jbsh

On the 8th April, I blogged about an article being accepted for publication in the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Today I received the digital object identifier (DOI) can be used to cite and link to electronic documents. The DOI never changes which makes it an ideal medium for citing articles. The DOI my article is - doi:10.1016/j.ijom.2008.04.004. Depending on your institutional or personal access you maybe able to access the whole article from this link. If not you should be able to view the abstract, although I have written it out below (with permission from the journal).

Abstract:

From 2001 to 2005, 66 patients referred for perioperative hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO₂) for debridement of necrotic tissue or prevention of radionecrosis were assessed with quality of life measures, before and after completion of HBO₂ and surgery. The Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF-36) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) showed no significant changes. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core (EORTC-C30) questionnaire showed significant improvement in pain, global health, and dyspnoea (p = 0.011; p = 0.027; p = 0.008, respectively). The Head and Neck sub-module (H&N35) identified significant improvements in teeth, dry mouth and social contact (p = 0.002; p = 0.038; p = 0.029, respectively). The University of Washington Scale (UW), showed significant changes in relation to chewing and shoulders (p = 0.031; p = 0.047). When sub-group analysis using ‘osteoradionecrosis’ and ‘dental extraction or implants’ was performed on the EORTC and UW data, variations in the patterns of significance were found. Adjunctive HBO₂ should be considered for the treatment and prevention of some of the long-term complications of radiotherapy.

Exploring a new (to me) social network Taking IT Global.

Based in Toronto they’ve got the usual global presence but with a more social awareness and personal activism angle. Interesting to see how this develops and the relative attention spent between all the different networking stuff going on.

Last night was a UK Trade & Investment and Interactive Ontario double header in the Watershed, Bristol. 11 Canadian companies from Ontario came to meet around 36 South West companies.

The proforma presentations included an overview of the Canadian & Ontario business environment from Ian Kelso (IO & Canadian Interactive Alliance, CIAIC), an introduction to the Canadian companies from Jay Goldman (Radian Core Inc) and a quick spin around the SW digital media landscape from Mark Leaver (South West Screen).

Adam Montandon (HMC) fresh from their recent link up with Two Four Group (another South West success story) gave an overview of their many wild projects that gave a lively, enthusiastic and knowledgeable insight into his world of very commercial projects that are also great fun!

We then adjourned for the serious business of networking. I was there principally to build links and opportunities for Heliotrope (disclosure: I’ve written their business plan and am coordinating their funding, partnerships and client strategies). The folks from IO were keeping everyone to 15 min speed networking so lots of follow up emails and skype chats to come.

First up was a discussion with Jay Goldman, although a little outside their normal scope we had a very productive discussion around design, integration, platforms, scalability, time to market and how Radian Core work with partners. In fact, because Heliotrope is a little outside the normal it could be sufficiently interesting and challenging to excite.

I then caught up with Sabine Steinbrecher (Learning Library) and we discussed her compay and their e-learning, publishing and strategies for addressing Canadian schools, education boards and ministries.

While catching up with Peter McCowen (AIM) about Bristol projects, I learnt of another UK company that may be a useful partner / collaborator.

A quick chat with Michael Gibson (Zapdramatic) suggested that their very innovative soft skills games were not quite the right match for Heliotrope. However, we did have a very enjoyable discussion around the complexity of design involved in such morally and ethically delicate areas so that young people can learn to appreciate their taken-for-granted assumptions and how to recognise them early enough to avoid compromising situations later on.

I then met Rachel Noonan and Karen Bradt (Canadian Film Centre) about the many innovative programmes, support and projects they’re involved with. In particular their Media Lab and wide ranging R&D projects is one to look into more closely.

On the way out I had a quick chat with Julia Bennett from White Pine Pictures, there wasn’t a direct link with their documentary making expertise but a great way to round out a busy and productive evening.

OK, this is coloured significantly because I’m currently working with a company in Canada, not strictly a start-up since they’ve been going 3 years (and not strictly working as I’m not getting paid, as Sam keeps reminding me ). That time has been the founder boot-strapping his way towards the point where there’s a compelling business case to be made. So I’ve joined (informally at present) to round out the concept and put it into investor friendly format.

The link with productivity is that he’s in Toronto, I’m in Bristol and there are 5 hrs between us (which is why I’m writing this at 10pm just as he’s finishing his formal working day). We’ve just been working on an elevator pitch to be sent by email to a potential door opener that’ll get us a long way to the strategic partnerships that we’d like. What would have taken several days by email and I dread to think how much by mobile phone international dialling, was completed in a couple hours and document exchanges.

The fact that Skype is a free download, and broadband is a flat bundled cost, means neither of us think anything of pinging the other for a chat about whatever the current priority/crisis/wtf moment is. The 21C equivalent of leaning across the desk and tapping him on the shoulder for a chat over a coffee (Whittards‘ Co-op Libertad Heredia Valley, Costa Rica).

Now on to the other partnerships, raising finance, licensing, cash flow, finishing off the business plan, firming up the technical infrastructure………