From Nature:

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Publication and the media

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Original research papers are assigned to an issue two weeks before publication, at which time authors will receive an e-mail notifying them of their scheduled publication date. Many papers are published online ahead of the print publication date: these authors will also be informed by e-mail when the online publication date is confirmed. All authors are informed of publication dates, whether ahead of or simultaneous with, the printed issue, on the day that Nature schedules them.

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A week before the publication of an issue, Nature’s press office distributes a press release summarizing the content and highlighting papers of particular interest. Journalists are given the names of corresponding authors, together with phone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses. On the Friday before publication, journalists are also given online access to the full text of all papers due to appear in that issue, whether or not the paper is summarized in the press release. They are permitted to show papers to independent specialists of their own choosing a few days in advance of publication, again under embargo conditions, solely for the purpose of eliciting comments on the work described.

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Authors should try and be available to answer any enquiries in the days leading up to publication. Before publication, Nature\'s press office also informs the public information departments of all authors’ institutions to allow them to prepare their own publicity. Authors and their institutions are advised to coordinate any of their own publicity with Nature\'s press office, in the first instance by e-mail after their paper is accepted for publication.

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The content of the press release and material described therein is embargoed until 1800 London time/1300 US Eastern Time on the day before publication and in all cases, authors are required to comply with Nature\'s pre-publicity and embargo policies.

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