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PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference Blog 2009
Live-blogging the 2009 Vancouver PKP Conference
Category — Technical Themed Sessions
Copenhagen Business School Library offers OCS as Conference Management System to Their Faculty: the Session Blog
by Chandana Weerasinghe
Presenters: Kirsten Suhr Jacobsen, Helle Damgaard Andersen, Peder Lærke Nielsen
Session Abstract
Helle Andersen has managed the Copenhagen Business School's webservices since 1999, including the main CBS page and related services such as the open conference system (OCS). Kirsten Jacobsen has managed several international conferences hosted by CBS. Together with Peder Nielsen, the library IT department leader, CBS offers conference management system OCS as part of the schools public web system.
Session Overview
The CBS has approximately 15,000 students and 1,000 staff making it one of the largest institutions in Northern Europe. The school understands that conferences are a possible forum to attract investment, scholarship and students. In turn, a professional conference system, may attract an increasing number of conferences to Denmark.
To help this initiative, the university has allocated 3 years of funding for a conference Secretariat at CBS. A large number of conference management systems (CMS) were considered, and OCS was eventually chosen for being open-source, flexible, exclusively web-based and with a large available community to provide technical support.
OCS is a comprehensive package that addresses the many facets of conference management, from online submissions of relevant content to management of all people involved (from registrants to presenters and organizers). OCS even facilitates development of conference webservices and online discussion forums. In fact, the PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2009, was managed using OCS. The system's main strengthes lies in its flexibility and detailed indexing capactiy, which allows for dealing with multiple conferences simultaneously. OCS 2.0 is originally based on open-source code developed for open journal systems, and the CBS group made several productive improvements through formatting modifications and software plug-ins.
Open Conference Systems Schematic
Unfortunately, the CBS group has run into multiple difficulties overcoming template configuration problems (especially with navigation menus), and a large portion of time was spent discussing multiple suggestions for improvement to the core software. Majority of the CBS group's concerns described issues surrounding formatting, style design, and the lack of descriptors from pull-down menus. Other issues raised included expansion of administrative modules, and further development of OCS documentation and tutorials. CBS has already started this process, and suggested that perhaps resources be pooled with the PKP support group and collaborative documents be published on wikipedia.
Peder Neilsen facetiously commented that it is a "Danish tradition of not talking about what is good, but what could be better." Certainly the described OCS strengths lay not only in its cost (free), but also in the flexibility conferred by open-source code. Furthermore, OCS users may benefit from accessing not only the development team, but a support group comprising of an international community of fellow users. Certainly, this session highlighted the productive interplay between the open-source software developers (of whom Alec Smecher was present in the audience to represent) and the users. Continual feedback drives steady modifications to the original source-code, new plug-in creations and essentially product evolution.
July 13, 2009 Comments Off on Copenhagen Business School Library offers OCS as Conference Management System to Their Faculty: the Session Blog
Importing Backissues into OJS: Development of an OJS Import Script with Django: the Session Blog
by Stephane Voyer
Friday, July 10th, 2009 (11:00 AM)
SFU Harbour Centre (Sauder Industries Room 2270)
Presenter: Syd Weidman, Library Systems Supervisor, University of Winnipeg – Session Abstract
Django Ojs Import (slides courtesy of Syd Weidman)
View more presentations from svoyer1.
Why was this an issue?
With the transition to open-access publishing of several journals at the University of Winnipeg, Syd Weidman and the University library have been involved in multiple aspects of this transformation. Given that these journals have been in print for decades, one of the major obstacles that needed to be addressed was the importation of back issues into an online, open-access compatible format.
Initial attempts using the available software proved difficult. They were met with bugs and their associated patches; overall, Syd described the process as "laborious and convoluted". He surmised that "in the context of importing [a large volume of] back issues, small efficiencies [may] have a large impact." With this notion in mind, Syd began work on the Open Journal Systems (OJS) Import Project.
Tackling the problem – Use of Django
Syd highlighted the basic design goals of any software to be used for this purpose; he stressed that the process needed to be as EASY as possible. He sought to optimize the software's ease of CONSTRUCTION, USE, DEPLOYMENT and MAINTENANCE. Being most familiar and comfortable with the Python programming language, Syd opted to use the Django Web framework to build a Web-based application to carry out the task of importing back issues.
Django is an open-source framework that was initially used by the online publishing industry. With a short digression, Syd took a moment to review the "4 freedoms" of open-source software, being the "free" use of software for any purpose, free access to its code, freedom to modify as well as an understanding that improvements will be shared with others (for more, take a look at the Free Software Foundation's website.) Django, in particular, has several advantages over other similar frameworks, namely:
object relational mapping – allows use of fewer lines of programming, increasing robustness
automatic administrator interface
elegant URL design
pluggable template system
flexible and robust cache system
i18n compatible – allows for the application to be adapted to other languages without significant engineering changes
excellent documentation
an active mailing list (a double-edged sword!)
With the development of the new importation software, the U of W was able to scan backissues into .pdf format, to ultimately be uploaded into their respective online journals. This required the entering of appropriate metadata in order to allow for accurate archiving and searching.
Challenges and future directions
One of the difficulties in developing a script for another piece of software is to ensure that they remain in sync when new versions appear. In a subsequent OJS release following the development of the OJS importing application, incompatibilities/bugs appeared, and needed patching.
Commentary/Questions
Just prior to the question period, Syd mentioned the recent development of another application, "Quick Submit", which may now be able to perform similar functions to his program.
University of Winnipeg library (and their OA publications: Canadian Bulletin of Medical History, Journal of Mennonite Studies and the Canadian Children's Literature Journal)
Django framework
Weidman, S. (2009). Importing backissues into ojs: development of an ojs import script with django. PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-08, from http://pkp.sfu.ca/ocs/pkp/index.php/pkp2009/pkp2009/paper/view/190
July 11, 2009 Comments Off on Importing Backissues into OJS: Development of an OJS Import Script with Django: the Session Blog
Maximizing the Reach of a Graduate Research Journal Through Open Source Tools and Social Media: The Session Blog
by Tracy Scott
Presenter: Rajendra Bose
July 10th, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.
(used with permission from Raj Bose)
Read the Abstract
Cultural Formations is an online journal (due to launch next month) that is open-access and peer-reviewed. The Center for Digital Research and Scholarship (CDRS) collaborated with Columbia University's Teachers College to form Students for a Cultural Studies Initiative (SCSI). This project has grown to become more than just an online journal, using the concepts of Web 2.0 and Social Media as well as a research repository, Academic Commons.
As quoted on the Cultural Formations website, the journal-plus project has "…three integrated elements: an online journal of peer-reviewed articles, a blog for discussion of published articles and works in progress, and a wiki to serve as a "Wikipedia" of cultural studies and education."
Graduate students at Columbia University and the Teachers College joined forces to form SCSI. Over the past year, they have worked hard to start a "journal-plus" – an online space that looks at cultural formations including youth culture, media, music, art, film and ethnicity, etc. Their goal is to not only publish research but to be accessible to the entire community, not just academic scholars. Along the way they were faced with significant challenges (examples include web design, technical problems with layout of the vastly different programs and challenges from having multiple partners with decision-making authority). They are however on schedule to launch their site next month. (Please stay tuned to this blog for the launch announcement!)
Services they hope to provide
Publications – e.g. online books, journals
Wikischolars
An example of what their website will look like:
The goals of the Cultural Formations site are three-fold:
authority of a journal
immediacy of a blog
what's new and emerging in wiki format
The site is scheduled to launch in August 2009 at Culturalformations.columbia.edu (URL may change prior to launch).
Raj Bose PKP Presentation
View more presentations from tracymscott.
Questions from the audience
1. Impressive. Will you open this up to the public as open source?
Yes, we are using all open access materials. The idea is to share it with the rest of the community, Users may have to connect with us to get a user profile as it may be too expensive to allow it open to all users at once. There likely will be a basic free level, and we may charge for some of the more advanced functions. We feel the site will have longevity with the article content/repository.
2. Is there a similar movement in other universities?
Yes, but the idea right now is to work with university presses and authors right here to get the right agreements.
3. Is there going to be any co-ordination with other groups?
Already there are 50-100 student journals with OJS [Open Journal System]. You especially want this system for longevity when a student group starts to fade out, this will help. The university hosting this site will help keep those groups up and running.
4. What about groups with other levels of education and how this may be used?
This idea is not a typical journal, but the idea to connect a blog and a wiki so that other members of community can join or help is amazing and very inclusive. Because of this, there will only be a light peer review. They partners want to keep this as open as possible.
Center for Digital Research and Scholarship (CDRS)
Open Archives Initiative Object Reuse and Exchange (OAI-ORE)
July 10, 2009 Comments Off on Maximizing the Reach of a Graduate Research Journal Through Open Source Tools and Social Media: The Session Blog
Enriching Digital Citation Networks using Web 2.0 Principles: The Session Blog
by John Morrison
Presenter: James Williams, Session Abstract
July 10, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
Photo taken at PKP 2009, with permission
James Williams is Manager, Information Systems at the eScholarship Research Centre at The University of Melbourne (http://www.esrc.unimelb.edu.au). His background is in Computer Science and Linguistics. James' work focuses on eResearch and eScholarship, archiving and print on demand.
This session was a technical session, which laid the context and groundwork for a plug-in aimed at leveraging the network for citations. This session also highlights that some of the features of this plug-in are about to be implemented in the Referral plug-in coming with OJS 2.3. The author is planning to take his plug-in further by building on the work that has been done with the OJS Referral plug-in.
The context and groundwork included: Scholarly Contribution and Statistical Measurement; Bibliometrics – the h-Index and Journal Impact Factor; Indexes, Citators, Aggregators, etc.; What is Scholarship? What is Significant?; Developing Online Research Support Infrastructure; Scope – Scholarly Publishing and OJS Development. The key driver behind the paper had been to lead up to a plug-in which could capture and expose citation data, though this has been, to a certain extent, scooped by the Referral plug-in in the coming OJS 2.3. So OJS created a "heart broken Australian", though one who is expected to make a full recovery.
In Australia, extensive dialogue around the measurement of academics' scholarly research. Much of this is controversial. One key measure discussed is citation measures. Two citation measures come up in these discussions: the h-index and the journal impact factor. Many questions have been raised about this and attempts made to improve these measures, but questions remain about the extent to which they can be relied upon. The h index is from a paper by Hirsh, (2005). Crudely, it is the average number of citations that an author's publications achieved in a year. Though its calculation is more complex than this.
Further problems with citation measures include statistical considerations with these measures which vary greatly between disciplines, so citations counts can vary greatly for statistical reasons. The source of these citations is the different indexes (Scopus, ISI Web Of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar) though each of these measures citations differently.
So, in general, what is needed is to develop intelligent digital citation networks, increase the discoverability of significant research contributions, harness the footprints caused by active network behaviour, provide greater statistical detail for transparency, and surface this information as much as possible for richer bibliometric reporting.
So, more specifically, what is needed is to track referrer information where it's available: referring website/link/journal, date of referral and number of incoming hits from each referrer. As each referring URL, site, or journal is detected, it then becomes a known information source – an external, digital citation. We then surface this URL, site, or journal on the originating journal. Users of our (originating) journal, unaware of the external citation, can then find other people referring to this resource, and so, the networked community expands, develops, and evolves. This is the intent behind our planned digital citation plug-in, but which, as previously mentioned has been partially scooped by the Referral plug-in in OJS 2.3. So we are going to look at the Referral plug-in and talk further with PKP about this and build on the work that PKP has done.
Session Questions
Q. I'd like to know more about the h index?
A: Hirsh (2005) and others have expanded this. Peter Jascoe has also written a paper on this
Q. What software should use would where citations need to be checked in the publication process? How can we auto check and fix citations?
A. For OJS, the Resolver plug-in will help. L8X could also help.
References and Related Links
eScholarship Research Centre, University of Melbourne
Hirsh, J.E. (2005). An index to quantify an individual's scientific research output. Retrieved on July 12, 2009 from http://www.cs.ucla.edu/~palsberg/hirsch05.pdf
OJS Plugins
Top Scholars in Computer Science, as calculated by the h index
