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Khurana P, Sharma K, Uddin Z. Unraveling retraction dynamics in COVID-19 research: Patterns, reasons, and implications. Account Res 2024:1-24. [PMID: 39041839 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2024.2379906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while the world sought solutions, few scholars exploited the situation for personal gains through deceptive studies and manipulated data. This paper presents the extent of 400 retracted COVID-19 papers listed by the RetractionWatch database until the month of February 2024. The primary purpose of the research was to analyze journal quality and retractions trends. Evaluating the journal's quality is vital for stakeholders, as it enables them to effectively address and prevent such incidents and their future repercussions. The present study found that one-fourth of publications were retracted within the first month of their publication, followed by an additional 6% within six months of publication. One third of the retractions originated from Q1 journals, with another significant portion coming from Q2 (29.8%). An analysis of the reasons for retractions indicates that a quarter of retractions were attributed to multiple causes, predominantly associated with publications in Q2 journals, while another quarter were linked to data issues, primarily observed in Q1 publications. Elsevier retracted 31% of papers, with the majority published as Q1, followed by Springer (11.5%), predominantly as Q2. The study also examined author contributions, revealing that 69.3% were male, with females (30.7%) mainly holding middle author positions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Khurana
- School of Computer Applications, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
| | - Kiran Sharma
- School of Engineering and Technology, BML Munjal University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
| | - Ziya Uddin
- School of Engineering and Technology, BML Munjal University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
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2
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Bakker CJ, Reardon EE, Brown SJ, Theis-Mahon N, Schroter S, Bouter L, Zeegers MP. Identification of retracted publications and completeness of retraction notices in public health. J Clin Epidemiol 2024; 173:111427. [PMID: 38880438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Retraction is intended to be a mechanism to correct the published body of knowledge when necessary due to fraudulent, fatally flawed, or ethically unacceptable publications. However, the success of this mechanism requires that retracted publications be consistently identified as such and that retraction notices contain sufficient information to understand what is being retracted and why. Our study investigated how clearly and consistently retracted publications in public health are being presented to researchers. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING This is a cross-sectional study, using 441 retracted research publications in the field of public health. Records were retrieved for each of these publications from 11 resources, while retraction notices were retrieved from publisher websites and full-text aggregators. The identification of the retracted status of the publication was assessed using criteria from the Committee on Publication Ethics and the National Library of Medicine. The completeness of the associated retraction notices was assessed using criteria from Committee on Publication Ethics and Retraction Watch. RESULTS Two thousand eight hundred forty-one records for retracted publications were retrieved, of which less than half indicated that the article had been retracted. Less than 5% of publications were identified as retracted through all resources through which they were available. Within single resources, if and how retracted publications were identified varied. Retraction notices were frequently incomplete, with no notices meeting all the criteria. CONCLUSIONS The observed inconsistencies and incomplete notices pose a threat to the integrity of scientific publishing and highlight the need to better align with existing best practices to ensure more effective and transparent dissemination of information on retractions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin J Bakker
- Dr. John Archer Library and Archives, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
| | - Erin E Reardon
- Woodruff Health Sciences Library, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah Jane Brown
- Health Sciences Library, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Sara Schroter
- BMJ, London, UK; Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Lex Bouter
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Faculty of Humanities, Department of Philosophy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Maurice P Zeegers
- Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Alexander R, Peterson CJ, Yang S, Nugent K. Article retraction rates in selected MeSH term categories in PubMed published between 2010 and 2020. Account Res 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37859455 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2023.2272246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic article retractions occur across all disciplines, though few studies have examined the association between research topics and retraction rates. OBJECTIVES We assessed and compared the rate of retraction across several important clinical research topics. METHODS Information about the number of publications, the number of retractions, the retraction rate, and the time to retraction was collected for articles identified by 15 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. These articles were published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020. The searches took place between 18 September 2021 and 24 October 2021. The MeSH terms were selected based on our clinical experience with the expectation that there will be multiple publications during the timeframe to use for the searches. Additional topics were selected based on the frequency of controversy in the public media and were identified by the Altmetric Top 100 report. RESULTS The mean number of publications for all categories was 181,975 ± 332,245; the median number of publications was 67,991 [Q1, Q3; 31951.5, 138,981.5]. The mean number of retractions was 100.3 ± 251.3, and the median number of retractions was 22 [Q1, Q3; 6.5, 53]. The mean time to retraction ranged from 114 days to 1,409.5 days; the median was 857.3 days [Q1, Q3; 684.7, 1098.6], depending on the topic. The various MeSH term categories used in this study had significant differences in retraction rate and time to retraction. The "Neoplasms" category had the highest total number of retractions (993) and one of the highest retraction rates (75.4 per 100,000 publications). DISCUSSION All PubMed categories analyzed in this study had retracted articles. The median time to retraction was 857 days. The long delays in some categories could contribute to potentially misleading information which might have adverse effects on clinical decisions in patient care and on research design. CONCLUSION Rate of retraction varies across research topics and further studies are needed to explore this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Alexander
