Author Misconduct Research Articles

Retracted articles in the obstetrics literature: lessons from the past to change the future

The publication of invalid scientific findings may have profound implications on medical practice. As the incidence of article retractions has increased over the last 2 decades, organizations have formed, including Retraction Watch, to improve the transparency of scientific publishing. At present, the incidence of article retraction in the obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine literature is unclear. This study aimed to determine the number of retracted articles within the obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine literature from the PubMed and Retraction Watch databases and examine reasons for retraction. A retrospective review of the PubMed and Retraction Watch databases was performed to identify retracted articles in the obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine literature from indexation through December 31, 2019. The primary outcome was defined as the number of identified articles and reason for retraction. Within PubMed, articles were identified using a medical subheading search for articles categorized as withdrawn or retracted. In addition, the Retraction Watch database was queried and nonobstetrical articles were excluded. The reason for retraction was classified according to the categories listed in Retraction Watch. The subject matter was classified on the basis of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine criteria. Data were collected from retracted articles for author name, country, journal name and impact factor, year of publication and retraction, study type, and response of the publishing journal. Descriptive statistics were performed. Of the 519 obstetrics and gynecology articles in Retraction Watch, 122 (23.5%) were specific to the obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine specialties. In addition, 39 (32.0%) were identified from PubMed, all of which were included in Retraction Watch. There was a median time to retraction of 1 (range, 0-17) year, with a median of 3 citations per article (range, 0-145). In addition, the median journal impact factor was 2.2 (range, 0.1-27.6), with median first and senior author Hirsch index values of 6.0 and 13.5, respectively. Most articles were original research (n=80; 65.6%), specifically retrospective studies (n=11; 9.0%), case reports (n=19; 15.6%), prospective studies (n=18; 14.8%), randomized controlled trials (n=11; 9%), basic science (n=18; 14.8%), and systematic review or meta-analysis (n=3; 2.5%). Of eligible articles, 32 (26.2%) were published in journals with an impact factor ≥4, and 21 articles (17.2%) were published in the top 10 leading impact factor obstetrics and gynecology journals. Most retractions were for content-related issues (n=87; 71.3%), including 21.3% (n=26) for article duplication, 18.9% (n=23) for plagiarism, and 16.4% (n=20) for errors in results or methods. Additional reasons included author misconduct (n=12; 9.8%), nonreproducible results (n=11; 9.0%), and falsification (n=8; 6.6%). The most common journal response was an issued statement of retraction (n=82; 67.2%). Lack of retraction notice and limited to no information provided by the publishing journal occurred in 19 retracted articles (15.6%). In the obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine literature, retraction of scientific articles is increasing and is most often related to scientific misconduct, including article duplication and plagiarism. Improved prevention and detection are warranted by journals and healthcare institutions to ensure that invalid findings are not perpetuated in the medical literature, thereby avoiding adverse consequences for maternal and perinatal care.

Retracted publications and their citation in dental literature: A systematic review.

ObjectivesThe present systematic review aimed to perform an in‐depth analysis of the different features of retracted publications in the dental field.Material and methodsThis review has been recorded in the PROSPERO database (CRD42017075634). Two independent reviewers performed an electronic search (Pubmed, Retraction Watch) for retracted articles in dental literature up to December 31, 2018.Results180 retracted papers were identified, the first published in 2001. Retractions increased by 47% in the last four‐year period (2014–2018), when compared with 2009–2013 (94 and 64 retracted publications, respectively). Author misconduct was the most common reason for retraction (65.0%), followed by honest scientific errors (12.2%) and publisher‐related issues (10.6%). The majority of retracted research was conducted in Asia (55.6%), with 49 papers written in India (27.2%). 552 researchers (89%) are listed as authors in only one retracted article, while 10 researchers (1.6%) are present in five or more retracted publications. Retracted articles were cited 530 times after retraction: the great majority of these citations (89.6%) did not consider the existence of the retraction notice and treated data from retracted articles as reliable.ConclusionsRetractions in dental literature have constantly increased in recent years, with the majority of them due to misconduct and fraud. The publication of unreliable research has many negative consequences. Studies derived from such material are designed on potentially incorrect bases, waste funds and resources, and most importantly, increase risk of incorrect treatment for patients. Citation of retracted papers represents a major issue for the scientific community.

