Journal Editors Research Articles

Evaluation of retracted publications related to oral health: a scoping review.

Introduction Recent studies revealed high rates of questionable research practices and scientific misconduct among academic researchers. These practices may result in retraction of scientific publications. This scoping review aimed to analyse the characteristics of retracted publications with a focus on dental research.Methods To identify retracted articles in the field of dentistry, electronic searches were performed on PubMed Central, Web of Science, and the Retraction Watch website. Subsequently, data extraction was performed on identified relevant publications. Descriptive statistics were used to provide an overview of the characteristics of retracted scientific publications in dental research.Results The final dataset consisted of 333 retracted articles. The majority of these publications were written by authors from Asia (60.6%), particularly India (22.2%) and China (20.1%). More than half of the publications were retracted because of various forms of misconduct (57.4%), such as plagiarism, data duplication and data fabrication. Oral pathology was the subdiscipline in dentistry with the highest number of retracted publications (26.4%) and animal studies were the most prevalent study design among retracted publications (14.1%).Conclusions A large number of publications in dental research have been retracted during the past two decades, primarily to instances of scientific misconduct. Researchers, journal editors and academic institutions should prioritise the prevention and detection of misconduct to uphold the credibility and reliability of published dental literature.

Readability of the Most Commonly Used Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Hand Surgery.

Readability of the Most Commonly Used Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Hand Surgery.

The Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology 47th Annual Meeting

ABSTRACTThe Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology (SCGDB) hosted its 47th Annual Meeting on September 9–10, 2024, at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and Children's Mercy Research Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. On the opening day, Drs. Jean‐Pierre Saint‐Jeannet and Elizabeth Leslie received the SCGDB Distinguished Scientist Awards in recognition of their exceptional contributions to craniofacial biology. Additionally, Dr. Daniel Jensen discussed his unique perspective on Treacher Collins syndrome, speaking as both a physician and a patient. Over the next 2 days, five sessions showcased groundbreaking research on cell signaling and genomic mechanisms regulating craniofacial development, human genetics, translational and regenerative approaches, and clinical management of craniofacial differences. The meeting also featured interactive workshops on engaging with journal editors during the manuscript review process and empowering mentees to take an active role in maximizing their mentorship experience. A poster session further fostered meaningful interactions among the attendees, who represented diverse career stages and research backgrounds in developmental biology and genetics, further strengthening the SCGDB community.

RETRACTION: Preparation and Performance Evaluations of Electrospun Poly(ε‐Caprolactone), Poly(lactic Acid), and Their Hybrid (50/50) Nanofibrous Mats Containing Thymol as an Herbal Drug for Effective Wound Healing

RETRACTION: Z. Karami, I. Rezaeian, P. Zahedi and M. Abdollahi, “,” Journal of Applied Polymer Science 129, no. (2013): 756–766, https://doi.org/10.1002/app.38683. The above article, published online on 27 November 2012 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Deputy Editor, Joseph Krumpfer; and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed due to duplication observed between Figures 9a and 9b. The authors did not provide an explanation or respond to the editor's request for raw data. The editors consider the results and conclusions reported in this article unreliable. The authors disagree with the retraction.

Publishing Identifiable Patient Photographs in the Digital Age: Focus Group Study of Patients, Doctors, and Medical Students.