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | | - Shengping Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Kenneth Nugent
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
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4
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Nguyen VT, Sharp MK, Superchi C, Baron G, Glonti K, Blanco D, Olsen M, Vo Tat TT, Olarte Parra C, Névéol A, Hren D, Ravaud P, Boutron I. Biomedical doctoral students' research practices when facing dilemmas: two vignette-based randomized control trials. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16371. [PMID: 37773192 PMCID: PMC10541422 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42121-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Our aim was to describe the research practices of doctoral students facing a dilemma to research integrity and to assess the impact of inappropriate research environments, i.e. exposure to (a) a post-doctoral researcher who committed a Detrimental Research Practice (DRP) in a similar situation and (b) a supervisor who did not oppose the DRP. We conducted two 2-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trials. We created 10 vignettes describing a realistic dilemma with two alternative courses of action (good practice versus DRP). 630 PhD students were randomized through an online system to a vignette (a) with (n = 151) or without (n = 164) exposure to a post-doctoral researcher; (b) with (n = 155) or without (n = 160) exposure to a supervisor. The primary outcome was a score from - 5 to + 5, where positive scores indicated the choice of DRP and negative scores indicated good practice. Overall, 37% of unexposed participants chose to commit DRP with important variation across vignettes (minimum 10%; maximum 66%). The mean difference [95%CI] was 0.17 [- 0.65 to 0.99;], p = 0.65 when exposed to the post-doctoral researcher, and 0.79 [- 0.38; 1.94], p = 0.16, when exposed to the supervisor. In conclusion, we did not find evidence of an impact of postdoctoral researchers and supervisors on student research practices.Trial registration: NCT04263805, NCT04263506 (registration date 11 February 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- V T Nguyen
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Department of Health Services Research, Institute of Population Health Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - M K Sharp
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - C Superchi
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Statistics and Operations Research Department, Barcelona-Tech, UPC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - G Baron
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, 75004, Paris, France
| | - K Glonti
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia
| | - D Blanco
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Department of Physiotherapy, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Olsen
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - T T Vo Tat
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - C Olarte Parra
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - D Hren
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia
| | - P Ravaud
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France
- Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, 75004, Paris, France
| | - I Boutron
- Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, 75004, Paris, France.
- Centre d'Epidémiologie Clinique, AP-HP, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, 75004, Paris, France.
- Centre d'Épidémiologie Clinique, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, 1 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, Cedex 4, 75089, Paris, France.
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Fernandes BBP, Dodurgali MR, Rossetti CA, Pacheco-Barrios K, Fregni F. Editorial - The Secret Life of Retractions in Scientific Publications. PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF CLINICAL RESEARCH (2015) 2023; 9:10.21801/ppcrj.2023.91.2. [PMID: 37693831 PMCID: PMC10485848 DOI: 10.21801/ppcrj.2023.91.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mustafa Reha Dodurgali
- Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Carlos Augusto Rossetti
- Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Faculdade Isralita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Kevin Pacheco-Barrios
- Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Felipe Fregni
- Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Malkawi L, Hassan R, Alshrouf MA, Al-Ryalat N, AlRyalat SA. The impact of COVID-19 on open access publishing in radiology and nuclear medicine: an in-depth analysis. J Med Life 2023; 16:967-973. [PMID: 37900061 PMCID: PMC10600658 DOI: 10.25122/jml-2023-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous initiatives have been implemented to ensure open access availability of COVID-19-related articles to make published articles accessible for anyone. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on open-access publishing in radiology and nuclear medicine. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of articles and reviews published in these fields during the COVID-19 publishing era using the Web of Science database. We analyzed several indicators between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related articles, including the number and percentage of open-access articles, the top ten cited articles, and the number of reviews. In total, 67,100 articles were published in radiology and nuclear medicine between January 2020 and June 2022. Among those, more than half (51.1%) were open-access articles. Among these publications, 2,336 were COVID-19-related, and 64,764 were non-COVID-19-related. However, articles related to COVID-19 had an open access rate of 91.5%, compared to only 49.6% of the non-COVID-19-related articles. Moreover, COVID-19-related articles had a higher percentage of highly cited and hot papers compared to articles not related to COVID-19. Moreover, most highly cited studies were related to chest computerized tomography (CT) scan findings in COVID-19 patients. The findings emphasize the significant proportion of open access COVID-19-related publications in radiology and nuclear medicine, facilitating widespread and timely access to everyone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lna Malkawi
