bims-librar Biomed News
on Biomedical librarianship
Issue of 2018‒12‒23
thirty papers selected by
Thomas Krichel
Open Library Society


  1. Health Info Libr J. 2018 Dec 21.
      BACKGROUND: Searching for topics within large biomedical databases can be challenging, especially when topics are complex, diffuse, emerging or lack definitional clarity. Experimentally derived topic search filters offer a reliable solution to effective retrieval; however, their number and range of subject foci remain unknown.OBJECTIVES: This systematic scoping review aims to identify and describe available experimentally developed topic search filters.
    METHODS: Reports on topic search filter development (1990-) were sought using grey literature sources and 15 databases. Reports describing the conception and prospective development of a database-specific topic search and including an objectively measured estimate of its performance ('sensitivity') were included.
    RESULTS: Fifty-four reports met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and thematically synthesised to describe the characteristics of 58 topic search filters.
    DISCUSSION: Topic search filters are proliferating and cover a wide range of subjects. Filter reports, however, often lack clear definitions of concepts and topic scope to guide users. Without standardised terminology, filters are challenging to find. Information specialists may benefit from a centralised topic filter repository and appraisal checklists to facilitate quality assessment.
    CONCLUSION: Findings will help information specialists identify existing topic search filters and assist filter developers to build on current knowledge in the field.
    Keywords:  bibliographic databases; information storage and retrieval; literature searching; precision; recall; review scoping
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12244
  2. Pan Afr Med J. 2018 ;30 217
      The scientific world is facing a constant problem of ghostwriters. These ghostwriters are often attached to the medical publishing houses and are involved in writing an article for a pharmaceutical company which may, in turn, use the name of an established or a famous scientist as an author to the article. Often, such articles are published in well-known journals and are circulating widely. Many a time the adverse effects are overlooked in such papers. This will result in a corrupt practice of prescribing a drug which is not scientifically useful or may have life-threatening side effects. In this present article, the authors discuss this evil practice of ghostwriting in the context of the present day scientific publishing.
    Keywords:  Drug; ghostwriters; scientific publishing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.217.16312
  3. Nature. 2019 01;565(7737): 126
      
    Keywords:  Authorship; Careers; Publishing
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07605-5
  4. Acad Med. 2018 Dec 18.
      The number of both print and open access (OA) journals has increased dramatically. While electronic availability of information on the Internet may offer greater potential for information sharing, it also gives rise to "predatory" journals and deceptive publishers. In this Invited Commentary, the authors describe both the opportunities and potential perils that come with OA publications.Definitions for four models of legitimate OA are provided: the gold model, the green model, the platinum model, and the hybrid model. Benefits and risks of each model are discussed. The authors also distinguish between legitimate OA journals and predatory journals, highlighting several existing tools and resources for distinguishing between the two.Finally, the authors provide a checklist to help authors evaluate the policies and processes of journals and thereby avoid predatory publications.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002563
  5. Clin Dermatol. 2019 Jan - Feb;37(1):pii: S0738-081X(18)30202-5. [Epub ahead of print]37(1): 52-55
      The world of medical science literature is ever increasingly accessible via the Internet. Open access online medical journals, in particular, offer access to a wide variety of useful information at no cost. In addition, they provide avenues for publishing that are available to health care providers of all levels of training and practice. Whereas costs are less with the publishing of online open access journals, fewer resources for funding and technical support also exist. A recent rise in predatory journals, which solicit authors but charge high fees per paper published and provide low oversight, pose other challenges to ensuring the credibility of accessible scientific literature. Recognizing the value and efforts of legitimate open access online medical journals can help the reader navigate the over 11,000 open access journals that are available to date.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2018.09.010
  6. BJGP Open. 2017 May 17. 1(2): bjgpopen17X100833
      Background: Two-thirds of all patients search the internet prior to a health consultation.Aim: To explore how searching for online health information before visiting a doctor influences patients' behaviour during the consultation.
    Design & setting: A quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study of 18-75-year-old patients who used the internet.
    Method: Patients were recruited by social media for the quantitative study. This was followed by a qualitiative study of GPs who were questioned in focus groups. Two questions were addressed: What is the effect of searching online health information on the behaviour of the patients? How does the GP handle this information?
