Submissions

Author Guidelines

Guide for authors

Please read the guidelines provided in this document and prepare your manuscript accordingly. The manuscript should be submitted as a Microsoft Word file (2007, 2010, 2013 editions, and in doc/Docx format).

Types of Articles Accepted:

The types of articles accepted for submission to this journal include:

1. Original Research Article: Most of the published articles in this journal are of this type. The original research article format is presented later in this document.


2. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: These articles are only accepted by the leading experts in a discipline. A review article aims to generate hypotheses, assess previously proposed hypotheses, present a summary of new findings in a scientific field and critically evaluate it, identify the problems in a specialized field, and to a lesser extent present the process for generating hypotheses and knowledge in a specific field. The principles and method of writing review articles are presented subsequently in the document.


3. Case Report: A structured abstract is not required in such articles. The article text comprises an introduction, case presentation, and discussion. A case report involves a detailed report on the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-ups of a patient. Case reports usually describe an uncommon or emerging phenomenon. They are one of the cornerstones of development in psychology, and they posit many new ideas in this field. Moreover, case reports are a quick brief communication between busy clinicians, who might not have time or resources to conduct large-scale studies. The principles of writing such articles are mentioned later in this document.


4. Letter to the Editor: These articles generally contain a scientific commentary and critique about a published article in the latest issue of the journal. Should the corresponding author be willing to respond to the critique, their response will be published together with the critique of their article.


5. Brief Communication: This is similar to a letter to the editor. These articles usually involve a preliminary account of a new project, method, or device, or a report introducing research in medicine or health sciences, in a concise manner or as a short review. The maximum number of authors for this type of article is 3.


6. Editorial: These are invited writings requested by the chief editor, which discuss an original research article published in the journal, or a specific subject related to the field of health, or the announcement of policies or programs. Editorials are usually written by the chief editor, the editorial council, editorial board members, or experienced and involved individuals in a specific discipline.


7. Clinical Note: In two pages, this type of article highlights important notes that are uncommon, and includes the individual's views and opinions, as well as their experience or observations.

Double Submission and Double Publication:

• The submitted article must not have been published previously, or be simultaneously under review in another journal. Also, after submission to this journal, the article should not be sent to another journal for review and publication, unless the article is rejected by this journal, or the author has not received a response on their article within eight months (in which case the journal office should be informed).


• If an article has been previously published in an English journal, it cannot be republished in an approved Persian journal with English abstract.


• If the article abstract has been published in the proceedings of a conference or seminar, the full article being sent for republication must be at least twice the summary of the article in length and must include a greater number of tables and charts in comparison to the summary of the article.

Ethical Principles in Research

• Articles on epidemiological studies or clinical trials are required to have a code of ethics. Review articles, editorials, and letters to the journal may lack the code of ethics.


• Research on human subjects should be conducted by ethical principles, including the WMA Declaration of Helsinki-Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects (2008) http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/index.html.


• If the study involves human subjects, obtaining informed consent from the participants is mandatory, and the authors should mention that they have obtained informed consent from the participants in the Methods section.


• Confidentiality rights, as one of the most fundamental principles in ethics, must be observed throughout the study and should be stated in a sentence in the manuscript. Identity-related information should not be included in writings, images, and genealogies unless this information is necessary for scientific purposes, and the patient (or their parents or guardians) provides written consent for the publication of this information. Identity details must be omitted if not necessary, however, the patient information should not be altered or misrepresented in an attempt to protect their identity. It is difficult to establish absolute anonymity, and if there is any doubt with regards to this an informed consent must be obtained.


• Articles based on clinical trial studies should not include patient information (including patient name, hospital bed number, etc.) in the content of the article as well as the submitted images.


• If the study involves animal subjects, it must be conducted under the European Communities Council Directive of 24 November 1986 (86/609/EEC) and following local laws and regulations governed within that country or with the guidelines laid down by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The authors must state in the manuscript that matters concerning these codes of ethics have been carefully observed throughout the research.


• Republishing previously published data, as the original data, is a violation of the ethical principles.


• Authors are expected to have their research data available throughout the evaluation and review process, and at least five years after the publication date, and be able to provide them when necessary.

Conflict of Interest

• Authors must disclose if their research results or any other parts of their research have been inappropriately influenced (direct or potential influence/bias) by any financial or personal relationship with organizations or individuals. This could include patents and grants from institutions and/or other public or private organizations.


