BME 390 - Overview of Library Resources

Introduction

The purposes of this document is to provide an overview of Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies (Libraries).

The Libraries website recently underwent a major overhaul. Rather than provide a static view of pages that are likely to change, this document provides a series of links.

Libraries Home Page

The Libraries home page is your starting point to Libraries resources.

• The “Quick Search” near the top of the page provides an easy interface to all of our resources. This type of search is quite broad. You may get clearer results using the advanced search interface or by searching the databases, e.g. PubMed (Medline), Web of Science or Scopus, directly. More on Searches below.
  
• Take special note of the Ask Us tab on the right. This is your link to chat with our Digital Reference (Dig Ref) group. This is a great resource for information on current procedures and resources.

Libraries’ Faculty

Every department on campus has a faculty liaison librarian with subject area expertise. For example, I am an Associate Professor with expertise in the molecular biosciences and bioinformatics, Professor Pascuzzi directory page. I am liaison to several departments including Biochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology. I was recently appointed liaison to Biomedical Engineering.

You can find a list of faculty librarians and their subject areas at Libraries Faculty by Subject.

We have several faculty librarians that have subject areas expertise that may be relevant to your research.

• Jason B. Reed, Pharmacy and Health Sciences

• Paige Bradshaw, Veterinary Medicine

• Dave Zwicky, Chemistry, Engineering, and Patents

Accessing Resources

LibKey Nomad

The LibKey Nomad Browser Extension adds powerful features to your browser that will allow you to access Purdue University resources. For example, for certain books on Amazon, a link will pop-up that allows you to access the eBook. The same is true for certain articles if you search the publisher webpage.

LibKey Nomad Guide

Inter Library Loan

The Libraries’ is currently rethinking how we provide Purdue with the resources that we need. One aspect of this is to minimize our subscriptions to expensive journals and databases. This does not mean that you do not have access. Almost any item can be requested by Inter Library Loan.

To request an item by ILL, you can search for the item in our catalog. (Yes, you can find items that we do not own). The page for the resource should have a link to request via ILL if your are signed in (or on campus).

Generally, ILL will procure an electronic copy for you. Turnaround time varies, but you may get your item in 24 hours. In some cases, a physical copy is required, and this may take more time.

Citation Management

You should use Citation Management for research projects. Choice of software is not critical, and there are free levels of both Zotero and EndNote. Libraires maintains a guide for Citation Management.

Scite

The following quote was take from the Scite home page

“Scite is an AI-powered platform that helps researchers discover and evaluate scientific literature through Smart Citations, showing whether studies support or contradict a claim. Now part of Research Solutions, Scite has indexed 1.4B+ citations, partners with 30+ publishers, and serves 2M users worldwide.”

Scite is an AI-enhanced database that allows you to search the scientific literature including patents. There are more details at the scite research guide. Important, scite relies on open access and licensing agreement to index information. There will be important gaps in the coverage of scite.

Searching for Information

Purdue University Library Search

The Library Search platform aggregates most of our electronic and print resources, Library Search. However, it does not have 100% coverage for important databases such as PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus.

Library search coverage

A Library Search may be sufficient in some cases, e.g. coursework. However, for in-depth research you should access the databases directly. For research in the Life Sciences, you should search a minimum of three databases:

• PubMed or Medline (same base data different interface)
  
• Web of Science
  
• Scopus
  
• Google Scholar

The key to using these resources effectively is to access these resources as a Purdue user. This should happen automatically when your are on campus, but you need to be more deliberate off campus.

See the page on Off-Campus Access

In general, follow these guidelines

• Access the databases from Libraries databases.
  
• Link Google Scholar to the Purdue University Libraries.
  
• DO NOT EXPECT TO ACCESS JOURNAL ARTICLES FROM THE JOURNAL WEBSITE. Access to journal articles is complicated by issues such as aggregators, perpetual access, and bundling.
• LibKey Nomad can also help to resolve access issues.

PubMed

PubMed is likely the most useful database for biomedical research. Make sure that you bookmark the Libraries’ link, PubMed.

This will enable the FIND IT Purdue Libraries link.

Find it at Purdue Libraries

Searching PubMed effectively can be complicated, but there is a good PubMed User Guide.

