Showing papers in "ACM Sigbio Newsletter in 1981"

Summary comments

Abstract: Are designed landscapes conceived as geometric compositions or abstractions of nature incompatible with sustainable design? Does mimesis result in the only truly sustainable form in the landscape? This paper attempts to answer these questions by drawing on the observations of practitioners and educators in the field as well as investigating a range of built work for sustainable qualities. The built work is categorized according to four approaches to form genesis, geometric composition, abstractions of nature, mimesis, and combinations of the three. It is suggested here that there is no single formal strategy that must be used in order to achieve sustainability.

Commercial sector

Abstract: The pharmaceutical industry has been f e r t i l e ground for computer appl icat ions for qui te some time. Many current and new appl icat ions ex is t for tasks which require storage and re t r ieva l of data. Most pharmaceutical business appl icat ions combine the computer's computational power with i ts a b i l i t y to store and ret r ieve data. Pre-c l in ica l and c l i n i ca l tes t ing of drugs also u t i l i z e the computer as a data storage and re t r ieva l too l . Drug tes t ing produces large quant i t ies of data required to be eas i ly accessed and analyzed. This requirement coupled with data co l lec t ion and report ing requirements make the computer an excel lent tool for the drug test ing environment.

Review of "Data protection in health information systems" by G. G. Griesser, A. Bakker, J. Danielsson, J. C. Hirel, D. J. Kenny, W. Schneider, and A. I. Wasserman. North-Holland 1980.

Abstract: This volume is one in a series report ing the e f fo r ts of working groups of the Internat ional Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), a special in te res t group wi th in the Internat ional Federation for Information Processing ( IFIP) . The book represents the resul ts of almost four years of teamwork by an i n te r national co l lec t ion of spec ia l is ts from various d isc ip l ines . A prel iminary version of the text was discussed by the Working Group (no. 4) and addi t ional experts, in a Working Conference held at Noordwijk, the Netherlands on 29-30 May 1979.

The personnel needs of a neuroscientific computing center

Abstract: for the graphics display (Joe Capowski has constructed such a unit, the Neuroscience Display Processor) and add memory to the microcomputer. Then you would have a stand alone system. When I began the research for which I wanted to try using a computer-microscope system, I wasn't sure whether such a system would help meo At that point it was more economical both in time and money to travel to the existing system in Chapel Hill rather than to set up a remote terminal. Now that I have seen the need for access to such a system, it is only a little more expensive to set up a stand alone system (which I know will work) than to set up a remote system (which may have serious imperfections). Introduction Since 1972 1 have been the director of a small computing center in the Department of Physiology at the University of North Carolina. The center services the data collection and analysis needs of the Physiology Department and Neurobiology program, a total of about 75 faculty members involved in neuroscience research. Most of the programming at the computer center is done by graduate students in either Computer Science or in some biological science. About 25 programmers have been hired (some fired) since the computing center was established. From experience, it has been possible to correlate the success of the programmer with the background of the programmer at the time he was hired. It is therefore possible to seek programming candidates with certain backgrounds in order to maximize their probability of success. Interestingly enough, the ideal characteristics of a programming candidate for our computer center aresomewhat different from those characteristics sought by a larger computer center. The difference is explained by the unique work done in a neuro-science computing environment. The hardware and type of work done in a neuroscience computing center is described. Then the desired characteristics of programmers for this computing center are described. Finally, a qualitative statement of our success in attracting and retaining good people is provided. A block diagram of the UNC Neuroscience Computer Center hardware is shown in Figurel. The general purpose computer system is a Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-I1/45 with 64K words of memory. Dectapes and a fixed head disk provide additional storage~ Graphic display of 3D neuroanatomical structures and 2D physiological waveforms and graphs is provided by an Evans and Sutherland LDS-2 line drawing graphics system. …

Review of "The computer in the doctor's office" by O. Rienhoff and M. E. Abrams. North-Holland 1980.

Abstract: This volume is one in a series report ing the e f fo r ts of working groups of the Internat ional Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), a special in te res t group wi th in the Internat ional Federation for Information Processing ( IFIP) . The book represents the resul ts of almost four years of teamwork by an i n te r national co l lec t ion of spec ia l is ts from various d isc ip l ines . A prel iminary version of the text was discussed by the Working Group (no. 4) and addi t ional experts, in a Working Conference held at Noordwijk, the Netherlands on 29-30 May 1979.

