PloS One[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Validation of a portable pressure tile system for standing and stepping stability assessment in young and older adults.
Moradi K, Peters BE, Dillman L … +1 more , McGibbon CA
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384631 · Full text
Portable gait analysis technology for assessing mobility and balance among older adults in community environments remains an underutilized resource, often due to lack of field validation. To address this gap, we used a m...
Portable gait analysis technology for assessing mobility and balance among older adults in community environments remains an underutilized resource, often due to lack of field validation. To address this gap, we used a mixed-validation approach to evaluate a commercially available portable pressure tile system in terms of measurement accuracy: is it true enough to be believed; and sensitivity: can it detect age-related changes in balance and mobility? Thirty healthy adults were recruited in two cohorts of fifteen: YA = 19-64 years of age, and OA = 65 + years of age, to perform a battery of standing and locomotor tasks (static stand = SS, five-times sit-to-stand = STS, step-up/step-down task = SUSD with dominant and non-dominant lead) using a dual elevation, two-tile, StepScan™ pressure tile system placed upon in-floor mounted AMTI™ force platforms for simultaneous data acquisition. Common parameters for balance and stepping analysis were extracted from centre-of-pressure (CoP) kinematics from both systems and analyzed in terms of absolute agreement between systems (paired t-tests and Intra-Class Correlation, ICC(2,k)) and ability to discriminate by age group (independent t-tests and Pearson R2). Agreement between systems was high (<5mm error, ICC > .9) for most measures, and a small but statistically significant decline in balance and mobility performance was detected in the OA cohort compared to the YA cohort (R2 = .2, p < .05). We conclude that portable, modular, pressure tile systems such as StepScan™ are sufficiently accurate and sensitive for quantifying age-related changes in balance and mobility. Larger scale studies are needed to determine the potential for integrating this technology into routine clinical workflow.
Reliability of cancer screening questions from the National Health Interview Survey.
Kessler LG, Comstock B, Aiello Bowles EJ … +12 more , Mou J, Nash MG, Bravo P, Fleckenstein LE, Pflugeisen C, Gao H, Winer RL, Ornelas IJ, Smith C, Neslund-Dudas C, Shetty P, Raghavan UG
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384630 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationwide in-person and telephone survey of the civilian non-institutionalized population, is used to measure progress towards Healthy People objectives on canc...
BACKGROUND: The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationwide in-person and telephone survey of the civilian non-institutionalized population, is used to measure progress towards Healthy People objectives on cancer screening. Survey reports have been compared to medical record data to assess validity of these questions; however, few studies have assessed reliability, or response consistency over time. We assessed the test-retest reliability of questions on cervical, colorectal, breast and lung cancer screening from the 2021 and 2022 NHIS. METHODS: We surveyed 1,770 adults ages 18 + years with and without prior screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer from four U.S. health systems (three in Washington state and one in Michigan) to examine validity of the NHIS questions. Among people who completed the validity survey, we randomized individuals to receive an additional survey one month later (N = 944) and three months later (N = 822). We calculated Cohen's Kappa, Gwet's AC1, and simple concordance to assess reliability. RESULTS: Among our study sample, 535 (56.7% of those assigned) to one month follow-up and 537 (65.0%) assigned to three month follow-up completed the reliability survey. Among these, 36 (6.6%) and 94 (17.6%) of those assigned to one and three month follow-up respectively were excluded from reliability analyses because they had additional screening tests after completing the validity survey. Cohen's Kappa showed strong-to-moderate reliability for being up to date with mammography screening: 0.83 at one month and 0.78 at three months; reliability for other screening tests was considerably lower: 0.61 and 0.60 for cervical, 0.57 and 0.62 for colorectal, and 0.72 and 0.58 for lung and one and three months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found strong-to-moderate reliability of responses recalling breast cancer screening at one and three months following an initial survey. Reliability may not be a major threat to self-reported cancer screening behavior.
A mathematical analysis of math anxiety dynamics using a classical SAS model: Bridging epidemic theory and pedagogical implications.
Islam S, Iqbal D, Saha M … +1 more , Saha G
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384628 · Full text
Students' cognitive function and participation in mathematical problems are adversely affected by mathematics anxiety. This research develops and evaluates a dynamic mathematical model (SAS: Susceptible-Anxious-Susceptib...
