It is fall and we are up and running!  Ever tried to figure out a BBA citation?  What gives?  They don’t have volume numbers.  How do you track ‘em down?  The very nice folks at the California Digital Library worked it out and here is the url for future hunting expeditions.

http://www.cdlib.org/services/collections/chooseitem/bba.html

I know it has been awhile.  Had some problems with the migration from one system to another.  But I am back now with a recent discovery.

I was recently directed to the journal Biogeosciences.

Biogeosciences (BG) is an international scientific journal dedicated to the publication and discussion of research articles, short communications and review papers on all aspects of the interactions between the biological, chemical and physical processes in terrestrial or extraterrestrial life with the geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. The objective of the journal is to cut across the boundaries of established sciences and achieve an interdisciplinary view of these interactions. Experimental, conceptual and modelling approaches are welcome.

Biogeosciences has an innovative two-stage publication process which involves a scientific discussion forum and exploits the full potential of the Internet to:

• foster scientific discussion;
• enhance the effectiveness and transparency of scientific quality assurance;
• enable rapid publication;
• make scientific publications freely accessible.

In the first stage, papers that pass a rapid access-review by one of the editors are immediately published on the Biogeosciences Discussions (BGD) website. They are then subject to Interactive Public Discussion, during which the referees’ comments (anonymous or attributed), additional short comments by other members of the scientific community (attributed) and the authors’ replies are also published in BGD. In the second stage, the peer-review process is completed and, if accepted, the final revised papers are published in BG. To ensure publication precedence for authors, and to provide a lasting record of scientific discussion, BGD and BG are both ISSN-registered, permanently archived and fully citable.

Thanks, Dr Alan Bandy for letting us know about this open access journal and its inventive approach to scholarly communication!

Ever worried about the proper way to dispense champagne (not including the way the Phillies do it when they win the Pennant or the World Series!)?  In the paper “On the Losses of Dissolved CO2 During Champagne Serving”, researchers found that pouring “beer” style along the side saves more bubbles than pouring vertically.  Apparently it is important to save the bubbles.  So there you go!  Came across this item in the recent issue of ChemistryWorld, Sept 2010, vol 7, no. 9, pg 4.  But you can go to the article directly…

J. Agric. Food Chem., 2010, 58 (15), pp 8768–8775   DOI:10.1021/jf101239w   Publication Date (Web): July 13, 2010

02 Jun 2010

[from Knowledgspeak Newsletter]

The Beilstein Institut a non-profit foundation, has announced the launch of an international, peer-reviewed open access journal – Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology. Professor Thomas Schimmel of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, will serve as the Editor-in-chief. He is supported by a board of Associate Editors, all of whom will be responsible for a particular subject area.

The Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology will publish original articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It will provide a broad coverage of both fundamental and applied research, including aspects of chemistry, physics and biology as well as materials science and engineering. The scope of the journal will include experimental and theoretical aspects as well as nanotechnology applications.

Scientists working in the area of nanotechnology are invited to submit their manuscripts. All articles published in the journal are freely accessible immediately upon publication. No user registration is required.

Thanks to my colleague Bill Armstrong for the heads up!

I just came across a review of a set of streaming videos available out of the UK.  These videos are mostly chemistry related, but do cover topics in biology and physics, but they are all quite fascinating.

The first was one I wrote about “The Periodic Table of Videos” in this blog on September 17, 2008 (see: http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/drexelchemistry/?p=95 )

The second is Test Tube: Behind the Scenes in the World of Science.  This shows science being done the way it’s usually done, which is refreshing.  I thought the clip below was rather fun.  There are over 200 videos on the site covering most of the sciences.  The home page is: http://www.test-tube.org.uk/index.htm

The third is Sixty Symbols, in which 60 symbols used by physicists, astronomers and chemists are discussed by the scientists that use them.  The clip below offers a chat about K (Kelvin Temperature).  The bearded guy is Lord Kelvin not the symbol.  The home page is:  http://www.sixtysymbols.com/

Perhaps students in introductory courses could be directed to a few videos for enhancement?