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BACKGROUND: A third of adults in Western countries have impaired sleep quality. A possible solution involves distributing sleep aids through smartphone apps, but most empirical studies are limited to small pilot trials in distinct populations (eg, soldiers) or individuals with clinical sleep disorders; therefore, general population data are required. Furthermore, recent research shows that sleep app users desire a personalized approach, offering an individually tailored choice of techniques. One such aid is Peak Sleep, a smartphone app based on scientifically validated principles for improving sleep quality, such as mindfulness meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the impact of the smartphone app Peak Sleep on sleep quality and collect user experience data to allow for future app development. METHODS: This was a 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial. Participants were general population adults in the United Kingdom (aged ≥18 years) who were interested in improving their sleep quality and were not undergoing clinical treatment for sleep disorder or using sleep medication ≥1 per week. Participants were individually randomized to receive the intervention (3 months of app use) versus a no-treatment control. The intervention involved free access to Peak Sleep, an app that offered a choice of behavioral techniques to support better sleep (mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and acceptance commitment therapy). The primary outcome was sleep quality assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index at baseline and 1-, 2-, and 3-month follow-ups. Assessments were remote using web-based questionnaires. Objective sleep data collection using the Oura Ring (Ōura Health Oy) was planned; however, because the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns began just after recruitment started, this plan could not be realized. Participant engagement with the app was assessed using the Digital Behavior Change Intervention Engagement Scale and qualitative telephone interviews with a subsample. RESULTS: A total of 101 participants were enrolled in the trial, and 21 (21%) were qualitatively interviewed. Sleep quality improved in both groups over time, with Insomnia Severity Index scores of the intervention group improving by a mean of 2.5 and the control group by a mean of 1.6 (between-group mean difference 0.9, 95% CI -2.0 to 3.8), with was no significant effect of group (P=.91). App users engagement was mixed, with qualitative interviews supporting the view of a polarized sample who either strongly liked or disliked the app. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, self-reported sleep improved over time in both intervention and control arms, with no impact by group, suggesting no effect of the sleep app. Qualitative data suggested polarized views on liking or not liking the app, features that people engaged with, and areas for improvement. Future work could involve developing the app features and then testing the app using objective measures of sleep in a larger sample. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04487483; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04487483.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is associated with adverse health outcomes among Asian Americans, who exhibit the least adherence to physical activity guidelines compared with other racial and ethnic groups. Mobile app-based interventions are a promising approach to promote healthy behaviors. However, there is a lack of app-based interventions focused on improving physical activity among Asian Americans whose primary language is not English. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a 5-week intervention using a culturally and linguistically adapted, evidence-based mobile phone app with an accelerometer program, to promote physical activity among Chinese-, Tagalog-, or Vietnamese-speaking Americans. METHODS: Participants were recruited through collaborations with community-based organizations. The intervention was adapted from a 12-month physical activity randomized controlled trial involving the app and accelerometer for English-speaking adults. Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and physical measurements were collected at the baseline visit. A 7-day run-in period was conducted to screen for the participants who could wear a Fitbit One (Fitbit LLC) accelerometer and complete the apps daily step diary. During the 4-week intervention period, participants wore the accelerometer and reported their daily steps in the app. Participants also received daily messages to reinforce key contents taught during an in-person educational session, remind them to input steps, and provide tailored feedback. Feasibility measures were the percentage of eligible participants completing the run-in period and the percentage of participants who used the app diary for at least 5 out of 7 days during the intervention period. We conducted poststudy participant interviews to explore overall intervention acceptability. RESULTS: A total of 19 participants were enrolled at the beginning of the study with a mean age of 47 (SD 13.3; range 29-70) years, and 58% (n=11) of them were female. Of the participants, 26% (n=5) were Chinese, 32% (n=6) were Vietnamese, and 42% (n=8) were Filipino. All participants met the run-in criteria to proceed with the intervention. Adherence to the app diary ranged from 74% (n=14) in week 2 to 95% (n=18) in week 4. The daily average steps per week from accelerometers increased each week from 8451 (SD 3378) steps during the run-in period to 10,930 (SD 4213) steps in week 4. Participants reported positive experiences including an increased motivation to walk and the enjoyment of being able to monitor their physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first pilot study of a multicomponent intervention and evidence-based mobile phone app to promote physical activity among Asian Americans who use apps in traditional Chinese, Tagalog, or Vietnamese, which demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability. Future work focused on multilingual mobile apps to address disparities in physical inactivity among Asian Americans should be considered.

BackgroundSmartphone apps may provide an opportunity to deliver mental health resources and interventions in a scalable and cost-effective manner. However, young people from marginalized and underserved groups face numerous and unique challenges to accessing, engaging with, and benefiting from these apps.ObjectiveThis study aims to better understand the acceptability (ie, perceived usefulness and satisfaction with an app) and feasibility (ie, the extent to which an app was successfully used) of mental health apps for underserved young people. A secondary aim was to establish whether adaptations can be made to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of apps for these groups.MethodsWe conducted 2 sequential studies, consisting of a systematic literature review of mental health apps for underserved populations followed by a qualitative study with underserved young male participants (n=20; age: mean 19). Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, an electronic search of 5 databases was conducted in 2021. The search yielded 18,687 results, of which 14 articles met the eligibility criteria.ResultsThe included studies comprised a range of groups, including those affected by homelessness, having physical health conditions, living in low- and middle-income countries, and those with sexual and gender minority identities. Establishing and maintaining user engagement was a pervasive challenge across mental health apps and populations, and dropout was a reported problem among nearly all the included studies. Positive subjective reports of usability, satisfaction, and acceptability were insufficient to determine users' objective engagement.ConclusionsDespite the significant amount of funding directed to the development of mental health apps, juxtaposed with only limited empirical evidence to support their effectiveness, few apps have been deliberately developed or adapted to meet the heterogeneous needs of marginalized and underserved young people. Before mental health apps are scaled up, a greater understanding is needed of the types of services that more at-risk young people and those in limited-resource settings prefer (eg, standard vs digital) followed by more rigorous and consistent demonstrations of acceptability, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Adopting an iterative participatory approach by involving young people in the development and evaluation process is an essential step in enhancing the adoption of any intervention, including apps, in "real-world" settings and will support future implementation and sustainability efforts to ensure that marginalized and underserved groups are reached.Trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42021254241; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=254241.

BACKGROUND: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) persists as a significant public health challenge worldwide, with an estimated prevalence of approximately 10-15% across the global populace. This condition is characterized by a notably high risk of lapses and relapses, even subsequent to treatment interventions. Mobile health interventions, owing to their widespread accessibility, emerge as a promising approach to diminish the risk of relapse post-treatment and to broaden the scope of care, especially in regions with a scarcity of trained medical professionals. METHOD: This study is designed to assess the effectiveness of mobile interventions in mitigating cravings and preventing lapses among individuals diagnosed with SUD. Employing a two-armed, randomized controlled trial framework, the study will evaluate a self-administered psychological intervention delivered through a mobile application, Nałogometr 2.0. Over a period of three months, participants will engage with intervention modules that primarily incorporate mindfulness techniques and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) will be utilized to gather longitudinal data on a range of variables that are indicative of craving intensity and the risk of lapse. In addition to this, a monthly-administered battery of questionnaires will be employed to gauge the severity of substance dependence, as well as to measure levels of anxiety, depression, and overall life satisfaction. RESULTS: Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier [NCT05730504].

