PLoS ONE最新文献

{"title":"Monolayer whole adherent islets: A novel tool for studying drug-induced diabetic phenotypes in vitro.","authors":"Makiko Kumagai-Braesch, Ming Yao, Nils Ågren, Ahmad Karadagi, Bo-Göran Ericzon, Anna Domogatskaya","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0325421","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325421","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To understand the mechanisms of diabetes and develop novel drugs, various animal diabetes models as well as in vitro experimental systems have been established. Using isolated islets in vitro is associated with several problems: (1) discontinued blood microcirculation causes ischemia and central necrosis in isolated islets, (2) dissociation of islets into single cells reduces the total number of cells and impairs endocrine function. Here, we aim to establish a novel experimental method using isolated islets to characterize cell physiology and drug effects. We have developed a method to flatten islets into monolayers by culturing small, whole, non-disrupted mouse islets on laminin-521. In this culture, islet cells remain intact, and cell-cell junctions are not broken mechanically. Small mouse islets were cultured in a 96-well plate coated with laminin-521 for six days and then exposed to various concentrations of streptozotocin (STZ) for 24 hours. Monolayer islets exposed to 0.6 mM STZ-induced a metabolic diabetes-like phenotype, i.e., islet cell death, predominantly of beta cells, causing a shift in alpha-to-beta cell ratio. The stimulation index in a glucose-stimulated insulin secretion assay was reduced in STZ-treated islets. However, insulin production per beta cell did not change significantly. The monolayer whole islet assay format allows the extraction of quantitative data regarding endocrine cell populations, \"endocrine sensitivity\" (stimulation index), and \"endocrine power\" (amount of hormone secreted per cell). It is a novel, versatile, user-friendly, semi-automated, and financially attractive experimental platform.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0325421"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216696","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":"The game theory analysis of homestead use right circulation income distribution under the context of the separation of three powers.","authors":"Junmin Wang, Yajiao Deng","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0318251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318251","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reasonable distribution of income from the circulation of homestead is the foundation for revitalizing idle rural homesteads. This study constructs a game relationship among villagers, village collectives, and intended parties, with the help of game theory, and discusses the issues about generation logic of circulation income distribution, the bargaining power and so on. It reveals the reasons and conditions for emergence of income distribution, appropriate way of distribution, and the mechanism by which bargaining power affects income distribution. It fills the theoretical gap regarding the generation mechanism and bargaining power of income distribution from homestead land use rights circulation, and lays the groundwork for bridging the ideal and the real about income distribution. The study's findings indicate that under certain conditions, villagers will choose to share part of the income with the village collective in exchange for the investment in village construction. And compared to income sharing based on circulation price, it based on the area of homestead land is more easily implemented. In addition, the bargaining power of villagers and the village collective determines the result of income distribution, which is closely related to factors such as their negotiation costs and rules. In the process of revitalizing homestead land, it is essential to respect the wishes and rights of villagers, guide cooperation between villagers and village collectives, and reasonably distribute the surplus from cooperation. Additionally, it is necessary to establish reasonable policy rules to prevent distortions in income distribution due to differences in bargaining power.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0318251"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216702","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":"Upper eyelid contour measurement in an Asian population using Bézier curve analysis.","authors":"Da Young Shin, Won-Kyung Cho, Ji-Sun Paik, Suk-Woo Yang","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0316714","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316714","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To define and quantify the upper eyelid contour of normal Asian adults using a software program utilizing Bézier curves.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eighty eyes of 80 healthy Korean subjects were included in this study. The Bézier curve tool of Image J software was used to extract the upper eyelid contours. The x and y coordinate values of the four points of the Bézier curve were analyzed using graphical analysis software in Matlab. Various parameters were measured automatically using a custom-written software algorithm.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Bézier curves showed an excellent level of inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.97 for absolute agreement, two-way random effects model, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.98). The Bézier curve for Asians was drawn from the medial palpebral commissure to the lateral canthus. The eye width was 24.8[Formula: see text]1.8 mm in women and 25.3[Formula: see text]2.0 mm in men. The contour peak was located at 1.7[Formula: see text]1.0 mm temporally from the pupil center in women and 1.5[Formula: see text]1.3 mm in men, and the height was 4.7[Formula: see text]0.7 mm in women and 3.8[Formula: see text]0.9 mm in men. The palpebral fissure obliquity (angle of the line connecting the medial canthal end to the lateral canthal end) was 9.98[Formula: see text]3.07° in women and 7.52[Formula: see text]2.89° in men.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The upper eyelid contour was measured simply and efficiently using a Bézier curves function. The main features of Asian upper eyelid contour are that the inner part of the medial canthus is covered by the eyelids, and the lateral endpoint is located higher than the medial endpoint.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0316714"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216708","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":"Children as controls in research; The voice of the volunteer.","authors":"Oskar W Angenete, Janne Haustreis, Lisbeth K Aune, Anette Lundestad, Lena Cetrelli, Thomas Angell Augdal, Ellen Berit Nordal, Kjersti Grønning, Marite Rygg","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0325069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Modern paediatric healthcare is increasingly dependent on diagnostic methods such as imaging and blood samples. These methods require knowledge of physiology and anatomy to separate signs of early disease development from physiological variants. To acquire this knowledge, researchers depend on studies on children from the general populations, but little is known about how children and their guardians experience participation in studies. This study aims to map the experiences of children participating in research.