What is Web 2.0? (includes translations in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish)
July 10, 2009 Comments Off on Enriching Digital Citation Networks using Web 2.0 Principles: The Session Blog
The Latest Developments in XML Content Workflows: The Session Blog
Presenter: Adrian Stanley, Session Abstract
July 10, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.
Adrian Stanley is the Chief Executive Officer for The Charlesworth Group (USA). Prior to this Adrian worked for 4 year as Production Director for Charlesworth China setting up their Beijing office. The Charlesworth Group offers cutting edge automated typesetting services, as well as Rights and Licensing opportunities for publishers in the China market. Adrian is an active committee member for the SSP (Society for Scholarly Publishers), The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP North American Chapter), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), as well as working on a key project with the Canadian Association of Learned Journals; he has 20 years experience working in the publishing/printing sector.
This session was a technical session, yet one which tried to keep the technology basic and focused more on the benefits of the technology for the publishing process, particularly the benefits of XML. Charlesworth works with XML and XML workflows. Their aim is to support publishers. This session showcased their tools.
The benefits of using XML are the automation and time saving in the publisher's workflows. But more fundamentally XML adds energy to data. The presenter took a short poem and showed it as text, then HTML then XML. The change in the poem was less how it looked than what it now was. In XML, it now had substantial additional information encoded with the poem.
Benefits of XML are numerous, adding more information and data about an article, data that is both machine and human readable. The presenter referred to the excellent pre-conference workshop in the PKP 2009 conference by Juan Pablo Alperin for further information on XML.
Image taken from presenter's presentation at PKP 2009, with permission
AutoProof Process Timeline diagram highlights the 10 minute process that Charlesworth's AutoProof performs. It takes a styled file, converts it to XML and then outputs it in production ready PDF format. Charlesworth provides some Microsoft Word macros that help apply tagging and styling, to prepare documents in Microsoft Word for import to this process and ultimately XML. The presenter took us through this process showing each stage.
The presenter then showed the Online Tracking System that allows a view into each stage in the AutoProof process. From one screen, the publisher and editor can run the entire publishing process.
Next some examples of the many other types of AutoProof publications that are possible were shown. It's not just journals e.g. program and abstract meetings, ebooks, dictionaries, etc can be handled. As long as files coming to AutoProof are structured, many types of documents can be used and created. So what AutoProof is doing is simplification and reduction of time in the workflow process, using XML at its core.
In addition AutoProof supports incorporating XML into the PDF, to make PDFs more readable and searchable. Storing the metadata in the PDF file (using XMP) could make it much easier to import a large collection of PDF files into a reference manager. XMP combines XML metadata within the PDF file. The presenter showed a sample XML Packet (XMP) page.
Other applications and developments with XML are also possible including auto generation of table of contents and Index, author proofing of link to PDF form XML, creating XML in multiple DTDs (document type definition), etc.
So in summary the goals of AutoProof are to enhance publications, customize how much or how little the publisher wants to do with XML, provide integrations with other systems and provide the basis for further developments e.g. authoring templates. Lastly, the presenter showed an example of OJS journal using AutoProof. Every reference automatically picked up the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and automatically creates web links to the references.
Q: How much of publishing workflow did the James Journal use?
A: The James Journal allowed forward and backward linking, see the references in this James Journal article. They used most of our services; most fundamentally we created the XML. Because they used a lot of our services they were able to publish this magazine with a part-time editor.
Q: What about integration with OJS?
A: So we are working on creating integration with OJS
Q: What are the costs?
A: Broad range, depending on services that you need. The important point however, is to start to work out how much the alternatives of using your staff time is in fact really costing you. That is where we can help you make savings by significantly reducing the amount of staff time you need to dedicate to the publication process.
AutoProof
AutoProof Overview Leaflet
Charlesworth Group
Charlesworth Group launches new open access OJS journal
DTDs (document type definition)
DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
The James Journal
XML-Based Workflow and Process Management Standards
July 10, 2009 Comments Off on The Latest Developments in XML Content Workflows: The Session Blog
Socializing and Disseminating the Academic and Intellectual Creation: Experiences from La Plata National University: The Session Blog
by Jim Batchelor
Presenters: Gonzalo Villarreal, Marisa Raquel De Giusti
s13610, "Feet" January 27, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution. La Plata has a sandbox for OJS and OCS users to get a "feel" with templates!
This presentation was delivered by Gonzalo in real time through Skype.
Background on La Plata National University (UNLP)
He described UNLP as a major university in Argentina and Latin America. It has more then 90 000 students and 10 000 employees, including staff and administration.
About UNLP:
They produce journal articles, degree essays and theses, multimedia production, books and e-books and other products.
History of Development
In 2003, UNLP launched the Intellectual Creation Dissemination Service, SeDiCi, for 2 purposes:
– to provide authors a means to publish
– to benefit society for all it has invested in the university
The original plan of the university was to receive, digitize, catalog and upload documents to the SeDiCi website, but software was needed. After an extensive worldwide search, the team felt they had to design their own software. Celsius-DL was the answer to complete the service to scholars. It has since been recognized as the OEA's award in 2005 as the best Digital Library in America.
Celsius-DL supports a free scheme and is used to configure a wide range of materials. It exports to Dublin-Core or Marc21, is a data and service provider and it is built on open source technologies.
Since 2007, UNLP has recognized the importance of disseminating academic and intellectual creations. Journals also were seen as crucial to disseminate, so SeDiCi was expanded to include them. In October, 2008, UNLP launched the Journals Portal. Pre-existing and new publications are both accepted. Authors publish through a review process, easily communicating with other authors, reviewers and editors. OJS was chosen as the platform for them to use.
They then decided to create the Congresses Portal. This helps groups and others organize meetings. PKP's OCS was selected to supply the service. SeDiCi's team offers user, systems and technical support to users, but they had to overcome some obstacles and learn how to use it.
Obstacles included many words or phrases in Argentina that were different from Spain. Corrected translations are now complete. In service to others, they are also available on PKP's website for download.
In addition, some OCS users needed to use some LaTex in their abstracts. None were available, but they are now available as a plugin.
Next, the UNLP main website was comfortable for users, so the Journals and Congresses websites have been adjusted to look similarly. A comparison may be seen on-screen to show the similarities.
Further, templates are available for users uncomfortable with changing them, but wanting to meet their own needs. OCS and OJS is fully customizable by editing a CSS file. Many CSS styles were made for publishers to choose from because not all had web designers to make changes.
Finally, workshops online have been offered. Users can see an overview to see what the software is capable of and what it won't do. There are workshops for users and workshops for managers. They have a "sandbox" area where users can try things without affecting the real system.
Note: the voice link with Gonzalo was lost in the last 2 minutes of his presentation. We hope all essential concepts were conveyed.
Blogger's Thoughts:
The workshops sound tremendously helpful for users and managers. The sandbox feature is very practical and should be of interest to many. A great deal of work has been done to provide leadership in Argentina and its metron of influence. While the audio feed accomplished the task, it would have been good to see them in person to be able to ask questions and benefit from their experience. I was particularly interested in how their design of Celsius-DL provided benefits not found in software as a result of their worldwide search.
In light of the work so many other libraries and institutions are doing to promote the dissemination of scholarly knowledge and research, through either the use of OJS and OCS, one thought seems to echo through the workshops. It is a "cry" for collaboration and communication. From sharing experiences and collaborative problem-solvingj, to establishing some form of index standard are common issues shared by Mexico, the U.K., Canada and others. I hope a leader emerges and this is actualized.
While this is recognized as a technically-themed presentation, I wondered how much use of open journals resulted from their work. While I couldn't access this information, I was able to view a page on their website that revealed how many "hits" they've had at SeDiCi and how many registered users they have. I was surprised that the vast majority originated in the United States! Journal numbers, particularly open journal numbers would be of interest to many at the next conference.
Presentation Link to be provided by conference organizers.
Presenter Links:
Gonzalo Villarreal [The blogger lacked the language to translate, but has listed some found on the SeDiCi repository!]
A Linux publication
Co-authored, in Portugese: Manuscript Character Recognition Overview of features for the Feature Vector
Marisa Raquel De Giusti
Simulation framework for teaching in modeling and simulation areas
Storage of Simulation and Entities History in discrete models
Article by both outlines the history of their work at La Plata in more detail.
PrEBi at La Plata National University
July 10, 2009 Comments Off on Socializing and Disseminating the Academic and Intellectual Creation: Experiences from La Plata National University: The Session Blog
Open Access in Brazil IBICT's Initiative Drives Country's Development: The Session Blog
by Tracey Best
Ramon Martins Sodoma da Fonseca
Presenter: Ramon Martins Sodoma da Fonseca
July 10, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.
Ramon Fonseca participated in the PKP conference on behalf of the Brazilian government as well as representing the IBICT institution. In English, IBICT translates as Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology.
Fonseca started his talk out by firstly acknowledging the sponsorship and invitation from the PKP conference; making it possible for him to be here speaking in Vancouver.
Note: I will attempt to use the Google Translate tool for as many links as possible.
IBICT's main mission is to promote scientific interchange, training and development; contributing to the progress of technology innovation in Brazil. IBICT strives to expand Brazilian intellectual production nationally and internationally.
One key element of Fonseca's workshop was to inform the public at large the the Web tools such as blogs, CMS, Google Docs, Twitter, Facebook etc. has allowed numerous opportunities for Brazilians to "have a voice." The Web provided the tools and Fonseca claimed Open Access has allowed the exchange of knowledge into and out of Brazil possible.
Some IBICT initiatives:
DiCi (1st attempt at open access)
Perl (Digital Library Project)
TEDE (Online Theses and Dissertation Publishing System)
BOTD (Brazilian Digital Library)
SEER (meaning OJS in Portuguese)
These software initiatives were launched to specifically to ensure people in Brazil had free access to knowledge. IBICT also currently provides training and support to national journal editors online which is more cost effective than face to face workshops.
Other Services provided by IBICT:
COMUT (Bibliographic Communication Program)
CCN (National Collective Catalog Serial Publications)
CanalCiencia (Science Communication Channel)
Fonseca also talked about the Social Inclusion Program that gives assistance in accessing online knowledge with children in rural areas of Brazil and technical and infrastructure support to Indigenous communities.
One of the issues that Fonseca discussed was the current importance of maintaining the software and ideas. Launching the systems and concepts of Open Access is important but these projects need continual restructuring and continued experience for the sustainability of the programs.
The IBICT continues to look for solutions to Open Access and the impact of the Web for making positive and forward thinking decisions regarding technology, system development and strong partnerships for networking the goals and missions of IBICT.
Audience Input
An audience member asked about using MOODLE as a software for an in-house small college class journal. Fonseca suggested that the college look into OJS because it can adapted into many formats and is a very stable system.
Article by Fonseca
DSpace University of New Mexico
Open access book on Open Access
July 10, 2009 Comments Off on Open Access in Brazil IBICT's Initiative Drives Country's Development: The Session Blog
XML and Structured Data in the PKP Framework: The Session Blog
Presenter: MJ Suhonos, Session Abstract
MJ Suhonos is a system developer and librarian with the Public Knowledge Project at Simon Fraser University. He has served as technical editor for a number of Open Access journals, helping them to improve their efficiency and sustainability. More recently, he leads development of PKP's Lemon8-XML software, as part of their efforts to decrease the cost and effort of electronic publishing, while improving the quality and reach of scholarly communication.
"Lemon8-XML is a web-based application designed to make it easier for non-technical editors and authors to convert scholarly papers from typical word-processor editing formats such as MS-Word .DOC and OpenOffice .ODT, into XML-based publishing layout formats." (Lemon8-XML).
This was a packed session, 50+ attendees. This technical session attempted to give a fairly non technical overview of the L8X software and its relationship to the PKP software suite and equally importantly to highlight the rich benefits that are provided by using XML workflow and the foundation it provides for the future.
The big question is why use XML workflow. Using XML workflow allows numerous things to be possible. These include interaction with other web services (direct interaction with indexes and better interaction with online reading tools); automatic layout (generate html and/or PDF on the fly); complex citation interaction (forward and reverse linking which allows the discovery of everyone who cited you anywhere on the web; advanced bibliometrics, not just impact measures; resource discovery (universal metadata can find related works; and rich document data allows search engine to be much more effective; the document becomes the metadata (remove separation between article and document so all information is in one place. This is the goal of L8X, to convert articles into structured xml and thus enable these benefits. This is also future proofing as XML makes documents fundamentally open, convertible and preservable. Archiving XML (which is text) is much more flexible than archiving PDF files.
