Comments from the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Arrhythmia

Abstract

Welcome to the new volume of the Journal of Arrhythmia, the official journal of the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society (JHRS) and the Asian Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS). The highlight of the 2013 volume is the publication of 2 special issues. The first special issue is titled “Brugada syndrome from bench to bedside,” edited by guest editor Shiro Kamakura, MD, PhD, of the National Cerebral Cardiovascular Center, Japan. This issue will feature 13 Review Articles along with Original Research Papers not only from Japan but also from South Korea and the United States. The second special issue will discuss current topics in Asia, Europe, and the United States about cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), with Chu-Pak Lau, MD, of The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, as the guest editor. As the editor-in-chief, I assure that these special issues will include the latest and comprehensive studies on Brugada syndrome and CRT/ICDs. We are also pleased to announce that a new online submission system, the Elsevier Editorial System (EES), will be implemented in spring 2013. More than 1900 Elsevier journals use the EES. For authors, the EES will guide through the necessary steps in submitting papers. For reviewers, the EES will provide the tools needed to effectively and efficiently review manuscripts, such as the Scopus database. The time from submission to the first decision will take less than 3 weeks on average. I also want to bring to your attention the achievements in 2012. The special issue “Current therapeutic standard for the treatment of atrial fibrillation” featured 9 Review Articles dealing with the basic and clinical aspects of atrial fibrillation, from pathophysiology to surgical treatment. The journal has formed a close relationship with international conferences and with some outstanding EP journals, such as HeartRhythm. At the 2012 Scientific Meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society held in Boston, we had a round table meeting with Douglas P. Zipes, MD, editor-in-chief of HeartRhythm, along with the managing editor and his wife, Mrs. Joan Zipes, who has years of experience in managing manuscripts (Fig. 1). We exchanged opinions about the efficient review process. According to Dr. Zipes, the keywords for a good review are “new,” “true,” and “important.” Editors and reviewers use good judgment according to these criteria—Is the observation brand new? Is the observation true? Is it real? Can you believe the data? These questions also apply to authors in the preparation of their manuscripts. Our editors eagerly await well-written articles on all aspects of cardiac and cardiovascular electrophysiology devoted to the ongoing developments in the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmia, based on what is new, true, and important. Front row (from left): Mrs. Joan Zipes, Dr. Douglas P. Zipes, and Dr. Kazutaka Aonuma. Back row (from left): Dr. Wataru Shimizu, Dr. Masahiko Takagi, and Dr. Akihiko Nogami. To start the year, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to the Journal of Arrhythmia as authors, reviewers, or editors. We recognize the first goal of the journal—to be indexed in MEDLINE and to receive an Impact Factor—while aiming to provide a scientific platform on which to promote excellence and advancement in the study and care of patients with cardiac rhythm disorders, which is our perpetual goal.