Office of the Secretary April 30, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency008 Disaster Recovery Assistance Files System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency to collect and maintain records on applicants for its Disaster Assistance programs that provide financial and other tangible assistance to survivors of Presidentially-declared disasters. As a result of a biennial review of this system, this system of records notice has been updated as follows: Legal authorities have been added to account for all assistance that applicants may be eligible for and receive from FEMA; categories of records and record source categories reference and reflect new FEMA form numbers and account for all relevant records of assistance received from FEMA and other entities; categories of individuals more accurately reflect the individuals covered by the various programs covered by this system and explain that, although anyone may apply for the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) assistance, there are citizenship requirements tied to IHP eligibility; the purpose has been clarified to include other assistance programs in addition to IHP and to also include customer satisfaction assessments; routine uses have been revised to name tribal government agencies as potential recipients to comport with section 1110 of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013 (Pub. L. 113-2); ensure recipients of information are identified in a consistent manner; expand the universe of potential recipients identified in current routine uses; incorporate congressionally mandated routine uses per 42 U.S.C. 5714(f)(2) as to sharing information with the States; and to delete the requirement that all routine use requests be made in writing; changes have been made to the retention and disposal of the records; and the record source categories have been updated to reflect housing forms not previously listed. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case: Matthew Poore, Advanced Liquid Logic Inc.: Based on the report of an inquiry conducted by Advanced Liquid Logic Inc. (Liquid Logic), the Respondent's admission, and additional analysis conducted by ORI, ORI found that Mr. Matthew Poore, former Technician, Liquid Logic, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), contract HHSN272200900030C. ORI found that the Respondent engaged in research misconduct by falsifying data that were included in one (1) presentation and one (1) report to NIAID and in laboratory records at Liquid Logic. ORI finds that Respondent knowingly and intentionally falsified reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results by reporting the results from previous experiments as the actual results, when the experiments had not been performed. Specifically: In Liquid Logic laboratory documents, the Respondent falsified the RT-PCR results of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral loads in whole blood patient samples by falsely changing previous results for two (2) samples from negative to positive and one (1) sample from positive to negative. The latter falsified sample result, changed from HIV positive to negative, was included in an April 1-June 30, 2012, quarterly report and a July 12, 2012, presentation to NIAID. In Liquid Logic laboratory documents, the Respondent falsified the RT-PCR whole blood lysis results of testing samples as 100 and 200 HIV viral copies per milliliter, when the experiments were not performed by the Respondent. These falsified results were included in an April 1-June 30, 2012, quarterly report to NIAID. In Liquid Logic laboratory documents, the Respondent falsified the graphs of RT-PCR results of the Escherichia coli bacteriophage MS2, an internal control, viral loads for three (3) clinical samples, when the results were actually from prior experiments of two (2) controls and one (1) unrelated clinical sample. The Respondent falsified the MS2 graphs in an effort to conceal that RT-PCR experiments of the clinical samples had not been performed. Mr. Poore has entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement and has voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years, beginning on April 1, 2013: (1) To have his research supervised; Respondent agreed that prior to the submission of an application for U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) support for a research project on which his participation is proposed and prior to his participation in any capacity on PHS- supported research, Respondent shall ensure that a plan for supervision of his duties is submitted to ORI for approval; the supervision plan must be designed to ensure the scientific integrity of his research contribution; he agreed that he shall not participate in any PHS- supported research until such a supervision plan is submitted to and approved by ORI; Respondent agreed to maintain responsibility for compliance with the agreed upon supervision plan; and (2) To exclude himself voluntarily 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 a consultant.