males were more satisfied than females. There was an interaction effect between the methods of instruction and the grade levels of A, B, C, D, and F/W on the dependent variables; Motivation, Technology, and Satisfaction