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Japanese dermatology and the Internet.

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(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
  1. Dermatology HomePage in University of Yamagata university (Japan)
    • Department information
  2. Department of Dermatology at the University of Osaka, Japan
    • Japanese
  3. Department of Dermatology at the University of Kagoshima, Japan
    • Educational material and department information
  4. 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.


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