• To prevent conflict of interest in multicenter studies, the agreement of the researchers in all the centers should be attached to the submitted article. In studies supported by private companies, the provisions of the agreement should be disclosed.

Submission Declaration and Verification

• By submitting your article to this journal, you agree that your work has not been published before this (other than in the form of an abstract, a presentation, or an academic thesis), that it is not submitted to or being reviewed in another journal simultaneously, and that all authors have agreed to submit the article to this journal.

Author Contributions

• The authors are required to indicate equal contributions at the end of the article.


• If deemed necessary by the authors to specify if two or more authors have contributed equally to the article, this may be marked by an asterisk stating, "These authors contributed to this work equally ".


• If more than three authors have had equal contributions, this should be specified in the comments section of the Authors Contributions.


• All current addresses should be placed directly below the author list (in the footnote of the first page).


• All other important explanations regarding the authors should be stated in the Acknowledgements section.


• Authors may enter more than one email address if necessary, in which case the journal office will contact the email address listed first with regards to any publication related matters. That author is expected to coordinate with other authors.

Using Inclusive and Clear Language

• Content should be written clearly and simply, to help readers from other disciplines understand what the study is about.


• Technical terms must be avoided as much as possible, or when impossible to avoid them the terms should be explained clearly.


• The use of abbreviations and acronyms, especially ones that are nonstandard, should be minimized.


• The study background, rationale, and the main conclusion should be explained clearly.


• Titles and abstracts precisely should be written in a way that is easily comprehended by any individual researcher.


• Authors can utilize the terms they prefer with regards to gene, protein, and other specialized terms, as long as the terms are currently in use by the community.

Article types, Word count and Length:

• The word count refers to the main text in the article. References, title, author list, and acknowledgments are not included in the total word count.


• Tables and figures will be considered in the word count, but only the ones essential to the research should be involved in the manuscript.


• When sending new or revised manuscripts, authors should mention the approximate length of their article with regards to word count and page numbers in a letter to the chief editor. Authors, who have exceeded the limits mentioned here or identified by the chief editor significantly, must shorten their article before acceptance.


• The word count must not exceed what is presented below.


• All remaining tables etc. should be presented in the Extended Data and Supplementary Materials section.


• Original research articles: These articles are typically between 3000 and 3500 words (including abstract, as well as the abovementioned items (Tables and Figures)).


• Lengthier reviews, theoretical and expository articles, and meta-analyses: These articles are typically no more than 10,000 words. Lengthier articles could be submitted and will be considered if deemed suitable by the editors; authors must justify the lengthiness of the article at the initial submission.


• Systematic reviews: These articles usually include between 5,000 to 10,000 words and involve a critical analysis of prominent and new topics.


• Case reports: The article abstract must not exceed 150 words, and must include information about case presentation (or new method presentation), results, and discussion. The manuscript should not exceed a total of 1500 words. The article should include 3 to 5 keywords, and a maximum of ten references.


• Brief Communications: The word count in these articles should not exceed a total of 2500 words (including figures, tables, and references). You could include additional figures and tables in Supplementary Materials (prepared in a maximum of three A4 pages).


• Letter to the editor: This should not exceed a total of 200 words, and should include at most three to five references.

Article Preparation

In this journal, new article submissions take place online. For further guidance, you may use the PDF file that provides step-by-step guidance on submitting your manuscript. When submitting, the system will convert your Microsoft Word file to PDF, and this file will be submitted for the peer-review process. The submitted document, including tables, figures, and images, must have sufficient quality.

Format of Original Research Articles:

The article should be divided into sections and subsections. Use numbers to name each section and subsection (the abstract are not numbered).

The article should include the following sections:

Title Page:

• The following items should be indicated on the first page of the article (title page): author(s) first name(s) and family name(s), their affiliations, and affiliation addresses (e.g. name of the group, faculty, and university).


• Each title must be presented in a different line, separate from the rest of the text relating to it.


• The title should not exceed two lines in print, involving nearly 75 characters (spaces included). Titles do not include numbers, acronyms, and abbreviations. They should be detailed enough to indicate the study objectives, but general enough to help readers from other disciplines to understand what the study is about.


• Refrain from using abbreviations and formulae in the title.


• A corresponding author should be appointed, and their address should be provided as follows: Full postal address, telephone number (include country and city code) or mobile phone number, email address, and fax number if applicable (include country and city code).


