Research an Reviews in Parasitology

 Research and Reviews in Parasitology is both the official journal of the Asociación de Parasitólogos Españoles (A.P.E.) and an international journal for the publication of research and review articles on all aspects of pure, basic and applied, human and animal parasitology. The journal is a nonprofit publication and membership dues support the cost of publication to a great extent. The journal consists of four issues per year. Research and Reviews in Parasitology accepts papers by researchers from all countries, whether or not they are members of the Association.
 

EDITORIAL POLICY

General requirements

Conditions of acceptance: Authors are advised to study carefully the Guidelines for Contributors. Manuscripts not prepared according to the Guidelines for Contributors will be returned without reviewing. Submission of a manuscript implies that the work described has not been published before (except in the form of an abstract or as a part of a published lecture, review, or thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere and that its publication has been approved by all coauthors, if any, as well as by the responsible authorities at the institute where the work has been carried out. Manuscripts are received with the understanding that the research reported was conducted according to applicable national laws. It is further understood that authors accept responsibility to meet charges of pages in excess if necessary, depending on the Section in which the article is published and at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. Papers submitted for publication must be accompanied by a covering letter signed by all authors.

Copyright characteristics: Articles published in this journal are protected by copyright, which covers the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the article, as well as all translation rights. If the manuscript is accepted for publication, the authors agree to automatic transfer of the copyright to the Asociación de Parasitólogos Españoles and that the manuscript will not be published elsewhere in any language without the consent of the copyright holder. However, assignment of copyright is not required from authors who work for organizations which do not permit such assignment. No material published in this journal may be reproduced photographically, stored on microfilm, in electronic data bases, video disks or otherwise, nor transmitted in any form or any means, without first obtaining written permission from the copyright holder, except in the case of figures of articles from the Teaching Parasitology Section. Figures in these articles are mainly published with the stipulated aim of being photographically reproduced for teaching purposes, the copyright holder specifically allowing and even encouraging this reproduction and the authors of such papers already having given the necessary written consent before manuscript acceptance.

Special care specifications: The attention of authors is drawn to papers on Taxonomy and papers dealing with experimental research carried out with animals. Concerning taxonomic papers, conditions for acceptance are strict; descriptions of new species must include a thorough investigation of other species in the genus; specimens may be sent for scrutiny if requested by the referees; the place (collection centers and accession numbers) where the holotypes are deposited must be always stated in the paper; the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature must be taken into consideration. Concerning care of experimental animals, details on care and use of animals used for experimental purposes must be given; a paper can be rejected if referees are not satisfied with the treatment or care applied to experimental animals; authors are recommended to consult the guidelines for the care and use of animals for research purposes provided by their own country, if any.

Acceptance and rejection of articles: Articles are evaluated by at least two anonymous reviewers selected by the Editor-in-Chief. The decision as to whether to publish is made by the Editor-in-Chief after both referee's evaluations and, if needed, evaluation by a third referee or opinions of the members of the Editorial Board and Council.
 

Type of articles

General scope: Research and Reviews in Parasitology provides a medium for the publication of all type of papers dealing with human and animal parasites. Acceptance or rejection for publication is determined only by scientific quality, properly evaluated by selected recognized specialists acting as referees. Papers dealing with actual modern and preferential fields of research are specially welcome. Contributions on traditional Parasitology research lines such as parasite morphology, systematics, taxonomy, faunistics, field work and scientific observation, as well as case reports and clinical communications in medicine or veterinary science, are also accepted; but the same high-quality presentation with scientifically sound supportive data and conclusions, representing significant and interesting advances, are needed. Only preliminary reports are directly discounted.

