Author Guidelines

• The journal is published twice a year.

• Publication is possible in Ukrainian or English.

• The article must have a recommendation for publication signed by the head of the institution and an expert conclusion on the possibility of open publication, certified by a seal. Below the text of the article, signatures of all authors and information about them are mandatory (see item 13). Separately, indicate the full name, e-mail, and phone number of the corresponding author.

• The volume of an original article, including tables, figures, references, and abstract, must be at least 5 pages of text.

• Submit the article text in Microsoft Word format (*.docx file format) and accompanying documents to the email address journal@tdmu.edu.ua, to the Editor-in-Chief Dr. Med. Sci. A.V. Boychuk: boychuk_alla@tdmu.edu.ua, to the Executive Secretary Assoc. Prof. Yu.B. Yakymchuk: yakymchuk@tdmu.edu.ua, and also register in the OJS system on the website.

• Figures should be prepared in JPG, TIF, CDR formats and sent as a separate graphic file. When scanning, ensure an image resolution of 300 dpi. In captions for micrographs, indicate the magnification and staining method. Photos must be high-contrast, drawings – clear. Tables must have short titles and their own numbering. Reproduction of the same material in the form of tables and figures is not allowed. Diagrams and charts should preferably be created in Microsoft Excel. Small illustrations can be placed within the text of the article. For formulas, use the Microsoft Equation formula editor.

Articles must be written in compliance with the main requirements of DSTU 3008:2015 "Information and documentation. Reports in the field of science and technology. Structure and formatting rules" according to the following scheme:

• UDC

• Initials and surnames of authors in Ukrainian and English

• Full name of the institution

• Title of the work

• Article title and abstract in Ukrainian and English (structured: objective; materials and methods; research results and their discussion; conclusions) (250–300 words)

• Keywords in Ukrainian and English (up to 8 words)

• INTRODUCTION. (Problem statement in general form, its connection with important scientific or practical tasks, analysis of recent published research that initiated the solution to this problem, highlighting the unsolved part of the general problem to which the work is dedicated.)

• OBJECTIVE.

• MATERIALS AND METHODS. (Presentation of the object of study and methods, the description of which must be sufficient for understanding their expediency and reproducibility. In the case of experimental research, indicate the species, gender, number of animals, methods of anesthesia during manipulations involving pain to animals, and method of euthanasia. It is mandatory to specify methods of statistical analysis with justification for the choice of reliability criteria.)

• RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. (Presentation of the main factual material, full justification of the obtained scientific results, expression of personal judgment regarding the obtained results, comparing it with the interpretation of similar data given by other authors.)

• CONCLUSIONS.

• PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. (Presentation of the author's vision of the prospects for further ways of solving the problem highlighted in the work.)

• REFERENCES (printed in the order of mention of sources in square brackets) is formed in two blocks: traditional (list of bibliographic references) and additional for foreign databases (REFERENCES).

Requirements for formatting the list of sources in the "LIST OF BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES" section

• Sources are formatted according to DSTU 8302:2015.

• Preference should be given to citing sources from the Web of Science search platform, which unites abstract databases of publications in scientific journals and patents, including databases that take into account mutual citation of publications.

• In a review article, cite at least 40 sources, in others – not less than [Note: number missing in original text].

• The percentage of self-citation is not more than 30%, i.e., if you used 10 references, not more than [number missing] can be your own works.

Requirements for formatting the additional list of literature (REFERENCES)

If the scientific work is written in a language using the Cyrillic alphabet, its bibliographic description must be transliterated into Latin letters and structured as follows:

• Surname(s) and initials of the author(s) (transliteration);

• Year of publication in parentheses;

• Transliterated title of the publication, title in English in square brackets;

• Transliterated name of the source (journal, conference), followed by the English name separated by a dash;

• Output data (place of publication, pages) in English, leaving the publisher's name transliterated. Add [in Ukrainian] at the end of the bibliographic description.

Transliteration of authors' surnames, depending on the original language of the source, is performed in accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated January 27, 2010, No. 55 "On Regulation of Transliteration of the Ukrainian Alphabet into Latin" (for the Ukrainian language).

It is advisable to use an automatic transliteration system (Ukrainian transliteration).

The list of literature is submitted in APA Style (developed by the "Manual of the American Psychological Association", 6th ed. (Washington, DC: APA, 2010)). See link online.

