Implementation of an Interactive Crowd-Enhanced Content Management System for Tourism Development

This paper investigated the role of interactive tourist mobile apps in tourism development. The researchers presented the e-Tracer application, which was developed taking into consideration the recent advantages in mobile computing, the importance of user-generated content and the needs of northern Greece and the lower Balkan countries. Apart from crowd-based content creation, a new generation of apps for tourism development may include additional components like serious games for tourists, map-based navigation systems and augmented/virtual reality applications, in order to offer memorable user experiences for tourists. An agile content management system design methodology was followed by taking into account the needs of alternative tourist destinations, small to medium sized real-world museums and driver rest areas located around highways which connect cross-country destinations in the lower Balkan countries and Turkey. This work positioned the role of interactive crowd-enhanced platforms for content management of tourist-related information in tourism development, economic growth and sustainability of the Egnatia motorway surrounding areas in Greece. Keywords: mobile computing, content management systems, recommender systems, serious games, virtual/augmented reality, tourism developmen

The positive and negative impact of an intergenerational digital technology education programme on younger people’s perceptions of older adults

In order to meet the technological needs of older adults, and ensure digital inclusion, it is important for digital technology designers to accurately assess and understand older adults’ needs and requirements, free from the influence of societal assumptions of their capabilities. This study evaluated the impact of an intergenerational digital technology education programme on younger adults’ stereotypes of older people. Using an experimental design, results show that compared to a control group, students taking part in the programme subsequently rated older adults as more friendly but less competent. Practical implications for developing intergenerational education programmes are discussed

Clinical features and outcomes of patients with tubercular uveitis treated with antitubercular therapy in the collaborative ocular tuberculosis study (COTS)-1

IMPORTANCE Eradication of systemic tuberculosis (TB) has been limited by neglected populations and the HIV pandemic. Whereas ocular TB often presents as uveitis without any prior evidence of systemic TB, the existing uncertainty in the diagnosis of TB uveitis may perpetuate missed opportunities to address systemic TB. OBJECTIVE To examine the clinical features of TB uveitis and the associations with response to antitubercular therapy (ATT). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This retrospective multinational cohort study included patients from 25 ophthalmology referral centers diagnosed with TB uveitis and treated with ATT from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2014, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Treatment failure, defined as a persistence or recurrence of inflammation within 6 months of completing ATT, inability to taper oral corticosteroids to less than 10mg/d or topical corticosteroid drops to less than 2 drops daily, and/or recalcitrant inflammation necessitating corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapy. RESULTS A total of 801 patients (1272 eyes) were studied (mean [SD] age, 40.5 [14.8] years; 413 [51.6%] male and 388 [48.4%] female; 577 [73.6%] Asian). Most patients had no known history (498 of 661 [75.3%]) of systemic TB. Most patients had bilateral involvement (471 of 801 [58.8%]). Common clinical signs reported include vitreous haze (523 of 1153 [45.4%]), retinal vasculitis (374 of 874 [42.8%]), and choroidal involvement (419 of 651 [64.4%]). Treatment failure developed in 102 of the 801 patients (12.7%). On univariate regression analysis, the hazard ratios (HRs) associated with intermediate uveitis (HR, 2.21; 95%CI, 1.07-4.55; P = .03), anterior uveitis (HR, 2.68; 95%CI, 1.32-2.35; P = .006), and panuveitis (HR, 3.28; 95%CI, 1.89-5.67; P < .001) were significantly higher compared with posterior distribution. The presence of vitreous haze had a statistically significant association (HR, 1.95; 95%CI, 1.26-3.02; P = .003) compared with absence of vitreous haze. Bilaterality had an associated HR of 1.50 (95%CI, 0.96-2.35) compared with unilaterality (HR, 1 [reference]), although this finding was not statistically significant (P = .07). On multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the presence of vitreous haze had an adjusted HR of 2.98 (95%CI, 1.50-5.94; P = .002), presence of snow banking had an adjusted HR of 3.71 (95%CI, 1.18-11.62; P = .02), and presence of choroidal involvement had an adjusted HR of 2.88 (95%CI, 1.22-6.78; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE A low treatment failure rate occurred in patients with TB uveitis treated with ATT. Phenotypes and test results are studied whereby patients with panuveitis having vitreous and choroidal involvement had a higher risk of treatment failure. These findings are limited by retrospectivemethods. A prospectively derived composite clinical risk score might address this diagnostic uncertainty through holistic and standardized assessment of the combinations of clinical features and investigation results that may warrant diagnosis of TB uveitis and treatment with ATT

