From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Mon Feb 03 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Peter Karp Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: ISMB-97 paper deadline extended Date: 4 Feb 1997 14:48:02 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 26 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net ** Extension of ISMB-97 Paper Submission Deadline ** The ISMB organizers are extending the deadline for submission of ISMB-97 papers. If you wish to take advantage of the extended deadline, please: o Submit the following information by email to gaasterl@mcs.anl.gov in a message whose subject is "ISMB extension": - Title - Authors - Abstract This information must be received by Friday, Feb 7. o Submit a hardcopy version of your paper to EBI to be received by Wednesday, Feb 12, at the standard submission address listed on the ISMB WWW page. E-mail paper submissions will not be accepted for this extended deadline. If at all possible, please try to meet the earlier deadline of submitting the paper by Friday, Feb 7. Peter Karp From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Tue Feb 04 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: pdxrmb@vaxb.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Human Genetic Variation conferences. Date: 5 Feb 1997 10:36:06 -0800 Organization: University of Nottingham, UK Lines: 11 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <5d9qa2$kg6@paperboy.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk> Reply-To: pdxrmb@vaxb.ccc.nottingham.ac.uk NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Hi netters' I'm lookig for a conference on Human Molecular Genetics to attend in the summer. My primary interest is in the origin and maitainance of human genetic varation, as well as general human genome research. If any conference organisers are out there, or you have advance warning about such a meeting I would very much appreciate an email. Thanks in Advance. Richard M Badge. From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Wed Feb 05 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: bkq@ornl.gov (Betty K Mansfield) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Re: Human Genetics conferences. Date: 5 Feb 1997 18:07:27 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 29 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <3.0.16.19970205153926.2f4f73bc@cosmail5.ctd.ornl.gov> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Richard, For starters, check out the calendar of genetic events at: http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/CAL.HTML The following Gordon Research Conference is held August 10-15. Human Molecular Genetics; Newport, RI [GRC, 401/783-4011, Fax: -7644, grc@grcmail.grc.uri.edu, http://www.grc.uri.edu/] Then check out the Training calendar at: http://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/TRCAL.HTML Hope there is something useful for you on one of these calendars. ---Betty At 11:18 AM 2/5/97 +0000, you wrote: >Hi netters' > I'm lookig for a conference on Human Molecular Genetics to >attend in the summer. My primary interest is in the origin and maitainance >of human genetic varation, as well as general human genome research. If any >conference organisers are out there, or you have advance warning about such a >meeting I would very much appreciate an email. > >Thanks in Advance. > Richard M Badge. From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Wed Feb 05 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: "X=--> aLeX jOsIaH tAn "@triton Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Beta - gluc gene of E.coli ..! Date: 6 Feb 1997 05:48:36 -0800 Organization: Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Lines: 18 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net hi all who read this mail..!! there is a few qns just like to ask..!! 1)do plant have any basal lvl of expressing beta-gluc the enzymes..?? cos we r doing a project abt using this beta-gluc gene...!! this gene is orginated from the bacteria E.coli. so i was wondering if plant will have the gene if this bacteria..?? 2)do acetosyringone will be able to enhance the infectivity of Agrobacterium..??.... thank for the comment..! pls reply to this address..!! s4464182@np.ac.sg thank a lot..