Computer simulation of human systems: the respiratory system

Abstract: Computer simulation allows one to investigate hypotheses in the face of a large number of responding variables. Ideally, computer simulation and experimentation go hand in hand. Experimentation is necessary first, to obtain data for the development of the model. When one does a literature survey to put together information needed to develop a model, he usually finds that all of the experimental data are not available. Thus, initial planning for computer simulation offers an opportunity to design experiments to obtain missing information. Second, computer simulation may require that one design experiments to obtain data for evaluation of the model once it is completed, since all the data for evaluating a model is rarely available. Third, once the model is completed, experiments may have to be designed to verify predictions that it makes. In addition, computer simulation is also useful for the quantitative evaluation of the still-used verbal hypothesis. Thus, modeling can be an ungoing process. That is, when the verbal hypothesis is evaluated using a model, two results are possible either you get agreement of you get disagreement. If you have tested your model by a large variety of means and you are satisfied that you have a good model, then d~agreement of a verbal hypothesis and the results of the model may lead to the formulation of a new verbal hypothesis. This also, in turn, may lead to alterati the new verbal hypothesis. This cycle may be repeated el does agree with the verbal hypothesis, you may need to design experiments to further verify the validity of this verbal hypothesis. In other words, the computer should not be given the last word. Experimental studies still need to maintain the top hand in verification of biological hypotheses.

Computer science in health computing education

Abstract: Although the impact of computers in health care has already been significant, major challenges and opportunities lie ahead that will become realities through greater interaction among professionals in the health and computing fields. At the heart of the matter is the need for education. Students in the various computing fields must have opportunities to become better prepared in health areas and those in health programs must have more exposure to computing. Programs which combine health and computing are already in existence in small numbers. Their development and success must be evaluated and possibilities for other programs must be explored.

Health research computing: summary

Abstract: A consensus of sorts was also reached as to the nature of administration as it actually exists today-we may not really know whom we are serving. A survey of what administrators actually do was felt to be of value in confirming or refuting the hypotheses regarding the nature of an administrator's job. But under the existing hypotheses, the means of producing ideal administrative capabilities include increased preparation in computer science and medicine but also management science and public administration skills, the recruitment of individuals who possess personal skills compatible with effective management, and the development of a plan for an internship program in administration of health services computing to reinforce the existence of a career pathway in the administration of health computing. HEALTH RESEARCH COMPUTING Summary Michael P. White Dr. George Malindzak led the Health Research Computing session, a difficult task because of the NIH announcement about curtailment of computing research funds Edissolution of the NIH Computer and Biomathematical Sciences Study Sectioned .]. In Dr. Malindzak's opening remarks, he addressed this distressing news, drawing the conclusion that the expected withdrawal of funding was the result of a lack of understanding about research computing. Further, this communication gap has been due to the problem that the field has not been well defined and is lacking standard curricula. Dr. Malindzak emphasized that a major beneficial outcome of the Symposium could be the definition of what research computing is, perhaps providing the first step towards formulating uniform training programs and gaining recognition of the value of the discipline. Their format included a presentation of a recent research computing activity, and then a description of desirable attributes a person should have to contribute in such an environment. Caral Newton's formal differed; it was a discussion of the requirements and goals of a unique training philosophy. Dr. Malindzak's presentation described a Health/Environmental Closed-L0op mini-computer controlled system, which was characterizedby requiring unique systems development, both hardware and software. The system is being used extensively in gathering information for epidemiological studies. In that there are going to be many more such problems to be solved in the future, there will be a pressing need for competent computer specialists to design and implement such systems. Also, there will be the need for the computer scientist 'tool maker', who is health research computing oriented, to provide better analysis methods. Dr. Newton's remarks described a very interesting UCLA training program, …

Implementation of hospital information systems: the physician's background

Abstract: science center side now. That's of computer science interest. Since it solves some physical/fiscal problems that we have in terms of provision of reliable service, I think that will push technology forward. Computer-based hospital information systems are rapidly evolving past the point where they are limited to interdepartmental communications as in the simple role of a telephone system or as a replacement for requisition and charge forms. Some of them are beginning to incorporate signal processing and instrumentation interface capabilities, comprehensive auditing and control mechanisms, and labor-saving features that have resulted in increasing cost effectiveness. Development of data handling technology continues to evolve to the point where more powerful, less expensive storage and communication hardware is bringing the ability to implement comprehensive institutional software within the reach of an increasingly large number of potential users. The planning, design, implementation and operation of successful large-scale hospital systems requirea substantial investment in human resources, which is well on its way to becoming proportionately larger as labor costs escalate relative to hardware costs. This will affect equally all areas of health-care applications, whether they be clinical, administrative or educational. It was expected in years past that the leadership in the development of automated hospital information systems would shift from administrators to physicians and that a substantial number of the medical profession would embrace computer medicine as a full-time specialty. Thus, we have seen the emergence of efforts leading towards the establishment of sanctioning bodies within the medical profession, namely a certifying board in computer medicine. These efforts, even though not abandoned, have not proved viable as of this time. We have also learned of efforts to establish guidelines and standards for training programs at undergraduate, postgraduate and speciality levels, which have not attained widespread popularity. Furthermore, the establishment of organized groups interested in the application of computer technology to clinical medicine has not resulted in substantial memberships, nor has it produced any measurable impact on the current panorama of organized medicine. Instead, they seem to have provided a forum for the dissemination of information by computer manufacturers, software vendors, consultants and problem solvers; a useful outcome but somewhat short of the original objectives. The above estion the overall validity of the concept of \"computer medic enthusiasm with the possibilities offered to us by this new technology, at some point we seem to have failed to realize the fact that the digital computer in …

Health information systems

Abstract: LetVs move on now to the business of getting closure on our discussions today. I have asked four of our colleagues to synthesize what they heard in their assigned panel sessions, so that each of you can get benefit from those parallel panels you were unable to attend. These peopleselflessly agreed to forego participation in the discussions so that they would be better able to generate an unbiased assessment of what went ono Remember that we are looking primarily for direction, for those who continue what we have begun today in attempting to define our new discipline and establish effective training programs.

Computer careers in anatomical laboratories

Abstract: You've made a very important point° You can never validate a model; you can only invalidate a model. There are a number of admissable models and therefore one of the greatest values of the modeling process is to take the competing concepts people have about how something works biologically and design experiments to eliminate a couple of these alternatives. I don't think we do that enough in laboratory research in biology before we get started.

Education for the administration of health computing

Abstract: areas that one plans to administer. Fo tering health computing in an academic de~ic health center with respect to the essential. By an internship, I don't m s in fifty different places in the center. I mean a task oriented internship that requires the intern to perform the tasks of the health professional with whom they will be working. Although I believe considerable knowledge can be obtained from specific cQurses, visiting lectures, workshops, etc., there is still a place in our programs for on-the-job training. In summary, our educational, economic, andpolitical institutions have become so complex that professional territorial bc ch less distinct. Except for once a year at professional socJ anatomists, nor can computer specialists o~ fields overlap, our interests and needs art are more than likely shared. Effective man care and the art to facilitate tl cannot only talk to ialists. Our ultimate goals ity to communi-being managed. EDUCATION FOR Davis B. Education for the management of c~ separate and distinct purposes: the f± istrator in those skills which will mak computer center; the second, to provide insure the employment of aspirants as s they might otherwise have expected. Mo higher education has been successful in is another matter.

New technology & old behavior: implications for education in health computing

Abstract: How can we train individuals who can and do function well at the interface between medicine and the world of computing? My prior observation leads me to say that so far the most successful individuals functioning in this interface capacity have learned virtually none of their consulting skills from formal academic training programs° On the other hand, there have been individuals who were drawn from the start by their interests and personality toward the medical milieu. In addition, they have brought with them computer knowledge. One of the best medical computer experts I know has told me very recently that he is beginning to doubt if a good computer consultant can be trained by any other method than by having a prolonged apprenticeship under the sympathetic guidance of one or more interested M.D.s, who have a good understanding of the medical environment and can somehow initiate the apprentice into that environment. I recognize that this is not likely to be a very tractable position for me to take at this particular meeting. It would be nice for us to be able to begin to define training curricula for health computing experts. However, I do want to suggest strongly that consideration should be given to including something like an internship or an apprenticeship for such individuals, which will allow them to interact closely with medical people and to begin to understand some of the unusual features of the medical milieu. This could do a great deal toward breaking down the rather substantial barriers between the sociological worlds, if you will, of medicine and of computing, which health computing experts must, I believe, help to begin to break down. It is not going to be all the job of doctors to break down this barrier. It must also be the job of medical computer scientists. My involvement in medical education for the past 12 years has been Both as faculty member and medical education administrator. During the past four years, I have been devoting an increasing prDportion of my time to exploring the use of computers and computer technology to enhance the education of health professionals. Although some of the ideas which follow may be generalizeable, my experience is in the area of instructional computing and my remarks are directed at that segment of the medical computing world. In a very simplistic way, let me focus on a "trainer of trainers" concept. …