Acta Informatica Medica最新文献

Background: Health Informatics is an indispensable science in light of the massive reform healthcare has undertaken recently.

Objective: Health Informatics is an indispensable science in light of the massive reform healthcare has undertaken recently.

Methods: This descriptive multiphase study used a questionnaire to assess the need and applied a competency-based postgraduate curriculum to collect the required competencies as well as their proficiency levels.

Results: Eighty percent of the respondents agreed that the current training should be advanced. 73.7% of the respondents agreed that this certificate would improve the level of knowledge, and it would impact on the delivery of healthcare positively (78.9%). For the required competencies, 10 competencies scored 1.75 and above, 22 scored between 1.5 and 1.75 and 22 scored below 1.50. The expert panel came to an agreement that the competencies with 1.5 and above should be included.

Discussion: The findings emphasize the need to establish PG diploma in comply with previous studies that unveiled the need to provide education and training in Health Informatics. Only the required competencies were included as the program is one-year long. The selected competencies were validated and presented by the panel.

Conclusion: A PG diploma in Health Informatics is a key element in the evolution of healthcare services, therefore, a competency-based framework was provided and validated by experts.

Background: Coronary New blood in the vascular bed after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) may represent a turning point between ischemia and normal tissue nutrition. Its quantification can help to better understand coronary artery hemodynamics after revascularization.

Objective: Quantification of coronary sinus blood flow changes over time after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) using Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE).

Methods: Prospective basic research, with repeated measurements on hospital sample of 61 patients whom CABG was conducted. We performed TTE recordings to measure CS flow before and two times after CABG (1 and 6 postoperative day). We measure CS diameter, Velocity Time Integral (VTI) and systemic hemodynamic data. Data needed for LV mass calculation were recorded once. During statistical analysis we define: α = 0,01, β = 0,01 (power = 1-β β= 0,99), Sample size = 60, Effect size= 0,68. We used ANOVA for Repeated Measures as main statistical test in SPSS.

Results: Preoperatively we found low overall CS flow of 181 ±72 ml/min (0,68 ±0,30 ml/gram-LV/min). After surgery there was constant increase of CS flow from 276 ±79 ml/min (1,13 ±0,35 ml/gram-LV/min) first postoperative day, to 355 (±99) ml/min (1,30 ±0,46 ml/gram-LV/min) sixth postoperative day.

Discussion: Amount of new blood was statistically significant after CABG with P<0,001. Same result was found after classifying patients per number of graft received, with the highest amount of new blood after four bypasses. Amount of new blood was not different if patient gets two or three bypasses.

Conclusion: There was significantly new amount of blood in coronary bed after CABG, with constant increase over first 6 days.

Background: A growing number of mobile applications have been designed for the chronic disease patient as the primary user. Mobile health applications for self-care have the potential to help patients living with chronic conditions such as kidney disease, and can be used to manage aspects such as the consumption of substances that are harmful to health. Chronic kidney disease causes significant morbidity throughout Panama, and is also responsible for an increase in cardiovascular disease.

Objective: In this paper, we present a review of the applications offered by the Android store, based on a search and selection of the most efficient options that fulfill a set of criteria and functionalities.

Methods: We evaluate a big health data model in terms of its usefulness for studies, research and projections of Panamanian patients with this chronic disease.

Results and discusion: We present a mobile application based on the most important standards and functionalities for the Panamanian population affected by this disease. Our analysis also highlights the importance of mobile applications for the self-care of chronic diseases and their usefulness to both patients and health care providers, since they can support better health habits and give good results in terms of following a diet, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and encouraging physical activity. The analysis presented here will form the basis for the development of an application that will be simple, user-friendly and powerful, in the sense that it will empower patients with the resources they need for self-care. .

Conclusion: Mobile applications are found to show promise for the self-care of chronic conditions, and can improve the quality of life of Panamanian patients. In addition, we intend to develop a data repository for scientific research within Central America.

Background: violence is considered to be a global phenomenon; committing violence significantly impacts individuals physical and psychological states. There are several risk factors for increasing violence, of which personality traits represent the most substantial risk.

Objective: the current research aims to examine the association among the 'big five' risk factors and involvement in violence among high school students in the north of Iraq.

