Peer Review Process Research Articles

Retraction: Effects of an enhanced recovery after surgery nursing programme on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

Lu H, Yu J, Hong H. Effects of an enhanced recovery after surgery nursing programme on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis. Int Wound J. 2023; 21(3): e14485, doi: 10.1111/iwj.14485 The above article, published online on 16 November 2023, in Wiley Online Library (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor in Chief, Professor Keith Harding; and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. It came to the publisher's attention from a third party that a number of articles shared concerning similarities in format and structure. Following an investigation by the publisher, the retraction of this article has been agreed on because the peer review and publishing process for this article were found to have been manipulated. The authors did not respond to our notice of retraction.

Unfolding the complexity of epigenetics in male reproductive aging: a review of therapeutic implications.

Epigenetics studies gene expression changes influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors, linked to health conditions like reproductive aging. Male reproductive aging causes sperm decline, conceiving difficulties, and increased genetic abnormalities. Recent research focuses on epigenetics' role in male reproductive aging. This review explores epigenetics and male reproductive aging, focusing on sperm quality, environmental and lifestyle factors' impact, and potential health implications for offspring. An extensive search of the literature was performed applying multiple databases, such as PubMed and Google Scholar. The search phrases employed were: epigenetics, male reproductive ageing, sperm quality, sperm quantity, environmental influences, lifestyle factors, and offspring health. This review only included articles that were published in English and had undergone a peer-review process. The literature evaluation uncovered that epigenetic alterations have a substantial influence on the process of male reproductive ageing. Research has demonstrated that variations in the quality and quantity of sperm that occur with ageing are linked to adjustments in DNA methylation and histone. Moreover, there is evidence linking epigenetic alterations in sperm to environmental and lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol intake, and exposure to contaminants. These alterations can have enduring impacts on the well-being of descendants, since they can shape the activation of genes and potentially elevate the likelihood of genetic disorders. In conclusion, epigenetics significantly influences male reproductive aging, with sperm quality and quantity influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors. This underscores the need for comprehensive approaches to managing male reproductive health, and underscores the importance of considering epigenetics in diagnosis and treatment.

Engagement of early career researchers in collaborative assessments of IPCC reports: achievements and insights

The participation of a diverse –in terms of geography, discipline and gender– group of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in the peer review process can help alleviate the workload of senior researchers and counteract the perceptual biases that the latter tend to show. Moreover, ECRs can benefit from developing skills that are often not included in educational programs. From 2018 to 2021, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists, in collaboration with other associations, organized six group reviews of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports by a total of more than 600 ECRs from over 70 different countries. This study aims to evaluate this group review in terms of its contribution to the production of scientific knowledge, and as a career development opportunity for ECRs. The data analyzed consists of application forms, review comments, and feedback surveys that were collected during each review process. The results of this study show that, overall, the group reviews were a success in terms of the experience of ECRs and their contribution to the peer review of the IPCC reports. Most survey respondents considered the general organization of the group reviews satisfactory and expressed interest in participating in future group reviews. However, most participants did not engage in discussions with their peers, which constitutes a missed opportunity to engage in active learning and the shared production of knowledge. ECRs made a significant contribution to the review of the IPCC reports by producing an average of 2,422 ± 532 comments per group review, 36% of which were substantive. PhD students were shown to be as proficient reviewers as postdoctoral researchers and faculty reviewers. More importantly, the diversity of reviewers in terms of geography and discipline, together with the fact that they are ECRs, can help produce more balanced scientific reports since they bring new perspectives, thus counteracting the biases that senior researchers have. These group reviews could be improved by providing more comprehensive training and facilitating communication among reviewers so that they can engage in meaningful exchanges. We conclude that the IPCC should formalize the inclusion of ECRs in future reviews of the IPCC reports.

Editorial: Investing in the future: Writing and peer-reviewing for TAPPI Journal, TAPPI Journal July 2024

Those who actively participate in TAPPI realize how much there is to gain from the networking, educational resources, career development, and other opportunities that come with this involvement. One important opportunity is the ability to share your work and expertise with others in your field, and an excellent way to do this is by taking part in the TAPPI Journal peer-review process, either as an author or a reviewer or both.

RETRACTION:Immunomodulatory effects of nanocurcumin on Th17 cell responses in mild and severe COVID-19 patients.