The publication of patient photographs in scientific journals continues to pose challenges regarding privacy and confidentiality, despite existing ethical guidelines. Recent studies indicate that key stakeholders-including health care professionals and patients-lack sufficient awareness of the ethical considerations surrounding patient photographs, particularly in the context of digital scientific publishing. This qualitative study aims to explore how different stakeholders-patients, medical students, and doctors-understand the challenges of patient privacy and confidentiality in scientific publications. Additionally, it sought to identify key areas for future research, particularly in the context of online, open-access articles. We conducted 4 online focus groups due to COVID-19 restrictions: 1 with patients, 2 with final-year medical students, and 1 with head and neck physicians and dentists who regularly handle patient photographs. Participants were invited via email, and those who accepted took part in discussions lasting approximately 1 hour. All interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. All 4 focus groups were asked the same set of questions, covering the following topics: (1) consent for publishing patient photographs, (2) information on guidelines and standards for consent to publish patient photographs, (3) the importance of informed consent for various purposes, (4) methods for deidentifying patient photographs, and (5) the use of patient photographs in online, open-access publishing. Three key themes emerged from the focus group discussions: (1) no definitive resources or practical recommendations available, (2) online publishing of patient images makes them more open to misuse, and (3) anonymization techniques have limitations. All stakeholder groups expressed a lack of knowledge about online publishing in general and concerns about the fate of patient photographs in the digital environment after publication. They emphasized the need for increased awareness among all relevant stakeholders and more stringent procedures for obtaining informed patient consent before publishing photographs. While they recognized the usefulness of image anonymization techniques in protecting patient identity, they were also aware that current methods remain insufficient to ensure complete anonymity. This qualitative study highlights that publishing patient photographs in open-access scientific journals is an important, serious, and largely unexplored issue, with all stakeholders still uncertain about the best ways to protect patient privacy. Clinicians, publishers, and journal editors should not only implement best practices to ensure fully informed patient consent for publishing identifiable photographs but also develop technical and governance safeguards. Future quantitative studies are needed to identify the most effective ways to enhance stakeholders' knowledge, policies, and procedures, ultimately guiding the development of practical recommendations for the ethical publication of patient photographs in scientific journals.

Reflections on the Potential and Risks of AI for Scientific Article Writing after the AI Endorsement by Some Scientific Publishers: Focusing on Scopus AI.

The introduction of ChatGPT3 in 2023 disrupted the field of artificial intelligence (AI). ChatGPT uses large language models (LLMs) but has no access to copyrighted material including scientific articles and books. This review is limited by the lack of access to: (1) prior peer-reviewed articles and (2) proprietary information owned by the companies. Despite these limitations, the article reviews the use of LLMs in the publishing of scientific articles. The first use was plagiarism software. The second use by the American Psychological Association and Elsevier helped their journal editors to screen articles before their review. These two publishers have in common a large number of copyrighted journals and textbooks but, more importantly, a database of article abstracts. Elsevier is the largest of the five large publishing houses and the only one with a database of article abstracts developed to compete with the bibliometric experts of the Web of Science. The third use and most relevant, Scopus AI, was announced on 16 January 2024, by Elsevier; a version of ChatGPT-3.5 was trained using Elsevier copyrighted material written since 2013. Elsevier's description suggests to the authors that Scopus AI can write review articles or the introductions of original research articles with no human intervention. The editors of non-Elsevier journals not willing to approve the use of Scopus AI for writing scientific articles have a problem on their hands; they will need to trust that the authors who have submitted articles have not lied and have not used Scopus AI at all.

“I just very much love the journal”: Understanding the community-led publishing landscape at the University of Cambridge

Background A growing movement of researcher-driven publishing projects has emerged in response to several challenges and shifts within the academic publishing landscape. One publishing initiative in this area are what we term community-led publishing projects (CPPs), which are produced entirely by academics, librarians and students without any involvement of the commercial publishing industry. CPPs are part of a growing global movement but their values and practices remain underexplored. This article presents findings on the landscape of CPPs at the University of Cambridge. Methods A landscape analysis was undertaken to identify and describe the various CPPs at Cambridge. A subset of 10 journal editors were subsequently interviewed to explore the practices, motivations and needs of these initiatives. Results Thirty-four CPPs were identified across a range of disciplines with a variety of publishing practices, open access status and professionalisation. From the interviews, CPPs were driven by an array of motivations including volunteers who are dedicated to their disciplines, who care for publishing, have a responsibility to disseminate their own research and who acknowledge the value these projects bring. They have complicated relationships with open access, being encouraged by public access to knowledge while maintaining a desire for print and being critical of some cultures of publishing brought on by the turn to openness. Practically, they employ a “DIY” approach due to the availability of resources but in doing so adhere to professional standards. Their success relies on collaboration and support, leveraging networks, technical and financial backing, and ensuring sustainability through careful handover. Conclusions This study helps us better understand the scope and practices of community-led publishing at a research-intensive university in the UK. It shows that CPPs are valuable for a variety of reasons and that universities, funders and governments should support such projects to ensure the preservation of unique scholarly content.

