On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess

Ask Dr. Isis Week - What Reference Software Do You Use?

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:44:38 -0500

Before I get down to business, I wanted to make some remarks about a post I a couple of days ago on having children and being exhausted. I really appreciate the frankness of the comments people left, but I suppose I didn't leave thing on a very positive note. I was pretty tired and this has been a challenging week, science-wise. I am trying to get all of our projects in a place that I can leave for a week over Thanksgiving and just write the manuscripts and that may be coloring my perception of reality. Still, so that none of you think that motherhood is all sleep deprivation, puddles of urine, and sore nipples, I want you to know that I am a total hero this morning because I have the unique ability to make duck shaped waffles. That's pretty cool. But, it's a skill I tell you. A skill.

Figure 1: Getting the duck in the waffle maker is the hardest part.

It's also cracking me up this morning that my son cannot say the letter "R" in English, but he nails it in Spanish. He can pronounce "Al rescate" like a champ, but it's still "Wescue pack, coming to the wescue."

But, now back to business. I have an inbox full of lovely questions and things you've sent me. So, I am declaring this "Ask Dr. Isis Week," where the focus of our time together will be answering your questions. Here we go with potentially the most controversial question I've ever answered...

Hi Dr. Isis,

Before I get to my question, I have to thank you for your wise, wise recommendation of Arikia's blog. What a great writer. I get almost as excited to see new posts from her pop up in my google reader as I do for your posts.

Here's my question. I've just completed writing my masters thesis (and got it accepted and formatted properly, and its now on its way to ProQuest for publication). But I spent HOURS typing out the references section. I do not wish to repeat that process. Ever.

I'm hoping you (and maybe your readers) can weigh in on citation software. Specifically, what software do you (and others) use, and why do you like it better than the other programs out there? (and which OSs are compatible? I have a MacBook Pro, and the lab computers are running Windows XP or Vista.)

If you do go ahead and use this for a blog post, I'd appreciate my name/email signature being edited out.

Thanks,
[Name redacted to protect this worshiper from the fallout associated with asking about bibliography software]

First and foremost, congratulations to this little muffin for completing his/her master's thesis. That's no small accomplishment and I wish you all the best.

[Insert brief pause as Dr. Isis responds to the call of "Mommy, there are poopies here."]

Figure 2: An artist's rendition of the culprit.

As for reference software, I suspect that many of us use the software that those around us use. I began using EndNote because, frankly, at one point in my career it came on my department PC. I am quite happy with it. I like that it formats references according to the specifications of a number of major journals and that there is a web-based option. I generally do most of my literature searches in Web of Science (I've written about that here), which allows for references to be easily imported into EndNote, formatted properly. I'd anticipate that these tools would be compatible since they are both Thomson Reuters products. I am also especially fond of the Cite While You Write feature that allows you to insert references and images using field codes that update as you change the body of the document. You can also format the reference section at any point in the writing process. (h/t to the University of North Carolina's Health Sciences Library for these great EndNote tutorials).

The issue I have been dealing with lately is how to manage our libraries. When I began, the lone ranger in our lab group, it was easy. I just kept my own library. Now that there are students, technicians, and rotating interns in the lab, I've been trying to create libraries in a way that is efficient for everyone. It seems a huge waste of time to have every person who comes into the lab start a library from the beginning and I've recently been all about creating an intellectual legacy. My solution has been to maintain two libraries. The first library is my personal library and is full of all sorts of shenanigans. The second is our publication library. We keep it in our folder on the department network and it contains all of the references from our publications. We update it as we publish, and that's it. Nothing else. People can download it to their personal computer and use it as a starting place to create their own libraries.

Or, they can say "screw it" and go all maverick with their libraries. Whatevs.

Figure 3: I'll be making my own library, little missy.

I don't know that this is best way to manage a library, but it seems to work for us. I'd be interested to hear from my scientist readers though. Which reference software are you using and why do you like it?

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An Open Letter...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:54:55 -0500

...to the guy next to me in seminar yesterday morning.

Dear Dr. Hot-Shot,

I realize that you thought you were being discrete by turning your phone to vibrate while you texted at a break neck pace during seminar, but when your phone buzzes louder than my vibrator, it is not at all discrete.

Then again, if I could text as quickly as you I probably wouldn't need my vibrator and then I would be more discrete.

Best,
Isis the Scientist

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The Flawless Logic of Little Isis (One Year at ScienceBlogs)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:34:15 -0500

Today is my blogoversary of joining ScienceBlogs. w00t! It's been, well, quite a year.

