bims-evares Biomed News
on Evaluation of research
Issue of 2026–09–13
twenty papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. Gender difference in the authorship of top anesthesiology and pain journals: a protocol for retrospective bibliometric study.
  2. Gender gaps in first and last authorship in ophthalmology randomized controlled trials: A two-decade analysis.
  3. Neurosurgical research in Pakistan: a descriptive bibliometric analysis of developments and disparities in 25 years.
  4. Equity in Orthopaedic Knowledge, Open-Access Trends Among the Top 1,000 Cited Articles in Orthopaedic Surgery.
  5. The State of Academic Productivity in Spine Surgery Fellowship Programs.
  6. Publication characteristics of oral presentations at the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology congresses.
  7. Why retracted articles can have an influential afterlife-and what to do about it.
  8. Large language model-based evaluation of the impact of gender in medical research.
  9. Research Visibility in Physical Therapy: A Narrative Analysis of Academic and Clinical Contributions.
  10. Paper Mills in Dermatology: A Cross-Sectional Study of Retracted Publications.
  11. Gender and Perceived Racial Diversity in Academic Otolaryngology.
  12. [Scientific publications from Dutch dental faculties, response of the authors].
  13. A network analysis of faculty training and hiring in US academic neurosurgery departments.
  14. Does research activity reflect the population burden of scoliosis? A bibliometric analysis of etiologic subtypes.
  15. Trends in Research Gap Years Among Orthopaedic Residency Applicants.
  16. Where on Earth Are the Earth Sciences? A Mixed-Methods Study of Environmental Justice Research Trends and Roadblocks to Engagement.
  17. Bibliometric analysis of publications in Archivos Argentinos de Pediatría (2021-2025).
  18. [Scientific publications from Dutch dental faculties].
  19. Building better citation practices in public health research: Practical considerations for student researchers, from source discovery to crafting and positioning claims.
  20. Scholarly Productivity of Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Directors: A National Cross-Sectional Analysis.
  1. Front Med (Lausanne). 2026 ;13 1945719
    Gender difference in the authorship of top anesthesiology and pain journals: a protocol for retrospective bibliometric study.
    Bo Jiao, Liyun Deng, Mingyuan Chen.
       Introduction: The number of women in medicine has increased, and female scientists play an important role in medical research. However, bias in research publication and funding persists, which may influence the representation of women in medical studies. This study aims to explore women's representation in the authorship of top-five high-impact anesthesiology and pain journals over the past ten years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
    Methods: This retrospective bibliometric study will be performed according to relevant reporting recommendations for observational studies. The five most influential anesthesia and pain management journals will be selected based on their impact factor and most recent H-index (2024 Journal Citation Reports). Two researchers will search the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database for publications in these journals between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2024 based on the journal-title. Microsoft Excel 2016 and SPSS (version 26.0, IBM) will be used for data storage and analysis. Statistical analysis will be performed according to various purposes, and a regression model will be applied to investigate the correlation between different variables.
    Discussion: The academic status of female authors in the fields of anesthesiology and pain medicine will be comprehensively summarized from multiple perspectives through this research. This study will identify the top-five anesthesiology and pain journals and analyze authorship gender disparities, providing key insights into women's contributions to the field and guiding future research.
    Keywords:  anesthesiology and pain; authorship; bibliometric study; gender difference; protocol
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.1945719
  2. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2026 Sep 11. 11206721261488449
    Gender gaps in first and last authorship in ophthalmology randomized controlled trials: A two-decade analysis.
    Siddharth Gandhi, Michael Balas, Rachel Curtis, Tina Felfeli, Parnian Arjmand, Yvonne Buys, Arturo Ortín-Martínez, Radha Kohly.
