Evidently the editors of the Journal of Religion and Health were a tad distracted when they published a paper earlier this year by Australian theologian Joseph Lee and his “colleague,” M. Theol. M. Theol, of course, is a degree, not a person — as a correction notice explains:
The Journal of Biology and Life Science, published by the Macrothink Institute, has retracted a paper that claimed “fossil does not provides [sic] the convincing and direct evidences for evolution,” for reasons that they left to us to figure out. The entire notice for “Fossils Evidences (Paleontology) Opposite to Darwin’s Theory,” allegedly written by Md. … Continue reading Entomologist surprised to find name on now-retracted paper alleging fossils oppose Darwin’s theory of evolution
In a case whose irony is not lost on those involved, an article about publishing ethics has been retracted because one of the authors re-used material he’d written for an earlier piece. But the authors and the journal’s editors have turned the episode into a learning opportunity. Here’s the notice for “Ethics and Integrity of … Continue reading Oh, the irony: Paper on “Ethics and Integrity of the Publishing Process” retracted for duplication
Another busy week at Retraction Watch, which we kicked off by asking for your support. Have you contributed yet? Here’s what was happening elsewhere on the web:
There have been a number of developments in the unraveling of two Nature studies out of the RIKEN Institute in Japan and Harvard purporting to show an easy way to create stem cells. There was an interim report of RIKEN’s investigation last Friday, and more details emerged this week. And today, the Japan Times reported that last week, … Continue reading Authors of controversial STAP stem cell study author correct 2011 paper
Karel Bezouška, the scientist who tried to tamper with an investigation into his work by breaking into a lab refrigerator, has had his fifth and sixth papers retracted. Here’s the notice from Bioconjugate Chemistry for 2012’s “Dimerization of an Immunoactivating Peptide Derived from Mycobacterial hsp65 Using N-Hydroxysuccinimide Based Bifunctional Reagents Is Critical for Its Antitumor … Continue reading Author who broke into lab to tamper with investigation now up to half a dozen retractions
Ivan is scheduled to be on Inside Science on BBC Radio 4 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern (1630 UK time) to discuss the latest stem cell controversy, and what it says about the state of post-publication peer review.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology has retracted a 2011 article on colon cancer by a group of Cleveland Clinic researchers after finding “evidence” of plagiarism in the text. The article, a review, was titled “Molecular Pathways Underlying IBD-Associated Colorectal Neoplasia: Therapeutic Implications,” and has been cited 16 times, according to Thomson Scientific’s Web of Knowledge. … Continue reading Reverse peristalsis for gut journal which disgorges Cleveland Clinic paper for plagiarism
March has come in like a lion for the folks at the Office of Research Integrity (ORI). The agency’s director, David Wright, stepped down late last month for reasons that even now remain unclear. And in what seems to be an unrelated development, ORI has managed to draw the ire of Sen. Charles Grassley, who … Continue reading Senator “unsatisfied” with ORI’s response on recovery of tainted grant money
Here’s a lesson for would-be authors of papers on power supplies: Energy = Renewable; Journal articles = Not renewable Too late for a group of engineers in Iran who borrowed too liberally from previously published work in their 2013 article in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. The paper, “A review of energy storage systems in … Continue reading Plagiarism makes renewable energy paper unsustainable