A preprint is a complete scientific manuscript deposited by the authors on a public server. The preprint includes full data and methodologies. It is published on the web in approximately one day, without undergoing peer review, and can be accessed freely by anyone worldwide through platforms specifically developed for this purpose. This allows scientists to directly control the dissemination of their work within the global scientific community. In most cases, the same work published as a preprint is also submitted for peer review in a journal. Thus, preprints (not peer-reviewed) and journal publications (peer-reviewed) operate in parallel as complementary systems for scientific communication.

Depositing a manuscript on a preprint platform is not considered duplicate publication. Submission of a manuscript to IJCS implies that it has not been previously published, in whole or in part, in books or journals, and that it has not been simultaneously submitted to another journal. Manuscripts published in conference proceedings, as preliminary versions or working papers, or on preprint platforms are considered unpublished.

Manuscripts previously made available on preprint servers must include a reference to their online location (link, DOI, etc.) and will be subject to single-blind peer review, in which reviewers are aware of the authors’ identities. Manuscripts not available on preprint servers will continue to undergo double-blind review, where neither the reviewers nor the authors know each other’s identities. Comments received on preprint manuscripts may be considered by editors during the peer review process.

If an author wishes to deposit a manuscript in a preprint server while it is under peer review at IJCS, they must request permission from the journal via email: revistaijcs@cardiol.br.

The journal recommends the SciELO Preprints server for submission: https://preprints.scielo.org, though other servers are also accepted.

Accepted articles that remain available on preprint servers must include a link to the final version published in IJCS.

IJCS strives to keep its platform and policies constantly updated, aligned with trends in modern scientific publishing. We currently accept preprints and the use of open science platforms as a way to promote communication among authors.

IJCS uses a double-blind peer-review system, which means that the article’s reviewers will not have access to the identity of the author(s), and the author(s) will not have access to the identity of the reviewer. Upon initial submission, the article is reviewed by the editorial team for compliance with the journal’s style and to ensure that the manuscript is clear and readable for reviewers and editors. After this editorial check, the article is forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, who then assigns it to an Associate Editor. The Associate Editor then determines whether the article should be sent for peer review or if it does not align with the priorities of IJCS. All reviewers and editors are asked to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, and if such conflicts exist, the article is reassigned to a different editor or reviewer. Articles are subjected to statistical review whenever necessary. After at least two reviews are completed, the article is evaluated by the Associate Editor and the Editor-in-Chief, who make one of the six possible decisions. Reviewers are given 30 days to evaluate the manuscript.

• Accept: The article is accepted for publication in its current form. However, minor changes may be made by medical editors, illustrators, or the editorial team. In such cases, authors will need to coordinate with the appropriate contacts to ensure these changes are incorporated after acceptance.
  • Minor Revision: It should be noted that this decision does not guarantee the acceptance of the article. However, it indicates that the required changes are less significant than those in the case of Major Revision. Authors have 15 days to make the requested changes.
  • Major Revision: In this case, more substantial changes are necessary. Authors have 30 days to make the requested revisions. It is important to note that this decision does not guarantee the acceptance of the article.
  • Reject and Resubmit: The article is currently unsuitable for publication in its current form. However, the editors are willing to reconsider a thoroughly revised version. Authors must respond to all reviewer and editor comments, and the article will be re-evaluated and treated as a new submission.
  • Reject: The article is unsuitable for publication and/or does not meet the criteria for publication in IJCS.

The responsibility for the content of the journals and articles lies with the authors and editors, in accordance with agreements established between the parties.

The final version of the article, as published in the journal, includes the name of the editor responsible for the peer review process.

IIJCS encourages authors to make all underlying content (data, program codes, and other materials) available prior to or at the time of publication. Exceptions are allowed in cases involving legal or ethical issues. The goal is to facilitate the evaluation of the manuscript and, if approved, contribute to the preservation and reuse of content, as well as the reproducibility of research.

Adopting good practices in preparing data for deposit is a key aspect for enabling access, sharing, and reuse of research data, in addition to helping make the data “as FAIR as possible.” To better understand the FAIR Principles and how to make your data as FAIR as possible, the use of the FAIR-Aware tool is recommended:  https://fairaware.dans.knaw.nl/.

At the time of submission, the author must submit the completed Mandatory Publication Form, which declares how the content underlying the manuscript text is made available. Types of declarations:

If the data is already available:
1) The content underlying the research text is contained within the manuscript.
2) The content is already available. Please provide titles and the respective URLs, access numbers, or DOIs of the files containing the data underlying the article text.

If the data are not available:
1) 1) The data will be made available upon request by reviewers.
2) After publication, the data will be available upon request to the authors – a condition that must be justified in the manuscript.
3) The data cannot be made publicly available. The author must provide justification.

The journal recommends depositing research data through the SciELO repository. Access it here: https://data.scielo.org/dataverse/brijcs. The Guidelines for Research Data Citation (Portuguese only) (https://wp.scielo.org/wp-content/uploads/Guia_preparacao_pt.pdf) provides authors with all necessary instructions on how to make their data available in the repository, including file naming, format, size, as well as data description and anonymization..

