Journal Editors Research Articles

The core components and the survey on importance of professional quality of chief editor, editorial director and editor of sci-tech journals in China

Background: This study aims to explore the core elements of the professional quality of the chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals and to analyze the understanding of the importance of the professional quality of the editorial team. Methods: The core elements of the professional quality of the chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals are summarized into basic quality, professional quality, comprehensive quality, and excellent quality. They are then defined and explained using the literature research method. In addition, a questionnaire on the core professional quality of the chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals was designed to investigate the cognition status of the importance of professionalism among editors of sci-tech journals. Results: The survey results show that editors are the direct executors of journal operations and need to master basic quality and improve professional quality. The editorial director is the main manager of the work of sci-tech journals, and it is necessary to comprehensively strengthen the promotion of various professional qualities. The chief editor is the main person at the helm of the academic quality of sci-tech journals and needs to have a higher academic level and a more rigorous work attitude. They should pay attention to improving professional quality and excellent quality. Conclusion: The chief editor, editorial director, and editor of sci-tech journals should focus on different professional quality training specific to their practice. Professional quality evaluation standards should be established to provide a reference for the evaluation system of sci-tech journal editors.

Development of a Core Outcome Set for Family and Community Nursing: Protocol for a Delphi Study.

Family and community nurses (FCNs) play a crucial role in delivering primary care to patients within their homes and communities. A key aspect of their role involves various health interventions, which are influenced by their unique competencies, such as health promotion, advanced clinical knowledge, and strong interpersonal skills. However, it is essential to understand which specific health outcomes these interventions impact to better understand the relationship between FCNs' skills and the health results. This study aims to outline the steps we will take to develop a set of core outcomes. These outcomes will be particularly sensitive to the health interventions carried out by FCNs, providing a clearer picture of their practice's impact. A Delphi survey will be used for this research, conducted from January to December 2024. The process will involve 5 steps and input from 3 stakeholder categories. These stakeholders will help identify a preliminary list of outcomes that will form the basis of our core outcome set (COS). This guideline will be beneficial for a wide range of stakeholders involved in COS development, including COS developers, trialists, systematic reviewers, journal editors, policy makers, and patient groups. As of January 2024, we have successfully completed the first stage of the study, with the stakeholder group approving the reported outcomes and assigning participant lists for each stakeholder group. This study will provide a roadmap for identifying the key health outcomes influenced by the interventions of FCNs. The multistakeholder, multiphase approach will ensure a comprehensive and inclusive process. Ultimately, the findings will enhance our understanding of FCNs' impact on health outcomes, leading to more effective primary care strategies and policies. PRR1-10.2196/51084.

Retraction

Retraction: Rajagopalan P. , Ahmed K. (2022) Respirology, v21.S1: 132. https://doi.org/10.1111/resp.14226 Rajagopalan P. , Ahmed K. (2022) Respirology, v21.S1: 133. https://doi.org/10.1111/resp.14226. Rajagopalan P. , Ahmed K. (2022) Respirology, v21.S1: 219. https://doi.org/10.1111/resp.14226.The above abstracts from Respirology, TSANZSRS 2022 Supplement, published online on March 2022, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), have been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editors in Chief, Prof Philip Bardin and Prof Paul Reynolds, The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ), The Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed to following the acceptance of responsibility by the first author, P Rajagopalan, for unattributed overlap between these abstracts and the following abstracts published in Thorax, “P15 Lung cancer multidisciplinary meeting – does the presence of emphysema on ct imaging correlate with obstructive spirometry or transfer factor?” by C Rutherford, C Bradley, N Magee (doi: 10.1136/thorax‐2020‐BTSabstracts.160), “P32 Reduction in the rate of acute exacerbations of COPD and asthma during the COVID‐19 pandemic” by AJ Taylor, TR Simpson, T Joseph (doi:10.1136/thorax‐2020‐BTSabstracts.177), and “S99 The role of anticoagulation therapy in management of COVID‐19 patients” by S Shahid, A Elsharkawy, A Dethabnew, A Gani, M Elgizouli, R Islam, MA Zahid, O Taylor, S Gupta, M Kashem, O Newman, M Kashem, S Kuckreja S Naik, U Ekeowa, K Khan, MS Anwar (doi:10.1136/thorax‐2020‐BTSabstracts.104), Volume 76 Issue Supplement 1. The second author, K Ahmed, was not involved in any way.

