bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Prototype Surgical Manipulator for Robotic Intraocular Micro Surgery
Authors: Mulgaonkar Amit P.  , Hubschman Jean-Pierre  , Bourges Jean-Louis  , Jordan Brett L.  , Cham Christopher  , Wilson Jason T.  , Tsao Tsu-Chin  , Culjat Martin O.
Published: February 2025

A prototype manipulator system was developed for ophthalmologic microsurgery. The system, consisting of two parallel X-Y stages, can mechanically maintain a fixed-point of rotation at the surface of the eye, potentially reducing trauma during surgical procedures. The initial prototype was designed to function in concert with the da Vinci Surgical System for gross positioning. Robotic tests demonstrated the mechanical fitness of the prototype while an in vitro surgical sclerectomy was performed to demonstrate functionality of the approach.
Design of a Low Cost Multiple User Virtual Environment for Rehabilitation (MUVER) of Patients with Stroke
Authors: Sivak Mark  , Mavroidis Constantinos  , Holden Maureen K.
Published: February 2025

We describe the development and preliminary testing of a low cost virtual reality system that patients with stroke or other neurological impairments could use independently in the home on a personal computer to improve upper extremity motor function, including hand and finger control. The system would help meet the needs of the rising number of patients with stroke with impaired hand function. We introduce the concept of a Multiple User Virtual Environment for Rehabilitation (MUVER). The MUVER has three components: the low cost P5 Glove (tracks arm, hand and finger movements), the open source Panda3D game engine, and laboratory created software. A unique aspect of the MUVER design is the system's capability for four types of multiple user interactions: competition, cooperation, counter-operative, and mixed. Such virtual interactions may help to increase patients' motivation to improve and possibly alleviate feelings of social isolation for those who remain homebound. Thus far, a proof of concept virtual environment that uses competitive interaction has been created and tested with six healthy subjects.
Videolaryngoscopy for Intubation Skills Training of Novice Military Airway Managers
Authors: Berg Benjamin W.  , Vincent Dale S.  , Murray W. Bosseau  , Boedeker Ben H.
Published: February 2025

An estimated 10% of preventable battlefield deaths are due to Airway obstruction. Improved airway rescue strategies are needed with new tools for airway management by less experienced providers. Airway management and training are improved using video laryngoscopy (VL) compared to direct laryngoscopy (DL). We evaluated if novices could rapidly acquire fundamental skills and compared intubation time and laryngeal visualization using VL compared to DL in a manikin model of normal laryngeal anatomy. For 43 subjects mean intubation time did not differ for DL (25.9 ± 24.5 seconds) vs. VL (26.4 ± 31.5 seconds) {p = 0.94 paired t-test}. Self reported novice intubation time was 6.82 ± 31.0 seconds greater with VL (31.6 ± 34.6 seconds) vs. DL (24.8 ± 18.5 seconds) {p = 0.255 paired t-test}. VL vs. DL time difference was not different between self-reported novice and non-novice groups. Mean Cormack-Lehane airway visualization grades (range 1–4) were higher with VL (1.95 ± 0.97) vs. DL (1.02 ± 0.15) {Students t-test p < 0.0001}. VL (69.7%) was preferred to DL (18.6%); no preference was indicated by 11.6%.
One Heart, Two Bodies: A Simulation Study of Body Surface Potential Differences between Donor and Recipient of Heart Transplantation
Authors: Theofilogiannakos Efstratios K.  , Theofilogiannakos George K.  , Anogeianaki Antonia  , Yioultsis Traianos V.  , Danias Peter G.  , Stergiou-Michailidou V.  , Kallaras K.  , Xenos Thomas  , Anogianakis George
Published: February 2025

In cardiac transplantation has been recognized some “abnormalities” in recipient ECG. We investigated the influence of heart geometrical position within the chest cavity as well as somatometric parameters on body surface torso potentials. Two control patients with different Body Mass Index (BMI) were undergone a chest MRI scan. Using specific software we created two tetrahedral meshes that could be applied in our study. A post-mortem human heart was undergone a MRI scan and we also created its tetrahedral mesh. Using second software we extracted the heart mesh of control's torsos and we replaced them with the mesh of the post-mortem heart. The last program also assessed the influence of heart (re)positioning within the thorax, on the body surface potentials. The Finite Elements Method (FEM) was used to solve the forward electrocardiographic problem for both torsos, under the assumption that all the ventricular myocardium of the one post-mortem heart was excited. FEM was also applied in simulating Body Surface Potential Mapping (BSPM) on the first thorax torso for nine different heart positions. For BSPM, FEM has been applied on Poison equation. The results show higher BSPM in patient with lower BMI and significant changes in BSPM when heart was rotated round its long axis. Conversely, the heart shifts (long x- or y- axis) didn't cause significant changes on simulated BSPM.
A Physics Based Method for Combining Multiple Anatomy Models with Application to Medical Simulation
Authors: Zhu Yanong  , Magee Derek  , Ratnalingam Rishya  , Kessel David
Published: February 2025

