Standard Peer Review Research Articles

Implementation and efficacy of a large-scale radiation oncology case-based peer-review quality program across a multinational cancer network.

1 Background: With rapid community expansion of academic cancer centers, ensuring high-quality delivery of care across all affiliated network sites is critical. Here we report the results of a radiation oncology peer-review system implemented across a large multinational cancer network. Methods: Weekly radiation oncology peer-review conferences were held between network centers and the main campus of a major cancer system; results of standardized peer-review for each case were recorded. Peer-review resulted in each case being scored as concordant or nonconcordant on initial review; nonconcordance was based on institutional guidelines, national standards, and/or expert opinion. Results: Between 2014 and 2018, 28,730 patient radiation treatment plans underwent peer-review at 10 network centers. The peer-review case volume increased over this study period, from 1,420 cases in 2014 to 9,112 in 2018, concomitant with network expansion. Examining cases reviewed in 2018 (N = 9,112), the most-commonly reviewed cases by disease site were breast (28.9%), head and neck (HN; 13.9%), and lung (12.6%). Of all cases in 2018, 452 (5.0%) were deemed nonconcordant. Higher nonconcordance rates were noted for HN cases (14.0%), and lower rates for lung cases (2.3%; p < 0.001). Of nonconcordant HN cases, the majority (69.5%) were deemed nonconcordant based on target volume delineation. Of nonconcordant breast cases, most (67.1%) were nonconcordant based on radiation field design. For centers added to the network during the study period, we observed a significant decrease in the nonconcordance rate over time after joining the network (average annual decrease of 5.4% in nonconcordant cases; p < 0.001). Conclusions: These data demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of a large-scale multinational cancer network radiation oncology weekly peer-review program. Nonconcordance rates were highest for HN cases, primarily due to target volume delineation. With improved nonconcordance rates for newly-added network centers, these results offer the promise of improving the quality of radiotherapy delivery across an extensive cancer network with a major academic center as the nucleus.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: A generalized real option pricing method of R&D investments: jump diffusion and external competition

We, the Editors and Publisher of Journal of Difference Equations and Applications, have retracted the following article, which was part of the ‘Special Issue on Iteration Theory and Applications’: Xiang Ao, Ji-jun Yang, Ben-zhang Yang & M.T. de Bustos (2019) A generalized real option pricing method of R&D investments: jump diffusion and external competition, Journal of Difference Equations and Applications, 25:9–10, 1438–1453, DOI: 10.1080/10236198.2019.1661394 Following an investigation by the Taylor & Francis Research Integrity and Ethics team, it was discovered post-publication that this article was not peer reviewed appropriately, in line with the Journal's peer review standards and policy. As the stringency of the peer review process is core to the integrity of the publication process, the Editor and Publisher have taken the decision to retract this article. The handling Guest Editor was unable to confirm how reviewers were invited and whether the handling of this paper was in line with the expected standards of the journal. The journal has not received a response from the reviewers. The journal is committed to correcting the scientific record and will fully cooperate with any institutional investigations into this matter. The authors have been informed of this decision. The authors have agreed to retract the article. We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and the COPE guidelines. The retracted articles will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but they will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.

COSMOS-E: Guidance on conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies of etiology.

BackgroundTo our knowledge, no publication providing overarching guidance on the conduct of systematic reviews of observational studies of etiology exists.Methods and findingsConducting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies of Etiology (COSMOS-E) provides guidance on all steps in systematic reviews of observational studies of etiology, from shaping the research question, defining exposure and outcomes, to assessing the risk of bias and statistical analysis. The writing group included researchers experienced in meta-analyses and observational studies of etiology. Standard peer-review was performed. While the structure of systematic reviews of observational studies on etiology may be similar to that for systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials, there are specific tasks within each component that differ. Examples include assessment for confounding, selection bias, and information bias. In systematic reviews of observational studies of etiology, combining studies in meta-analysis may lead to more precise estimates, but such greater precision does not automatically remedy potential bias. Thorough exploration of sources of heterogeneity is key when assessing the validity of estimates and causality.ConclusionAs many reviews of observational studies on etiology are being performed, this document may provide researchers with guidance on how to conduct and analyse such reviews.

