Orthopaedic Journals Research Articles

Levels of evidence of therapeutic studies published in the East African Orthopaedic Journal

Levels of evidence of therapeutic studies published in the East African Orthopaedic Journal

A global overview of the use of cone beam computed tomography in dentistry: a bibliometric review focusing on paediatric patients

Background Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) has improved diagnosis and treatment planning in paediatric dentistry, but no bibliometric studies have examined the research landscape. This study provides an overview of CBCT in paediatric dentistry. Methods A bibliometric review was conducted using articles from the Web of Science database up to February 2024. Conference papers and editorials were excluded. Data extracted included citation counts, publication dates, journals, impact factors, study designs, topics, geographical and institutional affiliations, authors, and keywords. Collaborative networks were visualised using VOSviewer, and Spearman’s correlation assessed the relationship between citation counts and other variables. Results The review analysed 517 articles, with the most cited receiving 557 citations. Publication dates ranged from 2005 to 2024, with a peak in 2023. Observational studies were the most common, particularly on maxillary expansion. The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics was the most cited journal, and the USA was a major contributor. Jacobs R authored the most articles (n=19), and the University of Alberta led in institutional output. Spearman’s correlation showed a weak positive correlation between citation count and journal impact factor (rho=0.272, p<0.001) and a strong negative correlation with publication year (rho=-0.762, p<0.001). Conclusions This bibliometric review provides an overview of the use of CBCT in paediatric dentistry, particularly in maxillary expansion. The findings suggest that more specific imaging protocols may improve safety and clinical outcomes, and that further investigation of long-term outcomes may provide valuable insights.

Bridging the gap: enhancing orthopaedic outcomes through qualitative research integration.

The evidence base within trauma and orthopaedics has traditionally favoured quantitative research methodologies. Qualitative research can provide unique insights which illuminate patient experiences and perceptions of care. Qualitative methods reveal the subjective narratives of patients that are not captured by quantitative data, providing a more comprehensive understanding of patient-centred care. The aim of this study is to quantify the level of qualitative research within the orthopaedic literature. A bibliometric search of journals' online archives and multiple databases was undertaken in March 2024, to identify articles using qualitative research methods in the top 12 trauma and orthopaedic journals based on the 2023 impact factor and SCImago rating. The bibliometric search was conducted and reported in accordance with the preliminary guideline for reporting bibliometric reviews of the biomedical literature (BIBLIO). Of the 7,201 papers reviewed, 136 included qualitative methods (0.1%). There was no significant difference between the journals, apart from Bone & Joint Open, which included 21 studies using qualitative methods, equalling 4% of its published articles. This study demonstrates that there is a very low number of qualitative research papers published within trauma and orthopaedic journals. Given the increasing focus on patient outcomes and improving the patient experience, it may be argued that there is a requirement to support both quantitative and qualitative approaches to orthopaedic research. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods may effectively address the complex and personal aspects of patients' care, ensuring that outcomes align with patient values and enhance overall care quality.

Low prevalence of spin in conclusions of interventional pediatric orthopedic studies

Interpretation bias as a factor of research reporting quality has not been thoroughly investigated in the conclusions of pediatric orthopedic publications. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence, subtypes, and severity of research reporting bias or spin of the conclusions in full-texts and abstracts of published studies investigating the effects of treatment/intervention in the pediatric orthopedic literature. We systematically searched ten high-ranking orthopedic journals on MEDLINE/PubMed. Inclusion criteria were pediatric orthopedic studies investigating the effects of treatment/intervention. We used descriptive statistics to report the prevalence, subtype, and severity of reporting bias in the studies’ conclusions according to validated classification criteria. We checked the results to ensure that data were neither misreported nor misinterpreted/extrapolated in the conclusions of the full-texts and their abstracts. Out of 93 included studies in the final analysis, 17 (18%) had at least one count of bias. Nine (10%) studies had bias in both full-text and the corresponding abstract conclusions. In four (4%) studies, bias was restricted to conclusions of abstracts only, and in four (4%) studies was restricted to a bias criterion assigned to the classification criteria of conclusions of full-text only and not the abstract. We analyzed 2511 spin/bias items across 93 studies and reported 30 (1%) counts of bias in conclusions of full-text and/or abstracts. The intervention was surgical in (71%) of studies. Interventional pediatric orthopedic studies published in high-ranking journals showed a low prevalence of reporting bias, namely, misleading reporting, misinterpretation, and inadequate extrapolation of conclusions. A comparative analysis with lower-ranking journals as a control group may reveal if our favorable results are an attribute of journal rank/quality. In general, editorial policies should emphasize skilled interpretation and extrapolation of research results.

