This worthwhile piece on shit

Source: Rex Features

Worm¡¯s-eye view: 바카라사이트 study explains how to best count parasite eggs

The dry, technical titles of most scientific papers are not known for attracting too many readers, even among specialists in adjacent research fields. So when a paper was published in December billing itself as ¡°¡±, scientists naturally flocked to it like flies to a pile of steaming excrement.

The collective mirth of 바카라사이트 nearly 90,000 people who have viewed 바카라사이트 paper since it was published on 20 December may have been heightened by its first figure, which partly consists of a crude line drawing of a naked woman passing a startlingly large stool.

The paper, 바카라사이트 second half of whose title reads ¡°Distribution of Schistosoma mansoni and Hookworm Eggs in Human Stool¡±, describes how best to obtain accurate counts for 바카라사이트 number of eggs laid by a disease-causing worm in human faecal samples.

The paper¡¯s senior author, Jurg Utzinger, assistant professor in epidemiology at 바카라사이트 Swiss Tropical Institute, denied setting out to cause controversy or to put himself in 바카라사이트 running for an Ig Nobel Prize (바카라사이트 spoof Nobel prizes awarded to serious research that also raises a smile).

He said that 바카라사이트 title derived from 바카라사이트 2009 advertisement calling for a student to work on 바카라사이트 project.

Dr Utzinger added that 바카라사이트 ¡°one brave student who stepped forward¡±, ¡°Piece of Shit¡± lead author Stefanie Krauth (a PhD candidate at 바카라사이트 Swiss institution), also produced 바카라사이트 line drawing, which was crucial in explaining ¡°to 바카라사이트 study participants that we were interested in 바카라사이트 real thing - 바카라사이트 full ¡®sausages¡¯ - not just a tiny bit¡±.

He said that none of 바카라사이트 paper¡¯s referees had objected to 바카라사이트 title. One had written: ¡°The use of 바카라사이트 word ¡®shit¡¯ is perhaps a bit gratuitous, but if that is what it takes to draw attention to neglected tropical disease, so be it!¡±

The paper has been reported by several newspapers, including France¡¯s Le Monde. Dr Utzinger said he was ¡°surprised by 바카라사이트 many accurate summaries of our work¡±.

Ms Krauth added that positive comments on 바카라사이트 paper far outnumbered 바카라사이트 few negative remarks about 바카라사이트 swearing.

¡°Piece of Shit¡± is by far 바카라사이트 most read paper in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases¡¯ six-year history.

The journal¡¯s co-editor-in-chief, Peter Hotez, said that through peer review 바카라사이트 ¡°community had spoken. Given that nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 word nor 바카라사이트 article were offensive to any particular group, and 바카라사이트 title and figure were scientifically accurate, we did not feel compelled to make any additional editorial changes.¡±

paul.jump@tsleducation.com