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Preparation of manuscripts
All papers should be written in concise English but should contain sufficient detail to illustrate how the results were obtained. Manuscripts should be double-spaced with wide margins.
Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by another publication or electronic medium. Copies of possibly duplicative materials that have been previously published or are being considered elsewhere must be provided at the time of manuscript submission.
Manuscripts should contain a statement to the effect that all human studies have been reviewed by the appropriate ethics committee or it should be stated clearly in the text that all persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Details that might disclose the identity of the subjects under study should be omitted. Authors should also draw attention to the Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki, 1964 and Declaration of Tokyo, 1975, as revised in 1983).
When reporting the results from experiments on animals indicate whether the experiments were conducted according to the National Research Council’s guidelines. Indicate the grade of the animals and give the certificate number of the animal breeder. Rats and mice of at least Grade II can be reported. The sex, age, and measured body weights of tested animals or humans should be expressed as mean, standard deviation, and total range.
Cover Letter
The uploaded covering letter must state that the material has not been submitted for publication elsewhere while under consideration for AJA. Identify the name, full postal address, and fax number of the corresponding author. The authors are free to offer suggestions of suitable expert reviewers.
Research Highlight
Research Highlights are by invitation only and present short updates on new progress in the field of andrology. They should be no more than 900 words.
Commentary
Commentary articles comment on articles that have been published in AJA. They should contain no more than 1000 words of text, one display item (figure or table) and a maximum of 20 references. Commentary articles do not contain an abstract.
Opinion
Opinion pieces cover a wide variety of topics that are of current interest in andrology and highlight their interaction with society. They may discuss policy, ethics, science or society and should be written in an accessible, non-technical style. They can be written with authority, color, vivacity and personal voice. Opinion pieces should be 1500 to 2500 words and should contain no more than 25 references. They do not contain primary research data, although they may present ‘sociological’ data (funding trends, demographics, bibliographic data, scientific and social development, etc.). Opinion pieces do not contain an abstract, and apart from keywords there is no obligation to divide the text into sections. In all other respects, the directions for full papers should be followed.
Perspectives
Perspectives articles present personal, forward-looking or speculative, reviews of a scientific topic. Papers presenting controversial positions or two reviews that advocate opposite sides of a research controversy are also published as Perspectives. Perspectives have a word limit of 5000 words including abstract but excluding references, tables and figures. A number of Perspectives will be solicited by the editors; however, we also welcome timely, unsolicited Perspectives. Authors with proposals for Perspectives should present information concerning the proposed content and authors to the editors prior to submission.
Review
Review Articles survey recent developments in a topical area of andrological research. Reviews have a word limit of 6000 words including abstract but excluding references, tables and figures. A number of Reviews will be solicited by the editors; however, we also welcome timely, unsolicited Reviews. Authors with proposals for Reviews should present information concerning the proposed content and authors of their Review to the editors prior to submission.
Original Article
Studies that are of high scientific quality and that are of interest to the diverse readership of the journal. Manuscripts should include an abstract and appropriate experimental details to support the conclusions. Original Articles should be no more than 5000 words and should not normally include more than six display items (tables and/or figures). Manuscripts should include the following sections, each starting a new page: title, abstract and keywords, text (introduction, materials and methods, results and discussion), references, tables and figure captions.
Short Communication
Studies that fall short of the criteria for full research papers (eg short experimental reports limited by sample size or duration, novel hypotheses or commentaries) may be submitted as Short Communications. Experimental details are not required in Short Communications, but a general outline of experimental methods should be included. They should contain no more than 1000 words of text, a maximum of three display items (tables and/or figures) and a maximum of 20 references. Short Communications should include title, abstract, and description sections, but there is otherwise no need to divide the text into sections. In all other respects, the directions for full papers should be followed.
Letter to the Editor
Letters to the Editor present preliminary reports of unusual urgency, significance and interest, whose subjects may be republished in expanded form. They should contain no more than 900 words of text, one display item (figure or table) and a maximum of 10 references. Letters to the Editor do not contain an abstract, and apart from keywords there is no obligation to divide the text into sections. In all other respects, the directions for full papers should be followed.