      PurposeTo characterize 21-year trends in first- and last-author representation inferred as female in ophthalmology randomized controlled trial reports and examine associations with journal impact factor and first-last author pairing.MethodsThis repeated cross-sectional bibliometric study identified PubMed-indexed ophthalmology randomized controlled trial reports published from 2004 through 2024. Gender-API assignments were retained at 90% or greater accuracy. Annual proportions and Theil-Sen slopes were calculated, and a publication-year-by-authorship-position interaction tested whether temporal trends differed. Secondary analyses examined journal impact factor, first-last author pairing, geographic composition, and sensitivity to alternative inference thresholds.ResultsAmong 10,887 records, 953 were excluded because neither the first nor last author had a usable given name, leaving 9,934 articles. Qualifying assignments were available for 7,913 first-author and 7,878 last-author positions. Inferred female first authorship increased from 26.2% in 2004 to 38.3% in 2024 (slope, + 0.51 percentage points per year; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.68; p  <  0.001), and last authorship increased from 27.8% to 31.0% (+0.36; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.57; p  =  0.006). The year-by-position interaction was not statistically significant (+0.178 percentage points per year; 95% CI, -0.063 to 0.419; p  =  0.148). Journal impact factor was not significantly associated with either authorship position. The adjusted odds of an inferred female last author were higher when the first author was inferred as female (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.49; p = 0.001).ConclusionRepresentation inferred as female increased in both authorship positions, with no statistically significant difference between temporal trends.
    Keywords:  Randomized controlled trials; bias; gender; ophthalmology; research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/11206721261488449
  3. J Pak Med Assoc. 2026 Aug;76(8): 1329-1335
    Neurosurgical research in Pakistan: a descriptive bibliometric analysis of developments and disparities in 25 years.
    Haseeb Mehmood Qadri, Arham Amir Khawaja, Gohar Rehman, Haris Yaseen, Muhammad Omar Hussain Jakhar, Asif Bashir, Shaukat Ali Jawaid.
      The objective was to conduct comprehensive bibliometric studies which would offer valuable insights into neurosurgery research and training in Pakistan. We conducted a bibliometric analysis for all PubMed-indexed peer-reviewed publications from January 2000 to June 2024, where at least one author was affiliated with any neurosurgical department in Pakistan and the research was conducted in Pakistan. A significant exponential rise was seen during the 2016-20 and 2021-24 periods. Most publications were from Karachi ,651 (56.7%), Lahore, 128 (11.1%), Peshawar, 104 (9.1%) and Islamabad, 79 (6.9%). Most of the contributions were from Dr Muhammad Tariq, 79 (17.8%), Dr Syed Ather Enam, 79 (17.8%), and Dr Salman Sharif, 75 (16.9%). Most of the studies were original articles, 247 (36.2%), followed by case reports, 165 (24.2%) and review articles, 118 (17.3%). The most frequently study design used was cross-sectional, 187 (76.6%), followed by cohort, 59 (22.6%). Amongst the local PubMed-indexed journals, the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association was the most favourite local journal, representing, 154 (24.9%) of the total publications. Amongst the international journals, Surgical Neurology International and World Neurosurgery represented about, 103 (16.7%) and, 91 (14.7%) publications, respectively. The gradually rising trend in neurosurgical publications by Pakistani clinicians is a humble contribution to the global scientific literature. The progressive role of Karachi city as a flag-bearer of neurosurgical research is commendable, but it also raises questions the silence prevalent in other major cities of the country harbouring large neurosurgical setups andteaching programmes. It is imperative to promote research initiatives in neurosurgery, and increase awareness among neurosurgical trainees and practitioners regarding the significance of active research and publications.
    Keywords:   Neurosurgery, Cross-sectional studies, Bibliometric analysis, Peer-reviewed, Cohort.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.30185
  4. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2026 Sep 01. 10(9):
    Equity in Orthopaedic Knowledge, Open-Access Trends Among the Top 1,000 Cited Articles in Orthopaedic Surgery.
    Nicholas J Pettinelli, Michael Anderson, Madison Blackwell, Arjun K Reddy, Chad D Hanson.
       BACKGROUND: Highly cited articles in orthopaedic surgery are important in shaping practice and education. However, their accessibility through open access (OA) remains unclear despite increasing emphasis on equitable research dissemination.
    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of open access among the 1000 most-cited publications pertinent to orthopaedic surgery and examine trends by journal, decade, and study design. It was hypothesized that access to most of the most-cited orthopaedic publications is behind paywalls.
    METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional bibliometric analysis of the top 1000 most-cited orthopaedic surgery journal articles indexed in Scopus from 1980 to 2025. OA status was determined using the Unpaywall criteria adapted by Scopus, which categorizes publications as gold, green, bronze, hybrid, or closed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and nonparametric comparisons were used to evaluate OA prevalence across article types, journals, and decades. Citation density and OA status were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests and negative binomial regression.
