BioMed Central Blog
Editor-in-Chief Richard Smith outlines goals of new Cases Journal
"Clinicians have the privilege of dealing with individuals in all their
complexity and magnificence. Every person, every "case" can teach us
something."
This idea, explained by the Editor-in-Chief, Richard Smith in his launch editorial, is the philosophy behind the new Cases Journal, launched this week. The journal will publish case reports from any area of healthcare.
Any case report that is understandable, ethical, authentic and includes all essential information will be published - there are no acceptance criteria based on interest level or importance. The ethos of Cases Journal is that every case is important, no matter how 'everyday'.
Every case report, along with those from Journal of Medical Case Reports, its sister journal, will be incorporated into a database which will allow users to find exactly the cases they need, searching by things like age, sex, presentation, past medical history, comorbidity, and smoking history.
Cases Journal enables patients to contribute directly to medical understanding of their disease. Authors are encouraged to involve their patient in writing the case
report, by including a 'Patient's perspective' where the
patient describes in their own words their symptoms, when they were better or
worse, and how they were affected by tests and treatments.
By welcoming submission of case reports from any physician on any patient, and publishing hopefully thousands of case reports each year, Cases Journal aims to capture 'the wisdom of the crowds'. Publication is open to those who have never contributed to a medical journal before - we hope anyone who has treated a patient will submit.
Visit the website or watch Richard Smith's video message to find out how to become part of this exciting new venture.
Posted by Elizabeth.Slade at 17:31 Comments (0)
Announcing Biotechnology for Biofuels; a new open access journal
We are delighted to announce the launch of a new, open-access journal,
overseen by Editors-in-Chief Michael Himmel, Bärbel Hahn-Hägerdal, Chris Somerville, and Charles
Wyman, and supported by an international Editorial Board. Biotechnology
for Biofuels emphasizes
understanding and advancing the application of biotechnology and synergistic
operations to improve plants and biological conversion systems for the
production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass and any related economic,
environmental and policy issues. For
more information, please read the journal's launch editorial.
Biotechnology for Biofuels features the latest cutting-edge research in the field, reviews and commentary articles from both Academia and Industry, and will run also operate blog, covering the latest aspects of developments in biofuels. Why not submit your next research article to Biotechnology for Biofuels?
BioMed Central will officially launch Biotechnology for Biofuels at the 30th Symposium of Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals in New Orleans; if you are attending the event, please take the opportunity to visit the BioMed Central stand and pick up a special inaugural print issue of the journal.
To keep abreast with the latest developments of Biotechnology for Biofuels, please register to receive regular alerts when new articles are published.Posted by Anna Webb at 16:30 Comments (0)
Quality Enhancement Research Initiative series published by Implementation Science
The
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative
(QUERI) is a series of articles currently being published in Implementation Science.
The series is edited by the journal’s Editors-in-Chief Brian S Mittman and
Martin P Eccles, along with Cheryl B Stetler, Joseph Francis and Ian Graham.
In 1998, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) was established to improve the quality of VA healthcare through the use of research-derived best practices. QUERI was created within the context of an internationally recognized transformation of the VA's healthcare delivery system. This transformation had at its core a "quality improvement lens" and involved a major redesign of organizational structures and policies, including implementation of innovative information technology and a new performance management/accountability program.
Key elements of the QUERI Program include a set of disease or problem-focused QUERI Centers, a core set of program-wide goals, and a complex 6-step framework, or "process" that guides each Center's activities. Overall, each QUERI Center aims to create a structured program of implementation research and new implementation research findings and insights.
The QUERI Series opens with an overview, describing the QUERI program, its operational QUERI Centers, and its key, overarching Frameworks. Articles that primarily represent QUERI Centers’ work then follow. These articles focus on a range of QUERI implementation research approaches, implementation study issues and needs, implementation barriers and enabling factors at both micro and macro levels, and illustrative cases demonstrating the use of various implementation tools including the core 6-step process. Cumulatively, the series describes a broad array of implementation research challenges, as well as potential approaches explored by QUERI researchers to meet those challenges. The commentaries at the end of the series provide reflections on the potential value of QUERI and its related approaches from the perspective of both VA (non-QUERI) leadership and non-VA stakeholders.
