Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!uunet!ig!daemon From: BIORELAY@BIO.CAM.AC.UK Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.seqnet Subject: SEQNET Bulletin RELAY ONLY: reply to SEQNET@UK.AC.CAM.BIO Message-ID: <6383@ig.ig.com> Date: 24 May 88 20:50:40 GMT Sender: daemon@presto.ig.com Lines: 317 From: BIORELAY@BIO.CAM.AC.UK From: MJB1@UK.AC.CAM.PHX 24-MAY-1988 13:18 To: BIORELAY Subj: Date: Tue, 24 May 88 13:17:30 BST From: MJB1@UK.AC.CAM.PHX To: biorelay@UK.AC.CAM.BIO Message-ID: <9E9028674E0E0A00@UK.AC.CAM.PHX> THE BRITISH LIBRARY BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION NEWS NO. 16, MARCH 1988 ISSN 0952-147X _____________________________________________________________________________ Biotechnology Information News is published 4 times year, free of charge, by the British Library Biotechnology Information Service, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A 1AW, UK (telephone 01 323 7293). _____________________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE ____________________________________________________ The new Biotechnology Information Service newsletter ____________________________________________________ Microbial Culture Information Service ____________________________________________________ Microbial Information Network Europe ____________________________________________________ Biotech Knowledge Sources ____________________________________________________ Document Supply Centre ____________________________________________________ New companies ____________________________________________________ Seminar on biotechnology information ____________________________________________________ THE NEW BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SERVICE NEWSLETTER Welcome to Biotechnology Information News, the successor to EBIP News. The new title reflects our transformation from EBIP to the Biotechnology Information Service, now fully funded by the British Library. The aim of the Newsletter is to give readers news about the Biotechnology Information Service, and the British Library in general, and also to cover biotechnology in the wider world - industry, science and information systems. We welcome contributions from readers, whether to comment on past articles or to raise new issues. The Biotechnology Information Service is presently concentrating its energies in three areas: a help desk, publications and courses. We will attempt to answer any biotechnology queries, using the vast collection at the Science Reference and Information Service. We have special knowledge of this field and the people who work in it and we can usually supply information or suggest suitable resources to deal with a particular problem. Our number is 01 323 7293. Biotech Knowledge Sources (BKS) is a major new publication which in- corporates, and extends, our earlier publications, Market Research Reports and Forthcoming Conferences and Courses. See below for more details. The Biotechnology Information Service holds a regular seminar giving a general introduction to biotechnology information. The latest, held on 26 January, was well attended and we are grateful to delegates for the feedback they provided through the evaluation forms. This informa- tion will be very useful for shaping future seminars. The next seminar is on 7 July and further details can be found below. Another seminar will be held on 24 November. We are also considering ways of expanding our seminar programme, possibly by introducing a new seminar devoted to a specialist area within biotechnology, such as business information. Details of new developments will be announced in Biotechnology In- formation News. _____________________________________________________________________________ ***************************************************************************** MICROBIAL DATA SYSTEMS A. Microbial Culture Information Service (MiCIS) The Microbial Culture Information Service (MiCIS) is a project funded by the Department of Trade and Industry. It is part of the Biotechnology Research Group at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC). We originally reported on the early stages of the project (EBIP News No. 13, March 1987) when Geraldine Alliston was in charge. Mrs Alliston has now moved on, and her successor will arrive shortly. Most of the data has now been loaded including records from the following collections: National Collection of Type Cultures, National Collection of Pathogenic Fungi, National Collection of Industrial Bacteria, National Collection of Marine Bacteria, National Collection of Food Bacteria, National Collection of Yeast Cultures and CAB International Mycological Institute collection. The latter two collec- tions were added by direct conversion of existing computer records. Still awaiting keyboarding are the Culture Collection for Algae and Protozoa (now in 2 sections, one for marine algae and one for freshwater algae and protozoa) and the National Collection of Wood Rotting Fungi (due to move to the Building Research Establishment site at Garston, Watford in the next year or so). Data is collected by two teams of 2 people each who work at the centres in turn, converting records into