Data and Image Integrity
ce, obscure, move, remove, introduce, or selectively alter specific features of an image in a way that changes its scientific meaning or could mislead readers.
Adjustments to brightness, contrast, color balance, or similar image properties may be acceptable when they are applied appropriately and do not obscure, eliminate, fabricate, or misrepresent information contained in the original image.
Image processing must not:
- create features that were not present in the original;
- remove scientifically relevant features;
- conceal background, artifacts, abnormalities, or other relevant information;
- alter the apparent relationship between different parts of an image;
- duplicate an image, image region, or clinical photograph in a misleading manner.
Where images from different fields, times, samples, or experiments are combined into a composite figure, the arrangement must be presented transparently and must not imply that separate materials originated from a single observation.
Previously published images may be reused only when the original source is appropriately acknowledged and any required copyright permission or licence has been obtained.
For clinical photographs, radiological images, pathology images, genetic information, and other potentially identifiable medical material, authors must also comply with the journal’s requirements concerning patient privacy and consent for publication.
Original Image Files
The journal may request original, unprocessed or minimally processed image files when necessary to assess image integrity.
Authors should preserve original image files and relevant metadata in a form that permits appropriate verification. Failure to provide reasonable supporting material when a serious integrity concern has been raised may be taken into account during the journal’s assessment of the case.
Statistical Analysis, Code and Computational Models
Where statistical code, software, algorithms, or computational models materially contribute to the results, their use must be reported accurately and transparently enough to allow the analysis to be understood and, where reasonably possible, verified.
Authors must not manipulate analysis procedures, software outputs, code, model parameters, or reporting choices in a manner that intentionally misrepresents the evidence.
When necessary to investigate a legitimate concern, the journal may request relevant analytical documentation, code, model descriptions, or outputs, subject to applicable ethical, legal, confidentiality, and intellectual-property restrictions.
Suspected Data or Image Manipulation
Suspected fabrication, falsification, inappropriate image manipulation, data manipulation, or other serious compromise of research-result integrity may be investigated as potential research or publication misconduct.
If a concern is identified before publication, the journal may request clarification, original data or image files, additional documentation, reanalysis, correction of the manuscript, or independent expert assessment. Consideration of the manuscript may be suspended while the concern is evaluated, and the manuscript may be rejected when its reliability cannot be established.
If a significant integrity concern is identified after publication, the journal may take appropriate action, including a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, and may contact the authors’ institution, ethics committee, funder, or another appropriate body where an independent investigation is warranted.
The journal will distinguish, as far as possible, between honest error, acceptable processing, questionable research practice, and deliberate falsification or fabrication, and will assess each case individually and proportionately.