{"title":"Population travel increases the risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection in the highland population of Gardula Zone, South Ethiopia: A longitudinal study.","authors":"Muluken Assefa, Fekadu Massebo, Temesgen Ashine, Teklu Wegayehu","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0315900","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315900","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Population movement influences malaria epidemiology and can be a threat to malaria control and elimination. In Ethiopia, highland dwellers often travel to lowland areas where malaria is endemic. The current study aimed to assess the incidence of malaria and risk factors among dwellers in two highland villages of the former Dirashe District (now Gardula Zone), South Ethiopia. A longitudinal study was conducted from 10/05/2018 to 30/11/2018. A total of 1672 individuals from 329 households were recruited via a systematic random sampling technique. Blood samples were collected from all consented family members. The study participants were interviewed via a pretested questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine risk factors associated with malaria infection. A total of 4,884 blood samples were screened for malaria parasites in three rounds of surveys. Among those, 82 slides were positive for malaria parasites, 70 (85%) of which were collected during active case detection, and the remaining 12 (15%) were captured by passive case detection. Plasmodium falciparum accounted for 69.5% (57), and the remaining 30.5% (25) were Plasmodium vivax. The incidence of malaria in the highlands of Dirashe District was 0.2 infections per person-year at risk. Inhabitants who traveled to lowlands in the past 30 days (AOR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.27-5.33) had a significantly greater risk of contracting Plasmodium falciparum infection. Those people traveling in May and November, those participants who had no formal education and agricultural workers, had a greater risk of developing malaria infection. Low bed net ownership (63.2%) and use (52.9%) have been documented among highland populations. This study revealed that people who travel from highlands to malaria-endemic lowland areas for agriculture are at increased risk of developing malaria. Hence, malaria interventions targeting travelers should be implemented to reduce the imported malaria burden in highlands.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0315900"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314391
Ibrahim Al-Shourbaji, Pramod H Kachare, Abdoh Jabbari, Raimund Kirner, Digambar Puri, Mostafa Mehanawi, Abdalla Alameen
{"title":"Improving prediction of solar radiation using Cheetah Optimizer and Random Forest.","authors":"Ibrahim Al-Shourbaji, Pramod H Kachare, Abdoh Jabbari, Raimund Kirner, Digambar Puri, Mostafa Mehanawi, Abdalla Alameen","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0314391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314391","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the contemporary context of a burgeoning energy crisis, the accurate and dependable prediction of Solar Radiation (SR) has emerged as an indispensable component within thermal systems to facilitate renewable energy generation. Machine Learning (ML) models have gained widespread recognition for their precision and computational efficiency in addressing SR prediction challenges. Consequently, this paper introduces an innovative SR prediction model, denoted as the Cheetah Optimizer-Random Forest (CO-RF) model. The CO component plays a pivotal role in selecting the most informative features for hourly SR forecasting, subsequently serving as inputs to the RF model. The efficacy of the developed CO-RF model is rigorously assessed using two publicly available SR datasets. Evaluation metrics encompassing Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), and coefficient of determination (R2) are employed to validate its performance. Quantitative analysis demonstrates that the CO-RF model surpasses other techniques, Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network, and standalone Random Forest (RF), both in the training and testing phases of SR prediction. The proposed CO-RF model outperforms others, achieving a low MAE of 0.0365, MSE of 0.0074, and an R2 of 0.9251 on the first dataset, and an MAE of 0.0469, MSE of 0.0032, and R2 of 0.9868 on the second dataset, demonstrating significant error reduction.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0314391"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316471
Silvia Hervas-Raluy, Maria Jose Gomez-Benito, Carlos Borau, Mar Cóndor, Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar
{"title":"Correction: A new 3D finite element-based approach for computing cell surface tractions assuming nonlinear conditions.","authors":"Silvia Hervas-Raluy, Maria Jose Gomez-Benito, Carlos Borau, Mar Cóndor, Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0316471","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316471","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249018.].