Editorial Note: Change of Publisher and New Policies

The first volume of DNA Research was published in 1994, andsince then, it has been published as a leading journal in thefield. The online version of the journal was launched in 2000.From its launch, the online journal has been freely accessibleto all readers without charge. Though thorough analysis hasnot been performed to     

Saline Systems highlights for 2005

On the 4^th of July, 2005, the Saline Systems editorial group launched the new online open access journal, Saline Systems, with BioMed Central as the publisher. The scope of the journal includes both basic and applied research on halophilic organisms and saline environments, from gene systems to ecosystems. The stated goal of the journal is to meet publication needs for researchers working in coastal and inland saline environments and provide an interdisciplinary and readily accessible forum for scientists worldwide. The inaugural volume of the journal contains a significant number of high quality original research papers and reviews on a wide range of relevant topics. At the end of the launch period, from January 1, 2006 onwards, the journal will be introducing article-processing charges to cover the cost of publication. Charges will be partly or completely waived for authors from BioMed Central institutional subscribers and in cases of financial hardship.     

Cell death in disease: from 2010 onwards

The strong interest in cell death, and the shift in emphasis from basic mechanisms to translational aspects fostered the launch last year of the new sister journal of Cell Death and Differentiation, named Cell Death and Disease, to reflect its stronger focus towards clinical applications. Here, we review that first year of activity, which reflects an enthusiastic response by the scientific community. On the basis of this, we now launch two novel initiatives, the start of a new section dedicated to cancer metabolism and the opening of a new editorial office in Shanghai.     

Microbial Biotechnology is 15! An adventure in journal parenting

This year, 2022, Microbial Biotechnology (MBT) celebrates its 15th birthday. In journal terms, 15 is adulthood. It has been a privilege to develop the idea, launch the journal, nurture it in its infancy and stimulate and support it during its adolescence and early adulthood. The success of MBT – its growth over the last 4 years averaging > 30%, and the highest impact factor in the field, making it the leading research journal in applied microbiology/microbial biotechnology and the most attractive to publish in – gives us enormous pleasure and satisfaction, and not a little pride.     

A new name for parasitology today

Parasitology Today is officially the Number One ranked journal in parasitology (impact factor 4.940). Since its launch in 1985, Parasitology Today has been part of the Trends Journal series - the most highly cited group of monthly review journals in the world, that includes Trends in Biochemical Sciences, Trends in Microbiology, Trends in Genetics, Immunology Today and Trends in Cell Biology.     

Good Time for Cell Adhesion and Migration

Our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling cell adhesion and migration has never been so high. The era of “molecular interactions” requires an appropriate tool for exchanging views, presenting outstanding results and discussing new concepts in the field. This is why we decided to launch Cell Adhesion and Migration (CAM), a multi-disciplinary journal publishing original research articles and reviews covering the latest aspects of cellular and molecular mechanisms and their regulation both during physiological and pathological processes.     

The New Phytologist Forum

New Phytologist has, throughout its history, been a forum for open debate – indeed, in his opening editorial (1902), Tansley referred to 'easy communication and discussion' as being the main ideas for the journal launch. The Internet now offers exciting new ways for sharing information, and this has challenged all information providers to reassess what they offer. It is our intention that the new Forum section in the journal should formalize our standing commitment, and encourage serious dialogue – through scientific commentary, correspondence and opinion.
As the journal approaches its hundredth year, so the need for dialogue is stronger than ever. More and more science is published, making it harder, year on year, to keep abreast of important developments. Science is also global, making discussion confined to those within one country or economic bloc to be too restrictive. And as the pressure to publish is as strong as it has ever been, so the free flow of original and unorthodox ideas can too easily become stifled.
New Phytologist , as a high-impact, high-quality journal, with its international scope and fierce independence – the Trust is not answerable to any society or commercial publisher – is a respected vehicle for such material. We invite you to participate, and to join us in helping the Forum to develop.     