You can also use AI to help you construct searches, but your AI prompts will be more effective if you have a good baseline knowledge.

Web of Science

Web of Science has additional coverage of resources beyond biomedical research. Again, use the Libraries’ link, Web of Science. If you are on campus, use IP authentication. Off campus, use institutional authentication.

Cautions with Web of Science, the Topics searches Title, Abstract, Author Keywords and Keywords Plus. The latter is a feature that can make your search too broad. You may get more precise results if you search Title, Abstract and Author Keywords directly using the Advanced Search interface. The Smart Search replaced the Basic Search recently. This AI-enhanced interface has unproven track record. You may get better results using the Advanced Search interface.

Web of Science has a comprehensive Search Help Page.

Scopus

Scopus claims to be the largest abstract and citations database of peer-reviewed literature. There is considerable overlap with PubMed and Web of Science. Scopus also has an excellent search guide.

Google Scholar

Opinions of Google Scholar are mixed, especially for systematic research. However, you will almost certainly use it, so you should link it to the Purdue Libraries.

Go to Google Scholar. Click on the “hamburger icon”, ☰ , at the upper left corner.

Google hamburger icon

Click on Settings.

Click on Library Links

Search for and select, Purdue University West Lafayette.

You should now see a Full Text at Purdue link next to your search results.

Patent Information

Some of the databases above can give you access to patent resources, but there are other resources. Libraries has a Research Guide on Patents that is maintained by Prof. Dave Zwicky.

Market Research

The course guide for BME 390 has a list of resources that you can use for market research.

Search Strategies

There are a variety of search strategies such as PEO, PICO, and SPIDER that can help you to search the biomedical literature systematically.

PEO

1. P - Population
2. E - Exposure
3. O - Outcome

PICO

1. P - Patient
2. I - Intervention
3. C - Comparison
4. O - Outcome

SPIDER

1. S - Sample
2. P I - Phenomenon of interest
3. D - Design
4. E - Evaluation
5. R - Research type

Do not worry too much about specifying all of the search aspects.

search strategy

Search Fields

The fields that you can search will vary somewhat by database. Generally, you will have the field below, but databases will vary. MeSH terms are a powerful feature of PubMed, but effective use requires some training.

1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Keywords
4. Author information such as name or identification numbers
5. Topic (often an amalgam of title, abstract, and keywords)
6. Structured vocabulary such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH terms)
7. Journal name
8. Document type
9. Publication year
10. Affiliation

Search Syntax and Boolean Operators

You will construct your search using Boolean operators that can narrow or broaden your results. Exact phrases are indicated with quotes, and you can use wild cards to include alternate spellings or plural case.

• AND
• OR
• NOT
• Quotes for “exact phrases”
• Wild cards for fuzzy search* (search/searching/searches)

Boolean Venn Diagram

Using AI to Help Search

I use Claude regularly when I code, and it performs well within certain limits, i.e. it can misunderstand your question, and it can misunderstand the material. I know that some librarians are using AI to help them construct their searches. However, the searches still need to be evaluated by someone with experience. The main purpose of this exercise is to compare the searches at three major databases.

PEP: “Can you create search strings for PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus?”

Claude: “I’d be happy to help you create search strings for PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus! However, I need to know what topic or research question you’re searching for.”

“Could you tell me: - What is your research topic or question?
- Are there specific concepts, interventions, populations, or outcomes you want to include?
- Do you have any exclusion criteria?
- Are there particular keywords or terms you know you want to use?”

“Once you provide this information, I can create tailored search strings optimized for each database’s syntax and features (like MeSH terms for PubMed, wildcards, Boolean operators, etc.).”

PEP: “I want to search for problems in hip replacement such as post operative infections because i want to develop a new product to help at risk patients especially the elderly.”

Claude: “I’ll create comprehensive search strings for your topic on hip replacement complications, particularly post-operative infections in elderly patients. Let me develop optimized searches for each database.I’ve created comprehensive search strings for PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus tailored to your research on post-operative infections in hip replacement patients, with a focus on elderly and at-risk populations.”