Sections: Papers are included in the following Sections: A) Review Articles; B) Original Research Articles; C) Short Research Articles; D) Fast Articles; E) Standardization Proposal Articles; F) Methods and Techniques; G) Teaching Parasitology; H) History of Parasitology; I) Parasitological Dictionary; J) Book Reviews; K) Miscellaneous Notes. A current issue of the journal must be consulted for details of style, format and contents of each one of the above-mentioned Sections. The aims of each one of these forms of publication are specified in the following.
- Section A: Review Articles: This is considered one of the most important sections, in accordance with the title of the journal. At least one article will be published in this Section in each issue when possible. Both invited and non-invited, long and short reviews and minireviews are taken into account for publication. In non-invited review articles, authors must previously contact the Editor-in-Chief to ascertain if the proposed topic is considered of interest for publication in the journal.
- Section B: Original Research Articles: Usual research papers following a normal format are included in this Section. The topics of these papers must fit in the general scientific scope of the journal.
- Section C: Short Research Articles: The purpose of this Section is to publish papers, in concise form, of original observations or experimental results, which are not necessarily to be followed by a full paper. Preliminary reports are not accepted. This Section will also provide publication space for studies of a more local interest.
- Section D: Fast Articles: This Section provides the possibility of rapid publication for papers of all types and contents. Only preliminary report articles are not accepted. To save time, proofs will not be sent to authors, but will be corrected by the Editor-in-Chief. If needed, proofs will be sent by fax and proof corrections must be similarly returned by fax to the Editor-in-Chief. Fast articles are intended to be published, whenever possible, in the immediately coming issue of the journal, according to their date of reception.
- Section E: Standardization Proposal Articles: Papers dealing with new proposals of research pattern unification in a given parasitological field, of standardization of methods and techniques to be applied to parasites and hosts, of nomenclatures to be followed, as well as modification proposals of already existing general patterns, standards or nomenclatures, etc., are to be included in this Section.
- Section F: Methods and Techniques: This Section is for monographs containing the analysis and discussion of a method or a technique of application in parasitological investigation and studies. Papers presenting new, newly-developed or specially modified methods and techniques, are particularly welcome. Papers are considered only if an outstanding and potentially very useful advance is clearly documented. Ordinarily methods and techniques are incorporated under the 'Material and Methods' heading of a regular article.
- Section G: Teaching Parasitology: This Section publishes review-type articles whose main aim is to provide reviews of parasitological topics of interest for teaching purposes in courses, high schools, universities, etc. Authors must not forget that papers for this Section are not reviews for researchers and specialists, but reviews to be used by professors, lecturers and teachers, and thus usually for scientific non-specialists, to aid in the preparation of their conferences and lectures for students. Review articles for the preparation of lectures from low to high specialization level, as well as for either theoretical or practical teaching purposes, are accepted. Authors must take special care not to mix different teaching levels or theoretical/practical purposes in the same paper.
- Section H: History of Parasitology: This Section is for papers dealing with studies of all aspects of the history of the science of Parasitology. They can concern given parasitological past situations, important events or significant advances, reviews of the general development of Parasitology, of parasitological fields, of parasitologists (individuals, teams, societies, etc.) during given time periods, from a local to a more general geographical or geopolitical scale. It is taken for granted that historical papers must demonstrate an international or at least a national interest. Papers restricted to an undoubtedly local interest cannot be accepted.
- Section I: Parasitological Dictionary: This Section includes papers on the discussion of parasitological words or terms (groupings of a short number of words). Authors are encouraged to pay special attention to the format guidelines for manuscripts for this Section (see below). There are three different main formats according to the three Subsections: a) Series of Terms; b) Miscellaneous Terms; c) Additional Information. Subsection a) publishes invited as well as non-invited papers dealing with at least several parasitological words and terms that can all be applied to a single parasitological field, or subject. In non-invited articles for this Subsection, authors must previously contact the Editor-in-Chief to ascertain if the proposed group of words and/or terms is considered of interest for publication in the journal. Subsection b) is limited to papers restricted to a complete discussion of a single word or term. Subsection c) concerns short papers furnishing new additional information or even opinions on words or terms whose discussion has already been published in the journal.
- Section J: Book Reviews: This Section publishes invited as well as non-invited papers dealing with critical reviews on the contents of recently published books in the field of Parasitology. In non-invited articles for this Section, authors must previously contact the Editor-in-Chief to ascertain if the proposed book review is considered of interest for publishing in the journal.
- Section K: Miscellaneous Notes: This Section is for short papers whose contents must fit in one of the following Subsections: a) Editorial Notes (reserved for Notes of the Editors on questions concerning the journal and for Notes of the President of the Association of Spanish Parasitologists on questions concerning the Association); b) Letters to the Editor; c) Critical Comments; d) Points in Question; e) Software Survey (development of programmes or applications specially conceived or particularly suitable for use in parasitological research and teaching); f) In Memoriam Articles; g) Obituary Notices; h) Meeting Reports; i) Announcements (of courses, congresses, symposia, society meetings and news, organization of events, award or prize competitions, fellowship fundings, research grants, working positions available, etc.); j) Scientific Commercial Advertisements (concerning products of use in parasitological fields).
 

Financial contribution by authors

Page charges: Papers contributed to the following Sections incur page charges when surpassing the first cost-free 8 published pages: Original Research Articles, Standardization Proposal Articles, Methods and Techniques, and History of Parasitology. In the Fast Articles Section only the first 4 published pages are free. Papers contributed to the following Sections never incur page charges: Review Articles, Short Research Articles, Teaching Parasitology, Parasitological Dictionary, Book Reviews, and Miscellaneous Notes. Members of the Association of Spanish Parasitologists are charged  3000,00 Pts. or U.S. $ 30,00 per each additional page. Nonmembers are charged 5000,00 Pts. or U.S. $ 50,00 per additional page. Nonmembers interested in publishing papers in Research and Reviews in Parasitology are encouraged to become members of the Association, taking into account the low amount of the current annual dues.

Proof modification fees: Authors are reminded that added characters may necessitate resetting several lines or, occasionally, repaging the entire article. Therefore, corrections of authors' errors or excessive revisions made on proofs, when allowed, will be billed at 200,00 Pts. or U.S. $ 2,00 per line.
 

