Full name: Journal of Nephrology
Abbreviation: J Nephrol
Copyrighted by: S.I.N. ( Società Italiana di Nefrologia )
ISSN 1121-8428
E-ISSN 1724-6059

Indexed in
CURRENT CONTENTS® / CLINICAL MEDICINE
SCISEARCH®
RESEARCH ALERT®
EMBASE/Excerpta Medica
BIOSIS
INDEX MEDICUS/MEDLINE

Impact Factor 2009: 1,252

Frequency: bimonthly

Editorial Office
Dr. Francesca Mallamaci - Editor in Chief
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IBIM),
Epidemiologia Clinica e Fisiopatologia delle Malattie Renali e dell’Ipertensione Arteriosa
& Unità Operativa di Nefrologia, Dialisi e Trapianto (6° piano) Ospedali Riuniti
Via Vallone Petrara - 89100 Reggio Calabria (Italy)
 

 

AIMS AND SCOPE
The Journal of Nephrology (J Nephrol) considers the publication of peer reviewed original manuscripts dealing with both clinical and laboratory investigations of relevance to the broad fields of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation. Submission of research manuscripts covering diverse topics and problems (Original Articles) is encouraged. However, comprehensive reviews on relevant topics (Reviews - Thorough Critical Appraisal), reports of clinical cases of special interest (Case Reports)  and brief reports on the protocols of new ongoing trials (Research Protocols) will also be considered. Finally, the Journal will publish also articles (by invitation) in the following features: Methods and Science in Nephrology, Public Health and Preventive Nephrology, Scanned from the Bench, News and Nephrology, JN Sounding Board (Commentaries). Although the Editors and referees make every effort to ensure the validity of published manuscripts, the final responsibility rests with the Authors, not with the Journal, its Editors, the Italian Society of Nephrology or the Publisher.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Manuscripts are assumed to be submitted exclusively to the Journal of Nephrology and must not have been previously published, in any language, except in abstract form. This does not preclude consideration of a manuscript which has been rejected by another journal or of a complete report which follows the publication of preliminary findings elsewhere, usually in the form of an abstract. It is the Corresponding Author’s responsibility to be sure that all authors meet the required criteria. Authorship credit should be based on 1) substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; 2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and 3) final approval of the version to be published.

 

MANUSCRIPT GUIDELINES
Manuscripts that do not adhere to the following guidelines will be returned to the Corresponding Author for technical revision before undergoing the peer review process. Manuscripts must be typed in English and all pages must be numbered on the top right hand corner. Type manuscript using Arial font size 12, as this creates less problems when building your PDF and save it as Word document (.doc). Use double spacing and do not justify the right margin. Use only standard abbreviations and avoid abbreviations in the title. The full term for which an abbreviation stands for should precede its first use in the text. For all clinical experimentation described in the manuscript, JN requires that Authors state in the Methods section their adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki as well as a statement that informed consent was obtained by all participants.

 

 

*Including abstract but excluding references, tables and figures.
**The Journal of Nephrology offers complimentary publication of the number of pages indicated. Additional pages will be charged e 68,00 each directly by the Publisher and notified to the Corresponding Author with the proofs. Extra page charges do not apply to invited articles.

Subjects appropriate for the Journal include (but are not limited to):
- Cell and transport physiology
- Cell biology
- Genetics and development
- Hemodynamics and vascular regulation
- Immunology and pathology
- Pathophysiology of renal disease and progression
- Clinical nephrology
- Epidemiology and outcomes
- Dialysis
- Mineral metabolism and bone disease
- Transplantation
- Health care
- Lessons from registries
- Imaging in renal diseases

 

General Format of Manuscripts - ( sample template )

Begin each of the following sections on a separate page:

A - Title page
The title page should include:
a) the complete manuscript title (max 125 characters including letters and spaces);
b) a short title (max 45 characters including letters and spaces);
c) full names (listed as first name, middle initial, last name) and affiliations for all authors;
d) Corresponding Author’s information (full mailing address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address);
e) a statement that the manuscript has been seen and approved by all authors and that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere in a similar form, in any language, except in abstract form.
f) Disclosures:
Financial support: indicate grants and funds in support of the study. If none, please state so.
Experimental investigation on human subjects: for manuscripts reporting the results of experimental investigation on human subjects, human derived materials, or human medical records, please include one of the following statements in the Materials/Patients and Methods section:
    * Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Ethics Committee approval was obtained.
    * IRB/Ethics Committee decided approval was not required for this study.
    Include a statement that the study was in adherence with the Declaration of Helsinky.
Conflict of interest: state whether any Authors have conflict of interest or not

 

B - Abstract and key words
a) Abstract must not exceed 250 words. For the papers submitted as Original Articles the abstract should consist of four paragraphs, labelled: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. It must be acceptable for use without revision by abstracting journals. A shorter abstract, summarizing the relevant aspects of the text, is sufficient for all other articles.
b) Keywords - Identify 3 to 6 keywords in alphabetical order under which you believe the article should be indexed.

