PubMed

Link resolver not working in PubMed

As a result of the recent change to HTTPS on all NCBI sites, the WebBridge Link Resolver is no longer working in PubMed. When you click the “Check Full Text” icon, you will see this page:

Unfortunately, there is no data being sent from PubMed to our link resolver’s system, so you will be unable to check whether the Library has access to an article from PubMed for the foreseeable future. The issue is currently being investigated, but there is no estimate as to when we might have a solution.

In the interim, when you find an article you need you can check whether the Library has access to that journal via INNOPAC, the Library’s online catalog or the E-Journals & E-Books A to Z List. Links to those sources are now provided when you click the “Check Full Text” icon in PubMed.

We have also added options that allow you to search other databases with the PMID: the links displayed for Scopus and MEDLINE via EBSCOhost have the PMID added to provide a quick way to use the link resolver in these two databases to get to the article you originally searched in PubMed. A link is also provided to search MEDLINE through Ovid, and the link resolver is available in this database as well.

We will update as soon as we have more information, but if you need more assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

Link Resolver and PubMed issues

Recently you may have noticed alerts on PubMed and all other NCBI sites regarding testing. This is to prepare all of their sites to permanently transition to HTTPS, but we have discovered that when this testing occurs it affects the ability to see results from the WebBridge Link Resolver, especially in PubMed.

The next scheduled testing time is Friday, November 4, 2016, from 9am until 1pm CDT:

When testing has commenced, you will see a banner similar to this one:

During this test period, whenever you click the “Check Full Text” icon for the WebBridge Link Resolver all results will look like this page regardless of whether we have access to the article:

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to get the link resolver to work while NCBI is performing these tests, but there are  alternatives to find out whether the Library has access to the article you need. You can check the journal’s title via INNOPAC, the Library’s online catalog. You can also use MEDLINE through Ovid or EBSCOhost; the link resolver is included in both of these databases and they are not affected by the testing that occurs in PubMed or other NCBI sites.

If you are curious as to why the NCBI sites are changing to HTTPS, this site has all of the information. Additionally, if you need help with this or any other Library resources, please do not hesitate to contact us.

PubMed and security warnings

Today PubMed along with all NCBI sites permanently changed their web addresses to use the HTTPS protocol. Unfortunately, this is now prompting a security warning when using the Library’s off-campus link to PubMed. Although in this case there is no real danger in proceeding, you will need to add a security exception to your browser in order to get to PubMed.

For Chrome, first click “Advanced”

Then click the link that begins with “Proceed to…” in order to add the exception to Chrome:

In Internet Explorer, click the link “Continue to this website (not recommended)”:

In Firefox, first click the “Add Exception” button:

Then click “Confirm Security Exception” to add it to Firefox:

Finally, for those for whom Safari is your browser of choice, you just need to click the “Continue” button in the window that pops up:

If you need any help with this or other Library resources, do not hesitate to contact us.

Happy birthday, PubMed!

The database everyone loves (and hates at times), PubMed, is turning 20!

“PubMed was first released two decades ago in January 1996 as an experimental database under the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) retrieval system. The word “experimental” was dropped from the Web site in April 1997, and on June 26, 1997, a Capitol Hill Press conference officially announced free MEDLINE access via PubMed.”

It’s gone through several redesigns and refinements since 1997.  The staff at NLM and NCBI are constantly improving access, coverage, and ease of use for PubMed and have come up with several features that help searchers.  This article discusses several of these improvements.  Prior to 1997, access to MEDLINE was only available through paid services, such as GRATEFUL MED, DIALOG or in CD ROM format.  Many times users were charged by the minute, by the search, or by the citation to download.  Users had to have their search strategy planned out exactly, login, type it as quickly as possible and then log off while watching the charges add up.  Things have changed!

Happy birthday, PubMed!  You have made health sciences research so much easier in the past 20 years!

PubMed changes

Recently, PubMed has announced that it has changed a few popular features that you may notice in your search results:

Within the article summary display, two changes have been made.  The term “Related Citations” has been changed to “Similar Articles”.  It was thought that “Related Citations” was ambiguous.,  The algorithm to generate the results of a search on for similar articles has not changed, just the name of the feature.  Also, the status tag line has been removed from the article summary display.  Most users will not notice this change but experienced searchers may.  The status tag line is still included in the Abstract display.

The “Save Search” link for creating My NCBI email alerts has been renamed “Create alert” and the “RSS” link has been renamed “Create RSS”.  Once again, these changes will not affect the functionality of PubMed they are only intended to eliminate ambiguity and to make the process smoother.

Finally, for those who use PubMed Mobile, there have been updates with a number of styling modifications and additional enhancements including a “Trending articles” feature.

For more information about these changes, you can refer to the New and Noteworthy link on the bottom of the PubMed screen or refer to the NLM Technical Bulletin.

HINARI Training at Tulane Med

On Friday, February 6th the Tulane Health Sciences Center Library and the Center for Continuing Education will offer an all day (8 am to 5 pm) accredited (AMA/CHES/MCHES/CECH/MSW-CE/MLA-CE) training class on Access to Global Health Resources. This training session is partially funded by an award from the National Library of Medicine.

