State of the ASAIO Journal (2005)

This has been a year of high activity for the Journal. With the cooperation and joint efforts of the authors, section editors, editorial board members, and reviewers, the Journal has experienced a period of improvement in volume and quality. Major Advancements Under the leadership of President Gerson Rosenberg and the 2004–2005 Board of Trustees, three major advancements have been achieved: (1) the launching of an online editorial management system, (2) the addition of a Pediatrics Section to the areas covered by the Journal, and (3) the inclusion of a historical article in each issue. Editorial Management System Publisher Lippincott, Wilkins and Williams provided access and training for an online editorial management system which was launched April 20, 2004. All aspects of manuscript management can now be performed online—from submission by authors, through the review process, to release to publication. The system provides excellent capability for compiling and reporting statistical data. New Pediatrics Section By invitation, Managing Editor, Betty Littleton, attended the First International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion, held in Hershey, PA, May 19–22, 2005. Editor, Jay Zwischenberger, and conference organizers, Drs. Gerson Rosenberg and Akif Undar, from Penn State University College of Medicine, had discussed and decided that introduction of a Pediatric Circulatory Support and Cardiopulmonary Perfusion Section could be facilitated through the review and publication of manuscripts developed by conference participants. The entire September–October 2005 issue of the Journal was devoted to Pediatric articles. This section will add a new dimension to the scope of the ASAIO Journal and, hopefully, generate new members and subscriptions. Dr. Akif Undar has graciously agreed to serve as Section Editor for Pediatrics. Historical Manuscripts Through the efforts of Mark Kurusz, CCP, UTMB, Coordinator for Project Bionics, we are publishing historical articles of interest to ASAIO readers in each issue of the Journal. Mark has contacted ASAIO members as well as other groups to solicit manuscripts. Manuscript Review Process The ASAIO Journal is extremely fortunate to have such a strong complement of people assisting with the review of manuscripts. The editors and reviewers have helped tremendously by completing timely and thorough reviews. While review turnaround time improved greatly after initiating communication by e-mail, it is expected to be further facilitated by the online system. In most cases, we are getting a response to the authors within about 2 months. Tracking the reviews is much simpler, and we will be able to determine productivity for each reviewer. There is always room for more reviewers, and we encourage all members to participate in this vital function.Figure: Joseph B. Zwischenberger, MD, EditorSolicitation of Manuscripts Efforts continue with regard to solicitation of manuscripts with various groups being contacted by the editorial office. The 2005 ASAIO abstract presenters were contacted and encouraged to submit manuscripts, a number of which appear in this issue of the Journal. At the Journal meeting during the Conference, Section Editors were charged with the responsibility of soliciting manuscripts within their respective sections. Future Direction Traditionally, the ASAIO Journal has published manuscripts which may be somewhat immature and preliminary but contain a kernel of innovation in the research reported. As the number of submissions continues to increase, some thought must be given to the scope of the Journal and the criteria for accepting manuscripts. While we want to continue to provide a voice for a somewhat unique group of researchers, the integrity of the Journal must be upheld. Over the next year, our editors and reviewers will be working to formulate guidelines which will preserve the essence of the Journal while improving quality. Members are encouraged to offer comments in this regard.