努力打造一流学术期刊,积极推动植物科学发展——庆祝《广西植物》创刊40周年

在庆祝《广西植物》创刊40周年之际,回顾了《广西植物》的发展历程,可分为4个阶段:初创内部刊物,萌芽起步; 国内外公开发行,期刊影响力提升; 抓住机遇,实现期刊跨越式发展; 打造期刊品牌特色,以特色栏目带动期刊整体发展。以创刊以来发表的学术论文为研究对象,基于中国知网和CNKI中国引文数据库的数据,使用引证分析法,从发文信息量、报道对象、稿源及作者队伍特点、论文资助项目、被国内期刊引用情况、发表文章下载量等方面分析了期刊的学术影响力。总结了期刊在以下方面所取得的成绩:发现人才和培养人才,为人才的成长提供优良平台; 期刊评价的各项指标提升,期刊影响力扩大; 围绕国家战略和重大社会需求,策划研究热点,打造学科特色栏目; 扩大作者群和读者群,加强编委会建设等。展望未来,面临巨大挑战。对此,笔者提出以下设想:第一,围绕创新型国家和科技强国建设任务,提升期刊的学术引领能力和品牌影响力; 第二,聚焦国家重大战略需求,围绕重大主题打造重点专栏、组织专题和专刊,服务经济社会发展主战场。第三,顺应媒体融合发展趋势,适应移动化、智能化的发展方向,探索全媒体出版等新型出版模式,加快期刊融合发展。第四,适度增加国际编委比例,提供论文英文长摘要,加强双语学术网站建设,提升开放办刊水平和国际传播能力,努力打造国内一流并具有国际影响力的学术期刊。     

Crop Residue Considerations for Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Supplies

The anticipated 2014 launch of three full-scale corn stover bioenergy conversion facilities is a strong US market signal that cellulosic feedstock supplies must increase dramatically to supply the required biomass in a sustainable manner. This overview highlights research conducted by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Renewable Energy Assessment Project (now known as the Resilient Economic Agricultural Practices) team as part of the National Institute for Food and Agriculture Sun Grant Regional Feedstock Partnership Corn Stover team. Stover and grain yield, soil organic carbon, soil aggregation, greenhouse gas, energy content of the stover, and several other factors affecting the fledgling bioenergy industry are addressed in this special issue of the journal.     

军校预防医学专业本科学员临床课程教学现状及建议

随着医学模式的转变,预防医学已经成为现代医疗体系的重要组成部分,在提高公共卫生健康水平方面发挥着越来越重要的作用。为了更好地开展预防医学工作,预防医学专业学员不仅要掌握牢固的预防医学专业知识,更要具备丰富的临床医学知识。针对预防医学专业本科学员的临床课程教学,我校经过多年的探索与改革,已经积累了丰富经验,教学质量较高;但现阶段仍然存在着一些问题。本文分析我校预防医学专业本科学员临床课程的教学现状及存在的主要问题,并提出建议;从而为进一步提高预防医学专业本科学员的临床课程教学质量提供依据。     

Xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the medical milieu during the Occupation as seen through the journal "Concours Médical"

Analysis of a well-known medical journal, the Concours Médical reveals the attitude among the French medical corps between 1940 and 1944. This journal kept its readers informed of the various stages of xenophobia and anti-Semitism under the Vichy government. It provided the decisions adopted, and the application of measures prohibiting foreign and Jewish physicians to practice, regularly publishing lists. Analysis of the editions published under the occupation clearly shows the xenophobia and anti-Semitism that existed among a certain population of French practitioners.     

Content analysis of oncology-related pharmaceutical advertising in a peer-reviewed medical journal

Background

The oncology market represents one of the largest pharmaceutical markets in any medical field, and printed advertising in medical journals is an important channel by which pharmaceutical companies communicate with healthcare professionals. The aim of the present study was to analyze the volume and content of and trends and changes in oncology-related advertising intended for healthcare professionals in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Information that could be included in advertisements to promote drug development and improve treatment strategies for cancer patients is discussed on the basis of the results of the analysis.

