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Mathematicians in academic institutions utilize a variety of resources and strategies to seek, find, and use scholarly information and news. Using a sample of mathematicians, researchers surveyed 112 students and faculty at four Canadian university institutions to explore self-perceived success rates, resources consulted, databases used, use of social media, and citation management systems. Further, 12 follow-up interviews were completed with mathematicians to better interpret survey results, resulting information-seeking behaviors, choices, strategies, and feelings on keeping up to date with information needs. According to survey results, a minority of mathematicians (12.5 percent) acknowledged that they were successfully keeping up to date. However, a significant number of mathematicians (28.6 percent) indicated that they were unsuccessful and could do better in remaining current with information needs. Co-investigators, using qualitative analyses, identified four emergent themes related to remaining current: (1) The "slower pace of math" pervades all aspects of this discipline;" (2) There are "too many papers – and not enough time" to effectively search, evaluate, and read scholarly papers of interest; (3) Mathematicians collectively acknowledge that they are open to strategies and technologies where they "could do better" keeping up to date; and (4) Mathematicians have divided loyalties using databases when searching for information by means of "MathSciNet in a Google world." Additional insights document how mathematicians are guided by mathematical peculiarities and discipline-specific practices. This study helps to shed light on opportunities for academic librarians to identify and meet mathematicians' evolving information needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the requirement for librarians to hold an MLS or equivalent, many librarians have not sought opportunities to publicize their credentials. In the college and university environment, this is surprising given the importance placed on credentials and advanced degrees. A brief survey of academic library websites reveals that few are using the web to publicize librarian credentials, and as a result, are missing opportunities to promote their expertise and advanced qualifications to their community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on librarians who rely on the Institute for Scientific Information's (ISI) journal impact factor as a tool for selecting periodicals, primarily in scientific disciplines. ISI citation data from the Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, and the Journal Citation Reports has received widespread application, far beyond its original and intended use. While the limitations and biases of this data have been discussed in a growing body of literature, many librarians continue to rely on this data during the process of journal selection and deselection. Given the expanding use in academia and librarianship, it should not be too surprising that publishers and editors have demonstrated a growing interest in impact factors. There is now clear evidence that impact factors can be manipulated by editors and publishers. In the new environment of the "big deal" or bundled journal packages and consortial purchases, this manipulation can be a serious problem. Such ranking has expanded to departments, laboratories, universities, and even countries.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune malabsorption disorder caused by gluten, the protein present in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten destroys the absorptive layer of the small intestine, which leads to malnourishment and other serious diseases. Recent research has established that celiac disease is a common disorder, affecting 1 in every 120 to 300 people in North America and Europe. The only therapy is adherence to a completely gluten-free diet for life. This article reviews a number of Internet resources that are essential in assisting celiacs to live a normal life. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Rotator cuff repair is associated with good short or mid-term results, but to date there have been no long-term functional outcome studies demonstrating durability of results over time. In most long-term studies, the results have been compared with those of historical controls or with those of other, short-term follow-up studies. The purpose of the present prospective study was to evaluate short and long-term shoulder function after surgical repair in a single population of patients in order to follow changes over time. Methods: Thirty-three patients underwent surgery, performed by one surgeon, for the treatment of a chronic, symptomatic, full-thickness rotator cuff defect. Data were obtained from questionnaires and physical examinations preoperatively, at two years, and at ten years. Identical standardized pain and function questionnaires were used and clinical evaluation was performed in a consistent fashion at all time-periods. The activity level, Constant score, level of disability, shoulder function score, and patient's subjective rating of the outcome were determined at the time of the final follow-up and compared with the same parameters at the two-year follow-up examination in order to determine if early results change with time. Results: At the ten-year follow-up examination, there was no change in the raw Constant score determined at the two-year examination. When the Constant score was normalized for expected age-related changes, the percentage of patients who had a satisfactory result at ten years was even greater than the percentage at two years. Activity level decreased significantly over the time-period (p = 0.005). At the final follow-up examination, twelve patients worked at the same occupation as they had when the two-year examination was performed, two worked at a less strenuous occupation, and the remaining patients were retired. Only two patients retired because of problems related to the shoulder. The level of disability... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]