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At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

A polyaniline-containing filter paper that acts as a sensor, acid, base, and endpoint indicator and also filters acids and bases.

In this paper we report a new idea for synthesizing polyaniline in an ordinary filter paper. The synthesis was carried out by a process in which aqueous acidic aniline solution and the oxidizing agent H(2)O(2) was added to the paper drop by drop and in sequence. Uniform polymerization could be obtained with the addition of reagents in either sequence. The polymer formation led to a green coloration of the paper. Formation of the emeraldine salt of polyaniline was confirmed by UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopic measurements were made for surface characterization of the polymer formed in the paper. The same paper was used as a sensor for ammonia in vapor and in solution, for acid and base as well as endpoint indication, and also to filter acids and bases. We found that, using the polymer-containing paper, ammonia concentrations in a solution as low as 14 ppm could be measured.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

A demographic analysis of the origin of papers published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain temporal trends in the number and share of papers originating from work sites in the ten districts of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and to identify demographic predictors of variance among the districts. METHODS: The work sites of the first authors of papers published in Obstetrics & Gynecology were determined for selected years since 1985 and sorted by ACOG district. Three related journals (Fertility and Sterility, Gynecologic Oncology, and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology) were similarly analyzed for the year 2000. Demographic variables, including numbers of ACOG Fellows, residencies, subspecialty fellowships, and medical schools, were analyzed with multivariable regression for the most predictive variables for number of papers among ACOG districts. RESULTS: The number and share of papers published in Obstetrics & Gynecology written by authors working in ACOG districts have been declining steadily since 1985, in contrast to the number of papers arising from locations outside of ACOG districts. Analysis of demographic factors for number of papers from four specialty journals in the year 2000 revealed that the number of medical schools in the district (R(2) = 0.79) was the most predictive (P <.001). CONCLUSION: Efforts to identify and correct factors associated with a decline in the number of published papers should focus on conditions in medical schools.

Bibliometrics↗

PubMed2000

A combination of vermiculite and paper pulp supporting material for the photoautotrophic micropropagation of sweet potato.

A mixture of vermiculite (hydrous silicates) and paper pulp (waste product of paper industry) was used as a supporting material for the in vitro photoautotrophic micropropagation of plantlets. Sweet potato was used as a model plant to find out the appropriate proportion of vermiculite and paper pulp for the optimum growth of the plantlets. The plantlets grown in the conventional supporting material, agar, were used as the control. The study revealed that in all aspects, the plantlets grown in vermiculite mixed with 30% (w/w) paper pulp exhibited the highest growth performance. The shoot and root fresh mass were x2.7 greater than those in agar (control); the leaf, stem and root dry mass were also greater and at least two fold in this treatment compared with those in the control. The net photosynthetic rate per plantlet was highest in this treatment, and on day 20 it was 15.3 µmol CO(2) h(-1) as compared with 9.8 µmol CO(2) h(-1) in the control. The growth of both shoots and roots decreased gradually with the increase or decrease of percentage of paper pulp in the supporting material. In general, the growth was significantly poorer in the plantlets grown in 100% vermiculite than that in vermiculite mixed with 30% paper pulp but still greater than in the control. The porosity of the supporting materials increased with the increase in the percentage of paper pulp in the supporting material. After transplanting to the ex vitro condition the survival percentage did not vary significantly (90-100%) among the treatments, except in control where it was only 73%. The number of unfolded leaves and the stem height were similar among the treatments except those in the control.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Electronic versus paper instruments for daily data collection.

