Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Submitted manuscripts must be original and must not be under simultaneous consideration by another journal.

Authors must disclose relevant preprints, conference versions, related manuscripts, and previously published material. Any overlap must be explained at submission. The editor will assess whether the submission constitutes legitimate development of earlier work or unacceptable duplicate publication.

Manuscripts may be screened for textual similarity and other research-integrity concerns. Similarity reports are indicators for editorial assessment, not automatic proof of plagiarism.

Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, manipulated images, fabricated references, and other forms of research misconduct may lead to rejection, correction, retraction, or notification to the relevant institution where warranted.

All listed authors should have made meaningful contributions to the research or manuscript, approved the submitted version, and accepted accountability for their contributions.

The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have approved the submission and that the author order and contributions are agreed upon before submission.

Changes to authorship after submission require a written explanation and approval from all affected authors, subject to editorial review.

Authors must disclose financial and non-financial interests that could influence, or appear to influence, the research.

Editors and reviewers must disclose relevant conflicts and withdraw from handling a manuscript where impartiality could reasonably be compromised.

Authors must identify funding sources and describe the role of funders in study design, data collection, analysis, manuscript preparation, and the decision to submit the work.

If the research received no specific funding, authors should state this explicitly.

AI tools must not be listed as authors. Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, references, interpretation, and integrity of their manuscripts.

Use of generative AI to produce substantive text, analysis, figures, or other manuscript content must be disclosed in accordance with the journal's instructions. Routine spelling, grammar, or formatting assistance need not be disclosed unless required by the journal.

AI tools must not be used to fabricate results, references, images, or research evidence. Editors and reviewers must protect confidential manuscripts and must not upload them to external AI systems without appropriate authorisation and safeguards.

Authors must obtain relevant institutional approvals, permissions, and informed consent before conducting research where required.

For studies involving human participants, animals, identifiable personal information, or regulated materials, the manuscript must include the relevant approval details or a clear explanation of why approval was not required.

Medical submissions must also follow the journal's specific policies on patient confidentiality, clinical trial registration, and clinical reporting.

The journals may publish corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary to preserve the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

Published articles will not be silently altered in ways that obscure material changes. Retractions and corrections will be linked to the original article and explained appropriately.

Editors and reviewers must treat submitted manuscripts as confidential. Manuscripts and review reports may not be shared or used for personal advantage without appropriate authorisation.