Research Study Characteristics Associated with Media Engagement in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Database Studies

Objectives: This study identified associations between a study’s Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) and the number of times it was posted on X (formerly Twitter) with article characteristics such as the topic or publishing journal. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Articles published in the orthopedic literature. Article Selection: A total of 116 eligible articles using administrative databases or clinical registries published in 2020 in four orthopaedic journals were studied. Intervention: None. Main Outcome Measurements: Each of the 116 selected articles was assigned one of the following topics: complications and outcomes, technology, medications and/or anesthesia, logistics, and surgical techniques. AAS and X posts for each article were retrieved. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to identify differences in the AAS and X posts across journals and topics. Results: Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed a difference between an article’s publishing journal and its AAS (p = 0.034) and number of X posts (p = 0.032), with articles published in the Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ) having the greatest mean AAS (16.27) and X posts (25.73). Kruskal-Wallis tests showed a difference between an article’s topic and its AAS (p = 0.001) and number of X posts (p= 0.027), with articles focused on surgical techniques having the greatest mean AAS (26.50) and X posts (37.00). Conclusions: There is significant variation in the degree of media engagement for hip and knee arthroplasty database studies. The topic of the article (surgical techniques) and journal of publication (BJJ) were associated with a greater level of engagement. Level of Evidence: Level V.

Rates of Reporting and Analyzing Race and Ethnicity in Athlete-Specific Sports Medicine Research: A Systematic Review.

Race- and ethnicity-based differences in treatment access and outcomes have been reported in the orthopaedic sports medicine literature. However, the rate at which race and ethnicity are reported and incorporated into the statistical analysis of sports medicine studies remains unclear. To determine the rate at which race and ethnicity are reported and analyzed in athlete-specific sports medicine literature. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, articles published by the 3 journals of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine between 2017 and 2021 were considered for inclusion. Original sports medicine research studies that focused on athletes were included. Outcome measures included reporting and analysis of patient demographics (age, sex, race, ethnicity). Studies that included demographic variables in a multivariate analysis or that performed a race-/ethnicity-based stratified analyses were considered to have analyzed that variable. Studies that reported and/or analyzed patient demographics were examined. Chi-square tests were performed to determine statistical significance. A total of 5140 publications were screened, and 842 met the inclusion criteria. Age and sex were well reported (84.1% and 87.0%, respectively), while race (3.8%) and ethnicity (2.0%) were poorly reported. There was no difference in rates of reporting age, sex, race, or ethnicity between the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM), the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine (OJSM), or Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach (Sports Health). The rate of analysis was also calculated as a percentage of the studies that reported that variable. Of the studies that reported age, 38.5% analyzed age. Using this method, 26.2% of studies analyzed sex, 40.6% analyzed race, and 17.6% analyzed ethnicity. Although there was no difference in the overall rate at which studies from the 3 journals analyzed ethnicity, Sports Health studies analyzed age (P = .044), sex (P = .001), and race (P = .027) more frequently than studies published in AJSM and OJSM. Of the studies that analyzed race, most of those studies (8/13, 61.5%) found significant race-based differences in reported outcomes. This systematic review demonstrated that race and ethnicity are poorly reported and analyzed in athlete-specific sports medicine literature, despite the fact that a majority of studies analyzing race found significant differences between racial groups. Improved reporting of race and ethnicity can determine whether race- and ethnicity-based differences exist in patient interventions to ameliorate disparities in patient outcomes.

