Clinical intelligence & editorial.

PLOS

Retraction: Zoledronic acid generates a spatiotemporal effect to attenuate osteoarthritis by inhibiting potential Wnt5a-associated abnormal subchondral bone resorption

After this article [ 1 ] was published, concerns were raised about Figs 2 and 6. Specifically, the following figure panels appear similar: Fig 2A 8 weeks DMM+PBS panel of [1] and Fig 8B 8 weeks Sham-operated coronal panel of [2]. Fig 6A sham+PBS panel of [1] and Fig 3D day 3 RANKL-100 ng/ml CUR-10 μM panel of [3, retracted in 4]. Upon editorial follow-up, data underlying the panels of concerns were provided; however, these data were not sufficient to resolve the concerns listed above an...

Osteoarthritis

The PLOS One Editors• January 8, 2026

PLOS

Pharmacokinetics and analgesic efficacy of fentanyl and buprenorphine in chicken embryos

Chicken embryos are able to process and receive noxious stimuli from embryonic day (ED) 13. In the context of animal welfare, analgesic refinement is highly recommended for painful procedures from this time onwards. In this first study, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of the opioid analgesics fentanyl (0.2 mg/kg) and buprenorphine (0.5 mg/kg) were studied in ED17 chicken embryos. Analgesic plasma concentrations were determined at different time points after administration via LC...

Fentanyl

Luis Truhlar, Julia Werner, Marie-Louise Schmid, Aylina Glasenapp, Heike Baehre, Judith Reiser, Julia Koerner, Heidrun Potschka, Marion Bankstahl, Christine Baumgartner• January 8, 2026

PLOS

The prevalence and associated factors of uncontrolled blood pressure in a rural community of Nepal: A cross-sectional study

Hypertension affects 1.28 billion adults globally, with two-thirds residing in low- and middle-income countries. In Nepal, about 60% of hypertensive individuals in urban settings have uncontrolled blood pressure, but the situation in rural settings is unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with uncontrolled blood pressure among individuals diagnosed with high blood pressure, in a rural community in Nepal.We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1,008 individuals a...

Blood Pressure

Bihungum Bista, Sushmita Mali, Kjersti Mørkrid, Meghnath Dhimal, Biraj Man Karmacharya, Archana Shrestha• January 8, 2026

PLOS

Relationship between the Rate of Perceived Stability, electrodermal activity and task performance during balance challenges in chronic stroke

Introduction: In addition to sensorimotor impairments following stroke, decreased self-efficacy regarding walking balance may lead to self-imposed limitations on community level mobility, especially among women. The Rate of Perceived Stability (RPS) is a self-efficacy measure used to assess individual perception of balance ability when standing or walking balance is challenged. Measurement of electrodermal activation (EDA), modulated by the autonomic nervous system, during perturbations to stand...

Stroke

Aishwarya Shenoy, Amy Schneeberg, Towela Tembo, Rebecca M. Todd, Noah D. Silverberg, Janice J. Eng, Tzu-Hsuan Peng, Peyman Servati, Courtney L. Pollock• January 8, 2026

PLOS

The effectiveness of smart healthcare for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of smart healthcare interventions on disease activity, self-efficacy, self-management, functional levels, and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, as well as any associated adverse events. Method: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to August 2024, using relevant medical subject headings and keywords. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was...

Arthritis

Yin Yu, Meijiao Wang, Hejing Pan, Lin Huang, Haichang Li, Xuanlin Li• January 8, 2026

PLOS

The mediation effect of general self-efficacy in relation to procrastination and sense of coherence among adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Procrastination, defined as a tendency to delay starting or finishing tasks despite awareness of negative consequences, is a common problem among adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In the context of ADHD, procrastination not only exacerbates difficulties related to concentration and organization but also affects overall life functioning, interpersonal relationships, and mental health. Therefore, identifying protective factors that can mitigate the impact of pr...

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Agnieszka Malinowska, Wojciech Rodzeń• January 7, 2026

PLOS

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from human carriage, the human-polluted environment, and food: Molecular epidemiology of two prospective cohorts in five European metropolitan areas

Objectives: For 475 ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec), and 171 ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp) collected from human carriers, the human-polluted (hp)-environment, and food: (i) to compare the antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) content, and (ii) to assess clonal relationships between human and non-human isolates. Materials and methods: Two prospective multicenter cohorts were assessed: colonized hospitalized index-subjects and household contacts, and long-term care facilit...

