Publisher Info
Cell Nature and Science Publisher focuses on academic journal publishing and consulting services.
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Cell Nature and Science Publisher Office
Email: [email protected]
Postal Address: Unit 616, 6/F., Kam Teem, Industrial Building, 135 Connaught Road West, Sai Wan, Hong Kong
Phone: +17898805125
Ethics and Policies
Open Access Statement
Cell Nature and Science Publisher adheres to the principles of Open Access, ensuring high-quality, peer-reviewed research is freely available to a global audience. We champion the unrestricted sharing of knowledge, enabling researchers, educators, and the general public to benefit from the latest scientific discoveries.
Copyright and Permission
Copyright for all articles published in this journal remains with the authors. Authors enter into a publishing agreement with the journal. This grants the journal the sole, worldwide and exclusive rights to publish, reproduce, display and store the published articles. Publications by the journal are distributed under the CC-BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial) license term (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). As a result, readers can freely read, download, and use all articles published, provided they are not for commercial purposes and the original source and author are appropriately cited.
Research Ethics
Animal Studies
Research involving animals must include a statement in the Methods section that: A. The study protocol was approved by an institutional animal care committee; B. All animals received humane care following relevant institutional and national guidelines and regulations.
Human Subjects
Research involving human subjects must include a statement of assurance in the Methods section that: A. The study adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki; B. The protocol was approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee; C. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant.
As recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), for any case report where an individual or a group of people can be recognized, it’s essential to obtain publication consent forms, which should be reflected in the manuscript using a clear statement. For example, “Written informed consent was obtained from the patient to publish this article”. This mandate extends to reports concerning deceased individuals. Identifying details might include individual case narratives, photographs, x-rays, or genetic family trees.
Clinical Trials
Cell Nature and Science Publisher adheres to the guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which request the registration of clinical trials in a public registry either before or at the onset of the first patient’s enrollment for the study.
We highly recommend authors register their clinical trials with recognized international clinical trial registries. This registration should then be referenced in the Methods section with the registration number and platform. Appropriate registries can be found on the ICMJE website https://www.icmje.org/about-icmje/faqs/clinical-trials-registration/.
Data Sharing Policy
Cell Nature and Science Publisher supports open scientific exchange and endeavors to empower our authors with optimal practices in research data dissemination and archiving. We advocate for all authors to make their research data accessible. Our data-sharing emphasis pertains to the foundational dataset underscoring the primary conclusions of published research.
In instances where ethical, legal, or confidentiality issues arise, data sharing should be withheld. Authors must clearly specify any such restrictions in the Data Sharing Statement during manuscript submission. It is imperative that any shared data adheres to the consent secured from participants, especially concerning confidential data.
Here are the suggested Data Sharing Statements:
Public Repository Data:
“Data from this study is publicly accessible at [repository name, e.g., FigShare] with the DOI [doi], reference number [reference number].”
Restricted Data Access:
“Data from this study can be availed upon request from the corresponding author. It’s not available publicly due to [specific reason].”
Third-Party Data:
“There are constraints on these data’s availability. Data was sourced from [third party] and can be accessed [from the authors/at URL] with [third party]’s approval.”
No Data Sharing Applicable:
“This study neither generated nor analyzed new data. Hence, data sharing is not applicable to this article.”
Data Within the Article/Supplementary Material:
“Data related to this research can be found in [the article or supplementary material].”
Publication Ethics
Originality
When you submit a manuscript to Cell Nature and Science Publisher, its content must not significantly overlap with that of any other articles from you or your co-authors’ groups that are under consideration or in press at other journals, with the exception of conference abstracts. All submitted manuscripts must be original and not under consideration by any other journal. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate rejection.
Fabrication, Falsification
Fabrication refers to the complete invention of data or results in research, rather than being based on actual experiments or observations. Falsification refers to the deliberate alteration or omission of data or results, leading to a misrepresentation of the research record. Any form of fabrication or falsification is considered a severe breach of protocol, leading to direct rejection.
