Different Contexts Of Use Research Articles

Defining Parkinson's Disease: Past and Future.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common still relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a long period in which the pathophysiological process is already spreading but cardinal motor symptoms are not present. This review outlines the major developments and milestones in our understanding of PD that have shaped the way we define this disorder. Past criteria and definitions of PD have been based on clinical motor manifestations enabling diagnosis of the disease only in later symptomatic stages. Nevertheless, with advancing knowledge of disease pathophysiology and aim of early disease detection, a major shift of the diagnostic paradigm is being advocated towards a biological definition similar to other neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease, with the ultimate goal of an earlier, disease course modifying therapy. We summarize the major pillars of this possible approach including in vivo detection of neuronal α-synuclein aggregation, neurodegeneration and genetics and outline their possible application in different contexts of use in the frame of biological PD definition.

Recommendations for Development and Validation of a Fit-For-Purpose Biomarker Assays Using Western Blotting; An-AAPS Sponsored Initiative to Harmonize Industry Practices.

Western blot (WB) assays are routinely used for detection and quantification of biomarkers. Although assay validation to measure biomarkers in complex matrices has become a mainstay process for ligand binding assays (LBA) and mass spectrometry (MS), no guidelines exist yet validate biomarker methods using WB techniques. In this cross-industry white paper, we outlined in detail the key steps for development and for validation of WB assays for protein biomarkers under different contexts of use (COU). In addition, we described how to determine the level of assay validation needed for biomarker assays using Western blotting. For simplicity, we described two paths of WB assay validation. The first path (Path 1) is for biomarkers being analyzed for exploratory research or for internal go- or no/go- decision making. The second path (Path 2) is for clinical decision making such as dose determination or drug response that need to be run in a regulated environment. This work is supported through AAPS Biomarkers and Precision Medicine subteam and represents AAPS members opinion.

Exceptions, Instantiations, and Overgeneralization: Insights into How Language Models Process Generics

Abstract Large language models (LLMs) have garnered a great deal of attention for their exceptional generative performance on commonsense and reasoning tasks. In this work, we investigate LLMs’ capabilities for generalization using a particularly challenging type of statement: generics. Generics express generalizations (e.g., birds can fly) but do so without explicit quantification. They are notable because they generalize over their instantiations (e.g., sparrows can fly) yet hold true even in the presence of exceptions (e.g., penguins do not). For humans, these generic generalization play a fundamental role in cognition, concept acquisition, and intuitive reasoning. We investigate how LLMs respond to and reason about generics. To this end, we first propose a framework grounded in pragmatics to automatically generate both exceptions and instantiations – collectively exemplars. We make use of focus – a pragmatic phenomenon that highlights meaning-bearing elements in a sentence – to capture the full range of interpretations of generics across different contexts of use. This allows us to derive precise logical definitions for exemplars and operationalize them to automatically generate exemplars from LLMs. Using our system, we generate a dataset of ∼370k exemplars across ∼17k generics and conduct a human validation of a sample of the generated data. We use our final generated dataset to investigate how LLMs’ reason about generics. Humans have a documented tendency to conflate universally quantified statements (e.g., all birds can fly) with generics. Therefore, we probe whether LLMs exhibit similar overgeneralization behavior in terms of quantification and in property inheritance. We find that LLMs do show evidence of overgeneralization, although they sometimes struggle to reason about exceptions. Furthermore, we find that LLMs may exhibit similar non-logical behavior to humans when considering property inheritance from generics.

On Freedom from Remorse (Avipratisāra/Avippaṭisāra): Its Place on the Well-Trodden Path from Moral Discipline to Samādhi Meditation

The primary objective of this study is to shed light on the role and significance of freedom from remorse (avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra) in the cultivation of Buddhist concentration (samādhi) meditation. The study delves into the progression from avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra to samādhi, examining how moral discipline influences an individual’s conscience and, consequently, meditation. We commence by examining the well-established path of cultivation leading toward samādhi. A comprehensive study was undertaken to understand the term avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra, its significance for Buddhist meditation, the context in which it originated, and the various English translations that have been provided for it. Furthermore, a comparison is made between avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra and a seemingly synonymous term, kaukṛtya/kukkucca, with areas being sought where one or the other tends to be (or is exclusively) used within the discourse about Buddhist ethics and meditation. From various Buddhist scriptures, it is suggested that a morally disciplined individual typically progresses through a series of states, starting with freedom from remorse and potentially leading to concentration (samādhi). Avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra is pivotal in fostering positive meditative states, serving as a catalyst that propels individuals from negative emotions to wholesome ones on the Buddhist path. By contrast, both vipratisāra/vippaṭisāra and kaukṛtya/kukkucca are identified as basically synonymous words for disturbing emotions with somewhat different contexts of use, the elimination of such emotions being necessary if individuals are to progress on their spiritual journey. Avipratisāra/avippaṭisāra plays a crucial intermediary role bridging Buddhist ethics and meditation. Moral discipline and the subsequent understanding and confession of any personal misconduct are integral to fostering freedom from remorse. Such freedom not only paves the way to deeper meditation but also fortifies one’s confidence in Buddhist teachings, and so provides a foundation for true spiritual progress.