We present a physics based approach to the construction of anatomy models by combining components from different sources; different image modalities, protocols, and patients. Given an initial anatomy, a mass-spring model is generated which mimics the physical properties of the solid anatomy components. Thishelps maintain valid spatial relationships between the components, as well as the validity of their shapes. Combination can be either replacing/modifying an existing component, or inserting a new component. The external forces that deform the model components to fit the new shape are estimated from Gradient Vector Flow and Distance Transform maps. We demonstrate the applicability and validity of the described approach in the area of medical simulation, by showing the processes of non-rigid surface alignment, component replacement, and component insertion.
Proper Noun Recognition and Classification Using Weighted Finite State Transducers
Authors: Didakowski Jörg  , Drotschmann Marko
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a new approach to proper noun recognition and classification in which the knowledge of ambiguities within morphological analyses is used exhaustively in the analysis. Here a proper noun recognizer/classifier is defined by proper noun context patterns on the one hand and by a filter that takes the ambiguity information into account on the other hand. Furthermore, techniques like a lemma based coreference resolution or the softening of the closed world assumption made by the morphology are presented which improve the analysis. The approach is implemented by weighted finite state transducers and tested within the analysis system SynCoP via a hand-written grammar.
Capturing Pan-Canadian Primary Health Care Indicator Data Using Multiple Approaches for Data Collection
Authors: Walker Vicky  , Sullivan-Taylor Patricia  , Webster Greg  , MacPhail Judith
Published: February 2025

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), in collaboration with diverse stakeholders, led the development of pan-Canadian indicators to measure primary health care. In 2006, CIHI released a set of 105 pan-Canadian Primary Health Care (PHC) indicators that were developed with the assistance of national, provincial and territorial representatives, clinicians and researchers. Additionally, data gaps were identified in a series of reports. In 2006 and 2007, CIHI assessed options for closing the data gaps so that the indicators could be measured and reported. CIHI then began a program to build the data infrastructure needed for the PHC indicators. The program included the development of content standards for electronic medical records, a prototype of a voluntary reporting system, enhancements to surveys, and the development of reports. In 2006, fewer than 10% of the 105 indicators could be calculated with existing data sources. Now, four projects have begun and over 50% of the indicators are being captured. Important relationships have been established with key collaborators. These relationships will lead to the development of a reporting system prototype and to the refinement of PHC indicators and electronic medical record (EMR) content standards. The project for pan-Canadian PHC indicators has encouraged consultation and synergy. It has motivated CIHI to establish an information program to fill data gaps and to make PHC indicators available.
Benefits and Challenges of Health Information Systems for Operations Research: An Illustrative Example to Improve Surgical Scheduling
Authors: Chow Vincent S.  , Huang Wenhai  , Puterman Martin L.
Published: February 2025

Operations research (OR) is playing an increasing role in the support of many health care initiatives. However one of the main challenges facing OR practitioners is the availability and the integrity of operations data. Hospital information systems (HIS) are often designed with a clinical or accounting focus and may lack the data necessary for operational studies. In this paper, we illustrate the data processing methods and data challenges faced by our team during a study of surgical scheduling practices at the Vancouver Island Health Authority. We also provide some general recommendations to improve HIS from an operations perspective. In general, more integration between operations researchers and HIS specialists are required to support ongoing operational improvements in the health care sector.
Breaking Barriers to Self-Management of Chronic Diseases – The MaXi Project
Authors: Nøhr Christian  , Bertelsen Pernille  , Kanstrup Anne Marie
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study is to establish a foundation for participatory design between Information Technology (IT) professionals and people with chronic diseases resulting in IT-supported compensation in daily life. The paper presents the methods applied and results from a qualitative study to understand everyday life with diabetes. The participants are 8 families with one or more diabetic member. Our analysis outlines perspectives, activities, locations and information related to daily life with diabetes. On the basis of the analysis a number of artifacts are designed and tested in a living lab environment in Skagen, Denmark. It is concluded that participatory design and the use of the living lab concept yielded a richness of data adequate for iterative design cycles.
Assessing Software Impact on Clinical Workflow and Resource Utilization
Authors: Murphy Kevin C.
Published: February 2025

A usability study is described that compares a web-based capecitabine-prescribing and dispensing application to traditional manual methods. The behaviours of two small groups, oncologists and pharmacists, were recorded and analyzed using a case study of patient with metastatic colon cancer. The study indicated for the oncologists that workflow and resource utilization decreased due to the application, however, for the pharmacists the results were less positive. This type of case study simulation can be used to determine the impact of software applications on their users.
Structured Data System for a Breast Cancer Medical Record
Authors: Varma Vijay  , Varma Srinivas  , Haq Samir  , Haq M.M.  , Raju Narayan  , Varma Ravi
Published: February 2025

