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Your Paper Your Way

We now differentiate between the requirements for new and revised submissions. You may choose to submit your manuscript as a single Word or PDF file to be used in the refereeing process. Only when your paper is at the revision stage, will you be requested to put your paper in to a 'correct format' for acceptance and provide the items required for the publication of your article.
To find out more, please visit the Preparation section below.

Introduction



This document contains complete guidelines for the preparation of your manuscript. For instructions regarding statistical analyses and reporting and for special instructions regarding (a) submissions having to do with allergen identification or allergen structure and (b) submissions having to do with animal models, see "Special Instructions" (below). For instructions regarding online submission, please visit https://service.elsevier.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/116. Technical support is available by email at [email protected]. In any correspondence, please provide the corresponding author's name, title of the manuscript, manuscript number (if assigned), and a clear description of the problem.

Manuscript submission

All manuscripts must be submitted online through the JACI's Editorial Manager (EM) Web site at https://www.editorialmanager.com/jaci/default.aspx. Electronic files of the manuscript contents must be uploaded at that Web site, and the onscreen steps should be followed to submit the manuscript to the Editorial Office.

Items pertaining to manuscripts submitted for publication should be sent to:

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Editorial Office
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, IA 52242
Telephone: (319) 356-7739
Fax: (319) 467-7583
Email: [email protected]

Submission checklist

You can use this list to carry out a final check of your submission before you send it to the journal for review. Please check the relevant section in this Guide for Authors for more details.

Ensure that the following items are present:

One author has been designated as the corresponding author with contact details:
• E-mail address
• Full postal address

All necessary files have been uploaded:
Manuscript:
• Include keywords
• All figures (include relevant captions)
• All tables (including titles, description, footnotes)
• Ensure all figure and table citations in the text match the files provided
• Indicate clearly if color should be used for any figures in print
Graphical Abstracts / Highlights files (where applicable)
Supplemental files (where applicable)

Further considerations
• Manuscript has been 'spell checked' and 'grammar checked'
• All references mentioned in the Reference List are cited in the text, and vice versa
• Permission has been obtained for use of copyrighted material from other sources (including the Internet)
• A competing interests statement is provided, even if the authors have no competing interests to declare
• Journal policies detailed in this guide have been reviewed
• Referee suggestions and contact details provided, based on journal requirements

For further information, visit our Support Center.

Before you begin

Ethics in publishing

Please see our information on Ethics in publishing.

Studies in humans and animals

If the work involves the use of human subjects, the author should ensure that the work described has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving humans. The manuscript should be in line with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals and aim for the inclusion of representative human populations (sex, age and ethnicity) as per those recommendations. The terms sex and gender should be used correctly.

Authors should include a statement in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained for experimentation with human subjects. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be observed. Additionally, in the case of photographs of identifiable persons, it is required that the author obtain written consent from said person. Confirmation of this consent will be requested at the time of submission.

All animal experiments should comply with the ARRIVE guidelines and should be carried out in accordance with the U.K. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 and associated guidelines, EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments, or the National Research Council's Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the authors should clearly indicate in the manuscript that such guidelines have been followed. The sex of animals must be indicated, and where appropriate, the influence (or association) of sex on the results of the study.

Informed consent and patient details

Studies on patients or volunteers (including organ/tissue donors) require informed consent, which should be documented in the paper. Appropriate consents, permissions and releases must be obtained where an author wishes to include case details or other personal information or images of patients and any other individuals in an Elsevier publication. Written consents must be retained by the author, but copies should not be provided to the journal.

Only if specifically requested by the journal in exceptional circumstances (for example if a legal issue arises) the author must provide copies of the consents or evidence that such consents have been obtained. For more information, please review the Elsevier Policy on the Use of Images or Personal Information of Patients or other Individuals.

Unless the author has written permission from the patient (or, where applicable, the next of kin), the personal details of any patient included in any part of the article and in any supplementary materials (including all illustrations and videos) must be removed before submission.

Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose all financial relationships for themselves and their immediate family/significant others. The Journal requires all authors to acknowledge, on the title page of the manuscript, all funding sources that supported their work and any commercial associations that might pose a conflict of interest. These include consultant arrangements, speakers' bureau participation, stock or other equity ownership, patent licensing arrangements, support such as financial or materials grants for research, employment, or expert witness testimony. Further information can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/conflictsofinterest and at https://service.elsevier.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/286/supporthub/publishing.

The Corresponding Author is responsible for obtaining each authors statement and all authors should see and approve the complete disclosure before submission to the Journal.

Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing

The below guidance only refers to the writing process, and not to the use of AI tools to analyse and draw insights from data as part of the research process.

Where authors use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, authors should only use these technologies to improve readability and language. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete or biased. AI and AI-assisted technologies should not be listed as an author or co-author, or be cited as an author. Authorship implies responsibilities and tasks that can only be attributed to and performed by humans, as outlined in Elsevier’s AI policy for authors.

Authors should disclose in their manuscript the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by following the instructions below. A statement will appear in the published work. Please note that authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work.

Disclosure instructions
Authors must disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by adding a statement at the end of their manuscript in the core manuscript file, before the References list. The statement should be placed in a new section entitled ‘Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process’.

Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.

This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc. If there is nothing to disclose, there is no need to add a statement.

Submission declaration and verification

Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract, a published lecture or academic thesis, see 'Multiple, redundant or concurrent publication' for more information), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, including electronically without the written consent of the copyright-holder. To verify originality, your article may be checked by the originality detection service Crossref Similarity Check.

Use of inclusive language

Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. Content should make no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader; contain nothing which might imply that one individual is superior to another on the grounds of age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability or health condition; and use inclusive language throughout. Authors should ensure that writing is free from bias, stereotypes, slang, reference to dominant culture and/or cultural assumptions. We advise to seek gender neutrality by using plural nouns ("clinicians, patients/clients") as default/wherever possible to avoid using "he, she," or "he/she." We recommend avoiding the use of descriptors that refer to personal attributes such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability or health condition unless they are relevant and valid. When coding terminology is used, we recommend to avoid offensive or exclusionary terms such as "master", "slave", "blacklist" and "whitelist". We suggest using alternatives that are more appropriate and (self-) explanatory such as "primary", "secondary", "blocklist" and "allowlist". These guidelines are meant as a point of reference to help identify appropriate language but are by no means exhaustive or definitive.