& have a good day..!! From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Thu Feb 06 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Computer Contact-Carlos Enrile Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Jornadas Genoma y Etica Date: 7 Feb 1997 13:22:21 -0800 Organization: Unisource Espana NEWS SERVER Lines: 8 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <32FA7CEB.53C6@isid.es> Reply-To: ccontact@isid.es NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Jornadas de Reflexi=F3n sobre el Genoma Humano Fundacion Ramon Areces Madrid, Febrero de 1997 Mas informaci=F3n en: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/computercontact/conghom.htm From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Thu Feb 06 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: bkq@ornl.gov Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Biomarkers, the Genome & the Individual--- Date: 7 Feb 1997 15:51:25 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 273 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <3.0.16.19970207184614.27b72ab8@cosmail5.ctd.ornl.gov> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net TENTATIVE MEETING OUTLINE BIOMARKERS, THE GENOME & THE INDIVIDUAL--- WORKPLACE AND MEDICAL IMPLICATIONS OF A RAPIDLY EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY Charleston, South Carolina May 4-8, 1997 SUNDAY MAY 4 (The Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston) 4-7 PM Registration 7 PM Keynote address: Dr. Joshua Lederberg* (Nobel Laureate) 8 PM Reception ____________________ MONDAY MAY 5 (Physicians Memorial Auditorium-The College of Charleston) SECTION: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Session Chairman: Dr. Lawrence Mohr*, MUSC 8:20 AM Special Announcements 8:30 AM Introduction and Goals (Dr. Lawrence Mohr*, MUSC) 8:45 AM What is a Valid Biomarker ? (Dr. Paul Schulte*, NIOSH) 9:05 AM Historical Perspectives (Dr. Michael Gochfeld*, EOSHI) 9:25 AM Laboratory Perspectives (Dr. Rogene Henderson*, ITRI) 9:45 AM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Carol Henry*, DOE) 10:15 AM COFFEE BREAK 10:45 AM Clinical Perspectives (Dr. Robert McCunney*, MIT) 11:05 AM Ethical Perspectives (Dr. Tom Murray*, Case Western) 11:25 AM Public Policy and Costs (Dr. Bernard Goldstein*, EOSHI) 11:45 AM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Paul Schulte*, NIOSH) 12:15 PM LUNCH BREAK SECTION: TECHNOLOGIES FOR MEASURING PRIOR EXPOSURES Session Chairman: Dr. Mort Mendelsohn*, LLNL 1:30 PM Technical Basis for ESR dosimetry (Dr. Marc Desrosiers*, NIST) 1:50 PM Validation of ESR in the Atomic Bomb Survivors Studies (Dr. Nori Nakamura*, RERF, Japan) 2:10 PM X-ray Fluorescence (Dr. Howard Hu*, Harvard) 2:30 PM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Dieter Regulla*, GSF, Munich, Germany) 3:00 PM COFFEE BREAK 3:30 PM Stable Chromosomal Aberrations (Dr. Jim Tucker*, LLNL) 3:50 PM Immune Biomarkers (Dr. Bob Vogt*, CDC) 4:10 PM Isotopic Ratios (Dr. Joseph Graziano*, Columbia) 4:30 PM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Bernard Goldstein*, EOSHI) SECTION: STORAGE OF DNA SAMPLES Session Chairman: Dr. Mark Rothstein*, U. of Houston 5:00 PM Large Scale Genomic Tagging at DOD (Dr. Victor Weedn*, AFIP) 5:20 PM Issues Related to the Re-analysis of Stored Samples (Dr. Ellen Clayton*, Vanderbilt Medical School) 5:40 PM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Eula Bingham*, U. of Cincinnati) ____________________ TUESDAY MAY 6 (Physicians Memorial Auditorium-The College of Charleston) SECTION: TECHNOLOGIES FOR MEASURING RECENT EXPOSURES Session Chairman: Dr. Richard Albertini*, U. of Vermont 8:20 AM Special Announcements 8:30 AM Volatile Chemicals and the E2R Monitor (Dr. Karla Thrall*, PNL) 8:50 AM Tubular Proteinurea (Dr. Richard Wudeen*, New Jersey) 9:10 AM DNA Adducts (Dr. Kari Hemminki*, Karolinska, Sweden) 9:30 AM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Leopold Miksche*, Bayer AG, Germany) 10:00 AM COFFEE BREAK 10:30 AM DNA Adducts using Accelerator Mass Spec (Dr. Ken Turtletaub*, LLNL) 10:50 AM Protein/haemoglobin Adducts for TCE exposure (Dr. David McMillan*, MUSC) 11:10 AM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Mort Mendelsohn*, LLNL) SECTION: BIOMARKERS OF METABOLIC SUSCEPTIBILITY Session Chairman: Dr. Paul Brandt-Rauf*, Columbia 11:30 AM P 450 and Chemical Metabolism (Dr. Peter Shields*, NCI) 11:50 PM Acetylation-Related