| Last update: 2022/01/4 |
Ethical Considerations
Research Ethics and Ethical Oversight
The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of research integrity and publication ethics. Authors are expected to conduct and report their research in accordance with internationally recognized ethical principles, applicable national regulations, and the requirements of their institutions.
For studies involving human participants, human data, or human biological materials, appropriate ethical approval must be obtained from the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board, when required. The name of the approving ethics committee and the ethics approval code should be clearly stated in the manuscript. Authors may also be asked to provide the relevant ethical approval documents during the editorial process.
If a study does not require formal ethical approval, the authors should clearly state this in the manuscript and provide an appropriate explanation.
Informed Consent
Informed consent should be obtained from participants whenever required by the nature of the study and applicable ethical standards. The manuscript should briefly describe how informed consent was obtained.
When a manuscript contains identifiable information, clinical details, photographs, or other material that could reveal a participant's identity, appropriate consent for publication must be obtained.
Authors should take appropriate measures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants and avoid including unnecessary identifying information in the manuscript.
Research Involving Animals
Studies involving animals should be conducted in accordance with applicable institutional and national regulations and accepted ethical standards for the care and use of laboratory animals.
Where applicable, authors should provide information about approval from the relevant animal ethics committee or institutional body and describe any measures taken to minimize discomfort and suffering.
Where appropriate, authors are encouraged to follow the 3Rs principles: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.
Confidentiality and Protection of Personal Data
Authors are responsible for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of research participants and for handling personal and identifiable information appropriately.
Confidential information and participants' personal data should not be shared with artificial intelligence tools or other external services if doing so could compromise privacy, confidentiality, or data security.
Research and Publication Misconduct
The journal takes research and publication misconduct seriously. Such misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
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Plagiarism and inappropriate reuse of previously published material;
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Duplicate or redundant publication;
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Fabrication or falsification of data;
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Inappropriate manipulation or alteration of research results or images;
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Improper authorship or contributorship practices;
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Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest;
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Manipulation or misuse of the peer-review process; and
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Other practices that may compromise the integrity of the research or the published scientific record.
Concerns about possible research or publication misconduct may be investigated before or after publication. When such concerns arise, the journal will follow relevant COPE guidelines and procedures and take appropriate action based on the circumstances of each case.
Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to the research and must be consistent with the journal's Authorship and CRediT Authorship Contribution policy.
All listed authors are responsible for the integrity of the work and must approve the final version of the manuscript. Any change to the authorship or order of authors after submission requires a valid justification, the agreement of all authors, and approval by the Editor-in-Chief.
The journal does not accept guest authorship, honorary authorship, or ghost authorship.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors should disclose any actual or potential financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence, or could reasonably be perceived to influence, the conduct, interpretation, or reporting of the research.
Any relevant financial support, affiliations, relationships, or other interests should be disclosed in accordance with the journal's Conflict of Interest policy.
Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Responsibility
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in research and manuscript preparation is not inherently unethical, provided that these technologies are used appropriately, responsibly, and transparently.
Authors should disclose the use of AI-assisted technologies in accordance with the journal's Artificial Intelligence Use Disclosure Statement. Where applicable, the disclosure should include the AI tool or model used, the purpose and stage of its use, who used it, and how the generated or modified content was used in the research work.
AI tools, including chatbots and generative AI systems, must not be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, or originality of the work. Human authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to the journal, including any content generated or modified with the assistance of AI.
Authors should carefully review and verify AI-generated content and ensure the accuracy of all information, data, analyses, citations, and references. They are also responsible for ensuring that the use of AI does not result in plagiarism, inaccurate or fabricated references, copyright infringement, or other forms of research or publication misconduct.
AI-assisted technologies should be used only as supportive tools and should not replace the knowledge, expertise, critical judgment, or responsibility of the authors.
Ethical Use of AI in Peer Review
Editors and reviewers are expected to maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Confidential manuscript content should not be uploaded to AI systems or other external tools when doing so could compromise confidentiality or data security.
Reviewers who use AI-assisted technologies during peer review should comply with the journal's relevant policies and disclose such use when required. AI-generated output should not replace the reviewer's own professional judgment.
Post-Publication Ethical Issues
If a significant error, ethical concern, or possible research or publication misconduct is identified after publication, the journal will assess the matter and take appropriate action to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.
Depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue, the journal may publish a Correction/Erratum, Retraction, or Expression of Concern.
Commitment to Publication Ethics
The journal is committed to responsible research and publication practices and to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scientific record.
In developing and implementing its research and publication ethics policies, the journal considers relevant recommendations and guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
These policies may be updated periodically to reflect developments in research ethics, publication ethics, and international standards of scholarly publishing.
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