“The document includes:”

“- Optimized search strings for each database with their specific syntax”
“- MeSH terms for PubMed”
“- Alternative simplified versions if you get too few results”
“- Document type filters to focus on articles and reviews”
“- Strategy notes explaining the concepts covered and how to modify searches”
“- Tips for narrowing or broadening your results based on what you find”

“The searches cover three main concept groups: hip replacement procedures (using various terminology), post-operative infections (including surgical site infections and periprosthetic joint infections), and at-risk populations (particularly elderly patients).”

“For your product development work, you might also want to search specifically for prevention strategies, risk assessment tools, and prophylaxis protocols once you’ve identified the key problems. Good luck with your research!”

Literature Search Strings for Hip Replacement Post-Operative Infections

Research Focus: Post-operative infections in hip replacement, particularly in elderly/at-risk patients

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1. PubMed Search String

PubMed uses MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms and allows for field tags.

("Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip"[Mesh] OR "hip replacement*"[tiab] OR "hip arthroplasty"[tiab] OR "total hip replacement*"[tiab] OR "total hip arthroplasty"[tiab] OR THR[tiab] OR THA[tiab])
AND
("Surgical Wound Infection"[Mesh] OR "Prosthesis-Related Infections"[Mesh] OR "Postoperative Complications"[Mesh] OR "surgical site infection*"[tiab] OR SSI[tiab] OR "postoperative infection*"[tiab] OR "post-operative infection*"[tiab] OR "periprosthetic infection*"[tiab] OR PJI[tiab] OR "prosthetic joint infection*"[tiab] OR "wound infection*"[tiab] OR "healthcare-associated infection*"[tiab] OR "nosocomial infection*"[tiab])
AND
("Aged"[Mesh] OR "Frail Elderly"[Mesh] OR elderly[tiab] OR geriatric*[tiab] OR "older adult*"[tiab] OR "older patient*"[tiab] OR senior*[tiab] OR "aged patient*"[tiab] OR "at-risk patient*"[tiab] OR "high-risk patient*"[tiab] OR frail*[tiab] OR "Risk Factors"[Mesh])

Alternative Simplified Version (if results are too limited):

("hip replacement*" OR "hip arthroplasty" OR "total hip replacement*" OR "total hip arthroplasty" OR THR OR THA)
AND
("surgical site infection*" OR "postoperative infection*" OR "post-operative infection*" OR "periprosthetic infection*" OR PJI OR "prosthetic joint infection*" OR "wound infection*")
AND
(elderly OR geriatric* OR "older adult*" OR "older patient*" OR "at-risk" OR "high-risk" OR frail*)

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2. Web of Science Search String

Web of Science uses different syntax with TS= (Topic Search) covering title, abstract, author keywords, and Keywords Plus.

TS=(("hip replacement*" OR "hip arthroplasty" OR "total hip replacement*" OR "total hip arthroplasty" OR "hip prosthe*" OR THR OR THA))
AND
TS=(("surgical site infection*" OR "postoperative infection*" OR "post-operative infection*" OR "periprosthetic infection*" OR PJI OR "prosthetic joint infection*" OR "wound infection*" OR "healthcare-associated infection*" OR "nosocomial infection*" OR "surgical wound infection*" OR SSI OR "implant infection*" OR "deep infection*"))
AND
TS=((elderly OR geriatric* OR "older adult*" OR "older patient*" OR senior* OR "aged patient*" OR "at-risk patient*" OR "high-risk patient*" OR "risk factor*" OR frail* OR comorbid* OR "vulnerable patient*"))

With Document Type Filter (recommended):

TS=(("hip replacement*" OR "hip arthroplasty" OR "total hip replacement*" OR "total hip arthroplasty" OR "hip prosthe*" OR THR OR THA))
AND
TS=(("surgical site infection*" OR "postoperative infection*" OR "post-operative infection*" OR "periprosthetic infection*" OR PJI OR "prosthetic joint infection*" OR "wound infection*" OR "healthcare-associated infection*" OR "nosocomial infection*" OR "surgical wound infection*" OR SSI OR "implant infection*" OR "deep infection*"))
AND
TS=((elderly OR geriatric* OR "older adult*" OR "older patient*" OR senior* OR "aged patient*" OR "at-risk patient*" OR "high-risk patient*" OR "risk factor*" OR frail* OR comorbid* OR "vulnerable patient*"))
AND
DT=(Article OR Review)

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3. Scopus Search String

Scopus uses TITLE-ABS-KEY for searching in titles, abstracts, and keywords.

