Despite rapid advances in technology, there is currently a complex, and somewhat disjointed approach to the way health information is collected, stored, and organized for both healthcare consumers and professionals. Incompatible electronic medical records from various healthcare providers add to the complexity of a system tasked with delivering a patient’s relevant medical information in a timely manner to the appropriate point of care. Personal health records (PHR) grew out of the efforts to produce an integrated electronic record to manage the multifaceted aspects of healthcare required by both healthcare consumers and professionals. PHRs are a transformative technology with the potential to alter patient-provider relationships in a way that produces a more efficient and cost effective healthcare system as a result of better patient outcomes. PHRs can potentially include a wide variety of users ranging from the lay public to clinical professionals. As such, it is important to identify potential user groups and their corresponding health information needs in order to design PHRs that maximize accessibility, usability, and clinical relevance. This study focused on laypeople who represented a wide age-range of individuals, evenly split in gender, with an above average level of computer literacy. Most of the participants had not used an electronic PHR prior to this study. However, after a hands-on session with PHR software, most participants found it to be easy to use, accompanied with the functionality they expected from such a system. Most participants were satisfied that an electronic PHR would meet their health information needs and would recommend the use of PHRs to family and friends. Anyone in the general public is a potential PHR user. However, this study found that individuals with chronic conditions and those with complex health needs had the most to gain from using a PHR as an integral part of their healthcare routine. This study also demonstrated that an individual’s health condition has a stronger influence on their perceptions about the usefulness of PHRs than does their demographic background (age, education, computer literacy). Finally, this study established that PHRs are considered by participants of the study to be useful tools in meeting their health information needs. / Graduate / 0723 / 0769 / 0984 / dguarin@uvic.ca

Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-07-07T12:01:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamansomusso.pdf: 1354117 bytes, checksum: 80a41e3ea9a118d4e53ddb41bbbd54e6 (MD5) / Rejected by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br), reason: on 2017-07-07T12:39:38Z (GMT) / Submitted by isabela.moljf@hotmail.com (isabela.moljf@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-11T13:30:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamansomusso.pdf: 1354117 bytes, checksum: 80a41e3ea9a118d4e53ddb41bbbd54e6 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-08-14T17:08:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamansomusso.pdf: 1354117 bytes, checksum: 80a41e3ea9a118d4e53ddb41bbbd54e6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-14T17:08:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamansomusso.pdf: 1354117 bytes, checksum: 80a41e3ea9a118d4e53ddb41bbbd54e6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-24 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / É crescente o número de usuários de telefonia móvel. Em 2013, o número total de telefones móveis habilitados no mundo atingiu 6,8 bilhões. Uma queda nas taxas de fertilidade tem sido notada em todo o mundo; embora existam muitas razões para o declínio dessas taxas, um dos principais motivos é a infertilidade masculina. Existe uma preocupação crescente no meio científico com os efeitos da exposição à radiação eletromagnética de radiofrequência (RF-EMR) emitida por telefones celulares em relação à fertilidade em homens. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade dos espermatozoides de ratos Wistar, após exposição do animal à RF-EMR. Ratos Wistar machos (Rattus notvegicus , com 90 dias de idade e 280 ± 20 g de massa corporal, foram expostos à radiofrequência emitida por telefones celulares (1,8 GHz) por períodos de 3 e 10 noites. As amostras de secreção epididimária foram extraídas da cauda do epidídimo dos animais. Foi realizado o ensaio TUNEL para a marcação dos espermatozoides com DNA fragmentado e estes foram quantificados por citometria de fluxo e a concentração de espermatozoides, morfologia e mortalidade foram também avaliadas. As amostras dos animais de ambos os grupos expostos, 3 e 10 noites, apresentaram um aumento da mortalidade e uma diminuição da concentração de espermatozoides, além de um aumento da incidência de fragmentação do DNA, o que é um indicativo de apoptose. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos na porcentagem de espermatozoides morfologicamente normais e anormais. Diante dos resultados do presente estudo, especulamos que a RF-EMR emitida por telefones móveis afeta negativamente a qualidade do sêmen e pode prejudicar a fertilidade masculina. / The mobile communication system has grown over the years. The total number of mobile phone subscriptions reached 6.8 billion in 2013. Decreasing fecundity and fertility in men have led to growing concern about the hazardous effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on reproductive organs. This study aimed to analyze the sperm quality of rats after whole-body RF-EMR exposure. Male Wistar rats, 90 days old, were exposed to radiofrequency emitted by mobile phones (1.8 GHz) for periods of 3 and 10 nights. Apoptosis was tested using TUNEL assay, sperm morphology and mortality were assessed by Shorr and Eosin stain methods respectively, and the cell count was performed. Both exposed groups showed significantly increased mortality and reduced sperm concentration along with significant increase in the apoptosis incidence compared to the respective control groups. Given the results, we speculate that RF-EMR exposure negatively affects semen quality and may impair male fertility.

