scholarly journals A Web-Based Rendering Application for Communicating Dental Conditions

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 960
Author(s):  
Hudson D. Spangler ◽  
Miguel A. Simancas-Pallares ◽  
Jeannie Ginnis ◽  
Andrea G. Ferreira Zandoná ◽  
Jeff Roach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Tooth Surface ◽  
Caries Experience ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Ceramic Crowns ◽  
Dental Conditions

The importance of visual aids in communicating clinical examination findings or proposed treatments in dentistry cannot be overstated. Similarly, communicating dental research results with tooth surface-level precision is impractical without visual representations. Here, we present the development, deployment, and two real-life applications of a web-based data visualization informatics pipeline that converts tooth surface-level information to colorized, three-dimensional renderings. The core of the informatics pipeline focuses on texture (UV) mapping of a pre-existing model of the human primary dentition. The 88 individually segmented tooth surfaces receive independent inputs that are represented in colors and textures according to customizable user specifications. The web implementation SculptorHD, deployed on the Google Cloud Platform, can accommodate manually entered or spreadsheet-formatted tooth surface data and allows the customization of color palettes and thresholds, as well as surface textures (e.g., condition-free, caries lesions, stainless steel, or ceramic crowns). Its current implementation enabled the visualization and interpretation of clinical early childhood caries (ECC) subtypes using latent class analysis-derived caries experience summary data. As a demonstration of its potential clinical utility, the tool was also used to simulate the restorative treatment presentation of a severe ECC case, including the use of stainless steel and ceramic crowns. We expect that this publicly available web-based tool can aid clinicians and investigators deliver precise, visual presentations of dental conditions and proposed treatments. The creation of rapidly adjustable lifelike dental models, integrated to existing electronic health records and responsive to new clinical findings or planned for future work, is likely to boost two-way communication between clinicians and their patients.

scholarly journals Web-Based Language Learning for Enhancing Students’ Soft Skills in Mount Kenya University

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1555-1563
Author(s):  
Anashia Ongonda ◽  
Mary Nguvi Muindi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Web Based

The application of an appropriate teaching methodology plays an important role in the acquisition of language skills. Soft skills such as oral and listening skills are all important for young adults who are about to enter the working world. However, soft skills are not well captured in the curriculum at the university level. Thus, employing Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) may hinder learners from noticing these important skills that are useful in real life. This study aims to demonstrate that the combination of TBLT and web-based language learning enhances student’s ability to acquire soft skills that are paramount in their real life. The following hypothesis guided the study: soft skills are enhanced through the use of a combination of task-based language teaching and web-based language learning. The experimental research design was used for the current study where a pre-test/post-test methodology was utilized. The target population for the current study was 300 third-year students studying English as a second language. Therefore, thirty students formed a sample size of the current study and were subjects of the experiment during one semester. The experiment consisted of exposing two groups fifteen each, randomly sampled, to a set of activities but using different methods, one of which was Computer Assisted Language Learning. Participant observation method was also used and was deemed important for the interpretation of the quantitative data. Data were analysed quantitatively.  Thus, the results of the current study were derived from statistical analysis. The mean in the performance of the control group and the experimental group was significantly different. The findings of the study show that when learners are exposed to the web and visual aids, they become actively involved in the process of learning unlike in an aural environment. The study recommends the use of Computer Assisted Language Learning as a method of motivating and enhancing student’s development of soft skills. The application of an appropriate teaching methodology plays an important role in the acquisition of language skills. Soft skills such as oral and listening skills are all important for young adults who are about to enter the working world. However, soft skills are not well captured in the curriculum at the university level. Thus, employing Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) may hinder learners from noticing these important skills that are useful in real life. This study aims to demonstrate that the combination of TBLT and web-based language learning enhances student’s ability to acquire soft skills that are paramount in their real life. The following hypothesis guided the study: soft skills are enhanced through the use of a combination of task-based language teaching and web-based language learning. The experimental research design was used for the current study where a pre-test/post-test methodology was utilized. The target population for the current study was 300 third-year students studying English as a second language. Therefore, thirty students formed a sample size of the current study and were subjects of the experiment during one semester. The experiment consisted of exposing two groups fifteen each, randomly sampled, to a set of activities but using different methods, one of which was Computer Assisted Language Learning. Participant observation method was also used and was deemed important for the interpretation of the quantitative data. Data were analysed quantitatively.  Thus, the results of the current study were derived from statistical analysis. The mean in the performance of the control group and the experimental group was significantly different. The findings of the study show that when learners are exposed to the web and visual aids, they become actively involved in the process of learning unlike in an aural environment. The study recommends the use of Computer Assisted Language Learning as a method of motivating and enhancing student’s development of soft skills.

