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Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GUANKE alleviates Zearalenone-induced intestinal dysfunction by modulating oxidative stress and inflammation.
Chang Q, Zhao Y, Li H … +6 more , Zhang B, Zhang M, Zhao P, He J, Li B, Li MD
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384732 · Full text
AIMS: This study evaluated L. plantarum GUANKE's protective effects on ZEN-induced intestinal dysfunction and explored its molecular mechanisms. METHODS: In vitro, IPEC-J2 cells were divided into control, ZEN (40 μM), GU...
AIMS: This study evaluated L. plantarum GUANKE's protective effects on ZEN-induced intestinal dysfunction and explored its molecular mechanisms. METHODS: In vitro, IPEC-J2 cells were divided into control, ZEN (40 μM), GUANKE (20 MOI), and ZEN+GUANKE groups (24 h treatment). Cell viability (CCK-8), oxidative stress indicators (LDH, ROS, T-SOD, GSH, MDA), and inflammatory cytokine mRNAs (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10) were detected. In vivo, Balb/c mice were randomized into five groups (control, ZEN, GUANKE, ZEN + LG, ZEN + HG) for 28 days of intervention. Jejunum histology (H&E staining), oxidative stress/inflammatory factors (kits/ELISA), serum intestinal function indices (D-xylose, D-lactate, DAO), and transcriptomic analysis were performed. RESULTS: L. plantarum GUANKE significantly improved IPEC-J2 cell viability, reduced LDH release (P < 0.01) and ROS accumulation (P < 0.001), restored T-SOD/GSH activities (P < 0.05), decreased MDA (P < 0.05), suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α; P < 0.05), and upregulated IL-10 (P < 0.05). In mice, L. plantarum GUANKE increased villus height/crypt depth ratio (P < 0.01), restored antioxidant status (P < 0.05), and rebalanced cytokine expression (P < 0.05 for pro-inflammatory; P < 0.01 for IL-10). Transcriptomic analysis suggested that ZEN activated the NF-κB pathway, while L. plantarum GUANKE treatment was associated with reduced pathway activity.
A network pharmacology-based approach and molecular docking study to explore the therapeutic potential of a nutraceutical formula (Vernolac) in the treatment of cancer.
Vass Gunawardane S, Milhan MM, Rathnayake PC … +11 more , Garusinghe PS, Gunaratne KS, Kanagasundaram A, Darshanamala TMD, Senevirathne DC, Wijerathne SK, Perera RPCD, Senathilake KS, Rajagopalan U, Tennakoon KH, Samarakoon SR
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384725 · Full text
Vernolac is a commercially available polyherbal nutraceutical capsule containing Vernonia zeylanica aerial parts, Nigella sativa seeds, Hemidesmus indicus roots, Leucas zeylanica aerial parts, and Smilax glabra rhizome....
Vernolac is a commercially available polyherbal nutraceutical capsule containing Vernonia zeylanica aerial parts, Nigella sativa seeds, Hemidesmus indicus roots, Leucas zeylanica aerial parts, and Smilax glabra rhizome. Herbal formulations, organic extracts, and isolated phytochemicals from these plants have demonstrated anticancer properties. However, the mechanisms underlying Vernolac's anticancer activity as a polyherbal formulation remain largely unexplored. This study utilized an integrative network pharmacology-based approach, supported by in vitro experiments, to investigate Vernolac's anticancer potential. Phytochemicals were retrieved from databases, screened for drug-likeness and oral bioavailability using SwissADME, yielding 155 drug-like compounds, and their protein targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction. The intersection of phytochemical targets with cancer-related targets from GeneCards identified 137 common targets. Protein-protein interaction analysis using STRING and Cytoscape revealed fourteen key hub nodes, including AKT1, BCL2, CASP3, CTNNB1, EGFR, ESR1, GAPDH, HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1, IL6, JUN, SRC, STAT3, and TNF. Network analyses highlighted key phytochemicals, including vernolactone, thymoquinone, quercetin, nigellidine, α-hederin, and carvacrol. GC-MS profiling of the supercritical CO2 extract of Vernolac revealed a diverse phytochemical composition enriched with terpenes, fatty acids, and sterols, including the key constituents stigmasterol, thymoquinone, and carvacrol. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed significant enrichment of the identified targets across multiple cancer pathways. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations identified novel target-ligand interactions, such as vernolactone-β-catenin and α-hederin-CDK4. The Sulforhodamine B assay demonstrated selective antiproliferative activity of Vernolac extract against cancerous cell lines MCF-7 (IC50 = 54.01 ± 0.02 μg/mL), Caco-2 (IC50 = 85.52 ± 0.13 μg/mL), NTERA-2 cl.D1 (IC50 = 42.41 ± 0.06 μg/mL), and non-cancerous MCF-10A (IC50 = 803.5 ± 0.03 μg/mL). Collectively, network analysis suggests that phytochemicals in Vernolac may exert anticancer effects through multiple cancer-related pathways, including those associated with apoptosis, immune modulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell proliferation. Furthermore, the identified targets and enriched pathways suggest a potential role in modulating drug resistance and treatment response, providing a computational basis for its application as an adjunct to conventional cancer therapies and warranting further investigation in preclinical and clinical settings.
