“Bats are really cool animals!” How a 7-year-old published a paper in a journal

The scientific literature has seen its share of child prodigies – such as a nine-year-old who published a study in JAMA, and a group of eight-year-olds who reported on bumblebees in Biology Letters. But Alexandre Martin of the University of Kentucky sought to help his seven-year-old son get published in a non-traditional way – by … Continue reading “Bats are really cool animals!” How a 7-year-old published a paper in a journal

What do retractions look like in Korean journals?

A new analysis of retractions from Korean journals reveals some interesting trends. For one, the authors found most papers in Korean journals are retracted for duplication (57%), a higher rate than what’s been reported in other studies. The authors also deemed some retractions were “inappropriate” according to guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) … Continue reading What do retractions look like in Korean journals?

Authors fix three Diabetes papers flagged for image issues

Researchers have corrected three studies published in the journal Diabetes after users flagged issues with the images on PubPeer. All three papers share a number of authors, including the same last and corresponding author, Aimin Xu, from The University of Hong Kong. Since the corrections appear relatively extensive, we asked the journal if retractions were ever … Continue reading Authors fix three Diabetes papers flagged for image issues

Weekend reads: Arguments for abandoning “statistically significant,” boorish behavior, and useless clinical trials

The week at Retraction Watch featured developments in the retraction of a paper claiming the dangers of GMOs, and claims of censorship by a Nature journal. Here’s what was happening elsewhere:

CrossFit can sue over error in paper it claims cost the brand millions

A California court ruled that fitness empire CrossFit can proceed to trial with its lawsuit against a competitor, alleging it published falsified data that hurt the company’s reputation, according to recently released court documents. The case pits the popular for-profit CrossFit brand against the non-profit National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), which published the 2013 … Continue reading CrossFit can sue over error in paper it claims cost the brand millions

Cancer biologist says Nature journal “censored” his News & Views, retracts it

A cancer biologist has retracted a 2016 News & Views article in a Nature journal, alleging that the journal tried to censor his writing by asking him to remove passages that criticized another journal (Cell).  Carlo Croce, the sole author of the article in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology from Ohio State University in Columbus, described the … Continue reading Cancer biologist says Nature journal “censored” his News & Views, retracts it

Second paper about major blood pressure drug trial in Japan to be retracted

A second paper about a major randomized trial in Japanese patients with heart disease is being retracted, after an investigation reportedly found multiple problems with the paper. As predicted by Pharma Japan, Hypertension Research is retracting a 2011 paper, already the subject of two errata. Although a spokesperson said she couldn’t say why the paper was being retracted, as … Continue reading Second paper about major blood pressure drug trial in Japan to be retracted

Weekend reads: Questions about NIH success story; do Nobels need a reset?; coercing PhD graduates

The week at Retraction Watch featured doubts about the effects of oxytocin, aka the “love hormone,” and a report on how common reference errors are. Here’s what was happening elsewhere, with apologies for the later-than-usual posting:

Sarkar vs. John Doe: What happened at this week’s hearing involving PubPeer

On Tuesday, lawyers representing both sides of the ongoing suit filed by a scientist against PubPeer commenters appeared in court, alleging their criticisms of his work cost him a new job at the University of Mississippi. In the case described as “FAZLUL SARKAR V JOHN DOE,” lawyers representing PubPeer, Sarkar, and the anonymous commenter at the heart of … Continue reading Sarkar vs. John Doe: What happened at this week’s hearing involving PubPeer

Child psychiatrist flagged for misconduct loses two more papers

A child psychiatrist has lost two papers after an institutional investigation concluded that she intentionally misrepresented children’s medication history in her research. In November 2015, we reported on a retraction for Mani Pavuluri in the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience following a probe at the University of Illinois at Chicago, her institution, which concluded that there was a … Continue reading Child psychiatrist flagged for misconduct loses two more papers