A case study of misrepresentation of the scientific literature: recent reviews of chiropractic.

Accurate use of published data and references is a cornerstone of the peer-review process. Statements, inferences, and conclusions based upon these references should logically ensue from the data they contain. When journal articles and textbook chapters summarizing the safety and efficacy of particular therapies or interventions use references inaccurately or with apparent intent to mislead, the integrity of scientific reporting is fundamentally compromised. Ernst et al.'s publication on chiropractic include repeated misuse of references, misleading statements, highly selective use of certain published papers, failure to refer to relevant literature, inaccurate reporting of the contents of published work, and errors in citation. Meticulous analysis of some influential negative reviews has been carried out to determine the objectivity of the data reported. The misrepresentation that became evident deserves full debate and raises serious questions about the integrity of the peer-review process and the nature of academic misconduct.

Visuospatial attention in the rat and posterior parietal cortex lesions.

Covert attention to visuospatial stimuli was assessed in rats using a modified version of a task designed for human subjects. Rats were trained to respond toward bright target lights presented to the right or left visual space. Dim cue lights served to attract their attention prior to the onset of the bright target lights. Consistent with previous research using similar paradigms, rats in this experiment displayed longer reaction times during trials in which the cue and target lights were presented on opposite sides of visual space. Throughout pre- and post-operative testing, individual subjects showed lateralized differences in the performance of this task as indicated by asymmetries in reaction time, the percentage of correct responses, and the number of responses made to each side of visual space (response bias). Lesioning the area of cortex thought to be a possible homolog of the posterior parietal cortex in primates produced no specific effects on performance. It is suggested that this paradigm may tap into an evolutionarily conserved attentional process, but that this process may be subserved by somewhat different neural structures in different species.

Implementing hospital library automation: the GaIN project. Georgia Interactive Network for Medical Information.

The GaIN (Georgia Interactive Network for Medical Information) Hospital Libraries' Local Automation Project was a one-year, grant-funded initiative to implement an integrated library system in three Georgia hospitals. The purpose of the project was to install the library systems, describe the steps in hospital library automation, and identify issues and barriers related to automation in small libraries. The participating hospitals included a small, a medium, and a large institution. The steps and time required for project implementation were documented in order to develop a decision checklist. Although library automation proved a desirable approach for improving collection accessibility, simplifying daily routines, and improving the library's image in the hospital, planners must be sure to consider equipment as well as software support, staffing for the conversion, and training of the library staff and end users.

Polydipsia and dopamine: behavioral effects of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor agonists and antagonists.

Substantial evidence implicates dopaminergic neural systems in the occurrence of polydipsia in both animals and humans. Two experiments were conducted in order to specify the behavioral mechanisms whereby manipulation of dopaminergic neural transmission can affect scheduled-induced polydipsia (SIP). The role of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors was investigated by comparing the behavioral effects of dopamine D1 agonists (SKF 38393 and SKF 82958) and antagonists (SCH 23390 and SKF 83566) to those of a dopamine D2 agonist (quinpirole) and antagonist (haloperidol) by using an animal model of excessive water consumption, drinking evoked in the SIP paradigm. Additionally, the behavioral effects of these relatively specific compounds were compared to those of the indirect agonist d-amphetamine sulfate and the nondopaminergic drug, diazepam. All of the drugs produced dose-related decreases in SIP. With the exception of SKF 38393 and SCH 23390, the decreased drinking appeared to be a behaviorally nonspecific drug effect in that changes in activity consistently preceded or accompanied reductions in water consumption. Some of the drugs tested, including quinpirole, haloperidol and SKF 83566, also produced changes in behavior consistent with decreased hunger, which may have also contributed to the reductions in SIP. These results are generally suggestive that dopamine neural systems are involved mainly in the motor or performance aspects of established SIP and that disruptions in established SIP produced by dopamine agonists or antagonists may result from a change in the balance of activation of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. These results may be relevant to understanding the factors influencing polydipsia in humans.