2014 - The Health Plan

Improvising your health is always a good thought, so why not plan a healthy resolution for the coming year.  Following are the goals in terms of health to achieve for the year 2014.

No Smoking!

Once an individual gets addicted to smoking, it becomes hard for him to quit. But this resolution is all about promoting healthy lifestyle, so try to quit. Take advantage of the anti-tobacco products and turn into a non smoker.

Floss off the Bacteria

The constant neglect of the presence of bacteria in the mouth can lead to numerous health issues. Make a habit to floss off the bacteria from your teeth and have a healthy year in front.

Reduce the Consumption of sodium

Table Salt, baking soda, soya sauce, cheese, pickled food and anything which contains salt has sodium in it. The ideal amount of sodium intake is 6 grams i.e. a tablespoon a day. Sodium lifts up blood pressure and contributes to water retention. Whilst, the less you consume sodium in any form, the less are the risks of getting heart disease, but also lower hypertension. An average approach of sodium consumption should be adopted in 2014.

Increase the intake of Antioxidants through various food items

There are several products that are rich in antioxidants such as coffee, chocolate and pomegranate. When a body undergoes the process of breaking down of food, free radicals are produced, these molecules damages the immunity of a person and affects the immune system as a whole. The damaging of the immune system can lead a person suffering from diseases like, inflammation, cancer, heart diseases and infections. This is why; a rich intake of food that contains antioxidants can lead a person live healthy life. 

Mental Illness: a Major Cause of Juvenile Crimes:

The increasing number of crimes and assaults on family members, especially by minors and young adults, has turned scientists and researchers towards finding the answers in psychology and mental illness.

It is both tragic and surprising that a person would turn on his or her own family members and start executing them. To a layperson, this would seem irrational and absurd, but there are always reasons for someone to arrive at such a point that they break down completely and are ready to kill their own kin.

A recent case came to light when Austin Gus, the young son of Senator Creigh Deeds was apprehended for stabbing and shooting his own father several times. Fortunately, the Virginia State senator survived and recovered the attack after spending a few days in emergency. However, he may never recuperate from the inestimable grief for his son.

This and other similar cases speak for the need of looking deeper into the causes and symptoms of mental and psychological illness. There are several quality publication journals available on psychology, such as Bentham Science Publishers’ ‘Current Psychiatry Reviews’ that publishes  frontier review articles and guest edited issues dedicated to clinical research on all the latest advances on clinical psychiatry and its related areas e.g. pharmacology, epidemiology, clinical care and therapy. The journal is an essential reading for all clinicians, psychiatrists and researchers in psychiatry. 

High Impact Factor Journals of Bentham Science Publishers

Scholarly publishing renders a great service to science, research and academic literature. The industry is largely dominated by subscription-based publishing which has existed for as long as the scholarly journals publishing it (Paul Peters, 2007). Academic journals and the quality of the research published in them are judged by their impact factor, a measure of the number of citations to articles published in the journals.

Bentham Science is a rapidly growing scholarly journal publisher and has been serving the academia and libraries for the last 25 years. They publish 122 subscription based journals, while their flagship products include 32 journals with impact factors. Current Medicinal Chemistry has an impact factor of 4.07 and is considered to be one of the most popular peer-reviewed journals in its respective field. It publishes the latest research, new developments in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug. This is one of the most highly recommended journals in the field of medicinal chemistry.

Another name in the list of high impact factor journals from Bentham Science Publishers’ is  Current Cancer Drug Targets. The impact factor for this journal is 4.00. aims to cover all the latest and outstanding developments on the medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and biochemistry of contemporary molecular drug targets involved in cancer, e.g. disease specific proteins, receptors, enzymes and genes. It publishes original research articles, latest reviews and clinical studies.

Current Molecular Medicine (Impact Factor: 4.197) covers the recent developments in the fundamental molecular mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, and the development of molecular-diagnosis and/or novel approaches to rational treatment.

For a complete list of Bentham Science Publishers’ High Impact Factor Journals, kindly log on to http://benthamscience.com/IFTitles.htm and https://www.facebook.com/benthamimpactfactorjournals

The Adverse Effects of Cell Phone Usage on Health

Cell phones have become a necessity and their usage is prevalent in both personal and professional communications all over the world. However, scientists from different countries claim that cell phones can lead to some types of brain cancers. Glioma and Acoustic Neuronal are two types of brain cancers that result as a consequence of long-term usage of mobile phones. That cell phones can be dangerous to health and that they also might lead to various forms of cancer was announced by the World Health Organization on May 31, 2011, and cell phones were officially deemed as a “carcinogenic hazard.”