Determining optimal practices for foal weaning - A protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Cranston N, Buckley P, Rose L … +2 more , Loy J, Randle H
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384724 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Weaning is a stressful time in a foal's (Equus caballus) life. As humans artificially manage weaning in domestic horses, it provides an opportunity to safeguard horse welfare early in life, with potential lon...
BACKGROUND: Weaning is a stressful time in a foal's (Equus caballus) life. As humans artificially manage weaning in domestic horses, it provides an opportunity to safeguard horse welfare early in life, with potential long-term benefits. While numerous studies have examined the effects of different weaning and management interventions on foal stress, optimal weaning practices have yet to be identified. Overall purpose of the study: To identify which weaning interventions and management practices have the greatest potential to improve foal welfare based on physiological and behavioural outcomes. Research questions: (1) What physiological and behavioural changes occur in foals in response to artificial weaning? (2) Do different interventions during weaning produce different physiological and behavioural outcomes in foals? (3) How do study-level characteristics explain heterogeneity in foal outcomes during weaning, and which impact welfare outcomes across different interventions? (4) Which interventions, management practices, or combinations thereof most effectively optimise foal welfare during weaning? METHODOLOGY: Six databases were searched on 24 August 2025. Database search strings were based on the Population-Intervention-Comparator-Outcome (PICO) framework and were PRESS-reviewed. Additional studies, including grey literature, will be identified through dissertation databases, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and by hand-searching the reference lists of included studies and narrative reviews, to ensure a comprehensive search. Articles will be selected based on predefined eligibility criteria. Two reviewers will independently conduct title/abstract and full-text screening, data extraction, and assess risk of bias and confidence in the evidence (GRADE and CINeMA). Results will be synthesised through pairwise and Bayesian network meta-analysis using R Statistical Software. CONCLUSION: This systematic review will be the first to investigate foal welfare during artificial weaning, and the findings are expected to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve foal welfare. This paper outlines the protocol that will be used and does not contain any empirical results. REGISTRATION: This systematic review protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) on 19 May 2025 (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/DJWQY).
Admission NT-proBNP provides stronger prognostic discrimination than the AHEAD score for 1-year mortality in hospitalized acute heart failure: A retrospective cohort study.
Nguyen DK, Tran TT, Hoang VS
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384715 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Both admission N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the AHEAD score predict prognosis in acute heart failure, but their comparative and complementary value for admission risk stratificati...
BACKGROUND: Both admission N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the AHEAD score predict prognosis in acute heart failure, but their comparative and complementary value for admission risk stratification remains uncertain. METHODS: We screened 512 consecutive adult hospitalizations for acute heart failure; 478 records had sufficient baseline data, and 430 patients had ascertainable 1-year vital-status follow-up and constituted the analytic cohort. We compared admission NT-proBNP (log-transformed) with the AHEAD score for 1-year all-cause mortality using Cox models, Harrell C-index, apparent calibration, and reclassification (continuous net reclassification improvement [NRI] and integrated discrimination improvement [IDI]). A combined model of both markers and a combined AHEAD x NT-proBNP stratification were also evaluated. RESULTS: During 1 year, 84 deaths (19.5%) occurred. ln(NT-proBNP) was strongly associated with mortality (adjusted HR 2.63, 95% CI 2.05-3.37 per 1-unit increase; approximately HR 1.95 per doubling). AHEAD categories were associated with mortality in univariable analysis (HR 1.95 for score 2 and 3.61 for score ≥ 3 vs 0-1), but were attenuated after adjustment for ln(NT-proBNP) and admission covariates (adjusted HR 1.03 and 1.81). ln(NT-proBNP) showed higher discrimination than AHEAD categories (Harrell C-index 0.758 vs 0.608). The combined model improved discrimination and reclassification compared with AHEAD alone (C-index 0.757; Delta C-index 0.150; continuous NRI 0.840; IDI 0.136), but not compared with ln(NT-proBNP) alone (Delta C-index 0.000). In combined stratification, the highest NT-proBNP tertile (T3; > 6,385 pg/mL) identified high-risk groups regardless of AHEAD category. CONCLUSIONS: In hospitalized acute heart failure, admission NT-proBNP provided stronger prognostic discrimination than AHEAD categories for 1-year mortality in this cohort. AHEAD may still provide complementary clinical context, but adding AHEAD to ln(NT-proBNP) did not materially improve discrimination beyond NT-proBNP alone. External validation is warranted.