Rice is the most widely consumed grain across the world. The rice plants often suffer from diseases. Early detection of such diseases and adopting remedial measures can help the farmers to avoid major losses and can produce best-quality crops in large quantities. However, the conventional rice leaf disease detection techniques are often not accurate, time-consuming and sometimes require laboratory testing. In this context, automatic rice leaf disease detection techniques are presented based on the various deep learning classifiers (namely MobileNetV2, ResNet50, VGG16 and Le-Net5) and an Android application is also developed in order to instantly determine the possible rice diseases from the uploaded rice leaf images captured by the smartphone. The developed models are tested using the publicly available benchmark rice leaf dataset containing three types of rice leaf diseases, namely bacterial leaf blight, leaf smut and brown spot. Experimental results show that MobileNetV2 model performed better compared to other models in terms of classification accuracy, recall and F1-score. The results of statistical significance test also confirmed the superiority of the MobileNetV2 model over other compared deep learning models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to determine the validity and test – retest reliability of the Sit to Stand App variables (rising time, vertical velocity, and power) for measuring single-leg sit-to-stand (STS) test compared to those derived from ground reaction force data. Twenty-seven female athletes performed the single-leg STS test over three consecutive sessions simultaneously recorded with a force plate and the smartphone app. Validity was assessed with Pearson's correlation coefficient, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and percentage error. Reliability was assessed with the ICC. Almost perfect correlations (r ≥ 0.95) and excellent agreement (ICC = 0.96–0.97) between the app and force plate measures with low percentage errors (≤7.3%) were found. The app showed good-to-excellent reliability (ICC = 0.88–0.92) with no differences in inter-limb asymmetry over three sessions. The app was highly valid and reliable for measuring single-leg STS performance. Practitioners can use this app to assess lower-limb performance in female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pediatric obesity treatment is based on high-intensity lifestyle counseling. However, high dropout rates and low effectiveness have been reported, even in specialized centers. Mobile health technologies have been used to overcome these limits with contrasting results. This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of a six-month intervention with a mobile app for the treatment of pediatric obesity at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Methods: Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned to standard care or standard care plus mobile app (2:1) using an online randomizer system. The mobile app delivered high-intensity lifestyle counseling for diet and physical activity. Results: At six months of follow-up, the M-App group showed significantly lower dropout rates compared to standard care (p = 0.01). The risk of dropout was significantly higher in controls compared to the intervention group (OR 3.86, 95% C.I. 1.39–10.42, p = 0.01). After one year, we observed lower albeit non-statistically significant dropout rates in the M-App compared to the standard care group (p = 0.24). No differences were observed in z-score BMI and percentage of BMI reduction between the two groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the mobile app might help in the clinical management of children and adolescents with obesity in terms of dropout reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture, which is spreading rapidly, is one of the major effectors on biodiversity - generally contributing to its decline. In the past few decades, most research efforts have focused on the impact of industrial agriculture on the environment and biodiversity. However, less attention has been paid on examining the impact of sustainable agricultural management practices on biodiversity. Challenges include the disruptive nature of some practices (e.g., agrochemical application) and the timing of others (e.g., tree pruning). Here, we highlight the value of passive acoustic monitoring in assessing the impact of agricultural management practices on biodiversity, using birds as indicators. We outline key considerations, including bird ecology and behavior, ARU sampling protocols, and data management. To demonstrate our approach, we present a case study from a coffee landscape in Costa Rica, where we analyzed the effects of pruning and pesticide application over two years. By focusing on selected focal species and using a subsample of the total hours recorded in combination with a mobile app for annotations, we found that pruning negatively impacted most species, while pesticide application adversely affected all species studied. Our methodology leverages technology to evaluate the impacts of agricultural management practices, offering insights to guide and assess sustainable agricultural strategies aimed at balancing biodiversity conservation with human well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asynchronous teledermatology (TD) has shown promise in improving access to dermatological care, yet studies reveal varied methodologies and results. This study aimed to design a mobile app using the store-and-forward model, marking a pioneering effort in Iran to facilitate written documentation of patient history and skin lesion imagery for accurate diagnosis. Conducted from July 2022 to July 2023, this study involved the development and implementation of a smartphone app to collect clinical data and photographs from 89 patients at a dermatology clinic. Diagnoses made at the clinic served as the gold standard. Three dermatologists independently reviewed the app-recorded data, providing diagnoses that were compared to in-person assessments using the Kappa coefficient and agreement percentage. Lesions were predominantly located on the whole body (47%), with psoriasis (19.1%), acne vulgaris (11.2%), and eczema (10%) being the most common. The overall inter-observer Kappa value demonstrated excellent agreement at 0.856. The study's findings endorse the use of a mobile app for TD as an effective adjunct in regions with scarce dermatological services, such as Iran. To promote the broader application of TD, ongoing research is essential to further establish its reliability and practicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There has been an advent in the use of Mobile Apps in the academic space. The pandemic hastened their usage, and forced us to rapidly innovate in order to meet the educational needs of our students. Also, Mobile Apps have been known to facilitate self-learning, make it enjoyable, and personalize the pace of learning of the individual. Given the level of skill-learning in Physiotherapy education, the use of Mobile Apps can pose a challenge, as well as offer an opportunity to explore its scope to enhance learning, and create innovative pedagogic strategies. There are a very few learning mobile apps that have been assessed in Physiotherapy education. Aim: To develop, establish content validity and internal consistency of a curriculum based App on the kinesiology of normal Gait for bachelor of physiotherapy students, and to evaluate the App with regards to use, quality, engagement, and overall experience. Materials & methods: In the first phase, a mobile app based on a bachelor of physiotherapy Gait curriculum was developed and validated using Delphi procedure, with 80% agreement criteria, by a group of experts. Subsequently, the App was rated by 200 users on: engagement, aesthetics, information, subjective quality. Results: The content validity index following 2 rounds of Delphi was found to be 0.88. Also, therapists found the App easy to use, and 80% gave it a rating of > 3 stars. Conclusion: Creating, designing, implementing, and evaluating the efficacy of a Gait App as a means to teaching the GAIT component to physiotherapy students was found to be appealing and beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present a new four‐phase crisis model and the development and assessment of a mobile crisis management application. The model development was supported by a participatory process involving Finnish Small and Medium‐sized Enterprises (SMEs). The four phases of the model are preparedness, beginning of the crisis, during the crisis, and after the crisis. The new model is incorporated into the mobile app to offer clear, actionable advice for different stages of crisis management. The mobile app, "Crisis Assistant", is designed to aid SMEs in managing a variety of crises, including infectious diseases, accidents, cyber security threats, personnel issues, and business changes. Recognizing the unique vulnerabilities of SMEs due to their size and resource constraints, and their critical role in the economy, the app aims to provide accessible, user‐friendly crisis management guidance. In the mobile app, web analytics provide real‐time insights into the content usage, which allows for updates to the crisis guidance content and