    RESULTS: Among the top 1000 cited articles, 724 (72.4%) were not available through some form of OA. 276 (27.6%) were available through OA. Most open access was tagged as bronze (12.4%) or green (11.3%), while only 3.9% were published in fully OA journals. No hybrid OA articles were identified. OA prevalence varied among top journals, with Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research showing the highest proportion (43.2%) and the American Journal of Sports Medicine the lowest (8.1%). OA availability differed significantly by article type (χ2 = 15.88, P = 0.0032); randomized controlled trials and preclinical studies were more likely to be open than cohort studies. OA prevalence increased significantly over time, from 0% in the 1980s to 63.6% after 2020s. OA articles had higher annual citation densities (28.0 vs. 23.9 citations/year; P < 0.0001), although OA status was not a notable predictor of total citations in multivariable models.
    CONCLUSION: Despite positive trends in open access, most influential knowledge in orthopaedic surgery remains closed access, representing a notable barrier to the global orthopaedic community.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/e25.00297
  5. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2026 Sep 07.
    The State of Academic Productivity in Spine Surgery Fellowship Programs.
    Jerry J Zhang, Alyssa L Schoenfeld, Andrew J Schoenfeld.
      
    Keywords:  academic productivity; bibliometrics; education; fellowship; h-index; training
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000005854
  6. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2026 ;13 1890083
    Publication characteristics of oral presentations at the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology congresses.
    Hamza Eren Güzel, Ali Salbas, Özgür Yaşar, Alperen Erboğa, Babak Saravi.
       Background: Scientific congresses are important platforms for the early dissemination of research findings; however, not all presented abstracts subsequently reach full-text publication. Although congress-to-publication outcomes have been examined for several radiology meetings, the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) congress has not been specifically evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the publication outcomes of ESCR oral presentations, explore univariable associations between presentation characteristics and subsequent publication, and characterize temporal changes in research patterns.
    Methods: Oral presentations from the ESCR congresses held between 2019 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The 2018 and 2023 joint meetings with the European Society of Thoracic Imaging were excluded to reduce heterogeneity. Abstracts published before the corresponding congress and duplicate presentations were excluded. Publication was defined as subsequent full-text original research indexed in PubMed; searches were conducted between April 24 and May 10, 2026. Country of origin, subspecialty, study design, and collaboration type were recorded. Associations with publication outcome were assessed using chi-square tests or an exact test for sparse country-level data. A standardized 36-month analysis was used for congress-year comparisons, and temporal changes in study design and collaboration were evaluated.
    Results: Of 291 oral presentations, 145 were subsequently published as PubMed-indexed full-text original research articles, yielding a publication rate of 49.8%. Median time to publication was 13.0 months, and 89.7% of published studies appeared within three years. Publication outcome differed significantly by country of origin, subspecialty, and study design, whereas collaboration type was not significantly associated with publication. Publication rates did not differ across congress years (p = 0.726), including with standardized 36-month follow-up (p = 0.478), whereas study-design and collaboration distributions changed significantly over time (both p < 0.001).
    Conclusion: Approximately half of ESCR oral presentations progressed to PubMed-indexed full-text original research, and most identified publications appeared within three years. Publication conversion remained stable across congress years, whereas the design and collaborative structure of presented research changed over time. As the first ESCR-specific congress-to-publication analysis, these findings provide a benchmark for research dissemination in cardiovascular radiology; however, restriction to PubMed may underestimate the overall full-text publication rate.
    Keywords:  European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology; bibliometric analysis; cardiovascular imaging; congress abstracts; oral presentations; publication rate; radiology research; scientific dissemination
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2026.1890083
  7. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2026 Aug 18. pii: szag080. [Epub ahead of print]15(9):
    Why retracted articles can have an influential afterlife-and what to do about it.
    Jeremy Snyder, Leigh Turner.