It is essential to include a README file along with the data. This document serves as a guide for users, enabling proper interpretation and reuse of the deposited data. All data submitted will undergo curation by the journal and SciELO for approval and publication. For more details, refer to the workflow outlined in the Guidelines for Research Data Citation (Portuguese only): (https://wp.scielo.org/wp-content/uploads/Guia_preparacao_pt.pdf).

As of 04/01/2024, IJCS will implement a publication fee for the first author of the approved article according to the following conditions:

• If the first author, whether national or international, is not a member of SBC; or
• If the first author is a member but is in arrears.

The first author, whose SBC membership is current at the time of article approval, will be exempt from any payment.

It is emphasized that no fee will be charged at the time of article submission, only after approval.

Articles submitted before the date mentioned above will not incur any charges; only those submitted after this date.

Authors invited by the journal to write a certain type of article (e.g., short editorials, editorials, letter to the editor, etc.) will be exempt from any payment.

Rates and payment:

*For residents outside Brazil, the amount will be converted to dollars based on the exchange rate of the day.

 After article approval, the editorial secretary will contact the first author if payment is required, providing the link for fee payment. The article will only proceed to editorial production upon payment. Current members will have their articles automatically forwarded for editorial production.

The Ethics Policy outlines the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, and the publisher. In cases of misconduct, the journal will follow the Guidelines on Best Practices for Strengthening Ethics in Scientific Publication, as well as the Guide for the Publication of Retraction, and the Guide for the Publication of Erratum.

A conflict of interest may be of a personal, commercial, political, academic, or financial nature. Conflicts of interest can arise when authors, reviewers, or editors have interests that may influence the preparation or evaluation of manuscripts. Upon submission of the manuscript, authors are responsible for recognizing and disclosing any financial or other conflicts that may have influenced the work. If such a conflict exists, even potentially, the author(s) must disclose it through the Mandatory Publication Form.

Potential conflicts of interest include an author’s relationship, directly or indirectly – through the institution sponsoring the research – with companies that could potentially benefit from the study’s results.

For this reason, all authors must declare any relationships they have had with industry or other relevant entities – whether financial or otherwise – within the past two years, which may represent a conflict of interest related to the submitted article. All relevant relationships with industry, academic affiliations, and funding sources for the work must be declared in the form, as well as all institutional affiliations of the authors (including corporate appointments). This includes, but is not limited to, roles such as consulting, stock ownership or other equity interests, or patent licensing agreements.

The following types of relationships are considered potentially conflicting and must be disclosed:

If, within the past two years, any of the authors has:

1) Received consulting fees, honoraria for lectures, writing, or any other type of paid service from the manufacturer of the product.

2) Received support from the product’s manufacturer (research funding, provision of equipment, drugs, or labor) related to the current project or another project involving the same product.

3) Received support from the product’s manufacturer to attend conferences.

4) Held shares in the product’s manufacturer.

5) The product’s manufacturer was involved in the collection, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the data.

6) Is employed by a company that may benefit directly or indirectly from the results of the study.

IJCS uses iThenticate software to verify the originality of submitted content prior to publication. All manuscripts are checked before the final editorial decision.

Plagiarism is not accepted by IJCS. Plagiarism undermines the true purpose of science. Plagiarism is defined as instances in which an author attempts to use another person’s work as their own. Another form of plagiarism is self-plagiarism or duplication, which occurs when an author reuses significant portions of their previously published work without proper citation. Plagiarism constitutes scientific misconduct and must be treated as such. If plagiarism is detected at any point before publication, the editorial team will take appropriate action according to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). For more information, visit: http://www.publicationethics.org.

IJCS uses iThenticate to assess the originality of submitted manuscripts. iThenticate compares submitted content against millions of published research papers and billions of web pages. Authors, researchers, and freelancers are also encouraged to use iThenticate to check their work prior to submission by visiting http://www.ithenticate.com.

The editors at IJCS carefully evaluate all suspected cases of plagiarism. If plagiarism is detected prior to publication, the author(s) will be notified and asked to rewrite the content or provide proper citations identifying the source of the material. If more than 25% of the article is found to be plagiarized, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will be notified.

All articles submitted for publication are screened using online tools to detect plagiarism both after submission and before the review process begins.

Articles found to contain plagiarism are handled based on the extent of the detected content:

10–25% plagiarism: The manuscript will be returned to the author for revision without entering the peer review process.

>25% plagiarism: The manuscript will be rejected without entering peer review. Authors will be advised to revise and resubmit the article.

If plagiarism is detected after an article has been published by IJCS, the journal will contact the author’s institution and any relevant funding agencies.

If scientific misconduct is confirmed, IJCS will publish a statement including a link to the original document, indicating the plagiarized content and providing references to the original sources. In severe cases (>50% plagiarism), the article will be formally retracted.

IJCS recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) tools and AI-assisted technologies may support scientific writing, translation, language editing, data analysis, technical review, and editorial processes. Their use, however, must be transparent, ethical, responsible, and compatible with the principles of scientific integrity, patient privacy, confidentiality, responsible authorship, and editorial independence.

Authors must declare the use of generative AI at the time of article submission.

