Instructions to Authors

1. Types of Manuscripts Accepted

JFSF provides a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary forum for the quarterly publication of articles that focus on all aspects related to frailty, sarcopenia, and falls prevention and management, as well as advancements in related treatments, including complex issues and research. It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted to this journal be original, unpublished, and not simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere; furthermore, submission for publication must be approved by all authors and by the institution where the work was carried out. Only manuscripts written in English will be accepted.

The word count for all article types includes the main body of text, notes, and the headers of tables and figures. It does not include the title page, abstract, references, or supporting materials. A manuscript that exceeds the word limit will be returned without review.

Manuscripts submitted to JFSF should fall into one of the following categories:

2. Review Process

JFSF is a peer-reviewed journal that employs a single-blind peer review process. Upon submission, each manuscript is initially evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief of the relevant section to determine whether it aligns with the journal’s scope and represents a meaningful advancement in scientific knowledge.

Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be returned to the authors without external review. If deemed suitable, the manuscript is assigned for peer review. The section Editor-in-Chief is responsible for selecting appropriate independent reviewers with expertise in the subject area. After receiving the reviewers’ reports, the section Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision based on the reviewers’ feedback and their own evaluation. All editorial decisions are communicated to the authors by the Editors-in-Chief on behalf of the journal.

Possible decisions are:

3. Proceedings

JFSF publishes conference or meeting proceedings; therefore, publication proposals can only be submitted by conference or meeting organizers, and authors cannot submit their articles directly. The peer review process is managed by the conference organizers, and the detailed review procedure may vary depending on the policy of each conference.

To ensure that published proceedings include high-quality scientific work of long-term interest and benefit to the scientific community, the journal requires conference organizers to commit to conducting an appropriate peer review process before the acceptance of abstracts or papers.

3.a. Publication Procedure for Proceedings

1. A proposal for proceedings publication is submitted to JFSF by the conference or meeting organizers.
2. The proposal is evaluated by JFSF's Editorial Office.
3. If the proceedings publication is accepted, an agreement is drawn up outlining the terms and total cost of publication.

Following the acceptance and signing of the agreement by the organizers:

1. The organizers are responsible for collecting abstract submissions and conducting the peer review. They must submit a signed declaration to JFSF confirming that the abstracts have been peer reviewed.
2. Abstracts intended for publication must be delivered to JFSF by the agreed deadline and in the required format as described in the agreement.
3. JFSF is responsible for formatting the abstracts according to the journal’s standard presentation style.
4. Proceedings proofs are sent to the organizers for review and final approval before publication.
5. Proceedings are published in the designated JFSF issue, as specified in the agreement.

4. Editors and Journal Staff as Authors

JFSF has established a clear procedure for handling submissions from editors or members of the editorial board to ensure that the peer review process is conducted independently of the author/editor, thereby minimizing any potential bias. The handling editor sends the article out for review with all identifying information removed. As an additional precaution, if and when the article is published, the editor includes an accompanying disclaimer outlining the transparency of the review process.

5. Resubmissions

When resubmitting a revised manuscript, authors must provide a detailed, point-by-point response to all reviewer comments in a separate document. This response letter should clearly indicate how each comment was addressed. Additionally, authors should list and explain any other changes made to the original manuscript, even if not directly requested by the reviewers. To facilitate the review process, please be as specific and concise as possible in your responses.

Please note: Revisions cannot be made directly on the originally submitted version. Instead, all changes must be incorporated into the revised manuscript file, with all modifications clearly highlighted in color. It is the authors’ responsibility to ensure that all changes are easily visible, enabling reviewers to efficiently assess the revisions during re-evaluation.

6. Corrections and Retractions

Decisions regarding the type of correction are made by the editors of the journal that published the paper, sometimes with input from peer reviewers. This process involves consultation with the authors, but the editor makes the final decision about the category under which the amendment is published.

When any of the above-mentioned amendments is published, it is linked bi-directionally to and from the article being amended.

7. Expressions of Concern

When substantial doubt arises regarding the honesty or integrity of a submitted or published article, it is the Editor-in-Chief’s responsibility to ensure that the matter is appropriately addressed, typically by the authors’ sponsoring institution. It is not usually the Editor-in-Chief’s role to conduct the investigation or make a determination. The Editor-in-Chief should be promptly informed of the sponsoring institution’s decision, and a retraction should be issued if the paper is found to be fraudulent. Alternatively, the Editor-in-Chief may choose to publish an expression of concern regarding aspects of the conduct or integrity of the work.

8. Complaints Process

Users who wish to submit a complaint should address it to the Editor-in-Chief via the journal's contact email: [email protected].

9. Submission Fees

No submission fees are charged for articles submitted to JFSF.