Cell phones use the microwave spectrum technology to enable communication. When the device is held close, the invisible stream of radio frequency signals penetrates our bodies which can prove to be a potential cause of cancer and several issues related to memory loss, dizziness and disorientation.

In order to mitigate the bad effects from the usage of cell phones, there are certain measures that one can take, such as limiting the duration of one’s calls on the cell phone, using blue tooth devices or hands free devices or speaker phone to increase the distance between the phone and one’s head. It is advisable to stay still while using the cell phone because more radiation is emitted while you are in motion. Switch off mobile phones when not in use as the cell phone is still emitting radiation.

Bentham Science Publishers’ journal “Recent Advances in Communications and Networking Technology” publishes review and research articles on new advances in communications and networking technology. 

ATTENTION-DEFICIT / HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

ADHD is abbreviated as attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder. It is neurological disarray present in children with symptoms including poor instinct control, absentmindedness and hyperactivity. The children suffering from ADHD is a major concern for the parents. These children need proper attention and care.

Parents are spending thousands of dollars on IT based training programs which guarantees to help children with this medical condition.

For further investigation on neurological disorders and diseases like ADHD you can visit Bentham Science Publishers online journals. The name of Bentham Science Publishers is highly reputable within the publication industry. BSP has numerous journals, eBooks and articles uploaded for that purpose.

For reading journals on various topics including Current Pediatric Reviews, please visit: http://www.benthamscience.com/cpr/contabs/cpr2-1.htm

Body Odour Signals Critical Health Suspicions:

A bad health doesn’t give many signals to our bodies in the beginning, but later it shows a number of serious symptoms. Even a minor condition like body odour can also indicate several underlying health concerns. For instance, body odor is an indicator of Diabetes.

Body odour, medically called as Bromhidrosis, is an unpleasant smell produced by bacteria on the skin that turns into sweat, and then into acid. In actuality, it is bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids. Sweat, exercise, or intake of different medicines, are few of the causes for body odor. 

Anti-depressant medicines also increase the amount of sweat in the body, which may be one of the side effects of the medicine. It may also be a signal of a serious health issue, which should be discusses with the doctor.

To know more about the issues related to dermatological problems and medicine, there are journals and e-books available online to be accessed on Bentham Science Publishers journals. Bentham Science-An esteemed name in the STM publication industry, visit:

http://www.benthamscience.com/Titlesbydiscipline.htm

Nanotechnology- A field of Science

Bentham Science Publishers is an extraordinary name within the STM Publishing industry. They have a wide variety of journals that are typically based on Nanotechnology. To view all these Bentham Journals visit:

http://www.benthamscience.com/Titlesbydiscipline.htm

Nanotechnology- a field of science which is all about the management, control and understanding of matter with approx proportions measuring from 1 to 100 nanometers.

Nanotechnology is the amalgamation of technology, science and engineering with a combination of modeling, measuring, manipulation and imaging matter at nanoscale. Nanotechnology can sometimes also be referred as ‘Nanotech’.

It is a wide ranging field that comes up with numerous other fields of science just like organic chemistry, surface science, engineering, micro fabrication, semi-conductor physics and etc.

The developments in the field of nanotechnology are still under research but some engineered nano-materials have been made-up which are used in commercial purposes these days.

There is a variety of products that are made using Nanotechnology include, stain free mattress, clothes, cosmetics, polymer films used for the display of digital cameras, catalytic and bumper converters on cars, laptops, cell phones and etc. 

CHEMOTHERAPY- THE INITIAL TREATMENT FOR CANCER

Chemotherapy is basically the treatment of cancer by using medications that kill cancer cells and other microorganisms. In its general usage, it simply refers to antineoplastic medicines that are used to treat various types of cancer. With reference to its non-oncological usage, the term, ‘chemotherapy’ also refers to as antibiotics or antibacterial chemotherapy.

Through the use of these medications/antibiotics, one can see a rapid decrease in the growth and division of cancerous cells in the human body. Not just medications, but the cancer patient should always try to work out every day. Chemotherapy along with physical exercise prevents the recurrence of cancer.

Whenever the body cells die, the doctors will precisely prescribe some medicines that will produce the new ones to replace the expired or infected cells in a balanced and orderly way. However, the growth of cancerous cells does not have a capacity to reproduce orderly- their production is out of control. The more rapidly they grow, the more they occupy space and eventually push out the space occupied by useful body cells.

