Merging Virtual World with Real-Life Behavior: A Concept for a Smartphone App to Influence Young People’s Travel Behavior

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Roider ◽  
Sandra Wegener ◽  
Juliane Stark ◽  
Peter Judmaier ◽  
Frank Michelberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Travel Behavior ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Active Travel ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Sustainable Mobility ◽  
Good Tool ◽  
High Level

European trends in children’s travel patterns show decreasing rates of trips walked or cycled. Against this background, a concept for a smartphone app was developed to promote active travel modes for children and adolescents. The app collects players’ travel data as input for a game: a high level of real-life environmentally friendly and active travel modes leads to a higher score. Competing players redeem the points they have collected to reach specific virtual locations on a map and win real-life rewards (e.g., shopping vouchers). The game was developed based on the user-centered design approach—an iterative process between design, prototyping, and evaluation. This paper presents the game concept alongside the results of a prototype field test at three schools in the province of Lower Austria, comprising 57 students aged 12 to 18. Results suggest that the game was easy to use and entertaining. However, younger players lost interest faster than older ones. Players emphasized improvements in relation to mode detection and tracking of individual trips, since fair playing conditions were requested by all age groups. Although the level of knowledge about sustainable mobility is high among young people, the game was rated as being a good tool for raising awareness regarding the environmental and health effects of mode choice. The promising results of this research project need to be transferred into a business model that can provide ongoing game updates, keep the players interested, and achieve long-term effects.

scholarly journals Video-based smartphone app (‘VIDEA bewegt’) for physical activity support in German adults: a study protocol for a single-armed observational study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e034027
Author(s):  
Tillmann Fischer ◽  
Paul Stumpf ◽  
Gesine Reinhardt ◽  
Peter E H Schwarz ◽  
Patrick Timpel
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Insufficient Physical Activity ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Registration Number

IntroductionInsufficient physical activity is one of the most important risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Physical activity should therefore be intensively promoted in all age groups. Several trials suggest that it can be effectively increased through smartphone interventions.However, few of the smartphone-interventions available on the market have been scientifically evaluated. Therefore, the described study aims to assess the short-term and long-term effects of the smartphone intervention ‘VIDEA bewegt’ to increase physical activity. The trial is designed as a single-armed observational trial to assess effects under real-life conditions.Methods and analysisThe intervention consists of the smartphone-application ‘VIDEA bewegt’, which is a video-based preventative programme to improve physical activity in everyday life. The application contains several features and components including educational videos, documentation of activity and motivational exercises. A sample size of at least 106 participants is aimed for.The primary objective of this study is to determine the effect of the application on physical activity in German adults. Secondary objectives are to evaluate the self-efficacy, health-related quality of life and usability of ‘VIDEA bewegt’.Data collection is based on online questionnaires, as well as system-internal recorded data.Changes of outcomes from baseline to programme completion and follow-up will be calculated.Ethics and disseminationThe Ethics Committee of the Technical University Dresden approved the study on 25 May 2019 (EK 272062019). All data are processed anonymously and stored on servers only accessible by authorised personnel. The results of the study and the results of the usability test are aimed to be published in a scientific journal.Trial registration numberGerman Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS00017392).

A Study on Knowledge, Attitude, Awareness and Practice About HIV/AIDS among different age group of Karachi, Pakistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-333
Author(s):  
Safia Mehmood ◽  
Sheema Zia ◽  
Nida Aziz ◽  
Omama Sajid
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
World Population ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
Awareness Programs ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Strongly Agree ◽  
High Level ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

