The Scout Report - July 30, 1999

Scout Report for Social Sciences and Business & Economics
Scout Report for Social Sciences
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/socsci/1999/ss-990629.html
Scout Report for Business & Economics
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/bus-econ/1999/be-990701.html
The twenty-first issues of the second volumes of the Scout Reports for Social Sciences and Business & Economics are available. The In the News section of the Social Sciences Report annotates eight resources on the proposed International Criminal Court. The Business & Economics Report's In the News section offers seven resources on penalty tariffs recently imposed on the European Union by the US. [MD]
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PRO Catalogue Online
http://www.pro.gov.uk/finding/default.htm
The UK Public Record Office (PRO) has recently unveiled its Online Catalogue, a database of over eight million document references "with descriptions of the documents and descriptions of the classes in which they are categorized." This new service will prove absolutely invaluable to researchers planning a visit to the PRO at Kew. Users can browse the record collections by the alphabetical code of the department or court that created them (not by subject) or search by up to three keywords. The browsing page provides the full title of each department or court, the number of record classes within that collection, and the total number of records. Hyperlinked descriptions are available for each class and subclass. Keyword searches can be further modified by lettercode and class/ subclass. Searches look for class descriptions first and if none are found, provide a link to a document search using the same terms. Search results include lettercode title, class title, piece title, header title, and closure status. Additionally, the site provides an alphabetical list of over 100 full-text research information leaflets and information on the Core Executive Project, which offers reference numbers to selected policy records of 20th-century British Government departments. Helpful search tips and a glossary of terms used in the catalog are also available on-site. [MD]
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Botanical Society of America (BSA) Online Image Collection
http://images.botany.org/bsa/
The BSA has just made available online the entirety of its teaching slide collection, totalling 799 photos. Users can access the images by browsing fourteen topical slide sets or via a keyword search engine. Images are offered as thumbnailed JPEGs which link to medium-resolution images. High-resolution images are also available. Links at the top of each slide set thumbnail page lead to a text list of the set, which curiously does not always match the previous page. Users should note that this is a preview, and the site officially opens on August 1. [MD]
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History of the Eighties: Lessons for the Future -- FDIC [.pdf]
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/historical/history/
"Between 1980 and 1994, over 1,600 banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) were either closed or received FDIC financial assistance." This large, indexed report from the FDIC analyses the reasons why more banks struggled during that time period than any since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Examining the economic, financial, legislative, and regulatory elements that led to the failure of these banks, this study looks at the overall national picture as well as regional failures in Illinois, California, and the Southwest. [EM]
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CYFERNET: Children, Youth And Families Education And Research Network
http://www.cyfernet.org/index.html
"CYFERNet is a national network of Land Grant university faculty and county Extension educators working to support community-based educational programs for children, youth, parents and families." This metasite offers links to a plethora of resources for those interested in community-based, experiential education, child care issues, and policy-making concerns that impact children, adolescents, and families. Given the sponsors -- the USDA and a number of Land Grant universities -- it is not surprising to find a good deal here to do with agricultural education, including 4-H. However, there are also links to useful sites on child abuse, child development, children with special needs, infant and toddler care, children's literacy, scientific literacy, experiential learning, relevant professional journals, conferences, and much more. With a database of children, youth, and family professionals as well as subject-specific discussion groups, CYFERNet enables networking among those working in these fields. The site is searchable by keyword and offers clear instructions for search construction. CYFERNet is maintained by the CYFERNet Technology partners at seven land-grant university extension services, including Kansas State University, Iowa State University, University of Maryland, the University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, and North Carolina State University. [DC]
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New Air Quality Index (AQI) -- EPA [.pdf, .wpd]
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/publications.html
On July 23, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of a new Air Quality Index, which is used by state and local agencies for reporting on daily air quality to the public, especially in major cities. The new Index has been revised to enhance public understanding of air quality and associated health effects, and it reflects updated health information on several pollutants. In addition to the full text of the new AQI Rule (105 p.), several related documents are offered at the site. These include the AQI fact sheet, Air Quality Guide, Ozone Health Effects Booklet, and Guideline for Reporting of Daily Air Quality. [MD]
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American Legal Ethics Library
http://www.law.cornell.edu/ethics/
