Competing interests

Both the members of the journal's Editorial Board and the reviewers will refrain from evaluating the submitted manuscripts in the case that a conflict of interest arises, related either to the author or to the content of the papers.

In order to ensure compliance with this requirement, reviewers are asked to report the possible existence of a competing interest at the beginning of the double-blind peer review process, in which case they must expressly waive the acceptance to review the paper.

As indicated in the journal's Statement on Ethics, reviewers will decline participation in the following cases:

• When there is a personal relationship between an author and a reviewer.
• When there has been a recent and significant professional collaboration between reviewers and authors.
• When an editor or reviewer is a collaborator in the project submitted.
• When the editor or reviewer has a financial interest in a company with an interest in the proposal.
• When the editor or reviewer considers that he/she cannot be objective, either for personal interests or for other reasons.

In addition, this journal will take special care to ensure that no competing interests arise throughout the stages of evaluation.