Editorial

Dear Readers, Dear Authors, Dear Reviewers, It is the time of the year again where we reflect upon the highlights that impacted us most last year and to find out where we go from here. Thinking about last year, there are many things that come to mind that have enraged us, excited us, or even inspired us. Most of them are not even closely related to our journal and the work we do here. But some events are suggesting major changes in the way we do business. One such example is Open Access. Over the last few decades voices have been becoming increasingly louder, requesting free access to all research articles and related information. Without further complications such as blocking paywalls or not accessible subscriptions, scientists (or other interested people for that matter) are able to read available studies in their field and beyond, inform themselves about what is going on elsewhere, and maybe even grab some ideas to further their own research. It also supports researchers with a lower budget that do not have access to wide-spread subscriptions, thereby reducing the inherent advantage posed by higher funding. Open Access comes in many variants: Gold Open Access is the publication in fully Open Access Journals. They generally follow the same standardized peer review process as conventional journals. Green Open Access, on the other hand, means the simultaneous self-archival on private servers, institutional repositories, or other archives. In contrast to the preprints, only the post-prints have actually been reviewed by experts in the field. And then there is the hybrid way, meaning publication in journals that follow the subscription model, but also allow Open Access publication of articles. However, as often in life, nothing is for free. Although Open Access does not cost the reader, someone has to cover the expenses incurring until then. Open Access articles are also reviewed, corrected and polished by editors, journals have to be compiled, and typesetting has to be performed. All this adds a further value to the article that cannot be provided by self-archival or preprints. Currently, the Open Access landscape is very heterogeneous, and each publisher/journal handles it differently. However, since the movement is growing and Open Access is becoming a major player, different initiatives have assembled. In Europe, for example, there is the Coalition S, a consortium of major European research agencies from twelve European countries. In September 2018, they published Plan S, which requires Open Access publication for all research funded by the participating organizations by 2020. And in January 2019, Wiley and the DEAL consortium, representing over 700 research organizations in Germany, struck a deal. This new partnership will enable wider dissemination of scientific information by allowing the participating researchers to publish their work Open Access. And all this research is then also available to the rest of the scientific community, here in Germany as well as elsewhere. Open Access deals are also in place with Austrian and Dutch organizations. In light of these pioneering deals, other publishers and probably also research organizations around the world will rethink their publishing models. It is a major step towards a currently unknown future that will change the publishing landscape as we know it but will at the same time be beneficial for all participants. If you want to be part of this new landscape and wish to make your research publicly available, then we are happy to offer you Open Access publication in ChemBioEng Reviews as well. Please check our website for detailed information (ChemBioEngRev.com). With that, we would like to loop back to the current issue and hope you enjoy the read. All the Best for a successful year 2019! Yours sincerely, Cordula Buse (Deputy Editor) and Barbara Boeck (Editor-in-Chief) Cordula Buse Barbara Boeck

What does better peer review look like? Underlying principles and recommendations for better practice

We conducted a literature review of best practice in peer review. Following this research, we identified five principles for better peer review: Content Integrity, Content Ethics, Fairness, Usefulness, and Timeliness. For each of these principles, we have developed a set of recommendations to improve peer review standards. In this article, we describe the role of peer review and how our five principles support that goal. This article is intended to continue the conversation about improving peer review standards and provide guidance to journal teams looking to improve their standards. It is accompanied by a detailed checklist, which could be used by journal teams to assess their current peer review standards.

Predatory journals: A threat to evidence-based science

One of the latest threats emerged to the integrity of academic publishing is predatory journals. These journals have paved the way for low-quality articles by exploiting gold open-access publishing, threatening standards of evidence-based science. These journals lack the authentication of legitimate scholarly journals such as peer review, editing, editorial boards, editorial offices, and other editorial standards, imposing a number of new ethical issues in publishing research papers. Some of these claim to assess submissions within 72 h and digitally publish them on acceptance and receipt of the fee, showing their only motivation of procurement of evaluation and publication fees. While many of the predatory publications can be easily recognized as such by most in their respective professions, some present them as highly sophisticated and operate websites that mirror prominent mainstream journals. Even experienced professionals sometimes fail to recognize these dubious journals and join the editorial boards of these journals or submit articles, posing a big threat to publication standards and ethics. It is the utmost need of authors, i.e., scientific authors have ample opportunities for publicizing their research. However, they have to selectively target journals and publish in compliance with the established norms of publishing ethics.

Snakes on a Spaceship—An Overview of Python in Heliophysics

AbstractComputational analysis has become ubiquitous within the heliophysics community. However, community standards for peer review of codes and analysis have lagged behind these developments. This absence has contributed to the reproducibility crisis, where inadequate analysis descriptions and loss of scientific data have made scientific studies difficult or impossible to replicate. The heliophysics community has responded to this challenge by expressing a desire for a more open, collaborative set of analysis tools. This article summarizes the current state of these efforts and presents an overview of many of the existing Python heliophysics tools. It also outlines the challenges facing community members who are working toward the goal of an open, collaborative, Python heliophysics toolkit and presents guidelines that can ease the transition from individualistic data analysis practices to an accountable, communalistic environment.

Retracted: Using the Healthy Days Measure to Assess Factors Associated with Poor Health-Related Quality of Life for Patients with Metastatic Breast, Lung, or Colorectal Cancer Enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Health Plan.

The article entitled, "Using the Healthy Days Measure to Assess Factors Associated with Poor Health-Related Quality of Life for Patients with Metastatic Breast, Lung, or Colorectal Cancer Enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Health Plan," by Casebeer AW et al, which published online ahead of print in Population Health Management [doi: 10.1089/pop.2018.0024], is being retracted by the authors so that they can remove references to the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and republish the article without such references. Dr. Casebeer's team obtained a license to use the MMAS-8 scale from Dr. Morisky prior to conducting the study. Nevertheless, after publication of a separate article in the Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes that also cited the MMAS-8, as the lead author, Dr. Casebeer was contacted by Dr. Morisky who requested that a number of changes be made to the article. Dr. Casebeer and her team have no desire to engage in a dispute with Dr. Morisky and therefore proactively contacted the Editor of Population Health Management and requested that the scale be removed from her published paper. After assessing all of the provided information, the Editor agreed to the authors' request. It is important to note that the retraction of Dr. Casebeer's article is not the result of any misconduct on her part or that of her team. The retraction serves to remove the published version of the article that contains the MMAS-8 scale and a revised version that does not contain the tool or any references to it will be published. The elimination of the scale does not alter the results or conclusions of the study. Population Health Management is committed to upholding the highest standards of peer review and the community it serves.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: On the dynamics of hypersurfaces foliated by n−2-dimensional oriented hyperspheres in 𝕊 n

We, the Editors and Publisher of Journal of Difference Equations and Applications, have retracted the following article, which was part of the ‘Special Issue on Iteration Theory and Applications’: L. Y. Fan & Miguel A. López (2019) On the dynamics of hypersurfaces foliated by n−2-dimensional oriented hyperspheres in 𝕊n, Journal of Difference Equations and Applications, 25:9-10, 1218-1238, doi:10.1080/10236198.2018.1541985 Following an investigation by the Taylor & Francis Research Integrity and Ethics team, it was discovered post-publication that this article was not peer reviewed appropriately, in line with the Journal’s peer review standards and policy. As the stringency of the peer review process is core to the integrity of the publication process, the Editor and Publisher have taken the decision to retract this article. The handling Guest Editor was unable to confirm how reviewers were invited and whether the handling of this paper was in line with the expected standards of the journal. The journal has not received a response from the reviewers. The journal is committed to correcting the scientific record and will fully cooperate with any institutional investigations into this matter. The authors have been informed of this decision. We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and the COPE guidelines. The retracted articles will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but they will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.

Evidence of an increased neuronal activation-to-resting glucose uptake ratio in the visual cortex of migraine patients: a study comparing 18FDG-PET and visual evoked potentials

