Scilight Press

1. Ethics Approval Statement

Scilight Press is committed to responsible scholarly publishing and follows relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). As a publisher of academic works Scilight Press, our editors and publishing partners subscribe to the principles of academic freedom, editorial independence, and the highest levels of research integrity. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research has been conducted and reported in accordance with applicable ethical principles and legal, regulatory, and institutional requirements. All submitted manuscripts must comply with Scilight Press policies and any additional requirements of the relevant journal.

The following policies apply to all Scilight Press journals. Please refer to any additional requirements outlined by the journal before your submission.

Research involving human participants, human-derived materials, or identifiable human data must comply with applicable ethical requirements and, where relevant, the WMA Declaration of Helsinki. Required ethical approval must be obtained before the research begins. The manuscript should provide:

• the full name of the ethics committee or Institutional Review Board that approved the study, together with the approval number or reference ID;
• a statement explaining any waiver or exemption from ethical review, including the basis for that determination and the name of the responsible review body;
• information on informed consent to participate, where applicable. If written consent was not obtained, the authors must explain the form of consent used and the ethical basis for that approach.

We encourage authors to provide detailed explanations of how they have considered and justified their work's ethical and moral basis. If this information does not easily fit into the manuscript, please include it in the cover letter or upload it as a supplemental file when submitting the article. We also welcome copies of the explanatory information provided to participants. Such documents will be handled confidentially and will not normally be published. Editors and reviewers may consider the ethical acceptability of the work when evaluating a manuscript. Submissions that do not provide adequate ethical information may be returned for clarification or revision or may be rejected.

1.1. Research Involving Human Participants

When reporting on research that involves any human biological material or human data, authors must declare that the investigations were carried out following the rules of the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975 (https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki/), revised in 2024. An approval from the institutional review board (IRB) or another appropriate committee is required. Any other relevant guidelines and regulations the experiment performed with should also be listed. Approval number, date of approval, name of the ethics committee or institutional review board, as well as name of guidelines and regulations must be stated in Section ‘Institutional Review Board Statement’.

Example of an ethical statement: "The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of XXX (Approval number)."

As with all research involving humans, ethical approval from an appropriate ethics committee must be obtained prior to conducting the study. If ethical approval is not required, authors must either provide an exemption from the ethics committee or are encouraged to cite the local or national legislation that indicates ethics approval is not required for this type of study. Where a study has been granted exemption, the name of the ethics committee which provided this should be stated in Section ‘Institutional Review Board Statement’ with convincing reasons.

For manuscripts that include any case details, personal information, and/or images of patients, authors must obtain signed informed consent for publication from patients (or their relatives/guardians) before submitting. All participant-identifying information was anonymized; no patient initials or personal identifiers appear in any figures. A blank informed-consent template should be submitted as a supplementary file, and signed consent forms should be retained locally for privacy protection.

For research involving clinical trial, the clinical trials registration is quired. Please ensure the trial is registered on the World Health Organization’s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. The name of the registry, trial registration number, and date of registration should be included in the Institutional Review Board statement or in the Materials and Methods section.  

Scilight Press mandates the submission of a completed CONSORT 2010 checklist and flow diagram when reporting the results of a randomized trial. Authors must provide the checklist and flow diagram as a condition of submission. Templates for these can be accessed on the Consort Spirit website. Additionally, authors should ensure that their article reports the content addressed by each item of the checklist.

1.2. Research Involving Cell Lines

Research involving cell lines should state the source of the cell line, including when and from where it was obtained. Authors should also indicate whether cell lines were authenticated and tested for mycoplasma contamination.

Authors should report the source and relevant identifiers of cell lines used in the study, including the supplier, catalogue number, and Research Resource Identifier (RRID), where available. Authors are responsible for ensuring that cell lines are appropriately authenticated and free from contamination and should disclose the authentication method or status when relevant. The Cellosaurus - Cell line encyclopedia and the Register of Misidentified Cell Lines (ICLAC) may be consulted to verify cell line identity.

Research involving newly established or identifiable human-derived cell lines should have appropriate ethics approval and informed consent, where applicable, in accordance with the WMA Declaration of Helsinki and relevant institutional and national requirements. Research involving stem cells should follow applicable guidance from the ISSCR Guidelines.

Authors may be asked to provide supporting information regarding cell line provenance, authentication, ethics approval, or consent when concerns arise.

1.3. Research Involving Animals

For animal research, authors must ensure the welfare of vertebrate and higher invertebrate species used for research, education, and testing. Detailed information on the ethical treatment of animals should be provided, potentially using the Home | ARRIVE Guidelines checklist for manuscript submission. Authors are encouraged to consult the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals (2020) for anesthesia and euthanasia best practices. Authors are required to secure approval from an appropriate animal ethics review body (e.g., IACUC or institutional equivalent) before commencing the study. The reviewing committee's name and the associated approval or permit number(s) must be supplied at the time of submission.

