JAALAS Facts and Statistics:
Average submission to acceptance time: 63 days
812 pages printed in 2006
73% acceptance rate
No submission fee.
No page charges.
No color charges.
The mission of JAALAS is to disseminate high-quality, peer-reviewed information on animal biology, technology, facility operations, management, and compliance as relevant to the AALAS membership. JAALAS invites submission of original data-based research reports, case reports, and scholarly reviews related to this mission. JAALAS also welcomes letters to the editor that relay informed and thoughtful opinion relevant to the biomedical research and the care and use of animals in biomedical research.
All manuscripts submitted to JAALAS must undergo successful peer review prior to acceptance for publication.
Authors' Responsibilities
Manuscripts must be fully referenced original reports, reviews, scholarly opinions or letters that have not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Authors must agree to the content of and hold responsibility for their manuscript, including the accuracy of the references.
Only persons who contributed directly to the intellectual content of the manuscript should be listed as authors. Contributions should be in one or more of the following categories: conceived or planned the work that led to the manuscript, participated significantly in the interpretation of the results, wrote the manuscript or participated significantly in the revision of manuscript’s intellectual content, or approved the version of the manuscript which has been submitted to JAALAS for review. Please indicate author contributions on the title page of the manuscript, using this format:
Author Contributions.
RJT, JV, PR, DM, and PAW conceived and designed the experiments. RJT, DAH, LT, JV, PR, DM, JDS, and PAW performed the experiments. RJT, DAH, LT, JV, JDS, PR, DM, TRS, and PAW analyzed the data and contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools. RJT, JV, PR, DM, TRS, JDS, and PAW wrote the paper.
Persons who have contributed to the manuscript by performing technical work, assembling data and related activities should be recognized, with their permission, in the Acknowledgments section.
Humane Animal Care and Use
Papers will be accepted for publication only if the animals in the research discussed were cared for and used humanely. Therefore, the Materials and Methods must include a statement concerning Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval. Research performed outside the United States must conform with the guidelines of that country’s government. Humane care and use will be evaluated based on the following:
National standards, such as the United States Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Office of Laboratory Animals, National Institutes of Health, RKL. 1, Suite 1050, MSC 7982, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-7982); the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington D.C., 1996, or subsequent revisions), and the Animal Welfare Act and subsequent amendments.
For experiments involving human subjects, authors must identify the committee approving the experiments. Authors must also include with their submission a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from all subjects, that measures are in place to protect the identities of all subjects, and that no coercion was to used to solicit subjects.
Manuscript Preparation Manuscript categories. JAALAS currently accepts the following manuscript types:
Article Preparation Outline
Chase KL, DiGiacomo RF, Van Hoosier GL. 2006. Biomedical Journals: Keeping Up and Reading Critically. JAALAS 45(5): 8-15.
Original research studies
Management case reports
Letters to the editor
Overviews (review articles)
Style. The editorial style of JAALAS conforms with that described in the Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (Seventh edition. Council of Biology Editors, Cambridge, 1994). Please refer to this manual or recent issues of the journal for any style and formatting questions not answered in this document.
Examples of acceptable topics for overviews and original research reports include:
Laboratory animal biology and husbandry
new normative data for laboratory species
new or improved methods of anesthesia or analgesia
enrichment techniques for all species
nutrition of laboratory animals
improved animal husbandry techniques
Experimental techniques and animal models
improved or new surgical or post-operative care techniques
improved or new animal handling techniques
new or improved animal models
technology updates relevant to laboratory animal models
Animal facility management
personnel management
facility design and physical plant management
investigator and staff education and training
computers and informatics relevant to laboratory animal care
sanitation and sterilization
IACUC procedures and IACUC case reports
security, disaster planning and crisis management
occupational health and safety
Philosophy and ethics
bioethics
grief counseling
Manuscripts must be written in grammatically sound English. Authors are advised to seek grammatical review of their manuscript by a qualified colleague prior to submission, particularly if the authors are not fluent with written English. Authors may also choose to have the manuscript professionally edited before submission to improve the English. A list of independent suppliers of editing services can be found at www.blackwellpublishing.com/bauthor/english_language.asp. The author is responsible for arranging and paying for these editorial services. Use of one of these services does not guarantee acceptance or preference for publication.