Return of materials

Rejected papers: Only the original manuscript including the original figures are returned to the author, together with a cover letter notifying the decision of rejection accompanied by a copy of the referee's sheets. All other materials are destroyed. Rejected manuscripts are not reconsidered.

Accepted papers: Materials of papers accepted for publication are not returned. Only original figures can be returned, if requested by the authors. Manuscripts, including original illustrations, are destroyed immediately after publication unless specific instructions concerning the original figures are given at the time of sending the corrected proofs to the Editor-in-Chief.
 

GUIDELINES

Preparation of manuscripts

Presentation: Authors should, as far as possible, adhere to the following prescribed pattern in presenting their papers for publication. Manuscripts must be typewritten on A4 paper (210 x 295 mm), typed on one side of the paper only, in double spacing with a left-hand margin of about 30 mm. All pages must be numbered. The whole text, including title, must be written in a continuous form (no exclusive page for the title is needed). Legends to Tables and to Figures must be included after the last reference page. Pages for Tables should be added after the page for legends (each table on a single page, except for very small tables). Figure pages are not to be included, but numbered according to the figure number (each figure on a single page; authors are encouraged to make compositions of several graphs, drawings and/or photographs in a single figure, whenever possible).

Language: Manuscripts must be in English. Manuscripts in Spanish can also be considered if the subject concerns a more local interest. However, if referees consider that the subject of an accepted paper in Spanish clearly exceeds local interest, the author will be asked to translate his manuscript into English.
 

General style

Detailed instructions: The typescript should be carefully checked for errors of content and English phraseology before it is submitted. Manuscripts must be arranged according to the following general pattern of format.

Running heads: These comprise a running title of not more than 40 letters and spaces and names of authors (use et al. for more than 3). Both running title and author's names should be written on two different lines, in lower case and flush left.

Title: The title must be in capitals, centered and never finished by a stop. It should be a concise but informative full title. Titles including a subtitle must include a colon to separate the title from the subtitle (both of the same letter size). When titles including subtitles concern a series of papers, then the title is to be followed by a stop and the following subtitle preceded by a Roman number and a stop.

Name(s) and address(es) of author(s): Authors' surnames are preceded by name initials (in capitals, centered and underlined by a wavy line; last author separated by &). Address(es) of author(s) must be underlined, centered and address parts separated by commas. When authors belong to more than one center, numbers in superscript position must be used, each center written beginning on a different line. Full professional mailing addresses of all authors must be included.

Dates of reception and acceptance: The dates on which a manuscript is received and accepted will be inserted after the addresses. On submitted manuscript please write "Received .............; accepted ............." in a central position.

Reference: The complete reference of the submitted article as published in Research and Reviews in Parasitology, preceded by "REFERENCE:" and followed by "XX: XX-XX." in the place of volume and pages.

Abstract: This must be arranged in a single paragraph and preceded by "ABSTRACT:". It should be informative of the contents and conclusions of the paper in a form suitable to be used as an abstract. It must be factual (not indicative) and preferably free of abbreviations. Reference citations cannot be included in the abstract.

Key Words: Up to 6-9 key descriptors suitable for indexing should be furnished, preceded by "KEY WORDS:" and each one separated by commas or stops according to relationships. They should reflect the contents of the paper accurately and help to describe it to scientific nonexpert readers. They should at least include the taxonomic designation of organisms, both hosts and parasites, mentioned in the text, as well as respective larger taxonomic categories, and the major subject matter.

Text: The text should include, wherever possible, the followings sections: Introduction, Material and Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements. Bold type must not be used; underline with a wavy line instead. Italic should not be used; underline with a simple right line instead. Footnotes are not accepted. Latin genus and species names should be underlined in the manuscript. Authors should always follow the International Rules for Nomenclature.
- Headings: Usually only two levels of headings (main headings and subheadings) may be used. Main headings must be in capitals and centered. Subheadings should be in lower case and flush left. Main headings and subheadings must be underlined by a wavy line. If more levels of subheadings are needed, they must be organized in the following form: subheadings of first level in lower case and centered; subheadings of second level in lower case and flush left; subheadings of third level in lower case, flush left, and followed by colon and text on the same line. An enumerated order of headings and/or subheadings by means of numbers or letters must be avoided wherever possible (except in long review articles).
- Abbreviations: These should appear as little as possible and must be unambiguous and fully explained when first used. Terms are to be spelled out in full on first usage followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Measurements are given in Standard International Units. Numbers must always be Arabic, except at the beginning of a sentence, when they should be written in words. Decimal fractions must be given after a comma and not after a point (e.g. 12,5 g and not 12.5 g) and thousands must not be separated by points (e.g. year 1992 and not 1.992). Standard chemical, biochemical and molecular abbreviations should be used. Whenever enzymes are the subject of reporting, the Enzyme Commission (EC) number must be used for accurate identification and retrieval purposes. Authors are required to acknowledge trademark protection in the standard fashion (the use of the letters TM or ® in superscript type is recommended for trademarks and registered trademarks respectively). Generic names should be used for drugs (firm names must be followed by ® and given in parentheses). The full binomial name should be given for all organisms and animals except those commonly used in laboratories. The first time a binomial Latin name of a species is used it should be fully spelled out and followed by the names (fully spelled out) of the authors of the scientific name. Authors of scientific taxa must be given in lower case and separated by "et" and not by "and" or "&" (e.g. Kahmannia eliomydis Mas-Coma et Esteban, 1982). Generic names should be given in full when first mentioned and subsequently, if any confusion is likely to arise.
- Introduction: This section must include a short introduction to the background and the reasons for the work. A mere relatively long historical review should not be included, unless evidently needed.
- Material and Methods: This section should include enough experimental details to enable other workers to repeat the work. This section should be marked for small print by a vertical line and the letter 'p' in the left margin. Subheadings are accepted if considered appropriate. All strains and sources of hosts and parasites should be stated. Statistical methods must be defined and any tests not in common use should be described in detail or fully referenced.
- Results: This section should be concise and cannot include methods or discussion. Text, tables and figures should not duplicate the same information.
- Discussion: This section should not be excessive nor repeat results nor contain new information, but should emphasize the significance and relevance of the results reported. Conclusions should be included in the discussion and not as a separate section and heading (unless specifically suggested in papers for given Sections- see below).
- Acknowledgements: Funding support, and other circumstantial information should be included under this heading. This section should be marked for small print by a vertical line and the letter 'p' in the left margin.

