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This article illustrates the impact of bibliographic collections of medical history (what we can also call "rare medical books") on medical education. The authors have carried out an analysis of academic experiences - largely Anglo-American - where these resources have been used on the educational level. These collections represent an underestimated and underutilised educational potential, especially in Italy, despite the considerable historical wealth and heritage of books and literature available. Furthermore, the article highlights some possible methodological strategies for a systematic enhancement of the collections in the context of the didactic curriculum of medical studies: the development of a systematic scientific alliance between professor and librarian for a pedagogical use of the collections; the direct involvement in academic programs through didactic planning of the use of historical-medical library material; and the use of historical-medical bibliographies as tools for research and understanding the evolution of medical knowledge, to date little used in historical-medical teaching. With specific reference to countries such as Italy, defined by a noteworthy wealth of historical-medical book collections, there is a potential that paradoxically still awaits to be adequately utilised, with the exception of some pioneering and learned experiences. This situation is due to the lack of pedagogical pathways and approaches elaborated according to a common strategy among teachers, researchers and librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: The ethical behavior of authors, editors, and journals is increasingly placed in the spotlight, by both the public and the research community. Disclosures and conflict of interest (COI) statements of publishing authors represent one important aspect. We aimed to unravel the current management of disclosures, COI, and funding statements in the subspecialty urogynecology. Methods: A bibliometric study was carried out. We included six journals that published urogynecology articles between January and December 2013. All original articles, reviews, and opinion articles were assessed for the presence of disclosure/COI and funding statements. Information given on the official disclosure form was compared with information given in the final article ( International Urogynecology Journal). Results: All journals investigated require disclosure and funding statements in their instructions to authors. Of the 434 articles included, almost all contained a disclosure statement (98-100 %). Funding statements were present in 41-100 % of articles, indicating a difference in journal type (50 % on average among urogynecology journals; 75 % on average among general gynecology journals). The main source of funding was 'grants' (58 %), followed by 'none' (16 %), 'industry' (16 %), and lastly 'hospital/university' (10 %). Disclosure statements in the article were identical to the official disclosure form in 80 % ( IUJ). Conclusions: Disclosure/COI statements were included in almost all urogynecology articles investigated. Their content, however, is sometimes incomplete and should possibly be monitored more closely by journals and authors. Despite universal requirements of journals, the reporting of funding seems inconsistent. This issue in addition to the completeness of disclosures should be given more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PHACE syndrome is characterized by the association between infantile hemangioma and varied but characteristic systemic manifestations, including cerebrovascular and cardiac abnormalities. The disorder has primarily been diagnosed in children, with little information available regarding long-term outcomes in affected individuals. We report the oldest known individual with PHACE syndrome in the medical literature, a 65-year-old woman who was diagnosed after a transient ischemic attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the review of literature and the conduct of retrospective chart review for intraorbital foreign bodies. It mentions the analysis conducted on all medical charts from 2007 through 2012 whose international classification of disease (ICD-9) codes is 376.6 or for retained old foreign body with stated exclusion criteria. The review conducted reveals that 38 or 72% of the patients have had their foreign bodied after trauma and 25% had foreign bodies remotely from trauma.

Context. Pyrethroids are synthetic pyrethrin analogues that induce sodium-channel depolarization and hyperexcitation. Severe pyrethroid poisoning is manifested by a 'Tremor Syndrome' (Type I cyano-agents) or a 'Choreoathetosis/Salivation Syndrome' (Type II non cyano-agents). Very few reports of neurotoxic effects caused by Type I pyrethroids ingestion are available, and no human data concerning Type I pyrethroid blood levels in pediatric poisoning are reported in the medical literature. Case details. A 19-month-old female patient presented with irritability and inconsolable crying that rapidly worsened to tonic-clonic seizures and coma (GCS 6). On admission vital signs including BP 110/70 mmHg, HR 110 beats/min, and SpO2 98% on room air were normal. Orotracheal intubation, oxygen administration, and midazolam infusion (4 μg/kg/min) were performed. Intravenous thiopental sodium, up to 18 mg/kg/hour, was administered to control convulsions. An inquiry revealed that 9 h before presentation the patient had ingested an unknown amount of an insecticide containing 7% piperonyl-butoxide and a mixture of the Type I pyrethroids bifenthrin (5%) and esbiothrin (3%). Consequently, gastric lavage was performed, followed by administration of activated charcoal and cathartics. On the subsequent 48 h, the patient returned progressively alert; she was extubated on day 4 and discharged asymptomatically 12 days after hospitalization. After 9, 48, and 72 h of ingestion, the plasma levels were 500, 95, and 40 ng/mL for bifenthrin and 1,640, 640, and 165 ng/mL for piperonyl-butoxide respectively. Discussion. This pediatric case showed severe pyrethroid neurotoxicity associated with measurable plasma levels of bifenthrin and piperonyl-butoxide. In pediatric pyrethroid poisoning, coma and seizures may represent the main life-threatening features. First-aid therapy including airway maintenance and control of muscle fasciculation and seizures is of major importance. Benzodiazepines and high-dose thiopental sodium were effective treatments for convulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In France, pregnant women''s medical follow-up is a full part of the pregnancy care path, and is sometimes so dominant that it becomes, in itself, the main worrying subject for patients and physicians. When an unfollowed patient gets to the maternity hospital – an otherwise well known situation – she is often surrounded by worried expectations. However, there is no universality whether in time or space, in the pregnancy care path we strongly recommend to our patients. Until the century''s beginning, our former obstetricians mostly applied hygienic and behavioral measures, and sometimes harmful cares. We can easily notice that our Europeans neighbors’ or Americans’ official recommendations are far from being the same as ours, with same morbidity results. Insufficient pregnancy following-up may thus recover several definitions. Medical literature about the lack of medical follow-up during pregnancy is quite limited, though national perinatal enquiries exist, like in France. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Odontoid fractures are the most common cervical spine fractures in the elderly. As the population ages, their incidence is expected to increase progressively. The optimal treatment of this condition is still the subject of controversy. The objective of this review is to summarize and compare the outcome of surgical and conservative interventions in the elderly (≥65 years). Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in nine databases of medical literature, supplemented by reference and citation tracking. Clinical status was considered the primary outcome. Fracture union and stability rates were considered secondary outcomes. Results: A total of nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies were performed retrospectively and were of limited quality. There was insufficient data, especially from direct comparisons, to determine the difference in clinical outcome between surgical and conservative interventions. Osseous union was achieved in 66-85 % of surgically treated patients and in 28-44 % of conservatively treated patients. Fracture stability was achieved in 82-97 % of surgically patients and in 53-79 % of conservatively treated patients. Conclusions: There was insufficient data to determine a potential difference in clinical outcome between different treatment groups. Surgically treated patients showed higher osseous union rates compared to conservatively treated patients, possibly because of different selection mechanisms. The majority of patients appears to achieve fracture stability regardless of the applied treatment. A prospective trial with appropriate sample size is needed to identify the optimal treatment of odontoid fractures in the elderly and predictors for the success of either one of the available treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A basic premise of the recently proffered color-in-context model is that the influence of color on psychological functioning varies as a function of the psychological context in which color is perceived. Some research has examined the appetitive and aversive implications of viewing the color red in romance- and achievement-relevant contexts, respectively, but in all existing empirical work approach and avoidance behavior has been studied in separate tasks and separate experiments. Research is needed to directly test whether red influences the same behavior differently depending entirely on psychological context. Methodology/Principal Findings: The present experiment was designed to put this premise to direct test in romance- and achievement-relevant contexts within the same experimental paradigm involving walking behavior. Our results revealed that exposure to red (but not blue) indeed has differential implications for walking behavior as a function of the context in which the color is perceived. Red increased the speed with which participants walked to an ostensible interview about dating (a romance-relevant context), but decreased the speed with which they walked to an ostensible interview about intelligence (an achievement-relevant context). Conclusions/Significance: These results are the first direct evidence that the influence of red on psychological functioning in humans varies by psychological context. Our findings contribute to both the literature on color psychology and the broader, emerging literature on the influence of context on basic psychological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) is a ubiquitously expressed intracellular, ligand-dependent transcription factor, which mediates the action of glucocorticoids and influences physiological functions essential for life. Alterations in the molecular mechanisms of hGR action impair glucocorticoid signal transduction and alter tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids. This review summarizes the pathophysiology, molecular mechanisms and clinical aspects of primary generalized glucocorticoid resistance (PGGR) and hypersensitivity (PGGH). Evidence Acquisition: A systematic review of the published, peer-reviewed medical literature (PubMed: 1975 through May 2011) was conducted to identify original articles and reviews on this topic. Evidence Synthesis: Evidence synthesis was relied upon the experience of a number of experts in the field, including our extensive personal experience. Conclusions: The molecular basis of PGGR and PGGH has been ascribed to mutations in the hGR gene, which alter tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids. The stochastic nature of glucocorticoid signaling pathways in association with the variable effect that hGR gene mutations/polymorphisms might have on glucocorticoid signal transduction indicates that alterations in hGR action may have important implications for many critical biological processes, such as the behavioral and physiological responses to stress, the immune and inflammatory reaction, as well as growth and reproduction. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE Medical education (ME), as a specific field of knowledge related to the processes of medical teaching and learning, is gradually gaining ground in Greece. It does not need to start from scratch, as relevant papers have been already published in the Greek medical literature. The aim of this paper was to list all the articles that refer to ME, published in the journals of the Athens Medical Society: Archives of Hellenic Medicine (AHM) and Archives of Medical Societies (AMS). METHOD Every single published issue was indexed. After the 4th issue of the 16th volume of ??? (July--August 1999) all articles are available on the web (http://www.mednet.gr/archives/). The earlier issues were found either in the Library of Health Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens or in the Library of the Athens Medical Society. In both cases, the table of contents was first checked, either electronically since July- August 1999 or manually for all previous issues. The abstracts of all articles that initially considered relevant were read and the irrelevant ones were excluded. RESULTS The first issue of AMS was published in the first trimester of the year 1975. The first issue of AHM, the sequel to AMS, was published in February 1984. Having indexed 36 volumes, 47 articles on ME were found (1.28 per year). The first such article was in the 2nd issue of the 5th volume of AMS (1979) and the last in the 3rd issue of the 27th volume of AHM (2010). During its 9-year period of publication, AMS hosted 16 ME articles (1.8 per year), while A?M journal has hosted 31 ME articles in its 26 years of publication (1.2 per year). All papers relevant to ME are listed here, including the 6 that have been recently accepted (2010) but not yet published. CONCLUSIONS Although AMS and AHM are medical and not medical-education journals, ME has found its way into their pages. The listing of ME articles could be helpful to those who intend to work in the field of education of medical students and doctors. The expansion of this indexing to include all other medical journals would contribute to the whole picture of the relevant to Greek bibliography on ME, which should not be ignored by those interested in ME in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the literature we find many indices of size of treatment effect (effect size: ES). The preferred index of treatment effect in evidence-based medicine is the number needed to treat (NNT), while the most common one in the medical literature is Cohen's d when the outcome is continuous. There is confusion about how to convert Cohen's d into NNT. Methods: We conducted meta-analyses of individual patient data from 10 randomized controlled trials of second generation antipsychotics for schizophrenia (n = 4278) to produce Cohen's d and NNTs for various definitions of response, using cutoffs of 10% through 90% reduction on the symptom severity scale. These actual NNTs were compared with NNTs calculated from Cohen's d according to two proposed methods in the literature (Kraemer, et al., Biological Psychiatry, 2006; Furukawa, Lancet, 1999). Results: NNTs from Kraemer's method overlapped with the actual NNTs in 56%, while those based on Furukawa's method fell within the observed ranges of NNTs in 97% of the examined instances. For various definitions of response corresponding with 10% through 70% symptom reduction where we observed a non-small number of responders, the degree of agreement for the former method was at a chance level (ANOVA ICC of 0.12, p = 0.22) but that for the latter method was ANOVA ICC of 0.86 (95%CI: 0.55 to 0.95, p,0.01). Conclusions: Furukawa's method allows more accurate prediction of NNTs from Cohen's d. Kraemer's method gives a wrong impression that NNT is constant for a given d even when the event rate differs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the stance of the surgical literature to ignore the possibility of errors in measurement procedures. He explores the difference between accuracy and precision, as well as investigates the occurrence of bias in inaccurate measurement procedures. The author also examines the meaning of prevalence in surgical literature as well as the important role of nominal and ordinal data. An overview of how surgical journals use tables and charts is offered.

Authors of medical diagnostic literature frequently report sensitivity and specificity as measures of the quality of an evaluative study. However, these representations are easily misinterpreted by clinicians to be indicative of the prospective value of a test as predictive of the presence (positive predictive value, PPV) or absence of disease (negative predictive value, NPV). Although these phenomena are related, the mathematical expression and, therefore, the conclusions are more complex. Using algebraic methods, we derived simplified formulas to determine PPV, NPV, and accuracy (A). These general terms were solved by constraining individual variables, resulting in the development of curves that may be used routinely to analyze medical diagnostic literature. Equations for PPV, NPV, and A were generated by using sensitivity, specificity, and incidence/prevalence as the dependent variables. These equations have been employed to generate representative graphs of PPV, NPV, and A and to clarify trends in these features with respect to commonly reported data. These simplified equations allow clinicians to determine the utility of diagnostic studies in prospect, despite having only sensitivity, specificity, and incidence or prevalence of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Images are important for conveying information, but there is no empirical evidence on whether imaging figures are properly selected and presented in the published medical literature. We therefore evaluated the selection and presentation of radiological imaging figures in major medical journals. Methodology/Principal Findings: We analyzed articles published in 2005 in 12 major general and specialty medical journals that had radiological imaging figures. For each figure, we recorded information on selection, study population, provision of quantitative measurements, color scales and contrast use. Overall, 417 images from 212 articles were analyzed. Any comment/hint on image selection was made in 44 (11%) images (range 0-50% across the 12 journals) and another 37 (9%) (range 0-60%) showed both a normal and abnormal appearance. In 108 images (26%) (range 0-43%) it was unclear whether the image came from the presented study population. Eighty-three images (20%) (range 0-60%) had any quantitative or ordered categorical value on a measure of interest. Information on the distribution of the measure of interest in the study population was given in 59 cases. For 43 images (range 0-40%), a quantitative measurement was provided for the depicted case and the distribution of values in the study population was also available; in those 43 cases there was no overrepresentation of extreme than average cases (p = 0.37). Significance: The selection and presentation of images in the medical literature is often insufficiently documented; quantitative data are sparse and difficult to place in context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The issue of duplicate publications has received a lot of attention in the medical literature, but much less in the information science community. This paper aims to analyze the prevalence and scientific impact of duplicate publications across all fields of research between 1980 and 2007. Design/methodology/approach - The approach is a bibliometric analysis of duplicate papers based on their metadata. Duplicate papers are defined as papers published in two different journals having: the exact same title; the same first author; and the same number of cited references. Findings - In all fields combined, the prevalence of duplicates is one out of 2,000 papers, but is higher in the natural and medical sciences than in the social sciences and humanities. A very high proportion (.85 percent) of these papers are published the same year or one year apart, which suggest that most duplicate papers were submitted simultaneously. Furthermore, duplicate papers are generally published in journals with impact factors below the average of their field and obtain lower citations. Originality/value - The paper provides clear evidence that the prevalence of duplicate papers is low and, more importantly, that the scientific impact of such papers is below average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Significant publications on infectious diseases (ID) pharmacotherapy in 2008 were compiled and summarized. Summary. On December 31, 2008, the Houston Infectious Diseases Network compiled a listing of published articles identified as having a significant impact on ID pharmacotherapy. The publication period was limited to January 1 through December 31, 2008. Articles were selected based on prior presentations at ID and pharmacy meetings or were listed as major articles in prominent ID journals. Priority was given to articles that were published in peer-reviewed journals and to treatment guidelines endorsed by major medical and pharmacy organizations. A bibliography of 56 articles (40 not related to human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection and 16 related to HIV infection) was distributed to members of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) via an Internet survey in early January 2009. Members were asked to select 10 publications not related to HIV infection and 1 HIV-related publication that they believed made the greatest contribution to the antimicrobial-related medical literature in 2008. A total of 115 SIDP members participated in the survey. Summaries of the top articles selected, along with an interpretation of their effect on clinical practice, are included. Conclusion. The increasing number of articles in the peer-reviewed medical literature related to the diagnosis and treatment of ID has made it challenging to maintain a contemporary knowledge base of key publications. This summary of significant ID articles published in 2008 can help to alleviate this burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To report an unusual location of a transmigrated IUD which become embedded in the right ovary causing chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia. A 22-year-old woman who had an IUD (Copper T), inserted 7 years ago presented with complaint of lower abdominal pain. Pelvic ultrasonographic examination revealed ovarian embedding of the IUD. Laparoscopic IUD removal was successfully performed. De novo lower abdominal pain in a woman with an IUD in situ should alert the clinician to the possibility of total or partial transmigration of the device into the pelvis or abdomen. Ovarian penetration is very rare and this is the second case of IUD transmigration into the ovary reported in the medical literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Demodex folliculorum is a saprophytic mite of the human pilosebaceous unit with a prelidiction for facial skin and eyelashes. Infestation occurs frequently without symptoms; however, suppurative or granulomatous inflammation may be seen with high mite density. Skin lesions, such as rosacea, pityriasis, and blepharitis, have been attributed to Demodex; however, its role in sebaceous adenoma (SA) has not been reported in extensively searched medical literature. We report this rare case and review the skin lesions associated with Demodex folliculorum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to review the available literature regarding the physiological burden imposed on pregnant women by their wearing filtering