10. Publication Fees

A publication fee of 150 € (Euros) is charged for accepted manuscripts. Once a manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author will be invoiced. Manuscripts will be published only after the publication fee has been received.

11. Proofs

Before publication, all manuscript details—including references, tables, and figures—are carefully checked, and a final page proof is prepared in PDF format. This PDF proof is sent to all listed authors via the journal’s submission system; however, the corresponding author must submit the final response on behalf of all authors. At this stage, only minor corrections and typographical errors are permitted. All corrections must be clearly indicated based on the typeset PDF proof, not the original submission file, as the manuscript has already been formatted for publication. Authors must return any corrections within 48 hours of receiving the proof. If no response is received within 7 working days, the article will be published as is. Please note that authors are collectively responsible for any errors that appear in the final published version.

12. Editorial Policies and Practices

12.a. Publication Ethics

Ethical standards for publication exist to ensure high-quality scientific output, public trust in research findings, and proper credit for contributors. JFSF and its publisher, Hylonome Publications, follow the guidelines and core practices of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), ensuring the integrity of research.

12.b. Authorship

JFSF has adopted the authorship and contributor acknowledgment requirements recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), as outlined in the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.

The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following four criteria:

Manuscripts must adhere to the following requirements:

12.c. Acknowledgments and Funding

The Acknowledgments section should be used to recognize individuals or organizations that have contributed to the work but do not meet the criteria for authorship. Authors must clearly state the specific contributions of each individual mentioned. Permission must be obtained from all individuals named in this section, as their names will appear in the published version of the manuscript.

Any financial support or grant information must be disclosed separately in the Funding section, which should appear before the References.

12.d. Conflict of Interest

JFSF follows ICMJE guidelines for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. Every article published in JFSF includes a “Disclosures” section. All authors are required to fill out the electronic ICMJE disclosure of interest. Disclosure forms must be submitted together with the manuscript when it is initially submitted to JFSF

12.e. Duplicate Publication

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the manuscript has not been previously reported or published and that it has not been, and will not be, submitted to another journal while under review at JFSF. By submitting your manuscript to the journal, it is understood that it is original, unpublished work and is not under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism, including the duplicate publication of the author’s own work, in whole or in part without proper citation, constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. Manuscripts submitted to the journal may be checked for originality using anti-plagiarism software. If plagiarism is detected at any stage of the publication process—whether during initial review, peer review, editing, or at the page proof stage—by an editor, reviewer, or any member of the editorial team, the authors will be contacted for clarification. Depending on the severity and nature of the plagiarism, the manuscript may be rejected or retracted if already accepted. The journal reserves the right to take appropriate action in accordance with publishing ethics standards.

12.f. Fabrication and Falsification

Authors of submitted manuscripts or published articles found to contain fabricated or falsified results, or manipulated figures, may be subject to sanctions, and the published articles may be retracted.

13. Ethical Guidelines for Human and Animal Research

13.a. Ethical Approval for Human Research

All studies involving human participants, their data, or biological materials must receive prior approval or an exemption from the appropriate institutional or national ethics committee. Authors are required to provide the name of the ethics committee and the approval identification number in a section titled "Ethics Approval," placed before the References section. It is imperative that the research conforms to the ethical standards set forth in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent amendments or equivalent ethical frameworks.

In instances where compliance with these ethical standards is uncertain, authors must thoroughly explain their methodology and provide evidence that an independent ethics committee or institutional review board explicitly approved any contentious aspects of the study. If the study was exempt from requiring ethics approval, this exemption and its justification must be clearly stated. This information should appear in a dedicated section titled "Ethics Approval" before the References section.

13.b. Non-Approved Studies and Retrospective Approval

Manuscripts reporting studies that lacked ethics committee approval prior to initiation are generally not eligible for review, as retrospective approval is typically not permitted.

13.c. Ethical Considerations for Retrospective Studies

Even when research involves retrospective analysis of existing data or biological materials—where obtaining formal consent may be challenging—ethics approval may still be required depending on national laws and institutional guidelines. Authors should consult their institutional review boards to ensure full compliance with all applicable ethical requirements.

13.d. Clinical Trial Registration Requirements

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a clinical trial is any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups to health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes. Health interventions include any actions intended to modify or assess health conditions, while health outcomes refer to changes in health status resulting from these interventions.

To promote transparency and integrity in reporting clinical trials, authors must register all prospective clinical trials (Phases II to IV) in publicly accessible databases such as ClinicalTrials.gov or any primary registry that is part of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. The trial registration number (TRN) and the date of registration must be listed at the end of the manuscript's abstract.

For clinical trials not registered prior to participant enrollment, authors are encouraged to register retrospectively to ensure comprehensive reporting of results. In such cases, the TRN, date of registration, and a note stating that the trial was "retrospectively registered" should be included at the end of the abstract.