• The corresponding author is accountable for answering all queries during the reviewing and editing stages, as well as when contacted by the journal. This author will also be responsible for answering any queries after publication.


• Each author's full postal address including country and city name, their email address, and the name of the relevant university should be indicated in this section.


• Careful consideration is expected with regards to listing and arranging author name(s) when submitting the article to the quarterly office. We regret to inform you that no changes would be made to the names and their arrangement in the author list once the quarterly office receives the article.


• If an author's affiliation has changed, their current address should be provided.

Abstract:

• Abstracts should be indicated on the first page of the article.


• An abstract is a short paragraph that does not exceed 300 words, is presented separately from the main text, and precludes the use of numbers, acronyms, abbreviations, or measurements, unless necessary.


• An abstract involves these sections: background, research objectives, materials and methods, findings, and conclusion.


• The background section, in two to three sentences, involves the background and rationale of the study, along with a summary of the methods and findings of the study.


• The material and methods section contains the main study methods (selection method for the group under study or laboratory animals, observation, and analysis methods).


• The "Findings" section involves the main study findings (specific data and their statistical significance).


• The main conclusion of the study is stated in the "Conclusion" section. New and important aspects of research and observation will be highlighted. Lastly, future research implications will be included in this section.


• Graphical Abstracts: The use of a graphical abstract, which summarizes the main contents, draws readers' attention to the article. Submitting a graphical abstract is optional, and it should be submitted as a separate file.

Keywords:

• Three to 5 keywords, according to the content of the article, should be selected and placed below the abstract. The keywords are used for indexing purposes and easier information retrieval in Internet search engines and research databases. Therefore, the keywords much are selected from the Medical Subject Headings (Mesh) list. If no suitable keyword is found for a particular word, new words could be used. To access Mesh words, please visit the following URL:

http://www.ncbi.n1m.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=mesh 

Article Text:

• In composite figures (involving several panels and a lot of detailed information), to enhance the visibility of all elements, usually, at least half a page has to be occupied that is equivalent to 600 words. Therefore, text length may need to be lessened to accommodate such figures. Please note that essential but technical details could be transferred to the Methods section or the Supplementary Materials.


• As a guide, articles generally have 30 to 50 references (there are no restrictions on additional references related to a Methods or Supplementary Materials document).


• Sections in the article are separated using headings. The headings can be up to 40 characters long (including spaces).


• The preferred file format for the manuscript is Microsoft Word.


• Please use the standard Times New Roman 12-point font.


• The manuscript text includes the following sections: Introduction, methods and materials, results, discussion and conclusion, acknowledgments, and the reference list.

Introduction

• State the objectives of the study and provide a general explanation of your work. Also, explain the study background, but avoid going into detail.


• In the introduction section, after briefly stating the scientific background, the study objectives, and the rationale of the study/observation should be concisely mentioned. Only completely relevant references should be included in this section, and the data or conclusions of the study should not be reported.

Method

• Adequate details should be provided in this section, allowing for the study to be replicated by another independent researcher. Quotation marks must be used if you are quoting from other sources directly.


• The study population and sampling method (patients or laboratory animals, including the control group) should be stated clearly. Age, gender, and other important characteristics must be stated in this section.


• Provide information about the utilized methods and tools.


• All works carried out should be explained in sufficient detail to allow the research to be interpreted and replicated by other researchers, or allow for a complete reproduction of the study, if desired. Refer to specified and defined methods, if necessary (such as statistical methods). New or modified methods should be explained; reasons for their use should be stated and their limitations should be evaluated. All employed drugs and chemical materials should be identified, and their characteristics such as the generic name, dosage, and method of use should be mentioned. Provide evidence to support the sensitivity and specificity of the laboratory methods.


• Randomized clinical trial reports should provide information on all important research elements; including the research protocol (population, procedure, results, statistical analysis), determining the type of interventions (randomization methods, blinding different treatment groups), and research blinding method.


• You should refrain from providing detailed descriptions of previously published methods. If necessary, provide the source for that method.


• Statistical analysis: These methods should be provided with sufficient details to allow the research result to be evaluated by the readers. Referring to the software used for statistical analysis is necessary, but not enough. The statistical test used for each research variable should be stated clearly. To present the research results, authors are encouraged to use the mean, median, standard deviation, and confidence intervals.

Results

• The main findings of the study should be written clearly and concisely in this section.