authorities' instructions as well as the further development of the app. The app has been well‐received, highlighting the importance of mobile‐based solutions in enhancing SME resilience and preparedness for crises. This study suggests future research should evaluate the app's broader impact on SME crisis management capabilities and applicability to other crisis domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended treatment for insomnia, yet multiple barriers limit utilization. Digital CBT-I may present a solution, though related reviews have focused on Internet-based delivery rather than app use. The high utilization of health apps and prevalence of sleep apps indicate the need to equip clinicians with app-specific research. Toward this end, we reviewed efficacy and quality data on self-management CBT-I smartphone apps, revealing efficacy research on eleven apps, five of which were publicly available. While preliminary, these efficacy studies showed consistent positive findings. When examining quantitative quality indicators for the five publicly available apps, two had consistent data. Overall, two apps, CBTi Coach and Insomnia Coach, had positive, empirical findings across all efficacy and quality assessment approaches. We provide recommendations to guide clinician decision making regarding CBT-I self-management apps based on the literature and publicly available methods of app evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the impact of consumption values on the adoption of NBG's mobile banking services and the role of customers' motivation and app adoption in this process. The study reveals users' attitudes and behavior towards mobile banking by establishing significant connections between selected UTAUT constructs. Based on a critical case of the m-banking services of a leading Greek financial institution, we gathered 418 full-answered questionnaires from a convenience sample of 654 customers to test 18 research hypotheses. The research results confirm that the three selected UTAUT constructs, are antecedents of behavioral intention, supporting the initial assumption. This study analyzes the factors that drive the adoption and usage of mobile banking apps, providing valuable insights for marketing academia and managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In India, the leading cause of mortality for those aged 15-39 in 2016 was reported to be suicide. Despite these alarming statistics, efforts to prevent suicide are nevertheless thwarted by a number of obstacles to getting help. Timely identification is essential to ensuring that people at risk of suicide receive the right care and assistance. The World Health Organization's mental health action plan advocates employing self-help treatments through electronic and mobile technologies in addition to other steps to promote accessibility to and availability of evidence-based mental health services with encouraging results. With encouraging results, technology has been utilized to give self-help and guided psychological therapies, and it may be employed as a low-intensity and low-cost tactic to reach a bigger population in need of care. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to study the comparison of mobile application versus conventional teaching techniques for implementation of suicide risk assessment among medical students. Materials and Methods: Study comprises MBBS students. Sample size was calculated to be 138, with 67 in Group A (conventional teaching) and 67 in Group B (mobile teaching). Week 1 and 2 - students were randomly allocated into Group A and B. Both the groups were taught about suicide risk assessment. Results: We found that 87.61% found the mobile application easier to comprehend than the conventional teaching methods. Conclusion: Mobile application learning for implementation of suicide risk assessment in MBBS students is non-inferior to conventional teaching methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines effectiveness of organizing independent physical exercises for university students in a remote mode using a special mobile application. To achieve the purpose of the study, a pedagogical experiment was conducted with the participation of the second-year students of the Kuban State Agrarian University named after I. T. Trubilin. 80 students (40 men and 40 women) took part in this experiment, of which 2 experimental and 2 control groups were formed. During the pedagogical experiment, students of the experimental groups participated in the project “AgroFit”, aimed at organizing systematic independent physical exercises, including a competitive element, with the use of a special mobile application. The students of the control groups did not participate in this project. They engaged in elective classes in physical education and sports and during non-systematic independent training sessions. The analysis of the average amount of students’ physical activity per week showed that the participants of the project “AgroFit” had more than 2 times higher values of similar parameters typical for students who did not participate in it. According to the results of the experiment, the students in the experimental groups statistically significantly improved the values reflecting the level of their strength abilities and endurance. There were no statistically significant changes in the values of physical fitness indicators in the control groups of students. The results of the study showed significant effectiveness of using additional systematic physical activity of university students based on the use of information and communication technologies and carried out remotely to improve the level of their physical fitness.

Abstract Introduction There has been an advent in the use of Mobile Apps in the academic space. The pandemic hastened their usage, and forced us to rapidly innovate in order to meet the educational needs of our students. Also, Mobile Apps have been known to facilitate self-learning, make it enjoyable, and personalize the pace of learning of the individual. Given the level of skill-learning in Physiotherapy education, the use of Mobile Apps can pose a challenge, as well as offer an opportunity to explore its scope to enhance learning, and create innovative pedagogic strategies. There are a very few learning mobile apps that have been assessed in Physiotherapy education. Aim To develop, establish content validity and internal consistency of a curriculum based App on the kinesiology of normal Gait for bachelor of physiotherapy students, and to evaluate the App with regards to use, quality, engagement, and overall experience. Materials & methods In the first phase, a mobile app based on a bachelor of physiotherapy Gait curriculum was developed and validated using Delphi procedure, with 80% agreement criteria, by a group of experts. Subsequently, the App was rated by 200 users on: engagement, aesthetics, information, subjective quality. Results The content validity index following 2 rounds of Delphi was found to be 0.88. Also, therapists found the App easy to use, and 80% gave it a rating of > 3 stars. Conclusion Creating, designing, implementing, and evaluating the efficacy of a Gait App as a means to teaching the GAIT component to physiotherapy students was found to be appealing and beneficial.

Abstract Asynchronous teledermatology (TD) has shown promise in improving access to dermatological care, yet studies reveal varied methodologies and results. This study aimed to design a mobile app using the store-and-forward model, marking a pioneering effort in Iran to facilitate written documentation of patient history and skin lesion imagery for accurate diagnosis. Conducted from July 2022 to July 2023, this study involved the development and implementation of a smartphone app to collect clinical data and photographs from 89 patients at a dermatology clinic. Diagnoses made at the clinic served as the gold standard. Three dermatologists independently reviewed the app-recorded data, providing diagnoses that were compared to in-person assessments using the Kappa coefficient and agreement percentage. Lesions were predominantly located on the whole body (47%), with psoriasis (19.1%), acne vulgaris (11.2%), and eczema (10%) being the most common. The overall inter-observer Kappa value demonstrated excellent agreement at 0.856. The study's findings endorse the use of a mobile app for TD as an effective adjunct in regions with scarce dermatological services, such as Iran. To promote the broader application of TD, ongoing research is essential to further establish its reliability and practicality.

Abstract Over the past two decades, scientists have increasingly realized the importance of the three-dimensional (3D) genome organization in regulating cellular activity. Hi-C and related experiments yield 2D contact matrices that can be used to infer 3D models of chromosome structure. Visualizing and analyzing genomes in 3D space remains challenging. Here, we present ARGV, an augmented reality 3D Genome Viewer. ARGV contains more than 350 pre-computed and annotated genome structures inferred from Hi-C and imaging data. It offers interactive and collaborative visualization of genomes in 3D space, using standard mobile phones or tablets. A user study comparing ARGV to existing tools demonstrates its benefits.