S. Tahmasebi, M. A. El-Esawi, Z. H. Mahmoud, A. Timoshin, H. Valizadeh, L. Roshangar, M. Varshoch, A. Vaez, S. Aslani, J. G. Navashenaq, L. Aghebati-Maleki, M. Ahmadi, "Immunomodulatory Effects of Nanocurcumin on Th17 Cell Responses in Mild and Severe COVID-19 Patients," Journal of Cellular Physiology 236, no. 7 (2021): 5325-5338, https://doi.org/10.1002/jcp.30233. The above article, published online on 28 December 2020 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor-in-Chief, Alexander Hutchison; and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The decision to retract this article follows concerns raised by third parties over the legitimacy of authorship positions. Some listed authors, lacking prior collaboration history with the submitting author group, were added at later stages of the revision process. Subsequent investigation by the publisher has revealed that the article has been published solely on the basis of a compromised peer review process. The retraction is warranted due to the compromised integrity of the article's peer review and the concerns over authorship positions. The corresponding author M. Ahmadi, the first author S. Tahmasebi, and co-authors H. Valizadeh, L. Roshangar and L. Aghebati-Maleki disagree with the decision of retraction. Final confirmation could not be obtained by the remaining co-authors.

Paying reviewers and regulating the number of papers may help fix the peer-review process

The exponential increase in the number of submissions, further accelerated by generative AI, and the decline in the availability of experts are burdening the peer review process. This has led to high unethical desk rejection rates, a growing appeal for the publication of unreviewed preprints, and a worrying proliferation of predatory journals. The idea of monetarily compensating peer reviewers has been around for many years; maybe, it is time to take it seriously as one way to save the peer review process. Here, I argue that paying reviewers, when done in a fair and transparent way, is a viable solution. Like the case of professional language editors, part-time or full-time professional reviewers, managed by universities or for-profit companies, can be an integral part of modern peer review. Being a professional reviewer could be financially attractive to retired senior researchers and to researchers who enjoy evaluating papers but are not motivated to do so for free. Moreover, not all produced research needs to go through peer review, and thus persuading researchers to limit submissions to their most novel and useful research could also help bring submission volumes to manageable levels. Overall, this paper reckons that the problem is not the peer review process per se but rather its function within an academic ecosystem dominated by an unhealthy culture of ‘publish or perish’. Instead of reforming the peer review process, academia has to look for better science dissemination schemes that promote collaboration over competition, engagement over judgement, and research quality and sustainability over quantity.

Preface: 6th International Symposium on Social Science and Management Innovation (SSMI 2024)

6th International Symposium on Social Science and Management Innovation (SSMI 2024) was held in Macao, China during June 8-9, 2024. This conference was sponsored by Research Center of Engineering and Science, and was attended by academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, government agencies and policy-makers, postgraduates from China and all over the world. The aim of the conference is to provide an interactive platform for the academicians, R & D organizations, industries, innovators, entrepreneurs, government agencies and policy-makers etc., from both China and abroad to exchange ideas on recent researches and advances in the domain of Social Science and Management Innovation with its prospective application in the various interdisciplinary domains of engineering. This two-day conference is being organized in technical association with Research Center of Engineering and Science and will include invited keynote talks and oral paper presentations from both academia and industry to ignite our young minds, to initiate them in the field of meaningful research and thereby enrich their existing knowledge. SSMI 2024 has received 97 manuscripts. And more than 20 submissions have been accepted by our reviewers and the Press. By submitting a paper to SSMI 2024, the authors agreed to the review process and understand that papers undergo a peer-review process. Manuscripts would be reviewed by appropriately qualified experts in the field selected by the Conference Committee, who would give detailed comments and-if the submission gets accepted-the authors submitted a revised version that considers this feedback. All papers were reviewed using a double-blind review process: authors declare their names and affiliations in the manuscript for the reviewers to see, but reviewers did not know each other's identities, nor did the authors receive information about who has reviewed their manuscript. The Committees invested great efforts in reviewing the papers submitted to the conference and organizing the sessions to enable the participants to gain maximum benefit. With our warmest regards, SSMI 2024 Conference Committees

Are you aware of your citations? A cross-sectional survey on improper citations of retracted articles in assisted reproduction

