2. APS Art Department deals with 30,000± digital
figure files per year spread over 14 peer-review
journals
At any given time, 25-50% may fail
3. Main Challenges
Figure Quality
Figure Manipulation
How to Get the Word Out
4. Figure Quality
- Figure Quality has always been the most difficult issue to
resolve with our journal production
- Art department staff must pull articles from production
and contact authors for new files
- This can take hours to weeks depending on
authors availability and/or ability
5. Getting What You Need
- What File Type Works for You?
- What We Used To Ask For And Why
- Problems Encountered
- What We Learned
- Solution
6. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)
- Raster-based image composed of pixels
- Commonly used for photographic images.
Raster graphics are resolution-dependent (DISADVANTAGE)
Since resolution has an effect on the total number of
pixels that are available within an image, the dimensions of
these images cannot be increased without degrading the
quality of the image.
Popular examples of raster programs: Adobe Photoshop, Corel
Photo Paint
Also: JPEG, GIF, BMP
7. EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
-Vector graphics define each and every element in the image through
mathematical code (postscript).
-They are composed of geometric and color information.
-Vector Graphics are resolution-independent (ADVANTAGE).
-This means that the image quality will remain consistent no matter how
large or small the figure is sized
- This also makes EPS (vector-based) files the better choice for our
workflow
Produced by applications such as: Adobe Illustrator Macromedia Freehand, Corel
Draw, PowerPoint, Deneba Canvas
9. Problems We Encountered with
Author-Supplied TIFF and EPS
Problems with EPS
- Almost non-existent
- Most authors don’ know what they are
t
- Non-vector (raster) images saved as EPS
Problems with TIFF
- Typically (mainly) created at the wrong resolution
- Created with programs that write poor TIFF files
10. What is Failing and Why?
In a Nutshell… .RASTER images
i.e. TIFF (most common)
- Created and submitted at the wrong resolution
- Created at the wrong resolution, then resolution
increased
- Pieces pulled from several different programs
- Not a bad format, just poorly executed
11. What We Learned
- Authors often create figures in vector-based applications
- When given more information or more options they supplied
better files
- Some Figures give away their origin in just their appearance
12. Our Solution
Added Adobe Acrobat PDF as a Preferred file format
We will still take TIFF, EPS, PPT and others.
The “nature”of PDF files increases the probability that submitted files will
be publication-ready at submission.
13. Why PDF?
- Universal file format that preserves all the fonts, formatting,
graphics, and color of any source document
- Eliminates software and hardware incompatibility issues between
Authors and APS
- Maintains design integrity to ensure what is sent
is what is received
- Better results in both print and online publication
when created properly
- Smaller files that are easier to pass between
author and publisher
14. Benefits
- One file can satisfy both Submission and Production
- Better, consistent results
- Increase in vector-based files submitted
- Fast way to check figure quality
15. Other Challenges Answered
Along the Way
- When to ask for Publication-Quality Files?
- Digital Proof?
- RGB or CMYK?
16. When to Ask for
Publication-Quality Figures
In the Past APS waited until Acceptance
- Author non-compliance
- Papers held up in Peer Review
Now at time of submission
- Early Concerns
- Files sizes
- Upload times
- Results
- Less articles held in Peer Review
- Files available for production immediately
18. - Moved to Electronic Proof (PDF)
- this was a first step toward resolving quality and color
issues
- not that we immediately realized it
-PDF Proof was a gateway for improved workflows and file-
type options
20. RGB to CMYK
conversion complaints
- Reproducing author’ color images has been a long-
s
term issue
- even before digital files
- multiple proof per image
- time and expense
21. RGB to CMYK
Conversion Solutions
- Moved to an RGB workflow
- Offered by our print provider
- Images seen “ created”throughout the
as
publication process
- no more complaints regarding color at proof
stage (or print)
- Seamless workflow change
- actually saved us a step
- Published an Editorial regarding change in all
journals
25. Figure Manipulation
The ability to adjust or modify digital images using applications, such
as Photoshop, has been available for many years, but in the past,
paper workflows made it difficult to discover unethical figure
manipulation.
Now, digital workflows make the files accessible to more investigators,
who armed with the same tools, can reveal manipulations once hidden
in paper figures.
26. How Do We Prevent it?
- Define a Policy
- Education
27. Define a Policy
Since this issue has come to the foreground over the last few years,
most STM publishers have adopted similar policies regarding ethical
manipulation of figures. Once established, this information had to be
passed on to the authors.
Many are doing this in the form of Editorials and additions to the
“
Information for Authors”sections of their websites.
28. What is unacceptable figure
manipulation?
Many scientific publishers are adopting similar guidelines to
define what constitutes “unacceptable figure manipulation” The
.
guidelines seem to breakdown into three categories:
1. Improper Editing
2. Improper Grouping
3. Improper Adjustment
29. Improper Editing
Authors should not:
• Move
• Remove
• Introduce
• Obscure
• Enhance
any specific feature within a image. Images should appear as captured
in the lab.
31. Improper Grouping
If parts of different gels, fields, or exposures are grouped or
rearranged, then dividing lines must be used to indicate these
changes, and disclosure of the arrangement must be added in
the figure legend. Even if the arrangement is from the same
capture, the rearrangement or deletion of lanes, fields, etc, is
discouraged, but if there is any such deletion or rearrangement,
it must be disclosed in the legend
33. Improper Adjustment
Authors should not adjust:
• Contrast
• Color balance
• Brightness
unless applied to the entire figure and the adjustment does
not obscure, eliminate or misrepresent the originally-captured
information. Adjustments should be disclosed in the figure legend.
35. If Manipulation
is suspected
Any question of improper manipulation raised during the review or
editing process is brought to the Editor and Publications Committee
Chair for review.
If called into question, authors should be prepared to provide the
following information:
Make and model of microscope
Type, magnification and numerical aperture of objective lenses
Fluorochromes
Imaging medium
Temperature
Camera make and model
Acquisition software
Subsequent software used for image processing, as well as details regarding
the operations performed
36. Educating Authors and
Future Authors
STM Authors should understand what is acceptable and unacceptable
when it comes the handling of images for scientific publication and
passing that information on to those in their labs and classrooms.
In principle, the ethics of presenting true data should be a part of
scientific training.
37. How Do I Find It?
Forensically, you can only "de-authenticate" an
Image (show that it has discrepancies)
Authentication of a scientific image requires
access to the original data.
The identification of a discrepancy is only the
allegation, and it does not by itself demonstrate
an intentional falsification of data.
The interpretation as to whether any image
manipulation is serious requires familiarity with
the experiment and imaging instruments.
38. How Do I Find It?
For now:
The Office of Research Integrity offers free tools that can be
used to scrutinize questionable raster images in Photoshop.
http://ori.dhhs.gov/tools/data_imaging.shtml
These are Photoshop actions can and may reveal improper
manipulations.
ORI provides some sample images that you can use to test the
tools.
40. Figure Instructions
Too Little or Too Much?
- It can be quite a balancing act
- Too Little and you get what you asked for (too little)
- Too Much and authors will get overwhelmed
- They will “
shut down”and do it their own way
Living Document
- Every breakthrough in your process needs to be reflected in
your instructions
- Let authors know that this information will evolve
