bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of a video-based intervention to improve the interpersonal communication skills of public health midwives in a district of Sri Lanka: a cluster randomised trial
Authors: Prasanna S A S , Abeysena H T C S , Alagiyawanna M A A P
Published: September 2024

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of a video-based intervention, the V-BIS, in improving the interpersonal communication skills (IPCS) of public health midwives (PHMs).

Design

A cluster randomised trial.

Setting

The setting is a Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area, the district’s basic administrative unit in public health. The study was conducted at six MOH areas/clusters in a district of Sri Lanka between February and July 2020.

Participants

PHMs who completed 6 months of working in the same setting were recruited.

Intervention

The V-BIS intervention is a video-based intervention designed to improve the IPCS of PHMs.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was the proportion of PHMs having good IPCS 1 month after the intervention. The secondary outcomes were (1) the proportion of PHMs having ‘good IPCS’ 3 months after the intervention and (2) the proportion of PHMs having ‘good knowledge of complementary feeding (CF)’ practices 1 month after the intervention.

Results

Compared with the control group, the intervention group improved their IPCS by 33.0% at 1 month and 18.3% at 3 months after the intervention. The observed differences in skills between the groups were statistically significant at 1 month (adjusted OR=14.00, 95% CI 4.9 to 40.1) and 3 months (adjusted OR=5.52, 95% CI 1.81 to 16.9). Compared with the control group, the intervention group did not significantly improve good knowledge of CF practices 1 month after the intervention (OR=2.61, 95% CI 0.65 to 10.53).

Conclusions

The V-BIS intervention effectively improves the IPCS of PHMs and can be used as a training intervention.

Trial registration number

SLCTR/2020/006.
Role of universal health coverage in improving quality of breast cancer care: an international comparison study
Authors: Wang Minmin , Song Suhang , Jin Yinzi , Zheng Zhijie
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common and lethal cancer among women worldwide. Good quality cancer care is a key pillar in improving the survival rate and reducing the burden of this cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the current status and temporal trends in global breast cancer care and to identify the association between universal health coverage and quality of breast cancer care.

Methods

A quality of care index for breast cancer was constructed using disease burden data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database. This index was evaluated and compared at global, regional and national level. The association between universal health coverage index and breast cancer quality of care index at national level was also explored.

Results

The quality of breast cancer care improved from 1990 to 2019, and the disparity narrowed between countries at different development levels over the same period. The universal healthcare coverage index was positively associated with national breast cancer care quality. This finding was robust across countries at low and middle levels of development, as well as more developed countries.

Conclusions

The identified association between universal health coverage and breast cancer care highlight the key role of developing a high-quality and resilient healthcare system for improving breast cancer care. Then expanding the universal health coverage with inclusion of breast cancer care may help improving the breast cancer care quality and reduce the disproportionate mortality due to breast cancer in low social development countries.
Effect of living in well-insulated warm houses on hypertension and cardiovascular diseases based on a nationwide epidemiological survey in Japan: a modelling and cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Umishio Wataru , Ikaga Toshiharu , Kario Kazuomi , Fujino Yoshihisa , Kagi Naoki , Suzuki Masaru , Ando Shintaro , Saeki Keigo , Murakami Shuzo
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are more prevalent in colder homes, partly due to cold-induced high blood pressure (BP). While thermal insulation and heating are rational strategies to mitigate cold exposure, the high initial and running costs pose significant barriers. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of living in well-insulated warm houses.

Methods

An economic model was developed based on the indoor temperature–BP and BP–CVDs relationships. Five scenarios were outlined: a base scenario (Scenario 0: the most prevalent thermal insulation level (Grade 2) and indoor temperature (15°C) in Japan), two scenarios of upgrading insulation and living in warm houses after age 40 years (Scenario 1–1: Grade 4 & 18°C and Scenario 1–2: Grade 6 & 21°C), and two scenarios of retrofitting insulation of entire houses and living in warm houses after age 60 years (Scenario 2–1: Grade 4 & 18°C and Scenario 2–2: Grade 6 & 21°C). Monte Carlo simulations for 100 000 virtual husband–wife pairs were conducted to investigate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and life-cycle costs for thermal insulation work, heating and medical treatments.

Results

Regarding the upgrading insulation scenarios, compared with Scenario 0, Scenarios 1–1 and 1–2 increased the life-cycle cost by Japanese yen (JPY) 0.26 and JPY0.84 million, respectively, while extending the combined healthy life expectancy of a husband and wife by 0.31 and 0.48 QALYs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were below the threshold value of JPY5 million/QALY gained. Regarding the retrofitting insulation scenarios, probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that Scenario 2–2 emerged as the most cost-effective option when the willingness to pay reached JPY6.5 million or more, which is above the threshold.