Susceptibilities of Metabolism (Dr. F. Kadlubar*, NCTR) 12:10 PM Glutathione S-transferase (Dr. Brian Ketterer*, UK) 12:30 PM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Roger McClellan, CIIT) 1:00-2:00 PM LUNCH BREAK SECTION: GENOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS Session Chairman: Dr. Lee Hood*, U. of Washington 2:00 PM Scientific Basis of Genomic Technologies (Dr. Lee Hood*, U. of Washington) 2:20 PM High Density DNA Chip Arrays (Dr. Rob Lipshutz*, Affymetrix) 2:40 PM mRNA and the Analysis of Expressed Genes (David Botstein, Stanford) 3:00 PM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Marvin Frazier*, DOE) 3:30 PM COFFEE BREAK 4:00 PM Lab-on-a-chip (Dr. Lawrence A. Bock, Caliper Technologies) 4:20 PM Mass Spectra DNA Tags for Multiplex Sequencing (Dr. George Church, Harvard) 4:40 PM Biomarker Potential of PCR (Dr. Glen Evans*, U. of Texas) 5:00 PM Panel Discussion: (Chair: Dr. Elbert Branscomb*, LLNL) ____________________ 7-9:00 PM POSTERS AND DISPLAYS (Cash Bar) -The Francis Marion Hotel Progress in Diagnostics Kit Technology for Screening for Susceptibility: o Large pharmaceutical companies (Bayer AG*, Glaxo Wellcome, Smith- Kline, Merck, Pfizer) o Other companies: Monsanto, Sequana Therapeutics, Nanogen, Hyseq, Pharmacia Biotech, Vysis, Amgen, etc. ____________________ WEDNESDAY MAY 7 (Physicians Memorial Auditorium-The College of Charleston) SECTION: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF BIOMARKERS Session Chairman: Dr. Barry Johnson*, Director, ATSDR 8:20 AM Special Announcements 8:30 AM Practical Uses of Biomarkers in Population Studies (Dr. Geoffrey Howe*, Columbia) 8:50 AM Beryllium Biomarkers (Dr. Lee Newman*, National Jewish) 9:10 AM Biomarkers for Aflatoxin (Dr. Regina Santella*, Columbia) 9:30 AM Panel Discussion (Chair: Dr. Robert McCunney* MIT) 10:00 AM COFFEE BREAK 10:30 AM Biomarkers and Models of Radiation Exposure (Dr. Mort Mendelsohn*, LLNL) 10:50 AM Biomarker Calibration for Estimating Risk (Dr. Leopold Miksche*, Bayer AG, Germany) 11:10 AM Biomarkers of Pulmonary Toxicity (Dr. Alfred Bernard*, Louvain, Belgium) 11:30 AM Biomarkers of Reproductive Toxicity (Dr. Don Mattison*, U. of Pittsburgh) 11:50 AM Panel Discussion (Chair: Dr. Paul Seligman*, DOE) 12:30-1:30 PM LUNCH BREAK SECTION: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF BIOMARKERS (Cont.) Session Chairman: Dr. Eula Bingham*, U. of Cincinnati 1:30 PM Mutant Oncoprotein Biomarkers in Chemical Carcinogenesis (Dr. Paul Brandt-Rauf*, Columbia) 1:50 PM Benzene Metabolites and Benzene Chromosomal Biomarkers (Dr. Martyn Smith, Berkeley) 2:10 PM Somatic Mutations (Dr. Richard Albertini*, U. of Vermont) 2:30 PM Panel Discussion (Chair: Dr. Dale Hattis*, Clark U.) 3:00 PM COFFEE BREAK 3:30 PM Cotinine as a Biomarker of Smoke Exposure (Dr. Linda Youngman*, Oxford, UK) 3:50 PM Ethnic Variation and Genetic Susceptibility: G6PD (Dr. David Jollow*, MUSC) 4:10 PM Breast Cancer Screening and Ethnic Variation (David Goldgar, IARC, France) 4:30 PM Panel Discussion (Chair: Dr. Carol Redmond*, MUSC) ____________________ THURSDAY MAY 8 (Physicians Memorial Auditorium-The College of Charleston) SECTION: ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Session Chairman: Dr. Charles Epstein, UCSF 8:20 AM Special Announcements 8:30 AM Ethical Issues (Dr. Charles Epstein, UCSF) 8:50 AM Government Uses of Genetic Information (Dr. Barry Johnson*, ATSDR) 9:10 AM The Uses of Genetics in the Workplace (Dr. Eula Bingham*, U. of Cincinnati) 9:30 AM Employers Perspective (Dr. Joe Cannola, Mobil Corporation) 9:50 AM COFFEE BREAK 10:20 AM Non-Medical Uses of Genetic Information (Mark Rothstein*, U. of Houston) 10:50 AM JUDICIAL PANEL Biomarkers, Scientific Validity and the Judicial Process (The Hon. Richard A. Levie*, Deputy Presiding Judge, Civil Division, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, The Hon. Thomas S. Ellis, III*, Judge, United State District Court for the District of Eastern Virginia, and Dr. Franklin Zweig*, President, EINSHAC) 11:30 AM GENERAL DISCUSSION Panel: Drs. Charles Epstein, Barry Johnson*, Larry Mohr*, Mort Mendelsohn*, Carol Henry*, Judges Richard Levie*, and Thomas Ellis*. 