Submitting A Manuscript

• Copyright Transfer
• Manuscript Preparation
  • Cutting Edge Manuscripts
  • Full-Length Manuscripts
  • Revised Manuscripts
• Submit Online
• Publication Fees
• Peer Review Information
• Reviewers
• Reprints
• The JI Editorial Board

All manuscripts are considered to be the property of AAI from the time of submission. Should AAI not publish the paper, AAI releases its rights therein at the time the manuscript is returned to the corresponding author.

Manuscripts published in The Journal of Immunology become the sole property of, with all rights in copyright reserved to, The American Association of Immunologists, Inc. (AAI).

The corresponding author, on behalf of all authors, signs a copyright transfer form. Authors of articles written as part of their official duties as employees of the U.S. government are exempt from this requirement for transfer of copyright.

NIH Public Access Policy: AAI will grant a limited one-time waiver permitting authors to deposit an accepted manuscript into PubMed Central, under certain conditions (see NIH Public Access Policy).

• General Guidelines
  • Abbreviations
  • Contact The JI
  • Cover Art
  • Depositing in Public Databases
  • Estimating Manuscript Length
  • Figures
  • Figure Legends
  • Human and Animal Use
  • Keywords
  • References
  • Style Guide
  • Submission and Color Charges Forms
  • Supplemental Data
  • Tables
  • Web Links in Manuscripts

1. The Title Page must include the full title; a running title (not to exceed 60 characters); each author's full name (first name, middle initial, last name) and the affiliations of all authors and their institutions, departments, or organizations (use the following symbols in this order to designate authors' affiliations: *, †, ‡, §, ¶, ||, #, **, ††, ‡‡, §§, ¶¶, || ||, ##). List the phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the corresponding author on the title page.
2. The Abstract must be 250 words or less for Full-Length type manuscripts. Reference citations should not be included in the Abstract. The species of animals or species of origin of cells used in the manuscript must be clearly stated in the Abstract.
3. The Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion sections should begin on separate pages in that order. Do not combine the Results and Discussion sections for Full-Length papers.
4. Acknowledgments appear immediately after the Discussion and before References.
5. Grant support must NOT be included in the Acknowledgments but should be cited as a footnote to the title.
6. References must be numbered as they appear in the text. All authors must be listed for each reference. If citations are included in tables or in figure legends, they must be numbered according to the position of citation of the table or figure in the text. Only published papers and papers in press may be included in the References. In press articles, i.e., papers not yet published, must be submitted as online attachments in PDF format at the time of article submission. NOTE: Do NOT submit as attachment papers that are already published, e.g., manuscripts published ahead of print. Such papers must be incorporated into the References and cited with their DOI numbers and year of publication. Citations of "manuscripts in preparation," "unpublished observations," and "personal communications" must appear parenthetically in the text. Manuscripts "submitted for publication" (i.e., not yet accepted) also are mentioned parenthetically in the text. Written approval by the persons cited in personal communications must accompany the manuscript unless they are also authors of the manuscript submitted to The JI.
   
   Format for references:
   • Periodicals: Wells, A. D., M. C. Walsh, D. Sankaran, and L. A. Turka. 2000. T cell effector function and anergy avoidance are quantitatively linked to cell division. J. Immunol. 165: 2432–2443.
   • Books: McIntyre, T. M., and W. Strober. 1999. Gut-associated lymphoid tissue: regulation of IgA B-cell development. In Mucosal Immunology, 2nd ed. P. L. Ogra, J. Mestecky, E. Lamm, W. Strober, J. Bienenstock, and J. R. McGhee, eds. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. p. 319–356.
   • Articles published ahead of print: Fraser, D.A., A. K. Laust, E. L. Nelson, and A. J. Tenner. 2009. C1q differentially modulates phagocytosis and cytokine responses during ingestion of apoptotic cells by human monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells . J. Immunol. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.0902232.
7. Footnotes should be used to designate the source of support, new or special abbreviations used, correspondence address, current address, etc. Footnotes should be numbered consecutively and will appear on the title page, but for submission are grouped together and placed on a separate page between the References and the Figure Legends.
8. Abbreviations that may be used without definition are provided below. Spell out nonstandard abbreviations used less than three times. Nonstandard abbreviations used three or more times must be defined in a footnote. Abbreviations and their definitions must be consistent throughout the text.

   The abbreviations listed below are used without definition in articles published in The JI. The form may be used for both singular and plural, or made plural with "s" at the author's option. The list of standard abbreviations is published in the first issue of each volume.

   Standard Abbreviations:
   

   Å, angstrom aa, amino acid (only with numbers) Ab, antibody ABTS, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) ADP, adenosine 5'-diphosphate Ag, antigen AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AMP, adenosine 5'-monophosphate ANOVA, analysis of variance AP-1, activator protein 1 APC, Ag-presenting cell ATP, adenosine triphosphate BALB/c, a mouse strain BALT, bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue BAPTA-AM, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N' -tetraacetic acid acetoxymethyl ester BCR, B cell receptor bp, base pair (only with numbers) BrdU, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine BSA, bovine serum albumin C, complement C region, constant region of Ig cAMP, cyclic AMP C-terminal, carboxyl-terminal or COOH-terminal Cterminus, carboxyl or COOH terminus CCL, CC chemokine ligand CCR, CC chemokine receptor CD40L, CD40 ligand cDNA, complementary DNA CDP, cytidine 5'-diphosphate CDR, complementarity determining region C/EBP, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein CFA, complete Freund's adjuvant CFSE, 5- (and 6-)carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester CFU, colony-forming unit cGMP, guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate CHAPS, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate Ci, curie CIITA, class II transactivator CLIP, class II-associated invariant-chain peptide cM, centiMorgan(s) CMP, cytidine 5'-monophosphate CMV, cytomegalovirus CNS, central nervous system CoA, coenzyme A Con A, concanavalin A CpG, cytosine guanine dinucleotide cpm, counts per minute CREB, cAMP response element binding protein cRNA, complementary RNA CSF, colony-stimulating factor CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte CTLA, cytolytic T lymphocyte-associated Ag CTP, cytidine 5'-triphosphate CXCL, CXC chemokine ligand CXCR, CXC chemokine receptor d, day(s); deoxy; distilled (as in dH2O) D region, diversity region of Ig or T cell receptor for Ag Da, dalton (only with numbers) DAPI, 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole DEAE, diethylaminoethyl df, degrees of freedom DMEM, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium DMSO, dimethylsulfoxide DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid DNase, deoxyribonuclease DNP, dinitrophenyl dpm, disintegrations per minute ds, double-stranded (as dsDNA) DTT, dithiothreitol E, erythrocyte EBV, Epstein-Barr virus EC50, 50% effective concentration ECL, enhanced chemiluminescence ED50, 50% effective dose EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid EGTA, ethylene glycol-bis(b-aminoethyl ester)-N,N,N',N'- tetraacetic acid ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISPOT, enzyme-linked immunospot EMSA, electrophoretic mobility shift assay ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase E:T ratio, effector to target ratio Fab, Ag-binding fragment F-actin, filamentous actin FACS, fluorescence-activated cell sorter FAM, 6-carboxyfluorescein FBS, fetal bovine serum FcR, Fc receptors (e.g., FcgRI) FCS, fetal calf serum FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate FLICE, Fas-associated death domain-like IL-1Β-converting enzyme FLIP, FLICE inhibitory protein FLT3, fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 fMLP or FMLP, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine fura 2-AM, fura 2-acetoxymethyl ester g, gram (only with numbers) GALT, gut-associated lymphoid tissue GAPDH or G3PDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase G-CSF, granulocyte CSF GDP, guanosine 5'-diphosphate GFP, green fluorescent protein GM-CSF, granulocyte-macrophage CSF GMP, guanosine 5'-monophosphate gp, glycoprotein (e.g., gp100) GPI, glycosylphosphatidylinositol GST, glutathione S-transferase GTP, guanosine 5'-triphosphate h, hour (only with numbers) H chain, heavy chain H&E, hematoxylin and eosin HBSS, Hanks' balanced salt solution HEPES, N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid HIV, human immunodeficiency virus HLA, human histocompatibility leukocyte Ag HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography HRP, horseradish peroxidase HSV, herpes simplex virus HUVEC, human umbilical vein endothelial cells IC50, 50% inhibition/inhibitory concentration ICAM, intercellular adhesion molecule ICOS, inducible costimulator Id, idiotype; idiotypic determinant ID50, 50% infective dose or 50% inhibiting dose IDO, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase IFA, incomplete Freund's adjuvant IFN, interferon (e.g., IFN-γ) Ig, immunoglobulin (also IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, IgM) IgH, Ig heavy chain IκB or I-κB, inhibitory NF-κB IL, interleukin (e.g., IL-2) i.m., intramuscular IMDM, Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium IMEM, Iscove's minimal essential medium i.p., intraperitoneal ITAM, immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif ITIM, immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif IU, international unit i.v., intravenous J region, joining region of Ig or T cell receptor for Ag JAK or Jak, Janus kinase JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase

   kb, kilobase (only with numbers) kbp, kilobase pair (only with numbers) Ka, association constant Kd, distribution coefficient; dissociation constant KD, affinity constant kDa, kilodalton (only with numbers) L chain, light chain LD50, 50% lethal dose LFA, leukocyte (lymphocyte) function-associated Ag LIF, leukemia inhibitory factor LPS, lipopolysaccharide LU, lytic unit 2-ME, 2-mercaptoethanol mAb, monoclonal Ab MACS, magnetic-activated cell sorting MALDI, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization MALDI-TOF, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight MALT, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase MCP, monocyte chemoattractant protein M-CSF, macrophage CSF MEK, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase MEM, minimum essential medium MES, 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid mg, milligram (only with numbers) MHC, major histocompatibility complex min, minute (only with numbers) MIP, macrophage-inflammatory protein ml, milliliter (only with numbers) MLC, mixed lymphocyte culture MLR, mixed leukocyte reaction mo, month(s) (only with numbers) MOPS, 4-morpholinepropanesulfonic acid Mr, relative molecular mass mRNA, messenger RNA MTT, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dimethyltetrazolium bromide μg, microgram (only with numbers) μl, microliter (only with numbers) m.w., molecular weight MyD88, myeloid differentiating factor 88 n, number in study or group NAD, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide NADH, reduced NAD NaDodSO4, sodium dodecyl sulfate NADP, NAD phosphate NADPH, NAD phosphate (reduced) NBT, nitroblue tetrazolium ND, not determined NDP, nucleoside 5'-diphosphate NF, nuclear factor NFAT or NF-AT, nuclear factor of activated T cells NF-κB, nuclear factor κB Ni-NTA, nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid NK cell, natural killer cell NMP, nucleoside 5'-monophosphate NO, nitric oxide NOD, nonobese diabetic NS, not significant nt, nucleotide (only with numbers) N-terminal, amino-terminal or NH2-terminal N terminus, amino terminus or NH2 terminus NTP, nucleoside 5'-triphosphate OCT, octamer-binding factor OD, optical density OVA, ovalbumin p, probability PAGE, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis PBL, peripheral blood lymphocyte PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell PBS, phosphate-buffered saline PCR, polymerase chain reaction PE, phycoerythrin PECAM-1, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 PerCP, peridinin chlorophyll protein PFU, plaque-forming unit PG, prostaglandin PHA, phytohemagglutinin PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase PIPES, piperazine-N,N'-bis(2-ethane sulfonic acid) PMA, phorbol myristate acetate PMSF, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride PWM, pokeweed mitogen r, recombinant, (e.g., rIFN-γ) R, receptor (e.g., IL-2R) RACE, rapid amplification of cDNA end RAG, recombination-activating gene RANTES, regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted RBC, red blood cell RFLP, restriction fragment length polymorphism RIA, radioimmunoassay RNA, ribonucleic acid RNase, ribonuclease rpm, revolutions per minute RPMI (usually RPMI 1640) rRNA, ribosomal RNA RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction s, second (use only with numbers) s.c., subcutaneous SCID, severe combined immunodeficiency SD, standard deviation SDS, sodium dodecyl sulfate SE, standard error SEM, standard error of the mean SHIP, src homology 2-containing inositol 5' phosphatase SIV, simian immunodeficiency virus sp. act., specific activity SRBC, sheep red blood cells ss, single-stranded (e.g., ssDNA) SSC, standard saline citrate STAT, signal transducer and activator of transcription SV40, simian virus 40 t1/2, half-life, half-time TAMRA, 5-(and 6)-carboxytetramethylrhodamine TAP, transporter associated with Ag processing TBS, Tris-buffered saline TBST, TBS with Tween 20 TCA, trichloroacetic acid TCR, T cell receptor for Ag TDP, thymidine 5'-diphosphate TdT, terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase TGF, transforming growth factor Th cell, T helper cell TLC, thin layer chromatography TLR, Toll-like receptor TMP, thymidine 5'-monophosphate TNF, tumor necrosis factor TRAIL, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand Tris, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane tRNA, transfer RNA TTP, thymidine 5'-triphosphate TUNEL, TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling U, unit (only with numbers) UDP, uridine 5'-diphosphate UMP, uridine 5'-monophosphate UTP, uridine 5'-triphosphate UV, ultraviolet v/v, volume to volume ratio (%) v/w, volume to weight ratio (%) V region, variable region of Ig VCAM, vascular cell adhesion molecule V(D)J or VDJ, variable diversity joining VLA, very late activation Ag W, watt (only with numbers) WBC, white blood cell WEHI medium wk, week (only with numbers) xid, X-linked immunodeficiency ZAP70, ζ-associated protein 70 (or ζ-chain-associated protein 70)

