BBS Call for Commentary Proposals: Anderson

Dear Dr. Qwerty: When a target article or recent book has been accepted for BBS Commentary, the editorial office sends out the Call for Commentary Proposals to thousands of people. Commentary Proposals help the BBS Editors craft a well-balanced commentary invitation list. If this target article interests you as a possible subject for commentary, please download the full pre-print to see if you would like to propose a commentary. If you are interested please follow the instructions below the target article information. Please keep in mind that we are not asking you to submit a commentary -- but rather, a short proposal in order to be considered as an invited author after the proposal deadline. Please also be aware that we typically get far more proposals than we can accept. NOW ACCEPTING COMMENTARY PROPOSALS ON: Target Article: "Neural re-use as a fundamental organizational principle of the brain" Author: Michael Anderson Deadline for Commentary Proposals: April 1, 2010 Abstract: An emerging class of theories concerning the functional structure of the brain takes the re-use of neural circuitry for various cognitive purposes to be a central organizational principle. According to these theories, it is quite common for neural circuits established for one purpose to be exapted (exploited, recycled, redeployed) during evolution or normal development, and put to different uses, often without losing their original functions. Neural re-use theories thus differ from the usual understanding of the role of neural plasticity (which is, after all, a kind of re-use) in brain organization along the following lines: according to neural re-use, circuits can continue to acquire new uses after an initial or original function is established; the acquisition of new uses needn't involve unusual circumstances such as injury or loss of established function; and the acquisition of a new use needn't involve (much) local change to circuit structure (e.g., it might involve only the establishment of functional connections to new neural partners). Thus, neural re-use theories offer a distinct perspective on several topics of general interest, such as: the evolution and development of the brain, including (for instance) the evolutionary-developmental pathway supporting primate tool use and human language; the degree of modularity in brain organization; the degree of localization of cognitive function; and the cortical parcellation problem and the prospects (and proper methods to employ) for function to structure mapping. The idea also has some practical implications in the areas of rehabilitative medicine and machine interface design. Keywords: Brain; Development; Evolution; Exaptation; Functional architecture; Localization; Modularity Download Target Article Preprint: http://journals.cambridge.org/BBSJournal/Call/Anderson_preprint COMMENTARY PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING 1. What aspect of the target article or book you would anticipate commenting upon. 2. The relevant expertise you would bring to bear on the target article or book. Please include names and affiliations of your co-authors if applicable. SUGGESTING COMMENTATORS AND NOMINATING BBS ASSOCIATES Commentators must be BBS Associates, or suggested by a BBS Associate. If you are not a BBS Associate, please follow the instructions below. To suggest others as possible Commentators, or to nominate others for BBS Associateship status, please email bbsjournal(a)cambridge.org. http://journals.cambridge.org/BBSJournal/Inst/Assoc HOW TO SUBMIT A COMMENTARY PROPOSAL If you would like to nominate yourself for potential commentary invitation, you must submit a Commentary Proposal via our BBS Editorial Manager site: 1. Log-in as Author Username: CQwerty-545 Password: Qwerty875632 Log-in to your BBS Editorial Manager account as an author: http://www.editorialmanager.com/bbs. If you do not have an account, please visit the site and register. You can also submit a request for missing username and password information if you have an existing account. 2. Submit New Manuscript Within your author main menu please select Submit New Manuscript. 3. Select Article Type Choose the article type of your manuscript from the pull-down menu. Commentary Proposal article types are temporarily created for each accepted target article or book. Only select the Commentary Proposal article type that you wish to submit a proposal on. For example; "Commentary Proposal (Anderson)" 4. Enter Title Please title your proposal submission by indicating the relevant first author name of the target article or book. For example: "Commentary Proposal on Anderson" 5. Add Co-Authors If you are proposing to write a commentary with any co-authors, please enter their required information here. These potential co-authors need not contribute to the Commentary Proposal itself. 6. Attach Files The only required submission Item is your Commentary Proposal in MSWord or RTF format. In the Description field please add the first author name of the target article or book. For example: "Commentary Proposal on Anderson" 7. Approve Your Submission Editorial Manager will process your Commentary Proposal submission and will create a PDF for your approval. On the 'Submissions Waiting for Author's Approval' page, you can view your PDF, edit, approve, or remove the submission. Once you have Approved the Submission, the PDF will be sent to the editorial office. **It is VERY important that you check the and approve your Commentary Proposal manuscript as described above. Otherwise, we cannot process your submission.** Note: If you have designated a different Corresponding Author, only the new Corresponding Author will have access to the PDF and must log-in to the system in order to approve the PDF. 8. Editorial Office Decision At the conclusion of the Commentary Proposal period, the editors will review all the submitted Commentary Proposals. An undetermined number of Commentary Proposals will be approved and those author names will be added to the final commentary invitation list. At that time you will be notified of the decision. If you are formally invited to submit a commentary, you will be asked to confirm your intention to submit by the commentary deadline. Note: Before the commentary invitations are sent, the copy-edited and revised target article will be posted for invitees. In the case of Multiple Book Review, invitees will be sent a copy of the book to be commented upon if requested. With Multiple Book Reviews, it is the book, not the Précis article that is the target of commentary. Please do not write a commentary unless you have received an official invitation! SPECIAL NOTE Since this is our first year on Editorial Manager, we would like your feedback regarding how the process could be improved. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. BEING REMOVED FROM THE CALL EMAIL LIST If you DO NOT wish to receive Call for Commentary Proposals in the future, please reply to bbsjournal(a)cambridge.org, and type "remove" in the subject line. Sincerely, Ralph DeMarco Editorial Administrator, BBS Associate Editor, STM Journals Cambridge University Press 32 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10013-2473 Tel 001 212.337.5016 bbsjournal(a)cambridge.org http://journals.cambridge.org/bbs http://bbs.edmgr.com/