Bespoke App Research Articles

Online exercise added to ergonomic advice for reducing habitual upper body postures: A randomized trial

BackgroundOnline learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with unfavorable habitual upper body postures. ObjectiveThis study explored whether adding a remedial exercise routine to an ergonomic advice intervention, delivered remotely, is helpful for reducing habitual postures of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. DesignPragmatic randomized controlled trial. Methods42 male adolescent students, initially selected with a forward head posture, were randomized to one of two intervention groups: ergonomic advice alone or exercise + ergonomic advice. Outcome measures were specific postural angles of, measured by a photogrammetric profile technique using a bespoke app before and after the 8-week intervention period. ResultsDuring online learning, most students used mobile phones (76%), while 35% used a table-chair-computer arrangement. At 8-week follow-up, a statistically significant reduction of forward head, shoulder protraction, and thoracic kyphosis angles was found in both groups (P < 0.001). However, the effect was significantly greater in the exercise + ergonomic advice group (P < 0.001): forward head, shoulder protraction, and thoracic kyphosis angles reduced by some 9, 6, and 5° respectively, compared with 4° for head and 2° for shoulder and thoracic angles for the ergonomic advice alone group. ConclusionThe results show that, a remedial online exercise routine is a beneficial addition to an ergonomic advice program for improving unfavorable habitual upper body postures. The impact of this intervention may extend beyond postural issues related just to online learning at home.

Portfolio management with ESG news sentiment

In this paper, we introduce a novel news sentiment database and analyze its potential applications in the financial markets via several trading experiments. We analyze the predictability of the news sentiment (both general news and ESG-related news) on the return of European stocks and the potential of applying them as a proper trading strategy over seven years from 2015 to 2023. We find that sentiment indicators such as Tone, and Polarity show significant relationships to the return of the stock price. Those relationships can be exploited, even in the most naive way, to create trading strategies that can be profitable and outperform the market. Furthermore, among the indicators, those extracted from ESG-related news tend to show better performance. This sentiment database is available through a bespoke app at the website https://esg.cafe

Day-to-day variability of knee pain and the relationship with physical activity in people with knee osteoarthritis: an observational, feasibility study using consumer smartwatches

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of using smartwatches in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) to determine the day-to-day variability of pain and the relationship between daily pain and step count.DesignObservational, feasibility...

Moving beyond cyber security awareness and training to engendering security knowledge sharing

Employees play a critical role in improving workplace cyber security, which builds on widespread security knowledge and expertise. To maximise knowledge levels, organisations run awareness and training course. Yet, they should also encourage and facilitate Security Knowledge Sharing (SKS). To facilitate such sharing, we used a bespoke App which deploys a game to deliver security training and to encourage sharing based on the Transactive Memory System (TMS) theory. An empirical study was conducted within a Saudi Arabian Fortune 100 organisation to test the impact of the app on employee knowledge. The app demonstrated efficacy in enhancing organisational security awareness and knowledge. The results highlight the potential of TMS in improving overall security knowledge in organisations.

An optogenetic method for interrogating YAP1 and TAZ nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling.

ABSTRACTThe shuttling of transcription factors and transcriptional regulators into and out of the nucleus is central to the regulation of many biological processes. Here we describe a new method for studying the rates of nuclear entry and exit of transcriptional regulators. A photo-responsive LOV (light–oxygen–voltage) domain from Avena sativa is used to sequester fluorescently labelled transcriptional regulators YAP1 and TAZ (also known as WWTR1) on the surface of mitochondria and to reversibly release them upon blue light illumination. After dissociation, fluorescent signals from the mitochondria, cytoplasm and nucleus are extracted by a bespoke app and used to generate rates of nuclear entry and exit. Using this method, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of YAP1 on canonical sites enhances its rate of nuclear export. Moreover, we provide evidence that, despite high intercellular variability, YAP1 import and export rates correlate within the same cell. By simultaneously releasing YAP1 and TAZ from sequestration, we show that their rates of entry and exit are correlated. Furthermore, combining the optogenetic release of YAP1 with lattice light-sheet microscopy reveals high heterogeneity of YAP1 dynamics within different cytoplasmic regions, demonstrating the utility and versatility of our tool to study protein dynamics.This article has an associated First Person interview with Anna M. Dowbaj, joint first author of the paper.

