Publication Of Special Issue Research Articles

Special Issue—Public Theology in Brazil

Special Issue—Public Theology in Brazil

Call for papers: Special Issue Public Relations Review

Call for papers: Special Issue Public Relations Review

Special issue in computing and visualization in science (CVS), related to the European multigrid conference, EMG 2010

With great pleasure we present the special issue in CVS related to the European Multigrid conference, which took place on the island Isola d’Ischia in Italy from 19 to 23 September, 2010. The conference was organized by Alfio Borzi (at that time at the Universita degli Studi del Sannio, in Benevento, Italy, now at the University of Wurzburg, Germany), and Cornelis Oosterlee, from the CWI—Center for Mathematics and Computer Science in Amsterdam, and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. In fact, we have two special issues in two journals, as both organizers are handling editors of different journals. Next to this issue in CVS, we will have a second one in the journal Numerical Mathematics: Theory, Methods and Applications (NM-TMA). Both issues appear at approximately the same time, and contain seven contributions each, which makes fourteen special issue publications related to EMG2010 in total. TheEMGconference series provides a forum for researchers to present and discuss recent advances on the development, theory, and application of multigrid, multilevel, and multiscale methodologies. Previous EMG conferences were held inCologne (1981, 1985), Bonn(1990), Amsterdam (1993), Stuttgart (1996), Gent (1999), Hohenwart (2002), Scheveningen (2005), Bad Herrenhalb (2008). With the

600号・学会創立50周年記念「日本塑加工学会 この50年の足跡と将来像」発刊にあたって

600号・学会創立50周年記念「日本塑加工学会 この50年の足跡と将来像」発刊にあたって

OMIPs—Orchestrating multiplexity in polychromatic science

CYTOMETRY is spearheading advances in quantitative cell based research with its technological emphasis on flow and image based cytometric assays. However, it is not only the innovative technologies but also innovations in increasing the quality and reliability of scientific publications. The prominent example is the MIFlowCyt standard that has been published 2 years ago (1) defining the minimal information that is needed to understand and repeat flow cytometry-based experiments. As of today, two manuscripts were published that were prepared in compliance with MIFlowCyt. One by Blimkie et al. (2) and the second now by Heimbeck and colleagues (this issue: page 823). Both manuscripts serve as prototype papers for authors to make their upcoming work in agreement with the rules. To ease their burden, our team has developed a checklist (this issue: page 813) that simplifies MIFlowCyt adaptation of a new manuscript. In this issue is the inauguration of a new publication type for Cytometry Part A, Optimized Multicolor Immunofluorescence Panel (OMIP). OMIPs are designed to fill a gap in the literature: a mechanism for communicating and disseminating complex panels of reagents designed to interrogate phenotypic or functional aspects of cells. Since panels are basically methodological in nature, it is extravagant to devote an entire research paper to a single panel and most journals are appropriately loathe to do so. Similarly, including panel development in the eventual biological research publication is made difficult by publication constraints. Nonetheless, the development and optimization of these panels can be very complex, time-consuming, and laborious, akin to optimization of any new technique in a laboratory; disseminating that information is highly valuable. As proposed, OMIPs will occupy only two printed pages, with a significant amount of supplemental information. Hence, the OMIP becomes a parsimonious publication mechanism by which information about the panel optimization and use can be communicated. By doing so in a peer-reviewed, citable publication, those who have carried out this significant effort can be suitably recognized for their work. In addition, the OMIP can serve to dramatically shorten development efforts in labs that are initiating a new immunophenotyping study, by providing a suitably-optimized panel or, at a minimum, a significant body of information from which a suitable panel can be built. OMIPs embrace a broad field of scientific and clinical applications including clinical immunology (3; and Alamooti et al., this issue: page 890), leukemia (Xie et al. this issue: page 840), cytokine production (4), phenotyping of stem and progenitor cells (5; and Estes et al., this issue: page 831), and leukocytes (Heimbeck et al., this issue: page 823). It should be stressed that OMIPs are not solely in the realm of flow cytometry. Polychromatic microscopes like the laser scanning cytometer (Zoog et al.; this issue: page 849) are becoming more common; panels optimized for fluorescence microscopy are timely and welcome. Image cytometry technologies may also include labeling techniques that apply sequential restaining to obtain highly complex patterns of cellular phenotype and function such as Toponomics (6) or chip based explorative cytometry (7).