So, the use of chemotherapy or antibiotics can help cancer patients in reducing the growth and division of cancerous cells present within the body. Although, the dosage depends on the patient’s level of illness. 

SPINAL PAIN:

Spinal pain is sometimes very difficult to recognize and can occupy a wide array of painful symptoms, biochemical profiles, biomechanical effects and diagnoses.

 Cytokines and neuropeptides play a vital role in nervous system response. Cytokines are known to be the most recent route for back pain and spinal study. Cytokines are basically small proteins which comprises of a part of our pathogenic and immunogenic recognition system. Cytokines act as a prospective biomarker as well as an intervention opportunity within the cure of spinal pain.

Cytokine profiles like IL-1β, IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 all of them have a huge impact upon the disease process as well as on the consequent recovery of spinal patients.

IL-1α and IL-1β are pleiotropic cytokines play a huge part inside nerve injury and inflammatory disorders. IL-4 and IL-6 are anti-inflammatory cytokines that have been studied in a wide range of diseases like arthritis, HIV susceptibility etc. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which play an important role in the acute stages of an immune reaction. IL-10 is one of the most effective anti-inflammatory cytokines which can result into systematic alterations whenever injected inside the human body.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is simply defined as- additional body fats that accumulates within the body to a much greater extent that impacts the body negatively. It is a medical condition in which the individual is not considered to be healthy but obese. It is not just a superficial concern but it is a serious medical condition that leads to numerous diseases such as, thyroid, cardiac diseases, diabetes and various other protracted diseases. While, a fine amount of body fat is vital for the storage of energy.

One can easily find if he is obese or not, through (BMI) – Body Mass Index. The BMI is calculated by using the individual’s body weight and height. One can easily calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI) which is equal to the weight of an individual in (Kg) kilograms, divided by the height of an individual in (m) meters- squared.

The BMI of an adult if calculated and is above 30, he is considered to be obese. Whereas, if an adult has a BMI around 25-29.9, he is considered overweight or heavy. There are ways to control this medical condition which include- medicines, proper diet plan and physical exercises. Although, there is no such wonder treatment for obesity but with a proper doctor prescribed medications and treatments, one can be cured. 

Gluten Sensitivity

Gluten is a protein compound found in food products like wheat, barley, rye etc.

Gluten sensitivity is a disorder which means that an individual reacts adversely to food intake rich in gluten. This allergy eventually leads to the inflammation and swelling of the internal lining of the small intestinal tract.

Gluten intolerance is one of the most common diseases. This intolerance or allergy affects the digestive system of the human body. The symptoms of gluten sensitivity include muscular disturbances, headaches, vertigo, cramps, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, depression and behavioral changes. There are certain biopsies and endoscopies that can identify if a person has gluten intolerance. The underlying symptoms caused by gluten sensitivity can simply be altered by taking gluten free diet.

There are some home based tests that can reveal if you are gluten sensitive or not; a proper gluten free diet can reveal the truth in a short period of time, i.e. 2-3 weeks. Avoiding 100% gluten containing food for one or two weeks could be another way of testing gluten sensitivity in a body. On the other hand, a chiropractic general physician can provide the initial care through focusing on the body joints. They don’t really prescribe you medications but they work with the doctors to cure the aches caused by the gluten intolerance.

With effective chiropractic treatments and gluten free diet, one can deal with the disorder of Gluten sensitivity effectively.

PROTECTION FROM PRESSURE SORES

Pressure sores, also named as pressure ulcers and bed sores are skin lesions that are caused by numerous factors. These factors incorporate humidity, friction and prolonged pressure on the skin.

The individuals who are at risk of pressure sores are the ones with health conditions that limit them to alter their positions. People who are immobile are able to get affected by bed sores because they are generally on wheel chairs and are only limited to their beds for a long period of time. Bed sores take less time to appear on the skin and are mostly complex to cure.

The elderly people have much diluent skin which is more apt to get damaged from even slight pressures. The poor diet of aging people results in less effective healing of the skin. Less movement adds up to the vulnerability of getting pressure sores.  

The best cure for pressure sores or pressure ulcers are skin barriers. Skin barriers are of variant types that include spray, creams and wipes. The purpose of these barriers is to protect the skin from unnecessary humidity.

Skin barrier is a simple and effective product that helps the patients in protecting their skin from bed sores and other wounds. This is how one can get rid of bed sores easily

Risk Factors, Symptoms and Preventive Measures for Breast Cancer:

The various risk factors of breast cancer include drinking alcohol, light exposure at night, exposure to chemicals in cosmetics etc.