Beep or alert: evaluating WhatsApp vs pagers for communication between hospital staff

Background/Aims A timely and effective communication system between hospital staff is vital for teamwork, patient safety and optimal clinical outcomes. This study compared staff perceptions of WhatsApp compared to traditional pagers for clinical communication in one of the largest tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Methods A questionnaire regarding factors such as the ease of use and reliability of each communication modality was distributed to interns and residents at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Descriptive statistics were computed for percentages, frequencies and statistical significance of categorical variables. Results A total of 163 participants completed the survey. Of these, 95.1% preferred WhatsApp for storing information for later reference, 58.6% considered WhatsApp to be faster in terms of response, and 52.1% found WhatsApp easier to use than pagers. However, 60.7% chose pagers as better suited for emergency situations and 92.6% were concerned that WhatsApp could potentially compromise patient data security. Overall, participants preferred the development of a bespoke app for hospital communications instead. Conclusions WhatsApp was regarded as easier to use and more accessible than pagers, but it was not deemed to be compliant with hospital policies. Productive communication could be optimised with the use of a tailor-made app dedicated solely to clinical communication.

Fit 4 surgery, a bespoke app with biofeedback delivers rehabilitation at home before and after elective lung resection

BackgroundPulmonary rehabilitation programme for lung surgery patients can reduce the risk of post-operative complications but compliance to programmes can be limited by access to health care. We developed a home-based rehabilitation app and tested its feasibility in patients undergoing lung resection surgery.MethodsA cohort study was conducted over 18 months at a regional thoracic unit. The Fit 4 Surgery app included ten exercises. Patients were instructed to exercise for at least three minutes for each exercise. Data was transmitted back to the researchers remotely. Data was also collected from a contemporaneous group of surgery patients who attended local outpatient-based Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease rehabilitation classes. Quality of Life and outcomes data in the app group were collected. Patients were also interviewed about their experience of the app.ResultsApp patients had a shorter wait before surgery compared to patients attending rehabilitation classes (24 vs 45 days) but managed four times as many sessions (2 vs 9), improving incremental shuttle walk test distance by 99 ± 83 (p < 0.05) metres before surgery. Five themes were gathered from the interviews.ConclusionAn app based programme of rehabilitation can be delivered in a timely fashion to lung surgery patients with demonstrable physiological benefits; this will need to be confirmed in further clinical trials.Clinical trial registration numberISRCTN00061628. Registered 27 May 2011.

Developing a mobile phone app for junior doctors in OMFS

Junior doctors have always desired easily accessible clinical information. Applications (‘apps’) are now ubiquitous on most mobile phone platforms. Currently available apps are limited in their content or functionality. We describe the development of a bespoke app for junior doctors in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) and a programme to validate its content.

Keep taking the tablets? Assessing the use of tablet devices in learning and teaching activities in the Further Education sector

This article summarises the methodology and outcomes of an interventionist/action research project to assess the benefits, and potential pitfalls, of the use of mobile devices in learning and teaching activities in a Further Education environment. A bank of 15 tablet devices were purchased and prepared for classroom use. Staff members were approached to scope potential activities and uses for the tablet devices. Three departments took part in the research activity: the Language School, Social and Vocational Studies and the Hairdressing department. Use of the tablets was varied in nature and included: use of multimedia tools, use of apps, creation and use of a bespoke app, multimedia manipulation and sharing, and creation of an online e-portfolio. Staff and student feedback was gathered during and after the project, and project authors were present during classroom activities for observation and recording purposes. Overall feedback was very positive, but there were issues with tablet use and administration. One of the major issues was the onerous nature of the security setup, and app administration.Keywords: mobile technology; tablets; student attitudes; staff attitudes; mobile classroom(Published: 19 February 2014)Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2014, 22: 22648 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/rlt.v22.22648