Østfold University College

About: Østfold University College is a education organization based out in Halden, Norway. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Health care. The organization has 438 authors who have published 1213 publications receiving 12510 citations. The organization is also known as: HiØ.

Patients’ perceptions of quality of care and follow-up in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract: Background and aims Quality of care (QoC) has gained increased attention in IBD. A better QoC has, historically, been linked to improved treatment outcomes. Even so, factors of equal importance to patients may be quality of life (QoL), patient–physician communication and access to care. Recent surveys suggest that IBD care in Europe is suboptimal. Methods Patients were recruited from nine hospitals in the south-eastern and western part of Norway as a part of an observational, multicenter study In addition to clinical and socio-demographic factors; a purposely designed 26 item questionnaire was used to quantify aspects related to IBD care, including QoC. Moreover, the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ) was used to investigate fatigue. Results In total, 411 patients were included. Of these, 231 were diagnosed with CD and 180 with UC. Furthermore, 86.1% (354/411) were satisfied with the quality of IBD follow-up and only 4.1% (17/411) were dissatisfied. Most dissatisfaction was related to: lack of focus on pe...

Making sense of co-creative tangibles through the concept of familiarity

Abstract: This paper address Universal Design and Tangible Interaction through the concept of familiarity. Co-creative tangibles are designed and evaluated in the RHYME project, where the goal is to improve health and well being for children with severe disabilities through music and physical interaction. The main contribution of this paper is to make sense of Universal Design of co-creative tangibles through the concept of familiarity. Familiarity is described by engagement, understanding and an intimate or close relationship between the user and the technology. We propose familiarity as a concept for understanding and developing Tangible Interaction solutions for all.

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings.

Abstract: This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965) that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination.

The Neuro-Immuno-Senescence Integrative Model (NISIM) on the Negative Association Between Parasympathetic Activity and Cellular Senescence.

Abstract: There is evidence that accumulated senescent cells drive age-related pathologies, but the antecedents to the cellular stressors that induce senescence remain poorly understood. Previous research suggests that there is a relationship between shorter telomere length, an antecedent to cellular senescence, and psychological stress. Existing models do not sufficiently account for the specific pathways from which psychological stress regulation is converted into production of reactive oxygen species. We propose the neuro-immuno-senescence integrative model (NISIM) suggesting how vagally mediated heart rate variability might be related to cellular senescence. Prefrontally modulated, and vagally mediated cortical influences on the autonomic nervous system, expressed as heart rate variability, affects the immune system by adrenergic stimulation and cholinergic inhibition of cytokine production in macrophages and neutrophils. Previous findings indicate that low heart rate variability is associated with increased production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. IL-6 and TNF-α can activate the NFκB pathway, increasing production of reactive oxygen species that can cause DNA damage. Vagally mediated heart rate variability has been related to an individual’s ability to regulate stress, and is lower in people with shorter telomeres. Based on these previous findings, the NISIM suggest that the main pathway from psychological stress to individual differences in oxidative telomere damage originates in the neuroanatomical components that modulate heart rate variability, and culminates in the cytokine-induced activation of NFκB. Accumulated senescent cells in the brain is hypothesized to promote age-related neurodegenerative disease, and previous reports suggest an association between low heart rate variability and onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Accumulating senescent cells in peripheral tissues secreting senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors can alter tissue structure and function which can induce cancer and promote tumor growth and metastasis in old age, and previous research suggested that ability to regulate psychological stress has a negative association with cancer onset. We therefore conclude that the NISIM can account for a large proportion of the individual differences in the psychological stress-related antecedents to cellular senescence, and suggest that it can be useful in providing a dynamic framework for understanding the pathways by which psychological stress induce pathologies in old age.

Virtual reality and its uses: a systematic literature review

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) has challenged the way we perceive the world and user experience is being explored to achieve an immersive and effective experience. However, the commercial effects and impact of this technology lacks sufficient research. It is hence uncertain which role virtual reality has in information systems nowadays. This systematic literature review (SLR) focuses on the commercial impact of virtual reality and which field of study this technology is most used. To answer this question, a reference manual was used from literature review protocol standards and carried out. Results show that VR systems have a wide specter of applications and a significant potential for revolutionizing our everyday life in the digital world.