 

C - Text
The text must be organized under the following main headings: Introduction, Subjects and Methods, Results, Discussion. Any statistical methods must be detailed in the Subjects and Methods section.

 

D - Acknowledgements
Acknowledge statistical consultation and assistance (when provided by a person different from the Author) in an acknowledgement at the end of the article before the references. Indicate the name, degree and affiliation of the individual. For all others assisting in the preparation of a manuscript acknowledgements cannot be done, however valuable their service. Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission from everyone acknowledged by name because readers may infer their endorsement of the data and conclusions.

 

E - References
References should follow the text and begin on a separate page. They must be double-spaced and numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text. Switch off any automated reference numbering tool, if in use. Identify references in text, tables, and legends by Arabic numerals (in parentheses). References cited only in tables or in legends to figures should be numbered in accordance with a sequence established by the first identificati.on in the text of the particular table or illustration The titles of journals should be abbreviated according to Index Medicus/ Medline. List all authors if six or less, when seven or more list only first three followed by “et al”.  All references must be verified by the Authors(s) against the original documents. Personal communications and unpublished data should be limited and incorporated into the text without a reference number. Any references (including books or articles) that have been accepted for publication, but not yet published, should have the term “in press” in the reference in place of volume and page numbers. These must be updated prior to publication, if possible. You may also acknowledge “unpublished data” or “submitted” articles within parentheses in the text. For abstracts, oral or poster presentations follow the same rules as for unpublished materials.

Examples:
Standard journal article:
Border WA, Noble NA, Yamamoto T, et al. Natural inhibitor of transforming growth factor-beta protects against scarring in experimental kidney disease. Nature. 1992;360:361-364.

Chapter in a book:
Heptinstall RH. Crescentic glomerulonephritis. In: Heptinstall RH, ed. Pathology of the kidney. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Little Brown; 1992:627-675.

Online web site:
Terre Haute Center for Medical Education. The THCME Medical Biochemistry page. Available at: http://web.indstate.edu/thcme/mwking/home.html. Accessed August 24, 1999.

More examples: http://healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/styleguides/ama.html

 

F - Tables
As a general rule, tables should not unnecessarily offer duplicate information offered in the text. Type each table on a separate sheet, using double spacing. Tables should be created in a Word document using the table tools. Do not format tables as columns or tabs and do not submit tables as figures. Tables should be numbered consecutively in Roman numerals by order of citation in the text. Each table must include title, appropriate column heads and explanatory legends, including definitions of any abbreviation used.

G - Figures and illustrations
Figures and images should be labeled sequentially, numbered and cited in consecutive order in the text. Do not embed figures in a Word file and do not submit figures as Powerpoint (PPT) files. Always submit each figure as a separate file. The use of three-dimensional histograms is strongly discouraged when the addition of the third dimension gives no extra information. 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. The Author should use colour figures only when necessary. If a manuscript has been submitted, reviewed and accepted with colour figures, then it MUST be published with colour figures. The Publisher charges Authors directly for colour figures included in their manuscript. Colour figure charge is Euro 800,00 for initial printing fee plus Euro 80,00 for each figure. Authors will receive a Colour Charge Form from the Publisher together with the galley proofs, to be signed prior to publication, and will be invoiced after publication in print of the manuscript.

Colour illustration, graphs and figures
For initial submission, set the color mode to RGB in a TIFF format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. RGB provides a better image on a computer screen.
If your manuscript is accepted, you will be required to convert your artwork to CMYK, also in a TIFF format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. CMYK provides a better print copy for publishing. Artwork is accepted only as EPS or TIFF file formats, which will ensure the best printing results. Any figure containing text should be saved only as TIFF file.

Black and white illustrations, graphs and figures
For initial submission, submit your figure directly from the software used to create it. If your manuscript is accepted, you will be required to convert it by setting the colour mode as  greyscale and saving it as TIFF format with a resolution of at least 600 dpi if text is included. If no text is included, set the resolution at a minimum of 300 dpi.