Abstract Background With the advent of the smart phone era, managing blood glucose at home through apps will become more common for older individuals with diabetes. Adult children play important roles in glucose management of older parents. Few studies have explored how adult children really feel about engaging in the glucose management of their older parents with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through mobile apps. This study provides insights into the role perceptions and experiences of adult children of older parents with T2DM participating in glucose management through mobile apps. Methods In this qualitative study, 16 adult children of older parents with T2DM, who had used mobile apps to manage blood glucose for 6 months, were recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews to explore their role perceptions and experiences in remotely managing their older parents’ blood glucose were conducted. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) were followed to ensure rigor in the study. The data collected were analyzed by applying Colaizzi’s seven-step qualitative analysis method. Results Six themes and eight sub-themes were identified in this study. Adult children’s perceived roles in glucose management of older parents with T2DM through mobile apps could be categorized into four themes: health decision-maker, remote supervisor, health educator and emotional supporter. The experiences of participation could be categorized into two themes: facilitators to participation and barriers to participation. Conclusion Some barriers existed for adult children of older parents with T2DM participating in glucose management through mobile apps; however, the findings of this study were generally positive. It was beneficial and feasible for adult children to co-manage the blood glucose of older parents. Co-managing blood glucose levels in older parents with T2DM can enhance both adherence rates and confidence in managing blood glucose effectively.

Abstract Context Utilizing mobile apps to increase physical activity levels is now standard practice in cancer care. The study’s objective was to provide patients with precise physical activity recommendations and/or initiate self-directed exercise programs. Methods A multidisciplinary group directed the design procedure. We adhered to the self-determination approach,and accompanying behavior modification strategies, as well as international guidelines in the field of physical activity in cancer care. The design process was user-centered and involved three steps: Understanding the user and the context, conceptualization, and evaluation of the prototype. The testing was carried out by the beneficiaries, healthcare professionals, and two experts. Three criteria were evaluated in the designed solution: usability, quality, and potential for behavior change. Results The evaluation results of the designed solution showed good perception by both beneficiaries and healthcare professionals. The average system usability scale score was 90,6 (SD: 7.33) for beneficiaries, and 92.75 (SD: 3.83) for healthcare professionals. The first expert received a mean overall quality score of 4.51 on the mobile app rating scale, while the second received a score of 4.27. The results of the app behavior change scale gave the first expert a score of 17/21 and the second a score of 15/21. Conclusion Based on the criteria of usability, quality, and potential for behavior change, the designed app demonstrated positive results. This is a preliminary evaluation, which will be followed by additional, in-depth evaluations with larger sample sizes.

Abstract Background The ageing population and the rise of persons with dementia (PWD) living at home have increased the need for support by family caregivers (FC). Research suggests that most FCs are unprepared for the complex role of informal caregiving. The use of mobile applications (apps) provide a cost-effective and efficient opportunity for community-based social care professionals to provide tailor-made support to FCs. The literature indicates that there are limited mobile apps available to meet the needs of the FCs to PWD living at home. The aim of this study was to explore how social care professionals and FCs to PWD living at home experience providing and receiving support through a tailor-made mobile app named STAV. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was applied. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 community-based social care professionals and 19 FCs of PWD living at home. The data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Results The social care professionals and the FCs’ experience of providing and receiving support through a mobile app was represented by the following themes: Accessibility to support – Bridging the gap, Engaging from a distance, and Limitations of the support. Conclusions This study highlights the need for FCs to PWD to receive support that is tailor-made to their needs as caregivers. The findings from this study can help community-based social care providers plan and organize long-distance support for FCs to PWD living at home. The findings further support the use of a mobile app as a complement to traditional means of support for FCs to PWD which can facilitate their knowledge, awareness, and self-care management.

The application of digital technologies in the agricultural sector is increasing. One of the new key technologies is the Internet of Things (IoT), which can facilitate the everyday work of farmers. For the successful adoption of IoT-enabled digital products and to ensure improved workflows, the usability of human–machine interfaces is highly important. Various design approaches of human–machine interfaces (HMIs) can currently be found in the monitoring of agricultural machinery. In this work, the most well-known HMIs are considered. Based on a usability test (participants n = 9), the user interface (UI) of a novel mobile application (NEVONEX Cockpit App) was chosen as an example of a design approach of an IoT ecosystem that is oriented towards the UI design of mobile applications. This work aims to identify the weak points of this UI. Conclusions about the needs, and thus an improvement of the user experience, are based on the suggestions for improvement and the information about the general requirements of farmers for a UI for agricultural machinery. Here, it was found that most farmers are satisfied with the UI design of their familiar tractor monitors. According to the survey, the three most important points to be considered in the UI design are intuitive operation and menu navigation, easy access to the essential functions and buttons, and sufficiently large control panels. The conducted usability tests can be considered a basis for developing HMIs for agriculture machinery. Through repeated execution of comparable usability tests, there is the possibility of developing future HMI guidelines for agriculture to improve the user experience (UX). For the NEVONEX ecosystem, feedback from the user interface testing was incorporated in a major revision of the Cockpit App’s design, where a lot more display space was given to the agronomic digital services by smartly arranging infrastructure functions in tiles.

Abstract Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health concern, and patient self-management is an effective approach to manage the condition. Mobile applications have been used as tools to assist in improving patient self-management, but their effectiveness in long-term outpatient follow-up management of patients with CKD remains to be validated. This study aimed to investigate whether using a mobile application combined with traditional outpatient follow-up can improve health outcomes of patients with CKD . Methods This retrospective cohort study recruited CKD patients with stage 1–5 who were not receiving renal replacement therapy from a CKD management center. Two groups were established: the APP + outpatient follow-up group and the traditional outpatient follow-up group. Baseline data was collected from January 2015 to December 2019, followed by a three-year long-term follow-up until December 2022. Laboratory data, all-cause mortality, and renal replacement treatment were then collected and compared between the two groups. Results 5326 patients were included in the study, including 2492 in the APP + outpatient group and 2834 in the traditional outpatient group. After IPTW virtualization matching, the final matched the APP + outpatient group consisted of 2489 cases (IQR, 33–55) and 2850 (IQR, 33–55) in the traditional outpatient group. By the end of the study, it was observed that the laboratory data of Phosphorus, Sodium, Triglyceride, Hemoglobin showed significant improvements, Furthermore the APP + outpatient group demonstrated superior results compared to the traditional outpatient group (P