PURPOSE: Collecting daily information on a series of similar, recurring events such as menstrual bleeding, headaches, or insulin levels using paper instruments is subject to problems such as missing or incorrectly recorded data, and retrospective data entry. The authors are developing and evaluating electronic data collection using hand-held personal computers (H/PC) for a variety of health-related applications, including tracking premenstrual syndrome (PMS), fertility awareness, and headaches, to improve accuracy and timeliness of data collection.METHODS: ProCycle is a prototype electronic diary for collection of daily data on menstrual bleeding, medications, and health symptoms. In a 3-month pilot test in 25 regularly cycling women, we compared its performance with a paper calendar regarding missing and incorrect data, data entry lag, data cleaning time, and users' preferences with respect to factors such as remembering to enter data, convenience, and overall preference. Additional programs for PMS, fertility, and headaches are being field tested on subjects from the Boston and New York areas, comparing performance with paper versions.RESULTS: In the pilot test, missing data occurred less frequently with ProCycle than with paper, particularly for any days with missing symptoms (4% vs. 35%, p < 0.05). ProCycle did not permit any data recording mistakes such as circling contradictory responses (e.g., bleeding and no bleeding), compared with incorrect data on 13% of paper calendars. Data entry/cleaning time was 81% lower for ProCycle. 70% of users preferred ProCycle overall, compared with 9% preferring paper (p < 0.01).CONCLUSIONS: Although the initial cost of the H/PC is significantly higher than paper, there are no recurring charges for printing or data entry, and data cleaning is minimal. Electronic instruments on an H/PC provide an efficient, accurate method of data collection, applicable to a number of areas of health-related research involving daily data collection.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Concordance of information in parallel electronic and paper based patient records.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the results of parallel use of both paper based and electronic patient records with respect to concordance of corresponding information in two continuously updated versions of the same records. DESIGN: retrospective evaluation of patient records, comparing documentation in electronic and paper based patient records. SETTING: Department of Neurology in a Norwegian university hospital using paper based and electronic patient records in parallel during migration towards completely electronic patient records. MATERIAL: electronic and paper based patient records of 90 randomly selected patients visiting the department between 1 November 1997 and 30 April 1999. RESULTS: seven percent of the electronic documents were significantly different in some way from the corresponding paper documents. About 4-13% of the documents in the electronic record were missing; one percent were missing from the paper record. CONCLUSION: parallel use of electronic and paper based patient records has resulted in inconsistencies between the record systems in our setting. Documentation is missing in both the electronic and paperbased records. When implementing electronic record systems intended to operate in parallel with paperbased systems, focus should be on securing the validity of all versions of the record.

Chi-Square Distribution↗

PubMed1999

[Intensive care research in Germany--an analysis of papers in important international journals].

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to assess who is responsible for publications in important english-written intensive care journals. METHODS: 10 english-written journals that exclusively or mainly publish intensive care papers were analysed over the past 10 years (from 1988 to 1997). All German universities were included and publications were specified according to the speciality (e.g. anesthesiology, internal medicine, neurosurgery) and the university of origin of the publication. Letters, abstracts, editorials, meeting-reports, and news were not included in the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 804 publications was found in the analysed journals. 343 publications were originated from interne medicine departments (433 of all publications), 207 were from anesthesiology departments (26%). Papers from surgical departments were only rarely found (cardiac surgery: 14 papers; neurosurgery: 12 papers; general/trauma surgery: 34 papers). 150 publications originated from neurology departments, and only 44 pediatric intensive care papers were found. A wide range of contributions from the specific universities were seen (ranging from 0 to 43 papers). Universities from former East Germany published very rarely in international intensive care journals (3%). CONCLUSION: Only few German universities have published in important intensive care journals over the past 10 years. Some interne medicine and some anesthesia departments were markedly engaged in this speciality, whereas several other universities and most universities from former East Germany did not participate significantly in the international intensive care literature.

