Triptolide inhibits viability and migration while promotes apoptosis in nephroblastoma cells by regulation of miR-193b-3p
Authors: Shiying Hang
Hai Li
Xianghong Wang
Journal: Experimental and molecular pathology (2019)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: KLF4; Nephroblastoma; PI3K/AKT/ERK; Triptolide; miR-193b-3p.
Affiliations: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining 272011, China; Affiliated Jining No.1 People's Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining Medical University, Jining 272011, China., Department of Pediatric Surgery, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining 272011, China., Department of Pediatric Surgery, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining 272011, China. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief as panels from Figure 1E appear similar to panels from Figures 1G, 3D and 5D. Given the comments of Dr Elisabeth Bik regarding this article “This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels”, the journal requested the authors to provide the raw data. However, the authors were not able to fulfil this request and therefore the Editor-in-Chief decided to retract the article. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figures 1E and 1G *[upper left]* putatively show  apoptotic G-401 and WiT49 cells ... analyzed by flow cytometry assay . Fig 3D *[lower left]* shows apoptotic G-401 cells  analyzed by flow cytometry assay . Fig 5D *[right]*, G-401 cells, variously treated. In all these diagrams, combining a meatball and a cigar, the meatballs and cigars are variants on a small number of themes. I have not attempted to mark every overlap because life is too short. ![] Were these images ever intended to be looked at? , 
 This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: * https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) * https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: * Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 * Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 , 
 Retracted. [5 July 2022] . ------------------------ This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief as panels from Figure 4A appear similar to each other. Given the comments of Dr Elisabeth Bik regarding this article u201cThis paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panelsu201d, the journal requested the authors to provide the raw data. However, the authors were not able to fulfil this request and therefore the Editor-in-Chief decided to retract the article. ,