      Retractions of published journal articles are an increasingly common means by which the research community ensures the quality and integrity of publications and addresses research misconduct missed during pre-publication peer review. Retractions are intended to notify the public of issues that undermine the integrity of these publications so that readers will not rely on their findings and conclusions. Continued citation and other uses of these publications without acknowledging their retracted status are therefore problematic and suggest shortcomings in retraction processes. In this commentary, we use the examples of retracted articles published in this journal to outline ways in which retracted articles can maintain an influential afterlife in the academic literature, online materials from non-profit organizations and private businesses, and responses from generative artificial intelligence. Given that this ongoing influence compounds the harms of these publications, we recommend changes in how publishers manage article retractions. These changes include ensuring that article retraction notices are maintained when journal publishing agreements change, increasing the visibility of retractions, and notifying scholars and members of the public when an article they reference is retracted. While these changes will make article retractions more effective, there is a continued need to limit the publication of studies that violate the requirements of research integrity.
    Keywords:  research integrity; research misconduct; retraction; stem cells
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/stcltm/szag080
  8. JAMIA Open. 2026 Oct;9(5): ooag173
    Large language model-based evaluation of the impact of gender in medical research.
    Michael S Yao.
       Objective: Gender disparities in academic medicine have been previously reported, but prior analyses have relied on either manual labor or fixed databases of name-gender pairs that fail to generalize across different populations and cultures. The objective of this work is to evaluate the utility of large language models (LLMs) as a potential tool to facilitate systematic bibliometric analysis of academic research trends.
    Methods: We introduce an LLM-based pipeline that aggregates gender labels from multiple LLM instances to predict the genders of manuscript authors based on their first names.
    Results: Our proposed method outperforms alternative algorithms relying on lookup from finite databases of name-gender pairs, while also offering the scalability to tens of millions of authors that is unfeasible with other manual, human-based methods alone.
    Discussion and Conclusion: Our results suggest that LLMs can be a powerful tool to scalably track gender-based trends in academic medical research.
    Keywords:  artificial intelligence; bibliometrics; gender disparities; large language models; medical research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/jamiaopen/ooag173
  9. F1000Res. 2026 ;15 673
    Research Visibility in Physical Therapy: A Narrative Analysis of Academic and Clinical Contributions.
    Vivek Ramanandi, Aparna Bachkaniwala.
       Objectives: This narrative review examines differences in research visibility and professional recognition between academic and clinical physical therapists. It specifically distinguishes among structural barriers to traditional research production, clinicians' contributions to implementation and evidence translation, and the potential value of clinician-led research within the profession's evidence base.
    Methods: A narrative synthesis was undertaken using published literature on scholarly productivity, bibliometric performance, research participation, evidence-based practice, and research barriers among physical therapy academics and clinicians across multiple international contexts. Relevant papers were identified from major health and bibliographic databases and by screening reference lists of eligible articles.
    Results: Academic physical therapists consistently demonstrate higher measurable bibliometric output than clinicians, although performance varies across institution type, region, and research infrastructure. In contrast, clinicians across several countries report recurring barriers to traditional research engagement, including heavy workload, limited protected time, inadequate research training, and insufficient institutional support. Clinicians also perform essential evidence implementation, outcome monitoring, auditing, quality improvement, and service evaluation activities that support patient care and service development. These activities should not be treated as identical to traditional research outputs, but they represent clinically valuable professional contributions that are often under-recognised. Clinician-scholars also serve an important bridging role between knowledge generation and clinical application.
    Conclusion: Research visibility in physical therapy depends on structural factors, not just scholarly interest. Traditional bibliometric metrics favour academic settings and overlook clinicians' practical contributions, such as audits and quality improvement. Broader approaches are necessary to recognise these efforts while distinguishing research productivity, evidence translation, and clinical service.
    Keywords:  Physical therapy; physiotherapy; bibliometrics; evidence-based practice; research visibility; clinician; academic faculty; research barriers.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.180139.2
  10. Br J Dermatol. 2026 Sep 05. pii: ljag381. [Epub ahead of print]
    Paper Mills in Dermatology: A Cross-Sectional Study of Retracted Publications.
    Eugene Tan, Richard Epstein, Shehnaz Ahmed, Hywel C Williams.
       BACKGROUND: Paper mills represent a growing threat to research integrity, producing fabricated manuscripts for sale at scale and infiltrating the biomedical literature. While this phenomenon has been described in other fields, its impact within dermatology remains poorly characterised.
