A New Comprehensive Resource Tool Published

A thesaurus which provides consistent standardized terminology for different aspects including education, psychosocial disciplines, medical research, prevention, and treatment in the field of alcohol and other drugs has recently been published.

The "Alcohol and other Drugs Thesaurus: A Guide to Concepts and Terminology in Substance Abuse and Addiction (AOD Thesaurus)" has been brought out as a collaborative effort by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) in the USA.

The AOD Thesaurus is a comprehensive tool, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of AOD research.

It will provide librarians, information specialists, researchers, clinicians, & medical practitioners with a common vocabularly to use when accessing current information and new trends in the AOD fields.

Comprising more then 10,000 terms, the AOD Thesaurus provides a wealth of terminology that can be used for controlled vocabulary or free text searching, in-house indexing, subject cataloguing, or, revising a current classification system.

The hierarchical list in the thesaurus provides the user access to concepts and is arranged by subject in a free structures format. The alphabetical index on the other hand, is a keyword-out-of-context list through which users can access a multiword term under each of the words it contains. Searcher will have choices among the extensive scope notes that define terms, the network of cross-references between and among the descriptors, and the abundance of lead-in terms that will also be valuable in free-text searching of other databases.

The AOD Thesaurus is used to index the NIAA's on-line databases called the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Science Database (commonly known as ETOH). It is also used to index CSAP's National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) database, known as the Information on Drugs and Alcohol (IDA). The ETOH descriptors are especially marked in the AOD Thesaurus with a fine print, lowercase "e" following the number (e.g. GQ 10.26e alcoholic liver cirrhosis).

More information on the AOD Thesaurus may be obtained from:

Ms. Diane Miller
Chief, Scientific Communications Branch
Office of Scientific Affairs
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Parklawn Building, Room 16c-14
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville
MD 20857, 301-443-4733 USA

— The ASTINFO Newsletter April-June 1995

International Congress on Archives

The XIII International Congress on Archives will be held in Beijing, People's Republic of China (PRC) during 2-7 September 1996. This year's theme is "The Archives at the End of the Century: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead." The Congress will summarize and explore historical experiences and level of development for archival work in various countries. It will also forecast the prospects and trends of international activities on archives in the 21st century.

The Congress will be divided into four plenary sessions: 1) International archival cooperation since the Brussels Congress in 1910; 2) Continuity and change in archival legislation structures and infrastructures; 3) Interaction of archival theory and practice since the publication of the Dutch Manual; and 4) The impact of modern technology on archives and archival work.

During the Congress exhibitions on China's archives, international archival equipment, posters and publications relating to archives will be held. The organizing committee for the Congress is chaired by Mr. Luo Gan, the State Councillor and Secretary General of the State Council.

— The ASTINFO Newsletter, April - June 1995

UNESCO Proposes Restructuring of Asia Pacific Networks of Technology for Development

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has proposed the restructuring of regional networks of technology for development in Asia and the Pacific. The proposal was made as a result of the survey conducted in February 1994 and the subsequent meeting held in Jakarta in August 1994.

It was proposed that seven regional networks be merged and restructured into four broad-based networks focussing on the fields of technology for community development, technology for industrial development, technology and environment and energy technology.

The proposed restructuring of the seven regional networks is as follows:

1. Regional Network for Technology for Community Development in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It is to be formed by combining the networks for Appropriate Technology for Rural Development and the Housing for Low Income Groups;

2. Regional Network for Technology for Industrial Development in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It is to be formed by combining the networks for Micro-electronics, Instrumentation and Process Control;

3. Regional Network for Technology and Environment in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It is to be formed by combining the Management and Utilization of Wastes Network with new developing interest in the fields of cleaner production and green technology;

4. Regional Network for Energy Technology in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It is to be formed by combining the networks for Development of Alternative Sources of Energy and the Information Network on New and Renewable Energy Resources and Technology Resources for Asia and the Pacific (INNERTAP) and incorporating developing interest in solar energy and other relevant fields.

