The following guidelines are based on the principles and standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which promotes integrity in scholarly research and its publication. COPE provides guidance, resources and support for editors, publishers, authors and peer reviewers who are involved in the publication process.

For Authors

Authors are expected to adhere to the following ethical responsibilities when submitting their manuscripts to the journal:

• Ensure that the manuscript is original, has not been published before and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
• Acknowledge and cite all sources of data, ideas, images, tables, figures or any other material that are not their own or in the public domain.
• Obtain permission from the copyright holders to reproduce or adapt any material that is not their own or in the public domain.
• Declare any potential conflicts of interest, such as financial, personal or professional relationships, that could influence or be perceived to influence their work.
• Ensure that the research reported in the manuscript is conducted in an ethical and responsible manner, following the relevant laws, regulations and guidelines for research involving humans, animals or the environment.
• Ensure that the research reported in the manuscript is original and does not involve fabrication, falsification or plagiarism of data, results or interpretations.
• Ensure that the manuscript is written in a clear, concise and accurate manner, following the instructions and style of the journal or data repository.
• Ensure that all authors meet the criteria for authorship and contributorship, as defined by the journal, and that all authors have approved the final version of the manuscript and its submission.
• Cooperate with the editors and peer reviewers during the editorial process, providing any information or clarification requested, responding to comments and suggestions in a timely and constructive manner, and making any necessary corrections or revisions.
• Report any errors or inaccuracies in the published manuscript to the editors as soon as possible and cooperate with them to correct or retract the manuscript if needed.

For Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers are expected to adhere to the following ethical responsibilities when reviewing manuscripts for the journal:

• Agree to review only manuscripts that match their expertise and interests and that they can review within the agreed time frame.
• Declare any potential conflicts of interest, such as financial, personal or professional relationships, that could influence or be perceived to influence their review.
• Treat the manuscripts and any related information as confidential and do not share, use or disclose them without the permission of the editors.
• Conduct the review in an objective, fair and respectful manner, avoiding any personal or derogatory comments or criticisms.
• Provide constructive and honest feedback to the authors, supporting their comments and suggestions with relevant evidence and references.
• Follow the instructions and criteria of the journal   for conducting and reporting the review.
• Alert the editors of any ethical concerns or misconduct that they identify or suspect in the manuscripts, such as plagiarism, duplication, fabrication, falsification or unethical research practices.
• Respect the editorial decisions and do not challenge or influence them in any inappropriate way.

For Editors

Editors are expected to adhere to the following ethical responsibilities when handling manuscripts for the journal:

• Ensure that the journal   has clear policies and guidelines for publication ethics, authorship and contributorship, peer review, conflicts of interest, data sharing and archiving, corrections and retractions, and any other relevant issues.
• Ensure that these policies and guidelines are communicated to all stakeholders involved in the publication process, such as authors, peer reviewers, editorial board members, publishers and readers.
• Ensure that these policies and guidelines are followed consistently and fairly by all stakeholders involved in the publication process.
• Ensure that the journal   has a transparent and efficient editorial process, from submission to publication, that ensures the quality, integrity and timeliness of the published content.
• Ensure that the editorial decisions are based on the merit and relevance of the manuscripts, without any bias or influence from external factors such as funding sources, personal or professional relationships, political or religious views, or commercial interests.
• Ensure that the peer review process is conducted in an ethical and rigorous manner, selecting qualified and impartial reviewers who can provide constructive and honest feedback to the authors.
• Ensure that any conflicts of interest are identified and managed appropriately by all stakeholders involved in the publication process.
• Ensure that any ethical concerns or misconduct are investigated promptly and thoroughly by following the COPE guidelines, involving other parties if needed (such as institutions, funders or regulatory bodies), and taking any necessary actions (such as corrections, retractions, sanctions or referrals).
• Ensure that any errors or inaccuracies in the published content are corrected or retracted as soon as possible and in a transparent and accountable manner.
• Ensure that the journal  is responsive and respectful to any queries, comments or complaints from any stakeholders involved in the publication process.

Issues Resolution

The following guidelines are intended to help resolve any issues that may arise during or after the publication process, such as disputes, complaints or appeals, involving any stakeholders such as authors, peer reviewers, editors, publishers or readers.

• The first step is to contact the editor-in-chief  or editorial office of the journal   where the issue occurred and explain the nature and details of the issue in a clear and respectful manner.
• The editor-in-chief  or editorial office should acknowledge the receipt of the issue and provide a response within a reasonable time frame, usually within two weeks.
• The editor-in-chief or editorial office should investigate the issue thoroughly and impartially by following the relevant policies and guidelines of the journal and the COPE guidelines, involving other parties if needed (such as institutions, funders or regulatory bodies), and taking any necessary actions (such as corrections, retractions, sanctions or referrals).
• The editor-in-chief or editorial office should communicate the outcome of the investigation and the actions taken to all parties involved in the issue in a transparent and accountable manner.