1. Introduction

Vascular Research is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing innovative research across all aspects of vascular science and vascular surgery. The journal is committed to publishing high-quality research that addresses fundamental discoveries, clinical evidence, and translational breakthroughs that enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of vascular diseases.

Authors are advised to follow the instructions in these Author Guidelines to ensure that their manuscript is processed efficiently and adheres to the journal's scope, which spans fundamental, clinical, and translational vascular science.

2. Manuscript Types

The journal accepts the following categories:

• Original Research: Full-length articles reporting novel findings related to vascular biology, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic advancements.

• Review: Comprehensive overviews of recent advances in vascular science, including fundamental research, clinical studies, and new technologies.

• Case Report: In-depth clinical presentations and management of rare or novel vascular conditions, including diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

• Editorial: Invited expert commentaries on current trends or challenges in vascular research.

• Commentary: Short opinion pieces that discuss recent developments, emerging topics, or controversial issues in vascular research.

• Protocol: Detailed methodologies for reproducible vascular research, including experimental protocols, clinical trial designs, or data analysis methods.

• News: Brief articles highlighting significant developments, innovations, and breakthroughs in vascular science and clinical practice.

3. Manuscript Structure

3.1 Title Page

• The title page should include:

• Full title: The title should be clear, concise, and accurately reflect the content of the manuscript.

• Running title: ≤ 50 characters.

• Authors’ full names: Include all authors and their institutional affiliations in the order of contribution.

• Institutional affiliations: Include department names, institutions, cities, and countries.

• Corresponding author: Name, full address (including postal code), email address, and ORCID iD (recommended).

• Funding information: If applicable, include the names of funding sources and grant numbers.

3.2 Abstract, Keywords and Funding Information

• Abstract: For Original Research, Review, and Case Reports, the abstract must follow the structure and word count guidelines outlined below:

Original Research: (Structured Abstract ≤ 300 words)

Should include the following sections:

—Background: Brief context of the research question and purpose.

—Materials and Methods: Key methods used, including study design, sample size, and analysis techniques.

—Results: Summary of key findings with statistical significance (if applicable).

—Discussion: Brief interpretation of the findings or their implications.

—Conclusion: Implications of the findings, including clinical or scientific relevance.

Case Report: (Structured Abstract ≤ 300 words)

Should include the following sections:

—Introduction: A concise statement describing the clinical relevance or reason for reporting the case.

—Case Presentation: Essential clinical information, including history, examinations, diagnosis, treatment, and management.

—Results: Patient outcomes and key observations.

—Discussion: Brief comment on the importance of the case or findings.

—Conclusion: Key takeaways from the case, highlighting its novelty or clinical significance.

Review: (Unstructured Abstract ≤ 300 words)

Should provide a concise overview of: 

—Scope and purpose of the review

—Major themes or topics covered

—Key recent advances or updates in the field

—Overall conclusions and implications for future research or clinical practice

An unstructured abstract is preferred for review articles.

Protocol: (Structured Abstract ≤ 300 words)

Should include the following sections:

—Background: Rationale for the study or protocol, including unmet needs or existing knowledge gaps.

—Objectives: Primary and secondary aims of the protocol.

—Methods: Detailed overview of the study design, participants/samples, interventions, measurements, and planned analyses (clinical trial, laboratory protocol, or computational workflow).

—Expected Outcomes: Anticipated findings or the potential impact of the study/methodology.

—Registration (if applicable): Clinical trial registry number or repository information (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov).

• Keywords

Original Research, Case Report, Review, and Protocol:

—Provide 3-8 keywords.

—MeSH terms (Medical Subject Headings) are recommended where applicable to improve indexing and discoverability.

—Use singular noun forms and avoid overly broad or overly specific phrases.

• Funding Information

Original Research, Review, Case Report, Protocol: If applicable, include Funding Information in this section. This should specify the source of any financial support received for the work presented in the article.

—For research article, the funding details should be provided, including the name of the funding body, grant numbers, and the role of the funders (if applicable).

—For review and protocol, include funding details if the review or protocol was developed as part of a funded project.

—For case report, if the case is part of a funded clinical study or initiative, funding details should be included.

—If no external funding was received, state: This research received no external funding.

3.3 Main Text

URLs are not allowed to appear in main text.

Original Research

Manuscripts should be organized into the following sections:

1. Introduction: Provide the scientific background, rationale, and primary objectives of the study.

2. Materials and Methods: Describe the study design, participants or specimens, procedures, interventions, outcome measures, and statistical analyses in sufficient detail to allow reproducibility.

3. Results: Present key findings in a clear and logical sequence, supported by tables and figures where appropriate.

4. Discussion: Interpret major findings, compare them with existing literature, clarify strengths and limitations, and explain their scientific or clinical significance.

5. Conclusion: Summarize the main conclusions and implications of the study.

Case Report

Manuscripts should include the following sections:

1. Introduction: Briefly describe the clinical relevance and rationale for reporting the case.

2. Case presentation: Detail the patient’s history, examination findings, diagnostic work-up, treatment, and clinical course.

