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INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHING POLICIES

The following “Instructions for Authors and Publishing Policies” conform to the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals which are formulated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (www.ICMJE.org).

Guidelines for publishing a manuscript:

1. Manuscripts should be written in Russian or in English and typed on a computer using MS Word 2007 program (Times New Roman headset, font size 14, double-spaced), and presentation of 2 one side printed copies on an A4 sheet with the mandatory provision of the electronic version of the article is required. Field sizes: the top – 2.0 cm; bottom – 2.0 cm; left – 3.0 cm; right – 2 cm. All pages, including the title page, should be numbered consecutively.
2. The scope of a full length original article should consist of 20-30 pages; review article – no more than 40 pages; articles devoted to the case reports – no more than 15 pages; review conference materials – no more than 10 pages. 
3. Manuscripts should be arranged in the following order: title page, abstract (summary), family name(s) and initials of each author, title, introduction (relevance); purpose of the study; body text; conclusion (conclusions) and a list of references. The body text of a full length original article should include the highlighted sections: "Methods", "Results", "Discussion".
4. The title page should clearly indicate the full title of an article; family name(s) and initials of each  author; the official name and location (city, country) of an institution (s) in which the work was conducted; for the footer – a shortened version of the title of an article (no more than 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation); key words (no more than 6); author information; information about the source of support in the form of grants, equipment, drugs; declaration of absence of conflicts of interest; information on the number of pages, figures and tables; provision of address for correspondence (an example for a title page requirements, see on the website of the journal).
5. Title of an article should be concise, informative and accurately determine the content of an article. Key words are provided in accordance with the list of Medical Subject Heading adopted by Index Medicus.
6. Information about authors should clearly indicate the given name(s), family name(s) of each author, scientific degrees and titles, positions and present the authors' affiliation addresses (where the actual work was done). Provision of full postal address of each affiliation, including the country name, contact numbers and email address of each author is required for correspondence. The address for correspondence is presented in a published article.
7. The structured abstract (summary) of an original scientific article, including following sections "Purpose", "Methods", "Results» and "Conclusion" in Russian and English languages (250-300 words), should clearly state the content of an article and be suitable for publication separately from the article, contain keywords, allowing to index the article. Abstracts of other types of articles (short communications, reviews, case studies) are not structured; their volume should be at least 150 words. Summaries of articles, keywords, the information about the authors, as well as bibliographic lists are posted on the journal's website and sent by the editorship to the electronic information database for indexing.
8. Introduction provides an adequate background, focuses on the controversial and unresolved issues, formulates and justifies the objectives of the work. References used in the publication should be of the last 10 years, and applied in the article literary sources should be an indication of knowledge of the author (s) of scientific achievements in the field of medicine.
9. Detailed explanation of the selected objects and experimental methods, as well as characterization of the used equipment should be provided in the "Methods". In clinical trials, where the diagnostic or therapeutic methods do not conform to standard procedures, the authors must include a statement that the Ethics Committee of the institution where the work was done, approves and ensures compliance of conducted research in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, 1975. Articles must not place confidential information that might identify the identity of the patient (reference to patient's names, medical history, etc.)  On the provided in the article X-rays images, angiograms, and other types of data the name of a patient must be deleted; photos should also not allow to establish his/her identity. Authors must inform a patient of the possible publication of the data related to his/her disease and applied therapeutic and diagnostic methods, as well as ensure confidentiality when placing these data in the print and electronic media. In cases where it is impossible to hide the identity of a patient (photos of plastic surgery on the face, etc.), authors must provide a written agreement of a patient informed about the publication of data and indicate it in the article. The experiments involving laboratory animals must provide the information that animal housing and management used for research complies with international, national guidelines or guidelines for ethical treatment of animals of the institution where the work was done. At the end of the section, a detailed description of applied statistical methods and analysis of the material are required.
10. “Results” should properly and sufficiently reflect both the basic content of studies as well as their results.  Presentation of the obtained data in the form of tables and figures provides better interpretation and clarification of a body text.
11. The “Discussion” section should present the critical analysis of the obtained results, demonstrate their scientific novelty, practical significance and provide comparison with the published data of other authors. 
12. Conclusions should be concise and clearly formulated. They should encompass the answers to the questions raised in the objectives and goals of the research and highlight the novelty and practical significance of the obtained results.
13. Terminology, symbols and abbreviations consistent with internationally accepted guidelines should be used. To reduce a number of phrases frequently used within a text the application of abbreviations is allowed with the provision of definition in brackets at first mention. Abbreviations in the title can be used only in exceptional cases. All physical and chemical values are expressed in units in accordance to the International System (SI). Generic names of drugs are preferred with the brand name included at first mention only to identify new compounds that may not be recognized by their generic name.
14. The references list should be presented in accordance with the Vancouver style  (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/ imperial-college/administration-and-support-services/library/public/ vancouver.pdf). Titles of journals may carry abbreviations in accordance with the Index Medicus. Full names and initials of each author must be listed. If the list of authors comprises more than six persons it is allowed to use [et al.] after the transfer of the first six authors. The list of references should be numbered consecutively according to the first time mentioned within the article. Serial numbers of references should be written within square brackets (e.g [1, 2], or [1-4], or [3, 5-8]). In original articles, it is preferable to cite at least 15 and not more than 30 sources, in review articles – no more than 50. The reference to abstracts of theses or dissertations themselves is not permitted. The reference to abstracts and articles in the short-run regional collections can be used only when absolutely necessary. The authors are solely responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references, and the accuracy of citation of primary sources.
15. It is advisable to follow the spelling rules adopted by the journal, in particular, the mandatory indication of the letter «ё» in Russian text where it is required.
16. Tables should be placed within the text, numbered and have a descriptive title, and if necessary – explanatory legends. Tables should be typed using MS Word 2007 program.
17. The illustrative material (photographs, images, diagrams, charts) should be clear and contrast, and numbered in the order of citation in the text. The diagrams should be provided in the form of the image, and in the electronic version using Microsoft Office Excel program. Descriptions to microphotographs should specify the method of coloring and magnification scale bar. Electronic versions of the images must be submitted as separate TIFF or JPEG files with a resolution of at least 300 dpi at the image size at least 80×80 mm (approx. 1000×1000 pixels).

