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Semantically assisted medical bibliographic retrieval: an experimental computer system.

An experimental computer-based bibliographic retrieval system has been implemented to explore how semantic (conceptual) relationships between MeSH terms might assist the retrieval process. To construct the experimental system's database, lists of abstracts were produced using MEDLINE. Each list contained papers discussing a specified pair of terms. Each abstract was then analyzed to determine the specific relationship(s) between the two terms discussed in that paper. The project then explored how these semantic relationships could be incorporated into the computer to enhance bibliographic retrieval.

Information Systems↗

Technology architecture guidelines for a health care system.

Although the demand for use of information technology within the healthcare industry is intensifying, relatively little has been written about guidelines to optimize IT investments. A technology architecture is a set of guidelines for technology integration within an enterprise. The architecture is a critical tool in the effort to control information technology (IT) operating costs by constraining the number of technologies supported. A well-designed architecture is also an important aid to integrating disparate applications, data stores and networks. The authors led the development of a thorough, carefully designed technology architecture for a large and rapidly growing health care system. The purpose and design criteria are described, as well as the process for gaining consensus and disseminating the architecture. In addition, the processes for using, maintaining, and handling exceptions are described. The technology architecture is extremely valuable to health care organizations both in controlling costs and promoting integration.

Computer Systems↗

Managed care and health information networks.

Communication and data exchange among existing health information systems is becoming increasingly important in the health care industry. In a managed care environment, the focus is on delivering value by providing consumers access to high-quality health care at reasonable cost. This article explains how the use of a health information network in the managed care system, which links all related entities, improves the quality of health care by allowing access to critical data on demand and decreases the cost of delivery by enhancing communication among managed care providers.

Computer Communication Networks↗

Advanced computer applications in radiology: clinical applications.

Computers play a major role in bridging the gap between image generation and patient care by providing enhanced images that better meet the needs of referring physicians. Spiral computed tomography allows generation of three-dimensional images that are not affected by motion artifact. Volume rendering, a three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm, yields images free of computer-generated artifacts and superior in quality. Currently, technologic computer advances play an important role in three clinical areas: orthopedic applications, oncologic applications, and prosthetic design. Three-dimensional imaging is especially valuable in fracture assessment because it allows exploration of image data to define the location of fracture fragments, the integrity of the joint space, and any possible displacement. With three-dimensional imaging, the extent of tumor spread into adjacent soft tissue or involvement of blood vessels can be determined, even in difficult anatomic areas. Volume rendering and increased computer speed allow greatly improved treatment planning for radiation therapy and custom design of orthopedic prostheses. Through the mutual understanding of goals between physicians and computer scientists, the computer can reach its full potential in medicine, resulting in improved patient care.

Diagnostic Imaging↗

Computational models of oral and craniofacial development, growth, and repair.

This paper illustrates how biological and clinical problems stimulate research in biomedical informatics and how such research contributes to their solution. The computational models described use techniques from Logic Programming, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Biomathematics. They address problems in the development, growth, and repair of oral and craniofacial tissues arising in cell biology, clinical genetics, and dentistry. At the micro-level, the dynamic interaction of cells in the oral epithelium is modeled. At the macro-level, models are constructed of either the craniofacial shape of an individual or the craniofacial shape differences within and between healthy and congenitally abnormal populations. In between, in terms of scale, there are models of normal dentition and the use of computerized expert knowledge to guide the design of dental prostheses used to restore function in partially edentulous patients.

Adult↗

[The role of the biostatistician in biomedical research].

Medical research projects that involve any aspect of the collection, summarization, analysis and/or interpretation of clinical quantitative information require statistical support. This input may be provided by the clinicians themselves if properly trained, but is most appropriately and commonly achieved by a relationship with a biostatistician. The biostatistician can be an assistant, a consultant, or a colleague co-investigator. The role of the biostatistician in the research endeavor is one that is partially dictated by the nature of this relationship, but also is one that has evolved considerably in the recent past. This paper reviews the role of the biostatistician in terms of the potential contribution to the research, with special attention to the evolution of this role in light of the fast changes in computation and in statistical methodology. Finally, a method for biostatistical critical appraisal of the biomedical literature is proposed.

Biometry↗

Computers: getting started.

Because there is not much written about computer application in the emergency department you will frequently find yourself reading about applications in other areas. It is up to you to apply this information in the emergency setting. This makes you pioneers, in search of a new and better tomorrow. Our future is not yet written. It is waiting on you and your creative ideas to keep the wagon rolling. Don't let the new territory of informatics, hardware hardships, and foreign computer languages get you down. Accept informatics as just another challenge, like the many we have faced successfully in the past. Use these resources and your expertise in emergency nursing to create innovative informatic systems.

Emergency Nursing↗

Computational and experimental identification of C. elegans microRNAs.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute an extensive class of noncoding RNAs that are thought to regulate the expression of target genes via complementary base-pair interactions. To date, cloning has identified over 200 miRNAs from diverse eukaryotic organisms. Despite their success, such biochemical approaches are skewed toward identifying abundant miRNAs, unlike genome-wide, sequence-based computational predictions. We developed informatic methods to predict miRNAs in the C. elegans genome using sequence conservation and structural similarity to known miRNAs and generated 214 candidates. We confirmed the expression of four new miRNAs by Northern blotting and used a more sensitive PCR approach to verify the expression of ten additional candidates. Based on hypotheses underlying our computational methods, we estimate that the C. elegans genome may encode between 140 and 300 miRNAs and potentially many more.

Algorithms↗

Computer-aided quality assurance. A critical appraisal.