    Results: Almost half of all responders (total n = 963) usually went to the doctor after the online information search but two-thirds were not reassured by the internet search. More than half of responders had more confidence in their GP after searching online. The older the responders, the more they went to the doctor after their internet search and the younger the responders, the more they were worried. The more frequently people consulted the internet for specific complaints, the more likely they reported reassurance.
    Discussion: Patients usually made an appointment with their GP after the internet search. New symptoms are rarely noticed and the search usually did not lead patients to distrust their GP. The majority of GPs described positive effects of the online search behaviour on the consultation.
    Conclusion: The emerging use of the internet for searching health information, commonly referred to as 'Dr Google', is not seen as a threat by GPs and leads to a better mutual understanding of symptoms and diagnosis.
    Keywords:  health care; patient education; patient empowerment; primary care
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgpopen17X100833
  7. Ir Med J. 2018 Oct 11. 111(9): 827
      
  8. PLoS One. 2018 ;13(12): e0209416
      OBJECTIVE: Empirical research that cannot be reproduced using the original dataset and software code (replication files) creates a credibility challenge, as it means those published findings are not verifiable. This study reports the results of a research audit exercise, known as the push button replication project, that tested a sample of studies that use similar empirical methods but span a variety of academic fields.METHODS: We developed and piloted a detailed protocol for conducting push button replication and determining the level of comparability of these replication findings to original findings. We drew a sample of articles from the ten journals that published the most impact evaluations from low- and middle-income countries from 2010 through 2012. This set includes health, economics, and development journals. We then selected all articles in these journals published in 2014 that meet the same inclusion criteria and implemented the protocol on the sample.
    RESULTS: Of the 109 articles in our sample, only 27 are push button replicable, meaning the provided code run on the provided dataset produces comparable findings for the key results in the published article. The authors of 59 of the articles refused to provide replication files. Thirty of these 59 articles were published in journals that had replication file requirements in 2014, meaning these articles are non-compliant with their journal requirements. For the remaining 23 of the 109 articles, we confirmed that three had proprietary data, we received incomplete replication files for 15, and we found minor differences in the replication results for five.
    CONCLUSION: The findings presented here reveal that many economics, development, and public health researchers are a long way from adopting the norm of open research. Journals do not appear to be playing a strong role in ensuring the availability of replication files.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209416
  9. Nature. 2018 Dec;564(7736): S80-S82
      
    Keywords:  Conferences and meetings; Media
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07779-y
  10. Teach Learn Med. 2018 Dec 15. 1-10
      Phenomenon: With scholarly collaborations come questions about the order of authorship. Authorship order is an important consideration because it often used as an indicator of seniority, expertise, leadership, and scholarly productivity. As a result, authorship order factors into decisions about hiring, salary, resource allocation, and professional advancement. This study describes principles commonly applied to authorship order decisions within the medical education community and educators' opinions about the significance of authorship order. Approach: A questionnaire was developed to ascertain current practices related to authorship decisions. Sixteen items were rated in terms of frequency of actual use and the desirability of the practice using a 4-point rating scale: 1 (never), 2 (sometimes), 3 (often), and 4 (always). Additional questions addressed the perceived significance of authorship order. The last set of questions provided information about respondents' personal and career characteristics. The survey was delivered via e-mail to a random sample of 391 subscribers from the DR-ED listserv. Findings: Fifty-four e-mail addresses were returned as undeliverable; of the remaining 337 mailed surveys, 109 responses (32.3%) were received. Five of the current practices for determining authorship order were rated as both frequent and desirable; 4 items had low ratings suggesting that these practices were both infrequent and undesirable. For 7 items, there was a significant gap between the ratings of practice frequency and desirability. When asked about preferred authorship order strategies, most respondents (94%) endorsed listing authors by descending order based on contribution but were split in identifying the last author (47%) or second author (46%) as the next best placement after first author. Respondents supported the practice of many journals requiring authors to disclose their contributions, agreeing (69%) that it provides useful information for promotion and tenure committees; however, 43% were uncertain about how disclosed contributions were reflected in authorship order. Insights: Respondents strongly endorsed the importance of listing authors in order of decreasing contribution, although the meaning of second versus last author lacks consensus. This finding, together the other strategies that received strong endorsement and those that were not strongly endorsed, provides a starting point to develop guidance for medical educators about how to determine authorship order. Clear guidance for authors would promote fairness and accountability within the medical education community as well as provide more consistent interpretation for those who consider authorship order for career- and resource-related decisions.