Selected Papers from HNICEM 2009

The Fourth International Conference on Humanoid, Nanotechnology, Information Technology, Communication and Control, Environment, and Management (HNICEM) was held in Traders-Shangrila Hotel, Manila, Philippines from March 12 to 15, 2009. The theme of this conference was Convergence of Cutting Edge Technologies for Global Enterprise. As has been done from the previous HNICEM conferences, cutting edge papers presented in this conference were reviewed and selected for JACIII special issue publication. In this special issue, 8 articles were selected that will provide valuable references for researchers and practitioners. The first article presents a commanding and visualization software suite for Mars rovers and other planetary robots. This paper focuses on the support for the Phoenix Mars Lander, Mars Science Lander and other lunar and planetary missions conducted by NASA. The second article discusses an auction-based consensus mechanism for cooperative targets tracking using minimum numbers of mobile sensors in order to reduce energy consumption due to sensor mobilization. The third article is on concept of neighborhood degree and its application to switching plural optimization methods in scheduling. The fourth article covers human behavior classification using thinning algorithm and support vector machine. The fifth article is about fuzzy relevant feedback in image retrieval for color feature using query vector modification method. An experimental identification of manipulator dynamics through the minimization of its natural oscillations is presented in the sixth article. This work utilizes the actual force of gravity for the manipulator link to achieve natural oscillation. The oscillatory motion allows the system to be converted into an optimization problem through the minimization of the frequency of oscillation. On the other hand, the seventh article is an integrated eco-design tool for Malaysian automobile industry. The eighth and final article presents Omni-directional Vision for Navigation of a Mobile Robot. We extend our warmest thanks and deepest gratitude to the distinguished authors who have contributed to this special issue for their outstanding contributions and to the reviewers for their assistance and cooperation. We are also grateful to Prof. Toshio Fukuda and Prof. Kaoru Hirota, Editors-in-Chief of JACIII, and to the HNICEM International Advisory Board for their continued support to all HNICEM International Conferences. Come March 2011, the 5th HNICEM International Conference will be held in Manila, Philippines. We express our deepest gratitude to the IEEE Philippines Section for its continuing sponsorship. To JACIII, thank you for the support. Outstanding papers presented in this conference will be selected for publication in a special issue of JACIII. We invite you to submit your research papers and to participate in HNICEM 2011. For further information, please visit http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/conferences/hnicem/.

Special issues in brain plasticity, repair and rehabilitation: 20 years of a publishing strategy

The journal Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience (RNN) is focused on the emerging field of brain plasticity, repair and rehabilitation, including original and review papers both in basic research (in vitro studies, animal experiments) and in the clinical domain, including brain imaging studies. The publication of special issues on vital topics, summarizing the work of leading experts in the field of restoration and plasticity has become a major strategy of RNN and has attracted worldwide attention. Special issues are typically organized by specialized guest-editors familiar with the respective science field. Special issues cover a particular sub-discipline and often contain laboratory review papers. The first special issue appeared in 1990, and until today RNN has published a total of 25 special issues on a variety of basic science and clinical matters. In this way, RNN promotes the dissemination of information in the field of neuroplasticity, repair and rehabilitation, providing the reader with up-to-date information prepared by leading experts in the field.