For example: Author(s). (Year of publication). Title. Publication information (Journal title, volume, issue, pages).

• One author – Halych, M.L. (Year). Title. Publication info (City: Publisher).

• Two authors – Halych, M.L., & Ivchenko, P.S. (Year). Title. Publication info.

• Three to seven authors – Halych, M.L., Ivchenko, P.S., & Venher, M.R. (Year). Title. Publication info.

• More than seven authors – Halych, M.L., Ivchenko, P.S., Venher, M.R., Pylyp, V.L., Kravchuk, M.M., Ishchuk, R.V., … Shvets, P.P. (Year). Title. Publication info.

All designations of physical quantities and their units, digital data of clinical and laboratory studies must be submitted in accordance with the International System of Units (SI) in compliance with the requirements of the DSTU ISO 80000-1:2016 group of standards "Quantities and units". Names of firms, reagents, and drugs should be given in the original transcription.

The Editorial Board corrects spelling, punctuation, and stylistic errors, removes excess illustrations, and shortens the text if necessary. The author bears full responsibility for the accuracy of the data presented in the article and the list of references.

Articles formatted without adhering to the above rules are not registered. Priority right to print is given to publications of journal subscribers (provided copies of subscription receipts are available), as well as materials commissioned by the editors. Subscription index of the publication: 99879.

Attention Authors! Articles published in our journal are assigned a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) – a universal digital object identifier of the CrossRef bibliographic reference system. Currently, 5,000 publishers from all over the world are members of CrossRef. Its citation database covers more than 75 million journal articles and other types of scientific publications. The presence of a DOI identifier in an article makes it possible to quickly find it on the Internet (for citation) without the need for a long search on journal websites. Assigning DOI to scientific articles allows increasing the citation index and the rating of their authors. The presence of a DOI index in each article and in each issue of the journal, in particular, contributes to the promotion of the publication to international scientometric databases.

Author information should be submitted in two languages: Ukrainian and English. It must contain the following information: surname, first name, patronymic, academic degree, academic title, position, place of work (name of the institution, department). Review mandatory requirements: email address of each author and ORCID – a registry of unique identifiers for scientists and researchers, authors of scientific works, and scientific organizations, which ensures effective communication between scientists and the results of their research activities, while solving the problem of obtaining complete and reliable information about the scientist in scientific communication. You can get an ORCID by registering.

Publication of articles is fee-based and is determined by the number of characters, figures, and charts after peer review and acceptance of the manuscript for printing. The cost may vary from 2000 to 5000 UAH. DOI assignment is included in the cost of the article. The exact amount of payment and bank details will be sent by e-mail after the review of the work. The payment receipt must be sent to the above-mentioned email address of the editorial office.

Article Review Procedure

1. The Editorial Board registers the article provided it meets the requirements published in the journal and posted on the website.

2. A registered article is subject to mandatory peer review. The decision regarding publication is made by the Editorial Board based on the results of the article review within 14 to 60 days. The Editorial Board does not undertake the obligation to explain the reasons for the refusal to publish an article. Materials sent to the Editorial Board are not returned to the authors. Manuscripts must present materials that have not been previously published and have not been submitted to other publications.

3. The Editor-in-Chief determines the scientific value of the work and appoints two reviewers – independent specialists whose scientific specialization is closest to the topic of the work. Reviewers are, as a rule, leading scientists in the fields of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, medicine, etc.

4. The review period is two weeks. Depending on the situation and at the reviewer's request, the review period may be extended.

5. To ensure the most complete and objective response to the article, the Editorial Board has developed guidelines for the reviewer.

6. The reviewer makes one of the following conclusions:

   • recommend the article for publication in the author's version;

   • recommend the article for publication after revision and consideration of the indicated deficiencies;

   • recommend transferring the article for additional review to another specialist;

   • reject the publication of the work, indicating the reason.

7. The Editor-in-Chief reviews the reviewers' proposals and makes the appropriate decision: to send the article for printing or to return it to the author with a proposal to take into account the reviewer's recommendations and revise it. The revised work received from the author is re-reviewed.

8. Since 2015, the Editorial Board has switched to the practice of double-blind peer review: the author does not know who is evaluating their work, and the reviewer does not know whom they are reviewing. Correspondence between the reviewer and the author is conducted through the Editorial Board. When evaluating an article, the reviewer may, on their own initiative, involve certain specialists to provide a substantiated response regarding publication.