Manuscript and supporting files must be submitted in Microsoft Word format unless otherwise specified. Manuscripts must be typed in a double-spaced 12-point font. Lines must be numbered consecutively. Manuscripts should begin with a title page followed by an abstract (on a separate page), the body of the manuscript, acknowledgments, and references.
Title page. The title page must give the full title of the paper, the authors’ full names, the name and location of the site(s) where the work was conducted, and a short title to be used as a running head. Include also a list of all acronyms and nonstandard abbreviations used in the manuscript and their definitions. Provide an email address for the corresponding author. The title should be informative and concise. The common names of animals should be used. However, the genus and species should be included in parentheses (in italics) for nonhuman primates and species whose common name may be unfamiliar to readers.
Abstract. The abstract must be informative and concise (250 words or less; preferrably less than 200 words). It should summarize sequentially the purpose, methods, results and conclusions of the report.
Body. Scholarly reviews should contain an Introduction, a Summary/Conclusion, and other headings and subheadings as necessary to guide the reader. Data-based reports, clinical studies, and case reports should consist of an Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and Discussion. Use headings and subheadings as necessary to guide the reader.
Descriptions of animal care and use in the Materials and Methods must be complete, and consistent with the policies and guidelines for humane care and use of animals noted above. If the term specific pathogen-free is used, it must be clearly defined by including specific criteria (tests, organisms surveilled, housing and husbandry conditions). Alternatively, specific criteria may be referenced if they have been published in adequate detail previously. Statistical methods must be included where relevant and must be described and referenced adequately.
Each section of the Results should be introduced by a brief overview of the corresponding rationale and experiment(s). The Discussion should be as concise as possible while including at least the following: a synopsis of the key findings, considered explanations for the findings, comparison of the findings with those of other relevant studies, and limitations of the studies.
Abbreviations. Define all symbols, abbreviations, and acronyms except for those in common use. Acronyms and nonstandard abbreviations should be defined the first time they appear in the manuscript and should be followed by the acronym in parentheses. Nonstandard words should only be abbreviated if they appear in the manuscript five or more times. Avoid extensive use of novel abbreviations. Include a list of all acronyms and nonstandard abbreviations used in the manuscript and their definitions on the title page of the manuscript. List of standard abbreviations
Nomenclature for laboratory animals, genes, genetic markers, alleles, and mutations. Correct nomenclature for laboratory rodents, especially for genetically modified mice, and for genes, genetic markers, alleles, and mutations is essential for precise, accurate communication. Resources and international rules and guidelines to help authors determine the proper nomenclature are referenced below.
International Committee on Standardized Genetic Nomenclature for Mice. Rules for Nomenclature of Genes, Genetic Markers, Alleles, and Mutations in Mouse and Rat. Rev 2006. http://www.informatics.jax.org/mgihome/nomen/gene.shtml
Tables and figures should be used to compliment the text; repetition of such data in the text should be avoided. In the printed journal, single column width is 87 mm, and double column width is 178 mm. Tables and figures not conforming to these dimensions will be adjusted at layout.
For composite figures, put identifying letters in the file name, not on the image itself. The art director will label the figures at layout. Magnification data must be indicated by a line of appropriate length in a lower corner of the figure and quantified in the legend. Figure legends must be typed in numerical sequence on a separate page at the end of the manuscript. Legends should be concise while including clear descriptions of the essential features of the figures and include relevant labeling and numerical information.
Raster Graphics Chart
Monochrome
Combination Halftones
(grayscale or color images and type
Halftones
(grayscale or color with no type or lettering)
900-1200 dpi
600-900 dpi
300 dpi
Raster Graphics. Raster images can be classified as monochrome, halftone, or combination halftone (see Raster graphics chart on preceding page). It is important to maintain minimum resolution settings for each file type. Low-resolution images are one of the leading causes of art resubmission and schedule delays.
Monochrome (1-bit) images. Common examples of monochrome images are graphs and charts made of solid black and white, with no gray values. The preferred resolution for this type of image is between 900 and 1200 dpi at publication size. The preferred file format is TIFF. PDF and EPS files are also accepted.
Halftones. Common examples of halftones are color or grayscale figures containing pictures only, with no text or thin lines. The suggested minimum resolution for this type of image is 300 dpi at publication size. The preferred file format is TIFF; however, EPS, PDF, and JPEG* files are also accepted.
