Search Results for: sting

“Dual submission issues” retract both copies of ovarian cancer paper

Authors of a study on a potential biomarker for ovarian cancer have been hit with two retractions after the results were published twice. We don’t usually see both copies of a duplicated paper retracted, but this is a somewhat unusual case. In November 2011, a group of authors submitted the paper to Gynecologic Oncology. But two months’ prior, the … Continue reading “Dual submission issues” retract both copies of ovarian cancer paper

Authors retract highly cited Nature quantum dot letter after discovering error

Authors have retracted a highly cited Nature letter that purported to discover a much sought-after, stable light source from quantum dots, after they realized the light was actually coming from another source: the glass the dots were affixed to. When the paper “Non-blinking semiconductor nanocrystals” was published in 2009, it received some media coverage, such … Continue reading Authors retract highly cited Nature quantum dot letter after discovering error

Journal retracts — and republishes — small study on gamma rays for OCD

JAMA Psychiatry has retracted and republished a paper on a cutting-edge procedure for patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. In the original paper, the authors claimed that three out of eight patients who underwent a procedure that used gamma rays to kill brain cells showed improvements 12 months later (versus zero in the group who underwent a “sham” procedure). But … Continue reading Journal retracts — and republishes — small study on gamma rays for OCD

After court verdict, BMJ retracts 26-year-old paper

Today, The BMJ retracted a 1989 paper about the role of breastfeeding and formula in infant eczema — 20 years after the data were called into question by a university report. However, the report was kept secret — due, by some accounts, to alleged threats of a lawsuit. That is, until this year, when author Ranjit Kumar … Continue reading After court verdict, BMJ retracts 26-year-old paper

BMJ corrects controversial critique of US dietary guidelines report

The BMJ has published a correction to a critique of the U.S. dietary guidelines report that has received heavy criticism from nutrition experts. The author, journalist Nina Teicholz, has also posted a response to the criticism of the article. The BMJ investigation, released in September, asserted that the guidelines committee used “weak scientific standards” to make its recommendations. It also criticized several aspects … Continue reading BMJ corrects controversial critique of US dietary guidelines report

Taste researcher falsified data in two papers: ORI

A federal report has found that a former University of Maryland postdoc “falsified and/or fabricated” data in two papers about taste receptors. The Office of Research Integrity report found that Maria C.P. Geraedts manipulated bar graphs in the papers to “produce the desired result.” Both have been retracted. Geraedts left academia in 2014, and is now a science writer. We reported on … Continue reading Taste researcher falsified data in two papers: ORI

Weekend reads: Angry meta-analysts; imposter cell lines; when things go wrong

This week at Retraction Watch featured nine more fake peer review retractions, this time from Elsevier, and an update to the retraction count for one-time record holder Joachim Boldt. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

Activist group retracts warnings about midwest oil wells

After receiving additional data from the government, an activist group has retracted an analysis that suggested energy companies were not taking steps to cut back on a controversial practice. The Bakken analysis — named for North Dakota’s gigantic underground deposit of oil and natural gas — was published by the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC). It … Continue reading Activist group retracts warnings about midwest oil wells

A publication loophole? Authors can make changes editors won’t always see

A few unusual acknowledgements added by authors after finalizing the manuscripts have highlighted a common element in science publishing – right before going to press, authors can make minor changes to manuscripts that editors won’t necessarily review before publication. We were reminded of this when reading two opinion papers published in August by Science and Engineering Ethics. … Continue reading A publication loophole? Authors can make changes editors won’t always see

Much of preclinical research into one cancer drug is flawed, says report

A review of preclinical research of a now widely used cancer drug suggests the studies contain multiple methodology flaws and overestimate the benefits of the drug. Specifically, the researchers found that most studies didn’t randomize treatments, didn’t blind investigators to which animals were receiving the drug, and tested tumors in only one animal model, which limits the … Continue reading Much of preclinical research into one cancer drug is flawed, says report