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Biomedical subjects

M Spála

Publications and source records attributed to M Spála.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Impact factor--good servant, but a bad master].

Our paper presents an overview on the role of impact factor (IF) in the valuation of the scientific activity. With maximal objectivity based on published articles the perspectives are outlined and the role of specialized medical journals like Journal of Czech Physicians is shown. When IF is used for evaluation, the full English term should be first considered "journal impact factor". It expresses the bibliometric features of the given journal, without possibility to transfer this assessment to individual articles or even authors. IF determined on the basis of information from citation indexes represents for an article presented in the journal the probability to be cited. It appears to be evident that this valuable parameter can lead in hands of inexperienced or irresponsible evaluator to incorrect and erroneous conclusions or to be misused. It is useful neither for evaluation of publication or scientific activity of an individual nor for the comparison of journals in different scientific disciplines. Owing to the relation of IF to the probability of an article to be cited, IF reflects the features (quality) of an article which brought the citation. IF is therefore determined also by the activity of scientific editors and referees. IF becomes part of everything what is related to the publication of scientific results and therefore it becomes object of journalogy. It is the source of meritorious intentions of the editorial board of Journal of Czech Physicians to deal with this phenomenon.

Bibliometrics↗
PubMed2004

[University qualifying work (dissertations), their current registration, electronic access and related technical, administrative and legal questions].

Many countries (USA, Australia, Canada, Latin America, Spain, France, SRN) have national or international systems (e.g. Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations--NDLTD), which openly (NDLTD) or commercially (University Microfilm International--UMI) present up to 50% of master dissertations and doctoral theses in a full text form. Such systems are in agreement with legal regulations of the given country and the author is the only holder of the work--of the dissertation. Authors are at the same time informed that dissertation represents a university document, which presents results of the given scientific community and it should be therefore distributed free of charge. Presentation is also the matter of honour of the author and his university. In the contemporary Czech Auctorial Law (No. 121/2000 Sb.) dissertation is considered as not fully defined "Educational work" and from the practical point the duration of necessary storage is not solved. For the contemporary worldwide conversion to electronically presented dissertations, the necessary technical and library standards has been prepared with the first positive experience. The supplement of the Auctorial and University Law appears to be necessary. It is inevitable to be prepared for that situation before the Czech Republic will join EU.

Academic Dissertations as Topic↗
PubMed2004

[Information explosion in a better light after fifty years].

The phenomenon of "Information explosion" emerged in the professional and later also in the unprofessional community in the middle of the twentieth century. It expresses feeling of an unexpected general congestion with increasing number of published articles and books, which are not possible to go through, process and use in the real time. Unexpected development of the science after the Second World War resulted in unusually high production of new data and information. Their fast release was enabled by modernization of the publication process together with an increase of the number of scientific journals. Despite the relative information isolationism during the totalitarian regiment, this worldwide process soon emerged also in our region. However, the overload in information was not balanced by modernization of methods in the bibliographic and librarian systems, which could bring the new information to the scientific community. The turning point in the transfer of information was the development of worldwide interconnection - the word wide web or the Internet. For the processing of new information it was possible to introduce gradually still more powerful information technologies based on computers with on-line connection to the Internet. To solve the information explosion it was necessary to possess such technology and necessary programs and to master the elements of information and computer know-how. Contemporary modern technology with various user-friendly search engines, catalogues, repositories, and with voluminous bibliographic databases enable the use of full-text sources and give a better view on the formerly catastrophically looking information explosion. Along with that it is necessary to find financial sources to cover the access to the system. Information support of the scientific work based on such possibilities represents in the brim of modern information society the only possibility of effective activity in any field. It is also a good way how to precede the possible next information overload.

Informatics↗
PubMed1999

[Thoughts on the infrastructure of modern pathologic physiology].

Contemporary pathophysiology is essentially based upon three principal pillars of support: First the experimental method (formulated by Cl. Bernard); second experimental design (proposed by R. A. Fisher); and finally, present-day information resources, which are easily accessible in sophisticated databases, following the so-called information explosion. These three underlying principles, sensitively interrelated, should be employed appropriately when engaging in pathophysiological research or education. Three points of support invariably offer stable equilibrium, as does a tripod, and it would be an error a priori to attempt to support research work exclusively on high-tech methodology, or overreliance on statistical software, or pseudo-abundance of citations from journals enjoying a high impact factor, whilst lacking significant balancing support from either of the other two legs of the tripod--or indeed other sources altogether. If pathophysiology in Czechoslovakia is to achieve international esteem and acknowledgement, then our undergraduate and postgraduate biomedical courses must be soundly based on this tripartite infrastructure, as a starting point for our intellectual methodology in pathophysiology. (This speech was presented at June 20th, 1989 at the opening session of the Tenth Czechoslovak Congress of Pathophysiology held in Prague June 20th-23rd 1989. The text still valid, ten years after its oral presentation, is now published in this form at the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Congress.

