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At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

The reliability of the Aspergillus nidulans physical map.

Here we report an evaluation of the Aspergillus nidulans physical map (a cosmid contig map) emphasizing quantification and description of obvious mapping errors. Classification and appraisal of mapping errors should be helpful to researchers working on particular regions of the map. We estimate between 47 (4.1%) and 63 (5.4%) probe/clone-linking errors. The majority of identified false links (38) permit reciprocal exchanges among linking clones located on disconnected mapping regions. The order of adjacent clones or probes on the affected contigs remains unchanged. In addition we describe an Internet-accessible resource in which genetic and physical maps were integrated through a graphic interface. A simple search engine allows retrieval of cosmids from redundant clone lists and provides links to the minimal clone order. Integration of genetic and physical maps provides an additional level of accountability in which mapping discrepancies are visually located.

Aspergillus nidulans↗

PubMed2001

Smoking cessation interventions among hospitalized patients: what have we learned?

BACKGROUND: We conducted a structured review of controlled studies on inpatient hospital-based smoking cessation interventions. METHODS: Electronic searches were conducted with two different search engines, and reference sections of articles located were also reviewed. The RE-AIM framework was used to organize the review around the issues of reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of interventions. RESULTS: Thirty-one intervention articles were located, 20 of which included a comparison condition and were included in the review. Overall, a moderate number of studies (13/20) reported on reach, which was highly variable and limited (30-50% in most studies), while few reported on implementation (7/20). Longer term cessation results produced relative risk ratios of 0.9-2.3, with a median of 1.5. Increases in quit rates above the control condition ranged from -1 to 10% (median 4%) among general admission patients and from 7 to 36% (median 15%) among cardiac admission patients. Studies with a dedicated smoking cessation counselor and 3-5 months of relapse prevention had a significant impact on cessation rates. Study settings (adoption) were limited to university, Veterans affairs, and HMO hospitals. Maintenance at the individual level was variable and related to the presence of a relatively intensive initial intervention and a sustained relapse prevention intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Efficacious inpatient smoking programs have been developed and validated. The challenge now is to translate these interventions more widely into practice, given changing hospitalization patterns.

Hospitalization↗

PubMed1996

Scoring noncovalent protein-ligand interactions: a continuous differentiable function tuned to compute binding affinities.

Exploitation of protein structures for potential drug leads by molecular docking is critically dependent on methods for scoring putative protein-ligand interactions. An ideal function for scoring must exhibit predictive accuracy and high computational speed, and must be tolerant of variations in the relative protein-ligand molecular alignment and conformation. This paper describes the development of an empirically derived scoring function, based on the binding affinities of protein-ligand complexes coupled with their crystallographically determined structures. The function's primary terms involve hydrophobic and polar complementarity, with additional terms for entropic and solvation effects. The issue of alignment/conformation dependence was solved by constructing a continuous differentiable nonlinear function with the requirement that maxima in ligand conformation/alignment space corresponded closely to crystallographically determined structures. The expected error in the predicted affinity based on cross-validation was 1.0 log unit. The function is sufficiently fast and accurate to serve as the objective function of a molecular-docking search engine. The function is particularly well suited to the docking problem, since it has spatially narrow maxima that are broadly accessible via gradient descent.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1999

Prospecting and evaluation of the anatomy sites on the Internet.

The Internet undoubtedly has an important part to play in medical teaching, generally speaking, and particularly in anatomy. We therefore undertook to survey, list, explore and study the various sites written in French or English devoted to anatomy on the Internet in order to evaluate them. Sites were identified from their URL address, by search engine or by hypertext links found in already listed sites. Useless and non-relevant sites were excluded. Fifty-two sites were selected and evaluated as to their navigability, illustrations, text and general presentation. Addresses of theses sites are available on a web page (http:/(/)www.rockefeller.univ-lyon1.fr/Anato mie-Lyon-Nord; section liens, section Galerie Virtuelle). This directory could be a very useful working tool for the use of teachers and students. It will be regularly updated.

Anatomy↗

PubMed2004

Dysmorphology diagnosis.