Abstract 1288: Evaluating gender and country of origin diversity on editorial boards in thoracic, gastrointestinal, and breast oncology journals

Abstract Background: The composition and diversity of editorial board members in oncology journals are critical indicators of the field's inclusivity and global perspective. Despite a historical trend of female underrepresentation on editorial boards of peer-reviewed medical journals, the extent of diversity within oncology's various subspecialties remains less understood. This study aims to elucidate the landscape of gender and economic diversity among editorial boards in three major oncology subspecialties: thoracic, gastrointestinal (GI), and breast oncology. Methods: 5 top oncology journals in thoracic, GI, and breast oncology were selected based on 2022 Journal Citation Reports impact factors (Clarivate). Editorial board members, identified from each journal's website, were assessed for economic diversity using the World Bank's 2024 high-income country classification and gender based on academic profile data. Chi-square tests evaluated the gender and economic diversity differences. Results: A total of 762 editor positions from 15 journals were analyzed across the 3 subspecialties. In thoracic oncology, 64.6% were men, 33.5% women, with 7.3% from non-high-income countries. In GI oncology, 84.5% were men, 10.5% women, with 11.1% from non-high-income countries. In breast oncology, 59.3% were men, 39.7% women, with 2.8% from non-high-income countries. Significant disparities in gender and geographical origin were noted (χ² < 0.01). A majority of GI oncology journal editors are based in Asia (66.1%), while in thoracic and breast oncology, most editors are located in North America and Europe. Among 17 editors-in-chief, 88.2% were men, all from high-income countries. Conclusion: The study highlights a significant gender imbalance and a predominance of editors from high-income countries in oncology journals. This imbalance underscores the need for greater inclusivity and diversity in the editorial boards of prominent oncology journals. Gender and country of origin representation among thoracic, GI, and breast oncology Journals Editors in Subspecialties Male Female Unknown Gender Originating from High-Income Country Originating from Middle- or Low-Income Country Continent Thoracic Oncology (N=206) 133 (64.6%) 69 (33.5%) 4 (1.9%) 191 (92.7%) 15 (7.3%) Asia: 37 (18.0%) Africa: 1 (0.5%) Australia: 7 (3.4%) Europe: 73 (35.4%) North America: 86 (41.7%) South America: 2 (1.0%) GI oncology (N=342) 289 (84.5%) 36(10.5%) 17 (5%) 304 (88.9%) 38 (11.1%) Asia: 226 (66.1%) Africa: 1 (0.3%) Australia: 2 (0.6%) Europe: 71 (20.8%) North America: 40 (11.7%) South America: 2 (0.6%) Breast Oncology (N=214) 127 (59.3%) 85 (39.7%) 2 (0.9%) 208 (97.2%) 6 (2.8%) Asia: 10 (4.7%) Australia: 10 (4.7%) Europe: 63 (29.4%) North America: 130 (60.7%) South America: 1 (0.5%) Citation Format: Zhaohui Liao Arter, Robert Hsu, David Benjamin. Evaluating gender and country of origin diversity on editorial boards in thoracic, gastrointestinal, and breast oncology journals [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1288.

Deficient editorial practices, perceived quality, and expedient scholarly publishing in a developing nation.

There is increasing concern about the quality, integrity, and accessibility to research published in the developing world. This study explores the editorial practices and editors' perspectives to gain insight into the standard of scholarly publishing in Libya. Between 21 st January and 12 th February, 2022, the editors-in-chief (EC) of Libyan academic journals were invited to complete a questionnaire on editorial practices, degree of satisfaction with submitted and published manuscripts, review processes, and journal performance, as well as challenges facing the journals. Journal websites were examined for quality, and indexation coverage and citations were assessed. We examined the number of citations in Google Scholar for all 2019 articles published in each journal. Descriptive statistics were used to quantitatively summarize the data and thematic analysis was used for the narrative text. 48 EC completed the questionnaire. The EC was affiliated with the institution that owns the journal in 92% of cases. Most EC (83%) were satisfied with the peer-review quality, 69% believed that most of their published papers add new ideas or findings, and 96% were satisfied with their journal's performance. However, despite the high degree of satisfaction, only one journal was indexed in Web of Science or Scopus and only 17% of the journals were indexed in Google Scholar. A qualitative assessment of journal websites revealed shortcomings in publishing practices in a large proportion of the journals. The discordance between the satisfaction of the journal editors and the journal quality indicators points to a break in the quality system of Libyan academic publishing. Similar expedient publishing practices might exist in other countries as well. A comprehensive action plan led by academic institutions to enforce high standards for scholarly publishing is needed to advance research and high-quality scholarly publications in developing countries.

Gender distribution in surgical pathology journal publications and editorial boards

AimsTo investigate trends in representation of women among authors and editorial boards of surgical pathology journals over the last two decades.Secondary aims: to identify barriers and potential solutions.MethodsThe names and...

Withdrawal: Urinary exosomal tRNA-derived small RNA signatures as a predictive biomarker in lung cancer.

Withdrawal: Urinary exosomal tRNA-derived small RNA signatures as a predictive biomarker in lung cancer, published in FEBS OPEN BIO, 10.1002/2211-5463.13716. The above article, published online on 9th October 2023 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been withdrawn by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Miguel De la Rosa, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The withdrawal has been agreed following no response from the author to requests to sign the Journal's publishing license/to requests to approve their article proof for publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13716.

Guest Author and Ghost Author: My Experience as an Editor of a Medical Journal

The author (s) of a scientific article should have contributed to a research article in a meaningful and substantive way. A person who contributes to the research but whose name is excluded from the authors’ list is known as a ghost author. Whereas a guest author doesn’t contribute in a meaningful way to the research and preparation of the manuscript, however, appears on the author's byline. Often, guest authors are influential persons invited by the principal author to get favours later. Gift authorship often involves mutual authorship among the articles of colleagues and vice-versa. The Inclusion of ghost authors, guests, or gift authors is common in the district town’s journal of Noakhali. This article was written to express my ten years of experience regarding the malpractices of authorship of a medical journal as an editor of a medical journal. It is a common phenomenon that after a few days of submitting an article to the editor’s office, the principal author requests to insert another author or to change the order of the author’s position. Members of the editorial board and reviewer of the article insert their names as authors violating the ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) guidelines. Course on authorship should be almost important to change the trend of our current culture in publishing articles, especially district medical college Journals.

Challenges of Medical Journal Publication: A Case of Medical College Journal in Northern Bangladesh

Bangladesh experiences unique challenges in publishing medical research in peer-reviewed and high-impact international and national journals. These challenges arise from several factors, including a lack of healthcare professionals, limited research funding, and a lack of mentorship for aspiring researchers. Additionally, the language barrier, particularly with English as the predominant language of scientific communication, poses a significant obstacle. Consequently, Bangladeshi researchers often struggle to meet the rigorous standards and competitive landscape of international journals. TMSS Medical College Journal (TMCJ) Bogura, Bangladesh has also been experiencing some challenges since it was started in July 2013. Therefore, based on the TMCJ own experience, this qualitative study was designed to explore the challenges of medical journal publication. Study participants were journal editors, advisors, editorial board members, and authors of TMCJ. The journal and participants were selected purposively. This study found a lack of quality research papers for publishing every issue of the journal due to a lack of well-written methodology, analysis, findings, proper citation, and language. One of the journal editors mentioned that “We are not receiving a sufficient number of manuscripts, and those we do receive are not publishable”. By overcoming these barriers, not only TMCJ, but also Bangladesh can enhance global medical knowledge, training on medical writing, and improve healthcare outcomes for its populations.

