Professional's Information Link (PiL): a web-based asynchronous consultation service.

Despite the massive growth of on-line information resources, many clinicians still prefer to obtain information from other clinicians, particularly those to whom they refer patients. Based on this notion and an information needs assessment, we developed the Professional's Information Link (PiL), a Web-based asynchronous consultation service to facilitate question answering between rural clinicians and an academic medical center. The system aims to provide answers to questions within two working days.

An investigation into the source of low energy scattered radiation of significance in film dosimetry.

The nature of the background optical density on films exposed to orthovoltage x-rays and electron beams has been studied for correction purposes. A higher than expected background value can be demonstrated by comparing the film scanned beam profile with water phantom ionisation scans of the same beam. A range of 3-5% increased background in the penumbral tail, with energy dependence, has been shown experimentally.

Relative thermoluminescence efficiency of TLD-600 and TLD-700 dosemeters irradiated with 59.8 MeV per nucleon krypton-86 ions.

A batch of LiF thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs), each containing five TLD-600 and TLD-700 thermoluminescence dosemeter chips, was irradiated with 59.85 MeV per nucleon 86Kr20+ ions from the K1200 superconducting cyclotron at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL). Michigan State University, USA.

Measurement of the neutron and gamma doses accumulated during commercial jet flights from sydney to several major destinations in the northern and southern hemispheres.

As recommended by the ICRP, the European Union (EU) agreed to abide by mandatory monitoring of radiation doses to crew during civil aviation flights operated by the airlines of the EU member states. A large number of measured and theoretically predicted values for the in-flight radiation doses of northern hemisphere flight routes are available. On the other hand very few data have been published for the southern hemisphere.

Data quality and the spatial analysis of disease rates: congenital malformations in New York State.

Spatial analyses of disease rates are increasing as the hardware and software used in disease surveillance and cluster investigations become more accessible and easier to use. The results of these analyses should be interpreted with caution since inconsistencies in health outcome reporting and population estimates may lead to erroneous conclusions. In this report we provide an example, using data on congenital malformations in New York State, to show how under-reporting of malformations by some New York City hospitals can lead to apparent clusters of malformations in other areas of the state where reporting is more complete.

Evidence for direct learning curve for technique on change of cervical sampling device.

The recommended sampling device within the NHS Cervical Screening Programme is the Aylesbury spatula. A local decision was taken to decrease brush usage (either alone or in combination) by 50% from an initial level of 41.8%, with an initial inadequate smear rate of 9.

A metadata vocabulary for self- and third-party labeling of health web-sites: Health Information Disclosure, Description and Evaluation Language (HIDDEL).

We describe HIDDEL (Health Information Disclosure, Description and Evaluation Language), formerly known as medPICS (platform for Internet content selection in medicine), a metadata vocabulary designed to enhance transparency, trust and quality of health information on the web. The vocabulary may be used (1) by webmasters to self-describe their contents and policies; (2) by infomediaries (e.g.

Process of and problems in changing a birth defects registry reporting system.

Background: The New York State (NYS) Department of Health (DOH) Congenital Malformations Registry (CMR), which began operations in 1982, was developed after the Love Canal crisis. New York hospitals are mandated to report children under age 2 years in whom a congenital anomaly is diagnosed. The CMR has tried to maintain a quality birth defects registry by using identifiers; narrative for defects; and completeness and accuracy, balanced with timeliness.

Quality management, certification and rating of health information on the Net with MedCERTAIN: using a medPICS/RDF/XML metadata structure for implementing eHealth ethics and creating trust globally.

MedCERTAIN (MedPICS Certification and Rating of Trustworthy Health Information on the Net, http://www.medcertain.org/) is a recently launched international project funded under the European Union's (EU) "Action Plan for safer use of the Internet".

A framework for improving the quality of health information on the world-wide-web and bettering public (e-)health: the MedCERTAIN approach.

There has been considerable debate about the variable quality of health information on the world-wide-web and its impact on public health. While central authorities to regulate, control, censor, or centrally approve information, in-formation providers or websites are neither realistic nor desirable, public health professionals are interested in making systems available that direct patient streams to the best available information sources. National governments and medical societies have also recognized their responsibility to help users to identify "good quality" information sources.

The feasibility of a one-stop colposcopy clinic in the management of women with low grade smear abnormalities: a prospective study.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of a one-stop colposcopy clinic for the management of women with low-grade smear abnormalities. Secondly, to determine whether the approach of immediate information of biopsy results combined with treatment if indicated helps to reduce patient anxiety and improve overall patient satisfaction with the colposcopy process.

Design: Prospective study following the introduction of a "one-stop" process for the management of women with low grade smear abnormalities.

Cervical cytology EQA--the Northern experience.

The experience of the Northern region using the 1995 draft National Gynaecological Cervical Cytology External Quality Assurance (EQA) Scheme is given. Over three rounds, 390 staff reporting Cervical Cytology took part, and using a cumulative non-numeric marking scheme, five participants were deemed "unacceptable" at the end of three rounds. A total of 3450 responses were given to the 40 test slides used, with an overall false-positive rate of 5.

Incidence of AD in African-Americans, Caribbean Hispanics, and Caucasians in northern Manhattan.

Objective: To compare the incidence rates for AD among elderly African-American, Caribbean Hispanic, and white individuals and to determine whether coincident cerebrovascular disease contributes to the inconsistency in reported differences among ethnic groups.

Methods: This was a population-based, longitudinal study over a 7-year period in the Washington Heights and Inwood communities of New York City. Annual incidence rates for AD were calculated and compared by ethnic group, and cumulative incidence adjusted for differences in education, diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors, and stroke was calculated.

MedCERTAIN: quality management, certification and rating of health information on the Net.

MedCERTAIN (MedPICS Certification and Rating of Trustworthy Health Information on the Net, http://www.medcertain.org/) is a recently launched international project funded under the European Union's (EU) "Action Plan for safer use of the Internet.

Risk factors in stage III epithelial ovarian cancer: previous sterilisation is an adverse independent prognostic indicator.

Objectives: To determine whether past history of pelvic surgery is of prognostic significance in stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.

Methods: A retrospective review of 140 women with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.

Results: Sixteen women had previously undergone pelvic surgery including eight sterilisations (6%), seven hysterectomies (5%) and one ovarian cystectomy (0.

Conservative surgery and radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer after previous mantle radiation for Hodgkin's disease.

There is an increased incidence of breast cancer in female patients who have previously undergone mantle radiation for Hodgkin's disease. Lumpectomy followed by breast irradiation is generally considered to be contraindicated in such patients owing to the high cumulative radiation dose to the breast. Mastectomy is therefore recommended as the preferred treatment option in these women.