Volume: 1 Issue: 1

The Journal of Baltalimanı (JoB) is the scientific, peer-reviewed, and open-access periodical of İstanbul Metin Sabancı Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital. As of 2025, the journal is published quarterly, in March, June, September, and December. The publication languages are Turkish and English.

The journal aims to contribute scientifically to all fields of medicine related to orthopedics and musculoskeletal system disorders, primarily through original clinical and experimental research articles, case reports, review articles, and letters to the editor.

All publication expenses are covered by İstanbul Metin Sabancı Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital. For advertising requests, the Editorial Office should be contacted. Advertising materials may be published only with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief.

The opinions expressed in the articles published in the journal belong solely to the authors, and İstanbul Metin Sabancı Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital, the editors, the editorial board, or the publisher cannot be held responsible for these opinions.

All published content is freely accessible. Printed copies are distributed free of charge to the academic units within İstanbul Metin Sabancı Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital and to relevant institutions.

The target audience of the journal includes researchers, specialists, and healthcare professionals working in all medical disciplines, particularly orthopedics and traumatology.

Publication and Ethical Standards
The editorial and publication processes of the Journal of Baltalimanı are conducted in accordance with the following international institutional principles:

ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors)

COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

WAME (World Association of Medical Editors)

CSE (Council of Science Editors)

EASE (European Association of Science Editors)

NISO (National Information Standards Organization)

The Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing are adopted.

Indexing and Reach
The Journal of Baltalimanı is in the process of being indexed in national databases, primarily TR Dizin. Applications will be submitted in the future to national and international databases such as DOAJ, EBSCO, Türk Medline, Türkiye Atıf Dizini, and OpenAlex.

Journal Title: Journal of Baltalimanı
Official Abbreviation: JoB
Publication Languages: Turkish and English
Publication Frequency: March, June, September, December

Open Access Policy
The journal aims to support global knowledge sharing by providing immediate and free access to its content. All articles are published in accordance with the principles of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI). Readers may access, download, copy, print, distribute, and use the articles without financial, legal, or technical barriers, provided proper attribution is given.

The Journal of Baltalimanı does not charge any submission fees, publication fees, or subscription costs.

Copyright and Creative Commons License
The Journal of Baltalimanı applies the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license to all published works. This license permits third parties to share and adapt content for non-commercial purposes, provided appropriate credit is given to the author and the journal.

While all intellectual property rights of the published article remain with the authors, the authors transfer the commercial usage rights to İstanbul Metin Sabancı Baltalimanı Bone Diseases Training and Research Hospital.

Advertising Policy
Potential advertisers should contact the Editorial Office. Advertising content may be published only with the approval of the Editor-in-Chief.

Disclaimer
The views expressed in the articles published in the Journal of Baltalimanı are solely those of the authors. The editors, editorial board, and publisher cannot be held directly or indirectly responsible for these contents.

Author Guidelines

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.

FOR REVIEWS

A. Title and Author Information

Title: Informative, not exceeding 15 words

Authors: Contributions of all authors must be clearly stated

Include ORCID IDs and contact address

B. Structured Abstract

Maximum 250 words

Subheadings: Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion

Keywords: Minimum 3, maximum 6, MeSH-compliant

C. Main Text Structure (Minimum 4,000 – Maximum 8,000 words)

Introduction – Explain the importance, scope, and aim of the review.

Methods – Specify databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, etc.), keywords, search strategy, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and PRISMA diagram (mandatory for systematic reviews).

Results – Summarize key findings from the literature; may be supported with tables or figures.

Discussion – Interpret findings, compare with literature, state limitations and recommendations.

Conclusion – Provide general inferences and recommendations.

D. References – At least 30 recent sources (last 5 years), APA 7 style, with DOIs.

E. Appendices – PRISMA diagram, ethical statement (even if not required, must include “This review does not require ethics committee approval”), author contribution statement, conflict of interest, and funding statements.

FOR RESEARCH ARTICLES

A. Title Page – Turkish and English title, author names, institutions, ORCID numbers, corresponding author contact, author contributions (CRediT taxonomy), conflict of interest, and funding.

B. Abstract – Maximum 250 words, structured as Objective, Materials and Methods, Results, Conclusion; keywords (3–6, MeSH-compliant).

C. Main Text

Introduction – Clearly state the importance, knowledge gap, aim, and hypothesis.

Materials and Methods – Study design (prospective/retrospective, randomized, etc.), participant details and sample size, measurement tools, statistical analysis, ethical approval, informed consent, and animal ethics if applicable.

Results – Present clearly and objectively, supported by tables and figures, with p-values where relevant.

Discussion – Compare with literature, state strengths and limitations, discuss clinical implications, originality, and future directions.

Conclusion – Summarize in 2–3 sentences, highlighting clinical impact and key message.

D. References – Prioritize recent sources (last 5 years), minimum 20, ideally 30–40, APA 7 style, with DOIs.

E. Tables, Figures, and Appendices – Separate pages, high-resolution images, supplementary materials (protocols, questionnaires, consent forms) as additional files.

FOR TECHNICAL NOTES

A. Title Page – Turkish and English title, authors, institutions, ORCID numbers, corresponding author contact, author contributions, conflict of interest, and funding.

B. Abstract and Keywords – Unstructured abstract (150–200 words in Turkish and English), 3–5 MeSH-compliant keywords.

C. Main Text (Max 2,000 words, up to 4 tables or figures)

Introduction – Identify the need for innovation, existing methods, and their limitations.

Technical Description – Step-by-step implementation, equipment and materials used, supported with illustrations; may include links to technical drawings/animations.

Clinical Application / Example (optional) – Short case summary with outcomes; ethical approval required.

Discussion – Comparison with existing techniques, advantages, limitations, learning curve, and future applications.

Conclusion – 2–3 sentence summary of practical contribution.

FOR CASE REPORTS

Introduction – Justification for the case, relevance in literature, originality, and clinical importance.

Case Presentation – Patient demographics, medical history, clinical findings, diagnostic workup, treatment, outcomes, and follow-up.

Discussion – Literature comparison, scientific contribution, differences from similar cases, and clinical recommendations.

Conclusion – Summarize the main message in 2–3 sentences.

Ethical Principles and Publication Policy

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

Identify all contributors to the work

Declare ethics approval, informed consent, funding sources, and conflicts of interest

In cases of duplicate submissions, improper citation, missing contribution statements, or fabricated data, actions are taken in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Conflicts of Interest
All potential financial or personal conflicts of interest among authors, editors, and reviewers must be clearly disclosed. Individuals with possible conflicts of interest affecting the evaluation process are excluded from participation in that process.

Authors should avoid sponsorship agreements that limit their freedom to access, analyze, and interpret all data of the study. The objectivity of articles published in the journal must be maintained independently of such relationships.

Only the Editor-in-Chief has access to author information. If the editor is an author of a manuscript, they are completely recused from its evaluation process.