</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0316471"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Circular RNA circ-CARD8 regulates alveolar macrophage pyroptosis through the miR-580-3p/CARD8 pathway in acute lung injury.","authors":"Sida Chen, Ling Wen, Yumei Wu, Shan Xiao, Yuting Lai, Jintao Ou, Yan Shen","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0314936","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314936","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pyroptosis is linked to the development of acute lung injury (ALI), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a role in ALI-related inflammation. However, the mechanisms by which circRNAs contribute to macrophage pyroptosis in ALI remain unclear. This study constructed an in vitro ALI model by inducing THP-1 cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The expression and potential mechanism of circ-CARD8 in macrophage pyroptosis were then investigated. The interaction between circ-CARD8, hsa-miR-580-3p, and caspase recruitment domain family member 8 (CARD8) was confirmed through luciferase reporter assays and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation. Our data showed that circ-CARD8 was expressed at low levels. Meanwhile, the pyroptotic proteins caspase-1 and GSDMD, along with the secretion of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 18 and interleukin 1 beta, were upregulated in the ALI cell model. Overexpression of circ-CARD8 reversed macrophage pyroptosis, whereas inhibition of circ-CARD8 promoted it. Furthermore, the expression of miR-580-3p, a downstream microRNA that binds to circ-CARD8, was reduced upon circ-CARD8 overexpression and increased following its inhibition. Additionally, overexpression of miR-580-3p suppressed the expression of CARD8, a downstream target of miR-580-3p, thereby promoting macrophage pyroptosis. The inhibition of miR-580-3p reversed the effect of circ-CARD8 silencing on macrophage pyroptosis and CARD8 expression. Therefore, our study confirms that the low expression of circ-CARD8 reduces the sponge adsorption of miR-580-3p, increasing its expression, which in turn targets and inhibits CARD8, ultimately promoting macrophage pyroptosis induced by LPS in THP-1 cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0314936"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303920
Gerard Aristizábal Pla, Douglas N Martini, Michael V Potter, Wouter Hoogkamer, Stephen M Cain
{"title":"Evaluating the relationship between negative foot speed and sprint performance using shoe-mounted inertial sensors.","authors":"Gerard Aristizábal Pla, Douglas N Martini, Michael V Potter, Wouter Hoogkamer, Stephen M Cain","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0303920","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0303920","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Negative foot speed (i.e., the speed of the backward and downward motion of the foot relative to the body at ground contact) is a strong predictor of sprinting performance. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are becoming a popular approach for assessing sports performance. The primary aim of this study was to use IMUs to investigate the relationship between negative foot speed and top running speed attained during a sprint on an outdoor track. The secondary aim of this study was to use IMUs to investigate the relationship between initial contact foot velocity and running speed on a stride-by-stride basis for a sprint on an outdoor track. Seventeen participants performed 80-meter track sprints while wearing a shoe-mounted IMU. The anteroposterior component, vertical component, and magnitude of the velocity of the foot at initial contact was extracted from the IMU for each stride. For the mean peak stride speed of 7.98±0.78m/s and average stride speed of 7.43±0.68m/s, the adjusted R2 values were 0.27 and 0.69, 0.42 and 0.64, and 0.42 and 0.75 versus the anteroposterior, vertical, and magnitude of initial contact foot velocity, respectively. In conclusion, our findings support the common coaching tip of increasing negative foot speed to improve sprint speed. In addition, the results of this study support the use of IMUs for quantifying sprinting technique with actionable metrics.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0303920"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315477
Ahmad M Al-Omari, Yazan H Akkam, Ala'a Zyout, Shayma'a Younis, Shefa M Tawalbeh, Khaled Al-Sawalmeh, Amjed Al Fahoum, Jonathan Arnold
{"title":"Accelerating antimicrobial peptide design: Leveraging deep learning for rapid discovery.","authors":"Ahmad M Al-Omari, Yazan H Akkam, Ala'a Zyout, Shayma'a Younis, Shefa M Tawalbeh, Khaled Al-Sawalmeh, Amjed Al Fahoum, Jonathan Arnold","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0315477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315477","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are excellent at fighting many different infections. This demonstrates how important it is to make new AMPs that are even better at eliminating infections. The fundamental transformation in a variety of scientific disciplines, which led to the emergence of machine learning techniques, has presented significant opportunities for the development of antimicrobial peptides. Machine learning and deep learning are used to predict antimicrobial peptide efficacy in the study. The main purpose is to overcome traditional experimental method constraints. Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli is the model organism in this study. The investigation assesses 1,360 peptide sequences that exhibit anti- E. coli activity. These peptides' minimal inhibitory concentrations have been observed to be correlated with a set of 34 physicochemical characteristics. Two distinct methodologies are implemented. The initial method involves utilizing the pre-computed physicochemical attributes of peptides as the fundamental input data for a machine-learning classification approach. In the second method, these fundamental peptide features are converted into signal images, which are then transmitted to a deep learning neural network. The first and second methods have accuracy of 74% and 92.9%, respectively. The proposed methods were developed to target a single microorganism (gram negative E.coli), however, they offered a framework that could potentially be adapted for other types of antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticancer peptides with further validation. Furthermore, they have the potential to result in significant time and cost reductions, as well as the development of innovative AMP-based treatments. This research contributes to the advancement of deep learning-based AMP drug discovery methodologies by generating potent peptides for drug development and application. This discovery has significant implications for the processing of biological data and the computation of pharmacology.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0315477"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311760
