circSMAD2 governs migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition by inhibiting microRNA‐9
Authors: Xin Wei
Ning Han
Lili Yu
Lei Ding
Li Fan
Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry (2019)
Discipline: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS
Keywords: Retraction; circSMAD2; migration; epithelial-mesenchymal transition; microRNA-9
Affiliations: Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China., Department of Urology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Abstract:  Retraction: 'circSMAD2 governs migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by inhibiting microRNA-9', by Ning Han, Lei Ding, Xin Wei, Li Fan, Lili Yu, J Cell Biochem. The above article, published online on 30 December 2019 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jcb.29638), has been retracted by agreement between the the journal's Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. Several flaws and inconsistencies between results presented and experimental methods described were found, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors collaborated in the investigation initially, but were not available for a final confirmation of the retraction. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 The Western blots in this paper have an interesting layout that appears to be shared with other papers, such as these papers published in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry: * Ying Liu et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29568 * Long Liu et al. 2020, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29642 * Lin Zhang et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.28729 * Yugeng Li et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.29146 * Xiaoliang Yang et al. 2019, DOI: 10.1002 jcb.28829 Western blot panels within the same figure, and across figures and papers, appear to share the same background, while the bands are regularly spaced, all have similar rounded edges, without the usual smudges and specks. For example, here is Figure 4F, top panels. Although the bands are differently shaped, the background of these panels is more similar than expected. Colored panels draw attention to the top and bottom parts. ![file] Could the authors provide the original blots, please? , 
 The ORCID provided by the last and corresponding author is different from the one on [a companion paper from the same team] , submitted a month later. Doesn t this defeat the  unique authenticated identifier purpose of the ORCID system? ![file] ![file] I was going to send an email asking about this, and also about the invisible data sets. ![file] But the corresponding author s email address is **also** different in the two papers - almost as if both were assembled and submitted by a papermill that did not bother including the nominal authors in the loop - so the effort might be wasted , 
 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 (no dated Retraction Note yet): ------------------------ The above article, published online on 30 December 2019 in Wiley Online Library , has been retracted by agreement between the the journal s Editor in Chief, Prof. Dr. Christian Behl, and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by a third party. Several flaws and inconsistencies between results presented and experimental methods described were found, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors collaborated in the investigation initially, but were not available for a final confirmation of the retraction. , 
 There is something very odd about this retraction. The entire paper has disappeared [1], and in its place, only the retraction notice can be found. Are retracted papers not supposed to remain published but with a water-marked  retracted across every page? Is this retraction COPE-compliant? [1] https: onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi abs 10.1002 jcb.29638 , 
 From the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People s Republic of China:  [Results of the investigation and handling of medical research integrity cases in some educational and medical institutions](http: www.most.gov.cn zxgz kycxjs kycxgzdt 202203 t20220318_179892.html) (March 17, 2022) . Thanks Google Translate. ----------------------------------------- 17. The paper  circSMAD2 governs migration and epithelialu2013mesenchymal transition by inhibiting micro RNAu20109 from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital of Jilin University with Yu Lili as the corresponding author and Han Ning as the first author. After investigation, the paper has the behavior of buying and selling paper data. Han Ning (merged with another paper) and Yu Lili (merged with another paper) will be dealt with as follows: Circulate criticism, cancel the application qualification for scientific and technological projects (special projects, funds, etc.) for 6 years, and cancel various awards Qualifications for merit evaluation are for 2 years, the qualification for valid application for post or professional title promotion is cancelled once, the post allowance is deducted for 24 months, and it is forbidden to participate in the postgraduate admissions qualification review for 2 years. The other author Fan Li (merged with the other 2 papers) will be dealt with as follows: Criticism will be notified, the application qualification for scientific and technological projects (special projects, funds, etc.) will be cancelled for 6 years, the qualifications for various awards and awards will be cancelled for 2 years, and the positions and titles will be cancelled. Valid application qualification for promotion once, post allowance deducted for 24 months, prohibited from participating in postgraduate enrollment qualification review for 2 years, and revocation of doctoral degree. (Notification link: http: jluxfjs.jlu.edu.cn content.jsp?urltype=news.NewsContentUrl wbtreeid=1021 wbnewsid=1441) ,