Migratory Pollinators Program Spring 2003 Update
http://desertmuseum.org/pollination/index.html
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum presents this update on the Museum's Migratory Pollinators Program, which focuses primarily on part of the nectar corridor extending from south-central Mexico to central Arizona. The report, which covers program-related research, is nicely presented and a pleasure to read. Anyone with even a passing interest in plant-pollinator interactions should find this site appealing. Museum researchers examined the migratory routes of lesser long-nosed bats, rufous hummingbirds, Western white-winged doves, and monarch butterflies. Each species exhibits extraordinary migratory behavior now considered "endangered natural phenomena" due to poor ecological conditions along their 2000 to 6000 kilometer flyways. The report also includes a useful glossary and an overview of the Museum's education outreach program. [RS]
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The American Naturalist -- Electronic Edition [pdf]
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AN/journal/rapid.html
"The American Naturalist" now offers free access to rapid-release articles from upcoming issues of the journal. These articles will be made available until the issue they will appear in is published electronically, after which a paid subscription is required to view them online. As of June 13, 2003, three articles are available, covering gynodioecy, sexual selection in dung beetles, and epidemiological traits in a model of host-parasite interactions. An excellent resource, and now it's free -- kind of. [RS]
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Venomous Snakes of North Carolina [pdf]
http://www.naturalsciences.org/research/herpetology/Venomous_Snakes_of_NC.pdf
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences offers this downloadable guide to the state's six species of venomous snakes. This well-illustrated 19-page guide includes an identification key, natural history and conservation information for each species, and a small sidebar on snakebite treatment -- particularly handy if you have trouble with the identification key when next in snake habitat. The information presented in this guide reflects the Museum's specimen collection and snake distribution records, as well as data from 50 other herpetological collections. The guide also lists related print resources and Web sites. [RS]
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AgeSource Worldwide: Information Resources About Aging from Around the World
http://research.aarp.org/general/agesource_home.html
AgeSource Worldwide is a new Web feature from the American Association of Retired Persons. Content reflects resources from over twenty nations, and includes "clearinghouses, databases, libraries, directories, statistical resources, bibliographies and reading lists, texts, and Web metasites focusing on aging or closely allied subjects." AgeSource Worldwide is designed for a variety of audiences, including the gerontology research community. Whatever your age-related interests, chances are this incredibly comprehensive Web site will have something of use. Also available in French and Spanish. [RS]
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BioMedNet: Microbiologists Take Homeland Security in Their Stride
http://news.bmn.com/conferences/list/view?fileyear=2003&fileacronyn=ASM&pagefile=confsummary.html
This BioMedNet Web site contains a conference summary for the 103rd General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, held in May 2003. Readers will find engaging, journalistic coverage of conference presentations spanning a dizzying array of microbiology topics such as bioterrorism, rechargeable batteries, and Staphylococcus contamination of the shroud of Turin. Researchers and general readers alike should find this conference summary appealing and informative. The site, which requires free registration with BioMedNet, also includes profiles of each investigator who presented at the 4-day meeting. [RS]
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SARS Reference [pdf]
http://www.sarsreference.com/
Amedeo.com, the online Medical Literature Guide, has recently made available the SARS reference -- a "comprehensive and up-to-date overview of severe acute respiratory syndrome" edited by Christian Drosten and Wolfgang Preiser. Offered free of charge to any user, the SARS reference will be updated monthly for the duration of the epidemic. Content includes SARS virology, epidemiology, treatment, a timeline, and a number of other timely and important topics. Users may view chapters individually within their browser, or download the entire publication. Also available in Spanish and Chinese. [RS]
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VCSU Macro-Invertebrate Lab - Digital Key to Aquatic Insects of North Dakota
http://www.waterbugkey.vcsu.edu/
This well-illustrated key to the aquatic insects of North Dakota comes courtesy of the macroinvertebrate lab at Valley City State University and the North Dakota Department of Health. Intended as a tool for regional biomonitoring programs, this key is quite easy to use and contains loads of extra information not normally found in traditional dichotomous keys. The site includes lists, keys, and distribution maps on the scale of order and family. Detailed descriptions and additional photos accompany each taxonomic group. The site also defines terms that may not be familiar to those new to the study of aquatic invertebrates. [RS]
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Myc Cancer Gene
http://www.myccancergene.org/
This Web site, offered through Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Health System, aims to "provide a hub for the integration of information on Myc target genes, the role of Myc in human cancers, and proteins that interact with the Myc transcription factors." Users will find a well-organized collection of resources relating to Myc, such as an extensive set of links to PubMed articles, related databases, and some original data. The Web site's introduction provides a very readable explanation of Myc gene function and its role in tumor formation. Researchers working with Myc are encouraged to submit data to the site, which also offers a Myc-related listserve for convenient email updates. [RS]
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