• The study results should be presented in a logical order with regards to the text, tables, and diagrams, as well as images and figures.


• In analytical studies and clinical trials, first, compare the characteristics of the control group and the case (experimental) group, and then present the research data.


• Please refrain from repeating the data presented in the tables, charts, and images, in the manuscript text.


• Assessment methods, discussion, and conclusion should not be stated in this section.

Tables

• Tables and charts: The number of tables and charts should be proportional to the size of the article. Avoid providing tables and charts containing information and data that has already been fully mentioned in the article text. Each chart has to be self-explanatory and to understand the intended purpose one should not require reading the text. Tables and charts require a full title. Tables should be typed in Persian numbers and using Microsoft Word software. To draw charts, use software programs such as Excel. In charts, the titles for horizontal and vertical axes, as well as their scale should be stated.


• Present each table on a different page, in portrait orientation (not landscape), and an upright position on the page (not sideways).


• Tables must have a short title, in one line, and bold text.


• The tables must be as small as possible. When compiling a table, consider the size of a printed page in the article, as a limiting factor.


• Define any symbols and abbreviations directly underneath the table, in addition to briefly providing any essential descriptions.

Figures

• Figures should be small and simple, but also clear and consistent with the text. The goal is to make figures understandable to the readers and help them with comprehension of the article.


• Unessential figures and sections of figures should be avoided: such as data illustrated in histograms or small tables; this information could be briefly mentioned in the text instead. Refrain from including unessential complexities, coloring, and excessive details.


• Figures must not include more than one panel unless the panels are connected logically. Each panel consisting of a multipart figure should be sized to allow the full figure to be reduced by the same amount and replicated on the printed page with the smallest size where the important details are visible. For instructions, the standard sizes include 89 mm (single column), 183 mm (double column), and the page's full depth would be 247mm.


• For initial submissions, authors are required to submit the manuscript text and the related figures together in a Word document or a PDF file. Each figure caption should begin with a short title for the whole figure and continue with a short description of each page, the symbols used, and the acronyms. To place this information in the methods and results sections, the figure captions should not consist of any details about the methods or include more than 100 words (less than 500 words in the whole article).


• Thousands of units should be separated by a comma (1,000) in the figures.


• Avoid white letters on a colored background, as much as possible.


• When initially submitting the manuscript, the figures must be of sufficient quality to be evaluated by the referees, preferably inserted into the manuscript text in a Word document or PDF file. However, if the authors are unable to insert the figures into the manuscript text, they could be prepared and sent as separate JPEG files with appropriate quality.


• It should be noted that figures and tables must be placed within the manuscript text and close to the text that is about that specific figure.

Images

• Image files must be produced with image quality (resolution) of at least 300 dpi.


• Images files must contain information including the title of the article, name of the first author, and image number.


• In photographs taken from patients, it is mandatory to cover parts of the photograph that might reveal the identity of the patient.

Third-Party Rights

• Refrain from using or adapting previously published display items (such as tables, images, figures, text boxes, or videos). However, we know that utilizing previously published data might be required for illustrating some concepts, and therefore reusing previously demonstrated data might be essential. Kindly note that in these cases we might be unable to receive the rights for reusing some images in the articles published in this journal. In such instances, you will be contacted about alternative sources and materials.


• If a table, chart, or image has been published previously, except for public documents, written permission from the author(s) or publisher is required.

Discussion and Conclusion

• In this section, first, present a general explanation of the results. It's better to present a combination of results and discussion to explain the study findings.


• Refrain from writing extensive and unrelated backgrounds in this section.


• In the first paragraph, present important study findings that have answered the research questions. Highlight new and important aspects regarding the research and its conclusion. Do not duplicate any data or content from the Introduction or Results section.


• In the discussion section, provide an interpretation of the findings and the limitations of the results. Observations should be linked to other relevant studies, and if the results are not in line with other research findings, this should be analyzed.


• The main conclusion should be provided in this section. This could be presented as part of the discussion, or in a separate section.


• The conclusion should be linked to the research objectives; however, avoid vague statements and conclusions that are not fully supported by the research data. If necessary, new hypotheses would be stated, and lastly, recommendations would be provided at the end of this section.

Acknowledgments

• List here the financial sponsors who have provided funding, materials, and tools (noting the nature of the help).


• If the research article is the result of an approved research project and the funding was provided by a specific organization or center, the authors are required to indicate the research project number, as well as the name of the center that has provided the project budget.


