Article Types
Original Research
Manuscripts describing complete studies that are of high impact to the field will be published as Original Research. Manuscripts should be as concise as possible, yet sufficiently detailed to permit critical appraisal, and should have a maximum word count of 12,000 and may contain no more than 15 Figures/Tables. Unnecessary subdivision of a study into several manuscripts is not acceptable. Manuscripts presenting a synthesis of previous research, and using clearly defined methods to identify, categorize, analyze and report aggregated evidence on a specific topic (i.e. systematic review papers) will also be published as Original Research. For design and reporting, systematic reviews must conform to the reporting guidelines (e.g., PRISMA, Cochrane, Campbell), and include the PRISMA flow diagram (if applicable). The manuscript file should include the following sections in this order: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion.
Review
Manuscripts covering topics that have seen significant development or progress in recent years will be published as Reviews. Manuscripts should present a complete overview of the state of the art (and should not merely summarize the literature), as well as discuss the following: 1) Different schools of thought or controversies, 2) Fundamental concepts, issues, and problems, 3) Current research gaps, 4) Potential developments in the field. Review articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 12,000 and may contain no more than 15 Figures/Tables. Review articles must not include unpublished material (unpublished/original data, submitted manuscripts, or personal communications) and may be rejected in review or reclassified, at a significant delay, if found to include such content. Review articles should have the following format: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Subsections relevant for the subject, Discussion.
Brief Communication
Manuscripts describing focused studies that are concise and of high impact to a field will be published as Brief Communications. This format is intended for the presentation of scientifically sound and novel research in a clear and concise fashion. The body of the paper (text and references) should have a maximum word count of 4,000 and may contain no more than 4 Figures/Tables. The Results and Discussion sections can be presented individually or combined into a single section. The manuscript file should include the following sections in this order: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion.
Mini Review
Mini Review articles cover focused aspects of a current area of investigation and its recent developments. They offer a succinct and clear summary of the topic, allowing readers to get up-to-date on new developments and/or emerging concepts, as well as discuss the following: 1) Different schools of thought or controversies, 2) Current research gaps, 3) Potential future developments in the field. Mini Reviews articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 2,500 and may contain no more than 2 Figures/Tables. Most reviews are submitted in response to an invitation from the Editor-in-Chief and are subjected to the usual review process prior to publication. Unsolicited reviews require approval by the Editor-in-Chief before receiving peer review. Mini Reviews should not include Materials and Methods or Results sections. The manuscript file should contain the following sections in this order: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Subsections relevant for the subject, Discussion.
Commentary
At the Editor-in-Chief's discretion, the Journal will publish “Commentary”, defined as letters or essays from readers discussing either an article recently published in the Journal (within the last 8 weeks) or other timely topics of interest relevant to the Journal’s readership. Commentaries have a maximum word count of 1,200 words and may contain no more than one Figure or Table. Letters discussing a published article may include supporting information, clarifications, criticisms, corrections, or alternate interpretations and perspectives, while commentaries on timely topics should present a personal viewpoint on the field, provide a balanced summary of current thinking including challenges and controversies, and comment on emerging and future directions of research. Pre-submission inquiries regarding the suitability of commentaries on timely topics should be sent to the editorial office. The author of a published Commentary accepts full responsibility for its content. Prior to publication, letters discussing a published article will be sent to the corresponding author of the article, who will be encouraged to provide a response.
Editorial
“Editorials” are invitation-only articles written by the Editor-in-Chief, a member of the editorial board, or an expert in the field. Editorials may be short essays expressing the author’s viewpoint, explaining journal policies, providing a discussion of the novelty, significance, and context of recently published research, or highlighting themes within a special issue or collection of articles. Editorials may offer perspective, interpret findings, identify trends, or suggest future directions, but generally do not present original experimental data. Editorials have a maximum word count of 1,000 words and may contain no more than 2 Figures or Tables. The author of a published Editorial accepts full responsibility for its content.