Article sections
Please make spelling consistent with current editions of either Webster's Dictionary or Oxford English Dictionary.
In general, manuscripts should be divided in to the following sections:
Title page The title page should give a concise but informative title, the first and last names and other initials of all authors, as well as their affiliations (but not degrees). Names of grants covering the research described should also be included on this page. The order in which the contributors are listed should be agreed amongst the investigators, and should indicate that the first listed made the greatest contribution to the paper. Full contact details should be provided for the corresponding author. There should be fewer than 10 co-authors. Please provide a running title of no more than 50 characters including spaces.
Abstract and keywords An abstract of not more than 250 words. The abstract should be comprehensible to readers before they have read the paper, and abbreviations and reference citations within the abstract should be avoided. It should outline the purpose of the study, the basic procedures and the most important conclusions.
Three to ten keywords, which may or may not appear in the title, should be given in alphabetical order below the abstract, each separated by a comma (,).Whenever possible, the terms should be from the Medical Subject Headings list of Index Medicus.
Introduction This should give a short, clear account of the background and reasons for undertaking the study. It should not be a review of the literature.
Materials and methods This section should contain sufficient detail so that all experimental procedures can be repeated by others in conjunction with cited references. This section may be divided into subheadings to assist the reader. Names of products and manufacturers should be included only if alternative sources are deemed unsatisfactory, giving both the company name and city. Generic names of drugs should be used. If necessary, the brand, trade or commercial name of a drug can be included in parentheses on first mention. Scientific species nomenclature should be used at all times, providing the genus, species (in italics) and authority for all microorganisms, plants and animals.
Novel experimental procedures should be described in detail, but published procedures should be referred to by literature citation of the original article and published modifications. Use of standard abbreviations and SI units of measurement (according to the Systeme International d’Unites) is encouraged. Measurements that are not currently converted to SI units in biomedical applications are blood and oxygen pressures, enzyme activity, H+ concentration, temperature, and volume. Abbreviations, if used, should be defined on their first appearance in the text.
Identify the drug administration schedule; for example, dose (base or salt) and route of administration. The routes of administration may be abbreviated: intraarterial (ia), intracerebroven-tricular (icv), intragastric gavage (ig), intramuscular (im), intraperitoneal (ip), intravenous (iv), per os (po), subcutaneous (sc).
Statistical methods should be described when they are used to verify the results. Choose suitable techniques for the statistical treatments; for example, t-test (group or paired comparisons), chi-squared test, Ridit, probit, logit, regression (linear, curvilinear, or stepwise), correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance, etc.
Only homogeneous data can be averaged. Standard deviations are preferred to standard errors. Give the number of observations and subjects (n). Losses in observations, such as drop-outs from the study should be reported.
Values such as ED50, LD50, IC50 should have their 95% confidence limits calculated and compared by weighted probit analysis (Bliss and Finney).
The word ‘significantly’ should be replaced by its synonyms (if it indicates extent) or the P value (if it indicates statistical significance).
Dosage is expressed as per kg (even in mice). Concentration in solution is expressed as per L, not per mL. Values for rpm should be converted into gravity (×g). Absorbance (A) values are preferred to optical density (OD) values.
Symbols are not pluralized (eg, 9 kg, not kgs) and are not followed by a period (eg, min, not min.).
Use 12.4 mm (not 0.0124 m), 5 µmol (not 5×10-6 mol), 3-8 g, 3%-8%, 3 m×8 m×2 m, 8±3 g, (8±3) nmol•L-1•g-1 (protein).
Do not include more digits than are justified by the accuracy of the determinations. For example: a dog weighs 9 kg (not 9000 g, which implies an accuracy of 1 g). In a sample, the effective digits are determined by the variation within the sample, that is, one-third of the standard deviation. For example: 8.6±2.9 kg (not 8619±2930 g, or 9±3 kg).
