PLoS ONE最新文献

{"title":"The changing impact of the active job openings-to-applicants ratio (AJOAR) on ambulance dispatches during deflation: A longitudinal ecological study.","authors":"Yohei Kamikawa, Nao Hanaki","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0320914","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320914","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Frequent ambulance dispatches is a common challenge in developed countries. Several factors have been identified as contributing to increase in dispatches, but no stipulation has explained the particular shift observed in Japan since 1995. This study examined ambulance dispatches in view of changes in a macroeconomic indicator.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This longitudinal ecological study covered all annual ambulance dispatch incidents in Japan between 1980 and 2021 (42 years). The regression model comprised the active job openings-to-applicants ratio during deflation, the active job openings-to-applicants ratio during inflation, aging population trend, and mean ambient temperature, with the Japanese total population as an offset variable.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were a total of 177,042,244 ambulance dispatches during the study period. The active job openings-to-applicants ratio during deflation showed statistical significance in the regression analysis (generalized estimation equations estimate: 0.165, 95% confidence interval: 0.087 to 0.243) whereas the active job openings-to-applicants ratio during inflation did not (0.019, -0.021 to 0.059).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The active job openings-to-applicants ratio during deflationary periods was associated with increased ambulance dispatches.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0320914"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174023","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":"A novel true triaxial apparatus for high-stress low-frequency disturbance in hard rocks: Development, validation, and application.","authors":"Chao Peng, Hanwen Jia, Yang Liu, Huanxin Liu, Xiwei Zhang","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0324033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A novel true triaxial apparatus (TTA) has been designed and fabricated to investigate the mechanical behavior of deep underground engineering under high-stress conditions and low-frequency disturbance loads. This apparatus features a two-rigid, one-flexible loading system, with rigid loading applied along the directions of the maximum and intermediate principal stresses, offering maximum load capacities of 2000 kN and 4000 kN, respectively. The direction of the maximum principal stress is also equipped with dynamic loading capabilities, enabling low-frequency disturbance loads with frequencies up to 20 Hz and amplitudes of 0.5 mm. The minimum principal stress direction utilizes flexible loading, with pressure capabilities of up to 120 MPa. Moreover, the integration of a high-rigidity loading frame and high-precision servo control systems has significantly enhanced the apparatus's performance and data accuracy, particularly in small-scale deformation tests. Additionally, a dual-actuator, dual-loop servo control mode is employed to effectively suppress eccentric loading effects in true triaxial tests. To validate the reliability of the TTA and to preliminarily explore the effects of stress paths and disturbances on deep rock mechanical properties, true triaxial tests were conducted using granite. The results demonstrate that both the intermediate principal stress and disturbance frequency significantly influence the strength and failure modes of the rock. Static and disturbance tests exhibited excellent high repeatability and consistency, further confirming the accuracy and reliability of the apparatus. Overall, the TTA provides a novel methodology for investigating the mechanical properties of deep rock masses under high-stress and low-frequency disturbance conditions, making it an effective tool for addressing related scientific and engineering challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0324033"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174337","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":"Catastrophic famine in Gaza: Unprecedented levels of hunger post-October 7th. A real population-based study from the Gaza Strip.","authors":"MoezAlIslam Faris, Ayman S Abutair, Reham M Elfarra, Nida A Barqawi, Amal M Firwana, Rawan M Firwana, Madleen M AbuHajjaj, Shaimaa A Shamaly, Samar S AbuSamra, Hanan S Bashir, Noor A Abedalrahim, Noor A Nofal, Mhran K Alshawaf, Rania M Al Shatali, Kafa I Ghaben, Moayad I Alron, Sara S Alqeeq, Aya O Al-Nabahin, Reem A Badawi","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0309854","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309854","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Gaza Strip, spanning approximately 365 square kilometers, has been a focal point of geopolitical tensions and humanitarian crises. The military escalation on October 7th exacerbated existing vulnerabilities, notably food security and hunger, with an estimated 85750 deaths due to Israeli attacks, representing about 8% of the 2.34 million population. This research aims to provide policymakers and humanitarian organizations with actionable insights, such as identifying the most vulnerable populations, quantifying the impact of specific restrictions, and informing the development and implementation of targeted interventions that improve long-term food security and alleviate human suffering in Gaza.