Ground motions versus geotechnical and structural damage in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake

The Mw = 6.3 Christchurch earthquake was a surprising and unusual event which occurred in an unknown fault that had already been awakened by the September 2010 stronger earthquake, and it had a strong thrust component and a steeply dipping plane. This paper has attempted to identify quantifiable parameters that could provide better insight to seismologists and engineers who try to systematically investigate the reasons behind the structural and soil failures that occurred in the February shakin

Robotic versus Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Morbid Obesity: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

We aim to review the available literature on obese patients treated with robotic or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, in order to compare the clinical outcomes and intraoperative parameters of the two methods. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library and EBSCOhost databases, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria incorporating 29,787 patients. Robotic sleeve gastrectomy (RSG) technique showed significantly higher mean operative time and increased length of hospital stay. Post-operative incidence of leakage, wound infection and bleeding, along with weight reduction, were comparable. The majority of the studies assessing charges found increased cost in RSG population. Well-designed, randomized controlled studies, comparing RSG to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), are necessary to assess further their clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York

Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Metabolic and Gut Microbiota Profile: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

We aim to review the available literature on obese patients treated with bariatric procedures, in order to assess their effect on the metabolic and gut microbiota profiles. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane library, and Scopus databases, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Twenty-two studies (562 patients) met the inclusion criteria. This study points to significant amelioration of postoperative levels of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, HOMA-IR, food intake, and diabetes remission. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) decreased, while trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO); glucagon-like peptide 1, 2 (GLP-1, GLP-2); and peptide YY (PYY) increased postoperatively. Postoperative gut microbiota was similar to that of lean and less obese objects. Well-designed randomized trials are necessary to further assess the host metabolic-microbial cross-talk after bariatric procedures. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York

One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Versus Sleeve Gastrectomy for Morbid Obesity: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

We aim to review the available literature on obese patients treated with one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), in order to compare the clinical outcomes and intraoperative parameters of the two methods. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria incorporating 6761 patients. This study reveals increased weight loss, remission of comorbidities, shorter mean hospital stay, and lower mortality in the OAGB group. The incidence of leaks and intra-abdominal bleeding was similar between the two approaches. Well-designed, randomized controlled studies, comparing LSG to OAGB, are necessary to further assess their clinical outcomes. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

What did you just call me? European and American ratings of the valence of Ethnophaulisms.

Previous work has examined the relative valence (positivity or negativity) of ethnophaulisms (ethnic slurs) targeting European immigrants to the United States. However, this relied on contemporary judgments made by American researchers. The present study examined valence judgments made by citizens from the countries examined in previous work. Citizens of 17 European nations who were fluent in English rated ethnophaulisms targeting their own group as well as ethnophaulisms targeting immigrants from England. American students rated ethnophaulisms for all 17 European nations, providing a comparison from members of the host society. Ratings made by the European judges were (a) consistent with those made by the American students and (b) internally consistent for raters’ own country and for the common target group of the English. Following discussion of relevant methodological issues, the authors examine the theoretical significance of their results

Single incision versus conventional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity: A meta-analysis

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to review the existing evidence on obese patients treated with single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SILSG) or conventional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), to compare the perioperative parameters and outcomes of the two bariatric procedures. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane library, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria and incorporated 3843 patients. Results: This study reveals comparable mean operative time, length of hospital stay, and complications between the two approaches. The SILSG approach was associated with enhanced cosmetic results, but increased incisional hernia rate. Conclusions: These outcomes should be treated with caution given the small number of included comparative studies. Well-designed, randomized controlled studies, comparing LSG to SILSG, are necessary to assess further their clinical outcomes. © 2018 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc

Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass versus Sleeve Gastrectomy as Revisional Procedure after Adjustable Gastric Band: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

We aim to review the available literature on obese patients treated with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) after failed laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), in order to compare the clinical outcomes of the two methods. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, CENTRAL, and Scopus databases, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria incorporating 635 patients. Both procedures are associated with comparable complications, conversions, mean hospital stay, and weight loss at 6 and 12 months. In the LRYGB group, % excess weight loss (%EWL) and BMI reduction after 24 months were increased. Well-designed, randomized controlled studies, comparing revisional LRYGB and LSG, are necessary to further assess their outcomes. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York