Abstract
Important Changes in Manuscript Submission, Review, and Publication
Submission of Manuscripts
SAGEtrack is the online manuscript tracking system provided by SAGE Publications. With this system, all aspects of the review process are carried out online. After September 1, 2009, online submission will be required, except in special circumstances.
To submit an article online, please go to the journal’s SAGEtrack Web site at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/vetpath.
If you do not have access to the necessary resources for online submission, please send one copy of your manuscript; a cover letter giving the corresponding author’s address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address; a diskette or CD containing the text of your article in Word format; and one copy of your tables and figures to the Editorial Office of Veterinary Pathology at the following address: Jill Findlay Managing Editor, Veterinary Pathology
PO Box 4264 Cary, NC 27519 Phone/Fax: (919) 439-3788 Email:
Authors are urged to consult a recent issue of the journal and follow the style therein as closely as possible. Veterinary Pathology will also review, if suitable for consideration, manuscripts prepared according to the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (Annals of Internal Medicine 336:309–315, 1997). Please indicate in your cover letter and as a footnote on the title page of your manuscript that you have prepared your manuscript in the Uniform Requirements format.
Only original papers written in American English will be accepted.
The acceptance and publication of a manuscript is based solely on scientific merit as determined by stringent peer review. However, owing to the competitive, controversial, or specialized nature of a manuscript, authors may provide the editorial staff with a list of potential reviewers for their work. Final selection of reviewers will be determined by the editorial staff and, where appropriate, the Editorial Board.
Ethical Treatment of Animals
By submitting a manuscript to Veterinary Pathology, the author indicates that animal care and experimentation were carried out in accordance with all applicable institutional, local, and national guidelines. These guidelines may include, but are not solely limited to, the National Institutes of Health’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, which can be obtained from the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching, available from the Federation of Animal Science Societies at http://www.fass.org/page.asp?pageID=216.
Prior or Duplicate Publication
In the cover letter accompanying the manuscript, the author must disclose to the editor all submissions and previous reports that might be regarded as prior or duplicate publication of the same or very similar work. Copies of such material should be included with the submitted paper as Word or PDF files that are uploaded to SAGEtrack as supplemental information files. In circumstances in which the manuscript predominantly represents material already published, please contact the editor for discussion to determine whether sufficient new material is presented to warrant publication. Obtaining permission to publish reprinted material is the responsibility of the author. Submission of a manuscript implies commitment to publish in Veterinary Pathology. Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal should not have submitted them to another journal, nor should they have had manuscripts published elsewhere in similar form or with substantially similar content. Veterinary Pathology editors do not endorse redundant publication or copying from other manuscripts and will make every effort to detect, monitor, investigate, and report inappropriate redundancy. Undisclosed duplicitous or plagiarized manuscripts will be rejected or retracted.
Conflict of Interest Policy
It is in the best interest of authors and reviewers to learn of any potential conflict of interest before initiating a review. Such information will not alter established editorial and review policies but will assist the editorial staff in avoiding any potential conflicts that could give the appearance of a biased review.
Authors
Many authors of manuscripts published in Veterinary Pathology cite the sources of support for the work in the Acknowledgements section. If the study evaluates a commercial or candidate pharmaceutical product or medical device, the authors must disclose support in a cover letter when the manuscript is submitted for initial review, unless the association of the author with the sponsoring company is obvious. The editor will hold such information in confidence. If the manuscript is accepted for publication, the editor will discuss with the authors how such information is to be communicated to the reader.
Because review articles, commentaries, and letters to the editor require selection and interpretation of the literature or justification of a scientific opinion, authors of such material are expected to disclose in the submission any financial interest in a company (or its competitor) that makes a product under discussion, unless the association is otherwise obvious.
Publication of papers dealing with a commercial or candidate pharmaceutical product or medical device does not convey or imply an endorsement by the journal Veterinary Pathology or the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, the European College of Veterinary Pathologists, or the Japanese College of Veterinary Pathologists.
Reviewers
Potential reviewers of all manuscripts submitted to Veterinary Pathology are asked to carefully consider any potential conflicts of interest they may have in reviewing a manuscript. Such conflict could range from a simple collaborative research or conflict between the reviewer and one or more of the authors in a competitive business or academic environment. Such associations or relationships usually do not disqualify a potential reviewer; however, if a reviewer is concerned about a possible conflict, the circumstances should be discussed with the editorial staff. We expect that reviewers with a serious conflict of interest will disqualify themselves from reviewing a manuscript.
