Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Authors must ensure that they have obtained all necessary permissions for the use of software, questionnaires, surveys (including web-based surveys), measurement tools, and scales used in their studies, where applicable. It is the responsibility of the authors to comply with copyright, licensing, and usage requirements related to these materials.

Both research and non-research articles (such as Review, Opinion, and Commentary articles) must include appropriate, relevant, and up-to-date literature citations to support the claims, arguments, and conclusions presented in the manuscript. Excessive, inappropriate, or irrelevant self-citation is strongly discouraged. Similarly, any coordinated attempts by multiple authors to artificially increase citation counts through mutual or collective self-citation practices are considered unethical.

Authors should refrain from making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated statements about individuals, organizations, or companies. Manuscripts must not include content that could be interpreted as personal attacks, defamatory remarks, or allegations regarding the behavior, actions, or character of any entity.

Research that has the potential to be misused or that may pose risks to public health, public safety, or national security must be clearly identified and appropriately discussed within the manuscript. This includes, but is not limited to, dual-use research involving biological agents or toxins, interference with vaccine or immune responses, unusual or hazardous chemical applications, or the potential weaponization of research findings or technologies.

Authors are strongly advised to carefully verify the composition of the author group, the designation of the Corresponding Author, and the order of authorship at the time of initial submission. Requests to add, remove, or rearrange authors during the revision or review stages are generally not permitted and will only be considered in exceptional cases, subject to editorial approval and submission of appropriate justification and consent from all authors.