For isotopically labelled compounds, use a square bracket directly attached to the front of the name (word) or formula. Examples: [14C]urea, [α-32P]ATP (not AT32P), sodium [14C]formate, [1-14C,2-13C]acetaldehyde, [carboxy-14C]leucine, and [1-3H]ethanol. However, both [131I]iodoalbumin and 131I-albumin are correct.
The SI unit for radioactivity is becquerel (Bq): 1 Ci=37×109 disintegrations per second=37 GBq. The disintegrations per minute (dpm), not counts per minute (cpm), should be converted to Bq for presentation.
Results The description of results should not simply reiterate data that appear in tables and figures and, likewise, the same data should not be displayed in both tables and figures. The results section should be concise and follow a logical sequence. If the paper describes a complex series of experiments, it is permissible to explain the protocol/experimental design before presenting the results. Do not discuss the results or draw any conclusions in this section. This section may be divided into subheadings to assist the reader. Large datasets or other cumbersome data pertinent to the manuscript may be submitted as supplementary information.
Discussion Do not recapitulate the results, but discuss their significance against the background of existing knowledge, and identify clearly those aspects that are novel. The final paragraph should highlight the main conclusion(s), and provide some indication of the direction future research should take. This section may be divided into subheadings to assist the reader.
Acknowledgments These should be brief, and should include sources of financial support, material (e.g. novel compounds, strains, etc.) not available commercially, personal assistance, advice from colleagues and gifts. Acknowledgments should be made only to those who have made a significant contribution to the study.
References Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the references. Published articles as well as those in press (please state the name of the journal and enclose a copy of the manuscript) may be included. In the text of the manuscript, references to the literature should be numbered consecutively and indicated by a superscript. Each reference should be numbered individually and listed at the end of the manuscript; examples are given below. All authors should be quoted for papers with up to five authors; for papers with six or more authors, the first author only should be quoted, followed by et al.
Example of journal citations:
1) Dai B, Ye DW, Kong YY, Shen YJ, Wang BH. Individualized prostate biopsy strategy for Chinese patients with different prostate-specific antigen levels. Asian J Androl 2008; 10: 325-31.
2) Mao X, Shaw G, James SY, Purkis P, Kudahetti SC, et al. Detection of TMPRSS2:ERG fusion gene in circulating prostate cancer cells. Asian J Androl 2008; 10: 467-73.
Example of a book citation:
3) Armitage P. Statistical Methods in Medical Research. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publishers; 1971. p239.
Example of an article in a book:
4) Morley JE, Kaiser FE, Jonson LE. Male sexual function. In: Cassel CK, Riesenberg DE, Sorensen LB, Walsh JR, editors. Geriatric Medicine. New York: Springer-Verlag; 1990. p25670.
The names of journals cited should be abbreviated according to the ‘International List of Periodical Title Word Abbreviations (Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 1970)’.
Citations of ‘unpublished data’ and ‘S. A. Waksman, personal communication’ should be written in the text parenthetically. Abstracts may be cited only if they are the sole sources, and must be identified in the reference list as ‘(Abstract)’. Manuscripts that have been accepted for publication but are not yet published must be identified in the reference list as ‘in press’. Written proof for ‘personal communication’ and preprint for ‘in press’ may be requested for review.
Tables These should be labeled sequentially as Table 1, Table 2, etc. Each table should be saved in a separate file, numbered and titled, and cited in the text. Reference to table footnotes should be made by means of Arabic numerals. Tables should not duplicate the content of the text. They should consist of at least two columns; columns should always have headings. Tables should have a brief footnote that identifies all abbreviations used. Authors should ensure that the data in the tables are consistent with those cited in the relevant places in the text, totals add up correctly, and percentages have been calculated correctly. Tables should be supplied as separate electronic files (as Word or Excel file formats).
Figures These should be labeled sequentially as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc. Each figure should be saved in a separate file, numbered and titled and cited in the text. Figure legends should be printed, double spaced, on a separate sheet titled ‘Titles and legends to figures’. Figures should be referred to specifically in the text of the paper but should not be embedded within the text. If a table or figure has been published before, the authors must obtain written permission to reproduce the material in both print and electronic formats from the copyright owner and submit it with the manuscript. This follows for quotes, illustrations and other materials taken from previously published works not in the public domain. The original source should be cited in the figure caption or table footnote. Scale bars should be provided on photographs. Colour figures can be reproduced if necessary, but the authors will be expected to contribute towards the cost of publication. A quote will be supplied upon acceptance of your paper.