We have developed software for an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) to be used by oncologists and researchers. It has rapid, structured data entry, visualization of clinical information and a searchable data base. Interactive, rules-based forms were designed for structured data entry. The web-based forms have been customized for the clinical staff who enter the data. The forms have been tested by oncologists and their office assistants. Modules have been added to upload images and add legends, metadata, and code classifications such as ICD and CPT. Other features include a search interface and a permission system that controls user access. Oncologists enter detailed information during a patient's visit to the clinic. The electronic forms capture diagnoses, stage and history, which includes social, family, and medical history. A time map provides a graphical summary of a patient's record. Visualization of complex clinical information with intuitive navigation increases clarity while retaining the detail necessary for clinical information. Customized data entry forms and automatic coding speed the workflow. The system can potentially interface with multi-institutional data-sharing systems such as Cancer Bioinformatics Grid (CaBig).
A Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) and Minimum Data Set (MDS) for Nursing and Medical Handover: Considerations for Flexible Standardization in Developing Electronic Tools
Authors: Turner Paul  , Wong Ming Chao  , Yee Kwang Chien
Published: February 2025

As part of Australia's participation in the World Health Organization, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC) is the leading federal government technical agency involved in the area of clinical handover improvement. The ACSQHC has funded a range of handover improvement projects in Australia including one at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH), Tasmania. The RHH project aims to investigate the potential for generalizable and transferable clinical handover solutions throughout the medical and nursing disciplines. More specifically, this project produced an over-arching minimum data set (MDS) and over-arching standardized operating protocol (SOP) based on research work on nursing and medical shift-to-shift clinical handover in general medicine, general surgery and emergency medicine. The over-arching MDS consists of five headings: situational awareness, patient identification, history and information, responsibility and tasks and accountability. The over-arching SOP has five phases: preparation; design; implementation; evaluation; and maintenance. This paper provides an overview of the project and the approach taken. It considers the implications of these standardized operating protocols and minimum data sets for developing electronic clinical handover support tools. Significantly, the paper highlights a human-centred design approach that actively involves medical and nursing staff in data collection, analysis, interpretation, and systems design. This approach reveals the dangers of info-centrism when considering electronic tools, as information emerges as the only factor amongst many others that influence the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical handover.
Managing Terminology Assets in Electronic Health Records
Authors: Abrams Kelly  , Schneider Sue  , Scichilone Rita
Published: February 2025

Electronic Health Record (EHR)systems rely on standard terminologies and classification systems that require both Information Technology (IT) and Information Management (IM) skills. Convergence of perspectives is necessary for effective terminology asset management including evaluation for use, maintenance and intersection with software applications. Multiple terminologies are necessary for patient care communication and data capture within EHRs and other information management tasks. Terminology asset management encompasses workflow and operational context as well as IT specifications and software application run time requirements. This paper identifies the tasks, skills and collaboration of IM and IT approaches for terminology asset management.
Discovering regression data quality through clustering methods
Authors: Malchiodi Dario  , Bassis Simone  , Valerio Lorenzo
Published: February 2025

We propose the use of clustering methods in order to discover the quality of each element in a training set to be subsequently fed to a regression algorithm. The paper shows that these methods, used in combination with regression algorithms taking into account the additional information conveyed by this kind of quality, allow the attainment of higher performances than those obtained through standard techniques.
Feature Interaction Testing: An Industrial Perspective
Authors: Hassine Jameleddine
Published: February 2025

Feature interaction testing (FIT) suffers from the problem of combinatorial state explosion since all feature combinations have to be tested in all possible states. This paper presents a cost-effective feature interaction testing strategy that is based on a thorough feature interaction analysis, a dynamic prioritization of test cases, and an analysis of customer deployment scenarios. The proposed strategy is applied to Cisco IOS-XR internetworking operating system.
A Web-Based Tool for Cooperating Behaviors in Eating and Physical Activity Control
Authors: Bonacina Stefano  , Privitera Ylenia Adelaide  , Marsilio Serena  , Montin Eros  , Passarelli Federica  , Masseroli Marco  , Pinciroli Francesco
Published: February 2025

The field of information technology and the Internet for health care has developed rapidly in the last few years. Furthermore, new services devoted to improve personalized healthcare are emerging from current web-orientated research. Control of eating and physical activity behaviors can be performed in a computer mediated way as a social networking application. To this purpose, we designed and implemented a web application based on the cooperation between two communities: Patients and Nutritionists. The patients are able to cooperate as within a self-help group, while nutritionists can guide patients struggling with incorrect lifestyle and its consequences.
Neuropsychological and Virtual Reality Assessment in Topographical Disorientation
Authors: Carelli Laura  , Rusconi Maria Luisa  , Mattioli Flavia  , Stampatori Chiara  , Morganti Francesca  , Riva Giuseppe
Published: February 2025