Czech Republic↗
PubMed1999

[What your personal archive should contain. Practical suggestions for the young (and not so young) researcher].

In science it is indispensable to be able to organise knowledge. It is a prerequisite of efficient scientific research to have also a good system of filing and organisation for relevant documents. This means that the researcher must be able to identify and properly file--right from the start of his or her career--all documentation and records which will also be useful to future research. This paper contains a number of practical recommendations on how to establish and maintain the scientist's personal archive; how to classify and select documents; and how to archive them in a way which allows for easy retrieval. The aim of this paper is to eliminate all errors and omissions, as subsequent rectification can be laborious and time consuming. Documents are arranged beginning with those which are important for the researcher as an employee (representing his personal portfolio) and are followed by documents attesting to his scientific competence and experimental skills (presentations at conferences, published papers, teaching activities, grant projects, etc.). It is important and useful to conduct an occasional review of one's personal archive, to update and revise some documents, and to discard others. A change of employment or affiliation usually presents a good opportunity for such a review. An archive which is systematically maintained throughout a researcher's career is a valuable source of objective personal reminiscences and reviews of scientific development.

Documentation↗
PubMed1996

[An international comparison of publications from the staff of the First Medical Faculty of Charles University using the Science Citation Index and the 1991-1994 faculty bibliography].

The present tendency is to require publishing activity as one of the evaluation criteria for research performance, and to apply the ranking of journals according to their impact factors as published in the Science Citation Index (SCI). In the first two sections of this papers, ten top original papers and five top monographs from the faculty staff of the 1st Medical Faculty of the Charles University (1.MF) from the years 1991-1995 are quoted, to demonstrate their publishing results. The third section discusses the publishing output of the 1.MF and the Faculty Hospital, and covers 7,164 publications. From 1993, a detailed annual Faculty Bibliography has appeared. The publications are divided into 18 categories, and their absolute and relative quantities are presented in table form. The analysis of quantity and type of publishing category is compared with the analogous spectrum of document types appearing in Current Contents-Life Sciences. 87.9% of all publications appeared in journals. 11.3% were published in international journals indexed by SCI. The paper also discusses the impact of the evidence of such indexing of the growing publishing output of the 1.MF in all categories, including possibilities for increasing the number of papers published in core international journals, as defined by their SCI ranking.

Bibliometrics↗
PubMed1994

[The European Health Information and Library Association--EAHIL/AEIBS].

The authors give a short history of the association, beginning with its establishment (1986) and a survey of its activities up to the summer of 1994, and its organization. They write about conditions and terms of membership, about aims and objectives of the association: to improve co-operation among European medical libraries, to raise standards of library and information services as well as professionality of librarians and information officers and their continuous education, especially in regard to new technologies. The authors also emphasize the European character and principles of tolerance that enable a connection of medical nursing, veterinary and pharmaceutical libraries/librarians in these specializations in various countries. It is necessary for information users to learn modern library methods, including information skills for the learning process (libraries of medical faculties). No less important is the role of libraries for research and evaluation of research. A survey of Czechoslovak and Czech participation in EAHIL is also given here. The course of the Fourth European Conference of Medical and Health Libraries on Oslo (from 28th June to 2nd July, 1994) is shortly described. Further library conference activities are also mentioned: 7th International Congress of Medical Librarianship in Washington, DC, May 10-12, 1995; Fourth Nordic Conference for Medical Libraries, Copenhagen (Denmark), August 21-24, 1995; EAHIL Symposium on Cooperation of Medical Libraries, Prague (Czech Republic), September 21-22, 1995; Fifth European Conference of Medical and Health Libraries, Coimbra (Portugal), September 18-21, 1996.

Czech Republic↗
PubMed1989

[Practical possibilities in the participation of libraries and information centers in undergraduate medical education].

With the aim of helping to improve the results of pedagogical work, the author presents an analysis of preconditions (professional, psychological, personal, technical, operational, and financial) of practical acquisition of information techniques and procedures by teachers, students and information workers, based on his experience and research in 1967-1988. The significance of a substantial improvement in the information knowledge of gifted students who participate pregradually in research programmes is accentuated, as well as the need of a close cooperation of information workers with university teachers in the sphere of research. The delivery of new sources that are essential for pedagogical work direct onto the desks of the teachers is pointed out as an irreplaceable function of libraries and information centres, the same as technical assistance in their publication activities. It is suggested that the demands on the provision of the pregradual training with library services and information supply should correspond to those of the research.

Czechoslovakia↗