    Keywords:  Authorship; research ethics; research practice; survey research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2018.1533836
  11. Medwave. 2018 Nov 27. 18(7): e7354
      Biomedical information dissemination has expanded exponentially, and this can represent a challenge for those health professionals who wish to obtain high quality and relevant integrated information. Reviews, in their different formats, are tools that can address this problem. This article describes the main types of syntheses of biomedical information, their structures, their usefulness, and presents the latest information synthesis formats that were developed by different organizations committed to this purpose.
    Keywords:   evidence-based medicine; review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2018.07.7354
  12. Niger J Clin Pract. 2018 Dec;21(12): 1651-1655
      Background: Today, the internet is widely used to obtain any type of information. The use of internet may facilitate healthcare professionals' education as well.Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the content, accuracy, reliability and quality of YouTube videos regarding intubation, one of the most important skills for healthcare professionals.
    Materials and Methods: Of the 54,000 videos found using the keyword 'intubation', the first 50 were included in the study. The sources were divided into three categories: academicians, healthcare professionals and medical. The view ratio, like ratio, and video power index were used to determine the popularity while Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria were used for reliability. The extent of the information was evaluated based on the scoring system provided by us.
    Results: The majority of the videos were uploaded by healthcare professionals (92%) including academicians. Twenty-seven (54%) videos had training purposes. The information point was highest in the academic group (4.6 ± 2.7); however, there was no significance between groups (P = 0.2). The mean JAMA score was highest in the academic group (1.9 ± 0.8), with a statistical significance (P = 0.00055). The JAMA score and information points were significantly higher in training videos compared to non-training videos (p=<0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). Popularity ratios were similar between groups.
    Conclusion: Videos regarding medical skills should be accurate. Information on YouTube regarding intubation is limited and is of low quality. The establishment of an organization authorized to evaluate the content, quality, accuracy and reliability of the information on the internet regarding medical skills is warranted.
    Keywords:  Information; YouTube; internet; intubation; video
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.4103/njcp.njcp_207_18
  13. Nature. 2018 12;564(7736): 312
      
    Keywords:  Policy; Politics; Research data; Research management
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07740-z
  14. Res Synth Methods. 2018 Dec 18.
      Systematic reviews are a cornerstone of today's evidence-informed decision making. With the rapid expansion of questions to be addressed and scientific information produced, there is a growing workload on reviewers, making the current practice unsustainable without the aid of automation tools. While many automation tools have been developed and are available, uptake seems to be lagging. For this reason, we set out to investigate the current level of uptake and what the potential barriers and facilitators are for the adoption of automation tools in systematic reviews. We deployed surveys among systematic reviewers that gathered information on tool uptake, demographics, systematic review characteristics, and barriers and facilitators for uptake. Systematic reviewers from multiple domains were targeted during recruitment, however, responders were predominantly from the biomedical sciences. We found that automation tools are currently not widely used among the participants. When tools are used, participants mostly learn about them from their environment, for example through colleagues, peers, or organisation. Tools are often chosen on the basis of user experience, either by own experience or from colleagues or peers. Lastly, licensing, steep learning curve, lack of support, and mismatch to workflow are often reported by participants as relevant barriers. While conclusions can only be drawn for the biomedical field, our work provides evidence and confirms the conclusions and recommendations of previous work, which was based on expert opinions. Furthermore, our study highlights the importance that organisations and best practices in a field can have for the uptake of automation tools for systematic reviews.
    Keywords:  automation tool adoption; survey; systematic review automation; technology-assisted review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1335
  15. J Cheminform. 2018 Dec 21. 10(1): 68
      The need to efficiently find and extract information from the continuously growing biomedical literature has led to the development of various annotation tools aimed at identifying mentions of entities and relations. Many of these tools have been integrated in user-friendly applications facilitating their use by non-expert text miners and database curators. In this paper we describe the latest version of Neji, a web-services ready text processing and annotation framework. The modular and flexible architecture facilitates adaptation to different annotation requirements, while the built-in web services allow its integration in external tools and text mining pipelines. The evaluation of the web annotation server on the technical interoperability and performance of annotation servers track of BioCreative V.5 further illustrates the flexibility and applicability of this framework.
