bims-evares Biomed News
on Evaluation of research
Issue of 2026–05–31
twenty-two papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. A scientometric update of the evolution of national scientific production in dental educators in Peru according to gender disparity.
  2. A decade of global orthopaedic research in SICOT-J (2015-2025): a scientometric analysis of publication trends, collaboration, and citation impact.
  3. Erratum in: Mislabeling of Case-Control Studies in Ophthalmologic Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis.
  4. Citation Velocity and Social Media Impact Analysis of Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Randomized Controlled Trials.
  5. Do name characteristics influence citation counts in ophthalmology?
  6. The Impact of Author Name Ambiguity on Bibliometric Validity. Comment on Ejaz et al. Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on the Omicron Variant from 2020 to 2022 in the Scopus Database Using R and VOSviewer. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12407.
  7. Reply to Rhazzar et al. The Impact of Author Name Ambiguity on Bibliometric Validity. Comment on "Ejaz et al. Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on the Omicron Variant from 2020 to 2022 in the Scopus Database Using R and VOSviewer. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12407".
  8. Bibliometric analysis of the reporting of p values in the summaries of anaesthetic publications.
  9. Bibliometric analysis of scientific research development on drinking water supply in natural disaster-affected areas.
  10. The top 100 most cited peer-reviewed publications on global neurosurgery: Mapping research trends and gaps over four decades.
  11. Research progress on occupational therapy for disorders of consciousness in the context of neurorehabilitation: visual analysis based on CiteSpace.
  12. Locally-affiliated authorship in global eye health research conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2003 and 2022.
  13. A century of postgraduate medical scholarship: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the postgraduate medical journal (1927-2025).
  14. Response to Letter to the Editor Regarding "A bibliometric analysis of investigative genetic genealogy in academic literature: Trends, networks, and emerging themes".
  15. Germany's role in global transoral robotic surgery research: a bibliometric analysis of national output, citation impact, and international collaboration (2015-2025).
  16. [Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia: impact factor and impact to readers].
  17. Conflicts of Interest in Plastic Surgery Journals: A Python-Assisted Evaluation of Self-Reported Disclosures.
  18. Implementation of a mentored scholarly project and corresponding research course at University of Maryland School of Medicine: 10 years of data showing improved scholarly productivity.
  19. Text Network Analysis of Global Literature on Self-Management of Low Back Pain.
  20. Improving the impact of medical student research through structured mentorship: a clinical research enterprise model.
  21. Academic profiles and factors influencing gender disparity in general surgery residency leadership.
  22. When Matilda shows up: The double-edged impact of women researchers' media visibility in management science.
  1. J Educ Health Promot. 2026 ;15 147
    A scientometric update of the evolution of national scientific production in dental educators in Peru according to gender disparity.
    Berly Delgado-Cumpa, Julia Medina, Oscar Sotomayor, Lucia Quispe-Tasayco, Franco Mauricio, Fran Espinoza-Carhuancho, Frank Mayta-Tovalino.
       BACKGROUND: Gender disparity in dental research refers to the differences in the participation and representation of men and women in scientific production in dentistry. Studies have shown that although female participation has increased, inequalities in leadership and recognition persist. The study conducted a bibliometric analysis of trends in Peruvian dental scientific production based on gender disparity.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive and observational study examines published literature between 2019 and 2024. Studies were included if they were published in the dentistry field while affiliated with Peruvian institutions during the aforementioned period. Studies were excluded if they could not be exported to SciVal. Studies from unlicensed Peruvian universities and their authors were also excluded. The data were exported from the Scopus database to SciVal to analyze four scientometric criteria: number of publications, citations per paper, citation impact, and international collaboration. Then a further bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Bibliometrix package.
    RESULTS: The findings indicated that scientific production increased by 11.1% each year with noted contributions to the research by male and female authors, although male authors published at a higher frequency than women. The leading institutions were Universidad Científica del Sur and Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Thematic trends demonstrated that there were emerging topics trending including COVID-19 and oral health.
