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EDITORIAL Cytometry, Electronic Publishing, and the Cytometry Forum Cytometry, both the journal and the discipline, have evolved over the years, driven by external events—new techniques are developed, new reagents and instruments are created, new analytical methods become available. As scientists, we monitor such advances and adapt them to our needs as appropriate. And frequently, it is in the pages of Cytometry that we first read about new progress in our discipline. But it is not just science that evolves. As I write these words, the field of scientific publishing is undergoing an evolution—indeed some would say a revolution—that is more challenging and exciting than anything that has happened in publishing for centuries. The InterNet and the World Wide Web now make it possible for each of us individually to publish our own work. We can write what we wish, how we wish, when we wish; and we then can post our writing on the InterNet. Our words now have the potential to reach immediately millions of readers through- out the world. The question is often asked ‘‘What is the future of the scientific journal in this era of instantaneous electronic publishing?’’ And in particular, ‘‘Why publish in Cytome- try?’’ The answer is that to publish in Cytometry enhances, in a real sense, the value of a manuscript. All manuscripts undergo peer review, and they are evaluated by an Associate Editor and by the Editor-in-Chief before accep- tance. They then go through production editing by the publisher to turn the manuscript into a professional publication. When an article appears in Cytometry, it means that it has satisfied standards set by our peers. Over the years, Cytometry has become a premier scientific journal. To be published in Cytometry means something. Other researchers are more likely to read and to cite an article that appeared in Cytometry than one that appeared in an non-refereed journal or was self published. Thus, Cytometry provides a valuable service to authors, to readers, and particularly to the members of the Interna- tional Society for Analytical Cytology (ISAC). But how is Cytometry exploiting the developments of electronic communication? We are using them in many ways. For example, most reviews are now communicated electronically and more than 80 percent of all manuscripts published in Cytometry are now copyedited and typeset directly from disks submitted by authors. These changes have substantially shortened the review cycle and have led to greater publication accuracy. Over the past year, John Wiley, Inc., our publisher, has worked with ISAC to create a Cytometry Web Site. This site contains much information about Cytometry. Visitors to the site can browse the Cytometry Tables of Contents and can search title, key words, and authors citations for all articles published in 1995 and 1996. The citation for every article published since January 1996 includes its abstract. The Cytometry Web Site also includes a reader Forum. The purpose of this Forum may be described as postpubli- cation review. It provides an opportunity for readers to discuss with authors and with other readers manuscripts that have been published in Cytometry. Thus, it will function to transform the published manuscript, which by definition is archival, into a living document—a document that readers may enhance by their reactions, comments and suggestions, and by the responses that the reader comments may elicit back from the authors. A problem with using the InterNet to communicate is that some may not yet have ready access and so are unable to participate. Thus, whenever an exchange on the Forum seems particularly important to the readers of Cytometry, it may be summarized in a printed report. Because the Cytometry Forum is public, ISAC has established a few operational guidelines. Before posting, the content of all communications will be reviewed for relevance to the Forum by the editorial moderator. Some communications may be better suited to a personal inter- change with the author of the original article rather than to public dissemination. Not all authors may have ready access to the InterNet, and so the moderator will try to ensure that the author sees the posting and has an opportunity to respond to it before it is made public. If a discussion becomes repetitive or excessively adversarial, the moderator may terminate it. This present issue of Cytometry contains an article that the editorial board feel is particularly suitable for discus- sion in the Forum. Thunnissen, Ellis and Ju ¨tting, Quality Assurance in DNA Image Analysis on Diploid Cells, Cytom- etry 27:21–25, 1997 report the results of an interlabora- tory study of clinical DNA cytometry. Thirteen clinical laboratories participated, using a variety of different instru- ments and procedures. The aim was to discover how well DNA ploidy and area measurements agreed among the laboratories. The results are most disturbing. The ‘‘dip- loid’’ cell types vary from 1c to 3c, a three-fold range that is independent of where the staining was done; similar r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Cytometry 27:xiii (1997)

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EDITORIAL

Cytometry, Electronic Publishing, and theCytometry Forum

Cytometry, both the journal and the discipline, haveevolved over the years, driven by external events—newtechniques are developed, new reagents and instrumentsare created, new analytical methods become available. Asscientists, we monitor such advances and adapt them toour needs as appropriate. And frequently, it is in the pagesof Cytometry that we first read about new progress in ourdiscipline.