Last week I was anticipating the big commemorative event, complete with fan fare, the sacrifice of some animals (but not JB Handley's horse), a full day of unabashed worship, and ballads and prose from my Sciblings telling me how I have totally hottened up the place. Cause, let's not lie, I have....

But, today I am mostly just exhausted. Yesterday I was so exhausted I went to bed at 8pm. Today instead of posting links to all the most amazing things I have written since joining ScienceBlogs I'm mostly thinking that it seems premature to be patting myself on the back. After all, where was I a year ago when I joined the Borg?

Exhausted. And I thought tonight, after reading some comments on Female Science Professor's post on Kidlessness I'd write about being exhausted. In the post, Female Science Professor follows up on a previous post polling her readers about their career and family choices. She writes:

At the risk of upsetting my ethically inclined bio-colleagues with another survey, I hope that some of the childless respondents from yesterday (female and male), or anyone willing to share their personal data, will leave a comment today that completes this sentence:

I am [female/male] and I do not have children because.. [rest of sentence].

I was intrigued by some of the commenters, early in their careers, who had not had children and were afraid that motherhood and sciencehood were not compatible.

Figure 1: I realize, looking back on this post photoshopping, that I may have gotten the labels wrong. Motherhood is much more brown and slimy than science.

I wandered deeper into the comments section of the post and that's when I saw it. Commenter Cloud writes:

To those looking for role models of women combining careers in science and motherhood, can I suggest using the internet? I know of a few blogs written by professors who are also mothers (this one, Blue Lab Coats, Dr. Isis' blog....) I know that it would be nicer to have examples you can actually meet and have lunch with, but don't discount what you can learn from anonymous bloggers online! Also, a lot of bloggers will take the time to answer personal emails looking for advice and/or data points about what combining career and motherhood looks like.

Role model? Oh no! drdrA? Probably. Me? I'm happy to role model being exhausted. Man, have I got that shit down.

When I moved to ScienceBlogs I was the mother of a two year old. Now I am the mother of a three year old. I love being a scientist and the mother of a three year old, but my three year old is beginning to try my patience. For Little Isis's sake, there had better be a God because I am convinced nothing else can save my sanity but divine intervention.

On Wednesday nights Mr. Isis engages in an extracurricular activity away from home and Little Isis and I stay home and cook dinner together. Then we play toys.

Ok, usually I am the one playing toys. But, I digress.

Tonight Little Isis and I were standing at the kitchen counter and I was chopping vegetables. Then next thing I knew, my socked feet were warm and wet. And then I heard...

Mommy, I just had an accident.

I sloshed my child into the bathroom, peeled his soaked clothes from his little person, and asked him if he wanted to try to go in the potty. He replied,

Mommy, I don't have to go potty. All of my pee pees are in my underpants.

Figure 2: I suppose the kid's got a point. You can't squeeze urine from a stone.

After convincing Little Isis to dribble in the potty a bit, a bit of negotiation strategy that I am convinced could benefit peace talks in the middle east, I returned to the kitchen to clean up the puddle. Kneeling next to it, and trying to keep the dog from drinking it, I said to Little Isis:

Is everything alright, honey? You haven't had an accident in a long time. Did you forget to tell me?

To which he replied:

Shut, up Mommy.

I've never heard Little Isis speak this way before and I was pretty surprised by his response. When I told him that this is not a polite thing to say to one's mommy he told me:

But David says it to his mommy.

And that's when I knew I was in trouble. David is a little boy at Little Isis's preschool with some serious behavioral problems that may stem from some issues that his his parents are dealing with. We have heard a lot about David lately. A lot. Daily. David's malfeasance has begun to infiltrate our home and, while I appreciate that no 3 year old can really be responsible for his actions, if I hear "But David does it" even one more time, I am going to sneak into David's house in the middle of the night and murder that little brat in his sleep.

Figure 3: Ninja-style.

Three is just as exhausting as two and two is as exhausting as one and one is as exhausting as when they were an infant - the difference is that the exhaustion has a different cause at each stage. While during infancy I was sleep-deprived and felt like a walking milk cow, I'm now exhausted trying to keep up with a curious and precocious little boy, trying to prevent the constant threat of permanent bodily injury, while simultaneously battling the bad influences around him. You know, ninja style.

But, to go back to the commenters at Female Science Professor's place who are worried about science and motherhood not being compatible -- you guys are totally screwed. Not because science and motherhood are not compatible, but because motherhood is just not compatible with anything rational or sane. This week I am convinced that if they weren't so damned cute and we didn't love them so deeply, we'd eat our young.