    Keywords:  Biomedical text mining; Named entity recognition; Web-services
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13321-018-0317-4
  16. Orv Hetil. 2018 Dec;159(51): 2175-2182
      INTRODUCTION: More sophisticated implementation of the Internet in healthcare improves medical services innumerably. To better understand the patients' preferences for health-related use of Internet is warranted.AIM: Our aim was to determine the patients' health-related Internet use.
    METHOD: Patients attending our private clinic between October 2016 and April 2017 were surveyed.
    RESULTS: 208 questionnaires have been evaluated. Most patients use Internet daily, primarily on mobiles. The majority have already searched for health-related information online, 19% do regularly. 53% are satisfied with online contents and open to websites recommended by physicians. 32% of patients have already communicated with doctors online and 93% are satisfied doing so. 8% of patients use health-related smartphone applications regularly, 6% use other Internet-based health-monitoring devices. 60% of patients have already chosen a physician based on web information, while 17% do regularly. 82% of respondents have not yet shared health-related information on the Internet.
    CONCLUSIONS: The Internet is widely used by patients seeking information about their health, yet they are dissatisfied with the quality. Many patients are open to recommendations offered by physicians regarding sources of online information. Online communication between physician and patient might increase patient satisfaction. There is no breakthrough in the use of health-related websites, mobile apps or devices in Hungary. The demand for such service could be considered moderate. Additionally, online patient forums are not specifically popular. The medical society in Hungary should accept that physician selection by patients depends more increasingly upon information made available online. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(51): 2175-2182.
    Keywords:  Internet use; communication; internethasználat; kommunikáció; okoseszköz; online egészségügyi információ; online health information; smartphone
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1556/650.2018.31210
  17. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Dec 21. 20(12): e297
      BACKGROUND: Patient and public involvement in health research is important to produce relevant and impactful results.OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed to prioritize and summarize Hirschsprung disease (HD)-related information needs among caregivers of children with HD and pediatric surgeons through partnership with a parent-initiated social media campaign.
    METHODS: We conducted a Web-based survey with the 2 stakeholder groups to identify information needs. The caregiver survey was conducted through a global Web-based community, and the surgeon survey was distributed to members of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons (CAPS). We conducted a literature review to identify evidence on the prioritized topics.
    RESULTS: Our findings showed that 54.9% (89/162) of the individuals completed the caregiver survey and 23.8% (52/218 listed members) of the pediatric surgeons completed the survey distributed through CAPS. Only 20% (18/89) of the caregivers reported being very satisfied or satisfied with the current HD-related resources. A final prioritized list of information needs included bowel management, nutrition and growth, infection, perianal irritation, gastrointestinal pain, surgical diagnostics, and surgical complications. In total, 87 studies were included in the literature review, which included the following: 8 reviews, 2 randomized controlled trials, 74 cohort studies, and 3 practice guidelines. Two priority issues identified by caregivers had only a single study that met the inclusion criteria, whereas 1 topic had none.
    CONCLUSIONS: With caregiver and surgeon input, we identified 7 information priority areas related to HD. A review of the literature on the priorities found little evidence to support the development of high-quality guidelines. More research is necessary to meet the information needs related to HD as identified by stakeholders.
    Keywords:  Hirschsprung disease; caregivers; research; social media; surgeons; surveys and questionnaires
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9701
  18. Can J Nurs Res. 2018 Dec 21. 844562118804119
      STUDY BACKGROUND: Journals are key learning mechanisms for nursing organizations. Analysis of publications provides opportunities to explore influences, priorities, and perspectives of nurses over time.PURPOSE: To identify historical trends in maternal-infant health and nursing practice.
    METHODS: Historical bibliometric and content analysis of articles in The Canadian Nurse, 1905-2015. Six hundred sixty-eight lead publications in the journal were identified. Data were extracted on authorship, writing style, geographical distribution, and language, and content themes were determined.
    RESULTS: Five hundred twenty-five publications were written by nurses, and 272 came from the Ontario and Quebec. Nine key content areas were identified, including changing families, women's bodies, prenatal care, birth care, postpartum care, when things go wrong, and keeping babies healthy. The number of maternal-infant publications in this national journal has been decreasing since the emergence of specialty journals.
    CONCLUSION: Advances in perinatal nursing practice over the past 115 years in Canada reflect emerging scientific developments and evolving social values. These articles traced the medicalization and reclamation of pregnancy and childbirth, the shifting role of nurses in relation to other health and social care providers, and the impact of determinants of health on the well-being of mothers, infants, and families.
