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This paper describes a study of player behavior and electroencephalography (EEG) headset readings while playing a cybersecurity educational video game. While difficulty was progressively increased, player actions and EEG readings were recorded, along with a pre- and post-test of student knowledge and opinions regarding information security awareness and perceived immersion. This study employed Brute Force, a tower defense game that teaches players to choose strong, unique, and memorable passwords. Participants reported significantly more responsible attitudes regarding the importance of strong, unique passwords. More successful players who played the full fifteen minutes tended to improve at identifying strong passwords from a list. After playing the game, participants were most likely to add password length and uniqueness as important password strategies.

The promise of dynamic difficulty adjustment in personalized learning is discussed, along with the potential of low-cost electroencephalography (EEG) headsets to provide quick, continuous player feedback. This is followed by the results of a study involving these elements in the context of a cybersecurity educational video game. Player actions and EEG readings were recorded, along with a pretest and posttest of student knowledge and opinions regarding information security awareness and perceived immersion. This study employed Brute Force, a tower defense game that teaches players to choose strong, unique, and memorable passwords. Participants reported significantly more responsible attitudes regarding the importance of strong, unique passwords. More successful players who played the full 15 min tended to improve at identifying strong passwords from a list. After playing the game, participants were most likely to add password length and uniqueness as important password strategies.

Propensity score analysis (PSA) is a technique to correct for potential confounding in observational studies. Covariate adjustment, matching, stratification, and inverse weighting are the four most commonly used methods involving propensity scores. The main goal of this research is to determine which PSA method performs the best in terms of protecting against spurious association detection, as measured by Type I error rate, while maintaining sufficient power to detect a true association, if one exists. An examination of these PSA methods along with ordinary least squares regression was conducted under two cases: correct PSA model specification and incorrect PSA model specification. PSA covariate adjustment and PSA matching maintain the nominal Type I error rate, when the PSA model is correctly specified, but only PSA covariate adjustment achieves adequate power levels. Other methods produced conservative Type I Errors in some scenarios, while liberal Type I error rates were observed in other scena...

Peer evaluations allow individuals to express their assessment of the contributions of group members. Having this opportunity is popular in both face-to-face and online environments. Peer evaluations provide a sense of empowerment and distributive justice to individuals. The present study examines differences concerning the utilization of peer evaluations for face-to-face groups and online groups. Significant differences exist in the peer evaluations that these two groups reported. Online group members are more likely to differentiate their evaluations of fellow group members. In addition, online group members tend to differentiate peer evaluations to a greater extent. Implications for managing groups and future research are discussed.

Objectives The optimal locoregional treatment for non‐resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of ≥3 cm in diameter is unclear. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the initial intervention most commonly performed, but it rarely eradicates HCC. The purpose of this study was to measure survival in HCC patients treated with adjuvant stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) following TACE. Methods A retrospective study of patients with HCC of ≥3 cm was conducted. Outcomes in patients treated with TACE alone ( n = 124) were compared with outcomes in those treated with TACE + SBRT ( n = 37). Results There were no significant baseline differences between the two groups. The pre‐TACE mean number of tumours ( P = 0.57), largest tumour size ( P = 0.09) and total tumour diameter ( P = 0.21) did not differ significantly between the groups. Necrosis of the HCC tumour, measured after the first TACE, did not differ between the groups ( P = 0.69). Local recurrence was significantly decreased in the TACE + SBRT group (10.8%) in comparison with the TACE‐only group (25.8%) ( P = 0.04). After censoring for liver transplantation, overall survival was found to be significantly increased in the TACE + SBRT group compared with the TACE‐only group (33 months and 20 months, respectively; P = 0.02). Conclusions This retrospective study suggests that in patients with HCC tumours of ≥3 cm, treatment with TACE + SBRT provides a survival advantage over treatment with only TACE. Confirmation of this observation requires that the concept be tested in a prospective, randomized clinical trial.

Do attitudes toward globalization change with economic conditions? This paper compares student attitudes during an economic expansion with student attitudes during an economic recession. Globalization has resulted in lower prices, more choices, and a blurring of the lines of national identity for many products. Its impact also includes loss of domestic jobs, trade disputes, and challenges to national sovereignty by organizations, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). Two surveys were administered in the College of Commerce and Business Administration at an AACSB-accredited southeastern United States university. The first took place in 2003 while the region was enjoying low unemployment and a vigorous economic expansion. The second was administered in 2009 during a time of significantly higher unemployment and economic recession. The 2003 survey found very positive views towards most aspects of globalization. In contrast, the second survey during markedly more depressed economic times found students were more concerned with their own self-interest, preferring less government interference and less globalization. The results suggest that attempts to promote trade agreements should consider economic conditions as part of their process of developing public support. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA