About the Journal

About the Journal

About ASIDE Gastroenterology

Publisher and Academic Oversight

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal is published and owned by PubPorta Publishing LLC, 16192 Coastal Highway, Lewes, Delaware 19958, USA.

Academic oversight and scholarly guidance are provided by the American Society for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Healthcare (ASIDE).

Publisher Transition Notice

Effective February 2026, the ownership and publishing responsibilities of ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal were transferred from the American Society for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Healthcare (ASIDE) to PubPorta Publishing LLC.
This transition does not affect the journal’s aims, scope, editorial independence, peer-review process, or open-access policies. All previously published content remains accessible under the same licensing terms. ASIDE continues to provide academic and scholarly guidance.

Vision and Mission

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal is a peer-reviewed, open-access medical journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research and scholarly content in gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy, and related digestive sciences.

The journal is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in healthcare by highlighting health disparities, improving access to evidence-based digestive care, and encouraging scholarship that addresses social and structural factors influencing gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary health outcomes. Its mission is to disseminate rigorous, clinically meaningful, and ethically conducted work that advances medical knowledge, supports equitable care, and strengthens education, practice, and research across diverse populations.

Scope

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal welcomes submissions across the full spectrum of gastroenterology, hepatology, and related digestive sciences. The journal considers original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, clinical trials, case reports, case series, brief reports, editorials, commentaries, letters to the editor, and methodology or study protocol articles where appropriate.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Esophageal, gastric, and intestinal disorders

  • Inflammatory bowel disease, functional gastrointestinal disorders, motility, and microbiome research

  • Pancreatic and biliary disease

  • Hepatology, including viral hepatitis, MASLD/NAFLD, cirrhosis, and liver cancer

  • Endoscopy, advanced endoscopic techniques, and quality and safety in endoscopic practice

  • Gastrointestinal oncology and pre-malignant conditions

  • Nutrition, obesity-related gastrointestinal disease, and metabolic liver disease

  • Health services research, implementation science, and quality improvement in GI care

  • Disparities, social determinants of health, and interventions that improve equitable access

  • Global gastroenterology and outcomes research in low-resource settings

Submissions should provide scientific, clinical, educational, or policy-relevant value and be relevant to clinicians, researchers, trainees, educators, and others working to improve digestive health outcomes.

Readership

The journal serves gastroenterologists, hepatologists, endoscopists, internists, surgeons, advanced practice providers, researchers, educators, policymakers, and public health professionals with an interest in clinically relevant scholarship and equitable healthcare practice.

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal welcomes contributions and readership from all regions of the world and aims to foster broad international dialogue through accessible, high-quality publication in digestive health.

Publication Frequency

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal is published quarterly, with four issues per year. Articles are published online as soon as they complete peer review and production, then assembled into the next available issue.

Language

The journal publishes in English.

Open Access & Licensing Policy

ASIDE Gastroenterology provides immediate open access to all content. The full text of every article is freely available to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to without delay, with no embargo and no registration requirement.

Unless otherwise indicated, all articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (legal code). This license permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, including commercial use, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the source, a link to the license is provided, and changes are indicated.

Authors retain copyright to their work and grant the publisher a non-exclusive right of first publication under the above license. The copyright holder and license are clearly displayed on each article’s HTML page and PDF.

 Content (e.g., images, figures, data) not covered by CC BY 4.0 is identified by a credit line noting the different terms. Permission may be required for uses beyond those allowed by the stated license.

The journal charges no submission or publication fees (no APCs).

Editorial Process

We uphold a rigorous peer-review process managed by an international editorial board committed to advancing medical science and upholding fairness, diversity, and inclusiveness in academic publishing.

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal maintains editorial independence by not accepting any form of advertising.

Direct Marketing Policy

ASIDE Gastroenterology may occasionally send targeted calls for papers or informational messages to researchers whose expertise aligns with the journal’s aims and scope. Any outreach conducted on behalf of the journal is appropriate, well-targeted, and unobtrusive. All information about the journal and publisher is truthful and not misleading.

We do not guarantee acceptance, indexing, or publication outcomes in any communication, and we do not request or require payment as a condition of submission. Messages clearly identify the journal and publisher, the article types sought, relevant deadlines, and link to our policies. Recipients can opt out at any time, and we promptly honor unsubscribe requests. We do not buy third-party email lists; contact details are gathered from publicly available academic sources or prior voluntary interactions. Outreach practices comply with applicable regulations (e.g., CAN-SPAM/GDPR).

