JerMa88/BMC_Womens_Health_Peer_Reviews huggingface dataset:
Reviewer's report 
 Factors Related to the Practice of Breast Self Examination (BSE) and Pap Smear Screening Title: 
Among Malaysian Women Workers in Selected Electronics Factories 
Authors: 
Dr Heng Leng Chee ( hengleng@medic.upm.edu.my )
Rashidah Shuib ( rashidah@kb.usm.my )
Khadijah Shamsuddin ( khadijah@mail.hukm.ukm.my )
Intan Osman ( intan@usm.my )
 1  30 Jan 2003 Version: Date: 
 Georgia Sadler Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Accept after discretionary revisions Advice on publication: 
This is a well constructed and well reported study that sheds light on the breast self exam and 
cervical screening practices of a sample of female Malaysian electronic factory workers. The 
manuscript would be strengthened if the authors would address the questions listed below. A very 
brief explanation would suffice to give the readers a clearer understand of the sample. In addition, a little more information about how the data collection was accomplished would help readers who are contemplating how to achieve similar data collection. 
1. Was the study approved by a human subjects committee? 
2. How many factories were invited to participate and how many actually participated? Were the factories in close proximity to each other or fairly well distributed throughout the geographic region? 
3. Approximately how may women were eligible to participate altogether? 
4. What mechanism(s) did you use to invited the women to participate? 5. Was language a possible barrier to participation for a portion of the potential participants? If so, did you attempt to overcome this barrier and if so, how? 
6. Was literacy a barrier for a portion of the potential participants? If so, did you attempt to overcome 
this barrier and if so, how? 
7. Why was the upper age limit for eligibility set at 55? Given that cancer risk increases with age, it 
would have seemed appropriate to include women older than 55 in the study. 
8. I was surprised that the authors did not raise the idea of factory-based cancer education and 
screening programs in their discussion section as a potential way of increasing the health knowledge 
and screening practices of women working in Malaysia's electronics factories. It seemed to me to be 
a natural outcome of their factory-based research work. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Factors Related to the Practice of Breast Self Examination (BSE) and Pap Smear Screening Title: 
Among Malaysian Women Workers in Selected Electronics Factories 
Authors: 
Dr Heng Leng Chee ( hengleng@medic.upm.edu.my )
Rashidah Shuib ( rashidah@kb.usm.my )
Khadijah Shamsuddin ( khadijah@mail.hukm.ukm.my )
Intan Osman ( intan@usm.my )
 3  5 May 2003 Version: Date: 
 Anette Hjartåker Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Accept after discretionary revisions Advice on publication: 
The paper has improved significantly by the revision. 
However, some points still need to be clarified (all referring goes to the revised version of the paper): 
- pg 12, second paragraph: The way the sentence is written it is still unclear whether the figure of 
15.1% includes women using oral contraceptives or whether it refers to women using contraceptives 
other than oral contraceptives. From Table 2 it seems as oral contraceptives is included in the figure. 
The sentence should therefore be rewritten, perhaps by adding oral contraceptives in the list of 
contraceptives used. - In their response the authors write that looking into effect modification was not within the scope of 
the paper, and that other papers have been published without performing interaction examinations. 
