Background: Pigmented skin lesions or 'moles' are a common presenting problem in general practice consultations: while the majority are benign, a minority are malignant melanomas. The MoleMate system is a novel diagnostic tool which incorporates spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis (SIAscopy) within a non-invasive scanning technique and utilises a diagnostic algorithm specifically developed for use in primary care. The MoleMate training program is a short, computer-based course developed to train primary care practitioners to operate the MoleMate diagnostic tool.
Objectives: This pre-trial study used mixed methods to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a computer-based training program CD-ROM, developed to teach primary care practitioners to identify the seven features of suspicious pigmented lesions (SPLs) seen with the MoleMate system.
Method: Twenty-five practitioners worked through the MoleMate training program: data on feature recognition and time taken to conduct the assessment of each lesion were collected. Acceptability of the training program and the MoleMate system in general was assessed by questionnaire.
Results: The MoleMate training program improved users' feature recognition by 10% (pre-test median 73.8%, p<0.001), and reduced the time taken to complete assessment of 30 SPLs (pre-test median 21 minutes 53 seconds, median improvement 3 minutes 17 seconds, p<0.001). All practitioners' feature recognition improved (21/21), with most also improving their time (18/21). Practitioners rated the training program as effective and easy to use.
Conclusion: The MoleMate training program is a potentially effective and acceptable informatics tool to teach practitioners to recognise the features of SPLs identified by the MoleMate system. It will be used as part of the intervention in a randomised controlled trial to compare the diagnostic accuracy and appropriate referral rates of practitioners using the MoleMate system with best practice in primary care.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.14236/jhi.v16i1.673 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Updates on Intrinsic Medicinal Chemistry of 1,4-dihydropyridines, Perspectives on Synthesis and Pharmacokinetics of Novel 1,4-dihydropyrimidines as Calcium Channel Blockers: Clinical Pharmacology.
Curr Top Med Chem
January 2025
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research (JSS AHER), Mysuru, Karnataka, India.
Background: Several chemical studies described the physiological efficacy of 1,4- dihydropyridines (DHPs). DHPs bind to specific sites on the α1 subunit of L-type calcium channels, where they demonstrate a more pronounced inhibition of Ca2+ influx in vascular smooth muscle compared to myocardial tissue. This selective inhibition is the basis for their preferential vasodilatory action on peripheral and coronary arteries, a characteristic that underlies their therapeutic utility in managing hypertension and angina.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExploring The Therapeutic Potential of Natural Plants in Modulating Molecular and Cellular Pathways Involved in Diabetic Neuropathy: Mechanism and Biochemical Evaluation.
Curr Pharm Des
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.
Diabetic Neuropathy (DN) is a widespread and severely debilitating consequence of diabetes mellitus that impairs function, causes discomfort, and damages peripheral nerves. Numerous molecular pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of DN, including cyclooxygenase, polyol, protein kinase C, and inflammatory pathways. These molecular pathways may be responsible for the mechanism behind the onset and development of DN.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderstanding Tankyrase Inhibitors and Their Role in the Management of Different Cancer.
Curr Cancer Drug Targets
January 2025
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Ooty, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India.
Cancer manifests as uncontrolled cell proliferation. Tankyrase, a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase member, is vital in Wnt signal transmission, making it a promising cancer therapy target. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates critical biological processes like genomic stability, gene expression, energy utilization, and apoptosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPro-renin Receptor (PRR) as a Target to Reduce Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Post Liver Transplantation.
Curr Med Chem
January 2025
Transplant Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the main causes of chronic liver disorders following liver transplantation. The prorenin receptor (PRR) plays a role in glucose and lipid metabolism, and the hepatic dysregulation of PRR is associated with the upregulation of several molecular pathways, such as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) that promotes hepatic lipogenesis and leads to lipid accumulation in hepatocytes by upregulation of lipogenic genes. PRR inhibition leads to a reduction in the hepatic expression of sortilin-1 and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) levels and down-regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and reduces fatty acids synthesis in hepatocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBarriers and Enablers in the Implementation of Physical Activity Improvement for Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Mixed-Methods Study.
J Adv Nurs
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China.
Aim: To identify the barriers and enablers in the implementation of evidence-based physical activity (PA) programmes for the improvement of health outcomes among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and to develop strategies for implementing this evidence in clinical practice.
Methods: A convergent mixed-methods study was conducted, integrating a descriptive qualitative research design with a cross-sectional survey. In-depth interview was used to collect the views and cognitions about physical activity from medical staff, leaders and pregnant women.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!