Data Sharing and Reproducibility

The journal advocates for the open availability of data associated with submissions, aligning with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Authors are encouraged to include a Data Accessibility Statement in their submitted papers, linking to the associated data. This statement will be accessible to the public upon publication. Proper credit must be given to data obtained from external sources.

When depositing data for submission, authors are advised to consider the following:

• Include a Data Accessibility Statement before the reference list, providing details on data accessibility, including its DOI.
• Label deposited data comprehensively for third-party understanding, including sensible column headers and detailed descriptions in a readme text file.
• Consider depositing data in a reputable and robust data repository for long-term preservation (e.g. zenodo.org).
• Ensure that the collection and sharing of data comply with ethical standards and regulations.
• If applicable, provide access to any code or algorithms used in the data analysis process.
• Ensure that deposited data is under an open license allowing unrestricted access.
• Deposit data in a version that adheres to an open, non-proprietary format.

 

Authorship and Contributorship

All authors, including any co-authors, are required to have made substantial contributions to various facets of the research process. This includes active involvement in the conceptualization and design of the study, demonstrating a meaningful role in shaping the research questions, hypotheses, and overall study framework. Additionally, authors should have played a significant part in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, and contributing to the generation of meaningful insights and conclusions.

Beyond participation, authors must approve the submitted manuscript. This endorsement signifies their satisfaction with the final version, endorsing its readiness for peer review and publication. Approval reflects shared responsibility for the research's integrity, methodology, results, and conclusions, reinforcing a unified commitment to scholarly standards and ethics.

 

Correction and Retraction

The utilization of persistent identifiers, such as the DOI, mandates that subsequent modifications to published objects are precluded without explicit notification to readers. In practice, this means that once a study is published, further modifications are prohibited. Nevertheless, the editorial team consistently provides authors with the opportunity to disseminate clarifications or corrections through a separate article.

On rare occasions, circumstances may arise that require the withdrawal of articles published in our journal. Such decisions are approached with utmost seriousness and transparency. Retractions may be initiated due to ethical violations, data inaccuracies, or other substantial issues compromising the validity or integrity of the research. The journal is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity and ethical publishing. Consequently, the decision to retract articles is made through careful consideration and is accompanied by a comprehensive retraction notice. This notice elucidates the reasons for retractions and is made accessible to our readers and the broader scientific community.

 

Complaints and Appeals

In the event that authors desire to register a complaint concerning an editorial decision or the editorial process, they are requested to initiate communication with the Editor-in-Chief of the journal.

 

Malpractice Statement

The editorial team places significant emphasis on upholding the highest ethical standards in scientific publishing. This commitment extends to denouncing all forms of publishing malpractices, including plagiarism, data fabrication and falsification, redundant publication, and manipulation of figures or images. To proactively address and prevent these malpractices, the journal employs a rigorous peer review process, utilizes plagiarism detection tools, and strictly adheres to ethical guidelines. In the event of identifying instances of malpractice, a thorough investigation ensues, leading to the implementation of appropriate corrective measures, which may include retractions, corrections, and reporting to relevant authorities.

 

Intellectual Property

Before and After Publication

Authors are permitted and encouraged to upload any version of their manuscript to personal or institutional websites, repositories, and preprint servers both prior to and following publication. Upon submission, authors are required to disclose any prior publication of their manuscript. Additionally, a DOI link to the published article should be provided for each instance of publication. For further information, please refer to our Open Access Policy.

Copyrighted Material

Upon submission of a manuscript to our journal, authors are bound by the terms delineated in the journal's Open Access Policy. Additionally, authors bear the responsibility of securing permission for the utilization of copyrighted material previously published and are required to clearly articulate the license and permission details within the main text or figure caption. Authors are further obliged to ensure that the manuscript does not incorporate any confidential or copyrighted information without explicit permission.

Plagiarism

The journal upholds the principles of intellectual property and endeavours to safeguard and advance the original contributions of its authors. Manuscripts incorporating plagiarized content contravene the established standards of quality, research, and innovation. Consequently, it is anticipated that all authors submitting articles to the journal will adhere to ethical norms and refrain from engaging in any form of plagiarism, including full, partial, and self-plagiarism.

In the examination of plagiarism, every manuscript submitted for publication undergoes a plagiarism cross-check through the employment of Ouriginal software. Moreover, our reviewers are responsible for identifying and reporting any signs of plagiarism to the editorial team. Upon verification of plagiarism in a manuscript, decisive action will be taken, resulting in the immediate rejection of the submission.

 

Conflict of Interest

Maintaining transparency in reporting potential conflicts of interest is crucial for upholding the trust and reliability of academic publishing. Hence, authors are requested to disclose any potential conflicts of interest upon submission, which may arise from any relationships, whether personal or professional, that could potentially influence the impartiality of the review process. Such relationships encompass, but are not limited to, commercial associations, employment connections, and personal relationships.

 

Ethical Oversight

The journal adheres to ethical guidelines and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Instances of ethical misconduct will be addressed following COPE's recommendations and guidelines.