Comments on: Hey, There’s Some Crap In Your Teeth (Study) http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:55:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Ms. Clark http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2111 Ms. Clark Mon, 21 May 2007 03:13:14 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2111 I picture an elderly man who is dying of cancer helping Adams with this study. Why wasn't his death mentioned in the paper? I would think it would merit a footnote. No gratitude? I see all kinds of "thank yous" in papers and at the end of conference presentations... "I'd like to thank all my post-docs and undergrad assistants... my secretary and my former colleagues at Yale...." I picture an elderly man who is dying of cancer helping Adams with this study. Why wasn’t his death mentioned in the paper? I would think it would merit a footnote. No gratitude? I see all kinds of “thank yous” in papers and at the end of conference presentations… “I’d like to thank all my post-docs and undergrad assistants… my secretary and my former colleagues at Yale….”

]]> By: Do'C http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2105 Do'C Sun, 20 May 2007 16:15:27 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2105 Jennifer, I think there may actually be two different teeth studies (this one being the preliminary, and local) and the next (not published yet) being a national one. The more I think about it, I think the death of this co-author is irrelevant. <a href="http://autismdiva.blogspot.com/2007/05/weird-autism-science.html" rel="nofollow">Autism Diva comments on this too</a>. Jennifer,

I think there may actually be two different teeth studies (this one being the preliminary, and local) and the next (not published yet) being a national one. The more I think about it, I think the death of this co-author is irrelevant.

Autism Diva comments on this too.

]]> By: Joeymom http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2103 Joeymom Sun, 20 May 2007 13:06:27 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2103 Wow, my kid was not a sick a day until he was two years old, and didn't have antibiotics until he was almost three. He's been autistic since the day he was born. How does this chap explain my son's autism? Wow, my kid was not a sick a day until he was two years old, and didn’t have antibiotics until he was almost three. He’s been autistic since the day he was born. How does this chap explain my son’s autism?

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2101 Jennifer Sun, 20 May 2007 12:31:13 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2101 The death of one of the co-authors is not necessarily that important. If Dr. Legator had made a contribution to the concept of the study, it might still have been appropriate to put him as a co-author. What would be interesting is to see when the funding from the Autism Research Institute was awarded. If that funding was awarded after the death of Dr. Legator, then his contribution must have been very small. In fact, we know that they began to search for these baby teeth in <a href="http://www.eas.asu.edu/%7Eautism/initial%20letter%20to%20autism%20parents.htm" rel="nofollow">June 2006</a>, well after the death of Dr. Legator. However, there are whispers of a preliminary study underway as early as March 2004. The death of one of the co-authors is not necessarily that important. If Dr. Legator had made a contribution to the concept of the study, it might still have been appropriate to put him as a co-author. What would be interesting is to see when the funding from the Autism Research Institute was awarded. If that funding was awarded after the death of Dr. Legator, then his contribution must have been very small.

In fact, we know that they began to search for these baby teeth in June 2006, well after the death of Dr. Legator. However, there are whispers of a preliminary study underway as early as March 2004.

]]> By: matt http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2090 matt Sat, 19 May 2007 14:00:02 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2090 There are at least two possible approaches. Both are valid and both could be done. 1) Write up a "comment". This is a short paper that describes shortcommings in the paper. Think of the Lewadowski (sp?) comment on the Palmer study about linking mercury and educational data in Texas. 2) Write a letter to the publisher of the journal. Point out the conflict of interest the editor has in this subject. Include your comment (1) above if you like. This will point out that on issues of toxicology and autism the editor may be inclined to find softball referees or to not give the referee's comments as much weight. Point out that while this can lead to a number of citations which will help their "impact factor", the type of citations will be detrimental to the reputation of the journal. This is, of course, assuming that the citations are all either (a) pointing out problems in the paper or (b) other low quality "research". I only offer these ideas because when I read your blog entry I wanted to write something up myself--but that would be plagiarism! If you have any questions or want someone to read anything, let me know. I have published a few papers in my day. Matt There are at least two possible approaches. Both are valid and both could be done.

1) Write up a “comment”. This is a short paper that describes shortcommings in the paper. Think of the Lewadowski (sp?) comment on the Palmer study about linking mercury and educational data in Texas.

2) Write a letter to the publisher of the journal. Point out the conflict of interest the editor has in this subject. Include your comment (1) above if you like. This will point out that on issues of toxicology and autism the editor may be inclined to find softball referees or to not give the referee’s comments as much weight. Point out that while this can lead to a number of citations which will help their “impact factor”, the type of citations will be detrimental to the reputation of the journal. This is, of course, assuming that the citations are all either (a) pointing out problems in the paper or (b) other low quality “research”.

I only offer these ideas because when I read your blog entry I wanted to write something up myself–but that would be plagiarism!

If you have any questions or want someone to read anything, let me know. I have published a few papers in my day.

Matt

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2020 Jennifer Sat, 19 May 2007 01:41:06 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2020 Yes, please, do that. I can help. Jennifer Yes, please, do that. I can help.
Jennifer

]]> By: Catherina http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2015 Catherina Fri, 18 May 2007 06:59:14 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2015 Do'C, write this up neatly with the appropriate amount of snark and send it in to the journal as a "letter to the editor". It could be published, they could ask the authors for a "reply" (that should be interesting), and a letter to the editor will be indexed in PubMed and your excellent analysis will be very visible to a large scientific audience. good luck Do’C,

write this up neatly with the appropriate amount of snark and send it in to the journal as a “letter to the editor”. It could be published, they could ask the authors for a “reply” (that should be interesting), and a letter to the editor will be indexed in PubMed and your excellent analysis will be very visible to a large scientific audience.

good luck

]]> By: matt http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2008 matt Thu, 17 May 2007 19:11:09 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2008 You have enough here to publish a good comment--why not submit a paper as well as blog this? Matt You have enough here to publish a good comment–why not submit a paper as well as blog this?

Matt

]]> By: notmercury http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2004 notmercury Thu, 17 May 2007 14:59:00 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2004 So let's exhume Marvin and see if tooth Hg levels correlate to brain levels. So let’s exhume Marvin and see if tooth Hg levels correlate to brain levels.

]]> By: isles http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119&cpage=1#comment-2003 isles Thu, 17 May 2007 14:34:20 +0000 http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=119#comment-2003 NO WAY! Why don't they just put Dr. Spock on there as a co-author? If being dead and unable to protest is no barrier, they might as well have gotten a bigger name. Long-dead authors. This is a new low. I take back what I said about Adams being a well-intentioned boob. He's just as foul a slimebucket as the rest of them. NO WAY! Why don’t they just put Dr. Spock on there as a co-author? If being dead and unable to protest is no barrier, they might as well have gotten a bigger name.

Long-dead authors. This is a new low. I take back what I said about Adams being a well-intentioned boob. He’s just as foul a slimebucket as the rest of them.

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