    OBJECTIVES: To describe the landscape of paper mill-associated retractions in dermatology, raise awareness of their prevalence, and identify features that may facilitate early detection.
    METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the Retraction Watch Database and reported in accordance with STROBE statement for cross-sectional studies. (OSF registration: doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/382PT). Dermatology-related records were identified using pre-defined keywords. Only articles explicitly labelled as "paper mill" in the retraction reason were included. Data extracted included study design, topic, research integrity indicators, country of origin, journal metrics, publisher, and reasons for retraction. Time to retraction was analysed using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared using the log-rank test.
    RESULTS: A total of 118 paper mill-associated articles (9.8%) were identified among 1,209 dermatology retractions. No cases were observed prior to 2018, followed by a rapid rise peaking in 2023 (>50 retractions). Studies were predominantly experimental (67%) and focused on cutaneous oncology (47%). No paper-mill articles reported data availability or protocol pre-registration, and 79% lacked ethics approval. China accounted for 86% of cases. Articles were published across 50 journals, most in the first or second SCImago Journal Rank quartile (80%), with a mean impact factor of 3.0. The mean time to retraction was 957 days, with no significant difference compared with non-paper mill articles (P = 0.53).
    CONCLUSIONS: Paper mill activity in dermatology has emerged rapidly and is characterised by consistent deficits in research integrity, particularly in data transparency and ethical oversight. Strengthening editorial screening, mandating data availability statements, and collaborating across publishers and wider research ecosystem will be essential to mitigate the impact of paper mills and protect the reliability of the dermatology evidence base for patient benefit.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/bjd/ljag381
  11. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2026 Oct;11(5): e70557
    Gender and Perceived Racial Diversity in Academic Otolaryngology.
    Rachel A Haji, Robin Powszok, Grant Primer, Joyce Jeong, Dina Simon, Krupa R Patel, Vanessa Stubbs.
       Objectives: To characterize gender and perceived racial representation among academic otolaryngology faculty in the United States and evaluate associations with academic rank, leadership roles, and research productivity.
    Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated faculty with professorial titles across 133 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited otolaryngology residency programs in the United States. Faculty rosters were collected from program websites between October 2024 and March 2025 and supplemented with publicly available sources. Variables included perceived gender, perceived race, academic rank, leadership roles, years in practice, subspecialty training, and h-index. Associations were evaluated using chi-square tests and multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Because demographic variables were assigned from publicly available information rather than self-identification, perceived race was analyzed only as White versus non-White and is interpreted as a limited, socially constructed variable.
    Results: Among 1697 faculty, 69.1% were male and 68.8% were perceived as White. Women were more represented in pediatric otolaryngology and laryngology, whereas men were more represented in head and neck surgery, neurotology, and comprehensive otolaryngology (p < 0.001). Women were more likely to be assistant professors and men professors (p < 0.001). Women more often held residency leadership roles (9.7% vs. 5.6%; p = 0.002), whereas men more often held fellowship leadership roles (8.4% vs. 5.3%; p = 0.028) and chair positions (5.0% vs. 2.7%; p = 0.026). Men had more years in practice and higher h-indices (both p < 0.001). No significant differences by perceived race were observed in academic rank, leadership, or research productivity. In multivariable analysis, years in practice and h-index independently predicted higher academic rank, whereas gender and perceived race did not.
    Conclusion: Academic rank was more strongly associated with years in practice and h-index than with gender or perceived race. Perceived-race findings should be interpreted cautiously because binary externally assigned categories may obscure within-group differences.
    Level of Evidence: 4.
    Keywords:  academic rank; faculty; gender; h‐index; leadership; otolaryngology; perceived race
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.70557
  12. Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd. 2026 06 09. 133(6): 319
    [Scientific publications from Dutch dental faculties, response of the authors].
    F Kok, A Schuller.
      The authors F. Kok and A.A. Schuller reply to the comment written bij H.S. Brand on their article 'Dentists want more research in Dutch professional journals' (March 2026).
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5177/ntvt.2026.06.25084com
  13. J Neurosurg. 2026 Sep 11. 1-11
    A network analysis of faculty training and hiring in US academic neurosurgery departments.