The class will cover using PubMed via HINARI at partner institutions in developing countries. The instructor is Lenny Rhine, PhD, Coordinator of the E-Library Training Initiative, a Librarians Without Borders/Medical Library Association project.

Deadline for registration is Wednesday, February 4th. Cost is $25 for pre-registrants and $50 for day of. For more information, please see the attached flyer.

Become a Better PubMed User

Teaching, clinic, committees, research, mentoring, continuing education, administrative duties: With all that on your plate, do you really have time for inefficient literature searches?

The November Library Lunchtime Learning presentation—PubMed Beyond the Basics—is designed to help you get the most out of the premier biomedical citation database. Join us and learn how to more effectively and efficiently search PubMed using advanced features such as Medical Subject Headings, filters, index terms, and the Related Citations and Clinical Queries functions to more easily find the research you need. In addition, we’ll show you how to personalize your PubMed experience via MyNCBI, which will allow you to create bibliographies, automated searches, and separate collections.

The session will be held once at the Dental Campus and once Downtown. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to dentlib@lsuhsc.edu.  But remember, we always welcome drop-in attendees. We hope to see you there!

PubMed Beyond the Basics

November 5, 12-1 p.m.
Copping Room (2309), LSU School of Dentistry

and

November 18, 12-1 p.m.
Computer Laboratory, 4th floor Library, Resource Center Building

PubMed Beyond the Basics: Library Lunchtime Learning

The Dental Library staff hope you’ll join us on Thursday, March 13, at noon in the Copping Room (2309) as we discuss how to more effectively use PubMed through its more advanced search and citation management features, such as Clinical Queries, Medical Subject Headings, filters, citation matchers, and My NCBI.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP with an email to rpremo@lsuhsc.edu.

PubMed Commons

Attention researchers published in PubMed:

PubMed Commons?áis an exciting new pilot project from the National Library of Medicine that allows researchers to comment on any scientific publication indexed in PubMed and to read the comments of others.

“PubMed Commons is a forum for open and constructive criticism and discussion of scientific issues. It will thrive with high quality interchange from the scientific community.”

Currently, PubMed Commons is in a pilot testing phase and only invited participants can add and view comments in PubMed. However, anyone in the pilot phase can invite a fellow author indexed in PubMed. All they need is your PubMed ID (PMID) and e-mail address. For more information on how to join PubMed Commons click here and stay tuned for the next phase of this project!

Testing, Testing: PubMed Commons Community Forum

PubMed Commons, a new forum community created for online collaboration for ÔÇ£constructive criticism and discussion of scientific issues,ÔÇØ has introduced a pilot version.

During its closed pilot phase, PubMed Commons will be allowing accounts using approved email addresses from PubMed authors to participate. ?áNIH or Wellcome Trust grant recipients can also join and invite others to join. You can test whether you have access here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedcommons/join/. Users will also need a My NCBI account.

Find answers to frequently asked questions on this page: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedcommons/faq/.

New resource: Doody’s Precision Search

LSUHSC Libraries is pleased to offer a new way to search MEDLINE.

DoodyÔÇÖs Precision Search is a new resource designed to simplify your search of citations added to MEDLINE^?« within the last 3 years.?á It has a streamlined, user-friendly interface that allows you to keep your search concise and your results manageable.?á All you need to get started are your search words or phrases.?á You can use keywords or MeSH terms (Precision Search will autosuggest terms if available), and you can use Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT. ?áThe secret ingredient to your precision search is in the specialties. ?áWhile optional, choosing one or ?ámore specialties allows you to target articles that match your particular interests without having to compose a librarian-level search strategy (that strategy, by the way, is already built into the expert-created specialties).

Once?áyou’ve?ágot some results, you can limit even further or revise your search.?á Your results are also faceted into topics within each specialty; just expand an area to see the articles.

?á

DoodyÔÇÖs Precision Search works with our WebBridge Link Resolver to check article availability right from the citation.?á Just click on ?áto see if we have an article online or in print, or to borrow the article via our InterLibrary Loan service, ILLiad.

Citations can be exported to RefWorks or other citation managers, and you can even share citations on Facebook and Twitter.

Creating a free profile is easy, and once you are logged in you will have the added options to save citations and searches, and set email alerts.

For more information and to get started, please visit the library’s online resource page for Doody’s Precision Search.?á It?áis?áavailable?áon or off campus. ?áIf you experience technical difficulties or need assistance, please contact a Reference Librarian.

