Conflict of interest

To ensure objectivity and transparency in the publication process, the journal requires all authors, reviewers and editors to declare any potential conflicts of interest. This policy aims to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing research results and the publication decision-making process.

Conflict of interest on the part of the authors

When submitting their manuscript, authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest. This includes both financial relationships, such as direct employment, fees, company ownership or patent ownership, and non-financial relationships, such as personal relationships, academic rivalries and ideological or religious beliefs. All conflicts must be clearly identified to enable readers to judge whether the authors are biased and, if so, how this may have affected the work. A 'Conflict of Interest' note will be published at the end of the manuscript. If none are declared, the note will state, 'The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could influence the results presented in this manuscript.'

Conflict of interest on the part of reviewers

Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest that could affect their ability to evaluate the manuscript objectively. Reviewers must notify the editors immediately if:

1. they have financial or personal ties to the author(s) or organisations involved in the research; or
2. There is direct competition between their own research and the manuscript they are reviewing; or

3.They have a personal interest or bias (e.g. friendship or rivalry) that may affect the objectivity of the evaluation.

If a conflict of interest is identified, the reviewer must decline to review the manuscript.

Conflict of interest on the part of editors

Editors must also declare any potential conflicts of interest that could affect their ability to make unbiased decisions about articles. Editors should recuse themselves from reviewing articles if they have a potential conflict of interest if:

1. They have financial, personal, academic or other relationships with the author(s) or organisation that could create a conflict of interest;
2. They are co-authors of the article or work at the same institution as the author(s).
3. Their participation in the process may be perceived as biased.

In such cases, the editor should transfer the article to another editor or engage an independent expert.

The journal guarantees transparency in the disclosure of conflicts of interest, which are published in the form of a note at the end of each article. All participants in the publication process (authors, reviewers and editors) must adhere to this policy to ensure the integrity and objectivity of scientific communication.