Authors must disclose funding sources and relationships relevant to the research. Any role of the funder in the research design, data collection and analysis, writing, or the decision to submit must be explained.

If there are no relevant conflicts of interest, authors must include a statement confirming this.

Reviewers must disclose potential conflicts to the editor and decline an assignment if a relationship with the authors, institution, funding, or research topic could compromise an objective assessment.

Reviewers must not use information in the manuscript for personal benefit or share it without permission.

Editors must not handle or make decisions on their own manuscripts or on manuscripts that create a conflict of interest. Responsibility must be transferred to another independent editor.

Editorial decisions are based on scholarly quality, relevance to the journal's scope, research integrity, and the outcome of peer review.

If a relevant conflict becomes known during or after publication, the journal may request clarification, replace the editor or reviewers, repeat the assessment, or publish a correction. Further action depends on the conflict's effect on the integrity of the article and the editorial process.