Exclusive License to Publish
To publish a manuscript, we require a signed Exclusive License to Publish agreement from one author (usually the corresponding author) with the understanding that all authors have seen and agreed to the contents of the manuscript. Under the agreement, the author retains copyright to the work and grants an exclusive license to SAGE to publish the article.
Employees of the federal government are required to indicate this affiliation on the same form. Any financial disclosures or declarations of potential conflicts of interests should be listed on the agreement.
The form will be reviewed and signed online at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/vetpath at the time of acceptance.
General Information for All Types of Manuscripts
Margins and Legibility
Electronic text files should be submitted as Word files. Tables may be submitted as Word or Excel files. A common typeface, such as Courier, should be used at 10 or 12 characters per inch (pica or elite, respectively). Margins on all sides should be at least 25 mm (1 in.), with no right justification. All sections of the manuscript should be double-spaced. Every page should be numbered. Line numbers are added by SAGEtrack when the Word file containing the manuscript is converted to PDF format.
If a manuscript must be submitted as hard copy, submit a single copy on white paper. Paper should be either 8.5 × 11.0 in. (215 × 280 mm) or A4 paper (210 × 297 mm). Laser printing or comparable print quality is required. A CD containing a cover letter in Word format, the manuscript text in Word format, and tables in Word or Excel format should be included. If you are unable to submit electronic files, please contact the Editorial Office for assistance.
Arrangement
There are more specific guidelines for full-length manuscripts and for brief communications and case reports; however, the general arrangement of the sections of the manuscript is as follows: Title page Abstract Keywords Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion Acknowledgements References Request for reprints information Tables Figure legends
Sections for full-length manuscripts include Abstract, an introduction (untitled), Materials and Methods or Case History, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, References, Tables, and Figure Legends. Furthermore, logical subheadings should be used in these sections to avoid more than one page of continuous text without heading or subheading. For brief communications and case reports, only the following headings should be used: Abstract, Acknowledgements, References, Tables, and Figure Legends. However, logical subheadings should be used to avoid more than one page of continuous text without a subheading. The format for review articles and animal models articles is flexible and depends on the nature of the article.
Discussion with the appropriate associate editor (listed in the front of each issue of the journal) and examination of similar material published in the journal will help authors determine the appropriate format. Logical subheadings should be used in review articles to avoid more than one page of continuous text without a heading or subheading.
Use of Case Numbers
Number cases starting with case No. 1 regardless of your particular numbering system and include them in all sections of the manuscript where the cases are described or discussed (eg, case Nos. 1–10, case Nos. 2, 3, and 5). Manuscripts that do not have case numbers in the text, tables, or figure legends will be returned for correction, unless only one animal or tissue is reported.
Citation of Figures, Tables, and Footnotes
Figures and tables should be cited in numeric order in the text. Footnotes are used for tables only and are designated by superscript letters in order of presentation within the table (aThis is the note for the first notation in the table. bThis is the second note.). A note that applies to the table as a whole should be notated at the end of the table title with a superscript letter a (Table Titlea). Notes within the text, such as name and location of a manufacturer, are put in parentheses at the appropriate location.
Nomenclature and Abbreviations
Only abbreviations in common use (eg, DNA, HE) and only metric units of measurement are accepted without explanation or expansion. Keep abbreviations to a minimum and define them at their first mention within the body of the article (not in the abstract) and for each table and figure (in their respective footnotes)—for example, “neuron-specific enolase (NSE).” Avoid abbreviations in the abstract.
Use the anatomic terminology of the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria (fourth edition, published by the international committees on veterinary gross anatomical nomenclature, veterinary histological nomenclature, and veterinary embryological nomenclature under the financial responsibility of the World Association of Veterinary Anatomists, Zurich, Switzerland, and Ithaca, New York, 1994). For listing the genetic strains of mice, refer to the Handbook on Genetically Standardized JAX Mice, available from the Jackson Laboratory at http://jaxmice.jax.org/jaxnotes/archive/446b.html, and Mouse Nomenclature Rules and Guidelines, at http://www.informatics.jax.org/nomen.
Title Page
The first page should carry the full title of the paper (punctuation is discouraged, but colons are acceptable) and the names and locations of the institutions where the work was conducted (with the authors' initials in parentheses after the appropriate institution).