    CONCLUSION: These results highlight the need to improve collaboration and international work to have substantial quality and impact in research production in dentistry in Peru. The gender disparity issue must also be communicated so that the network of female researchers feels supported to publish in this area and that the representation in the dental research field becomes more balanced.
    Keywords:  Dental education; dentistry; gender disparity; scientific production
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_699_25
  2. SICOT J. 2026 ;12 32
    A decade of global orthopaedic research in SICOT-J (2015-2025): a scientometric analysis of publication trends, collaboration, and citation impact.
    Raju Vaishya, Brij Mohan Gupta, Mallikarjun Kappi, Abhishek Vaish, Andreas F Mavrogenis, Sébastien Lustig, Vikas Khanduja.
       BACKGROUND: The SICOT-J, an open-access orthopedic journal affiliated with the Société Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie (SICOT), has been a global orthopedic research platform since 2015. This study provides a scientometric analysis of SICOT-J publications from 2015 to 2025 to evaluate research productivity, citation impact, and collaboration patterns.
    METHODS: 542 documents published in SICOT-J and indexed in the Scopus database were analyzed using bibliometric indicators. Data on publication types, subject areas, authorship, institutional and geographic affiliations, funding disclosures, collaboration networks, and citation metrics were extracted. Microsoft Excel was used for data processing and analysis. Key indicators included citations per publication (CPP), relative citation index (RCI), and total link strength (TLS) for collaborative connections.
    RESULTS: From January 1 2015, to June 30 2025, SICOT-J published 542 articles with an overall CPP of 10.29. Research articles comprised 78.6% of publications, while reviews - though fewer in number - had the highest CPP (23.38). The most frequent topics were arthroplasty (25.83%) and trauma/fractures (24.17%), with the hip and knee as the most studied anatomical regions. Only 5.17% of the articles reported external funding. Fifteen highly cited papers (≥50 citations) were mostly reviews and internationally co-authored.
    CONCLUSIONS: SICOT-J has demonstrated consistent publication growth and international participation, though with notable concentration in a few high-income countries. The high citation impact of reviews and collaborative works highlights the importance of strategic content development. Enhancing funding transparency, supporting underrepresented regions, and promoting emerging topics strengthen the journal's global impact.
    Keywords:  Bibliometrics; Orthopaedic; Publication Trends; Research Collaboration; Trauma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1051/sicotj/2026021
  3. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2026 May 01. 15(5): 24
    Erratum in: Mislabeling of Case-Control Studies in Ophthalmologic Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1167/tvst.15.5.24
  4. Arthroplast Today. 2026 Jun;39 102046
    Citation Velocity and Social Media Impact Analysis of Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Randomized Controlled Trials.
    James R Temple, Nadim Barakat, Logan S Carpenter, Wendy M Novicoff, James A Browne.
       Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remain crucial in establishing evidence-based care, yet little is known about which studies drive the most academic and public attention. This study aimed to identify the most impactful hip and knee arthroplasty RCTs published from 2014 through 2023 using traditional citation metrics and Altmetric data as well as determining study characteristics associated with greater impact.
    Methods: Clinically oriented hip and knee arthroplasty RCTs were identified and analyzed from 4 leading orthopedic journals published from 2014 through 2023. Article impact was assessed by citation velocity (citations per year) and Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS). Inequality in citation and AAS distributions was measured using Gini coefficients. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to explore associations between impact metrics and study characteristics such as funding and the presence of statistically significant findings.
    Results: Among the 566 RCTs, the mean citation velocity was 5.3 citations per year, and the mean AAS was 12.3. Citation velocity and AAS were weakly correlated (r = 0.34, P < .01). Gini coefficients were 0.42 and 0.77 for citation velocity and AAS, respectively, indicating a highly unequal distribution of both scholarly and online attention. Industry funding was not associated with citation velocity (P = .988) or AAS (P = .957). However, studies with statistically significant results in the primary outcome favoring the experimental intervention had an 18% higher citation velocity than those without (P = .018).
