The Scout Report for Science & Engineering - June 24, 1998


The Scout Report for Science & Engineering

June 24, 1998

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The target audience of the new Scout Report for Science & Engineering is faculty, students, staff, and librarians in the life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. Each biweekly issue offers a selective collection of Internet resources covering topics in the sciences, and related fields such as math and engineering, that have been chosen by librarians and content specialists in the given field of study.

The Scout Report for Science & Engineering is also provided via email once every two weeks. Subscription information is included at the bottom of each issue.

In This Issue
* Research * Current Awareness
* Learning Resources * New Data
* General Interest * In the News

Research
Dinosaurs With Feathers
Nature Web Special--Our Fine Feathered Friends: Dinosaurs With Feathers
http://www.nature.com/
Select: Web Specials/Dinosaurs With Feathers
Fossils From China Link Birds with Dinosaurs--National Geographic [QuickTime 3.0, RealPlayer)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/society/ngo/events/98/dinosaurs/index.html
The latest Nature Web Special (discussed in the April 29, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering), concerns the discovery by Canadian, Chinese, and American researchers of two species of "theropod dinosaur from China - dinosaurs with feathers." The Nature site includes a press release, commentary by Kevin Padian of the Department of Integrative Biology and the Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, and full text of the article: "Two feathered dinosaurs from northeastern China," (Nature 393, 753-761; 1998), by Quang Ji, et al. The discovery is also reported in the July 1998 issue of National Geographic. The National Geographic site contains more information about the discovery, including a brief interview with Quang Ji, images (including a QuickTime VR image), and a 55 minute RealPlayer audio press conference held June 23, 1998. [JS]
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Center for Quantum Computation
http://www.qubit.org/
Researchers at the Center for Quantum Computation (CQC) at Oxford University study "all aspects of quantum information processing" and "the implications of the quantum theory of computation for physics itself." The Center's homepage provides information on each of their four areas of research (Fundamentals, Architecture, Ion Trap, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), although content depth varies with subject. Also included at the site are: contact information, email addresses, and homepage links to most CQC members and associates; links to other research centers around the world; and a calendar of events related to quantum computation. [KH]
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UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics
http://www.grida.no/db/maps/prod/level0/
UNEP/GRID-Arendal
http://www.grida.no/
Established in 1989 by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Norwegian Ministry of Environment, GRID-Arendal is an international information center providing high quality environmental information for practical use. Arendal is one of thirteen centers that together comprise the Global Resource Information Database, a "network of environmental data centers facilitating the generation and dissemination of key environmental, geo-referenced, and statistical data-sets and information products..." To that end, GRID-Arendal has just significantly upgraded its maps and graphics section. The new interface contains 110 detailed color maps and graphics (browseable by subject or region), with new additions scheduled monthly. This impressive database covers "environment related topics including Agriculture and Fisheries, Atmosphere and Climate Change, Biodiversity, Demography, Economy, Energy, Freshwater, Hot spots/Trends, Human Health, Land Degradation, Pollution, Protected areas/Forests, Socio-economic and Topographic maps." For students, teachers, and researchers alike, this site has much to offer. [LXP]
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Department of Science, Technology and Society: Publications [.pdf]
http://www.chem.ruu.nl/nws/www/nws.html
The Department of Science, Technology and Society, of Utrecht University's Chemistry Faculty, provides access to some of their scientific reports in .pdf format. While the site lists all of the Department's scientific publications from 1993 to the present, .pdf versions do not begin until 1995. Recent titles include "Heat and power from Eucalyptus and Bagasse in Nicaragua," and "Packaging Tomorrow; Modelling the material input for European packaging in the 21st century." [KH]
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Applied and Environmental Microbiology--ASM
http://aem.asm.org/
The American Society for Microbiology has placed online the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, covering "significant current research in the areas of biotechnology, microbial ecology, food microbiology, and industrial microbiology." Abstracts are online beginning with the January 1992 issue, and users can access full-text content, including all figures and tables, beginning with the January 1998 issue. Full text is searchable by keyword, and cited references include "hyperlinks to Medline and to the full text of a number of other online journals." Note that free access extends through the end of 1998. [LXP]
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Learning Resources
The Basics of Design Engineering
http://www.machinedesign.com/bde/index.html
A product of Penton Publishing, The Basics of Design Engineering is a wonderful introduction to this field of engineering. The site is divided into eight chapters--Motion Control, CAD/CAM, Materials, Mechanical Systems and Components, Fluid Power, Electrical and Electronic, Fastening and Joining, and Training/Outsourcing. Each chapter is further broken into multiple sections, making information easy to access. [KH]