facepiece respirators. Methods: A medical literature search was conducted using MEDLINE (1996–2008) for English language articles, bibliographies of retrieved articles, electronic references from medical and governmental agency sources, and selected textbook articles. Results: Two hundred thirty-four articles from the medical literature and 267 electronic references were retrieved, of which 51 articles from the medical literature, 25 electronic references, and 2 textbook articles were selected for data acquisition. Conclusions: Very little rigorous scientific data exist on the physiological burden associated with the use of filtering facepiece respirators by pregnant women, and no definitive conclusions can be reached at this time. Although studies are warranted, they may be difficult to undertake because of health concerns and potential liability associated with the use of pregnant women in medical research. Computer modeling that incorporates features of pulmonary function in pregnancy might offer an alternative to human studies. Filtering facepiece respirators developed to meet the respiratory limitations of pregnant wearers might offer a universal design that would improve the comfort and tolerability for all users. Alternative strategies that limit the pregnant woman's contact with potentially infectious agents (e.g., job reassignment, working from home) may have to be employed in certain circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To introduce an improved approach to the peritoneoscopic appendectomy through the umbilicus and the advantages of its scientific, practical, and advanced and cosmetological features in this kind of the micro-trauma abdominal operation. Methods The medical literature concerned with our newly-designed micro-trauma abdominal surgical equipment and the surgical procedures was summarized and evaluated. Results Based on the determinations of the activity of the cecum and the distance between the McBurney's point and the umbilicus for investigating the feasibility of the peritoneoscopic appendectomy through the umbilicus, we found the significant advantages of this kind of the micro-trauma abdominal surgery. Based on the determinations of the depth of the umbilicus and other outer and inner diameter of the umbilicus in children, we invented Zhou's Umbilicus Lancet of different kinds. Trocar Umbilicus Ballon, Chemicaly-Soaked Dressing in entizol solution for the peritoneoscopic appendectomy. So, the speed of our operation was improved and the postoperative infection of the umbilicus was avoided. Conclusions The peritoneoscopic appendectomy through the umbilicus with the help of our newly-designed micro-trauma abdominal surgical equipment is an optimal surgical technique with advantages of its scientific practical, advanced and cosmetological features in the micro-trauma abdominal operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To develop clinical practice guidelines for the identification, evaluation and treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury patients. Methods and results: the methodology was developed by the SOFMER (the French Society for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) and incorporates both guidelines for clinical practice and an expert consensus meeting. Following the creation of a Steering Committee and a Scientific Committee, twelve relevant questions were developed. Two experts from different medical specialties were assigned to each question. The scientific literature was assessed according to the grading scale used by the French Agency for Accreditation and Evaluation in Healthcare (ANAES). The conclusions from the experts’ literature analysis were presented at the 2007 SOFMER congress. Lastly, a multidisciplinary expert panel validated the guidelines. Conclusion: Each question generated a number of good practice guidelines, based on the available scientific level of proof and expert opinion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Within the theoretical framework of the bibliographic dimension of disciplines (informative and bibliographic structures) and applying quantitative methods, the present research aims to analyze visibility and overlapping indicators of national medical bibliographic production in international multidiscipline or single-discipline databases. It is expected to prove that low visibility levels and high rates of overlapping could be the factors contributing to low dissemination and visibility of the work of Argentinian medical researchers in the international "mainstream". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current system of publication in biomedical research provides a distorted view of the reality of scientific data that are generated in the laboratory and clinic. This system can be studied by applying principles from the field of economics. The "winner's curse," a more general statement of publication bias, suggests that the small proportion of results chosen for publication are unrepresentative of scientists' repeated samplings of the real world. The self-correcting mechanism in science is retarded by the extreme imbalance between the abundance of supply (the output of basic science laboratories and clinical investigations) and the increasingly limited venues for publication (journals with sufficiently high impact). This system would be expected intrinsically to lead to the misallocation of resources. The scarcity of available outlets is artificial, based on the costs of printing in an electronic age and a belief that selectivity is equivalent to quality. Science is subject to great uncertainty: we cannot be confident now which efforts will ultimately yield worthwhile achievements. However, the current system abdicates to a small number of intermediates an authoritative prescience to anticipate a highly unpredictable future. In considering society's expectations and our own goals as scientists, we believe that there is a moral imperative to reconsider how scientific data are judged and disseminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous work by the AMDA Foundation Long-Term Care (AMDA-F LTC) Research Network suggests that urinary incontinence (UI), while prevalent, is not a high priority in the nursing facility (NF) and that barriers to better continence care are discipline-specific. Other studies report that interventions for UI in the NF often are not individualized or are poorly implemented. Implementation of processes of care may be more dependent on facility characteristics than on the attitudes, knowledge, and skill of individual health care workers. We tested the hypothesis that better facility performance on a quality indicator (QI) for continence care (toileting) is associated with a more systematic approach to continence care. Methods: This is a descriptive study of a cohort of 34 for-profit NFs in the AMDA-F LTC Research Network. Facilities were categorized as either good performers or poor performers based on percentile ranking during a 1-year period on the quality indicator for toileting. Good performers and poor performers were compared based on a number of characteristics. Results: There were no significant differences between good performers (17 facilities) and poor performers (17 facilities) with respect to occupancy, turnover, performance on other QIs, and cost of continence products. The prevalence of pharmacotherapy for UI was between 7% and 