In my opinion, this is not adequate reasons for not performing the proposed analyses. - Table 5: The new version of the paper clarifies the reference categories. However, it is very unsuitable that the ethnicity and the education variables in the adjusted Pap smear model are 
presented in the opposite way of all other variables. Why is this? In the BSE model the ethnicity and 
the education variables are presented in the same manner as all the other variables. Why then change it in the Pap smear model? It does not make sense to me. Although it is stated in the footnote that the two variables should be read differently from the rests in one of the models, this 
may easily be overlook by the reader. Also, as the figure 2 referring to the footnote is given for the 
adjusted Pap smear model only and not for the crude Pap smear model it is unclear how one should read the variables in the crude Pap smear model. The present presentation is inconsistent and difficult to read, and I therefore insist on presenting the two variables in the same way as all the 
others. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Ovarian antibodies as detected by indirect immunofluorescence are unreliable in the diagnosis Title: 
of autoimmune premature ovarian failure: a controlled evaluation 
Authors: 
Judy A Novosad ( janovosad@aol.com )
Sophia N Kalantaridou ( kalantas@cc1.nichd.nih.gov )
Zhi-Bin Tong ( Tongz@cc1.nichd.nih.gov )
Dr Lawrence M Nelson ( Lawrence_Nelson@nih.gov )
 1  26 Jan 2003 Version: Date: 
 Yvonne van Kasteren Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Accept without revision Advice on publication: 
This study underlines the conclusions of earlier studies that commercially available tests for 
detection of anti-ovarian antibodies cannot be used to discriminate between idiopathic premature 
ovarian and autoimmune premature ovarian failure. It can be argued that the presence of 
anti-ovarian antibodies in regular cycling women does not exclude accelerated loss of follicles due to 
autoimmune destruction eventually resulting in premature ovarian failure. However, with a 
prevalence of 1% of all forms of POF in a general female population, only 1 or 2 women in the 
control group would have been expected to show these antibodies assuming a pathogenetic role for 
these antibodies. In fact to date a clear proof of autoimmunity as a cause for POF is lacking except for the rare situation in which POF is associated with adrenal failure. These patients all have antibodies against 
steroid producing cells. The antigen has been identified as 21 hydroxylase or P450 scc enzyme and 
the ovary and the adrenal share it. In all other cases of POF the presence of autoantibodies and/or changes in lymphocyte subsets may reflect result rather than cause of the disease process. (1-3) Moreover the study clearly demonstrates poor reproducibility of the test, which disqualifies the test in 
itself regardless of the interpretation of the presence of autoantibodies against ovarian tissue in POF 
patients and normal cycling women. 
1 Wheatcroft N et al. Is premature ovarian failure an autoimmune disease? Autoimmunity 
1997;25:157-65. 
2 Hoek A et al. Premature ovarian failure and ovarian autoimmunity. Endocrine reviews 1997;18:107-34 3 Betterle C et al. Adrenal and ovarian autoimmunity. Eur J Endocrinol 1998;138:16-25 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Ovarian antibodies as detected by indirect immunofluorescence are unreliable in the diagnosis Title: 
of autoimmune premature ovarian failure: a controlled evaluation 
Authors: 
Judy A Novosad ( janovosad@aol.com )
Sophia N Kalantaridou ( kalantas@cc1.nichd.nih.gov )
Zhi-Bin Tong ( Tongz@cc1.nichd.nih.gov )
Dr Lawrence M Nelson ( Lawrence_Nelson@nih.gov )
 3  24 Feb 2003 Version: Date: 
 Denise Faustman Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Accept without revision Advice on publication: 
Ovarian antibodies as detected by indirect immunofluorescence are unreliable in the diagnosis of 
autoimmune premature ovarian failure: a controlled evaluation 
J. A. Novosad, S.N. Kalantaridou, Z-B Tong, and L.M. Nelson 
Recommendation: 
The abstract was changed and a figure depicting typical fluorescence patterns was added. 
The revised manuscript is suitable for publication without further revisions. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Obstetric prognosis in sisters of preeclamptic women - implications for genetic linkage studies Title: 
Authors: 
Dr Nonna Heiskanen ( nonna.heiskanen@kuh.fi )
Prof Seppo Heinonen ( seppo.heinonen@kuh.fi )
Pertti Kirkinen ( pertti.kirkinen@pshp.fi )
 1  6 Nov 2002 Version: Date: 
 Dr JC Livingston Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have Advice on publication: 
responded to the compulsory revisions 
This retrospective cohort study report by Heiskanen et al. evaluates pregnancy outcome in 
nulliparous sibling pairs. The study was broken down into three groups (normotensive pregnancies in both siblings, preecalmpsia in first sibling and normotensive second sibling, preeclampsia in both 
siblings). There was no difference in outsome in siblings of preeclampsic women if the subsequent 
pregnant sister did not develope preeclampsia. This study was well designed and carried out. 
Although not a novel idea, study is interesting. 
Compulsatory revisions 
1. Authors should define pregnancy induced hypertension. 2. Authors should provide total number of deliveries during study time. 3. Tables are cluttered. Please present data as #(%) in tables 1,2,and 3. 
4. There are several introductary clauses not followed by a comma. Please correct. 
5. The authors state on page 6 line 10: "Although a trial of this size cannot be ....the number of casses in the present study is high enough to make statistically valid comparisions....". The authors have no power analysis to support this claim. 
