最近网上流传着各种关于中国学术造假的事件,也有媒体做了各种关于此事的报道。但是这类事件背后真正的触发点是什么?真的是学术界国人的学术素养不如外国人?还是国人对科学的严谨性认识不到位? 个人觉得真正引起这么多不良事件发生的根源是国人的一颗急需成功的心,在中国现在这个大环境下,如果你不能速速的取得成功,拿出实验结果,你就会被打入冷宫。再加上房贷车贷等各种压力的情况下,促使他们有了一颗浮躁的心。但是我们都知道科研这东西,不是你努力或者加班加点的干活就可以很perfect的完成的,它需要我们边实践边细细思考,需要一颗平静的心。可国内的环境造就了我们急需成功的欲望。 欲望谁都有,今天极其多。欲望可促人,也可毁人。 保持内心平静,不盲目从大流。 Have a calm life!
王牧闻海虎都是国内牛人,都有院士级的科研水平。这次两人刺刀见红,如果能抛弃个人恩怨,在学术问题上客观公正,未必不是好事情。现在,第二回合已经开始,王牧教授发了第二篇博文,对闻海虎教授的反驳进行驳斥。我感到,王教授的这一轮驳斥不怎么准确,但有一点算是抓住了要害。就是闻教授从79个比较离散的点选取50个很集中的点来说明相分离。王教授下面这段话还是中肯的: 此外,闻教授博文中为删除数据辩解时说“无论是 50 个点还是 79 个点的中心都与文章结论的中心位置非常接近 ” 。众所周知,弥散数据的统计分布特征是非常重要的性质,修改数据的统计特征就是涉嫌学术造假。“中心位置非常接近”不能作为删除数据的根据。 我觉得闻教授这个做法的确有失科学严谨性。这是个硬伤。黄秀清早一点也指出了这一点。不过,即使79个点全用上,相分离现象还是可以看出来的,结论仍然成立。 但是,王教授指证闻教授把几个样品当一个样品的事实,还引用了闻教授的原文,原文却看不出这一点。大家仔细看王教授的下面两段话中引用的原文: 但是, Nature Commun. 一文的第 4 页上声称是在同一块样品上测了 50 个点,并且分别用红点和蓝点标出了(图 4c )。原文如下 : “ we did the local analysis on 50 randomly selected specific points, marked by the red spots (on background) and blue spots (on the domains) in Fig. 4c. The statistics on these data are given in Fig. 4d. Interestingly, the data are rather converged and fall into mainly two groups, one with the composition of about K 0.68 Fe 1.78 Se 2 and another one around K 0.8 Fe 1.63 Se 2 . ” 此外, Nature Commun. 一文第 7 页的实验方法部分,对 EDS 数据的测量是这样说明的: 50 个点来自于同一样品,每一点采样时间一分钟,工作电压 20 千伏,原文表述为: “ 50 spots were randomly selected on and off the domains of each sample to obtain high resolution spectra with a measurement time of 1 min for one point, with the voltage of 20 kV. ”。 至少这里引用的两段原文看不出闻教授把多个样品当一个样品的意思来。第一段原文由于讲到跟红点蓝点的对应,的确可能误导读者以为是同一个样品,但只能算是标注不明。第二段原文中的“each sample 反而表明有多个样品。我觉得,多个样品对于表现相分离的事实反而是更有说服力的。相分离应该跟样品无关,闻教授忽略对样品的标注,也可以说得过去。王教授抓住这一点意义不大。 关于S350样品的数据混入SFC样品的问题,闻教授的解释是,S350超导小岛太小,不能用文章的方法测量。但是,闻教授还是提到了S350可以经过进一步的分析得到跟SFC样品相似的相分离的结论,至于怎么“进一步分析”却没说。王教授揪住这一点,是否客观?有待审查。
这样的事情还不涉嫌学术造假吗? —— 对闻海虎教授 10 月 22 日博文的回应 看了闻海虎教授 10 月 22 日题为“闻海虎关于《 Nature Commun. 4 , 1897 ( 2013 )》的说明”的博文,我很欣赏他提到“清者自清,浊者自浊”,至于其他,不敢恭维。下面我给出回应如下。 第一,关于 S350 样品,闻教授博文陈述与已发表 Nature Commun . 一文相互矛盾 闻教授博文中称 “由于 SFC 样品的超导岛区域面积较大,因此可以用电镜上的能谱分析功能 (EDS/EDX) 来分析成份,而对于其他淬火处理的样品,如 S350 等,因为超导区面积太小,小于电镜光斑尺寸,用能谱分析成份完全不行。” 又称“ EDS 技术完全不适合直接分析其它淬火样品(如 S350 样品等),因为这些样品的超导斑块很小,我们文章里没有包含一个 SFC 样品之外的数据点”。 但是,闻教授等在 Nature Commun. 一文第 4 页陈述 SFC 样品相分离之后说,“对 S350 样品的进一步分析给出了类似于 SFC 样品的两个不同区域里的化学成分”,原文如下(左栏 29-30 行):“ Further analysis on the sample S350 gives the similar compositions in two different regions as the SFC.” 这句话有两层含义,一是利用 EDS 测量了 S350 的样品,发现其有相分离,且化学成分分成两个区域;二是 S350 样品和 SFC 样品的化学成分是类似的。 同时, Nature Commun. 一文第 4 页(右栏) 27-29 行说, S350 和 SFC 具有类似的化学成分分布 (原文如下:“ Similar behaviour of the composition distribution is observed in the sample S350, which presents better global appearance of superconductivity, although now the domains become much smaller”) 。这句话也说明利用 EDS 测量了 S350 的样品。 因此,闻教授的举证材料和其发表的 Nature Commun. 文章发生矛盾。需要特别指出的是, Nature Commun. 一文第 4 页说“对 S350 样品的进一步分析给出了类似于 SFC 样品的两个不同区域里的化学成分”;但是,其博文附件材料第 7 页展示的 S350 样品的 EDS 数据却没有相分离。因此 Nature Commun. 文章中有关S350样品的陈述涉嫌造假。 第二,图 4 数据来自“三块同一锅 SFC 样品”,与 Nature Commun . 一文陈述不符,涉嫌学术造假 闻教授博文中声称,从“三块同一锅 SFC 样品”上得到了 79 个点,然后按照某种规则选取了 50 个点。 但是, Nature Commun. 一文的第 4 页上声称是在同一块样品上测了 50 个点,并且分别用红点和蓝点标出了(图 4c )。原文如下 : “ we did the local analysis on 50 randomly selected specific points, marked by the red spots (on background) and blue spots (on the domains) in Fig. 4c. The statistics on these data are given in Fig. 4d. Interestingly, the data are rather converged and fall into mainly two groups, one with the composition of about K 0.68 Fe 1.78 Se 2 and another one around K 0.8 Fe 1.63 Se 2 . ” 在该文图4c的说明中,也明确表示“红点和蓝点标出了进行局部成分分析的位置”。原文是“ The red spots and blue spots mark the positions where the local compositions are analysed .” (上图及图示部分说明为2013年10月24日8:38新增) 此外, Nature Commun. 一文第 7 页的实验方法部分,对 EDS 数据的测量方法是这样说明的:每个样品上随机选取 50 个点,分别来自畴上和畴下,以得到高分辨的谱,每一点采样时间一分钟,工作电压 20 千伏,原文表述为: “ 50 spots were randomly selected on and off the domains of each sample to obtain high resolution spectra with a measurement time of 1 min for one point, with the voltage of 20 kV. ”。 事实上,实际测量的是多块样品,闻等将那些数据选择性地放在一张图上,但在 Nature Commun. 一文中却声称是在一块样品的几十微米范围内测量的数据点。试问,“三块同一锅 SFC 样品”和一块样品难道是相同的概念吗? 这难道不是涉嫌造假? 第三,荒唐的数据选择规则 关于闻教授选择数据的规则,根据其博文,他采用的是这样一个让人啼笑皆非的规则 : “围绕每组数据的中心,向外扩展,各选择 25 个点”。如果我理解正确的话,他们实际操作时是以“每组数据的中心”为圆心,以某一半径画圆,保证圆内的点达到 25 个,然后将圆外的点删除,将圆内的点保留。坦率地说,对复杂体系的的数据这样处理让我震惊。在没有数据误差信息的情况下,用这样的方式来选择数据,显然是在人为操控数据。 此外,闻教授博文中为删除数据辩解时说“无论是 50 个点还是 79 个点的中心都与文章结论的中心位置非常接近 ” 。众所周知,弥散数据的统计分布特征是非常重要的性质,修改数据的统计特征就是涉嫌学术造假。“中心位置非常接近”不能作为删除数据的根据。 此外,还有以下几个概念和事实需要澄清 : 第一,实验数据就是实验数据,没有好坏之分,人们只能分析数据、解读数据,而不能对已有的数据进行调控。因此,我不理解闻教授所说的 “ 使用大量错误数据 ” 、“大量错误的不该使用的数据”是什么含义。我用的数据和闻教授手上的数据是同一套,并且这些数据都没有错误! 第二,闻教授博文中声称“由于 SFC 样品的超导岛区域面积较大,因此可以用电镜上的能谱分析功能 (EDS/EDX) 来分析成份,而对于其他淬火处理的样品,如 S350 等,因为超导区面积太小,小于电镜光斑尺寸,用能谱分析成份完全不行。”而事实上,样品 S350 畴区的宽度是几百纳米,电镜光斑的尺寸只有几纳米。我猜测闻教授在这里或许是想讲加速电子在样品中的扩散范围。这个范围是在亚微米到微米量级(它依赖加速电压和测量材料)。对亚微米尺寸的结构进行微区化学成分分析有可能会不准确,但不是“完全不行”。事实上,闻教授在他博文的附件第 7 页中也使用了 S350 的 EDS 数据。而且, Nature Commun. 文中第 4 页两处分别指出 S350 和 SFC 具有类似的化学组分及其分布。 该文中 S350 样品的成分分析方法与 SFC 样品所用的完全一样。 第三,我课题组的 M 高工、学生 C 和 H 只是帮忙测量数据,没有参与 Nature Commun. 一文中所说的数据处理和数据分析。因此他们三人不能对这篇文章中电镜和能谱分析负责。 最后,我不得不回应闻教授博文中“投诉者故意使用了大量的错误数据作为基础来讨论我们 SFC 样品数据的合法性,这是一个很严重的错误”的指控。这里闻教授主要指的是 S350 样品的数据混在了 SFC 样品的数据中。的确,我在给科学院的投诉信中是将多个样品画在了同一张图上,这一点我在图的说明里也已特别指出。其实,这样做根本不是“故意加进去混淆是非”, 依据如下: 在 Nature Commun. 一文的第 4 页 29-30 行(左栏)和 27-29 行(右栏)作者们分别指出 S350 和 SFC 具有类似的相分离区域的化学成分及其分布 (原文是“ Further analysis on the sample S350 gives the similar compositions in two different regions as the SFC ”和“ Similar behaviour of the composition distribution is observed in the sample S350, which presents better global appearance of superconductivity, although now the domains become much smaller”) 。如果这些陈述是准确的话,那么将 S350 和 SFC 数据放在一起并不影响数据整体分布! 因此,闻教授所谓的“这是一个很严重的错误 ” 、“混淆是非”的指控完全不成立。如果这些陈述不准确的话,那么该论文在这一点上又涉嫌造假了。 总结起来,闻海虎为通讯作者的论文《 Nature Commun. 4, 1897 (2013) 》一文涉嫌学术造假,主要依据如下: 1) 从至少“三块同一锅 SFC 样品”中拼凑的数据,在论文中声称来自同一块样品; 2) 论文 声称 S350 样品与 SFC 样品具有类似的相分离化学成分及其分布(论文第4页)与实验数据(闻教授博文附件第 7 页)完全不符; 3) 在没有测量过能谱的电镜照片上随手加上 50 个点,声称在这些点做过能谱测量; 4)论文声称每个样品均随机选择50个点进行化学成分测量。事实是没有一个样品测量过50个点; 5) 从一批弥散的数据点中有目的地选出若干点,删除其他点,声称数据是收敛的; 6) 编造他人邮箱用于论文投稿。 如果这样的事情不涉嫌学术造假,那么要假到什么程度才叫学术造假? 王牧 2013-10-23
王牧教授,中国知识分子的风骨! 惊闻!王牧教授申请退出2013年院士增选。 我想问:王牧教授,你不当院士谁当院士? 搞物理的,一定对王牧教授的大名早有耳闻。 他,现任南京大学固体微结构物理国家重点实验室主任;中国物理学会常务理事;中国结晶学会常务理事;国际晶体生长组织(IOCG)委员;国际纯粹与应用物理联合会凝聚态结构与动力学委员会(C5)委员 。2004年当选英国物理学会 会士 ,2012年当选美国物理学会会士 。 他,国家杰出青年科学基金的首批获得者;教育部首批长江学者奖励计划特聘教授;中国青年科技奖;杰出青年学者奖;吴健雄物理奖;国家自然科学二等奖第一完成人;。。。。。。 他,发表学术论文一百余篇,其中近一半发表在Nature、PRL、Advanced Materials、PR等世界顶级学术刊物上。他在美国物理学会年会(March Meeting)、材料研究学会年会(MRS)、戈登研究会议(GRC)等序列会议做邀请报告20余次,他还是多家国际著名学术刊物的编辑和顾问委员会委员。 。。。。。。 王牧教授是我的老朋友,有一段时间,他的实验室就在我的楼上,有机会我就到上面串串门,顺便进行一番学术争论。后来来往少了,主要原因是王教授太忙了,上课备课、做实验、写论文、改论文、写基金、评审基金、评审论文、开会、报告、...,他对我每天坚持一个小时的锻炼,说了四个字:太奢侈了! 也许是受导师闵乃本院士的影响,在南大,王牧教授以治学严谨而著称,他希望把每篇文章都打造成学术精品,经得起时间的考验。他的学生几乎拿不到学校的论文奖金,因为学生的文章不经过他来回十次修改,是不允许投稿的,对因此而造成学生的“经济损失”,王教授只好自掏腰包进行“补偿”。 温文尔雅的他,最不能忍的是见到或听到有人学术不端,遇到这类事件,王教授的口头禅是:太混蛋了!现在,闻海虎教授就在他眼皮底下造假,如果睁一眼闭一眼,那绝对不是王牧的风格。我理解王教授的愤怒,一个国家的科研中坚力量,不以造假为耻、反以造假为荣,如果这样的“光荣传统”代代相传,中国的科学还有希望吗? 我反复说过,中国院士制度是中国学术的毒瘤,它像毒品一样引诱着学人去造假犯罪,有人为了当院士,已经到了不择手段的地步。劣币驱逐良币,越来越多劣币、假币统治着中国的学术界,中国科学还有明天吗?王牧教授不耻与那些伪劣院士为伍,难道还不能惊醒中国科学院? 院士制度,已经到了非动刀子不可的地步了! *********************************************** 两位大侠能用事实说话,这很好!看了双方的博文, 王牧教授的第一点质疑是核心,闻海虎教授的回复显然在回避这个关键问题。 王的质疑 :该文章声称在图4c (Fig.4c)标注的红点和蓝点处(共50个)分别做了微区化学成分测量。正文写到:“…we did the local analysis on 50 randomly selected specific points, marked by the red spots (on background) and blue spots (on the domains) in Fig. 4c…”。该图图示也写到 “…the SEM image of the sample SFC in another region. The red spots and blue spots mark the positions where the local compositions are analyzed…”。但是,这些都不是事实! 闻的回复 : 图4c(2012年9月20日测量)这里只是一个示意图,仅仅说明图4d的50个点中有25个点在岛上面测量的,25个在背景上面测量的,没有点对点的对应关系。图4c(SEM形貌)和图4d(EDS成分分析)是来自于同一锅SFC样品的数据。因此,选择一张图片作为示意图并没有什么不对;从示意的角度,它们的形貌是一样的,而且对结论没有影响。我们疏忽了在文字说明的时候强调示意二字。我们在Fig.4c的描述上面有些不准确,需要改正过来。 另,为了佐证论文的最重要结论(相分离),闻海虎教授从三次SFC样品上测量的总共79个数据点,选取了其中有利的50个数据点,把其余的29数据点刨除,涉嫌操纵实验数据,是典型的学术不端。
Looks good on paperScientific researchA flawed system for judging research is leading to academic fraudSep 28th 2013 | BEIJING | From the print edition DISGUISED as employees of a gas company, a team of policemen burst into a flat in Beijing on September 1st. Two suspects inside panicked and tossed a plastic bag full of money out of a 15th-floor window. Red hundred-yuan notes worth as much as $50,000 fluttered to the pavement below. Money raining down on pedestrians was not as bizarre, however, as the racket behind it. China is known for its pirated DVDs and fake designer gear, but these criminals were producing something more intellectual: fake scholarly articles which they sold to academics, and counterfeit versions of existing medical journals in which they sold publication slots. As China tries to take its seat at the top table of global academia, the criminal underworld has seized on a feature in its research system: the fact that research grants and promotions are awarded on the basis of the number of articles published, not on the quality of the original research. This has fostered an industry of plagiarism, invented research and fake journals that Wuhan University estimated in 2009 was worth $150m, a fivefold increase on just two years earlier. Chinese scientists are still rewarded for doing good research, and the number of high-quality researchers is increasing. Scientists all round the world also commit fraud. But the Chinese evaluation system is particularly susceptible to it. By volume the output of Chinese science is impressive. Mainland Chinese researchers have published a steadily increasing share of scientific papers in journals included in the prestigious Science Citation Index (SCI—maintained by Thomson Reuters, a publisher). The number grew from a negligible share in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011, second in the world to America, according to a report published by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China. From 2002 to 2012, more than 1m Chinese papers were published in SCI journals; they ranked sixth for the number of times cited by others. Nature , a science journal, reported that in 2012 the number of papers from China in the journal’s 18 affiliated research publications rose by 35% from 2011. The journal said this “adds to the growing body of evidence that China is fast becoming a global leader in scientific publishing and scientific research”. In 2010, however, Nature had also noted rising concerns about fraud in Chinese research, reporting that in one Chinese government survey, a third of more than 6,000 scientific researchers at six leading institutions admitted to plagiarism, falsification or fabrication. The details of the survey have not been publicly released, making it difficult to compare the results fairly with Western surveys, which have also found that one-third of scientists admit to dishonesty under the broadest definition, but that a far smaller percentage (2% on average) admit to having fabricated or falsified research results. In 2012 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an American journal, published a study of retractions accounting for nation of origin. In it a team of authors wrote that in medical journal articles in PubMed, an American database maintained by the National Institutes of Health, there were more retractions due to plagiarism from China and India together than from America (which produced the most papers by far, and so the most cheating overall). The study also found that papers from China led the world in retractions due to duplication—the same papers being published in multiple journals. On retractions due to fraud, China ranked fourth, behind America, Germany and Japan. “Stupid Chinese Idea” Chinese scientists have urged their comrades to live up to the nation’s great history. “Academic corruption is gradually eroding the marvellous and well-established culture that our ancestors left for us 5,000 years ago,” wrote Lin Songqing of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in an article this year in Learned Publishing , a British-based journal. In the 1980s, when China was only beginning to reinvest in science, amassing publishing credits seemed a good way to use non-political criteria for evaluating researchers. But today the statistics-driven standards for promotion (even when they are not handed out merely on the basis of personal connections) are as problematic as in the rest of the bureaucracy. Xiong Bingqi of the 21st Century Education Research Institute calls it the “GDPism of education”. Local government officials stand out with good statistics, says Mr Xiong. “It is the same with universities.” The most valuable statistic a scientist can tally up is SCI journal credits, especially in journals with higher impact factors—ones that are cited more frequently in other scholars’ papers. SCI credits and impact factors are used to judge candidates for doctorates, promotions, research grants and pay bonuses. Some ambitious professors amass SCI credits at an astounding pace. Mr Lin writes that a professor at Ningbo university, in south-east China, published 82 such papers in a three-year span. A hint of the relative weakness of these papers is found in the fact that China ranks just 14th in average citations per SCI paper, suggesting that many Chinese papers are rarely quoted by other scholars. The quality of research is not always an issue for those evaluating promotions and grants. Some administrators are unqualified to evaluate research, Chinese scientists say, either because they are bureaucrats or because they were promoted using the same criteria themselves. In addition, the administrators’ institutions are evaluated on their publication rankings, so university presidents and department heads place a priority on publishing, especially for SCI credits. This dynamic has led some in science circles to joke that SCI stands for “Stupid Chinese Idea”. Crystal unclear The warped incentive system has created some big embarrassments. In 2009 Acta Crystallographica Section E , a British journal on crystallography, was forced to retract 70 papers co-authored by two researchers at Jinggangshan university in southern China, because they had fabricated evidence described in the papers. After the retractions the Lancet , a British journal, published a broadside urging China to take more action to prevent fraud. But many cases are covered up when detected to protect the institutions involved. The pirated medical-journal racket broken up in Beijing shows that there is a well-developed market for publication beyond the authentic SCI journals. The cost of placing an article in one of the counterfeit journals was up to $650, police said. Purchasing a fake article cost up to $250. Police said the racket had earned several million yuan ($500,000 or more) since 2009. Customers were typically medical researchers angling for promotion. Some government officials want to buy their way to academic stardom as well: at his trial this month for corruption, Zhang Shuguang, a former railway-ministry official, admitted to having spent nearly half of $7.8m in bribes that he had collected trying to get himself elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chinese reports speculated that he spent the money buying votes and hiring teams of writers to produce books. Widely considered to be a man of limited academic achievement, Mr Zhang ultimately fell just one vote short of election. Less than two years later, he was in custody. From the print edition: China
昨日《自然》杂志报道,最近有一桩非常奇异的学术造假事件。2013年4月BBRC发表的一篇论文,声称发现两个脂肪因子是糖尿病和肥胖的重要相关蛋白,论文发表后被一个科学家发现存在奇异的现象,这个论文报道的内容并没有错误,甚至完全正确,不过论文的所列出的5个作者全部都是虚构的,经过调查确认所注学校根本没有这5个学者。不过这个研究和别人在会议上报道的内容完全相关,估计是完全是恶意发表。对这件事情唯一的解释是某一有恶意破坏学术发表规则,或者对受仿造学者造成发表障碍。目前BBRC已经正式将该论文撤销。过去曾经有人虚构论文恶搞杂志,以达到讽刺目前同行评议存在漏洞。也有人为达到虚假的学术利益而编造或抄袭的学术不端行为,但是这种损人不利己的特异行为,真是天下奇闻。 Mystery over obesity ‘fraud’ Researcher baffled after his results appear in boguspaper. Declan Butler 24 September 2013 Article tools PDF Rights Permissions Ghost writing is taking on an altogether differentmeaning in a mysterious case of alleged scientific fraud. The authors of apaper published in July ( A. Vezyraki et al . Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun . http://doi.org/nxb;2013 ), which reported significant findings in obesity research, seemto be phantoms. They are not only unknown at the institution listed on thepaper, but no trace of them as researchers can be found. The paper, published in the Elsevier journal Biochemicaland Biophysical Research Communications ( BBRC ), is not the kind ofprank that journals have encountered before, in which hoaxsters have submitteddummy papers to highlight weaknesses in the peer-review process. The paper’sreported findings — that overexpression of two novel proteins in fat cellsleads to improvements in metabolic processes related to diabetes and obesity inmice — are, in fact, true. Too true, in the opinion of Bruce Spiegelman, a cellbiologist at Harvard Medical School’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston,Massachusetts. He says that he has presented similar findings at about sixresearch meetings, and is preparing to submit them to a journal. He suspectsthat the BBRC paper was intended as a spoiler of his own lab’s work. Related stories Editor will quit over hoax paper Computer conference welcomes gobbledegook paper BBRC article withdrawal notice Now withdrawn, the article lists five authors who areall supposedly from the School of Health Sciences at the University of Thessalyin Trikala, Greece, and is entitled ‘Identification of meteorin and metrnl astwo novel pro-differentiative adipokines: Possible roles in controllingadipogenesis and insulin sensitivity’. Adipokines are proteins secreted by fattissue that play an active part in such processes as sugar and fat metabolism,inflammation and obesity-related metabolic disorders, including insulinresistance and diabetes. Spiegelman says that he smelt a rat as soon as he sawthe paper. Meteorin and metrnl have been little studied, and no previous paperhas shown a role for them in obesity. It was therefore suspicious, he says, tosee a paper published out of the blue reporting that they were novel adipokinesand that their overexpression in adipose cells led to improvements in diabetesand obesity in mice — exactly the same findings as the work he had presented. On 20 July, he e-mailed Ernesto Carafoli, BBRC ’seditor-in-chief, to air his concerns. “The authors on this paper haveapparently never published a single academic paper before and they list anon-academic e-mail address,” he wrote. “Odder still, upon looking for them onGoogle, PubMed or on the website of the university they list, there is nomention of any of the authors as being at that university.” Carafoli, along with Elsevier, launched aninvestigation. Elsevier temporarily withdrew the paper from the journal websiteon 8 August, and, after the University of Thessaly confirmed that none of theresearchers listed on the paper had ever worked there, now intends to withdrawit permanently. Spiegelman, who works on fat-cell differentiation, isalso a co-founder of Ember Therapeutics, a company based in Watertown, Massachusetts,that is developing therapeutics for metabolic disorders. He believes that thepaper was intended to hurt him and his lab. Scientific misconduct is usuallydone for academic gain, but because the authors on the paper seem to bephantoms, they can derive no benefit, he says. He argues that this seems toleave “maliciousness” as the only explanation. Spiegelman says that he is surprised that the e-mailaddress of the corresponding author did not prompt the journal to ask forevidence of the authors’ institutional affiliations. “The e-mail was a bitstrange, and that we could have checked,” agrees Carafoli, but nothing else inthe paper aroused suspicion. “It was impeccable. The authors were clearlyacademics,” he adds. The perpetrators also seem to have used Greeksurnames similar to those of authentic researchers working in obesity-relatedresearch, in what one might speculate was an attempt to fool referees shouldthey search the literature. There are also genuine researchers at theUniversity of Thessaly working in the field of obesity. Spiegelman, who is certain that the paper is “madeup”, is keen for there to be a criminal investigation. He says that lawyershave told him that the faked paper represents fraud, not just academicmisconduct — a view shared by Carafoli. But Spiegelman says the lawyers alsoadvised that although he might have been the target, there would be littlebasis for him to sue, whereas Elsevier, BBRC and the University ofThessaly could have grounds to press fraud charges. Elsevier told Nature: “ BBRC has beentargeted by a scheme to defraud our editors, reviewers and readers withsubmission of a manuscript with falsified author and institutional informationand therefore wholly unverifiable scientific claims. We consider such abuseunethical.” It added that it is continuing its investigation and will, with therelevant authorities, “explore the question of whether this constitutes acriminal case of Internet fraud”.
最近 ChemBark 上刊登的一个文章告诉我们,学生有可能是被老板指导造假。 在一篇近期在线发表的论文的 supporting information (SI) 中,出现了以下这些文字:“ Emma,please insert NMR data here! where are they? and for this compound, just makeup an elemental analysis …” 这篇论文的 copy editor 真是不够仔细,这明显是论文修改过程中留下的附注。 实际上,论文中的 14 号化合物与 SI 中的 14 号化合物并不对应。 SI 中的 14 号化合物只是 Scheme5 中的一个未作标记的中间产物。所以很有可能是作者为了省去一些实验工作,将相关的内容在正文中略去了。 报道该事件的 ChemBark 网站联系了这篇论文的通讯作者,希望得到有关此事的回复。 原文: A Disturbing Note in a Recent SI File
国内媒体和众多学者对学术行为一直持圣洁高傲的姿态,在他们眼中学术研究不能有任何丝毫的造假或不端行为,这无论如何是件好事。但外行人的捕风捉影,人云亦云似乎并不真正的在探讨学术,我觉得,大多数人不过是借攻击学术造假行为来发泄一下自己对现状的不满罢了。 前两天忽然又看到王志国学术造假事件(科学网上的报道 http://news.sciencenet.cn/news/sub16.aspx?id=641 ),也随意翻看了其相关的新闻报道。对其本身不做太多的评价,只权当作引子。个人认为,局外人来八卦此事确实不足为奇,若是本行当的仍然从事基础实验研究的人对此事依然保持义愤填膺的“杀无赦”的态度,确实有些“愤世嫉俗”了。 首先,我们得知道什么是学术造假。百度百科定义为:学术造假是指剽窃、抄袭、占有他人研究成果,或者伪造、修改研究数据等的学术腐败行为。类似的,根据美国 University of Virginia 的定义,主要包括: 剽窃:剽窃是运用别人的想法或作品而没有合适或完整的说明。剽窃包括多种,亦是至今为止最常见的一种学术造假。 - 多次提交,或者一稿多投。 - 错误引用:错误引用是指错误引用或所指材料并不来自所引出处。或网络资源的引用并不确切等。 - 错误数据:错误数据是指捏造或者篡改数据来故意误导读者。 我以为,上述几种学术造假行为中,剽窃,多次提交和错误引用这三种在当今信息资源高度整合快捷传递和搜索的年代,将会越来越少。最严重且并不容易被发现的是“捏造或者篡改数据”。本人学识尚浅,不敢在前辈面前大放厥词,所以,只是简单说说自己的想法。什么是“捏造或者篡改数据”?大多数人的回答必然是,“很明显,我从没有也绝对不会这么做”。这是因为,他们只把凭空编造或者移花接木这样的方式方法认定为此类型。可是,如此拙劣的造假方式是连我这样的人都不能接受的,更何况是经验丰富的教授和研究员呢。 但不可忽略的事实是, 我们绝大多数实验都由 “ 假设 ” 而来,这个 “ 假设 ” 是基于已有的数据经过严格的理论推导得出的。也就是说,其实在我们真正开始进行某一项 project 之前,可能的结果或者说, “ 应该的结果 “ 已经在我们的脑中形成,并且固定化。这 样,我们在实验的时候,一般认为,只要和自己预期的结果不符合的时候,便会以如下常用借口将这部分数据抛弃,即:这次肯定哪里做错了。而具体是哪里,没人在意。 总之,我只需要我想要的结果。所以,几乎所有的实验室都是如此,一个简单的蛋白表达水平的实验可能重复数十次之多,而从中挑出三次和自己预期一致的结果作统计。那么,这里的问题是:这样的数据处理算是“捏造或者篡改数据”嘛——因为抛弃了许多所谓的“不正确的”数据之后,它肯定已经不是最原始的结果了?(这里,我没有讨论统计学上怎么去做,这里还谈不上应该如何统计,只是,我们未经统计之前,已经人为地抛弃了许多可能的数据)如果确实这个数据处理过程被定义为造假的话,那么,几乎可以说任何实验性科学家的一生中,肯定会有造假经历。 国际著名期刊《 Nature 》在 2012 年 3 月份刊发了一份由 C. Glenn Begley 和 Lee M. Ellis 撰写的评论,在文章中,他们提及 Amgen 公司对发表于各类期刊的 53 篇原始论文(影响因子大于 20 的为 21 篇,影响因子在 5-19 之间的为 32 篇)的数据进行重复 (注意: The Amgen scientists approached the papers' original authors to discuss findings and sometimes borrowed materials to repeat the experiments. 资料来源: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v485/n7396/full/485041e.html )发现, 只有 11% (仅 6 篇)的结果得以重复 (详细请见 http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v483/n7391/full/483531a.html )。显然,我们不能说剩下的 47 篇论文全部造假或涉嫌造假。稍有实验经历和常识的人都知道,同样的方法步骤,实验试剂材料,同一个实验室里做同样的东西都会导致结果不同。只是,经得住考验的(像 iPS ),我们把它写入教科书;经不住考验的,就被历史遗忘罢了。 在简单回到王志国事件,在我看来,他们主观上不可能去如此故意的造假,因为他的造假方式是在太拙劣。原因很简单,即使我这样的学生都知道,在我发表论文时,我绝对不会使用拼接的图片,犯下如此低级的错误,我只需要多做几次就可以拿到自己想要的结果罢了。更别说已经这个已经在加拿大获得 教授(不管是 assitant 还是 associate 了) 级 别的人物,他都无需自己实验,只是让自己的学生多做十次八次的罢了。当然,他们为何犯下如此低级的错误,确实不得而知了。我查到的他们撤销的文章是自己主动撤销的,这在国外相当常见,没人对此大惊小怪。如果仍有此类朋友不小心看到我写的这段话,请不要认为我是为他们辩解开脱,只是想说他并非天马行空的造假,也不是拿别人的东西当作自己的,最多也就是个“失职”罢(通讯作者必须对整篇文章负责,并承担相应的责任),毕竟其实验数据 “ 仍可以被其他实验室重复 ”(王当时所在研究所的调查结论) ,也请不要口诛笔伐。 如果想评论点什么,可以对此事进行 评价 ( http://download.cell.com/cancer-cell/pdf/PIIS1535610812004849.pdf?intermediate=true ):此文的通讯作者是: Robert A. Weinberg ,美国科学院院士,世界著名的 Whitehead 研究所创始人之一,他曾发现了第一个人类癌基因 Ras 和第一个抑癌基因 Rb 。这篇十年前的文章被引用了上百次,这又能说明什么? Retraction (Cancer Cell, 3, 219–231, March 2003) Ras Modulates Myc Activity to Repress Thrombospondin-1 Expression and Increase Tumor Angiogenesis Randolph S. Watnick,1 Yi-Ning Cheng,2 Annapoorni Rangarajan,1 Tan A. Ince,1,3 and Robert A. Weinberg1,2,* 1Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA 2Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA 3Department of Pathology, Division of Women’s and Perinatal Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA *Correspondence: weinberg@wi.mit.edu http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2012.11.004 We recently were made aware of a number of errors that were made in the processing/compiling of data figures in this paper.Although we stand by the conclusions of the paper and intend to provide support for them in future publications, the inappropriatepresentation did not and does not fall within the bounds of acceptable scientific practice. Accordingly, we are retracting the paper in its entirety. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. One of the original authors, Yi-Ning Cheng, could not be reached regarding this Retraction 另外,看到此文的教授导师们,我倒是觉得有个建议,在您投稿时,请将所有作者的贡献写的清楚细致一下,最好能细致到: Fig1.B 是由 Li XX 完成并统计的,等等。篇幅不够,完全可以放到补充材料里,大家签字画押。一来是保证大家所作的工作能被人家知道谁谁谁做了什么,工作量到底有多少就被列为作者之一了,二来是为了万一出事了,可以直接找到负责该数据的人,也就不要牵连他人了。 本文最早在本人的2013-01-15的QQ日志里,有删改。
许博主原创博文 看了孙教授的博文,进一步了解日本人也有学术论文造假。 而他们有明文规定,日本人写医学论文不允许引用中国大陆和韩国的临床医学文献。 去年,我也找出了三篇日本人的假论文。 孙学军 学术腐败是个低风险的活 http://blog.sciencenet.cn/./home.php?mod=spaceuid=41174do=blogid=519841 日本人的假论文 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15194459 http://cardiovascres.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/1/188.short 机器自动翻译,仅供参考。 http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=zh-CNprev=/search%3Fq%3DHigh-glucose-induced%2Bnuclear%2Bfactor%2BkB%2Bactivation%2Bin%2Bvascular%2Bsmooth%26hl%3Dzh-CN%26safe%3Dstrict%26rlz%3D1R2ADRA_zh-CNUS429%26biw%3D1088%26bih%3D511%26site%3Dwebhp%26prmd%3Dimvnsrurl=translate.google.com.hksl=enu=http://cardiovascres.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/1/188.shortusg=ALkJrhgtIPzv2Qf2VKZBx2j4_2vzCtycIg 高糖诱导的血管平滑肌细胞的核因子κB的活化 Yoshiyuki Hattori * , 喜服部 * , Sachiko Hattori , 幸子服部 , Noriyuki Sato and 敬之佐藤 和 Kikuo Kasai Kikuo开赛 + Author Affiliations Department of Endocrinology, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Mibu, Tochigi 321-0293, Japan 内分泌科,独协大学医学院,三生,枥木县321-0293,日本 * Corresponding author. * 通讯作者。 Tel.: +81-282-87-2150; fax: +81-282-86-4632 电话:+81-282-87-2150传真:+81-282-86-4632 Received October 6, 1999. 收稿 ,1999年10月6日。 Accepted December 7, 1999. 接受 ,1999年12月7日。 Abstract 摘要 Objective: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dysfunction plays a role in diabetic macrovasculopathy. 目的: 血管平滑肌细胞(VSMC)功能障碍起着在糖尿病macrovasculopathy的作用。 This dysfunction may be caused or exacerbated by expression of many of genes potently activated by the transcriptional factor nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). 这个功能障碍可能是造成或加重许多potently激活转录因子核因子κB(NF -κB的)的基因的表达。 We have examined whether culture of VSMCs under high glucose conditions to stimulate the diabetic state can lead to the activation of NF-κB. Methods: NF-κB activation was assessed in VSMCs stably transfected with a cis -reporter plasmid containing the NF-κB binding sites. Results: Within 3-h incubation, high glucose (27.5 or 55 mmol/l) alone induced an increase in NF-κB activity in VSMCs; this increase was mimicked by mannitol given to deliver the same osmolar stress to the cells. 我们曾研究是否文化的血管平滑肌细胞高糖条件下刺激糖尿病状态下可导致NF -κB 激活的 方法:评估在血管平滑肌细胞NF -κB 活化 与顺记者含有NF -κB的结合的质粒稳定转网站 结果: 在3 h后,高血糖(27.5或55毫摩尔/升)单独诱导NF -κB在血管平滑肌细胞的活动增加,这个增加是给细胞提供相同的osmolar应力甘露醇模仿。 High glucose or mannitol also enhanced TNFα-stimulated NF-κB activity. 高糖或甘露醇,也增强TNFα刺激的NF -κB活性。 Incubation with high glucose for 48 h followed by stimulation with TNFα led to a marked potentiation of NF-κB activation compared with normoglycemic (5.5 mmol/l) VSMCs exposed to TNFα, while mannitol attenuated this effect. 孵育48小时的高血糖与肿瘤坏死因子刺激导致的NF -κB激活的标记potentiation与normoglycemic相比其次(5.5毫摩尔/升)血管平滑肌细胞暴露于肿瘤坏死因子,而甘露醇减毒效果。 A 48-h incubation with high glucose substantially reduced glutathione (GSH) levels compared with normoglycemic VSMCs, whereas mannitol significantly increased GSH levels. 与高血糖48 h后,大大降低谷胱甘肽(GSH)水平相比normoglycemic血管平滑肌细胞,而甘露醇显著增加GSH水平。 An antioxidant N-acetyl- l -cysteine and a selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X significantly suppressed the TNFα-induced NF-κB activation, and abrogated potentiation of TNFα-induced NF-κB activity caused by high glucose (27.5 mmol/l). Conclusion: These results suggest that acutely high glucose causes alterations in osmolarity leading to activation of NF-κB, but that exposure to high glucose for more prolonged times causes changes in antioxidant defences and activation of PKC, which potentiates cytokine activation of NF-κB. 一种抗氧化剂N -乙酰- L -半胱氨酸和选择性的蛋白激酶C(PKC)抑制剂GF109203X显着抑制TNFα诱导的NF -κB的活化,并废止potentiationTNFα诱导的NF -κB由高血糖引起的活动(27.5毫摩尔/ L) 结论: 这些结果表明,急性高血糖的原因导致NF -κB活化渗透压的改变,但暴露,为更长时间的时间高血糖会导致抗氧化防御系统的变化和PKC的激活,potentiates细胞因子激活的NF -κB的。 Further definition of these pathways will help to delineate important signals mediating the aberrant behavior of VSMCs under hyperglycemic/diabetic conditions. 进一步界定这些途径,将有助于界定调解的高血糖/糖尿病条件下的血管平滑肌细胞的异常行为的重要信号。 Keywords 关键词 Key words 关键词 Vascular smooth muscle cells 血管平滑肌细胞 Nuclear factor κB 核因子κB High glucose 高血糖 Glutathione 谷胱甘肽 Protein kinase C 蛋白激酶C Copyright 2000, European Society of Cardiology 版权所有 2000年,欧洲心脏病学会
杨宝峰院士: 我就是被撤论文的责任作者 近日,Journal of Cell Science杂志撤销杨宝峰、王志国的论文“The muscle-specific microRNAs miR-1 and miR-133 produce opposing effects on apoptosis by targeting HSP60, HSP70 and caspase-9 in cardiomyocytes” (2007, 120, 3045-3052; doi: 10.1242/jcs.010728)。 这篇文章作为杨宝峰的十大代表作之一列入今年申报教育部高校教学名师奖的材料 中,并明 确表注自己就是这篇文章的“责任作者”。 杨宝峰院士报教学名师奖材料的链接: http://msj.zlgc.org/admin_info/HB_Science.aspx?id=1379 靠上述材料,杨宝峰成为第六届 高校教学名师 : http://msj.zlgc.org/Notice/Detail.aspx?id=24 杨宝峰院士理解的非常准确,文章的通讯作者就是“责任作者”,如果文章有什么问题(例如,因造假被杂志撤销),作为“责任作者”的杨宝峰就应该主动承担起责任来,而不是再把责任推卸给“加拿大那边”。 哈医大杨宝峰院士今年申报 教育部高校教学名师奖的材料 候选人科研工作情况 科研简况 通过对几十种抗心律失常药物的研究,发现抗心律失常药物作用的离子通道特性,在国内外首次提出抗心律失常药物作用最佳靶点学说;首次发现微小 RNA 为恶性心律失常等重大心脏疾病的重要调控分子,是治疗恶性心律失常药物新的作用靶点;发现β受体阻滞剂及丹参酮 IIA 等抗心律失常药物的作用新机制;发现 HERG 、 IK1 钾通道和 connexin43 等是心律失常发生及药物作用的重要靶点,及抗心律失常中药作用效果不佳的原因。 相关研究成果共发表论文 510 篇,其中 SCI 收录 138 篇,共被引用 4000 余次。其研究成果发表于 Nature Medicine 、 Circulation 和 Cardiovascular Research 等国际著名杂志,获得 Nature, Cell, Science , Nature Medicine 等国际著名杂志的赞扬,国际著名生理学家 Mark E. Anderson 评述认为“为心源性猝死患者带来了希望”( Nature Medicine , 2007 ),被 Nature Medicine 评为“ 2007 年生命科学十大进展之一”,被评为“ 2007 年离子通道领域 100 篇最具影响力文章”之一。国际医学界知名专家普遍认为,该发现必将为恶性心律失常防治研究开辟新的思路,并为研发新型抗心律失常药物提供重要的理论依据。 汇总 出版专著 ( 译著等 ) 4 部 获奖成果共 36 项;其中:国家级 4 项,省部级 26 项。 目前承担项目共 5 项;其中:国家级项目 1 项,省部级项目 1 项 近三年支配科研经费共 4500 万元,年均 1500 万元 最具代表性的成果 成果 ( 获奖项目、论文、专著名称 ) 获奖名称、等级或鉴定单位,发表刊物,出版单位,时间 署名次序 The muscle-specific microRNA miR-1 regulates cardiac arrhythmogenic potential by targeting GJA1 and KCNJ2 Nat Med. 2007, 13 (4): 486-491 责任作者 抗心律失常药物作用的离子通道靶点研究 2004 年国家自然科学二等奖 第一 MicroRNA Expression Detection Methods Springer Heidelberg , 2010 年 主编 目前承担的主要项目 项目名称 项目来源 起讫时间 科研经费 本人承担工作 心力衰竭与恶性心律失常的防治基础研究 “ 973 ”计划资助项目 2007-2011 3000 万 首席科学家 重大心血管系统疾病防治(黑龙江省高等学校科技创新团队) 黑龙江省教育厅 2010-2013 100 万 项目负责 抗心肌缺血药物金玄胶囊 横向合作 2010-2012 390 万 项目负责 参松养心胶囊药效物质基础研究 横向合作 2010-2012 100 万 项目负责 抗心律失常候选化合物筛选 横向合作 2010-2012 120 万 项目负责 具有代表性的论文清单 ( 限填不超过 10 篇 ) 论文名称 作者 (*) 发表日期 发表刊物、会议名称 The muscle-specific microRNA miR-1 regulates cardiac arrhythmogenic potential by targeting GJA1 and KCNJ2. Yang B, Lin H, Xiao J, Lu Y, Luo X, Li B, Zhang Y, Xu C, Bai Y, Wang H, Chen G, Wang Z ( 责任作者 ) 2007, 13 (4): 486-491 Nat Med MicroRNA-328 contributes to adverse electrical remodeling in atrial fibrillation Lu Y, Zhang Y, Wang N, Pan Z, Zhang F, Shan H, Luo X, Bai Y, Xu C, Wang Z, Yang B ( 责任作者 ) 2010;122(23): 2378-2387 Circulation The muscle-specific microRNAs miR-1 and miR-133 produce opposing effects on apoptosis by targeting HSP60, HSP70 and caspase-9 in cardiomyocytes Xu C, Lu Y, Pan Z, Chu W, Luo X, Lin H, Xiao J, Shan H, Wang Z, Yang B ( 责任作者 ) 2007, 120 (17): 3045- 3052 Journal of Cell Science Downregulation of miR-133 and miR-590 contributes to nicotine-induced atrial remodelling in canines Shan H, Zhang Y, Lu Y, Pan Z, Cai B, Wang N, Li X, Feng T, Hong Y, Yang B ( 责任作者 ) 2009;83(3):465-472 Cardiovasc Res MicroRNA-1 downregulation by propranolol in a rat model of myocardial infarction: a new mechanism for ischaemic cardioprotection Lu Y, Zhang Y, Shan H, Pan Z, Li X, Li B, Xu C, Dong D, Song W, Qiao G, Yang B ( 责任作者 ) 2009;84(3):434-441 Cardiovasc Res Control of cardiac excitability by microRNAs Yang B, Lu Y, Wang Z (责任作者) 2008; 79(4):571-80 Cardiovasc Res Resveratrol protects against arsenic trioxideinduced cardiotoxicity in vitro and in vivo Zhao XY, Li GY, Liu Y, Chai LM, Chen JX, Zhang Y, Du ZM, Lu YJ, Yang BF ( 责任作者 ) 2008 ;154(1): 105-13 Br J Pharmacol Tanshinone IIA protects against sudden cardiac death induced by lethal arrhythmias via repression of microRNA-1 Shan H, Li X, Pan Z, Zhang L, Cai B, Zhang Y, Xu C, Chu W, Qiao G, Li B, Lu Y, Yang B ( 责任作者 ) 2009;158(5): 1227-1235 Br J Pharmacol miRNAs at the heart of the matter. Wang Z, Luo X, Lu Y, Yang B 2008;86(7):771-83 J Mol Med A single anti-microRNA antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide (AMO) targeting multiple microRNAs offers an improved approach for microRNA interference. Lu Y, Xiao J, Lin H, Bai Y, Luo X, Wang Z, Yang B (责任作者) 2009;37(3):e24 Nucleic Acids Res 注: (*) 作者姓名后括号内填写候选人署名次序 The muscle-specific microRNAs miR-1 and miR-133 produce opposing effects on apoptosis by targeting HSP60, HSP70 and caspase-9 in cardiomyocytes Xu C, Lu Y, Pan Z, Chu W, Luo X, Lin H, Xiao J, Shan H, Wang Z, Yang B ( 责任作者 ) 2007, 120 (17): 3045- 3052 Journal of Cell Science
【鉴于近日王志国在对科技日报记者高博的谈话中诽谤本人,特写此文予以反驳,以正视听。】 王志国是主动辞职还是被解雇? 蒙特利尔华人社区本周的《蒙城华人报》:“王志国涉论文造假被蒙特利尔心脏病研究所解雇” 现让我们一起读一下蒙特利尔心脏病研究所正式的新闻发布稿:《The Montreal Heart Institute withdraws the privileges of a fundamental research scientist》,这是迄今该研究所对外发布的关于王志国学术不端(“scientific misconduct”)事件唯一的、亦是最权威的文件,可惜,个别中国新闻记者不看原始文件,听信王志国本人的一面之辞。在西方国家,一个被确证无诚信之人的证词是不被采信的。 “王志国因学术不端被蒙特利尔心脏病研究所解雇”, 加拿大英文和法文主流媒体以及中文等媒体异口同声地这么报道,王志国在对科技日报和南方都市报的采访中偏要把责任推给本人,可见王志国这个人一是不实事求是,二是欺软怕硬。 上面第一段那句话是西方文化中“开除王志国作为该所一位基础研究人员”的绅士说法。动词是“撤销”或 “解除”,主语是蒙特利尔心脏病研究所(医院)而不是王志国,这里没有提及是王志国 “withdraws” 自己 “research privileges and status as researcher”. 这份文件中最关键的一句是:“Following a rigorous process, the expert committee concluded that Mr. Wang was found to have deviated from MHI’s ethical standards of proper scientific conduct and his responsibilities as a researcher”(调查证实,王志国先生违反了蒙特利尔心脏病研究所科研的行为准则和偏离了科学研究人员应有的责任)。 这句话就给王志国的问题定了性。正因为关键,这句话在王志国散发给中文媒体的材料中没有出现。 再看这一段“In compliance with the recommendations of the committee and senior management of the Research Centre, the MHI’s Executive Director took the immediate action to proceed with the necessary sanctions; Mr. Wang’s research privileges and status as researcher were removed and his laboratory was closed. The MHI has also requested the retraction of three additional scientific articles”(根据调查委员会和研究中心管理高层的提议,蒙特利尔心脏病研究所所长速作出如下惩罚决定:撤销王志国作为研究人员的权利和职位,关闭其实验室。蒙特利尔心脏病研究所要求他再撤销另外三篇学术论文)。这里是被动语态,王志国作为研究人员的权利和职位被removed(解除), 这又是西方文化“开除王志国的工作”的绅士表达。学过英文的人都知道, 不是王志国本人removes自己的“research privileges and status as researcher”。王志国对中文媒体说是他本人辞职的,不是被解雇的。王志国不是不懂英文,而是死要面子出此下策。 上段话明确说明,“关闭其实验室”是研究所对王志国的惩罚。再看看王志国对记者怎么说的?“为了挽回研究所的声誉,作为实验室的负责人,我也只能承担起来,因此决定向大学提出辞职,我的辞职当然也就导致实验室关闭了”,骗个别不看原始外文文件、不动大脑的中国记者,竟然凑效了。 对于西方文化中的绅士表达,我对此深有体会,因为我在“教师职称评审委员会”里已经近十年,哪怕我们不同意某人从副教授升正教授,但我们也不会用“负面的”评语,但是意思绝对的表达清楚,不会有歧意。王志国如果不是不懂,就似乎在利用这种中西文化的差别。 9月2在研究所的新闻发布会上,科研处长塔蒂夫(Jean-Claude Tardif)主任说,独立委员会的调查结果表明,王志国违反了研究所的科研行为准则,这是一个“很严重”的问题。塔蒂夫还表示,这件事情之所以重要,是因为相关研究属於全球性的课题,公布或发表成果都是所有的科学家共同分享,因此必须绝对保证资讯的准确性,并达到了最高的科研水准。 必须强调的是,在蒙特利尔心脏病研究所正式的新闻发布稿中还有这么一句话;“The report and names of the committee members will be kept confidential in order to protect the identity of all those involved and to maintain the confidentiality of the scientific misconduct denunciation process, in accordance with MHI’s policies and general guidelines”(根据本研究所的相关政策和规定, 为了保护所有相关人员以及学术不端调查过程的保密性,调查委员会的报告以及组成人员姓名保密,不对外公布)。王志国在中文媒体上大量散布未经证实的“先造假、后举报的实验员”以及泄漏调查报告的内容,明显的是违背上述规定的,也是违背他与研究所达成的相关协议的。遵纪、守法、守信本是一个正常人应该做的事情。 上周二晚上,王志国从胡宪处得到我家的电话号码后来电,威胁我,如果我不按照他的意思修改我的博文为啥千人学者王志国被解雇?(http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=spaceuid=51597do=blogid=483093) 怎么怎么。其实,我在那篇博文中曾经说过“王志国给我的印象是忠厚老实、沉默寡言、低调实干”。看样子,外表老实的人其实不一定老实。 读者在Google上可以用“Zhiguo Wang, chercheur congédié pour fraude scientifique”(法文:王志国,学术造假被开除),或者 “Zhiguo Wang, Montreal Heart Institute researcher fired after investigation of scientific misconduct” (英文:王志国,学术不端调查后被蒙特利尔心脏病研究所开除), 看能找到多少加拿大媒体发布的消息。如果王志国真是主动辞职而不是被解雇的,王志国赶快到法院起诉这些大媒体,“赔偿”一定不少,快去! 附件:蒙特利尔心脏病研究所关于处理王志国学术不端问题的新闻发布稿 Here is the press release from the Montreal Heart Institute: The Montreal Heart Institute withdraws the privileges of a fundamental research scientist MONTREAL, Sept. 2, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ – During today’s press conference, Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) Research Centre, gave a briefing on the allegations of scientific misconduct with regard to the fundamental research work of Mr. Zhiguo Wang. Dr. Tardif explained that, at the end of June, the MHI Research Centre’s officials were informed that two of Mr. Zhiguo Wang’s publications had been retracted from two scientific journals. The MHI’s management immediately mandated an independent expert committee to investigate allegations of possible scientific misconduct. The investigation was conducted in accordance with MHI’s Research Institutional Policy and the highest level of ethical standards for conducting scientific research. Following a rigorous process, the expert committee concluded that Mr. Wang was found to have deviated from MHI’s ethical standards of proper scientific conduct and his responsibilities as a researcher. The report and names of the committee members will be kept confidential in order to protect the identity of all those involved and to maintain the confidentiality of the scientific misconduct denunciation process, in accordance with MHI’s policies and general guidelines. In compliance with the recommendations of the committee and senior management of the Research Centre, the MHI’s Executive Director took the immediate action to proceed with the necessary sanctions; Mr. Wang’s research privileges and status as researcher were removed and his laboratory was closed. The MHI has also requested the retraction of three additional scientific articles. The MHI ensured that all relevant stakeholders were informed in order to guarantee that all necessary measures surrounding this situation were being implemented. Dr. Tardif also stated that: “ Mr. Zhiguo Wang is not a physician. His activities at the MHI consisted in conducting fundamental research studies at the cellular level. Mr. Wang’s research work did not involve patients and was not associated with any drug testing.” --------------------- 加拿大家园网是这么报道王志国的,可见大家都是看得懂英文的,不会像中国的科技日报那么瞎写。 http://www.canadameet.me/news/canada/2011/0903/90257.html 加国知名华裔医学研究员 查处撤职 冻结数百万经费 加拿大家园 canadameet.me 2011-09-03 08:06 来源 : 明报
中国国家主席胡锦涛经常强调鼓励创新的必要性。他明确指出:为了保持经济高速发展和国家竞争力,中国需要转变增长方式,从依靠劳动密集型生产经济向开发、创新产品以及其他先进技术等知识型经济转变。 Yet doing so will be hard, not least because of the countrys well-earned reputation for pervasive academic and scientific misconduct. Scholars, both Chinese and Western, say that fraud remains rampant and misconduct ranges from falsified data to fibs about degrees, cheating on tests and extensive plagiarism. 然而要做到这一点并不容易,至少不止是因为国内充斥着不切实际的理论和学术不端行为所带来的坏名声。中国和西方的学者都认为,国内的欺骗依然泛滥:从数据造假到学历撒谎,从考试作弊到大量剽窃,不正当的学术行为影响广泛。 The most notable recent case centres on Tang Jun, a celebrity executive, a self-made man and author of a popular book,My Success Can Be Replicated. He was recently accused of falsely claiming that he had a doctorate from the prestigious California Institute of Technology. He responded that his publisher had erred and in fact his degree is from another, much less swanky, California school. 近期最出名的例子当属唐骏,这位非常出名的总裁依靠自身努力取得了成功,并著有畅销书《我的成功可以复制》。他最近被指责谎称自己在著名的加州理工学院获得了博士学位。唐骏回应称是出版社校对不严导致的错误,实际上他的学位是在另外一家学校,西太平洋大学(译注:著名的野鸡学校,博士文凭2595美元)获得的。 Other cases involve accusations of plagiarism against well-known Chinese scholars which have provoked the authorities to talk of investigating. A Western scholar recounts how a social-science project was jeopardised recently when data collection was contracted out to a Chinese company whose researchers simply filled out the survey forms themselves. 其他的例子比如著名的中国学者被指抄袭,促使监管当局介入调查。一位西方学者讲述了此前发生的一件事:一项社会科学项目在将调查数据采集外包给中国公司后,发现调查问卷仅仅是由该公司研究员自己填写的,这些虚假数据使项目研究受到影响。 Such lapses of integrity are not unique to China, but poor peer-review mechanisms, misguided incentives and a lack of checks on academic behaviour all allow fraud to be more common. China may be susceptible, suggests Dr Cong Cao, a specialist on the sociology of science in China at the State University of New York, because academics expect to advance according to the number, not the quality, of their published works. Thus reward can come without academic rigour. Nor do senior scientists, who are rarely punished for fraud, set a decent example to their juniors. 这些缺乏诚信的行为不仅是中国存在,但是缺乏各领域专家同行评议机制、激励政策的错误指引和缺乏对学术行为的监督,都导致了欺骗行为更加普遍。纽约州立大学的社会学专家曹聪博士介绍说,中国有时候过于敏感,学术界期望通过著作出版的数量,而非质量来体现学术先进性。因此奖励的评选并为考虑学术的严谨性。資深科學家的學術研究同樣不嚴謹,但卻從不因造假而受罰,導致了上梁不正下梁歪。 The implications of widespread academic misconduct could be great. Denis Fred Simon of Penn State University argues that growing evidence of fraud calls into question the overall credibility of the entire scientific enterprise in China-and unfortunately feeds negatively into the related concerns about the safety of Chinese products and the integrity of information coming out of China. 学术界的不当行为影响甚为广泛。宾州州立大学的Denis Fred Simon评论道,日益增多的欺骗行为将导致对整个中国科学界信誉的质疑,从而对相关中国产品的安全性和中国公布信息的可靠性带来负面影响。 In practical terms foreign scientists may be deterred from China, as they worry about getting caught up in scandals. Early this year, after it was found that 70 papers on crystal structures submitted to an international journal by Chinese scientists had been fabricated, the Lancet medical journal called on Chinas government to assume stronger leadership in scientific integrity. Measures taken so far, it suggested, had failed to get to the root of why some Chinese scientists lie. 在实践上,外国的科学家受到了来自中国的影响,因为他们担心受到丑闻的牵连。今年早些时候,一本国际科学杂志发现来自中国的70篇关于水晶结构的论文造假,此后英国医学期刊呼吁中国政府加强在学术诚信上的领导。到目前为止,所采取的措施并未从根本上解决中国科学家撒谎的根源。 Another direct cost may be felt by Chinese students looking for college places abroad. Admissions officials are suspicious of near-perfect scores on standardised tests and glowing recommendations from professors, which are common to many applications from China. The risk is that genuinely qualified students are turned away because of general suspicion about fraud. But at least Chinas growing academic integration with the outside world may help. As more academics earn degrees abroad and go back to posts in China, informal networks are created that help outsiders check on the quality of applicants. That is a small innovation, but perhaps one that will benefit China. 另一方面,中国学生在国外申请学校也受到了直接的影响。招生机构对来自中国的申请普遍有着近乎完美的考试成绩和毫不吝惜溢美之词的教授推荐函产生了质疑。这导致天资聪颖的学生可能因为普遍的造假怀疑而被拒绝。好在至少外部世界对中国学术诚信的日益完善能有所帮助。随着越来越多的学者在国外取得学历回国任职,逐步建立的信息网络将帮助外部世界审核申请者的资质。(虽然)这只是一个很小的创新,但这将使中国收益。 转载自译言,原文及网友评论参见: http://www.economist.com/blogs/asiaview/2010/07/academic_fraud_china ------------ 外一篇:科学家何时该将原始数据公布于众? 当研究人员们做出了激动人心的发现时,其所用到的数据通常会被严密地保护起来,直到它们可以被进一步检验、拓展,然后才能伴着欢庆号角,在经过同行评审的学术杂志中发表至少其中一部分。 但这个传统经常使公众和大多数其他研究人员被蒙在鼓里有时甚至长达数年,正如某些人哀叹的一个典型例子,对Ardipithecus原始人的准确描述它在最初被发现后过了大约15年才进入人们的视野。由于科学方法鼓励人们互相评论和检验彼此的研究结果,以便于复制这个成果,所以杂志发表常常伴随着分享原始数据。而在一个数据快速传递和储存的网络时代中,许多研究人员已开始坚定地呼吁大家开放交流数据,并且更广泛地使用所谓的开源科学。 一个连接更紧密的存储库使数据能够(或必须)在发现后迅速被上传,这个想法在气候变化,分子化学和微生物等领域变得十分流行。而在医学领域,许多研究人员憧憬着一个数字的未来:成堆的病人数据被收集起来后可以马上进行模式分析。 从纯粹的科学发展角度来说,即刻公布每一个数据是更有利的, 华盛顿大学法学院的知识产权部副主任Jorge Contreras在一片有准备的演讲中说道。他7月22日在Science杂志上在线发表了一篇新的政策文章,正是关于这个话题。 然而这样理想主义的主张,他也注意到,并没有给与得到原始数据的科学家们一个通过发表学术文章来发展事业的机会, 这样一来,在一个不发表就灭亡的残酷世界里,新发现和新数据还是会被藏着掖着。 而且,即便发表之后,数据缺失的情况并没有好转。由于忙碌的计划表,竞争压力和其他人际交往间无法控制的的因素,甚至在发表论文之后,分享数据的过程依旧很不连贯,Contreras在他的文章中观察到。 并不是每一个领域都对掌控数据如此紧张,举个鼓舞人心的例子,人类基因组计划就明文规定,所有的新数据必须再24小时内被公布于众。但是Contreras也承认,并不是所有的学术领域都能重大到可以如此自由而迅速地接触数据。基因组代表了人类共同的历史遗产,其研究不应该被专利所阻碍,他写道。而另一方面,专利正是许多科学研究的主要目的,太早亮出你的底牌显然不是一个明智的决定。 于是,Contreras提出要在数据的自由和权利中找到平衡。我想人们应该妥协,他在演讲中说道。太过注重数据使用者的利益将不太会吸引到足够的数据生产者,而太多关心数据生产者的利益, 则会削弱对科学研究其他科学家和普通民众的帮助。 但那并不表示数据应该被藏起来。相反,他认为,在数据公开后,但在其他研究者能够发表相关结论之前,这段时间能使得数据生产者足够的动力去准备论文,同时又使数据能够更开放地推动科学进步。
有两种东西,我对它们的思考越是深沉和持久,它们在我心灵中唤起的惊奇和敬畏就会日新月异,不断增长,这就是我头上的星空和心中的道德定律。康德的这句话目前在中国已经广为沿用了,但大部分人都渐渐形成思维定势,从而忽略这样一个问题:康德为什么要把自然科学研究的星空和人文科学研究的道德律并列?如果人们想通了康德的用意,或将有助于读者们把握记者瑞驰(Eugenie Samuel Reich)花近7年的功夫去揭示舍恩(Jan Hendrik Schn)学术造假事件的深层动机。 从原著标题(Plastic Fantastic:How the Biggest Fraud in Physics Shook the Scientific World) 可以看出,学术造假被视为科学世界的异端,表明作者写书的基本出发点是科学的,对科研体制是好奇的。抛开最大造假等亮眼的名词,仔细体味瑞驰的思路,可以发现,瑞驰在剖析一个大家眼中性情温和、为人谦逊、乐于助人的物理神童,在如何掀起新型超导体造假风潮的过程中,提出了一个非常耐人寻味的深层问题:现今的科研模式下,会不会有第二个舍恩出现?我也不仅联想到:在中国科学之妖多吗?命运又会怎样? 为此,瑞驰用了相当多的篇幅,分析了科学文献质量的两个制衡因素:发表论文的激励机制和科学家的责任感。而现今科研机制对学术造假的制约似乎还是有限的,诚如此,还有什么力量来限制更多的舍恩出现呢?触目惊心的造假事件确实在提醒我们:那就是反思万事万物的科学内涵同时,我们能不能反思科学研究的逻辑是否自洽?瑞驰显然对此还是忧心忡忡的,因此在文章结尾出现了胜利者的微笑:褐色的卷发,浅浅的微笑,轻轻耸肩的动作,舍恩的形象又浮现在我的脑海中:他正在展示论文稿中成果,正在询问这些后续的研究成果是否依然有用 而这一问题已经超出了舍恩造假事件本身,从而也使《科学之妖:如何掀起物理学最大造假飓风》的境界上升到了事关学术伦理的层面。读着这本研究学术造假的作品,我也不由自主地回到康德一生所思考的那个问题:康德批判人的认识能力及其范围的时候,特意将世界划分为现象界与自在之物世界,他认为科学所崇尚的理性可以认识现象界,但如果科学理性自认为无所不能,甚至能认识自在之物世界的时候,理性就会出现二律背反。所以,康德一直限制科学理性的范围,他把自在之物的认识范围,留给了人的道德世界。在他看来,认识自然界的科学理性和认识自在之物的实践理性同样重要。人不但要仰望星空,更要敬畏内心的道德律。在瑞驰的整部书里,我们可以读到一种康德式的责任。 这种康德式的责任,我们在该书中随处可以找到。瑞驰对这名物理神童进入高级科研机构之后会频频造假,先是持一种怀疑好奇的态度,一丝对舍恩的同情心,在抽丝剥茧的揭示造假的过程中,一种泰然自若的舍恩,也让瑞驰的文字变得急迫起来:他难道不能自我反思和纠正吗?是不是今天的科学工作者忙于自身的工作,导致他们忽视了反思科学制度的本身,也忽视了道德制度在科研体系中的地位?是不是今天的科研管理人员忙于自身的工作,轻信了科学研究的自我纠错机制?瑞驰曾经痛苦地写道:舍恩自己也很难有哪怕是一丝丝良心上的谴责,别人就更不会有机会去注意他的造假行径了。 瑞驰用通俗的笔法写出了这本书,让人们不仅仅了解到一个造假事件的来龙去脉,更让人们思考科学制度本身的缺陷。她指出,揭露造假中,贡献最大的并不是那些对现有科研体制自我纠错机制抱有信心的科学家,而是那些对此充满怀疑和担忧的人。相反,这次事件中极力延长造假科研成果生命周期的科学家,却是那些坚定地认为科研体制自我纠错机制能够把造假事件揭露出来的人,是那些坚定认为未来的研究会弥补现有研究的缺陷或者改正现有错误的人,是那些坚定认为所有的错误都将被某些现在还无法预知的方式修正过来的人。 我们阅读这本书时,不仅会对瑞驰的执著精神所折服,而且也会促使我们更多地思考、探索科学研究中的经典问题。或许这是对只缘身在此山中的科研工作者的一种警示,提醒大家要敬畏星空中闪烁的道德光芒。(潘琳) http://culture.gxnews.com.cn/staticpages/20100520/newgx4bf4aabe-2961918.shtml
这次赴美波士顿开会,可谓故地重游,感慨很多。4月20日,临行前和《科学之妖》的英文原著者发了一封电子邮件,希望跟她有次交流,我建议在波士顿的木兰餐馆见面。她也很快有了回复,非常乐意见上一面。 4月24日中午1点,朋友从卡拉尔镇驱车一直送我到了木兰餐馆,有意思的是,朋友他们一家人也和另外一个朋友在木兰餐馆开了一桌。我看到尤吉尼已经在等我,她让我点菜,还说喜欢吃辣的。可是我点了这家中餐馆的特色菜,那又麻又辣的味道她还是有点吃不消,她要了凉水解渴。 这样,我们细细聊了起来。她自己是英国人,只是从2001年就职《新科学家》的科技记者之后,才搬到波士顿来。现在初为人母,丈夫是哈佛大学的教授,研究环境基因学。她也跟我谈及创作的经历,为了调研舍恩学术造假的来龙去脉,她于2005年辞去工作撰写图书,也自费赴德国和瑞士调研。现在在麻省理工学院的Science Writing项目做研究员。我取出中文版的译著送给她,扉页上留了一句话Wonderful work leads to happy cooperation(精彩的工作引致愉快的合作)。我也希望她有朝一日能到中国来访问。她也表示送我一本精装本的原著,我们约好在4月27日在她的办公室再会一次。 她给我的留言是With Many thanks for all your work on the book(为您在本书上的付出感激不尽)。
(两个多月前,我收到了来自美国胡步根的一封电子邮件。信中他对我细述了他自己在耶鲁工作时的学术不端举报遭遇。耶鲁对他的报复和对造假的掩盖包庇如此似曾相识。 在后来和胡步根的多次交流中,他给我发来了大量的文字,数据和图象。我认为,这又是一起发生在美国顶级名校耶鲁的恶劣原始造假案。案件涉及的文章都发在顶级杂志里,如Cell, Science等。 我现将他的第一封邮件译成中文,放在科学网上。为方便普通读者了解此事,我基本上采用意译,并对译文做了删节简化。) 郭磊博士: 我叫胡步根,原来在耶鲁大学干细胞中心从事科研工作。2009年10月,我在文学城上读到了关于你揭露耶鲁,哈佛等美国一流大学学术造假与腐败的文章。 在揭露学术造假腐败的过程中,我经历了和你非常相似的境遇。直到现在,我仍在为此而抗争。我在中国的朋友帮我找到了你的邮箱地址。因此,我冒昧写信给你,希望你能帮助我将我的经历发表你的博客上。我将自己负责由此而引起的一切法律和学术后果。 作为一名科研人员,我在美国的学术界和生物技术产业有20多年的研究工作经历,我分别在免疫学,细胞生物学、分子生物学以及动物模型等领域工作过。2006年10月我加入耶鲁大学黛安.克劳斯的研究组,进行成年胚胎干细胞研究。 多年来黛安的实验室一直使用以下实验系统进行成年干细胞研究:采用性别错配的小鼠供受体模型,以Y-FISH技术(Y染色体FISH技术)在雌性受体小鼠身上鉴别移入的雄性成年干细胞来源的各类组织细胞。采用Y-FISH技术结合特殊胞浆及膜蛋白质作为组织型标记物的免疫荧光法来鉴别来源于雄性供体干细胞的特异组织细胞类型。 应该说,这一实验系统听起来是简洁有效的。 在我加入黛安的实验室之前,她的实验室已经利用此实验系统在成年干细胞方面发表多篇非常有影响的科学论文,如2001年的《细胞》文章等 (是指这篇文章 《细胞》 2001 May 4;105(3):369-77. Multi-organ, multi-lineage engraftment by a single bone marrow-derived stem cell. 起源于单个造血干细胞的多器官多细胞系寻址和嫁接。克劳斯 等 . 摘要如下: Purification of rare hematopoietic stem cell(s) (HSC) to homogeneity is required to study their self-renewal, differentiation, phenotype, and homing. Long-term repopulation (LTR) of irradiated hosts and serial transplantation to secondary hosts represent the gold standard for demonstrating self-renewal and differentiation, the defining properties of HSC. We show that rare cells that home to bone marrow can LTR primary and secondary recipients. During the homing, CD34 and SCA-1 expression increases uniquely on cells that home to marrow. These adult bone marrow cells have tremendous differentiative capacity as they can also differentiate into epithelial cells of the liver, lung, GI tract, and skin. This finding may contribute to clinical treatment of genetic disease or tissue repair) 。正是这些文章奠定了黛安在成年干细胞领域学术地位的基础。 然而我在她的实验室里,做了无数次的实验,却未能重复她们以前发表的那些结果。 在2007年初,我发现了她们在这些文章里用的实验方案里的问题。我发现,用她的这种方法,根本不能得出如她们在论文中所述的 结果和数据。她们发表的图像都是伪造的,数字也是伪造的! 这样的发现令我异常震惊! 因此,我在实验室内部从未承认过她们以前论文上的那些数据和结论。在黛安要求我开口对她的文章进行评价时,我保持沉默。 黛安娜给了我相当的压力,让我重复或相信她们的数据。甚至有时候,在她需要一些阳性的结果来证实她的结论或理论时,她会直接强迫我改变我的实验判断结果,将某些阴性结果改为阳性。在2008年2月末到3月初,在每周一对一的会议上,她又强迫我改变判读结果,让我将实验结果从阴性改为阳性。我明确拒绝。 她竟对我大声骂:FXXX UP。 她的这种行为,给了我巨大的心理压力。我向当局(耶鲁,ORI――美国卫生部科研诚信办公室)报告了她的这种不端行为。 我报告后,你可以想象,耶鲁和ORI玩弄的是多么肮脏、丑陋的政治游戏。他们最终以可能的诚实错误作为对这起严重科研造假案的掩盖。 我的指控仅针对她们文章中的一组数据,即我认为一组对WT雄性鼠BM细胞离心涂片的Y FISH结果完全是假的。只要承认这一点,她们的所有系列文章就会象多米诺骨牌一样倒下。原因如下: 1、现在没有一个人的Y FISH技术方案能在做雄性BM细胞染色时达到 90%的敏感度。黛安娜建立的方法在做雄性BM细胞染色时的敏感度不要说她们宣称的99%,甚至连50%都很难达到。 2、获得Y FISH数据的方法很简单明了:用你的眼睛去观察每一个视野并逐行计数每一个细胞是Y+或Y-。这并不需要很高的科技:Y信号非常清楚和明显,所谓诚实的错误的可能性是不存在的。 3、因此,我认为她们论文中由结合免疫荧光法的Y FISH技术所产生的结果或数据都是造出来的。以此类推,我可以断定她们的所有相关论文(如Science,2004;Cell,2001等),都完全是造出来的。 4,很多年来,黛安娜在干细胞研究中仅使用相同的实验系统-性别错配模型,结合免疫荧光法的Y FISH技术。所以证明了这一点,她们的论文就会像多米诺骨牌一样被推翻。 2009年2月27日,我被黛安从耶鲁解雇了。 到现在为止,我一直努力地向各界揭露这一丑恶的政治事件。我已以邮件的形式将相关的信息递交给主流媒体。 我一定要揭露这一肮脏的丑闻! 我对这些信息、证据和事实以及我所发的电子邮件持有科学和法律责任。现在,我附上一些文件让你仔细了解我的案件。 谢谢你的关注,并在此对你的意见和帮助表示感谢。 胡步根 附注:更详细报道请见胡步根的科学网博客: http://www.sciencenet.cn/u/bugenhu/ 。
近年来, 学术造假的方法和手段很多,动作大的可以像上海交通大学微电子学院原院长陈进那样,拿着Motorala公司freescale芯片打磨一下,再印上汉芯N号,就变成拥有自主知识产权的CPU,骗到上亿的国家科研经费,还可以像宁波天一职业技术学院的院长那样从成果到头衔一并虚构...这样的例子算不上比比皆是,也可谓不胜枚举,动作小点的更是司空见惯,什么抄袭作弊啊、一稿多发啊、篡改数据啊,似乎可以忽略不计!是这种行为近年来变得越来越猖獗了呢,还是因为获取信息的渠道多样了导致这种行为不得不经常曝光于天下呢,这些原因可能都有吧!如果我上面说的种种行为毫无疑问的算是做假的话,那下面的行为算不算是做假呢? 前一段时间我收集了一些关于电能质量治理方面的资料,除了那些IEEE Transaction 和其它SCI的英文文献外,当然还有国内该领域比较权威的杂志的文献,比如《中国电机工程学报》、《电力系统自动化》之类,我在拜读湖南大学罗教授(注:教授、博导...)发表在《中国电机工程学报的一篇题为《补偿配电网电压不平衡的静止同步补偿器控制方法研究》大作的时候,对其参考文献 Chen W L,Hsu Y Y.Direct output voltage control of a static synchronous compensator using current sensorless d-q vector-based power balancing scheme .IEEE Trans.on Power Delivery,2003,2(7-12):545-549比较感兴趣, 于是我就按图索骥,想找到这篇文章的原著,因为其来自IEEE Trans.on Power Delivery,所以我就直接进入该数据库查找,居然没有!我怀疑是我们单位数据库的问题,于是我便用google schoolar查找,终于找到这篇文章了,可令我吃惊的是,这篇文章的出处竟是 Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition, 2003 IEEE PES ,Volume 2, 7-12 Sept. 2003 Page(s):545 - 549! 我分析出错的原因,归纳起来大致有以下两种可能: 1、作者笔误。但细细想来不太可能,细心的读者可以看出,上述参考文献除了出处错了,居然连卷号、页码等没有一点错误,可以看出作者的细心,而且,从文章中可以看出作者的大作正是受了这篇参考文献的启发,对其算法进行改进得到的,所以这种可能性几乎可以排除(除非小概率事件真的发生,我也希望是这样!); 2、有意为之。虽然我很不想这样想,因为毕竟罗教授也算是我们这个领域的有身份的人了,我从心里上不想把这种行为和他的身份联系在一起,而且似乎这样做也没什么意义啊,但谁又能给出这个问题的合理解释呢,不得而知了。 这里我就小人做到底吧,再揣测一下作者这样做的动机,大家都知道要发高水平的文章,参考文献的可信度就一定要比较高,比如IEEE Trans.之类,而会议论文集的可信度就要大打折扣了,而且前面已说明,罗教授的大作是借鉴了该参考文献的思路,所以,后面我就不用分析,原因大家自然明白。 唉,这件事情就这样过去,而且我并不是针对罗教授个人,而是中国的学术界,也由此引起一串长长的思考,国内学术论文到底哪里没有做假?又有多少位专家有宣布将发表在《科学》上的一篇高被引论文撤销的勇气,别说因为实验无法复制,就算是篡改数据,杜撰实验结果有何如?
科学网新闻网页上发布了题为 美两名科学家被查出伪造实验数据 的新闻。我看了以后,又找到美国《科学家》网站的原文和评论读了一遍。读了之后,我觉得我们更有理由认为,轻描淡写式地处理是科学造假泛滥的重要原因。 据《科学家》杂志报道,美国科学诚信办公室( ORI )近日报告,美国 2 名肾脏研究人员涉嫌谎报动物实验方法和伪造实验数据,涉及过去 8 年来共 16 篇论文和多篇基金申请。 这 2 名科学家, Judith Thomas 和 Juan Contreras ,之前均就职于阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校( UAB ),后者曾在前者手下做博士后。二人不实地报告他们在多个实验中完成了猕猴双肾移除,这些实验用来测试 2 种免疫抑制药物(免疫毒素 FN18-CRM9 和 15-DSG )在阻止单肾移植排斥反应方面的效力。 UAB 负责研究的副校长 Richard Marchase 说,实验程序应该是先移除一个天然肾,用一个移植肾进行替换,并对猕猴开始施用免疫抑制剂;一个月后再移除另一个天然肾,而在 Thomas 和 Contreras 所做的大量实验中,他们从未进行第二步手术。这样,留下一个完整的天然肾会让实验动物存活并加大测试药物的外观效力。 这两人都是搞肾脏移植免疫抑制药物疗效研究的,他们的研究结果直接关系到病人的生命安全,所以有理由给予更多的关注。这两人的造假,涉及过去 8 年来共 16 篇论文和多篇基金申请。《科学家》杂志原文中提到了这两人从 NIH 获得基金的总额: 2300 万美元! 2300 万美元相当于 1.5 亿人民币!中国人民要为美国人民做多少双鞋子和袜子,美国人民才能赚到这么多的美元?(别以为这些钱是美国政府出的。美国政府早就资不抵债了。这些损失,很可能要中国或印度尼西亚的老百姓来最后买单的。) 数额巨大,影响恶劣,直接危及病人生命安全,应该说情节相当严重。但是,从新闻上看,对他们的惩罚仅仅是他们被迫从他们任职的大学辞职(仅仅是辞职),在若干年内不能申请美国政府的钱。 不想多说了。我们看看《科学家》美国网友的评论: 评论之一:惩罚! 浪费了 2300 万美元却能自由走开?我认为这些人应该被关到监狱里去。为拯救这个国家,是到了对这种白领犯罪采取严厉措施的时候了。 评论之二:罪犯! 不用再说了!这些研究者是聪明的罪犯,他们从政府那里诈骗了成千万的美元,但 8 年来一直没被发现。 公司里的诈骗犯往往会得到漫长的判刑。这些科学的骗子也应该受到同样的刑罚。科学的骗局对无辜的受害者造成的损害甚至更严重 那些慢性病病人,或许在忍受着无用的治疗,或许根本没有得到什么治疗。 或许本来他们可以得到用这些被浪费的科研经费发展的真正有效的治疗的!我强烈呼吁将科研造假定为犯罪。 不用再说了。想想那些在实验室里苦苦劳作,暴露于有毒试剂,苦苦探索,却重复不出科学假说 的科研工作者的悲惨命运;想想那些被假研究误导的,用无效药物治疗疾病的病人的悲惨命运。这些造假者难道不应该被更严厉地惩罚吗? 获得如此巨大的利益,如此严重的造假,花了如此长的时间才被查实的一个案件,当事人仅仅辞职就可以潇洒走开。社会的公正和正义何在? 美国政府的科学诚信办公室(ORI)是其人类健康和服务部的一个下属机构。这个机构实际上只有非常有限的行政资源和权力。这个监督管理全美国庞大科研经费是否合法使用的政府部门,只有寥寥几个雇员。这种状况,加上 ORI本身 的严重官僚化,使得他们的实际工作效率相当低下。 ORI 现在能做到的,只是每年例行公事般地不痛不痒地处理几个科研造假者。这种不痛不痒的你 3 年内不能再从我这里骗钱 式的处罚,与其说是惩罚造假,不如说是鼓励造假。 现在科研造假现象如此严重,泛滥到了发生哈佛,耶鲁这种名校需包庇 多囊肾(PKD )领域集体造假 的这类事件,原因也许就在此。 最后,我就再引用一个美国网友对此事的评论: The truth got out this time because of the in-fighting between the two collaborators. God only knows how many other such cases are out there, where people involved are still in good terms. This is a depressing thought. 一个 Thomas 走了,还有多少个 Thomas OUT THERE在笑? ========================================= 现将科学网上的新闻和美国《科学家》杂志的全文摘录如下: 据《科学家》杂志报道,美国科学诚信办公室( ORI )近日报告,美国 2 名肾脏研究人员涉嫌谎报动物实验方法和伪造实验数据,涉及过去 8 年来共 16 篇论文和多篇基金申请。 这 2 名科学家, Judith Thomas 和 Juan Contreras ,之前均就职于阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校( UAB ),后者曾在前者手下做博士后。二人不实地报告他们在多个实验中完成了猕猴双肾移除,这些实验用来测试 2 种免疫抑制药物(免疫毒素 FN18-CRM9 和 15-DSG )在阻止单肾移植排斥反应方面的效力。 UAB 负责研究的副校长 Richard Marchase 说,实验程序应该是先移除一个天然肾,用一个移植肾进行替换,并对猕猴开始施用免疫抑制剂;一个月后再移除另一个天然肾,而在 Thomas 和 Contreras 所做的大量实验中,他们从未进行第二步手术。这样,留下一个完整的天然肾会让实验动物存活并加大测试药物的外观效力。 Thomas 和 Contreras 的研究受到美国国立卫生研究院( NIH ) 2300 多万美元的资助。 Marchase 表示, Thomas 最初声称是 Contreras 独自犯下不当行为,自己毫不知情。但 UAB 的调查最终显示, Thomas 也参与了其中。 调查发现, 2 人共涉嫌在 16 篇论文和多篇 NIH 基金申请中伪造数据,时间跨度达 8 年之久。最初的一篇伪造论文于 1998 年发表在《移植》( Transplantation )期刊上,最近的一篇于 2005 年发表在《免疫学期刊》( Journal of Immunology )上。而 2 人最初在基金申请中伪造数据是在 1999 年提交给 NIH 的一份 R01 资助进度报告中。这 16 篇论文中的 14 篇已经被撤销,另外 2 篇也正在撤销的进程中。 Thomas 之前是 NIH 国立过敏与传染病研究所( NIAID )董事会成员,事件曝光后,她于 2008 年 1 月 10 日辞去了 UAB 正教授职位,其时,她所领导的实验室里有 6 至 10 名研究生、技术人员和博士后。她还同意自愿排除协议,在此协议下, 10 年内她将不能接受任何来自美国政府的资助或担任美国公共卫生局( PHS )的顾问。 而 Contreras 则于 7 月 6 日辞去了他在 UAB 的助理教授职位,并且也与 ORI 达成了自愿协议, 3 年内不得接受政府资助和担任 PHS 顾问。此外, UAB 还禁止他担任一些项目的 PI (研究负责人)。这样,在 ORI 和 UAB 的双重处罚下,他获得研究职位的机会已非常渺茫,只好选择辞职。(科学网 梅进 / 编译) ========================================== 以下是 The Scientists 网站上的原文及评论。 http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/55823/ Renal Researchers Faked Data Two researchers conducting animal studies on immunosuppression lied about experimental methodologies and falsified data in 16 papers and several grants produced over the past 8 years, according to the Office of Research Integrity (ORI). The scientists, Judith Thomas and Juan Contreras, formerly at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), falsely reported that they performed double kidney removals on several rhesus macaques in experiments designed to test the effectiveness of two immune suppressing drugs -- Immunotoxin FN18-CRM9 and 15-deoxyspergualin (15-DSG) -- in preventing rejection of the a single transplanted kidney. The experimental protocol was to remove one intrinsic kidney, replacing it with a transplant and starting the monkeys on immunosuppresants, and then remove the other intrinsic kidney a month later, according to Richard Marchase, UAB's vice president of research. What occurred in a good number of these animals was that never performed the second surgery, Marchase told The Scientist . In a statement emailed to The Scientist Marchase called the misconduct a very serious offense. Thomas's and Contreras's research was funded with more than $23 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health. UAB officials learned that Contreras and Thomas had left one native kidney intact in at least 32 animals -- which allowed those animals to live and inflated the apparent effectiveness of the drugs -- on January 27, 2006, when Thomas reported that she found an experimental monkey with one of its native kidneys intact and blamed Contreras for the mistake. Marchase said that Thomas initially alleged that Contreras, a surgeon and Thomas's former postdoc, perpetrated the misconduct on his own without her knowledge, but the UAB investigation eventually showed that Thomas was in on the deception as well. The lack of second nephrectomies could have been discovered years earlier from examination of animal care records and from questions and concerns raised by various UAB staff, wrote Peter Abbrecht from ORI in a statement emailed to The Scientist , but the principal investigator did not undertake any such actions, and appeared to exert very little control over the integrity of the study. Thomas accepted responsibility for the misconduct, but both she and Contreras denied intentionally committing fraud, according to the ORI report. The ORI investigation found that the misconduct -- which specifically consisted of falsifications in publishing of research results in journals and grant applications -- spanned more than 8 years, from a fraudulent 1998 publication by Contreras and Thomas in Transplantation to a falsified paper that was published by Thomas in a December 2005 issue of the Journal of Immunology . The ORI also determined that Thomas first presented falsified data to the NIH in a 1999 R01 grant progress report. In total Thomas and/or Contreras fudged data in 16 publications and several NIH grant applications. Fourteen of the publications have been retracted and two are in the process of being retracted, according to UAB. The extent of misconduct with the widespread dispersion of falsified results had the effect of increasing the credibility of the respondents and thereby increasing the acceptance of the falsified results by other researchers in the field, wrote Abbrecht in the ORI statement. Such acceptance could lead to wasted research effort by other researchers and possibly placing patients at harm if they were enrolled in clinical trials designed on the basis of the falsified results. Thomas, who was also formerly on the board of directors at the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, resigned her full professorship on January 10, 2008, after she learned of UAB's findings. At the time of her resignation she maintained a lab with 6-10 grad students, technicians and postdocs, according to Marchase. Thomas agreed to a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement, under which she will not be able to receive any funding from the US government or to serve in any advisory capacity to the US Public Health Service (PHS) for ten years. A call placed to a number listed under Judith Thomas in Birmingham was not answered, and UAB officials declined to provide Thomas's contact information. Contreras resigned his UAB assistant professorship last week, on July 6, and also entered a voluntary agreement with the ORI in which he will be excluded from government funding and PHS advisory roles for three years. Marchase said UAB barred Contreras from being PI on projects, animal protocols, and internal review board protocols, but that, under a very tight mentoring and oversight system, he be allowed to continue to do research on other folks' grants. However, said Marchese, UAB's and ORI's combined sanctions left few options for him. Because there was really no position left for him, he chose to resign. Contreras initially agreed to comment on the matter, but later failed to return phone calls and emails from The Scientist . Though the motivation for the misconduct remains unclear, the case has increased the university's vigilance in monitoring research integrity, according to Marchese. We really don't understand it, he said. It's just not a situation that is in keeping with what it means to be a scientist. Comment on this news story Return to Top comment: Random Audits of Research Papers Are Needed to Protect the Public Against Research Fraud by Raquel Diaz-Sprague Back in the early 90?s when scientific research fraud was rare, or at least rarely reported, I organized and convened a series of conferences on Ethics in Science, Technology and Medicine to be standalone events or at professional society meetings. See http://awisco.osu.edu/SpecialEvents.html. The conferences were well attended and generated a lot of discussion. Professional societies have the duty to foster discussion of professional misconduct and to promote ethical conduct in the professions. Although those efforts can serve as a deterrent to misconduct, it is clear they are not sufficient. Research fraud is no longer a rarity. There are numerous reports of abuse, deceit, research fraud, wrongdoing and other unethical behavior by individuals working in research, academia, government, etc. who are in positions of authority and privilege. The misuse of million of dollars and publication of faked research data which can mislead doctors and other researchers and cause suffering and death strikes me as criminal indeed. Criminalization of scientific fraud and severe penalties for the misuse of public funds are long overdue. Ethical principles, learned in high school and college, should inform the reasoning of every educated man or woman regarding the practice of their profession. Mandatory institutional training on the ethical conduct of research is still necessary but not sufficient. Fraud and other misconduct in research conducted with public funding should be subject to criminal and civil prosecution. Both the researchers AND their institutions should be penalized and required to make restitution of public funds. As one of the measures of success of a research institution is the number of dollars it receives in grants, currently institutions have a vested interest in denying wrongdoing and protecting researchers who receive government grants in order to continue to receive income from the grants. Only when it costs the institutions money, they will have an economic incentive to institutionalize effective measures to prevent and detect fraud. If fraud is detected and confirmed through random audits by the funding agencies, both the researchers and their institutions should face criminal charges. Those found guilty of fraud could be subject to progressive discipline in proportion to the gravity of the offenses committed. Their ability to work should be limited in the same manner other professionals have their licenses suspended or revoked for malpractice or malfeasance. Reflecting on the growing national problem with fraud and deceit, it is obvious that our society has an extremely tolerant attitude toward misconduct misleadingly termed white collar crime. The name evokes the image of a person wearing a white shirt or other professional attire. A white lab coat inspires trust. With such innocuous image, mild name, and the absence of criminal penalties it is not surprising that white collar crime has proliferated and is currently at the root of our nation?s most serious problems. When politicians speak of being ?tough on crime? they play on popular but misleading stereotypes of what a ?real criminal? is. An example that comes to mind is; if we see a man on a dirty t-shirt on the street or the store, we probably try to keep away from him, hold tightly onto our purse or wallet and be somehow concerned that the person might be a ?criminal, who could steal from us.? If the same man is wearing a white shirt, the assumption might be that he is okay, not a threat. We are probably not likely to think about his potential for stealing from us ? big time ? from his desk or laboratory. Government has a duty to combat fraud and prevent harm to the public resulting from scientific as well as any other kind of fraud. Funding agencies must institute random audits of research findings at institutions receiving public funding. Professional societies could increase efforts to promote awareness and application of ethical principles in the professions and uphold the honor of the professions. But the mere existence of actual random audits of research papers with real individual and institutional financial penalties and possible imprisonment for the more serious offenses could compel researchers to conduct and report research in a most rigorous manner and keep all records of the data obtained as if it were evidence to be presented in court. Return to Top comment: Grothendieck's statement on refusing Craaford prize by anonymous poster In the two decades that have intervened the ethical standards of the sciences ( certainly in mathematics) have been degraded to such an extent that the most bare-faced plagiarism between colleagues ( often at the expense of those who can't defend themselves), seems to have become the norm. At least it is generally tolerated, even in exceptionally flagrant instances... Return to Top comment: What is by anonymous poster Faking data is clearly fraud. But what about citation plagarism, arguably the most common abuse. That is, taking undue discovery credit. This seems to be quite common these days. But nobody does anything about it. Complaints and even corrections to journals go unpublished, rather than rock the boat. In fact, citation amnesia seems to have become institutionalized at quite a high level. E.g., Alexander Grothendieck, in turning down the Crafoord prize in mathematics, denounced the tendency of the powerful in mathematics to appropriate the ideas and discoveries of lessor lights. See: http://pantelis.isaiah.googlepages.com/crafoordPrize.pdf Return to Top comment: Patient's Rights by anonymous poster The damage done to the patients should be addressed. Will the pharmaceutical companies inform the clinical trials of this fraudulent research? Will the patients ever find out what has happened? Personally, they are the one's who should be informed but will never hear a word. If they did, a lot of suits would follow and we can't have that, now can we!!!!! Return to Top comment: This is an outrage. by anonymous poster Thomas and Contreras have no place in medicine. They should be charged with attempted bodily harm and cruelness to animals. Where is the protection for patients and animals from monsters like this? Return to Top comment: true colors by Rick Bogle All the chatter about fraud, wasting money, possibly misleading other scientists, possibly putting patients at some risk, but not a word about the monkeys. Researchers routinely blather in public about how much they respect the animals they use and consider it a privilege to use them... but something like this comes along and no one mentions them. Return to Top comment: Criminals by JEROME GELB There is no two ways about it! These researchers are smart criminals who remained undetected for 8 years defrauded funders of tens of millions of dollars. Corporate fraudsters are receiving lengthy custodial sentences so should scientific fraudsters, who potentially cause an even greater impact on innocent victims.......the chronically ill who may receive useless treatments or who never receive bonafide treatment that may have been developed with the wasted funds! I add my voice LOUDLY to the calls for criminalisation of scientific fraud! Return to Top comment: Research fraud needs to criminalised by null null Fraud is a crime in most spheres. Science is less understood by the public than say politics, banking and car sales. Fraud in these areas is usually understood to damage society, reduce trust and can lead to reform. Fraud in science leads to occassional furious wrist slapping and the brutal mild-grant-drought. Deception in science needs to be criminalised. Then the real police can can act and enforce the law. As it is, the laws of scientific integrity are mere guidelines. Enforcing scientific integrity currently is taken as seriously as enforcing bathroom etiquette. As for the monkeys, they suffered for nothing. The researchers should be compelled to do an unfunded study quantifying the damage their work has done. Then they should go to a place where those who steal a kidney from butcher shop go...to court. Return to Top comment: On falsifying data by Mortimer Brown The only activity they should be allowed to perform in any scientific lab from now on is to keep the equipment and the bathrooms clean. Return to Top comment: ...other ramifications... by anonymous poster ORI says: The extent of misconduct with the widespread dispersion of falsified results had the effect of increasing the credibility of the respondents and thereby increasing the acceptance of the falsified results by other researchers in the field, wrote Abbrecht in the ORI statement. Such acceptance could lead to wasted research effort by other researchers and possibly placing patients at harm if they were enrolled in clinical trials designed on the basis of the falsified results. Protecting human subjects is the ultimate concern here, but in tough economic times, I have to wonder how much other research could have been funded with $23M. If you've ever been on the borderline with an index score of ~135-140 and just failed to make the cut... you know what I mean... L Return to Top comment: Keep it coming! by anonymous poster It's anyone's guess how many more fake articles there are in scientific publications. Return to Top comment: Thomas and NIH Patron Hold Immunotoxin Use Patents by Merrill Goozner see http://www.gooznews.com/node/3004 Good story. More sunshine on such cases is crucial to limiting scientific fraud, whatever its ultimate motivation. Return to Top comment: Any Patients ? by anonymous poster Could care less about the reputations of the authors their grad students. Question I would ask is, did any patients get treatment based on the papers? Outcome? Let the punishment fit the crime Return to Top comment: Archives by Alison McCook Hi- As a news story, the article is free to anyone who has registered on our site. Currently, our policy leaves all news stories free to registered users indefinitely. Thanks! Alison McCook Deputy Editor Return to Top comment: Does UAB have to give the money back? by anonymous poster Just curious. Return to Top comment: Apropos a previous editorial... by anonymous poster So, will The Scientist not archive this article to prevent further damage to the careers of these scientists when their punishment is up? Return to Top comment: Punishment by VENKAT BAKTHAVACHALAM Waste 23 millions of tax dollars and they go free? I think jail time is greatly warranted for these people. Isn't time to get tough on white collar crime to save this country? Return to Top comment: God only knows by anonymous poster The truth got out this time because of the in-fighting between the two collaborators. God only knows how many other such cases are out there, where people involved are still in good terms. This is a depressing thought. Return to Top comment: Falsifying Data for Fame by null null A deliberate atttempt to falsify data for Fame and acceptance is NOT acceptable and condonable. What a career damage to the trainees and postdocs of Dr. Thomas!!!! I am not sure why it took so long as the rumors have been around for quite sometime about Dr. Thomas's findings. Return to Top comment: shows ORI works -but no such ORI in Ag research by anonymous poster This shows that the ORI - although with its cirtics - does work for the protection of science - and health of the people. But in agriculture there is no such organization - and there is never resolution of such issues -until real investigations are done - with sequestering of the actual data and holding people accountable. An example of such a situation can be found in the journal of animal science - several ( 12 ?) letters to the editor on reseach conducted by the pork board. One trial was a terminal sire line evaluation and in a paper the coauthors mentioned that they checked ther pedigrees of each sire and each was from a closed genetic popluation. But a fromer vet for one company testified in a letter to the editor and midwest univerisity that he was told to sample and did sample semen from 9 different genetic lines and has both internal and public documents. One eye witness with any real data - in health field and steps are taken to resolve the issue -. Clear statements - and testimony - several letters to the editor in agriculture and nothing is done.