Students' cognitive function and participation in mathematical problems are adversely affected by mathematics anxiety. This research develops and evaluates a dynamic mathematical model (SAS: Susceptible-Anxious-Susceptible) to investigate the evolution and transmission of math anxiety within students over time. The model divides students into two subgroups based on presence and absence of math anxiety. Using epidemiological modeling concepts, we derive the basic reproduction number R₀, which determines the conditions for persistence (R₀ > 1) or elimination (R₀ < 1) of anxiety. Our analysis proves that the anxiety-free equilibrium is both locally and globally asymptotically stable when R₀ < 1, while the anxiety-prevailing equilibrium is stable when R₀ > 1, with the system undergoing a transcritical bifurcation at R₀ = 1. Sensitivity analysis using Partial Rank Correlation Coefficient (PRCC) reveals that the university entrance rate (π) and social transmission rate (β) positively impact R₀, while recovery rate (α) and exit rate (μ) negatively influence it. Notably, π and μ are identified as the most influential parameters. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the population of students with mathematics anxiety is highly sensitive to changes in β and μ, while remaining relatively stable with fluctuations in π and α. These findings provide a quantitative framework for developing effective interventions, suggesting that reducing social transmission of anxiety and enhancing recovery through supportive mechanisms can significantly curb math anxiety prevalence in educational settings.
Evaluation of early trabecular changes around implants using fractal analysis and panoramic indices.
Keles M, Yuksel IB, Sen DO … +4 more , Ogutcen O, Arslan ME, Yarkac FU, Babayigit O
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384627 · Full text
Early trabecular changes around dental implants may not be adequately captured by conventional panoramic morphometric indices. Fractal analysis has been proposed as a quantitative method for detecting subtle changes in b...
Early trabecular changes around dental implants may not be adequately captured by conventional panoramic morphometric indices. Fractal analysis has been proposed as a quantitative method for detecting subtle changes in bone microarchitecture. This study aimed to evaluate early peri-implant trabecular structural changes using fractal analysis and panoramic morphometric indices during the unloaded healing period. This retrospective study included 60 single-tooth dental implants. Standardized panoramic radiographs were obtained at baseline and 3 months postoperatively. Mandibular cortical width, panoramic mandibular index, and fractal dimension values were measured in mesial, distal, and apical regions using ImageJ software. As all implants healed submerged and unloaded, periodontal parameters-plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, and probing pocket depth-were recorded from natural teeth in the same quadrant. Baseline and 3-month values were compared using paired t-tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Fractal dimension values increased significantly in all evaluated regions at 3 months compared with baseline (p < 0.05), indicating measurable early trabecular structural changes. In contrast, mandibular cortical width and panoramic mandibular index showed no significant changes. Among periodontal parameters, only gingival index demonstrated a significant improvement (p < 0.001), reflecting reduced gingival inflammation. Fractal analysis detected early trabecular changes during the 3-month unloaded healing period, whereas conventional panoramic morphometric indices showed no significant change. These findings should be interpreted as indicators of trabecular reorganization rather than direct evidence of osseointegration. Fractal analysis may provide supplementary, non-invasive information during early radiographic follow-up.
Motivational and psychological variables related to unethical uses of artificial intelligence across multiple life domains (academics and online interactions).
Messick KJ, Bass A, Fulmer M … +7 more , Williams J, Anderson J, Wolff M, Taylor H, Wright E, Yonce G, Aranda B
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384626 · Full text
Past studies about unethical uses of generative artificial intelligence (AI) have focused within a specific life domain (e.g., how AI is used for cheating in academics). An online survey was conducted to investigate how...
Past studies about unethical uses of generative artificial intelligence (AI) have focused within a specific life domain (e.g., how AI is used for cheating in academics). An online survey was conducted to investigate how AI users utilized AI across multiple domains, how unethical behaviors in one domain related to behaviors in others, and which motivational and psychological variables corresponded with those uses. The goal was to help create a foundational understanding of how people use AI more broadly, including what the largest motivations for unethical use are and if unethical use had psychological consequences for the user. Creating this foundation can help develop successful interventions for unethical AI use. Findings supported that performing potentially unethical behaviors in one area of life (e.g., academics) were positively related to unethical behaviors in another area of life (e.g., social media interactions). Using AI unethically was positively related to knowing that the use was unethical. Unethical AI use was not related to intrinsic or extrinsic motivation, but was positively related to results pressure (prioritizing outcomes), external pressure (unethical use is normative and unlikely to be penalized), and time pressure (saving time by completing a task more quickly). Unethical AI use was also positively related to a desire for social media popularity and narcissism. Unethical uses of AI were not related to self-esteem, self-efficacy, or loneliness, but were positively related to satisfaction with life, making social comparisons, internalizing the perspective of others about their own body, prioritizing physical appearance over other attributes, and comparing one's physical appearance with others. This study provided evidence that despite ethical misuse, generative AI is being used across multiple domains of life and is largely associated with positive consequences for the user. Unethical AI use was applied across multiple areas of life and was associated with variables related to elevating status, achieving good outcomes, behaving within broader cultural norms, and saving time. Future applications could explore if a more wholistic approach that targets motivations is more effective than a domain-specific approach when attempting to create interventions to curb unethical AI use.