9. Tables must be numbered with Roman numerals in order of appearance in the text. All tables must have a title. Table legends are prepared as footnotes to the table and are included with the table. Tables must be in DOC file format. Each table should be submitted as a separate file.
10. Figure legends must be numbered with Arabic numerals in order of appearance in the text and should include a short title after the figure number. Where possible, symbols and patterns used to distinguish data should be defined in a key placed within the graphic rather than in the figure legend.
11. Figures: At initial submission, please submit low resolution files of the smallest possible file size that will convey the needed information. Smaller files can be downloaded more quickly by reviewers and will hasten the review process.

    At submission of a revised manuscript, high-resolution figures that meet the following specifications must be submitted. For more information, see GUIDELINES and TIPS.

    • Color: Color figures must be in the RGB color space.
    • File Sizes: Figure files should not exceed 10 MB (average size is about 2 MB).
    • Image Sizes: Figures should be submitted in final print publication size (printed 1:1). Figures may be published in print in one of two formats: single-column (width from 3.37 to 8.23 cm) or double-column (width from 12.65 to 17.1 cm). The single-column format is preferred. Unless the file size is too large, multi-panel figures should be submitted as a single file.
    • Text and Lines: Text in figures must be 6-8 points in size, except for single letter markers, which may be 12 points. Helvetica should be used for all figure text (except for the use of symbols). If Helvetica is not available to authors, Times Roman may be used. Line widths must be greater than one point thick or they will not appear on the PDF version of the article.
    • Numbering: Figures must be numbered as they appear in the text.
    • File Format: Figures should be in TIFF (better for halftone art e.g., blots, photographs) EPS (better for line art or monochrome art, i.e., anything that involves sharply delineated lines), or PDF format. PowerPoint files are not suitable quality, as their resolution is too low for print. Please click here for detailed instructions on converting PowerPoint files to TIFF files.
    • Graphic Art Preflight: To avoid production delays due to unacceptable digital art formats, authors of revised papers must check in advance whether figures meet the standards required for final print and online production. Please check all figures using Digital Expert.

Cover Art: Cover art is selected from images in accepted articles and changes with each issue of The JI. Authors are encouraged to submit color figures with their manuscripts for possible use as cover illustrations. If an image is selected as cover art, the file must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi at a size of 8.5" x 11".

