A foreword from the Editor-in-Chief

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Vessel Plus. This recently launched journal from OAE Publishing Inc., is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to publishing articles focused on vascular physiology, biology and disease.

I would like to thank and extend my gratitude to my co-editors, editorial board members, reviewers, members of OAE Publishing Inc., especially Sylvia Wang, as well as the contributing authors for creating this first issue.

Vessel Plus publishes articles related to all diseases caused by pathological change of blood vessels, including stroke, hypertension, aneurysm and coronary artery and peripheral vascular diseases and thrombosis. This journal focuses on the latest clinical and basic research on the prevention, treatment and prognosis of disease of the blood vessels including those of the arterial and venous circulation as well as the microcirculation.

In this issue, readers will find a diverse group of manuscripts. Sobenin et al.^[1] have provided new insight into the nature of low density lipoprotein modifications in diabetic compared to non-diabetic patients. Schiavone et al.^[2] have compared the mechanical performance of metallic compared to bioresorbable polymeric stents during the process of crimping and deployment using finite element modelling. Additionally, Dong et al.^[3] have reviewed the potential therapeutic role of a mimetic peptide of the ubiquitin-interacting motif of epsin, through regulation of VEGFR2 signaling, in brain tumors.

This is indeed an exciting time for Vessel Plus. Our journal will allow rapid publication of manuscripts after rigorous peer review, free of charge to the authors with open access, facilitating widespread dissemination and impact on the field. Future special issues may include a thematic focus on original research as well as reviews and editorials by luminaries in the field. We look forward to helping advance the field of vascular research by providing a premier medium for publication.