    Kashif Qureshi, Trevan Klug, George Sun, Om Jahagirdar, Dillon Huddleston, Huy Tran, Rhea Thakkar, Sebastian Saenz, Rayyan Darji, Khaled Alok, Carlos R Goulart, Mihir Gupta.
       OBJECTIVE: Assembling faculty complements with diverse clinical backgrounds is critical to advancing patient care and trainee education in academic medicine. Whereas institutional relationships in other fields can be evaluated via collaborative grants and publications, metrics are lacking to characterize clinical departments and institutional networks. The aim of this study was to characterize connectivity among academic neurosurgery departments using social network analysis of individual-level faculty training histories and institutional characteristics, and to develop novel metrics within the specialty landscape.
    METHODS: The authors performed a quantitative network analysis of US academic neurosurgery departments by integrating geographical, research funding, leadership, ranking, and faculty training information. Three metrics were developed to characterize each institution: 1) influence on network connectivity, 2) representation of different training backgrounds among faculty as a measure of institutional diversity, and 3) alumni career mobility.
    RESULTS: The network of 115 programs and 1910 faculty members comprised a small group of strongly linked institutions surrounded by a larger sparsely connected group (modularity = 0.2402, skewness coefficient = 1.371). Clustering and influence were associated with geographic proximity, private institutional status, external rankings and department size (p < 0.001 for each). Institutional diversity and influence were negatively correlated (τ = -0.287, p < 0.001), suggesting that influential programs might be the most siloed. Mobility was significantly correlated with program leadership but not with influence or institutional diversity, suggesting that structural factors might not limit alumni trajectories. Programs clustered into one of 3 archetypes with respect to their relative strengths in influence, institutional diversity, and/or mobility; no programs had high scores in all 3 areas.
    CONCLUSIONS: The network of academic neurosurgery programs is nonrandom and highly structured. Connectivity, institutional cross-pollination, and alumni mobility are limited and unevenly distributed. Characterizing academic programs using graph theoretical approaches has the potential to advance clinical practice, trainee education, transparency, and equity.
    Keywords:  faculty hiring; fellowship; neurosurgery; neurosurgical education; residency; social networks
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3171/2026.3.JNS252473
  14. Eur Spine J. 2026 Sep 06.
    Does research activity reflect the population burden of scoliosis? A bibliometric analysis of etiologic subtypes.
    Rami Rajjoub, Mutaleeb Shobode, Anirejuoritse Bafor, Bahja Muse, Ryan Goodwin, Reid Chambers, Allan Beebe, Sean Tabaie, Kirsten Tulchin-Francis, Allen Kadado.
       PURPOSE: Whether research output is distributed across scoliosis subtypes in proportion to their burden of disease is unknown. We characterized the scoliosis literature published from 2010 to 2025 by etiologic subtype and compared scholarly output with disease prevalence.
    METHODS: We searched the Scopus database for articles and reviews on scoliosis published between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2025. Records were classified by a predefined keyword algorithm into AIS, congenital, neuromuscular, degenerative/adult, syndromic, and non-adolescent idiopathic categories. The dataset was analyzed in R with the bibliometrix package.
    RESULTS: The search returned 27,190 documents (24,335 articles [89.5%] and 2,855 reviews [10.5%]) from 79,475 authors, with annual output rising from 858 in 2010 to 2,811 in 2025. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) was the largest named subtype, accounting for 6,818 documents (25.1% of the corpus and 43.8% of all output); 42.8% of documents could not be classified by etiology. Degenerative/adult scoliosis was second (4,176; 15.4%), grew the fastest, and had the highest mean citations per document (23.4), whereas AIS had a comparatively low mean citation rate (18.1). The AIS share of annual output remained between 20.2% and 27.2%, with no sustained directional change. Neuromuscular (11.4%), syndromic (6.0%), and congenital (3.6%) scoliosis remained comparatively small.
    CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of scoliosis research across etiologic subtypes doesn't mirror disease prevalence. Despite the substantially greater prevalence of degenerative scoliosis in adults, publication volume remained lower than that of AIS throughout the study period. These findings suggest congenital, neuromuscular, and degenerative scoliosis as priorities for future investigation.
    Keywords:  Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis; Adult spinal deformity; Bibliometric analysis; Research trends; Scoliosis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-026-10341-4
  15. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2026 Sep 11.
