Differentiation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains by sequence analysis of 16S rDNA and ribosomal intergenic regions, and development of a species specific oligonucleotide for in situ detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fussing, Vivian; Paster, Bruce J.; Dewhirst, Floyd E.

1998-01-01

. The larger RIS's were different between the 3 species tested. The sequence of the 16S ribosomal gene was determined for 8 serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae. These sequences showed only minor base differences, indicating a close genetic relatedness of these serotypes within the species. An oligonucleotide DNA...... probe designed from the 16S rRNA gene sequence of A. pleuropneumoniae was specific for all strains of the target species and did not cross react with A. lignieresii, the closest known relative of A. pleuropneumoniae. This species-specific DNA probe labeled with fluorescein was used for in situ......The aims of this study were to characterize and determine intraspecies and interspecies relatedness of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae to Actinobacillus lignieresii and Actinobacillus suis by sequence analysis of the ribosomal operon and to find a species-specific area for in situ detection of A...

Microarray-based comparative genomic profiling of reference strains and selected Canadian field isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

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MacInnes Janet I

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen that causes severe losses to the swine industry worldwide. Current commercially-available vaccines are of limited value because they do not induce cross-serovar immunity and do not prevent development of the carrier state. Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridizations (M-CGH were used to estimate whole genomic diversity of representative Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains. Our goal was to identify conserved genes, especially those predicted to encode outer membrane proteins and lipoproteins because of their potential for the development of more effective vaccines. Results Using hierarchical clustering, our M-CGH results showed that the majority of the genes in the genome of the serovar 5 A. pleuropneumoniae L20 strain were conserved in the reference strains of all 15 serovars and in representative field isolates. Fifty-eight conserved genes predicted to encode for outer membrane proteins or lipoproteins were identified. As well, there were several clusters of diverged or absent genes including those associated with capsule biosynthesis, toxin production as well as genes typically associated with mobile elements. Conclusion Although A. pleuropneumoniae strains are essentially clonal, M-CGH analysis of the reference strains of the fifteen serovars and representative field isolates revealed several classes of genes that were divergent or absent. Not surprisingly, these included genes associated with capsule biosynthesis as the capsule is associated with sero-specificity. Several of the conserved genes were identified as candidates for vaccine development, and we conclude that M-CGH is a valuable tool for reverse vaccinology.

Transmission of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in pigs under field-like conditions: emphasis on tonsillar colonisation and passively acquired colostral antibodies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vigre, Håkan; Angen, Øystein; Barfod, K.

2002-01-01

The objectives of this study were to elucidate at which age tonsillar colonisation by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae occurs in pigs and relate this occurrence to the presence of colostral antibodies to A. pleuropneumoniae. The infection patterns were studied in an isolated cohort of pigs, which...... consisted of the offspring from five sows originating from a conventional pig herd. The sows were transferred to isolated research facilities before farrowing. A. pleuropneumoniae was detected on the tonsils of all sows. After a nursing period of 3 weeks, the pigs were weaned and reared isolated from other...

Serological characterisation and antimicrobial susceptibility of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains isolated from pigs in Spain.

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Gutiérrez, C B; Rodríguez Barbosa, J I; Tascón, R I; Costa, L; Riera, P; Rodríguez Ferri, E F

1995-07-15

Seventy-one isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolated from the lungs of pigs in outbreaks of pleuropneumonia in Spain were serotyped by indirect haemagglutination. Serotype 4 (42.2 per cent), serotype 7 (22.5 per cent) and serotype 2 (12.8 per cent) were predominant, whereas serotypes 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12 and untypable isolates were present only in small numbers. Serotypes 1, 2, 4 and 7 originated mainly from cases of acute pleuropneumonia, whereas serotypes 3, 6, 8, 9 and 12 were associated with chronically infected herds. The susceptibility of the isolates to 20 antimicrobial agents was determined by agar disc diffusion. Most were susceptible to cefuroxime, cefaclor, cefazolin, kanamycin, tobramycin, gentamicin, oxolinic acid, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, thiamphenicol, colistin and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole. Marked resistance was found with amoxicillin, ticarcillin, oxytetracycline, doxycycline and metronidazole. Rifampicin, fosfomycin and tiamulin were the agents most effective against the isolates tested.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and serotypes of Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) pleuropneumoniae recovered from Missouri swine.

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Fales, W H; Morehouse, L G; Mittal, K R; Bean-Knudsen, C; Nelson, S L; Kintner, L D; Turk, J R; Turk, M A; Brown, T P; Shaw, D P

1989-01-01

The antimicrobial susceptibility of 73 Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) pleuropneumoniae isolates from swine in Missouri was determined with a microdilution minimal inhibitory concentration test system. Serotyping was accomplished by means of co-agglutination. Serotype 1 (39/73) and serotype 5 (30/73) were commonly found, whereas serotype 7 (4/73) was infrequently encountered. Most isolates (MIC90) were found susceptible to ampicillin (amoxicillin), cephalothin, penicillin, erythromycin, gentamicin, and kanamycin. Marked resistance was found with oxytetracycline, tylosin, and sulfadimethoxine. The data indicate that use of ampicillin (amoxicillin) or penicillin may correlate well with the favorable outcome of treatment.

Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serological surveillance of infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 5 in pig herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klausen, Joan; Andresen, Lars Ole; Barfod, Kristen

2002-01-01

An indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay for serological surveillance of infection of pigs with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Ap) serotype 5 was developed. The antigen used was prepared from Ap serotype 5b strain L20. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis...

Molecular characterisation of the early response in pigs to experimental infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae using cDNA microarrays

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Hedegaard, Jakob; Skovgaard, Kerstin; Mortensen, Shila

2007-01-01

Background: The bacterium Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is responsible for porcine pleuropneumonia, a widespread, highly contagious and often fatal respiratory disease of pigs. The general porcine innate immune response after A. pleuropneumoniae infection is still not clarified. The objective...... lymph node tissue were hybridised to an expanded version of the porcine microarray with 26879 unique PCR products. Results: A total of 357 genes differed significantly in expression between infected and non-infected lung tissue, 713 genes differed in expression in liver tissue from infected versus non-infected...... animals and 130 genes differed in expression in tracheobronchial lymph node tissue from infected versus non-infected animals. Among these genes, several have previously been described to be part of a general host response to infections encoding immune response related proteins. In inflamed lung tissue...

Generation of transgenic corn-derived Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ApxIIA fused with the cholera toxin B subunit as a vaccine candidate

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Shin, Min-Kyoung; Jung, Myung Hwan; Lee, Won-Jung; Choi, Pil Son; Jang, Yong-Suk

2011-01-01

Corn, one of the most important forage crops worldwide, has proven to be a useful expression vehicle due to the availability of established transformation procedures for this well-studied plant. The exotoxin Apx, a major virulence factor, is recognized as a common antigen of Actinobacillus (A.) pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia. In this study, a cholera toxin B (CTB)-ApxIIA#5 fusion protein and full-size ApxIIA expressed in corn seed, as a subunit vaccine candidate, were observed to induce Apx-specific immune responses in mice. These results suggest that transgenic corn-derived ApxIIA and CTB-ApxIIA#5 proteins are potential vaccine candidates against A. pleuropneumoniae infection. PMID:22122907

A Unique Capsule Locus in the Newly Designated Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Serovar 16 and Development of a Diagnostic PCR Assay.

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Bossé, Janine T; Li, Yanwen; Sárközi, Rita; Gottschalk, Marcelo; Angen, Øystein; Nedbalcova, Katerina; Rycroft, Andrew N; Fodor, László; Langford, Paul R

2017-03-01

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae causes pleuropneumonia, an economically significant lung disease of pigs. Recently, isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae that were serologically distinct from the previously characterized 15 serovars were described, and a proposal was put forward that they comprised a new serovar, serovar 16. Here we used whole-genome sequencing of the proposed serovar 16 reference strain A-85/14 to confirm the presence of a unique capsular polysaccharide biosynthetic locus. For molecular diagnostics, primers were designed from the capsule locus of strain A-85/14, and a PCR was formulated that differentiated serovar 16 isolates from all 15 known serovars and other common respiratory pathogenic/commensal bacteria of pigs. Analysis of the capsule locus of strain A-85/14 combined with the previous serological data show the existence of a sixteenth serovar-designated serovar 16-of A. pleuropneumoniae . Copyright © 2017 Bossé et al.

Modulation of gene expression in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae exposed to bronchoalveolar fluid.

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Abdul G Lone

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, is an important pathogen of swine throughout the world. It must rapidly overcome the innate pulmonary immune defenses of the pig to cause disease. To better understand this process, the objective of this study was to identify genes that are differentially expressed in a medium that mimics the lung environment early in the infection process. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Since bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF contains innate immune and other components found in the lungs, we examined gene expression of a virulent serovar 1 strain of A. pleuropneumoniae after a 30 min exposure to BALF, using DNA microarrays and real-time PCR. The functional classes of genes found to be up-regulated most often in BALF were those encoding proteins involved in energy metabolism, especially anaerobic metabolism, and in cell envelope, DNA, and protein biosynthesis. Transcription of a number of known virulence genes including apxIVA and the gene for SapF, a protein which is involved in resistance to antimicrobial peptides, was also up-regulated in BALF. Seventy-nine percent of the genes that were up-regulated in BALF encoded a known protein product, and of these, 44% had been reported to be either expressed in vivo and/or involved in virulence. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that in early stages of infection, A. pleuropneumoniae may modulate expression of genes involved in anaerobic energy generation and in the synthesis of proteins involved in cell wall biogenesis, as well as established virulence factors. Given that many of these genes are thought to be expressed in vivo or involved in virulence, incubation in BALF appears, at least partially, to simulate in vivo conditions and may provide a useful medium for the discovery of novel vaccine or therapeutic targets.

Genomic relationships of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 strains evaluated by ribotyping, sequence analysis of ribosomal intergenic regions, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fussing, V.

1998-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the genomic relationship among 112 Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 strains obtained throughout Europe and North America. HindIII ribotyping of the strains resulted in five ribotypes of high similarity (87-98%). Sequence analysis of the riboso......The aim of the present study was to examine the genomic relationship among 112 Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 strains obtained throughout Europe and North America. HindIII ribotyping of the strains resulted in five ribotypes of high similarity (87-98%). Sequence analysis...... of the ribosomal intergenic region of strains representing each ribotype and each country showed no differences. A common ribotype was further characterized by PFGE of 12 strains representing all countries. The resultant five PFGE patterns of European strains showed a similarity of more than 91%, to which the two...

A Transcriptome Map of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae at Single-Nucleotide Resolution Using Deep RNA-Seq.

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Zhipeng Su

Full Text Available Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the pathogen of porcine contagious pleuropneumoniae, a highly contagious respiratory disease of swine. Although the genome of A. pleuropneumoniae was sequenced several years ago, limited information is available on the genome-wide transcriptional analysis to accurately annotate the gene structures and regulatory elements. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq has been applied to study the transcriptional landscape of bacteria, which can efficiently and accurately identify gene expression regions and unknown transcriptional units, especially small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs, UTRs and regulatory regions. The aim of this study is to comprehensively analyze the transcriptome of A. pleuropneumoniae by RNA-seq in order to improve the existing genome annotation and promote our understanding of A. pleuropneumoniae gene structures and RNA-based regulation. In this study, we utilized RNA-seq to construct a single nucleotide resolution transcriptome map of A. pleuropneumoniae. More than 3.8 million high-quality reads (average length ~90 bp from a cDNA library were generated and aligned to the reference genome. We identified 32 open reading frames encoding novel proteins that were mis-annotated in the previous genome annotations. The start sites for 35 genes based on the current genome annotation were corrected. Furthermore, 51 sRNAs in the A. pleuropneumoniae genome were discovered, of which 40 sRNAs were never reported in previous studies. The transcriptome map also enabled visualization of 5'- and 3'-UTR regions, in which contained 11 sRNAs. In addition, 351 operons covering 1230 genes throughout the whole genome were identified. The RNA-Seq based transcriptome map validated annotated genes and corrected annotations of open reading frames in the genome, and led to the identification of many functional elements (e.g. regions encoding novel proteins, non-coding sRNAs and operon structures. The transcriptional units

ICEApl1, an integrative conjugative element related to ICEHin1056, identified in the pig pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

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Janine T Bosse

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ICEApl1 was identified in the whole genome sequence of MIDG2331, a tetracycline-resistant (MIC = 8 mg/L serovar 8 clinical isolate of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia. PCR amplification of virB4, one of the core genes involved in conjugation, was used to identify other A. pleuropneumoniae isolates potentially carrying ICEApl1. MICs for tetracycline were determined for virB4 positive isolates, and shotgun whole genome sequence analysis was used to confirm presence of the complete ICEApl1. The sequence of ICEApl1 is 56083 bp long and contains 67 genes including a Tn10 element encoding tetracycline resistance. Comparative sequence analysis was performed with similar integrative conjugative elements (ICEs found in other members of the Pasteurellaceae. ICEApl1 is most similar to the 59393 bp ICEHin1056, from Haemophilus influenzae strain 1056. Although initially identified only in serovar 8 isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae (31 from the UK and 1 from Cyprus, conjugal transfer of ICEApl1 to representative isolates of other serovars was confirmed. All isolates carrying ICEApl1 had a MIC for tetracycline of 8 mg/L. This is, to our knowledge, the first description of an ICE in A. pleuropneumoniae, and the first report of a member of the ICEHin1056 subfamily in a non-human pathogen. ICEApl1 confers resistance to tetracycline, currently one of the more commonly used antibiotics for treatment and control of porcine pleuropneumonia.

Serological characterization of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae biotype 1 strains antigenically related to both serotypes 2 and 7

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, R.; Andresen, Lars Ole; Plambeck, Tamara

1996-01-01

Nine Danish Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae biotype 1 isolates were shown by latex agglutination and indirect haemagglutination to possess capsular polysaccharide epitopes identical to those of serotype 2 strain 1536 (reference strain of serotype 2) and strain 4226 (Danish serotype 2 strain). Imm...... in the LPS of strains 1536 and 7317 were revealed. Since an antigenic determinant specific for the 9 isolates could not be demonstrated with the methods used, the strains are proposed to be designated K2:O7....

Evaluation of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies to the Apx toxins of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Ragnhild; van den Bosch, Johannes F.; Plambeck, Tamara

2000-01-01

The reference strains of the 12 serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae express one or two of three different RTX exotoxins designated Apr I, Apr II and Apr III. The toxins are important virulence factors. In the present study, ELISAs with purified Apr I, Apr II and Apr III, respectively...... of exotoxin is not revealed serologically in the ELISA test....

Characterization of the omlA gene from different serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae: a new insight into an old approach

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Ciro César Rossi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The OmlA protein is a virulence factor of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, an important pathogen in pigs. The polymorphisms present in the omlA gene sequence of 15 reference serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae and non-serotypable isolates were assessed to determine the possible evolutionary relationship among them and to validate the importance of this gene as a molecular marker for the characterization of this bacterium. Divergence among the 15 serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae probably resulted initially from two major evolutionary events that led to subsequent differentiation into nine groups. This differentiation makes it possible to characterize most of the serotypes by using bionformatics, thereby avoiding problems with immunological cross-reactivity. A conserved α-helix common to all the serotypes was most likely involved in connecting the protein to the outer membrane and acting as a signal peptide. A previously unknown gene duplication was also identified and could contribute to the genetic variability that makes it difficult to serotype some isolates. Our data support the importance of the omlA gene in the biology of A. pleuropneumoniae and provide a new area of research into the OmlA protein.

Apa is a trimeric autotransporter adhesin of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae responsible for autoagglutination and host cell adherence.

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Xiao, Longwen; Zhou, Liang; Sun, Changjiang; Feng, Xin; Du, ChongTao; Gao, Yu; Ji, Qun; Yang, Shuxin; Wang, Yu; Han, Wenyu; Langford, P R; Lei, Liancheng

2012-10-01

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, and adherence to host cells is a key step in the pathogenic process. Although trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAAs) were identified in many pathogenic bacteria in recent years, none in A. pleuropneumoniae have been characterized. In this study, we identified a TAA from A. pleuropneumoniae, Apa, and characterized the contribution of its amino acid residues to the adhesion process. Sequence analysis of the C-terminal amino acid residues of Apa revealed the presence of a putative translocator domain and six conserved HsfBD1-like or HsfBD2-like binding domains. Western blot analysis revealed that the 126 C-terminal amino acids of Apa could form trimeric molecules. By confocal laser scanning microscopy, one of these six domains (ApaBD3) was determined to mediate adherence to epithelial cells. Adherence assays and adherence inhibition assays using a recombinant E. coli- ApaBD3 strain which expressed ApaBD3 on the surface of E. coli confirmed that this domain was responsible for the adhesion activity. Moreover, cellular enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays demonstrated that ApaBD3 mediated high-level adherence to epithelial cell lines. Intriguingly, autoagglutination was observed with the E. coli- ApaBD3 strain, and this phenomenon was dependent upon the association of the expressed ApaBD3 with the C-terminal translocator domain. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Transcriptional portrait of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae during acute disease--potential strategies for survival and persistence in the host.

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Kirstine Klitgaard

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Gene expression profiles of bacteria in their natural hosts can provide novel insight into the host-pathogen interactions and molecular determinants of bacterial infections. In the present study, the transcriptional profile of the porcine lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was monitored during the acute phase of infection in its natural host. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Bacterial expression profiles of A. pleuropneumoniae isolated from lung lesions of 25 infected pigs were compared in samples taken 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours post experimental challenge. Within 6 hours, focal, fibrino hemorrhagic lesions could be observed in the pig lungs, indicating that A. pleuropneumoniae had managed to establish itself successfully in the host. We identified 237 differentially regulated genes likely to encode functions required by the bacteria for colonization and survival in the host. This group was dominated by genes involved in various aspects of energy metabolism, especially anaerobic respiration and carbohydrate metabolism. Remodeling of the bacterial envelope and modifications of posttranslational processing of proteins also appeared to be of importance during early infection. The results suggested that A. pleuropneumoniae is using various strategies to increase its fitness, such as applying Na+ pumps as an alternative way of gaining energy. Furthermore, the transcriptional data provided potential clues as to how A. pleuropneumoniae is able to circumvent host immune factors and survive within the hostile environment of host macrophages. This persistence within macrophages may be related to urease activity, mobilization of various stress responses and active evasion of the host defenses by cell surface sialylation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The data presented here highlight the importance of metabolic adjustments to host conditions as virulence factors of infecting microorganisms and help to provide insight into the mechanisms

Comparative profiling of the transcriptional response to iron restriction in six serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae with different virulence potential

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Schou, Kirstine Klitgaard; Friis, Carsten; Angen, Øystein

2011-01-01

Background Comparative analysis of gene expression among serotypes within a species can provide valuable information on important differences between related genomes. For the pig lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, 15 serotypes with a considerable variation in virulence potential...... and immunogenicity have been identified. This serotypic diversity can only partly be explained by amount of capsule and differences in the RTX toxin genes in their genomes. Iron acquisition in vivo is an important bacterial function and in pathogenic bacteria, iron-limitation is often a signal for the induction...... of virulence genes. We used a pan-genomic microarray to study the transcriptional response to iron restriction in vitro in six serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae (1, 2, 3, 5b, 6, and 7), representing at least two levels of virulence. Results In total, 45 genes were significantly (p

Proteomic and immunoproteomic characterization of a DIVA subunit vaccine against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

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Maas Alexander

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Protection of pigs by vaccination against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, is hampered by the presence of 15 different serotypes. A DIVA subunit vaccine comprised of detergent-released proteins from A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 2 and 5 has been developed and shown to protect pigs from clinical symptoms upon homologous and heterologous challenge. This vaccine has not been characterized in-depth so far. Thus we performed i mass spectrometry in order to identify the exact protein content of the vaccine and ii cross-serotype 2-D immunoblotting in order to discover cross-reactive antigens. By these approaches we expected to gain results enabling us to argue about the reasons for the efficacy of the analyzed vaccine. Results We identified 75 different proteins in the vaccine. Using the PSORTb algorithm these proteins were classified according to their cellular localization. Highly enriched proteins are outer membrane-associated lipoproteins like OmlA and TbpB, integral outer membrane proteins like FrpB, TbpA, OmpA1, OmpA2, HgbA and OmpP2, and secreted Apx toxins. The subunit vaccine also contained large amounts of the ApxIVA toxin so far thought to be expressed only during infection. Applying two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE we showed different isoforms and variations in expression levels of several proteins among the strains used for vaccine production. For detection of cross-reactive antigens we used detergent released proteins of serotype 7. Sera of pigs vaccinated with the detergent-released proteins of serotypes 1, 2, and 5 detected seven different proteins of serotype 7, and convalescent sera of pigs surviving experimental infection with serotype 7 reacted with 13 different proteins of the detergent-released proteins of A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 2, and 5. Conclusions A detergent extraction-based subunit vaccine of A. pleuropneumoniae was

No overall relationship between average daily weight gain and the serological response to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in eight chronically infected Danish swine herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Margit; Mousing, Jan; Thomsen, Lars Krogsgård

2001-01-01

approximately 4 weeks of age), and sera were analyzed for antibodies to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 2, 5-7 and 12. Mixed analysis of covariance analyzed the relationship between the average daily weight gain and a categorical variable defining seroconversion as none...... most pigs included in the study were subclinically infected, or because a temporary negative influence of the infections is hidden due to an increased growth in the period following infection. In conclusion. at least in these eight herds, seroresponses to M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae could...

Identification of dfrA14 in two distinct plasmids conferring trimethoprim resistance in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

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Bossé, Janine T; Li, Yanwen; Walker, Stephanie; Atherton, Tom; Fernandez Crespo, Roberto; Williamson, Susanna M; Rogers, Jon; Chaudhuri, Roy R; Weinert, Lucy A; Oshota, Olusegun; Holden, Matt T G; Maskell, Duncan J; Tucker, Alexander W; Wren, Brendan W; Rycroft, Andrew N; Langford, Paul R

2015-08-01

The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and genetic basis of trimethoprim resistance in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolates from pigs in England. Clinical isolates collected between 1998 and 2011 were tested for resistance to trimethoprim and sulphonamide. The genetic basis of trimethoprim resistance was determined by shotgun WGS analysis and the subsequent isolation and sequencing of plasmids. A total of 16 (out of 106) A. pleuropneumoniae isolates were resistant to both trimethoprim (MIC >32 mg/L) and sulfisoxazole (MIC ≥256 mg/L), and a further 32 were resistant only to sulfisoxazole (MIC ≥256 mg/L). Genome sequence data for the trimethoprim-resistant isolates revealed the presence of the dfrA14 dihydrofolate reductase gene. The distribution of plasmid sequences in multiple contigs suggested the presence of two distinct dfrA14-containing plasmids in different isolates, which was confirmed by plasmid isolation and sequencing. Both plasmids encoded mobilization genes, the sulphonamide resistance gene sul2, as well as dfrA14 inserted into strA, a streptomycin-resistance-associated gene, although the gene order differed between the two plasmids. One of the plasmids further encoded the strB streptomycin-resistance-associated gene. This is the first description of mobilizable plasmids conferring trimethoprim resistance in A. pleuropneumoniae and, to our knowledge, the first report of dfrA14 in any member of the Pasteurellaceae. The identification of dfrA14 conferring trimethoprim resistance in A. pleuropneumoniae isolates will facilitate PCR screens for resistance to this important antimicrobial. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Demonstration of airborne transmission of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 between simulated pig units located at close range

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, C.S.; Angen, Øystein; Andreasen, M.

2004-01-01

Airborne transmission of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was studied as the percentage of air needed to establish airborne transmission from an infected pig unit into a neighbouring non-infected pig unit. The experiment was carried out in two containers constructed as pig units, placed 1 m apart...... and connected by pipes. By manipulating the air pressure in the two units, the amount of ventilation air transferred from the infected pigs (unit A) to the non-infected pigs (unit B) was controlled and measured. In three experiments, between 48 and 50 specific pathogen free-pigs were randomly assigned to each...... of the two units. In unit A, five pigs (experiment 1) or eight pigs (experiments 2 and 3) were inoculated with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2. In experiments 1 and 3, 10% of the air was transferred from unit A to B; in experiment 2, 70% of the air was transferred. In the non-infected unit (B), 36...

One of two TolC-like proteins is involved in antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae clinical isolate SC1516

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Ying Li

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the etiologic agent of porcine contagious pleuropneumonia, a significant disease that causes serious economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Persistent infections caused by bacterial biofilms are recalcitrant to treat because of the particular drug resistance of biofilm-dwelling cells. TolC, a key component of multidrug efflux pumps, are responsible for multidrug resistance in many Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we identified two TolC-like proteins, TolC1 and TolC2, in A. pleuropneumoniae. Deletion of tolC1, but not tolC2, caused a significant reduction in biofilm formation, as well as increased drug sensitivity of both planktonic and biofilm cells. The genetic-complementation of the tolC1 mutation restored the competent biofilm and drug resistance. Besides, biofilm formation was inhibited and drug sensitivity was increased by the addition of phenylalanine-arginine beta-naphthylamide (PAβN, a well-known efflux pump inhibitor (EPI, suggesting a role for EPI in antibacterial strategies towards drug tolerance of A. pleuropneumoniae. Taken together, TolC1 is required for biofilm formation and is a part of the multidrug resistance machinery of both planktonic and biofilm cells, which could supplement therapeutic strategies for resistant bacteria and biofilm-related infections of A. pleuropneumoniae clinical isolate SC1516.

Putative biomarkers for evaluating antibiotic treatment: an experimental model of porcine Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection

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Lauritzen, B.; Lykkesfeldt, J.; Skaanild, M.T.

2003-01-01

Biomarkers of infection were screened for their possible role as evaluators of antibiotic treatment in an aerosol infection model of porcine pneumonia caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Ap). Following infection of 12 pigs, clinical signs of pneumonia developed within 20 h, whereafter...... antibiotic treatment of acute Ap-infection ill pigs. The present model provides a valuable tool in the evaluation of antibiotic treatments, offering the advantage of clinical and pathological examinations combined with the use of biochemical infection markers....... recovered clinically within 24h after treatment, whereas tiamulin-treated animals remained clinically ill until the end of the study, 48 h after treatment. A similar Picture was seen for the biomarkers of infection. During the infection period, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 and haptoglobin...

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic integration and modelling of oxytetracycline for the porcine pneumonia pathogens Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida.

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Dorey, L; Pelligand, L; Cheng, Z; Lees, P

2017-10-01

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) integration and modelling were used to predict dosage schedules of oxytetracycline for two pig pneumonia pathogens, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and mutant prevention concentration (MPC) were determined in broth and porcine serum. PK/PD integration established ratios of average concentration over 48 h (C av0-48 h )/MIC of 5.87 and 0.27 μg/mL (P. multocida) and 0.70 and 0.85 μg/mL (A. pleuropneumoniae) for broth and serum MICs, respectively. PK/PD modelling of in vitro time-kill curves established broth and serum breakpoint values for area under curve (AUC 0-24 h )/MIC for three levels of inhibition of growth, bacteriostasis and 3 and 4 log 10 reductions in bacterial count. Doses were then predicted for each pathogen, based on Monte Carlo simulations, for: (i) bacteriostatic and bactericidal levels of kill; (ii) 50% and 90% target attainment rates (TAR); and (iii) single dosing and daily dosing at steady-state. For 90% TAR, predicted daily doses at steady-state for bactericidal actions were 1123 mg/kg (P. multocida) and 43 mg/kg (A. pleuropneumoniae) based on serum MICs. Lower TARs were predicted from broth MIC data; corresponding dose estimates were 95 mg/kg (P. multocida) and 34 mg/kg (A. pleuropneumoniae). © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What is the true in vitro potency of oxytetracycline for the pig pneumonia pathogens Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida?

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Dorey, L; Hobson, S; Lees, P

2017-10-01

The pharmacodynamics of oxytetracycline was determined for pig respiratory tract pathogens, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida. Indices of potency were determined for the following: (i) two matrices, broth and pig serum; (ii) five overlapping sets of twofold dilutions; and (iii) a high strength starting culture. For A. pleuropneumoniae, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was similar for the two matrices, but for P. multocida, differences were marked and significantly different. MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) serum: broth ratios for A. pleuropneumoniae were 0.83:1 and 1.22:1, respectively, and corresponding values for P. multocida were 22.0:1 and 7.34:1. For mutant prevention concentration (MPC) serum: broth ratios were 0.79:1 (A. pleuropneumoniae) and 20.9:1 (P. multocida). These ratios were corrected for serum protein binding to yield fraction unbound (fu) serum: broth MIC ratios of 0.24:1 (A. pleuropneumoniae) and 6.30:1 (P. multocida). Corresponding fu serum: broth ratios for MPC were almost identical, 0.23:1 and 6.08:1. These corrections for protein binding did not account for potency differences between serum and broth for either species; based on fu serum MICs, potency in serum was approximately fourfold greater than predicted for A. pleuropneumoniae and sixfold smaller than predicted for P. multocida. For both broth and serum and both bacterial species, MICs were also dependent on initial inoculum strength. The killing action of oxytetracycline had the characteristics of codependency for both A. pleuropneumoniae and P. multocida in both growth media. The in vitro potency of oxytetracycline in pig serum is likely to be closer to the in vivo plasma/serum concentration required for efficacy than potency estimated in broths. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR baseada no gene cpx para detecção de Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae em suínos natural e experimentalmente infectados Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR based on the cpx gene for detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in natural and experimentally infected pigs

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Karina Koerich de Souza

2008-10-01

Full Text Available A pleuropneumonia suína é uma das mais importantes doenças respiratórias dos suínos, estando presente em todos os países produtores. Para o controle e o monitoramento da pleuropneumonia, é necessário o desenvolvimento de métodos rápidos e acurados de diagnóstico. Com o objetivo de validar a técnica da PCR, baseada no gene cpx de Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, em suínos sabidamente positivos, primeiramente foi realizada inoculação experimental com amostras de A. pleuropneumoniae sorotipo 5B e coletadas amostras por meio de suabe de tonsila, biópsia de tonsila e sangue para realização da técnica de PCR, isolamento bacteriológico e teste de ELISA, respectivamente. Posteriormente, estas técnicas foram aplicadas em suínos naturalmente infectados, em três rebanhos com diferentes situações sanitárias quanto à apresentação clínica da doença. De cada rebanho, foram analisados cinco grupos de suínos com idades diferentes, sendo coletado de cada animal biópsia de tonsila para isolamento bacteriológico e PCR e sangue para determinação do perfil sorológico. Os resultados obtidos na inoculação experimental confirmaram que, mesmo com o estabelecimento da infecção comprovada pelo isolamento bacteriológico, após o período de 45 dias, não foi possível detectar o agente pela técnica de PCR. Em animais naturalmente infectados, a técnica de PCR apresentou maior sensibilidade quando comparado com o isolamento. A associação entre PCR e ELISA demonstrou ser uma boa alternativa para definir a situação sanitária do rebanho quanto à infecção por A. pleuropneumoniae.Swine pleuropneumonia is one of the most important pig respiratory diseases and has been found in all producer countries. For control and monitoring of pleuropneumonia, it is necessary the development of fast and specific methods of diagnosis. To validate PCR based on the cpx gene of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in positive pigs, an experimental

Comparative profiling of the transcriptional response to iron restriction in six serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae with different virulence potential

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Angen Øystein

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Comparative analysis of gene expression among serotypes within a species can provide valuable information on important differences between related genomes. For the pig lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, 15 serotypes with a considerable variation in virulence potential and immunogenicity have been identified. This serotypic diversity can only partly be explained by amount of capsule and differences in the RTX toxin genes in their genomes. Iron acquisition in vivo is an important bacterial function and in pathogenic bacteria, iron-limitation is often a signal for the induction of virulence genes. We used a pan-genomic microarray to study the transcriptional response to iron restriction in vitro in six serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae (1, 2, 3, 5b, 6, and 7, representing at least two levels of virulence. Results In total, 45 genes were significantly (p A. pleuropneumoniae was the up-regulation of a putative cirA-like siderophore in all six serotypes. Three genes, recently described in A. pleuropneumoniae as possibly coding for haemoglobin-haptoglobin binding proteins, displayed significant serotype related up-regulation to iron limitation. For all three genes, the expression appeared at its lowest in serotype 3, which is generally considered one of the least virulent serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae. The three genes share homology with the hmbR haemoglobin receptor of Neisseria meningitidis, a possible virulence factor which contributes to bacterial survival in rats. Conclusions By comparative analysis of gene expression among 6 different serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae we identified a common set of presumably essential core genes, involved in iron regulation. The results support and expand previous observations concerning the identification of new potential iron acquisition systems in A. pleuropneumoniae, showing that this bacterium has evolved several strategies for scavenging the limited iron resources of the

Field experience with two different vaccination strategies aiming to control infections with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in a fattening pig herd

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Sjölund Marie

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevalence of pleurisies recorded at slaughter is increasing in Sweden, and acute outbreaks of actinobacillosis that require antimicrobial treatments have become more frequent. As an increased use of antimicrobials may result in the development of antimicrobial resistance it is essential to develop alternative measures to control the disease. Vaccinations present an appealing alternative to antimicrobial treatments. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of two different vaccination strategies in a specialized fattening herd affected by actinobacillosis. Methods The study was conducted in a specialized fattening herd employing age segregated rearing in eight units. The herd suffered from infections caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 2, confirmed by necropsy and serology. The study included 54 batches of pigs grouped into five periods. Batches of pigs of the second period were vaccinated against actinobacillosis twice, and pigs in the fourth period were vaccinated three times. Batches of pigs of the first, third and fifth period were not vaccinated. Concentrations of serum antibodies to A. pleuropneumoniae and serum amyloid A (SAA were analysed and production data were recorded. Results Despite vaccinating, medical treatments were required to reduce the impact of the disease. The mean incidence of individual treatments for respiratory diseases during the rearing period ranged from 0 to 4.7 ± 1.8%, and was greatest during the triple vaccination period (period IV; p A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2 in the absence of a SAA-response. The prevalence of pleuritis decreased from 25.4 ± 6.5% in the first period to 5.0 ± 3.7% in the fifth period (p Conclusions The vaccine did not effectively prevent clinical expression of A. pleuropneumoniae infections, but seroconversion to A. pleuropneumoniae in the absence of a SAA-response in a large number pigs indicated that the vaccine had activated the immune

Comparative in vitro activity of 16 antimicrobial agents against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

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Yoshimura, H; Takagi, M; Ishimura, M; Endoh, Y S

2002-01-01

Sixteen antimicrobial agents were tested for their activity against 68 isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Ceftiofur and the fluoroquinolones danofloxacin and enrofloxacin were the most active compounds, with a MIC for 90% of the isolates (MIC90) of (0.05 microg/ml. The MIC90 values of benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin and aspoxicillin were 0.78 units/ml, 0.39 microg/ml and colistin and tiamulin. Of these, spectinomycin was the least active, with a MIC50 of 25 microg/ml, followed by tiamulin, with a MIC50 of 6.25 microg/ml. Of the 68 isolates tested, 49 (72.0%) were of serotype 2; 14 (20.5%) were of serotype 1; 2 each (3.0%) were of serotypes 5 and 6; and one was of serotype 7. Of the isolates, 23 (33.8%) were resistant to one or more of the major antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance was found only infrequently among serotype 2, with 5 (10.2%) of 49 isolates being resistant to chloramphenicol and/or oxytetracycline, while it occurred in 18 (94.7%) of the 19 isolates of other serotypes.

Determination of minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations of tiamulin against field isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

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Pridmore, Andrew; Burch, David; Lees, Peter

2011-08-05

Tiamulin activity was measured against 19 UK field isolates of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae collected between 2003 and 2009 and the type strain ATCC 27090 as a control, with the intention of comparing broth with serum as growth media. Broth microdilution MIC/MBC tests were performed in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline M31-A3, in 'Veterinary Fastidious Medium' (VFM) (supplemented Mueller-Hinton broth at pH 7.3) and in 100% swine serum. For improved precision, a modified, overlapping doubling-dilution series was used (tiamulin concentration range 0.3-72 μg/ml). The MBC was reported as the lowest concentration producing a 99.9% reduction in bacterial density in the sub-cultured well contents, relative to the starting inoculum. The mean MBC/MIC ratio for tiamulin against A. pleuropneumoniae in VFM was low (1.74:1), even though tiamulin is classed as a bacteriostatic drug. Only three of the 19 isolates and the reference strain grew in 100% serum and their MICs were higher than those determined in VFM. It is postulated that this difference was due to differences in pH of the matrices or binding of tiamulin to serum proteins or a combination of both factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Serological patterns of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida and Streptococcus suis in pig herds affected by pleuritis.

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Wallgren, Per; Nörregård, Erik; Molander, Benedicta; Persson, Maria; Ehlorsson, Carl-Johan

2016-10-04

Respiratory illness is traditionally regarded as the disease of the growing pig, and has historically mainly been associated to bacterial infections with focus on Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. These bacteria still are of great importance, but continuously increasing herd sizes have complicated the scenario and the influence of secondary invaders may have been increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of A. pleuropneumoniae and M. hyopneumoniae, as well as that of the secondary invaders Pasteurella multocida and Streptococcus suis by serology in four pig herds (A-D) using age segregated rearing systems with high incidences of pleuritic lesions at slaughter. Pleuritic lesions registered at slaughter ranged from 20.5 to 33.1 % in the four herds. In herd A, the levels of serum antibodies to A. pleuropneumoniae exceeded A 450  > 1.5, but not to any other microbe searched for. The seroconversion took place early during the fattening period. Similar levels of serum antibodies to A. pleuropneumoniae were also recorded in herd B, with a subsequent increase in levels of antibodies to P. multocida. Pigs seroconverted to both agents during the early phase of the fattening period. In herd C, pigs seroconverted to P. multocida during the early phase of the fattening period and thereafter to A. pleuropneumoniae. In herd D, the levels of antibodies to P. multocida exceeded A 450  > 1.0 in absence (A 450  hyopneumoniae and to S. suis remained below A 450  hyopneumoniae late during the rearing period (herd B-D), or not at all (herd A). Different serological patterns were found in the four herds with high levels of serum antibodies to A. pleuropneumoniae and P. multocida, either alone or in combination with each other. Seroconversion to M. hyopneumoniae late during the rearing period or not at all, confirmed the positive effect of age segregated rearing in preventing or delaying infections with M

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic integration and modelling of florfenicol for the pig pneumonia pathogens Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida.

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Lucy Dorey

Full Text Available Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD integration and modelling were used to predict dosage schedules for florfenicol for two pig pneumonia pathogens, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida. Pharmacokinetic data were pooled for two bioequivalent products, pioneer and generic formulations, administered intramuscularly to pigs at a dose rate of 15 mg/kg. Antibacterial potency was determined in vitro as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and Mutant Prevention Concentration in broth and pig serum, for six isolates of each organism. For both organisms and for both serum and broth MICs, average concentration:MIC ratios over 48 h were similar and exceeded 2.5:1 and times greater than MIC exceeded 35 h. From in vitro time-kill curves, PK/PD modelling established serum breakpoint values for the index AUC24h/MIC for three levels of inhibition of growth, bacteriostasis and 3 and 4log10 reductions in bacterial count; means were 25.7, 40.2 and 47.0 h, respectively, for P. multocida and 24.6, 43.8 and 58.6 h for A. pleuropneumoniae. Using these PK and PD data, together with literature MIC distributions, doses for each pathogen were predicted for: (1 bacteriostatic and bactericidal levels of kill; (2 for 50 and 90% target attainment rates (TAR; and (3 for single dosing and daily dosing at steady state. Monte Carlo simulations for 90% TAR predicted single doses to achieve bacteriostatic and bactericidal actions over 48 h of 14.4 and 22.2 mg/kg (P. multocida and 44.7 and 86.6 mg/kg (A. pleuropneumoniae. For daily doses at steady state, and 90% TAR bacteriostatic and bactericidal actions, dosages of 6.2 and 9.6 mg/kg (P. multocida and 18.2 and 35.2 mg/kg (A. pleuropneumoniae were required. PK/PD integration and modelling approaches to dose determination indicate the possibility of tailoring dose to a range of end-points.

Detection of PR-39, a porcine host defence peptide, in different cell sub-linages in pigs infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

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Gabner, S; Egerbacher, M; Gasse, H; Hewicker-Trautwein, M; Höltig, D; Waldmann, K-H; Blecha, F; Saalmüller, A; Hennig-Pauka, I

2017-10-01

Innate immunity is critically important for the outcome of infection in many diseases. It was previously shown that cathelicidin PR-39, an important porcine multifunctional host defence peptide, is elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and respiratory tract tissue after experimental infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A.pp.). To date, neutrophil polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are thought to be the only source of PR-39. The aim of this study was to further characterize PR-39⁺ cells and selected immune cell populations in lung tissue during the peracute (7-10 hours), acute (2 days), reconvalescent (7 days) and chronic (21 days) stages of experimental infection with A.pp. serotype 2. In total, six mock-infected control pigs and 12 infected pigs were examined. Using immunofluorescence double-labeling, antibodies against PR-39 were combined with antibodies against CD3 (T-cells), CD79 (B-cells), Iba1 (activated macrophages), TTF-1 (lung epithelial cells expressing surfactant proteins), macrophage/L1 protein and myeloperoxidase (MPO, cells of the myeloid linage). In the peracute and acute phases of infection, total PR-39⁺ cells and myeloid linage cells increased, whereas CD3⁺ cells and TTF-1⁺ cells decreased. Double labeling revealed that most Macrophage/L1 protein+ cells and to a lesser extent MPO⁺ cells co-expressed PR-39. In addition, few bronchial epithelial cells and type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (both identified with TTF-1) produced PR-39. Occasionally, CD3⁺ T cells expressing PR-39 were seen in infected animals. Taken together, this study identifies cell types, other than PMNs, in lungs of A.pp.-infected pigs that are capable of producing PR-39. In addition, these findings provide further insights into the dynamics of different immune cell populations during A.pp.-infection.

The pharmacodynamic effect of amoxycillin and danofloxacin against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in an in-vitro pharmacodynamic model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindecrona, R.H.; Friis, C.; Jensen, N.E.

1999-01-01

The pharmacodynamic effect of amoxycillin and danofloxacin against two strains of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was evaluated in an in-vitro pharmacodynamic model. For amoxycillin peak concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 4 mu g ml(-1) and half-lives of 3 and 15 hours were examined. For danofloxacin...... peak concentrations of 0.125, 0.5, and 1.5 mu g ml(-1) and half-lives of 1.5 and 7 hours were evaluated. The initial bactericidal effect was measured as the reduction in colony count (log CFU ml(-1)) during the first three hours, and the overall pharmacodynamic effect as the area under the bacterial...... growth versus time curve (AUBC). The initial bactericidal effect of amoxycillin was maximal at peak concentrations of two to four times the hnc. Peak concentration and half-life only influenced the pharmacodynamic effect of amoxycillin if the antibiotic concentration fell below the MIC during...

Differences in Purinergic Amplification of Osmotic Cell Lysis by the Pore-Forming RTX Toxins Bordetella pertussis CyaA and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ApxIA: the Role of Pore Size

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mašín, Jiří; Fišer, Radovan; Linhartová, Irena; Osička, Radim; Bumba, Ladislav; Hewlett, E. L.; Benz, R.; Šebo, Peter

2013-01-01

Roč. 81, č. 12 (2013), s. 4571-4582 ISSN 0019-9567 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP302/12/0460; GA ČR(CZ) GAP302/11/0580; GA ČR(CZ) GAP207/11/0717; GA AV ČR IAA500200914; GA ČR GA13-14547S Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Bordetella pertussis * Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae * E- coli Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 4.156, year: 2013

Padronização de três ELISAs polivalentes com lipopolissacarídeos de cadeia longa dos sorotipos 1 e 5, 2, 3 e 7 ou 10 e 12 de Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Standardization of three polyvalent ELISA based on long chain lipopolysaccharides of serotypes 1 and 5, 2, 3 and 7, or 10 and 12 of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

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S.S. Kuchiishi

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Três ELISAs polivalentes baseados em lipopolissacarídeos de cadeia longa (LPS-CL foram estabelecidos para detectar anticorpos para todos os sorotipos prevalentes de Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Foram testadas amostras provenientes do banco de soros de suínos experimentalmente inoculados com todos os sorotipos de A. pleuropneumoniae. Os ELISAs foram sensíveis à detecção de anticorpos contra todos os LPS-CL. Foram observadas reações cruzadas no ELISA polivalente produzido com os sorotipos 1 e 5, com anti-soros específicos para os sorotipos 9 e 11, pois os sorotipos 1, 9 e 11 apresentaram antígenos somáticos comuns. No polivalente com os sorotipos 2, 3 e 7, observaram-se reações com anti-soros dos sorotipos 4, 6 e 8, devido à presença de antígenos somáticos entre os sorotipos 3, 6 e 8 e entre os sorotipos 4 e 7. Amostras de soros de animais infectados com Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma flocculare e Haemophilus parasuis, agentes que acometem o sistema respiratório dos suínos, não apresentaram reações cruzadas com os antígenos baseados em LPS-CL.Three polyvalent ELISA based on long chain lipopolysaccharides (LC-LPS were established to detect all prevalent serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Samples from a serum bank of experimentally inoculated animals with all serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae were tested. Antibodies specific to LC-LPS of each serotype were detected. Cross-reactions were observed in the polyvalent ELISA produced with serotypes 1 and 5, with specific antisera to serotypes 9 and 11 due to common somatic antigens presence in serotypes 1, 9, and 11. In the polyvalent with serotypes 2, 3 and 7 reactions were observed with antisera of serotypes 4, 6, and 8, due to the presence of somatic antigens in serotypes 3, 6, and 8 and serotypes 4 and 7. Experimentally infected animals with respiratory agents of swine Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma flocculare, and Haemophilus parasuis did not present

Detection of antibodies to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 12 in pig serum using a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andresen, Lars Ole; Klausen, Joan; Barfod, Kristen

2002-01-01

and from herds declared free of infection with Ap. The Ap serotype 12 blocking ELISA showed a herd sensitivity of 0.77 (95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.88) and a herd specificity of 1.00 (0.95-1.00) with a cut-off value at 40% relative absorbance or 60% inhibition. The assay may be used advantageously......The objective was to develop a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Ap) serotype 12 in pig serum. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Ap serotype 12 was purified and used as antigen in the assay. Antibodies to the LPS antigen...... in samples of pig serum were detected by inhibition of the binding of polyclonal rabbit antibodies raised against Ap serotype 12. The assay was evaluated against sera from experimentally infected pigs, from pig herds naturally infected with Ap and from herds declared free of Ap serotypc 12 infection...

Activity of antibodies against Salmonella dublin, Toxoplasma gondii, or Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in sera after treatment with electron beam irradiation or binary ethylenimine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyvsgaard, N.C.; Lind, Peter; Preuss, T.

1996-01-01

was used as an estimate for the relative posttreatment activity. For a Toxoplasma gondii indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and agglutination assay as well as for a Salmonella dublin indirect ELISA, the posttreatment activity was more than 89% of the pretreatment activity when the samples...... of pretreatment activity were subject to a relatively greater decrease in activity than samples with a high level of pretreatment activity. The complement fixation assay was particularly sensitive to irradiation of serum. ft is concluded that serum samples retain sufficient activity by both methods of virus...... they were irradiated in the frozen state on dry ice but only 35% of their activity when they were irradiated in the liquid state at 0 degrees C. The patterns seen in an S. dublin blocking ELISA and an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae complement fixation assay differed in that samples with a low level...

Identification and characterization of serovar-independent immunogens in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antenucci, Fabio; Fougeroux, Cyrielle; Bosse, Janine T.

2017-01-01

and further characterized, both in silico and in vitro. Additionally, we analysed outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of A. pleuropneumoniae MIDG2331 as potential immunogens, and compared deletions in degS and nlpI for increasing yields of OMVs compared to the parental strain. Our results indicated that Apf...

Development and evaluation of a mixed long-chain lipopolysaccharide based ELISA for serological surveillance of infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 2, 6 and 12 in pig herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøndahl-Hansen, Jan; Barfod, Kristen; Klausen, Joan

2003-01-01

The objective was to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for simultaneous detection of antibodies against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Ap) serotypes 2, 6 and 12. The assay was designated MIX-ELISA. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Ap serotypes 2, 6 and 12 was purified using hot...... of the assay indicate that screening of herds for Ap infection can be performed using this ELISA. Efficient serological surveillance can be achieved by using such mixed antigen ELISAs coated with size-selected LPS-antigens from the most prevalent serotypes....... phenol-water extraction followed by fractionation by size-exclusion chromatography. A mixture of fractions containing molecules with molecular weight above 50 kDa from all three serotypes was used as antigen. The MIX-ELISA was evaluated with sera from pigs experimentally infected with the serotypes 1, 2...

PR-39, a porcine host defence peptide, is prominent in mucosa and lymphatic tissue of the respiratory tract in healthy pigs and pigs infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennig-Pauka, Isabel; Koch, Rüdiger; Hoeltig, Doris; Gerlach, Gerald-F; Waldmann, Karl-Heinz; Blecha, Frank; Brauer, Carsten; Gasse, Hagen

2012-09-28

Host defence peptides are important components of mammalian innate immunity. We have previously shown that PR-39, a cathelicidin host defence peptide, is an important factor in porcine innate immune mechanisms as a first line of defence after infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. PR-39 interacts with bacterial and mammalian cells and is involved in a variety of processes such as killing of bacteria and promotion of wound repair. In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of infected pigs PR-39 concentrations are elevated during the chronic but not during the acute stage of infection when polymorphonuclear neutrophils (known as the major source of PR-39) are highly increased. Thus it was assumed, that the real impact of PR-39 during infection might not be reflected by its concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Using immunohistochemistry this study demonstrates the actual distribution of PR-39 in tissue of the upper and lower respiratory tract of healthy pigs, and of pigs during the acute and chronic stage of experimental infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.During the acute stage of infection PR-39 accumulated adjacent to blood vessels and within bronchi. Immune reactions were mainly localized in the cytoplasm of cells with morphological characteristics of polymorphonuclear neutrophils as well as in extracellular fluids. During the chronic stage of infection pigs lacked clinical signs and lung alterations were characterized by reparation and remodelling processes such as tissue sequestration and fibroblastic pleuritis with a high-grade accumulation of small PR-39-positive cells resembling polymorphonuclear neutrophils. In healthy pigs, PR-39 was homogenously expressed in large single cells within the alveoli resembling alveolar macrophages or type 2 pneumocytes. PR-39 was found in all tissue samples of the upper respiratory tract in healthy and diseased pigs. Within the tracheobronchial lymph nodes, PR-39 dominated in the cytoplasm and nuclei of

Improved diagnostic PCR assay for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae based on the nucleotide sequence of an outer membrane lipoprotein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram, Trine; Ahrens, Peter

1998-01-01

species related to A. pleuropneumoniae or isolated from pigs were assayed. They were all found negative in the PCR, as were tonsil cultures from 50 pigs of an A. pleuropneumoniae-negative herd. The sensitivity assessed by agarose gel analysis of the PCR product was 10(2) CFU/PCR test tube. The specificity...

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A SELECTIVE AND INDICATIVE MEDIUM FOR ISOLATION OF ACTINOBACILLUS-PLEUROPNEUMONIAE FROM TONSILS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Marianne; Nielsen, Jens

1995-01-01

In order to isolate ActinobacillIus pleuropneumoniae from mixed bacterial flora a selective and indicative medium was developed. The optimal concentrations of antibiotics were determined for selective chocolate agar (S-TSA) and selective blood agar (S-MBA) using a set of 25 strains of A. pleuropn......In order to isolate ActinobacillIus pleuropneumoniae from mixed bacterial flora a selective and indicative medium was developed. The optimal concentrations of antibiotics were determined for selective chocolate agar (S-TSA) and selective blood agar (S-MBA) using a set of 25 strains of A...

Actinobacillus pleruropneumoniae transcriptome analysis during early infection - coping with a hostile environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, Kirstine Klitgaard; Rundsten, Carsten Friis; Jensen, Tim Kåre

2011-01-01

in response to environmental stimuli is critical for bacterial survival within the host. The genes identified as differentially expressed in this study may represent a core set of genes which are mobilized to cope with the host immune response and adapt to the hostile environment. The potential virulence......Aim: To obtain an increased understanding of how the porcine lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Ap) establish infection in the host. Understanding the means by which a pathogen establishes and maintains infection in the host organism is the first step towards controlling disease...

Evaluation of a PCR for detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in mixed bacterial cultures from tonsils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram, T.; Ahrens, Peter; Nielsen, J.P.

1996-01-01

strains of A. lignieresii. The lower detection limit of the PCR test was 10(3) A. pleuropneumoniae CFU/PCR test tube and was not affected by addition of 10(6) E. coli CFU/PCR test tube. Mixed bacterial cultures from tonsils of 101 pigs from 9 different herds were tested by culture and by PCR using four...

Enriched Housing Reduces Disease Susceptibility to Co-Infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV) and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) in Young Pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dixhoorn, Ingrid D E; Reimert, Inonge; Middelkoop, Jenny; Bolhuis, J Elizabeth; Wisselink, Henk J; Groot Koerkamp, Peter W G; Kemp, Bas; Stockhofe-Zurwieden, Norbert

2016-01-01

Until today, anti-microbial drugs have been the therapy of choice to combat bacterial diseases. Resistance against antibiotics is of growing concern in man and animals. Stress, caused by demanding environmental conditions, can reduce immune protection in the host, influencing the onset and outcome of infectious diseases. Therefore psychoneuro-immunological intervention may prove to be a successful approach to diminish the impact of diseases and antibiotics use. This study was designed to investigate the effect of social and environmental enrichment on the impact of disease, referred to as "disease susceptibility", in pigs using a co-infection model of PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae. Twenty-eight pigs were raised in four pens under barren conditions and twenty-eight other pigs were raised in four pens under enriched conditions. In the enriched pens a combination of established social and environmental enrichment factors were introduced. Two pens of the barren (BH) and two pens of the enriched housed (EH) pigs were infected with PRRSV followed by A. pleuropneumoniae, the other two pens in each housing treatment served as control groups. We tested if differences in disease susceptibility in terms of pathological and clinical outcome were related to the different housing regimes and if this was reflected in differences in behavioural and immunological states of the animals. Enriched housed pigs showed a faster clearance of viral PRRSV RNA in blood serum (p = 0.014) and histologically 2.8 fold less interstitial pneumonia signs in the lungs (p = 0.014). More barren housed than enriched housed pigs developed lesions in the lungs (OR = 19.2, p = 0.048) and the lesions in the barren housed pigs showed a higher total pathologic tissue damage score (ppigs. EH pigs showed less stress-related behaviour and differed immunologically and clinically from BH pigs. We conclude that enriched housing management reduces disease susceptibility to co-infection of PRRSV and A

Enriched Housing Reduces Disease Susceptibility to Co-Infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae in Young Pigs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingrid D E van Dixhoorn

Full Text Available Until today, anti-microbial drugs have been the therapy of choice to combat bacterial diseases. Resistance against antibiotics is of growing concern in man and animals. Stress, caused by demanding environmental conditions, can reduce immune protection in the host, influencing the onset and outcome of infectious diseases. Therefore psychoneuro-immunological intervention may prove to be a successful approach to diminish the impact of diseases and antibiotics use. This study was designed to investigate the effect of social and environmental enrichment on the impact of disease, referred to as "disease susceptibility", in pigs using a co-infection model of PRRSV and A. pleuropneumoniae. Twenty-eight pigs were raised in four pens under barren conditions and twenty-eight other pigs were raised in four pens under enriched conditions. In the enriched pens a combination of established social and environmental enrichment factors were introduced. Two pens of the barren (BH and two pens of the enriched housed (EH pigs were infected with PRRSV followed by A. pleuropneumoniae, the other two pens in each housing treatment served as control groups. We tested if differences in disease susceptibility in terms of pathological and clinical outcome were related to the different housing regimes and if this was reflected in differences in behavioural and immunological states of the animals. Enriched housed pigs showed a faster clearance of viral PRRSV RNA in blood serum (p = 0.014 and histologically 2.8 fold less interstitial pneumonia signs in the lungs (p = 0.014. More barren housed than enriched housed pigs developed lesions in the lungs (OR = 19.2, p = 0.048 and the lesions in the barren housed pigs showed a higher total pathologic tissue damage score (p<0.001 than those in enriched housed pigs. EH pigs showed less stress-related behaviour and differed immunologically and clinically from BH pigs. We conclude that enriched housing management reduces disease

Profiling microRNAs in lung tissue from pigs infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Podolska, Agnieszka; Anthon, Christian; Bak, Mads

2012-01-01

significantly up-regulated in the necrotic sample and 12 were down-regulated. The expression analysis of a number of candidates revealed microRNAs of potential importance in the innate immune response. MiR-155, a known key player in inflammation, was found expressed in both samples. Moreover, miR-664-5p, mi......R-451 and miR-15a appear as very promising candidates for microRNAs involved in response to pathogen infection. Conclusions: This is the first study revealing significant differences in composition and expression profiles of miRNAs in lungs infected with a bacterial pathogen. Our results extend......Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-protein-coding genes that play a crucial regulatory role in mammalian development and disease. Whereas a large number of miRNAs have been annotated at the structural level during the latest years, functional annotation is sparse. Actinobacillus...

Expression of coding (mRNA) and non-coding (microRNA) RNA in lung tissue and blood isolated from pigs suffering from bacterial pleuropneumonia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Kerstin; Schou, Kirstine Klitgaard; Wendt, Karin Tarp

2010-01-01

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules (18-23 nt), that regulate the activity of other genes at the post-transcriptional level. Recently it has become evident that microRNA plays an important role in modulating and fine tuning innate and adaptive immune responses. Still, little is known about...... the impact of microRNAs in the development and pathogenesis of lung infections. Expression of microRNA known to be induced by bacterial (i.e., LPS) ligands and thus supposed to play a role in the regulation of antimicrobial defence, were studied in lung tissue and in blood from pigs experimentally infected...... with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (AP). Expression differences of mRNA and microRNA were quantified at different time points (6h, 12h, 24h, 48h PI) using reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (Rotor-Gene and Fluidigm). Expression profiles of miRNA in blood of seven animals were further studied using mi...

Genomic diversity among Actinobacillus lignieresii and Actinobacillus genomospecies 1 isolates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kokotovic, Branko; Bisgaard, Magne; Angen, Øystein

Within the family Pasteurellaceae Pohl 1981 most taxa seem to be host specific. The aim of the present study was to investigate if bovine and ovine isolates of Actinobacillus lignieresii represent host specific subclones of this taxon. For comparison and to investigate the diagnostic potential...

No clear effect of initiating vaccination against common endemic infections on the amounts of prescribed antimicrobials for Danish weaner and finishing pigs during 2007-2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruse, Amanda Brinch; de Knegt, Leonardo Victor; Nielsen, Liza Rosenbaum

2017-01-01

common endemic infections: Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, porcine circovirus type II, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, and Lawsonia intracellularis. Comparison was made to the change after a randomly selected date in herds not vaccinating against each...

Clinical significance and taxonomy of Actinobacillus hominis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis-Møller, Alice; Christensen, J J; Fussing, V

2001-01-01

Clinical findings in 36 immunosuppressed patients with lower respiratory tract infection or bacteremia with Actinobacillus hominis are described. Animal contact was only recorded for three patients; nine patients died despite appropriate antimicrobial treatment. Although infections with this micr......Clinical findings in 36 immunosuppressed patients with lower respiratory tract infection or bacteremia with Actinobacillus hominis are described. Animal contact was only recorded for three patients; nine patients died despite appropriate antimicrobial treatment. Although infections...

Hepatic gene expression changes in pigs experimentally infected with the lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae as analysed with an innate immunity focused microarray

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Kerstin; Mortensen, Shila; Boye, Mette

2010-01-01

Knowledge on gene expression in the liver during respiratory infections is limited although it is well-established that this organ is an important site of synthesis of several systemic innate immune components as response to infections. In the present study, the early transcriptional hepatic...... in initiating and orchestrating the innate immune response to A. pleuropneumoniae infection. Keywords: acute phase protein, hepatic transcriptional response, innate defence, gene expression, pig...... differentially expressed. A large group of these genes encoded proteins involved in the acute phase response, including serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, haptoglobin and tumor necrosis factor-a the expression of which were all found to be up-regulated and glutathione S-transferase, transthyretin...

An Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae PCR typing system based on the apx and omlA genes - evaluation of isolates from lungs and tonsils of pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram, T.; Ahrens, Peter; Andreasen, Morten

2000-01-01

. The PCR typing system was tested on 102 field strains of A. pleuropneumoniae isolated from lungs of diseased pigs. The serotyping results of the investigated field strains were in agreement with the apr and omlA gene patterns found in the reference strains of the bacteria, with the exception of the oml...... gene patterns and in 89% of the isolates using the omlA gene. The same serotype specific apx/omlA gene pattern was thus found in the majority of the tonsil isolates and in isolates from diseased lungs. Most of the differences in the omlA gene were found in 18 tonsil isolates of serotype 12. The oml...

The concentration of apolipoprotein A-I decreases during experimentally induced acute-phase processes in pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carpintero, R.; Pineiro, M.; Andres, M.

2005-01-01

In this work, apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) was purified from pig sera. The responses of this protein after sterile inflammation and in animals infected with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae or Streptococcus suis were investigated. Decreases in the concentrations of ApoA-I, two to five times lower...

Seroprevalence of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in Borana ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, PO ... conducted on contagious caprine pleuropneumonia in selected districts of Borana ..... A Text Book of the Disease of Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Goats and Horses.

J-GLOBAL MeSH Dictionary: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans [MeCab user dictionary for science technology term[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available MeCab user dictionary for science technology term Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomit...ans 名詞 一般 * * * * Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans ... MeSH D016976 200906016161948020 C LS07 UNKNOWN_2 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Economic impacts assessment of pleuropneumonia burden and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a trans-boundary infectious and contagious respiratory disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides. It is a disease of high economic importance because of its ability to compromise food security. Information on its economic burden in pastoral cattle ...

Sero-prevalence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and its ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a disease of cattle caused by ... of veterinary departments have resulted in CBPP running riot in east and ... 5 334 of Sheep, 9 253 of Goat, 72 of Horses, 601 of Mules, 3 300 of Donkeys.

GenBank blastx search result: AK058464 [KOME

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available AK058464 001-016-A10 U27202.1 Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae riboflavin biosynthesis operon, riboflavin...-specific deaminase (ribG), riboflavin synthase alpha subunit (ribB), bifunctional GTP ...cyclohydrase II/3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone-4-phosphate synthase (ribA), and riboflavin synthase beta subunit (ribH) genes, complete cds.|BCT BCT 1e-105 +2 ...

Application of Enrofloxacin and Orbifloxacin Disks Approved in Japan for Susceptibility Testing of Representative Veterinary Respiratory Pathogens

Science.gov (United States)

HARADA, Kazuki; USUI, Masaru; ASAI, Tetsuo

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT In this study, susceptibilities of Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae to enrofloxacin and orbifloxacin were tested using an agar diffusion method with the commercial disks and a broth microdilution method. Good correlation between the 2 methods for enrofloxacin and orbifloxacin was observed for P. multocida (r = −0.743 and −0.818, respectively), M. haemolytica (r = −0.739 and −0.800, respectively) and A. pleuropneumoniae (r = −0.785 and −0.809, respectively). Based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute interpretive criteria for enrofloxacin, high-level categorical agreement between the 2 methods was found for P. multocida (97.9%), M. haemolytica (93.8%) and A. pleuropneumoniae (92.0%). Our findings indicate that the tested commercial disks can be applied for susceptibility testing of veterinary respiratory pathogens. PMID:25008965

Effect of different antimicrobial treatments on serum acute phase responses and leukocyte counts in pigs after a primary and a secondary challenge infection with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sjölund, M; Fossum, C; Martin de la Fuente, AJM

2011-01-01

-free pigs were allocated to five groups of six. After acclimatisation, four groups were inoculated with A pleuropneumoniae serotype 2. At the onset of clinical signs, three of the groups of pigs were treated with enrofloxacin, tetracycline or penicillin. A fourth group served as the inoculated control......-binding lectin-A response was less evident in the pigs. Acute phase responses resembling those of the first inoculation were observed in the pigs that had not previously been inoculated and in the pigs treated with enrofloxacin. Acute phase responses were not recorded in the other three groups, where the pigs...

Incidence of Reinfections with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in Pig Farms Located in Respiratory-Disease-Free Regions of Switzerland – Identification and Quantification of Risk Factors

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Scheidegger R

2002-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to identify risk factors for reintroduction of Actinobacillus pleuopneumoniae and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (enzootic pneumonia onto pig farms in areas in Switzerland that were involved in an eradication programme from 1996 to 1999 and to assess the role of dealers in relation to these reinfections. The study was based on the comparison of pig farms that were reinfected in the year 2000 (cases and pig farms that remained uninfected in the same area (controls. Additionally, data were collected from Swiss pig dealers and transport companies. Out of a total of 3983 farms, 107 farms were reinfected in the year 2000. The incidences were 0.1% for Actinobacillus pleuopneumoniae and 2.6% for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (enzootic pneumonia. Compared to reinfection rates prior to the eradication programme, this is a considerable reduction. Statistically significant risk factors for the reinfection were 'finishing farm', 'large mixed breeding-finishing farm', 'reinfected neighbour' and 'parking site for pig transport vehicles close to the farm'. Pig farmers that purchased pigs from only one supplier per batch had a lower risk of reintroducing infection (protective factor. As long as infected and uninfected regions co-exist in Switzerland, direct and indirect contact between farms, pig herds and slaughter sites via transport vehicles are a major pathway of disease spread. Risk management measures linked to these contacts are therefore of key importance. The survey of dealers indicated various areas for improvement such as strategic planning of pick-up routes or cleaning and disinfecting of trucks.

Fluoroquinolones in the treatment of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans associated periodontitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleinfelder, JW; Mueller, RF; Lange, DE

Background: Periodontitis patients harboring Actinobacillus actinmycetemcomitans (Aa) are prime candidates for systemic antibiotic therapy. Besides tetracycline and the combination of metronidazole and amoxicillin the fluoroquinolones are also believed to have antibacterial activity against Aa. The

The T Cell Response to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Science.gov (United States)

2006-05-01

and occasional periodontal abscess formation with concomitant regional lymph node enlargement (12). The prevalence of localized aggressive periodontitis ...brain abscesses , it is the primary pathogen associated with the initiation and progression of localized aggressive periodontitis . In light of recent...Professor: Ellen B. Kraig, Ph.D. The association between Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) and aggressive periodontitis is well documented

Investigation of genome sequences within the family Pasteurellaceae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Angen, Øystein; Ussery, David

Introduction The bacterial genome sequences are now available for an increasing number of strains within the family Pasteurellaceae. At present, 24 Pasteurellaceae genomes are publicly available through internet databases, and another 40 genomes are being sequenced. This investigation will describe...... the core genome for both the family Pasteurellaceae and for the species Haemophilus influenzae. Methods Twenty genome sequences from the following species were included: Haemophilus influenzae (11 strains), Haemophilus ducreyi (1 strain), Histophilus somni (2 strains), Haemophilus parasuis (1 strain......), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (2 strains), Actinobacillus succinogenes (1 strain), Mannheimia succiniciproducens (1 strain), and Pasteurella multocida (1 strain). The predicted proteins for each genome were BLASTed against each other, and a set of conserved core gene families was determined as described...

PCR specific for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, L.; Jones, S.C.P.; Angen, Øystein

2008-01-01

, but the method has liminations, for example, cross-reactions between serotypes 3, 6, and 8. This study describes the development of a serotype 3-specific PCR, based on the capsule locus, which can be used in a multiplex format with the organism's specific gene apxIV. The PCR test was evaluated on 266 strains...

Clinical Efficacy and Residue Depletion of 10% Enrofloxacin Enteric-Coated Granules in Pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Zhixin; Liu, Qianying; Yang, Bing; Xiong, Jincheng; Li, Kun; Ahmed, Saeed; Hong, Liping; Chen, Pin; He, Qigai; Cao, Jiyue

2017-01-01

A new, more palatable formulation of 10% enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules was investigated to evaluate the pharmacokinetic effect in plasma, the residue elimination in tissues and the clinical efficacy against Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia (APP) and Mycoplasam suis (MS) in pigs. In this study, the enrofloxacin concentrations in plasma and tissues were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography with phosphate buffer (pH = 3) and acetonitrile. The pharmacokinetics and elimination of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules were performed after oral administration at a single dose of 10 mg/kg body weight (bw) and 5 mg/kg twice per day for 5 consecutive days, respectively. The in vivo antibacterial efficacy and clinical effectiveness of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules against APP and MS were assayed at 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg, compared with tiamulin (8 mg/kg) based on establishment of APP and MS infection models. 56 APP strains were selected and tested for in vitro antibacterial activity of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules. The main parameters of elimination half-life (t 1/2β ), T max , and area under the curve (AUC) were 14.99 ± 4.19, 3.99 ± 0.10, and 38.93 ± 1.52 μg h/ml, respectively, revealing that the enrofloxacin concentration remained high and with a sustainable distribution in plasma. Moreover, the analysis on the evaluation of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in muscle, fat, liver and kidney showed that the recovery were more than 84% recovery in accordance with the veterinary drug residue guidelines of United States pharmacopeia, and the withdrawal periods were 4.28, 3.81, 4.84, and 3.51 days, respectively, suggesting that the withdrawal period was 5 d after oral administration of 5 mg/kg twice per day. The optimal dosage of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules against APP and MS was 5 mg/kg, with over 90% efficacy, which was significantly different ( p enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules had significant potential for treating APP and MS

A longitudinal study of serological patterns of respiratory infections in nine infected Danish swine herds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Margit; Nielsen, Jens; Bækbo, Poul

2000-01-01

Sixteen litters of seven pigs from each of nine Danish farrow-to-finish herds were followed to investigate the serological patterns caused by natural infection with Mycoplasma hyponeumoniae, Pasteurella multocida toxin and Actinobacillus pleuroneumoniae serotypes 2, 5-7, 12. In seven of the herds......, pigs were followed as two separate cohorts started 4 weeks apart, and in two herds only one cohort was followed. A total of 999 pigs were included in the study. The pigs were blood sampled at weaning and subsequently every fourth week until slaughter. All pigs were examined for antibodies against M....... hyopneumoniae (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), P. multocida toxin (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 2, 5-7, 12 (complement-fixation tests). The most-common pattern (28%) of seroconversion was that of pigs first seroconverting to A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 2, followed...

Susceptibility of bacteria isolated from pigs to tiamulin and enrofloxacin metabolites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lykkeberg, Anne Kruse; Halling-Sørensen, Bent; Jensen, Lars Bogø

2007-01-01

:Susceptibilities to metabolites of tiamulin (TIA) and enrofloxacin (ENR) were tested using selected bacteria with previously defined minimal inhibitory concentrations,(,MIC). The TIA metabolites tested were: N-deethyl-tiamulin (I)TIA), 2 beta-hydroxy-tiamulin (2 beta-HTIA),and Sammhydroxy......-tiamulin (8 alpha-HTIA), and the ENR metabolites were: ciprofloxacin (CIP) and enrofloxacin N-oxide (ENR-N). Bacteria, all of porcine origin, we're selected as representatives of bacterial infections (Stap4ylococcus hyicus and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae), zoonotic bacteria (Campylobacter coli...

Epididimite ovina por Actinobacillus seminis no Estado de Pernambuco

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro José Gonçalves Bezerra

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Relata-se a ocorrência de orquite e epididimite ovina associada ao isolamento de Actinobacillus seminis no Estado de Pernambuco. Clinicamente observou-se aumento de volume nos testículos e epidídimos, dor e aumento de temperatura local à palpação, e atrofia testicular bilateral. Após o abate observou-se a presença de conteúdo purulento no epidídimo. À microscopia dos testículos observou-se espessamento da túnica albugínea, necrose de coagulação e calcificação de túbulos seminíferos, infiltrado inflamatório com predominância de linfócitos entre túbulos seminíferos, além de mineralização incipiente de túbulos. No epidídimo observou-se intensa proliferação de tecido conjuntivo ao redor dos ductos epididimários. O diagnóstico de orquite e epididimite por Actinobacillus seminis foi confirmado pela associação dos achados clínico-patológicos, isolamento e identificação da bactéria.

Clinical significance and taxonomy of Actinobacillus hominis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis-Møller, Alice; Christensen, J J; Fussing, V

2001-01-01

with this microorganism seem to be rare, the fact that 37 of 46 strains characterized in this study have been found in Copenhagen indicates that under-reporting may occur. A. hominis is phenotypically relatively homogeneous but can be difficult to differentiate from other Actinobacillus species unless extensive...... biochemical testing is performed. Mannose-positive strains of A. hominis are especially difficult to differentiate from A. equuli. Attempts to identify A. hominis by automatic identification systems may lead to misidentifications. Ribotyping and DNA-DNA hybridization data show that A. hominis is a homogeneous...

The interaction between saliva and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans influenced by the Zeta potential

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenink, J; Veerman, ECI; Zandvoort, MS; van der Mei, HC; Busscher, HJ; Amerongen, AVN

The adhesion of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a virulence factor in the aetiology of periodontitis and is determined by physico-chemical properties, e.g. surface charge and hydrophobicity, of the bacterial cell surface. Although oral surfaces are constantly coated with saliva, few studies

Delineation of the genus Actinobacillus by comparison of partial infB sequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørskov-Lauritsen, Niels; Christensen, H; Okkels, H.

2004-01-01

A 426 bp fragment of infB, a housekeeping gene that encodes translation initiation factor 2, was sequenced from 59 clinical isolates and type strains of Actinobacillus species and sequences were compared. Partial sequences of 16S rRNA genes were also obtained. By comparing infB sequences, Actinob...

Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli associated with equine valvular endocarditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aalbæk, Bent; Østergaard, Stine; Buhl, Rikke

2007-01-01

Microbiological and pathological data from a case of equine valvular endocarditis are reported. Limited information is available on the pathogenic potential of equine Actinobacillus species as several strains originate from apparently healthy horses. After the establishment of two subspecies within...... this species, this seems to be the first report of an etiological association between A. equuli subsp. equuli and equine endocarditis. Furthermore, new information on some phenotypical characteristics of this subspecies are reported, compared to previous findings...

Clinical Efficacy and Residue Depletion of 10% Enrofloxacin Enteric-Coated Granules in Pigs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhixin Lei

2017-05-01

Full Text Available A new, more palatable formulation of 10% enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules was investigated to evaluate the pharmacokinetic effect in plasma, the residue elimination in tissues and the clinical efficacy against Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia (APP and Mycoplasam suis (MS in pigs. In this study, the enrofloxacin concentrations in plasma and tissues were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography with phosphate buffer (pH = 3 and acetonitrile. The pharmacokinetics and elimination of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules were performed after oral administration at a single dose of 10 mg/kg body weight (bw and 5 mg/kg twice per day for 5 consecutive days, respectively. The in vivo antibacterial efficacy and clinical effectiveness of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules against APP and MS were assayed at 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg, compared with tiamulin (8 mg/kg based on establishment of APP and MS infection models. 56 APP strains were selected and tested for in vitro antibacterial activity of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules. The main parameters of elimination half-life (t1/2β, Tmax, and area under the curve (AUC were 14.99 ± 4.19, 3.99 ± 0.10, and 38.93 ± 1.52 μg h/ml, respectively, revealing that the enrofloxacin concentration remained high and with a sustainable distribution in plasma. Moreover, the analysis on the evaluation of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in muscle, fat, liver and kidney showed that the recovery were more than 84% recovery in accordance with the veterinary drug residue guidelines of United States pharmacopeia, and the withdrawal periods were 4.28, 3.81, 4.84, and 3.51 days, respectively, suggesting that the withdrawal period was 5 d after oral administration of 5 mg/kg twice per day. The optimal dosage of enrofloxacin enteric-coated granules against APP and MS was 5 mg/kg, with over 90% efficacy, which was significantly different (p < 0.05 to the 2.5 mg/kg group, but not to the 10 mg/kg group or the positive

App Inventor

CERN Document Server

Wolber, David; Spertus, Ellen; Looney, Liz

2011-01-01

Yes, you can create your own apps for Android phones-and it's easy to do. This extraordinary book introduces App Inventor for Android, a powerful visual tool that lets anyone build apps for Android-based devices. Learn the basics of App Inventor with step-by-step instructions for more than a dozen fun projects, such as creating location-aware apps, data storage, and apps that include decision-making logic. The second half of the book features an Inventor's manual to help you understand the fundamentals of app building and computer science. App Inventor makes an excellent textbook for beginne

Inhibitory and bactericidal power of mangosteen rind extract towards Porphyromonas Gingivalis and Actinobacillus Actinomycetemcomitans (Laboratory test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ina Hendiani

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The bacteria that cause the occurrence of pathogens of periodontal disease are gram negative anaerobes. These bacteria include Pophyromonas Gingivalis and Actinobacillus Actinomycetemcomitans. Mangosteen skin extract is known to have anti-inflammatory, anti microbial, and anti oxidant properties. The extract of the mangosteen peel is altered in gel preparation in order to streamline its clinical application in periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the antibacterial power of the ginger mangosteen tree extract gel against Pophyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus Actinomycetemcomitans (Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans. Methods: This research was conducted by experimental laboratory. Mangosteen fruit extract gel with concentration of 100%, 50%, 25%, 12,5%, 6,25%, 3,125% and 0,78% were tested against Pophyromonas Gingivalis and Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans with agar diffusion method. Results and Discussion: The results of this study indicate that for Actinobacilus Aggregatibacter bacteria minimal inhibitory concentration at a concentration of 6.25% with a diameter of 13,5mm inhibition. Minimal bactericidal concentration at 12,5% concentration with 14,7mm inhibitory diameter. In the test of Pophyromonas Gingivalis bacteria, minimal inhibitory concentrations were obtained at a concentration of 1.56% and a minimum bactericidal concentration was obtained at a concentration of 3.125%. Conclusion: The conclusion that mangosteen peel skin gel extract can inhibit bacterial growth and is bactericidal against Pophyromonas Gingivalis and Actinobacillus Actinomycetemcomitans (Aggregatibacter Actinomycetecomitans.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of MacA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piao, Shunfu; Xu, Yongbin; Ha, Nam-Chul

2008-01-01

A periplasmic membrane-fusion protein MacA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, an essential component of the multidrug efflux pump in Gram-negative bacteria, was crystallized. Periplasmic membrane-fusion proteins (MFPs) are an essential component of the multidrug efflux pump in Gram-negative bacteria. They play a crucial role in bridging the outer membrane porin TolC and two distinct types of inner membrane transporters. The MFP MacA bridges the inner membrane ABC-type multidrug transporter MacB and the outer membrane porin TolC. MacA from the pathogenic bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans was expressed in Escherichia coli B834 (DE3) and the recombinant protein was purified using Ni–NTA affinity, Q anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. The purified MacA protein was crystallized using the vapour-diffusion method. A MAD diffraction data set was collected to a resolution of 3.0 Å at 100 K. The crystal belongs to space group P622, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 109.2, c = 255.4 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°, and contains one molecule in the asymmetric unit

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of MacA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piao, Shunfu; Xu, Yongbin; Ha, Nam-Chul, E-mail: hnc@pusan.ac.kr [College of Pharmacy and Research Institute for Drug Development, Pusan National University, Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

2008-05-01

A periplasmic membrane-fusion protein MacA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, an essential component of the multidrug efflux pump in Gram-negative bacteria, was crystallized. Periplasmic membrane-fusion proteins (MFPs) are an essential component of the multidrug efflux pump in Gram-negative bacteria. They play a crucial role in bridging the outer membrane porin TolC and two distinct types of inner membrane transporters. The MFP MacA bridges the inner membrane ABC-type multidrug transporter MacB and the outer membrane porin TolC. MacA from the pathogenic bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans was expressed in Escherichia coli B834 (DE3) and the recombinant protein was purified using Ni–NTA affinity, Q anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. The purified MacA protein was crystallized using the vapour-diffusion method. A MAD diffraction data set was collected to a resolution of 3.0 Å at 100 K. The crystal belongs to space group P622, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 109.2, c = 255.4 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°, and contains one molecule in the asymmetric unit.

Diet and Physical Activity Apps: Perceived Effectiveness by App Users

Science.gov (United States)

Egelandsdal, Bjørg; Amdam, Gro V; Almli, Valerie L; Oostindjer, Marije

2016-01-01

Background Diet and physical activity apps are two types of health apps that aim to promote healthy eating and energy expenditure through monitoring of dietary intake and physical activity. No clear evidence showing the effectiveness of using these apps to promote healthy eating and physical activity has been previously reported. Objective This study aimed to identify how diet and physical activity (PA) apps affected their users. It also investigated if using apps was associated with changes in diet and PA. Methods First, 3 semi-structured focus group discussions concerning app usability were conducted (15 app users and 8 nonusers; mean age 24.2 years, SD 6.4), including outcome measures such as motivations, experiences, opinions, and adherence. Results from the discussions were used to develop a questionnaire. The questionnaire, which contained questions about behavior changes, app usage, perceived effectiveness, and opinions of app usability, was answered by 500 Norwegians, with a mean age of 25.8 years (SD 5.1). Results App users found diet and PA apps effective in promoting healthy eating and exercising. These apps affected their actions, health consciousness, and self-education about nutrition and PA; and were also a part of their social lives. Over half of the users perceived that apps were effective in assisting them to eat healthily and to exercise more. Diet apps were more effective when they were frequently used and over a long period of time, compared to infrequent or short-term use (P=.01 and P=.02, respectively). Users who used diet and PA apps, perceived apps as more effective than users who only used one type of app (all Pusers were better at maintaining diet and PA behaviors than nonusers (all P<.05). Young adults found apps fun to use, but sometimes time consuming. They wanted apps to be designed to meet their personal expectations. Conclusions App usage influenced action, consciousness, self-education about nutrition and PA, and social life. It

Designing apps for success developing consistent app design practices

CERN Document Server

David, Matthew

2014-01-01

In 2007, Apple released the iPhone. With this release came tools as revolutionary as the internet was to businesses and individuals back in the mid- and late-nineties: Apps. Much like websites drove (and still drive) business, so too do apps drive sales, efficiencies and communication between people. But also like web design and development, in its early years and iterations, guidelines and best practices for apps are few and far between.Designing Apps for Success provides web/app designers and developers with consistent app design practices that result in timely, appropriate, and efficiently

Early-onset periodontitis in Morocco is associated with the highly leukotoxic clone of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haubek, Dorte; Ennibi, O.-K.; Poulsen, Knud

2001-01-01

A particular clone (JP2) of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans with increased leukotoxin production has been isolated from individuals with early-onset periodontitis (EOP). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of carriers of this clone and its association with EOP in Moroccan...

Apps for Mathematics Learning: A Review of "Educational" Apps from the iTunes App Store

Science.gov (United States)

Highfield, Kate; Goodwin, Kristy

2013-01-01

Increasingly iPads™ are being used in schools and prior-to-school settings, with a plethora of Apps available for mathematics learning. Despite the growing number of Apps available in the iTunes App Store, there has been limited systematic analysis of the pedagogic design of Apps designed for mathematics learning. This paper describes a content…

mHealthApps: A Repository and Database of Mobile Health Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wenlong; Liu, Yin

2015-03-18

The market of mobile health (mHealth) apps has rapidly evolved in the past decade. With more than 100,000 mHealth apps currently available, there is no centralized resource that collects information on these health-related apps for researchers in this field to effectively evaluate the strength and weakness of these apps. The objective of this study was to create a centralized mHealth app repository. We expect the analysis of information in this repository to provide insights for future mHealth research developments. We focused on apps from the two most established app stores, the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. We extracted detailed information of each health-related app from these two app stores via our python crawling program, and then stored the information in both a user-friendly array format and a standard JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. We have developed a centralized resource that provides detailed information of more than 60,000 health-related apps from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Using this information resource, we analyzed thousands of apps systematically and provide an overview of the trends for mHealth apps. This unique database allows the meta-analysis of health-related apps and provides guidance for research designs of future apps in the mHealth field.

In vivo testing of novel vaccine prototypes against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antenucci, Fabio; Fougeroux, Cyrielle; Deeney, Alannah

2018-01-01

vesicles from its outer membrane (OM), accordingly defined as outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Thanks to their antigenic similarity to the OM, OMVs have emerged as a promising tool in vaccinology. In this study we describe the in vivo testing of several vaccine prototypes for the prevention of infection...

App Inventor for Android Build Your Own Apps - No Experience Required!

CERN Document Server

Tyler, Jason

2011-01-01

Create Android mobile apps, no programming required! Even with limited programming experience, you can easily learn to create apps for the Android platform with this complete guide to App Inventor for Android. App Inventor for Android is a visual language that relies on simple programming blocks that users can drag and drop to create apps. This handy book gives you a series of fully worked-out apps, complete with their programming blocks, which you can customize for your own use or use as a starting point for creating the next killer app. And it's all without writing a single line of code. Don

Detecting android malicious apps and categorizing benign apps with ensemble of classifiers

KAUST Repository

Wang, Wei

2017-01-17

Android platform has dominated the markets of smart mobile devices in recent years. The number of Android applications (apps) has seen a massive surge. Unsurprisingly, Android platform has also become the primary target of attackers. The management of the explosively expansive app markets has thus become an important issue. On the one hand, it requires effectively detecting malicious applications (malapps) in order to keep the malapps out of the app market. On the other hand, it needs to automatically categorize a big number of benign apps so as to ease the management, such as correcting an app’s category falsely designated by the app developer. In this work, we propose a framework to effectively and efficiently manage a big app market in terms of detecting malapps and categorizing benign apps. We extract 11 types of static features from each app to characterize the behaviors of the app, and employ the ensemble of multiple classifiers, namely, Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and Random Forest (RF), to detect malapps and to categorize benign apps. An alarm will be triggered if an app is identified as malicious. Otherwise, the benign app will be identified as a specific category. We evaluate the framework on a large app set consisting of 107,327 benign apps as well as 8,701 malapps. The experimental results show that our method achieves the accuracy of 99.39% in the detection of malapps and achieves the best accuracy of 82.93% in the categorization of benign apps.

Production of succinic acid from oil palm empty fruit bunch cellulose using Actinobacillus succinogenes

Science.gov (United States)

Pasma, Satriani Aga; Daik, Rusli; Maskat, Mohamad Yusof

2013-11-01

Succinic acid is a common metabolite in plants, animals and microorganisms. It has been used widely in agricultural, food and pharmaceutical industries. Enzymatic hydrolysate glucose from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) cellulose was used as a substrate for succinic acid production using Actinobacillus succinogenes. Using cellulose extraction from OPEFB can enhance the production of glucose as a main substrate for succinic acid production. The highest concentration of glucose produced from enzymatic hydrolysis is 167 mg/mL and the sugar recovery is 0.73 g/g of OPEFB. By optimizing the culture medium for succinic acid fermentation with enzymatic hydrolysate of OPEFB cellulose, the nitrogen sources could be reduced to just only 2.5 g yeast extract and 2.5 g corn step liquor. Batch fermentation was carried out using enzymatic hydrolysate of OPEFB cellulose with yeast extract, corn steep liquor and the salts mixture, 23.5 g/L succinic acid was obtained with consumption of 72 g/L glucose in enzymatic hydrolysate of OPEFB cellulose at 38 hours and 37°C. This study suggests that enzymatic hydrolysate of OPEFB cellulose maybe an alternative substrate for the efficient production of succinic acid by Actinobacillus succinogenes.

Smartphone apps for snoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Camacho, M; Robertson, M; Abdullatif, J; Certal, V; Kram, Y A; Ruoff, C M; Brietzke, S E; Capasso, R

2015-10-01

To identify and systematically evaluate user-friendly smartphone snoring apps. The Apple iTunes app store was searched for snoring apps that allow recording and playback. Snoring apps were downloaded, evaluated and rated independently by four authors. Two patients underwent polysomnography, and the data were compared with simultaneous snoring app recordings, and one patient used the snoring app at home. Of 126 snoring apps, 13 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The most critical app feature was the ability to graphically display the snoring events. The Quit Snoring app received the highest overall rating. When this app's recordings were compared with in-laboratory polysomnography data, app snoring sensitivities ranged from 64 to 96 per cent, and snoring positive predictive values ranged from 93 to 96 per cent. A chronic snorer used the app nightly for one month and tracked medical interventions. Snoring decreased from 200 to 10 snores per hour, and bed partner snoring complaint scores decreased from 9 to 2 (on a 0-10 scale). Select smartphone apps are user-friendly for recording and playing back snoring sounds. Preliminary comparison of more than 1500 individual snores demonstrates the potential clinical utility of such apps; however, further validation testing is recommended.

Best Android Apps

CERN Document Server

Hendrickson, Mike

2010-01-01

You can choose from thousands of apps to make your Android device do just about anything you can think of -- and probably a few things you'd never imagine. There are so many Android apps available, in fact, that it's been difficult to find the best of the bunch -- until now. Best Android Apps leads you beyond the titles in Android Market's "Top Paid" and "Top Free" bins to showcase apps that will truly delight, empower, and entertain you. The authors have tested and handpicked more than 200 apps and games, each listed with a description and details highlighting the app's valuable tips and sp

Selecting "App"ealing and "App"ropriate Book Apps for Beginning Readers

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Maria; McGill-Franzen, Anne

2013-01-01

Beginning with a brief rationale for selecting quality digital picture book apps for beginning readers, the authors describe the elements of digital picture books and provide a brief review of the instructional benefits of digital picture book use for beginning readers. They then present a detailed taxonomy for selecting quality picture book apps.…

Enabling Psychiatrists to be Mobile Phone App Developers: Insights Into App Development Methodologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Melvyn Wb; Tsang, Tammy; Cheow, Enquan; Ho, Cyrus Sh; Yeong, Ng Beng; Ho, Roger Cm

2014-11-11

The use of mobile phones, and specifically smartphones, in the last decade has become more and more prevalent. The latest mobile phones are equipped with comprehensive features that can be used in health care, such as providing rapid access to up-to-date evidence-based information, provision of instant communications, and improvements in organization. The estimated number of health care apps for mobile phones is increasing tremendously, but previous research has highlighted the lack of critical appraisal of new apps. This lack of appraisal of apps has largely been due to the lack of clinicians with technical knowledge of how to create an evidence-based app. We discuss two freely available methodologies for developing Web-based mobile phone apps: a website builder and an app builder. With these, users can program not just a Web-based app, but also integrate multimedia features within their app, without needing to know any programming language. We present techniques for creating a mobile Web-based app using two well-established online mobile app websites. We illustrate how to integrate text-based content within the app, as well as integration of interactive videos and rich site summary (RSS) feed information. We will also briefly discuss how to integrate a simple questionnaire survey into the mobile-based app. A questionnaire survey was administered to students to collate their perceptions towards the app. These two methodologies for developing apps have been used to convert an online electronic psychiatry textbook into two Web-based mobile phone apps for medical students rotating through psychiatry in Singapore. Since the inception of our mobile Web-based app, a total of 21,991 unique users have used the mobile app and online portal provided by WordPress, and another 717 users have accessed the app via a Web-based link. The user perspective survey results (n=185) showed that a high proportion of students valued the textbook and objective structured clinical

Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus actimycetemcomitans leukotoxin and human periodontitis – A historic review with emphasis on JP2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Cheng Tsai

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus actimycetemcomitans (Aa is a gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the human oral cavity and is causative agent for localized aggressive (juvenile periodontitis (AgP. In the middle of 1990s, a specific JP2 clone of belonging to the cluster of serotype b strains of Aa with highly leukotoxicity (leukotoxin, LtxA able to kill human immune cells was isolated. JP2 clone of Aa was strongly associated with in particularly in rapidly progressing forms of aggressive periodontitis. The JP2 clone of Aa is transmitted through close contacts. Therefore, AgP patients need intense monitoring of their periodontal status as the risk for developing severely progressing periodontitis lesions are relatively high. Furthermore, timely periodontal treatment, including periodontal surgery supplemented by the use of antibiotics, is warranted. More importantly, periodontal attachment loss should be prevented by early detection of the JP2 clone of Aa by microbial diagnosis testing and/or preventive means. Keywords: Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Aggressive periodontitis, Leukotoxin (LtxA, Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs

Android apps security

CERN Document Server

Gunasekera, Sheran

2012-01-01

Android Apps Security provides guiding principles for how to best design and develop Android apps with security in mind. It explores concepts that can be used to secure apps and how developers can use and incorporate these security features into their apps. This book will provide developers with the information they need to design useful, high-performing, and secure apps that expose end-users to as little risk as possible.  Overview of Android OS versions, features, architecture and security.  Detailed examination of areas where attacks on applications can take place and what controls should b

Google App Inventor

CERN Document Server

Roberts, Ralph

2011-01-01

This book is written in the Beginner's Guide format that takes the reader through a series of steps to build exciting apps using Google's App Inventor. This book is perfect for people with little or no experience, not just Android developers. No matter your level of experience, you will find plenty of information that you can use to create powerful apps, apps that can be published on Android Market and other places.

Hypnosis: There’s an App for that. A systematic review of hypnosis apps

Science.gov (United States)

Sucala, Madalina; Schnur, Julie B.; Glazier, Kimberly; Miller, Sarah J.; Green, Joseph P.; Montgomery, Guy H.

2013-01-01

The study systematically reviews the hypnosis apps available via iTunes that were compatible with iPhone or iPad. Of 1455 apps identified on iTunes, 407 met inclusion criteria and were further reviewed. Most common hypnosis app targets were: weight loss (23%), boosting self-esteem (20%), and relaxation/stress reduction (19%). 83% of apps delivered hypnosis via audio track, and 37% allowed tailoring. Less than 14% of apps reported disclaimers. None of the apps reported having been tested for efficacy, and none reported being evidence-based. Although apps have the potential to enhance hypnosis delivery, it seems as though technology has raced ahead of the supporting science. Recommendations from clinical researchers and policy makers are needed to inform responsible hypnosis app development and use. PMID:23957263

Governance mechanisms for healthcare apps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manikas, Konstantinos; Hansen, Klaus Marius; Kyng, Morten

2014-01-01

The introduction of the `app store' concept has challenged the way software is distributed and marketed: developers have easier access to customers, while customers have easy access to innovative applications. Apps today are increasingly focusing on more "mission-critical" areas like healthcare...... with the Apple AppStore counting more than 40,000 apps under the category "health & fitness". This rapid development of healthcare apps increases the necessity of governance as, currently, healthcare apps are not thoroughly governed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Commission only have...... policies for apps that are medical devices.In this paper, we approach the problem of how to govern healthcare and medical apps by addressing the risks the use of these apps pose, while at the same time inviting for development of new apps. To do so we (i) analyze four cases of healthcare app governance...

ApkCombiner: Combining Multiple Android Apps to Support Inter-App Analysis

OpenAIRE

Li , Li; Bartel , Alexandre; Bissyandé , Tegawendé ,; Klein , Jacques; Traon , Yves ,

2015-01-01

Part 8: Mobile and Cloud Services Security; International audience; Android apps are made of components which can leak information between one another using the ICC mechanism. With the growing momentum of Android, a number of research contributions have led to tools for the intra-app analysis of Android apps. Unfortunately, these state-of-the-art approaches, and the associated tools, have long left out the security flaws that arise across the boundaries of single apps, in the interaction betw...

Apps of Steel: Are Exercise Apps Providing Consumers with Realistic Expectations?: A Content Analysis of Exercise Apps for Presence of Behavior Change Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Cowan, Logan T.; Van Wagenen, Sarah A.; Brown, Brittany A.; Hedin, Riley J.; Seino-Stephan, Yukiko; Hall, P. Cougar; West, Joshua H.

2013-01-01

Objective. To quantify the presence of health behavior theory constructs in iPhone apps targeting physical activity. Methods. This study used a content analysis of 127 apps from Apple's (App Store) "Health & Fitness" category. Coders downloaded the apps and then used an established theory-based instrument to rate each app's inclusion of…

easyHealthApps: e-Health Apps dynamic generation for smartphones & tablets.

Science.gov (United States)

Paschou, Mersini; Sakkopoulos, Evangelos; Tsakalidis, Athanasios

2013-06-01

Mobile phones and especially smartphones have been embraced by a rapidly increasing number of people worldwide and this trend is expected to evolve even more in the years to come. There are numerous smartphone Apps that record critical medical data in an effort to solve a particular health issue each time. We studied such applications and not surprisingly, we have found that development and design effort is often repeated. Software patterns have been detected to exist, however re-usability has not been enforced. This leads to lost programming manpower and to increased probability of repeating bugs in Apps. Moreover, at the moment smartphone e-Health Apps demand time, effort and costs for development. Unfortunately even simple data recording Apps are practically impossible to be produced by multiple health domain users who are not developers. In this work, we propose, design and implement a simple and integrated solution which gives healthcare professionals and researchers the ability to create their own data intensive smartphone applications, independent of the desired healthcare domain. The proposed approach applies efficient software techniques that hide development from the users and enable App creation through a simple Web User Interface. The Apps produced are in native format and it is possible to dynamically receive m-Health business logic and the chosen UI. Evaluation of the proposed solution has shown that the generated Apps are functionally and UI equivalent to human-coded Apps according to a number of comparison parameters. Furthermore, e-Health professionals show particular interest in developing Apps on their own for a particular domain they focus on.

