Edwin L. Cooper, Ph.D., Sc.D.
Distinguished Professor, Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology
Department of Neurobiology, Founding Editor-in-Chief: DCI 1997 (IF 3.29 ), eCAM 2004 (2.657) David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles California 90095-1763
Tel: (310) 825-9567, Fax: (310) 825-2224, Email: [email protected], [email protected] C
Wen-Ta Chiu, MD, Ph.D.
Adjunct Investigator
Center for Health Policy
Research and Development
Taipei Medical University
(TMU), formerly known as
Taipei Medical College
(TMC)
"How to Write and Publish in
Journal Experimental and Clinical Medicine (JECM)"
A Workshop For The Journal of Taipei Medical University
January 2011
Published by Elsevier
Edwin L. Cooper PhD. ScD
Distinguished Professor
Founding Editor in Chief; DCI 1977, eCAM 2004; Editor in ChiefJECM (2009)
Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology
Department of Neurobiology
David Geffen School Of Medicine at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles California 90095-1763
Tel: (310) 825-9567; Fax: (310) 825-2224
email:
[email protected]
JECM Editorial Office
JECM Editorial OfficeTaipei Medical University
250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei, Taiwan
110Tel: +886 2 27361661 ext. 7146Fax: +886 2 27391797
E-mail:
[email protected]
Lecture 1
Background for the Journal JECM
Lecture 2
Scientific basis
Lecture 3
How do we publish in JECM?
Hands-On Bring your laptops & draft manuscripts.
Workshop We will provide assistance to prepare
these for publication.
JECM Writers’ Workshop
January 2011
The Scientific Method: Excellent JECM
Results Help Develop Theory
• After proving hypotheses through countless experiments in
different JECM research groups and the data have been
collected and reported, a theory can then be (and often is)
formulated.
• According to Webster, a theory is a “systematic statement of
principles of certain observed phenomena that has been
verified to some degree”. A well-devised theory collates and
integrates points of view, as it unites numerous isolated and
often unrelated facts.
• Moreover, a well-devised theory does not rest unchallenged,
but raises new questions; it suggests and, at times, demands
the formulation of new hypotheses.
• Thus the quest for knowledge pauses momentarily with the
establishment of a new theory. But the theory initiates a new
cycle, and the insatiable quest is resumed.
Cooper E. L. and Yamaguchi, N. (Eds) 2004 such as in Complementary and Alternative Approaches to Biomedicine Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 480 pp). Modified From: Cooper E. L. General Immunology Pergamon Press 1982 343 pp; Cooper, E. L. The Japanese Edition Nishimura Ltd 1990 324 pp.
INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
The Journal of Experimental and Clinical Medicine (JECM) aims to
publish high quality scientific research in the field of experimental and
clinical medicine, with the goal of promoting and disseminating
medical science knowledge to improve global health.
Articles on clinical, laboratory and social research in medicine and
other related fields that are of interest to the medical profession are
eligible for consideration. The JECM publishes review articles,
original articles, case reports, short communications, and letters to
the editor. The journal is published every 2 months, with a total of 6
issues a year.
The Editorial Board requires authors to be in compliance with
the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to
Biomedical Journals (URMs); current URMs are available at
Suggestions for Processing Manuscripts Other Than
These from Peer Reviewers, December 2010
When papers require revision please send the following instructions and request after resubmission that authors acknowledge having completed the suggestions. Rarely will
any paper be acceptable without revision. Thus the following 6 suggestions should be sent to the authors after peer review.
1) Would you please ensure the revised version indicates a thorough research of literature of
relevant papers from integrative and complementary medicine journals, including eCAM?
2) Authors are strongly encouraged to be certain that written English is clear and
grammatically correct. They can do this by either consulting a person who writes very regularly in English. Alternatively, authors can use a service provided by many
universities and language institutes. In addition, authors may use spell check which does recognize certain kinds of sentence constructions, such as active vs. passive voice.
