Submissions

Author Guidelines

1. Guide for authors
   • Submission checklist

Use this checklist to perform a final review of your submission before sending it for journal review. For detailed information, refer to the relevant Guide for Authors section. Ensure the following components are included:

1. Cover Letter:
• Clearly state the journal name and manuscript title.
• Confirm non-publication elsewhere and absence from consideration by another journal.
• Declare no conflict of interest.
• Provide contact details for the corresponding author.
• Indicate color usage preference for figures in print.
• Suggest 2-3 potential reviewers with their contact details.
2. Corresponding Author:

Designate one author as the corresponding author with:

• Email address.
• Full postal address.

1. Authorship:

Define authorship contributions and responsibilities:

• AuthorSubstantial input in project conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or manuscript preparation.
• All authorsmust have approved the submitted version, original or revised.
• Acknowledgment:Participants not meeting authorship criteria should be acknowledged.
• Corresponding author:Responsible for authorship agreement, order, and communication with the Journal about publication matters.

1. Original files:

Manuscripts should be prepared following uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals as approved by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (www.icmje.org).

Ensure all required files are uploaded:

• Manuscript with keywords.
• All figures with relevant captions.
• All tables with titles and footnotes.
• Graphical Abstracts/Highlights files (if applicable).
• Supplemental files (if applicable).

1. Statements:
• Include a signed Letter of Undertaking, confirming exclusive submission to “Journal”, copyright transfer, and willingness to pay publication charges.
• Provide a competing interests statement, even if no competing interests exist.
• Disclose funding source and conflict of interest, if applicable.
• Note approval of the study by the Ethics Committee/Institution Review Board.

7.2 Manuscript preparation

To ensure consistency and facilitate review, adhere to these guidelines while preparing your manuscript:

ARTICLE STRUCTURE

1. Manuscript Format:
• Use Microsoft Word and type the manuscript in English.
• Use Times New Roman, 12 pt, with 1.15 line spacing between paragraphs, and and maintain 2.5 cm (1 inch) margins.
• Limit font usage to Times New Roman, Symbol, and Zapf Dingbats.
• Consecutively number pages at the middle bottom.
• Place figures and tables near their reference points.
2. Section Sequence:
• Arrange sections: Title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, conflict of interest, references, tables, figures, and legends.
• Organize article with numbered sections (the abstract is not included in section numbering).
• Subsections should be numbered 1.1 (then 1.1.1, 1.1.2, ...), 1.2, etc.
• Include concise subsection headings.
• Start each section on a new page.
3. Content Guidelines:
• Introduction: Concisely state objectives and background.
• Material and Methods: Detail replicable methods, cite established ones.
• Theory/Calculation: Extend theoretical basis, separate from practical applications.
• Results: Present clear findings.
• Discussion: Analyze significance, omit repeating results.
• Appendices: Label as A, B, etc. Number equations, tables, and figures within appendices.

TITLE PAGE

1. Specify the article type: Original article, Review Article, Technical Report, Brief Report, Letter to the Editor.
2. Provide a concise and informative title.
3. Include the author's name(s).
4. State the institution(s) of each author.
5. Provide Corresponding Author details: Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and email address.

ABSTRACT

• Abstract is mandatory for Original Article, Review Article, Technical Report, and Brief Report.
• Keep it under 250 words.
• For Original Articles, use subheadings: Background and Objectives, Methods (Subjects) and Results, Conclusions.
• Subheadings optional for Review Articles, Brief Reports, Technical Reports, and Letters to the Editor.
• An abstract is often presented separately from the article, so it must be able to stand alone. So, references should be avoided. If needed, cite author(s) and year(s). Avoid unfamiliar abbreviations; define them on first mention.
• Include trial registration number and date when applicable.

KEYWORDS

Immediately after the abstract, provide a maximum of 6 keywords, using American spelling and avoiding general and plural terms and multiple concepts (avoid, for example, 'and', 'of'). These keywords will be used for indexing purposes.

TEXT

• Word limit: Keep the text within 6,000 words (excluding title page, abstract, acknowledgements, potential conflict of interest, references, tables, figures, and legends).
• Structure: Utilize standard headings like Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion.
• Section length (in words):

Introduction: Up to 500 words

Discussion: Up to 1500 words

Conclusion: Up to 150 words

No formal word limit for Materials and Methods, Results.

• Order of elements: Number references, tables, and figures in order of citation.
• Define acronyms: Abbreviations, and symbols upon first use.
• Headings: Please use no more than three levels of displayed headings.
• Introduction: Summarize study's purpose and rationale without extensive review or conclusions.
• Methodology: Detail method, apparatus, and drugs (generic name, dose, administration). Include references for established methods; provide sufficient details for new methods. Mention statistical methods, computer programs, and Info system used. Include Ethics Committee / Institutional Review Board (EC/IRB) approval number with date.
• Results: Present text, tables, and illustrations. Avoid repetition of table content in text; refer to table numbers. Sub-headings in lengthy articles can clarify content, especially in Results and Discussion. Supplementary materials can be placed in an appendix, accessible electronically.
• Discussion: Highlight findings' significance and relate to existing research. Avoid reiterating detailed data. Assess study's hypothesis and conclusions. Emphasize contributions to medical literature and clinical significance.
• Citations: Reference citations in the text should be identified by numbers in square brackets. Some examples:

Negotiation research spans many disciplines [3].

This result was later contradicted by Becker and Seligman [5].

This effect has been widely studied [1-3, 7].

TABLES

• Formatting as text, not photos.
• Using abbreviated column headings.
• Including statistical measures in cells.
• Properly citing in the text.
• Providing titles, numbers, and citations, while avoiding vertical lines and using only horizontal lines

FIGURES

• Figure Naming: Use logical file naming for clarity.
• Format Consistency: Ensure uniform lettering and sizing using preferred fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Symbol, or Courier. If feasible, use Times New Roman 8pt font for consistency.
• Numbering and Citation: Number figures in the order of appearance; numerically cite using Arabic numbers in the text.
• Figure Format: Employ appropriate formats for photos, imaging data, graphs, or charts.
• Abbreviation clarification: Define abbreviations within figures/tables, even if already defined in the manuscript.
• High resolution: Ensure high-quality figures with resolution ideally at 300 dpi or higher for jpeg or tiff formats.
• Submission approach: Figures and captions can be combined in a single file; files larger than 10 MB should be submitted individually.

FIGURE LEGENDS

• Provide separate, double-spaced figure legends.
• Include a concise title and explanation.
• State magnification and stain methods for photomicrographs.
• Define abbreviations or symbols in figure legends.

DECLARATIONS

All manuscripts must contain the following sections under the heading 'Declarations'. If any of the sections are not relevant to your manuscript, please include the heading and write 'Not applicable' for that section.

• Funding (information that explains whether and by whom the research was supported)
• Conflicts of interest/Competing interests(include appropriate disclosures)
• Ethics approval(include appropriate approvals or waivers)
• Informed consent(include appropriate statements)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Acknowledgments of people, grants, funds, etc. should be placed before the references. The names of funding organizations should be written in full.