 The research has demonstrated that drinking alcoholic drinks enhances the risk of breast cancer in women. Therefore, drinking alcoholic beverages should be avoided in order to reduce the risk of this type of cancer.

The research also shows that the two chemicals (Phthalates and Parabens) found in various personal care products and cosmetics can also lead to breast cancer.

Another risk factor of this type of cancer is the light exposure at night. The researchers believe that this risk is associated with the regulation of melatonin levels.

Melatonin is a hormone which helps in controlling the body`s sleep cycle. The production of this hormone is at peak during night time and is lowered during the daytime. As a result of which women working during night time are at the risk of their melatonin level being reduced due to external light and they are thus at a greater risk of developing breast cancer.

Several preventive measures should be taken in the above case. These measures include:

·         The  installation of blackout shades inside bedroom windows

·         Keeping lights turned off while one is awake during night

·         Using low voltage bulbs or red bulbs at all times

·         Avoiding becoming over-weight

·         Eating healthy food rich in vegetables and fruits

·         Reduce sugared drinks

·         Plenty of physical activities and exercise

·         Hormone replacement therapy should be avoided

·         Stop smoking or try to get rid of it

·         Get fit and take an active part in supporting breast cancer campaigns

Common Types of Hereditary Diseases

The gene theory is one of the fundamental principles of biology. It says that individual characteristics are transferred from parents to offspring during gene transmission. Genes are placed on chromosomes and comprise of DNA.

This principle of heredity was introduced by Gregor Mendel in the year 1860 and is also known as the law of independent assortment or Mendel`s law of segregation.

A genetic disease is one which is transferred from one or both of one’s parents to one or more of their children. It is caused by the presence of specific abnormalities or mutations in their genes.

Genetic diseases are also known as hereditary or family diseases. Some of the genetic diseases can easily be identified at birth but others can take a few more years to be diagnosed.

The most common genetic disease are Haemophilia, Sickle Cell Anemia, Cystic Fibrosis, Fragile X Syndrome, Thalassaemia, and Diabetes.

Genetic diseases can be diagnosed by the genetic test of blood and various tissues.

Some of these genetic diseases, when left untreated, can lead to serious complications. Various techniques and strategies have been adopted for the treatment of these disorders like genetic therapy or changing of the genes within the human body.

STM Publishing and the Process of Peer-reviewing

Whenever a fresh development or theory is discovered, a publication eventually ends up in peer reviewed journals. Nevertheless, many individuals are uncertain of what exactly peer-review means. Peer review is an important procedure for scholarly work. Generally, the research publications are assessed by a set of people who are of equal competence to the genuine author. By this specific approach, the excellence of published theoretical text is maintained within the scientific research community.

When it comes to the quality of a medical and scientific research publication, a proper peer-review is required simply because, without a peer-review, an inappropriate discovery or invention would certainly make its way straight to the industry. At present, there are numerous recognized corporations in the publication industry, the same as Elsevier, Bentham Science Publishers, Wiley and Taylor Francis.

A Peer-review process guarantees an impartial appraisal of the merits of a research work; also it focuses on optimum quality and makes a useful contribution to the research. Bentham Science Publishers practices single-blind peer-review technique that certifies the quality of a research work. They have professional, skilled editorial team and reviewers who conform to rigid peer-reviewing. In general, an article or research manuscript is reviewed for its superior quality, re-publication, plagiarism, ethical review and approval of experimental investigation. The process is professional and rapid, as appreciated by Dr Stephen Skaper from the editorial board of CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets in these words:

“I found the handling and reviewing of our manuscripts problem-free; feedback from the referees was both rapid and constructive. Galley proofs were received only a short time after acceptance. I have already received a number of enquiries from the scientific community for a copy. I would definitely recommend CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets to authors for their future publications.”

How to Treat Cardiovascular Diseases?

Cardiovascular disease, also termed as the heart or cardiac disease includes many problems that are directly linked to blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) and heart. It encompasses anything that upsets the cardiovascular system of a body, mainly heart disease, arterial disease and vascular disease of the kidney and the brain.

If an individual has unfortunately been diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease, they can be treated in various ways which involve diet control, decreasing the amount of fat and cholesterol intake through drugs and regular workout.

The range and multiplicity of cardiovascular drugs have developed greatly in the past years. Moreover, there are several new medicines that are being introduced and approved each year.

During the 1950s, the successful and efficacious oral diuretics became easy to obtain and intensely transformed the cure of hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart failure. In the 60’s, a set of agents named as beta antagonists or beta blockers was discovered to take care of anxiety, angina, hypertension, heart attack and other vascular and heart diseases.

The important period of 1990 that led to countless inventions to treat the cardiac patients more effectively. 

Chronic Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition. Diabetes is a set of metabolic diseases which are distinguished by high blood sugar (glucose) levels. It is caused by a lack of insulin secretion or its action.

Also known as Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes can either last for a life time, but taking certain measures can control it. Normally, blood glucose levels are strongly controlled by insulin. It is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. When the blood glucose level rises, insulin is released from the pancreas in order to balance the glucose level. The absence or inadequate production of insulin causes hyperglycaemia inside diabetic patients.

Some of the major symptoms of diabetes include increased blood glucose levels, dehydration, weight loss, blurred vision, fatigue, nausea and loss of glucose in urine.

Diabetes can be diagnosed by performing fasting blood glucose (sugar) test. The test is convenient and simple to execute. After the overnight fasting of the patient (at least 8 hours), a single blood sample is taken and sent to the laboratory for diagnosis. Alternatively, it can be accurately measured inside a doctor’s clinic with the help of a glucose meter.

The Study of Genomics

Genome science refers to the scientific study of the genomes of living beings and their role in inheritance. A genome is basically the summation of the entire living organism’s genes.

Genome science has several useful applications in the disciplines of medicine, biotechnology, molecular biology and even social sciences.

Published content in the field of genomics helps researchers learn the causes and treatments of diseases which are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, for example asthma, heart diseases, cancer and diabetes etc. In this regard, the journal, Current Genomics is a peer-reviewed research publication that is highly recommended. It has 14 published volumes to its credit and publishes authoritative articles and reviews concerning the latest developments in genome science. It is endorsed by Olivier Civelli, Chair and Professor Pharmacology from the University of Clifornia:

"Current Genomics is establishing itself as a leader in the field of functional genomics."

Current Genomics is an established High Impact Factor journal indexed in Journal Citation Reports, EMBASE, Scopus, Chemical Abstracts and PubMed.

Next generation technologies play a crucial role in biomedical and clinical research. They allow them to significantly enhance the quantity of genomic data gathered on huge learning populations, which will revolutionize the way we understand the role of genetic sources in the treatment of human diseases as well as the reaction of new drugs.

Incredible Scientific Inventions and Discoveries:

There are numerous scientific inventions and discoveries. Regeneration of the lost parts of the body is an amazing discovery. The scientists have done it by the usage of ECM (Extracellular Matrix) with the merging of physical therapy. ECM has the tendency to reawaken the body`s original therapeutical capabilities.

Scientists have found a better way to battle with malaria and dengue fever. The genetic modification of mosquitoes helped a great deal for the stopping of the spread of dengue and malaria.

In the field of Synthetic Biology, scientists have discovered a new way to treat diseases. For example, the invention of the Escherichia Coli Cell which upon contact with certain pathogens completely kills itself as well as the pathogens.

The scientists have discovered a new way to hunt for bombs with the help of plants. Dr. Jane Medford is doing a research on plants which will turn white upon interaction with environmental pollutants and explosives.

Synthetic Telepathy is another amazing invention. A scientific device has been developed by the military which can read electrical actions inside the human brain. It helps in sensing of all thoughts and forwards them to other soldiers in the form of text messages or voice mail.

Recent Developments in Drug Discovery

There are many other advanced methods and new research disciplines for drug design and discovery such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, chemogenomics etc which improve the quality of the drug discovery process. 

New trends in the field of drug discovery are transforming the drug discovery mechanisms. The use of target based drug design is much more practical and long lasting.

The course of the use of High Throughput Screening (HTS) technique in which a large number of compounds are screened for their biological activities with the discovered targets, which are synthesized by combinatorial chemistry, is called hits. Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) comprise of immense significance in discovering analogues, or the new drug candidates.

In this context, the research published in the research papers is a life-line to scientific development and the research community. There are quite a number of research journals available in the field of Combinatorial Chemistry, and Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening (CCHTS) is highly recommended. The journal has an impact factor of 2.0 as per journal citation report 2012, with 16 volumes already compiled and published. CCHTS publishes research articles and reviews in the domain of Combinatorial Chemistry. In my opinion, CCHTS is the most comprehensive and up-to-date medium for all scientists working in the field of combinatorial chemistry. 

Global Warming

Due to certain detrimental factors, the average global temperature is on the rise, leading to a phenomenon widely known as the global warming.

