What is the purpose of launching World Journal of Respirology?

Abstract

Congratulations to the publisher, members of the editorial board of the journal, and all the authors and readers for launching the World Journal of Respirology (WJR). The WJR is a peer-reviewed journal that will report novel theories, methods and techniques for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and nursing of patients with respiratory disease. Some of the topics that will be covered in the journal include diagnostic imaging, respiratory physiology, respiratory endoscopy, respiratory system tumors, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, respiratory infections, critical respiratory illness, sleep-related respiratory disorders, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular diseases, pulmonary embolism, traditional medicine, integrated Chinese and Western medicine, evidence-based medicine, epidemiology and nursing. Importantly, the WJR is an online, open-access journal, which will enable it to reach both experts and the general public without the need for registration or payment. If you want to share your work and findings, you will find the WJR an excellent journal for your publications!

Key Words: Open-access, Peer-reviewed, Respiratory disease, Genomic medicine

INTRODUCTION

I am Rafael Rosell, MD, Head, Medical Oncology Service Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol (Figure 1). As Editor-in-Chief of the World Journal of Respirology (World J Respirol, WJR, online ISSN 2218-6255, DOI: 10.5320), it is a great pleasure for me to introduce this new journal as a forum where investigators, physicians, nurses, radiologists and paramedical personnel can exchange ideas and findings in the field of respiratory disease. The WJR Editorial Board has now been established and consists of 84 distinguished experts from 30 countries. I am very pleased to announce that the first issue of the WJR, was initiated on December 9, 2010, and was officially published on December 30, 2011. I would like to extend my congratulations to the publisher, the members of the editorial board, and all the authors and readers of the journal for this important launch.

Figure 1 Editor-in-Chief of the World Journal of Respirology. Rafael Rosell, MD, Head, Medical Oncology Service, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Ctra Canyet, s/n, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain.

SCOPE

The WJR is a peer-reviewed journal that will report novel theories, methods and techniques for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and nursing of patients with respiratory disease. Some of the topics that will be covered in the journal include diagnostic imaging, respiratory physiology, respiratory endoscopy, respiratory system tumors, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, respiratory infections, critical respiratory illness, sleep-related respiratory disorders, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular diseases, pulmonary embolism, traditional medicine, integrated Chinese and Western medicine, evidence-based medicine, epidemiology and nursing. The journal will publish both original articles and reviews of applied and basic research in several fields, including immunology, physiopathology, cell biology, pharmacology, medical genetics, and the pharmacology of Chinese herbs.

OPEN-ACCESS FORMAT

Importantly, the WJR is an online, open-access journal, which will enable it to reach both experts and the general public without the need for registration or payment. The open-access format also reduces the delay in publication often associated with traditional journals and maximizes the benefit to readers and authors. Readers will have unlimited access to free, high-quality, peer-reviewed articles reporting viewpoints, concepts, theories, and results, and in this way, they will be able to validate the scientific and practical values of their own research. At the same time, authors will have the widest possible audience for their articles, thus optimizing potential communication between authors and their peers.

NEW PERSPECTIVE

Genomic medicine is becoming part of patient care. In respiratory diseases, this will be one element that will be integrated in WJR for rapid conceptualization. Recent examples have illustrated that BIBF 1120, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs), has led to substantial improvement in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis[1] and in a number of cancers[2]. Frequent focal FGFR1 amplification was identified in squamous cell lung cancer[3], and FGFR1 dependency could become therapeutically relevant.

CONTENTS OF PEER REVIEW

The WJR is a bimonthly peer-reviewed, online, open-access, journal supported by an editorial board consisting of 84 experts in respirology from 30 countries. In order to guarantee the quality of articles published in the journal, WJR usually invites three experts to comment on the submitted papers. The contents of peer review include: (1) whether the contents of the manuscript are of great importance and novelty; (2) whether the experiment is complete and described clearly; (3) whether the discussion and conclusion are justified; (4) whether the citations of references are necessary and reasonable; and (5) whether the presentation and use of tables and figures are correct and complete.

COLUMNS

WJR articles will include Editorials, Frontier Articles, Topic Highlights, Observations, Guidelines for Clinical Practice, Reviews, Original Articles, Brief Articles, Case Reports, Letters to the Editor, and Book Reviews. I invite all investigators, physicians, nurses, radiologists and paramedical personnel to share their ideas and findings in the forum provided by the WJR.