References: Care must be taken that references in the text and in the final reference list correspond exactly. References to unpublished observations, theses and abstracts or papers "in preparation" should be cited only in exceptional circumstances. Papers "in press" may be cited provided that the full title and journal are given in the final reference list.
- Citation in text: Citation of references in the text must be as follows: (SCHMIDT & PETERS, 1987) or SCHMIDT & PETERS (1987). The names of all authors up to three should be included throughout the text. The form SCHMIDT et al. should be used for all citations, including the first, for four or more authors. Different papers published in the same year should be distinguished by a letter after the date, e.g. 1987 a. Great care should be taken to avoid confusion of multi-author papers with the same senior author. Reference to papers listed at the end must never be abbreviated with Arabic numbers (even in the Section Review Articles).
- Final reference list: References should be listed at the end of the paper in alphabetic order and by date. Only references cited in the text can be included (except in the Teaching Parasitology Section - see below). Both the title and name of the journal or book must be given in full. The name of the journal must be underlined. The accuracy of the references is entirely the responsibility of the author(s) and will not normally be checked during the editorial procedures. The form below must be followed:
SCHMIDT (A.J.) & PETERS (C.D.), 1989 a.- An epidemiological survey on human intestinal parasites in several Mediterranean islands. Research and Reviews in Parasitology, 51: 114-127.
RAMIREZ (J. DE), SANCHEZ (P.) & KOENIGSBALD (H. VON), 1987.- Isoenzymatic characterization of Leishmania strains isolated from dogs. Revista Ibérica de Parasitología, 45 (Suppl.): 21-32.
BARGUES (M.D.) & GRACENEA (M.), 1987.- La dinámica de la producción cercariana en Digénidos Brachylaimidae. In: Mamíferos y Helmintos. Volumen Homenaje al Prof. Dr. Dr. Herman Kahmann en su 81 Aniversario (V. Sans-Coma, S. Mas-Coma & J. Gosálbez edit.), Ketres Editora S.A., Barcelona: 331-338.
ESTEBAN (J.G.), OLTRA-FERRERO (J.L.) & SERRA I COBO (J.), 1988.- Studies on the influences of hibernation on the helminth community of a bat population. In: Vth European Congress of Mammalogy (Valladolid), Programme and Abstracts (I. Rodriguez & J.A. Diez edit.), Edit. Fuentes S.A., Madrid: 102.
MAS-COMA (S.), ESTEBAN (J.G.), BARGUES (M.D.), VALERO (M.A.) & GALAN-PUCHADES (M.T.) edit., 1991.- Parasitología en el Sur-Oeste de Europa. Edit. Aguilar S.L., Valencia, 535 pp.
SPASSKY (A.A.), 1963.- [Hymenolepididae - Tapeworms of Wild and Domestic Birds], Part I. In: [Principles of Cestodology] Vol. II (K.I. Skrjabin edit.), Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk SSSR, Moskva, 418 pp. (in Russian)

Legends to Tables and Figures: These legends must be arranged in two consecutive lists (the first for Tables and the second for Figures) and typewritten on the same page. Both legend lists should be numbered with Arabic numerals followed by ".-" (e.g. Table 1.- Prevalences of ....). Legends of both Tables and Figures should be self-explanatory (references to text are not accepted). In Tables comprising several marks to be explained as well as in Figures including different drawings or photographs, authors are requested to arrange the legend with an introductory title or sentence followed by a colon and the "sublegends" corresponding to the lettering (respective scales should not be forgotten in figures), e.g.: Microphotographs showing parasites in human stools: A) cyst; B) trofozoite; C) egg. A, B: scale bar = 20 mm; C: scale bar = 40 mm.

Tables: All tables must have descriptive headings and should be understandable by means of their legends without reference to the text. They must be typewritten without legend (legends for tables are to be included separately) and organized to fit into one or two column widths. For technical reasons, no vertical lines will be included unless evidently needed and horizontal lines should be kept to a minimum. Each table should be typed on a separate page (except for very small tables), numbered consecutively (e.g. Table 1) and its position indicated in the text.

Figures: Figures may be line drawings or photographs (half-tone illustrations; exceptionally, also colour photographs can be accepted - see below). They should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numbers in order of mention (e.g. Fig. 1) and their positions indicated in the text. The maximum size for any figure or group of figures should be planned to fit the proportions of a printed single page (227 x 166 mm) after discounting the previewed space needed by the respective legend (discount at least 20 mm from the length: 207 x 166 mm). No legend can be present on an original figure page of the submitted manuscript. All figures should be clearly identified on the back with the author's name, the short title of the paper and the figure number.
- Drawings: Original high-quality figures must be furnished to allow direct reproduction (only exceptionally very high-quality photocopies will be accepted). Line drawings should be carefully drafted with black India ink on white drawing paper or tracing-paper. If necessary the top should be indicated by an arrow. Line drawings should not be larger than twice the final size and should fit into either one (80 mm) or two columns (166 mm). Lines should be bold enough to stand reduction to 0,25-0,35 mm. Preferred symbols are O O ? ? ? ?, and these should be used consistently. Lettering should be kept to a minimum and should be self-explanatory, unambiguous and of high quality to permit photographic reproduction without retouching or redrawing. Lettering must be in the following size and typeface: 2 mm for numbers and upper case and 1 mm for lower case, after definitive reduction; of Helvetica font type (e.g. A B C a b c, Temperature, 100 µm, etc.).
- Photographs: Half-tone illustrations should be submitted the same size as they will appear in the journal and should be selected to fit into one column (80 mm) or two columns (166 mm). Composite illustrations should be accurately mounted as a plate on thin card and must not exceed the final page size (227 x 166 mm) after excluding the expected space to be occupied by the respective legend (207 x 166 mm). The component parts of a composite illustration should be identified with capital letters (A, B, C, etc.; never with numbers). Lettering should be similar to that already indicated for drawings. Where appropriate, scale bars and units should be given. Statements of magnification in legend are not acceptable. Besides well-contrasted black and white photographs, colour illustrations are also accepted, but only if authors defray the cost.
 

Section style

Detailed instructions: The above detailed general pattern differs more or less depending on the Sections of the journal. Concerning length (as a rule one printed page equals two typewritten A4 pages with 30 lines per page and 60 strokes per line) and internal organization, the manuscript must fit in with the characteristics of the Section for which it is proposed.

Section A: Review Articles: Papers of up to 40 published pages are accepted for publication. Longer articles are accepted at the discretion of the Editors and Editorial Board and Council. The following pattern shall be followed:
- Running heads;
- Title;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s);
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Reference;
- Summary: instead of a shorter concise Abstract;
- Key Words;
- Contents: index of all headings and subheadings of the article; this contents index is not necessary if the Review Article is short;
- Text: Introduction; followed by text with headings and subheadings; a final section on Conclusions should be included whenever possible before the Acknowledgements, if any;
- References;
- Legends to Tables and Figures;
- Tables;
- Figures.
Use of tabular data or figures from the work of other authors must be consistent with copyright law, and it is the responsibility of the author to supply appropriate permissions when the manuscript is submitted.

Section B: Original Research Articles: The length of papers of this Section is in principle not limited, but extremely long papers will be accepted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief according to referees' revisions. Manuscripts proposed for this Section must completely fit the above mentioned general pattern of format.

Section C: Short Research Articles: Papers for this section must not surpass 2 published pages. The following pattern shall be followed:
- Running heads;
- Title;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s);
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Reference;
- Abstract;
- Key Words;
- Text: without sections on headings;
- References;
- Legends to Tables and Figures;
- Tables;
- Figures.

Section D: Fast Articles: The length of papers in this Section is not limited, but extremely long papers will be accepted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief, according to referees' revisions. At any rate, authors are reminded that shorter papers can be published more quickly. Manuscripts proposed for this Section must completely fit in with the already mentioned general pattern of format.

Section E: Standardization Proposal Articles: The length of papers in this Section is not limited, but extremely long papers will be accepted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief, according to referees' revisions. The following pattern shall be followed:
- Running heads;
- Title;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s);
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Reference;
- Abstract;
- Key Words;
- Text: Introduction; followed by text with headings and subheadings, at least including: a) description of problems which arise in the studies for which a proposal of standardization is presented; b) detailed presentation of the proposal of standardization; Discussion section including a list of advantages provided by the standardization proposal; a final Conclusions section should be included whenever possible before the Acknowledgements, if any;
- References;
- Legends to Tables and Figures;
- Tables;
- Figures.