Anxiety: There is an app for that. A systematic review of anxiety apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Sucala, Madalina; Cuijpers, Pim; Muench, Frederick; Cardoș, Roxana; Soflau, Radu; Dobrean, Anca; Achimas-Cadariu, Patriciu; David, Daniel

2017-06-01

Smartphones and mobile devices have become ubiquitous, and with the rapid advance of technology, the number of health applications (apps) that are available for consumers on these devices is constantly growing. In particular, there has been a recent proliferation of anxiety apps. However, there has been no review of the quality or content of these anxiety apps and little is known about their purpose, the features they contain, and their empirical support. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the commercially available anxiety apps. A list of anxiety apps was collected in January 2017, using the Power Search function of iTunes and Google Play. Of 5,078 identified apps, 52 met our inclusion criteria (i.e., being defined as an anxiety/worry relief app, and offering psychological techniques aimed primarily at reducing anxiety) and were further reviewed. The majority (67.3%) of the currently available anxiety apps were found to lack the involvement of health care professionals in their development, and very few (3.8%) of them have been rigorously tested. At the moment, although anxiety apps have the potential to enhance access to mental health care, there is a marked discrepancy between the wealth of commercially available apps, and the paucity of data regarding their efficacy and effectiveness. Although the great promise of apps is their ability to increasing access to evidence-based mental health, the field is not quite there yet and the full potential of apps for treating anxiety has yet to be exploited. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of Enrofloxacin on Porcine Phagocytic Function

Science.gov (United States)

Schoevers, E. J.; van Leengoed, L. A. M. G.; Verheijden, J. H. M.; Niewold, T. A.

1999-01-01

The interaction between enrofloxacin and porcine phagocytes was studied with clinically relevant concentrations of enrofloxacin. Enrofloxacin accumulated in phagocytes, with cellular concentration/extracellular concentration ratios of 9 for polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and 5 for alveolar macrophages (AMs). Cells with accumulated enrofloxacin brought into enrofloxacin-free medium released approximately 80% (AMs) to 90% (PMNs) of their enrofloxacin within the first 10 min, after which no further release was seen. Enrofloxacin affected neither the viability of PMNs and AMs nor the chemotaxis of PMNs at concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 μg/ml. Enrofloxacin (0.5 μg/ml) did not alter the capability of PMNs and AMs to phagocytize fluorescent microparticles or Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida, and Staphylococcus aureus. Significant differences in intracellular killing were seen with enrofloxacin at 5× the MIC compared with that for controls not treated with enrofloxacin. PMNs killed all S. aureus isolates in 3 h with or without enrofloxacin. Intracellular S. aureus isolates in AMs were less susceptible than extracellular S. aureus isolates to the bactericidal effect of enrofloxacin. P. multocida was not phagocytosed by PMNs. AMs did not kill P. multocida, and similar intra- and extracellular reductions of P. multocida isolates by enrofloxacin were found. Intraphagocytic killing of A. pleuropneumoniae was significantly enhanced by enrofloxacin at 5× the MIC in both PMNs and AMs. AMs are very susceptible to the A. pleuropneumoniae cytotoxin. This suggests that in serologically naive pigs the enhancing effect of enrofloxacin on the bactericidal action of PMNs may have clinical relevance. PMID:10471554

A Guide to Help Consumers Choose Apps and Avoid App Overload

Science.gov (United States)

Schuster, Ellen; Zimmerman, Lynda

2014-01-01

Mobile technology has transformed the way consumers access and use information. The exponential growth of mobile apps makes finding suitable, easy-to-use nutrition and health-related apps challenging. A guide for consumers helps them ask important questions before downloading apps. The guide can be adapted for other Extension disciplines.

Mobile Phone Apps to Improve Medication Adherence: A Systematic Stepwise Process to Identify High-Quality Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Santo, Karla; Richtering, Sarah S; Chalmers, John; Thiagalingam, Aravinda; Chow, Clara K; Redfern, Julie

2016-12-02

There are a growing number of mobile phone apps available to support people in taking their medications and to improve medication adherence. However, little is known about how these apps differ in terms of features, quality, and effectiveness. We aimed to systematically review the medication reminder apps available in the Australian iTunes store and Google Play to assess their features and their quality in order to identify high-quality apps. This review was conducted in a similar manner to a systematic review by using a stepwise approach that included (1) a search strategy; (2) eligibility assessment; (3) app selection process through an initial screening of all retrieved apps and full app review of the included apps; (4) data extraction using a predefined set of features considered important or desirable in medication reminder apps; (5) analysis by classifying the apps as basic and advanced medication reminder apps and scoring and ranking them; and (6) a quality assessment by using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), a reliable tool to assess mobile health apps. We identified 272 medication reminder apps, of which 152 were found only in Google Play, 87 only in iTunes, and 33 in both app stores. Apps found in Google Play had more customer reviews, higher star ratings, and lower cost compared with apps in iTunes. Only 109 apps were available for free and 124 were recently updated in 2015 or 2016. Overall, the median number of features per app was 3.0 (interquartile range 4.0) and only 18 apps had ≥9 of the 17 desirable features. The most common features were flexible scheduling that was present in 56.3% (153/272) of the included apps, medication tracking history in 54.8% (149/272), snooze option in 34.9% (95/272), and visual aids in 32.4% (88/272). We classified 54.8% (149/272) of the included apps as advanced medication reminder apps and 45.2% (123/272) as basic medication reminder apps. The advanced apps had a higher number of features per app compared with the

The World of Orthodontic apps.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaurav Gupta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The usage of the portable electronic devices such as the smartphones and handheld tablets has increased over the years, and this is true in the health-care industry also. This is because of the development of various patient management softwares. The use of apps to manage, educate, and inform patient is not uncommon among orthodontists nowadays. The aim of this article was to review the various apps available on the Google Play Store and iOS Apple Store for orthodontists and patients. Four smartphones using orthodontically relevant keywords such as orthodontics, orthodontists, and braces were searched and reviewed in detail. Out of the 354 orthodontically relevant apps available in both Android and Apple operating systems, the apps could be categorized as orthodontist-related apps or patient-related apps. Under these categories they could be further classified as practice managements apps, patient education apps, model analysis apps, tooth material calculators, patient reminder apps, etc.

Apps Developed by Academics

Science.gov (United States)

Shing, Sophia; Yuan, Benjamin

2016-01-01

In the days of the digital Wild West, developers from all backgrounds have joined in the gold rush trying to profit from the almost unbridled spending of well-to-do parents on educational products. In 2016, the Apple App Store had over 80,000 educational apps. The proliferation of educational apps has happened at a furious pace and more apps are…

Gamification in Stress Management Apps: A Critical App Review

Science.gov (United States)

Christmann, Corinna A; Bleser, Gabriele

2017-01-01

Background In today’s society, stress is more and more often a cause of disease. This makes stress management an important target of behavior change programs. Gamification has been suggested as one way to support health behavior change. However, it remains unclear to which extend available gamification techniques are integrated in stress management apps, and if their occurrence is linked to the use of elements from behavior change theory. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the use of gamification techniques in stress management apps and the cooccurrence of these techniques with evidence-based stress management methods and behavior change techniques. Methods A total of 62 stress management apps from the Google Play Store were reviewed on their inclusion of 17 gamification techniques, 15 stress management methods, and 26 behavior change techniques. For this purpose, an extended taxonomy of gamification techniques was constructed and applied by 2 trained, independent raters. Results Interrater-reliability was high, with agreement coefficient (AC)=.97. Results show an average of 0.5 gamification techniques for the tested apps and reveal no correlations between the use of gamification techniques and behavior change techniques (r=.17, P=.20), or stress management methods (r=.14, P=.26). Conclusions This leads to the conclusion that designers of stress management apps do not use gamification techniques to influence the user’s behaviors and reactions. Moreover, app designers do not exploit the potential of combining gamification techniques with behavior change theory. PMID:28592397

App Savvy Turning Ideas into iPad and iPhone Apps Customers Really Want

CERN Document Server

Yarmosh, Ken

2010-01-01

How can you make your iPad or iPhone app stand out in the highly competitive App Store? While many books simply explore the technical aspects of iPad and iPhone app design and development, App Savvy also focuses on the business, product, and marketing elements critical to pursuing, completing, and selling your app -- the ingredients for turning a great idea into a genuinely successful product. Whether you're a designer, developer, entrepreneur, or just someone with a unique idea, App Savvy explains every step in the process, with guidelines for planning a solid concept, engaging customers ea

Proposed quality control guidelines for National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards Susceptibility Tests using the veterinary antimicrobial agent tiamulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfaller, M A; Jones, R N; Walter, D H

2001-01-01

Quality control guidelines for standardized antimicrobial susceptibility test methods are critical for the continuing accuracy of these clinical tests. In this report, quality control limits were proposed for the veterinary antimicrobial agent tiamulin with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of three or four log(2) dilution steps in two different medium formulations. Disk diffusion zone diameter ranges were proposed for tiamulin tested against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ATCC 27090 (12-18 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (25-32 mm). The data from eight participating laboratories produced 100% of results within proposed MIC limits (8-32 microg/mL), and 95.8-97.0% of zones were found within suggested zone diameter QC guidelines. These proposed QC ranges should be validated by in-use results from veterinary clinical laboratories.

Transcriptional profiling at different sites in lungs of pigs during acute bacterial respiratory infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Shila; Skovgaard, Kerstin; Hedegaard, Jakob

2011-01-01

The local transcriptional response was studied in different locations of lungs from pigs experimentally infected with the respiratory pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 5B, using porcine cDNA microarrays. This infection gives rise to well-demarcated infection loci in the lung...... of apoptosis and the complement system. Interferon-g was downregulated in both necrotic and bordering areas. Evidence of neutrophil recruitment was seen by the up-regulation of chemotactic factors for neutrophils. In conclusion, we found subsets of genes expressed at different levels in the three selected...... of induced genes as, in unaffected areas a large part of differently expressed genes were involved in systemic reactions to infections, while differently expressed genes in necrotic areas were mainly concerned with homeostasis regulation....

App Usage Factor: A Simple Metric to Compare the Population Impact of Mobile Medical Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Thomas Lorchan; Wyatt, Jeremy C

2015-08-19

One factor when assessing the quality of mobile apps is quantifying the impact of a given app on a population. There is currently no metric which can be used to compare the population impact of a mobile app across different health care disciplines. The objective of this study is to create a novel metric to characterize the impact of a mobile app on a population. We developed the simple novel metric, app usage factor (AUF), defined as the logarithm of the product of the number of active users of a mobile app with the median number of daily uses of the app. The behavior of this metric was modeled using simulated modeling in Python, a general-purpose programming language. Three simulations were conducted to explore the temporal and numerical stability of our metric and a simulated app ecosystem model using a simulated dataset of 20,000 apps. Simulations confirmed the metric was stable between predicted usage limits and remained stable at extremes of these limits. Analysis of a simulated dataset of 20,000 apps calculated an average value for the app usage factor of 4.90 (SD 0.78). A temporal simulation showed that the metric remained stable over time and suitable limits for its use were identified. A key component when assessing app risk and potential harm is understanding the potential population impact of each mobile app. Our metric has many potential uses for a wide range of stakeholders in the app ecosystem, including users, regulators, developers, and health care professionals. Furthermore, this metric forms part of the overall estimate of risk and potential for harm or benefit posed by a mobile medical app. We identify the merits and limitations of this metric, as well as potential avenues for future validation and research.

Attention and Cognitive Bias Modification Apps: Review of the Literature and of Commercially Available Apps

Science.gov (United States)

Ying, JiangBo; Song, Guo; Fung, Daniel SS; Smith, Helen

2018-01-01

Background Automatic processes, such as attentional biases or interpretative biases, have been purported to be responsible for several psychiatric disorders. Recent reviews have highlighted that cognitive biases may be modifiable. Advances in eHealth and mHealth have been harnessed for the delivery of cognitive bias modification. While several studies have evaluated mHealth-based bias modification intervention, no review, to our knowledge, has synthesized the evidence for it. In addition, no review has looked at commercial apps and their functionalities and methods of bias modification. A review is essential in determining whether scientifically validated apps are available commercially and the proportion of commercial apps that have been evaluated scientifically. Objective The objective of this review was primarily to determine the proportion of attention or cognitive bias modification apps that have been evaluated scientifically and secondarily to determine whether the scientifically evaluated apps were commercially available. We also sought to identify commercially available bias modification apps and determine the functionalities of these apps, the methods used for attention or cognitive bias modification, and whether these apps had been evaluated scientifically. Methods To identify apps in the published literature, we searched PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus for studies published from 2000 to April 17, 2018. The search terms used were “attention bias” OR “cognitive bias” AND “smartphone” OR “smartphone application” OR “smartphone app” OR “mobile phones” OR “mobile application” OR mobile app” OR “personal digital assistant.” To identify commercial apps, we conducted a manual cross-sectional search between September 15 and 25, 2017 in the Apple iTunes and Google Play app stores. The search terms used to identify the apps were “attention bias” and “cognitive bias.” We also conducted a manual search on the apps with

Developing smartphone apps for behavioural studies: The AlcoRisk app case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Anthony; de Salas, Kristy; Lewis, Ian; Schüz, Benjamin

2017-08-01

Smartphone apps have emerged as valuable research tools to sample human behaviours at their time of occurrence within natural environments. Human behaviour sampling methods, such as Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), aim to facilitate research that is situated in ecologically valid real world environments rather than laboratory environments. Researchers have trialled a range of EMA smartphone apps to sample human behaviours such as dieting, physical activity and smoking. Software development processes for EMA smartphones apps, however, are not widely documented with little guidance provided for the integration of complex multidisciplinary behavioural and technical fields. In this paper, the AlcoRisk app for studying alcohol consumption and risk taking tendencies is presented alongside a software development process that integrates these multidisciplinary fields. The software development process consists of three stages including requirements analysis, feature and interface design followed by app implementation. Results from a preliminary feasibility study support the efficacy of the AlcoRisk app's software development process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gamification in Stress Management Apps: A Critical App Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Alexandra; Christmann, Corinna A; Bleser, Gabriele

2017-06-07

In today's society, stress is more and more often a cause of disease. This makes stress management an important target of behavior change programs. Gamification has been suggested as one way to support health behavior change. However, it remains unclear to which extend available gamification techniques are integrated in stress management apps, and if their occurrence is linked to the use of elements from behavior change theory. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of gamification techniques in stress management apps and the cooccurrence of these techniques with evidence-based stress management methods and behavior change techniques. A total of 62 stress management apps from the Google Play Store were reviewed on their inclusion of 17 gamification techniques, 15 stress management methods, and 26 behavior change techniques. For this purpose, an extended taxonomy of gamification techniques was constructed and applied by 2 trained, independent raters. Interrater-reliability was high, with agreement coefficient (AC)=.97. Results show an average of 0.5 gamification techniques for the tested apps and reveal no correlations between the use of gamification techniques and behavior change techniques (r=.17, P=.20), or stress management methods (r=.14, P=.26). This leads to the conclusion that designers of stress management apps do not use gamification techniques to influence the user's behaviors and reactions. Moreover, app designers do not exploit the potential of combining gamification techniques with behavior change theory. ©Alexandra Hoffmann, Corinna A Christmann, Gabriele Bleser. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 07.06.2017.

The Cytoscape app article collection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pico, Alexander R.; Bader, Gary D.; Demchak, Barry; Guitart Pla, Oriol; Hull, Timothy; Longabaugh, William; Lopes, Christian; Lotia, Samad; Molenaar, Piet; Montojo, Jason; Morris, John H.; Ono, Keiichiro; Schwikowski, Benno; Welker, David; Ideker, Trey

2014-01-01

As a network visualization and analysis platform, Cytoscape relies on apps to provide domain-specific features and functions. There are many resources available to support Cytoscape app development and distribution, including the Cytoscape App Store and an online "cookbook" for app developers. This

Cannabis Mobile Apps: A Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramo, Danielle E; Popova, Lucy; Grana, Rachel; Zhao, Shirley; Chavez, Kathryn

2015-08-12

Mobile technology is pervasive and widely used to obtain information about drugs such as cannabis, especially in a climate of rapidly changing cannabis policy; yet the content of available cannabis apps is largely unknown. Understanding the resources available to those searching for cannabis apps will clarify how this technology is being used to reflect and influence cannabis use behavior. We investigated the content of 59 cannabis-related mobile apps for Apple and Android devices as of November 26, 2014. The Apple and Google Play app stores were searched using the terms "cannabis" and "marijuana." Three trained coders classified the top 20 apps for each term and each store, using a coding guide. Apps were examined for the presence of 20 content codes derived by the researchers. Total apps available for each search term were 124 for cannabis and 218 for marijuana in the Apple App Store, and 250 each for cannabis and marijuana on Google Play. The top 20 apps in each category in each store were coded for 59 independent apps (30 Apple, 29 Google Play). The three most common content areas were cannabis strain classification (33.9%), facts about cannabis (20.3%), and games (20.3%). In the Apple App Store, most apps were free (77%), all were rated "17+" years, and the average user rating was 3.9/5 stars. The most popular apps provided cannabis strain classifications (50%), dispensary information (27%), or general facts about cannabis (27%). Only one app (3%) provided information or resources related to cannabis abuse, addiction, or treatment. On Google Play, most apps were free (93%), rated "high maturity" (79%), and the average user rating was 4.1/5. The most popular app types offered games (28%), phone utilities (eg, wallpaper, clock; 21%) and cannabis food recipes (21%); no apps addressed abuse, addiction, or treatment. Cannabis apps are generally free and highly rated. Apps were most often informational (facts, strain classification), or recreational (games), likely

Pro Android Apps Performance Optimization

CERN Document Server

Guihot, Hervé

2012-01-01

Today's Android apps developers are often running into the need to refine, improve and optimize their apps performances. As more complex apps can be created, it is even more important for developers to deal with this critical issue. Android allows developers to write apps using Java, C or a combination of both with the Android SDK and the Android NDK. Pro Android Apps Performance Optimization reveals how to fine-tune your Android apps, making them more stable and faster. In this book, you'll learn the following: * How to optimize your Java code with the SDK, but also how to write and optimize

APP processing and the APP-KPI domain involvement in the amyloid cascade.

Science.gov (United States)

Menéndez-González, M; Pérez-Pinera, P; Martínez-Rivera, M; Calatayud, M T; Blázquez Menes, B

2005-01-01

Alternative APP mRNA splicing can generate isoforms of APP containing a Kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain. KPI is one of the main serine protease inhibitors. Protein and mRNA KPI(+)APP levels are elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and are associated with increased amyloid beta deposition. In the last years increasing evidence on multiple points in the amyloid cascade where KPI(+)APP is involved has been accumulated, admitting an outstanding position in the pathogenesis of AD to the KPI domain. This review focuses on the APP processing, the molecular activity of KPI and its physiological and pathological roles and the KPI involvement in the amyloid cascade through the nerve growth factor, the lipoprotein receptor-related protein, the tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme and the Notch1 protein.

Best iPhone Apps

CERN Document Server

Biersdorfer, J

2010-01-01

With over 250,000 apps to choose from in Apple's App Store, you can make your iPhone or iPod Touch do just about anything you can imagine -- and almost certainly a few things you would never think of. While it's not hard to find apps, it is frustratingly difficult to find the the best ones. That's where this new edition of Best iPhone Apps comes in. New York Times technology columnist J.D. Biersdorfer has stress-tested hundreds of the App Store's mini-programs and hand-picked more than 200 standouts to help you get work done, play games, stay connected with friends, explore a new city, get i

Smartphone use in neurosurgery? APP-solutely!

Science.gov (United States)

Zaki, Michael; Drazin, Doniel

2014-01-01

A number of smartphone medical apps have recently emerged that may be helpful for the neurosurgical patient, practitioner, and trainee. This study aims to review the current neurosurgery-focused apps available for the iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms as of December 2013. Two of the most popular smartphone app stores (Apple Store and Android Google Play Store) were surveyed for neurosurgery-focused apps in December 2013. Search results were categorized based on their description page. Data were collected on price, rating, app release date, target audience, and medical professional involvement in app design. A review of the top apps in each category was performed. The search resulted in 111 unique apps, divided into these 7 categories: 16 (14%) clinical tools, 17 (15%) conference adjunct, 27 (24%) education, 18 (16%) literature, 15 (14%) marketing, 10 (9%) patient information, and 8 (7%) reference. The average cost of paid apps was $23.06 (range: $0.99-89.99). Out of the 111 apps, 71 (64%) were free, 48 (43%) had reviews, and 14 (13%) had more than 10 reviews. Seventy-three (66%) apps showed evidence of medical professional involvement. The number of apps being released every year has been increasing since 2009. There are a number of neurosurgery-themed apps available to all audiences. There was a lack of patient information apps for nonspinal procedures. Most apps did not have enough reviews to evaluate their quality. There was also a lack of oversight to validate the accuracy of medical information provided in these apps.

Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of Pig Respiratory Bacterial Pathogens with Elevated Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations for Macrolides.

Science.gov (United States)

Dayao, Denise Ann Estarez; Seddon, Jennifer M; Gibson, Justine S; Blackall, Patrick J; Turni, Conny

2016-10-01

Macrolides are often used to treat and control bacterial pathogens causing respiratory disease in pigs. This study analyzed the whole genome sequences of one clinical isolate of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Haemophilus parasuis, Pasteurella multocida, and Bordetella bronchiseptica, all isolated from Australian pigs to identify the mechanism underlying the elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for erythromycin, tilmicosin, or tulathromycin. The H. parasuis assembled genome had a nucleotide transition at position 2059 (A to G) in the six copies of the 23S rRNA gene. This mutation has previously been associated with macrolide resistance but this is the first reported mechanism associated with elevated macrolide MICs in H. parasuis. There was no known macrolide resistance mechanism identified in the other three bacterial genomes. However, strA and sul2, aminoglycoside and sulfonamide resistance genes, respectively, were detected in one contiguous sequence (contig 1) of A. pleuropneumoniae assembled genome. This contig was identical to plasmids previously identified in Pasteurellaceae. This study has provided one possible explanation of elevated MICs to macrolides in H. parasuis. Further studies are necessary to clarify the mechanism causing the unexplained macrolide resistance in other Australian pig respiratory pathogens including the role of efflux systems, which were detected in all analyzed genomes.

Cannabis Mobile Apps: A Content Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Popova, Lucy; Grana, Rachel; Zhao, Shirley; Chavez, Kathryn

2015-01-01

Background Mobile technology is pervasive and widely used to obtain information about drugs such as cannabis, especially in a climate of rapidly changing cannabis policy; yet the content of available cannabis apps is largely unknown. Understanding the resources available to those searching for cannabis apps will clarify how this technology is being used to reflect and influence cannabis use behavior. Objective We investigated the content of 59 cannabis-related mobile apps for Apple and Android devices as of November 26, 2014. Methods The Apple and Google Play app stores were searched using the terms “cannabis” and “marijuana.” Three trained coders classified the top 20 apps for each term and each store, using a coding guide. Apps were examined for the presence of 20 content codes derived by the researchers. Results Total apps available for each search term were 124 for cannabis and 218 for marijuana in the Apple App Store, and 250 each for cannabis and marijuana on Google Play. The top 20 apps in each category in each store were coded for 59 independent apps (30 Apple, 29 Google Play). The three most common content areas were cannabis strain classification (33.9%), facts about cannabis (20.3%), and games (20.3%). In the Apple App Store, most apps were free (77%), all were rated “17+” years, and the average user rating was 3.9/5 stars. The most popular apps provided cannabis strain classifications (50%), dispensary information (27%), or general facts about cannabis (27%). Only one app (3%) provided information or resources related to cannabis abuse, addiction, or treatment. On Google Play, most apps were free (93%), rated “high maturity” (79%), and the average user rating was 4.1/5. The most popular app types offered games (28%), phone utilities (eg, wallpaper, clock; 21%) and cannabis food recipes (21%); no apps addressed abuse, addiction, or treatment. Conclusions Cannabis apps are generally free and highly rated. Apps were most often informational

Mobile apps in cardiology: review.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Pérez, Borja; de la Torre-Díez, Isabel; López-Coronado, Miguel; Herreros-González, Jesús

2013-07-24

Cardiovascular diseases are the deadliest diseases worldwide, with 17.3 million deaths in 2008 alone. Among them, heart-related deaths are of the utmost relevance; a fact easily proven by the 7.25 million deaths caused by ischemic heart disease alone in that year. The latest advances in smartphones and mHealth have been used in the creation of thousands of medical apps related to cardiology, which can help to reduce these mortality rates. The aim of this paper is to study the literature on mobile systems and applications currently available, as well as the existing apps related to cardiology from the leading app stores and to then classify the results to see what is available and what is missing, focusing particularly on commercial apps. Two reviews have been developed. One is a literature review of mobile systems and applications, retrieved from several databases and systems such as Scopus, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and Web of Knowledge. The other is a review of mobile apps in the leading app stores, Google play for Android and Apple's App Store for iOS. Search queries up to May 2013 located 406 papers and 710 apps related to cardiology and heart disease. The most researched section in the literature associated with cardiology is related to mobile heart (and vital signs) monitoring systems and the methods involved in the classification of heart signs in order to detect abnormal functions. Other systems with a significant number of papers are mobile cardiac rehabilitation systems, blood pressure measurement, and systems for the detection of heart failure. The majority of apps for cardiology are heart monitors and medical calculators. Other categories with a high number of apps are those for ECG education and interpretation, cardiology news and journals, blood pressure tracking, heart rate monitoring using an external device, and CPR instruction. There are very few guides on cardiac rehabilitation and apps for the management of the cardiac condition, and there were no

Mobile medical apps for patient education: a graded review of available dermatology apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Masud, Aisha; Shafi, Shahram; Rao, Babar K

2018-02-01

The utilization of mobile applications (apps) as educational resources for patients highlights the need for an objective method of evaluating the quality of health care-related mobile apps. In this study, a quantified rubric was developed to objectively grade publicly available dermatology mobile apps with the primary focus of patient education. The rubric included 5 criteria thought to be most important in evaluating the adequacy of these apps in relaying health information to patients: educational objectives, content, accuracy, design, and conflict of interest. A 4-point scale was applied to each criterion. The use of this objective rubric could have implications in the evaluation and recommendation of mobile health care apps as a vital educational resource for patients.

Health Apps and How to Market Them

OpenAIRE

Hillenbrand, Susanna

2016-01-01

In future health apps may become as popular as mobile games and retail shopping apps. Some consumers even think that health app usage is more valuable than making or receiving calls. This multibillion industry of mobile software applications and especially health apps is relatively new. The main research topic was how to market health apps globally. Health apps like fitness, weight loss and wellness apps are new trend in apps business. Healthcare apps are divided into health- and medical apps...

Mobile Videoconferencing Apps for Telemedicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kai; Liu, Wei-Li; Locatis, Craig; Ackerman, Michael

2016-01-01

The quality and performance of several videoconferencing applications (apps) tested on iOS (Apple, Cupertino, CA) and Android (Google, Mountain View, CA) mobile platforms using Wi-Fi (802.11), third-generation (3G), and fourth-generation (4G) cellular networks are described. The tests were done to determine how well apps perform compared with videoconferencing software installed on computers or with more traditional videoconferencing using dedicated hardware. The rationale for app assessment and the testing methodology are described. Findings are discussed in relation to operating system platform (iOS or Android) for which the apps were designed and the type of network (Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G) used. The platform, network, and apps interact, and it is impossible to discuss videoconferencing experienced on mobile devices in relation to one of these factors without referencing the others. Apps for mobile devices can vary significantly from other videoconferencing software or hardware. App performance increased over the testing period due to improvements in network infrastructure and how apps manage bandwidth.

Interrater Reliability of mHealth App Rating Measures: Analysis of Top Depression and Smoking Cessation Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Adam C; Torous, John; Chan, Steven; Raynor, Geoffrey Stephen; Shwarts, Erik; Shanahan, Meghan; Landman, Adam B

2016-02-10

There are over 165,000 mHealth apps currently available to patients, but few have undergone an external quality review. Furthermore, no standardized review method exists, and little has been done to examine the consistency of the evaluation systems themselves. We sought to determine which measures for evaluating the quality of mHealth apps have the greatest interrater reliability. We identified 22 measures for evaluating the quality of apps from the literature. A panel of 6 reviewers reviewed the top 10 depression apps and 10 smoking cessation apps from the Apple iTunes App Store on these measures. Krippendorff's alpha was calculated for each of the measures and reported by app category and in aggregate. The measure for interactiveness and feedback was found to have the greatest overall interrater reliability (alpha=.69). Presence of password protection (alpha=.65), whether the app was uploaded by a health care agency (alpha=.63), the number of consumer ratings (alpha=.59), and several other measures had moderate interrater reliability (alphas>.5). There was the least agreement over whether apps had errors or performance issues (alpha=.15), stated advertising policies (alpha=.16), and were easy to use (alpha=.18). There were substantial differences in the interrater reliabilities of a number of measures when they were applied to depression versus smoking apps. We found wide variation in the interrater reliability of measures used to evaluate apps, and some measures are more robust across categories of apps than others. The measures with the highest degree of interrater reliability tended to be those that involved the least rater discretion. Clinical quality measures such as effectiveness, ease of use, and performance had relatively poor interrater reliability. Subsequent research is needed to determine consistent means for evaluating the performance of apps. Patients and clinicians should consider conducting their own assessments of apps, in conjunction with

Social anxiety apps: a systematic review and assessment of app descriptors across mobile store platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Alyami, Mohsen; Giri, Bachan; Alyami, Hussain; Sundram, Frederick

2017-08-01

The aim of this systematic review is twofold: (1) to characterise the purpose and description of available social anxiety apps and (2) to review the evidence on the effectiveness of social anxiety apps. A search was conducted on three major mobile platforms: Apple iTunes, Google Play and Windows Store. Apps were included if they addressed social anxiety and used an English language interface. A systematic review of the literature from MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science to identify evidence-based evaluations of social anxiety apps was also undertaken. Of the 1154 apps identified, 38 apps met the inclusion criteria: iTunes (n=18), Google Play (n=16) and Windows Store (n=4). Over 60% of apps were exclusively focused on social anxiety, while the remainder targeted social anxiety and related conditions. Most developers did not provide information on their organisational affiliations or their content source. Most apps used multimedia while 17 apps used text only. Finally, although the systematic review of the literature identified 94 articles, none of which met inclusion criteria. Social anxiety apps have the potential to overcome barriers to accessing treatment; however, none of the apps identified have had studies on their effectiveness published. As the evidence base is lacking, it is therefore not currently possible to recommend their use. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Medication Adherence Apps: Review and Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Imran; Ahmad, Niall Safir; Ali, Shahnaz; Ali, Shair; George, Anju; Saleem Danish, Hiba; Uppal, Encarl; Soo, James; Mobasheri, Mohammad H; King, Dominic; Cox, Benita; Darzi, Ara

2018-03-16

Medication adherence is an expensive and damaging problem for patients and health care providers. Patients adhere to only 50% of drugs prescribed for chronic diseases in developed nations. Digital health has paved the way for innovative smartphone solutions to tackle this challenge. However, despite numerous apps available claiming to improve adherence, a thorough review of adherence apps has not been carried out to date. The aims of this study were to (1) review medication adherence apps available in app repositories in terms of their evidence base, medical professional involvement in development, and strategies used to facilitate behavior change and improve adherence and (2) provide a system of classification for these apps. In April 2015, relevant medication adherence apps were identified by searching the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store using a combination of relevant search terms. Data extracted included app store source, app price, documentation of health care professional (HCP) involvement during app development, and evidence base for each respective app. Free apps were downloaded to explore the strategies used to promote medication adherence. Testing involved a standardized medication regimen of three reminders over a 4-hour period. Nonadherence features designed to enhance user experience were also documented. The app repository search identified a total of 5881 apps. Of these, 805 fulfilled the inclusion criteria initially and were tested. Furthermore, 681 apps were further analyzed for data extraction. Of these, 420 apps were free for testing, 58 were inaccessible and 203 required payment. Of the 420 free apps, 57 apps were developed with HCP involvement and an evidence base was identified in only 4 apps. Of the paid apps, 9 apps had HCP involvement, 1 app had a documented evidence base, and 1 app had both. In addition, 18 inaccessible apps were produced with HCP involvement, whereas 2 apps had a documented evidence base. The 420 free apps were

MedAd-AppQ: A quality assessment tool for medication adherence apps on iOS and android platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Eskinder Eshetu; Teo, Amanda Kai Sin; Goh, Sherlyn Xue Lin; Chew, Lita; Yap, Kevin Yi-Lwern

2018-02-02

With the recent proliferation of smartphone medication adherence applications (apps), it is increasingly more difficult for patients and clinicians to identify the most useful app. To develop a quality assessment tool for medication adherence apps, and evaluate the quality of such apps from the major app stores. In this study, a Medication Adherence App Quality assessment tool (MedAd-AppQ) was developed and two evaluators independently assessed apps that fulfilled the following criteria: availability in English, had at least a medication reminder feature, non-specific to certain disease conditions (generic apps), free of technical malfunctions and availability on both the iPhone Operating System (iOS) and Android platforms. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson product moment correlation and Spearman rank-order correlation were used for statistical analysis. MedAd-AppQ was designed to have 24 items (total 43 points) categorized under three sections: content reliability (11 points), feature usefulness (29 points) and feature convenience (3 points). The three sections of MedAd-AppQ were found to have inter-rater correlation coefficients of 0.801 (p-value apps (27 iOS and 25 Android), quality scores ranged between 7/43 (16.3%) and 28/43 (65.1%). There was no significant difference between the quality scores of the Android and iOS versions. None of the apps had features for self-management of side effects. Only two apps in each platform provided disease-related and/or medication information. MedAd-AppQ can be used to reliably assess the quality of adherence apps. Clinicians can use the tool in selecting apps for use by patients. Developers of adherence apps should consider features that provide therapy-related information and help patients in medications and side-effects management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Programming Google App Engine

CERN Document Server

Sanderson, Dan

2010-01-01

As one of today's cloud computing services, Google App Engine does more than provide access to a large system of servers. It also offers you a simple model for building applications that scale automatically to accommodate millions of users. With Programming Google App Engine, you'll get expert practical guidance that will help you make the best use of this powerful platform. Google engineer Dan Sanderson shows you how to design your applications for scalability, including ways to perform common development tasks using App Engine's APIs and scalable services. You'll learn about App Engine's a

The fitness of apps: a theory-based examination of mobile fitness app usage over 5 months

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jinsook

2017-01-01

Background There are thousands of fitness-related smartphone applications (“apps”) available for free and purchase, but there is uncertainty if these apps help individuals achieve and maintain personal fitness. Technology usage attrition is also a concern among research studies on health technologies. Methods Usage of three fitness apps was examined over 5 months to assess adherence and effectiveness. Initially, 64 participants downloaded three free apps available on Android and iOS and 47 remained in the study until posttest. With a one group pre-posttest design and checkpoints at months 1, 3, and 5, exercise and exercise with fitness apps were examined in the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) using a validated survey. Apps were selected based on their function from the Functional Triad. Perceived fitness was also measured. T-tests, sign tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and linear and logistic regression were used to compare pre to posttests and users to non-users of the apps. Results Forty-seven participants completed both pre and posttests. Individual item scores indicated no significant change pre to posttest except for decreases observed in usefulness of using apps for exercise (attitude) (−0.78, Papps (subjective norm) (−1.02, Papps (perceived behavioral control) (−1.29, Papps over the next 2 weeks (behavioral intention) (Papps (−1.72, Papps (−2.56, Papp users (n=32) to non-users (n=15), there was only a significant difference in subscale total scores at posttest for attitude toward exercising using apps, which was significantly more favorable among users than non-users (32.3 vs. 27.6, PApp usage and effectiveness appears to have a connection to usefulness (attitude) and to perceived difficulties of exercising using apps (perceived behavioral control). Exercise and exercise using apps are not influenced by peer influence (subjective norm). Intention to exercise using these particular apps decreased (behavioral intention). Those who

An Android Communication App Forensic Taxonomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Azfar, Abdullah; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Liu, Lin

2016-09-01

Due to the popularity of Android devices and applications (apps), Android forensics is one of the most studied topics within mobile forensics. Communication apps, such as instant messaging and Voice over IP (VoIP), are one popular app category used by mobile device users, including criminals. Therefore, a taxonomy outlining artifacts of forensic interest involving the use of Android communication apps will facilitate the timely collection and analysis of evidentiary materials from such apps. In this paper, 30 popular Android communication apps were examined, where a logical extraction of the Android phone images was collected using XRY, a widely used mobile forensic tool. Various information of forensic interest, such as contact lists and chronology of messages, was recovered. Based on the findings, a two-dimensional taxonomy of the forensic artifacts of the communication apps is proposed, with the app categories in one dimension and the classes of artifacts in the other dimension. Finally, the artifacts identified in the study of the 30 communication apps are summarized using the taxonomy. It is expected that the proposed taxonomy and the forensic findings in this paper will assist forensic investigations involving Android communication apps. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Palmitoylated APP Forms Dimers, Cleaved by BACE1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raja Bhattacharyya

Full Text Available A major rate-limiting step for Aβ generation and deposition in Alzheimer's disease brains is BACE1-mediated cleavage (β-cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP. We previously reported that APP undergoes palmitoylation at two cysteine residues (Cys186 and Cys187 in the E1-ectodomain. 8-10% of total APP is palmitoylated in vitro and in vivo. Palmitoylated APP (palAPP shows greater preference for β-cleavage than total APP in detergent resistant lipid rafts. Protein palmitoylation is known to promote protein dimerization. Since dimerization of APP at its E1-ectodomain results in elevated BACE1-mediated cleavage of APP, we have now investigated whether palmitoylation of APP affects its dimerization and whether this leads to elevated β-cleavage of the protein. Here we report that over 90% of palAPP is dimerized while only ~20% of total APP forms dimers. PalAPP-dimers are predominantly cis-oriented while total APP dimerizes in both cis- and trans-orientation. PalAPP forms dimers 4.5-times more efficiently than total APP. Overexpression of the palmitoylating enzymes DHHC7 and DHHC21 that increase palAPP levels and Aβ release, also increased APP dimerization in cells. Conversely, inhibition of APP palmitoylation by pharmacological inhibitors reduced APP-dimerization in coimmunoprecipitation and FLIM/FRET assays. Finally, in vitro BACE1-activity assays demonstrate that palmitoylation-dependent dimerization of APP promotes β-cleavage of APP in lipid-rich detergent resistant cell membranes (DRMs, when compared to total APP. Most importantly, generation of sAPPβ-sAPPβ dimers is dependent on APP-palmitoylation while total sAPPβ generation is not. Since BACE1 shows preference for palAPP dimers over total APP, palAPP dimers may serve as novel targets for effective β-cleavage inhibitors of APP as opposed to BACE1 inhibitors.

Browser App Approach: Can It Be an Answer to the Challenges in Cross-Platform App Development?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minh Q. Huynh

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Aim/Purpose: As smartphones proliferate, many different platforms begin to emerge. The challenge to developers as well as IS educators and students is how to learn the skills to design and develop apps to run on cross-platforms. Background: For developers, the purpose of this paper is to describe an alternative to the complex native app development. For IS educators and students, the paper provides a feasible way to learn and develop fully functional mobile apps without technical burdens. Methodology: The methods used in the development of browser-based apps is prototyping. Our proposed approach is browser-based, supports cross-platforms, uses open-source standards, and takes advantage of “write-once-and-run-anywhere” (WORA concept. Contribution: The paper illustrates the application of the browser-based approach to create a series of browser apps without high learning curve. Findings: The results show the potentials for using browser app approach to teach as well as to create new apps. Recommendations for Practitioners\t: Our proposed browser app development approach and example would be useful to mobile app developers/IS educators and non-technical students because the source code as well as documentations in this project are available for downloading. Future Research: For further work, we discuss the use of hybrid development framework to enhance browser apps.

The value of molecular techniques to diagnose Ureaplasma urealyticum and Nocardia farcinica pleuropneumonia in a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Etienne Canouï

2017-11-01

Full Text Available An unusual case of pleural empyema related to Nocardia farcinica and Ureaplasma urealyticum, occurring after autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a 30-year-old patient with lymphoma, is reported. This case illustrates the role of repeated and comprehensive microbiological investigations and the contribution of molecular techniques in reaching the aetiological diagnosis. Keywords: Nocardia farcinica, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Pleuropneumonia, Immunocompromised patient, Molecular microbiological diagnosis

Your Life in Web Apps

CERN Document Server

Turnbull, Giles

2008-01-01

What is a web app? It's software that you use right in your web browser. Rather than installing an application on your computer, you visit a web site and sign up as a new user of its software. Instead of storing your files on your own hard disk, the web app stores them for you, online. Is it possible to switch entirely to web apps? To run nothing but a browser for an entire day? In this PDF we'll take you through one day in the life of a web apps-only user and chronicle the pros and cons of living by browser. And if the idea of switching, fully or partially, to web apps sounds appealing to

Keep Using My Health Apps: Discover Users' Perception of Health and Fitness Apps with the UTAUT2 Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Shupei; Ma, Wenjuan; Kanthawala, Shaheen; Peng, Wei

2015-09-01

Health and fitness applications (apps) are one of the major app categories in the current mobile app market. Few studies have examined this area from the users' perspective. This study adopted the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) Model to examine the predictors of the users' intention to adopt health and fitness apps. A survey (n=317) was conducted with college-aged smartphone users at a Midwestern university in the United States. Performance expectancy, hedonic motivations, price value, and habit were significant predictors of users' intention of continued usage of health and fitness apps. However, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions were not found to predict users' intention of continued usage of health and fitness apps. This study extends the UTATU2 Model to the mobile apps domain and provides health professions, app designers, and marketers with the insights of user experience in terms of continuously using health and fitness apps.

From analogue to apps--developing an app to prepare children for medical imaging procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Gigi; Greene, Siobhan

2015-01-01

The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne has launched a world-first app for children that will help reduce anxiety and the need for anesthesia during medical imaging procedures. The free, game-based app, "Okee in Medical Imaging", helps children aged from four to eight years to prepare for all medical imaging procedures--X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and fluoroscopy. The app is designed to reduce anticipatory fear of imaging procedures, while helping to ensure that children attend imaging appointments equipped with the skills required for efficient and effective scans to be performed. This paper describes how the app was developed.

Citrix XenApp performance essentials

CERN Document Server

Dentella, Luca

2013-01-01

A practical hands-on tutorial including multiple examples on application management using Citrix XenApp 6.5.Citrix XenApp Performance Essentials is intended for IT architects and system administrators who work with Citrix XenApp and who need an agile, practical guide to tune and optimize the performance.

Google Apps zijn leuk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Hollander, Franciscus

Het bericht dat de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen overgaat op de mailvoorziening en agenda van Google Apps for Education bracht een golf van publiciteit teweeg. Mediaberichten naar aanleiding van de overgang naar Google Apps.

User Experience of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Apps for Depression: An Analysis of App Functionality and User Reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Stawarz, Katarzyna; Preist, Chris; Tallon, Debbie; Wiles, Nicola; Coyle, David

2018-06-06

Hundreds of mental health apps are available to the general public. With increasing pressures on health care systems, they offer a potential way for people to support their mental health and well-being. However, although many are highly rated by users, few are evidence-based. Equally, our understanding of what makes apps engaging and valuable to users is limited. The aim of this paper was to analyze functionality and user opinions of mobile apps purporting to support cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and to explore key factors that have an impact on user experience and support engagement. We systematically identified apps described as being based on cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. We then conducted 2 studies. In the first, we analyzed the therapeutic functionality of apps. This corroborated existing work on apps' fidelity to cognitive behavioral therapy theory, but we also extended prior work by examining features designed to support user engagement. Engagement features found in cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression were compared with those found in a larger group of apps that support mental well-being in a more general sense. Our second study involved a more detailed examination of user experience, through a thematic analysis of publicly available user reviews of cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression. We identified 31 apps that purport to be based on cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. Functionality analysis (study 1) showed that they offered an eclectic mix of features, including many not based on cognitive behavioral therapy practice. Cognitive behavioral therapy apps used less varied engagement features compared with 253 other mental well-being apps. The analysis of 1287 user reviews of cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression (study 2) showed that apps are used in a wide range of contexts, both replacing and augmenting therapy, and allowing users to play an active role in supporting their mental

''Are Chemistry Educational Apps Useful?''--A Quantitative Study with Three In-House Apps

Science.gov (United States)

Ping, Grace Lee Yuan; Lok, Chang; Yeat, Tan Wei; Cherynn, Tan Jie Ying; Tan, Emelyn Sue Qing

2018-01-01

Three internally developed mobile apps, "3D Sym Op", "SM2 Chem" and "ARMolVis," available for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store were evaluated in seven studies. Each study was a systematic process of Pre-Test, In-lecture App Demo, App Assisted Interactive Tutorials (AAITs) and/or Independent App…

There's an App for that!

Science.gov (United States)

Dutton, Gail

2011-01-01

Important as training the sales force is, mobile training apps are being used for much more. Visual Eyes Inc., for example, has developed training apps for the U.S. military's combat medical teams that detail specific medical procedures, such as controlling hemorrhaging. Other apps, developed for corporations and government agencies, pass along…

The Rise and Need for Mobile Apps for Maternal and Child Health Care in China: Survey Based on App Markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Puhong; Dong, Le; Chen, Huan; Chai, Yanling; Liu, Jianbo

2018-06-08

Mobile health services are thriving in the field of maternal and child health in China due to expansions in the field of electronic health and the introduction of the two-child policy. There are numerous maternal and child health apps in computer stores, but the exact number of apps, number of downloads, and features of these apps is not known. This study aimed to explore the use of maternal and child health apps in Android and iOS app stores and to describe the key functional features of the most popular apps, with the purpose of providing insight into further research and development of maternal and child health mobile health products. The researchers conducted a search in the 3 most popular Android app stores (Tencent MyApp, Baidu Mobile Assistant, and 360 Mobile Assistant) and the iTunes App Store in China. All apps regarding family planning (contraception and preparing for pregnancy), pregnancy and perinatal care, neonatal care and health, and development for children under 6 years were included in the initial analysis. Maternal and child health mobile apps with predominant features of product marketing, children's songs, animation, or games were excluded from the study. The 50 most frequently used apps in each of the Android stores as well as the iTunes store (a total of 78 deduplicated apps) were selected and downloaded for an in-depth analysis. A total of 5276 Android apps and 877 iOS apps developed for maternal and child health care were identified. Of the 78 most frequently used apps, 43 (55%) apps focused on one stage of MCH care, mainly targeting child care (25 apps) and before pregnancy care (11 apps), whereas 35 (45%) of the apps covered 2 or more stages, most of which (32 apps) included both pregnancy and child care services. The app features that were commonly adopted by the popular apps were health education, communication, health status self-monitoring, a diary, reminders, and counseling. Within the app feature of "health status self

Controlling Your "App"etite: How Diet and Nutrition-Related Mobile Apps Lead to Behavior Change.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Joshua H; Belvedere, Lindsay M; Andreasen, Rebecca; Frandsen, Christine; Hall, P Cougar; Crookston, Benjamin T

2017-07-10

In recent years, obesity has become a serious public health crisis in the United States. Although the problem of obesity is being addressed through a variety of strategies, the use of mobile apps is a relatively new development that could prove useful in helping people to develop healthy dietary habits. Though such apps might lead to health behavior change, especially when relevant behavior change theory constructs are integrated into them, the mechanisms by which these apps facilitate behavior change are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify which behavior change mechanisms are associated with the use of diet- and nutrition-related health apps and whether the use of diet- and nutrition-related apps is associated with health behavior change. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a total of 217 participants. Participants responded to questions on demographics, use of diet and nutrition apps in the past 6 months, engagement and likability of apps, and changes in the participant's dietary behaviors. Regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with reported changes in theory and separately for reported changes in actual behavior, after controlling for potential confounding variables. The majority of study participants agreed or strongly agreed with statements regarding app use increasing their motivation to eat a healthy diet, improving their self-efficacy, and increasing their desire to set and achieve health diet goals. Additionally, majority of participants strongly agreed that using diet/nutrition apps led to changes in their behavior, namely increases in actual goal setting to eat a healthy diet (58.5%, 127/217), increases in their frequency of eating healthy foods (57.6%, 125/217), and increases in their consistency of eating healthy foods (54.4%, 118/217). Participants also responded favorably to questions related to engagement and likability of diet/nutrition apps. A number of predictors were also positively

Design for children's apps

OpenAIRE

MORANTE BONET, MIRIAM; Costa Ferrer, María; Rodríguez Calatayud, María Nuria

2017-01-01

Are children under 2 years old exposed to apps? Which ones? How often? What kind of apps would be best suited for small children based on their physical and cognitive development, the evolution of their play patterns and their ability to interact with mobile devices? How to design apps as appropriate as possible for children under 2 years old? These are some of the main questions that are answered through the research presented in this publication. An investigation that demonstra...