Computerized information systems hold the promise of overcoming problems in the management of clinical information Many of the claims of the creators and promoters of these systems, however, are not based on sound clinical studies. To determine the ability of computer information systems to improve the quality of medical care, we applied methodologic criteria to published articles in the field. Only 30 (22%) of 135 articles reported preplanned investigations, and only half of these met minimal criteria for scientific investigations. Fourteen studies were well designed and executed. All studies reported improvements in the process of care. However, patient outcomes were not measured, not affected, or only minimally influenced. While computer information systems show increasing potential, more work is required to enhance their effect on the quality of care and thus on patient outcomes.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

Laparoscopy in the new century.

Minimally invasive surgery already has established itself as a useful tool in the management of trauma. The future holds exciting possibilities for this field, borne and fostered by innovative developments in imaging, computer technology, and artificial intelligence. The next millennium may witness the disappearance of trauma surgery as it is known today.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Computer-facilitated collaboration: experiences building SNOMED-RT.

Collaborative development involving both individuals and groups is often less efficient than independent development because of communication overhead and integration costs. Despite the decreased development efficiency, collaborations promise more general-purpose products because of the opportunity for integration, with negotiation and reconciliation of diverse perspectives. Collaborations are also perhaps less costly when considered in contexts where there is significant duplication of effort. Computer-facilitated collaboration can reduce the communication and integration burden such that the increased effort required to manage a successful collaboration focuses primarily on the development of shared conceptual model among the developers by requiring that the work product be independently reproducible. This reproducibility requirement incorporates formal quality assurance processes into the development process. In this paper, we describe our initial experiences developing SNOMED-RT using such a computer-facilitated collaborative process. We quantify the extra costs incurred to achieve consistency in our efforts and reproducibility of our results.

Cooperative Behavior↗

A multicenter study of data collection and communication at primary health care centers.

Health care delivery is information intensive. As computer applications make information available to the decision maker with speed and accuracy, informatics applications will strengthen the infrastructure. This paper is the second part of a multicenter systems analysis study to design a common application software to support primary health care focused on information flow. We present the questionnaire analysis and observations from a field study of a district health site. Analyses using contingency tables revealed differences, some statistically significant. The field study confirmed that minor differences exist even within a district health site. Development of a common application software on the basis of information flow studies is feasible. However, to make optimum use of computer implementation, revision of the health information systems was recommended. It was suggested that application software be developed with the core data set required by the care providers to deliver and administrators to manage a vertical health program.

Communication↗

An elementary introduction to Bayesian computing using WinBUGS.

Bayesian statistics provides effective techniques for analyzing data and translating the results to inform decision making. This paper provides an elementary tutorial overview of the WinBUGS software for performing Bayesian statistical analysis. Background information on the computational methods used by the software is provided. Two examples drawn from the field of medical decision making are presented to illustrate the features and functionality of the software.

Bayes Theorem↗

Computers, communication and confidentiality: tales of Baron Munchausen.

The aim was to examine the use of computer and paper based systems in accident and emergency (A&E) departments in the management of patients who are frequent attenders. More than half of the A&E consultants in the Thames regions who were sent a questionnaire responded (44 of the 80). 82% of the respondents use such systems predominantly to monitor violent patients, those with Munchausen syndrome, and children on the "at risk" register. Systems currently in use fail to fulfil many of the functions that would be required of an ideal system. When using computers to store and communicate clinical data, several ethical problems were identified but these appeared to be outweighed by the practical need and were also present with paper based systems. Safeguards could also be built into computer based systems to reduce some of the ethical problems. Computer systems should be deliberately chosen and implemented in response to a specific management problem. The potential benefits should be weighed against possible damaging side effects, such as a breach of confidentiality.

Confidentiality↗

Gene expression profiles for monitoring radiation exposure.

Previous demonstrations that the dose, dose rate, radiation quality, and elapsed time since ionising radiation exposure result in variations in the response of stress genes suggest that gene expression signatures may be informative markers of radiation exposure. Defining sets of genes that ate specific for different outcomes of interest will be key to such an approach. A generalised post-exposure prolile may identify exposed individuals within a population, while more specific fingerprints may reveal details of a radiation exposure. Changes in gene expression in human cell lines occur after as little as 0.02 Gy rays, and in peripheral blood lymphocytes alter as little as 0.2 Gy. Diverse genes are also elevated in vivo in mice 24 h after 0.2 Gy irradiation. Ongoing microarray analyses meanwhile continue to identify large numbers of potential biomarkers from varied irradiation protocols. Development of computation-intensive informatics analysis methods will be needed for management of the complex gene expression profiles resulting from such experiments. Although the preliminary data are encouraging, significant work remains before meaningful correlations with risk or practical assessment of exposure can be made by gene expression profiling.

Gene Expression↗

Nursing informatics. Issues for critical care medicine.

The demands of today's health care arena have forced the issue of automation and computerization. Nursing, as the major stakeholder in the collecting, managing, processing, transforming, and communicating of information regarding the patient, has developed a new approach to these tasks. Nursing informatics, which is the application of computer science and information science, is being used to manage and process the data, information, and knowledge necessary in the discipline. Although still in its infancy, nursing informatics has started to have a major effect on health care information gathering and clinical practice despite the multiple barriers to its advancement. Critical care is a data-rich environmental that can benefit from better management and processing of the data derived from the critically ill patient. Nursing and medical informatics joining together to organize the data, coupled with the introduction of good DSS and the addition of information retrieval systems at the bedside and the on-line medical record, will have a positive effect on the critical care environment and on the critical care patient outcomes.

Critical Care↗