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ABSTRACT Objective Materials and Methods Results Conclusions Clinical Significance To investigate the surface roughness on cementoenamel junction after application of various rubber‐dam retraction clamps for different durations.Fifty‐four extracted human molar teeth were used. Various retraction clamps were placed on the cementoenamel junction. There are three main examination groups in the study. Group 1 (n = 6) included a polymer clamp (SoftClamp, Kerr Hawe, Switzerland), Group 2 (n = 6) included a metal clamp with a flat edge (Black Line RDCM7X, Hu‐Friedy Group, USA), and Group 3 (n = 6) included a metal clamp with a serrated edge (Fiesta Color Coded, Coltene, USA). All clamps were applied for 30 min, 1, and 2 h. Surface roughness measurements were performed using a profilometer before and after the clamp application and surface morphology was assessed through the SEM images. One‐way ANOVA was used to compare three or more groups. Percentage changes were evaluated using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by Dunn's test for post hoc analyses. The deemed significance was set at p < 0.05.Between the initial and the final roughness measurements, after 30 min of clamp application, only Group 3 showed significant increases in roughness (p = 0.001). After 1 and 2 h of clamp application, there were significant increases in roughness for all groups. No significant differences in percentage changes for all groups in 30 min and 2 h of application (p = 0.220 and p = 0.091, respectively). However, Group 1 presented significantly lower surface roughness in percentage after the 1 h of application (p = 0.040). No significant differences in the percentage changes in roughness were observed within the groups for 30 min, 1, and 2 h applications (p = 0.220, p = 0.884, and p = 0.755 for Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). In SEM analysis, deep point microstructure defects were seen as the clamp application time increased.Rubber‐dam clamp application may cause damage to the cementoenamel junction area. However, the level of damage is clamp‐type‐dependent. Slight scratch‐type damages were observed on teeth with plastic clamps, while metal clamps generally caused cracks. The increase in the duration of the same rubber‐dam clamp application was not considered an effective factor regarding the damage.During rubber‐dam isolation, clamp type and duration of the application may cause damage to the tooth surface or progress an existing defect. Examining the teeth before selecting the clamp might be beneficial for minimizing dental tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most tracheostomy scars are depressive and adherent to the underlying trachea, which causes up and down movement when swallowing. This tracheocutaneous tethering causes discomfort, pain, dysphagia, and bad appearance. A tracheocutaneous fistula may be accompanied. Here, we present a new method for reconstructing a tracheostomy scar deformity with tracheocutaneous tethering: layer-by-layer restoration of the anatomical structure with a subcutaneous fat tissue blanket. The scar tissue was fully excised, with the associated skin and subcutaneous tissue. The bilateral strap muscles around the scar were dissected proximally and distally and approximated to the midline, secured without tension. Bilateral platysma muscle flaps cover them firmly. The subcutaneous tissue around the incision margin, which included the superficial cervical fascia was elevated to form a fat blanket, closed transversely. The skin was closed after confirming the absence of retraction upon swallowing. From 2010 to 2018, 10 patients with tracheocutaneous tethering and one patient with tracheocutaneous fistula underwent surgery. All patients were functionally and aesthetically satisfied with the results. The only complication was a hypertrophic scar in one patient, which was managed with a triamcinolone injection. An anatomical layer-by-layer restoration with a fat blanket provided consistent, satisfying results for correcting tracheostomy scar deformities without using additional tissue. This simple method was effective for reconstructing tracheocutaneous tethering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct search methods represent a robust and reliable class of algorithms for solving black-box optimization problems. In this paper, the application of those strategies is exported to Riemannian optimization, wherein minimization is to be performed with respect to variables restricted to lie on a manifold. More specifically, classic and linesearch extrapolated variants of direct search are considered, and tailored strategies are devised for the minimization of both smooth and nonsmooth functions, by making use of retractions. A class of direct search algorithms for minimizing nonsmooth objectives on a Riemannian manifold without having access to (sub)derivatives is analyzed for the first time in the literature. Along with convergence guarantees, a set of numerical performance illustrations on a standard set of problems is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topological Dehn twists have several applications in mathematical sciences as well as in physical sciences. The interplay between homotopy theory and Dehn twists exposes a rich set of properties. This paper generalizes the Dehn twists by proposing the notion of pre-twisted space, orientations of twists and the formation of pointed based space under a homeomorphic continuous function. It is shown that the Dehn twisted homotopy under non-retraction admits a left lifting property (LLP) through the local homeomorphism. The LLP extends the principles of Hurewicz fibration by avoiding pullback. Moreover, this paper illustrates that the Dehn twisted homotopy up to a base point in a based space can be formed by considering retraction. As a result, two disjoint continuous functions become point-wise continuous at the base point under retracted homotopy twists. Interestingly, the oriented Dehn twists of a pre-twisted space under homotopy retraction mutually commute in a contractible space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address some of the computational challenges associated with the RMIL+ conjugate gradient parameter by proposing an efficient conjugate gradient (CG) parameter along with its generalization to the Riemannian manifold. This parameter ensures the good convergence properties of the CG method in Riemannian optimization and it is formed by combining the structures of two classical CG methods. The extension utilizes the concepts of retraction and vector transport to establish sufficient descent property for the method via strong Wolfe line search conditions. Additionally, the scheme achieves global convergence using the scaled version of the Ring-Wirth nonexpansive condition. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted to validate the scheme's effectiveness. We consider both unconstrained Euclidean optimization test problems and Riemannian optimization problems. The results reveal that the performance of the proposed method is significantly influenced by the choice of line search in both Euclidean and Riemannian optimizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In algorithms for solving optimization problems constrained to a smooth manifold, retractions are a well-established tool to ensure that the iterates stay on the manifold. More recently, it has been demonstrated that retractions are a useful concept for other computational tasks on manifold as well, including interpolation tasks. In this work, we consider the application of retractions to the numerical integration of differential equations on fixed-rank matrix manifolds. This is closely related to dynamical low-rank approximation (DLRA) techniques. In fact, any retraction leads to a numerical integrator and, vice versa, certain DLRA techniques bear a direct relation with retractions. As an example for the latter, we introduce a new retraction, called KLS retraction, that is derived from the so-called unconventional integrator for DLRA. We also illustrate how retractions can be used to recover known DLRA techniques and to design new ones. In particular, this work introduces two novel numerical integration schemes that apply to differential equations on general manifolds: the accelerated forward Euler (AFE) method and the Projected Ralston–Hermite (PRH) method. Both methods build on retractions by using them as a tool for approximating curves on manifolds. The two methods are proven to have local truncation error of order three. Numerical experiments on classical DLRA examples highlight the advantages and shortcomings of these new methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to analyze retracted studies in cardiovascular field. Methodology: PubMed and Embase databases were used to identify retracted publications from 2002 to 2022. Various characteristics of articles were retrieved, and an analysis was performed using R software. Results: We finally included 979 articles. Authors from China have the highest number of retracted studies (35.5%), followed by the USA (22.1%), and Japan (4%). The most common causes of retraction are mistakes and honest errors (24.5%) and duplicate data (17.7%). From 2002 to 2022, there has been a significant increase in retracted studies and a decrease in the impact factor of journals, number of citations, and time to retraction. Conclusion: The trend of retracting publications in cardiology is increasing. Plain Language Summary Retracted publications are withdrawn publications. Recently, the number of retracted publications has increased. In our research, we try to find the characteristics and pattern of the retracted studies in heart published studies. PubMed and Embase databases were used to identify retracted publications from 2002 to 2022. Various characteristics of articles were retrieved, and statistical software was used to analyze them. We finally included 979 articles. Findings from our research showed authors from China, the USA, and Japan have the highest number of retracted studies. Honest errors, duplicate data, and fabricated data are common causes of retractions. From 2002 to 2022, there has been an increase in the number of retracted studies and a decrease in the impact factor of journals, the number of citations, and the time to retraction. We also compared the results between the first (2003–2012) and the second decade (SD; 2013–2022). In the SD, there are more retracted publications. We saw that in the first decade, the USA had more retractions; however, in the SD, China had more retractions. The retracted publications in the SD have less time to retract and fewer citations. There is no change regarding the funding of research or the parties' interest in conducting research. In the end, the trend of retracting publications in heart studies is increasing. Making the scientific world aware would be the most important to tackle this problem. Article highlights Retracted studies characteristics In our study, we included 979 retracted articles, analyzed trends, and also divided our analysis into the first decade for the years 2003–2012 and the second decade (SD) for the years 2013–2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), experimental studies, and case-control studies are the most common study designs that are retracted. Authors from China, the USA, Japan, and Germany have the highest retractions. Regarding the causes, honest errors (24.5%), duplicate data (17.7%), and fabricated data (16.9%) are the commonest causes of retraction. Plagiarism consists of 12.3% retraction causes. In our trend analysis, we saw a significant increase in the number of retracted studies and the availability of full texts. However, there is a significant decrease in the citations and time to retraction. Comparison of characteristics over time During the first decade, the USA had more retractions, while in the SD, China had more retractions. In the SD, the retracted publications have an average of 96 fewer citations, have 9 months less time to retractions, and are published in low-impact factor journals. Conclusion Retraction is still a problem in cardiology, and recently, there has been an increase in the number of cardiology retracted papers. Also, RCTs, which are commonly used in generating evidence and forming guidelines, are the most common type of studies that are retracted. The cardiology world needs a multimodal approach to tackle this problem. However, the most important is making scientists aware and preventing research misconduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retractions have traditionally been reserved for correcting the scientific record and discouraging research misconduct. Nonetheless, the potential for actual societal harm resulting from accurately reported published scientific findings, so-called information hazards, has been the subject of several recent article retractions. As these instances increase, the extent of support for such decisions among the scientific community and lay public remains unclear. Undergraduates (Study 1) and federally funded researchers (Study 2) reported their support for retraction decisions described as due to misconduct, honest errors, or potential information hazards. Participants supported retraction on the former two grounds more than the latter. Despite limited support, women remained more receptive to retractions based on information hazards. Activist tendencies additionally predicted undergraduate men's receptivity. Receptivity toward retraction due to information hazards was unrelated to scientists' engagement in activism, suggesting that formal scientific training affords researchers an ability to separate personal and professional values in scientific discourse. Findings could inform the development of educational materials that may aid less experienced scientists and the lay public in understanding