A number of articles in the series have already been published and can be browsed on the journal’s website. Further articles will be published in the coming months, so to keep up to date why not register to receive article alerts when new research is published?
Posted by Alison Cobb at 13:58 Comments (0)
Paul Borm is appointed Editor-in-Chief of Particle & Fibre Toxicology
Paul Borm from Zuyd University in The Netherlands
has recently been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Particle & Fibre Toxicology. Prof Borm has served as Deputy Editor since the journal’s
launch in 2004 and has contributed to some of the most highly
accessed articles published in the journal. Our sincere thanks go to Ken
Donaldson who recently stepped down as Editor-in-Chief and whose contributions
to the journal in its early years have helped the journal in building its
reputation within its field.
In a recent Editorial, Prof Borm summarises some of the journal’s successes to date and looks towards future directions for Particle & Fibre Toxicology. Of note, Prof Borm comments on the journal’s high citation rate, with over 250 citations to the first 40 articles published in the journal. The journal is also expanding its scope to include articles on areas such as biomaterials, drug delivery and imaging in an effort to bridge the gap between classic particle toxicology and these areas. Further details of the journal’s scope are available from the journal website.
Particle & Fibre Toxicology has published a number of important articles concerning the effects of nanomaterials and combustion nanoparticles. Most recently two articles concerning the effect on diesel exhaust particles on the brain and prenatal development gained widespread coverage in the media and both articles have been highly accessed.
Posted by Charlotte Hubbard at 10:50 Comments (0)
International Archives of Medicine – a new journal with a twist (and twin)
We
are pleased to announce International
Archives of Medicine, a new open access journal published by BioMed
Central and encompassing all aspects of medical science and clinical practice.
International Archives of Medicine has a unique relationship with Archivos de Medicina, a Spanish-language open access journal. Both journals publish original articles, but authors of articles accepted by Archivos de Medicina have the option of publishing English translations of their articles in International Archives of Medicine without a new round of peer review (the translation’s quality will be checked), and vice versa.
Translated articles published in International Archives of Medicine will link to the original Spanish-language article via the latter’s Digital Object Identifier (DOI). BioMed Central’s Independent Journals team would be happy to discuss further ideas concerning bi-lingual journal twins.
For further information about the journal please read the launch Editorial by Editor-in-Chief Manuel Menéndez González (Hospital Álvarez-Buylla, Mieres, Spain), who is supported by an international Editorial Board. Readers interested in keeping abreast with the latest developments of this exciting new journal can register to receive regular alerts.
Posted by Lisa Phelps at 14:22 Comments (1)
Five more journals indexed by Thomson Scientific
We are delighted to announce that Thomson Scientific recently accepted the following BioMed Central journals for indexing:
- BMC Veterinary Research
- Cardiovascular Ultrasound
- Frontiers in Zoology
- Neural Development
- Nutrition Journal
Having been accepted for tracking, all five journals are now on course to receive an Impact Factor. Inclusion of these titles in Thomson Scientific is indicative of their growing reputations in their respective fields and successful publication records to date. We would like to extend our congratulations to the Editors-in-Chief of all of these journals.
Over sixty BioMed Central titles are now indexed by Thomson Scientific, and either have an Impact Factor or are on course to receive one over the next few years. Nine of these journals will receive their first Impact Factors later this year.Posted by Charlotte Hubbard at 15:26 Comments (0)
Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine indexed by MEDLINE
Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine has recently been accepted for inclusion in MEDLINE, reflecting its growing importance and reputation in its field.
Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine was launched in 2006, and has since published a variety of articles covering all aspects of the philosophy of medicine, and the ethical aspects of clinical practice and research. The journal also publishes articles at the intersection of medicine and humanities that are relevant to contemporary philosophy of medicine and bioethics. Philosophy, Ethics and Humanities in Medicine is overseen by the Editors-in-Chief Michael Schwartz and Dan J Stein.
