Category: Nevin Manimala

Genet Med. 2025 May 23:101461. doi: 10.1016/j.gim.2025.101461. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To characterize the 2023 medical genetics and genomics workforce in the United States – comprised of clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, genetic nurses, genetic physician assistants (PAs), laboratory geneticists, and metabolic dietitians-to inform genetics workforce efforts.

METHODS: National genetics membership or board-certification organizations distributed an electronic survey to medical genetics professionals in early 2023. Questions were derived from prior workforce surveys and by a workgroup led by the National Coordinating Center for the Regional Genetics Networks (NCC).

RESULTS: Of the 3,070 medical genetics professionals who responded, 66.0% were genetic counselors, 15.4% were clinical geneticists, 12.2% were laboratory geneticists, 4.7% were metabolic dietitians, and 1.7% were genetic nurses or PAs. The respondents identified as White (76.1%) and women (84.7%); there were statistically significant differences between disciplines. Forty percent worked in academic centers; 55.3% worked 41+ hours per week. Nearly 11% of respondents provided services in a language other than English. Despite 34.7% of respondents experiencing some burnout, most had no plans to leave the field (94.4%) within the next year.

CONCLUSIONS: The medical genetics community needs to advance workforce initiatives to support current personnel and attract new and diverse individuals to the field to serve patients and their families.

PMID:40421625 | DOI:10.1016/j.gim.2025.101461

Int J Epidemiol. 2025 Apr 12;54(3):dyaf058. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyaf058.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic induced an unprecedented response from the scientific research community. Previous studies have described disruption of the norms of academic publishing during this time. This study uses an epidemiological statistical toolkit alongside machine-learning methods to investigate the functioning of the scientific information-generation and -consumption ecosystem throughout the pandemic.

METHODS: A dataset of 17 million scientific research papers that were published between January 2019 and December 2022 was analysed. Data on citations and Altmetrics were harvested, and topic modelling was applied to abstracts. COVID-19-related articles were identified from title text. We investigated publication dynamics, correlations between citation metrics and Altmetrics, rates of publication in preprints, and temporal trends in topics, and compared these metrics in COVID-19 papers vs non-COVID-19 papers.

RESULTS: Throughout 2020-2, 3.7% of English-language research output was on the topic of COVID-19. Journal articles on COVID-19 were published at a consistent rate during this period, while preprints peaked in early 2020 and decreased thereafter. COVID-19 preprints had lower publication rates in the peer-reviewed literature than other preprints, particularly those that were preprinted during early 2020. COVID-19 research received significantly more media and social media attention than non-COVID-19 research, and preprints received more attention, on average, than journal articles, with attention peaking during the initial wave and subsequent peaks corresponding to the emergence of novel variants. COVID-19 articles exhibited a higher correlation between Altmetrics and citation metrics compared with non-COVID-19 publications, suggesting a strong alignment between scientific and public attention.

CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive description of the rapid expansion of COVID-19 research, revealing evolving research areas and waxing and waning public interest across different topics. Preprints played an important role in disseminating scientific findings, but the level of coverage of preprinted findings emphasizes the need for guidelines in handling preprint research in media, particularly during a pandemic.

PMID:40421615 | DOI:10.1093/ije/dyaf058

J Mass Spectrom. 2025 Jun;60(6):e5146. doi: 10.1002/jms.5146.

ABSTRACT

Epimedii Folium (EF) is frequently used in clinical as traditional Chinese medicine with a long history in China. The Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (2020 Version) contains four species of the plants of the genus Epimedium as its medicinal sources, namely, Epimedium brevicornu Maxim (EBM), E. sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc) Maxim (ESM), E. pubescens Maxim (EPM), and E. koreanum Nakai (EKN). However, the available studies on a comprehensive analysis of the chemical constituents in the above four species are much scarce. The objective of this study is to establish a method which uses ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ZenoTOF-MS/MS) to identify and characterize the chemical constituents in samples from different species. At the same time, multivariate statistical analysis is applied to screen the differential chemical constituents among different species. A total of 116 constituents were identified from different species of EF; and the possible cleavage pathways of various types of constituents were preliminarily inferred based on the fragmentation behavior of the main constituents. Besides, 23 differential characteristic constituents were screened based on variable importance in projection (VIP) value and p-value, of which nine constituents were common differential constituents. The intrinsic quality of EF was thoroughly assessed in this work using metabolomic analysis based on UPLC-ZenoTOF-MS/MS, which provides basic information for the identification of different varieties of EF, and serves as an experimental foundation for the sensible use of EF from various variations in therapeutic practice.

PMID:40421613 | DOI:10.1002/jms.5146

Int J Rehabil Res. 2025 May 27. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000670. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cerebellar ataxia impairs motor coordination, leading to gait instability, irregular foot movements, and frequent falls. While studies have examined kinematic deficits in cerebellar patients, the potential for motor learning and transfer specific to foot position control is underexplored. This study aims to investigate the effects of lower-limb distance control practice on motor learning and generalization in patients with cerebellar disorders. Twelve individuals with cerebellar ataxia and 12 matched controls performed a foot-reaching task under controlled conditions. Participants practiced reaching three target distances without visual feedback. Kinematic data were collected using a motion tracking system, and performance was assessed during the practice, retention, and transfer phases. Statistical analyses evaluated learning effects and group differences. Both groups improved foot position control with practice, though cerebellar patients showed higher initial error rates. Retention tests confirmed learning, with reduced errors immediately and 24 h postpractice [F(2,44) = 25.20, P < 0.01]. Transfer tests revealed significant improvements in novel distance tasks for cerebellar patients, but limited generalization to vertical distance conditions [F(2,44) = 7.43, P < 0.01]. Repetitive foot position control practice promotes motor learning and partial generalization in cerebellar patients, indicating preserved neuroplasticity. These findings emphasize the importance of task-specific and variable training in rehabilitation programs to reduce fall risks and enhance functional mobility in this population.

PMID:40421612 | DOI:10.1097/MRR.0000000000000670

J Chem Inf Model. 2025 May 27. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.5c00871. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Accurately predicting the diverse bound-state conformations of small molecules is crucial for successful drug discovery and design, particularly when detailed protein-ligand interactions are unknown. Established tools exist, but efficiently exploring the vast conformational space remains challenging. This work introduces Moltiverse, a novel protocol using enhanced sampling molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for conformer generation. The extended adaptive biasing force (eABF) algorithm combined with metadynamics, guided by a single collective variable (radius of gyration, RDGYR), efficiently samples the conformational landscape of a small molecule. Moltiverse demonstrates comparable accuracy and, in some cases, superior quality when benchmarked against established software like RDKit, CONFORGE, Balloon, iCon, and Conformator in the Platinum Diverse Data set for drug-like small molecules and the Prime data set for macrocycles. We present multiple quantitative metrics and statistical analysis for robust conformer generation algorithm comparisons and provide recommendations for their improvement based on our findings. Our extensive evaluation shows that Moltiverse is particularly effective for challenging systems with high conformational flexibility, such as macrocycles, where it achieves the highest accuracy among the tested algorithms. The physics-based approach employed by Moltiverse effectively handles a wide range of molecular complexities, positioning it as a valuable tool for computational drug discovery workflows requiring accurate representation of molecular flexibility.

PMID:40421608 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jcim.5c00871

Trop Med Int Health. 2025 May 27. doi: 10.1111/tmi.14133. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Chronic communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, remain major global health challenges. Effective treatment adherence is crucial for improving patient outcomes and health education plays a key role in enhancing adherence. However, evidence for the most effective educational interventions remains limited.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of health education interventions in improving treatment adherence among patients with chronic communicable diseases.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the preferred item for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and the Web of Science for studies published between 2015 and 2024. Eligible studies included randomised controlled trials. Quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel method to estimate odds ratios (OR) and standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random effects model. Meta-regression was conducted to explore potential sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS: Seventeen studies involving 4,157 participants were included. Health education interventions significantly improved treatment adherence compared to usual care (OR 2.42; 95% CI: 1.58-3.72; p <0.0001). Subgroup analyses showed the highest effectiveness in remote-based interventions (OR 5.65; 95% CI: 2.37-13.47), among patients with tuberculosis (OR 6.52; 95% CI: 3.59-11.84), and in upper-middle-income countries (OR 4.54; 95% CI: 1.54-13.39). Meta-regression indicated that younger participant age and intervention type were significant moderators, with media-based and remote-based showing greater effectiveness.

CONCLUSION: Health education interventions significantly improve treatment adherence among patients with chronic communicable diseases, particularly those with tuberculosis and hepatitis C. Remote-based models, such as mHealth platforms and digital reminders, demonstrate the highest effectiveness, especially in low- and middle-income countries where stigma and limited healthcare access remain key barriers.

PMID:40421588 | DOI:10.1111/tmi.14133

J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2025 May;38(2):e70026. doi: 10.1111/jcap.70026.

ABSTRACT

PROBLEM: Adolescence is a challenging period of development characterised by social, physical, and cognitive changes. During this period, adolescents are particularly vulnerable to experiencing loneliness, burnout, and depressive symptoms. This study was conducted to determine the mediating role of school burnout in the relationship between adolescents’ perception of loneliness and quality of life.

METHODS: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 301 adolescent students from a public high school in the capital of Türkiye. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the UCLA Loneliness Scale Short Form, the Quality of Life Scale for Children, and the School Burnout Scale. Descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation analysis were conducted to evaluate the data. The mediating role of school burnout was examined through mediating variable analysis using Model 4 with the SPSS PROCESS macro.

FINDINGS: As a result of the research, loneliness, school burnout, and quality of life of adolescents are at medium levels. Loneliness negatively impacts adolescents’ quality of life, with school burnout serving as a mediating factor. Addressing school burnout may improve outcomes.