Only those persons who actually contributed to the manuscript should be listed as authors. “Those who have given technical assistance or moral or financial support or supplied equipment” should be recognized in the Acknowledgements (McNab SM: “Coping With Clutter in a Scientific Paper.” European Science Editing 45:8, 1992). Linnean nomenclature should be included in the title for all but common domestic species. The address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the corresponding author should be placed at the bottom of the title page.
Keywords
Identify four to eight key words and place them after the abstract in alphabetic order. Use terms from the medical subject headings (MeSH) list of Index Medicus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html); if suitable MeSH terms are not yet available for recently introduced terms, current terms may be used. The type of animal, the organ system or tissue studied, the technology or methods used, and the disease process should always be listed.
Tables
Tables should be presented on separate pages and placed after the text in numeric order, rather than incorporated into it. Tables may also be submitted as separate Word or Excel files. Tables should be identified with Arabic numerals.
The heading or title of the table should be complete so that the reader is able to understand the table without reference to the text. All parts of a table must be double-spaced and set in full-size type. Omit all vertical lines from the table format.
Illustrations
All illustrations must be identified with Arabic numerals. They must have legends (captions), and they should be numbered consecutively and mentioned consecutively in the text. Do not use Fig. 1a, 1b, 1c, etc, except for different staining techniques on the same sample, preferably on the same microscopic field (eg, HE and avidin-biotin peroxidase complex method). Figure numbers must be placed in the lower left-hand corner of images and should be set in 14-point Arial font, not bold, backlit, or contained in a white box..
Only digital images of high quality will be accepted. Images should be saved at a minimum of 300 pixels per inch and at 90 or 180 mm wide (ie, one column width or two column widths). Figure files should be saved as TIF files using an IBM-compatible program, rather than a Mac format. Image modification or enhancement should be limited to that obtainable by ordinary photographic techniques. Micrographs cannot contain photographic or tissue artifacts.
The images must be evenly lit, and backgrounds of photomicrographs (places where there is no tissue) must be white. Gross images should be presented against a uniform, evenly colored background. Before the images are submitted, unacceptable backgrounds (grass, surgery drapes and other textured cloth, tile floors, rulers, necropsy numbers, etc) must be digitally edited out and replaced with a uniform background of a suitable color.
Gross and light microscopic images must be in color. If color images are not available for some reason, the extenuating circumstances must be explained in the cover letter. In gross photographs and photomicrographs, correct anatomic orientation should be maintained; for instance, the surface of the skin should be at the top of the figure. Do not use length or scale bars, except in rare cases where their use is critical to the understanding of the image. Justification for their use must be included in the cover letter. If required, the bar or scale should be about 1 cm long, placed in the lower left of the image, and its equivalent value (10, 25, 100 µ, etc) given in the legend, never on the image itself.
If appropriate, figures may be grouped as a plate with edges directly apposed. Plates must consist of sequentially numbered figures, in the appropriate order, and they must form a perfect square or rectangle with no white space visible between or around images. See recent issues of the journal for examples of appropriate figure arrangement in plates. The maximum size for a plate is 180 mm wide and 210 mm high. Each figure file should contain a single figure or plate.
If color or contrast in your figures is unacceptable, the photo editors may make suitable adjustments. The editor reserves the right to regroup figures as required to meet typesetting requirements.
Failure to explicitly follow the instructions regarding submission of images may cause your manuscript to be returned without review.
Please note, it is not the policy of Veterinary Pathology to review manuscript figures in color and then publish in black and white. The figures that are reviewed must be the figures that are published. Authors will be allowed one free color plate, and remaining figures will be the responsibility of the authors. The cost for each additional color plate will be US$ $250. The author will be billed directly by SAGE Publications, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Color proofs will be sent for the author’s approval before publication.
Figure Legends
Figure legends should be placed in a separate section at the end of the manuscript and written in the following style: Fig. 1. Organ or tissue; animal identification, case No. 1. Sentence description of the change that is visible in the figure. Complete staining method with names of stains and counterstains.
References
In the text, citations should be in superscript, have no parentheses, and follow all punctuation marks (eg, Previous studies have shown that mice are good models of this disease.1,7,9–11). The reference list should be arranged alphabetically and references numbered consecutively. Journal abbreviations should be those used in Index Medicus. Authors submitting manuscripts to VetPath should consult the 10th Edition of the AMA Manual of Style.
Article in a Journal
Holman RT, Wiese HF, Smith AN. Essential fatty acid deficiency. Am J Pathol. 1976;95(3):255–257.
Typical entry for journal article with more than six authors (List first 3, then et al.)