Over the past two decades, scientists have increasingly realized the importance of the three-dimensional (3D) genome organization in regulating cellular activity. Hi-C and related experiments yield 2D contact matrices that can be used to infer 3D models of chromosome structure. Visualizing and analyzing genomes in 3D space remains challenging. Here, we present ARGV, an augmented reality 3D Genome Viewer. ARGV contains more than 350 pre-computed and annotated genome structures inferred from Hi-C and imaging data. It offers interactive and collaborative visualization of genomes in 3D space, using standard mobile phones or tablets. A user study comparing ARGV to existing tools demonstrates its benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Physicians often use mobile apps for patient care, but few apps are dedicated to pediatric critical care medicine (PCCM). This study developed a mobile app specifically for Pediatric Critical Care Unit (PICU) residents to aid their onboarding process and aimed to assess whether it could enhance their confidence and comfort levels. Method: From March 2020 to April 2021, 90 residents participated and completed pre- and post-rotation quizzes with 20 questions each. Quiz score differences between the control and app groups were analyzed using t-tests. A survey was also administered at the end of the rotation to compare comfort level and confidence in PCCM knowledge pre- and post-rotation. Results: Enrollment included 50 residents in the control group and 40 in the app group. The participation rate was 100%, but not all participants completed both quizzes and survey. The app group showed a significantly greater improvement in quiz scores from pre- to post-rotation compared to the control group (increase of 0.23 questions vs 1.67, p = 0.045). However, the two groups had no significant differences in confidence in PCCM knowledge (p = 0.246) or comfort levels (p = 0.776) in the PICU. Conclusions: This study found no significant difference in confidence levels between the App and control groups at the end of the PICU rotation. However, the App group outperformed the control group in knowledge assessments. Frequent use of the app likely reinforced essential concepts and facilitated adaptation to the PICU service. Overall, the app's positive impact on knowledge and adaptation indicates it is a valuable tool for enhancing medical residents' educational experiences in busy clinical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the lack of physical activity can lead to health problems, with the increase in obesity in children between 8 and 18 years old being of particular interest because it is a formative stage. One of the aspects of trying to solve this problem is the need for a standardized, less subjective, and more efficient method of evaluating physical condition in these children compared to traditional approaches. Objective: Develop a multiplatform based on computer vision technology that allows the evaluation of the physical fitness of schoolchildren using smartphones. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on schoolchildren aged 8 to 18 years of both sexes. The sample was 228 schoolchildren (128 boys and 108 girls). Anthropometric measurements of weight, height, and waist circumference were evaluated. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Four physical tests were evaluated: flexibility (sit and reach), horizontal jump (explosive strength), biceps curl (right arm strength resistance), and sit-ups (abdominal muscle resistance). With the information collected traditionally and by filming the physical tests, a computer vision system was developed to evaluate physical fitness in schoolchildren. Results: The implemented system obtained an acceptable level of precision, reaching 94% precision in field evaluations and a percentage greater than 95% in laboratory evaluations for testing. The developed mobile application also obtained a high accuracy percentage, greater than 95% in two tests and close to 85% in the remaining two. Finally, the Systematic Software Quality Model was used to determine user satisfaction with the presented prototype. Regarding usability, a satisfaction level of 97% and a reliability level of 100% was obtained. Conclusion: Compared to traditional evaluation and computer vision, the proposal was satisfactorily validated. These results were obtained using the Expanded Systematic Software Quality Model, which reached an "advanced" quality level, satisfying functionality, usability, and reliability characteristics. This advance demonstrates that the integration of computer vision is feasible, highly effective in the educational context, and applicable in the evaluations of physical education classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder impacting women's health and quality of life. This scoping review explores the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in PCOS management. Results were grouped into six domains of the IoT: mobile apps, social media, wearables, machine learning, websites, and phone-based. A further domain was created to capture participants' perspectives on using the IoT in PCOS management. Mobile apps appear to be useful for menstrual cycle tracking, symptom recording, and education. Despite concerns regarding the quality and reliability of social media content, these platforms may play an important role in disseminating PCOS-related information. Wearables facilitate detailed symptom monitoring and improve communication with healthcare providers. Machine learning algorithms show promising results in PCOS diagnosis accuracy, risk prediction, and app development. Although abundant, PCOS-related content on websites may lack quality and cultural considerations. While patients express concerns about online misinformation, they consider online forums valuable for peer connection. Using text messages and phone calls to provide feedback and support to PCOS patients may help them improve lifestyle behaviors and self-management skills. Advancing evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and accessible IoT solutions can enhance their potential to transform PCOS care, address misinformation, and empower women to better manage their symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing patients with diabetes of the second kind of self-management help is necessary for easing the strain on the healthcare system and providing people the abilities, information, and self-assurance they need to actively take charge of their health is important. Our review’s objective is meant to offer an outline of the features of applications for diabetes self-care management. A review of published and reviewed literature was conducted to investigate mobile app-based therapies for Type 2 Diabetes patients. The first database search produced 256 papers. Following the completion of the chosen papers, 139 duplicate articles were eliminated and from the remaining 126 publications, 32 were irrelevant, 78 were review pieces, and 6 were abstract articles. The final sample for this review consisted of ten papers that answered the research questions. A total of ten articles were included for evaluation: four at first level, one at second level, two at 4th level, and one at 5th level. This review was successful in identifying the selfcare management function in mobile applications. Each application makes use of at least one of the self-care tools. Aspects of this literature’s effectiveness can provide future knowledge on effective and long-term initiatives for improving the lives of active T2D patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient asthma management necessitates optimal usage of metered-dose inhalers (MDIs). As future health professionals, pharmacy students are pivotal in disseminating accurate methodologies for MDI usage. Despite having hands-on experience, there is room to enhance their comprehension, highlighting the need for prompt patient educational interventions. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app-assisted educational method in improving pharmacy students' understanding of MDI usage. A pre-experimental study was conducted from March to August 2021 with 45 participants enrolled in the Pharmacist Professional Study Program at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Using a one-group pretest-post-test design, the study measured the app's impact on students' knowledge and MDI usage skills. The intervention significantly improved students' scores on a 9-step MDI usage checklist, with increases ranging from 0.10 to 0.50 across verbal and motor components. A Mann-Whitney U test validated these findings, showing a statistically significant p-value of 0.001. The mobile app-assisted educational approach substantially enhanced pharmacy students' proficiency in MDI use. The significant rise in mean scores for the 9-step checklist, along with the notable p-value, supports the effectiveness of this intervention in healthcare education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic steatosis, characterized by excess fat in the liver, is the main reason for discarding livers intended for transplantation due to its association with increased postoperative complications. The current gold standard for evaluating hepatic steatosis is liver biopsy, which, despite its accuracy, is invasive, costly, slow, and not always feasible during liver procurement. Consequently, surgeons often rely on subjective visual assessments based on the liver's colour and texture, which are prone to errors and heavily depend on the surgeon's experience. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple, rapid, and accurate method for detecting steatosis in donor livers to improve the decision-making process during liver procurement. We developed LiverColor, a co-designed software platform that integrates image analysis and machine learning to classify a liver graft into valid or non-valid according to its steatosis level. We utilized an in-house dataset of 192 cases to develop and validate the classification models. Colour and texture features were extracted from liver photographs, and graft classification was performed using supervised machine learning techniques (random forests and support vector machine). The performance of the algorithm was compared against biopsy results and surgeons' classifications. Usability was also assessed in simulated and real clinical settings using the Mobile Health App Usability Questionnaire. The predictive models demonstrated an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82, with an accuracy of 85%, significantly surpassing the accuracy of visual inspections by surgeons. Experienced surgeons rated the platform positively, appreciating not only the hepatic steatosis assessment but also the dashboarding functionalities for summarising and displaying procurement-related data. The results indicate that image analysis coupled with machine learning can effectively and safely identify valid livers during procurement. LiverColor has the potential to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of liver assessments, reducing the reliance on subjective visual inspections and improving transplantation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe importance of physical activity (PA) for overall health and well-being cannot be overstated, especially in today’s fast-paced and sedentary society. Engaging in enjoyable activities like dancing can significantly enhance PA levels and positively affect one’s mood. Advances in technology have the potential to increase individuals’ engagement in more physical activities. This work explores the effectiveness of augmented reality-driven persuasive intervention in enhancing users’ physical activity and mood. To achieve our goal, we developed AR Dancee, a mobile-driven intervention combining Augmented Reality, Machine Learning, and persuasive technology to encourage adults to increase their PA through dancing, ultimately improving their mood. A 15-day user study with 104 participants showed that the intervention effectively increased PA levels, with equal effectiveness across genders and a stronger impact on younger adults. The results also show that the intervention improved participants’ mood while reducing anxiety levels, demonstrating its potential for stress management. Overall, the contribution of this work to the HCI fields is threefold: (1) the design and development of an AR-driven persuasive mobile app, (2) providing design recommendations, and (3) pinpointing limitations and providing suggestions for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of digital gamified language learning on language achievement has been corroborated in the literature; however, its impact on language achievement, especially in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context needs further investigation. In addition, the related literature has not sufficiently confirmed the impact of digital gamified language learning on some psychological domains of EFL learning. Objectives: This study, therefore, employed a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the effects of digital gamified language learning using a mobile application (app) affordances on EFL learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and ideal second language (L2) self. Methods: To this end, 36 EFL learners were randomly divided into two groups; one group was randomly assigned to the digital class, including 19 EFL learners, and the other group was assigned to the non‐digital class, consisting of 17 EFL learners. The digital learners did the digital gamified language learning activities individually and interactively and received peer and instructor feedback, whilst the non‐digital learners did the same language learning activities in printed format and received peer and instructor feedback. A language achievement test, the FLE scale, and the ideal L2 self‐scale were used to collect the quantitative data and an individual semi‐structured interview was carried out to gather the qualitative data. Results and Conclusions: One‐way ANCOVA, used to analyse the quantitative data, revealed that the digital and non‐digital classes improved the EFL learners' language achievement, FLE, and ideal L2 self; however, the digital learners outperformed their non‐digital counterparts in all the measures. Thematic analysis, utilised to analyse the qualitative data, uncovered some themes about the digital learners' positive and negative attitudes and perceptions towards the digital gamified language learning activities, clarifying the quantitative findings. Implications: Pedagogical implications are discussed. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Digital gamification involves employing game‐supported activities to interact with other learners, improving their language learning.Several studies have been carried out focusing on the salient role of digital gamified language learning activities in improving learners' language learning.As elements of positive psychology, foreign language enjoyment and ideal L2 self can improve learners' enthusiasm and involvement in digital gamified language learning activities. What this paper adds: Digital gamification using a mobile app's gamified affordances develops English language learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment, and ideal L2 self.Digital gamification is more effective than non‐digital gamification in improving English language learners' language achievement, foreign language enjoyment and ideal L2 self.English language learners in digital classes hold positive attitudes and perceptions towards the effects of digital gamification on their language learning. Pedagogical implications: Digital gamified language learning activities can be an effective and engaging supplement to non‐digital classroom teaching, especially in English language contexts where learners may have limited opportunities for authentic language learning collaboration.English language learners can utilise digital gamified language learning affordances for language development, particularly for their collaborative language learning activities with other classmates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the advent of the smart phone era, managing blood glucose at home through apps will become more common for older individuals with diabetes. Adult children play important roles in glucose management of older parents. Few studies have explored how adult children really feel about engaging in the glucose management of their older parents with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through mobile apps. This study provides insights into the role perceptions and experiences of adult children of older parents with T2DM participating in glucose management through mobile apps. Methods: In this qualitative study, 16 adult children of older parents with T2DM, who had used mobile apps to manage blood glucose for 6 months, were recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews to explore their role perceptions and experiences in remotely managing their older parents' blood glucose were conducted. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) were followed to ensure rigor in the study. The data collected were analyzed by applying Colaizzi's seven-step qualitative analysis method. Results: Six themes and eight sub-themes were identified in this study. Adult children's perceived roles in glucose management of older parents with T2DM through mobile apps could be categorized into four themes: health decision-maker, remote supervisor, health educator and emotional supporter. The experiences of participation could be categorized into two themes: facilitators to participation and barriers to participation. Conclusion: Some barriers existed for adult children of older parents with T2DM participating in glucose management through mobile apps; however, the findings of this study were generally positive. It was beneficial and feasible for adult children to co-manage the blood glucose of older parents. Co-managing blood glucose levels in older parents with T2DM can enhance both adherence rates and confidence in managing blood glucose effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The communication barriers experienced by deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals often lead to social isolation and limited access to essential services, underlining a critical need for effective and accessible solutions. Recognizing the unique challenges this community faces—such as the scarcity of sign language interpreters, particularly in remote areas, and the lack of real-time translation tools. This paper proposes the development of a smartphone-runnable sign language recognition model to address the communication problems faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing persons. This proposed model combines Mediapipe hand tracking with particle filtering (PF) to accurately detect and track hand movements, and a convolutional neural network (CNN) and bidirectional long short-term memory based gesture recognition model to model the temporal dynamics of Sign Language gestures. These models use a small number of layers and filters, depthwise separable convolutions, and dropout layers to minimize the computational costs and prevent overfitting, making them suitable for smartphone implementation. This article discusses the existing challenges handled by the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and explains how the proposed model could help overcome these challenges. A MediaPipe + PF model performs feature extraction from the image and data preprocessing. During training, with fewer activation functions and parameters, this proposed model performed better to other CNN with RNN variant models (CNN + LSTM, CNN + GRU) used in the experiments of convergence speed and learning efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delivery market in Republic of Korea has experienced significant growth, leading to a surge in motorcycle-related accidents. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data collection systems for motorcycle safety management. This study focused on designing and implementing a foundational data collection system to monitor and evaluate motorcycle driving behavior. To achieve this, eleven risky behaviors were defined, identified using image-based, GIS-based, and inertial-sensor-based methods. A motorcycle-mounted sensing device was installed to assess driving, with drivers reviewing their patterns through an app and all data monitored via a web interface. The system was applied and tested using a testbed. This study is significant as it successfully conducted foundational data collection for motorcycle safety management and designed and implemented a system for monitoring and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Utilizing mobile apps to increase physical activity levels is now standard practice in cancer care. The study's objective was to provide patients with precise physical activity recommendations and/or initiate self-directed exercise programs. Methods: A multidisciplinary group directed the design procedure. We adhered to the self-determination approach,and accompanying behavior modification strategies, as well as international guidelines in the field of physical activity in cancer care. The design process was user-centered and involved three steps: Understanding the user and the context, conceptualization, and evaluation of the prototype. The testing was carried out by the beneficiaries, healthcare professionals, and two experts. Three criteria were evaluated in the designed solution: usability, quality, and potential for behavior change. Results: The evaluation results of the designed solution showed good perception by both beneficiaries and healthcare professionals. The average system usability scale score was 90,6 (SD: 7.33) for beneficiaries, and 92.75 (SD: 3.83) for healthcare professionals. The first expert received a mean overall quality score of 4.51 on the mobile app rating scale, while the second received a score of 4.27. The results of the app behavior change scale gave the first expert a score of 17/21 and the second a score of 15/21. Conclusion: Based on the criteria of usability, quality, and potential for behavior change, the designed app