Two other networks established in the latter part of 1980s and also financially funded by UNESCO ROSTSEA were

however recommended to be maintained as they are. These are the Science and Technology Policy Asian Network (STEPAN) and Regional Informatics Network for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (RINSEAP).

— The ASTINFO Newsletter, April - June 1995

UNESCO Information is Now Available On-Line with Internet

Press releases; database directories, general information and colour images of the architecture and art at UNESCO Headquarters are now available on INTERNET computer network. Addresses, fax, telex and electronic-mail numbers of UNESCO' regional offices, National Commissions and Clubs are also on-line. To access this information, type: gopher unesco.org. or url:http://unesco.org: 70.

— The ASTINFO Newsletter, April - June 1995

Seminar on International Database Access and its Applications

The Distributed Information Sub-Centre at Pondicherry University organized a seminar on "International Database Access and Its Applications" during 13-15 February 1995. The seminar was funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and co-sponsored by the Pondicherry University. The aim of the seminar was to educate biologists to access on-line databases available in India and abroad. The seminar also included `hands-on' demonstrations of several on-line databases. The seminar was attended by about fifty participants from all over the country. During the `Hands-on' sessions various international databases like DIALOG, ICGEBNET, INTERNET access, TELNET access, molecular modelling, etc., were demonstrated to the participants. A demonstration of CD-ROM databases and multimedia was also arranged.

Prof. A. Gnanam, Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University, in his inaugural address, stressed on the advantage of computers for accessing distributed information. He emphasised the usefulness of electronic networks for sharing information among scientists separated by geographical boundaries. Dr. P.P. Mathur, Officer-in-charge of the centre informed about the various databases such as Current Contents, MEDLINE, AGRIS, AGRICOLA, DIALOG, etc. available at the centre.

Dr. J.R. Arora, Director, Bioinformatics, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India delivered the key-note address highlighting the Biotechnology Information System Networks (BTIS NET). He explained about the INTERNET database resources for the biologists.

A talk on "Bioinformatics-Present Scenario"was delivered by Prof. A.S. Kolaskar of the University of Poona, Pune. In his lecture he elaborated how the communication networks like NICNET and ERNET played an important role in the growth of the bioinformatics activities in India. He also highlighted the features of the animal virus databank developed by the Bioinformatics Centre of the University of Poona.

— Biobytes, 1995

Chinese Science and Engineering Periodical Abstracts (CSEP)

In order to meet the increasing needs of the overseas users, The Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (ISTIC) has recently released its Chinese Science and Engineering Periodical Abstracts (CSEP). CSEP is a comprehensive bibliographic database that provides access to the Chinese scientific and technical developments. The development of ISTIC database was started in 1986 and at present it covers information from over 1,200 important Chinese periodicals including those brought out by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Association for Science & Technology, the Chinese Higher Education Institutes and other organizations.

CSEP follows its own China Documentation Scheme and Chinese Thesaurus as standards. The database has over 100,000 records on various subjects such as Chemistry (10,000 Abs.), Astronomy & Earth Science (8,700), Biology (7,900), Agriculture (6,200), Metallugry and Metallography (5,800), Automation and Computer Science (5,200), Chemical Industry (5,100), Electronics & Telecommunication (4,900) and Physics (4,300).

CSEP is available in both CD-ROM and Floppy Disk Formats (Priced at US $980). For further information ISTIC may be contacted at the following address:

Division of Database Development
ISTIC
No. 15 Fu xing lu
100038 PO Box. 3827
Beijing, C H I N A
Telephone:(8610) 851-4016
FAX: (8610) 8514025

DIALOG and DATASTAR Change Their Corporate Name

Knight-Ridder is the parent company of DIALOG Information Services Inc and Radio Suisse (which operates DATASTAR in Switzerland). On January 1, 1995 both these group companies have changed their name to Knight-Ridder Information Inc.

Though there is a change in corporate identity, names of popular services - DIALOG and DATASTAR remain unchanged. However, the entire line of CD-ROM products, formerly called DIALOG OnDisc, has been renamed as KR Information OnDisc to reflect the company's new identity.

