Aerial Flight Paths for Communication

This article presents an understanding of naive users’ perception of the communicative nature of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) motions refined through an iterative series of studies. This includes both what people believe the UAV is trying to communicate, and how they expect to respond through physical action or emotional response. Previous work in this area prioritized gestures from participants to the vehicle or augmenting the vehicle with additional communication modalities, rather than communicating without clear definitions of the states attempting to be conveyed. In an attempt to elicit more concrete states and better understand specific motion perception, this work includes multiple iterations of state creation, flight path refinement, and label assignment. The lessons learned in this work will be applicable broadly to those interested in defining flight paths, and within the human-robot interaction community as a whole, as it provides a base for those seeking to communicate using non-anthropomorphic robots. We found that the Negative Attitudes towards Robots Scale (NARS) can be an indicator of how a person is likely to react to a UAV, the emotional content they are likely to perceive from a message being conveyed, and it is an indicator for the personality characteristics they are likely to project upon the UAV. We also see that people commonly associate motions from other non-verbal communication situations onto UAVs. Flight specific recommendations are to use a dynamic retreating motion from a person to encourage following, use a perpendicular motion to their field of view for blocking, simple descending motion for landing, and to use either no motion or large altitude changes to encourage watching. Overall, this research explores the communication from the UAV to the bystander through its motion, to see how people respond physically and emotionally.

Certified Amplification: An Emerging Scientific Norm and Ethos

The Mertonian norms of science were envisioned at a time when scientific communication was relatively centralized and hierarchical. However, Web 2.0 technologies and social media platforms have generated new systemic vulnerabilities by divorcing the certification and amplification of science. This paper argues for certified amplification, a Mertonian-styled norm that enjoins their recoupling, and introduces a taxonomy of strategies institutions have adopted to close the certification-amplification gap. The examples illustrating each taxonomic type collectively paint a picture of an ethos emerging in a decentralized fashion across a heterogeneous range of objects, communication modalities, and institutional contexts.

Patient-Provider Communication

Patient-provider communication is the domain in health communication focused on the relationship between a clinical provider and the patient. Traditionally, research on patient-provider communication has focused on face-to-face interaction during clinical encounters, but more recent scholarship has expanded to include communication that occurs outside the clinical encounter, especially electronic communication modalities such as secure messaging between clinicians and patients. Patient-provider communication is of interest across multiple disciplines including medicine and medical education, sociology, anthropology, (socio)linguistics, and communication studies, among others. Clinically, effective patient-provider communication enables clinicians the ability to gather information, facilitate diagnosis, give instructions and advice with the goal of building and maintaining a strong therapeutic relationship, all of which are widely recognized as essential ingredients of high-quality care. Effective patient-provider communication has been associated with improved patient health outcomes that range from improved emotional health and overall functioning; biological health, including reduced pain, anxiety, blood pressure; and behavioral health, including increased adherence to recommended treatment, lower malpractice litigation, increased ability for self-management and for making medical decisions, and higher satisfaction with care. Because of these positive outcomes, communication skills are widely taught in both undergraduate and graduate medical education with an eye toward measuring improvement and modifying behavior over time. Methodologically, common approaches to studying patient-provider communication range from quantitative studies looking to explore relationships among context, participants, and communication; qualitative studies that seek to investigate personal experiences of health and illness and health care through the lens of communication; and mixed and multiple method studies that combine quantitative and qualitative studies or employ multiple research methods. Theoretically, patient-provider communication also adopts a wide focus. Topics range from the impact of authority in the form of knowledge and power asymmetries in the clinical encounter, how relationships and social support encourage or mitigate health outcomes and personal experiences of illness, and a naturalistic approach that prioritizes study of how clinicians and patients orient to, define, and create the clinical situation in real time. Overall, patient-provider communication is a robust area of research with both basic and applied significance.