Discretionary revisions 
1. Low Apgar scores was defined a 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Obstetric prognosis in sisters of preeclamptic women - implications for genetic linkage studies Title: 
Authors: 
Dr Nonna Heiskanen ( nonna.heiskanen@kuh.fi )
Prof Seppo Heinonen ( seppo.heinonen@kuh.fi )
Pertti Kirkinen ( pertti.kirkinen@pshp.fi )
 2  20 Jan 2003 Version: Date: 
 JC Livingston Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest: 
 Other (see below) Advice on publication: 
I have rereviewed the paper and agree that it is ready for publication. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's□report 
□The□Temporal□Reliability□of□Serum□Estrogens,□Progesterone,□Gonadotropins,□SHBG□and□Urinary□ Title: 
Estrogen□and□Progesterone□Metabolites□in□Premenopausal□Women 
Authors: 
Andrew□E□Williams□( awilliam@crch.hawaii.edu )
Gertraud□Maskarinec□( gertraud@crch.hawaii.edu )
Adrian□A□Franke□( adrian@crch.hawaii.edu )
Frank□Z□Stanczyk□( Fstanczyk@socal.rr.com )
□1□ □20□Sep□2002 Version: Date: 
□Dr□Timothy□Key Reviewer: 
□A□paper□whose□findings□are□important□to□those□with□closely□related□research□interests Level□of□interest: 
□Accept□after□discretionary□revisions Advice□on□publication: 
This□is□a□thoughtful□examination□of□the□reliability□of□sex□hormone□measurements□in□premenopausal□ 
women.□The□results□have□important□implications□for□the□design□of□future□epidemiological□studies.□The□ 
paper□is□well-written□and□I□have□only□minor□comments□with□suggestions□for□discretionary□revisions.□ 
1.□Abstract.□Why□give□the□Results□before□the□Methods?□ 
2.□Methods,□Urine□analysis.□Sate□that□the□results□are□given□as□concentrations,□not□as□daily□excretion□or□ 
adjusted□for□creatinine□excretion.□ 
3.□Units.□Consider□giving□results□in□moles□not□grams?□ 
4.□Results,□para□2,□second□half.□This□might□be□better□placed□in□the□Discussion.□ 
5.□Figures.□Label□x-axis□in□months.□For□Figure□4,□the□scale□of□the□y-axis□demonstrates□that□the□ 
percentage□variation□is□relatively□narrow,□but□obscures□how□much□cross-over□there□is□between□women.□It 
might□help□to□show□this□on□an□expanded□scale?□ 
6.□Table□3□and□corresponding□text.□For□relative□method,□value□for□SHBG□appears□to□be□0.48□in□Table□and 
0.41□in□text?□Also,□in□my□version□the□upper□confidence□intervals□were□missing□for□ICCs□in□Table□3. 
Competing□interests: 
None□declared.
Reviewer's report 
 The Temporal Reliability of Serum Estrogens, Progesterone, Gonadotropins, SHBG and Title: 
Urinary Estrogen and Progesterone Metabolites in Premenopausal Women 
Authors: 
Andrew E Williams ( awilliam@crch.hawaii.edu )
Gertraud Maskarinec ( gertraud@crch.hawaii.edu )
Adrian A Franke ( adrian@crch.hawaii.edu )
Frank Z Stanczyk ( Fstanczyk@socal.rr.com )
 1  27 Sep 2002 Version: Date: 
 Dr Christopher Longcope Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have Advice on publication: 
responded to the compulsory revisions 
Compulsory revisions 
1. Day 19 of the cycle was chosen, but this is a time when hormone levels are changing rapidly. 
Many people choose a day early in the cycle when there is less change. Progesterone level would need to be drawn in the mid-luteal phase, however. 
2. There is little discussion as to the need for multiple blood draws over a 30-40 minute time period 
to minimize the effects of bursts of secretory activity. This would apply especially to the gonadotropins. 
3. The whole design is based on the assumption that an Ovukit is 100% accurate in the timing of 
ovulation. There is no discussion as to its reliability, but it is not that accurate. Therefore, the whole design would appear to be flawed. 
4. In the previous publication, your reference 13, it is stated that a number of cycles were 
anovulatory. Were these included in the present analysis? If so, this would confound the data. 
5. In that publication it appears that cycle lengths varied by as much as two days. This could further 
confound the data. 
