Medical management of cerebellar abscess: a case report and review of the literature

A large abscess of the posterior fossa often warrants surgical intervention. We report a case of a 50-year-old male presenting with a cerebellar abscess measuring 2.8 cm x 1.6 cm located in the left cerebellar hemisphere at the level of the middle cerebellar peduncle that was treated conservatively and successfully with antibiotics. Therapeutic management options are discussed in regards to this case specifically as well as a review of the literature. This case illustrates the successful medical management of a cerebellar abscess of otogenic origin in an adult, a unique result in terms of abscess size and age of the patient.     

Is Bowen's disease a predictor for the development of internal malignancy? A methodological critique of the literature

A critical review was performed to assess studies about Bowen's disease as a cutaneous predictor of the development of internal malignancy. In six of seven published cohort studies, the authors concluded that there was an association between Bowen's disease and internal malignancy. Three major methodological deficiencies occurred in these studies: lack of an adequate comparison group; inclusion of persons who already had internal malignancy when Bowen's disease was diagnosed; and lack of life-table analysis to describe and to compare cancer incidence rates over time. Though an association between Bowen's disease and internal malignancy may be pathophysiologically plausible and may eventually be demonstrated, we conclude that published reports do not demonstrate that persons with Bowen's disease have an increased risk to develop internal malignancy.     

Anencephalic newborns as organ donors: a critique

The authors reject the use of anencephalic infants as organ donors, favoring the present policy that vital organs may not be removed from the living to benefit others and that whole brain death is considered morally and legally the death of the person. They refute the proposition that lack of higher brain function defines brain death and that presence of higher brain function is a condition for personhood. Such a policy would be consistent with the use of infants with other severe brain pathology or with patients in chronic vegetative states as organ donors. Arras and Shinnar conclude that "admirable goals should not be advanced by improper means."     

中文医学文献数据库的使用问题

目的：提高对医学文献数据库的认识,以便正确选择和使用。方法：分析比较国内4种常用医学期刊文献数据库的使用情况,并进行实证研究。结果：4类中文常用医学文献数据库存在的主要问题是数据库收录重复及收录不全并存,重要检索途径不完善,检索功能缺失,数据库设计不够严谨、检索系统不科学等。 结论：用户应认识各数据库的特点,根据需要有选择性地使用;医学文献数据库的标准化建设和质量控制有待进一步加强。     

Dying while living: a critique of allowing-to-die legislation.

Several US states are enacting 'right-to-die' laws, in the wake of the Karen Quinlan case. But the way such a law is drafted may cast doubt on a patient's existing common law right to control all aspects of his own treatment; it may give legal sanction to a lower standard of medical care that society at present expects from doctors; and it may lead to conflict between the patient's directive and his doctor's clinical judgement which cannot readily be resolved. The laws themselves are categorised as a) legalising active killing or b) defining rights of patients to control treatment or c) assigning to others the rights to control treatment where the patient is not competent. The California law is discussed critically. The conclusion is that such legislation is not a satisfactory answer to the ethical problem of euthanasia.     

试析医学综述与查新咨询的关系

介绍了医学综述与查新工作的特点、作用及如何撰写综述和查新报告，比较了综述与查新的相同点与不同点，探讨了二者的关系；提出医学综述的撰写能力应当成为考核和评估查新人员素质和资格的一项重要指标，成为查新人员持证上网的一个必要前提和条件。     

因特网在医学文献信息检索中的应用

介绍了利用因特网上的信息资源和查询医学信息的方法及途径,并重点对Yahoo,MEDLINE,中文网站,电子期刊,搜索引擎作了介绍.