3) Authors should examine their results to determine if they can be best expressed or
enhanced by inclusion of colorful hypothetical diagrams that explain the Results. See papers by Vojdani and also by Salvioli in eCAM that are excellent examples of
approaches to hypothetical diagrams. These are ideal for teaching!
4) Authors should refrain from using redundant, repetitive subheadings in Materials and
Methods and the Results. Using “Effects of” constantly is not encouraged. Rather authors should use more stimulating subheadings.
5) In the case of regular research papers, authors should divide the text into the usual
Materials and Methods, Results and Discussion. Please do not combine the Results and Discussion.
6) Authors should understand that their suggested changes are in addition to those provided
by at least two referees. Referees should give detailed recommendations and should not advise simply “minor revision”. It is essential to be specific concerning recommendations.
1. Manuscript Submission
Please submit your manuscript by e-mail to
[email protected]
. If assistance is needed,
the Editorial Office can be contacted for any help necessary.
Editorial Office
Journal of Experimental and Clinical Medicine
Taipei Medical University
250, Wu-Hsing Street
Taipei, Taiwan 110
Tel: +886 2 27361661 ext. 7146
Fax: +886 2 27391797
E-mail:
[email protected]
Important information
● Articles submitted should be in Microsoft Word document format and prepared in
the simplest form possible. We will add in the correct font, font size, margins and so on
according to the journal’s style.
● You may use automatic page numbering, but do NOT use other kinds of automatic
formatting such as footnotes, endnotes, headers and footers.
● Put text, references, and table/figure legends in one file.
● Figures must be submitted as separate picture files, at the correct resolution of a
minimum of 600 dpi. The files should be named according to the figure number and
Please ensure that the following documents are included (refer also to the
checklist that follows these author instructions):
(1) A cover letter. It must include your name, address, telephone and fax
numbers, and e-mail address, and state that all authors have contributed to the
paper and have never submitted the manuscript, in whole or in part, to other
journals. Your signature and those of ALL your coauthors must be included.
(2) A conflict of interest disclosure statement (see relevant section below).
(3) A copyright transfer statement. You may use the form that follows these
author instructions.
(4) Articles covering the use of human samples in research and human
experiments must be accompanied by a letter of approval from the relevant
review committee. (see relevant section below).
(5) Articles covering the use of animals in experiments must be accompanied by
a letter of approval from the relevant authorities.
(6) Articles where human subjects can be identified in descriptions, photographs
or pedigrees must be accompanied by a signed statement of informed consent to
publish (in print and online) the descriptions, photographs and pedigrees from
each subject who can be identified (see relevant section below).
(7) Where material has been reproduced from other copyrighted sources, the
letter(s) of permission from the copyright holder(s) to use the copyrighted sources
2. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
All authors are required to sign and submit the following financial disclosure statement
at the time of manuscript submission:
I certify that all my affiliations with or financial involvement in, within the past 5 years
and foreseeable future, any organization or entity with a financial interest in or
financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript are
completely disclosed (e.g., employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or
options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, royalties).
Authors who have no relevant financial interests should provide a statement indicating
that they have no financial interests related to the material in the manuscript.
3. Ethical Approval of Studies and Informed Consent
For human or animal experimental investigations, appropriate institutional review board or
ethics committee approval is required, and such approval should be stated in the methods
section of the manuscript. For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review
committees, the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki should be followed
(World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research
involving human subjects. Available at:
http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/17c.pdf ).
For investigation of human subjects, state explicitly in the methods section of the
manuscript that informed consent was obtained from all participating adult subjects and
from parents or legal guardians for minors or incapacitated adults, together with the
manner in which informed consent was obtained (ex oral or written)
4. Identification of Patients in Descriptions,
Photographs and Pedigrees
A signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) patient
descriptions, photographs and pedigrees should be obtained from all subjects
(parents or legal guardians for minors) who can be identified (including by the
subjects themselves) in such written descriptions, photographs or pedigrees.
Such persons should be shown the manuscript before its submission. Omitting
data or making data less specific to de-identify patients is acceptable, but
changing any such data is not acceptable.
