Journal of Intensive and Critical Care Open Access

Author Guidelines

To submit a new manuscript authors should use the Online Submission System. Authors may submit their manuscript via Online Manuscript Submission System

Policy

Journal of Intensive & Critical Care publishes original articles of novel research and reviews. We will consider manuscripts of any length; we encourage the submission of both regular and rapid communications.

The articles should be concise and methedological, try to avoid complex jargon or abbreviations so that the paper is understandable for readers outside a specialty or those whose first language is not English. Editors will make suggestions for how to achieve this, as well as suggestions for cuts or additions that could be made to the article to strengthen the article. Our aim is to make the editorial process rigorous and consistent, but not intrusive or overbearing. Authors are encouraged to use their own voice and to decide how best to present their reviews. Although we encourage submissions from around the globe, we require manuscripts be submitted in English. Authors who do not use English as a first language may contact us for additional information. As a step towards overcoming language barriers on acceptance of the paper, we encourage authors fluent in other languages to provide copies of their full articles or abstracts in other languages. We will publish these translations as supporting information and list them, together with other supporting information files, at the end of the article text.

Article Processing Charges (APC):

Publishing with open access is not without costs. primescholars Journals defrays those costs from article-processing charges (APCs) payable by authors once the manuscript has been accepted for publication. primescholars does not have subscription charges for its research content, believing instead that immediate, world-wide, barrier-free, open access to the full text of research articles is in the best interests of the scientific community.

Average Article processing time (APT) is 50 days

Fast Editorial Execution and Review Process (FEE-Review Process):

Journal of Intensive and Critical Care is participating in the Fast Editorial Execution and Review Process (FEE-Review Process) with an additional prepayment of $99 apart from the regular article processing fee. Fast Editorial Execution and Review Process is a special service for the article that enables it to get a faster response in the pre-review stage from the handling editor as well as a review from the reviewer. An author can get a faster response of pre-review maximum in 3 days since submission, and a review process by the reviewer maximum in 5 days, followed by revision/publication in 2 days. If the article gets notified for revision by the handling editor, then it will take another 5 days for external review by the previous reviewer or alternative reviewer.

Acceptance of manuscripts is driven entirely by handling editorial team considerations and independent peer-review, ensuring the highest standards are maintained no matter the route to regular peer-reviewed publication or a fast editorial review process. The handling editor and the article contributor are responsible for adhering to scientific standards. The article FEE-Review process of $99 will not be refunded even if the article is rejected or withdrawn for publication.

The corresponding author or institution/organization is responsible for making the manuscript FEE-Review Process payment. The additional FEE-Review Process payment covers the fast review processing and quick editorial decisions, and regular article publication covers the preparation in various formats for online publication, securing full-text inclusion in a number of permanent archives like HTML, XML, and PDF, and feeding to different indexing agencies.

Submission of manuscripts

Submission of an article is understood to imply that the article is original and is not being considered for publication elsewhere. Submission also implies that all authors have approved the paper for publication and are in agreement with its content. Upon acceptance of the article by the journal, the author(s) will be asked to transfer the copyright of the article to the publisher. This transfer will ensure the widest possible dissemination of information.

Preparation of manuscripts

• Manuscripts should be written in English./li>
• Manuscripts should be prepared with numbered lines, with wide margins and single space throughout, i.e. also for abstracts, footnotes and references. Every page of the manuscript, including the title page, references, tables, etc. should be numbered. However, in the text no reference should be made to page numbers; if necessary, one may refer to sections. Underline words that should be in italics, and do not underline any other words. Avoid excessive use of italics to emphasize part of the text.
• Manuscripts in general should be organized in the following order:

1. Title (should be clear, descriptive and not too long)
2. Name(s) of author(s)
3. Complete postal address(es) of affiliations
4. Full telephone, Fax. no. and E-mail of the corresponding author
5. Present address(es) of author(s) if applicable
6. Complete correspondence address to which the proofs should be sent
7. Abstract
8. Key words (indexing terms), normally 3-6 items
9. Introduction
10. Material studied, area descriptions, methods, techniques
11. Results and Discussion
12. Conclusion
13. Acknowledgements and any additional information concerning research grants, etc.
14. References
15. Tables
16. Figure captions