a computer format. The records are then loaded into the multiuser relational database manage- ment system running on the mini-computer at the LGC. To facilitate retrieval the index terms are validated and checked against lists of controlled terms covering chemical names and other keywords, and the names of organisms. For an annual subscription of 200 a year the user has online access to the database, a user guide which includes a list of all the preferred terms used in indexing, and customer support services. It is not necessary to have facilities for a computer link-up to search MiCIS. Postal subscribers pay 200 annually and then a flat rate of 10 per search carried out by MiCIS staff. Casual enquiries will also be carried out for non-subscribers a cost of 50 each. For more information contact Jane Bonner, MiCIS Database Administrator, Laboratory of the Government Chemist, Cornwall House, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8XY (Tel: 01 211 0323). B. Update on Microbial Information Network Europe (MINE) by Rhonda Platt, MINE Project Administrator at CAB International Mycological Institute, Ferry Lane, Kew, Surrey TW9 3AF MINE is an Integrated Catalogue Project, incorporating a European Network of Microbial Culture Collection Databanks. This project is funded by the EEC Biotechnology Action Programme and the objective is to establish a computer network of microbial information across Europe. Since the beginning of 1988 two more European countries have joined the project bringing the total to seven European partners; Bel- gium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the UK. CAB International Mycological Institute is acting as the UK node, and 10 UK collections, including the CMI Culture Collection, are par- ticipating in this node. Keyboarding and computer transfer of collec- tion data is underway on those collections not available on MiCIS. It is hoped that MiCIS data can be directly downloaded to the CAB Inter- national VAX 11/780-8250 computer cluster and avoid duplication of ef- fort. The UK Node may store as much data as the individual collection wishes, but once all data is stored on the VAX, a Minimum Data Set (MDS) only will be transferred to other nodes. Hence, when all nodes have exchanged MDS's, each node will hold on its own computer (VAX or VAX compatible) a European database. People wishing to access the database will therefore contact their local node. If the information required is not within the scope of the MDS, the enquirer will be referred to the holding collection or MiCIS as appropriate. MiCIS will hold full strain data of all UK national culture collections. Although MINE may hold extensive strain data at node level, the eventual European database held at each node will contain the Minimum Data Set only. Those who wish to study the Minimum Data Set will be able to do so in the near future in the Journal of General Microbiology which will be publishing a paper by W.Gams et al, "Fungal and yeast strain data in MINE". A similar paper will be published later for bacteria. The MDS contains 30 fields on: Computer details, Name, Strain details, Status, Environment and History, Biological Interactions, Sexuality, Genotype and Genetics, Growth Conditions and Practical Applications. Full integration of the MDS's of each node should be completed by the end of 1989. _____________________________________________________________________________ ***************************************************************************** BIOTECH KNOWLEDGE SOURCES January saw the launch of Biotech Knowledge Sources (BKS), a new cur- rent awareness journal produced by the British Library Biotechnology Information Service in collaboration with BioCommerce Data Ltd. Over recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of publi- cations in biotechnology. This is anticipated to continue as biotech- nology grows and impacts on other established industries. Therefore, to save you time, and save your organisation money, this unique serv- ice gives a comprehensive monthly listing of new books, journals and market research reports in the field of of biotechnology. BKS also lists forthcoming conferences up to six months ahead. Every issue con- tains, wherever possible, full address information to enable readers to make further enquiries about publication or conference registration details. There are 12 issues per year. The information is obtained by scanning online databases, publishers' catalogues, journals and press releases. Details of electronic publications and audiovisual material are also included. For a limited period we are offering readers of Biotechnology Infor- mation News the first year's subscription at the special introductory rate of 89. If you would like to place an order or make further en- quiries please contact Dr Anita Crafts-Lighty, BioCommerce Data Ltd, Old Crown Building, Windsor Road, Slough SL1 2DY, UK (Tel: 0753 74201, Fax:0753 31145). _____________________________________________________________________________ DOCUMENT SUPPLY CENTRE The British Library Document Supply Centre is an important resource for libraries throughout the UK and abroad. It holds current subscrip- tions to 54,000 