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2024, assessing food insecurity and hunger among Palestinian households across the five governorates of Gaza. The study applied a quantitative research approach, utilized the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM), Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and Household Hunger Scale (HHS) to measure food insecurity, famine, and hunger. Self-reported anthropometric data and socioeconomic status were also collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29, employing correlation tests, chi-square analysis, and logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A survey of 1209 households across the Gaza Strip revealed a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than 54% of households experienced complete house destruction. Food insecurity reached unprecedented levels, with about 98% of households experiencing severe food insecurity, according to the HFIAS, while 100% experienced different levels of food insecurity as per the HFSSM. A staggering 95% of households experienced other sorts of hunger. The war was associated with significant (p < 0.001) weight loss among individuals, with the average weight dropping from 74.8 ± 15.9 kg before the war to 64.8 ± 15.2 kg, concomitant with significant (p < 0.001) reduction in BMI from 26.4 ± 5.4 to 22.8 ± 5.2 kg/m2. Factors such as displacement, age, socioeconomic status, and educational level significantly exacerbated hunger severity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study reveals a severe food insecurity and hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip, exacerbated by the ongoing damaging attacks by Israeli forces. These findings underscore the urgent need for immediate and sustained humanitarian assistance to address the critical food security and nutritional needs of the Gazan population.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0309854"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174364","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":"Co-infections and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in Ghana: A facility-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Ebenezer Assoah, Denis Dekugmen Yar, Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds, Gadafi Iddrisu Balali, Rockson Addy, Joshua Kpieonuma Zineyele","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0324950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324950","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study assessed the prevalence of co-infections (human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, and syphilis) and associated risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women in Mampong Municipality, Ghana. A cross-sectional design was used to recruit 201 pregnant women from six health facilities conveniently. Participants' socio-demographics, clinical and environmental data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Using 2 ml of blood, T. gondii seroprevalence was determined by the TOXO IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette. Data was analyzed using descriptive and logistic regression analysis with SPSS version 27 to determine the prevalence and associations of T. gondii infection with other variables, respectively. The seroprevalence of T. gondii was 49.75%, of which 40.30%, 2.49%, and 6.97% tested positive for IgG, IgM, and IgG/IgM, respectively. Co-infection of toxoplasmosis with viral hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis rates were 15%, 1%, and 4%, respectively and were not risk factors for T. gondii transmission. Educational level and residential status were associated with toxoplasmosis [p < 0.05]. Participants with higher education had a reduced risk of T. gondii infections compared to a lower level of education [AOR = 0.39 (0.13, 0.99) p = 0.049]. Similarly, the risk of T. gondii infection was significantly lower among individuals residing in peri-urban [AOR = 0.13 (0.02-0.70), p = 0.02] and urban areas [AOR = 0.10 (0.02-0.78), p = 0.03] compared to those in rural areas. Backyard animals with extensive and semi-intensive systems, without veterinary care, and contact with animal droppings and water sources were significant risk factors for T. gondii infection [p < 0.05]. Miscarriage was associated with T. gondii infection [p < 0.05]. The burden of T. gondii infection was high among the study population, posing a risk of mother-to-child transmission. Key risk factors included low education, rural residence, backyard animal exposure, poor hygiene, and unsafe water sources. Toxoplasmosis was associated with miscarriage; thus, integrating it into routine antenatal screening could improve pregnancy outcomes. Health promotion interventions such as education on zoonotic risks, improved sanitation, safe water practices, and veterinary care for domestic animals are recommended to reduce infection risk among pregnant women.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0324950"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174399","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":"Critical timing: Impact of delays to surgery on prognosis in stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer.","authors":"Ye Zhang, Yeji Hu, Jinfeng Xi, Bo Wu, Wenxiong Zhang, Chunling Li","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0319357","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319357","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Delaying surgery affects the prognosis of patients with lung cancer, but the critical time point at which it becomes detrimental to survival. Identifying this critical time point may benefit patients and guide clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from patients diagnosed with stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to evaluate prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) and to identify time points from diagnosis to surgery that significantly impact prognosis. Kaplan-Meier curves and subgroup analyses were conducted to validate the affect of early versus late surgery on OS. Multinomial logistic regression was utilized to evaluate factors associated with delays in the time from diagnosis to surgery.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We included 55,582 adult patients with stage I-II NSCLC from the SEER database. Time to surgery (TTS) was identified as an independent prognostic factor for OS in stage I-II NSCLC patients through multivariate Cox regression analysis. Compared to surgeries performed within 6 weeks of TTS, those performed after 6 weeks of TTS (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.20-1.25, P < 0.001) were significantly related to poorer OS. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that age, sex, race, and marital status were risk factors for delayed TTS after diagnosis. Compared to patients with a TTS of 0-40 days, those with a TTS of 63-111 days had the following risks: for patients aged ≥ 75 years, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.46 (95% CI: 1.32-1.62, P < 0.001); for males, the OR was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.09-1.20, P < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Compared to stage I-II NSCLC patients who underwent surgery more than 6 weeks after diagnosis, those who underwent surgery within 6 weeks had significantly higher survival rates. Delays in surgery were associated with adverse social factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0319357"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174459","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":"AMD-FV: Adaptive margin loss and dual path network+ for deep face verification.","authors":"Zeeshan Ahmed Khan, Waqar Ahmed, Panos Liatsis","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0324485","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324485","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Face verification is important in a variety of applications, for instance, access control, surveillance, and identification. Existing methods often struggle with the challenges of dataset imbalance and manual hyperparameter tuning. To address this, we propose the Adaptive Margin Loss and Dual Path Network+ (AMD-FV) for deep face verification. Two innovations are introduced, namely, Adaptive Margin Loss (AML) and Dual Path Network+ (DPN+). AML aims at automating the selection of margin and scale hyperparameters in large margin loss functions, thus, eliminating the need for manual tuning. Input dissimilarity information is used to estimate the margin, while the scale parameter is computed using the number of classes and AML's range. Next, DPN+ enhances the original Dual Path Network by redesigning the first block with a series of 3x3 convolutions, batch normalization, and ReLU activations, leveraging shared connections across layers, leading to increases in spatial resolution and computational cost efficiency, while maximizing the use of discriminative features. We present comprehensive experiments on five diverse face verification datasets (LFW, Megaface, IJB-B, CALFW, and CPLFW) to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results show that AMD-FV outperforms state-of-the-art methods, achieving a verification accuracy of 99.75% on LFW, improving the True Acceptance Rate by 6% on IJB-B at a False Acceptance Rate of 0.001, compared to VGGFace2, and attaining a Rank-1 identification score of 92.16% on Megaface, surpassing the CosFace model by 9.44%.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0324485"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174483","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":"Dissemination of local sub-variants of SARS-CoV-2 detected by detailed mutation analysis in wastewater-based epidemiology.","authors":"Ryo Honda, Takashi Abe, Tomoya Baba, Yui Araki, Tomohiro Kuroita, Ryo Iwamoto, Mayo Ito, Nami Okamura, Marie Kenza Yousri, Takashi Tamura, Satoshi Ezaki, Masanori Arita","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0317076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is effective for identifying the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variants within specific populations as well as early warning of disease outbreaks. The variant analysis in WBE has been limited to quantifying the proportion of variants, and it has been unable to trace their origins and dissemination pathways. This study aims to elucidate the emergence and transmission of locally predominant SARS-CoV-2 sub-variants through detailed mutation analysis in wastewater genomic surveillance. Genome mutations at each nucleotide position in the S region were examined to identify locally unique sub-variants in geographically distinct cities of Komatsu and Hamamatsu. Notably, the XBT variant, which had never been reported in clinical samples from Japan, was detected in wastewater in Komatsu. Moreover, a unique sub-variant of BA.5 was detected in Komatsu for a duration of 17 weeks whereas it was absent in Hamamatsu. Mutation analysis also revealed significant differences in the duration of the common BA.2.75 sub-variant's prevalence in Komatsu for 35 weeks, in contrast to only one week in Hamamatsu. These findings underscore the efficacy of wastewater-based genomic epidemiology in identifying the timing of variant entry and prevalence duration, enhancing our understanding of the origins, transmission pathways, and evolutionary trajectories of epidemically important variants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0317076"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174484","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":"Bovine tuberculosis in cattle slaughtered at Addis Ababa abattoir in Ethiopia and workforce awareness of zoonotic risk.","authors":"Fahmi Mohammed Ahmed, Musse Girma, Getnet Worku, Tekalign Tadesse, Girmay Medhin, Simon J Waddell, Balako Gumi","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0321844","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321844","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic and of zoonotic importance in Ethiopia. Despite this, there is limited recent information on the prevalence of bTB in cattle slaughtered at abattoirs. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of bTB in cattle slaughtered at Addis Ababa municipality abattoir based on tuberculous lesions and region of difference (RD4) deletion typing and to assess the current practice and the awareness of occupational workers to zoonoses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 502 cattle slaughtered at the municipality abattoir (260 in the day shift and 242 in the night shift) were included in this cross-sectional study. Data collection and laboratory investigations included postmortem examination, culture and bacteriological examination, molecular characterization of positive isolates using region of difference (RD4) deletion typing and spoligotyping. Knowledge of zoonotic infection risk and practices was investigated through a questionnaire administered to 58 abattoir workers and 58 butchers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on postmortem examination, bTB suspected lesion was identified in 4.58% of cattle and it was significantly associated with, the age, breed and body condition of the animals. The detection of tuberculosis lesions during the night shift of the slaughter program was 1.54 times that of the day shift which is not statistically significant but warrants future study with a larger sample size. The gross lesions were predominately found in the lung and associated lymph nodes (65.5%). Of the 23 bTB suspected tuberculous lesions cultured, 11 (47.83%) tissue samples were culture-positive, and four isolates were RD4-positive, identifying M. bovis. Spoligotyping patterns were also effectively detected in four isolates. The observed spoligotype patterns were two SB1477 strains, and SB1176 and SB0133 strains. In the questionnaire survey, 79.31% of abattoir workers were aware of bTB, however, 93.10% of butchers did not know of bTB and understood less about preventing cross-infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Bovine tuberculosis is evident in cattle reaching the abattoir in Addis Ababa with nearly similar gross lesion pathology-based prevalence of bTB to prior findings reported from the same abattoir a decade ago. This suggests that despite efforts to control the disease in cattle, the prevalence remains largely unchanged. Although statistically non-significant, the trend showing higher odds of detecting tuberculous lesions during the night suggests a need for improved meat inspections during the night shift and the need for larger future studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0321844"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174568","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":"Portuguese translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Person-Centered Practice Inventory - Care.","authors":"Diana Vareta, Célia Oliveira, Brendan McCormack, Paul Slater, Vaibhav Tyagi, Filipa Ventura","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0324286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324286","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In person-centered practice implementation and development, it is essential to incorporate standardized measurements that consider the perspectives of those involved in the therapeutic relationship. This work aims to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Person-Centered Practice Inventory - Care (PCPI-C) for the Portuguese healthcare context. The PCPI-C is derived from the middle-range theory of the Person-Centered Practice Framework and is an 18-item self-reported inventory.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This methodological study followed a two-stage research design entailing the translation and cultural adaptation of the PCPI-C from English to European Portuguese and the Portuguese healthcare context in phase I, followed by a psychometric evaluation (N = 312) conducted using principal component and confirmatory factor analysis in SPSS version 27.0 and SPSS AMOS version 21.0 in phase II. The model was continuously and iteratively refined until it was considered acceptable per gold standard estimators.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In phase I, the results revealed linguistic and contextual cultural differences compared to the original version. The cognitive debriefing showed that the respondents considered the items understandable and adequate for the purpose. In phase II, among the two adjusted PCPI-C models fit, i.e., first-order, and single-factor, the best fit to the empirical data was revealed by the single-factor structure, reflecting a good fit (x2/df = 2.408, CFI = .93, RMSEA = .07, SRMR = .05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The PCPI-C is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the perceptions of Portuguese service users regarding person-centered practice. It is necessary to consider the purpose for which the instrument is used to select the most appropriate measurement model, i.e., process evaluation as an outcome or as an inventory measure for continuous improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0324286"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174593","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":"Utility-based optimization of Fujikawa's basket trial design - Pre-specified protocol of a comparison study.","authors":"Lukas D Sauer, Alexander Ritz, Meinhard Kieser","doi":"10.1371/journal.pone.0323097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Basket trial designs are a type of master protocol in which the same therapy is tested in several strata of the patient cohort. Many basket trial designs implement borrowing mechanisms. These allow sharing information between similar strata with the goal of increasing power in responsive strata while at the same time constraining type-I error inflation to a bearable threshold. These borrowing mechanisms can be tuned using numerical tuning parameters. The optimal choice of these tuning parameters is subject to research. In a comparison study using simulations and numerical calculations, we are planning to investigate the use of utility functions for quantifying the compromise between power and type-I error inflation and the use of numerical optimization algorithms for optimizing these functions. The present document is the protocol of this comparison study, defining each step of the study in accordance with the ADEMP scheme for pre-specification of simulation studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20189,"journal":{"name":"PLoS ONE","volume":"20 5","pages":"e0323097"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174680","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}