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EDITORIAL POLICY AND GENERAL INFORMATION
Review process
Conflict of interests
Permissions
Patients confidentiality
Copyright transfer
Disclaimer
CRITERIA FOR MANUSCRIPTS
Categories of Articles
PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPT
Title Page
Summary Page
Text
Background
Material and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
Tables
Figures
Photographs
Legends for Illustrations
Units of Measurements
Abbreviations and Symbols
Text on Diskette
SENDING MANUSCRIPT TO THE JOURNAL
Manuscript Package Summary
Internet submission
Adresses
EDITORIAL POLICY AND GENERAL INFORMATION
Annals of Transplantation [AOT] is the official journal of the Polish Association for the Study of the Liver (PTH) and is addressed to all scientists and clinicians interested in liver disease. The journal has the international scope. It is published quarterly and exclusively in English. Original articles, reviews, case reports, rapid communications, special articles and letters to the Editor in both basic and clinical hepatology research are accepted for publication.
Annals of Transplantation editors endorse the principles embodied in the Declaration of Helsinki and expect that all investigations involving humans will have been performed in accordance with these principles. For animal experimentation reported in the journal, it is expected that investigators will have observed the Interdisciplinary Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research, Testing, and Education issued by the New York Academy of Sciences' Adhoc Committee on Animal Research. All human and animal studies must have been approved by the investigator's Institutional review board.
Review process. Manuscripts are evaluated on the basis that they present new insights to the investigated topic, are likely to contribute to a research progress or change in clinical practice or in thinking about a disease. It is understood that all authors listed on a manuscript have agreed to its submission. The signature of the corresponding author on the letter of submission signifies that these conditions have been fulfilled.
Received manuscripts are first examined by the AOT editors. Manuscripts with insufficient priority for publication are rejected promptly. Incomplete packages or manuscripts not prepared in the advised style will be sent back to authors without scientific review. The authors are notified with the reference number upon manuscript registration at the Editorial Office. The registered manuscripts are sent to independent experts for scientific evaluation. We encourage authors to suggest the names of possible reviewers, but we reserve the right of final selection. The evaluation process usually takes 1-3 months. Submitted papers are accepted for publication after a positive opinion of the independent reviewers.
Conflict of interests. Authors of research articles should disclose at the time of submission any financial arrangement they may have with a company whose product figures prominently in the submitted manuscript or with a company making a competing product. Such information will be held in confidence while the paper is under review and will not influence the editorial decision, but if the article is accepted for publication, the editors will usually discuss with the authors the manner in which such information is to be communicated to the reader.
Because the essence of reviews and editorials is selection and interpretation of the literature, the Journal expects that authors of such articles will not have any financial interest in a company (or its competitor) that makes a product discussed in the article.
Journal policy requires that reviewers, associate editors, editors, and senior editors reveal in a letter to the Editor-in-Chief any relationships that they have that could be construed as causing a conflict of interest with regard to a manuscript under review. The letter should include a statement of any financial relationships with commercial companies involved with a product under study.
Permissions. Materials taken from other sources must be accompanied by a written statement from both author and publisher giving permission to the Journal for reproduction. Obtain permission in writing from at least one author of papers still in press, unpublished data, and personal communications.
Patients confidentiality. Changing the details of patients in order to disguise them is a form of data alteration. However authors of clinical papers are obliged to ensure patients privacy rights. Only clinically or scientifically important data are permitted for publishing. Therefore, if it is possible to identify a patient from a case report, illustration or paper, AOT Editors ask for a written consent of the patient or his/her guardian to publish their data, including photograms prior to publication.
The description of race, ethnicity or culture of a study subject should occur only when it is believed to be of strong influence on the medical condition in the study. When categorizing by race, ethnicity or culture, the names should be as illustrative as possible and reflect how theses groups were assigned.
Copyright transfer. Upon acceptance, authors transfer copyright to the AOT. Once an article is accepted for publication in AOT, the information therein is embargoed from reporting by the media until the mail date of the issue in which the article appears.
Upon acceptance all published manuscripts become the permanent property of the MSI Co. Ltd., the Publisher of Annals of Transplantation, and may not be published elsewhere without written permission from the Publishing Company.
Disclaimer. Every effort is made by the Publisher and Editorial Board to see that no inaccurate or misleading data, opinion or statement appear in Annals of Transplantation. However, they wish to make it clear that the data and opinions appearing in the articles and advertisements herein are the responsibility of the contributor, sponsor or advertiser concerned. Accordingly, the Publisher and the Editorial Board accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any such inaccurate of misleading data, opinion or statement. Every effort is made to ensure that drug doses and other quantities are presented accurately. Nevertheless, readers are advised that methods and techniques involving drug usage and other treatments described in this Journal, should only be followed in conjunction with the drug or treatment manufacturer's own published literature in the readers own country.
CRITERIA FOR MANUSCRIPTS
Editorial Board of Annals of Transplantation takes under consideration for publication original articles in experimental and clinical medicine and related disciplines with the understanding that neither the manuscript nor any part of its essential substance, tables or figures have been published previously in print form or electronically and are not taken under consideration by any other publication or electronic medium. Copies of any closely related manuscripts should be submitted to the Editor along with the manuscript that is to be considered by the Journal. The Journal discourages the submission of more than one article dealing with related aspects of the same study.
Each submission packet should include the statement signed by the first author that the work has not been published previously or submitted elsewhere for review and a copyright transfer.
CATEGORIES OF ARTICLES
Accepted papers are published in the following journal sections:
- Hypothesis a division designed for presentation new, yet empirically unproved medical hypothesis
- Basic Research for laboratory investigations and animal studies
- Clinical Research for human research papers
- Epidemiology for population studies
- Product Investigations for scientific evaluations or reports on medical and pharmaceutical products side effects, efficacy etc, already accepted for a routine daily practice
- Case Reports
- Diagnostics and Medical Technology enable presentation of research or review works in overlapping areas of medicine and technology such us (but not limited to): medical diagnostics, medical imaging systems, computer simulation of health and disease processes, new medical devices, etc
- Letters to Editor for comments on a recent AOT articles.
- Reviews and special reports are generally commissioned, but outstanding free papers may be accepted on the basis that they provide a systematic, critical and up-to-date overview of literature pertaining to research or clinical topics. Meta-analyses are considered as reviews. A special attention will be paid to a teaching value of a review paper.
PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPT
Guidelines for submission in Annals of Transplantation are in accordance with: Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (N Eng J Med, 1997; 336: 309-15).
Text should be one and half spaced with 12-point typeface. Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) at top, bottom, right, and left.
Illustrations are very helpful and for case reports are mandatory. In reviews it should be explained what information retrieval sources were used and what were the criteria in selecting the referred papers.
The Editorial Board reserves the privilege to adjust the format of the article.
The manuscript should include:
Title page with the following information:
- full names of all authors
- name of the department and institution in which the work was done
- affiliations of the authors
- manuscript full title
- running titl
- full name, address, telephone and/or fax number of the author responsible for manuscript preparation
- e-mail address to speed up contacts with authors
- source(s) of support in the form of grants (quote the number of the grant) equipment, drugs etc.
Summary page. SUMMARY in structured form not exceeding 250 words should consist of four paragraphs labeled: Background, Material and Methods, Results, Conclusion. Each summary section should begin in a new line and briefly describe, respectively, the purpose of the study, how the investigation was performed, the most important results and the principal conclusion that authors draw from the results.
KEY WORDS (3 to 6) or short phrases should be written at the bottom of the page including summary. The use of the items included in Index Medicus (Medical Subject Headings) is advised.
Text. The text of the article should be divided to seven paragraphs labeled: Background, Material and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, Acknowledgements, References.
Background should contain scientific rationale and the aim of the study or (in case of a review) purpose of the article
Material and methods should describe clearly the selection of observational or experimental subjects (patients or laboratory animals) including controls, such as age, gender, inclusion and exclusion criteria, (the circumstances for rejection from the study should be clearly defined), randomization and masking (blinding) method.
The protocol of data acquisition, procedures, investigated parameters, methods of measurements and apparatus should be described in sufficient detail to allow other scientists to reproduce the results. Name and references to the established methods should be given. References and brief description should be provided for methods that have been published but are not well known, whereas new or substantially modified methods should be described in detail. The reasons for using them should be provided along with the evaluation of their limitations. The drugs and other chemicals should be precisely identified including generic name, dose and route of administration.
The statistical methods should be described in detail to enable verification of the reported results.
Provide information on patients informed consent. Studies on patients and volunteers require informed consent documented in the text of the manuscript. Where there is any unavoidable risk of breach of privacy - e.g. in a clinical photograph or in case details - the patient��?/FONT>s written consent to publication must be obtained and copied to the journal. Information on approval of a Local Ethical Committee should also be provided.
Results should concisely and reasonably summarize the findings. Restrict tables and figures to the number needed to explain the argument of the paper and assess its support. Do not duplicate data in graphs and tables. Give numbers of observation and report exclusions or losses to observation such as dropouts from a clinical trial. Report treatment complications. The results should be presented in a logical sequence in the text, tables and illustrations. Do not repeat in the text all the data from the tables or graphs. Emphasize only important observations.
Discussion should deal only with new and/or important aspects of the study. Do not repeat in detail data or other material from the Background or the Results section. Include in the Discussion the implications of the findings and their limitations, including implications for future research. The discussion should confront the results of other investigations especially those quoted in the text.
Conclusions should be linked with the goals of the study. State new hypotheses when warranted. Include recommendations when appropriate. Unqualified statements and conclusions not completely supported by the obtained data should be avoided.
Acknowledgements. List all contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship, such as technical assistants, writing assistants or head of department who provided only general support. Financial and other material support should be disclosed and acknowledged.
References must be numbered consecutively as they are cited. References selected for publication should be chosen for their importance, accessibility, and for the further reading opportunities they provide. References first cited in tables or figure legends must be numbered so that they will be in sequence with references cited in the text. The style of references is that of Index Medicus. List all authors when there are six or fewer; when there are seven or more, list the first three, then et al. The following is a sample reference:
Standard journal article
Lahita R, Kluger J, Drayer DE, Koffler D, Reidenberg MM. Antibodies to nuclear antigens in patients treated with procainamide or acetylprocainamide. N Engl J Med 1979;301:1382-5.
Article with published erratum
Koffler D, Reidenberg MM. Antibodies to nuclear antigens in patients treated with procainamide or acetylprocainamide [published erratum appears in N Engl J Med 1979;302:322-5]. N Engl J Med 1979; 301: 1382-5.
Article in electronic form
Drayer DE, Koffler D. Factors in the emergence of infectious diseases. Emerg Infect Dis [serial online] 1995 Jan-Mar [cited 1996 Jun 5];1(1):[24 screens]. Available from: URL:http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/eid.htm
Article, no author given
Cancer in South Africa [editorial]. S Afr Med J 1994;84:15.
Book, personal author(s)
Ringsven MK, Bond D. Gerontology and leadership skills for nurses. 2nd ed. Albany (NY): Delmar Publishers; 1996.
Book, editor(s) as author
Norman IJ, Redfern SJ, editors. Mental health care for elderly people. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 1996.
Book, Organization as author and publisher:
Institute of Medicine (US). Looking at the future of the Medicaid program. Washington: The Institute; 1992.
Chapter in a book
Phillips SJ, Whisnant JP. Hypertension and stroke. In: Laragh JH, Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press; 1995. p. 465-78.
Conference proceedings
Kimura J, 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 BG. Enforcement of data protection, privacy and security in medical informatics. In: Lun KC, Degoulet P, Piemme TE, Rienhoff O, editors. MEDINFO 92. Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Medical Informatics; 1992 Sep 6-10; Geneva, Switzerland.
Avoid using abstracts or review papers as references. Unpublished observations and personal communications can not be used as references. If essential, such material may be incorporated in the appropriate place in the text.
Tables. Type or print out each table on a separate sheet of paper. Do not submit tables as photographs. Number tables consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text, and supply a brief title for each. Give each column a short or abbreviated heading. Place explanatory matter in footnotes, not in the heading. Explain in footnotes all nonstandard abbreviations that are used in each table. For footnotes use the following symbols, in this sequence: *, ��?/FONT>, **, etc.
Identify statistical measures of variations such as standard deviation and standard error of the mean. Do not use internal horizontal and vertical rules. Be sure that each table is cited in the text.
If you use data from another published or unpublished source, obtain permission and acknowledge them fully.
Figures should be professionally drawn and photographed; freehand or typewritten lettering is unacceptable. Instead of original drawings, x-ray films, and other material, send sharp, glossy, black-and-white photographic prints, usually 127 x 173 mm (5 x 7 in) but no larger than 203 x 254 mm (8 x 10 in). Letters, numbers, and symbols should be clear and even throughout and of sufficient size that when reduced for publication each item will still be legible. Titles and detailed explanations belong in the legends for illustrations, not on the illustrations themselves.
Each figure should have a label pasted on its back indicating the number of the figure, author's name, and top of the figure. Do not write on the back of figures or scratch or mar them by using paper clips. Do not bend figures or mount them on cardboard.
Figures should be numbered consecutively according to the order in which they have been first cited in the text. If a figure has been published, acknowledge the original source and submit written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material. Permission is required irrespective of authorship or publisher, except for documents in the public domain.
Photographs should be color or black & white glossy prints with numbers and descriptions on the back, following the pattern: title, authors, number of the photograph, its description.
Photomicrographs should have internal scale markers. Symbols, arrows, or letters used in photomicrographs should contrast with the background. If photographs of people are used, either the subjects must not be identifiable or their pictures must be accompanied by written permission to use the photograph.
Legends for Illustrations. Type or print out legends for illustrations using double-spacing, starting on a separate page, with Arabic numerals corresponding to the illustrations. When symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters are used to identify parts of the illustrations, identify and explain each one clearly in the legend. Explain the internal scale and identify the method of staining in photographs.
Units of Measurement. Measurements of length, height, weight, and volume should be reported in metric units (meter, kilogram, or liter) or their decimal multiples. Temperatures should be given in degrees Celsius. Blood pressures should be given in millimeters of mercury.
All hematological and clinical chemistry measurements should be reported in the metric system in terms of the International System of Units (SI). Alternative or non-SI units should be added in parenthesis.
Abbreviations and Symbols. Use only standard abbreviations. Avoid abbreviations in the title and abstract. The full term for which an abbreviation stands should precede its first use in the text unless it is a standard unit of measurement.
Text on a CD. The text may be processed with the use of any standard text editor. Standard fonts are advised, 12-point typeface. Tables, figures, drawings and photographs may be processed using any mode and software (*.txt, *.doc, *.xls, *.cdr, *.bmp, *.eps, *.tif preferably). Use CD-R or ZIP disks.
When submitting CD, authors should (1) be certain to include a print-out of the version of the article that is on the CD; (2) put only the latest version of the manuscript on the CD; (3) name the file(s) clearly; (4) label the disk with the format of the file and the file name; (5) provide information on the hardware and software used. Indicate the format: IBM PC or Apple and the name (+version) of software use.
SENDING THE MANUSCRIPT TO THE JOURNAL
Manuscripts must be accompanied by a covering letter signed by all coauthors. This must include:
- information on prior or duplicate publication or submission elsewhere of any part of the work as defined earlier in this document;
- a statement of financial or other relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest (see below);
- a statement that the manuscript has been read and approved by all the authors, that the requirements for authorship as stated earlier in this document have been met, and that each author believes the manuscript represents honest work; and
- the name, email addresses, postal address, and telephone number of the corresponding author, who is responsible for communicating with the other authors about revisions and final approval of the proofs.
The letter should give any additional information that may be helpful to the editor, such as the type of article in the particular journal that the manuscript represents.
The manuscript must be accompanied by copies of any permissions to reproduce published material, to use illustrations or report information about identifiable people, or to name people for their contributions.
Registration of papers is possible at the website http://www.annalsoftransplantation.com
After entering the home page, select the button [Authors Pathway], located in the left bottom corner of the page. If you have not logged in at Annals of Transplantation website, it is necessary to provide a password and login.
To do that, click on [Create new account], complete all the blanks and accept by clicking on [Save]. You should remember to note your password and login for future use.
To log in at the journal website, select the button [Authors Pathway], enter password and login and click on the [login] button. After entering the system you can register your paper by selecting the option [Add new article].
STEP 1 - AUTHORS
- type in the first and last name of the first author, and the name of institution under the heading [Affiliation], when this information is completed, click on the button [Add to the author's list];
other authors of the paper should then be added following the same procedure.
- remember to mark one of the authors as the corresponding author
- after typing in all authors' names click on the button [Save authors].
STEP 2 - TITLES AND ABSTRACTS
- write the running title, complete title and abstract (in English) under appropriate headings
- the abstract should contain up to 250 words
- after completing all the fields, click on the [proceed] button. It is possible to check the entered data on the screen if everything is correct, click on [proceed]
STEP 2A - COMMENTS
- this field is designed for correspondence with AOT Editorial Office, after typing the text in, accept it by clicking on [proceed].
STEP 3 - FULL TEXT AND FILES
- designed for entering full texts of the papers and adding attachments
- to add the full text of the paper, click on [Browse], select the paper file and then click on the [send] button.
- Follow the same procedure to add tables and figures.
STEP 4 - Add key words to article
- write the key word associated with the paper in the window [type key word] and click on [send], when a scroll of key word options appears, highlight one of them, and in the subsequent window select the most precise term and accept it with [save],
- to enter more key words, click on [back] and follow the same procedure
- after adding the key words, click on the [next step] button.
STEP 5 - SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES
- select the field of science represented by the paper and accept with [proceed].
The paper has been registered in the system. The registration can be checked by selecting the button [My articles]
In case of any queries or problems with paper registration, contact
Małgorzata Pęksyk, e-mail: m.peksyk@indexcopernicus.com
Alternatively - Postal submission. The authors are requested to send a CD-ROM which should include: manuscript of the article with corresponding figures and photographs, tables etc. Complete consignment is required to be sent to:
The Editor, Annals of Transplantation
Index Copernicus International S.A.
Al. Jerozolimskie 146 C, 02-305 Warsaw, Poland
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