Let's continue this tomorrow because, seriously, I am about to fall asleep and I can't guarantee what I may say from this point on. In the meantime, I'll leave you something to discuss in the comments section below. Modified from Female Science Professor's post:

I am [female/male] and I [do/do not] have children because.. [rest of sentence]

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The State of the Blog

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:58:19 -0500

So, yesterday was the first day in a while that I went with no post. I am mildly mortified, but I was also exhausted when I got home last night and had nothing pre-written to throw up. I ended up going to bed at 8pm. Even shoes were uninteresting to me last night. The only thing that tempted me was the softness of my pillow and the beauty of behind my eyelids.

If you've emailed me a question in the last couple of days (I'm looking at you, End Note question asker), I'll get to it. I will. I promise. After work I will get back in the saddle.

And now, back to science...

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An Open Letter and Wednesday Morning Jams...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:14:03 -0500

...to everyone's favorite Dark Lord of the Sith.

Dearest Darth Vader,
I noticed this morning that the gloves that you were wearing on Saturday night are in the back seat of my car. If you'd like them back, holler at your girl.

All my best,
Isis the Scientist

As I was writing this magnificent opus of ScienceBloggery, I heard this on my Pandora station:

I think I am really feeling it this morning. As I listened, it had a familiar feel to it. Perhaps because it reminded me of one of the anthems of the neighborhood I grew up in...

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Update #1 2 3 on JB Handley Probably Not Having Sex with Animals...

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:39:31 -0500

Check out this lovely post from the brilliant and beautiful Dr. Free-Ride entitled Some Tactics Always Stink.

That Free-Ride seems to hit the nail on the head every single time!

Terrified Tabetic has joined in with JB Handley, El Chingacabra mas grande El Chingacabra, indeed!

Annnnnnd it begins. The email received while I was away at a meeting:

Hey Isis,
Was it hard to type that post while you were sucking the cocks of all the vaccine pushers in ScienceBlogs? Handley's got the guts to have his own opinions, unlike you who are acting like a shrill parrot. As I mother I would think you'd be smater [sic] than to poison your child that way.

I kind of like that one. I have always dreamt of being smater.

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Global Air Traffic in 24 Hours

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:48:33 -0500

Stacy Baker from Miss Baker's Biology Class Dot Com and the Extreme Biology blog tweeted this last night:

I am absolutely mesmerized, watching the traffic patterns. What I think is remarkable is the shift in air traffic density as you see the pattern of light/dark change. I'm also fascinated by the patterns at the extreme top and bottom of the map. I can't hep but wonder where those people are going...

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The Boys Call Out Misogyny Among the Anti-Vaxxers

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:52:26 -0500

The other evening I was laying bed, watching the first season of NCIS on DVD as our technician ordered me too, and being generally hot when I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers in the universe - the great anti-anti-vaxx crusader Orac from over at the Respectful Insolence blog.

I am aware of the anti-vaccine movement because I have been a loyal reader of Orac's blog for sometime. In fact, when I first considered moving to ScienceBlogs, he was the first person I wrote to. Part of me wants to feel some sympathy for the passionate anti-vaccine advocates because I can understand the fear that comes with being a parent. I know the panic that comes with being faced with a decision you fear could permanently and irreversibly harm your child. I know that bad information is plentiful on the internet and that, with the right nurturing, the seed of doubt in a mother's mind can grow quickly into the tree of crazy.

Figure 1: Two young mothers, about to be engulfed by the tree of crazy.

That said, I am a strong believer in the benefit of vaccination and Little Isis has received all of his vaccines in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatric's Immunization Schedule. As a scientist I feel confident enough in the current body of literature demonstrating the safety of vaccination that I have chosen to contribute to the herd immunity, and our personal immunities, by vaccinating my family in accordance with the yearly recommendations. I don't follow the debate as closely as others because this particular battle on pseudoscience is being waged by better warriors than I.

However, it seems the debate has taken a turn that Orac believed would interest me when he wrote:

O Goddess,

I thought you might be interested in the utter sexism and misogyny being exhibited by J. B. Handley, one of the leaders of the anti-vaccine movement through his role as founder of Generation Rescue, which now uses Jenny McCarthy as its spokesmoron:

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/10/the_anti-vaccine_movement_strikes_back_u.php

This is a pattern for him:

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2008/12/winning_friends_and_influencing_people_o_1.php

They guy is a frat boy who never grew up. In any case, if you know of appropriate feminist blogs where they might want to publicize this I'd be appreciative.

