Open, Online and Global
Online J Health Allied Scs. 2003;4:1
"What is the point of scientific research if the results are not shared freely?" This question has become the epicenter of thought internationally as a good number of scholars are being categorically denied access to vital research information that could create a difference- and in the health domain, it is most often between life and death. For scholars from poor and developing countries, this has been even worse.
Well, why is this question so significant now? There have been scientific journals before and they probably will continue to exist. But the so-called 'serials crisis' has taken a significant impact just now, with the omnipotent Internet affording cheap access to Information. The unique crisis, which is by itself a vicious circle of increasing prices and lower access, has taken its toll. Even well funded universities of affluent societies have been worstly affected- not to mention those in poor and developing countries.
Whisking Research into Medical Curriculum
Calicut Medical Journal 2004;2(1):e1
Introduction:
Medical education is undergoing sea changes worldwide with new innovative concepts being integrated to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing Medical scenario. The need to attain self-reliance in Healthcare is seen as a priority policy of many developing nations including India. This needs immense effort from the already functioning research network, which needs to be beefed up by talent and expertise from the vibrant young generation. This is where integrating Research and innovation gains prime importance in Medical Education.
Information Economy and Healthy Citizenry: Role of Internet in Implementing India's Health Policy
Internet Health 2004;3(1):e4
The National Health Policy (NHP) formulated in 2002 by the Government of India mentions challenges facing the health care delivery in the country today. There is recognition of the changes in the health problems afflicting the society since the NHP-1983. The "Health transition" in the Indian health system poses new challenges that need to be tackled with the aid of information technology. The transition of India into an information economy presents opportunities to tap the information technologies, especially, Internet, for health care delivery. Internet as a medium of communication could help in coordinating the efforts to provide decentralized health services throughout the country under one umbrella. The extent of broadband penetration in recent years provides an opportunity to reach the masses and impart them health education. Promoting preventative care and self-care using the Internet could alleviate the financial burden on the government due to rising health care delivery costs while increasing the efficacy of health care delivery.
Keywords
Health Education, Patient Education, Public Health Informatics, Information Dissemination, Internet, Health Policy.
The relationship between physical fitness and clustered risk, and tracking of clustered risk from adolescence to young adulthood: Eight years follow-u
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2004, 1:6 (published 8 March 2004)
Abstract (provisional)
Introduction
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is usually caused by high levels of many risk factors simultaneously over many years. Therefore, it is of great interest to study if subjects stay within rank order over time in both the biological risk factors and the behaviour that influences these risk factors. Many studies have described stability (tracking) in single risk factors, especially in children where hard endpoints are lacking, but few have analysed tracking in clustered risk.
Methods
Two examinations were conducted 8 years apart. The first time, 133 males and 172 females were 16-19 years of age. Eight years later, 98 males and 137 females participated. They were each time ranked into quartiles by sex in four CVD risk factors all related to the metabolic syndrome. Risk factors were the ratio between total cholesterol and HDL, triglyceride, systolic BP and body fat. The upper quartile was defined as being at risk, and if a subject had two or more risk factors, he/she was defined as a case (15-20 % of the subjects). Odds ratios (OR) for being a case was calculated between quartiles of fitness in both cross-sectional studies. The stability of combined risk was calculated as the OR between cases and non-cases at the first examination to be a case at the second examination.
Results
ORs for having two or more risk factors between quartiles of fitness were 3.1, 3.8 and 4.9 for quartiles two to four, respectively. At the second examination, OR were 0.7, 3.5 and 4.9, respectively. The probability for "a case" at the first examination to be "a case" at the second was 6.0.
Conclusions
The relationship between an exposure like physical fitness and CVD risk factors is much stronger when clustering of risk factors are analysed compared to the relationship to single risk factors. The stability over time in multiple risk factors analysed together is strong. This relationship should be seen in the light of moderate or weak tracking of single risk factors, and is strong evidence for early intervention in children where risk factors cluster.
Association of Atopobium vaginae, a recently described metronidazole resistant anarobe, with bacterial vaginosis
BMC Infectious Diseases 2004, 4:5 (published 13 February 2004)
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial syndrome characterized by a change in vaginal flora away from predominantly Lactobacillus species. The cause of BV is unknown, but the condition has been implicated in diverse medical outcomes. The bacterium Atopobium vaginae has been recognized only recently. It is not readily identified by commercial diagnostic kits. Its clinical significance is unknown but it has recently been isolated from a tuboovarian abcess.
Methods
Nucleotide sequencing of PCR amplified 16S rRNA gene segments, that were separated into bands within lanes on polyacrylamide gels by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), was used to examine bacterial vaginal flora in 46 patients clinically described as having normal (Lactobacillus spp. predominant; Nugent score 3 or below) and abnormal flora (Nugent score 4 or above). These women ranged in age from 14 to 48 and 82% were African American.
Results
The DGGE banding patterns of normal and BV-positive patients were recognizably distinct. Those of normal patients contained 1 to 4 bands that were focused in the centre region of the gel lane, while those of BV positive patients contained bands that were not all focused in the center region of the gel lane. More detailed analysis of patterns revealed that bands identified as Atopobium vaginae were present in a majority (12/22) of BV positive patients, while corresponding bands were rare (2/24) in normal patients. (P<0.001) Two A. vaginae isolates were cultivated from two patients whose DGGE analyses indicated the presence of this organism. Two A. vaginae 16S rRNA gene sequences were identified among the clinical isolates. The same two sequences were obtained from DGGE bands of the corresponding vaginal flora. The sequences differed by one nucleotide over the short (~300 bp) segment used for DGGE analysis and migrated to slightly different points in denaturing gradient gels. Both isolates were strict anaerobes and highly metronidazole resistant.
Conclusion
The results suggest that A. vaginae may be an important component of the complex bacterial ecology that constitutes abnormal vaginal flora. This organism could play a role in treatment failure if further studies confirm it is consistently metronidozole resistant.