Digital Games Adopted by Adults—A Documental Approach through Meta-Analysis

The gaming industry has seen a considerable expansion thanks to the ever-increasing and widespread consumption of digital games in different contexts of use and across all age groups. We are witnessing a commercial boom and awakening the attention of researchers from different scientific areas to address an interdisciplinary topic. Digital games consumption has inspired some studies investigating the use and adoption of these games and, in this context, we ask: “how has the use and adoption of digital games by adults been studied?”. We conducted a documental study with a meta-analysis approach to answer these questions, considering the most relevant research papers published in the last fifteen years, according to a set of inclusion criteria. The planned objectives consider identifying the main dimensions in the studies about the use and adoption of digital games by adults and the findings of this study delineate several dimensions as prospective latent variables for inclusion in future studies within acceptance models for digital games. Furthermore, our research illuminates the socialization dimension, particularly when amalgamated with other conceptual dimensions. This nuanced understanding underscores the intricate interplay between various factors influencing the acceptance and adoption of digital gaming technologies.

Old and modern volcanic depictions as evidence of communities-volcanoes mutualism in Colombia

Studying the different ways in which the concept of volcanism is represented is crucial in the understanding of communities’ perception of the volcanic phenomena. In this contribution, 129 modern (2021-2023) depictions of volcanoes in Colombia between latitudes 0.82 and 5.96° N are described and classified into different contexts of use. Prehispanic depictions of volcanism are investigated in rock art sites (3 pictographs and 33 petroglyphs), and 15 distinct mythical narratives compiled and confirmed through interviews in the State of Nariño. We suggest that many of the rock art sites contain motifs that are reminiscent of the idea of volcanism, and that many of the folk tales include allusions to the volcanic concept. By collating the information contained in modern and older depictions, a link is established with the reality of the volcanic phenomena that shows how mutualism takes root between communities and volcanoes. The beneficial aspects derived from this relationship influence the perception of volcanic hazards in the region.

Equivalent experience

I87 million European citizens have some form of disability. In an ideal world, every product should be accessible to everyone through an inclusive design process that ensures an equivalent experience for all. Designing web and mobile applications with accessibility as a priority means designing interaction systems that are "interoperable", i.e. always reliable in different contexts of use and in the presence of different methods of navigation, data entry and exchange. For this reason, the UX/UI designer must acquire specific skills in the field of web standards and thus learn the basics of HTML semantics, essential for the design of accessible web components. So don't stop at the surface, but go deeper to meet everyone's needs. The article aims to address the issue of accessibility in the design of mobile applications and websites according to current Web Standards, through the analysis of case studies and best practices, in order to delineate the role of the designer within the whole development process in relation to the other figures involved.

Reproducibility and Robustness of a Liver Microphysiological System PhysioMimix LC12 under Varying Culture Conditions and Cell Type Combinations.

