Findings of Scientific Misconduct, 16308-16309 [E6-4688]

Download as PDF 16308 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 62 / Friday, March 31, 2006 / Notices protected through https:// www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https:// www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https:// www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https:// www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in https:// www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the U.S. EPA Region 4 office located at 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Regional office is open from 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Written comments may be submitted to Ms. Batchelor within 30 calendar days of the date of this publication. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula V. Batchelor at 404/562–8887. Dated: March 22, 2006. Rosalind H. Brown, Chief, Superfund Enforcement & Information Management Branch, Waste Management Division. [FR Doc. 06–3131 Filed 3–30–06; 8:45 am] dsatterwhite on PROD1PC76 with NOTICES BILLING CODE 6560–50–M FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Notice of Sunshine Act Meetings Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 10 a.m. This Meeting SPECIAL EXECUTIVE SESSION: VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:35 Mar 30, 2006 Jkt 208001 Was Closed To The Public Pursuant To 11 CFR 2.4(b)(1) and 2.4(b)(2). PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED OPEN MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2006: The Meeting Hour Was Changed To 2 p.m. DATE AND TIME: Friday, April 7, 2006 at 10 a.m. PLACE: 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC (Ninth Floor) STATUS: This Meeting Will Be Open To The Public. ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED: Correction and Approval of Minutes. Final Rules on Coordinated Communications. Routine Administrative Matters. Monday, April 10, 2006 at 10 a.m. PLACE: 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC (Ninth Floor) STATUS: This Meeting Will Be Open To The Public. ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED: Advisory Opinion 2006–07: Representative J. D. Hayworth on behalf of J. D. Hayworth for Congress. Advisory Opinion 2006–08: Matthew Brooks by counsel, Craig Engle. Advisory Opinion 2006–09: The American Institute for Certified Public Accountants and The American Institute for Certified Public Accounts Political Action Committee by counsel, Russell L. Smith. Audit Status—Title 26. OPEN MEETING, CONTINUED: Final Audit Report on CWA COPE Political Contributions Committee. Routine Administrative Matters. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Biersack, Press Officer, Telephone: (202) 694–1220. DATE AND TIME: Mary W. Dove, Secretary of the Commission [FR Doc. 06–3153 Filed 3–29–06; 10:38 am] BILLING CODE 6715–01–M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the Secretary Findings of Scientific Misconduct Office of the Secretary, HHS. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that on February 28, 2006, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Debarring Official, on behalf of the Secretary of HHS, issued a final notice of debarment based on the scientific misconduct findings of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) in the following case: PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Susan M. Aronica, PhD, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis: Based on the evidence and findings of an investigation report by Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and additional analysis conducted by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) in its oversight review, ORI found that Susan M. Aronica, Ph.D., former Postdoctoral Student/Fellow, IUPUI, committed 21 acts of scientific misconduct by knowingly and intentionally falsifying and fabricating data in her notebooks, in 17 figures and figure panels, in two tables published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry (J. Biol. Chem. 270:21998–22007, 1995) and Blood (Blood 89:3582–3595, 1997), and in two figures in a manuscript submitted for publication to Blood in August 1997. ORI issued a charge letter enumerating the above findings of scientific misconduct. However, Dr. Aronica requested a hearing to dispute these findings to the Departmental Appeals Board. Based upon the insufficiency of Dr. Aronica’s hearing request, ORI filed a Motion to Dismiss. On February 10, 2006, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ruled in ORI’s favor by dismissing Dr. Aronica’s request for a hearing. ORI’s research misconduct regulation specifically delineates the requisite content for an acceptable hearing request. A sustainable hearing request must admit or deny each finding of research misconduct, and each denial must be detailed and substantive. 