• You may acknowledge the assistance of individuals who have helped in preparing the article, but whose help was not sufficient to be named as the authors of the article. These individuals must be named, and their work and help are explained; e.g. 'Scientific Advisor', 'Editor', 'Research Draft Reviewer', 'Data collector', 'Clinical Test Participants', etc.

Author Contributions

• Authors are expected to provide a statement indicating each author's contributions to the article, specifying each author's responsibilities and duties. At the end of the article a sentence could be stated outlining the roles and responsibilities of the authors in the preparation of the article, for example, the role they had in each of these steps: Conceptualization of hypotheses and research questions, Methodology, Data collection, Data analysis, Writing the manuscript, and Editing the article.

Reference List

• As a general guideline, articles could include 30 references in the main text, but this number could be increased to 50 if necessary. The reference list should only include articles published or approved by valid publishers or uploaded as a preprint.


• Authors are encouraged to use software programs like Mendeley and Endnote, etc. to increase the speed and accuracy in referencing.


• References should be denoted numerically and in the order that they have been mentioned in the text (Vancouver style).


• When preparing the reference list, it is essential to pay special attention to punctuation and spacing between words and letters.


• If only the abstract of the referenced article is used, the word [abstract] should be mentioned at the end of the reference.


• The reference list must be prepared with accuracy and exactly according to the pattern in the following examples:

Articles

English article:

1. Parkin DM, Clayton D, Black RJ, Masuyer E, Friedl HP, Ivanov E, et al. Childhood Leukemia in Europe after Chrnobyl: 5 Year Follow- up. Br J Cancer 1996; 73(8): 1006-12.

Please note that if the article has less than six authors, all author names should be stated. However, if there are more than six authors, similar to the method illustrated above, the term "et al." (meaning "and others") should be used after the name of the sixth author. 

Persian article:

Please refer to the article's English abstract, and like the above example, state the research information. At the end of the reference, state (Full Text in Persian) in a parenthesis.  

Non-English and Non- Persian article:

1. Ryder TE, Haukeland EA, Solhaug JH. Bilateral InfrapatellarSenerupturHostidligere Frisk Kvinne. TidsskrNorLaegeforen 1996; 116: 41-2.

Institution as the author:

1. The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Clinical Exercise Stress Testing. Safety and Performance Guidelines. Med J Aust 1996; 164(5):282-4.

No authors mentioned at all:

1. Cancer in South Africa [editorial]. S Afr Med J 1994;84:15.

Quarterly appendix:

1. Shen HM. Zhang QF. Risk Assessment of Nickel Carcinogenicity and Occupational Lung Cancer. Environ Health Perspect 1994;102Suppl 1:275 – 82.

Article published in a conference proceedings booklet:

1. 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.

Books

English Books:

1. Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Isselbacher KJ, Wilson JD. Martin JB. Kasper DL, et al., editors. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 14^thed. New York: McGraw Hill, Health Professions Division; 1998.

Please note that if the book has less than six authors, all author names should be stated. However, if there are more than six authors, similar to the method illustrated above, the term "et al." (meaning "and others") should be used after the name of the sixth author. 

An English Book Chapter:

1. Philips SJ. Whisnant JP. Hypertension and Stroke. In: Laragh JH, Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management. 2^nded. New York: Raven Press; 1995. p.465-78

Persian Books:

Persian books' information, like the example above, should be stated in English (The English details of the book could usually be found at the back of the book cover). At the end of the reference, state (Text in Persian) in a parenthesis.  

Thesis

English Thesis:

1. Kaplan SJ. Post–hospital Home Health Care: the Elderly Access and Utilization (Dissertation). St Louis (MO): Washington University;1995.

Persian Thesis:

Persian thesis information, like the example above, should be stated in English. At the end of the reference, state (Text in Persian) in a parenthesis.  

Electronic Sources

1. Morse SS. Factors in the Emergence of Infectious Diseases. EmergInfec Dis [Internet]. 1995 Jan–Mar [cited 2007 Hun 5];1(1):[24 Screens]. Available from.: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/eid.htm

Computer Software or Program

1. Hemodynamics III: the Ups and Downs of Hemodynamics [Computer program]. Version 2.2. Orlando (FL): Computerized Educational Systems; 1993.

For more information on how to cite other types of resources, visit the following URL:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html

Appendices

Appendices should be presented at the end of the article, after the reference list. They should be classified as A, B, etc.