Critical Care↗

PubMed2005

Development and validation of a multiple-choice question paper in basic colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Factual knowledge underpins competence in all clinical skills. A multiple-choice question paper (MCQ) was designed as part of an accelerated colonoscopy training week (ACTW). In the United Kingdom, there are no validated methods of assessing core knowledge in colonoscopy. The aims of this study were to develop an MCQ paper, to demonstrate its construct validity, and to establish whether the ACTW improved core knowledge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two 30-question MCQ papers (A and B) were designed. Delegates attending the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) 2004 meeting responded either to MCQ paper A or B. Demographic data were collected on their experience in colonoscopy. Doctors attending the ACTW completed either MCQ paper A or B before the course, and the other paper after the course. RESULTS: Seventy-eight delegates at the BSG meeting completed the MCQ. There was a significant difference in the scores between those who had carried out less than 200 colonoscopies (mean 32.5 %) and those who had performed more than 200 (mean 58.4 %; P < 0.0001). Seventeen doctors attending the ACTW completed the MCQ. The mean score for papers A and B increased significantly following the course--57.2 % before the ACTW, 67 % after it ( P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This MCQ is capable of differentiating between endoscopists with different levels of experience in colonoscopy. Doctors attending an ACTW significantly improve their knowledge in colonoscopy. A validated MCQ such as this could be used as part of the assessment process to ascertain competence in colonoscopy.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2004

The simultaneous evolution of author and paper networks.

There has been a long history of research into the structure and evolution of mankind's scientific endeavor. However, recent progress in applying the tools of science to understand science itself has been unprecedented because only recently has there been access to high-volume and high-quality data sets of scientific output (e.g., publications, patents, grants) and computers and algorithms capable of handling this enormous stream of data. This article reviews major work on models that aim to capture and recreate the structure and dynamics of scientific evolution. We then introduce a general process model that simultaneously grows coauthor and paper citation networks. The statistical and dynamic properties of the networks generated by this model are validated against a 20-year data set of articles published in PNAS. Systematic deviations from a power law distribution of citations to papers are well fit by a model that incorporates a partitioning of authors and papers into topics, a bias for authors to cite recent papers, and a tendency for authors to cite papers cited by papers that they have read. In this TARL model (for topics, aging, and recursive linking), the number of topics is linearly related to the clustering coefficient of the simulated paper citation network.

Authorship↗

PubMed1993

Accurate detection of maternal antibodies to HIV in newborn whole blood dried on filter paper.

OBJECTIVE: The testing of neonatal blood specimens dried on filter paper for maternal HIV antibodies, using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with confirmation of repeatedly reactive specimens by immunoblot (IB), was first described in 1987. It has been used to conduct large, unlinked, anonymous HIV seroprevalence surveys for surveillance of HIV in child-bearing women in several countries. We directly assessed the sensitivity and specificity of this combination of tests to detect maternal HIV antibodies. SETTING: Serum samples obtained from mothers delivering at a major hospital in Kinshasa, Zaire were screened for HIV antibody using the rapid assay HIVCHEK. DESIGN: Plasma from HIVCHEK-positive women and age-matched negative controls were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); repeatedly reactive specimens were confirmed by Western blot (WB). Two days after delivery, whole blood was obtained from each newborn by heel-stick, dried on filter paper, and tested by EIA. Repeatedly reactive specimens were confirmed by IB. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The serologic status of neonatal filter-paper specimens was compared with that of corresponding maternal plasma. RESULTS: The testing of neonatal filter-paper specimens using EIA, with confirmatory testing of repeatedly reactive specimens using IB, was 100.0% sensitive [of the 192 ELISA-positive and WB-positive maternal plasma specimens, 192 of the corresponding newborn filter-paper specimens were EIA-positive and IB-positive; 95% confidence interval (CI), 98.1-100]. The detection of maternal HIV antibodies was 99.6% specific using this combination of tests (of the 281 ELISA-negative or ELISA-positive but WB-negative maternal plasma samples, 280 of the corresponding newborn filter-paper specimens were EIA-negative or EIA-positive but IB-negative; 95% CI, 98.0-100). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal HIV antibodies can be detected accurately by testing neonatal blood dried on filter paper, using EIA with confirmation of repeatedly reactive specimens by IB. This approach can facilitate the determination of HIV seroprevalence in child-bearing women in countries with neonatal screening programs, or where serum or plasma is difficult to obtain.

