Retraction of: Scientific Reports https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-22098-y, published online 28 February 2018


The Editors have retracted this article.


Concerns were raised regarding a number of figures, specifically:

  • Figure 2C appears to show repeated features;

  • Figure 2E appears to show repeated features;

  • Figure 2F appears to show repeated features;

  • Figure 3B appears to show an unexpected irregularity in the top right corner.


Additionally, the article shows significant overlap with an article that was simultaneously under consideration with another journal1. The Editors therefore no longer have confidence in the reliability of the data reported in the article.


Elham Ghazizadeh disagrees with the retraction. The other authors did not respond to the correspondence about the retraction.