Access To Online Resources Research Articles

Psychiatrists’ knowledge of novel psychoactive substances

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure the level of experience and knowledge of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) amongst psychiatrists, asking them to rank NPS against other psychoactive substances in terms of concern and the role they believe NPS play in the diagnosis and management of psychiatric disorders.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was created and emailed to all 217 psychiatrists working for a large city Mental Health Trust.FindingsIn total, 108 of 217 psychiatrists responded to the survey. A majority of the respondents believed that their level of knowledge of NPS was inadequate and stated that they would like to receive more training. Half of them either named only one or no NPS that they had encountered within the last five years. There was a correlation between the experience of the respondent and the number of NPS that they could name.Practical implicationsMost of the respondents assessed their own knowledge of NPS as either poor or basic. Psychiatrists’ knowledge of NPS could be improved by having regular NPS-related training, by being sent regular updates on NPS and by including lectures in the Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists courses. Psychiatrists should also be encouraged to access online resources such as NEPTUNE and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.Originality/valueThis is the first survey of the UK psychiatrists of their knowledge and experience of NPS.

Early acquisition of non-technical skills using a blended approach to simulation-based medical education

BackgroundNon-technical skills are emerging as an important component of postgraduate medical education. Between 2013 and 2016, a new blended training program incorporating non-technical skills was introduced at an Australian university affiliated hospital. Program participants were medical officers in years 1 and 2 of postgraduate training.MethodsAn interdisciplinary faculty trained in simulation-based education led the program. The blended approach combined open access online resources with multiple opportunities to participate in simulation-based learning. The aim of the study was to examine the value of the program to the participants and the effects on the wider hospital system. The mixed methods evaluation included data from simulation centre records, hospital quality improvement data, and a post-hoc reflective survey of the enrolled participants (n = 68).ResultsOver 30 months, 283 junior doctors were invited to participate in the program. Enrolment in a designated simulation-based course was completed by 169 doctors (59.7%). Supplementary revision sessions were made available to the cohort with a median weekly attendance of five participants. 56/68 (82.4%) of survey respondents reported increased confidence in managing deteriorating patients. During the period of implementation, the overall rate of hospital cardiac arrests declined by 42.3%. Future objectives requested by participants included training in graded assertiveness and neurological emergencies.ConclusionsImplementation of a non-technical skills program was achieved with limited simulation resources and was associated with observable improvements in clinical performance. The participants surveyed reported increased confidence in managing deteriorating patients, and the program introduction coincided with a significant reduction in the rate of in-hospital cardiac arrests.

Current Practices of Awarding Graduation Honors within Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Programs

Objective. To survey the practices of awarding honors upon graduation with a doctor of pharmacy degree. Methods. College and school of pharmacy websites were systematically searched to identify if, and then how, graduation honors are awarded. Programs that offer graduation honors were categorized and quantified based upon grade point average (GPA) cutoffs, honors enrollment, research project completion, faculty vote, course failure considerations, and ethics code violations. Results. Of the 132 doctor of pharmacy programs reviewed, 86% (n=114) had accessible online resources and were included in data analysis. Of these 114 programs, 43% (n=49) award honors upon graduation, and 57% (n=65) do not. Among the 49 programs that award honors, 30 award the Latin honors. Of the remaining 19 programs, 18 award alternative graduation honors, and one awards both. Conclusions. Latin honors are the most common form of graduation honors utilized by doctor of pharmacy programs that award honors upon graduation. There is a variety of GPA cutoffs utilized across programs.

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Developing online accreditation education resources for health care services: An Australian Case Study.

