Retraction: Ana Strezova. Genotyping of HLA-A, HLA-C and HLA-B Loci with Reverse Line Strip Hybridization in Macedonian Population and Association of HLA Class I Alleles with Spondilitis [MSc thesis

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this report is to retract the results of Ana Strezova submitted without permission of her mentor and her institution for Master of Science (MSc) degree at the Faculty of Medicine, University “Ss Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. Material and Methods. Two populations were published from the same cohort: i) in the 15th International Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Workshop 250 samples for HLA-A, 247 samples for HLA-B, 250 samples for HLA-C, 564 samples for HLA-DRB1, and 213 samples for HLA-DQB1 were included; and ii) in retracted MSc degree 250 samples for HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-C were included. Results. HLA DNA typing results from Macedonian population were officially submitted for analysis and publication to the 15th International Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Workshop (IHIWS). Results were prepared and submitted for publication in Tissue Antigens (received 7 July 2009; revised 12 January 2010; accepted 1 February 2010). Ana Strezova without permission of her mentor and director of the Institute of Immunobiology and Human Genetics submitted MSc thesis for defence with the identical results as in submitted manuscript. A total number of 5 HLA genes and 220 alleles are published by the 15th International Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Workshop in comparison with 3 HLA genes and 58 alleles in retracted MSc thesis. Conclusion. The results of the MSc thesis of Ana Strezova with the title “Genotyping of HLA-A, HLA-C and HLA-B Loci with Reverse Line Strip Hybridization in Macedonian Population and Association of HLA Class I Alleles with Spondilitis” are retracted because: i) the content was already submitted for publication; ii) the statistical methods are inappropriate for ambiguous resolution of the data; and iii) the permission was not allowed by her mentor and director. Editors-in-Chief and employers are advised to be aware of possible acceptance of this thesis and the results submitted in the future for publication.