Computer assisted management of warfarin treatment.

Maintenance of anticoagulation is laborious and costly, and the results are often indifferent. An automatic system which adjusts the dose of warfarin has been designed using a formula devised after a survey of prescribing habits. Programs running on a microcomputer maintain a file of the necessary information and deal with the bulk of the weekly clinic. Dosage is advised, the date of the next visit determined, and the file updated. A doctor uses the console to advise some 10% of patients reserved for special reasons. The system produces clinic and ambulance lists, copies of the advice sent to patients, and, as a protection against machine failure, a weekly copy of the updated file. The results after 16 months are at least as good as those achieved manually. Medical and secretarial time is saved, and statistics about the clinic and its efficacy are made available.     

DIADEM--a system for the interactive data acquisition and processing in an analytical laboratory.

A conversational program for the acquisition of experimental data in a multi-user, multi-instrument computer system is described. It assists the researcher when recording on-time data. Due to the simple structure of the dialogue, no special knowledge of computer handling is required by the experimenter. Whereas the experimental methods are versatile, a uniform concept of the dialogue and the file structure is realized.     

GeneRecords: a relational database for GenBank flat file parsing and data manipulation in personal computers

Extracting the desired data from a database entry for later analysis is a constant need in the biological sequence analysis community; GeneRecords 1.0 is a solution for GenBank biological flat file parsing, as it implements a structured representation of each feature and feature qualifier in GenBank following import in a common database managing system usable in a personal computer (Macintosh and Windows environments). This collection of related databases enables the local management of GenBank records, allowing indexing, retrieval and analysis of both information and sequences on a personal computer. AVAILABILITY: The current release, including the FileMaker Pro runtime application (built for Windows and Macintosh environments), is freely available at http://apollo11.isto.unibo.it/software/     

LabPush: A Pilot Study of Providing Remote Clinics with Laboratory Results via Short Message Service (SMS) in Swaziland,Africa

Background

Turnaround time (TAT) is an important indicator of laboratory performance. It is often difficult to achieve fast TAT for blood tests conducted at clinics in developing countries. This is because clinics where the patient is treated are often far away from the laboratory, and transporting blood samples and test results between the two locations creates significant delay.Recent efforts have sought to mitigate this problem by using Short Message Service (SMS) to reduce TAT. Studies reporting the impact of this technique have not been published in scientific literature however. In this paper we present a study of LabPush, a system developed to test whether SMS delivery of HIV related laboratory results to clinics could shorten TAT time significantly.

Method

LapPush was implemented in six clinics of the Kingdom of Swaziland. SMS results were sent out from the laboratory as a supplement to normal transport of paper results. Each clinic was equipped with a mobile phone to receive SMS results. The laboratory that processes the blood tests was equipped with a system for digital input of results, and transmission of results via SMS to the clinics.

Results

Laboratory results were received for 1041 different clinical cases. The total number of SMS records received (1032) was higher than that of paper records (965), indicating a higher loss rate for paper records. A statistical comparison of TAT for SMS and paper reports indicates a statistically significant improvement for SMS. Results were more positive for more rural clinics, and an urban clinic with high workload.

Conclusion

SMS can be used to reduce TAT for blood tests taken at clinics in developing countries. Benefits are likely to be greater at clinics that are further away from laboratories, due to the difficulties this imposes on transport of paper records.     

Portable file management system in FORTRAN

It has been generally considered that FORTRAN is inferior to MUMPS and other computer languages in its facility to manipulate files and that it is not satisfactorily competent to handle databases. However, it is our finding that FORTRAN is the most widely used language in patient data management systems discussed in recently published papers. Therefore, it now seems appropriate to review and evaluate the validity of this general belief. The objective of this study is to establish a file management system in FORTRAN 77 for use in the construction of a clinical database. Comparative study is conducted on several problems associated with file manipulation, that is, time requirement for file access and access methods for data retrieval.     

Computers in medicine. A simple system for references and reprints.

