Conflicts of Interest

Introduction
The Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics strives to ensure the integrity, objectivity, and reliability of the research it publishes. Transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest (also known as competing interests) is crucial for maintaining trust in the scientific publication process. This policy outlines the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff regarding the disclosure and management of any interests that may be perceived as influencing their professional judgments or actions. In developing and implementing this policy, the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Description
A conflict of interest (COI) or competing interests arises when an individual's professional judgment regarding a primary interest (e.g., the validity of a study, the quality of a manuscript, or the integrity of the peer review process) may be unduly influenced by secondary interests. These secondary interests may include:

  • Financial interests: including employment, consulting, ownership of shares or options, fees, grants pending or under consideration, patents or patent applications (pending or granted), royalties, advisory board membership, paid expert opinions, or travel grants related to the work being considered.

  • Non-financial interests: including personal relationships (e.g., family, close friends), professional relationships (e.g., recent or current co-authors, mentor/mentee relationships, former or current graduate students), institutional affiliation, intellectual property (e.g., competing unpublished manuscripts), personal beliefs or commitments (e.g., religious, political) that are directly related to the subject matter or individuals involved in the work presented, or any other interests that could reasonably be seen as influencing their work.

Having a conflict of interest is not inherently unethical. However, failing to disclose such interests can undermine trust in the research and publication process. This policy applies to all individuals involved in the work of the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics, including authors, reviewers, editors (chief editors, associate editors, invited editors, editorial board members), and journal staff.

3. Policy

  • Full disclosure principle: All individuals involved in the publication process of the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics must disclose, in advance and in full, any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could be perceived as relevant to their roles and responsibilities. A statement of no conflicts of interest must also be clearly stated if applicable.

  • Disclosure deadlines:

    • Authors: must declare any potential conflicts of interest upon manuscript submission. This declaration should be updated if new conflicts of interest arise during the peer review or revision process.

    • Reviewers: must inform the editor of any potential conflicts of interest upon receiving an invitation to review a manuscript and before agreeing to perform the review. If a conflict of interest becomes apparent after the review process has started, the reviewer must immediately notify the editor.

    • Editors and journal staff: must inform the chief editor or publisher of any conflicts of interest related to their editorial duties and decision-making processes. They should recuse themselves from working on manuscripts where a significant conflict of interest exists.

  • Management and evaluation of disclosed conflicts of interest:

    • The Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics will carefully evaluate all disclosed conflicts of interest to assess their potential to introduce bias into the research, its review, or editorial decisions.

    • Depending on the nature and severity of the conflict, the journal may take various actions, such as:

      • Publishing a statement from the authors about the conflict of interest alongside the article.

      • Asking the reviewer or editor to recuse themselves from the work on a specific manuscript.

      • In exceptional cases, where the conflict of interest is deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the integrity of the work or its evaluation, the journal may decide not to consider the manuscript for publication.

  • Publication of conflict of interest statements: For all published articles, the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics will include a statement detailing any relevant conflicts of interest declared by the authors. Information about the sources of funding for the research will also be published. If the authors have no conflicts of interest requiring a statement, this must be explicitly stated (e.g., "The authors declare no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work presented in this article").

  • Conflicts of interest identified after publication: If, after publication, the journal becomes aware of a significant, undisclosed conflict of interest, the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics will conduct a thorough investigation. Appropriate actions will be taken according to COPE guidelines, including publishing an official correction, expressing concern, or, in severe cases where the integrity of the work is called into question, retracting the article.

4. Technical Aspects of Implementing and Materializing the Policy

A. For Authors

  1. What should be disclosed: Authors are required to disclose all financial and non-financial relationships and activities that may potentially influence their work or be perceived as influencing it. This includes, but is not limited to:

    • Financial interests: Direct or indirect financial support for the research; employment or consulting with organizations that have a financial stake in the research findings; ownership of shares or interests in such organizations; patents (applied for, under consideration, or granted) or royalties related to the research; fees, grants, or other payments received from interested parties.