    Conclusions: The impact of hip and knee arthroplasty RCTs is highly skewed, with a small number of articles receiving a disproportionate amount of attention. Importantly, RCTs with statistically significant results were more likely to be cited, suggesting that favorable findings may disproportionately shape the arthroplasty literature.
    Keywords:  Arthroplasty research; Bibliometric analysis; Impact; Randomized controlled trials
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artd.2026.102046
  5. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol (Engl Ed). 2026 May 23. pii: S2173-5794(26)00134-9. [Epub ahead of print] 502575
    Do name characteristics influence citation counts in ophthalmology?
    M E Kapsetaki.
      This study examined whether name characteristics influence citation counts in ophthalmology. This was done by assessing 5407 papers published between 2015 and 2020 in four ophthalmology journals. Analyses of first and last authors' names considered factors such as length, consonant sequences, alphabetical order, and popularity. After controlling for the year of publication, the number of authors, and the type of publication, only one association was found to be statistically significant; specifically, that the longer a consonant sequence was in the first-author's forename the more citations their publication received. Future research could address broader datasets and additional academic outcomes.
    Keywords:  Bibliometrics; Bibliometría; Características del nombre; Citas; Citations; Forename; Name characteristics; Nombre de pila; Oftalmología; Ophthalmology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oftale.2026.502575
  6. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2026 Apr 30. pii: 581. [Epub ahead of print]23(5):
    The Impact of Author Name Ambiguity on Bibliometric Validity. Comment on Ejaz et al. Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on the Omicron Variant from 2020 to 2022 in the Scopus Database Using R and VOSviewer. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12407.
    Zineb Rhazzar, Khalid Ennibi, Nadia Touil.
      Ejaz et al [...].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23050581
  7. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2026 Apr 30. pii: 582. [Epub ahead of print]23(5):
    Reply to Rhazzar et al. The Impact of Author Name Ambiguity on Bibliometric Validity. Comment on "Ejaz et al. Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on the Omicron Variant from 2020 to 2022 in the Scopus Database Using R and VOSviewer. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12407".
    Hasan Ejaz, Hafiz Muhammad Zeeshan, Fahad Ahmad, Syed Nasir Abbas Bukhari, Naeem Anwar, Awadh Alanazi, Ashina Sadiq, Kashaf Junaid, Muhammad Atif, Khalid Omer Abdalla Abosalif, Abid Iqbal, Manhal Ahmed Hamza, Sonia Younas.
      We sincerely thank the authors of the comment for their interest in our study and for highlighting the issue of author name ambiguity in bibliometric research [...].
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23050582
  8. Anaesthesia. 2026 May 26.
    Bibliometric analysis of the reporting of p values in the summaries of anaesthetic publications.
    Markus Huber, Alexander Fuchs.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/anae.70245
  9. J Educ Health Promot. 2026 ;15 175
    Bibliometric analysis of scientific research development on drinking water supply in natural disaster-affected areas.
    Bahramzadeh Gendeshmin Saeid, Seyedin Hesam, Rostamzadeh Sajjad, Dowlati Mohsen.
      Providing access to clean drinking water is a critical challenge in the aftermath of natural disasters. The aim of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research trends on drinking water provision in disaster-affected areas, identifying strengths and weaknesses in the global research community. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of research on drinking water supply in disaster-affected areas from 2004 to 2024 using Scopus. A comprehensive search query was employed to include relevant studies, excluding unrelated topics. Data were exported to Excel for analysis, and VOSviewer software was used to create network maps based on co-occurrence relationships, author collaborations, and citation patterns. This study analyzes 709 publications on drinking water supply in disaster-affected areas from 2004 to 2024, sourced from 109 countries and authored by 2804 researchers. The findings indicate a consistent rise in publications, reaching a peak in 2021, with a predominant focus on environmental science, engineering, and social sciences. Peer-reviewed journal articles dominate, followed by conference papers. Prominent authors such as Rosario-Ortiz and Pieper have significantly influenced the field. Research clusters highlight wildfire impacts, water quality management, and treatment systems. Major journals include Water and Journal of Hydrology, with the United States, China, and Australia leading global contributions. This study analyzes research trends in providing drinking water during natural disasters, highlighting a focus on floods and wildfires. It emphasizes the need for more attention to water crises caused by earthquakes and tsunamis, the use of predictive models, smart systems, and international collaborations in future research.
