Author's Duties

The author must vouch for the originality of their work. In cases where works or words of other authors are used, non-original material must be clearly recognizable and explicitly cited. Authors must cite all publications that have had an influence on their research. The proposed work should always include, if space permits, an account of the work done, the methodology employed, without omission of the problems encountered. Data must be accurately represented. All work submitted must contain sufficient detail and references to allow others to check and verify the research. Fraudulent or willfully incomplete or inaccurate statements are not acceptable. Submitted work must not have been published as copyrighted material elsewhere. Manuscripts under review must not be submitted to other journals. The authorship of the manuscript is limited to those who made a significant contribution to the conception, execution, realization and editing of the research. All those who made a significant contribution must be listed as co-authors. Other individuals who participated indirectly or only in secondary aspects of the research must be credited at least in the acknowledgments. The author must ensure that all possible co-authors are cited in the manuscript, that they have seen and approved the final version, and that they agree on the submission for publication. Authors must disclose financial or other conflicts of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of the manuscript. All sources of financial support for the research must be indicated. If an author finds significant errors or inaccuracies in the published manuscript, he or she must promptly notify the journal's editorial board or publisher and cooperate with them to retract or correct the work.

Publisher's Duties

The journal's scientific editor and editorial board are solely responsible for the decision to publish articles that have been submitted for publication. The editorial board follows the journal's editorial policies and is bound by the legal provisions in force regarding defamation, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The editorial board is supported by at least two external reviewers, chosen from among the members of the scientific committee or other scholars of proven expertise, according to a double-blind review procedure. Members of the editorial board are required to evaluate manuscripts for their scientific content, without distinction of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, citizenship, or the scientific, academic or political orientation of the authors. The editorial board and editorial staff are required not to disclose any information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the authors, reviewers and potential reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher, as appropriate. Unpublished material contained in manuscripts submitted to the journal may not be used by members of the editorial board for their own research without the written consent of the author. If the editorial board detects or receives reports of problems regarding errors or inaccuracies, conflicts of interest, or plagiarism in a published article, it will promptly notify the author and to the publisher and will take the necessary action to clarify the matter and, if necessary, withdraw the article or publish a retraction or statement of error.

Duties of Reviewers

Reviewers assist the editorial board in making decisions and can help the author improve the manuscript. A selected reviewer who does not feel qualified to review the assigned manuscript, or who knows that he or she will not be able to perform the review in the required timeframe, must notify the editorial board of his or her decision, waiving the review. Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. They must not be shown to or discussed with anyone not previously authorised by the editorial board. The review must be conducted objectively. No personal criticism of the author is permitted. Reviewers must express their opinions clearly and, if necessary, with the support of clear and documented arguments. Reviewers are responsible for identifying the presence of bibliographic material relevant to the work not cited by the authors, and for pointing this out. Each statement, observation or argument reported should be accompanied by a corresponding citation. The reviewer should draw the editorial board's attention to any substantial similarity or overlap between the manuscript under review and any other published document of which he or she is aware. Information or ideas obtained through the review of manuscripts must be considered confidential and not used for personal gain. Reviewers should not accept manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest arising from competition, collaboration, or other connection with authors, companies, or entities related to the subject of the manuscript.

Text based on the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.