Democratic Republic of the Congo↗

PubMed2005

Anisotropy in rupture lines of paper sheets.

We have experimentally investigated the fracture process in paper samples submitted to a uniaxial force. Five types of paper sheets (newsprint, towel, sulfite, silk, and couche papers) were fractured along two orthogonal orientations. In order to characterize the rupture lines of the paper sheets we utilized the Hurst exponent. Our results indicate a dependence of the Hurst exponent on the orientation of the paper sheets for samples of newsprint and, probably, towel and silk papers. For the other types of paper the Hurst exponent does not depend on the direction of crack propagation.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Comparing hand-held computers and paper diaries for haemophilia home therapy: a randomized trial.

Treatment of severe haemophilia with factor concentrates is by self-infusion in the home. Adherence to record keeping on paper diaries is poor. A randomized-controlled trial compared adherence with record keeping of paper diaries with hand-held computers. Forty-one individuals with severe haemophilia, were randomized to hand-held computers (n = 22) or paper diaries (n = 19) and followed for 6 months. About 86.2% (679 of 788) of infusions by patients in the computer group were in compliance with the data submission schedule compared with only 48.3% (358 of 741) of infusions by patients using paper diaries (P < 0.0001). The time intervals between infusions and the receipt of data were shorter in the computer group (median 0.25 vs. 25 days respectively, P < 0.0001). Reminder phone calls by the clinic were made less frequently to users of hand-held computers than to users of paper diaries (median one vs. five times, P < 0.0001). Accuracy of data was similar for both methods. Compliance with hand-held computers was superior to paper diaries. The clinic received data from hand-held computers mostly on the same day, and nurses could thereby provide clinical advice more effectively. Although hand-held computers did not result in increased accuracy, errors could be detected and corrected more rapidly. Electronic data can more easily be verified, analysed and summarized than that from paper diaries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Discourse analysis: theoretical and historical overview and review of papers in the Journal of Advanced Nursing 1996-2004.

AIM: The aim of the paper is (1) to offer an overview of different theoretical approaches to discourse analysis and (2) to review papers published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing from 1996-2004 in which discourse analysis is identified as a method of data analysis. BACKGROUND: Discourse analysis offers rigorous approaches to analysing naturally occurring talk and texts. Forms of discourse analysis have developed across broad theoretical bases. Such development has created challenges for researchers wishing to adopt this methodology and readers wishing to evaluate the quality of discourse analytic work. METHODS: First, key documents which describe the theoretical range of discourse analysis are used to provide (i) a comprehensive overview of the approach, (ii) the identification of categories of discourse analysis and (iii) minimum criteria for determining if an individual paper can realistically claim to be adopting discourse analysis. Secondly, an electronic search followed by hand search of the Journal of Advanced Nursing full-contents between 1996 and 2004 was undertaken. The papers were grouped into the types of approach identified in i, and evaluated to see whether they met the 'minimum criteria' also identified in i. FINDINGS: The search of Journal of Advanced Nursing revealed 24 papers where the authors stated that discourse analysis was among the methods or was the sole method of data analysis. The majority of the papers cluster around critical approaches to discourse analysis. Only a few approach discourse analysis primarily as analysis of conversation. Some papers are excellent, while others offer analysis that bears little resemblance to any form of discourse analysis. CONCLUSIONS: A strategy for improvement could include more rigorous attention on the part of those practising discourse analysis to methodology and the key features that differentiate the different approaches to discourse analysis from other qualitative methods. Authors should include sufficient detail of their approach.

Concept Formation↗

PubMed1992

Anaplasmosis in Uganda. I. Use of dried blood on filter paper and serum samples for serodiagnosis of anaplasmosis--a comparative study.