Data Access and Retention
Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review. All raw data should be ensured to be available upon request.
Using of Copyrighted Material
Authors should ensure that any copyrighted materials used in the manuscript, such as figures or tables from other published works, have obtained proper permissions.
Policy on Misconduct
Misconduct is always considered deliberate. All manuscript contributors are accountable for any misconduct. Authors must ensure their manuscript is free from any form of misconduct before submission. If misconduct is suspected after submission but before publication, authors should immediately contact the editorial office. If misconduct is identified during review, the review process halts, an investigation begins, and a Committee on Ethical Publication intervenes. If confirmed, the manuscript is rejected, and authors may face a ban from publishing with Cell Nature and Science Publisher. Post-publication discoveries of misconduct will be addressed similarly, with potential retractions or corrections depending on the findings.
Corrections, Retractions and Expression of Concerns
If authors discover significant errors in their published work, they are obligated to notify the journal’s editors by email and cooperate in retracting or correcting the paper.
Cell Nature and Science Publisher emphasizes the importance of rectifying published errors. Corrections, per ICMJE guidelines, will be made promptly for verified errors, ranging from research claims to authorship. Corrections will be clearly indicated, with a correction date, and accessible in both electronic and printed formats. Major errors might necessitate a retraction.
Cell Nature and Science Publisher follows COPE guidelines for potential retractions, emphasizing:
- Retractions are not punitive;
- Retraction statements should be public and linked to the original article.
Reasons for potential retraction include unreliable findings, prior publication without permission, legal issues, or significant authorship disputes.
Allegations of scientific misconduct will be thoroughly investigated per COPE procedures. Pending the final investigation outcome, an expression of concern may be published. Misconduct examples include but are not limited to data falsification, duplication, or plagiarism. Any retraction or expression of concern will be appropriately indexed.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors
Authors must provide a Conflict of Interest Statement in the manuscript to disclose any financial, institutional, commercial, personal, ideological, or academic interests that could inappropriately influence, or have the perception to influence, their work. If no conflicts exist, there should be a statement as well, for example: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
All authors should complete the standard conflict of interest form which can be downloaded from the ICMJE website at https://www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/. The filled forms should be combined as one supplementary file and uploaded into the submission system.
Reviewers
Upon receiving an invitation to review a manuscript, reviewers should promptly notify the editorial office of any potential conflicts of interest that may arise from their association with the authors, competing research projects, financial interests, or any other relevant circumstances. Reviewers should not accept any review tasks for manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest that could compromise their impartiality. In cases where a reviewer has declared a conflict of interest but still submits a review, the submitted review will not be considered in the decision-making process for the manuscript. The manuscript will be reviewed by other qualified reviewers who do not have a conflict of interest. If the editorial team becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest that was not initially declared by a reviewer, they will handle each case on an individual basis.
Editors
Editors and editorial board members are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest before accepting to handle a manuscript. Editors and editorial board members abstain from participation in the evaluation of papers they have authored, those authored by their family members or colleagues, or papers related to products or services in which they have a vested interest. Such submissions are subjected to the standard journal procedures, with peer review conducted independently, separate from the relevant editor and their research groups.
Authorship
Cell Nature and Science Publisher follows the criteria of authorship proposed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE):
(1) Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
(2) Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
(3) Final approval of the version to be published; AND
(4) Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Individuals who have met all the above 4 criteria should be listed as an author.
Changes to Authorship
Making modifications to the author list after submission is a significant step that requires clarity and justification. This encompasses:
- Adding new authors to the manuscript.
- Removing existing authors from the manuscript.
- Altering the sequence of authors listed.
If there is a need to change the authorship after the first submission, authors must immediately notify the editorial office via email. The email should clearly explain the reasons for the change. This ensures transparency and maintains the integrity of the publication process. A written declaration confirming the change of authorship must be provided. This declaration should be signed by all authors, both those previously listed and those being added, to ensure that all authors are aware of and agree with the changes being made.