A patient with multiple malformations poses a diagnostic dilemma to the pediatrician. There are thousands of malformation syndromes described and diagnosis of a syndrome appears a daunting task. An approach to diagnosis of a malformation syndrome is presented. Relevant details in the history and examination, important investigations, the process of differential diagnosis, and search engines used to aid in diagnosis of a malformation syndrome are described.

Child↗

PubMed2006

Factors affecting recovery and discharge following ambulatory surgery.

PURPOSE: Recovery and discharge following ambulatory surgery are important components of the ambulatory surgery experience. This review provides contemporary perspectives on the issues of discharge criteria, fast-tracking, patient escort requirements, and driving after ambulatory anesthesia. SOURCE: A search was performed in the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials, MEDLINE(R), EMBASE(R), CINAHL, and PsycINFO, to review factors delaying discharge following ambulatory surgery. The following subject headings were used: "ambulatory surgery, discharge, recovery, car driving, escort, transport, fast tracking, patient discharge, recovery, transportation of patients, hospital discharge, recovery room, patient transport, hospital discharge, recovery room, anesthetic recovery, patient transport, ambulatory surgical procedures, patient discharge, recovery of function, automobile driving, patient escort service, recovery room". Using the same search engines, the following keywords were used: "fast tracking, recovery, and discharge". PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The current literature supports that discharge scoring systems may be useful to guide discharge following ambulatory surgery. While fast-tracking has become common in some centres, further studies are required to justify more routine implementation of this practice in the management of patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Patients at low risk for urinary retention can be discharged home without voiding. Patients should not drive until at least 24 hr postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Ensuring rapid postoperative recovery and safe discharge following ambulatory surgery are important components of the ambulatory surgical program. A clearly defined process should be established for each ambulatory surgical unit to ensure the safe and timely discharge of patients after anesthesia, in accordance with current best evidence.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗

PubMed2002

[The Internet as a source for information retrieval. Example: soft tissue sarcoma].

INTRODUCTION: Due to increasing availability, easier access, and rapid growth of information, the Internet has become an important source of medical information. We analyzed the value of Internet sites and the content of their medical information for physicians and patients using the example "soft tissue sarcoma." METHODS: Sixteen German and English Internet search engines were used to evaluate the retrieved internet sites regarding their target group, publisher, contents, and topicality. RESULTS: The majority of retrieved websites were in English compared to significantly fewer in German. The content of information was more valuable for patients and physicians on the English websites compared to the German ones. Even if many of the evaluated websites originated from medical organizations or universities, the amount of information was limited and often not up to date. CONCLUSION: Information on the web is widespread, but for special queries too limited and difficult to identify. An improvement of available websites is needed, especially those maintained by universities and nonprofit medical organizations. The retrieval software should be optimized to ease identification of information, which should be validated by a recognized standard.

Humans↗

PubMed2000

[Internet presence of surgical clinics in Germany. Current data and future prospects].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to obtain an overview of the use of the Internet by surgical departments in Germany as a presentation platform and information resource for their patients. METHODS: After a randomizing a total of 1,760 surgical departments in Germany, 200 were chosen and asked about their Internet use. RESULTS: Most of the questionnaires (81.5%) were received and analyzed; 32.5% of the German surgical departments are represented on the Internet; 81.4% of the clinics without a homepage are planning to have one in the future. The hospitals represent themselves on average on two HTML documents. CONCLUSION: Approximately a third of the German surgical departments currently give information over the Internet with a wide and heterogeneous spectrum. In the near future approx. 80% of the German surgical departments will have online presence. Therefore, the increasing demand for medical information by the patients will be fulfilled. The professionalism and effectiveness of the home-pages can be increased through registration with many search engines and the use of e-mail.

Forecasting↗

PubMed1999

[Psychiatry and psychotherapy on the internet. Current overview].