Using XML allows connection and communication to all these systems and means of display. We are also future proofing, as XML will be able to be modified into future formats, as its just text.
Where does this fit within PKP framework? Already being used in OJS (import and export and exposing metadata to OAI harvesters). But the next goal is to apply these benefits to all kinds of scholarly work e.g. journal articles, proceedings, theses, books / monographs. So moving L8X into the PKP web application library will allow all these features to be made available to the whole PKP framework. So that's the near term future plans for L8X. In the long term, beyond the next few years, the goal is to work on this concept of the doc is the metadata by building support for multiple XML formats in the web application library (WAL) and the merging of annotation, reading tools and comments directly into the article.
The distributed resource-linking diagram at the end of the presentation, some find complex. Essentially, structured metadata is needed to make this a reality, which is to let applications in the publication sphere all talk to each other.
Question: How automatic is automatic into XML for non-technical people? When can I just upload my doc and have it magically turn into XML?
Answer: Probably not ever, but it is semi automatic already. Some tools, like L8X, automate part of this process. Some things can be automated, but some will always require human effort.
Question: Will I be able to use L8X in my applications after this is integrated into the PKP framework?
Answer: We would like to be make L8X available for use after it becomes part of the framework and without requiring the framework. We are considering this for the future.
Lemon8-XML
Lemon8-XML demo server (login: lemon8 password: xmldoc)
NLM Journal Publishing Tag Set
OpenURL Overview
XML Introduction
Revues.org and the Public Knowledge Project: Propositions to Collaborate (remote session): The Session Blog
by pamgill
Presenter: Marin Dacos
July 9, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. SFU Harbour Centre. Rm. 7000*
*Important Note: As this was a remote session, the presenter's voice was inaudible most of the time due to technical difficulties and constant breaks in the live audio streaming. Therefore, it was difficult to capture parts of the presentation.
Marian Dacos (Source)
Mr. Marin Dacos is a digital humanities specialist who is currently the director of the Centre of Open Electronic Publishing (Cleo) as well as an information systems manager for National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) located in France. Furthermore, he is the founder of several initiatives such as Revues.org, Lodel, Calenda, and Hypotheses which will be discussed in the session overview. Mr. Dacos investigates how Revues.org and PKP can be used to improve manuscript management tools and document conversion.
Mr. Martin Dacos initiated the session by providing a background summary on Revues.org. He indicated there are currently 187 members, with 42000 online humanities and social sciences full-text, open-access documents (Session Abstract). He mentioned that approximately ten years ago, systems were centralized and focused on sciences. And since the beginning of Revues.org, only PDF documents were processed for publishing by converting to extensible markup language (XML). Later, Lodel (electronic publishing software) was developed as a central management system (CMS) where the web service could convert word documents to XML. This is around the time when the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) started up and its focus was to decentralize and provide a more international access point for the publishing of journals and management of conferences through the Open Journal System (OJS). During this time, the two projects, Lodel and PKP, started to converge with two distinct parts and four kinds of services.
(1) The Project Details
The first part of the project, as Mr. Dacos described it consists of using PKP to develop a manuscript management tool to monitor the workflow through OJS. There is a need to create a new interface for users and make it more human-friendly for interaction in order to allow for the dissemination of documents. This portion of the project also investigates the possibility of connecting Lodel and OJS so both systems can use the system jointly. Next, Mr. Dacos explained the second part of the project which deals with document conversion called OTX – which will convert for example RTF to XML. This parallels PKPs development and there is the possibility of sharing information on this creation.
(2) Services
Revues.org offers various kinds of services to allow for the dissemination and communication of scholarly material and other information such as upcoming events. One of the services presented by Revues is Calenda which is claimed to be the largest French calendar system for the social sciences and humanities. This calender service is important because it disseminates information such as upcoming scientific events to the rest of it's audience. This communication tool is crucial in bringing members of various online communities together to participate in 'study days,' lectures, workshops, seminars, symposiums, and share their papers. Another valuable service offered by Revues.org is Hypotheses which is a platform for research documents. This is a free service which allows researchers, scientists, engineers and other professionals to post their experiences on a particular topic or phenomenon for sharing with a wider audience. One can upload a blog, field notes, newsletters, diary inserts, reviews on certain topics, or even a book for publishing. A third service offered by Revues.org is a monthly newsletter called La Lettre de Revues.org. This newsletter connects the Revues.org community together by showcasing various pieces of information. For instance, new members who have recently joined are profiled and new online documents are highlighted for it's subscribers to read.
The remainder of Mr. Marin Dacos' talk focused on Lemon8 and OTX which was difficult to interpret due to technical issues.
Questions from the audience asked at Mr. Dacos' session:
It was difficult to get an audio connection with Mr. Dacos due to technical difficulties, therefore questions were not asked.
Lodel – electronic publishing software system
The Centre of Open Electronic Publishing
The National Centre for Scientific Research
"The CNRS reinforces its policy of access to digital documents in the human and social sciences" (Article)
Lift France 09 – Conference attended in France
Dacos, M. (2009). Revues.org and the public knowledge project: propositions to collaborate. PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-09, from http://pkp.sfu.ca/ocs/pkp/index.php/pkp2009/pkp2009/paper/view/208
July 10, 2009 Comments Off on Revues.org and the Public Knowledge Project: Propositions to Collaborate (remote session): The Session Blog
The new Érudit publishing platform: The Session Blog
Presenter: Martin Boucher
July 9, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. SFU Harbour Centre. Rm 7000
Martin Boucher (picture taken by Pam Gill)
Mr. Martin Boucher is the Assistant Director for the Centre d'édition numérique/ Digital Publishing Centre located at the University of Montreal, located in Montreal, Quebec. This centre along with the library at the University of Laval are the sites of the Erudit publishing locations which serve as a bridge to the Open Journal Systems (OJS). Erudit focuses on the promotion and dissemination of research similar to the Open Access Press (part of the PKP 2009 conference).
Mr. Martin Boucher highlighted the features and implications of a new publishing platform called Erudit (Session Abstract). He focused on sharing the capabilities of the Erudit publishing platform by first providing a brief historical overview of the organization, describing the publishing process, then introducing Erudit, and concluding with the benefits of such a platform.
(1) Historical Overview
Mr. Boucher started the session by pointing out that Erudit is a non-profit, multi-institutional publishing platform founded in 1998. This platform, based in Quebec, provides an independent research publication service which consists of access to various types of documents in the humanities and social sciences fields to the universities. Erudit also encouraged the development of Synergies which is a similar platform but targets a more mainstream audience since it is published in English. Some facts about Erudit:
International standards are followed
Publishes over 50000 current and back-dated articles
Offers management services, publishing, and subscriptions
90% of the downloads are free
Have over 1 million visits per month
(2) Publishing Process
The description of the publishing process constituted at least a third of the presentation time. Mr. Boucher felt it necessary to take the time to describe to the audience the details involved so it would be easier to compare the similarities and differences between the new and old versions of the system. To begin, Mr. Boucher indicated the publishing process accepted only journals based on extensible markup language (XML), and various input sources (In Design, QuarkXPress, Open Office, Word, RTF). Also, he pointed out that there are no peer-reviews, in fact: only the final documents are considered to be a part of the collection. It should be pointed out that these documents meet high quality standards as they are expected to be peer-reviewed before submitting to the publishing platform. As of yet, Erudit does not have the software to assist in a peer-review type of process. The belief of the Erudit community is to provide quick digital dissemination of the articles. This complicated, lengthy process is made possible by a team of three to four qualified technicians, one coordinator, and one analyst, all of whom ensure a smooth transition of the documents into the virtual domain. The publishing process consists of five key steps as outlined in Figure 1. Mr. Boucher elaborated on the importance of the analysis step. He went on to outline the three steps of the manual semantic analysis. The first consists of manual and automated tagging where detailed XML tagging is only for XHTML, and less tagging is done on PDF files. The second step consists of the automated production of XML files for dissemination. And lastly, a rigorous quality assurance by the technicians prior to dissemination sums up the analysis step of the publishing process.
Figure 1: The publishing process (image created by Pam Gill)
(3) New Erudit Platform
Once the publishing process was described, an illustration of the new Erudit platform was revealed. Mr. Boucher indicated there is now increased support for journal articles through the Erudit Article 3.0 XML schema (see Figure 2). Further, there is support for additional scholarly genres such as books, proceedings, and even online courses (a recent request). It should be mentioned here that some of these other forms of documents are still in the experimental stages such as digitizing books. In addition, there is continued support for other XML input/output formats to ensure preservation and interoperability such as with the Open Archives Initiative (OAI), Google Scholar, and indexing databases.
Figure 2: The new Erudit support system (image created by Pam Gill)
(4) Benefits
To conclude his presentation on Erudit, Mr. Boucher explained the advantages of incorporating such a system by mentioning particular benefits of interest:
Purely Java-based
User-friendly because they have a universal set of tools inside the applications which makes it easier for the support technicians to troubleshoot and work with
Supports plug-ins and extensions
All scholarly genres are supported
The process is simpler to follow
An increase in the quality of data is noted
The decrease in production time is evident
There is less software involved
Mr. Martin Boucher hinted that the beta version of Erudit was to release in Fall 2009.
Questions from the audience asked at Mr. Boucher's session:
Question: For the open access subscription of readership which consists of a vast collection, are statistics being collected? Answer: Not sure.
Question: Will the beta version of the publishing platform be released to everyone for bug reporting, testing, or move internally? Answer: Not sure if there will be public access. But it is a good idea to try the beta platform.
Question: Are you considering using the manuscript coverage for the Synergies launch? Answer: The new platform is creatively tight to what we are doing, and it is really close, with Synergies in mind.
Question: In a production crisis, are journal editors with you until the end of the process? Answer: They are there at the beginning of the process. They give material, but we do our own quality assurance process and then we release to the journal, however it is our own control. Also, the editors cannot see the work in the process such as the metadata, thought we do exchange information by emails.
Question: Has the provincial government been generous in funding? Answer: The journals had to publish in other platforms. There is a special grant for that. It is easier for us with that granting repository for pre-prints, documents or data section of the platforms which serve as an agent for them. Yet, Erudit is not considered by the government, although we are trying to get grants from the government. Currently to maintain the platform we only have money for basic management. In order to continue developing platforms (such as Synergy), to get support from the government is difficult.
Question: How do the sales work for the two platforms? Answer: If you buy it, you will have all the content and access increases.
Question: How is it passed to the publisher? Answer: The money goes to the journals, keep only a small amount for internal management since we are a non-profit society.
Question: Could you describe the current workflow and time required to publish one article? Answer: It depends on the article. If we are publishing an article that has no fine grain XML tagging or it is text from a PDF, then it requires less time for us to get it out. It depends on the quality of the article and the associated graphics, tables, size etc. We publish an issue at a time. It takes say two days to get an article published.
University of Montreal receives $14M for innovation (news article)
Contact the University of Montreal or the University of Laval libraries for more information on Erudit.
Boucher, M. (2009). The new erudit publishing platform. PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-09, from http://pkp.sfu.ca/ocs/pkp/index.php/pkp2009/pkp2009/paper/view/182
Accreditation Africa AJOL bibliometrics CAICyT CONICET content workflows copyright creative commons digital citations Economics electronic collections Erudit humanities Institutional Repositories IP JOLs journals L8X Library Library and Archives Canada Liquid Books metadata MSU OCS OJS open-access Open Humanities Press Open Journal System Open Monograph Press Open source software PKP PKP Publishing Primary_Health_Care publishing repository research dissemination scholarly communication Scholarly Press scientific journal publishing in India SSHRC Standards in Genomic Sciences statistics web 2.0 XML
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Support open education with the Neoclassical Theme.


