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Editorial Policies

Content

The journal is a member of or adheres to the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

By submitting a manuscript to the journal, it is understood that all authors have read and accepted its content, and the manuscript adheres to the policies of the journal.

Affiliations

Authors are required to disclose all pertinent affiliations to specify where the research received approval, support, and/or was conducted. For non-research articles, authors must provide their current institutional affiliation. If an author has relocated to a different institution before the article's publication, they should indicate the affiliation where the work was conducted. The current affiliation and contact details should be included in the acknowledgment section. It is important to note that a change of affiliation alone does not constitute a valid reason to remove an author from a publication if they meet the authorship criteria.

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Appeals and complaints

All complaints, concerns, or appeals related to authorship matters or the peer-review process, including those raised after publication, should be directed to the Editors-in-Chief. They will investigate the claims by initially seeking information from all parties involved and subsequently suggesting a course of action in accordance with academic ethical principles as outlined by the Committee on Publishing Ethics COPE

. Submissions may be temporarily halted in the review or publication process until the issues are resolved. In cases where Editors-in-Chief are implicated in the complaint, the Editorial Board members, led by the most senior member, will conduct the investigation and propose a course of action.

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Acknowledgments

Individuals who contributed to the development of a manuscript but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged. Additionally, organizations that offered support, whether through funding or other resources, should be duly acknowledged.

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Authorship

Authors are strongly advised to ensure the accurate author group, designate the Corresponding Author, and determine the order of authors upon submission. Changes to authorship, including additions or deletions of authors, alterations in the Corresponding Author, and adjustments in the sequence of authors, are not permitted after the manuscript has been accepted. While adding or deleting authors during the revision stage is generally discouraged, exceptions may be considered under certain circumstances, with reasons for the changes clearly explained. The Editor-in-Chief has the discretion to approve such changes during revision.

To initiate such a change, the corresponding author must provide the Editor-in-Chief with (a) the rationale for the modification in the author list and (b) written confirmation (via email or letter) from all authors, expressing their agreement with the addition, removal, or rearrangement. In cases of adding or removing authors, confirmation from the affected author is also required.

If there are changes in author affiliation between the time of conducting the research or writing the paper and the time of publication, the author's current affiliation should be indicated. Where applicable, the previous affiliation should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section during the copy-editing stage.

Contributions Details

Contributors should provide a description of contributions made by each of them toward the manuscript. The description should be divided into the following categories, as applicable: concept, design, definition of intellectual content, literature search, clinical studies, experimental studies, data acquisition, data analysis, statistical analysis, manuscript preparation, manuscript editing, and manuscript review. The authors' contributions will be printed along with the article. One or more authors should take responsibility for the integrity of the work as a whole from inception to published article and should be designated as 'guarantors'.

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Citations

Research and non-research articles are required to reference pertinent, up-to-date, and authenticated literature, with a preference for peer-reviewed sources where appropriate, to substantiate any assertions made in the article.

Excessive and inappropriate self-citation or prearrangements among author groups to manipulate citations, a form of misconduct known as citation manipulation, must be avoided. Please refer to the COPE guidance on citation manipulation.

For authors of non-research articles, such as Reviews or Opinions, it is essential to ensure that the cited references are relevant and contribute to a fair and balanced overview of the current state of research or scholarly work on the topic. The references should not exhibit unfair bias toward a specific research group, organization, or journal.

If there is uncertainty about whether to cite a particular source, authors are encouraged to contact the journal editorial office for guidance.

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Conflicts of Interest

All authors of articles are required to disclose any and all conflicts of interest they may have related to the publication of the manuscript. This includes conflicts with an institution or product mentioned in the manuscript or one that is crucial to the study's outcome. Authors should also disclose any conflicts of interest with products that compete with those discussed in their manuscript. Full and transparent disclosure of potential conflicts of interest ensures transparency and maintains the integrity of the publication process.

Sponsorship of clinical trials

Authors who are employed by pharmaceutical companies or other organizations sponsoring clinical trials must explicitly declare this as a competing interest. Additionally, authors should adhere to the Good Publication Practice guidelines for pharmaceutical companies (GPP3).These guidelines provide a framework to ensure responsible and ethical standards are upheld in the publication of research. Following these guidelines helps maintain transparency and integrity in the reporting of research findings.

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Corrections, Expressions of Concern, Retractions

corrections to a published article may be initiated with the approval of the journal's editor. The extent of the corrections will be determined by the editors. Minor corrections are directly applied to the original article. However, in instances of major corrections, the original article remains unchanged, and the corrected version is published separately. Both versions are linked to each other, and a statement explaining the reason for the significant change is provided. When necessary, article retractions will be conducted following the guidelines outlined by the COPE retraction guidelines.