9. For the Editor-in-Chief, the reviewer's conclusion is not final. If the reviewers' opinions do not coincide, the Editor-in-Chief sends the work for additional review to a third reviewer.

10. If the author disagrees with the review, they may send a reasoned response to the Editorial Board, and then the Editorial Board decides on the advisability of sending it for re-review to a different panel of reviewers. In conflict or non-standard situations, the Editor-in-Chief makes the appropriate decision independently.

11. In the case of a positive review, the Editor-in-Chief submits the article to the editorial office with the note "For Print" (or "Accepted"), and the article goes through the following stages: stylistic and spelling editing, technical editing, and layout formatting for submission to the publisher.

12. The Academic Council of the I. Horbachevsky Ternopil State Medical University finally approves the issue at its regular meetings.

13. Originals of articles and reviews are kept in the journal's editorial office for three years.

Publication Fees

Publication of articles is fee-based. The cost is calculated based on the number of characters in the material; DOI assignment is charged additionally in the amount of 100 UAH. The exact payment amount and bank details for the transfer will be sent after the completion of the article review.

Plagiarism Policy

The journal checks all manuscripts submitted to the journal for plagiarism by independent experts and special software Plagiat.pl and Unicheck. We protect the rights of authors/co-authors and investigate allegations of plagiarism or misuse of published articles. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of the information presented in the articles, the accuracy of names, surnames, and citations. Authors are responsible for the materials submitted by them in case plagiarism is detected in them. Similarly, we protect the journal's reputation against abuse of official position. Thus, the journal reserves the right to reject an article for plagiarism without further explanation and take appropriate legal measures.

Each article undergoes an anti-plagiarism check using the Unicheck program.

Plagiarism Prevention

THE EDITORIAL BOARD DEFINES THE PHENOMENON OF PLAGIARISM AS FOLLOWS:

Plagiarism – the publication (making public), in whole or in part, of another person's text under the name of a person who is not the author of this text.

Self-plagiarism – the republication by the author of significant in volume and identical in form and content of their own scientific texts without indicating the fact of their previous or simultaneous publication.

Textual plagiarism – full or partial borrowing of text fragments (not altered or modified) present in articles, theses, reports, monographs, manuscripts of qualification works, etc.

Actions characterizing the process of plagiarism:

• passing off someone else's work as one's own;

• copying words or ideas of another person without reference to their work;

• intentional omission of a reference from the list of sources;

• providing incorrect data about the source (e.g., a "broken" link);

• changing the word order while preserving the general sentence structure and without reference to the source;

• copying a large amount of text or ideas with citations to sources that collectively make up the majority of the article.

Plagiarism is classified into the following categories:

• exact copying without changes (Copy & Paste) and without proper bibliographic formatting of borrowed fragments;

• copying with changes in linguistic, lexical, and technological interpretation (with word permutation, replacement of letters, numbers);

• style imitation;

• translation from another language;

• borrowing an idea.

Archiving Policy

Archiving is an extremely important element for open-access journals. To ensure content preservation, expand access to articles, and facilitate their usage, the journal deposits its content in the publicly accessible archives of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine (Kyiv, Ukraine) and the Electronic Scientific Repository of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine (Ternopil, Ukraine).

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

The journal "Actual Problems of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology" adheres to the principles of transparency, academic integrity, and research ethics at all stages of preparation, submission, and publication of scientific materials. Due to the widespread use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), we provide the following clarification regarding its permissible use.

Generative artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of a manuscript. Responsibility for the content of the article – including its accuracy, originality, and compliance with ethical standards – lies entirely with the human authors.

Authors may use GenAI for limited purposes, such as improving grammar or style, provided that:

• Such use does not alter the scientific content or interpretation of data;

• Authors critically evaluate and verify all results generated by AI;

• The use of GenAI is clearly indicated in the manuscript (for example, in a separate block before the list of references), specifying the name of the tool and the purpose of its application.

Example:

Declaration on AI usage: Statement: During the preparation of this article, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the text and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published manuscript.

It is prohibited to use GenAI for data generation, writing literature reviews without verification, creating fake citations, or preparing original content (e.g., abstracts, conclusions, or results) without human participation. Such actions may be considered a violation of publication ethics.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the use of GenAI tools complies with current ethical standards, particularly those regarding data confidentiality, consent of research participants, and copyright compliance.

