Areas of Focus

Select one or more topics from this list to limit your search to a specific area of biomedicine or pharmacology within Embase. Unless otherwise stated, these limits are applicable for all years covered by Embase (1974 – present).

List of Areas of Focus limits

Note: records only found in Medline are not retrieved by these limits, which are derived from section classifications within the Embase database.

Anatomy and development

In addition to anatomy, this area covers topics relating to:

  • Developmental biology and embryology
  • Fetal and neonatal development
  • Histology
  • Teratology
  • Anthropology

See also: Gerontology and Geriatrics, Pathology and Forensic Science

Biochemistry

This area covers topics relating to both clinical chemistry and general biochemistry and includes:

  • Analytical methods and chemical function tests
  • Enzymology
  • Cell biology
  • Metabolic biochemistry and nutrition

Cancer

This area covers topics relating to both experimental and clinical aspects of malignant neoplastic disease and includes research in:

  • Cancer immunology
  • Cancer chemotherapeutic agents
  • Oncogenes
  • Viral and chemical carcinogenesis

Dermatology and Venereology

This area covers topics relating to all aspects of skin and venereal diseases and includes:

  • Infectious skin diseases
  • Allergy and skin toxicology
  • Skin physiology, immunology and biochemistry

Note: burns and burn infections are covered in the area: Surgery

Genetics

This area covers topics relating to clinical, experimental and molecular aspects of human genetics and includes:

Congenital defects and malformations

Gene therapy

  • Molecular sequence data for both genes and proteins
  • Genetics of lower animals (when potentially relevant to human medicine)

Note: plant and microbial genetics are excluded.

Gerontology and Geriatrics

This area covers topics relating to all clinical aspects of aging and experimental work on the aging process. Mental and emotional problems in the elderly and social and organisational aspects of health care for the aged are also covered.

Internal Medicine

This area covers topics relating to diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology, and prevention of diseases affecting internal organ systems in adults including:

  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Chest diseases
  • Thoracic surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Nephrology and urology

Note: this area includes all articles on tuberculosis and diabetes.
See also: Pediatrics, Physiology and Endocrinology, Public Health

Immunology and Hematology

This area covers topics relating to clinical and experimental immunology, blood cell biology, blood and lymphatic tissue disorders, and includes:

  • Cancer immunology
  • Immunotherapy
  • Immunopharmacology

See also: Cancer, Surgery

Medical Instrumentation

This area covers topics relating to the application of biophysical principles to the development of instrumentation, the use of automation in biomedicine, biomechanics and bioengineering.

It includes:

  • Imaging techniques
  • Surgical instrumentation and electro-diagnostic techniques
  • Automation of instrumentation and medical informatics

Microbiology

This area covers topics relating to bacteriology, parasitology, mycology and virology, including the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

The scope includes topics such as:

  • Immunity to infection
  • In vitro studies with antimicrobial agents
  • Disinfection and sterilisation
  • Microbial biochemistry
  • Biotechnology and infestation in humans caused by insects

Note: plant and veterinary infections are excluded unless relevant to human disease.

Neurology and Psychiatry

This area covers topics relating to:

  • Clinical neurology and neurosurgery
  • Neuromuscular disorders
  • Clinical and experimental aspects of epilepsy and seizures
  • Medical psychology and psychiatry
  • Mental deficiency
  • Psychological aspects of addiction, alcoholism, sexual behavior and suicide

See also: Toxicology and Drug Dependence

Obstetrics and Gynecology

This area covers topics relating to human obstetrics and gynecology, including:

  • Female and male infertility
  • In vitro fertilization
  • Fetal monitoring
  • Anticonception in women
  • Neonatal care of normal children

See also: Internal Medicine, Surgery

Ophthalmology

This area covers topics relating to all aspects (both surgical and non-surgical) of eye disease and vision disorders and includes articles on the anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of the eye and orbit and visual system.

Note: non-mammalian vision is excluded.

Otorhinolaryngology

This area covers topics relating to all aspects, including surgery, of diseases of the ear, nose and throat including:

  • Phonetics and speech disorders
  • Craniofacial disorders
  • Vestibular disorders
  • Stomatology and audiology

Note: dentistry, orthodontics, and periodontology are excluded

Pathology and Forensic Science

This area covers topics relating to general and organ pathology, pathophysiology, pathological anatomy and forensic pathology. It includes:

  • Forensic toxicology
  • Crime scene investigation
  • Psychosocial problems with legal implications
  • Law and medical ethics.

Note: animal studies not relevant to human pathology are excluded

Pediatrics

This area covers topics relating to all aspects of development and organic disease in neonates, children and adolescents, including surgery.

Note: prenatal diagnosis and fetal monitoring are excluded.

Pharmacology and Pharmacy

This area covers topics relating to:

  • Clinical and experimental pharmacology
  • Drug side effects and drug-related complications
  • Drug formulation and manufacture of drugs and related chemicals
  • Anesthetic agents and anesthesiology

See also: Toxicology and Drug Dependence

Physiology and Endocrinology

This area covers topics relating to all aspects of mammalian physiology (including sports and space physiology, and experimental physiology in animals) and both clinical and experimental endocrinology.

Public Health

This area covers topics relating to:

  • Public health, epidemiology and social medicine
  • Occupational health and industrial medicine
  • Environmental health
  • Air, soil and water pollution
  • Economic, social and political aspects of health care.

Radiology and Nuclear Medicine

This area covers topics relating to:

  • Radiodiagnosis, radiotherapy and radiobiology
  • Ultrasound diagnosis and thermography
  • Therapeutic application of radioisotopes in biomedicine
  • Radiohygiene

Rehabilitation

This area covers topics relating to the rehabilitation of somatic and mental disorders using physiotherapy and other therapeutic techniques.

Note: sports physiology is included when related to rehabilitation.

See also: Physiology and Endocrinology

Surgery

This area covers topics relating to:

  • General, abdominal, thoracic and peripheral vascular surgery
  • Plastic and cosmetic surgery
  • Orthopedics (incl. biomechanics) and bone diseases
  • Pre- and post-operative care
  • Surgical aspects of intensive care medicine

See also: Internal medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Toxicology and Drug Dependence

This area covers topics relating to toxic mechanisms and effects of both medicinal and non-medicinal substances. Included in this coverage are:

  • Abuse of drugs, alcohol and organic solvents
  • Experimental pharmacology of addiction
  • Predictive toxicology

Coverage: records from 1983 to present
See also: Pharmacology and Pharmacy