Part of the Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute site (LII), the American Legal Ethics Library contains rules or codes, ethics opinions, judicial conduct codes, legal commentaries, and other materials relating to the law governing lawyers. Codes or rules are available for most of the nation's 50 states. Currently, the site also offers eleven commentaries on the "law of lawyering" for eleven different jurisdictions, written by legal scholars and major law firms in each jurisdiction's area. Another twelve narratives are in progress, including one for the European community. Accessible by topic or jurisdiction, the information is also available on CD-ROM. The hypertext format makes it easy to link from commentaries to relevant codes and rules. Roger C. Cramton, the Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law at Cornell, directs the project. [DC]
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Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center [.pdf, .ps, RealPlayer]
http://chandra.harvard.edu/
STS-93 [MPEG]
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-93/index.html
This week, Space Shuttle mission STS-93 deployed the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the world's most powerful X-Ray telescope. The third of NASA's "Great Observatories," the Chandra X-Ray Observatory will study X-Rays rather than visible light (the Hubble Space Telescope) or gamma rays (the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory). These two sites offer overviews and news of the Observatory and its mission. The first, operated for NASA by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, provides resources for students, scientists, the press, and general users. In the Public Information and Education section, users will find photos, a field guide, and educational materials. The Scientific User Support Section includes detailed target information, various documents, newsletters, and information on the Emission Line Project (ELP). In addition, the site provides breaking mission news, links to live video feeds, telemetry diagrams, and a timeline. The second resource is the official site of the STS-93 mission. The site offers mission synopses, breaking news, an overview of its primary payload -- the Chandra Observatory (with videos) -- and a collection of related links. [MD]
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CPG Infobase [.pdf]
http://www.cma.ca/cpgs/index.htm
Provided by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), this site accesses a very large collection of clinical practice guidelines that "were produced or endorsed in Canada by a national, provincial or territorial medical or health organization, professional society, government agency or expert panel." Browseable by title, category, developer, or new additions, the full text of guidelines are offered in either HTML or .pdf formats. Many are also available in French. Additional resources include user information, FAQs, and related publications. [MD]
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Opensecrets.org
http://www.opensecrets.org
2000 Presidential Race
http://www.opensecrets.org/2000elect/index/AllCands.htm
Personal Financial Disclosure Reports [.pdf]
http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/index.htm
Subtitled "The Online Source for Money in Politics Data," this site from the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) (discussed in the April 21, 1998 Scout Report for Social Sciences) hosts an excellent selection of updated information on the money that American politicians raise and spend. The site is comprised of three major sections. The first is the 2000 Presidential Race section, which includes financial profiles of all the major candidates; summary data for contributions by geography, industries, and top contributors; a donor lookup search engine; and recent press releases. The second section contains financial profiles of everyone who ran for federal office in 1998, searchable by name or browseable by state or name. The third section provides .pdf copies of the recently released 1998 (and previous years where applicable) Personal Financial Disclosure (PFD) reports, filed by members of the 106th Congress and several presidential politicians. Users can search the database by name or browse by state or name. Various other resources provided by the CRP are available via a navigator bar at the top of any of the highlighted sections or at the bottom of the main page. These additional resources include data and other information on Political Action Committees (PACS), Soft Money, and Congressional Committees, among others. [MD]
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AnyDay.com
http://www.anyday.com/
AnyDay.com provides this online personal information manager, allowing users to access their calendar, address book, event scheduler, and more through AnyDay's Website. Complete with a "to-do" list and a reminder function, the calendar can be viewed daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. The events section currently lists television shows, sporting events, and computer trade shows, and AnyDay plans to add events categories for holidays, arts and entertainment, financial, and movies in the future. The user interface is self-explanatory, and interconnections among contacts, events, and the calendar make for easy scheduling and notification (of others or reminders sent to oneself). Users can import contacts from Outlook, Act, or Lotus address books, and soon AnyDay plans to enable synchronization with leading PINs and hand-helds. [TK]
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Japanese Old Photographs in Bakumatsu-Meiji Period
http://oldphoto.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/unive/
Provided by the Nagasaki University Library, the new English version of this database contains over 5,400 hand-colored photos taken during the Bakumatsu-Meiji Period (1860-1920), the earliest stage in the history of Japanese photography. The various photo subjects include urban and rural scenery, tourist spots, and people and customs in various locales. Users can search the database by photographer and picture title, or browse by a list of provided keywords, geographic region, or shelf number. Database entries include a thumbnail image, picture number and title, photographer name, keywords, and in many cases, comments. [MD]
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The Consumer Gateway
http://www.consumer.gov.uk/
Text Version (BETSIE Enhanced)
http://www.consumer.gov.uk/consumer_web/betsie.htm