Orac

As a bit of back story (although you really should read Orac's blog for the full story. Actually, you should just read Orac's blog. After you read mine, of course.), a journalist named Amy Wallace recently published an article in Wired magazine entitled An Epidemic of Fear: How Panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers Us All. Colossal cockweaseldouchemonkey, genuine asshat, and founder of the ultimate denialist's association, J.B. Handley...well, here it is from Orac:

Well, as an interview on NPR with Wallace has shown, the shitstorm has arrived, and it is just as stinky as the term implies, complete with misogyny and sexism...

I've been called stupid, greedy, a whore, a prostitute, and a "fking lib." I've been called the author of "heinous tripe."

J.B. Handley, the founder of Generation Rescue, the anti-vaccine group that actress Jenny McCarthy helps promote, sent an essay title" "Paul Offit Rapes (intellectually) Amy Wallace and Wired Magazine." In it, he implied that Offit had slipped me a date rape drug. "The roofie cocktails at Paul Offit's house must be damn good," he wrote. Later, he sent a revised version that omitted rape and replaced it with the image of me drinking Offit's Kool-aid. That one was later posted at the anti-vaccine blog Age of Autism. You can read that blog here

Stay classy, J.B. That's exactly the behavior from you that we've come to know and despise, and this is the sort of behavior that we expect from the anti-vaccine movement:

I've been told I'll think differently "if you live to grow up." I've been warned that "this article will haunt you for a long time." Just now, I got an email so sexually explicit that I can't paraphrase it here. Except to say it contained the c-word and a reference to dead fish.

I told Orac when I responded to him that I would certainly blog about this if I could add something productive to the discussion. When I started writing this post all I could come up with as material was a picture of J.B. Handley fucking a horse because I assume that someone who would write such heinous things must be into fucking animals.
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Do it Yourself Botox

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:18:19 -0500

Hey, PalMD and Orac! Look, I don't need you stinkin' physicians anymore!

I am learning to do my own Botox...

Figure 1: If you decide to do your own Botox, you totally deserve what you get. I love that she tells her audience to dilute their Botox in 100cc of saline. I would personally pay money to see her inject 100cc of saline into her face. Read the comments on this post...

Most Amazing Home Decor Ever...

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:10:45 -0500

Figure 1: The Periodic Table from today's BuzzFeed.

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Halloween Addendum

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:21:01 -0500

Things in the Isis house are currently a bit surreal.

As I type this, Mr. Isis is in my closet, trying on my clothes and shoes for his Halloween costume.

I have threatened his life if he begins to try on my underpants.

Before I started writing this, I asked him if there was something I could help him pick out and he said, "Well, I am just looking for a dress. But nothing too slutty. I am trying to be the bearded lady. Not the bearded whore."

This tells me two things...

1) Mr. Isis has some opinions of my wardrobe he has clearly never shared with me before.
2) I still have some feminist educating to do under my own roof.

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An Open Letter...

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:58:57 -0500

...to my laundry.

Dear dirty duds,

Knock it off already! I know what you're up to.

I know that every day when I leave home you all emerge from the hamper and get down. The product of your daytime boot-knocking is little baby dirty clothes that grow up into big dirty clothes.

Figure 1: Dr. Isis's bathroom after Dr. Isis leaves for work in the morning.

And because you're reproducing quicker than I can launder, the result is a heaping pile of dirty laundry spawn that I cannot seem to keep up with. I know that it cannot be that we simply generate this much laundry in a week. That is just not possible. We are only three people and one of us is really little.

So, stop it! Damn it!

Thanks,

Isis

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Check Out PalMD Getting His Swine Flu Shot...

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:27 -0500

...cause the look on his face is hilarious. Click here to get a peak at the good doctor helping the herd immunity.

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The Stuff You Send Me...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:10:18 -0500

Could I possibly love my readers any more than I already do? You guys are just the bestest!

Dr. Isis has taken a much needed break from science today and has spent much of the afternoon engrossed in the first season of Lost. I'm not gonna lie. As soon as I am done here, I am going right back to episode 14.

In the meantime, my mailbox is full of wonderful things you've sent me. I'd like to share some of the highlights:

The first comes from the Mother of All Scientists:

Figure 1: According to tMOAS: Sperian protective eyewear, available from VWR. A mere $6.49 each.

tMOAS is ordering a pair and Dr. Isis might need a pair too. Except these are so delicious I might wear them everywhere.

Next up is a link from blog reader Sarah who writes:

Awesome shoes for cheap! $20 Nine West shoes with $7 flat rate shipping.

Love your blog [I love you too, little muffin]...I'm in industry now, but did a PhD in chemistry and postdoc'd in biochemistry. Thanks for fighting the good fight (and making my day more entertaining!).

-- Sarah

There's a whole lot of hotness in that link, including a pair of teal pumps I may need to have.