retraction ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most tracheostomy scars are depressive and adherent to the underlying trachea, which causes up and down movement when swallowing. This tracheocutaneous tethering causes discomfort, pain, dysphagia, and bad appearance. A tracheocutaneous fistula may be accompanied. Here, we present a new method for reconstructing a tracheostomy scar deformity with tracheocutaneous tethering: layer-by-layer restoration of the anatomical structure with a subcutaneous fat tissue blanket. The scar tissue was fully excised, with the associated skin and subcutaneous tissue. The bilateral strap muscles around the scar were dissected proximally and distally and approximated to the midline, secured without tension. Bilateral platysma muscle flaps cover them firmly. The subcutaneous tissue around the incision margin, which included the superficial cervical fascia was elevated to form a fat blanket, closed transversely. The skin was closed after confirming the absence of retraction upon swallowing. From 2010 to 2018, 10 patients with tracheocutaneous tethering and one patient with tracheocutaneous fistula underwent surgery. All patients were functionally and aesthetically satisfied with the results. The only complication was a hypertrophic scar in one patient, which was managed with a triamcinolone injection. An anatomical layer-by-layer restoration with a fat blanket provided consistent, satisfying results for correcting tracheostomy scar deformities without using additional tissue. This simple method was effective for reconstructing tracheocutaneous tethering.

Interpolation of data on non-Euclidean spaces is an active research area fostered by its numerous applications. This work considers the Hermite interpolation problem: finding a sufficiently smooth manifold curve that interpolates a collection of data points on a Riemannian manifold while matching a prescribed derivative at each point. A novel procedure relying on the general concept of retractions is proposed to solve this problem on a large class of manifolds, including those for which computing the Riemannian exponential or logarithmic maps is not straightforward, such as the manifold of fixed-rank matrices. The well-posedness of the method is analyzed by introducing and showing the existence of retraction-convex sets, a generalization of geodesically convex sets. A classical result on the asymptotic interpolation error of Hermite interpolation is extended to the manifold setting. Finally numerical experiments on the manifold of fixed-rank matrices and the Stiefel manifold of matrices with orthonormal columns illustrate these results and the effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retracted publications are an often-overlooked issue affecting the scientific community, and recent data confirms the overall number of retracted publications is rising. While this has previously been looked at within orthopaedic surgery, a contemporary understanding of retractions is required due to the rapid expansion in publications. Our study aimed to assess the retracted publications within clinical orthopaedic research to evaluate for characteristics and trends. A systematic review was conducted on December 14, 2023, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. There were 4 databases that were queried to identify retracted publications in clinical orthopaedics that assessed operative and nonoperative orthopaedic interventions (excluding basic science). Articles were independently screened by 2 reviewers; those meeting the inclusion criteria were evaluated for various characteristics, including reasons for retraction based on Committee on Publication Ethics guidelines. There were 233 studies that met the inclusion criteria and were retracted between January 1, 1990, and December 14, 2023. Clinical orthopaedics represented 1.18% of all retracted publications identified through PubMed over this period. There were 87 articles that were retracted in 2023, up from 17 in 2022 (a 412% increase). Retracted studies were published in journals with 2022 impact factors up to 9.3, with an average of 3.1 (SD [standard deviation] 1.9). A total of 39.5% of the retracted studies were published in orthopaedic journals, and 60.9% of the retracted articles were published in exclusively open-access journals. The mean time from electronic publication to retraction was 2.1 years (SD 2.2). Retracted articles have been cited up to 180 times (mean 8.6; SD 20). Reasons for retraction included misconduct (45.9%), plagiarism (11.6%), redundant publication (11.6%), unethical research (10.3%), error (9.4%), and others (10.7%). The prevalence of retractions in the clinical orthopaedic literature is increasing. Clinical research is the basis for clinical practice guidelines, the gold standard for informing medical decision-making. Retractions may be one harbinger of lower-quality publications; researchers, institutions, and journals together play important roles in maintaining scientific integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, scholarly journals have begun retracting published articles for reasons other than those described by advisory organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Numerous research articles have been retracted of late due to political concerns. Additionally, some articles have been retracted for behavioral misconduct, which was also the subject of a recent COPE discussion forum. 'Behavioral misconduct' denotes harmful or immoral behavior of one or more authors that is unrelated to the article's findings or content. We investigated whether federally funded research scientists considered behavioral misconduct a valid reason for retracting published findings and whether the type of behavioral misconduct involved, the level of the expected scientific impact of the article in question, or the kind of editorial action taken affected their support of retraction. Of the 464 participants who took our survey, we found that researchers largely oppose retraction of a published article or removing an author when scientists commit behavioral misconduct, regardless of the type of misconduct involved. However, there was greater support for retraction when the misconduct was financial as compared to racial or sexual misconduct. Not surprisingly, researchers were more likely to use the published information in question in their own work when its impact was high. Future studies should investigate the extent to which these findings are moderated by researchers' editorial experience and other demographic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to address the deficiencies within the Jordanian legal framework on the withdrawal of final judicial decisions. The issue arises from the absence of provisions in the Jordanian Code of Civil Procedure regulating the concept of withdrawing a judicial decision, specifying its conditions, procedures, and the competent court for retracting a procedurally defective judicial decision for which the litigants are not responsible. Additionally, the law does not stipulate a legal timeframe within which a request to withdraw the judicial decision must be submitted, nor does it outline the legal consequences resulting from such a decision. By employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, to answer research questions: What are the criteria for withdrawing a final judicial decision under Jordanian legislation? What are the procedural mechanisms for such a withdrawal? Which types of errors justify the withdrawal of a final judicial decision—substantive errors or procedural ones? Does the Court of Cassation, which issued the final decision, possess the authority to withdraw its ruling proprio motu, or must the interested party submit a formal request? The study concludes with several key findings. Notably, the Jordanian Court of Cassation has established the foundational principles for the theory of withdrawing judicial decisions. It has outlined legal criteria for withdrawal, including the presence of a procedural error not caused by the parties but by the trial court, provided that such an error significantly impacts the resolution of the dispute. The Court has also imposed restrictions on the authority to withdraw a procedurally flawed decision, stipulating that corrections should address procedural defects without altering the substantive legal positions of the parties. If the court has adjudicated the dispute substantively, withdrawal is not permissible. The study recommends that the Jordanian legislature adopt provisions similar to those in Egyptian law, explicitly incorporating the principle of judicial decision withdrawal within the Jordanian Code of Civil Procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of previous research that has investigated retractions within the biomedical fields and assess their methodological quality. We searched three major electronic databases for articles on retractions within the biomedical field: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. In total, 162 articles were included in the analysis. We evaluated their methodological quality using the items of "a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews" (AMSTAR-2) checklist and the Cochrane guidance. The studies had been published in more than 20 biomedical disciplines or fields of investigation, and two-thirds were published after 2017. Concerning methodology, none of the studies fulfilled all the suggested items; five studies did not meet any of the suggested AMSTAR-2 categories or Cochrane guidelines. The most prevalent reported reasons for retraction were fraud and plagiarism (21.0%). In summary, there has been increasing interest in assessing the characteristics and impact of retractions in the biomedical sciences. The studies cited types of misconduct more often than honest errors as a major reason for retraction. The methodological quality of the existing studies in this area appears to be suboptimal. Future investigators should improve upon this, particularly in the quality of the data selection and extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retraction is the process of removing an article from the scientific records after it has been published. The objective of the study is to explore the influence of the number of retracted papers on the journal quality parameters in the subject of Psychology. The study has applied Pearson Coefficient Correlation to establish the relationship between the number of retracted papers and bibliometric parameters of journal evaluation. All the retracted journal articles indexed in the Scopus database up to the year 2022 in the subject of Psychology, were considered for the study. The Software tools, i.e. MS Excel, and statistical software R Studio® (version 3.6.1) along with the Biblioshiny bibliometrics package were used for data analysis. Bibliometrics indicators, i.e. SJR, total citations count, and h index of the journals, were retrieved from the website of Scimago Journal Ranking (www.scimagojr.com), and the Journal Impact Factor (IF) 2022 was used for the analysis. The results revealed a set of 180 journal articles scattered across 99 journals, that were retracted in the subject of Psychology. Among these 36% of the retracted papers were published as open access. From the analysis, it was concluded that there is a positive correlation between the number of retracted papers and bibliometric indicators i.e., impact factor, h-index, total citation counts, and JCR. On the other hand, there is the least influence of the number of retracted articles with SJR (0.024) and IF (0.072). However, a visible and normal co-relation was found among the total citation counts (0.170) and h-index (0.136), respectively. The findings of the study revealed that there is the least correlation between the number of retracted journal articles and the journal evaluation indicators; therefore, journal publishers must include a retraction policy to enhance the journal's reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose a modified Patte classification system for tendon retraction, including the cut‐off points for predicting reparability and rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) and assess its prediction accuracy and measurement reliability. Methods: This retrospective study included 463 consecutive patients scheduled to undergo ARCR for full‐thickness supraspinatus tears. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the cut‐off points for predicting reparability and tendon healing. The modified Patte classification system, in which these cut‐off points were combined with the original Patte classification, classified the tendon retraction as stages I–V. The prediction accuracy of reparability and tendon healing was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC). Measurement reliability was determined using Cohen's κ statistics. Results: Of the 402 included patients, 32 rotator cuff tears were irreparable and 71 of the remaining 370 were diagnosed with healing failure. ROC analysis determined the cut‐off point of reparability at the medial one‐fifth and that of tendon healing at the medial one‐third of the humeral head. The AUC of the modified Patte classification for predicting reparability and tendon healing was 0.897 (excellent) and 0.768 (acceptable), respectively. Intra‐rater reliability was almost perfect (mean κ value: 0.875), and inter‐rater reliability was substantial (0.797). Conclusion: Diagnostic performance of the modified Patte classification system was excellent for reparability and acceptable for rotator cuff healing, with high measurement reliability. The modified Patte classification system can be easily implemented in clinical practice for planning surgical procedures and counselling patients in the day‐by‐day clinical work. Level of Evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, it has been obtained that the fundamental group of n -dimensional Minkowski