Abstract
Pleural diseases have been a manifestation of wide spectrum of medical conditions, ranging from simple illness such as pleurisy to more serious disease such as empyema or malignancy. It is estimated that more than 1 million patients develop pleural effusion annually, including adults and children.
Multiple medical specialties are involved in the diagnosis and management of pleural diseases: pulmonology, thoracic surgery, thoracic medical oncology, thoracic radiation oncology, pulmonary pathology, thoracic radiology, and other specialties such as internists and family practitioners who are the primary medical care providers for a large number of patients.
The International Society of Pleural Diseases has been established to promote education and excellence in understanding and managing pleural diseases. The cornerstone mission of the society is to encourage the proper multidisciplinary approach to pleural diseases and the implementation of treatment guidelines.
PLEURA, the official journal of the International Society of Pleural Diseases and published by SAGE, is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal focusing on the most recent advances in pleural diseases. The goal of the journal is to advance the field of knowledge related to pleural diseases and to inform the daily practice of clinicians working in this field. The journal specializes in topics important to pulmonologists, intensivists, thoracic surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, and basic scientists.
Because PLEURA is intended to be the hub for academic literature and original research related to pleural diseases, we have assembled an editorial board of highly motivated, internationally renowned scholarly physicians with great interest in pleural diseases, all of whom have made tremendous contributions to the field.
The open-access platform and comprehensive scope of PLEURA allow for rapid dissemination of current clinical views and high-quality research studies across all related disciplines, covering all issues pertaining to the pleura and helping to establish new guidelines
In the age of the World Wide Web, clinicians and researchers are able to search for information findings free of charge. Open-access journals allow free, in-depth access and sharing of knowledge and expertise without further barriers or payment. This method of journal publication provides benefits on multiple levels as follows: the works of researchers and investigators become increasingly visible and noticeable, institutions benefit from saving the cost of obtaining access to the published information, and organizations and societies benefit as their mission in delivering research and knowledge becomes faster, more efficient, and reaches a wider audience.
Since 1965, SAGE Publications has been a state-of-the-art, international publishing company, producing journals, books, and electronic media for academic, educational, and professional markets. SAGE’s corporate goal is to inform and educate a global community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students spanning a wide range of subject areas including business, humanities, social sciences, and science, technology, and medicine. The partnership with such high-quality company with strong marketing capabilities to present our articles to more professionals at more libraries will strengthen PLEURA’s position as the world’s leading scientific journal on this important topic.
By writing this editorial, the editors and the International Society of Pleural Diseases are proud to announce the launching of this new journal, “PLEURA,” and we welcome article submissions from all.