Author Guidelines

These guidelines help you prepare a manuscript that can move quickly through screening and review.

Manuscript structure

1. Title page with all author names, affiliations and a corresponding email.
2. Structured abstract of no more than 300 words.
3. Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusion.
4. References in a consistent numbered style.

Formatting

• Accepted file types: PDF, DOC or DOCX (maximum 10 MB).
• Use 11–12 pt text, 1.5 line spacing and numbered pages.
• Tables and figures should be cited in order and include clear captions.

Declarations

Please include statements on funding, competing interests, ethics approval where relevant, and data availability.