The Scout Report -- Volume 18, Number 38

The Scout Report -- Volume 18, Number 38

The Scout Report

September 21, 2012 -- Volume 18, Number 38

A Publication of Internet Scout
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sponsored by University of Wisconsin - Madison Libraries




Research and Education

  Herpetological Conservation & Biology

  University of Oklahoma: History of Science Collections

  Center for Ocean Solutions

  Seattle University Law Review

  Minnesota Geological Survey

  Learning Geometry in Georgian England

  Calisphere: Themed Collections

General Interest

  Steamtown National Historic Site

  Andrew McCormick Maps and Prints

  Tech News Collection

  Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering

  City of Chicago Landmarks

  Historical Society of Michigan

  Joel Halpern in Macedonia Photographs

Network Tools

  Croak.It

  Dropboxifier

In the News

  Rural living could be an obesity risk factor





Research and Education

Herpetological Conservation & Biology

http://www.herpconbio.org/

In 2006, the Herpetological Conservation & Biology journal was started to offer a place for manuscripts in the field "that were descriptive or natural history oriented." This journal publishes original peer-reviewed research, reviews, and perspectives on the "ecology, natural history, management, and conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles." Recent articles have included "Population decline in Grassland Earless Lizards" and "Invasive shrub benefits a Sri Lankan lizard." Visitors can click on the Volumes tab to look over all of the past issues and search the entire archive here as well. The Photo Gallery is a real treat, featuring dozens of photos submitted by the editors and other users. Finally, visitors can also learn about how to submit material for possible publication, along with signing up for email updates. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at? http://amser.org.


University of Oklahoma: History of Science Collections

http://digital.libraries.ou.edu/homescience.php

The University of Oklahoma Libraries have done a wonderful job with their history of science collections. Visitors to the site will find seven collections here to keep their minds busy. Their number includes "Copernicus's De revolutionibus" and "Scientific Instruments and Historical Artifacts." Of course this first volume is nothing less than a classic, presenting Copernicus's evidence and arguments in support of heliocentric theory. This volume also contains extensive marginalia from a circle of astronomers located in Paris in the decade following the book's publication in 1543. Moving on, the "Scientific Instruments and Historical Artifacts" area contains 16 wonderful items, including an ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform tablet and videos of historically significant refractometers. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at? http://amser.org.


Center for Ocean Solutions

http://centerforoceansolutions.org/

The Center for Ocean Solutions (COS) is located in Monterey, California, and "works to solve the major problems facing the ocean." COS was founded by three partners with similar commitments: the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. On the homepage, visitors can browse through a Featured News area and also look over video clips which explore topics like "Can Coral Reefs Survive the 21st Century?" Moving on, the materials on the site are divided into six sections, including Research Libraries, Publications, and Videos & Podcasts. Scholars and marine scientists should look over the Publications area to see a list of recent publications by COS researchers and affiliates arranged by topic. Finally, the podcasts are quite good, and they include discussions of dropping ocean oxygen levels and climate change adaptation. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at? http://amser.org.


Seattle University Law Review

http://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/sulr/

Originally published as the University of Puget Sound Law Review, this particular legal institution became part of Seattle University in 1994. The Seattle University Law Review "strives to publish articles that will be useful research tools for students, attorneys, judges, and legal scholars," with articles on a range of legal topics, including family law, copyright law, and other topics. On the homepage, visitors can read over the Aims & Scope to learn about the main mission, sign up for Facebook updates, and also review the editorial board. Visitors can use the drop-down menu to browse past issues, or use the search engine to find specific topics or phrases of interest. There are a number of special issues here, including "Symposium on Racial Bias and the Criminal Justice System" and "A Symposium Celebrating the Launch of the Adolf A. Berle, Jr. Center on Corporations, Law & Society." [KMG]


Minnesota Geological Survey

http://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/708

The Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) was established in 1872 as part of the University of Minnesota. The function of the MGS is to serve "the people of Minnesota by providing systematic geoscience information to support stewardship of water, land, and mineral resources." This website from the Digital Conservancy at the University of Minnesota provides access to all of items published by the MGS. The items are contained within the Collections area, and visitors will find headings here such as "Geology of Minnesota Parks," "County Atlas Series," and the "Bulletin of the Minnesota Geological and Natural History Survey." First-time visitors can check out the Recent Submissions area on the right-hand side of the page to look over some new findings, including hydrogeological maps of different counties around the state. One item that should not be missed is the "Geology of Minnesota: A Centennial Volume" from 1972. It's a tremendous volume and one that cannot be ignored by students of the physical landscape and geological history of the state. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at? http://amser.org.