Combination Halftones. Examples of combination halftones are color or grayscale figures containing halftone and line art elements. The preferred resolution for this type is between 600 and 900 dpi at publication size. The preferred file format is TIFF; however, EPS, PDF, and JPEG* files are also accepted.
Vector Graphics. Vector images typically are generated using drawing or illustration programs (e.g., Adobe Illustrator) and are composed of mathematically defined geometric shapes—lines, objects, and fills. Vector graphics are resolution independent and can be sized up or down without quality loss.
Vector line art. Common examples of vector line are graphs and charts created in illustration programs. Save as an EPS file, with all fonts converted to outlines and graph lines at least 0.25 point wide.
Combination line/halftone. Common examples of combination line/halftones are color or grayscale figures containing halftone and line art elements. The halftone elements should be processed in Photoshop and the line elements in Illustrator; and these two elements from the two applications should be combined in Illustrator. Save as an EPS file, with all fonts converted to outlines and graph lines at least 0.25 point wide.
Microsoft Office. PowerPoint slides, Excel graphs, or images embedded in Word are not acceptable formats; however, if you have Acrobat Standard or Professional installed on your computer, the Adobe PDF print driver that is installed with these applications can be configured and used to generate print-quality PDF files from MS Office applications. Guidelines can be found at http://dx.sheridan.com/guidelines/tsg_office_pdf_creation.pdf.
In addition, when creating the original file in a Microsoft Office application please follow these general rules to ensure that the initial file is properly prepared:
Do not use pattern or textured fills in graphics. Instead, use solid fills or percentage screens; these will be effectively converted to vector images during file conversion.
Artwork placed within any MS Office application should be of acceptable minimum resolution for print production: 300 dpi for tones, 600–900 dpi for combinations, and 900–1200 dpi for line art.
When inserting pictures/images into files, be sure to select “insert” and not “insert link,” which will not properly embed the hi-res image into the MS Office file.
Tables. All tables should be created using the Table function in Microsoft Word. Number tables consecutively using Arabic numerals. Only the first word of a table title, line or column heading should be capitalized. Table footnotes should be identified consecutively with lowercase superscript letters.
Authors who do not comply with these guidelines will be asked to resubmit their figures, which may delay publication.
References
Cite references in the text using superscript Arabic numerals and in alphabetical order at the end of the text. Use Index Medicus abbreviations for journal titles. Identify all authors by surnames followed by initials.
Alphabetize references by the first author’s surname, ignoring spaces, punctuation marks, diacritical marks, and capital letters within the name. If two or more references have first authors with the same surname, alphabetize by the authors’ initials. Follow the spacing of compound names when listing initials:
leBlanc = L MacElroy = M O'Riley = O St. John = SJ van Damm = VD Vanderbilt = V
List references with the same first author by the second author’s surname; if the second authors have the same surname, alphabetize by the initials as described for the first author. If two entries list the same authors in the same order but one has extra names at the end, list the citation with the shorter byline first. Arrange references with identical author lists in chronological order, placing undated entries after those with dates. See the list below for examples, or refer to recent issues of the journal.
Davis J, Hanna ME. Davis JL. Davis JL, Hanna ME, O’Connor B. Davis JL, Jones D. 1999. Davis JL, Jones D. 2004. Davis JL, O’Connor B, Hanna ME. Davis JL, O’Connor B, Hanna ME, Stanton D. Davis JL, O’Connor B, Hanna ME, St. John F. Davis JL, Vance K. Davis JL, van der Logt JT. Davis JL, van Kuppeveld FJ. Davis-Morgan JL, Hanna ME. Davisson, AM.
Sample references. Below are some examples of common reference formats.
Journal articles:
Verinaud L, Camargo IRB, Vassallo J, Sakurada JK, Rangel HA. 1999. Lymphoid organ alterations enhanced by sublethal doses of coronaviruses in experimentally induced Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice. Lab. Anim. Sci. 49:35-41.
Books or book chapters:
VandeBerg JL. 1995. Genetics of nonhuman primates, p. 129–146. In Bennett BT, Abee CR, Henrickson R, editors. Nonhuman primates in biomedical research, biology and management. San Diego: Academic Press, Inc.