In 2013, 'National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards' accreditation became mandatory for most health care services in Australia. Developing and maintaining accreditation education is challenging for health care services, particularly those in regional and rural settings. With accreditation imminent, there was a need to support health care services through the process. A needs analysis identified limited availability of open access online resources for national accreditation education. A standardized set of online accreditation education resources was the agreed solution to assist regional and rural health care services meet compulsory requirements. Education resources were developed over 3 months with project planning, implementation and assessment based on a program logic model. Resource evaluation was undertaken after the first 3 months of resource availability to establish initial usage and stakeholder perceptions. From 1 January 2015 to 31 March 2015, resource usage was 20 272, comprising 12 989 downloads, 3594 course completions and 3689 page views. Focus groups were conducted at two rural and one metropolitan hospital (n = 16), with rural hospitals reporting more benefits. Main user-based recommendations for future resource development were automatic access to customizable versions, ensuring suitability to intended audience, consistency between resource content and assessment tasks and availability of short and long length versions to meet differing users' needs. Further accreditation education resource development should continue to be collaborative, consider longer development timeframes and user-based recommendations.

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Management and usage of open access scholarly online resources in university libraries in Nigeria

Purpose The purpose of this research is to ascertain from academic librarians in Nigeria their knowledge of open access online resources (OASOR), how their libraries manage these resources and how they are used by their readers. This is an alternative source of resource provision which librarians needed to adopt, in view of dwindling budgets. Design/methodology/approach A survey design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted during an annual general meeting/conference of the Nigerian Library Association in June 2014. Interview and eye witness accounts were also used to complement the questionnaire. Random sampling technique was used to select 312 librarians from the 720 attendees from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Data were analyzed using the weighted mean on a Likert scale. Findings The result of the finding revealed that some of the academic libraries sampled have access to limited open access (OA) resources from AGORA, HINARI, OARE and EBSCOhost databases. The management procedure adopted included downloading of relevant resources for their readers; providing hard copies of some of the downloads; and giving their readers access to the databases via their University websites. Others include offering consultancy services to academic departments and organizing training seminars to their users for direct access to the databases. The OASOR received adequate utility rate by users. Originality/value Dwindling economies and coping with current trends of information management in the contemporary world necessitated the use of information communication technology to avail OA resources to anchor education, research and human capital development in Nigeria. This will enable the country attain the Millennium Development Goal.

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Online Learning: trends, issues and challenges in the Big Data Era

Nowadays, many students access online resources using their mobile devices, substituting this for traditional learning interactions. However, the new concept of ‘big data’ in recent ICT discussions extends the promising research direction on online learning and big data integration. Big data promises content that can be tailored for each student based on the context and Internet behaviour of users in online learning. This study examines recent Internet activities and literacy in Brunei Darussalam (Brunei) relating to the Internet behaviour and online learning of residents. The study highlights milestones in terms of recent issues, challenges, and trends in Internet activities, focusing on online learning and its potential in the big data era. An extensive nationwide survey was conducted to ensure the reliability of the data. The survey revealed that people in Brunei expect and demand better learning services and experiences through an online learning system to improve literacy as well as the quality and ef ciency of learning. Regardless of the limitations of the survey, the general public has shown great support for online learning systems. The results of the survey provide a solid argument for further research on big data in online learning by developing a framework incorporating the expectations of the people. Finally, the study provides a baseline for future studies of Internet adoption in Brunei.

Analysis of E-mail Transactions in Virtual Reference Services

Today, the use of traditional reference desk in the academic libraries has been rarely used, thus expanding or even move to a virtual reference service. A minimum level of virtual reference services are provided in the academic library is currently in general is the electronic mail (e-mail). One of the academic library specifically provide virtual reference services via e-mail is a Petra Christian University (PCU) Library (ref-desk@petra.ac.id.). In such services librarians provide assistance to users in finding information and answer questions. This study aimed to analyze the transaction reference services virtually through e-mail at the PCU Library, with a view of the types of questions based on user background, the writing style of language communication interaction used based on user background, and cultural values are revealed behind the user in virtual reference services (e-mail). This study uses content analysis (content analysis) of the transcript e-mail received librarians of reference services began March 10 until June 16, 2015. The results showed that the types of questions asked in reference service virtual (e-mail) in the Library UK Petra include: specific search, access online resources, operation of online resources, policies and procedures for services, and library holdings with background the student (PCU and non-PCU), faculty, and librarians. Based on the background of users found that overall more types of questions asked in virtual reference services (e-mail) is a problem of access to online resources, and generally submitted by the students. Then, the writing style of the user's language in interaction reference service virtual (e-mail) tends to be formal, which includes the word greeting, the message will be delivered, and regards cover, either by the student (PCU and non-PCU), lecturer, or librarians. While cultural values that revealed the background behind the user in virtual reference services (e-mail) is obedience, courtesy and politeness users.