We recommend that authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and editorial staff read our Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence and the Guide on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools and Resources in Research Communication on the SciELO Network.

The editorial board of IJCS, as well as authors who publish in the journal, are encouraged to consistently follow the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) Guidelines. The SAGER guidelines provide a framework for reporting information on sex and gender in study design, data analysis, and the results and interpretation of findings.
In addition, IJCS adheres to a gender equity policy in the composition of its editorial board.

IJCS is ethically committed to promoting the adoption of DEIA principles throughout its editorial process, aiming to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in scientific research and publishing, and to ensure the greatest possible plurality within the editorial board and peer review process.
To encourage diversity, authors are being prompted to self-declare their gender, race/color, and background when submitting articles, allowing for actions that support the inclusion of specific populations that may be underrepresented.
In terms of manuscript preparation, the journal recommends the application of SAGER guidelines to all research involving humans, animals, or any material derived from humans and animals.

General Principles

• Authors should use the terms sex and gender carefully to avoid confusion between them.
• When the research subjects include organisms capable of sex differentiation, the study should be designed and conducted in a way that reveals potential sex-related differences in outcomes, even if these differences were not initially anticipated.
• When subjects can also be differentiated by gender (shaped by social and cultural circumstances), the research should similarly account for this additional level of distinction.

Section-Specific Recommendations for the Article

Title and Abstract

If only one sex is included in the study, or if the study results apply to only one sex or gender, the title and abstract should specify the sex of the animals or any cells, tissues, and other materials derived from them, as well as the sex and gender of human participants.

Introduction

Authors should report, when relevant, if sex and/or gender differences can be expected.

Methods

Authors should report how sex and gender were considered in the study design, whether adequate representation of male and female individuals was ensured, and justify any exclusion of male or female individuals.

Results

Where appropriate, data should routinely be presented disaggregated by sex and gender. Sex and gender analyses should be reported separately from positive or negative outcomes. In clinical trials, data on dropouts and withdrawals should also be reported disaggregated by sex.

Discussion

The potential implications of sex and gender on the study results and analyses should be discussed. If a sex and gender analysis was not conducted, a justification should be provided. Authors should also discuss the implications of the absence of such analysis on the interpretation of the results.

Access the full SAGER guidelines document: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-016-0007-6. Portuguese version: https://www.scielo.br/j/ress/a/qbkGJtSD7Cj4fzJSrVsg6Hf/?lang=pt

The IJCS journal website has been designed with a strong commitment to accessibility, ensuring that all people, regardless of their abilities, can access and enjoy the content offered. Here are some of the main accessibility tools and features available:

• Compatible Screen Reader: The website is fully compatible with screen readers, facilitating navigation for people with visual impairments.
• Adjustable Contrast and Colors: To improve readability for people with low vision or color perception deficiencies, the site offers options to adjust contrast and choose color schemes that best meet individual needs.
• Text Enlargement: Users have the option to increase the text size directly in the site settings, allowing for more comfortable reading without compromising the formatting and structure of the content.
• Keyboard Navigation: The website allows full navigation using only the keyboard, without the need for a mouse. This is particularly useful for people with reduced mobility, ensuring that all features are accessible via keyboard shortcuts.
• Simple Layouts and Navigation: The website design follows principles of simplicity and clarity, with an intuitive and logical navigation structure. This helps ensure users can easily find information and move through the site without difficulty.

These tools and features reflect IJCS’s commitment to inclusion and digital accessibility, providing an enriching user experience for all.

Research involving humans and animals must be approved by an appropriate ethics committee. For publication, the author must attach the approval from the Research Ethics Committee. The institution, approval number, and date will be stated at the end of the article.

The publication of Case Reports from studies conducted by Brazilian institutions strictly complies with the regulations of the National Health Council (CNS Resolution 466/2012 and Circular 166/2018). Prior approval by a Research Ethics Committee (REC) through Plataforma Brasil is mandatory, as well as obtaining the Informed Consent Form (ICF) when appropriate, or a waiver granted by the REC. Authors must mandatorily indicate the approval opinion number within the manuscript body, ensuring transparency and ethical traceability of the study.

For authors affiliated with foreign institutions, the report must comply with the ethical standards and specific regulations of the country of origin. Compliance with international research ethics standards, such as the Declaration of Helsinki, must be declared. If local legislation does not require formal approval by an ethics committee for this type of study, this condition must be explicitly stated in the report description. In all cases, preservation of patient anonymity remains mandatory.

Authors retain copyright of their articles, which are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution – CC BY 4.0 license.

The copyright belongs exclusively to the authors, while the journal holds the right of first publication and the right to display, store, copy, and reuse the content.

All content of the journal and articles published in IJCS are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution – CC BY 4.0 license.

Authors of articles published in the journal retain copyright of their work, licensing it under the Creative Commons Attribution – CC BY 4.0 license, which allows articles to be reused and distributed without restriction, provided the original work is properly cited.

IJCS encourages authors to self-archive their accepted manuscripts by sharing them on personal blogs, institutional repositories, and academic social media platforms, as well as posting them on their personal social media accounts, provided the full citation to the journal’s website version is included.