Mohammed Aufy, Mahmoud Abd-Elkareem, Medina Mustafic, Mostafa A Abdel-Maksoud, Ali Hakamy, Veronika Baresova, Akram A Alfuraydi, Mahmoud Ashry, Jana Lubec, Ayman S Amer, Christian R Studenik, Ahmed M Hussein, Mohamed H Kotob
{"title":"Age-related lung changes linked to altered lysosomal protease profile, histology, and ultrastructure.","authors":"Mohammed Aufy, Mahmoud Abd-Elkareem, Medina Mustafic, Mostafa A Abdel-Maksoud, Ali Hakamy, Veronika Baresova, Akram A Alfuraydi, Mahmoud Ashry, Jana Lubec, Ayman S Amer, Christian R Studenik, Ahmed M Hussein, Mohamed H Kotob","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0311760","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311760","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The aging process is intricately linked to alterations in cellular and tissue structures, with the respiratory system being particularly susceptible to age-related changes. Therefore, this study aimed to profile the activity of proteases using activity-based probes in lung tissues of old and young rats, focusing on the expression levels of different, in particular cathepsins G and X and matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs). Additionally, the impact on extracellular matrix (ECM) components, particularly fibronectin, in relation to age-related histological and ultrastructural changes in lung tissues was investigated.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Lung tissues from old and young rats were subjected to activity-based probe profiling to assess the activity of different proteases. Expression levels of cathepsins G and X were quantified, and zymography was performed to evaluate matrix metalloproteinases activity. Furthermore, ECM components, specifically fibronectin, were examined for signs of degradation in the old lung tissues compared to the young ones. Moreover, histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural assessments of old and young lung tissue were also conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results showed that the expression levels of cathepsins G and X were notably higher in old rat lung tissues in contrast to those in young rat lung tissues. Zymography analysis revealed elevated MMP activity in the old lung tissues compared to the young ones. Particularly, significant degradation of fibronectin, an essential ECM component, was observed in the old lung tissues. Numerous histological and ultrastructural alterations were observed in old lung tissues compared to young lung tissues.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>The findings indicate an age-related upregulation of cathepsins G and X along with heightened MMP activity in old rat lung tissues, potentially contributing to the degradation of fibronectin within the ECM. These alterations highlight potential mechanisms underlying age-associated changes in lung tissue integrity and provide insights into protease-mediated ECM remodeling in the context of aging lungs.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0311760"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316018
Stephanie Zesch, Stephanie Panzer, Alice Paladin, M Linda Sutherland, Susanne Lindauer, Ronny Friedrich, Tanja Pommerening, Albert Zink, Wilfried Rosendahl
{"title":"The multifaceted nature of Egyptian mummification: Paleoradiological insights into child mummies.","authors":"Stephanie Zesch, Stephanie Panzer, Alice Paladin, M Linda Sutherland, Susanne Lindauer, Ronny Friedrich, Tanja Pommerening, Albert Zink, Wilfried Rosendahl","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0316018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In accordance with ancient Egyptian beliefs, the preservation of the body after death was an important prerequisite for the continued existence of the deceased in the afterlife. This involved application of various physical interventions and magical rituals to the corpse. Computed tomography (CT), as the gold-standard technology in the field of paleoradiology, enables deeper insights into details of artificial body preservation. Therefore, CT was applied to investigate age at death, sex, mummification techniques, and the state of soft tissue preservation in 21 child mummies. The specimens are housed in European museums and were found in various archaeological sites. This sample included 12 males, 7 females, and two specimens of unknown sex, all between the ages of one and 14 years. Time periods were determined by radiocarbon dating, and time-related indicators of funerary equipment and decoration. Most of the mummies date from the Late Period to the Roman Period (664 BC-395 AD). Differences were identified concerning techniques of wrapping and embalming and removal of brain and internal organs, depending on age at death, social status and the archaeological site of the individuals. The variety and multifaceted nature of mummification and soft tissue preservation was analyzed in an integrated approach including a large number of specimens. The study highlights the significance of subadult remains as valuable bioarcheological archives to investigate burial customs and religious concepts in past societies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0316018"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315499
