In the News

 
 
A NEW BREED OF THINKING COMPUTER?
A team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a handful of other groups are working to develop hybrid biocomputers that marry living nerve cells with silicon circuits to create smarter computers. If they succeed, they could set the foundation for brain-like computer systems that could find solutions on their own, with no need for step-by-step programming instructions. So far, researchers have joined two neurons from leeches and linked them to a personal computer, which sent signals to each cell and correctly extracted the answer to a simple addition problem. The program that links the neurons and the PC, dubbed "wetware," is based on chaos theory, using the results to tune the neurons and alter the way they communicate.

Ultimately, brain-like chips will be more creative and may mirror both the good and bad aspects of human thinking. William L. Ditto, who heads the project at the Georgia Institute of Technology, says it will be 10 years or more until biocomputers are commercially available. (Business Week 06/21/99)
 
[Editor: This was from Edupage ... too amazing...]
 
 
CHANGES ANNOUNCED BY NLM

FTS2000 service will be discontinued as of September 30, 1999
NLM will continue to have dial up service after September 30, 1999, for DOCLINE users until the new system is available. Plans for the new dial up service will be announced in the summer. The QuickDOC software will be modified to accommodate the new dial up service. Users who can transition to the Internet should do so now.
 
New LIBID
Currently there are two unique identifiers for a DOCLINE library, each serving a different purpose: the LIBID and the SERHOLD code. In the new system there will be only one unique identifier. The new LIBID for U.S. and Canadian libraries will consist of the US MARC Geographical Code and the SERHOLD code. The new LIBID for other countries will consist of the first two letters in the US MARC Country Code, followed by the letter “X”, and the SERHOLD code.
Examples of new LIBIDs:
United States  University of Illinois at Chicago, Library of the Health Sciences ILUILL
[state abbreviation + U + SERHOLD code]
Canada  Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) ONCCIS
[province code + C + SERHOLD code]
Other countries  BIREME-Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information, Sao Paulo, Brazil BRXBIR  [first two letters of country + X + SERHOLD code]
 
New Request Number
The new request number will be a sequential number up to a maximum of eight digits. It may be displayed and printed (optionally) in a barcode format on the receipt. The new request number will not begin with the borrower’s SERHOLD code. Loansome Doc requests will no longer begin with LDX or LDD. The Loansome Doc request number will be retained when it is transferred to DOCLINE.
 
Features of the new system
The new system will allow users to submit and retrieve requests, search and update DOCUSER, search and update SERHOLD, access a list of Loansome Doc patrons, change their password, and access online help.
 
DOCLINE
It is envisioned that users will retrieve citations from PubMed or LOCATORplus by linking to these systems through DOCLINE. Users will be able to establish a routing profile that will eliminate the repetitive keying of interlibrary loan information that is required to complete the form. New time-triggered actions will be implemented in the new system. Lenders will have two business days to update requests as filled or rejected.
 
SERHOLD
In order to convert the holdings data, NLM will freeze the current online SERHOLD system and make it "view only" two weeks prior to the implementation of the new DOCLINE system. In the new system, DOCLINE participants will be able to search the entire SERHOLD database. Each library will be able to update its own holdings. Programming for batch updating will not be completed until late 2000. At that time, NLM will accept OCLC and USMARC batch updates for libraries that are currently updating via batch and elect to continue to do so. However, all libraries are strongly urged to update online if possible to improve the currency of data available in SERHOLD. A library will be able to print or download its own holdings, holdings for a library group of which it is a member, and holdings for its own state or province. Users will be allowed to view holdings, update or delete the holdings for which they have update rights.
 
Questions and answers
Where can I obtain written information on the current DOCLINE system being Y2K compliant?
This information will be available on NLM’s web site
 
How are library groups established?
Library groups will be used to authorize SERHOLD Coordinators to update holdings for specific groups of libraries as well as allowing DOCLINE participants the ability to limit searches in SERHOLD by library groups. Library groups consist of eleven or more related libraries that cannot be identified in any other way (e.g. All DOCLINE libraries in Maryland would not be considered a library group since a search can be limited by state). Library groups are established by NLM in consultation with the RML. The RMLs review and approve changes and additions to library groups. These changes are then submitted to NLM.
 
 

originally submitted by NNLM PNR to HLIB-NW listserve, 5-24-99

NLM ANNOUNCES: Suggestions Solicited for NN/LM Contracts

In the year 2000, the Request for Proposals for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine contracts for 2001-2006 will be issued. Although we do not plan to make major changes in the structure of these contracts, we would like to provide you with an opportunity to send us your suggestions as we prepare the Statement of Work this summer. As a point of information, the current contracts are comprised of programs in two major areas: Basic Network Programs (programs and services within the region which rely on the contributions of network member libraries and the sharing of network resources to continue the basic structure of the network); and Outreach Programs (Internet connectivity, technology awareness, outreach to health professionals, exhibits, and library improvement projects). In the fourth year of the current contracts, we are adding a consumer health information component, which will be the major area of change and expansion in the 2001-2006 contracts.