    Keywords:  Bibliometric analysis; emergencies; natural disasters; water supply
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_383_25
  10. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2026 May 29.
    The top 100 most cited peer-reviewed publications on global neurosurgery: Mapping research trends and gaps over four decades.
    Siddharth Venigalla, Tirone Young, Bahie Ezzat, Shrey Patel, Alexander J Schupper, Zerubabbel K Asfaw, Addison Quinones, Michael B Lemonick, Kevin V Nguyen, Saadi Ghatan, Ernest J Barthélemy, Roger Hartl, Tanvir F Choudhri, Franco Servadei, Isabelle M Germano.
       BACKGROUND: This study aimed to highlight the landscape of global neurosurgery (GNS) literature through a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited peer-reviewed publications. The objectives were to identify publication trends, citation patterns, authorship, and collaboration networks within GNS research over the past four decades.
    METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted using Google Scholar and the Web of Science (WoS) database to identify articles related to GNS published within the last 40 years. The top 100 most cited articles were selected for analysis. Bibliometric evaluation was performed using VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix package in RStudio to assess trends in publication, authorship, citation, and country contribution, including those from lower-middle-income and low-income countries (LMIC/LIC).
    RESULTS: The 100 most-cited GNS publications, spanning 2000-2023, included 811 co-authors from 61 countries and were published across 40 journals, with 71% appearing in nine leading journals. Publication output after 2012 accounted for 68% and showed a significant increase compared to the previous period (χ2 = 12.96, p = 0.00032) The cumulative growth in publications was also significant (χ2 = 27.93, p = 0.00049), driven largely by authors based in the US (χ2 = 92.59, p = 3.7 × 10⁻19) and other high-income countries (χ2 = 44.23, p = 5.7 × 10⁻⁹). 50% of publications originated from the US, while only 9% were from LMIC/LIC. Subspecialty-focused research comprised 76% of papers, with trauma (31%) and pediatric neurosurgery (21%) being the most frequent topics. Among general GNS themes, surgical access (11%) and workforce/education and training (11%) predominated. Co-authorship analysis demonstrated extensive international collaboration, with an overall collaborative rate of 81%.
    CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution and distribution of leading GNS research. The steady rise in publications underscores increasing world-wide engagement in addressing disparities in neurosurgical care. However, persistent underrepresentation from LMIC/LIC highlights a growth opportunity. Strengthening inclusive global partnerships and research capacity in resource-constrained settings will be essential to advance sustainability and overall GNS goals.
    Keywords:  Bibliometrics; Education and training; Global neurosurgery; Low-Income Countries (LIC); Low-Middle Income countries (LMIC); Traumatic brain injury
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-026-06897-1
  11. Front Neurol. 2026 ;17 1795682
    Research progress on occupational therapy for disorders of consciousness in the context of neurorehabilitation: visual analysis based on CiteSpace.
    Jinqin Zhang, Xinyue Yan, Fubiao Huang, Ying Dong, Yudi Huang, Ying Zhang.
       Objective: This study aimed to analyze recent research and emerging trends in occupational therapy for disorders of consciousness.
    Methods: We employed bibliometric methods to retrieve relevant English literature on occupational therapy for disorders of consciousness from Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), including publications up to July 10, 2025. CiteSpace 6.2. R1 was utilized to generate knowledge maps, focusing on authors, institutions, countries, and keywords.
    Results: We identified 526 articles in English. Among contributing authors, Laureys, Steven demonstrated the highest productivity (15 publications). The United States and Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale were the leading contributing countries and institutions. "Archives Of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation" was the most influential journal with a total of 300 citations. High-frequency keywords include "vegetative state" and"disorders of consciousness."