The AIDS is one of the most complicated health problems of the 21st century and it threatens the world population. AIDS spread at an alarming rate. This was a descriptive study to determine the knowledge, awareness, and practice about HIV among different age groups. The study carried out in Karachi, Pakistan during the period of January 2016-april 2016, in which 82 peoples are participated; 65 peoples having age in between 18-30, people’s lies in 31-40 years, while only 4 peoples having age above 40. From which 91% peoples thought HIV is dangerous virus and 51% peoples having misconception that it cause AIDS on initial stage and does not have any effect on CD4+. Majority of peoples aware about transmission of AIDS through intercourse, and during pregnancy. But the study show the high level of misbelieve also in mode of transmission that HIV transmit through sweat, saliva etc. Majority of the peoples have knowledge that HIV-1 is the most common type found worldwide. Also large number of peoples have knowledge that HIV weak immune system by destroying CD4+ and require long exposure to progress AIDS. Less than 15% of peoples strongly agree that AIDS is common in women. This misconception reflex the lack of knowledge and awareness in the HIV transmission and gender relation. Also majority of peoples thought that lack of knowledge is major barrier in the proper cure of disease. So increasing knowledge by awareness programs; sexual prevention; by starting national testing resources and curing poverty will cured AIDS in Pakistan. Newly drugs are introduced which can stop the progression of AIDS.

A proposal to enhance national capability to manage epidemics: The critical importance of expert statistical input including official statistics

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
N.I. Fisher ◽  
D.J. Trewin
Keyword(s):  
Data Streams ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Economic Welfare ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
High Level ◽  
Integration Analysis

Given the high level of global mobility, pandemics are likely to be more frequent, and with potentially devastating consequences for our way of life. With COVID-19, Australia is in relatively better shape than most other countries and is generally regarded as having managed the pandemic well. That said, we believe there is a critical need to start the process of learning from this pandemic to improve the quantitative information and related advice provided to policy makers. A dispassionate assessment of Australia’s health and economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic reveals some important inadequacies in the data, statistical analysis and interpretation used to guide Australia’s preparations and actions. For example, one key shortcoming has been the lack of data to obtain an early understanding of the extent of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases or the differences across age groups, occupations or ethnic groups. Minimising the combined health, social and economic impacts of a novel virus depends critically on ongoing acquisition, integration, analysis, interpretation and presentation of a variety of data streams to inform the development, execution and monitoring of appropriate strategies. The article captures the essential quantitative components of such an approach for each of the four basic phases, from initial detection to post-pandemic. It also outlines the critical steps in each stage to enable policy makers to deal more efficiently and effectively with future such events, thus enhancing both the social and the economic welfare of its people. Although written in an Australian context, we believe most elements would apply to other countries as well.

Puzzles Unpuzzled

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (CHI PLAY) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Andrey Krekhov ◽  
Katharina Emmerich ◽  
Ronja Rotthaler ◽  
Jens Krueger
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Basic Structure ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Related Research ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Current State ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
High Level

Escape rooms exist in various forms, including real-life facilities, board games, and digital implementations. The underlying idea is always the same: players have to solve many diverse puzzles to (virtually) escape from a locked room. Within the last decade, we witnessed a rapidly increasing popularity of such games, which also amplified the amount of related research. However, the respective academic landscape is mostly fragmented in its current state, lacking a common model and vocabulary that would withstand these games' variety. This manuscript aims to establish such a foundation for the analysis and construction of escape rooms. In a first step, we derive a high-level design framework from prior literature. Then, as our main contribution, we establish an atomic puzzle taxonomy that closes the gap between the analog and digital domains. The taxonomy is developed in multiple steps: we compose a basic structure based on previous literature and systematically refine it by analyzing 39 analog and digital escape room games, including recent virtual reality representatives. The final taxonomy consists of mental, physical, and emotional challenges, thereby providing a robust and approachable basis for future works across all application domains that deal with escape rooms or puzzles in general.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE UNITY OF KNOWLEDGE, COMPETENCIES, AND VALUES OF THE NEW UKRAINIAN SCHOOL

2021 ◽  
pp. 36-46
Author(s):  
Oksana Yakymchuk
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Essential Characteristic ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Pedagogical Action ◽  
Professional Self ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Competencies ◽  
High Level ◽  
Unity Of Knowledge ◽  
Educational Potential

The formation of a powerful, active, and dynamic axiological foundation of personality is one of the essential tasks of the competency approach because even a high level of knowledge and skills acquired in the process of learning and education cannot ensure the integrity and progressively oriented unity of personal and professional competencies for future successful life, socio-cultural and professional self-realization. Given this, within the competence paradigm of education, qualitatively new content is the unity of learning and education. If before a significant amount of theoretical knowledge, detached from real life, had a shallow educational potential, now any pedagogical action, even focused on the cognitive assimilation of basic scientific knowledge, will have a worldview. An essential characteristic of the competency approach in education is that it can ensure each student’s unique structure the unity of knowledge, competencies, and values.

