Peer Review Research Articles

Knowledge, attitudes and practice questionnaires in dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever settings: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionArboviruses are a broad classification of viral pathogens that require vectors such as mosquitoes for infection transmission. The burden of arboviral diseases worldwide is substantial, affecting millions of people annually,...

Use of ChatGPT to Explore Gender and Geographic Disparities in Scientific Peer Review.

In the realm of scientific research, peer review serves as a cornerstone for ensuring the quality and integrity of scholarly papers. Recent trends in promoting transparency and accountability has led some journals to publish peer-review reports alongside papers. ChatGPT-4 (OpenAI) was used to quantitatively assess sentiment and politeness in peer-review reports from high-impact medical journals. The objective was to explore gender and geographical disparities to enhance inclusivity within the peer-review process. All 9 general medical journals with an impact factor >2 that publish peer-review reports were identified. A total of 12 research papers per journal were randomly selected, all published in 2023. The names of the first and last authors along with the first author's country of affiliation were collected, and the gender of both the first and last authors was determined. For each review, ChatGPT-4 was asked to evaluate the "sentiment score," ranging from -100 (negative) to 0 (neutral) to +100 (positive), and the "politeness score," ranging from -100 (rude) to 0 (neutral) to +100 (polite). The measurements were repeated 5 times and the minimum and maximum values were removed. The mean sentiment and politeness scores for each review were computed and then summarized using the median and interquartile range. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, Kruskal-Wallis rank tests, and negative binomial regressions. Analysis of 291 peer-review reports corresponding to 108 papers unveiled notable regional disparities. Papers from the Middle East, Latin America, or Africa exhibited lower sentiment and politeness scores compared to those from North America, Europe, or Pacific and Asia (sentiment scores: 27 vs 60 and 62 respectively; politeness scores: 43.5 vs 67 and 65 respectively, adjusted P=.02). No significant differences based on authors' gender were observed (all P>.05). Notable regional disparities were found, with papers from the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa demonstrating significantly lower scores, while no discernible differences were observed based on authors' gender. The absence of gender-based differences suggests that gender biases may not manifest as prominently as other forms of bias within the context of peer review. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to address regional disparities in peer review and advocates for ongoing efforts to promote equity and inclusivity in scholarly communication.

RETRACTION: An Efficient Deep Learning‐based Video Captioning Framework Using Multi‐modal Features

RETRACTION: S. Varma, D. P. James, “,” Expert Systems (Early View): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12920. The above article, published online on 13 December 2021 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. The retraction has been agreed on as the peer review and publishing process was found to be manipulated. Furthermore, the origin of the corresponding videos and datasets described remains uncertain. Accordingly, the research cannot be considered reproducible. The authors disagree with the retraction.

Microstructure and tribological performances of laser cladded FeCoCrMoSi amorphous coating under different normal loads

Purpose The aim was to investigate the effect of normal load on the tribological performance of laser cladded FeCoCrMoSi amorphous coating, which might choose the appropriate normal load for the friction reduction and wear resistance. Design/methodology/approach A FeCoCrMoSi amorphous coating was prepared on 45 steel using laser cladding, and the tribological performance of obtained coating under the different normal loads was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer. Findings The FeCoCrMoSi amorphous coating is composed of M23C6, Co6Mo6C2 and amorphous phases, where the M23C6 hard phase enhances the coating hardness to increase the wear resistance and the Co6Mo6C2 with the vein shape forms the strong mechanical interlock to play the role of friction reduction. The average coefficients of friction of containing amorphous FeCoCrMoSi coating under the normal loads of 3, 4 and 5 N are 0.68, 0.65 and 0.53, respectively, and the corresponding wear rates are 17.7, 23.9 and 21.9 µm3•N−1•mm−1, respectively, showing that the appropriate normal load is beneficial for improving its friction reduction and wear resistance. The wear mechanism is composed of adhesive wear, abrasive wear and oxidative wear, which is attributed to the high hardness of amorphous coating by the amorphous phase. Originality/value The FeCoCrMoSi amorphous coating was first applied for the improvement of 45 steel, and the effect of normal load on its tribological performance was investigated. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2024-0304/

RETRACTION: Using Electroencephalogram Classification in a Convolutional Neural Network, Infer Privacy on Healthcare Internet of Things 5.0

RETRACTION: U. S. B. K. Mahalaxmi, K. B. Sahay, R. Sabitha, S. L. A. Haleem, P. Kaur, P. Vijayakumar, “,” Expert Systems 40, no. (2023): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12942. The above article, published online on 03 March 2022 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. Following publication, it has come to our attention that the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards and solely accepted on the basis of a compromised peer review process. Furthermore, relevant information about the research concept, the authentication method, and the source or nature of the patients´ data are missing. As a result, the conclusions presented are considered invalid.

