Journal of Internal Medicine – editorial update for 2009 (2008)

In January 2006 several changes for Journal of Internal Medicine (JIM) were announced in an editorial [1].The strategy for the editorial work as outlined there has largely been followed aiming at a further modernization of the journal including a new cover, new layout of the text and colour illustrations. The online manuscript handling system has speeded up our peer-review process and also markedly reduced the time of publication. To further strengthen the editorial back-up of the editors, the Editorial Board was enlarged with several new internationally leading clinical scientists providing an excellent scientific support for the editorial work. We have also recruited another editor, Anders Ekbom, to the group of editors serving at the Journal. The recruitment of Anders Ekbom, professor of clinical epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet with a strong background within cancer research and clinical medicine at large, has further broadened the competence amongst the editors. Our website launched in August 2005 provides direct information on abstracts of manuscripts accepted as well as updated information on forth-coming symposia and scientific meetings sponsored by JIM (http://www.jim.se). The unifying concept of our Journal is to publish top quality articles both original articles and review articles. We are aiming at having a balanced mix of original articles and reviews, the majority of the latter are commissioned and decided upon after careful consideration at the editorial office. We received over 700 manuscripts for consideration in 2007 and 13% of the original articles were accepted. Articles published in JIM generate more and more citations. The impact factors have gradually increased throughout recent years and the impact factor is now 4, 9 (for 2007). The top 10 articles (published 2005 or 2006) most cited during 2007 were: (i) Trujillo and Scherer with 128 citations on adiponectin, published Febr 2005 [2], (ii) Fadeel and Orrenius with 56 citations on apoptosis, published Dec 2005 [3], (iii) Eriksson with 50 citations on patients treated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody – positive vasculitis, published June 2005 [4], (iv) Broberger with 44 citations on brain regulation of food intake and appetite, published Oct 2005 [5], (v) Czura and Tracey with 43 citations on autonomic neural regulation of immunity, published Feb 2005 [6], (vi) Carlson with 43 citations on nicotinic acid, published Aug 2005 [7], (vii) Watkins and Maier with 41 citations on immune regulation of central nervous system functions, published Feb 2005 [8], (viii) Burger et al. with 40 citations on low-dose aspirin for secondary cardiovascular prevention, published May 2005 [9], (ix) Barter with 35 citations on apoB versus cholesterol in estimating cardiovascular risk, published Mar 2006 [10], and (x) Sullivan and Nord with 32 citations on probiotics and gastrointestinal diseases, published Jan 2005 [11]. We are also proud to see that the published articles are downloaded from the web with successive increase every year. The 10 most downloaded articles so far have been downloaded from 5000 to almost 7000 times. It is quite clear that articles covering both basal mechanisms and clinical implications attract most interest as judged from citations and downloads. Our successful collaboration with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences continues with co-arranged annual Key Symposia within the frontline of clinical research trying to bridge the gap between molecular research and bedside medicine. In this issue of JIM, January 2009, core articles from the 5th Key symposium – on mucosal immunity and novel HIV – vaccine concepts (chaired by Kristina Broliden and Jan Andersson) highlight the challenging developments now seen within HIV research [12].The 6th Key symposium to be held in September 2009 is set for Nanomedicine (chaired by Bengt Fadeel), a field of research in rapid development and with deep consequences for clinical applications, diagnostics and therapeutics. The 7th Key symposium to be held in 2010 will cover Systembiology (chairpersons yet to be determined), another tantalizing area of research of great importance for clinical medicine. In 2009, JIM will continue to sponsor other top quality symposia as in January 29–30, 2009 on Stroke – from genes to acute care chaired by Per Wester and co-chaired by John Hardy and Veronica Murray and in March 12–13, 2009 on Regenerative Medicine – from stem cells to the clinic chaired by Urban Lendahl. A new format for scientific contributions, Foresights in Medicine, will also be launched in 2009. It may be considered as a form of mini-reviews complimenting our ordinary full-length reviews. These contributions should provide educated views on the future of hot scientific issues focusing on challenges and opportunities that can be foreseen. Extensive reference lists are not needed. We will start with series of Foresights covering a scientific area of huge importance for future health policies, vaccinations both directed against infectious diseases like influenza, malaria etc., and also for noninfectious diseases like atherosclerosis, type 1 diabetes etc. Leading international experts will be invited for these contributions. As before we encourage submissions of original articles, rapid publications, reviews, case reports and letters to the editor. A key question for scientific journals is to maintain as short publication lines as possible. We have successively shortened every step in the process from submission to publication and the average time from submission to online publication is now down to 90 days. However, we intend to cut the time further by the introduction of Accepted Articles through a Wiley–Blackwell service now available. By this service the earliest possible circulation of papers is ensured immediately after acceptance. Articles published within the Accepted Articles service do not have bibliographic information associated with them, but they can still be cited by means of their DOI (Digital Object Identifier – see http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/info/features_researchers.htm).This number will stay with the article throughout its life and references to an Accepted Article will link to the version of record when finally published online or by paper. In conclusion, we reinforce our efforts in creating an attractive alternative for publication of manuscripts of highest quality within clinical medicine.