1. Scope and Mission
The Journal of Baltalimanı (JoB) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal published by İstanbul Metin Sabancı Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital. The journal aims to publish high-quality original research, clinical studies, reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, technical notes, and letters to the editor in the following areas:

The journal encourages interdisciplinary approaches and prioritizes comprehensive studies integrating clinical practice with biomedical engineering, health informatics, and digitalization in healthcare.

2. Article Types

Research Articles: Prospective or retrospective clinical studies, experimental research, cohort or case-control studies prepared using scientific methodology.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: Must comply with PRISMA guidelines.

Review Articles: Comprehensive literature evaluations authored by experts in the field.

Case Reports: Rare, novel, or diagnostically instructive cases.

Technical Notes: Introduction of new surgical techniques, equipment, or methods.

Short Communications: Preliminary results or findings requiring rapid publication.

Editorials: Opinion articles published upon invitation from the editor.

3. Language and Submission Format
Manuscripts may be submitted in Turkish or English. English submissions are encouraged to enhance international accessibility.

All manuscripts must be prepared in Microsoft Word (.docx) format:

Font: Times New Roman, size 12

Line spacing: 1.5

Margins: 2.5 cm

Page numbering: Centered at the bottom

4. Manuscript Structure

a. Title Page

Manuscript title (in Turkish and English)

Full names and institutional affiliations of all authors

Corresponding author’s email and phone number

ORCID numbers for all authors

Conflict of interest and funding statements

b. Abstract

Maximum 250 words

Structured abstract: Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion

3–6 keywords (preferably MeSH terms)

c. Main Text

For Reviews:

Introduction

Literature Review

Discussion and Conclusion

For Research Articles:

Introduction

Materials and Methods (including ethical approval and statistical analysis)

Results

Discussion (limitations must be specified)

Conclusion

For Case Reports:

Introduction

Case Presentation

Discussion

Conclusion

d. References

Must be formatted according to APA style

Example:
Journal article: Smith J, Doe A. Outcomes of hip arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg. 2020;102(3):234-240.
Book: Murray PR. Medical Microbiology. 8th ed. Elsevier; 2016.

e. Tables and Figures

Each must be presented on a separate page

Must include descriptive titles and captions

Images should be high resolution (minimum 300 dpi), JPEG or TIFF format

Patient identifiers must be removed

5. Ethical Guidelines and Compliance

Ethical Committee Approval is mandatory for all studies involving human or animal data

Informed consent must be clearly stated in the manuscript

Authors must comply with ICMJE and COPE guidelines

Plagiarism screening is performed using Turnitin or iThenticate; the maximum similarity rate allowed is 15%

6. Data Sharing
Authors must state whether the data supporting the study are available and specify the platform for access.

7. Conflict of Interest and Funding

All authors must disclose potential conflicts of interest. If none exist, the following statement should be included: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

Any financial support must be clearly indicated.

8. Peer Review and Publication Process

All manuscripts undergo:

Initial screening

Double-blind peer review by at least two reviewers

Evaluation by section editors and the editor-in-chief

Average review time: 4–6 weeks

9. Article Processing Charges and Open Access Policy

There are no submission or publication fees.

Articles are open access under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.

Peer Review Process
All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Baltalimanı are evaluated under a double-blind peer review system. When necessary, the editorial board seeks the opinions of independent reviewers selected from national and international experts. Each study is reviewed by at least two referees for its scientific, ethical, and methodological quality. Research articles are also subject to review by a statistical editor.

All submissions must be original works that have not been previously published, are not under review elsewhere, and have been approved by all authors. All studies requiring ethical approval must be conducted in accordance with national and international ethical standards. In cases of suspected ethical violations, actions are taken in line with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Human and Animal Rights
For clinical, experimental, and drug research involving humans, ethics committee approval is mandatory, along with a statement that the study was conducted in accordance with international agreements (e.g., the Declaration of Helsinki – 2013 revision). For animal experiments, compliance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and approval from an animal ethics committee are required. These documents must be submitted with the manuscript.

If images or data related to cases carry a risk of revealing identity, informed consent must be obtained and stated in the “Materials and Methods” section.

For participation of individuals under 18 years of age, informed consent forms signed by both parents or a legal guardian are required.

Similarity and Research Misconduct
All submissions are screened for similarity using iThenticate or similar software. Manuscripts with a similarity rate exceeding 15% are not eligible for publication.

Authors must avoid the following forms of misconduct:

Plagiarism

Fabrication of data

Duplicate publication

Salami publication (fragmentation)

Data falsification

Such practices are strictly rejected. Conflicts of interest intended to influence the review process, inappropriate citations, and misleading contribution statements are also considered unethical conduct.

Publisher’s Responsibilities
The publisher takes all necessary steps to correct, retract, or issue statements regarding articles in which scientific misconduct, plagiarism, or ethical violations are detected. The principle of editorial independence is strictly upheld.

Editors’ Responsibilities

Hold full responsibility during the publication process

Ensure objective and fair evaluation processes

Maintain confidentiality principles

Manage conflicts of interest

Implement corrections or retractions in cases of erroneous publications

Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Provide impartial and scientific evaluations

Adhere to confidentiality and ethical principles

Disclose potential conflicts of interest to the editor

Point out uncited relevant works and similarities to existing literature

Authors’ Responsibilities

Guarantee that the submitted work has not been previously published and is not under review elsewhere

Provide adequate sourcing and appropriate citations