Although literature does not provide a unique explanation, the importance of hippocampus for human topographical learning and orientation is assumed to be relevant by most of the authors. There is considerable evidence that the hippocampus is necessary for acquiring cognitive maps of allocentric space, which includes topographical knowledge of large-scale real environments.
Brain-Computer Interfaces and Neurorehabilitation
Authors: Carabalona Roberta  , Castiglioni Paolo  , Gramatica Furio
Published: February 2025

A brain-computer interface (BCI) directly uses brain-activity signals to allow users to operate the environment without any muscular activation. Thanks to this feature, BCI systems can be employed not only as assistive devices, but also as neurorehabilitation tools in clinical settings. However, several critical issues need to be addressed before using BCI in neurorehabilitation, issues ranging from signal acquisition and selection of the proper BCI paradigm to the evaluation of the affective state, cognitive load and system acceptability of the users. Here we discuss these issues, illustrating how a rehabilitation program can benefit from BCI sessions, and summarize the results obtained so far in this field. Also provided are experimental data concerning two important topics related to BCI usability in rehabilitation: the possibility of using dry electrodes for EEG acquisition, and the monitoring of psychophysiological effects during BCI tasks.
Telerehabilitation: Enabling the Remote Delivery of Healthcare, Rehabilitation, and Self Management
Authors: Brennan David M.  , Mawson Sue  , Brownsell Simon
Published: February 2025

Telerehabilitation refers to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to provide rehabilitation services to people remotely in their homes or other environments. By using ICT, client access to care can be improved and the reach of clinicians can extend beyond the physical walls of a traditional healthcare facility, thus expanding continuity of care to persons with disabling conditions. The concept of telecare, when telerehabilitation is used to deliver services to clients in their homes or other living environments, empowers and enables individuals to take control of the management of their medical needs and interventions by enabling personalized care, choice and personal control. A wide variety of assessment and treatment interventions can be delivered to clients using remote monitoring systems, robotic and virtual reality technologies, and synchronized collaboration with online material. This chapter will present a brief history of telerehabilitation and telecare and offer an overview of the technology used to provide remote rehabilitation services. Emphasis will be given to the importance of human factors and user-centered design in the planning, development, and implementation of telerehabilitation systems and programs. The issue of self-care in rehabilitation and self-management will be discussed along with the rationale for how telerehabilitation can be used to promote client self-care and self-management. Two case studies of real-world telerehabilitation systems will be given, with a focus on how they were planned and implemented so as to maximize their potential benefits. The chapter will close with a discussion of obstacles and challenges facing telerehabilitation and suggestions for ways to promote its growth in use and acceptance.
Challenges of Electronic Medical Record Extracts for a Personal Health Record
Authors: Charters Kathleen
Published: February 2025

The goal of providing electronic medical record (EMR) extracts is to facilitate patient participation in their healthcare and enhance patient-provider collaboration. There are many challenges in selecting a subset of the information available in an electronic medical record (EMR) for export to a Web-based personal health record (PHR). Critical success factors include perspectives in decision-making about what information to extract and assumptions about how extracted information will be used. Existing hard copy release of electronic medical record information provides a starting point. Guiding principles for the extract selection process include extracting information with meaning for the patient, user-friendly presentation of that information, and identifying how the patient will learn more about the information presented. Since a patient may choose to share their extract, a context is necessary in order for a healthcare team member to make sense of the extracted information. Part of the extract selection process is identifying patient education, clinical adoption, and evaluation strategies. Models and frameworks to guide evaluation are essential for success.
Implementation of a Regional Health Information System – Overview of Selected Outcomes in One Hospital District
Authors: Suominen Tarja  , Mäenpää Tiina  , Asikainen Paula  , Rostila Ilmari
Published: February 2025

The aim of this paper is to give an overview of some selected outcomes after the implementation of a Regional Health Information System (RHIS) in one hospital district in Finland. The implementation project of the Regional Health Information Systems (SALPA) administered by Satakunta Hospital District in 2004 – 2007 is comprised of integrated services between primary, secondary and tertiary care. The general aim was to provide the member municipalities' access to specialised health care information and sustain seamless care, and to enhance organisational information exchange regardless of time and place. The data were collected by using computer-based statistics and reports in 2004 – 2007 of the selected outcomes: laboratory and radiology tests and appointments in the member municipalities of the hospital district area.
Formalizing Nursing Knowledge: From Theories and Models to Ontologies
Authors: Peace Jane  , Brennan Patricia Flatley
Published: February 2025