Physics-informed gaussian process regression for reproducible and uncertainty-aware CO2 injectivity prediction.
Adamu S, Alhussian H, Abdulkadir SJ … +9 more , Eltayeb Eltahir MM, Khairy SOF, Hayder G, Lathbl MA, Salisu Mohammed H, Adekunle AO, Kamaldeen G, Abdullahi SM, Saidu Y
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384714 · Full text
Reliable prediction of CO2 injectivity decline is essential for safe geological carbon storage, yet existing machine learning models often provide deterministic point predictions that lack uncertainty quantification. Thi...
Reliable prediction of CO2 injectivity decline is essential for safe geological carbon storage, yet existing machine learning models often provide deterministic point predictions that lack uncertainty quantification. This paper presents a physics-informed Gaussian process regression (PC-GPR) framework for Relative Injectivity Change (RIC) prediction, embedding constraints derived from two independently grounded physical laws: the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) colloidal monotonicity condition and the Civan-Kozeny-Carman permeability impairment model. Four GP variants are developed and benchmarked on a curated laboratory dataset (n = 44) under a three-tier validation protocol combining Leave-One-Out cross-validation, repeated k-fold cross-validation, and non-parametric bootstrap confidence intervals. Two complementary uncertainty quantification mechanisms are employed: GP posterior calibration via the Expected Calibration Error (ECE) and split-conformal prediction intervals. The GP-Base model achieves strong predictive performance (LOO R2 = 0.9401, 95% CI: [0.882, 0.978]) with well-calibrated uncertainty (ECE = 0.026) and reliable coverage (97.7% at the nominal 95% level). The PC-GPR-M variant reduces DLVO monotonicity violations to 1.5% across the input domain, demonstrating effective soft constraint enforcement. Operationally, the proposed framework translates predictive uncertainty into actionable injection scheduling guidance, identifying high-risk regions at salinity >30,000 ppm and jamming ratio >0.04. These results provide an uncertainty-aware baseline for future PIML research in subsurface carbon storage.
Developing a natural language processing system using transformer-based models for adverse drug event detection in electronic health records.
Wu J, Ruan X, McNeer E … +2 more , Rossow KM, Choi L
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384713 · Full text
OBJECTIVE: To develop a transformer-based natural language processing (NLP) system for detecting adverse drug events (ADEs) from clinical notes in electronic health records (EHRs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We fine-tuned BE...
OBJECTIVE: To develop a transformer-based natural language processing (NLP) system for detecting adverse drug events (ADEs) from clinical notes in electronic health records (EHRs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We fine-tuned BERT Short-Formers and Clinical-Longformer using the processed dataset from the 2018 National NLP Clinical Challenges (n2c2) shared task Track 2. Two data processing methods, window-based and split-based approaches, were compared to identify the optimal processing method. Model generalizability was evaluated on a dataset extracted from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) EHRs. RESULTS: On the n2c2 dataset, the best 5-fold cross-validation AUPRC, micro F1, and macro F1 scores were 0.840 (Clinical-Longformer, 4-chunk split), 0.965 (BioBERT, 15-word window), and 0.852 (Clinical-Longformer, 10-chunk split). On the VUMC dataset, the best AUPRC, micro F1, and macro F1 scores were 0.536 (Clinical-Longformer, 6-chunk split), 0.966 (BERT-base-uncased, 6-chunk split), and 0.762 (Clinical-Longformer, 4-chunk split). DISCUSSION: Transformer-based models demonstrated strong performance for ADE detection, with split-based processing generally outperforming window-based methods. Clinical-Longformer combined with a practical split-based approach showed promise for real-world implementation. Beyond token limits, chunk size substantially influenced model performance, even when text length remained within limits. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide practical guidance for developing transformer-based ADE detection systems from clinical notes. The selection of both text preprocessing strategies and model architectures should be guided by note characteristics and practical considerations such as annotation burden.
Determinants of mobile money loan disbursements: Evidence from Uganda's post pandemic digital credit boom.
Katusiime L, Agbola FW
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384712 · Full text
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda witnessed a rapid rise in mobile money usage and digital credit adoption, underscoring the sector's role in post crisis recovery and financial resilience. Against this ba...
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uganda witnessed a rapid rise in mobile money usage and digital credit adoption, underscoring the sector's role in post crisis recovery and financial resilience. Against this backdrop, this paper examines the determinants of mobile money loan disbursements in Uganda a global pioneer in mobile financial innovation, using monthly data from July 2021 to December 2024 and applying the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration framework to capture both long-run relationships and short-run dynamics. Results show a long-run relationship linking average loan disbursements with outstanding loan values and lagged inflation. In the short term, past loan disbursements have a significant impact on current loan values. Behavioural proxies are informative, airtime purchases and timely mobile loan repayments are associated with higher disbursement volumes, consistent with lenders interpreting them as signals of reliability and liquidity. By contrast, higher transaction volumes and fees depress disbursements, underscoring the adverse impact of elevated user costs on credit access. These findings highlight actionable levers for expanding responsible digital credit and deepening inclusion.
Development of a blended MOOC implementation model for English language learning: An interpretive structural modeling approach.
Pham AT, Tony Lim Abdullah MR
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384710 · Full text
The integration of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) into traditional English language education has created new opportunities for scalable, flexible, and inclusive learning. However, existing studies on MOOCs and blen...
The integration of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) into traditional English language education has created new opportunities for scalable, flexible, and inclusive learning. However, existing studies on MOOCs and blended learning remain largely descriptive and lack a structured framework that prioritizes key implementation elements for effective integration into formal education. This study develops a structured implementation model for blended MOOCs (bMOOCs) tailored to undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction. This gap is particularly evident in specific contexts such as Vietnam, where institutional conditions, technological readiness, and learner characteristics significantly influence implementation effectiveness. Using the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM), the research identifies and validates 20 key sub-indicators grouped into three interconnected phases: planning, implementation, and evaluation. The model emphasizes the importance of analyzing learners' backgrounds and motivations, setting clear learning objectives, and selecting appropriate materials and technologies. During implementation, the focus shifts to effective instructional strategies, learner participation, and technical support. The evaluation phase prioritizes formative assessment and timely feedback to promote continuous improvement and engagement. This learner-centered approach addresses common challenges in blended learning environments. The model offers practical guidance for stakeholders in EFL education, such as administrators, educators, and curriculum developers, seeking to enhance English language education through blended MOOCs. Practical implications for the implementation of blended MOOCs in EFL instruction are also addressed to enhance the quality of English language instruction in the digital age.
Pachymic acid alleviates circadian rhythm disorders in high-fat diet-induced obesity mice via the sphingolipid pathway.
Yang H, Mei Y, Chen J … +6 more , Chen J, Zhu J, Zhang L, Gong Y, Luo G, Ding W
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384709 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Obesity caused by a high-fat diet (HFD) is known to disrupt metabolic homeostasis and circadian rhythms. Pachymic acid (PA), a bioactive triterpenoid, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, antihyperl...
BACKGROUND: Obesity caused by a high-fat diet (HFD) is known to disrupt metabolic homeostasis and circadian rhythms. Pachymic acid (PA), a bioactive triterpenoid, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, and sedative-hypnotic properties, though its role in circadian regulation remains unexplored. METHODS: We assessed PA's impact on metabolic dysfunction (glucose/lipid profiles), systemic inflammation using biochemical assays, ELISA, Oil Red O staining. Circadian parameters were evaluated via 24-h serum melatonin and core body temperature. Hepatic circadian gene oscillations and mechanistic pathways were analyzed through time-series RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, qPCR, and Western blotting. RESULTS: PA intervention attenuated obesity-related phenotypes, including reduced body weight, improved glucose/lipid metabolism, and restored physiological rhythms of melatonin and body temperature. And hepatic gene oscillation patterns were realigned to circadian synchrony. Mechanistically, PA ameliorated liver inflammation by modulating the sphingolipid pathway, specifically via S1PR4/TRAF2 signaling. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings illustrate PA's role in mitigating metabolic and circadian disruptions in obesity, highlighting the sphingolipid pathway as a tissue-specific target for circadian modulation. This study provides novel insights into therapeutic strategies for obesity-associated circadian disorders.
Damage characteristics and constitutive modeling of coal under real-time temperatures.
Yu Y, Liu N, Zhang G … +2 more , Liu J, Wei J
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384708 · Full text
The thermal-mechanical coupling effects induced by thermal injection during coalbed methane extraction can readily lead to coal seam instability. To investigate the influence of real-time temperature on the damage charac...
