Submissions

Author Guidelines

Prospective authors must review these guidelines thoroughly before submitting to ensure compliance with the journal’s requirements and formatting standards (template).

Manuscript Preparation

File Format & Language

Manuscripts can be submitted in Microsoft Word (.docx/.doc) format. All text must be in English (American or British conventions consistently applied). Manuscripts with insufficient English quality may be rejected without review. Authors whose first language is not English are strongly advised to use professional language editing services prior to submission.

Article Types

Authors should select the most appropriate article type from the journal’s list, which includes Article, Review, Perspective, Case Report, and others. Each type has specific requirements detailed on the journal’s website.

Cover Letter

An encouraged cover letter should be submitted as a separate file, containing:

• A statement confirming the manuscript is original, not previously published or under consideration for publication elsewhere, all authors have approved the submission.
• A summary of the work’s significance, novelty, and relevance to the journal’s scope (150–200 words).
• For studies involving human subjects or animals: documentation of ethical approval from an institutional review board (IRB) and, for human research, confirmation of informed consent.
• Disclosure of any conflicts of interest or funding sources.

The cover letter is confidential and visible only to editorial staff, not reviewers.

Ethical Requirements

Authors must adhere to the journal’s ethical policies, including proper attribution of sources, avoidance of plagiarism (textual or intellectual), and compliance with research ethics standards. Image manipulation is strictly prohibited unless explicitly noted and justified. All authors must meet the ICMJE criteria for authorship, and any changes to authorship post-submission require written confirmation from all co-authors.

Submission Process

Submissions are accepted exclusively through the journal’s online portal. Authors must create an account, complete all metadata fields, and upload the manuscript, cover letter (encouraged), and supplementary materials (if applicable). Revised manuscripts must include a point-by-point response to reviewer comments and highlight changes made to the original text.

Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in delays or rejection of the manuscript. For further clarification, contact the editorial office at editorial_office@arsl-pub.com.

Article structures

Article Title
Titles should be concise (≤15 words, recommended), specific, and descriptive, avoiding non-standard acronyms, jargon, or unnecessary punctuation. They should clearly reflect the core contribution of the research to attract relevant readers.

Author Information
Authors are listed in order of substantial contribution to the work. Each author’s full name, and complete affiliation (department, institution, city, postal code, state/province, country) must be provided. Corresponding authors are indicated with an asterisk (*) and must include a valid email address for editorial correspondence. All authors must confirm approval of the final manuscript and agree to the submission.

Abstract and Keywords
An abstract (<250 words) is required. It should summarize objectives, methods, key results, and conclusions without citations or abbreviations. Authors must include 5–8 keywords that reflect the article’s focus, avoiding terms already in the title.

Manuscript Text Structure
The manuscript text structure varies by article type, with original research encouraging specific core sections. Below are detailed formatting guidelines for organizing content effectively.

Core Sections for Original Research Articles

Original research manuscripts should include the following sequential sections:

1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion (optional)

Section-Specific Guidelines

Introduction

The introduction should orient readers to the research context and significance:

• Begin with a broad overview of the field to establish relevance for interdisciplinary audiences.
• Clearly articulate the research gap or problem that motivated the study.
• State the specific research question, hypothesis, or objective.
• Conclude with a brief summary of the study’s approach and whether the objective was achieved.

Materials and methods

This section must provide sufficient detail for independent replication:

• Describe experimental design, equipment, materials, and protocols with precise specifications (e.g., manufacturer names, model numbers, reagent catalog numbers).
• Explain data collection methods, sample sizes, and statistical analyses (including software and parameters).
• For clinical studies, include ethical approvals, patient consent procedures, and registration numbers.
• Focus on reproducibility rather than experimental outcomes.

Results

Present findings objectively without interpretation:

• Use subheadings to organize results logically (e.g., by experiment or analysis type).
• Prioritize key findings; avoid presenting redundant or non-essential data.
• Support claims with quantitative results, statistical significance, and sample sizes.
• Integrate tables and figures by referencing them directly in the text (e.g., “Table 1 shows…”).