- Department of Radiology, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Reem Hassan
- Family Medicine, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, Qatar
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7
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Boudry C, Howard K, Mouriaux F. Poor visibility of retracted articles: a problem that should no longer be ignored. BMJ 2023; 381:e072929. [PMID: 37339808 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Boudry
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, Média Normandie, Caen, France
- URFIST, Ecole Nationale des Chartes, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | | | - Frederic Mouriaux
- INSERM UMR_S_1242, Faculty of Medicine, Rennes University, Department of Ophthalmology, CHU Rennes, Rennes, France
- CUO-Recherche, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, Québec, Canada
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8
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Syed Z, Syed F, Thabane L, Rodrigues M. COVID-19 retracted publications on retraction watch: A systematic survey of their pre-prints and citations. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15184. [PMID: 37035368 PMCID: PMC10069084 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Studies related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were frequently published as pre-prints prior to undergoing peer-review. However, several publications were later retracted due to ethical concerns or study misconduct. Although these studies have been retracted, the availability of their corresponding pre-prints has never been formally investigated, and may result in the spread of misinformation if they are being used to inform decision-making. Methods Our objective was to conduct a systematic survey of retracted COVID-19 publications listed on the Retraction Watch database as of August 15th, 2021. We assessed the availability of corresponding pre-prints for retracted publications, and documented the number of citations and online views. Results Our study included 140 retracted COVID-19 publications, and we could not retrieve corresponding pre-prints for 132 retracted publications in our study (94%). Although we were unable to find the majority of pre-prints, they had already been disseminated, with a maximal citation count of 593 and Altmetric score of 558,928. Conclusion While it is reassuring that most corresponding pre-prints could not be retrieved, our study highlights the need for online platforms and journals to employ quality assurance methods to prevent the spread of misinformation through citation of retracted papers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lehana Thabane
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Biostatistics Unit, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton ON, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Corresponding author. St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Biostatistics Unit, 3rd. Floor, Martha Wing, Room H-325, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton ON L8N 4A6, Canada,
| | - Myanca Rodrigues
- Health Research Methodology Graduate Program, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Valencise FE, Palamim CVC, Marson FAL. Retraction of Clinical Trials about the SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An Unaddressed Problem and Its Possible Impact on Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 Treatment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1835. [PMID: 36767202 PMCID: PMC9914919 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We are presenting an overview of the retracted clinical trials about the Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 published in PubMed using the descriptors ((COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV-2) AND (Clinical Trial)). We collected the information for i) the first author's country; ii) the journal name where the study was published; iii) the impact factor of the journal; iv) the main objective of the study; v) methods including population, intervention, study design, and outcomes; and vi) results and conclusions. We collected complete information from the retraction notes published by the journals and the number of publications/retractions related to non-COVID-19 clinical trials published simultaneously. We also included the Altmetric index for the clinical trials and the retraction notes about COVID-19 to compare the accessibility to both studies' indexes. The retraction of clinical trials occurred in four countries (one in Lebanon, one in India, one in Brazil, and five in Egypt) and six journals (one in Viruses, one in Archives of Virology, one in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy, one in Frontiers in Medicine, two in Scientific Reports, and two in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene). Eight drugs were tested (Ivermectin, Vitamin D, Proxalutamide, Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesevir, Favipiravir, and Sofosbuvir + Daclatasvir) in the studies. One of the retractions was suggested by the authors due to an error in the statistical analysis, which compromised their results and conclusions. Also, the methods, mainly the allocation, were not well conducted in the two studies, and the studies were retracted. In addition, the studies performed by Dabbous et al. presented several issues, mainly including several raw datasets that did not prove their findings. Moreover, two studies were retracted due to data overlap and copying. Significant concerns were raised about the integrity of the data and reported results in another article. We identified a higher Altmetric index for the original studies, proving that the retracted studies were accessed more than the retraction notes. Interestingly, the impact of the original articles is much higher than their retraction notes. The different Altmetric indexes show that possibly people who read those retracted articles are not reading their retraction notes and are unaware of the erroneous information they share. COVID-19- related clinical trials were ~two-time times more retracted than the other clinical trials performed during the same time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Eduardo Valencise
