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January 30, 2006

Genetics and Craniofacial Disorder Resources

Today we're highlighting a few of the very fine online resources available on these topics. The Genetics Home Reference is a masterful resource made available free by the National Library of Medicine.

NLM: Genetics Home Reference: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/

Among their newest topics on conditions, you'll find Dentinogenesis Imperfecta and Amelogenesis Imperfecta. Among their new pages on specific genes, you'll find amelogenin (amelogenesis imperfecta 1, X-linked), dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), enamelin, and matrix metallopeptidase 20 (MMP20 or enamelysin).

Highly recommended.

Another recommended resource (classic rather than current) is Jablonski's Multiple Congenital Anomaly/Mental Retardation. The information provided is core diagnositic features and a chromosome summary.

Less technical and a useful resource for patients and seeking core bibliographies on a topic is the website and database for NORD. Print copies of the book are in Reference [RC 48.8 .N3851]. The website has free content and paid content. Persons currently affiliated with the University of Michigan can get both through MIRLYN. The link below goes only to the free content.

National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD): http://www.rarediseases.org/

NORD usually provides links to quality patient information and public websites on the specific disorders. There are a few excellent overview sites, such as FACES: The National Craniofacial Association, Let's Face It, and World Craniofacial Foundation.

Posted by pfa at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2006

Diversity Blog

Chuck Ransom of the University Libraries has created a blog to inform people of "activities relating to diversity in southeast Michigan." It is a wonderful resource -- check it out!

http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/Diversitynews/

Posted by pfa at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

Disaster Preparedness Resources (Lessons from Katrina)

If you weren't able to make it to yesterday's videoconference, Lessons from Katrina, Improving Emergency Preparedness Plans, a lot of the information is available in other formats. The items from LSU closely support the content presented in the presentations, including a free online book. Additional links were recommended by the conference organizers. Notice the UM connection?

LSU Media Tip Sheet and Other Hurricane Experts and Resources:
http://www.lsu.edu/pa/mediacenter/tipsheets/hurricane.html

Louisiana State University (LSU): Office of Public Affairs: LSU in the Eye of the Storm (online book, pdf [1.41.MB]):
http://www.lsu.edu/pa/book/ or
http://www.lsu.edu/pa/book/EYEofTheSTORMtxt.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Mitigation Division: Disaster Resistant Universities Page
http://www.fema.gov/fima/dru.shtm

Society for College and University Planning: Higher Ed Crisis/Emergency Management Planning - News & Plans (It is managed by University of Michigan undergraduate student, Steve DiDomenico):
http://scup.backpackit.com/pub/322790

How Prepared Are America's Colleges and Universities for Major Crises / Ian I. Mitroff, Michael A. Diamond, and C. Murat Alpaslan:
(With permission from the authors; article originally appeared in the
January-February 2006 issue of Change magazine):
http://www.scup.org/knowledge/crisis_planning/diamond.html

Posted by pfa at 12:07 PM | Comments (1)

January 25, 2006

BREATHE - New Tobacco Advocacy Initiative in Michigan

BREATHE, Bar and Restaurant Employees Advocating Together for a Healthy Environment:

http://www.breathemi.org/

"Did you know that bar and restaurant employees are 50 percent more likely than the general population to develop lung cancer, largely because many of them are exposed to secondhand smoke on the job? ... BREATHE is being started in Michigan by the Campaign for Smokefree Air (CSA), a grassroots coalition of statewide groups who support eliminating secondhand smoke dangers in workplaces, restaurants and bars."

Posted by pfa at 03:38 PM | Comments (0)

Homeopathy Collections

The Digital Library Production Service and Taubman Medical Library are pleased to announce the availability of the Homeopathy Collection. A project is currently underway to scan 500 books in the Homeopathy Collection of Taubman Medical Library and make their full text available online. The search interface for the Homeopathy documents available online to the general public is located at:

http://www.hti.umich.edu/h/homeop

The homeopathy collection at the University of Michigan originated in the holdings of the Homeopathic Medical College, first established as part of the University in Ann Arbor in 1875. The Homeopathic Medical College existed concurrently with the allopathic Medical School until 1922. There was also a Homeopathic Hospital in existence locally from 1879 until 1891.

