Operations Manual

Background

On May 4, 1939, during a formal meeting of the Mexican Society for the Study of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, the creation of a journal as its official publication was approved. On October 5 of the same year, Dr. Donato G. Alarcón, the Society’s first President and also the first Editor-in-Chief of the journal, officially presented Issue No. 1 of the Revista Mexicana de Tuberculosis y Enfermedades del Aparato Respiratorio, covering the period from July to August 1939.

The journal was published bimonthly until the end of 1961, and starting with the first issue of 1962, it adopted its current name: Neumología y Cirugía de Tórax. That same year, the General Assembly of the Society approved the name change of the organization to the Mexican Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SMNyCT).

Beginning in 2010, the journal adopted the abbreviation NCT as its primary identity. In that same year, it merged with the Journal of the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosío Villegas (INER Journal), becoming the official publication of both the SMNyCT and INER.


Definitions

For the purposes of this Operations Manual, the following terms shall be understood as:

    • SMNyCT: Sociedad Mexicana de Neumología y Cirugía de Tórax, A.C.
    • INER: Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas
    • NCT Journal: Neumología y Cirugía de Tórax 
    • Publishing House: Permanyer


Objective

This Operations Manual aims to regulate the organization and operation of the NCT Journal in an efficient and transparent manner.


General Terms

    1. These provisions are mandatory for all individuals involved in the operation of the Journal, as well as authors and peer reviewers.
    2. SMNyCT is the original owner of the Journal, including its trademark and copyright.
    3. During the term of the collaboration agreement signed between SMNyCT and INER, both institutions shall hold equal ownership of copyright.
    4. The publishing house Medigraphic holds full and exclusive publication rights for the Journal in accordance with the contract’s validity.
    5. Trademark and copyright ownership by SMNyCT and INER must be acknowledged in a statement issued by the Publishing House, which shall also indicate that the Journal is the official publication of both SMNyCT and INER.
    6. NCT is published simultaneously in print and digital formats in Spanish, and digitally in English.
    7. Four regular issues will be published annually (quarterly).
    8. Special supplements may be published at the discretion of the Editorial Committee.
    9. The Journal’s content will be available in open access to the scientific community at no cost to authors or readers.
    10. Funding for the Journal is the joint responsibility of SMNyCT and INER.
    11. The Editor-in-Chief shall be appointed by the President of SMNyCT and ratified by the General Director of INER, upon recommendation by the Journal’s Editorial Board. The term is two years, renewable indefinitely.
    12. Associate Editors will be proposed by the Editor-in-Chief, must be members of SMNyCT, and will be ratified by the NCT Editorial Board.
    13. The Editorial Board shall consist of former Presidents of SMNyCT, former Directors of INER, and/or former Editors-in-Chief of the Journal.
    14. Members of the Editorial Committee will be selected based on their expertise, scientific reputation in the Journal’s field, and geographical relevance.
    15. The Editor-in-Chief, along with the Associate Editors, Editorial Board, and Editorial Committee, is responsible for the Journal’s editorial policies.
    16. The Editorial Committee is responsible for all editorial content of the Journal.
    17. The activities of the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Editorial Board, and Editorial Committee members are honorary. Their names, institutional affiliations, and academic credentials will be available on the Journal’s website.
    18. No member of the NCT editorial team may participate in the review or editorial handling of manuscripts in which they are listed as authors.


Structure

    1. The Journal staff will consist of an Editor-in-Chief, three Associate Editors (one for each specialty: Pulmonology, Pediatric Pulmonology, and Thoracic Surgery), the Editorial Board, the Editorial Committee, and Support Staff including two Assistant Editors.
    2. The Editor-in-Chief must have editorial experience and will serve a minimum two-year term, renewable based on editorial performance. Responsibilities include implementing best editorial practices in manuscript review and scientific editing, ensuring efficiency in editorial processes, identifying risks, proposing improvement plans, and providing ongoing training for reviewers and editorial staff. The Editor-in-Chief also convenes regular and extraordinary meetings of the Board and/or Committee.
    3. Associate Editors will serve the same term as the Editor-in-Chief and must also have editorial experience. They assist in evaluating submissions in their specialty, promote the journal, propose improvements, carry out assigned tasks, and actively participate in Board and Committee meetings.
    4. The Editorial Board advises the Editor-in-Chief on policies and the Journal’s general functioning.
    5. Members of the Editorial Committee may remain indefinitely, based on their active participation. Their functions include ensuring inclusive perspectives, attracting new authors, reviewing manuscripts in their area of expertise, publishing in the Journal, and proposing improvements.
    6. Support staff includes two Assistant Editors who assist in manuscript submission and tracking via the electronic management system, communicate with Editorial Board and Committee members, perform administrative tasks, and coordinate with the Publishing House.


Useful links