High-quality Peer Review Research Articles

Use of artificial intelligence and the future of peer review.

Conducting high-quality peer review of scientific manuscripts has become increasingly challenging. The substantial increase in the number of manuscripts, lack of a sufficient number of peer-reviewers, and questions related to effectiveness, fairness, and efficiency, require a different approach. Large-language models, 1 form of artificial intelligence (AI), have emerged as a new approach to help resolve many of the issues facing contemporary medicine and science. We believe AI should be used to assist in the triaging of manuscripts submitted for peer-review publication.

Addressing Gaps in Competency-Based Medical Education in EEG Instruction, Virtual Learning, and High-Quality Peer Review in Medical Education.

Addressing Gaps in Competency-Based Medical Education in EEG Instruction, Virtual Learning, and High-Quality Peer Review in Medical Education.

Special Issue: Manipulating the Microbiome with CRISPR

The CRISPR JournalVol. 6, No. 3 Call for PapersFree AccessSpecial Issue: Manipulating the Microbiome with CRISPRDeadline for Manuscript Submission: September 30, 2023Guest Editors: Brady Cress and Rodolphe BarrangouGuest Editors: Brady CressInnovative Genomics Institute, UC Berkeley, USA.Search for more papers by this author and Rodolphe BarrangouNC State University, Raleigh, NC, USASearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:1 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2023.29159.cfp2AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail The advent of CRISPR-based technologies has revolutionized our ability to edit the genomes of organisms across the tree of life. Originating from bacteria and archaea as adaptive immune systems, CRISPR-Cas molecular machines provide opportunities to manipulate the microbiome and the virome composition and function. A rapidly mounting body of literature is highlighting the importance of the microbiome for human, livestock, crop, and environmental health and sustainability.The CRISPR Journal is proud to announce a new special issue—Manipulating the Microbiome with CRISPR—to be published in early 2024. We invite researchers to submit articles on original research on any aspect of CRISPR biology; genome editing technologies; and their applications in bacteria, archaea, fungi, and phages. We will also consider guest commentaries and review articles.Specific topics may include (but are not confined to): - Advanced CRISPR-Cas systems for precise manipulation of the microbiome- CRISPR biology and functions in native hosts- Computational and experimental approaches to decipher dynamics between bacteria, viruses, and other mobile genetic elements- Delivery and deployment of CRISPR technologies in archaea, bacteria, and phages- Application of CRISPR tools to edit commensal and pathogenic fungi and mycoviruses- New CRISPR-based microbial functional genomics approaches- CRISPR-enabled microbial molecular recordingArticles will receive prompt peer review and accepted articles will be published online (epub) ahead of print. Please refer to our Instructions for Authors at www.crisprjournal.com before submitting your article. Presubmission inquiries may be sent to The CRISPR Journal (editorial@crisprjournal.com) or to the guest editors directly. This special issue will be published in early 2024; the deadline for submissions is September 30, 2023.The CRISPR Journal is spearheaded by a distinguished editorial board including Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier, George Church, and Virgis Siksnys, and a diverse and inclusive set of CRISPR pioneers across the globe. Advantages of publishing in The CRISPR Journal include:- Rapid, high-quality peer review, and editorial oversight- Fast electronic submission- Maximum exposure: accessible in 170 countries worldwide- High visibility: International press and social media outreach- Open Access options available- Index in PubMed and MedlineVisit the Instructions for Authors:www.crisprjournal.comSubmit your paper for peer review online:https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/CRISPRFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 6Issue 3Jun 2023 InformationCopyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Guest Editors: Brady Cress and Rodolphe Barrangou.Special Issue: Manipulating the Microbiome with CRISPR.The CRISPR Journal.Jun 2023.185-185.http://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2023.29159.cfp2Published in Volume: 6 Issue 3: June 1, 2023PDF download

The Ideal Review Process Is a Three-Way Street

In response to the increasing difficulty of obtaining high quality peer reviews, our invited paper describes the concept of review avoidance and why this phenomenon occurs. In reaffirming the professional responsibilities and potential benefits of reviewing, we also emphasize the interdependent nature of the ideal peer review process. We suggest that the review process is a three-way street where the respective roles and responsibilities of authors, editors and editorial teams, and reviewers are inextricably linked. We present thematic illustrations of undesirable reviewer comments, and a brief synthesis of broad themes in the literature on high-quality reviewing. The synthesis is complemented by a master reviewer’s fine-grained perspective on crafting high quality reviews. A final Appendix presents additional sources that may be informative for prospective reviewers, submitting authors, and those mentors and colleagues who may wish to provide guidance and training to them.

Special Issue: Spatial Omics

GEN BiotechnologyVol. 2, No. 2 Call for PapersFree AccessSpecial Issue: Spatial OmicsDeadline for Manuscript Submission: June 15, 2023Guest Editors: Rong Fan and Omer BayraktarGuest Editors: Rong FanYale UniversitySearch for more papers by this author and Omer BayraktarWellcome Sanger InstituteSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:18 Apr 2023https://doi.org/10.1089/genbio.2023.29076.cfp2AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Single-cell omics has revolutionized biological and biomedical research in the past decade despite the inability to measure single cells in the tissue context. Spatial omics, which allows for profiling a range of biomolecules with high spatial resolution across the central dogma of molecular biology directly in the tissue context, not only offers spatial information but unlocks unprecedented new opportunities to delve into clinical specimens for human biology research, therapeutic discovery, and translational medicine. Spatial omics is becoming one of the fastest-paced growth areas in the biotech industry and poised to drive the next wave of biology revolution with widespread and far-reaching impact in all major fields of life science and medicine.GEN Biotechnology is pleased to announce a call for papers for our inaugural special issue—Spatial Omics.This collection of research articles, reviews, and perspectives will be published in late 2023. We invite researchers to submit without delay manuscripts describing original research on any aspect of spatial and single-cell biological research. We will also consider relevant guest commentaries and review articles.Specific topics may include (but are not confined to): Sequencing based spatial omics (i.e., transcriptome, proteome, epigenome, genome).High-plex imaging of proteins, transcripts, or epigenomic/genomic featuresSpatial proteomics and metabolomicsSpatial multi-omics and multi-modality tissue profilingComputational methods and tools for spatial biology (machine learning, data deconvolution, mathematical modeling, data visualization)Spatial omics to profile tumor heterogeneity and microenvironmentsSpatial omics in neuroscience, neurological or neurodegenerative disease researchSpatial omics in aging, senescence, metabolic and chronic diseases.Manuscripts will receive prompt peer review and accepted articles will be published online (epub) ahead of print. Please refer to our Instructions for Authors at www.liebertpub.com/genbio before submitting your manuscript.Presubmission inquiries may be sent to GEN Biotechnology (editor@genbiotechjournal.com). This special issue will be published in late 2023.Advantages of publishing in GEN Biotechnology include:Rapid, high-quality peer review, and editorial oversightFast electronic submissionMaximum exposure: accessible in 170 countries worldwideHigh visibility: International press and social media outreachOpen Access options availableVisit the Instructions for Authors:www.liebertpub.com/genbioSubmit your paper for peer review online:https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/genbioFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 2Issue 2Apr 2023 InformationCopyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Guest Editors: Rong Fan and Omer Bayraktar.Special Issue: Spatial Omics.GEN Biotechnology.Apr 2023.61-62.http://doi.org/10.1089/genbio.2023.29076.cfp2Published in Volume: 2 Issue 2: April 18, 2023PDF download