Isolation of Actinobacillus seminis from a goat with clinical epididymo-orchitis in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrine Alexandre dos Santos

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The present study reports the first isolation of Actinobacillus seminis from a goat in Brazil. A four-year-old Moxotó breeding goat in a flock of 70 goats and 65 sheep reared together in the county of Patos, semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil, showed clinical signs of unilateral orchitis and epididymitis. Diagnosis of A. seminis infection was confirmed by association of clinical findings, bacterial isolation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This result suggests that A. seminis may be an additional cause of infertility in goats, and that sheep may be the source of infection because the mixed farming system allows the contact between sheep and goats in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil.

Overview and epidemiology of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Masiga, W N; Domenech, J

1995-09-01

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is widespread in Africa and in other regions of the world. This disease is particularly important in the semi-arid, sub-humid and arid zones of tropical Africa, but CBPP incidence seems to be increasing in some parts of East Africa. The epidemiology of CBPP is characterised by the occurrence of sub-acute and symptomless infections, and the persistence of chronic carriers. Spread of the disease is associated with cattle movement. The major obstacles to eradication of CBPP are the difficulties in controlling cattle movement and applying quarantine and slaughter policies. Other difficulties arise due to the absence of a field test for diagnosis, the relatively short duration of post-vaccinal immunity and the lack of data on the economic impact of the disease. The Pan-African Rinderpest Campaign strategy for CBPP control and eradication conforms with national control programmes, which include cost/benefit analysis. It is planned to perform blanket vaccination against the disease for three to five years, depending on the economic situation of each country. Stringent control of cattle movement will complement vaccination campaigns. The eradication phase, including slaughter measures, will be instituted following reduction of CBPP incidence. Regional and international coordination will be instituted to control international cattle movement and harmonise control strategies.

The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development Making and Marketing Apps That Succeed

CERN Document Server

Wooldridge, Dave

2011-01-01

The phenomenal success of the iPhone, iPad and the iPod touch has ushered in a "gold rush" for developers, but with well over 300,000 apps in the highly competitive App Store, it has become increasingly difficult for new apps to stand out in the crowd. Achieving consumer awareness and sales longevity for your iOS app requires a lot of organization and some strategic planning. Updated and expanded for iOS 4, this bestselling book will show you how to incorporate marketing and business savvy into every aspect of the design and development process, giving your app the best possible chance of

Amazing Android Apps For Dummies

CERN Document Server

Begun, Daniel A

2011-01-01

Find the Android apps that are right for you so you can have fun and get more done!The popularity of Android apps is exploding and this handy guide helps you sort through the thousands of available applications so you can find the ones that are ideal for you. You'll explore a variety of apps in the areas of entertainment, finance, health, food, music, news, weather, photography, reference, dining out, social networking, sports, travel, and more. Author Daniel Begun helps you navigate through this enormous-and potentially overwhelming-array of Android apps.Holds your hand through the oftentimes

The Potential of Mobile Apps for Improving Asthma Self-Management: A Review of Publicly Available and Well-Adopted Asthma Apps

Science.gov (United States)

Tinschert, Peter; Jakob, Robert; Barata, Filipe; Kramer, Jan-Niklas

2017-01-01

Background Effective disease self-management lowers asthma’s burden of disease for both individual patients and health care systems. In principle, mobile health (mHealth) apps could enable effective asthma self-management interventions that improve a patient’s quality of life while simultaneously reducing the overall treatment costs for health care systems. However, prior reviews in this field have found that mHealth apps for asthma lack clinical evaluation and are often not based on medical guidelines. Yet, beyond the missing evidence for clinical efficacy, little is known about the potential apps might have for improving asthma self-management. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the potential of publicly available and well-adopted mHealth apps for improving asthma self-management. Methods The Apple App store and Google Play store were systematically searched for asthma apps. In total, 523 apps were identified, of which 38 apps matched the selection criteria to be included in the review. Four requirements of app potential were investigated: app functions, potential to change behavior (by means of a behavior change technique taxonomy), potential to promote app use (by means of a gamification components taxonomy), and app quality (by means of the Mobile Application Rating Scale [MARS]). Results The most commonly implemented functions in the 38 reviewed asthma apps were tracking (30/38, 79%) and information (26/38, 68%) functions, followed by assessment (20/38, 53%) and notification (18/38, 47%) functions. On average, the reviewed apps applied 7.12 of 26 available behavior change techniques (standard deviation [SD]=4.46) and 4.89 of 31 available gamification components (SD=4.21). Average app quality was acceptable (mean=3.17/5, SD=0.58), whereas subjective app quality lied between poor and acceptable (mean=2.65/5, SD=0.87). Additionally, the sum scores of all review frameworks were significantly correlated (lowest correlation: r36=.33, P=.04 between

Office 2010 Web Apps For Dummies

CERN Document Server

Weverka, Peter

2010-01-01

Enhance your Microsoft Office 2010 experience with Office 2010 Web Apps!. Office Web Apps complement Office, making it easy to access and edit files from anywhere. It also simplifies collaboration with those who don't have Microsoft Office on their computers. This helpful book shows you the optimum ways you can use Office Web Apps to save time and streamline your work. Veteran For Dummies author Peter Weverka begins with an introduction to Office Web Apps and then goes on to clearly explain how Office Web Apps provide you with easier, faster, more flexible ways to get things done.: Walks you t

The Potential of Mobile Apps for Improving Asthma Self-Management: A Review of Publicly Available and Well-Adopted Asthma Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Tinschert, Peter; Jakob, Robert; Barata, Filipe; Kramer, Jan-Niklas; Kowatsch, Tobias

2017-08-02

Effective disease self-management lowers asthma's burden of disease for both individual patients and health care systems. In principle, mobile health (mHealth) apps could enable effective asthma self-management interventions that improve a patient's quality of life while simultaneously reducing the overall treatment costs for health care systems. However, prior reviews in this field have found that mHealth apps for asthma lack clinical evaluation and are often not based on medical guidelines. Yet, beyond the missing evidence for clinical efficacy, little is known about the potential apps might have for improving asthma self-management. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of publicly available and well-adopted mHealth apps for improving asthma self-management. The Apple App store and Google Play store were systematically searched for asthma apps. In total, 523 apps were identified, of which 38 apps matched the selection criteria to be included in the review. Four requirements of app potential were investigated: app functions, potential to change behavior (by means of a behavior change technique taxonomy), potential to promote app use (by means of a gamification components taxonomy), and app quality (by means of the Mobile Application Rating Scale [MARS]). The most commonly implemented functions in the 38 reviewed asthma apps were tracking (30/38, 79%) and information (26/38, 68%) functions, followed by assessment (20/38, 53%) and notification (18/38, 47%) functions. On average, the reviewed apps applied 7.12 of 26 available behavior change techniques (standard deviation [SD]=4.46) and 4.89 of 31 available gamification components (SD=4.21). Average app quality was acceptable (mean=3.17/5, SD=0.58), whereas subjective app quality lied between poor and acceptable (mean=2.65/5, SD=0.87). Additionally, the sum scores of all review frameworks were significantly correlated (lowest correlation: r 36 =.33, P=.04 between number of functions and gamification

Evaluating Apps for Learning and Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Renee D Jonas-Dwyer

2012-03-01

Full Text Available A growing number of educators and students are adopting mobile devices and using applications (apps. There are often no formal guidelines to assist with evaluating apps. A review of the literature was conducted to determine relevant criteria that could be applied to evaluating apps. Relevant examples are included where appropriate. Evaluation criteria are offered to assist educators and students with determining the suitability of apps.

Antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring of respiratory tract pathogens isolated from diseased cattle and pigs across Europe: the VetPath study.

Science.gov (United States)

de Jong, Anno; Thomas, Valérie; Simjee, Shabbir; Moyaert, Hilde; El Garch, Farid; Maher, Kirsty; Morrissey, Ian; Butty, Pascal; Klein, Ulrich; Marion, Hervé; Rigaut, Delphine; Vallé, Michel

2014-08-06

VetPath is an ongoing pan-European antibiotic susceptibility monitoring programme collecting pathogens from diseased antimicrobial non-treated cattle, pigs and poultry. In the current study, 1001 isolates from cattle and pig respiratory tract infections were tested for their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Non-replicate lung samples or nasopharyngeal/nasal swabs were collected from animals with acute clinical signs in 11 countries during 2002-2006. Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica from cattle and P. multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Streptococcus suis from pigs were isolated by standard methods. S. suis was also isolated from meningitis cases. MICs of 16 antibiotics were assessed centrally by broth microdilution following CLSI recommendations. Results were interpreted using CLSI breakpoints where available. P. multocida (231) and M. haemolytica (138) isolates were all susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Resistance to florfenicol and spectinomycin was 0.4% and 3.5% in P. multocida, respectively, and absent in M. haemolytica isolates. Tetracycline resistance was 5.7% and 14.6% for P. multocida and M. haemolytica. In pigs, 230 P. multocida, 220 A. pleuropneumoniae and 182 S. suis isolates were recovered. Resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, tiamulin and tilmicosin was absent or <1%. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance was 3-6% and tetracycline resistance varied from 14.7% in A. pleuropneumoniae to 81.8% in S. suis. In conclusion, low resistance to antibiotics with defined clinical breakpoints, except for tetracycline, was observed among the major respiratory tract pathogens recovered from cattle and pigs. Since for approximately half of the antibiotics in this panel no CLSI-defined breakpoints were available, setting of the missing veterinary breakpoints is important. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Rating Tool for Mobile Cancer Apps: Information Analysis and Formal and Content-Related Evaluation of Selected Cancer Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Böhme, Cathleen; von Osthoff, Marc Baron; Frey, Katrin; Hübner, Jutta

2017-08-17

Mobile apps are offered in large numbers and have different qualities. The aim of this article was to develop a rating tool based on formal and content-related criteria for the assessment of cancer apps and to test its applicability on apps. After a thorough analysis of the literature, we developed a specific rating tool for cancer apps based on the MARS (mobile app rating system) and a rating tool for cancer websites. This instrument was applied to apps freely available in stores and focusing on some cancer topic. Ten apps were rated on the basis of 22 criteria. Sixty percent of the apps (6/10) were rated poor and insufficient. The rating by different scientists was homogenous. The good apps had reliable sources were regularly updated and had a concrete intent/purpose in their app description. In contrast, the apps that were rated poor had no distinction of scientific content and advertisement. In some cases, there was no imprint to identify the provider. As apps of poor quality can give misinformation and lead to wrong treatment decisions, efforts have to be made to increase usage of high-quality apps. Certification would help cancer patients to identify reliable apps, yet acceptance of a certification system must be backed up.

The Business of iPhone App Development

CERN Document Server

Wooldridge, Dave

2010-01-01

The phenomenal success of the iPhone and the iPod touch has ushered in a "gold rush" for developers, but with well over 100,000 apps in the highly competitive App Store, it has become increasingly difficult for new apps to stand out in the crowd. Achieving consumer awareness and sales longevity for your iPhone app requires a lot of organization and some strategic planning. This book will show you how to incorporate marketing and business savvy into every aspect of the design and development process, giving your app the best possible chance of succeeding in the App Store. The Business

Detection of App Collusion Potential Using Logic Programming

OpenAIRE

Blasco, Jorge; Chen, Thomas M.; Muttik, Igor; Roggenbach, Markus

2017-01-01

Android is designed with a number of built-in security features such as app sandboxing and permission-based access controls. Android supports multiple communication methods for apps to cooperate. This creates a security risk of app collusion. For instance, a sandboxed app with permission to access sensitive data might leak that data to another sandboxed app with access to the internet. In this paper, we present a method to detect potential collusion between apps. First, we extract from apps a...

Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Making Native Apps with Standards-Based Web Tools

CERN Document Server

Stark, Jonathan

2012-01-01

It's true: if you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you already have the tools you need to develop Android applications. Now updated for HTML5, the second edition of this hands-on guide shows you how to use open source web standards to design and build apps that can be adapted for any Android device. You'll learn how to create an Android-friendly web app on the platform of your choice, and then use Adobe's free PhoneGap framework to convert it to a native Android app. Discover why device-agnostic mobile apps are the wave of the future, and start building apps that offer greater flexibility and

Public health guidelines for physical activity: is there an app for that? A review of android and apple app stores.

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Emily; Stuckey, Melanie I; Prapavessis, Harry; Petrella, Robert J

2015-05-21

Physical activity participation is an important behavior for modifying lifestyle-related disease risk. Mobile health apps for chronic disease management and prevention are being developed at a rapid rate. However, it is unclear whether these apps are evidence-based. Current public health recommendations for physical activity participation for adults highlight the importance of engaging in 150 minutes weekly of purposeful exercise, and muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days of the week. The aims of the present review were to (1) identify available evidence-based physical activity apps, and (2) identify technological features that could be leveraged to improve health outcomes. iTunes and Google Play mobile app stores were searched using keyword and category searching during a single day (February 18, 2014) for physical activity apps available in English. The description pages of eligible apps were reviewed by 4 independent reviewers for evidence-based content, technological, and descriptive features. An a priori subset of apps was downloaded for further review (n=6 affiliated with a non-commercial agency; n=10 top rated; n=10 random selection), and developers were contacted for information regarding evidence-informed content. The initial search yielded 2400 apps, of which 379 apps (n=206 iTunes; n=173 Google Play) were eligible. Primary results demonstrated no apps (n=0) adhering to evidence-based guidelines for aerobic physical activity, and 7 out of 379 implementing evidence-based guidelines for resistance training physical activity. Technological features of apps included social networking (n=207), pairing with a peripheral health device (n=61), and measuring additional health parameters (n=139). Secondary results revealed 1 app that referenced physical activity guidelines (150 minutes/weekly of exercise), and demonstrated that apps were based on various physical activity reports (n=4) or personal expertise (n=2). The present study demonstrated a

Apps seeking theories: results of a study on the use of health behavior change theories in cancer survivorship mobile apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Vollmer Dahlke, Deborah; Fair, Kayla; Hong, Y Alicia; Beaudoin, Christopher E; Pulczinski, Jairus; Ory, Marcia G

2015-03-27

Thousands of mobile health apps are now available for use on mobile phones for a variety of uses and conditions, including cancer survivorship. Many of these apps appear to deliver health behavior interventions but may fail to consider design considerations based in human computer interface and health behavior change theories. This study is designed to assess the presence of and manner in which health behavior change and health communication theories are applied in mobile phone cancer survivorship apps. The research team selected a set of criteria-based health apps for mobile phones and assessed each app using qualitative coding methods to assess the application of health behavior change and communication theories. Each app was assessed using a coding derived from the taxonomy of 26 health behavior change techniques by Abraham and Michie with a few important changes based on the characteristics of mHealth apps that are specific to information processing and human computer interaction such as control theory and feedback systems. A total of 68 mobile phone apps and games built on the iOS and Android platforms were coded, with 65 being unique. Using a Cohen's kappa analysis statistic, the inter-rater reliability for the iOS apps was 86.1 (Papps, 77.4 (Papps were consistently higher than those of the Android platform apps. For personalization and tailoring, 67% of the iOS apps (24/36) had these elements as compared to 38% of the Android apps (12/32). In the area of prompting for intention formation, 67% of the iOS apps (34/36) indicated these elements as compared to 16% (5/32) of the Android apps. Mobile apps are rapidly emerging as a way to deliver health behavior change interventions that can be tailored or personalized for individuals. As these apps and games continue to evolve and include interactive and adaptive sensors and other forms of dynamic feedback, their content and interventional elements need to be grounded in human computer interface design and health

Windows 8 app projects XAML and C#

CERN Document Server

Vermeir, Nico

2013-01-01

Become a leading Windows 8 app developer by using Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition to learn techniques, tools, and ideas to create successful, 5-star apps. Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edition shows you the nuts and bolts of the Windows 8 development ecosystem. Then, through a series of example driven chapters, you'll discover how to leverage the platform's unique features. With each project, you'll be one step closer to building full-featured, responsive, and well designed apps that feel like they're a part of the operating system. Windows 8 App Projects - XAML and C# Edit

Using Google App Engine

CERN Document Server

Severance, Charles

2009-01-01

Build exciting, scalable web applications quickly and confidently using Google App Engine and this book, even if you have little or no experience in programming or web development. App Engine is perhaps the most appealing web technology to appear in the last year, providing an easy-to-use application framework with basic web tools. While Google's own tutorial assumes significant experience, Using Google App Engine will help anyone get started with this platform. By the end of this book, you'll know how to build complete, interactive applications and deploy them to the cloud using the same s

Cell biology apps for Apple devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Louisa A

2012-01-01

Apps for touch-pad devices hold promise for guiding and supporting learning. Students may use them in the classroom or on their own for didactic instruction, just-in-time learning, or review. Since Apple touch-pad devices (i.e., iPad and iPhone) have a substantial share of the touch-pad device market (Campbell, 2012), this Feature will explore cell biology apps available from the App Store. My review includes iPad and iPhone apps available in June 2012, but does not include courses, lectures, podcasts, audiobooks, texts, or other books. I rated each app on a five-point scale (1 star = lowest; 5 stars = highest) for educational and production values; I also provide an overall score.

Apps in therapy: occupational therapists' use and opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifert, Anna M; Stotz, Nicole; Metz, Alexia E

2017-11-01

To gather information on occupational therapy practitioners' use and opinions of apps, an online survey was distributed to occupational therapy practitioners licensed in the state of Ohio. The survey sought information regarding clinical populations and skill areas for which apps are used, potential barriers to use of apps and preferred apps/app features. OTs working in medical and education-based settings and with clients of all ages responded to the survey. Over half (53%) reported not using apps in therapy, with "not having access to the technology at work" being the leading reason endorsed. Of practitioners who did report using apps, the majority used them with ≤25% of their case load and primarily used tablets to do so. Clinicians indicated that they use apps for a wide variety of reasons, including to promote skill building and to support the therapeutic process. Preferred features included the ability to grade difficulty up/down, multiple uses and accurate feedback. Recommendations from peers were the most commonly reported way respondents found new apps. The results suggest that occupational therapy practitioners employ clinical reasoning when implementing apps in therapy. Possible ways to improve access to apps for therapists who would like to implement them are discussed. Implications for Rehabilitation Many occupational therapy practitioners are using apps with at least a portion of their caseloads. Therapists select apps based on peer recommendations, most commonly selecting those which promote skill building and support the therapeutic process. More therapists might make use of apps if potential barriers were reduced or eliminated, including availability of technology in the clinical practice setting, therapist training and education, therapist input into app development and an enhanced evidence base.

Apps and eating disorders: A systematic clinical appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Fairburn, Christopher G; Rothwell, Emily R

2015-11-01

Smartphone applications (apps) are proliferating and health-related apps are particularly popular. The aim of this study was to identify, characterize, and evaluate the clinical utility of apps designed either for people with eating disorders or for eating disorder professionals. A search of the major app stores identified 805 potentially relevant apps, of which 39 were primarily designed for people with eating disorders and five for professionals. The apps for people with eating disorders had four main functions. Most common was the provision of advice, the quality of which ranged from sound to potentially harmful. Five apps included self-assessment tools but only two used methods that would generally be viewed as reliable. Four apps had the self-monitoring of eating habits as a major feature. Entering information into these apps could be accomplished with varying degrees of ease, but viewing it was more difficult. One app allowed the transfer of information between patients and clinicians. The enthusiasm for apps outstrips the evidence supporting their use. Given their popularity, it is suggested that clinicians evaluate app use as part of routine assessment. The clinical utility of the existing apps is not clear. Some are capable of tracking key features over time, but none has the functions required for analytic self-monitoring as in cognitive behavioral treatments. The full potential of apps has yet to be realized. Specialized apps could be designed to augment various forms of treatment, and there is the possibility that they could deliver an entire personalized intervention. © 2015 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lack of tau proteins rescues neuronal cell death and decreases amyloidogenic processing of APP in APP/PS1 mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Leroy, Karelle; Ando, Kunie; Laporte, Vincent; Dedecker, Robert; Suain, Valérie; Authelet, Michèle; Héraud, Céline; Pierrot, Nathalie; Yilmaz, Zehra; Octave, Jean-Noël; Brion, Jean-Pierre

2012-12-01

Lack of tau expression has been reported to protect against excitotoxicity and to prevent memory deficits in mice expressing mutant amyloid precursor protein (APP) identified in familial Alzheimer disease. In APP mice, mutant presenilin 1 (PS1) enhances generation of Aβ42 and inhibits cell survival pathways. It is unknown whether the deficient phenotype induced by concomitant expression of mutant PS1 is rescued by absence of tau. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of tau deletion in mice expressing mutant APP and PS1. Although APP/PS1/tau(+/+) mice had a reduced survival, developed spatial memory deficits at 6 months and motor impairments at 12 months, these deficits were rescued in APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. Neuronal loss and synaptic loss in APP/PS1/tau(+/+) mice were rescued in the APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. The amyloid plaque burden was decreased by roughly 50% in the cortex and the spinal cord of the APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. The levels of soluble and insoluble Aβ40 and Aβ42, and the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio were reduced in APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. Levels of phosphorylated APP, of β-C-terminal fragments (CTFs), and of β-secretase 1 (BACE1) were also reduced, suggesting that β-secretase cleavage of APP was reduced in APP/PS1/tau(-/-) mice. Our results indicate that tau deletion had a protective effect against amyloid induced toxicity even in the presence of mutant PS1 and reduced the production of Aβ. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smartphone Apps for Measuring Human Health and Climate Change Co-Benefits: A Comparison and Quality Rating of Available Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Rachel K; Marsh, Samantha; Halvarsson, Jakob; Holdsworth, Michelle; Waterlander, Wilma; Poelman, Maartje P; Salmond, Jennifer Ann; Christian, Hayley; Koh, Lenny Sc; Cade, Janet E; Spence, John C; Woodward, Alistair; Maddison, Ralph

2016-12-19

Climate change and the burden of noncommunicable diseases are major global challenges. Opportunities exist to investigate health and climate change co-benefits through a shift from motorized to active transport (walking and cycling) and a shift in dietary patterns away from a globalized diet to reduced consumption of meat and energy dense foods. Given the ubiquitous use and proliferation of smartphone apps, an opportunity exists to use this technology to capture individual travel and dietary behavior and the associated impact on the environment and health. The objective of the study is to identify, describe the features, and rate the quality of existing smartphone apps which capture personal travel and dietary behavior and simultaneously estimate the carbon cost and potential health consequences of these actions. The Google Play and Apple App Stores were searched between October 19 and November 6, 2015, and a secondary Google search using the apps filter was conducted between August 8 and September 18, 2016. Eligible apps were required to estimate the carbon cost of personal behaviors with the potential to include features to maximize health outcomes. The quality of included apps was assessed by 2 researchers using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). Out of 7213 results, 40 apps were identified and rated. Multiple travel-related apps were identified, however no apps solely focused on the carbon impact or health consequences of dietary behavior. None of the rated apps provided sufficient information on the health consequences of travel and dietary behavior. Some apps included features to maximize participant engagement and encourage behavior change towards reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Most apps were rated as acceptable quality as determined by the MARS; 1 was of poor quality and 10 apps were of good quality. Interrater reliability of the 2 evaluators was excellent (ICC=0.94, 95% CI 0.87-0.97). Existing apps capturing travel and dietary behavior and the

Apps and eating disorders: A systematic clinical appraisal

OpenAIRE

Fairburn, Christopher G.; Rothwell, Emily R.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective Smartphone applications (apps) are proliferating and health?related apps are particularly popular. The aim of this study was to identify, characterize, and evaluate the clinical utility of apps designed either for people with eating disorders or for eating disorder professionals. Method A search of the major app stores identified 805 potentially relevant apps, of which 39 were primarily designed for people with eating disorders and five for professionals. Results The apps f...

Circadian wheel running behavior is altered in an APP/E4 mouse model of late onset Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Boggs, Katelyn N; Kakalec, Peter A; Smith, Meghann L; Howell, Stefanie N; Flinn, Jane M

2017-12-01

Circadian rhythms are altered in several diseases associated with aging, one of which is Alzheimer's disease (AD). One example of a circadian rhythm is the rest-activity cycle, which can be measured in mice by monitoring their wheel-running. The present study sought to investigate differences in light phase/dark phase activity between a mouse model of late onset AD (APP/E4) and control (C57Bl6J) mice, in both the pre-plaque and post-plaques stages of the disease. To assess activity level, 24-h wheel running behavior was monitored at six months (pre-plaque) and twelve months (post-plaque) for a period of nine days. The following measures were analyzed: counts (wheel rotations) during the dark phase, counts during the light phase, hour of activity onset, and hour of activity offset. Key findings indicate that activity onset is delayed in APP/E4 mice at six and twelve months, and activity profiles for APP/E4 and C57Bl6J mice differ during the light and dark phase in such a way that APP/E4 mice run less in the early hours of the dark phase and more in the later hours of the dark phase compared to C57Bl6J mice. These findings imply that rest-activity cycle is altered in the pre-plaque stages of AD in APP/E4 mice, as they show impairments as early as six months of age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Who are mobile app users from healthy lifestyle websites? Analysis of patterns of app use and user characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Elavsky, Steriani; Smahel, David; Machackova, Hana

2017-12-01

The use of online communities and websites for health information has proliferated along with the use of mobile apps for managing health behaviors such as diet and exercise. The scarce evidence available to date suggests that users of these websites and apps differ in significant ways from non-users but most data come from US- and UK-based populations. In this study, we recruited users of nutrition, weight management, and fitness-oriented websites in the Czech Republic to better understand who uses mobile apps and who does not, including user sociodemographic and psychological profiles. Respondents aged 13-39 provided information on app use through an online survey (n = 669; M age = 24.06, SD = 5.23; 84% female). Among users interested in health topics, respondents using apps for managing nutrition, weight, and fitness (n = 403, 60%) were more often female, reported more frequent smartphone use, and more expert phone skills. In logistic regression models, controlling for sociodemographics, web, and phone activity, mHealth app use was predicted by levels of excessive exercise (OR 1.346, 95% CI 1.061-1.707, p users, we found differences in types of apps used by gender, age, and weight status. Controlling for sociodemographics and web and phone use, drive for thinness predicted the frequency of use of apps for healthy eating (β = 0.14, p user characteristics of mHealth app users from nutrition, weight management, and fitness websites, helping inform subsequent design of mHealth apps and mobile intervention strategies.

Mobile Apps for Educational Purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilcher, Jobeth

With the growing number of mobile resources, nurse educators and professional development practitioners have the opportunity to harness mobile applications as a tool for their education toolbox. Yet, the overwhelming availability of choices can lead to questions, such as the following: How do we locate apps without spending huge amounts of our valuable time? How do we know which apps to choose? How can we evaluate apps? This article is aimed at addressing these questions.

Review of Cadw Mobile App [application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Rothenberg

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The Welsh Government's historic environment service, Cadw (Welsh: 'to keep, protect', released a mobile app in early 2016 so that members of the public can learn about and plan visits to heritage sites cared for by Cadw. With more than one hundred archaeological sites available for browsing, conveniently ordered by spatial proximity to the user, and with a clean and accessible user-interface, the app effectively showcases the richness and distinctive character of Wales's archaeological record. The app is free and available to download for both iOS and Android devices (from Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store, and is also well signposted on Cadw's website. This article is a review of the Cadw mobile app.

Apps ændrer din hverdag: Apps to change your life

OpenAIRE

Thorsen, Kasper Emil; Jensen, Anders Mandrup; Andersen, Kristian Coff Schang

2014-01-01

This paper examines the problem that apps that intend to improve our health, are not effective in regards to making people exercise, whereas games and other entertainment apps made primarily for pastime easily catches the attention of most. To investigate the cause of this issue, we made use of material presented by Nir Eyal, Charles Duhigg, B. J. Fogg, Cass R. Sunstein and Richard H. Thaler. Based on the knowledge obtained through the theories of the aforementioned theorists, we have selecte...

MEDication reminder APPs to improve medication adherence in Coronary Heart Disease (MedApp-CHD) Study: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Santo, Karla; Chow, Clara K; Thiagalingam, Aravinda; Rogers, Kris; Chalmers, John; Redfern, Julie

2017-10-08

The growing number of smartphone health applications available in the app stores makes these apps a promising tool to help reduce the global problem of non-adherence to long-term medications. However, to date, there is limited evidence that available medication reminder apps are effective. This study aims to determine the impact of medication reminder apps on adherence to cardiovascular medication when compared with usual care for people with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to determine whether an advanced app compared with a basic app is associated with higher adherence. Randomised controlled trial with follow-up at 3 months to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of medication reminder apps on medication adherence compared with usual care. An estimated sample size of 156 patients with CHD will be randomised to one of three groups (usual care group, basic medication reminder app group and advanced medication reminder app group). The usual care group will receive standard care for CHD with no access to a medication reminder app. The basic medication reminder app group will have access to a medication reminder app with a basic feature of providing simple daily reminders with no interactivity. The advanced medication reminder app group will have access to a medication reminder app with additional interactive and customisable features. The primary outcome is medication adherence measured by the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include clinical measurements of blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and medication knowledge. A process evaluation will also be performed to assess the feasibility of the intervention by evaluating the acceptability, utility and engagement with the apps. Ethical approval has been obtained from the Western Sydney Local Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee (AU/RED/HREC/1/WMEAD/3). Study findings will be disseminated via usual scientific forums. ACTRN12616000661471; Pre-results. �

Popular weight-management apps: Their use and quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Chen

2015-09-01

Conclusions: While greater popularity of apps was associated with higher quality, the overall quality of commercial dietary weight-management apps remains suboptimal. Popular weight-management apps are useful for self-monitoring, however are lacking in the recognised behavioural change techniques that may facilitate changes in health behaviours. With the majority of these apps designed for self-directed management, strategies to improve the rigour of these apps are warranted and commercial app developers could benefit from collaboration with behavioural researchers.

Smartphone apps for orthopaedic sports medicine - a smart move?

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Seng Juong; Robertson, Greg A; Connor, Katie L; Brady, Richard R; Wood, Alexander M

2015-01-01

With the advent of smartphones together with their downloadable applications (apps), there is increasing opportunities for doctors, including orthopaedic sports surgeons, to integrate such technology into clinical practice. However, the clinical reliability of these medical apps remains questionable. We reviewed available apps themed specifically towards Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and related conditions and assessed the level of medical professional involvement in their design and content, along with a review of these apps. The most popular smartphone app stores (Android, Apple, Blackberry, Windows, Samsung, Nokia) were searched for Orthopaedic Sports medicine themed apps, using the search terms; Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics, Sports medicine, Knee Injury, Shoulder Injury, Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear, Medial Collateral Ligament Tear, Rotator Cuff Tear, Meniscal Tear, Tennis Elbow. All English language apps related to orthopaedic sports medicine were included. A total of 76 individual Orthopaedic Sports Medicine themed apps were identified. According to app store classifications, there were 45 (59 %) medical themed apps, 28 (37 %) health and fitness themed apps, 1 (1 %) business app, 1 (1 %) reference app and 1 (1 %) sports app. Forty-nine (64 %) apps were available for download free of charge. For those that charged access, the prices ranged from £0.69 to £69.99. Only 51 % of sports medicine apps had customer satisfaction ratings and 39 % had named medical professional involvement in their development or content. We found the majority of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine apps had no named medical professional involvement, raising concerns over their content and evidence-base. We recommend increased regulation of such apps to improve the accountability of app content.

Creating Innovative Student Projects with App Smashing

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Donna

2014-01-01

The potential for using various apps to improve student learning is tremendous. Yet, despite the iPad's possibilities, apps are often limited in their functionality. No one has created that magical, one-size-fits-all app that accomplishes all of the tasks that you had in mind. Luckily, there is an answer to this common problem: app smashing.…

Redefining Cheminformatics with Intuitive Collaborative Mobile Apps

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Alex M; Ekins, Sean; Williams, Antony J

2012-01-01

Abstract The proliferation of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers has recently been extended to include a growing ecosystem of increasingly sophisticated chemistry software packages, commonly known as apps. The capabilities that these apps can offer to the practicing chemist are approaching those of conventional desktop-based software, but apps tend to be focused on a relatively small range of tasks. To overcome this, chemistry apps must be able to seamlessly transfer data to other apps, and through the network to other devices, as well as to other platforms, such as desktops and servers, using documented file formats and protocols whenever possible. This article describes the development and state of the art with regard to chemistry-aware apps that make use of facile data interchange, and some of the scenarios in which these apps can be inserted into a chemical information workflow to increase productivity. A selection of contemporary apps is used to demonstrate their relevance to pharmaceutical research. Mobile apps represent a novel approach for delivery of cheminformatics tools to chemists and other scientists, and indications suggest that mobile devices represent a disruptive technology for drug discovery, as they have been to many other industries. PMID:23198002

Sleep apps and behavioral constructs: A content analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana S. Grigsby-Toussaint

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Although sleep apps are among the most popular commercially available health apps, little is known about how well these apps are grounded in behavioral theory. Three-hundred and sixty-nine apps were initially identified using the term “sleep” from the Google play store and Apple iTunes in September 2015. The final sample consisted of 35 apps that met the following inclusion criteria: 1 Stand-alone functionality; 2 Sleep tracker or monitor apps ranked by 100+ users; 3 Sleep Alarm apps ranked by 1000+ users; and 4 English language. A coding instrument was developed to assess the presence of 19 theoretical constructs. All 35 apps were downloaded and coded. The inter-rater reliability between coders was 0.996. A “1” was assigned if a construct was present in the app and “0” if it was not. Mean scores were calculated across all apps, and comparisons were made between total scores and app ratings using R. The mean behavior construct scores (BCS across all apps was 34% (5% - 84%. Behavioral constructs for realistic goal setting (86%, time management (77%, and self-monitoring (66% were most common. Although a positive association was observed between BCS and user ratings, this was not found to be statistically significant (p > 0.05. The mean persuasive technology score was 42% (20% to 80%, with higher scores for paid compared to free apps (p < 0.05. While the overall behavior construct scores were low, an opportunity exists to develop or modify existing apps to support sustainable sleep hygiene practices.

Apps for Ancient Civilizations

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Stephanie

2011-01-01

This project incorporates technology and a historical emphasis on science drawn from ancient civilizations to promote a greater understanding of conceptual science. In the Apps for Ancient Civilizations project, students investigate an ancient culture to discover how people might have used science and math smartphone apps to make their lives…

The Top Chinese Mobile Health Apps: A Systematic Investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Jeffrey; Liu, Di; Yu, Ya Min; Zhao, Hui Tong; Chen, Zhi Rou; Li, Jiao; Chen, Wei

2016-08-29

China's mHealth market is on track to become a global leader by industry size. The Chinese mobile app market and health care system have peculiarities that distinguish them from other app markets. To date, Chinese mHealth apps have not been systematically investigated. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of Chinese mHealth apps as of December 2015. We identified and investigated the most downloaded apps from the iOS and Android platforms. For each app, we analyzed and recorded its main service offered, mHealth initiative, disease and specialty focus, app cost, target user, Web app availability, and emphasis on information security. Standard descriptive statistics were used. A total of 234 apps met the inclusion criteria and were investigated. The apps targeting nonhealth care professionals focused on providing telemedicine and appointment-making services. The apps targeting health care professionals focused on education and peer reviewed articles. The most common disease-specific apps focused primarily on diabetes, hypertension, and hepatitis management. Most apps were free and available on both iOS and Android platforms. The primary mHealth initiatives targeted by the apps reflect Chinese patients' demand for access to medical care. Disease-specific apps are also representative of disease prevalence in China. Government press releases suggest that new policies on the horizon may shift the industry.

Consumer Mobile Apps for Potential Drug-Drug Interaction Check: Systematic Review and Content Analysis Using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS).

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ben Yb; Sharafoddini, Anis; Tran, Nam; Wen, Emily Y; Lee, Joon

2018-03-28

General consumers can now easily access drug information and quickly check for potential drug-drug interactions (PDDIs) through mobile health (mHealth) apps. With aging population in Canada, more people have chronic diseases and comorbidities leading to increasing numbers of medications. The use of mHealth apps for checking PDDIs can be helpful in ensuring patient safety and empowerment. The aim of this study was to review the characteristics and quality of publicly available mHealth apps that check for PDDIs. Apple App Store and Google Play were searched to identify apps with PDDI functionality. The apps' general and feature characteristics were extracted. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) was used to assess the quality. A total of 23 apps were included for the review-12 from Apple App Store and 11 from Google Play. Only 5 of these were paid apps, with an average price of $7.19 CAD. The mean MARS score was 3.23 out of 5 (interquartile range 1.34). The mean MARS scores for the apps from Google Play and Apple App Store were not statistically different (P=.84). The information dimension was associated with the highest score (3.63), whereas the engagement dimension resulted in the lowest score (2.75). The total number of features per app, average rating, and price were significantly associated with the total MARS score. Some apps provided accurate and comprehensive information about potential adverse drug effects from PDDIs. Given the potentially severe consequences of incorrect drug information, there is a need for oversight to eliminate low quality and potentially harmful apps. Because managing PDDIs is complex in the absence of complete information, secondary features such as medication reminder, refill reminder, medication history tracking, and pill identification could help enhance the effectiveness of PDDI apps. ©Ben YB Kim, Anis Sharafoddini, Nam Tran, Emily Y Wen, Joon Lee. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 28.03.2018.

Planet App: Kids' Book Apps Are Everywhere. But Are They Any Good?

Science.gov (United States)

Bird, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

A proper picture book app lets a parent and child read, listen to, or explore a book in a fun and interactive manner. Typical options offered in these apps include turning off the sound (so that a parent or child can read on their own), changing from one language to another, and small interactive features, such as making the characters move. To…

Demonstration of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp capripneumoniae and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp mycoides, small colony type in outbreaks of caprine pleuropneumonia in eastern Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusiluka, L.J.M.; Semuguruka, W.D.; Kazwala, R.R.

2000-01-01

by different degrees of vasculitis, and fibrinocellular exudation into the alveolar septae and lumina, and into interlobular septae and pleura. Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, Small Colony type Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Mycoplasma arginini were isolated...... from some of the examined goats including a case with a sequestrum which yielded Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, Small Colony type. This work reports the first description of an outbreak of caprine pleuropneumonia in Tanzania in which M. capripneumoniae and M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, Small...

Apps for Radiation Oncology. A Comprehensive Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.J. Calero

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Software applications executed on a smart-phone or mobile device (“Apps” are increasingly used by oncologists in their daily work. A comprehensive critical review was conducted on Apps specifically designed for Radiation Oncology, which aims to provide scientific support for these tools and to guide users in choosing the most suited to their needs. Material and methods: A systematic search was conducted in mobile platforms, iOS and Android, returning 157 Apps. Excluding those whose purpose did not match the scope of the study, 31 Apps were methodically analyzed by the following items: Objective Features, List of Functionalities, Consistency in Outcomes and Usability. Results: Apps are presented in groups of features, as Dose Calculators (7 Apps, Clinical Calculators (4, Tools for Staging (7, Multipurpose (7 and Others (6. Each App is presented with the list of attributes and a brief comment. A short summary is provided at the end of each group. Discussion and Recommendations: There are numerous Apps with useful tools at the disposal of radiation oncologists. The most advisable Apps do not match the more expensive. Three all-in-one apps seem advisable above all: RadOnc Reference (in English, Easy Oncology (in German and iOncoR (in Spanish. Others recommendations are suggested for specific tasks: dose calculators, treatment-decision and staging.

Sencha Architect app development

CERN Document Server

Groner, Loiane

2013-01-01

A standard tutorial-based approach for using Sencha Architect to develop applications in Ext JS and Sencha Touch.Sencha Architect App Development is for Ext JS and Sencha Touch developers that are looking to improve their productivity by using Sencha Architect for app development. Basic knowledge of Ext JS and Sencha Touch is required.

A review of mobile apps for epilepsy self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Escoffery, Cam; McGee, Robin; Bidwell, Jonathan; Sims, Christopher; Thropp, Eliana Kovitch; Frazier, Cherise; Mynatt, Elizabeth D

2018-04-01

Mobile health app developers increasingly are interested in supporting the daily self-care of people with chronic conditions. The purpose of this study was to review mobile applications (apps) to promote epilepsy self-management. It investigates the following: 1) the available mobile apps for epilepsy, 2) how these apps support patient education and self-management (SM), and 3) their usefulness in supporting management of epilepsy. We conducted the review in Fall 2017 and assessed apps on the Apple App Store that related to the terms "epilepsy" and "seizure". Inclusion criteria included apps (adult and pediatric) that, as follows, were: 1) developed for patients or the community; 2) made available in English, and 3) less than $5.00. Exclusion criteria included apps that were designed for dissemination of publications, focused on healthcare providers, or were available in other languages. The search resulted in 149 apps, of which 20 met the selection criteria. A team reviewed each app in terms of three sets of criteria: 1) epilepsy-specific descriptions and SM categories employed by the apps and 2) Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) subdomain scores for reviewing engagement, functionality, esthetics, and information; and 3) behavioral change techniques. Most apps were for adults and free. Common SM domains for the apps were treatment, seizure tracking, response, and safety. A number of epilepsy apps existed, but many offered similar functionalities and incorporated few SM domains. The findings underline the need for mobile apps to cover broader domains of SM and behavioral change techniques and to be evaluated for outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pathogenesis and Immunohistochemical Studies of Caprine Pleuropneumonia in Experimentally Infected Goats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Umer Sadique*, Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry1, Muhammad Younus Rana2, Aftab Ahmad Anjum3, Zahoor-Ul-Hassan, Abdul Sajid and Muhammad Mushtaq

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This study was designed to evaluate the pathogenesis of caprine pleuropneumonia (CPP in the experimentally inoculated goats with Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies Capri (Mmc. For this purpose, 12 goats (Group B were inoculated with bacterial isolates of Mmc while four goats were kept as untreated control (Group A. Clinical signs of the disease were recorded twice daily. Two goats from group B were sacrificed on weekly basis to demonstrate gross pathological lesions in different organs. Tissue samples from lungs, trachea, liver, heart, kidney, spleen, and small intestines were preserved for histopathological studies. The lungs and lymph nodes were preserved to demonstrate the antigen in tissue by using immuno- histochemical technique. The disease was successfully reproduced in all infected goats with severe manifestation. The clinical signs and gross lesions of the disease were mild at the beginning and became severe at the third and fourth weeks and then progressed to moderate and chronic forms. The histopathological lesions characteristic of CPP were found in all the organs. Antigen of Mmc was detected in tissue sections of lungs and lymph nodes. In conclusion, the disease was efficiently reproduced in experimental animals that showed acute septicemic form with lethal outcome.

Building Web Apps for Google TV

CERN Document Server

Ferrate, Andres; Lee, Daniels; Ohye, Maile; Carff, Paul; Shen, Shawn; Hines, Steven

2011-01-01

By integrating the Web with traditional TV, Google TV offers developers an important new channel for content. But creating apps for Google TV requires learning some new skills-in fact, what you may already know about mobile or desktop web apps isn't entirely applicable. Building Web Apps for Google TV will help you make the transition to Google TV as you learn the tools and techniques necessary to build sophisticated web apps for this platform. This book shows you how Google TV works, how it fits into the web ecosystem, and what the opportunities are for delivering rich content to millions o

Evaluation and application of ribotyping for epidemiological studies of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fussing, V.; Barfod, Kristen; Nielsen, R.

1998-01-01

was indicated in one of two cases. In many cases findings of predominant ribotypes made interpretations of suspected routes of transmission difficult. The relationship of strains based on ribotypes was calculated using Dices coefficient and clustered by UPGMA. HindIII ribotypes of serotype 2 strains were...

Mobile Apps for Self-Injury: A Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Vieira, Aaron M; Lewis, Stephen P

2018-05-01

A growing body of research points to the salience of the Internet and mobile material among individuals who self-injure. However, to date, no research has investigated the mobile apps related to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Such information would clarify which apps may be useful for those who self-injure while highlighting whether app-related content warrants improvement. The current study examined the content and usability of NSSI apps available on the two largest app-related platforms (Google Play and iTunes). Using content analysis, apps were examined regarding their content (e.g., presence of NSSI myths and types of coping strategies) as well as usability (e.g., app performance). Results indicate that NSSI apps have varied content, with few developed by, or affiliated with, a trusted source (e.g., university). NSSI apps tend to not propagate NSSI myths that vary with respect to the quality of coping strategies offered. They also tend to be rated favorably in terms of their usability. Overall, the present findings add to the NSSI literature and highlight several implications and avenues for future work, which are discussed.

A Novel Approach for Designing Mobile Native Apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sasmita Pani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile devices are differed from desktop based systems in terms of particular execution environment, constrained resources, and high mobility requirement. To overcome these shortcomings, various agile based methodologies are developed for native mobile applications such as Mobile-D, Scrum etc. These agile techniques are based on various phases and these phases begin from exploring, initializing and implementing the mobile apps. But these techniques are not focusing on elaborating design model for mobile native apps. The aim of the paper is to provide a layered approach or layered model for design of mobile native apps which can be used as a framework for developing mobile native apps. Any mobile native app developer can use this sequential approach or design model for design and development of mobile native apps. This design model gives a standard or framework, based on which generic native mobile apps can be designed and developed. This paper also shows an empirical analysis among the web app design models with the proposed design model for mobile native app development.

Forensic Taxonomy of Android Social Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Azfar, Abdullah; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Liu, Lin

2017-03-01

An Android social app taxonomy incorporating artifacts that are of forensic interest will enable users and forensic investigators to identify the personally identifiable information (PII) stored by the apps. In this study, 30 popular Android social apps were examined. Artifacts of forensic interest (e.g., contacts lists, chronology of messages, and timestamp of an added contact) were recovered. In addition, images were located, and Facebook token strings used to tie account identities and gain access to information entered into Facebook by a user were identified. Based on the findings, a two-dimensional taxonomy of the forensic artifacts of the social apps is proposed. A comparative summary of existing forensic taxonomies of different categories of Android apps, designed to facilitate timely collection and analysis of evidentiary materials from Android devices, is presented. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The best 100 free apps for libraries

CERN Document Server

Hahn, Jim

2013-01-01

Librarian Jim Hahn has carefully culled the over 500,000 available apps down to the 100 that are the absolute best for day-in, day-out library services. The guide covers apps from both Apple and Android devices, including tablets. This guide is intended as an introduction for those with little or no app experience and for those wanting to know more about app uses for information access.

Mobile Apps for Librarians

Science.gov (United States)

Power, June L.

2013-01-01

In an increasing mobile environment, library and reading-related activities often take place on a phone or tablet device. Not only does this mean that library Web sites must keep mobile navigability in mind, but also develop and utilize apps that allow patrons to interact with information and with libraries. While apps do not serve every purpose,…

Popularity Modeling for Mobile Apps: A Sequential Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hengshu; Liu, Chuanren; Ge, Yong; Xiong, Hui; Chen, Enhong

2015-07-01

The popularity information in App stores, such as chart rankings, user ratings, and user reviews, provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand user experiences with mobile Apps, learn the process of adoption of mobile Apps, and thus enables better mobile App services. While the importance of popularity information is well recognized in the literature, the use of the popularity information for mobile App services is still fragmented and under-explored. To this end, in this paper, we propose a sequential approach based on hidden Markov model (HMM) for modeling the popularity information of mobile Apps toward mobile App services. Specifically, we first propose a popularity based HMM (PHMM) to model the sequences of the heterogeneous popularity observations of mobile Apps. Then, we introduce a bipartite based method to precluster the popularity observations. This can help to learn the parameters and initial values of the PHMM efficiently. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the PHMM is a general model and can be applicable for various mobile App services, such as trend based App recommendation, rating and review spam detection, and ranking fraud detection. Finally, we validate our approach on two real-world data sets collected from the Apple Appstore. Experimental results clearly validate both the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed popularity modeling approach.

Mobile app reading speed test.

Science.gov (United States)

Kingsnorth, Alec; Wolffsohn, James S

2015-04-01

To validate the accuracy and repeatability of a mobile app reading speed test compared with the traditional paper version. Twenty-one subjects wearing their full refractive correction glasses read 14 sentences of decreasing print size between 1.0 and -0.1 logMAR, each consisting of 14 words (Radner reading speed test) at 40 cm with a paper-based chart and twice on iPad charts. Time duration was recorded with a stop watch for the paper chart and on the App itself for the mobile chart allowing critical print size (CPS) and optimal reading speed (ORS) to be derived objectively. The ORS was higher for the mobile app charts (194±29 wpm; 195±25 wpm) compared with the paper chart (166±20 wpm; F=57.000, pmobile app charts (0.17±0.20 logMAR; 0.18±0.17 logMAR) compared with the paper chart (0.25±0.17 logMAR; F=5.406, p=0.009). The mobile app test had a mean difference repeatability of 0.30±22.5 wpm, r=0.917 for ORS, and a CPS of 0.0±0.2 logMAR, r=0.769. Repeatability of the app reading speed test is as good (ORS) or better (CPS) than previous studies on the paper test. While the results are not interchangeable with paper-based charts, mobile app tablet-based tests of reading speed are reliable and rapid to perform, with the potential to capture functional visual ability in research studies and clinical practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Creating iPhone Apps with Cocoa Touch

CERN Document Server

Hockenberry, Craig

2010-01-01

Creating iPhone Apps with Cocoa Touch: The Mini Missing Manual walks you through developing your first iPhone App and introduces you to your programming environments and tools: Cocoa Touch, Interface Builder, Xcode, and the Objective-C programming language. If you're a Java or C developer, this eBook is your fast track to App development. This eBook is adapted from parts of iPhone App Development: The Missing Manual.

CSS for Windows 8 app development

CERN Document Server

Foster, Jeremy

2013-01-01

CSS for Windows 8 App Development is your learning guide for CSS - the language of great Windows 8-style apps. Learn the built-in styles that make the built-in controls shine, how to define them, and how to use CSS to give your custom app assets that beautiful Modern UI style. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the clear standard for styling web applications, and with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript now powering apps on Windows 8, it's the clear standard there as well. CSS is a powerful styling and layout language that greatly simplifies the selection of page elements and their visual display, layout,

iOS app development for dummies

CERN Document Server

Feiler, Jesse

2014-01-01

If you've got incredible iOS ideas, get this book and bring them to life! iOS 7 represents the most significant update to Apple's mobile operating system since the first iPhone was released, and even the most seasoned app developers are looking for information on how to take advantage of the latest iOS 7 features in their app designs. That's where iOS App Development For Dummies comes in! Whether you're a programming hobbyist wanting to build an app for fun or a professional developer looking to expand into the iOS market, this book will walk you through the fundamentals of building a univer

Composite Social Network for Predicting Mobile Apps Installation

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-02

Social network tools (such as the Facebook app and the Twitter app) can observe users’ online friendship network . In this work, our key idea is...the friendship network from phones by collecting data from social networking apps such as the Facebook and Twitter apps. We summarize all the networks ...ar X iv :1 10 6. 03 59 v1 [ cs .S I] 2 J un 2 01 1 Composite Social Network for Predicting Mobile Apps Installation Wei Pan

Cuisine Ireland 'APP'

OpenAIRE

Seberry, Dermot

2014-01-01

Description Cuisine Ireland contains 15 samplerecipes from renowned Irish chef and author Dermot Seberry. Taking you to the heart of ancient Ireland, from the most northern beauty of the Mourne & Cooley peninsula along the magnificent east coastline and across to the Boyne Valley, the focus of this app is on the very best the region has to offer food tourists and local chefs. This app was developed as a companion piece to Dermot’s new book “Ireland, A Culinary Journey of the North East”. T...

Analyzing Android Browser Apps for file:// Vulnerabilities

OpenAIRE

Wu, Daoyuan; Chang, Rocky K. C.

2014-01-01

Securing browsers in mobile devices is very challenging, because these browser apps usually provide browsing services to other apps in the same device. A malicious app installed in a device can potentially obtain sensitive information through a browser app. In this paper, we identify four types of attacks in Android, collectively known as FileCross, that exploits the vulnerable file:// to obtain users' private files, such as cookies, bookmarks, and browsing histories. We design an automated s...

Just a fad? Gamification in health and fitness apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Lister, Cameron; West, Joshua H; Cannon, Ben; Sax, Tyler; Brodegard, David

2014-08-04

Gamification has been a predominant focus of the health app industry in recent years. However, to our knowledge, there has yet to be a review of gamification elements in relation to health behavior constructs, or insight into the true proliferation of gamification in health apps. The objective of this study was to identify the extent to which gamification is used in health apps, and analyze gamification of health and fitness apps as a potential component of influence on a consumer's health behavior. An analysis of health and fitness apps related to physical activity and diet was conducted among apps in the Apple App Store in the winter of 2014. This analysis reviewed a sample of 132 apps for the 10 effective game elements, the 6 core components of health gamification, and 13 core health behavior constructs. A regression analysis was conducted in order to measure the correlation between health behavior constructs, gamification components, and effective game elements. This review of the most popular apps showed widespread use of gamification principles, but low adherence to any professional guidelines or industry standard. Regression analysis showed that game elements were associated with gamification (Pgamification (Pgamification was only associated with composite motivational behavior scores (Pgamification use in health and fitness apps, and the potential to impact health behavior. The results show that use of gamification in health and fitness apps has become immensely popular, as evidenced by the number of apps found in the Apple App Store containing at least some components of gamification. This shows a lack of integrating important elements of behavioral theory from the app industry, which can potentially impact the efficacy of gamification apps to change behavior. Apps represent a very promising, burgeoning market and landscape in which to disseminate health behavior change interventions. Initial results show an abundant use of gamification in health and

Evaluating the Dietary and Nutritional Apps in the Google Play Store.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumer, Harleigh; Amadi, Chioma; Joshi, Ashish

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the features of diet and nutrition apps available in the Google Play Store. A search was conducted in August 2017 using the Google Play Store database to identify apps related to diet and nutrition. Terms entered into the app search engine included 'diet apps' and 'nutrition apps'. The first 50 apps resulting from each search term was assessed. Duplicates were removed, and a comparative analysis was performed on the remaining diet and nutrition apps. A total of 86 diet and nutrition apps were identified. One hundred percent (n = 86) of the apps retrieved were freely available. More than half of the apps were applicable to a target user group of all ages (94%, n = 81). Stratified analysis across unique diet and nutrition apps (total, n = 72) showed a higher average rating for the diet apps (4.4) in comparison to that for the nutrition apps (4.3). Diet apps were more likely to be recently updated than the nutrition apps (72% vs. 66%), and diet apps were more likely to feature app purchase than nutrition apps (36% vs. 19%). The average rating was slightly higher for diet apps not featuring in-app purchases, but ratings were similar for the nutrition apps. A centralized resource is needed that can provide information on health-related apps to allow for systematic evaluation of their effectiveness. Further research needs to examine improved methods of designing app-store platforms and presenting the available apps to properly guide users in app selection.

Mindfulness-Based Symptom and Stress Management Apps for Adults With Chronic Lung Disease: Systematic Search in App Stores.

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Otis L; Beer, Jenay M; Reyes, Ligia I; Gallerani, David G; Myhren-Bennett, Amanda R; McDonnell, Karen K

2018-05-15

Up to 70% of lung cancer survivors are affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common, debilitating, comorbid disease. Lung cancer and COPD are both characterized by symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and psychological distress. These distressing chronic symptoms are exacerbated by stress and detract from an individual's quality of life. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate evidence-based, commercially available apps for promoting mindfulness-based strategies among adults with a COPD or lung cancer history (ie, chronic lung disease). For this review, an interdisciplinary research team used 19 keyword combinations in the search engines of Google and iOS app stores in May 2017. Evaluations were conducted on the apps' (1) content, (2) usability heuristics, (3) grade-level readability, and (4) cultural sensitivity. The search resulted in 768 apps (508 in iOS and 260 in Google stores). A total of 9 apps met the inclusion criteria and received further evaluation. Only 1 app had below an eighth-grade reading level; the ninth one did not have enough text to calculate a readability score. None of the 9 apps met the cultural sensitivity evaluation criteria. This systematic review identified critical design flaws that may affect the ease of using the apps in this study. Few mobile apps promote mindfulness-based strategies among adults with chronic lung disease (ie, COPD or lung cancer or both), but those that exist, overall, do not meet the latest scientific evidence. Recommendations include more stringent regulation of health-related apps, use of evidence-based frameworks and participatory design processes, following evidence-based usability practices, use of culturally sensitive language and images, and ensuring that content is written in plain language. ©Otis L Owens, Jenay M Beer, Ligia I Reyes, David G Gallerani, Amanda R Myhren-Bennett, Karen K McDonnell. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http

Organization and Biology of the Porcine Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Gene Cluster: Isoform Specific Responses to Bacterial Infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Helle G; Skovgaard, Kerstin; Nielsen, Ole L

2013-01-01

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a prominent acute phase protein. Although its biological functions are debated, the wide species distribution of highly homologous SAA proteins and their uniform behavior in response to injury or inflammation in itself suggests a significant role for this protein. The pig...... is increasingly being used as a model for the study of inflammatory reactions, yet only little is known about how specific SAA genes are regulated in the pig during acute phase responses and other responses induced by pro-inflammatory host mediators. We designed SAA gene specific primers and quantified the gene...... expression of porcine SAA1, SAA2, SAA3, and SAA4 by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in liver, spleen, and lung tissue from pigs experimentally infected with the Gram-negative swine specific bacterium Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, as well as from pigs experimentally...

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Is There an App for That? Suitability Assessment of Apps for Children and Young People With ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Lauren; Parker, Jack; Robertson, Naomi; Harpin, Valerie

2017-10-04

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex highly comorbid disorder, which can have a huge impact on those with ADHD, their family, and the community around them. ADHD is currently managed using pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions. However, with advances in technology and an increase in the use of mobile apps, managing ADHD can be augmented using apps specifically designed for this population. However, little is known regarding the suitability and usability of currently available apps. The aim of this study was to explore the suitability of the top 10 listed apps for children and young people with ADHD and clinicians who work with them. It is hypothesized that mobile apps designed for this population could be more suitably designed for this population. The top 10 listed apps that are specifically targeted toward children and young people with ADHD in the United Kingdom were identified via the Google Play (n=5) and iTunes store (n=5). Interviews were then undertaken with 5 clinicians who specialize in treating this population and 5 children and young people with ADHD themselves, to explore their opinions of the 10 apps identified and what they believe the key components are for apps to be suitable for this population. Five themes emerged from clinician and young people interviews: the accessibility of the technology, the importance of relating to apps, addressing ADHD symptoms and related difficulties, age appropriateness, and app interaction. Three additional themes emerged from the clinician interviews alone: monitoring symptoms, side effects and app effect on relationships, and the impact of common comorbid conditions. The characteristics of the apps did not appear to match well with the views of our sample. These findings suggest that the apps may not be suitable in meeting the complex needs associated with this condition. Further research is required to explore the value of apps for children and young people with ADHD and

Security Concerns in Android mHealth Apps

OpenAIRE

He, Dongjing; Naveed, Muhammad; Gunter, Carl A.; Nahrstedt, Klara

2014-01-01

Mobile Health (mHealth) applications lie outside of regulatory protection such as HIPAA, which requires a baseline of privacy and security protections appropriate to sensitive medical data. However, mHealth apps, particularly those in the app stores for iOS and Android, are increasingly handling sensitive data for both professionals and patients. This paper presents a series of three studies of the mHealth apps in Google Play that show that mHealth apps make widespread use of unsecured Intern...

Phylogeny of 54 representative strains of species in the family Pasteurellaceae as determined by comparison of 16S rRNA sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Dewhirst, F E; Paster, B J; Olsen, I; Fraser, G J

1992-03-01

Virtually complete 16S rRNA sequences were determined for 54 representative strains of species in the family Pasteurellaceae. Of these strains, 15 were Pasteurella, 16 were Actinobacillus, and 23 were Haemophilus. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on sequence similarity, using the Neighbor-Joining method. Fifty-three of the strains fell within four large clusters. The first cluster included the type strains of Haemophilus influenzae, H. aegyptius, H. aphrophilus, H. haemolyticus, H. paraphrophilus, H. segnis, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. This cluster also contained A. actinomycetemcomitans FDC Y4, ATCC 29522, ATCC 29523, and ATCC 29524 and H. aphrophilus NCTC 7901. The second cluster included the type strains of A. seminis and Pasteurella aerogenes and H. somnus OVCG 43826. The third cluster was composed of the type strains of Pasteurella multocida, P. anatis, P. avium, P. canis, P. dagmatis, P. gallinarum, P. langaa, P. stomatis, P. volantium, H. haemoglobinophilus, H. parasuis, H. paracuniculus, H. paragallinarum, and A. capsulatus. This cluster also contained Pasteurella species A CCUG 18782, Pasteurella species B CCUG 19974, Haemophilus taxon C CAPM 5111, H. parasuis type 5 Nagasaki, P. volantium (H. parainfluenzae) NCTC 4101, and P. trehalosi NCTC 10624. The fourth cluster included the type strains of Actinobacillus lignieresii, A. equuli, A. pleuropneumoniae, A. suis, A. ureae, H. parahaemolyticus, H. parainfluenzae, H. paraphrohaemolyticus, H. ducreyi, and P. haemolytica. This cluster also contained Actinobacillus species strain CCUG 19799 (Bisgaard taxon 11), A. suis ATCC 15557, H. ducreyi ATCC 27722 and HD 35000, Haemophilus minor group strain 202, and H. parainfluenzae ATCC 29242. The type strain of P. pneumotropica branched alone to form a fifth group. The branching of the Pasteurellaceae family tree was quite complex. The four major clusters contained multiple subclusters. The clusters contained both rapidly and slowly evolving

Instant Citrix XenApp

CERN Document Server

Mallett, Andrew

2013-01-01

Get to grips with a new technology, understand what it is and what it can do for you, and then get to work with the most important features and tasks. This book is a great tool to quickly learn and explore the features offered by XenApp 6.5.Windows system administrators who want a quick lesson on how to install and configure XenApp.

Adherence to evidence-based guidelines among diabetes self-management apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Breland, Jessica Y; Yeh, Vivian M; Yu, Jessica

2013-09-01

Smartphone apps can provide real-time, interactive self-management aid to individuals with diabetes. It is currently unclear whether existing diabetes self-management apps follow evidence-based guidelines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which existing diabetes self-management apps address the seven self-management behaviors recommended by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (the AADE7™). The term "diabetes" identified relevant self-management apps via the Apple App Store search engine in March 2012. Ratings were based on app descriptions and downloads. Chi-square analyses assessed differences in apps based on developer type. Apps promoted a median of two AADE7™ skills. Overall reliability between description and download ratings was good (kappa = .66). Reliability of individual skills was variable (kappa = .25 to .91). Most diabetes apps do not conform to evidence-based recommendations, and future app reviews would benefit from testing app performance. Future apps may also benefit from theory-based designs.

iPad apps for orthopedic surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Franko, Orrin I; Bhola, Siddharth

2011-12-01

The development and distribution of mobile applications, or apps, designed for medical professionals and patients is quickly expanding, and within this group are apps designed specifically for orthopedic use. Currently, the most popular mobile apps are sponsored by private companies and focus on delivering device-specific information. If this trend toward the use of privately funded educational materials continues, regulations may need to be established to ensure that the information provided is accurate, honest, and supported by peer-reviewed literature. It will likely be the responsibility of the orthopedic community to ensure that the development and use of these apps has appropriate oversight and validation as they are incorporated into clinical practice and training. Copyright © 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Android app development for dummies

CERN Document Server

Burton, Michael

2015-01-01

The updated edition of the bestselling guide to Android app development If you have ambitions to build an Android app, this hands-on guide gives you everything you need to dig into the development process and turn your great idea into a reality! In this new edition of Android App Development For Dummies, you'll find easy-to-follow access to the latest programming techniques that take advantage of the new features of the Android operating system. Plus, two programs are provided: a simple program to get you started and an intermediate program that uses more advanced aspects of the Android plat

Mobile Apps for Weight Management: A Scoping Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, Jordan; McPherson, Amy; Hamilton, Jill; Birken, Catherine; Coons, Michael; Iyer, Sindoora; Agarwal, Arnav; Lalloo, Chitra; Stinson, Jennifer

2016-07-26

Obesity remains a major public health concern. Mobile apps for weight loss/management are found to be effective for improving health outcomes in adults and adolescents, and are pursued as a cost-effective and scalable intervention for combating overweight and obesity. In recent years, the commercial market for 'weight loss apps' has expanded at rapid pace, yet little is known regarding the evidence-based quality of these tools for weight control. To characterize the inclusion of evidence-based strategies, health care expert involvement, and scientific evaluation of commercial mobile apps for weight loss/management. An electronic search was conducted between July 2014 and July 2015 of the official app stores for four major mobile operating systems. Three raters independently identified apps with a stated goal of weight loss/management, as well as weight loss/management apps targeted to pediatric users. All discrepancies regarding selection were resolved through discussion with a fourth rater. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard assessment criteria form and the evidence-based strategies, health care expert involvement, and scientific evaluation of included apps was assessed. Evidence-based strategies included: self-monitoring, goal-setting, physical activity support, healthy eating support, weight and/or health assessment, personalized feedback, motivational strategies, and social support. A total of 393 apps were included in this review. Self-monitoring was most common (139/393, 35.3%), followed by physical activity support (108/393, 27.5%), weight assessment (100/393, 25.4%), healthy eating support (91/393, 23.2%), goal-setting (84/393, 21.4%), motivational strategies (28/393, 7.1%), social support (21/393, 5.3%), and personalized feedback (7/393, 1.8%). Of apps, 0.8% (3/393) underwent scientific evaluation and 0.3% (1/393) reported health care expert involvement. No apps were comprehensive in the assessment criteria, with the majority

Capitalizing on App Development Tools and Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Luterbach, Kenneth J.; Hubbell, Kenneth R.

2015-01-01

Instructional developers and others creating apps must choose from a wide variety of app development tools and technologies. Some app development tools have incorporated visual programming features, which enable some drag and drop coding and contextual programming. While those features help novices begin programming with greater ease, questions…

Smartphone apps for spinal surgery: is technology good or evil?

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Greg A J; Wong, Seng Juong; Brady, Richard R; Subramanian, Ashok S

2016-05-01

The increased utilization of smartphones together with their downloadable applications (apps) provides opportunity for doctors, including spinal surgeons, to integrate such technology into clinical practice. However, the clinical reliability of the medical app sector remains questionable. We reviewed available apps themed specifically towards spinal surgery and related conditions and assessed the level of medical professional involvement in their design and content. The most popular smartphone app stores (Android, Apple, Blackberry, Windows, Samsung, Nokia) were searched for spinal surgery-themed apps, using the disease terms Spinal Surgery, Back Surgery, Spine, Disc Prolapse, Sciatica, Radiculopathy, Spinal Stenosis, Scoliosis, Spinal Fracture and Spondylolisthesis. A total of 78 individual spinal surgery themed apps were identified, of which there were six duplicates (N = 72). According to app store classifications, there were 57 (79 %) medical themed apps, 11 (15 %) health and fitness themed apps, 1 (1 %) business and 3 (4 %) education themed apps. Forty-five (63 %) apps were available for download free of charge. For those that charged access, the prices ranged from £0.62 to £47.99. Only 44 % of spinal surgery apps had customer satisfaction ratings and 56 % had named medical professional involvement in their development or content. This is the first study to specifically address the characteristics of apps related to spinal surgery. We found that nearly half of spinal surgery apps had no named medical professional involvement, raising concerns over app content and evidence base for their use. We recommend increased regulation of spinal surgical apps to improve the accountability of app content.

Security Concerns in Android mHealth Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Dongjing; Naveed, Muhammad; Gunter, Carl A; Nahrstedt, Klara

2014-01-01

Mobile Health (mHealth) applications lie outside of regulatory protection such as HIPAA, which requires a baseline of privacy and security protections appropriate to sensitive medical data. However, mHealth apps, particularly those in the app stores for iOS and Android, are increasingly handling sensitive data for both professionals and patients. This paper presents a series of three studies of the mHealth apps in Google Play that show that mHealth apps make widespread use of unsecured Internet communications and third party servers. Both of these practices would be considered problematic under HIPAA, suggesting that increased use of mHealth apps could lead to less secure treatment of health data unless mHealth vendors make improvements in the way they communicate and store data.

Pro iOS Geo building apps with location based services

CERN Document Server

Andreucci, Giacomo

2013-01-01

Deepen your app development skills with Pro iOS Geo. This book shows you how to use geolocation-based tools to enhance the iOS apps you develop. Author Giacomo Andreucci describes different ways to integrate geo services, depending on the kind of app you're looking to develop: a web app, a hybrid app, or a native app. You'll discover how to use the Google Maps API features to integrate powerful geo capabilities in your apps with a little effort. You'll learn how to: Design geographic features for your apps while respecting usability criteria Design touristic geo apps Use HTML5 and the Google M

Quality Assessment of Medical Apps that Target Medication-Related Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Loy, John Shiguang; Ali, Eskinder Eshetu; Yap, Kevin Yi-Lwern

2016-10-01

The advent of smartphones has enabled a plethora of medical apps for disease management. As of 2012, there are 40,000 health care-related mobile apps available in the market. Since most of these medical apps do not go through any stringent quality assessment, there is a risk of consumers being misinformed or misled by unreliable information. In this regard, apps that target medication-related problems (MRPs) are not an exception. There is little information on what constitutes quality in apps that target MRPs and how good the existing apps are. To develop a quality assessment tool for evaluating apps that target MRPs and assess the quality of such apps available in the major mobile app stores (iTunes and Google Play). The top 100 free and paid apps in the medical categories of iTunes and Google Play stores (total of 400 apps) were screened for inclusion in the final analysis. English language apps that targeted MRPs were downloaded on test devices to evaluate their quality. Apps intended for clinicians, patients, or both were eligible for evaluation. The quality assessment tool consisted of 4 sections (appropriateness, reliability, usability, privacy), which determined the overall quality of the apps. Apps that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were classified based on the presence of any 1 or more of the 5 features considered important for apps targeting MRPs (monitoring, interaction checker, dose calculator, medication information, medication record). Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney tests were used for analysis. Final analysis was based on 59 apps that fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. Apps with interaction checker (66.9%) and monitoring features (54.8%) had the highest and lowest overall qualities. Paid apps generally scored higher for usability than free apps (P = 0.006) but lower for privacy (P = 0.003). Half of the interaction checker apps were unable to detect interactions with herbal medications. Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring apps

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There's An App for That.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, Daniel J; Jamison, Nathan K; Martin, Andrew; Delgado, Jose; Kman, Nicholas E

2015-10-01

Smartphone applications (or apps) are becoming increasingly popular with emergency responders and health care providers, as well as the public as a whole. There are thousands of medical apps available for Smartphones and tablet computers, with more added each day. These include apps to view textbooks, guidelines, medication databases, medical calculators, and radiology images. Hypothesis/Problem With an ever expanding catalog of apps that relate to disaster medicine, it is hard for both the lay public and responders to know where to turn for effective Smartphone apps. A systematic review of these apps was conducted. A search of the Apple iTunes store (Version 12; Apple Inc.; Cupertino, California USA) was performed using the following terms obtained from the PubMed Medical Subject Headings Database: Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Responders, Disaster, Disaster Planning, Disaster Medicine, Bioterrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Hazardous Materials (HazMat), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After excluding any unrelated apps, a working list of apps was formed and categorized based on topics. Apps were grouped based on applicability to responders, the lay public, or regional preparedness, and were then ranked based on iTunes user reviews, value, relevance to audience, and user interface. This search revealed 683 applications and was narrowed to 219 based on relevance to the field. After grouping the apps as described above, and subsequently ranking them, the highest quality apps were determined from each group. The Community Emergency Response Teams and FEMA had the best apps for National Disaster Medical System responders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had high-quality apps for emergency responders in a variety of fields. The National Library of Medicine's Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) app was an excellent app for HazMat responders. The American Red Cross had the most useful apps for natural

Just a Fad? Gamification in Health and Fitness Apps

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Gamification has been a predominant focus of the health app industry in recent years. However, to our knowledge, there has yet to be a review of gamification elements in relation to health behavior constructs, or insight into the true proliferation of gamification in health apps. Objective The objective of this study was to identify the extent to which gamification is used in health apps, and analyze gamification of health and fitness apps as a potential component of influence on a consumer’s health behavior. Methods An analysis of health and fitness apps related to physical activity and diet was conducted among apps in the Apple App Store in the winter of 2014. This analysis reviewed a sample of 132 apps for the 10 effective game elements, the 6 core components of health gamification, and 13 core health behavior constructs. A regression analysis was conducted in order to measure the correlation between health behavior constructs, gamification components, and effective game elements. Results This review of the most popular apps showed widespread use of gamification principles, but low adherence to any professional guidelines or industry standard. Regression analysis showed that game elements were associated with gamification (P<.001). Behavioral theory was associated with gamification (P<.05), but not game elements, and upon further analysis gamification was only associated with composite motivational behavior scores (P<.001), and not capacity or opportunity/trigger. Conclusions This research, to our knowledge, represents the first comprehensive review of gamification use in health and fitness apps, and the potential to impact health behavior. The results show that use of gamification in health and fitness apps has become immensely popular, as evidenced by the number of apps found in the Apple App Store containing at least some components of gamification. This shows a lack of integrating important elements of behavioral theory from the app industry

Commercially available mobile phone headache diary apps: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hundert, Amos S; Huguet, Anna; McGrath, Patrick J; Stinson, Jennifer N; Wheaton, Mike

2014-08-19

Headache diaries are often used by headache sufferers to self-monitor headaches. With advances in mobile technology, mobile electronic diary apps are becoming increasingly common. This review aims to identify and evaluate all commercially available mobile headache diary apps for the two most popular mobile phone platforms, iOS and Android. The authors developed a priori a set of 7 criteria that define an ideal headache diary app intended to help headache sufferers better understand and manage their headaches, while providing relevant data to health professionals. The app criteria were intended as minimum requirements for an acceptable headache diary app that could be prescribed by health care professionals. Each app was evaluated and scored against each criterion. Of the 38 apps identified, none of the apps met all 7 app criteria. The 3 highest scoring apps, meeting 5 of the app criteria, were iHeadache (developed by Better QOL), ecoHeadache (developed by ecoTouchMedia), and Headache Diary Pro (developed by Froggyware). Only 18% of the apps were created with scientific or clinical headache expertise and none of the apps reported on psychometric properties. Despite the growing market and demand, there is a concerning lack of scientific expertise and evidence base associated with headache diary apps.

Review and Evaluation of Mindfulness-Based iPhone Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Mani, Madhavan; Kavanagh, David J; Hides, Leanne; Stoyanov, Stoyan R

2015-08-19

There is growing evidence for the positive impact of mindfulness on wellbeing. Mindfulness-based mobile apps may have potential as an alternative delivery medium for training. While there are hundreds of such apps, there is little information on their quality. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of mindfulness-based iPhone mobile apps and to evaluate their quality using a recently-developed expert rating scale, the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). It also aimed to describe features of selected high-quality mindfulness apps. A search for "mindfulness" was conducted in iTunes and Google Apps Marketplace. Apps that provided mindfulness training and education were included. Those containing only reminders, timers or guided meditation tracks were excluded. An expert rater reviewed and rated app quality using the MARS engagement, functionality, visual aesthetics, information quality and subjective quality subscales. A second rater provided MARS ratings on 30% of the apps for inter-rater reliability purposes. The "mindfulness" search identified 700 apps. However, 94 were duplicates, 6 were not accessible and 40 were not in English. Of the remaining 560, 23 apps met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The median MARS score was 3.2 (out of 5.0), which exceeded the minimum acceptable score (3.0). The Headspace app had the highest average score (4.0), followed by Smiling Mind (3.7), iMindfulness (3.5) and Mindfulness Daily (3.5). There was a high level of inter-rater reliability between the two MARS raters. Though many apps claim to be mindfulness-related, most were guided meditation apps, timers, or reminders. Very few had high ratings on the MARS subscales of visual aesthetics, engagement, functionality or information quality. Little evidence is available on the efficacy of the apps in developing mindfulness.

Hippocampal network oscillations in APP/APLP2-deficient mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaomin Zhang

Full Text Available The physiological function of amyloid precursor protein (APP and its two homologues APP-like protein 1 (APLP1 and 2 (APLP2 is largely unknown. Previous work suggests that lack of APP or APLP2 impairs synaptic plasticity and spatial learning. There is, however, almost no data on the role of APP or APLP at the network level which forms a critical interface between cellular functions and behavior. We have therefore investigated memory-related synaptic and network functions in hippocampal slices from three lines of transgenic mice: APPsα-KI (mice expressing extracellular fragment of APP, corresponding to the secreted APPsα ectodomain, APLP2-KO, and combined APPsα-KI/APLP2-KO (APPsα-DM for "double mutants". We analyzed two prominent patterns of network activity, gamma oscillations and sharp-wave ripple complexes (SPW-R. Both patterns were generally preserved in all strains. We find, however, a significantly reduced frequency of gamma oscillations in CA3 of APLP2-KO mice in comparison to APPsα-KI and WT mice. Network activity, basic synaptic transmission and short-term plasticity were unaltered in the combined mutants (APPsα-DM which showed, however, reduced long-term potentiation (LTP. Together, our data indicate that APLP2 and the intracellular domain of APP are not essential for coherent activity patterns in the hippocampus, but have subtle effects on synaptic plasticity and fine-tuning of network oscillations.

WhatsApp in Clinical Practice: A Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mars, Maurice; Scott, Richard E

2016-01-01

Several spontaneous telemedicine services using WhatsApp Messenger have started in South Africa raising issues of confidentiality, data security and storage, record keeping and reporting. This study reviewed the literature on WhatsApp in clinical practice, to determine how it is used, and users' satisfaction. Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct and IEE Expert databases were searched using the search term WhatsApp and Google Scholar using the terms WhatsApp Telemedicine and WhatsApp mHealth. Thirty-two papers covering 17 disciplines were relevant with the most papers, 12, from India. Seventeen papers reported the use of WhatsApp Groups within departments, 14 of which were surgery related disciplines. Groups improved communication and advice given on patient management. Confidentiality was mentioned in 19 papers and consent in five. Data security was partially addressed in 11 papers with little understanding of how data are transmitted and stored. Telemedicine services outside of departmental groups were reported in seven papers and covered emergency triage in maxillofacial, plastic, neuro and general surgery, and cardiology and telestroke. WhatsApp is seen to be a simple, cheap and effective means of communication within the clinical health sector and its use will grow. Users have paid little attention to confidentiality, consent and data security. Guidelines for using WhatsApp for telemedicine are required including downloading. WhatsApp messages to computer for integration with electronic medical records.

Security Concerns in Android mHealth Apps

Science.gov (United States)

He, Dongjing; Naveed, Muhammad; Gunter, Carl A.; Nahrstedt, Klara

2014-01-01

Mobile Health (mHealth) applications lie outside of regulatory protection such as HIPAA, which requires a baseline of privacy and security protections appropriate to sensitive medical data. However, mHealth apps, particularly those in the app stores for iOS and Android, are increasingly handling sensitive data for both professionals and patients. This paper presents a series of three studies of the mHealth apps in Google Play that show that mHealth apps make widespread use of unsecured Internet communications and third party servers. Both of these practices would be considered problematic under HIPAA, suggesting that increased use of mHealth apps could lead to less secure treatment of health data unless mHealth vendors make improvements in the way they communicate and store data. PMID:25954370

App Use in Psychiatric Education: A Medical Student Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Cecilia; Kolli, Venkata

2017-02-01

The objective of the study is to understand and appraise app use by medical students during their clerkships. Following Creighton University IRB approval, a voluntary and anonymous paper-based, 15-question survey was distributed to third-year medical students. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Of 112 medical students available, 76.7% (86) participated in the survey. All participants owned a smartphone or tablet with 84.9% using Apple iOS, followed by 12.8% using Android platform. Students reported using the fewest number of apps during surgery, psychiatry, and obstetrics and gynecology clerkships. The largest number of apps were used during the internal medicine rotation (70.3%). The three most popular apps were Epocrates, UpToDate, and UWorld. The most common uses for these apps were as references during the clerkship, followed by improving knowledge, and test taking. Perceived major benefits included accessibility (96% of student respondents) and interactivity (39.5%). Common apps used during the psychiatry clerkship included UpToDate (71%), Epocrates (51%), and Medscape (43%). Despite less frequent app use during their psychiatry clerkship, 90% felt there was a utility for educational apps in psychiatric education. Consistent with the previous literature on medical students preferring educational apps, students suggest developers focus on question bank-type apps, followed by clinical support-focused and self-directed case-based learning apps for psychiatry clerkship learning. Educators should factor these modes of educational delivery into future educational app development. This survey shows a high degree of smartphone and tablet use among medical students, and they attest to mobile phone app utility in psychiatric education.

Medical apps in endocrine diseases - hide and seek.

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, Urs-Vito; von Jan, Ute

2014-04-01

Quantitative review and categorization of available endocrinology related mobile apps for the iOS platform (Apple®) and outline of search strategies to identify appropriate mobile apps for this field. A total of 80 endocrinology related search terms were collected and grouped into 8 main categories covering different areas of endocrinology. These terms were then used to perform comprehensive searches in three categories of Apple's app store, namely 'Medicine', 'Health and Fitness', and 'Reference'. Altogether, matches were found for only 33 of the 80 collected endocrinology related search terms; the majority of matches were found in the medical category, followed by matches for the health and fitness (27/33), and reference (16/33) categories. Restricting the search to these categories significantly helped in discriminating between health related apps and those having another purpose. The distribution of apps per category roughly matches what one can expect considering available data for incidence and prevalence of corresponding endocrinological conditions. Apps matching terms belonging to the spectrum of glucose homeostasis disorders are the most common. For conditions where patients do not have to constantly monitor their condition, apps tend to have a reference or educational character, while for conditions that require a high level of involvement from patients, there are proportionally more apps for self-management. With a single exception, the identified apps had not undergone regulation, and information about the data sources, professional backgrounds, and reliability of the content and integrated information sources was rare. While applying a good search strategy is important for finding apps for endocrinology related problems, users also need to consider whether the app they have found respects all necessary criteria regarding reliability, privacy and data protection before they place their trust in it.

CERN Apps meet in a forum

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2013-01-01

In the fast-evolving world of mobile apps, creativity and usability are key words. For the time being, the number of CERN apps is quite limited but the situation could quickly change. An information-sharing forum set up by the IT Department is a starting point to channel your creativity with the help of experts, best practices and useful guidelines.   The CAPPS (CERN Apps) Forum was set up about a year ago. Its members come from various departments and meet every two or three months to update each other on the apps that are in preparation, share the latest news on the available software, discuss best practices and so on. “The Forum is open to anybody wanting to develop apps at CERN,” explains David Foster, Deputy Department Head and initiator of the CAPPS Forum. “Developers, communication experts and IT infrastructure experts meet and discuss various topics, from branding-related issues to coding and implementation solutions. The aim is to go forward in a coherent way...

Be smart: Download the app!

CERN Multimedia

Katarina Anthony

2013-01-01

What’s the closest snack point to the CLIC test facility? How do you get from your current location to SM18? How do you enter the CERN Open Days photo contest? Finding out is simple: there’s an app for that!   The CERN Open Days app is your personal guide to the Laboratory. Developed by expert volunteers from the IT Department, the app provides comprehensive practical information on CERN transport, shops, snack points and toilet facilities along with detailed location information and event timetables. You can also favourite the sites, activities and lectures you plan to see, and tick them off as you go along. More information here.

Photo Apps -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — Images of various facilities used as a tool to eliminate travel time and for immediate access to concerned areas. App thumbnails images 4 per row and allows the user...

Airport Surface Access and Mobile Apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Martin-Domingo

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Airport Surface Access faces two main opposite issues: (1 cars, being the main transport mode, contribute to the increasing level of congestion and pollution of cities; and (2 simultaneously, parking fees are one important source of airports commercial revenue, creating a dilemma for airports when facing the problem. Following the recent trend of air passengers travelling with Smartphone (78% in 2013, the purpose of this paper is to monitor the adoption of mobile Applications (Apps by airports and to analyze if the information and functions provided in those Apps can help to overcome the above two issues. Design/methodology/approach: 31 iPhone App of some of the largest European airports were evaluated in the lab using the evaluation model of Destinations Mobile Applications (Scolari and Fernández-Cavia 2014 adapted for for the Airport Surface Access on Airport Apps Findings and Originality/value: The Apps evaluated provided a very limited functionality to help passengers to plan and book their trips to/from the airports on public transports and gave high priority to parking information and services. Originality/value: Although Airport Surface Access has been a widely researched, the originality of this paper is the analysis of airport mobile Apps as a potential tool for airports to deal with the surface airport access problems.Access, Airports, Mobile Internet, Commercial Revenues

Apps for Hearing Science and Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Paglialonga, Alessia; Tognola, Gabriella; Pinciroli, Francesco

2015-09-01

Our research aims at the identification and assessment of applications (referred to as apps) in the hearing health care domain. This research forum article presents an overview of the current availability, affordability, and variety of hearing-related apps. The available apps were reviewed by searching on the leading platforms (iOS, Android, Windows Phone stores) using the keywords hearing, audiology, audio, auditory, speech, language, tinnitus, hearing loss, hearing aid, hearing sys tem, cochlear implant, implantable device, auditory training, hearing rehabilitation, and assistive technology/tool/device. O n the bas is of the offered services, apps were classified into 4 application domains: (a) screening and assessment, (b) intervention and rehabilitation, (c) education and information, and (d) assistive tools. A large variety of apps are available in the hearing health care domain. These cover a wide range of services for people with hearing or communication problems as well as for hearing professionals, families, or informal caregivers. This evolution can potentially bring along considerable advantages and improved outcomes in the field of hearing health care. Nevertheless, potential risks and threats (e.g., safety, quality, effectiveness, privacy, and regulation) should not be overlooked. Significant research—particularly in terms of assessment and guidance—is still needed for the informed, aware, and safe adoption of hearing-related apps by patients and professionals.

A phonology-free mobile communication app.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondapalli, Ananya; Zhang, Lee R; Patel, Shreya; Han, Xiao; Kim, Hee Jin; Li, Xintong; Altschuler, Eric L

2016-11-01

Aphasia - loss of comprehension or expression of language - is a devastating functional sequela of stroke. There are as yet no effective methods for rehabilitation of aphasia. An assistive device that allows aphasia patients to communicate and interact at speeds approaching real time is urgently needed. Behavioral and linguistic studies of aphasia patients show that they retain normal thinking processes and most aspects of language. They lack only phonology: the ability to translate (input) and/or output sounds (or written words) such as "ta-ble" into the image of a four-legged object with a top at which one works or eats. We have made a phonology-free communication mobile app that may be useful for patients with aphasia and other communication disorders. Particular innovations of our app include calling Google Images as a "subroutine" to allow a near-infinite number of choices (e.g. food or clothing items) for patients without having to make countless images, and by the use of animation for words, phrases or concepts that cannot be represented by a single image. We have tested our app successfully in one patient. The app may be of great benefit to patients with aphasia and other communication disorders. Implications for Rehabilitation We have made a phonology-free mobile communication app. This app may facilitate communication for patients with aphasia and other communication disorders.

Succinic acid production from acid hydrolysate of corn fiber by Actinobacillus succinogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kequan; Jiang, Min; Wei, Ping; Yao, Jiaming; Wu, Hao

2010-01-01

Dilute acid hydrolysate of corn fiber was used as carbon source for the production of succinic acid by Actinobacillus succinogenes NJ113. The optimized hydrolysis conditions were obtained by orthogonal experiments. When corn fiber particles were of 20 mesh in size and treated with 1.0% sulfuric acid at 121 degrees C for 2 h, the total sugar yield could reach 63.3%. It was found that CaCO(3) neutralization combined with activated carbon adsorption was an effective method to remove fermentation inhibitors especially furfural that presented in the acid hydrolysate of corn fiber. Only 5.2% of the total sugar was lost, while 91.9% of furfural was removed. The yield of succinic acid was higher than 72.0% with the detoxified corn fiber hydrolysate as the carbon source in anaerobic bottles or 7.5 L fermentor cultures. It was proved that the corn fiber hydrolysate could be an alternative to glucose for the production of succinic acid by A. succinogenes NJ113.

A Framework to Assist Health Professionals in Recommending High-Quality Apps for Supporting Chronic Disease Self-Management: Illustrative Assessment of Type 2 Diabetes Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, Kelli; Capra, Sandra; Bauer, Judith

2015-09-14

This paper presents an approach to assist health professionals in recommending high quality apps for supporting chronic disease self-management. Most app reviews focus on popularity, aesthetics, functionality, usability, and information quality. There is no doubt these factors are important in selecting trustworthy apps which are appealing to users, but behavioral theory may be also be useful in matching the apps to user needs. The framework developed aims to be methodologically sound, capable of selecting popular apps which include content covered by evidence-based programs, consistent with behavioral theory, as well as a patient-centered approach for matching apps to patients' individual needs. A single disease-type 2 diabetes-was selected to illustrate how the framework can be applied as this was deemed to represent the types of strategies used in many chronic diseases. A systematic approach based on behavioral theory and recommendations from best practice guidelines was developed for matching apps to patients' needs. In March 2014, a series of search strategies was used to identify top-rated iPhone and Android health apps, representing 29 topics from five categories of type 2 diabetes self-management strategies. The topics were chosen from published international guidelines for the management of diabetes. The senior author (KH) assessed the most popular apps found that addressed these topics using the Behavioral Theory Content Survey (BTS), which is based on traditional behavioral theory. A tool to assist decision making when using apps was developed and trialed with health professionals for ease of use and understanding. A total of 14 apps were assessed representing all five topic categories of self-management. Total theoretical scores (BTS scores) were less than 50 on a 100-point scale for all apps. Each app scored less than 50% of the total possible BTS score for all four behavioral theories and for most of the 20 behavioral strategies; however, apps scored

Instant EdgeSight for XenApp

CERN Document Server

Hasan, Vaqar

2013-01-01

Filled with practical, step-by-step instructions and clear explanations for the most important and useful tasks. Instant EdgeSight for XenApp is a practical, hands-on guide that contains instruction-based examples from basic to advanced level topics. Instant EdgeSight for XenApp will serve as an excellent source of information for Citrix XenApp professionals and novices alike. It is assumed that readers have experience working with Citrix products and have some sort of familiarity with monitoring.

Application of low-cost methodologies for mobile phone app development.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Melvyn; Cheow, Enquan; Ho, Cyrus Sh; Ng, Beng Yeong; Ho, Roger; Cheok, Christopher Cheng Soon

2014-12-09

The usage of mobile phones and mobile phone apps in the recent decade has indeed become more prevalent. Previous research has highlighted a method of using just the Internet browser and a text editor to create an app, but this does not eliminate the challenges faced by clinicians. More recently, two methodologies of app development have been shared, but there has not been any disclosures pertaining to the costs involved. In addition, limitations such as the distribution and dissemination of the apps have not been addressed. The aims of this research article are to: (1) highlight a low-cost methodology that clinicians without technical knowledge could use to develop educational apps; (2) clarify the respective costs involved in the process of development; (3) illustrate how limitations pertaining to dissemination could be addressed; and (4) to report initial utilization data of the apps and to share initial users' self-rated perception of the apps. In this study, we will present two techniques of how to create a mobile app using two of the well-established online mobile app building websites. The costs of development are specified and the methodology of dissemination of the apps will be shared. The application of the low-cost methodologies in the creation of the "Mastering Psychiatry" app for undergraduates and "Déjà vu" app for postgraduates will be discussed. A questionnaire survey has been administered to undergraduate students collating their perceptions towards the app. For the Mastering Psychiatry app, a cumulative total of 722 users have used the mobile app since inception, based on our analytics. For the Déjà vu app, there has been a cumulative total of 154 downloads since inception. The utilization data demonstrated the receptiveness towards these apps, and this is reinforced by the positive perceptions undergraduate students (n=185) had towards the low-cost self-developed apps. This is one of the few studies that have demonstrated the low

Tracking of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in subgingival plaque of aggressive periodontitis patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Supriya Kheur

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is thought to be one of the etiological agents in aggressive periodontitis as well as indicated in various systemic diseases. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans in the subgingival plaque of aggressive periodontitis patients. Study Design: Initially, under the selective growth conditions, the isolates were picked from the plaques and their identification was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for A. actinomycetemcomitans subgingival plaque of 15 patients diagnosed clinically and on radiographic criteria as aggressive periodontitis was inoculated on the Tryptic Soy agar with Bacitracin and Vancomycin culture media for 3-5 days under microaerophilic conditions. The positive colonies were selected based on biochemical tests for further analysis using reported primers for A. actinomycetemcomitans. Results: The results showed that 66.67% of aggressive periodontitis patients and 6.67% of control group of normal patients showed evidence of presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans in the subgingival microflora. Conclusion: This is the first study of its kind in an Indian population whereby almost all aggressive periodontitis patients showed evidence of A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Leakiness and Creepiness in App Space: User Perceptions of Privacy and Mobile App Use

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shklovski, Irina; Mainwaring, Scott; Skúladóttir, Halla Hrund

2014-01-01

Mobile devices are playing an increasingly intimate role in everyday life. However, users can be surprised when in- formed of the data collection and distribution activities of apps they install. We report on two studies of smartphone users in western European countries, in which users were confr...... to important underlying issues, even when users continue using apps they find creepy....

Pro-smoking apps: where, how and who are most at risk.

Science.gov (United States)

BinDhim, Nasser F; Freeman, Becky; Trevena, Lyndal

2015-03-01

Pro-smoking applications (app) provide information about brands of tobacco products, where to buy them, and encourage their use. It is unclear in which countries these apps are being downloaded, or whether app stores play a role in promoting or regulating these apps, particularly those that appear to target children. The lifetime popularity of 107 pro-smoking apps was investigated, using a third-party app metrics service that aggregates data from app stores about app download popularity by country. Apps were deemed popular if at any time in their lifespan they achieved a top 25 ranking overall across all apps, or a top 25 ranking in any particular category of apps, such as 'educational games'. Fifty-eight pro-smoking apps reached 'popularity' status in Apple and Android stores in one or more of 49 countries, particularly Italy, Egypt, Germany, Belgium and the USA. The daily downloads in each country ranged from approximately 2000 to 80 000. The Apple store featured five of the pro-smoking apps in various categories, and two apps were featured by the Android market. Two pro-smoking apps in the Apple store were extremely popular in the 'Educational Games' and 'Kids' Games' categories. Pro-smoking apps were popular in many countries. Most apps were assigned to entertainment and games categories, with some apps specifically targeting children through placement in categories directed at children. App stores that feature pro-smoking apps may be in violation of tobacco control laws. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Beyond Native Apps: Web Technologies to the Rescue! (Keynote)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Malavolta, Ivano

2016-01-01

As of today, mobile software development teams can follow a number of different development and distribution strategies, ranging from native apps, to mobile web apps, hybrid apps, and the recently emerging progressive web apps. This talk provides a state-of-the-art overview of the development

Development of a Mobile App for Family Planning Providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Halsall, Viannella; Rogers, Jennifer; Witt, Jacki; Song, Sejun; Nguyen, Hoang Duc Huy; Kelly, Patricia

To provide an overview of lessons learned during the development process of an app for iOS and Android based on national recommendations for providing quality family planning services. After a review of existing apps was conducted to determine whether an app of clinical recommendations for family planning existed, a team of clinicians, training specialists, and app developers created a resource app by first drafting a comprehensive content map. A prototype of the app was then pilot tested using smart tablets by a volunteer convenience sample of women's healthcare professionals. Outcomes measured included usability, acceptability, download analytics, and satisfaction by clinicians as reported through an investigator-developed tool. Sixty-nine professionals tested a prototype of the app, and completed a user satisfaction tool. Overall, user feedback was positive, and a zoom function was added to the final version as a result of the pilot test. Within 3 months of being publicly available, the app was downloaded 677 times, with 97% of downloads occurring on smart phones, 76% downloads occurring on iOS devices, and 24% on Android devices. This trend persisted throughout the following 3 months. Clinicians with an interest in developing an app should consider a team approach to development, pilot test the app prior to wider distribution, and develop a web-based version of the app to be used by clinicians who are unable to access smart devices in their practice setting.

PoliticAPP: Towards a Categorization of Mobile Apps in Political Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo VÁZQUEZ SANDE

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article is an analyze of all mobile apps that are available in the field of Spanish political communication, with the aim to develop a pioneering categorization of these platforms according to various criteria as promoters, aims pursued or areas of performance. It includes also a critical review from which it is concluded that these app reproduce classic communication patterns with the voters. That means that the implementation of these channels seems to have been due more to political marketing than to boost democratic participation or to introduce an horizontal outline of a new relationship between politicians and citizens.

ADHD: Is There an App for That? A Suitability Assessment of Apps for the Parents of Children and Young People With ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Lauren; Parker, Jack; Harpin, Valerie

2017-10-13

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly comorbid disorder that can impact significantly on the individual and their family. ADHD is managed via pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions. Parents also gain support from parent support groups, which may include chat rooms, as well as face-to-face meetings. With the growth of technology use over recent years, parents have access to more resources that ever before. A number of mobile apps have been developed to help parents manage ADHD in their children and young people. Unfortunately many of these apps are not evidence-based, and little is known of their suitability for the parents or whether they are helpful in ADHD management. The aim of this study was to explore the (1) parents' views of the suitability of the top ten listed apps for parents of children and young people with ADHD and (2) the views of clinicians that work with them on the suitability and value of the apps. The top 10 listed apps specifically targeted toward the parents of children and young people with ADHD were identified via the Google Play (n=5) and iTunes store (n=5). Interviews were then undertaken with 7 parents of children or young people with ADHD and 6 clinicians who specialize in working with this population to explore their opinions of the 10 apps identified and what they believe the key components are for apps to be suitable and valuable for this population. Four themes emerged from clinician and parent interviews: (1) the importance of relating to the app, (2) apps that address ADHD-related difficulties, (3) how the apps can affect family relationships, and (4) apps as an educational tool. Two additional themes emerged from the clinician interviews alone: monitoring ADHD symptoms and that apps should be practical. Parents also identified an additional theme: the importance of the technology. Overall, the characteristics of the current top 10 listed apps did not appear to match well to the views of our

Enhancing Pharmacy Student Learning and Perceptions of Medical Apps

OpenAIRE

Rodis, Jennifer; Aungst, Timothy Dy; Brown, Nicole V; Cui, Yan; Tam, Leonard

2016-01-01

Background The use of mobile apps in health care is growing. Current and future practitioners must be equipped with the skills to navigate and utilize apps in patient care, yet few strategies exist for training health care professional students on the usage of apps. Objective To characterize first-year pharmacy student use of medical apps, evaluate first-year pharmacy student's perception of skills in finding, evaluating, and using medical apps before and after a focused learning experience, ...

Plausibility of Menstrual Cycle Apps Claiming to Support Conception.

Science.gov (United States)

Freis, Alexander; Freundl-Schütt, Tanja; Wallwiener, Lisa-Maria; Baur, Sigfried; Strowitzki, Thomas; Freundl, Günter; Frank-Herrmann, Petra

2018-01-01

The interval of peak fertility during the menstrual cycle is of limited duration, and the day of ovulation varies, even in women with fairly regular cycles. Therefore, menstrual cycle apps identifying the "fertile window" for women trying to conceive must be quite precise. A deviation of a few days may lead the couple to focus on less- or non-fertile days for sexual intercourse and thus may be worse than random intercourse. The aim of the present investigation was to develop a scoring system for rating available apps for determining the fertile window and secondarily pilot test 12 apps currently available in both German and English (consisting of 6 calendar-based apps: Clue Menstruations- und Zykluskalender, Flo Menstruationskalender, Maya-Mein Periodentracker, Menstruationskalender Pro, Period Tracker Deluxe, and WomanLog-Pro-Kalender; 2 calculothermal apps: Ovy and Natural Cycles; and 4 symptothermal apps: myNFP, Lady Cycle, Lily, and OvuView). The calendar-based apps were investigated by entering several series of cycles with varying lengths, whereas the symptom-based apps were examined by entering data of cycles with known temperature rise, cervical mucus pattern, and clinical ovulation. The main criteria for evaluating the cycle apps were as follows: (1) What methods/parameters were used to determine the fertile window? (2) What study results exist concerning that underlying method/parameters? (3) What study results exist concerning the app itself? (4) Was there a qualified counseling service? The calendar-based apps predicted the fertile days based on data of previous cycles. They obtained zero points in our scoring system, as they did not comply with any of the evaluated criteria. Calculothermal apps had similar deficits for predicting the most fertile days and produced suboptimal results (Ovy 3/30 points and Natural Cycles 2/30 points). The symptothermal apps determined the fertile days based on parameters of the current cycle: Lady Cycle scored 20

Apps and Mobile Support Services in Canadian Academic Medical Libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tess Grynoch

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To examine how Canadian academic medical libraries are supporting mobile apps, what apps are currently being provided by these libraries, and what types of promotion are being used. Methods: A survey of the library websites for the 17 medical schools in Canada was completed. For each library website surveyed, the medical apps listed on the website, any services mentioned through this medium, and any type of app promotion events were noted. When Facebook and Twitter accounts were evident, the tweets were searched and the past two years of Facebook posts scanned for mention of medical apps or mobile services/events. Results: All seventeen academic medical libraries had lists of mobile medical apps with a large range in the number of medical relevant apps (average=31, median= 23. A total of 275 different apps were noted and the apps covered a wide range of subjects. Five of the 14 Facebook accounts scanned had posts about medical apps in the past two years while 11 of the 15 Twitter accounts had tweets about medical apps. Social media was only one of the many promotional methods noted. Outside of the app lists and mobile resources guides, Canadian academic medical libraries are providing workshops, presentations, and drop-in sessions for mobile medical apps. Conclusion: While librarians cannot simply compare mobile services and resources between academic medical libraries without factoring in a number of other circumstances, librarians can learn from mobile resources strategies employed at other libraries, such as using research guides to increase medical app literacy.

High Glucose Promotes Aβ Production by Inhibiting APP Degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuting; Song, Weihong

2013-01-01

Abnormal deposition of neuriticplaques is the uniqueneuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Amyloid β protein (Aβ), the major component of plaques, is generated from sequential cleavage of amyloidβ precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase and γ-secretase complex. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,have increased risk of AD development.However, the role of high blood glucose in APP processing and Aβ generation remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of high glucose on APP metabolism and Aβ generation in cultured human cells. We found that high glucose treatment significantly increased APP protein level in both neuronal-like and non-neuronal cells, and promoted Aβ generation. Furthermore, we found that high glucose-induced increase of APP level was not due to enhancement of APP gene transcription but resulted from inhibition of APP protein degradation. Taken together, our data indicated that hyperglycemia could promote AD pathogenesis by inhibiting APP degradation and enhancing Aβ production. More importantly, the elevation of APP level and Aβ generation by high glucose was caused by reduction of APP turnover rate.Thus,our study provides a molecular mechanism of increased risk of developing AD in patients withDMand suggests thatglycemic control might be potentially beneficial for reducing the incidence of AD in diabetic patients and delaying the AD progression. PMID:23894546

Apps: a new medium for non-fiction innovation

OpenAIRE

Allen, Catherine

2015-01-01

Apps are now a dominant content medium: in the US people spend more time on apps than they do watching TV. Non-fiction content is being avidly consumed on mobile devices, but in a completely different way to the book model. This article explores three strands of potential that the app medium holds for non-fiction content, putting forward the case that apps have the power to further weave non-fiction into the fabric of society and life.

Ghera: A Repository of Android App Vulnerability Benchmarks

OpenAIRE

Mitra, Joydeep; Ranganath, Venkatesh-Prasad

2017-01-01

Security of mobile apps affects the security of their users. This has fueled the development of techniques to automatically detect vulnerabilities in mobile apps and help developers secure their apps; specifically, in the context of Android platform due to openness and ubiquitousness of the platform. Despite a slew of research efforts in this space, there is no comprehensive repository of up-to-date and lean benchmarks that contain most of the known Android app vulnerabilities and, consequent...

Storybook app creation demystified a cast study

CERN Document Server

Friedlander, Amy

2013-01-01

This case study explains how Wasabi Productions created its first app, Lazy Larry Lizard, and provides insight into the development of soon-to-be-released app, Gorilla Band. Inside, you will find notes on how storybook apps are produced from start to finish, including costs, production process, people, technology, pricing, release cycle, marketing and more. You will also find insights on technology, storyboard development and pricing.

Creating mobile apps with Appcelerator Titanium

CERN Document Server

Brousseau, Christian

2013-01-01

Creating Mobile Apps with Appcelerator Titanium provides a hands-on approach and working examples on creating apps and games as well as embedding them onto a social networking website. Developers can then move on from there to develop their own applications based on the ones they have developed throughout the course of this book.""Creating Mobile Apps with Appcelerator Titanium"" is for developers who have experience with modern languages and development environments. Also, if you are familiar with the concepts of Object-oriented Programming (OOP), reusable components, AJAX closures, and so on

Apps: a new medium for non-fiction innovation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Allen

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Apps are now a dominant content medium: in the US people spend more time on apps than they do watching TV. Non-fiction content is being avidly consumed on mobile devices, but in a completely different way to the book model. This article explores three strands of potential that the app medium holds for non-fiction content, putting forward the case that apps have the power to further weave non-fiction into the fabric of society and life.

‘Gamification’ for Health Behaviour Change in Smartphone Apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Ann Edwards

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Gamification techniques are showing promise in promoting healthy behaviours and delivering health promotion advice, however, their use in Mobile-Health is relatively new. Gamification involves using ‘gaming’ elements such as badges, leader boards, health-related challenges, rewards, ability to ‘level up’ and use of avatars to motivate and engage people to change health behavior. Gamification techniques may also overlap with validated health behaviour change techniques (BCTs, however, few apps appear to apply the techniques systematically or to define the BCTs they include. Aim: We aimed a to assess the number apps that incorporate gamification to modify health behaviors, b to examine the BCT repertoire and combinations used in these apps c to consider associations with user satisfaction. Methods: English-language health apps that contain gamification techniques were identified through a systematic search of the official Apple and Google Play store and the NHS health apps library. Top rated free and paid Medical, Health & Wellness, Health & Fitness apps as defined by Apple and Google Play stores were searched. Apps were coded for BCTs according to the Michie et al. taxonomy. The taxonomy comprises 16 categories and 93 individual BCTs. BCT coding was conducted by two trained researchers (EE, JL who scored independently and then cross-checked for discrepancies. BCT numbers, user ratings and app pricing were compared. We explored the association between number of BCTs per app, user and NHS libraries’ ratings and price. We also investigated, which of the 16 BCT categories and the individual 93 BCTs and their combinations were most commonly used. Results: 1,680 Medical, Health & Wellness or Health & Fitness Apps were reviewed and seventy containing gamification techniques were identified. The mean number of BCTs used was 12.5 (range 1-24. There was no correlation between number of BCTs, customer ratings, NHS library app rating or

Towards a Framework for Evaluating Mobile Mental Health Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Steven; Torous, John; Hinton, Ladson; Yellowlees, Peter

2015-12-01

Mobile phones are ubiquitous in society and owned by a majority of psychiatric patients, including those with severe mental illness. Their versatility as a platform can extend mental health services in the areas of communication, self-monitoring, self-management, diagnosis, and treatment. However, the efficacy and reliability of publicly available applications (apps) have yet to be demonstrated. Numerous articles have noted the need for rigorous evaluation of the efficacy and clinical utility of smartphone apps, which are largely unregulated. Professional clinical organizations do not provide guidelines for evaluating mobile apps. Guidelines and frameworks are needed to evaluate medical apps. Numerous frameworks and evaluation criteria exist from the engineering and informatics literature, as well as interdisciplinary organizations in similar fields such as telemedicine and healthcare informatics. We propose criteria for both patients and providers to use in assessing not just smartphone apps, but also wearable devices and smartwatch apps for mental health. Apps can be evaluated by their usefulness, usability, and integration and infrastructure. Apps can be categorized by their usability in one or more stages of a mental health provider's workflow. Ultimately, leadership is needed to develop a framework for describing apps, and guidelines are needed for both patients and mental health providers.

Quality of Smartphone Apps Related to Alcohol Use Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Penzenstadler, Louise; Chatton, Anne; Van Singer, Mathias; Khazaal, Yasser

2016-01-01

Apps for smartphones are opening an important range of opportunities for improving the care of people with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). This study aimed to evaluate the quality of English language apps for AUDs and to compare paid and free apps. The keywords 'alcohol', 'alcohol addiction', 'alcohol help' and 'stop drinking' were entered into the iTunes Store search engine. Apps were evaluated using a standardized assessment designed to rate the quality of apps in terms of accountability, interactivity, self-help score and evidence-based content. The Brief DISCERN score and the criteria of the 'Health on the Net' label were also used as content quality indicators. Of the 137 unique apps identified, 52 met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the content quality and self-help scores of these AUD apps were poor. The main quality indicators were not linked to payment status. Multiple linear regressions showed that the Brief DISCERN score significantly predicted content quality. Poor content quality and self-help scores of AUD smartphone apps underline the gap between their potential promises and the overall quality of available products in stores. The quality indicators used in the present study may be used for further app developments. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Enhancing Pharmacy Student Learning and Perceptions of Medical Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodis, Jennifer; Aungst, Timothy Dy; Brown, Nicole V; Cui, Yan; Tam, Leonard

2016-05-12

The use of mobile apps in health care is growing. Current and future practitioners must be equipped with the skills to navigate and utilize apps in patient care, yet few strategies exist for training health care professional students on the usage of apps. To characterize first-year pharmacy student use of medical apps, evaluate first-year pharmacy student's perception of skills in finding, evaluating, and using medical apps before and after a focused learning experience, and assess student satisfaction and areas for improvement regarding the learning experience. Students listened to a recorded, Web-based lecture on finding, evaluating, and using mobile apps in patient care. A 2-hour, interactive workshop was conducted during which students were led by an instructor through a discussion on strategies for finding and using apps in health care. The students practiced evaluating 6 different health care-related apps. Surveys were conducted before and after the focused learning experience to assess students' perceptions of medical apps and current use and perspectives on satisfaction with the learning experience and role of technology in health care. This educational intervention is the first described formal, interactive method to educate student pharmacists on medical apps. With a 99% response rate, surveys conducted before and after the learning experience displayed perceived improvement in student skills related to finding (52/119, 44% before vs 114/120, 95% after), evaluating (18/119, 15% before vs 112/120, 93% after), and using medical apps in patient care (31/119, 26% before vs 108/120, 90% after) and the health sciences classroom (38/119, 32% before vs 104/120, 87% after). Students described satisfaction with the educational experience and agreed that it should be repeated in subsequent years (89/120, 74% agreed or strongly agreed). Most students surveyed possessed portable electronic devices (107/119, 90% mobile phone) and agreed with the concept of medical apps

Smart apps for the smart plastic surgeon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aniketh Venkataram

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Smartphones have the ability to benefit plastic surgeons in all aspects of patient care and education. With the sheer number of applications available and more being created everyday, it is easy to miss out on apps which could be of great relevance. Moreover, the range of android applications available has not been extensively discussed in the literature. To this end, we have compiled an exhaustive list of android smartphone applications, which we feel can help our day to day functioning. The apps have been extensively reviewed and neatly described along with all their potential uses. In addition, we have made an effort to highlight ′non-medical′ or efficiency apps which can improve departmental functioning. These apps have not been described in prior articles, and their functionality might not be known to all. We believe that the technology savvy plastic surgeon can make maximum use of these apps to his benefit.

Uptake of an Incentive-Based mHealth App: Process Evaluation of the Carrot Rewards App

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Paul; Alter, David; Leahey, Tricia; Kwan, Matthew; Faulkner, Guy

2017-01-01

Background Behavioral economics has stimulated renewed interest in financial health incentives worldwide. The Carrot Rewards app was developed as part of a public-private partnership to reward Canadians with loyalty points (eg, movies and groceries) for downloading the app, referring friends, and completing an average of 1 to 2 educational health quizzes per week (“micro-learning”), with long-term objectives of increasing health knowledge and encouraging healthy behaviors. Objective The main objective of this study was to evaluate uptake of a loyalty points-based mHealth app during the exclusive 3-month launch period in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The secondary aims were to describe the health and sociodemographic characteristics of users, as well as participation levels (eg, proportion of quizzes completed and friends referred). Methods The app was promoted via loyalty program email campaigns (1.64 million emails). Number of downloads and registrations (users enter age, gender, and valid BC postal code to register) were collected. Additional sociodemographics were inferred by linking postal codes with census data at the local health area (LHA) level. Health risk assessments were also deployed. Participation levels were collected over 3 months and descriptive data were presented. Results In 3 months, 67,464 individuals downloaded the app; in its first week, Carrot Rewards was the most downloaded health app in Canada. Among valid users (n=57,885; at least one quiz completed), the majority were female (62.96%; 36,446/57,885) and aged 18 to 34 years (54.34%; 31,459/57,885). More than half of the users (52.40%; 30,332/57,885) resided in LHAs where the median personal income was below the provincial average (Can $28,765). Furthermore, 64.42% (37,291/57,885) of users lived in metropolitan (ie, urban) LHAs, compared with 56.17% of the general BC population. The most prevalent risk factors were “not” meeting physical activity guidelines (72.70%; 31

Targeted On-Demand Team Performance App Development

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-01

management protocols and set up file management using encryption and a secure server. Complete 10 Customize Data Collection App Modify CareAssess App to...greater team morale. An App that serves to build relationships around the management of emergency medicine cases over time, could stimulate the... Management 4. Casualty Care 5. Trauma Care 6. Critical Care 7. Trauma Management 8. High Performing Teams 9. Team Characteristics 10. Team Composition

Smartphone-apps som nyt psykiatrisk behandlingstiltag

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalum, Anette Ellegaard; Arnfred, Sidse

2014-01-01

The number of smartphone apps for people with mental health issues is undergoing a dramatical growth in these years. We review the available literature on the topic, discuss opportunities and theoretical considerations using smartphone apps in psychiatric treatment and provide an overview...

Calsyntenin-1 shelters APP from proteolytic processing during anterograde axonal transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Steuble

2012-06-01

Endocytosis of amyloid-β precursor protein (APP is thought to represent the major source of substrate for the production of the amyloidogenic Aβ peptide by the β-secretase BACE1. The irreversible nature of proteolytic cleavage implies the existence of an efficient replenishment route for APP from its sites of synthesis to the cell surface. We recently found that APP exits the trans-Golgi network in intimate association with calsyntenin-1, a transmembrane cargo-docking protein for Kinesin-1-mediated vesicular transport. Here we characterized the function of calsyntenin-1 in neuronal APP transport using selective immunoisolation of intracellular trafficking organelles, immunocytochemistry, live-imaging, and RNAi. We found that APP is co-transported with calsyntenin-1 along axons to early endosomes in the central region of growth cones in carriers that exclude the α-secretase ADAM10. Intriguingly, calsyntenin-1/APP organelles contained BACE1, suggesting premature cleavage of APP along its anterograde path. However, we found that APP contained in calsyntenin-1/APP organelles was stable. We further analyzed vesicular trafficking of APP in cultured hippocampal neurons, in which calsyntenin-1 was reduced by RNAi. We found a markedly increased co-localization of APP and ADAM10 in axons and growth cones, along with increased proteolytic processing of APP and Aβ secretion in these neurons. This suggested that the reduced capacity for calsyntenin-1-dependent APP transport resulted in mis-sorting of APP into additional axonal carriers and, therefore, the premature encounter of unprotected APP with its ectodomain proteases. In combination, our results characterize calsyntenin-1/APP organelles as carriers for sheltered anterograde axonal transport of APP.

Popular Nutrition-Related Mobile Apps: A Feature Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, Rodrigo Zenun; Fallaize, Rosalind; Lovegrove, Julie A; Hwang, Faustina

2016-08-01

A key challenge in human nutrition is the assessment of usual food intake. This is of particular interest given recent proposals of eHealth personalized interventions. The adoption of mobile phones has created an opportunity for assessing and improving nutrient intake as they can be used for digitalizing dietary assessments and providing feedback. In the last few years, hundreds of nutrition-related mobile apps have been launched and installed by millions of users. This study aims to analyze the main features of the most popular nutrition apps and to compare their strategies and technologies for dietary assessment and user feedback. Apps were selected from the two largest online stores of the most popular mobile operating systems-the Google Play Store for Android and the iTunes App Store for iOS-based on popularity as measured by the number of installs and reviews. The keywords used in the search were as follows: calorie(s), diet, diet tracker, dietician, dietitian, eating, fit, fitness, food, food diary, food tracker, health, lose weight, nutrition, nutritionist, weight, weight loss, weight management, weight watcher, and ww calculator. The inclusion criteria were as follows: English language, minimum number of installs (1 million for Google Play Store) or reviews (7500 for iTunes App Store), relation to nutrition (ie, diet monitoring or recommendation), and independence from any device (eg, wearable) or subscription. A total of 13 apps were classified as popular for inclusion in the analysis. Nine apps offered prospective recording of food intake using a food diary feature. Food selection was available via text search or barcode scanner technologies. Portion size selection was only textual (ie, without images or icons). All nine of these apps were also capable of collecting physical activity (PA) information using self-report, the global positioning system (GPS), or wearable integrations. Their outputs focused predominantly on energy balance between dietary

Health Behavior Theory in Popular Calorie Counting Apps: A Content Analysis

OpenAIRE

Davis, Siena F; Ellsworth, Marisa A; Payne, Hannah E; Hall, Shelby M; West, Joshua H; Nordhagen, Amber L

2016-01-01

Background Although the Health & Fitness category of the Apple App Store features hundreds of calorie counting apps, the extent to which popular calorie counting apps include health behavior theory is unknown. Objective This study evaluates the presence of health behavior theory in calorie counting apps. Methods Data for this study came from an extensive content analysis of the 10 most popular calorie counting apps in the Health & Fitness category of the Apple App Store. Results Each app was ...

Direct to Consumer Mobile Teledermatology Apps: An Exploratory Study

OpenAIRE

Kochmann, Matthias; Locatis, Craig

2016-01-01

Background: Since 2012, “Direct to Consumer” mobile teledermatology apps have become more available, relinquishing many data collection tasks normally done by healthcare professionals directly to patients. Introduction: To determine user friendliness, diagnostic quality, and service of commercially available mobile teledermatology apps. Materials and Methods: All mobile teledermatology apps available at the Apple App Store were reviewed. The two most popular mobile teledermatol...

Assessing the usability of Shazam mobile app

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.; Almazini, Hassan; Almazini, Hussein

2017-10-01

Like searching for a "needle" in a "haystack", suppose that there is a large set of signals (finite sequences of numbers) fs1; s2; s3; g, and a special signal q that may or may not be in the collection. How can the signals be found in the collection that is similar, or identical to q, and how can this be done quickly? A solution to this question is the basis of the Shazam smart phone app, where a listener captures a short excerpt of a recorded song with the smart phone's microphone, and in a matter of moments the app reports the name of the song and the artist. Here, the "needle" is the excerpt, and the "haystack" is a vast corpus of popular music. The Shazam algorithm is powered by Fourier analysis. This paper presents a report on a usability evaluation of Amazon Shazam app. The researchers present the outcome based on a task-based evaluation that involved 15 users of different level of experience who performed 5 tasks using the Shazam mobile app. Post-test questionnaire was used to capture users' perceptions about the app. The results demonstrate that most of the participants were satisfied with services provided by the app.

Safe Sex Messages Within Dating and Entertainment Smartphone Apps: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Evelyn Tzu-Yen; Williams, Henrietta; Hocking, Jane S; Lim, Megan Sc

2016-11-08

Smartphone apps provide a new platform for entertainment, information distribution, and health promotion activities, as well as for dating and casual sexual encounters. Previous research has shown high acceptability of sexual health interventions via smartphone apps; however, sexual health promotion apps were infrequently downloaded and underused. Integrating sexual health promotion into established apps might be a more effective method. The objective of our study was to critically review popular sex-related apps and dating apps, in order to ascertain whether they contain any sexual health content. Part 1: In January 2015, we used the term "sexual" to search for free apps in the Apple iTunes store and Android Google Play store, and categorized the sexual health content of the 137 apps identified. Part 2: We used the term "dating" to search for free geosocial-networking apps in the Apple iTunes and Android Google Play stores. The apps were downloaded to test functionality and to determine whether they included sexual health content. Part 1: Of the 137 apps identified, 15 (11.0%) had sexual health content and 15 (11.0%) contained messages about sexual assault or violence. The majority of the apps did not contain any sexual health content. Part 2: We reviewed 60 dating apps: 44 (73%) targeting heterosexual users, 9 (15%) targeting men who have sex with men (MSM), 3 (5%) targeting lesbian women, and 4 (7%) for group dating. Only 9 dating apps contained sexual health content, of which 7 targeted MSM. The majority of sex-related apps and dating apps contained no sexual health content that could educate users about and remind them of their sexual risks. Sexual health practitioners and public health departments will need to work with app developers to promote sexual health within existing popular apps. For those apps that already contain sexual health messages, further study to investigate the effectiveness of the content is needed. ©Evelyn Tzu-Yen Huang, Henrietta

A parental perspective on apps for young children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broekman, F.L.; Piotrowski, J.T.; Beentjes, H.W.J.; Valkenburg, P.M.

2016-01-01

Touchscreen applications (apps) for young children have seen increasingly high rates of growth with more than a hundred thousand now available apps. As with other media, parents play a key role in young children’s app selection and use. However, to date, we know very little about how parents select

Car App's Persuasive Design Principles and Behavior Change

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chao; Wan, Lili; Min, Daihwan

2016-01-01

The emphasis of this study lies in behavior change after using car apps that assist users in using their vehicles and establishing a process for examining the interrelationship between car app's persuasive characteristics and behavior change. A categorizing method was developed and 697 car apps were investigated and classified into eight…

App Reviews: Breaking the User and Developer Language Barrier

KAUST Repository

Hoon, Leonard

2015-10-22

Apple, Google and third party developers offer apps across over twenty categories for various smart mobile devices. Offered exclusively through the App Store and Google Play, each app allows users to review the app and their experience with it. Current literature offers a general statistical picture of these reviews, and a broad overview of the nature of discontent of apps. However, we do not yet have a good framework to classify user reviews against known software quality attributes like performance or usability. In order to close this gap, in this paper, we develop an ontology encompassing software attributes derived from software quality models. This decomposes into approximately five thousand words that users employ to review apps. By identifying a consistent set of vocabulary that users communicate with, we can sanitise large datasets to extract stakeholder actionable information from reviews. The findings offered in this paper assists future app review analysis by bridging end-user communication and software engineering vocabulary.

App Reviews: Breaking the User and Developer Language Barrier

KAUST Repository

Hoon, Leonard; Rodriguez-Garcia, Miguel Angel; Vasa, Rajesh; Valencia-Garcí a, Rafael; Schneider, Jean-Guy

2015-01-01

Apple, Google and third party developers offer apps across over twenty categories for various smart mobile devices. Offered exclusively through the App Store and Google Play, each app allows users to review the app and their experience with it. Current literature offers a general statistical picture of these reviews, and a broad overview of the nature of discontent of apps. However, we do not yet have a good framework to classify user reviews against known software quality attributes like performance or usability. In order to close this gap, in this paper, we develop an ontology encompassing software attributes derived from software quality models. This decomposes into approximately five thousand words that users employ to review apps. By identifying a consistent set of vocabulary that users communicate with, we can sanitise large datasets to extract stakeholder actionable information from reviews. The findings offered in this paper assists future app review analysis by bridging end-user communication and software engineering vocabulary.

Mobile Apps in Oncology: A Survey on Health Care Professionals' Attitude Toward Telemedicine, mHealth, and Oncological Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessel, Kerstin A; Vogel, Marco Me; Schmidt-Graf, Friederike; Combs, Stephanie E

2016-11-24

Mobile apps are an evolving trend in the medical field. To date, few apps in an oncological context exist. The aim was to analyze the attitude of health care professionals (HCPs) toward telemedicine, mHealth, and mobile apps in the field of oncology. We developed and conducted an online survey with 24 questions evaluating HCPs' general attitude toward telemedicine and patients using medical mobile apps. Specific questions on the possible functionality for patients and the resulting advantages and disadvantages for both the patients' and HCPs' daily clinical routine were evaluated. A total of 108 HCPs completed the survey. In all, 88.9% (96/108) considered telemedicine useful and 84.3% (91/108) supported the idea of an oncological app complementing classical treatment. Automatic reminders, timetables, and assessment of side effects and quality of life during therapy were rated as the most important functions. In contrast, uncertainty regarding medical responsibility and data privacy were reasons mostly named by critics. Most (64.8%, 70/108) were in favor of an alert function due to data input needing further clarification, and 94% (66/70) were willing to contact the patient after a critical alert. In all, 93.5% (101/108) supported the idea of using the collected data for scientific research. Moreover, 75.0% (81/108) believed establishing a mobile app could be beneficial for the providing hospital. A majority of HCPs are in favor of telemedicine and the use of oncological apps by patients. Assessing side effects can lead to quicker response and thus lower inconvenience for patients. Clinical data, such as life quality and treatment satisfaction, could be used to evaluate and improve the therapy workflow. Eventually, a mobile app would enhance the patients' relationship to their treating department because they are in permanent contact. ©Kerstin A Kessel, Marco ME Vogel, Friederike Schmidt-Graf, Stephanie E Combs. Originally published in the Journal of Medical

Women's experiences with using a smartphone app (the Pregnant+ app) to manage gestational diabetes mellitus in a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Skar, Jeanette B; Garnweidner-Holme, Lisa M; Lukasse, Mirjam; Terragni, Laura

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with controlling their blood glucose values and receiving health and nutrition information using a smartphone app (the Pregnant+ app). The study utilised the interpretative phenomenological analysis method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants among those participating to the randomised controlled trial. The women experienced sorrow and disappointment when they were diagnosed with GDM, but they all went through a process of learning to self-manage their condition that was strongly motivated by theirdesire to care for their unborn babies. The women found that the app increased their confidence in their self management of GDM and their motivation for behavioural change. For some women, the app contributed to feelings offrustration or obsession. In addition, some technological problems and a lack of support from health-care professionals limited several women from using the app. The findings suggest that asmartphone app may have potential for supporting women with GDM, particularly in their blood glucose management. However, it also highlights some of the potential challenges of using mHealth technologies. The findings indicate that a closer collaboration between health-care professionals and patients is of great importance in the implementation of apps for women with GDM. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

There is an app for that! The current state of mobile applications (apps) for DSM-5 obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety and mood disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Ameringen, Michael; Turna, Jasmine; Khalesi, Zahra; Pullia, Katrina; Patterson, Beth

2017-06-01

Mental health apps are viewed as a promising modality to extend the reach of mental health care beyond the clinic. They do so by providing a means of assessment, tracking, and treatment through a smartphone. Given that nearly 2/3 of the American population owns a smartphone, mental health apps offer the possibility of overcoming treatment barriers such as geographic location or financial barriers. Unfortunately, the excitement surrounding mental health apps may be premature as the current supporting literature regarding their efficacy is limited. The app marketplace is littered with apps claiming to treat or assess symptoms, but even those created by reputable organizations or those incorporating components of evidence-based treatments have not yet been validated in terms of their efficacy. This review aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of the mental health app literature by examining published reports of apps designed for DSM-5 anxiety and mood disorders, OCD, and PTSD. The breadth of apps reviewed includes those oriented around assessment, symptom tracking, and treatment as well as "multipurpose" apps, which incorporate several of these components. This review will also present some of the most popular mental health apps which may have clinical utility and could be prescribed to clients. While we discuss many potential benefits of mental health apps, we focus on a number of issues that the current state of the app literature presents. Overall there is a significant disconnect between app developers, the scientific community and health care, leaving the utility of existing apps questionable. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Athletic Training Education: There's an App for That

Science.gov (United States)

Keeley, Kim; Potteiger, Kelly; Brown, Christopher D.

2015-01-01

Context: Mobile applications (apps) are growing in popularity due to the increased use of smartphones. Many available apps are educational in nature and may provide both students and educators freedom for learning to occur outside of the typical classroom environment. Objective: To provide a description of relevant apps along with a brief synopsis…

Medical apps in endocrine diseases – hide and seek

Science.gov (United States)

von Jan, Ute

2014-01-01

Objectives: Quantitative review and categorization of available endocrinology related mobile apps for the iOS platform (Apple®) and outline of search strategies to identify appropriate mobile apps for this field. Methods: A total of 80 endocrinology related search terms were collected and grouped into 8 main categories covering different areas of endocrinology. These terms were then used to perform comprehensive searches in three categories of Apple’s app store, namely ‘Medicine’, ‘Health and Fitness’, and ‘Reference’. Results: Altogether, matches were found for only 33 of the 80 collected endocrinology related search terms; the majority of matches were found in the medical category, followed by matches for the health and fitness (27/33), and reference (16/33) categories. Restricting the search to these categories significantly helped in discriminating between health related apps and those having another purpose. The distribution of apps per category roughly matches what one can expect considering available data for incidence and prevalence of corresponding endocrinological conditions. Apps matching terms belonging to the spectrum of glucose homeostasis disorders are the most common. For conditions where patients do not have to constantly monitor their condition, apps tend to have a reference or educational character, while for conditions that require a high level of involvement from patients, there are proportionally more apps for self-management. With a single exception, the identified apps had not undergone regulation, and information about the data sources, professional backgrounds, and reliability of the content and integrated information sources was rare. Conclusions: While applying a good search strategy is important for finding apps for endocrinology related problems, users also need to consider whether the app they have found respects all necessary criteria regarding reliability, privacy and data protection before they place their trust in

Game Bola Tangkis Berbasis Android Menggunakan App Inventor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mhd Arief Hasan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available AbstrakBerkembangnya teknologi yang berbasis mobile sekarang ini sudah sangat maju dan sering dipakai untuk dunia Information Technology (IT, bisnis, pendidikan dan media pembelajaran. Teknologi handphone yang saat ini berkembang pesat salah satunya adalah sistem operasi Android mobile (Android OS. Android adalah sistem operasi berbasis Linux yang dirancang untuk perangkat mobile layar sentuh yang memungkinkan perangkat lunak bebas dimodifikasi dan didistribusikan oleh pembuat perangkat, operator nirkabel dan pengembang aplikasi. Salah satu editor dalam pemrograman android adalah APP Inventor .App Inventor merupakan aplikasi web sumber terbuka yang awalnya dikembangkan oleh Google, dan saat ini dikelola oleh Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT. App Inventor memungkinkan pengguna baru untuk memprogram komputer untuk menciptakan aplikasi perangkat lunak bagi sistem operasi Android.  Dengan adanya kemudahan dalam pembuatan program yang disediakan oleh App Inventor yang tidak diharuskan lagi untuk menuliskan koding. Semua fasilitas itu bisa digunakan dengan menggunakan klik drag menggunakan blog diagram. Maka peneliti mengambil kasus game bola tangkis dalam penelitian ini. Kata kunci : Game Bola Tangkis, Android, App Inventor AbstractThe development of mobile-based technology is now very advanced and often used for the world of Information Technology (IT, business, education and learning media. Mobile technology is currently growing rapidly one of them is the Android mobile operating system (Android OS. Android is a Linux-based operating system designed for touch-screen mobile devices that allows free software to be modified and distributed by device makers, wireless carriers and app developers. One of the editors in android programming is APP Inventor. Appper Inventor is an open source web application originally developed by Google, and is currently managed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT. App Inventor allows new users

15 CFR 740.7 - Computers (APP).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 4A003. (2) Technology and software. License Exception APP authorizes exports of technology and software... License Exception. (2) Access and release restrictions—(i)Computers and software. Computers and software... software eligible for License Exception APP may not be reexported or transferred (in country) without prior...

Low Quality of Free Coaching Apps With Respect to the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines: A Review of Current Mobile Apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Modave, François; Bian, Jiang; Leavitt, Trevor; Bromwell, Jennifer; Harris Iii, Charles; Vincent, Heather

2015-07-24

Low physical activity level is a significant contributor to chronic disease, weight dysregulation, and mortality. Nearly 70% of the American population is overweight, and 35% is obese. Obesity costs an estimated US$ 147 billion annually in health care, and as many as 95 million years of life. Although poor nutritional habits remain the major culprit, lack of physical activity significantly contributes to the obesity epidemic and related lifestyle diseases. Over the past 10 years, mobile devices have become ubiquitous, and there is an ever-increasing number of mobile apps that are being developed to facilitate physical activity, particularly for active people. However, no systematic assessment has been performed about their quality with respect to following the parameters of sound fitness principles and scientific evidence, or suitability for a variety of fitness levels. The aim of this paper is to fill this gap and assess the quality of mobile coaching apps on iOS mobile devices. A set of 30 popular mobile apps pertaining to physical activity programming was identified and reviewed on an iPhone device. These apps met the inclusion criteria and provided specific prescriptive fitness and exercise programming content. The content of these apps was compared against the current guidelines and fitness principles established by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). A weighted scoring method based on the recommendations of the ACSM was developed to generate subscores for quality of programming content for aerobic (0-6 scale), resistance (0-6 scale), and flexibility (0-2 scale) components using the frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) principle. An overall score (0-14 scale) was generated from the subscores to represent the overall quality of a fitness coaching app. Only 3 apps scored above 50% on the aerobic component (mean 0.7514, SD 1.2150, maximum 4.1636), 4 scored above 50% on the resistance/strength component (mean 1.4525, SD 1.2101, maximum 4

Structural features of the KPI domain control APP dimerization, trafficking, and processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Khalifa, Naouel; Tyteca, Donatienne; Marinangeli, Claudia; Depuydt, Mathieu; Collet, Jean-François; Courtoy, Pierre J; Renauld, Jean-Christophe; Constantinescu, Stefan; Octave, Jean-Noël; Kienlen-Campard, Pascal

2012-02-01

The two major isoforms of human APP, APP695 and APP751, differ by the presence of a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor (KPI) domain in the extracellular region. APP processing and function is thought to be regulated by homodimerization. We used bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) to study dimerization of different APP isoforms and mutants. APP751 was found to form significantly more homodimers than APP695. Mutation of dimerization motifs in the TM domain did not affect fluorescence complementation, but native folding of KPI is critical for APP751 homodimerization. APP751 and APP695 dimers were mostly localized at steady state in the Golgi region, suggesting that most of the APP751 and 695 dimers are in the secretory pathway. Mutation of the KPI led to the retention of the APP homodimers in the endoplasmic reticulum. We finally showed that APP751 is more efficiently processed through the nonamyloidogenic pathway than APP695. These findings provide new insight on the particular role of KPI domain in APP dimerization. The correlation observed between dimerization, subcellular localization, and processing suggests that dimerization acts as an efficient regulator of APP trafficking in the secretory compartments that has major consequences on its processing.

The Anatomy of Virtual Manipulative Apps: Using Grounded Theory to Conceptualize and Evaluate Educational Apps that Contain Virtual Manipulatives

OpenAIRE

Boyer-Thurgood, Jennifer M.

2017-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study used grounded theory to investigate the anatomy of educational apps that contain virtual manipulatives. For this study 100 virtual manipulatives within educational apps designed for the iPad were observed by the researcher in order to expand the explanations of and build theory about virtual manipulatives within apps. Affordance theory was used to frame all six phases of the study in which the researcher identified virtual manipulatives situated within educa...

iPad Apps That Promote Mathematical Knowledge? "Yes, They Exist!"

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Kevin

2014-01-01

Having trouble finding the right app? In this article, Kevin Larkin discusses the difficulties teachers encounter when searching the App Store for high quality, appropriate apps that support students' mathematical learning. Kevin provides a useful link to a collection of over 100 app reviews.

Using the Modern Technology That Is the "App"

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardelli, Alessio

2013-01-01

A few years ago, the sight of the letters APP would have made teachers in England think of the Assessing Pupils' Progress assessment approach introduced by the government. Now, when they see those same letters they mostly think about smartphone and tablet applications, shortened to "apps." With the thousands of apps available in the…

Gebruikersdata bij abonnementen in app stores

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roosendaal, A.P.C.; Nieuwenhuis, O.A.

2013-01-01

Kranten en tijdschriften bieden tegenwoordig vaak, naast de papieren edities, digitale abonnementen aan. De content wordt in dat geval via een app gelezen op een mobiele device, zoals een smartphone of tablet. Om abonnementen in deze vorm aan te kunnen bieden is het bouwen van een app noodzakelijk.

Cool Apps: Productivity at Your Fingertips

Science.gov (United States)

Flaherty, Bill

2013-01-01

In addition to listing apps and their value, this article focuses on ways people can be more productive by adopting certain workflows in several ways. Apps listed herein include those useful in calendaring, printing, photo-editing, image-recognition, image scanning, electronic signatures, and making and sharing lists and notes.

Users’ Adoption of Mental Health Apps: Examining the Impact of Information Cues

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hsiao-Ying

2017-01-01

Background Numerous mental health apps have been developed and made available to users on the current app market. Users may find it difficult and overwhelming to select apps from the hundreds of choices that are available in the app marketplace. Clarifying what information cues may impact a user’s selection and adoption of mental health apps is now a critical and pressing issue. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of information cues on users’ adoption of anxiety apps using observational data from the Android app market. Methods A systematic search of anxiety apps was conducted on the Android app store by using keywords search. The title and metadata information of a total of 274 apps that met our criteria were collected and analyzed. Three trained researchers recorded the app rankings from the search results page on different dates and Web browsers. Results Our results show that ratings (r=.56, Papp prices have significant negative correlations with installs (r=−.36). The results also reveal that lower-priced apps have higher ratings (r=−.23, Papp permission requests (r=.18, P=.002) from the device. For app titles, we found that apps with titles related to symptoms have significantly lower installs than apps with titles that are not related to symptoms (Papps by analyzing observational data. As the first of its kind, we found impactful indicators for mental health app adoptions. We also discovered a labeling effect of app titles that could hinder mental health app adoptions and which may provide insight for future designs of mental health apps and their search mechanisms. PMID:28659256

Pro-smoking apps for smartphones: the latest vehicle for the tobacco industry?

Science.gov (United States)

BinDhim, Nasser F; Freeman, Becky; Trevena, Lyndal

2014-01-01

Smartphone use is growing exponentially and will soon become the only mobile phone handset for about 6 billion users. Smartphones are ideal marketing targets as consumers can be reached anytime, anywhere. Smartphone application (app) stores are global shops that sell apps to users all around the world. Although smartphone stores have a wide collection of health-related apps they also have a wide set of harmful apps. In this study, the availability of 'pro-smoking' apps in two of the largest smartphone app stores (Apple App store and Android Market) was examined. In February 2012, we searched the Apple App Store and Android Market for pro-smoking apps, using the keywords Smoke, Cigarette, Cigar, Smoking and Tobacco. We excluded apps that were not tobacco-related and then assessed the tobacco-related apps against our inclusion criteria. 107 pro-smoking apps were identified and classified into six categories based on functionality.42 of these apps were from the Android Market and downloaded by over 6 million users. Some apps have explicit images of cigarette brands. Tobacco products are being promoted in the new 'smartphone app' medium which has global reach, a huge consumer base of various age groups and underdeveloped regulation. The paper also provides two examples of app store responses to country-specific laws and regulations that could be used to control the harmful contents in the app stores for individual countries.

Reading apps for children: Readability from the design perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed, Wasan Abdulwahab; Husni, Husniza

2017-10-01

Electronic reading for young children opens new avenues especially with the advance of modern reading devices. The readability of mobile learning applications has received extensive attention by the designers and developers. The reason for such concern is due to its importance in determining usability related issues especially in the design context for children. In many cases, children find it difficult to interact with mobile reading apps. This is because apps for reading and for entertainment require different features. As such, this study sets out three objectives: 1) to evaluate five reading apps for young children from design perspectives; 2) to examine the readability for current existing mobile apps for reading and 3) to propose and evaluate mobile apps UI guideline for readability. Readability indices, observation and interview were conducted on 6 - 8 years old students. The obtained result showed that certain reading apps provide better reading experience for children than others. Some of the reasons are mostly related to the design characteristics embedded within the app. In addition, the use of animation was found to stimulate children reading experience as it is believed to offer the interactivity elements to gain their interest and willingness to read. These findings are believed to provide the recommendations and insights for designers of reading apps for children.

iOS app development portable genius

CERN Document Server

Wentk, Richard

2012-01-01

The essential skills and technologies needed for iOS development in one handy guide! The unprecedented popularity of iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, has led to a development boom. If you’re eager to become part of the action, then this is the book for you! Packed with must-have information on iOS development, this handy guide covers Objective-C, Xcode, Frameworks, and sound design principles and explains how to upload an app to the app store and integrate apps with the latest advances that Apple offers developers. The featured tips and tricks will get you up and ru

Pro JavaScript for web apps

CERN Document Server

Freeman, Adam

2012-01-01

JavaScript is the engine behind every web app, and a solid knowledge of it is essential for all modern web developers. Pro JavaScript for Web Apps gives you all of the information that you need to create professional, optimized, and efficient JavaScript applications that will run across all devices. It takes you through all aspects of modern JavaScript application creation, showing you how to combine JavaScript with the new features of HTML5 and CSS3 to make the most of the new web technologies. The focus of the book is on creating professional web applications, ensuring that your app provides

Engineering stories? A narratological approach to children's book apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hadassah Stichnothe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available With the rise of smartphones and tablet pcs, children's book apps have emerged as a new type of children's media. While some of them are based on popular children's books such as Mo Willems’ Pigeon books or Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, others were specifically designed as apps. This paper focuses on examining book apps under the aspects of implied user strategies and narrative structure. Using a narratological framework that also takes into account the unique characteristics of the medium, a terminology for the analysis of book apps will be sketched out. Furthermore, an exemplary analysis of iOS books apps for pre- and grade school children comes to the conclusion that, far from offering the child users room for individual creativity, a large number of apps rather train their users in following prescribed paths of reading.

Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

CERN Document Server

Stark, Jonathan

2010-01-01

If you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you already have the tools you need to develop Android applications. This hands-on book shows you how to use these open source web standards to design and build apps that can be adapted for any Android device -- without having to use Java. You'll learn how to create an Android-friendly web app on the platform of your choice, and then convert it to a native Android app with the free PhoneGap framework. Discover why device-agnostic mobile apps are the wave of the future, and start building apps that offer greater flexibility and a broader reach. Learn the

Instant Passbook app development for iOS how-to

CERN Document Server

Moon, Keith D

2013-01-01

Filled with practical, step-by-step instructions and clear explanations for the most important and useful tasks. A step-by-step guide, focusing on simple projects to help you create a Passbook app for iOS 6.Instant Passbook App Development for iOS 6 How-to is for registered Apple iOS developers, experienced in building an app using Objective-C and Xcode, looking to add Passbook functionality to their app. You will need to have an understanding of the JSON format, REST APIs, and a server-side language like Ruby. Familiarity with executing commands via the Terminal app is expected for the exerci

mHealth App for Cannabis Users: Satisfaction and Perceived Usefulness.

Science.gov (United States)

Monney, Grégoire; Penzenstadler, Louise; Dupraz, Olivia; Etter, Jean-François; Khazaal, Yasser

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of cannabis users and their levels of satisfaction with Stop-cannabis, an app intended for cannabis users who want to stop or reduce their cannabis use or prevent relapse. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to users of Stop-cannabis, a French-language app for iOS and Android devices. All app users were invited to participate in the survey via a message sent to the app. For hundred and eighty-two users answered the survey. The app was used daily by 348 of the participants (around 70%). More than 80% of participants (397) considered the app to have helped them "a little" or "a lot" to stop or reduce cannabis consumption. Most of the users' suggestions were related to the number or the quality of the messages sent by, or displayed in, the app. This pilot study supports the feasibility of such an app and its perceived usefulness. A self-selection bias, however, limits the conclusions of the study. The efficacy of the app should be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

mHealth App for Cannabis Users: Satisfaction and Perceived Usefulness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

gregoire eMonney

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of cannabis users and their levels of satisfaction with Stop-cannabis, an app intended for cannabis users who want to stop or reduce their cannabis use or prevent relapse. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to users of Stop-cannabis, a French-language app for iOS and Android devices. All app users were invited to participate in the survey via a message sent to the app. Results: For hundred and eighty-two users answered the survey. The app was used daily by 348 of the participants (around 70%. More than 80% of participants (397 considered the app to have helped them a little or a lot to stop or reduce cannabis consumption. Most of the users’ suggestions were related to the number or the quality of the messages sent by, or displayed in, the app.Conclusion: This pilot study supports the feasibility of such an app and its perceived usefulness. A self-selection bias however limits the conclusions of the study. The efficacy of the app should be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

Large-Scale Analysis of Framework-Specific Exceptions in Android Apps

OpenAIRE

Fan, Lingling; Su, Ting; Chen, Sen; Meng, Guozhu; Liu, Yang; Xu, Lihua; Pu, Geguang; Su, Zhendong

2018-01-01

Mobile apps have become ubiquitous. For app developers, it is a key priority to ensure their apps' correctness and reliability. However, many apps still suffer from occasional to frequent crashes, weakening their competitive edge. Large-scale, deep analyses of the characteristics of real-world app crashes can provide useful insights to guide developers, or help improve testing and analysis tools. However, such studies do not exist -- this paper fills this gap. Over a four-month long effort, w...