    • Non-financial interests: Affiliation with any organization or entity that has an interest in the topic or materials discussed in the manuscript or involvement in their activities; personal, academic, or professional relationships with individuals or organizations that may affect the work; strong personal beliefs related to the topic that may influence objectivity.

    • Sources of funding: All sources of funding for the presented research must be clearly stated. The role of the funding organization (if any) in the design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, writing of the report, and decision to publish the article must be clearly indicated. If the funding source did not participate in such activities, this should also be stated.

  2. How to disclose:

    • Authors must complete and submit a conflict of interest disclosure form along with the manuscript. The Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics may use the Uniform Disclosure Form for Conflicts of Interest from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) or a specific form from the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics.

    • A brief summary of the disclosed information (or a statement of no conflicts of interest) should be included in the manuscript, typically before the references section.

  3. Consequences of non-disclosure: Failure to fully disclose potential conflicts of interest during submission or review may result in publication delays, manuscript rejection, or, if discovered after publication, further actions such as correction or retraction of the article.

B. For Reviewers

  1. What should be disclosed: Reviewers should disclose any interests that may affect their ability to provide an impartial and objective evaluation of the manuscript. These include:

    • Recent (e.g., within the last 3 years) or current collaboration with any of the authors.

    • Close personal relationships or professional rivalry with any of the authors.

    • Financial interest (e.g., employment, ownership, grants) in the results of the study or a competing work.

    • Reviewing a previous version of the manuscript for another journal or involvement in its development.

    • Holding a strong opinion or belief about the topic that could interfere with an objective review.

  2. How to disclose:

    • Reviewers must inform the editor of any potential conflicts of interest when invited to review a manuscript, preferably before accepting or declining the invitation.

    • If a conflict of interest arises after accepting the invitation or during the review process, the reviewer must immediately notify the editor.

  3. Actions based on disclosure: If the reviewer discloses a significant conflict of interest, they will generally be asked to recuse themselves from reviewing. The final decision is made by the editor, based on the nature and degree of the disclosed interest.

C. For Editors and Journal Staff (including editorial board members)

  1. What should be disclosed: All editors (chief editor, associate editors, invited editors, editorial board members) and journal staff must disclose any interests that may affect or be perceived to affect their editorial duties and decisions. This includes:

    • Financial relationships with companies or organizations whose products or services are related to the journal's subject matter.

    • Personal or close professional relationships with authors or reviewers of manuscripts they are working on.

    • Their own research interests if they substantially overlap with the manuscript being considered.

    • Any manuscripts submitted to the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics written by themselves or their close colleagues.

  2. How to disclose:

    • Editors and journal staff must inform the chief editor or publisher of any relevant conflicts of interest in advance.

    • The Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics may maintain a public record of the relevant interests of its editors, which will be updated regularly.

  3. Management and recusal:

    • Editors or journal staff with a significant conflict of interest regarding a particular manuscript must recuse themselves from any participation in the peer review and editorial decision-making process for that manuscript.

    • An alternative editor or editorial board member without a conflict of interest will be appointed to handle such manuscripts.

    • A strict and independent review process will be implemented for manuscripts submitted by editors, editorial board members, or journal staff, which will be transparent to ensure objectivity. This may include oversight by an external editor or a special subcommittee.

D. Journal's Conflicts of Interest
The Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics is committed to editorial independence. The journal and its publisher, the Faculty of Physics at the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulughbek, will manage their affairs so that commercial, institutional, or other non-scientific interests do not compromise the integrity of editorial decisions. Any relationships that may lead to a potential conflict of interest at the journal level will be regulated transparently.

E. Record Keeping
The Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics will maintain confidential records of all conflict of interest disclosures made by authors, reviewers, and editorial staff.
This policy is aimed at ensuring transparency and maintaining public trust in the research published by the Uzbek Journal of Modern Physics. It will be periodically reviewed and updated as necessary to comply with best practices in scientific publishing.


ISSN 3093-8686 (Online)