The liver is one of the key organs for exogenous and endogenous metabolism and is often a target for drug- and chemical-driven toxicity. A wide range of experimental approaches has been established to model and characterize the mechanisms of drug- and chemical-induced hepatotoxicity. A number of microfluidics-enabled in vitro models of the liver have been developed, but the unclear translatability of these platforms has hindered their adoption by the pharmaceutical industry; to achieve wide use for drug and chemical safety evaluation, demonstration of reproducibility and robustness under various contexts of use is required. One of these commercially available platforms is the PhysioMimix LC12, a microfluidic device where cells are seeded into a 3D scaffold that is continuously perfused with recirculating cell culture media to mimic liver sinusoids. Previous studies demonstrated this model's functionality and potential applicability to preclinical drug development. However, to gain confidence in PhysioMimix LC12's robustness and reproducibility, supplementary characterization steps are needed, including the assessment of various human hepatocyte sources, contribution of non-parenchymal cells (NPCs), and comparison to other models. In this study, we performed replicate studies averaging 14 days with either primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes, with and without NPCs. Albumin and urea secretion, lactate dehydrogenase, CYP3A4 activity, and metabolism were evaluated to assess basal function and metabolic capacity. Model performance was characterized by different cell combinations under intra- and inter-experimental replication and compared to multi-well plates and other liver platforms. PhysioMimix LC12 demonstrated the highest metabolic function with PHHs, with or without THP-1 or Kupffer cells, for up to 10-14 days. iPSC-derived hepatocytes and PHHs co-cultured with additional NPCs demonstrated sub-optimal performance. Power analyses based on replicate experiments and different contexts of use will inform future study designs due to the limited throughput and high cell demand. Overall, this study describes a workflow for independent testing of a complex microphysiological system for specific contexts of use, which may increase end-user adoption in drug development.

One thing can be more than one thing: a comparative study of the teacher professionalization app ‘TeacherTapp’

ABSTRACT This article analyses the smartphone application TeacherTapp that is used to collect and disseminate information on teachers’ views on education and their classroom practices. The research takes as its object of analysis the use of TeacherTapp in England and Flanders. We analyze what TeacherTapp is, how it relates to a given localized community in its form and function, as well as how it impacts education by re-shaping discourse on teaching. We find that this technology is a ‘multiple enactment’ that is articulated, used, and viewed differently between England and Flanders as well as in different contexts of use. We furthermore find that this multiple enactment centers on the complexities of the participatory data streams’ flowing from, and generated by, the app. We conclude that TeacherTapp enables new forms of participatory datafication in education that constitutes new modes of enacting teachers’ professional voice as a teacher professionalization app.

Motor Imagery Classification Based on EEG Sensing with Visual and Vibrotactile Guidance.

Motor imagery (MI) is a technique of imagining the performance of a motor task without actually using the muscles. When employed in a brain-computer interface (BCI) supported by electroencephalographic (EEG) sensors, it can be used as a successful method of human-computer interaction. In this paper, the performance of six different classifiers, namely linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and three classifiers from the family of convolutional neural networks (CNN), is evaluated using EEG MI datasets. The study investigates the effectiveness of these classifiers on MI, guided by a static visual cue, dynamic visual guidance, and a combination of dynamic visual and vibrotactile (somatosensory) guidance. The effect of filtering passband during data preprocessing was also investigated. The results show that the ResNet-based CNN significantly outperforms the competing classifiers on both vibrotactile and visually guided data when detecting different directions of MI. Preprocessing the data using low-frequency signal features proves to be a better solution to achieve higher classification accuracy. It has also been shown that vibrotactile guidance has a significant impact on classification accuracy, with the associated improvement particularly evident for architecturally simpler classifiers. These findings have important implications for the development of EEG-based BCIs, as they provide valuable insight into the suitability of different classifiers for different contexts of use.

Evaluation of clinical assessments of social abilities for use in autism clinical trials by the autism biomarkers consortium for clinical trials.

Clinical trials in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often rely on clinician rating scales and parent surveys to measure autism-related features and social behaviors. To aid in the selection of these assessments for future clinical trials, the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials (ABC-CT) directly compared eight common instruments with respect to acquisition rates, sensitivity to group differences, equivalence across demographic sub-groups, convergent validity, and stability over a 6-week period. The sample included 280 children diagnosed with ASD (65 girls) and 119 neurotypical children (36 girls) aged from 6 to 11 years. Full scale IQ for ASD ranged from 60 to 150 and for neurotypical ranged from 86 to 150. Instruments measured clinician global assessment and autism-related behaviors, social communication abilities, adaptive function, and social withdrawal behavior. For each instrument, we examined only the scales that measured social or communication functioning. Data acquisition rates were at least 97.5% at T1 and 95.7% at T2. All scales distinguished diagnostic groups. Some scales significantly differed by participant and/or family demographic characteristics. Within the ASD group, most clinical instruments exhibited weak (≥ |0.1|) to moderate (≥ |0.4|) intercorrelations. Short-term stability was moderate (ICC: 0.5-0.75) to excellent (ICC: >0.9) within the ASD group. Variations in the degree of stability may inform viability for different contexts of use, such as identifying clinical subgroups for trials versus serving as a modifiable clinical outcome. All instruments were evaluated in terms of their advantages and potential concerns for use in clinical trials.

