PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Follow the instructions to authors regarding the format of your manuscript and references.

Prepare your manuscript, including tables, using a word processing program and save it as a .doc, .rtf or .ps file. Any of these file types will be converted to .pdf format upon submission.

Prepare your figures at publication quality resolution, using applications capable of generating high-resolution .tif files (1200 d.p.i. for line drawings and 300 d.p.i. for colour and half-tone artwork). The printing process requires your figures to be in this format if your paper is accepted and printed. For useful information on preparing your figures for publication, go to http://cpc.cadmus.com/da.

Prepare any other files that are to be submitted for review, including any supplementary material. The permitted formats for these files are the same as for manuscripts and figures. Other filetypes, such as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Powerpoint presentations may be uploaded and will form part of the single PDF proof that is created for use in the peer review process. For online submission, please prepare a second version of your figures at low-resolution for use in the reviewing process; figures can be saved in .jpg, .gif, .tif or .esp format.

For your INITIAL submission, it is preferable that you insert your low-resolution figures and tables into the word processing document but you can also upload them separately.

When inserting figures into your text documents, please make sure they are readable; many figures contain tiny characters (such as numbers on a chart or graph), and if these characters are not easily readable in your text document, they will most likely be illegible in the .pdf created by the system.

When naming your files: please use simple filenames and avoid special characters and spaces. If you are a Macintosh user you must also type the three-letter extension at the end of the file name you choose (e.g. .doc, .rtf, .jpg, .gif, .tif, .ppt, .xls, .pdf, .eps, .mov).

The online submission software (Editorial Manager) will automatically create a single PDF document containing your main text and reduced-resolution versions of any figures and tables you have submitted. This document will be used when your manuscript undergoes peer review. Your submitted files will appear in this PDF sequentially, as specified by you on the submission page, and you will have an opportunity to enter figure captions/legends and to check the PDF proof prior to final submission.

IMPORTANT. If your paper goes on to be accepted, your images will be required as high-resolution .tif files (1200 d.p.i. for line drawings and 300 d.p.i. for colour and half-tone artwork). For useful information on preparing your figures for publication, go to http://cpc.cadmus.com/da. Please note that publication of your manuscript will not proceed until figures suitable for reproduction are received.

Getting help

If you experience any problems during the online submission please use the 'Help' function at the top of the screen, which takes you to specific submission instructions. Further help is available once you have logged in. Alternatively, contact the Editorial Office.

SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Now that your files are ready, visit the online submission web site.

Note: Before you begin, you should be sure you are using an up-to-date version of Internet Explorer or other Browser software. Updates are usually free, and you can check for latest versions from the supplier's website, such as http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/. You may also want to print out the instructions below, so that you can follow each step.

(The following is based on "Tutorial for Authors Version 3.0 - 7/16/2004 Copyright © 2004, Aries Systems Corporation".)

REGISTERING

Unless you have been pre-registered with the Editorial Manager system, you will need to register before you can proceed. Click 'REGISTER' on the main navigation menu at the top of the screen. A screen will open, asking you to enter your First and Last name, and your e-mail address. Click "OK" once you have filled this in. The system will check to see if you're already registered. You will then be brought to the Registration Page.

Enter your personal information to begin the process.
Note that information fields marked with asterisks (*) can not be left empty.
At the bottom of the form is a field where you must pick a preferred username. You must remember this username in order to access the Editorial Manager system. You may also enter your Personal Classifications for the benefit of the journal office to match classifications with reviewers who have that expertise.

When you are satisfied with the information you have provided, click the 'Continue >>' button at the bottom to proceed. A "Registration Confirmation" page will appear, letting you double check that you've entered the correct information. Please take a good look to make sure everything is correct, and that your e-mail address is correct. If all is correct, click the "Continue" button at the bottom. DO NOT CLICK THE BACK BUTTON.

You have now completed the registration process, and may quit out of your browser to check your e-mail for the password that will be sent to you.

DUPLICATE REGISTRATION CHECK

In order to eliminate duplicate registration in the EM system, registration is a two step process. The first step is Pre-Registration (which requires the user to enter First Name, Last Name and E-mail Address). After entering the data, the user clicks the 'Submit' button, and executes a search of the database for a duplicate record. The system checks to see whether the e-mail address already exists in the system.