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Confidentiality

A submitted manuscript is considered confidential material. Academic Journals commits not to disclose submitted manuscripts to anyone except individuals involved in the processing and preparation of the manuscript for publication if accepted. These individuals comprise editorial staff, corresponding authors, potential reviewers, actual reviewers, and editors.

In cases where misconduct is suspected, a manuscript may be disclosed to members of Academic Journals' ethics committees and institutions/organizations that require it for the resolution of the misconduct. Academic Journals will adhere to the appropriate Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) flowcharts whenever necessary, ensuring the proper handling of ethical concerns.

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The journal operates as an Open Access publication. Users are granted the right to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles under the conditions specified by Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).

Authors entering into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with AJSES and its publishing institution will assign copyright to the AJSES, along with publishing and distribution rights. This approach ensures that the content is accessible to a wide audience while retaining the necessary permissions for proper publication and dissemination.

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Data falsification/fabrication

Deliberate actions taken to inappropriately manipulate or fabricate data are considered a serious form of misconduct. Such actions are intended to mislead others and can severely compromise the integrity of the scholarly record, leading to widespread and long-term consequences.

Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal must ensure the accuracy of all data presented and that it faithfully represents their work. To facilitate the evaluation of manuscripts, authors are required to retain all raw data associated with their submissions.

In instances where the original data cannot be produced upon request, the acceptance of a manuscript or a published paper may be declined or retracted. This policy underscores the commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency in scholarly research.

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Desk Rejection Policy

  • The study's topic or scope is not pertinent to the field covered by the journal.
  • Issues related to publication ethics, non-compliance with international standard guidelines, and plagiarism (with a similarity index exceeding 20 percent) has been identified.
  • The topic lacks sufficient impact and fails to contribute substantially to new knowledge in the field.
  • Flaws have been identified in the study design.
  • The study's objective is not clearly articulated.
  • The organization of the study is problematic, and certain components may be missing.
  • Writing problems or significant grammatical style issues are present.
  • The manuscript does not adhere to the submission guidelines outlined by the journal.

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Duplicate Submission/publication

Authors are required to confirm upon submission that the manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration elsewhere. The identification of a duplicate submission or publication is generally regarded as an intentional act. This policy extends to articles previously published in another language.

For acceptable secondary submissions or publications, such as translating an article into English, authors must adhere to ICMJE guidance. This involves obtaining permission from the publisher and copyright holder of the original article. Authors are also obligated to inform the Editor of the receiving journal about the history of the original article. The article's status as a translated version must be clearly communicated to readers, including a citation to the original article.

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Funding

The journal mandates that authors disclose all sources of funding, including financial support, in their manuscripts. Authors are required to provide a description of the role played by the sponsor(s), if applicable, in each stage from study design to the submission of the manuscript for publication. If the sponsor(s) had no involvement in these stages, this should also be explicitly stated. Authors must ensure the accuracy of this information and align it with the requirements of their funding source. Full transparency regarding funding sources and their involvement is crucial for maintaining the integrity and credibility of the research.

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Images and Figures

When preparing your article, only include images and figures that are directly relevant and contribute value to the reported work. Avoid incorporating purely illustrative content that does not enhance the scholarly content.

As part of the Journal Author Publishing Agreement, which serves as a warranty, you are obligated to secure written permission for including material in your article that is owned and copyrighted by a third party. This includes, but is not limited to, proprietary text, illustrations, tables, and other materials such as data, audio, video, film stills, screenshots, musical notation, and any supplementary material. Ensure compliance with this requirement to maintain the integrity of the publication process.

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Misconduct

The journal treats all forms of misconduct with the utmost seriousness and is committed to taking all necessary actions, following COPE guidelines, to safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record. Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to:

  • Misrepresentation of affiliation
  • Breaches in copyright/use of third-party material without appropriate permissions
  • Citation manipulation
  • Duplicate submission/publication
  • "Ethics dumping"
  • Image or data manipulation/fabrication
  • Peer review manipulation
  • Plagiarism
  • Text-recycling/self-plagiarism
  • Undisclosed competing interests
  • Unethical research

Addressing misconduct is crucial to maintaining the trust and credibility of the scholarly publishing process.

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Duplicate Submission

Manuscripts identified as having been previously published elsewhere or currently under review elsewhere will face sanctions for duplicate submission/publication. In cases where authors have utilized their own previously published work or work currently under review as the foundation for a submitted manuscript, they must appropriately cite the previous work. Additionally, authors are required to explicitly highlight how their submitted manuscript provides novel contributions beyond those presented in the earlier work. Full and transparent disclosure in such instances is essential to maintaining the integrity of the publication process.