Editors and reviewers may use GenAI for auxiliary tasks (e.g., grammar checking or brief text summary), provided this does not violate confidentiality or the integrity of the peer review process.

Any assessment made using AI must be accompanied by human analysis.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to request additional information from authors regarding the use of GenAI and to take appropriate measures in case of detection of abuse.

Recommendations for Authors

• Use AI as an auxiliary tool Apply AI for editing, translation, or idea generation, but do not rely on it to create the main content.

• Check facts and sources AI can generate false or fictitious information. Always verify facts and references, especially if they were generated using AI.

• Avoid plagiarism Using AI does not exempt from responsibility for plagiarism. Ensure that all sources are properly cited and that the generated text is original or properly attributed.

We follow the Generative AI policies for journals from Elsevier.

Licensing conditions: all materials are distributed under the international Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY.

The submission by the author of their materials for publication in the Licensee's journals constitutes the fact of the author's agreement with the terms of this Agreement.

By this agreement, the author attests that the submitted material:

• does not violate the copyright of other persons or organizations;

• has not been previously published in other journals and has not been submitted for publication in other journals.

The author retains copyright to their work, and the publisher has the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License International CC-BY, including the following:

• publish the article in English and distribute its printed version;

• translate the article into English (for articles in Ukrainian) and distribute the printed version of the translation;

• distribute the electronic version of the article, as well as the electronic version of the English translation of the article (for articles in Ukrainian) by any electronic means (placement on the official website of the journal, in electronic databases, repositories, etc.).

In all cases, the presence of a bibliographic reference to the article or a hyperlink to its electronic copy on the official website of the journal is mandatory.

Open Access Policy

The journal "Actual Problems of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology" practices a policy of immediate open access to all published content, supporting the principles of free dissemination of scientific information within the scientific community and the global exchange of knowledge for general societal progress and shared scientific achievements.

Users are allowed to read, download, copy, and distribute the content for educational and scientific purposes with mandatory attribution of authorship and the original source of the article publication.

Ethical principles of the activities of the editorial board of the journal "Actual Problems of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology"

General Provisions

The ethical principles of the editorial board were developed in accordance with the Recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International standards for editors and authors, and the Ethical Code of the Scientist of Ukraine.

The Editorial Board considers monitoring the ethics of the provisions set out in the articles as one of the main aspects of its activity and the peer review process.

The Editorial Board does not accept for publication materials that contain offensive statements, manifestations of aggression or any discrimination, or incite interethnic and racial enmity, violate international legal norms and the current legislation of Ukraine.

The Editorial Board is not responsible for the opinions, judgments, results, and conclusions made by the authors of the articles and printed in the journal. The authors' results do not present the point of view of the Editorial Board.

The Editorial Board of the journal is not responsible to the authors and/or third parties and organizations for possible damage caused by the publication of the article.

Responsibility for the absence of plagiarism or any other unfair use of intellectual property of other authors, as well as for the reliability of information in articles, accuracy of names, surnames, and citations, lies with the authors.

The Editorial Board reserves the possibility to revise the given ethical principles of activity with the aim of their improvement.

Ethical Obligations of the Editorial Board:

• The Editorial Board bears ethical responsibility for everything published in the journal. Therefore, all materials submitted for publication undergo rigorous selection and peer review. The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject an article or return it for revision.

• The Editorial Board adheres to the principles of fairness and impartiality, makes decisions independent of commercial or other interests, and ensures an honest peer review process within reasonable terms.

• The Editorial Board may reject a manuscript without peer review if it believes that the work does not align with the editorial policy of the publication, its ethical principles, and requirements for manuscripts.

• Members of the Editorial Board do not transfer information related to the content of the manuscript under consideration to other persons, except for those involved in the professional assessment of this manuscript.

• The Editorial Board has the right to remove the electronic version of an article published in the printed version of the journal, provided that a violation of someone's rights or generally accepted norms of scientific ethics is established. The Editorial Board notifies the author who submitted the article and the organization where the work was performed about the fact of article removal. The Editorial Board also places a notification about the fact of article removal in the next issue of the journal.

• The Editorial Board/Council allows the distribution in electronic networks of any articles from the journal or extracts from them, but requires a reference to the original source of publication. Publication and/or distribution of journal materials by third parties or organizations on paper and hard electronic media is prohibited.

Ethical Obligations of Authors:

• Research published in the journal must be conducted in accordance with current legislation and ethical norms. It is necessary to clearly indicate any dangerous manifestations and risks associated with the conducted research.