journal titles and its total holdings occupy over 90 miles of shelf space. It routinely turns requests around within 2 days. If that is not fast enough Special Services can retrieve ar- ticles on the spot and send them out the same day, by post or by fax. DSC can also help with current awareness, through its publications and other services. Conference proceedings, for example, often bring together useful contributions but may not be easy to trace. Only 30% are published as books, the remainder appear within journals. All material arriving at DSC is scanned to produce the monthly publication Index of Conference Proceedings Received. Here can be found the full title of a conference, date, location and publication details. The records are indexed by keywords extracted from the title. The monthly issues are cumulated annually and, for the years 1964-81, there is a single cumulation on microfiche. It is a comprehensive guide to con- ferences in its own right, as well as being an index of material at DSC available for loan. Current Research in Britain is published annually by DSC and gives details of research projects at universities, polytechnics and other institutions throughout the UK. The information is organised by re- search centre but there are full indexes to investigators, subject areas and research topics. There are separate volumes on Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences and each lists a large number of entries under the subject area Biotechnology. The latest edition ap- peared in 1987. The Medical Information Service prepares current awareness bulletins based on records compiled for the Medline database. Typical subject areas are Cytodiagnosis, Health Care in Britain and Psychotherapy. There are an increasing number of research theses being written on biotechnology. Much of the data presented in them may not be published elsewhere. DSC microfilms most UK doctoral theses (around 6000 per year) and copies are available for loan. Interesting titles may be found through DSC's monthly publication British Reports, Translations and Theses. This information is also available on the SIGLE database on BLAISE-LINE. For more information on these and other current awareness services, please contact Customer Services, British Library, Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, W.Yorkshire LS23 7BQ. _____________________________________________________________________________ NEW COMPANIES Bioseparation Associates was launched in February 1988 and is based in Livingstone, Scotland. The company has start-up funds of 3.5 mil- lion, a porportion of which was contributed by Guinness Mahon Development Capital, a venture capital company. It aims to recover useful products from abattoir blood by means of a spe- cial microfilter. At present the two main areas of interest are animal feed supplements and nutrient additives for tissue culture estimated to have a world market in excess of 100 million. Oxford Glycosystems, formed by a collaboration between Oxford University's Biochemistry Department and the giant American drug com- pany, Monsanto will develop and market products for the research and clinical community for use in carbohydrate technology.. The company is expected to have a turnover of 25 million within five years. ______________________________________________________________________________ P.S. Thank you to everybody who returned their reply slips to register as continuing subscribers to Biotechnology Information News _____________________________________________________________________________ ***************************************************************************** SEMINAR ON BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION Information about biotechnology covers many areas, from pure research to product marketing. This one day course will introduce you to biotechnology information in business, industry and science. The talks will be illustrated by numerous examples of books, journals, online services and information centres used by the Biotechnology Information Service. The seminar will be of interest to information workers new to biotechnology, and scientists and managers wishing to learn more about information sources. Topics will include:- - Business information Directories, trade literature, abstracts, online services - Online information Hosts, databases, search strategies - Official publications Role of Government, legislation, reports, books - Scientific information Journals, books, abstracts, directories - Patents Scientific and industrial information, online services - Culture collections and databanks Catalogues, online services Date: 7 July 1988 Fee: 75 plus VAT (86.25 incl. VAT) Location: Science Reference and Information Service, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A 1AW (Please note, another seminar will be held on 24 November 1988 and will be announced in Biotechnology Information News) Applications not later than 2 weeks before Seminar date should be sent to Marketing and Public Relations, British Library, Science Reference and Information Service, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A 1AW (01 323 7471). A letter of confirmation will be sent.