High-impact Journals Research Articles

Science mapping of the knowledge base on teacher autonomy: a bibliometric study

PurposeThis research sought to document the volume, development trend and geographical distribution of the research on teacher autonomy, identify high-impact journals, authors and documents and reveal the intellectual structure of the field.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyzed the articles published on the related subject in the Web of Science (WoS) and/or Scopus. Based on certain exclusion criteria, analyses were conducted on a total of 259 articles. The data were then subjected to descriptive analyses and bibliometric analyses.FindingsThe review found that the teacher autonomy knowledge base has grown dramatically since 2004. In the co-citation analysis, it was determined that four clusters focused on the themes of professionalism and professional development, leadership and self-efficacy, autonomy in language teaching and learning and self-determination theory. According to the co-word analysis in this review, the most co-occurring keywords were revealed to be “teacher autonomy,” “autonomy,” “teachers,” “teacher professionalism” and “professional development.”Originality/valueDespite increasing numbers of systematic reviews focusing on educational administration and leadership, this paper represents the first bibliometric review conducted to reveal the development of research on teacher autonomy using both the WoS and Scopus databases. Teacher autonomy can be regarded as an emerging field of study backed up by a theoretical background. Although there are some distinct prominent scholars in the research area, autonomy research still needs more scholars to specialize in the field.

Missing in action: A bibliometric analysis of military research in the medical literature since 1950.

Top-tier general and specialty scientific journals serve as a bellwether for national research priorities. We hypothesize that military-relevant publications are underrepresented in the scientific literature and that such publications decrease significantly during peacetime. We identified high impact journals in the fields of Medicine, Surgery and Critical Care and developed Boolean searches for military-focused topics using National Library of Medicine Subject Headings terms. A PubMed search from 1950 to 2020 returned the number of research publications in relevant journals and the rate of military-focused publications by year. Rates of military publications were compared between peacetime and wartime. Publication rate trends were modeled with a quadratic function controlling for the start of active conflict and total casualty numbers. Baseline proportions of military physicians relative to the civilian sector served to estimate expected publication rates. Comparisons were performed using Pearson's χ 2 and Mann-Whitney U test, with p < 0.05 considered a significant difference. From 1950 to 2020, a total of 716,340 manuscripts were published in the journals queried. Of these, military-relevant manuscripts totaled 4,052 (0.57%). We found a significant difference in the rate of publication during times of peace and times of war (0.40% vs. 0.69%, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis found significantly reduced rates of publication in medical and critical care journals during peacetime. For each conflict, the percentage of military-focused publications peaked during periods of war but then receded below baseline levels within a median of 2.5 years (interquartile range, 1.5-3.8 years) during peacetime. The proportion of military-focused publications never reached the current proportion of military physicians in the workforce. There is marked reduction in rates of publication for military-focused articles in high impact journals during peacetime. Military-focused articles are underrepresented in high-impact journals. Investigators of military-relevant topics and editors of high-impact journals should seek to close this gap.

Trends of female authorship in head and neck surgery publications over the last decade.

While other otolaryngology subspecialties have established female authorship trends, there is no comprehensive study within head and neck surgery (HNS). Five researchers recorded the gender identity of first and senior authors from HNS subspecialty papers (head and neck oncology, endocrine surgery, salivary gland pathology, and microsurgery) derived from 10 journals in otolaryngology and oncology in the years 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022. From 3457 articles, 6901 unique author identities were analyzed. Female authors represented 32% (N = 1103) of first authors and 20% (N = 690) of senior authors. Female authors were less likely to publish in microvascular and reconstructive surgery. Senior female authors were more likely to publish in higher impact journals than male senior authors, and first female authors had an increased likelihood of funding compared to their male counterparts. While female authors remain underrepresented in certain literature, we illustrate promising trends in productivity, funding allocation, and impact.

