Digital Examination Research Articles

Entrance surface air kerma to patients during digital radiographic examinations in Tanzania.

The aim of this study was to determine the entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) in adult patients during digital radiography and to evaluate the optimisation potential in five common X-ray examinations in Tanzania. Based on a sample of 240-610 patients, ESAK was estimated using X-ray tube output measurements, patient information and backscatter factors. The results show that the mean ESAK values were higher or comparable to data from the literature. The diagnostic reference values of ESAK for digital radiography were 0.31 mGy (chest PA), 4 mGy (lumbar spine AP), 5.4 mGy (lumbar spine LAT), 3.8 mGy (abdomen AP) and 2.4 mGy (pelvis AP). For computed radiography, the mean ESAK ranges were 0.44-0.57 mGy (thoracic AP), 3.59-3.72 mGy (lumbar spine AP), 6.16-6.35 mGy (lumbar spine LAT), 3.89-3.44 mGy (abdominal AP) and 2.92-3.47 mGy (pelvic AP). In conclusion, high ESAK variations show the potential for optimising protection in digital radiology.

Exploring a Novel Approach to Monitoring Labor Progression: Can the Distance Between the Fundus of the Uterus and the Xiphoid Process During Contractions Serve as a Predictive Index for Cervical Dilation?

Background: Digital vaginal examination is a well-known method for determining the progress of labor. Although, there is a limited amount of literature on indicators that predict whether labor will result in vaginal delivery. Objectives: This study aimed to identify an alternative method for determining cervical dilation in labor by assessing the distance between the fundus and the xiphoid process of the sternum during uterine contraction. This is an indirect and noninvasive method for determining cervical dilation. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women admitted for vaginal delivery. Among them, 352 women were selected using a convenient sampling method at an academic center. Two data collection tools were used: An interview questionnaire to gather information on age and gestational age and a measure of the distance between the uterine fundus and the xiphoid process during uterine contraction and comparing it with cervical dilation. Results: The study population had a mean age of 27.39 ± 0.71 and a gestational age of 38.9 ± 0.14 weeks. There was a significant inverse relationship between the distance from the uterine fundus to the sternal xiphoid process during contraction and cervical dilation in both the latent and active phases of labor (P = 0.000, r = - 0.45). Conclusions: Using the distance between the uterine fundus and the xiphoid process to estimate cervical dilation can be an innovative and practical index for determining labor progress. However, further studies are needed to determine this method's accuracy.

Comparison of conventional and digital lectures and examinations with respect to the conditions after COVID-19 period – an example for a bachelor lecture on textile finishing

Due to the appearance of COVID-19, many lectures and examinations at universities are forced to digital formats. In the first post-pandemic semester again, the change from digital to conventional lectures was demanded. By this background the question arises, what is the better format for lecture and exam – digital or conventional? This question is discussed on the example of a bachelor lecture on textile finishing for the time period from 2019 to 2023. The combination of digital lecture and digital exam leads to strong participation numbers and by this to more successfully passing students. If the exam is done as conventional written text, the influence if the lecture is digital or conventional is weak. Also, the numbers of passing students or the finally achieved mark are mainly not dependent on the type of lecture format. Finally, it can be state that a digital lecture is more successful if there are also digital parts in the examination. Also, the return to conventional lectures and exams after the pandemic period is possible without influencing the student performance compared to pre-pandemic situation.

Anonymizing in digitalized fieldwork: An art‐based blurring approach

The ongoing refinement of internet technology is compelling anthropologists to reconceptualize data acquisition within the digital realm. Conducting ethnography on sensitive topics that involve imagery necessitates the development of innovative anonymization and pseudo‐anonymization methods. This article focuses on two pivotal facets of digital space ethnography: (1) devising strategies to mitigate harm towards participant members of vulnerable communities and (2) ensuring adherence to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) while preserving the privacy of incidental parties on social media platforms. This article demonstrates how artistic blurring is one anonymization technique that may be applied ethically in the digital ethnographic examination of sensitive issues in Norway.