— Dialog Talk, January 1995

KOSMET (KOSM)

It is a unique database on cosmetic sciences produced by International Federation of the Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFS CC), Bedfordshire, UK. KOSMET covers articles from periodicals, news releases, congresses and seminars on all matters related to cosmetics and perfumes, in particular the scientific and technical information. It covers different aspects of product development, knowledge of healthy skin and its adnexa (hair, nails, teeth, glands), trading of perfumes and cosmetics, research development of raw materials, active ingredients, formulations, manufacture, analysis, safety, physicochemical properties, biological properties, stability, packaging and clinical studies.

KOSMET scans articles from key periodicals specialising in cosmetic and perfume science and technology, reports from congresses and meetings of IFSCC and National Societies of Cosmetic Chemists, technical publications from professional associations and additional material from peripheral sources whereever appropriate, such as congresses on aerosols, detergents or essential oils and articles published in other periodicals not specialising in this field.

Approximately 80% of all references in KOSMET have abstracts. In all cases, the abstract is based on the author's summary and always appears in English.

— Dialog Talk, July 1994

Back Volumes of JMPS Available Free to Libraries

A limited number of old back volumes of Journal of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (JMPS) can be distributed free to the libraries of the universities/institutions of national importance/academic and other R&D organisations on a first-come-first-served basis. Requests may be sent to Dr. Harish Chandra, Secretary, Editorial Board, JMPS, Central Library, IIT, Madras-36 within one month from the date of publication of this news.

E-Mail Access to INFLIBNET Databases

INFLIBNET has initiated a new service - access to its Union Catalogue of about 25,000 periodical and 50,000 thesis holdings using E-Mail facility. This includes holding details of more than 60 universities and other institutions of higher learning. E-Mail facility is an economical and easily implementable means for exchange of data for resource sharing. The procedure involves sending queries by e-mail to INFLIBNET Mailbox on query[at]infahd.ernet.in or inflibhq[at]shakti.ncst.ernet.in address. The query is then processed and results put back in respective mail boxes, which can be collected through E-Mail. Libraries subscribing to any one of the data communication networks such as I-NET, ERNET and NICNET can avail of this facility.

E-Mail facility using ERNET is available to the libraries [at] Rs. 5000/- per annum and is being provided on priority basis to the participating libraries of INFLIBNET Programme. For details please contact: Dr. SP Nawathe, Additional Director, ERNET Project, Deptt. of Electronics, 6, CGO Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110 003, Tel: 011-4363071. The facility is also available on NICNET.

— INFLIBNET News-Letter, July 1995

ADINET Moves Ahead

Ahmedabad Library Network (ADINET) is in the process of procuring computer and associated systems for database creation and networking. NISSAT/DSIR has subscribed to CD-ROM databases, viz., Inside Information, CD-MARC BIB, CD-MARC Name and CD-Marc Subject for ADINET.

Union catalogue of serials with over 3000 records of the 32 participating libraries at Ahmedabad has been created and

is now available for use. Creation of databases of institutions and theses/dissertations is in progress. ADINET organised a training course for local libraries at Ahmedabad from July 3 to 11, 1995.

ADINET and INFLIBNET have jointly celeberated Dr. S.R. Ranganathan's birth anniversary with a seminar on "21st Century Libraries and Librarians" on August 12, 1995.

— INFLIBNET News-Letter, July 1995

Announcement : Caliber-96

Third National Convention on Automation of Libraries in Higher Education and Research Institutions, CALIBER-96, will be jointly organised by INFLIBNET and MS University of Baroda in the third week of February, 1996 at Vadodara, Gujarat.

Fellowships and Grants
H.W. Wilson Library Staff Development Grant

This grant is awarded to library organizations for programmes designed to further staff development objectives. Applications must be accompanied by definite proposals showing organizational goals and objectives and a well-defined programme that meets the needs of the organization.

Programme Type: Faculty/Professional Development.

Geographic limitaton: None. Amount: USD 2500.

Date due: December 1.

