Handling Problem Manuscripts The nature of the problem Common ethical issues What to do
Reasons for retractions Fang FC, Steen RG, Casadevall A., PNAS 2012
Percent of published articles retracted for fraud or suspected fraud Fang FC, Steen RG, Casadevall A., PNAS 2012
JBC Problem Manuscripts Number of manuscript problems
Common Ethical Issues 90% of problems found in gel images Gel splicing Duplicate image Dropped background Cloning, masking, cleaning up (J. Krueger, ORI)
GEL SPLICING AND DUPLICATION ORI gradient tool Common Ethical Issues
DUPLICATE IMAGE Common Ethical Issues
DUPLICATE IMAGE Common Ethical Issues ORI gradient tool
DUPLICATE IMAGES IN MICROGRAPHS Common Ethical Issues
DROPPED BACKGROUND Were these bands just copied onto a white(-ish) background? YES Common Ethical Issues
ORI gradient tool What’s missing? Common Ethical Issues MASKING AND “CLEANING UP”
90% of problems found in gel images Gel splicing Duplicate image Dropped background Cloning, masking, “cleaning up” 99% of these problems were image preparation errors NOT FRAUD Common Ethical Issues (J. Krueger, ORI)
Prior publication Simultaneous submission to more than one journal Plagiarism Human / animal protocols Statement of conflict of interest Authorship issues Other Kinds of Ethical Issues
Finding problems BEFORE publication
Find problems before publication Be alert to image manipulation
Increase brightness Zoom Zoom in on blots
Find problems before publication Be alert to image manipulation-Zoom, enlarge figures Be alert to prior publication-Check PubMed Review manuscripts for compliance with JBC policies Human/animal protocols Conflict of interest statement
What to do Report suspicions promptly to the associate editor Maintain confidentiality