Klebsiella Pneumonia

Tess D. Verschuuren, Julia Guther, Maria Eugenia Riccio, Daniel Martak, Elena Salamanca, Siri Göpel, Nadine Conzelmann, Jelle Scharringa, Patrick Musicha, Ingo B. Autenrieth, Ben S. Cooper, Didier Hocquet, Evelina Tacconelli, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Stephan Harbarth, Ad C. Fluit, Silke Peter, Jan A. J. W. Kluytmans• January 7, 2026

PLOS

Long-term preservation of bacteria in washed sterile sand: A 14-year study

Background: Cryopreservation and lyophilization are standard methods for preserving microbial cultures, but they are expensive and labor-intensive, creating a barrier for resource-constrained laboratories. This study evaluated the efficacy of a simple and inexpensive alternative: long-term storage in washed and sterilized sand. Methods: Fourteen bacterial strains from ten genera were preserved in sealed tubes containing washed and sterilized sand at room temperature. Viability, assessed by colon...

Sterilizers

Amina Manni, El-Houcine Ait-Ouakrim, Bouchra Belkadi, Abdelkarim Filali-Maltouf• January 7, 2026

PLOS

Impact of exercise sequence in concurrent training on insulin resistance, glycemic control, and blood pressure in Type 2 diabetes

This study compared the effects of aerobic followed by resistance (CART) and resistance followed by aerobic (CRAT) training on insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and blood pressure against a non-exercising control group (COT). 39 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to CART (n = 13), CRAT (n = 13), or COT (n = 13) for a 12-week supervised program. Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) improved significantly (F = 24.460, p = 0.001, η² = 0.62), with CRAT...

Blood Pressure

Friew Amare, Alemmebrat Kiflu, Aschenaki Taddese• January 7, 2026

PLOS

Association between subway iron particulate matter exposure and respiratory disease in New York City

Particulate matter exposure is linked to increased morbidity and mortality. Iron-rich particulate matter (PM2.5), common in rapid transit systems, is a potential but understudied contributor to respiratory illness. Using electronic health records (EHR) from 452,272 patients in the INSIGHT Clinical Research Network in New York City (2020–2023), we examined whether local iron exposure is associated with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), breathing difficulties, or respiratory in...

Respiratory

Sára Melicharová, Stephenson Strobel, Yongkang Zhang, José A. Pagán, Anqing Hu, Mark Weiner, Masoud Ghandehari• January 7, 2026

PLOS

Household survey on prevalence and risk factors for obesity in owned cats from Central Brazil

Few studies have conducted the prevalence of obesity in cat populations and the associated risk factors by assessing cats in their homes, regardless of whether they had visited a veterinary hospital. Moreover, such studies are scarce in Latin America, and, to date, few census-based, in-home epidemiological assessment of feline obesity has been conducted in Brazil. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of obesity in owned cats in the metropolis of Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil, and to assess the p...

Obesity

Danilo Conrado Silva, Mariana Yukari Hayasaki Porsani, Aparecido Divino da Cruz, Erika Figueiredo Pereira, Klayto José Gonçalves dos Santos, Lysa Bernardes Minasi, Vitória Alvarenga Nunes, Alex Silva da Cruz, Fabio Alves Teixeira• January 7, 2026

PLOS

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacteria causing surgical site infections in a tertiary care centers in Lebanon

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are a significant global health concern, especially after noticing the development of bacteria that are also resistant to several antibiotics. In Lebanon, data on SSIs and their associated antimicrobial resistance patterns are scarce, highlighting a critical gap in local epidemiological knowledge. This study aimed to determine the distribution of bacterial pathogens and evaluate their antibiotic susceptibility among patients with SSIs in various Lebanese hospitals...

Antibiotic

Inass Kawtharani, Ghassan Ghssein, Hussein Mcheimeche, Mariam Hassan, Pascale Salameh, Najwane Sadier• January 7, 2026