Year in Review: Synopsis of Selected Articles in Neuroanesthesia and Neurocritical Care from 2023

AbstractThis review is a synopsis of selected articles from neuroscience, neuroanesthesia, and neurocritical care from 2023 (January–November 2023). The journals reviewed include anesthesia journals, critical care medicine journals, neurosurgical journals as well as high-impact medical journals such as the Lancet, Journal of American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine, and Stroke. The summary of important articles will serve to update the knowledge of neuroanesthesiologists and other perioperative physicians who provide care to neurosurgical and neurocritical patients.

Utilization and Reporting of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Randomized Clinical Trials of Acute Stroke (2010-2020).

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) describe health status from the perspective of the patient. There is growing interest in incorporating PROMs into clinical trials, but the extent that such measures are used in contemporary stroke trials is uncertain. We sought to determine how often acute stroke trials included PROMs as outcome measures and assessed the completeness of methodological reporting. We searched MEDLINE for randomized controlled trials published in 9 high-impact journals between 2010 and 2020. Eligible studies were phase 2 or 3 trials that tested therapeutic interventions within 1 month of stroke onset. Using the trial's primary publication and protocol, we abstracted key study characteristics including all primary and secondary outcome measures. We defined PROMs as self-reported measures of quality of life, symptoms, or function collected without interpretation of an external party. Of 116 trials that met eligibility, 57 (49%) included at least 1 PROM. Of these, 41 trials (35%) included a PROM in its primary publication, while 16 (14%) identified a PROM in its protocol. Only 1 trial used a PROM as a primary outcome. Among the 57 total trials, the most commonly used measures were Euro-QOL (n=41, 72%), Stroke Impact Scale (n=10, 18%), and Short-Form 36 (n=6, 11%). Trials were more likely to include a PROM if they were published after 2016, were phase 3, or included only hemorrhagic stroke. Of the 41 trials that included a PROM in the primary publication, 40 (97%) provided PROM results, but only 9 (22%) found statistically significant differences between treatment groups. Quality of methodological reporting was generally poor. Half of contemporary acute stroke trials published in high-impact journals listed at least 1 PROM as a secondary outcome, but they played a minor role in the presentation of the final trial results. Inclusion of PROMs in acute stroke trials requires greater attention during both the design and reporting phases of the trial. URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; Unique identifier: CRD42019128727.

Sex and gender-based analysis and diversity metric reporting in acute care trials published in high-impact journals: a systematic review

ObjectiveTo characterise sex and gender-based analysis (SGBA) and diversity metric reporting, representation of female/women participants in acute care trials and temporal changes in reporting before and after publication of the...

How real is the quantitative turn? Investigating statistics as the new normal in linguistics

Abstract Statistical approaches in linguistics seem to have gained in importance in recent times, especially in the field of Corpus Linguistics. In particular, the last ten years have seen an upsurge of linguists being dedicated to statistical methods and the improvement of statistical knowledge. This has repeatedly been described as ‘the quantitative turn’ in linguistics. In the present paper, we assess how real this quantitative turn actually is and whether statistics can be considered the ‘new normal’ in (corpus) linguistics. To this end, we have analyzed the contributions to six high-impact journals (Corpora, Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory, ICAME Journal, English World-Wide, Journal of English Linguistics, and Language Variation and Change) for a period of eleven years (January 2011 until December 2021). Our results suggest that, indeed, statistical methods seem to be on the rise in linguistic studies. However, their frequency strongly varies between the journals, and, in general, we have identified some room for improvement in the use of advanced statistical methods, in particular the discussion of true prediction.

La “Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana” ha sido indexada por la prestigiosa base internacional Scopus

Dear members of the scientific community, we are pleased to share with you a significant achievement: the Journal of the Faculty of Human Medicine (RFMH, by its Spanish acronym), edited by the Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Biomédicas of the Universidad Ricardo Palma (INICIB-URP), has been evaluated and accepted for indexing in the prestigious international scientific database Scopus(1), due to its scientific quality. Scopus is an international platform that includes high-impact scientific journals across various disciplines.