During neural activity, action potentials travel down axons, generating effective charge current pulses, which are central in neuron-to-neuron communication. Consequently, said current pulses generate associated magnetic fields with amplitudes on the order of picotesla (pT) and femtotesla (fT) and durations of 10’s of ms. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a technique used to measure the cortical magnetic fields associated with neural activity. MEG limitations include the inability to detect signals from deeper regions of the brain, the need to house the equipment in special magnetically shielded rooms to cancel out environmental noise, and the use of superconducting magnets, requiring cryogenic temperatures, bringing opportunities for new magnetic sensors to overcome these limitations and to further advance neuroscience. An extraordinary magnetoresistance (EMR) tunable graphene magnetometer could potentially achieve this goal. Its advantages are linear response at room temperature (RT), sensitivity enhancement owing to combination of geometric and Hall effects, microscale size to place the sensor closer to the source or macroscale size for large source area, and noise and sensitivity tailoring. The magnetic sensitivity of EMR sensors is, among others, strongly dependent on the charge mobility of the sensing graphene layer. Mechanisms affecting the carrier mobility in graphene monolayers include interactions between the substrate and graphene, such as electron-phonon scattering, charge impurities, and surface roughness. The present work reviews and proposes a material set for increasing graphene mobility, thus providing a pathway towards pT and fT detection. The successful fabrication of large-size magnetic sensors employing CVD graphene is described, as well as the fabrication of trilayer magnetic sensors employing mechanical exfoliation of h-BN and graphene. The magneto-transport response of CVD graphene Hall bar and EMR magnetic sensors is compared to that obtained in equivalent trilayer devices. The sensor response characteristics are reported, and a determination is provided for key performance parameters such as current and voltage sensitivity and magnetic resolution. These parameters crucially depend on the material's intrinsic properties. The Hall cross magnetic sensor here reported has a magnetic sensitivity of ~ 600 nanotesla (nT). We find that the attained sensitivity of the devices here reported is limited by contaminants on the graphene surface, which negatively impact carrier mobility and carrier density, and by high contact resistance of ~2.7 kΩ µm at the metallic contacts. Reducing the contact resistance to < 150 Ω µm and eliminating surface contamination, as discussed in this work, paves the way towards pT and ultimately fT sensitivity using these novel magnetic sensors. Finite element modeling (FEM) is used to simulate the sensor response, which agrees with experimental data with an error of less than 3%. This enables the prediction and optimization of the magnetic sensor performance as a function of material parameters and fabrication changes. Predictive studies indicate that an EMR magnetic sensor could attain a sensitivity of 1.9 nT/√Hz employing graphene with carrier mobilities of 180,000 cm²/Vs, carrier densities of 1.3×10¹¹ cm^-2 and a device contact resistance of 150 Ω µm. This sensitivity increments to 443 pT/√Hz if the mobility is 245,000 cm²/Vs, carrier density is 1.6×10¹⁰ cm^-2, and a lower contact resistance of 30 Ω µm. Such devices could readily be deployed in wearable devices to detect biomagnetic signals originating from the human heart and skeletal muscles and for developing advanced human-machine interfaces.

Aims The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities for video-based learning of computer systems in the field of medical education in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Background Low-income countries are forced to perform healthcare services with resources already spread too thin. The use of electronic medical records can increase the cost-effectiveness of delivering healthcare services, but the low computer literacy in sub-Saharan Africa is an obstacle necessary to overcome. E-learning and video-based learning has the potential to partially solve this problem. Methods User observations were conducted on five healthcare workers in rural Uganda. The users watched an instruction video, after which they performed an assessment test of an electronic medical record system. Results Some effectiveness was perceived – but it was slight, and varied greatly between the test subjects. Computer experience is an important prerequisite for the success of e-learning initiatives. Effectiveness was higher for more simple tasks. Conclusion This paper does not propose video-based learning as the only source of training for the target group. However, there is a possibility to envision video-based learning as a building block in a blended-learning strategy – utilising video-based learning for easier tasks and knowledge retention for users who are already familiar with the system.

No description available.