• In typing the manuscript, titles and subtitles should not be run within the text. They should be typed on a separate line, without indentation. Use lower-case letter type.
• Units and abbreviations: In principle SI units should be used except where they conflict with current practise or are confusing. Other equivalent units may be given in parentheses. Units and their abbreviations should be those approved by ISO (International Standard 1000:92
• SI units and recommendations for the use of their multiples and of certain other units). Abbreviate units of measure only when used with numerals.
• If a special instruction to the copy editor or typesetter is written on the copy it should be encircled. The typesetter will then know that the enclosed matter is not to be set in type. When a typewritten character may have more than one meaning (e.g. the lower case letter l may be confused with the numeral 1), a note should be inserted in a circle in the margin to make the meaning clear to the typesetter. If Greek letters or uncommon symbols are used in the manuscript, they should be written very clearly, and if necessary a note such as "Greek lower-case chi" should be put in the margin and encircled.

Abstracts

• The abstract should be clear, descriptive and not longer than 250 words.

Tables

1. Authors should take notice of the limitations set by the size and lay-out of the journal. Large tables should be avoided. Reversing columns and rows will often reduce the dimensions of a table.
2. If many data are to be presented, an attempt should be made to divide them over two or more tables.
3. Drawn tables, from which prints need to be made, should not be folded.
4. Tables should be numbered according to their sequence in the text. The text should include references to all tables.
5. Each table should be typewritten on a separate page of the manuscript. Tables should never be included in the text.
6. Each table should have a brief and self-explanatory title.
7. Column headings should be brief, but sufficiently explanatory. Standard abbreviations of units of measurement should be added between parentheses.
8. Vertical lines should not be used to separate columns. Leave some extra space between the columns instead.
9. Any explanation essential to the understanding of the table should be given as a footnote at the bottom of the table.

Electronic Illustrations

1. Submitting your artwork in an electronic format helps us to produce your work to the best possible standards, ensuring accuracy, clarity and a high level of detail.
2. Always supply high-quality printouts of your artwork, in case conversion of the electronic artwork is problematic.
3. Make sure you use uniform lettering and sizing of your original artwork.
4. Save text in illustrations as "graphics" or enclose the font.
5. Only use the following fonts in your illustrations: Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Times, Symbol.
6. Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text.
7. Use a logical naming convention for your artwork files, and supply a separate listing of the files and the software used.
8. Provide all illustrations as separate files.
9. Provide captions to illustrations separately.
10. Produce images near to the desired size of the printed version.

Formats

• Regardless of the application used, when your electronic artwork is finalised, please "save as" or convert the images to one of the following formats (Note the resolution requirements for line drawings, halftones, and line/halftone combinations given below.):
• JPEG or PNG: min. 300 dpi
• EPS: Vector drawings. Embed the font or save the text as "graphics".
• TIFF: Colour or greyscale photographs (halftones): always use a minimum of 300 dpi
• TIFF: Bitmapped line drawings: use a minimum of 1000 dpi.
• TIFF: Combinations bitmapped line/half-tone (colour or greyscale): a minimum of 500 dpi is required.
• DOC, XLS or PPT: If your electronic artwork is created in any of these Microsoft Office applications please supply "as is".

Please do not

• Supply embedded graphics in your wordprocessor (spreadsheet, presentation) document;
• Supply files that are optimised for screen use (like GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG); the resolution is too low;
• Supply files that are too low in resolution;
• Submit graphics that are disproportionately large for the content.

Authors please note: If you submit artwork that does not satisfy these criteria, publication may be delayed.

Provide all illustrations as high-quality printouts, suitable for reproduction (which may include reduction) without retouching. Number illustrations consecutively in the order in which they are referred to in the text. Clearly mark all illustrations on the back (or - in case of line drawings - on the lower front side) with the figure number and the author's name and, in cases of ambiguity, the correct orientation. Mark the appropriate position of a figure in the article.