Development and validation of a machine learning model to detect psychiatric symptoms in Huntington's disease using speech analysis.
Nguyen QTR, Titeux H, Riad R … +5 more , Massart R, Morgado G, Youssov K, Dupoux E, Bachoud-Lévi AC
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384624 · Full text
Huntington's disease (HD) causes progressive disability through motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Machine learning speech analysis can detect motor and cognitive symptoms of HD, but not yet psychiatric symptoms...
Huntington's disease (HD) causes progressive disability through motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Machine learning speech analysis can detect motor and cognitive symptoms of HD, but not yet psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated whether speech analyses can detect the presence of psychiatric symptoms in HD. Audio recordings of six narrative tasks (cookie-theft picture description, red-riding hood storytelling, most recent 24 hours recalling, happy, sad, or angry storytelling) were prospectively collected from subsequent genetically confirmed HD participants from the BIOHD and REPAIR CAPIT-HD-Beta cohorts at the Hospital Henri-Mondor, Créteil. Speech therapists blindly annotated speech samples to allow extraction of three types of features: linguistic, LASER, and acoustic features. Psychiatric symptoms in participants were detected using the Problem Behaviors Assessment Short version (PBA-s). Machine learning classifier models were trained on 80% of the 89 participants before being tested on the remaining 20% of individuals. F1-scores were calculated and compared to chance. Linguistic features detected obsessive/compulsive behavior (OCB) with all but joy task, and best with the cookie task (F1-score: 0.67, confidence interval [0.47-0.86] (p ≦ 0.001)). They also best detected depression with the red-riding hood (F1 score 0.66, [0.45-0.87], p ≦ 0.001), apathy with the joy task (0.60, [0.39-0.81], p ≦ 0.001), but not irritability. LASER features best detected OCB (0.65, [0.45-0.84], p ≦ 0.001), depression (0.60, [0.40, 0.80], p ≦ 0.01) and apathy (0.61, [0.37, 0.86], p ≦ 0.001) from the red-riding hood task, but not irritability. Acoustic features best detected depression (0.63, [0.46, 0.80], p ≦ 0.001) and OCB (0.60, [0.43, 0.77], p ≦ 0.001) but not apathy nor irritability. This study showed that speech analyses can detect obsessive/compulsive behaviors, depression, and apathy in HD participants but not irritability. Linguistic and LASER features provided the most consistent detections, but acoustic features also detected depression and OCB, highlighting their complementary role for psychiatric characterization in HD.
Spatial association of seabirds and aquatic birds with highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) outbreaks in Brazil: A nationwide ecological and statistical modelling approach.
Hernández-Ortiz BA, Dos Santos TA, Appolinário CM … +1 more , Arcila-Cardona AM
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384622 · Full text
Identifying wild bird species associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is essential for optimizing surveillance and mitigating spillover risks. This study analyzes Brazil's nationwide HPAI surveillance da...
Identifying wild bird species associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is essential for optimizing surveillance and mitigating spillover risks. This study analyzes Brazil's nationwide HPAI surveillance data (up to July 2025), comprising 1,153 records across 127 bird and mammal species from 525 municipalities. Using a multi-model framework-including chi-square association tests, binary logistic regression, and spatial Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). Species-outbreak associations were significative and positive for Thalasseus maximus (χ² = 237.34, p < 0.0001), Thalasseus acuflavidus (χ² = 216.12, p < 0.0001), Sterna hirundo (χ² = 83.88, p < 0.0001), and Sterna hirundinacea (χ² = 77.56, p < 0.0001). An optimized logistic regression model (model 3) highlighted T. acuflavidus as the strongest predictor of HPAI (OR = 80.74; 95% CI: 21.85-298.39; p < 0.001), achieving good predictive performance (AUC = 0.85; Pseudo R² = 0.48). To account for spatial dependence, we fit a binomial GAM incorporating a bivariate longitude-latitude spatial smoother, significantly improving model fit (AUC = 0.96; Pseudo R² = 0.58) and effectively accounting for residual spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I = 0.0399, z = 2.10, p = 0.044). Outbreaks were concentrated along Brazil's southeastern coast, overlapping with high-density poultry zones, while inland spread remained sporadic, suggesting migratory routes as key transmission pathways. These results underscore the critical role of seabirds-particularly T. acuflavidus-in HPAI H5N1 dynamics in Brazil. The enhanced predictive power of the spatial GAM supports its utility in risk mapping. We recommend integrating biodiversity data with spatial modeling to guide targeted surveillance in high-risk coastal areas, reducing spillover threats to poultry and wild populations.