Scaling new heights: a prospective survey of rock climbing's impact on mental health

BackgroundSport climbing, officially added to the 2020 Summer Olympics, has grown rapidly, with U.S. climbing gyms increasing from 310 in 2013 to 591 in 2021. Over the past decade, European research has identified bouldering as a potential psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety and depression. Randomized controlled trials have compared bouldering psychotherapy (BPT) to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), showing that BPT produces comparable results and positively impacts mental health.PurposeThere have been very few studies dedicated to the use of rock climbing as a therapy in the United States; further, there are few surveys that investigate whether American climbers would even consider climbing as beneficial towards mental health or not. With the ever-growing prevalence of mental health disorders and as climbing gains more traction, it is important to explore the potential of climbing as a therapeutic modality. It is hypothesized that rock climbing will be viewed as beneficial towards mental health amongst the population surveyed.MethodsA prospective survey was conducted to assess rock climbing’s impact on mental health, focusing on participants' climbing habits and perceptions of its therapeutic benefits. The protocol was approved by the Rowan-Virtua IRB (Reference #: PRO-2022–353) in accordance with the latest guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Participants were recruited using flyers and posters at climbing gyms, an online climbing forum, and social media. The survey included individuals aged 18 years and older who engage in rock climbing at least once per week. No specific exclusion criteria was set in place, though participants were given the option to omit the mental health portion. The survey included questions on climbing frequency, mental health impact, and demographics. The survey was distributed online via Qualtrics Forms between February 2023 to June 2023, with informed consent obtained from participants, explaining both risks and data safeguards in place. Univariate graphs and bivariate analyses via chi square analysis were done using R Studio.ResultsA total of 748 survey responses were received, with 50.4% of participants aged 26–40 years. Most were White Non-Hispanic (59.7%) and resided in the Mid-Atlantic/Tri-State Area. Climbing preferences showed indoor bouldering (24.9%) as the most popular, followed by indoor top rope (16.4%) and indoor lead climbing (12.4%). Outdoor climbing activities were less common, with traditional climbing at 10.1% and speed climbing at 0.2%. Significant associations were found between climbing frequency and age (p = 0.0045), session length and age (p = 8.2e-10), and climbing frequency by gender (p = 0.0024). Regarding social behavior, 46.8% identified as introverts and 37.1% as ambiverts. Mental health data revealed that 73.1% of climbers felt rock climbing positively impacted their mental health. Depression and anxiety were the most reported conditions. When compared to therapy and medications, 73.3% of participants found rock climbing more beneficial than medications, and 64.8% found it more beneficial than therapy. Gender and race were significantly associated with perceptions of climbing's mental health benefits (p = 0.0448 and p = 0.0422, respectively).ConclusionSurvey results offered future focal points of interest and affirmed that BPT would be received well as a therapeutic modality in the United States. Further, survey participation of 748 completed responses illustrates the community’s support and open communication regarding mental health, creating a promising field to continue exploring. Overall, rock climbing holds potential as a treatment modality for mental health disorders, further bridging the gap between physical and mental health.

Importance of Publication Ethics and Literature

Research and the publication process are built on trust based upon the basic belief that information and data are collected and reported honestly without falsification and misrepresentation, so that the resulting literature can be used as a reliable basis for further work. Since there are huge career pressures to publish research outputs, unethical behaviour on parts of authors, journal editors, peer reviewers and or publishers is unfortunately becoming more noticeable in recent times. So, in order to avoid all these circumstances everyone should be aware of the importance of Publication ethics. This article deals with questions concerning the relationship between literature and ethics, in particular paying attention to different kinds of genres and artistic expressions, which aim at obtaining a moral effect and a mental change. It takes as its point of departure the ancient theatre’s notion of catharsis, which connects the impact of the dramatic plot on the audience with mental purification

RETRACTION: A Systematic Review of Medical Science Students' Knowledge and Related Factors Towards Burns First Aids.

