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Desktop publishing for scientists: Copy editing, design, and choosing and using software
No full textThis article explains how to turn a scientific manuscript into a desktop publication of high quality. Four related tasks serve to present the content in the form most valuable to readers. First, the manuscript has to be copy edited to remove minor errors and ensure consistency throughout. Second, a thoughtful design must be crafted to make the publication useful and attractive. Third, a desktop-publishing program suitable for the targeted product should be chosen. A final step is to master the program and implement the design to produce a publication that is properly laid out and error free.
Copy editing removes faults in language and organization, and standardizes all of the elements according to chosen styles. An efficient procedure consists of developing a copy-editing style sheet, looking for major errors by an initial read, and then, in turn, examining general content, detailed content, citations and their references, and language. Text details are then standardized throughout, before an overall check and a last read.
Design demands attention to many aspects of layout, typography, images, and colour. It will be successful if basic principles are followed to achieve utility and simplicity. In particular, harmonious typography and sufficient space between components avoid a cramped and busy appearance.
The choice of a suitable program for desktop publishing is dictated mainly by the form of the intended product. A complex program is not needed if a simple one would suffice. However, most scientific publications of professional quality rely on software with diverse capabilities. Those options are explained here. The few advanced candidate programs are briefly reviewed.
Substantial time must be spent to learn how to use an advanced program. Developing a desktop-publishing style sheet favours consistency. Following a fixed procedure to prepare each document guarantees that nothing will be forgotten and avoids unnecessary respacing. Basic parameters can be set first, and overall formats established. Text should be imported next (and details finalized if necessary), normally followed by design graphics if any. Tables, images, and other content can then be inserted and spaced page by page to give good appearance and flow to each page and to the document as a whole. Another check for errors, as well as verification that file(s) are correctly formatted for export, completes the process.
Diligent attention to copy editing, design, and desktop production ensures that the scientific information in every publication will be presented to full advantage
The Forest - Where We Belong
No full textMy artistic practice centers on forest landscapes that bridge imagination and reality, embodying the sublimity of life’s perpetual cycle: birth, decay, and renewal. As a mother of two children, I also understand the forest as a womb-like space that nurtures all forms of life. For me, the forest is not only the root of existence but also a partner with whom we share life. This maternal perspective deepens my conviction that the forest is a place of belonging, resilience, and healing. As a Canadian artist who immigrated from South Korea, I am deeply influenced by the traditional Korean worldview that all living beings of the forest–along with inanimate elements such as rocks, soil, and water–possess spirits. Within this belief, the forest is honored as a sacred site of healing. This philosophy closely resonates with the Cree worldview in Canada, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life and recognizes that the forest as a living, spiritual being endowed with life-giving forces (see note 1).
Note 1: Debora, McGregor. “Indigenous Knowledge in Sustainable Forest Management Community-based Approaches Achieve Greater Success,” The Forestry Chronicle, 2002, 833-83
PV Hosting Capacity Assessment of Storage-Integrated Distribution Systems With Constrained PV Curtailment and Load Shedding Under Fault Conditions
No full textIn recent years, distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems have experienced accelerated deployment in distribution networks, driven by inherent advantages. However, high-penetration PV integration introduces
critical operational challenges, including voltage violations and reverse power flows, which become progressively more pronounced as penetration levels increase and may ultimately harm user interests. To comprehensively assess the network’s PV hosting capacity (PVHC) while safeguarding the interests of both PV owners and load consumers, this article proposes a novel stochastic bi-scenario (prefault and postfault) assessment framework, which explicitly quantifies and constrains postfault PV curtailment and load shedding, mediated by battery energy storage systems. We derive an analytical linearized expression for the nonlinear PV curtailment under all N-1 contingencies, transforming the original PVHC assessment model into a tractable mixed-integer linear programming model. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that, an inherent tradeoff exists between reducing fault-induced PV curtailment and enhancing load reliability in storage-integrated grids due to state of charge constraints, which holds significant guiding importance for the practical industrial applicatio
Tree shadows at the Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary
No full textLow winter sun makes long tree shadows on the snow in the forest floor. Note that these are not "snow shadows", which are created when something, for example a spruce bough, stops snow from reaching the ground beneath it, creating a bare spot underneath
Insight into government, March 21, 2025
No full textAlberta's independent newsletter on government & politics
A Method for Evaluating Hyperparameter Sensitivity in Reinforcement Learning
No full textThe number of hyperparameters used in reinforcement learning algorithms has expanded rapidly. Hyperparameters often have complex nonlinear interactions, significantly impact performance, and are difficult to tune across sets of environments. This creates a challenge for practitioners who wish to apply reinforcement learning algorithms to new domains. Several methods have been proposed to study the relationship between algorithms and their hyperparameters, but the community lacks a widely accepted measure for characterizing hyperparameter sensitivity across sets of environments. We propose an empirical methodology for studying the relationship between an algorithm’s hyperparameters and its performance over sets of environments. Our methodology enables practitioners to understand better the degree to which an algorithm’s reported performance is attributable to per-environment hyperparameter tuning. We use our empirical methodology to assess how several commonly used normalization variants affect the hyperparameter sensitivity of PPO. The results suggest that the evaluated normalization variants, which improve performance, also increase hyperparameter sensitivity, indicating that several algorithmic performance improvements may result from an increased reliance on hyperparameter tuning
Dual Credit Health Care Aide (HCA) Program in BRSD
No full textThis project examines the feasibility and implementation of a dual credit Health Care Aide (HCA) program within the Battle River School Division (BRSD), inspired by an existing model from Prairie Rose Public Schools. Aimed at senior high school students in rural Alberta, the initiative seeks to address both educational access for rural students and rural healthcare workforce shortages by offering students the opportunity to complete up to four provincially standardized HCA courses prior to graduation. Afterward, students can complete full HCA certification at any accredited institution in the province. Delivered in partnership with a post-secondary institution, the intervention employs a hybrid learning model combining asynchronous instruction with in-person or virtual labs, conducted at local healthcare facilities or post-secondary campuses. The program’s goals are to enhance academic preparedness, accelerate entry into the healthcare workforce, and increase retention of healthcare professionals in rural areas. This proposal aligns with the priority areas of the Dual Credit Startup Grant, as it connects to local labour market needs, addresses student interests, and will make a meaningful difference in the local context. With initial funding projected to support 40 students across multiple cohorts, the initiative aspires to become a sustainable contributor to rural healthcare training and employment