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>From a cohort of children and guardians from the general population, participating as controls in a large study on juvenile idiopathic arthritis (NorJIA), a subset was invited to share their experiences. The participants were examined using blood sampling, MRI, x-ray, bone-density scan, anthropometric measurements, and questionnaires. A questionnaire of 26 questions regarding their experiences from the study was sent out 2-4 weeks after the data collection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The questionnaire was filled out by 50 children and 50 guardians. A large majority of the children responded that they were positive to help researchers, that blood sample procedures and imaging procedures went well, that they would participate in the study again, and would recommend their friends to take part in similar studies. Guardians generally responded positively, but there were diverging responses between children and guardians.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Children from the general population reported mainly positive experiences from participation in research, including imaging and blood sampling. The experiences of the children and their guardians are sometimes diverging, underpinning the importance of addressing the child's opinions.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0325069"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216511","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":"Defining and measuring acceptability of surgical interventions: A scoping review.","authors":"Sophie James, Jennie Lister, Joy Adamson, Catherine Hewitt, Antonina Yakimova, Andrew Mott, Helen Fulbright, Catriona McDaid","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0323738","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323738","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acceptability, in the context of healthcare interventions is a frequently used term, including in evaluations of surgical interventions. This reflects the importance of the concept to all stakeholders and significance to designing, implementing and evaluating interventions. Despite this, definitions and measurement of acceptability are not standardised, and acceptability is often poorly conceptualised. The aim of this scoping review was to identify how studies define, measure and report the acceptability of a surgical intervention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review was conducted adhering to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE; Embase:APA PsycInfo; EBHealth-KSR Evidence; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; International HTA database; ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform was conducted for the period January 2000 to November 2023. No language limits were applied.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixty-seven studies from 25 countries were included. The majority of studies (n = 60; 90%) did not provide a definition of acceptability. Various methods were used to collect data on acceptability, most frequently a questionnaire (n = 36; 54%), followed by qualitative interviews (n = 16; 24%). Thirty-three studies (49%) reported acceptability of the surgical intervention received to patients, nine (13%) reported hypothetical acceptability of the surgical intervention to patients, four (6%) reported acceptability to both patients and surgeons, and four studies (6%) the acceptability to surgeons alone.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Studies assessing acceptability of a surgical intervention tended not to provide a definition of acceptability and demonstrated a lack of clarity in the use of acceptability in the context of surgical interventions. There was substantial variability in how and when acceptability was measured and from which perspective. Further research is required to explore the most appropriate approaches to address variability and promote a more consistent conceptualisation and accurate measurement of acceptability in evaluations of surgical interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0323738"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216533","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":"Asthma status and suicidal behavior risk: A meta-analysis of cohort studies.","authors":"Wei He, Zhixin You, Huijiao Li, Yiping Wang, Guohua Li","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0325150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325150","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This meta-analysis investigates the differential risks of suicidal behaviors (ideation, attempts, mortality) associated with current asthma and asthma history.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Retrieve cohort studies on the association between asthma and suicide from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library database. Use the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) to assess the risk of bias. The risk ratio (RR) of 95% confidence interval (CI) was summarized using a random effects model, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's trials.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>A total of 12 cohort studies were included and published between 2005 and 2024. The NOS scores for the 12 cohort studies included in this meta-analysis ranged from 7 to 9. Most studies received scores of 7 or 8, indicating a generally high quality. Current asthma conferred a 62% increased risk of suicidal behaviors (RR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.38-1.88), with suicide attempts showing the strongest association (RR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.33-3.89). Asthma history was linked only to elevated suicide mortality (RR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.64-2.14), not non-fatal suicidal behaviors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Current asthma status is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviors, but a history of asthma correlates only with elevated suicide mortality. This finding highlights the need for proactive mental health screening in asthma management protocols, especially during periods of active disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0325150"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216602","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":"Relationship between female employees and firm's innovation: Evidence from Japanese companies.","authors":"Taro Ichikawa, Mika Goto","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0323751","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323751","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates how female employees contribute to firm innovation by applying panel data Poisson regression models to data pertaining to 144 major Japanese manufacturing firms from 2004 to 2022. The results reveal the following: First, there is a positive relationship between