Conflicts of interest (COIs), also referred to as competing interests, may influence—or be perceived to influence—the objectivity, integrity, or interpretation of research. This journal is committed to ensuring transparency in all stages of the publication process, including submission, peer review, and editorial decision-making.
All authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Failure to disclose relevant competing interests may result in rejection of the manuscript or other corrective actions.
Definition of Conflict of Interest
For the purposes of this journal, a conflict of interest is defined as any relationship or activity that could reasonably be perceived to influence the content, evaluation, or publication process of a manuscript.
Conflicts of interest may be financial or non-financial, and include (but are not limited to):
Financial COIs
- Stock or equity ownership
- Patent applications or intellectual property interests
- Research funding or grants
- Consultancy fees or advisory roles
- Honoraria or speaking fees
- Royalties or licensing income
Non-Financial COIs
- Institutional affiliations that may create bias
- Personal relationships (e.g., family members, close friends, academic advisors, or students)
- Professional relationships (e.g., collaborators, competitors, or co-authors)
- Editorial or governance roles within the journal or publisher
- Employment by governmental or affiliated organizations related to the subject matter
Conflicts of interest are considered time-sensitive; relationships that ended more than two years prior to submission generally do not need to be declared unless still relevant to the manuscript.
Authors
All authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.
If no conflicts exist, authors must include the following statement:
“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.”
Declared conflicts will be treated confidentially during the review process. If the manuscript is accepted, relevant disclosures will be published alongside the article in the acknowledgments or a dedicated disclosure section.
Reviewers
Reviewers must declare any conflicts of interest before accepting a manuscript for review. If a conflict exists, reviewers should recuse themselves from the review process.
The editorial team will evaluate disclosed conflicts to determine whether the reviewer may proceed.
Editors
Editors, including Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Guest Editors, must disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to submitted manuscripts.
Editors must not handle manuscripts in which they have a direct conflict, including manuscripts authored or co-authored by themselves or close collaborators. In such cases, alternative editorial assignment procedures will be used to ensure impartiality.
All editorial conflicts of interest must be disclosed to maintain transparency and integrity in the peer review process.