The National Library of Medicine has developed a PubMed interface for handheld devices.

To search PubMed from your Blackberry, access: http://pubmedhh.nlm.nih.gov/nlm/.

One of the drawbacks of searching the PubMed database is that it is does not contain times cited information. However, a new Firefox script automatically searches Google Scholar for times cited information when displaying PubMed results. Librarians in the Research Medical Library are abuzz about this application since it greatly enhances the PubMed content.

In order to use this script, there are three steps for installation.

Step One - You must use the Firefox browser to access the Web. Firefox is an open source browser available from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/.

Step Two - Use Firefox to go to the Greasemonkey Firefox Add-on site at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748 and install the progam.

Step Three - Go to the PubMed script page at http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/13704 and click on "install the script."

Now, when you search PubMed through the Firefox browser, you will see the following display:

Red arrows highlight the new content. Clicking on the "Cited by" link will provide results from Google Scholar.

To learn more, sign up to attend the next Cited Reference Searching class scheduled on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 from 2:00-3:30 in the Research Medical Library classroom, Y2.5727. Reserve your space in the Education Center at http://inside.mdanderson.org/education/edcenter/index.html.

If you have any questions about using other Firefox scripts for research, contact Clara Fowler at cfowler@mdanderson.org or 713-745-1538.

The MEDLINE database will have two significant changes in 2008. First, the Ovid interface will be redesigned. The new OvidSP will have a simplified search box and an easy to read citation plus abstract display. The search will provide natural language searching and relevancy ranked results. As with most other Research Medical Library databases, the “Find It” button will be integrated into the search results for quick access to full-text or interlibrary loan.

Try out the new MEDLINE through OvidSP by selecting MEDLINE – Ovid from the list of core databases:
http://www3.mdanderson.org/library/databases/databases.html

The second major change to the MEDLINE database will be the addition of 456 new MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms. This change affects both the OvidSP and PubMed interfaces of MEDLINE. Of particular interest to oncology researchers is the complete reclassification of the Leukemia and Lymphoma terms based on the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd edition (ICD-O-3). The following new headings were added:

Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, B-Cell
Leukemia, Large Granular Lymphocytic
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
Leukemia, Myeloid, Chronic, Atypical, BCR-ABL Negative
Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile
Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell
Lymphoma, Primary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell

Most of the "old headings" were retained in MeSH as entry terms except for following four:

Leukemia, CALLA-positive (index as Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma)
Leukemia, Null-cell (index as Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma)
Leukemia, Subleukemic (index as Leukemia)
Leukemia, T-Cell, HTLV-II-Associated (index as Leukemia, T-Cell)

Typically, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) does not retrospectively re-index MEDLINE citations with new MeSH terms. Searching with a new MeSH term limits retrieval to citations indexed after the term was introduced. For example, searching for the new MeSH term “Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells” will retrieve citations from 2008. To find citations from 1986-2007, you would need to search by the previous indexing term, “Tumor Stem Cells.”

To see a complete list of new MeSH terms for 2008, visit http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/newd2008.html
To see all the changes made to MEDLINE in 2008, visit the NLM Technical Bulletin at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/nd07/nd07_medline_data_changes2008.html

To learn more about MeSH searching, register for one of the Research Medical Library’s monthly PubMed: Beyond the Basics classes. The next class will be offered on Monday, Jan. 7 from 2:00-3:30 in the Research Medical Library classroom, Y2.5727. Reserve your space in the Education Center at http://inside.mdanderson.org/education/edcenter/index.html. Questions about PubMed classes should be directed to Esmeralda Calderon at 713-745-1949 or ecalder@mdanderson.org.

Questions about searching any of the Research Medical Library databases should be directed to RML-Help@mdanderson.org or 713-792-2282.

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For comments or questions concerning NewsBytes, please contact Clara Fowler by email (cfowler@mdanderson.org) or phone (713-745-1538).