BackgroundMigraine attacks might be triggered by a disruption of cerebral homeostasis. During the interictal period migraine patients are characterized by abnormal sensory information processing, but this functional abnormality may not be sufficient to disrupt the physiological equilibrium of the cortex unless it is accompanied by additional pathological mechanisms, like a reduction in energetic reserves. The aim of this study was to compare resting cerebral glucose uptake (using positron emission tomography (18fluorodeoxyglucose-PET)), and visual cortex activation (using visual evoked potentials (VEP)), between episodic migraine without aura patients in the interictal period and healthy volunteers.MethodsTwenty episodic migraine without aura patients and twenty healthy volunteers were studied. 18FDG-PET and VEP recordings were performed on separate days. The overall glucose uptake in the visual cortex-to-VEP response ratio was calculated and compared between the groups. Additionally, PET scan comparisons adding area under the VEP curve as a covariate were performed. For case-wise analysis, eigenvalues from a specific region exhibiting significantly different FDG-PET signal in the visual cortex were extracted. Standardized glucose uptake values from this region and VEP values from each subject were then coupled and compared between the groups.ResultsThe mean area under the curve of VEP was greater in migraine patients compared to healthy controls. In the same line, patients had an increased neuronal activation-to-resting glucose uptake ratio in the visual cortex. Statistical parametric mapping analysis revealed that cortical FDG-PET signal in relation to VEP area under the curve was significantly reduced in migraineurs in a cluster extending throughout the left visual cortex, from Brodmann’s areas 19 and 18 to area 7. Within this region, case-wise analyses showed that a visual neuronal activation exceeding glucose uptake was present in 90% of migraine patients, but in only 15% of healthy volunteers.ConclusionThis study identifies an area of increased neuronal activation-to-resting glucose uptake ratio in the visual cortex of migraine patients between attacks. Such observation supports the concept that an activity-induced rupture of cerebral metabolic homeostasis may be a cornerstone of migraine pathophysiology.This article has been selected as the winner of the 2018 Enrico Greppi Award. The Enrico Greppi Award is made to an unpublished paper dealing with clinical, epidemiological, genetic, pathophysiological or therapeutic aspects of headache. Italian Society for the Study of Headaches (SISC) sponsors this award, and the award is supported through an educational grant from Teva Neuroscience. This article did not undergo the standard peer review process for The Journal of Headache and Pain. The members of the 2018 Enrico Greppi Award Selection Committee were: Francesco Pierelli, Paolo Martelletti, Lyn Griffiths, Simona Sacco, Andreas Straube and Cenk Ayata.

Retraction of: Hair Iodine for Human Iodine Status Assessment, Thyroid 24(6);2014:1018-1026; DOI: 10.1089/thy.2012.0499.

ThyroidVol. 28, No. 7 Retraction NoticeFree AccessRetraction of: Hair Iodine for Human Iodine Status Assessment, Thyroid 24(6);2014:1018–1026; DOI: 10.1089/thy.2012.0499Published Online:1 Jul 2018https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2012.0499.retractAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Thyroid officially retracts the published article by Momčilović B, Prejac J, Višnjević V, Skalnaya MG, Mimica N, Drmić S, Skalny AV entitled, Hair Iodine for Human Status Assessment, from Thyroid 24(6);2014:1018–1026; (doi: 10.1089/thy.2012.0499), based on the discovery of prior redundant publication in two other journals, without any cross referencing: Momčilović B, Prejac J, Višnjević V, Skalnaya MG, Mimica N, Drmić S, Skalny AV. Hair iodine for human iodine status assessment. J Orthomol Med. 2013;28(4)175–185.Prejac J, Višnjević V, Drmić S, Skalny AA, Mimica N, Momčilović B. A novel concept to derive iodine status of human populations from frequency distribution properties of a hair iodine concentration. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2014;28(2):205–211.The editorial leadership of the two journals named above have been notified.It is important to note that Dr. Momčilović and his coauthors appealed the Editor's decision to retract this article based on their belief that the information contained in the article should be “widely heralded and promoted.” However, as this premise is in direct violation of Thyroid's strict policy on publishing papers that have not been published elsewhere, the appeal was denied.Thyroid is dedicated to upholding the strictest standards of peer review and the scientific record and therefore is officially retracting this article from the literature.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 28Issue 7Jul 2018 InformationCopyright 2018, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Retraction of: Hair Iodine for Human Iodine Status Assessment, Thyroid 24(6);2014:1018–1026; DOI: 10.1089/thy.2012.0499.Thyroid.Jul 2018.958-958.http://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2012.0499.retractPublished in Volume: 28 Issue 7: July 1, 2018Online Ahead of Print:June 29, 2018PDF download

