Pistachio and plant-based Health Journal

Pistachio and plant-based Health Journal

Guide for Authors

 

A. Scope of the Journal

B. General Policy

C. Types of Articles

D. Manuscript Preparation

E. Manuscript Submission

F. Peer Review Process

G. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in publication

H. Proof

 

A. Scope of the Journal

Pistachio and Plant-based Health Journal (PHJ) is an international open-access journal devoted to the safety of pistachios and plants and their effects on human health. Scientific studies on the production and processing of healthy pistachio and plants, nutritional and pharmaceutical aspects of pistachio and plants, and overcoming challenges in producing, processing and storing them are welcomed.

B. General Policy

1. Manuscript quality:

Manuscript quality is the paramount criterion for acceptance in the Pistachio and Plant-based Health Journal. Submitted research must be original, unpublished, and exclusive, meaning it cannot be simultaneously under consideration by another journal. A robust study design, precise methodology, sound statistical analysis, and logical interpretation of results must underpin the scientific quality. Any claims or findings must rest upon valid scientific evidence and maintain direct relevance to pistachio and plant-based compounds. Manuscripts containing data fabrication or plagiarism will result in immediate rejection.

2. Manuscript language:

Manuscripts should be written in good English (British or American, but not both).

3. Conflicts of Interest

All authors must explicitly state any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could be perceived as influencing the research or the interpretation of the results. Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or other relationships with commercial entities that might have a financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. If no conflict of interest exists, authors are required to state explicitly: “The authors declare that they have no known conflict of interest.” Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest will lead to the immediate rejection or subsequent retraction of the manuscript.

4. Ethical consent: 

All research involving human participants or animals must comply with the ethical standards of the conducting institution and the Declaration of Helsinki. Before data collection, explicit approval from an institutional review board or equivalent ethics committee is mandatory for all human subject research. Manuscripts lacking verifiable ethical approval evidence will be rejected immediately.

5. Changes to authorship: 

The list of authors must be finalized and agreed upon by all contributors before manuscript submission, ensuring that all authors meet the established criteria for intellectual contribution and accountability.

Any request to alter authorship (addition, removal, or reordering of names) after submission must be directed to the Editor-in-Chief in writing by the corresponding author. This request must include the precise reason for the change and documented written consent from every author involved. Crucially, no changes to authorship will be considered after final acceptance or online publication. 

6.  Copyright: 

The entire contents of the Pistachio and Plant-based Health Journal are protected under international copyrights. Pistachio and Plant-based Health Journal is licensed under the Creative Commons (CC) Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License. 

8. Funding sources:

The provided financial support for the execution of the research and/or preparation of the article should be declared in the acknowledgments.

C. Types of Articles

The Pistachio and Plant-based Health Journal (PHJ) accepts the following types of manuscripts. All submissions must adhere to ethical and scientific standards as defined by the ICMJE and relevant research guidelines.

1. Original Research Articles

Full-length papers presenting novel experimental or clinical findings

  • Structure: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgements, References
  • Word limit: up to 4,000–5,000 words (excluding references)

Abstract: The abstract should be structured under the following headings: Background; Materials and Methods; Results; Conclusions. The Abstract should not exceed 250 words. Please do not use non-standard or uncommon abbreviations, and do not cite references in the abstract.

2. Review Articles

Reviews on different aspects of pistachio and plant-based health are welcomed and encouraged. Reviews should be concise and no longer than 4-6 printed pages (about 12 to 18 manuscript pages).

3. Short Communications

Concise reports of preliminary or significant findings that merit rapid publication

  • Structure: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion
  • Word limit: up to 2,000 words
  • Limited number of tables or figures

 4. Commentaries, Notes or Letter to editor

Commentaries/Notes (up to ~1500 words, including tables, figures and references) are explanatory discussion of a previously published article. These types of publications support, discuss or dispute previously published articles. If such a Commentary/Note criticizes an article already published in the Journal, then the authors of the original article will be given a chance to respond in the same issue in which the Commentary is published. 

D. Manuscript Preparation

Please adhere strictly to the following formatting guidelines. Failure to comply may result in the manuscript being returned for revision before peer review.

Title Page

The Title Page must be submitted as a separate document (or the first page of the manuscript file) and must include:

  1. Title of the Manuscript: Concise, informative, and less than 15 words, accurately reflecting the content
  2. Authors’ Full Names and Affiliations: Full names of all authors, including complete affiliations and institutional addresses (Department, University/Institution, City, Country)
  3. Corresponding Author Details: Name, full mailing address, telephone number, and email address of the corresponding author
  4. Word Count: Total word count (excluding title, authors, affiliations, and references)
  5. Disclosures: A statement regarding any potential conflicts of interest and acknowledgments of the funding sources

Abstract and Keywords

The Abstract should be structured for Original Research and Review articles.

  • Word Limit: Maximum 250 words
  • Structure: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion
  • Keywords: 3 to 6 keywords or short phrases, listed immediately below the abstract that are not already in the title:  Use MeSH terms where appropriate.

Introduction

  • Must clearly state the background context and rationale for the study.
  • Should conclude with the specific objectives or hypotheses of the current research.

Materials and Methods

The Materials and Methods section should provide sufficient detail to enable the replication of the experiments. Only genuinely novel techniques need to be described in full, while established methods should be referenced appropriately. Any significant modifications to previously reported methods should be briefly noted. Trade names must begin with a capital letter, and the manufacturer’s details (name and address) should be clearly stated. Authors are also encouraged to include comprehensive information regarding the study design, target population, sample characteristics (including sample size and sampling strategy), key variables, data collection instruments and procedures, as well as the analytical approach used.

Results

  • Present findings logically, usually following the order of the Material and Methods section.
  • Data presented in Tables or Figures should not be repeated in the text; instead, refer to them (e.g., “As shown in Figure 1…”).

Discussions

  • Interpret the results in the context of existing literature.
  • Start by summarizing the main findings. Then discuss the implications, strengths, and limitations of the study. Avoid simply repeating the results. Conclude with the significance of the work and future research directions.

References

  • References must be numbered sequentially in the order they appear in the text (Citation-Sequence System).
  • Use Vancouver style 

Tables and/or Figures

  • Tables and Figures should be numbered independently using arabic numerals (Table 1, Figure 1, etc.).
  • Tables: Should be simple, editable, and formatted using the table function in the word processor (avoiding tab stops or excessive spacing). Provide a clear, self-explanatory title above the table.
  • Figures (Graphs, Images, Photos): Must be high resolution (minimum 300 dpi). Provide a descriptive caption below each figure. Any images of human subjectsmust have written consent attached.

E. Manuscript Submission

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the journal’s Online Submission System at:

🔗 https://phj.rums.ac.ir/

1. Cover Letter Requirement

A cover letter must accompany every manuscript submission. The letter should clearly state:

  • The novelty and significance of the study;
  • A declaration that the work has not been published previously and is not under consideration elsewhere;
  • Confirmation that all authors have read and approved the submitted version;
  • Disclosure of any conflict of interest or funding support.

2. Online Submission Procedure

The online submission system provides a stepwise process for entering manuscript details and uploading files.

Editable text files (e.g., Microsoft Word .doc, .docx source files) are required to facilitate typesetting for final publication.

All communications regarding the manuscript, including editorial decisions and revision requests, will be carried out via the journal’s submission platform.

3. File Upload Order and Format

Tables and figures must be submitted as separate individual files.

Files should be uploaded in the following order:

  1. Title page
  2. Main text, including title, abstract, references, and figure legends
  3. Tables
  4. Figures
  5. Supplementary materials (if any)

Each file should be named clearly and sequentially (e.g., “Table_1.docx”, “Figure_2.tiff”). Figures must be in high resolution (≥300 dpi), and editable formats are preferred where applicable.

4. Responsibility and Accuracy of Content

The journal makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all published content.

However, the Editorial Office and the Publisher make no warranties or representations concerning the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the material for any purpose, and disclaim any responsibility for errors or omissions to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 F. Peer Review Process

All submitted manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review by at least two independent experts. Manuscripts fulfilling the submission requirements will receive an acknowledgment from the editorial office.

Authors may suggest up to three qualified reviewers, though the final selection rests with the editor. The review process continues until reviewers’ comments are received and the authors have submitted satisfactory revisions.

A letter of acceptance is issued once the revised manuscript is approved by the reviewers and the Editor-in-Chief. Authors may request that their manuscript not be reviewed by specific individuals due to potential conflicts of interest.

The journal strictly observes confidentiality and COPE ethical guidelines throughout the review and publication process.

G. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Publication:

The PHJ policy permits authors to use AI tools only for enhancing language and readability in manuscripts. All AI use must be disclosed in the published article. AI cannot be listed as an author, as authorship requires human accountability. AI-generated or altered images are generally prohibited; unless AI is integral to the research methodology and fully explained in the Methods section. Reviewers must neither upload manuscripts or reports to AI tools; nor use AI for peer review; to maintain confidentiality and ensure human critical thinking. PHJ supports AI technologies that preserve confidentiality, data privacy, and scientific integrity.

H. Proofs

Following acceptance, the galley proof (or final layout file) will be sent only to the Corresponding Author. This stage is not for making substantive changes to the text, data, or figures, which must have been finalized before acceptance. Authors are required to return the corrected proof within 48 hours of receipt. Failure to return the proofs the due time may result in publication delays or the journal proceeding with the uncorrected version. Corrections should be limited strictly to typographical errors or minor factual inaccuracies; major revisions will not be accommodated at this stage.