A group of gastroenterology researchers in Italy has lost their 2010 paper in Internal and Emergency Medicine, the journal of the Italian Society of Internal Medicine, for plagiarizing and duplicate publication.
The article, “Gut microbiota and related diseases: clinical features,” was published as a supplement by a team from the University of Bologna. Its conclusions:
Intestinal microbiota is essential for gut homeostasis. Specifically, the microorganisms inhabiting the gut lumen interact with the intestinal immune system, supply key nutrients for the major components of the gut wall, and modulate energy metabolism. Host-microbiome interactions can be either beneficial or deleterious, driving gastrointestinal lymphoid tissue activities and shaping gut wall structures. This overview briefly focuses on the potential role played by abnormalities in gut microbiota and relative responses of the gastrointestinal tract in the determination of important pathological conditions such as the irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer.
According to the retraction notice, the authors — jointly and severally — had cobbled much of their text from previously published sources:
The article has been retracted upon request of the authors as it contains similarities with paragraphs of previously published articles: Abraham C, Cho HJ (2009) N Engl J Med 361:2066–2078, SE McGarr, JM Ridlon, PB Hylemon (2005) J Clin Gastroenterol 39(2):98–109, Barbara G (2006) Mucosal barrier defects in irritable bowel syndrome. Who left the door open? Am J Gastroenterol 101:1295–1298, Barbara G, Stanghellini V, Cremon C (2008) Probiotics and irritable bowel syndrome: rationale and clinical evidence for their use. J Clin Gastroenterol 42(suppl):S214–S217 without any proper reference to the above-mentioned articles.
The authors agree to the retraction and they apologize to Editor in Chief and readers as well as to the authors of the original articles.
We also found identical text in a 2011 conference abstract from Stanghellini titled “Microbial Flora and Digestive Disease,” which begins:
Gut microbiota consists of the microorganisms that inhabit the alimentary canal. The microorganisms inhabiting the gut lumen are essential for gut homeostasis. Specifically, they interact with the intestinal immune system, supply key nutrients for the major components of the gut wall, and modulate energy metabolism. Laboratory animals grown in germ free conditions have poor development of the gut immune system, immature gastrointestinal motor patterns, reduced micronutrient absorption and increased susceptibility to infections. Host–microbiome interactions can be either beneficial or deleterious, driving gastrointestinal lymphoid tissue activities and shaping gut wall structures. Modifications of the complex interplay between gut microbiota and relative responses of the gastrointestinal tract may play a potential role in in the determinism of important pathological conditions such as the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer.
That’s enough to induce a case of heartburn!