Category: by publisher

Bee researcher in the Congo blames “injustice, segregation and colonialism” for retractions, Science correction

j insect conservationA bee researcher based in Congo has had two papers retracted, and a paper in Science corrected, for various reasons including unreliable data. The researcher, however, blames colonialism.

M. B. Théodore Munyuli is at the National Center for Research in Natural Sciences, CRSN-Lwiro, D.S. Bukavu, Kivu, and studies the distribution and diversity of bees. Here’s the notice from Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, for a paper on which Munyuli is the sole author: Continue reading Bee researcher in the Congo blames “injustice, segregation and colonialism” for retractions, Science correction

Forged authorship sinks melanoma paper

ijbcbThe International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology has retracted a 2013 paper by a group from China after learning that only the first author knew about the article.

The paper was titled “Construction of circular miRNA sponges targeting miR-21 or miR-221 and demonstration of their excellent anticancer effects on malignant melanoma cells,” and it was led by Yuchen Liu. Liu’s affiliations include the Institute of Dermatology and Department of Dermatology at No. 1 Hospital, part of Anhui Medical University, and the State Key Laboratory Incubation Base of Dermatology for the Ministry of National Science and Technology.

Here’s the retraction notice:
Continue reading Forged authorship sinks melanoma paper

Ninth retraction appears for cardiology researcher Matsubara

matsubaraHiroaki Matsubara, a former Kyoto Prefectural University cardiology researcher who resigned last year following an investigation, has had another paper retracted, his ninth.

Here’s the notice from Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Continue reading Ninth retraction appears for cardiology researcher Matsubara

Sampling error, flawed analysis, and miscalculation trigger Molecular Cell retraction

molecular cell 14Guest post by Jean Hazel Mendoza

A group of researchers from France has retracted a 2013 paper from Molecular Cell after realizing that their analyses of microscopy images were flawed.

Here’s the notice for “RecA-Promoted, RecFOR-Independent Progressive Disassembly of Replisomes Stalled by Helicase Inactivation:” Continue reading Sampling error, flawed analysis, and miscalculation trigger Molecular Cell retraction

Assignations without permission? Leopard sex paper retracted after conflict between researchers

zoomorphologyA researcher in Germany has lost a paper on determining the sex of panthers after a now-former colleague objected to his use of data.

Here’s the notice for “A method to assign sex to leopard Panthera pardus specimens using quantitative cranial data:” Continue reading Assignations without permission? Leopard sex paper retracted after conflict between researchers

“Gremlins” caused errors in climate change paper showing gains from global warming

jep_coverThe author of a controversial 2009 paper arguing that at least some amount of global warming could lead to economic gains has corrected the paper, along with a later article in a different journal. We confess to be baffled by the implications of the mix-up, although others appear to be less confused.

The 2009 article, “The Economic Effects of Climate Change,” was written by Richard Tol, of the University of Sussex, and appeared in the Journal of Economic Perspectives. It has been cited 91 times, according to Thomson Scientific’s Web of Science.

Here’s the abstract:

Continue reading “Gremlins” caused errors in climate change paper showing gains from global warming

Nothing to see here: Unreplicable eye paper ends in retraction

jneuroimmunoThe authors of a 2012 paper in the Journal of Neuroimmunology have retracted the paper after some of the researchers were unable to verify the findings in follow-up work.

The article, “Association of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFB1) regulatory region polymorphisms with myasthenia gravis-related ophthalmoparesis,” came from a lab at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town, in South Africa.

According to the abstract: Continue reading Nothing to see here: Unreplicable eye paper ends in retraction

Seventh retraction appears for author who tampered with investigation

bioorganicsKarel Bezouška, who tried tampering with an investigation into his work by breaking into a lab refrigerator, has had a seventh paper retracted.

Here’s the notice for “Carboxylated calixarenes bind strongly to CD69 and protect CD69+ killer cells from suicidal cell death induced by tumor cell surface ligands,” which was first published in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry in 2010: Continue reading Seventh retraction appears for author who tampered with investigation

Stunner: Researchers retract paper because company complains it’s hurting profits

ajfsIt’s not unusual for us to hear allegations that journals have caved to corporate demands that they retract papers. And companies have certainly objected to the publication of results that painted their products in an unflattering light.

Continue reading Stunner: Researchers retract paper because company complains it’s hurting profits

Birds of a feather: Duplication grounds migration paper

wemcoverA group of bird researchers in China has lost their article in Wetlands Ecology and Management on the migratory habits of shorebirds after the editors of the journal learned that they’d cobbled the paper together from their own previously published work.

The article by Song et. al., “Ecological stability of the shorebird stopover site in the Yalu River Estuary Wetlands, China,” had appeared online in February.

Here’s the abstract: Continue reading Birds of a feather: Duplication grounds migration paper