Discussion

Interpret results in the context of existing knowledge:

• Begin by restating the main findings and their alignment with the research objective.
• Compare results with relevant literature, highlighting agreements, contradictions, or novel insights.
• Address limitations of the study and their implications for interpreting results.
• Propose future research directions or practical applications based on the findings.
• Avoid repeating content from the Results section or introducing new data.

Conclusion (Optional)

If included, the conclusion should offer concise interpretive insights:

• Restate the study’s main contribution to the field.
• Emphasize broader implications or applications without overstating claims.
• Do not summarize information already presented in the abstract or Discussion.
• Keep this section brief (typically 1–3 sentences).

Adhering to these structural guidelines ensures manuscripts are clear, consistent, and accessible to readers and reviewers. Adjustments for review articles, case reports, or other article types are detailed in the journal’s specific Author Guidelines.

Section Headings Formatting

Headings establish the hierarchical organization of content. Follow these rules for consistency:

• Maximum heading levels: Use no more than three levels of headings.
• Format specifications:

• Level 1: Numbered (1., 2., 3.), boldface, title case (e.g., 1. Introduction).
• Level 2: Numbered with decimal points (1.1., 1.2.), boldface, title case (e.g., 1.1. Study design).
• Level 3: Numbered with two decimal points (1.1.1., 1.1.2.), boldface, title case (e.g., 1.1.1. Patient recruitment criteria).

Figures and Tables Preparation Guidelines

All figures (photographs, illustrations, graphs, charts, schematic diagrams) and tables must be cited sequentially in the main text using Arabic numerals (e.g., Figure 1, Table 1, Figures 2–3). Place each visual element as close as possible to its first mention in the text.

Figure Specifications

• Numbering: Figures are numbered consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2) in the order they appear in the text.
• Multi-panel figures: Use lowercase or uppercase Latin letters in parentheses for sub-panels (e.g., (a)/(b) or (A)/(B)), positioned either within the panel or directly below each image.
• Captions: Center-align captions below figures. If a caption spans multiple lines, align subsequent lines to the left. Captions must include a brief descriptive title followed by necessary details (e.g., experimental conditions, statistical significance) to ensure the figure is interpretable without reference to the main text.
• File requirements: Submit figures as high-resolution TIF,JPG, PNG, or SVG files (minimum 300 dpi). Vector formats (SVG) are strongly recommended for graphs and line art to maintain clarity when scaled. Ensure consistent brightness, contrast, and color balance across related figures. Define all abbreviations, symbols, or color scales in the caption unless they appear in the main text’s glossary.

Table Specifications

• Numbering: Tables are numbered consecutively (Table 1, Table 2) in the order of their first citation.
• Formatting: Use native MS Word/Excel table tools (avoid text boxes or manual tabbing). Complex tables with extensive data or supplementary information should be submitted as separate supplementary files.
• Captions: Center-align captions above tables. For multi-line captions, left-align all lines after the first. Captions must include a descriptive title and any explanatory notes (e.g., statistical methods, abbreviations) essential for independent interpretation.

Text Citations
Explicitly reference every figure and table in the main text using the format: "Table 1 shows…", "Figure 3 illustrates…", or "Figures 2a and 4b demonstrate…". Do not include visuals that are not cited in the text.

Technical Notes

• Ensure figure file sizes are optimized to keep the total manuscript PDF under 10 MB; oversized files may cause upload delays or system timeouts.
• Maintain consistent styling (font, symbols, scaling) across all figures in a manuscript.
• For color figures intended for print, ensure they are also interpretable in grayscale (e.g., use pattern overlays in addition to color coding).

Formatting Equations
All mathematical equations must be presented clearly and consistently to ensure readability and accuracy during typesetting. Use professional equation editing software (e.g., LaTeX, MathType, OfficeMath) rather than plain text or image-based equations.

