Letter of Transmittal. All new manuscripts must be accompanied by a letter from the corresponding author stating that the manuscript represents original, unpublished material not under editorial consideration elsewhere, and that ethical guidelines were followed in the conduct of the research. Receipt of this statement is a condition of acceptance of the manuscript for review. Authors are encouraged to suggest the names, telephone, and Fax numbers of prospective referees. Also, the corresponding author must include a complete mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address.

Copyright Transfer Form. A copyright transfer form signed and dated by all authors must accompany each new manuscript. The title of the manuscript and the names of all authors, in the order in which they appear on the manuscript, must printed in the designated spaces at the top of the form. The form is included in all copies of the Journal and may be copied. It is also available online in pdf format at: http://www.andrologyjournal.org/misc/copyright.pdf. If a manuscript is accepted for publication, copyright of the article, including the right to reproduce the article in all forms and media, shall be assigned exclusively to the publisher. The publisher will not refuse any reasonable request by authors to reproduce any of their contributions to the Journal. Please note that manuscripts will NOT be processed until the editorial office has received this signed copyright form.

Permissions. Materials taken from other sources must be accompanied by a written statement from the publisher granting the Journal permission to reproduce the material. Written permission from the authors of personal communications must be obtained for their use.

Ethical Conduct. The Journal upholds and expects the highest standards of conduct on the part of authors, peer referees, and editors. The Journal incorporates the principles, including the provision for due process, set forth in the Ethical Guidelines for Publication of Research (Endocrinology. 1990; 126:1-2) and follows the Guidelines on Authorship of Medical Papers (Ann Intern Med. 1986; 104:269-274). The Journal of Andrology is now a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics and adheres to the guidelines of ethical conduct set out by this organization. These guidelines can be found online at http://www.publicationethics.org.uk/guidelines.

The Journal expects that all investigations involving human or animal experimentation will have been conducted in accordance with accepted humane practices. The Journal supports the principles of research involving human subjects as expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki and those of animal subjects as expressed in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources for the National Research Council and available online at: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/chaps.html

Authors should provide text in the Materials and Methods section describing how the study followed ethical guidelines for human subjects or guidelines for care and use of agricultural and/or laboratory animals for research. Most often this will include a specific reference to an institutionally-approved protocol.

Authors should fully describe their methods so they could be reproduced by others. Additional technical information, unique reagents, antisera, cell lines, and genetically modified animals necessary to replicate the work should made be available to interested parties.

Original Articles. Upon submission a category for the original article should be chosen from the following choices: Sperm Biology and Assisted Reproduction, Spermatogenesis and Male Reproductive Tract, Reproductive Genetics and Endocrinology, Clinical Studies including Surgery, and Breakthroughs in Andrology. Manuscripts outside of these categories are welcome and should be assigned to the closest relevant category. "Breakthroughs in Andrology" are definitive reports of highly significant and timely findings in the field of Andrology. Consideration of an Original Article as a "Breakthrough" is a decision made by the Editors-in-Chief. These submissions receive rapid review and, if acceptable, may be published within 10 weeks of receipt, depending on their priority for publication.

Online Submission. Although you will find basic information about the online submission system in these Instructions, the submission site has complete instructions and context-sensitive FAQs (frequently asked questions). Please refer to the Submission Help page at http://submit.andrologyjournal.org/help/submissionhelp.dtl.

Peer review. All original articles will be reviewed by two or more expert referees. Acceptance of manuscripts is based on scientific merit.

Page charges. Corresponding authors are responsible for page charges. Page charges for unsolicited manuscripts are $70 per printed page for ASA members and $85 per printed page for non-members. Color plates are $350 per plate (each separate figure is considered a plate). It is also possible to have figures printed in color in the online version only, for a cost of $75 per plate; these figures will appear in black and white in the print version of the Journal. Failure to meet the commitment of page and color print charges will preclude consideration of any further submissions to the Journal of Andrology by the corresponding author until past due page charge commitments are met.

Preparation of the Manuscript. Prepare manuscripts in English according to the American Medical Association Manual of Style, 10th ed. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.  Spelling and definitions should follow Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10^th ed. and Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 27^th ed.  Baltimore: Lippincott Willimas & Wikins; 2000.  Please define all abbreviations. The order of appearance for manuscript sections is as follows: title page; abstract; text; references; tables; figure legends; figures.

Format. Preferred word processing format is Microsoft Word. Choose U.S. English. In Word, click “Tools” on the toolbar; select “Language,” and then “Set Language.” Select “English (U.S.)” and click “OK.” In WordPerfect, click “Tools” on the toolbar; select “Language,” then “Settings”; scroll to find “English-U.S.”, and click “OK.”