Does patient-specific instrument or robot improve imaging and functional outcomes in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty? A bayesian analysis.

This study conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the imaging and functional outcomes of patient-specific instrument-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (P-UKA), robot-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (R-UKA), and conventional unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (C-UKA). A comprehensive search was performed on five electronic databases and major orthopedic journals as of September 24, 2023. We included randomized controlled studies featuring at least two interventions of P-UKA, R-UKA, or C-UKA. Primary outcomes encompassed the deviation angle of hip-knee-ankle angle, as well as the coronal and sagittal plane alignment of femoral and tibial components. Secondary outcomes included patient-reported outcome measures (PROM), surgery time, revision rate, and complication rate. Bayesian framework was employed for risk ratio (RR) or mean deviation (MD) analysis, and treatment hierarchy was established based on rank probabilities. This NMA included 871 knees from 12 selected studies. In sagittal plane, R-UKA exhibited a significantly reduced deviation angle of femoral component compared to P-UKA (MD: 4.16, 95% CI: 0.21, 8.07), and of tibial component in comparison to C-UKA (MD: -2.45, 95% CI: -4.20, -0.68). Notably, the surgery time was significantly longer in R-UKA than in C-UKA (MD: 15.98, 95% CI: 3.11, 28.88). However, no significant differences were observed in other outcomes. Compared with P-UKA or C-UKA, R-UKA significantly improves the femoral and tibial component alignment in the sagittal plane, although this does not translate into discernible differences in functional outcomes. Comprehensive considerations of economic and learning costs are imperative for the judicious selection of the appropriate procedure.

Standard radiographic images in cephalomedullary nailing fixation for intertrochanteric femoral fractures

To review and summarize the projections of radiographic images during cephalomedullary nailing fixation for intertrochanteric femoral fractures, and to propose a set of three projections as standard requirement in immediate postoperative fluoroscopy. Papers on intertrochanteric femoral fractures treated with cephalomedullary nailing fixation that published in a three-year period of 2021-2023 in four leading English orthopedic trauma journals were searched in PubMed. The presented radiographic pictures were identified and scrutinized as whether they were in standard anteroposterior and/or lateral projections of the implanted nails. The nonstandard presence percentage was calculated. Combined with clinical experience, the standard anteroposterior and lateral perspective images of femoral neck, the current situation of radiographic imaging in the operation of cephalomedullary nails, the literature analysis of nonstandard images, the impact of limb rotation on image interpretation, and the characteristics of anteromedial 30° oblique perspective were summarized and analyzed. The presence of nonstandard radiographic pictures is 32.1% in anteroposterior view and 69.2% in lateral view in leading orthopedic trauma journals. In cephalomedullary nailing fixation operation of intertrochanteric femoral fractures, it is reasonable to use the radiographic images of the implanted nails to represent the fractured head-neck, as the head-neck implant (lag screw or helical blade) is aimed to put into centrally in femoral head in lateral projection. Limb rotation or nonstandard projections produced distortion of images, which interfers the surgeons' judgement of fracture reduction quality and the measurement of implant position parameters in femoral head (such as neck-shaft angle and tip-apex distance), and finally lead to a meaningless comparison with the accurate normal value. The 30° anteromedial oblique view from the true lateral (set as 0°) is a tangential projection of the cortices at the anteromedial inferior corner, which gives a clear profile for the determination of cortical apposition status and mechanical support. It is essential to get firstly the true standard lateral fluoroscopy of the nail (shown as a line), then rotate the C-arm to 90° and 30° to get anteroposterior and anteromedial oblique views, and use these three immediate postoperative radiographies as the baseline for evaluation of operative quality and follow-up comparisons. As for real-time monitoring of surgical steps, intraoperative fluoroscopy follows the "Enough is Good" principle, but as for immediate postoperative data storage and basis for operative quality evaluation and baseline for follow-up comparison, it is recommended to obtain a set of three standard radiographic pictures in anteroposterior, true lateral, and 30° anteromedial oblique fluoroscopic projections.