H - Legends for figures
Type legends for figures double spaced, starting on a separate page with Arabic numerals corresponding to all figures. When symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters are used to identify parts of the figures, identify and explain each one clearly in the legend.

 

COPYRIGHT TRANSFER
The Corresponding Author must complete and sign on behalf of all the Authors the Copyright Transfer Form and upload it upon submission. If uploading is not possible, please fax it to +39 0255195971. Authors grant the copyright holder (SIN - Società Italiana di Nefrologia) full and exclusive copyright for all languages and countries on the manuscript, in return for which they can re-use their papers in their future printed work, with the understanding that full acknowledgement will be given to the manuscript published in Journal of Nephrology.

 

ONLINE SUBMISSION
Only submissions online are accepted. To submit a manuscript go to http://www.jnephrol.com, access the section “Online Manuscript Submission” and register or log in as Author. You only need to register once and should always use the same e-mail address. If you wish to change any of the data in your profile, log in with your current username and password and update your profile. All Authors are requested to submit online. If you are unable to make your submission online, please contact the Editorial Office by e-mail to jn.mallamaci@ibim.cnr.it. For loading your manuscript, click on “Submit a Manuscript” and follow the steps indicated. Please  print the Author's Checklist provided and use it as a guidance for your submission. This will assist the Editorial Office in completing the required initial technical check and will save time in technical revision prior to evaluating your contribution.

You will be required to submit separate files as follows:
- Manuscript (title page, abstract and key words, text, acknowledgements, references, legends for figures)
- Tables
- Figures
- Copyright transfer (if possible in electronic form)
- Supporting document(s)

If you choose to scan a copyright transfer form (available online at www.jnephrol.com), make sure you have it ready as a separate file. Note that you can stop and continue to submit a manuscript in another session by logging in again clicking on “Incomplete submissions” where you will find your manuscript.

It is the Corresponding Author’s responsibility to periodically check on the status of the manuscript. An e-mail will be sent advising you of a decision and instructing you to go to the online submission site if a resubmission is warranted. Each manuscript submission will be acknowledged in the order received in the Journal office. The acknowledgement letter will note the number assigned to the manuscript. All subsequent inquiries about the manuscript must indicate the manuscript number.
Usually two and sometimes several reviewers will participate in the review of a manuscript. The Journal does not reveal the identity of its reviewers but does send pertinent comments back to the Corresponding Author. Re-review may be required after revision if, in the judgment of the Editor in Chief, sufficient modification of the manuscript or data justifies another review cycle. Point by point response is required to the reviewers’ comments. Any appeals regarding rejected manuscripts must be made by the Corresponding Author to the Editorial Office by e-mail prior to resubmitting the manuscript. If allowed, reference must be made in the transmittal letter that the submission is a re-submission of a previously rejected manuscript. If your submission is accepted, the Corresponding Author will receive typeset page proofs. Each Author is expected to proofread all pages carefully and answer all queries posed by the copyeditor. An Author Tutorial is available for your reference at www.jnephrol.com in the section Online Manuscript Submission.

 

SUBMISSION OF A REVISED MANUSCRIPT
If it is determined through the review process that your manuscript requires revision, the next version must be submitted within the deadline indicated in the correspondence with the Editor in Chief. Revisions not received within the allotted time will be considered withdrawn. Any revised manuscript received after this time will be treated as a new submission, assigned a new manuscript number and subjected to an entirely new review.

 

PUBLICATION PROCESS
The Editor in Chief accepts the manuscript with the understanding that the authors cooperate in a timely manner with the production process, including any response to future correspondence from Journal of Nephrology or its readers. If accepted, your article will be copyedited and processed into page proofs, with all figures and tables in place. The Production Editor will then send the Corresponding Author proofs by e-mail, together with a notification for manuscript charges if applicable and an Offprint order form. Proofs must be returned within 48 hours. The Publisher does not send reminders and replying to the Publisher with responses to queries is the Corresponding Author’s responsibility. The Journal reserves final editorial approval for style, format, and grammar. 
 

DISCLAIMER
The statements and opinions contained in the articles of the Journal of Nephrology are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the Italian Society of Nephrology, the Editors or the Publisher. The appearance of advertisements in the Journal is not a warranty, endorsement or approval of the products or services advertised or of their safety. The Italian Society of Nephrology, the Editors and the Publisher disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas or products referred to in the articles or advertisements.