The information requirements and information-seeking behaviours of health and social care professionals providing care to children with health care needs: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this work were to identify the sources of information currently received, information-seeking behaviours, information requirements and preferences for future information provision amongst health and social care professionals providing care to children with health care needs. METHODS: Data were collected using a cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey. RESULTS: A wide range of information resources was reported as being available to professionals. However, a large proportion of respondents found it necessary to perform additional searches for information, suggesting that current resources were not satisfying their needs. The majority of professionals reported a preference for electronic formats, whilst a smaller proportion preferred hard copy materials. Participants promoted the use of informal networks as a means of support and exchange of information. CONCLUSION: Supplementing the information that is provided in electronic and hard copy formats, by enhancing informal networks, may be the most effective way of meeting the information needs of this group of professionals.     

Health informatics in Chile: responding to health reforms

Chile is in the throes of health reforms aimed at ensuring that every person with specified chronic diseases receives timely and high quality care. CITs are crucial to the achievement of this vision because they make it possible to manage information and knowledge in a more efficient way. Until a few years ago, the incorporation of CITs was limited to individual initiatives, but since 2004 there has been a master plan to coordinate this task in the public sector. Some projects are now operative but there is still a long road to travel before getting to our destination. One of the most underdeveloped areas is the clinical applications of health CITs, especially the incorporation of biomedical knowledge to clinical practice. The two biggest challenges facing the Digital Agenda for the health care system are (i) to develop a critical mass of clinicians and health related professionals with expertise in Health Informatics; and (ii) to foster technical integration of the private and public sectors of the health care market.     

参与Google图书搜索项目的图书馆及其数字拷贝

有人认为Google大量地数字化图书馆的馆藏图书,犹如给实体图书馆和图书馆员敲响了丧钟,还有一些人则认为Google此举是对版权法的挑衅。Google如何处理那些数字化图书是媒体报道的焦点。尽管Google的意图为人们所津津乐道,每个人都在期待着法院对版权纠纷的判决,人们也不禁想要知道：参与Google图书搜索项目的图书馆,如何使用那些从合作中得到的数字化拷贝呢？     

Care practice #3: continuous labor support

This updated edition of Care Practice Paper #3 presents the evidence for the benefits of continuous support in labor. The role of the doula is explained. Women are encouraged to plan for continuous support during labor and to consider including a woman experienced with childbirth among their labor support team.     

Language approaches used with deaf pupils in Scottish schools: 2001-2004

In this article we address "language approach" data as a key variable in quantitative, large-scale research on educational achievement, focusing on our work for the Achievements of Deaf Pupils in Scotland (ADPS) project. The complexity of approaches is addressed, with a particular focus on a "no-exclusion" model of service. In this context 3 years of language-related data are discussed, using constructions of language variables that take into account the variability in deaf pupils' hearing loss levels, types of provision, and professional practice. We see this as a necessary first step toward offering a nuanced context for understanding patterns in the educational outcomes among the ADPS population to be reported in a later article. The ADPS data on language approach can reveal general patterns at macro levels: our analysis suggests that, in Scotland, the extent and quality of British Sign Language/English provision may be determined more by local factors than by linguistic requirements and that ostensibly responsive policies can mask a limited spectrum for pupils and their families. However, the ADPS data are insufficiently sensitive to detailed and local variations to reflect the full complexity of language situations over time-a situation which represents an ongoing challenge for all long-term, large-scale studies.     

Funny names

In this column, a childbirth educator recalls Sharron Humenick's influence as the former editor of The Journal of Perinatal Education and her belief in the power of humor. The author also takes an amusing look at names parents choose for their children, one of Sharron Humenick's favorite humorous topics.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis, anticonvulsant activity and quantum mechanical modelling of N-（4-bromo-3-methylphenyl） semicarbazones

Objective： To study the effect of halo substitution on disubstituted aryl semicarbazones on the anticonvulsant potential and model the activity based on quantum mechanics. Methods： A series of twenty-six compounds of N^4-（4-bromo-3-methylphenyl） semicarbazones were synthesized and evaluated for the anticonvulsant activity in the maximal electroshock seizure （MES） and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole （scPTZ） seizure threshold tests. Some potential compounds were also tested in the subcutaneous strychnine （scSTY） and subcutaneous picrotoxin （scPIC） seizure threshold tests. The synthesized compounds were tested for behavioral impairment and CNS （central nervous system） depression in mice. Quantum mechanical modelling was carried out on these compounds to gain understanding on the structural features essential for activity. Results： Some compounds possessed broad spectrum anticonvulsant activity as indicated by their effect in pentylenetetrazole, strychnine, picrotoxin and maximal electroshock seizures models in resemblance to other aryl semicarbazone derivatives reported earlier. The higher the difference in HOMO （highest occupied molecular orbital） and LUMO （lowest unoccupied molecular orbital） energy levels was, the greater was the activity profile. Conclusion： The pharmacophoric requirements for compounds to exhibit anticonvulsant activity that includes one aryl unit in proximity to a hydrogen donor-acceptor domain and an electron donor have been justified with the molecular orbital surface analysis of the synthesized compounds.     

Teaching human genetics with mustard: rapid cycling Brassica rapa (fast plants type) as a model for human genetics in the classroom laboratory

We have developed experiments and materials to model human genetics using rapid cycling Brassica rapa, also known as Fast Plants. Because of their self-incompatibility for pollination and the genetic diversity within strains, B. rapa can serve as a relevant model for human genetics in teaching laboratory experiments. The experiment presented here is a paternity exclusion project in which a child is born with a known mother but two possible alleged fathers. Students use DNA markers (microsatellites) to perform paternity exclusion on these subjects. Realistic DNA marker analysis can be challenging to implement within the limitations of an instructional lab, but we have optimized the experimental methods to work in a teaching lab environment and to maximize the “hands-on” experience for the students. The genetic individuality of each B. rapa plant, revealed by analysis of polymorphic microsatellite markers, means that each time students perform this project, they obtain unique results that foster independent thinking in the process of data interpretation.