Contact: ALA Awards Committee, ALA, 50 E Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Tel: +1-312-280 3247. Fax: + 1-312-280 3257 Ref. No. 435

The Association for Library and Information Science Education
ALISE Research Grants

ALISE considers proposals for grants to support research broadly related to education for library and information science. Proposals should include abstract of the project; problem statement and literature review; project objectives and description; research design, methodology, and analysis techniques; detailed budget; expected benefits and impact from the research; and curriculum vitae of project investigators. Detailed guidelines are available upon request.

Requirements/restrictions: Applicants must be personal members of ALISE. Grants will not be given to support doctoral dissertations. Programme type: Basic Research. Geographic limitation: None. Amount:" One or more grants totalling USD 2500 per year. Date due: Oct. 1, Ref. No. 436

ALISE Doctoral Students' Dissertation Competition Awards

These Awards provide an opportunity for the exchange of research ideas between established researchers and doctoral students who have recently graduated in the field of education for library and information science. Doctoral students who have recently graduated, or who are about to finish their dissertations, are invited to submit papers summarizing their dissertation research in areas dealing with substantive issues in library and information science. Detailed guidelines are available upon request. Programme type: Student Support (Inclusive Dissertation Support). Geographic limitation: None. Amount: USD 400 + conference registration, one year personal membership in ALISE Date due: October 1, Ref. No. 437. Contact: The Research Committee, ALISE. 4101 Lake Boone Trail, Ste 201, Raleigh, NC 27607. USA. Te; + 1-919-787 5181.

— ET Newsletter, 1995

Internet Companion for Librarians

The Complete Internet Companion for Librarians by Allen C. Benson is a book in which the author introduces the Internet as an addition to the librarian's repertoire of working skills. The author summarizes the hardware and software required to connect a single computer to the Internet, and provides simple yet complete tutorials on the basic Internat protocols, including FTP, TELNET, WAIS and e-mail. Also JPEG picture files and Mosaic are explained. The integration of Internet resources into traditional library services is examined. The Price of the book is USD 49.95. Contact: Neal-Schuman Publishers Inc., 100 Varick Street, New York NY 10013. USA. Tel: +1-212-219 8916. Fax:+1-212-925 8650. Ref. No. 453

— ET Newsletter, 1995, 1995

ICPIC: The CP Database

ICPIC—The International Cleaner Production Information Clearinghouse—provides a regularly updated information exchange, Its features include: a message centre; news bulletins; a calendar of forthcoming international events; a directory of expert CP contacts; and case studies and publication abstracts to explain and illustrate the cleaner production concept. To address user concerns regarding the accessibility and user-friendliness of the system, the on-line ICPIC system underwent a thorough review in 1994. Recommendations included making the system available through Internet, in diskette version and in hard copy. Corresponding work is now under way.

— Industry and Environment 1994 Activity Report

Ozonaction Database

Refocusing the emphasis from on-line communication, OzonAction has developed a diskette version of its database on technical and policy information. The first OzonAction Information Clearinghouse Diskette Version (OAIC-DV) was distributed in 1994 to all National Ozone Units and focal points in developing countries, and to key information sources in developed countries.

— Industry and Environment 1994 Activity Report

JICST-EPLUS Available through STN

The JICST-EPlus File (JICST File on Science, Technology, and Medicine in Japan) is a comprehensive bibliographic database with English citations and abstracts covering the literature published in Japan on all fields of science, technology, and medicine. The file contains the same indexed records that were included in the previous JICST-E file, along with additional records for which indices have not yet been created.

Further information may be obtained at the following address:

Overseas Service Division of JICST
The Japan Information Center of Science and Technology
5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102 JAPAN
PHONE: +81-3-5214-8413
Fax:+81-3-05214-8410

— JICST News

National Poisons Information Centre, Colombo

In Sri Lanka, the incidence of acute poisoning has increased alarmingly in recent years. In 1986, for example, there were some 25000 admissions and 2000 deaths due to acute poisoning, nearly 65% of the cases being due to pesticides. The Ministry of Women's Affairs and Teaching Hospitals consquently initiated steps to establish a Poisons Information Centre in 1986. These initiatives and a 3-year project grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada led to establishment of the first Poisons Information Centre in Sri Lanka, at the General Hospital Colombo. The aims of the Centre are to provide rapid and accurate information on poisons and poisoning to physicians and para-medical personnel 24 hours a day. The Centre collects useful information on pesticides, drugs, household requisites, etc. In addition, data on venomous snakes and other harmful animals and poisonous plants is being collected. The Centre also hopes to store and supply information on antidotes and other drugs required to treat the victims of poisoning.