A full list of the 81 BioMed Central journals that are indexed in MEDLINE is available from our website.Posted by Charlotte Hubbard at 10:32 Comments (0)
Mammographic density review articles published in Breast Cancer Research
Breast Cancer Research, a BioMed Central journal, has published the first articles in a new series on Mammographic Density, the latest of the journal's regular review series.
This series is edited by Dr Norman F Boyd from the University Health Network in Canada. The review from Vachon et al. summarises the relationship of density to risk and its potential use in risk prediction, and the review from Martin and Boyd describes a hypothesis using epidemiological data to explain the increased breast cancer risk associated with extensive density.
Review
Mammographic
density. Potential mechanisms of breast cancer risk associated with
mammographic density: hypotheses based on epidemiological evidence
Lisa J Martin, Norman F
Boyd
Breast
Cancer Research
2008, 10:201 (9 January 2008)
Abstract | Full text | PDF
Review
Mammographic
density, breast cancer risk and risk prediction
Celine M Vachon, Carla H
van Gils, Thomas A Sellers, Karthik Ghosh, Sandhya Pruthi, Kathleen R Brandt, V
Shane Pankratz
Breast
Cancer Research
2007, 9:217 (20 December 2007)
Abstract | Full text | PDF
Breast Cancer Research’s reviews and commentaries require a subscription for access, but if you do not currently have a subscription to the journal, you can register for a free 30-day trial.
All research articles published in Breast Cancer Research are open access.
Frances Mulvany
In-house Editor, Breast Cancer Research
Posted by Iain Hrynaszkiewicz at 19:53 Comments (0)
"What have you changed your mind about?"
One of the great things about the internet in general, and open access research in particular, is how accessible the frontiers of human knowledge have become. The website edge.org demonstrates this with a thought-provoking set of 165 short essays from leading neuroscientists, physicists, technologists, philosophers and other thinkers, in response to the following question:
When thinking changes your mind, that's philosophy.
When God changes your mind, that's faith.
When facts change your mind, that's science.
WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT? WHY?
Science is based on evidence. What happens when the data change? How have scientific findings or arguments changed your mind?
A small selection of highlights:
- Roger Shank, one of the founding fathers of AI, notes his fading hopes for superhuman AI in his own lifetime: "I am a lot older and we are barely closer to creating smart machines."
- Bart Kosko, fuzzy logic pioneer, says why he now thinks the sample mean isn't all its cracked up to be (he'd take the median).
- Neuroscientist Joseph Ledoux discusses the surprising evidence that memories are altered by the act of remembering them, so that in fact, "your memory about something is only as good as your last memory about it".
- Terry Sejnowski questions the conventional reliance on the average firing rates of neurons as the primary statistical variable, noting that increasing evidence suggests that the exact timing may after all encode important information.
- Stanislas Dehean speculates as to whether we may be getting close metaphorically speaking, to finding a Schrödinger equation for the brain.
- Physicist Lee Smolin relates his changing views on the concept of time.
It is stimulating stuff, and thanks to the combination of Wikipedia and open access research literature, these essays provide 165 accessible starting points that can be used by anyone who is curious to explore some of farthest reaches of our knowledge (and ignorance) about the world around us.
Posted by Matthew Cockerill at 18:33 Comments (0)
Proteome Science accepted for tracking by Thomson Scientific
We are delighted to announce that Proteome Science has been accepted for tracking by Thomson Scientific
and is now on course to receive its first impact factor in 2009. The journal is one of 57 BioMed Central journals
that are already tracked by Thomson Scientific and either have, or are on course to
receive an impact factor.
Proteome Science was launched at the start of 2003 and has published articles on all aspects of proteomics, with a specific interest in the integration of functional of structural proteomic analysis with cell of developmental biology. This achievement is an important recognition of the growing reputation of this journal in its field.
Congratulations to the Editor-in-Chief, Martin Latterich!Posted by Charlotte Hubbard at 09:45 Comments (0)
Retrovirology launches its own blog
Retrovirology
recently launched its own journal blog to keep readers up to date with all
the latest news in the field. Items have already been posted regarding a final call for nominations for the 2007 M. Jeang Retrovirology
prize, and a new HTLV-1
Tax website.