Digital Forensic Urgence in Analyzing Electronic Evidence for Evidence of Criminal Actions in Information and Electronic Transactions

This study aims to determine the position of digital examination results as electronic evidence for proving criminal acts of information and electronic transactions. This research was conducted using normative research methods. which is done by researching library materials and judges' decisions then analyzing the materials which are methods or methods used in a legal research to find answers which will later become a prescription for the legal problems faced. The results of this study indicate that digital evidence in the form of information and electronic documents and has passed the digital forensic process is legal evidence, as stated in Article 5 paragraphs (1) and (2) of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions. . So that the position of electronic evidence from the results of digital forensic examinations as evidence of expert testimony and documentary evidence at the stage of investigation and proof in the trial process.

Accurate evaluation of the progress of delivery with transperineal ultrasound may improve vaginal delivery: a single-center retrospective study.

Although digital examination of the cervix is the standard method used worldwide for evaluating the progress of delivery, it is subjective. Transperineal ultrasound (TPU) is combined with digital evaluation for accurate assessment of fetal descent and rotation of the advanced part of the fetus. This retrospective study aimed to clarify the impact of introducing TPU on perinatal outcomes at Mie University Hospital. We analyzed singleton pregnant women who underwent delivery management at our hospital between April 2020 and March 2021. Perinatal outcomes were compared between patients who used TPU (TPU+ group) and those who did not (TPU- group). The angle of progression and head direction were measured. The rate of vaginal delivery was significantly increased (90.9% vs. 71.6%; P = 0.0017), and the second stage of labor was significantly prolonged in the TPU+ group (148.1 vs. 75.8min; P < 0.0001). A significant difference was observed in termination in the latent phase between the TPU+ group [3/8 (37.5%) cases] and TPU- group [20/25 (80.0%) cases] (P = 0.036). The rate of vaginal delivery can be increased through accurate evaluation of the progress of delivery with TPU.

A Digital Forensics Model for the Examination of QR Code and Android App to Investigate Aadhaar Card Identity Fraud

There are various new-age crime rackets reported with the help of digital technology and such cases are routinely investigated by the police and digital forensics analysts. In the course of investigation of different rackets such as Aadhaar card, ATM card, PAN card, ration card, voter identity card, passport, fake Indian currency note, various electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops, desktops, biometric scanners, GPS devices, SIM cards, portable skimmers and hi-tech printers are usually taken from the fraudsters for digital forensics analysis. In one case, some Aadhaar cards, mobile phones, laptops, SIM cards and memory card were seized from some suspected airline passengers by the law enforcement agency. All the key probe elements were received for digital forensics examination. In this paper, we propose a digital forensics model for decoding a distorted QR code and specialized Android app used in the creation of fake Aadhaar cards. This model comprised a new algorithm to decode QR codes and recovery of background data including resources associated with the QR code. The proposed model was tested with a QR code retrieved from a suspect’s laptop and Aadhaar card document. The Android app used for preparation of fake Aadhaar card was analyzed in our model and also checked in a mobile phone to verify data generated through the app. The result of the analysis detects fake Aadhaar cards. Further, examination of mobile phones and laptops revealed various technical data, supporting link evidence for preparing disputed fake Aadhaar cards for ID proof.

Frequency of digital vaginal examination and associated factors among mothers admitted to labor and delivery wards in public health facilities of Arba Minch town, southern Ethiopia.

To assess the frequency of digital examination and its associated factors among laboring mothers in public health facilities in Arba Minch town, southern Ethiopia. Digital vaginal examination (DVE) is the commonly applied clinical assessment method used to discover the progress of labor and delivery. However, frequent DVE may not be free of risk for maternal and neonatal health, and pain during intrapartum care. An institution-based descriptive cross-sectional study was employed from May 3 to July 6, 2022. Study participants were selected by a serial sampling method. Data were entered into epi data version 7.2 and exported to SPSS v.25 for data analysis. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to assess associations between study variables. Statistical significance was declared at a P value less than 0.05. A total of 374 women responded to the interview, making a response rate of 98.4%. In all, 230 (61.5%) of the laboring mothers underwent five or more DVE. Being a primipara, being in latent phase at admission, having augmentation of labor, prolonged labor, being admitted with intact membranes, and vacuum delivery showed significant associations with frequent DVE. Frequency of DVE among laboring mothers is relatively high in the study area. The frequent DVE were mainly caused by healthcare provider's interventions to shorten the time of labor. Emphasis on training and monitoring the practice of healthcare givers would be helpful to mitigate this problem.