Harvard Medical School in Ethics Quandary 最近在网上读到了一篇原发于纽约时报(NYtimes.com)的文章。文中对哈佛医学院学术道德的堕落进行了谴责。 感慨曾几何时, 世人仰视的哈佛,已深陷在道德泥潭中不可自拔。 文中说:哈佛医学院最近被全美医学生联合会给以F的评价。该组织主要针对医学院控制和监管来源于医药产业资金的能力进行评级。哈佛医学院的竞争对手们获得的评价要好一些,宾西法尼亚大学获得A级,斯坦福大学、哥伦比亚大学和纽约大学获得B,耶鲁大学则得到一个C。 联系 发生在哈佛医学院的一起严重学术造假 一事中,哈佛医学院主管科研诚信的副院长Margaret Dale和相关官员,千方百计,包庇学术造假。哈佛医学院为了金钱利益,已堕落到了基本放弃对学术不端的控制和监管。 排名第一的哈佛医学院,在美国医学生心目中,在如此重要的学术诚信指标上,已坠落至不及格的F级。 可能会有一些不知情的国人觉得匪夷所思。但美国医学生们告诉公众,这是实情。 在文中结尾, 《新英格兰医学杂志》的前主任编委 Marcia Angell博士说, ,如果哈佛这样的学校都不能遵守行业道德规矩,谁还能? 陷入道德泥潭的哈佛医学院(ZZ) Matt Zerdan 现在是哈佛医学院一名四年级的学生,他回想第一年在哈佛医学院的药理学课堂上,教授好像过多地讲述了降脂药物的好处,却不理会学生对药物副作用的提问。 Matt Zerdan的很多同学也有同感。 他后来从网上得到的资料验证了这种感觉那位教授不仅是哈佛医学院的全职工作人员,还是10家公司的收费顾问,其中包括5家生产降脂药物的公司。他说自已感觉受到了冒犯:我认为,这位教授传授给我们的信息是带有倾向性的。 Matt Zerdan等学生的反感情绪在不久前演变成了一场全校性的大型运动,200多名学生和有同感的教职员工参与其中,要求在哈佛医学院的17家附属教学医院 和研究所中降低医药产业对他们的课堂和实验室的影响。他们认为这些来源于医药产业,帮助建立学校世界性地位的资金实际上会损害学校的声誉,影响学校的教学。 这一由哈佛医学院师生发起的活动使哈佛医学院陷入了备受争议的药企门旋涡,也将迫使哈佛医学院对博士和研究者采取更加强硬的利益冲突政策。 哈佛医学院最近被全美医学生联合会给以F的评价。该组织主要针对医学院控制和监管来源于医药产业资金的能力进行评级。哈佛医学院的竞争对手 们获得的评价要好一些,宾西法尼亚大学获得A级,斯坦福大学、哥伦比亚大学和纽约大学获得B,耶鲁大学则得到一个C。 学生们认为学校应该对此感到不安。 哈佛医学院确实已经在这个方面落在了后面,许多教授和管理人员认为主要原因在于:首先,哈佛医学院的教学医院不完全属于医学院,其改革非常复杂;其次,该学院院长刚刚上任,而前任院长是医药产业的积极推动者,并长期担任一家大型制药公司董事会成员;其三,对这种资金的突然打压,可能会使学院在资金和人事方面造成损失。 而一些可能发生的难堪局面,诸如,联邦启动对几位重要教授关于利益冲突的调查,马萨诸塞州的新法律将实施所有医生必须公开医药公司赠予的超过五十美元的礼品等,也对哈佛医学院造成了强大的压力。哈佛医学院变革迫在眉睫。 上任不久的院长Jeffrey S. Flier认为必须学习其他医学院的好经验。2009年1月,他宣布成立了一个19人的委员会重新检查学院的利益冲突政策,委员会中包括三名学生。领导该委员会的是前任斯坦福医学院院长David Korn博士,四个月前他在哈佛上任担任副教务长,去年他曾帮助全美医学院联合会起草了一个医学院利益冲突政策的草稿。 哈佛学生的一项诉求已经实现所有的教授和讲师必须在课堂上公布和自己有商业联系的医药公司,这是其他医学院都还没有实行的一项政策(一个教授在课堂上公布了47家与自己相关的公司)。 24岁的Kirsten Austad是一位哈佛医学院一年级学生,他也是此次运动的领导者之一。他认为:哈佛必须树立自己的声 誉,我们不能在进入医学领域的初期就被灌输这些越来越商业化的专业知识。 David Tian同样是一位一年级的学生,他说:在来哈佛之前,我对医药公司影响医学教育之事并没有概念,现在看来有许多上不了台面的事情存在,许多信息以教育的名义提供给我们,但实际上带有明显的商业痕迹。 学生们说,他们担心制药产业近几年的丑闻包括一些刑事犯罪、大额罚款、发表有倾向性的研究论文、不当的市场宣传等,都会对医学专业造成错误的影响。学生们认为,比起其他医学院,哈佛在监管潜在的利益冲突方面缺乏警觉性。 但哈佛医学院的Flier院长却有自己的难处:学院从政府和慈善基金会接受资金,但也同时接受很多医药公司的资金。他不想也不能收紧这个口 子,学院资金的一个重要来源就是产业资金,但必须正确使用。他说。哈佛医学院的许多官员认为来自产业的支持是至关重要的,因为经济衰退导致广大的捐赠人捂紧了腰包,学院接受的捐赠自从2008年7月以来已经损失22%。 哈佛医学院目前没有能力统计所有医药产业流向学院的资金。已经知道的是,在来自制药公司的资金中,去年有超过860万美元用于基础研究,300万美元用于校内的继续教育,但绝大多数资金都给予了哈佛医学院相关教学医院的教授们,院长办公室没有办法跟踪全部记录。 但没有人怀疑许多哈佛医学院的教授可以通过咨询和讲课从医药公司获得数万或数百万美元。根据该学院的公开透明政策,8900名教授中已有 1600名教授和讲师向院长办公室发出公开声明:自己或家庭成员和某个与自己教学、研究或临床业务相关的公司有商业来往,其中149人和辉瑞有关,130 人和默沙东有关。 然而该学院的公开透明政策并不要求员工们提供讲课费或咨询费的具体数据,只要求提供一个大致范围,如超过3万美元。对于许多领导基础研究、教学或临床研究的专家,该政策会有一个大致的限制每年不超过3万美元的股票或每年2万美元的费用。但对于公司提供的奢侈礼物如免费晚餐、门票、旅行等 并没有具体限制。 来源于制药公司的资金还包括:产业资金捐助的学校基金会,比如三个由睡眠研究公司赞助的超过800万美元的基金会;激励奖金,如以百时美施贵宝 公司命名的5万美元的员工奖金;奖学金,如辉瑞公司每年出资100万美元奖励20名医学博士,鼓励他们进行一项为期两年的临床研究并获得哈佛医学科学硕士学位,其中包括学习一些辉瑞公司科学家讲授的课程。 现任哈佛医学院院长的Flier博士,之前也接受过百时美施贵宝公司旗下50万美元的研究经费,他还是三家生物技术公司的高级顾问,但他说他已经结束了这些商业联系,并且没再有新的产业联系。 Flier和他的前任B.Martin博士形成了鲜明对比。哈佛允许B.Martin在领导医学院期间长期担任百特公司的董事会成员,百特公司 每年支付给他的薪水高达19.7万美元。B.Martin目前仍然在哈佛医学院任职,是哈佛神经研究中心的创建者和联合主席,主要研究退行性疾病。他至今仍然在积极寻求产业资金来进行研究。 事实上,并不是所有的师生都反对医学院和医药公司的联系。与Matt Zerdan等师生的态度不一样,哈佛医学院学生中有一个更小的团体,征集了100个签名,主要目的是支持哈佛医学院内继续保持产业和医学的联系。 22岁的Vijay Yanamadala是这个团体的领导人之一。他认为,来源于产业的资金先天具有偏向性的说法是有问题的。 鼓励他们的是Thomas P. Stossel博士,他曾经担任默沙东、BIOGEN IDEC和DYAX等公司的高级顾问,写过许多科研和产业联系的文章,他认为如果真实地来看,产业和科研之间的联系产生的好处远远大于害处,哈佛医学院绝对可以从产业中得到更多资金,并且会非常容易,现在是一个很好的发掘机会。 26岁的哈佛医学院二年级医学生Brian Fuchs认为,制药公司对许多重要医学成果有很多支持。他指着哈佛医学院附近一座12层的楼说:实际上,默沙东一直在那里。 2004年,默沙东公司在哈佛医学院新的医学研究中心附近建立了一个公司研究中心,而且在哈佛医学院内也作了很多工作,如帮助建设 Glimcher博士领导的免疫研究室。同时,Glimcher博士又是百时美施贵宝公司的顾问委员,2007年她从百时美施贵宝公司获得27万美元收 入。 Glimcher博士认为,来自产业的资金不仅是正确的而且是必要的。她在最近一次学生和员工关于产业联系的论坛上说:如果没有产业资金的支 持,我们将没有办法建立实验室的骨干队伍。默沙东公司希望她的团队可以帮助公司开发Fosamax的后续产品。Fosamax每年有30亿美元的销售 额,但是其专利于2008年到期。 然而,对此,《新英格兰医学杂志》的前主任编委,哈佛医学院教授Marcia Angell博士则认为,医药产业的利润动力不符合医学研究的科学目的,许多产业联系不仅需要公布,更需要禁止。许多教授对此非常支持,他们认为很多医学院现在和制药公司之间已经签订了一份浮士德契约。 如果哈佛这样的学校都不能遵守行业道德规矩,Marcia Angell博士说,谁还能? (本报道英文原版出自New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/business/03medschool.html 中文版本转自搜狐网站) Harvard Medical School students like Kirsten Austad, left; Lekshmi Santhosh, Kim Sue and David Tian, members of the American Medical Student Association, object to the influence of drug companies in the schools educational curriculum.
自从 3 月 24 日 发生在哈佛医学院的一起严重学术造假 博文在科学网博 客发表 以来,得到了广大网民关注。在不到 3 周的时间内,此文就被浏览上万次,成为科学网博客周排行榜和月排行榜的榜首文章。其他各网站也纷纷转载,在国内外得到了热烈的反应。在科学网上,先后计有陈巨川,张天翼,王志明,李亚辉等学者撰写的相关博文 16 篇之多,发表对此事的看法。李亚辉先生将此事提升到事件高度,呼吁国内媒体积极介入报道。包括鲍得海,唐凌峰先生等在内的科学网博主都纷纷发表各自的评论意见。值得一提的是,王志明教授专门针对此事组织了 PPR 哈佛 PKD 的后同行评议,并取得了出乎意料的成果。虽然,王志明教授最近因某种原因改变了 PPR 的做法,从对集体造假指控很有兴趣,到希望我能公开发表英文声明,撤销 PKD 界集体造假指控。但此事的确因他的介入,而获得了非常有意义的演绎。加拿大 James Whitfield 等同行教授发表了 相对客观公正的评论,让关注此事的广大网友因此窥探了此事的部分真相。 现为方便关注此事的广大网友阅读,我将目前科学网上的相关文章的链接,根据发表时间先后,整理收集到文后,作为 PKD 集体造假一案在科学网讨论 36 天的小结。在今后相当长的一段时间里,我的博文会继续关注如何揭露遏制高端集体学术造假方面的话题。我认为,在科学技术飞速发展的当今, 研究如何揭露遏制集体学术造假的对策,将是关系到国家命运,社会稳定的大事。 贺海波造假一事引起国内媒体铺天盖地地报道,贺的大名也受到了各层面媒体人的追捧。与哈佛大学对此学术不端事件的调查和处理相比,浙大对贺海波一案的处理是迅速的、坚决的和实事求是的。到目前,还鲜有传统媒体介入采访报道如此严重的集体学术造假,令相当一部分人相当纳闷。对此不正常的现象,李亚辉先生发博文,痛斥国内媒体为软蛋。我认为,到如今,大多数国内的媒体,还没认识到此集体学术造假一案的典型性,严重性。他们还没认识到揭露此类集体学术造假事件对我国科技发展,社会进步的重大意义。再者,报道如此高端如此严重的学术造假,也不是一般记者和媒体能够理解和处理的。 许多人在看了以下文章以后,可能都会对哈佛医学院对如此严重的学术造假指控采取不理不踩而打击举报者的做法感到惊奇不已。正因为如此,一部分的读者在刚开始时提出对此事真实性的怀疑,也就不是不可理解的。 对此严重集体学术造假指控,哈佛还在缩头,美国政府还在睁眼闭眼,此事真正意义上的水落石出也是遥遥无期。此时此刻,我们只能说,时间和历史会还给正义以正义。我希望,在科学网上的实名博客讨论会加速真相的揭示和正义的到来。 3 月 17 日至 4月 30 日 ,科学网上哈佛 PKD 集体造假事件相关文章链接: 作者 题目 日期 浏览 重要内容和附注 郭磊 九阴真经是如何练成的 2009-3-18 1456 讲述一种生物医学界皇帝新装式集体造假的可能形成机制: 聪明的造假者则利用这种公认的潜规则,由两个或多个科研小组,或有意或无意,几乎同时编造一件美丽的科学新衣。 要想快速发表 CNS 文章,请读此文。 郭磊 发生在哈佛医学院的一起严重学术造假 2009-3-24 12298 讲述一起发生在 PKD 界蔓延甚广的严重学术造假案件和哈佛从刚开始的不理不踩,到后来对举报者的打击报复。 被科学网置顶为头版头栏博文。并成为近一月来的榜首文章。 张天翼 评论郭磊博客《发生在哈佛医学院的一起严重学术造假》 2009-3-25 706 如果郭磊的情况属实,那是一个惊世奇冤,大家应群策群力,帮他申冤。但如果是他缺乏科研能力,又在那里信口开河,那么大家也要提高警惕。 张天翼 对郭磊教授的评论之二 2009-3-29 458 继续质疑,认为集体造假的可能性很小。认为要在学术杂志上讨论。并提出技术疑问。经过讨论, 张天翼 先生得出 也许你用媒体讨回公道是对的,我希望你能说服越来越多的人,形成一条阵线。因为你的对手毕竟是世界上最好的学校。(见张天翼的评论回复)。 陈巨川 提高学术造假技巧原来是爱国行为 2009-3-29 591 有人留言建议 郭 教授找媒体,找编辑,或通过法律途径,应该说,这些在国外都不可行,为什么却不是三言两语可以说得明白,这些只有在亲身体验后才会如梦初醒。至于在博客上造势,那只是不得已而为之,让丑事见见光而已,对事件的解决毫无影响。 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD : A Harvard Story from Lei GUO 2009-3-29 602 转载英文版本的郭磊事件, A Harvard Story from Lei GUO 。 I was a biomedical scientist who complained about massive and egregious research misconduct in PKD research in Harvard Medical School (HMS) and was thus retaliated against for my whistle blowing by the institute. Harvard Medical School was still on a track to try to cover up the egregious research misconduct and retaliation case. 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD : Nature Genetics 33, 129 - 137 (2003) 2009-3-29 500 王 教授建议对其中一篇相关关键文章进行后同行评议( PPR )。 Nature Genetics 33, 129 - 137 (2003) Polycystins 1 and 2 mediate mechanosensation in the primary cilium of kidney cells 王志明 PPR 的开放获取:同行评议和集体造假 2009-3-30 842 科学网顶置了郭磊的《发生在哈佛医学院的一起严重学术造假》博文郭磊控告的是集体造假这就构成了对现有同行评议机制的挑战决定组织一次 PPR 对郭磊所控告的集体造假进行调查。 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD : Prof. Xing-Zhen Chen's Peer Opinion 2009-3-30 709 加拿大 XZ Chen 教授发表评论,没有直接评论前面指定的那篇文章,而是谈自己小组的新观点,即 Pc2 不是正常的肾细胞纤毛的成分。 间接支持郭磊对 PKD 界的指控。 郭磊 哈佛如何处理学术造假 2009-3-30 652 哈佛对学术造假的调查处理,从不理不睬,到威胁打击举报者,尽失名校脸面,让人拍案惊奇。作者认为远远不如浙大处理贺海波案件这般迅速公正。 郭磊 学术界的皇帝新衣 2009-3-31 491 这些从留洋回来的所谓海龟精英,有多少是人才中的次级债券。这些次级精英的漂亮简历中,掺了怎样的三聚氰胺。 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD :Comment on the Harvard story from Prof. Joel Rosenbaum 2009-4-1 452 耶鲁 Rosenbaum 教授的评论。顾左右而言它,避开实质科学问题,为自己实验室起源的 PKD 严重学术造假辩解。有关 PKD 集体造假的第一篇文章,就是和这个 Rosenbaum 教授发表的。 郭磊 PPR 哈佛PKD :一封给志明兄的信 2009-4-1 656 最后他 ( 耶鲁 Rosenbaum 教授 ) 哈佛 没有回答我的(科学)问题,自己找出我的实验室所在,拉着我的实验室老板,一起数落威胁我了一通 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD :open letter to PKD experts 2009-4-1 528 The N-ray affair is used as a cautionary tale among scientists on the dangers of error introduced by experimenter bias. Did a group of scientists from Harvard Medical School start another N-ray story from their publication at Nature Genetics 33, 129 - 137 (2003) ? 王志明 教授呼吁 PKD 专家踊跃对此事发表评论。 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD :给直接当事人的公开信 2009-4-2 738 在哈佛保持沉默的情况下,我们至少可以认为 ZHOU 就本事件发展到如此地步有不可推卸的责任,我们也可以进一步推论至少 ZHOU 的实验室重复不了本实验室以前的报道。 王志明 PPR 哈佛PKD :Comment on the Harvard story from Dr. James Whitfield 2009-4-2 532 James Whitfield 教授原话:根据 Prof. Xing-Zhen Chen 的评论, PC2 似 不是正常的纤毛成分。我们中间很多人都对肾脏细胞纤毛起源的钙介导的机械刺激引起的细胞信号写有(肯定赞美)的评论文章。为对这些人负责,这个问题必须被 清楚阐述。很显然,对郭磊博士相当严肃的观察,哈佛没有用哪怕是一点点的时间和精力去安排一次独立的受监督的实验去证实或否定。我对此表示震惊。 郭磊 PPR 哈佛PKD :回复志明兄 2009-4-3 685 这个案件的本质和问题在于集体造假。如果不是多人多个小组的参与,而就只是一个人或一个小组的造假或错误,其他人是不容易被误导的。但是,如果多个小组参与进来,就会有越来越多的人被误导和主动或被动地参与。 李亚辉 错杀一千不放过, 生物医药无小事 2009-4-3 599 郭磊 事件,已经不是一个学术事件了,媒体还软蛋,在观望,我真不知道,中国的媒体,到底除了当垃圾,还会有啥用。 政治丑闻、商业丑闻、医药丑闻,都是需要不遗余力的挖掘,狂轰乱炸,就是要有错杀一千,不能放过一个的劲头。 陈巨川 看看国外行家们造假的境界 2009-4-9 542 自信早已洞察这案子的预后,却对三件事感到意外:一是科学网编辑的胸怀,让读者饱了眼福;二是居然有 王志明 老师插手,而且卓有成效;三是难得有 Dr. James Whitfield 做了客观公正的评论。 郭磊 非集体造假指控不好玩博(1) 王志明兄 2009-4-15 842 借用王志明兄的一句话,哈佛出次学术 造假 有什么了不起?了不起的是哈佛大学可以集体造假,更了不起的是 PKD 领域可以集体造假。 王志明 如果集体造假指控是指所有的人... 2009-4-16 406 我建议 郭磊 教授只就某具体文章提出造假指控,而我就可以就此继续 PPR 。如果一篇文章造假成立,就会引起连锁反应。 我对哈佛 PKD 的 PPR ,可能会拖上比较长的时间,会被其他一些话题打断。希望 郭磊 教授和任何对此关注的人有耐心。 郭磊 博王志明兄博文如果集体造假指控是指所有的人 2009-4-16 1121 我用了集体二字,是表示这个造假涉及和蔓延的范围之广。正因为其蔓延之广,揭露之才有难度,我才觉得公开揭露之很有意义,很好玩。关于为什么能蔓延的如此之广的原因,我在 九阴真经是如何练成的 一文有所探讨。 郭磊 千人计划和集团式造假 ――千人计划成功实施的关键 2009-4-19 2993 千人计划能否成功的关键是人才选拔机制。而人才选拔的关键是成果评价机制。成果评价机制的关键在于如何鉴别国外一流科研机构中并不少见的集团式学术造假。 此文也被科学网置顶为头版头栏博文。
最近网上热议李连达院士课题组造假一事。在这场声讨李连达院士课题组造假的全民大运动中,我发现其中很多的文章充满了对国内现行学术打假制度缺失或执行不力的指责。他们每每行文,必称如在美国遇到此类事情,会如何如何。我读了以后,总觉得此类评论,像作者们坐井观天梦呓般之臆语,很是苍白无力得有点可笑。最近我在哈佛医学院揭露了一起学术造假,因而不幸亲历了美国调查和处理学术造假的过程。现将情况简介如下。希望大家能通过此文,多少明白我国当今在科学技术方面,特别是科研造假技术方面,和美国等发达国家的真实差距所在。国内造假后进们,实应好好学习,努力提高科研造假技术。千万不要再像李连达课题组一样低水平造假,以致被洋大人们轻易揭露,使我国科技界脸面尽失。 (以下是英文版故事,我在Nature,The Scientist等杂志的网上评论上发过,但马上就被删除了。在PKD的交流网上也发过,虽然不少人对我的故事表示相信,但他们也无能为力(他们知识有限,自身重病缠身)。我多次联系他们,最后他们把我介绍到PKD Foundation(多囊肾基金会)。PKD基金会刚开始根本没理会,后来可能在病人的强烈要求下,由一个病人的妈妈(也是PKD基金会的雇员)代表他们主席发个了语焉不详的并有虚假内容的statement,掩盖PKD界内如此重大的弄虚作假,以平息病人的怒气。并又把此事推给了哈佛医学院。我将在随后的时间里介绍PKD基因会主席的statement, 并分析她为什么伪造有虚假内容的statement。中文版请见博文发生在哈佛大学的一起严重学术造假。