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Tumor Biology and Bioactive Compounds, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory of Human and Medical Genetics, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Camila Vantini Capasso Palamim
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Tumor Biology and Bioactive Compounds, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory of Human and Medical Genetics, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando Augusto Lima Marson
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Tumor Biology and Bioactive Compounds, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory of Human and Medical Genetics, São Francisco University, Bragança Paulista 12916-900, SP, Brazil
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Werneck GL. Epidemiology and the Covid-19 pandemic: opportunities to review trajectories and plan for the future. INTERFACE - COMUNICAÇÃO, SAÚDE, EDUCAÇÃO 2023. [DOI: 10.1590/interface.220486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused substantial changes in various spheres of academic life. Epidemiology can use the experiences accumulated in this period as an opportunity to plan for its future. Facing a pandemic requires the production of explanatory theories about the pandemic process and its unequal manifestation in the population. In this sense, Epidemiology needs to strengthen its scientific foundations and recognize the values and limits of its approaches. Thus, it is essential to strengthen the links with other disciplines. A new teaching model can be produced from pandemic experiences, including transversal contents, such as preparation for responses to natural and technological disasters, like epidemics and pandemics, and scientific communication. The teaching of Epidemiology needs to be contextualized with the bases of Collective Health, reinforcing its commitment to the translation and application of knowledge in order to improve people’s health and lives.
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Werneck GL. Epidemiologia e pandemia de Covid-19: oportunidades para rever trajetórias e planejar o futuro. INTERFACE - COMUNICAÇÃO, SAÚDE, EDUCAÇÃO 2023. [DOI: 10.1590/interface.220340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A pandemia de Covid-19 provocou modificações substanciais em diversas esferas da vida acadêmica. A Epidemiologia pode utilizar as experiências acumuladas nesse período como oportunidade para planejar seu futuro. O enfrentamento de uma pandemia exige a produção de teorias explicativas sobre o processo pandêmico e sua expressão desigual na população. Nesse sentido, a Epidemiologia necessita fortalecer seus fundamentos científicos e reconhecer os valores e limites de suas abordagens. Nesse caminho, é essencial o fortalecimento dos elos com outras disciplinas. Um novo modelo de ensino pode ser produzido por meio das experiências ao longo da pandemia, integrando conteúdos transversais, como a preparação para a resposta a desastres naturais e de origem tecnológica, incluindo epidemias e pandemias e a comunicação científica. O ensino da Epidemiologia precisa ser contextualizado com as bases da Saúde Coletiva, reforçando seu compromisso com a tradução e a aplicação do conhecimento para a melhoria da saúde e da vida das pessoas.
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Shi X, Abritis A, Patel RP, Grewal M, Oransky I, Ross JS, Wallach JD. Characteristics of Retracted Research Articles About COVID-19 vs Other Topics. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2234585. [PMID: 36194415 PMCID: PMC9533180 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.34585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study compares the author and journal characteristics of retracted articles on COVID-19 with retracted articles from other topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Shi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Alison Abritis
- Retraction Watch, The Center for Scientific Integrity, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Ivan Oransky
- Retraction Watch, The Center for Scientific Integrity, New York, New York
- Arthur Carter Journalism Institute, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Joseph S. Ross
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Yale-New Haven Hospital Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Joshua D. Wallach
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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Sustained Rise in Retractions in the Life Sciences Literature during the Pandemic Years 2020 and 2021. PUBLICATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/publications10030029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to all human endeavors, and scientific research has not been spared. We queried how the retraction of publications might have been affected during the pandemic years 2020–2021. Searches performed with Retraction Watch Database (RWD) revealed that the total number of retractions (as proxied by retraction-related notices) rose steadily from 2013 into the pandemic years 2020–2021. Interestingly, while retractions in the physical and social sciences tapered during 2020–2021, those of the basic life sciences and health sciences showed robust increases in 2020, with the former maintaining a steep rise in 2021. This rise in retractions belied a tapering of total relevant publications in the same year and is confirmed with a complementary search strategy in Scopus. The retraction rate in the medical sciences, particularly those relating to infectious disease, is clearly affected by the anomalous high retraction rate of COVID-19-related papers. However, the sustained increase in the retraction rate of the basic life sciences papers, could be due, at least partly, to retraction spikes in several journals. The rise in retractions in the life and medical sciences could be attributed to heightened post-publication peer review of papers in online platforms such as PubPeer, where numerous problematic papers have been revealed.
