Medical webwatch.

The University of Texas Medical Branch hosts Dr. Quinn's Online Textbook of Otolaryngology (www.utmb.edu/otoref/Grnds/GrndsIndex.html), edited by Drs. Francis B. Quinn Jr. and Matthew W. Ryan. The "Grand Rounds" archive (1995-2004) lists synopses of otolaryngology conditions in HTML, PDF, and PowerPoint formats. According to the website, these are designed to "stimulate group discussion in a conference setting," with the proviso that the material is "prepared by resident physicians in partial fulfillment of educational requirements ... [and is] not intended for clinical use in its present form." Although these are not in-depth dissertations, they are concise and pithy synopses that would be useful for stimulating discussion as part of a continuing medical education program.

A student teaching resource from the Virtual Hospital, the Atlas of Microscopic Anatomy (www.vh.org/Providers/Textbooks/MicroscopicAnatomy/MicroscopicAnatomy.html) is aimed at promoting an understanding of the structure and function of cells, tissues, and organs as viewed under light microscopy. Classroom-oriented, it provides concise structural/functional correlations clearly labeled for easy assimilation. Seventeen sections deal with different anatomic/physiologic systems, with useful appendices on how to study a microscope slide, preparation of cells, fixation, and staining.

Authored by Philippe Jeanty, MD, PhD, Director of Ultrasound, Women's Health Alliance, Nashville, Tennessee, The Fetus (www.thefetus.net/index.php) is an "online repository of information related to the prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies and management of conditions that affect the fetus." The "Case" section of the website considers case note-style histories submitted by qualified practitioners, and one is challenged for a diagnosis. Diagnoses for past cases are accompanied by annotated ultrasound images. The "Articles" section categorizes cases, and discussions are accompanied by various diagnostic images, illustrations, cartoons, tables, graphs, and movies.

Webmastered by Professor Michael Ward, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, United Kingdom, and coauthored by 15 international contributors, Chlamydiae (www.chlamydiae.com) is an evidence-based overview of, and electronic portal to literature on, chlamydiae and the chlamydials. Sections include: "Introduction," classification/taxonomy, genome and evolution, identification; "Immunobiology," structure, development, attachment, cell interactions, entry; "Infection," ocular, lymphogranuloma venereum, genital and arthritis and other etiologies, other Chlamydiaceae; "Diagnosis and Treatment"; and "Discussion Forum." There is a "Latest News" listing on the front page, and there is also the "Multi-Find" search engine programmed to search several databases of particular interest to chlamydial researchers and healthcare professionals. The professional section of the site requires a free registration. Finally, there is a "Research" section detailing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Chlamydiae.com is a comprehensive professional resource proving that continuing medical education has progressed markedly since descriptions of a "chlamydia-like" disease of the human eyes were mentioned in ancient Chinese and Egyptian manuscripts.

Tobacco.org (http://www.tobacco.org/category/) is an A to Z of tobacco news and information. Anything and everything that you want to know about tobacco will be found at this website. From addiction to Zyban; from cancer to stroke; second-hand smoke to secret documents; they are all here, including 10,300 files concerning tobacco and the law. Drop down menus to the left of the page categorize the information, while the tabs at the top of the page offer a broader menu, including a health category. The site is supported by the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the American Cancer Society. This is a fascinating, if addictive, website.

In the United States, 36% of adults are using some form of complimentary or alternative therapy (CAM) and are recommended to do so under the direction of their physician. So where does the physician go to supplement his or her expertise? The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) (http://nccam.nih.gov/) offers a robust website that categorizes information about complimentary, alternative, and integrative medicine under the headings "Health Information," "Research," "Training," and "Clinical Trials." This wealth of information is cross-referenced under either "Therapy" or "Medical Conditions." There is a whole section on dietary supplements, with quite a few of the analyses being outsourced to expert web pages. NCCAM invests heavily in "Clinical Trials" and synopses of trials that are completed, ongoing, or currently recruiting. Hit the "About NCCAM" tab for an extensive overview of the organization, and round off your visit by indulging in a therapeutic webcast of a past lecture.

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