两个版本分别写成,内容互相补充。) Dear PKD community, I am writing to you to ask for assistance in fighting with massive and egregious PKD research misconduct and to uncover truth in PKD (Polycystic Kidney Diseases) research. I think the PKD community/families might be one of the groups who would be greatly concerned with massive falsification and fabrication in PKD research and might provide moral support to a whistle blower of PKD research misconduct. I was a biomedical scientist who complained about massive and egregious research misconduct in PKD research in Harvard Medical School (HMS) and was thus retaliated against for my whistle blowing by the institute. Harvard Medical Schoolis still on a track to try to cover up the egregious research misconduct and retaliation case. I am a biologist originally from China. I was a research fellow in PKD laboratory in Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. As one of my major contributions, I identified and cloned multiple novel PKD gene homologues and created and characterized multiple novel PKD gene knockout models. In recent years, a major research breakthrough had been published in PKD field. That is, almost all PKD proteins were immunolocalized on primary cilia of kidney epithelial cells. In Human, mutation in either one of two PKD genes (PKD1 or PKD2) causes Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). Both PKD1 and PKD2 proteins had been immunolocalized on primary cilia of the kidney epithelial cells. The first paper that claimed PKD2 immunolocalization on primary cilia was published in 2002 in Current Biology Journal. In 2003, a paper from Dr. Zhou's lab published in Nature Genetics. This paper confirmed both Pkd1 and Pkd2 proteins are localized on primary cilia and further develop the story by provided data showing ADPKD proteins function as mechanical sensor of fluid flow on primary cilia. The published data showed that, the deficiency of the function of PKD1 and/or PKD2 protein on the primary cilia would lead to the deficiency of mechanical sensation of primary cilia in kidney epithelia, eventually the epithelia of the kidney tubule start to grow and cysts is generated. As a research fellow working on PKD, I was asked by my principle investigator, Dr. Jing Zhou, to do PKD research on this direction of PKD research. In early 2006, after repetitive experiments, I started to see more and more evidences showing that immunolocalization of polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 on primary cilia on kidney cells might be false or fake. I first found the evidences showing that the polycystin-2 immunostaining on primary cilium of kidney epithelial cells might be caused by nonspecific binding of the primary antibodies and thus could be false. These results explained why many fellows experienced the difficulty in repeating the immunolocalization of polycystin-1 or -2 on the primary cilia of kidney cells. I reported the results in the laboratory several times since those irreproducible data severely hindered the progress of my research. I also made complaints that nonspecific binding of antibody caused artifact results several times to Dr. Jing Zhou. But Dr. Jing Zhou seemed not very concerned about my complaints. She cannot explain what I saw in the scientific experiments and ignored my complaint and pushed me to do research on the ciliary PKD story. According to my findings, I suspected that Drs. Li, Nauli and Zhou might be involved in fabrication or falsification by omitting these critical negative data or results. I felt it was not right to do that since falsification of scientific data about polycystic kidney diseases would directly and indirectly endanger the interests and safety of the PKD patients. During the daily interaction with my colleagues, I also found evidences that they were falsifying and fabricating scientific data.It was also scientifically obvious that, in some published papers, the cilia stories were flawed. For example, in one of the papers, the authors stated that in PKD knockout cells, the calcium wave response to fluid flow was abolished. However, according to my observation and findings, the truth is, calcium wave response was intact in either PKD1 or PKD2 knockout cells. In the papers, the authors obviously chose a portion of negative result to represent the PKD1/PKD2 knockout cells. This kind of research conduct, if done intentionally, was definitely scientific misconduct. In May and June, 2006, I started to report to Dr. Joseph Bonventre, the director of renal division that there might be egregious research misconduct occurred in the lab. Soon after that, I was threatened by Dr. Jing Zhou several times that I would lose my position if I still stick to my scientific opinion. Dr. Bonventre seemed reluctant to pursue the scientific misconduct and just tell Dr. Jing Zhou. He was one of the principle investigators in an NIH-funded grant lead by Dr. Jing Zhou. Afterwards, as I continued working on the projects, I found more evidences that previous publications in the field might contain false or even falsified or fabricated data. On March 27, 2007, I sent an email to Dr. Margaret L. Dale, the officer of research integrity of Harvard Medical School raising the issues of research misconducts and authorship argument in the laboratory. I also sent an email to Dr. Bonventre stating the same issues. On April 12, 2007, I met with Dr. Dale and Partners attorney Chris Clark to raise the issues of falsifications and/or fabrications in the laboratory and the related authorship issues. I didn't receive any following-up message until May 8, I sent an email to Dr. Dale to inquire the consequence of their investigation. On the same day, Dr. Dale replied to me saying that she was still contactingDr. Bonventre to set up a time to talk about this issue. On May 14, 2007, I received an email from Dr. Jing Zhou asking me leave my position. The email was also sent to Dr. Bonventre. I immediately responded to her email to say her email was not right and not appropriate. I felt I was under retaliatory action. I wrote emails to Dr. Dale to make the allegation that I was retaliated against by Dr. Jing Zhou because of my reporting of research misconduct of her laboratory. On June 21, 2007, Dr. Bonventre, Dr. Dale and I met in Dr. Bonventre's office. I was told by Dr. Bonventre that I had to leave on a designated date. I said I still felt that forcing me leave on a designated date was retaliatory action to my reporting of research misconducts in the laboratory. To obtain more time to protect my visa status and to accomplish more research, I had to agree to sign the letter. I then had to write to Dr. Dale to ask for immediate protection from the retaliatory action taken against me after I complained about the research misconduct. Dr. Dale replied to me that it was not retaliation because my complaint on April 12, 2007 was not formal allegation. I was shocked by her words. I suffered severe emotional distress in those days. But I still stuck to my scientific opinion that PKD cilia connection was false. I continue making research misconduct complaints to numerous officials in the institute. On Oct 17th, Dr. Jing Zhou came to me and asked me to go to her office. She threatened me by saying that everything going upper level would come back to her. I had to leave her office in order not to hear more threats from her. As arranged, on Oct 26, Dr. Handin, the vice chair of department of Medicine of BWH, Dr Zhou, and I met in his office. Dr. Handin first said that he thought there was no research misconduct and there was no retaliation against me and I had to leave in Feb, 2008. During the meeting, He kept persuading me to drop my allegations by saying that Can you put this in your CV even if you can prove there is research misconduct? and threatened me by saying How will you pay bills after March 1st, 2008, etc. He also said to me with scornful tone, You told so many people, nobody thought there was falsification or fabrication. Are you crazy? I thought the meeting was not fair to me and refused to withdraw the allegations. On Nov 14, 2007, I reported the research misconduct and the retaliation against me to office of research integrity (ORI) at Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), USA. However, ORI, knowing that I was complaining to be retaliated against by Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital, just request HMS/BWH to conduct self investigation. On Jan 5, 2008, the vice president of BWH sent me a mail. In the mail, she said that they would start to investigate the research misconduct and retaliation issues. Before investigation, Dr. Bierer, vice president of BWH, asserted the research misconduct and the retaliation were two separate things thus should be investigated separately. I raised the concerns about the fairness of the inside panels and the procedure of the investigations. She also threatened me that I would have to leave my position before any investigation started. On Feb 11, 2008, due to the tremendous pressure from the officials from BWH/HMS, I suffered from severe illness, so I sent Dr. Bierer an email to tell her that I was ill. After knowing my illness, Dr. Bierer pressed me again by sending me an email to say that my administrative leave date would be moved up. Since then, I had to see doctors for several times to prevent my illness worsening. I received the inside panel's investigation report on June 27, 2008. The report contained some false statements, ignored some important facts. It is an extremely unfair, unjust and biased report. The facts I discovered that the PKD proteins on primary cilia were false were of significant interests to PKD and field and patients. In recent years, National Institutes of Health had invested millions of money in the research along the direction of PKD and cilia connection. PKD foundation also invested tens of thousands of US dollar in this direction. Everyone (including patients and scientists) was expecting breakthrough on pathogenesis and therapy of PKD by pursuing this direction. Many thought this could be the right direction to cure the PKD, provided the PKD and cilia connection were true. However, if the allegation I made be confirmed, the event might be one of the most egregious, notorious and massive research misconducts that involving multiple previously very prestigious institutions. However, as the whistle blower in PKD field, I had been fighting with extreme difficulties. From what they had acted, it was easy to tell that they knew clearly there was egregious and mass research misconduct in the PKD field as I reported. But Harvard Medical School chose to cover up the mass research misconduct, ignoring all of the normal procedure in protecting the whistle blower's legal right. Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital also got involved in imposing severe retaliation and threats against a good-faith whistle blower. I reported the research misconduct to Harvard Medical School on April 2007. I had seen Harvard Medical School was slow in trying to investigate the research misconduct. On the contrary, Harvard Medical School was extremely speedy in retaliation against a whistle blower. Officials in Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women's Hospital started to seek to terminate me in a matter of days after I made the misconduct complaints with the internal officer of research integrity, Dr. Dale on April 12, 2007. The investigation panel to research misconduct had their first meeting on June, 2008, 4 months later after the job of whistle blower was terminated by Dr. Bierer, the vice president of BWH. After my job was terminated, they started to investigate into the research misconduct allegation I raised, asking me providing related information which would be only available to me when I was at work. Obviously, the inside panel was intentionally set up to cover up this egregious and massive research misconduct and retaliation case. To help yourself understand the essence of this PKD research misconduct, you should also consult your doctors, or other scientists/professors in the biomedical field.