The information can be obtained from the Centre by phone or writing. For details contact Dr. Ravindra Fernando, Faculty of Medicine, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. Tel: 694016, 686142; Fax: 94-1-691581.

Component Reference Database

Aspect Development Inc. announced the incorporation of its wholly owned subsidiary, Aspect Development India Pvt Ltd., at its Leo Complex location in Bangalore. Aspect India is the development centre of the leading worldwide Electronic Component Reference Database called VIP (very important parts). Aspect's reference databases and its Component Information System software is used by 45 of the leading electronic systems manufacturers worldwide to enable selection of the best parts to meet their technical and business requirements.
Aspect India currently has 75 engineers and technicians developing and expanding the database.

Aspect Development Inc. is the worldwide leader in Component and Supplier Management (CSM) software and electronic reference databases (VIP). Aspect has had a development centre in Bangalore since 1991. This development centre has been responsible for creating a high quality database covering 200 categories of electronic parts, totaling almost 700k parts to date, from over 500 manufacturers, representing almost 30 gigabytes of data.

— Electronics for You, November 1995

UNIDO Commodity Balance Statistics Database

Since 1984, UNIDO has been developing a database of statistics on domestic production, imports, exports and apparent consumption of selected manufactured products at the most detailed product specification possible. The database is available to researchers, policy makers and project personnel outside UNIDO upon request.

The database contains annual time-series data on production, imports, exports and apparent consumption, all in physical units (metric tons, cubic metres, number etc.), of selected manufactured products. The data are arranged according to the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) at the six-digit level, and are presented by product, country and year. The coverage in the 1995 version of the database is summarized as follows:

The primary sources of data were the United Nations trade and commodity production tapes. Supplementary data were drawn from various sources, including the supply and utilization account tapes of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a number of statistical and industrial publications, and estimates made by UNIDO.

The Industrial Statistics Branch maintains and updates the data biennially as part of its responsibility to provide continuing service to UNIDO users.

Tapes will use blocked fixed-length record format. Users may, however, specify a maximum block size and choose from the following physical characteristics:

The Commodity Balance Statistics Database is also available on diskette and is now distributed with a user-friendly query and retrieval program. Data can be easily selected and displayed via a menu-driven interface and can be exported in ASCII format. The database on diskette is available for PCDOS/MS-DOS micro-computer environments.

The data are sold on magnetic tape or diskettes at the rates shown in Table 1.

Payment should be made through bank draft or cheque in favour of UNIDO, or through a direct bank deposit to UNIDO, Creditanstalt-Bankverein US dollar account No. 29-05115. Payments should be forwarded to the Industrial Statistics Branch, UNIDO, Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Austria. Purpose of payment and account code number RB-7310000 should be indicated.

Micro CDS/ISIS Pascal interface: SELECT.PAS

SELECT. PAS is a user interface developed by Institute of Information Studies, Bangalore for the CDS/ISIS users. The Main features of the programme are:

• On screen listing of names of databases in the system with option to display brief descriptions of each of the databases

• Selection of one or more databases from the list for searching

• Formulation of search expressions using CDS/ISIS search language

• Search of several databases simultaneously using the invert file or as a free text search; options for specific field search, using the terms dictionary and search using a thesaurus are also provided

• Retrieval and display of the records from one or more databases using user-selected display format(s)

• Selection of terms from the records displayed to formulate new search expressions thus enhancing the search process

• Selective saving of retrieved records

• Printing/deletion of the saved file, if desired

• Menu-based printing with on-line help for each of the options in the menu

The program SELECT. PAS may be interfaced at option S in the EXIST main menu or from the Advanced Programming Services.

— Sridevi Ravindran, NISSAT