Author Instruction

Thank you for your interest in BSMMU Journal, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. A manuscript will be reviewed for possible publication with the understanding that it is being submitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal alone at that point in time and has not been published anywhere, simultaneously submitted, or already accepted for publication elsewhere partly or wholly in any language. BSMMU Journal publishes one volume each year. Each volume consists of four issues which are published every three months. The issues are published quarterly in March, June, September and December of every calendar year.

Submission of manuscripts

All manuscripts need to be submitted online through the below link: https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/BSMMUJ/about/submissions.

Manuscript submission requirements

1. Cover letter (see template)
2. Manuscript (see template below in summary table)
3. EQUATOR checklist

The submitted manuscripts that are not as per the "Instructions to Authors" would be returned to the authors for technical correction, before they undergo editorial/ peer-review.

Generally, the manuscript should be submitted in the form of two separate sections:

A. Title Page: This file should provide the following a) The type of manuscript (original article, brief article, case report, review article, research letter, letter to editor), title of the manuscript, running title, names of all authors/ contributors (with their highest academic degrees, designation and affiliations) and name(s) of department(s) and/ or institution(s) to which the work should be credited. All information which can reveal the author(s)’ institute affiliation should be included. Please use doc/docx files. Do not zip the files. b) The total number of pages, total number of photographs and word counts separately for abstract and for the main text (from introduction to conclusion excluding the references, tables and abstract). c) Registration number in case of a clinical trial and where it is registered (name of the registry and its URL). d) The name, address, e-mail, and telephone number of the corresponding author, who is responsible for communicating with the other authors about revisions and final approval of the proofs, if that information is not included on the manuscript itself.

B. Article section: The main text of the article, beginning from Abstract till References (including tables and figures) should be in this file. Manuscripts not in compliance with the Journal's policy will be returned to the corresponding author. Please use doc files. Do not zip the files. Do not incorporate images in the file. If file size is large, graphs can be submitted as images separately without incorporating them in the article file to reduce the size of the file. The pages should be numbered consecutively, beginning with the first page of the article file. Continuous line numbers should also be included in the manuscript.

Summary table

Template

• Original article
• Brief article
• Case report
• Review article

 

Preparation of manuscripts

Manuscripts should be prepared following the guidelines set out in the "Uniform requirements for Manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journals" by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (October 2008). Both the uniform requirements and the specific guidelines of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal are outlined below. Prior to submission, contributors are urged to verify the most up-to-date instructions. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal accepts manuscripts written in British English.

Types of manuscripts

The authors are required to mention the type of manuscript (original article, brief article, case report, review article, research letter, letter to editor, perspectives, commentary, data and editorial). The reporting guidelines checklist for each type of article is provided in the discussions below.

Original articles

The eligible study types encompass randomized controlled trials, intervention studies, evaluations of screening and diagnostic tests, outcome studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control series, and surveys with high response rates. The text of original articles amounting up to 3000 words (excluding abstract, references and tables) should be divided into sections with the headings Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, References, Tables and Figures. Original articles can have up to six tables or figures.

• Abstract: Abstracts should be within 250 words having background, methods, results, and conclusion sub-headings along with a maximum of five keywords.
• Highlights: This section should be no more than five bullet points relating to the strengths and limitations of this study specifically to the methods, not the results of the study. This will be published as a summary box after the abstract in the final published article.
• Introduction: State the purpose and summarize the rationale for the study or observation.
• Methods: It should include and describe the following aspects:
• Study design: Clearly outline the process by which observational or experimental participants were chosen, whether they were patients, laboratory animals, or controls. Include detailed information about eligibility and exclusion criteria, as well as a description of the source population.
• Technical information: Identify the methods, apparatus (give the manufacturer's name and address in parentheses), and procedures in sufficient detail to allow other workers to reproduce the results. Give references to established methods, including statistical methods (see below); provide references and brief descriptions for methods that have been published but are not well known; describe new or substantially modified methods, give reasons for using them, and evaluate their limitations. Identify precisely all drugs and chemicals used, including generic name(s), dose(s), and route(s) of administration. Reports of randomized clinical trials should present information on all major study elements, including the protocol, assignment of interventions (methods of randomization, concealment of allocation to treatment groups), and the method of masking (blinding), based on the CONSORT Statement (http://www.consort-statement.org). The reporting guidelines for other type of studies can be found at https://www.equator-network.org/reporting- guidelines/. The authors need to complete this checklist and send it with the submitted article.