Nine keys for successful interprofessional collaboration Based on observing facilitators and barriers during different types of treatment meetings: A qualitative study.
de Gans ST, Raijmann RCMA, Huijbers MF … +6 more , Looman N, van de Pol M, van der Zwaard BC, Koek HL, Emmelot-Vonk MH, Keijsers CJPW
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384621 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of multimorbidity requires effective collaboration between health professionals. Both interprofessional (IP) and multidisciplinary (MD) collaboration can be used for this purpose....
INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of multimorbidity requires effective collaboration between health professionals. Both interprofessional (IP) and multidisciplinary (MD) collaboration can be used for this purpose. IP collaboration refers to professionals working together toward a common patient-centred goal. In contrast, MD collaboration involves health professionals advocating for their own specialty, which may result in different disease-centred goals for the same patient. This study aims to evaluate and compare these two types of collaboration and develop recommendations for successful collaboration for patients with multimorbidity. METHODS: This qualitative study employed a rapid ethnographic non-participatory approach. We observed IP and MD treatment meetings using video and audio recordings to identify factors that might influence collaboration between health professionals. Data were analysed iteratively by multiple researchers using a thematic and conventional content analysis. RESULTS: There were clear differences between the observed meetings. The IP meetings had a roundtable setting, designated chair, discussions around a common patient-centred goal, active participants, and a relaxed atmosphere that facilitated interprofessional learning. Conversely, the MD meetings had a theatre design, disease-centred discussion, more passive participants, and a less relaxed atmosphere with fewer opportunities for learning. Five participants attended both settings. These participants were more actively engaged and contributed more to interprofessional learning in the IP meetings than in the MD meetings. CONCLUSION: This study showed multiple factors that may influence collaboration and participants' behaviour, particularly regarding active participation, learning, and patient-centred care. These factors were translated into nine keys for optimizing collaboration, which could support improvement in collaborative practice.
Intersectional dehumanization in faces: Facial attractiveness and perceived intelligence differentially predict dehumanization across intersecting race and gender identities.
Klein ND, Hugenberg K
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384620 · Full text
Past work has found that more attractive and more intelligent appearing faces are ascribed more humanlike sophistication at zero acquaintance, but past work has only employed White faces. Of interest in the present work...
Past work has found that more attractive and more intelligent appearing faces are ascribed more humanlike sophistication at zero acquaintance, but past work has only employed White faces. Of interest in the present work is whether similar effects occur across target race. Across two studies we investigate if the relationships between attractiveness and perceived intelligence vary across Black and White, male and female faces. Across both studies, we find that more attractive faces are evaluated as more humanlike across target race and gender, but notably that target race moderates the predictiveness of perceived intelligence. Perceived intelligence only relates to humanness for White targets, but not Black. These findings provide support for the theory that face trait relationships are often dependent on target identities, such as race and are consistent with extended research indicating that Black Americans' minds may be devalued.
A practical and safe alternative method for skeletal cleaning for museum specimens using superworms (Zophobas morio).
Rastekar F, Alaei Kakhki N, Aliabadian M … +1 more , Monfared M
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384618 · Full text
Clean and undamaged skeletons that maintain natural anatomical shape are essential for anatomical collections and natural history museums. Conventional methods, such as maceration, chemical treatments, or dermestid beetl...
Clean and undamaged skeletons that maintain natural anatomical shape are essential for anatomical collections and natural history museums. Conventional methods, such as maceration, chemical treatments, or dermestid beetle colonies, although commonly used, often require long processing times, pose biohazard risks, and may damage delicate bones. This study explores the use of superworms (Zophobas morio) as a biological alternative for skeletal cleaning. Controlled cleaning trials were conducted using specimens from various vertebrate groups and a range of size classes, categorized as small, medium, and large after removal of superficial tissues. As the larva to specimen ratio strongly influences cleaning time and effectiveness, we first standardized our setup by processing all specimens in identical containers, each with approximately 700 grams of superworms, allowing us to assess the optimal ratio. Our results showed that a high larva to specimen ratio led to damage of fragile bones, while lower ratios resulted in increased cleaning times. Through multiple trials, we suggest that a larva to specimen ratio of 10-15 balances efficient cleaning with minimal risk of bone damage. Applying this ratio to additional bird skulls resulted in thorough cleaning with no observed bone damage. Superworms removed soft tissues within hours to days, depending on specimen size, and were able to clean internal cavities that are typically difficult to reach. Unlike dermestid beetle colonies, which include multiple life stages and pose a higher risk of infestation or egg dispersal, superworms are limited to the larval stage, reducing such risks. Our findings demonstrate that superworms offer a rapid, adaptable, and museum-safe alternative to conventional skeletal cleaning methods, providing an efficient and practical option for scientific and curatorial settings. Superworms are readily available from commercial breeders, and maintaining a colony is straightforward, further supporting their use as a viable alternative for skeletal preparation.
