Search Results for: coding error

Nature retraction, resignation result after lung cancer cell lines “cannot be those specified”

Upon realizing they had experienced a case of mistaken cell-line identity, the authors of a 2014 Nature paper on lung cancer think “it prudent to retract pending more thorough investigation,” as they explain in a notice published Wednesday. The problem seems to stem from more than just honest error, according to corresponding author Julian Downward, a … Continue reading Nature retraction, resignation result after lung cancer cell lines “cannot be those specified”

Weekend reads: Widespread p-hacking; sexism in science (again); retraction totals

This week at Retraction Watch featured retractions by a high-profile cancer researcher, and a loss in court for PubPeer. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

“This situation left me ashamed and infuriated with myself:” Scientist retracts two papers

A Portuguese group has retracted two papers in the Journal of Bacteriology after mislabeled computer files led to the wrong images being used. And, we’ve learned in a heartfelt email, the first author was devastated. Here’s the notice for “MtvR Is a Global Small Noncoding Regulatory RNA in Burkholderia cenocepacia”:

“I never manipulated data”: Förster defends actions in open letter

Jens Förster, the Dutch social psychologist accused of misconduct, has posted an open letter on his lab’s website in which he denies wrongdoing. The letter, in English and dated May 11, offers a detailed rebuttal to the investigation’s conclusions. It also offers a rationale for Förster’s decision not to post his data on the Internet. … Continue reading “I never manipulated data”: Förster defends actions in open letter

Dutch economist Nijkamp embroiled in plagiarism and duplication scandal

The Dutch papers are reporting that Peter Nijkamp, one of the leading economists in The Netherlands, has been embroiled in what looks like a self-plagiarism scandal following the cancellation of a thesis defense by one of his graduate students because of plagiarism. We say “what looks like” because it’s tough to figure out what’s alleged … Continue reading Dutch economist Nijkamp embroiled in plagiarism and duplication scandal

A Cancer Cell mega-correction for highly cited researcher who retracted paper earlier this year

MIT’s Robert Weinberg, a leading cancer researcher who retracted a Cancer Cell paper earlier this year for “inappropriate presentation” of figures, has corrected a different paper in the same journal. Here’s the correction for “Species- and Cell Type-Specific Requirements for Cellular Transformation:” We were apprised recently of errors made in the assembly of Figures 2B, … Continue reading A Cancer Cell mega-correction for highly cited researcher who retracted paper earlier this year

Post 982 — in which we find plagiarized bone graft paper that grafted from other papers

The Surgeon has retracted a 2012 article by a group from the U.K. who took text from a previously published article. So, you say? Nu? Well, we found — through relatively little effort — that the plagiarizees were themselves, shall we say, liberal in their use of material from other sources. The retracted article was … Continue reading Post 982 — in which we find plagiarized bone graft paper that grafted from other papers

Jumbled analysis leads to retraction of cancer study — but also another paper

The authors of a study on cancer incidence and survival in the Dutch migrant community have retracted it after realizing they’d made some errors that significantly affected the results. But in what seems like an appropriate reward for coming forward, the newly analyzed data, with additional information, will be part of a forthcoming paper in … Continue reading Jumbled analysis leads to retraction of cancer study — but also another paper

Authors retract Journal of Cell Science study after realizing they were using the wrong gene constructs

What do you do when it turns out the materials you used in your successful experiment weren’t actually the materials you thought they were? If you’re Peter Zammit, of King’s College London, and colleagues, you retract a 2008 paper in the Journal of Cell Science. Here’s the notice, for “B-catenin promotes self-renewal of skeletal-muscle satellite … Continue reading Authors retract Journal of Cell Science study after realizing they were using the wrong gene constructs

Remaining Zhiguo Wang retractions will be in the Journal of Cellular Physiology

We’ve been following the case of Zhiguo Wang, the former Montreal Heart Institute researcher who was forced to resign his post in early September following an investigation into his work. At the time of that announcement, two retractions of the Wang group’s papers — which we had reported on in August — had appeared. The … Continue reading Remaining Zhiguo Wang retractions will be in the Journal of Cellular Physiology