Exploring the user’s preferences of different adaptation policies in adaptive menu design

Adaptive User Interfaces (AUIs) have been developed to improve the usability of products by adapting to the user, the platform, and the environment. However, there is a limited understanding of how different adaptation policies impact personalization and usability in adaptive menus. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of different adaptation policies in adaptive menu design. The study surveyed computer science students at Kathmandu University and conducted a usability study to gather data. The results of the study showed that a majority of participants were neutral in their perception of the ease of use of the websites they regularly visit, but a strong majority (83%) indicated a preference for personalized menu options. Personalization was found to be a key factor in the effectiveness of adaptive menus. Participants valued the ability of adaptive menus to tailor their options based on their specific needs or preferences. The findings of this study provide insight into users’ preferences for adaptation policies in adaptive menus and suggest that a recency-frequency-based menu is most effective in meeting users’ needs. Similarly, findings also suggest users’ preference for adaptation policy also changes based on the context of use. Future research could further investigate the effectiveness of different adaptation policies in different contexts of use.

Collecting movie posters: Changes in the digital age

While the film poster took over fifty years to become a collector's item, the alternative poster was born as such. The article has five parts. The introduction explores the acknowledgment of the film poster as a collector's item through the advent of Pop Art. The second and third parts propose a brief historical survey of the film poster and its difficult life. This survey and the presentation of some of its protagonists help us understand why the poster obtained its artistic autonomy, overcoming its function as a pure advertising medium. The fourth part analyses three posters diversified by production: (i) the Official poster distributed in cinemas and elsewhere; (ii) the Alternative movie poster created by young independent artists; (iii) and the poster created for distribution on the Netflix platform. This analysis highlights how the different contexts of use influence the structure and composition of the posters. In this sense, the development of the Alternative poster is a perfect example of what Jenkins intends as a participatory culture, made explicit by the rise of new movements born with the affirmation of technologies based on deep-learning systems.

Narrowing the Implementation Gap

Developing new digital tools to fit the needs of communicative urban and green area planning requires understanding of the various prospective user groups, the different contexts of use, the planning tasks, and the communicative activities at hand. However, it is not self-evident that user research can be applied in research and innovation projects with limited human and time resources. In this article, a user-centered design (UCD) approach is applied in the development of new collaborative 3D tools for urban and green area planning in a multidisciplinary research team in the GreenTwins project. This research shows how essential it is to select easy-to-learn user research methods, identify the knowledge needs for tool development, and ensure that user insight is transmitted to development. In the GreenTwins project, this was achieved by applying a simple UCD framework (PACT) and engaging the research and development team in the process. Despite the challenges, the results show that the methodology used was beneficial.

Data from Zimbabwean College Students on the Measurement Invariance of the Entrepreneurship Goal and Implementation Intentions Scales

This article analyses primary data on the entrepreneurship intentions of selected Zimbabwean college students. The goal of this study was to examine the measurement invariance of the entrepreneurship goal and implementation intention scales across gender groups in a higher education setting. Entrepreneurship goal intentions (EGI) and entrepreneurship implementation intentions (EII) are examined as separate but related constructs. To address the research goal, a positivist philosophy and quantitative research approach were used. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from a convenient sample of 262 college students in Zimbabwe. A researcher-administered questionnaire, written in English, was distributed to the respondents and collected after completion. Multi-group confirmatory analysis was performed on the dataset using JASP computer software. The results obtained confirmed all four levels of measurement invariance, namely configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance. The pattern of the results validates the consistency of the measurement properties of the entrepreneurial intention instruments designed in developed countries across different contexts of use. Researchers, entrepreneurship educators, and policymakers in Zimbabwe can use the results of this analysis to quantify potential entrepreneurs among young adults and to come up with intervention measures to support future entrepreneurship.

Scientific Knowledge vs. Knowledge of Science

How is knowledge pertaining to science best transferred to the public in order to bolster support for science-based policy and governance, thereby serving the common good? Herein lies a well-recognized challenge: widespread public support arguably requires a widespread understanding of science itself, but this is naturally undermined by the inherent complexities of the sciences, and by disparities in teaching and popular reporting. A common reaction to this has been to champion educational reform to produce broader scientific literacy, but prevailing conceptions of this, I argue, are misconceived. I consider an account of “knowledge transfer”—a practice whereby science is “transferred” between different contexts of use—to illuminate why some transfers are successful and others are not, and thus, why conventional appeals to scientific literacy are bound to be ineffective in producing public understanding that serves societal wellbeing. As an alternative, principal focus, what is required is a form of philosophical literacy regarding science, amounting to a particular understanding of the claim that “Whatever natural science may be for the specialist, for educational purposes it is knowledge of the conditions of human action” (Dewey, 1916, p. 128).

