Research integrity
Authorship & contributorship
Authorship should reflect substantial scholarly contribution. All listed authors should approve the submitted version and accept accountability for their contributions.
Originality, plagiarism & redundant publication
Submissions must be original, appropriately cited and not simultaneously submitted elsewhere. Suspected plagiarism, fabrication, falsification or duplicate publication will be investigated.
Human and animal research
Research involving human participants or animals must report appropriate ethical review/approval and consent procedures where applicable, consistent with relevant institutional and national requirements.
Clinical trials
Prospective registration should be reported when required by applicable standards. Registration details and protocol information should be supplied where relevant.
Competing interests & funding
Authors, reviewers and editors must disclose relevant financial and non-financial competing interests. Funding sources and the funder’s role should be stated.
Data & reproducibility
Authors should describe data availability and preserve research records appropriately. Methods should be reported with enough detail for scientific evaluation and, where feasible, replication.
Corrections, retractions & concerns
The journal will maintain mechanisms for correcting the scholarly record, including corrections, expressions of concern or retractions when justified.
Complaints & appeals
Authors and readers may raise concerns with the editorial office. Appeals should identify the specific editorial or scientific issue and provide supporting information.
Copyright & licensing
The journal’s final copyright and licensing terms must be approved and displayed before relaunch publication. No Creative Commons licence is claimed here without that decision.
AI-assisted tools
Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, citations and integrity of submitted work. Any material use of generative AI should be transparently disclosed in accordance with the journal’s adopted policy.
Medical & Publication Disclaimer
Journal content is intended for academic, scientific and educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Publication does not constitute endorsement of any therapeutic claim, product or procedure. Read the full Disclaimer.