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Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling the World--HHMI
http://www.hhmi.org/senses/
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers this graphic site featuring up-to-date research on the science of sensory systems. Each of the site's five main sections, Senses (the brain), Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, and Brain Scans, showcases brief yet informative articles studded with intriguing facts and engaging graphics. A select Glossary adds to the site's educational utility. Designed by those who know how attention works, the site is sure to hold your attention--whether as a beginner or as a teacher. [LXP]
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Glossary of Oceanography and the Related Geosciences with References
http://www-ocean.tamu.edu/~baum/paleo/paleogloss/paleogloss.html
Compiled by Steven K. Baum at the Texas Center for Climate Studies, Texas A&M University, this site is a cross referenced glossary of oceanography and geoscience terminology. The glossary is divided into 47 categories, typically containing two divisions for each letter of the alphabet. An appendix lists books in four fields of oceanography, climatology, and meteorology. [KH]
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Tools: Information Gathering and Analysis--NCEDR
http://www.ncedr.org/tools/
The National Center for Environmental Decision-making Research aims "to improv[e] environmental decision making" at regional, state, and local levels. Administered by the Joint Institute for Energy and Environment in Knoxville, Tennessee, NCEDR offers many decision-making resources, most prominently, tools for information gathering and analysis. Users may select from eight categories of tool use, from Identifying Values to Post-Decision Assessment. Within each category, subcategories offer information and tools on economic market assessment, ecological relationships, and other topics. Additional Links and commentary on Strengths & Weaknesses (of tools), Communicating the Results, Looking Ahead, and Key Sources round out the site. [LXP]
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General Interest
Performance Computing
http://www.performancecomputing.com/
Miller Freeman Inc. furnishes this magazine, which is geared towards Unix users and provides recent news in the field of computing. Contents of the online magazine are divided into seven main categories: Features, Opinions, Columns, Reviews, a Buyer's Guide, New Products, and a highlights overview. The site also features a weekly News column. [KH]
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Two Florida Plant Atlases
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants--ISB/USF
http://www.usf.edu/~isb/projects/atlas/mapindex.html
E-Flora Florida: Illustrated Atlas of Florida Plants
http://www.floridaplants.com/eflora/cover.htm
Richard Wunderlin and Bruce Hansen of the Institute of Systematic Botany (University of South Florida) and Edwin L. Bridges of Fairchild Tropical Garden created the monumental Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants. The searchable Atlas is organized by Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Monocots, and Dicots. Although not illustrated, the Atlas includes maps of the distribution (by county) of "each of Florida's over 4,000 plant species." These maps are arranged alphabetically by family, genus, and species, within each of the four major plant groups. In addition to the online version, "a fully searchable version that also includes information on endangered species, native status, wetland species, synonymy and more is available on a fully searchable, multi-platform CD-ROM." The second site, E-Flora Florida, is edited and maintained by Leigh Fulghum of Florida Plants Online, and offers illustrations and links to the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants' distribution maps for roughly 40 species of mostly marshy/aquatic plants. Though limited by species coverage, several online glossaries, bibliographies, and other reference materials fill out the E-Flora site. [LXP]
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Major Biomes of the World
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/main.html
As part of the Virtual Geography Department Project at Radford University, Susan Woodward created this site as a module for "the distribution and nature of the world's major biomes." Major Biomes discusses the climate, vegetation, structure and growthforms, soil, subclimaxes, fauna, and distribution for eight different biomes. Each page contains images, a photographic example of the biome, and a map of the world highlighting the range of the particular biome. [KH]
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Division of Realty--USFWS
http://realty.fws.gov/
"What a country chooses to save is what a country chooses to say about itself." So reads the entry quote (by Mollie H. Beattie) at the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Realty page. The Division of Realty "supports the acquisition and management of Service Lands utilizing the Migratory Bird Conservation and the Land and Water Conservation Fund." To that end, the Division of Realty site provides information on land acquisition, protection policy, and conservation to maintain and enhance "the largest and most diverse (network of protected areas) in the world." Six sections form the heart of this searchable site: Base Program, Overview, Landowner's Guide, Land Protection Policy, Shared Revenue Payments, and Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. In addition, users can review past accomplishments, the 1998 Budget Request, and suggested links. [LXP]
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Current Awareness
(For links to additional current awareness on tables of contents, abstracts, preprints, new books, data, conferences, etc., visit the Science & Engineering Current Awareness Metapage: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/sci-engr/metapage/).

