New England Bed and Breakfasts

Scitable pulls scientific research out from behind the paywall
Author: Tim Conneally

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

I experienced quite a personal shock when I aged out of having access to my university's research portal. The vast catalog of peer-reviewed journals, empirical studies, and thorough analytical research I had at my disposal as a student was boarded up behind a distinct paywall not long after I finished school.

The fast-moving news, blogs, forums, and free tools I had been taught to eschew were suddenly all I had. My principal option (besides re-enrolling in school) was to become a member of a research service like LexisNexis or NewsLibrary; but those portals cost several hundred dollars a year each. I suddenly recognized that the best information on the Web is not free.

But Nature Publishing group, the publishers responsible for the academic journal Nature, and the consumer publication Scientific American are changing that.

The group has spent the last year advancing a service called Scitable, which removes that academic paywall, and puts high-quality, vetted scientific learning materials online freely for anyone to use.

While this is itself useful, Open Access is only half of Scitable's mission; the other half is Open Discussion. To achieve this, Scitable has built-in collaboration tools that let teachers, researchers, and students hold online discussions about science topics 24 hours a day in the form of message boards, chats, private message threads, and "learning paths."

Currently, Scitable is limited to articles in the field of genetics, which are intended for college undergraduate faculty and students. But the site will eventually grow to include other topics.

This means students from different schools can share discussions on common subjects, or connect with researchers in a subject that they're studying; and teachers can utilize the information as a supplement to their textbooks and learning materials.

It is, in effect, a Collaborative Learning Network, a social construct that the Linux community has long embraced, except instead of basing it on communal knowledge, it is based upon information approved by an academic source.

Scitable is completely free, but receives funding from sponsors Intel, Roche Applied Science, Tata Consultancy Services, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, and New England Biolabs.

After the U.S. Open, why golf fans need the Travelers Championship
After last week's lackluster U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, here are five reasons why you should either watch the Travelers Championship on television this week or take a drive and see it live if you live within a close enough radius of Cromwell, Connecticut (I'm on that two-hour cusp!) 1. The natural beauty of TPC River Highlands golf course and holes 15-18 in particular have been written about extensively and need to be seen to be appreciated. Highlands is the opposite of Pebble Beach, in my opinion, and both are equally beautiful. PGA Tour on Facebook asked if fans have any tips for the pros playing at TPC River Highlands this week (join the conversation!) Answers ranged from mine which was more tempered to those who have a "grip it and rip it" mentality. I said (Stacy Solomon): Lay-up on #15, go deep to avoid false front on #16th green, consider water in play on #17 & bunker on right of 18th green may be better than facing than facing swale on left. Seriously PGATour.com, should I really be offering advice to the best golfers in the world? 2. Top PGA Tour golfers like defending champion Kenny Perry, Padraig Harrington and Rickie Fowler will be up-close-and-personal, from the driving range to the putting green. 3. Michelob Ultra 19th Hole Concert Series brings out some of the best local bands in CT. Concerts will be held on Friday and Saturday, right after capping off a great day of golf! 4.  Golf fans disappointed after a lackluster 2010 U.S. Open need a golf  "recovery" tournament. 5. See the new and improved, slimmer John Daly at 185 pounds. Daly's rib injury seems to have passed and he is now working with improved confidence. JD is a great golfer to watch when he's in form but looking into the sun might be better for the eyes as his bright yellow and purple colored outfit can leave you with flash camera spots! Check the Golf Channel for weekday schedule, CBS-TV for weekend play or catch the action on PGATour.com.

Published: 2010-06-24 14:58:34

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For older adults, flu season tends to peak first in Nevada, last in Maine
An analysis of hospitalization records for adults age 65 and over found that seasonal flu tends to move in traveling waves, peaking earliest in western states and moving east. New England states tend to have the latest peak in seasonal flu. The public health research team detected patterns between peak timing and intensity of seasonal flu. The findings may help healthcare providers prepare for flu outbreaks in this vulnerable population.
Published: 2010-04-20 01:00:00

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