Alternative and Complementary Medicine Web Resources for Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases affect over 14 million Americans, who may frequently search for alternative or complementary treatment methods aimed at reducing the debilitation associated with chronic disease. Included in this column is a select list of Web-based resources that explore the use of alternative and complementary medicine for autoimmune diseases.     

Hospice Code of Ethics

The usefulness and limitations of bibliographic database software is discussed. As an excellent example of how this medium can be used, the electronic database on palliative care developed by Dr. Nathan Cherny that is available on the World Wide Web is described.     

Expert Knowledge in Palliative Care on the World Wide Web: Palliativedrugs.Org

ABSTRACT.?

In my last Internet-related article, I speculated that social networking would be the coming wave in the effort to share knowledge among experts in various disciplines. At the time I did not know that a palliative care site on the World Wide Web (WWW), palliativedrugs.com, already provided the infrastructure for sharing expert knowledge in the field. The Web site is an excellent traditional formulary but it is primarily devoted to “unlicensed” (“off-label”) use of medications in palliative care, something we in the specialty often do with little to support our interventions except shared knowledge and experience. There is nothing fancy about this Web site. In a good way, its format is a throwback to Web sites of the 1990s. In only the loosest sense can one describe it as “multimedia.” Yet, it provides the perfect forum for expert knowledge and is a “must see” resource. Its existing content is voluminous and reliable, filtered and reviewed by renowned clinicians and educators in the field. Although its origin and structure were not specifically designed for social or professional networking, the Web site's format makes it a natural way for practitioners around the world to contribute to an ever-growing body of expertise in palliative care.     

基于互联网的开放式数字医学影像资料库的构建

传统的医学影像管理系统，比如图像存档与通讯系统（PACS），都是基于专用的工作站和封闭式的体系结构。近年来，因特网技术的蓬勃发展使得医学影像数据的共享和分布式存储成为可能。本文提出基于因特网应用技术构建开放式数字影像资料库的体系结构和实现模式，结合PACS系统模式对他们各自的特点进行了对比，并给出了其实现的思路。     

Endoscopic dilatation and surgical myectomy of symptomatic cervical esophageal webs

During a 10-year period a cervical esophageal web or stricture was diagnosed at rigid endoscopy in 57 patients. Of these patients 72% had restricted their dietary habits because of their symptoms of dysphagia. Cineradiography of the pharynx had revealed abnormalities in 90% of the patients. Dilatation of the webs was performed with semisolid bougies, the endoscope itself, or with balloon inflation. Twelve patients were treated by myectomy of the cricopharyngeal muscle because of unsatisfactory results from the dilatation treatment. Cineradiographic outcome and improvement in dietary habits as a result of the treatment are reported.     

Web‐Based Experiments for the Study of Collective Social Dynamics in Cultural Markets

Social scientists are often interested in understanding how the dynamics of social systems are driven by the behavior of individuals that make up those systems. However, this process is hindered by the difficulty of experimentally studying how individual behavioral tendencies lead to collective social dynamics in large groups of people interacting over time. In this study, we investigate the role of social influence, a process well studied at the individual level, on the puzzling nature of success for cultural products such as books, movies, and music. Using a “multiple‐worlds” experimental design, we are able to isolate the causal effect of an individual‐level mechanism on collective social outcomes. We employ this design in a Web‐based experiment in which 2,930 participants listened to, rated, and downloaded 48 songs by up‐and‐coming bands. Surprisingly, despite relatively large differences in the demographics, behavior, and preferences of participants, the experimental results at both the individual and collective levels were similar to those found in Salganik, Dodds, and Watts (2006) . Further, by comparing results from two distinct pools of participants, we are able to gain new insights into the role of individual behavior on collective outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of Web‐based experiments to address questions of collective social dynamics.     

Internet : une aide ou un labyrinthe pour les médecins ?

Internet, unknown there fifteen years, has become commonly used today to communicate and exchange all types of information. Concerning medical points, this network is full of data and has become indispensable to physicians. The biomedical knowledge base is changing so fast that it is impossible for a doctor to know everything about everything. Specialists are increasingly specialized but must keep award of developments in medical knowledge and above all must be able to search quickly and effectively in a given time. To stay informed, they have several means of which the most common are reading the press, Continuing Medical Education and now Internet. Unfortunately, the richness of the Web is also its main fault so we must have the knowledges for searching, analyzing, among the flood of documents available if we do not want to be caught by the screen. Internet usage is done by two approaches: the pull: dynamic approach to information retrieval and the push: passive process of receiving documents. Most doctors have not been trained to use this tool although it became their main source of knowledge and research. This article aims to outline the main ways to learn about a specific topic by giving some tips for saving time.     

A Controlled Trial of Web-Based Feedback for Heavy Drinking College Students

Abstract Objective: Alcohol consumption has been a growing concern at U.S. colleges, particularly among first-year students, who are at increased risk for problems. This study tested the efficacy of the “electronic Check-Up to Go” (e-CHUG), a commercially-available internet program, at reducing drinking among a group of at-risk college freshman. Method: The design was a randomized controlled trial: 106 freshmen students who reported heavy episodic drinking were randomly assigned to receive feedback or to assessment only. Assessment measures were completed at baseline, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks. Results: At 8 weeks, the feedback group showed a significant decrease in drinks per week and peak BAC over control. By 16 weeks, the control group also declined to a point where there were no differences between groups. Changes in normative drinking estimates mediated the effect of the intervention. An additional 245 abstainers and light drinkers who were also randomized to condition did not show any intervention effect. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary support for the efficacy of this intervention at reducing short-term drinking among at-risk students.     

Web技术在医学影像学教学领域的应用

Web技术是一种最为普及的Internet技术，在医学影像教学领域得到了广泛应用。本文介绍了Web技术的概念、组成、基本原理、特性及在医学影像教学中的应用。