13.e. Consent in Case Studies/Reports

When reporting case studies or submitting case reports, authors must obtain informed consent from the individual involved. If the participant is a minor or legally incapable, consent must be obtained from a parent or legal guardian. This information should be included in a section titled "Consent to Publish" before the References section.

13.f. Informed Consent and Participant Rights

Participants possess inherent rights regarding the use of their personal data, statements, and images. Authors must respect these rights by obtaining explicit written consent before including any identifiable information or images in their publications, especially when dealing with vulnerable populations or sensitive subject matter.

Identifiable personal information—including names, birth dates, identification numbers, biometric data, and other distinguishing characteristics—should not be published unless it is essential for scholarly purposes and the participant (or their legal representative) has provided written consent. Given the difficulty of ensuring complete anonymity, if there is any uncertainty, authors should err on the side of obtaining consent. Any modifications to identifying details must not distort the scientific meaning of the data.

13.g. Exceptions to the Requirement for Consent

13.h. Use of Existing Data and Biological Materials

For research involving data or biological materials from living or deceased individuals, prior written consent must be obtained from the participants or, in the case of deceased individuals without prior consent, from their next of kin or legal representatives. Authors must maintain confidentiality and respect any known wishes of the deceased.

13.i. Data Protection, Confidentiality, and Privacy

Authors are responsible for informing participants about the processing of their personal data, including the types of data collected, the purposes for which the data will be used, and how it will be utilized. When using data from biobanks or repositories that operate under broad consent agreements, authors must verify that their intended use complies with the scope of the consent provided and adheres to institutional and legal requirements.

13.j. Consent Statements

Authors must include clear statements within the manuscript confirming that informed consent was obtained for participation. This should be placed in a section titled "Consent to Participate" before the References. If applicable, a separate section titled "Consent to Publish" should also be included to confirm consent for publication.

13.k. Ethical Standards for Animal Research

Research involving animals must be conducted in accordance with national laws and institutional guidelines concerning the care and use of animals. Authors must explicitly state within the manuscript that these standards were followed and provide detailed information about the study, including species, strain, sex, age, weight, and experimental procedures used.

Approval from the relevant institutional animal care and use committee or ethics committee must be documented, including the name of the committee and the approval number. Authors should adhere to the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines, ensuring that all essential items are reported for readers and reviewers to assess the study's validity.

13.l. Research Involving Cell Lines

For studies utilizing human cell lines, authors must provide comprehensive details about the cell lines used, including their source, date of acquisition, and authentication methods. If cell lines were obtained from commercial suppliers, authors should include the supplier's name, cell type, specific cell line number, and batch information.

To prevent issues related to misidentification or contamination, authors should consult resources such as the NCBI database and the International Cell Line Authentication Committee (ICLAC). A statement confirming that an ethics committee approved the study and that informed consent was obtained from donors or their legal representatives must be included in the manuscript.

Important Note: The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts that do not comply with these ethical guidelines. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of their submissions and for adhering to all ethical requirements.

14. Reporting Standards and Guidelines

We are committed to promoting transparency and rigor in scientific reporting. Authors are strongly encouraged to follow the relevant reporting guidelines for their study design, as outlined by the EQUATOR Network. Adherence to these guidelines enhances the clarity, reliability, and reproducibility of research findings.

Key reporting guidelines include, but are not limited to:

Authors should include the appropriate checklists with their submissions to facilitate the review process.

15. Open Access Statement

Authors submitting manuscripts to JFSF agree that, if accepted, all articles will be published under the terms of the Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike). This means that the articles will be immediately free for everyone to read, and users are free to: copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, remix, transform, and build upon the material, under the following terms:

16. Copyright

• Copyright on any open access article in a journal published by Hylonome Publications is retained by the author(s) without restrictions.
• Authors hold the commercial rights of their published content.
• Αuthors grant Hylonome Publications the licence to publish the article as well as the attribute of the original publisher.
• Authors also grant any third party the right to use the article freely as long as it is not used for commercial purposes, its integrity is maintained and its original authors, citation details and publisher are attributed.
• The Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License formalizes these and other terms and conditions of publishing articles.

17. Archiving

JFSF deposits the articles that it publishes in PMC and Portico so as to guarantee long-term digital preservation.

18. Disclaimer

All material published in JFSF regarding medical procedures, drug choices, and dosages represents the opinions of the authors and should not be construed as reflecting the opinions of the Editors or the Publisher. JFSF, the Editors, and the Publisher assume no responsibility for any injury or damage to persons or property resulting from product liability, negligence, or otherwise, nor from the use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in JFSF. Due to rapid advances in medical science, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages is recommended. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, its inclusion in JFSF does not imply a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of the product or the claims made by its manufacturer.