Conclusions

Upgrading insulation and residing in warmer homes could be cost-effective strategies. When conducting insulation retrofitting, lower-cost methods such as partial insulation retrofitting should be considered. These findings support decision-making for residents and policymakers.
Physical and emotional status, quality of life and activities of daily living in terminal cancer: prospective cohort study
Authors: Ozeki Shinya , Tatematsu Noriatsu , Sugiura Hideshi
Published: September 2024

Objective

Physical functioning (PF), emotional functioning (EF), overall quality of life (QOL) and activities of daily living (ADL) such as walking and toilet transfer are the primary outcomes of dignity in patients with terminal cancer. However, few studies have investigated the association of PF, EF and overall QOL with ADL based on end-of-life stages in patients with cancer who are receiving at-home palliative care.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 88 patients with terminal cancer receiving home-based rehabilitation as part of their home-based palliative care at the Mariana Home Nursing Station (Nagoya-city, Aichi, Japan). The variables were measured at 4 and 2 weeks before death of patients. PF, EF and overall QOL scores were assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative Care and ADL were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure-motor items. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association, considering the effect of physical symptoms.

Results

PF and overall QOL scores at 4 and 2 weeks before death were significantly associated with toilet transfer and walking scores, even after considering the influence of physical symptoms. EF scores were significantly associated with toilet transfer and walking scores 4 weeks before death, but not 2 weeks before death.

Conclusions

In addition to managing physical symptoms, supporting ADL such as walking and toilet transfer is necessary to maintain PF, EF and overall QOL in patients with terminal cancer receiving home-based palliative care. This may help preserve their dignity, even in deteriorating general condition.
Nonparametric and continuous variable-based stratigraphic modelling from sparse boreholes using signed distance function and Bayesian compressive sensing
Authors: Qian Ze-Hang , Shi Chao , Wang Yu , Cao Zi-Jun
Published: September 2024

An accurate stochastic interpretation of subsurface stratigraphy with quantified uncertainty can benefit the subsequent risk management of geotechnical infrastructure. Traditional approaches to developing geological cross-sections from sparse boreholes typically require the calibration or definition of empirical model parameters and functions, which may introduce subjectivity and bias. In this study, a nonparametric and continuous variable-based spatial predictor that leverages the signed distance function and Bayesian compressive sensing (BCS) is proposed for subsurface stratigraphic modelling. The proposed method transforms sparse categorical borehole data from a low-dimensional space into continuous variables in a high-dimensional space, enabling a comprehensive representation of more implicit characteristics of intricate geological patterns. This transformation facilitates the use of the continuous-variable-based BCS for nonparametric spatial prediction. The most probable geological cross-section and uncertainty qualification plot are derived after transforming spatially interpreted fields of continuous variables back into soil types. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated using synthetic and real-world cases. Results indicate that the proposed approach can handle intricate stratigraphic scenarios characterized by complex geological structures, such as crossed-inclined, folded, inclined-folded, and interbedded strata, in a data-driven and nonparametric manner. The advantages of the proposed method over existing spatial predictors for developing geological cross-sections are also demonstrated.
Mathematical Proof of the Ordinal Marginal Preference Theory Under the Fixed Exchange Conditions
Authors: Tzeng Jengnan , Peng Shi-Shu
Published: September 2024

The model in which an individual maximizes the ordinal or cardinal total utility subject to her budget constraint has long been the paradigm of individual choice theory in economics. The ordinal total utility theory has the advantage of utility immeasurability but the disadvantage of being inconsistent with common sense such as the principle of diminishing marginal utility. The cardinal total utility theory is consistent with the aforementioned common sense but suffers from the problem of utility measurability. Lin and Peng [A rehabilitation of the law of diminishing marginal utility: An ordinal marginal utility approach, The B.E Journal of Theoretical Economics 22(2) (2022) 453–481] developed the ordinal marginal utility (OMU) theory aiming to solve the above dilemma between the two theories. This paper provides a complete formal axiomatic proof for this new theory by offering the related mathematical definitions, axioms, and their derived properties. We prove that the marginal utility function of a bundle of objects can be derived from the ordinal marginal preference between two bundles of objects, and that this function exists, is continuous, and can keep the property of diminishing marginal utility.
Prey–Predator Model with Optimal Harvesting in Fuzzy Environment
Authors: Tripathi Abha , Tiwari S. P.
Published: September 2024

A new way to study the prey–predator model with optimal harvesting is presented by analyzing the dynamics of prey–predator model in crisp and fuzzy environment. To incorporate the natural imprecision present in environmental factors, all parameters are considered first time as fuzzy numbers. We formulate the fuzzy model using the imprecise data as a form of fuzzy numbers since the biological characteristics such as prey population growth rate, predator population decay rate, and predation coefficients lack accurate numerical information. We discuss the positivity and boundedness of solutions of the proposed fuzzy model. Further, we investigate and discuss the local and global asymptotic fuzzy stability of the fuzzy equilibrium points to study the dynamical behavior of the proposed fuzzy model. Also, we study the fuzzy bionomic equilibrium; and investigate the fuzzy optimal harvest strategy and apply Pontryagin’s maximum principle to find the solution in the fuzzy equilibrium.
Spoofing Detection in Images Using Eques Chimp Optimization-based Deep Convolutional Neural Network Model
Authors: Koparde Shweta Ashish , Mane Vanita
Published: September 2024