Numbering Equations
Equations referenced in the main text must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals in parentheses, positioned flush right against the margin (e.g., Equation (1)). Numbering should follow the sequence of appearance throughout the manuscript. Equations not cited in the text (e.g., supplementary derivations) may be unnumbered but should still be centered for visual consistency.

Equation Labels in Text
When referring to equations within sentences, use the full label format with parentheses, e.g., "Results were calculated using Equation (3)" or "As shown in Equation (2), the relationship holds." Avoid ambiguous phrasing like "the above equation" or "Equation below"—always specify the exact number.

Variables and Symbols

• Use italic font for single-letter mathematical variables (e.g., x, y, t).
• Use upright font for constants (e.g., π, e), trigonometric functions (e.g., sin, cos), operators (e.g., log, exp), and abbreviations (e.g., max, min).
• Define all non-standard variables, symbols, or acronyms at their first appearance in the text, ideally in a nomenclature section if numerous symbols are used.

Complex Equations
Multi-line equations should be aligned logically at operators (e.g., =, +, −) or relation symbols to enhance readability. For equations spanning multiple lines, use the align environment in LaTeX or equivalent tools to maintain alignment. Stacked fractions should be used sparingly; consider inline fractions (e.g., a/b) for simple ratios within text.

References

This section is mandatory and must appear as the final component of the manuscript. Do not use footnotes or endnotes as substitutes for a structured reference list. The reference list should exclusively include works explicitly cited in the text that have been published or officially accepted for publication. Unpublished personal communications, preprints, or non-peer-reviewed materials are not permitted in this section.

In-Text Citations

All bibliographic references contributing substantively to the article must be numbered sequentially based on their first appearance in the text. When citing sources within the narrative, place reference numbers in square brackets without additional punctuation.

Basic Citation Format

• Single reference: Cite with a single number in brackets.
  Example: Recent studies have validated this framework [2].
• Multiple consecutive references: Use an en dash (–) to connect ranges of three or more sequential numbers.
  Example: Early models addressed similar limitations [3–5].
• Multiple non-consecutive references: Separate individual numbers with commas.
  Example: Comparative analyses support these findings [1,4,6].
• Combined consecutive and non-consecutive references: Group sequential ranges first, followed by non-consecutive numbers.
  Example: Methodological variations are documented in prior work [2–3,5,7–8].

Citations must directly relate to the research topic and prioritize primary sources (original research articles, foundational studies) over secondary citations (reviews summarizing others’ work). Authors are strictly prohibited from plagiarism in any form, including verbatim copying without attribution or improper paraphrasing. Additionally, ensure balanced citation practices: avoid over-reliance on a single source (which may bias conclusions), excessive self-citation (more than 15% of total references unless justified by the research context), or inclusion of irrelevant literature. These practices undermine scientific rigor and the manuscript’s credibility.

All references must adhere to the citation style specified in the journal’s detailed formatting guidelines (typically APA, MLA, or Chicago, depending on the discipline). Inconsistent formatting, missing elements (e.g., DOI, volume/issue numbers), or incorrect publication details may delay peer review. Use reference management software (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley) to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Examples:

Journal

Journals in English:

• Author AA, Author BB, Author CC, et al. Title of the article. Journal Name. Year, Volume(Issue) (if available): Firstpage–Lastpage. doi (if available)

Journals in languages other than English:

• Author AA, Author BB, Author CC, et al. English title of the article (original language). Journal Name. Year, Volume(Issue) (if available): Firstpage–Lastpage. doi (if available)

Book

A book without editors:

• Author AA, Author BB. Chapter (optional). Title of the Book, Edition (if available). Publisher; Year. pp. Page range (optional).

A book with editors:

• Author AA, Author BB. Title of the contribution. In: Editor CC, Editor DD (editors). Title of the Book, Edition (if available). Publisher; Year. Volume (optional), pp. Page range (optional).

