Clinical intelligence & editorial.

PLOS

The role of age and gender in the relationship between personality traits, quality of life, and decision-making about orthognathic surgery—A cross-sectional study

Objective: To explore how age and gender shape the relationship between personality traits, quality of life (QoL), and a patient’s decision to undergo surgery for correction of dentofacial deformity. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 108 individuals aged 14–53 years (median age 18 years; interquartile range 17–26) with a moderate to very great need for surgery according to the Index of Orthognathic Functional Treatment Need were assessed. There were 43% adolescents (≤17 years) and 68% females...

Aed

Renata Vidakovic, Martina Zigante, Jeta Kelmendi, Stjepan Spalj• January 16, 2026

PLOS

Quality of life in hypertensive patients using the WHOQOL-BREF instrument in the post-pandemic Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Background: To combat growing prevalence of hypertension in Bangladesh, it is critical to have an in-depth understanding about quality of life (QOL) among people living with hypertension and related factors. In the recent COVID-19 pandemic the QOL of hypertensive people got downsized. This study aimed to measure QOL among hypertensive people in a selected tertiary hospital in Dhaka city, and its association with the basic characteristics of the patients. Methods: This study was conducted among r...

Hypertension

Nasrin Akter, Farhana Faruque Zerin, Bilkis Banu, Fatema Afrin Kanta, Shahnaz Begam, Sarder Mahmud Hossain• January 16, 2026

PLOS

Viewing low back pain through the lens of spinal evolution: Understanding the morphology and limits of the human spine

Background and objective: Low back pain remains a pervasive global health challenge, with significant disability and socio-economic burden. While contemporary biomechanical and occupational factors are well-studied, the role of human spinal evolution and its divergence from modern postural behaviors is less frequently examined. This study aims to visually explore and illustrate the historical evolution of human spinal posture through artistic representations, conceptually highlighting the potent...

Back Pain

Abdullah Emre Taçyıldız, Özden Erhan Sofuoğlu, Aydın Sinan Apaydın, Melih Üçer• January 16, 2026

PLOS

Gamma irradiation crosslinked fluorescent nanocarbon based biodegradable hydrogel for controlled release of antibiotics

Controlled and sustained antibiotic delivery is critical for combating antimicrobial resistance while minimizing side effects. Herein, a novel biodegradable hydrogel system, synthesized via gamma irradiation, incorporating fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) as multifunctional nano-crosslinkers, has been reported. The CDs, prepared from sustainable bio-precursors, reinforced the polymer network and enhanced the mechanical stability and swelling behavior, while simultaneously serving as intrinsic fluor...

Antibiotic

Rajeshwar Vodeti, Mokhtar Rejili, Venkata Ramana Singamaneni, Umme Hani, Farhat Fatima, Jeetendra Kumar Gupta, Patibandla Jahnavi, Ramenani Hari Babu, Sharuk L. Khan, Md. Faysal• January 16, 2026

PLOS

Alzheimer’s disease prediction via an explainable CNN using genetic algorithm and SHAP values

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely recognized for their high precision in image classification. Nevertheless, the lack of transparency in these black-box models raises concerns in sensitive domains such as healthcare, where understanding the knowledge acquired to derive outcomes can be challenging. To address this concern, several strategies within the field of explainable AI (XAI) have been developed to enhance model interpretability. This study introduces a novel XAI technique, GA...

Alzheimer’S Disease

Mohammad Zahedipour, Mohammad Saniee Abadeh, Shakila Shojaei• January 16, 2026

PLOS

Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on thyroid cancer diagnoses in a comprehensive cancer center (2017–2023)

Introduction: The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery across the United States, leading to a sharp decline in outpatient visits. Given that thyroid nodule evaluation and diagnosis typically occur in outpatient settings, we hypothesized that these disruptions would reduce thyroid cancer incidence. This study evaluates trends in thyroid cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes at a U.S. comprehensive cancer center from 2017 to 2023. Methods: We included adults with...

