Retraction Note: Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from Placental Tissue and its Effect on Malondialdehyde Levels in Pregnant Women in Al-Anbar Province of Iraq

Abstract

This retracts "Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from Placental Tissue and its Effect on Malondialdehyde Levels in Pregnant Women in Al-Anbar Province of Iraq." Adv. Life Sci. 2023 Oct;10S(1):85–89. doi: 10.62940/als.v10i0.2077.

Following the publication of this article, an internal audit — conducted in response to quality concerns raised by Web of Science — identified problems in the use of the English language. During the process of language improvement, further critical scientific deficiencies were uncovered, leading the Editor-in-Chief to retract this article on 24 September 2025. Specifically: (1) the paper's central conclusion concerns the effect of the parasite on Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, yet the quantitative data and tables supporting this conclusion are entirely absent, rendering the primary finding unsubstantiated and scientifically invalid; (2) the study describes two disconnected participant groups without explaining their relationship, and employs an incorrect statistical test — a paired t-test applied to independent groups — which invalidates all claims of statistical significance; and (3) the methodology reports an impossibly large and incorrect antibiotic dosage of "100 grams", bringing the validity of all other reported values into question. The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding this retraction.

The Advancements in Life Sciences Editorial Office regrets that these issues were not identified prior to publication.

History of the retraction process

Editorial Expression of Concern

20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about problems in use of English language. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community as we address the errors.

Retraction Note

24 Sept 2025: The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article due to the below mentioned scientific deficiencies revealed while doing language improvements.

1. The paper's central conclusion is about the effect of the parasite on Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, but the quantitative data — the actual figure and table showing these results — is entirely absent. A study that does not present the data for its primary conclusion is unsubstantiated and scientifically invalid.

2. It describes two different and unconnected groups of participants (one for a blood test, another for a placenta analysis) without explaining how they relate to each other. Furthermore, it reports using an incorrect statistical test (a paired t-test for independent groups), which invalidates any claims of statistical significance.

3. The methodology describes using an impossibly large and incorrect dosage of an antibiotic ("100 grams"), which demonstrates a lack of care and brings the validity of all other reported values into question.

The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding this retraction.