A group of researchers in India has lost two articles in the plant literature for shenanigans with duplicate submission.
One article, “Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and efficient regeneration of a timber yielding plant Dalbergia sissoo Roxb,” appeared online last June in the journal. The authors were from institutions in Orissa.
According to the retraction notice, the paper was a case of “thanks, but no thanks.” What’s worse, the researchers seem to be under the impression that they’ve done nothing wrong. Because they said so.
The manuscript has been withdrawn by the authors after it was pointed out by the editor that it was already published elsewhere. The letter of retraction from the authors states: “Now that the earlier version of our paper has already been printed in the “J. Plant Studies” in its recent issue (Vol. 2, No. 1, 2013), we are writing to the Chief Editor of the PMBP to withdraw the article (DOI 10.1007/s12298-012-0120-z) before it is finally printed in the Journal in order that an undesirable duplication would be avoided and our professional ethics be upheld. On behalf of all the co-authors, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you”.
But the Journal of Plant Studies evidently decided it wasn’t going to let its version — titled “Optimization of Factors Influencing Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. – A Timber Yielding Tree Legume” — stand, either. Unfortunately, all we have about that matter is this unhelpful notice:
The editorial board announced this article has been retracted on April 3, 2013.
If you have any further question, please contact us at: [email protected]
(We encourage our readers to contact [email protected] for more information.)
If the timing of all this has you confused, you’re not alone. We’re not sure, but it looks like the authors first published online in PMBP in 2012, then saw the other paper appear in print in the Journal of Plant Studies in March 2013. That article was retracted a month later, and now we have the retraction of the PMBP paper. We think.
We thought this might be an example of fishing for a better impact factor, but that doesn’t appear to the case. PMBP has an impact factor of .56, according to the journal, while the Journal of Plant Studies doesn’t seem to have any impact factor. The latter is published by the Canadian Center for Science and Education, which has threatened to sue Jeffrey Beall for including it on his list of possibly “predatory” publishers.
I have the feeling that the authors interpret “publication” as “appearing on paper”, so they did not consider the online paper as having been published… and they seem to have no qualms about submitting “earlier” or later versions of the paper to multiple journals in an attempt to achieve publication on paper.
What about this guy ?? 2010 to 2013– Total 23 publications, all by Mr. B Bhunia.
1.Chakraborty, S; Basak, B; Dutta, S; Bhunia, B and Dey, A. Decolorization and biodegradation of congo red dye by a novel white rot fungus Alternaria alternata CMERI F6. Bioresource Technology. 2013: 147, 662–666.
2.Basak, B, Bhunia, B, Dutta S, Chakraborty S and Dey A. Kinetics of phenol biodegradation at high concentration by a metabolically versatile isolated yeast Candida tropicalis PHB5. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2013 (Published).
3.Goswami, S., Bhunia, B and Mandal T. Purification and Characterization of Lovastatin from Aspergillus terreus (JX081272.1). Journal of PharmaSciTech (2013) (Accepted).
4.Goswami, S., Bhunia, B and Mandal T. Optimization of media components for lovastatin production from Aspergillus terreus (JX081272) using Taguchi Methodology. Journal of Bioprocess Engineering and Biorefinery. 2013:2, 46-53.
5.Basak, B., Bhunia, B., Mukherjee, S and Dey A. Optimization of physicochemical parameters for phenol biodegradation by Candida tropicalis PHB5 using Taguchi methodology. Desalination and Water Treatment. 2013: 1–17.
6.Mukherjee, S., Basak, B., Bhunia, B., Dey, A and Mandal, B. Potential use of polyphenol oxidases (PPO) in the bioremediation of phenolic contaminants containing industrial wastewater. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol. 2013: 12, 61-73.
7.Anuj Kumar, Biswanath Bhunia, Dalia Dasgupta, Tamal Mandal, Apurba Dey, Siddhartha Datta and Pinaki Bhattacharya. Optimization of culture condition for growth and phenol degradation by Alcaligenes faecalis JF339228 using Taguchi methodology. Desalination and Water Treatment. 2013: 51, 3153–3163.
