PubMed@UCSF Frequently Asked Questions

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PubMed@UCSF QuickGuide

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PubMed@UCSF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

To ensure that the PubMed@UCSF features described in these FAQs work properly, you must access PubMed using the special PubMed@UCSF address via GALEN (www.library.ucsf.edu/db/pubmed/).

Questions



	General PubMed@UCSF Information

	How can I remember the special address for PubMed@UCSF? How current are the citations in PubMed@UCSF? Can I search PubMed@UCSF from home?

	Advanced Tips


	How can I use PubMed@UCSF to locate the best Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to perform a subject search? How can I apply standard limits to my search? For example, I only want English articles, human research studies, or studies focused on a specific age group. How do I do a command line search in PubMed@UCSF, like I used to do in the Telnet version of CDL MEDLINE?

	UC-eLinks Information


	What is UC-eLinks? - Can I access the full text of electronic journals from PubMed@UCSF? - How can I tell if the UCSF Library owns a journal referenced in PubMed@UCSF? - How do I request articles in PubMed@UCSF? UC-eLinks allows me to request one article at a time. How can I request multiple articles in PubMed@UCSF?

	Saving Searches


	Can I save searches and run them at a later date? My NCBI won't save my searches. I save PubMed searches as bookmarks in my web browser. When I run them again in the future, will they retain the special PubMed@UCSF features?

	Alert Services


	Can I run weekly updates and have the information emailed to me automatically?

	Miscellaneous Questions


	Can I receive CME credit for attending a PubMed@UCSF Update? How do I download citations and import them into an EndNote database?

General PubMed@UCSF Information



	How can I remember the special address for PubMed@UCSF?

	If you link to PubMed@UCSF from GALEN, you will be accessing PubMed using the special address. Bookmark the PubMed@UCSF page, or add it to your favorites for future use. [back to top]



	How current are the citations in PubMed@UCSF?

	PubMed@UCSF is updated every day with new citations. New citations are added to the system as soon as the electronic records are received from the journal publishers. In some cases, citations may be available before the print copy of the journal has been published. While these records appear in PubMed@UCSF quickly, they are not fully processed. In particular, they will not contain Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). It is important to note that if you search using the MeSH Database, these unprocessed citations, which do not include MeSH terms, will not be retrieved in your search. [back to top]



	Can I search PubMed@UCSF from home?

	PubMed@UCSF is freely available from anywhere in the world. Using the special PubMed@UCSF web address will allow you to search PubMed, check whether UCSF or other UC libraries own a journal, and order articles through the UC Request service. You will also see the UCSF Full Text links in PubMed@UCSF. However, if you are searching PubMed@UCSF from outside the UCSF network, you cannot access the full text articles without proper authorization. Consult the Remote Access section of GALEN for information about UCSF remote access options. [back to top]

Advanced Tips



	How can I use PubMed@UCSF to locate the best Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) to perform a subject search in MEDLINE?

	The PubMed@UCSF search interface includes a feature called the MeSH Database. You can use the MeSH Database by choosing the MeSH Database link on the sidebar menu of the search screens. The database enables you to search for MeSH terms, select terms, and then build a search strategy. The MeSH search strategy can then be run against the database. To get help using the MeSH Database, see the PubMed@UCSF QuickGuide or consult the MeSH Database section of the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Search Manual. [back to top]



	How can I apply standard limits to my search? For example, I only want English articles, human research studies, or studies focused on a specific age group.

	After performing a search, you can use the Limits screen to apply standard limits to your search. To access the Limits screen, choose the Limits link directly below the search line. You can then select your desired limits, including English language articles, Human studies, Age Groups, Publication Types (e.g. Reviews), and publication dates. Choose the Go button or press Enter to apply the limits to your previous search. To get help using the Limits screen, see the Use Limits to Narrow Your Search section of the PubMed@UCSF QuickGuide or consult the Limits section of the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Search Manual. [back to top]



	How do I run a command line search in PubMed@UCSF, like I used to do in the Telnet version of CDL MEDLINE?