Impact of innovations in surgical techniques and advanced imaging on postoperative recovery and reduction of complications in patients with long bone fractures: a systematic review

Long bones fracture is one of the most complicated surgeries in orthopedics and the progress in the techniques as well as technologies used has recorded a steady progression in the last few years. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS), computer-assisted surgery and improved imaging techniques can all be cited as impacting on emerging practices. Conversely, the success of such techniques and their influences on the performance results should continue to be assessed in order to adjust the treatment approaches and patients’ conditions. This paper aimed at reviewing and researching current journals and literature on the topic of managing long bone fractures with specific emphasis on the new developments in surgery, imaging, and after care. Included articles were randomized control trials, cohort studies, meta-analysis, from reputable orthopedic journals and evaluated both effectiveness, and adverse outcomes of these advancements. In light of the study, it emerges that less invasive procedures in thoracic surgery lead to fewer postoperative complications and quicker convalescence time among the patients; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intraoperative fluoroscopy improves diagnostic accuracy and also surgical localization. Computer assisted surgery and augmented reality have been recognized as useful adjuncts in both the preoperative planning and intra operative navigation through the surgical field but they are still not widely used due to the costs associated with the purchase of equipment and initial technical difficulties. In particular, the use of these technologies successfully advanced the clinical efficiency in the treatment of long bone fractures.

JournalADE: Creation and validation of a novel program for automated data extraction (ADE) to assess authorship gender representation

Background: Analyses of gender in academic authorship are key to characterizing representation in surgical fields, but current methods of manual data collection are time-consuming and error prone. The purpose of this study was to design a program to automatically extract publication data and verify the accuracy of this program in comparison to manually-collected data in a pilot study of three orthopaedic surgery journals. Methods: Publications from three orthopaedic subspecialty journals between January 2019 and June 2021 were identified via PubMed search. For each publication, online publication date, journal issue month, first author name, and senior author name were collected from PubMed listings by hand and programmatically in a Python script (JournalADE). Gender was determined using Gender API. Results: The percent of publications for which manually- and program-collected online publication dates were within 14 days of each other was above 95% for all journals. There was 98.3% (95% CI=97.84-98.76%) agreement for online publication date, with a mean difference of 6.43 (SD 0.87) days. Journal issue month agreement was 99.6% (95% CI=99.37-99.83%). Agreement for first author gender was 97.33% (95% CI=96.75-97.91%) and for senior author gender was 96.77% (95% CI=96.14-97.4%). Estimated labor time for manual collection was 100 hr, compared to 15 min for JournalADE. Conclusions: When comparing the JournalADE- and manually-collected data, rates of agreement were high at a fraction of the time. This supports the efficacy of JournalADE and sets the stage for its use in future studies of gender in authorship.

Unilateral biportal endoscopic versus microscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis in China: study protocol for a prospective, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial

IntroductionDegenerative lumbar spinal stenosis is a common cause of low back or leg pain and disability in the elderly population. Patients with spinal stenosis who fail to respond to conservative...

Accelerated Orthodontics: A Descriptive Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 50 Cited Articles from 2012 to 2023.

Accelerated orthodontics represents a significant shift in dental practice aimed at reducing treatment times while maintaining optimal patient outcomes. This bibliometric analysis evaluated the research landscape of accelerated orthodontics from 2012 to 2023, focusing on publication trends, citation patterns, influential journals, leading institutions, and key contributors. A comprehensive search in Scopus identified 600 relevant articles, with the top 50 most-cited papers encompassing systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and experimental studies. Key techniques, such as corticotomy and piezocision, have been frequently highlighted for their effectiveness in expediting tooth movement. The analysis revealed fluctuating annual scientific outputs, with notable peaks driven by technological advancements and increased patient demand for quicker orthodontic solutions. However, the production of high-impact papers was hindered by delays in citation accumulation and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keyword analysis identified critical themes, such as orthodontic tooth movement, malocclusion, and demographic factors, while a global collaboration map underscored extensive international research partnerships. Leading journals included the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, and prominent institutions such as the University of California at Los Angeles played significant roles in advancing the field. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of accelerated orthodontics, emphasizing the need for continued research, particularly RCTs, to further refine and validate accelerated orthodontic techniques and improve clinical outcomes.