The Internet is a fast growing medium, which is about to alter our all day life. Most impact is given to advantages of telemedicine to psychiatrists and psychotherapists as well as patients. After introduction of the essential features of the Internet practical aspects of medicine in Cyberspace for psychotherapists, psychiatrists and their patients are shown. Then, the general prohibition of advertisement for physicians is discussed on the bases of actual laws related to Internet activities. Relevant resources of medical information are shown with regard to the detailed facilities of using search engines. Highlighting opportunities and possible resources of medicine in cyberspace, it is made clear, that the rising interest in telemedicine on Internet is more than justified. Finally, some risks of virtual communication are visible. Important and mentioned Web-sites are listed at the end.

Advertising↗

PubMed2006

Assessment of osteoporosis-website quality.

INTRODUCTION: The Internet provides great opportunities for patient healthcare education, but poses risks that inaccurate, outdated, or harmful information will be disseminated. Osteoporosis is a topic of great interest to patients, many of whom use the Internet to obtain medical information. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate measurement tools to determine the quality of osteoporosis websites for patients. METHODS: Quality indicators in the categories of content, credibility, navigability, currency, and readability were incorporated into separate evaluation tools for healthcare professionals and for patients. Websites were selected from an Internet search. Interobserver reliability and validity were assessed, and a sample of osteoporosis websites was evaluated by an osteoporosis nurse educator and compared to patient evaluations. RESULTS: For the quality indicators, there was 79% agreement between the osteoporosis nurse educators, 88% agreement between the physician osteoporosis experts, and 71% agreement comparing the osteoporosis nurse educators to the physician osteoporosis experts. Quality scores for evaluated websites ranged from 18-96 (maximum possible=100), with a mean of 66. Websites with Uniform Resource Locator (URL) suffix .com scored significantly lower compared to those with .gov (P<0.05), .edu (P<0.01), and .org (P<0.01). Healthcare professionals and patients were in agreement on the quality of the highest-rated websites, with less agreement for lower-rated websites. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, a tool for measuring the quality of medical websites was developed and evaluated. Significant variability in osteoporosis-website quality was observed. Higher-quality scores were associated with a higher level of search engine match and specific URL suffixes. A validated tool for evaluating medical websites may have value in assisting patients to select high-quality osteoporosis educational information on the Internet, and may encourage website developers to improve the quality of information that is provided.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

PubMed2002

[Options and limits of visual function tests available on the internet].

BACKGROUND: The quantitative capability of the visual system can be tested using graphic presentations with defined size, form and colour. For presentations a chart projector or personal computer (PC) can be used. In the meantime the number of visual function tests on the internet is continually increasing. These tests are potentially available for over 400 million internet users with different hard- and software requirements. METHODS: From 38 on-line visual acuity tests and 19 on-line colour vision tests found by means of search engines on german language web pages, the offerer of the test, the type of chart used and the data for the test conditions, as well as hard- and software adjustment were registered. RESULTS. Various visual function tests, such as visual acuity tests, the Amsler grid, stereo and colour vision tests, can already be planned via internet. The variability of the tests ranges from a simple presentation of graphic elements to a laboriously programmed interactive input by the user to specify the test result. Most of the tests are presented by opticians and the optical industry. DISCUSSION: The analysed tests allow for a considerable variability of the test conditions, for example by missing data concerning the room lighting and lacking monitor calibration. Furthermore, problems of the web-based colour presentation were not considered or not considered sufficiently in most of the on-line colour tests. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the test deficits determined, the results of visual function tests on the internet are to be classified as doubtful. At present, most data of test offerers are not sufficient with respect to the test conditions. Standards should be defined for internet-based visual function tests and further studies should be followed to check the effectiveness of these tests for screening examinations.

Color Perception Tests↗

PubMed2005

Childhood brain tumour information on the Internet in the Chinese language.

