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(In accordance with requirements of State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles of the Russian Federation and “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” established by International Committee of Medical Journal Editors)
The Editorial Board will require strict compliance with the following the requirements closely, lest the publication should be rejected.
Submission requirements
A manuscript is submitted in 2 printed copies and one digital recorded on a CD-R. The manuscript is sent to the editor’s office addressed to the Editor-in-Chief.
The last page of the article is signed by all the authors.
A cover letter serves as an official referral from the institution where the research was conducted. It should specify if the research described in the article is part of the author’s thesis.
Last page should include the signatures of all authors.
A manuscript is submitted in 2 copies, printed in 14 font size, with double-spacing, on a sheet of paper of A4 sheet size (210x295 mm), not overleaf, with 2.5 mm margins on both sides of the text. A manuscript should have an electronic version. Articles can also be submitted by e-mail addressed to the Editor-in-Chief or Deputy Editor-in-Chief.
General requirements for the text layout
Page: A4, margins – 2.5 cm (1 inch) on each side.
Font: Times New Roman, size 14, one and a half (1.5) line spacing.
Title page
Title page should include:
1) article title
2) authors information (names and initials, academic degrees, main positions);
3) full name and postal address of the establishment and department/unit/laboratory where the research was carried out;
4) full name (first name, patronymic, last name) and contact information of the author responsible for manuscript correspondence;
5) sources of support in the form of grants, equipment, drugs, or all of these; notification of possible conflict of interests;
6) a running head (a shortened title) consisting of 5–6 words.
Abstract
Abstract is printed on a separate sheet of paper. The text layout is the same as in the main text. The abstract’s structure should represent the headings of the article:
a) purpose of the study;
b) materials and methods;
c) results;
d) conclusion.
The abstract should consist of no less than 250 words for structured abstracts and 150 words — for non-structured ones. Key words (3 to 10 words) are given on the same page; they will assist indexers in cross-indexing the article. The abstract should emphasize new and important aspects of the study or observations.
Main text
The main text of an original article should not exceed 10-15 pages, literature reviews – 15-20 pages. The main text does not include the title page, resume and list of references.
The articles with original researches of a larger size are accepted on an individual basis, by the decision of the editorial staff.
All the articles should be thoroughly peer reviewed and checked by the authors. In case of multiple misspellings and punctuation errors, the article can be returned for follow-up revision.
Information should be reported using International System of Units (SI). If the research was carried out using devices with indices in other units of measurements, the latter should be transformed to SI, the conversion factor or computer program for converting being specified in “Materials and Methods”.
Standard abbreviations and acronyms are accepted. The spelled-out abbreviation followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis should be used on first mention, e.g.: intraocular pressure (IOP).
Formulas should preferably be developed in specialized program or using specialized equation editor included into MS Word.
The articles with original investigations should have the following sections:
1. Purpose of the research;
2. Materials and Methods;
3. Results;
4. Discussion;
5. Conclusion.
The 3rd and the 4th sections can be combined into one part, which then should be called “Results and Discussion”.
The text structure
Introduction. Provides a context or background for the study with references to most significant publications, specifies the necessity of carrying out the research.
Purpose of the research. Contains 2–3 sentences, specifying the purpose, research objective or the tested hypothesis.
Materials and Methods. Contains a detailed presentation of research methods and equipment used in the study. Identifies selection criteria for animals and patients, the number and the characteristic of patients including their sex and age, if it is essential for the study. It is obligatory to define the principle of patients’ grouping, as well as the research design. Identifies precisely all the drugs and chemicals used during the research, including their generic name(s), dose(s), and route(s) of administration.
At the end of the “Materials and Methods” section, in the “Data Processing” subsection, state the manner by which studies were evaluated. If the study was randomized, the principle of randomization should be specified. Average values are given in the form of М±m (М – arithmetic average, m – standard error of the mean). When indicating data reliability, p value in the main text and tables, p value is given in the full (р=..., not р<...). Correlation coefficients are given specifying their statistical significance, i.e. indicating p value, e.g.: r=0.435; р=0.006.
Results. The results in the main text, tables and figures should be presented in logical order. The main text should not repeat data from the tables and figures, only comment on them or compare them.
When the data is summarized in the main text or in a table, give numeric results not only as derivatives (for example, percentages) but also as the absolute numbers from which the derivatives were calculated (give the absolute value taken for 100%, e.g., 25% of 120 patients). Another variant: specify the absolute number and the percentage simultaneously, e.g.: 25% (30/120), or 30 of 120 patients (25%).
The required accuracy of percentage value depends on sample volume:
- the so called small samples (less than 20 objects of research) are usually not given in percentage, because in such cases the percentage value appears to be considerably larger than the absolute value of frequency for a particular characteristic value. Absolute values of frequencies for a particular characteristic value are given instead;
- if the sample volume is 20-100 objects of research, the percentages are presented as whole numbers;
- if the sample volume is over 100 objects, the percentage specified has no more than one decimal place.
Discussion. Emphasize the new and important aspects of the study, explore possible mechanisms or explanations for these findings, and if possible, compare and contrast the results with those obtained by other researchers. Do not repeat in detail data or other information given in the Introduction or the Results section. Explore the implications of the findings for future research and for clinical practice.
Conclusion. Represents the solution of the problem indicated in the title and the objective of the article. Avoid claiming priority or alluding to work that has not been completed.
Illustrative material
Figures should be clear, and photographs — sharp. Main text should contain references to every figure. Each figure should be submitted in a separate electronic file of JPG or TIFF format, with resolution not less than 300 dpi. Electronic files of figures should enable producing high-quality images in the Web version of the journal.
Diagrams should be presented in MS Excel.
Tables should capture information concisely and display it efficiently. Tables should be numbered consecutively. Supply a brief title for each table. The titles should be in accordance with the content of the columns. Main text should contain references to every table. All commentaries and explanations, including abbreviations expansion should be presented in footnotes.
The number of figures and tables should correspond with the amount of provided information and satisfy the “necessary and sufficient” principle. Data from the tables should not be repeated in the figures or main text and vice versa.
In case of excessive illustrative material the article may be returned to the author for reduction.
References and Reference Style
The reference list should begin on a new page. Firstly, the so called Russian reference list is presented with Russian references in Russian and foreign references in English. Then the list is repeated in English, with Russian references translated according to the principles stated below. References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text, not in alphabetic order. Identify references in the text by Arabic numerals in square brackets.
Bibliographic information should be up-to-date, authoritative and comprehensive.
It is advisable that original articles should have no less than 25 references and literature reviews – no less than 100.
References should cite only primary sources, avoiding citation of one review the reference was mentioned in.
Avoid using abstracts and articles taken from collected papers and conference proceedings as references.
It is not advisable to refer to theses (dissertations), because their review can present an obstacle.
The list of references is designed in accordance with the requirements of Vancouver style. Authors are responsible for checking the data cited in the reference list. Surnames of foreign authors are given in original spelling.
The titles of journals should be abbreviated according to the style used in Index Medicus.
Reference Models
Articles in Journals
Vega K.Y., Pina I., Krevsky B. Heart transplantation is associated with an increased risk for pancreatobiliary disease. Ann Intern Med 1996 Yun 1; 124 (11): 980–983.
Books (Monographs)
Ringsven M.K., Bond D. Gerontology and leadership skills for nurses. 2nd ed. Albany (NY): Delmar Publishers; 1996; 540 p.
Chapter in a Book, Article in Collected Papers
Phillips S.Y., Whisnant Y.P. Hypertension and stroke. In: Laragh Y.H., Brenner B.M., editors. Hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press; 1995; p. 465–478.
Editors, Compilers as Authors
Norman I.Y., Redfern S.Y., editors. Mental health care for elderly people. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 1996; 325 p.
Conference proceedings
Kimura Y., Shibasaki H., editors. Recent advances in clinical neurophysiology. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of EMG and Clinical Neurophysiology; 1995 Oct 15–19; Kyoto, Japan. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 1996.
Conference Paper
Bengtsson S., Solheim B.G. Enforcement of data protection, privacy and security in medical informatics. In: Lun K.C., Degoulet P., editors. MEDINFO 92. Proceedings of the 7th World congress on medical informatics; 1992 Sep 6–10; Geneva Switzerland. Amsterdam: North-Holland; 1992; p. 1561–1565.
Thesis (Dissertation)
Kaplan S.Y. Post-hospital home health care: the elderly’s acces and utilization [dissertation]. St. Louis (MO): Washington Univ.; 1995.
Patent, Author’s Certificate
Larsen C.E., Trip R., inventors; No-voste Corparation, assigne. Methods for procedures related to the electrophysiology of the heart. US patent 5,529,067. 1995 Yun 25.
Ethical Considerations
Authorship
All persons designed as “authors” should meet the criteria of the concept. Each author should have participated in the work sufficiently to take responsibility for its content. Authorship credit should be based on the following facts:
1) substantial contribution to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data;
2) drafting the article or reviewing and introducing fundamental changes in it;
3) final approval of the version to be published.
Acquisition of funding or data collecting, as well as general supervision of the research group alone does not constitute authorship.
Editors have the right to request and publish information about the contributions of each person in writing the article.
All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in the section “Acknowledgements”. The group of authors/contributors should jointly make the decision about the order in which their names are given.
Conflict of Interests
Conflict of interest concerning a particular manuscript exists when one of the participants of reviewing or publication process — an author, reviewer, or editor — has obligations that can potentially influence his or her action (even if it doesn’t actually happen). Financial relationships (such as employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, and paid expert testimony) are the most easily identifiable conflicts of interest. However, conflicts can occur for other reasons, such as personal relationship, academic competition, and intellectual passion.
All participants of the peer-review and publication process must disclose all conflicts of interests.
When authors submit a manuscript, they are responsible for disclosing all financial and other relationship that might bias their work. Authors should identify all individuals and institutions, who provided financial assistance, as well as other financial and personal support. Authors should describe the role of the study sponsor(s) in study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.
Authors should provide editors with the names of persons they feel should not be asked to review a manuscript because of potential, usually professional, conflicts of interest.
Reviewers must disclose to editors any conflicts of interests that could bias their opinions of the manuscript; they should recuse themselves reviewing specific manuscripts if the potential for bias exists. In return, the editorial staff should have the possibility to judge the objectiveness of the review and decide whether to refuse the reviewer’s service.
Editorial staff may use information disclosed in conflict-of-interest and financial-interest statements as a basis for editorial decisions.
Editors who make final decisions about manuscripts must have no personal, professional, or financial interest/involvement in any of the issues they might judge. Other members of the editorial staff, if they participate in editorial decisions, must provide editors with a current description of their financial interests (as they might relate to editorial judgment) and recuse themselves from any decisions in which a conflict of interest exists.
Observance of Patients’ Rights and Confidentiality
Patients have a right to privacy that should not be violated without informed consent. Identifying information, including names, initials, hospital numbers and case records, should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent/guardian) gives written informed consent for publication. Authors should disclose to these patients whether any potential identifiable material might be available via Internet as well as in print after publication. Authors should submit written informed consent of the patient to the journal, and it should be indicated in the published article.
Protection of Human Subjects and Animals in Research
When reporting experiments on human subjects, authors should indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentations (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as reviewed in 2000. If doubt exists whether the research was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration, the authors must explain the rationale for their approach and demonstrate that the institutional review body explicitly approved the doubtful aspects of the study. When reporting experiments on animals, authors should indicate whether the institutional and national guide for the care and use of laboratory animals was followed.
Publication of Negative Findings
Many studies with negative results are actually indecisive. The possibility of indecisive results publication is specially considered by the editorial staff; as such articles are frequently of no biomedical value and require the journal’s resources.
Redundant Publications
The editorial staff will not consider manuscripts that are simultaneously being considered by other journals, as well as the papers on work that has already been reported in large part in a published article or is contained in another paper that has been submitted or accepted for publication elsewhere, in print or in electronic media. This policy does not preclude the journal from considering a paper that has been rejected by another journal, or a complete report that follows publication of a preliminary report, such as an abstract or poster displayed at a professional meeting.
Correspondence
If necessary the readers can send their comments, questions and pointed remarks for the published articles and their comments will be published. The corresponding authors can respond to the remarks if they wish.
Author’s copies are not provided.
The articles previously published or submitted to another journal are not accepted. The editorial staff reserves the right to shorten and review the articles submitted.
The articles written and designed out of accordance with the present requirements will not be considered. The manuscripts rejected are not returned to the authors.
Detailed clauses of “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” established by International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, ethical principles in particular, are located at our site (translated version of 2006), and original version (English version of 2010) can be found at www.ICMJE.org.
Submission Preparation Checklist
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
- The manuscripts are accepted if has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.
- The materials should be prepared in a format OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, RTF, or World Perfect.
Internet links are provided as a complete URL.
- Text should be typed with an interval of one line spacing, font Times New Roman, 12 pt; to highlight the accents it is recommended to use italics rather than underlining (except Internet links). All images, graphics and tables are placed within the text according to the meaning of the particular part of text (and not at the end of the document).
Text should follow the stylistic and bibliography requirements as stated in Regulations located in the Part "About Us."
Please, remove the authors' names from the title of the article and other parts of the document to ensure the anonymity of reviewing.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Privacy Statement
Specified when registering the names and addresses will be used solely for technical purposes of a contact with the Author or reviewers (editors) when preparing the article for publication. Private data will not be shared with other individuals and organizations.
ISSN 2311-6862 (Online)