Estimating the risk of cancer incidence and radiation-induced cancer death of children patients undergoing digital radiology X-ray examinations

BackgroundIt is generally accepted that children are more sensitive to radiation than adults and have a higher relative risk of cancer. The longer life expectancy after exposure increases the risk of developing radiation-associated malignancies. PurposeThis study aims to estimate the risk of cancer incidence and radiation-induced cancer death of children patients undergoing digital radiology X-ray examinations. Material and methodsIn this study, data were collected retrospectively from 15 radiography rooms in the major radiology centers in Mazandaran province (Iran). The information of 12 common digital radiography examinations including pelvis (in the anteroposterior projection (AP)), skull (in the two lateral projection (LAT) and posteroanterior projection (PA)), abdomen (AP), cervical vertebra (AP and LAT), chest (PA and LAT), lumbar vertebra (AP and LAT), thoracic vertebra (AP and LAT) examinations which was recorded from 10 to 15 years old patients. The Entrance Surface Air Kerma (ESAK), Entrance Skin Dose (ESD), and Organ Effective Dose (ED) were measured. Finally, the risk of cancer incidence and Risk of Exposure-Induced cancer Death (REID) values were estimated for these patients. ResultsIn total, 1800 (983 females and 817 males) patients (10–15 years old) were included in this study. Across all procedures, the lowest ED belonged to the skull (PA) examination (10.40 μSv), and the highest ED belonged to the AP abdominal imaging technique (378.46 μSv). The highest ESD was related to the lumbar spine (LAT) projection (3.62 ± 1.38 mGy) and the least to the cervical vertebra (AP) view (0.97 ± 0.21). It was also shown that the differences in cancer incidence and radiation-induced cancer death values in male and female patients were not statistically significant. ConclusionThe result showed that ESDs are influenced by various factors that affect patients' dose distributions, so through the optimization of imaging parameters, image quality can be increased and the patient dose reduced. These actions will necessarily decrease the risk of cancer incidence and radiation-induced mortality risk. Further studies are recommended to assess the workplace environment and practical training in radiology institutions, along with the quality control tests of radiology devices.

Applicants' success in the ethics entrance exam: A cross-sectional study.

Student selection is the first step in recruiting future social and healthcare professionals. Ethically competent professionals are needed in social and healthcare. It is important to select applicants who have the best possible abilities to develop their ethical competence in the future. Values-based recruitment has been used to inform the recruitment and selection of higher education applicants. However, objective and valid tests in student selection are needed. To assess social and healthcare applicants' success and related factors in the ethics section of the universities of applied sciences digital entrance examination (UAS Exam) to undergraduate degree programmes. A cross-sectional design was used. Social and healthcare applicants needed to identify ethical situations in the ethics section of a national digital entrance examination (UAS Exam) in autumn 2019 (between 29 October and 1 November) in 20 Finnish universities of applied sciences. The process for the responsible conduct of research was followed in the study. Ethics committee approval was obtained from the Human Sciences Ethics Committee in the Satakunta region (27 September 2019). Approval to undertake the study was obtained from the participating universities of applied sciences. Participation to the study was voluntary and based on informed consent. The applicants' (n = 8971) mean scores were 7.1/20 (standard deviation 6.5), and 22.7% of the applicants failed the ethics section. Age, previous education, and place of birth (own/parent) explained the applicants' success in the ethics section (total score and failed exam results). Applicants' success in the ethics section varied indicating that future students may have a different basis to develop their ethical competence. This may impact on (new) students' learning, especially in practical studies.

Torção de abomaso em bovino leiteiro da raça holandesa: Relato de caso

Torsion of the abomasum is characterized by the rotation of the organ around its own axis, causing peripheral ischemia followed by necrosis of the walls of the gastric compartment, which can lead to the animal's death. Abomasopathy is directly correlated with metabolic dysfunctions, that is, diets lacking in fiber, history of recent birth associated with negative energy balance (NEB) in the transition period, or even the animal's genetics. Diagnosis of the condition consists of auscultation and digital percussion examination of the abdominal wall, in addition to anamnesis and evaluation of clinical signs and vital parameters. The objective of this work was to report a case of torsion of the abomasum with formation of omaso-abomasal volvulus in a dairy cow, highlighting the changes evidenced in the clinical and physical examination and complementary exams.

