How much effort is needed to keep up with the literature relevant for primary care?

OBJECTIVES: Medicine must keep current with the research literature, and keeping current requires continuously updating the clinical knowledge base (i.e., references that provide answers to clinical questions). The authors estimated the volume of medical literature potentially relevant to primary care published in a month and the time required for physicians trained in medical epidemiology to evaluate it for updating a clinical knowledge base. METHODS: We included journals listed in five primary care journal review services (ACP Journal Club, DynaMed, Evidence-Based Practice, Journal Watch, and QuickScan Reviews). Finding little overlap, we added the 2001 "Brandon/Hill Selected List of Print Books and Journals for the Small Medical Library." We counted articles (including letters, editorials, and other commentaries) published in March 2002, using bibliographic software where possible and hand counting when necessary. For journals not published in March 2002, we reviewed the nearest issue. Five primary care physicians independently evaluated fifty randomly selected articles and timed the process. RESULTS: The combined list contained 341 currently active journals with 8,265 articles. Adjusting for publication frequency, we estimate 7,287 articles are published monthly in this set of journals. Physicians trained in epidemiology would take an estimated 627.5 hours per month to evaluate these articles. CONCLUSIONS: To provide practicing clinicians with the best current evidence, more comprehensive and systematic literature surveillance efforts are needed.     

The influence of moment of inertia on baseball/softball bat swing speed

The speed at which a player can swing a bat is central to the games of baseball and softball, determining, to a large extent, the hit speed of the ball. Experimental and analytical studies of bat swing speed were conducted with particular emphasis on the influence of bat moment of inertia on swing speed. Two distinct sets of experiments measured the swing speed of colege baseball and fast-pitch softball players using weighted rods and modified bats. The swing targets included flexible targets, balls on a tee and machine pitched balls. Internal mass alterations provided a range of inertial properties. The average measured speeds, from 22 to 31 m s⁻¹, are consistent with previous studies. Bat speed approximately correlates with the moment of inertia of the bat about a vertical axis of rotation through the batter's body, the speed generally decreasing as this moment of inertia increases. The analytical model assumes pure rotation of the batter/bat system about a vertical axis through the batter's body. Aerodynamic drag of the batter's arms and the bat is included in the model. The independent variable is bat moment of inertia about the rotation axis. There is reasonable agreement between the model and the measured speeds. Detailed differences between the two suggest the importance of additional degrees of freedom in determining swing speed.     

Reliability of power output during rowing changes with ergometer type and race distance

Coaches, sport scientists and researchers assess rowing performance on-water and on a variety of ergometers. Ergometers are frequently used because of the easier assessment environment. However, there is limited information on the ability of rowers to reproduce mean power or time-trial time when using different rowing ergometers (Concept II and RowPerfect) or completing tests over different distances (500 m versus 2000 m races). To test the efficacy of an intervention on a rower's ability to produce power, or to monitor that ability, it is essential to determine a reliable rowing performance test. The per cent standard error of measurement in performance (assessed by mean power and time-trial time) of fifteen national standard rowers was determined for five repeated 500 m and two repeated 2000 m races on a Concept II and RowPerfect ergometer. The per cent standard error of measurement (% SEM) in mean power between 5x500m races, regardless of gender, was 2.8% (95% confidence limits (CL)=2.3 to 3.4%) for the Concept II ergometer and 3.3% (95% CL=2.5 to 3.9%) for the RowPerfect ergometer (n = 15). Over 2000 m the per cent standard error of measurement in mean power was 1.3% (95% CL 0.9 to 2.9%) for the Concept II ergometer and 3.3% (95% CL 2.2 to 7.0%) for the RowPerfect ergometer The results highlight an increase in per cent standard error of the mean during performance races of less than 2000m on the Concept II ergometer, and performance races on the RowPerfect ergometer compared with the Concept II ergometer over 500 m and 2000 m. The most appropriate protocol for testing the influence of an intervention on the ability of a rower to produce power would be 2000 m races on a Concept II ergometer.     

Price Indices for Artists – A Proposal

This paper proposes a price index for artists adjusted for the quality of the paintings, based on the ratio between the average market price and the average pre-sale estimate for paintings. We apply this methodology to a group of selected artists and schools presented in auctions worldwide in the period 1990–2001. A comparison with quality unadjusted and hedonic indices is also conducted.JEL Classification: C10, Z11     

CERN document server: Document management system for grey literature in a networked environment

Conclusion In this paper we briefly described the current status of research in the field of digital libraries interoperability, mainly with respect to federated data processing such as permitted within the Open Archive Initiative framework. We then presented the CERN Document Server Software suite that is a free software package main-tained by CERN providing an online digital library solution for mid- to large-sized document repositories. The set of CDSware modules was described and the differ-ences with other existing tools briefly mentioned. Finally we have mentioned a typical usage statistics illustrating the scope of grey literature and networked con-ditions of the CERN Document Server. We pointed out that the current trend in grey literature management goes toward institutional repositories build upon the distributed and federated model. Further research is going on within the CDS collaboration in this area, focused particularly on (i) semantic interoperability using ontologies in distributed and federated data processing and (ii) ranking technologies when searching grey literature in OAI compliant repositories.     

ONIX: Is there a return on investment for all publishers?

Summary What will be the future of ONIX? Some argue that wider industry acceptance will lead to increased efficiencies in the transfer of book data, which will ultimately benefit book sales. ONIX still has to overcome many challenges: its implementation cost is high, whole-salers and aggregators are still using different spreadsheets and information sources. Furthermore, MS Excel as an alternative solution is widely available and accepted by the industry. Small publishers need more education and a straightforward demonstration of ONIX’s return on investment. An outreaching of the helping hand of professional organizations is strongly suggested to foster the adoption process among small players. It is the role of the AAP and BISG to get their memberships to think about what is good for all members as a whole throughout the industry. As an organization BISG can recommend, educate, and promote the standard. It cannot, however, bring pressure or demand organizations use it. Publishers, retailers, and wholesalers make those decisions for themselves and quite apparently the majority do not yet see the rewards. Market players need to determine the cost versus benefit and as long as distributors and retailers agree on receiving other formats, ONIX will never take a strong hold in the marketplace. After all, publishers should compete against each other with good books and not with multiple computer codes.