1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using the SCICONX Publishing website, users agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions. These Terms govern the use of all online platforms, services, and resources offered under the SCICONX Publishing domain. Accessing or registering on the SCICONX platform constitutes acceptance of these Terms in full. If a user does not agree with these Terms, they are advised to discontinue use of the website and its services.

2. Registration and User Obligations

• Registration with SCICONX Publishing is considered complete only when the applicant accepts these Terms and Conditions.
• Users are responsible for providing accurate, current, and verifiable information at the time of registration, including but not limited to name, contact details, institutional affiliation, and publication history.
• Users agree not to impersonate any individual or provide false information to gain unauthorized access to SCICONX resources.

3. Intellectual Property Rights

• All names, logos, trademarks, service marks, designs, and graphical elements appearing on the SCICONX website are the exclusive intellectual property of SCICONX Publishing.
• Unless expressly permitted, no part of the website content may be copied, reproduced, translated, distributed, republished, or transmitted in any form.
• Content provided by SCICONX may be used only for personal, non-commercial, and academic purposes in compliance with the Creative Commons licensing terms under which it is published.

4. Prohibited Use of Website and Software

• Users are strictly prohibited from extracting source code, disassembling, decompiling, or reverse-engineering any software contained within the SCICONX website.
• Automated software, robots, crawlers, or similar manual methods for data extraction, bulk downloading, website navigation, or linking to content are not permitted without prior written consent from SCICONX.
• Any attempt to gain unauthorized access to SCICONX domains, servers, databases, or user information is a violation of these Terms and may result in legal action.

5. Use and Protection of Content

• Users shall not reproduce, translate, or adapt any part of the website content without prior approval from SCICONX Publishing.
• Extracting personal data or redistributing content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited.
• Any unauthorized use of SCICONX content or services will constitute infringement and may result in suspension of access and/or legal proceedings.

6. Privacy and Data Collection

• SCICONX Publishing respects the privacy of authors, reviewers, editors, and website visitors. A detailed Privacy Policy governs the manner in which personal data is collected, stored, and processed.
• Information voluntarily provided by users, including names, institutional details, contact information, and professional profiles, may be stored for administrative, publication, and communication purposes.
• Navigation data, such as browsing history, access patterns, and referral links, may be analyzed to improve website structure, content, and services.
• SCICONX does not sell, transfer, or share user data with third parties. Data collected is used only for internal administration, analytics, and promotional purposes related to SCICONX journals.

7. Cookies and Digital Transactions

• SCICONX Publishing uses cookies to identify visitors, improve user experience, and analyze usage patterns. Users may choose to disable cookies in their browsers; however, this may limit access to certain website features.
• Article Processing Charges (APCs) are collected through secure digital payment methods. SCICONX does not store or replicate clients’ financial details on its servers. Transaction-related information is handled securely and is not used for promotional or marketing activities.

8. Availability of Services

• SCICONX Publishing endeavors to provide continuous and uninterrupted website access. However, temporary downtime may occur due to technical issues, maintenance, or upgrades. SCICONX shall not be held liable for any loss or inconvenience arising from such downtime.

9. Authorship, Publications, and Content Liability

• The opinions, interpretations, and research data published within SCICONX journals are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of SCICONX Publishing, its editors, or staff.
• SCICONX does not endorse or assume responsibility for advertisements, external products, or services displayed on its platform.
• Authors are solely responsible for verifying the accuracy of their research data, including dosages, procedures, and medical or scientific recommendations. SCICONX disclaims responsibility for any consequences arising from reliance on published material.

10. Article Processing Services and Payments

• SCICONX functions as a service provider offering article processing, editorial, and publication services.
• Prior to making payment of Article Processing Charges, authors receive clear communication regarding applicable fees, timelines, and services.
• Given the nature of publication services, APCs are non-refundable once the article is accepted for publication, except under rare circumstances attributable to SCICONX (e.g., duplication of payment).

11. Limitation of Liability

• SCICONX Publishing shall not be held responsible for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of its website, services, or published content.
• Users acknowledge that reliance on published material is at their own discretion and risk.

12. Modifications to Terms

SCICONX Publishing reserves the right to update or revise these Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice. Continued use of the website following modifications constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

13. Refund, Cancellation, and Withdrawal Policy – SCICONX Publishing

At SCICONX Publishing, we are committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and ethical practices in all stages of the publication process. Our policies on refunds, cancellations, and manuscript withdrawals are designed to protect the interests of authors while also safeguarding the time, effort, and resources invested by editors, reviewers, and the publishing team.

• Refund Policy
• Article Processing Charges (APCs): Once an article is accepted and the APC has been paid, the fee is generally non-refundable, as significant editorial and production work will have already been undertaken.
• Refund Eligibility: A partial or full refund may only be considered in rare cases such as double payment, technical errors in transaction, or if the journal is unable to publish the article due to reasons attributable to SCICONX.
• Non-Refundable Cases: Refunds will not be issued in cases of author withdrawal post-acceptance, retraction due to ethical violations, or dissatisfaction with editorial decisions. Authors are advised to carefully review journal guidelines and policies before submission.
• Cancellation Policy
• Before Acceptance: Authors who wish to cancel their submission prior to acceptance may do so without any financial obligation.
• After Acceptance: Once an article has been accepted, cancellation of the publishing agreement is strongly discouraged. If cancellation is requested at this stage, processing and administrative charges may apply, reflecting the efforts already expended in review and production.
• Subscription Services (if applicable): For institutions or individuals subscribing to SCICONX journals, cancellations of subscriptions may be processed for upcoming periods but not retroactively for already accessed content.
• Withdrawal Policy
• SCICONX Publishing respects authors’ rights to request manuscript withdrawal but emphasizes that such requests should be made responsibly due to the significant time and resources invested by editors, reviewers, and the publishing team. Authors may withdraw their manuscript without penalty before peer review begins. During peer review, a valid reason—such as ethical concerns, duplication, or submission errors—must be provided. Post-acceptance withdrawal is strongly discouraged, and submitting the same manuscript to another journal without proper justification is considered unethical and may be reported.
• To offset editorial and processing efforts, a withdrawal fee equivalent to 40% of the Article Processing Charge (APC) may be applied for requests made after peer review starts. The Editorial Office retains the right to approve or decline withdrawal requests, particularly in cases of suspected misconduct or duplication. SCICONX encourages authors to thoroughly evaluate the journal’s scope and policies prior to submission to minimize unnecessary withdrawal requests, ensuring a smooth and ethical publishing process.