Published in Science is a DNA sequencing technology that reduces the cost of consumables and the overall sequencing process. According to the paper, the consumable costs are at least 10 times less than previous methods. The accuracy at 99% is also excellent.
This is a major advance as cheaper genome sequencing will allow for a better understanding of how genes affect health.
Tagged with Complete Genomics, DNA sequencing, Illumina.


text:
Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia
Michael Klein, L. M. Jampol, P. I. Condon, T. A. Rice, G. R. Serjeant
Four patients had central retinal artery occlusions after retrobulbar anesthesia with lidocaine HCl was administered before photocoagulation. One of these four had two separate episodes of closure. Only one had permanent visual loss, and none had evidence of retrobulbar hemorrhage. Each patient had a severe hematologic or vascular disorder. The authors think that direct trauma to the central retinal artery behind the globe, the pharmacologic or compressive effects of the injected solution, or both caused the occlusions in these patients.
American Journal of Ophthalmology
Retrobulbar Hemorrhage
Retinal Artery Occlusion
Retinal Artery
Light Coagulation
Klein, M., Jampol, L. M., Condon, P. I., Rice, T. A., & Serjeant, G. R. (1982). Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 93(5), 573-577.
Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia. / Klein, Michael; Jampol, L. M.; Condon, P. I.; Rice, T. A.; Serjeant, G. R.
In: American Journal of Ophthalmology, Vol. 93, No. 5, 1982, p. 573-577.
Klein, M, Jampol, LM, Condon, PI, Rice, TA & Serjeant, GR 1982, 'Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia', American Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 93, no. 5, pp. 573-577.
Klein M, Jampol LM, Condon PI, Rice TA, Serjeant GR. Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 1982;93(5):573-577.
Klein, Michael ; Jampol, L. M. ; Condon, P. I. ; Rice, T. A. ; Serjeant, G. R. / Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia. In: American Journal of Ophthalmology. 1982 ; Vol. 93, No. 5. pp. 573-577.
@article{1824f53870f340d0b86bd15a8c6dd9c6,
title = "Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia",
abstract = "Four patients had central retinal artery occlusions after retrobulbar anesthesia with lidocaine HCl was administered before photocoagulation. One of these four had two separate episodes of closure. Only one had permanent visual loss, and none had evidence of retrobulbar hemorrhage. Each patient had a severe hematologic or vascular disorder. The authors think that direct trauma to the central retinal artery behind the globe, the pharmacologic or compressive effects of the injected solution, or both caused the occlusions in these patients.",
author = "Michael Klein and Jampol, {L. M.} and Condon, {P. I.} and Rice, {T. A.} and Serjeant, {G. R.}",
journal = "American Journal of Ophthalmology",
T1 - Central retinal artery occlusion without retrobulbar hemorrhage after retrobulbar anesthesia
AU - Klein, Michael
AU - Jampol, L. M.
AU - Condon, P. I.
AU - Rice, T. A.
AU - Serjeant, G. R.
N2 - Four patients had central retinal artery occlusions after retrobulbar anesthesia with lidocaine HCl was administered before photocoagulation. One of these four had two separate episodes of closure. Only one had permanent visual loss, and none had evidence of retrobulbar hemorrhage. Each patient had a severe hematologic or vascular disorder. The authors think that direct trauma to the central retinal artery behind the globe, the pharmacologic or compressive effects of the injected solution, or both caused the occlusions in these patients.
AB - Four patients had central retinal artery occlusions after retrobulbar anesthesia with lidocaine HCl was administered before photocoagulation. One of these four had two separate episodes of closure. Only one had permanent visual loss, and none had evidence of retrobulbar hemorrhage. Each patient had a severe hematologic or vascular disorder. The authors think that direct trauma to the central retinal artery behind the globe, the pharmacologic or compressive effects of the injected solution, or both caused the occlusions in these patients.
JO - American Journal of Ophthalmology
JF - American Journal of Ophthalmology