Linking shelter conditions to health: A multisystem analysis of stress, metabolism, and fecal microbiota in dogs.
Saengthong A, Brown JL, Towiboon P … +6 more , Punturee K, Buddhasiri S, Nganvongpanit K, Punyapornwithaya V, Tocharoennirattisai W, Khonmee J
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384616 · Full text
Variations in space allocation and husbandry practices can significantly affect the health and welfare of long-term shelter dogs. This study compared adrenal, metabolic, and microbiological health indicators among dogs f...
Variations in space allocation and husbandry practices can significantly affect the health and welfare of long-term shelter dogs. This study compared adrenal, metabolic, and microbiological health indicators among dogs from three shelters in Thailand: Shelter A - low-density (20.3 m²/dog), adequate enclosure size (101.9 m²), and an enrichment program; Shelter B - medium-density (3.9 m²), large enclosures (150 m²); and Shelter C - high density (3.0 m²), one communal space (800 m²), and no enrichment. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations, oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, MDA), metabolic parameters (glucose, insulin, fructosamine, lipid profiles), and fecal microbiota composition and diversity were measured and analyzed in relation to management factors. Dogs in Shelter A exhibited the lowest fGCM concentrations (207.41 ± 4.55 ng/g), normal metabolic profiles, and richer, more even fecal microbiota. In contrast, dogs in Shelter C, a temple-based facility with more crowding and limited space, exhibited higher fGCM (278.71 ± 10.44 ng/g) and fructosamine concentrations, reduced alpha diversity, and a highly skewed Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidota ratio, suggesting possible adrenal cortical and microbial dysbiosis. Shelter B presented intermediate values across most parameters and management inputs. These findings show that management practices, including space allocation and enrichment, can influence stress physiology, metabolic health, and fecal microbiota composition in long-term sheltered dogs.
Do more birds mean more bird-aircraft collisions? A meta-analysis testing a key wildlife management tenet.
Guenin S, Liu Y, Blackwell BF … +2 more , DeVault TL, Fernández-Juricic E
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42384614 · Full text
Bird-aircraft collisions (bird strikes) pose threats to aviation safety and avian life. One of the tenets of airport-based management strategies to prevent bird strikes is the reduction of bird density within established...
Bird-aircraft collisions (bird strikes) pose threats to aviation safety and avian life. One of the tenets of airport-based management strategies to prevent bird strikes is the reduction of bird density within established separation distances from air operations areas. The rationale is that higher local bird densities could increase the spatial and temporal overlap in the use of airspace by both birds and aircraft, leading to a higher frequency of bird strikes. However, the strength and direction of this relationship have not been evaluated across published studies. This is an important gap, given how entrenched this assumed relationship has become to allocate limited resources to airport wildlife management. In this study, we assessed the strength of the relationship between avian abundance and bird strikes across studies using a meta-analytic approach. Through a reproducible literature search and screening criteria, we identified 20 outcomes (i.e., effect sizes) from 13 studies. We conducted a multilevel meta-analysis and found a positive correlation (Pearson's r = 0.520, 95% confidence intervals: 0.308-0.683), supporting the positive relationship between bird abundance and bird strike frequency. We additionally found evidence that the existing literature has high levels of between-study heterogeneity and publication bias, low statistical power, and multiple methodological concerns. These issues suggest that our effect size estimation should be interpreted with care. Given the limitations of the published literature testing this relationship, we provide a set of methodological recommendations for improving future experiments. We call for prioritizing the empirical testing of the abundance-bird strike relationship on and near airports across the world, and the standardization of bird survey approaches. These future tests are key to aligning management efforts to local airport needs.
Invaders taking over-Mollusc faunal change in volcanic barrier lakes of the Albertine Rift biodiversity hotspot.
Ssenkuba F, Rwibutso M, Dusabe MC … +2 more , Tumusiime J, Albrecht C
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378306 · Full text
East African freshwater are renowned biodiversity hotspots, particularly within the Rift Valley lakes, which exhibit exceptional species richness and endemism. However, research in this region has predominantly focused o...
East African freshwater are renowned biodiversity hotspots, particularly within the Rift Valley lakes, which exhibit exceptional species richness and endemism. However, research in this region has predominantly focused on large Rift lakes, with smaller volcanic barrier lakes remaining underexplored. This study integrated morphological, DNA barcoding, and ecological analyses to assess mollusc diversity, biogeographical affinities, environmental correlates of distribution, and community differences in lakes Bunyonyi, Mutanda, and Mulehe in Uganda, and Lakes Ruhondo and Burera in Rwanda. Results revealed a relatively high malacofaunal diversity in these lakes compared to some Great Lakes in the region, although these comparisons should be interpreted cautiously because sampling scope differs among studies. Assemblages largely exhibited Nilotic affinities and were dominated by widespread mollusc species. Our findings suggest ongoing homogenisation of mollusc communities, as indicated by reduced dispersion among invaded lakes. While this pattern is consistent with potential influences of anthropogenic activities and invasive species such as the North American crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), Physella acuta, and the Asian lineage of Melanoides tuberculata, our analyses do not allow us to disentangle invasion effects from other confounding factors, including lake-specific characteristics and environmental gradients. Therefore, invasion-driven homogenisation should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, this trend, coupled with habitat degradation from agriculture, pollution, and infrastructure development, may pose significant threats to the mollusc diversity in these lakes. This research underscores the importance of prioritising these overlooked, fragile ecosystems in the regional biodiversity conservation strategies to safeguard habitats for molluscs and other faunal elements. A comprehensive regional freshwater survey, including metabarcoding, is needed to document molluscan diversity patterns under ongoing environmental change and increasing anthropogenic pressure.
AI-driven molecular diversification and ligand-based optimization of macitentan derivatives targeting VEGFR1 and endothelin signaling pathways.
Sahin SK, Ali N
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378305 · Full text
Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy marked by angiogenic imbalance and endothelial dysfunction, driven largely by over expression of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and up-regulation of endot...
Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy marked by angiogenic imbalance and endothelial dysfunction, driven largely by over expression of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and up-regulation of endothelin-1 (ET-1). Targeting both VEGFR1 and ET-1 receptor could offer a dual-action therapeutic approach. In this study, macitentan, a dual ETA/ ETB antagonist, was used as a scaffold for AI-assisted derivative generation aimed at dual inhibition of these receptors. A comprehensive computational pipeline was applied including molecular docking, pharmacophore modeling, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, DFT, MM/GBSA, and ADMET analysis. Derivative 24 showed high binding affinity toward VEGFR1 (-7.7 kcal/mol), while Derivative 15 exhibited superior interaction with ET-1 receptor (-9.2 kcal/mol), both outperforming macitentan. MD simulations over 500 ns confirmed complex stability with RMSD stabilization around 0.2-0.3 nm and consistent hydrogen bonds. MM/GBSA binding energies further supported strong receptor interactions (-17.15 kcal/mol for Derivative 24-VEGFR1; -28.72 kcal/mol for Derivative 15-ET-1 receptor). DFT results showed reduced HOMO-LUMO gaps (3.55 eV for Derivative 24; 3.30 eV for Derivative 15), while MEP analysis indicated favorable electrostatic potential for target interaction. Pharmacophore and ADMET profiling revealed improved drug-likeness, high GI absorption, and reduced predicted toxicity. This study presents Derivatives 15 and 24 as promising dual-target leads against preeclampsia-induced endothelial dysfunction. However, experimental validation remains necessary to confirm efficacy and safety before translational application.
Performance patterns and records in the world aquatics masters championships: Where do the most frequently represented nations among the top-ten masters swimmers come from?
Moreitz S, Ahmad W, Wilhelm M … +9 more , Seffrin A, Andrade MS, Forte P, Stanula A, Hill L, Nikolaidis PT, Weiss K, Rosemann T, Knechtle B
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378302 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Masters Swimming is a rapidly expanding sector of competitive aquatic sport and provides structured opportunities for adults to maintain long-term engagement in high-level swimming. Despite extensive global p...
BACKGROUND: Masters Swimming is a rapidly expanding sector of competitive aquatic sport and provides structured opportunities for adults to maintain long-term engagement in high-level swimming. Despite extensive global participation, limited evidence exists regarding the national origins of the most frequent Masters swimmers among the top-ten performers across all strokes, distances, and age groups. Previous research has focused primarily on isolated disciplines or open-water events. This study aimed to investigate participation and performance patterns of Masters swimmers competing at the World Masters and World Aquatics Championships from 1986 to 2024, with a specific focus on national patterns among top performers. METHODS: A total of 204,005 long-course (50 m) swimming performance entries (94,312 women and 109,693 men) from 1986 to 2024 were extracted from the official World Aquatics archive and analyzed. The unit of analysis was the annual top-ten entries for each stroke, distance, sex, and age group, with each result treated as an independent performance record. Statistical differences between nationalities were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis tests with Bonferroni post-hoc adjustments. Descriptive data were presented using mean, standard deviation, and confidence intervals. Success was operationally defined as the frequency of a nation's appearances in the annual top-ten fastest times for each stroke, distance, and sex. For descriptive purposes, nationalities were grouped into six categories: the top-five nationalities with the most appearances in the top-ten fastest times regarding the different swimming strokes and sex separately by distances and for each competition year, as well as one group of all other nationalities. RESULTS: Among women, German swimmers were the most numerous in the top-ten for breaststroke, butterfly, and 50 m backstroke. Among men, however, U.S. swimmers were the most frequently represented across almost all distances and strokes, except for the successes of Brazilian athletes in the 50 m backstroke and Russian swimmers in the 50 m breaststroke. Across all years and disciplines, the most recurrent top-ten Masters swimmers came from the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, and Brazil ("Big Six"). Performance differences between nationalities were significant across multiple events, with notable strengths among Russian swimmers in breaststroke and freestyle sprint events. CONCLUSIONS: The United States demonstrated the broadest and most consistent numerical superiority in Masters swimming performance over the 38-year period, by fielding the most frequent athletes among the top-ten performers, particularly among men. German women displayed exceptional success in breaststroke and butterfly, accounting for the majority of the athletes in the top-ten. These findings highlight persistent geographic patterns in Masters swimming excellence and may guide future research on environmental, sociocultural, training, and demographic factors contributing to national performance patterns.
