OUR MANDATE
The Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism (IJEM) celebrates its coming of age this year, as it enters its 18th year of publication, and its 4th year online with Wolters Kluwer. The official publication of the Endocrine Society of India (ESI), the IJEM's vision is to fulfill the mandate of the Contribution and Bye Laws of ESI, which aims:
Article 3.1 to encourage, promote, and advance, teaching training and research in the field of endocrinology - basic, clinical and applied.
Article 3.7 to print, publish and distribute amongst its members, pamphlets, notices, newsletters and journals relating to the recent advances in research and other such activities.
The IJEM declares its mission, to foster, encourage and publish endocrine and metabolic research relevant to the Indian context. The journal proudly functions as the global face of Indian endocrinology.
COMING OF AGE
Year 18 is an important milestone in one's life. The same is true of the IJEM. As of January 1, 2014 IJEM has 1197 articles online, contributed by over 1500 registered authors, from 35 countries, and reviewed by over 200 referees from over 20 nations. The journal's popularity is evident from its rising citations One of our reviews, on Thyroid Ultrasound, written by Chaudhary and Bano,[1] ranks fifth in the list of top 10 downloaded articles of the year 2013 on the Wolters Kluwer website.[2] For an association with just 600-odd members, the ESI has succeeded in creating a strong mouth piece, which serves as a vehicle for exchange of clinical and preclinical science, advocates a patient centered approach to endocrine care, and advocates public health planners’ attention to endocrinology. Our issues are accessed by readers across the globe, with one issue, containing South Asian Ramadan guidelines, registering nearly 1 lakh hits.[3]
This year, the IJEM will be joined by its sister journal, IJEM Cases. Edited by Dr. Ambrish Mithal and AG Unnikrishnan, this online journal will publish interesting case reports, allowing IJEM to focus on original research. IJEM continues to remain free-to publish, free-to-access, thus maintaining the spirit of free exchange of knowledge, in a modern “knowledgonomy,” which knows no barriers.
A FRESH LOOK
In keeping with these recent developments, IJEM now has a new web design and issue cover. This fresh look celebrates our 18th birthday, marking the shift to a more mature journal. Our issue cover reflects the personality not only of IJEM, but also of endocrinology, our chosen super specialty, and of India, our mother country.
The cover maintains its purple background, symbolizing endocrinology as a royal science, as the Prince of all medical disciplines. We study the smallest glands and organs, yet these glands have the maximum impact on health and well-being. The multiple shades of purple convey the dynamic, ever-changing nature of our science. Purple also signifies, in Chinese paintings, the harmony of the universe, as it is a combination of red and blue (yin and yang).[4] Endocrinology, similarly, tries to achieve and maintain a balance between anabolism and catabolism, thus ensuring eu-metabolism. Multiple hexagonal lines are used to depict the interactive nature of hormones, and one hexagon is left incomplete, to remind us of the yet undiscovered secrets of endocrinology, which we still have to uncover.
Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism's cover has seven images, with the number reflecting the septa-hued rainbow. This symbolizes the “rainbow” nature of endocrinology, which studies seemingly diverse, but intricately interlinked hormone systems. Each visual is presented in a hexagon, with a border representing a different color of the rainbow. The seven sister visuals portray various facets of our subjects. Homage is paid to the pioneer endocrinologists of ancient India, who hypothesized the presence of different Chakras[5] that correspond to modern glands. Other visuals inform the reader about modern aspects of endocrine physiology (the atomic structure of insulin), clinical features (the thyroid), diagnosis (histopathology), impact on allied specialties (fundus) and management (drugs). The relatively larger photograph of healthy people, on the right side, reflects the person-centered and family-centered nature of modern endocrine and diabetes praxis. The arrangement of the pictures suggests skillful use of various diagnostics and therapeutics, combined to achieve endocrine health and happiness.
Through its cover page, thus, IJEM represents Indian endocrinology as it stands today: A confident fraternity, proud of its ancient legacy, in sync with modern developments. It shows us working in tandem with allied diagnostic and therapeutic disciplines, with and for the community, to ensure optimal endocrine and metabolic health for countrymen and women.
OUR FUTURE
With our new cover, and new website, IJEM continues its mission, based upon the vision set by ESI's fore fathers. We look forward to feedback from our readers, and conclude by sharing a blessing from the Multani language of Pakistan:
“Kadhain vela na baitheen”
“May you never sit idle.”
Footnotes
Source of Support: Nil
Conflict of Interest: None declared
REFERENCES
- 1.Chaudhary V, Bano S. Thyroid ultrasound. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013;17:219–27. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.109667. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Most popular articles 2013. In: Wolters Kluwer Newsletter. 2014 Jan [Google Scholar]
- 3.Archieves. [Last accessed on Last accessed on 2014 Jan 19]. Available from http://www.ijem.in/backissues.asp .
- 4.Purple. [Last accessed on 2014 Jan 19]. Available from: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple#Associations_and_symbolism .
- 5.Gardiner P, Osborn G. 2006 ed. London: Watkins Publishing; 2006. The Shining Ones; pp. 44–5. [Google Scholar]