Selected Papers from workshops ACSys2009 and IDC'2009

Dear SCPE Reader, The recent development of applications that exploit multiple information sources, distributed resource processing, user mobility, interaction and information sharing calls for novel models of coordination, data acquisition, transfer and integration, efficient access and processing of information. The articles presented in this issue propose some intelligent distributed models and algorithms that try to cope with the large quantity of information available to users in different application contexts, and draw from different computation paradigms such as multi-agent technology, biologically inspired computation, peer-to-peer systems, mobile ad hoc network, grid computing. The articles in this issue of SCPE are extended versions of selected papers presented at the workshops ACSys2009 and IDC’2009. ACSys2009, the 6 th Workshop on Agents for Complex Systems was held in Romania, TimiAŸoara, September, 26–29, 2009. The workshop was organized in the frame of the 11th International Symposium on Symbolic and Numeric Algorithms for Scientific Computing (SYNASC 2009). The aim of the ACSys2009 workshop was to bring together researchers and developers from academia and industry in order to discuss current scientific and technical results on using agent technology for solving complex, distributed real-world problems ( http://synasc09.info.uvt.ro/workshops/ACSys/ ). The article Algorithmic Solutions for Several Offline Constrained Resource Processing and Data Transfer Multicriteria Optimization Problems by Mugurel IonuA£ Andreica and Nicolae A¢AƒpuAŸ presents novel algorithmic solutions for several resource processing and data transfer multicriteria optimization problems. The results of most of the presented techniques are strategies which solve the considered problems (almost) optimally. The article Sensors Data—Stream Processing Middleware Based on Multi-Agent Model by Ovidiu Aritoni and Viorel Negru proposes a multi-agent architecture for an intelligent sensor data processing middleware that allows acquisition, interpretation and aggregation of sensor data-streams. A healthcare system is used for validating the architecture. The article Context-Aware Emergent Behaviour in a MAS for Information Exchange by Andrei Olaru, Cristian Gratie and Adina Magda Florea presents, based on authors’ previous work on self-organizing multi-agent systems for information exchange, two aspects of context-awareness—pressure and interest—that make the system's emergent behavior context-sensitive and, therefore, more adaptive to a changing environment. IDC’2009, the 3 rd International Symposium on Intelligent Distributed Computing, was held in Cyprus, Ayia Napa, October 13–14, 2009. The aim of this symposium was to bring together researchers involved in intelligent distributed computing to allow cross-fertilization and synergy of ideas and to enable advancement of researches in the field ( http://www.idc2009.cs.ucy.ac.cy/ ). The article Efficient Broadcasting in MANETs by Selective Forwarding by Doina Bein, Ajoy K. Datta, and Balaji Ashok Sathyanarayanan presents a new protocol called Efficient Broadcasting by Selective Forwarding that minimizes the number of transmissions or retransmissions needed for broadcasting in mobile ad hoc networks. The article Group-Based Interactions for Multiuser Applications by Carmen Morgado, Jose C. Cunha, Nuno Correia, and Jorge Custodio presents a group-based model for the development of interactive applications where multiple users dynamically interact with each other, and which facilitates the organization, access and sharing of content by multiple users. It also describes examples to support communities in tourism and school campus scenarios. The article Exploring Carrier Agents in Swarm-Array Computing by Blesson Varghese and Gerard Mckee proposes a swarm-array computing approach to bridge the gap between autonomic and parallel computing. The feasibility of this proposal is validated by two simulation studies: using a multi-agent simulator on a Field-Programmable Gate Array, and using Message Passing Interface on a computer cluster. Great thanks are first given to SCPE and its Editor-in-Chief Dana Petcu who kindly offered the publication of this special issue. We would also like to thank George A. Papadopoulos, who helped with co-organizing IDC'2009. Viorel Negru, Adina Magda Florea, Costin BAƒdicAƒ

Announcement of the publication of Special Issues: —Papers from World Tribology Congress 2009—

Announcement of the publication of Special Issues: —Papers from World Tribology Congress 2009—

Introduction to the Academy's State of the Science Conference on Upper Limb Prosthetic Outcome Measures

Introduction to the Academy's State of the Science Conference on Upper Limb Prosthetic Outcome Measures

Historical perspective of biofuels: learning from the past to rediscover the future

This issue of in vitro plant is dedicated to various aspects of biofuel research and development. The editors have sought the experts in this field and solicited manuscripts for this special issue publication from various academic institutions, government (USDA, DOE), industry (Mendel, Alellyx, Canavilas, Syngenta, Monsanto), and various countries (USA, China, Brazil, India, and Australia). This has resulted in state-of-the-art articles describing ethanol and also biodiesel research. These publications highlight the status of biofuel research across the globe and also focus on private, public, and government interests. This is especially noteworthy in that President Barack Obama has stated that renewable energy is a pivotal aspect of his policy for the USA. The objective of this introduction is to provide the reader with the pertinent background information relative to the biofuel efforts within the private sector, academia, and government laboratories. In particular, the history of biofuel research and commercialization is provided as well as a summary of the various crop systems available for biofuel production.

Editorial

The Journal of Biomechanical Engineering reports the results of original research involving the application of mechanical engineering knowledge, skills, and principles to the analysis, design, development, and function of native and engineered biological systems across all dimensional scales. Subject areas include: native and artificial organs, prostheses, bioinstrumentation and measurements, bioheat transfer, biomaterials, tissue biomechanics, bioprocess engineering, cellular and biomolecular mechanics, design and control of biological and physiological systems. The journal presents full length original research articles, technical briefs, announcements, calls for papers, calendar of events, and letters to the Editor.Along with the Associate editors and the BED, I have a mission to make JBME a premier biomedical engineering journal. For this year, several changes are in the works, including cover art. More importantly, in collaboration with the New Directions and the Executive Committees, I submitted a letter outlining changes needed to allow JBME to become internationally competitive and designated a one-year timeframe for implementation. This letter was well received by ASME and I have already engaged in discussions with Phillip DiVietro, Managing Director, ASME Publishing, to make these very necessary changes to the journal publication procedures. Immediate changes include:11. JBME, which is currently published bi-monthly, will begin monthly publication beginning with the January 2009 issue.22. The annual page budget, currently at 1,100 published pages, will be increased immediately to 1,500 published pages.33. ASME has approved the journal revenue sharing funds to support the publication of Special Issues, which will be published above and beyond the monthly issues. This will allow us to publish high-impact special issues without interfering with normal issue publication.Changes planned to be implemented include:11. Modify the ASME Journal Production process so that once a manuscript is accepted, it will be sent immediately to production and the proof generated. Once the corrected proof is returned by the authors, it will be placed immediately on-line for public access and the citation submitted to MEDLINE. The on-line version will be swapped with the actual published version once the assigned issue is published.22. Establishment of a “Legacy” JBME paper award for high-impact papers published a minimum of five years ago. It was proposed that this award be named after a major figure in Biomechanics.33. Building an endowment for JBME's Skalak best paper award.Finally, I am pleased to announce that I am appointing several new Associate Editors to start in January 2009 to help ease the load and improve review times. Announcement of the new Associate Editors will be made once the ASME Publications Committee has approved them. I look forward to reporting more good news in the very near future.

