Article processing charges (APCs) support peer review coordination, editorial management, production, DOI registration, and long term digital archiving. APCs are applied after acceptance and do not influence editorial decisions.

JSLR is committed to transparency and affordability for authors in hepatology and splenic research communities.

• Editorial assessment and peer review management
• Copyediting, layout, and publication production
• DOI registration and metadata validation
• Long term archiving and platform maintenance
• Open access hosting and global dissemination

Authors from World Bank classified low income and lower middle income countries may be eligible for partial APC waivers. Requests are evaluated on a case by case basis and must be submitted before acceptance.

Membership options offer discounted APCs for eligible authors and institutions. Contact the editorial office for guidance.

Many hepatology research teams publish under grant or institutional mandates. Share funder requirements early so the editorial office can align invoicing and reporting needs.

• Provide grant identifiers and funding statements
• Confirm open access mandates or repository requirements
• Share billing contacts for institutional or funder payments
• Document any reporting deadlines tied to publication

To avoid delays, payments should be completed within 48 hours of invoice receipt. Publication proceeds after payment confirmation.

• If your institution requires invoice language or grant identifiers, provide them before acceptance to avoid delays.
• APC receipts include journal name, manuscript title, and DOI reference for institutional reporting.
• Payment can be made by institutions, funders, or authors. Coordinate billing details early to streamline processing.
• Requests for partial waivers should be submitted before acceptance with supporting documentation.
• APCs support long term digital preservation and open access distribution of hepatology research.
• If a funding agency requires open access confirmation, the editorial office can provide verification after publication.
• Provide billing contacts and purchase order details early to avoid administrative delays during production.
• Payment confirmations are required before copyediting and proof preparation begin.
• For multicenter studies, designate a single billing contact responsible for APC coordination.
• Institutions covering APCs should confirm currency conversion requirements and tax exemptions if applicable.
• Waiver requests should include a brief justification and confirmation of eligibility criteria.
• If funding is pending, notify the editorial office so invoice timelines can be coordinated.
• APC waivers may be considered for financial hardship with supporting documentation.
• Split billing is available for multi-institution collaborations on request.
• Provide VAT or tax exemption certificates if required by the institution.
• Delayed billing can be arranged for funded projects with approval.
• Invoices can be issued in USD with institutional purchase order references.
• Production scheduling is confirmed once payment or waiver approval is complete.
• Provide contact details for accounts payable teams handling invoice processing.
• Confirm whether institutional discounts or memberships apply to the submission.
• Request pro forma invoices when needed for grant approvals.
• Payment receipts can be issued for reimbursement documentation on request.
• Report etiologic classification and staging criteria for liver or spleen disorders.
• Provide key liver function tests and reference ranges with units.
• Describe imaging modalities and acquisition parameters (ultrasound, CT, MRI, elastography).
• Include histopathology scoring systems used (METAVIR, Ishak, NAS) when applicable.
• Clarify portal hypertension assessments, variceal screening, or hemodynamic measures.
• Report transplant eligibility criteria, waiting list status, and follow up windows.
• Provide splenic size measurements, platelet counts, and immune markers when relevant.
• Describe biomarker assays, limits of detection, and quality control procedures.
• Detail medication exposure, dosing schedules, and adherence monitoring methods.
• Explain inclusion and exclusion criteria, comorbidities, and alcohol use history.
• Define adverse events, safety monitoring, and clinical endpoints clearly.
• Describe handling of missing data, confounders, and subgroup analyses.
• Provide data availability statements and access conditions for sensitive datasets.
• Document ethics approvals, informed consent, and biospecimen governance.
• Report cirrhosis stage, decompensation events, and MELD or Child-Pugh scores.
• Include model validation metrics and calibration details for predictive studies.
• State whether liver biopsy or noninvasive markers were used and why.
• Describe antiviral, immunosuppressive, or antifibrotic therapies and timelines.
• Provide baseline demographic tables with disease duration and comedications.
• Include microbiome or metabolomics protocols when gut-liver axis is studied.
• Clarify transplant graft outcomes, rejection criteria, and survival measures.
• Report imaging reader blinding, inter-rater reliability, or adjudication procedures.
• Describe quality control for laboratory assays and external proficiency testing.
• Include definitions for remission, response, progression, or relapse outcomes.
• Provide statistical power calculations or justification for sample size.
• Report secondary endpoints and exploratory analyses separately.
• Describe patient reported outcome measures and validation sources.
• State regulatory or trial registration identifiers when applicable.
• Provide statements on data sharing, reuse, and repository access.
• Explain limitations and generalizability for clinical implementation.
• Specify sample handling, storage temperatures, and processing timelines for biospecimens.
• Report comorbidity indices and medication interactions that may affect outcomes.
• Describe criteria for treatment response or nonresponse classifications.
• Include protocol for laboratory assay repeatability and inter-lab variation.
• Explain adjustments for confounders such as BMI, diabetes, or alcohol intake.
• Provide patient flow diagrams and attrition details for each study stage.
• Include liver imaging scoring systems and threshold definitions used.
• Report hospitalization, mortality, or readmission outcomes when applicable.
• Clarify rationale for inclusion of control or comparator groups.
• Describe patient monitoring intervals and follow up adherence strategies.

JSLR is committed to rigorous, transparent publishing in hepatology and spleen research. We emphasize reproducible clinical methods, clear reporting of diagnostic criteria, and ethical compliance across all article types.

The editorial office supports authors, editors, and reviewers with clear guidance and responsive communication. For questions about scope or workflow, contact [email protected].

We encourage continuous improvement in reporting practices and share updates that help the community maintain high standards in hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal research.