Editorial challenges in a small scientific community: Study of Croatian editors

This article presents results from a study of 74 Social Science Croatian journal editors that asked about challenges encountered during their work, with a special focus on peer review processes. The study used an online questionnaire with 19 questions. The findings confirmed many logistics challenges and peer review‐related problems associated mostly with substandard work of the reviewers; author misconduct, especially plagiarism; and multiple submission of articles. The findings show similar problems to other regions of the world, and some problems discovered in this study demonstrate unique problems encountered within a small research community. The discovered problems call for changes and new editorial procedures.

A epidemia de más condutas na ciência: o fracasso do tratamento moralizador

The article deals with proliferation of violations of ethical norms of science, that started to develop a few decades ago. It will be referred to as the The most important types of these violations are varieties of fraud (mainly falsification and fabrication of empirical data), and such forms of author misconduct as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, etc. The article is divided into six sections. In first, topic is introduced and some terminology clarified. In second, evidence is presented which corroborates existence of epidemic. The third deals with reaction to epidemic, by characterizing its dynamics in terms of being dominated by conflict between two positions: moralizing one - which promotes application of moralizing treatment to combat epidemic; and negationist one - which tends to deny existence of epidemic, and resists moralizing measures. The fourth explores causes of epidemic. A distinction is introduced between productivism and productionism, and an analysis is proposed of ways productivism fosters violations of ethical norms of science. The fifth consists of a critique of moralizing treatment, based on its inadequacies, mainly its inefficacy. The conclusion points to an alternative to moralizing treatment.

Retraction notice

In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers. OnlineFirst articles (these articles will not be published in an issue) International Journal of Damage Mechanics Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Razaghi R. Dynamic finite element simulation of the human head damage mechanics protected by polyvinyl alcohol sponge. Int J Damage Mech, first published on 15 May 2014, DOI: 10.1177/1056789514535945 .

Retraction notice

In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers.

Potential Author Misconduct: The Education Continues

Potential Author Misconduct: The Education Continues

Retraction notice

The following article has been included in a multiple retraction: Elhamian MM, Alizadeh M, Shokrieh MM, et al. An innovative three-dimensional biphasic-laminated composite model for articular cartilage tissue . J Thermoplast Compos Mater, first published on 1 February 2015, DOI: 10.1177/0892705715569821. In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers.

Retraction notice

A temporal video-processing method to improve heart rate estimation by M DaneshiKohan and AM NasrAbadi, Perfusion, first published on December 22, 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0267659114564206 In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process for the article listed above. SAGE and the journal Editor immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract this article for reasons of author misconduct. M DaneshiKohan was the submitting author for this article. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers.

Retraction notice

At the request of the Editor, the Publisher and the corresponding author, the following article A vibration signal process method by using the wavelet packet and approximate entropy , by Wu Deng; Huimin Zhao; Zhengguang Li; Li Zou. Proceedings of the IMechE, Part E: Journal of Process Meganical Engineering, first published November 17, 2014, doi: 10.1177/0954408914559739 has been retracted. SAGE and the journal Editor became aware of author misconduct concerning fabricated identities as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals to manipulate the peer review process. SAGE and the journal Editor immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the article for reasons of author misconduct. SAGE regrets that the corresponding author compromised the academic record by perverting the peer review process and apologises to readers.

Integrity in Publishing: Some Considerations for Dealing with Complaints about Author Misconduct

Integrity in Publishing: Some Considerations for Dealing with Complaints about Author Misconduct

Retraction notice

The following article has been included in a multiple retraction: Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Razaghi R. Dynamic finite element simulation of the human head damage mechanics protected by polyvinyl alcohol sponge. Int J Damage Mech, first published on 15 May 2014, DOI: 10.1177/1056789514535945. In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers.

Retraction notice

The following article has been included in a multiple retraction: Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, Yousefi H et al. An experimental study on the elastic modulus of gelatin hydrogels using different stress–strain definitions . J Thermoplast Compos Mater, first published on 29 April 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0892705714533377. In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers.