    Trends in Research Gap Years Among Orthopaedic Residency Applicants.
    Eric J Cotter, Jack H Drake, Collin N Nguyen, Andrea M Spiker, A Neil Salyapongse, Brian F Grogan, Kathryn L Williams.
       INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to (1) assess the incidence of orthopaedic surgery residency applicants who pursued a dedicated research gap year (RGY) before application over a 10-year time frame at a single academic institution, (2) evaluate differences in applicant characteristics based on RGY participation, and (3) identify factors linked to match success among those who completed a research year.
    METHODS: Applications submitted to a single orthopaedic residency program from the 2014-2015 to the 2023-2024 cycles were reviewed. RGY participation was defined as taking a minimum of 9 months to pursue a dedicated research experience as noted in each ERAS application. MPH, MBA, or PhD programs were excluded. The timing of the RGY was noted, and USMLE scores; sex; number of publications, presentations, and abstracts; medical school location; and Alpha Omega Alpha status were extracted from applications.
    RESULTS: The percentage of applicants who pursued a RGY increased from 7.4% in 2014-2015 to 14.4% in 2023-2024. A strong positive correlation was noted between the percentage of applicants who participated in a RGY and time (r = 0.95 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80 to 0.99], P < 0.0001). Over the study period, 12.2% of applicants had done a RGY, most commonly after their third year of medical school (81.1%). RGY applicants had an average of 31.6 total lines on their CV compared with 9.9 for non-RGY applicants (P < 0.0001). Among RGY applicants, 71.0% matched into orthopaedics, and 12.7% matched at the same institution where they did their RGY.
    DISCUSSION: Between 2014 and 2024, the percentage of applicants who completed a RGY doubled. These applicants demonstrated greater academic productivity and a higher-than-average match rate, particularly at the institution hosting the RGY. These findings suggest that RGY opportunities are becoming more sought after and may enhance orthopaedic residency match success, although additional multi-institutional research is warranted.
    Keywords:  match outcomes; medical student research; orthopaedic surgery residency; research gap year; research productivity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5435/JAAOS-D-25-00942
  16. Geohealth. 2026 Sep;10(9): e2025GH001799
    Where on Earth Are the Earth Sciences? A Mixed-Methods Study of Environmental Justice Research Trends and Roadblocks to Engagement.
    Omar Rosales Cortez, Catherine Chen.
      Environmental justice (EJ) research relies on expertise from multiple disciplines to address community-specific health risks and inequities. EJ is an inherently transdisciplinary framework, yet the expansion of EJ scholarship has not occurred evenly across academic disciplines. Understanding disciplinary contributions is essential for identifying gaps in knowledge and practice. This research employed a mixed-method approach to investigate EJ research trends and roadblocks to engagement. Study 1 used a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications and found that Environmental science and Social sciences were the leading contributors to EJ scholarship. Earth sciences ranked only seventh in EJ research volume by proportion and exhibited comparatively stagnant growth. Study 2 investigated this discrepancy through a survey of Earth scientists (N = 460) examining perceived barriers to EJ engagement. Results indicated that career stage was a significant predictor of EJ familiarity and community involvement: early-career Earth scientists were more familiar with EJ but were less involved in their communities' environmental issues than their late-career counterparts. Race and ethnicity were also associated with differences in perceived funding difficulty, with White respondents reporting fewer challenges in securing support for EJ-related projects. Taken together, these studies assess EJ engagement within the Earth sciences and identify structural and experiential factors that may limit participation. Identifying disciplinary gaps and roadblocks helps integrate Earth sciences into EJ scholarship and increase research on environmental health and equity.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GH001799
  17. Arch Argent Pediatr. 2026 Sep 10. e202611149
    Bibliometric analysis of publications in Archivos Argentinos de Pediatría (2021-2025).
    Carina Goya, Solana Rapaport, María E Serra.
      A bibliometric study was conducted on the publications of Archivos Argentinos de Pediatría between 2021 and 2025 to describe its editorial output, the types of articles, the institutional composition of authorship and collaboration, the thematic distribution, and the impact of the publications as measured by citations. A total of 717 articles were included. Clinical case reports predominated, followed by original articles, which accounted for 25% of the publications. The original studies were primarily descriptive observational studies, with a low proportion of international funding and collaboration. The research output was concentrated mainly in the fields of infectious diseases, general pediatrics, and medical education. Citation analysis revealed generally modest levels. These results help characterize the journal's recent profile.
