Update from the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services

Submitted by Colette Hochstein, DMD, MLS (Colette@nlm.nih.gov), Division of Specialized Information Services, NLM

April 2009

TOXMAP: Now Includes TRI 2007 and Save Search Feature
http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov

TOXMAP now includes the 2007 EPA Toxics Release Inventory data (TRI) (http://www.epa.gov/tri/tridata/tri07/index.htm).

In addition, TOXMAP now offers the ability to save one's search results, the ability to zoom to U.S. Indian reservations, and county and Congressional district boundaries that can be toggled on/off.

TOXMAP is a Geographic Information System from the Division of Specialized Information Services (http://sis.nlm.nih.gov) of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (http://www.nlm.nih.gov) that uses maps of the United States to help users visually explore data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Toxics Release Inventory and Superfund Program.

New Features:  NLM Dietary Supplements Labels Database

The National Library of Medicine Dietary Supplements Labels Database now includes several interface improvements, more products, and an auto-complete (search) feature.  http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov

Other recent additions/changes include: 

• Search box on every page.
• Age/gender categories under “Products.”
• Glossary page with A-Z anchor links .
• Updated FDA Recalls, FDA MedWatch and FTC Actions.
• More products (3000).
• New “Help” page.

The Dietary Supplements Labels Database includes information from the labels of over 3,000 brands of dietary supplements in the marketplace, including vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids and other specialty supplements.

The database is designed to help both the general public and health care providers find information about ingredients in brand-name products, including name, form, active and inactive ingredients, amount of active ingredient/unit, manufacturer/distributor information, suggested dose, label claims, warnings, percentage of daily value and further label information.  

Links to other NLM resources, such as MedlinePlus and PubMed, are provided for additional health information. In addition, links to related Fact Sheets from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and the National Cancer Institute are also available.

ToxMystery

In late 2008, the National Library of Medicine ToxMystery was installed as a permanent kiosk in the Exploration Station exhibition at the Carnegie Science Center (CSC) in Pittsburgh (http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/).  ToxMystery is an interactive children's game about household hazards.

The kiosk was developed in partnership with the Carnegie Science Center to develop allow easy and secure access to ToxMystery. The kiosk was installed between the CSC hands-on “Exploration Station” and the “Building Green” exhibit which looks at the connections between human health and the environment. 

Plans for building a ToxMystery kiosk are available from the National Library of Medicine. These plans include the list of materials needed, detailed construction diagrams, step-by-step directions, and photographs of the completed kiosk taken at the Carnegie Science Center.

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)

In March, Specialized Information Services exhibited at the National Science Teachers Association conference in New Orleans. SIS demonstrated several resources in biology, toxicology and environmental health at all grade levels for the attendees. Tox Town, ToxMystery, Visible Proofs, and MedlinePlus were well received. New flyers that were handed out at the conference are now available on the SIS promotional materials page: http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/outreach/promotional_materials.html.

Stay Updated!

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