The suitability of blood collected on filter papers in comparison with corresponding conventional serum samples in the diagnosis of bovine anaplasmosis was studied using the Complement Fixation Test (CFT), DOT-ELISA, Western immunoblot and Rapid Card Agglutination Test (RCAT). Dried blood on Whatman filter paper no. 1 was eluted in 1.8 ml of PBS 0.05% Tween 20 given an initial dilution of 1:100. The reactivity in both DOT-ELISA and Western immunoblotting was similar to that obtained with the sera diluted 1:100. Filter paper samples gave lower reactivity in all the tests as compared with corresponding serum samples. There was no significant difference in the reactivity between the eluates from filter papers stored at room temperature and those stored at 4 degrees C. Storage at room temperature did not significantly affect reactivity for up to 6 months. Eluates from filter papers stored for 6 months at room temperature continued to give similar reactivity to those from freshly prepared filter papers in both DOT-ELISA and Western blot, and in the Rapid Card Agglutination Test. It is concluded that collecting blood on filter papers is a suitable technique for large-scale screening and for seroepidemiological studies on anaplasmosis, and offers many advantages especially in developing countries where transport and cold chain facilities are a major constraint.

Anaplasmosis↗

PubMed2004

'Paper Clinics'- a model for improving delivery of outpatient colorectal services.

OBJECTIVES: The overburdening of colorectal out-patient clinics necessarily leads to delays in time from referral to consultation and subsequent clinic attendance. This study aimed to ascertain the feasibility of 'paper clinic' follow-up rather than all patients receiving a routine follow-up appointment following investigation. A more efficient outpatient follow-up process should reduce unnecessary follow-up, thereby facilitating the speedy investigation and diagnosis of patients through changes in clinic profiles. METHODS: From August 2001 all patients seen in the outpatient clinic of one (part time) Consultant colorectal surgeon, who required investigation, were prospectively recorded on a 'paper clinic' form. These patients were given the necessary test request forms but were not given a further outpatient appointment. The results of the investigations were reviewed, together with the patients' medical records at a formal fortnightly 'paper clinic' session carried out by the Consultant and Nurse Consultant, and a treatment plan derived. Patients then followed one of 5 follow-up pathways and were notified in writing with a copy to their GP. RESULTS: During a 24-month period a total of 897 patients were reviewed using the 'paper clinic' follow-up system. Of these, 285 (31.8%) patients were discharged without further follow-up. In a given 3-month period when the clinic was well established, 152 patients were reviewed, of whom 27% were discharged from follow-up, 17% received SOS appointments, 13% required further investigation (and consequently were returned to 'paper clinic' follow-up), and 7% received Nurse led follow-up. In this 3-month period 64% of patients reviewed by 'paper clinic' follow-up did not return to Surgical Outpatient's and 12% received a Surgical Outpatient appointment for review. CONCLUSION: 'Paper clinic' follow-up is an effective and feasible follow-up alternative, resulting in a major decrease in outpatient follow-up burden. This has allowed the redesign of the outpatient clinic profile allowing for an increase in new urgent slots, and more rapid clinic follow up review of those patients who need it. Re-design and rationalization of existing services can result in considerable service improvement. Expanding clinics should not be considered the only option when faced with capacity and demand issues.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗

PubMed2001

Combination of reverse transcriptase PCR analysis and immunoglobulin M detection on filter paper blood samples allows diagnostic and epidemiological studies of measles.

As measles control and elimination campaigns progress, laboratory confirmation of clinically diagnosed measles cases becomes increasingly important. However, in many tropical countries collection and storage of clinical specimens for this purpose are logistically complicated. In this study it is shown that blood samples spotted on filter paper are suitable for the laboratory diagnosis of measles using a combination of reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) analysis and immunoglobulin M (IgM) detection. First, it was shown that in vitro measles virus (MV)-infected cells diluted in human blood and spotted on filter paper can be detected by RT-PCR. Small amounts of infected cells remained detectable after 25 weeks of storage of the filter paper at room temperature, 4 weeks at 37 degrees C, or 2 weeks at 45 degrees C. Subsequently, this RT-PCR was applied to filter paper blood samples collected from 117 clinically diagnosed measles patients in Sudan in 1997 and 1998. Prior laboratory diagnosis had confirmed 90 cases as acute MV infections, while 27 proved to be nonmeasles rash disease cases. Positive RT-PCR signals were detected in filter paper blood samples of 43 of the 90 confirmed cases (48%) but in none of the 27 nonmeasles cases. In addition, MV-specific IgM levels measured in reconstituted filter paper samples correlated well with those measured in plasma samples. Measles diagnosis based on the combination of filter paper RT-PCR and IgM detection had a sensitivity and specificity of 99 and 96%, respectively. An advantage of this diagnostic approach is that sequencing of RT-PCR products allows phylogenetic analysis of the MV strain involved.

