What is the purpose of launching World Journal of Hepatology?

Abstract

The first issue of World Journal of Hepatology (WJH), whose preparatory work was initiated on September 23, 2008, will be published on October 31, 2009. The WJH Editorial Board has now been established and consists of 213 distinguished experts from 29 countries. Our purpose of launching WJH is to publish peer-reviewed, high-quality articles via an open-access online publishing model, thereby acting as a platform for communication between peers and the wider public, and maximizing the benefits to editorial board members, authors and readers.

Key Words: Maximization of personal benefits; Editorial board members; Authors; Readers; Employees; World Journal of Hepatology

INTRODUCTION

I am very pleased to announce that the first issue of World Journal of Hepatology (World J Hepatol, WJH, ISSN 1948-5182, DOI: 10.4254) will be published on October 31, 2009. Originally, the journal was titled Liver Cancer Review Letters when preparatory work was initiated on September 23, 2008, and retitled Liver Disease Review Letters at a later date. The WJH Editorial Board has now been established and consists of 213 distinguished experts from 29 countries.

The role of academic journals is to exhibit the scientific levels of a country, a university, a center, a department, and even a scientist, and build an important bridge for communication between scientists and the public. As we all know, the significance of the publication of scientific articles lies not only in disseminating and communicating innovative scientific achievements and academic views, as well as promoting the application of scientific achievements, but also in formally recognizing the “priority” and “copyright” of innovative achievements published, as well as evaluating research performance and academic levels. To realize these desired attributes of a journal and create a well-recognized journal, the following four types of personal benefits should be maximized.

MAXIMIZATION OF PERSONAL BENEFITS

The maximization of personal benefits refers to the pursuit of the maximum personal benefits in a well-considered optimal manner without violation of the laws, ethical rules and the benefits of others.

Maximization of the benefits of editorial board members

The primary task of editorial board members is to give a peer review of an unpublished scientific article via online office system to evaluate its innovativeness, scientific and practical values and determine whether it should be published or not. During peer review, editorial board members can also obtain cutting-edge information in that field at first hand. As leaders in their field, they have priority to be invited to write articles and publish commentary articles. We will put peer reviewers’ names and affiliations along with the article they reviewed in the journal to acknowledge their contribution.

Maximization of the benefits of authors

Since WJH is an open-access journal, readers around the world can immediately download and read, free of charge, high-quality, peer-reviewed articles from WJH official website, thereby realizing the goals and significance of the communication between authors and peers as well as public reading.

Maximization of the benefits of readers

Readers can read or use, free of charge, high-quality peer-reviewed articles without any limits, and cite the arguments, viewpoints, concepts, theories, methods, results, conclusion or facts and data of pertinent literature so as to validate the innovativeness, scientific and practical values of their own research achievements, thus ensuring that their articles have novel arguments or viewpoints, solid evidence and correct conclusion[1].

Maximization of the benefits of employees

It is an iron law that a first-class journal is unable to exist without first-class editors, and only first-class editors can create a first-class academic journal[2,3]. We insist on strengthening our team cultivation and construction so that every employee, in an open, fair and transparent environment, could contribute their wisdom to edit and publish high-quality articles, thereby realizing the maximization of the personal benefits of editorial board members, authors and readers, and yielding the greatest social and economic benefits.

CONTENTS OF PEER REVIEW

In order to guarantee the quality of articles published in the journal, WJH 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.

SCOPE

The major task of WJH is to report rapidly the most recent results in basic and clinical research on hepatology, including: liver biology/pathology, cirrhosis and its complications, liver fibrosis, liver failure, portal hypertension, hepatitis B and C and inflammatory disorders, steatohepatitis and metabolic liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, biliary tract disease, autoimmune disease, cholestatic and biliary disease, transplantation, genetics, epidemiology, microbiology, molecular and cell biology, nutrition, geriatric and pediatric hepatology, diagnosis and screening, endoscopy, imaging, and advanced technology.

COLUMNS

The columns in WJH will include: (1) Editorial: to introduce and comment on major advances in rapidly developing areas and their importance; (2) Frontier: to review recent developments, comment on current research status in important fields, and propose directions for future research; (3) Topic Highlight: this column consists of three formats, including: (a) 10 invited review articles on a hot topic; (b) a commentary on common issues associated with this hot topic; and (c) a commentary on the 10 individual articles; (4) Observation: to update the development of old and new questions, highlight unsolved problems, and provide strategies for their resolution; (5) Guidelines for Basic Research: to provide Guidelines for basic research; (6) Guidelines for Clinical Practice: to provide guidelines for clinical diagnosis and treatment; (7) Review: to review systemically the most representative progress and unsolved problems, comment on current research status, and make suggestions for future work; (8) Original Article: to report original and innovative findings; (9) Brief Articles: to report briefly on novel and innovative findings; (10) Case Report: To report a rare or typical case; (11) Letters to the Editor: to discuss and reply to contributions published in WJH, or to introduce and comment on a controversial issue of general interest; (12) Book Reviews: to introduce and comment on quality monographs; and (13) Guidelines: To introduce consensuses and guidelines reached by international and national academic authorities on basic research and clinical practice.