12:30 Closing remarks (Dr. Lawrence Mohr*, MUSC) ____________________ MEETING ADJOURNS * Confirmed as of 02/05/97 HOTELS May is peak tourist season in Charleston, SC and we advise you to make your room reservations as early as possible. To receive special rates, please contact one of the following hotels on or before April 1, 1997, and refer to the MUSC BIOMARKER CONFERENCE room block. Please add 12% tax to these hotel room rates. Francis Marion Hotel: $109.00 per night (803) 722-0600 (Please inform reservationist if you are a federal government employee for a discounted room rate. A limited number of these rooms are available on a first call-first serve basis.) Quality Inn: $74.00 per night (803) 722-3391 Hampton Inn: $89.00 per night (803) 723-4000 Hawthorn Suites Hotel: $115.00 per night (803) 577-2644 To receive a full registration packet, please call 1-800-277-3239 or fill out the form below and fax to Jill Yarnall at 1-803-727-6464 or mail to: Biomarker Conference Medical University of South Carolina Environmental Hazards Assessment Program 156 Rutledge Avenue Charleston, South Carolina 29403 Registration information is available on the Internet through our website www.ehap.musc.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Tue Feb 11 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: grahamb@odder.nhgri.nih.gov (Bettie Graham) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: AVAILABILITY OF FELLOWSHIPS Date: 11 Feb 1997 20:22:01 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 67 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <3.0.16.19970211175052.09bfa88c@cosmail5.ctd.ornl.gov> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net The National Human Genome Research Institute, formerly the National Center for Human Genome Research, National Institutes of Health, is offering individual fellowships to highly qualified students and scientists who are seeking training that will enable them to engage in research relevant to the Human Genome Project. Training of scholars in examining the ethical, legal and social Implications of human genome research is also encouraged, but is not available for pre-doctoral students. Three types of fellowships are offered: 1. Postdoctoral fellowships for indivduals who have received their doctoral degree within the last seven years. The application receipt dates are April 5, August 5 and December 5. 2. Senior postdoctoral fellowships for individuals who received their doctoral degree more than seven years ago. The application receipt dates are April 5, August 5 and December 5. 3. Pre-doctoral Minority fellowships for underrepresented minority graduate students to pursue a doctoral degree. The application receipt dates are May 1 and November 15. Fellowship support is provided through the National Research Service Award. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States are eligible to apply. For additional information about fellowship opportunities available through the NCHGR, please visit our home page at: http://www.nhgri.nih.gov. You may also contact the following staff: Individual and Senior Postdoctoral Fellowships and Minority Pre-Doctoral Fellowships in Genomic Analysis and Technology: Bettie J. Graham, Ph.D.. TEL: (301) 496-7531 e-mail: bettie_graham@nih.gov Individual and Senior Postdoctoral Fellowships in ELSI Topics: Eric M. Meslin, Ph.D.. TEL: (301) 402-4997 e-mail: eric_meslin@nih.gov For information about PHS Grant Policy, applicants may contact: Ms. Jean Cahil TEL: (301) 402-0733 e-mail: jean_cahill@nih.gov From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Mon Feb 17 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: NEWSMGR@selu.edu Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Impact on human genetic diseases Date: 18 Feb 1997 11:50:42 -0800 Organization: Southeastern Louisiana University Lines: 40 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <5ed16i$g3f@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Relay-Version: VMS News - V6.1 24/02/92 VAX/VMS V6.2; site altair.selu.edu Path: altair.selu.edu!te6000.otc.lsu.edu!news.cis.uab.edu!gatech!news.sprintlink.n et! news-peer.sprintlink.net!howland.erols.net!newsxfer3.itd.umich.edu! portc01.blue.aol.com!wcnews01.ops.aol.com!newsjunkie.ans.net! newsfeeds.ans.net!lantana.singnet.com.sg!peony.singnet.com.sg!nuscc.nus.sg!t ehjinsi Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: Impact on human genetic diseases Message-ID: <5e13u5$h2k@nuscc.nus.sg> From: tehjinsi@iscs.nus.sg (Jin Sim) Date: 14 Feb 1997 07:23:49 GMT Organization: National University of Singapore NNTP-Posting-Host: tehjinsi@decunx.iscs.nus.sg X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Lines: 19 Hi, Currently, I'm doing a project on: 'The impact of the Human Genome Project on human genetic diseases and their diagnosis, prevention and therapy.' I'd appreciate it if I could hear your opinions on this. Thanks :) -- Jeanie Teh =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Most people are other people, their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. - Oscar Wilde - =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Tue Feb 18 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: bkq@ornl.gov (Betty K Mansfield) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: DOE Microbial Genome Program Notice 97-10 - Date: 19 Feb 1997 09:04:32 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 9 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <3.0.16.19970219120053.318720d2@cosmail5.ctd.ornl.gov> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net A call for proposals on an HGP spin off program is located at: The Program Notice 97-10 on the Department of Energy Microbial Genome Program was published today, February 19, 1997, in the Federal Register. It is also available at the ER Grants and Contracts Web Site: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html From owner-genome-program@net.bio.net Tue Feb 18 22:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genome-program Subject: BIOSCI/bionet miniFAQ & Fundraiser Date: 19 Feb 1997 09:04:33 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 241 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: k76@ornl.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <199702191000.CAA03835@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net (LAST REVISION: 30-JUL-95) This BIOSCI "miniFAQ" is designed to answer the questions that come up the *most frequently*. The main BIOSCI FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is accessible on the World Wide Web at URL http://www.bio.net/. If you can not find an answer to your question in this or other documentation, the BIOSCI technical support staff answers e-mail queries sent to biosci-help@net.bio.net We can only answer questions about the use of the newsgroups and mailing lists. We unfortunately do not have the staff to do Internet information searches or answer scientific questions. Please post those to the appropriate BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. Contents: -------- 0) BIOSCI NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!! 1) Using the WWW to access the BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. 2) What to do about "spams," i.e., junk mail, ads, etc. 3) Examples of subscribing and unsubscribing to the mailing lists. 4) The BIOSCI user address and research interest directory. 0) BIOSCI NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!! ------------------------------ BIOSCI's government funding has been expended, and we are now operating solely from advertising revenue that we have raised from our Web site at http://www.bio.net/. We need just a few minutes of your time to help us serve you. You can do two important things which will take very little time for you individually and will immensely help us continue to help you. First, please use our WWW system at http://www.bio.net/ to access the archives. You can post or reply to messages via your Web browser as described in item #1 below. Your usage helps attract sponsors. If you contact any of our sponsors, please be sure to thank them for supporting BIOSCI. It is critical for them to get this feedback if they are to continue their sponsorship for the long term. Second, if you work for a company or organization that provides products or services of interest to the biology community, please pass this message on to your marketing or marketing communications department or other appropriate group. Please ask them to help support BIOSCI by sponsoring our Web site and explain the uses and benefits of the system to the biology community. If they are interested, they can then contact us for further information at our tech support address, biosci-help@net.bio.net. 1) Using the WWW to access the BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. -------------------------------------------------------- As of 10 December 1995, all BIOSCI/bionet full newsgroups are accessible through the World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.bio.net. One can read and reply publicly or privately to both recent postings and archived messages through one's Web browser if it is configured properly to send e-mail. Each newsgroup is equipped with its own WAIS index. The main BIOSCI home page also has access to the BIO-JOURNALS Table of Contents database WAIS index and the BIOSCI user address database described in another item further below. 