• Authors must present their results clearly and unambiguously without falsification or improper data manipulation so that the research results can be verified by other scientists.

• Authors of articles bear responsibility for the content of articles and for the very fact of their publication; plagiarism as original work is unacceptable; submission of a previously published article for publication is unacceptable.

• The study may contain scientifically grounded criticism of the work of another researcher. Personal criticism cannot be considered appropriate.

• Sources of funding and other grounds for the emergence of a conflict of interest must be disclosed. Authors must guarantee the absence of contractual relations or proprietary considerations that could influence the publication of data or results presented in the manuscript.

• Authors must indicate the sources of information used, including quoted information, and format references to them in accordance with the requirements of the scientific publication.

Ethical Obligations of Reviewers:

• If the selected reviewer is not sure that their qualification corresponds to the level of research presented in the manuscript, they must immediately return the manuscript.

• The reviewer must objectively assess the quality of the manuscript, the presented experimental and/or theoretical results, their interpretation and presentation, and also determine to what extent the work corresponds to scientific and literary standards. The reviewer must respect the intellectual independence of the authors.

• The reviewer must consider the possibility of a conflict of interest in the case when the given manuscript is closely related to the current or published work of the reviewer. If there are doubts, the reviewer must immediately return the manuscript without review, indicating the conflict of interest.

• The reviewer cannot evaluate a manuscript with the author of which they have personal or professional connections if such relationships can influence the judgment of the manuscript.

• The reviewer should not show the manuscript provided for review to other persons or discuss it with other colleagues, except in cases where the reviewer requires special consultation.

• Reviewers must argue their judgments so that members of the editorial board and authors can understand what their remarks are based on.

• The reviewer must point out any cases of insufficient citation by authors of the works of other scientists, any significant similarity between the given manuscript and any published article or any manuscript simultaneously submitted to another journal.

• The reviewer must provide a review without unjustified delays.

• Reviewers should not use or disclose unpublished information, arguments, or interpretations contained in the provided manuscript unless there is the author's consent.

Complaints and Appeals

1. Purpose and Scope of Application

This order establishes the procedure for handling complaints about violations of ethical principles by authors, reviewers, or members of the editorial board of the journal "Actual Problems of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology". It applies to issues related to plagiarism, misappropriation of materials, conflict of interest, data manipulation, and other violations of academic integrity.

2. Filing a Complaint

2.1. The complaint is submitted electronically to the journal's official email.

2.2. The complaint must clearly state: Contact details of the applicant; Link to the publication or material under review; Detailed description of the violation with reference to evidence.

2.3. Anonymous complaints are not considered.

3. Preliminary Review Stage

3.1. The Editor-in-Chief appoints an authorized person for the preliminary analysis of the complaint.

3.2. Within 5 working days, the authorized person checks: Compliance of the complaint with the journal's topics; Availability of sufficient grounds for review.

3.3. The applicant receives a notification about the registration of the complaint or refusal to review it.

4. Complaint Review

4.1. A commission of three independent experts is created to review the complaint.

4.2. The commission has the right to: Request additional materials and explanations; Involve independent experts; Conduct consultations with all interested parties.

4.3. The review period is not more than 30 calendar days.

5. Decisions and Measures

5.1. After the review, the commission may make the following decisions: Reject the complaint as unfounded; Recognize the violation as minor and suggest corrections; Recognize the violation as serious and take appropriate measures.

5.2. Possible measures in case of serious violations: Refusal to publish the material; Retraction of an already published article; Ban on submitting materials for a certain period; Notification of the violation to the author's institution.

6. Protection of Rights of the Parties

6.1. All parties to the conflict have the right to: Receive full information about the review process; Present their explanations and evidence; Appeal the commission's decision.

6.2. Confidentiality of the process is guaranteed to all participants.

7. Appeal of Decisions

7.1. The commission's decision may be appealed within 14 days to the Editor-in-Chief.

7.2. The Editor-in-Chief reviews the appeal within 10 working days.

7.3. The decision of the Editor-in-Chief is final.

The Editor-in-Chief or the managing editor must adhere to the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the European Association of Science Editors (EASE), and the principles of publication ethics of a scientific journal.

Retraction Policy

In cases where a violation of rules has occurred or appears to have occurred, or if necessary corrections to the publication have been made, the editorial board reviews various cases, adhering to the relevant COPE recommendations.

1. General Provisions

1.1. This order establishes the procedure for the retraction of articles published in the journal "Actual Problems of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology".

1.2. The purpose of retraction is to correct published information and ensure the integrity of scientific publications. 1.3. Retraction may be initiated by authors, the journal editorial board, readers, or authorized persons.

2. Grounds for Retraction of an Article

2.1. Established fact of plagiarism or misappropriation of materials.

2.2. Presence of substantial errors in the research that make its results invalid.

2.3. Duplicate publication of the same material without proper reference.

2.4. Falsification or manipulation of data.

2.5. Failure to disclose a conflict of interest that affects the interpretation of results.

2.6. Detection of serious violations of ethical norms during the research.

3. Procedure for Initiating Retraction

3.1. The person initiating the retraction submits a written application with a justification of the reasons for retraction.

3.2. Evidence confirming the necessity of retraction is attached to the application.

3.3. The application is reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief within 5 working days.

4. Review of the Retraction Issue

4.1. The Editor-in-Chief creates a commission of three independent experts.

4.2. The commission conducts a comprehensive analysis of the material and evidence.

4.3. The authors of the article are given the opportunity to provide their explanations.

4.4. The review period is not more than 30 calendar days.

5. Decision Making

5.1. The commission may make one of the following decisions: reject the request for retraction; suggest that authors publish a correction; recommend full retraction of the article.

5.2. The decision is made by a majority vote of the commission members.

6. Formatting the Retraction

6.1. In case of a decision to retract: the article is marked as "retracted" in all versions of the journal; a notice of retraction is published indicating the reasons; the notice contains a link to the original article.

6.2. Format of the retraction notice: clear title "Retraction Notice"; bibliographic data of the original article; detailed justification of the reasons for retraction; date when the decision takes effect.

7. Consequences of Retraction

7.1. The retracted article remains in the journal archive with the corresponding marking.

7.2. The following are notified about the retraction: authors of the article; indexing databases; scientometric databases; the interested scientific community.

7.3. Information about the retraction is published in the nearest issue of the journal.

8. Rights of Authors

8.1. Authors have the right: to receive a detailed justification of the decision on retraction; to file an appeal against the commission's decision; to publish a comment on the decision on retraction.

8.2. The appeal is reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief within 14 days.

Adherence to COPE, WAME, and DORA Principles

The editorial board of the journal adheres to the following principles and recommendations of international organizations:

1. COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

The journal must adhere to the ethical standards defined by COPE:

• Transparency in the submission, peer review, and publication processes.

• Impartiality and independence of editors and reviewers.

• Academic integrity – avoidance of plagiarism, falsification, and duplicate publications.

• Correct authorship – clear definition of each author's contribution.

• Handling complaints – existence of open and clear procedures for handling appeals and ethics complaints.

• Retraction and correction of articles – a clear procedure for retraction, corrections, and error notifications.

2. WAME (World Association of Medical Editors, principles for editors of all sciences)

WAME recommendations can be applied in a broader context:

• Editorial independence – editorial decisions are made without pressure from sponsors, institutions, or commercial interests.

• Conflicts of interest – all authors, reviewers, and editors are obliged to declare them.

• Peer review – ensuring objective, fair, and timely expert assessment.

• Transparency of funding – disclosure of information about grants, sponsors, and sources of research funding.

• Support for young scientists – promoting publications by researchers at the early stage of their careers.

3. DORA (San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment)

The journal must support principles of fair assessment of scientific activity:

• Not limiting to bibliometric indicators (impact factor, h-index), but evaluating research by its quality, novelty, and contribution to science.

• Valuing different types of research results – software, data, algorithms, technical solutions, not just articles.

• Recognition of interdisciplinary research as equivalent to classical publications.

• Encouraging open science – publication of preprints, open access to data and codes.

4. ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors – general principles for all sciences)

• Authorship criteria. An author is only someone who has made a significant contribution to the work.

• Research ethics. Compliance with norms regarding work with data, human participants, and experiments.

• Data openness. Encouraging authors to preserve and provide access to research data.

5. Other Modern Principles (Open Science, Plan S, FAIR Data)

• Open Access – promoting open access to scientific results.

• FAIR principles for data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) – ensuring the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of data.

• Plan S – supporting the policy of publishing in open journals and archives.

• Ethical use of AI – maintaining transparency and responsibility in case of using artificial intelligence in research.