Online publication of original articles

The current issue marks a new milestone in our efforts to improve and expand the capabilities of the Journal. For the first time, original articles will be appearing along with case reports, and Letters to the Editor, in an online format. Articles selected for online publication will be fully referenced in medline and other databases. This change was due to the increasing popularity of the Journal and the editors desire to continue to publish high quality research in a timely manner. Online articles will be available to all subscribers through the Journal's website and manuscript abstracts will be freely available through the usual scientific search engines. We are following other journals in this initiative and hope it will serve the needs of both investigators and interested readers.

In this online issue, Hafraoui and colleagues report on a patient with Persistent polyclonal B cell lymphocytosis (PPBL) who fails to respond to a 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine against S. pneumoniae [1]. They postulate that abnormal DNA repair mechanisms may participate in the failure to produce IgG directed pneumococcal antigens in our patient.

Also in this issue, Gheith and colleagues compared the use of Monascus purpureus Went rice versus fluvastatin in the management of hyperlipidemia due to idiopathic nephrotic syndrome [2]. As compared to placebo both the stain group and the rice group had significantly lower cholesterol levels. The authors conclude that M. purpureus Went rice is safe, effective and cost effective treatment strategy for nephrotic dyslipidemia among both adults and children.

Campos and collaborators investigated the frequency of abnormalities in aminotransferase levels in patients admitted to the hospital with pylelonephritis [3]. They found abnormally high levels in 21% of patients who had no history of preexisting liver disease. Abnormal aminotransferase levels were correlated with age and severity of sepsis and tended to normalize with convalescence. They conclude that abnormal aminotransferase levels are common during the acute phase of pylelonephritis.

Finally, Boltin et al. report on a case of endocarditis and two cases of arthritis due to Corynebacterium striatum [4]. They point out that while this commensal organism of skin and mucosal membranes is frequently regarded as a contaminant, it has been associated with endocarditis (frequently in association with embolic phenomenon), pulmonary infections and rarely arthritis and meningitis. The organism is slow growing and is phenotypically identified with great difficulty in the laboratory.

The above articles demonstrate the wealth and breadth of scientifically important articles that are published in the Journal. As Professor Mannucci [5] expressed in his first editorial as editor in chief of the Journal, the goal of the current editorial board is to make the Journal a leader in the arena of internal medicine journals by progressively increasing its impact factor, which we expect to receive in June 2009. With this new initiative we hope to be able to increase the number of quality manuscripts that we are able to publish and make the Journal more hospitable to our authors. We invite our readers to take advantage of this new resource and welcome any helpful suggestions and comments.