Nucleotide sequences: Sequences of nucleotides or amino acids longer than 50 bases/residues should not be presented in the text or in table form, but rather should be submitted as a publication-quality figure. Original nucleotide sequences, and determined nucleotide sequences encoding reported amino acid sequences, described in the manuscript must be submitted to GenBank or EMBL DataLibrary at the time of manuscript submission. An accession number and sequence availability are required at the time of publication. The accession number should be accompanied by the Website address of the databank.

Microarray data: The JI will not publish descriptive manuscripts that report microarray data, unless such information can be considered of unusual immunological significance and/or include functional experiments that provide novel insight into mechanism. As with other scientific approaches, current experimental, quantitation, verification, and statistical analyses are expected. Microarray experiments should be Minimum Information About a Microarray Experiment (MIAME) compliant. Whereas limited online space may be available for supplemental tables associated with the manuscript, complete microarray data must be deposited in the appropriate public database (e.g., GEO, ArrayExpress, or CIBEX), and must be accessible without restriction from the date of publication. An entry name or accession number must be included in the paper before publication. The accession number should be accompanied by the Website address of the databank.

Estimating Manuscript Length: One printed page in The JI contains approximately 8,000 characters, including spaces. Thus, an 8 page, Full-Length article would contain approximately 64,000 characters. Each line in a table occupies about 60 characters for a single-column table (120 characters for a double-column table). Figures occupy about 180 characters per centimeter height for single-column figures (360 characters for double-column figures). Determine the total character count for the text of your manuscript and add the character-equivalents for the tables and figures. This will provide a reasonable estimate for the printed length of a manuscript.

Human and Animal Use: All studies involving human subjects must be conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki (most recent revision). All animal studies must be performed in compliance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (or otherwise relevant guidelines). A statement that human and/or animal studies have been reviewed and approved by an appropriate institutional review committee must be included in the Materials and Methods section of the manuscript.

Keywords:

Animals - Human - Rodent - Other Animals Cells - B Cells - Dendritic Cells - Endothelial Cells - Eosinophils - Mast Cells/Basophils - Monocytes/Macrophages - Natural Killer Cells - Neutrophils - Stem Cells - Stromal Cells - T Cells - T Cells, Cytotoxic - Th1/Th2 Cells Diseases - Autoimmunity - Diabetes - EAE/MS - Endotoxin Shock - Graft Versus Host Disease - Immunodeficiency Diseases - Rheumatoid Arthritis - Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Infections - AIDS - Bacterial - Fungal

- Parasitic-Helminth - Parasitic-Protozoan - Viral Molecules - Acute Phase Reactants - Adhesion Molecules - Antibodies - Antigens/Peptides/ Epitopes - Autoantibodies - Cell Surface Molecules - Chemokines - Complement - Cytokine Receptors - Cytokines - Fc Receptors - Lipid Mediators - Lipopolysaccharide - MHC - Nitric Oxide - Protein Kinases/Phosphatases - Superantigens - T Cell Receptors - Transcription Factors Processes - Allergy - Antigen Presentation/Processing - Apoptosis - Cell Activation - Cell Differentiation - Cell Proliferation - Cell Trafficking - Chemotaxis

- Comparative Immunology/Evolution - Costimulation - Cytotoxicity - Gene Rearrangement - Gene Regulation - Hematopoiesis - Inflammation - Memory - Neuroimmunology - Phagocytosis - Repertoire Development - Reproductive Immunology - Signal Transduction - Tolerance/Suppression/ Anergy - Transplantation - Tumor Immunity - Vaccination Techniques/Approaches - Gene Therapy - Molecular Biology - Transgenic/Knockout Mice Tissues - Lung - Mucosa - Skin - Spleen and Lymph Nodes - Thymus

Abbreviations for references: PubMed is the primary source for journal name abbreviations.