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Ethics, Politics & Society is a new open access academic journal with double blind peer review dedicated to the publication of high level contributions in the fields of Political Philosophy and Theory, as well as Normative and Applied Ethics. Although it is open to all themes and approaches in these areas of knowledge, the journal focuses on issues related to theories of justice, democracy and recognition, as well as on ethical issues connected to scientific and technological development and their social and environmental impacts. Ethics, Politics & Society accepts the submission of originals both with a direct contemporary approach, or using the History of Moral and Political Philosophy to shed light on relevant problems in our time.
 This first issue of Ethics, Politics & Society includes an open section and two closed sections that have been nevertheless subject to the same standards of peer-review. The first open section is composed with original articles submitted by Douglas Giles, Lars Lindblom and Matthew McLennan. The section devoted to the 8th Braga Meetings on Ethics and Political Philosophy opens with the keynote lecture on “The Democratic Boundary Problem Reconsidered” delivered in Braga by Gustaf Arrhenius. This outstanding contribution is followed by a dossier of selected papers presented at the Meetings by Ashley Lane, Josh T. U. Cohen, Deven Burks, Daniel Guillery, Stephen McLeod, and Damiano Simoncelli. This section has been guest edited by Alexandra Abranches and Eze Paez.
 The third section consists of a Symposium on Friedrich Hayek and Karl Polanyi. This timely and provocative book discussion that combines readings of The Road to Serfdom and The Great Transformation has been guest edited by António Baptista and Pedro Teixeira, with contributions by António Baião, José Colen and Pedro Moreira, Filipe Nobre Faria, Patrícia Fernandes, Bru Lain, and João Rodrigues.
 Ethics, Politics & Society encourages prospective authors to submit their manuscripts in English, Portuguese or Spanish through the journal website, together with the statement that the submitted piece has not been published before and elsewhere. All the papers submitted to Ethics, Politics & Society are subject to the evaluation of at least two reviewers in the corresponding scientific domain. Papers are sent anonymously to blind referees, who are asked to write a review according to the evaluation form adopted by the journal, which includes the following aspects: adequacy to the journal publication standards; adequacy of the paper subject to the scope of the journal; substantive relevance; originality; relevance of the critical methodology; clarity of presentation; arguments and relationship between initial hypotheses and final results.
 With the appearance of Ethics, Politics & Society, its editors believe that a clear and urgent lacuna is filled in for an international journal that works as a high-level global forum imprinted with the perspective of Southern Europe.

The Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Potential of [Mn(CO)4(S2CNMe(CH2CO2H))], a Water-Soluble CO-Releasing Molecule (CORM-401): Intracellular Accumulation, Transcriptomic and Statistical Analyses, and Membrane Polarization.

Aims: Carbon monoxide (CO)-releasing molecules (CORMs) are candidates for animal and antimicrobial therapeutics. We aimed to probe the antimicrobial potential of a novel manganese CORM.Results: [Mn(CO)4S2CNMe(CH2CO2H)], CORM-401, inhibits growth of Escherichia coli and several antibiotic-resistant clinical pathogens. CORM-401 releases CO that binds oxidases in vivo, but is an ineffective respiratory inhibitor. Extensive CORM accumulation (assayed as intracellular manganese) accompanies antimicrobial activity. CORM-401 stimulates respiration, polarizes the cytoplasmic membrane in an uncoupler-like manner, and elicits loss of intracellular potassium and zinc. Transcriptomics and mathematical modeling of transcription factor activities reveal a multifaceted response characterized by elevated expression of genes encoding potassium uptake, efflux pumps, and envelope stress responses. Regulators implicated in stress responses (CpxR), respiration (Arc, Fnr), methionine biosynthesis (MetJ), and iron homeostasis (Fur) are significantly disturbed. Although CORM-401 reduces bacterial growth in combination with cefotaxime and trimethoprim, fractional inhibition studies reveal no interaction.Innovation: We present the most detailed microbiological analysis yet of a CORM that is not a ruthenium carbonyl. We demonstrate CO-independent striking effects on the bacterial membrane and global transcriptomic responses.Conclusions: CORM-401, contrary to our expectations of a CO delivery vehicle, does not inhibit respiration. It accumulates in the cytoplasm, acts like an uncoupler in disrupting cytoplasmic ion balance, and triggers multiple effects, including osmotic stress and futile respiration.Rebound Track: This work was rejected during standard peer review and rescued by rebound peer review (Antioxid Redox Signal 16: 293–296, 2012) with the following serving as open reviewers: Miguel Aon, Giancarlo Biagini, James Imlay, and Nigel Robinson. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1286–1308.