3. Results: Provide key clinical outcomes, including follow-up observations.

4. Discussion: Discuss the importance of the case, insights gained, relation to prior literature, and clinical implications.

5. Conclusion: Highlight the main learning points and novelty of the case.

Review

Reviews may use flexible, unstructured sectioning. Suggested structure:

• Introduction

• Main body with thematic subsections

• Conclusion

• future direction (optional)

Authors should ensure the review is comprehensive, balanced, and appropriately referenced.

Editorial / Commentary:

• Should be concise and focused.

• No section numbering is required.

• The content may include expert opinion, context for current developments, or discussion of emerging issues in the field.

Protocol:

Manuscripts should provide sufficient detail to enable reproducibility of the described research or clinical procedure, typically including:

1. Introduction: Outline the purpose, rationale, and scientific background of the protocol.

2. Methods / Procedure: Provide step-by-step methodology, materials, instruments, workflow, inclusion/exclusion criteria (if clinical), and quality-control measures.

3. Expected Outcomes: Describe anticipated results, performance benchmarks, and potential applications.

4. Limitations: Note aspects of the protocol that may pose challenges or variability.

5. Conclusion: Summarize the value and potential impact of the protocol.

3.4 References

• Citation Style: AMA (American Medical Association) style.

• References should be numbered in the order they appear in the text and listed accordingly.

• Excessive self-citations should be avoided.

• The number of references is restricted. Please refer to the Temple document. (see For Authors-Manuscript Preparation)

3.5 Figures and Tables

• Resolution: Figures should be ≥ 300 dpi (JPEG/PNG), ≥ 600 dpi (line art).

• Titles and Legends: Figures and tables must have descriptive titles and legends. The first word and proper nouns should be capitalized.

• Editable files for figures and tables must be provided.

• URLs are not allowed to appear in figures or tables.

• Permissions: Obtain permission for previously published material. Include the necessary documents from the copyright holder.

3.6 Supplementary Materials

• Include datasets, additional figures, video files, extended tables, or source code. Supplementary materials will be published online as submitted.

4. Formatting Requirements

• File format: Microsoft Word.

• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt.

• Line spacing: Double-spaced.

• Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch).

• Page and line numbering: All pages and lines should be numbered.

• Units: Use the International System of Units (SI) exclusively.

5. Ethical Standards

5.1 Human and Animal Research

Research involving human participants must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki (https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/), and authors must provide IRB approval and informed consent statements.

• Animal research must adhere to national or institutional guidelines, and ethics approval must be provided.

5.2 Conflict of Interest

• Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest. A Conflict of Interest statement should be included in the manuscript.

5.3 Research Misconduct

• Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, inappropriate image manipulation, and duplicate publication are strictly prohibited. Any suspected misconduct will be handled according to COPE guidelines (https://publicationethics.org/guidance/Flowcharts).

6. Data Availability

• Authors must include a Data Availability Statement (DAS):

—Data available in public repositories (e.g., Dryad, Figshare, Zenodo) is highly encouraged.

—Data available from authors upon reasonable request.

—Data cannot be shared due to privacy or ethical restrictions, with reasons stated.

7. Reporting Guidelines

• Authors should follow the appropriate reporting guidelines based on the study type:

—CONSORT for clinical trials (https://www.consort-statement.org/)

—PRISMA for systematic reviews (http://www.prisma-statement.org/)

—STROBE for observational studies (https://www.strobe-statement.org/)

—ARRIVE for animal experiments (https://arriveguidelines.org)

—CARE for case reports (https://www.care-statement.org/)

—CHEERS for health economics studies (https://www.cheers-statement.org/)

8. Preprint Policy

• Manuscripts posted on non-peer-reviewed preprint servers (e.g., bioRxiv, medRxiv, arXiv, HEP Preprint) are accepted.

• Authors must disclose preprint details (DOI/URL) during submission.

9. Authorship Criteria

• Authorship must meet ICMJE criteria (https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html):

1. Substantial contribution to conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.

2. Drafting or revising the manuscript.

3. Final approval of the version to be published.

4. Accountability for all aspects of the work.

Changes to authorship require written approval from all authors.

10. Copyright and Licensing

• Copyright: Authors retain copyright of their work.

• Licensing: Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

• Article Processing Charges (APCs): The journal charges an APC upon manuscript acceptance. Waivers or discounts are available for authors from low-income countries or those facing financial hardship.

11. Language and Editing

• Manuscripts must be written in grammatically correct English.

• Authors requiring language support may use professional editing services before submission.

12. Submission Checklist

Before submitting, ensure that:

• The manuscript follows the required structure.

• The title page is complete.

• All authors meet the authorship criteria.

• IRB approval and consent statements are included.

• Figures and tables have correct resolution.

• References are formatted according to AMA style.

• A Data Availability Statement is included.

• COI (Conflict of Interest) forms are completed.

• Reporting guideline checklists are uploaded. (see 7. Reporting Guidelines)

• The manuscript is checked for plagiarism.