    Keywords:  Canadian nursing; maternal/child; maternity nursing; nurses; qualitative approaches
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/0844562118804119
  19. Nuklearmedizin. 2018 Dec;57(6): 234-241
      AIM: This study aimed to assess the quantity and quality of papers published in subspecialty nuclear medicine journals and provide an overview of worldwide research activity carried out in the field of nuclear medicine.METHODS: Papers published in subspecialty nuclear medicine journals between 2008 and 2017 were retrieved from the Web of Science. The number of papers and citations were used to evaluate the quantity and quality of the articles. The correlation between the research productivity of different countries and their population size and gross domestic product (GDP) were analyzed.
    RESULTS: There were 12,861 articles published in these journals between 2008 and 2017. A rapidly increasing trend was observed in the number of articles published per year (p < 0.001). The United States published the largest proportion of papers (23.22 %) followed by Germany (9.94 %), Japan (9.46 %), Italy (6.53 %), and China (6.36 %). The United States had the highest number of total citations. The number of articles from different countries had a significant correlation with their population size and GDP (p < 0.01). Switzerland had the highest mean citations (23.66) followed by the Netherlands (23.54), and Germany (22.77). However, the Netherlands was first (42.43) followed by Denmark (32.89) and Switzerland (31.79) when adjustments for population size were made. When adjustments for GDP were made, the Netherlands was again the leader (82.91) followed by Denmark (69.49) and Greece (61.77).
    CONCLUSIONS: There has been a significant increase in nuclear medicine research over the last decade. The United States is the leader of worldwide research productivity. However, when population and GDP are taken into consideration, certain smaller countries in Europe exhibit performed better. ZIEL:: Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Quantität und Qualität von Publikationen, die in Fachzeitschriften für Nuklearmedizin veröffentlicht wurden, zu bewerten und einen Überblick über die weltweiten Forschungsaktivitäten auf dem Gebiet der Nuklearmedizin zu geben.
    METHODEN: In den Fachzeitschriften für Nuklearmedizin zwischen 2008 und 2017 erschienene Artikel wurden aus dem Web of Science abgerufen. Die Anzahl der Artikel und Zitate wurde verwendet, um die Menge und Qualität der Artikel zu bewerten. Die Korrelation zwischen der Forschungsproduktivität verschiedener Länder und ihrer Bevölkerungsgröße sowie dem Bruttoinlandsprodukt (BIP) wurde analysiert.
    ERGEBNISSE: Zwischen 2008 und 2017 wurden 12861 Artikel in diesen Zeitschriften veröffentlicht. Die Anzahl der jährlich veröffentlichten Artikel zeigte einen rasch ansteigenden Trend (p < 0,001). Die Vereinigten Staaten veröffentlichten den größten Anteil der Veröffentlichungen (23,22 %), gefolgt von Deutschland (9,94 %), Japan (9,46 %), Italien (6,53 %) und China (6,36 %). Die Vereinigten Staaten hatten die höchste Gesamtzahl von Zitaten. Die Anzahl der Artikel aus verschiedenen Ländern korrelierte signifikant mit ihrer Bevölkerungsgröße und dem BIP (p < 0,01). Die Schweiz hatte den höchsten Mittelwert für Zitierungen (23,66), gefolgt von den Niederlanden (23,54) und Deutschland (22,77). Angepasst auf die Bevölkerungszahl aber kamen zuerst die Niederlande (42,43), gefolgt von Dänemark (32,89) und der Schweiz (31,79). Nach Anpassungen für das BIP, waren die Niederlande erneut führend (82,91), gefolgt von Dänemark (69,49) und Griechenland (61,77).
    SCHLUSSFOLGERUNGEN: Die nuklearmedizinische Forschung hat in den vergangenen zehn Jahren erheblich zugenommen. Die Vereinigten Staaten sind der Führer der weltweiten Forschungsproduktivität. Wenn jedoch Bevölkerung und BIP berücksichtigt werden, schneiden bestimmte kleinere Länder in Europa besser ab.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3413/Nukmed-0995-18-08
  20. Basic Clin Androl. 2018 ;28 15
      Background: As the specialty of Andrology expands it is important to establish the most important studies that have shaped, and continue to shape, current research and clinical practice. Bibliometric analysis involving a citation rank list is an established means by which to identify the published material within a given field that has greatest intellectual influence. This bibliometric analysis sought to identify the 100 most influential manuscripts in Andrology, as well as the key research themes that have shaped contemporary understanding and management of andrological conditions.Methods: The Thompson Reuters Web of Science citation indexing database was interrogated using a number of search terms chosen to reflect the full spectrum of andrological practice. Results were ranked according to citation number and further analysed according to subject, first and senior author, journal, year of publication, institution and country of origin.