5. Previous Publication or Duplicate Submission
Submitted manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have
not been published previously in print or electronic format (except in abstract
or poster form) and are not under consideration in totality or in part by another
publication or electronic medium.
6. Basic Criteria
Articles should be written in English (using American English spelling) and
meet the following basic criteria: the material is original, the information is
important, the writing is clear and concise, the study methods are appropriate,
the data are valid, and the conclusions are reasonable
and supported by the data.
7. Categories of Articles
7.1. Review Articles
These should aim to provide the reader with a balanced overview
of an important and topical subject in the field, and should be
systematic and critical assessments of literature and data sources.
They should cover aspects of a topic in which scientific consensus
exists as well as aspects that remain controversial and are the
subject of ongoing scientific research. All articles and data source
reviewed should include information about the specific type of
study or analysis, population, intervention, exposure, and tests or
outcomes. All articles or data sources should be selected
systematically for inclusion in the review and critically evaluated
The text should not exceed 4500 words. By invitation only. The
format for review articles will be jointlydecided by the Editors and
7.2. Original Articles
These articles typically include randomized trials, intervention studies, studies of screening and diagnostic tests, laboratory and animal studies, cohort studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control studies, and surveys with high response rates,
which represent new and significant contributions to the field.
Section headings should be: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments (if applicable) and References.
The Introduction should provide a brief background to the subject of the paper, explain the importance of the study, and state a precise study question or purpose.
The Methods section should describe the study design and methods (including the study setting and dates, patients/participants with inclusion and exclusion criteria, or
data sources and how these were selected for the study, patient samples or animal specimens used, explain the laboratory methods followed), and state the statistical
procedures employed in the research.
The Results section should comprise the study results presented in a logical sequence, supplemented by tables and/or figures. Take care that the text does not repeat data
that are presented in tables and/or figures. Only emphasize and summarize the essential features of any interventions, the main outcome measures, and the main results. The Discussion section should be used to emphasize the new and important
aspects of the study, placing the results in context with published literature, the implications of the findings, and the conclusions that follow from the study results.
7.3. Case Reports
These are short discussions of a case or case series with unique
features not previously described that make an important teaching point
or scientific observation. They may describe novel techniques, novel
use of equipment, or new information on diseases of importance.
Section headings should be: Abstract, Introduction, Case Report,
Discussion, Acknowledgments (if applicable) and References.
The Introduction should describe the purpose of the present report, the
significance of the disease and its specificity, and briefly review the
relevant literature. The Case Report should include the general data of
the case, medical history, family history, chief complaint, present illness,
clinical manifestation, methods of diagnosis and treatment, and
outcome.
The Discussion should compare, analyze and discuss the similarities
and differences between the reported case and similar cases reported in
other published articles. The importance or specificity of the case
should be restated when discussing the differential diagnoses. Suggest
the prognosis of the disease and possibility of prevention.
The text should not exceed 2000 words.
7.4. Letters to the Editor
Letters are welcome in response to previously published articles, and may
also include interesting cases that do not meet the requirement of being
truly exceptional, and other communications of general interest. Letters
should have a title and include appropriate references, and include the
author’s mailing and e-mail addresses. Letters are edited, sometimes
extensively, to sharpen their focus. They may be sent for peer review, at the
discretion of the Editors. Letters are selected based on clarity, significance,
and space. The text should not exceed 500 words.
7.5. Short Communications
These reports should be concise presentations of clinical or preliminary
experimental results. The abstract should not exceed 150 words. The text
should not exceed 1200 words, with no more than four figures or tables and
no more than 10 references. The editors reserve the right to decide what
constitutes a Short Communication.
8. Manuscript Preparation
Text should be typed double-spaced on one side of white A4 (297 × 210 mm)
paper, with outer margins of 2.5 cm. A manuscript should include a title
page, abstract, text, references, acknowledgments, and figures and tables
as appropriate. Each section of the manuscript should begin on a new page.