New Periodicals

New Periodicals Erin Mayhood This semiannual column selectively lists newly issued periodicals; describes their objectives, formats, and contents; and provides information about special issues, title and format changes, mergers, and cessations. The following resources were frequently consulted when assembling this column: International Index to Music Periodicals (IIMP; http://music.chadwyck.com ), Music Index (MI; http://www.hppmusicindex.com ), RILM Abstracts of Music Literature (RILM; http://www.RILM.org ), OCLC WorldCat and Ulrich’s Periodical Directory ( http://www.ulrichsweb.com/ulrichsweb ). All Web sites were accessed on 23 May 2008 unless otherwise specified. Activate! Edited by Kris Kropff. Lorenz Corporation. Bi-monthly. Vol. 1, no. 1 (October/November 2006). ISSN 1931-4736. Print format. Subscription or inquires: 501 E. Third Street, P.O. Box 802, Dayton, OH 45401. E-mail:activate@lorenz.com. $64.95. Lorenz Corporation, founded in 1890, is primarily known for publishing printed music and magazines for church musicians and music educators. Fitting well into this portfolio is one of their newest magazines: Activate!, a magazine aimed at music educators. This magazine is aimed at educators dealing with students in kindergarten through grade six and is very practical in nature. Because it is intended for use as a classroom tool, theoretical approaches to the subject matter are limited. The magazine balances vocal, instrumental, theory and movement activities well. Age- and skill-appropriate vocal and instrumental arrangements (including simple Orff arrangements) are included along with dance and movement activities and games introducing musical concepts. To aid teachers in curriculum planning and classroom implementation, the magazine regularly references the National Standards for Music Education and includes full lesson plans. In addition, all student pages are reproducible. Advances in Acoustics and Vibration. Edited by M. Osman Tokhi. Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Quarterly. Vol. 1 (2007). ISSN 1687-6261 (print); ISSN 1687-627X (online). Print and online format (PDF). Access: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aav . Subscription or inquiries: Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 410 Park Avenue, 15th Floor, No. 287 PMB, New York, NY 10022. E-mail:orders@hindawi.com. $195 (print), online access is free. Targeting researchers and practitioners, Advances in Acoustics and Vibration is a “platform for dissemination of innovative and original research and development” ( http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aav/aims.html ) in the area of acoustics and vibration. The journal is peer-reviewed, accepting articles that are theoretical or experimental with either a research or an application focus. The subject areas range widely to ensure comprehensiveness: computational acoustics, numerical techniques, human response to sound and vibration and acoustic signal processing all fall within its purview. Submissions on musical subjects, including audio and musical acoustics, are also welcome. As with other Hindawi journals, Advances in Acoustics and Vibration is open-access and updated continuously. An important component of this journal is the simultaneous publication of special issues. Proposals for [End Page 130] special issues are welcomed at any time, and each has a guest editor. Special issues are accessed online along with regularly published issues and can be viewed and downloaded on the individual article level or as a single PDF of the full volume. Print copies are for sale on Amazon.com ( http://www.amazon.com ). Gamut. Edited by Philip Ewell. Newfound Press. Article-by-article. Vol. 1, no. 1 (2008). ISSN 1938-6690. Online format (PDF). Access: http://dlc.lib.utk.edu/web/ojs/index.php/first/index . Inquiries: Gamut, 149 John C Hodges Library, 1015 Volunteer Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37996. E-mail:gamuteditor@utk.edu. Free. Gamut is the peer-reviewed, online journal of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic, published by Newfound Press, a digital imprint of the University of Tennes-see, Knoxville. Like other Newfound Press journals, Gamut is fully searchable and browsable and is registered with the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Gamut is “a journal of criticism, commentary, research, and scholarship,” and to that end the editors seek submissions focusing on any aspect of music theory and its cognate disciplines. They especially encourage interdisciplinary submissions. At time of writing only one article and one review had been published in Gamut. The article, by Brian Hulse and entitled “On Bergson’s Concept of the Virtual,” contains a discussion of how the concept...

