Guidelines for authors

Format

All submissions should be sent in a Word file with the following specifications:

  1. Arial font, size 12 points, for the main text and all parts of the document, including section titles and in-text citations.
  2. Double spacing (line spacing of 2.0) throughout the document, including in-text citations and references.
  3. Paper size A4 (8.27 x 11.69 inches or 21 x 29.7 cm).
  4. Left-aligned with 2 cm margins.
  5. Do not include footnotes. References should be placed at the end of the document following the guidelines of the 7th edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual (a guide can be consulted at https://normas-apa.org/).

Tables and Figures should:

  1. Be included within the document to indicate their respective placement. Additionally, they must be saved and submitted in separate files in their original editable format. Figures should be submitted in PNG format with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Tables should be submitted as additional files if they were created in Excel; if the tables were created in Word, there is no need to send separate files.
  2. Be numbered consecutively.
  3. Be referenced in the text.
  4. Be vertically centered: Avoid horizontal orientation.
  5. Have a Title. Figure titles should be placed below the figure, following the style of the 7th edition of APA required by this Journal. Table titles should be placed above the table. Write the table number in bold. Write the table title below (with double spacing) the table number using italics. See example at https://normas-apa.org/estructura/tablas/. Notes should be inserted below the table. Titles and notes should be left-aligned with respect to the table or figure.
  6. Include the source they were taken from under the following scenarios:
    • Taken from (when the table or figure is presented without changes from the original source).
    • Adapted from (when modifications have been made).
    • Own Creation (when based on original data), or a combination like: "Own creation based on information from xxx (2015).
  7. Include sources in the references section where they were consulted. If copyrighted material has been used, include the authorization letter in the submission materials.
  8. Include in the table or figure caption the meaning of acronyms and abbreviations used.
  9. For tables: Use a horizontal line above the header row, another at the bottom of the table, and a final line separating the header row from the table body. Use a single vertical line to separate the matrix column from the table body. Omit lines between rows and columns. Do not use tabs or spaces to align content.
  10. For Figures: Use the *.PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format. Image quality should be a minimum of 300 dpi in the individual file. 
  11. Do not exceed a combined total of 4 tables and figures. If the manuscript includes a significant number of figures, up to 8 figures can be presented in a single image, accompanied by explanatory letters.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

  • Provide the full term followed by the acronym or abbreviation in parentheses the first time it's mentioned in the text.

List

  • If the items are complete sentences or their content spans more than one line, use periods at the end of each item.
  • If the items are short and not complete, do not use periods.

Formulas and equations should:

  • Be centered
  • Be consecutively numbered with numbers in parentheses in the right margin
  • Use the abbreviation "Eq. (x)" for referencing them in the text
  • Be in Word equation format (not in image format)
  • Be in italics

Nomenclature

  • Animals, plants, and microorganisms should be identified by their scientific name the first time they are mentioned, both in the abstract and in the main text.
  • Use the nomenclature of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the Joint IUPAC-IUB Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature. Provide the international key for enzymes.
  • Gene names are written in italics as part of the style convention in biology and genetics.

For Gel Electrophoresis and Immunoassays most be included:

  • Positive and negative controls
  • Molecular size markers
  • Grayscale photographs for negatives
  • Descriptions of tools, equipment, and software

For Nucleic Acid or Amino Acid Sequences most be included: 

  • Registration number (GenBank/EMBL)
  • All sequences used (even if from other works for comparison)
  • Criteria and tools used for sequence alignment

Structure

All files must be presented in the following order:

Cover page containing:

  1. Title of the paper in Spanish and English: Capitalize only as indicated by spelling rules. Maximum 15 words; avoid ambiguous words, jargon, and abbreviations.
  2. Author(s) information: Begin with the first name(s) followed by the last name(s), affiliation institution indicated by Arabic numerals. The names of the institutions should not be translated; keep them in their original language. The affiliation should refer to the place where the author was affiliated when conducting the work, even if they are currently affiliated elsewhere (in which case both can be used). Authors without affiliation to an institution should be declared as "Independent Authors."
  3. Role of each author according to the 14 categories of the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system: Example: Author 1: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision. Author 2: Original draft preparation, Resources, Funding acquisition. Author 3: Data curation, Investigation. Author 4: Data curation.
  4. List of ORCID identifiers for each author: Ensure that the ORCID data is up-to-date and includes institutional information, author's education, and most of their publications.
  5. In the event that one of the authors is a student fulfilling a graduation requirement by publishing the article, please indicate it as follows: "Student fulfilling graduation requirement through article publication: [Name] [Degree to be obtained - specify program name] [Institution granting the degree]". RMI gives priority to these articles.
  6. Proposals with a maximum of 4 authors are accepted: If there are between 5 and 7 authors, they must belong to at least 3 different affiliated institutions. If there are more than 7 authors, in addition to the above, institutions must be located in at least two countries. For cases not meeting these conditions, attach a letter of justification to the proposal addressed to the Editorial Committee, which will determine if the article can be accepted exceptionally based on the arguments presented.
  7. Full name, telephone number, complete mailing address, and email of the corresponding author: Correspondence and proofs will be sent to this author.
  8. Names of at least three suggested reviewers by the authors for the work's review: Include institutional affiliation and email. The suggested reviewers must:
    • Be nationally or internationally renowned researchers in the field related to the submitted work.
    • Be from institutions other than the authors' affiliations.
    • Not have co-authored a publication with any of the authors in the last five years.
    • Preferably, exhibit broad diversity, including individuals of different genders, races, and ethnicities, to ensure equity and representation in the peer-review process.
      • It is not obligatory for the Journal to send the work to the suggested reviewers. If desired, specify the names of researchers who are preferred not to review the work (it is not necessary to specify the reason, and RMI commits to not sending it to those individuals).

