COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM IN REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH ARE TO BUILD AN ON-LINE COMPUTER-BASED KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM WITH TAILORED DATABASES AND A KNOWLEDGE-BASED USER INTERFACE UNIQUELY SUITED FOR THE REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES. THIS SYSTEM WILL ALLOW CUSTOMIZED, RAPID, AND EASY ACCESS TO CURRENT SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION AND THE IMMEDIATE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. THE ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM IS VIA PERSONAL COMPUTER AND MODEM, FROM OFFICE OR HOME. A NEW PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL THAT COVERS CLINICAL SCIENCE, BASIC SCIENCE, AND REPRODUCTIVE TOXICOLOGY WILL BE ELECTRONICALLY PUBLISHED. OTHER UNIQUE FEATURES ARE: A COMPUTER JOURNAL CLUB, ABSTRACTING AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC SERVICE, NEWS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING, LISTINGS OF MEETINGS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, DETAILS OF NEW PRODUCTS, AND CLINICAL AND LABORATORY TECHNIQUES. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE ELECTRONIC SERVICE THAT FULLY SUPPORTS ALL OF THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF PHYSICIANS, SCIENTISITS, NURSES, AND SUPPORT STAFF IN THE REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES. IN PHASE I, A UNIQUE INTERFACE TO THE COMMUNICATION AND DATABASE FEATURES OF THE SYSTEM WILL BE DEVELOPED. THE INTERFACE WILL ALLOW THE USER TO SEARCH AND RETRIEVE ANY INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM QUICKLY AND EASILY WITHOUT SPECIAL TRAINING OR COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE. PHASE II RESEARCH WILL IMPLEMENT THE ADDITION OF A KNOWLEDGE-BASED AUTOMATED USER INTERFACE.