Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Donnish Journals

Donnish Journals has no address on its website or in its "journals." The person or people behind them cannot be found in the registration data for the domain donnishjournals.com (thanks to GoDaddy.com).

Looking into the Donnish Journal of Law and Conflict Resolution, one finds (5/29/18) highly sporadic "issues" usually consisting of single articles of about ten pages. The journal has no editor-in-chief, and as of May 29, 2018, "[a] detailed list of Editors, Associate Editors and Editorial team will be available shortly." All submissions "are made to undergo sectioning" -- which sounds ominous. "Thereafter they are double-blindedly peer-reviewed ... ." Authors can rest assured that "[m]ore than 100 reviewers are working diligently to shorten the review cycle of the academic research publication; and help researchers to pay more attention on the research itself, not waiting for too long, for suggestions from reviewers." They also are informed that "Manuscript submission and their accessibility is not an infringement of copyright." That's a relief.
Email
  • From: Donnish Journals [mail@academicpublishing.online]
    To: dhanee121@gmail.com
    DEate: 5/26/18 at 10:08 AM
    Subject: Call for Paid Editors/Reviewers
    All articles published Donnish Journals are peer-reviewed. We are currently seeking qualified and outstanding researchers to join its editorial team as paid editors or reviewers. Send your resume as an email attachment to the respective journals provided below ....
    Best regards,
    Dr. Richard F.K.
    Donnish Journals
  • From: Donnish Journals
    To: dhalikia@yahoo.com
    Date: Oct 10 at 6:13 AM
    Subject: Call for Reviewers and Editors
    Donnish Journals is a Multidisciplinary international journal. We are seeking qualified and high profile researchers to join our editorial team as paid editors/reviewers. Send your resume/CV as an email attachment to your journal of interest from the [long] list provided below: ...
    Best regards,
    Clarke Anthony
    Donnish Journals

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Sciendo

Sciendo sounds suspicious. The name itself is a bit contrived; the emailed advertising invitation closes with the absurd warning that it might contain confidential information; and the missive refers to "over 1,100 academic journals, 35 databases, and 100,000 books, with more than 1,300 new book titles added to the platform each year."

But that cornucopia comes from De Gruyter, a German publisher that has been operating for centuries. Sciendo is a repackaging of De Gruyter Open, the publisher's previous open access business, now operating separately under the new name in Poland. It supports self-publishing but also publishes journals and works on conferences for universities.

Although Sciendo is a bona fide publisher, some flakiness mars its web site. For example, the list of law journals includes the Journal of Catalan Intellectual History, Economics and Culture, European Polygraph, and Scientific Bulletin. (The Scientific Bulletin, produced at the Land Forces Academy of Romania, "promotes the results achieved in the projects of national and international research, as well as the contributions of personalities from the academics.")
Email
  • From: Dr. Jakub Gasior / Sciendo [Jakub.Gasior@sciendo.com]
    Date: 5/24/2018 4:51 PM
    Subject: Publish Your book with Sciendo
    Dear Dr. David H. Kaye,
    We are pleased to invite you to consider submitting a proposal to publish a book with Sciendo. As part of our wider expansion as a publisher, we are now accepting book proposals and manuscripts in twenty-nine different categories. Sciendo is one of the world’s leading companies providing professional publishing services to the academic market. Sciendo can fulfil all publishing needs for authors of academic and professional books in the English language. To meet your expectations we can: ▸ publish all book types, i.e.: monographs, textbooks, edited volumes, and others; ▸ publish your book using two models you can choose from: using the Open Access model for the electronic version of the book or using the traditional Paid Access commercial model; ▸ publish your book in one of the two options: if you have funds from your affiliate institution or another sponsor for the book publication - publish in Full Publishing Services option; if not, you can enjoy the Sciendo Self-Publishing option.
    Although Sciendo is a completely separate entity – with its own publishing guidelines and its own editorial, production and marketing staff – it shares its approach to partnership and openness with its parent company, De Gruyter, a scholarly publisher with almost 270 years of experience. De Gruyter’s portfolio features over 1,100 academic journals, 35 databases, and 100,000 books, with more than 1,300 new book titles added to the platform each year. Sciendo provides world-class technology, production, editing and distribution services, as well as creative and focused marketing support designed to raise your book’s profile to help it find its natural audience.
    Benefits stemming from publishing services and solutions provided by Sciendo: ▸ Top publishing technology to enhance user experience; ▸ Complete editorial services: copyediting, language polishing and typesetting; ▸ Hardback and paperback printing, at the choice of the buyer; ▸ Effective indexation in A&I services (e.g. Clarivate Analytics, Scopus, PubMed); ▸ Worldwide distribution via our international network of booksellers including, for example: Amazon, Baker & Taylor and Ingram. ▸ Advanced marketing services: mailing to potential authors, targeted mailing campaigns or book press release.
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind Regards,
    Jakub Gąsior, PhD
    Sales and Publishing Specialist, Books, Jakub.Gasior@sciendo.com, T: +48 728 922 285
    De Gruyter Poland, Bogumila Zuga 32a Str., 01-811 Warsaw, Poland, T: +48 22 701 50 15, info@sciendo.com, www.sciendo.com © De Gruyter Poland 2018
    Sciendo is a De Gruyter Company © De Gruyter Poland 2018
    This email and any attachment may contain information that is confidential, privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. It is intended for the sole use of the legitimate addressee only. If you received this message in error, please let me know and delete the email and any attachments immediately. Thank you.

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

InTechOpen, Intech, Sciyo

InTechOpen's main web pages site are devoid of the usual solecisms and grammatical errors seen on the websites of many smaller and plainly questionable publishers preying on academics. The About Us page describes the group as "the world's largest Science, Technology and Medicine Open Access book publisher." It claims InTechOpen "has published 2,977 books and 46,833 scientific works total by 100,665 international scientists" (whatever "international" means in this context). That would be about 2 books every 3 days and 11 articles every day, 7 days a years, for the 12 years of InTechOpen's self-proclaimed "journey to democratise knowledge."

In 2018, InTechOpen wanted me to pay them 1,400 Euros to write a chapter of between 14 and 20 pages for a book on "Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis ? New Frontiers in Forensic Science." I have to wonder about the question mark in the title, but there is not much doubt about likely quality. The subject areas include "nuclear physicists" and "testing." The book description reads:
Forensic Analysis is a field of Forensics to be explored and then executed with a hope to deliver better justice to the mankind. It includes a wide field of forensics unexplored and unearthed, which will be the prime reference for forensic researchers, diagnostic, chemists and physicists for their future practice in their respective fields. The book will visualize and primarily focus on the various aspects of new frontiers in forensic science associated with the production, collection or interrogation of such evidential sample. This will also amalgamate fundamental principles of forensic analysis, protocols and procedures needed for the better forensics. The principles and techniques detailed are then demonstrated and discussed in their applications to real-world investigations and casework conducted over the past several years so that it becomes an evaluation hardcover of all aspects of forensic analysis.
The editor of the book is B. Suresh Kumar Shetty. Dr. Shetty also is an editor for the disreputable OMICS International's Journal of Paediatric Medicine and Surgery.

Earlier invitations (4/24/17, 5/1/17, 5/8/17) sought 1,200 Euros from me for a small chapter in "'Post Mortem Examination and Autopsy - From Death Scene to Laboratory Analysis,' edited by Dr. Kamil Hakan Dogan." Dr. Dogan also edits the Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases and Diagnosis for OMICS International. That InTech finds it necessary to write the following description of "death scene and autopsy" for would-be authors is odd:
Death scene and autopsy may be horrifying for some people. Death scene investigation, post mortem examination, and autopsy are generally performed for the benefit of the living. A death investigation begins with body examination and evidence collection at the scene and proceeds through history, post mortem examination and autopsy, laboratory tests, and determining the cause and manner of death. Although forensic pathology is the oldest branch of the forensic sciences, today many branches of forensic sciences play a role in solving criminal death cases.
InTechOpen was on Beall's list of predatory publishers. The website www.intechopen.com is not registered to its founders. Instead, they use a proxy company in Arizona, obscuring their identities. The first emails came from Teo Kos, from InTechOpen Publishing Process Manager, kos@intechopen.com, +385 (51) 770 447, Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.

Other reports indicate that InTechOpen is another name for the venture known as InTech or Sciyo that had a serious reputation problem. See
http://retractionwatch.com/2013/10/17/fallout-from-sciences-publisher-sting-journal-closes-in-croatia/
http://blog.pokristensson.com/2010/11/04/academic-spam-and-open-access-publishing/
http://ask.metafilter.com/167606/A-chapter-of-my-very-own
http://poynder.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-with-nicola-rylett-intechs.html
In 2016, Sage Publishing, an Indian company, purchased five of Intechopen's journals.

UPDATE 5/9/20: On ResearchGate today, Malek Alghdeir commented that "I was invited to publish a chapter in a book by IntechOpen. Then asked me to pay 1400 £! firstly, the editor of my chapter suggests a great discount, but after that, they accepted to publish my chapter free."
Email
  • Sent: 5/8/17, 5/14/17
    From: kos@intechopen.com
    Dear Dr. Kaye
    I just wanted to check in with you regarding the book project on "Post Mortem Examination and Autopsy - From Death Scene to Laboratory Analysis" edited by Dr. Kamil Hakan Dogan. If there is anything I can help with, like answer any questions, or provide some additional information, please let me know. I hope to hear from you soon,
    Teo Kos, from InTechOpen
    Publishing Process Manager, http://www.intechopen.com/, +385 (51) 770 447, Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
    The information contained in either this email and, if applicable, the attachment, are confidential and are intended only for the recipient. The contents of either the email or the attachment may not be disclosed publicly. If you are not the intended recipient(s), any use, disclosure, copying, or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us by e-mail at info@intechopen.com then delete the e-mail and all attachments and any copies thereof. This communication is part of InTech's publishing activity and is not intended for unauthorized use or distribution.
  • Sent: 5/21/18 (and half a dozen other times)
    From: IntechOpen (publishingdepartment@intechopen.com)
    Subject: Let's not lose contact
    Keep your mind open - stay in touch with IntechOpen
    the first native scientific publisher of Open Access books
    It’s our mission to help academics make a greater impact by giving free access to all published work – for advancement of knowledge among the scientific community. That’s why we want to make sure that you get all the latest news from us, including tidbits which can help your research career, invitations to scientific events where you can network with other like minds, or opportunities to collaborate with your peers on relevant chapter propositions. So, if you are happy to continue receiving our occasional updates, all you need to do is re-confirm by opting in so you can stay on our email list. *** Thank you for staying with us and continuing to participate in the scientific community's collaboration!
    IntechOpen
    www.intechopen.com
    You can, of course, unsubscribe. And if we don’t hear from you at all by the end of May, we will remove you from our database.
  • Sent: May 23, 2018, at 11:30 AM
    From: Nino Popovic | IntechOpen (popovic@intechopen.com)
    Subject: Contribute to Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis – New Frontiers in Forensic Science
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    Due to your involvement in the field, and the research you published in your paper, "Beyond uniqueness: The birthday paradox, source attribution and individualization in forensic science testimony," IntechOpen invites you to extend your work and offer a more comprehensive overview of your studies. Contribute a chapter to "Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis – New Frontiers in Forensic Science," an upcoming Open Access book edited by Dr. B Suresh Kumar Shetty and Dr. Jagadish Rao Padubidri.
    Work with an internationally recognized peer group and gain increased visibility for your published work. Please visit the book project page to register your interest. We look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind Regards,
    Nino Popovic, from IntechOpen
    Author Service Manager
  • Sent: Wed 5/23/2018 11:32 AM and 5/26/18 at 6:31 PM
    From: Nino Popovic | IntechOpen (popovic@intechopen.com)
    Subject: Checking In - Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis – New Frontiers in Forensic Science
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    I just wanted to check in with you regarding the book project on "Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis – New Frontiers in Forensic Science" edited by Dr. B Suresh Kumar Shetty and Dr. Jagadish Rao Padubidri ... . If there is anything I can help with, like answer any questions, or provide some additional information, please let me know. I hope to hear from you soon,
    Nino Popovic
    Author Service Manager
    IntechOpen, The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG , United Kingdom, +385 (51) 770 447
    INTECHOPEN LIMITED, Registered in England and Wales No. 11086078
    We are IntechOpen, the first native scientific publisher of Open Access book
  • Sent: Wed 5/23/2018 11:32 AM
    From: Nino Popovic | IntechOpen (popovic@intechopen.com)
    Subject: Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis – New Frontiers in Forensic Science - Registration is Still Open
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    In case you did not receive my previous email, I just wanted to follow up one more time regarding the book project on "Trends and Challenges in Forensic Analysis – New Frontiers in Forensic Science". There is still time to register: ... Let me know if you are interested, or if you have any questions or need some additional information. I hope to hear from you soon,
    Nino Popovic
    Author Service Manager
    IntechOpen, The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG , United Kingdom, +385 (51) 770 447
    INTECHOPEN LIMITED, Registered in England and Wales No. 11086078
    We are IntechOpen, the first native scientific publisher of Open Access books