Visual aids in ambulatory clinical practice: Experiences, perceptions and needs of patients and healthcare professionals.

This study aims to explore how visual aids (VA) are used in ambulatory medical practice. Our research group (two doctors, one graphic designer and one sociologist) have led a qualitative study based on Focus Groups. A semi-structured guide and examples of VA were used to stimulate discussions. Participants were healthcare professionals (HP) working in ambulatory practice in Geneva and French-speaking outpatients. After inductive thematic analysis, the coding process was analyzed and modified to eventually reach consensus. Six focus groups gathered twenty-one HP and fifteen patients. Our study underlines the variety of purposes of use of VA and the different contexts of use allowing the distinction between "stand-alone" VA used out of consultation by patients alone and "interactive" VA used during a consultation enriched by the interaction between HP and patients. HP described that VA can take the form of useful tools for education and communication during consultation. They have questioned the quality of available VA and complained about restricted access to them. Patients expressed concern about the impact of VA on the interaction with HP. Participants agreed on the beneficial role of VA to supplement verbal explanation and text. Our study emphasizes the need to classify available VA, guarantee their quality, facilitate their access and deliver pertinent instructions for use.

A circulação das ideias de Johann Friedrich Herbart em manuais didáticos norte-americanos (1893-1920)

Abstract This article adopts the historical perspective to understand the dynamics of the circulation of pedagogical ideas and identify movements of innovation, accommodation, and reinterpretation, usual in cultural processes. The analysis of the theme is limited to the educational ideas of Johan Friedrich Herbart (1776-1841) put into circulation in the United States of America, between the final decade of the 19th century and the initial decades of the 20th century. The documentary sources that support the analysis of this theme are two textbooks produced to guide the teaching practice of elementary school teachers, in training and practice: The elements of the general method based on the principles of Herbart (in the 1893 and 1907 editions) and Teaching by Projects, published in 1920, both by Charles A. McMurry (1857-1929), one of the leading North American disseminators of Herbartianism who, in addition to producing a vast bibliography, was a teacher, director and superintendent in primary schools, served in teacher training institutions and was one of the founders and Secretary of the National Herbart Society. The analysis of the diffusion cycle of Herbartian ideas, located between the Pestalozzian conceptions - the object lessons - and the conceptions of Progressive Education - the project method -, considered the interrelationship between agents, educational institutions, and pedagogical publications and followed since its renewing pretensions until its capitulation in the face of other trends and theories. Movements of innovation, adaptation, and reinterpretation of pedagogical concepts and practices were identified to give them relevance and meaning in different contexts of use.

Development of an affective database made of interactive virtual environments

Despite the great potential of Virtual Reality (VR) to arouse emotions, there are no VR affective databases available as it happens for pictures, videos, and sounds. In this paper, we describe the validation of ten affective interactive Virtual Environments (VEs) designed to be used in Virtual Reality. These environments are related to five emotions. The testing phase included using two different experimental setups to deliver the overall experience. The setup did not include any immersive VR technology, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but the VEs were designed to run on stereoscopic visual displays. We collected measures related to the participants’ emotional experience based on six discrete emotional categories plus neutrality and we included an assessment of the sense of presence related to the different experiences. The results showed how the scenarios can be differentiated according to the emotion aroused. Finally, the comparison between the two experimental setups demonstrated high reliability of the experience and strong adaptability of the scenarios to different contexts of use.

The emergence of new market spaces: Brokerage and firm cognitive endowment

Framing within the service-dominant logic view, this paper deals with the emergence of new market spaces conceptualized as new contexts of use. This work aims to describe the emergence of a new value cocreation context from brokerage and exaptation strategies. By filling a literature gap, the paper describes why and how the service-dominant logic and brokerage strategy, i.e., a strategy brokering different cultural domains and contexts of use, and their variant exaptation, i.e., a strategy brokering a technological domain featured by a specific use with a completely different context of use, are useful for framing the emergence of a new market space. The paper's second aim is to draw the configuration of firm cognitive endowment—the T-shaped model—potentially enabling brokerage/exaptation strategies. The paper highlights the features a firm cognitive endowment should possess in terms of in-depth competencies and dynamic capabilities to trigger new and potentially valuable contexts of use.