    Conclusion: This 10-year bibliometric analysis of occupational therapy for disorders of consciousness research identifies priority areas for future studies.
    Keywords:  CiteSpace; bibliometric analysis; disorders of consciousness; occupational therapy; review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2026.1795682
  12. Eye (Lond). 2026 May 27.
    Locally-affiliated authorship in global eye health research conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2003 and 2022.
    Scott K Herrod, Edinam Y Hutton-Mensah, Connor J Alder, David S Friedman, Yan Zhao, Dupe Ademola-Popoola, Vera A Essuman, Chris A Rees, Khumbo Kalua, Deborah Goss, Joshua R Ehrlich, Sadik Taju Sherief.
       BACKGROUND: Despite calls for equitable global eye-health research partnerships, there are limited data on authorship trends in research from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Our aims were to determine the magnitude, trends, associated factors, and gender disparities related to inequitable authorship in eye-health research conducted in SSA.
    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis of SSA eye-health publications between 2003 and 2022. A systematic literature search was conducted. Data were manually extracted from the 1777 publications that met eligibility screening criteria. Namsor V.2 was used to classify author gender. Outcomes included no locally-affiliated authors and SSA-affiliated female authors.
    RESULTS: Overall, 1777 publications were included. The percentage of publications with no locally-affiliated authors was 6% overall, 33% in the first author position, and 45% in the last author position. There were no significant trends in the exclusion of locally-affiliated authors between 2003 and 2022 (no authors: p = 0.899; no first authors: p = 0.515; no last authors: p = 0.574). Factors with a higher odds of no locally-affiliated authors at all or in prominent positions included high-income-country-affiliated co-authors, low-income study countries, randomised trials, high-impact research, US/UK journal publishers and funders, and trachoma publications. SSA-affiliated female authors were underrepresented in prominent authorship positions (first authors: p < 0.001; last authors: p < 0.001) and had lower odds of representation with US/UK journal publishers, low-income study countries, and randomised trials.
    CONCLUSION: Inequitable authorship practices persist in eye-health research in SSA. Greater commitment towards partnership equity by ophthalmic researchers, journals, and funding organisations is needed.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-026-04576-0
  13. Postgrad Med J. 2026 May 29. pii: qgag066. [Epub ahead of print]
    A century of postgraduate medical scholarship: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the postgraduate medical journal (1927-2025).
    Raju Vaishya, Brij Mohan Gupta, Ghouse Modin Nabeesab Mamdapur, Shri Ram, Abhishek Vaish, Kartikeyan P Iyengar.
       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications in the Postgraduate Medical Journal from 1927 to 2025, examining publication trends, citation impact, authorship characteristics, institutional productivity, international collaborations, and thematic evolution.
    STUDY DESIGN: Bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in SCOPUS. Data were retrieved and analysed using established bibliometric tools to evaluate publication output, document types, citation patterns, contributing countries and institutions, collaborative networks, and keyword-based thematic trends.
    RESULTS: A total of 18,169 publications were identified, receiving 210,317 citations, with an average of 11.57 citations per paper. Research articles accounted for the majority of publications (67.81%), followed by review articles (13.18%). Although fewer in number, review articles demonstrated nearly threefold higher citation impact compared with research articles. The United Kingdom contributed the highest number of publications, while increasing contributions from more than 100 countries, particularly the United States, India, and China, reflected the journal's expanding international reach. Keyword and thematic analyses highlighted major research focus areas including medical education, chronic diseases, and clinically oriented research topics.
    CONCLUSIONS: The Postgraduate Medical Journal has maintained a strong and sustained scholarly influence over nearly a century of publication. Its evolving international collaborations and broad thematic coverage underscore its continuing importance in postgraduate medical education and clinically relevant research worldwide.
    Keywords:  bibliometrics; citation impact; international collaboration; medical education; postgraduate medical journal
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/postmj/qgag066
  14. Forensic Sci Int Synerg. 2026 Jun;12 100686
    Response to Letter to the Editor Regarding "A bibliometric analysis of investigative genetic genealogy in academic literature: Trends, networks, and emerging themes".