Knowledge representation in nursing is poised to address the depth of nursing knowledge about the specific phenomena of importance to nursing. Nursing theories and models may provide a starting point for making this knowledge explicit in representations. We combined knowledge building methods from nursing and ontology design methods from biomedical informatics to create a nursing representation of family health history. Our experience provides an example of how knowledge representations may be created to facilitate electronic support for nursing practice and knowledge development.
Glycemic Control Through Computerized Subcutaneous Insulin Calculators
Authors: Roemer Lorrie K.  , Borsato Emerson P.  , Hulse Nathan C.
Published: February 2025

Sliding scale insulin (SSI) is a reactive therapy and does not maintain euglycemia in hospitalized patients. A combination of basal insulin, prandial insulin, and correction factor dosing provides a more consistent insulin state encouraging improved glycemic control. Intermountain Healthcare developed an application consisting of four calculators incorporating scheduled (basal and prandial) and correction-factor insulin. The result is a patient-specific order set with calculated insulin orders, a correction factor dosing table, and a carbohydrate dosing table. This paper describes the SQIC, access, usage monitoring, and challenges and solutions to the computerized decision support application created to replace SSI.
Experience and Nurses Use of Computerised Decision Support Systems
Authors: Dowding Dawn  , Randell Rebecca  , Mitchell Natasha  , Foster Rebecca  , Thompson Carl  , Lattimer Valerie  , Cullum Nicky
Published: February 2025

Computerised clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are increasingly being used by nurses to support their clinical practice. One of the factors which may affect how nurses use technology such as CDSS may be their clinical experience. This paper uses data from a wider study examining how nurses use CDSS to examine the role of experience in nurses' use of CDSS. Data was drawn from two sources; a secondary analysis of interviews from a study examining nurses' use of CDSS in telephone triage and the analysis of observations and interviews of nurses using CDSS in two case sites. Two themes arose from the analysis of the data; the integration of knowledge from CDSS and how experience affects CDSS use. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to our knowledge of the characteristics of the development of expertise in nursing.
Scenario-based Design of an ICT Platform for Mobile Information Services in Ambulatory Care Nursing
Authors: Rosales Saurer Bruno  , Mueller-Gorchs Mercè  , Kunze Christophe
Published: February 2025

The field of ambulatory care nursing is rapidly growing due to rising health care costs and the demographic development. Against this background, the VitaBIT project started in 2007 with the objective of designing an ICT platform for the safe application of mobile information services in ambulatory care nursing. Communication and secure information exchange between all parties involved in the care process are also guaranteed. The article explains the project's current approach to develop a user-oriented solution using the design steps implied by ISO 13407. Even if a technology is developed and formally tested to be highly usable there exists no guarantee that this will lead to acceptance. That is the reason why end users are involved in all the project stages and serve as testers of prototypes in VitaBIT.
Capturing Nursing Information in the United Kingdom through Use of a Conceptual Model
Authors: Lloyd Dave  , Tang Pauline  , Clark June  , Hesketh Jan  , Paget Anthony  , Baker Bernice
Published: February 2025

The adoption in the United Kingdom (UK) of SNOMED CT means that the core activities of nursing will need to be described using standardized nursing languages. Work already undertaken in Bangor University has proposed a “Conceptual model for Nursing Information” [1-3] These authors have argued that the use of this conceptual model allows nurses to describe and measure outcomes of nursing care, using standardized language, in such a way as to provide a maximum data set. This maximum data set captures the totality of nursing activity in such a way as to be highly relevant, not only to nurses, but to other key stakeholders, not least of whom is the patient. This paper will present how the model was developed, the progress to date, and the future challenges of integrating the model into mainstream nursing practice.
The Effect of the Emotional Intelligence on Job Satisfaction
Authors: Sener Emine  , Demirel Özlem  , Sarlak Kader
Published: February 2025

People with high emotional and social capacity, people who can take them under control, understand and manage emotions of others expertly are more advantageous both in their private and professional lives. Under this scope, in order to investigate the effect of the emotional intelligence of nurses and midwives, who consist an important manpower in the health system, to their job satisfaction, an investigation has been conducted in Fethiye State Hospital with 80 individuals. Of the workers investigated, 36.3% were in 21-30 age group, 62.5% were 2 years-college graduated, 98.8% were clinical nurses, 36.3% worked since 6-10 years. It was found that total emotional intelligence of the workers was low (X=22.54, SS=5.14), and average job satisfaction levels were middle level (X=15.62, SS=3.27). A positive association was found between the emotional intelligence and job satisfaction. As a conclusion, the relationships between the demographic variables and emotional intelligence and job satisfaction were evaluated in the study.
Predictive Modeling of Dental Pain Using Neural Network
Authors: Kim Eun Yeob  , Lim Kun Ok  , Rhee Hyun Sill
Published: February 2025

