For Authors

Start by reviewing the Journal Policies and Author Guidelines on our website to ensure alignment with submission requirements. All authors must create an account in our submission system; registered users can log in to initiate the streamlined submission process.

Authorship & Contributions
We adhere to ICMJE criteria for authorship: individuals listed as authors must have made substantial contributions to conception/design, data acquisition/analysis, drafting/revising the manuscript, and final approval of the submitted version, and must agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Non-author contributors should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section, with roles defined using the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT). Multiple corresponding authors (marked with “*”) are permitted, who will act as the primary liaison for editorial communications, including responding to reviews and approving proofs. Any post-submission authorship changes require written consent from all authors and justification to the Editorial Office.

Open Access & Copyright
Our journal is fully open access: all articles are freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0), allowing unrestricted reuse with proper attribution. Authors retain copyright. Original research articles require payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC), with waivers/discounts available for researchers from low-income countries (see our APC Policy for details).

Peer Review Process
All submissions undergo double-anonymous peer review by at least two external-independent experts. Authors may suggest or exclude reviewers with brief justification, but final reviewer selection is at the editors’ discretion. The Editorial Team strictly follows COPE guidelines to ensure ethical peer review, including protocols to detect and address potential review manipulation.

Appeals & Complaints
Authors may appeal editorial decisions within 30 days of notification, submitting a detailed argument addressing procedural concerns (not scientific disagreements) to the journal office. Appeals are reviewed by an independent Editorial Panel, with decisions final. Readers identifying suspected research misconduct should report to the Editorial Board, which will investigate per COPE guidelines.