What Twitter Can Tell Us About User Experiences of Crisis Text Lines: A Qualitative Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Mental health problems are the leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the prevalence and cost of mental illness, there are insufficient health services to meet this demand. Crisis hotlines have a number of advantages for addressing mental health challenges and reducing barriers to support. Further, mental health crisis services have recently expanded beyond telephone hotlines to include other communication modalities such as crisis chat and text messaging services, largely in response to the increased use of mobile phones and text messaging for social communication. OBJECTIVE Despite the high uptake of crisis text line services (CTLs) and rising mental health problems worldwide, CTLs remain understudied. Thus the current study aimed to address an urgent need to evaluate user experiences with text-based crisis services. METHODS The current study explored user experiences of CTLs by accessing users’ publicly available Twitter posts that describe personal use and experience with CTLs. Data were qualitatively analysed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS Six main themes were identified from 776 tweets: (1) approval of CTLs, (2) helpful counselling, (3) invalidating or unhelpful counselling, (4) problems with how the service is delivered, (5) features of the service that facilitate accessibility, and (6) indication that the service suits multiple needs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, there was strong evidence to support the value of text-based crisis support, as many users reported positive experiences of effective counselling that provided helpful coping skills, de-escalation, and reduction of harm. Results also identified areas in need of improvement, particularly ensuring more timely service delivery and effective communication of empathy and support. Text-based services may require targeted training to apply methods that effectively convey empathy in this medium. Moving forward, CTL services will require systematic attention in the clinical research literature to ensure their continued success and popularity among users.

Student and tutor perceptions of the pedagogical potential and challenges of design jury as an assessment method

This article examines the pedagogical potential and challenges of the design jury as an assessment method from the perceptions of the tutor/jury member and the design students. It aims to gain an understanding of the factors that create opportunities for, and barriers to, the promotion of learning in the design jury. It inquires the possible contributions of the jury into formative evaluation processes in design education. The results show that (1) the communication modalities, and (2) the evaluation criteria influence the way tutors and students perceive design jury as a pedagogical method. While the hierarchy between the jury member and the student creates a barrier to constructive feedback, a balance between formative and summative evaluations is essential in the design jury. Transparency of evaluation criteria decreases design students’ concern for grade. The design jury could also serve for formative evaluation. A student-centred approach to design jury engenders experiences of deep learning.

The 3.0 Cell Communication: New Insights in the Usefulness of Tunneling Nanotubes for Glioblastoma Treatment

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a particularly challenging brain tumor characterized by a heterogeneous, complex, and multicellular microenvironment, which represents a strategic network for treatment escape. Furthermore, the presence of GBM stem cells (GSCs) seems to contribute to GBM recurrence after surgery, and chemo- and/or radiotherapy. In this context, intercellular communication modalities play key roles in driving GBM therapy resistance. The presence of tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), long membranous open-ended channels connecting distant cells, has been observed in several types of cancer, where they emerge to steer a more malignant phenotype. Here, we discuss the current knowledge about the formation of TNTs between different cellular types in the GBM microenvironment and their potential role in tumor progression and recurrence. Particularly, we highlight two prospective strategies targeting TNTs as possible therapeutics: (i) the inhibition of TNT formation and (ii) a boost in drug delivery between cells through these channels. The latter may require future studies to design drug delivery systems that are exchangeable through TNTs, thus allowing for access to distant tumor niches that are involved in tumor immune escape, maintenance of GSC plasticity, and increases in metastatic potential.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Sociodemographic Profile of Blood Donors and Their Knowledge about Blood Donation in a Rural Area of Kerala

BACKGROUND Even in the presence of sufficient voluntary blood donors, the need of blood is not met yet. We wanted to evaluate the causes that hinder the smooth functioning of well-maintained blood transfusion services (BTS). METHODS This is a population based cross-sectional study conducted among blood donors from voluntary outreach blood donation camp for period of one year. Total 1536 blood donors from 32 blood donation camps were subjected to study for the sociodemographic characteristic and their knowledge of blood donation. Statistical analysis of data was done using Microsoft Excel, analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) ver.16 software. RESULTS A total of 32 blood donation camps were conducted during the study period that provided 1536 donors. In most of the camps, male donors (75 %) were more than female donors. Donors of age group of 30 to 39 years (43.9 %) were more when compared to others. Donors those who were married accounted for 79.9 %. Blood donors of Hindu religion (53 %) were more. CONCLUSIONS The main hindrance for blood donor motivation is lack of knowledge. Literacy and chance to mingle in society have a positive effect on blood donor motivation. Targeting of effective donor motivation, recruitment, and retention were attained by conducting awareness classes, seminars, workshops, and visual communication modalities. KEYWORDS World Health Organization, Altruistic Blood Donor, Blood Transfusion Services, Transfusion Transmitted Infections, Blood Components and Plasma Derivatives, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), National Blood Transportation Council (NBTC)