    Results: The Web of Science search returned a total of 24,128 manuscripts. Citation number of the top 100 articles ranged from 2819 to 218 (median 320). The most cited manuscript (by Feldman et al., The Journal of Urology 1994; 2819 citations) reported the prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in the Massachusetts Male Ageing Study. The Journal of Urology published the highest number of manuscripts (n = 11), followed by the New England Journal of Medicine (n = 10). The most common theme represented within the top 100 manuscripts was erectile dysfunction (n = 46), followed jointly by hypogonadism and male factor infertility (n = 24 respectively).
    Conclusion: Erectile dysfunction should be considered the most widely researched, published and cited field within andrological practice. This study provides a list of the most influential manuscripts in andrology and serves as a reference of what comprises a 'highly citable' paper for both researchers and clinicians.
    Keywords:  Andrology; Bibliometric analysis; Citation rank; Influential
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12610-018-0080-4
  21. Cureus. 2018 Oct 13. 10(10): e3448
      Introduction A recent increase in cases of advanced maternal age in the US has been partly associated with a higher incidence of pregnancy-related complications and infertility. However, little is known on how such social changes may have influenced obstetrics articles published in high-impact medical journals subscribed by diverse physicians. The objective of this study is to elucidate the presence and trend of obstetrics investigations in high-profile medical journals. Material and methods This bibliometric study retrospectively analyzed original articles published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) from 1997 to 2016. Two reviewers extracted obstetrics articles from PubMed, assessed whether to include specific articles, and categorized them by subtopic. Main outcomes measure was the annual number of original investigations in obstetrics divided by that of original investigations from all fields during the study period, expressed as a trend. Results A total of 3486 original investigations were published during the study period. Regarding obstetrics, 1989 articles were originally extracted from PubMed; after a two-step review process, 199 (10.0%) obstetrics-related original investigations remained. Among them, 134 (67.4%) were classified as pregnancy-related abnormalities or complications (non-infection). The proportion of obstetrics articles decreased during the first 10 years but increased in the last 10 years. The highest figures in the first 10 and last 10 years were 8.5% in 1999 and 9.4% in 2014, respectively, whereas the lowest was 1.4% in 2008. The proportion articles on pregnancy-associated complications or abnormalities (non-infection) steadily increased during the study period, that of articles on infertility increased, and that of articles on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection steadily decreased. Conclusions The observed trend may suggest a changing interest in obstetrics investigations among general physicians in the last 20 years. What is particularly notable is a heightened presence of research on pregnancy-related complications and infertility, which may reflect an increasing frequency in advanced maternal age in the US.
    Keywords:  advanced age; bibliometric; complication; human immunodeficiency virus; infertility; marriage
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.3448
  22. Front Psychol. 2018 ;9 2411
      
    Keywords:  best practices in teaching; publishing; student perceptions; undergraduate publication; undergraduate research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02411
  23. J BUON. 2018 Sep-Oct;23(5):23(5): 1266-1272
      PURPOSE: To investigate the progress of the Journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology (JBUON) in the second decade of its existence.METHODS: We investigated 10 volumes of JBUON, consisting of 42 issues, with regard to the number and category of articles, the contribution of authors from Balkan and non-Balkan countries, and the (co)authorship in published articles.
    RESULTS: In period 2006-2015, 1407 articles of different categories were published in JBUON. Most were original articles. In 2009, JBUON became listed in Science Citation Index (SCI) database and gained impact factor (IF). After that, the values of some investigated parameters (e.g. submission rate, total number of papers and the number of original articles) correlated with constant rise of the IF value.
    CONCLUSION: During the second decade of JBUON the journal has been gradually progressing in regard to the submission rate, the percentage of original papers, contribution of more countries other than Balkan countries, and the number of authors per article. This progress is the consequence of indexing in the SCI list in 2009, and to steadily rise of the IF value.