6. It should be carefully noted that the conclusions are valid only for mid-luteal measurements, and 
that the timing is based on a potentially inaccurate measurement, urinary LH. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 The Temporal Reliability of Serum Estrogens, Progesterone, Gonadotropins, SHBG and Urinary Title: 
Estrogen and Progesterone Metabolites in Premenopausal Women 
Authors: 
Andrew E Williams ( awilliam@crch.hawaii.edu )
Dr Gertraud Maskarinec ( gertraud@crch.hawaii.edu )
Adrian A Franke ( adrian@crch.hawaii.edu )
Frank Z Stanczyk ( Fstanczyk@socal.rr.com )
 3  27 Nov 2002 Version: Date: 
 Dr Christopher Longcope Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Accept without revision Advice on publication: 
I FIND THE REVISED VERSION PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report
 Development of a clockwork light source to enable cervical inspection by village health workers Title:
Authors:
Fidelma O'Mahony Dr (fidelma@meole2.freeserve.co.uk )
Bob Bailey Mr (rds@rshmes.demon.co.uk )
Chris Koller Dr (Chris.Koller@nstaffs.wmids.nhs.uk )
Collette Sheridan Ms (cms@mcmedia.com.au )
Richard Steventon Dr (rds@rshmes.demon.co.uk )
Kalyan K Dhar Mr (KDhar@compuserve.com )
Richard B Johanson Prof (richard@kogs.freeserve.co.uk )
 2  2 Jul 2002 Version: Date:
 Dr R Sankaranarayanan Reviewer:
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest:
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded Advice on publication:
to the compulsory revisions
Review of article "Development of a clockwork light source to enable 
cervical inspection by vilage health workers" by O'Mahony et al., 
This is an interesting artcle that describes a technology that may be 
useful in the context of illumination of the uterine cervix for visual 
inspection in low resourced settings. The essential mesage in this paper, that a light source based on clockwork technology provides adequate 
illumination for speculum examination, may be conveyed more briefly, but 
precisely as a brief communication rather than as a full pledged research 
paper. 
Compulsory revisions required: 
1. I do not think a candle light is used for speculum examination anywhere 
in the world. Reference to this should be omitted. As the authors point out 
such lighting is inadequate and may prove dangerous. 
2. It is not true that provision of a light source to inspect cervix 
presents a major problem in developing countries. What is more relevant is 
the costs involved in providing different light sources and round the clock 
availability of electricity. 
3. Reference 7 is missing. 
4. The authors should point out the cost-effectiveness information 
available for VIA is model based. The authors may wish to refer to 
published information from South Africa as well (Goldie S et al., JAMA. 
2001 Jun 27;285(24):3107-15). 
5. The authors should emphasis the need for real feasibility and clinical 
data in relation to the use of this light source in future clinical studies. 
Competing interests:
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Development of a clockwork light source to enable cervical inspection by village health workers Title: 
Authors: 
Fidelma O'Mahony Dr ( fidelma@meole2.freeserve.co.uk )
Bob Bailey Mr ( rds@rshmes.demon.co.uk )
Chris Koller Dr ( Chris.Koller@nstaffsh.wmids.nhs.uk )
Collette Sheridan Dr ( cms@mcmedia.com.au )
Richard Steventon Dr ( rds@rshmes.demon.co.uk )
Kalyan K Dhar Mr ( KDhar@compuserve.com )
Richard B Johanson Prof ( richard@kogs.freeserve.co.uk )
 4  24 Oct 2002 Version: Date: 
 Dr PD Blumenthal Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest: 
 Other (see below) Advice on publication: 
I am sorry not to have responded sooner, and hope this delay has not caused any inconvenience. 
I have reviewed the paper again, and find it acceptable for publication in Biomed Central. 
Thank you for sending the manuscript to me for re-review. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report 
 Development of a clockwork light source to enable cervical inspection by village health Title: 
workers 
Authors: 
Fidelma O'Mahony Dr ( fidelma@meole2.freeserve.co.uk )
Mr Bob Bailey Mr ( rds@rshmes.demon.co.uk )
Mr Chris Koller Dr ( Chris.Koller@nstaffsh.wmids.nhs.uk )
Collette Sheridan Dr ( cms@mcmedia.com.au )
Mr Richard Steventon Dr ( rds@rshmes.demon.co.uk )
Mr Kalyan K Dhar Mr ( KDhar@compuserve.com )
Prof Richard B Johanson Prof ( richard@kogs.freeserve.co.uk )
 4  30 Oct 2002 Version: Date: 
 Dr R Sankaranarayanan Reviewer: 
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Accept without revision Advice on publication: 
I have now gone through the revised manuscript by O'Mahony et al who have satisfactorily 
addressed the original crtique. The article may be considered for publication. 
