(7)Japanese dermatology and the Internet
by
-
Yoshiki
Taniguchi MD, PhD
Dermatology Online Journal, December 1995
Volume 1, Number
2
Since June 1995, Japanese dermatology has made extensive use of
the Internet as a forum for discussing the science and practice
of our specialty. This use has come in three areas; the JDerm
mailing list, WWW server postings, and the dermatologic section
of the second Internet World Congress.
JDerm mailing list
JDerm mailing list was initiated in late June 1995 to discuss
topics limited to
Dermatology in both Japanese and English. The use of Japanese
made it easier for the discussants to express subtle differences
of opinion. From June through December there were
approximately 150 postings. Major topics discussed are the
clinical problems and comments on journal articles. The clinical
problems include treatment of verruca, atopic dermatitis,
alopecia, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and urticaria. The
characteristic discussions of JDerm mailing list contained
references to journal articles. These e-mails are
archived according to the subject on the homepage of www
server at http://www.m
edic.mie-u.
ac.jp/derma/JDerm.html. A password, distributed through
the mailing list, is necessary for access. The
on-line CPC was
also started in the JDerm mailing list in December 1995, using
the same WWW
server. Discussion is now open to the members of the mailing
list. The
benefit of the online CPC is that we have much more time to study
and think
about a subject than during an ordinary meeting.
WWW servers of Dermatology
in Japan
The servers which have appeared on the Internet by
December 1995 are Mie University,
Osaka university, Yamagata university, and Kagoshima university, and
Dermatology at Osaka National Hospital.
All of these may be accessed through links at http://www.
medic.mie-u
.ac.jp/derma/worldd.html. The WWW server at Mie university
has an electronic textbook of anatomy of the skin with many
electron micrographs. It also has mirror images of the database
of clinical images from University of Erlangen. In addition,
the dermatology bulletin board is available for the posting and
reading
of announcements by dermatologists everywhere.
The Department of Dermatology at Osaka University and Osaka National
Hospital pags are in Japanese, and provide images (including some of
the
unfortunate earthquake damage). The Yamagata University Dermatology
page is
in English and provides department and faculty information. The
Kagoshima
University Dermatology page offers case presentations with images. The
Mie
University pages offer the user a choice of
either a Japanese or an English version.
Japanese WWW sites
- Dermatology HomePage in University of Yamagata university
(Japan)
- Department of
Dermatology at the
University of Osaka, Japan
- Department of Dermatology at the University of Kagoshima,
Japan
- Educational material and department
information
- Department
of
Dermatology Mie University School of Medicine
- electron
micrographs of the skin, department information
The second Internet World
Congress on Biomedical Science
The second Internet World Congress on Biomedical Science '95 was
successfully held on the Dermatology server at Mie university.
Many
dermatologists participated in the discussions, demonstrating the
value of this approach to information sharing. The five
dermatology related posters are available for viewing now in the
Proceedings of the second Internet world Congress on Biomedical
Science '95 which can be accessed through the Mie university dermatology
homepage.
Summary
Dermatology departments in Japan are participating at the forefront of
on-line communications among clinical and academic dermatologists in
Japan,
and bringing dermatologists all over the globe together, using the
Internet and the Web. Innovative electronic symposia, meetings and a
world
congress, poster sessions with interactive dialogue, image databases
for
sharing world-wide, case presentations, e-mail lists and electronic
bulletin boards are but a few of the recent WWW dermatology
developments in
Japan over the past year.
REFERENCES
1, Huntley AC: Internet resources for dermatology. Journal of
the
American Academy of Dermatology, 1994 Sep, 31(3 Pt 1):474-84.
All contents copyright © 1995.
Dermatology Online Journal
University of California Davis