Nomenclature:

1. Allergen nomenclature: Nomenclature for allergens should be assigned in cooperation with the IUIS Allergen Sub-Committee. Authors of accepted manuscripts that describe novel allergens will be requested to complete a brief standard form available at IUIS Allergen Nomenclature.
2. CD nomenclature: For the purpose of consistency, The JI will follow CD nomenclature. For murine molecules, The JI will follow the nomenclature previously published (J. Immunol. 160: 3861-3868, 1998). For human molecules, standard CD nomenclature will be followed as updated (J. Immunol. 168: 2083-2086, 2002). See also http://www.HCDM.org
3. Chemical names: The JI uses The Merck Index and the IUPAC-IUB Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature-Chemical Abstracts as the primary references for proper spelling and style of chemical names.
4. Chemokine/chemokine receptor nomenclature: The systematic name for chemokines and chemokine receptors should be used. The original name may be given in parenthesis if desired. See Cytokine 21:48-9, 2003.
5. Enzyme Nomenclature is The JI source for style and spelling of enzyme names.
6. Gene nomenclature: The HUGO guidelines for gene nomenclature may be used for naming human genes. Mouse Genome Informatics is a reference source for naming mouse genes.
7. Genetic nomenclature for mice: The JI uses the revisions for standardized genetic nomenclature for mice published periodically in Mouse Genome. A current listing of inbred strains of mice and rats is available at Mouse Genome Informatics. Authors are encouraged to deposit their mapping data with the Mouse Genome Database (MGD) before publication and to include the assigned MGD accession numbers in their manuscripts. Data may be submitted electronically by e-mail. Information about electronic submission of datasets can be obtained at the Data and Nomenclature Submissions page. Gene symbols should be reserved with MGD in advance of publication. An electronic nomenclature submission form is available from the MGD Web site.
8. HLA nomenclature: HLA nomenclature is updated periodically by the WHO Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA System. A recent reference is Hum. Immunol. 64: 919-20, 2003. Annual comprehensive revisions are published in Human Immunology, usually in the spring. See also: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/imgt/hla/

Videos must be 320 x 480 pixels or smaller for best viewing within a browser. Videos must be no longer than 30 seconds and under 10 MB, with no sound or voice-over. Submit videos in MPG or QuickTime format. Change QuickTime file extensions to ".mov" so that Web browsers will recognize the file type and play the movie. Compress videos as much as possible to help control file size. Name videos by order of citation appearance (e.g., video1.mov). Authors will be notified if problems exist with videos as submitted and will be asked to take responsibility for modifications. No editing will be done to videos at the Editorial Office.

Links to the material will appear in two places in the online journal: in the Table of Contents and in the information box associated with the first page of the full-text article. There will not be any links in the body of the article. In the printed paper, supplemental material will be footnoted the first time mentioned: "The online version of this article contains supplemental material."

Web Links in Submitted Manuscripts: Links to Websites are permitted only if the information contained on the Website is not essential to the understanding and assessment of the manuscript or to the ability to repeat the experiments described in the paper.

1. Cutting Edge articles, including figures and references, must fit within 4 journal pages. See Estimating Manuscript Length for how to estimate the size of figures and tables and limit the text accordingly. One printed page in The JI contains approximately 8,000 characters, including spaces. Thus, a 4-page Cutting Edge article would contain approximately 32,000 characters.
2. The Abstract is limited to 150 words.
3. The Materials and Methods section may be sharply limited but should be sufficient to allow the evaluation of results and conclusions.
4. Authors may combine the Results and Discussion sections.

Individual manuscript files, files for each figure and table (even if they are unchanged from the previous submission), and a point-by-point reply to all referee comments, must be uploaded to the system. The revised manuscript text must be marked to show changes, using either yellow highlighting or the font color red (Microsoft Word files preferred). Do not show deletions, because if the manuscript is accepted, this version will be immediately sent for publication. High-resolution figure files must be submitted. Figures must be in TIFF or EPS format and prepared as described under Figures. Authors should retain for themselves copies of all the files in their original formats.

After the manuscript has been checked by journal staff, the Corresponding Author will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the revised manuscript. The email contains links to the Submission Form and Color Charges Form (if applicable). The Corresponding Author must download, sign and fax these forms to 301-634-7831 to complete the submission of the revised manuscript. These forms must be faxed with every version submitted for review. Your manuscript will not be sent for review until The JI Editorial Office receives these forms signed by the Corresponding Author. Please contact infoji@aai.org if you do not receive the acknowledgment email. Please do NOT use the old hard copy forms found in old copies of the printed journal.

Submit online at ji.msubmit.net. For the initial submission, either a PDF of the entire manuscript (text, figures and tables), or individual manuscript, figure, and table files may be uploaded to the system. If individual files are uploaded, the system then creates a single PDF for review purposes. For all revised manuscripts, individual manuscript, high resolution figure, and table files must be uploaded to the system. Authors should save copies for themselves of all the files in their original formats. See Author Instructions for online submission requirements. See the Figures section for help with preparing digital art. The JI's online submission system requires browsers where cookies and Javascript are enabled.

After the manuscript has been checked by journal staff, the Corresponding Author will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the manuscript. The email contains links to the Submission Form and Color Charges Form (if applicable). The Corresponding Author must download, sign and fax these forms to 301-634-7831 to complete the submission. The manuscript will not be sent for review until The JI Editorial Office receives these forms signed by the Corresponding Author. The Submission and Color Charges Forms must be submitted each time a manuscript is submitted, including resubmission of a revised manuscript. Please contact infoji@aai.org if you do not receive the acknowledgment e-mail. Please do NOT use the old hard copy forms found in old copies of the printed journal.

All publication fees are payable in U.S. dollars. Accepted manuscripts are published only upon commitment by the author(s) or institutional financial officer to pay these charges.

Submission Fee: If the corresponding author is not an AAI member*, a fee of $50 per manuscript must be paid by credit card (American Express, MasterCard, or Visa) during the submission process. If payment by credit card is impossible, please contact infoji@aai.org to arrange payment by check (drawn on a U.S. bank). We do not accept cash or purchase orders.

* There is no processing fee for regular, emeritus or honorary AAI members in good standing.

• $60 per page for up to 8 printed pages in the article
• $150 for each additional page from 9 to 12 pages
• $210 for each additional page over 12 pages

Color Charges: Color figures may include multiple color panels. Authors will be notified of the cost of color reproduction on the Reprint Form received with their electronic page proofs and must confirm acceptance of the charges in writing. Authors should expect that color figures in the accepted paper will be reproduced in color and will incur color charges.

Note that AAI members receive a significant discount on color charges.

1. Non-AAI Members: $850 for each color page, and $300 for each additional color figure on the same color page for corresponding authors who are not AAI members (i.e., first figure on first page: $850; second figure on the first page: $300; first figure on second page: $850, etc.).
2. AAI Members: $650 for each color page and $300 for each additional color figure on the same page for corresponding authors who are regular, emeritus, or honorary AAI members in good standing on the date of manuscript acceptance (i.e., first figure on first page: $650; second figure on the first page: $300; first figure on the second page: $650, etc.).

Online Posting Fee: $150 per published article.

Reprints must be ordered in advance of publication. A Reprint Form showing the cost of reprints, together with an order slip, is sent with the electronic page proofs. The invoice for reprints will also include page charges and color figure charges. Reprint orders from noncontributors must be directed to the Editorial Office.

• The Process
• Decisions
• Communication with Authors
• Manuscripts Submitted from the Institution of an Editor
• Rebuttals

The Process: By submitting a manuscript to The JI, the authors agree to subject it to the confidential peer-review process. Editors and reviewers are informed that the manuscript must be considered confidential. After a manuscript is received, it is assigned by the Science Coordinator to a specific Deputy Editor and a Section Editor, whose expertise is considered to be appropriate. The Section Editor prepares a list of expert reviewers, which may include some suggested by the Science Coordinator. Authors can indicate specific individuals whom they would like to have excluded as reviewers as well as individuals thought to be particularly appropriate, although these suggestions may not always be accepted. Generally, requests to exclude certain potential reviewers will be honored except in fields with a limited number of experts.

All potential reviewers are contacted individually to determine availability. Manuscript files are sent to at least two expert reviewers. Reviewers are asked to complete the review of the manuscript within two weeks and to return a short review form. Based on the reviewers' comments, the Section Editor recommends a course of action and communicates the reviews and recommendations to the Deputy Editor for a final decision.

The Deputy Editor considers the comments made by the reviewers and the recommendation of the Section Editor, selects those comments to be shared with the authors, makes a final decision concerning the manuscript, and prepares the decision letter for signature by the Editor-in-Chief. If revisions of the manuscript are suggested, the Deputy Editor also recommends who should review the revised paper when resubmitted. Authors are informed of the decision by e-mail; appropriate comments from reviewers and editors are appended.