Retrovirology considers articles on all aspects of basic retrovirus research, and similarly the Retrovirology blog will comment on and draw attention to developments in this field. Stay up to date by regularly checking the blog or signing up for an RSS feed of the latest content.
Posted by Charlotte Hubbard at 14:09 Comments (0)
BioMed Central Publishes Framingham Heart Study 100K Results
BioMed Central has published a series of 17 research articles based on genetic data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), as a supplement to BMC Medical Genetics. The collected research, FHS 100K, is the result of cooperation among several research institutions including Boston University School of Medicine and Public Health; the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI); the National Library of Medicine; and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
FHS 100K will be given unprecedented availability via BioMed Central's open access journal and through NCBI's Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP). The researchers' decision to publish in BioMed Central's open access journal underlines their collective belief that genetic observations from FHS should be made publicly available and remain an unpatented data resource designed to accelerate scientific discovery.
The aim of the Framingham Heart Study is to identify the common factors or characteristics that contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) by following its development over a long period of time in a large group of participants who had not yet developed overt symptoms of CVD or suffered a heart attack or stroke. The data from all of the studies will be made available through NHLBI's dbGaP, a database designed to archive and distribute data from genome wide association studies. Researchers around the world will be able to use the results in the database to conduct further research to create new drugs and treatments to benefit patients.
For more information please see today's press release.
Posted by Charlotte Webber at 12:39 Comments (0)
We are delighted to announce that both Behavioral and Brain Functions and Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation have been accepted for tracking by Thomson Scientific. Journal of NeuroEngineerinng and Rehabilitation is set to receive its first impact factor in June 2009 and Behavioral and Brain Functions in 2010.
The acceptance of these titles for tracking by Thomson Scientific is a strong endorsement of their publications to date and a good reflection of their growing reputations in their respective fields. We would like to congratulate the Editors-in-Chief of these journals on this achievement.
A full list of all the BioMed Central journals tracked by Thomson Scientific which either have or are due to receive an impact factor is available here.
Posted by Charlotte Hubbard at 12:03 Comments (0)
BioMed Central to attend The Source Event careers fair
BioMed Central will be attending The Source Event - a careers fair for scientists to be held 21 September in London. There are a series of plenary lectures and workshops for delegates. If you are interested in attending this free event sign up here.
Due to our growth we constantly have openings for those wishing to experience a career in scientific publishing. You might be a student, recent graduate, PhD or medically qualified doctor. You might be looking for a work placement, short summer job, a gap year/sandwich year placement, or to start/progress a career in science publishing.
You will need strong interpersonal communication skills to equip you to work in a challenging environment where initiative, multitasking and the ability to meet deadlines are essential qualities. English language and computer skills are a must. We can provide you with an ideal opportunity, short, long or open ended, to nurture your interest in science, develop your skills and gain invaluable experience in the exciting and expanding world of scientific publishing.
Our current vacancies can be found here.
Posted by Bryan Vickery at 15:22 Comments (4)
Nominations open for the BioMed Central Research Awards 2007
We are pleased to announce the launch of the BioMed Central Research Awards for 2007. These awards recognise excellence in research that has been made universally accessible by open access publication in one of BioMed Central's journals. Two awards of $5000 (US) will be made — one for biology research, and one for medical research.
Anyone who publishes original research of major significance in one of BioMed Central’s journals during 2007 is eligible for nomination. The sooner you submit your best research article to one of BioMed Central's 170+ journals, the more chance you have of being published in time to qualify for the award. You cannot nominate your own research, but a colleague (excluding co-authors) can by completing the nomination form provided.
Nominations are now being accepted and will close 21st December 2007. The winning articles will be selected by a panel of BioMed Central's editorial team members and external experts in biology and medicine. The winners will be announced at the BioMed Central Research Awards dinner in early March 2008.
The BioMed Central Research Awards began last year and were a great success. The winners were announced at the BioMed Central Open Access Colloquium in February 2007, at the Royal College of Physicians, London. Read about last year's winners.
Sponsored by
Posted by Charlotte Webber at 16:16 Comments (0)