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


· AT&T Communications serves millions of U.S. consumers with video, broadband and voice services. And it serves millions of businesses globally with highly secure, smart solutions. Our technology organization is an industry leader in working with developers and startups to open our network to innovation.
· AT&T International includes AT&T Mexico, the country's fastest-growing wireless business, serving both consumers and businesses. And DIRECTV Latin America, a pay-TV leader in 11 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.
· AT&T's new advertising and analytics startup is leading the way to the future of premium video advertising. Using innovation and data-driven insights will give brands better ways to interact with their target audiences.


text:
https://apnews.com/article/health-atlanta-marietta-coronavirus-pandemic-875e32c72af32f6e3380f5a938d9c516
GA State Wire
CDC study: Teachers key to COVID-19 infections in 1 district
By JEFF AMYFebruary 22, 2021 GMT
FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2020 file photo, Rochelle Walensky, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. The U.S. is scrambling to expand DNA mapping of coronavirus samples to identify potentially deadlier mutations starting to spread around the country.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
ATLANTA (AP) — A new study finds that teachers may be more important drivers of COVID-19 transmission in schools than students.
"Educators played an important role in the spread," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters in an online briefing Monday. "COVID-19 spread often occurred during in-person meetings or lunches and then subsequently spread to classrooms.
Other research has suggested that there's low transmission of viruses in schools and that they should reopen for in-person instruction, a message that President Joe Biden's administration has been pushing in recent weeks to mixed success. The 8,700-student Marietta district, like all but a handful in Georgia, has been offering in-person classes since the fall. Superintendent Grant Rivera said more than 90% of elementary students came back in person, making some classrooms relatively crowded.
All the Marietta clusters also involved "less than ideal physical distancing," with students often less than 3 feet apart, although plastic dividers were placed on desks.
"The two main reasons for the spread of COVID-19 in these schools were inadequate physical distancing and mask adherence," Walensky said.
In seven cases, transmission may have taken place during small-group instruction sessions where teachers were close to students. Although the authors said they observed students wearing masks, interviews found that "inadequate mask use" by students could have contributed to the spread of infection in five clusters.
The CDC again advised that schools need to pursue "multifaceted" strategies to prevent the spread of the virus, including cutting down on teacher-to-teacher meetings, making sure masks are worn correctly and increasing physical distancing, especially during mealtimes when people can't wear masks.
"We told teachers that all teacher collaboration should occur virtually," Rivera said.
"To be honest, I'm really struggling with it," he said.
The study also said that in addition to those strategies, it might be desirable to vaccinate teachers to protect educators, cut down on in-school transmission and keep schools operating in person, although the CDC restated that teacher vaccination is "not a requirement for reopening schools."
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said the study "validates" the CDC's guidelines.
"School buildings can be safe for teachers and kids, but the layered mitigation and testing and tracing must be implemented to curb the risk of transmission, with vaccine availability as another layer of protection," the teacher union chief said in a statement.
An earlier version of the story misspelled Dr. Rochelle Walensky's last name.


Discover what is in Newt's case for magical beast adventures!
Open a magically expanded world inside LEGO® Fantastic Beasts™ 75952 Newt's Case of Magical Creatures. Help Newt, Jacob, Tina and Queenie care for the creatures, then use the ladder to climb back out, fold up the case and set off on your next adventure! Includes 4 minifigures as well as buildable Erumpent, Occamy and Thunderbird creatures, plus Niffler and Bowtruckle figures.
Case (closed) measures over 13cm (5") high, 16cm (6") wide and 4cm (1") deep, and over 6cm (2") high, 30cm (11") wide and 10cm (3") deep when opened out.


text:
New Canaan Daily Voice serves New Canaan, CT
serves Norwalk & Rowayton
serves Fairfield & Southport
serves Weston & Westport
Police: Suspect Nabbed In $80K New Canaan Home Burglary After Items Sold Online, At Pawn Shop
Joshua Schneider Photo Credit: New Canaan Police
Update: Estranged Husband In Missing Mom Case Rushed To Hospi...
Phone Scammers On Rise Again, CT State Police Say
Stamford Woman Charged With Leaving Scene Of Crash At School ...
A man who stole approximately $80,000 worth of items during a home burglary in Fairfield County and then attempted to pawn the items online and in Massachusetts is in custody, police in New Canaan said.
On July 4, 2017, investigators from the New Canaan Police Department received a report from a Wakeman Road resident who had been burglarized, with the estimated value of items taken at $80,000.
On April 3 last year, the investigation into the burglary by the New Canaan Police Investigative Section was contacted when several items taken during the burglary were located on eBay and were being sold from a pawn shop in Fall River, Massachusetts.
According to police, investigators traveled to the pawn shop in Massachusetts and identified the alleged burglar as Fall River resident Joshua Schneider, 32, who was incarcerated for a different offense.
Police in Massachusetts instructed that they would notify the New Canaan Police Department when Schneider was to be released.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, officers from the New Canaan Police Department traveled to Bristol County Sheriff's Correction Center in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts and arrested Schneider.
Schneider was transported to New Canaan Police Headquarters, where he was charged with first-degree larceny and first-degree burglary. He's currently being held in lieu of $50,000 bond and is scheduled to make an appearance in court on Thursday, Dec. 5.
Free Preview of Daily Voice Plus
Energy, COPD, Pollinators, Contact Lenses Among Award-Winning...
Can You Have An American Dream If You're Not In The USA Legally?
New Impeachment Evidence Drags Connecticut Congressional Cand...
See More Articles from Daily Voice Plus
New Canaan Daily Voice!


