A taxonomic note on the authorship and date of valid publication of Rhodococcus sputi.
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Authorship of the name Rhodococcus sputi is variously attributed to Tsukamura 1978 or Tsukamura and Yano 1985. DNA-DNA binding data indicate that this species and Rhodococcus obuensis Tsukamura 1983 and Rhodococcus chubuensis Tsukamura 1983 are subjective (heterotypic) synonyms. Although these organisms have been placed in the genus Gordonia as Gordonia sputi, the correct name of the taxon created by unification of these three species is directly affected by the date of valid publication of these species as members of the genus Rhodococcus. Thus, the name R. sputi only has priority if the authorship is attributed to Tsukamura 1978. The question of authorship and priority is clarified in the present work. (+info)
Scientific dishonestry: European reflections.
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Scientific dishonesty has attracted increased attention around the world during the past three to four decades. Europe became aware of the problem later than the USA, but has within the past 10 years created national control systems for all biomedical projects, not only those supported by public money. The prevalence of the problem can only be calculated indirectly by referring to population figures as denominators. Measured this way, figures from Denmark as a whole show: 1-2 cases referred/million inhabitants/year, 1 case treated/million inhabitants/year, 1 case of scientific dishonesty/million inhabitants/5 years. For Finland, 1-2 cases were referred/million inhabitants/1-2 years; for Norway, similar figures of 1/4 million inhabitants/year were calculated. Figures from the Danish national independent control body 1993-7 show the distribution of the types of cases that were charged, with numbers of confirmed cases in parentheses: fabrication, 2 (1); plagiarism, 3 (0); theft, 2 (0); ghost authorship, 2 (1); false methodological description, 3 (1); twisted statistics, 2 (0); suppression of existing data, 4 (0); unwarranted use of data, 4 (0); and authorship problems, 8 (1). This survey emphasises the need for national guidelines, an independent national control body, and initiatives for strong preventive actions. (+info)
A bibliometric evaluation of European Union research of the respiratory system from 1987-1998.
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This study analyses the evolution of the bibliometric indicators of productivity and repercussion of European Union (EU) research into the respiratory system during the period from 1987-1998, describing the geographical distribution. Using MedLine, a selection was made of those articles by EU authors published between 1987-1998 in 38 respiratory system journals (classification from the Institute for Scientific Information). The journals, country of origin, number of articles and the relation to socioeconomic data, productivity index, visibility index, expected impact factor (EIF) and relative impact factor (RIF) were all analysed. The number of EU publications in respiratory system journals experienced an exponential increase, going from 606 articles (14.3% of world production) in 1987, to 2,325 (33.2%) in 1998. During this same period, the EIF increased from 1,258 to 2,111. The greatest gross productivities were those of the UK, France, Italy and Germany, although when corrected for number of inhabitants, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark headed the list. The countries with the greatest mean EIF were the Netherlands, the UK, Spain and Belgium. In conclusion, productivity and repercussions of European Union research of the respiratory system experienced an important increase during this period. (+info)
BMJ response to Dr. Gupta.
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We sent a questionnaire survey to a random sample of 125 correspondents to the BMJ who had previously sent a letter which had been rejected. The objective was to evaluate the policy of sending on some unpublished letters to the authors of the articles to which they referred. There were 94 replies, a response rate of 75%. The key finding was that although most respondents agreed with the policy, a third thought it unconstructive. A quarter of the respondents said that the BMJ policy would discourage them from sending a letter to the journal for publication. This survey has led to a change of policy at the BMJ. Letters which are not published are not now sent on to the authors of the original articles. (+info)
Writing for publication--a guide for new authors.
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Health care practitioners who are inexperienced in writing for publication are sometimes daunted by the publication process and fail to submit their work on quality improvement to a journal. New authors can acquire experience in writing a paper by working through a systematic thought process that includes consideration of what journal readers and editors want and if the work is ready for publication. The most important part of writing a paper is to think through the key ideas and messages for readers and then to organize the ideas into a logical structure. Writing clear answers to 10 key questions may be one way to start the process. (+info)
Longevity of screenwriters who win an academy award: longitudinal study.
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OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the link between high success and longevity extends to academy award winning screenwriters. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. PARTICIPANTS: All screenwriters ever nominated for an academy award. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Life expectancy and all cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 850 writers were nominated; the median duration of follow up from birth was 68 years; and 428 writers died. On average, winners were more successful than nominees, as indicated by a 14% longer career (27.7 v 24.2, P=0.004), 34% more total films (23.2 v 17.3, P<0.001), 58% more four star films (4.8 v 3.1, P<0.001), and 62% more nominations (2.1 v 1.3, P<0.001). However, life expectancy was 3.6 years shorter for winners than for nominees (74.1 v 77.7 years, P=0.004), equivalent to a 37% relative increase in death rates (95% confidence interval 10 to 70). After adjustment for year of birth, sex, and other factors, a 35% relative increase in death rates was found (7% to 70%). Additional wins were associated with a 22% relative increase in death rates (3% to 44%). Additional nominations and additional other films in a career otherwise caused no significant increase in death rates. CONCLUSION: The link between occupational achievement and longevity is reversed in screenwriters who win academy awards. Doubt is cast on simple biological theories for the survival gradients found for other members of society. (+info)
Reporting clinical trials: full access to all the data.
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Authors' right to access to all data obtained in their study (+info)
Obtaining journal reprints: the 'dos' and 'don'ts'.
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In a search for knowledge, and to expand their own work, scientists and academicians have depended on the work of colleagues with similar interests. While attending conferences enables one to acquire useful knowledge, the information so gained is unlikely to be lasting. Furthermore, many persons learn better by reading than by listening, and reading can be done at one's own convenience. These and many other reasons account for the increasing number of reprints requested by researchers, and in medicine, by practicing clinicians. (+info)