scholarly journals On Using a Mobile Application to Support Teledermatology: A Case Study in an Underprivileged Area in Colombia

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Sáenz ◽  
Mónica Paola Novoa ◽  
Darío Correal ◽  
Bell Raj Eapen
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Correct Diagnosis ◽  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
Forest Regions ◽  
The Face

Background. The use of mobile applications in dermatology to support remote diagnosis is gaining acceptance, particularly in rural areas, where dermatology services are commonly managed by healthcare personnel with no specialty training. Moreover, ontologies—sets of concepts that represent knowledge in a given domain—are increasingly being used to support medical diagnosis. A specific case is ONTODerm: an ontology to aid dermatological diagnosis. However, there is little information on the combined use of mobile applications and ontologies as support solutions in dermatology. Objective. Assessing the reliability of ONTODerm as a tool to support remote dermatological diagnosis when used together with a mobile dermatological application in underprivileged areas. Methods. A mobile application that allows characterization of skin lesions was developed, and the information about the lesions was sent to ONTODerm. An exploratory study was conducted in a remote area without access to a dermatologist. A total of 64 dermatological queries were recorded in the application and consulted with ONTODerm. Later, an experienced dermatologist evaluated the characterization and diagnosis of each query to determine the accuracy of the system. Results. The results showed that the probability of obtaining a correct diagnosis was between 64.4% and 85.6% with a confidence interval of 95%. A higher accuracy rate was obtained when the skin lesion occurred on the face or when its border was categorized as poorly demarcated. Conclusions. This study demonstrates the implementation of a teledermatology strategy based on mobile applications and domain ontology-driven knowledge base to provide timely assistance to healthcare professionals. This approach was found to be pertinent in the Colombian rural context, particularly in forest regions, where dermatology specialists are not available. The results of this article do not represent a final validation of the proposed approach; they suggest how the ontology can be improved to effectively support medical staff in marginalized regions.

Een perioculaire vorm van necrobiosis lipoidica

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. DE VOS ◽  
L. TEMMERMAN ◽  
L. DE SMET
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Skin Disease ◽  
Correct Diagnosis ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Blood Analysis ◽  
Necrobiosis Lipoidica ◽  
Autoimmune Thyroid ◽  
Topical Tacrolimus ◽  
The Face

A periocular form of necrobiosis lipoidica Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is an uncommon granulomatous skin disease of unknown origin. It is more often seen in patients with diabetes mellitus. Other cases describe an association with conditions like autoimmune thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, sarcoidosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The skin lesions usually appear on the legs of the patient. Rarely, the disease presents in the face and/or scalp, in this case it is called “facial necrobiosis lipoidica” (FNL). When one or multiple annular, non-scaly plaques are observed in the face and/or scalp, it is important to think about FNL. The lesions are usually yellowish in the centre with areas of depigmentation and/or atrophy of the skin. In the periphery, the colour might be brown-red and sometimes an elevated border can be observed. FNL may look like another skin disease called “necrobiotic xanthogranuloma”. For this reason, histology is crucial for a correct diagnosis. It is important to exclude underlying diabetes mellitus. Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma is frequently associated with paraproteinemia. Therefore, this condition has to be ruled out by means of a blood analysis. There are no guidelines available for the treatment of FNL, but topical tacrolimus 0,1% might be an effective therapy for these patients.

The glycomes of Caenorhabditis elegans and other model organisms

2002 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 117-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart M. Haslam ◽  
David Gems ◽  
Howard R. Morris ◽  
Anne Dell
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Entire Genome ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
The Face ◽  
Area Of Concern ◽  
Nematode Worm

There is no doubt that the immense amount of information that is being generated by the initial sequencing and secondary interrogation of various genomes will change the face of glycobiological research. However, a major area of concern is that detailed structural knowledge of the ultimate products of genes that are identified as being involved in glycoconjugate biosynthesis is still limited. This is illustrated clearly by the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, which was the first multicellular organism to have its entire genome sequenced. To date, only limited structural data on the glycosylated molecules of this organism have been reported. Our laboratory is addressing this problem by performing detailed MS structural characterization of the N-linked glycans of C. elegans; high-mannose structures dominate, with only minor amounts of complex-type structures. Novel, highly fucosylated truncated structures are also present which are difucosylated on the proximal N-acetylglucosamine of the chitobiose core as well as containing unusual Fucα1–2Gal1–2Man as peripheral structures. The implications of these results in terms of the identification of ligands for genomically predicted lectins and potential glycosyltransferases are discussed in this chapter. Current knowledge on the glycomes of other model organisms such as Dictyostelium discoideum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster is also discussed briefly.