Ortega J, Uzal FA, Walker R, et al. Zygomycotic Lymphadenitis in Slaughtered Feedlot Cattle. Am J Pathol. 2009;47(1):108–114.
Supplement in a Journal
Nardley HJ. Sterols and keratinization. Br J Dermatol. 1969;81(Suppl 2):29–42.
Chapter in a Book
Sligh EG. Neutral lipid storage disease. In: Dyer WJ, ed. Biochemistry of Lipids. 5th ed. London, UK: Academic Press; 1956:471–476.
Book
Modlin J, Jenkins P. Decision Analysis in Planning for a Polio Outbreak in the United States. San Francisco, CA: Pediatric Academic Societies; 2004.
Only published materials or material that has been accepted for publication and is in press should be listed in the References section. In the case of in press articles, a copy of the letter of acceptance should accompany the manuscript.
Personal communications and personal observations should be cited in parentheses in the text (eg, JB Williams, personal communication).
Request for Reprints
At the end of the References section, give the precise postal address (including the country) and e-mail address of the author to whom requests for reprints are to be sent.
Full-length Manuscripts
Abstract
Each full-length paper must begin with an informative, rather than descriptive, abstract of 250 words or less that summarizes the essential data and is a concise factual condensation of the article. The breed, age, and number of animals should be stated. Absolute numbers of subjects (either animals or tissue samples) should be given with the percentage in parentheses, for example, “75 of 250 tissues (30%) stained positively.” Authors can use the structured abstract format if it is appropriate for their subject matter. Please see “More Informative Abstracts Revisited” (Annals of Internal Medicine 113:69–76, 1990), “Proposal for More Informative Abstracts of Clinical Articles” (Annals of Internal Medicine 106:598–604, 1987), and “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” (Annals of Internal Medicine 336:309–315, 1997).
Text
Full-length manuscripts should consist of sections in the following order: an introduction (untitled), Materials and Methods or Case History, Results, Discussion, References, Tables (individually labeled), and Figure Legends (individually labeled). Logical subheadings should be used to ensure that no more than one page of text would appear in the printed journal without a heading or subheading.
Brief Communications and Case Reports
Abstract
Abstracts for brief communications and case reports are limited to 150 words.
Text
Brief communications and case reports should have the same structure as full-length manuscripts but in much shorter form. Section headings are used only for the Abstract, Acknowledgements, and References sections; however, logical subheadings should be used as needed, to ensure that no more than one page of text would appear in the printed journal without a heading or subheading. Brief communications are used when information does not warrant a full paper. A case report must provide a unique or outstanding pathologic description of general interest to Veterinary Pathology readers; the first report of an entity in one species of animal is not typically sufficient for a case report. Case reports that do not meet this criterion may be returned to the author without review.
Brief communications, including illustrations, tables, and references, should not exceed two to three printed pages, usually six manuscript pages. The number of references listed should be limited to 10.
Diagnostic Exercise
Cases prepared for submission as diagnostic exercises are limited to six double-spaced pages and should include the following: Title Author names and affiliations E-mail address of senior or corresponding author Background History, gross findings, and laboratory results Differential diagnoses Microscopic findings Images (One color plate will be printed without charge.) Diagnosis Discussion References
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor are considered for publication provided they have not been submitted or published elsewhere. Letters should be submitted via the SAGEtrack online system at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/vetpath.
Subject matter can include, but is not limited to, recently published manuscripts, current medical issues, and issues relevant to the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, the European College of Veterinary Pathologists, or the Japanese College of Veterinary Pathologists.
All individuals submitting a letter must sign or be willing to sign the letter, and they must provide their full names, titles, institutional affiliations, and addresses. The principal submitter should also provide telephone and fax numbers and an e-mail address. All individuals submitting a letter must disclose any financial associations or other possible conflicts of interest related to the letter.
We will acknowledge receipt of your letter and will notify you when we make a decision about its publication.
Page Proof Corrections
Page proofs will be e-mailed to the author about 3 weeks from the date that the article was submitted to the publisher. Proofs should be checked for typographical errors, mathematical errors, and any other necessary corrections. Please ensure that all tables, figures, and so on, are correct, including their headers, content, and spacing and alignment. The journal editor will need to approve any substantial rewriting. These proofs are an opportunity to correct any errors that may have been introduced during the production process, not an opportunity for rewriting. In addition to journal editor approval, a fee of $2 per line will be charged for extensive rewriting not due to SAGE error or request. Instructions for how to submit page proof corrections will be e-mailed with page proofs.