The mouth is a part of the body for ingesting food that is the most basic foundation and important part. The dental pain predicted by the neural network model. As a result of making a predictive modeling, the fitness of the predictive modeling of dental pain factors was 80.0%. As for the people who are likely to experience dental pain predicted by the neural network model, preventive measures including proper eating habits, education on oral hygiene, and stress release must precede any dental treatment
A Clinical-decision Support System for the Nursing Process in the ENR
Authors: Bong Myoung-Rye  , Lee Young-Seon  , Park Kwang-Ok  , Ahn Young-Hee  , Kwon Chun-Yong
Published: February 2025

This study was conducted to develop the clinical-decision support system for the nursing process in the Electronic nursing record system. Nursing diagnoses were linked to 4 components of the nursing process (except for diagnoses) and applied to ENR in 2007.
Visualizing Simulated Learning Experiences through the Use of Informatics Tools
Authors: Thompson Teri L.  , Warren Judith J.
Published: February 2025

High-fidelity simulation technology is a growing educational technology. Designing effective simulations requires the use of informatics tools such as UML modeling. This poster demonstrates the steps in modeling a simulation exercise.
Variance analysis as practice-based evidence
Authors: Olive Mark  , Solomonides Tony
Published: February 2025

Integrated care pathways, a fine-grained form of medical guideline including the explicit recording of any deviation, or ‘variance’, have been perceived by some as overly prescriptive, limiting clinical freedom and promoting ‘cookbook medicine’. However, feeding the results of the analysis of variance back into the development of a pathway could be an effective way of capturing evidence from practice. This paper summarizes research into the development and use of ICPs, and includes some initial findings from a qualitative study involving clinicians that have helped develop or have used ICPs professionally.
Reusable Services from the neuGRID Project for Grid-Based Health Applications
Authors: Anjum Ashiq  , Bloodsworth Peter  , Habib Irfan  , Lansdale Tom  , Mcclatchey Richard  , Mehmood Yasir
Published: February 2025

By abstracting Grid middleware specific considerations from clinical research applications, re-usable services should be developed that will provide generic functionality aimed specifically at medical applications. In the scope of the neuGRID project, generic services are being designed and developed which will be applied to satisfy the requirements of neuroscientists. These services will bring together sources of data and computing elements into a single view as far as applications are concerned, making it possible to cope with centralised, distributed or hybrid data and provide native support for common medical file formats. Services will include querying, provenance, portal, anonymization and pipeline services together with a ‘glueing’ service for connection to Grid services. Thus lower-level services will hide the peculiarities of any specific Grid technology from upper layers, provide application independence and will enable the selection of ‘fit-for-purpose’ infrastructures. This paper outlines the design strategy being followed in neuGRID using the glueing and pipeline services as examples.
Will Google destroy western democracy? Bias in policy problem solving
Authors: Easterday Matthew W.  , Aleven Vincent  , Scheines Richard  , Carver Sharon M.
Published: February 2025

Democracy requires students to choose policy positions based on evidence, yet confirmation bias prevents them from doing so. As a preliminary step in building a policy reasoning tutor, this study identifies where bias occurs during the search and analysis of evidence in a policy reasoning task. 60 university students played an on-line game in which they chose which of four policies would increase school performance. The between-subjects design compared a free search group who searched for evidence in google-like environment, to a sequential presentation group who read all available evidence, and manipulated whether the evidence confirmed or disconfirmed students' prior beliefs. The study measured the impact on students' evidence-based recommendations, their change in beliefs, and their recall of the evidence. Results showed that students did not cherry-pick evidence nor discount disconfirming evidence. However, students' extreme confidence in their initial beliefs usually prevented them from changing position, and they mistakenly recalled the evidence as confirming their beliefs. The results suggest that a policy tutor should focus on evidence synthesis and making recommendations based on explicit evidence.
MOT 2.0: A Case Study on the Usefuleness of Social Modeling for Personalized E-Learning Systems
Authors: Ghali Fawaz  , Cristea Alexandra I.
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we report on our findings from the first evaluation of MOT 2.0, an Adaptive Web 2.0 e-learning tool, which supports: 1) collaborative authoring (i.e. editing content of other users, describing content using tags, rating, commenting on the content, etc); 2) authoring for collaboration (i.e., adding author activities, such as defining groups of authors, subscribing to other authors, communication between authors, etc); 3) group-based adaptive authoring via group-based privileges; 4) social annotation i.e., tagging, rating, and feedback on the content via group-based privileges; 5) adaptive authoring, by recommending related content and/or other authors; adaptive delivery based on users' activities. Our main contributions are: 1) defining a new social layer in LAOS, a five-layer model for generic adaptive hypermedia authoring; 2) removing the barrier between tutors, learners and authors, which all become authors, with different sets of privileges; 3) adding the power of group-based authoring to the course creating.
Feedback Specificity and the Learning of Intercultural Communication Skills
Authors: Hays Matthew  , Lane H. Chad  , Auerbach Daniel  , Core Mark G.  , Gomboc Dave  , Rosenberg Milton
Published: February 2025