You can read an excerpt of my forthcoming essay, "On Failure," over at Blood Orange Review's blog. If you don't know about Blood Orange Review, you should. They are an up and coming online lit journal that has been attracting some attention as of late.
Update: The full issue, with my essay, is now online. Check it out.


text:
Pocket Platoons to Bring Giant Battles to Small Screens
Philip Federico August 19, 2015 No Comments
World War II Mobile Strategy Title to Focus on Tactics, Story, and Depth with Over 300 Campaign Stages and a Variety of Game of Modes
SEATTLE — August 11, 2015 — En Masse Entertainment, publisher of TERA — one of the most-played MMORPGs on Steam— is excited to announce the upcoming launch of Pocket Platoons. Scheduled to charge into battle on August 27 for iOS, Android, and Amazon Kindle Fire devices across North America and Europe, Pocket Platoons finds players building bases of operations and controlling customized armies in a stylized, WWII-themed strategy extravaganza.
"Pocket Platoons is a little game with a lot of heart. It has so much to offer with its amazing depth, wide range of units and variety of modes," said Chris Lee, En Masse Entertainment CEO. "In this game, troop position really matters, which will appeal to players looking for fantastic turn-based combat strategy. Core gamers will gravitate to this gem of a game for their mobile devices."
Choose between the Allies and Axis factions, build your base, summon and strengthen your army, and then lead your troops into battle. Enjoy a variety of single-player skirmishes, PvP battles, and epic 5v5 coalition combat. With over 300 campaign stages, hundreds of progression quests, dozens of tactical units, and a wide variety of combat modes to master, Pocket Platoons brings a new experience to the mobile strategy genre. Instead of relying on luck-based battle systems and pay-to-win micro-transactions, Pocket Platoons rewards player skill and a deep understanding of battlefield positioning and combat tactics.
Pocket Platoons will be free to download on the App Store, Google Play™, and the Amazon Appstore on August 27. For more information please visit the official Pocket Platoons product page.
For supporting assets for Pocket Platoons, including today's announcement trailer and screenshots, please visit: http://bit.ly/PocketPlatoonsAnnounce
About En Masse Entertainment
Based in Seattle Washington, En Masse Entertainment embodies the evolution of modern game publishing. The company's mission is to publish great games and provide great service. Beginning with En Masse's inaugural title, TERA, and continuing with Zombies Monsters Robots and its first mobile game, Fruit Attacks, the company has built a track record of excellence and innovation. The team at En Masse includes experts in online technology, live service, branding, community, and player support, allowing them to thrive as a publisher in the digital era. For more information, visit EnMasse.com.
Philip Federico
Play Hard Or Don't Play At All
NEW TRAILER REVEALS FEB. 28 RELEASE DATE FOR GOOD SHEPHERD ENTERTAINMENT'S AMERICAN FOLKLORE GAME WHERE THE WATER TASTES LIKE WINE ON STEAM
NEW PVP MAP CHEMICAL PLANT COMING TO ARMORED WARFARE


Your favorite instrumental rock quartet The Earth is a Man (featuring Hausu Mountain founders Doug and Max, Zach Robinson a.k.a. D/A/D, and percussion demigod Paul Birhanu) has emerged from the hyperbolic time chamber with some brand new music just for you.
Pargon, the band's first release since 2012's one-off collaboration with Tim Heidecker, reaches your eardrums in the form of a jam-packed cassingle: two tracks, one per side, housed in a vibrant O-card exterior designed by the band's own Paul B.
Learn more about the album at our catalog page.
You can preorder the Pargon cassingle in our e-shoppe now!


text:
Scott Stallings Makes No Compromises ...
TaylorMade SIM Driver and Woods ...
Equipment & Apparel
Ladies European Tour CEO Announced
Lee Westwood, Andrew Landry and Matt Kuchar Enjoy Victories
Salting the Snail: PGA TOUR Revamps Pace-of-Play Policy
Sergio Garcia Splits from Callaway
Patrick Reed v. Brandel Chamblee: Analyst Threatened with Lawsuit
Rory McIlroy's Body of Evidence
MAM a Treasure Trove for the PGA TOUR
FedExCup: Great Time to Shine for Rory McIlroy
Big Shots at the Charles Schwab Cup
Presidents Cup: Down to the Wire Down Under
Golf Holiday Destinations 2020
Take a Golf Break in Mississippi
Take a Vacation in Arizona and Play Golf
Go to California for Golf
There's No Place Like Santa Fe for Golf
How to Hit out of a Sand Trap
Chipping Out of the Rough
Decision-making on the Green
What's Great About Irons and Hybrids
Winning Formula for Distance: Club Head and Ball Speed
TaylorMade SIM Driver and Woods Launched
Titleist SM8 Vokey Wedges Unveiled
Cobra F-Max Airspeed Range Revealed
New TaylorMade TP Patina Putters Launched
Honma XP-1 Range Launched
Scott Stallings Makes No Compromises with Health
Can flavonoids reduce inflammation, speed recovery and increase mental focus?
Protect Your Skin from the Sun On and Off the Golf Course
How Can Golfers Get Their Swing Back and Live Pain Free?
Healthcare Professionals' Perspective: Why Curcumin Belongs in the Golfer's Game
by Lindsay Berra
When Scott Stallings arrived in Texas in early October for the Houston Open, he immediately checked his GPS. There was a grocery store four minutes away. Trader Joe's, however, was a 28-minute ride. He buckled up and settled in for the trip.
"People say it's hard to eat healthy on the road, but it's all about what's important to you," Stallings says. "I know Trader Joe's like the back of my hand, so I know I can get exactly what I want, no compromises."
Stallings stopped making compromises to his health in 2016 when, at age 29, he was diagnosed with acute adrenal fatigue. At the time, the 6-foot Stallings weighed 240 pounds—and had been as heavy as 255—and had 26 percent body fat.
His diet was a wreck, and his cortisol and testosterone levels were out of whack. A blood test showed his inflammatory markers were off the charts, more representative of a soda-guzzling couch potato than a professional athlete. He was exhausted all the time but couldn't sleep, and often felt too tired after golf even to play with his children, Finn and Millie, now 6 and 4.
"I can tell you one thing," a doctor told him. "You're not going to die."
But Stalling's condition nonetheless was an eye-opener, and he immediately began to make changes. First, he eliminated sweet potato, barley and milk from his diet, to which testing had showed he was allergic but were key ingredients in the protein powder he had been eating regularly.
He then went through an excruciating surgery to unclog his sinus cavity, which was dysfunctional due to breaking his nose three times in childhood and contributing to his inability to sleep. The near-instantaneous improvement in being able to get his rest motivated Stallings to return to the gym, and he began working out harder than ever. Now, at age 34, Stallings is 185 pounds with only 10 percent body fat.
"It's crazy how, when you treat your body the right way, when you make a few better decisions a little more often, it can make a turn," Stallings says. "I feel better now than I did when I was 23."
So Stallings will trek to Trader Joe's in each tournament city, no matter how far he has to drive, to load up on liquid egg whites, low-sodium turkey, power greens, sprouts and multi-grain toast for his go-to breakfast scramble, along with guacamole, crunchy peanut butter and good butter for healthy fats.
Stallings has stopped staying in hotels because he wants a kitchen where he can cook, so he loads his groceries into the fridge at his Airbnb, alongside a regular shipment of organic meals from Trifecta Nutrition, which are delivered to each TOUR stop. Water is also an essential, with Stallings trying to drink three gallons each day before dinner.
Every three months, he gets a full blood workup and a BOD POD body composition analysis, because he doesn't want anything to "sneak up." He monitors the length and quality of his sleep with a WHOOP strap worn on his wrist. And he works out nearly every day, even during tournaments, structuring his workouts in length and intensity to accommodate his golf schedule. "Early in the week, we do heavier, slower, longer trainings sessions," he says. "On Wednesdays, I do fasted cardio [at least 12 hours after consuming food], and then Thursday through Sunday, workouts are lighter, faster and shorter, in the morning if I play in the afternoon, or after golf if I play in the morning."
When at home, Stallings trains in the 1,500-square-foot gym he built in a barn on his property in Knoxville, Tenn. Stallings, who is pals with four-time CrossFit Games champ Rich Frooning Jr., favors CrossFit-style workouts augmented with functional training for golf.
"My fitness goal is to do better today than yesterday," he says, and that also applies on the golf course. Stallings' swing is more repeatable, with more clubhead speed, than when he was heavier. His improved fitness has resulted in fewer trips to the physical therapist and led to two top-10 finishes and five top-25 finished in both 2018 and 2019.
Stallings was inspired throughout his weight-loss journey by a quote thrown his way from a CrossFit friend during a workout: "You have two things you can control: Your attitude and your effort, and the rent is due on both every day. So pay the man." Stallings has "Rent is Due. Pay the Man," painted on the wall in his home gym and engraved on his wedges.
"I have two things I can control," he says. "I'm going to have a good attitude, and I'm going to try hard."
Golf Bag Snacks
PERFECT Bars: These nut butter-based, low-glycemic, gluten-free, non-GMO whole-food protein bars are blended with 20 superfoods for a filling, on-the-go snack. Stallings' favorite flavors? "Blueberry Cashew, and the limited-edition Birthday Cake was unreal."
RX Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter or Justin's Cinnamon Almond Butter: These all-natural nut butters come in convenient, single-serving packets that Stallings loves to eat along with an apple. "They're so good, I've been known to tear open the packet and lick the inside, right there on the golf course," he says.
Bedtime Brew
Ascent Casein Protein: The amino acids in casein, a slow-digesting protein found in milk, help the body make melatonin, which regulates the sleep cycle. "I mix it with water and a little honey and shake the heck out of it," Stallings says.
Road Workouts
Stallings completes these quick, go-to workouts at CrossFit gyms and training centers near his PGA TOUR stops.
Manny V (named for a PGA TOUR caddie)
SEVEN MINUTES WORK: Complete 100 dumbell thrusters, with appropriate weight (Stallings uses 40-pound dumbells), stopping at the top of each minute to complete five burpees.
THREE MINUTES REST
SEVEN MINUTES WORK: Complete 150 kettlebell swings (Stalling uses a 53-pound kettlebell), stopping at the top of each minute to complete 20 air squats.
*If finished before seven minutes is up, you get more rest! If not, stop where you are, move on to the next part of the workout and try to go further next time!
30 calories assault bike
30 calories ski erg
30 calories rower
*20-Minute Cap
This article first appeared in the PGA TOUR December 2019-May 2020 issue, which can be read here.
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Conveniently located within walking distance from all major sights of Athens, including museums and ancient temples such as the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus, the Roman & Greek Agora, the National Archeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum, Ambrosia Suites (equivalent to a hotel) provides a strategic location to all guests, for sightseeing, shopping and business. The property's privileged location, right in the center of the commercial & business district of Athens, which is also a short distance away from the historical district of Athens where most sights of the city of Athens are located, makes Ambrosia Suites the ideal place for accommodation in Athens, Greece and one of the best option among hotels near Omonia Square in Athens.
Ambrosia Suites is located at a distance of 34 km from the Eleftherios Venizelos Athens International Airport, 10 km from the port of Piraeus and 1 km away from the main train station of Athens. Athens has a metro link with 3 lines connecting north, south, east and west suburbs with the city center of Athens and the airport as well.
(By metro) From Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" take the blue line and stop at Syntagma Station. From there change to the red line and stop at Omonia Squate. From there, Ambrosia Suites is located just a 2 minute walk away. The duration of the metro trip is 55 minutes.
(By bus) From Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" take the X 95 airport bus to city center and stop at Omonia Square. From there, Ambrosia Suites is located just a 2 minute walk away. The duration of the trip is 1 hour and 10 minutes.
(By taxi) From Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" a taxi ride costs 40 € from 5:00 to 00:00 and 50 € from 00:00 to 05:00. The duration of the trip is 35 minutes.
(By metro) From Piraeus Port take the green line and stop at Omonia Station. From there, Ambrosia Suites is located just a 2 minute walk away. The duration of the trip is 30 minutes.
(By taxi) From Piraeus port a taxi ride from 5:00 to 00:00 costs approximately 18 € and from 00:00 to 05:00 costs approximately 25 €. The duration of the trip is 25 mins.
(By metro) From Larissis Station take the red line and stop at Omonia Station. From there, Ambrosia Suites is located just a 2 minute walk away. The duration of the trip is 10 minutes.
(By taxi) From Railways Station a taxi ride from 5:00 to 00:00 costs approximately 10 € and from 00:00 to 05:00 costs approximately 15 €. The duration of the trip is 10 minutes.