8%, which is consistent with other reports and did not differ between good performers and poor performers. However, good performers were more likely to report the presence of a process improvement team (PIT) for UI (53% versus 18%, P = .03) and more likely to report using a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for UI along with a UI PIT (47% versus 6%, P = .007). Conclusions: Facilities that are good performers on the quality indicator for toileting are more likely to report the presence of a process-improvement team for urinary incontinence. Better performance is even more strongly associated with both the presence of a process improvement team and reported use of a clinical practice guideline for urinary incontinence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Male sexual health concerns are often construed in the medical literature as linked only to genital and reproductive difficulties and malfunctions. However, in reality, male sexual health concerns encompass a broader range of issues and should not be so narrowly conceived. This paper explores men's perceptions of sexual health concerns in Muong Khen, a rural town in northwestern Vietnam. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Findings suggest that men's sexual health concerns are strongly related to worries about economic problems, excessive drinking, men's beliefs about how their bodies work and the hegemonic notion that a man should be responsible for his family's economic well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can susceptibility to false memory and suggestion increase dramatically with age? The authors review the theoretical and empirical literatures on this counterintuitive possibility. Until recently, the well-documented pattern was that susceptibility to memory distortion had been found to decline between early childhood and young adulthood. That pattern is the centerpiece of much expert testimony in legal cases involving child witnesses and victims. During the past 5 years, however, several experiments have been published that test fuzzy-trace theory's prediction that some of the most powerful forms of false memory in adults will be greatly attenuated in children. Those experiments show that in some common domains of experience, in which false memories are rooted in meaning connections among events, age increases in false memory are the rule and are sometimes accompanied by net declines in the accuracy of memory. As these experiments are strongly theory-driven, they have established that developmental improvements in the formation of meaning connections are necessary and sufficient to produce age increases in false memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical evidence in the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) continues to evolve at a rapid pace. For clinicians to provide optimal care for these patients, it is important to keep up with new information as it becomes available. With the existence of numerous pharmacologic agents, abundance of major clinical trials, and several nationally recognized clinical guidelines, compiling the needed reference material to make evidence-based decisions on the care of patients with ACS or those undergoing PCI can be difficult for clinicians. Therefore, we provide an update to the first compiled bibliography of key articles and guidelines relative to patients with ACS published in Pharmacotherapy in 2004. A number of guidelines and practice-changing literature have been published since the initial 2004 document. We hope that this compilation will serve as a resource for pharmacists, physicians, nurses, residents, and students responsible for the care of patients with coronary heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: To develop clinical practice guidelines for ambulatory physiotherapy for patients able to leave the surgery department directly for home just after total knee replacement (TKR). Method: We used the SOFMER (French Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine) methodology, which associates a systematic revue of the literature, collection of information regarding current clinical practice and external review by a multidisciplinary expert panel. Main outcomes considered in the recommendations were impairment, disability, medico-economic implications and postoperative complications. Results: The literature review did not allow for recommending systematic prescription of ambulatory physiotherapy for patients able to leave the surgery department directly for home just after TKR. However, this prescription could improve muscle strength and function but not mobility. When patients can return home directly after surgery, we recommend ambulatory physiotherapy as suggested by French clinical practice to increase function. Conclusion: Good methodological trials must be developed to define the criteria for prescribing ambulatory physiotherapy for patients able to return home just after total knee replacement (TKR) and to evaluate the content of the optimal program. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The Polish Medical Bibliography (Polska Bibliografia Lekarska) contains 350 000 records dating from 1979. These records from the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health care systems and preclinical sciences are from nearly 300 biomedical journals published in Poland. Methods: We systematically searched the Polish Medical Bibliography Part II (1996–2006) CD-ROM (July 2006) using both English and Polish phrases for randomized trials, manually checked results and, for the trials identified in this way, sought these onmedline andembase. Results: Systematic searching identified records of 680 randomized trials from all areas of health care. Nearly 40% of these were not found on eithermedline orembase. Conclusions: The Polish Medical Bibliography should be of interest to health care information specialists concerned with comprehensive searches for trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the third review in a series whose purpose is to provide succinct summaries and informative commentaries of the recent medical literature pertinent to pediatric heart transplantation and directed toward the practicing clinician. It is meant to be comprehensive but not all-inclusive. Important articles published during 2005 and 2006 are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: CPR quality is an important determinant of cardiac arrest outcome. Recent investigations have demonstrated that quality of clinical CPR is variable and often not in compliance with international consensus guidelines. The 2005 update of these guidelines included new recommendations for the measurement of resuscitation and CPR performance and the institution of measures to improve resuscitation care. Common definitions and reporting templates need to be established for the variables of CPR quality. This will allow for meaningful comparisons between treatment groups in clinical trials as well as a common system for quality improvement and documentation of this improvement. Methods/results: In this report, we present the results from an international consensus working group to propose common definitions and criteria for reporting variables of CPR quality, based on the best available data for the importance of various CPR variables. The recommendations are discussed in light of the different purposes outlined above. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal human cancers and continues to be a major unsolved health problem as we enter the 21st century. This is the case despite advances in imaging technology and surgical management. Indeed, 80-90% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed either at the locally advanced stage or metastatic stage. Cutaneous metastases originating from pancreatic cancer are relatively rare. The most common site of cutaneous metastasis is the umbilicus, and it is known as the Sister Joseph's nodule. Very few patients have been reported with cutaneous lesions disclosing pancreatic carcinoma at sites other than the umbilical area. To our knowledge, there were no previous reports on cutaneous pancreatic metastasis in Egypt. This is a report of a patient with cutaneous pancreatic metastases at the neck, followed by a review of reported non-umbilical cutaneous metastases from pancreatic carcinoma in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The usage of a computerized system to organize data and ease the activity procedures of liver transplantation is useful in clinical transplantation. Preliminary cognitive research on systems of clinical transplantation database concerning medical reports was performed to verify their development level. The survey highlighted that, so far, there has been no experimentation that can be applied to a medical report type devoted to liver transplantation. Regulations in force substantially point out that the medical report ought to contain all items that have to be taken into account in handling the patient from pretransplantation to follow-up. The Department of Transplantation of Genoa chose its medical report model for liver transplantation. The medical report model included the following items: personal data; case history; diagnosis; initial examination for prelisting; fitness for transplantation; assistance context; clinical data including subjective, objective, and instrumental parameters; pharmacological therapies; informed consent, evaluation of fitness; nursing data; counseling and clinical evaluations according to protocols and guidelines of the national transplantation centers. If the computing is well trained, it is supposed to help maintain a whole data view provided it is supplied information in an adequate way. Immediate clinical procedural advantages and useful scientific observations may be obtained from a high-quality database. In fact, all functions have to be applied to specific clinical, administrative needs to be remotely shared and conveniently integrated with each other to make the liver transplantation medical report an easy and handy instrument for inputting and handling data. It must be a precise, complete instrument that may be accessible in real time from any site connected with the intranet network, be unchangeable, and be protected to ensure certification and forensic medicine value. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

INTRODUCTION: Declarations of conflicts of interest have received considerable scrutiny in recent years. AIM: To determine if the leading gastroenterology journals had a formal conflict of interest disclosure policy and the extent to which this policy was followed by reporting of funding sources and potential conflicts of interests of the authors and editors of published studies. METHODS: We examined original articles and editorials in 12 leading journals (determined by impact factor) devoted to gastroenterology and hepatology. We examined the editorial policy of the journal (if available) on the Web site of the journal or in print versions of the journal and contacted the journal for further information on editorial policies. RESULTS: A total of 1,114 original articles and 154 editorials were evaluated from 12 journals. The source of funding for a study was disclosed in 19–99% of the articles examined with only one journal reporting the funding source (or absence of funding) in over 90% of articles studied. A potential conflict of interest was present in 0–13% of original articles and 0–33% of editorials. Only 2 of 12 (17%) journals publicly disclosed the conflicts of interest of the editors to the reader and only 3 (25%) had a formal method for handling editors' conflicts of interest. CONCLUSIONS: Editors of gastroenterology and hepatology journals have been slow to implement guidelines for the disclosure of their own conflicts of interest. Disclosure of funding sources and conflicts of interest of authors is variable despite the presence of conflict of interest policies at most journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There have been conflicting descriptions of brachialis muscle anatomy in the literature. The purpose of the present study was to clarify brachialis muscle anatomy in order to refine surgical techniques around the elbow. Methods: Eleven cadaveric upper limbs were dissected under loupe magnification. The gross morphological characteristics, relationships, and nerve supply of the brachialis muscle were recorded. The nerve supply was examined histologically to confirm the gross findings. Results: In all specimens, the brachialis muscle had two heads. The larger, superficial head originated from the anterolateral aspect of the humerus, proximal to the smaller, deep head. The superficial head contained longitudinal fibers, which inserted by means of a thick round tendon onto the ulnar tuberosity. The deep head fibers were fan-shaped and converged to insert by means of an aponeurosis onto the coronoid process. In all specimens, a branch of the radial nerve supplied the inferolateral fibers of the deep head. Conclusions: Our observations of brachialis muscle anatomy differ considerably from the descriptions in the current literature. The larger, superficial head has the mechanical advantage of a more proximal origin and a more distal insertion, which may enable it to provide the bulk of flexion strength. The smaller, oblique, deep head has a more anterior insertion on the coronoid, which may facilitate the initiation of elbow flexion from full extension. The radial nerve-innervated inferolateral fibers of the deep head run in a direction similar to the anconeus muscle, forming a muscular sling around the elbow. This complex may act to dynamically stabilize the ulnohumeral joint. Clinical Relevance: This information may enhance surgical techniques about the elbow. The identification of an internervous plane may allow for improvement in the current anterior and anterolateral surgical approaches to the humerus. The tendon of the superficial head is well positioned to allow its transfer to the radial tuberosity, potentially improving supination strength in the absence of a distal biceps tendon. It is possible that the tendon of the superficial head might also be used to reconstruct the anular ligament or the medial collateral ligament of the elbow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the results of studies evaluating the usefulness of evidence based nonpharmacological interventions for the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia. Data are acquired by reviewing relevant bibliographies from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, the Cochraine Library published from January 1966 to December 2005. The findings suggest the effectiveness of bright light therapy and interventions that address behavioral issues.

