Editorial Policies

1 General policy

Vita is a fully open access peer-reviewed journal, committed to advancing high-quality, ethically conducted, and methodologically rigorous scientific research. All papers published in Vita are made freely available online under an open access licence (more information in “Open Access” section). Our editorial and publishing practices are guided by Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers (STM).

2 Duplicate & Redundant Publication

2.1 Policy and Principles

Vita requires that all submitted work be original and not under consideration by another journal. Duplication is defined as the simultaneous consideration of substantially similar work on more than one journal. Redundant publication refers to the reuse of significant data, figures, or conclusions from previous publication(s) or submission(s) without explicit disclosure. According to COPE guidance, such practices are prohibited due to compromising the originality of the scientific record. Limited and properly cited textual overlap in methodological descriptions may be acceptable only when such overlap is explicitly stated as unavoidable.

Manuscripts must represent original work that has not been published and is not under review elsewhere. At submission, authors must disclose all related manuscripts—published, accepted, or under consideration—by clarifying their relationship to the submitted manuscript (in the cover letter). Omission and incomplete disclosure may result in rejection or correction even after publication.

Vita does not consider the following forms of dissemination as duplicate or redundant publication when they are fully declared:

· posting on preprint servers (more information in “Preprint Servers”)

· conference abstracts, posters, or oral presentations

· content included in formally archived theses

These exceptions apply only when the originality, integrity and novelty of the manuscript remain unaffected.

Authors must promptly notify the journal if the status of any related work changes during review. If duplicate or redundant publication is identified during or after publication, Vita may issue a correction, retraction, or expression of concern, depending on the severity and its impact on the scientific record.

2.2 Reuse of Previously Published Content

The reuse of figures, tables, or extended textual material from previously published work must obtain written permission from the copyright holder and provide the document since the first submission. All reused content must be clearly attributed to the original source. The permissions agreement must include the following documents:

· nonexclusive rights to reproduce the material in your article

· both print and electronic rights, preferably for use in any form or medium

· lifetime rights to use the material

· worldwide English-language rights

2.3 Assessment

To ensure originality, Vita employs similarity-detection tools (Crossref) and evaluates flagged overlap in its scientific and contextual relevance. Figures and datasets may also be examined for evidence of duplication or unacknowledged reuse.

3 Data Fabrication & Falsification

3.1 Policy and Principles

Vita adopts the definitions of research misconduct established by COPE. Data fabrication refers to the deliberate creation of data or results that were not actually obtained through actual experiments or study procedures. Data falsification includes the manipulation, alteration, omission, or elective presentation of existing data, images, or experimental procedures in ways that misrepresent the research findings. Both fabrication and falsification fundamentally undermine scientific reliability and are strictly prohibited.

Acceptable adjustments (brightness, contrast, or color balance, etc.) must be applied consistently across the entire image and disclosed. Practices such as selective enhancement, splicing without annotation, removal of features, cloning, or manipulation that could mislead readers are not allowed (more information in “Image Integrity”).

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all data at any stage—collection, analysis, visualization, or interpretation—accurately reflect the experiments without omission. All statistical analyses, quantification approaches, and data-selection criteria must be fully described and reproducible.

If fabrication or falsification is suspected or confirmed after publication, Vita may issue a correction, retraction, or expression of concern, depending on the severity and impact on the scientific record.

3.2 Data Integrity Requirements

Authors must maintain complete, accurate, and securely archived primary data for all results reported in their manuscript. Editors may request original data files at any stage, and the inability to provide original data files may lead to rejection or withdrawal of the submission or the publication.

Raw data deposition

Authors are suggested to deposit raw sequencing data (e.g., FASTQ, BAM/CRAM, single-cell matrices, variants) in a recognized public repository before publication, unless ethical constraints prohibit open release. Recommended repositories include:

· NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA)

· European Nucleotide Archive (ENA)

· DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ)

· Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)

· ArrayExpress (Processed & functional genomics)

· European Genome–Phenome Archive (EGA, controlled access)

· dbGaP (NIH controlled-access human genomic data)

The means of access—such as linking to the data or the required unique identifier—should be described and provided in “Data Availability”.