Because a personal index system for published reports is so useful in clinical research, it is well worth while setting this up on cards. If the collection is likely to exceed about 200 entries, there are now distinct advantages in also having it on a computer file. Using the simple system described here, one can then carry out very rapid searches within one''s collection and can prepare error free reference lists for publications.     

Dynamics of folding and unfolding transition in a globular protein studied by time correlation functions from computer simulation

A method of calculating time correlation functions from records of computer simulated equilibrium conformational fluctuations in a globular protein is discussed. Use of the calculated time correlation function for discussions of dynamics of folding and unfolding transition in the two-dimensional lattice model of proteins. The time correlation functions can be approximated in general by a sum of two simple exponential terms. The relaxation time of the slower mode does not depend on the nature of the physical quantity with respect to which the time correlation function is calculated. This time characterizes the overall folding and unfolding transition. The relaxation time of the faster mode depends on the nature of the physical quantity and characterizes conformational fluctuations within each of the native and denatured states. The mechanism of a previously observed phenomenon of the acceleration of the folding and unfolding transition by short-range interactions is discussed.     

Computer-assisted Follow-up Register for the North-East of Scotland

An automated follow-up register for the detection of iatrogenic thyroid disease has been established as a joint venture between the general practitioners in the north-east of Scotland and the thyroid clinic of Aberdeen General Hospitals.The data-processing operations in the system are handled by an International Computers Limited 4/50 computer. Patients are followed up at predetermined intervals and the system has been designed to process, screen, and store clinical and biochemical follow-up data and report results to the patients, general practitioners, and the hospital records department.     

Microcomputer programs for DNA sequence analysis.

Computer programs are described which allow (a) analysis of DNA sequences to be performed on a laboratory microcomputer or (b) transfer of DNA sequences between a laboratory microcomputer and another computer system, such as a DNA library. The sequence analysis programs are interactive, do not require prior experience with computers and in many other respects resemble programs which have been written for larger computer systems (1-7). The user enters sequence data into a text file, accesses this file with the programs, and is then able to (a) search for restriction enzyme sites or other specified sequences, (b) translate in one or more reading frames in one or both directions in order to find open reading frames, or (c) determine codon usage in the sequence in one or more given reading frames. The results are given in table format and a restriction map is generated. The modem program permits collection of large amounts of data from a sequence library into a permanent file on the microcomputer disc system, or transfer of laboratory data in the reverse direction to a remote computer system.     

Randomised controlled trial of computer-held medical records in hypertensive patients.

A total of 278 hypertensive patients in three clinics were randomly allocated to have their medical records held in a computer system (136) or on standard hospital notes (142). For the computer system the doctor completed a structured input form, and the information on symptoms, physical findings, and diagnoses was more complete than that in the standard notes. This resulted in certain symptoms and risk factors being recognised more often when the computer system was used. The hypertension clinics'' routines were not disrupted by the introduction of a computer-held system, and follow-up consultation times were not affected by the type of records kept, although the first consultation took eight minutes longer when computer documents were completed. The patients remained in the trial for one year and clinical management was assessed from blood pressure control, drop-out rates, and the frequency of performing investigations. These estimates of management showed no significant difference between the two groups, but the attempt to tailor the computer system to help management made the system acceptable to the doctors using it. The computer system continues to be used and is providing data for research into hypertension.     

新时期医学科研档案管理的特点和问题

随着医学科学研究的迅速发展,医学科研档案管理实践中暴露出了一系列新的问题和矛盾,本文从医学科研档案的特点和现代医学研究发展的要求出发,对医学科研档案管理体制、管理模式、管理技术、全员档案意识、技术平台建设以及档案的开发利用等方面进行了深入的探讨。目的是增强档案意识,提高科研档案管理水平,更好地为医学科研活动服务。     

新时期医学科研档案管理的特点和问题

随着医学科学研究的迅速发展,医学科研档案管理实践中暴露出了一系列新的问题和矛盾,本文从医学科研档案的特点和现代医学研究发展的要求出发,对医学科研档案管理体制、管理模式、管理技术、全员档案意识、技术平台建设以及档案的开发利用等方面进行了深入的探讨。目的是增强档案意识,提高科研档案管理水平,更好地为医学科研活动服务。     

Building hydrodynamic bead-shell models for rigid bioparticles of arbitrary shape.

