Manuscript Specifications

File format and overall format

Manuscripts must be prepared in Microsoft Word (.docx) format. PDF files are not accepted as the primary manuscript file. Authors are responsible for ensuring the file opens correctly on standard Windows or macOS installations.

Specification Requirement
File format Microsoft Word (.docx)
Font Times New Roman, 12-point
Line spacing 1.5
Margins 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides
Page numbering Consecutive, bottom-centre
Line numbering Continuous throughout the manuscript
Language English

V-2.2 Word counts and length (audit items 90, 91, 92)

Manuscript section

Manuscript section Word / item limit

Title

≤ 25 words

Running title (short title)

≤ 8 words

Abstract — original research (structured)

200–300 words

Abstract — review or case report

≤ 250 words

Keywords

3–6 (MeSH terms preferred)

Full text of original research

3 000 – 5 000 words

Full text of review article

≤ 7 000 words

Full text of case report

≤ 2 500 words

Short communication / letter

≤ 1 500 words

Combined tables + figures

≤ 8 items

References — original / review

≤ 50

References — case report / short communication

≤ 25

Word counts exclude the title page, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends unless stated otherwise. The total number of pages is governed by these limits; no separate page maximum is imposed (audit item 92).

Title page (separate file)

The title page is submitted as a separate file (see §V-3) so that the main manuscript file remains anonymous for peer review. The title page must contain:

  • Full title of the manuscript and a short running title.
  • Full names, highest academic degrees, and institutional affiliations of all authors.
  • ORCID iD of each author where available.
  • Name, postal address, telephone, and institutional email of the corresponding author.
  • Word counts (abstract and main text), number of tables, number of figures, and number of references.
  • Sources of funding, conflict-of-interest statement, and acknowledgements.
  • Statement on the use of artificial intelligence tools, if any.

Abstract and keywords

Original research abstracts are structured under the headings Background/Aim, Materials and Methods, Results, and Conclusion. Review and case-report abstracts may be unstructured. Keywords (3–6) should follow Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) wherever possible to facilitate indexing.

Main text

  • Introduction: state the rationale, knowledge gap, and clear study aim or hypothesis.
  • Materials and Methods: provide enough detail for the work to be reproduced; cite ethical approvals and trial-registration numbers.
  • Results: report findings logically, supported by tables and figures; avoid duplication of text and tables.
  • Discussion: interpret findings, compare with the literature, state limitations, and outline implications.
  • Conclusion: concise statement aligned with the study aim; no new data.

Tables and figures (audit item 95)

  • Each table and figure must be cited in the text and numbered consecutively in the order of first citation.
  • Tables and figures must be placed at the end of the manuscript, each on a separate page, preceded by its legend. Do not embed tables or figures within the body text.
  • The combined number of tables and figures must not exceed eight (8) items.
  • Figures must be of publication quality (≥ 300 dpi) in TIFF, JPEG, or PNG format.
  • Use lower-case letters (a, b, c …) to label multi-panel figures.
  • Abbreviations used in tables or figures must be defined in the legend.

Referencing system (audit items 93, 96)

LJD adopts the Vancouver style with superscript in-text citation. References are numbered in the order in which they first appear in the text. The reference list at the end of the manuscript must follow the formats below.

Examples of Vancouver-style references

Journal article (≤ 6 authors):

Last AB, Last CD, Last EF. Title of article. Abbrev Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):pages.

Journal article (> 6 authors):

List the first six authors followed by 'et al.' then continue with the standard format above.

Book:

Last AB. Title of book. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher; Year.

Book chapter:

Last AB. Title of chapter. In: Editor LM, editor. Title of book. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year. p. start-end.

Conference proceedings:

Last AB. Title of paper. In: Title of conference; Date; Place. Publisher; Year. p. start-end.

Thesis or dissertation:

Last AB. Title of thesis [type]. Place: Institution; Year.

Web reference:

Author/Organization. Title of page [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited Year Month Day]. Available from: URL

Authors must verify each reference against the original source. The DOI of the cited work should be included whenever available.