In food security area, the application of good agricultural practices is a growing concern for public health in the Brazilian domestic market and for the competitiveness countries in the external market. To ensure safety of food from animal origin, monitoring is required and Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) must be evaluated. Therefore, the development of appropriate analytical methods for residues determination is necessary. In this work a simple, fast and efficient multiclass method of sample preparation was developed for the determination of veterinary drugs residues in bovine kidney, liver and muscle. Determination step was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatographic–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). UHPLC-MS/MS and sample preparation conditions were optimized using experimental designs. Extraction and clean up were performed by solid-liquid extraction and dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE). Central composite designs were used in order to optimize the clean up step. The proposed method was validated using acetonitrile as solvent extraction followed by clean up with EMR-Lipid® sorbent and aqueous solution of 5% trichloroacetic acid (m/v). The proposed method was validated according to the criteria of the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Linearity presented r2 ≥ 0.99 for most the evaluated compounds and recoveries values and RSD in the range recommended by EU. Decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) presented values around the maximum residue limits (MRL) of each compound. Monensin was the only compound that did not present satisfactory results for bovine kidney and muscle. The developed sample preparation followed by UHPLC-MS/MS analysis was efficient for the determination of veterinary drug residues in bovine liver, kidney and muscle. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied in real samples and also in proficiency test and proved to be a great option for routine analysis. / No âmbito da segurança dos alimentos a aplicação das boas práticas agropecuárias é uma preocupação crescente tanto para a saúde pública no mercado interno brasileiro quanto para à competitividade do país no mercado externo. Para garantir a inocuidade dos alimentos de origem animal são realizados monitoramentos em diferentes tipos de amostras e adotados Limites Máximos de Resíduo (LMR). Diante disso, se faz necessário o desenvolvimento de métodos analíticos adequados para determinação de resíduos. Neste trabalho desenvolveu-se um método multiclasse de preparo de amostras simples, rápido e eficaz para a determinação de resíduos de medicamentos veterinários em rim, fígado e músculo bovino. A etapa de determinação foi realizada por cromatografia líquida de ultra eficiência acoplada à espectrometria de massas em série (UHPLC-MS/MS). O sistema UHPLC-MS/MS e a etapa de preparo de amostra foram otimizados com auxílio de planejamento experimental. As etapas de extração e limpeza do extrato foram realizadas por extração sólido-líquido e extração em fase sólida dispersiva (d-SPE). Planejamentos composto central foram utilizados para otimização da etapa de limpeza do extrato. O procedimento otimizado consistiu de extração por acetonitrila, seguido de limpeza com o sorvente EMR-Lipid® e solução aquosa de 5% (m/v) ácido tricloroacético. O método proposto foi validado de acordo com os critérios de referência da Decisão 2002/657/CE da Comunidade Europeia. A linearidade apresentou r2 ≥ 0,99 para maioria dos compostos avaliados e os valores de recuperação e RSD estão na faixa recomendada pela Comunidade Europeia. O limite de decisão (CCα) e a capacidade de detecção (CCβ) apresentaram valores em torno dos LMR de cada composto. Apenas a monensina não obteve resultados satisfatórios para rim e músculo bovino. O preparo de amostra desenvolvido seguida de análise por UHPLC-MS/MS foi eficiente para a determinação de resíduos de medicamentos veterinários em rim, fígado e músculo bovino. A metodologia proposta foi aplicada com sucesso em amostras reais e também em ensaio de proficiência e provou ser uma ótima opção para análise de rotina.

Slow adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) by primary care physicians in medical office practices has not facilitated the EMR adoption process. The problem is the slow pace of EMR adoption by primary care physicians in the Atlanta, Georgia area has become a public health concern. Research regarding the lived experiences of these physicians with EMR implementation and utilization may identify reasons for the slow adoption. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of primary care physicians, who practice in the Atlanta area, regarding their perception, successes, barriers, and urgency of adoption of EMR in their healthcare practice. Lewin's change management model of health services served as the framework for the study. Data was collected during face-to-face interviews with 19 primary care physicians at Grady's Ponce de Leon Clinic and Grady's East Point Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants were physicians or residents and not those in authority to make decisions about the EMR at the two clinics. NVivo 10 and automatic coding was used for data analysis to develop themes from the interviews. The findings revealed that the adoption of EMR has enabled primary care physicians to spend more time with their patients, but the barriers such as a lack of interoperability and lack of training, has fostered a feeling of disinterestedness towards EMR adoption. This study supports positive social change that EMR adoption aids in improving patient safety and outcome.

Blockkedjetekniken inom sjukvård är ett välutforskat område där journalsystem, spårning av medicin, patientövervakning endast är ett fåtal områden där forskare lyfter blockkedjans relevans. För att undersöka etiska dilemman i samband med blockkedjan undersöker studien specifikt journalsystem där känsliga personliga data hanteras och tittar på hur detta förändras med implementationen av blockkedjetekniken. Studien använder sig av ACTIVE-ramverket för att kunna kategorisera olika etiska dilemman. Studien använder sig av en semi-systematisk litteraturstudiemetodik med en tematisk analys för att besvara forskningsfrågan: Vilka kategorier av etiska dilemman lyfter litteraturen med blockkedjetekniken inom journalsystem? Resultatet av studien sammanfattar de etiska dilemman som litteraturen lyfter och visar även på att texter som är kritiska till blockkedjan är underrepresenterat vilket öppnar upp för vidare forskning. / Blockchain in the health care sector is a well-researched domain where electronic medical records (EMR), tracking of medicine and patient monitoring are a few of the domains where researchers propose blockchain solutions. This study focuses on EMR’s which handle sensitive personal data and research the impact that blockchain technology has on the system to better understand what ethical dilemmas can occur. The study uses the ACTIVE-framework to categorize ethical dilemmas. A semi-systematic literature review in combination with a thematic analysis is used to answer the research question: What categories of ethical dilemmas does the literature raise with the blockchain technology within record systems? The study's findings summarize the ethical dilemmas addressed in the literature and also indicate an underrepresentation of critical texts on blockchain, which calls for further research.

No description available.

No description available.