Search Results for: r wayne alexander

Exclusive: U.S. federal research integrity teams take hits with departures 

Amid efforts by the Trump administration to “put an end to fraudulent and wasteful spending” and “enhance” accountability, two key offices charged with investigating fraud and holding scientists and institutions accountable for federal spending have seen top leadership depart. At the National Science Foundation’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), the changes start at the top: … Continue reading Exclusive: U.S. federal research integrity teams take hits with departures 

“Unapproved euthanasia” of rats in neuroscience study leads to retraction

A 2017 paper describing neuroscience research with rats has been retracted after “data mis-management,” including the mistreatment of the animals, came to light.  The retracted paper was the second by Subimal Datta, a professor of psychology and anesthesiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to receive a flag for data problems.  The article, “BNDF heterozygosity … Continue reading “Unapproved euthanasia” of rats in neuroscience study leads to retraction

U.S. government watchdog names investigative director

A week after news that the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI) would have a new interim director shortly comes news that the agency will also have a new director of its investigative division as of early next month. Starting August 4, Alexander Runko will be the director of the ORI’s Division of Investigative Oversight … Continue reading U.S. government watchdog names investigative director

Weekend reads: The editor who’s a dog; the fake author; a monument to peer review

The week at Retraction Watch featured the retraction of a much-discussed paper on using blockchain to prevent scientific misconduct, and a researcher who lost nine studies at once from a single journal. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

PubPeer dealt blow in lawsuit against anonymous commenters

PubPeer has suffered a setback in an ongoing lawsuit filed by a scientist who alleges the site’s anonymous commenters cost him a job. This week, judges in the Court of Appeals in Michigan denied the request of the American Civil Liberties Union — which is representing PubPeer — to include an investigative report as part … Continue reading PubPeer dealt blow in lawsuit against anonymous commenters

Weekend reads: Publisher under fire; Canadian scientists demand change; a troubled psychiatry trial

The week at Retraction Watch featured an unwitting co-author and a painful example of doing the right thing. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

Judge tells PubPeer to hand over information about anonymous commenter; site weighing “options”

A Michigan judge has ruled against a motion by PubPeer to protect the identity of an anonymous commenter, and asked the post-publication peer review site to give her any information they have about the commenter. According to one of the lawyers present, the site said in court the only identifying information it has is an … Continue reading Judge tells PubPeer to hand over information about anonymous commenter; site weighing “options”

Judge rules most of PubPeer’s commenters can remain anonymous

PubPeer won a near-complete victory in a Michigan court today. A judge has agreed to allow the site to protect the identities of all but one of its anonymous commenters, after a cancer researcher demanded the site release the names of those who have critiqued his papers. For one of the comments on the site, … Continue reading Judge rules most of PubPeer’s commenters can remain anonymous

Emory cardiology researcher up to six retractions

R. Wayne Alexander, a cardiology researcher at Emory whose lab has retracted four papers following university investigations, has notched retractions five and six. Here’s the notice from Circulation Research:

Another image falsification retraction for Emory heart researchers

A group of authors from Emory University, has lost another paper for image manipulation, bringing their total to at least four. What makes this particularly interesting is that the main actor in the figure fakery, Lian Zuo, does not appear to have been involved this time. Zuo, you may recall, was cited in multiple retraction … Continue reading Another image falsification retraction for Emory heart researchers