Learning Geometry in Georgian England

http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=3930

How did people learn geometry in Georgian England? It was different than in our own time, to be sure. This feature from Loci, the online publication of the MAA Mathematical Sciences Digital Library offers a bit of detail on the matter, courtesy of the geometry copybook of a boy named Thomas Porcher. This particular feature was written by Benjamin Wardhaugh from the University of Oxford. In the six-part feature, Wardhaugh looks into why such a boy would learn geometry and also what the existing texts were at the time. The article contains sections like "Geometry and Measuring" and "Geometry and Practical Geometry." It's a fascinating study, and one that will be intriguing to those with a penchant for the history of mathematics and pedagogy. [KMG]

To find more high-quality online resources in math and science, visit Scout's sister site: AMSER, the Applied Math and Science Educational Repository at? http://amser.org.


Calisphere: Themed Collections

http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu/themed_collections/

The University of California has worked diligently to create themed collections for teachers and others interested in California history. The Calisphere gateway provides access to 200,000 digitized items, so it's great to see that those involved have created these smaller and more manageable collections as part of this fantastic effort. The collections are organized chronologically into sections that include "1780-1880: California in Transition" and "1929-1939: The Great Depression." Each of these areas contains more detailed topical explorations, complete with Questions to Consider, a collection of images, a historical overview, and lesson plans. Educators will find these materials invaluable and anyone else interested in California history will enjoy them as well. [KMG]



General Interest

Steamtown National Historic Site

http://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm

Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Steamtown National Historic Site celebrates the history of steam locomotives and their role in shaping America's development in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A visit to the National Historic Site allows visitors to the "Feel the heat from the firebox." Visitors to the website will have a slightly different experience, but it remains a great way to learn about the history of steam locomotives. In the History & Culture area, visitors can learn about the history of the historic site and the locomotives, and also read the complete text of "Steam Over Scranton: The Locomotives of Steamtown." Visitors shouldn't miss the Photos & Multimedia area. Here they can view a range of photos, take 360-degree tours of attractions, including the history museum and the visitor center, and watch a number of videos of the trains in operation. Finally, the For Teachers area includes lesson plans and other activities that can be used in conjunction with a visit to the site. [KMG]


Andrew McCormick Maps and Prints

http://digitalcollections.library.ubc.ca/cdm/landingpage/collection/mccormick

Dr. Andrew Quinn McCormick was a faculty member for many years in the department of ophthalmology at the University of British Columbia. Along with his passion for this field of medicine, he was also a great lover of maps and prints. This digital collection presents a sample of works from his collection, which he donated to the school's library. Visitors can make their way through historical maps and prints dating from 1503 to 1910. The collection contains 176 items, is entirely searchable. New users can use the Recent Additions area to get started, and it's a good way to get a sense of the offerings here. One of the most remarkable items here is the "wind rose," which is a medieval depiction of "Four charts of the wind." This depiction was an early predecessor to the compass rose, which makes it even more interesting. [KMG]


Tech News Collection

http://archives.iit.edu/technews/

The Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) started life in 1893 as the Armour Institute, courtesy of funding from Philip Danforth, Sr. who gave $1 million to start a school that would offer courses in engineering, chemistry, architecture, and library science. In 1940, the school merged with the Lewis Institute, received its current name. This intriguing digital collection offers a look into the school's history via the Technology News, which has been the student newspaper since 1928. Visitors can browse past issues from that year up to the current day. The Features area is quite interesting, as it includes direct links to April Fools issues and topical coverage of swine flu outbreaks in 1976 and 2009. The April Fools issue from 1942 is quite a pip, as it includes articles titled "Surrealist Ginks Gab" and "Tennis Toddlers Tersely Terrorize Tirty-Tird Toughs." [KMG]


Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/

This timely report from the National Science Foundation (NSF) provides "statistical information about the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering education and employment." This most recent iteration of the report was released in July 2012, and it includes data sets, technical notes, citations, and several interactive features. First-time visitors should take a look at the "Digest 2011" for up-to-date statistical visualizations of themes that include Employment Status, Occupation, Academic Employment, and Field of Degree. The How Do I? will help visitors learn how to view data by grouping, contact the author, and also sign up to be notified about new data sets. [KMG]


City of Chicago Landmarks

http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/landmarksweb/web/home.htm

The city of Chicago has many hundreds of wonderful architectural landmarks and this helpful website is a great resource for anyone with an interest in such matters. On the site, visitors can start by checking out the Landmarks Tours to get started. There over a dozen tours here, including Mansions Tour, Art Deco Tour, and Pre-Fire Chicago Tour. Moving on, visitors may also wish to look over the Architects area. Here they will encounter some of the usual suspects (Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, etc.) and learn about some lesser-known architects, such as Solon S. Beman and William W. Boyington, who designed the wonderful entrance to Rosehill Cemetery. The Style Guide offers a great primer for those who'd like to know more about two dozen architectural styles, including Craftsman, International, and Tudor Revival. Finally, the site also includes a Listings area, complete with information about all of the buildings on the city's official landmarks list. [KMG]