Reporting Race and Ethnicity
JACI encourages the reporting of race and ethnicity in all clinical studies unless the information is not available. Reporting of race and ethnicity should not be considered in isolation but should be accompanied by reporting and discussion of intersecting sociodemographic and social determinant factors. The following guidance is provided to standardize and optimize the reporting of race and ethnicity in the Journal and is based on updated guidance in the AMA Manual of Style.*

  • "The names of races, ethnicities, and tribes should be capitalized, such as eg, African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian, Black, Cherokee Nation, Hispanic, Kamba, Kikuyu, Latino, and White."*
  • The term "White" should be used instead of "Caucasian" except when referring to people from the Caucasus region in Eurasia.
  • "The term minorities should not be used when describing groups or populations because it is overly vague and implies a hierarchy among groups."* Other terms such as underserved populations, underrepresented populations, marginalized/historically marginalized, or historically excluded may be used as more accurate and descriptive terminology.
  • "Racial and ethnic terms should not be used as a noun form (eg, avoid Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, or Whites)."* The adjectival form should be used instead (eg, Asian women, Black patients, Hispanic children, or White participants), which follows AMA style regarding person-first language.
  • Do not use the term race/ethnicity but use the term race and ethnicity instead.
  • Provide an explanation of how participant race and ethnicity was classified "and the source of the classifications used (eg, self-report or selection, investigator observed, database, electronic health record, survey instrument)."*
  • Provide an explanation of how participant race and ethnicity was classified and the source of the classifications used (eg, self-report or selection, investigator observed, database, electronic health record, survey instrument).
  • "Specific racial and ethnic categories are preferred over collective terms, when possible."* Define what categories are included in groups labeled as other. "The terms multi-racial and multiethnic are acceptable in reports of studies if the specific categories these terms comprise are defined or if the terms were predefined in a study or database to which participants self-selected."*
  • "Categories should be listed in alphabetical order in text and tables.
  • "Race and ethnicity categories of the study population should be reported in the Results section of the manuscript."*
  • When appropriate, outcomes should be stratified by race and ethnicity.
  • In the Discussion, comment on the overall representatives of the clinical study regarding race and ethnicity and discuss the relevance of any underrepresentation to the condition being studied.

*AMA Manual of Style, Section 11.12.3 Race and Ethnicity. Accessed September 20, 2021. https://www.amamanualofstyle.com

Reporting Sex and Gender
  • The term sex should be used when reporting biological factors and gender should be used when reporting gender identity or psychosocial/cultural factors.
  • The methods used to obtain information on sex, gender, or both (eg, self-reported, investigator observed or classified, or laboratory test) should be explained in the Methods section.
  • The sex and/or gender distribution of study participants should be reported in the Results section.
  • When appropriate, outcomes should be stratified by sex and/or gender.
  • In the Discussion, comment on the overall representatives of the clinical study regarding sex and/or gender and discuss the relevance to the condition(s) being studied.

Authorship

All authors should have made substantial contributions to all of the following: (1) the conception and design of the study, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, (2) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content, (3) final approval of the version to be submitted.

Authorship requirements
Please note:
(A) To be listed as an author, an individual must meet the requirements approved by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). In order to be included in the list of authors, an individual must have done all of the following: (1) made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; (2) drafted the article or reviewed it critically for important intellectual content; and (3) given final approval of the version to be published.
(B) The JACI does not allow "ghostwriting," or uncredited authorship. All writers of a manuscript should be clearly identified.
(C) Statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications in the Journal are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Editor(s) or publisher, and the Editor(s) and publisher disclaim any responsibility or liability for such material. Neither the Editor(s) nor the publisher guarantee, warrant, or endorse any product or service advertised in this publication, nor do they guarantee any claim made by the manufacturer of such product or service.

Changes to authorship

Authors are expected to consider carefully the list and order of authors before submitting their manuscript and provide the definitive list of authors at the time of the original submission. Any addition, deletion or rearrangement of author names in the authorship list should be made only before the manuscript has been accepted and only if approved by the journal Editor. To request such a change, the Editor must receive the following from the corresponding author: (a) the reason for the change in author list and (b) written confirmation (e-mail, letter) from all authors that they agree with the addition, removal or rearrangement. In the case of addition or removal of authors, this includes confirmation from the author being added or removed.
Only in exceptional circumstances will the Editor consider the addition, deletion or rearrangement of authors after the manuscript has been accepted. While the Editor considers the request, publication of the manuscript will be suspended. If the manuscript has already been published in an online issue, any requests approved by the Editor will result in a corrigendum.

Inclusive author name change policy
Elsevier supports "invisible" author name changes for transgender authors and other authors with a strong need for privacy, in accordance with the principles informing the Committee on Publication Ethics' working group.

On request from the author, author names can be directly updated on published papers on Elsevier?s primary publishing platforms, without any correction or other note. Arrangements are then made to update the article metadata in secondary indexation databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and Pubmed, as applicable.

There may be some authors who have less need for privacy and the name change could impact the visibility of their paper, for example, if the first author changes their last name. The name can then be changed directly in the article but a correction/note might be published after discussion with the author.

To arrange a name update, please provide the current name details and list of published journal articles to: [email protected]

Clinical trial results

In line with the position of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, the journal will not consider results posted in the same clinical trials registry in which primary registration resides to be prior publication if the results posted are presented in the form of a brief structured (less than 500 words) abstract or table. However, divulging results in other circumstances (e.g., investors' meetings) is discouraged and may jeopardise consideration of the manuscript. Authors should fully disclose all posting in registries of results of the same or closely related work.

Reporting clinical trials
Randomized controlled trials should be presented according to the CONSORT guidelines. At manuscript submission, authors must provide the CONSORT checklist accompanied by a flow diagram that illustrates the progress of patients through the trial, including recruitment, enrollment, randomization, withdrawal and completion, and a detailed description of the randomization procedure. The CONSORT checklist and template flow diagram are available online.

Registration of clinical trials
Registration in a public trials registry is a condition for publication of clinical trials in this journal in accordance with International Committee of Medical Journal Editors recommendations. Trials must register at or before the onset of patient enrolment. The clinical trial registration number should be included at the end of the abstract of the article. A clinical trial is defined as any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects of health outcomes. Health-related interventions include any intervention used to modify a biomedical or health-related outcome (for example drugs, surgical procedures, devices, behavioural treatments, dietary interventions, and process-of-care changes). Health outcomes include any biomedical or health-related measures obtained in patients or participants, including pharmacokinetic measures and adverse events. Purely observational studies (those in which the assignment of the medical intervention is not at the discretion of the investigator) will not require registration.

Article transfer service
This journal is part of our Article Transfer Service. This means that if the Editor feels your article is more suitable in one of our other participating AAAAI journals, JACI: In Practice or JACI: Global, then you may be asked to consider transferring the article to one of those. If you agree, your article will be transferred automatically on your behalf with no need to reformat. Please note that your article will be reviewed again by the new journal. More information.

Copyright

Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' (see more information on this). An e-mail will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the manuscript together with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form or a link to the online version of this agreement.

Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution and for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. If excerpts from other copyrighted works are included, the author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article. Elsevier has preprinted forms for use by authors in these cases.

For gold open access articles: Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'License Agreement' (more information). Permitted third party reuse of gold open access articles is determined by the author's choice of user license.

Author rights
As an author you (or your employer or institution) have certain rights to reuse your work. More information.

Other documentation
  • Nucleotide Sequence Data. When manuscripts include or describe original sequence data, authors must submit these data to GenBank. A footnote must include the accession number under which the data were submitted. Instructions are available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Genbank or http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/Submission.
  • Protein Sequence Data. When manuscripts include or describe original protein sequence data, authors must submit these data to Protein Identification Resource (PIR). A footnote must include the accession number under which the data were submitted. Instructions are available from http://pir.georgetown.edu.
  • RNAseq data must be uploaded to public databases such as GEO or dbGaP, with individual sequence data submitted for individuals that gave appropriate consent. See this site for more info: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/info/seq.html

Adherence to other key guidelines
JACI endorses the following guidelines and encourages authors to make every attempt to conform to their recommendations:

Allergen Nomenclature

The systematic allergen nomenclature of the World Health Organization/International Union of Immunological Societies (WHO/IUIS) Allergen Nomenclature Sub-committee should be used for manuscripts that include the description or use of allergenic proteins. For manuscripts describing new allergen(s), the systematic name of the allergen must be approved by the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee prior to manuscript publication. To avoid the risk of delay of publication, authors are encouraged to apply for a new allergen name using the posted submission form at the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature website (http://www.allergen.org) before manuscript submission. The systematic nomenclature consists of the first three letters of the taxonomic genus of the allergen source, followed by a space; the first letter of the species epithet, followed by a space; and an Arabic numeral usually indicating the chronological order in which the allergen was described. For example, the first allergen to be purified from the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, is named "Der p 1." Further examples of the systematic allergen nomenclature for over 500 allergens can be found at: http://www.allergen.org. The submissions to the Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee will be kept confidential until publication if requested by the authors."

STROBE statement for observational studies
When preparing observational reports, we encourage authors to review the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) Statement, available at www.strobe-statement.org.

PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses
For meta-analysis of RCTs, we encourage authors to consult the recommendations of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement, available at www.prisma-statement.org.

STARD statement for diagnostic studies
For reports of diagnostic studies, we recommend the STARD (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy) Statement, available at www.stardstatement.org.

Role of the funding source

You are requested to identify who provided financial support for the conduct of the research and/or preparation of the article and to briefly describe the role of the sponsor(s), if any, in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. If the funding source(s) had no such involvement, it is recommended to state this.

Open access

Please visit our Open Access page for more information about open access publishing in this journal.

Language (usage and editing services)
Please write your text in good English (American or British usage is accepted, but not a mixture of these). Authors who feel their English language manuscript may require editing to eliminate possible grammatical or spelling errors and to conform to correct scientific English may wish to use the Language Editing service available from Elsevier's Language Services.

Submission

Our online submission system guides you stepwise through the process of entering your article details and uploading your files. The system converts your article files to a single PDF file used in the peer-review process. Editable files (e.g., Word, LaTeX) are required to typeset your article for final publication. All correspondence, including notification of the Editor's decision and requests for revision, is sent by e-mail.

Submit your article
Please submit your article via https://www.editorialmanager.com/jaci/default.aspx.

Suggesting reviewers
Please submit the names and institutional e-mail addresses of several potential reviewers.

You should not suggest reviewers who are colleagues, or who have co-authored or collaborated with you during the last three years. Editors do not invite reviewers who have potential competing interests with the authors. Further, in order to provide a broad and balanced assessment of the work, and ensure scientific rigor, please suggest diverse candidate reviewers who are located in different countries/regions from the author group. Also consider other diversity attributes e.g. gender, race and ethnicity, career stage, etc. Finally, you should not include existing members of the journal's editorial team, of whom the journal are already aware.

Note: the editor decides whether or not to invite your suggested reviewers.

Revision of manuscripts
As with new submissions, revisions must be submitted electronically through EM (https://www.editorialmanager.com/jaci/default.aspx). Ensure that the revised manuscript is prepared in accordance with the Journal's format and style for the type of article being revised. Please refer to the Journal Article Publishing Support Center (https://service.elsevier.com/app/home/supporthub/publishing/) for additional information. Adherence to these guidelines is important to prevent a delay in processing the revised manuscript.

Revisions must include the following:
(1) A Responses to Comments document that includes point-by-point responses to the comments made by the Reviewers, Editor, and Editorial Office. In your Responses to Comments document, reproduce each comment verbatim and in its entirety and follow the comment with your detailed response. Each of the comments should be preceded by the word "COMMENT," and the font style for each comment should be bold. Each of your responses should be preceded by the word "RESPONSE," and the font style for each response should be regular (not bold). In each response, indicate where relevant changes have been made in the manuscript or explain why no changes would be appropriate. If any alterations have been made to your figures or if any figures have been removed or replaced, describe the changes.
(2) A Marked Manuscript. The Marked Manuscript should be a version of your revised manuscript in which all of the ways in which it is different from the original manuscript are indicated for the sake of the Editor. The preferred method of indicating changes is Microsoft Word's Track Changes feature. Alternately, any text that has been added should be underlined, and any text that was deleted should be indicated by strikethrough formatting. Any table that was part of your original submission should be either embedded within the Marked Manuscript or provided as a separate file (e.g., "Table II - Marked"); if changes have been made to the table, they should be indicated. Likewise, any figure that was part of your original submission should be either embedded within the Marked Manuscript or provided as a separate file (e.g., "Figure 1 - Marked"); if changes have been made to the figure, they should be described in your Responses to Comments document. Line numbering (continuous) should be used throughout the Marked Manuscript and the Online Repository text file.
(3) An Unmarked Manuscript. The Unmarked Manuscript should be your revised manuscript just as you intend it for publication (if it is accepted). Any table that is to be part of your revised manuscript should be either embedded within the Unmarked Manuscript or provided as a separate file (e.g., "Table II - Unmarked"). Any figure that is to be part of your revised manuscript must be provided as a separate file (e.g., "Figure 1-Unmarked").
(4) Conflict of Interest Disclosure forms. If you are submitting your Conflict of Interest disclosure forms to us as part of your electronic submission in EM, please be sure to include all of these forms with each subsequent revision of your manuscript.

Preparation

NEW SUBMISSIONS

Submission to this journal proceeds totally online and you will be guided stepwise through the creation and uploading of your files. The system automatically converts your files to a single PDF file, which is used in the peer-review process.
As part of the Your Paper Your Way service, you may choose to submit your manuscript as a single file to be used in the refereeing process. This can be a PDF file or a Word document, in any format or lay-out that can be used by referees to evaluate your manuscript. It should contain high enough quality figures for refereeing. If you prefer to do so, you may still provide all or some of the source files at the initial submission. Please note that individual figure files larger than 10 MB must be uploaded separately.

References
There are no strict requirements on reference formatting at submission. References can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent. Where applicable, author(s) name(s), journal title/book title, chapter title/article title, year of publication, volume number/book chapter and the article number or pagination must be present. Use of DOI is highly encouraged. The reference style used by the journal will be applied to the accepted article by Elsevier at the proof stage. Note that missing data will be highlighted at proof stage for the author to correct.

Formatting requirements
There are no strict formatting requirements but all manuscripts must contain the essential elements needed to convey your manuscript, for example Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Conclusions, Artwork and Tables with Captions.
If your article includes any Videos and/or other Supplementary material, this should be included in your initial submission for peer review purposes.
Divide the article into clearly defined sections.

Please ensure that all text files utilize the Line Numbering function of your word-processing program to display a number for each line of the manuscript. Number continuously by 1 from the first line on the title page throughout the text file. This allows reviewers to more easily and accurately refer to specific points when providing comments on a manuscript.

Figures and tables embedded in text
Please ensure the figures and the tables included in the single file are placed next to the relevant text in the manuscript, rather than at the bottom or the top of the file. The corresponding caption should be placed directly below the figure or table.

REVISED SUBMISSIONS

Use of word processing software
Regardless of the file format of the original submission, at revision you must provide us with an editable file of the entire article. Keep the layout of the text as simple as possible. Most formatting codes will be removed and replaced on processing the article. The electronic text should be prepared in a way very similar to that of conventional manuscripts (see also the Guide to Publishing with Elsevier). See also the section on Electronic artwork.
To avoid unnecessary errors you are strongly advised to use the 'spell-check' and 'grammar-check' functions of your word processor.

Article structure

Original articles
A. These should describe fully, but as concisely as feasible, the results of original clinical and/or laboratory research. Special note regarding case studies: Case studies will be considered for publication only in the Correspondence section of the Journal.

The average Original Article fills 7 pages in the printed journal, although manuscripts that exceed this may be occasionally accepted for publication at the Editors' discretion. In general, an Original Article should not exceed 3500 words, not including the abstract, figure legends, and references. Abstracts should be 250 words or less. If possible, each figure legend should be held to 200 words or less. Each Original Article may be accompanied by no more than 8 graphic presentations (tables and/or figures)-for example, 3 tables + 5 figures. (Additional text, tables, or figures can be designated as "supplemental" material, which will be included in the JACI's Online Repository. For more on this option, please see the "Online Repository Materials" section below.) Please note: Original Article manuscripts that are determined to significantly exceed these limits, or that do not include all of the elements listed below, may be returned to the authors for revision prior to review.

The title page, abstract, Capsule Summary, key words, abbreviations, text, acknowledgments, references, tables and figure legends should be included in one word-processing file (in .doc or .wpd format). Figures should be loaded as separate files in the format specified below.

1. Title page. The title page, abstract, clinical implications or key messages, Capsule Summary, key words, abbreviations, text, acknowledgments, references, tables, and figure legends should be included in one word-processing file (in .doc or .docx format). Figures should be loaded as separate files in the format specified below.

  • Keep the title succinct: Limit it to 12 words or fewer.
  • Communicate a single subject or idea in the title.
  • Construct the title around the article's key words.
  • Include the specific symptom, condition, intervention, mechanism, or function of the paper's central focus.
  • Mention any defining population, age, gender, or animal species that distinguishes the work.
  • Use terms that are specific rather than general (e.g., "penicillin" rather than "betalactam antibiotic") and include terms that clarify (e.g., "CXCR4" rather than "chemokine receptors").
  • Avoid using strong words (such as "robust," "innovative," "significant," "vigorous," and "aggressive"), as they may suggest exaggerated or unwarranted claims.
  • Use wit carefully and appropriately; be informative first and clever second. Although a universally understood pun can work well to attract interest, ensure that it will not confuse or mislead the reader.

The titles of papers accepted for publication in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology may be revised for improved clarity and appeal to the readership. Such revision will have final approval by the authors.

The title should be followed by:
  • The list of authors, including their full names, highest academic degrees, and institutional affiliations. Please see the guidelines above regarding which contributors should be included in the author list.
  • The name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address of the author who should be contacted regarding the manuscript following its publication. Note: A different author may be designated as the Corresponding Author in EM for the duration of the submission and review processes.
  • A declaration of all sources of funding for the research reported in the manuscript.
    Note regarding National Institutes of Health-sponsored research: The JACI'S publisher, Elsevier, facilitates author posting in connection with the posting request of the NIH (referred to as the NIH "Public Access Policy"; see http://publicaccess.nih.gov/). If an author indicates that the research reported in their article was sponsored by the NIH, either by checking the appropriate box on the Transfer of Copyright form or by completing the relevant field during the online submission process, Elsevier will send the accepted version of the manuscript to PubMed Central (PMC) for public access posting 12 months after final publication. Please note that the accepted version of the manuscript does not include changes that are made during the review of galley proofs. For more information about PubMed Central, please visit http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/about/faq/.

2. Abstract. As a general rule, the abstract should be no longer than 250 words. It should summarize the results and conclusions concisely. Tabular data should not be included and acronyms/abbreviations should be avoided or spelled out fully. Abstracts should be structured as follows:
  • Background: What is the major problem that prompted the study?
  • Objective: What is the purpose of the study?
  • Methods: How was the study done?
  • Results: What are the most important findings?
  • Conclusion: What is the most important conclusion drawn?

3. Clinical Implications or Key Messages. Provide ONE of the following:

either
• a very brief paragraph (consisting of no more than 30 words) summarizing the diagnostic, therapeutic, or management implications of the article. The heading for this paragraph should be Clinical Implications.

or
• (if the article is mechanistic) two or three independent bulleted statements that present the key findings or concepts in the article and comment on their implications. The heading for this small set of bulleted statements should be Key Messages.

4. Capsule summary. The Table of Contents entry for each Original Article published in the Journal includes a short summary that encapsulates the report's findings for a clinically oriented audience. To create this summary, the authors must compose one or two brief sentences (totaling no more than 35 words) that describe the article's contribution to the literature. These sentences should succinctly state why the article is important and compelling and what relevance it has for the clinician.

5. Key words. A list of up to ten key words should follow the Capsule Summary.


6. Abbreviations. Provide a list of any abbreviations/acronyms and their definitions following the key words. Only standard abbreviations are to be used. If you are uncertain whether an abbreviation is considered standard, consult Scientific Style and Format by the Council of Science Editors or the AMA's Manual of Style. A laboratory or chemical term or the name of a disease process that will be abbreviated must be spelled out at first mention, the acronym or abbreviation following in parentheses.

7. Text. The manuscript should be written in clear and concise English. Authors whose primary language is not English should obtain assistance with writing to avoid grammatical problems. The text should be organized in sections as follows: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Each section should begin on a new page. The generic terms for all drugs and chemicals should be used.

In studies involving human subjects, a statement describing approval by the appropriate Institutional Review Board is required. Studies involving experimental animals must include a statement in the Methods section indicating which guidelines were followed for the care and use of the animals (e.g., the "Principles of Laboratory Animal Care" formulated by the National Society for Medical Research or the "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals" prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council, and published by the National Academy Press [revised 1996]).

8. Acknowledgments. General acknowledgments for consultations, statistical analyses, and the like should be listed at the end of the text, including full names of individuals involved. However, as noted above, acknowledgment of funding should be listed on the title page.

9. References. It is the Editors' expectation that authors will perform a comprehensive search of the literature to gather the most current articles relative to the subject matter. All references that are five years old or more should be replaced with current literature, unless the referenced publication is a classic work that underscores the core subject.

Brief reports
B. A brief report is a submission that conveys a research, observation or finding that is novel or unexpected and thus may have an immediate impact on the field. This format is not meant for case reports or case series unless mechanistic studies have been done and led to new concepts or treatments. The review process is as rigorous as that of an Original Article. A brief report is not meant to be a re-write of an original article with most of the changes deposited in the online repository.

A brief report is 1,500 words long, has a maximum of five display items (figures and/or tables), and a maximum of 25 references. Online Repository content may be used only for additional information on Methods.

Graphical Abstracts are also allowed (for more information, please visit the JACI Graphical Abstracts page: https://www.jacionline.org/graphical-abstracts).

The structure of a brief report includes a structured abstract of no more than 250 words, an introduction, and one section for combined results and discussion. For example:

Additional sections will be similar to the Original Articles in terms of formatting. See the Original Article section for information on:
1. Title Page:
a) Title - up to 12 words
b) Authors (given name(s), surname(s), highest academic degree(s))
c) Author institutional affiliations
d) Corresponding Author (mailing address, phone number and email address)
e) Funding Statement (see above section "Role of the Funding Source")
f) Disclosure Statement (must include ALL authors - see above section "Conflict of Interest")
2. Abstract. As a general rule, the abstract should be no longer than 250 words. It should summarize the results and conclusions concisely. Tabular data should not be included and acronyms/abbreviations should be avoided or spelled out fully. Abstracts should be structured as follows:

  • Background: What is the major problem that prompted the study?
  • Objective: What is the purpose of the study?
  • Methods: How was the study done? Also include the text "For detailed Methods, please see the Methods section in this article's Online Repository at www.jacionline.org"
  • Results: What are the most important findings?
  • Conclusion: What is the most important conclusion drawn?

3. Clinical Trial registration if applicable (see "Clinical Trial Results" section above)
4. Clinical Implications (maximum 30 words) or Key Messages (2-3 short bullet points)
5. Capsule Summary (maximum 35 words)
6. Key Words (up to 10)
7. Abbreviations
8. Main Text (maximum 1500 words)
a) Structured headings
  • Introduction
  • Results and Discussion

9. Acknowledgments (if applicable)
10. References (maximum 25; Vancouver style)
11. Tables (editable Word documents; no images or color
12. Figure Legends (maximum 60 words each)
13. Online Repository
  • Online Repository Text limited to Methods only
  • References (Vancouver style)
  • Tables (only if related to Methods, labeled Table E1, etc.)
  • Figures (may only be used if related to Methods; each Figure uploaded separately named E1, E2, etc without embedded legends)
  • Figure Legends (include in repository text file, labeled Figure E1, etc.)
  • Please ensure the Online Repository text files utilizes the Line Numbering function of your word-processing program to display a number for each line of the manuscript. Number continuously by 1 from the first line on the title page throughout the text file. This allows reviewers to more easily and accurately refer to specific points when providing comments on a manuscript.

Correspondence and replies
C. JACI accepts two kinds of Correspondence: a. Correspondence related to papers published in JACI, and b. Correspondence which is NOT related to papers published in JACI.

1. Correspondence related to papers published in JACI must be received within one month of publication of the paper in question. If the correspondence is considered acceptable, a response will be requested from the authors of the original paper for an optional Reply, for publication alongside the Correspondence.

2. Correspondence which is NOT related to papers published in JACI should be reserved for communications regarding current issues in Allergy/Immunology.

Correspondence manuscripts must:
(1) Be no longer than 500 words.
(2) Have a short, relevant title, distinct from the title of the referenced article. Please note that all Replies should have the title "Reply to [Corresponding author's name]."
(3) Have a complete title page (see section A1).
(4) List the references as complete bibliographic citations at the end of the letter with the journal article being discussed as the first reference (see section A9 for formatting). The total number of references should be no more than five. Replies should include the Correspondence to which they are replying as one of the references.
(5) Have no more than one graphic presentation (table or figure). (See the section on Graphic Presentations below).
(6) Begin with the salutation "To the Editor:" and close with the author's name(s), academic degree(s), institutions(s), and location(s).
(7) No online appendix or supplementary material is allowed.

Review articles
D. Review articles published in the Journal are invited by the Editors. Proposals for review articles may be emailed to the Editorial Office ([email protected]), but current space constraints do not usually allow for the acceptance of unsolicited review manuscripts.

Rostrum articles
E. Opinion articles about subjects of particular interest and/or debate may be accepted for peer review after preliminary review by the Editor. Proposals for rostrum articles may be emailed to the Editorial Office ([email protected]); they will be evaluated based on level of interest, novelty, and the current needs of the Journal.

Essential title page information

Title. Concise and informative. Titles are often used in information-retrieval systems. Avoid abbreviations and formulae where possible.
Author names and affiliations. Please clearly indicate the given name(s) and family name(s) of each author and check that all names are accurately spelled. You can add your name between parentheses in your own script behind the English transliteration. Present the authors' affiliation addresses (where the actual work was done) below the names. Indicate all affiliations with a lower-case superscript letter immediately after the author's name and in front of the appropriate address. Provide the full postal address of each affiliation, including the country name and, if available, the e-mail address of each author.
Corresponding author. Clearly indicate who will handle correspondence at all stages of refereeing and publication, also post-publication. This responsibility includes answering any future queries about Methodology and Materials. Ensure that the e-mail address is given and that contact details are kept up to date by the corresponding author.
Present/permanent address. If an author has moved since the work described in the article was done, or was visiting at the time, a 'Present address' (or 'Permanent address') may be indicated as a footnote to that author's name. The address at which the author actually did the work must be retained as the main, affiliation address. Superscript Arabic numerals are used for such footnotes.

Structured abstract

A structured abstract, by means of appropriate headings, should provide the context or background for the research and should state its purpose, basic procedures (selection of study subjects or laboratory animals, observational and analytical methods), main findings (giving specific effect sizes and their statistical significance, if possible), and principal conclusions. It should emphasize new and important aspects of the study or observations.

Graphical abstracts

Although a graphical abstract is optional, its use is encouraged as it draws more attention to the online article. The graphical abstract should summarize the contents of the article in a concise, pictorial form designed to capture the attention of a wide readership. Graphical abstracts should be submitted as a separate file in the online submission system. Image size: Please provide an image with a high resolution (ideally >300 dpi) and an aspect ratio of 1.6 (width should be 1.6 times the height). Preferred file types: PPT, TIFF, EPS, or PDF files. You can view example graphical abstracts on our information site.
Please visit our graphical abstracts page for JACI-specific guidelines, a template, and downloadable icons.

Formatting of funding sources
List funding sources in this standard way to facilitate compliance to funder's requirements:

Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [grant numbers xxxx, yyyy]; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA [grant number zzzz]; and the United States Institutes of Peace [grant number aaaa].

It is not necessary to include detailed descriptions on the program or type of grants and awards. When funding is from a block grant or other resources available to a university, college, or other research institution, submit the name of the institute or organization that provided the funding.

If no funding has been provided for the research, it is recommended to include the following sentence:

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Units
Follow internationally accepted rules and conventions: use the international system of units (SI). If other units are mentioned, please give their equivalent in SI.

Math formulae
Please submit math equations as editable text and not as images. Present simple formulae in line with normal text where possible and use the solidus (/) instead of a horizontal line for small fractional terms, e.g., X/Y. In principle, variables are to be presented in italics. Powers of e are often more conveniently denoted by exp. Number consecutively any equations that have to be displayed separately from the text (if referred to explicitly in the text).

Footnotes
Footnotes should be used sparingly. Number them consecutively throughout the article. Many word processors build footnotes into the text, and this feature may be used. Should this not be the case, indicate the position of footnotes in the text and present the footnotes themselves separately at the end of the article.

Artwork

Electronic artwork
General points
• Make sure you use uniform lettering and sizing of your original artwork.
• Preferred fonts: Arial (or Helvetica), Times New Roman (or Times), Symbol, Courier.
• Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text.
• Use a logical naming convention for your artwork files.
• Indicate per figure if it is a single, 1.5 or 2-column fitting image.
• For Word submissions only, you may still provide figures and their captions, and tables within a single file at the revision stage.
• Please note that individual figure files larger than 10 MB must be provided in separate source files.

A detailed guide on electronic artwork is available.
You are urged to visit this site; some excerpts from the detailed information are given here.
Formats
Regardless of the application used, when your electronic artwork is finalized, please 'save as' or convert the images to one of the following formats (note the resolution requirements for line drawings, halftones, and line/halftone combinations given below):
EPS (or PDF): Vector drawings. Embed the font or save the text as 'graphics'.
TIFF (or JPG): Color or grayscale photographs (halftones): always use a minimum of 300 dpi.
TIFF (or JPG): Bitmapped line drawings: use a minimum of 1000 dpi.
TIFF (or JPG): Combinations bitmapped line/half-tone (color or grayscale): a minimum of 500 dpi is required.
Please do not:
• Supply files that are optimized for screen use (e.g., GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG); the resolution is too low.
• Supply files that are too low in resolution.
• Submit graphics that are disproportionately large for the content.

Color artwork
Please make sure that artwork files are in an acceptable format (TIFF (or JPEG), EPS (or PDF) or MS Office files) and with the correct resolution. If, together with your accepted article, you submit usable color figures then Elsevier will ensure, at no additional charge, that these figures will appear in color online (e.g., ScienceDirect and other sites) in addition to color reproduction in print. Further information on the preparation of electronic artwork.

Figures
If illustrations appear in the manuscript, they must be submitted in electronic format along with the rest of the manuscript. Each figure should be submitted as a separate electronic file, and should not be inserted into the file containing the text of the manuscript.

Basic guidelines:

  • Text within the figure should be in Times New Roman font. Keep a consistent font size throughout each figure, and for all figures.
  • Images need to be easily readable with good contrast, particularly figures that have multiple parts and/or a lot of different symbols or components. Clarity and consistency should be uniform among the parts of a multi-part figure, and among all the figures in a manuscript.
  • In colorizing your figure(s), we ask that you keep in mind that some of our readers are colorblind and may be unable to distinguish different colors easily. To accommodate these readers, we suggest that you consider some type of aid, such as labeling each column of a bar graph with an identifier or providing a key with differently shaped symbols to identify each set of data. It is also helpful to use colors of varying intensity so that they are distinguishable as different shades of gray when viewed by the colorblind. It is important that you submit all figures in the dimensions in which they are to be published in the journal. They must be sized to the smallest dimensions that allow legibility and clarity without undue use of space.

Figure legends
Note regarding figure legends: Figure legends should be listed in the manuscript file, on a separate page after the tables. They should not appear in the figure files. The figure legend will be included when sizing the figure and its length must therefore be taken into consideration. The figure title should appear at the beginning of each legend. The legends themselves should be succinct (no more than 200 words), identifying the data or subject being presented, but not explaining methods or results. Keep text in the illustrations themselves to a minimum but explain all symbols and abbreviations used.

Permission to reuse previously published materials
If applicable, authors of manuscripts submitted to the JACI must provide the Editorial Office with proof of permission to reuse any previously published material that has appeared in another publication. Additionally, in the case of photographs of identifiable persons, a signed release showing informed consent must be provided. Because articles appear in both the print and online versions of the journal, wording in the permissions form/release should specify "permission to publish in all forms and media." Upon obtaining written permission to reuse the specified material, forward the documentation to the Editorial Office by email ([email protected]). Acceptance of a manuscript is conditional upon receipt of permission.
Please note: It sometimes takes up to 6-8 weeks to obtain permissions from a publisher, so be sure to allow plenty of time.

Figure captions
Ensure that each illustration has a caption. A caption should comprise a brief title (not on the figure itself) and a description of the illustration. Keep text in the illustrations themselves to a minimum but explain all symbols and abbreviations used.

Tables

If tables appear in the manuscript, they must be included in the electronic submission. They may be placed within the manuscript file or loaded as separate files (in .doc or .docx format). Tables should supplement, not duplicate, the text; they should be on separate pages, one table per page, and should be numbered with Roman numerals in order of mention. A brief title should be provided directly above each table. Any abbreviations should be defined at the bottom of the table. When creating a table, use the word-processing program's table formatting feature; otherwise, use only tabs (not spaces) to align columns.

References

Citation in text
Please ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice versa). Any references cited in the abstract must be given in full. Unpublished results and personal communications are not recommended in the reference list, but may be mentioned in the text. If these references are included in the reference list they should follow the standard reference style of the journal and should include a substitution of the publication date with either 'Unpublished results' or 'Personal communication'. Citation of a reference as 'in press' implies that the item has been accepted for publication.

Reference links
Increased discoverability of research and high quality peer review are ensured by online links to the sources cited. In order to allow us to create links to abstracting and indexing services, such as Scopus, Crossref and PubMed, please ensure that data provided in the references are correct. Please note that incorrect surnames, journal/book titles, publication year and pagination may prevent link creation. When copying references, please be careful as they may already contain errors. Use of the DOI is highly encouraged.

A DOI is guaranteed never to change, so you can use it as a permanent link to any electronic article. An example of a citation using DOI for an article not yet in an issue is: VanDecar J.C., Russo R.M., James D.E., Ambeh W.B., Franke M. (2003). Aseismic continuation of the Lesser Antilles slab beneath northeastern Venezuela. Journal of Geophysical Research, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JB000884. Please note the format of such citations should be in the same style as all other references in the paper.

Data references
This journal encourages you to cite underlying or relevant datasets in your manuscript by citing them in your text and including a data reference in your Reference List. Data references should include the following elements: author name(s), dataset title, data repository, version (where available), year, and global persistent identifier. Add [dataset] immediately before the reference so we can properly identify it as a data reference. The [dataset] identifier will not appear in your published article.

Preprint references
Where a preprint has subsequently become available as a peer-reviewed publication, the formal publication should be used as the reference. If there are preprints that are central to your work or that cover crucial developments in the topic, but are not yet formally published, these may be referenced. Preprints should be clearly marked as such, for example by including the word preprint, or the name of the preprint server, as part of the reference. The preprint DOI should also be provided.

References in a special issue
Please ensure that the words 'this issue' are added to any references in the list (and any citations in the text) to other articles in the same Special Issue.

Reference management software
Most Elsevier journals have their reference template available in many of the most popular reference management software products. These include all products that support Citation Style Language styles, such as Mendeley. Using citation plug-ins from these products, authors only need to select the appropriate journal template when preparing their article, after which citations and bibliographies will be automatically formatted in the journal's style. If no template is yet available for this journal, please follow the format of the sample references and citations as shown in this Guide. If you use reference management software, please ensure that you remove all field codes before submitting the electronic manuscript. More information on how to remove field codes from different reference management software.

Reference formatting
There are no strict requirements on reference formatting at submission. References can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent. Where applicable, author(s) name(s), journal title/book title, chapter title/article title, year of publication, volume number/book chapter and the article number or pagination must be present. Use of DOI is highly encouraged. The reference style used by the journal will be applied to the accepted article by Elsevier at the proof stage. Note that missing data will be highlighted at proof stage for the author to correct. If you do wish to format the references yourself they should be arranged according to the following examples:

Reference style
References should follow "Vancouver style." See the examples below, or http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html for more information. Manuscripts in preparation, personal communications, and other unpublished information should not be cited in the reference list but may be mentioned in the text in parentheses. The references must be identified in the text by superscript Arabic numerals and numbered in consecutive order as they are mentioned in the text. The list of references, in numeric sequence, should be typed at the end of the article. In the submitted version of the manuscript, references should not appear as footnotes or endnotes, and if you have used a program such as EndNote or Reference Manager to create them, the links between the reference numbers and the citations must be removed using the following steps:

(1) Using the "Select All" feature (Ctrl-A for PCs. Cmd-A for Macs), highlight the entire text of the file, including the references.
(2) Use the keystroke command Ctrl-6 for PCs or Cmd-6 for Macs.
(3) Save. This will remove the links (permanently) without disturbing the reference numbers or the citations. It is recommended that you save one copy of your manuscript with the EndNote links in place (for your reference) and one copy of your manuscript without the EndNote links (for submission purposes).

Please note that inclusive page numbers are required. List all authors' names when there are six or fewer; when there are seven or more, list the first six and add "et al."

Examples of Reference Formatting

Journal article:
Parkin DM, Clayton D, Black RJ, Masuyer E, Friedl HP, Ivanov E, et al. Childhood leukaemia in Europe after Chernyobyl: 5-year follow-up. Br J Cancer 1996;73:1006-12.

Book:
Ringsven MD, Bond D. Gerontology and leadership skills for nurses. 2nd ed. Albany (NY): Delmar Publishers; 1996.

Chapter in a book:
Phillips SJ, Whisnant JP. Hypertension and stroke. In: Laragh JH, Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press; 1995. p. 465-78.

Internet resource:
US positions on selected issues at the third negotiating session of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Washington, DC: Committee on Government Reform; 2002. Available at: http://www.house.gov/reform/min/inves_tobacco/index_accord.htm. Accessed March 4, 2002.

Dataset
Oguro M, Imahiro S, Saito S, Nakashizuka T. Mortality data for Japanese oak wilt disease and surrounding forest compositions, Mendeley Data, v1; 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/xwj98nb39r.1.

Journal abbreviations source
Journal names should be abbreviated according to the List of Title Word Abbreviations.

Video

Elsevier accepts video material and animation sequences to support and enhance your scientific research. Authors who have video or animation files that they wish to submit with their article are strongly encouraged to include links to these within the body of the article. This can be done in the same way as a figure or table by referring to the video or animation content and noting in the body text where it should be placed. All submitted files should be properly labeled so that they directly relate to the video file's content. In order to ensure that your video or animation material is directly usable, please provide the file in one of our recommended file formats with a preferred maximum size of 150 MB per file, 1 GB in total. Video and animation files supplied will be published online in the electronic version of your article in Elsevier Web products, including ScienceDirect. Please supply 'stills' with your files: you can choose any frame from the video or animation or make a separate image. These will be used instead of standard icons and will personalize the link to your video data. For more detailed instructions please visit our video instruction pages. Note: since video and animation cannot be embedded in the print version of the journal, please provide text for both the electronic and the print version for the portions of the article that refer to this content.

Data visualization

Include interactive data visualizations in your publication and let your readers interact and engage more closely with your research. Follow the instructions here to find out about available data visualization options and how to include them with your article.

Supplementary material

Supplementary material such as applications, images and sound clips, can be published with your article to enhance it. Submitted supplementary items are published exactly as they are received (Excel or PowerPoint files will appear as such online). Please submit your material together with the article and supply a concise, descriptive caption for each supplementary file. If you wish to make changes to supplementary material during any stage of the process, please make sure to provide an updated file. Do not annotate any corrections on a previous version. Please switch off the 'Track Changes' option in Microsoft Office files as these will appear in the published version.

Online Repository materials
The Journal will consider posting ancillary materials (non-essential text, tables, figures, appendices, questionnaires, etc.) in an Online Repository (OR) on the JACI Web site ( http://www.jacionline.org). The OR is for peer-reviewed material that cannot be included in the print version of an article due to space considerations. In the manuscript text, materials that are housed in the OR must be referenced specifically ("see Figure E1 in the Online Repository"). Note: OR material consisting of 15 pages or less is built directly into the downloadable PDF of the manuscript.

On an individual basis, the Editors will determine whether ancillary material submitted in support of a manuscript is warranted. In some instances, an Editor may suggest when requesting a revision that part of the data be presented for the OR and removed from the manuscript, perhaps at the request of the reviewers.

The ancillary material must be submitted in EM simultaneously with the rest of the manuscript. The OR material should be loaded as separate files, and should follow the end of the regular manuscript. For revisions that will include newly designated OR material, the Marked Manuscript should show where materials were removed from the original version, and include appropriate statements directing readers of the article in the print journal to the OR. The Unmarked Manuscript will reflect the latter changes. Guidelines for Online Repository text:

  • All text files for the OR should be formatted per directions for regular manuscript materials (see section A).
  • If citations are made within the ancillary material, a list of references, separate from the manuscript's references, must be included and labeled E1, E2, etc.
  • Authors may repeat sentences or references in the OR that are included in the manuscript, if necessary for reader comprehension.

Guidelines for Online Repository Tables and Figures:
  • Tables for the OR should be submitted as files with any of the following extensions: doc, .csv, .txt,.rtf, .xls, or .ppt. The tables must have been created in the same format that they are saved, so that they can be copyedited if needed.
  • Figures for the OR do not need to conform to the print specifications for resolution, but they do need to appear clear and crisp when viewed electronically.
  • Figures and Tables must be designated as Figure E1, Table E1, etc, and should be numbered separately from the illustrations in the manuscript proper.

Special instructions regarding submissions using animal models
(1) Animal model studies of interest to the JACI. The Editors would be interested in an animal-model study only if it highlights a new conceptual advance using an experimental approach that would be very difficult, impractical, or unethical to do in human beings. The authors should clearly indicate in their cover letter how their animal-model study meets these criteria.
(2) Mouse pulmonary function tests. The JACI's policy is that measurement of airway responsiveness by unrestrained, single-chamber barometric plethysmography (the Penh method) must be confirmed by invasive techniques. For further explanation of this policy, please see Finkelman FD. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;121:334-5.
(3) The JACI encourages authors of animal-model papers to consult and adhere to the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) guidelines, available at https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/arrive-guidelines.

Special instructions regarding statistical analyses and reporting
Although referees with statistical expertise typically review manuscripts submitted to the JACI, the Editorial Board decided that the quality of the manuscripts could be improved by providing authors some guidance on statistical analyses and reporting. Therefore, the JACI Statistical Editor has constructed the following guidelines, which incorporate many comments from Editorial Board members and statistical referees.

1. METHODS: Reporting on Statistical Methods. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement is a set of guidelines for reporting on the methods and results of randomized and nonrandomized medical research studies. It is available at the following Web site: https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/consort/.

The first CONSORT statement provides a checklist of items that should be included in a manuscript that reports the results of a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Items 7 through 12 of the checklist are relevant to the statistical methods section for a manuscript submitted to the JACI based on a RCT. Thus:

With respect to item 12, the statistical methods and commercial software should be cited.

Item 7 and item 12 of the checklist are relevant to the Statistical Methods section of a manuscript submitted to the JACI based on a nonrandomized study. Thus:

2. Results.
Items 13 through 19 of the CONSORT checklist describe items that are important to the Results section for a manuscript submitted to the JACI based on a RCT (some of the items might not be relevant if the study is nonrandomized). Thus:

2A. Results: Descriptive Statistics at Baseline
If the distribution for a continuous variable is approximately normally distributed, then report either
• the sample mean and the sample standard deviation
or
• the sample mean and the 95% confidence interval for the population mean.

If the distribution for a continuous variable is known (or suspected) to be non-normal, then report either
• the sample median and the sample interquartile range
or
• the sample median and the sample first and third quartiles.

Many blood and urine measurements are log-normally distributed-i.e., the log-transformed variable is approximately normally distributed. If the distribution for a continuous variable is known (or suspected) to be lognormal, then an alternative to sample medians and quartiles is to report either
• the sample geometric mean (calculate as the exponentiation of the sample mean of the natural log-transformed data) and the sample coefficient of variation
or
• the sample geometric mean and the 95% confidence interval.

If the distribution of the variable is categorical, then report the raw numbers and the percentages for the categories. Do not use more than three digits for the percentages-i.e., 79% or 79.3% are fine, but 79.32% is not.

Statistical tests, along with reported P values, for comparing groups at baseline are not necessary unless there is a strong reason to include them.

2B. Results: Outcomes
Every P value should be reported using two digits after the decimal point. If each of the first two digits after the decimal point is zero, then a third digit can be used. If each of the first three digits after the decimal point is zero, then simply report P < .001.


If the P value is close to the level to be used for claiming a statistical significance or if each of the first two digits after the decimal point is zero, then a third digit can be used. For example, if the significance level is 0.05, then P = .046 or P = .054 can be reported. Nonsignificant results (e.g., where the P value is >0.05) should be accompanied by P values; it should not simply be stated that they are nonsignificant (NS).

P values alone are not sufficient to report the results of statistical tests. The JACI'S readers need to see the magnitude of the effects via point estimates and 95% confidence intervals for the group comparisons.

An estimate of odds ratios and relative risks (and their corresponding confidence interval estimates) should not exceed two digits beyond the decimal point.

The following is an excellent article that discusses many of the statistical errors that arise in immunologic research:
Murphy JR. Statistical errors in immunologic research. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;114:1259-63.

The following is an excellent article that discusses the reporting of subgroup analyses in clinical research: Wang R, Lagakos SW, Ware JH, Hunter DJ, Drazen JM. Statistics in medicine-reporting of subgroup analyses in clinical trials. NEJM 2007;357:2189-2194.

Finally, if authors desire more detailed guidance on appropriate methods for analyzing study outcomes, then they can visit the Web sites of other biomedical journals. An excellent example is the Web site of Annals of Internal Medicine ( http://www.annals.org/shared/author_info.html).

After acceptance

Availability of accepted article
This journal makes articles available online as soon as possible after acceptance. This concerns the Journal Pre-proofs (both in HTML and PDF format), which have undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but are not yet the definitive versions of record. A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is allocated, thereby making it fully citable and searchable by title, author name(s) and the full text. The article's PDF also carries a disclaimer stating that it is an unedited article. Subsequent production stages will simply replace this version.

Online proof correction

To ensure a fast publication process of the article, we kindly ask authors to provide us with their proof corrections within two days. Corresponding authors will receive an e-mail with a link to our online proofing system, allowing annotation and correction of proofs online. The environment is similar to MS Word: in addition to editing text, you can also comment on figures/tables and answer questions from the Copy Editor. Web-based proofing provides a faster and less error-prone process by allowing you to directly type your corrections, eliminating the potential introduction of errors.
If preferred, you can still choose to annotate and upload your edits on the PDF version. All instructions for proofing will be given in the e-mail we send to authors, including alternative methods to the online version and PDF.
We will do everything possible to get your article published quickly and accurately. Please use this proof only for checking the typesetting, editing, completeness and correctness of the text, tables and figures. Significant changes to the article as accepted for publication will only be considered at this stage with permission from the Editor. It is important to ensure that all corrections are sent back to us in one communication. Please check carefully before replying, as inclusion of any subsequent corrections cannot be guaranteed. Proofreading is solely your responsibility.

Offprints

The corresponding author will, at no cost, receive a customized Share Link providing 50 days free access to the final published version of the article on ScienceDirect. The Share Link can be used for sharing the article via any communication channel, including email and social media. For an extra charge, paper offprints can be ordered via the offprint order form which is sent once the article is accepted for publication. Corresponding authors who have published their article gold open access do not receive a Share Link as their final published version of the article is available open access on ScienceDirect and can be shared through the article DOI link.

Author inquiries



Visit the Elsevier Support Center to find the answers you need. Here you will find everything from Frequently Asked Questions to ways to get in touch.
You can also check the status of your submitted article or find out when your accepted article will be published.

Appeal of manuscript decisions

1. Authors may appeal decisions. All appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office at [email protected] and must provide detailed reasons for the appeal and point-by-point responses to the reviewers' and/or Editor's comments.

2. All appeals are reviewed by the editors. Decisions on appeals are final with no exception.

3. Manuscripts rejected without review comprise the majority of submissions given the volume of original research papers submitted. If the manuscript was rejected without external review, the authors must detail their reasons as to what they think is exceptional about the submission.

4. Appeals will not be discussed by phone or personal e-mails.

5. Accepting an appeal is not an acceptance of the paper. Rather, it is an affirmation that the Journal will review the paper again, either internally or by sending it back to peer review.

Editorial office

Editor-in-Chief ZUHAIR K. BALLAS, MD ([email protected])
Managing Editor JUSTIN BYRNE ([email protected])