Selected Papers from HNICEM 2007

The Third International Conference on Humanoid, Nanotechnology, Information Technology, Communication and Control, Environment, and Management (HNICEM) was held in Century Park Hotel, Manila, Philippines from March 15 to 18, 2007. The theme on this conference was Technology Creativity and Innovations for Economic Development. As has been done from the previous HNICEM conferences, cutting edge papers presented from this conference are reviewed and selected for JACIII special issue publication. In this special issue, 10 articles are selected that will provide valuable references for researchers and practitioners. The first article presents an integrated algorithm that provides a mobile robot the ability to plan an optimal path and does online collision avoidance in a totally unknown environment. The second article presents a fuzzy controller technique in navigation with obstacle avoidance for a general purpose mobile robot in a given global environment with image processing technique using Open Source Computer Vision. The third article presents a model-based controller for helicopter using the sliding mode approach. The controller assumes that only measured outputs are available and it uses sliding mode observer to estimate the state of the system. The fourth article presents a real-time fuzzy logic based parallel parking system in an FPGA platform. The fifth article presents performance analysis of container unloading operations using simplified analytical model (SAM). The sixth article presents a neuro-fuzzy approach with additional moving average window data filter and fuzzy clustering algorithm use to forecast electrical load. The seventh article presents a new design and implementation of a multi-output fuzzy controller for real time control which utilizes lesser memory and executes faster than an existing type of multiple single-output fuzzy logic controllers. The eight article presents a new method based on multi-objective evolutionary algorithms to evolve low complexity neural controllers that allows an agent to perform two different tasks simultaneously. The ninth and tenth articles present genetic networks programming for stock market trading rules and for traffic systems applications, respectively. We extend our warmest thanks and deepest gratitude to the distinguished authors and reviewers who have contributed to this special issue for their outstanding contributions and cooperation. We are also grateful to Prof. Toshio Fukuda and Prof. Kaoru Hirota, chief editors of JACIII, for their continued support to all the HINICEM International Conferences. Come March 12 to 15, 2009, the 4th HNICEM International Conference will be held in Manila, Philippines. We thank the IEEE Philippines for its continuing sponsorship. Also to JACIII journal, as outstanding papers presented in this conference will be selected for publication in a special issue. We invite you to submit your research papers and to participate in HNICEM 2009. For further information, please visit “http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/conferences/hnicem/”.

Editorial

When Planta Medica increased in 2007 the number of issues to 15 per year, the Board of Editors decided to implement the publication of Special Issues dedicated to specific topics or events. The first Special Issue here contains selected contributions from Plenary and Keynote Lectures, and from the Special Workshops given at the 55th Annual Congress of the Society for Medicinal Plant Research (GA).[] [*]

Special Issue—Public Theology and the City: Urban Theology as Public Theology

Special Issue—Public Theology and the City: Urban Theology as Public Theology

Nigeria: alcohol and society today

Nigeria: alcohol and society today

Editorial

During 2006, the Geographical Journal carried 22 full papers, 31 book reviews, and 2 commentary papers in relation to the Indian Ocean Tsunami special section published at the end of 2005. Two out of the four issues were Special Issues, the first on Postcolonialism and Development in March and the second on International and Comparative Dimensions on Sustainable Farmland Management in September. Although the publication of special issues impedes the flow of our regular papers, these collections do, however, provide a focused set of papers around a theme that does tend to attract considerable interest. Although well-received, we do not intend to publish any more than two special issues during any year, as it is important that the GJ continues to reflect the diversity and richness of research currently going on in the area of environment and development. It was especially gratifying to see such a large number of book reviews being carried this year, as I know that a large part of the GJ's readership enjoys this section and finds it extremely useful. It was also pleasing to see that the Indian Ocean Tsunami special section, published in December 2005, not only received some subsequent media interest, but also attracted some reaction among the readership, resulting in the publication of two Commentary papers during 2006. As Table 1 shows, the number of new submissions remained at a level broadly comparable to that of the previous year. Because of the larger number of pending papers carried forward, the number of active papers dealt with during the year rose to 79. Of these, 23 (or 29%) were firmly accepted for publication during the year, with the rejection rate rising from 51% to 58%. Encouragingly, the number of papers submitted which included at least one female author increased from 30% of all new submissions last year to 36% this year (Table 2). The provenance of authors has remained broadly similar to that of last year (Table 3), although the relative positions of the Rest of Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa have switched. The fact that the number of authors from Sub-Saharan Africa has increased is particularly pleasing, as we are very keen to increase the number of researchers from the Global South choosing to send their work to the GJ. We now need to encourage researchers from other parts of the Global South to follow suit. During the year, the GJ has said goodbye to two of the behind-the-scenes stalwarts. Judy Cornish left Blackwells to return to postgraduate work, and her efforts to promote the marketing of the GJ will be sorely missed. However, we all wish Judy well in her future endeavours. We also said goodbye to Gwen Lowman who did such sterling work in the Journals Office at the RGS-IBG in London. Gwen's knowledge of authors and reliable referees is second to none, and I very much appreciate the support and guidance which she provided for me. Gwen has taken retirement and now has the time to do the travelling she always wanted to. We wish her a very long and healthy retirement. Sal Moore, however, is still doing the production work at Blackwells for the GJ, and, as ever, I thank Sal for all her efforts in supporting us, sometimes against some very tight deadlines. I would also like to thank all those referees who, during the year, have provided full and frank reports on the papers sent out to them. I know that refereeing papers is a thankless task these days, and especially in the RAE-driven environment of the UK, but without your unstinting efforts, there would be no GJ (nor any other journal for that matter).