References

1. All publications cited in the text should be presented in a list of references following the text of the manuscript. The manuscript should be carefully checked to ensure that the spelling of author's names and dates are exactly the same in the text as in the reference list.
2. In the text refer to the author's name (without initial) and year of publication, followed if necessary by a short reference to appropriate pages. Examples: "Since Peterson (1988) has shown that..." "This is in agreement with results obtained later (Kramer, 1989, pp. 12-16)".
3. If reference is made in the text to a publication written by more than two authors the name of the first author should be used followed by "et al.". This indication, however, should never be used in the list of references. In this list names of first author and co-authors should be mentioned.
4. References cited together in the text should be arranged chronologically. The list of references should be arranged alphabetically on authors' names, and chronologically per author. If an author's name in the list is also mentioned with co-authors the following order should be used: publications of the single author, arranged according to publication dates - publications of the same author with one co-author - publications of the author with more than one co-author. Publications by the same author(s) in the same year should be listed as 1994a, 1994b, etc.
5. Use the following system for arranging your references:
   a. For periodicals
   Sauter, R,W., Williams, C., Meyer, E.A., Celnik, B.,Banks,J.L., Leith D.A., (1987). A study of bacteria present within unfertilized salmon eggs at the time of spawning and their possible relation to early lifestage disease,Journal of Fish Diseases,10(3): 193-203. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2761.1987.tb01061.x
   b. For edited symposia, special issues, etc. published in a periodical
   Roberts, R.J., (1993). Ulcerative dermal necrosis (UDN) in wild salmonids. In: Bruno, D.W. (Ed.), Pathological conditions of wild salmonids, Fisheries Research, 17(2): 3-14.
   c. For books
   Gaugh, Jr., H.G., (1992). Statistical Analysis of Regional Yield Trials. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
   d. For multi-author books
   Bucke, D., (1989). Histology. In: Austin, B., Austin, D.A. (Eds.), Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Fish and Shellfish. Wiley, New York, pp. 69-97.
6. Abbreviate the titles of periodicals mentioned in the list of references according to the International List of Periodical Title Word Abbreviations.
7. In the case of publications in any language other than English, the original title is to be retained. However, the titles of publications in non-Latin alphabets should be transliterated, and a notation such as "(in Russian)" or "(in Greek, with English abstract)" should be added.
8. Work accepted for publication but not yet published should be referred to as "in press".
9. References concerning unpublished data and "personal communications" should not be cited in the reference list but may be mentioned in the text.

Formula

1. Formula should be typewritten, if possible. Leave ample space around the formulae.
2. Subscripts and superscripts should be clear.
3. Greek letters and other non-Latin symbols should be explained in the margin where they are first used. Take special care to show clearly the difference between zero (0) and the letter O, and between one (1) and the letter l.
4. Give the meaning of all symbols immediately after the equation in which they are first used.
5. For simple fractions use the solidus (/) instead of a horizontal line.
6. Equations should be numbered serially at the right-hand side in parentheses. In general only equations explicitly referred to in the text need be numbered.
7. The use of fractional powers instead of root signs is recommended. Also powers of e are often more conveniently denoted by exp.
8. Levels of statistical significance which can be mentioned without further explanation are *P<0.05, **P0.01 and ***P0.001.
9. In chemical formulae, valence of ions should be given as, e.g., Ca²⁺and not as Ca⁺⁺.
10. Isotope numbers should precede the symbols, e.g.,¹⁸O.
11. The repeated writing of chemical formulae in the text is to be avoided where reasonably possible; instead, the name of the compound should be given in full. Exceptions may be made in the case of a very long name occurring very frequently or in the case of a compound being described as the end product of a gravimetric determination (e.g., phosphate as P₂O₅).

Footnotes

1. Footnotes should be used only if absolutely essential. In most cases it should be possible to incorporate the information in normal text.
2. If used, they should be numbered in the text, indicated by superscript numbers, and kept as short as possible.
3. Nomenclature
4. Authors and Editors are, by general agreement, obliged to accept the rules governing biological nomenclature, as laid down in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria, and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
5. All biotica (crops, plants, insects, birds, mammals, etc.) should be identified by their scientific names when the English term is first used, with the exception of common domestic animals.
6. All biocides and other organic compounds must be identified by their Geneva names when first used in the text. Active ingredients of all formulations should be likewise identified.
7. For chemical nomenclature, the conventions of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the official recommendations of the IUPAC IUB Combined Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature should be followed.

Copyright

1. An author, when quoting from someone else's work or when considering reproducing an illustration or table from a book or journal article, should make sure that he is not infringing a copyright.
2. Although in general an author may quote from other published works, he should obtain permission from the holder of the copyright if he wishes to make substantial extracts or to reproduce tables, plates, or other illustrations. If the copyright-holder is not the author of the quoted or reproduced material, it is recommended that the permission of the author should also be sought.
3. Material in unpublished letters and manuscripts is also protected and must not be published unless permission has been obtained.
4. A suitable acknowledgement of any borrowed material must always be made.

Proofs One set of proofs will be sent to the corresponding author as given on the title page of the manuscript. Only typesetter's errors may be corrected; no changes in, or additions to, the edited manuscript will be allowed. Subsequent corrections will not be possible, so please ensure your first sending is complete.