Retraction notice

At the request of the Editor, the Publisher and the corresponding author, the following article Research on a new information fusion method based on SVM and SCQPSO and its application by Wu Deng, Xinhua Yang, Huimin Zhao, Li Zou, Zhengguang Li and Wen Li Journal of Vibration and Control first published on March 19, 2014, DOI: 10.1177/1077546314521447 has been retracted. SAGE and the journal Editor became aware of author misconduct concerning fabricated identities as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals to manipulate the peer review process. SAGE and the journal Editor immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the article for reasons of author misconduct. SAGE regrets that the corresponding author compromised the academic record by perverting the peer review process and apologises to readers.

RETRACTED: Experimental and numerical study on the mechanical behavior of rat brain tissue

Brain tissue is a very soft tissue in which the mechanical properties depend on the loading direction. While few studies have characterized these biomechanical properties, it is worth knowing that accurate characterization of the mechanical properties of brain tissue at different loading directions is a key asset for neuronavigation and surgery simulation through haptic devices. In this study, the hyperelastic mechanical properties of rat brain tissue were measured experimentally and computationally. Prepared cylindrical samples were excised from the parietal lobes of rats' brains and experimentally tested by a tensile testing machine. The effects of loading direction on the mechanical properties of brain tissue were measured by applying load on both longitudinal and circumferential directions. The general prediction ability of the proposed hyperelastic model was verified using finite element (FE) simulations of brain tissue tension experiments. The uniaxial experimental results compared well with those predicted by the FE models. The results revealed the influence of loading direction on the mechanical properties of brain tissue. The Ogden hyperelastic material model was suitably represented by the non-linear behavior of the brain tissue, which can be used in future biomechanical simulations. The hyperelastic properties of brain tissue provided here have interest to the medical research community as there are several applications where accurate characterization of these properties are crucial for an accurate outcome, such as neurosurgery, robotic surgery, haptic device design or car manufacturing to evaluate possible trauma due to an impact.

Retraction notice

The following article has been included in a multiple retraction: Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Haghpanahi M. Constitutive model for numerical analysis of polyvinyl alcohol sponge under different strain rates . J Thermoplast Compos Mater, first published on 15 January 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0892705713520176. In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers.

The Fraud and Retraction Epidemic

A recent article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS ) examines the cause of retractions involving more than 2000 articles published in biomedical and life-science-related journals.[1][1] Of these, nearly 70% were retracted due to author misconduct, with the most common

RETRACTED: Hyperelastic mechanical behavior of rat brain infected by Plasmodium berghei ANKA – Experimental testing and constitutive modeling