Use of Clinical Anatomy Resources by Musculoskeletal Outpatient Physiotherapists in Australian Public Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To investigate how musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapists in public hospitals interact with and perceive clinical anatomy resources in the workplace. This cross-sectional study used a postal survey sent to musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapists in 64 Australian public hospitals. Survey questions examined demographics, qualifications, experience, types of resources used, whether resources meet requirements, and what improvements could be made to current resources. A total of 193 physiotherapists responded (75% response rate; 60% female), of whom 49% were age 35 years or younger; 67% had only an undergraduate qualification, and 37% had practised for 5 years or less. More experienced physiotherapists used resources significantly less frequently ([odds ratio]=1.35; 95% CI, 1.17-1.57), and we found no significant associations between preference for online versus printed resources and age, sex, qualifications, or experience. Trends included less experienced physiotherapists identifying the absence of online access as a barrier to resource use and provision of improved online facilities as necessary to improve access to clinical anatomy resources. RESULTS indicate distinct trends in physiotherapists' use of clinical anatomy resources, including a desire for improved online resource access on the part of less experienced physiotherapists. The findings are relevant to hospital outpatient clinics, particularly those that employ less experienced physiotherapists.

Democratizing the collection: Paradigm shifts in and through museum culture

Abstract The Queensland Museum geosciences collection is vast, with over five million individual items, intriguing, and of great interest to a wide variety of audiences in Australia and overseas. Recent developments in imaging technologies, the rapid evolution of the Internet, a corresponding increase in ‘digital natives’ and expectations of greater access to virtual collections are impetuses for museums, worldwide, to digitize their collections. This trend may be considered in a democratic context, as museums strive to provide online access. Their goal, in contrast to the two-­dimensional (2D) digitization of collections in Libraries/Art galleries/Herbaria, is to provide access to three-dimensional (3D) digital objects. The Queensland Museum, like most museums, only has a small portion of the collection on display and the most scientifically significant specimens are kept in a secure, environmentally controlled type store. This is one of the essential paradoxes of museums – that in order to protect and conserve natural history collections, physical access has to be restricted. However, we argue that in response to these emerging imaging technologies the traditional, scientific research culture of the museum is evolving and adapting novel research methodologies to enhance access to the most significant specimens held by the museum. As a result, the following artist–scientist–technology ­collaboration highlights our use of digital imaging techniques; specifically photogrammetry and medical computed tomography (CT) scanning to create ‘virtual’ type specimens. Two digitized type specimens are presented here as exemplars. We consider these as exciting first steps to democratizing the Museum’s geosciences collection, as an accessible on-line resource for a diversity of end users.

Amamutdb.no: A relational database for MAN2B1 allelic variants that compiles genotypes, clinical phenotypes, and biochemical and structural data of mutant MAN2B1 in α-mannosidosis.

α-Mannosidosis is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the MAN2B1 gene, encoding lysosomal α-mannosidase. The disorder is characterized by a range of clinical phenotypes of which the major manifestations are mental impairment, hearing impairment, skeletal changes, and immunodeficiency. Here, we report an α-mannosidosis mutation database, amamutdb.no, which has been constructed as a publicly accessible online resource for recording and analyzing MAN2B1 variants (http://amamutdb.no). Our aim has been to offer structured and relational information on MAN2B1 mutations and genotypes along with associated clinical phenotypes. Classifying missense mutations, as pathogenic or benign, is a challenge. Therefore, they have been given special attention as we have compiled all available data that relate to their biochemical, functional, and structural properties. The α-mannosidosis mutation database is comprehensive and relational in the sense that information can be retrieved and compiled across datasets; hence, it will facilitate diagnostics and increase our understanding of the clinical and molecular aspects of α-mannosidosis. We believe that the amamutdb.no structure and architecture will be applicable for the development of databases for any monogenic disorder.

