One objective of NLM's IAIMS program is to "respond to specific information needs and requirements and provide synthesizing mechanisms to create knowledge bases." This proposal uses a specific knowledge base need in orthopedics as a model. Our aging population has put research interest in new methods of orthopedic surgical repair at a historic high, and success of this research depends largely on an understanding of the mechanical properties of bone, their relationship to bone structure and the effects of disease, age and the presence of implants on these properties. Much information has been published, but is difficult to extract because of the number of papers, and semantic matching problems encountered in large citation databases such as Medline. In response to this need, the principal immediate objectives of this application are to create BoneMech, a microcomputer-storable relational database containing citation information and key bone mechanical property data and to provide copies of it to the orthopedic community. Preliminary research shows that the database can be created with standard relational database software and then stored and circulated on a small number of floppy disks. An initial literature search yielded about 2000 pertinent English language citations (1966-1984). Possible database file structurs were created for citation information (authors, title, journal, etc.), and for relations describing the work (type bone, mechanical property measured, henomena investigated, etc.). Next steps in establishing BoneMech will be screening citation titles for inclusion, obtaining the promising citations for further screening, entering the citation and relational information into it and modifying the file structures as needed. The initial database will be provided to orthopedic investigators for formal critique and then improved in response. Less than 30 bone hardness citations exist, and they will be used as a model for extracting mechanical property data and devising methods for placing these data in the database. Then, other types of mechanical property data will be extracted from other citations and added. Longer-term objectives include establishing a means to keep BoneMech current and available after the proposed period of support, and presenting it as a model for similar databases covering other areas of medical and surgical research were comprehensive access to "design" information is needed.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter