A comparative study on the turnaround time of article processing in dermatology journals: A need for improvement of this aspect in Indian journals.

INTRODUCTION: Submission and publishing of research articles in scientific journals is a multistep process that should be efficient and swift. OBJECTIVE: To compare the editorial, peer review and publication time between Indian dermatology journals and international dermatology journals. METHODS: Three Indian (Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology; Indian Journal of Dermatology and Indian Dermatology Online Journal) and three international (International Journal of Dermatology; the Australasian Journal of Dermatology and Dermatology [Karger]) dermatology journals were identified for this study. Information pertaining to time to acceptance, time to publication and the total time to publication were extracted for original articles, case reports and letters to the editor published in issues from January 2017 to December 2017. RESULTS: The mean total time to publication in the order for Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Indian Dermatology Online Journal, Indian Journal of Dermatology, International Journal of Dermatology, Dermatology and Australasian Journal of Dermatology were 12.61, 12.50, 9.14, 7.92, 7.13 and 6.52 months respectively. While time to acceptance and time to publication were the longest in Indian Journal of Dermatology (7.01 months) and Indian Dermatology Online Journal (8.99 months), respectively, Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology was found to have the maximum overall total time for publication i.e. 12.61 months. The differences among the journals were found to be significant for all three time measures (P < 0.0001, ANOVA). On comparison of Indian and international journals, all three time measures were found to be higher in Indian journals (5.81 vs 4.96 months, 6.75 vs 3.59 months and 11.53 vs 7.51 months, respectively) with the differences being significant (P < 0.0001, independent samples t-test). LIMITATION: This data does not represent the performance status of rejected manuscripts, the information of which was not available in the public domain. CONCLUSION: An effective editorial screening, fast-tracked editorial and peer review process and regulation on turnover time of submissions by Indian dermatology journals are imperative in improving the impact of research publication.

Analysis of submissions, editorial and peer-review process, and outcome of manuscripts submitted to the Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology over a 6-month period.

BACKGROUND: Despite an interest in the editorial process at biomedical journals, not much information is available on this topic. AIMS: To study the characteristics of the submissions to the Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology (IJDVL) and analyze the editorial and peer-review process and factors influencing the final outcome. METHODS: Retrospective review of the manuscripts submitted to the IJDVL from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016. RESULTS: The IJDVL received 639 manuscripts during the study period, most being Case reports (35%), Research articles (30%), and Letters to editor (20%). The proportion of submissions from Indian (53%) and foreign (47%) authors was comparable. About 55% (n = 353/639) of the submissions were editorially rejected. Some of the common reasons for editorial rejection included "sub-optimal images," "no novelty," "incomplete information or results," and "incorrect diagnosis or interpretation of results." The acceptance rate during this period was 19%. The median number of days to reach the final decision was 14 days for editorial rejection, 146 days for acceptance, and 85 days for rejection after external peer-review. The acceptance rates were higher for submissions from Indian authors [odds ratio (OR) 1.96], those submitted as Letters (OR 2.06), or in the area of tropical infections (OR 2.17). Submissions as research articles (expB = 1.23), those from Indian authors (expB = 1.15), final decision being acceptance (expB = 1.56), and those requiring preliminary author revisions (expB = 3.34), external re-reviews (expB = 2.22), and repeated author re-revisions (expB = 2.34) were associated with longer times to reach final decision. LIMITATIONS: A relatively short study period of 6 months. CONCLUSION: The IJDVL attracts submissions both from India and abroad. Articles submitted in the Letters category or related to tropical infections were most likely to be accepted. There is scope for improving the time taken for editorial processing of manuscripts.

N-acetylcysteine in dermatology.

N-acetylcysteine is a mucolytic drug which is commonly used as an antidote for acetaminophen toxicity. It is a thiol compound, which acts as a donor of cysteine, leading to replenishment of glutathione and thus acts as an antioxidant. It also has anti-inflammatory effects, alters the levels of neurotransmitters, inhibits proliferation of fibroblasts and keratinocytes and causes vasodilatation. Due to these actions, n-acetylcysteine has found use in several dermatologic conditions in systemic and topical form. The drug has been used as an adjuvant in the management of conditions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug hypersensitivity syndrome, trichotillomania, skin picking disorders and onychotillomania, ichthyoses, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, melasma, pseudoporphyria, connective tissue diseases, wound healing and alopecia. It also has a role in protection from radiation-induced skin damage including photo-ageing, photocarcinogenesis and radiation dermatitis. Most indications in dermatology are supported by case reports, small case series and small trials. Higher quality of evidence is needed for its wider use. The drug is cheap and is generally safe with few adverse effects. Thus a greater role is possible for use of n-acetylcysteine in various skin conditions. This review explores the various uses of n-acetylcysteine in the field of dermatology, the evidence supporting the same, the possible mechanisms of action and the adverse effects of the drug.

Updates on the use of vaccines in dermatological conditions.

Numerous vaccines are being actively developed for use in dermatologic diseases. Advances in the fields of immunotherapy, genetics and molecular medicine have allowed for the design of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines with immense potential in managing infections and malignancies of the skin. This review addresses the different vaccines available for use in dermatological diseases and those under development for future potential use. The major limitation of our review is its complete reliance on published data. Our review is strictly limited to the availability of published research online through available databases. We do not cite any of the authors' previous publications nor have we conducted previous original research studies regarding vaccines in dermatology. Strength would have been added to our paper had we conducted original studies by our research team regarding the candidate vaccines delineated in the paper.

Antihypertensives in dermatology Part II - Cutaneous adverse reactions to antihypertensives.

Antihypertensive drugs are prescribed frequently and can cause cutaneous adverse reactions. The exact incidence and frequency of these reactions are unknown. Multiple antihypertensive drug consumption has contributed to a substantial increase in the number of cutaneous adverse reactions to them. Thus, there is a need for dermatologists and physicians to be aware of the wide range of available antihypertensives and the type of reactions that can be expected. This review article focuses on the various clinical presentations that have been implicated or associated with them. The diagnosis and management have been discussed in brief.

Antihypertensives in dermatology Part I - Uses of antihypertensives in dermatology.

Hypertension is a global health problem. Antihypertensives are the mainstay of treatment for hypertension. Some of them were accidentally found to be useful in alopecias and infantile hemangiomas and have now become standard treatment for these conditions as well. Antihypertensives are also being studied for other dermatological indications, where they have shown promising efficacy. This review focuses on the dermatological indications for antihypertensives, discussing the drugs that have been tried, as well as their efficacy, dosage, duration of therapy, and adverse effects.

Autophagy: A brief overview in perspective of dermatology.

Autophagy, literally meaning "self-eating," is an intracellular catabolic process of delivering cytosol and/or its specific content to the lysosomes for degradation.The resulting macromolecular constituents are recycled and utilized again by the cells. Basal level autophagy plays an important role in cellular homeostasis through the elimination of the old or damaged organelles, as well as aggregated intracellular proteins. Autophagy refers to sequestration of intact organelles along with a portion of cytosol, into a double-or multi-membrane structure known as phagophore, which elongates, and after closure, forms a vesicular structure known as the autophagosome. Subsequently, the mature autophagosome fuses with a lysosome, thereby forming a single membrane structure, an autolysosome. Autophagy plays a critical role in inflammation, autoimmunity and cellular differentiation. Skin serves as the first line of defense against a variety of environmental insults and autophagy is thought to be a form of an endogenous defense mechanism against such environmental derangements. Autophagy has been linked with keratinocyte differentiation and melanocyte survival, as well as with the pathogenesis of diverse skin disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, psoriasis, vitiligo, infectious skin diseases and cancer. Autophagy has been one of the most studied phenomena in cell biology and pathophysiology, and given its broad clinical implications, has become a major target for drug discovery. The last decade has seen a substantial upsurge in autophagy-related research and publications; still, the dermatology literature appears to be less initiated. Autophagy will probably change our understanding of dermatological disorders/medicines. Hence, a basic knowledge of autophagy is a prerequisite to understand the developments in the field of autophagy-related research.