2) What to do about "spams," i.e., junk mail, ads, etc. ------------------------------------------------------- BIOSCI is a set of parallel USENET newsgroups (the "bionet" groups), mailing lists, and a hypermail archive at URL http://www.bio.net/. The same postings are distributed on all media (except for a small number of mailing-list-only groups at net.bio.net). Unfortunately it is becoming a despicable practice on the Internet (by a few people out to make a fast buck) to do automated mass postings to thousands of newsgroups and mailing lists. These attempts to grab free advertising are refered to as "spams" in the usual, somewhat boneheaded, net terminology. USENET is more susceptible to this practice, and many spams originate on the USENET groups and then are passed on to the mailing lists. However, spammers also get lists of mailing addresses and hit these too, so neither medium is immune. What should you do personally if you get junk mail? --------------------------------------------------- Just delete it and move on without reading it further. Filing a protest is becoming increasingly useless because spammers are often disguising the addresses where the messages are sent from. Unless you really understand Internet mail systems, your attempt at protest by sending replies to the message will often end up being sent to the address of an innocent person that the spammer is victimizing. What can BIOSCI/bionet do to protect its newsgroups? ---------------------------------------------------- The only solution currently available is to moderate the newsgroup. If this newsgroup is already moderated, then you are in good shape. Moderation protects the USENET distribution from about 95% of the spams that are being sent to date and protects the mailing lists completely. Moderation means, however, that someone has to take the time to review each message before it goes out. We have set up software here that simply allows the moderator to forward to an address at net.bio.net messages that (s)he wishes to have distributed. This takes no more time than that needed to read the message and pass it on, say about 1 min. per message. Most newsgroups currently have a discussion leader who is responsible for their newsgroup. The discussions leaders and their e-mail addresses are listed in the BIOSCI Information Sheet which is available on the Web at http://www.bio.net/. If a newsgroup is being hit with too many junk postings, please contact the discussion leader for that group and see if there is interest in moderating the group. Please do not assume that by simply posting a complaint to the newsgroup itself, anyone on the BIOSCI staff will act on your complaint. With close to 100 newsgroups to run, the BIOSCI staff has to rely on the discussion leaders of each newsgroup to report problems directly to us at biosci-help@net.bio.net. We will moderate any of our newsgroups if the discussion leader tells us that the readership of the group wishes to do so and if a moderator is willing to do the work. For most BIOSCI/bionet groups, this entails only a few minutes of work each day. Moderating a newsgroup will resolve probably 95% of the junk postings on the USENET distribution. Unfortunately there are easy ways for determined spammers to override the moderation mechanism on USENET, but we can protect our e-mail subscribers from unwanted postings if the newsgroup is moderated. You can also access our newsgroups over the WWW at URL http://www.bio.net. While this Web interface will not stop spammers from trying to post to the groups, this will give you yet another way, besides using USENET news, to keep the junk out of your personal mail files. For those of you with local USENET news systems, the Web interface will also give you faster access to new newsgroups and recent postings. 