The thermal-mechanical coupling effects induced by thermal injection during coalbed methane extraction can readily lead to coal seam instability. To investigate the influence of real-time temperature on the damage characteristics of coal, uniaxial compression tests were conducted on coal specimens under real-time temperature conditions using the MTS 815 testing system equipped with high-temperature accessories. Combined with the PFC3D discrete element numerical model, a cross-scale analysis was performed to examine the mechanical degradation patterns and fracture evolution characteristics of the coal. Based on a temperature-load coupled damage variable approach, a segmented damage model under combined thermal-mechanical effects was developed. The results show that the peak strain of coal is positively correlated with temperature, whereas compressive strength and elastic modulus exhibit a negative correlation. Thermal damage degree is positively correlated with temperature, with thermal cracks being predominantly tensile. During loading, as temperature increases, the macroscopic failure mode gradually shifts from axial splitting to mixed tensile-shear failure. Microdamage observed in PFC simulations similarly evolves from a predominance of tensile cracks to a mixed pattern, accompanied by a significant increase in the strain range between the initiation point and the peak point, indicating enhanced ductility. To account for the thermal sensitivity and the influence of temperature on failure mechanism, a Gaussian decay function based on a Gaussian kernel function was constructed to reconstruct the post-peak curve of the traditional Weibull model, substantially improving the model's descriptive capability. The proposed damage constitutive model is applicable to thermomechanically coupled uniaxial compression tests on coal and accurately captures the damage evolution process. The findings provide theoretical support for assessing coal seam stability during thermal injection mining.
Astrovirus in the Brazilian Amazon: First detection of non-classical astroviruses (MLB-3) in the Americas.
Alves DS, Teixeira DM, Sousa Junior EC … +8 more , Deus DR, Lobo PDS, Guerra SFDS, Silva LDD, Resque HR, Soares LS, Gabbay YB, Siqueira JAM
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384707 · Full text
Human astrovirus (HAstV) is a viral agent responsible for acute gastroenteritis (AGE), primarily affecting children and the elderly worldwide. Belonging to the Astroviridae family, HAstV is classified into eight classica...
Human astrovirus (HAstV) is a viral agent responsible for acute gastroenteritis (AGE), primarily affecting children and the elderly worldwide. Belonging to the Astroviridae family, HAstV is classified into eight classical serotypes (HAstV 1-8) and two other divergent non-classical clades: Melbourne (MLB 1-3) and Virginia (VA 1-6), which have been associated with gastroenteritis, central nervous system complications, and acute respiratory disease. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of classical and non-classical HAstV in fecal specimens collected from children up to 14 years of age in northern Brazil, within the Amazon region, between 2013 and 2022. A total of 560 samples, all previously tested negative for other gastroenteric viruses such as rotavirus and norovirus, were analyzed using reverse transcription followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and conventional RT-PCR. For classical HAstV, 10.7% (60/560) of the samples were positive by RT-qPCR and 2.0% (11/560) to 3.0% (17/560) by conventional RT-PCR using different primers set. Non-classical HAstV was detected in 0.2% (1/560) of the samples. Diarrhea was present in 91.7% of positive cases, vomiting in 71.7%, and fever in 53.3%. The most affected age group was children aged >5-10 years (25.0%), with no significant association between infection rate and sex. A higher number of infections occurred during the Amazon winter (11.6%), with Roraima identified as the federative unit with the highest number of cases. Fifteen samples (88.2%, 15/17) were sequenced and identified as classical HAstV, with the following genotypes detected: HAstV-1 (60.0%, 9/15), HAstV-3 (20.0%, 3/15), and HAstV-4 (20.0%, 3/15). Non-classical HAstV sequencing was performed on 12 (93.2%, 12/13) positive specimens, characterized as HAstV-1 (50%, 6/12), HAstV-3 (25%, 3/12), HAstV-4 (16.7%, 2/12), and HAstV-MLB-3 (8.3%, 1/12). A probable recombinant strain was identified, classified as HAstV-4 based on the ORF2 region and HAstV-1 based on the ORF1b region. This study provides updated epidemiological data on HAstV in the Brazilian Amazon and highlights the genetic diversity of both classical and non-classical genotypes. Notably, it reports the first detection - and the second complete genome repository - of the rare MLB-3 genotype in the Americas.
Y-maze performance predicts refined motor learning in mice.
Karlsson I, Malfatti T, Kullander K … +2 more , Siwani S, Ciralli B
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384703 · Full text
The relationships between distinct abilities and their interdependencies during memory tasks and motor learning activities are not clear. An important question is whether being proficient in memory or motor learning task...