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Rovetta A, Castaldo L. Are We Sure We Fully Understand What an Infodemic Is? A Global Perspective on Infodemiological Problems. JMIRX MED 2022; 3:e36510. [PMID: 36409169 PMCID: PMC9642843 DOI: 10.2196/36510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Infodemic is defined as an information epidemic that can lead to engaging in dangerous behavior. Although the most striking manifestations of the latter occurred on social media, some studies show that dismisinformation is significantly influenced by numerous additional factors, both web-based and offline. These include social context, age, education, personal knowledge and beliefs, mood, psychological defense mechanisms, media resonance, and how news and information are presented to the public. Moreover, various incorrect scientific practices related to disclosure, publication, and training can also fuel such a phenomenon. Therefore, in this opinion article, we seek to provide a comprehensive overview of the issues that need to be addressed to bridge the gap between science and the public and build resilience to the infodemic. In particular, we stress that the infodemic cannot be curbed by simply disproving every single false or misleading information since the belief system and the cultural or educational background are chief factors regarding the success of fake news. For this reason, we believe that the process of forming a critical sense should begin with children in schools (ie, when the mind is more receptive to new ways of learning). Furthermore, we also believe that themes such as scientific method and evidence should be at the heart of the university education of a future scientist. Indeed, both the public and scientists must be educated on the concepts of evidence and validity of sources, as well as learning how to dialogue appropriately with each other. Finally, we believe that the scientific publishing process could be greatly improved by paying reviewers for their work and by ceasing to pursue academic success at all costs.
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15
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Rubbo P, Lievore C, Biynkievycz Dos Santos C, Picinin CT, Pilatti LA, Pedroso B. “Research exceptionalism” in the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of scientific retractions in Scopus. ETHICS & BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/10508422.2022.2080067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Rubbo
- Department of Accounting Sciences, Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR)
| | - Caroline Lievore
- Department of Accounting Sciences, Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR)
| | | | - Claudia Tania Picinin
- Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR)
| | - Luiz Alberto Pilatti
- Postgraduate Program in Science and Technology Teaching and Production Engineering and Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR)
| | - Bruno Pedroso
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences and Postgraduate Program in Inclusive Education, State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG)
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16
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Khan H, Gupta P, Zimba O, Gupta L. Bibliometric and Altmetric Analysis of Retracted Articles on COVID-19. J Korean Med Sci 2022; 37:e44. [PMID: 35166080 PMCID: PMC8845104 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With greater use of social media platforms for promotions of research articles, retracted articles tend to receive approximately the same attention. We systematically analyzed retracted articles from retractionwatch.com to look at the Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS) garnered over a period of time in order to highlight the role of social media and other platforms in advertising retracted articles and its effect on the spread of misinformation. METHODS Retractionwatch.com was searched for coronavirus disease 2019 related retracted papers on November 6th, 2021. Articles were excluded based on lack of digital object identifier (DOI), if they were preprint articles, absent AAS, and incomplete AAS of pre retraction, post retraction, or both scores. RESULTS A total of 196 articles were found on the Retraction Watch website of which 189 were retracted papers and 7 were expression of concern (EOC). We then identified 175 articles after excluding those that did not have a DOI and 30 preprint articles were also excluded giving 145 articles. Further exclusion of articles with absent AAS and incomplete AAS resulted in a total of 22 articles. CONCLUSION Retracted articles receive significant online attention. Twitter and Mendeley were the most popular medium for publicizing retracted articles, therefore more focus should be given by journals and their Twitter accounts to discredit all their retracted articles. Preprints should be reconsidered as a whole by journals due to the huge risk they carry in disseminating false information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiba Khan
- Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Prakash Gupta
- Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation College of Medicine, San Carlos City, Pangasinan, Philippines
| | - Olena Zimba
- Department of Internal Medicine No.2, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Latika Gupta
- Department of Rheumatology, Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, UK.