The issue of global warming is not new. Since the 1950s, the rise in average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere is affecting the natural equilibrium and climatic systems. Global warming is negatively affecting life on earth, and things will continue to get worse if we do not control the factors resulting in global warming.

The wholesale burning of fossil fuel began with the industrial revolution, and is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon. Industrial development, coal mining, landfills, gas field leakages and vehicle emissions escalates things further.  

Interestingly, even agriculture and livestock farming contribute to global warming. Agriculture is the cause of about 14% of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Cows, on the other hand, emit huge amounts of methane, a major contributor to world’s greenhouse gases.

Global warming is a serious issue which needs immediate attention. There are two fold effects, one is the rise of global temperature; the other is the rise in sea level. Global warming is the source of major catastrophes like floods, intense storms, melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, and tropical storms etc. It adversely affects the life on earth, and it is time we united as a global community to counter this grave concern. 

Electronic-Book Publishing

An eBook is a book published in a digital format, available on computer and other electronic devices.

 Today, e-publishing is a popular alternative to costly traditional publishing. It has made reading more affordable and pleasurable for readers, who now have a much wider choice of selections and the comfort of sitting at home and downloading eBooks.

Similarly, authors of eBooks enjoy lower processing costs and a much wider readership by making their research work available online in digital formats. 

A variety of eBooks is available by major publishers like Bentham Science Publishers. These eBooks cover all major disciplines of natural sciences, social sciences and information technology. As an author, you will be entitled to have free access to your published content and there is no fee on the processing of your eBook. Librarians and institutions can avail package discounts and IP-based access to Bentham eBooks.

Bentham eBooks follow a set of stringent editorial policies, such as author guidelines, plagiarism prevention, copyright, ethical approval of studies, informed consent, permissions and animal protection etc. You can view them in detail:

http://benthamscience.com/ebooks/policy.htm

http://benthamscience.com/ebooks/eBkAuthGuide.htm

You can also find e-Lectures, electronic textbooks, monographs, proceedings and review volumes on their website:

http://benthamscience.com/ebooks

Bentham comes complete with an extensive range of eBooks in all spheres of science, technology, 

medicine and business studies.

The Unresolved Issue of Predatory Publishing

The Open Access model of publishing is the "unrestricted, free availability of scholarly research, online for all". Despite resistance from certain quarters (traditional publishers who fear that this model will completely destroy the traditional subscription model, thereby rendering them extinct), it continues to grow and receive acceptance from the industry and academia alike. Unrestricted and free availability of research publications, especially to the developing world, will in fact serve the very purpose of scientific research and scientific publication. If quality of publication can be maintained, this truly is a revolution in publishing.  

Bentham Science Publishers is a well known international STM ( Scientific and Technical Manual) publisher. They have several high impact factor journals to their credit, which are quite popular in their  fields such as Current Medicinal Chemistry, Current Pharmaceutical Design, Current Organic Chemistry, Current Alzheimer Research etc. The authors who have contributed in Bentham journals are quite satisfied with their publication processes and peer review procedure. For authors’ comments, please visit:

http://benthamscience.com/comments/Comments.htm  

Their sub brands include Bentham eBooks and Bentham Open. 

The research published by them is of high quality and rigorously peer reviewed. They practice the single-blind peer review procedure; the review and editorial policies are transparent and clearly disclosed on their official website; and the members on board of their journals are highly qualified and well-known, with several worthy publications to their credit. For more information, visit:

http://benthamscience.com/open/index.htm

http://benthamscience.com/open/todentj/EBM.htm

http://benthamscience.com/policy.htm

http://benthamscience.com/reviewguideline.htm

 Most of their journals, both subscriptions based and Open Access, are indexed in internationally recognized indexing agencies like Scopus, Medline, EMBASE and PubMed etc.

Bentham Open is actually charging quite an affordable fee for open access as compared to other known publishers and, in case of authors from the developing world, the publisher makes it totally free for the contributor. Just as in their subscription journals, a single blind review process is rigorously followed here as well. 

Open Access Publishing has also generated some controversies but this is to be expected in a new publication model. There are always some teething problems in the initial stage of anything and fine tuning is always required. Compared to over five hundred years of traditional publishing models, Open Access is still a new born baby and has to be nurtured in good faith. There is a concerted effort going on out there by unknown quarters to try and discredit this form of publishing but if that happens it would be to the detriment of the scientists and researchers. Blind acceptance of whatever is published against Open Access must be resisted with an open mind.