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Citation Manipulation

Submitted manuscripts discovered to contain citations primarily intended to inflate the number of citations for a specific author's work or articles published in a particular journal will face sanctions for citation manipulation. This practice undermines the integrity of the scholarly citation system and is taken seriously to maintain the credibility of the publication process.

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Data Fabrication and Falsification

Submitted manuscripts discovered to have fabricated or falsified experimental results, including the manipulation of images, will face sanctions for data fabrication and falsification. Such actions seriously compromise the integrity of the scientific record and are treated with the utmost seriousness to uphold the standards of ethical research and publication.

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Improper Author Contribution or Attribution

All authors listed on a manuscript must have made a substantial scientific contribution to the research and have given their approval for all the claims made in the manuscript. It is crucial to acknowledge and include everyone who has made a significant scientific contribution, extending this recognition to encompass students and laboratory technicians as well. This practice ensures transparency and reflects a commitment to giving credit where it is due in scientific research.

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Redundant Publications

Redundant publications occur when the outcomes of a study are inappropriately divided into multiple articles. This practice raises concerns about scientific integrity and may contribute to duplication or unnecessary proliferation of research findings. It is essential to present research in a comprehensive and cohesive manner, avoiding the unnecessary fragmentation of study outcomes into multiple publications.

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Image manipulation

The journal adopts an open-access publishing model for all peer-reviewed research articles, ensuring universal and free access to the content via the Internet. The reuse of articles is governed by Creative Commons licenses, and the journal offers the following license options:

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Publication Ethics

The journal and its editorial board fully adhere to and comply with the policies and principles of theCommittee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Duties of Editors

Publication decisions

The editorial board of the journal bears the responsibility for determining the articles that should be published. Editorial decisions are reached through collaboration and consideration of reviewer recommendations. These decisions are made while adhering to legal requirements concerning libel, copyright infringement, and plagiarism. It is crucial to note that the editorial process remains impartial and unbiased, unaffected by the origins of the manuscript, which includes factors such as the nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, race, or religion of the authors. The commitment to fairness and objectivity is paramount in the evaluation and selection of manuscripts for publication.

Confidentiality, disclosure, and conflicts of interest

Throughout the review process, editors are obligated not to disclose information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, and other editorial advisers. Unpublished materials revealed in a submitted manuscript must not be utilized in the research of an editor, reviewer, or any other reader without the explicit written consent of the author.

Additionally, readers should be provided with information about the funding sources for the research or scholarly work and whether the funders played any role in the research and its publication. Transparency regarding funding sources helps ensure accountability and a clear understanding of potential influences on the research.

Author relations

Editors are committed to upholding the principles of fairness, impartiality, and timeliness in the peer review process at the journal. To maintain unbiased review, the journal has implemented policies for handling submissions from editorial board members. Author instructions are provided to guide authors on the criteria for authorship, ensuring clarity and transparency in the publication process. These measures contribute to fostering a rigorous and equitable peer review environment for all submissions.

Reviewer relations

The Journal actively encourages reviewers to address ethical concerns and potential misconduct raised by submissions, such as unethical research design and inappropriate data manipulation. Reviewers are also urged to be vigilant about redundant publication and plagiarism. Comments from reviewers should be transmitted to authors in their entirety, except in cases where they contain offensive or libelous remarks.

The valuable contributions of reviewers to the journal are routinely acknowledged. The journal commits to discontinuing the use of reviewers who consistently provide discourteous, low-quality, or tardy reviews, ensuring a standard of professionalism and excellence in the peer review process.

Quality assurance

Editors bear the responsibility of taking all reasonable measures to uphold the quality of the material published, understanding that different sections may have varying aims and standards. Editors are encouraged to ensure that the research they publish has received approval from an appropriate body, such as a research ethics committee or institutional review board, where applicable.

Editors should be vigilant regarding intellectual property issues and collaborate with publishers to address potential breaches of laws and conventions. In instances of errors, inaccuracies, or misleading statements, editors are expected to promptly and prominently correct them. This commitment to accuracy and transparency is essential for maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to editorial decisions

Reviewers play a crucial role in aiding the editorial board in making editorial decisions. It is essential that reviews are conducted objectively, and observations are expressed clearly with supporting arguments. The primary aim is to provide constructive feedback that authors can utilize to enhance the quality of their paper. Personal criticism of the author is deemed inappropriate in the review process. The focus should be on the content and improvement of the manuscript, fostering a constructive and professional environment for scholarly evaluation.