42 CFR 93.501(c). Dr. Aronica’s hearing request contained only a general denial of the proposed findings. The regulation states that a general denial is not sufficient to establish a genuine dispute. 42 CFR 93.503. The regulation also states that the ALJ must dismiss a hearing request if the respondent does not raise a genuine dispute over facts or law material to the research misconduct findings. 42 CFR 93.504(a)(2). The ALJ concluded that the determination of whether the hearing request raises a genuine dispute is a threshold jurisdictional determination. Thus, the ALJ decided that Dr. Aronica’s request did not show a genuine dispute, because it did not specifically deny any allegation. As a result, the ALJ concluded that Dr. Aronica’s hearing request could not be granted, but was required to be dismissed pursuant to 42 CFR 93.504(a)(2). Specifically, ORI found that Dr. Aronica falsified and fabricated data in: • Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6A, and 6B, and Tables III and IV in: Aronica, S.M., Mantel, C., Gonin, R., Marshall, M.S., Sarris, A., Cooper, S., E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1 dsatterwhite on PROD1PC76 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 62 / Friday, March 31, 2006 / Notices Hague, N., Zhang, X., & Broxmeyer, H.E. ‘‘Interferon-inducible Protein 10 and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 a Inhibit Growth Factor Stimulation of Raf-1 Kinase Activity and Protein Synthesis in a Human Growth Factordependent Hematopoietic Cell Line.’’ JBC 270:21998–22007, 1995 (September 15) (‘‘JBC paper’’). • Figures 1 (both panels), 3A, 3B, 3D, 3E, 4A, and 8A in: Aronica, S.M., Gingras, A.C., Sonenberg, N., Cooper, S., Hague, N., & Broxmeyer, H.E. ‘‘Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 a and Interferon-inducible Protein 10 Inhibit Synergistically Induced Growth Factor Stimulation of MAP Kinase Activity and Suppress Phosphorylation of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E and 4E Binding Protein 1.’’ Blood 89:3582– 3595, 1997 (May 15) (‘‘Blood paper’’). • Figures 1B and 2B in: Aronica, S.M., Reid, S.L., & Broxmeyer, H.E. ‘‘Chemokine Inhibition of StressActivated Kinase Activity in a Human Hematopoietic Cell Line.’’ Blood, submitted August 4, 1997 (‘‘Blood manuscript’’). The research was supported by or reported in the following U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health: • RO1 HL49202, ‘‘Myeloid Regulation by Growth-Suppressing Cytokines.’’ • R01 HL54037, ‘‘Stem Cell Transduction of SLF/FLT–3–Ligand Genes by AAV.’’ • R01 HL56416, ‘‘Mechanisms of Synergistic Regulation of Stem/ Progenitors.’’ • T32 DK07519, ‘‘Regulation of Hematopoietic Cell Production.’’ The following administrative actions have been implemented: (1) Dr. Aronica has been debarred from any contracting or subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility or involvement in nonprocurement programs of the United States Government referred to as ‘‘covered transactions’’ as defined in the debarment regulations at 45 CFR part 76 for a period of five (5) years, beginning on February 10, 2006; (2) Dr. Aronica is prohibited from serving in any advisory capacity to PHS including but not limited to service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as consultant for a period of five (5) years, beginning on February 10, 2006; and (3) Within 60 days of February 10, 2006, the authors of the following papers will be requested to submit a VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:35 Mar 30, 2006 Jkt 208001 letter to the editors of Journal of Biological Chemistry and Blood, requesting their retraction of: • Aronica, S.M., Mantel, C., Gonin, R., Marshall, M., Sarris, A., Cooper, S., Hague, N., Zhang, X-f., & Broxmeyer, H.E. ‘‘Interferon-Inducible Protein 10 and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein1 a inhibit Growth Factor Stimulation of Raf–1 Kinase Activity and Protein Synthesis in a Human Growth FactorDependent Hematopoietic Cell Line.’’ J. Biol. Chem. 270:21998–22007, 1995. • Aronica, S.M., Gingras, A.-C., Sonenberg, N., Cooper, S., Hague, N., and Broxmeyer, H.E. ‘‘Macrophage Inflammatory Protein–1 a and Interferon-Inducible Protein 10 Inhibit Synergistically Induced Growth Factor Stimulation of MAP Kinase Activity and Suppress Phosphorylation of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E and 4# Binding Protein 1.’’ Blood 89:3582–3595, 1997. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852. (240) 453–8800. Chris B. Pascal, Director, Office of Research Integrity. [FR Doc. E6–4688 Filed 3–30–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160–17–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration on Aging Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Semi-Annual and Final Reporting Requirements for the Older Americans Act Title IV Discretionary Grant Program Administration on Aging, HHS. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The Administration on Aging (AoA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of Information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to Performance Progress Reports for Title IV grantees. DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of information by May 30, 2006. PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16309 Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: greg.case@aoa.hhs.gov. Submit written comments on the collection of information to Greg Case, Administration on Aging, Washington, DC 20201 or by fax to (202) 357–3469. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Case at (202) 357–3442 or greg.case@aoa.hhs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. ‘‘Collection of information’’ is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency request or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, AoA is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, AoA invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of AoA’s functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of AoA’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. AoA plans to submit to the Office of Management and Budget for approval Guidelines for Preparing Performance Reports for Grants Supported by Title IV of the Older Americans Act. These guidelines provide instructions for semi-annual and final performance reporting pursuant to requirements in Title IV of the Older Americans Act. Through its Title IV Program, the Administration on Aging (AoA) supports projects for the purpose of developing and testing new knowledge and program innovations with the potential for contributing to the wellADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 62 (Friday, March 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16308-16309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4688]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Scientific Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that on February 28, 2006, the 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Debarring Official, on 
behalf of the Secretary of HHS, issued a final notice of debarment 
based on the scientific misconduct findings of the U.S. Public Health 
Service (PHS) in the following case:
    Susan M. Aronica, PhD, Indiana University Purdue University 
Indianapolis: Based on the evidence and findings of an investigation 
report by Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and 
additional analysis conducted by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) 
in its oversight review, ORI found that Susan M. Aronica, Ph.D., former 
Postdoctoral Student/Fellow, IUPUI, committed 21 acts of scientific 
misconduct by knowingly and intentionally falsifying and fabricating 
data in her notebooks, in 17 figures and figure panels, in two tables 
published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry (J. Biol. Chem. 
270:21998-22007, 1995) and Blood (Blood 89:3582-3595, 1997), and in two 
figures in a manuscript submitted for publication to Blood in August 
1997.
    ORI issued a charge letter enumerating the above findings of 
scientific misconduct. However, Dr. Aronica requested a hearing to 
dispute these findings to the Departmental Appeals Board. Based upon 
the insufficiency of Dr. Aronica's hearing request, ORI filed a Motion 
to Dismiss.
    On February 10, 2006, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ruled in 
ORI's favor by dismissing Dr. Aronica's request for a hearing. ORI's 
research misconduct regulation specifically delineates the requisite 
content for an acceptable hearing request. A sustainable hearing 
request must admit or deny each finding of research misconduct, and 
each denial must be detailed and substantive. 42 CFR 93.501(c). Dr. 
Aronica's hearing request contained only a general denial of the 
proposed findings. The regulation states that a general denial is not 
sufficient to establish a genuine dispute. 42 CFR 93.503. The 
regulation also states that the ALJ must dismiss a hearing request if 
the respondent does not raise a genuine dispute over facts or law 
material to the research misconduct findings. 42 CFR 93.504(a)(2). The 
ALJ concluded that the determination of whether the hearing request 
raises a genuine dispute is a threshold jurisdictional determination. 
Thus, the ALJ decided that Dr. Aronica's request did not show a genuine 
dispute, because it did not specifically deny any allegation. As a 
result, the ALJ concluded that Dr. Aronica's hearing request could not 
be granted, but was required to be dismissed pursuant to 42 CFR 
93.504(a)(2).