Competing interests: 
None declared.
Reviewer's report
 Management of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding by Northern, Rural and Isolated Primary Care Title:
Physicians: PART I: How Are We Doing?
Authors:
Simone N Vigod (simone.vigod@utoronto.ca )
Donna E Stewart (donna.stewart@uhn.on.ca )
 1  28 Jun 2002 Version: Date:
 Dr Stacie Geller Reviewer:
 A paper whose findings are important to those with closely related research interests Level of interest:
 Accept after discretionary revisions Advice on publication:
Management of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding by Northern rural and Isolated Primary Care Physicians 
Review by Dr. Stacie Geller 
This is an interesting manuscript investigating an important area of research, the management patterns 
for treatment of AUB given the high rates of hysterectomy in certain areas of Canada, in a population 
not previously studied (family physicians in rural Ontario). 
This study has been well designed and implemented. The data is reported clearly. There appears to be 
sufficient detail provided that would allow for replication of the work (except that the survey is not 
attached as an appendix). The analysis is appropriate and the manuscript is also quite well written. 
My only serious concern is the very low response rate and whether the conclusions drawn can be 
adequately supported by the data shown. The authors have dealt quite openly with this shortcoming and
I can make some suggestions about how this may be overcome, but this may be beyond the capabilities
of the authors. Although the authors say there are no current lists of active family doctors practicing in 
the North are there not lists from academic medical societies or from local government records of any 
kind that could be used for comparison purpose, i.e., are the providers that responded fundamentally the same or different than those who did not respond. Using such data for comparison of age, years of practice, gender, etc would greatly add to the generalizability of their results. 
My other suggestion would be some additional input from the authors on ways to improve management 
of AUB. The authors suggest further education but I think specifics are more in order here. If this is a fairly remote area how is it best done-through internet access given that 93% of respondents had such 
access. What are other viable options? 
I believe if the authors can address these issues the manuscript should be published. 
Competing interests:
None declared.
Reviewer’s report
□
Management of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding by Northern, Rural and Isolated Title:
Primary Care Physicians: PART II: What Do We Need?
Authors:
Simone N Vigod (simone.vigod@utoronto.ca )
Donna E Stewart (donna.stewart@uhn.on.ca )
14Jul 2002 Version: Date:
 Dr George Vilos Reviewer:
 not specified Level of interest:
 Other (see below) Advice on publication:
This report contains valuable information by identifying some of the problems, 
limitations and resource needs of rural and isolated primary care physicians in the 
management of abnormal uterine bleeding. Although only Ontario family physicians 
were surveyed the findings may reflect the same issues of all rural physicians 
throughout Canada. 
The authors correctly point out in the discussion that the moderate response rate 
(31% inspite of two follow-up reminders) limits generalization of their results. 
However, the fact that over 80% of the responders are unaware of clinical practice 
guidelines and the same percentage are requesting copies of such guidelines, puts the onus on the responsible provincial and national organizations and societies in disseminating such information when it becomes available. 
The question of course remains which organization is most responsible or best 
suited to disseminate such information. This report points out that only 75% of these 
physicians are members of the Canadian College of Family Physicians. Guidelines 
for the management of abnormal uterine bleeding have been produced by the 
Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. However, such information is
disseminated only to members of the Society. Only approximately 10% of family 
physicians across Canada are members to the SOGC. 
Iconcur with the conclusion of "one or two page mailing of a diagnostic and 
treatment algorithm for abnormal uterine bleeding would be easy to use and would 
place minimal restrictions on physician autonomy." Indeed such algorithms for the 
management of abnormal uterine bleeding of the pre- and post-menopausal women 
are available at the SOGC website and have been published as appendix A and B of
the Hysterectomy SOGC Clinical Practice Guidelines (JOGC 2002; 24(1): 37-48 No. 
109, January 2002). 
The above clinical practice guidelines reference should replace reference no. 10 of 
this manuscript. 
Reference No. 12 should read dysfunctional uterine ..... 
Competing interests:
None declared.