Falk Library Closing for Renovations in December

Falk Library will be closed from Friday, December 24, 2010 through January 2, 2011. During this time the entry to Falk Library will be updated with a new tile floor. The library will reopen on Monday, January 3, 2011, from 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m. Hours on Tuesday, January 4, will be from 7 a.m.—8 p.m. We will resume regular hours on Wednesday, January 5. Stop by and take a look at the new entry.

For assistance while the library is closed, use Ask A Librarian.

Director's Reflections… A New Year, a New Update Format, and Continuing Appreciation of Library Donors

Barbara EpsteinAs you can see from the long list of articles in this issue, the number of news items about the library’s resources and activities continues to grow.

Therefore, beginning in January 2011, we will switch to a new publishing format. Newsletter articles of immediate interest to our readers will be available through an RSS feed shortly after they are written. This new publishing model will give you quicker access to valuable information. The bi-monthly issue will still be published on the current schedule, and will contain a compilation of the articles from the RSS feed, and other less time-sensitive information. Continue reading

Full-text Articles Now Available from Mobile PubMed

Do you use hsls.pitt.edu from your mobile device? If so, full-text PubMed is now available! Easily accessible from the HSLS mobile apps page, the PubMed link allows mobile users on the Pitt or UPMC wireless network to search:

  • MEDLINE, the freely accessible online database of biomedical journal citations and abstracts
  • PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome), a method of searching the literature for evidence
  • askMEDLINE, a free-text, natural language search tool for MEDLINE
  • Journal Browser, search for journals by journal title or title abbreviation
  • Disease Associations, search case reports for disease associations

MobilePubMed

When scrolling though the results page, click the Pitt/UPMC full-text button (just like using HSLS’s PubMed on your desktop) to access the full text of the article on your mobile device.

~ Fran Yarger

Free CME Credit for MD Consult and First Consult Users

What: Free CME Credits
Where: Via MD Consult or First Consult product use
How: Do a search on a clinical question topic and then click the button to request CME

Elsevier, a major publisher, has teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic to bring free CME credit opportunities to MD Consult and First Consult product users. HSLS currently subscribes to both products, so our users at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC are eligible.

A unique feature of this CME opportunity is its availability at the point-of-care, just one click away. The CME, typically 0.5 credit per topic search, is accredited by the AACME and qualifies as AMA PRA Category 1 Credit.

Free CME

The following instructions provide further information on the process.  Complete these six steps to claim 0.5 credit:

  1. Identify a clinical question relevant to your practice
  2. Perform a search to answer your clinical question
  3. Select 1-3 of the most relevant articles
  4. Cut and paste the citations into the form
  5. Complete the questions on the form
  6. Click “Submit” at the bottom of the form to obtain your CME certificate for 0.5 credit

Parts of this article were reprinted from First Consult.

~ Ahlam Saleh

Writing Integrity in the Digital Age: Copyright, Ownership, Fair Use and Attribution*, Part 1

The digital age has brought about many changes in how students and researchers locate and use information. Today, most current academic journal articles in science, technology and medicine are available electronically. Internet search engines, such as Google and Bing, allow quick and easy access to all types of information. These products make research results appear linked and transparent, while at the same time, they may blur the lines of ownership, copyright and fair use. With so much content at our fingertips, it can be all too easy to incorporate someone else’s ideas and words into another work without proper attribution.

This two-part article introduces Web and HSLS resources that can help you avoid plagiarism and maintain your writing integrity. Part 1 focuses on copyright, ownership, fair use, and attribution. Part 2, in the February 2011 issue of the HSLS Update, will discuss when to cite previous work, how to avoid plagiarism, and resources for ethical authorship.

Overview of Copyright

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, was created to establish an international system to protect intellectual property. Two of the many authoritative resources produced by WIPO include What is Intellectual Property? and Understanding Copyright and Related Rights. These resources provide a good overview for non-specialists of the different types of intellectual property, what works are protected by copyright, and copyright ownership.

Published works that may not be copyrighted generally include compilations of readily available information, works published by the U.S. Government, facts that are widely known or “common knowledge,” and works in the public domain. For answers to frequently asked questions about plagiarism, visit Plagiarism FAQs.

A useful chart on copyright duration is available from Cornell University, “Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States: 1 January 2010.”  This chart illustrates when to expect a work to pass into the public domain. This is helpful in identifying when copyright on a specific work may expire.

Fair Use

The doctrine of “fair use” allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission of the copyright holder. Section 107 of the copyright law lists four factors that determine whether a particular use is fair: (1) purpose and character of the use, such as whether the use is commercial or educational, (2) nature of the copyrighted work, (3) amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, and (4) effect of the use upon the potential market or value of the copyrighted work. The University of Minnesota’s Fair Use Analysis Tool helps you calculate whether your intended use is within the boundaries of fair use.

Unpublished Data

“Unpublished” does not mean “un-copyrighted.” Even if the data in your article or paper is unpublished, it is probably owned by someone, and written permission should be obtained from the owner before using it. For details, see Unpublished Works from the University of Connecticut Libraries.

Data Ownership

Consideration of data ownership is essential when using research data in a publication or when providing access to the data. Responsible Conduct in Data Management: Data Ownership, from Northern Illinois University, explains the complexities surrounding this issue.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Research Integrity has established Guidelines for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Section 3c of this document states: “Research data obtained in studies performed at the University of Pittsburgh and/or by employees of the University are not the property of the researcher who generated or observed them or even of the principal investigator of the research group.  They belong to the University of Pittsburgh, which can be held accountable for the integrity of the data even if the researchers have left the University.”

Thus, researchers and students who leave the University must obtain written permission to use data generated at the University.

*This article is based on a presentation Wessel gave at the Academic Integrity Workshop offered by the ICRE (Institute for Clinical Research Education).

~ Charles Wessel

World Class Online Seminars: Henry Stewart Talks

HenryStewartTalksAre you curious to discover what leading experts have to say about biomedicine and life sciences? Do you enjoy listening and learning in the comfort of your own office, lab, or home? Are you eager to watch seminars on your own schedule? Then the Henry Stewart Talks are exactly what you’re seeking!

HSLS is pleased to provide our Pitt/UPMC users with access to the Henry Stewart Talks: Biomedical & Life Sciences Collection, a searchable series of audiovisual presentations from internationally-recognized scientists. The collection is organized into series that can be browsed by topic, such as Epigenetics, Design & Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials, RNA Interference, or searched by keyword. It is regularly updated and expanded, and currently contains over 1,000 talks, as short as 10 minutes or as long as 75 minutes.

Information about each talk includes the speaker(s) name and a brief biography, a detailed slide index, a printable slide handout in PDF, duration of the talk, a brief description, citation information, a direct access link to the video, publication date, and placement in the topic’s series. Each series also includes information on the target audience, series editor(s), and publication/update/review dates.

There are multiple methods for locating the Henry Stewart Talks:

  1. All talks are catalogued in PITTCat; search for Henry Stewart Talks under “Title Begins with” for an alphabetical list or to search by individual title.
  2. Click on the “Videos” tab on the MolBio home page.
  3. Visit Henry Stewart Talks: Online Seminars by Leading World Experts.

The talks are available 24/7, so you can access them whenever and wherever you’d like. The only caveat is that your IP address must be recognized as a Pitt affiliate, so use remote access if you’re off campus.

The Henry Stewart Talks are a valuable resource for the latest research and developments in biomedical and life sciences, directly from leading world experts. Have a look and let us know what you think.

For more information about the Henry Stewart Talks, contact Carrie Iwema at iwema@pitt.edu or 412-383-6887.

~ Carrie Iwema

Harry Potter is Coming to HSLS!

Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic and Medicine, a travelling exhibit produced by the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, and coordinated by the American Library Association, will arrive at Falk Library on February 13, 2011. The exhibit explores the link between the hugely popular Harry Potter book series and the history of science, using materials from the National Library of Medicine.

Please mark your calendars for the following free events before and during the exhibit:

OPENING RECEPTION: February 22, 6–7 p.m., Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 6
Reception following in Falk Library

Stephen Greenberg, PhD, coordinator of public services, History of Medicine Division, National Library of Medicine, will be here to present “Magic and Monsters in the Stacks: How Harry Potter Came to the National Library of Medicine.” Come and hear Dr. Greenberg tell the story of the Harry Potter exhibit and how it took shape at the National Library of Medicine.

MARCH PRESENTATION: March 15, 6–7 p.m., Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 5
Reception following in Falk Library

Sylvia Pamboukian, PhD, assistant professor of English Studies at Robert Morris University, will present, “World of Medieval Medicine and Harry Potter.” All are welcome to come explore the ways in which medical materials of the Renaissance were perceived as part of a larger, ritualistic process incorporating material, environment, practitioner, and patient. Dr. Pamboukian will also discuss the ways in which such practices were perceived at the time, particularly the fears about witches and wizards.

MOVIE NIGHTS: Second Monday of the month, Scaife Hall, Lecture Room 6, 7 p.m.

To help you brush up on Harry’s adventures and wizarding education before the exhibit arrives, HSLS is sponsoring monthly Harry Potter movie nights. Take a break from studying for free entertainment and free popcorn!

Monday, December 13, 2010: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Monday, January 10, 2011: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Monday, February 14, 2011: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Monday, March 14, 2011: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

~ Renae Barger

Scopus Database, Science Direct Enhancements: SciVerse and SciVerse Hub

Elsevier Science has released SciVerse, a search product that integrates searching across three sources: the Scopus abstract and citation database, full-text journals from Science Direct, and Scirus, a database of selected scientific content from the Internet. The initial SciVerse release includes several new features, including:

  • The ability to search within the methods sections of Science Direct journals
  • Image searching in Science Direct
  • A display of sentences from retrieved articles that contain your search words in context with links to the full text
  • Ranking of authors by number of their articles in the results, with a link to an author search in Scopus

SciVerse

Future Developments
Elsevier’s future plans do not call for the removal of the existing Scopus and Science Direct platforms. Users will be able to search them individually or together on SciVerse. Elsevier will begin to add new applications to SciVerse starting in 2011. They are also releasing the SciVerse API to encourage 3rd party development of applications.

Accessing SciVerse
To access SciVerse, type SciVerse into the Pitt Resources Quick Search box on the HSLS home page. This resource can also be found in the HSLS Databases A – Z list.

~ Barb Folb

Flashcards: New Exam Master Online® Study Tool

Exam Master Online®, the online test preparation tool for the NCLEX-RN®, USMLE®, and medical specialty board exams, has added “Flashcards” to its lineup of study guides and resources. An unlimited number of flashcards can be individually created and edited using Exam Master’s intuitive word processing interface, and then filed into meaningful groups. You can also convert any of your “study notes” into a flashcard. You will see a new option at the bottom of your study note to “Make this note a flashcard.”

ExamMasterFlashcards

To use the Flashcard feature, log in to Exam Master Online® using your Exam Master account information. The link for first-time registration is at the bottom of the Exam Master Online® home page. For those with an existing account, press the CLICK to start button. After logging in, look for the Flashcards button on the left side of the main menu.

To access Exam Master Online®, type Exam Master into the Pitt Resources Quick Search box on the HSLS home page. This resource can also be found in the HSLS Databases A – Z list.

For questions, contact the Falk Library Main Desk at 412-648-8866 or e-mail Ask A Librarian.

~ Andrea Ketchum

E-books about Writing and Research

The HSLS Health Sciences E-Books page is a subject listing of the many e-books available to our users. One of our newer subject categories is “Writing and Research.” Currently, HSLS provides access to fourteen e-books in these areas. Included are two style guides, the AMA manual of Style and Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide, books that many writers find easier to use online than their print counterparts.

Two e-books on the practice of writing are Avoiding Plagiarism, Self-plagiarism, and other Questionable Writing Practices: A Guide to Ethical Writing by Miguel Roig and How to Write, Publish, & Present in the Health Sciences: A Guide for Clinicians & Laboratory Researchers by Thomas A. Lang.

E-books about clinical research and clinical trials include:

  • Designing Clinical Research by Stephen B. Hulley
  • Dictionary for Clinical Trials by Simon Day
  • Essentials of Clinical Research by Stephen P. Glasser
  • Good Clinical Practice: Standard Operating Procedures for Clinical Researchers by Josef Kolman, et al.
  • Manager’s Guide to the Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials by Phillip I. Good
  • Principles and Practice of Clinical Research by John I. Gallin, et al.
  • Quantitative Methods for Health Research by Nigel Bruce, et al.
  • Textbook of Clinical Trials edited by David Machin, et al.

The e-books are on various platforms; some have a limited number of concurrent users, and for others HSLS has a site license. If you are turned away from using a book, try again; generally, the situation doesn’t last long. All of our e-books can be accessed in numerous ways:

~ Leslie Czechowski

Promise of Mobile Technology in Health Care Conference

On Friday, October 29, 2010, HSLS sponsored a conference on mobile technology in the healthcare environment. Guest speakers from Georgia and North Carolina, along with representatives from UPMC and Pitt, shared their perspectives on mobile computing with more than 100 attendees.

Roman CibirkaThe conference began with a panel discussion, moderated by UPMC’s Chief Medical Information Officer Daniel Martich. Panelists included Roman Cibirka (Medical College of Georgia), Iltifat Husain (iMedicalApps.com), Rasu Shrestha (UPMC), and Pamela Smithburger (University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy). Topics discussed ranged from the use of mobile devices in medical school to how patients can use text messaging as part of their health care. Following the panel discussion, break-out sessions focused on each of these topics. Cibirka, vice president for Instruction and Enrollment Management at the Medical College of Georgia, demonstrated how his students use a virtuIltifat Husainal reality dentist office to better practice dentistry. Iltifat Husain, a fourth year MD/MPH student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, discussed how he became the founder and editor in chief of iMedicalApps.com, an online publication that reviews medical applications. Mobile resources available at HSLS was the topic of the wrap-up presentation by Fran Yarger, HSLS assistant director for Computing Services, and Nancy Tannery, associate director for User Services.  For more information on this year’s conference, please visit www.hsls.pitt.edu/mobile.

Given the high level of interest and discussion in the field of mobile technology in health care, HSLS is looking forward to planning a similar conference next year.

~ Julia Jankovic

Health Videos from Medpedia

Multimedia resources for medical and patient education are now becoming more widely available.   MedlinePlus® is a leader in providing high-quality illustrations and videos to consumers for patient education. Another source for timely, authoritative videos is Medpedia, the online collaborative medical encyclopedia first released in February, 2009. Medpedia’s video collection now contains over 300 topics.

Medpedia’s collection of videos originates from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. The videos appear within associated articles, but are currently not presented as a separate collection, as they are on MedlinePlus®. For easy access, bookmark the Articles with Video index.

Medpedia video topics range from specific drugs and surgical procedures to conditions and broad general discussions, suitable for clinicians or consumers. According to Medpedia’s FAQs, and in keeping with the Medpedia wiki model for sharing and advancing knowledge, there are no restrictions to linking for sharing with patients or others.

~ Andrea Ketchum

Discounts for Pitt Authors from Mary Ann Liebert

MaryAnnLiebert

HSLS provides full-text access to all 62 e-journals published by Mary Ann Liebert. Along with our subscription, comes another perk: “institutional membership” to the Liebert Online Access Option (LOOP). With it, all University of Pittsburgh or UPMC authors wishing to submit their articles for publication in a Mary Ann Liebert e-journal with immediate open access will enjoy a 50% discount off the $3,000 author fee. These articles will be freely available online with unrestricted perpetual access on both the Liebert Online site and on PubMed Central. Make sure to request this discount when you submit your article!

~ Gosia Fort

HSLS Systematic Review Team

The Systematic Review Workshop: The Nuts and Bolts for Librarians started out as an in-house training session at the Health Sciences Library System, but grew into a successful 2.5 day training course for librarians from across the U.S. and Canada.

The workshop is team taught by five HSLS faculty librarians with various health-related backgrounds and expertise:

Linda M. Hartman, MLS, reference librarian and liaison to the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, teaches the Choosing Databases and Publication Bias sections of the workshop. Hartman has worked with the Quality of Life Technology (QoLT) Center, a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (ERC), to build a knowledge base of quality of life technology information.

Mary Lou Klem, MLS, PhD, reference librarian and liaison to the School of Nursing, teaches the Study Design, Librarian as Collaborator, Methodology Filters, and Writing the Methods sections of the workshop. Klem is one of three HSLS librarians conducting comprehensive literature searches for an NIH Roadmap Initiative (PROMIS) charged with the development of computerized measures of patient-reported health outcomes.

Melissa Ratajeski, MLIS, RLAT, reference librarian and the liaison to the University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), teaches the Introduction to Systematic Reviews, Grey Literature, and Hand Searching sections of the workshop. Ratajeski assisted in the completion of a systematic review on the treatment of children in distributive shock for the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.

Ahlam A. Saleh, MD, MLS, reference librarian and liaison to the School of Pharmacy, teaches the Grey Literature section of the workshop. Saleh has participated in several systematic review projects, and is a regular guest lecturer for classes on literature searching to support systematic reviews.

Charles B. Wessel, MLS, head of Hospital Services and chair of the HSLS Systematic Review Group, teaches the Reference Interview, Harvesting Search Terms, and Project Management sections of the workshop. Wessel recently provided literature searches and consultation for numerous systematic reviews and is a co-author on a Cochrane systematic review.

If you are working on a systematic review or another comprehensive search and would like a librarian on your team, contact the Falk Library main desk at 412-648-8866 or send an email to Ask A Librarian.

~ Melissa Ratajeski