H. A. Otaghvar, A. Parvizi, P. G. Vajargah, A. Mollaei, S. Karkhah, P. Takasi, S. J. Hosseini, M. Firooz, M. S. Tabarian, A. Jamshidbeigi, R. Farzan, and S. Haddadi, "A Systematic Review of Medical Science Students' Knowledge and Related Factors Towards Burns First Aids," International Wound Journal 20, no. 8 (2024): 3380-3390, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14174. The above article, published online on 04 April 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. A third party reported to the journal that they had found evidence of excessive self-citations in the reference list of this article. The publisher confirmed multiple instances of redundant self-citations. Upon further investigation, the publisher also concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. In view of the clear evidence of compromised peer review, the parties agreed that the paper must be retracted. The authors disagree with the retraction.

RETRACTION: A Systematic Review of Social Support and Related Factors Among Burns Patients.

R. Farzan, P. G. Vajargah, A. Mollaei, S. Karkhah, P. Samidoust, P. Takasi, A. Falakdami, M. Firooz, S. J. Hosseini, A. Parvizi, and S. Haddadi, "A Systematic Review of Social Support and Related Factors Among Burns Patients," International Wound Journal 20, no. 8 (2023): 3349-3361, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14166. The above article, published online on 23 March 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. A third party reported to the journal that they had found evidence of excessive self-citations in the reference list of this article. The publisher confirmed multiple instances of redundant self-citations. Upon further investigation, the publisher also concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. In addition, the investigation found significant textual overlap between the methods and discussions sections of this article and another article by many of the same authors [1]. In view of the clear evidence of compromised peer review, the parties agreed that the paper must be retracted. The authors disagree with the retraction. REFERENCE: [1] A. Mehrabi, A. Falakdami, A. Mollaei, P. Takasi, P. G. Vajargah, H. Jafari, etal., "A Systematic Review of Self-Esteem and Related Factors among Burns Patients," Annals of Medicine & Surgery 84 (2022): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104811.

RETRACTION: Impact of Obese Patients in Ovarian Cancer Surgery on Postoperative Wound Complications: A Meta-Analysis.

X. Huang, S. Du, Q. Wang, C. Yang, X. Liu, K. Chen, Y. Zhao, N. He, H. Wang, "Impact of Obese Patients in Ovarian Cancer Surgery on Postoperative Wound Complications: A Meta-Analysis," International Wound Journal 21, no. 4 (2024): e14439, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14439. The above article, published online on 08 December 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Acute Burns During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A One-Year Retrospective Study of 611 Patients at a Referral Burn Centre in Northern Iran.

M. Mobayen, H. Torabi, P. B. Toolaroud, M. Tolouei, A. D. Moghadam, M. Saadatmand, H. EslamiKenarsari, A. Feizkhah, M. J. Ghazanfari, J. Osuji, P. G. Vajargah, and S. Karkhah, "Acute Burns During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A One-Year Retrospective Study of 611 Patients at a Referral Burn Centre in Northern Iran," International Wound Journal 20, no. 8 (2023): 3204-3211, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14199. The above article, published online on 24 April 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. A third party reported to the journal that they had found evidence of excessive self-citations in the reference list of this article. The publisher confirmed multiple instances of redundant self-citations. Upon further investigation, the publisher also concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. In addition, the article does not include any information about the informed consent procedure for the study. In view of the clear evidence of compromised peer review, the parties agreed that the paper must be retracted. The authors disagree with the retraction.

