Excuse the cross posting, but the events described below are of seminal importance
>from:
>https://mx2.arl.org/Lists/SPARC-OAForum/Message/1939.html
>
>
>Dear SPARC Member,
>
>I am writing to ask that you weigh in on an important issue now under discussion in Congress.
>
>The American Chemical Society (ACS) is calling on Congress to shut down the NIH's PubChem, a freely accessible database that connects chemical information with biomedical research and clinical information, organizing facts in numerous public databases into a unified whole. It is a critical component of NIH's Molecular Libraries Initiative, which in turn is a key element of the NIH strategic "roadmap" to speed new medical treatments and improve healthcare.
>
>ACS claims that PubChem competes with Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS). In reality, PubChem and the Chemical Abstracts Service databases are complementary, not duplicative. If ACS succeeds in eliminating PubMed, scientific progress will be throttled.
>
>ACS lobbying efforts are targeting:
>* the Ohio delegation in Congress,
>* Rep. Ralph Regula (OH), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and
>* Senator Arlen Specter (PA), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies.
>
>Please consider contacting Rep. Regula (tel. 202-225-3876, fax 202-225-3059> and Senator Specter (tel. 202-224-4254, fax 202-228-1229). If you live in Ohio, please also contact your U.S. Representative and Senators (Ohio delegation contact information is available at <http://www.senate.gov/> and <http://www.house.gov/>.)
>
>Thank you for your help!
>
>Rick Johnson
>SPARC
>
>* * * KEY POINTS * * *
>
>PubChem Background
>
>* PubChem is a freely accessible database created by NIH in 2004 to provide information about small molecules. It is designed for use as a research tool and as a starting point that may lead to the development of new medications. The database connects chemical information with biomedical research and clinical information, organizing facts in numerous databases into a unified whole.
>
>* PubChem is a critical part of the Molecular Libraries initiative of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. It combines new data generated by NIH with data available from other public sources to create a powerful new research tool. It is part of the powerful family of integrated databases operated by the National Library of Medicine -- including GenBank, PubMed and a host of other resources that are utilized millions of times a day by scientists all over the world. The integration of these databases makes the whole much greater than the sum of its parts.
>
>Situation
>
>* ACS/CAS has expressed concern that PubChem is a threat to the financial survival of the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS). PubChem provides free access to its database; CAS charges a fee for researchers to use its database. ACS has demanded that NIH shut down PubChem or substantially alter it so as not to compete with CAS.
>
>* NIH met with ACS officials to seek a solution that would resolve the society's concern. Since the initial meeting, there have been multiple communications between NIH and ACS leadership. ACS has effectively broken off discussions, leaving the issues unresolved. NIH is willing to continue discussions with ACS/CAS to benefit the scientific community and biomedical research. For example, NIH has said it is willing to link to the CAS database, essentially providing CAS with access to a new market. Medical researchers infrequently use CAS at this time.
>
>* Opposition to PubChem is from the ACS leadership. It is not clear if ACS members are aware of the issue and if they would agree with the ACS leadership's position.
>
>* NIH staff analysis shows that PubChem and CAS overlap relatively little in terms of content (see attached charts). PubChem and CAS differ widely in scope and resources:
>
>Budget -- CAS budget is reported to be $260 million; PubChem budget is $3 million.
>Staffing -- CAS staff is reported to be 1,300; PubChem staff is 13.
>Scope -- CAS has information on 25 million unique chemicals; PubChem has information on 850,000 unique chemicals (though this number is expected to grow).
>Purpose -- CAS provides chemical, commercial and patent information to chemists; PubChem integrates medical information for medical researchers.
>Overlap -- PubChem and CAS content are complementary resources aimed at different segments of the scientific community.
>
>Why PubChem is needed
>
>* It is a critical new tool that will speed the development of new treatments for America's most important health problems.
>* It brings information about the biological activities of chemical substances to biomedical researchers on a broad scale.
>* A fundamental NIH principle is that medical research information developed with public funds must be made freely and publicly available for the good of advancing medical research to cure disease.
>
--
Henry Rzepa.
+44 (020) 7594 5774 (Voice); +44 (0870) 132 3747 (eFax); rzepahs(a)mac.com (iChat)
http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/ Dept. Chemistry, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
(Voracious anti-spam filter in operation for received email.
If expected reply not received, please phone/fax).
Is the Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry really the first
substructurally searchable chemistry journal (see below)?
Incidentally, I notice a letter in this week's issue of C&EN pointing
out that Organic Syntheses, not Beilstein JOC, is the first major Open
Access journal in its field.
Wendy
Dr. Wendy A. Warr
Wendy Warr & Associates
6 Berwick Court, Holmes Chapel
Cheshire, CW4 7HZ, England
Tel./fax +44 (0)1477 533837
wendy(a)warr.com http://www.warr.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Organic Chemistry Newsletter
[mailto:newsletter@organicworldwide.net]
Sent: 29 April 2005 17:48
To: wendy(a)warr.com
Subject: Issue 4.04
<http://www.organicworldwide.net/pic/banner_newsletter.jpg>
Welcome to Issue 4.04 of the "Organic Chemistry e-Newsletter".
A newsletter for industrial/academic organic and medicinal chemists.
_____
In this issue:
1. Carbohydrate Synthesis <>
2. Molecules of the Month <> (April 2005)
3. Upcoming Organic Synthesis Conferences <> (May 2005)
4. First Substructure Searchable Chemistry Journal <>
5. Book of the Month <>
Distribution: 1418
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1. Carbohydrate Synthesis
As carbohydrates have numerous functions in living organisms, the
synthesis of oligosaccharides or glycocunjugates for screening is
receiving a growing interest. The access to this value-added directory
is free during the month May for the readers of this newsletter.
user name: guest
password: freetrial
Carbohydrate <http://www.organicworldwide.net/> Synthesis (under
heading Compound Classes)
2. Molecules of the Month (April 2005)
Niacin (Vitamin B-3): helps the digestive system, skin, and nerves to
work properly and assists in converting food to energy.
Sudan 1: red dye used in waxes and polishes, banned for food use.
Carbon Monoxide: odorless, colorless gas that interferes with the
delivery of oxygen in the blood to the rest of the body. It is produced
by the incomplete combustion of fuels.
http://www.chemistry.org
Serotonin: A molecule of happiness.
http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/MOTM/motm.htm
<http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/MOTM/motm.htm>
Muraglitazar: a PPAR agonist. PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated
receptor) is an important target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes,
obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and other human
health disorders associated with high intake of dietary fat.
http://www.prous.com/mom/mom.asp
3. Upcoming Organic Synthesis Conferences (May 2005)
15th Noordwijkerhout-Camerino Symposium, Trends in Drug
<http://www.chem.vu.nl/far/NWC2005/frame.html> Research
May 8-13, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands
4. First Substructure Searchable Chemistry Journal
The Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry is the first chemical journal to
be fully (sub)structure searchable (articles from 1964 to 2001, over
100,000 structures).
Journal of <http://www.jhetchem.com> Heterocyclic Chemistry
5. Book of the Month
Synthesis of Naturally Occurring Nitrogen Heterocycles from
Carbohydrates
El Sayed El Ashry, Ahmed El Nemr, ISBN: 1405129344 (Hardcover), 464
pages, Blackwell Publishing, April-May 2005
Publisher
<http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=1405129344&site=1>
Information
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Copyright (c) 2005 EcoSynth, Koen Van Aken Ed.
