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Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism logoLink to Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism
. 2023 Feb 2;43(5):828–829. doi: 10.1177/0271678X231154164

RETRACTION NOTICE: Vagus nerve mediates the protective effects of melanocortins against cerebral and systemic damage after ischemic stroke

PMCID: PMC10108190  PMID: 36728142

At the request of the Journal Editor and SAGE Publishing, the following article has been retracted:

Ottani A, Giuliani D, Mioni C, et al. Vagus Nerve Mediates the Protective Effects of Melanocortins against Cerebral and Systemic Damage after Ischemic Stroke. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. 2009;29(3):512–523. 10.1038/jcbfm.2008.140

A reader approached us with concerns that were raised on PubPeer regarding the figures in this article. PubPeer commentors noticed that numerous Western blots appear highly similar. An Editorial assessment of the concerns raised indicated the following:

  1. Figure 2A pJNK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  2. Figure 2A JNK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  3. Figure 2A β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  4. Figure 2B pJNK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  5. Figure 2B JNK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  6. Figure 2B β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  7. Figure 2C pJNK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  8. Figure 2C JNK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  9. Figure 2C β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  10. Figure 2D pJNK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  11. Figure 2D JNK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  12. Figure 2D β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  13. Figure 3A pERK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  14. Figure 3A ERK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  15. Figure 3A β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  16. Figure 3B pERK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  17. Figure 3B ERK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  18. Figure 3B β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  19. Figure 3C pERK panel lanes 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  20. Figure 3C ERK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  21. Figure 3C β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  22. Figure 3D pERK panel lanes 5–9 appear duplicated

  23. Figure 3D ERK panel all lanes appear duplicated

  24. Figure 3D β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  25. Figure 4A β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  26. Figure 4B TNF-α panel 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  27. Figure 4B β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  28. Figure 4C TNF-α panel 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  29. Figure 4C β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  30. Figure 4D TNF-α panel 2, 5–9 appear duplicated

  31. Figure 4D β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  32. Figure 5A Caspase-3 panel 2, 5–9 lanes appear duplicated

  33. Figure 5B β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

  34. Figure 6A Caspase-3 panel 2, 5–9 lanes appear duplicated

  35. Figure 6B β-Actin panel all lanes appear duplicated

The authors deny the images are duplicated and say that the appearance of duplication may be related to the low quality of the images. The authors were unable to provide the data used for this experiment, but have explained that they are able to replicate their findings with unprocessed samples to which they still have access. However, the Journal Editors deemed their response insufficient to the original concerns raised due to their inability to access the data underlying this article.

Due to the unresolved concerns about multiple images within the article that call into question the overall integrity of the findings, the Journal Editors retract this article.

[Authors agree/disagree/did not respond to the retraction]


Articles from Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism are provided here courtesy of SAGE Publications

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