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African Video Movies and Global Desires is the first full-length scholarly study of Ghana's commercial video industry, an industry that has produced thousands of movies over the last twenty years and has grown into an influential source of cultural production. Produced and consumed under circumstances of dire shortage and scarcity, African video movies narrate the desires and anxieties created by Africa's incorporation into the global cultural economy. Drawing on archival and ethnographic research conducted in Ghana over a ten-year period, as well as close readings of a number of individual movies, this book brings the insights of historical context as well as literary and film analysis to bear on a range of movies and the industry as a whole. Garritano makes a significant contribution to the examination of gender norms and the ideologies these movies produce. African Video Movies and Global Desires is a historically and theoretically informed cultural history of an African visual genre that will only continue to grow in size and influence.

BACKGROUNDPatients in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic waiting rooms represent a potential audience for delivering health messages via video-based interventions. A controlled trial at 3 sites found that patients exposed to one intervention, Safe in the City, had a significantly lower incidence of STDs compared with patients in the control condition. An evaluation of the interventionʼs cost could help determine whether such interventions are programmatically viable. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe cost of producing the Safe in the City intervention was estimated using study records, including logs, calendars, and contract invoices. Production costs were divided by the 1650 digital video kits initially fabricated to get an estimated cost per digital video. Clinic costs for showing the video in waiting rooms included staff time costs for equipment operation and hardware depreciation and were estimated for the 21-month study observation period retrospectively. RESULTSThe intervention cost an estimated $416,966 to develop, equaling $253 per digital video disk produced. Per-site costs to show the video intervention were estimated to be $2699 during the randomized trial. CONCLUSIONSThe cost of producing and implementing Safe in the City intervention suggests that similar interventions could potentially be produced and made available to end users at a price that would both cover production costs and be low enough that the end users could afford them.

Background Behavioural problems are common in early childhood, and can result in enduring costs to the individual and society, including an increased risk of mental and physical illness, criminality, educational failure and drug and alcohol misuse. Most previous research has examined the impact of interventions targeting older children when difficulties are more established and harder to change, and have rarely included fathers. We are conducting a trial of a psychological intervention delivered to families with very young children, engaging both parents where possible. Methods This study is a two-arm, parallel group, researcher-blind, randomized controlled trial, to test the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a parenting intervention, Video Feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) for parents of young children (12–36 months) at risk of behavioural difficulties. VIPP-SD is an evidence-based parenting intervention developed at Leiden University in the Netherlands which uses a video-feedback approach to support parents, particularly by enhancing parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline in caring for children. The trial will involve 300 families, who will be randomly allocated into either an intervention group, who will receive the video-feedback intervention (n = 150), or a control group, who will receive treatment as usual (n = 150). The trial will evaluate whether VIPP-SD, compared to treatment as usual, leads to lower levels of behavioural problems in young children who are at high risk of developing these difficulties. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and 5 and 24 months post-randomization. The primary outcome measure is a modified version of the Preschool Parental Account of Child Symptoms (Pre-PACS), a structured clinical interview of behavioural symptoms. Secondary outcomes include caregiver-reported behavioural difficulties, parenting behaviours, parental sensitivity, parental mood and anxiety and parental relationship adjustment. An economic evaluation will also be carried out to assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention compared to treatment as usual. Discussion If shown to be effective, the intervention could be delivered widely to parents and caregivers of young children at risk of behavioural problems as part of community based services. Trial registration ISRCTN Registry: ISRCTN58327365 . Registered 19 March 2015.

Video-laryngoscopy may provide an enhanced view of laryngeal structures compared to direct visualization. Commercial video-laryngoscopes are often expensive, limiting its adoption for routine use. We describe our initial experience using an inexpensive custom made device. Patients >15 years age, were randomly chosen, after informed consent, for video-laryngoscopy. A custom device easily assembled using an USB endoscopic camera, a conventional Macintosh laryngoscope blade size 3 or 4, and a personal computer was used. Patients with Mallampati class 1–3 were chosen. Video-laryngoscopy was recorded and reviewed. Twenty-four patients aged 16–68 years, of mean weight 58.46 ± 12.54 (40–86) kg were studied. The glottis could be visualized and intubation could be performed in all patients with 22/24 patients on first attempt. Mean duration of laryngoscopy was 22.17 ± 12.78 (7–59) s. Time taken for intubation, was mean of 28.58 ± 21.01 (9–89) s. Three patients with anticipated difficult airways could be intubated on the first attempt. Minor blood staining of the airway was seen in the video in two patients. Cormack–Lehane laryngoscopy grade visualized was 1 in 9/24, 2 in 15/24 patients. Percentage of glottic opening score was 62.29 ± 28.40 (20–100) %. Real-time video could be captured in all cases. The custom-made, inexpensive, video-laryngoscopy device is safe and reliable for clinical use. Real-time visualization and endotracheal intubation were successful in all patients, including those with anticipated difficult airway. Further, this device helps in archiving the video of intubation.

Workplace interventions have shown beneficial results of resistance training for chronic pain in the neck, shoulder, and arm. However, studies have relied on experienced exercise instructors, which may not be an available resource at most workplaces. The objective of this study is to evaluate the technical performance level of upper limb rehabilitation exercises following video-based versus personalized exercise instruction. We recruited 38 laboratory technicians and office workers with neck/shoulder pain for a two-week exercise training period receiving either (1) personal and video or (2) video only instruction in four typical neck/shoulder/arm rehabilitation exercises using elastic tubing. At a 2-week follow-up, the participants’ technical execution was assessed by two blinded physical therapists using a reliable error assessment tool. The error assessment was based on ordinal deviation of joint position from the ideal position of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist in a single plane by visual observation. Of the four exercises only unilateral shoulder external rotation had a higher normalized error score in the V group of 22.19 (9.30) to 12.64 (6.94) in the P group (P=0.002). For the remaining three exercises the normalized error score did not differ. In conclusion, when instructing simple exercises to reduce musculoskeletal pain the use of video material is a cost-effective solution that can be implemented easily in corporations with challenging work schedules not allowing for a fixed time of day to go see a personal trainer.

Laparoscopic camera navigation (LCN) is vital for the successful performance of laparoscopic operations, yet little time is spent on training. This study aimed to develop an inexpensive LCN simulator, to design a structured curriculum, and to determine the transferability of skills acquired. In this study, 0 degrees and 30 degrees LCN simulators were developed for use on a videotrainer platform. Transferability was tested by enrolling 20 medical students in an institutional review board-approved, randomized, controlled, blinded protocol. Subjects viewed a video tutorial and were pretested in LCN on a porcine Nissen model. Procedures were videotaped and the LCN performance was scored by a blinded rater according to the number of standardized verbal cues required and the percentage of time an optimal surgical view (%OSV) was obtained. Procedure time also was recorded. Subjects were stratified and randomized. The trained group practiced on the LCN simulator until competency was demonstrated. The control group received no training. Both groups were posttested on the porcine Nissen model. The constructed simulators required 35 man hours for development, cost $25 per board for materials, and proved to be durable. The trained group demonstrated significant improvement in verbal cues (p = 0.001), %OSV (p < 0.001), and procedure time (p = 0.001), whereas the control group showed improvement only in verbal cues (p < 0.02). At posttesting, the training group demonstrated significantly better scores for verbal cues (2.1 vs 8.0; p = 0.02) and %OSV (64% vs 45% p = 0.01) than the control group. These data suggest that the LCN simulator is cost effective and provides trainees with skills that translate to the operating room.

Surgical simulation and video-based learning are limited in lower-resource settings. We sought to develop and assess a series of surgical tutorials using a low-cost simulator. We created 8 surgical skills and procedures videos using low-cost equipment. We assessed video quality using the DISCERN scale and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Videos ranged from surgical techniques to complex procedures. We uploaded these to Youtube and included them in the curriculum of a medical school in Rwanda. Excluding the cost of the kit (25 USD), production costs ranged from 2 to 5 USD. All videos scored a mean DISCERN of 2.44 ​± ​1.05 and GQS of 3.06 ​± ​0.90. Generally, these lacked points on providing additional sources of information and addressing areas of uncertainty. This study addresses the demand for accessible surgical education resources. Using low-cost, standardized materials ensures consistency, democratization of training, and feasibility. •Developed surgical video tutorials using low-cost and locally sourced materials.•Produced the videos in collaboration with institutions from the USA and Rwanda.•Evaluated online engagement of each video based on reach and retention.•Analyzed the initiative, highlighting both successes and areas for improvement.•Offered actionable recommendations and best practices to improve and increase impact.