    Specifically, ORI found that Dr. Aronica falsified and fabricated 
data in:
     Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6A, and 6B, and Tables III 
and IV in: Aronica, S.M., Mantel, C., Gonin, R., Marshall, M.S., 
Sarris, A., Cooper, S.,

[[Page 16309]]

Hague, N., Zhang, X., & Broxmeyer, H.E. ``Interferon-inducible Protein 
10 and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 [alpha] Inhibit Growth Factor 
Stimulation of Raf-1 Kinase Activity and Protein Synthesis in a Human 
Growth Factor-dependent Hematopoietic Cell Line.'' JBC 270:21998-22007, 
1995 (September 15) (``JBC paper'').
     Figures 1 (both panels), 3A, 3B, 3D, 3E, 4A, and 8A in: 
Aronica, S.M., Gingras, A.C., Sonenberg, N., Cooper, S., Hague, N., & 
Broxmeyer, H.E. ``Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 [alpha] and 
Interferon-inducible Protein 10 Inhibit Synergistically Induced Growth 
Factor Stimulation of MAP Kinase Activity and Suppress Phosphorylation 
of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E and 4E Binding Protein 1.'' Blood 
89:3582-3595, 1997 (May 15) (``Blood paper'').
     Figures 1B and 2B in: Aronica, S.M., Reid, S.L., & 
Broxmeyer, H.E. ``Chemokine Inhibition of Stress-Activated Kinase 
Activity in a Human Hematopoietic Cell Line.'' Blood, submitted August 
4, 1997 (``Blood manuscript'').
    The research was supported by or reported in the following U.S. 
Public Health Service (PHS) grants from the National Institute of 
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National 
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of 
Health:
     RO1 HL49202, ``Myeloid Regulation by Growth-Suppressing 
Cytokines.''
     R01 HL54037, ``Stem Cell Transduction of SLF/FLT-3-Ligand 
Genes by AAV.''
     R01 HL56416, ``Mechanisms of Synergistic Regulation of 
Stem/Progenitors.''
     T32 DK07519, ``Regulation of Hematopoietic Cell 
Production.''
    The following administrative actions have been implemented:
    (1) Dr. Aronica has been debarred from any contracting or 
subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from 
eligibility or involvement in nonprocurement programs of the United 
States Government referred to as ``covered transactions'' as defined in 
the debarment regulations at 45 CFR part 76 for a period of five (5) 
years, beginning on February 10, 2006;
    (2) Dr. Aronica is prohibited from serving in any advisory capacity 
to PHS including but not limited to service on any PHS advisory 
committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as consultant for a 
period of five (5) years, beginning on February 10, 2006; and
    (3) Within 60 days of February 10, 2006, the authors of the 
following papers will be requested to submit a letter to the editors of 
Journal of Biological Chemistry and Blood, requesting their retraction 
of:
     Aronica, S.M., Mantel, C., Gonin, R., Marshall, M., 
Sarris, A., Cooper, S., Hague, N., Zhang, X-f., & Broxmeyer, H.E. 
``Interferon-Inducible Protein 10 and Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 
[alpha] inhibit Growth Factor Stimulation of Raf-1 Kinase Activity and 
Protein Synthesis in a Human Growth Factor-Dependent Hematopoietic Cell 
Line.'' J. Biol. Chem. 270:21998-22007, 1995.
     Aronica, S.M., Gingras, A.-C., Sonenberg, N., Cooper, S., 
Hague, N., and Broxmeyer, H.E. ``Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 
[alpha] and Interferon-Inducible Protein 10 Inhibit Synergistically 
Induced Growth Factor Stimulation of MAP Kinase Activity and Suppress 
Phosphorylation of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E and 4 
Binding Protein 1.'' Blood 89:3582-3595, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 
750, Rockville, MD 20852. (240) 453-8800.

Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
 [FR Doc. E6-4688 Filed 3-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.