Methods/Principal Findings

Overall, 6,720 advertisements covering 13,039 pages in a leading oncology medical journal published (by the American Society of Clinical Oncology) between January 2005 and December 2009 were analyzed. The advertisements targeting pharmaceuticals and clinical trials, in particular, were reviewed. A total of 6,720 advertisements covering 13,039 pages were included in the analysis. For the years 2005–2009, the percentages of total journal pages dedicated to advertising were 24.0%, 45.7%, 49.8%, 46.8%, and 49.8%, respectively. Package insert information and efficacy and safety explanations appeared in more than 80% of advertisements intended for pharmaceutical promotion. From 2005 to 2009, the overall quantity of drug advertisements decreased by approximately 13%, whereas advertisements calling for the enrollment of patients into registration trials increased by approximately 11%.

Conclusion/Significance

Throughout the study period, oncology-related pharmaceutical advertisements occupied a considerable number of pages relative to other journal content. The proportion of advertisements on ongoing clinical trials increased progressively throughout the study period.     

Growth and development of biofeedback: a bibliographic analysis

A computerized search was performed, and a bibliography was prepared on the subject of biofeedback covering the years from 1964 to 1985. Growth curves were produced for various publication media. The search produced references to 2,431 journal articles, 102 books, 79 popular magazine articles, and 551 doctoral dissertations. The journal articles were sorted according to the country of publication, language, and primary topic of the journal. Citations were found from 35 countries, written in 18 languages. All the media studied showed a period of rapid growth during the early to middle 1970s, but there was a tendency for leveling off or slight decline during the early 1980s. Publication of articles in medical journals has shown the greatest growth, and more articles are published yearly in medical journals than in journals of any other discipline or all specialty journals combined. Publication in psychological journals has shown a decline since 1977. Dental, nursing, and educational journals have shown a low rate of publication of biofeedback articles, indicating little or no growth.     

Glycation research in amino acids: a place to call home

This is an introduction to a collection of review articles by leading investigators in the field of protein glycation research, see following articles in this issue. With this we launch a section of this journal now established for presentation of research results, reviews and commentaries on protein glycation and related topics. Glycation is the spontaneous, non-enzymatic reaction of protein with saccharides and saccharide derivatives. Although studied in the modern scientific era for over 100 years, its importance in the biology, medicine, food and nutrition, pharmacology and toxicology, and technological processing remains intriguingly undisclosed. In this section of amino acids, research on glycation is a qualifier for publication. Glycation research now has a place to call home.     

Growth and development of biofeedback: A bibliographic analysis

A computerized search was performed, and a bibliography was prepared on the subject of biofeedback covering the years from 1964 to 1985. Growth curves were produced for various publication media. The search produced references to 2,431 journal articles, 102 books, 79 popular magazine articles, and 551 doctoral dissertations. The journal articles were sorted according to the country of publication, language, and primary topic of the journal. Citations were found from 35 countries, written in 18 languages. All the media studied showed a period of rapid growth during the early to middle 1970s, but there was a tendency for leveling off or slight decline during the early 1980s. Publication of articles in medical journals has shown the greatest growth, and more articles are published yearly in medical journals than in journals of any other discipline or all specialty journals combined. Publication in psychological journals has shown a decline since 1977. Dental, nursing, and educational journals have shown a low rate of publication of biofeedback articles, indicating little or no growth.We thank Ken Hartman for his assistance in performing this study.     

Nothing to see here

Based on one company's past poor publishing practices, a top-tier medical journal misguidedly stigmatizes any paper from industry.     

Fifty-Year Fate and Impact of General Medical Journals

Background

Influential medical journals shape medical science and practice and their prestige is usually appraised by citation impact metrics, such as the journal impact factor. However, how permanent are medical journals and how stable is their impact over time?

Methods and Results

We evaluated what happened to general medical journals that were publishing papers half a century ago, in 1959. Data were retrieved from ISI Web of Science for citations and PubMed (Journals function) for journal history. Of 27 eligible journals publishing in 1959, 4 have stopped circulation (including two of the most prestigious journals in 1959) and another 7 changed name between 1959 and 2009. Only 6 of these 27 journals have been published continuously with their initial name since they started circulation. The citation impact of papers published in 1959 gives a very different picture from the current journal impact factor; the correlation between the two is non-significant and very close to zero. Only 13 of the 5,223 papers published in 1959 received at least 5 citations in 2009.

Conclusions

Journals are more permanent entities than single papers, but they are also subject to major change and their relative prominence can change markedly over time.