Page set-up must be 8-1/2" x 11" paper. Do not use A4 paper formatting. In Word, click “File” on the toolbar and select “Page Setup”; click the “Paper Size” tab and choose “Letter.”

Number pages at the top right. Number all lines of the text consecutively in the left margin to facilitate review. Please use the word-processing feature “line numbering” to number the lines.

The text should be divided into the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Authors may use another format if it is more appropriate.

Title page. The title page should include:
1) the title of the manuscript;
2) a short running head of not more than 40 letters and spaces;
3) the first name, middle initial, and last name of each author;
4) the name and address of each department and/or institution where the work was done;
5) the name, mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the author to whom the correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed
6) sources of support in the form of financial aid, grants, or equipment.

Abstract. An abstract of no more than one typed, double-spaced page (approximately 250 words) should state the objectives, findings, and conclusions. At the end of the abstract, provide up to six key words to be used for indexing. Key words should not duplicate words in the title.

Acknowledgments. Authors should obtain written permission for everyone acknowledged by name (including unpublished work) since readers may infer their endorsement of the paper and its conclusions.

Abbreviations. Use of abbreviations, except for units of measure, is discouraged. Abbreviations should be preceded by word(s) for which they stand. Consult the American Medical Association Manual of Style for lists of standard abbreviations.

References. References should be cited in the text by the name and date system: (Smith and Jones, 1972). References by three or more authors should be cited by the name of the first author followed by et al: (Smith et al, 1972).

References should be listed alphabetically at the end of the paper in the format illustrated below. If the authors of two or more entries are the same, the citations should be listed in chronological order. All authors of a given reference should be listed; the use of “et al” is prohibited in the References section.  In addition, the full page range for each reference must be provided.

Names of journals should be abbreviated as in Serial Sources for the BIOSIS Data Base (BioSciences Information Service, Philadelphia, PA). It is the author's responsibility to ensure that all references are accurate.

A paper that has been accepted for publication may be cited in the reference section if the name of the journal and the year of publication are given. Authors should provide one electronic copy of such papers for the referees. References to unpublished data and personal communications should be clearly identified and listed in parentheses within the text. These items should not be included in the list of references.

References to abstracts are not permitted.

Standard journal article:

Alexander NJ, Fulgham DL. Antibodies to spermatozoa in male monkeys: mode of action. Fertil Steril.1978;30:334-342.

Books and other monographs:

Lipshultz LI,Howards SS, eds. Infertility in the Male. 2nd ed. St.Louis: Mosby-Year Book, Inc; 1991.

Chapter in a book:

Stewart JM. Pharmacology of LHRH and analogs. In: Zatuchni GI, Shelton JD, Sciarra JJ, eds. LHRH Peptides as Female and Male Contraceptives. New York: Harper & Row, 1982:2-12.

Illustrations. The Journal reproduces figures in the smallest size consistent with readability and the purpose of the illustration. All lettering should be scaled so it will be legible after reduction to a one- or two-column format. Photomicrographs must include a scale bar designating their magnification. Several figures may be mounted as one plate.

Each figure should be numbered and cited in the text in consecutive order. Do not embed figures in the text. Please provide a numbered list of figure legends at the end of the text of the manuscript. (Please see “Legends” section, below).

It is the Journal’s policy not to publish photographs of animals; submit line drawings instead.

The cost for color reproduction must be borne by the author. Before submission of color prints to the publisher, the author will be provided with a cost estimate for color reproduction with the option of printing in black and white, if preferred. Preferences should be indicated at the time of acceptance of a manuscript or clearly stated in the initial letter of submission.

A remake fee may apply toward an article production if any illustration needs to be re-processed for changes requested after initial processing. This fee is based on the type of illustration and the type of changes, but in most cases will be between $15.00 and $35.00 for each remake.

Figures uploaded in the online manuscript management and review system (Bench>Press) are used for review and, if the manuscript is accepted, for JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY Publish-Ahead-of-Print. The Help and FAQs areas in the online submission site (http://submit.andrologyjournal.org) provide specific information about file formatting and solutions to common upload problems.

Please contact the Journal Management Office for more information: Journal of Andrology, 1619 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711-2063, USA; TEL: 608-256-4616; FAX: 608-256-4610; email: pub{at}jandrol.org.

JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY Figure Preparation Checklist for Online Submission and Review.

If you would like reviewers to see hard copies for review, please send three sets of figures marked “for reviewer.” Please include this request in your online cover letter, and state that hard copies have been sent to the JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY Journal Management Office. Staff will then forward the hard copies by courier to each reviewer who accepts the review assignment. For these sets, which may be unmounted photographs, laser prints, or photocopies, write the first author’s last name, manuscript ID, and the figure’s number on a label affixed to the back of each figure.

Digital Graphics Files. Upon acceptance, Editorial Staff will check the current figure files and may ask you to upload new digital files for print production. The minimum resolution specifications for press production of digital figure files in JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY are as follows, when sized at final print size:

·         LINE ART: (Image is in black and white only; there is NO grayscale tone in image) / 1200 dpi minimum resolution / black & white (bitmap) mode.

·         HALFTONES: (Grayscale images with NO text outside the grayscale image area) / 300 dpi minimum resolution / grayscale mode.

·         BLACK & WHITE COMBINATIONS: (Grayscale images WITH text outside the image area [e.g., gels])  / 600 dpi minimum resolution.

·         COLOR: (Color images with NO text outside the image area) / 300 dpi minimum resolution.

·         COLOR COMBINATIONS: (Color images WITH text outside the image area)  / 600 dpi minimum resolution.

If you will be saving your files as TIF files, please choose the "LZW compression" when saving so as to reduce file size.

Final Print Size (Column widths). The maximum print area on a journal page is 18.5 cm wide x 24.5 cm long (7-1/4” x 10”). Figures will be printed as either single-column, which is 8.8 cm wide (3-1/2"), or double-column, which is 18.3 cm wide (7-1/4"). Figures will be reduced whenever possible to conserve space. The Journal reproduces figures in the smallest size consistent with readability and the purpose of the illustration.

Figure Preparation. Do not send dot-matrix printer copies, original ink drawings, or roentgenograms. It is the Journal’s policy not to publish photographs of animals; submit line drawings instead.

Please keep in mind the impact that font and/or label size and placement will have on figure reduction options. All lettering should be scaled so it will be legible after reduction to a one- or two-column format. Prepare your graphs so that they will have a consistent appearance throughout your paper.

Pay particular attention to the quality of the lines, symbols, and patterns; fine lines may disappear and heavy lines may plug up if the figures are reduced. Avoid gray shading or dot patterns on bars, as they do not reproduce well. Use open and solid bars as first choice and patterns only as necessary. Use a key to explain symbols and patterns on graphs. Do not use 3-dimensional graphs to show 2-dimensional data.

Number figures consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) in the order in which they are discussed in the text. If only 1 figure, do not number, refer to as “the Figure” in text or (Figure) parenthetically. Do not embed figures in the text. Please provide a numbered list of figure legends at the end of the text of the manuscript. (Please see “Legends” section, below). Label each figure within the figure file, being sure the label is at least 0.5 cm (1/4") above or below the actual figure itself.

Multiple parts within a figure must be assembled together in one file as you expect them to appear in print, with identifying letters (A, B, C, a, b, c) in place.

Several figures may be mounted as one plate. If separate figures are repetitive or relational, combining them into a plate may save money. All the figures will appear together but be labeled separately and referenced separately in the figure legends. Please contact the Journal Management Office for information about this option.

Do not place unnecessary graphics, such as a border, in or around your figure.

Fonts. Please use Times Roman, Helvetica, or Symbol fonts; these are the most common fonts and can be reproduced consistently on any computer worldwide. All other fonts must be embedded with the document when it is saved. Asian fonts, in particular, do not convert well; be sure your text (including spaces), figures, and symbols do not use Asian fonts.

Symbols. If your symbols font map is not using Times Roman or Helvetica and you do not embed your fonts, it is likely that special characters placed in text and/or figures will not appear for Editorial Staff or Reviewers.

Type. Do not use a type size that is unnecessarily large or that is smaller than 8 points. If the figure is reduced in size, consider whether the labels will be too small to read or be larger than necessary. Type should be the same size (or proportional) on all figures within an article; elements of type within a figure should be proportional to each other. If your figure is likely to be reduced for publication, reduce it on a copy machine to make sure that all labels can be read at a smaller size.

Labeling. The x-axis and y-axis should be clearly labeled, and the units of measurement given. Do not identify molecular standards with a kDa label; use M_r x 10-3 (molecular weight [relative molecular mass]) or kb (kilobase) as appropriate.

Check figures carefully to ensure that necessary and accurate information is included in the lettering and labeling. Photomicrographs must include a scale bar designating their magnification. This includes using decimal points instead of commas, italicizing species or gene symbols, and using U.S. English for labeling. Use correct gene symbols and protein designations in figure labels.

Legends. Type double-spaced and grouped on a separate page. Provide sufficient detail to make the figure understandable without reference to the text. Indicate the dimensions of scale bars on photomicrographs and identify the method of staining. Print legends double-spaced and in numerical order, separate from the figures (see above for the specific order).

Use numbers and letters consistent in style (i.e., upper or lower case letters) with those used in the illustration. Do not use special symbols in the legend. Special symbols in your figure should be shown in a key with the figure and described verbally in the legend. Define all abbreviations that appear on the figure that have not been defined in the text. Indicate in the legend the scale used for all micrographs (e.g., “bar=1 μm” or “Original Magnification x200”). A scale bar is the best method; place the scale bar itself on the figure.

Color. The cost for color reproduction must be borne by the author. Before submission of color prints to the publisher, the author will be provided with a cost estimate for color reproduction with the option of printing in black and white, if preferred. Preferences should be indicated at the time of acceptance of a manuscript or clearly stated in the initial letter of submission. The current charge for color is $500 per plate (each separate figure is considered a plate). It is also possible to have figures printed in color in the online version only (and in black and white in the print version of the Journal) for a cost of $75 per plate.

Prepare color figures in the same fashion as other art. For color art containing critical areas (detail, color, etc.), include a photocopy of the figure with critical areas clearly indicated. Production staff will include this information when the figure files are sent to the printer.

Image Integrity. Background data must not be removed from images, although adjustments such as brightness, contrast, and color balance are allowed if they are applied to the entire image or plate. Backgrounds of gels and blots must remain somewhat evident, however, to demonstrate that unwanted bands have not disappeared. Original data or documentation may be requested if image integrity is in question. Authors are encouraged to submit this data or documentation as Supplemental Data and indicate in their cover letter that this supplemental data will be used for review purposes only.

Cover Art. Authors are encouraged to submit color figures or colorful diagrams of models pertaining to their manuscripts for consideration for use on the cover of the Journal. Submit figures with the manuscript in any of the accepted electronic figure formats. The Editors-in-Chief choose a new cover image for each issue. If you would like your work considered for the cover, please so indicate in your online Cover Letter. There is no need to provide special artwork or examples at the time of Submission. However, in order for work to be considered, you must be able to provide a digital file with the following specifications:

1.                               JPEG format.

2.                               Minimum 300 dpi resolution at 19.0 cm wide (7-1/2").

3.                               RGB or CMYK color mode.

Even if your manuscript has been provisionally chosen for the cover, the cover choice will be given to another manuscript if the appropriate file specifications cannot be provided.

Supplemental Data: The Journal of Andrology will now accept submission of supplemental data associated with papers published in the Journal. Supplemental data should be submitted online at the time of submission. It is the authors’ responsibility to indicate in the cover letter if the data are for review purposes only or if the data are intended for publication with the online versions. If for review-purposes only, include text with the supplemental file indicating “for review purposes only.”

Accepted papers with online supplemental data that have been approved and reviewed by the editors, will be included with all the online versions (both in Papers In Press and with the final online publication) in the formats listed below. This “Supplemental Data Online” will be available free to all readers for all versions of the published paper. In all cases, authors must name the file uniquely using a maximum of eight characters (no symbols, hyphens, or punctuation), and the file extension must be the correct extension for the file format. For example, “hyperactivation movie.2.mov” should be “hyper2.mov”. Descriptive phrases should be put into the legend and editorial staff will include all descriptive information with the “Supplemental Data” when the paper is published. Also, in the case of movies, authors must include one still photograph from the movie as a figure in the paper. This panel may be a single figure or part of a multipaneled figure; a brief description of the movie’s content should be included in the figure legend. This presentation ensures that all readers (print and online) will see a snapshot of the movie and read the legend of the supplemental data, regardless of online access or bandwidth limitations. All other supplemental data must be cited in the text using sequential naming (e.g., “Please see Supplemental Table 1”). Please include a separate header “SUPPLEMENTAL DATA LEGENDS” after the Figure Legends, which the staff will use to create the text for the online supplemental data figure legends.

ACCEPTABLE SUPPLEMENTAL DATA FORMATS: Authors should remember that not all readers have large bandwidth or fast computers. Please be considerate and reduce file size where appropriate.

• Figures: File size limit: 5 MB; Acceptable formats: JPEG, TIFF, EPS, and PDF.
• Tables and other Text: File size limit: 5 MB; Acceptable format: PDF. If you are unable to convert your text document (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) into PDF, editorial staff will convert the supplemental file to PDF prior to publication.
• Movies: File size limit: 10 MB; Acceptable formats: MOV, MPEG. QuickTime videos are preferred; Readers will be provided a free download link to QuickTime if they need the player to view the movie. (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/). Authors must include a “still” photograph from the video as a figure in the paper.