The geo-position spoofing detection in the images enables the tamper-proof protection of the images to ensure the authenticity of the images. Currently, available techniques for geo-position spoofing detection primarily depend on geo-position data stored in the database. In addition, these techniques are limited in performance due to the shortage of prior information, require more training samples and achieve poor generalization. To address the aforementioned limitations in this research, Eques Chimp Optimization-Deep Convolutional Neural Network (ECO-DCNN) is proposed to enhance the ability of the model to adapt to the evolving spoofing methods, handle noisy images and maintain computational efficiency. The significance of the research relies upon effectively tracing the source cameras by extracting the Photo Response NonUniformity noise (PRNU) from the images, which is then subjected to spoofing detection using Eques Chimp Optimized Deep Neural Network (ECO-DCNN). The ECO is designed by hybridizing the decision-making characters and social aspects of Eques and Chimp in the adaptive parameter tuning of the detection model to guarantee image integrity. Furthermore, for the Training Percentage (TP) analysis, the model exhibits a remarkable performance of 97.00% accuracy, 97.10% sensitivity, 97.19% specificity and 0.97 MCC. Similarly, the K-fold analysis achieves the values with accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and MCC for the model are 96.00%, 96.89%, 95.96% and 0.96%, respectively.
How to Define In-Vitro Fertilization Success: A Delphi Consensus among China Experts
Authors: Li Rong , Wang Yuanyuan ,   China Expert Suggestions Group on the definition of in-vitro fertilization success
Published: September 2024

Background: A Delphi consensus was conducted to formulate an expert opinion on the definition of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) success, to provide a reference basis for clinical practice.

Methods: Chinese experts in assisted reproductive technology (ART) were surveyed using the Delphi method. Based on the literature related to IVF success, eight experts developed a framework of statements and items. A questionnaire was then distributed to 23 experts to canvas their opinions on these statements. If consensus was not achieved, the statement was revised and revoted upon until a consensus was reached.

Results: Consensus was reached for 19 statements related to the definition of IVF success, the most relevant of which are summarized as follows: (1) Goal of IVF treatment ([Formula: see text] statement): to attain a healthy live birth in the shortest possible time and with the lowest possible risks; (2) Definition of IVF success ([Formula: see text] statements): effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of IVF treatment should be included in the definition of success, with the cumulative live birth rate per ovarian stimulation cycle within 2 years being a performance indicator (PI) of success, and IVF success should be measured from a patient-centered perspective, including the patient’s burden and satisfaction. (3) Assurance of IVF success ([Formula: see text] statements): to provide evidence-based treatment and avoid the introduction of IVF add-ons into routine clinical practice without any clear evidence of benefit, optimize treatment quality by establishing and monitoring key PIs, and improving quality control systems. (4) Hurdles of IVF success ([Formula: see text] statements): cycle cancellation before oocyte pickup and treatment discontinuation after failed cycles are hurdles of success to IVF.

Conclusions: Based on the Delphi method, the expert opinion on the definition of IVF success has been formed, which could complement guidelines and may help improve treatment outcomes.
AudioMove: Applying the Spatial Audio to Multi-Directional Limb Exercise Guidance
Authors: Xia Chengshuo , Min Tian , Sugiura Yuta
Published: September 2024

Guiding users with limb exercise can assist in muscle training or physical recovery. However, traditional vision-based methods often require multiple camera angles to help users understand the motions and require them to be within the range of the screen. Therefore, we propose a non-visual system that can guide users with multiple-directional limb motions utilizing spatial audio,
AudioMove
, with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices (i.e., smartphones and earphones). The proposed system addresses the challenge of conveying directional information encompassing multiple planes in real-time. We conduct a mixed-method user study to evaluate the effectiveness of the system with three methods combining motion data with spatial audio perception. Additionally, a user interface is built to collect users' comments. The results conclude that spatial audio guidance could create a natural, pervasive, and non-visual exercise training solution in daily life.
Augmented Reality on the Move: A Systematic Literature Review for Vulnerable Road Users
Authors: Stefanidi Helen , Tatzgern Markus , Meschtscherjakov Alexander
Published: September 2024