Section F: Methods and Techniques: The length of papers of this Section is not limited, but extremely long papers will be accepted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief, according to referees' revisions. The following pattern shall be followed:
- Running heads;
- Title;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s);
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Reference;
- Abstract;
- Key Words;
- Text: including the main headings of Introduction, Description of the Method (or Technique), Applications (Parasitology fields in which the method or technique can be applied and examples of application), Evaluation (evaluation of obtainable results), Limitations (problems and limitations in its application), Discussion (including comparison with other similar methods and techniques), Conclusions and Acknowledgements (if any);
- References;
- Legends to Tables and Figures;
- Tables;
- Figures.

Section G: Teaching Parasitology: Papers of up to 20 published pages (enough to cover a lecture or conference of not more than one hour) are accepted for publication. Longer articles are accepted at the discretion of the Editors and Editorial Board and Council. The following pattern shall be followed:
- Running heads;
- Title;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s);
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Reference;
- Study Plan: this is the outline or plan of the lecture or conference; it should comprise all the headings of the text separated by ".-";
- Characteristics of the Course: this must include the following details preceded by ordering capital letters: General teaching context (High School, University; for undergraduates, for postgraduates; general course, specialization course; etc.); Directed to (type of students: biologists, medical practitioners, veterinarians, multidisciplinary, etc.); Suggested level (previous formation of students needed); Type of course (theoretical or practical); Teaching material needed (slides, transparences, video, microscopic slides, microscopes, training and information materials, photocopier, etc.);
- Key Words;
- Text: with sections and headings;
- Bibliography: separating references under four subheadings: Cited References, Selected Literature, Suggested Textbooks and Monographs, Further Reading;
- Legends to Tables and Figures;
- Tables;
- Figures: figures are intended for direct photographic reproduction as slides or transparences for the teaching purposes of readers; therefore, each figure (including selected text, list of topics, graphs, drawings, diagrams, schemes, photographs, etc.) shall be arranged to fit into a black India ink rectangle of dimensions proportional to the size of a standard slide (35 x 23 mm).

Section H: History of Parasitology: The length of papers in this Section is not limited, but extremely long papers will be accepted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief, according to referees' revisions. The following pattern shall be followed:
- Running heads;
- Title;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s);
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Reference;
- Summary: instead of shorter concise Abstract;
- Key Words;
- Text: Introduction; followed by text with headings and subheadings;
- Bibliography: instead of References;
- Legends to Tables and Figures;
- Tables;
- Figures.
Use of tabular data or figures from the work of other authors must be consistent with copyright law, and it is the responsibility of the author to supply appropriate permissions when the manuscript is submitted.

Section I: Parasitological Dictionary: In the first Subsection, Series of Terms (after themes or subjects) the length of a published paper is not limited. The length of an article of the second Subsection, Miscellaneous Terms should be restricted to a maximum of one page whenever possible. In both Subsections the manuscript must be arranged according to the following specific pattern:
- Running heads: running title written as e.g. Dictionary: The Term "Temporary parasite";
- Title: written as e.g. THE TERM "TEMPORARY PARASITE", where the parasitological term must be in English; new proposed terms should be followed by the binomial "new term"; the typescript should be marked 'PARASITOLOGICAL DICTIONARY' on the top left-hand corner of the title page, some space under the Running heads;
- Text: under the single main heading of Description (in capitals and centered) comprising the subheadings (all subheadings in lower case, flush left, in bold = underlined with undulating line, followed by a colon and directly followed by the text on the same line) of Parasitological term as first used (in its original language; avoid this part if the term in question is new), Term proposed or first used by (author who first proposed or used the term and year of proposal or use, if known; avoid this part if the term in question is new), First time appeared in (journal, book or publication in which this term appeared for first time, if known; avoid this part if the term in question is new), Translation in other languages (at least in another language such as Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, etc.), Etymology of the term (if known), Definition in English (maximum 60 words = 5-6 lines; a figure can be added if considered necessary), Example (a parasite or a host, or a group of parasites, etc., to which the term can be applied), Synonyms (if they exist), Comments (if any), Modifications (possible modifications of the term during its history, if any; in this case, authors having introduced modifications must be specified, accompanied by all details considered of interest; avoid this part if the term in question is new), Acknowledgements (if any);
- References: if any; written as a main heading (in capitals and centered);
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s): following the general pattern, but flush left and separated from the previous text by a line;
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Legends to Figures;
- Figures.
In the third Subsection, Additional Information (on already-published terms), the length is limited to only one published page and the manuscript must be arranged according to the following specific pattern:
- Running heads: running title written as e.g. Dictionary: The Term "Temporary parasite";
- Title: written as e.g. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE TERM "TEMPORARY PARASITE"; the typescript should be marked 'PARASITOLOGICAL DICTIONARY' on the top left-hand corner of the title page, some space under the Running heads;
- Reference: in lower case, flush left, in bold = underlined with a wavy line, followed by colon and directly followed by the complete reference of the paper published in the Parasitological Dictionary Section of a previous issue of Research and Reviews in Parasitology in which the discussed term was presented;
- Text: under the single main heading of Additional Information comprising only the subheadings on which new information is contributed; format as in Subsections a and b;
- References: if any; written as a main heading;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s): following the general pattern but flush left and separated from the previous text by a line;
- Dates of reception and acceptance;
- Legends to Figures;
- Figures.