Submitting a manuscript

1. Two copies of a manuscript have to be sent to the editorial board. Text of an article, graphics and accompanying forms should be submitted in electronic form (e-mail avicenna@tajmedun.tj).
2. Article is accepted by the editorial board if the reference of an institution and the visa of head of an institution are presented. 
3. While submitting a manuscript to the editorial board of the journal the cover letter from authors must be included, where the following points should be reflected (visit the journal's website to see an example for a cover letter):
   • family name and initials of each author
   • manuscript title
   • information that an article was not previously published and not submitted to another journal for review and publication
   • commitment of authors that if an article is accepted for publication, they provide the copyright to the publisher in accordance with the signed agreement 
   • a statement of the absence of financial or other conflict of interest 
   • evidence that authors did not receive any remuneration in any form from the manufacturers, including competitors, that may have an impact on the results
   • information on the participation of authors in an article creation
   • signatures of all authors
4. The editorial board does not consider a manuscript which does not conform to the requirements, and authors are informed about decision. Correspondence with authors is performed only by e-mail.

Review and publication

1. Managing editor is responsible for the initial review of a manuscript. At the same time the consideration of the accompanying documents, evaluation of the scientific article relevance to the journal's profile, registration rules and requirements set by editors of the journal, which can be found on the official website (www.vestnik-avicenna.tj) are performed. If these documents are in compliance with the above-mentioned requirements, the received manuscripts are checked by the Antiplagiarism system or other similar search systems. If plagiarism is detected or the technical methods for its concealing are found, then the manuscript is returned with the explanation of the reason for return. In case the plagiarism is found in the already published articles on the pages of the website "Vestnik Avicenna" given the relevant information. Futher, the accepted article is sent to a review by independent experts. Peer reviewers are appointed by the editorial board of the journal. The editors will send reviews back to authors of a manuscript in electronic or written form without specifying the names of the expert who carried out the review. In case of a professional conflict of interests, in the cover letter the authors have the right to specify the names of the experts whom, in their opinion, a manuscript not should be sent for review. This information is strictly confidential and is taken into account by editors when organizing the review. In case of refusal of article publication the editorial board provides a reasoned refusal to the author. At the request of the expert councils the editorial board is ready to provide copies of the reviews to the Higher Attestation Commission.
2. The editors have the right to reduce the published materials and adapt them to the headings of the journal. The final version of an article prepared for publication in PDF format, is sent to the authors for approval by e-mail. Content changes and confirmation must be received by the editorial office within 5 days. After this period the editorial board consideres that the authors have approved the text. 
3. All submitted works demonstrating their compliance with current requirements are published in the journal free of charge. Advertising publications, as well as articles financed by manufacturers and/or distributors are not be considered.
4. Following the publication of an article, its electronic version in PDF format will be sent to the authors.
5. No more than two works of the same author may be published in the same issue of the journal.
6. Maximal number of authors in the article should be no more than 6.
7. Previously published in other publications articles are not accepted.
8. The authors are responsible for the correctness of the presented data. Author's materials do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board.