Application of sports rehabilitation training in mobile edge computing to treatment of patients with knee arthritis

According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2019, the proportion of elderly people aged 65 and above in the total population reached 12.6%, and with the acceleration of the aging process, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis has increased significantly. According to the Chinese Journal of Orthopedics, the number of patients with knee osteoarthritis is growing at a rate of 6% every year, and there are more than 100 million patients with knee osteoarthritis in China, which significantly affects the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly people. This paper uses mobile edge computing technology and nanotubes to cooperate with reasonable sports to study the rehabilitation of patients with knee arthritis in the rehabilitation stage. The subjects of the study were 60 patients with knee arthritis, and the 60 patients were divided into 4 groups: group A used nanotubes and exercise rehabilitation training; group B used nanotubes but no exercise rehabilitation training; group C did not use nanotubes Tube, but sports rehabilitation training after the operation; D does not use nanotubes, and does not perform sports rehabilitation training after the operation. The 4 groups of patients performed routine exercises on the basis of rehabilitation exercise care. The study lasted for six months, with the 60 patients assessed monthly on their self-care ability, knee function and quality of life. Self-care ability was assessed by the Barthel Index (BI), knee function was assessed by the Knee Score Scale (KSS), and quality of life was assessed by the SF-36 Health questionnaire. The experimental results showed that all indexes of group A were higher than those of group B, KSS value was 2 higher than that of control group, ADL (activities of daily living) comprehensive value was 0.4 higher than that of control group, and SF-36 (The Short-From-36 Health Survey) value was 0.8 higher than that of control group. The self-care ability and health status of patients who performed balance exercises were significantly higher than those who did not perform balance exercises. The quality of life of patients who used nanotubes was significantly higher than that of those who did not. Therefore, the method of using nanotubes in combination with exercise rehabilitation training can restore the function of patients with knee arthritis and promote high quality of life.

The Lack of Reporting Social Determinants of Health in Pediatric Orthopaedic Randomized Controlled Trials.

Social determinants of health (SDOHs) affect health outcomes outside the hospital, and understanding them can enhance postoperative outcomes in orthopaedic surgery patients. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in pediatric orthopaedic journals reporting on the SDOHs of their patient cohorts. We hypothesize that many SDOHs will be underreported in RCTs investigating pediatric orthopaedic surgery. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, the authors queried the PubMed database to examine SDOHs from 2 pediatric orthopaedic journals: Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics: Part B. The inclusion criteria incorporated RCTs published between 2005 and April 2024. The exclusion criteria included any articles that were not RCTs published in this period. One hundred thirteen articles met the search criteria, with 31 excluded because they did not fall from 2005 to 2024. Eighty-two were published from 2005 to 2024, but 6 RCTs were excluded, as 3 were non-RCTs, and 3 examined cadavers. Seventy-six RCTs were included for analysis, with 65 articles from the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and 11 articles from the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics: Part B. Articles originated from 17 countries, with the United States producing 61.8% (47) of the included studies. Of all 76 included studies, 96.1% (73) reported age, 88.2% (67) reported sex/gender, 30.3% (23) reported BMI, 21.1% (16) reported race/ethnicity, 5.3% (4) reported educational level, 2.6% (2) reported stress, and 2.6% (2) reported insurance. Smoking status, socioeconomic status, income levels, and employment status were each reported by only 1 study. The RCTs examining pediatric orthopaedic surgery tend to scarcely report SDOHs. Future RCTs should expand beyond demographic characteristics such as age, race/ethnicity, sex/gender, and BMI and incorporate other relevant SDOHs. This will allow us to develop a more comprehensive understanding of health outcomes in the pediatric orthopaedic population. I; Therapeutic Studies.

Bibliometric Analysis of Predictors of Altmetric Attention Scores in Orthopedic Research: Investigating Online Visibility.

Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) captures online attention received by a research article in addition to traditional bibliometrics. We present a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of high AAS articles and identify predictors of AAS in orthopedics. The top 30 articles with highest AAS were selected from orthopedic journals using the Dimensions App. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression was used to address clustering in articles from the same journal, with journals as the leveling variable. A total of 750 articles from 25 journals were included. In the final multivariable model, the funding source (none, industry, government, foundation, university, or multiple), findings (positive, negative, neutral, or not applicable), and the journal's impact factor were significant at P<.05. Predictors of AAS are similar to predictors of traditional bibliometrics. Future studies need prospective dynamic data to further elucidate the AAS. [Orthopedics. 20XX;4X(X):XXX-XXX.].

A Review of Authorship Inflation and Multicenter Collaboration Trends in Orthopedic, Medical, and Surgical Journals Over the Last 60 Years.

Over the past six decades, authorship numbers in academic publications have increased significantly, a phenomenon known as authorship inflation. This study aims to analyze comparative authorship trends and the influence of multicenter collaborations across major orthopedic, medical, and surgical journals. We reviewed metadata from The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Annals of Surgery (AS), and The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) from January 1, 1960, to December 31, 2019. The number of authors per publication, the prevalence of multicenter studies, and their correlation were analyzed. Data was visualized using heat maps and box plots, and trends were statistically tested using the Jonckheere-Terpstra, Mann-Kendall, and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). A total of 73,062 articles were analyzed, with 1,190 articles identified as originating from multicenter studies. The number of multicenter trials was found to have increased significantly over time (p < 0.001), plateauing in NEJM but continuing to rise in JBJS and AS. There was a significant increase in authorship numbers per publication over time, across all journals (p < 0.0001). There was a significant statistical correlation (p < 0.0001) as indicated by the coefficient of determination (r2), for the association between the proportion of publications with >10 authors and the proportion of multicenter publicationsacross all three journals. Authorship inflation in academic publishing may be attributable to the rise in multicenter collaborations. The rate of increase in authorship was more pronounced in medical and surgical journals compared to orthopedic journals, reflecting differing trends across specialties. These findings highlight the evolving nature of research collaboration and authorship practices in academic publishing.

The Role of Journals in Reporting Sex and Gender-Based Outcomes: Should We Adopt Guidelines, and What Else Can We Do to Improve Reporting?

➤ Sex and gender are inconsistently reported in musculoskeletal research. A panel of journal editors and other interested parties who participated in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Sex and Gender Reporting in Musculoskeletal Research Symposium met in 2023 to help define the roles of journals and other stakeholders in addressing this issue.➤ This report summarizes the resulting recommendations and presents several different ways in which orthopaedic journals may elect to introduce to their readers, reviewers, and authors the importance of considering sex and gender in orthopaedic research.➤ Many current sex and gender-related funding agency mandates as well as the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines are most readily applied to prospective research and/or randomized controlled trials.➤ The panel was supportive of endorsing SAGER or a similar set of guidelines as a tool that can help authors to consider the most effective means of evaluating the influences of sex and gender within the context of orthopaedic research.➤ Engaging readers, reviewers, and authors on multiple fronts, with purpose and intention, is likely the most important approach to increase awareness and to enhance the quality of evidence utilized to support clinical decisions in orthopaedic surgery.

Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of bone matrix purification protocols

