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Support : eNewsletters : Chronolog Archives
Our February issue brings you more actionable information as we highlight the breadth and depth of scientific, biomedical and pharmaceutical content on Dialog and DataStar. You’ll find articles on EMBASE®, a comprehensive biomedical and pharmaceutical database; PASCAL, February’s free file; and the enhanced features resulting from the reload of PHIND on DataStar. In addition, Ron Kaminecki shows you how to use vocabulary in the science files to find patents. And, how is all this content created? An interview with Dialog’s DataStar content development team gives you the details. Scientists, chemists, biologists, researchers, technologists, information managers and inventors all want full articles. A click of a button following a quick Dialog search brings you right to the journal article, with text, graphics and tables. In seconds you have the information you need. Find out how Dialog eLinks is now enhanced with Open URL 1.0 capability. Peruse the search tips and training materials for help in searching millions of articles in the sciences on Dialog and DataStar. Enhance your research with Dialog eLinksSM: Open URL 1.0 Compliance Dialog’s updated version of our free eLinks is now Open URL compliant and offers the newest standards for researchers who use link resolvers. If you have eJournal subscriptions or Open URL-based Link Resolver, Dialog eLinks can save you a great deal of time generally spent on document fulfillment, so you can make better use of your time conducting research, planning and organizing. Dialog has eLinks in approximately 100 Dialog and DataStar databases, including:
Enabling Dialog eLinks If you haven’t enabled your existing Dialog account for our free eLinking service, complete the online form today to sign up. Once your account is enabled, you can begin setting up your subscriptions with our subscription manager. You can learn more about how to use Dialog eLinks when you download Dialog eLinks Manager Tutorial for both Dialog and DataStar platforms. Get started today to take advantage of the power of Dialog and maximize your current journal subscription investment. Insights on DataStar Content Development: An interview with the team that makes it happen Dialog’s content is one of its key strengths. It takes a great deal of preparation by a group of dedicated professionals, the DataStar team based in Europe, to make the content on DataStar accessible. The group’s team leader sat down with us to explain the process and to give our readers a better idea of what happens behind the scenes . View an on-demand version of the interview. Watch for other interviews in the months to come. Q: What is a content development team? A: We call ourselves the 3D team—Database Design and Documentation. Our main task is to manage DataStar content projects. These assignments range from reloading a database, for example, MEDLINE® is reloaded every year with new MeSH® headings, to creating a new database like EMBASE® Classic, the EMBASE archive database, to working on enhancements to existing files such as adding new paragraphs to the PHIND database (described in this issue). Q: What are the qualifications team members bring to their roles in content development? A: Despite being a small group, we have 40+ years of experience on DataStar among us with multiple degrees, including library science, history, modern languages and plant science and genetics, as well as experience as customers and customer support staff. We tend to divide tasks so that each of us works with specific information providers; however, any of us can handle an urgent job if the situation arises. Q: In layman’s terms can you describe the main tasks that the content development teams undertake at Dialog and give us some examples of what this entails? A: Our job is really quite diverse which is what makes it interesting. When an information provider sends us data, it is up to our team to do a number of things. We decide how the new database will look and function, write up designs and functions for the programmers to implement, test the resulting files, customize the database for Web-based products like DataStarWeb, write the DataStar Datasheet and BASE guide, and coordinate loading the database onto DataStar. In addition, we create design standards so all databases function similarly using the same commands. We also have to make sure the design has a similar pattern for cross-file searching. For instance, we want the title of a record to appear in the TI field at the top of a record or an author to be listed in the same format—last name first. We also set up what the print formats will be, such as what a medium format will include in each database, and in which CROS categories the database will appear. Q: Why is your team’s role so important to Dialog customers? A: We are a group that adds value to the database. For example, we take the data provided in all kinds of different formats by all our Information Providers and “translate” it into a display on DataStar that is as consistent as possible across all the databases. We design search features for all the DataStar databases, write the help-texts, load in special search term lists and create check-box options for DataStarWeb and much more. We also receive questions and comments from various groups at Dialog. For example, the Knowledge Center relays customer comments and suggestions for changes to databases. We fix errors and update Datasheets and BASE. In fact, we continue to provide ongoing production support throughout the database life cycle. Q: How does the job remain interesting for you, especially since you have been at Dialog for such a long time? A: Our work is widely varied, and we deal with lots of different groups – information providers, programmers, colleagues from different departments. DataStar content is very diverse and each project is different. One day I might be writing the spec for the reload of MEDLINE, and another day I may be updating a list of search terms for the DataStarWeb version of Petroleum Abstracts. We get satisfaction from suggesting solutions to errors that arise in the programming and loading process to make sure the files are working optimally for customers. Personally, I like to think I’m enabling customers to search all our files easily and efficiently by providing a consistent file design and helpful aids on the DataStarWeb search pages.