	Some people preferred the command line (telnet) search interface to the CDL MEDLINE system because it offered a fast response rate and the ability to create complex searches. The PubMed@UCSF search interface is web-based. Fortunately, it has a fast response rate, and contains features that allow more advanced and controlled searching on the MEDLINE database. If you are familiar with the PubMed search language, PubMed@UCSF allows you to build more advanced and controlled search strategies within the web interface. Detailed information on using the PubMed search language can be found in the National Library of Medicine's PubMed Search Manual under the Search Field Descriptions and Tags section. Field tags are useful for searching more than one field at a time. For example, to find all articles by UCSF faculty published in the journal Science, use the Affiliation tag [ad], and the Journal Title tag [ta], and search: san francisco [ad] AND science [ta] PubMed@UCSF also provides a MeSH Database, which allows you to look up Medical Subject Headings and construct complex subject searches. [more information about MeSH Database] [back to top]

UC-eLinks Information



	What is UC-eLinks?

	When you view citations in PubMed@UCSF in the Abstract format, they will display the button below the journal title. Choose the UC-eLinks button to: - Access the full text of journal articles to which the UCSF Library subscribes; - Link to the Melvyl Catalog to check if the UCSF Library owns a particular journal in print or electronic format; - Request journal articles that the UCSF Library does not own. [back to top]



	UC-eLinks only allows me to request one article at a time (see above). How can I request multiple articles in PubMed@UCSF?

	To request multiple articles in PubMed@UCSF, check the box at the left of the citation to select it. Select all the citations that you wish to request. Then choose Order from the "Send to" menu and click on Send to. A new window will appear with information from the California Digital Library (CDL). Choose the Request button to begin the Request process. From this point on, requesting articles is the same as past procedures for requesting articles using the CDL Request service. For details on using the CDL Request feature, please see the Library's interlibrary borrowing service. [back to top]

Saving Searches



	Can I save searches and run them at a later date?

	You can save searches using PubMed's My NCBI feature. To access My NCBI, choose the My NCBI link in the PubMed Services menu or in the top right corner on any screen. My NCBI requires a user account, which can be set up for free. Once you have saved a search in My NCBI, you can log in to My NCBI anytime in the future and run the search again. My NCBI remembers the last time you ran the search and retrieves only citations that have been added to PubMed since that date. For help setting up and running My NCBI searches, consult Creating Alerts with My NCBI. [back to top]



	My NCBI won't save my searches.

	When you use PubMed@UCSF, it sets Cookies while it works. Cookies are small files that PubMed@UCSF places on your computer. They help the system remember your search history and any citations you have saved in the Clipboard. My NCBI also uses Cookies to save searches. If My NCBI will not save your search, it is possible that your computer is set up with security to prevent Internet sites from using Cookies. These security systems usually operate to protect confidential data on computer networks. Ask your network administrator if any local security systems are preventing the use of Cookies on your computer. [back to top]



	I save PubMed searches as bookmarks in my web browser. When I run them again in the future, will they retain the special PubMed@UCSF features?

	PubMed searches saved as bookmarks will not retain the special PubMed@UCSF features (full text links, the ability to check whether the UCSF Library subscribes to a journal, and the UC article request feature) when they are run in the future. To obtain these features, before executing a bookmarked search, enter the PubMed system with the special PubMed@UCSF address (http://www.library.ucsf.edu/db/pubmed/). Then run the bookmarked search. [back to top]

Alert Services



	Can I run weekly updates and have the information emailed to me automatically?

	Yes, you can set up an automatic alert service in PubMed@UCSF using PubMed's My NCBI. This service will save your PubMed searches, run them weekly or monthly (depending on your preference), and email you any citations added since the last time the search was performed. You can also set up your PubMed updates to be read in an RSS feed reader instead of receiving them via email. The RSS option allows you to view your updates hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or whenever you find convenient. For help setting up alerts, see PubMed@UCSF Alert Services. [back to top]

Miscellaneous Questions



	Can I receive CME credit for attending a PubMed@UCSF Update?

	Yes, Category 1 CME credit is available. After you sign up for a session of Introduction to PubMed@UCSF, please contact us to indicate that you would like to receive CME credit. The proper paperwork will be provided for you. [back to top]



	How do I download citations and import them into an EndNote database?

	Refer to "Downloading References" in the EndNote and RefWorks Guides. [back to top]

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