• Statistics: In presenting research findings, authors are encouraged to quantify the results whenever possible and include appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty, such as confidence intervals. Any losses to observation, such as dropouts in a clinical trial, should be reported. When summarizing data in the Results section, authors should specify the statistical methods employed for analysis. It is advisable to avoid using technical terms in a non-technical manner, such as 'random' (which implies a randomizing device), 'normal', 'significant', 'correlations', and 'sample'. It is essential to define statistical terms, abbreviations, and most symbols for clarity. Additionally, authors should explicitly state the computer software used in their analysis. When reporting P values, use upper italics (e.g., P=0.048), and provide the exact value rather than rounding it to 0.05 or 0.001. Mean differences for continuous variables, proportions for categorical variables, and relative risks, including odds ratios and hazard ratios, should be accompanied by their respective confidence intervals.

• Results: Arrange your findings in a logical order within the text, tables, and illustrations, placing the primary or most significant results first. Avoid duplicating all data presented in tables or illustrations within the text; instead, highlight or summarize essential observations. Additional or supplementary materials and technical details can be included in an appendix, allowing accessibility without disrupting the flow of the main text. Alternatively, such materials may be published solely in the electronic version of the journal.

• When summarizing data in the Results section, provide numeric results not only as derived values (e.g., percentages) but also as the absolute numbers from which the derived values were calculated. Clearly specify the statistical methods employed for analysis. Limit the number of tables and figures to those necessary for elucidating the paper's argument and supporting its claims. In cases where tables have numerous entries, consider using graphs as an alternative but avoid duplicating data between graphs and tables. Furthermore, include analyses of the data based on relevant variables, such as age and sex, as appropriate from a scientific perspective.

• Discussion: The discussion section should encompass a summary of the key findings, encompassing primary and secondary outcome measures, and their relation to prior hypotheses. It should also address the study's strengths and limitations, including aspects of the study question, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Furthermore, the discussion should place the study's interpretation and implications within the broader context of existing evidence. This may involve referencing relevant systematic reviews or, if not available, considering the feasibility of conducting one. Authors should also highlight the study's contributions to the available evidence, its impact on patient care and health policy, and potential underlying mechanisms. Any controversies arising from the study's findings should be acknowledged. Additionally, the discussion should outline future research directions, including areas of focus for this particular research collaboration and potential avenues for clinical investigation.

• Avoid repeating detailed data or material already presented in the Introduction or Results sections. In particular, refrain from making claims regarding economic benefits and costs unless economic data and analyses are included in the manuscript. Authors should not assert priority over unpublished work or make allusions to incomplete research. If necessary, new hypotheses may be introduced, but they should be clearly identified as such. The discussion should be supported by approximately 40 references.

Brief articles

Shorter in length compared to original articles, brief articles encompass a variety of study types, such as randomized controlled trials, intervention studies, screening and diagnostic test evaluations, outcome studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control series, and surveys with high response rates. The text of brief articles amounting up to 1500 words (excluding abstract, references and tables) should be divided into sections with the headings Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, References, Tables and Figures. Abstracts should be within 200 words having background, methods, results, and conclusion sub-headings along with a maximum of five keywords. Up to four highlights of the article needs to be given in bullet points. Original articles can have up to three tables or figures.

Case reports

Unique, intriguing, and infrequent cases are eligible for reporting. Such cases should present exceptional diagnostic or therapeutic challenges, offering valuable learning opportunities for the readers. Priority will be given to cases with notable clinical significance or implications. These communications could be of up to 1000 words (excluding abstract and references) and abstracts within 150 words. Case reports should have the following headings: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Case description, Case management, Discussion, Reference, and Tables order. Up to three learning points of the report needs to be given in bullet points. The manuscript could be supported with up to 10 references. Case Reports could be authored by up to five authors.

Review articles

Review articles are anticipated to be authored by individuals who possess extensive expertise and have conducted substantial research on the subject matter. The manuscript should be accompanied by a brief summary of the contributor(s)' work in the specific area of review.

The prescribed word count is up to 5000 words excluding tables, references and abstract. The manuscript may have any number of references as required. However, we prefer limiting the article within 80 references. The manuscript should have an unstructured abstract (up to 300 words) representing an accurate summary of the article. Up to six highlights of the article needs to be given in bullet points. The section titles would depend upon the topic reviewed. Authors submitting review article should include a section describing the methods used for locating, selecting, extracting, and synthesizing data. These methods should also be summarized in the abstract.

The journal requires the contributors to provide post-publication updates on the reviewed subject. These updates should be concise and highlight any significant advancements in the field that have occurred after the publication of the article. Contributors should submit these updates as letters to the editor whenever major developments arise.