THE MAIN TYPES OF TRAUMATIC INJURIES OF THE CHEST AFTER A EXPLOSIVE INJURY ACCORDING TO X-RAY DATA

Abstract. Introduction. Еxplosive lesions are one of the most severe and specific types of injuries in the structure of military trauma. A special role in the diagnosis of traumatic injuries of the chest belongs to the X-ray method of research, as the most accessible and fastest.&#x0D; The purpose of the work is to clarify the types and frequency of traumatic injuries of the chest, received as a result of a mine-explosive injury according to х-ray data.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The work presents an analysis of the materials of own observations of radiological methods of examination of 32 victims with explosive injuries of the chest organs who were undergoing inpatient treatment at the SI «Institute of General and Urgent Surgery named after V. T. Zaitsev NAMS of Ukraine» in the period from 23.02.2022 to 17.05.2023. All patients (100 %) underwent a digital polyposition X-ray examination of the chest organs, computer tomography of the chest organs was performed in 18,7 % of patients.&#x0D; Research results. It was established that the main types of traumatic injuries of the chest after a explosive injury are rib fractures (93,8 %), hemopneumothorax (93,8 %), the presence of fragments of metal density in soft tissues, in the chest cavity, in the heart (87,5 %) and a wound channel in the lung parenchyma (23,3 %), as well as lung contusion (78,1 %).&#x0D; Conclusions. Еxplosive chest trauma in most cases is combined, which significantly aggravates the condition of the victims, therefore, it is necessary to start an X-ray examination of severe patients directly in the operating room or intensive care unit. The main types of traumatic injuries are rib fractures, hemopneumothorax, the presence of fragments of metal density in the chest cavity and a wound channel in the lung parenchyma, as well as lung contusion.

Activity in Group-Housed Home Cages of Mice as a Novel Preclinical Biomarker in Oncology Studies.

Improving experimental conditions in preclinical animal research is a major challenge, both scientifically and ethically. Automated digital ventilated cages (DVC®) offer the advantage of continuous monitoring of animal activity in their home-cage. The potential utility of this technology remains understudied and deserves investigation in the field of oncology. Using the DVC® platform, we sought to determine if the continuous assessment of locomotor activity of mice in their home cages can serve as useful digital readout in the monitoring of animals treated with the reference oncology compounds cisplatin and cyclophosphamide. SCID mice of 14 weeks of age were housed in DVC® cages in groups of four and followed with standard and digital examination before and after treatment over a 17-day total period. DVC® detected statistically significant effects of cisplatin on the activity of mice in the short and long term, as well as trends for cyclophosphamide. The activity differences between the vehicle- and chemotherapy-treated groups were especially marked during the nighttime, a period when animals are most active and staff are generally not available for regular checks. Standard clinical parameters, such as body weight change and clinical assessment during the day, provided additional and complementary information. The DVC® technology enabled the home cage monitoring of mice and non-invasive detection of animal activity disturbances. It can easily be integrated into a multimodal monitoring approach to better capture the different effects of oncology drugs on anti-tumor efficacy, toxicity, and safety and improve translation to clinical studies.

EXaHM – Application Oriented, Digital EXamination System at Hochschule München

The COVID-19 pandemic put academic institutions around the world in the difficult position of suddenly having to organize many lectures and examinations over online channels only, due to students’ physical access to their campus buildings being restricted. While the search for possible solutions to this problem was often challenging, this situation also offered the unique opportunity to establish remote examination options, that might hold the potential to be continued even after the pandemic has hopefully ended. This report looks at how the Munich University of Applied Sciences (MUAS), one of the biggest universities of applied sciences in Germany, established its own solution for remote examination over the Internet. This report provides an overview of how MUAS developed its on-site competence- and application-oriented digital examination tool to work remotely during the pandemic, its general framework and experiences that were made during its inception. Included are descriptions of the technical setting of the solution, as well as some challenges that were had when implementing it and how those were resolved. As part of this research it was concluded, that support and administrative work for this kind of remote examination was much more intensive than for on-site digital examinations, but also lessened each subsequent semester. A well-organized support system makes it possible to offer remote digital examinations with good conditions regarding, for example, student equal opportunities and secure examination environments, although even now perfect conditions cannot be guaranteed. While not without its own deficiencies, MUAS new established system was lauded by many Bavarian educational facilities and is in the process of being deployed to other Bavarian universities. This paper serves to highlight a qualitative example of how e-learning approaches can be of use in the context of higher education examinations and hopefully provide ideas for others trying to establish their own similar solutions.