Special Issue: Spatial Omics

GEN BiotechnologyVol. 2, No. 1 Call for PapersFree AccessSpecial Issue: Spatial OmicsDeadline for Manuscript Submission: May 15, 2023Guest Editors: Rong Fan and Omer BayraktarGuest Editors: Rong FanYale UniversitySearch for more papers by this author and Omer BayraktarWellcome Sanger InstituteSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:15 Feb 2023https://doi.org/10.1089/genbio.2023.29076.cfpAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Single-cell omics has revolutionized biological and biomedical research in the past decade despite the inability to measure single cells in the tissue context. Spatial omics, which allows for profiling a range of biomolecules with high spatial resolution across the central dogma of molecular biology directly in the tissue context, not only offers spatial information but unlocks unprecedented new opportunities to delve into clinical specimens for human biology research, therapeutic discovery, and translational medicine. Spatial omics is becoming one of the fastest-paced growth areas in the biotech industry and poised to drive the next wave of biology revolution with widespread and far-reaching impact in all major fields of life science and medicine.GEN Biotechnology is pleased to announce a call for papers for our inaugural special issue—Spatial Omics.This collection of research articles, reviews, and perspectives will be published in late 2023. We invite researchers to submit without delay manuscripts describing original research on any aspect of spatial and single-cell biological research. We will also consider relevant guest commentaries and review articles.Specific topics may include (but are not confined to): Sequencing based spatial omics (i.e., transcriptome, proteome, epigenome, genome).High-plex imaging of proteins, transcripts, or epigenomic/genomic featuresSpatial proteomics and metabolomicsSpatial multi-omics and multi-modality tissue profilingComputational methods and tools for spatial biology (machine learning, data deconvolution, mathematical modeling, data visualization)Spatial omics to profile tumor heterogeneity and microenvironmentsSpatial omics in neuroscience, neurological or neurodegenerative disease researchSpatial omics in aging, senescence, metabolic and chronic diseases.Manuscripts will receive prompt peer review and accepted articles will be published online (epub) ahead of print. Please refer to our Instructions for Authors at www.liebertpub.com/genbio before submitting your manuscript.Presubmission inquiries may be sent to GEN Biotechnology (editor@genbiotechjournal.com). This special issue will be published in late 2023.Advantages of publishing in GEN Biotechnology include:Rapid, high-quality peer review, and editorial oversightFast electronic submissionMaximum exposure: accessible in 170 countries worldwideHigh visibility: International press and social media outreachOpen Access options availableVisit the Instructions for Authors:www.liebertpub.com/genbioSubmit your paper for peer review online:https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/genbioFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 2Issue 1Feb 2023 InformationCopyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Guest Editors: Rong Fan and Omer Bayraktar.Special Issue: Spatial Omics.GEN Biotechnology.Feb 2023.3-4.http://doi.org/10.1089/genbio.2023.29076.cfpPublished in Volume: 2 Issue 1: February 15, 2023PDF download

Welcome to Pharmaceutical Communications

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Pharmaceutical Communications-a biannual, open access, and peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish high-quality research articles in the field of basic & advanced pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical Communications is a biannual, peer-reviewed journal published online and in print that primarily publishes research articles and reviews that focus on basic and advanced pharmaceutics. The journal accepts manuscripts related to but not limited to, the processing of pharmaceuticals, such as crystallization, lyophilization, chemical stability of drugs, pharmacokinetics, biopharmaceutics, pro-drug developments, metabolic disposition of bioactive agents, dosage form design, pharmaceutical technology, targeted drug delivery. Other topics include pharmaceutical marketing, pharmaceutical promotion, patient-provider communication, healthcare communication, patient safety, and innovations in the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical Communications primarily accepts original research articles and reviews. However, invited editorial summaries and letters to the editor are also occasionally published. The journal provides a platform for scientists, practitioners, and healthcare professionals to share their knowledge and experiences in the field of pharmaceutics. The journal also serves as a forum for discussing and debating current issues and trends in the pharmaceutical industry. The journal welcomes submissions from academics, practitioners, and industry professionals who wish to share their research and perspectives on topics related to pharmaceutics. In the last two decades, rapid technological advances have enabled researchers to investigate arcane technological phenomena and ask more profound questions. Several pharmaceutical processes involved in the manufacturing of various dosage forms are being unraveled at a rapid pace, high resolution, and with unprecedented details. Authors carrying out investigations leveraging these technologies dealing with the composition, formulation, preparation, or manufacturing and quality control of extemporaneously compounded or commercially manufactured drugs are encouraged to submit their findings to Pharmaceutical Communications. The purpose of this journal is to provide a platform to the scientific fraternity, especially regional and national academics, where they could get their studies published after a rapid, transparent, and high-quality peer review. All the articles published in Pharmaceutical Communications will be freely available to readers immediately after publication. The open-access policy of our journal is likely to increase the readership of articles and enhance their visibility and citation potential. The journal also welcomes submissions from authors from any country. Therefore, I invite you to submit your work to Pharmaceutical Communications. We look forward to receiving your submissions! Professor Dr. Fazli Nasir Editor-In-Chief Rehabilitation Communications

