Ten Good Years

Abstract

I take this opportunity to look back at the 10 years of my editorship. Circulation Research has been a force to be reckoned with in my life and career for the last 10 eventful years. Much has been accomplished, much has changed: in the journal, as in cardiovascular science. We, my Associate Editors, and I have done our best to usher in the new millennium, while remaining true stewards of this venerable publication. Circulation Research had another banner year in 2008. In total, we received 1983 manuscript submissions in 2008, a 53% increase in manuscript submissions over those received in 1999, when the Marban editorship began. Figure 1 tracks the steadily increasing manuscript submissions received since 1990. Submissions are tracking on course in 2009 to date. As in past years, the Editors of Circulation Research have maintained a competitively low acceptance rate, now 15% (Figure 2). When we took over the reins in July 1999, the acceptance rate was 22%. We sought to continue to improve the journal by tightening the acceptance rate; corollary efforts included determinations to reduce the reject de novo rate, to triage inappropriate papers at an early editorial stage, and to give authors meaningful feedback in our decision letters. Figure 3 highlights the trends in acceptance rates for the last 10 years, noting the steady decrease from 22% in 1999% to 16% in 2008. Figure 1. Annual manuscript submissions to Circulation Research for 1990 to 2008. Figure 2. Percentage of final decisions rendered by Circulation Research 2009 to date. Figure 3. Trends in annual acceptance rates for 1998 to 2009 to date. Circulation Research has an unmistakable global presence, evidenced by the diverse geographic distribution of manuscripts submitted to the journal in 2008 (Figure 4 …