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text:
Q: Is it right to think of Parity as a change of basis in Dirac's Lagrangian? I'm trying to understand CPT symmetries in the Dirac Lagrangian but, so far, I've had more questions than answers. My naive view of CPT transformations is the following (please don't doubt to correct me):

After a parity transformation, a spinor $\psi$ is transformed into $\psi'$ with $\,\psi'(x,t)=\gamma^0\psi(-x,t)$.
We usually omit the explicit position at which we're evaluating our fields (as we're lazy) and simply write $\,\psi'=\gamma^0\psi$. I can note then, that $\,\gamma^0$ is the matrix representation of the parity operator and I do tend to think of it as a change of basis. In addition, I also know that operators/matrices transform under change of bases as $\,M'=UMU^{-1}$.
If I wanted to know, let's say, how a gamma matrix transform under parity, I'd take $M=\gamma^\mu$ and $U=\gamma^0$.
For $\mu=1,2,3,4$,  $\,(\gamma^\mu)'=\gamma^0\gamma^\mu\gamma^0=(\gamma^\mu)^\dagger$
and for $\mu=5$, $\,(\gamma^5)'=\gamma^0\gamma^5\gamma^0=-\gamma^0\gamma^0\gamma^5=-\gamma^5$
These might not be true in reality, and the problems are evident when we compare these results with the literature:
(i) The second result implies that the pseudo-vector covariant bilinear $\bar{\psi}\gamma^5\psi$ is even under P (not odd).
(ii) The first one allows us to prove that the vector covariant bilinear $\bar{\psi}\gamma^\mu\psi$ transforms as it should (as a vector under P: odd in space, even in time) but it also implies that the Dirac Lagrangian is not parity invariant. Let's check it:
Let $\;\Delta_{(0)}\equiv-1$ and $\;\Delta_{(i)}\equiv1$
$\,\bar{\psi}'(i\gamma^{\mu'}\partial_{\mu'}-m)\psi'=\bar{\psi}\gamma^0\left(i(\gamma^{\mu})^\dagger(\Delta_{(\mu)}\partial_{\mu})-m\right)\gamma^0\psi=\bar{\psi}(i\gamma^{\mu}\Delta_{(\mu)}\partial_{\mu}-m)\psi\neq\bar{\psi}(i\gamma^{\mu}\partial_{\mu}-m)\psi$.
This is bad, but... isn't $M'=UMU^{-1}$ the right way to transform matrices?
I'm truly confused and also eager to read you feedback.

A: 1) The matrix implementing parity will act as $P\cdot\psi(t,x)P^{-1}=\gamma^0\psi(t,-x)\equiv\psi_{ref}(t,x)$. $P$ is the parity matrix in question, not $\gamma^0$. Note that the operator acts as a unitary transformation, not as a matrix multiplying something like a wavefunction.
2) It is clearer to see what parity does on states, as opposed to the fields. This is because traditionally, parity's action on vectors (such as $p$, the momentum) is well understood but on spinors (like $\psi$), its not. So, we want under parity, $$|p\rangle\to|-p\rangle\implies Pa_pP=a_{-p}$$
where I have used $P^2=1$ while implementing the unitary transformation on the creation operator $a_p$. See Peskin&Schroeder for more details.
3) Another way to proceed is to note that under parity, the 2 component weyl spinors undergo $$\psi_L\leftrightarrow\psi_R$$
roughly because the boost part generators of the $(1/2,0)$ and $(0,1/2)$ representations flips under parity as it sends $\vec{v}\to -\vec{v}$. You can use this split to see how bilinears transform under parity. For example, $$\bar{\psi}\gamma^5\psi=\psi^\dagger_L\psi_R-\psi^\dagger_R\psi_L$$
and it's clear that under parity, since $L\leftrightarrow R$, this  behaves as a pseudoscalar.
4) Since $\gamma^0$ is not the parity matrix, everything else you said about transformations of matrices under parity is incorrect. The gamma matrices are fixed once you fix a basis. There is not much meaning to transforming these matrices under parity and calling it a basis change.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Space Colony Form Factors, Part 1: Bernal Spheres
Spheres of overpopulation
By Rain Noe - August 7, 2015
As fears of overpopulation took hold in the 1970s, NASA began giving serious thought to building space colonies. In the years since, they managed to solve Earth's population problem by sending everyone to live in my neighborhood in Manhattan so that my landlord can keep raising my goddamn rent. But before finding that solution, there were a variety of space colony design renderings produced.
The first question they faced: What should a space colony be shaped like, what should the overall form factor be? I'm not talking about a colony built into the side of an asteroid or on the moon, because we already know the answer to that: You just build a city and put a big glass dome over it, duh. Bor-ing.
The Windex bill would be astronomical
No, I'm talking about an unattached colony that can, like, drift around and stuff. So the first problem to solve for is gravity. Because if space colonists were just floating around all the time, the reduced wear and tear on our footwear would make sneaker companies go bankrupt, and we'd need to have some kind of economy up there.
So to create gravity, a design called the Bernal Sphere was proposed. This was actually an older idea, first conceived of in 1929 by scientist John Bernal. You may recognize Bernal's name as he is not only still alive, but recently gained additional fame for portraying crowd-favorite Shane on "The Walking Dead."
The gigantic Bernal Sphere—designs ranged from two miles to 10 miles in diameter—was meant to be hollow and filled with air, along with 30,000 people that presumably didn't have outstanding debts on Earth. The sphere would be attached at its two "poles" to massive motors that would rotate the thing like a rotisserie.
This would generate gravity-simulating centrifugal force along the internal "equator" of the sphere, along which people could build houses, have picnics and wear out Nikes.
On either side of that equatorial zone would be huge windows, and mirrors positioned outside of the sphere would direct sunlight in through them. In the photo below we're looking into one bank of windows, through which you can see the ring of the opposite bank.
The polar areas of the sphere would presumably be uninhabitable, as you'd get really dizzy there. In the renderings we can see that the polar area is covered in forest, but we could also probably use that area to like, dump old air conditioners and stuff.
So why a sphere, with all that wasted space? The shape was proposed as being optimal for containing pressurized air, which seems like kind of a silly trade-off; can't we just make it whatever shape we want and, like, buy better O-rings somewhere?
Others agreed with me, maybe not about the O-rings, but that the shape was decidedly not optimal. Next we'll look at some better solutions.
Click here for part 2
Noodle Time
rain, i enjoy the way you right articles with a little sarcasm and good sense of humor. keep it up
If you like the way I right them, you should see the way I left them
exactly, you are definitely write about that!
The Original, Real-Life Dystopian Cityscape of Kowloon Walled City, and the Artwork It Inspired
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The Multi-Level, No-Visible-Cars NYC That Might Have Been
Harvey W. Corbett's brilliant plan for a multi-level Manhattan would better serve pedestrians and cyclists
Transforming Warehouse Structures Into Creative Workspaces
Architects Carrie Strickland and Bill Neburka present "Homesteading the Frame" at Portland's Hand-Eye Supply (and via live-stream!)
By Hand-Eye Supply - August 4, 2015
Building a New Sonic Architecture at the New Museum
Brooklyn studio The Principals on the making of DELQA, an interactive music and light installation opening in New York on Thursday
By Carly Ayres - August 3, 2015