Thyroiditis

Hayley Mann, Erin Dimon, Yichi Zhang, Natalia Arroyo, Abdullah Adil, Yanchen Zhang, Oguzhan Alagoz, Sara Fernandes-Taylor, Erin J. Aiello Bowles, Louise Davies, David O. Francis• January 15, 2026

PLOS

Prevalence of hypertension and associated factors among nurses working in private and public tertiary hospitals in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Nurses face numerous occupational stressors associated with an increased risk of hypertension. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors among nurses in private and public tertiary hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and November 2023 among nurses from one private and one public tertiary hospital. All eligible nurses in the private hospital were recruited, while stratified random sampling was used...

Hypertension

Jestina M. Rutagengwa, Theresia A. Ottaru, Ezra J. Mrema, Zuhura I. Kimera, Hussein H. Mwanga• January 15, 2026

PLOS

Anal HPV shedding assessed by self-sampling and multiplex real-time PCR among men who have sex with men in N’Djamena, Chad: a feasibility and acceptability study

Background: High-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) infection remains a great concern in sub-Saharan Africa in men who have sex with men (MSM). The prevalence of anal shedding of HPV and associated risk factors was estimated for the first time in a cross-sectional observational study covering MSM living in N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad. Methods: MSM were recruited from the community in 21 sites in neighborhoods of 5 districts randomly selected in N’Djamena by respondent-driven sampling (...

Pcr

Donato Koyalta, Zita Aleyo Nodjikouambaye, Jonathan Muwonga Tukisadila, Hachim Djamal Abdoulaye Bargo, Suitombaye Noubaramadji Yamti, Amine Akouya, Ralph-Sydney Mboumba Bouassa, Laurent Belec• January 14, 2026

PLOS

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for obesity: Growing popularity met with growing questions over safety

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based medications, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, have transformed obesity care. However, rising use brings concerns about side effects, long-term outcomes, and unregulated products. Ensuring safe access requires oversight, monitoring, and coordinated clinical care. In this Perspective, Ariana Chao, Adam Gilden and Thomas Wadden discuss why alongside the rising popularity of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)-based medications for obesity, there are also conce...

Obesity

Ariana M. Chao, Adam Gilden, Thomas A. Wadden• January 14, 2026

PLOS

Effects of breathing exercise and thoracic techniques on pain and disability in low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose: The objective of this study was to systematically review the effectiveness of thoracic-focused interventions, including breathing exercises and thoracic manual techniques (mobilization, high-velocity low-amplitude manipulation, and release techniques), on pain and disability in patients with low back pain (LBP). Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, ProQuest, Ovid, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), and Google...

Back Pain

Tahere Seyedhoseinpoor, Ramin Jafari, Zohreh Shafizadegan, Maryam Abbaszadeh-Amirdehi• January 14, 2026

PLOS

'I fit the category of the box, it just doesn’t describe me well.' Exploring the perspectives of autistic women and gender-diverse individuals on self-report autism measures

Psychological assessments play a significant role in both clinical decision-making and the interpretation of research findings, with the quality of these inferences depending on the validity of the measures used. Recent evidence suggests there are gender differences in the presentation of autism, raising concerns about the validity of existing autism tools to measure autistic traits in women and the subsequent implications for clinical inferences and research. This study explored the perspective...

Autism

Nora Uglik-Marucha, Serafina Show, Silia Vitoratou, Francesca Happé, Hannah Belcher• January 14, 2026

PLOS

Type 2 diabetes and age-related cognitive decline over 40 years in Danish men–A cohort study based on the Danish Aging and Cognition (DanACo) cohort

Aim: The extant literature on type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline is based on short cognitive follow-ups and assessments of baseline cognitive ability after diagnosis. The objective was to investigate the influence of type 2 diabetes on cognitive decline over a period of on average 44 years. Materials and methods: This cohort study included 5,147 men from the Danish Aging and Cognition cohort consisting of a late mid-life (mean age 64.2 years) follow-up of men with intelligence test scores (IQ...

Aed

Gunhild Tidemann Okholm, Marie Grønkjær, Jørgen Rungby, Erik Lykke Mortensen, Merete Osler• January 13, 2026