The relationships between distinct abilities and their interdependencies during memory tasks and motor learning activities are not clear. An important question is whether being proficient in memory or motor learning tasks also translates into better performance in another, similar task - reflecting potential generalization of motor learning abilities. To investigate the correlation between memory performance and motor learning, we used a combination of behavioral tasks that assess general exploratory behavior, declarative memory, and fine motor learning in female mice. For the exploratory behavior, we used the open field task, and assessed declarative memory using the novel object recognition and Y-maze. Motor performance and learning was assessed through the vertical pole and pellet reaching tasks. We found a positive correlation between the Y-maze and the pellet reaching task performance, where a higher exploration rate indicated a higher success ratio in the pellet reaching task. Further, leave-one-out cross-validation prediction analysis show that Y-maze performance is a robust predictor of pellet reaching performance, showing that mice pellet reaching performance can reliably be predicted from Y-maze performance. These results can be used to conduct a pre-study for challenging motor tasks that include pre-behavioral procedures on mice. Our study shows that performance in the Y-maze predicts pellet reaching performance, indicating that these tasks can be used as pre-screening for motor learning performance and activity.
Analysis of the current situation of female induced abortion under China's "three-child policy".
Huang L, Zhang J, Chen K … +5 more , Lin K, Wu X, Hong Y, Ni Y, Chen X
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384702 · Full text
OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in the characteristics of women undergoing induced abortion and their contraceptive choices before and after the implementation of the "three-child" policy, and to inform strategies for i...
OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in the characteristics of women undergoing induced abortion and their contraceptive choices before and after the implementation of the "three-child" policy, and to inform strategies for improving reproductive health services in China. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective comparative study at a tertiary maternity hospital in Fujian, China. Women who underwent induced abortion between 31 May 2019 and 30 May 2020 (pre-policy period) and those who underwent the procedure between 31 May 2023 and 30 May 2024 (post-policy period) were included. We used R software (version 4.3.2) to compare contraceptive use and method choices prior to the abortion, as well as the primary reasons for unintended pregnancy between pre- and post-policy periods. RESULTS: In the pre-policy period, non-use of contraception was the leading cause of unintended pregnancy (43.38%), primarily attributed to a perception of low pregnancy risk. Among contraceptive users, condoms were the most common method (26.47%). Post-policy, the rate of contraceptive non-use decreased to 32.19%. However, reliance on low-efficacy methods persisted, with condoms (43.49%) and withdrawal (23.51%) remaining predominant. CONCLUSION: Non-use of contraception and reliance on low-efficacy methods remained the primary contributors to unintended pregnancies among women undergoing induced abortion both before and after the three-child policy. Higher educational attainment was associated with lower contraceptive failure risk. These findings underscore the urgent need to improve access to effective contraceptive methods and strengthen reproductive health education to reduce unintended pregnancies and safeguard women's reproductive health.
Statistical shape refinement and genetic algorithm calibration of design response spectra based on strong-motion records.
Han X, Chang C, Bo J … +4 more , Yang S, Song Q, Wang S, Guo M
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384670 · Full text
Ground-motion parameters for different site conditions are conventionally prescribed in seismic design codes worldwide, based on post-earthquake damage surveys and statistical analyses of strong-motion databases. Design...
Ground-motion parameters for different site conditions are conventionally prescribed in seismic design codes worldwide, based on post-earthquake damage surveys and statistical analyses of strong-motion databases. Design response spectra thus constitute the primary basis for engineering aseismic design, yet their shapes and characteristic parameters differ markedly among national codes. Systematic computations reveal that code-specified spectral shapes deviate appreciably from recorded earthquake spectra, providing an incomplete representation of site-specific ground-motion characteristics.To address this limitation, 1227 horizontal acceleration records were compiled and classified by magnitude, source distance and site class. Mean dynamic amplification spectra were computed for each subset, and numerical computation were performed to derive an improved analytical expression for the design spectrum. A genetic-algorithm-based calibration procedure was subsequently developed to determine optimal model parameters. The applicability of the proposed approach was examined by calibrating spectra for four independent strong-motion records; spectral parameters obtained with the improved shape were compared with those derived from the conventional code spectrum.Results demonstrate that the refined spectral form captures the frequency-dependent characteristics of earthquake response spectra more accurately than existing representations. The proposed calibration framework offers a valuable reference for advancing design-response-spectrum studies and for the potential updating of seismic design codes.
Functional data analysis of college students' sleep patterns and their relationships with academic performance and social networks: A four-year longitudinal study.
Zhao Y, Zhou H
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384669 · Full text
BACKGROUND: College students are subject to insufficient sleep and irregular sleep patterns. Most existing studies regarding sleep behaviors have relied on static measures or discrete time points for analyzing sleep data...