Sustaining Job Performance through Technology Acceptance with Usage of Whatsapp Mobile Application

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Nor Hayati Kassim ◽  
Norlina Mohamed Noor ◽  
Jati Kasuma ◽  
Juliza Saleh ◽  
Ceaser Dealwis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Willingness To Use

Companies are now recognizing that their employees require a spectrum of mobile applications in order to achieve maximum efficiency at the workplace. Mobile applications such as WeChat, Twitter and WhatsApp via smartphones have become influential tools and extensively used by employees at the workplace. This state-of-the-art technology in communication has penetrated various fields, including routine administrative jobs at the workplace. The objective of this research is toinvestigate the acceptance of the WhatsApp mobile application for formal use among support staff at The Commission of the City of Kuching North, Sarawak (DBKU). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and behavioral intention of the users in using WhatsApp are the variables measured for job performance. The researchers utilized convenience sampling, whereby a total of 105 employees from two departments participated in the investigation. Data was collected using a set of selfadministered questionnaires which was adapted from Davis. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of WhatsApp as a means of communication were significant for job performance at DBKU. The employees felt more competent during their formal interaction at the workplace as less effort was needed while using WhatsApp. The existence of features which were user-friendly and easy operational functions helped to create positive attitudes when utilizing the application. Faster feedback, ease of use, and convenience were some of the reasons for the employees’ willingness to use WhatsApp for communication at the workplace.

Emerging Challenges and Opportunities of Mobile Commerce in India: A Study on Societal Perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Utkarsh Kumar ◽  
Anil Kumar Gope ◽  
Shweta Singh
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Societal Perspective ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Mobile Commerce ◽  
Mobile Banking ◽  
Black And White ◽  
The People ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

In India, the position of mobile banking was in saga and this time, it is in pic position. The speedof reaching the people is going high and high. This is time of wireless world and sense of prestige; no doubt the mobile commerce is contributing to enhance the beauty of life and playing the role of metaphor and has become the part and parcel of our life. This growth has changed people to do business in mobile commerce (М- Commerce). Peoples are transferring to M-Commerce to attain good and fast transaction into market and saving their precious time. M-Commerce has become distinguished in Indian people, quickly during last few years. Due to large number of mobile application, growth rate in mobile penetration in India is increasing with the rapid speed. The mobile users has shifted to use the android phone from simple and black and white phone and taking the service of internet, the role of telecom companies is also important in the being popular of mobile commerce. Although many people have started E-Commerce but still a separate part of the society feel uncomfortable and hesitate to use M-Commerce because of security problems, payment issues and complexity of mobile applications. This paper identifies facts about the feasibility of MCommercein India today its growth and the Strength and opportunity, weakness and threats lying ahead.

Development of “My Retainers” mobile application: Triangulation of two qualitative methods (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalya Al-Moghrabi ◽  
Fiorella Beatriz Colonio-Salazar ◽  
Ama Johal ◽  
Padhraig Seamus Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Patient Experiences ◽  
Application Development ◽  
Participant Preferences ◽  
Orthodontic Retainers ◽  
Purposive Sample

BACKGROUND Diligent wear of removable orthodontic retainers requires prolonged compliance and is invariably necessary to preserve optimal results. Patient-informed behaviour-change interventions represent a promising and novel means of enhancing compliance with retainer wear. OBJECTIVE To describe the development of a patient-informed mobile application aimed to enhance retainer wear. METHODS Four aspects were considered during mobile application development: participant preferences; analysis of publicly-available retainer-related posts on Twitter; available interventions; and behaviour-change theories. Audio-recorded one-to-one interviews were conducted with a subset of participants to account for patient preferences in terms of features, design and content. A criterion-based purposive sample of participants wearing vacuum-formed retainers for at least 4 years was used. Thematic analysis of transcribed data was undertaken. RESULTS The need to facilitate communication with the treating clinician, responsive reminder and tracking systems, and access to useful and engaging written and visual information, in addition to other personalised and interactive features were considered important. Concerns related to retainer wear shared on Twitter informed an exhaustive list of frequently-asked questions. Application features were mapped to relevant theoretical constructs. Determinants of existing behavioural change theories were used to link application features to expected outcomes. CONCLUSIONS A holistic process involving both patient and professional input can be useful in informing the development of mobile applications. The orthodontic application (“My Retainers”) will undergo further scrutiny in relation to its effectiveness in inducing behavioural change and concerning patient experiences prior to finalisation.

scholarly journals Basket of options: Unpacking the concept

2021 ◽  
pp. 003072702110194
Author(s):  
E Ronner ◽  
J Sumberg ◽  
D Glover ◽  
KKE Descheemaeker ◽  
CJM Almekinders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technological Change ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Agricultural Technologies ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Individual User ◽  
Opportunities For Learning ◽  
Critical Attention ◽  
The Face ◽  
Potential Adaptation