Morphological traits of the development of the skin and wool cover in sheep of Prikatunsky meat and wool type

2021 ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
I. I. Dmitrik ◽  
G. V. Zavgorodnyaya ◽  
M. I. Pavlova ◽  
N. A. Podkorytov
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Body Side ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Research Material ◽  
High Level ◽  
Significant Factors

A large number of works are devoted to the development of the skin and hair cover of sheep, depending on their breed affiliation, age, feeding conditions and housing. The authors point out that along with other conditions the quality of wool and wool clip is greatly influenced by the conditions of the feeding of animals. A high level of feeding increases the wool clip and improves the quality of the wool and vice versa a low level reduces, causes thinning and worsens other physical properties of the wool. As is known, one of the significant factors that determine the increase in wool clip is the size of the animal and, consequently, the total area of the skin. The purpose of the research was to investigate the morphological traits of the development of the skin and wool cover in sheep of Prikatunsky meat and wool type. The research material was wool samples from four topographic areas of the animal’s body (side/thigh/back/belly) and skin (side) of different sex and age groups, selected from the animals of the studied groups. In the course of research, the quality of wool and indicators of the histostructure of the skin of Prikatunsky meat and wool type of sheep have been investigated. In terms of thick-haired of wool, replacement rams and gimbers of Prikatunsky meat and wool type of sheep were superior by 4,82 pcs. per mm² or 19,0 % and 4,41 pcs. per mm² or 15,8 % of adult animals, respectively. Balance secondary follicles/primary follicles in young animals were higher by 10,3 and 17,3 % compared to breeding rams and ewes. The wool of the replacement young animals was thinner by 7,28 and 4,78 microns and they were more thick-haired. The obtained data will be used in the mating campaign when mating program rams in order to improve the sheep of Prikatunsky meat and wool type.

scholarly journals Analysis and forecasts of Salmonella spp. antibiotic resistance in Dnipropetrovsk region (Ukraine)

2019 ◽  
pp. 16-19
Author(s):  
H. A. Martynenko
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Graphical Form ◽  
Salmonella Spp ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Trend Line ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Short Period ◽  
High Level

The paper presents data of the research aimed at studying the species composition of major pathogens circulating in the region and the resistance to antibacterial drugs in pathogens of salmonella, one of the most common zoonoses. Within the period 2014–2018 the qualitative composition of microflora from biological and pathological materials from different groups of animals was studied in Dnipropetrovsk region. Own research results and the results of the regional veterinary statistical reporting were analyzed. Within the short period of five years, 237 cultures of Gram-negative bacteria were detected and studied. The dominant agent in the studied region was E. coli (56.7%) from the Enterobacteriaceae family. The second most frequent agent in the pathology was Salmonella spp. (10.5%). In total, 29 cultures of salmonella infection were isolated from six species of animals with a predominance of bird isolates. Thus, for different age groups of poultry the most common were S. Gallinarum-Pullorum (56%) and S. Enteritidis (32%). An antibiotic resistance increase in pathogenic salmonella was observed for β-lactam antibiotics (cefazolin, ceftriaxone), aminoglycosides (gentamicin, streptomycin, kanamycin), as well as for tetracycline and polymyxin. Taking into consideration the high level of resistance against norfloxacin in the region’s dominant pathogens of the Enterobacteriaceae family, we performed a forecast in MS Excel graphically and added a trend line. In the course of work it was proved that the Dnipropetrovsk region is a geographic zone with a stable high (86 ± 3.7%) allocation from different groups of animals of Gram-negative microorganisms. It was found that local dominant pathogens are representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae family (E. coli, Salmonella spp.). This data can be used as surrogate resistance markers. The epizootological patterns of animal salmonellosis are determined. It is shown the possibility of forecasting the distribution of antibiotic resistant strains in MS Excel in graphical form by adding a trend line, using quantitative information on the sensitivity of bacteria. Prospects for further research are the prevention and control of the emergence of resistance to antibiotics in veterinary medicine and agriculture in the region and in the country