Section J: Book Reviews: The length of a paper of this Section is limited to a maximum of 2 published pages. The manuscript must be arranged according to the following specific pattern:
- Running heads: running title comprising abbreviated title of the book preceded by "Book Review:";
- Title: title of the reviewed book centered, in capitals and underlined, followed by 'edited by' and the name of the editors or simply 'by' and the name of the authors when appropriate; the typescript should be marked 'BOOK REVIEWS' in the top left-hand corner of the title page, some space under the Running heads;
- Reference: reference of the book being reviewed as in the references of articles, but followed by type of cover and price in original currency if known or in one of the most usual currencies such as US $, DM or FF;
- Text: not subdivided and without headings; acknowledgements, if any, as an unheaded final paragraph; references, if any, must be added at the end, under no heading, but only separated from the rest of the text;
- Name(s) and address(es) of author(s): following the general pattern but flush left and separated from the previous text by a line;
- Dates of reception and acceptance.

Section K: Miscellaneous Notes: Includes the following Subsections: a) Editorial Notes; b) Letters to the Editor; c) Critical Comments; d) Points in Question; e) Software Survey; f) In Memoriam Articles; g) Obituary Notices; h) Meeting Reports; i) Announcements; j) Scientific Commercial Advertisements. In all Subsections except Subsection a), the length is usually limited to 2 published pages, but longer Notes can be published if previously accepted by the Editor-in-Chief. The manuscript must be arranged according to the following specific pattern:
- Running heads: running title preceded by the name of the Subsection and a colon;
- Title: centered and in capitals; the typescript should be marked with the name of the Subsection in capitals in the top left-hand corner of the title page;
- Text: without subdivision and without headings, but with possible tables and figures; acknowledgements, if any, as an unheaded final paragraph; references, if any, must be added at the end, under no heading, but separated from the rest of the text;
- Name(s) and Address(es) of author(s): following the general pattern, but flush left and separated from the previous text by a line;
- Dates of reception and acceptance.
Authors submitting computer papers dealing with new programmes or applications, for publication in the Subsection, Software Survey, should include 2 copies of an executable version of the programme or application and instructions for use by the referees; any costs associated with a reader acquiring the programme or application must be specified in the text. Concerning the Subsection, Scientific Commercial Advertisements, papers on products, instruments, equipment, etc., are not to be presented as mere newspaper advertisements; a minimal serious scientific discussion of characteristics and utilities must be included; typical diffusion or sales announcements are also accepted in the journal and firms and companies interested in publishing such an announcement must previously contact the Assistant Editor to arrange available space and costs.
 

Submission of manuscripts

Mailing contents: An original manuscript, two manuscript copies, a cover letter and a computer disk should be mailed together in a strong envelope to avoid possible damage. Papers should be submitted in triplicate (original manuscript with two whole copies). Care must be given to the quality of the figures of the manuscript copies to allow the referees to work without problems. Papers submitted for publication should be accompanied by a cover letter signed by all authors (this signifies that they are in complete agreement with the contents of the paper and are prepared to abide by the policies of the journal), indicating the author to whom correspondence and proofs should be sent (please note complete fax number, if any, to allow rapid contact if needed), as well as preferred or suggested Section of the journal in which the paper can be included. Authors of papers proposed for publication in the Teaching Parasitology Section are reminded to include in the cover letter, and thus before manuscript acceptance, their necessary written consent for photographic reproduction of the figures by the journal readers for teaching purposes. An exact copy of the whole paper must be kept by the author to check proofs. In order to decrease editorial costs and to allow more rapid publication, electronic typesetting from author-supplied floppy disk will be carried out. No paper will be taken into consideration if not accompanied by a computer disk, unless authors specifically indicate that they do not have access to any of the hardware/software combinations noted below.