scholarly journals Head-to-head comparison of clustering methods for heterogeneous data: a simulation-driven benchmark

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregoire Preud’homme ◽  
Kevin Duarte ◽  
Kevin Dalleau ◽  
Claire Lacomblez ◽  
Emmanuel Bresso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hierarchical Clustering ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Latent Class Model ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Heterogeneous Data ◽  
Mixed Data ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Clustering Methods ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Partitioning Around Medoids

AbstractThe choice of the most appropriate unsupervised machine-learning method for “heterogeneous” or “mixed” data, i.e. with both continuous and categorical variables, can be challenging. Our aim was to examine the performance of various clustering strategies for mixed data using both simulated and real-life data. We conducted a benchmark analysis of “ready-to-use” tools in R comparing 4 model-based (Kamila algorithm, Latent Class Analysis, Latent Class Model [LCM] and Clustering by Mixture Modeling) and 5 distance/dissimilarity-based (Gower distance or Unsupervised Extra Trees dissimilarity followed by hierarchical clustering or Partitioning Around Medoids, K-prototypes) clustering methods. Clustering performances were assessed by Adjusted Rand Index (ARI) on 1000 generated virtual populations consisting of mixed variables using 7 scenarios with varying population sizes, number of clusters, number of continuous and categorical variables, proportions of relevant (non-noisy) variables and degree of variable relevance (low, mild, high). Clustering methods were then applied on the EPHESUS randomized clinical trial data (a heart failure trial evaluating the effect of eplerenone) allowing to illustrate the differences between different clustering techniques. The simulations revealed the dominance of K-prototypes, Kamila and LCM models over all other methods. Overall, methods using dissimilarity matrices in classical algorithms such as Partitioning Around Medoids and Hierarchical Clustering had a lower ARI compared to model-based methods in all scenarios. When applying clustering methods to a real-life clinical dataset, LCM showed promising results with regard to differences in (1) clinical profiles across clusters, (2) prognostic performance (highest C-index) and (3) identification of patient subgroups with substantial treatment benefit. The present findings suggest key differences in clustering performance between the tested algorithms (limited to tools readily available in R). In most of the tested scenarios, model-based methods (in particular the Kamila and LCM packages) and K-prototypes typically performed best in the setting of heterogeneous data.

scholarly journals CariesCare International adapted for the pandemic in children: Caries OUT multicentre single-group interventional study protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Martignon ◽  
Andrea Cortes ◽  
Gail V. A. Douglas ◽  
J. Timothy Newton ◽  
Nigel B. Pitts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Tooth Surface ◽  
Caries Risk ◽  
Single Group ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Control Effectiveness ◽  
Oral Health Behaviour ◽  
Caries Progression ◽  
Caries Lesions

Abstract Background Comprehensive caries care has shown effectiveness in controlling caries progression and improving health outcomes by controlling caries risk, preventing initial-caries lesions progression, and patient satisfaction. To date, the caries-progression control effectiveness of the patient-centred risk-based CariesCare International (CCI) system, derived from ICCMS™ for the practice (2019), remains unproven. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic a previously planned multi-centre RCT shifted to this “Caries OUT” study, aiming to assess in a single-intervention group in children, the caries-control effectiveness of CCI adapted for the pandemic with non-aerosols generating procedures (non-AGP) and reducing in-office time. Methods In this 1-year multi-centre single-group interventional trial the adapted-CCI effectiveness will be assessed in one single group in terms of tooth-surface level caries progression control, and secondarily, individual-level caries progression control, children’s oral-health behaviour change, parents’ and dentists’ process acceptability, and costs exploration. A sample size of 258 3–5 and 6–8 years old patients was calculated after removing half from the previous RCT, allowing for a 25% dropout, including generally health children (27 per centre). The single-group intervention will be the adapted-CCI 4D-cycle caries care, with non-AGP and reduced in-office appointments’ time. A trained examiner per centre will conduct examinations at baseline, at 5–5.5 months (3 months after basic management), 8.5 and 12 months, assessing the child’s CCI caries risk and oral-health behaviour, visually staging and assessing caries-lesions severity and activity without air-drying (ICDAS-merged Epi); fillings/sealants; missing/dental-sepsis teeth, and tooth symptoms, synthetizing together with parent and external-trained dental practitioner (DP) the patient- and tooth-surface level diagnoses and personalised care plan. DP will deliver the adapted-CCI caries care. Parents’ and dentists’ process acceptability will be assessed via Treatment-Evaluation-Inventory questionnaires, and costs in terms of number of appointments and activities. Twenty-one centres in 13 countries will participate. Discussion The results of Caries OUT adapted for the pandemic will provide clinical data that could help support shifting the caries care in children towards individualised oral-health behaviour improvement and tooth-preserving care, improving health outcomes, and explore if the caries progression can be controlled during the pandemic by conducting non-AGP and reducing in-office time. Trial registration: Retrospectively-registered-ClinicalTrials.gov-NCT04666597-07/12/2020: https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000AGM4&selectaction=Edit&uid=U00019IE&ts=2&cx=uwje3h. Protocol-version 2: 27/01/2021.

scholarly journals FORMULASI MULTISENSORY DALAM PEMBELAJARAN TEMATIK

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (02) ◽  
pp. 218-224
Author(s):  
Mohamad Maulidin Alif Utama
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Interactive Video ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Learning Materials ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Teaching Aids ◽  
Multisensory Learning ◽  
Thematic Learning

Learning materials that are still abstract is one of the obstacles for teachers in understanding students. Specific thematic learning, it is necessary learning that not only keeps students active in learning activities, but also students can understand the intent and purpose of the theme they are learning, the students' understanding can be improved through the model Multisensory learning.Multisensory learning is basically a learning that involves a variety of sensory stimuli including hearing, sight, touch, and sometimes also smell and taste. Multisensory learning models involve a variety of visual aids including IT-based media in support of its application process. The use of visual images, interactive video that is broadcast through the projector can certainly stimulate the student's sensory to the material being studied. Multisensory learning in practice is a learning that for learning materials that are abstract into concrete material. Therefore, the application of multisensory learning needs to involve a variety of critical inquiry activities conducted by students on the various realities of everyday life. for example, when teaching science on food chains, this material will be more easily understood by the child if the child is invited to directly watch the process of occurrence of the food chain in everyday life or at least watch the video showing the concept of the chain of food.The linkage between the multisensory learning model and the thematic learning lies in the process of implementation. The combination of sensory devices in multisensory learning is appropriate when applied to thematic learning in recognizing the material attributed to real-life everyday. Thematic learning uses many teaching aids and sometimes uses the senses that students have.

scholarly journals Latent Class Analysis: Insights about design and analysis of schistosomiasis diagnostic studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. e0009042
Author(s):  
Artemis Koukounari ◽  
Haziq Jamil ◽  
Elena Erosheva ◽  
Clive Shiff ◽  
Irini Moustaki
Keyword(s):  
Gold Standard ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Latent Class Models ◽  
Flexible Tool ◽  
Diagnostic Studies ◽  
Life Problems ◽  
Health Initiatives ◽  
Standard Information ◽  
True Infection

Various global health initiatives are currently advocating the elimination of schistosomiasis within the next decade. Schistosomiasis is a highly debilitating tropical infectious disease with severe burden of morbidity and thus operational research accurately evaluating diagnostics that quantify the epidemic status for guiding effective strategies is essential. Latent class models (LCMs) have been generally considered in epidemiology and in particular in recent schistosomiasis diagnostic studies as a flexible tool for evaluating diagnostics because assessing the true infection status (via a gold standard) is not possible. However, within the biostatistics literature, classical LCM have already been criticised for real-life problems under violation of the conditional independence (CI) assumption and when applied to a small number of diagnostics (i.e. most often 3-5 diagnostic tests). Solutions of relaxing the CI assumption and accounting for zero-inflation, as well as collecting partial gold standard information, have been proposed, offering the potential for more robust model estimates. In the current article, we examined such approaches in the context of schistosomiasis via analysis of two real datasets and extensive simulation studies. Our main conclusions highlighted poor model fit in low prevalence settings and the necessity of collecting partial gold standard information in such settings in order to improve the accuracy and reduce bias of sensitivity and specificity estimates.