BACKGROUND: College students are subject to insufficient sleep and irregular sleep patterns. Most existing studies regarding sleep behaviors have relied on static measures or discrete time points for analyzing sleep data, potentially missing the dynamic and continuous nature of sleep behavior. OBJECTIVES: To examine sleep pattern evolution and their relationships with academic performance and social networks among college students using functional data analysis. METHODS: This study introduces functional data analysis to examine sleep patterns and their relationships with academic performance and social networks among college students throughout their four-year undergraduate experience. Using data from the NetHealth Project, we analyzed daily sleep records from Fitbit devices worn by 76 undergraduate students, along with their academic records and social network data, comprising 61,225 daily observations. We employed functional regression to model time-varying relationships between sleep and GPA, and functional t-tests to compare sleep patterns between students with different social activity levels. RESULTS: Sleep duration increased significantly across the undergraduate years, with pronounced seasonal fluctuations corresponding to academic cycles. The relationship between sleep and academic performance remained consistently positive throughout college, with each GPA point associated with 27.4 additional minutes of sleep on average. This relationship exhibited a U-shaped temporal pattern, strongest during freshman year (54 minutes/GPA point), weakest during junior year (5 minutes/GPA point), and recovering during senior year (48 minutes/GPA point). Social network characteristics showed no statistically significant associations with sleep patterns, though students with larger networks consistently slept slightly less than those with smaller networks. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the utility of functional data analysis in sleep research, revealing dynamic patterns in sleep behavior and time-varying relationships with academic performance that traditional discrete-time analyses would not capture. The consistently positive association between sleep duration and academic performance was maintained throughout the four-year undergraduate experience, with temporal variations suggesting the relationship is strongest during freshman and senior years. These findings provide longitudinal evidence about sleep patterns and their correlates among college students, with potential implications for the timing of sleep-related support services.
The effects of material type, salivary contamination and adhesive application on the performance of pit and fissure sealants.
Gok A, Bilge K, Gok T
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384668 · Full text
This study aimed to assess the effects of sealant material type, adhesive application and saliva contamination on the microleakage, shear bond strength (SBS), and interfacial adaptation of pit and fissure sealants. A tot...
This study aimed to assess the effects of sealant material type, adhesive application and saliva contamination on the microleakage, shear bond strength (SBS), and interfacial adaptation of pit and fissure sealants. A total of 160 extracted human molars were assigned to eight groups according to sealant type (resin-based, glass ionomer-based, or flowable composite), adhesive application, and contamination condition. Microleakage and unfilled areas at the enamel-sealant interface were assessed by dye penetration and image analysis software after thermocycling. SBS was measured using a universal testing machine, and failure modes were categorized under a stereomicroscope. Interfacial adaptation was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Data were analyzed with Fisher's exact, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and ANOVA tests (α = 0.05). Resin-based and flowable composite sealants exhibited significantly lower microleakage and higher SBS than glass ionomer-based materials (p < 0.05). Adhesive application enhanced SBS but slightly increased microleakage. Saliva contamination markedly reduced bond strength and increased leakage, whereas re-etching effectively restored enamel receptivity and sealing ability. SEM images revealed better adaptation and continuous margins in resin-based and flowable composites, whereas contaminated groups exhibited irregular interfaces and micro gaps. Sealant performance is strongly influenced by material viscosity, surface pretreatment, and contamination control. Re-etching after contamination restores enamel-bonding potential, while adhesive-assisted flowable composites achieve the best combination of sealing, retention, and interfacial adaptation, suggesting their clinical advantage in moisture-compromised environments.
Evolutionary lags in the primate brain size/body size relationship revisited.
Dunbar RIM
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384667 · Full text
The original brain lag hypothesis proposed that primate brain evolution depended on spare energy derivative of savings of scale enabled by first increasing body size. However, in a seminal analysis, Deaner & Nunn conclud...
The original brain lag hypothesis proposed that primate brain evolution depended on spare energy derivative of savings of scale enabled by first increasing body size. However, in a seminal analysis, Deaner & Nunn concluded that there was no evidence for a brain lag. I revisit their analysis and show that using statistically more appropriate analyses and updated data yields a significant brain lag effect. However, contrary to the original brain lag hypothesis, the brain/body ratio does not converge back on the allometric regression line, but continues to evolve beyond it. Increases in brain size are correlated with exploiting large group size rather than large body size as the principal defence against predation risk, with significant growth in brain size (but not body size) only being possible if species adopt a more frugivorous diet. I then use these findings to show that hominins followed a similar trajectory from an australopithecine baseline on the relevant allometric regression. In sum, the brain lag effect is much more complicated than the original hypothesis proposed, with a distinctive switch from emphasising body size to brain size (hence group size) as a solution to ecological challenges.
Revisiting fatty acid-mediated antibody purification from plasma with insights into selectivity and protein integrity.
Sathorn S, Ritthidej GC, Arunmanee W
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384666 · Full text
Therapeutic antibodies play an essential role in modern biopharmaceuticals, with polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) remaining indispensable for applications such as toxin and virus neutralization. However, pAb purification is...