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Biocore

Biocore is on Beall's list of predatory journals, and it is easy to see why. Its web pages explain that:

⊘ "Biocore motto is to give the human era with better future. This can be achieved with our renowned editors, authors and reviewers with their exchanged views and knowledge."
⊘ "Biocore has been involved the knowledge on Science & technology to the access way of every individual."
⊘ "With the Open Access evolution, we are making the genuine and trustworthy contributions to the scientific environment without stopping the access to the readers for reading or even downloading the published papers/articles."
⊘ "[A]ll the eminent personalities can search our database."
⊘ "With the Editorial Board Members of 600, the number is increasing with the volume ... ."

And if you are interested in travel (to Dubai at least), "Biocore is going to conduct Scientific Conferences in near future for grouping all the eminent personalities in one lane." These "Scientific Conferences are conducting mail campaigns for getting the support from scientific societies to spread the open access culture." Translation: We are spamming you.

According to the website for BioCore Conferences (5/16/18), "Biocore group publishes 100+ Open Access Journals with over 10,000 renowned persons." The Biocore Journals homepage states that "Biocore Group hosts 30+ Open Access Scientific Journals."

Whatever the exact number may be, the many journals seem to emanate from an apartment at 3409 Grove Gate CT, APT-1712, Richmond-23233, Virginia. The mysterious "Maddy" is the managing editor of multiple journals. The people behind the domain biocoreopen.org are hidden by a proxy registration. The Virginia address, according to homemetry is occupied by Jennifer M. Lappe, 804-934-0314.

UPDATE (4/16/21)
An email from one Biocore journal refers to "7 years of continuous publications" and claims that "Articles are Indexed in PubMed(National Library of Medicine) [sic]." The NLM page on the journal reports that publication is irregular and that its articles are not indexed for MEDLINE:

International journal of dentistry and oral health
NLM Title Abbreviation: Int J Dent Oral Health
Title(s): International journal of dentistry and oral health.
Publication Start Year: 2015
Frequency: Irregular
Country of Publication: United States
Publisher: Milpitas, CA, USA : Sci Forschen Inc. [2015-]
Language: English
ISSN: 2378-7090 (Electronic) 2378-7090 (Linking)
LCCN: 2015201999
Electronic Links: Access not provided by NLM
In: PubMed: Selected citations only
Current Indexing Status: Not currently indexed for MEDLINE. Citations are for articles where the manuscript was deposited in PubMed Central (PMC) in compliance with public access policies. For further information, see Author Manuscripts in PMC.
Other ID: (OCoLC)907928860
Collection Status: Not in the NLM Collection
NLM ID: 101686568 [Serial]

The publisher Sci Forschen has been described as "three tech scammers in Hyderabad." See the commentary on "Invitation from a fake academic journal: Sci Forschen edition." I have not tried to determine if Biocore is a rebranding of Sci Forschen.

Email
International Journal of Criminal and Forensic Science

International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health (IJDOH)
  • From: Dentistry Journal [ijdoh@biocoregroup.info]
    Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020, 6:16 PM EST
              Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 4:58 AM EST
              Monday, September 21, 2020, 1:07:23 AM EDT
              Monday, October 12, 2020, 11:48 PM EST
              Tuesday, December 8, 2020, 12:23:23 AM EST
              Thursday, December 17, 2020 12:26 AM EST
              Tuesday, December 22, 2020, 12:10:34 AM EST
              Thursday, January 28, 2021, 1:57 AM EST
              Friday, February 26, 2021, 12:31:50 AM EST
              Monday March 22, 2021, 1:17 AM EST
    Subject: International Scientific Review @ Dentistry Journal
    Dear Author [who has no expertise in dentistry]
    IJDOH is accepting articles/papers for the upcoming issue.
    International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health (IJDOH)
    Submit your Manuscript here: ...
    Impact Factor: 2.21CI
    Publications will be indexed in: Google Scholar, Crossref, SCIMED and Scopus
    With regards
    Maddy
    Managing Editor
  • From: Dentistry Journal [ijdoh@biocoregroup.info]
    Sent: Fri, Apr 16, 2021 at 12:45 AM
              Mon, Apr 19, 2021, at 1:11 AM
    Subject: Submissions Open @ Dentistry Journal
    Dear Author [who has no expertise in dentistry]
    Author contributions are accepting for the Upcoming issue
    International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health (IJDOH) with a Citation Impact Factor of 5.91CI from the last Seven years
    Salient Features of the journal include, but not limited to…
        • Esteemed Editorial Team with a transparent Peer Review Process (Blind Folded)
        • UK(London) based Publisher with 7 years of continuous publications as per the Academic Norms
        • Articles are Indexed in PubMed(National Library of Medicine), you can access the information in the Journal page
        • A Scholarly Open Access Journal, which is praised by Authors all over the World for the Quality Checks and rapid Publication
    Submit your paper/article online through: http://papersubmit.online/submit-manuscript.php
    For more information, please check here: https://www.biocoreopen.org/ijdoh
    Feel Free to ask for any other queries
    With regards
    Maddy
    Managing Editor
  • From: Dentistry Journal [ijdoh@biocoreopen.info]
    Sent: Mon, May 10, 2021, at 4:19 PM
    Subject: Review your work @ Dentistry Journal
    Dear Author
    Author contributions are accepting for the Upcoming issue
    International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Health (IJDOH) with a Citation Impact Factor of 5.91CI from the last Seven years
    Salient Features of the journal include, but not limited to… ...
    Submit your paper/article online through: ... .
    For more information : https://www.biocoreopen.org/ijdoh/
    Feel Free to ask for any other queries
    With regards
    Maddy
    Managing Editor
    If you are not interested in receiving future emails, please unsubscribe below ... .
International Journal of Nanotechnology in Medicine and Engineering (IJNME)
  • From: Nanotechnology Journal [ijnme@biocoregroup.info]
    Date: Wed 4 Sept 2019 1:36 AM
    Subject: Manuscript Submission @ Nanotechnology Journal
    Dear Dr. David H. Kaye [who has no expertise these topics]
    IJNME is accepting articles/papers for the upcoming issue. International Journal of Nanotechnology in Medicine & Engineering (IJNME). Submit your Manuscript here: ...
    Impact Factor: 1.82CI. Publications will be indexed in: Google Scholar, Crossref, SCIMED and Sciencedirect
    With regards
    Maddy
    Managing Editor
  • '
International Journal of Pharma Sciences and Scientific Research (IJPSR)
  • From: Pharma Journal [ijpsr@biocoregroup.info]
    Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2020, 3:56:47 AM EST
    Subject: Publish your work in 21 days @ Pharma Journal
    Dear David H. Kaye [who has no expertise in "Pharma Sciences"]
    IJPSR is accepting articles/papers for the upcoming issue.
    International Journal of Pharma Sciences and Scientific Research (IJPSR)
    Submit your Manuscript here: ...
    Impact Factor: 2.11CI
    Publications will be indexed in: Google Scholar, Crossref, SCIMED and Scopus.
    With regards
    Maddy
    Managing Editor

Biocore's International Journal of Criminal and Forensic Science: An exhilarating approach

Biocore's International Journal of Criminal and Forensic Science " will emphasize high-level research of clinical relevance and exhilarating approach." It "deals with clinical case reports, mysterious incidents happens in the Forensic and Criminal research group." One not-so-exhilarating incident is the publication of a previously published paper on "Fingerprint Geometric Analysis." (Compare the IJCFS paper with the JFCI paper.)* The paper is mysterious indeed, but it ends with the promise that "Be assured, this method will provide a successful outcome!"