demonstrated positive results. This is a preliminary evaluation, which will be followed by additional, in-depth evaluations with larger sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile health (mHealth) interventions in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) have considerable potential to advance social and human development through the equitable delivery of health information and enabling self-care for disadvantaged populations. Involving stakeholders through co-design positively impacts the development of mHealth solutions and, in turn, their social, economic, and human development outcomes. The complex systems and multifaceted contexts confronted in co-design present barriers. This work focuses on barriers encountered in mHealth co-design in LMICs, related principally to culture, language, and technology. It presents a toolkit highlighting methods to best overcome such barriers, aiming to strengthen 'mobile phones for development' research and practice. Additionally, it provides an illustrative example of applying the toolkit. By presenting this toolkit to overcome barriers and create opportunities for realising health outcomes from information and communications technology (ICT) implementation, this article contributes to the fields of ICT for development, participatory design, and population and digital health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are little data on the use of smartphone-based applications for medication adherence and risk-factor control for the secondary prevention of stroke in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). Aims: The aim was to determine whether a smartphone-based app improved medication adherence, risk-factor control, and provided health education to stroke survivors for lifestyle and behavioral modifications. Methods: An unblinded, single-center randomized controlled double arm trial with 1:1 allocation among stroke survivors was performed in South India. The primary outcome was medication adherence, with co-primary outcomes of lifestyle and behavioral factors and control of vascular risk factors, at 3 and 6 months. Results: Among 351 stroke survivors screened, 209 were recruited. The mean (standard deviation (SD)) age of the intervention (n = 105) group was 60 (12) years and that of the control (n = 104) group was 60 (10) years. In the primary outcome, mean medication adherence significantly improved in the intervention group with a between group difference of 0.735 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.419 to 1.050), p < 0.001. Being in intervention group (OR = 4.5; 95% CI = 2.3 to 8.9), stroke recurrence (OR = 3.3 (95% CI = 1.9 to 7.8)), and regular physician visits (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.0 to 4.4) were significant predictors of good medication adherence. Considering the co-primary outcomes, compared to the control group, participants in the intervention group had a greater improvement in self-reported healthy diet intake (p = 0.003), intake of fruits (p = 0.005), and were physically more active (p = 0.001). At 6 months, mean fasting blood sugar (p = 0.005) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol higher (p = 0.024) in the intervention group. Conclusions: The use of a mobile app is an effective method to improve medication adherence and risk-factor control in stroke survivors and is feasible in LMICs like India. Data access statement: Data used during the study are available from the corresponding author on request. Trial registration: The study is registered in Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2022/06/042980). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare bone diseases (RBD) cause physical and sensory disability that affects quality of life. Mobility challenges are common for people with RBDs, and travelling to gait analysis labs can be very complex. Smartphone sensors could provide remote monitoring. This study aimed to search for and identify variables that can be used to discriminate between people with RBD and healthy people by using built-in smartphone sensors in a real-world setting. In total, 18 participants (healthy: n=9; RBD: n=9), controlled by age and sex, were included in this cross-sectional study. A freely available App (Phyphox) was used to gather data from built-in smartphone sensors (accelerometer & gyroscope) at 60 Hz during a 15-min walk on a level surface without turns or stops. Temporal gait parameters like cadence, mean stride time and, coefficient variance (CoVSt) and nonlinear analyses, as the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) & sample entropy (SE) in the three accelerometer axes were used to distinguish between the groups and describe gait patterns. The LLE (p=0.04) and the SE of the z-axis (p=0.01), which are correlated with balance control during walking and regularity of the gait, are sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between RBD and controls. The use of smartphone sensors to monitor gait in people with RBD allows for the identification of subtle changes in gait patterns, which can be used to inform assessment and management strategies in larger cohorts. • Smartphone-based metrics can be used to distinguish gait changes in individuals with RBD. • Smartphone sensors could enable remote monitoring by individuals with RBD. • Remote gait monitoring could facilitate the assessment and management of larger cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile apps are omnipresent due to the proliferation in the adoption of smart mobile devices and the widespread availability of the Internet, which represent two key enablers for the acceptability of mobile apps. Although there are many mobile apps available that cater to diverse needs, including those of older adults, there is a lack of understanding on the usability aspects that affect the acceptability of mobile apps among older adults. Even though many studies have evaluated older adults' perceptions toward mobile apps, they are predominantly conducted in developed countries using factors deductively derived from existing theories and hypothetical scenarios without an actual prototype for evaluation. To address these noteworthy gaps, this study adopts a qualitative case study approach (i.e. inductive) to explore the usability aspects of a mobile application (or app) that supports the mobility of older adults (i.e. mobility app) using the TakeMe app (i.e. prototype) and a sample of Malaysian older adults over the age of 60 (i.e. developing country) as a case. Through this study, the findings suggest that including older adult-friendly usability features can boost the adoption of mobility apps among older adults, and that these features span across the domains of learning (e.g. guided in-person by close ones such as children, partner, relatives), usefulness (e.g. variety of services), ease of use (e.g. simplicity), and security (e.g. authenticity of services, privacy protected). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the implementation, participation rates, and potential determinants of participation in the digital addiction prevention program "ready4life." A two-arm cluster-randomized trial recruited German vocational students via class-based strategies. Intervention group received 16 weeks of in-app coaching; the control group received health behavior information, with coaching offered after 12 months. Potential determinants of participation were analyzed based on class and individual characteristics. Out of 525 contacted schools, 35 participated, enrolling 376 classes. Implementation during the pandemic required flexible adjustments, with 49.7% of introductions conducted in person, 43.1% digitally via online streaming, and 7.2% received a video link via email. Despite challenges, 72.3% of the vocational students downloaded the app, and 46.7% gave informed consent. Participation rates were highest among (associate) professionals, vocational grammar school classes, classes introduced by females, younger individuals, members of the project team, and classes introduced face-to-face. Female gender, lower social competencies, lifetime cannabis use, higher problematic internet use, and higher perceived stress were associated with higher individual participation. The study highlights the importance of proactive outreach and personalized interventions for addiction prevention programs in vocational schools. While reached students aligned with the aims of the app, tailored recruitment strategies could enhance engagement among under-represented groups. The trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00022328; registration date 09.10.2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a mobile application called the Creative Teaching Creative Teacher app (CTCT app) for early childhood teachers to monitor and improve their creative teaching competence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 early childhood teachers and 3 experts to determine the demand for developing creative teaching applications. The interviews focused on the expected contents, design, and function of the CTCT app. The app's design and functionality underwent revisions through ongoing meetings with the developer. The CTCT app consists of four menus: 'Creative Teaching Competence Checklist', 'Strengths and Weaknesses on Creative Teaching Competence', 'Expert Q&A on Creative Teaching Competence', and 'Sharing Creative Teaching'. The CTCT app can monitor early childhood teachers' creative teaching competence and allow them to share their creative teaching cases with others. The CTCT application may assist early childhood educators in enhancing their capacity to foster children's creativity and boost their confidence in creative instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automation of agriculture can transform farming from manual to dynamic, resulting in higher profits with less manual management. This article introduces the use of automatic irrigation to monitor and control soil moisture through automatic irrigation. The control unit is implemented by an ATMEGA328P microcontroller on the Uno platform. This device uses a hygrometer to measure actual humidity. This benefit ensures that the system uses water correctly, thus preventing excess/underwater. IoT is used to inform farmers about the status of the water supply. Sensor data are updated regularly via the GSM-GPRS website, and farmers