Automation support for mobile app quality assurance - a tool landscape

OpenAIRE

Braun, Susanne; Elberzhager, Frank; Holl, Konstantin

2017-01-01

Competitive pressure in app stores, as well as direct and transparent feedback of app store reviews have resulted in an increased demand for outstanding app quality and user experience. At the same time, reduced time-to-market, decreased budgets and time available for quality assurance, and careful user experience design have to be considered. In response, an enormous market for mobile app quality and user experience measurement tools has grown around the mobile app store ecosystems. Develope...

Social gaming on the Spotify app platform

OpenAIRE

Jönsson, Martin

2013-01-01

Spotify wants to explore the possibilities of social gaming within their desktop client. Thanks to their Spotify Apps API it is possible to build applications that integrate with the Spotify library while using modern web technologies. This thesis work consists of exploring what is possible using the Spotify App API and the most modern web technologies available. The main theme and goal of the Spotify App is to engage users in a social context. Creating a quiz application, which users can pla...

Using GeoMapApp in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwillie, A. M.

2017-12-01

The GeoMapApp tool has been updated with enhanced functionality that is useful in the classroom. Hosted as a service of the IEDA Facility at Columbia University, GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org) is a free resource that integrates a wide range of research-grade geoscience data in one intuitive map-based interface. It includes earthquake and volcano data, geological maps, plate tectonic data sets, and a high-resolution topography/bathymetry base map. Users can also import and analyse their own data files. Layering and transparency capabilities allow users to compare multiple data sets at once. The GeoMapApp interface presents data in its proper geospatial context, helping students more easily gain insight and understanding from the data. Simple tools for data manipulation allow students to analyse the data in different ways such as generating profiles and producing visualisations for reports. The new Save Session capability is designed to assist in the classroom: The educator saves a pre-loaded state of GeoMapApp. When shared with the class, the saved session file allows students to open GeoMapApp with exactly the same data sets loaded and the same display parameters chosen thus freeing up valuable time in which students can explore the data. In this presentation, activities related to plate tectonics will be highlighted. One activity helps students investigate plate boundaries by exploring earthquake and volcano locations. Another requires students to calculate the rate of seafloor spreading using crustal age data in various ocean basins. A third uses the GeoMapApp layering technique to explore the influence of geological forces in shaping the landscape. Educators report that using GeoMapApp in the classroom lowers the barriers to data accessibility for students; fosters an increased sense of data "ownership" - GeoMapApp presents the same data in the same tool used by researchers; allows engagement with authentic geoscience data; promotes STEM skills and

mHealth in Urology: A Review of Experts’ Involvement in App Development

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira-Azevedo, Nuno; Carrasquinho, Eduardo; Cardoso de Oliveira, Eduardo; Cavadas, Vitor; Osório, Luís; Fraga, Avelino; Castelo-Branco, Miguel; Roobol, Monique J.

2015-01-01

Introduction Smartphones are increasingly playing a role in healthcare and previous studies assessing medical applications (apps) have raised concerns about lack of expert involvement and low content accuracy. However, there are no such studies in Urology. We reviewed Urology apps with the aim of assessing the level of participation of healthcare professionals (HCP) and scientific Urology associations in their development. Material and Methods A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store, for Urology apps, available in English. Apps were reviewed by three graders to determine the app’s platform, target customer, developer, app type, app category, price and the participation of a HCP or a scientific Urology association in the development. Results The search yielded 372 apps, of which 150 were specific for Urology. A fifth of all apps had no HCP involvement (20.7%) and only a third had been developed with a scientific Urology association (34.7%). The lowest percentage of HCP (13.4%) and urological association (1.9%) involvement was in apps designed for the general population. Furthermore, there was no contribution from an Urology society in "Electronic Medical Record" nor in "Patient Information" apps. A limitation of the study is that only Android and iOS apps were reviewed. Conclusions Despite the increasing Mobile Health (mHealth) market, this is the first study that demonstrates the lack of expert participation in the design of Urology apps, particularly in apps designed for the general public. Until clear regulation is enforced, the urological community should help regulate app development. Maintaining a register of certified apps or issuing an official scientific seal of approval could improve overall app quality. We propose that urologists become stakeholders in mHealth, shaping future app design and promoting peer-review app validation. PMID:25984916

Consumer Mobile Health Apps: Current State, Barriers, and Future Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Cheng-Kai; Liebovitz, David M

2017-05-01

This paper discusses the current state, barriers, and future directions of consumer-facing applications (apps). There are currently more than 165,000 mobile health apps publicly available in major app stores, the vast majority of which are designed for patients. The top 2 categories are wellness management and disease management apps, whereas other categories include self-diagnosis, medication reminder, and electronic patient portal apps. Apps specific to physical medicine and rehabilitation also are reviewed. These apps have the potential to provide low-cost, around-the-clock access to high-quality, evidence-based health information to end users on a global scale. However, they have not yet lived up to their potential due to multiple barriers, including lack of regulatory oversight, limited evidence-based literature, and concerns of privacy and security. The future directions may consist of improving data integration into the health care system, an interoperable app platform allowing access to electronic health record data, cloud-based personal health record across health care networks, and increasing app prescription by health care providers. For consumer mobile health apps to fully contribute value to health care delivery and chronic disease management, all stakeholders within the ecosystem must collaborate to overcome the significant barriers. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

App Development Paradigms for Instructional Developers

Science.gov (United States)

Luterbach, Kenneth J.; Hubbell, Kenneth R.

2015-01-01

To create instructional apps for desktop, laptop and mobile devices, developers must select a development tool. Tool selection is critical and complicated by the large number and variety of app development tools. One important criterion to consider is the type of development environment, which may primarily be visual or symbolic. Those distinct…

Smartphone Applications - Idea sourcing, and app development: Implications for firms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debbie Vigar-Ellis

2014-05-01

Full Text Available With the dramatic increase in smartphone usage and the consequent increase in applications (apps for these smartphones, organisations are constantly looking for new apps to offer customers as well as employees.  Information Systems (IS departments of organisations have traditionally been tasked with the acquisition and/or development of such information technologies within organisations.  This research aimed to determine from IS managers, the smartphone app usage in firms, the sources of app ideas and the locations for app development.  It also investigated various aspects of the success or otherwise of the development process.  Results indicate that while most ideas for apps currently come from IS and marketing departments within the organisation, and development of apps is also done mainly within the organisation , these development strategies are not necessarily the most effective.  Managerial implications are discussed.

A systematic review of quality assessment methods for smartphone health apps.

Science.gov (United States)

BinDhim, Nasser F; Hawkey, Alexandra; Trevena, Lyndal

2015-02-01

There are large numbers of health-related applications (apps) available in various app stores for many smartphone devices. Consequently, increasing numbers of articles are attempting to evaluate the content and the quality of health-related smartphone apps for specific health conditions. The aim of this article is to describe and summarize the methodologies used to determine the quality of health-related apps targeting health consumers and to propose a set of criteria for evaluating the quality of smartphone health-related apps. In 2013, literature searches were performed using Medline and CINAHL, and we included all articles that had the aim of assessing the quality of health-related smartphone apps. The assessment method used in these studies was summarized and scored using a set of quality criteria developed for this study. From 606 articles generated by the search, only 10 met the inclusion criteria. Based on our quality criteria, the mean score was 5.05 out of 8 (range, 2-7). Eighty percent of the studies did not identify the app store country in which the apps were found. Forty percent of the studies did not clearly mention whether they only had assessed the app description or had downloaded the app content for evaluation. Sixty percent of the studies did not provide a list of the apps they had evaluated. Overall, we identified six evaluation methodologies used to assess the quality of health-related apps described in RESULTS. This article provides a summary of currently used methods for assessing the quality of smartphone health-related apps and proposes a set of criteria to enable future studies to consistently review health-related app quality in a standardized manner.

Health App Use Among US Mobile Phone Owners: A National Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Krebs, Paul; Duncan, Dustin T

2015-11-04

Mobile phone health apps may now seem to be ubiquitous, yet much remains unknown with regard to their usage. Information is limited with regard to important metrics, including the percentage of the population that uses health apps, reasons for adoption/nonadoption, and reasons for noncontinuance of use. The purpose of this study was to examine health app use among mobile phone owners in the United States. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1604 mobile phone users throughout the United States. The 36-item survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, history of and reasons for health app use/nonuse, perceived effectiveness of health apps, reasons for stopping use, and general health status. A little over half (934/1604, 58.23%) of mobile phone users had downloaded a health-related mobile app. Fitness and nutrition were the most common categories of health apps used, with most respondents using them at least daily. Common reasons for not having downloaded apps were lack of interest, cost, and concern about apps collecting their data. Individuals more likely to use health apps tended to be younger, have higher incomes, be more educated, be Latino/Hispanic, and have a body mass index (BMI) in the obese range (all Psafety was quite high, and most felt that the apps had improved their health. About half of the respondents (427/934, 45.7%) had stopped using some health apps, primarily due to high data entry burden, loss of interest, and hidden costs. These findings suggest that while many individuals use health apps, a substantial proportion of the population does not, and that even among those who use health apps, many stop using them. These data suggest that app developers need to better address consumer concerns, such as cost and high data entry burden, and that clinical trials are necessary to test the efficacy of health apps to broaden their appeal and adoption.

Popular NREL-Developed Transportation Mobile App Launches on Android

Science.gov (United States)

Platform | News | NREL Popular NREL-Developed Transportation Mobile App Launches on Android Platform Popular NREL-Developed Transportation Mobile App Launches on Android Platform May 23, 2017 More since the new Android version of the Alternative Fueling Station Locator App launched last week. The U.S

Locking it down: The privacy and security of mobile medication apps.

Science.gov (United States)

Grindrod, Kelly; Boersema, Jonathan; Waked, Khrystine; Smith, Vivian; Yang, Jilan; Gebotys, Catherine

2017-01-01

To explore the privacy and security of free medication applications (apps) available to Canadian consumers. The authors searched the Canadian iTunes store for iOS apps and the Canadian Google Play store for Android apps related to medication use and management. Using an Apple iPad Air 2 and a Google Nexus 7 tablet, 2 reviewers generated a list of apps that met the following inclusion criteria: free, available in English, intended for consumer use and related to medication management. Using a standard data collection form, 2 reviewers independently coded each app for the presence/absence of passwords, the storage of personal health information, a privacy statement, encryption, remote wipe and third-party sharing. A Cohen's Kappa statistic was used to measure interrater agreement. Of the 184 apps evaluated, 70.1% had no password protection or sign-in system. Personal information, including name, date of birth and gender, was requested by 41.8% (77/184) of apps. Contact information, such as address, phone number and email, was requested by 25% (46/184) of apps. Finally, personal health information, other than medication name, was requested by 89.1% (164/184) of apps. Only 34.2% (63/184) of apps had a privacy policy in place. Most free medication apps offer very limited authentication and privacy protocols. As a result, the onus currently falls on patients to input information in these apps selectively and to be aware of the potential privacy issues. Until more secure systems are built, health care practitioners cannot fully support patients wanting to use such apps.

An AICD-based functional screen to identify APP metabolism regulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Jeremy C

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A central event in Alzheimer's disease (AD is the regulated intramembraneous proteolysis of the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP, to generate the β-amyloid (Aβ peptide and the APP intracellular domain (AICD. Aβ is the major component of amyloid plaques and AICD displays transcriptional activation properties. We have taken advantage of AICD transactivation properties to develop a genetic screen to identify regulators of APP metabolism. This screen relies on an APP-Gal4 fusion protein, which upon normal proteolysis, produces AICD-Gal4. Production of AICD-Gal4 induces Gal4-UAS driven luciferase expression. Therefore, when regulators of APP metabolism are modulated, luciferase expression is altered. Results To validate this experimental approach we modulated α-, β-, and γ-secretase levels and activities. Changes in AICD-Gal4 levels as measured by Western blot analysis were strongly and significantly correlated to the observed changes in AICD-Gal4 mediated luciferase activity. To determine if a known regulator of APP trafficking/maturation and Presenilin1 endoproteolysis could be detected using the AICD-Gal4 mediated luciferase assay, we knocked-down Ubiquilin 1 and observed decreased luciferase activity. We confirmed that Ubiquilin 1 modulated AICD-Gal4 levels by Western blot analysis and also observed that Ubiquilin 1 modulated total APP levels, the ratio of mature to immature APP, as well as PS1 endoproteolysis. Conclusion Taken together, we have shown that this screen can identify known APP metabolism regulators that control proteolysis, intracellular trafficking, maturation and levels of APP and its proteolytic products. We demonstrate for the first time that Ubiquilin 1 regulates APP metabolism in the human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y.

Fra app'ernes planet til klasserummet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Falkesgaard Slot, Marie; Gissel, Stig Toke; Lorentzen, Rasmus Fink

2013-01-01

Artiklen udpeger en række kategorier og begreber, som læreren kan anvende i sit arbejde med at analysere og vurdere hvilke handle- og betydningsmuligheder, der er indbygget i hhv. funktionelle, didaktiske og semantiske apps. Med afsæt i disse begreber gives praksisnære bud på, hvordan apps på for...

Incorporation of Mobile Application (App) Measures Into the Diagnosis of Smartphone Addiction.

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Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Lin, Po-Hsien; Chiang, Chih-Lin; Lee, Yang-Han; Yang, Cheryl C H; Kuo, Terry B J; Lin, Sheng-Hsuan

2017-07-01

Global smartphone expansion has brought about unprecedented addictive behaviors. The current diagnosis of smartphone addiction is based solely on information from clinical interview. This study aimed to incorporate application (app)-recorded data into psychiatric criteria for the diagnosis of smartphone addiction and to examine the predictive ability of the app-recorded data for the diagnosis of smartphone addiction. Smartphone use data of 79 college students were recorded by a newly developed app for 1 month between December 1, 2013, and May 31, 2014. For each participant, psychiatrists made a diagnosis for smartphone addiction based on 2 approaches: (1) only diagnostic interview (standard diagnosis) and (2) both diagnostic interview and app-recorded data (app-incorporated diagnosis). The app-incorporated diagnosis was further used to build app-incorporated diagnostic criteria. In addition, the app-recorded data were pooled as a score to predict smartphone addiction diagnosis. When app-incorporated diagnosis was used as a gold standard for 12 candidate criteria, 7 criteria showed significant accuracy (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] > 0.7) and were constructed as app-incorporated diagnostic criteria, which demonstrated remarkable accuracy (92.4%) for app-incorporated diagnosis. In addition, both frequency and duration of daily smartphone use significantly predicted app-incorporated diagnosis (AUC = 0.70 for frequency; AUC = 0.72 for duration). The combination of duration, frequency, and frequency trend for 1 month can accurately predict smartphone addiction diagnosis (AUC = 0.79 for app-incorporated diagnosis; AUC = 0.71 for standard diagnosis). The app-incorporated diagnosis, combining both psychiatric interview and app-recorded data, demonstrated substantial accuracy for smartphone addiction diagnosis. In addition, the app-recorded data performed as an accurate screening tool for app-incorporated diagnosis. © Copyright 2017 Physicians

An Evidence-based Forensic Taxonomy of Windows Phone Dating Apps.

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Cahyani, Niken Dwi Wahyu; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ab Rahman, Nurul Hidayah; Ashman, Helen

2018-05-21

Advances in technologies including development of smartphone features have contributed to the growth of mobile applications, including dating apps. However, online dating services can be misused. To support law enforcement investigations, a forensic taxonomy that provides a systematic classification of forensic artifacts from Windows Phone 8 (WP8) dating apps is presented in this study. The taxonomy has three categories, namely: Apps Categories, Artifacts Categories, and Data Partition Categories. This taxonomy is built based on the findings from a case study of 28 mobile dating apps, using mobile forensic tools. The dating app taxonomy can be used to inform future studies of dating and related apps, such as those from Android and iOS platforms. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

APP Metabolism Regulates Tau Proteostasis in Human Cerebral Cortex Neurons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven Moore

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Accumulation of Aβ peptide fragments of the APP protein and neurofibrillary tangles of the microtubule-associated protein tau are the cellular hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD. To investigate the relationship between APP metabolism and tau protein levels and phosphorylation, we studied human-stem-cell-derived forebrain neurons with genetic forms of AD, all of which increase the release of pathogenic Aβ peptides. We identified marked increases in intracellular tau in genetic forms of AD that either mutated APP or increased its dosage, suggesting that APP metabolism is coupled to changes in tau proteostasis. Manipulating APP metabolism by β-secretase and γ-secretase inhibition, as well as γ-secretase modulation, results in specific increases and decreases in tau protein levels. These data demonstrate that APP metabolism regulates tau proteostasis and suggest that the relationship between APP processing and tau is not mediated solely through extracellular Aβ signaling to neurons.

APP metabolism regulates tau proteostasis in human cerebral cortex neurons.

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Moore, Steven; Evans, Lewis D B; Andersson, Therese; Portelius, Erik; Smith, James; Dias, Tatyana B; Saurat, Nathalie; McGlade, Amelia; Kirwan, Peter; Blennow, Kaj; Hardy, John; Zetterberg, Henrik; Livesey, Frederick J

2015-05-05

Accumulation of Aβ peptide fragments of the APP protein and neurofibrillary tangles of the microtubule-associated protein tau are the cellular hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To investigate the relationship between APP metabolism and tau protein levels and phosphorylation, we studied human-stem-cell-derived forebrain neurons with genetic forms of AD, all of which increase the release of pathogenic Aβ peptides. We identified marked increases in intracellular tau in genetic forms of AD that either mutated APP or increased its dosage, suggesting that APP metabolism is coupled to changes in tau proteostasis. Manipulating APP metabolism by β-secretase and γ-secretase inhibition, as well as γ-secretase modulation, results in specific increases and decreases in tau protein levels. These data demonstrate that APP metabolism regulates tau proteostasis and suggest that the relationship between APP processing and tau is not mediated solely through extracellular Aβ signaling to neurons. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of a Character-Based App on Children's Learning of Nutritional Information: Should Apps Be Served with a Side of Media Characters?

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Putnam, Marisa M; Richmond, Elana M; Brunick, Kaitlin L; Wright, Charlotte A; Calvert, Sandra L

2018-04-01

Childhood obesity is a health issue in the United States, associated with marketing practices in which media characters are often used to sell unhealthy products. This study examined exposure to a socially contingent touch-screen gaming app, which replied immediately, reliably, and accurately to children's actions. Children's recall of nutritional content and their liking of the character were assessed. Four- and five-year-old children (N = 114) received no-exposure, single-exposure, or repeated-exposure to a character-based iPad app rewarding healthy and penalizing unhealthy behaviors. Children reported how much they liked the character and recalled healthy and unhealthy items from the app. An ordinary least squares regression was conducted on how much children liked the character by condition. Poisson regressions were conducted on the number of items recalled by condition alone, and in an interacted model of treatment condition by liking the character. Children liked the character more in the repeated app-exposure condition than in the control group (P = 0.018). Children in the repeated and single app-exposure conditions recalled more healthy (P < 0.001) and unhealthy (P < 0.001) items than the control group. Within treatment conditions, liking the character increased recall of healthy items in the single app-exposure compared to the repeated app-exposure condition (P = 0.005). Results revealed that repeated exposure increased children's learning of nutritional information and liking of the character. The results contribute to our understanding of how to deliver effective nutrition information to young children in a new venue, a gaming app.

Appreneur secrets to success in the app store

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Pierce, Taylor

2013-01-01

You are interested in making an app. You have read all of the stories of successful developers and appreneurs. You are determined to get a piece of the pie. The world of apps is the fastest growing market in the world today, and it is here to stay. The best part is you can get in on it! Now what if I told you that without the knowledge contained in this book the odds of you making a profit are slim to none? What if I also told you that you probably wouldn't break even? There is more to apps than most people think. The average person assumes that if they make an app, they will instantly become

Smartphone apps for calculating insulin dose: a systematic assessment.

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Huckvale, Kit; Adomaviciute, Samanta; Prieto, José Tomás; Leow, Melvin Khee-Shing; Car, Josip

2015-05-06

Medical apps are widely available, increasingly used by patients and clinicians, and are being actively promoted for use in routine care. However, there is little systematic evidence exploring possible risks associated with apps intended for patient use. Because self-medication errors are a recognized source of avoidable harm, apps that affect medication use, such as dose calculators, deserve particular scrutiny. We explored the accuracy and clinical suitability of apps for calculating medication doses, focusing on insulin calculators for patients with diabetes as a representative use for a prevalent long-term condition. We performed a systematic assessment of all English-language rapid/short-acting insulin dose calculators available for iOS and Android. Searches identified 46 calculators that performed simple mathematical operations using planned carbohydrate intake and measured blood glucose. While 59% (n = 27/46) of apps included a clinical disclaimer, only 30% (n = 14/46) documented the calculation formula. 91% (n = 42/46) lacked numeric input validation, 59% (n = 27/46) allowed calculation when one or more values were missing, 48% (n = 22/46) used ambiguous terminology, 9% (n = 4/46) did not use adequate numeric precision and 4% (n = 2/46) did not store parameters faithfully. 67% (n = 31/46) of apps carried a risk of inappropriate output dose recommendation that either violated basic clinical assumptions (48%, n = 22/46) or did not match a stated formula (14%, n = 3/21) or correctly update in response to changing user inputs (37%, n = 17/46). Only one app, for iOS, was issue-free according to our criteria. No significant differences were observed in issue prevalence by payment model or platform. The majority of insulin dose calculator apps provide no protection against, and may actively contribute to, incorrect or inappropriate dose recommendations that put current users at risk of both catastrophic overdose and more

Popular Mobile Phone Apps for Diet and Weight Loss: A Content Analysis.

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Zaidan, Sarah; Roehrer, Erin

2016-07-11

A review of the literature has revealed that the rates of overweight and obesity have been increasing in Australia over the last two decades and that wellness mobile phone apps play a significant role in monitoring and managing individuals' weight. Although mobile phone app markets (iTunes and Google Play) list thousands of mobile phone health apps, it is not always clear whether those apps are supported by credible sources. Likewise, despite the prevailing use of mobile phone apps to aid with weight management, the usability features of these apps are not well characterized. The research explored how usability taxonomy could inform the popularity of downloaded, socially focused wellness mobile phone apps, in particular weight loss and diet apps. The aim of the study was to investigate the Australian mobile phone app stores (iTunes and Google Play) in order to examine the usability features of the most popular (ie, most downloaded) wellness apps. The design of this study comprises 3 main stages: stage 1, identifying apps; stage 2, development of weight loss and diet evaluation framework; and stage 3, application of the evaluation framework. Each stage includes specific data collection, analysis tools, and techniques. The study has resulted in the development of a justified evaluation framework for weight loss and diet mobile phone apps. Applying the evaluation framework to the identified apps has shown that the most downloaded iTunes and Google Play apps are not necessarily the most usable or effective. In addition, the research found that search algorithms for iTunes and Google Play are biased toward apps' titles and keywords that do not accurately define the real functionality of the app. Moreover, the study has also analyzed the apps' user reviews, which served as justification for the developed evaluation framework. The analysis has shown that ease of use, reminder, bar code scanning, motivation, usable for all, and synchronization are significant attributes

Mobile health apps in Sweden: what do physicians recommend?

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Zhang, Yiping; Koch, Sabine

2015-01-01

Currently over 50,000 mobile health apps are available worldwide. In general, they are considered as innovations potentially delivering benefits to patients. Physicians are considered as potential channels to disseminate these innovations to patients. However, physicians' behavior in this regard has not been studied. To capture physicians' attitudes towards recommending health apps to patients and to describe factors influencing physicians' behavior, taking the specifics of an early adopter country, Sweden, into account. Diffusion of Innovation theory, the Health App Maturity Model and the Six Hurdles Model were used to construct a web-based survey that was answered by 44 Swedish physicians. Survey results were followed up with 2 individual interviews. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data analysis and recursive abstraction for qualitative data analysis. Only a small group of physicians currently recommend mobile health apps to their patients. However, most physicians have a positive attitude and perceive improvement of patients' self-management ability as main benefit of health apps. Main perceived weaknesses include the lack of evidence-based content and lack of multi-language support. Regulation of health apps under the Medical Device Directive is asked for to assure quality and patient safety. Innovators and early adopters play an important role in the diffusion of mobile health apps. Interpersonal communication is seen as the most effective way for physicians gaining information and also motivates them to recommend mobile health apps to their patients. Physicians' knowledge about certified websites to ensure quality is however low.

A qualitative study of user perceptions of mobile health apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Peng

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mobile apps for health exist in large numbers today, but oftentimes, consumers do not continue to use them after a brief period of initial usage, are averse toward using them at all, or are unaware that such apps even exist. The purpose of our study was to examine and qualitatively determine the design and content elements of health apps that facilitate or impede usage from the users’ perceptive. Methods In 2014, six focus groups and five individual interviews were conducted in the Midwest region of the U.S. with a mixture of 44 smartphone owners of various social economic status. The participants were asked about their general and health specific mobile app usage. They were then shown specific features of exemplar health apps and prompted to discuss their perceptions. The focus groups and interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using the software NVivo. Results Inductive thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the data and nine themes were identified: 1 barriers to adoption of health apps, 2 barriers to continued use of health apps, 3 motivators, 4 information and personalized guidance, 5 tracking for awareness and progress, 6 credibility, 7 goal setting, 8 reminders, and 9 sharing personal information. The themes were mapped to theories for interpretation of the results. Conclusions This qualitative research with a diverse pool of participants extended previous research on challenges and opportunities of health apps. The findings provide researchers, app designers, and health care providers insights on how to develop and evaluate health apps from the users’ perspective.

A qualitative study of user perceptions of mobile health apps.

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Peng, Wei; Kanthawala, Shaheen; Yuan, Shupei; Hussain, Syed Ali

2016-11-14

Mobile apps for health exist in large numbers today, but oftentimes, consumers do not continue to use them after a brief period of initial usage, are averse toward using them at all, or are unaware that such apps even exist. The purpose of our study was to examine and qualitatively determine the design and content elements of health apps that facilitate or impede usage from the users' perceptive. In 2014, six focus groups and five individual interviews were conducted in the Midwest region of the U.S. with a mixture of 44 smartphone owners of various social economic status. The participants were asked about their general and health specific mobile app usage. They were then shown specific features of exemplar health apps and prompted to discuss their perceptions. The focus groups and interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using the software NVivo. Inductive thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the data and nine themes were identified: 1) barriers to adoption of health apps, 2) barriers to continued use of health apps, 3) motivators, 4) information and personalized guidance, 5) tracking for awareness and progress, 6) credibility, 7) goal setting, 8) reminders, and 9) sharing personal information. The themes were mapped to theories for interpretation of the results. This qualitative research with a diverse pool of participants extended previous research on challenges and opportunities of health apps. The findings provide researchers, app designers, and health care providers insights on how to develop and evaluate health apps from the users' perspective.

Android arcade game app a real world project : case study approach

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DiMarzio, Jerome

2012-01-01

Apress, the leading Android books publisher, continues to provide you with very hands-on, practical books for teaching and showing app developers how to build and design apps, including game apps, that can be built and deployed in the various Android app stores out there. Android Arcade Game App:  A Real World Project - Case Study Approach is no different in that it walks you through creating an arcade style Prison Break game app-top to bottom-for an Android smartphone or tablet.  This book teaches you the unique characteristics and challenges of creating an Arcade style game And it provides y

Building cross-platform apps using Titanium, Alloy, and Appcelerator cloud services

CERN Document Server

Saunders, Aaron

2014-01-01

Skip Objective-C and Java to get your app to market faster, using the skills you already have Building Cross-Platform Apps using Titanium, Alloy, and Appcelerator Cloud Services shows you how to build cross-platform iOS and Android apps without learning Objective-C or Java. With detailed guidance given toward using the Titanium Mobile Platform and Appcelerator Cloud Services, you will quickly develop the skills to build real, native apps- not web apps-using existing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript know-how. This guide takes you step-by-step through the creation of a photo-sharing app that leverages

Apps for asthma self-management: a systematic assessment of content and tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huckvale Kit

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Apps have been enthusiastically adopted by the general public. They are increasingly recognized by policy-makers as a potential medium for supporting self-management of long-term conditions. We assessed the degree to which current smartphone and tablet apps for people with asthma offer content and tools of appropriate quality to support asthma self-management. Methods We adapted systematic review methodology to the assessment of apps. We identified English-language asthma apps for all ages through a systematic search of official app stores. We systematically assessed app content using criteria derived from international guidelines and systematic review of strategies for asthma self-management. We covered three domains: comprehensiveness of asthma information, consistency of advice with evidence and compliance with health information best practice principles. Results We identified 103 apps for asthma in English, of which 56 were sources of information about the condition and 47 provided tools for the management of asthma. No apps offered both types of functionality. Only three information apps approached our definition of comprehensiveness of information about asthma. No apps provided advice on lay management of acute asthma that included details of appropriate reliever medication use. In 32 of 72 instances, apps made unequivocal recommendations about strategies for asthma control or prophylaxis that were unsupported by current evidence. Although 90% of apps stated a clear purpose, compliance with other best practice principles for health information was variable. Contact details were located for 55%, funding source for 18% and confidentiality policy for 17%. Conclusions No apps for people with asthma combined reliable, comprehensive information about the condition with supportive tools for self-management. Healthcare professionals considering recommending apps to patients as part of asthma self-management should exercise

Exploiting Proximity-Based Mobile Apps for Large-Scale Location Privacy Probing

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Shuang Zhao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Proximity-based apps have been changing the way people interact with each other in the physical world. To help people extend their social networks, proximity-based nearby-stranger (NS apps that encourage people to make friends with nearby strangers have gained popularity recently. As another typical type of proximity-based apps, some ridesharing (RS apps allowing drivers to search nearby passengers and get their ridesharing requests also become popular due to their contribution to economy and emission reduction. In this paper, we concentrate on the location privacy of proximity-based mobile apps. By analyzing the communication mechanism, we find that many apps of this type are vulnerable to large-scale location spoofing attack (LLSA. We accordingly propose three approaches to performing LLSA. To evaluate the threat of LLSA posed to proximity-based mobile apps, we perform real-world case studies against an NS app named Weibo and an RS app called Didi. The results show that our approaches can effectively and automatically collect a huge volume of users’ locations or travel records, thereby demonstrating the severity of LLSA. We apply the LLSA approaches against nine popular proximity-based apps with millions of installations to evaluate the defense strength. We finally suggest possible countermeasures for the proposed attacks.

How Can iPad Apps Enrich Postgraduate Psychology Research?

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Kucirkova, Natalia

2014-01-01

In this short Opinion piece, I outline how iPad apps can facilitate theory development, data collection, data representation and dissemination of postgraduate psychology research. I reflect on how apps supported my own postgraduate research practice and how one particular app--Our Story--enriched the individual stages of my research enquiry. I…

Behavior change techniques in popular alcohol reduction apps: content analysis.

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Crane, David; Garnett, Claire; Brown, James; West, Robert; Michie, Susan

2015-05-14

Mobile phone apps have the potential to reduce excessive alcohol consumption cost-effectively. Although hundreds of alcohol-related apps are available, there is little information about the behavior change techniques (BCTs) they contain, or the extent to which they are based on evidence or theory and how this relates to their popularity and user ratings. Our aim was to assess the proportion of popular alcohol-related apps available in the United Kingdom that focus on alcohol reduction, identify the BCTs they contain, and explore whether BCTs or the mention of theory or evidence is associated with app popularity and user ratings. We searched the iTunes and Google Play stores with the terms "alcohol" and "drink", and the first 800 results were classified into alcohol reduction, entertainment, or blood alcohol content measurement. Of those classified as alcohol reduction, all free apps and the top 10 paid apps were coded for BCTs and for reference to evidence or theory. Measures of popularity and user ratings were extracted. Of the 800 apps identified, 662 were unique. Of these, 13.7% (91/662) were classified as alcohol reduction (95% CI 11.3-16.6), 53.9% (357/662) entertainment (95% CI 50.1-57.7), 18.9% (125/662) blood alcohol content measurement (95% CI 16.1-22.0) and 13.4% (89/662) other (95% CI 11.1-16.3). The 51 free alcohol reduction apps and the top 10 paid apps contained a mean of 3.6 BCTs (SD 3.4), with approximately 12% (7/61) not including any BCTs. The BCTs used most often were "facilitate self-recording" (54%, 33/61), "provide information on consequences of excessive alcohol use and drinking cessation" (43%, 26/61), "provide feedback on performance" (41%, 25/61), "give options for additional and later support" (25%, 15/61) and "offer/direct towards appropriate written materials" (23%, 14/61). These apps also rarely included any of the 22 BCTs frequently used in other health behavior change interventions (mean 2.46, SD 2.06). Evidence was mentioned by 16

Moving Phones Tick Slower: Creating an Android App to Demonstrate Time Dilation

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Underwood, Bret; Zhai, Yunxiao

2016-05-01

Smartphones and tablets are packed with sensors that allow us to take experimental data, essentially making them mobile physics labs. Apps exist that make it easy to capture and analyze data from these sensors, allowing users to study diverse phenomena such as free fall acceleration, the speed of sound, radioactivity, and many others. Commonly, the use of apps in the physics classroom focuses on existing apps rather than on the creation of apps themselves. This is for a good reason-writing an app usually requires advanced knowledge of programming languages and experience with app design. These skills are generally regarded as beyond the typical physics student. However, there are app development environments, such as MIT App Inventor 2 for Android, which make the process of creating an app and utilizing the sensors much more accessible to students. Putting the ability to create and configure apps within the reach of students can also help integrate computation into the curriculum. In this article, we discuss our creation of an Android app, Time Dilation Calculator, done as part of a senior undergraduate capstone project, which uses App Inventor and a mobile device's global positioning system (GPS) receiver to calculate the time dilation effect of special relativity.

Smartphones in ecology and evolution: a guide for the app-rehensive.

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Teacher, Amber G F; Griffiths, David J; Hodgson, David J; Inger, Richard

2013-12-01

Smartphones and their apps (application software) are now used by millions of people worldwide and represent a powerful combination of sensors, information transfer, and computing power that deserves better exploitation by ecological and evolutionary researchers. We outline the development process for research apps, provide contrasting case studies for two new research apps, and scan the research horizon to suggest how apps can contribute to the rapid collection, interpretation, and dissemination of data in ecology and evolutionary biology. We emphasize that the usefulness of an app relies heavily on the development process, recommend that app developers are engaged with the process at the earliest possible stage, and commend efforts to create open-source software scaffolds on which customized apps can be built by nonexperts. We conclude that smartphones and their apps could replace many traditional handheld sensors, calculators, and data storage devices in ecological and evolutionary research. We identify their potential use in the high-throughput collection, analysis, and storage of complex ecological information.

Commercially Available Smartphone Apps to Support Postoperative Pain Self-Management: Scoping Review.

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Lalloo, Chitra; Shah, Ushma; Birnie, Kathryn A; Davies-Chalmers, Cleo; Rivera, Jordan; Stinson, Jennifer; Campbell, Fiona

2017-10-23

Recently, the use of smartphones to deliver health-related content has experienced rapid growth, with more than 165,000 mobile health (mHealth) apps currently available in the digital marketplace. With 3 out of 4 Canadians currently owning a smartphone, mHealth apps offer opportunities to deliver accessible health-related knowledge and support. Many individuals experience pain after surgery, which can negatively impact their health-related quality of life, including sleep, emotional, and social functioning. Smartphone apps that provide remote real-time monitoring and symptom management have the potential to improve self-management skills in patients experiencing postoperative pain. Increased confidence and practice of self-management skills could contribute to decreased postoperative pain and reduce risk of developing persistent pain. Published reviews of general pain self-management apps demonstrate a lack of evidence-based content, theoretical grounding, and health care professional involvement. However, no review to date has focused on the app marketplace specific for individuals with postoperative pain. The aim of this study was to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of commercially available postoperative pain self-management apps. An electronic search and extraction was conducted between December 2016 and March 2017 of the official Canadian app stores for the three major smartphone operating systems (iPhone operating system [iOS], Android, and Windows). Stores were searched separately using predetermined search terms. Two authors screened apps based on information provided in the public app description. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard spreadsheet. Two authors verified the data with reference to the apps and downloaded apps themselves. The content and functionality of each app as it pertained to postoperative pain self-management was rated. A total of 10 apps met the inclusion criteria. All

Geosocial-Networking App Usage Patterns of Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Survey Among Users of Grindr, A Mobile Dating App.

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Goedel, William C; Duncan, Dustin T

2015-01-01

Geosocial-networking apps like Grindr have been used increasingly among men who have sex with men (MSM) to meet anonymous partners. These mobile dating apps employ global positioning system technology to facilitate connections with other users based on their current location. These new technologies have generated quicker and easier modes for men who have sex with men to meet potential partners based on attraction and physical proximity. The aim of this study is to describe geosocial-networking app use and recent sexual behaviors of MSM in the Atlanta metropolitan statistical area. Our sample was recruited from Grindr, the most commonly used of these mobile apps among MSM, using broadcast advertising. Advertisements were displayed over the course of a 72-hour period and participants were directed to a Web-based survey. In total, 604 men clicked through the advertisement, and 92 users completed the survey. One-third (38.0%) of the men reported using these mobile apps to meet new sexual partners, and one-fifth (18.5%) used them to "kill time" when bored. Men reporting currently being in a relationship were less likely to report using these mobile apps to meet other MSM to date or to find a boyfriend or romantic partner, but more likely to report using these mobile apps to meet other MSM to have sex, X (2) 24=12.1, P=.016. Respondents had current accounts on 3.11 mobile apps (SD 1.84) on average, with Grindr being the most common (100%), followed by Scruff (52.5%), and Jack'd (45.7%). Most men were most active in the late night (40.2%), and on weekdays (64.1%). Each day, on average, men reported opening these mobile apps 8.38 times (SD 8.10) and spent 1.31 hours (SD 1.15) on these mobile apps. The age respondents began using these mobile apps was associated with the age at their first instance of insertive anal sex (r80=.527, Pmobile apps and spend significant time on them. For these reasons, HIV prevention interventions could be delivered on these mobile apps.

Web-based hybrid mobile apps: state of the practice and research opportunities

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Malavolta, Ivano

2016-01-01

This paper describes the contents of a tutorial on web-based hybrid mobile apps. Nowadays millions of mobile apps are downloaded and used all over the world. Mobile apps are distributed via different app stores like Google Play Store, the Apple App Store, the Windows Phone Store. One of the most

Using Mobile App Development Tools to Build a GIS Application

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Mital, A.; Catchen, M.; Mital, K.

2014-12-01

Our group designed and built working web, android, and IOS applications using different mapping libraries as bases on which to overlay fire data from NASA. The group originally planned to make app versions for Google Maps, Leaflet, and OpenLayers. However, because the Leaflet library did not properly load on Android, the group focused efforts on the other two mapping libraries. For Google Maps, the group first designed a UI for the web app and made a working version of the app. After updating the source of fire data to one which also provided historical fire data, the design had to be modified to include the extra data. After completing a working version of the web app, the group used webview in android, a built in resource which allowed porting the web app to android without rewriting the code for android. Upon completing this, the group found Apple IOS devices had a similar capability, and so decided to add an IOS app to the project using a function similar to webview. Alongside this effort, the group began implementing an OpenLayers fire map using a simpler UI. This web app was completed fairly quickly relative to Google Maps; however, it did not include functionality such as satellite imagery or searchable locations. The group finished the project with a working android version of the Google Maps based app supporting API levels 14-19 and an OpenLayers based app supporting API levels 8-19, as well as a Google Maps based IOS app supporting both old and new screen formats. This project was implemented by high school and college students under an SGT Inc. STEM internship program

Mobile telephone apps in mental health practice: uses, opportunities and challenges

OpenAIRE

Marley, Justin; Farooq, Saeed

2015-01-01

Smartphones are used by patients and clinicians alike. Vast numbers of software applications (apps) run on smartphones and carry out useful functions. Clinician- and patient-oriented mental health apps have been developed. In this article, we provide an overview of apps that are relevant for mental health. We look at clinician-oriented apps that support assessment, diagnosis and treatment as well as patient-oriented apps that support education and self-management. We conclude by looking at th...

Enriched Housing Reduces Disease Susceptibility to Co-Infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus (PRRSV) and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) in Young Pigs

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Dixhoorn, van I.D.E.; Reimert, I.; Middelkoop, J.A.; Bolhuis, J.E.; Wisselink, H.J.; Groot Koerkamp, P.W.G.; Kemp, B.; Stockhofe, Norbert

2016-01-01

Until today, anti-microbial drugs have been the therapy of choice to combat bacterial diseases. Resistance against antibiotics is of growing concern in man and animals. Stress, caused by demanding environmental conditions, can reduce immune protection in the host, influencing the onset and outcome

English Language Teaching Apps: Positioning Parents and Young Learners

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Chik, Alice

2014-01-01

Since the introduction of iPads in 2010, the sales of tablet computers and mobile applications (apps) have grown exponentially. iPads and other tablets are marketed as learning tools, and many apps target learners as young as six months old. This article reports on a research project examining the unique features of English learning apps based on…

An Evidence-Based Forensic Taxonomy of Windows Phone Communication Apps.

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Cahyani, Niken Dwi Wahyu; Martini, Ben; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ab Rahman, Nurul Hidayah; Ashman, Helen

2018-05-01

Communication apps can be an important source of evidence in a forensic investigation (e.g., in the investigation of a drug trafficking or terrorism case where the communications apps were used by the accused persons during the transactions or planning activities). This study presents the first evidence-based forensic taxonomy of Windows Phone communication apps, using an existing two-dimensional Android forensic taxonomy as a baseline. Specifically, 30 Windows Phone communication apps, including Instant Messaging (IM) and Voice over IP (VoIP) apps, are examined. Artifacts extracted using physical acquisition are analyzed, and seven digital evidence objects of forensic interest are identified, namely: Call Log, Chats, Contacts, Locations, Installed Applications, SMSs and User Accounts. Findings from this study would help to facilitate timely and effective forensic investigations involving Windows Phone communication apps. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The Quality and Accuracy of Mobile Apps to Prevent Driving After Drinking Alcohol.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Hollie; Stoyanov, Stoyan R; Gandabhai, Shailen; Baldwin, Alexander

2016-08-08

Driving after the consumption of alcohol represents a significant problem globally. Individual prevention countermeasures such as personalized mobile app aimed at preventing such behavior are widespread, but there is little research on their accuracy and evidence base. There has been no known assessment investigating the quality of such apps. This study aimed to determine the quality and accuracy of apps for drink driving prevention by conducting a review and evaluation of relevant mobile apps. A systematic app search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. App quality was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Apps providing blood alcohol calculators (hereafter "calculators") were reviewed against current alcohol advice for accuracy. A total of 58 apps (30 iOS and 28 Android) met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Drink driving prevention apps had significantly lower engagement and overall quality scores than alcohol management apps. Most calculators provided conservative blood alcohol content (BAC) time until sober calculations. None of the apps had been evaluated to determine their efficacy in changing either drinking or driving behaviors. This novel study demonstrates that most drink driving prevention apps are not engaging and lack accuracy. They could be improved by increasing engagement features, such as gamification. Further research should examine the context and motivations for using apps to prevent driving after drinking in at-risk populations. Development of drink driving prevention apps should incorporate evidence-based information and guidance, lacking in current apps.

Interpolis SlimOpWeg-programma : de AutoModus-app : vragenlijstonderzoek naar het effect van een app om smartphonegebruik in de auto te verminderen.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot-Mesken, J. de Wijnen, W. Stelling-Konczak, A. & Commandeur, J.J.F.

2017-01-01

Interpolis SlimOpWeg programme: the AutoModus app; Survey into the effect of an app on reducing smartphone use while driving a car. Within the programme SlimOpWeg the Dutch insurance company Interpolis had a smartphone app developed. The purpose of this ‘AutoModus app’ is to help young drivers to

Specialized Binary Analysis for Vetting Android APPS Using GUI Logic

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

user expectation of what the app is doing. These techniques enable security analysts to quickly vet any given Android app even if the source code is...Malware Detection for Android applications, Binary Analysis 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a...of what the app is doing. These techniques enable security analysts to quickly vet any given Android app even if the source code is unavailable. These

Autism Children’s App using PECS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nareena Soomro

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Since autistic children suffers from learning disabilities and communication barriers, this research aim to design, develop and evaluate an Android based mobile application (app providing better learning environment with inclusion of graphical representation in a cost effective manner. This research evaluate various supporting technologies and finds Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS to be better choice for integrating with the app. Evaluation results reveal that the inclusion of PECS helped the children suffering from Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD to better communicate with others. The study included autistic children who do not speak, who are unintelligible and who are minimally effective communicators with their present communication system. The evolution results showed encouraging impacts of the Autism App in supporting autistic children to adapt to normal life and improve the standard of their life.

Expert Involvement and Adherence to Medical Evidence in Medical Mobile Phone Apps

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Subhi, Yousif; Bube, Sarah Hjartbro; Rolskov Bojsen, Signe

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Both clinicians and patients use medical mobile phone apps. Anyone can publish medical apps, which leads to contents with variable quality that may have a serious impact on human lives. We herein provide an overview of the prevalence of expert involvement in app development and whether...... or not app contents adhere to current medical evidence. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review studies evaluating expert involvement or adherence of app content to medical evidence in medical mobile phone apps. METHODS: We systematically searched 3 databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and EMBASE......), and included studies evaluating expert involvement or adherence of app content to medical evidence in medical mobile phone apps. Two authors performed data extraction independently. Qualitative analysis of the included studies was performed. RESULTS: Based on inclusion criteria, 52 studies were included...

Security Recommendations for mHealth Apps: Elaboration of a Developer's Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Morera, Enrique Pérez; de la Torre Díez, Isabel; Garcia-Zapirain, Begoña; López-Coronado, Miguel; Arambarri, Jon

2016-06-01

Being the third fastest-growing app category behind games and utilities, mHealth apps are changing the healthcare model, as medicine today involves the data they compile and analyse, information known as Big Data. However, the majority of apps are lacking in security when gathering and dealing with the information, which becomes a serious problem. This article presents a guide regarding security solution, intended to be of great use for developers of mHealth apps. In August 2015 current mobile health apps were sought out in virtual stores such as Android Google Play, Apple iTunes App Store etc., in order to classify them in terms of usefulness. After this search, the most widespread weaknesses in the field of security in the development of these mobile apps were examined, based on sources such as the "OWASP Mobile Security Project, the initiative recently launched by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), and other articles of scientific interest. An informative, elemental guide has been created for the development of mHealth apps. It includes information about elements of security and its implementation on different levels for all types of mobile health apps based on the data that each app manipulates, the associated calculated risk as a result of the likelihood of occurrence and the threat level resulting from its vulnerabilities - high level (apps for monitoring, diagnosis, treatment and care) from 6 ≤ 9, medium level (calculator, localizer and alarm) from 3 ≤ 6 and low level (informative and educational apps) from 0 ≤ 3. The guide aims to guarantee and facilitate security measures in the development of mobile health applications by programmers unconnected to the ITC and professional health areas.

Content Analysis of Diet-Related Mobile Apps: A Self-Regulation Perspective.

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Zahry, Nagwan R; Cheng, Ying; Peng, Wei

2016-10-01

Diet-related mobile apps hold promise in helping individuals self-regulate their eating behaviors. Nevertheless, little is known about the extent to which diet-related mobile apps incorporate the established behavior change theories and evidence-based practices that promote dietary self-regulation. Guided by the self-regulation aspect of Bandura's social cognitive theory and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this study conducts a content analysis of diet-related mobile apps for iPhone (N = 400). In terms of the adherence to the self-regulation aspect of the social cognitive theory, results show that although 72.5% of the apps incorporate at least one theoretical construct, few apps tap all three processes of self-regulation (i.e., self-observation/monitoring, judgment process, and self-reaction). Additionally, outcome expectation is manifested in a majority of the diet-related apps. In terms of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, while the diet-related apps equally emphasize setting goals for calorie intake or nutrient consumption, more apps feature nutrient tracking than calorie tracking. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Android Apps for Absolute Beginners

CERN Document Server

Jackson, Wallace

2011-01-01

Anybody can start building simple apps for the Android platform, and this book will show you how! Android Apps for Absolute Beginners takes you through the process of getting your first Android applications up and running using plain English and practical examples. It cuts through the fog of jargon and mystery that surrounds Android application development, and gives you simple, step-by-step instructions to get you started.* Teaches Android application development in language anyone can understand, giving you the best possible start in Android development * Provides simple, step-by-step exampl

The App Squad: SLJ's Advisors Weigh in on Kids' Book Apps

Science.gov (United States)

Ishizuka, Kathy

2011-01-01

In this article, "School Library Journal's" ("SLJ") advisors talk about book apps for kids. They discuss what they like, what one should look for in discerning the best for kids and teens, and where this all might be headed.

Smartphone apps to support hospital prescribing and pharmacology education: a review of current provision.

