PLOS ONE Alerts: New Articles

1. Correction: Robust radiogenomics approach to the identification of <i>EGFR</i> mutations among patients with NSCLC from three different countries using topologically invariant Betti numbers

   by Kenta Ninomiya, Hidetaka Arimura, Wai Yee Chan, Kentaro Tanaka, Shinichi Mizuno, Nadia Fareeda Muhammad Gowdh, Nur Adura Yaakup, Chong-Kin Liam, Chee-Shee Chai, Kwan Hoong Ng

2. Longitudinal analysis of academic stress and its effects on salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and academic outcomes: Study protocol

   by Juan Luis Castillo-Navarrete, Alejandra Guzmán-Castillo, Claudio Bustos

   Introduction

   Academic stress is a prevalent problem among university students, affecting both their psychological well-being and academic performance. This study aims to investigate the mediating roles of biological and psycho-behavioural variables in the relationship between academic stress and academic performance over the course of a semester. Through a longitudinal approach and using accessible data collection technologies, the results will enable the design of effective interventions to mitigate the impact of academic stress.

   Hypotheses

   (i) Biological variables related to academic performance will mediate the relationship between academic stress and students’ academic performance. (ii) Psycho-behavioural variables will also act as mediators in this relationship, impacting academic performance differently.

   General objective

   To explore the mediating roles of biological and psycho-behavioural variables in the relationship between academic stress and academic performance over the course of a university semester.

   Design

   A longitudinal non-experimental observational design will be applied. Data will be collected in three assessment cycles, each consisting of three consecutive weeks during the academic semester.

   Participants

   A sample of 160 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Concepción will be included. Students will be recruited on a voluntary basis through social networks and student associations. Students under psychological or pharmacological treatment will also be included to more representatively reflect the student reality and to ensure the ecological validity of the study.

   Biological and psycho-behavioural data collection

   Participants will answer electronic questionnaires on academic stress and psycho-behavioural variables three times a week via the REDCap platform. In addition, smart devices will be used to continuously collect biological data such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, and sleep patterns. Students will also collect saliva samples three times a week to measure cortisol levels, and alpha-amylase enzyme activity.

   Statistical analysis

   (i) Descriptive analysis of variables will be performed using measures of central tendency and dispersion for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. (ii) Bivariate and multivariate analyses will be conducted to compare groups. (iii) Random intercept cross-lagged models will be used to assess the direction and reciprocal effects between variables over time. To analyze mediations, structural models (SEM) will be applied, considering biological and psycho-behavioural variables as mediators.

   Expected results

   It is anticipated that (i) biological variables, such as cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase, will play a significant mediating role in the relationship between academic stress and academic performance, particularly towards the end of the semester. (ii) psycho-behavioural variables will also have a mediating effect, with different impacts on academic performance depending on the level of stress experienced. The use of accessible technologies and non-invasive methods such as saliva sample collection will provide a replicable model for future research.

3. Correction: Drivers of menstrual material disposal and washing practices: A systematic review

   by Hannah Jayne Robinson, Dani Jennifer Barrington

4. Pattern, causes and functional outcome of peripheral neuropathies in the Amazon region

   by Nathalie Deschamps, Mathieu Nacher, Pierre-Marie Preux, Valérie Takam, Romain Blaizot, Beatrice Cenciu, Nadia Sabbah, Bertrand De Toffol

   Background

   Peripheral neuropathies have a wide variety of causes and pathophysiologies. Assuming that there are local particularities in the Amazon region, the aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients by determining the factors associated with functional severity.

   Methods

   This was a retrospective observational study at Cayenne Hospital between January 2015 and May 2023. We included patients from the French hospital activity monitoring database “Programme de médicalisation des systèmes d’information” by searching for the keywords "neuropathy" "Guillain-Barre syndrome"(GBS) "multineuritis" "polyneuritis". The Peripheral Neuropathy Disability (PND) score was determined to quantify the functional severity of patients.

   Results

   A total of 754 patients were included, with a mean age of 60 years (SD = 14.6) and a predominance of women (53.6%). Gait disorders were present in 16.3% of patients (PND between 2 and 4). Mortality was 14.3% at 3 years. The most common causes of neuropathy were diabetes (58.2%), chemotherapy induced polyneuropathy toxicity (21.5%), Guillain-Barre syndrome (6.0%), unlabeled (3.2%), and infectious causes (2.0%). Infectious causes mainly included HIV in 13 patients (43.3%) and leprosy in 8 patients (26.7%). Only GBS was significantly associated with functional severity but all patients with a deficiency had a severe score. But, after excluding GBS, infectious causes were significantly associated with a severe PND score (aOR = 3.69 [1.18–11.58]).

   Discussion

   The characteristics of French Guiana combine those found in developed and developing countries, with an over-representation of infections (notably HIV and leprosy), and diabetes. The causes often result from social inequalities in health.

   Conclusion

   This is the first comprehensive study of the diverse causes of neuropathy in a territory undergoing epidemiologic transition in the Amazon region.

5. Correction: A new 3D finite element-based approach for computing cell surface tractions assuming nonlinear conditions

   by Silvia Hervas-Raluy, Maria Jose Gomez-Benito, Carlos Borau, Mar Cóndor, Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar