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This study aims to evaluate the applicability of a text mining approach for extracting UUX-related issues from a dataset of user comments and not to evaluate the Instagram (IG) app. This study analyses textual data mined from reviews in English written by IG mobile application users. The article’s authors used text mining (based on the LDA algorithm) to identify the main UUX-related topics. Next, they mapped the identified topics with known theoretical constructs to place them in their nomological network relevant to the usability (the 5Es framework by Quesenbery) and UX (the Honeycomb model by Morville). Finally, to expand the study with an emotional diagnosis, sentiment analysis was performed on two levels: (i) for each recognised topic, and (ii) for the full dataset to uncover general insights into users’ emotions within all reviews. The case study of the IG app confirms the usefulness of user feedback data for software development and points out that the review data have the potential for the early detection of frustration and negative feelings introduced during the use of the application. Conducting conventional UUX evaluations with users is problematic since they are remotely located, and the user-generated content of a social app undergoes continuous and frequent changes. Thus, the consecutive stages of the proposed methodology, based on text mining algorithms, constitute a proposed framework for examining the user-perceived quality projection of applications from user feedback, and they are the main contribution of this article. The used approach can be valuable for helping developers, designers and researchers to reveal user problems and fulfil user satisfaction regarding UUX aspects for specific software features.

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) may involve significant potential threats to personal data privacy, national security, and social and economic stability. AI-based solutions are often promoted as “intelligent” or “smart” because they are autonomous in optimizing various processes. Because they can modify their behavior without human supervision by analyzing data from the environment, AI-based systems may be more prone to malfunctions and malicious activities than conventional software systems. Moreover, due to existing regulatory gaps, development and operation of AI-based products are not yet subject to adequate risk management and administrative supervision. Resonating to recent reports about potential threats resulting from AI-based systems, this paper presents an outline of a prospective risk assessment for adaptive and autonomous products. This research resulted in extensive catalogs of possible damages, initiating events, and preventive policies that can be useful for risk managers involved in conducting risk assessment procedures for AI-based systems. The paper concludes with the analysis and discussion of changes in business, legal, and institutional environments required to ensure the public that AI-based solutions can be trusted, are transparent and safe, and can improve the quality of life.

Targeted disruption of RIIβ-protein kinase A (PKA) in mice leads to a lean phenotype, increased nocturnal locomotor activity, and activation of brown adipose tissue. Because RIIβ is abundantly expressed in both white and brown adipose tissue as well as the brain, the contribution of neuronal vs. peripheral PKA to these phenotypes was investigated. We used a Cre-Lox strategy to reexpress RIIβ in a tissue-specific manner in either adipocytes or neurons. Mice with adipocyte-specific RIIβ reexpression remained hyperactive and lean, but pan-neuronal RIIβ reexpression reversed both phenotypes. Selective RIIβ reexpression in all striatal medium spiny neurons with Darpp32-Cre corrected the hyperlocomotor phenotype, but the mice remained lean. Further analysis revealed that RIIβ reexpression in D2 dopamine receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons corrected the hyperlocomotor phenotype, which demonstrated that the lean phenotype in RIIβ-PKA-deficient mice does not develop because of increased locomotor activity. To identify the neurons responsible for the lean phenotype, we used specific Cre-driver mice to reexpress RIIβ in agouti-related peptide (AgRP)-, proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-, single-minded 1 (Sim1)-, or steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons in the hypothalamus, but observed no rescue of the lean phenotype. However, when RIIβ was reexpressed in multiple regions of the hypothalamus and striatum driven by Rip2-Cre, or specifically in GABAergic neurons driven by Vgat-ires-Cre, both the hyperactive and lean phenotypes were completely corrected. Bilateral injection of adeno-associated virus1 (AAV1)-Cre directly into the hypothalamus caused reexpression of RIIβ and partially reversed the lean phenotype. These data demonstrate that RIIβ-PKA deficiency in a subset of hypothalamic GABAergic neurons leads to the lean phenotype.

Agouti lethal yellow (A(y)) mice express agouti ectopically because of a genetic rearrangement at the agouti locus. The agouti peptide is a potent antagonist of the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) expressed in neurons, and this leads to hyperphagia, hypoactivity, and increased fat mass. The MC4R signals through Gs and is thought to stimulate the production of cAMP and activation of downstream cAMP effector molecules such as PKA. Disruption of the RIIbeta regulatory subunit gene of PKA results in release of the active catalytic subunit and an increase in basal PKA activity in cells where RIIbeta is highly expressed. Because RIIbeta is expressed in neurons including those in the hypothalamic nuclei where MC4R is prominent we tested the possibility that the RIIbeta knockout might rescue the body weight phenotypes of the A(y) mice. Disruption of the RIIbeta PKA regulatory subunit gene in mice leads to a 50% reduction in white adipose tissue and resistance to diet-induced obesity and hyperglycemia. The RIIbeta mutation rescued the elevated body weight, hyperphagia, and obesity of A(y) mice. Partial rescue of the A(y) phenotypes was even observed on an RIIbeta heterozygote background. These results suggest that the RIIbeta gene mutation alters adiposity and locomotor activity by modifying PKA signaling pathways downstream of the agouti antagonism of MC4R in the hypothalamus.

Mice lacking the RII beta regulatory subunit of protein kinase A exhibit a 50% reduction in white adipose tissue stores compared with wild-type littermates and are resistant to diet-induced obesity. RII beta(-/-) mice also have an increase in resting oxygen consumption along with a 4-fold increase in the brown adipose-specific mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). In this study, we examined the basis for UCP1 induction and tested the hypothesis that the induced levels of UCP1 in RII beta null mice are essential for the lean phenotype. The induction of UCP1 occurred at the protein but not the mRNA level and correlated with an increase in mitochondria in brown adipose tissue. Mice lacking both RII beta and UCP1 (RII beta(-/-)/Ucp1(-/-)) were created, and the key parameters of metabolism and body composition were studied. We discovered that RII beta(-/-) mice exhibit nocturnal hyperactivity in addition to the increased oxygen consumption at rest. Disruption of UCP1 in RII beta(-/-) mice reduced basal oxygen consumption but did not prevent the nocturnal hyperactivity. The double knockout animals also retained the lean phenotype of the RII beta null mice, demonstrating that induction of UCP1 and increased resting oxygen consumption is not the cause of leanness in the RII beta mutant mice.

The major regulator of lipolysis in white adipocytes and brown adipocytes is cAMP and the actions of cAMP are mediated by protein kinase A (PKA). Multiple subunits of PKA, including RII beta, R1 alpha, C alpha, and C beta 1, are expressed in fat cells but the major holoenzyme assembled under normal conditions contains RII beta and C alpha. Targeted disruption of the RII beta gene in mice revealed that both white and brown adipocytes are capable of compensating by increasing the level of RI alpha. Nevertheless, the mice display a lean phenotype, have an elevated metabolic rate due to activation and induction of uncoupling protein in brown fat, and are resistant to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Although the metabolic disturbances in white and brown fat tissue may explain most of the phenotypic changes, the loss of neuronal expression of RII beta may also contribute to the alterations in energy balance. Specific neuronal defects have been characterized that prevent the normal changes in gene expression seen with drugs that act through the dopaminergic pathway. The RII beta mutant mouse provides an interesting model of obesity resistance and demonstrates that chronic changes in the PKA signaling system can lead to stable alterations in energy storage and utilization.

The adhesion molecule L-selectin (CD62L) is rapidly shed from the plasma membrane during leukocyte activation as a result of proteolytic cleavage between Lys321 and Ser322 within the extracellular domain. L-selectin is also down-modulated from the surface in response to cross-linking, possibly through a similar mechanism. To further characterize the mechanism of down-modulation, several L-selectin mutants were generated and transfected into COS cells. Wild-type L-selectin as well as mutants with one or two amino acid substitutions at the cleavage site were nearly quantitatively shed into the culture supernatant. However, mutants in which a nine-amino acid stretch that included the protease-sensitive site was either deleted or replaced with a polyglycine spacer or a comparable region of E-selectin were retained on the cell surface and not detected in the supernatant. These results are consistent with other reports describing protease resistant L-selectin mutants. We also demonstrate that when expressed in L1-2 pre-B cells, the L-selectin nine-amino acid deletion mutant (321del.9), but not wild-type L-selectin, is resistant to down-regulation induced by PMA. However, both wild-type and mutant 321del.9 are completely lost from the cell surface in response to cross-linking with an L-selectin Ab. PMA-induced- but not L-selectin cross-linking-induced down-modulation was inhibited by staurosporine. These data are consistent with the idea that the L-selectin protease(s) can tolerate minor structural alterations at the cleavage site, and that L-selectin down-modulation can be induced by more than one mechanism, at least one of which (cross-linking) is protein kinase C independent.

L-selectin mediates the initial contact of leukocytes with the endothelium prior to extravasation. Here we demonstrate that L-selectin engagement can induce rapid and avid integrin-dependent T cell adhesion to recombinant immobilized cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) including ICAM-1, ICAM-3, and VCAM-1, as well as to the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (FN). L-selectin-induced adhesion to these integrin ligands shares characteristics with CD3 mAb- or phorbol ester-induced adhesion in requiring metabolic energy, tyrosine kinase and ligand-stimulated Ca2+ channel activity. However, L-selectin-induced adhesion is distinct from that induced by phorbol ester or CD3 crosslinking in being relatively independent of protein kinase C (PKC) activity and actin polymerization. Consistent with the higher levels of L-selectin expression on CD45RA+ (naive) cells, L-selectin crosslinking induces a greater proportion of naive relative to memory cell binding to CAMs and FN. In contrast, exposure to phorbol ester or CD3 crosslinking is more effective in inducing CD45RO+ (memory) cell adhesion. Thus, in addition to its role in leukocyte capture and rolling on the endothelium, L-selectin may contribute to beta 1 and beta 2 integrin-dependent binding and arrest.

CD43 is a cell-surface sialoglycoprotein of uncertain physiologic function expressed to various degrees by most leukocytes. We tested whether or not CD43 participates in intercellular adhesion by comparing the binding of human T lymphocytes to transfected HeLa cells stably expressing CD43 and sham-transfected HeLa cells (CD43-negative). Significantly fewer T lymphocytes adhered to the CD43-positive HeLa cells than to the CD43-negative HeLa cells. Diminished T-cell adherence to the CD43-positive HeLa cells was seen for all T lymphocytes tested, irrespective of their source or derivation. Antibody-blocking experiments revealed that CD43 interference with T-cell adhesion largely represented interference with T-cell leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 binding to HeLa cell intercellular adhesion molecule 1. The CD43 anti-adhesion effect was not overcome by treating cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, a chemical that increases the binding avidity of leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 for intercellular adhesion molecule 1. However, neuraminidase treatment of the HeLa cell transfectants diminished the CD43 antiadhesion effect. These data indicate that CD43 expression by opposing cells can interfere with cell-cell adhesion. The data also suggest that CD43 might regulate T-cell adhesion by interfering with leukocyte function-associated 1 binding to intercellular adhesion molecule 1, a major activation-induced adhesion pathway among lymphocytes.

Sera from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected and -noninfected individuals were screened for antibodies that could bind to native T cell differentiation antigens. Antibodies that could immunoprecipitate CD43 (sialophorin, leukosialin) from a T cell lymphoma line were detected in sera from 27% of patients, and antibodies that could bind specifically to transfected cells expressing CD43 were detected in 47% of patients. The anti-CD43 antibodies were related to HIV-1 infection in that no patients with other chronic viral infections or systemic lupus erythematosus contained such antibodies in their sera. The anti-CD43 autoantibodies bound to a partially sialylated form of CD43 expressed by normal human thymocytes, but not by normal, circulating T lymphocytes. However, the determinant(s) recognized by the anti-CD43 autoantibodies was present on a large proportion of circulating T lymphocytes, but masked from antibody recognition by sialic acid residues. These results demonstrate that HIV-1 infection is specifically associated with the production of autoantibodies that bind to a native T cell surface antigen.

A prevailing view among those studying neuroendocrine effects of ethanol is that acute doses suppress luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) secretion, and consequently inhibit luteinizing hormone (LH) release in the rat. This phenomenon has not been observed in primates, and has been thought to be a species difference. The experimental procedures, however, have involved ethanol administration by oral or intragastric (ig) routes in humans and monkeys, but intraperitoneal (ip) or carotid artery injection in rats. It has also been suggested that inhibition of LH secretion by ethanol in rats is mediated by endogenous opioid peptides (EOP), because the effect can be reversed by the opiate antagonist naloxone. An alternative explanation is that ip ethanol injection might stress rats sufficiently to activate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (H-P-A) and EOP systems that are well known to inhibit hormonal activities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (H-P-G) axis. Presented here are preliminary results from experiments with male rats. When ethanol is administered ig, under relatively stress-free conditions, it does not inhibit LH secretion in gonadally intact or castrated males. In contrast, ip injection of the same ethanol dose (2.0 g/kg body wt) causes pronounced inhibition of LH secretion and concomitant increases in plasma prolactin (PRL) and corticosterone--indicative of a stress response. Furthermore, when ip ethanol administration is preceded by intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of a corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) antagonist (alpha-helical ovine CRF residues 9 to 41), the effects of ethanol on LH and corticosterone are blocked. These results indicate that it may be stress, rather than ethanol per se, that inhibits LHRH and LH secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)