BACKGROUND: Internet information, now available in many different languages, can become a major source of information for patients and families in their own mother tongue. Chinese represent one of most frequently spoken language in the world. The aims of this study were to critically appraise the quantity and quality of Internet health information in childhood brain tumour in the Chinese language and to identify sufficient quality websites that can potentially be recommended to Chinese-speaking parents. METHODS: Internet information on six common paediatric brain tumours was searched using six commonly used Chinese search engines. Websites were assessed systematically using two rating tools: DISCERN instrument and Checklist Rating System Instrument. RESULTS: Out of 946 sites accessed, only 13 assessable Chinese websites, displaying Traditional Chinese characters and providing information on brain tumour, were identified. Only four sites included specific discussion on brain tumours in children. Ten websites failed to provide satisfactory information on brain tumour as rated by DISCERN instrument. Overall only 41% of the 13 specific items relevant to brain tumours were mentioned (Checklist Rating System Instrument). CONCLUSION: Only a few satisfactory websites can be recommended to Chinese-speaking families for general information on brain tumour with caution from health care providers that such information may not apply to the child's individual condition.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis: indication, technique, risk and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the treatment of choice for symptomatic cholelithiasis. However, the laparoscopic approach has remained controversial for patients with acute cholecystitis (AC) because of technical difficulties that, compared with open cholecystectomy (OC), might lead to higher complication rates, particularly common bile duct (CBD) injuries and infection. METHODS: We reviewed recent clinical findings on feasibility, safety and potential benefits of LC in patients with AC. An electronic search using the PubMed and MEDLINE databases was performed using the terms laparoscopic cholecystectomy, open cholecystectomy and acute cholecystitis. Pertinent references from articles and books not identified by the search engines were also retrieved. Relevant surgical textbooks were also reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: The early laparoscopic approach has been shown to be technically feasible and at least equally as safe as the open approach. However, extensive inflammation, adhesions and consequent increased oozing can make laparoscopic dissection of Calot's triangle and recognition of the biliary anatomy hazardous and difficult. Therefore, conversion to OC remains an important treatment option to secure patient safety in such difficult conditions. The question of whether intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) should be used routinely or only selectively has never been resolved. Proponents for each side have put forward compelling arguments.

Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic↗

PubMed2001

Internet user profile in the field of parasitology.

This study determined a profile of current Internet users in parasitology, their use patterns on the Internet for parasitologic purposes, and the Web sites they would recommend. In a European survey, 689 parasitologically engaged scientists were asked to fill out a questionnaire about Internet access, current problems, current and future use, and which Web sites they would recommend as well as about the use of e-mail. In all, 153 (22.2%) of the interviewees returned the questionnaire. Only one participant had no access to the Internet. Time expenditure was considered the main problem involved in use of the Internet. The Internet was mainly used for e-mail (96.1%); for literature research (93.5%); for reading of electronic journals (51.6%); and for gathering of information, e.g., about institutes and colleagues (58.2%) and about congresses (49.7%). In the future, 71.9% of the respondents would like to read electronic journals more often and 49.7% would like to use the web more intensively for acquisition of information about congresses, universities, and institutions. Requests for the future included an easier application of the browser software (33%) and a shorter response time (47.7%). The survey demonstrates that the Internet has assumed a definite place in the lives of researchers in the field of parasitology. Survey responses indicate a need for electronic journals. In our opinion, universities and parasitology societies should be urged to publish journals electronically on the Web. To diminish current problems involved in the finding of relevant information on the Internet, we strongly recommend careful reading of the instructions regarding the search engines used. Web pages with clear structures, small file sizes, precise HTML (hypertext markup language) key-word editing, and page titles would facilitate more accurate discovery of specific sites. In addition, there seems to be a need for regular publication of reviewed parasitology-link collections.

Computer Literacy↗

PubMed2003

Inguinal hernia on the internet: a critical comparison of Germany and the UK.

Despite containing an increasing amount of medical information, the Internet provides only rare benefits for surgical patients. Using "inguinal hernia" as a catchword, an amateur search was imitated on the British Internet market. Sixty-five pages, standardised regarding quality and efficiency, were evaluated. A comparison to the German Internet market was added. In summary, the broad majority of the pages revealed poor results. Technical appearance, quality of content, and target grouping show big deficiencies. The applicable laws on the European market are not yet established. The ranking lists of the search engines do not reflect the quality of the pages. Patients need competent guides to process surgical information from the Internet. The establishment of specialised institutions to control surgical Web sites according to quality, content, and legality on the European level is urgent.