But it is not just science that evolves. As I write thesewords, the field of scientific publishing is undergoing anevolution—indeed some would say a revolution—that ismore challenging and exciting than anything that hashappened in publishing for centuries. The InterNet andthe World Wide Web now make it possible for each of usindividually to publish our own work. We can write whatwe wish, how we wish, when we wish; and we then canpost our writing on the InterNet. Our words now have thepotential to reach immediately millions of readers through-out the world.

The question is often asked ‘‘What is the future of thescientific journal in this era of instantaneous electronicpublishing?’’ And in particular, ‘‘Why publish in Cytome-try?’’ The answer is that to publish in Cytometry enhances,in a real sense, the value of a manuscript. All manuscriptsundergo peer review, and they are evaluated by anAssociate Editor and by the Editor-in-Chief before accep-tance. They then go through production editing by thepublisher to turn the manuscript into a professionalpublication. When an article appears in Cytometry, itmeans that it has satisfied standards set by our peers. Overthe years, Cytometry has become a premier scientificjournal. To be published in Cytometry means something.Other researchers are more likely to read and to cite anarticle that appeared in Cytometry than one that appearedin an non-refereed journal or was self published. Thus,Cytometry provides a valuable service to authors, toreaders, and particularly to the members of the Interna-tional Society for Analytical Cytology (ISAC).

But how is Cytometry exploiting the developments ofelectronic communication? We are using them in manyways. For example, most reviews are now communicatedelectronically and more than 80 percent of all manuscriptspublished in Cytometry are now copyedited and typesetdirectly from disks submitted by authors. These changeshave substantially shortened the review cycle and have ledto greater publication accuracy.

Over the past year, John Wiley, Inc., our publisher, hasworked with ISAC to create a Cytometry Web Site. Thissite contains much information about Cytometry. Visitorsto the site can browse the Cytometry Tables of Contentsand can search title, key words, and authors citations forall articles published in 1995 and 1996. The citation forevery article published since January 1996 includes itsabstract.

The Cytometry Web Site also includes a reader Forum.The purpose of this Forum may be described as postpubli-cation review. It provides an opportunity for readers todiscuss with authors and with other readers manuscriptsthat have been published in Cytometry. Thus, it willfunction to transform the published manuscript, which bydefinition is archival, into a living document—a documentthat readers may enhance by their reactions, commentsand suggestions, and by the responses that the readercomments may elicit back from the authors.

A problem with using the InterNet to communicate isthat some may not yet have ready access and so are unableto participate. Thus, whenever an exchange on the Forumseems particularly important to the readers of Cytometry,it may be summarized in a printed report.

Because the Cytometry Forum is public, ISAC hasestablished a few operational guidelines. Before posting,the content of all communications will be reviewed forrelevance to the Forum by the editorial moderator. Somecommunications may be better suited to a personal inter-change with the author of the original article rather than topublic dissemination. Not all authors may have readyaccess to the InterNet, and so the moderator will try toensure that the author sees the posting and has anopportunity to respond to it before it is made public. If adiscussion becomes repetitive or excessively adversarial,the moderator may terminate it.

This present issue of Cytometry contains an article thatthe editorial board feel is particularly suitable for discus-sion in the Forum. Thunnissen, Ellis and Jutting, QualityAssurance in DNA Image Analysis on Diploid Cells, Cytom-etry 27:21–25, 1997 report the results of an interlabora-tory study of clinical DNA cytometry. Thirteen clinicallaboratories participated, using a variety of different instru-ments and procedures. The aim was to discover how wellDNA ploidy and area measurements agreed among thelaboratories. The results are most disturbing. The ‘‘dip-loid’’ cell types vary from 1c to 3c, a three-fold range that isindependent of where the staining was done; similar

r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Cytometry 27:xiii (1997)

Page 2: Cytometry, electronic publishing, and the cytometry forum

extreme variability occurs in the area measurements.Clearly, such variability is unacceptable for the clinicalpractice of DNA cytometry. But what is going on and whatshould be done about it?

I hope that you, the author and the reader, find that theCytometry Forum and other electronic services enhance

the value that you receive from publishing in and subscrib-ing to Cytometry. Please access and contribute to theForum at the Wiley Cytometry Web Site:‘‘http://www.wiley.com/cytometry/journals.html’’.

Brian H. Mayall, [email protected]

xiv MAYALL