How are Communication and Media Studies Scholars Writing about COVID-19? A Meta-analysis of Communication and Media-Focused Covid-19 Literature

According to the selective exposure hypothesis, media with the arrival of COVID-19, the output of communication and media-focused peer-review articles have increased frenetically. As a result, this study examines the communication and media aspects, methodological characteristics and guiding theories, the geographic landscape of content, and the dominant publication avenue of peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals (n=576). Findings show that mass communication and social media are the leading media types, while Twitter is the leading platform. The quantitative research method, survey and grounded theory are the leading methodology, research technique and guiding theory, respectively. Countries in the Global North and China dominated the geographic content of this emergent area, while the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships and Health Communication were primary publication outlets. Within communication and media-focused communications research, ‘covid,’ ‘2020,’ ‘media,’ and ‘social’ are the most popular words.

Reporting quality of heart failure randomized controlled trials 2000-2020: Temporal trends in adherence to CONSORT criteria.

Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) inform HF policy and practice, but the accurate interpretation of results is contingent on clear and transparent reporting. The CONsolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement serves as a guide to RCT reporting. We evaluated the quality of reporting in HF RCTs in high-impact journals by assessing their adherence to CONSORT. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL for HF RCTs published in high-impact journals 2000-2020. We assessed the proportion of CONSORT criteria that individual HF RCTs adhered to, and used the Jonckheere-Terpstra test to examine temporal trends in adherence. Multivariable linear regression explored the association between trial characteristics and adherence to CONSORT. Primary analysis assessed adherence to CONSORT 2010 update. A sensitivity analysis assessed adherence to the original (1996) CONSORT criteria. Among 221 RCTs analysed, the mean (standard deviation [SD]) adherence was suboptimal overall (mean [SD] adherence 69.7 [11.5]%) (5513/7913 criteria), with a temporal increase in adherence over the 20-year period (p < 0.001). Factors associated with adherence included publication after versus during/before 2010 (β = 10.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.64-12.70; p < 0.001); two-group parallel individual-level randomization versus other (including multi-group or cluster randomization) (β = 5.81, 95% CI 2.88-8.73; p < 0.001); and multicentre versus single-centre trials (β = 7.26, 95% CI 3.25-11.27; p < 0.001). There was no difference in trial adherence to the updated CONSORT (2010) versus the original (1996) CONSORT criteria, and temporal trends in adherence to both sets of criteria were similar, likely due to overlap between the two sets of criteria. Trials with greater adherence to CONSORT were published in higher impact factor journals, with a positive correlation (r = 0.312; p < 0.001). The quality of reporting in HF RCTs, as measured by CONSORT adherence, has improved over time but remains suboptimal.

Literature data mining on the current research status of uveitis in China

Objective: To analyze the current research status of uveitis in China. Methods: It was a bibliometric analysis study. Using search formulas covering uveitis and its multiple subtypes, uveitis-related literature in English with publication dates from 2013 to 2022 was retrieved in Web of Science core databases through certain search strategies. This study used the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) algorithm to build topic models and analyzed the trends of research topics in recent years. Bibliometric analysis was used to analyze and visualize the bibliometric indicators (e.g., number of publications, citations, and H-index) of the included literature using tools such as VOSviewer software. Results: Over the past decade, China has published 1 657 papers on uveitis, ranking second globally. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of the H-index (58) and citation (12.28 per publication). Countries such as the USA (43.04%) and the United Kingdom (62.54%) were engaged in more international collaboration. We identified ten optimal LDA topics for uveitis literature in China such as immunotherapy, Behçet's disease, and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. Research on uveitis in China was mostly published in Ocular Immunology and Inflammation (92). Conclusions: China has made remarkable progress in uveitis research. Nonetheless, there is still untapped potential to enhance our global academic influence. It is encouraged to promote international collaborations, harness our expertise in areas like Behçet's disease and VKH syndrome, and publish our scientific achievements in high-impact journals.

