Information technologies that facilitate care coordination: provider and patient perspectives

Health information technology is a core infrastructure for the chronic care model, integrated care, and other organized care delivery models. From the provider perspective, health information exchange (HIE) helps aggregate and share information about a patient or population from several sources. HIE technologies include direct messages, transfer of care, and event notification services. From the patient perspective, personal health records, secure messaging, text messages, and other mHealth applications may coordinate patients and providers. Patient-reported outcomes and social media technologies enable patients to share health information with many stakeholders, including providers, caregivers, and other patients. An information architecture that integrates personal health record and mHealth applications, with HIEs that combine the electronic health records of multiple healthcare systems will create a rich, dynamic ecosystem for patient collaboration

Synergistic effects of GSK3 and p38 MAPK inhibitors on growth of Plasmodium falciparum ex vivo

Pharmacological inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), two kinases commonly associated with signaling within cells, have been shown to suppress in vivo or ex vivo growth of plasmodial sp. Here we evaluated antiplasmodial activities ex vivo of four inhibitors against GSK3 [lithium chloride (LiCl),kenpaullone, (2’Z, 3’E)-6-bromoindirubin-3’-oxime (BIO) and SB216763]; and two against p38 MAPK (RWJ67657 and SB202190) individually and in combination preparatory to understanding the role of protein kinases in plasmodial development.The order of decreasing growth-suppressing potencies of the GSK3 inhibitors tested against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 cultured ex vivo in erythrocytes was BIO (IC50=3.13 μM) > kenpaullone (IC50 = 18.3 μM) > SB216763 (IC50= 27.12 μM)> LiCl (IC50= 25 468 μM). The p38 MAPK inhibitor, RWJ67657, displayed an IC50 of 7.52 μM against 3D7. SB202190 was less effective at inhibiting 3D7 displaying an IC50 of 14.80 μM. When tested in combination, marked synergism was observed for combination of BIO or SB216763 with RWJ67657. In conclusion, GSK3 and MAPK inhibitors showed potent antiplasmodial activities. Synergistic effects observed between BIO or SB216763 and RWJ67657 in inhibiting plasmodial growth may implicate interaction between MAPK and GSK3 pathways and warrant further investigation

Probing phenomenological experiences through electroencephalography brainwave signals in neuroarchitecture study

Experiences are a part of our daily lives through our interactions with the environment around us. We live life through the realm of experiences, be it playing or working. As we encounter phenomena frequently, it is deduced that most of it comes from within the built environment, considering how most of our time is spent indoors. Hence, it is imperative that we understand the impact of the built environment on human physiology especially within the context of religious spaces which is largely attributed to phenomenological experiences. Despite the importance of understanding the impact of the built environment on human physiology, phenomenological studies that addresses this relationship are still lacking. This presents a gap which necessitates evidence to be provided in the form of phenomenological studies. Hence, this study attempts to address the gap by utilising evidential data with the utilisation of the portable electroencephalography (EEG) device. In doing so, the brainwave readings from four participants at the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque were observed. Data from the EEG device in the form of brainwave signals was analysed through the performance metrics detection suite which focused on the possibility of analysing brainwave data through three phases of habitation. The findings detected relaxation performance metrics from the participants whilst being within the mosque prayer area, whereas the phases prior to entering and after leaving the mosque appears to have detected higher excitement and engagement levels. Thus, it could be deduced that the interior prayer area of the mosque appears to have had a positive influence on the participant's physiology. This study could contribute to the novel field of neuroarchitecture in Malaysia, an area of study at the threshold of neuroscience and architecture that could be significant in understanding the relationship between the built environment and human physiology

The Impact of Personal Attributes for Local Government Leaders in Indonesia

A regent a leader in a regency government level can play important roles in conducting local government tasks to achieve people welfare development in that regency. However, the critical factor in achieving the development objective is determined by personal attributes of and their implementation in the regent jobs. The attributes include social, religious, and technical aspects. Personal social attribute of regent refers to very kind attitute and loyalty to the people and subordinate, maturity and open minded, huaman relation, wise in difficulty situation, not betraying to people and state, and welcoming suggestion, critics, and views of someone else. Religious attribes of a regent include Sidiq character (being honesty), indicated by a strong will, the same condition in saying and acting, and hardworking, Amanah haracter (being trusted), reflected in characters of a regent to be trusted, praiseworthy, and adequacy in professionalism, Fathonah character (having quick intelligence), shown in characters to keep maintaining and implementing the intelligence in scanning and analyzing a situation, and Tabligh character (being conveyer), suggested in character to have adequate capabilities in communication, in networking building, and in conveying the understandable ideas. The technical attributes is related to the ones including the characters of regent to make a decision in every aspect of the regency activities. Given the three personal attributes of a regent, it is expected that they will impact on the regency performance to improve people welfare. Keywords: personal attributes of regent, regency, social, religious, technical skill