For research conducted with animals belonging to individual clients, authors must obtain the owner's informed consent and maintain veterinary care at a level consistent with accepted clinical standards.

Authors are recommended to comply with:

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Policy Statement on Research Involving Species at Risk of Extinction, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Researchers from countries without legal requirements should refer to the Basel Declaration | ART, ICLAS (ICLAS), ASAB, and International Association of Veterinary Editors' Consensus Author Guidelines on Animal Ethics.

If a study was granted exemption or did not require ethics approval, this information and the reasons for exemption should be explicitly stated in the manuscript. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the provided statements. The Editor-in-Chief may reject submissions that do not meet these guidelines.

1.4. Research Involving Plants

Experimental research on plants (either cultivated or wild) including collection of plant material, must comply with institutional, national, or international guidelines. We recommend that authors comply with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

For each submitted manuscript supporting genetic information and origin must be provided. For research manuscripts involving rare and non-model plants (other than, e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana, Oryza sativa, or many other typical model plants), voucher specimens must be deposited in an accessible herbarium or museum to support reproducibility. They should include details of the populations sampled on the site of collection (GPS coordinates), date of collection, and document the part(s) used in the study where appropriate. For rare, threatened or endangered species this can be waived but it is necessary for the author to describe this in the cover letter.

Editors reserve the right to reject submissions that do not meet these requirements.

1.5. Dual Use Research of Concern

Scilight Press adheres to the practical framework outlined in the Guidance for Editors: Research, Audit, and Service Evaluations provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Manuscripts reporting research that could pose significant public health or national security threats must clearly indicate such risks. Potential dual-use research of concern, including areas such as biosecurity, nuclear and chemical threats, or research with military applications, should be explained in the cover letter upon submission. For these manuscripts to undergo peer review, the benefits to the general public or public health must outweigh the associated risks. Authors are responsible for complying with relevant national and international laws.

When a potential dual-use concern is identified, the Editor and Editorial Office will assess the nature and seriousness of the possible harm, the likelihood that the published information could facilitate harmful use, the level of sensitive or operational detail provided, the scientific or societal value of the research, and any safeguards adopted by the authors. The journal may request further information or supporting documentation and may seek confidential advice from an appropriately qualified expert where necessary.

Following this assessment, the journal may allow the manuscript to proceed to peer review, require the authors to revise or remove sensitive information, or decline further consideration. A manuscript may be rejected when the identified risks are substantial, when they outweigh the likely scientific or societal benefits of publication, or when they cannot be adequately addressed through reasonable revision. Rejection may also be appropriate if the authors fail to disclose a relevant concern, provide requested information, or demonstrate compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, institutional, or security requirements.

If a material dual-use concern is identified after publication, Scilight Press will review the matter and may publish a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other appropriate notice. Access to specific content may be restricted where necessary to address an immediate legal or safety risk.

1.6. Sex and Gender in Research

Authors are expected to follow the Sex and Gender Equity in Research – SAGER – guidelines, applying sex and gender considerations to their studies as appropriate. Authors should use precise terminology, employing ‘sex assigned at birth’ or ‘sex’ for biological attributes and ‘gender’ for socially and culturally shaped constructs, avoiding vague terms such as ‘biological sex’. The title and abstract must specify the sex or sexes to which the study findings are applicable. If findings apply to only one sex or gender, this should be explicitly noted in the title and/or abstract. Authors should address the following across the manuscript: whether sex and/or gender differences may be expected (Background); how they were handled in the design (Methods); disaggregated data by sex and/or gender where appropriate (Results); and interpretation of the relevant findings (Discussion). Where sex and/or gender analyses were not performed, the reasons should be explained in the Discussion. Authors are advised to review the complete guidelines prior to submission.

1.7. Borders and Territories

Scilight Press recognizes that disputes concerning borders and territories may affect how authors describe research locations, maps, institutional affiliations, or correspondence addresses. Authors should present such information accurately and with appropriate sensitivity. Editorial decisions concerning these matters will be based on the scholarly context, the information provided, and the need for clear and accurate reporting.

If a dispute or complaint arises, the journal will review the matter and may request clarification or revision, add an appropriate editorial note, or correct the published record where necessary. Scilight Press maintains neutrality regarding jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

1.8. Citations

Scilight Press maintains strict guidelines on citation practices to ensure integrity and avoid manipulation. All articles must cite relevant literature appropriately. Unwarranted self-citation, coordinated citation schemes, and redundant references to this journal are grounds for rejection and possible institutional notification.

Authors should follow these guidelines:

• Statements relying on external sources should be cited.
• Original works should be cited instead of derivations.
• Citations must accurately support statements in the manuscript.
• Authors should only cite sources they have read.
• Preference should not be given to self-citation or citations from friends, peers, or institutions.
• Avoid citing solely from one country or using an excessive number of citations for one point.
• Peer-reviewed sources should be preferred.
• Advertisements or advertorial material should not be cited.

Authors are encouraged to adhere to these guidelines to ensure fair and ethical citation practices.