space with the time topology contains uncountably many copies of the additive group of integers and is not abelian. The result has been first proved for n = 2. Thereafter, it is extended to n > 2 by proving that loops nonhomotopic in M 2 continue to be nonhomotopic in Mn using embedding of M 2 in Mn as a retract through the projection map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HYCON device can be used effectively for en masse retraction of anterior teeth. • Recommended in maximum anchorage cases. • Careful monitoring for root resorption is required. Rapid distraction of the periodontal ligament is an effective method to shorten the orthodontic treatment time. The objectives of the present study were to assess the effects of an HYCON device (Adenta GmbH, Germany) on the rate of en masse retraction of the anterior teeth, duration of retraction, anchorage loss, root resorption, and soft tissue changes. This study was conducted on 60 female patients aged >18 years, divided randomly into two equal groups: Group 1 comprised 30 patients with HYCON, and group 2 comprised 30 patients with nickel-titanium closed coil springs. Skeletal, dental, and soft tissue changes were evaluated on pre- and post-retraction lateral cephalograms, and the rates of anterior tooth movement and anchorage loss were assessed monthly on the dental casts of the patients. Root resorption was assessed using intraoral periapical radiograph. Student's t test was used for the analysis of parametric data, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for nonparametric data. HYCON significantly shortened the retraction duration by 3 months. The rate of anterior teeth retraction was two times faster in group 1, compared with group 2. There was a significant difference in the anchorage loss between the groups in only first 2 months of treatment. Group 2 showed significantly more root resorption and soft tissue changes than group 1 (P < 0.05). HYCON is an effective device for significantly shortening the duration of retraction with anchorage loss of 2 to 2.5 mm. However, careful monitoring for possible root resorption should be performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various studies regarding retractions of publications have determined the rate of retraction has increased in recent years. Although this trend may apply to any field, there is a paucity of literature exploring the publication of erroneous studies within plastic and reconstructive surgery. The present study aims to identify trends in frequency and reasons for retraction of plastic and reconstructive surgery studies, with analysis of subspecialty and journals. A database search was conducted for retracted papers within plastic and reconstructive surgery. The initial search yielded 2347 results, which were analyzed by two independent reviewers. 77 studies were jointly identified for data collection. The most common reasons for retractions were duplication (n = 20, 25.9 %), request of author (n = 15, 19.5 %), plagiarism (n = 9, 11.6 %), error (n = 9, 11.6 %), fraud (n = 2, 2.6 %), and conflict of interest (n = 1, 1.3 %). 15 were basic science studies (19.4 %), 58 were clinical science studies (75.3 %), and 4 were not categorized (5.2 %). Subspecialties of retracted papers were maxillofacial (n = 29, 37.7 %), reconstructive (n = 17, 22.0 %), wound healing (n = 8, 10.4 %), burn (n = 6, 7.8 %), esthetics (n = 5, 6.5 %), breast (n = 3, 3.9 %), and trauma (n = 1, 1.3 %). Mean impact factor was 2.9 and average time from publication to retraction was 32 months. Analysis of retracted plastic surgery studies revealed a recent rise in frequency of retractions, spanning a wide spectrum of journals and subspecialties. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the factors that influence domestic violence and abuse (DVA) victims to withdraw from the Criminal Justice System globally continues to be a key focus for professionals and academics working within this area. There is a dearth of extant literature examining the motivations behind victim withdrawal, particularly retraction occurring post provision of an initial statement. This paper examines the phenomenon of retraction, by thematically analysing N = 60 police retraction statements (PRS) collected by police officers in a large suburban police force in the North West of England. In examining these statements, insight can also be garnered from those victims still in an active relationship with their abusers. Findings highlight female victims' motivations for retraction and are framed around victim problem solving including: a) accepting the relationship which resulted in a discordance in proceeding with the prosecution of the abuser b) rejecting the relationship thereby rendering the prosecution as redundant c) engaging in procedural problem solving where alternative measures such as civil actions were sought to substitute a CJS prosecution and d) the effect of children where motivations were split between retracting to return to the complete family unit including the victim as the mother and retracting due to recognising the importance of the father's role without involvement from the mother. Notwithstanding limitations, this paper demonstrates that there is significant value in conducting an analysis of PRSs in furthering the understanding of why victims choose to retract at this point in their prosecution journey. The extracts from this dataset add insight and understanding into DVA female victim motivations to retract post-initial statement provision and highlight the differences within victim populations who retract their original statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To ensure successful treatment and to prevent undesired tooth movements, it’s essential to manage reciprocal forces effectively. Anchorage control becomes particularly crucial in cases involving extractions, where it can help prevent unwanted tooth movement. However, during treatment, there’s a risk of anchorage loss, which can undermine the treatment objectives. Therefore, it’s imperative to monitor molar movement and assess for anchorage loss throughout treatment. Research publications were searched on search engines such as Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, and articles with terms such as “anchorage management, assessment of anchorage loss, anchorage loss, space closure , en masse retraction and canine retraction” were collected. Various methods for evaluating anchorage loss are dental casts, 3-Dimensional assessment and lateral cephalogram superimposition. Dental casts works well for assessing anteroposterior anchorage loss in maxillary first molars. However, their utility in the mandibular arch is limited due to the absence of a stable reference point. Lateral cephalometry faces the challenge of superimposing bilateral structures. The recent introduction of 3D superimposition techniques offers a potential solution for assessing anchorage loss in the vertical dimension using dental casts.

