The Dawn of Open Access to Phylogenetic Data

The scientific enterprise depends critically on the preservation of and open access to published data. This basic tenet applies acutely to phylogenies (estimates of evolutionary relationships among species). Increasingly, phylogenies are estimated from increasingly large, genome-scale datasets using increasingly complex statistical methods that require increasing levels of expertise and computational investment. Moreover, the resulting phylogenetic data provide an explicit historical perspective that critically informs research in a vast and growing number of scientific disciplines. One such use is the study of changes in rates of lineage diversification (speciation - extinction) through time. As part of a meta-analysis in this area, we sought to collect phylogenetic data (comprising nucleotide sequence alignment and tree files) from 217 studies published in 46 journals over a 13-year period. We document our attempts to procure those data (from online archives and by direct request to corresponding authors), and report results of analyses (using Bayesian logistic regression) to assess the impact of various factors on the success of our efforts. Overall, complete phylogenetic data for ~60% of these studies are effectively lost to science. Our study indicates that phylogenetic data are more likely to be deposited in online archives and/or shared upon request when: (1) the publishing journal has a strong data-sharing policy; (2) the publishing journal has a higher impact factor, and; (3) the data are requested from faculty rather than students. Although the situation appears dire, our analyses suggest that it is far from hopeless: recent initiatives by the scientific community -- including policy changes by journals and funding agencies -- are improving the state of affairs

Librarians as midwives of change in scholarly communication

History testifies to two ICT revolutions. In my reckoning scholarly communication is now in the grip of a third. The point of this chapter, to paraphrase Marx, is to show that librarians are in a position not simply to interpret the world of scholarly communication, but to change it, or at least to act as the midwives of that change. The chapter discusses the information value chain, the economic background to scholarly communication, and trends in pricing and negotiation with publishers. It closes by suggesting that the electronic age offers the potential to turn academic library practice on its head. University libraries until now have promised to collect or gain access to the research outputs of all other universities and research institutions, a task that is both impossible to accomplish and costly to attempt. With the widespread introduction of institutional repositories, however, it is now feasible for each university or research institution to collect all the research outputs of its own scholars, and make them available to all other universities. This task, by contrast, is finite and achievable; the costs are commensurate with the research standing and income of the academic institution

Procuring electronic information: new business models in the context of the supply chain

Examines the information value chain and some of its concepts, first for printed information and second for electronic information. Discusses the procurement process and, in the light of the analysis made earlier in the paper, evaluates the various emerging models for procuring electronic information

The information value chain: emerging models for procuring electronic publications

The first part of this paper examines the information supply chain and some of its concepts; particular attention is paid to features differentiating electronic from printed information. The second part discusses the procurement process and, in the light of the analysis made in the first part, evaluates the various models for procuring electronic information

The electronic library: cornucopia or poisoned chalice?

At first sight the "big (or all-you-can-eat) deal" seems excellent value for libraries and their users, and represents the shining possibilities of the electronic age. A more thorough-going evaluation, however, exposes dangers for libraries, their funders and publishers. This paper examines some of the implications of electronic resources for collection development. The roles and strengths of the players in the information supply chain are defined: creators, publishers, intermediaries, libraries. Traditional hard-copy procurement is analysed in terms of these roles and the concepts of authority, branding and monopoly. The fundamentals of procuring electronic resources are discussed in terms of the same roles and concepts. The advantages of the big deal are laid out - access to resources, low unit costs etc. The dangers are also discussed. These arise mainly from the publishers' position as monopolists. The possible effects on academic publishing of dealing with monopoly suppliers are examined. Means of avoiding or minimising these dangers - consortia, alternative publishing methods - are examined

The Future of Scholarly Communication in the Humanities: Adaptation or Transformation?

The paper suggests that the disaggregation of the core functions of scholarly publication will inevitably change communication in the humanities

What's the 'big deal', and why is it bad deal for universities?

At first sight the “big (or all-you-can-eat) deal” seems excellent value for libraries and their users, and represents the shining possibilities of the electronic age. A more thorough-going evaluation, however, exposes dangers for universities, their funders and publishers. This paper examines the big deal in the light of fundamental market conditions and suggests alternative models for procuring electronic resources. The roles and strengths of the players in the information supply chain are defined and traditional hard-copy procurement is analysed in terms of these roles and the concepts of authority, branding and monopoly. The fundamentals of procuring electronic resources and prevalent purchasing models are discussed in terms of the same roles and concepts. The advantages of the big deal are laid out - access to resources, low unit costs etc. The dangers are also discussed. These arise mainly from the publishers’ position as monopolists. The possible long-term effects, on library budgets and academic publishing, of dealing with monopoly suppliers are examined. Means of avoiding or minimising these dangers – consortia, alternative publishing methods, new economic models to promote competition – are examined

Intelligent Packaging Systems: Sensors and Nanosensors to Monitor Food Quality and Safety

Indexación: Web of Science y Scopus.The application of nanotechnology in different areas of food packaging is an emerging field that will grow rapidly in the coming years. Advances in food safety have yielded promising results leading to the development of intelligent packaging (IP). By these containers, it is possible to monitor and provide information of the condition of food, packaging, or the environment. This article describes the role of the different concepts of intelligent packaging. It is possible that this new technology could reach enhancing food safety, improving pathogen detection time, and controlling the quality of food and packaging throughout the supply chain.https://www.hindawi.com/journals/js/2016/4046061/cta

Scottish academic publications implementing an effective networked service (SAPIENS) project

This article describes the aims and continuing progress of the Scottish Academic Periodicals Implementing an Effective Networked Service (SAPIENS) project which has been running at the University of Strathclyde's Centre for Digital Library Research since September 2001. Initially funded for two years, the project has been extended until October 2004. The rationale behind SAPIENS is the concern that small Scottish publishers, operating on limited budgets, are in danger of finding themselves marginalised in the modern information environment. The project's primary objectives are to explore the viability of, and launch, an electronic publishing service to assist small-scale Scottish publishers of academic and cultural periodicals to publish online. It has achieved these aims by implementing a demonstration service which is gradually moving into an operational mode, delivering current journals