Colour on the web Authors who wish their articles to have FREE colour figures on the web (only available in the HTML (full text) version of manuscripts) must supply separate files in the following format. These files should be submitted as supplementary information and authors are asked to mention they would like colour figures on the web in their submission letter.
For single images:
| Width |
500 pixels (authors should select ‘constrain proportions’, or equivalent instructions, to allow the application to set the correct height automatically.) |
| Resolution |
125 dpi (dots per inch) or ‘Save for Web’ if using Photoshop |
| Format |
JPEG for photographs GIF for line drawings or charts |
| File naming |
Please save image with .jpg or .gif extension to ensure it can be read by all platforms and graphics packages |
For sinFor multi-part images:
| Width |
900 pixels (authors should select ‘constrain proportions’, or equivalent instructions, to allow the application to set the correct height automatically.) |
| Resolution |
125 dpi (dots per inch) or ‘Save for Web’ if using Photoshop |
| Format |
JPEG for photographs GIF for line drawings or charts |
| File naming |
Please save image with .jpg or .gif extension to ensure it can be read by all platforms and graphics packages |
Supplementary information Supplementary information is peer-reviewed material directly relevant to the conclusion of an article that cannot be included in the printed version owing to space or format constraints. It is posted on the journal's website and linked to the article when the article is published and may consist of data files, graphics, movies or extensive tables.
The printed article must be complete and self-explanatory without the supplementary information. Supplementary information enhances a reader’s understanding of the paper but is not essential to that understanding.
Supplementary information must be supplied to the editorial office in its final form for peer review. On acceptance the final version of the peer reviewed supplementary information should be submitted with the accepted paper.
To ensure that the contents of the supplementary information files can be viewed by the editor(s), referees and readers, please also submit a ‘read-me’ file containing brief instructions on how to use the file.
The supplementary information may not be altered, nor new supplementary information added, after the paper has been accepted for publication.
Supplying supplementary information files:
Authors should ensure that supplementary information is supplied in its FINAL format because it is not subedited and will appear online exactly as originally submitted. It cannot be altered, nor new supplementary information added, after the paper has been accepted for publication.
Please supply the supplementary information via our online submission and review system with Scholar One Manuscript Central (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aja), in an acceptable file format (see below). Authors should:
• Include a text summary (no more than 50 words) to describe the contents of each file.
• Identify the types of files (file formats) submitted.
• Include the text ‘Supplementary information is available at (the journal’s name)’s website’ at the end of the article and before the references.
Accepted file formats:
• Quick Time files (.mov)
• Graphical image files (.gif)
• HTML files (.html)
• MPEG movie files (.mpg)
• JPEG image files (.jpg)
• Sound files (.wav)
• Plain ASCII text (.txt)
• Acrobat files (.pdf)
• MS Word documents (.doc)
• Postscript files (.ps)
• MS Excel spreadsheet documents (.xls)
• PowerPoint (.ppt) We cannot accept TeX and LaTeX.
File sizes must be as small as possible, so that they can be downloaded quickly. Images should not exceed 640 x 480 pixels (9 x 6.8 inches at 72 pixels per inch) but we would recommend 480 x 360 pixels as the maximum frame size for movies. We would also recommend a frame rate of 15 frames per second. If applicable to the presentation of the supplementary information, use a 256-colour palette. Please consider the use of lower specification for all of these points if the supplementary information can still be represented clearly. Our recommended maximum data rate is 150 KB/s.
The number of files should be limited to eight, and the total file size should not exceed 8 MB. Individual files should not exceed 1 MB. Please seek advice from the editorial office before sending files larger than our maximum size to avoid delays in publication.