Welcome to Rehabilitation Communications

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Rehabilitation Communications-a biannual, open access, and peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish high-quality research articles in the field of basic & clinical rehabilitation sciences. The journal covers topics such as clinical practice, education, research, policy, and technology in the field of rehabilitation. It strives to promote knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers, clinicians, educators, policymakers, and other professionals in the rehabilitation field. The journal also seeks to promote the application of evidence-based rehabilitation science to practice, research, and policy.
 Rehabilitation Communications, available online and in print, publishes scholarly input from the scientific and broader community related to the important themes in rehabilitation sciences. The journal emphasizes studies integrating the more expansive interdisciplinary fields of rehabilitation sciences with hardcore evidenced based.
 Rehabilitation Communications aims to provide a discussion platform for the rehabilitation community where healthy debate on important topics in rehabilitation sciences is possible. The journal hopes to bring basic scientists, clinicians, administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders to one platform for efficiently utilizing physical, behavioral, and pharmaceutical agents in providing comprehensive care for patients with physical and mental disabilities. Rehabilitation Communications primarily publishes original articles and reviews, however, case reports, short communications, special reports, and letters to the editor are also accepted.
 In the last two decades, rapid technological advances have enabled researchers to investigate arcane biological phenomena and ask more profound questions. Several cellular processes involved in health and disease are being unraveled at a rapid pace, high resolution and with unprecedented details. Authors carrying out investigations leveraging these technologies are encouraged to submit their findings to Rehabilitation Communications.
 The purpose of this journal is to provide a platform to the scientific fraternity, especially regional and national academics, where they could get their studies published after a rapid, transparent, and high-quality peer review. All the articles published in Rehabilitation Communications will be freely available to readers immediately after publication. The open-access policy of our journal is likely to increase the readership of articles and enhance their visibility and citation potential. Therefore, I invite you to submit your work to Rehabilitation Communications. We look forward to receiving your submissions!
 
 Dr Saima Gul
 Editor-In-Chief
 Rehabilitation Communications

Welcome to Microbiological & Immunological Communications

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Microbiological & Immunological Communications-a biannual, open access, and peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish high-quality research articles in the field of basic & clinical microbiology and immunology. The journal covers topics such as clinical practice, education, research, policy, and technology in the field of microbiology and immunology. It strives to promote knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers, clinicians, educators, policymakers, and other professionals in the microbiology and immunology community.
 Microbiological & Immunological Communications, available online and in print, publishes scholarly input from the scientific and broader community related to the important themes in microbiological and immunological sciences. The journal emphasizes studies integrating the more expansive interdisciplinary fields of microbiology and immunology with hardcore evidenced based.
 Microbiological & Immunological publishes studies investigating all aspects of the relationships between infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc) and hosts. Clinical studies and investigations carried out at organismal, organ, and tissue levels can be submitted to this journal, however, studies exploring cellular and molecular mechanisms are encouraged. Animal studies investigating molecular aspects of disease prevention, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment, especially targeting their immunological aspects using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico tools, are also welcomed. The journal also publishes research in mycology and parasitology.
 The purpose of this journal is to provide a platform to the scientific fraternity, especially regional and national academics, where they could get their studies published after a rapid, transparent, and high-quality peer review. All the articles published in Microbiological & Immunological Communications will be freely available to readers immediately after publication. The open-access policy of our journal is likely to increase the readership of articles and enhance their visibility and citation potential. Therefore, I invite you to submit your work to Microbiological & Immunological Communications. We look forward to receiving your submissions!
 Professor Dr. Saeed Khan
 Editor-In-Chief
 Microbiological & Immunological Communications

Responding to Reviewer Needs: A Survey of JACR Reviewer Experience

Peer-reviewed academic journals are dependent upon their reviewers’ generosity of time and expertise to provide high-quality peer review for submitted manuscripts. However, competition for journal reviewers continues to increase as the amount of time for academic work in our health care systems declines. Optimization of the reviewer experience, therefore, is essential to retain those in the current reviewer pool, as well as to attract new reviewers [1-3].