The role of explicit feedback in learning has been studied from a variety of perspectives and in many contexts. In this paper, we examine the impact of the specificity of feedback delivered by an intelligent tutoring system in a game-based environment for cultural learning. We compared two versions: one that provided only “bottom-out” hints and feedback versus one that provided only conceptual messages. We measured during-training performance, in-game transfer, and long-term retention. Consistent with our hypotheses, specific feedback utterances produced inferior learning on the in-game transfer task when compared to conceptual utterances. No differences were found on a web-based post-test. We discuss possible explanations for these findings, particularly as they relate to the learning of loosely defined skills and serious games.
Collaborative Dialog While Studying Worked-out Examples
Authors: Hausmann Robert G.M.  , Nokes Timothy J.  , VanLehn Kurt  , van de Sande Brett
Published: February 2025

Self-explaining is a beneficial learning strategy for studying worked-out examples because it either supplies missing information through the generation of inferences or because it provides a mechanism for repairing flawed mental models. Although self-explanation is generated with the purpose of helping the individual, is it also helpful to produce explanations in a collaborative setting? Can individuals help each other infer missing information or repair their flawed mental models collaboratively? To find out, we coded the dialog from dyads collaboratively studying examples and contrasted it with individuals studying examples alone. The results suggest that dyads were more likely to attempt to reconcile the examples with their attempted solutions, and avoid shallow processing of examples through paraphrasing.
Operation ARIES!: A Computerized Game for Teaching Scientific Inquiry
Authors: Wallace Patricia  , Graesser Art  , Millis Keith  , Halpern Diane  , Cai Zhiqiang  , Britt Mary Anne  , Magliano Joseph  , Wiemer Katja
Published: February 2025

ARIES (Acquiring Research Investigative and Evaluative Skills) is a computerized educational game in which players attempt to stop extraterrestrials from implicitly stunting scientific progress on Earth by publishing bad research in a variety of fields. Players progress through three modules: 1) read and be tested on an on-line science text, 2) evaluate potentially flawed research articles, and 3) learn question-asking skills. ARIES incorporates multiple learning principles, such as testing effects, generation effects, and formative feedback.
Children who Interpret Graphs as Pictures
Authors: Garcia Garcia Grecia  , Cox Richard
Published: February 2025

A variety of representations in the UK Curriculum are introduced in the form of diagram/pictorial mixtures (e.g. pictograms). It is argued that conflating the two graphical forms is bad educational practice [5] - one which might be implicated in the development of “graph-as-picture” misconceptions. We describe an interactive educational diagram system that facilitates diagram comprehension and exploits new paradigms of teaching and research methodology.
Inducing positive emotional state in Intelligent Tutoring Systems
Authors: Chaffar Soumaya  , Derbali Lotfi  , Frasson Claude
Published: February 2025

The emotional factor has been never taken into account in Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) until recently. However, emotions play a crucial role in cognitive processes particularly in learning tasks [4]. Thus, our purpose in this research study was to analyse the effect of some tutoring actions on the learner's emotional state in order to ascertain the feasibility of positive emotions inducing in ITSs. To achieve this aim, we developed a data structure web course and a virtual tutor using different pedagogical actions to induce positive emotions in the learner. We have conducted an experiment to collect participants' physiological responses after the tutoring actions. The results of this experimental study showed that certain actions have significant positive effects on the learner's emotional state.
EAGLE: An Intelligent Tutoring System to Support Experiential Learning Through Video Games
Authors: Naismith Laura  , Blanchard Emmanuel G.  , Ranellucci John  , Lajoie Susanne P.
Published: February 2025

EAGLE (Electronic Assistant for Game-Based Learning Experiences) is an intelligent tutoring system that supports learning with video games. We describe how a flexible ontology-based architecture can be used to model the learner, the game experience, and the domain of instruction. We then present an overview of how these elements interact within a learning experience.
Impacts of plant-induced uptake on the stability of the earth structure
Authors: Kawai K.  , Iizuka A.  , Tachibana S.  , Ohno S.
Published: February 2025

It is empirical knowledge that vegetation can influence the behavior of earth structure. It prevents surface failure and erosion due to rain and wind, and contributes to the stability of earth structure. Moreover, it encourages water circulation with transpiration, fixes atmospheric nitrogen and carbon via photosynthesis, and improves the environment. Therefore, surface seeding is purposely performed when an earth structure, such as an embankment or an earth dam, is constructed. Typically, vegetation grows on unsaturated soil. Consequently, a constitutive model for unsaturated soil is needed for understanding the effects of vegetation on the ground. In this study, we focus on the effect of vegetation-induced water uptake. The effect of water uptake due to evapo-transpiration can be regarded as reduction of water content within soil and appropriately represented in simulation studies. The constitutive model proposed by Ohno et al. (2007) is used for the simulation. In this model, the effective degree of saturation is treated as a parameter expressing hardening/softening. Moreover, the ‘root element,’ where the reduction of water content occurs, is applied to the soil/water coupled analysis with unsaturated soil mechanics. To verify the applicability of this model, the accident in Poland where non-uniform settlement and building damage were caused by water uptake of vegetation was simulated. The results show that water uptake increased suction and induced non-uniform settlement. This method is effective for understanding the effects of vegetation on the ground.
Dimensionnement sous sollicitation sismique de sols de fondations renforcés par inclusions rigides
Authors: Thai Son Q.  , Hassen G.  , de Buhan P.  , Okyay U.S.  , Dias D.
Published: February 2025