Retraction of: Dayer et al., J Palliat Med 2016;19(5):538–541; DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0230

Journal of Palliative MedicineVol. 21, No. 2 Retraction NoticeFree AccessRetraction of: Dayer et al., J Palliat Med 2016;19(5):538–541; DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0230This article retracts the following:A Palliative Care Clinic's Experience with Medication Adherence to Neuropathic Pain MedicationsPublished Online:1 Feb 2018https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2015.0230.retractAboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail The Brief Report article entitled, “Adherence to Adjuvant Neuropathic Pain Medications in a Palliative Care Clinic,” by Lindsey Dayer, Sarah Harrington, and Bradley Martin in the May 2016 issue of Journal of Palliative Medicine (JPM), [19(5): 538 – 541; DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0230] requires a retraction due to a legal dispute regarding the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) which was adapted for use in the article.Dr. Dayer's article appropriately cited the original article in which the MMAS-8 scale appeared, and the original MMAS-8 article notes that the development of the scale was supported with federal funds. However, after publication of her article, Dr. Dayer was notified by Dr. Morisky's legal counsel that Dr. Morisky asserted a copyright interest in the MMAS-8 scale, and that its reuse required both a substantial royalty payment and the licensed use of an electronic grading system developed by Dr. Morisky. Dr. Dayer and her institution dispute the validity and reasonableness of Dr. Morisky's demands in light of the National Institutes of Health's Principles and Guidelines for Recipients of NIH Research Grants and Contracts on Obtaining and Disseminating Biomedical Research Resources, 64 Fed. Reg. 72,090 (Dec. 23, 1999). As a result of Dr. Morisky's demands, Dr. Dayer contacted the Editor of JPM and requested that the scale be removed from her published paper. The Editor agreed.It is important to note that the retraction of Dr. Dayer's article is not the result of any misconduct on her part or that of her team. The retraction serves to remove the published version of the article that contains the MMAS-8 scale, and replace it with a revised version that does not contain the tool or any references to it. The elimination of the scale does not alter the conclusions of the study.Journal of Palliative Medicine is committed to the highest standards of peer review and the community it serves.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesA Palliative Care Clinic's Experience with Medication Adherence to Neuropathic Pain Medications1 Feb 2018Journal of Palliative Medicine Volume 21Issue 2Feb 2018 InformationCopyright 2018, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Retraction of: Dayer et al., J Palliat Med 2016;19(5):538–541; DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2015.0230.Journal of Palliative Medicine.Feb 2018.273-273.http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2015.0230.retractPublished in Volume: 21 Issue 2: February 1, 2018PDF download

12th International Workshop on Electric Probes in Magnetized Plasmas 2017 (IWEP 2017)

ForewordInternational Workshops on Electric Probes in Magnetized Plasmas (IWEP) take place every second year since 1993. They are devoted to understanding and solving problems associated with electric probes in either magnetized or unmagnetized plasmas. The 12th International Workshop on Electric Probes in Magnetized Plasmas 2017 (IWEP 2017) was held in Hotel Marinšek in Naklo, Slovenia from 4th to 7th of September 2017 and was organized by the Nuclear Society of Slovenia. This Society has a long tradition of successful organization of scientific conferences and workshops. The organizers have received 18 abstracts. All the abstracts were approved by the International Scientific Committee and are published in the Book of abstracts. At the workshop 15 contributions were presented. All presentations were oral and of equal length – 30 minutes for presentation and 5-10 minutes for discussion. Eight presented contributions were submitted for publication in the proceedings. After a standard peer review procedure 7 were accepted for publication.List of Committees, International Scientific Committee and Organizing Committee are available in this pdf.

Industry-corrupted psychiatric trials.

The goal of this paper is to expose the research misconduct of pharmaceutical industry sponsored clinical trials via three short case studies of corrupted psychiatric trials that were conducted in the United States. We discuss the common elements that enable the misrepresentation of clinical trial results including ghostwriting for medical journals, the role of key opinion leaders as co-conspirators with the pharmaceutical industry and the complicity of top medical journals in failing to uphold standards of science and peer review. We conclude that the corruption of industry-sponsored clinical trials is one of the major obstacles facing evidence-based medicine.

SIRT1 Controls Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity by Modulating Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a key player in liver physiology and a therapeutic target against hepatic inflammation. We evaluated the role of SIRT1 in the proinflammatory context and oxidative stress during acetaminophen (APAP)-mediated hepatotoxicity. SIRT1 protein levels decreased in human and mouse livers following APAP overdose. SIRT1-Tg mice maintained higher levels of SIRT1 on APAP injection than wild-type mice and were protected against hepatotoxicity by modulation of antioxidant systems and restrained inflammatory responses, with decreased oxidative stress, proinflammatory cytokine messenger RNA levels, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) signaling, and cell death. Mouse hepatocytes stimulated with conditioned medium of APAP-treated macrophages (APAP-CM) showed decreased SIRT1 levels; an effect mimicked by interleukin (IL)1β, an activator of NFκB. This negative modulation was abolished by neutralizing IL1β in APAP-CM or silencing p65-NFκB in hepatocytes. APAP-CM of macrophages from SIRT1-Tg mice failed to downregulate SIRT1 protein levels in hepatocytes. In vivo administration of the NFκB inhibitor BAY 11-7082 preserved SIRT1 levels and protected from APAP-mediated hepatotoxicity. Our work evidenced the unique role of SIRT1 in APAP hepatoprotection by targeting oxidative stress and inflammation. SIRT1 protein levels are downregulated by IL1β/NFκB signaling in APAP hepatotoxicity, resulting in inflammation and oxidative stress. Thus, maintenance of SIRT1 during APAP overdose by inhibiting NFκB might be clinically relevant. Rebound Track: This work was rejected during standard peer review and rescued by Rebound Peer Review (Antioxid Redox Signal 16:293-296, 2012) with the following serving as open reviewers: Rafael de Cabo, Joaquim Ros, Kalervo Hiltunen, and Neil Kaplowitz. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1187-1208.

Drug-Mediated Intracellular Donation of Nitric Oxide Potently Inhibits 5-Lipoxygenase: A Possible Key to Future Antileukotriene Therapy.

5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) is the key enzyme of leukotriene (LT) biosynthesis and is critically involved in a number of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, gout, bronchial asthma, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Because 5-LO contains critical nucleophilic amino acids, which are sensitive to electrophilic modifications, we determined the consequences of a drug-mediated intracellular release of nitric oxide (NO) on 5-LO product formation by human granulocytes and on 5-LO-dependent pulmonary inflammation in vivo. Clinically relevant concentrations of NO-releasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other agents releasing NO intracellularly suppress 5-LO product synthesis in isolated human granulocytes via direct S-nitrosylation of 5-LO at the catalytically important cysteines 416 and 418. Furthermore, suppression of 5-LO product formation was observed in ionophore-stimulated human whole blood and in an animal model of pulmonary inflammation. Here, we report for the first time that drugs releasing NO intracellularly are efficient 5-LO inhibitors in vitro and in vivo at least equivalent to approved 5-LO inhibitors. Our findings provide a novel mechanistic strategy for the development of a new class of drugs suppressing LT biosynthesis by site-directed nitrosylation. The results may also help to better understand the well-recognized anti-inflammatory clinically relevant actions of NO-releasing drugs. Furthermore, our study describes in detail a novel molecular mode of action of NO. Rebound Track: This work was rejected during standard peer review and rescued by Rebound Peer Review (Antioxid Redox Signal 16: 293-296, 2012) with the following serving as open reviewers: Angel Lanas, Hartmut Kühn, Joan Clària, Orina Belton. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1265-1285.

Redefining the Practice of Peer Review Through Intelligent Automation Part 1: Creation of a Standardized Methodology and Referenceable Database

Conventional peer review practice is compromised by a number of well-documented biases, which in turn limit standard of care analysis, which is fundamental to determination of medical malpractice. In addition to these intrinsic biases, other existing deficiencies exist in current peer review including the lack of standardization, objectivity, retrospective practice, and automation. An alternative model to address these deficiencies would be one which is completely blinded to the peer reviewer, requires independent reporting from both parties, utilizes automated data mining techniques for neutral and objective report analysis, and provides data reconciliation for resolution of finding-specific report differences. If properly implemented, this peer review model could result in creation of a standardized referenceable peer review database which could further assist in customizable education, technology refinement, and implementation of real-time context and user-specific decision support.

Peer Review Practices for Evaluating Biomedical Research Grants: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

The biomedical research enterprise depends on the fair and objective peer review of research grants, leading to the distribution of resources through efficient and robust competitive methods. In the United States, federal funding agencies and foundations collectively distribute billions of dollars annually to support biomedical research. For the American Heart Association, a Peer Review Subcommittee is charged with establishing the highest standards for peer review. This scientific statement reviews the current literature on peer review practices, describes the current American Heart Association peer review process and those of other agencies, analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of American Heart Association peer review practices, and recommends best practices for the future.