scholarly journals Proposal and Implementation of a User-Centered Design Approach for Smart Grid Technologies: Example of the VERTPOM® Project

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Helios Raharison ◽  
Emilie Loup-Escande
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Smart Grids ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
Electrical Networks ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
User Centered

Acting to preserve our planet as much as possible is no longer optional in today's world. To do so, Smart Grids within the framework of electrical networks - involving not only Distribution System Operators (DSOs), but also consumers in their Energy Demand Management (EDM) activity - represent an innovative and sustainable solution. However, the integration of Smart Grids into network management or into consumers' homes implies changes at several levels: organizational, social, psychological, etc. This is why it is essential to consider the human factor in the design of the technologies used in these Smart Grids. This paper proposes the integration of DSO operators and consumers within a user-centered evaluation approach in order to design Smart Grids that are sufficiently acceptable to users to enable Positive Energy Territories that produce more energy than they consume. This demonstration will be illustrated by the VERTPOM® project aiming at facilitating the use of renewable energies specific to each territory in order to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases and make the territories less dependent on traditional energies, and thus make Picardy (in France) a Positive Energy Territory. This paper presents the user-centered evaluation approach applied to three technologies (i.e., the VERTPOM-BANK® supervision tool intended for DSO operators, the private web portal and the IBox smart meter intended for households) from the upstream design phase to the implementation of the technologies in real-life situations.

scholarly journals Pattern of resilient age-related measles immunity

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-380
Author(s):  
A. G. Sonis ◽  
O. A. Gusyakova ◽  
F. N. Gilmiyarova ◽  
A. A. Ereshchenko ◽  
N. K. Ignatova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Measles Virus ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Igg Antibody ◽  
Infection Level ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Specific Igg ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
High Level ◽  
Medical University ◽  
Igg Level

Epidemiological situation describing global measles spread is ambiguous. Along with countries succeeded in measles eradication, there are those wherein measles rate remains at quite high level. Because measles is a vaccine-preventable infection, it may then be eradicated solely by ensuring sufficient population coverage with preventive vaccination. The aim of our study was to assess level of measles immunity in medical workers at the Clinics of Samara State Medical University as well as the Samara State Medical University. There were enrolled 1503 subjects (aged 18–79 years), among which all individuals under 55 (77.58%) but not older counterparts provided with medical record on previous measles vaccination or measles infection. Level of serum measles virus-specific IgG antibodies was measured by using ELISA (VektoKor-IgG, JSC Vector-Best, Novosibirsk), with mean concentration ranging in general population within 1.02±0.02 IU/ ml. Positive results were observed in 72.52% of the examined individuals. Average vs. high measles virus-specific IgG level was detected in 52.90% (mean age — 41.4±0.5 years) and 19.62% (mean age — 54.2±0.72 years) of individuals, whereas at level below threshold — in 27.48% of subjects (mean age — 33.25±0.53 years). Thus, in 34.16% of the surveyed vaccinated individuals mostly presented by young subjects contained anti-measles virus-specific antibodies below protective level. Older age groups were shown to increase in average IgG amount with age. Interestingly, age-related measles immunity pattern was observed: percentage of subjects with high vs. low measles virus-specific IgG level increases and decreases, respectively. Taking into consideration a large percentage of subjects previously vaccinated against measles among carriers of low measles immunity, it may be concluded that measles virus-specific IgG antibody level must be monitored in young adulthood to decide of whether subsequent revaccination is necessary.

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