Disk preparation and submission: Papers will be automatically typeset from disk. It is important that the final copy of the paper is checked carefully to avoid spelling mistakes, inconsistencies and errors which would be faithfully translated into the typeset copy. Format and style changes introduced by the Editor, as well as contents corrections and modifications suggested by referees and accepted by the Editor, will be directly introduced into the disk before final typeset. In the case of a mis-match between disk and copy, the manuscript will be taken as the definitive version. Computer 3,5 inches disks for IBM PC® or compatible, as well as for Apple® Macintosh™ systems, and word processor applications of common use in these systems are accepted. Authors are requested to use one of the following hardware/software combinations: a) for IBM PC® or compatible computers: WordPerfect™, Microsoft® Word™, Works™, FrameWord™, WordStar™, MultiMate™ and AmiPro™ running on MS DOS™ system; b) Microsoft® Word™, Works™, WordPerfect™, MacWrite™, WriteNow™ and Nisus™ running on Macintosh™ system. Recent versions of these applications must be used, whenever possible (authors are remembered that old versions can cause problems when run on recent system versions). If your word-processing package or operating system does not appear above, and you do not have access to an acceptable package, please contact the Editor-in-Chief. On the external label of the disk there must be noted: a) computer make and model; b) disk details (single-sided or double-sided; double density or high density); c) operating system used (MS DOS™ or Macintosh™); d) name of word-processing software, including version; e) what files are on the disk and what they contain (at least 2 file copies of the whole manuscript excluding tables and figures, which means: Running heads, Title, Names and addresses of authors, Dates of reception and acceptance, Reference, Abstract, Key Words, Text, References, Legends to Tables and Figures; or this general pattern modified according to the journal Section). Authors are requested to present the whole manuscript, excluding tables and figures (tables, graphs, diagrams, drawings and photographs must be furnished only in manuscripts; please note that all table and figure legends should also be included in the disk), in a single file, of which two copies must be contained in the disk. The right-hand margin of the text should not be justified, and hyphenation should be avoided (except for compound words). Use 1,5 line spacing and, if possible, a Times font (only a single font should be used). Bold must not be used (underline in the manuscript with a wavy line). Simple underlining should be used rather than italics. Indexing flags should not be included. Special symbols must be included between <<  >> in order to facilitate editorial work. Only one space after a stop or after commas, semi-colons and colons must be entered; no space should be inserted before these punctuation marks. Lower case 'l' (ell) for 1 (one) or 'o' for 0 (zero) should not be used; these may look interchangeable but they are not, since they have different electronic values. Do not include any copyright material (e.g. word processor software or operating system files) on the disk. Save the text as a word-processor file; if you can save the text as an ASCII file, add a third copy of the file in this format. When sending the disk, ensure that it is adequately protected to avoid damage by bending or X-ray inspection.

Mailing address: Manuscripts for publication should be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Dr. Santiago Mas-Coma, Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot - Valencia, Spain - European Union (Fax: from Spain 96-386-47-69; from other countries 34-96-386-47-69). A single copy of papers for the Fast Articles Section can be sent by fax, before the arrival of the complete submission package, in order to speed up the reviewing process. Manuscripts for the Teaching Parasitology Section should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief or, preferably, directly to: Prof. Dr. A.R. Martínez-Fernández, Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain - European Union (Fax: from Spain 91-394-18-15; from other countries 34-91-394-18-15). Firms and companies interested in publishing diffusion or sales announcements must contact the Assistant Editor: Dr. Jorge Alvar, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud "Carlos III", Ctra. Majadahonda a Pozuelo km 2, 28220 Majadahonda - Madrid, Spain - European Union (Fax: from Spain 91-639-18-59; from other countries 34-91-639-18-59).
 

Proofs

 Page proofs will be sent to the author by the Publishing House, together with a proof-correction mark sheet and a reprint order form. To facilitate correction of errors and introduction of changes, authors are requested to follow the marks proposed in the enclosed proof-correction mark sheet. The manuscript will not be returned with the proofs, hence the need for authors to keep a copy of their manuscript. It is the responsibility of the author to ensure that the proof contains no error. Authors are advised to read their proofs very carefully and to initial them before sending them to the Editor-in-Chief. Authors may find that the proofs do not correspond exactly with the manuscript finally submitted because certain changes have been made by the Editor to conform with required presentation. Authors should not correct such changes but may refer to them in an accompanying letter to the Editor-in-Chief. Only essential corrections should be made. Alterations which the Editor-in-Chief considers excessive may be disallowed or charged to the author. Proofs and orders for reprints should always be returned to the Editor-in-Chief. Authors interested in retaining the original figures of their manuscripts must give specific instructions concerning these illustrations in a letter accompanying corrected proofs and reprint order form.
 

Reprints

Fifty reprints for papers of the Sections of Review Articles, Original Research Articles, Fast Articles, Standardization Proposal Articles, Methods and Techniques, Teaching Parasitology, History of Parasitology and Parasitological Dictionary (Subsections Series of Terms and Miscellaneous Terms), and twenty-five reprints for papers of the Sections of Short Research Articles, Parasitological Dictionary (Subsection Additional Information), Book Reviews and Miscellaneous Notes (all Subsections), are provided free for each article published in the journal and will be sent to the correspondence-author by the Publishing House after publication. Any further reprints required must be indicated on the reprint order form supplied by the Publishing House together with the proofs. This reprint order form must be sent to the Editor-in-Chief accompanying the corrected proofs.
 

SCHEDULE FOR PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS

 These Guidelines for Contributors, or a modified revision of them, will be printed annually in the first issue of Research and Reviews in Parasitology. Reprints of these Guidelines for Contributors are directly available from the Editor-in-Chief.
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S. MAS-COMA, Editor-in-Chief
Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia,
Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot - Valencia, Spain - European Union