International Representation in Psychiatric Literature: Has the Trend Changed? Review of 11 Leading Psychiatric Journals

Aim: A survey of six of the highest impact psychiatric journal articles (2001), revealed the underrepresentation of non-Western countries. The current study looked at the new trends in the representation of psychiatric literature. We aimed to quantify the articles from High-Income Countries (HIC) and compare it with the rest of the world (RoW) in 11 high impact journals. Materials and Methods: A survey of the country of origin of research data and authors in published literature of 11 psychiatric journals: six of the same journals previously surveyed and five new journals from 2014 to 2016. Results: Out of the total of 5278 articles, the maximum number of 2093 (39.65 %) were from the other Euro-American countries (OEAC), followed by 1546 (29.29 %) from the United States of America (USA), and 727 (13.77 %) from the United Kingdom (UK), and 754 (14.28 %) were from rest of the world (RoW). The highest was in the Journal of Neurology, Neuro-Surgery and Psychiatry 131 (17.37 %), followed by the British Journal of Psychiatry, 85 (11.27 %) and Molecular Psychiatry; 65 (8.62 %). A comparison between the previous six journals and the current survey showed that RoW publications have increased from 6 % to 13.84 % over 15 years. Out of the additional five journals surveyed, a total of 327 papers were from RoW and the Journal of Neurology, Neuro-Surgery and Psychiatry had the highest representation of RoW literature: 131 (40 %). It was more than double of publications by the Lancet Psychiatry and Molecular Psychiatry. Biological Psychiatry had 46 (14.06 %) papers followed by the World Psychiatry which carried 25 (7.64 %). Conclusion: An overall increase in the number of articles from RoW is evident. It is a welcome trend; however, a significant underrepresentation is still evident.

A step-by-step guide on how NOT to get published in a high impact educational technology journal

Many elements come together to make for a good, publishable manuscript in a high-impact educational technology journal. There are also some fatal errors and omissions that will doom a paper to be immediately declined. In this editorial, we focus on the latter. Checking the aims and scope of a journal is a simple step to ensure that the publication of an article is not delayed and time is not wasted. Unfortunately, it seems this step is neglected by many aspiring authors. Beyond a misalignment with the aims and scope of the journal, we will discuss some of the other main reasons why manuscripts have recently been declined by AJET. We hope that this editorial will assist authors to ensure that they do not make the same mistakes.

"Trend" Statement Use in the Orthopaedic Literature.

For research to effectively guide clinical decision making, appropriate interpretation of data is paramount. The P -value is a useful tool for guiding the interpretation of data. However, despite its utility, the P -value is not without limitations. Of particular concern is the use of "trend statements" to describe non-statistically significant findings, a practice which introduces subjectivity and variability into data interpretation and can lead to the drawing of undue conclusions. An audit of original research articles published from January 2022 to December 2022 in four high-impact orthopaedic journals was conducted. The selected journals were queried to identify instances in which a non-statistically significant result was labeled as a "trend." The use of trend statements and associated information was recorded and analyzed. One thousand two hundred sixty articles were included in the analysis. 81 articles (6.4%) included a trend statement to describe a non-statistically significant result. Only two articles (2.5%) formally defined what constituted a trend. In 28.8% of cases, the associated P -value was > 0.10. Trend statements are used to describe non-statistically significant findings with moderate frequency in the orthopaedic literature. Given the potentially misleading effects of trend statements, efforts should be made to mitigate their use. If trend statements are to be used, attention should be paid to defining what constitutes a "trend", explicitly acknowledging the lack of statistical significance of the finding to which the trend statement refers, and avoiding drawing undue conclusions from non-statistically significant data.

Interpretation of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome by systematic literature review

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, also known as Müllerian aplasia, is a rare congenital anomaly affecting the female genital tract, characterized by the absence of the uterus, cervix and upper vagina in women with normal appearance, karyotype 46 XX and normal endocrine function. The aim of the study was to interpret the main risk factors, clinical criteria and diagnosis of MRKH syndrome and its psychosocial impact through a literature review. A descriptive documentary literature review was conducted, analyzing articles published between 2019 and 2023 in high-impact journals. Sixteen articles were identified, including case studies and theoretical sources of information. The syndrome was found to affect approximately 1 in 4 000 to 5 000 women, with possible genetic basis. Two types are distinguished: type I, with absence of the uterus and vagina, and type II, with additional kidney and skeletal malformations. Diagnosis is made by ultrasound and MRI, and treatment includes the creation of a neovagina through surgical or non-surgical procedures. The syndrome carries a significant emotional and psychological burden due to infertility and sexual difficulties. It was concluded that MRKH involves risk factors such as family history, primary amenorrhea and normal development, requiring a multidisciplinary approach and including treatment options. In Ecuador, the lack of protocols and awareness presents challenges for those affected. It is vital to raise awareness of this condition and support research to improve the quality of life of those affected

