Editorial Process and Flow

Manuscript Reception

All manuscripts are received and managed through Open Journal System (OJS). The author must register previously at: https://revistascientificas.upacifico.edu.py/index.php/PublicacionesUP_Salud/about/submissions

Initial Evaluation

Once the manuscript is submitted, the journal Editor verifies that it meets the required topic and format. Subsequently, the Editorial Team (Technical Support) evaluates the percentage of textual similarity using Strikeplagiarism. Manuscripts with similarity above 20% or evidence of duplicate publication will be rejected and the author notified.

All manuscripts are initially reviewed for thematic relevance, originality, and compliance with editorial standards. Those that pass this stage are reviewed for bibliographic references in accordance with Vancouver Standards.

Reviewer Assignment

If the manuscript can continue the process, the Editor-in-Chief may assign an Associate Editor expert in the area, who will oversee peer review. This assignment will ensure the absence of conflicts of interest, in accordance with COPE. Editors will have a maximum period of 3 weeks to inform the author whether the manuscript was accepted for peer review.

Peer Review — Double Blind

The manuscript will be sent to reviewers under a double-blind modality. The evaluation must be critical, objective, and thorough, focused on the scientific quality of the work. Reviewers will have a maximum period of 3 weeks to issue their decision.

Possible decisions are:

• Accepted: The article is suitable for publication, without modifications or with minimal corrections.
• Accepted with minor modifications: The author must make specific corrections indicated by the reviewers.
• Accepted with major modifications: Substantial corrections are required; the manuscript will undergo a new round of review.
• Rejected: The article does not conform to the journal's topic, policies, or standards. It may not be resubmitted for 6 months.

In the event of conflicting decisions between reviewers, the opinion of a third arbitrator will be requested.

Author Response

Works requiring modifications must be corrected and returned within the deadline established by the editorial team, detailing the changes made. The maximum time to respond to the first round of comments is 45 calendar days from the submission of the report. If the deadline is exceeded without justification, the manuscript will be automatically rejected.

In cases of force majeure, the author may request an extension through a formal letter before the expiration of the original deadline.

Editing and Final Publication

Once the manuscript is accepted, it will be sent to the technical team for editing, writing correction, style adjustment, layout, and final publication.