Historical Society of Michigan

http://www.hsmichigan.org/

Founded in 1828, the motto of the Historical Society of Michigan is "Promoting our state, our stories since 1828." The Society does a terrific job if it. This website offers curious parties access to information about the state's history, along with materials on the Society's work, outreach efforts, and publications. On the homepage, visitors can learn about the Michigan History magazine and the Chronicle, which is the Society's membership magazine. Teachers and historians will enjoy the Resources area. Here they can make their way through a day-by-day historical calendar of events associated with the state's history and a set of additional research links, such as genealogy websites. The Conferences area includes information about the four major conferences the Society runs each year, along with information on training workshops. [KMG]


Joel Halpern in Macedonia Photographs

http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/galleries/halpern.htm

During his long and distinguished career, anthropologist Joel Martin Halpern has worked in many areas of the globe, including Laos, Lapland, and the Balkans. He was able to turn his dissertation at Columbia University into his first book (A Serbian Village) and since that time he has returned for fieldwork numerous times. This site from the Special Collections of the University of Massachusetts brings together over 1,400 photographs taken by Halpern during his research trips to Macedonia between 1954 and 1978. As the introduction to the site notes "The number of these visits combined with the dense documentation that resulted provides a rare opportunity to examine long term diachronic patterns in cultural change." Visitors can make their way through the photographs, which are organized chronologically and geographically. Each photo has a caption provided by Ljupco Risteski of the University of Skopje in Macedonia. It's a fascinating portrait and one that will be of interest to anthropologists and those persons with an interest in southeastern Europe. [KMG]



Network Tools

Croak.It

http://croak.it/

The namesake of this application is Marty the Frog, who comments thusly on the homepage: "Imagine a world where you can share your thoughts without boundaries, halfway across the world." With Croak.It this is possible, and visitors just need to "Push.Speak.Share." When visitors "Push to croak" on the homepage, they can send out audio clips via any number of social media networks. Also, visitors can use the Watch area to view a video on how to get started as well. This version is compatible with all operating systems. [KMG]


Dropboxifier

http://dropboxifier.codeplex.com/

Dropboxifier makes it it easy to share application data and other files between computers, which can be quite helpful. This application creates symbolic links so that visitors can just click on a link to access different files. The best part is that Dropboxifier allows users to do this on more than one computer. This mean that all of these devices will read and write to the same data source, which is useful. This version is compatible with computers running Windows Vista and newer. [KMG]



In the News

Rural living could be an obesity risk factor

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-rural-living-could-be-an-obesity-risk-factor-20120914,0,478740.story

Obesity higher in rural America than in urban parts of the country, UF researchers, colleagues find.
http://news.ufl.edu/2012/09/14/rural-obesity/

CDC: Obesity and Overweight
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Childhood Obesity
http://www.rwjf.org/childhoodobesity/index.jsp

Obesity Society
http://www.obesity.org/

Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center
http://bnorc.org/

The United States is currently going through an obesity epidemic, and public health experts and others are understandably very concerned. There isn't a single state that has an obesity rate of under 20 percent and the medical costs associated with obesity were estimated to be approximately $147 billion in 2008. Many researchers have wondered whether there might be a rural-urban divided as regards obesity rates, and a team of scholars at the University of Kansas and the Unviersity of Florida has done some work on the subject that is garnering attention. Using data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the team found that 39.6% of people in rural areas were obese, as compared with 33.4% of those in urban areas. The team of researchers also noted that several factors were associated with higher rates of obesity, including being married, consuming a high daily calorie intake or a higher percentage of calories from fat, or being of African-American descent. One of the investigators, Professor Michael G. Perri, noted that "Rural areas have fewer resources to assist residents with lifestyle changes related to weight management." It remains to be seen what might be done to address this disparity, but one solution might be to use the expertise of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service, which has offices in just about every county in the United States. [KMG]

The first link will take users to a news story from last Friday's Los Angeles Times about this recent study. The second link will lead interested parties to a news release from the University of Florida which talks about the research and its findings. Moving along, the third link will whisk users away to Center for Disease Control's site on obesity. Here visitors can view interactive maps of obesity rates and learn about other data sets and related materials. The fourth link will take visitors to the homepage of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's site that deals with a strategy for coping with childhood obesity. The fifth link will take interested parties to the homepage of the Obesity Society, which works on providing high-quality research on obesity, along with offering academic conferences and educational events. The final link will take interested parties to the homepage of the Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center. Here visitors can learn about the Center's research, read some working papers, and learn about ongoing projects.





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