2. Types of Research Misconduct

Scilight Press takes issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism, or other breaches of best practice Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics very seriously. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of our authors, and any reported instance of plagiarism or misuse of published articles will be fully investigated. In parallel, we take measures to shield the journal's reputation from unethical conduct.

If a manuscript is confirmed to have committed publication misconduct, we will immediately apply the above-mentioned penalties.

Allegations of research misconduct or possible inaccuracies in published material are handled in accordance with COPE guidance. Concerns brought forward anonymously or by whistleblowers are investigated with equal care and thoroughness.

2.1. Plagiarism

Plagiarism manifests in several forms aside from the straightforward copying of text from one source without citation, whether or not it is reworded. These include mosaic (patchwork) plagiarism and self-plagiarism, also referred to as text recycling.

• Mosaic (patchwork) plagiarism
  This occurs when passages are drawn from multiple sources—possibly including the author's earlier publications—and woven together in a manuscript so that the resulting text appears original.

• Self-plagiarism (text-recycling)
  This refers to the repeated use of one's own prior output—such as text, data, or images—often without adequate attribution, including material translated from another language. Such duplication introduces redundancy into the scholarly record and may distort meta-analyses when the same datasets are presented as novel findings on multiple occasions.

Naturally, additional forms of plagiarism beyond those outlined above may occur. What unites them is a failure to disclose the original source of any material incorporated into the manuscript.

2.2. Duplicate Publishing

Duplicate publication is the submission of a paper substantially overlapping with an already published work without clear reference to the prior publication, which may include information already in the public domain.

2.3. Falsification or Fabrication of Data

Data fabrication involves deliberately misrepresenting research findings, claiming to have performed experiments that were never undertaken, or altering valid data so that they conform to a predetermined conclusion.

Image manipulation is a specific type of data manipulation and relates to e.g., duplication of parts within an image, or use of identical images to show different things.

Scilight Press takes issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism or other breaches of best practice Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics very seriously. We seek to protect our authors' rights and always investigate claims of plagiarism or misuse of published articles. Equally, we seek to protect the reputation of the journal against malpractice.

Once the manuscript is found to have committed publication misconduct, we will immediately impose the above-mentioned penalties.

We reserve the right to take action including, but not limited to: publishing an erratum or corrigendum (correction); rejecting the manuscript or withdrawing the published paper (Guidelines for retraction of articles-Retraction guidelines | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics); taking up the matter with the head of the department or dean of the author's institution and/or relevant academic bodies or societies; releasing all penalty documents on our website.

It is important to be reminded that research misconduct is purposeful misconduct and as such does not include honest error or differences of opinion which may occur at time to time in research and which can generally be corrected or outlined at the time of publication.

2.4. Authorship Misconduct

All authors must comply with Scilight Press's [Authorship and Contribution Policy]. Practices such as ghost authorship, guest or gift authorship, purchased authorship, unauthorized addition or removal of authors, and submission without the knowledge or approval of all listed authors are not permitted.

Concerns or disputes relating to authorship will be handled in accordance with applicable COPE guidance. The journal will not normally adjudicate disputes that require an institutional investigation and may refer such matters to the authors' institution(s).

3. Post-Publication

The correspondence provides access to the post-publication conversation. If readers have concerns about any of the stories published, they can write a letter to the editor. Erratum, correction, and retraction can be used to remedy any errors or faults detected in the article. When a concern may affect the accuracy, reliability, or integrity of an article, the journal will conduct an initial assessment and, where necessary, begin a formal investigation. The authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond. Editors, reviewers, research institutions, funders, or other relevant parties may be consulted when their input is required. The matter will be handled confidentially and in accordance with applicable COPE guidance.

Scilight Press will seek to address post-publication concerns within a reasonable timeframe. Where practicable, the journal will aim to complete its initial assessment within 60 days. More complex matters, particularly those requiring institutional investigation or external advice, may take longer.

Depending on the nature and outcome of the assessment, the journal may:

• determine that no further action is required;
• publish a correction to address an error that does not invalidate the principal findings;
• publish an expression of concern while a serious matter remains unresolved;
• retract an article whose findings are unreliable or whose publication involved serious ethical or publication misconduct; or
• take another action necessary to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

1) Article page is updated with retraction notice and reason for retraction

2) A retraction notice is issued in the next issue of the journalIn the case of a correction or erratum, the peer-reviewed and revised document will be amended and re-published on our website, along with the posting of a Correction, after the update request has been accepted. Meanwhile, a link will be created between the correction/erratum article and the original article to make readers and other users/systems aware of the correction. Decisions concerning retraction will be made in accordance with the Retraction guidelines | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics.

4. Conflicts of interest

Authors must declare all relevant financial or non-financial, professional, or personal competing interests that could be perceived as conflicting during manuscript submission. If no conflicts exist, the authors should state that there is no conflict of interest to declare. For more details, please check at here.

 

Update in September 2026