Antibodies, Viral↗

PubMed2005

Detection and quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p24 antigen in dried whole blood and plasma on filter paper stored under various conditions.

The quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) by an assay measuring heat-dissociated (HD) p24 antigen (Ag) in specimens of whole blood and plasma stored on filter paper, and of plasma stored in tubes, was compared to HIV-1 RNA plasma levels determined by real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The stability of p24 Ag on filter paper under conditions simulating specimen transport was also evaluated. The HD p24 Ag in both plasma and whole-blood specimens stored on filter paper correlated with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels (Spearman rank rho = 0.74 [P < 0.0001] and rho = 0.56 [P = 0.0001], respectively). The sensitivity of the HD p24 Ag assay was similar when plasma and whole blood on filter paper were contrasted to the real-time RT-PCR assay (80% versus 82.5% and 78.6% versus 83.3%, respectively). However, while the specificity of the HD p24 Ag assay of plasma on filter paper was 100%, the specificity was diminished in whole-blood specimens. The storage of specimens on filter paper for 2 weeks at 37 degrees C, 24 degrees C, or 0 degrees C did not alter the detection or quantification of HD p24 Ag. These results suggest that transport and storage of plasma on filter paper and quantification of HD p24 Ag may be a reliable method for HIV-1 load monitoring.

Filtration↗

PubMed1983

Is the statistical assessment of papers submitted to the "British Medical Journal" effective?

A study was performed to judge the effectiveness of the statistical assessment scheme for papers submitted to the "British Medical Journal." Statistical criticism of the content of 200 submitted papers which had already been seen by a subject referee led directly or indirectly to 73 (37%) being rejected for publication. In most cases (53 out of 73) serious problems requiring more than minor revision were identified. A comparison of reports on subsequently unpublished and published papers showed that adverse statistical assessments--suggesting major problems--were more common in the papers that were not accepted for publication. Moderate, or less, revision was recommended for 63% of published papers but 39% of the remainder. A checklist of relevant questions was used in making a detailed comparison of 12 published papers, six of which had been statistically assessed and six of which had not. This comparison yielded little evidence that the papers that had been assessed were statistically more acceptable than those that had not been assessed but re-emphasised the subjectivity of refereeing and assessment.

Periodicals as Topic↗

PubMed1983

For debate . . . Individual contributions to multiauthor papers.

The curricula vitae of four candidates for a professorial appointment at Athens University were examined to estimate the actual contribution of each candidate to the papers of which he was a coauthor. A total of 879 research papers by the four candidates were analysed in terms of the number of authors, the sequence of names, and the year of publication. The four authors presented 364, 349, 96, and 70 papers. If an equal contribution of all coauthors is assumed, the actual number of papers (all papers divided by the number of authors), is about 106, 83, 28, and 26, respectively, so that the rank of the four candidates did not change. On the assumption that the contribution was related to the candidate's position in the order of the coauthors' names, the numbers of papers were corrected to 84, 95, 26, 33 using one statistical method and to 88, 94, 28, 31 using another. These assumptions may not be valid, however, especially as the last author may be more important than the intermediate ones. It is suggested that the journals require authors to state their specific contribution to a paper, such as original idea, planning, collecting data, writing up, etc.

Authorship↗