Anthony L Guerrerio, Allyson Mateja, Gretchen MacCarrick, Jonathan Fintzi, Erica Brittain, Pamela A Frischmeyer-Guerrerio, Harry C Dietz
{"title":"Cardiovascular complications in vascular connective tissue disorders after COVID-19 infection and vaccination.","authors":"Anthony L Guerrerio, Allyson Mateja, Gretchen MacCarrick, Jonathan Fintzi, Erica Brittain, Pamela A Frischmeyer-Guerrerio, Harry C Dietz","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0315499","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pone.0315499","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>COVID-19 infection and vaccination have been reported to confer an elevated risk for cardiovascular events (CVE). We sought to determine whether individuals with an underlying vascular connective tissue disorder including Marfan syndrome (MFS), Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS), or vascular Ehlers Danlos syndrome (vEDS) are at increased risk for cardiac events after COVID-19 infection or vaccination.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>325 respondents self-reported data through a cross-sectional, web-based survey available from 22 November 2021, through 15 March 2022 regarding COVID-19 illness and vaccinations, the occurrence of any CVE, and adverse events following vaccination. The data were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model with time varying indicators for COVID-19 illness/vaccination in the preceding 30 days.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>COVID-19 illness was significantly associated with an increased rate of a new abnormal heart rhythm 30 days following infection. No other CVEs were reported in the 90 days after COVID-19 illness. We did not find evidence of an increased rate of any CVE in the 30 days following any COVID-19 vaccination dose.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In respondents with MFS, LDS, or vEDS, we uncovered no evidence of an increase in CVEs in the 30 days following COVID-19 illness, with the possible exception of dysrhythmia. In light of the absence of a substantial increase in self-reported CVEs in the 30 days following COVID-19 vaccination, these data are in keeping with the recommendation from the Marfan Foundation Professional Advisory Board that all eligible persons be vaccinated for COVID-19.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0315499"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PLoS ONEPub Date : 2024-12-20eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316070
Menghao Yang, Na Xiao, Le Tang, Yang Zhang, Yuexiu Wen, Xiuqin Yang
{"title":"Evaluating the accuracy of a nutritional screening tool for patients with digestive system tumors: A hierarchical Bayesian latent class meta-analysis.","authors":"Menghao Yang, Na Xiao, Le Tang, Yang Zhang, Yuexiu Wen, Xiuqin Yang","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0316070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cancer, particularly tumors of the digestive system, presents a major global health challenge. The incidence and mortality rates of these cancers are increasing, and many patients face significant nutritional risks, which are often overlooked in clinical practice. This oversight can lead to serious health consequences, underscoring the need for effective nutritional assessment tools to improve clinical outcomes. Although several nutritional risk screening tools exist, their specific utility for patients with gastrointestinal tumors remains unclear. This study aimed to address this gap by systematically evaluating the performance of various nutritional screening tools in this patient population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search of six databases was conducted to identify studies that met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Diagnostic test metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios (positive and negative) were estimated using a hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic model. This approach was used to compare the accuracy of different nutritional screening scales.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 33 eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis, assessing six nutritional screening tools: the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool, Malnutrition Screening Tool, Nutritional Risk Screening 2002, Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, Nutritional Risk Index, and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment. Among these, the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment demonstrated the highest performance, with a sensitivity of 0.911 (95% confidence interval: 0.866-0.942) and a specificity of 0.805 (95% confidence interval: 0.674-0.891), outperforming the other screening tools.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study confirms the effectiveness of the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment in identifying malnutrition risk among patients with digestive system tumors. However, as this research focused on a Chinese population, future studies should encompass a broader geographic scope and work toward standardized assessment criteria to enhance the global validation and refinement of nutritional screening tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"19 12","pages":"e0316070"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142869427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}