Decisions: There are four categories for initial decisions: accept, accept with minor revision, return for revision, and reject. Some manuscripts are accepted provisionally, pending relatively minor revisions. In this case, the Deputy Editor may conduct the rereview. For many manuscripts, authors are invited to resubmit if revision or additional experimentation can address major criticisms. Typically, one or more reviewers will then be asked to consider the adequacy of the revisions. Cutting Edge papers are allowed only minor revisions because of time constraints. All revised manuscripts are carefully reexamined, and ultimate acceptability is not guaranteed. The JI does not provide for an advance determination of the acceptability of a particular manuscript for publication, nor does it promise expedited review of selected manuscripts.

Communication with Authors: To minimize the possibility of misinterpretation or errors in verbal communication, the Editorial Office will provide information, in writing, only to the corresponding author and will not provide extensive details (e.g., exact status of a review or a predicted time to final decision). Deputy Editors do not take calls from authors concerning decisions or other related matters. All such inquiries should be addressed in writing to the Editor-in-Chief, who will discuss concerns with the Deputy Editor. This policy has been established to provide for uniformity and fairness in addressing concerns about the review process.

Manuscripts Submitted from the Institution of an Editor: Manuscripts submitted from the institution of any Section or Deputy Editor or the Editor-in-Chief are reviewed by other editors from outside that institution. The Editorial Office ensures confidentiality and equity in reviewing all manuscripts.

Rebuttals: If the authors believe that a serious scientific error occurred during the review, a letter of rebuttal may be sent to the Editor-in-Chief, explaining the reasons why the decision should be reconsidered. Letters of rebuttal must be received by the Editor-in-Chief within six weeks of the date the decision letter was sent. When appropriate, the matter will be taken up with the initial Deputy Editor, Section Editor, or additional reviewers. Rebuttals that challenge rejections that were based on priority alone are rarely successful, since the assignment of priority is necessarily a matter of opinion. If the authors of a rejected manuscript are able to make new advances that go far beyond the original submission, they will often expedite consideration of their paper through the submission of a completely new manuscript.

Selection: Selection of reviewers is the responsibility of the Section Editor, although the Science Coordinator makes recommendations to the Section Editor from a list of individuals who have reviewed manuscripts previously. This database includes self-identified areas of expertise as well as information about the perceived usefulness and timeliness of past reviews. Individuals who consistently have provided tardy or unhelpful reviews are removed from the database. Every effort is made to avoid both real and apparent conflicts of interest with respect to research activities or collaborative or personal interactions. Reviewers are asked to withdraw from considering any manuscript in which they identify a conflict that has escaped the attention of the Section Editor.

Scientific Integrity: Information contained in manuscripts is considered confidential and should not be shared or distributed. If necessary, a reviewer can consult with others for an adequate evaluation of the research findings if all individuals involved maintain confidentiality, objectivity, and avoid conflict of interest. AAI is not responsible for acts and conduct by reviewers that are not in accordance with accepted professional standards. Reviewers are asked to be objective in their evaluations and to judge primarily the novelty and soundness of the information presented.

Anonymity: Although reviews are anonymous, all comments should be capable of withstanding public scrutiny. Except in very unusual circumstances, the identity of the reviewers and Section and Deputy Editors involved in the review of any given manuscript is kept confidential.

The AAI Council, upon recommendation of the Publications Committee, appoints the Editor-in-Chief for a term of five years. Deputy Editors, Section Editors, and Associate Editors are nominated by the Editor-in-Chief and appointed by the Publications Committee. Deputy Editors are appointed for variable terms. Section Editors and Associate Editors are appointed for one renewable term of two years in most circumstances. The Editor-in-Chief, the Deputy Editors, and the Section Editors constitute the Editorial Board and are required to be members of AAI. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the specific editorial conduct of The JI. The AAI Publications Committee is responsible for the management and evaluation of The JI and any other official publications of AAI, subject to the general supervision of the AAI Council.