Cardiospace: a novel visionary journal in the cardiovascular space

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death. In recent years, with advances in molecular biology, model animal, bioengineering and data science, the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease has gradually been unveiled, and on top of this, it is even more exciting to see the emergence of potential diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. For instance, the pig-to-human heart transplant is a milestone for the treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure; introduction of PCSK9 inhibitors is considered to be revolutionary for myocardial infarction therapy. With great joy and excitement, we have launched a new journal, Cardiospace, which is a bilingual publishing platform for high-quality original manuscripts covering original basic and clinical research on all aspects of cardiovascular medicine. Cardiospace is a powerful vehicle for researchers to discover and disseminate sound, novel scientific evidence to advance visionary research on personalized care. Cardiospace also features fast and high-quality peer reviews and editorial decisions. Almost all major journals that accept papers covering original research on cardiovascular diseases often have long cycles for peer review and publication, but our goal is to enable researchers to publish rapidly and have open access to their accepted manuscripts. To the best of our knowledge, Cardiospace is the first bilingual journal to publish articles in both English and Chinese. We hope that this bilingual publishing platform can allow broader dissemination of the findings and make these original and inspiring works accessible to readers. Cardiospace is an international peer-reviewed open-access journal covering the latest research findings and therapeutical approaches for the diagnosis, therapy and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Topics include, but are not limited to, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, vascular disease, systemic hypertension, arrhythmia, preventive cardiology, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, and new diagnostic techniques. This journal accepts original manuscripts such as articles, reviews, case reports, editorials and short communications. There are no restrictions on the length of the paper and the total number of the figures and tables. As the Co-Editor-in-Chief, I am grateful to Associate Professor Eliano Pio Navarese and other editorial board members for their willingness to work together for the development of this journal. Together with other editors, we will spare no effort to process all manuscripts rapidly and fairly. Cardiospace aims to be a leading publishing platform worldwide. We are hopeful that this journal will contribute to advancing cardiovascular science and developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular disease.

How to Train the Next Generation to Provide High-Quality Peer-Reviews

Peer-review may be defined as the process through which external experts are invited to scrutinize research material (eg, papers, conference abstracts, grant proposals) to advise on quality, validity, and suitability for publication. Peer-review is important for quality control of published material but can be time-consuming and is often performed voluntarily by a limited pool of experts. Despite being the bedrock of academia, peer-review is rarely incorporated into specialist training programs.

Welcome to Phytopharmacological Communications!

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Phytopharmacological Communications -a biannual, open access, and peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish high-quality research articles in the field of basic & clinical pharmacology of the compounds/extracts obtained from natural sources, especially from plants. The journal emphasizes cellular and molecular investigation of phytocompounds/extracts but will also accept studies investigating pharmacological activities at the tissue and organ level. Sound and relevant in vivo studies are welcomed. Phytopharmacological Communications invites studies investigating the use of plants and their biological and pharmacological effects based on the principles of skeptical inquiry and the scientific method. Key areas of interest are pharmacology, toxicology, and the clinical applications of herbs and natural products in medicine, including studies of herb-drug interactions and other aspects of the safety of herbal medicines. Papers concerned with the effects of common food ingredients and standardized plant extracts, including commercial products, are particularly welcome, as are mechanistic studies on isolated natural phytocompounds. Phytopharmacological Communications is especially interested in ethnopharmacological studies. Ethnopharmacology focuses on the use of traditional medicine in local communities, including its commercial applications. We welcome field studies, pharmacological and clinical studies of chemically profiled extracts, and studies on the quality and composition of naturally derived products. In the last two decades, rapid advances in technology have enabled researchers to investigate arcane biological phenomena and ask deeper questions at the cellular, molecular and atomic levels. Several cellular processes involved in health and disease are being unraveled at a rapid pace, high resolution, and with unprecedented details. Authors carrying out investigations leveraging these technologies such as next genome sequencing, CRISPR-Cas9, digital medicine, 3-D printing, bioinformatics, and stem cell technologies, are encouraged to submit their findings to Phytopharmacological Communications. The purpose of this journal is to provide a platform to the scientific fraternity, especially to the regional and national academics, where they could get their studies published after a rapid, transparent, and high-quality peer review. All the articles published in Phytopharmacological Communications will be freely available to readers immediately after their publication. The open-access policy of our journal is likely to increase the readership of articles and will enhance their visibility and citation potential. Therefore, I invite you to submit your work to Phytopharmacological Communications.

The FASEB Journal announces new streamlined pricing effective January 1, 2022

<i>The FASEB Journal</i> announces new streamlined pricing effective January 1, 2022

Welcome to Molecular Medicine Communications!