Working With the Strategy Master-Dr Michael Silverstein MD, MPH [1945-2024

New Solutions offers a short memorial statement noting the January 2, 2024, death of Dr Michael Silverstein, an internationally known leader in the field of occupational health and safety. Dr Silverstein spent 53 years specializing in the fields of occupational medicine, public health, and general preventive medicine. He was the Assistant Director for Occupational Health and Safety with the United Automobile Workers Union for 15 years. He served as the Director of Policy for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) during the Clinton Administration. He later served as Director of the Washington State OSHA program for 10 years and was the Assistant Director for Industrial Safety and Health in the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. A long-time friend of New Solutions, Dr Silverstein was the journal's first Scientific Solutions editor.

Ethically Determining the Authorship of Health Science Research Publications: A Scoping Review

Authorship is a significant aspect of scientific research publications, serving as a primary means of acknowledging the intellectual contributions of individuals and shaping career trajectories. However, determining authorship ethically and fairly in health science research remains a complex and multifaceted issue. This scoping review aims to explore the existing literature surrounding ethical considerations associated with authorship determination in health science research publications, published between 1989 and 2023. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed that ethical authorship practices in health science research are complex and multifaceted. This review emphasized how crucial it is to have precise rules and guidelines for deciding who is the author in academic journals, research institutes, and societies. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) has published several ethical principles to address the difficulties associated with authorship determination. Still, there are differences and disagreements in how these rules are interpreted and applied, which could present moral enigmas. The review also examines new ethical issues arising from multidisciplinary and collaborative research, such as the responsibilities and funding of industry collaborations, shared authorship, and acknowledging the contributions of other groups. Maintaining the integrity of health science research and encouraging responsible collaboration requires making sure that authorship determination is transparent, equitable, and accountable. Authors should disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment or interpretation of the research findings.

Retraction: miR-212/132 downregulates SMAD2 expression to suppress the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cervical cancer cells.

Retraction: 'miR-212/132 downregulates SMAD2 expression to suppress the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cervical cancer cells' by Jian-Li Zhao , Le Zhang, Xu Guo , Jing-Hua Wang , Wen Zhou , Min Liu , Xin Li and Hua Tang , IUBMB Life 2015, 67, 380-394 : The above article, published online on 15 May 2015 on Wiley Online Library (https://doi.org/10.1002/iub.1381) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor in Chief, Dr. Efstathios S. Gonos, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. Several flaws and inconsistencies were found, including image manipulation in Figures 3C, 4C, 5B, 6B, 7C, 7D, 8B, 8C and 8D, and the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors were contacted regarding the findings and the proposed retraction, but we did not receive a response.

Reviewer acknowledgments and awards: Recognition awards for distinction of reviewing in 2023

In 2023, members of the Mechanism and Machine Theory journal's Editorial Board and many independent reviewers contributed their time and expertise in reviewing manuscripts. This process greatly benefits our editors, contributing authors, and ultimately our readers. In fact, the high standard and reputation of the journal is strongly shaped by the expert knowledge, generous time contribution, and commitment to mechanism and machine science of the body of reviewers. Both, Elsevier, the publisher, and the editor-in-chief of the journal, would like to publicly pay tribute to all of the 824 reviewers who completed a total of 2118 reviews during the year of 2023. We are extremely grateful for their outstanding contributions and we are look forward to working with them in 2024!

Retraction: “Sustainable stakeholder participation planning on the basis of analysis of competing project interest”

The above article, published online on 30 January 2024 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jifm.12198) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editors in Chief, Sabri Boubaker and Xiaoqian Zhu, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.The retraction has been agreed due to an editorial office error that led to the publication of the article without peer review.