inScight
http://www.apnet.com/inscight/
inScight is a joint project of Science (journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science), and Academic Press. inScight offers daily news features from the world of scientific research (produced by the Science newsroom). Each daily feature links to related sites, including research updates, Academic Press publications, and other web resources. Recent features highlight the benefits of bacteria, and the role of enzymes in preventing death due to stroke. [LXP]
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Engineering E-journal Search Engine (EESE): 35 New Journals Added--EEVL
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/eese/
EESE Journal List
http://www.eevl.ac.uk/eese/maglist.html
The Engineering E-journal Search Engine (discussed in the March 4, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering), part of the Edinburgh Engineering Virtual Library (discussed in the September 20, 1996 Scout Report) has recently added 35 e-journals to its collection. A complete list of journals covered, with hyperlinks to the journals, as well as "new" icons for the recent additions, is available. [JS]
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New Reports and Publications
Pesticidal Chemicals Classified as Known, Probable or Possible Human Carcinogens--EPA
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/carlist/
These tables, created by the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), list approximately 165 pesticidal chemicals which are "known, probable, or possible carcinogens." The chemicals are divided into nine tables, determined by level of classification and whether they are a known, probable, or possible carcinogen. [KH]

Seven New Climate Change Reports--NLE
http://www.cnie.org/nle/crsnew.html
The National Library for the Environment (NLE) has posted seven new CRS (Congressional Research Service) reports, as well as the Global Climate Change Briefing Book, at the NLE website. The new reports cover issues of global climate change. All reports (including previous updates) are available in full text with hyperlinks to referenced materials. [LXP]

Catalog of Databases and Reports from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center--ORNL (.pdf, 68p.)
http://cdiac.ESD.ORNL.GOV/epubs/catalog/catalgpdf.pdf
This report catalogues the titles, authors, years, and brief descriptions for databases and reports from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The reports, many of which are available online, focus on the greenhouse effect and global climate change. The catalog is divided into US Department of Energy (DOE) reports, CDIAC reports, CDIAC numeric data and computer model products, and databases. Author and title indexes are available. [KH]

American Heritage Rivers are Recommended
http://www.epa.gov/rivers/ten.html
The US Environmental Protection Agency has recommended ten rivers for designation as American Heritage Rivers. This status brings extra protection and resources to the rivers and the lands surrounding them. Note that two of these rivers, the Potomac and the Hudson, are also listed among America's 20 most endangered rivers (discussed in the April 15, 1998 Scout Report for Science & Engineering). [KH]
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Jobs
Job Openings in Science and Technology from the Chronicle of Higher Education
http://thisweek.chronicle.com/.ads/.ads-by-group/.faculty/.scitech/.links.html
[JS]

Jobs--The Scientist
http://www.the-scientist.library.upenn.edu/yr1998/june/job_list_980608.html
This site offers a modest collection of job announcements in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Immunology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Medical Sciences, Physiology, and Toxicology. Maintained by The Scientist, the site is updated frequently. [LXP]

Careers & Jobs in Marine Biology & Oceanography
http://www-marine.stanford.edu/HMSWeb/careers.html
This small metasite by Joe Wible of Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, provides job postings and advice for those interested in a career in the marine or aquatic sciences. Job postings are specific to the marine and aquatic sciences, and offer opportunities from the trainee and intern level through post docs and a variety of advanced level positions. [LXP]

BMENet--Biomedical Engineering Network: Job Openings
http://fairway.ecn.purdue.edu/BME/jobpage.html
The Biomedical Engineering Network maintains this site which offers several dozen job announcements in the field of biomoedical engineering. Also provided at the site are instructions on how to post a job announcement. [LXP]
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Funding
Biological Research Collections--NSF
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf98126/nsf98126.txt
The US National Science Foundation's Biological Research Collections (BRC) program is intended to enhance collections of "both extant and fossil organisms, their tissues and artifacts." Grants provide "support for collection improvement, for collection computerization, for research to develop better techniques of curation and collection management, and for collections community-based development undertakings." The deadline for submitting BRC proposals is the first Friday in September. [LXP]

Two NSF Grants
Experimental Activities Program
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf98127/nsf98127.txt
Instrument Development for Biological Research
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf98119/nsf98119.htm
The US National Science Foundation is offering funds under two programs. The Experimental Activities program encompasses "experimental research and resources that span the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)." Funding may be requested from either of two subsections of this program: Experimental Partnerships (deadline November 1), and CADRE, the CISE Advanced Distributed Resources for Experiments (deadline January 15). In addition, NSF has announced the Instrument Development for Biological Research Program, supporting "development of concept and proof of concept for an entirely novel instrument for biological research; ... novel or significantly improved instruments for study of biological systems at all levels of organization," improved or novel software, and "workshops in emerging areas of instrumentation and instrument development." Deadline for Instrument Development for Biological Research proposals is the last Monday of August, annually. Each site provides guidelines and detailed information. [LXP]
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Conferences
Geo-engineering for Underground Facilities: Call for Abstracts
http://www.ceps.uiuc.edu/3rdGeoInstitute/
The University of Illinois will host the Third National Conference of the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The theme of the conference is the "characterization, observation of behavior, and use of fundamentals and precedent in the evaluation and design of underground and excavated facilities in geologic materials." Deadline to submit abstracts for the 1999 conference is July 15, 1998. [KH]