Due to the continuous improvement of Augmented Reality (AR) head-mounted displays (HMDs), these devices are bound to be increasingly integrated into our daily routines. So far, a major focus of AR research has been on indoor usage and deployment. However, since seamlessly supporting users in their activities while being on-the-move in various outdoor contexts becomes increasingly important, there is a need to investigate the current state-of-the-art of AR technologies while people are in motion outdoors. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of pertinent HCI publications, specifically looking into applications concerning
vulnerable road users.
We identify the contexts in which such technologies have been researched, prevailing challenges in the field, and applied methodological approaches. Our findings show that most contributions address pedestrians, a shift towards HMDs, and a prevalence of lab studies due to technology limitations. Based on our findings, we discuss trends, existing gaps and opportunities for future research.
Delusio - Plausible Deniability For Face Recognition
Authors: Dietz Felix , Mecke Lukas , Riesner Daniel , Alt Florian
Published: September 2024

We developed an Android phone unlock mechanism utilizing facial recognition and specific mimics to access a specially secured portion of the device, designed for plausible deniability. The widespread adoption of biometric authentication methods, such as fingerprint and facial recognition, has revolutionized mobile device security, offering enhanced protection against shoulder-surfing attacks and improving user convenience compared to traditional passwords. However, a downside is the potential for third-party coercion to unlock the device. While text-based authentication allows users to reveal a hidden system by entering a special password, this is challenging with face authentication. We evaluated our approach in a role-playing user study involving 50 participants, with one participant acting as the attacker and the other as the suspect. Suspects successfully accessed the secured area, mostly without detection. They further expressed interest in this feature on their personal phones. We also discuss open challenges and opportunities in implementing such authentication mechanisms.
Developing a Group-Based Literacy Screening for German Pre-Readers: A Digital, Game-Based Approach
Authors: Holz Heiko , Beuttler Benedikt , Löfflad Denise , Ninaus Manuel
Published: September 2024

Early prediction of children's literacy skills is crucial for successful literacy development. However, standardized screenings for pre-readers are mainly paper-based and designed for one-on-one sessions, demanding significant resources. We present the development and feasibility evaluation of a digital, game-based literacy screening for German pre-readers that supports group sessions. The screening comprises five tasks that do not rely on written language skills. We detail critical design decisions and guidelines for the effective implementation of this group-based screening. We evaluated the feasibility and user experience with 34 German second- and third-graders. Results revealed that the screening is suitable for use in group settings and that it was positively perceived by the children. Children found the tasks enganging and straightforward, often perceiving them as games. This study demonstrates that digital game-based screenings can be used effectively in group settings with young children with minimal adult guidance, offering a motivating and engaging assessment method.
EarMonitor: Non-clinical Assessment of Ear Health Conditions Using a Low-cost Endoscope Camera on Smartphones
Authors: Jin Xiaofu , Fan Mingming
Published: September 2024

Hearing loss affects 20% of the global population, a rate that is increasing dramatically as the world's population ages. Early prevention and identification of ear diseases can significantly reduce the risk of becoming disabled with hearing impairment. We propose
EarMonitor,
an interactive, vision-based ear health monitoring system that enables users to examine their ear conditions with a low-cost hand-held endoscope.
EarMonitor
can detect six ear health conditions suitable for self-assessment. It can particularly recognize complications from ear diseases, helping users better understand the results. In the wild, our computer vision algorithm achieves a detection sensitivity of 0.949 for earwax buildup and blockage in 100 external auditory canal photos; our deep learning model achieves an average detection sensitivity of 0.861 for the other five conditions considering complications in 350 tympanic membrane photos. We validated
EarMonitor
's effectiveness through a user study involving 17 participants and two experts, leading to valuable insights regarding the design and interpretation of non-clinical assessment devices.
Exploring User-Defined Gestures as Input for Hearables and Recognizing Ear-Level Gestures with IMUs
Authors: Sato Yukina , Amesaka Takashi , Yamamoto Takumi , Watanabe Hiroki , Sugiura Yuta
Published: September 2024

Hearables are highly functional earphone-type wearables; however, existing input methods using stand-alone hearables are limited in the number of commands, and there is a need to extend device operation through hand gestures. In previous research on hearables for hand input, user understanding and gesture recognition systems have been developed. However, in the realm of user understanding, investigation concerning hand input with hearables remains incomplete, and existing recognition systems have not demonstrated proficiency in discerning user-defined gestures. In this study, we conducted a gesture elicitation study (GES) assuming hand input using hearables under six conditions (three interaction areas x two device shapes). Then, we extracted ear-level gestures that the device's built-in IMU sensor could recognize from the user-defined gestures and investigated the recognition performance. The results of sitting experiments showed that the gesture recognition rate for in-ear devices was 91.0% and that for ear-hook devices was 74.7%.
FacePsy: An Open-Source Affective Mobile Sensing System - Analyzing Facial Behavior and Head Gesture for Depression Detection in Naturalistic Settings
Authors: Islam Rahul , Bae Sang Won
Published: September 2024