Second page containing:

  1. Abstract in Spanish and English (maximum 250 words per abstract), explicitly covering sections: Introduction, Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
  2. Between 3 and 5 keywords in Spanish and English, separated by commas, in alphabetical order, distinct from the words in the title. Use one of the following thesauri:
    • DeCS (Descriptors in Health Sciences) maintained by BIREME/OPS/OMS and provided by the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) of the United States National Library of Medicine. 
    • UNESCO 

From the third page onward, the text of the work should be structured as follows:

  1. Title (using the same format as on the cover).
  2. For the blind peer-review process, ensure that the text does not contain elements identifying the authors or their institutions. Additionally, verify that the file does not contain information about its creator (author, last modification).
  3. Format the text with continuous line numbers from the title to the last reference. To achieve this, follow these steps: Go to "Line Numbers" - "Numbering Options" - under "Apply to", select "From this point forward"; under "Line Numbers", choose "Add line numbering"; under "Numbering", select "Continuous".
  4. Include the following sections (without numbering), written in lowercase and uppercase letters, in bold and left-aligned.

For Articles:

  • Introduction
  • Methodology (or Argument Development)
  • Results
  • Discussion of Results (or Final Considerations)
  • Conclusions
  • Acknowledgments
  • Funding Sources
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence
  • References

For Reviews:

  • Brief Introduction to the Book
  • Brief Reference about the Author
  • Analysis (Central Argument Justifying Relevance)
  • Conclusions
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence
  • References

Content

Abstract

The abstract serves the purpose of enabling readers to evaluate the relevance of the work. It should be written in a single paragraph, using concise sentences that encompass a brief introduction to the topic, the objectives, the methods used, the most prominent results, and the key conclusions.

Keywords

Keywords are essential for categorizing content in various indices of scientific works, especially in digital journals.

Introduction

In this section, general information about the topic is provided, including the conceptual framework or literature review, experimental background, and justification. This section concludes by presenting the objective of the work. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the RMI, this section should be adapted according to the specific parameters of the subject area or discipline of the submitted work.

Methodology

In this part of the work, the experimental design or research paradigm, inclusion and exclusion criteria, study population, sample size, and procedures performed for data analysis are described. The content may vary based on the discipline, so it's important to adjust it considering the following:

  1.  In studies involving human subjects, it is essential to mention the approval of an ethics committee or its equivalent, as well as obtaining informed consent from participants in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration.
  2.  In studies involving animals, precise descriptions of care and experimental procedures applied are required, following international research regulations issued by recognized institutions. If anomalies are detected in this regard, the article will not be considered for publication in the RMI.
  3. Regarding reagents, drugs, materials, equipment, and software, detailed information about manufacturers' names and locations (city, state, or country) must be provided.
  4. In situations where control groups were not used, it should be explicitly specified how bias in the obtained results was controlled and minimized.
  5. Detailing the statistical procedures employed is of utmost importance, either directly in the text or through references to relevant sources, given the potential evaluation by reviewers specialized in this field.

Methodology for Review Articles

The methodology for reviews will depend on the type of review: narrative, systematic, qualitative, or quantitative. For more details about the content of each type, refer to the description and characteristics at the link hthttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4548566/ 

In the case of systematic reviews, it is recommended to follow the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines available at http://www.prisma-statement.org/ 

Regardless of the type of review, it is important to:

  1. Clearly articulate the research question that the review aims to answer, which will guide the review process.
  2. Specify the criteria for including or excluding studies and describe the search strategy used to locate relevant articles.
  3. Analyze the key findings of the studies included in the review to identify similarities, differences, and trends.
  4. Maintain a structured approach to ensure rigor and reduce bias. Following the aforementioned PRISMA guidelines is recommended.

Results

Results are presented concisely, including only essential tables and figures. Ensure that each table and figure is supported in the main text. Avoid presenting a set of figures without context

In this section, the implications of the obtained results are argued, and a sober theoretical comparison is made among authors. Since each discipline has distinct discussion approaches, this section should be adapted as necessary.

Conclusions

The obtained results are detailed succinctly, addressing the stated objectives. Avoid conclusions unsupported by data and include potential study limitations without devaluing the obtained results.

Acknowledgments

Include individuals who contributed to the work but are not authors. Refer to the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors to determine who should be listed as authors and who should be acknowledged.

Source of Funding

Declare any funding received during or for the conduct of the study, fieldwork, or manuscript as follows: 

The author [Name] received funding from [Name of Funding Source and funding registration number if applicable] to conduct [studies/writing/thesis/visit/etc.] from which this work derives.

Conflicts of Interest

Declare any financial or personal relationships with individuals or organizations that may have biased the work. 

  • If no conflict exists, state it as follows: 

The authors declare no conflicts of interest that could influence the objectivity, integrity, or interpretation of the results presented in this article.

  • If there is a conflict of interest, declare it as follows: 

Author [Name] discloses receiving funding from [Name of Funding Source] to conduct the research described in this article. It is guaranteed that this funding did not influence the data collection, analysis, or presentation, nor the decision-making regarding the publication of the results.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If tools of Artificial Intelligence were used to enhance the article's composition, thoroughly review the work to ensure AI did not lead to inaccuracies. AI should not be listed as an author.

  • If AI was used, declare it before the references section as follows: 

During the preparation of this work, [name of AI tool or service] was used for the purpose of [improving text clarity and/or enhancing grammar, spelling, references]. The manuscript was reviewed and edited by the authors after using the tool, and they take full responsibility for the content of the manuscript.

  • If no AI was used, state it as follows: 

During the preparation of this work, the author(s) did not utilize any AI tools or services.