Further questions about the submission or preparation of supplementary information should be directed to the editorial office. |
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Submitted manuscripts should be accompanied by a covering letter giving details of: 1) the title of the manuscript and its main point; 2) a statement that the manuscript has not been published in part or whole (except in the form of abstract) or is under consideration for publication elsewhere in any language; 3) a statement that all authors have agreed to be so listed and have seen and approved the manuscript, its consent and its submission to AJA; 4) a full current postal address, telephone and fax numbers, and current e-mail address. We usually communicate with authors by e-mail. Authors must specify if they wish to exclude a method of communication.
Authors may suggest 2-3 reviewers. Please provide the name, postal address, and e-mail address, telephone and fax numbers, and fields of interest. Authors may also suggest that specific individuals not be involved as reviewers, but AJA reserves the right of final selection.
Adobe Acrobat
We recommend that for accessing the PDF files, best results are achieved if you have access to Adobe Acrobat Reader (4.0 or above). Should you require installation of this FREE program, please download from the link here and follow the on-screen instructions. (We recommend that on completion of installation, you amend one of the default settings. Select: File - Preferences - General, and UNCHECK Web Browser Integration. This will open PDF files in Acrobat Reader itself rather than in your browser. The amendment will not affect any functionality of either Acrobat Reader or your browser software.) Please refrain from submitting your manuscript by e-mail attachment. If the site replicates your details on screen, then your paper has been successfully submitted.
Once you have submitted your files and the conversion is in progress, you may log off the Internet and come back later to check and approve the conversion. This process can take up to 5 - 10 minutes before the PDF, created in the conversion process, is ready for approval. Please remember that your manuscript will not be submitted until you have approved the converted files.
Manuscript Status
Upon receipt of the manuscript, the AJA Editorial Office will immediately assign a code number, which is strongly recommended for use in subsequent correspondence. A letter acknowledging receipt will be sent to the corresponding author. After being pre-reviewed by the editors, most of the submitted manuscripts will be sent to expert referees for peer-review. All manuscripts are subject to editorial modifications. AJA disclaims any liability for statements made by authors or advertisers.
License to Publish
The corresponding author must complete and sign the License to Publish form upon acceptance of the manuscript and return it to the editorial office. Failure to do so will result in delays to the publication of your paper. A copy of the License to Publish form can be found at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/societyimages/aja/Licence to Publish - AJA.pdf.
AJA does not require authors of original research papers to assign copyright of their published contributions. Authors grant AJA an exclusive licence to publish, in return for which they can re-use their papers in their future printed work. NPG's author licence page provides details of the policy and a sample form. Authors are encouraged to submit their version of the accepted, peer-reviewed manuscript to their funding body's archive, for public release six months after publication. In addition, authors are encouraged to archive their version of the manuscript in their institution's repositories (as well as on their personal websites), also six months after the original publication. Authors should cite the publication reference and doi number on any deposited version, and provide a link from it to the published article on the NPG website. This policy complements the policies of the US National Institutes of Health, the Wellcome Trust and other research funding bodies around the world. NPG recognizes the efforts of funding bodies to increase access of the research they fund, and strongly encourages authors to participate in such efforts.
Advance Online Publication
All articles that are published ahead of print through Advance Online Publication are the final version of the manuscript and will subsequently appear, unchanged, in print.
Proofs
Once the manuscript has been accepted, the corresponding author will receive PDF proofs and are responsible for proofreading and checking the entire article. Authors should correct only typesetting errors, no major alteration of the text will be accepted. Page proofs must be returned within 48 hours to avoid delays in publication along with the reprint order if required.
Offprints
Offprints may be ordered using the order form available for download with the proofs. Later orders submitted after the journal is printed are subject to increased reprint prices.
Page Charge and Colour Charge
A page charge of US$ 130 (RMB 800) per printed page will be levied on all manuscripts accepted for publication; the charge reflects the new and more efficient layout of the journal. The cost for colour photographs is US$ 320 (RMB 2 000) per page, and is borne by the authors. The charge for cover art is US$ 640 (RMB 4 000).
To find out who to contact for business correspondence and enquiries such as advertising, subscriptions, permissions, papers in production or publishing a supplement, please visit our publisher’s contacts page.
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