8.Subhasis Mandal, Biswanath Bhunia, Anuj Kumar, Dalia Dasgupta, Tamal Mandal, Siddhartha Datta and Pinaki Bhattacharya. A statistical approach for optimization of media components for phenol degradation by Alcaligenes faecalis using Plackett- Burman and response surface methodology. Desalination and Water Treatment. 2013; 1–12.
9.Basak, B., Bhunia, B., Dutta, S and Dey, A. Enhanced biodegradation of 4-chlorophenol by Candida tropicalis PHB5 via optimization of physicochemical parameters using Taguchi Orthogonal Array approach. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. 2013:78, 17-23.
10.Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P., Mandal, T and Dey, A. Effect of pH and temperature on stability and kinetics of novel extracellular serine alkaline protease (70 kDa). Int J Biol Macromol. 2013: 54, 1-8.
11.Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P and Dey, A. Process engineering studies to investigate the effect of temperature and pH on kinetic parameters of alkaline protease production. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering. 2013: 115, 86-89.
12.Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P and Dey, A. Kinetic studies of alkaline protease production from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-204. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012: 22, 1758-66.
13.Bhunia, B and Dey, A. Statistical approach for optimization of physiochemical requirements on alkaline protease production from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-204, Enzyme Research. 2012 (2012) 905804.
14.Bhunia, B., Basak, B and Dey, A. A review on Production of Serine Alkaline Protease by Bacillus spp. Journal of Biochemical Technology, 2012:3, 448-457.
15.Bhunia, B., Mukhopadhy, D., Goswami, S., Mandal, T. and Dey, A. Improved production, characterization and flocculation properties of poly (gama) glutamic acid produced from Bacillus subtilis. Journal of Biochemical Technology. 2012:3, 389-394.
16.Pani, N.R., Nath, L. and Bhunia, B. Application of DSC, IST and FTIR study in the compatibility testing of Nateglinide with different pharmaceutical excipients. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. 2012:108, 219-226.
17.Goswami, S; Rani, A; Priyadarshini, R; Bhunia, B and Mandal, T. A Review on Production of Echinocandins by Aspergillus sp. Journal of Biochemical Technology. 2012: 4, 568-575.
18.Bhunia, B., Dutta, D. and Chaudhuri, S. Optimization of enzyme activity determination and partial characterization of extracellular alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-2042. Engineering in Life Sciences. 2011: 11, 207-215.
19.Pani, N.R., Nath, L. and Bhunia, B. Formulation, development and optimization of immediate release tablet of nateglinide by factorial designs. Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics. 2010: 4, 453-458.
20.Bhunia, B., Dutta, D. and Chaudhuri, S. Selection of suitable carbon, nitrogen and sulphate source for the production of alkaline protease by Bacillus licheniformis NCIM- 2042. Notulae Scientia Biologicae. 2010: 2, 56-59.
21.Bhunia, B., Behera, K.K., Mandal, T. and Sharma, H.P. Optimization of flocculating activity from Bacillus sp. by Response Surface Methodology: A Ststistical Approach. International Journal of Biological science and Engineering. 2010: 1, 84-95.
22.Behera, K.K., Bhunia, B., Teixeira da Silva, J.A. and Sahoo, S. Plantlet Regeneration of Potato Yam (Dioscorea bulbifera L.) through in Vitro Culture from Nodal Segments. International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology. 2010:4, 37-41.
23.Bhunia, B., Behera, K. K., Baquee, A. and Sharma, H.P. Optimization of Alkaline Protease Activity from Bacillus subtilis 2724 by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). IJBE. 2010:1, 158-169
MM, what specific issues should we look at in these papers?
Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P., Mandal, T and Dey, A. Effect of pH and temperature on stability and kinetics of novel extracellular serine alkaline protease (70 kDa). Int J Biol Macromol. 2013: 54, 1-8.
Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P and Dey, A. Process engineering studies to investigate the effect of temperature and pH on kinetic parameters of alkaline protease production. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering. 2013: 115, 86-89.
These two papers are same but published in two different journals.
Dear MM,
These two papers are not same.
Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P., Mandal, T and Dey, A. Effect of pH and temperature on stability and kinetics of novel extracellular serine alkaline protease (70 kDa). Int J Biol Macromol. 2013: 54, 1-8.
in this research paper author invented new protease about 70 kDa and stability studies on protease enzyme.
Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P and Dey, A. Process engineering studies to investigate the effect of temperature and pH on kinetic parameters of alkaline protease production. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering. 2013: 115, 86-89.
In this paper to investigate the effect of temperature and pH on kinetic parameters of alkaline protease production.
However I can see these combine work may publish in good impact journal. I do not know why he has 23 papers and how much contribution he has. But he has contributed 5-6 papers as first author…..Lastly I can say that these paper are real engineering works…..
Goswami, S., Bhunia, B and Mandal T. Purification and Characterization of Lovastatin from Aspergillus terreus (JX081272.1). Journal of PharmaSciTech (2013) (Accepted).
Goswami, S., Bhunia, B and Mandal T. Optimization of media components for lovastatin production from Aspergillus terreus (JX081272) using Taguchi Methodology. Journal of Bioprocess Engineering and Biorefinery. 2013:2, 46-53.
How is it possible? Attention to the Industry people.
Bhunia, B., Dutta, D. and Chaudhuri, S. Optimization of enzyme activity determination and partial characterization of extracellular alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-2042.Engineering in Life Sciences. 2011: 11, 207-215.
Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P and Dey, A. Kinetic studies of alkaline protease production from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-204. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012: 22, 1758-66.
Bhunia, B and Dey, A. Statistical approach for optimization of physiochemical requirements on alkaline protease production from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-204, Enzyme Research. 2012 (2012) 905804.
See the situation.
Bhunia, B., Dutta, D. and Chaudhuri, S. Optimization of enzyme activity determination and partial characterization of extracellular alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-2042.Engineering in Life Sciences. 2011: 11, 207-215.
In this paper, author indicates How enzyme activity can be optimized. Here he did with REM technology. Huge mathematics are really appreciated. To see the paper I was really benefited. Really industrial work.
Bhunia, B., Basak, B., Bhattacharya, P and Dey, A. Kinetic studies of alkaline protease production from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-204. J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012: 22, 1758-66.
Bhunia, B and Dey, A. Statistical approach for optimization of physiochemical requirements on alkaline protease production from Bacillus licheniformis NCIM-204, Enzyme Research. 2012 (2012) 905804.
Last two papers are not same man…Fist one is kinetics studies and second one is optimization.
I donot have attention his others papers. So no comments…..
A second retraction has appeared in Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants:
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12298-015-0312-4
DOI: 10.1007/s12298-015-0312-4
Original
Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants July 2012, Volume 18, Issue 3, pp 253-263
Date: 29 Apr 2012
Plant regeneration in Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. et Fernand. from embryogenic callus and cell suspension culture and assessment of genetic fidelity of plants derived through somatic embryogenesis
Mohd. Zahid Rizvi 1,3, Arun Kumar Kukreja 1, Narendra Singh Bisht 2
1. Plant Tissue Culture Division, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, P.O. CIMAP-226015, Uttar Pradesh, India
2. Department of Botany, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (Pauri Campus), Garhwal-246174, India
3. Department of Botany, Shia Post Graduate College, Sitapur Road, Lucknow-226020, India
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3550513/
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12298-012-0113-y
DOI: 10.1007/s12298-012-0113-y
Background:
https://pubpeer.com/publications/54A5AA3709C3D71CFA697E572FD180
https://pubpeer.com/publications/4B50870045F2D908C0AADB10ACB680
https://pubpeer.com/publications/AF376BA33D395F7919AFDED3935F5E