Metadata and documentation

Submissions must include complete metadata sufficient to enable reanalysis, including:

· Sample source and characteristics

· Library preparation protocols

· Sequencing platform and parameters

· Processing pipeline, software, and version numbers

· Reference genomes and annotation versions

Analysis reproducibility

Major analysis workflows (alignment, quantification, variant calling, QC) must be clearly stated. Code or workflows should be deposited in a public repository.

Ethical handling of human genomic data

Human sequencing data must comply with privacy regulations, informed-consent restrictions, and repository-specific controlled-access requirements. Authors must disclose any limitations on data release and justify restrictions.

3.3 Assessment

Vita may use automated and manual tools to assess data integrity, including image forensics, metadata evaluation, and statistical anomaly detection.

3.4 Post-Publication Procedures

If data fabrication or falsification is suspected or confirmed after publication, Vita will follow COPE-recommended procedures and will contact the authors' institutions when needed. Depending on the severity and impact on the scientific record, the journal may issue a correction, retraction, or expression of concern.

4 Image Integrity

All images must be faithful representations of the original data, minimally processed, and fully transparent in acquisition and presentation. Authors must retain unprocessed images and metadata. Raw files must be supplied on request during review or post-publication assessment. The corresponding author(s) retain final responsibility for all figure content. Therefore, we recommend checking each figure before submission to ensure that the data can be matched to the original, unprocessed data.

All figures are checked for inappropriate manipulation. Vita may issue a correction, retraction, or expression of concern, depending on the COPE procedures.

Accurate, transparent image reporting is essential to research integrity. Authors uncertain about image handling should contact the editorial office prior to submission.

4.1 Figure Preparation and File Standards

Accepted Formats

· Raster: .tif/.tiff, .jpg/.jpeg, .raw, .gif, .bmp

· Vector: .eps, .ai, .pdf

· Not accepted: .doc/.docx for final publication files

Resolution

· Photographic/printed images: ≥ 300 dpi

· Line art: ≥ 600 dpi (complex line art 1200 dpi)

· Electronic-only display: ≥ 72 dpi

4.2 Digital Images

Acceptable adjustments (brightness, contrast, or color balance, etc.) must be applied consistently across the entire image and disclosed. Practices such as selective enhancement, splicing without annotation, removal of features, cloning, or manipulation that could mislead readers are not allowed (more information in “Image Integrity”).

4.3 Electrophoretic Gels and Blots

For electrophoretic data, authors should apply the following requirements:

· Quantitative comparisons across different gels or blots should be avoided; when unavoidable, the legend must state that the results originate from parallel experiments processed under identical conditions.

· Reordered or nonadjacent lanes must be visually separated with clear boundaries and clearly stated in the figure legend.

· Loading controls must be run on the same blot; processing controls from separate gels must be identified.

· Cropping must preserve all relevant bands; high-contrast or overexposed blots should be avoided.

· All figures must be checked for lane splicing, duplication, and consistency with raw scans.

Authors should provide unprocessed full-length gel/blot images (in Supporting document).

4.4 Microscopy Images

Instrument models, objectives, detectors, and acquisition settings of measurements should be clearly stated in “Materials and Methods”. Authors are encouraged to deposit raw microscopy files for further investigation.

5 Human and Other Animal Experiments

All manuscripts involving human participants, human-derived materials, identifiable data, vertebrate animals, or higher invertebrates should comply with the Declaration of Helsinki.

The approving Institutional Review Board (IRB) or ethics committee, the approval numbers, and statement that the research was conducted under the approved protocol should be identified in “Ethics statement” in the "Materials and Methods" section. If ethical approval was deemed unnecessary, the manuscript must specify the basis for that determination.

Authors should confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants before submission. Identifiable data, images, or clinical details require explicit written consent, and personal data must be handled in compliance with data-protection regulations and should use de-identification when possible.