Depression, a prevalent and complex mental health issue affecting millions worldwide, presents significant challenges for detection and monitoring. While facial expressions have shown promise in laboratory settings for identifying depression, their potential in real-world applications remains largely unexplored due to the difficulties in developing efficient mobile systems. In this study, we aim to introduce FacePsy, an open-source mobile sensing system designed to capture affective inferences by analyzing sophisticated features and generating real-time data on facial behavior landmarks, eye movements, and head gestures - all within the naturalistic context of smartphone usage with 25 participants. Through rigorous development, testing, and optimization, we identified eye-open states, head gestures, smile expressions, and specific Action Units (2, 6, 7, 12, 15, and 17) as significant indicators of depressive episodes (AUROC=81%). Our regression model predicting PHQ-9 scores achieved moderate accuracy, with a Mean Absolute Error of 3.08. Our findings offer valuable insights and implications for enhancing deployable and usable mobile affective sensing systems, ultimately improving mental health monitoring, prediction, and just-in-time adaptive interventions for researchers and developers in healthcare.
Usability Optimization for Mobile Menu Design: An Empirical Study of Hand Grips and User Preferences
Authors: Zieher Tamara , Probst Kathrin
Published: September 2024

This paper investigates the relationship between menu design and hand positions in relation to the assessment of end users with main focus on usability, user preference, and potential adaptions to different hand positions. Sixteen (N=16) participants first participated in a co-design workshop, in which they proposed menu designs for different hand grips. Based on the design proposals, a selection of menu designs were derived and implemented in a mobile app prototype, on which a menu selection study was conducted to investigate performance and perceived usability of the menus in one-handed and two-handed interaction. The results include user ratings and performance, which highlight the need for mobile menus to be adapted for different hand positions. Based on that, we derive design recommendations for more adaptive, user-centric and ergonomic mobile menu designs to match the natural interactions of users.
"I Believe the Baby in the Picture is My Baby": User Experiences with Commercial Pregnancy Apps
Authors: Alsebayel Ghada , Troiano Giovanni , Harteveld Casper
Published: September 2024

Commercial pregnancy apps are becoming popular in mobile health and integral to individuals' health management ecosystems. For that, they can complement medical advice and be conveniently used for ubiquitous tracking of pregnancy. Besides their functional and medical purpose, they may elicit subjective, personal, and intimate experiences that are equally relevant to users. Yet, these qualitative aspects of experiencing pregnancy apps remain under-researched. An inquiry into those qualitative aspects may help advance the design of pregnancy apps for improved user embodiment, engagement, and experience. Here, we qualitatively inquire about experiences with six popular pregnancy apps through 4,000+ online reviews. Our findings reveal that pregnancy apps are more than mere trackers and can impact pregnancy experiences, either positively or negatively, based on their design features. Further, reviews pointed to a neglect of family, friends, and relatives in the apps' design, which users found often problematic. To counter these shortcomings, we outline avenues for improving the design of pregnancy apps beyond usability and medical outcomes and call for enhancing their user experience through more sensitive, user-centered, and inclusive design.
Informing the Design of Intervention Solutions for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Authors: Pour Rezaei Parisa , Jokela Tero , Vetek Akos , Salmimaa Marja
Published: September 2024

Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), such as nail biting, impact a wide demographic, and can negatively affect physical, psychological, and social well-being. Although pharmacological and behavioral therapies are common treatments, many avoid seeking help, and not everyone responds fully to treatment. Recent advances in wearable sensing enable new digital solutions that can detect BFRB episodes and intervene to mitigate them. While BFRBs have been extensively studied in medical research, translating this knowledge into effective digital intervention solutions may not be straightforward, and the end user's perspective may be overlooked. We report a user study with 12 frequent nail biters, who shared their experiences about nail biting and expectations of intervention solutions in semi-structured qualitative interviews. We describe the progression of a nail biting episode from a nail biter's perspective and present a taxonomy of intervention strategies to mitigate nail biting. Our results inform the design of future digital BFRB intervention solutions.
Investigating User-perceived Impacts of Contextual Factors on Opportune Moments
Authors: Lee Yu-Jen , Wu Meng-Hsin , Chang Chung-Chiao , Chang Xi-Jing , Chang Yung-Ju
Published: September 2024

In this exploratory experience sampling method (ESM) research, we examined the perceptions of 74 smartphone users regarding the opportuneness of moments for proceeding through a four-stage notification-response process: the phone generating an alert (Alert), the user roughly glancing at the notification (Glance), engaging with it (Engage), and acting on it (Act). We investigated how the moments perceived as opportune for each of the four stages related to users' self-reported values of 20 contextual factors, and how these factors influenced users' perceived opportuneness of the moments for each stage. Our results reveal that Alert and Glance stages were perceived as more distinct, with Alert being influenced by social-environmental related factors and Glance characterized by a lower threshold for what constitutes an opportune moment. The final two stages - Engage and Act - were the most similar to each other. The findings also indicated how the influence of contextual factors on perceived opportuneness of the moments varied across factors, notification types, stages, and how such variation was manifested in the likelihood, valence, and magnitude of their overall influence.
"Oh my Dave, your face says it all!": Exploring the Multimodal Practices of Tasting in Live Streaming
Authors: Song Le
Published: September 2024