    Alfonso Pellegrino, Alessandro Stasi.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2026.100686
  15. Acta Otolaryngol. 2026 May 26. 1-7
    Germany's role in global transoral robotic surgery research: a bibliometric analysis of national output, citation impact, and international collaboration (2015-2025).
    Ulrich Hay, Stephan Lorenz, Helmut Steinhart, Adrian Hoenle.
       BACKGROUND: Germany ranks among the highest-impact nations in global transoral robotic surgery (TORS) research, yet its national contribution, institutional landscape, and collaborative network structure have not been characterised through systematic bibliometric analysis.
    AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To quantify Germany's role within the global TORS literature, characterise its research concentration, compare its international collaboration rate and map its position within the global co-authorship network.
    MATERIAL AND METHODS: Publications with German institutional affiliation were extracted from 9,382 TORS-related peer-reviewed papers retrieved from OpenAlex and Dimensions (2015-2025). National output, citation impact, research concentration (Lorenz curve; Gini coefficient), and international collaboration patterns were analysed using Bibliometrix (R), VOSviewer, and RStudio. Chi-square tests compared Germany's collaboration rate against leading nations.
    RESULTS: Germany contributed 358 publications (5,092 citations; CPP = 14.2), ranking third globally by citation impact. An institutional Gini coefficient of 0.291 indicated moderate output concentration. Germany's international collaboration rate (24%) exceeded those of the USA (9%) and China (15%) (p < 0.001), while being indistinguishable from comparable European nations.
    CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Germany embodies a quality-over-quantity research with a high citation impact and a distinctly European collaborative orientation. These findings provide the first evidence-based characterisation of Germany's scientific identity in global robotic head and neck surgery research.
    Keywords:  Germany; TORS; Transoral robotic surgery; bibliometric analysis; head and neck surgery; international collaboration
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/00016489.2026.2674801
  16. G Ital Cardiol (Rome). 2026 Jun;27(6): 381-383
    [Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia: impact factor and impact to readers].
    Giuseppe Di Pasquale.
      
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1714/4704.47184
  17. Ann Plast Surg. 2026 May 29.
    Conflicts of Interest in Plastic Surgery Journals: A Python-Assisted Evaluation of Self-Reported Disclosures.
    Michael R Ruta, Hannah Mahanti, W Nicholas Jungbauer, Robert Bernard.
       BACKGROUND: Conflicts of interest pose a risk to the integrity of clinical research. As part of the Sunshine Act, the Open Payments Program was established to provide transparency in financial relationships between commercial entities and physicians. Previous research indicates disparities between industry payments self-reported by plastic surgeon authors and those disclosed by commercial entities. This study sought to revisit the accuracy of conflict-of-interest disclosures, comparing current trends with previously published data, and introduce a novel automated search tool designed to facilitate future reviews of self-disclosures.
    METHODS: Articles from the Aesthetic Surgery Journal and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery published between 2017 and 2022 were reviewed. Self-reported disclosures for plastic surgeon authors were aggregated and compared against the Open Payments database using Python.
    RESULTS: A total of 8040 articles were reviewed. After filtering and applying inclusion criteria, 961 unique authors and 4226 authorships were identified. A total of 5802 discrepancies were found, with 78.6% of eligible authors having at least 1 discrepancy. Four percent of the included publications were estimated to contain undisclosed relationships that qualified as conflicts of interest. The median total payments for authors with discrepancies were greater than for authors without discrepancies ($9600 vs. $2500; P<0.001). A discrepancy in self-reporting was more likely to be identified among senior authors (P<0.001).
    CONCLUSIONS: Plastic surgeon authors continue to underreport their financial relationships. Automated screening may help identify disclosure discrepancies and support more complete author self-reporting.
    Keywords:  Sunshine Act; conflicts of interest; financial disclosure; open payments program; plastic surgery; research transparency
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/SAP.0000000000004781
  18. Acad Med. 2026 May 29. pii: wvag166. [Epub ahead of print]
    Implementation of a mentored scholarly project and corresponding research course at University of Maryland School of Medicine: 10 years of data showing improved scholarly productivity.