Next from reader KD:

Dr. Isis --

I'm a loyal reader of your blog (although not generally a commenter ....). I'm a physicist, and have always felt some pressure not to dress too femininely in order to be taken seriously in a world of men. (Although theorists, amusingly, have more femininity-freedom:
nobody expects them to need to take a wrench to their experiment at a moment's notice.)

It's been wonderful over the past few years to see rising graduate students presenting at conferences become more inclined to wear makeup and dressy shoes, even if I don't have any particular desire to follow their lead. I'm just not willing to compromise comfort and a degree of effortlessness.

Which brings me to the expensive-comfy-funky category of shoes. An example would be these boots:

http://www.zappos.com/naot-footwear-oyster-sherwood-forrest

but summery counterparts exist as well:

http://shoemania.com/Womens-Twins-20863001-Camper/M/B001D1RJ36.htm

What sayeth the oracle of shoes?

Your muffin,
KD

Well, KD, I sayeth yay to the second pair. The first pair...I will let you know after another glass of wine. I'm trying with the first pair. Do they come with a heel? Maybe with a pair of boot cut jeans. I do like the swirly things and they would make me think of one of my favorite ocean bloggers - Miriam at The Oyster's Garter.

This from reader Leslie:

Goddess,

Winter is approaching, which for my location, means piles of snow and slush. However, I cannot seem to talk myself out of these.

This is despite the fact that they look like they would be incredibly uncomfortable to walk in and would be rather impractical in the snow...or the lab for that matter. Since the last pair of Nanette Lepore's you featured on your blog (those delicious red flower pumps a week or two ago) rapidly disappeared from endless.com (curses! I have the perfect occasion to wear them to this weekend too!) , I am hoping that by sharing these with you, they will somehow disappear from bluefly.com, and I will be unable to obsess over them any longer. They might be a bit chunky for your taste, as I have not seen too many wedges in your posts, but I kinda like the contrast of the heavy heel with the more girly top.

A devoted follower,
Leslie

Leslie, if you are reading this, go buy those shoes this minute. Do not walk, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Get those shoes. If all else fails, you can carry them in your bag and change into them when you get inside. Who wants to wear their snow boots all day when there are such lovely shoes available?

Last, but certainly not least, these come from a humble worshiper that I met through the deliciously delightful Ed Brayton from Dispatches from the Culture Wars. This particularly lovely little muffin writes:

Dearest Isis:

Having slogged my way through your "have a rant" blog post, I very nearly tossed myself off, well, the couch. In order to sustain myself through another day of mind-numbing financial reports and grant research, I offer you these two delightfully... um... "festive" shoes:

Smooches,

Your Servant

I have to show you two of the pictures from the link because they made my entire life happy:

Figure 2 A&B: Not only has this person attached a feather boa to her black heels, but she looks like she is standing at a lab bench. How much of a bad ass do you have to be to wear feathered shoes to the lab? The answer? A giant, giant bad ass.

Thank you for all the delightful offerings, my lovely little muffins. I have a few more Ask Dr. Isis letters to try to get to this weekend, some internet shenanigans to jump into, and a sciencey post or two to get to. In the meantime, let's not lose site of the big picture.

I totally *heart* you folks!

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The APS's Position on Random Source Dogs and Cats

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:37:19 -0500

I just got this press release from a little birdie at the American Physiological Society. I've added a few links of my own for those of you who might not be familiar with the issue:

The APS has announced its support for the National Academy of Sciences report Scientific and Humane Issues in the Use of Random Source Dogs and Cats in Research.

The NAS report acknowledged the importance of random source dogs and cats in certain NIH funded research but noted problems with recurrent Animal Welfare Act violations by certain Class B dealers who supply many of these animals for biomedical research. Consequently, the NAS report recommended that NIH-funded researchers no longer purchase animals from these dealers.

The report expressed some concern about whether there are adequate alternatives to Class B dealers. In its conclusions and recommendations section, it stated: "However, the Committee found that it is not necessary to obtain random source dogs and cats for NIH research from Class B dealers, provided that alternative sources of animals with similar characteristics can continue to be assured" (Scientific and Humane Issues, page 6). It then went on to recommend that NIH explore and support alternative supply mechanisms to ensure the continued availability of dogs and cats with random source characteristics. (Scientific and Humane Issues, page 90).

In endorsing this report, the APS notes the need for action to ensure that new suppliers are identified to replace Class B dealers so that there will be no disruption not only to NIH-funded research, but also to other medical and veterinary research and training activities that rely upon random source dogs and cats.

The APS Position Statement on Random Source Dogs and Cats in Medical Research can be found at here. The APS announcement can be found at here.

Nice work, APS!

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