8.1. Title Page
The title page should contain the following information (in order, from the
top to bottom of the page):
• category of paper
• article title
• names (spelled out in full) of all authors*, and the institutions
with which they are affiliated
• corresponding author details (name, e-mail, mailing address,
telephone and fax numbers)
• running title not exceeding 50 characters
*The name of each author should be written with the family name last, e.g.,
Jing-Long Huang. Authorship is restricted only to direct participants who
have contributed significantly to the work.
8.2. Abstracts
Abstracts should be no more than 300 words in length. Abstracts for
Original Articles should be structured, with the section headings:
Background/Introduction, Purpose(s)/Aim(s), Methods, Results, Conclusion.
Abstracts for Case Reports are unstructured, but should include the
significance and purpose of the case presentation, the diagnostic methods
of the case, the key data, and brief comments and suggestions with regard
to the case. For all article categories, 3–5 relevant key words should also be
8.3. Main Text
The text for Original Articles should be organized in sections as follows: Background/Introduction, Purpose(s)/Aim(s), Methods, Results and Discussion. Sections for Case Reports are: Introduction,
Case Report, and Discussion. Each section should begin on a new page.
8.3.1. Abbreviations
Where a term/definition will be continually referred to, it must be written in full when it first appears in the text, followed by the subsequent abbreviation in parentheses. Thereafter, the
abbreviation may be used. Restrict the number of abbreviations to those that are absolutely necessary.
8.3.2. Units
Système International (SI) units must be used, with the exception of blood pressure values which are to be reported in mmHg.
Please use the metric system for the expression of length, area, mass, and volume. Temperatures are to be given in degrees
Celsius.
8.3.5. Acknowledgments
General acknowledgments for consultations, statistical analysis, etc., should be listed concisely at the end of the text,
including the names of the individuals who were directly involved. Consent should be obtained from those individuals
before their names are listed in this section.
All financial and material support for the research and
work from internal or external agencies, including commercial companies, should be clearly and completely identified.
8.3.3. Names of Drugs, Devices and Other Products
The generic term should be used, unless the specific trade name
is directly relevant to the discussion.
8.3.4. Statistical Requirements
Statistical analysis is essential for all research papers except case reports. Use
correct nomenclsature of statistical methods (e.g., two sample t test, not unpaired
t test). All p values should be presented to the third decimal place for accuracy,
unless they are less than 0.001. Descriptive statistics should follow the scales
used in data description. Inferential statistics are important for interpreting results
and should be described in detail.
8.4. References 8.4.1. In the Main Text, Tables, Figure Legends
• References should be identified using superscripted numbers, and
numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text and placed
after punctuation.
• References cited in tables or figure legends should be included in
sequence where the table or figure is first mentioned in the main text.
• Do not cite uncompleted work or work that has not yet been accepted
for publication (i.e., “unpublished observation”, “personal
communication”) as references.
• Do not cite abstracts unless they are the only available reference to an
important concept.
8.4.2. In the References section
• References should be limited to those cited in the text and
listed in numerical order, NOT alphabetical order.
• References should include, in order, author names, article
title, journal name, year, volume and inclusive page numbers.
The last names and initials of all the authors up to 7 should
be included, but when authors number 8 or more, list the first
7 authors only followed by “et al”.
• Abbreviations for journal names should conform to those
used in MEDLINE.
• If citing a website, provide the author information, article title,
website address and the date you accessed the information.
• Reference to an article that is in press must state the
journal name and, if possible, the year and volume. Authors
are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their
references and for correct text citation.
Examples are given below.
Standard journal article
Chen Z, Fan M, Bian Z, Zhang Q, Zhu Q, Lu P. Immunolocalization of heat
shock protein 70 during reparative dentinogenesis. Chin J Dent Res
2000;3:50–5.
Journal Supplement
Kaplan NM. The endothelium as prognostic factor and therapeutic target:
what criteria should we apply? J Cardiovasc Pharmacol
1998;32(Suppl3):S78–80.