If no matches are found (i.e. no duplicates) - the user proceeds with the second step, the Registration process.

If a match is found (i.e. presence of duplicates) - the user cannot proceed with Registration at this time. If this happens to you, please contact the Editorial Office for the journal.

LOGGING IN

Upon registering with the Editorial Manager system, a notification will be sent to the e-mail address you specified in your registration information. It will contain your username and password. You will need these to log in.

To log in, click 'LOGIN' on the main navigation menu at the top of the screen. You will be brought to the Editorial Manager Log-In screen. Enter your username and password in the appropriate fields. You should then select 'Author Login'. This will bring you to the Author Main Menu - a list of functions you have been enabled to perform in the system.

CHANGING YOUR PASSWORD

You may at any time change your password. To do so, log in to the system and select 'Update My Information' from the main navigation menu at the top of the screen. This will bring you to the Update My Information page.
Simply select your old password, and retype the password you would prefer. Click 'Update' to process your request.

SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT

Once you have logged in to the system, you will be brought to the Author Main Menu. Click 'Submit new Manuscript' to begin the submission process. You will be brought to the Submit New Manuscript menu. It is from this interface that you will submit all the data that comprises your manuscript - text, images and descriptions.

Some steps are optional (abstract, section/category, comments...etc.), or may not be associated with a particular Article Type. Every step is outlined below, though they may not be part of your submission.

SOME TIPS YOU MAY FIND USEFUL

UPLOADING A COMPRESSED FILE

'Compressed files' refer to any files created by a 'packing' utility, such as PKZip or WinZip. A compressed file may consist of a single file, or multiple files. The primary purpose of 'zipping' or 'compressing' files is to reduce the overall file size, thus facilitating faster transmittal. The following compressed file formats are supported:

1. Zip - such as WinZIP
2. tar.gz - this is a UNIX file compression utility

To upload a compressed file, choose a Submission Item Type from the drop-down list, and upload a compressed file containing one or more individual files. The resulting behavior varies slightly, depending on whether the zip file contains a single file or multiple files. You can always change the items and descriptions once they've been uploaded.

THE SUBMISSION ITEM LABEL

This can be Changed after the File is Uploaded. If you are uploading a Figure, but did not select the 'Figure' Item from the Item dropdown box, then the Item label would be incorrect. The 'Item' column in the list of attached files has drop-down boxes for each file, so the Submission Item can easily be changed after the file has been uploaded.

UPLOADING ARXIV FILES FROM THE LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

Authors can upload source files directly from the Los Alamos National Laboratory arXiv database. Many Authors (primarily in Physics and Math) post their research on the arXiv server as a resource for other researchers. Authors may then wish to submit their article directly from the arXiv database. An Author wishing to do this would likely know the arXiv code which consists of a string of letters and numbers identifying the particular database (e.g. hep-th or physics.acc-ph) followed by a forward slash and a 7-digit number unique to Los Alamos (e.g, hep-ex/0401001, physics/0401001, math.AG/0401002).

To upload files from the Los Alamos arXiv server, you go to the Submit New Manuscript interface, fill in each step (Article title, Article Type, etc.), and proceed to the Attach Files step. If the Article Type is configured to 'Allow file uploads from Los Alamos arXiv server', the Attach Files page displays special instructions and a text box for entry of the arXiv file identifier. You can also upload additional 'regular' files on the same page, in addition to the arXiv file. Select a Submission Item from the drop-down list, and enter the arXiv code which consists of a string of letters and numbers identifying the particular Los Alamos database (e.g. hep-th or physics.acc-ph) followed by a forward slash and a 7-digit number unique to Los Alamos (e.g, hep-ex/0401001, physics/0401001, math.AG/0401002).

Then clicks 'Attach this File'. When the arXiv code is recognized by the Los Alamos server, and corresponding file is found, the compressed file (.tar.gz format) containing the source files is downloaded from the Los Alamos server. The .tar.gz file is unpacked by the system, and all of the individual files are uploaded to EM. Each file is listed individually so the user can associate each file with an appropriate Submission Item, edit the Description, and re-order the list of files for PDF creation.