Asherman syndrome: risk factors, clinical criteria and diagnosis in current literature

Asherman's syndrome is a condition characterized by the presence of uterine adhesions or uterine synechiae that are caused by unintentional trauma, severe infections or endometrial hypoxia in a pregnant uterus. The aim of the study was to identify the main risk factors and diagnostic alternatives for Asherman's syndrome through literature review. In an effort to better understand Asherman's syndrome, a descriptive documentary study reviewed articles published from 2019 to 2023 in high-impact journals, selecting 17 for analysis. These included case studies and theoretical sources, highlighting the still unknown pathophysiology of the syndrome. It was confirmed that diagnosis is mainly based on hysterosalpingography and hysteroscopy, although these methods do not guarantee complete endometrial recovery, leading to high recurrence rates and low conception success rates. This underscores the need for complementary therapies to restore the uterine cavity and prevent new adhesions. In addition to the medical challenges, the study highlights the significant emotional and psychological impact of the syndrome, underscoring the importance of emotional and psychological support for those affected, as well as the need to raise awareness and support research to improve their quality of life. In conclusion, partial or total obstruction of the uterine cavity by adhesions is noted as a risk, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. The study highlights the absence of clinical guidelines and awareness in Ecuador, which hinders the management of this condition

Research Productivity and Publishing Trends in Publicly Funded Social Work and Psychology Schools in India: A Bibliometric Analysis

There is a growing emphasis on research across disciplines, and higher educational institutions’ research productivity (RP) is a matter of serious consideration. However, a knowledge gap exists in RP in research productivity in social science disciplines in India. In this context, the present study aimed to (1) understand the RP of social work and psychology schools at publicly funded central universities (CU) in India, (2) evaluate the RP and research impacts of faculty members in these schools, and (3) identify the publishing trends and patterns in social work and psychology disciplines. Using the Scopus database, we collected bibliometric information on publications of 19 social work and 16 psychology schools and their faculty members. The results indicate that schools’ research productivity remained unpromising, constituting many faculty members (Social work 51.08%; Psychology 43.4%) with no publications. Although the average RP of social work ( M = 16.0, SD = 17.40) and psychology ( M = 45.63, SSD = 61.08) schools differed, the difference was not statistically significant ( t = 1.88, p = .078). An increase in the publication was evident after 2016, indicating positive-policy impacts. A difference in RP across professional ranks was evident for social work ( p &lt; .05) but not for psychology ( p &gt; .05). For research impact, a difference existed based on ranks for academicians from psychology only ( p &lt; .05). Publications in high-impact journals and an output of international collaborations remained low in both disciplines. Implications point to developing appropriate workshops and training to provide hands-on experience to improve quality research among academicians. Further policy changes are also essential to enhance research culture and productivity.

Building Equitable Neuroscience Research Collaborations in Resource-limited Settings.

