The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) has added its first set of nanomaterial records. Nanotechnology is the study of matter on an atomic and molecular scale — structures 100 nanometers or smaller. A nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter.

Like other HSDB records, the nanomaterial records are peer-reviewed and contain information on toxicity, manufacturing and use, chemical and physical properties, environmental fate and exposure, and more.

There are currently seven HSDB nanomaterial records:

• Carbon nanotubes
• Fullerenes
• Silver nanoparticles
• Iron nanoparticles
• Titanium oxide nanoparticles
• Zinc oxide nanoparticles
• Cerium oxide nanoparticles

Information on hollow, spherical or ellipsoidal carbon nanostructures is found in the fullerenes record. The carbon nanotubes record contains information on tubular or lattice materials.

The fields of nanoparticles and nanostructures, as well as associated nomenclature, are continually evolving. Information and/or records will be added as data become available. Access the HSDB and nanomaterial records.

HSDB is a toxicology data file on the NLM Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET®). It focuses on the toxicology of potentially hazardous chemicals. It is enhanced with information on human exposure, industrial hygiene, emergency handling procedures, environmental fate, regulatory requirements, and related areas. All data are referenced and derived from a core set of books, government documents, technical reports and selected primary journal literature. HSDB is peer-reviewed by the Scientific Review Panel (SRP), a committee of experts in the major subject areas within the data bank’s scope. HSDB is organized into individual chemical records, and contains over 5,000 such records.

This year’s NCW theme celebrated the Periodic Table of the Elements. To view more resources on periodic tables, go to the Resources for NCW 2009 site or see Swain’s Periodic Tables page.

SciFinder is a research discovery tool that allows you to explore the CAS databases that contain literature from many scientific disciplines including biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, materials science, agricultural science, and more! You can explore one single source for scientific information in journals and patent literature from around the world.

With SciFinder, you can be more creative and productive in your research process. SciFinder is easy-to-use and offers:

• Access to current, high-quality scientific information
• Links to more relevant journal articles and patent documents than any other source
• The ability to significantly improve your productivity
• Capabilities for exploring substructures and reactions

The release of SciFinder in mid-September includes performance and usability improvements and the following powerful new features:

Key Links for the web version of SciFinder

• One-Time Registration (Required)
• Access web version of SciFinder (on- and off-campus)
• Training and Support Information (includes online tutorials and how-to guides)

Google Books rolled out a handful of new features in June. A new toolbar option allows you to embed a preview in any of your websites or blogs — all with a simple HTML snippet. For public domain and partner books, Google Books shows more context around search terms, including an image from the part of the page on which it appears. A new thumbnail view button in the toolbar provides an overview (above) of all the pages in a public-domain book or in a magazine. Other features include a contents drop-down menu and plain-text mode, page turn button and animation, and improved book overview page.

• New and extended information about ICSD including complete Help information.
• Enhanced search functionality: easy to use and intuitive search interface.
• Easy analysis of large and complex data sets.
• Simple and powerful query management: load, modify and save queries.
• Personalization/User Profiles for IP access based accounts.

The ICSD Web interface is divided into 6 parts:

1. The header shows a welcome message. The “Logout” button allows you to leave the current session. After database searches have been performed, a “Print” button will appear.
2. The Navigation allows you to jump back to the “Basic Search” form, to access specialized pages for performing advanced searches, and to manage your queries.
3. The main interface is the central working place for the ICSD. Here you can enter and refine searches.
4. The search action field allows you to run, save and clear your current query.
5. In the search summary field preliminary numbers of results are shown.
6. The Query History field contains your last 30 performed searches and allows you to access them quickly and conveniently.

Many options are available for display and analysis of results.

For more details, screen shots, examples and a detailed description please see the ICSD info page and the ICSD Web info page from FIZ Karlsruhe.

• American Song
• Classical Music Library
• Contemporary World Music
• Database of Recorded American Music
• Naxos Music Library Jazz
• Naxos Music Library
• Smithsonian Global Sound

Fans of Rock and Roll Music should check out Wolfgang’s Vault

The Internet Archive also has more than 65,000 live concerts archived on their site

Common Chemistry™ from Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), a web resource that contains CAS Registry Numbers for approximately 7,800 chemicals of widespread general public interest. Common Chemistry is helpful to non-chemists who know either a name or CAS Registry Number® of a common chemical and want to pair both pieces of information. The CAS Registry Number is the universally recognized unique identifier of chemical substances and is often found on packaging and on articles of commerce.

While not a comprehensive CAS Registry Number lookup service, Common Chemistry does provide a way to quickly and easily find names or CAS Registry Numbers for chemicals of general interest.

CAS has collaborated with Wikipedia in developing this resource and encourages you to use the Wikipedia link (when available) or other sources of general information on chemistry, to learn more about these chemicals.

Watch the latest episode to find out how scientists are developing “super paper” that is stronger than cast iron and which may someday lead to a new kind of bullet proof vest.
Source: E-lements of Communication by ACS.

The virtual conference gives you access to real-time web-casts of selected presentations and posters over the three days of the Symposium. You can also visit virtual exhibitor booths, take part in scheduled chat sessions and network with other online delegates.

Visit the Reaxys booth to learn more about Elsevier’s new workflow tool for research chemists. Reaxys integrates synthesis planning with reaction and substance data search, helping scientists to make their research more efficient.

If you miss a presentation your registration includes access to virtual presentation downloads for 3 months after the conference and a CDROM copy of the conference abstract book is mailed to you after the event. Full information on both the live and virtual event is available at the Tetrahedron Virtual Conference website.