Выходит 6 номеров в год
ISSN Печать: 1040-8401
ISSN Онлайн: 2162-6472
Indexed in
Том 37, 2017 Выпуск 2-6
DOI: 10.1615/CritRevImmunol.v37.i2
Critical Reviews in Immunology, A Commemorative publication
Immunology is one of the most dynamic fields in biological sciences utilizing diverse disciplines, such as biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cellular biology, and the traditional routes of microbiology and various medical disciplines. Although such perspectives appear to be too diverse, they are, in fact, exceedingly interdependent. The understanding in molecular terms of the cellular events of the immune response is critical for the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of immunological disorders. Critical Reviews™ in Immunology (CRI) was perceived as a vehicle for presenting, evaluating, and critically analyzing the latest contemporary advances in immunology.
The formation of CRI began as an idea in 1978. After some discussions, CRC Press decided to publish CRI and started the journal with myself as Editor-in-Chief. Volume1, Issue 1, had two major review articles1,2 authored by prominent leaders in Immunology. The journal continued to publish cutting edge review articles initially on a quarterly agenda and subsequently went up to a bimonthly schedule. In 1994, CRI was sold by CRC Press to Begell House Inc., publishers of many journals, books and handbooks. Begell House Inc. (BH) was established in 1991 by the late William Begell3. Medical, heat transfer and fluid flow areas were the core attentions of Begell House's publishing activities. During and after the CRI purchase transaction, I continued as the Editor-in-Chief, the Editorial Board remained intact, and the journal continued its publication output without interruption.
2017 accords with the 25th year of CRI publication by BH. So, Volume 37 should commemorate the 25 years of CRI publications by BH. We decided to start this volume with issue 1 in the normal way and then publish this commemorative book in place of issues 2-6. The contents of this book comprise of the top highly cited articles selected from those of years 1-4 (Volumes 14-17) of CRI. Articles selected were those cited in the literature between and had 200-700 non-self-citations. The top cited article was from 1997 which reviews "The Nature of Selection on the Major Histocompatibility Complex". Next was also a 1997 article that presents the "Regulatory Functions of Phospholipase A2" followed by an article on "Functions of IL-4 and Control of Its Expression". This was followed by two 1996 reviews, one on "Opioid and Opiate Immunoregulatory Processes" and the second on "Tumor Necrosis Factor, its Function, Release, and Clearance". Then comes a 1997 review on "Accessory Molecule and Costimulation Requirements for CD4 T Cell Response" and two 1994 articles, the first on "Microbial Products and Cytokines in Sleep and Fever Regulation" and the second on "HLA Class I Chromosomal Region, Genes, and Products: Facts and Questions". The next most cited article was from 1997 that presents and discusses the "Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF): A Glucocorticoid Counter-Regulator within the Immune System". The next cited was a 1996 article on "Functions of CD40 and Its Ligand, gp39 (CD40L)". The next is a 1994 article on "Cellular Mucins: Targets for Immunotherapy", followed by a 1997 article on "Lymphocyte Activation in Health and Disease" then by a 1995 article on "T Cell Activation Pathways: B7, LFA-3, and ICAM-1 Shape Unique T Cell Profiles". Following this was a 1997 article that discusses and appraises the effectiveness of DNA Vaccines and evaluates whether they are "A Modern Gimmick or a Boon to Vaccinology?". Finally, there are two papers from 1995, the first expounds on "The Mucosal Adjuvant Activities of ADP-Ribosylating Bacterial Enterotoxins", and the last on "lnterleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist".
These articles have only one thing in common: They were selected because they were all highly cited, nothing else was considered in making this selection. The selection was otherwise entirely random. It is fascinating to assess the advancement, in these few areas, that occurred in a relatively short period of 21 to 25 years and estimate how far the field has progressed.
M. Zouhair Atassi
Editor-in-Chief
References
1. DT Fearon. Activation of the Alternative Complement Pathway. CRC Crit Rev Immunol. 1979;1(1):1–32.
2. ME Pereira, EA Kabat. Immunochemical Studies on Lectins and Their Application to the Fractionation of Blood Group Substances and Cells. CRC Crit Rev Immunol. 1979;1(1):33–78.
3. William Begell. Conspicuously Invisible: Wartime Memoires of a Jewish Boy from Wilno. Karen A. Frenkel Ed. Connecticut: Begell House, 2010, pp. 1–155.