The total number of Supplemental Data Files may not exceed 10 files and the total number of megabytes may not exceed 10 MB. If your Supplemental Files exceed these restrictions, even with compression, please contact the Journal of Andrology editorial staff.  

The amounts and costs of storage of Supplemental Data will be evaluated every 10 years, at which time the Journal may request that the Supplemental Data be replaced by a link to the Data stored on the Author's own website or other host.

Period of revision. Authors should return a revised manuscript within 90 days of receipt of the first editorial decision.

Page Proofs. Proofs are sent to the authors as a PDF attachment to an e-mail. Please note difficulties sometime arise with hotmail or yahoo accounts. If this were the case, it would be appreciated if you could supply an additional e-mail address. Corrected pages and completed authorization statement should be returned by e-mail to Patricia Hildenbrand at Allen Press at phildenbrand{at}allenpress.com.

If you do not have access to email, the proofs will be sent to you via regular mail. Return corrected pages and the completed authorization form, via the fastest mail service to:

Patricia Hildenbrand
Allen Press
810 East Tenth Street
Lawrence, KS 66044

Other Categories of Publication

Case Reports. Reports of individual or a small number of clinical cases that would be of interest to readers of the Journal are considered for publication. The text should be divided into the following sections: Introduction, Case Report, Discussion, and References. Case Reports should have a 100-word Abstract. Authors may use another format if it is more appropriate. Case Reports are subject to peer review and page charges as other Original Articles.

Perspectives and Editorials. This category includes Letters to the Editor, Editorial Commentaries, From Androlog, and Responses to Commentaries.

Letters to the Editor. This section of the Journal is available for critical comments directed to a specific article that has recently been published in the Journal. Letters should be brief (400 words), double-spaced, and limited to a maximum of five citations. References of letters and replies should be prepared according to the regular Journal format. Illustrative material will be accepted only with the permission of the Editors.

The Editors reserve the right to shorten letters, delete objectionable comments, send the letter with a request for a reply to the author of the criticized article, and make other changes to comply with the style of the Journal. There are no page charges for the authors of "Letters to the Editor," and no proofs will be mailed to them. Views published in "Letters" are not necessarily the views of the Editors and publishing them is not an endorsement for either side.

Reviews and Minireviews. The Journal publishes reviews and minireviews on subjects of particular interest to its readers. The Editors select review topics and solicit manuscripts. Reviews are limited to 20-36 double-spaced, typed pages including references; Minireviews are 10-19 double-spaced, typed pages including references. Figures and tables are used only as "models" to convey concepts. Reviews and minireviews must have a 100-word abstract. Unsolicited reviews and minireviews are considered for publication and are subject to peer review, as is the custom for all articles. Contributors of unsolicited reviews are encouraged to consult with the Editors before preparing and submitting a manuscript.

Andrology Lab Corner. Andrology Lab Corner welcomes the submission of unsolicited manuscripts, requested reviews, and articles in a debate format that relate to discussion and evaluation of Andrology Laboratory methods as well as other issues related to functions of Andrology laboratories. These manuscripts will not be subject to the usual peer review process but will be reviewed and edited by the Section Editor. Submissions to Andrology Lab Corner may be made on-line, preferably with consultation with the Section Editor. Andrology Lab Corner presentation should have a 100-word Abstract. Original articles in the area of Andrology Laboratory Science should be submitted as original articles for peer review.

Bioethics and Law Forum. This section is usually written or solicited by the Section Editor but unsolicited contributions are welcome and will be reviewed and edited by the Section Editor. Contributors are also invited to suggest topics that deserve attention in future Forum articles.

Book Reviews. This section includes reviews of recent books of interest to readers of the Journal. The reviews may be solicited by the editor or submitted. The format should include Title and information about the book, Type of Book, Scope of Book, Contents, Strengths, Deficiencies, Recommended Readership, and Overall Grading.

Memorials. This section includes commentary on the careers of recently deceased significant members of the Andrology community as well as tributes to Major figures in the history of Andrology.

Conflict of Interest. Manuscripts submitted by the Co-Editors-in-Chief or their institutional colleagues are processed by the Previous Editors-In-Chief.

Notice to Copiers. Authorization of photocopy items for internal and personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by The American Society of Andrology for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Transactional Reporting Service, provided that the base fee of $3.00 per copy is paid directly to CCC, 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970. 0196-3635/91 $3.00.

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Updated December 5, 2007. Redline text indicates most recent updates.