How to stimulate technological change to enhance agricultural productivity and reduce poverty remains an area of vigorous debate. In the face of heterogeneity among farm households and rural areas, one proposition is to offer potential users a ‘basket of options’ – a range of agricultural technologies from which potential users may select the ones that are best suited to their specific circumstances. While the idea of a basket of options is now generally accepted, it has attracted little critical attention. In this paper, we reflect on outstanding questions: the appropriate dimensions of a basket, its contents and how they are identified, and how a basket might be presented. We conceive a basket of options in terms of its depth (number of options related to a problem or opportunity) and breadth (the number of different problems or opportunities addressed). The dimensions of a basket should reflect the framing of the problem or opportunity at hand and the objective in offering the basket. We recognise that increasing the number of options leads to a trade-off by decreasing the fraction of those options that are relevant to an individual user. Farmers might try out, adapt or use one or more of the options in a basket, possibly leading to a process of technological change. We emphasise that the selection (or not) of specific options from the basket, and potential adaptation of the options, provide important opportunities for learning. Baskets of options can therefore be understood as important boundary concepts that invite critical engagement, comparison and discussion. Significant knowledge gaps remain, however, about the best ways to present the basket and to guide potential users to select the options that are most relevant to them.

scholarly journals Acceptability of a Mobile Application in Children’s Oral Health Promotion—A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3256
Author(s):  
Kirsi Rasmus ◽  
Antti Toratti ◽  
Saujanya Karki ◽  
Paula Pesonen ◽  
Marja-Liisa Laitala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Oral Health Promotion ◽  
Oral Health Behaviors ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Children’S Oral Health

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the acceptability of an oral health-related mobile application developed for young children based on the feedback given by the children and their parents. Another aim was to evaluate the self-reported change in children’s oral health behaviors during a short test period. The application—a virtual pet integrated into a child’s daily routines—aimed to promote oral hygiene and dietary behaviors in children. A total of 36 4–12-year-old voluntary children were given a mobile phone with the installed application. After the 5-week testing period, the feasibility of the application and possible changes in the children’s oral health behaviors were asked using an electronic questionnaire. Most of the children considered the application clear (n = 34), amusing (n = 31), and useful (n = 29). The children’s tooth brushing manners improved both qualitatively and quantitatively: the time used for tooth brushing increased and the children learned how to brush different tooth surfaces. Mobile applications can be fun and useful in oral health promotion; while playing, children can learn good oral health-related behaviors. Mobile applications integrate oral health promotion into children’s daily environment and routines.

Exploring the Differences in Macrocognition Between Experts and Non-CHD Experts Managing Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 335-339
Author(s):  
Azadeh Assadi ◽  
Peter C. Laussen ◽  
Patricia Trbovich
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Emergency Medicine ◽  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Pediatric Emergency ◽  
Acute Management ◽  
Naturalistic Decision Making ◽  
The Face

Background and aims: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk of deterioration in the face of common childhood illnesses, and their resuscitation and acute management is often best achieved with the guidance of CHD experts. Access to such expertise may be limited outside specialty heart centers and the fragility of these patients is cause for discomfort among many emergency medicine physicians. An understanding of the differences in macrocognition of these clinicians could shed light on some of the causes of discomfort and facilitate the development of a sociotechnological solution to this problem. Methods: Cardiac intensivists (CHD experts) and pediatric emergency medicine physicians (non-CHD experts) in a major academic cardiac center were interviewed using the critical decision method. Interview transcripts were coded deductively based on Klein’s macrocognitive framework and inductively to allow for new or modified characterization of dimensions. Results: While both CHD-experts and non-CHD experts relied on the macrocognitive functions of sensemaking, naturalistic decision making and detecting problems, the specific data and mental models used to understand the patients and course of therapy differed between CHD-experts and non-CHD experts. Conclusion: Characterization of differences between the macrocognitive processes of CHD experts and non-CHD experts can inform development of sociotechnological solutions to augment decision making pertaining to the acute management of pediatric CHD patients.

scholarly journals Face, Content, and Construct Validity of a Virtual Reality Otoscopy Simulator and Applicability to Medical Training

2021 ◽  
pp. 019459982110328
Author(s):  
Tobias Albrecht ◽  
Christoph Nikendei ◽  
Mark Praetorius
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Construct Validity ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Correct Diagnosis ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Tertiary Referral Center ◽  
The Face

Objective Otologic diseases are common in all age groups and can significantly impair the function of this important sensory organ. To make a correct diagnosis, the correct handling of the otoscope and a correctly performed examination are essential. A virtual reality simulator could make it easier to teach this difficult-to-teach skill. The aim of this study was to assess the face, content, and construct validity of the novel virtual reality otoscopy simulator and the applicability to otologic training. Study Design Face and content validity was assessed with a questionnaire. Construct validity was assessed in a prospectively designed controlled trial. Setting Training for medical students at a tertiary referral center. Method The questionnaire used a 6-point Likert scale. The otoscopy was rated with a modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills. Time to complete the task and the percentage of the assessed eardrum surface were recorded. Results The realism of the simulator and the applicability to medical training were assessed across several items. The ratings suggested good face and content validity as well as usefulness and functionality of the simulator. The otolaryngologists significantly outperformed the student group in all categories measured (P < .0001), suggesting construct validity of the simulator. Conclusion In this study, we could demonstrate face, content, and construct validity for a novel high-fidelity virtual reality otoscopy simulator. The results encourage the use of the otoscopy simulator as a complementary tool to traditional teaching methods in a curriculum for medical students.

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