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Disabling Pansclerotic Morphea (DPM) is a rare fibrotic skin disorder that is characterized by rapid sclerosis in all skin layers, fascia, muscle, and bone. This disease primarily affects children under 14 years of age and has an unknown etiology. Diagnosis of DPM is largely dependent on recognition of clinical features and current treatment options are nonspecific. To determine the current state of knowledge of DPM, we conducted a literature review to identify all published cases of disease. This is the first study to summarize all DPM patients reported in the literature and the collective information will function as a valuable resource for both clinicians and scientists who are seeking more information about this disease. Our findings revealed that patients typically present with prominent skin findings accompanied by various extracutaneous complications which contribute to morbidity and mortality. Additionally, patient responses to current treatment options are inconsistent. Given the rarity of the disease and limited understanding of its pathophysiology, we attempted to define the etiology underlying DPM through use of primary human cell lines, and evaluation of wound healing by an in vitro scratch assay. Results from our optimization experiments show that scratching at a 45° angle decreases interexperiment variability. Finally, we have proposed experiments that will examine the inherent disease features on elements of fibroblast biology including inflammatory gene transcription and cell morphology. We believe results from these experiments will help unveil the molecular basis of DPM and aid in the identification of a more specific therapy for these patients.

Transacting IoT data must be different in many from traditional approaches in order to build much-needed trust in data marketplaces, trust that will be the key to their sustainability. Data generated internally to an organization is usually not enough to remain competitive, enhance customer experiences, or improve strategic decision-making. In this paper, we propose a decentralized and trustless architecture through the posting of trade records while including the transaction process on distributed ledgers. This approach can efficiently enhance the degree of transparency, as all contract-oriented interactions will be written on-chain. Storage via an end-to-end encrypted message channel allows transmitting and accessing trusted data streams over distributed ledgers regardless of the size or cost of the device, while simultaneously making a verifiable Auth-compliant request to the platform. Furthermore, the platform will complete matching, trading and refunding processes with-out human intervention, and it also protects the rights of data providers and consumers through trading policies which apply revolutionary game theory to the machine economy.

Research into player-avatar relationship have found that players are able to experience different levels of emotional attachment, agency, embodiment, and identification with their game avatar. While current literature mostly addresses the psychological processes that form different types of player-avatar relationship, lesser is known about the mechanisms and processes of player-avatar relationship construction. Hence, the current study explores how game play experiences and the interpretation of game mechanics help players rationalize their relationship with game avatars. 28 adults who played an action adventure PS4 game, The Last of Us, participated in game play interviews and semi-structured in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis of the results revealed six different themes that explain the mechanisms that link players’ gameplay experiences to their relationship with the game avatar. Subsequently, this paper discusses three major tendencies in which players may construct player-avatar relationships and the processes of player-avatar relationship construction. ​Master of Communication Studies

The elderly represent a valid group of users who can potentially benefit greatly from engaging with technology, such as healthcare systems or playing digital games. Yet, less attention has been given to the significance of senior citizens as technology users, as compared to the common younger population. In an effort to fill in the gap, this workshop aims to investigate the design of technology for senior citizens. To provide for more focused, thus more productive discussion, we will use elderly mobile phone games as a case in point here. The overarching objective is to understand what can help to make for better and more meaningful use of interactive applications and technology by the elderly, for instance, games on the mobile phone. Refereed/Peer-reviewed