The journal prefers systematic reviews that have been registered in PROSPERO https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/. The PROSPERO registry number should be provided in the review article under the "methodology" section.

Research letter

Research letters are peer-reviewed concise and focused scientific articles that communicate the key findings of a research study. They are shorter in length compared to full research papers and provide a succinct overview of the research process, results, and implications. These communications could be of up to 600 words. Abstracts within 80 words without any structure needs to be submitted. Abstracts will not be published but are required for DOI purposes. Up to two highlights of the letter needs to be given in bullet points. Research letters can have one table or figure, and 6 references. It could be usually authored by not more than five authors.

Letter to the Editor

These should be short and decisive observations on articles published in the immediate previous issue of the BSMMU Journal. The letter could have up to 400 words and 5 references. Abstracts within 80 words without any structure needs to be submitted. Abstracts will not be published but are required for DOI purposes. Letters are not peer-reviewed. All accepted letters are edited, and proofs will be sent out to authors before publication. It could be usually authored by not more than three authors.

Perspectives

These are peer-reviewed views, hypotheses or discussions with a clear message surrounding an issue of public health interest. Perspectives could have up to 600 words and 10 references. Abstracts within 80 words without any structure needs to be submitted. Abstracts will not be published but are required for DOI purposes. Up to three highlights needs to be given in bullet points. Perspectives can have up to two tables or figures. It could be usually authored by not more than five authors. Other Editorials and Guest Editorial are solicited by the editorial board.

References

References for BSMMU Journal should be provided in Vancouver-style. DOIs for journals and URLs for websites needs to be given. References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text (not in alphabetic order). All authors should be listed.

Identify references in text, tables, and legends by Arabic numerals in superscript with square bracket after the punctuation marks. References cited only in tables or figure legends should be numbered in accordance with the sequence established by the first identification in the text of the particular table or figure. Use the style of the examples below, which are based on the formats used by the NLM in Index Medicus.

• Mubassara L, Towhid MI, Sultana S, Anik AI, Salwa M, Khan MM, Haque MA. Cyber child abuse in bangladesh: A rural population-based study. World. 2021;8(1). DOI: URL: https://doi.org/10.5430/wjss.v8n1p104.

The titles of journals should be abbreviated according to the style used in Index Medicus. Use complete name of the journal for non-indexed journals. Avoid using abstracts as references. Information from manuscripts submitted but not accepted should be cited in the text as "unpublished observations" with written permission from the source. Avoid citing a "personal communication" unless it provides essential information not available from a public source, in which case the name of the person and date of communication should be cited in parentheses in the text.

The commonly cited types of references are shown here, for other types of references such as newspaper items please refer to ICMJE Guidelines (http://www.icmje.org or http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html).

Tables

• Tables should be self-explanatory and should not duplicate textual material.
• Tables with more than 10 columns and 25 rows are not acceptable.
• Number tables, in Arabic numerals, consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text and supply a brief title for each.
• Place explanatory matter in footnotes, not in the heading.
• Explain in footnotes all non-standard abbreviations that are used in each table.
• Obtain permission for all fully borrowed, adapted, and modified tables and provide a credit line in the footnote.
• For footnotes use the following symbols, in this sequence: *, †, ‡, §, ‖, ¶, **, ††
• Tables with their legends should be provided at the end of the text after the references. The tables along with their number should be cited at the relevant place in the text

Illustrations (Figures)

• Upload the images in JPEG format. The file size should be within 1024 kb in size while uploading.
• Figures should be numbered consecutively according to the order in which they have been first cited in the text.
• Labels, numbers, and symbols should be clear and of uniform size. The lettering for figures should be large enough to be legible after reduction to fit the width of a printed column.
• Symbols, arrows, or letters used in photomicrographs should contrast with the background and should be marked neatly with transfer type or by tissue overlay and not by pen.
• Titles and detailed explanations belong in the legends for illustrations not on the illustrations themselves.
• When graphs, scatter-grams or histograms are submitted the numerical data on which they are based should also be supplied.
• The photographs and figures should be trimmed to remove all the unwanted areas.
• If photographs of individuals are used, their pictures must be accompanied by written permission to use the photograph.
• If a figure has been published elsewhere, acknowledge the original source and submit written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material. A credit line should appear in the legend for such figures.
• Legends for illustrations: Type or print out legends (maximum 40 words, excluding the credit line) for illustrations using double spacing, 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 in the legend. Explain the internal scale (magnification) and identify the method of staining in photomicrographs.
• Final figures for print production: Send sharp, glossy, un-mounted, colour photographic prints, with height of 4 inches and width of 6 inches at the time of submitting the revised manuscript. Print outs of digital photographs are not acceptable. If digital images are the only source of images, ensure that the image has minimum resolution of 300 dpi or 1800 x 1600 pixels in TIFF format. Each figure should have a label pasted (avoid use of liquid gum for pasting) on its back indicating the number of the figure, the running title, top of the figure and the legends of the figure. Do not write the contributor/s' name/s. Do not write on the back of figures, scratch, or mark them by using paper clips.
• The Journal reserves the right to crop, rotate, reduce, or enlarge the photographs to an acceptable size.