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Molecular Medicine Communications-a biannual, open access, and peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish high quality research articles in the field of basic &amp; clinical molecular medicine. The molecular medicine perspective emphasizes cellular and molecular phenomena and interventions rather than the previous conceptual and observational focus on patients and their organs. Molecular Medicine Communications will publish studies investigating the cellular and molecular aspects of medicine, especially related to pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neurosciences, infectious diseases, and molecular medicine in general. Animal studies investigating molecular mechanisms of disease diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment, as well as investigational new compounds using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico tools for mechanistic insights are also welcomed. One aspect of molecular medicine which this journal will have primary focus on, is precision medicine. Advances in precision medicine have already led to powerful new discoveries and several new treatments that are tailored to specific characteristics, such as a person’s genetic makeup, or the genetic profile of an individual’s tumor. This is helping transform the way we can treat diseases such as cancer: Patients with breast, lung, and colorectal cancers, as well as melanomas and leukemias, for instance, routinely undergo molecular testing as part of patient care, enabling physicians to select treatments that improve chances of survival and reduce exposure to adverse effects. In the last two decades, rapid advances in technology have enabled researchers to investigate arcane biological phenomena and ask deeper questions at cellular, molecular and atomic levels. Several cellular processes involved in health and disease are being unraveled at a rapid pace, high resolution, and with unprecedented details. Authors carrying out investigations leveraging these technologies such as next genome sequencing, CRISPR-Cas9, digital medicine, 3-D printing, bioinformatics, and stem cell technologies, are encouraged to submit their finding to Molecular Medicine Communications. The purpose of this journal is to provide a platform to the scientific fraternity, especially to the regional and national academics, where they could get their studies published after a rapid, transparent and high-quality peer-review. All the articles published in Molecular Medicine Communications will be freely available to readers immediately after their publication. Open access policy of our journal is likely to increase the readership of articles and will enhance their visibility and citation potential. Therefore, I invite you to submit your work to Molecular Medicine Communications.

The role and significance of peer-review in Russian and foreign library and information science journals: a comparative analysis

The paper summarizes experience of the authors as peer-reviewers of more than 100 manuscripts in twelve Russian and foreign academic journals on Library and Information Science in the last seven years. Prepared peer-reviews were used for making a list of the most usual critical and special comments for each manuscript that were subsequently structured for the conducted analyzes. Typical issues accompanying the peer-review process are shown. Significant differences between the results of peer-review in Russian and foreign journals are detected: although the initial quality of newly submitted manuscripts is approximately equal, the final published versions in foreign journals addressed all critical and the majority of minor reviewers’ comments, while in Russian journals more than one third of final versions were published with critical gaps. We conclude about low interest in high quality peer reviews among both authors and editors-in-chief in Russian journals. Despite the limitations of the samples, the obtained findings can be useful when evaluating the current peer-review system in Russian academic journals on Library and Information Science.

A long way to go

International Journal of High Dilution Research (IJHDR, HD) published by Groupe International de Recherche sur I'Infinitésimal (GIRI), is a well-established name in homeopathy. HD started its journey under the able guidance Dr. Carlos Renato Zacharias in 2008, and since then the journal achieved the three most important attributes for a scientific publication: readability, respect, and citation. &#x0D; &#x0D; GIRI and Dr. Zacharias has now entrusted me with the responsibility of maintaining HD standards and carrying on the tradition of timely and quality publications. It is a matter of honour for me to join as the new Editor-in-chief of HD. I am grateful and humbled for this entrust GIRI has bestowed upon me. My association with HD editorial members Dr. Zacharias, Dr. Leoni Bonamin and Dr. Silivia Waisse has been a learning experience, and I aim to fully use this experience, to meet the new expectations. &#x0D; &#x0D; In the next few years we aim to achieve new milestones for HD. One of the important and controversial issues with a journal now a day is the impact factor (IF). Many a times, IF and indexing remains a barrier between authors and a journal, particularly in academic peers and recruitment bylaws, although the issue is fiercely debated worldwide. &#x0D; &#x0D; IF should not be the only matter of concern while submission of an article to a journal. It is worth quoting here that “Editors desiring to increase their influence will need to focus on a fast and friendly submission and review process, early online and speedy print publication, and encourage the rapid turnaround of high-quality peer reviews [1]”. But nonetheless, we are ready to deal IF issue in a logical and ethical way. Our aim is now to get HD indexed in major biomedical databases in next couple of years.&#x0D; &#x0D; Second important issue is the transition of HD to its own dedicated domain i.e. www.highdilution.org, which we have successfully achieved. We aim that this will hasten the online publication and sharing easy, quick and personalised. We also expect that this step will encourage more submissions, in an easy and quick manner. Our open access policy and quick review allows wider dissemination of the published work.&#x0D; &#x0D; Down the line our next major objective would be to increase the reader/author participation in HD. Book review, thesis indexing, case discussions and forums are few of popular scientific communication and we aim to explore these options for the HD through our online platform.&#x0D; &#x0D; Another important issue for a journal is quality and interesting article. A scientific article cannot be cooked, rather it is the reflection of research and efforts one puts in. HD not only supports publications of quality articles, but also believes in taking remedial measures. In next few years our target is to educate fraternity about scientific study design, research methodology, conduct, analysis, and publication.&#x0D; &#x0D; Together with Dr. Zacharias, I would like to welcome the new editorial committee members who begin their tenures with me. Most of the existing members will continue in their positions, as their experience of the last few years is invaluable. I would also like to thank all our readers, authors, and reviewers for their support of the journal. Our aim to be the pre-eminent bio-medical journal is only possible with your contributions.&#x0D; &#x0D; Wishing our readers a very happy and prosperous year 2015!