HereÔÇÖs a quicky guide to get you started:

Search page:

1. Enter search terms

2. Focus your search using specialties (recommended, but optional)

3. Choose time period from last 7 days to last 3 years

4. Choose between searching all journals or just MEDLINEÔÇÖs Core Clinical Journals.

Results page:

1. Add additional limits: article type, species, language

2. Revise your limits, search terms, and specialties

3. Sort by article title, journal, author,?áor date

4. Print current results page or selected citations

5. Export current results page or selected citations to RefWorks, EndNote or CSV

6. See faceted results

7. Return to original search

8. Start a new search

Article page:

1. ÔÇ£Check full textÔÇØ to see library holdings (online or print) or borrow via InterLibrary Loan

2. See related articles

3. Output to printer, email, Twitter or Facebook

4. Add to “My articles” once you have created a profile

5. Return to results

My Articles:

1. Create a personal profile for free

2. Save articles and searches, run saved searches, and delete saved searches.

3. Set email alerts when saving a search

This Month in History: Dr. Hamlett & Zoological Treasure Hunting

Ever wondered how to catch a lizard? You might think to consult wikiHow or you might look up an instructional video on YouTube. Consulting our Digital Collection of newspaper clippings, however, would reveal quite an interesting portrait of a rugged, LSU Indiana Jones in pursuit of a rare treasure: the live-birthing lizard.

In 1953, the Times-Picayune ran an article on one Dr. George W. D. Hamlett, faculty of the LSU Medical School Department of Anatomy, whose research practices involved catching his subjects in the American Southwest rather than in a lab. Nets are all well and good for the casual lizard hunter, but Dr. HamlettÔÇÖs methods included an elaborate system of hammer, chisel, stick noose, and rifle. In order to capture the illusive live-birthing female lizard, he donned the traditional gear: khakis, hiking boots, and traded a fedora for a sun hat; armoring himself thus, he chiseled lizards out of rock formations and sought the mammal-like desert lizard among the trees. His interest in these lizards lay in their ability to produce young not through external development in an egg, but within the female of the species, an oddity for the reptile. Though Dr. Hamlett lacked the Indiana Jones bullwhip and the characteristic fear of snakes, his adventures were nevertheless harrowing.

The character of Dr. Jones is perhaps based on Sir Arthur Conan DoyleÔÇÖs character, Professor Challenger (a figure in turn based on his own Professor Sir William Rutherford) who is famous for having combined several areas of study such as archaeology, anthropology, and zoology in the pursuit of a totalizing knowledgeÔÇöÔÇ£Science seeks knowledge. Let knowledge lead us where it will, we still must seek it. To know once for all what we are, why we are, where we are, is that not in itself the greatest of all human aspirations?ÔÇ£(When the World Screamed). In the same way, Dr. HamlettÔÇÖs study of embryology continued on many divergent paths as he explored the complexities of the long-tongued bat, the badger, the armadillo, the cat, the coyote, and the American monkey, finally culminating in his study of humans.?á Some of his published works, ÔÇ£Embryology of the Molossoid Bat,ÔÇØ ÔÇ£Some Notes on Embryological Technique,ÔÇØ and ÔÇ£Human Twinning in the United StatesÔÇØ can be accessed through PubMed.

Though the similarities between Dr. Hamlett and Dr. Jones may not be many, there is an air of adventure to every quest for knowledge. Why can the scientist not leap across cliff faces and come to the rescue every now and then? But please be aware that there are no catacombs beneath this libraryÔÇÖs floorÔÇöyouÔÇÖll have to go to Venice for that.

Glimpse of the Past is an ongoing project to promote the Louisiana Digital Library effort. This Month in History will present for your reading pleasure a closer look into a newspaper clipping of note from our Digital Collections and articles relating to the LSU Medical School.

Friday fun: Pimp my Pubmed

An article from Bite Size Bio delves into some techniques for monitoring PubMed using Google Reader. PubMed has offered the ability to create RSS feeds from searches since 2005, which is highly useful in customizing your online consumption of journal literature.

Here, I will describe the way IÔÇÖm combining RSS feeds for PubMed search results with Google Reader and a GreaseMonkey add-on to obtain a nicely readable list of articles pertinent to my own interests

http://bitesizebio.com/articles/how-not-to-miss-almost-any-article-on-pubmed/
The article is written by a third year PhD student from Montpellier, France.

PubMed Limits are now Filters

Where you go to set PubMed?álimits such as dates, language and article types has changed – hopefully for the better. It’s all just semantics with a little bit of functional design thrown in, really.

Limits ?áin Pubmed are now called Filters. They are located on the left hand side of the PubMed screen. This video from NCBI shows where to find filters and how to use them. (Previously they were located under the search box on a separate page called Limits.)

Confused? Enraged? Apathetic? We welcome your responses and questions – just give us a call, email or chat and we’ll do our best to help.

More from the NLM Technical Bulletin

Phrase searching in PubMed

Problem: you want to search PubMed for a phrase like text messaging, but the phrase keeps getting broken up.

Solution: when searching for phrases:

ÔÇó Search the phrase first without quotes or search tags.
ÔÇó Check Search details to see how the search was translated.
ÔÇó Use quotes (” “) when your phrase is broken apart.

For details and screen shots, read the complete article at
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/jf11/jf11_skill_kit_pm_phrase_searching.html

Using quotes work really well when you are looking for a specific article title!