Peer Review Policy (Double-Blind)

1. Introduction to Peer Review

1.1 What is Peer Review? Independent experts evaluate submitted manuscripts for originality, scientific validity, methodological rigor, clarity, and significance in order to support editorial decision-making and maintain high academic and ethical standards.

1.2 Purpose at ASIDE Gastroenterology To ensure that published articles are scientifically sound, clinically relevant, ethically conducted, and valuable to the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy, pancreatology, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal oncology, nutrition, and related disciplines.

2. Type of Peer Review

2.1 Double-Blind Peer Review ASIDE Gastroenterology uses a double-blind peer review process in which the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from one another to reduce bias and promote fair, objective assessment based on scholarly merit.

3. Double-Blind Peer Review Process

3.1 Manuscript Submission

    • Authors must submit manuscripts through the journal’s online submission system.
    • Manuscript files, supplementary files, figures, and document properties should not contain identifying information such as author names, affiliations, acknowledgments, or self-identifying statements.
    • The editorial office conducts an initial screening to assess scope, compliance with author guidelines, ethical and reporting requirements, and basic scientific and editorial quality.
    • Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned for technical correction or declined without external review.

3.2 Reviewer Selection

    • Editors select reviewers based on subject expertise, academic qualifications, prior review quality, and the absence of relevant conflicts of interest.
    • Reviewers are chosen for their ability to provide fair, independent, and constructive evaluations.
    • In most cases, manuscripts are sent to at least two qualified reviewers, although this may vary depending on the article type and topic.
  2. 3.3 Conducting the Review
    • Reviewers assess originality, relevance, methodological quality, scientific rigor, statistical analysis, interpretation of results, clarity of presentation, ethical conduct, and overall contribution to the literature.
    • All manuscripts must be treated as confidential documents.
    • Reviewers must not share, discuss, or use unpublished material for personal or professional advantage.
    • Any actual or potential conflict of interest must be disclosed before accepting the review invitation.

3.4 Reviewer Recommendations

    • Reviewers may recommend acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection.
    • Reviewers are expected to provide clear, respectful, and constructive comments to support editorial decisions and help authors improve their work where appropriate.

3.5 Editorial Decision-Making

    • The final decision rests with the editor and is based on reviewer comments, the scientific quality of the manuscript, its fit with the journal’s aims and scope, and applicable ethical and editorial standards.
    • When reviewer opinions differ substantially, the editor may seek an additional independent review.

3.6 Revision and Re-review

    • When revisions are requested, authors should submit a revised manuscript together with a clear point-by-point response to reviewer and editor comments.
    • Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed by the editorial team, depending on the nature and extent of the revisions.
    • Additional rounds of revision may be required to ensure that scientific, ethical, and reporting concerns are fully addressed.

3.7 Acceptance and Publication

    • Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, formatting, proofreading, metadata preparation, and final author approval before publication.

4. Why Double-Blind Peer Review?

Double-blind peer review helps support fairness, reduce potential bias, and keep the focus on the scientific and scholarly content of each submission.

5. Ensuring Integrity and Fairness

All participants in the peer review process, including authors, reviewers, and editors, are expected to act with honesty, confidentiality, professionalism, and respect. Any attempt to compromise reviewer anonymity, identify participants inappropriately, manipulate the review process, or interfere with the integrity of peer review will be treated seriously and may result in editorial action under the journal’s ethics policies.

6. Conclusion

The peer review process at ASIDE Gastroenterology is designed to uphold high standards of scientific quality, editorial fairness, and publication ethics, and to publish trustworthy and clinically meaningful research that advances gastroenterology and related fields.

 

Policies on Editorial Involvement and Endogeny

Policy on Editorial Involvement in Manuscripts

Conflict of Interest for Editorial Members

  • If the Editor-in-Chief, an Associate Editor, or an editorial board member is a co-author of a submitted manuscript, they must recuse themselves from handling that manuscript.
  • Another qualified editor with no authorship role will manage the review to ensure unbiased evaluation and decision-making.

Decision Making and Access

  • Editorial members who are co-authors will not have access to the review process for their own manuscripts and will not influence the decision.

Ethical Standards

Introduction

ASIDE Gastroenterology adheres to the codes and best practices of COPE, ICMJE, OASPA, and the Think. Check. Submit. initiative to ensure integrity, transparency, and fairness. This section clarifies expected ethical behavior for authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

1. Editorial Standards

  • Integrity: We follow COPE and ICMJE guidance to maintain the scholarly record.
  • Fair Play: Manuscripts are evaluated for intellectual content without regard to authors’ personal attributes or beliefs.
  • Confidentiality: Editorial information is disclosed only to parties directly involved in the editorial process.

2. Duties of Reviewers

  • Contribution: Reviews assist editorial decisions and help authors improve their work.
  • Promptness: Reviewers who are unqualified or unavailable promptly notify the editor.
  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential.
  • Objectivity: Reviews should be evidence-based and free of personal criticism.
  • Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must decline when conflicts exist.

3. Duties of Authors

  • Reporting Standards: Present accurate work and objective discussion of significance.
  • Data Access & Retention: Provide data for editorial review and public access when requested.
  • Originality & Citation: Submit original work with proper citation of sources.
  • Redundant/Concurrent Publication: Do not publish substantially similar work elsewhere.
  • Authorship: Limit authorship to those with significant contributions.
  • Disclosures: Declare financial or substantive conflicts that could influence results or interpretation.

4. Publishing Ethics Issues

  • Monitoring Ethics: The editorial board follows COPE in addressing ethics concerns and correcting the record.
  • Retractions: Confirmed misconduct will result in retraction when warranted.

Authors are encouraged to consult the principles of the Think. Check. Submit. initiative when selecting journals. For questions, contact the editorial office at [email protected].

Preservation & Archiving Policy

ASIDE Gastroenterology is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of its content through the following:

  • PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN): Application submitted; upon activation, all published content will be preserved automatically through the PKP PN service for OJS journals.

  • Internet Archive: All issues and article PDFs are deposited in the Internet Archive (archive.org) for long-term preservation and public access. Core journal pages are also captured periodically via the Wayback Machine.

  • Institutional & Library Repositories (Self-archiving): Authors are encouraged to deposit all versions—preprint, accepted manuscript, and version of record—without embargo, in institutional or subject repositories of their choice.

  • OAI-PMH: Metadata and content are available for harvesting via our OAI-PMH endpoint: https://asidejournals.com/index.php/Gastroenterology/oai

If the journal were to cease publication, archived content will remain permanently accessible via the Internet Archive and any active preservation services (e.g., PKP PN).

Repository & Self-Archiving Policy

ASIDE Gastroenterology permits and encourages authors to deposit all versions of their articles in institutional, subject, funder, or personal repositories, and on academic profiles, without embargo:

  • Submitted version (preprint): may be shared at any time.
  • Accepted version (Author Accepted Manuscript, AAM): may be shared immediately upon acceptance.
  • Published version (Version of Record, VoR): may be shared immediately after publication.

Include a full citation and a link to the Version of Record (article page or DOI) wherever a version is deposited. Articles are published under CC BY 4.0. Journal metadata is harvestable via OAI-PMH: https://asidejournals.com/index.php/Gastroenterology/oai.

Data Sharing & Reproducibility

ASIDE Gastroenterology supports open, reproducible research. All research articles must include a Data Availability Statement describing where the data, code, and materials that support the findings can be accessed, with persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs) wherever possible. For clinical trials, authors must provide an ICMJE-compliant data sharing statement.

Underlying data (raw and processed), analysis scripts/code, protocols, and other materials necessary to reproduce the results should be shared unless restricted for ethical, legal, or proprietary reasons. Where restrictions apply, authors must explain them and provide conditions for controlled access.

Deposit datasets in a trusted repository—preferably a discipline-specific repository (e.g., genomic sequences in GenBank; functional genomics data in GEO). When no domain repository fits, use a generalist repository that issues DOIs (e.g., Zenodo, Dryad, OSF). Authors can locate suitable repositories via the re3data registry. Software/code should be in a public version-controlled repository (e.g., GitHub) and archived with a DOI (e.g., via GitHub→Zenodo integration) for citation.

Use open, non-proprietary formats where feasible (e.g., CSV/TSV, JSON, TXT, PNG/TIFF). Provide sufficient documentation/metadata to make data FAIR—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (e.g., README files, variable dictionaries, licenses).

Human-participant data must be de-identified and shared in line with informed consent, IRB/ethics approvals, and applicable regulations. If data cannot be made public, deposit metadata and specify a controlled access mechanism or qualified point of contact in the Data Availability Statement.

Data and code should be deposited by acceptance and publicly available on publication. Include dataset and software citations (with DOIs) in the reference list and provide repository links in the Data Availability Statement.

Publication Ethics

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics and editorial integrity. The journal expects authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher to act in accordance with accepted principles of responsible scholarly publishing.

The journal’s ethics framework is informed by recognized best-practice guidance, including recommendations from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing.

Contact

For questions about the journal, editorial policies, or publication ethics, please contact:

ASIDE Gastroenterology Journal
Email: [email protected]

Publisher:
PubPorta Publishing LLC
16192 Coastal Highway
Lewes, Delaware 19958
USA