Modeling diurnal Temperature-Rainfall relationships under multicollinearity using PLS-SEM: A case study of Ghana.
Osei I, Carie A, Baafi-Adomako A … +1 more , Boadu DO
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378272 · Full text
Rainfall variability in tropical climates is influenced by interacting thermal processes, yet maximum (TMAX) and minimum (TMIN) temperatures are often highly collinear, complicating the estimation of their distinct relat...
Rainfall variability in tropical climates is influenced by interacting thermal processes, yet maximum (TMAX) and minimum (TMIN) temperatures are often highly collinear, complicating the estimation of their distinct relationships with precipitation. This study applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to long-term station-based climate data from Ghana (1981-2020; N = 252 station × calendar month observations) to examine structural associations among TMAX, TMIN, and rainfall (RAIN), including differences between coastal and inland regimes. The model represents a simplified component of the broader hydroclimatic system. The results indicate a statistically significant negative association between TMAX and rainfall (β = -0.454, p < 0.001) and a positive association between TMIN and rainfall (β = 0.166, p < 0.001). The relationship between TMAX and TMIN is positive but not statistically significant (β = 0.152, p = 0.053). Mediation analysis does not support a significant indirect pathway from TMAX to rainfall via TMIN (β = 0.025, p = 0.076). The model explains 21.1% of rainfall variance. Multi-group analysis reveals spatial heterogeneity, with a stronger negative TMAX-rainfall association inland (β = -0.721) than along the coast (β = -0.427), and a stronger TMAX-TMIN association in coastal regions (β = 0.753 vs. 0.337). The findings suggest that TMAX and TMIN exhibit distinct statistical relationships with rainfall that vary across climatic regimes. However, given the limited variables and observational design, the results should be interpreted as structural associations rather than definitive physical mechanisms. The study demonstrates the utility of PLS-SEM for handling multicollinearity and interdependent relationships in climate data while highlighting the need to incorporate additional atmospheric variables to improve explanatory depth.
Organizational culture, social capital, and emergency capacity in primary healthcare institutions: A cross-sectional structural equation modeling study comparing ordinary and older communities.
Huang X, Tang J, Jia J … +4 more , Zou L, Sun K, Meng Z, Zhang X
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378271 · Full text
The emergency capacity of primary healthcare institutions is critical to the effectiveness of grassroots emergency management. This study examines the relationships among organizational culture, social capital, and the e...
The emergency capacity of primary healthcare institutions is critical to the effectiveness of grassroots emergency management. This study examines the relationships among organizational culture, social capital, and the emergency capacity of primary healthcare institutions using a structural equation modeling approach. A questionnaire survey was conducted among healthcare professionals, yielding 983 valid responses for analysis. The results indicate that organizational culture, as well as structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions of social capital, are significantly associated with the emergency capacity of primary healthcare institutions within the model. In addition, social capital demonstrates mediating roles in the relationship between organizational culture and emergency capacity. Multi-group structural equation modeling further reveals variations across community types: relational social capital shows stronger associations with emergency capacity in ordinary communities, whereas structural social capital is more prominent in older communities. These findings provide empirical evidence on how organizational culture and social capital are linked to emergency capacity in primary healthcare settings, highlighting the importance of both internal cultural development and external social resources in different phases of emergency management.
Impact of kidney function on the metabolome in the general population.
Ljunggren J, Delgado-Velandia M, Sundström J … +7 more , Engström G, Smith JG, Ärnlöv J, Dekkers KF, Elmståhl S, Lind L, Svensson MK
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378270 · Full text
BACKGROUND: A reduction in kidney function cause metabolites that normally are cleared by the kidney to accumulate. These accumulated metabolites could potentially link kidney function to an increased risk of cardiovascu...