An atlas of mouse CD4(+) T cell transcriptomes.

BackgroundCD4+ T cells are key regulators of the adaptive immune system and can be divided into T helper (Th) cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells. During an immune response Th cells mature from a naive state into one of several effector subtypes that exhibit distinct functions. The transcriptional mechanisms that underlie the specific functional identity of CD4+ T cells are not fully understood.ResultsTo assist investigations into the transcriptional identity and regulatory processes of these cells we performed mRNA-sequencing on three murine T helper subtypes (Th1, Th2 and Th17) as well as on splenic Treg cells and induced Treg (iTreg) cells. Our integrated analysis of this dataset revealed the gene expression changes associated with these related but distinct cellular identities. Each cell subtype differentially expresses a wealth of ‘subtype upregulated’ genes, some of which are well known whilst others promise new insights into signalling processes and transcriptional regulation. We show that hundreds of genes are regulated purely by alternative splicing to extend our knowledge of the role of post-transcriptional regulation in cell differentiation.ConclusionsThis CD4+ transcriptome atlas provides a valuable resource for the study of CD4+ T cell populations. To facilitate its use by others, we have made the data available in an easily accessible online resource at www.th-express.org.ReviewersThis article was reviewed by Wayne Hancock, Christine Wells and Erik van Nimwegen.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13062-015-0045-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Collating the knowledge base for core outcome set development: developing and appraising the search strategy for a systematic review.

BackgroundThe COMET (Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials) Initiative is developing a publicly accessible online resource to collate the knowledge base for core outcome set development (COS) and the applied work from different health conditions. Ensuring that the database is as comprehensive as possible and keeping it up to date are key to its value for users. This requires the development and application of an optimal, multi-faceted search strategy to identify relevant material. This paper describes the challenges of designing and implementing such a search, outlining the development of the search strategy for studies of COS development, and, in turn, the process for establishing a database of COS.MethodsWe investigated the performance characteristics of this strategy including sensitivity, precision and numbers needed to read. We compared the contribution of databases towards identifying included studies to identify the best combination of methods to retrieve all included studies.ResultsRecall of the search strategies ranged from 4% to 87%, and precision from 0.77% to 1.13%. MEDLINE performed best in terms of recall, retrieving 216 (87%) of the 250 included records, followed by Scopus (44%). The Cochrane Methodology Register found just 4% of the included records. MEDLINE was also the database with the highest precision. The number needed to read varied between 89 (MEDLINE) and 130 (SCOPUS).ConclusionsWe found that two databases and hand searching were required to locate all of the studies in this review. MEDLINE alone retrieved 87% of the included studies, but actually 97% of the included studies were indexed on MEDLINE. The Cochrane Methodology Register did not contribute any records that were not found in the other databases, and will not be included in our future searches to identify studies developing COS. SCOPUS had the lowest precision rate (0.77) and highest number needed to read (130). In future COMET searches for COS a balance needs to be struck between the work involved in screening large numbers of records, the frequency of the searching and the likelihood that eligible studies will be identified by means other than the database searches.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12874-015-0019-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Detecting fake anti-virus software distribution webpages

Attackers are continually seeking novel methods to distribute malware. Among various approaches, fake Anti-Virus (AV) attacks represent an active trend for malware distribution. In a fake AV attack, attackers disguise malware as legitimate anti-virus software and convince users to install it. As web browsers become the most popular applications for users to access online resources, webpages have become the dominating means to launch fake AV attacks. In this paper, we presented an automated and effective detection system, namely DART, to identify fake AV webpages in the Internet. We proposed a collection of novel features to characterize an unknown webpage and then integrate them using statistical classifiers. These features focus on profiling a fake AV webpage from three aspects that are fundamentally important for its success, thereby resulting in the high detection accuracy and implying resistance against evasion attempts. We have performed extensive evaluation based on real fake AV webpages that are collected from the Internet. Experimental results have demonstrated that DART can accomplish a high detection rate of 90.4% at an extremely low false positive rate of 0.2%.