The sex and/or gender of human participants along with age or developmental stage and the sex of animals and cells must be reported. The influence of sex or age relevant to results should be analyzed or acknowledged. The demographic information that cannot be disclosed for scientific or technical reasons should be stated and justified in manuscript.

For research that does not meet ethical or regulatory standards, Vita may issue a correction, retraction, or expression of concern, depending on the COPE procedures.

6 Clinical Trials

Vita follows the guidelines of the World Medical Association (WMA)’s Declaration of Helsinki, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

6.1 Policy and Principles

All interventional and observational clinical studies must be designed, approved, and conducted under independent ethics oversight. The name of the approving institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee, the approval number, and a statement confirming adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki should be stated in the “Materials and Methods” section. If the approved protocol is not in English, authors must provide an English translation. Deviations from the protocol or ethical framework must be justified and accompanied by evidence.

Written informed consent must be obtained from every participant. For research involving minors, both parental/guardian consent and age-appropriate assent must be documented. The consents should be provided at submission. They will be retained by the publisher for record-keeping purposes only and will not be displayed in publication. For manuscripts that do not meet the standard of clinical trial, Vita may delay or decline the manuscript before peer review.

6.2 Trial Registration

All interventional clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible registry that meets ICMJE standards. Authors should follow the appropriate reporting guidelines based on the study type:

· CONSORT for clinical trials (https://www.consort-statement.org/)

· PRISMA for systematic reviews (http://www.prisma-statement.org/)

· STROBE for observational studies (https://www.strobe-statement.org/)

· ARRIVE for animal experiments (https://arriveguidelines.org)

· CARE for case reports (https://www.care-statement.org/)

· CHEERS for health economics studies (https://www.cheers-statement.org/)

6.3 Data Availability Statement

In alignment with ICMJE, a Data Availability Statement is required for all manuscripts involving clinical research. Authors must provide precise information on what data are available, under what conditions, and how they can be accessed.

7 Open Access

7.1 Open Access Policy

Vita is a gold open access journal. All articles are made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication. Vita publishes all content under a Creative Commons open access licence (CC BY 4.0) selected by the authors at acceptance. Upon acceptance, authors are required to sign a copyright statement in which copyright remains with the authors, while granting Vita the non-exclusive rights necessary to publish, index, disseminate, and archive the article.

7.2 Rights and Reuse Policy

Vita upholds internationally recognized standards for rights, sharing, reuse, and transparency.

Author Rights

· Copyright ownership

· The right to deposit accepted manuscripts in repositories

· The right to reuse figures, images, and text in future publications

· The right to distribute the published version according to the CC BY 4.0

Reuse by Third Parties

Reuse must comply with the CC BY 4.0. All users must:

· Provide full and accurate attribution

· Indicate whether any changes were made

· Avoid implying endorsement by the authors

8 Artificial intelligence (AI)

8.1 Use of AI by Authors

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems—including large language models, generative AI, automated drafting tools, or similar technologies—cannot be credited as authors because they cannot bear responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, or accountability of published work.

Manuscripts involving AI must clearly describe the data sources, model validation, and measures to prevent algorithmic bias, in accordance with relevant AI ethics guidelines. The use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create, manipulate, or alter scientific images, figures, or artwork for submitted manuscripts are not permitted. Authors remain fully responsible for any AI-assisted content and must critically validate all AI output.

8.2 Policy Update

Given the rapidly evolving nature of AI technologies, Vita will update this policy regularly to reflect developments in scientific, legal, and ethical standards.

9 Authorship

Vita adheres to the authorship criteria developed by International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Each manuscript must have at least one corresponding author, who is responsible for:

- Overseeing the research and taking responsibility for all data, figures, and text in the manuscript;

- Ensuring all authors approve the author list, author order, manuscript content and submission;

- Communicating with the editorial office during submission, review, and revision;

- Ensuring all authors approve the final manuscript and any revisions;

- Submitting required post-acceptance documents (e.g., Copyright Statement);

- Responding to post-publication inquiries (e.g., data requests) on behalf of the author team.