  24. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2018 Dec;11(12): e005040
      BACKGROUND: Despite advances in the representation of women in medical training, women continue to be underrepresented in cardiology, academic medicine, and more specifically, in senior positions within academic medicine. Identifying disparities in research productivity and acknowledgment can highlight barriers to female representation in academic cardiology leadership, as well as in academic promotion.METHODS AND RESULTS: This bibliometric analysis included all authors of original research articles between 1980 and 2017 from 3 high-impact cardiology journals ( Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation, and European Heart Journal). We identified 71 345 unique authors of 55 085 primary research articles during our study period. Female authors accounted for 33.1% of all authors; however, they represented only 26.7% of first authors and 19.7% of senior authors. Looking at the most prolific authors within this time period, female authors were not well represented, accounting for only 5% of the top 100 authors. Articles with a female senior author had more female middle authors than articles with a male senior author (mean 1.41 versus 0.97, P<0.001) and were more likely to have a female first author (0.37 versus 0.18, P<0.001). There was an increased representation of female authors as first and senior authors compared with the total number of articles with female authors over time ( P<0.001 for trend); however, female senior authorship rates continued to lag first authorship rates.
    CONCLUSIONS: Using a large database of published manuscripts, we found that female representation in published cardiology research has increased over the past 4 decades. However, women continue to be not well represented as first authors, senior authors, and in the number of publications. When women were senior authors, they published more articles with female first authors and had more female authors. In addition to recruiting more women into the field of cardiology, additional work is needed to identify and address barriers to academic advancement for female physician-scientists.
    Keywords:  authorship; female; male; publications; research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.118.005040
  25. Forensic Sci Int. 2018 Dec 11. pii: S0379-0738(18)31056-9. [Epub ahead of print]295 72-82
      Through bibliometric analysis, this study aimed to reveal worldwide research productivity and trends in forensic entomology over the last two decades (1998-2017). As "forensic entomology" is yet to be established as a Medical Subject Headings term, we used "forensic entomology" and "legal entomology" as topics in Web of Science Core Collection, Medline, and PubMed searches. Two independent investigators retrieved and evaluated 3165 articles. After determining the cutoff for publication year and excluding repeated or irrelevant articles, 1087 articles remained for analysis. In terms of papers published, the United States was the most productive among the 136 countries (and disputed regions) that contributed to forensic entomological research. Among the 179 journals that published all articles, two were considered core journals based on Bradford's Law (i.e., the two journals published the majority of relevant articles). Most studies focused on the order Diptera and family Calliphoridae. The most common topics were estimation of postmortem interval and species identification.
    Keywords:  Bibliometrics; Forensic entomology; Forensic science; Medline; PubMed; Web of Science Core Collection
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.12.002
  26. Early Hum Dev. 2018 Dec 18. pii: S0378-3782(18)30727-8. [Epub ahead of print]
      Once an author/s submits a manuscript to a journal, editorial and review processes are initiated which will determine acceptance or rejection of a manuscript. Understanding the editor's perspective and role enables authors to appreciate the factors that can ensure that the submitted manuscript meets the editor's expectations. This increases the chances that the manuscript passes the initial scrutiny and is forwarded for peer review. The reviewers' comments and recommendations make or break the manuscript and will take the form of comments for the authors as well as confidential recommendations to the Editor. Rejection should not lead to dejection. Authors need to digest the reasons for rejection, review comments and suggestions and incorporate them into the revised manuscript prior to identifying another journal for possible submission. If the manuscript is accepted with minor or major revisions, the authors need to make sure all comments and recommendations are dealt with. Once the manuscript satisfies the editor's and reviewers' expectations, it is on its way to publication.
    Keywords:  Editor; Manuscripts; Publications; Review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.12.007
  27. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Dec 18. 20(12): e12244
      BACKGROUND: The onset of mental health problems peaks between adolescence and young adulthood; however, young people face barriers to treatment and are often reluctant to seek professional help. Many are instead seeking support and information regarding their mental health via the Web, especially via social networking sites (SNSs), and hence, there is a promising opportunity to use SNSs to deliver or integrate with youth-focused online mental health interventions. Previous reviews have evaluated the effectiveness of SNSs for specific disorders in young people; however, none of the reviews have covered the breadth of SNS-based youth mental health interventions available across all mental health issues.OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to systematically identify available evidence regarding the use of SNS-based interventions to support the mental health of young people aged up to 25 years, to evaluate their effectiveness, suitability, and safety, and identify gaps and opportunities for future research.