NOTE: This function is not available when submitting revisions. When you decide to submit a revision, you would not re-upload the submission from the arXiv database, but rather would choose to carry forward the files that do not require revision, and can then upload just the revised files.

NOTE: Most documents on the Los Alamos arXiv server are in LaTex format. To assist Authors who may not be sure which Submission Items to select for various arXiv file components (such as .bbl, .cls, .sty, etc.), the journal can create Submission Items in the dropdown menu, which describe these components (Bibliography file, Style File, etc). This is not necessary for the file upload - but it does make the selection of Submission Items more clear to you. If unclear, choose what would be closest, and the system will proceed without a problem.

INVITED AND COMMISSIONED PAPERS

Some journals have a pre-submission phase, during which Authors are invited to submit articles. The invitation may be for a specific subject area, a symposium in print, or a festschrift honouring a distinguished colleague (e.g. a retiring Editor from an eminent journal). There are two general scenarios where Author solicitations may occur:

1. Commentaries: A journal may solicit commentaries on a submitted article (that may or may not have yet been accepted for publication). This feature provides a way to invite an author to submit a paper and link the existing ('parent') submission to the associated commentaries.
2. Proposals: A journal invites a leading expert (or experts) to submit a manuscript about a particular topic; or a journal devotes an entire issue (special issue) to invited manuscripts for a particular topic(s). This feature provides a way to invite authors to submit papers and link the submissions for the purpose of tracking.

ENTER ARTICLE TITLE

An Article Title is a required step in the submission process. Enter the title of your article in the space provided. Click 'Next' when you're ready to move forward.

SELECT ARTICLE TYPE

An Article Type is a required step in the submission process. Using the drop-down menu, select the Article Type that best describes your manuscript. The Article Type designation determines which additional steps will be displayed. (For example, an Abstract may not be part of a "Letter to the Editor" therefore that step won't appear in the process if you choose that article type.)

Click 'Next' to proceed.

ADD/EDIT/REMOVE AUTHORS

You may add the names of other people who were involved in the creation of the manuscript. Only you as the Corresponding Author will receive any e-mail notifications from the system. You may change the person designated as the Corresponding Author, but this person must be a registered EditorialManager user, as they will need to be contacted throughout the submission process.

Other Authors do not need to be registered with the system, but may be included for the purpose of appearing in the list of all authors. A first name and last name are required - affiliation information isn't a required entry, however it will aid an Editor who wishes to select Reviewers who were not affiliated with those who are involved in the creation of the manuscript.

You can designate the order in which other Authors should be listed, including the Corresponding author. After you have entered Other Authors, the list of authors can be reordered by clicking on the arrows next to each name. The Author at the top of the list is automatically designated as the First Author. The Corresponding Author does not have to be listed first, but rather can appear anywhere in the list (including at the top of the list as the First Author).

You don't need to re-enter yourself in the list of authors. The person who begins the manuscript submission process is by default the Corresponding Author.

To change the Corresponding Author first enter the name of the Corresponding Author in the First Name and Last Name textboxes and click the checkbox next to 'Please select if this is the corresponding author'. If the person you entered is not registered with EditorialManager, you will be unable to designate him/her as the Corresponding Author. If this person is registered with EditorialManager, you will be asked to enter his or her username and password. After you are finished submitting the manuscript, you will no longer be considered the Corresponding Author and will not be able to access the manuscript. The new Corresponding Author will receive an email when the PDF is built, asking them to log onto EM to view and approve their submission before it can be sent to the journal office. To approve the manuscript and send it to the journal, log in as the new Corresponding Author or ask the new Corresponding Author to view and approve the submission. Click 'Next' to proceed.