text:
Fields of sight: Gauri Gill and Rajesh Vangad
Reviewing an exhibition with fresh ways of seeing in Gallerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke (Mumbai).
Stuti Kakar
A project where urban life intersects with rural landscapes — the collaboration between photographer Gauri Gill and Warli artist Rajesh Vangad takes the audience to places beyond their imagination, on a visual trip away from cityscapes. Creating a dialogue between two people from different walks of life, this hybrid creation amalgamates photography and indigenous Warli painting.
Fields of sight. Author's photo. All rights reserved.
In 2013, Gill was invited to an Adivasi district in Maharashtra, Dahanu, where she was to create works for a primary school. During the visit, she was welcomed by Rajesh Vangad who let her reside at his place, and later on took her to various locations which had significance in terms of folklore and political activity. The series follows the duo moving from location to location, capturing different landscapes which speak volumes. Done solely in a monochromatic palette, Gill places Vangad as the protagonist in each picture, to represent the sentiment of each location. However, the images were not simply of the Warli painter placed against the backdrop of a landscape, assuming a passive role. Instead, the images incorporate Vangad's Warli inscriptions on top of each photograph, giving the painter a much more active role in that space.
While John Berger, in his book Ways of Seeing has shown us the hidden ideologies prevalent in visual images from a western perspective, over the past few decades, the emergence of the Global South has encouraged a better understanding of multiple new ways of viewing the world. The coming together of Gill and Vangad on this two-person project is an attempt to dramatically change the way images from the Global South are viewed.
Author's own photo. All rights reserved.
As a viewer, there are several elements which one must pay attention to. The monochromatic tones used in the photograph mimic the manner in which Warli paintings are traditionally done — white pigment used on a reddish-brown background. The artist's choice of a monochromatic theme is a way of placing herself and Vangad on an equal footing, further acknowledging the style of Warli painting. Through Gill's lens, the artwork underplays the artist's corporeal presence — conjuring Vangad's identity into existence. In an attempt to weave a unique visual language, we witness Vangad camouflaged in the landscape, yet standing out. The Warli painter is positioned as a walking poet who walking in the most diverse landscapes, adds a new dimension to an existing flat surface.
A closer look at the painting-photos allows us to see that the protagonist's gaze never meets that of the viewer. This mismatch in the gaze could perhaps symbolise a sense of loss, desolation, and alienation. In each of the images in the series, the painter seems to be positioned in a certain manner in the landscape, where he seems to be engaged in deep thought, speculating over a series of events which have already taken place in each respective landscape. There is a sense of nostalgia which can be sensed through the body language of the artist present in the frame, reminiscing about a certain "there and then" as contrasted with a "here and now". Perhaps, this sense of melancholy stems from the socio-political conditions which are inseparable from this environment.
Author's photo. All rights reserved.
The uninhabited landscapes in Gill's painting-photographs, are suggestive of a dramatic seclusion through a single pair of eyes: Vangad's own. The heavy dose of silence in the frame gives viewers the space to visualise the destruction that eroded these visually serene landscapes. We are made to empathise with Vangad as he is lodged between the space of the past and the present, in search of equilibrium. It is clear that the monochrome photographs are a reflection of an otherwise invisible activity performed in the landscape.
In the past, Adivasi villages have been through continuous political turmoil. During the 70s, this village was invaded by gangs and political parties, leaving the locals displaced and traumatised. Apart from the raids conducted by mobs, the village witnessed forest fires, landslides and other such natural calamities that must leave any protagonist who is also a member of the village bereft.
Warli paintings traditionally depict themes of harvest, fishing, fertility, festivals, earthquakes, tsunamis and other events which impact the lives of community members. So the inscription of such themes in the pictorial frame brings a sense of life to the pictures, giving them a narrative, about a particular scene. This hybrid vocabulary fills the vacuum which occurred between painting and photography, enabling the viewer to re-visualise and re-conceptualise the way we see the Warli style of painting as an art form today.
The choice of landscape has both a historic and an autobiographic resonance, which is remarkably captured through this two-person collaboration, thereby creating a memorable experience for the viewer.
We come to understand that one must not look at tribal art in complete isolation, and locate it in another time frame, thus rendering it as stagnant and static. As viewers, we should acknowledge this art form as we acknowledge any other. This indigenous art form has navigated its way from inscriptions on manure-coated walls to canvases, and has truly left the viewer with an indelible experience.
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text:
Luxury apartments possible on land sold by Macomb public works for $3.5M
Luxury apartments could come to nearly 9-acre parcel at Hall Road and Garfield that Macomb County Public Works is to sell for $3.5 million.
Luxury apartments possible on land sold by Macomb public works for $3.5M Luxury apartments could come to nearly 9-acre parcel at Hall Road and Garfield that Macomb County Public Works is to sell for $3.5 million. Check out this story on Freep.com: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2018/11/15/luxury-apartments-macomb-land/2013034002/
Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press Published 5:56 p.m. ET Nov. 15, 2018 | Updated 11:09 a.m. ET Nov. 16, 2018
The 8.89 acres for sale at the northwest corner of M-59 (Hall Road) and Garfield. This is one of three excess parcels that is being sold by Macomb County.(Photo: Macomb County Public Works)
Luxury apartments could be coming to a nearly 9-acre parcel of land on Hall Road after a developer made a $3.5-million bid for the Macomb Township site that was up for sale by Macomb County Public Works.
The offer on the site at Garfield Road was received in a public auction Wednesday held by the public works department. The office was selling three parcels of land, with the Hall Road location the largest and most lucrative.
The site has been owned by the Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District for about 20 years and was purchased for $2.5 million during construction of a sewer interceptor along Garfield in the late 1990s, according to public works.
With this sale, the office will have sold nearly $4 million in property since Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller took office in January 2017.
"We're not in the business of holding on to land and doing nothing with it for decades. My goal is to sell these excess properties, get them back on the tax roll and let them be developed in a way that benefits the community," she said in a release Thursday.
More: Want land? Macomb County Public Works has some acres for sale
More: $70M sinkhole repair project completed on Fraser interceptor line
Her office is not releasing the name of the local, private developer who made the $3.5-million bid because he has a 90-day period to conduct a due diligence review of the property before the transaction is finalized.
The other two properties that were sold include a lot at the corner of 21 Mile and Sugarbush roads that sold for $100,000. It was bought by the Chesterfield Township Library Board as a site for a proposed new library.
Miller said the drainage district board agreed to sell the property at below its appraised value to support the development of a new library.
The office also sold a 4.5-acre site along the Hawken Drain, just west of Ryan Road between 19 Mile and M-59 in Sterling Heights, for $250,000. The site is in the process of being developed for luxury homes.
Revenue from the sales will be used to support maintenance and upkeep of the drainage district's assets, which provides sanitary sewer service to more than a half-million residents and businesses in 11 communities in the county.
The district oversaw the sewer interceptor in Fraser that collapsed in 2016.
The revenues from the sale of the site along the Hawken Drain will be used to support storm drain maintenance operations in Sterling Heights, according to the release.
"This office is not in the land business. We are in the drain business. I cannot understand why these properties were held by this office for decades, to no public benefit. These sales will contribute to the economic prosperity in our community while providing additional funds for our drains. The public is the big winner today," Miller said.
Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.
Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2018/11/15/luxury-apartments-macomb-land/2013034002/
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Journalists from China, Germany, India and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding articles on cancer in the 2016 Cancer World Journalism Awards.
The awards, organised by the European School of Oncology's Cancer World magazine, attracted 145 entries from every corner of the globe. There were winners in four categories, who each receive € 1.500.
Pia Heinemann from Germany won the Research, Science and Treatment category for her article published inWelt Am Sonntag about the need for gene testing to prevent many cancer patients from having unnecessary chemotherapy. The judges were impressed that she had written about a complex and important subject in such an accessible manner.
They decided she should be the overall winner of the awards, and will be funded to attend the ECCO European Cancer Congress in Amsterdam in January 2017.
The Cancer World Journalism Awards replaces the European School of Oncology's Best Cancer Reporter Awards, which have been run since 2006. The new award recognises individual works of cancer journalism rather than a journalist's contribution to cancer journalism, and includes four categories for different article types.
Alberto Costa, Editor of Cancer World and a member of the judging panel, said he was delighted that the new award had attracted so many high quality entries from all over the world, and in so many different media.
As well as recognising the four category winners, the judging panel gave a special commendation to a group of entrants who had used funding from the European Fund for Investigative Journalism to carry out an impressive cross-border investigation into why cancer patients in Eastern European countries often cannot afford the newest therapies and the role of the EU in setting the drug prices. These highly commended journalists are: Eric Breitinger (Switzerland), Aleksandra Jolkina (Latvia), Stanimir Vaglenov (Bulgaria), Cristian Niculescu (Romania), David Leloup (Belgium) and Dimitra Triantafillou (Greece).
The judging panel for this year's Award was made up of: Simon Crompton, Cancer World journalist, UK, Matthew Hill, BBC journalist, UK and winner of the Best Cancer Reporter Award in 2015, Katrin Zöfel, Staff Editor at Swiss Public Radio and runner-up in the 2014 Best Cancer Reporter Award, Dr Alberto Costa, ESO's CEO and Editor of Cancer World magazine, and Dr Franco Cavalli, Chairman of ESO's Scientific Committee.