Abstract Background With the emergence of numerous scientific outputs, growing attention is paid to research misconduct. This study aimed to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices about research misconduct among medical residents in southwest China. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in southwest China from November 2022 through March 2023. The links to the questionnaire were sent to the directors of the teaching management department in 17 tertiary hospitals. Answers were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the factors associated with research misconduct among residents. Results 6200 residents were enrolled in the study, and 88.5% of participants attended a course on research integrity, but 53.7% of participants admitted to having committed at least one form of research misconduct. Having a postgraduate or above, publishing papers as the first author or corresponding author, attending a course on research integrity, lower self-reported knowledge on research integrity and lower perceived consequences for research misconduct were positively correlated to research misconduct. Serving as a primary investigator for a research project was negatively associated with research misconduct. Most residents (66.3%) agreed that the reason for research misconduct is that researchers lack research ability. Conclusions The high self-reported rate of research misconduct among residents in southwest China underscores a universal necessity for enhancing research integrity courses in residency programs. The ineffectiveness of current training in China suggests a possible global need for reevaluating and improving educational approaches to foster research integrity. Addressing these challenges is imperative not only for the credibility of medical research and patient care in China but also for maintaining the highest ethical standards in medical education worldwide. Policymakers, educators, and healthcare leaders on a global scale should collaborate to establish comprehensive strategies that ensure the responsible conduct of research, ultimately safeguarding the integrity of medical advancements and promoting trust in scientific endeavors across borders.

Plagiarism is one of the most frequent forms of research misconduct in South and East Asian countries. This narrative review examines the factors contributing to research misconduct, emphasizing plagiarism, particularly in South, East and Southeast Asian countries. We conducted a PubMed and Scopus search using the terms plagiarism, Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, research misconduct and retractions in January of 2022. Articles with missing abstracts, incomplete information about plagiarism, publication dates before 2010, and those unrelated to South, East, and Southeast Asian countries were excluded. The retraction watch database was searched for articles retracted between 9th January 2020 to 9th January 2022. A total of 159 articles were identified, of which 21 were included in the study using the database search criteria mentioned above. The review of articles identified a lack of training in scientific writing and research ethics, publication pressure, permissive attitudes, and inadequate regulatory measures as the primary reasons behind research misconduct in scientific publications. Plagiarism remains a common cause of unethical publications and retractions in regions of Asia (namely South, East and Southeast). Researchers lack training in scientific writing, and substantial gaps exist in understanding various forms of plagiarism, which heavily contribute to the problem. There is an urgent need to foster high research ethics standards and adhere to journal policies. Providing appropriate training in scientific writing among researchers may help improve the knowledge of different types of plagiarism and promote the use of antiplagiarism software, leading to a substantial reduction in the problem.