    METHODS: The PubMed and PsycINFO databases were searched using Medical Subject Headings terms and exploded keywords and phrases. Retrieved abstracts (n=974) were double screened, yielding 235 articles for screening at the full-text level. Of these, 9 articles met the review inclusion criteria. Given the small number of studies, and the variety of outcome measures used, a quantitative meta-analysis was not possible.
    RESULTS: The 9 articles (quantitative studies, qualitative studies, and descriptions of the iterative design process) covered 5 separate interventions. Of the 5 interventions, 2 interventions used purpose-built platforms based on the moderated online social therapy (MOST) model, 2 used Facebook, and 1 evaluated a purpose-built mobile app. The 2 MOST interventions targeted specific mental health issues (depression and psychosis), whereas the others focused on improving mental health literacy, social support, and general well-being. Only 3 quantitative studies were identified, and all used a pre-post design (without a control group) to establish proof of concept. Of the outcome variables assessed, there were significant improvements in mental health knowledge and number of depressive symptoms but no improvement in anxiety or psychosis symptoms. Acceptability of and engagement with the SNS platforms were generally high, as were perceptions of usefulness and safety. Moderation by clinical experts was identified as a key component of the more successful interventions. When offered a choice, users showed a preference for mobile apps over Web-based interfaces.
    CONCLUSIONS: The evidence reviewed suggests young people find SNS-based interventions highly usable, engaging, and supportive. However, future studies need to address the current lack of high-quality evidence for their efficacy in reducing mental health symptoms. Given young people are already turning to SNSs to engage in knowledge seeking and peer-to-peer support, SNS-based youth mental health interventions provide an opportunity to address some of the barriers young people face in accessing qualified mental health support and information.
    Keywords:  mental health; social media; social networking; social support; support groups
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.2196/12244
  28. Mycopathologia. 2018 Dec 20.
      Case reports describe the unusual occurrence and complications of diseases, diagnostic challenges, and notable therapeutic successes. Some journals have discontinued the case reports, while new case report journals have appeared in recent years. During the eightieth anniversary of Mycopathologia, it is fitting to examine the relevance of the case report since the journal continues to traverse the boundaries of basic and clinical sciences. A random sample of recent case reports and other articles were selected from Mycopathologia. Springer Nature individual article download statistics, and Google Scholar and Scopus citations numbers were compared to assess the reader access and bibliometric impact of case reports. Our analysis indicated that the case report format continues to be a vital element of publication in a cross-disciplinary journal such as Mycopathologia. Medical and veterinary case reports covering fungal pathogens are widely read as evident from their download numbers. The download numbers have a positive correlation with the completeness of the report, the topics and geographic origin of reports have a neutral influence, and the recency leads to lower downloads. There is no discernible trend between the download numbers and the citations of case reports as measured by Google Scholar and Scopus. A specially designed checklist for Mycopathologia case reports and new format MycopathologiaIMAGES are being introduced to improve the quality and relevance of case reports further.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-018-0314-1
  29. Int J Nurs Pract. 2018 Dec 19. e12716
      AIMS: Scientific discovery in general, and nursing research specifically, is an increasingly global effort consistent with changing demographics and the need to provide culturally competent care in a diverse society. Given that Arabs account for an increasing proportion of the populations in many Western countries, this study presents findings from the first bibliometric analysis of nursing research conducted through December 2017 in the Arab region.METHODS: We used quantitative and qualitative indicators to analyse bibliometric data from Scopus.
    RESULTS: We provided significant data on Arab nursing publication output and growth trends; types of published documents; publication geographic loci, focus, and subject categories; authors' collaboration patterns; core publishing journals and their impact; and citation patterns.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlighted the need for Arab policy makers and funding agencies to allocate research funding that supports the dissemination of Arab nursing research into the broader scientific community so that Western researchers, policymakers, and health care providers can appropriately address the health care needs of Arab individuals and families. The insights gleaned regarding the performance of journals, authors, countries, and institutions are discussed in relation to the potential impacts of the publish-or-perish culture of the current academic world.
    Keywords:  Arab; Scopus; bibliometric analysis; nursing research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12716