February Free File of the Month—PASCAL A multidisciplinary, multilingual database, PASCAL (File 144) is Dialog’s Free File of the Month for February. The file covers the core of the world's scientific and technical literature. Principal subject areas covered include:
In addition, a number of fields are covered exhaustively, often in cooperation with a variety of specialized research organizations. PASCAL is also enabled with eLinks to let you obtain fulltext of the articles you want. See an overview of File 144. You’ll also want to check the Search Tip in this issue to learn about searching in different languages and use search aids that show you how to search title and descriptor fields in File 144. Try File 144 for free now to expand your sources for biomedical and technical information! Each month a different "free file" will be offered, enabling you to use up to $100 of free searching (either DialUnits or connect time) in the featured file. Output and Alerts charges are not included. For more details about searching the free file, see the January Chronolog. The Free File of the Month is announced in each issue of the Chronolog , as well as on the Dialog Web site. Go to EMBASE for comprehensive biomedical and pharmaceutical information EMBASE® (File 72,73/EMED/EMZZ), the Excerpta Medica database, is a biomedical and pharmacological database that provides the most up-to-date information about medical and drug-related subjects. More than 600,000 records are added annually. In recent years over 80 percent of which contain abstracts. Each record is classified and indexed by medical research specialists who assign terms and codes in accordance with EMTREE, a highly developed classification schedule and controlled vocabulary, consisting of over 56,000 terms and more than 200,000 synonyms. EMBASE has also been enhanced to provide access to periodical articles from nearly 5,000 primary journals from approximately 70 countries. The EMBASE database is used to produce 41 print abstract bulletins and one print drug literature bibliography. All journal articles are added to the database within 10-15 days after receipt of the journal, and all records appear online with complete indexing. Titles display in their original language as well as English. In addition, a separate database—EMBASE® Alert (File 172/EMBA) contains the most recent eight weeks of EMBASE records. It is updated daily with new records consisting of bibliographic citations and abstracts. These records do not include the EMTREE indexing terms until they appear as fully indexed, high value-added EMBASE records within two weeks of receipt of the original journal. Use it together with EMBASE for both current and comprehensive information. EMBASE® Classic (File 772), a subscription-only file launched in 2007, covers the period 1947-1973. Check out an overview of EMBASE, and make a note — it’s the Free File of the Month for March! Review the DataStar Search Tip in this issue to learn about using the EMTREE thesaurus in EMBASE. We’re reloading MEDLINE for 2009 Each year MEDLINE® is reloaded because the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) re-indexes relevant documents from the entire database with new or changed medical terms and removes deleted terms. The 2009 reload of MEDLINE (Files 155/154) is in progress. After a brief hiatus in December, updates have resumed with UD=20081211, and the 2009 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®) are applied to updates from UD=20081211 forward. Alerts have resumed as well. For changes to MeSH, please see NLM’s Web site. The reload of the database to add 2009 MeSH terms to pre-2009 records is underway. The DataStar (MEDL, MEZZ) reload is completed. Latin American coverage increased in INPADOC In recent years, Latin American countries have gained greater visibility and so has their intellectual property. As a result there is increasing interest in obtaining patent rights in these countries. In December 2008, the European Patent Office announced it would extend its coverage of patents in Latin American countries. Some Latin American patents have been online for a while, although not always with complete coverage. The addition of nine new countries to INPADOC/Family and Legal Status (File 345) is a welcome addition for users who need access to Latin American intellectual property.
Future additions to Latin American coverage will include Colombia (CO) and Guatemala (GT). By Ron Kaminecki
Similarly, patent searchers tend to work in a subject based upon their education and experience, but are quite often called out of that zone to work with other tools, and these tools may not be as comfortable. A bench chemist who is now asked to conduct a patent search on a new electronic device could probably be as comfortable searching electrical engineering sections as an electrical engineer would be in trying to draw a chemical structure. In many cases such searches need to be sent to other sources, but it is possible to use technology to locate search terms that may be useful. I like to find background on inventions prior to interviewing an inventor about his or her idea, because it not only shows I took an interest by spending some time researching the topic, but it also gives the inventor clues to the types of terms that could be useful or useless. Using old tools for new purposes Many Dialog databases have related terms available. That is, you can use the engineering terms from Ei Compendex® (File 8) or Inspec® (File 2) to find subject-related terminology to be used in a patent search. This is very useful when you are new to the field as you can at least find terminology that can then be qualified by an engineer as bearing on the focus of the search or not. Feeding such terms to a cognizant engineer who can then guide you is an excellent way to broaden your reach. A topic of which I have depth of experience We have about 40 databases with related terms, in subject areas like food science, energy, electronics, mechanics, chemistry, education and the medical arts. Not too many people can be experts in all of these areas, nor should they feel they have to use a hammer to drive in screws! All in all, it is possible to use one thesaurus in another database to broaden your base and help you locate search terms for other areas. Finally, my friend with the hammer once tightened a bolt so hard that the head snapped off, so he used an easy out (a hardened, left-handed screw that is drilled into a broken bolt) to remove it. Of course, he tightened the easy out so hard it broke and I don’t think they make an easy out for an easy out! Be careful when you’re in new areas. PHIND’s redesign on DataStar enhances searchability As a result of new data supplied, we are redesigning the PHIND databases to enhance searchability. Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry News (PHIND) (PHID, PHIC, PHIN, PH08), from Informa, is a key resource for up-to-the-minute intelligence on product developments, markets, regulatory affairs and other matters of importance in the international pharmaceutical, medical device, veterinary and agrochemical industries. Because of the rolling date-coverage of the three sub-databases (PHID, PHIC and PHIN), the reload began in mid-January and is due to be completed February 14, 2009. You can already see the new look of PHID (containing the latest day’s data) and PHIC (containing the latest five weeks’ of data). PHIN currently remains in the existing format. On February 14, PHIN will be released with data for the first week of 2009, and the file will grow each week as data is shifted from PHIC to PHIN. At the same time the 1980-2008 archive file will be moved to a new database—PH08. This archive database is not affected by the database redesign. Those with contracts that currently give access to PHIN will automatically be given access to PH08. Although existing Alerts should not be affected, you may want to take advantage of the ability to create more refined Alert searches by using the data in the new paragraphs which include:
Check the Datasheet for details of these enhancements and how to search them. Refer to the database guide in the BASE database for a full description of PHIND and how best to use it—search as BASE-PHIN. |
Enhance your research with Dialog eLinksSM: Open URL 1.0 Compliance Insights on DataStar Content Development: An interview with the team that makes it happen Intellectual Property Content Updates Free File of the Month for March Keeping the Textile Industry Covered World Textiles™ (File 67) covers almost 40 years of information related to developments and innovations in the textile industry. In the recent reload of the file, several new fields have been added. Check the Bluesheet for details. Join Dialog at conferences in March 2009
Venice-Mestre, Italy, will be the venue for IPI-ConfEx, the premier Conference and Exposition in Europe, tailored to the interests of patent information professionals. Mark these dates on your calendar: March 1-5, 2009. IPI-ConfEx registration is now open. Join us at the AIIP Annual Conference March 26-29, 2009, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This annual conference is the foremost event for learning, networking, and professional development for independent information professionals. Dialog plans two presentations: “Dialog Refresher” and “Meeting the Challenge: Adding Value to Your Service.” Visit us in the exhibit area and at the training sessions. Complete your registration online today . We look forward to seeing you! Training schedule New On-demand training offerings If you would rather learn at your own pace in your own time, Dialog has a number of new offerings to meet your needs.
Quantum2 Conversations: Creating an Elevator Speech How often have you had to quickly let a potential stakeholder know what it is you do for the organization and not been able to find the right words? Information professionals can use elevator speeches as brief and positive ways to communicate a specific message whenever the opportunity arises — such as “Who is your target customer?”, “What service/product do you offer them?” and “What problem of theirs is solved by your service/product?” Our Quantum2 Conversations podcast on the Elevator Speech is designed to give you quick tips on coming up with snappy, on-point answers to just such questions. Download the podcast from the Quantum2 website. Each month the Chronolog presents search tips for Dialog and DataStar to provide you with a refresher or new tips on getting the most out of the service. Dialog Search Tip: Language searching in PASCAL Descriptors are indexed both as individual words, searchable with proximity operators, and as phrases, e.g., ?SELECT ULTRASONIC IMAGING/EDFor phrases, use EXPAND, e.g., ?E RENEWABLEthen browse the list of results and select appropriate “E” reference number. Titles of the original documents and any translations of the titles appear in the Title (/TI) field. Titles of documents originally published in English are indexed in the English Title (/ET) field. You can also search for French titles (/FT) and Spanish titles (/ST). Most records include an English translation of the original title. Except for stop words, all words in the English Title field are searchable as single words using proximity operators with the /ET suffix. So, a search about prospects for renewable energy in PASCAL would look like this: ?s (renewable or alternative) (3n)energy/et,ed ?s s1 and forecast?/et,ed Try this search technique in PASCAL this month for free! DataStar Search Tip DataStarWeb™ offers experienced Classic searchers the functionality they have used over the years on DataStar and the ability to bypass the menus for speed’s sake. One example is the power to quickly link subheadings with descriptors in databases such as MEDLINE® and EMBASE®. If you already know the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®) terms you wish to use in MEDLINE or terms from the EMTREE thesaurus in EMBASE, simply enter the search string and hit <ENTER>. For example, in MEDLINE, to connect the subheading DRUG-THERAPY to CORONARY-DISEASE, type CORONARY-DISEASE WITH DT. In DataStar databases with thesauri containing subheadings, the WITH operator is the link operator. Not only that: the hyphen can act as WITH so you can get the same results by typing CORONARY-DISEASE-DT. To make the descriptor a major focus of the article, add .MJ. after the statement: CORONARY-DISEASE-DT.MJ. (Be sure to enter the closing dot after .MJ.) To connect more than one subheading to a major descriptor, for example, coronary-disease linked to subheadings drug-therapy (DT), diagnosis (DI) or etiology (ET), enter the statement CORONARY-DISEASE WITH (DT OR DI OR ET).MJ. |
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