Contributorship
In the process of manuscript preparation, various individuals or institutions may offer assistance or support that, although valuable, does not meet the criteria for authorship. In such instances, it is appropriate and essential to acknowledge their contributions in the “Acknowledgments” section of the manuscript. This ensures that their efforts are recognized and appreciated while maintaining the integrity of the authorship criteria.
Declaration of Using AI Tools
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is restricted to the purpose of language editing to improve the readability of the manuscript. AI or any AI-assisted technology should not be listed as an author, or be cited as an author. To ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of published works, any manuscript that has utilized AI for language editing or any other purpose must include a clear declaration stating as such, which is recommended in the acknowledgment.
Self-Archiving Policy
Authors are permitted to self-archive their manuscripts at any stage on the author’s personal, institutional website or repository, or other suitable non-for-profit sites.
If authors are self-archiving a version of the manuscript that has been accepted but not yet published by the journal, they must include the statement: “This manuscript has been accepted for publication in Cell Nature and Science Publisher.”
For manuscripts that have already been published in the journal, authors should include the statement: “This article has been published in Cell Nature and Science Publisher at [link to the full article].”
Policy on Complaints
Complaints should be made in writing via email to the journal’s Editorial Office. Please clearly state the nature of the complaint, provide relevant details, and, if applicable, suggest a solution or desired outcome. While we accept anonymous complaints, it’s often more challenging to investigate and resolve them. We encourage complainants to provide their contact details.
Upon receipt, complaints will be acknowledged within five working days.
The Editor-in-Chief or a designated senior editor will conduct a preliminary review to determine the complaint’s validity. If necessary, external experts might be consulted. We aim to resolve complaints within 20 working days of receipt. If the review takes longer, we will provide updates every two weeks.
Once a decision has been made, the complainant will be informed of the outcome and any actions taken. If the complainant is dissatisfied with the resolution, they can appeal to the publisher, and the decision of the publisher will be final.
If the complainant remains unsatisfied after pursuing all internal avenues, they may complain to the external entity Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). COPE (http://www.publicationethics.org) provides a code of practice tailored for editors of scientific, technical, and medical journals. They will entertain complaints against editors, but only after the journal’s in-house complaint resolution mechanisms have been fully utilized.
All complaints and details will be kept confidential and only shared with those involved in the investigation and resolution process.
Advertising Policy
Advertising Guidelines:
Advertising Policy
- This policy governs the acceptance and display of advertisements in all media associated with Cell Nature and Science Publisher Limited, ensuring the integrity, trustworthiness, and independence of our publications.
- The policy applies to all forms of advertisements, including print, digital, supplements, inserts, sponsored content, and any other promotional materials.
- Advertisements must not influence editorial decisions or the content of articles.
- Advertisements must be clearly distinguishable from editorial content. Sponsored content should be labeled as such to ensure transparency.
- Advertisements should be pertinent to the medical community, providing products, services, or information beneficial to our readership.
- Prohibited content:
- Advertisements promoting unproven medical procedures, products, or therapies.
- Content that discriminates or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, disability, national origins, or any other protected class.
- False or misleading information.
- Products or services that have not been approved by the relevant health authorities, where such approval is required.
- All advertisements must be reviewed and approved by the Cell Nature and Science Publisher Limited Advertising Committee. The Committee reserves the right to decline any advertisement that does not align with our policy or standards.
- Advertisements should not be positioned adjacent to content discussing the product being advertised, ensuring there is no perceived endorsement.
- Advertisers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations. They should ensure that their advertisements are accurate, not misleading, and support claims with evidence where appropriate. The advertisers must be clearly identified in the advertisement.
- Complaints or feedback about advertisements should be directed to the Cell Nature and Science Publisher Limited Advertising Committee. The Committee will review the complaint and determine necessary actions, which may include removing the advertisement or requesting changes.
- This policy will be reviewed annually or as needed. Cell Nature and Science Publisher Limited reserves the right to amend this policy at any time without prior notice.
Advertising complaints policy
Please send any complaints about advertising to: [email protected]