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17
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Peterson CJ, Alexander R, Nugent K. COVID-19 Article Retractions in Journals Indexed in PubMed. Am J Med Sci 2022; 364:127-128. [PMID: 35122726 PMCID: PMC8809656 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjms.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Alexander
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth Nugent
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
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18
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Policies of biomedical preprint servers on conflicts of interest, authorship, and research integrity lacked important details. J Clin Epidemiol 2022; 146:47-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Mendiola-Pastrana IR, López-Ortiz E, Río de la Loza-Zamora JG, González J, Gómez-García A, López-Ortiz G. SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020170. [PMID: 35207458 PMCID: PMC8879159 DOI: 10.3390/life12020170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, new SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged that potentially affect transmissibility, severity, and immune evasion in infected individuals. In the present systematic review, the impact of different SARS-CoV-2 variants on clinical outcomes is analyzed. Methods: A systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020. Two databases (PubMed and ScienceDirect) were searched for original articles published from 1 January 2020 to 23 November 2021. The articles that met the selection criteria were appraised according to the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Results: Thirty-three articles were included, involving a total of 253,209 patients and 188,944 partial or complete SARS-CoV-2 sequences. The most reported SARS-CoV-2 variants showed changes in the spike protein, N protein, RdRp and NSP3. In 28 scenarios, SARS-CoV-2 variants were found to be associated with a mild to severe or even fatal clinical outcome, 15 articles reported such association to be statistically significant. Adjustments in eight of them were made for age, sex and other covariates. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 variants can potentially have an impact on clinical outcomes; future studies focused on this topic should consider several covariates that influence the clinical course of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indira R. Mendiola-Pastrana
- Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico; (I.R.M.-P.); (E.L.-O.); (J.G.R.d.l.L.-Z.)
| | - Eduardo López-Ortiz
- Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico; (I.R.M.-P.); (E.L.-O.); (J.G.R.d.l.L.-Z.)
| | - José G. Río de la Loza-Zamora
- Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico; (I.R.M.-P.); (E.L.-O.); (J.G.R.d.l.L.-Z.)
| | - James González
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico;
| | - Anel Gómez-García
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Michoacán, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Morelia 58351, Mexico;
| | - Geovani López-Ortiz
- Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico; (I.R.M.-P.); (E.L.-O.); (J.G.R.d.l.L.-Z.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Taren D, Akseer N, Davis CD, Miller JW, Moustaid-Moussa N, Novotny R, Slupsky CM, Saroja Voruganti V, Cameron JM. Eighty years of nutritional sciences, and counting. Nutr Rev 2021; 80:1-5. [PMID: 34891168 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Taren
- Department of Pediatrics Nutrition Section, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Nadia Akseer
- Modern Scientist Global and the Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cindy D Davis
- Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshua W Miller
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Naima Moustaid-Moussa
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Services and the Obesity Research Institute, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Rachel Novotny
- Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences Department, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and the Children's Healthy Living Center of Excellence, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Carolyn M Slupsky
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - V Saroja Voruganti
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - James M Cameron
- International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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21
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Ford N, Thomas R, Grove J. Transparency: A central principle underpinning trustworthy guidelines. J Clin Epidemiol 2021; 142:246-248. [PMID: 34798288 PMCID: PMC8594247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The development of trustworthy guidelines follows a range of principles. In response to the Covid pandemic there was an urgent need for guidelines to respond to a wide range of clinical and public health challenges; timelines became contracted and evidence was frequently lacking or of poor quality. For guideline development the World Health Organization, it became clear that one of the most important principles to adhere to is transparency as this underpins all other principles of guideline development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Ford
- Science Division, World Health Organization, Ave Appia 21, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Rebekah Thomas
- Science Division, World Health Organization, Ave Appia 21, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - John Grove
- Science Division, World Health Organization, Ave Appia 21, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
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22
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Jesus-Silva SGD, Antonio ACP. Research integrity in times of pandemic. REVISTA CIÊNCIAS EM SAÚDE 2021. [DOI: 10.21876/rcshci.v11i3.1220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1994, Douglas Graham Altman, one of the greatest statisticians of all time, wrote "We need less research, better research, and research done for good reasons". Twenty-seven years ago, Altman pointed out that the system favored unscientific behavior and that "bad science" was easy to publish, highlighting the financial implications of this amount of poorly designed research, with erroneous statistical methods, unrepresentative samples, or fraud. The covid-19 pandemic has once again put clinical research in check. The pressure for urgent responses was unprecedented. Knowledge of the origin of the virus, the transmission dynamics, the pathophysiology of the disease, efficient pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures would be counted in lives - and economies, and in governments.
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