    Sarah J Silva, Fiama Romero, Laurence S Magder, Greg Carey, Kerri Thom, Sandra Quezada, Raushanah Kareem, Donald R Matteson.
       PURPOSE: Interest in research careers among medical graduates is decreasing, and fewer physicians report research as their primary work activity. This study examines the implementation of a required scholarly research course at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and its impact on student research productivity.
    METHOD: This observational study analyzed data from the UMSOM graduating classes of 2013 through 2022 (n = 1,526). Data on scholarly productivity during medical school were collected from the Electronic Residency Application Service. Undergraduate grade point average (GPA), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) percentile, and demographic data were collected from the American Medical College Application Service. Scholarly productivity was modeled as a function of undergraduate GPA, MCAT percentile, and FRCT implementation status.
    RESULTS: Implementation of the FRCT is associated with a significant increase in medical students' scholarly productivity during medical school. During the study, the per student mean increased from 0.75 to 2.22 for number of presentations, 0.56 to 1.65 for number of publications, and 0.17 to 0.59 for number of first-author publications. Likewise, the percentage of graduates with at least one publication increased from 29.4% to 68.8%, and the percentage of graduates with at least one first-author publication increased from 11.6% to 35.5%. Additional results show no significant change in the research productivity of MD-PhD students (who are exempt from the FRCT requirement) and no evidence of change in students' research experience before matriculation at UMSOM.
    CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the implementation of a scholarly research requirement in the preclerkship phase of medical education at UMSOM contributes to increased student scholarly productivity.
    Keywords:  curriculum; diversity; medical education; mentoring
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/acamed/wvag166
  19. Pain Manag Nurs. 2026 May 26. pii: S1524-9042(26)00147-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Text Network Analysis of Global Literature on Self-Management of Low Back Pain.
    Jinkyung Park, Wonjung Noh, Kyounghae Kim.
       PURPOSE: To identify the knowledge structure of low back pain (LBP) self-management literature by developing schematic diagrams of keyword relationships from a macro perspective, while examining research topics and trends across time and income.
    DESIGN: A quantitative content analysis.
    METHODS: This study employed text network analysis to explore keywords and research topics using topic modeling. Relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane up to May 2023, and keywords were analyzed using NetMiner 4.3.3.
    RESULTS: From 1977 to May 2023, 3,712 articles were published. In the knowledge structure, the keywords "pain," "patient," and "LBP" were highly linked to other keywords, forming their respective clusters. Six topics emerged: symptoms and mental comorbidities in chronic LBP, work-related risk, exercise-based self-management program, medication treatment, surgical treatment, and provider-delivered care. The studies varied depending on the country's income level.
    CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that self-management is a key component of the recommended clinical practice guidelines for LBP, highlighting its critical role in patients' rehabilitation and recovery. However, research on the associated psychosocial and biological components and studies applying self-management theories remains limited, underscoring the need for further investigation. Furthermore, research on appropriate care for LBP in low-income countries is required.
    CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Nurses play a leading role in educating patients with LBP on self-management, particularly in hospital settings, focusing on processes that support their return to work and daily activities. Therefore, nurses are well-positioned to advance evidence-based nursing practices, ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care in clinical settings.
    Keywords:  Low back pain; Nurses; Self-management; Text network analysis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2026.04.013
  20. Acad Med. 2026 May 28. pii: wvag165. [Epub ahead of print]
    Improving the impact of medical student research through structured mentorship: a clinical research enterprise model.
    Charles S Day, Meet S Patel, Alisha J Williams, Alaa Hazime, Nakia Allen.
       PROBLEM: Medical student research engagement is increasingly important in residency selection and professional development, yet structured, longitudinal mentorship programs remain limited, particularly in underserved settings. Inconsistent access to mentors and growing reliance on artificial intelligence tools further threaten the development of rigorous research skills. Scalable solutions are needed to provide equitable, high-quality research training.