Science.gov (United States)

Haffey, Faye; Brady, Richard R W; Maxwell, Simon

2014-01-01

Junior doctors write the majority of hospital prescriptions but many indicate they feel underprepared to assume this responsibility and around 10% of prescriptions contain errors. Medical smartphone apps are now widely used in clinical practice and present an opportunity to provide support to inexperienced prescribers. This study assesses the contemporary range of smartphone apps with prescribing or related content. Six smartphone app stores were searched for apps aimed at the healthcare professional with drug, pharmacology or prescribing content. Three hundred and six apps were identified. 34% appeared to be for use within the clinical environment in order to aid prescribing, 14% out with the clinical setting and 51% of apps were deemed appropriate for both clinical and non-clinical use. Apps with drug reference material, such as textbooks, manuals or medical apps with drug information were the commonest apps found (51%), followed by apps offering drug or infusion rate dose calculation (26%). 68% of apps charged for download, with a mean price of £14.25 per app and a range of £0.62-101.90. A diverse range of pharmacology-themed apps are available and there is further potential for the development of contemporary apps to improve prescribing performance. Personalized app stores may help universities/healthcare organizations offer high quality apps to students to aid in pharmacology education. Users of prescribing apps must be aware of the lack of information regarding the medical expertise of app developers. This will enable them to make informed choices about the use of such apps in their clinical practice. © 2013 The British Pharmacological Society.

Usability Pitfalls of Diabetes mHealth Apps for the Elderly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maša Isaković

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus has high prevalence in the ageing population and is often accompanied by other comorbidities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and general disabilities, such as poor eyesight. These comorbidities have redefined ways in which patients use mHealth apps, including diabetes apps. The latter have proven benefits for monitoring blood glucose levels and insulin tracking in the general population. In this paper, we analyse a diabetes monitoring app DeStress Assistant (DeSA, which was developed as a part of an EU project and tested in a hospital setting. Due to the increasing number of older adults, we wanted to ensure the app was suitable for that demographic. Based on a number of supervised tests, we show that the app, which was developed with the help of workshops and feedback from tech-savvy patients and clinicians, is difficult to use by elderly users. We demonstrate that with a small number of changes it is possible to raise the usability of the app in a number of categories. We summarise the lessons learned in the discussion. Our findings demonstrate that special care needs to be taken when developing mHealth apps for the elderly population.

Free smoking cessation mobile apps available in Australia: a quality review and content analysis.

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Thornton, Louise; Quinn, Catherine; Birrell, Louise; Guillaumier, Ashleigh; Shaw, Brad; Forbes, Erin; Deady, Mark; Kay-Lambkin, Frances

2017-12-01

This review aimed to identify free, high-quality, smoking cessation mobile applications (apps) that adhere to Australian smoking cessation treatment guidelines. A systematic search of smoking cessation apps was conducted using Google. The technical quality of relevant apps was rated using the Mobile Application Rating Scale. The content of apps identified as high quality was assessed for adherence to smoking cessation treatment guidelines. 112 relevant apps were identified. The majority were of poor technical quality and only six 'high-quality' apps were identified. These apps adhered to Australian treatment guidelines in part. The efficacy of two apps had been previously evaluated. In lieu of more substantial research in this area, it is suggested that the high-quality apps identified in this review may be more likely than other available apps to encourage smoking cessation. Implications for public health: Smoking cessation apps have the potential to address many barriers that prevent smoking cessation support being provided; however few high-quality smoking cessation apps are currently available in Australia, very few have been evaluated and the app market is extremely volatile. More research to evaluate smoking cessation apps, and sustained funding for evidence-based apps, is needed. © 2017 The Authors.

APP Homodimers Transduce an Amyloid-β-Mediated Increase in Release Probability at Excitatory Synapses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilla Fogel

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Accumulation of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ, the proteolytic products of the amyloid precursor protein (APP, induces a variety of synaptic dysfunctions ranging from hyperactivity to depression that are thought to cause cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. While depression of synaptic transmission has been extensively studied, the mechanisms underlying synaptic hyperactivity remain unknown. Here, we show that Aβ40 monomers and dimers augment release probability through local fine-tuning of APP-APP interactions at excitatory hippocampal boutons. Aβ40 binds to the APP, increases the APP homodimer fraction at the plasma membrane, and promotes APP-APP interactions. The APP activation induces structural rearrangements in the APP/Gi/o-protein complex, boosting presynaptic calcium flux and vesicle release. The APP growth-factor-like domain (GFLD mediates APP-APP conformational changes and presynaptic enhancement. Thus, the APP homodimer constitutes a presynaptic receptor that transduces signal from Aβ40 to glutamate release. Excessive APP activation may initiate a positive feedback loop, contributing to hippocampal hyperactivity in Alzheimer’s disease.

Interactivity in Educational Apps for Young Children: A Multimodal Analysis

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Blitz-Raith, Alexandra H.; Liu, Jianxin

2017-01-01

Interactivity is an important indicator of an educational app's reception. Since most educational apps are multimodal, it justifies a methodological initiative to understand meaningful involvement of multimodality in enacting and even amplifying interactivity in an educational app. Yet research so far has largely concentrated on algorithm…

A Pilot Comparison of a Smartphone App With or Without 2-Way Messaging Among Chronic Pain Patients: Who Benefits From a Pain App?

Science.gov (United States)

Jamison, Robert N; Jurcik, Dylan C; Edwards, Robert R; Huang, Chuan-Chin; Ross, Edgar L

2017-08-01

The overall aim of this study was to determine the effect of introducing a smartphone pain application (app), for both Android and iPhone devices that enables chronic pain patients to assess, monitor, and communicate their status to their providers. This study recruited 105 chronic pain patients to use a smartphone pain app and half of the patients (N=52) had 2-way messaging available through the app. All patients completed baseline measures and were asked to record their progress every day for 3 months, with the opportunity to continue for 6 months. All participants were supplied a Fitbit to track daily activity. Summary line graphs were posted to each of the patients' electronic medical records and physicians were notified of their patient's progress. Ninety patients successfully downloaded the pain app. Average age of the participants was 47.1 (range, 18 to 72), 63.8% were female and 32.3% reported multiple pain sites. Adequate validity and reliability was found between the daily assessments and standardized questionnaires (r=0.50) and in repeated daily measures (pain, r=0.69; sleep, r=0.83). The app was found to be easily introduced and well tolerated. Those patients assigned to the 2-way messaging condition on average tended to use the app more and submit more daily assessments (95.6 vs. 71.6 entries), but differences between groups were not significant. Pain-app satisfaction ratings overall were high. This study highlights some of the challenges and benefits in utilizing smartphone apps to manage chronic pain patients, and provides insight into those individuals who might benefit from mHealth technology.

Behaviour Change Techniques embedded in health and lifestyle apps: coding and analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaston Antezana

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background There is evidence showing that commercially available health and lifestyle apps can be used as co-adjuvants to clinical interventions and for the prevention of chronic and non-communicable diseases. This can be particularly significant to support and improve wellbeing of young people given their familiarity with these resources. However it is important to understand the content and consistency of Behaviour Change Techniques (BCT’s embedded in the apps to maximise their potential benefits. Objectives This study explores the BCT content of a selected list of health and lifestyle tracking apps in three behavioural dimensions: physical activity, sleep and diet. We identified BCT commonalities within and between categories to detect the most frequently used and arguably more effective techniques in the context of wellbeing and promotion of health behaviours. Methods Apps were selected by using keywords and by reviewing the “health and fitness” category of GooglePlay (477 apps. The selection criteria included free apps (even if they also offered paid versions and being common to GooglePlay and AppStore. A background review of each app was also completed. Selected apps were classified according to user ratings in GooglePlay (apps with less that 4+ star ratings were disregarded. The top ten apps in each category were selected, making it a total of 30 for the analysis. Three coders used the apps for two months and were trained to use a comprehensive 93 items taxonomy (BCTv1 to complete the analysis. Results Strong BCT similarities were found across all three categories, suggesting a consistent basic content composition. Out of all 93 BCTS’s 8 were identified as being present in at least 50% of the apps. 6 of these BCT’s are concentrated in categories “1. Goals and Planning” and “2. Feedback and Monitoring”. BCT “Social support (unspecified” was coded for in 63% of the apps, as it was present through different features in

Apps and Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Adolescents' Use of Mobile Phone and Tablet Apps That Support Personal Management of Their Chronic or Long-Term Physical Conditions.

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Majeed-Ariss, Rabiya; Baildam, Eileen; Campbell, Malcolm; Chieng, Alice; Fallon, Debbie; Hall, Andrew; McDonagh, Janet E; Stones, Simon R; Thomson, Wendy; Swallow, Veronica

2015-12-23

The prevalence of physical chronic or long-term conditions in adolescents aged 10-24 years is rising. Mobile phone and tablet mobile technologies featuring software program apps are widely used by these adolescents and their healthy peers for social networking or gaming. Apps are also used in health care to support personal condition management and they have considerable potential in this context. There is a growing body of literature on app use in health contexts, thereby making a systematic review of their effectiveness very timely. To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of mobile apps designed to support adolescents' management of their physical chronic or long-term conditions. We conducted a review of the English-language literature published since 2003 in five relevant bibliographical databases using key search terms. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts using data extraction and quality assessment tools. The search returned 1120 hits. Of the 19 eligible full-text papers, four met our review criteria, reporting one pilot randomized controlled trial and three pretest/post-test studies. Samples ranged from 4 to 18 participants, with a combined sample of 46 participants. The apps reported were targeted at type 1 diabetes, asthma, and cancer. Two papers provided data for calculating effect size. Heterogeneity in terms of study design, reported outcomes, follow-up times, participants' ages, and health conditions prevented meta-analyses. There was variation in whether adolescents received guidance in using the app or were solely responsible for navigating the app. Three studies reported some level of patient involvement in app design, development, and/or evaluation. Health professional involvement in the modelling stages of apps was reported in all studies, although it was not always clear whether specific clinical (as opposed to academic) expertise in working with adolescents was represented. The dearth of studies and the

BPcontrol. A Mobile App to Monitor Hypertensive Patients.

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Carrera, Adrian; Pifarré, Marc; Vilaplana, Jordi; Cuadrado, Josep; Solsona, Sara; Mateo, Jordi; Solsona, Francesc

2016-12-07

Hypertension or high blood pressure is on the rise. Not only does it affect the elderly but is also increasingly spreading to younger sectors of the population. Treating this condition involves exhaustive monitoring of patients. The current mobile health services can be improved to perform this task more effectively. To develop a useful, user-friendly, robust and efficient app, to monitor hypertensive patients and adapted to the particular requirements of hypertension. This work presents BPcontrol, an Android and iOS app that allows hypertensive patients to communicate with their health-care centers, thus facilitating monitoring and diagnosis. Usability, robustness and efficiency factors for BPcontrol were evaluated for different devices and operating systems (Android, iOS and system-aware). Furthermore, its features were compared with other similar apps in the literature. BPcontrol is robust and user-friendly. The respective start-up efficiency of the Android and iOS versions of BPcontrol were 2.4 and 8.8 times faster than a system-aware app. Similar values were obtained for the communication efficiency (7.25 and 11.75 times faster for the Android and iOS respectively). When comparing plotting performance, BPcontrol was on average 2.25 times faster in the Android case. Most of the apps in the literature have no communication with a server, thus making it impossible to compare their performance with BPcontrol. Its optimal design and the good behavior of its facilities make BPcontrol a very promising mobile app for monitoring hypertensive patients.

The Analysis Of Smartphone Apps In Geomatics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Teo, T.-A.; Wu, H.-M.; Shih, T.-Y.; Tsai, F.

2014-04-01

Geomatics is a discipline of collecting, processing and analysing geospatial data. Data collection is a core process of geomatics which usually adopt precise equipment to measure geospatial data. With the development of technology, a smartphone in this present era is not simply for communication; several low cost measurement devices such as Global Positioning System (GPS), gyro and camera are assembled in a smartphone. Although the devices assembled in a smartphone could not meet the needs of accuracy requirement for many geomatics applications, millions of mobile applications (Apps) can be downloaded and installed from Google Play and Apple Store freely, and a variety of sensors can be chosen for user. Considering that the popularity and convenience of a smartphone, and assuming that the accuracy of those collected data is acceptable for learning purposes, it is expected that a smartphone can be employed in geomatics for hand-on education. For example, Vespucci OSM Editor is an App to edit the OpenStreetMap on Android. The user may have the hand-on experience on GPS positioning, web services and mapping via Vespucci OSM Editor. The aim of this paper is to collect and analyze different Apps for geomatics education. The Apps are classified into four categories, namely, surveying, remote sensing, GPS and Geographic Information System (GIS). In this paper, more than 20 free Apps are collected and analysed for different hand-on studies in geomatics education. Finally, all the related Apps are listed on a website for updating.

Consumer behaviour in Apple's App Store

OpenAIRE

Ayalew, Romel

2011-01-01

Mobile applications stores such as Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market revolutionized the distribution of applications for mobile devices. However, with thousands of application submissions, limited testing resources and the lack of an effective filtering mechanism, application stores suffer from information overload and a risk of releasing poor quality applications that could create confusion to consumers and may seriously affect the App store markets. Thus concern has been raised ...

Using apps for learning across the curriculum a literacy-based framework and guide

CERN Document Server

Beach, Richard

2014-01-01

How can apps be used to foster learning with literacy across the curriculum? This book offers both a theoretical framework for considering app affordances and practical ways to use apps to build students' disciplinary literacies and to foster a wide range of literacy practices.Using Apps for Learning Across the Curriculumpresents a wide range of different apps and also assesses their value features methods for and apps related to planning instruction and assessing student learning identifies favorite apps whose affordances are most likely to foster certain disciplinary literacies includes reso

Clinicians' perspective on an app for patient self-monitoring in eating disorder treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgreen, Pil; Clausen, Loa; Lomborg, Kirsten

2018-01-01

Objective: The Recovery Record smartphone app is a self-monitoring tool for individuals recovering from eating disorders. Oppositely to traditional pen-and-paper meal diaries, the app allows for in-app patient–clinician linkage enabling clinicians to access patient app data anytime. The aim of our...... with challenges associated with the app, for example, an added work load and potential harm to the patient–clinician collaboration. Thus, prior to adopting the app, we encourage clinicians and managements to discuss the objectives, advantages and disadvantages of adopting the app, and outline specific guidelines...

Mobile Apps for Teaching Intubation: Scoping Review and Critical Analysis in eLearning.

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Matava, Clyde; Leo, Anne-Marie; Alam, Fahad

2017-09-05

Airway management is a core skill in anesthesia ensuring adequate oxygenation and delivery of inhalational agents for the patient. The goals of this study were to critically evaluate the quality of airway management apps and target revised Bloom's Taxonomy cognitive levels. An electronic search using the keywords "airway" and "airway management" was conducted in May 2015 across the App Store, Google Play, BlackBerry World, and Windows Store. Apps were included in the study if their content was related to airway management. App content and characteristics were extracted into a standard form and evaluated. A total of 65 apps met the inclusion criteria, and 73% (47/65) of apps were developed by companies or industry. Anesthesiology trainees were the target audience in only 20% (13/65) of apps. Bag mask ventilation and laryngeal mask airways were covered in only 20% (13/65) of apps. Only 2 apps were supported in the scientific literature. For Bloom's Taxonomy, 37% (24/65) of apps targeted knowledge, 5% (3/65) comprehension, 22% (14/65) application, 28% (18/65) analysis, 9% (6/65) evaluation, and 0% synthesis. Multivariate analysis identified cost of apps, size of apps (MB), and apps targeting trainees and paramedics to be associated with higher levels of cognitive processing of revised Bloom's Taxonomy. Apps developed for teaching intubation target lower levels of cognitive processing and are largely not validated by research. Cost, app size, and targeted user are associated with higher cognitive levels. Trainees and all users should be aware of the paucity of the published evidence behind the efficacy of some of these apps. ©Clyde Matava, Anne-Marie Leo, Fahad Alam. Originally published in JMIR Medical Education (http://mededu.jmir.org), 05.09.2017.

How Do Infant Feeding Apps in China Measure Up? A Content Quality Assessment.

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Zhao, Jing; Freeman, Becky; Li, Mu

2017-12-06

Globally, with the popularization of mobile phones, the number of health-related mobile phone apps has skyrocketed to 259,000 in 2016. In the digital era, people are accessing health information through their fingertips. In China, there are several apps that claim to provide infant feeding and nutrition guidance. However, the quality of information in those apps has not been extensively assessed. We aimed to assess the quality of Chinese infant feeding apps using comprehensive quality assessment criteria and to explore Chinese mothers' perceptions on apps' quality and usability. We searched for free-to-download Chinese infant feeding apps in the iTunes and Android App Stores. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the accountability, scientific basis, accuracy of information relevant to infant feeding, advertising policy, and functionality and carried out a preliminary screening of infant formula advertisements in the apps. In addition, we also conducted exploratory qualitative research through semistructured interviews with Chinese mothers in Shanghai to elicit their views about the quality of apps. A total of 4925 apps were screened, and 26 apps that met the selection criteria were evaluated. All 26 apps were developed by commercial entities, and the majority of them were rated poorly. The highest total score was 62.2 (out of approximately 100) and the lowest was 16.7. In the four quality domains assessed, none of them fulfilled all the accountability criteria. Three out of 26 apps provided information covering the three practices from the World Health Organization's infant feeding recommendations. Only one app described its advertising policy in its terms of usage. The most common app functionality was a built-in social forum (19/26). Provision of a website link was the least common functionality (2/26). A total of 20 out of 26 apps promoted infant formula banner advertisements on their homepages. In addition, 12 apps included both e-commerce stores and

Behavior change techniques in top-ranked mobile apps for physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Conroy, David E; Yang, Chih-Hsiang; Maher, Jaclyn P

2014-06-01

Mobile applications (apps) have potential for helping people increase their physical activity, but little is known about the behavior change techniques marketed in these apps. The aim of this study was to characterize the behavior change techniques represented in online descriptions of top-ranked apps for physical activity. Top-ranked apps (n=167) were identified on August 28, 2013, and coded using the Coventry, Aberdeen and London-Revised (CALO-RE) taxonomy of behavior change techniques during the following month. Analyses were conducted during 2013. Most descriptions of apps incorporated fewer than four behavior change techniques. The most common techniques involved providing instruction on how to perform exercises, modeling how to perform exercises, providing feedback on performance, goal-setting for physical activity, and planning social support/change. A latent class analysis revealed the existence of two types of apps, educational and motivational, based on their configurations of behavior change techniques. Behavior change techniques are not widely marketed in contemporary physical activity apps. Based on the available descriptions and functions of the observed techniques in contemporary health behavior theories, people may need multiple apps to initiate and maintain behavior change. This audit provides a starting point for scientists, developers, clinicians, and consumers to evaluate and enhance apps in this market. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing a Mobile App for Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Salomé, Geraldo Magela; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

2018-02-01

This descriptive study describes the planning and development of a mobile application (app) for prevention and treatment of pressure injuries for use by providers in a university research center. The app delineates risk factors for pressure injury development, provides an evaluation of the wound, recommends wound cleansing procedures, performs pressure injury staging, and recommends treatment interventions. A mobile app was developed using a contextualized instructional design, which involves a constructivist proposal and planning, developing, and applying specific didactic situations, thus incorporating mechanisms that favor contextualization. A literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies for the construction of the mobile app. The development process involved the selection of app tools, definition of the navigation structure, and planning of the environment configuration. The environment for downloading the app software on the Internet and installing it on the mobile device was created. The literature search yielded 18 articles, 2 books, and 1 master's degree thesis. A mobile app was created with an easy-to-use graphic interface. The app stores the patient's demographic characteristics and provides an evaluation of his/her wound, a list of risk factors for pressure injury development, wound cleansing procedures, and treatment interventions. The developed app may be useful in clinical practice, helping to prevent pressure injuries and promote select nursing interventions for the treatment of patients with pressure injury.

Cleaning up That Mess: A Framework for Classifying Educational Apps

Science.gov (United States)

Cherner, Todd; Dix , Judy; Lee, Corey

2014-01-01

As tablet technologies continue to evolve, the emergence of educational applications (apps) is impacting the work of teacher educators. Beyond online lists of best apps for education and recommendations from colleagues, teacher educators have few resources available to support their teaching of how to select educational apps. In response, this…

Educational Behavior Apps and Wearable Devices: Current Research and Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Heather

2016-01-01

Dartmouth and MIT have developed educational behavior apps and wearable devices that collect contiguous streams of data from student users. Given the consent of the user, the app collects information about a student's physical activity, sleep patterns, and location to form conjectures about social and academic behavior. These apps have the…

App use, physical activity and healthy lifestyle: a cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dallinga, Joan Martine; Mennes, Matthijs; Alpay, Laurence; Bijwaard, Harmen; Baart de la Faille-Deutekom, Marije

2015-08-28

Physical inactivity is a growing public health concern. Use of mobile applications (apps) may be a powerful tool to encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. For instance, apps may be used in the preparation of a running event. However, there is little evidence for the relationship between app use and change in physical activity and health in recreational runners. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the use of apps and changes in physical activity, health and lifestyle behaviour, and self-image of short and long distance runners. A cross sectional study was designed. A random selection of 15,000 runners (of 54,000 participants) of a 16 and 6.4 km recreational run (Dam tot Damloop) in the Netherlands was invited to participate in an online survey two days after the run. Anthropometrics, app use, activity level, preparation for running event, running physical activity (RPA), health and lifestyle, and self-image were addressed. A chi-squared test was conducted to analyse differences between app users and non-app users in baseline characteristics as well as in RPA, healthy lifestyle and perceived health. In addition, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if app use could predict RPA, perceived health and lifestyle, and self-image. Of the 15,000 invited runners, 28% responded. For both distances, app use was positively related to RPA and feeling healthier (p motivating others to participate in running, and losing weight (p < 0.01). Furthermore, for 16 km runners app use was positively related to eating healthier, feeling more energetic and reporting a higher chance to maintain sport behaviour (p < 0.05). These results suggest that use of mobile apps has a beneficial role in the preparation of a running event, as it promotes health and physical activity. Further research is now needed to determine a causal relationship between app use and physical and health related behaviour.

Mental Health Mobile Apps for Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Grist, Rebecca; Porter, Joanna; Stallard, Paul

2017-05-25

There are an increasing number of mobile apps available for adolescents with mental health problems and an increasing interest in assimilating mobile health (mHealth) into mental health services. Despite the growing number of apps available, the evidence base for their efficacy is unclear. This review aimed to systematically appraise the available research evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of mobile apps for mental health in children and adolescents younger than 18 years. The following were systematically searched for relevant publications between January 2008 and July 2016: APA PsychNet, ACM Digital Library, Cochrane Library, Community Care Inform-Children, EMBASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Social Policy and Practice, Web of Science, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, and OpenGrey. Abstracts were included if they described mental health apps (targeting depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, self-harm, suicide prevention, conduct disorder, eating disorders and body image issues, schizophrenia, psychosis, and insomnia) for mobile devices and for use by adolescents younger than 18 years. A total of 24 publications met the inclusion criteria. These described 15 apps, two of which were available to download. Two small randomized trials and one case study failed to demonstrate a significant effect of three apps on intended mental health outcomes. Articles that analyzed the content of six apps for children and adolescents that were available to download established that none had undergone any research evaluation. Feasibility outcomes suggest acceptability of apps was good and app usage was moderate. Overall, there is currently insufficient research evidence to support the effectiveness of apps for children, preadolescents, and adolescents with mental health problems. Given the number and pace at which mHealth apps are being released on app stores, methodologically robust research studies

Will HTML5 Kill the Native App?

Science.gov (United States)

Fredette, Michelle

2013-01-01

For colleges and universities today, the question is no longer whether to develop a campus app or not. Instead, the debate has shifted to the best--and most cost-efficient--way to make campus applications accessible to the myriad devices and operating systems out there. Schools have a few options: They can develop multiple native app versions;…

Global Outreach of a Locally-Developed Mobile Phone App for Undergraduate Psychiatry Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Melvyn Wb; Cheok, Christopher Cs; Ho, Roger Cm

2015-06-08

Over the past decade, there have been massive developments in both Web-based and mobile phone technologies. Mobile phones are well accepted by students, trainees, and doctors. A review of the current literature has identified the following specialties that have used mobile phones in education: pediatrics, ophthalmology, nephrology, plastic surgery, orthopedics, pharmacology, and urology. However, to date, there are no published papers examining the application of the latest mobile phone technologies for psychiatry education internationally. The main objectives of this study are (1) to determine the feasibility and receptiveness of a locally-developed psychiatry mobile phone app and user perspectives (both quantitative and qualitative) towards it, and (2) to determine the receptiveness of a locally-developed app for psychiatry education internationally. A Web-based app that contained textbook contents, videos, and quizzes was developed using HTML5 technologies in 2012. Native apps were subsequently developed in 2013. Information about the apps was disseminated locally to Singaporean medical students, but the respective native apps were made available on the app stores. A user perspective survey was conducted locally to determine student's perception of the app. From the inception of the app until the time of preparation of this manuscript, there have been a cumulative total of 28,500 unique visits of the responsive HTML5 Web-based mobile phone app. There have been a cumulative total of 2200 downloads of the Mastering Psychiatry app from the Apple app store and 7000 downloads of the same app from the Android app store. The initial user perspective survey conducted locally highlighted that approximately a total of 95.2% (177/186) of students felt that having a psychiatry mobile phone app was deemed to be useful. Further chi-squared analysis demonstrated that there was a significant difference between males and females in their perception of having textbook contents in

User Preferences for Content, Features, and Style for an App to Reduce Harmful Drinking in Young Adults: Analysis of User Feedback in App Stores and Focus Group Interviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Milward, Joanna; Khadjesari, Zarnie; Fincham-Campbell, Stephanie; Deluca, Paolo; Watson, Rod; Drummond, Colin

2016-05-24

Electronic screening and brief intervention (eSBI) is effective in reducing weekly alcohol consumption when delivered by a computer. Mobile phone apps demonstrate promise in delivering eSBI; however, few have been designed with an evidence-based and user-informed approach. This study aims to explore from a user perspective, preferences for content, appearance, and operational features to inform the design of a mobile phone app for reducing quantity and frequency of drinking in young adults engaged in harmful drinking (18-30 year olds). Phase 1 included a review of user reviews of available mobile phone apps that support a reduction in alcohol consumption. Apps were identified on iTunes and Google Play and were categorized into alcohol reduction support, entertainment, blood alcohol content measurement (BAC), or other. eSBI apps with ≥18 user reviews were subject to a content analysis, which coded praise, criticism, and recommendations for app content, functionality, and esthetics. Phase 2 included four focus groups with young adults drinking at harmful levels and residing in South London to explore their views on existing eSBI apps and preferences for future content, functionality, and appearance. Detailed thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. In Phase 1, of the 1584 apps extracted, 201 were categorized as alcohol reduction, 154 as BAC calculators, 509 as entertainment, and 720 as other. We classified 32 apps as eSBI apps. Four apps had ≥18 user reviews: Change for Life Drinks Tracker, Drinksmeter, Drinkaware, and Alcohol Units Calculator. The highest proportion of content praises were for information and feedback provided in the apps (12/27, 44%), followed by praise for the monitoring features (5/27, 19%). Many (8/12, 67%) criticisms were for the drinking diary; all of these were related to difficulty entering drinks. Over half (18/32, 56%) of functionality criticisms were descriptions of software bugs, and over half of those (10/18, 56%) were for app

Comparison of high and low virulence serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by quantitative real-time PCR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, Kirstine Klitgaard; Angen, Øystein; Boye, Mette

PCR data. Preliminary results showed that in both serotype 2 and serotype 6, the toxin producing gene apxIV was the most highly expressed of the investigated genes. The major difference observed between the two serotypes was that apfA, involved in type IV vili production, was significantly upregulated...... of high virulence while serotype 6 strains are normally found to be less pathogenic. To gain an understanding of the differential virulence of serotype 2 and 6, the expression of a panel of Ap genes during infection of porcine epithelial lung cells (SJPL) were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (q...... to be important for early establishment of the bacteria in the host were examined by qPCR. The genes examined were apfA, coding for a subunit of Type IV pili, kdsB coding for a gene involved in lippopolysacceride biosynthesis, and pgaB which is involved in biofilm formation, all three believed to be important...

TControl: A mobile app to follow up tobacco-quitting patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pifarré, Marc; Carrera, Adrián; Vilaplana, Jordi; Cuadrado, Josep; Solsona, Sara; Abella, Francesc; Solsona, Francesc; Alves, Rui

2017-04-01

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for a wide range of respiratory and circulatory diseases in active and passive smokers. Well-designed campaigns are raising awareness to the problem and an increasing number of smokers seeks medical assistance to quit their habit. In this context, there is the need to develop mHealth Apps that assist and manage large smoke quitting programs in efficient and economic ways. Our main objective is to develop an efficient and free mHealth app that facilitates the management of, and assistance to, people who want to quit smoking. As secondary objectives, our research also aims at estimating the economic effect of deploying that App in the public health system. Using JAVA and XML we develop and deploy a new free mHealth App for Android, called TControl (Tobacco-quitting Control). We deploy the App at the Tobacco Unit of the Santa Maria Hospital in Lleida and determine its stability by following the crashes of the App. We also use a survey to test usability of the app and differences in aptitude for using the App in a sample of 31 patients. Finally, we use mathematical models to estimate the economic effect of deploying TControl in the Catalan public health system. TControl keeps track of the smoke-quitting users, tracking their status, interpreting it, and offering advice and psychological support messages. The App also provides a bidirectional communication channel between patients and clinicians via mobile text messages. Additionally, registered patients have the option to interchange experiences with each other by chat. The App was found to be stable and to have high performances during startup and message sending. Our results suggest that age and gender have no statistically significant effect on patient aptitude for using TControl. Finally, we estimate that TControl could reduce costs for the Catalan public health system (CPHS) by up to € 400M in 10 years. TControl is a stable and well behaved App, typically operating near

Medical applications: a database and characterization of apps in Apple iOS and Android platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Seabrook, Heather J; Stromer, Julie N; Shevkenek, Cole; Bharwani, Aleem; de Grood, Jill; Ghali, William A

2014-08-27

Medical applications (apps) for smart phones and tablet computers are growing in number and are commonly used in healthcare. In this context, there is a need for a diverse community of app users, medical researchers, and app developers to better understand the app landscape. In mid-2012, we undertook an environmental scan and classification of the medical app landscape in the two dominant platforms by searching the medical category of the Apple iTunes and Google Play app download sites. We identified target audiences, functions, costs and content themes using app descriptions and captured these data in a database. We only included apps released or updated between October 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012, with a primary "medical" app store categorization, in English, that contained health or medical content. Our sample of Android apps was limited to the most popular apps in the medical category. Our final sample of Apple iOS (n = 4561) and Android (n = 293) apps illustrate a diverse medical app landscape. The proportion of Apple iOS apps for the public (35%) and for physicians (36%) is similar. Few Apple iOS apps specifically target nurses (3%). Within the Android apps, those targeting the public dominated in our sample (51%). The distribution of app functions is similar in both platforms with reference being the most common function. Most app functions and content themes vary considerably by target audience. Social media apps are more common for patients and the public, while conference apps target physicians. We characterized existing medical apps and illustrated their diversity in terms of target audience, main functions, cost and healthcare topic. The resulting app database is a resource for app users, app developers and health informatics researchers.

How Do Infant Feeding Apps in China Measure Up? A Content Quality Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, Becky; Li, Mu

2017-01-01

Background Globally, with the popularization of mobile phones, the number of health-related mobile phone apps has skyrocketed to 259,000 in 2016. In the digital era, people are accessing health information through their fingertips. In China, there are several apps that claim to provide infant feeding and nutrition guidance. However, the quality of information in those apps has not been extensively assessed. Objective We aimed to assess the quality of Chinese infant feeding apps using comprehensive quality assessment criteria and to explore Chinese mothers’ perceptions on apps’ quality and usability. Methods We searched for free-to-download Chinese infant feeding apps in the iTunes and Android App Stores. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the accountability, scientific basis, accuracy of information relevant to infant feeding, advertising policy, and functionality and carried out a preliminary screening of infant formula advertisements in the apps. In addition, we also conducted exploratory qualitative research through semistructured interviews with Chinese mothers in Shanghai to elicit their views about the quality of apps. Results A total of 4925 apps were screened, and 26 apps that met the selection criteria were evaluated. All 26 apps were developed by commercial entities, and the majority of them were rated poorly. The highest total score was 62.2 (out of approximately 100) and the lowest was 16.7. In the four quality domains assessed, none of them fulfilled all the accountability criteria. Three out of 26 apps provided information covering the three practices from the World Health Organization’s infant feeding recommendations. Only one app described its advertising policy in its terms of usage. The most common app functionality was a built-in social forum (19/26). Provision of a website link was the least common functionality (2/26). A total of 20 out of 26 apps promoted infant formula banner advertisements on their homepages. In addition, 12

E-Books and E-Book Apps: Considerations for Beginning Readers

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Celeste C.; Klein, Adria; Schubert, Barbara; McGee, Lea; Anderson, Nancy; Dorn, Linda; McClure, Erin; Ross, Rachael Huber

2017-01-01

This article highlights considerations for teachers when selecting and using e-books and e-book applications (apps) with beginning readers during guided and independent reading. A framework for examining e-books and e-book apps is suggested, and several apps and related digital features are described. The article also includes an overview of…

Integrated approach reveals diet, APOE genotype and sex affect immune response in APP mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Kyong Nyon; Wolfe, Cody M; Fitz, Nicholas F; Letronne, Florent; Castranio, Emilie L; Mounier, Anais; Schug, Jonathan; Lefterov, Iliya; Koldamova, Radosveta

2018-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder that is influenced by genetic and environmental risk factors, such as inheritance of ε4 allele of APOE (APOE4), sex and diet. Here, we examined the effect of high fat diet (HFD) on amyloid pathology and expression profile in brains of AD model mice expressing human APOE isoforms (APP/E3 and APP/E4 mice). APP/E3 and APP/E4 mice were fed HFD or Normal diet for 3months. We found that HFD significantly increased amyloid plaques in male and female APP/E4, but not in APP/E3 mice. To identify differentially expressed genes and gene-networks correlated to diet, APOE isoform and sex, we performed RNA sequencing and applied Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis. We determined that the immune response network with major hubs Tyrobp/DAP12, Csf1r, Tlr2, C1qc and Laptm5 correlated significantly and positively to the phenotype of female APP/E4-HFD mice. Correspondingly, we found that in female APP/E4-HFD mice, microglia coverage around plaques, particularly of larger size, was significantly reduced. This suggests altered containment of the plaque growth and sex-dependent vulnerability in response to diet. The results of our study show concurrent impact of diet, APOE isoform and sex on the brain transcriptome and AD-like phenotype. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mobile medical and health apps: state of the art, concerns, regulatory control and certification

Science.gov (United States)

Boulos, Maged N. Kamel; Brewer, Ann C.; Karimkhani, Chante; Buller, David B.; Dellavalle, Robert P.

2014-01-01

This paper examines the state of the art in mobile clinical and health-related apps. A 2012 estimate puts the number of health-related apps at no fewer than 40,000, as healthcare professionals and consumers continue to express concerns about the quality of many apps, calling for some form of app regulatory control or certification to be put in place. We describe the range of apps on offer as of 2013, and then present a brief survey of evaluation studies of medical and health-related apps that have been conducted to date, covering a range of clinical disciplines and topics. Our survey includes studies that highlighted risks, negative issues and worrying deficiencies in existing apps. We discuss the concept of ‘apps as a medical device’ and the relevant regulatory controls that apply in USA and Europe, offering examples of apps that have been formally approved using these mechanisms. We describe the online Health Apps Library run by the National Health Service in England and the calls for a vetted medical and health app store. We discuss the ingredients for successful apps beyond the rather narrow definition of ‘apps as a medical device’. These ingredients cover app content quality, usability, the need to match apps to consumers’ general and health literacy levels, device connectivity standards (for apps that connect to glucometers, blood pressure monitors, etc.), as well as app security and user privacy. ‘Happtique Health App Certification Program’ (HACP), a voluntary app certification scheme, successfully captures most of these desiderata, but is solely focused on apps targeting the US market. HACP, while very welcome, is in ways reminiscent of the early days of the Web, when many “similar” quality benchmarking tools and codes of conduct for information publishers were proposed to appraise and rate online medical and health information. It is probably impossible to rate and police every app on offer today, much like in those early days of the Web

Developing multiplatform apps : using hybrid solutions

OpenAIRE

Kristbergsson, Ellert

2015-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to describe the process of developing multiplatform apps for mobile phones by discussing and comparing the different methods of developing apps for all platforms. The purpose is to ease decision making of smaller companies that are starting to develop their own product for smartphones. The paper analyses tools based on the Cordova framework and the Qt framework. The difference between how the frameworks deliver the code to the machine, Cordova compiles JavaScript...

Detecting android malicious apps and categorizing benign apps with ensemble of classifiers

KAUST Repository

Wang, Wei; Li, Yuanyuan; Wang, Xing; Liu, Jiqiang; Zhang, Xiangliang

2017-01-01

Android platform has dominated the markets of smart mobile devices in recent years. The number of Android applications (apps) has seen a massive surge. Unsurprisingly, Android platform has also become the primary target of attackers. The management

Local and disseminated acute phase response during bacterial respiratory infection in pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Kerstin; Mortensen, Shila; Heegaard, Peter M. H.

2010-01-01

The acute phase response is playing an important role, aiming to restore the healthy state after tissue injury, inflammation and infection. The biological function of this response and its interplay with other parts of innate defense reactions remain somewhat elusive. Expression of acute phase...... locations of the infected lung (necrotic areas, areas bordering on necrotic areas, and from visually unaffected areas). Expression differences was also studied in the liver and in peripheral lymphoid tissue (tracheobronchial lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils) of infected (n=10) and non-infected (n=5) pigs using......-phase proteins was found 14-18h after experimental infection with A. pleuropneumoniae. This firmly establishes that expression of APPs is widely disseminated, involving changes in the expression of APPs at a dynamic scale comparable to the hepatic response. These results suggest that many different cell...

Developing A mobile App for the Rehabilitation of Ankle Sprains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzanne McDonough

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Musculoskeletal injuries are common and costly. Ankle sprains are one of the most common such injuries, carrying significant risk of persistent disabling symptoms. Rehabilitation has been shown to be more effective than standard conservative approaches for musculoskeletal injuries. The use of a mobile app to present rehabilitation guidance may offer a more accessible, engaging and effective solution to ankle sprain rehabilitation. Several existing apps target the prevention and rehabilitation of ankle sprains, however evaluation details are limited. Aim: To develop a mobile phone app that provides interactive, personalised and tailored rehabilitation for people following ankle sprains. Method(s: In order to build requirements and produce content for the app (entitled ReApp 2, relevant literature was reviewed and behaviour change strategies identified from the Behaviour Change Taxonomy (BCT developed by Michie et al (2013. A flexible and team orientated methodology called Agile was used to refine the technical specification and implemented software using feedback from technical experts (n=5 and clinicians (n=6. Technical experts consisted of participants with at least five years of experience in ICT or a related discipline. These technical experts completed the System Usability Scale (SUS to rate the usability of the software. The SUS is a widely used usability survey, which provides a single overall score for each participant. These scores can be used to provide comparison between user groups and other software. The clinicians consisted of five physiotherapists and one sport and exercise consultant, all of whom had at least five years of experience in providing rehabilitation treatment for ankle injuries. These clinicians also completed a questionnaire and gave qualitative feedback on the clinical appropriateness of the app. Results: The identified BCTs were prioritised according to clinical importance, technical complexity and time

AppFA: A Novel Approach to Detect Malicious Android Applications on the Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaofeng He

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We propose AppFA, an Application Flow Analysis approach, to detect malicious Android applications (simply apps on the network. Unlike most of the existing work, AppFA does not need to install programs on mobile devices or modify mobile operating systems to extract detection features. Besides, it is able to handle encrypted network traffic. Specifically, we propose a constrained clustering algorithm to classify apps network traffic, and use Kernel Principal Component Analysis to build their network behavior profiles. After that, peer group analysis is explored to detect malicious apps by comparing apps’ network behavior profiles with the historical data and the profiles of their selected peer groups. These steps can be repeated every several minutes to meet the requirement of online detection. We have implemented AppFA and tested it with a public dataset. The experimental results show that AppFA can cluster apps network traffic efficiently and detect malicious Android apps with high accuracy and low false positive rate. We have also tested the performance of AppFA from the computational time standpoint.

A Detailed Rubric for Assessing the Quality of Teacher Resource Apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Todd Sloan Chener

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Since the advent of the iPhone and rise of mobile technologies, educational apps represent one of the fastest growing markets, and both the mobile technology and educational app markets are predicted to continue experiencing growth into the foreseeable future. The irony, however, is that even with a booming market for educational apps, very little research regarding the quality of them has been conducted. Though some instruments have been developed to evaluate apps geared towards student learning, no such instrument has been created for teacher resource apps, which are designed to assist teachers in completing common tasks (e.g., taking attendance, communicating with parents, monitoring student learning and behavior, etc.. Moreover, when teachers visit the App Store or Google Play to learn about apps, the only ratings provided to them are generic, five-point evaluations, which do not provide qualifiers that explain why an app earned three, two, or five points. To address that gap, previously conducted research related to designing instructional technologies coupled with best practices for supporting teachers were first identified. That information was then used to construct a comprehensive rubric for assessing teacher re-source apps. In this article, a discussion that explains the need for such a rubric is offered before describing the process used to create it. The article then presents the rubric and discusses its different components and potential limitations and concludes with suggestions for future research based on the rubric.

Putting education in "educational" apps: lessons from the science of learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Zosh, Jennifer M; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Gray, James H; Robb, Michael B; Kaufman, Jordy

2015-05-01

Children are in the midst of a vast, unplanned experiment, surrounded by digital technologies that were not available but 5 years ago. At the apex of this boom is the introduction of applications ("apps") for tablets and smartphones. However, there is simply not the time, money, or resources available to evaluate each app as it enters the market. Thus, "educational" apps-the number of which, as of January 2015, stood at 80,000 in Apple's App Store (Apple, 2015)-are largely unregulated and untested. This article offers a way to define the potential educational impact of current and future apps. We build upon decades of work on the Science of Learning, which has examined how children learn best. From this work, we abstract a set of principles for two ultimate goals. First, we aim to guide researchers, educators, and designers in evidence-based app development. Second, by creating an evidence-based guide, we hope to set a new standard for evaluating and selecting the most effective existing children's apps. In short, we will show how the design and use of educational apps aligns with known processes of children's learning and development and offer a framework that can be used by parents and designers alike. Apps designed to promote active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive learning-four "pillars" of learning-within the context of a supported learning goal are considered educational. © The Author(s) 2015.

The use of mobile apps to improve nutrition outcomes: A systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

DiFilippo, Kristen N; Huang, Wen-Hao; Andrade, Juan E; Chapman-Novakofski, Karen M

2015-07-01

We conducted a systematic review to determine if the use of nutrition apps resulted in improved outcomes, including knowledge and behavior, among healthy adults. Using app(s), cellular phone, iPads, mobile phone, mobile telephone, smart phone, mobile and mHealth as search terms with diet, food and nutrition as qualifiers we searched PubMed, CINAHL (January 2008-October 2013) and Web of Science (January 2008-January 2014). Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials, non-controlled trials, and cohort studies published in English that used apps to increase nutrition knowledge or improve behavior related to nutrition. Studies that were descriptive, did not include apps, focused on app development, app satisfaction app feasibility, text messaging, or digital photography were excluded. We evaluated article quality using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Manual. Data was extracted for knowledge, behavior and weight change. Our initial search identified 12,010 titles from PubMed, 260 from CINAHL and 4762 from Web of Science; of these, only four articles met all search criteria. Positive quality ratings were given to three articles; only one reported knowledge outcomes (non-significant). All four articles evaluated weight loss and suggested an advantage to using nutrition apps. Behavioral changes in reviewed studies included increased adherence to diet monitoring (p app (p = 0.024). Few studies, however, have explored the use of nutrition apps as supportive educational interventions. Most apps focus on weight loss with inconsistent outcomes. We conclude that using apps for education needs additional research which includes behavior theory within the app and improved study design. © The Author(s) 2015.

CLAS App ML

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maher, Bridget; Hartkopf, Kathleen; Stieger, Lina; Schroeder, Hanna; Sopka, Sasa; Orrego, Carola; Drachsler, Hendrik

2014-01-01

This is a multi-language (ML) update of the CLAS App original design by Bridget Maher from the School of Medicine at University College Cork, Ireland. The current version has an improve counting mechanism and has been translated from English to Spanish, Catalan and German languages within the

Smartphone apps as a new psychiatric treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalum, Anette Ellegaard; Arnfred, Sidse Marie

2014-01-01

Søg 1 - 1 ud af 1 Smartphone apps as a new psychiatric treatment. Anette Ellegaard Dalum, Sidse Arnfred, 2014, vol. 176, nummer 34, 2014. Ugeskrift for laeger Artikel Importer Fjern......Søg 1 - 1 ud af 1 Smartphone apps as a new psychiatric treatment. Anette Ellegaard Dalum, Sidse Arnfred, 2014, vol. 176, nummer 34, 2014. Ugeskrift for laeger Artikel Importer Fjern...

Design of Trigonometry Apps for Vocational Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jens Bjarke; Andersen, Steffen; Majgaard, Gunver

2012-01-01

How can smartphones apps enrich the learning of mathematicsin vocational education? This article examines how mathematics teaching can be enriched by apps using smartphone sensors such as gyroscope, compass, camera, and touch screen in a aming context. An iterative and participatory design process.......The combination of competition to unlock exercises, competition for placing on the high-score list, and physical activity proved very motivating for the students and was also approved by their teachers. In this article we describe our design principles, the overall game architecture and the games themselves. We...... talk about our experience in implementing our design process and subsequently summarize the pros and cons of the application and the smartphone platform and how the app developed contributes to vocational mathematics teaching....

APP Is a Context-Sensitive Regulator of the Hippocampal Presynaptic Active Zone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melanie Laßek

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD are characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral changes. The most prominent brain region affected by the progression of AD is the hippocampal formation. The pathogenesis involves a successive loss of hippocampal neurons accompanied by a decline in learning and memory consolidation mainly attributed to an accumulation of senile plaques. The amyloid precursor protein (APP has been identified as precursor of Aβ-peptides, the main constituents of senile plaques. Until now, little is known about the physiological function of APP within the central nervous system. The allocation of APP to the proteome of the highly dynamic presynaptic active zone (PAZ highlights APP as a yet unknown player in neuronal communication and signaling. In this study, we analyze the impact of APP deletion on the hippocampal PAZ proteome. The native hippocampal PAZ derived from APP mouse mutants (APP-KOs and NexCreAPP/APLP2-cDKOs was isolated by subcellular fractionation and immunopurification. Subsequently, an isobaric labeling was performed using TMT6 for protein identification and quantification by high-resolution mass spectrometry. We combine bioinformatics tools and biochemical approaches to address the proteomics dataset and to understand the role of individual proteins. The impact of APP deletion on the hippocampal PAZ proteome was visualized by creating protein-protein interaction (PPI networks that incorporated APP into the synaptic vesicle cycle, cytoskeletal organization, and calcium-homeostasis. The combination of subcellular fractionation, immunopurification, proteomic analysis, and bioinformatics allowed us to identify APP as structural and functional regulator in a context-sensitive manner within the hippocampal active zone network.

Many Mobile Health Apps Target High-Need, High-Cost Populations, But Gaps Remain.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Karandeep; Drouin, Kaitlin; Newmark, Lisa P; Lee, JaeHo; Faxvaag, Arild; Rozenblum, Ronen; Pabo, Erika A; Landman, Adam; Klinger, Elissa; Bates, David W

2016-12-01

With rising smartphone ownership, mobile health applications (mHealth apps) have the potential to support high-need, high-cost populations in managing their health. While the number of available mHealth apps has grown substantially, no clear strategy has emerged on how providers should evaluate and recommend such apps to patients. Key stakeholders, including medical professional societies, insurers, and policy makers, have largely avoided formally recommending apps, which forces patients to obtain recommendations from other sources. To help stakeholders overcome barriers to reviewing and recommending apps, we evaluated 137 patient-facing mHealth apps-those intended for use by patients to manage their health-that were highly rated by consumers and recommended by experts and that targeted high-need, high-cost populations. We found that there is a wide variety of apps in the marketplace but that few apps address the needs of the patients who could benefit the most. We also found that consumers' ratings were poor indications of apps' clinical utility or usability and that most apps did not respond appropriately when a user entered potentially dangerous health information. Going forward, data privacy and security will continue to be major concerns in the dissemination of mHealth apps. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.