    Keywords:  Argentina; biomedical research; pediatrics; publications
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5546/aap.2026-11149.eng
  18. Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd. 2026 06 09. 133(6): 318
    [Scientific publications from Dutch dental faculties].
    Henk Brand.
      The letter to the editor is a response to the article 'Dentists want more research in Dutch professional journals' by F. Kok and A.A. Schuller, which appeared in March 2026.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5177/ntvt.2026.06.25084com
  19. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2026 ;6(9): e0007257
    Building better citation practices in public health research: Practical considerations for student researchers, from source discovery to crafting and positioning claims.
    Ella August, Andrea Mahieu, Andrew F Brouwer.
      Discovering, selecting, and citing sources to craft claims is fundamental to public health research and writing. Sources influence our research questions, shape our methodological approaches, connect our work to the broader public health literature, and affect how successfully our writing persuades readers that our research is valuable and that our arguments are sound. Despite the importance of source and citation practices to successful scientific writing, many student researchers receive limited or no formal training on these practices, particularly on drawing from sources to build persuasive arguments. Without specific training, many student researchers struggle to use sources effectively and often encounter pitfalls such as citation bias, quotation errors, and academic plagiarism. In this article, we provide practical considerations for effective source use and citation practices for academic papers. We highlight best practices for source discovery, from strategies for conducting comprehensive literature searches to active reading and synthesis techniques that inform academic thinking and writing. Given the rise of AI, including generative AI and AI-powered research tools, we address both the potential benefits such tools can offer and the potential pitfalls arising from uncritical use. Finally, we discuss selecting and using sources to craft and position claims, including choosing sources to support different types of claims, building credible arguments, and framing citations to reflect a stance or judgment. In this article, we offer practical introductory advice for student researchers to strengthen their source use and citation practices. Using this guidance as a starting point, student researchers can improve the quality of their publications and refine their reading, critical thinking, and writing skills which will serve them throughout their research careers.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0007257
  20. AEM Educ Train. 2026 Oct;10(5): e70251
    Scholarly Productivity of Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Directors: A National Cross-Sectional Analysis.
    Lachlan Driver, Leland Perice, Trent She, Joseph R Pare.
       Background: The updated 2026 American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) approved Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography requirements specify that fellowship directors must demonstrate scholarly activity through ≥ 5 first-, second-, or last-author publications. Contemporary data describing scholarly productivity among emergency ultrasound fellowship directors (EUSFDs) is limited.
    Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of U.S. emergency ultrasound fellowship programs listed by the Society of Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships (SCUF). Publication histories were identified through PubMed, the SCUF website, MedEdPORTAL, and ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians) Sonoguide. Qualifying publications included original research, reviews, editorials, educational scholarship, and other PubMed-indexed work. The primary outcome was the proportion of EUSFDs meeting the 2026 publication benchmark of ≥ 5 first-, second-, or last-author emergency ultrasound publications. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated factors associated with meeting this threshold.
    Results: Among 134 eligible programs, EUSFDs had a median of 3 years in their role (IQR 1-6) and 1 qualifying publication (IQR 0-4). Twenty-six directors (19.4%) met the 2026 publication benchmark based on identified publications. Fifty-seven (42.5%) had at least one first-author publication, and 70 (52.2%) had at least one first- or last-author publication. Under the 2011 requirements, 56 directors (41.8%) met publication criteria. Interrater agreement was high (kappa = 0.895). Each additional year as a fellowship director was associated with 12% greater odds of meeting the publication threshold (aOR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02-1.24).
    Conclusions: Among U.S. EUS fellowship programs, one in five EUSFDs met the 2026 publication benchmark based on identified publications. Longer-serving directors were more likely to meet the publication benchmark, although this association may reflect career duration or prior scholarly productivity. As expectations for fellowship leadership evolve, national efforts focused on mentorship, support, collaboration, and protected time may help support scholarly development and facilitate attainment of these standards.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/aet2.70251
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