3-D gait analysis is the gold standard but many healthcare clinics and research institutes would benefit from a system that is inexpensive and simple but just as accurate. The present study examines whether a low-cost 2-D motion capture system can accurately and reliably assess adaptive gait kinematics in subjects with central vision loss, older controls, and younger controls. Subjects were requested to walk up and step over a 10 cm high obstacle that was positioned in the middle of a 4.5 m walkway. Four trials were simultaneously recorded with the Vicon motion capture system (3-D system) and a video camera that was positioned perpendicular to the obstacle (2-D system). The kinematic parameters (crossing height, crossing velocity, foot placement, single support time) were calculated offline. Strong Pearson’s correlations were found between the two systems for all parameters (average r = 0.944, all p < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed that the agreement between the two systems was good in all three groups after correcting for systematic biases related to the 2-D marker positions. The test-retest reliability for both systems was high (average ICC = 0.959). These results show that a low-cost 2-D video system can reliably and accurately assess adaptive gait kinematics in healthy and low vision subjects.

Pediatric surgery training is challenged by declining clinical exposure and limited access to high-quality educational resources. Advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) allow enhancement of educational videos without professional studio infrastructure, but evidence supporting their educational value remains limited. To evaluate the educational impact and cost efficiency of locally deployed AI-enhanced lecture videos compared with standard faculty-recorded videos in pediatric surgery training. A quasi-experimental, non-randomized, post-test-only study conducted at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt between December 2024 and September 2025. Medical students and pediatric surgery residents viewed standardized lecture videos on five core pediatric surgery topics. Identical scripts and narration were used in both groups; the intervention differed only by AI-based background enhancement using open-source, locally deployed tools. Primary outcomes were perceived educational clarity (five-point Likert scale) and knowledge acquisition assessed by a 40-item multiple-choice examination. Secondary outcomes included visual comfort, perceived professionalism, and willingness to recommend the format. Between-group comparisons and effect sizes were calculated. A cost analysis compared AI-enhanced production with traditional studio-based methods. A total of 240 participants were included (120 per group). AI-enhanced videos were associated with higher educational clarity scores (mean 4.52 vs. 3.88; p < 0.001) and higher knowledge scores (76.8% vs. 69.5%; p < 0.001). Secondary outcomes consistently favored AI-enhanced videos, including visual comfort and perceived professionalism. Locally deployed AI production reduced per-video costs by 72–94% compared with traditional studio production. Locally deployed AI-enhanced videos improved short-term educational outcomes and substantially reduced production costs while preserving presenter authenticity. This approach represents a practical, scalable strategy for enhancing pediatric surgery education, particularly in resource-limited settings. Further studies are needed to assess long-term retention and clinical impact.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder which affects 0.5-1% of the world population. Its diagnosis relies both on Electroencephalogram (EEG) findings and characteristic seizure-induced body movements--called seizure semiology. Thus, synchronous EEG and (2D)video recording systems (known as Video-EEG) are the most accurate tools for epilepsy diagnosis. Despite the establishment of several quantitative methods for EEG analysis, seizure semiology is still analyzed by visual inspection, based on epileptologists' subjective interpretation of the movements of interest (MOIs) that occur during recorded seizures. In this contribution, we present NeuroKinect, a low-cost, easy to setup and operate solution for a novel 3Dvideo-EEG system. It is based on a RGB-D sensor (Microsoft Kinect camera) and performs 24/7 monitoring of an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) bed. It does not require the attachment of any reflectors or sensors to the patient's body and has a very low maintenance load. To evaluate its performance and usability, we mounted a state-of-the-art 6-camera motion-capture system and our low-cost solution over the same EMU bed. A comparative study of seizure-simulated MOIs showed an average correlation of the resulting 3D motion trajectories of 84.2%. Then, we used our system on the routine of an EMU and collected 9 different seizures where we could perform 3D kinematic analysis of 42 MOIs arising from the temporal (TLE) (n = 19) and extratemporal (ETE) brain regions (n = 23). The obtained results showed that movement displacement and movement extent discriminated both seizure MOI groups with statistically significant levels (mean = 0.15 m vs. 0.44 m, p<0.001; mean = 0.068 m(3) vs. 0.14 m(3), p<0.05, respectively). Furthermore, TLE MOIs were significantly shorter than ETE (mean = 23 seconds vs 35 seconds, p<0.01) and presented higher jerking levels (mean = 345 ms(-3) vs 172 ms(-3), p<0.05). Our newly implemented 3D approach is faster by 87.5% in extracting body motion trajectories when compared to a 2D frame by frame tracking procedure. We conclude that this new approach provides a more comfortable (both for patients and clinical professionals), simpler, faster and lower-cost procedure than previous approaches, therefore providing a reliable tool to quantitatively analyze MOI patterns of epileptic seizures in the routine of EMUs around the world. We hope this study encourages other EMUs to adopt similar approaches so that more quantitative information is used to improve epilepsy diagnosis.