Germany↗

PubMed2005

Data mining for protein-protein interactions in invertebrate model organisms.

Well-annotated genome databases are available for many invertebrate species, notably the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, and the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. An adequate interpretation of this information at the biological level requires the exploration of the interactions between the gene products. Knowledge of protein interactions and the components of cell signalling pathways in the fly and worm are particularly valuable as hypotheses can be rapidly tested using the powerful genetic toolkits available. Invertebrates offer additional experimental advantages when attempting to characterise protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Their relatively small genome size compared to mammals helps to reduce missed interactions due to redundancy, and their function can be addressed using forward (mutants) and reverse (RNA interference) genetics. However, the researcher looking for evidence of PPIs for a protein of interest is faced with the challenge of extracting interaction data from sources that are highly varied, such as the results of microarray experiments in the unstructured text of research papers. This challenge is greatly reduced by a range of public databases of curated information, as well as publicly available, enhanced search engines, which can provide either direct experimental evidence for a PPI, or valuable clues for generating new hypotheses.

Animals↗

PubMed2007

The use of the internet in data assimilation in rare diseases.

The incidence and prevalence of achalasia is 0.6/100,000 people per year and 1/10,000, respectively. It is difficult then for one center to accumulate a large cohort of patients. One study (Gut 33:1011,1992) described the presenting symptoms in only 38 patients. To approach this problem differently, we used the internet to access a larger patient population. Using search engines at Google and Yahoo, Inc., we identified achalasia support groups. We examined the most populated support group (YSG) and assembled the exchanged messages into 4 categories: support, symptoms, treatment, and diagnosis. Next, a survey modeled after a previous study (ibid) was composed and posted on a university-sponsored Web site for March 2003, advertised to YSG members, and then removed from the server. The results were entered into a database and analyzed. There were 6 support groups identified; 1 was foreign. The most populated site was the Yahoo, Inc., group with 298 active members. We analyzed the 3,222 messages posted from October 6, 2002 through October 5, 2003. The message composition was as follows: 67% support, 16% symptoms, 12% treatment, and 5% diagnosis. Of 298 Yahoo site members, we had 88 respondents to the survey from 9 countries. The data from 83 were analyzed (5 were not completed). Respondents were 66 women (55%), 29 men (24%), and 5 non-gender-identified respondents. They ranged in age from 6 to 72 years at time of diagnosis. In the 83 respondents, dysphagia symptoms were reported by 98%, regurgitation by 68%, chest pain by 81%, weight loss by 69%, and epigastric pain by 67%, similar to those reported in the study cited in Gut. The modalities used to evaluate these achalasia patients were as follows: 83% had monometry, 87% had radiography, and 89% had endoscopy. The mean time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 5 years. The treatments attempted on this population were balloon dilatation in 57%, botulinum toxin injection (Botox) in 8%, myotomy in 12%, by lifestyle/diet modification in 12%, and other treatments in 11%. We believe that the Internet can provide physician-researchers with useful information about common and uncommon diseases on a global basis. The Internet allows patients to voice concerns that they may not freely express to their doctor and provides a modality to collect data from a larger number of patients than may be available at any single institution.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Neurocognitive consequences of surgically corrected congenital heart defects: A review.

With advances in surgical procedures, neuropsychological assessment after congenital heart defects and pre, peri- and/or postoperative predictors of adverse outcome has become an important focus in research. We aim to summarize neuropsychological sequelae associated with different types of congenital heart defects, critically review the methodology used in more than 20 empirical studies that were retrieved from biomedical electronic search engines, and identify possible directions for future research. Despite the lack of adequate control groups and long-term studies, there seem to be some cognitive deficits. The largest group of children with isolated congenital heart defects present with normal intellectual capacities. However, they tend to show language deficits and motor dysfunction. Although performances on memory tasks are good, unambiguous conclusions concerning their attentional and executive functioning are still lacking. Serious behavioral problems are not an issue. In addition to a detailed description of the (neuro) psychological consequences of pediatric cardiac surgery, an overview of the predictors of the cognitive defects is provided.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