Research on the activity of tasting, examined through the lens of conversation analysis, reveals that in face-to-face contexts, tasting is an interactive and sequential process that combines individual sensory experience with a public, witnessable, accountable, and intersubjective dimension. This perspective can be extended to the realm of live-streamed tasting, where streamers demonstrate and communicate the taste of food products to online audiences in real time. By adopting multimodal conversation analysis to scrutinize the unfolding sequence moment by moment, my study aims to demonstrate 1) Three practices to achieve the configuration of "tasting heads," wherein the current taster's face is displayed on-screen. 2) Patterns of gaze withdrawal from the screen and subsequent gaze back to the screen during the tasting process. 3) The performative and animated facial expressions. 4) The structure of responses from both streamers and viewers after the tasting.
The Ability-Based Design Mobile Toolkit (ABD-MT): Developer Support for Runtime Interface Adaptation Based on Users' Abilities
Authors: Kong Junhan , Zhong Mingyuan , Fogarty James , Wobbrock Jacob O.
Published: September 2024

Despite significant progress in the capabilities of mobile devices and applications, most apps remain oblivious to their users' abilities. To enable apps to respond to users' situated abilities, we created the Ability-Based Design Mobile Toolkit (ABD-MT). ABD-MT integrates with an app's user input and sensors to observe a user's touches, gestures, physical activities, and attention at runtime, to measure and model these abilities, and to adapt interfaces accordingly. Conceptually, ABD-MT enables developers to engage with a user's "ability profile,'' which is built up over time and inspectable through our API. As validation, we created example apps to demonstrate ABD-MT, enabling ability-aware functionality in 91.5% fewer lines of code compared to not using our toolkit. Further, in a study with 11 Android developers, we showed that ABD-MT is easy to learn and use, is welcomed for future use, and is applicable to a variety of end-user scenarios.
Toward Understanding the Impact of Visualized Focus Levels in Virtual Reality on User Presence and Experience
Authors: You Chuang-Wen , Chen Hsin-Ai , Chen Pin-Chieh , Lai Wen-Ni , Yuan Chien Wen (Tina) , Bi Nanyi
Published: September 2024

Neurofeedback refers to the process of feeding a sensory representation of brain activity back to users in real time to improve a particular brain function, e.g., their focus and/or attention on a particular task. This study addressed the notable lack of research on methods used to visualize EEG data and their effects on the immersive quality of VR. We developed an algorithm to quantify focus, yielding a focus score. A pre-study with twenty participants confirmed its effectiveness in distinguishing between focused and relaxed mental states. Subsequently, we used this focus score to prototype a VR experience system visualizing the focus score in preconfigured manners, which was utilized in an exploratory study to assess the impact of different neurofeedback visualization methods on user engagement and focus in VR. Among all the visualization methods evaluated, the environmental scheme stood out due to its superior usability during task execution, its ability to evoke positive emotions through the visualization of objects or scenes, and its minimal deviation from user expectations. Additionally, we explored design guidelines based on collected results for future research to further refine the visualization scheme, ensuring effective integration of the focus score within the VR environment. These enhancements are crucial for designing neurofeedback visualization schemes that aim to boost participant focus in VR settings, offering significant insights into the optimization of such technologies.
Improving Reference-Based Distinctive Image Captioning with Contrastive Rewards
Authors: Mao Yangjun , Xiao Jun , Zhang Dong , Cao Meng , Shao Jian , Zhuang Yueting , Chen Long
Published: September 2024

Distinctive Image Captioning (DIC)—generating distinctive captions that describe the unique details of a target image—has received considerable attention over the last few years. A recent DIC method proposes to generate distinctive captions by comparing the target image with a set of semantic-similar reference images, i.e., reference-Based DIC (Ref-DIC). It aims to force the generated captions to distinguish between the target image and the reference image. Unfortunately, reference images used by existing Ref-DIC works are easy to distinguish:
these reference images only resemble the target image at scene-level and have few common objects, such that a Ref-DIC model can trivially generate distinctive captions even without considering the reference images.
For example, if the target image contains objects “
towel
” and “
toilet
” while all reference images are without them, then a simple caption “
A bathroom with a towel and a toilet
” is distinctive enough to tell apart target and reference images. To ensure Ref-DIC models really perceive the unique objects (or attributes) in target images, we first propose two new Ref-DIC benchmarks. Specifically, we design a two-stage matching mechanism, which strictly controls the similarity between the target and reference images at the object-/attribute-level (vs. scene-level). Second, to generate distinctive captions, we develop a Transformer-based Ref-DIC baseline
TransDIC
. It not only extracts visual features from the target image but also encodes the differences between objects in the target and reference images. Taking one step further, we propose a stronger
TransDIC

\({++}\)