Budaya Kerja Ewuh Pakewuh di Kalangan Pegawai Negeri Sipil Etnik Jawa (Studi pada Kabupaten Pasaman Barat, Provinsi Sumatera Barat)

This research aims to analyze the influence of ethnic work culture ‘ewuh pakewuh' of civil servant working in the West Pasaman regency. Ethnic work culture ‘ewuh pakewuh' is someone's behavior of worrying his/her attitude or remark wiil offend other people. This research used qualitative approach. Informants are selected using purposive sampling of civil servants from Javanese ethnic group who work in West Pasaman administration. The sample are also selected using snowball and convenience/accidental method. The research is conducted in local inspectorate, plantation agency, civil servant agencies, education and training agency, and local secretariat. Informants consist of 2 echelon III officials, 2 echelon IV and 8 staff. Data is interpreted using thick description method; so that the cultural significance of this work ethic can be explored more intensely in order to elaborate deeply the ewuh pakewuh work culture beyond what is visible. The results obtained indicate that the ethnic work culture ewuh pakewuh have positive and negative sides. The positive side shows high appreciation for higher authority, and an effort to respect and implement sincerely the policies made by the authority. However the ewuh pakewuh ethnic work culture discourages the staff to give suggestions and opinions, causing uncritical (nrimo) work culture. A change is needed to encourage them implement less the ewuh pakewuh that leads to ethnic work culture in order to create creative and innovative work culture. This change has to be started by the leaders and staff to establish an egalitarian culture in the working environment of the local goverment agencies

Human hair follicle biomagnetism: potential biochemical correlates

Background: The S100 protein family is linked to energy transfer in cells of vertebrates at a molecular level. This process involves the electron transfer chain and therefore, as inferred from Faraday’s Law, electron movement will induce electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Biological entities emit photoelectrons that can be tracked and visualized by small paramagnetic nano-sized iron particles. Methods: We have developed an optical microscopic approach for imaging electromagnetic activity of hair follicles utilizing nano-sized iron particles (mean diameter 2000nm) in Prussian Blue Stain solution (PBS Fe 2000). Results: We found that the human hair follicle emits electromagnetic fields (EMFs) based on metabolic activity within the follicle, which is associated with the activity of selective S-100 proteins. Conclusions: Our results link the molecular biochemical energy associated with the S100 family of proteins and biomagnetism of human hair follicles

Korelasi Strategi Dengan Motivasi Dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Arab (The Correlation Between Language Learning Strategies And Motivation In Arabic Language Learning)

Beberapa kajian menunjukkan bahawa terdapat perkaitan yang signifikan antara penggunaan Strategi Pembelajaran Bahasa (SPB) dengan Motivasi Pembelajaran Bahasa (Oxford & Nyikos, 1989; Ehrman, 1990; Macaro, 2001). Kertas ini memerihalkan satu kajian yang direka bentuk untuk mengkaji korelasi di antara SPB dengan Motivasi Pembelajaran Bahasa Arab. Data kajian dikumpul dengan menggunakan soal selidik kendiri yang diubah suai daripada Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) (Oxford, 1990) dengan tambahan satu konstruk baru, dan soal selidik motivasi daripada Affective Survey (Ehrman & Oxford, 1991). Seramai 457 orang pelajar Tingkatan empat yang dipilih secara rawak daripada 13 buah sekolah menengah agama di Terengganu terlibat dengan kajian ini. Ujian statistik Pearson digunakan bagi menjawab soalan kajian dan menguji hipotesis berkaitan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan terdapat korelasi positif yang tinggi di antara SPB secara keseluruhan dengan Motivasi Pembelajaran Bahasa secara keseluruhan. Korelasi bermagnitud positif yang signifikan di antara penggunaan kategori SPB dengan kategori Motivasi Pembelajaran Bahasa turut dapat dikesan. Pelajar yang bermotivasi tinggi lebih kerap dan banyak menggunakan SPB berbanding pelajar yang bermotivasi rendah

Contribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Country’S H-Index

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development on country’s scientific ranking as measured by H-index. Moreover, this study applies ICT development sub-indices including ICT Use, ICT Access and ICT skill to find the distinct effect of these sub-indices on country’s H-index. To this purpose, required data for the panel of 14 Middle East countries over the period 1995 to 2009 is collected. Findings of the current study show that ICT development increases the H-index of the sample countries. The results also indicate that ICT Use and ICT Skill sub-indices positively contribute to higher H-index but the effect of ICT access on country’s H-index is not clear