SELECT SECTION/CATEGORY

'Section/Category' is a list that is predefined by the journal. The Section/Category list is used by the Author to indicate that his submission belongs to a particular 'Section' of the journal or belongs to a particular 'category'. This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that the Author does not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

SUBMIT ABSTRACT

The 'Submit Abstract' step allows the Author to type or copy and paste the Manuscript's Abstract into a textbox. This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that the Author does not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

ENTER KEYWORDS

Enter the keywords from your manuscript, with each keyword separated by semicolons (for example: active vitamin D; parathyroid hormone-related peptide; hypercalcemia; bone resorption). This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that the Author does not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

SELECT CLASSIFICATIONS

Click 'Select Document Classifications' to open a window containing a list of the classifications pertaining to the journal. Click the checkbox next to any classification you wish to select. You may select as many classifications as is appropriate. Click 'Submit' when you are done. This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that you do not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

ENTER COMMENTS

Enter any comments you would like to send to the editorial office. These comments do not appear in your manuscript. This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that the Author does not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

REQUEST EDITOR

You can submit a request for a particular Editor to be assigned to your submission. The request will be for consideration of the Journal Office only. If you do not Request an Editor, your manuscript will be assigned to the appropriate Editor(s) as determined by the Journal Staff.

Select the Editor of your choice by using the drag-down menu.

This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that the Author does not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

SELECT REGION OF ORIGIN

You can identify a geographic region (or country) of origin from a list configured by the journal. This means that a manuscript can have a Country of Origin designation that is different than the Author's country. This is referred to as the 'Manuscript Geographic Region of Origin'. The journal can configure a list that contains geographic regions that are different than the standard country list. For example, a region of origin might be Eastern Europe, Western Europe, North America, etc. The Region of Origin could also be non-geographic, like 'Multi-center'.

Select the country/region of your choice by using the drag-down menu and click 'Next' to proceed.

This may be an optional, required, or hidden step so that the Author does not see it.

Click 'Next' to proceed.

ATTACH FILES

All items in your submission must be sent via the Web or by traditional methods (e.g., courier service, postal mail or facsimile). For each item, select either 'Online Web System' or 'Offline' by clicking the appropriate button. For each item you want to provide via the Web:

• Choose the Item from a dropdown box (Items that are required will be marked with an asterisk (*)). Manuscript, figures or tables may all be separate items in the drop down box. Make sure to choose the correct one.
• Enter a Description in the text box (see "Figure One..." below).
• Select the Delivery Method by which the Item will reach the journal office (online or offline).
• The option of online or offline may not always be available since the journal may require one method or not allow one of the other methods.
• Locate the file on your hard drive using the 'Browse' button. Authors may attach files to their submission that have been 'compressed' (i.e. zip files). This allows Authors to upload several files at once, rather than having to upload one file at a time. It also enables a faster upload of a large single file. The system will automatically 'unpack' or 'un-zip' the file, so that the individual file(s) can be attached to the submission.
• Click 'Attach This File' to upload the file (uploading may take several minutes for larger files).

As each item from the drop-down menu is attached, you'll see that a list of what you'll be sending to the Editorial Office is building at the bottom of the screen. For each item to be sent offline, please add the delivery method to the Description, then click 'Attach This File'. Repeat this process until all items in your submission have been specified.

You can see everything you've attached in the list at the bottom. When all Items have been attached, click 'Next' at the bottom of the page. You'll again be able to see what you're sending to the Editorial Office, and can make sure that everything you want to include is listed. A message will prompt you if you've left out any of the required pieces of the submission.

Click 'Build PDF for my Approval'. A message will appear on the screen thanking you for your submission. Your manuscript will now be found in the 'Submissions Waiting for Author's Approval' in your Author Main Menu. To complete the process you'll need to make one final approval before the Editorial Office receives your submission. If you are unable to complete the submission process, your data will not be lost. You can access your unfinished submission in the 'Incomplete Submissions' list on your Author Main Menu.

AUTHOR PDF APPROVAL

You must approve your submission before it is sent to the journal office. Click 'Submissions Waiting for Author's Approval' to bring up a table containing all manuscripts that are waiting to be viewed and approved by you.

Once the PDF version of your manuscript has been created by the system (this may take a few minutes once you've uploaded your files or as long as 30-60 minutes depending on the size of files, and outstanding PDF building activity), you will see a set of links in the Action column of the table. 'View Submission' allows you to view the PDF version of your submission (if you do not have Adobe Acrobat installed on your system, simply click the 'Get Acrobat Reader' icon at the bottom of the Submissions Needing Approval menu and follow the instructions from Adobe's web site).

