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1
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2
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- KEMRI/Wellcome Trust
- Collaborative Malaria Research Project between Kenyan scientists and
counterparts from Oxford University etc since 1989.
- Kilifi is 60km north of Mombasa, one of poorest districts in Kenya,
high malaria prevalence and infant mortality rate.
- Unit holds large clinical, laboratory, demographic databases
- ICT has affected the way research is done at the Unit.
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3
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- Data Management
- Data recorded on paper q’naires and double entered
- Standalone Databases for Clinical, Lab, Census data
- Access only through Data Managers
- Connectivity
- Dial-up Access via terrestrial lines through an analogue exchange. Data
rate ~ 9,600 bps (approx. 10% achieved).
- Unreliable, costly, low quality
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4
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- Information Access (Library)
- Subscription to paper based journals
- Medline searches on CD-ROM
- Circulation of photocopies of papers
- Physical visit to library
- Physically meet to discuss papers
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5
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- Massive Expansion of PC installations
- 25 standalone in 1998 to 102 networked in 2002.
- 3 servers – 2 configured as file, mail, print and web proxy servers and
the other as a dedicated database server.
- Expansion based on demand as a result of increased research activity
and need for fast information exchange.
- Connectivity
- VSAT link courtesy of the NLM – July 1999
- Data rate: 32Kbps outbound, 768Kbps shared (BE ~ 512K)
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6
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7
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8
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- Kilifi Virtual Library
- Online Admission System
- Centralised Data Access
- Laboratory Data Capture System
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9
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- In-house centralised system, developed to give researchers easy access
to online resources.
- Librarian updates content
- Abstracts stored as part of an indexed searchable database
- Researchers use EndNote to search virtual library
- Populated using entries from PubMed to standardise entry of references
- e-TOC groups exchange TOCs from latest journals
- Journal Web Database (JWD) gives journal info to users
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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- Data entered in real time at point of admission
- Data entered by FW and MOs
- Data almost readily available once committed to the DB
- Single data entry
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15
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16
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- Increase in amount of scientific data downloaded (weekly statistics –
sawmill logs).
- Faster, reliable exchange of data, incl. e-groups.
- Fewer data entry clerks, info available almost immediately, near
paper-less environment.
- Data Dictionaries and Metadata can be shared electronically, making it
easy to understand datasets.
- Data can be accessed from nearly any computer at the unit.
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17
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- Resistance to change
- Maintenance (down time, unavailable parts, power supply)
- Weaknesses of single data entry (not yet evaluated)
- Inappropriate use of systems (sawmill logs)
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18
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19
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20
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- ICT has changed the way things are done
- The way data is collected and processed
- The way data is accessed
- Access to more online resources
- Comprehensive study to assess the true impact:
- Papers published etc
- Data quality using single entry
- Reluctance by some scientists to adopt.
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