Policies on the Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies
1. Authorship and Attribution
Any contribution made by AI tools must be acknowledged within the manuscript and not through authorship.
AI and AI-assisted technologies cannot be listed as an author or co-author. In accordance with COPE and ICMJE standards, authorship implies legal and ethical accountability for the work,which AI tools cannot fulfill.
2. Disclosure Requirement
Authors must transparently disclose the use of generative AI in the preparation of their manuscript.
* Where to disclose: Use a dedicated section titled "Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process" (typically placed before the References).
* What to disclose: Specify the tool used (name and version), the date of use, and the specific tasks performed (e.g., "polishing English grammar," "summarizing literature," or "generating initial drafts").
If no AI was used, a formal statement is not required unless specifically requested by the Editorial Office.
3. Author Responsibility and Accountability
The human authors are solely responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the submitted work.
* Verification: Authors must manually verify all AI-generated content, including facts, data, interpretations, and references. AI is known to produce "hallucinations" (plausible but false information), and the authors will be held accountable for any such inaccuracies.
Fabricated references or misleading citations will be treated asethical misconduct.
* Plagiarism and Originality: Authors must ensure that AI-generated text does not infringe on intellectual property rights or result in plagiarism. All content must be original or appropriately cited.
4. Use in Figures, Images, and Data
The use of generative AI to create or alter scientific images and data is strictly limited.
* Prohibited Use: Generative AI must not be used to create, enhance, or manipulate primary research data or scientific figures (e.g., micrographs, electrophoresis gels, clinical images) in a way that could compromise the objective representation of results.
* Exception: If AI is used for visual presentation (e.g., conceptual diagrams or artistic illustrations), this must be clearly stated in the figure legend and requires explicit approval from the Editorial Board.