We acknowledge that certain studies may warrant multiple corresponding authors, given their shared responsibilities in the work. We may request documentation to verify that all corresponding authors fully understand their obligations (outlined above). This may include a detailed description of each corresponding author’s specific contributions, which must also be clearly stated in the "Author Contributions" section of your submission. Each article typically has no more than 6 co-first authors. In general, each Correspondence submission may include up to 15 authors in total.

It is the corresponding authors’ responsibility to ensure that the author list is correct at initial submission. Prior to a manuscript’s final acceptance, any request to alter the authorship (add, remove, or re-order authors) requires signed written consent from all authors, including those being added or removed, to confirm they agree to the change; in the consent an explanation for the reason for the proposed authorship change needs to be stated. Consent must be submitted to the assigned editor with the revised manuscript before the manuscript is further reviewed or accepted. Changes to the authorship will not be allowed once the manuscript has been accepted for publication.

10 Conflict of Interest

All manuscripts submitted to Vita must include a “Competing Interests” section within the main text, in which all authors are required to fully disclose any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the objectivity of the submitted work. The disclosure will be reviewed by the editorial team and shared with reviewers, and will be published in the final article to ensure transparency. When authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose, they must include the following statement in the Competing Interests section: “The authors declare no competing interests.”

11 Data Repository Requirement

At initial manuscript submission, if the work reports molecular structures, protein sequences, DNA/RNA sequences, or omics data, authors need to deposit relevant datasets in scientific community-endorsed public data repository before we will proceed with editorial consideration and peer review. Accession numbers must be provided in the paper. For publication of the articles, we require a resource availability section which addresses the "data and code availability."

12 Preprint Server

Vita supports prior posting of scientific results and will consider primary research manuscripts that have been posted on established preprint servers, such as bioRxiv, LangTaoSha. For such submissions, the preprint must correspond to the manuscript version prior to any revisions made in response to the journal’s editorial feedback or peer review comments. Vita does not endorse the posting of subsequent manuscript versions as preprints. After the paper is published, we recommend updating the preprint with the link to the final published version. Notably, preprint posting of any version is prohibited for non-primary content types, such as review articles.

13 Publication Cost

For all authors whose manuscripts are accepted for publication in Vita, we waive all publication-related expenses, including article processing charges (APCs).

14 Peer Review Process

Prior to peer review, all manuscripts undergo an initial editorial evaluation and only those assessed as having a strong likelihood of meeting Vita’s editorial standards will be advanced to the external review stage. Vita operates under a single-anonymous peer review model, meaning reviewers have access to authors’ identities, but authors are not aware of who has reviewed their work. Editors usually select three or more reviewers to cover the conceptual and technical expertise needed to evaluate manuscripts. While authors may suggest potential reviewers in their submission cover letter, the ultimate choice to select reviewers lies with the editors. The editors will make a decision based on the reviewers' evaluations.

15 Appeals

Authors can appeal a journal’s decision if they have strong evidence-based justifications. To start an appeal, email the editorial office (vita@vita-journal.com) and submit a rebuttal letter that responds to each comment from referees or editors one by one. Appeal decisions will only overturn the original ruling if the editors are convinced that the initial judgment contained errors, or if authors supplement the work with key new data or information.

16 Correction and Retraction

Two types of corrections may be issued for articles published in Vita: Author/Publisher Correction is published to address important errors made by the authors or by the publisher, respectively, to uphold the article’s scientific integrity, preserve the accuracy of the publication record, and protect the reputations of authors and the journal. Decisions on corrections are made by the editorial team; an HTML version of the approved correction will also be linked to the original article.

Articles may be retracted if their scientific integrity is severely compromised by errors in the study conduct, analysis, reporting, or if research/publication ethics are violated. Retracted articles are marked as such but remain available as PDFs.