Methods: The sample comprised 468 students, 242 boys, and 226 girls aged 16 to 20. Two self-report instruments were used for data collection. Firstly, we divided the Maudsly Violence Questionnaire into two factors: acceptance of violence and machismo. Secondly, we used the Big Five Inventory, which includes questions on extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, consciousness, and openness.

Result: the result showed a significant positive correlation between extraversion, neuroticism, and violence involvement. Agreeableness, openness, and consciousness were negatively correlated. In terms of demographic variables, the findings suggest that boys are more likely to be involved in violence than girls. The results indicated that personality traits neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and consciousness predicted violence.

Conclusion: personality traits significantly impact individuals' behaviors that reflect their lives. The potential for violence is a predictor for detecting and preventing violent actions and could be used in many justices and governmental systems.

Background: Infertility is a serious health issue that affects people all around the world. One of the most common reasons for male infertility is sperm abnormalities. Researchers and scientists have been searching for a novel genetic marker to detect or recognize the genetic malfunction that causes sperm abnormalities. Micro-RNA (miRNAs) are small non-coded RNA molecules that present intra and extra-cellular and regulate gene expression.

Objective: This studies began to search for a relation between miRNA expression levels and other diseases that may be related to them, considering that the main role of miRNAs was the down-regulation of genes.

Methods: The main technique used in this study was to synthesize a complementary DNA (cDNA) (revers transcription method) of extracted total RNA by TRIzol then amplification of candidates' miRNAs genes by Reverse Transcriptase Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction RT-qPCR.

Results: Studies found that miRNAs have a role in defining sperm qualities such as sperm count, motility, and shape. In this study, we chose the most miRNAs referred to in the previous study as a potential seminal fluid marker (miR-10a, miR-10b, miR-135a and miR-135b) to test them as potential infertility-related miRNAs markers (Asthenospermia AS, Oligospermia OS, Astheno-Oligospermia ASOS) in addition to health normal sperm NS.

Conclusion: the main aim of this study was to find the miRNAs expression pattern to find a way to help scientists track the genetic causes of male infertility issues and a novel method to distinguish infertility genetically diseases.

Conclusion: The findings may serve as a potential genetic marker for male infertility and provide a background for future research that targeted miRNAs as a molecular marker for medical and forensic fields, also as an infertility disease potential treatment.

Background: The long-term use of earphones at high volume levels is a major risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss.

Aim: To compare the hearing of university students who use personal listening devices (PLDs) at extremes (upper & lower quartiles) with respect to a) Duration of use/day b) The number of years since use c) Volume level.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (IAU), from September 2021 to April 2022. An online survey was distributed among IAU medical students on the subjects' patterns of earphone use. Forty participants volunteered to participate in the hearing tests: Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA), Tympanometry, and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAEs) at the ENT clinic of the King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU).

Results: The pure tone audiometry and TEOAE showed no significant differences in the hearing thresholds/levels of participants in upper quartiles vs lower quartiles of both ears, in any of the PLD use pattern categories. However, in the TEOAE two observation were detected: a) Significantly lower amplitude in the upper quartile of the category "duration of PLD use/day" at a frequency of 1.0 kHz in the left ear (p-value 0.04) b) Significantly lower amplitude in the upper quartile of the category "volume of PLD use" at a frequency of 1.0 kHz in the left ear (p-value 0.03).

Conclusion: The present findings suggest that hearing threshold/level and cochlear outer hair cells' functions do not differ significantly in the participants belonging to the upper and lower quartiles of PLD use pattern (volume level, duration of use/day, and the number of years since use).

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus that causes a respiratory disease, COVID-19. For COVID-19 testing, real-time PCR is considered gold standard and therefore many commercial SARS-Cov-2 detection kits are available.

Objective: The aim of the study is to determine diagnostic values of 10 different commercially available SARS-CoV-2 detection kits, based on their Ct value.

Methods: For this study thirty clinical nasopharyngeal samples were collected in ALEA Genetic Center. Twenty four of them were positive, while six were negative and used as a negative control. Positive samples were selected based on the day when first symptoms appeared. RNA was extracted using the same extraction method for all samples. For amplification and comparison of detection kits, the same RT- PCR instrument was used.