longer female employment and innovation. Longer female employment may be attributable to female employees feeling more secure at their workplaces. Second, regarding women's unique perspectives, this study suggests that female participation in innovation may increase the number of technological fields. Third, this study presents the mediating effects of technological fields on the relationship between high-impact innovation and the demographic of female employees. These findings suggest corporate management creates a system that allows female employees to play an active role in the workplace with long-term employment. The empirical results provide new insights into previous literature on corporate innovation, specifically technological innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0323751"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216619","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":"Evaluation of an evidence-based practice continuing education course for Canadian Naturopathic Doctors.","authors":"Monique Aucoin, Genevieve Newton, Matthew Leach, Kieran Cooley","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0324452","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324452","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Evidence-based practice (EBP) combines the best available evidence with clinician expertise and patient preference to improve patient outcomes. Recent evidence indicates that Canadian Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are interested in EBP skill development. The primary objective of the present study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a co-designed EBP Continuing Education (CE) course for Canadian NDs. Secondary objectives included assessing changes in EBP skill, use, attitudes, and knowledge.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The CE course was evaluated using a pre-post design involving licensed Canadian NDs. The CE course consisted of five weekly, one-hour sessions that were delivered virtually. On course completion, participants reported on their level of satisfaction and provided suggestions for improvement. EBP skill, attitudes and use were assessed using the validated Evidence-Based Practice Attitudes and Utilization Survey. EBP knowledge was objectively assessed using a quiz. Changes in EBP skill, attitudes, use and knowledge were compared between baseline and the end of the course. Use of evidence was reassessed at a 2-month follow up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixty-one NDs met eligibility criteria. Eighty-nine percent of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the course. There was a significant increase in self-reported skill and objectively measured EBP knowledge, but no substantive change in EBP attitudes or use of evidence over time. Some participants indicated the level of difficulty was too high while others reported that it could have been more difficult. Participants also wanted more opportunities to practice the skills being taught in the course.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Delivery of the co-designed EBP CE course was found to be both feasible and acceptable. Preliminary evidence suggests that participation in the course was associated with improvements in EBP knowledge and skill. Participants provided actionable suggestions to improve the course in future iterations.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0324452"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216658","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":"Evaluation of pre-analytical specimen rejection using Six Sigma metrics: A retrospective single-center study.","authors":"Xiuli Cheng, Haimiao Yu, Le Zhang, Biao Zhang, Qin Wang","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0324840","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324840","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Up to 60% of errors occur in the pre-analytical stage of laboratory testing, potentially impairing clinical decision-making. This study aimed to assess pre-analytical errors using Six Sigma metrics and identify underlying causes for quality improvement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis of pre-analytical sample errors was conducted over three years in a clinical laboratory. Errors were categorized, and Sigma values were calculated to assess quality. Trends over time were also analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 2,068,074 samples, 2,214 (0.107%) were rejected. The top errors were clotted blood specimens (67.34%), insufficient volumes (8.22%), and cancelled test requests (6.28%), with Sigma values of 4.42, 5.25, and 5.32, respectively. The outpatient department performed best (Sigma = 5.47), while other wards required improvement.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Efforts are needed to reduce specimen rejection, particularly clotted samples, to enhance laboratory quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0324840"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216659","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":"Flow and heat transfer of Poly Dispersed SiO2 Nanoparticles in Aqueous Glycerol in a Horizontal pipe: Application of ensemble and evolutionary machine learning for model-prediction.","authors":"K V Sharma, M T Naik, Praveen Kumar Kanti, D M Reddy Prasad, Prabhu Paramasivam, Abinet Gosaye Ayanie","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0323347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323347","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stable nanofluid dispersion with SiO2 particles of 15, 50, and 100 nm is generated in a base liquid composed of water and glycerol in a 7:3 ratio and tested for physical characteristics in the temperature range of 20-100oC. The nanofluid showed excellent stability for over a month. Experiments are undertaken for the flow of nanofluid in a copper pipe and measured for their heat transfer coefficient and flow behavior. The convection heat transfer coefficient increases with the flow Reynolds number in the transition-turbulent flow regime. The experimental results further reveal that the friction factor enhancement with 0.5% concentration has increased by 6% as compared to the base liquid. It was employed for prognostic model development using XGBoost and multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP) to model and predict the complex and nonlinear data acquired during experiments. Both techniques provided robust predictions, as witnessed by the statistical evaluation. The R2 statistics of the XGBoost-based model was 0.9899 throughout the model test, while it was lowered to 0.9455 for the MGGP-based model. However, the change was insignificant. The mean squared value was 8.37 for XGBoost, while it increased in the MGGP model to 45.12. Similarly, the mean absolute error (MAE) value was higher (6.623) in the case of MGGP than in XGBoost at 2.733. The statistical evaluation, Taylor diagrams, and violin plots helped determine that XGBoost was superior to MGGP in the present work.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 6","pages":"e0323347"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144216679","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}