The article presents a case study in which a medical librarian in a hospital's intensive care unit is tasked with finding the "evidence basis for use of intravenous colistin for multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter infections in the adult, non-neutropenic, critical care population." A strategy for exploring the medical literature and bibliographic citations is presented, as well as suggestions for summarizing important findings for the medical care team and evaluating the overall state of literature on a given topic.

Abstract: We begin this paper with a consideration of the significance of a historical perspective in presentations of evidence-based practice in the nursing and medical literature. We suggest that whereas writers often produce coherent historical narratives as justification for particular views of the nature of EBP, an examination of its origins reveals no such signs of historical development or progress in our conception or understanding of it. We then explore alternative modes of thought for attempting to understand and critique the variety of definitions and descriptions of EBP to be found in the literature. We eventually reject the linear mode of historical thinking in favour of Deleuze''s notion of rhizomatic thought and the metaphor of geology. Finally, we employ the rhizomatic mode of thinking and writing to construct a geology of evidence-based practice which attempts to expose and embrace contradictions in definitions and uses of the term rather than discount them in an authorised historical narrative written from the perspective of the dominant discourse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Pelvic fractures occur when there is high kinetic energy transfer to the patient such as would be expected in motor vehicle crashes, auto-pedestrian collisions, motorcycle crashes, falls, and crush injuries. High-force impact implies an increased risk for associated injuries to accompany the pelvic fracture, as well as significant mortality and morbidity risks. Choosing the optimum course of diagnosis and treatment for these patients can be challenging. The purpose of this review is to supply a contemporary view of the diagnosis and therapy of patients with this important group of injuries. Methods: A comprehensive review of the medical literature, focusing on publications produced in the last 10 years, was undertaken. The principal sources were found in surgical, orthopedic, and radiographic journals. Conclusions: The central challenge for the clinician evaluating and managing a patient with a pelvic fracture is to determine the most immediate threat to life and control this threat. Treatment approaches will vary depending on whether the main threat arises from pelvic fracture hemorrhage, associated injuries, or both simultaneously. Functional outcomes in the long-term depend on the quality of the rigid fixation of the fracture, as well as associated pelvic neural and visceral injuries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The study compared citation format in EndNote® version 7 and Reference Manager® version 11 with the citation format for references found in the instructions to authors from the most significant medical literature. The resulting information should be very useful to those who depend on citation management software to format and organize their references for publication in medicine, and librarians and others who teach the use of citation management software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study sought to understand the literature searching experiences and skills of clinical research coordinators at a large academic medical center. Setting/Participants/Resources: The Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, conducted a survey of clinical research coordinators at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to solicit their perceived use and knowledge of the library's electronic resources. Brief Description: The University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a "high volume IRB" that monitors human subject research at both the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. More than 3,500 human research studies and clinical trials are active at any given time. Many studies entail more than minimal risk to human subjects, with the majority evaluating or including a drug or medical device. Clinical research coordinators are involved in most of these studies or trials. Their roles and responsibilities focus on managing many aspects of the study or clinical trial. As a first step in understanding the literature searching experiences and skills of these research coordinators, baseline data were gathered from this group in November 2004. Results/Outcome: The data from this survey indicate that clinical research coordinators are a population who would benefit from training by academic medical center librarians in how to use electronic library resources and services. Evaluation Method: A Web-based survey solicited participants' information (gender, education, job title) and role in the IRB process (job responsibilities, number studies they manage). The majority of the survey questions focused on the use of specific electronic library resources, the type of information wanted, and the types of problems encountered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]