The retraction of medical articles periodically occurs in most medical journals and can involve multiple article types. These retractions are beneficial if they remove flawed or fraudulent information from the medical literature. However, retractions may also decrease confidence in the medical literature and require significant amounts of time by editors. One publisher (Hindawi) announced that it will retract over 1200 articles. Given this, the PubMed database was searched to identify retracted publications on or related to COVID-19, and articles retracted by journals sponsored by the publisher Hindawi were then identified. These journals retracted 25 articles and, in most cases, did not provide an exact explanation about the particular problem(s) resulting in the retraction. The time to retraction was 468.7 ± 109.8 days (median = 446 days). These articles had 9.3 ± 9.9 citations. Analysis of the titles and abstracts of the articles suggests that their removal from the medical literature would have limited effects on the near-term management decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, retraction of medical articles creates uncertainty in medical care and science and in the public regarding the validity of medical research and related publications and the level of professionalism of the individuals submitting these articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to describe biomedical retractions and analyse those retracted in 2000–2021 due to research misconduct among authors affiliated with European institutions. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using Retraction Watch database, Journal Citation Reports and PubMed as data sources. Biomedical original papers, reviews, case reports and letters with at least one author affiliated with an European institution retracted between 01/01/2000 and 30/06/2021 were included. We characterized rates over time and conducted an analysis on the 4 countries with the highest number of retractions: Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. 2069 publications were identified. Retraction rates increased from 10.7 to 44.8 per 100,000 publications between 2000 and 2020. Research misconduct accounted for most retractions (66.8%). The reasons for misconduct-related retractions shifted over time, ranging from problems of copyright and authorship in 2000 (2.5 per 100,000 publications) to duplication in 2020 (8.6 per 100,000 publications). In 2020, the main reason was fabrication and falsification in the United Kingdom (6.2 per 100,000 publications) and duplication in Spain (13.2 per 100,000 publications).Retractions of papers by authors affiliated with European institutions are increasing and are primarily due to research misconduct. The type of misconduct has changed over time and differ between European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disciplines in social and behavioral science have become increasingly committed to promoting social justice activism at the expense of viewpoint diversity. The present study documents the impact of this ideological project on the literature on racial disparities in criminal justice outcomes. Evidence from a recent high-profile retraction suggests that elite gatekeepers are willing to disregard ethical guidelines to censor an article embraced by conservatives. Evidence from additional case studies illustrates selective application of methodological standards based on the political implications of the findings. Serious errors are less likely to be treated as fatal if the contribution supports the activist agenda. By contrast, methodologically sound contributions are labeled as flawed if they challenge the dominant narrative. Although this manner of conduct is consistent with the evolved morality of human tribes, it violates the established norms of science. Observations from recent literature suggest that the integrity of social science research is compromised by our collective failure to value and protect contrarian perspectives. To remedy the situation, I propose that the open science movement – which has been successful at reducing questionable research practices – expand its scope from the craft of doing science to the realm of ideas, assumptions, and viewpoints. In short, I advocate for an "open minds" initiative for the improvement of social science research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While psychology and other scientific fields may not always live up to the ideal of self-correction, retractions are one effective mechanism to address flawed entries in the scientific record once they have already been published. Despite their utility, retractions are steeped in stigma for authors, and information about the role of authors in the retraction process is not consistently reported in retraction statements. Based on examples across the variety of existing retraction statements across fields, we propose three categories of retractions based on authors' roles, as well as suggested standard criteria for retraction statements to ensure they provide adequate information about the process, rationale, and interpretability of retractions while providing authors with a voice in this very challenging outcome for their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although retractions have been occurring in journals for many years, there is little standardization on what should warrant a retraction and how the retraction should be handled. In this manuscript, we lay out six broad classes for why retractions should be considered. We also lay out best practices for journals approaching a manuscript for which concerns have been raised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper considers controversial utterances that were erroneously taken as derogatory. These examples are puzzling because, despite the audiences’ error, many speakers retract and even apologise for what they didn’t say and didn’t do. In recent years, intuitions about retractions have been used to test semantic theories. The cases discussed here test the predictive power of theories of derogatory language and help us to better understand what is required to retract a slur. The paper seeks to answer three questions: are the cases considered genuine retractions? If the speakers didn’t derogate by using a slur, how are the cases retractions of derogatory acts? Do these examples support expressive accounts of slurs? I argue that the examples provide evidence for an expressivist account of slurs: a slurring utterance (defeasibly) makes a derogatory speech act where the speaker expresses a commitment to a morally questionable appraisal state, such as disgust or contempt for a target group. A retraction of a derogatory speech act requires undoing the enactment of that commitment, which can be achieved with a genuine apology. This helps explain the conduct of audiences who misunderstand what the speaker says, and the speakers’ reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of retracted oncology papers from Chinese scholars and the reasons for retraction. Methods: Data on retracted oncology papers from Chinese scholars published from 2013 to 2022 were retrieved from the Retraction Watch database. The retraction number and annual distribution, article types, reasons for retraction, retraction time delay, publishers, and journal characteristics of the retracted papers were analyzed. Results: A total of 2695 oncology papers from Chinese scholars published from 2013 to 2022 had been retracted. The majority of these papers were published from 2017 to 2020. In terms of article type, 2538 of the retracted papers were research articles, accounting for 94.17% of the total number of retracted papers. The main reasons for retraction were data, result, and image problems, duplicate publication, paper mills, author- and third-party-related reasons, plagiarism, false reviews, and method errors. The retraction time delay for the retracted papers ranged from 0 to 3582 days (median, 826 days). The retractions mainly occurred within the first 4 years after publication. A total of 77 publishers were involved in the retracted papers. In terms of journal distribution, 394 journals were involved in the retracted