PLoS ONE
Articles in this Issue
Host genetic background and environment have different effects on the establishment and structure of the adult worker honey bee gut microbiota
Many studies have highlighted the importance of gut microbiomes to many aspects of host physiology. Therefore, understanding how factors, such as host genetics and environment, impact the establishmen...
Tunable narrow-and-sharp defect modes and transmission peak degeneracy in periodic superconducting photonic crystals
The transmittance and the defect mode (DM) are investigated in a one-dimensional superconducting photonic crystal (PC). The structure is composed of periodically stacked SD/DS pairs with a strict cent...
Effect of graphene addition on tensile, flexural, and hardness behavior of GFRP composites
Polymer Matrix Composites represent a new generation of engineering materials in which matrix materials are altered by reinforcing filler materials to enhance strength and other properties. In the pre...
The impact of banking uncertainty on firm investment: A look into intangible assets
This study examines the impact of banking uncertainty on intangible investments, in the context that there has been a growing body of literature addressing the ramifications of aggregate uncertainty o...
Coping strategies among family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults in Lebanon amid the economic crisis
Background Adopting effective and adaptable coping strategies can help reduce the distress associated with the caregiving burden. Studies assessing coping strategies among caregive...
Evidence of an allostatic response by intestinal tissues following induction of joint inflammation
Disrupted intestinal epithelial barrier function has been proposed to be integral to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progression and pathogenesis. To further define the molecular pathways in synovial inflam...
A novel template-free synthesis of Na-A Zeolite for enhanced removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions
The removal of toxic heavy metals from wastewater remains a major environmental challenge due to their non-bio-degradability, persistence, and adverse health effects. In this work, a novel DES-assiste...
Explainable AI framework for improved Thalassemia mental health classification and feature selection
Mental health challenges in Thalassemia patients are often overlooked, despite their significant impact on quality of life. Traditional statistical and machine learning approaches often fail to captur...
Lgr5+ ductal cells of von Ebner’s glands: Candidate stem cells for turnover of posterior tongue taste buds
Taste bud cells have a limited lifespan and must be continuously replaced along with the papilla epithelium in which they reside. Previous work has shown that expression of leucine-rich G protein-coup...
Challenges and solutions in determining urolithiasis caseloads using the digital infrastructure of a clinical data warehouse
Background: To provide more evidence in urolithiasis research, we have established the German Nationwide Register for RECurrent URolithiasis (RECUR) using local clinical data wareh...
Croaking for haste: How long does it take to describe a frog species since its discovery?
Global biodiversity faces severe anthropogenic threats, with alarming extinction rates projected for the near future. Most of Earth’s diversity remains undescribed, meaning countless species are doome...
Do opinion leaders know more? Knowledge accuracy, self-confidence, and media use in agricultural issues
This empirical study examines the relationship between knowledge accuracy, self-confidence, and perceived opinion leadership in the context of agricultural issues. Using data from a representative onl...
A study on the effect of CBSM-based psychological intervention on self-management ability and quality of life in colorectal cancer patients from the perspective of benefit finding: A quasi-experimental study
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly prevalent malignant tumor in China. Patients often experience negative emotions due to disease- and treatment-related stress, which i...
Shared autonomic phenotype of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
Introduction Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are relatively common and disabling multisystem disorders that share overlapping features, i...
Uncertainties in measuring offshore gambling: A scoping review of Nordic approaches
Background A part of online gambling consumption takes place in offshore markets. Lack of regulatory control over offshore offers erodes many public policy and public health object...
Optimizing board structure for ESG integrity: Nonlinear size effects and diversity moderation on greenwashing
This study examines the nonlinear relationship between board size and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) greenwashing and explores how board diversity moderates this association. Using panel...
Enarodustat suppresses thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression via hypoxia-inducible factor-mediated c-Jun N-terminal kinases dephosphorylation
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an epithelial-derived cytokine that induces type 2 immune responses through dendritic cell activation, and its aberrant regulation is implicated in TSLP-associat...
Bond strength of thermoformed and 3D-printed aligners with universal primer versus one-step aligner adhesive with and without sandblasting: An in vitro study
Objectives Chairside bonding of auxiliaries directly to aligners can avoid remanufacturing trays, but optimal protocols may be substrate-specific across modern thermoformed and 3D-...
The influence of digital transformation on chinese bank profitability performance
This paper aims to investigate the impact mechanisms of digital transformation in the banking sector under the rise of financial technology. Utilizing panel data from 116 commercial banks in China fro...
Association between multi-metal co-exposure and thyroid cancer risk in Shanxi, China: A case-control study
Environmental metals are established thyroid carcinogens, yet how their co-exposure collectively reshapes carcinogenic mechanisms remains elusive. This study used ICP-MS to quantify plasma concentrati...
Life cycle and techno-economic assessment of a solar-biogas hybrid dryer for banana drying
This study evaluates the environmental impact and economic viability of a solar-biogas hybrid dryer using life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis. The LCA, in accordance with ISO 1404...
Associations of menstrual health with school absenteeism and examination performance among Ugandan secondary school students: A prospective study
Background Relatively few studies have quantified the amount of school missed due to poor menstrual health, or the impact of poor menstrual health on examination performance....
Allied health care in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study on the perceptions of non-hospitalized patients and allied health professionals
Purpose Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to primary care and rehabilitation services, leaving many non-hospitalized patients with persistent symptoms unsure where...
Viable fertilizer prescription model: Soil test crop response approach for sustained and targeted yield, quality of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) in Alfisols
A comprehensive three-year field study was conducted to develop and validate soil test crop response (STCR)–based nutrient prescription equations for coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) in Alfisols. The...
The latitudinal speciation gradient in freshwater fishes: Higher speciation across assemblages at higher latitudes in the northern hemisphere
Speciation rates are a key driver of diversity patterns and are often used to explain the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG). However, latitudinal variation in speciation rates at both assemblage an...