You may choose to make alterations to your submission such as spelling corrections, description changes, extra graphics, etc. - you can do this by selecting 'Edit Submission'. If there is a problem creating the PDF you're viewing, there will be a message in the PDF explaining what may have caused the problem. Edit Submission will bring you to the same interface you used when you initially submitted the manuscript. You can remove or add files at the Attach Files portion of the submission if you need to change anything.

If you do make changes, a new PDF file for you to view and approve will be built.

Once you are satisfied with your submission and are ready to send it to the journal office, click 'Approve Submission'. You may also choose to remove your manuscript from the system by selecting 'Remove Submission' (the Manuscript will never be seen by anyone at the journal office). You can always remove your submission and start over again if you experience problems. When you approve your submission, it will now be filed in the 'Submissions Being Processed' list in your Author Main Menu.

TRACKING THE PROGRESS OF YOUR SUBMISSION

Once your manuscript has been submitted to the journal, you can track its progress by viewing your submission in the 'Submissions Being Processed' list. You will be notified when the journal has made a decision.

SUBMITTING REVISED MANUSCRIPTS

When asked to Revise your submission, the submission moves into the folder called "Submissions Needing Revision" under the Revisions Heading on your Author Main Menu page. From this folder the following options are listed:

• View Submission: The View Submission link allows you to see the PDF of the most recent version of the submission.
• Download Files: The Download Files link allows you to download any of the source files that make up your submission. You can access your files, work on them, before you click the Submit Revision link.
• Submit Revision: The Submit Revision link provides access to the Submit Revised Manuscript interface that leads you through the submission process. The interface is similar to the Submit New Manuscript interface. When you get to the "Attach Files" step in the process, you are presented with the list of source files from the previous version. You may choose whether or not to carry over files from the previous version to the new Revision. When presented with the list of source files, there is a checkbox displayed to the right of each file. The checkbox must be checked to carry the file over to the new version of the submission. Read the instructions the journal will provide on screen to see what they prefer.
  
  Click "Next" to proceed to the next page where you'll be given the option to upload your revised files to attach to the Revised Submission. Again, you'll be able to reorder your files with the arrows, and upload your new files. Click "Next" to Build PDF for your Approval.
• Decline to Revise: This link is used when you decide not to submit a Revision. Your submission record then moves to the Author's Decline Revisions folder. If this is done in error, you will be able to Reinstate a Declined Revision (make sure not to resubmit the same details twice.)
• View Decision: The Author can also view the Decision Letter by clicking on the link in the View Decision column.
  
  Author Rebuttal of a Rejected or Withdrawn Submission This feature is utilized when an Author wishes to dispute a Reject decision or reverse a Withdrawn submission. You will need to contact the journal office outside of the system to inform the editors of your desire to rebut the decision.
• Reviewer Attachments: Reviewers may download source files, annotate them as needed, and upload them back into the system. Reviewers may also wish to upload non-manuscript files such as images or related materials. The journal office may give you access to these files for aiding in submitting your revision.

ZIP FILE CONTAINS A SINGLE FILE:

The single file is listed in the Attached Files list, with the Item and Description designation made by the user before the file was uploaded. The user then has the opportunity to change the Item and/or Description, and re-order the files (if there are other files already in the list).

ZIP FILE CONTAINS TWO OR MORE FILES:

The unpacking process lists all of the files individually. The user must then explicitly select a Submission Item for each file. The Description fields are dynamically populated based on the Submission Items selected, and the user can modify the Descriptions, if desired. The user then has the opportunity to re-order the files.

FILE ORDERING MECHANISM

File order can be changed by entering numbers in the text box next to each Submission Item. A text box with a number appears next to each file. The files are numbered in the sequence in which they were uploaded. For example, if four files are uploaded, the default value for each item is 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The user can then change the order of the files by typing in a new order and clicking the 'Update File Order' button. For example, if the last item you uploaded should appear first, simply type a "1" next to the file, and Update the file order. You won't have to renumber all the others, the file will automatically be bumped to the top, and all other subsequent files will be pushed down one.