Browsing by Subject "Developing world"

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    Open Access
    Hearing loss in the developing world: Evaluating the iPhone mobile device as a screening tool
    (2014) Peer, Shazia; Fagan, Johannes J
    BACKGROUND: Developing countries have the world's highest prevalence of hearing loss, and hearing screening programmes are scarce. Mobile devices such as smartphones have potential for audiometric testing. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the uHear app using an Apple iPhone as a possible hearing screening tool in the developing world, and to determine accuracy of certain hearing thresholds that could prove useful in early detection of hearing loss for high-risk populations in resource-poor communities. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study design. Participants recruited from the Otolaryngology Clinic, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, completed a uHear test in three settings - waiting room (WR), quiet room (QR) and soundproof room (SR). Thresholds were compared with formal audiograms. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were tested (50 ears). The uHear test detected moderate or worse hearing loss (pure-tone average (PTA) >40 dB) accurately with a sensitivity of 100% in all three environments. Specificity was 88% (SR), 73% (QR) and 68% (WR). It was highly accurate in detecting high-frequency hearing loss (2 000, 4 000, 6 000 Hz) in the QR and SR with 'good' and 'very good' kappa values, showing statistical significance (p40 dB). It is highly sensitive for detecting threshold changes at high frequencies, making it reasonably well suited to detect presbycusis and ototoxic hearing loss from HIV, tuberculosis therapy and chemotherapy. Portability and ease of use make it appropriate to use in developing world communities that lack screening programmes.
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    Open Access
    Omics-based molecular techniques in oral pathology centred cancer: prospect and challenges in Africa
    (BioMed Central, 2017-06-05) Adeola, Henry A; Soyele, Olujide O; Adefuye, Anthonio O; Jimoh, Sikiru A; Butali, Azeez
    Background: The completion of the human genome project and the accomplished milestones in the human proteome project; as well as the progress made so far in computational bioinformatics and “big data” processing have contributed immensely to individualized/personalized medicine in the developed world. Main body: At the dawn of precision medicine, various omics-based therapies and bioengineering can now be applied accurately for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and risk stratifcation of cancer in a manner that was hitherto not thought possible. The widespread introduction of genomics and other omics-based approaches into the postgraduate training curriculum of diverse medical and dental specialties, including pathology has improved the profciency of practitioners in the use of novel molecular signatures in patient management. In addition, intricate details about disease disparity among diferent human populations are beginning to emerge. This would facilitate the use of tailor-made novel theranostic methods based on emerging molecular evidences. Conclusion: In this review, we examined the challenges and prospects of using currently available omics-based technologies vis-à-vis oral pathology as well as prompt cancer diagnosis and treatment in a resource limited setting.
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    Open Access
    Omics-based molecular techniques in oral pathology centred cancer: prospect and challenges in Africa
    (2017) Adeola, Henry A; Soyele, Olujide O; Adefuye, Anthonio O; Jimoh, Sikiru A; Butali, Azeez
    BACKGROUND: The completion of the human genome project and the accomplished milestones in the human proteome project; as well as the progress made so far in computational bioinformatics and "big data" processing have contributed immensely to individualized/personalized medicine in the developed world. MAIN BODY: At the dawn of precision medicine, various omics-based therapies and bioengineering can now be applied accurately for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and risk stratification of cancer in a manner that was hitherto not thought possible. The widespread introduction of genomics and other omics-based approaches into the postgraduate training curriculum of diverse medical and dental specialties, including pathology has improved the proficiency of practitioners in the use of novel molecular signatures in patient management. In addition, intricate details about disease disparity among different human populations are beginning to emerge. This would facilitate the use of tailor-made novel theranostic methods based on emerging molecular evidences. CONCLUSION: In this review, we examined the challenges and prospects of using currently available omics-based technologies vis-à-vis oral pathology as well as prompt cancer diagnosis and treatment in a resource limited setting.