, which consists of an extra contrastive learning module to make full use of the reference images. This new module is model-agnostic, which can be easily incorporated into various Ref-DIC architectures. Finally, for more trustworthy benchmarking, we propose a new evaluation metric named
DisCIDEr
for Ref-DIC, which evaluates both the accuracy and distinctiveness of the generated captions. Experimental results demonstrate that our
TransDIC

\({++}\)

can generate distinctive captions. Besides, it outperforms several state-of-the-art models on the two new benchmarks over different metrics.
A Platform for Connectivity and Synergy between Parents and Teachers of Children with Autism
Authors: Abeer Ifti Azad , Sinha Anik , Saha Anik , Khan Syeda Shabnam , Ahmed Nova
Published: September 2024

Collaboration between parents and teachers of Children with Autism (CWA) is emphasized for effective education while the communication gap between both sides impedes it. The lack of specially designed tools to supplement the collaboration process in low-resource settings led us to initiate the research to design a platform for facilitating the synergy between both parties. This qualitative research was conducted in two phases where Phase I interviewed n=10 participants (parent=5, teacher=5). They emphasized personalized communication, maintaining privacy and accountability, and school authority’s role in ensuring meaningful communication ideating three design guidelines. The prototype was developed accordingly and evaluated in Phase II with n=18 (parent=8, teacher=10) participants. They shared different use cases of the application, suggested modifications, and recommended new features. The work presents the parents and teachers of CWA with a platform to connect and synchronize their efforts and provides the HCI researchers contextual design considerations while designing for resource-constrained communities in Global South.
TriHuman: A Real-time and Controllable Tri-plane Representation for Detailed Human Geometry and Appearance Synthesis
Authors: Zhu Heming , Zhan Fangneng , Theobalt Christian , Habermann Marc
Published: September 2024

Creating controllable, photorealistic, and geometrically detailed digital doubles of real humans solely from video data is a key challenge in Computer Graphics and Vision, especially when real-time performance is required. Recent methods attach a neural radiance field (NeRF) to an articulated structure, e.g., a body model or a skeleton, to map points into a pose canonical space while conditioning the NeRF on the skeletal pose. These approaches typically parameterize the neural field with a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) leading to a slow runtime. To address this drawback, we propose
TriHuman
a novel human-tailored, deformable, and efficient tri-plane representation, which achieves real-time performance, state-of-the-art pose-controllable geometry synthesis as well as photorealistic rendering quality. At the core, we non-rigidly warp global ray samples into our undeformed tri-plane texture space, which effectively addresses the problem of global points being mapped to the same tri-plane locations. We then show how such a tri-plane feature representation can be conditioned on the skeletal motion to account for dynamic appearance and geometry changes. Our results demonstrate a clear step toward higher quality in terms of geometry and appearance modeling of humans as well as runtime performance.
Deep Traps in AlN Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy Film on Low-Temperature AlN/Sapphire
Authors: Polyakov A. Y. , Vasilev A. A. , Shchemerov I. V. , Chernykh A. V. , Kochkova A. I. , Alexanyan L. A. , Matros N. R. , Wan Hsiao-Hsuan , Al-Mamun Nahid Sultan , Haque Aman , Ren Fan , Pearton Stephen J.
Published: September 2024

Deep trap states were examined in c-plane, Al-polar AlN epilayers, deposited via metal organic chemical vapor deposition on 270 nm thick AlN buffer layers on sapphire substrates. Contacts were created using e-beam deposited Ni through a shadow mask, with I-V characteristics revealing a trapped limited current (TLC) regime and voltage-dependent hysteresis upon light-emitting diode illumination. Thermally stimulated current and photothermal ionization current spectroscopy measurements demonstrated a prominent trap activation energy of approximately 0.75 eV and additional trap energies of 0.6, 0.4, 0.25, 1.05, and 1.1 eV. The observed differences in photocurrent responses between forward and reverse biases suggest that forward bias induces electron trapping at deeper levels, influencing the TLC behavior. Comparisons with bulk n-type AlN crystals from previous studies show similarities in deep trap spectra, suggesting commonality in trap characteristics across different AlN samples.
Expression of Semaphorin3E/PlexinD1 in human airway smooth muscle cells of patients with COPD
Authors: Alsubait Duaa , Rajani Huda Fatima , Shan Lianyu , Koussih Latifa , Halayko Andrew J. , Lamkhioued Bouchaib , Gounni Abdelilah S.
Published: September 2024

Semaphorin3E (Sema3E), a protein guiding cell movement, is found in various cell types like neural, immune, cancer, and epithelial cells. This study examines Sema3E in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) airways. In patients with COPD, airway smooth muscle cells express Sema3E and its receptor PlxD1. Unlike healthy cells, Sema3E does not hinder cell proliferation in COPD, indicating involvement in airway remodeling. These findings highlight the Sema3E-PlxD1 axis in COPD airway changes.
Improving the Stability of Mining Slopes in Tarcha Coal Mine, Southwestern Ethiopian Deposit Through Geometric Adjustments
Authors: Abebay Getaneh , Chala Endalu Tadele , Jilo Nagessa Zerihun , Tiyasha Tiyasha
Published: September 2024