Journal article not in English but with English abstract Kawai H, Ishikawa T,
Moroi J, Hanyu N, Sawada M, Kobayashi N, Mutou T, et al. Elderly patient
with cerebellar malignant astrocytoma. No Shinkei Geka 2008;36:799–805. [In
Japanese, English abstract]
Book
Bradley EL. Medical and Surgical Management. Philadelphia: Saunders,
1982:72–95.
Book chapter in book with editor and edition
Greaves M, Culligan DJ. Blood and bone marrow. In: Underwood JCE, ed.
General and Systematic Pathology, 4th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone,
Conference proceedings
Pacak K, Aguilera G, Sabban E, Kvetnansky R, eds. Stress: Current
Neuroendocrine and Genetic Approaches. 8th Symposium on
Catecholamines and Other Neurotransmitters in Stress, June 28–July
3, 2003, Smolenice Castle, Slovakia. New York: New York Academy of
Sciences, 2004.
Thesis
Ayers AJ. Retention of Resin Restorations by Means of Enamel
Etching and by Pins. MSD thesis, Indiana University, Indianapolis,
1971.
Website
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Wisdom
Teeth. Rosemont, IL: AAOMS, 2008. Available at:
http://www.aaoms.org/wisdom_teeth.php [Date accessed: November
15, 2008]
Company/manufacturer publication/pamphlet
Eastman Kodak Company, Eastman Organic Chemicals. Catalog No.
49. Rochester, NY: Eastman Kodak, 1977:2–3.
8.5. Tables
Tables should supplement, not duplicate, the text. They should have a
concise table heading, be self-explanatory, and numbered consecutively
in the order of their citation in the text. Information requiring explanatory
footnotes should be denoted using these symbols (in order of
appearance): *,†, ‡, §
, , ¶, #, **, ††, ‡‡. Abbreviations used in the table
must be defined and placed after the footnotes. If you include a block of
data or table from another source, whether published or unpublished,
you must acknowledge the original source.
8.6. Figures
The number of figures should be restricted to the minimum necessary to
support the textual material. They should have an informative figure
legend and be numbered in the order of their citation in the text. All
symbols and abbreviations should be defined in the legend. Patient
identification should be obscured. All lettering should be done
professionally and should be in proportion to the drawing, graph or
photograph. Photomicrographs must include an internal scale marker,
the type of specimen, original magnification and stain. Figures must be
submitted as separate picture files (ex. TIF, JPG, etc.) at the correct
resolution of a minimum of 600 dpi. The files should be named according
to the figure number and format, e.g., “Fig1.tif”, “Fig2.jpg”. The cost of
color illustrations will be charged to the author.
9. The Editorial and Peer Review Process
As a general rule, the receipt of a manuscript will be acknowledged within 2 weeks of submission, and authors will be provided with a manuscript reference number
for future correspondence. If such an acknowledgment is not received in a reasonable period of time, the author should contact the Editorial Office. Manuscripts are reviewed by the Editorial Office to ensure that the submission contains all parts. The Editorial Office will not accept a submission if the author
has not supplied all parts of the manuscript as outlined in this document. Manuscripts are then forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, who makes an initial assessment of it. If the manuscript does not appear to be of sufficient merit or is not appropriate for the Journal, then the manuscript will be rejected without review.
Rejected manuscripts will not be returned to authors unless requested.
Manuscripts that appear meritorious and appropriate for the Journal are reviewed by at least two Editorial Board members or expert consultants assigned by the Editor-in Chief. Authors will usually be notified within 10 weeks of whether the submitted article is accepted for publication, rejected, or subject to revision before
acceptance. However, do note that delays are sometimes unavoidable
10. Preparation for Publication
Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the authors should submit the final version of their manuscript through Elsevier’s online submission system—EES. Accepted manuscripts are copyedited according to the journal’s style and the galley proofs in the form of a PDF file are e-mailed by the Publisher to
the corresponding author for final approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made by the copy editor.