Post-mortem digital forensic analysis of the Garmin Connect application for Android

The Garmin Vivosmart 4 smartband can monitor various health metrics, including heart rate, oxygen saturation, body composition, and stress levels. It is a quite popular fitness tracking device, as its Android companion application – Garmin Connect – has been downloaded more than 10 million times and can provide critical forensic artifacts such as timestamped GPS-based locations. In this work, we analyze the Garmin Connect application to identify i) relevant digital forensic artifacts, and ii) assess methods to retrieve cloud-based data relevant to a digital forensic examination. For this purpose, we first establish a test scenario where the paired device/application collects data in regular real-world situations using a rooted smartphone running Android 11. The smartphone is then examined to gain insights into the data stored by the application and identify meaningful digital artifacts.To ease and automate the task of digital forensic practitioners, we have developed the Garmin Connect for Android Analyzer (GC4AA) set of Python 3 modules tailored for the digital forensic framework Android Logs Events And Protobuf Parser (ALEAPP). These open-source modules parse dumps of a Vivosmart 4 data directory and create reports displaying several digital artifacts, such as health metrics, GPS data and routes, and phone notifications. They automate the information-gathering process and produce a report specially tailored for Garmin Connect data, highlighting the most relevant artifacts. Our results show that the analysis of paired Garmin Collect/Vivosmart 4 with GC4AA can yield more digital forensic artifacts than existing open-source tools, including the following new artifacts: i) Daily Summary data; ii) GPS data; iii) Response Cache data; iv) Network Logs; v) Facebook API tokens; vi) Device Synchronization cache; vii) SpO2 reading charts. Our contributions include a graphical presentation of the collected data, greatly improving its readability and analysis.

Pelvic floor hypertension: possible factors for pelvic floor tenderness in endometriosis patients—a pilot study

PurposeChronic pelvic pain (CPP) is one of the main problems of endometriosis, leading to a significant impairment of quality of life. Understanding the pain mechanisms and the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) changes in these patients is essential to integrate additional therapeutic strategies. We hypothesize that endometriosis patients have changes in PFM and that targeted vaginal electrostimulation can be a treatment option for CPP in this disease.MethodsFifteen patients with endometriosis and chronic acyclical pelvic pain were included. PFM electromyography with the Multiple Array Probe Leiden (MAPLe) was performed. Mapping of PFM was utilized and targeted electrostimulation of the hypertensive muscles was conducted. Control electromyography was performed afterward to evaluate the electrostimulation therapeutic effect.ResultsIn 12/15 (80%) patients, the myofascial trigger point could be localized by digital examination. The most frequently affected muscle was the puborectalis (10/15—66.7%). Most of the patients showed serious changes in the average resting tone (aRT) of PFM. aRT was significantly increased in all patients and decreased after stimulation, whereby the difference prior to and after stimulation was not significant (p = 0.064). The detailed separated analysis of the hypertensive muscles showed a significant (p = 0.026) reduction in their resting tone (hRT), after targeted stimulation.ConclusionVaginal electrostimulation is a promising and feasible complementary treatment option for CPP in endometriosis patients. Targeted treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction should be included in clinical trials.

