The Chinese Publisher SCIRP (Scientific Research Publishing): A Publishing Empire Built on Junk Science

Another day, another report of a junk science article published by China-based publisher Scientific Research Publishing, or SCIRP. This publisher specializes in publishing junk cosmology and junk physics, but with this article, the publisher is branching out into junk medical science, specifically AIDS denialism.

The article is entitled “Basic Principles Underlying Human Physiology” ^[1], and you don’t have to be a scientist to know that it’s junk, for it is a manifestation of AIDS denialism. The conclusion’s first paragraph says,

HIV is not etiologically involved in AIDS. It is just a common retrovirus found in AIDS conjecturally. There is only AIDS that may be strictly associated neither to a primary immune deficiency nor to an acquired immune deficiency. Actually, heart failure represents the causal factor of AIDS and many other “primary” immune deficiencies (p. 1821).

The article is indexed in Google Scholar, of course.

The article has a single reference, and it’s to a 2007 article by the same author (Pavel) in a subscription journal that’s indexed by EBSCO.

The publisher SCIRP has a comment feature (Disqus) at the end of each article it publishes, and I have been told that comments left after this article questioning its scientific integrity have been deleted.

The article says that HIV does not cause AIDS, yet the article is branded as a scientific article. This means it’s a threat to public health, for it could lead to HIV transmission by anyone believing the paper’s conclusions. It’s immoral for SCIRP to publish such rubbish.

The author, Pavel, is currently sending out unsolicited emails to researchers in Europe, promoting the article.

The SCIRP Empire

China-based Scientific Research Publishing is a growing empire with four publishing imprints (brands) that I know of, plus one mega-journal that emulates PLOS ONE, published in both English and Chinese and with claimed offices in the United States, Canada, and China. The imprints include:

Scientific Research Publishing

Hans Publishers, Inc. (HansPub, 汉斯)

The mega-journal is OA Lib (Open Access Library).

There is also a possible connection between SCIRP and Sophia Publishing Group, based in British Columbia, but this connection is unclear:

Sophia Publishing Group (This is a meta-publisher, or platform, with the following two journal imprints):

BioPublisher

The 5th Publisher

I realize there may be some strong and honest articles published in SCIRP journals. However, these articles are devalued and stigmatized by association with all the junk science that SCIRP publishes. The authors of the good articles are being victimized by the publisher’s policy of publishing pseudoscientific articles like “Basic Principles Underlying Human Physiology.”

SCIRP only rarely retracts articles, preferring instead to protect the interests of its customers, the paying authors.

Hat tip: Deyan Yosifov

[1]. Pavel. Dumitru. (2014). Basic principles underlying human physiology. Health 6, 1816-1821.

Appendix

List of SCIRP journals as of 2014-12-13:

1. Advances in Aerospace Science and Technology
2. Advances in Aging Research
3. Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease
4. Advances in Anthropology
5. Advances in Applied Sociology
6. Advances in Biological Chemistry
7. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology
8. Advances in Breast Cancer Research
9. Advances in Chemical Engineering and Science
10. Advances in Computed Tomography
11. Advances in Entomology
12. Advances in Enzyme Research
13. Advances in Historical Studies
14. Advances in Infectious Diseases
15. Advances in Internet of Things
16. Advances in Journalism and Communication
17. Advances in Linear Algebra & Matrix Theory
18. Advances in Literary Study
19. Advances in Lung Cancer
20. Advances in Materials Physics and Chemistry
21. Advances in Microbiology
22. Advances in Molecular Imaging
23. Advances in Nanoparticles
24. Advances in Parkinson’s Disease
25. Advances in Physical Education
26. Advances in Pure Mathematics
27. Advances in Remote Sensing
28. Advances in Reproductive Sciences
29. Advances in Sexual Medicine
30. Agricultural Sciences
31. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry
32. American Journal of Climate Change
33. American Journal of Computational Mathematics
34. American Journal of Industrial and Business Management
35. American Journal of Molecular Biology
36. American Journal of Operations Research
37. American Journal of Plant Sciences
38. Applied Mathematics
39. Archaeological Discovery
40. Art and Design Review
41. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences
42. Beijing Law Review
43. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine
44. CellBio
45. Chinese Medicine
46. Chinese Studies
47. Circuits and Systems
48. Communications and Network
49. Computational Chemistry
50. Computational Molecular Bioscience
51. Computational Water, Energy, and Environmental Engineering
52. Creative Education
53. Crystal Structure Theory and Applications
54. Current Urban Studies
55. Detection
56. E-Health Telecommunication Systems and Networks
57. Energy and Materials for Aerospace Engineering
58. Energy and Power Engineering
59. Engineering
60. Food and Nutrition Sciences
61. Forensic Medicine and Anatomy Research
62. Geomaterials
63. Graphene
64. Green and Sustainable Chemistry
65. Health
66. iBusiness
67. InfraMatics
68. Intelligent Control and Automation
69. Intelligent Information Management
70. International Journal of Analytical Mass Spectrometry and Chromatography
71. International Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics
72. International Journal of Clean Coal and Energy
73. International Journal of Clinical Medicine
74. International Journal of Geosciences
75. International Journal of Intelligence Science
76. International Journal of Internet and Distributed Systems
77. International Journal of Medical Physics, Clinical Engineering and Radiation Oncology
78. International Journal of Modern Nonlinear Theory and Application
79. International Journal of Nonferrous Metallurgy
80. International Journal of Organic Chemistry
81. International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery
82. Int’l J. of Communications, Network and System Sciences
83. Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment
84. Journal of Analytical Sciences, Methods and Instrumentation
85. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics
86. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
87. Journal of Biomaterials and Nanobiotechnology
88. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering
89. Journal of Biophysical Chemistry
90. Journal of Biosciences and Medicines
91. Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research
92. Journal of Cancer Therapy
93. Journal of Computer and Communications
94. Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications
95. Journal of Crystallization Process and Technology
96. Journal of Data Analysis and Information Processing
97. Journal of Diabetes Mellitus
98. Journal of Electromagnetic Analysis and Applications
99. Journal of Electronics Cooling and Thermal Control
100. Journal of Encapsulation and Adsorption Sciences
101. Journal of Environmental Protection
102. Journal of Financial Risk Management
103. Journal of Flow Control, Measurement & Visualization
104. Journal of Geographic Information System
105. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection
106. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies
107. Journal of Immune Based Therapies, Vaccines and Antimicrobials
108. Journal of Information Security
109. Journal of Intelligent Learning Systems and Applications
110. Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering
111. Journal of Mathematical Finance
112. Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering
113. Journal of Modern Physics
114. Journal of Power and Energy Engineering
115. Journal of Quantum Information Science
116. Journal of Sensor Technology
117. Journal of Service Science and Management
118. Journal of Signal and Information Processing
119. Journal of Software Engineering and Applications
120. Journal of Surface Engineered Materials and Advanced Technology
121. Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems
122. Journal of Textile Science and Technology
123. Journal of Transportation Technologies
124. Journal of Tuberculosis Research
125. Journal of Water Resource and Protection
126. Low Carbon Economy
127. Materials Sciences and Applications
128. Microscopy Research
129. Modeling and Numerical Simulation of Material Science
130. Modern Chemotherapy
131. Modern Economy
132. Modern Instrumentation
133. Modern Mechanical Engineering
134. Modern Plastic Surgery
135. Modern Research in Catalysis
136. Modern Research in Inflammation
137. Natural Resources
138. Natural Science
139. Neuroscience & Medicine
140. New Journal of Glass and Ceramics
141. Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine
142. Open Journal of Accounting
143. Open Journal of Acoustics
144. Open Journal of Air Pollution
145. Open Journal of Anesthesiology
146. Open Journal of Animal Sciences
147. Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation
148. Open Journal of Apoptosis
149. Open Journal of Applied Biosensor
150. Open Journal of Applied Sciences
151. Open Journal of Biophysics
152. Open Journal of Blood Diseases
153. Open Journal of Business and Management
154. Open Journal of Civil Engineering
155. Open Journal of Clinical Diagnostics
156. Open Journal of Composite Materials
157. Open Journal of Depression
158. Open Journal of Discrete Mathematics
159. Open Journal of Earthquake Research
160. Open Journal of Ecology
161. Open Journal of Emergency Medicine
162. Open Journal of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases
163. Open Journal of Energy Efficiency
164. Open Journal of Epidemiology
165. Open Journal of Fluid Dynamics
166. Open Journal of Forestry
167. Open Journal of Gastroenterology
168. Open Journal of Genetics
169. Open Journal of Geology
170. Open Journal of Immunology
171. Open Journal of Inorganic Chemistry
172. Open Journal of Inorganic Non-metallic Materials
173. Open Journal of Internal Medicine
174. Open Journal of Leadership
175. Open Journal of Marine Science
176. Open Journal of Medical Imaging
177. Open Journal of Medical Microbiology
178. Open Journal of Medical Psychology
179. Open Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
180. Open Journal of Metal
181. Open Journal of Microphysics
182. Open Journal of Modelling and Simulation
183. Open Journal of Modern Hydrology
184. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics
185. Open Journal of Modern Neurosurgery
186. Open Journal of Molecular and Integrative Physiology
187. Open Journal of Nephrology
188. Open Journal of Nursing
189. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
190. Open Journal of Ophthalmology
191. Open Journal of Optimization
192. Open Journal of Organ Transplant Surgery
193. Open Journal of Organic Polymer Materials
194. Open Journal of Orthopedics
195. Open Journal of Pathology
196. Open Journal of Pediatrics
197. Open Journal of Philosophy
198. Open Journal of Physical Chemistry
199. Open Journal of Political Science
200. Open Journal of Polymer Chemistry
201. Open Journal of Preventive Medicine
202. Open Journal of Psychiatry
203. Open Journal of Radiology
204. Open Journal of Regenerative Medicine
205. Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases
206. Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases
207. Open Journal of Safety Science and Technology
208. Open Journal of Social Sciences
209. Open Journal of Soil Science
210. Open Journal of Statistics
211. Open Journal of Stomatology
212. Open Journal of Synthesis Theory and Applications
213. Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation
214. Open Journal of Thoracic Surgery
215. Open Journal of Urology
216. Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine
217. Optics and Photonics Journal
218. Pain Studies and Treatment
219. Pharmacology & Pharmacy
220. Positioning
221. Psychology
222. Smart Grid and Renewable Energy
223. Social Networking
224. Sociology Mind
225. Soft
226. Soft Nanoscience Letters
227. Spectral Analysis Review
228. Stem Cell Discovery
229. Surgical Science
230. Technology and Investment
231. Theoretical Economics Letters
232. Voice of the Publisher
233. Wireless Engineering and Technology
234. Wireless Sensor Network
235. World Journal of AIDS
236. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases
237. World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery
238. World Journal of Condensed Matter Physics
239. World Journal of Engineering and Technology
240. World Journal of Mechanics
241. World Journal of Nano Science and Engineering
242. World Journal of Neuroscience
243. World Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology
244. World Journal of Vaccines

List of BioPublisher journals as of 2014-12-13:

1. American Agricultural Research Frontier
2. Aquatic Biological Research
3. Brewing Journal
4. Brewing Research
5. Cancer Research and Molecular Diagnostics
6. Computational Molecular Biology
7. European Research Biotechnology Progress
8. Genomics and Applied Biology
9. Genomics and Biotechnology
10. Genomics and Medical Biology
11. Herbal Medicine and Pharmacology Magazine
12. Insect Molecular Biology
13. Journal of Laboratory Medicine and Quarantine
14. Legume Genomics and Genetics
15. Marine Biology
16. Medical genetics and disease research
17. Molecular Plant Breeding

List of The 5th Publisher journals as of 2014-12-13:

1. Agriculture Civilization
2. Agriculture Inspection
3. Journal of Alternative Crops
4. Journal of Global Public Health

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 16th, 2014 at 9:00 AM and is filed under Pseudo-science, Scholarly Open-Access Publishers, Unethical Practices. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.