    APPROACH: A structured clinical research enterprise was developed under faculty mentorship and formally launched in 2019 at an academic medical center. The program recruits first-year medical students annually and engages them in a four-year longitudinal model emphasizing progressive leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous mentorship. Students complete standardized onboarding, participate in multidisciplinary projects, attend biweekly team meetings, and use centralized digital infrastructure to manage projects. Defined roles for students, a research assistant, and the principal investigator evolve across training levels. Institutional funding supports administrative staff, biostatistical resources, and conference participation.
    OUTCOMES: Between 2019 and 2025, the group produced 28 peer-reviewed publications (4.6 per year) with a mean of 5.0 citations per article, achieved within a seven-year citation window. This compares favorably to a benchmark bibliometric analysis of medical student publications from 1980-2010 reporting 4.5 citations per article. Seventeen percent of publications were cited in clinical documents, and 68% appeared in high-impact journals (impact factor >5). Qualitative outcomes included improved professional identity formation, confidence in clinical environments, and preparedness for residency. Program enrollment expanded to over 50 active student researchers across three medical schools.
    NEXT STEPS: The model is being piloted for institutional expansion by recruiting additional faculty mentors. Formal program evaluation will assess long-term career outcomes, research involvement, and residency match success. The enterprise aims to serve as a scalable framework to improve equity, access, and excellence in medical student research training.
    Keywords:  longitudinal mentorship; medical student research; research program; scholarly productivity; undergraduate medical education
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/acamed/wvag165
  21. Am J Surg. 2026 May 18. pii: S0002-9610(26)00229-1. [Epub ahead of print] 117044
    Academic profiles and factors influencing gender disparity in general surgery residency leadership.
    Andrew Fok, Elizabeth Dauer.
       INTRODUCTION: Despite the growing number of female surgeons, women's representation in general surgery (GS) leadership remains limited. This study evaluated the academic profile between genders in GS residency leadership to investigate factors contributing to gender disparity.
    METHODS: Information on GS residency programs and their leadership was collected in December 2024 using public databases and institutional websites.
    RESULTS: Within 363 GS residency programs, 1070 leaders were identified: 66.6% men and 33.4% women. Men represented the majority in all leadership positions and academic ranks, except assistant professor. Men had significantly higher median years in practice and scholarly output (p < 0.001), but when adjusted for career length (m-index), there was no significant difference (p = 0.84).
    CONCLUSION: Gender disparity in GS residency leadership persists, particularly at the department chair level, despite similar academic profiles between genders. This disparity appears driven by academic rank and seniority. Expanding opportunities for academic promotion and a more holistic leadership selection may improve equity.
    Keywords:  Gender equity; General surgery; Leadership; Scholarly output
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2026.117044
  22. PLoS One. 2026 ;21(5): e0348097
    When Matilda shows up: The double-edged impact of women researchers' media visibility in management science.
    Béatrice Parguel, Marine Agogué, Julie Gauneau.
      Although the proportion of women in academic positions has increased, women researchers continue to receive less media coverage than their counterparts. To examine the implications of this underrepresentation, we investigate how different audiences respond to women researchers' increased visibility in social sciences dissemination media. We conducted two laboratory experiments, the first with a sample of non-academic individuals (N = 271) and the second with a sample of graduate students (N = 129). Results show that greater visibility of women researchers reduces the gender gap in self-efficacy beliefs between men and women in both populations. It also increases women researchers' perceived expertise among non-academic participants, but not among graduate students. Among the later, however, heightened visibility is also unexpectedly associated with a decline in the perceived attractiveness of academic careers, but only for men. While our research focuses specifically on women researchers in the field of management science and manipulates media visibility through the relative representation of women and men in a simulated scientific dissemination newsletter, our findings offer broader insights into how media exposure can influence self-efficacy beliefs, perceptions of researchers' expertise, and the attractiveness of academic careers. Building on these insights, we propose recommendations for researchers, academic institutions, and media organizations engaged in science dissemination.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0348097
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