BACKGROUND: A reduction in kidney function cause metabolites that normally are cleared by the kidney to accumulate. These accumulated metabolites could potentially link kidney function to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. AIM: To assess the relationships between creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the metabolome (791 endogenous metabolites) in the general population, as well as the cortisol to cortisone ratio. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three population-based cohorts, Epihealth, PIVUS and POEM (total n = 3,444), were used with a discovery/validation approach. Metabolomics was measured by mass spectroscopy. eGFR was calculated using the 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine-based equation. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the correlations between each metabolite concentration and eGFR, adjusting for sex, % fat mass, cardiovascular risk factors and medications. The metabolites significant in the linear regression were analyzed using MultiVariable Mendelian Randomization (MVMR), adjusting for diabetes and BMI. RESULTS: Nighty-six metabolites were significantly associated to eGFR and had the same direction of association in both linear regression and MVMR. The vast majority of these associations were negative. Apart from creatinine, N-acetylalanine, N,N-dimethyl-pro-pro, N,N,N-trimethyl-alanylproline betaine (TMAP) were the top findings. Pathway enrichment analysis (Metaboloanalyst 6.0) found five significantly enriched pathways, two of which involved amino acid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: In a general population with only mild to moderately reduced kidney function, several metabolites were associated with kidney function, including the cortisol to cortisone ratio. This finding is of interest since several of these metabolites might link reduced kidney function to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Evaluation of coupling and coordination, obstacle diagnosis, and optimization pathways of medical-preventive integration in primary healthcare institutions in Hebei Province from 2017 to 2024.
Yang B, Li K, Zhao Z … +1 more , Cao Z
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378268 · Full text
Medical-prevention integration constitutes a core governance strategy for advancing the Healthy China initiative, with primary healthcare institutions serving as the foundational delivery platforms for its implementation...
Medical-prevention integration constitutes a core governance strategy for advancing the Healthy China initiative, with primary healthcare institutions serving as the foundational delivery platforms for its implementation. To systematically evaluate the development level, spatiotemporal evolution, and key constraining factors of medical-prevention integration at the primary level, this study takes all township health centers and community health service centers in Hebei Province as the research sample. Drawing on panel data from the Hebei Health Statistical Yearbook covering 2017-2024, an evaluation index system for the coupling and coordinated development of primary medical services and public health services was constructed and authoritatively validated using a modified Delphi method. Indicator weights were determined through the entropy method, and an integrated quantitative analytical framework was employed, incorporating the coupling coordination degree model, the relative development model, and the obstacle degree model. The results indicate that primary medical-prevention integration in Hebei Province exhibits a typical pattern of "high coupling but low coordination". Although medical and public health services have established a relatively stable institutional linkage, their overall coordinated development remains at a persistently low level, with medical services generally outperforming public health services. Township health centers demonstrate significantly higher composite development levels and coupling coordination degrees than community health service centers, forming a pronounced urban-rural dual structure in primary-level medical-prevention integration. Furthermore, substantial heterogeneity exists between the two types of institutions in terms of relative development structures and core obstacle factors. Lagging public health service capacity, along with misaligned financing and incentive mechanisms, constitutes the principal bottleneck constraining high-quality development of medical-prevention integration. By uncovering the underlying structural and institutional tensions within primary-level medical-prevention integration, this study provides robust empirical evidence and policy-relevant insights for optimizing integration strategies and advancing the construction of an integrated healthcare delivery system in Hebei Province and other comparable regions in China.
Feasibility and acceptability of smartphone technology for patients to self-record vital signs in the emergency department (The FacED Study): A study protocol.
Charlton-Webb J, Willis K, Jones G … +4 more , White S, Norris C, Bageya M, Jarman H
PLoS One · 2026 · PMID 42378265 · Full text
Overcrowding and high nursing workload in urgent and emergency care (UEC) settings frequently lead to incomplete or omitted measurement of patient vital signs during initial assessment and monitoring, with potential nega...
Overcrowding and high nursing workload in urgent and emergency care (UEC) settings frequently lead to incomplete or omitted measurement of patient vital signs during initial assessment and monitoring, with potential negative consequences for patient outcomes. Contactless camera‑based photoplethysmography (PPG) software, which allows patients to record a 30‑second smartphone video to obtain their own vital signs, may help reduce nursing workload, support prioritisation of clinical tasks, and decrease waiting times for triage. This study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this technology in situ across three UEC services at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A total of 1,500 patients will undergo both manual and smartphone‑based vital‑sign measurement, and feasibility will be assessed using a post‑measurement survey. Acceptability among triage staff will be evaluated using a short survey of 20-40 clinicians, and broader patient acceptability of digital health technologies in UEC settings will be explored through a questionnaire administered to 10,000 patients. Informed consent will be obtained before participation in any study procedures. Findings will be disseminated through peer‑reviewed publications and conference presentations and will inform future research on digital vital‑sign monitoring in UEC environments.
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