Patients' Experiences of Healthcare Professionals' Competence in Digital Counselling in Healthcare Settings-A Qualitative Systematic Review.

To critically appraise and synthesise qualitative evidence about patients' experiences of healthcare professionals' competence in digital counselling in healthcare settings. A qualitative systematic review. The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. The review included studies that focused on patient experiences of healthcare professionals' competence in digital counselling and were published in English, Finnish or Swedish, with no time limits. Study selection, quality appraisal and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. Findings from the studies included were pooled using the meta-aggregation method. Eight databases (Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycArticles, Medic, Medline (Ovid), EBSCO Open Dissertations and MedNar) were systematically searched on 25 September 2023. Sixteen studies (published between 2009 and 2023) were included in the review, from which 42 findings were extracted and organised into eight categories based on their meaning. Three synthesised findings were identified: (1) Competence to provide efficient digital counselling, (2) competence to support patient self-management during digital counselling and (3) competence in establishing a reciprocal relationship in digital counselling. The evidence from the review can be used to support healthcare professionals' competence in digital counselling. It was found that competence in digital counselling includes the competence to provide digital counselling that is efficient and enables counselling to be implemented in health care, supports patients to self-manage and establishes a reciprocal counselling relationship in a digital environment. Recognising healthcare professionals' competence in digital counselling can enhance their motivation and professional growth, potentially improving the quality of services and patient outcomes. These findings can inform the development of healthcare education, fostering the training of more competent healthcare professionals and digital counsellors. The review was undertaken and reported using the PRISMA guidelines. PROSPERO CRD42024499509. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Sustainability of Interprofessional Education: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is an approach that can improve health care quality, contribute to the qualification of health care professionals, and train undergraduate students. Although this strategy has made significant progress in the last decade, integration, sustainability, and institutional growth are still priorities worldwide. Thus, maintaining strategies is essential for their full development and evolution. This study aimed to identify discussions about the sustainability of IPE and map its actions or strategies (or both). The scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. This scoping review protocol follows the JBI Reviewers' Manual, with 6 stages: identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; study selection; data extraction and coding; analysis and interpretation of results; and consultation with stakeholders. Two independent and blind reviewers will evaluate and select studies available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish based on the eligibility criteria. Searches will be conducted on LILACS, Embase, Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, ERIC, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google Scholar databases; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, and Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. The main research question is as follows: What have been the sustainability strategies for IPE actions? This scoping review will incorporate studies (empirical or theoretical-reflective) that address strategies or actions (or both) for IPE sustainability. They must present a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approach and be available in full text. Data on strategies or actions for IPE sustainability will be extracted and inserted into a spreadsheet for analysis. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative analysis will identify meanings and patterns through thematic analysis. Thus, the aim is to present the compiled findings in tables and charts. The database search was conducted on March 22, 2024. In April and May 2024, duplicate studies were excluded. From July to November 2024, study selection will be carried out. In December 2024, data extraction and tabulation will take place, as well as consultation with stakeholders. The aim is to publish the results in scientific journals in January 2025. This protocol will guide this scoping review to identify discussions on the sustainability of IPE and map its actions or strategies (or both); summarize the definitions and institutions that develop or promote IPE; and present the main recommendations for the area under study. Additionally, possible research gaps can be identified to guide future studies. This review will shed light on existing knowledge gaps and the current state of research, which could provide support for future research, programs, and policy responses to foster collaboration and interprofessional practice and, consequently, improve the quality of user care. This information will be useful in supporting decision-making by government officials, managers, teachers, facilitators, and students in the implementation, maintenance, and development of IPE. Open Science Framework 5VNJS; https://osf.io/5vnjs/. DERR1-10.2196/60763.

RETRACTION: DAE‐GAN: An Autoencoder Based Adversarial Network for Gaussian Denoising

RETRACTION: A. Samanta, A. Saha, S. C. Satapathy, H. Lin, “,” Expert Systems (Early View): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12709. The above article, published online on 06 May 2021 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. The retraction has been agreed on as the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards. Furthermore, the methodology and model in this manuscript are insufficiently described. Accordingly, the results are not considered reliable. The authors disagree with the retraction.

RETRACTION: Data‐driven Decision‐making Model Based on Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education System of Colleges and Universities

RETRACTION: Y. Teng, J. Zhang, T. Sun, “,” Expert Systems 40, no. (2023): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12820. The above article, published online on 31 January 2022 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. The retraction has been agreed on as the predictive models and algorithms in this manuscript are insufficiently described, and the dataset used is not detailed. Furthermore, the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards.

RETRACTION: Diagnosis of Depression Level Using Multimodal Approaches Using Deep Learning Techniques with Multiple Selective Features

RETRACTION: P. Meshram, R. K. Rambola, “,” Expert Systems 40, no. (2023): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12933. The above article, published online on 13 January 2022 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. Following publication, it has come to our attention that the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards. Moreover, multiple inconsistencies and flaws were identified in this article that affect the validity of the conclusions. The underlying dataset and its processing are described insufficiently and explanation of information in several figures and tables is not appropriately provided.

We should do better in accounting for multiple births in neonatal randomised trials: a methodological systematic review

ObjectiveTo conduct a methodological systematic review of multicentre trials of premature infants to (1) determine if and how multiple births have been considered in the design, analysis and reporting of...

Enhancing the visibility and impact of Cambodian scientific journals through Open Journal System (OJS): An editorial review

The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MoEYS) in Cambodia is currently working on an initiative to enhance the visibility and impact of Cambodian scientific journals by implementing Open Journal Systems (OJS) in the country's higher education institutions (HEIs). During a workshop at Svay Rieng University, MoEYS emphasized its objectives to modernize the administration and publication of scholarly work, thereby facilitating more efficient peer review and open access. The objective of increasing the number of Cambodian journals indexed in international databases, including Scopus, the ASEAN Citation Index (ACI), and Web of Science among others, is a critical component of vision. This will enhance the academic credibility and global visibility of Cambodian research. At present, Cambodia maintains 52 scientific journals in various disciplines, including agriculture, education, health, and technology. While some journals, such as the Cambodia Journal of Public Health and the Cambodia Education Review, continue to operate, others have discontinued publication or encountered difficulties in maintaining consistency. The Ministry's initiative will be instrumental in the revitalization of the academic publishing infrastructure in the country and will offer essential support to journals that are currently grappling with sustainability challenges. Additionally, Cambodian journals can make a substantial contribution to regional and global academic discourse, encourage research collaborations, and attract higher-quality submissions by indexing in international databases. This action is consistent with Cambodia's overarching objective of internationalizing higher education and cultivating a more robust research culture, thereby guaranteeing the extensive recognition and global standards of local research. The strategic endeavor to enhance the quality of research output, establish Cambodia's scholarly community as a critical contributor to addressing national and global challenges, and cultivate academic partnerships is exemplified by the strategic use of OJS and the aspiration to index in prestigious databases.

RETRACTION: Segmentation and Classification of Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Using Quantum Neural Network

RETRACTION: J. Amin, M. A. Anjum, S. Krivic, M. I. Sharif, “,” Expert Systems (Early View): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.13225. The above article, published online on 23 December 2022 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. Following publication, it has come to our attention that the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards. Furthermore, the use of quantum computing in this manuscript is insufficiently described, and the experimental methods and its supporting information lack sufficient detail to reproduce the findings. The authors disagree with the retraction.

RETRACTION: Model Innovation of Students' Mental Health Education from the Perspective of Big Data

RETRACTION: B. Yang, “,” Expert Systems 40, no. (2023): , https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12948. The above article, published online on 11 February 2022 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, David Camacho; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The article was submitted as part of a guest‐edited special issue. Following publication, it has come to our attention that the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards. Moreover, multiple inconsistencies and flaws were identified in this article that affect the validity of the conclusions. Relevant information is missing so that the research described is not comprehensible.

Efficacy and safety of mosunetuzumab monotherapy for Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma: FLMOON-1.

In a global phase I/II study (GO29781; NCT02500407), single-agent mosunetuzumab had a manageable safety profile and induced durable complete responses in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including in patients with R/R follicular lymphoma (FL). In this analysis, the efficacy and safety of mosunetuzumab monotherapy were evaluated in an expansion cohort, FLMOON-1, in Japanese patients with R/R FL who had received ≥ 2 prior lines of therapy in a phase I study (JO40295, jRCT2080223801). Mosunetuzumab was administered intravenously at the recommended phase II dose (with cycle 1 step-up dosing) for eight cycles or up to 17 cycles, or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The pre-specified primary endpoint was Independent Review Facility (IRF)-assessed complete response rate (CRR; as best overall response). Secondary objectives included investigator (INV)-assessed CRR, INV- and IRF-assessed objective response rate (ORR), and safety. At the data cutoff (October 13, 2023), 19 patients (median age 72years) were evaluated. The IRF-assessed CRR and ORR were 68.4% and 78.9%, respectively; the INV-assessed CRR and ORR were 63.2% and 84.2%, respectively. Grade 3-4 adverse events (AEs) were observed in 89.5% of patients, with a low incidence of AEs leading to mosunetuzumab discontinuation (10.5%) and one fatal AE unrelated to mosunetuzumab. Cytokine release syndrome occurred in 47.4% of patients and were mostly Grade 1 in severity. These findings indicate mosunetuzumab has a consistent efficacy and manageable safety profile in Japanese patients with R/R FL compared with previously reported data from the global phase I/II study.

Daratumumab or Active Monitoring for High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma.

Daratumumab, an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, has been approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Data are needed regarding the use of daratumumab for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma, a precursor disease of active multiple myeloma for which no treatments have been approved. In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma to receive either subcutaneous daratumumab monotherapy or active monitoring. Treatment was continued for 39 cycles, for 36 months, or until confirmation of disease progression, whichever occurred first. The primary end point was progression-free survival; progression to active multiple myeloma was assessed by an independent review committee in accordance with International Myeloma Working Group diagnostic criteria. Among the 390 enrolled patients, 194 were assigned to the daratumumab group and 196 to the active-monitoring group. With a median follow-up of 65.2 months, the risk of disease progression or death was 51% lower with daratumumab than with active monitoring (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.67; P<0.001). Progression-free survival at 5 years was 63.1% with daratumumab and 40.8% with active monitoring. A total of 15 patients (7.7%) in the daratumumab group and 26 patients (13.3%) in the active-monitoring group died (hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.98). Overall survival at 5 years was 93.0% with daratumumab and 86.9% with active monitoring. The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse event was hypertension, which occurred in 5.7% and 4.6% of the patients in the daratumumab group and the active-monitoring group, respectively. Adverse events led to treatment discontinuation in 5.7% of the patients in the daratumumab group, and no new safety concerns were identified. Among patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma, subcutaneous daratumumab monotherapy was associated with a significantly lower risk of progression to active multiple myeloma or death and with higher overall survival than active monitoring. No unexpected safety concerns were identified. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; AQUILA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03301220.).

The therapeutic potential of exercise in post-traumatic stress disorder and its underlying mechanisms: A living systematic review of human and non-human studies

Background Exercise for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a potentially effective adjunct to psychotherapy. However, the biopsychosocial mechanisms of exercise are not well understood. This co-produced living systematic review synthesizes evidence from human and non-human studies. Methods We Included controlled human and non-human studies involving searches of multiple electronic databases (until 31.10.23). Records were screened, extracted, assessed for risk of bias, and reconciled by two independent reviewers. The primary outcome for human studies was PTSD symptom severity, while outcomes of interest for non-human studies included freezing behaviour, fear memory, fear generalization, startle response, and locomotion. Data were synthesised with random-effects meta-analysis. Results Eleven human studies met the eligibility criteria. Overall, exercise was not associated with symptom severity improvement compared to control (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.24 to 0.07; 8 studies, one at low risk of bias). High-intensity exercise reduced PTSD symptoms scores more than moderate-intensity exercise. There was insufficient data to examine the effects of exercise on functional impairment, PTSD symptom clusters, and PTSD remission. Only three studies, all at high risk of bias, examined mechanisms of exercise with inconclusive results. Exercise was associated with improvement in all behavioural outcomes, including locomotor activity (SMD 1.30, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.87, 14 studies), and changes in several neurobiological markers, including increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (SMD 1.79, 95% CI 0.56 to 3.01). Conclusions While non-human studies provide compelling evidence for the beneficial effects of exercise, human trials do not. Evidence from non-human studies suggest that exercise might increase the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, enhance cognitive appraisal, and improve perceived exertion. Overall, the paucity of data on the effectiveness of exercise in PTSD and mechanisms of action underscore the need for rigorous trials. Registration The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID:453615; 22.08.2023).

Lubricity performance of Jatropha oil incorporated PTFE and h-BN as additives for electric vehicles transmission lubrication

Purpose Concerns over the pollution caused by internal combustion vehicles have increased owing to population and industrialization increment. Addressing the confrontations, the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) as a combustion engine substitute became necessary in responding to environmental worries from internal combustion. The development of bio lubricant in lubricating the sliding parts of EVs is required to maintain the sustainability idea and to improve the system performance, which this research tends to explore. Design/methodology/approach In this research, the enhancement of base Jatropha oil was done using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and hexagonal boron nitrate (h-BN) as additives. Different characterization was conducted on the new formulation to ascertain its anticorrosion tendency. The wear and friction behavior of the formulations on the tribo-pairs surfaces in contact were investigated using ball on flat tribometer to determine their tribological responsiveness as mineral lubricant alternative. To explore the surface topography, surface profilometer, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray investigations were PTFE, lubrication and EV carried out. Findings The test’s input parameters were EVs’ usual load and sliding speed, and the addition concentrations for PTFE were 0.3 Wt.%, 0.4 Wt.%, 0.5 Wt.% and 0.6 Wt.%, whereas h-BN were 0.4 Wt.%, 0.8 Wt.% and 1.2 Wt.%, respectively. The study on corrosion demonstrated resistance when applied PTFE and h-BN additives in Jatropha oil. The analysis revealed that 0.5 Wt.% PTFE + 0.8 Wt.% h-BN concentrations significantly improved the tribological characteristics when compared to the base Jatropha oil. The application of formulations yielded percentage reduction of 8.67%, 10.98%, 7.34% and 7.35%, respectively, for 0.5% poly + 0.5% h-BN, 0.5% poly + 0.6% h-BN, 0.5% poly + 0.7% h-BN, 0.5% poly + 0.8% h-BN against base Jatropha oil under 20 N. Originality/value The formulation of PTFE and h-BN for electric transmission with wear and friction effects was accomplished in this paper. The mechanism of particle diffusing at the sliding contact on tribological behavior could be examined based on the created model of operation. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-07-2023-0235/

Factors contributing to persistent shoulder pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: Protocol for a scoping review

Introduction Rotator cuff (RC) tears are the most common and disabling musculoskeletal ailments among patients with shoulder pain. Although most individuals show improvement in function and pain following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), a subgroup of patients continue to suffer from persistent shoulder pain following the surgical procedure. Identifying these factors is important in planning preoperative management to improve patient outcomes. Objective This scoping review aims to identify biological factors, psychological factors, and social determinants of health contributing to the development of persistent pain in individuals after the ARCR procedure. Inclusion criteria All prospective and retrospective longitudinal studies reporting the risk factors contributing to persistent pain three months or longer after the ARCR surgery will be considered for this scoping review. Methods Our review will adhere to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology. Four electronic databases PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus will be searched for studies in the English language. Additional studies can be found by conducting a citation analysis of the included studies. Title and abstract screening will be performed by two independent reviewers following the inclusion criteria, a third reviewer will be consulted about any differences. Next, full-text screening will be conducted, and the remaining search results will be reviewed to extract data, as well as to synthesize findings from all research. An overview of findings will be depicted in tabular format accompanied by a narrative summary of various factors contributing to persistent pain.

The relationship between natural resource rents and gender discrimination laws: evidence from panel data analysis

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of hydrocarbon rents on gender discrimination laws and the extent to which democratic institutions and women’s political participation condition this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses static and dynamic panel estimation including pooled-ordinary least squares, fixed and random effects and system generalized method of moments.FindingsThe results show that countries with higher hydrocarbon rents have higher levels of gender discrimination laws. Furthermore, there is a significant link between hydrocarbon rents and gender discrimination laws regardless of the quality of democratic institutions or strength of women’s political empowerment.Research limitations/implicationsThe index of gender discrimination laws is limited to laws that impact a woman’s access to employment and entrepreneurial activity once a woman enters the labor force and does not take into account implementation of the laws.Practical implicationsPolicymakers should promote output and export diversification and adopt gender-inclusive policies to counter the adverse consequences of gender discrimination laws associated with hydrocarbon resource wealth.Originality/valueWomen’s empowerment is a major issue on the global development agenda, featuring most notably in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving women equality and empowerment of women and girls. There is scant evidence about how hydrocarbon rents impact gender discrimination laws, a pervasive obstacle to women’s economic and political empowerment. This paper fills this gap in the literature paper by examining the effect of hydrocarbon rents on gender discrimination laws.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2024-0174