The calculation of hydrodynamic and other solution properties of rigid macromolecules, using bead-shell model methodologies, requires the specification of the macromolecular shape in a format that can be interfaced with existing programs for hydrodynamic computations. Here, a procedure is presented for such a structural specification that is applicable to arbitrarily shaped particles. A computer program (MAKEPIXB), in which the user inserts the code needed to determine the structure, produces an structural file that is interpreted by another program (HYDROPIX) which is in charge of the computation of properties. As simple and yet illustrative examples we consider two cases: (1) dimeric structures composed of ellipsoidal subunits; and (2) toroidal structures, presenting simple equations that predict the properties of toroids with varying radial ratios.     

Application of advanced virtual reality and 3D computer assisted technologies in tele-3D-computer assisted surgery in rhinology

The real-time requirement means that the simulation should be able to follow the actions of the user that may be moving in the virtual environment. The computer system should also store in its memory a three-dimensional (3D) model of the virtual environment. In that case a real-time virtual reality system will update the 3D graphic visualization as the user moves, so that up-to-date visualization is always shown on the computer screen. Upon completion of the tele-operation, the surgeon compares the preoperative and postoperative images and models of the operative field, and studies video records of the procedure itself Using intraoperative records, animated images of the real tele-procedure performed can be designed. Virtual surgery offers the possibility of preoperative planning in rhinology. The intraoperative use of computer in real time requires development of appropriate hardware and software to connect medical instrumentarium with the computer and to operate the computer by thus connected instrumentarium and sophisticated multimedia interfaces.     

A compact, flexible and cheap system for acquiring sequence data from autoradiograms with a digitizer and transferring it to an arbitrary host computer

In this article we describe MS-EdSeq, an integrated system forfast and accurate gel reading combined with safe and automaticfile tranfer to an arbitrary host computer. The uniqueness ofMS-EdSeq is its way of forming a link between the interactivesequence editor on the PC and the potential of the minicomputeracting as a host, thus making optimal use of both systems. Thisis especially suited for the moderately sized research group,using DNA-sequencing as one of various biochemical methods,where PCs are already in use for other tasks and a minicomputeris available. The gel reading algorithm described is fast, accurateand simple and the file transfer relies on the safe and well-knownKermit programs. Received on July 7, 1988; accepted on November 15, 1988     

Computer aided stress analysis of long bones utilizing computed tomography

A computer aided analysis method has been developed which utilizes computed tomography (CT) and a finite element (FE) computer program to determine the stress-displacement pattern in a long bone section. The CT data file provides the geometry, the apparent density and the elastic properties for the three-dimensional FE model. A developed pre-processor generates the FE model of a human diaphyseal tibia section which is then analyzed by the SAP IV finite element program. The results obtained are sorted and displayed by a developed post-processor and compared with stresses and deformations from the literature. The model generation method was verified by applying it to a model of simple geometry and boundary conditions, then comparing the results with the analytical solution of the same problem. The convergence behavior of nodal displacements was tested as a function of mesh refinement. This method provides an automatic, versatile, non-invasive and accurate tool of long bone modeling for finite element stress analysis.     

PROBFIND: a computer program for selecting oligonucleotide probes from peptide sequences.

Synthetic oligonucleotides have proven to be extremely useful probes for screening cDNA and genomic libraries. Selection of the appropriate probe can be more easily and accurately achieved with the use of the computer program PROBFIND. The user enters the amino acid sequence from a file or from the keyboard, selects the minimum length allowed for the probe and the maximum allowable degeneracy. The computer prints a list of the sequences of potential probes which meet these minimum specifications and the location of the corresponding sequence in the protein to the screen and to a file. The user may modify the specifications for length and degeneracy at any time during the output of data, which allows for rapid selection of the desired probe. The program is interactive, accepts any file format with only a single modification of the file, is written in BASIC, and requires less than 6 kbytes of memory. This makes the program easy to use and adaptable even to unsophisticated microcomputers.