110年、そして未来へ : 創立110周年を迎えた日本機械学会(創立110周年)

110年、そして未来へ : 創立110周年を迎えた日本機械学会(創立110周年)

Editorial

In 2006, the journal continued to grow, enjoying increasing recognition as a source of timely, reliable and valuable research information ranging across the full spectrum of food and agricultural research. Articles in our wide remit of subjects are submitted in ever-increasing numbers each year. The innovation, quality and popularity of papers continues to increase—one of the most frequently downloaded articles from the past year was a paper evaluating, for the first time, the spectral properties of juvenile and adult olive leaves by NIRS,1 which could contribute to a much faster screening technique in olive breeding programs. Another paper on rapid determination of trace elements in kidney beans, lentils and chickpeas2 was also among some of the most top-accessed articles in 2006. Thanks to the efforts of the SCI Publications department and of course the submission of ground-breaking and interesting research papers, the journal has enjoyed a significant increase in attention from the press. Highlights include a paper by Ghosh et al. on the protective effects of boysenberries and blackcurrants from oxidative stress and DNA damage,3 an article by Neto et al. on the anticancer properties of cranberry extract4 and a paper by Topping et al. investigating the possible transfer of latex allergens from food wrapper adhesives to the contained food.5 A recent paper by Lagunas-Solar et al.6 describing an interesting new method for disinfection and disinfestation of agricultural produce that avoids the use of potentially harmful chemicals also received some coverage. The year closed with the publication of an assortment of special issues and popular front matter articles. We continue to source and publish thought-provoking perspective articles, such as Addiscott's piece on nitrates in food7, and put out Review articles of great significance, such as Mueller-Harvey's paper on tannins in animal feed.8 Publication of Special Issues, such as the NEODIET issues of 2000 and 2001, provide reviews of lasting significance, evidenced by the frequency with which reviews in these issues are still accessed. Our recent ‘Enzymes in Grain Processing’ Special Issue, tackling the issues surrounding enzyme use in cereals—the core of human and animal nutrition—promises to be another such contribution to the scientific literature. In addition to Special Issues, 2006 marked the launch of the In Focus section, in which an issue commences with several coordinated reviews on a chosen theme. Two recent In Focus series of papers, ‘The Future of Sustainable Materials for Industry’ and ‘Polyphenols and Health’, have met with high acclaim. Our developing policy of commissioning both the Perspectives and Review articles from world-class authors should continue to raise the profile of JSFA in the competitive landscape of science publishing. Meanwhile, behind the scenes in the Editorial Office, we have migrated to a new version of the manuscript handling system, Manuscript Central v.3, that we hope will lead to an improved service to our authors. The journal would like to offer its sincere thanks to those who, owing to other commitments, resigned as Associate Editors from the Board in 2006. JSFA warmly welcomes to our family the new Associate Editors who joined last year to help strengthen our expertise in various fields. We also have a new Executive Board member—Dr Bo Jiang, who is Professor of Food Science and Associate Dean of the School of Food Science and Technology, Southern Yangtze University, China. Bo's research areas are food enzymology and functional food, with a focus on purification and properties of enzymes and immobilization, placing him in a good position to head the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology section of the journal. We would like to thank all members of the Board for their invaluable contributions in 2006 and look forward to working with them in 2007 to further develop the journal. Peer review is a fundamental aspect of improving the quality of JSFA and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have given their time to referee papers for JSFA (please see the acknowledgement list) in the past year. We welcome your views and suggestions on how to improve the journal for the future and we hope you continue to read and value JSFA in the coming year.