The following article has been included in a multiple retraction: Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, Beigzadeh B, et al. Hyperelastic mechanical behavior of rat brain infected by Plasmodium berghei ANKA – experimental testing and constitutive modelling. Int J Damage Mech 2014;23:857–871, DOI: 10.1177/1056789513514072. In 2015 SAGE became aware of author misconduct concerning the suspected fabrication of identities, as well as the impersonation of legitimate individuals, to manipulate the peer review process across three separate journal publications. SAGE and the journal Editors immediately launched an investigation and have decided to retract the following articles for reasons of author misconduct. Alireza Karimi was the submitting author on 12 of the articles. SAGE regrets the academic record was compromised by manipulation of the peer review process and apologises to readers. OnlineFirst articles (these articles will not be published in an issue) International Journal of Damage Mechanics Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Razaghi R. Dynamic finite element simulation of the human head damage mechanics protected by polyvinyl alcohol sponge. Int J Damage Mech, first published on 15 May 2014, DOI: 10.1177/1056789514535945. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Haghpanahi M. Constitutive model for numerical analysis of polyvinyl alcohol sponge under different strain rates. J Thermoplast Compos Mater, first published on 15 January 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0892705713520176. Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, Yousefi H et al. An experimental study on the elastic modulus of gelatin hydrogels using different stress–strain definitions. J Thermoplast Compos Mater, first published on 29 April 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0892705714533377. Elhamian MM, Alizadeh M, Shokrieh MM, et al. An innovative three-dimensional biphasic-laminated composite model for articular cartilage tissue. J Thermoplast Compos Mater, first published on 1 February 2015, DOI: 10.1177/0892705715569821. Perfusion Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, Yamada H, et al. A comparative study on the quasilinear viscoelastic mechanical properties of the umbilical artery and the umbilical vein. Perfusion, first published on 22 May 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0267659114536761. Tehrani P, Rahmani S, Karimi A, et al. A novel cardiac assist device (AVICENA): a numerical study to compute the generated power. Perfusion, first published on 19 August 2014, DOI: 10.1177/ 0267659114547943. Elhamian SMM, Alizadeh M, Shokrieh MM, et al. The effect of collagen fiber volume fraction on the mechanical properties of articular cartilage by micromechanics models. Perfusion, first published on 20 August 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0267659114547942. Razaghi R, Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, et al. Determination of the vulnerable plaque in a stenotic human coronary artery – finite element modelling. Perfusion, first published on 28 October 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0267659114557720. Articles published in an issue International Journal of Damage Mechanics Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, Beigzadeh B, et al. Hyperelastic mechanical behavior of rat brain infected by Plasmodium berghei ANKA – experimental testing and constitutive modelling. Int J Damage Mech 2014;23:857–871, DOI: 10.1177/1056789513514072. Perfusion Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Faghihi S. A comparative study on plaque vulnerability using constitutive equations. Perfusion, 2014;29:178–183, DOI: 10.1177/0267659113502835. Abdi M, Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, et al. Modeling of cerebral aneurysm using equivalent electrical circuit (Lumped Model). Perfusion 2014;29:142–152, DOI: 10.1177/0267659113498617. Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M and Faghihi S. Fabrication and mechanical characterization of a polyvinyl alcohol sponge for tissue engineering applications. Perfusion 2014;29:231–237, DOI: 10.1177/ 0267659113513823. Karimi A, Navidbakhsh M, Yousefi H, et al. Experimental and numerical study on the mechanical behavior of rat brain tissue. Perfusion 2014;29:307–314, DOI: 10.1177/0267659114522088.

RETRACTED: Fabrication and mechanical characterization of a polyvinyl alcohol sponge for tissue engineering applications

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponges are widely used for clinical applications, including ophthalmic surgical treatments, wound healing and tissue engineering. There is, however, a lack of sufficient data on the mechanical properties of PVA sponges. In this study, a biomechanical method is used to characterize the elastic modulus, maximum stress and strain as well as the swelling ratio of a fabricated PVA sponge (P-sponge) and it is compared with two commercially available PVA sponges (CENEFOM and EYETEC). The results indicate that the elastic modulus of the P-sponge is 5.32% and 13.45% lower than that of the CENEFOM and EYETEC sponges, while it bears 4.11% more and 10.37% less stress compared to the CENEFOM and EYETEC sponges, respectively. The P-sponge shows a maximum strain of 32% more than the EYETEC sponge as well as a 26.78% higher swelling ratio, which is a significantly higher absorbency compared to the CENEFOM. It is believed that the results of this study would help for a better understanding of the extension, rupture and swelling mechanism of PVA sponges, which could lead to crucial improvement in the design and application of PVA-based materials in ophthalmic and plastic surgeries as well as wound healing and tissue engineering.

RETRACTED: Modeling of cerebral aneurysm using equivalent electrical circuit (Lumped Model)

The circle of Willis (CoW) is a key asset in brain performance as it supports adequate blood supply to the brain. The lumped method (electrical equivalent circuits) is a useful model to simulate the process of the human cardiovascular system. In this study, the whole cardiovascular system is modeled, using an equivalent electrical circuit to investigate an aneurysm in an artery. The cerebrovascular system consists of 29 compartments, which includes the CoW. Each vessel is modeled by a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor. Using MATLAB Simulink, the left and right ventricles are modeled by controlled voltage sources and diodes. The effects of the left internal carotid artery aneurysm (Fusiform) on the pressure of the efferent arteries in the circle of Willis are studied. The modeling results are entirely in agreement with the available clinical observations. The results of the present study may have clinical implications for modeling different cardiovascular diseases, such as arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis.