Cardiology researcher who admitted to fraud earns four-year funding ban

A researcher who admitted in 2012 to “intentional and systematic manipulation” of data and had two papers retracted has been banned from funding by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Dennis Rottländer, who will also be returning prize money he was awarded for the research, worked in Uta C. Hoppe’s lab at the University of Cologne. … Continue reading Cardiology researcher who admitted to fraud earns four-year funding ban

“Error in data compilation” leaves bitter taste for paper on sweeter-tasting pills

A publication on a new, tastier dissolving tablet has been retracted for data errors. Here’s the brief notice for “Meloxicam Taste-Masked Oral Disintegrating Tablet with Dissolution Enhanced by Ion Exchange Resins and Cyclodextrin“:

Taiwan’s education minister resigns in wake of SAGE peer review scandal

Taiwan’s education minister, Chiang Wei-ling, whose name appeared on several of 60 retracted articles by Peter Chen — apparently the architect of a peer review and citation syndicate we were first to report on last week — has resigned over the publishing scandal. According to the University World News:

SAGE Publications busts “peer review and citation ring,” 60 papers retracted

This one deserves a “wow.” SAGE Publishers is retracting 60 articles from the Journal of Vibration and Control after an investigation revealed a “peer review and citation ring” involving a professor in Taiwan. [Please see an update on this post.] Here’s the beginning of a statement from SAGE:

University where researcher faked HIV vaccine findings won’t receive last $1.4 million of grant

There has been another development in the case of Dong-Pyou Han, the former Iowa State University (ISU) researcher who admitted last fall to spiking rabbit blood samples to make it look as though his team’s HIV vaccine was working in the animals. The Des Moines Register reports:

Retracted Seralini GMO-rat study republished

A highly controversial — and retracted — 2012 study by Gilles Seralini and colleagues of the effects of genetically modified maize and the Roundup herbicide on rats has been republished. Retraction Watch readers may recall that the editor of Food and Chemical Toxicology decided to retract the heavily criticized paper because it was “inconclusive.” The editor, … Continue reading Retracted Seralini GMO-rat study republished

RIKEN inquiry prompted by STAP stem cell controversy generates three corrections

A review of past publications by the Japanese research institution RIKEN has produced three corrections of articles by a molecular geneticist, Haruhiko Koseki, The Scientist is reporting. The articles had appeared in Molecular and Cellular Biology between 2005 and 2010. The review was triggered by the scandal involving Haruko Obokata, a former RIKEN scientist whose … Continue reading RIKEN inquiry prompted by STAP stem cell controversy generates three corrections

Weekend reads: Scientific fraudster given royal honor; the Retraction Watch theme song!

Another busy week at Retraction Watch, with Ivan speaking in Vienna, at a PhD student retreat in nearby Zwettl, and in London. The retreat gave rise to “We Will Retract You,” which may just become the Retraction Watch theme song. Watch here. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

Authors plagiarize CME cancer article, lose their review paper

Oncology Reviews has retracted a 2014 paper on breast cancer after learning that the authors lifted parts of it from a continuing medical education lesson on Medscape. The paper, “Challenges of combined everolimus/endocrine therapy in hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer,” was written by Yousif Abubakr, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and Yasar Albushra, of … Continue reading Authors plagiarize CME cancer article, lose their review paper

Journal retracts letter accusing physicist of using fake names to criticize papers

From the world of physics, we have a retraction involving rivalry and alleged sock puppetry. The Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology has removed a letter from its website after a scientist complained that it was making unproven allegations against him. It’s a head-scratching case. The letter, from Lorenzo Iorio, first appeared … Continue reading Journal retracts letter accusing physicist of using fake names to criticize papers