Deconstructing for change: innovation for smaller libraries

In the constantly evolving contexts of information and technology, it can be challenging for smaller libraries to retain and build relevance. This article reflects on the revival and renewal of a small library service at the Australian Drug Foundation. Following a comprehensive review of the service, a plan for the wider information service was conceived and implemented. A core driver for this plan was to integrate and coordinate all the functions within the information service, including the library, to improve collection focus, service delivery and better leveraging of skills across the team. As part of this information service refresh, the library transformed from a very traditional library service to a powerful and accessible online resource, and the library staff became involved in much wider organisational activities. The article describes not only these changes to the delivery of a library service but also the attitudinal changes that were integral to this transformation – not only for the organisation but also for the library staff.

Choosing important health outcomes for comparative effectiveness research: a systematic review.

BackgroundA core outcome set (COS) is a standardised set of outcomes which should be measured and reported, as a minimum, in all effectiveness trials for a specific health area. This will allow results of studies to be compared, contrasted and combined as appropriate, as well as ensuring that all trials contribute usable information. The COMET (Core Outcome Measures for Effectiveness Trials) Initiative aims to support the development, reporting and adoption of COS. Central to this is a publically accessible online resource, populated with all available COS. The aim of the review we report here was to identify studies that sought to determine which outcomes or domains to measure in all clinical trials in a specific condition and to describe the methodological techniques used in these studies.MethodsWe developed a multi-faceted search strategy for electronic databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Methodology Register). We included studies that sought to determine which outcomes/domains to measure in all clinical trials in a specific condition.ResultsA total of 250 reports relating to 198 studies were judged eligible for inclusion in the review. Studies covered various areas of health, most commonly cancer, rheumatology, neurology, heart and circulation, and dentistry and oral health. A variety of methods have been used to develop COS, including semi-structured discussion, unstructured group discussion, the Delphi Technique, Consensus Development Conference, surveys and Nominal Group Technique. The most common groups involved were clinical experts and non-clinical research experts. Thirty-one (16%) studies reported that the public had been involved in the process. The geographic locations of participants were predominantly North America (n = 164; 83%) and Europe (n = 150; 76%).ConclusionsThis systematic review identified many health areas where a COS has been developed, but also highlights important gaps. It is a further step towards a comprehensive, up-to-date database of COS. In addition, it shows the need for methodological guidance, including how to engage key stakeholder groups, particularly members of the public.

Law Enforcement and the Mentally Ill: Thirty Years of Police Literature

This study applies the methodology of content analysis to 30 years of law-enforcement literature to determine whether online access to scholarly research in social work and mental health made a difference in police policy toward the mentally ill. Keywords from the controlled vocabulary of these fields were found in the body of content analyzed prior to easily accessible online resources in 1997, yet the number of articles on the subject grew from approximately one per year prior to 1998 to nearly five per year by 2011. The imprint of these two fields from outside of law enforcement was discernible in the best practices followed by police agencies.

Health and Medication Information Resources on the World Wide Web

Health care practitioners have increasingly used the Internet to obtain health and medication information. The vast number of Internet Web sites providing such information and concerns with their reliability makes it essential for users to carefully select and evaluate Web sites prior to use. To this end, this article reviews the general principles to consider in this process. Moreover, as cost may limit access to subscription-based health and medication information resources with established reputability, freely accessible online resources that may serve as an invaluable addition to one’s reference collection are highlighted. These include government- and organization-sponsored resources (eg, US Food and Drug Administration Web site and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Drug Shortage Resource Center Web site, respectively) as well as commercial Web sites (eg, Medscape, Google Scholar). Familiarity with such online resources can assist health care professionals in their ability to efficiently navigate the Web and may potentially expedite the information gathering and decision-making process, thereby improving patient care.