Therapeutic antibodies play an essential role in modern biopharmaceuticals, with polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) remaining indispensable for applications such as toxin and virus neutralization. However, pAb purification is complicated by serum-derived contaminants. Selective impurity precipitation using caprylic acid (C8) or sodium caprylate (NaC8) provides an effective strategy for obtaining high-purity antibody preparations and serves as a low-cost, scalable non-chromatographic alternative. However, the influence of fatty acid chain length and ionic form on differential precipitation remains poorly understood. Here, we systematically evaluated free fatty acids with varying chain length (C8-C10) and their corresponding sodium salts for pAb purification. Using model proteins, free fatty acids exhibited greater selectivity than their salt forms, and precipitation efficiency decreased with increasing chain length (C8 > C9 > C10). Importantly, C9 at 2% (v/v) provided a favorable balance between impurity removal and γ-globulin retention, achieving effective depletion of albumin while minimizing antibody loss relative to conventional C8 precipitation. Multi-spectroscopic analyses confirmed that γ-globulin maintained its native structure following fatty acid-based precipitation. When applied to the fractionation of IgG from hyperimmunized equine plasma, C9 achieved impurity reduction and IgG homogeneity comparable to conventional C8 treatment while preserving antigen-binding avidity. Collectively, these findings identify C9 as a selective and function-preserving precipitant with potential as an efficient and scalable pretreatment step in polyclonal antibody purification workflows.
Metabolic profiling of human melanoma cell lines with high and low metastatic capacity by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.
Kakhki NR, Hegedűs Z, Tóvári J … +3 more , Mirzahosseini A, Noszál B, Kraszni M
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384665 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer due to its high metastatic potential and mortality rate. Although understanding of metabolic reprogramming in melanoma has advanced, the connection...
BACKGROUND: Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer due to its high metastatic potential and mortality rate. Although understanding of metabolic reprogramming in melanoma has advanced, the connection between metabolic alterations and metastatic capacity remains incomplete. AIM: This study aimed to characterize the metabolic profiles of human melanoma cell lines with high (HT168-M1) and low (WM983B) metastatic potential, and to compare them with each other and also with the metabolic profile of normal human fibroblasts (MRC-5), in order to identify key metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with metastatic behavior. METHODS: Non-targeted metabolomic profiling using ¹H-NMR spectroscopy was applied to hydrophilic extracts of the three cell lines. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA and PLS-DA) were used to identify discriminating metabolites, and pathway analysis was performed to determine altered metabolic networks. RESULTS: Several metabolic pathways were significantly altered in melanoma cells compared to fibroblasts, including starch and sucrose metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. Metabolites showing more than two-fold differences included elevated UDP-glucose, ATP, glycerophosphocholine, GTP, creatine and glutathione in the melanoma cells, and reduced glucose, glutamine and 1-methylnicotinamide in fibroblasts. Comparison of the metabolites of melanoma cell lines with differing metastatic potential revealed changes in taurine and hypotaurine, β-alanine-, glutathione-, and amino acid metabolism. Metabolites showing the largest concentration changes were UDP-glucose, glutathione, NAD+, alanine and β-alanine. CONCLUSION: Metabolomic profiling revealed distinct metabolic reprogramming between melanoma and normal fibroblasts, characterized by enhanced glycolysis and glutathione-dependent antioxidant defense. Highly metastatic melanoma cells demonstrated stronger redox adaptation and altered amino acid utilization, with elevated glutathione and glutamate and reduced NAD⁺ and pyruvate, indicating a metabolic shift toward oxidative stress resistance.
Age, gender, and score distributions of moral foundations.
Zakharin M, Bates TC
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384663 · Full text
Claims of generational differences in moral values have important implications for understanding societal change. Using the recently developed Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ-2), we examined age and gender effects o...
Claims of generational differences in moral values have important implications for understanding societal change. Using the recently developed Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ-2), we examined age and gender effects on moral foundations in large US (N = 835) and UK (N = 1,659) samples. Across both nations, binding foundations (proportionality, loyalty, authority and purity) showed consistent age-related increases. While these yearly increments were modest, they accumulated to substantial differences between youngest and oldest participants, with binding scores approximately 0.75 standard deviations higher in older adults. Among individualizing foundations, the preference for equality decreased with age, while harm/care remained stable. Gender differences emerged systematically: women scored higher on individualizing foundations, while men showed elevated scores on binding foundations. We also observed significant distributional effects, with care scores clustering near the scale maximum and purity scores near the minimum. These demographic patterns suggest important dynamics in how moral values may shift across generations and between genders, with implications for understanding social change.
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