The collection itself contains items dating from the mid-1800's to the present day. Although not being digitized at this time, of particular interest is the Bradford Homeopathy Collection, which is composed of 1027 pamphlets that detail 75 years of the history and development of the field of homeopathic medicine. Along with the holdings of the former Homeopathic Library, these pamphlets constitute one of the most complete collections on the subject.

http://www.lib.umich.edu/taubman/info/rare/collections.html

The UM School of Dentistry shared space with the Homeopathic Medical College in its early days. Dr. Taft, the founding Dean of the School of Dentistry, wrote about the profession of homeopathy in his journal, Dental Register of the West. Some stories about interactions between the two schools are in the exhibit on Dr. Taft's life.

Posted by pfa at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2006

Molecular Modeling and Wet Lab Tools

The Center for Molecular Modeling at NIH has a resource page listing a wide variety of molecular modeling software programs:

Universal Molecular Modeling Software List: http://cmm.info.nih.gov/modeling/software.html

They have similar resource lists for sequence analysis tools, databases, and their very useful Molecular Biology Desk Reference, that includes a variety of wet lab tools in addition to the expected reference tools. All of these resources are linked from their main resource page:

http://molbio.info.nih.gov/molbio/

Posted by pfa at 12:07 PM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2006

NLM Exhibits

NLM's new exhibit, Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body, is available for viewing in the Bethesda-based library through February 16, 2006. Just in case you happen to be in the area.

A more accessible exhibit is that on the life and professional contributions of Stanley Jablonski, author of
Illustrated dictionary of dentistry, Illustrated dictionary of syndromes and eponymic diseases, and Multiple Congenital Anomaly/Mental Retardation Syndromes (MCA/MR), among many other important resources. This exhibit is available online at:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/jablonski/index.html

Posted by pfa at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)

Bone Graft Resource

The National Library of Medicine and MedlinePlus have just announced a new information resource on bone grafts.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonegrafts.html

The resource lists an interesting range of information, which includes the use of bone graft techniques in facial and cleft palate reconstruction.

Posted by pfa at 02:31 PM | Comments (2)

January 21, 2006

Podcast Resources

The Dentistry Library has a new guide to resources on podcasts, how to find them, and other online multimedia tools. Check it out at:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/dentlib/resources/guides/podcast.html

Posted by pfa at 07:17 PM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2006

Resources for Public School Presentations about Dentistry

Many dentists are invited to give presentations to local elementary schools, churches, or parenting groups about dentistry and children. One of the interesting challenges of doing this is coming up with appropriate educational activities for the children. If you are a dentist, hygienist, or student about to speak to a group of children, you may find some of these ideas or resources helpful.

For UM patrons, the Dentistry Library has oversized models of a mouth and toothbrush that can be borrowed and used to demonstrate proper brushing. The library also has books with ideas for these activities, such as:

The Dentistry Library also has many books about dentistry, oral health, and traditions and folklore related to the mouth and teeth. These also may be borrowed and ued to illustrate concepts or to read aloud to a class. While we have many more children's book titles than are listed here, you may want to begin by browsing the exhibit guide for an exhibit we did some years ago on this topic.

In addition to the local resources, there are a number of online resources you may find useful.

Enjoy!

Posted by pfa at 12:34 PM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2006

Dental Blogs

Want to see what other dentists are doing with blogging? Check out:

Believe it or not, there has even already been a blog by someone who pretended to be a dentist and wasn't. Blogs can be ephemeral, and that one no longer exists (but lives on in memory).

Posted by pfa at 06:59 PM | Comments (2)

Evidence Based Information on Herbal Remedies

Looking for the best information on whether or not herbal remedies work, how, what for, side effects and drug interactions? Try these highly recommended resources.

These and many more drug information resources are included in the Dentistry Library's drug information guide: Drug Information for Dentists, Hygienists, and Students of These Professions

Posted by pfa at 06:43 PM

Clinical Guidelines for Oral Diseases

The National Guidelines Clearinghouse (Guidelines.gov) offers category level browsing as well as searching. In the category browse, you can find oral health diseases under Stomatognathic:

Stomatognathic Diseases

You might also be interested in these other categories:

Posted by pfa at 06:29 PM

UM Salary List Now Available

The 2005 annual salary list for the University of Michigan has been published, and is now available online.

It is also linked on the main Dentistry Library homepage:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/dentlib/

Posted by pfa at 09:15 AM | Comments (0)

New Dentistry Library Blog

The Dentistry Library is pleased to present a blog format to provide information we hope will be helpful to our patrons. With a blog, you can either browse the content when you wish, or you can subscribe to receive notifications of new additions to the blog. We will be providing more information on these options in the future as we explore this new-to-us mode of communication. We hope you find it useful!

Posted by pfa at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)