Launched last week by the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), this metasite offers annotated links to Websites containing "consumer information and advice run by Government departments, consumer organisations and others." The resources are organized in eight principal sections: cars, food, holidays & travel, home improvement, money & finance, safety at home, shopping, and utilities. In addition to Websites, some sections also include links to government papers, bills, and other publications. An internal search engine and a list of information sources are also provided. [MD]
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Two Political Poster Collections
Transnational Poster Art
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/hasrg/german/exhibit/GDRposters/project.html
Revolutionary Art of Peru
http://www.csrp.org/art2.htm
These two sites highlight revolutionary art from the former East Germany and from imprisoned fighters and supporters of the PCP (Communist Party of Peru, also known as "Shining Path"). The first site, hosted by the Stanford University Library, features 25 posters commissioned by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) government during the 1970s and 80s. The posters address themes such as anti-(American) imperialism and solidarity with leftist movements in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The second site is produced by the Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru (CSRP), a Berkeley, CA based organization. The exhibition contains 20 works created with materials smuggled into Peruvian prisons. The themes will be familiar to anyone acquainted with the Marxist-Leninist aesthetic: the strength of solidarity and of international revolutionary movements, the power of women, and resistance and the people's war. [MD]
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SportsID.com [Quicktime]
http://207.87.22.124/
This new site presents itself as the "first ever all-inclusive instructional sports programming network," containing free Quicktime instructional videos on a wide variety of sports. After agreeing to the disclaimer, users can select from a sizable list, from archery to bodysurfing to rugby to water polo; choose from two or three subtopics; and then elect to view either the entire video or to select segments. Users can also size their viewing screen to fit their connection speed. Download time is usually reasonable, and the videos themselves are longer and more complete than one might expect. [MD]
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Guide to Network Resource Tools (GNRT)
http://www.terena.nl/libr/gnrt/
TERENA, the Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association, this week released a new edition of their Guide to Network Resource Tools (GNRT), originally produced in 1997. Intended primarily as a guide for newcomers, but also useful as a reference for more experienced Internauts, the GNRT provides overviews of some, but by no means all, of the most popular general and specific Web and search tools. The User Overview section is perhaps the most useful part of the site for new users, offering concise discussions of eleven key issues for Internet use. An appendix includes a bibliography and glossary. [MD]
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Internet Detective Second Edition [Frames]
http://www.sosig.ac.uk/desire/internet-detective.html
The folks at The Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT) at the University of Bristol (home of SOSIG--http://www.sosig.ac.uk/) have recently released a second edition of their extremely useful Internet Detective (Originally reviewed in the September 11, 1998 Scout Report). The new version builds on the original, which uses clearly written overviews, interactive quizzes, and examples to teach users the key elements of quality Internet information and offer practical tips for evaluating a variety of online resources. New features include additional quizzes, teaching materials for educators and trainers, and an exercise covering Web hoaxes. Free registration is required to allow users to return to the site as necessary and work through the tutorial at their own pace. [MD]
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Scientists Turn Healthy Cells Cancerous
"Creation of human tumour cells with defined genetic elements" -- Nature [.pdf]
http://www.nature.com/server-java/Propub/nature/400464A0.abs_frameset
"Transforming Normal Human Cells Into Cancer Cells" -- UniSci
http://unisci.com/stories/19993/0729992.htm
"Human cells converted to cancer cells by expression of telomerase, oncogenes" -- OncoLink Cancer News
http://cancer.med.upenn.edu/cancer_news/reuters/1999/jul/sc07299b.html
"In Finding a Way to Create Cancer, Hope for New Test" -- New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/072999hth-cancer.html
Biologists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research recently announced in the journal Nature that they have been able to genetically alter a healthy human cell to create a cancerous one. The discovery is being hailed as an important step forward towards the development of anti-cancer drugs. Previously, scientists have been able to turn normal cells cancerous by using chemicals and e-rays, but this is the first time it has been accomplished through genetic manipulation. This holds promise for a relatively new approach to treating cancer, one that attempts to remove the underlying genetic flaws that cause cancer instead of attacking both healthy and cancerous cells with present-day chemotherapy treatments.

Users can read the full text of the announcement and description of the research in HTML and .pdf formats at the Nature site. A link to related documents is also provided. UniSci, a Daily University Science News service, offers a concise overview of the research involved in this discovery. Another summary of the discovery can be found at OncoLink Cancer News, provided by the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. The New York Times site features an analysis of the discovery with regard to future research. Additional resources on Cancer research can be found in Signpost, the Scout Report's database. These include the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Genome Anatomy Project, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), and the World Cancer Research Fund. [MD]
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