papers, of which 368 (93.40%) were included in the SCI database. There were 243 journals with an impact factor of <5 (66.03%). Conclusion: In the field of oncology, the annual distribution of retracted papers from Chinese scholars exhibited first an increasing and subsequently a decreasing trend, reaching a peak in 2019, indicating an improvement in the status of retraction after 2021. The main type of the retracted papers was research article, and the main reason for retraction was academic misconduct. The retractions were mainly concentrated in several major publishers and periodicals in Europe and the United States. Most of the journals had low-impact factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to determine reliability of sagittal plane range of motion (ROM) assessment in a healthy population and in people with cervicogenic headache (CGH). Upper cervical flexion/extension ROM was measured using an iPhone magnetometer sensor and retraction/protraction ROM measured by linear displacement. Two independent raters evaluated these movements in 33 subjects with CGH and 33 age and gender matched asymptomatic healthy controls on two occasions. Measurement procedures were standardized; and the order of testing randomized. Reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) were calculated. Subjects comprised 30 females and 36 males. The iPhone method demonstrated high reliability (ICC >0.82) with SEM values ranging from 0.62 to 1.0 and MDC values ranging from 1.70 to 4.81 respectively. Evaluation of linear displacement demonstrated moderate reliability (ICC >64). with SEM values ranging from 0.38 to 1.91 and MDC values ranging from 1.05 to 1.63 respectively. Compared to healthy controls, upper cervical flexion, retraction and protraction ROM was significantly less in the CGH group with mean difference of 6.50°, 1.52 cm and 2.34 cm respectively. Upper cervical spine sagittal plane ROM can be measured with moderate to high reliability and was found to be more restricted in people with CGH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expressions of concern (EoC) can reduce the adverse effects of unreliable publications by alerting readers to concerns about publication integrity while assessment is undertaken. We investigated the use of EoC for 463 publications by two research groups for which we notified concerns about publication integrity to 142 journals and 44 publishers between March 2013 and February 2020. By December 2021, 95 papers had had an EoC, and 83 were retracted without an EoC. Median times from notification of concerns to EoC (10.4mo) or retraction without EoC (13.1mo) were similar. Among the 95 EoCs, 29 (30.5%) were followed by retraction after a median of 5.4mo, none was lifted, and 66 (69.5%) remained in place after a median of 18.1mo. Publishers with >10 notified publications issued EoCs for 0–81.8% of papers: for several publishers the proportions of notified papers for which EoCs were issued varied considerably between the 2 research groups. EoCs were issued for >30% of notified publications of randomized clinical trials and letters to the editor, and <20% of other types of research. These results demonstrate inconsistent application of EoCs between and within publishers, and prolonged times to issue and resolve EoCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annals of Philosophy / Roczniki Filozoficzne is the property of John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Faculty of Philosophy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Trustworthy literature is an essential part of knowledge, evidence-based information, and science. However, publications can contain mistakes or have results from unreliable research, which may compromise their integrity. In this review, we discuss publication integrity, with a focus on our field of biomedicine, and how it could be improved. In our experience, compromised publication integrity is frequently poorly handled, and we, and others, have reported that responses to publication integrity concerns can be inefficient, inconsistent, slow, opaque, and incomplete. Checklists and tools are now available to assist in the assessment of publication integrity, but systemic changes are needed. However, this requires many of the key parties involved (journals, publishers, institutions, academic societies, and regulators) to acknowledge and engage with the problem. There is little evidence of a willingness to do this. We conclude that it has been recognised for many years that the system for dealing with publication integrity is broken, but currently, there appears little interest in trying to improve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the emergence of numerous scientific outputs, growing attention is paid to research misconduct. This study aimed to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices about research misconduct among medical residents in southwest China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in southwest China from November 2022 through March 2023. The links to the questionnaire were sent to the directors of the teaching management department in 17 tertiary hospitals. Answers were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the factors associated with research misconduct among residents. Results: 6200 residents were enrolled in the study, and 88.5% of participants attended a course on research integrity, but 53.7% of participants admitted to having committed at least one form of research misconduct. Having a postgraduate or above, publishing papers as the first author or corresponding author, attending a course on research integrity, lower self-reported knowledge on research integrity and lower perceived consequences for research misconduct were positively correlated to research misconduct. Serving as a primary investigator for a research project was negatively associated with research misconduct. Most residents (66.3%) agreed that the reason for research misconduct is that researchers lack research ability. Conclusions: The high self-reported rate of research misconduct among residents in southwest China underscores a universal necessity for enhancing research integrity courses in residency programs. The ineffectiveness of current training in China suggests a possible global need for reevaluating and improving educational approaches to foster research integrity. Addressing these challenges is imperative not only for the credibility of medical research and patient care in China but also for maintaining the highest ethical standards in medical education worldwide. Policymakers, educators, and healthcare leaders on a global scale should collaborate to establish comprehensive strategies that ensure the responsible conduct of research, ultimately safeguarding the integrity of medical advancements and promoting trust in scientific endeavors across borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retracted publications are the scholarly articles that have been withdrawn from publication by authors or journals due to errors, misconduct, or ethical concerns. The present study aims to identify and analyse retracted papers by Indian authors. The data was extracted from the Scopus and also checked from the Retraction Watch database along with the journal's website. The extracted data was analysed using MS Excel, Jamovi, and SPSS-21. The study examined the year-wise retraction rate, reasons for retraction, authorship patterns, time lag for retraction, and impact on citations after retraction. The results showed that while the number of retracted publications per year increased over time, the rate of retraction per 10K publications remained constant. Duplicate publication and plagiarism were the most common reasons for retraction. Approximately one-third of the publications were retracted within six months, and the retraction time decreased over the years, especially in open-access journals. The average number of citations per paper per year before and after retraction were nearly similar. This study could assist librarians and researchers in understanding retractions, avoiding their use, and being cautious when referencing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]