Patient-Provider Text Messaging and Video Calling Among Case-Managed Patients Living With HIV: Formative Acceptability and Feasibility Study

Background Patient-provider communication is critical for engaging and retaining people living with HIV in care, especially among medically case-managed patients in need of service coordination and adherence support. Expanding patient-provider communication channels to include mobile health modalities, such as text messaging and video calling, has the potential to facilitate communication and ultimately improve clinical outcomes. However, the implementation of these communication modalities in clinical settings has not been well characterized. Objective The purpose of this study is to understand patient and provider perspectives on the acceptability of and preferences for using text messaging and video calling as a means of communication; perceived factors relevant to adoption, appropriateness, and feasibility; and organizational perspectives on implementation within an HIV clinic in South Carolina. Methods We conducted 26 semistructured in-depth interviews among patients receiving case management services (n=12) and clinic providers (n=14) using interview guides and content analysis informed by the Proctor taxonomy of implementation outcomes and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Participants were purposefully sampled to obtain maximum variation in terms of age and gender for patients and clinic roles for providers. The data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative content analyses. Results Most patients (11/12, 92%) and providers (12/14, 86%) agreed that they should have the capacity to text message and/or video call each other. Although consensus was not reached, most preferred using a secure messaging app rather than standard text messaging because of the enhanced security features. Perceived benefits to adoption included the added convenience of text messaging, and potential barriers included the cost and access of smartphone-based technology for patients. From an organizational perspective, some providers were concerned that offering text messaging could lead to unreasonable expectations of instant access and increased workload. Conclusions Patients and providers perceived text messaging and video calling as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible and felt that these expanded modes of communication could help meet patients’ needs while being safe and not excessively burdensome. Although patients and providers mostly agreed on implementation barriers and facilitators, several differences emerged. Taking both perspectives into account when using implementation frameworks is critical for expanding mobile health–based communication, especially as implementation requires active participation from providers and patients.

Region-specific effects of early-life status epilepticus on the adult hippocampal CA3 – medial entorhinal cortex circuitry in vitro: focus on interictal spikes and concurrent high-frequency oscillations

ABSTRACTConvulsive status epilepticus (SE) in immature life is often associated with lasting neurobiological changes. We provoked SE by pentylenetetrazole in postnatal day 20 rat pups and examined communication modalities between the temporal hippocampus and medial entorhinal cortex (mEC) in vitro. After a minimum of 40 days post-SE, we prepared combined temporal hippocampal - medial entorhinal cortex (mEC) slices from conditioned (SE) and naïve (N) adult rats and recorded 4-aminopyridine-induced spontaneous epileptiform interictal-like discharges (IED) simultaneously from CA3 and mEC layer V-VI. We analyzed IED frequency and high frequency oscillations (HFOs) in intact slices and after surgical separation of hippocampus from mEC, by two successive incisions (Schaffer collateral cut, Parasubiculum cut). In all slices, IED frequency was higher in CA3 vs mEC and Raster plots indicated no temporal coincidence between them either in intact or in CA1-cut slices. IED frequency was significantly higher in SE mEC, but similar in SE and N CA3, independently of connectivity state. Ripples (R) and Fast Ripples (FR) coincided with IEDs and their power differed between SE and N intact slices, both in CA3 and mEC. CA3 FR/R ratios were higher in the absence of mEC. Moreover, SE (vs N) slices showed significantly higher FR/R ratios independently of the presence of mEC. Taken together, these findings suggest lasting effects of immature SE in network dynamics governing hippocampal-entorhinal communication which may impact adult cognitive, behavioral and/or seizure threshold sequalae.HIGHLIGHTSEarly-life Status Epilepticus (SE) impacts on the adult hippocampal – entorhinal communication in the in vitro 4-AP modelPost-SE CA3 output decreases in HFO power with no change in interictal discharge frequencyPost-SE mEC output increases both in HFO power and interictal discharge frequencyInterictal HFO dynamics in CA3-mEC change upon the connectivity state of the two areas and priorhistory of early-life SE