For a translated book, the translators' names should be placed after the editors' names: "Translator AA (translator)" or "Translator AA, Translator BB (translators)".

If the editors and translators are the same, the format should be as follows:

• Author AA, Author BB. Title of the contribution. In: Editor CC, Editor DD (editors and translators). Title of the Book, Edition (if available). Publisher; Year. Volume (optional), pp. Page range (optional).

Conference

Full citations of published abstracts (proceedings):

In most cases, proceedings will be simply called "Proceedings of the Name of the Conference (full name)" without a book title. In this case, please only add the conference name in the proceedings' title and keep that in regular font (i.e., do not italicize):

• Author AA, Author BB, Author CC, et al. Title of presentation. In: Proceedings of the Name of the Conference; Date of Conference (Day Month Year) (if available); Location of Conference (City, Country) (if available). Abstract Number (optional), Pagination (optional).

If the proceedings are published as a book with a separate title (i.e., not "Proceedings of the Name of the Conference (full name)" as the title), the book title should be included:

• Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of presentation. In: Editor DD, Editor EE (editors) (if available). Title of Collected Work, Proceedings of the Name of the Conference; Date of Conference (Day Month Year) (if available); Location of Conference (City, Country) (if available). Publisher; Year. Abstract Number (optional), Pagination (optional).

Oral presentations without published material:

• Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of presentation (if any). Presented at the Name of Conference; Date of Conference (Day Month Year) (if available); Location of Conference (City, Country) (if available); Paper number (if available).

Thesis/Dissertation

• Author AA. Title of Thesis [Level of thesis]. Degree‐Granting University; Year.

The level of thesis can be called "XX thesis" or "XX dissertation". Thesis types include but are not limited to the following:

• PhD thesis
• Master's thesis
• Bachelor's thesis
• Licentiate thesis
• Diploma thesis

Newspaper

• Author AA, Author BB, Author CC, et al. Title of article. Title of Periodical, Complete Date, Pagination (if available).

Patent

• Patent Owner AA, Patent Owner BB, Patent Owner CC. Title of Patent. Patent Number, Date (Day Month Year, the Application granted date).

Unpublished work

• Author AA, Author BB. Title of unpublished work. Journal Title. Year(if available); Phrase Indicating Stage of Publication (submitted, in press, etc.).

Online resources

• Author (if available). Title of content (if available). Available online: http://URL (accessed on Day Month Year).

For a homepage, the access date is not required.

Preparing Back Matter Declarations

The back matter of your manuscript should follow this sequence, with headings presented without numerical labels. While some elements are optional, others are mandatory as specified below:

Supplementary materials (Optional)

Provide a brief description of any supplementary materials. Submit these files during Step 4 of the submission process. Supplementary materials should be relevant but non-essential to understanding the article’s core content. Ensure filenames include "suppl. info". Videos may be included in this section.

Author contributions (Mandatory for Original Research with Multiple Authors)

For original research articles with more than one author, list specific contributions using the following standardized format, replacing "XX", "YY", and "ZZ" with author initials:

"Conceptualization, XX and YY; methodology, XX; software, XX; validation, XX, YY and ZZ; formal analysis, XX; investigation, XX; resources, XX; data curation, XX; writing—original draft preparation, XX; writing—review and editing, XX; visualization, XX; supervision, XX; project administration, XX; funding acquisition, YY. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript."

This section is not required for other article types or single-author original research.

Funding

Acknowledge financial support here if applicable. Use the format:

• "This research was funded by [name of funder] grant number [xxx]"
• "The APC was funded by [XXX]"

If the study has not received any funding, state “None.” in this section.

Verify accuracy of funding details and use the official funder name as listed in https://search.crossref.org/funding to ensure proper indexing.

Ethical approval

Explicitly state whether ethical review was obtained:

• If required: "This study was reviewed and approved by [Name of Institutional Review Board/ethics committee] (approval number: [XXXX])."
• If not required: Briefly explain the exemption (e.g., "Study design exempt under local regulations").
• For studies involving neither humans nor animals: Use "Not applicable".