3) Examples of subscribing and unsubscribing to the mailing lists. ------------------------------------------------------------------ PLEASE NOTE: The BIOSCI management does NOT act on subscription/unsubscription requests that are posted improperly to the newsgroups and mailing lists. People who do this only bother everyone on the lists to no avail. Please be sure to follow the proper procedures below. Gory details are in the BIOSCI Information sheets on the Web at http://www.bio.net. Below we give an example utilizing the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS list at both of our two BIOSCI sites: Users in the Americas and Pacific Rim countries who use the BIOSCI ------------------------------------------------------------------ node at computer net.bio.net: ---------------------------- A) Determine the "listname" which is the <=8 character mail address ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ for the group. These can be found in the BIOSCI Info. Sheet. For the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS group the mailing address is methods@net.bio.net. The listname is the portion of the address to the left of the @ sign, i.e., "methods". The listname is used with the "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" commands illustrated below. B) Mail all commands in the body of a mail message addressed to biosci-server@net.bio.net. Do NOT send commands to the newsgroup posting addresses! Leave the Subject: line blank, any text on it will be ignored. C) In the body of your message put one or more of the following commands with an "end" command on the last line, e.g., subscribe methods unsubscribe methods end Do NOT put your e-mail address or other text on these lines. The server only allows you to cancel your subscription if the address on your mail header matches the address on our mailing list. Please ask for help at biosci-help@net.bio.net if your address has changed, e.g., if you know you are on the list but the server tells you that you are not a member. Users in Europe, Africa, and Central Asia who use the BIOSCI node at -------------------------------------------------------------------- computer daresbury.ac.uk (also known as dl.ac.uk): ------------------------------------------------- To subscribe and unsubscribe to/from the BIOSCI lists, you need to specify the full USENET newsgroup name with "bionet-news." prepended. The USENET newsgroup names are listed in the BIOSCI Information sheet on the Web at http://www.bio.net/. For the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS list the USENET newsgroup name is bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts, thus the appropriate commands are sub bionet-news.bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts unsub bionet-news.bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts These commands are included in a message addressed to mxt@dl.ac.uk, NOT to the newsgroup mailing addresses. As usual, include the text in the body of the message as text on the Subject: line is ignored. To unsubscribe from all the lists at the UK node, use unsub bionet-news Please note that if the address in the list is different than the one in your mail message header, you will not be able to unsubscribe by this method. If you have problems, please mail biosci@daresbury.ac.uk. 4) The BIOSCI user address and research interest directory. ----------------------------------------------------------- Please take this opportunity to add your name, address, and research interest information to the BIOSCI User Address Database if you have not already done so. You can fill out the address form directly through our Web page at URL http://www.bio.net/adrform.html. The address database is reindexed nightly for WWW access (the URL is http://www.bio.net/). If you are not directly on the Internet but can reach it by e-mail, please use our waismail server to access the user directory. waismail use is described above. You can also request a user address form by e-mail from biosci-help@net.bio.net. Please check your database entry from time-to-time to see if your address information is still up-to-date. Because of our limited personnel resources, we ask that you resubmit a *complete* form to revise your entry; we only replace complete entries and do not have resources to edit old forms. Sincerely, Dave Kristofferson BIOSCI/bionet Manager biosci-help@net.bio.net