Cette communication est consacrée à l'étude de stabilité d'un remblai reposant sur un sol renforcé par inclusions rigides, soumis à une sollicitation sismique. Une analyse de la tenue de l'ouvrage est réalisée par application d'un modèle multiphasique développé dans le cadre du calcul à la rupture, ainsi que dans celui de l'élastoplasticité. Les résultats sont confrontés à ceux obtenus par une simulation numérique tridimensionnelle complète de l'ouvrage à l'aide de code de calcul Flac3D.
Reinforcement of pavements over expansive clay subgrades
Authors: Zornberg J.G.  , Gupta R.
Published: February 2025

Basal reinforcement of pavement systems has been used for the purposes of: (i) increasing the lifespan of a pavement while maintaining the thickness of the base course, and (ii) decreasing the thickness of the base course while maintaining the lifespan of the pavement. This paper describes a third application of basal reinforcement of pavements, namely, the mitigation of longitudinal cracks induced in pavements constructed over highly plastic, expansive clay subgrades. This includes information showing that: (i) geogrid reinforcement has precluded the development of longitudinal cracks in pavement sections located in projects where unreinforced sections have shown significant cracking, (ii) longitudinal cracks are ‘shifted’ beyond the reinforced pavement zone, avoiding their development within the pavement itself, and (iii) that current specifications, which often rely on geogrid properties defined in isolation, are insufficient to fully characterize the reinforcement requirements for reinforced pavement project. Overall, the field observations highlight the significant benefits associated with the use of geogrids in pavements over expansive clay subgrades, although there is still the need for more rationale design methodologies.
Decision Support to Avoid Medication Errors – How Far Have We Come in Denmark and What Are the Present Challenges
Authors: Hellebek Annemarie  , Marinakis Christiana
Published: February 2025

The number of medication errors reported to The Danish National Board of Health in Denmark exceeds 5000 per year. It is well known that computerized physician order entry (CPOE) with addition of decision support tools may reduce the frequency of medication errors. The primary scope of the work in Denmark has been to help health care professionals avoiding harmful errors. Using data primarily from The Danish National Board of Health, based on the reports of errors from Danish hospitals, and with our previous foundation in the international literature, we analyzed the errors which led to harmful conditions or death. In the process we developed a methodical consensus for identifying which medicines should have a warning attached, and we systematized the different kind of warnings. The following validation of the data resulted in a final list of 14 classes of drugs or drug substances, which all have been involved in serious medication errors. At present time there is a total of 136 different medicines with warnings found in the drug database for health professionals from Infomatum A/S (www.medicin.dk). In a parallel matter other decision support tools from Infomatum A/SInfomatum A/S is a company jointly owned by The Danish Drug Information and The Danish Medical Association. Infomatum A/S publishes drug information for health professionals and the public.
The Use of ICT in the Delivery of Healthcare Services to the Chronic Patient
Authors: Shani Mordechai
Published: February 2025

Chronic diseases cause a major problem to the modern health care services world wide. Our work describes a new approach to tackle the problem of the chronically ill patients, by using information and communication technology (ICT) for patient's empowerment and managed their care. Our research, which is conducted with close cooperation with the health maintenance organizations and is still continuing, is based on a “bottom-up” approach and is also aimed at changing paradigms, well established in the western healthcare services.
Comparing the Apgar Score Representation in HL7 and OpenEHR Formalisms
Authors: Cuggia Marc  , Bayat Sahar  , Rossille Delphine  , Poulain Patrice  , Pladys Patrick  , Robert Hélène  , Duvauferrier Régis
Published: February 2025

Semantic interoperability, a prerequisite to eHealth projects, relies on sharing both information and knowledge models between information systems. Two of the standards of information models are HL7 v3 and the European norm, EN13606/OpenEHR. The paper compares both standards on a fragment of the prenatal medical record, the APGAR score. Two factors are compared: the formal representation of both information models, and the binding to knowledge models. The HL7v3 perinatality DMIM specification and the OpenEHR APGAR archetype were used. HL7v3 appears to be more formal than OpenEHR and able to represent in an easier way the clinical context. For both standards, the binding to reference terminologies such as LOINC is poor. We provide recommendations to improve the standards.