Clinical intelligence & editorial.

PLOS

Uncovering the immune microenvironmental atlas of breast cancer molecular subtypes based on single-cell transcriptomics

Breast cancer progression is closely linked to immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), but the immune landscape differences across HER2-positive (HER2+), triple-negative (TNBC), and ER-positive (ER+) subtypes have yet to be systematically characterized. In this study, we characterized immune landscape differences across HER2-positive (HER2+), triple-negative (TNBC), and ER-positive (ER+) breast cancers using single-cell RNA sequencing data, focusing on T cells, macrophages, and B c...

Cancer

Shihua Lin, Yangxinyue Zheng, Zushun Chen, Menoudji Djetoyom Patrice, Li Wang, Xia Li, Yunpeng Zhang, Xingda Zhang• November 6, 2026

PLOS

Transcriptome- and methylome-wide association studies prioritized lung cancer genes in East Asian populations

The relationship between gene expression, DNA methylation, and lung cancer remains elusive in East Asian (EAS) populations. Transcriptome- and methylome-wide association studies (TWAS/MWAS) help uncover gene–trait associations by integrating multi-omics data, yet models trained mainly on European references limit cross-population generalizability. To address this, we developed EAS-specific gene expression and DNA methylation prediction models using whole-blood data from over 800 and 4,300 indivi...

Cancer

Xingjie Hao, Minghan Qu, Yi Jiang, Cheng Wang, Ziwei Zhu, Pinpin Long, Chaolong Wang, Hongxia Ma, Shanshan Cheng• November 6, 2026

PLOS

Development, validation, and testing of an agriculture support exoskeleton in adjunct to conventional physiotherapy for farm labourers with chronic low back pain: A two-phase, mixed-methods, quasi-experimental pilot study protocol

Background: Low back pain (LBP) affects 619 million people globally, with projections reaching 843 million by 2050. Farm labourers exhibit markedly higher prevalence than the general population, with lifetime (70–85%), 12-month (15–45%), and point (approximately 30%) prevalences driven by sustained trunk flexion, repetitive manual handling, and limited access to ergonomic or rehabilitative interventions. While conventional physiotherapy is the cornerstone of chronic LBP (CLBP) management, its ef...

Back Pain

Gurjeet Kaur, Irshad Qureshi, Ashutosh Bagde, Bhupesh Sarode, Dhananjay A. Jolhe, Vinod M. Nistane• November 6, 2026

PLOS

Evaluation of the efficacy of Si-based agent in Rheumatoid Arthritis with complicating vestibular impairment

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation and progressive disability. Although current therapies have improved clinical outcomes, safer and more effective therapeutic approaches remain needed. Silicon (Si)-based agents have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and have shown beneficial effects in several inflammatory disease models. Methods: We evaluated the effects of oral administration of a Si-based agent in a...

Arthritis

Shotaro Harada, Yoshihisa Koyama, Yuki Kobayashi, Takao Imai, Yoshichika Yoshioka, Hikaru Kobayashi, Hidenori Inohara, Shoichi Shimada• November 6, 2026

PLOS

Antibiotic stewardship challenges in Madagascar’s poultry sector: informality, knowledge gaps, and market constraints

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a major global public health threat, largely driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Tackling its animal health component is particularly difficult in low- and middle-income countries, where data and resources are limited. This qualitative study aims to explore antibiotic use (ABU) and its underlying drivers in poultry farms in Analamanga, Madagascar’s region with the highest poultry density. In April 2023, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 79 p...

Antibiotic

Sophie Molia, Ilo Tsimok’Haja Ramahatafandry, Michel Rakotoharinome, Christian Lienhardt, Muriel Figuié, Alexandre Hobeika, Daouda Kassié• November 6, 2026

PLOS

Efficacy of diadynamic currents versus transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in subjects with overactive bladder syndrome: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

Background: In the traditional treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) with transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS), physical therapists currently use only transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). However, the literature has commonly replaced TENS with diadynamic currents for various musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Moreover, no literature describes the use of diadynamic currents in the TTNS procedure. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the efficacy of diadynamic cu...

Overactive Bladder

Jaya Shanker Tedla, Sneha Latha Lalaji, Ajaya Kumar Midde, Nirmala A. Papalkar, N. Bindhu Priya, Devika Rani Sangadala, Ravi Shankar Reddy, Debjani Mukherjee, Ahlam Mohammed Alamri, Abdullah Suwayyid Alzahrani, Najla Awn Alhadi• November 6, 2026

PLOS

Introduction of contraceptive implants as a family planning strategy in Honduras and Chiapas: Results from the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative (SMI)

Expanding access to a broad range of contraceptive methods is critical for reducing unintended pregnancies and improving reproductive health. This study evaluates the introduction of subdermal contraceptive implants in the selected areas of Honduras and Chiapas, Mexico, in the context of the Salud Mesoamérica Initiative, a results-based financing program focused on disadvantaged populations. Data were obtained from household surveys conducted between 2012 and 2022 among women aged 15–49 years in...

Contraception And Family Planning

Adrián Santoro, Natalia Basualdo, Federico Rolón, Lucía Bartolomeu, Camila Volij, Matt Simon, Brittany Hagedorn, Diego Ríos-Zertuche, Santiago Esteban, Adolfo Rubinstein• November 6, 2026

PLOS

A computational framework to model cartilage degeneration induced by mechanoinflammation and cytokine-driven inflammation in post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Knee joint injury is a major risk factor for post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), often associated with early cartilage degeneration. Mechanical overloading and cytokine-driven inflammation are key drivers of this process, yet the underlying mechanisms and their distinct temporal and spatial contributions to cartilage degradation remain unclear. Here, we present a mechanobiological finite element framework that simulates cartilage degradation through cell-mediated proteolytic activity triggered...

Osteoarthritis

Moustafa Hamada, Atte S. A. Eskelinen, Joonas P. Kosonen, Sanna Hakonen, Cristina Florea, Alan J. Grodzinsky, Rami K. Korhonen, Petri Tanska• November 5, 2026

PLOS

Clinical supervision in public hospitals in Lesotho: Nurse managers’ support for registered nurses

Background: Clinical supervision is regarded as essential for nurse managers in diverse healthcare settings to enhance nurse satisfaction, competence, and retention, leading to improved nursing care quality. The study aimed to explore and describe nurse managers’ support provided to registered nurses during clinical supervision at public hospitals in Lesotho. Methods: The study employed an exploratory descriptive qualitative research design to explore and describe the support provided to registe...

Registered Nurse

Mpho Zakaria Shelile, Molekodi Jacob Matsipane, Seepaneng Salaminah Moloko-Phiri, Miriam Mmamphamo Moagi• November 5, 2026

PLOS

Correction: Multiplex PCR assay to detect high risk lineages of Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A

Following the publication of this article [ 1 ], concerns were raised regarding Figs 2 and 3. Specifically, Figs 2 and 3 do not appear to match their corresponding captions. The second author stated that Figs 2 and 3 appear in the incorrect order in [ 1 ], that the gel image in Fig 2 in [ 1 ] should be Fig 3, and that the primer sequences in Fig 3 in [ 1 ] should be Fig 2. Please see the corrected figures below. The first author also stated that the gel image in Fig 2 in [ 1 ] is incorrect. Th...

Pcr

Fahad Khokhar, Derek Pickard, Zoe Dyson, Junaid Iqbal, Agila Pragasam, Jobin Jacob John, Balaji Veeraraghavan, Farah Qamar, Gordon Dougan, Hilary MacQueen, Sushila Rigas, Mark Holmes, Ankur Mutreja• November 5, 2026

PLOS

Inactivation of microorganisms in the complex regions of transvaginal ultrasound probes by a UVC-LED light based disinfection system

Endocavity ultrasound transducers, particularly transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) probes, contain intricate structures such as notches, grooves, lens surfaces, and handle edges that are highly susceptible to microbial contamination yet difficult to disinfect using conventional high-level disinfection (HLD) methods. This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel ultraviolet C light emitting diode (UVC-LED) HLD system in eliminating microbial contamination from these complex probe surfaces. Two TVUS pr...

Ultrasound

Muhammad Yasir, Mark D. P. Willcox• November 5, 2026

PLOS

Initial failure morphology of shallow loess containing millimeter-scale cracks: Insights from CT 3d imaging

Frequent shallow loess slope failures in loess regions pose significant threats to both linear infrastructure and local communities. Millimeter-scale initial cracks induced by water, temperature, and weathering are key factors controlling such loess failures. Early diagnosis and prevention remain challenging, largely because the disaster chain triggered by millimeter-scale initial cracks is not fully understood, and the early failure behavior of these cracks is poorly characterized. In this stud...

Scales

Luqing Zhao, Cuiying Zhou, Zhen Liu, Qingyi Mu, Penghui Ma, Jianbing Peng• November 5, 2026