Trial Forge Guidance 4: a guideline for reporting the results of randomised Studies Within A Trial (SWATs)

BackgroundEvidence to support decisions on trial processes is minimal. One way to generate this evidence is to use a Study Within A Trial (SWAT) to test trial processes or explore methodological uncertainties. SWAT evidence relies on replication to ensure sufficient power and broad applicability of findings. Prompt reporting is therefore essential; however, SWAT publications are often the first to be abandoned in the face of other time pressures. Reporting guidance for embedded methodology trials does exist but is not widely used. We sought therefore to build on these guidelines to develop a straightforward, concise reporting standard, which remains adherent to the CONSORT guideline.MethodsAn iterative process was used to develop the guideline. This included initial meetings with key stakeholders, development of an initial guideline, pilot testing of draft guidelines, further iteration and pilot testing, and finalisation of the guideline.ResultsWe developed a reporting guideline applicable to randomised SWATs, including replications of previous evaluations. The guideline follows the Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement and provides example text to ensure ease and clarity of reporting across all domains.ConclusionsThe SWAT reporting guideline will aid authors, reviewers, and journal editors to produce and review clear, structured reports of randomised SWATs, whilst also adhering to the CONSORT guideline.Trial registrationEQUATOR Network – Guidelines Under Development (https://www.equator-network.org/library/reporting-guidelines-under-development/reporting-guidelines-under-development-for-clinical-trials/#SWAT). Registered on 25 March 2021.

CARE-radiology statement explanation and elaboration: reporting guideline for radiological case reports

Despite the increasing number of radiological case reports, the majority lack a standardised methodology of writing and reporting. We therefore develop a reporting guideline for radiological case reports based on...

Mega-authorship implications: How many scientists can fit into one cell?

ABSTRACT The past 20 years has seen a significant increase in articles with 500 or more authors. This increase has presented problems in terms of determining true authorship versus other types of contribution, issues with database metadata and data output, and publication length. Using items with 500+ authors deemed as mega-author titles, a total of 5,533 mega-author items were identified using InCites. Metadata about the items was then gathered from Web of Science and Scopus. Close examination of these items found that the vast majority of these covered physics topics, with medicine a far distant second place and only minor representation from other science fields. This mega-authorship saw significant events that appear to correspond to similar events in the Large Hadron Collider’s timeline, indicating that the projects for the collider are driving this heavy output. Some solutions are offered for the problems resulting from this phenomenon, partially driven by recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

Many Roads to Success: Broadening Our Views of Academic Career Paths and Advice

Advice is often given to junior scholars in the field of organization science to ostensibly facilitate their career success. In this commentary, we discuss insights from 19 elite scholars (i.e., Fellows and top journal editors) about the advice they received–and, often, did not follow–throughout their careers. We highlight some of the pitfalls from the current, all-too-common, and often singular advice given to junior scholars while also adding necessary nuance to the requirements to achieve success in our field. We conclude with advice on how to give better advice, thereby more equitably encouraging a new generation of increasingly diverse researchers and future professors.

Retraction: Systematic review on gully erosion measurement, modelling and management: Mitigation alternatives and policy recommendations

Retraction: ‘’ by Rabin Chakrabortty , Subodh Chandra Pal , Geol J 2023, 58:3544–3576. The above article, published online on 13 March 2023 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/gj.4709) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editors in Chief, Ian D. Somerville and Yunpeng Dong, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.The retraction has been agreed following concerns raised by a third party. Further investigation by the publisher has found manipulation of the peer review process. The retraction is warranted due to the compromised integrity of the article's peer review.

Retraction: A systematic review on climate change and geo‐environmental factors induced land degradation: Processes, policy‐practice gap and its management strategies

Retraction: ‘’ by Paramita Roy , Subodh Chandra Pal , Rabin Chakrabortty , Asish Saha , Indrajit Chowdhuri , Geol J 2022, 58:3487–3514. The above article, published online on 9 December 2022 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/gj.4649) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editors in Chief, Ian D. Somerville and Yunpeng Dong, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.The retraction has been agreed following concerns raised by a third party. Further investigation by the publisher has found manipulation of the peer review process. The retraction is warranted due to the compromised integrity of the article's peer review.