Editor's Message
It is now July 1st, and a new and enthusiastic editorial team
is in place ready to take the reins of the journal. It's hard to believe
that it has been six years since Pontus Persson started as Editor. We offer
Pontus and his editorial team our heartfelt thanks and congratulations on a
job extremely well done. They leave the journal in great shape and have set
a very high standard for us.
As Dr. Persson has communicated to you previously, the 2005 impact factor
for the journal was slightly above 3.8. The impact factor for 2006 hovers
near 3.7, so it looks as if we have reached a steady state. Although I would
love to tell you that the new editorial team pledges to continue the upward
growth of the impact factor, it is important to be cautious in placing too
much emphasis on that single measure of success. As you know, some journals
publish papers specifically designed to do little more than increase the
impact factor. Instead, as outlined in my editorial published in the July
issue of the journal, we pledge to publish and highlight the most
significant research in integrative physiology focusing on regulatory
pathways and physiological mechanisms. Toward increasing our impact, we will
guide publication decisions not only by whether a study was well performed
but also by its physiological significance. We ask authors to comment on the
significance of their work in a "Perspectives" or "Significance" section at
the end of the discussion, and will be querying our reviewers to comment on
the significance of the work. Ensuring significant science is published
will, in the end, improve the impact of the journal.
We will continue the successful Call for Papers program and have extended
the call entitled "Control
Mechanisms of Renin Synthesis and Release: A 21st Century Perspective"
to December 31. The other current call, "Insulin
Resistance and the Cardiometabolic Syndrome: Adipose Tissue and Skeletal
Muscle Factors" continues until October 1. We are working on developing
a new call for papers on the neural control of cardiovascular function and
hope to have it ready for release shortly. We will also release several new
Calls for Papers in January 2008. The editorial team welcomes your
suggestions. Please e-mail them to our University of Iowa editorial office
at
AJP-Regulatory@uiowa.edu. Indeed, we would appreciate any suggestions
you have for review articles, tutorials or other special sections.
Finally, I also want to take this opportunity to introduce Vickie Akers,
the new Editorial Manager of AJP - Regulatory. She will be monitoring
the journal's e-mail address and the online submission and review system,
and will take your phone calls at 319-384-2857. Vickie will be keeping a
vigilant eye on the editor, associate editors and reviewers to ensure papers
are reviewed in a timely way. So if your review is tardy, you may get a
gentle nudge from Vickie.
I am energized by the prospect of future associations with the editorial
team, members of the editorial board, reviewers, and authors. I will take
this opportunity to thank you all, in advance, for your valuable efforts on
behalf of the journal.
With my very best regards,
Curt D. Sigmund, Ph.D.
Professor
University of Iowa
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