TITLE-ABS-KEY(("hip replacement*" OR "hip arthroplasty" OR "total hip replacement*" OR "total hip arthroplasty" OR "hip prosthe*" OR thr OR tha))
AND
TITLE-ABS-KEY(("surgical site infection*" OR "postoperative infection*" OR "post-operative infection*" OR "periprosthetic infection*" OR pji OR "prosthetic joint infection*" OR "wound infection*" OR "healthcare-associated infection*" OR "nosocomial infection*" OR "surgical wound infection*" OR ssi OR "implant infection*" OR "deep infection*" OR "superficial infection*"))
AND
TITLE-ABS-KEY((elderly OR geriatric* OR "older adult*" OR "older patient*" OR senior* OR "aged patient*" OR "at-risk patient*" OR "high-risk patient*" OR "risk factor*" OR frail* OR comorbid* OR "vulnerable patient*" OR "advanced age"))

With Document Type Filter (recommended):

TITLE-ABS-KEY(("hip replacement*" OR "hip arthroplasty" OR "total hip replacement*" OR "total hip arthroplasty" OR "hip prosthe*" OR thr OR tha))
AND
TITLE-ABS-KEY(("surgical site infection*" OR "postoperative infection*" OR "post-operative infection*" OR "periprosthetic infection*" OR pji OR "prosthetic joint infection*" OR "wound infection*" OR "healthcare-associated infection*" OR "nosocomial infection*" OR "surgical wound infection*" OR ssi OR "implant infection*" OR "deep infection*" OR "superficial infection*"))
AND
TITLE-ABS-KEY((elderly OR geriatric* OR "older adult*" OR "older patient*" OR senior* OR "aged patient*" OR "at-risk patient*" OR "high-risk patient*" OR "risk factor*" OR frail* OR comorbid* OR "vulnerable patient*" OR "advanced age"))
AND
DOCTYPE(ar OR re)

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Search Strategy Notes

Key Concepts Covered:

1. Hip Replacement Procedures: Various terminology including medical and common terms
2. Post-operative Infections: Including surgical site infections, periprosthetic infections, and prosthetic joint infections
3. At-Risk Populations: Focus on elderly patients and high-risk groups

Wildcards Used:

• * = truncation (captures multiple word endings)
  • Example: infection* captures infection, infections, infectious
  • Example: geriatric* captures geriatric, geriatrics, geriatrician

Tips for Execution:

PubMed: - Use the advanced search builder to break down concepts - Consider using publication date filters for recent research - Can add filters for human studies, English language, etc.

Web of Science: - Use quotation marks for exact phrases - Can refine by research areas, document types, languages - Consider timespan limitations

Scopus: - Offers good citation analysis features - Can limit by subject area, document type, date range - Useful for tracking highly cited papers

Potential Modifications:

To Narrow Results (if too many): - Add date range (e.g., last 5-10 years) - Add specific infection types (e.g., MRSA, Staphylococcus) - Focus on specific patient populations (e.g., diabetic, immunocompromised) - Add intervention terms (e.g., prevention, prophylaxis)

To Broaden Results (if too few): - Remove the elderly/at-risk patient component initially - Use only major concepts (hip replacement + infection) - Remove specific infection terminology and use general terms

Additional Search Considerations:

For product development, you may also want to search for: - Prevention strategies and prophylaxis - Risk assessment tools - Antibiotic protocols - Patient monitoring systems - Cost-effectiveness studies - Quality improvement initiatives

Recommended Next Steps:

1. Run searches in all three databases
2. Remove duplicates using reference management software (EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero)
3. Screen titles and abstracts based on inclusion/exclusion criteria
4. Consider supplementing with grey literature, clinical guidelines, and patents
5. Set up alerts in each database to track new publications

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Date of Search Strategy Creation: February 1, 2026 Databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus Search Strategy Developed For: Post-operative infections in hip replacement patients, particularly elderly/at-risk populations