Results: Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and Cohen's kappa coefficient were estimated to evaluate diagnostic values of the tested kits. This study showed that all kits showed 100% specificity. Accuracy, sensitivity and kappa coefficient varied among examined assays. Based on clinical features, LabGun^TM COVID-19 Assay by LabGenomics proved to be the most sensitive, the most accurate and most specific. Therefore this assay was used as a reference kit.

Conclusion: If things from practice are taken into account, accuracy and reliability of the tested commercial kits can vary compared to those obtained in this study where results were based on ideal functioning of the kits. When choosing the convenient commercial SARS-CoV-2 detection kit using RT-PCR method, many parameters need to be considered.

Acta Informatica Medica journal (www.actainformmed.org), as Biomedical Informatics journal, during past 30 years of existing played important role in distribution of knowledge and experience within this scientific field, by publishing contributions of the biomedical experts from worlwide and spreading of Biomedical informatics knowledge and experiences in scientific and academic community. Acta Informatica Medica journal has been founded in the year 1993 as official journal of Bosnian-Herzegovinan Society of Medical Informatics (BHSMI). In the year 2019 Acta Informatica Medica has been accepted as official journal of the European Federation for Medical Informatics (www.efmi.org), besides 3 other journals: International Journal of Medical Informatics, Methods of Information in Medicine and European Journal of Biomedical Informatics. Journal Acta Informatica Medica is abstracted and indexed in 30 on-line data bases, including Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Scopus, Embase, Hinari, etc. The journal follows the Guidelines and recommendations of ICJME, COPE, EASE, WAME, etc. as well as the recommendations of the "Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Journals", accepted by 17 Editors of biomedical journals at "SWEP 2018" Conference held in Sarajevo and printed in the countries in South-Eastern Europe. SCImago rank for 2021 announced the bibliometric list of the journals deposited in SCOPUS indexed database. On the list are 16 journals which are published in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and between them are 7 within biomedical sciences. Three highest are Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences - H-Index is 29, Medical Archives - H-Index is 26 and Acta Informatica Medica - H-Index is 24, etc. Acta Informatica Medical journal has Impact Score, Overall Ranking, h-index, SJR, Rating, Publisher updated on May 27, 2022: Impact Score - 1.87; h-Index - 24; Rank -12749 and SJR - 0.372.

Background: Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis is a chronic, unilateral iridocyclitis characterized by iris heterochromia. The gradual progression of the disease leads to the development of cataracts, glaucoma, and, occasionally, vitreous infiltration. The trigger for inflammation of the iris and ciliary body is still unknown. There are several as yet unconfirmed theories about the mechanism of occurrence, including Toxoplasma gondii infection, immune dysfunction, infiltration of sensitized lymphocytes, and chronic herpes virus infection.

Objective: The aim of this article is to present a case of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis with complications in form of glaucoma and dense cataract in a female patient during a standard ophthalmologic exam in our clinic. The next aim is to show a proper algorithm of treatment in form of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors antiglaucoma medication, cataract surgery with implantation of the intraocular lens, yag laser capsulothomy.

Case report: A 55-year-old patient reports to our clinic for an examination. She was informed 7 years ago by her ophthalmologist that her lack of vision in the right eye is irreparable. Ophthalmological examination as well as a positive TORCH test (elevation of IgG for toxoplasma gondii) lead to a diagnosis of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis with complications of glaucoma and dense cataract. Antiglaucoma drops are prescribed, PHACO surgery is performed on the right eye with implantation of the intraocular lens, and yag laser capsulotomy in the follow ups. There was a significant improvement of the visual acuity from light sensation with uncertain projection of the same on the right eye, to 0,5-0,6 Snellen scale. We also educated the patient of her disease as well as the importance of her treatment and follow up consultations.

Conclusion: Due to the insidious nature of this condition, along with a mild chronic course, most patients with FHI are not aware of the subtle changes that occur in their eyes. One of the most serious complications of FHI is secondary glaucoma, which can cause permanent vision loss in patients. The main cause of poor vision in patients with FHI is caused by cataract formation, with a prevalence of 23% to 90.7%. We placed special emphasis on educating the patient about her condition and the long-term and importance of regular check-ups to prevent possible recurrent or new complications.