The burden of noncommunicable neurological disorders, such as stroke, dementia, and headache disorders, are on the rise in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), while neuroinfectious diseases remain a major concern. The development of neuroscience research aimed at defining the burden of neurological diseases across the lifespan, as well as optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies, is fundamental to improving neurological health in resource-limited settings. One of the key factors to advancing neuroscience research in LMICs is the establishment of effective collaborations based on responsible and trustworthy partnerships between local scientists in LMICs and international collaborators. LMIC researchers face many logistical, institutional, and individual level challenges as they embark on their neuroscience research journey. Despite these challenges, there are opportunities for improving LMIC investigator-led research that should focus on human and institutional infrastructure development. With regard to human capacity building, potential areas for offering support include enhancing research methodology training, offering instruction in manuscript and grant-writing, institutionalizing mentorship programs, and providing opportunities to conduct funded, mentored research to disseminate in high-impact journals. The foundational elements required for implementing and optimizing neuroscience research within an institution include an institutional review board, mentorship programs, data management, research administration, and laboratory facilities. This institutional capacity varies significantly across and within countries, and many rely on collaborations with better-resourced institutions to initiate research. Successful equitable collaborations ensure the engagement of all local and international stakeholders, as well as implementation of a self-sustaining long-term program. Building research capacity in LMICs is an essential endeavor that requires ongoing commitment to training independent scientists. As research capacity increases, LMIC institutions and governments should consider developing competitive research grant programs to support innovative studies led by local researchers, foster regional collaborations, and hence create a sustainable and independent neuroscience research environment.

Language bias in orthodontic systematic reviews: A meta-epidemiological study.

Orthodontic systematic reviews (SRs) include studies published mostly in English than non-English languages. Including only English studies in SRs may result in a language bias. This meta-epidemiological study aimed to evaluate the language bias impact on orthodontic SRs. SRs published in high-impact orthodontic journals between 2017 and 2021 were retrieved through an electronic search of PubMed in June 2022. Additionally, Cochrane oral health group was searched for orthodontic systematic reviews published in the same period. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two authors. Multivariable logistic regression was implemented to explore the association of including non-English studies with the SRs characteristics. For the meta-epidemiological analysis, one meta-analysis from each SRs with at least three trials, including one non-English trial was extracted. The average difference in SMD was obtained using a random-effects meta-analysis. 174 SRs were included in this study. Almost one-quarter (n = 45/174, 26%) of these SRs included at least one non-English study. The association between SRs characteristics and including non-English studies was not statistically significant except for the restriction on language: the odds of including non-English studies reduced by 89% in SRs with a language restriction (OR: 0.11, 95%CI: 0.01 0.55, P< 0.01). Out of the sample, only fourteen meta-analyses were included in the meta-epidemiological analysis. The meta-epidemiological analysis revealed that non-English studies tended to overestimate the summary SMD by approximately 0.30, but this was not statistically significant when random-effects model was employed due to substantial statistical heterogeneity (ΔSMD = -0.29, 95%CI: -0.63 to 0.05, P = 0.37). As such, the overestimation of meta-analysis results by including non-English studies was statistically non-significant. Language bias has non-negligible impact on the results of orthodontic SRs. Orthodontic systematic reviews should abstain from language restrictions and use sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of language on the conclusions, as non-English studies may have a lower quality.

Top studies of 2023 relevant to primary care: From the PEER team.

To provide a summary of the noteworthy medical articles published in 2023 that are relevant to family physicians. Articles were chosen and ranked by the PEER (Patients, Experience, Evidence, Research) team, a group of primary care health professionals focused on evidence-based medicine. The selection process involved routine surveillance of tables of contents in high-impact medical journals and continuous monitoring of EvidenceAlerts. Articles were prioritized based on their direct applicability to and potential to influence primary care practice. Selected articles addressed various clinical areas of primary care. The topics included a comparison of a treat-to-target approach versus a high-intensity statins prescription for lipid management; semaglutide and its impact on cardiovascular outcomes; respiratory syncytial virus vaccine for older adults; chlorthalidone versus hydrochlorothiazide in preventing cardiovascular events; amitriptyline for irritable bowel syndrome; the role of opioids in acute back pain; safety of oral penicillin challenges in patients allergic to penicillin; spironolactone for facial acne; strategies to reverse frailty in older adults; and identifying the provider of chronic disease management. Two "up and coming" medications are also mentioned: retatrutide for weight loss and fezolinetant for vasomotor symptoms of menopause. Research published in 2023 yielded several high-quality articles with topics relevant to primary care, including cardiovascular care, irritable bowel syndrome, care of the elderly, and acne management.