High-Quality Peer Review of Clinical and Translational Research: A Practical Guide

High-Quality Peer Review of Clinical and Translational Research: A Practical Guide

Guidelines for reporting on animal fecal transplantation (GRAFT) studies: recommendations from a systematic review of murine transplantation protocols

ABSTRACT Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is a powerful tool used to connect changes in gut microbial composition with a variety of disease states and pathologies. While FMT enables potential causal relationships to be identified, the experimental details reported in preclinical FMT protocols are highly inconsistent and/or incomplete. This limitation reflects a current lack of authoritative guidance on reporting standards that would facilitate replication efforts and ultimately reproducible science. We therefore systematically reviewed all FMT protocols used in mouse models with the goal of formulating recommendations on the reporting of preclinical FMT protocols. Search strategies were applied across three databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Ovid Medline) until June 30, 2020. Data related to donor attributes, stool collection, processing/storage, recipient preparation, administration, and quality control were extracted. A total of 1753 papers were identified, with 241 identified for data extraction and analysis. Of the papers included, 92.5% reported a positive outcome with FMT intervention. However, the vast majority of studies failed to address core methodological aspects including the use of anaerobic conditions (91.7% of papers lacked information), storage (49.4%), homogenization (33.6%), concentration (31.5%), volume (19.9%) and administration route (5.3%). To address these reporting limitations, we developed theGuidelines for Reporting Animal Fecal Transplant (GRAFT) that guide reporting standards for preclinical FMT. The GRAFT recommendations will enable robust reporting of preclinical FMT design, and facilitate high-quality peer review, improving the rigor and translation of knowledge gained through preclinical FMT studies.

Scholarly publishing and journal targeting in the time of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: a cross-sectional survey of rheumatologists and other specialists.

The evolving research landscape in the time of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic calls for greater understanding of the perceptions of scholars regarding the current state and future of publishing. An anonymised and validated e-survey featuring 30 questions was circulated among rheumatologists and other specialists over social media to understand preferences while choosing target journals, publishing standards, commercial editing services, preprint archiving, social media and alternative publication activities. Of 108 respondents, a significant proportion were clinicians (68%), researchers (60%) and educators (47%), with median 23 publications and 15 peer-review accomplishments. The respondents were mainly rheumatologists from India, Ukraine and Turkey. While choosing target journals, relevance to their field (69%), PubMed Central archiving (61%) and free publishing (59%) were the major factors. Thirty-nine surveyees (36%) claimed that they often targeted local journals for publishing their research. However, only 18 (17%) perceived their local society journals as trustworthy. Occasional publication in the so-called predatory journals (5, 5%) was reported and obtaining support from commercial editing agencies to improve English and data presentation was not uncommon (23, 21%). The opinion on preprint archiving was disputed; only one-third believed preprints were useful. High-quality peer review (56%), full and immediate open access (46%) and post-publication social media promotion (32%) were identified as key anticipated features of scholarly publishing in the foreseeable future. These perceptions of surveyed scholars call for greater access to free publishing, attention to proper usage of English and editing skills, and a larger role for engagement over social media.