RETRACTION: Impact of Surgical Site Infection After Open and Laparoscopic Surgery Among Paediatric Appendicitis Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

J. Liu and Q. Wang, "Impact of Surgical Site Infection after Open and Laparoscopic Surgery Among Paediatric Appendicitis Patients: A Meta-Analysis," International Wound Journal 21, no. 4 (2024): e14524, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14524. The above article, published online on 12 December 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Effect of Transconjunctival Sutureless Vitrectomy Versus 20‐G Vitrectomy on Surgical Wound Cosure in Patients: A Meta‐Analysis

RETRACTION: Y. Huang, J. Sun, J. Wang, X. Zhang, Z. Chen, “,” International Wound Journal 21, no. (2024): , https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14561. The above article, published online on 01 February 2024, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Incidence Rate and Risk Factors of Surgical Wound Infection in General Surgery Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

M. T. Ashoobi, M. R. Asgary, M. Sarafi, N. Fathalipour, A. Pirooz, Z. Jafaryparvar, E. Rafiei, M. Farzin, P. Samidoust, and M. S. E. Delshad, "Incidence Rate and Risk Factors of Surgical Wound Infection in General Surgery Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study," International Wound Journal 20, no. 7 (2023): 2640-2648, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14137. The above article, published online on 10 March 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. A third party reported to the journal that they had found evidence of excessive self-citations in the reference list of this article. The publisher did not confirm the evidence of excessive self-citations. Upon further investigation, the publisher also concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. In view of the clear evidence of compromised peer review, the parties agreed that the paper must be retracted. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Effects of High Tibial Osteotomy Compared With Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty on the Surgical Site Wound Infection and Pain in Patients With Medial Knee Osteoarthritis.

J. Li, Y. Zhang, Y. Chen, Y. Li, B. Dai, and P. Liu, "Effects of High Tibial Osteotomy Compared With Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty on the Surgical Site Wound Infection and Pain in Patients With Medial Knee Osteoarthritis," International Wound Journal 21, no. 3 (2024): e14773, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14773. The above article, published online on 13 March 2024, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Effect of Two Different Laparoscopic Techniques on Post-Operative Wound Complications in Patients With Benign Gynaecological Diseases: A Meta-Analysis.

H. He, T. Li, M. Cui, Q. Jiang, F. Jiang, M. Li, and Y. Liu, "Effect of Two Different Laparoscopic Techniques on Post-Operative Wound Complications in Patients With Benign Gynaecological Diseases: A Meta-Analysis," International Wound Journal 21, no. 2 (2024): e14382, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14382. The above article, published online on 13 October 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Impact of Fast-Track Rehabilitation Nursing on Pressure Ulcers and Postoperative Complications in Patients With Inter-Trochanteric Fractures: A Meta-Analysis.

C. Zhai and Y. Lin, "Impact of Fast-Track Rehabilitation Nursing on Pressure Ulcers and Postoperative Complications in Patients With Inter-Trochanteric Fractures: A Meta-Analysis," International Wound Journal 21, no. 4 (2024): e14534, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14534. The above article, published online on 10 December 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Following an investigation by the publisher, all parties have concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The editors have therefore decided to retract the article. The authors did not respond to our notice regarding the retraction.

RETRACTION: Caregivers' Knowledge With Burned Children and Related Factors towards Burn First Aid: A Systematic Review.

R. Farzan, A. Parvizi, P. Takasi, A. Mollaei, S. Karkhah, M. Firooz, S. J. Hosseini, S. Haddadi, and P. G. Vajargah, "Caregivers' Knowledge With Burned Children and Related Factors towards Burn First Aid: A Systematic Review," International Wound Journal 20, no. 7 (2023): 2887-2897, https://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.14130. The above article, published online on 01 March 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. A third party reported to the journal that they had found evidence of excessive self-citations in the reference list of this article. The publisher confirmed multiple instances of redundant self-citations. Upon further investigation, the publisher also concluded that this article was accepted solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. In view of the clear evidence of compromised peer review, the parties agreed that the paper must be retracted. The authors disagree with the retraction.