Are authors aware when they have cited a retracted paper in their manuscripts in the medically assisted reproduction (MAR) field? A cross-sectional study based on an online survey was conducted to acquire information on the citation pattern from corresponding authors who had cited a retracted article. A dataset of retracted articles in the MAR field was collected from PubMed and Retraction Watch. A complete list of published articles that cited each retracted article was retrieved. The survey was distributed via e-mail to corresponding authors who had cited a retracted paper in their study. The survey revealed a significant lack of awareness among authors, with 78.7% unaware that they had cited retracted articles. This lack of awareness was attributed to insufficient notification mechanisms within research databases and journals, alongside a reliance on previously stored copies of manuscripts. A notable finding was that reference checks were typically performed by a single author, with no instances of retraction concerns raised during the peer-review process. Only a small fraction (17.8%) of respondents reported verifying retraction notices on both journal websites and scientific databases. Correcting publications that contain references which are subsequently retracted is significant for systematic reviews, meta-analyses and guidelines. Citations of retracted articles perpetuate erroneous scientific data, but assessing the accuracy of citations requires considerable effort. Proper notification of retraction status and cross-checking of citations can help to prevent errors.

RETRACTION: Bending, buckling and vibration analyses of FG porous nanobeams resting on Pasternak foundation incorporating surface effects

AbstractRETRACTION: S. Enayat, M. Hashemian, D. Toghraie, E. Jaberzadeh, “Bending, buckling and vibration analyses of FG porous nanobeams resting on Pasternak foundation incorporating surface effects,” Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (Early View): https://doi.org/10.1002/zamm.202000231.The above article, published online on 27 September 2020 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, Holm Altenbach, and Wiley‐VCH GmbH. The retraction has been agreed as there is unambiguous evidence that this article was accepted on the basis of a compromised peer review process. Therefore, the review of this article is deemed to be insufficient. The authors disagree with the retraction.

RETRACTION: Numerical investigation of nanofluid flow and heat transfer in a pillow plate heat exchanger using a two‐phase model: Effects of the shape of the welding points used in the pillow plate

AbstractRETRACTION: Y. A. Al‐Turki, A. Yarmohammadi, A. Alizadeh, D. Toghraie, “Numerical investigation of nanofluid flow and heat transfer in a pillow plate heat exchanger using a two‐phase model: Effects of the shape of the welding points used in the pillow plate,” Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (Early View): https://doi.org/10.1002/zamm.202000300.The above article, published online on 14 January 2021 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, Holm Altenbach; and Wiley‐VCH GmbH. The retraction has been agreed as there is unambiguous evidence that this article was accepted on the basis of a compromised peer review process. Therefore, the review of this article is deemed to be insufficient. The authors disagree with the retraction.

RETRACTION: Laminar single‐phase and two‐phase modeling of water/MgO nanofluid flow inside a rectangular microchannel with rhombic vortex generators

AbstractRETRACTION: M. R. Faridzadeh, D. Toghraie, M. Khalili, O. A. Akbari, N. Ghajari, A. Alizadeh, “Laminar single‐phase and two‐phase modeling of water/MgO nanofluid flow inside a rectangular microchannel with rhombic vortex generators,” Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (Early View): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/zamm.202000332The above article, published online on 25 February 2021 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, Holm Altenbach, and Wiley‐VCH GmbH. The retraction has been agreed as there is unambiguous evidence that this article was accepted on the basis of a compromised peer review process. Therefore, the review of this article is deemed to be insufficient. The authors disagree with the retraction.

Does a peer review group consensus process for MR-Linac patients affect clinical care? Evaluation of impact and feasibility

Background and purposePeer review is an important component of quality assurance in radiotherapy. To our knowledge, there are no studies reporting on the feasibility and outcomes of the peer review process for magnetic resonance (MR) guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) on the MR linear accelerator (MR-Linac) despite the planning complexity involved and its evolving clinical indications. This study aimed to quantify the rate of change in treatment plans post-peer review and the time and resources required. Materials and methodsFifty-five cases presented at weekly MR-Linac peer review meetings across two centres from 8 June to 21September 2023 were prospectively collected. Cases were analysed to determine the rate and extent of plan changes based on the Peer Review Audit Tool for radiation oncology (PRAT) developed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR). ResultsPeer review resulted in changes to 36.4 % of treatment plans (n = 20), with 3.6 % (n = 2) having major changes requiring deferment of treatment. The most frequent changes were to organs at risk (OAR) volumes involving both delineation and increased OAR sparing (16.4 %, n = 9), total dose and fractionation (10.9 %, n = 6) and target volume dose coverage (5.5 %, n = 3). Patients with SBRT plans (39.1 % cf 22.2 %), oligometastatic/oligoprogressive sites (38.1 % cf 30.7 %) and reirradiation cases (41.2 % cf 34.2 %) had higher rates of change. Cases took a mean of 7 min (range 2–15 minutes) to discuss. ConclusionThe high rates of plan changes support the value of peer review in MRgRT. We recommend, where possible that all MRgRT cases, particularly those involving SBRT plans, oligometastatic/oligoprogressive sites, and/or reirradiation, be subject to peer review.

RETRACTION: Free convection of non‐Newtonian nanofluid flow inside an eccentric annulus from the point of view of first‐law and second‐law of thermodynamics

AbstractRETRACTION: A. Shahsavar, S. Noori, D. Toghraie, P. Barnoon, “Free convection of non‐Newtonian nanofluid flow inside an eccentric annulus from the point of view of first‐law and second‐law of thermodynamics,” Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (Early View): https://doi.org/10.1002/zamm.202000266.The above article, published online on 28 November 2020 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, Holm Altenbach, and Wiley‐VCH GmbH. The retraction has been agreed as there is unambiguous evidence that this article was accepted on the basis of a compromised peer review process. Therefore, the review of this article is deemed to be insufficient. The authors disagree with the retraction.

Construction projects: interactions of the causes of delays

PurposeThis review paper aims to highlight the causes of delays (COD) and their interactions in construction projects, potentially aiding in timely completion and waste reduction through early anticipation.Design/methodology/approachForty-seven global literature were examined in detail to identify CODS and its interactions using the systematic literature review (SLR) method that utilised the PRISMA guidelines to ensure the studies reviewed were adequate to safeguard the robustness and comprehensiveness. Three-way analysis, such as Pareto, degree of centrality and loops, was undertaken to identify the critical Level 1,2 and 3 CODS that affect the Construction projects.FindingsThe research findings demonstrate that 65 CODs in eight categories affect construction projects. The CODs act in coherence rather than silos; the CLD displays complex interconnections of 44 factors obtained through the pairwise comparison of the 47 identified literature of the SLR. Through its systematic analysis of interaction loops, this research identified Ten level 1 critical CODs, two second-level critical CODs and 4 Third-level critical CODs. “Contractors' excessive workload/beyond potential/inadequate experience” emerged as the top COD that affects scheduling and project delay.Research limitations/implicationsThe study limitations include using only English articles and a restricted number of databases. However, the chosen databases were reputable and underwent thorough peer review processes. This study may have limitations due to the SLR, which means that factors affecting COD and interactions may vary by country, and future research is suggested for validation.Practical implicationsThis study identified interactions of construction delays that potentially support scheduling risk management during the early stage of the project and reduce waste to improve sustainability. The theoretical implications of SLR-based research include helping develop a framework that would potentially have all COD in the current scenario and aid future academic and industrial research factor-wise and country-wise in aiding sustainability. This will support and provide construction professionals and academia with knowledge of the COD related to factors and their interactions to be considered in the early assessment and management of future projects and improve sustainability.Originality/valueMost literature studies the factors or causes of construction delays that affect construction projects. The CODs primarily do not operate in silos but combine with other causes to enhance their influence on delays. Hence, it is of utmost importance to study the interactions of COD to enhance the knowledge in the construction field that would aid in schedule repair and, in turn, on-time project delivery. The study is the first related to COD and their interactions in construction projects in the digital era.

Implementation of a Technical Peer Review Process: Principles, Policy, and Cultural Change

AbstractThe complex scientific and engineering work performed at Sandia National Laboratories is supported by a comprehensive system of reviews that include design, gate, and peer reviews. A recent exercise revealed a need to change how technical peer reviews are conducted. Building on industry standards, best practices, current standard internal practices and other previous work, Sandia has developed a continuous improvement process to institutionalize technical peer review in the design lifecycle of products. The approach focuses on translating customer and leadership expectations, utilizing current established practices, simplifying planning and execution, and providing resources to project teams to guide them and ensure that rigorous and consistent technical peer reviews are performed. This paper presents the process used by Sandia to improve the technical peer review process, the factors that affect implementation of a peer review process, the simplified three‐step process implemented, the tools and resources generated, and the sustainment plan adopted to increase the institution‐wide use of peer review as a tool to improve product delivery.

Peer Review Process

Peer Review Process

Preface

The purpose of the three-day 2024 3rd International Conference on Electronic Information and Communication Engineering (EICE 2024), held via virtual form during January 12th to 14th, 2024 in Guangzhou China, was to create a timely forum for multi-disciplinary discussions related to the recent developments on electronic information and communication engineering. As usual, the program of the conference mainly consisted of keynote speeches, oral and poster presentations, with the former including speeches delivered by three sophisticated professors from related research areas. The keynote speeches are: i) Recent Progress of Millimeter-wave Circuits Using Groove Gap Waveguide Technology given by Prof. Wenjie Feng (South China University of Technology, China); ii) 6G Satellite-ground Massive MIMO Communication: Key Technologies and Development Prospect given by Prof. Zhiyong Luo (Sun Yat-sen University, China); iii) Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enhanced Wireless Network: Further Developments and Future Outlooks given by Assoc. Prof. Feng Ke (South China University of Technology, China). In the framework of experimental and theoretical approaches, the Conference gathered about 100 delegates from all over the world and addressed a number of highly relevant aspects of electronic information and communication engineering. Covering topics on Microelectronics and Solid-State Electronics, Sixth Generation Mobile Communication Technology (6G), Communication Electronic Circuit and Technology, Information and Communication Engineering, Digital Signal Processing, etc., the selected contributions of this volume provide guidance for future interdisciplinary developments in related fields. We received quantities of manuscripts of invited papers and other contributions presented at the Conference. All of these papers have gone through a rigorous peer review process and are collected in the Conference Proceedings. We would like to thank all the anonymous colleagues who acted as referees to assess the suitability of the various articles for publication in Journal of Physics: Conference Series. We are confident that the high quality of both invited and contributed papers contained in this Proceedings will be appreciated by relevant industries and communities. On behalf of the conference EICE 2024 organizing committee, we would like to express our deeply appreciation to all the keynote speakers, oral speakers, peer reviewers, and all the participants and supporters. More than anything, we would like to acknowledge the Journal of Physics: Conference Series, for the efforts and help of all its staff in publishing this paper volume. The Committee of EICE 2024 List of Committee Member is available in this Pdf.

SEMPER: Stoichiometric expression of mRNA polycistrons by eukaryotic ribosomes for compact, ratio-tunable multi-gene expression

Here, we present a method for expressing multiple open reading frames (ORFs) from single transcripts using the leaky scanning model of translation initiation. In this approach termed "stoichiometric expression of mRNA polycistrons by eukaryotic ribosomes" (SEMPER), adjacent ORFs are translated from a single mRNA at tunable ratios determined by their order in the sequence and the strength of their translation initiation sites. We validate this approach by expressing up to three fluorescent proteins from one plasmid in two different cell lines. We then use it to encode a stoichiometrically tuned polycistronic construct encoding gas vesicle acoustic reporter genes that enables efficient formation of the multi-protein complex while minimizing cellular toxicity. We also demonstrate that SEMPER enables polycistronic expression of recombinant monoclonal antibodies from plasmid DNA and of two fluorescent proteins from single mRNAs made through invitro transcription. Finally, we provide a probabilistic model to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SEMPER. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.

Model integration of circadian- and sleep-wake-driven contributions to rhythmic gene expression reveals distinct regulatory principles

Analyses of gene-expression dynamics in research on circadian rhythms and sleep homeostasis often describe these two processes using separate models. Rhythmically expressed genes are, however, likely to be influenced by both processes. We implemented a driven, damped harmonic oscillator model to estimate the contribution of circadian- and sleep-wake-driven influences on gene expression. The model reliably captured a wide range of dynamics in cortex, liver, and blood transcriptomes taken from mice and humans under various experimental conditions. Sleep-wake-driven factors outweighed circadian factors in driving gene expression in the cortex, whereas the opposite was observed in the liver and blood. Because of tissue- and gene-specific responses, sleep deprivation led to a long-lasting intra- and inter-tissue desynchronization. The model showed that recovery sleep contributed to these long-lasting changes. The results demonstrate that the analyses of the daily rhythms in gene expression must take the complex interactions between circadian and sleep-wake influences into account. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.

Nurturing Peer Review Proficiency in the Curriculum for Early Career Medical Researchers: Fostering Academic Connectivity

Abstract Peer review is being criticized for its sluggishness and review quality. Swiftly identifying available reviewers and cultivating a pool of specialized experts is crucial to avoid delays and ensure a seamless peer review process. A promising strategy to enhance the quality of peer reviewers is to encourage and facilitate early career researchers (ECRs) to engage in co-reviewing with their mentors as part of their curriculum training. In addition, it holds significant potential to bridge gaps in research quality and discourage unethical ghostwriting of peer review reports. Encouraging co-reviewing practices in medical, dental, nursing, and other professional institutions will foster the development of critical skills, research awareness, mentorship, and collaborative abilities among ECRs. This paper proposes learning peer review modules in a two-step model, i.e., foundational learning and practical learning. Emphasizing peer review within the curriculum can be a significant and transformative step.