Introduction

The journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against publication malpractice. The journal follows the Core Practices and ethical guidelines developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All parties involved in the publication process — authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher — are expected to adhere to the principles outlined below.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editorial Independence and Fair Decision-Making

The Editor-in-Chief and members of the Editorial Board are responsible for making publication decisions based solely on:

• the scientific merit of the manuscript;
• originality and relevance to the journal’s scope;
• methodological rigor and clarity of presentation;
• compliance with ethical standards.

Editorial decisions are made independently and are not influenced by commercial interests, institutional affiliations, or personal relationships.

Manuscripts are evaluated without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or political philosophy of the authors.

Confidentiality

Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and, when appropriate, other editorial advisers.

Information about a manuscript (including its receipt, content, review reports, and final decision) is treated as confidential.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, financial, or other relationships with authors, institutions, or organizations connected to the manuscript.

Peer Review Process

The journal operates a double-blind peer review system:

• reviewers do not know the identity of the authors;
• authors do not know the identity of the reviewers.

Each manuscript undergoes initial editorial screening followed by review by at least two independent expert in the relevant field (and, where necessary, additional reviewers may be involved).

All communication between authors and reviewers is conducted through the editorial office.

The final decision regarding publication rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions and in improving the quality of manuscripts.

Reviewers are expected to:

• accept review assignments only if they possess appropriate expertise;
• decline review if a conflict of interest exists;
• provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations;
• maintain confidentiality of manuscripts;
• identify relevant published work not cited by the authors;
• report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, falsification, or other misconduct.

Manuscripts received for review must not be copied, shared, or used for personal advantage.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal must ensure that:

• the work is original and has not been published elsewhere;
• the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal;
• all sources are properly cited;
• all listed authors have made significant contributions and approve the final version;
• conflicts of interest are disclosed;
• data presented are accurate and not fabricated or manipulated;
• research involving human participants or animals complies with relevant ethical standards and has received appropriate approval where required.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the content and the validity of conclusions presented in their work.

Plagiarism and Research Misconduct

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software (StrikePlagiarism).

The journal does not tolerate:

• plagiarism;
• self-plagiarism without proper disclosure;
• data fabrication or falsification;
• image manipulation;
• duplicate or redundant publication;
• citation manipulation.

Allegations of misconduct are handled in accordance with COPE guidelines. When necessary, the journal may contact authors’ institutions or relevant authorities.

Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

If significant errors or ethical violations are identified before or after publication, the journal will take appropriate action, including:

• publication of corrections (errata or corrigenda);
• expressions of concern;
• retraction of the article in cases of serious misconduct or invalid results.

Retractions and corrections will be clearly identified and linked to the original article to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions by submitting a reasoned written request to the editorial office.

Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, where appropriate, by members of the Editorial Board not previously involved in the decision.

Complaints concerning editorial processes or publication ethics are handled transparently and in accordance with COPE recommendations.

Open Access Policy

The journal provides immediate open access to its published content. All articles are freely available to readers without subscription or access fees, supporting the global exchange of scientific knowledge and promoting the broad dissemination of research results.