Acknowledgements

For contributions made by individuals who are not authors, one or more statements should be included to address the following aspects: 1) Contributions that warrant acknowledgment but do not meet the criteria for authorship, such as general support from a departmental chair; 2) Recognition of technical assistance provided; and 3) Acknowledgment of financial and material support, with a clear indication of the nature of the support received. The specific details of these non-author contributions can be cited individually or collectively, along with a clear specification of their precise involvement.

The corresponding author holds the responsibility of obtaining written permission from all individuals acknowledged in the manuscript. This ensures that they have granted consent to be acknowledged for their respective contributions.

Author contributions

Authorship credit should be based only on substantial contributions to each of components mentioned below:

• concept and design of the study
• acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data
• manuscript drafting and revising it critically
• approval of the final version of the manuscript, and
• guarantor accuracy and integrity of the work

Participating solely in obtaining funding or gathering data does not meet the criteria for authorship. Merely overseeing the research group in a general capacity is insufficient for being listed as an author. Each contributor should have actively and significantly engaged in the work to the extent that they can publicly assume responsibility for relevant portions of the manuscript's content. The sequence of contributors' names should reflect their relative contributions to both the study and the writing of the manuscript. Once the manuscript is submitted, the order of authorship cannot be altered without obtaining written consent from all the contributors involved.

Authors' contributions will be printed along with the article. One or more author should take responsibility for the integrity of the work as a whole from inception to published article. Contribution in “c” and “d” for all authors is obligatory, while the other credits are case based. The ‘author contributions’ section is not required when there is only one.

Funding

Manuscripts must provide comprehensive information about the funding agency or sponsors, including the grant number, as well as a clear description of the role played by the funders in the study. In cases where the funders had no involvement or the study received no funding, a statement explicitly stating this should be included in the manuscript.

Example:

"This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors."

"This paper represents independent research part-funded by the .......................(Grant agreement number NNN)"

"The research leading to these results has received funding from the PROJECT titled "AAA" in the frame of the program "BBB"  under the Grant agreement number NNN."

Conflict of interest

For all types of manuscripts submitted to the journal, including articles, original research reports, editorials, comments, reviews, book reviews, and letters, it is mandatory to include a statement disclosing any potential conflicts of interest. Alternatively, authors should declare if they have no conflicts of interest to disclose. All authors of an article must disclose any and all conflicts of interest they may have with publication of the manuscript or an institution or product that is mentioned in the manuscript and/or is important to the outcome of the study presented. Authors should also disclose conflict of interest with products that compete with those mentioned in their manuscript.

Example:

"The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare."

Ethical approval

For studies involving human participants, it is essential to specify whether the procedures adhered to the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional or regional) and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 (accessible at https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/). In prospective studies with human participants, authors are expected to mention approval obtained from the appropriate Ethics Committee or Review Board (regional, national, institutional, or independent), along with obtaining informed consent from adult research participants and assent from children aged over 7 years participating in the trial. The age at which assent is required may vary based on regional and/or national guidelines. Participants' confidentiality must be maintained, avoiding the use of names, initials, or hospital numbers, especially in illustrative material.

In the case of experiments involving animals, authors should indicate whether they followed the institution's or a national research council's guidelines on the care and use of laboratory animals, or any applicable national laws. On demand, authors should provide evidence of approval from a local Ethics Committee for both human and animal studies. Animal experimental procedures should be conducted with humane practices, and authors must clearly state the details of anaesthetics and analgesics used. The ethical standards of experiments must align with the guidelines provided by the CPCSEA (for studies involving experimental animals) and the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki on Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Humans (for studies involving human participants). The journal will not consider any paper that is deemed ethically unacceptable. A section titled 'Ethical Approval' should be included in all research articles, providing a statement on ethics committee permission and adherence to ethical practices.

