Terms of Service and Conditions



Purpose of this site:

  • The purpose of the Simple Scattering website site, formerly known as Simple SAXS, herein referred to as "SIMPLE SCATTERING" or "SITE" is to allow the public distribution of uncurated small-angle scattering (SAS) data along with uncurated supplemental data, supporting materials and metadata for educational, informational, and research purposes. "Small-angle scattering" will herein be referred to as "SAS".
  • It is expected that the SAS data was been collected at home X-ray sources and synchrotron radiation sources. The data may have been collected in a high-throughput manner, or coupled with other methods such as size-exclusion chromatography.
  • It is also expected that the people that submit or upload data, content or information, which herein will be referred to as "RESEARCHER(S)" or "AUTHOR(S)" are professional scientific researchers. "RESEARCHERS" may include University or college students, graduate students, postdocs, principal investigators. "RESEARCHER(S)" or "AUTHOR(S)" may also include staff at companies, and scientists and staff at SAS beamlines, or anyone connected with the SAS experiment(s). The supervisors, project leaders, principal investigators in charge of the RESEARCHER(S) and AUTHOR(S) will herein referred to as "LEADER".
  • Visitors to this site will herein be referred to as "USER(S)", which may also include "RESEARCHER(S) or "AUTHOR(S)".

Content and Information:

    Per our policy, the content uploaded by RESEARCHER(S) or AUTHOR(S) is expected to consist of a dataset containing SAS data along with metadata about the experimental conditions, RESEARCHER(S) or AUTHOR(S) and their organizations. Collectively, the content comprising a dataset - SAS data, metadata, supplemental data, and/or supporting materials will herein be referred to as "DATA"
  • SAS DATA: Uploaded SAS DATA will be in the form of text, that includes a scattering angle, intensity and error.
  • At minimum an uploaded dataset will include at least one file consisting of data from one SAS experiment.
  • Uploaded SAS data may also contain multiple files representing more than one SAS experiment.
  • Uploading SAS detector images is prohibited.
    A dataset may also include one or more of the following:
  • Supplemental data and supporting materials: Supplemental data may be deposited in the form of X-ray crystal structure coordinates, Multi-angle light scattering data (MALS) data, Quasi-elastic scattering data (QELS) or other forms of experimental data to support the SAS data, either as a plain text file, or as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. Supplemental materials may also include an additional description of experimental details or the AUTHOR'S interpretation of the data.
  • Metadata about the experiment: The dataset may include an abstract, experimental methods, and information about the file organization of the SAS data files.
  • Metadata about the RESEARCHERS: Each dataset may include information about the RESEARCHER(S), which in some parts of the site may also be referred to as "AUTHOR(S)". This may include their name(s), email address(es), the organization they belong to and the country where the RESEARCHER or their organization resides or works.
  • Additionally, the name and email of other LEADER that supervised the generation of the materials, the preparation of samples, and the description of the data or supplemental data may also be present.
  • The AUTHOR(S) or RESEARCHER(S) must have permission of the LEADER to provide the LEADER's name and email.
  • Additionally, the names of other AUTHOR(S) that helped generate materials or helped in the preparation of samples, or describing the data or supplemental data may also be present.

Validity of the data, data quality and other content:

  • The SAS DATA, supplemental data, supporting materials, and corresponding metadata and any other content featured on this site are uncurated. We perform no tests, screening for the validity of any of the DATA or metadata. Uploaded DATA is not required to be peer reviewed by anyone. Therefore, any DATA, supplemental data, supporting materials or metadata, may be doctored, altered or entirely fictional.
  • While we may remove DATA that does not appear to be of the correct format or may appear to be against the policies of the SITE, we will not screen, test, or otherwise validate any of the SAS data, supplemental data or supporting materials.
  • THE DATA OR ANY OTHER CONTENT OR INFORMATION ON THIS SITE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS". THE AUTHOR(S), RESEARCHER(S), THE SITE PUBLISHER OR OWNER, SITE ADMINISTRATORS, OR SITE DEVELOPERS WILL ASSUME NO LIABILITY NOR RESPONSIBILITY TO ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RELATED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO THE DATA, CONTENT OR INFORMATION ON THIS SITE. NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE. THE PUBLISHER OR OWNER OF THE SITE, SITE ADMINISTRATORS, OR SITE DEVELOPERS WILL PROVIDE NO REMEDY FOR INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THIS SITE OR THE DATA, CONTENT OR INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THIS SITE, INCLUDING SUCH FROM NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, EVEN AFTER NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Data Uploading, Storage and Security

    The intended use for the Simple Scattering site is to provide the public with access to experimental DATA, it is policy to only store SAS and SAS related data with the intent of public display and retrieval.
  • It is policy that all data uploaded by RESEARCHER(S) is intended to be free of all copyright restrictions and made fully and freely available for non-commercial and/or commercial use.
  • It is policy that USER(S) and/or RESEARCHER(S) do not store DATA on this site for any other purpose, including private storage.
  • It is policy that the DATA may be stored on the site in "draft" mode (unreleased to the public) while a publication (scientific journal article, book, or book chapter) is in preparation, however, upon publication of the DATA, the data is expected to be set to "published" mode (released to the public) within 90 days after publication acceptance.
  • The SITE stores some of the DATA on third-party services, such as Amazon Web Services. The site may also be hosted on a third-party service. Third-party services such as Google may also be used to collect site usage statistics. THE SITE OWNER OR PUBLISHER, SITE ADMINISTRATORS, OR SITE DEVELOPERS WILL ASSUME NO LIABILITY NOR RESPONSIBILITY TO ANY PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RELATED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO THE DATA, CONTENT OR INFORMATION BY THIRD-PARTY SERVICES. It is up to the RESEARCHER(S) or AUTHOR(S) to investigate the Terms of Service and Privacy policies of these third-party services, and agree to their policies.
  • You should perform the searches yourself, but here are some links to Third-party services that may be helpful:
  • The site OWNER, PUBLISHER, SITE ADMINISTRATORS are not obligated to store your data.
  • The site OWNER, PUBLISHER, SITE ADMINISTRATORS are not obligated to publish your data.
  • No guarantees or warranties are made that your use of this SITE will not be intercepted, monitored, or redirected to other parties, or that you may receive data and content from other parties which may be malicious.
  • While we may attempt to screen the DATA and the RESEARCHER(S) or USER(S) uploading content for suspicious activity and content, we may not check and remove DATA, CONTENT, or INFORMATION (or a particular RESEARCHER(S), USER(S) account) with any non-scientific, malicious, or offensive content prior to when it may be displayed or downloaded.
  • There is the possibility that DATA that is still in draft or unpublished mode may be hacked, intercepted or downloaded by unauthorized individuals or other entities. Therefore it is against policy that RESEARCHER(S) upload any DATA, CONTENT, OR INFORMATION with proprietary or monetary value, or any DATA that has any intellectual property rights, or any DATA that RESEARCHER(S) or USER(S) wish to not be available to the public.
  • The RESEARCHER(S) or USER(S) are exclusively responsible for the DATA, CONTENT, or INFORMATION that they submit or upload to the SIMPLE SCATTERING SITE and shall indemnify and hold SIMPLE SCATTERING, THE SITE OWNER OR PUBLISHER, SITE ADMINISTRATORS, OR SITE DEVELOPERS free and harmless in connection with their use of the SIMPLE SCATTERING SITE.
  • It is against policy for RESEARCHER(S) or USER(S) to submit or upload DATA that have personal identifiable information that will identify patients or persons from which samples or any data were derived.
  • The only personal identifiable information allowed is that of the RESEARCHER(S) and AUTHOR(S) who have submitted or uploaded DATA, including their names, email addresses, respective organizations, countries.
  • Permission must be granted by any RESEARCHER(S) and AUTHOR(S) to add their names and email addresses to the site by the RESEARCHER OR USER that is submitting or uploading DATA.
  • RESEARCHER(S) and AUTHOR(S) shall ensure that their content is suitable for public display and download. It is policy that that no uploaded DATA, CONTENT OR INFORMATION shall be unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable, and that it complies with our policies, as well as applicable laws, including, but not limited to, privacy, data protection and intellectual property rights.
  • SIMPLE SCATTERING does not solicit nor do we wish to receive any confidential, secret or proprietary information or other material from you through the SITE, by email, or in any other way. Any DATA, CONTENT, INFORMATION, creative works, demos, ideas, suggestions, concepts, methods, systems, designs, plans, techniques or other materials submitted, uploaded or sent to SIMPLE SCATTERING will be deemed not to be confidential or secret, and may be used by us in any manner consistent the SITE'S Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
  • By submitting, uploading or sending DATA to us, you: (1) represent and warrant that the DATA and Submitted Materials are original to you, that no other party has any rights thereto, and that any "moral rights" in DATA and Submitted Materials have been waived, and (2) you grant us a royalty-free, unrestricted, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive and fully transferable, assignable and sublicensable right and license to copy, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, distribute, perform, display and incorporate in other works any DATA in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed.
  • THE PUBLISHER OR OWNER OF THE SITE, SITE ADMINISTRATORS, OR SITE DEVELOPERS WILL PROVIDE NO REMEDY FOR INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THIS SITE, THE LOSS OF THE DATA STORED ON THIS SITE OR ON THIRD-PARTY STORAGE SYSTEMS, INCLUDING SUCH FROM NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, EVEN AFTER NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Removal of Users, DATA, content, or the Simple Scattering Site

  • We reserve the right to remove any USER(S) or RESEARCHER(S) and their respective account(s), without notice, from the site at any time without liability and for any reason.
  • We reserve the right to remove DATA, CONTENT, INFORMATION, datasets, SAS data, metadata, supporting data, supplemental materials, or any other content, without notice and without liability for any reason.
  • We may take the SIMPLE SCATTERING SITE down at any time, and at which time, you will lose all of your DATA, including all datasets containing SAS data, metadata, supporting data, supplemental materials.

Allowing Uploading and Editing of DATA and Content from an Admin

  • With your permission, you may allow an admin of this site to upload your DATA on your behalf and edit your metadata.
  • You will be responsible for publishing your data.

Site Usage and Crediting Researchers

  • DATA obtained from this site is free of copyright, to use and distribute freely for commercial or non-commercial use.
  • The use of any DATA or content from SIMPLE SCATTERING does not transfer any intellectual property or proprietary rights in the DATA or content to the SITE USER or SITE Visitor.
  • Upon using any data obtained from this site, it is appreciated that the Researchers and/or Authors are given credit.
  • A code is generated for each dataset which may be used to identify a dataset when giving credit, such as "Simple Scattering code: ABC123"

Changes to the Terms of Service

  • The Terms of Service are subject to change by the SITE OWNER or SITE ADMINISTRATOR(S) at any time and without notice
  • Any updates to the Terms of Service or Privacy Policy will apply to all DATA, CONTENT, AND INFORMATION, and any collected USER information or statistics that may have been submitted under a previous Terms of Service or Privacy Policy.
  • If you do not agree to any of the terms written above, please discontinue the use of this SITE and service.

Contact us:

    If you have any questions or concerns about our terms of service, please contact us.