Traditional and digital examination of the baculum of a leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)

Traditional and digital examination of the baculum of a leopard seal (<i>Hydrurga leptonyx</i>)

Current Perspectives in Vaginal Laxity Measurement: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aimed to identify and categorize the available measurement options for vaginal laxity (VL), their indications of use, and whether these measurements can sufficiently provide objective clinical judgment for cases indicated for vaginal rejuvenation with many treatment options nowadays. Systematic searches were conducted on five electronic databases, manually searching articles' bibliographies and predetermined key journals with no date or study design limitations. We included all studies involving VL in their inclusion criteria, treatment indications, and outcome parameters. We used the Arksey and O'Malley frameworks as the guideline in writing this scoping review. Of the 9,464 articles identified, 66 articles and 11,258 subjects were included in the final analysis. The majority of studies were conducted in obstetrics and gynecology (73%), followed by plastic surgery (10%), medical rehabilitation (4.5%), dermatology (4.5%), and others (8%). Most studies originated from the North American region (30%). The following measurement tools were used: (1) interviews, (2) questionnaires, (3) physical/digital examinations, (4) perineometers, and (5) others. Our results suggested that subjective perception of laxity confirmed by directed interview or questionnaire is sufficient to confirm VL. Additional evaluation of pelvic floor muscle through digital examination or perineometer or other preferred tools and evaluation of sexual function through validated questionnaire (Female Sexual Function Index, Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised, etc.) should follow to ensure holistic care to patients. Future research on the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of commonly used measurements and the correlation in between subjective and objective measurements should be initiated before their clinical applications.

Forensic Accounting and Investigative Audit on the Effectiveness of Implementing Audit Procedures in Fraud Disclosure

Forensic accounting is a branch of accounting that focuses on investigating, disclosing, and preventing fraud and illegal activities in the business environment. Its main purpose is to identify, collect, analyze and present evidence that can be used in legal proceedings. Meanwhile, an investigative audit is an approach to auditing that is focused on investigating indications of fraud or non-compliance in the financial statements or business processes of an entity. The effectiveness of implementing audit procedures in disclosing fraud involves the application of a careful and careful methodology to identify signs or evidence of fraud in the financial statements and identify signs of fraud, the auditor uses knowledge about the mode of fraud and analysis of data to identify potential indications of fraud in transactions or financial reports, among others, by using forensic techniques. Auditors can use forensic data analysis techniques, digital examinations, and interviews to gather more in-depth and accurate evidence. Carry out segregation of duties. The auditor must examine the internal control system and ensure that there is adequate segregation of duties to prevent opportunities for fraud as well as test the substance of transactions to ensure that transactions reported in the financial statements actually occur and have a valid basis, in collaboration with the forensic team. In complex cases, the auditor needs to work with a forensic team that has special expertise in fraud analysis to detect fraud and the auditor prepares a report that provides a clear description of the fraud, along with recommendations for corrective measures and fraud prevention. The results of investigative audits are used to identify opportunities for improvement in the internal control system so that fraud can be minimized. Forensic accounting and investigative auditing have an important role in helping businesses detect, address and prevent fraud through a careful and evidence-based approach, effective audit procedures can reveal potential fraud and provide guidance for necessary improvements in internal controls.

Nano-residronate loaded κ-carrageenan-based injectable hydrogels for bone tissue regeneration

Bone tissue possesses intrinsic regenerative capabilities to address deformities; however, its ability to repair defects caused by severe fractures, tumor resections, osteoporosis, joint arthroplasties, and surgical reconsiderations can be hindered. To address this limitation, bone tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach for bone repair and regeneration, particularly for large-scale bone defects. In this study, an injectable hydrogel based on kappa-carrageenan-co-N-isopropyl acrylamide (κC-co-NIPAAM) was synthesized using free radical polymerization and the antisolvent evaporation technique. The κC-co-NIPAAM hydrogel's cross-linked structure was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The hydrogel's thermal stability and morphological behavior were assessed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Swelling and in vitro drug release studies were conducted at varying pH and temperatures, with minimal swelling and release observed at low pH (1.2) and 25 °C, while maximum swelling and release occurred at pH 7.4 and 37oC. Cytocompatibility analysis revealed that the κC-co-NIPAAM hydrogels were biocompatible, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining demonstrated their potential for tissue regeneration and enhanced bone repair compared to other experimental groups. Notably, digital x-ray examination using an in vivo bone defect model showed that the κC-co-NIPAAM hydrogel significantly improved bone regeneration, making it a promising candidate for bone defects.