Online Sources:
American Heart Association [Internet]. Heart disease and stroke statistics: 2005 update [cited 19 Feb 2005]. Available at http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/ 1105390918119HDSStats2005Update.pdf.
Unpublished material:
Wilson, K. 1993. Personal communication. Jefferson DL. 1987. Genetics of nonhuman primates [dissertation]. Chicago: University of Illinois. 59 p. Available from: University Microfilms, Chicago, IL; AAD74-23. Jackson Laboratory. 1985. Jackson manual. Bar Harbor (ME): Jackson Laboratory. Brown JR, Gilbert WW. 2006. Genetics of nonhuman primates. JAALAS. Forthcoming.
Preparing Specific Types of Manuscripts Original data-based research reports. Manuscripts should report original hypothesis-driven research or technological advances. Technical reports must include validating data and cannot be solely descriptive.
Case Reports. Case reports present a novel, unusual, or important clinical condition, usually on one animal. A case report is a single occurrence affecting one or more several animals (for example, a fungal infection in a frog tank). Case studies involve multiple occurrences in more than one animal, with follow-up investigation (such as investigation of a number of cases rather than description of a single case or occurrence). Case reports must include a well substantiated diagnosis. can be descriptive in nature, and need not be accompanied by extensive characterizing investigation. Case reports should include an Introduction, a case description under the heading Case Report, an interpretive Discussion/Conclusion section, and comprehensive references.
Scholarly Review. Manuscripts in this category should provide broad, scholarly assessments of timely scientific topics in comparative medicine or laboratory animal science. There is no formal limit to length, but the text should typically be comparable to a full-length article (5-10 printed pages, exclusive of references. A typical printed page contains approximately 700 words). A title page and abstract should be provided as described above. The body should be formatted to reflect the author’s preference provided that sections are divided appropriately with instructive headings. References, tables and figures should be formatted as described.
Editorial. Editorials are normally solicited by the editor. They consist of 1-2 printed pages focused on a topic of contemporary concern or interest to the scientific community. Requests to submit an editorial should be sent to journals@aalas.org
Manuscript Submission
Before submitting your manuscript, please make sure it meets the specifications described in this document; failure to do so may result in processing delays. In addition to your manuscript files, you’ll need to gather the following information:
Full contact information for all authors.
Key words.
email address and institution of up to four potential peer reviewers, if desired.
The editor in chief will review all submissions and make an initial determination of suitability for publication. The editor may transfer a submitted manuscript from CM to JAALAS, or vice versa. If this action is taken, the author will be notified by email and may opt to withdraw the manuscript from consideration.
Manuscript Review and Status
All manuscripts are evaluated by three reviewers with relevant expertise. Authors may suggest potential reviewers or request that particular reviewers be excluded; the editor, however, reserves the prerogative to select the panel of reviewers.
The journal gives timely review the highest priority. Newly submitted manuscripts are initially screened to ensure that the topic is relevant to the journal’s mission and scope and that correct formatting has been used (e.g., references, figures) before the manuscript is sent for review. After this initial screening and quality control step is completed, authors will generally be notified of the status of their manuscripts within 5 weeks. You can see the status of your manuscript at any time by logging into the system and clicking on your manuscript link.
If a manuscript is returned for revision, changes must be completed within 2 months or a request for extension should be made by contacting AALAS as shown below. Manuscripts will be inactivated if either of these steps is not taken.
The publisher of an original manuscript is generally recognized as the owner of the published material. Consistent with this convention, AALAS requires copyright ownership of all materials published in its journals. Authors of accepted manuscripts must sign and return a copyright release form prior to actual publication. Authors are responsible for obtaining the necessary permissions to reproduce previously published figures, tables, or sections of text.
Two sets of proofs are sent to the corresponding author of accepted manuscripts one to two months prior to publication. After the manuscript undergoes scientific editing, the edited Word document is sent to the author to allow review of suggested changes. Once the author approves the text, a PDF file of the layout is sent for review. Proofs should be emailed back to Mary K Levie at journals@aalas.org within 48 hours of receipt.
Authors are responsible for keeping their contact information up to date in the Manuscript Central system. Failure to do so may significantly delay publication.
Queries regarding the review or publication status of your manuscript should be addressed to AALAS.
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