can check whether the water head is open/closed at any time via the website. Sensor readings are transmitted to the object's audio channel to create an image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional printing is an emerging service delivery method for on-demand access to customized assistive technology devices. However, barriers exist in locating and designing appropriate models and having the devices printed. The purpose of this work is to outline the development of an app, 3DAdapt, which allows users to overcome these issues by searching within a curated list of 3D printable assistive devices, customizing models that support it, and ordering the device to be printed by manufacturers linked within the app or shared with local 3D printing operators. The app integrates searching and filters based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health, with the available devices including those developed from fieldwork collaborations with multiple professionals and students within clinical, community, and educational settings. It provides users the ability to customize select models to meet their needs. The model can then be shared, downloaded, or ordered from a third-party 3D printing service. This development and expert testing phase to assess feasibility and modify the app based on identified themes then prepared the team for the next phases of beta testing to reach the overall aim of 3DAdapt to connect individuals to affordable and customizable devices to increase independence and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ageing population and the rise of persons with dementia (PWD) living at home have increased the need for support by family caregivers (FC). Research suggests that most FCs are unprepared for the complex role of informal caregiving. The use of mobile applications (apps) provide a cost-effective and efficient opportunity for community-based social care professionals to provide tailor-made support to FCs. The literature indicates that there are limited mobile apps available to meet the needs of the FCs to PWD living at home. The aim of this study was to explore how social care professionals and FCs to PWD living at home experience providing and receiving support through a tailor-made mobile app named STAV. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was applied. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 11 community-based social care professionals and 19 FCs of PWD living at home. The data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Results: The social care professionals and the FCs' experience of providing and receiving support through a mobile app was represented by the following themes: Accessibility to support – Bridging the gap, Engaging from a distance, and Limitations of the support. Conclusions: This study highlights the need for FCs to PWD to receive support that is tailor-made to their needs as caregivers. The findings from this study can help community-based social care providers plan and organize long-distance support for FCs to PWD living at home. The findings further support the use of a mobile app as a complement to traditional means of support for FCs to PWD which can facilitate their knowledge, awareness, and self-care management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) represent an increasingly utilized technology to promote clinical guideline use. We sought to explore clinician guideline use and access preferences during implementation of a mobile guideline app at a free-standing children's hospital integrating 23 guidelines. Surveys included demographic variables and access preferences among anonymous onboarded clinicians in January 2022. Response rate was 21.8% (57/261) among onboarded users, mostly attending (59.6%) and resident/fellow physicians (21.1%) in inpatient (42.1%) and emergency department (31.6%) settings. Onboarded users accessed guidelines on over half of shifts (68.4%) and quickly (80.7%, <1 minute). Overall, most users reported favorable patterns for adoption of mobile CDSSs as useful adjuncts to existing formats. Users reported more ease of access and frequent guideline usage, particularly for younger clinicians. Guidelines related to antibiotic decision-making or newer disease processes were most useful. Further study is needed on electronic health record incorporation, adherence, and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to enhance thyroid clinics by proposing solutions through collaboration between medical experts and researchers, thereby enhancing the quality of healthcare services. To minimize unnecessary in-person consultations, a doctor requested the development of an app to address non-critical physical consultation appointments. Design-based research is a robust methodology that combines theory-driven inquiry with real-world problem-solving to develop interventions or serve as the basis for the research being discussed. M-Thyroid Care is designed to provide a practical and cost-effective platform for online consultations, facilitating video calls between patients and doctors. By leveraging this technology, the app aims to enhance patient monitoring and optimize the efficiency of thyroid clinic consultations. Moreover, the integrated chat feature allows for real-time communication, fostering effective doctor-patient interaction even outside of scheduled appointments. Additionally, the app enables the sharing of files, videos, and images, empowering doctors to review diagnostic reports and relevant visual data remotely. This further streamlines the consultation process. By reducing the reliance on physical visits for non-critical cases, the app has the potential to enhance access to specialized care, decrease wait times, and optimize resource utilization in the clinic setting. The prototype has the potential to enhance patient care, as demonstrated by this proactive engagement with stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant public health concern, and patient self-management is an effective approach to manage the condition. Mobile applications have been used as tools to assist in improving patient self-management, but their effectiveness in long-term outpatient follow-up management of patients with CKD remains to be validated. This study aimed to investigate whether using a mobile application combined with traditional outpatient follow-up can improve health outcomes of patients with CKD. Methods: This retrospective cohort study recruited CKD patients with stage 1–5 who were not receiving renal replacement therapy from a CKD management center. Two groups were established: the APP + outpatient follow-up group and the traditional outpatient follow-up group. Baseline data was collected from January 2015 to December 2019, followed by a three-year long-term follow-up until December 2022. Laboratory data, all-cause mortality, and renal replacement treatment were then collected and compared between the two groups. Results: 5326 patients were included in the study, including 2492 in the APP + outpatient group and 2834 in the traditional outpatient group. After IPTW virtualization matching, the final matched the APP + outpatient group consisted of 2489 cases (IQR, 33–55) and 2850 (IQR, 33–55) in the traditional outpatient group. By the end of the study, it was observed that the laboratory data of Phosphorus, Sodium, Triglyceride, Hemoglobin showed significant improvements, Furthermore the APP + outpatient group demonstrated superior results compared to the traditional outpatient group (P <.05). And it was observed that there were 34 deaths (1.4%) in the APP + outpatient group and 46 deaths (1.6%) in the traditional outpatient group(P =.49). After matching for renal replacement therapy outcomes, the two groups were found to be comparable (95% CI [0.72–1.08], P =.23), with no significant difference. However, it was noted that the traditional outpatient group had a lower incidence of using temporary catheters during initial hemodialysis (95% CI [8.4-29.8%], P <.001). Conclusion: The development and application of an app combined with outpatient follow-up management can improve patient health outcomes. However, to ensure optimal preparation for kidney replacement therapy, patients in CKD stages 4–5 may require more frequent traditional outpatient follow-ups, and further develop an information-based decision-making support tool for renal replacement therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of digital technologies in the agricultural sector is increasing. One of the new key technologies is the Internet of Things (IoT), which can facilitate the everyday work of farmers. For the successful adoption of IoT-enabled digital products and to ensure improved workflows, the usability of human–machine interfaces is highly important. Various design approaches of human–machine interfaces (HMIs) can currently be found in the monitoring of agricultural machinery. In this work, the most well-known HMIs are considered. Based on a usability test (participants n = 9), the user interface (UI) of a novel mobile application (NEVONEX Cockpit App) was chosen as an example of a design approach of an IoT ecosystem that is oriented towards the UI design of mobile applications. This work aims to identify the weak points of this UI. Conclusions about the needs, and thus an improvement of the user experience, are based on the suggestions for improvement and the information about the general requirements of farmers for a UI for agricultural machinery. Here, it was found that most farmers are satisfied with the UI design of their familiar tractor monitors. According to the survey, the three most important points to be considered in the UI design are intuitive operation and menu navigation, easy access to the essential functions and buttons, and sufficiently large control panels. The conducted usability tests can be considered a basis for developing HMIs for agriculture machinery. Through repeated execution of comparable usability tests, there is the possibility of developing future HMI guidelines for agriculture to improve the user experience (UX). For the NEVONEX ecosystem, feedback from the user interface testing was incorporated in a major revision of the Cockpit App's design, where a lot more display space was given to the agronomic digital services by smartly arranging infrastructure functions in tiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]