Qualification of reviewers

Selected referees who feel unqualified to review the research reported in a manuscript or anticipate that prompt review will be challenging should promptly notify the editor and excuse themselves from the review process. It is essential that reviewers refrain from considering manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions associated with the papers. Maintaining objectivity and avoiding conflicts of interest is crucial to ensuring the integrity and fairness of the peer review process.

Confidentiality

All manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Reviewers are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information or ideas obtained through the peer review process. Such information should not be used for personal advantage, and reviewers should refrain from disclosing details of the manuscript or utilizing the content for any personal gain. Upholding the confidentiality of the peer review process is essential for preserving the integrity and trustworthiness of scholarly evaluation.

Acknowledgment of sources

Reviewers are expected to identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the authors. References to the ideas of others should be accompanied by the appropriate citation. Additionally, reviewers should bring to the editor's attention any significant similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper of which they have personal knowledge. This proactive approach helps ensure that proper credit is given to prior work and that any potential issues of similarity or overlap are addressed transparently during the peer review process.

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors reporting original research should present an accurate account of the work performed and provide an objective discussion of its significance. The underlying data must be accurately represented in the paper. Authors should be ready to grant public access to raw data related to the paper and retain such data for a minimum of two years after publication. Making fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements is considered unethical behavior and is unacceptable.

Originality, Plagiarism, and Concurrent Publication:

Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original, and proper acknowledgment is given to the work and/or words of others. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. Submitting essentially the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is also deemed unethical and unacceptable.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest:

Authors are required to disclose any financial or other substantive conflicts of interest that could be perceived to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.

Authorship of the Paper:

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate co-authors are included in the paper, and no inappropriate co-authors are listed. All co-authors should have seen and approved the final version of the paper and agreed to its submission for publication. Significant contributors should be listed as co-authors, while others who participated in specific substantive aspects of the research project should be acknowledged or listed as contributors.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works:

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in the published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the journal editor and collaborate to retract or correct the paper.

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Peer Review Process

All manuscripts undergo peer review and are expected to meet academic excellence standards. Submissions approved by the editor are considered by peer reviewers, and the identities of both authors and reviewers remain anonymous (double-blind peer review). The decision on acceptance or rejection is the responsibility of the editorial board, based on the recommendations of the peer reviewers.

The Research Integrity team may seek advice outside standard peer review for submissions with significant ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal implications. Consultation with experts and academic editors may be sought before deciding on appropriate actions, including recruiting reviewers with specific expertise, additional editorial assessments, or declining further consideration of submission.

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Plagiarism

The journal maintains a strict policy against plagiarism, condemning the use of others' ideas, words, or work without proper acknowledgment. Submissions found to contain plagiarism, whether in whole or in part, duplicate or redundant publication, or self-plagiarism (in the same or a different language), will be rejected. It's important to note that submissions to the Preprint archive will not be considered duplicate publications.

The corresponding author bears the responsibility for the manuscript throughout and after the evaluation and publication process, with the authority to act on behalf of all co-authors. To ensure adherence to this policy, all submitted manuscripts undergo a thorough plagiarism check using professional plagiarism-checking software. Manuscripts with an unacceptable similarity index resulting from plagiarism are promptly rejected.

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Preprint Policy

Authors are free to share their preprints openly at any time. In the event of acceptance for publication, we recommend that authors link their preprints to the final formal publication using its Digital Object Identifier (DOI). This can be done by updating the preprint on platforms such as arXiv or RePEc with the information from the accepted manuscript.

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Standards of reporting

Research findings should be communicated in a manner that facilitates verification and reproducibility. Therefore, authors are strongly encouraged to furnish comprehensive descriptions of their research, encompassing the rationale, protocol, methodology, and analysis.

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Use of third-party material

The inclusion of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, etc., in this publication, even if not explicitly identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by relevant laws and regulations. The submitting author is responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for the reuse of copyrighted materials included in the manuscript. While the advice and information in this journal are believed to be accurate on the date of publication, neither the authors, the editors, nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for errors or omissions. The publisher provides no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.

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Use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in writing

Use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in writing Authors incorporating AI and AI-assisted technologies into their writing process should aim to enhance readability and language, avoiding the substitution of essential authoring tasks, such as generating scientific, pedagogic, or medical insights. Human oversight and control must be maintained, and all work should undergo careful review and editing. While AI has the potential to produce authoritative-sounding content, authors bear responsibility for its accuracy, completeness, and potential biases.

Authors are required to openly disclose their use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in their manuscripts. A statement regarding this use will be included in the published work. This transparency builds trust among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and contributors, ensuring compliance with the terms of use for the relevant tools or technologies.

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