If you have comments or suggestions for the 2001-2006 NN/LM contracts, please send them to blyon@nlm.nih.gov by July 15, 1999.

---------------
forwarded by National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region

University of Washington nnlm@u.washington.edu
NN/LM PNR 800-338-7657
Box 357155 206/543-8262
Seattle, Washington 98195-7155 206/543-2469 (FAX)

submitted by Rosalyn M. Leiderman; originally posted to hlib-nw listserve, 6-30-99


NLM ANNOUNCES: New DOCLINE - test web site

In response to concerns expressed at the recent MLA Annual Conference regarding the use of JavaScript and cookies, NLM has developed a test site to ensure that librarians can access the new DOCLINE system.  Users are encouraged to test their browsers and upgrade the browser if needed.  Additionally, NLM has established an e-mail address for comments from users (newdocline@nlm.nih.gov).

A summary of the DOCLINE Sunrise Seminar presented at MLA, appears in the May-June 1999 issue of the NLM Technical Bulletin.

Rosalyn M. Leiderman
Head, Systems Unit
Collection Access Section

 
Nation Is Falling Short of Health Goals for 2000
By PHILIP J. HILTS
 
BOSTON -- The United States has met only about 15 percent of its health goals for the year 2000, set 20 years ago, the Department of Health and Human Services reported Thursday, but progress has been made on 44 percent.  
 
For about 20 percent of the objectives, the nation is getting less healthy and is moving away from the goals, Surgeon General David Satcher said at a news conference at Harvard Medical School in Boston.  "In some ways we are doing well," Dr. Satcher said, "and in others we still have challenges and more to do."
 
In Washington, Donna E. Shalala, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, said, "As the century draws to a close, we can be proud that we have made significant strides in improving the health of Americans." Dr. Shalala said the progress report "lets us measure the overall progress we have achieved in preventing disease and promoting health."
 
The report, Healthy People 2000 Review, outlined 319 different health goals for the nation that were set at the start of 1979 and reviewed in 1989. They include progress on such disparate measures as infant mortality, the rate of dental cavities, average physical activity, teen-age pregnancy, hearing impairment and the rates of a variety of diseases.
 
Among the areas where goals have been met are reductions in infant mortality, childhood mortality and breast cancer deaths. Among those where the report showed the nation was getting worse were in the level of physical activity, the number of children taking physical education and the number of people overweight or obese.
 
Dr. Julius Richmond, who as Surgeon General established the Healthy People 2000 program, said watching the change in health patterns over the past 20 years had produced some surprises. Among the most surprising is a 35 percent drop in heart disease and a 65 percent decline in strokes. "That just came unexpectedly," Dr. Richmond said, "and we are still not sure of all the factors that contributed to it."
 
A disappointment among the data is that while infant mortality has continued to decline, and is almost at the goal, there remains a great disparity between the rate for whites and for blacks. The death rate among black infants is about twice that for whites, Dr. Richmond said "and has been that way for decades."  Dr. Satcher said other health disparities among ethnic groups were also troubling. Hispanics are twice as likely as whites to be diabetic and African-Americans have a disproportionately high death rate from diabetes. African-Americans are also much more likely than whites to be hospitalized or die from asthma.
 
Dr. Satcher also noted that some of the most important challenges were in diet and fitness.  For example, he said, the percentage of overweight Americans was about 26 in the mid-1970's. The Government established a goal of 20 percent of the population for the year 2000, and many people believed that it might be achieved as more Americans appeared to become interested in nutrition and fitness over the past 15 years. But instead, the number of people overweight rose to 35 percent by 1995, the latest year for which data was given in the report.
 
In the 1970's, about 15 percent of adolescents were overweight, Dr. Satcher said, and that figure has risen to 24 percent.  "And there are several categories in which more than half the adults are overweight," he said, "for example Hispanic and African-American women."
 
Dr. Anne Becker of the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Eating Disorders Center said there was a paradox in the latest data. "Americans are spending $33 billion a year on dieting products and services," Dr. Becker said. "There has been a proliferation of weight loss programs and pills. One would think that would have some effect on losing weight."
 
Another figure in the report suggested that while diet pills and plans may be widespread, sensible weight-loss plans are declining. The report noted that "sensible weight loss practices among overweight people 12 years and older" had dropped substantially, to 15 percent of people using them in 1995 from 25 percent of people using them in 1985. The goal for 2000 was 50 percent.  
 
A sample of figures given in the report, the last one before the Government begins work on its Healthy People 2010 goals and data, include these:
The goals were set by groups of experts from Federal, state and local governments, as well as outside experts, who passed their recommendations to a steering committee of officials in the Department of Health and Human Services for approval.
Copyright 1999 The New York Times Company
 



Table of Contents

Northwest Notes / 20(2) Apr.-Jun. 1999 / July 9, 1999