Example:

"All subjects gave their informed consent for inclusion before they participated in the study. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of XXX (Memo number XXX)"

ORCID iDs

The ORCID iDs of the authors needs to be given. Providing the iD of at least the first and corresponding author is mandatory.

List of acronyms

Include a list of acronyms along with its description used in the manuscript. This will not be published but required for the review process.

Data Availability statement

All manuscripts should include a statement about where data supporting the results reported in a published article can be found.

Protection of patients' rights to privacy

Identifying information should not be published in written descriptions, photographs, sonograms, CT scans, etc., and pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian, wherever applicable) gives informed consent for publication. Authors should remove patients' names from figures even if they have obtained informed consent from the patients in order to protect patient privacy. The journal abides by ICMJE guidelines:

• Authors, not the journals nor the publisher, need to obtain the patient consent form before the publication and have the form properly archived. The consent forms are not to be uploaded with the cover letter or sent through email to editorial or publisher offices.
• If the manuscript contains patient images that preclude anonymity, or a description that has obvious indication to the identity of the patient, a statement about obtaining informed patient consent should be indicated in the manuscript. - In order to protect the patient's identity, the recognizable facial features not related to the study should be digitally blurred
• Written informed consent is the preferred method for obtaining consent. If verbal consent is obtained, the authors must ensure that the verbal consent is recorded in the medical case record of the patient and duly signed by witness.

Sending a revised manuscript

The revised version of the manuscript should be submitted online in a manner similar to that used for submission of the manuscript for the first time. However, there is no need to submit the "First Page" or "Covering Letter" file while submitting a revised version. In addition, they are expected to mark the changes as underlined or coloured text in the article.

The Editorial Process

When submitting a manuscript to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal, authors must understand that it is exclusively being considered for publication by this journal at that particular moment. The manuscript should not have been previously published, concurrently submitted elsewhere, or already accepted for publication in part or in its entirety. Authors are expected to designate one of them as the main point of contact with the Journal for all matters related to the manuscript. Upon receipt, all manuscripts are promptly acknowledged.

During the initial editorial review, submitted manuscripts are assessed for their suitability for formal peer-review. Manuscripts lacking originality, having serious scientific or technical flaws, or lacking a significant message are rejected before proceeding to the formal peer-review process. Additionally, manuscripts that are unlikely to be of interest to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal readers may be rejected at this preliminary stage.

Manuscripts received from Editorial Board members will be screened by the Editor in Chief and sent to external peer reviewers. The editorial board members who are authors of a submitted manuscript will be excluded from publication decisions.

Manuscripts that are found suitable for publication in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal are sent to two or more expert reviewers. During submission, the contributor is requested to provide names of two or three qualified reviewers who have had experience in the subject of the submitted manuscript, but this is not mandatory. The reviewers should not be affiliated with the same institutes as the contributor/s. However, the selection of these reviewers is at the sole discretion of the editor. Every manuscript is also assigned to a member of the editorial team, who based on the comments from the reviewers takes a final decision on the manuscript. The comments and suggestions (acceptance/ rejection/ amendments in manuscript) received from reviewers are conveyed to the corresponding author. If required, the author is requested to provide a point by point response to reviewers' comments and submit a revised version of the manuscript. This process is repeated till reviewers and editors are satisfied with the manuscript. Manuscripts accepted for publication are copy edited for grammar, punctuation, print style, and format. Page proofs are sent to the corresponding author. The corresponding author is expected to return the corrected proofs within three days. It may not be possible to incorporate corrections received after that period. The whole process of submission of the manuscript to final decision and sending and receiving proofs is completed online. To achieve faster and greater dissemination of knowledge and information, the journal publishes articles online as 'Ahead of Print'.

Clinical trial registry

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal would publish clinical trials that have been registered with a clinical trial registry that allows free online access to public. Registration in the following trial registers is acceptable: http://www.ctri.nic.in/; https://www.anzctr.org.au/; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/; http://isrctn.org/; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp; http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr. This is applicable to clinical trials that have begun enrolment of subjects in or after June 2008. Clinical trials that have commenced enrolment of subjects prior to June 2008 would be considered for publication in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal only if they have been registered retrospectively with clinical trial registry that allows unhindered online access to public without charging any fees.

Copies of any permission(s)

Authors/contributors are accountable for securing permissions to reproduce any copyrighted material. Alongside the manuscript submission, authors must provide a copy of the obtained permission. Additionally, they should include copies of all published articles or other manuscripts related to the submitted work, whether in preparation or submitted elsewhere.