Mucus-Permeable Sonodynamic Therapy Mediated Amphotericin B-Loaded PEGylated PLGA Nanoparticles Enable Eradication of Candida Albicans Biofilm [Retraction]

Yang M, Xie M, Guo J, et al. Int J Nanomedicine. 2023;18:7941-7963. We, the Editor and Publisher of the journal International Journal of Nanomedicine are retracting the published article. Following publication of the article, the authors raised concerns about the duplication of images from Figures 2, 6, 9, 11 and 12. Specifically, The image for Figure 2A, SEM image of AmB-NPs, has been duplicated with the image for Figure 3B, SEM image of BM2-LVFX-NPs, from Li G, Li J, Hou Y, et al. Levofloxacin-Loaded Nanosonosensitizer as a Highly Efficient Therapy for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Infections Based on Bacteria-Specific Labeling and Sonotheranostic Strategy. Int J Nanomedicine. 2021;16:6553-6573. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S321631. Images for Figure 6C, AmB-NPs and US+AmB have been duplicated but show a different colour intensity. Images for Figure 9C, Control and US, have been duplicated. Images for Figure 11C, C. albicans CD86, AmB and IL-4 CD206, AmB-NPs, have been duplicated. Images for Figure 11C, C. albicans CD86, US+AmB-NPs and IL-4 CD206, US, have been duplicated but show a different immunofluorescene staining intensity. Images for Figure 12C, AmB and US+AmB, have been duplicated but one of the images has been flipped. Images for Figure 12D, US+AmB and US+AmB-NPs, have been duplicated. The authors were cooperative and responded to our queries but were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the duplicated images but did provide some original data for the study. However, as verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, the Publisher and Editor requested to retract the article and the authors agree with this. We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and COPE guidelines. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.