Extended Data

• This includes figures and tables that are only displayed online (in the online PDF file and the full-text HTML version of the paper). They provide a critical background to the article but are not included in the printed version because of space limitations or that the information is sole of interest to a small number of experts.


• No more than 10 Extended Data items (tables and figures) are allowed.


• Extended Data tables should be formatted along similar lines as the tables in the article, but the main body (except for the title and caption that should be placed at the end of the Word file) should be submitted separately as an image file, and not an editable template in Word document. Small tables may also be placed as sub-panels in Extended Data figures.


• Extended Data figures should be prepared somewhat differently compared to the figure preparation guidelines in the article, and they could include multiple panels.


• Figures and tables under Extended Data will not be revised by the journal.


• Captions with regards to Extended Data tables and figures should be provided like the tables and figures in the manuscript and should be listed at the end of the Word document.


• If the initially submitted manuscript contains Extended Data figures and tables, authors are asked to address the Extended Data in an appropriate section of the main paper (e.g., Extended Data Table 1, Extended Data Fig.1).


• If there are references with regards to the Extended Data, they should be stated after the last reference in the main article (or from the last reference number in the additional Methods section, if applicable).

Supplementary Information

• Supplementary information is only displayed online. It includes materials and information that provide essential background to the article (e.g. large data sets, methods, calculations), but that is too large or impractical or is only of interest to a small number of experts.


• Supplementary materials and information such as computer programs, images, and audio clips could be submitted together with your article to reinforce it.


• Supplementary items will be published exactly as received (Excel or PowerPoint files will be displayed online).


• These materials should be sent along with the article, and a brief, informative caption should be supplied for every supplementary file.


• Articles with supplementary information should present this statement at the end of the manuscript: Supplementary information is available for this article.


• If there is  a need to alter the supplementary information and materials at any stage of the process, please prepare and submit an updated file


• Supplementary information must not contain figures (any additional figures to the ones displayed in print should be formatted as Extended Data figures).


• You may include tables in Supplementary Information, but only if they are not suitable to be formatted as Extended Data tables (e.g. tables that involve large data sets or raw data that are most appropriate for an Excel file).


• If the manuscript involves further supplementary information (such as videos, tables) this information should be referred to in an appropriate section in the main text.

Formatting Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Articles

Title:

• The title for review articles is similar to other articles.


• The title must be attractive, informative, and without excessive words. The use of abbreviations should be avoided unless they are well known and common.

Abstract:

In review articles, abstracts could be written in two different ways:

• One way is to explain the discussed topic in the article and refrain from providing a concise summary of the article's content, as opposed to abstracts in original research articles.


• Another method is to provide a structured abstract for the review article, including background, research objectives, data sources, study selection, data extraction, data synthesis, and conclusion.

Introduction:

• The introduction section usually involves a minimum of three paragraphs. In the first paragraph, introduce the topic being discussed in the article. Provide background information about the field of research in the second paragraph and in the third paragraph state the rationale for conducting the research and writing the paper.


• Discuss the history and background information about your topic in the first paragraph, and avoid providing any content related to the study findings in this section.


• Research objectives are presented similar to other articles, but they could be discussed in a broader array than original articles.

Methods:

• Research methods in all articles should be written in a way that similar results could be achieved if another individual replicates the research using the same methods. Therefore, it is essential to provide all the necessary details and steps to conduct the research.


• The methods section in review articles must involve the methods used to access relevant studies and the eligibility criteria for study selection. Present sufficient information about the used databases and keywords. The search query in each database should be explained in detail. The main databases include PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and Ovid. Also, the main databases within the country include Jahad University Scientific Information Database (SID), Irandoc, Iranmedex, and MedLib.


• The number of articles found the eligibility criteria, and the study selection method for the review should be presented in the article.


• Provide details of the time and date for database search. This helps readers and reviewers to be aware of the time frame for reviewing existing articles.


• The method used for data synthesis should be mentioned in this section.

Results:

• Content from the selected studies is presented in the Results section.


• Historical trends could be used to organize and present the changes that have occurred in a specific field over time.


• Thematic classification can be employed to categorize, summarize, and synthesize the findings into several relevant themes. The method presented in scientific sources that examine the risk factors, risk factor impact, diagnosis method, treatment method, and follow-up of a patient, is an appropriate example for thematic synthesis.


• In addition to presenting the themes, authors should compare and critique the contents of the articles, and provide their opinions as experts in the field.

Conclusion:

This section could be presented in four different ways:

• In the first method, the hypothesis is not rejected, and all current evidence is in favor of confirming the hypothesis.


• In the second method, although the hypothesis has not been proven, the best justification is currently available unless there is evidence disproving it.


• Third, the hypothesis could neither be confirmed nor rejected due to the lack of coordination in the evidence and disagreement.


• Fourth, the hypothesis is proven to be wrong. In this case, either the hypothesis was rejected, or the opposite hypothesis in other confirmed articles was correct. This method is employed for cases where a hypothesis or incorrect belief is widely accepted.

Formatting Case Reports:

All case reports include the following components:

Abstract

• Provide a summary of the case, the problem addressed it the case, and the message it conveys. Case Study abstracts are normally really short and include preferably no more than 150 words.

Introduction

• Provide a brief outline of the problem being addressed in the case, citing relevant literature where essential. The introduction usually includes a description of the patient and the basic condition of their illness that has led to their suffering.

Case

 This section involves details related to the case, in the following order:

• Patient description


• Patient history


• Physical and psychological examination results


• Results of pathological tests and other investigations


• Treatment plan


• Expected treatment plan outcome


• Achieved outcomes

The authors must ensure that all related details are included and unnecessary items are omitted.

Discussion

• This is the most important section of a case report, one that convinces the referees that the article is noteworthy. The discussion should involve an expansion of what has been stated in the introduction and should focus on the significance of the case and the presented problem.


• Next, this should be followed by providing a summary of the existing literature on the subject.


• A description of the existing theories and research findings relevant to the key problem in the patient's condition should be provided in this section.


• In the end, the report should be linked to the existing literature, stating the message conveyed by the case.


• The author should explain whether these findings have an impact on the current beliefs about the issue or lessen it, and how this evidence could add value to the clinical practice in the future.

Conclusion

• The case report ends with a conclusion or summary points.


• This section should provide readers with a summary of the key points presented in the case report.


• The author could provide recommendations and suggestions to clinicians and researchers in this section.

Notes on Patient Consent in Case Studies:

• Informed consents are an ethical principle for most studies involving human participants, therefore a written informed consent must be obtained from the patient before writing a case report, and the consent must be submitted to the journal together with the manuscript at the time of submission.


• If the patient is a minor, obtaining parental consent is mandatory.


• For adults who are not able to consent to research and treatment, it is necessary to obtain consent from their closest family members.


• The anonymity of the patient is an important requirement. Please be reminded that your article must not include any information that may reveal the patient's identity. You must pay special attention to the included photos, and make sure that pictures regarding the affected area would not reveal the patient's identity.

Manuscript Submission Checklist:

• Title page


• Corresponding author contact information (full postal address, e-mail address, and telephone number)


• Author(s) name(s) and affiliation(s)


• The title page should be uploaded separately


• Abstract


• Keywords


• Article title


• Article text (including Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion)


• Tables and Figures according to the journal format (including titles, captions, and footnotes)


• Images


• Reference list according to the journal format


• Appendices


• Extended Data and Supplementary Information along with their files


• The manuscript has been carefully checked for grammatical and spelling errors


• Manuscript document (excluding Title page and Acknowledgements)


• 'Acknowledgements' should be uploaded in a separate document


• Author identity has been removed from the main edition of the manuscript


• 'Charts' file


• Cover letter for the chief editor


• Authorship form has been completed


• Referee suggestion form has been completed


• Permission has been obtained for using copyrighted materials from other sources


• Articles should involve page numbers

Important Notes

• If the submitted manuscript does not follow the format stated in this guideline, it will be returned to the author before being reviewed, and the article will only be reviewed after it has been edited according to this guideline and resubmitted to the journal.


• The editorial board is free to accept, reject, edit, and summarize articles.


• The author(s) will be informed once the article is received by the journal. After initial evaluations, the article will be sent to the reviewers of the journal. After the final decision and acceptance of the article, it will be placed in a queue for publication, and the corresponding author will be notified about this in writing. Authors and referees would not be aware of each other’s identity.


• After the final editing of the article, the copy prepared for publication will be sent to the corresponding author, so that after reading and approving it, the printing process would be completed. The corresponding author is accountable for quickly reporting any errors in the final version of the article to the journal office so that the errors would be corrected in the final copy of the article.