Informed consent statement

For research involving human participants: Confirm written informed consent was obtained from all adult subjects and/or legal guardians of minors/incapacitated participants. For non-human research: Use "Not applicable".

Data availability statement (Optional)

A transparent data availability statement specifies whether the data supporting their research findings are publicly accessible, restricted, or unavailable. For publicly accessible data, the statement must provide persistent identifiers (e.g., DOI, accession numbers) and direct links to repositories (e.g., Dryad, Figshare, GenBank). If data are restricted for ethical or legal reasons, authors must explain the restrictions and detail how qualified researchers can request access. All statements must include verifiable information to enable independent replication of the study’s results.

Acknowledgments (Optional)

Recognize support or contributions not covered in "Author Contributions" or "Funding" (e.g., technical assistance, peer feedback). This section is discretionary.

Conflict of interest (Mandatory)

All authors must declare potential competing interests, including personal, professional, or financial relationships relevant to the manuscript. If no conflicts exist, use either:

• "No conflict of interest was reported by all authors"
• "The authors declare no conflict of interest"

Follow the journal’s Conflict of Interest Policy for detailed guidance on reportable activities.

Appendix Guidelines

Appendices contain supplementary material that supports but is not essential to the core argument of the manuscript. They should be placed after the References section and start on a new page. Single appendices are labeled "Appendix"; multiple appendices are labeled sequentially as "Appendix A", "Appendix B", etc.

All appendices must be explicitly cited in the main text (e.g., "see Appendix A for detailed methodology"). Tables, figures, and equations within appendices require unique labeling with the appendix prefix (e.g., Figure A1, Table B2, Equation C1).

Appendices should include only non-essential but relevant information, such as extended data sets, detailed protocols, supplementary analyses, or technical specifications. Material in appendices must conform to the same ethical standards as the main text, including proper citation of sources and adherence to data protection guidelines.

Keep appendices concise and focused—avoid duplicating information from the main text or including tangential content. Format appendices consistently with the main manuscript, following journal-specific guidelines for font, spacing, and citation style.

Note that appendices are subject to the same peer review process as the main text and must meet the journal’s scientific and ethical standards. Editors reserve the right to request condensation or removal of appendices that do not add substantial value to the manuscript.

Copyright and Licensing Guidelines for Authors

Authors publishing in this journal retain full copyright of their work while granting the journal a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, and distribute the article in all formats and media. Below outlines key requirements and permissions:

License Agreement

Upon acceptance, authors agree to publish their article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits third parties to:

• Copy, distribute, and transmit the article
• Adapt, remix, or build upon the work
• Use the article for commercial purposes

Conditions of reuse include:

1. Attribution: Clear credit to the original authors and the journal, with a link to the CC BY license
2. License Notice: Inclusion of the full license terms when reusing or distributing the work
3. Original Publication: Acknowledgment that the article was first published in this journal

Copyright Retention

Authors retain unrestricted copyright ownership, including the right to:

• Republish the article in a thesis, book, or institutional repository (with citation to the journal’s original publication)
• Share the final published version (Version of Record) with colleagues or on personal websites
• Grant separate licenses for non-commercial or commercial reuse, provided the CC BY terms are not violated

Permissions for Third-Party Material

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to reproduce any copyrighted material (e.g., figures, tables, excerpts) from third parties (including their own previously published work). Proof of such permissions must be provided to the Editorial Office before publication. Failure to secure permissions may result in delays or removal of the material.

Open Access Compliance

This journal supports open access principles, ensuring articles are freely available to read, download, and share immediately upon publication. Authors may self-archive the accepted manuscript (post-print version) in institutional or subject repositories after publication, with a link to the journal’s Version of Record.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm they have the authority to grant the above licenses and that the work does not infringe upon any existing copyrights. For questions, contact the Editorial Office or refer to the journal’s full Copyright Policy.