Background: This article describes the protocol for the purification of xenogenic bone matrix tested by a team of authors in the article «Determining the effectiveness of a xenogeneic bone matrix decellularization protocol in in vitro and in vivo studies» (the test results were described in the journal N.N. Priorov Journal of Traumatology and Orthopedics. 2023;30(4):431–443, doi: https://doi.org/10.17816/vto622849). AIM: To conduct a comparative analysis of methods of physical and chemical purification of xenogeneic spongy bone tissue by tomographic and morphological studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Xenogenic bovine femoral spongiosa tissue was fragmented to the size of 10×10×10 mm and treated with water, hypertonic, hypotonic, hypotonic solutions, and 3% or 6% hydrogen peroxide solution in various combinations. Deep secondary purification with organic solvents or supercritical fluid extraction was then applied, followed by 1H NMR to determine traces of reagents. The efficiency of the optimal protocol was determined by histologic and tomographic studies with calculation of the purification factor by densitometric indices. RESULTS: In accordance with the purification coefficient calculated by densitometric indicators, the intertrabecular space of bone tissue after exposure to flowing water and hypo- and hypertonic solutions followed by cleaning with a 3% H2O2 solution is not sufficiently purified; histological analysis showed the presence of 0 to 60% osteocytes for different cleaning protocols. When replaced with a 6% H2O2 solution, the purification coefficient was higher, but bone destruction was observed. Additional deep purification allows a high purification rate while preserving the structure, but when organic solvents are used, their traces are detected in the matrix; therefore, the use of supercritical fluid extraction is more effective. CONCLUSION: The sequential use of flowing water, 0.5% NaCl solution, 3% H2O2 solution followed by sc-CO2 treatment is an effective protocol for the purification of xenogeneic spongy bone tissue.

Mapping the evolving trend of research on Class III malocclusion: a bibliometric analysis.

This study aimed to provide visualized knowledge maps to show the evolving trends and key focal points of Class III malocclusion research through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Class III malocclusion research published between 2000 and 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer was utilized to count the citation and publication number of authors, institutions, countries and journals. Co-occurrence, co-citation, and cluster analyses and burst detection were conducted using CiteSpace. A total of 3,682 publications on Class III malocclusion were included in the bibliometric analysis. During 2000-2023, both the annual publication count and citation frequency exhibited a gradual upward trajectory, with a noticeable surge in recent years. In terms of production and citation counts of Class III malocclusion research, the core journal is the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Furthermore, apart from the primary keyword 'Class III malocclusion', 'orthognathic surgery' was identified as keyword with the most frequency. The cluster analysis of cited references reveals that the research focal points have shifted to 'skeletal anchorage' and 'surgery-first approach'. Furthermore, the burst detection identified 'quality of life' as a potential research hotspot since it has recently gained increasing scholarly attention. The current study provides scholars with the knowledge maps of evolving trends and prominent topics of Class III malocclusion research and a summary of research progress on various priorities during different periods. These findings are expected to provide a valuable guidance to facilitate the future research on Class III malocclusion.

Bibliometric Analysis of Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal using Scopus Database.

The Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal (MOJ) (ISSN 1985-2533 / 2232-111X) is the official publication of the Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA) and the ASEAN Orthopaedic Association (AOA). In May 2007, MOA published the first standalone issue of MOJ with the aim of disseminating new knowledge and providing updates in orthopaedics, trauma and musculoskeletal research. Since then, MOJ has grown significantly, achieving indexing in numerous databases and attaining a 2nd Quartile (Q2) rank in the Scopus database in 2022. This bibliometric analysis aims to explore the trends and distribution of articles published in MOJ. Bibliometric data for MOJ was extracted from the SCOPUS database, covering the years from its indexing to 2022. Information such as authors, country, document type, author's keywords, citations, and other parameters were extracted using the bibliometrix package in the R Studio software. The data were then presented in tables and illustrative graphs using the same software. A total of 305 articles were retrieved from the Scopus database during the study period. Two-thirds of the articles were original articles and review articles. The highest number of citations received by an article is 56, and top ten articles in MOJ were authored by researchers from seven different countries, highlighting the journal's diversity. Despite receiving submissions from various countries, there is minimal collaboration between authors of different countries. Keywords such as "covid-19" and "pandemic" dominate the authors' keyword section due to the once-in-a-life-time COVID-19 which during the study period, resulting in numerous publications related to this issue. This bibliometric analysis reviews all the articles indexed in the Scopus database and provides insight into the contributors' information and the trends in orthopaedic research. By identifying the lack of collaboration between countries, it is hoped that this analysis can inspire more orthopaedic surgeons and researchers to collaborate and produce high-quality publications.