The Tarcha coal deposit, located beneath the Omo trachyte flows in the Omo‐Gibe River basin of southern Ethiopia, is actively mined using open‐pit methods for energy resources. However, these mines face significant slope instability issues. This study aims to assess and enhance the stability of the selected open‐pit coal mine quarries through field and laboratory analyses, supported by the limit equilibrium method (LEM) and the finite element method (FEM). Fieldwork involved detailed measurements of slope geometry and orientation, in situ rock testing, and soil and rock sampling for laboratory analysis. Results indicated that the rock quality designation (RQD) of the rocks ranged from 22 to 57.5, indicating rock quality from very poor to fair. Schmidt hammer tests revealed uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) values between 14.79 and 29.31 MPa. Soil analysis classified the soils as sand with low to high plasticity (8.89% to 31.86%) and a liquid limit range of 21% to 62.63%. Stability analyses using LEM and FEM on two critical slopes (MS‐1 and MS‐2) under saturated, unloading, and loading conditions indicated instability. However, geometric adjustments, such as reducing slope angle, decreasing slope height, and implementing benching, were found to significantly improve slope stability.
Supplementary Table S4 from Durvalumab ± Tremelimumab + Platinum-Etoposide in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (CASPIAN): Outcomes by PD-L1 Expression and Tissue Tumor Mutational Burden
Authors: Paz-Ares Luis , Garassino Marina Chiara , Chen Yuanbin , Reinmuth Niels , Hotta Katsuyuki , Poltoratskiy Artem , Trukhin Dmytro , Hochmair Maximilian J. , Özgüroğlu Mustafa , Ji Jun Ho , Statsenko Galina , Conev Nikolay , Bondarenko Igor , Havel Libor , Losonczy György , Xie Mingchao , Lai Zhongwu , Godin-Heymann Nadia , Mann Helen , Jiang Haiyi , Shrestha Yashaswi , Goldman Jonathan W.
Published: September 2024

Treatment exposure by PD-L1 subgroup (PD-L1 safety population).
Supplementary Material S1 from Durvalumab ± Tremelimumab + Platinum-Etoposide in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (CASPIAN): Outcomes by PD-L1 Expression and Tissue Tumor Mutational Burden
Authors: Paz-Ares Luis , Garassino Marina Chiara , Chen Yuanbin , Reinmuth Niels , Hotta Katsuyuki , Poltoratskiy Artem , Trukhin Dmytro , Hochmair Maximilian J. , Özgüroğlu Mustafa , Ji Jun Ho , Statsenko Galina , Conev Nikolay , Bondarenko Igor , Havel Libor , Losonczy György , Xie Mingchao , Lai Zhongwu , Godin-Heymann Nadia , Mann Helen , Jiang Haiyi , Shrestha Yashaswi , Goldman Jonathan W.
Published: September 2024

Plain Language Summary
Supplementary Figure S6 from Durvalumab ± Tremelimumab + Platinum-Etoposide in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (CASPIAN): Outcomes by PD-L1 Expression and Tissue Tumor Mutational Burden
Authors: Paz-Ares Luis , Garassino Marina Chiara , Chen Yuanbin , Reinmuth Niels , Hotta Katsuyuki , Poltoratskiy Artem , Trukhin Dmytro , Hochmair Maximilian J. , Özgüroğlu Mustafa , Ji Jun Ho , Statsenko Galina , Conev Nikolay , Bondarenko Igor , Havel Libor , Losonczy György , Xie Mingchao , Lai Zhongwu , Godin-Heymann Nadia , Mann Helen , Jiang Haiyi , Shrestha Yashaswi , Goldman Jonathan W.
Published: September 2024

Subgroup analysis of PFS by tTMB for (A) durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus EP versus EP and (B) durvalumab plus EP versus EP. In each panel, the shaded band shows the confidence interval for the ITT population; circle sizes are proportional to the number of events.
Supplementary Figure S2 from Durvalumab ± Tremelimumab + Platinum-Etoposide in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (CASPIAN): Outcomes by PD-L1 Expression and Tissue Tumor Mutational Burden
Authors: Paz-Ares Luis , Garassino Marina Chiara , Chen Yuanbin , Reinmuth Niels , Hotta Katsuyuki , Poltoratskiy Artem , Trukhin Dmytro , Hochmair Maximilian J. , Özgüroğlu Mustafa , Ji Jun Ho , Statsenko Galina , Conev Nikolay , Bondarenko Igor , Havel Libor , Losonczy György , Xie Mingchao , Lai Zhongwu , Godin-Heymann Nadia , Mann Helen , Jiang Haiyi , Shrestha Yashaswi , Goldman Jonathan W.
Published: September 2024

Kaplan-Meier analysis of OS in the ITT population and the PD-L1 BEP.