Ecosystem Restoration--EPA
http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/
The US Environmental Protection Agency will hold a national symposium "to bring together practitioners and researchers" of ecosystem restoration. The symposium, which will be held from July 29-31, 1998 in Baltimore, Maryland, is organized into five sections: Management Issues/Case Studies; Mid Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA); Wetlands & Shallow Waters; Rivers, Streams, & Riparian Areas; and Terrestrial/Uplands. Registration is free and may be completed online. [LXP]

Geological Society of America: Annual Meeting
http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/98/papers.htm
The annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA) will be held in Toronto, Canada, October 26-29, 1998. This year's theme, Assembly of a Continent, will examine the "commonality of the lands" occupied by inhabitants of North America. Deadline to submit abstracts in one of 54 themes is July 13, 1998. Abstracts may be submitted either electronically or in traditional hardcopy format. [KH]

Technical Schedule for the Chemical Information Division--ACS
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/~atbrooks/CINF/technical_session_216.html
The Division of Chemical Information (CINF) has posted the full schedule for the technical program of the August 23-27, 1998 meeting of the American Chemical Society. Abstracts for each presentation are posted at the site. [KH]
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New Data
Enterococcus faecalis Genome Project--TIGR
http://www.tigr.org/tdb/mdb/efdb/efdb.html
The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) announces the new release of 3,209,119 bp of genome sequence from Enterococcus faecalis strain V583. The Enterococcus faecalis Genome Project, which has just completed the random sequencing phase, is supported by The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The sequence data, which are unfinished and have not yet been edited, are available for download (FTP) at the site. [LXP]
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1996 Toxic Release Inventory Data--EPA [.pdf, Dbase]
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/tri/
As part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, the US Environmental Protection Agency recently released data concerning toxic releases for 1996. The data for each state and federal facility are available in compressed (.exe) dBase format (.dbf). Information contained in each data file includes reporting facility, chemical names, aggregate release data, and total chemical transfers. The report is available as a series of Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files. [KH]
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Foreign Trade in Fisheries--NMFS
http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/trade/index.html
Maintained by the Fisheries Statistics & Economics Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service, this spectacular foreign trade data base includes annual and monthly data since 1975 and is constantly updated as new information becomes available. For scientists interested in quantifying or tracking human impact on marine ecosystems, this site is a veritable gold mine. The database offers three types of data, all of which are searchable and may be downloaded: imports of fishery products, exports, and re-exports. Trade data exist for all countries with which the US conducts trade. A new feature increases the worth of this already valuable site: users can, with the help of explicit instructions, "build a database" (for download), organized by specified countries and time periods. [LXP]
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New Galileo Images
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/
NASA has posted these eight new images from the Galileo spacecraft showing the Jovian aurora. The site also includes Europa Flyby Animations, GEM Information & Images, Galileo News, and Previous Galileo Countdown Pages. [KH]
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In the News
Neutrinos and Mass
(1) Physics: Weighing the Neutrino--Nature
http://www.nature.com/
Select: Nature Science Update,/Physics: Weighing the Neutrino
(2) Stephen Hawking's Universe: Strange Stuff Explained
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/hawking/strange/html/stuff.html
(3) Super-Kamiokande
http://www-sk.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/doc/sk/index.html
(4) The Neutrino Oscillation Industry
http://www.hep.anl.gov/ndk/hypertext/nu_industry.html
(5) Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
http://www.fnal.gov/
(6) The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/
(7) European Laboratory for Particle Physics
http://www.cern.ch/
This week's In the News highlights neutrinos and the recent discovery that neutrinos have mass -- a discovery that has forced physicists to rethink the behavior of elementary particles. These seven resources discuss various aspects of the topic. First hypothesized by Wolfgang Pauli in 1931, the existence of neutrinos was not proven until 1956, by Drs. Frederick Reines and Clyde Cowan of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. In a collaborative effort between Japan and the US (at the Kamioka Neutrino Observatory), scientists recently reported their findings at a Neutrino Conference in Japan. 1) This site provides Nature magazine's science update from June 11, 1998, describing the discovery that neutrinos have mass, and the significance of this new finding. 2) World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking offers background information on neutrinos (and other "strange stuff") at this site. 3) This site is the homepage of the Super-Kamiokande detector, a 12.5-million-gallon tank of water buried deep within the Japanese Alps. The site includes links to collaborators as well as project updates. 4) The Neutrino Oscillation Industry contains links to a variety of neutrino experiments. 5) The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is part of the US Department of Energy and conducts experiments in "the fundamental nature of matter and energy." 6) The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) is expected to open its doors to neutrinos in 1998. The SNO homepage provides background on the project and its collaborators, information about neutrinos, and links to similar projects. 7) The European Laboratory for Particle Physics performs multiple experiments concerning neutrinos and other particles such as muons and gluons. [KH]
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