Review for 10.1186/1471-230X-2-3 (2002)

Reviewer's□report 
□A□comparative□study□of□gallstones□from□children□and□adults□using□FTIR□spectroscopy□and□ Title: 
Fluorescence□microscopy 
Authors: 
oleg□kleiner□( finaly@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
jagannathan□ramesh□( jram@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
mahmoud□huleihel□( mahmoudh@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
beny□cohen□( bcohen@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
keren□kantarovich□( kerenk@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
chen□levi□( chenle@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
boris□polyak□( polyak@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
robert□s□marks□( rsmarks@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
jacov□mordehai□( mordehai@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
zahavi□cohen□( zahavic@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
shaul□mordechai□( shaulm@bgumail.bgu.ac.il )
□5□ □14□Jan□2002 Version: Date: 
□Dr□Edeline□Wentrup-Byrne Reviewer: 
□A□paper□whose□findings□are□important□to□those□with□closely□related□research□interests Level□of□interest: 
□Accept□after□discretionary□revisions Advice□on□publication: 
The□authors□have□incorporated□many□of□the□suggested□changes□and□the□paper□is□somewhat□easier□to□ 
read.□ 
Unfortunately□the□Figure□captions□do□NOT□always□correspond□to□the□Figures□discussed□in□the□text□and□ 
this□made□for□very□confusing□reading.□An□example□is□page□7□3.4.□ 
"The□cholesterol□content□in□type□1□black□stones□from□adults□were□(was)□much□lower□compared□to□the□ 
children□as□indicated□in□Figure□4a"□ 
But□Figure□4□refers□to□BROWN□stones.□ 
Do□the□authors□mean□Fig□5a□?□Then□my□reading□of□the□spectra□is□to□use□the□band□at□~1050cm-1□as□the□ 
cholesterol□marker□band□and□it□is□clearly□seen□in□the□spectrum□shown□in□Fig□5a□II□(an□adult□Type□1)□ 
whereas□the□corresponding□band□in□Fig□5a□I□(black□childrens□stone)□shows□a□weaker□1050□band.□This□ 
means□that□the□adult□stones□have□a□greater□cholesterol□content□(as□would□be□medically□expected?).□ 
However,□they□could□mean□Fig□6a.□BUT□Fig□6□captions□give□the□impression□that□Fig□6a□II□looks□more□like□ 
Adult□Type□II□as□seen□in□ref□spectra□Fig□1□b□and□not□like□Fig□1a□(type□I).□ 
The□Figure□captions□are□very□confusing.□Spectra□use□I□and□II□and□then□stone□types□I□and□II□also.□Could□ 
use□colour□code□or□another□i□and□ii???□Should□clearly□state□Fig□5a□-----.□etc□Should□be□no□need□to□repeat□ 
"Black□stones□from□adults□of□type□I□and□II□are□shown□in□the□Figures□a□and□b□respectively.□ 
I□still□do□not□quite□know□which□spectra□are□shown□in□Fig□6a□and□Fig□6b.□ 
It□still□contains□many□English□errors□-□I□realise□that□on-line□publishing□may□not□require□ll□of□these□to□be□ eliminated□but□any□English□speaker□could□correct□most□of□them.□ 
There□are□too□many□names□wrong□in□the□references.□A□few□examples:□ 
ref□17.□St□Pierre□TG□not□Pierre□TGST□ Ref.□24□Fredericks□not□Frederics□ Ref□28□McL□Griffss□LOOKS□wrong□but□I□have□not□checked□it.□Impossible□to□pronounce□in□English□as□it□is□ 
written.□ 
I□am□NOT□seeking□to□be□negative□just□for□the□sake□of□it□I□assure□you.□But□after□reading□the□paper□and□ 
going□backwards□and□forwards□to□compare□the□text□with□the□actual□spectra□I□ended□up□quite□confused□so□ 
decided□to□come□back□the□next□day.□the□result□was□not□any□better.□Yet,□I□do□feel□a□good□careful□editing□ 
can□solve□all□these□issues.□ 
Sicnce□the□paper□is□I□imagine□intended□to□be□a□practical□help□to□those□wishing□to□distinguish□different□ 
types□of□stones□using□FT-IR□and□FT-IR□ATR□then□my□concerns□are□real□ones.□ 
Another□point□is□that□I□would□recommend□that□in□future□using□FT-IR□ATR□on□non-ground□stones□perhaps□ 
just□cut□in□half□as□well□as□poweders□would□be□the□experimental□way□to□go.□ 
GOOD□LUCK!!□ 
Competing□interests: 
None□declared.