Biocore has been labelled a predatory publisher and conference organizer. This journal has no editor-in-chief named, but it lists an editorial with the following members as of 5/16/18:
Dobbert Duane, Professor, Division of Justice Studies, American College of Forensic Examiners International
Ismail M. Sebetan, Professor of Forensic Sciences, National University
Presley Larry, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Liberty University
Lee Ross, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, University of Central Florida
Kim Simons, Chair of the Department of Physical Sciences Associate Professor, Emporia State University
Viviana Andreescu, Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, University of Louisville
Julie Campbell, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Illinois State University
* JFCI is the acronym of the Journal of Forensic and Crime Investigation. The contribution of the flaky Science Inquest Publishers, it promises that "We accepts your manuscripts which are related to Forensic and Crime Investigation."
Email
  • Sent: Wed 5/16/2018 7:57 AM (and  5/15/2018 5:03 AM and 5/14/2018 6:51 AM)
    From: Criminal and Forensic Journal (ijcf@biocoreopen.info)
    Subject: Manuscript Submission @ Criminal and Forensic Science
    Dear Dr. DAVID HKAYE
    Biocore cordially invites researchers from all over the World to the platform where you can share, exhibit and explore all your views in the field of Criminal and Forensic Science. IJCF is inviting contributions for upcoming issues. IJCF welcomes and acknowledges high quality theoretical and experimental research articles, review articles, practice articles, editorials, short communications, case reports, blogs, letters(rapid responses), personal views, research methods and reporting articles from researchers, academicians, professionals, practitioners and students from all over the world. ... Suggested topics include but are not limited to • Fingerprints and identification, Accident investigation and mass disasters • Forensic entomology, Forensic psychiatry • Computational forensics, Tool marks • Contact traces, Jurisprudence • Criminalistics, Physical Anthropology • Pathology and Biology, Poisoning and Breath Analyzers • Forensic DNA analysis and DNA profiling. If you face problems with paper submission, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to receiving your proposals.
    With Regards
    Editors of IJCF, https://biocoreopen.org/ijcf/editorial_board.php

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Umesh Prasad's UK Education Consultancy Services


UK Consultancy Services publishes several journals of broad scope and runs conferences in Switzerland through a "division" named "World Conferences." The journals include
⊘ European Journal of Law and Management (EJLM)
⊘ European Journal of Medicine and Dentistry (EJMD)
⊘ European Journal of Sciences (EJS)
⊘ European Journal of Social Sciences (EJSS)
⊘ Scientific European (SCIEU)
  • The EJLM website states (5/15/18) that its "editorial board comprises of people from varied scholarly areas of law and management who are renowned in their own field and come from diverse geographies and backgrounds." No names are provided, but the editor-in-chief is Umesh Prasad. As befits a journal with no editors, there are no articles listed on the website for this "monthly" journal.
  • Likewise, EJMD's "editorial board comprises of people from varied scientific areas of medicine and dentistry who are renowned in their own field and come from diverse geographies and backgrounds." None are identified. The editor-in-chief is the peripatetic Umesh Prasad. Even though the journal has no content, you can subscribe to it. 
  • EJS also "comprises of people from varied academic areas of sciences who are renowned in their own fields and come from diverse geographies and backgrounds" -- not one of whom is identified. A Prof. (Dr.) Ravi Prakash is editor-in-chief. The one issue to date of this "European Journal" has five articles -- all from India. Neither the website nor the issue provides an affiliation for Prof. (Dr.) Prakash, but the Ravi Prakash who is a co-author of an article in it is with India's Amity University in Uttar Pradesh. The issue states that the journal's founder is Umesh Prasad.
  • The European Journal of Social Sciences (EJSS) should not be confused with the more firmly established European Journal of Social Sciences (Revue Europeennes des Sciences Sociales). The latter has managed to generate 58 volumes since its inception 13 years ago. Founder Umesh Prasad's upstart has no named editorial board (but never fear, it "comprises of people from varied academic areas of social sciences who are renowned in their own fields and come from diverse geographies and backgrounds"). It has another Amity University editor-in-chief, Prof (Dr) Nirupama Prakash (Amity International Business School, Amity, University, Noida, India). It has one issue to date with two authors outside of India and Sri Lanka: Maria Anita Stefanelli, Università Roma Tre, and Barbara Wejnert, SUNY (Buffalo).
  • SCIEU is "happy and proud to embark on the eternal journey to bring scientific advances to the living rooms of the people across the world!"The name of the article on the cover of the first issue (I declined to pay for access to the article itself) was "Editing Gene to Prevent Inheritable Disease."
Although press releases about UK Consultancy's journals describe them as open access, the FAQs on their websites indicate otherwise. They state that readers must register and that only "[a]s promotional offer, currently articles and the issues are available free of cost to all subscribers. ... However, this promotional offer can be withdrawn by the management at any time without prior notice."

The founder of these journals "hails from Ghorasahan village (East Champaran, Bihar (India)." A British national, he is the sole registered officer and the only person "of significant control" of UK Consultancy Services. It is hard to know what doctoral degree he holds. The company registration gives his occupation as "Director" and date of birth as May 1965.

All the organizations have the same address: 55 Smithy Lane, Lower Kingswood, Tadworth, England, KT20 6UA. It is the site of a three-bedroom, semi-detached residence. And a busy place it must be. In addition to UK Consultancy Services and its many divisions, the Centre for Advanced Dental Care Limited is there. Its director (who resigned last month) was Neelam Umesh Prasad, a dentist born March 1976. The other shareholder and director is, you guessed it, Umesh Prasad.

In addition, the residence houses UK-India Centre Ltd, yet another company incorporated (on 17 April 2018) and run by one director -- Umesh Prasad. The company's classifications are "publishing of newspapers," "activities of conference organisers," and "publishing of learned journals."

UPDATE (5/16/18): Umesh Prasad kindly provided a comment expressing disappointment in the "tone and presentation" of the information given above. He wrote that he comes "from clinical and academic background"; that he "recently quit the academia and took a plunge in journal sector to make a change"; and that the "business is a start-up, it’s a very new and things are still in flux taking shape – for example, boards are being reconstituted, websites being updated etc." Potential contributors to his journals are advised to read Mr. (or perhaps it it is Dr.) Prasad's full comment and to keep an eye out for improvements.
Email
Sent: Tue 5/15/2018 3:07 AM
From: EJS Editors (editors@ejsci.com)
Subject: European Journal of Sciences (EJS)
Dear Prof Kaye
Based on your academic and professional standing and your contributions to science, we invite you to contribute articles for publication and become a peer reviewer for European Journal of Sciences (EJS)®, a monthly academic journal of science (www.ejsci.com). We are a member of Crossref. Our DOI prefix is 10.29198. Upon publication, each article is assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) by us and metadata is submitted to Crossref. The articles are indexed based on their unique DOI in various databases including Google Scholar. ... For becoming a peer reviewer, please provide biographical details .... Please feel free to contact us should there be any query or clarification.
Thank you
Editorial Team
PS: Currently, Article Processing Charge (APC) is nil (subject to revision by the management).
(European Journal of Sciences (EJS)® is a division of UK EDUCATION CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD, Company Number 10459935. Registered in England)
55 Smithy Lane, Lower Kingswood, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 6UA (United Kingdom), +44 (0) 1737 903 794, editors@ejsci.com
Disclaimer: This email and any attachments to it may be confidential and are intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of UK Education Consultancy Services Ltd. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must neither take any action based upon its contents, nor copy or show it to anyone. Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this email in error.

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Vandeplas Publishing

I am not suggesting that Vanderplas Publishing is a scammer or a predatory publisher. Its publications include books by perfectly reputable authors. But there are a number of question marks:
  • It periodically solicits me in separate mailings to multiple email addresses.
  • A book has this review from Judge Alex Kozinzki (ret.): "If you’re holding this book in your hands – as you no doubt must be – just start turning pages and get ready for a treat.” That sounds good, but, hey, it it is an eBook. Still, at $9.95, the price is right.
  • The office address is one of those provided by Regus, a company that supplies "virtual offices" and "will receive and sign for mail and packages." It advertises a "professional company image without the cost of a physical office." However, it also leases spared space and rooms.
  • Buzzfile, a company database, estimates only "$114,590 in annual revenues" and "approximately 2 people at this [Lake Mary, Florida] location." I do not know how accurate these estimates are.
Email
  • Sent: Thu 5/10/2018 3:30 PM (and 5/10/2018 2:36 PM)
    From: Vandeplas Publishing (law@vandeplas.media)
    Subject: Book Proposal
    It has been some time since I last emailed you to inquire if you have any ideas or proposals for publishing a book with us. As you likely know we publish all types of academic books, including monographs, textbooks and readers. We offer a progressive publication agreement with attractive royalties and in some cases an advance royalty bonus and as always the copyright stays with the author. ... I would like to hear from you if you have a proposal, idea or questions about publishing a book with us. We offer a fast review process of proposals and manuscripts and there is never any cost for the author. Please contact me at the address below or by return email.
    Regards,
    Anton C. Van de Plas - Publisher
    anton@vandeplaspublishing.com
    Vandeplas Publishing, LLC, 801 International Parkway, 5th Floor, Lake Mary, FL 32746 - U.S.A., Phone: 407-562-1947, FAX: 407-218-8966

Monday, May 7, 2018

Sevas Publishing

The spam from the Journal of Biochemical Technology does not provide the name or address of a publisher, but it is Sevas Publishing of the Sevas Society. The Society wants "[t]o create interactive atmosphere among researchers, organizations, faculties, students, employees, merchants and farmers to develop villages." The domain jbiochemtech.com is registered to amit, Mayur Khandelwal, Nagpur Maharashtra 281001 India, +91.9358080226, mth.amit@gmail.com.
Email
  • Date: May 4 at 10:50 PM (twice)
    From: Editor jbiochemtech (submit@jbiochemtech.net)
    Subject: Contribute Your Research- Thomson Reuters-Web of Science (ESCI)-Releasing on 31 May, 2018
    Journal of Biochemical Technology (An Online Monthly Journal of Biochemical Technology) ISSN: 0974-2328 CAS CODEN (USA): JBTOB8
    Call for Papers: Volume 8, Issue 1, 2018 (Releasing on 31 May, 2018)
    Journal of Biochemical Technology is an online international journal to promote all aspects of biochemistry, biotechnology and bioinformatics and applications in biology and medicine. ...
    Journal of Biochemical Technology allowing full-text (open) access and also devoted to the promotion of all fields of Biochemical Research like ... Molecular Mechanisms, Biophysics, Biomolecular Associations, Systems Biology, Chemical Biology, Structure, Proteins, Nucleic Acids, Amino acids, System Biology, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Biomolecules, ... .
    Abstracted/Indexed: Thomson Reuters-Web of Science (ESCI), Chemical Abstracts Service(CAS), CABI, CAS Source Index (CASSI) Search Tool, NCBI Database-National Library of Medicine Catalog, EBSCO host databases, OCLC-World Cat, Chemical Abstracts, CABI, Google Scholar, Genamics Journal Seek, Ulrich's, Research Gate, Academic Resources, Academic Journals Database, Switzerland.
    Publication Fee: 150 USD @ articleeditor@jbiochemtech.com
    In case of any query, please do not hesitate to contact us at: editor@jbiochemtech.com
    Note: If you would like to join as one of the honorary editorial board member then please send your latest updated CV/Biography to us. ...
    Disclaimer: This is an advertisement and a promotional mail strictly on the guidelines of CAN-SPAM act of 2003. We have clearly mentioned the source mail-id of this mail, also clearly mentioned the subject lines and they are in no way misleading in any form. If we have offended you by sending this to you by mistake, we apologize. Please click on above “Unsubscribe from this list” and we will take care that you do not receive any further promotional Email from us.