3D Printing Applications in STEM Education

2018 ◽  
pp. 2626-2640
Author(s):  
Norman Gwangwava ◽  
Catherine Hlahla
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Printing Technology ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
3D Printing Technology ◽  
Lecture Room ◽  
Storage Products ◽  
Educational Toys ◽  
Learning Institutions

Using 3D printing technology in learning institutions brings an industrial experience to learners as well as an exposure to the same cutting-edge technologies encountered in real life careers. The chapter explores 3D printing technology at kindergarten (preschool), in the lecture room (BEng programme), and ready-to-use 3D printed products. In educational toy applications, the effect of poor product designs that do not meet the children's dimensional and safety requirements can lead to injuries, development of musculoskeletal disorders and health problems, some of which may be experienced by the children when they grow up. In order to address the problem of poor design, measurements of anthropometric dimensions from male and female children, aging from 6 to 7 years old were taken and concepts for educational toys were then generated. Other practical applications of the 3D printing technology explored in the chapter are lecture room demonstrations, prototyping of design projects and a web-based mass-customization of office mini-storage products.

Assurance of Learning and Accreditations Through Assessment in Business Schools

2019 ◽  
pp. 53-67
Author(s):  
Mounir Kehal
Keyword(s):  
Faculty Development ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Reporting Requirements ◽  
Assurance Of Learning ◽  
Learning Data

The use of web-based technologies in academic institutions for their diverse practices has been widespread in colleges and universities for several decades. These applications include surveying stakeholders, assessing classes, reporting on faculty development, and assurance of learning data to mention a few. Further advances have led to the integration of applications that not only enable the sharing of knowledge, but which also support the reporting requirements necessary to obtain and retain accreditation; likewise satisfy the supply of intellectual capital to the employment marketplace. In this chapter, the authors aim to portray relationship between assurance of learning and assessment at large with real life examples and approaches.

The Impact of Information and Communication Technology on the Rise of Urban Social Movements in Poland

2018 ◽  
pp. 1354-1375
Author(s):  
Maja Grabkowska ◽  
Łukasz Pancewicz ◽  
Iwona Sagan
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Urban Social Movements ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Grass Root ◽  
Urban Issues ◽  
Activist Groups

The chapter examines the relationship between the use of Information and Communications Technology (ITC) and the emergence of social movements focused on urban agenda in Poland. The aim is to investigate how and to what extent a growing body of smaller activist groups use opportunities provided by the ITC to achieve their political objectives. The research results indicate that Web-based media have helped to raise the profile of local initiatives and increased awareness of systemic urban issues between different groups of grass-root actors. The findings of the chapter are based on the analysis of the Congress of Urban Movements (Kongres Ruchów Miejskich: KRM), a broad coalition of smaller non-governmental organizations and bottom-up activist groups, which use Internet-based tools to network. The results indicate that the Web-based tools increase the members' ability to connect and interact, consequently improving the ability to coordinate joint initiatives, expand real-life social networks, and in the result stimulate the rise of urban social movements.

Relevant Issues for the Design of a Successful Web-Based Instructional System

2011 ◽  
pp. 371-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Valenti ◽  
Maurizio Panti ◽  
Tommaso Leo
Keyword(s):  
Instructional System ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Instructional Program ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Instructional Systems ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Motor Disability ◽  
Instructional Process ◽  
Before And After

Instructional systems are aimed to support and partially automate the instructional process on a subject domain, ranging from a simple lecture to a whole degree. The interest in designing Web-based Instructional Systems (WbIS) needs no more to be outlined. In the last few years, there has been a huge diffusion of such an approach to support and partially automate the instructional process. The term Instructional Systems Design (ISD) refers to the process of instructional program development from start to finish. Many models exist for use by different levels of instructional designers and for different instructional purposes: what is missing in the current literature is to show how these models could be used to implement “real-life” examples of Instructional Systems. This chapter is aimed to fill this gap, by discussing each phase of the ISD with respect to the implementation of a WbIS for training Specialists in Motor Disability Assessment (MODASPECTRA). The project ended in the implementation of a successful WbIS; in fact, the Dublin School of Physiotherapy received approval from the University College Dublin, Ireland, to offer one of the courses belonging to the MODASPECTRA educational package as a distance learning certificate course from the coming academic year. The course has been renamed to “Outcome Assessment in Motor Disability.” Directed mainly at physiotherapists throughout Ireland and Europe, the course consists of standardized and validated measures to be used before and after treatment to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. It could also be relevant to the practice of other health professionals. Therefore, we strongly believe that this chapter may be of great interest for any Institution willing to start its own effort in building WbIS.

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