CONCLUSION: In line with the study’s results, not only nurses but also teachers, counselling units and families should participate in planning traning and practices that will positively affect adolescents’ loneliness, quality of life and school burnout. Social support mechanisms in schools should be strengthened.

PMID:40421587 | DOI:10.1111/jcap.70026

Work. 2025 Jun;81(2):2713-2725. doi: 10.1177/10519815241311188. Epub 2025 Feb 28.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundThe principle of HRM requires employees to come up with novelty and creative ideas in work organizations. Prior research viewed high-performance work systems (HPWS) as an essential factor that promotes innovation and performance outcomes as it encourages employee creativity, risk-taking, and experimentation.ObjectiveThe current study investigated the influence of HPWS on innovative work behavior in medium-sized manufacturing enterprises through work engagement. Although much has been done to analyze various outcomes of high-performance work systems in large-scale manufacturing industries, little is known about its implementation amongst medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in Malaysia.MethodsThis study employed a group of 170 middle-management employees from medium-sized manufacturing businesses in Klang Valley, Malaysia. To perform the analysis, the researchers used SmartPLS 3.0 software. The list of medium-sized enterprises in the Klang Valley area was obtained from SME Corporation Malaysia. G*Power version 3.1.9.2 statistical program was used to perform power analysis in determining the minimum sample size for this study. The theory of job demands-resources (JD-R) model underpins the linkages between HPWS and IWB of employees in medium-sized manufacturing enterprises.ResultsThe outcome indicated a noteworthy relationship between innovative work behavior and selective staffing, mentoring, and employee participation. Additionally, the study demonstrated that work engagement is crucial in promoting innovative work behavior with a medium effect size. Moreover, the connection between selective staffing, mentoring, and employee participation is mediated by work engagement.ConclusionsThis research expands the existing information on ways to implement HPWS in medium-sized manufacturing companies. Moreover, it offers practical guidance to decision-makers, especially in promoting innovation among staff through effective high-performance work practices.

PMID:40421564 | DOI:10.1177/10519815241311188

Work. 2025 Jun;81(2):2662-2669. doi: 10.1177/10519815251320268. Epub 2025 Feb 26.

ABSTRACT

Background:Firefighters are exposed to a wide range of psychological and physical hazards. Objective: The present study, in 2023 was conducted to investigate the impact of job-related stress and shift work on the cognitive abilities of firefighters in an oil field located in western Iran. Methods: The cognitive performance and job stress levels of study participants were evaluated using IVA-2 software version 2020 and OSIPOW questionnaire, respectively. Results were analyzed using SPSS software version 2022. Results: The study found a significant discrepancy in cognitive performance between day and night shifts (P < 0.001) for firefighters. During the day shift, Auditory Persistence and Visual Stamina had the highest (100.88) and lowest (84.04) scores, respectively, while the night shift had higher scores in Auditory Speed and Visual Sensory-Motor. Overall, cognitive performance was better during the day shift, but both shifts had a notable gap in average scores with a baseline. Shift work is connected to role duality (P < 0.05), responsibility (P < 0.001), and the physical environment (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the attention scale is connected to the physical environment (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Firefighters’ performance is impacted by shift work and job stress, even under normal conditions. To maintain and improve cognitive abilities, corrective actions should focus on improving efficiency, creating suitable working conditions, and improving shift work management. Prioritizing individual responsibility is also suggested based on the correlation between stress and cognitive performance.

PMID:40421563 | DOI:10.1177/10519815251320268

Work. 2025 Jun;81(2):2598-2606. doi: 10.1177/10519815241311189. Epub 2025 Feb 20.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundDisproportionately increased workload is one of the main reasons affecting work performance. Healthcare workers who got infected by COVID-19 were further affected mentally and physically which had an impact on their work performance.ObjectiveIn this study, we aimed to show whether work performance is affected even in people with mild Covid 19 disease or whether it is a part of Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS).MethodsThirty healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital had COVID-19 one month ago and gender and age matched 30 healthy workers without a history of COVID-19 (control group) was enrolled between January 2021 and March 2021. Work performance was assessed on a 7-point Likert scale. Participants performed 1-min sit-to-stand test (1MSTS), 5 times sit-to-stand test (5TSTS), and 6-min walk test (6MWT).ResultsAll participants in the COVID-19 group had a mild (non-hospitalized) form of the disease. 23 patients had ongoing symptoms 4-7 weeks after the initial symptoms of COVID-19 (fatigue/malaise (n = 9), myalgia/arthralgia (n = 7), cough (n = 7), loss of smell/taste (n = 5), headache (n = 5), dyspnea (n = 4), and diarrhea (n = 1). The increase in systolic blood pressure after 6MWT was higher in the COVID group (p = 0.018).ConclusionThe functional status and work performance in healthcare workers with COVID-19 infection were negatively affected in the first month even if the disease severity was mild. It is important to prevent both acute and long-term physical and mental complications of the disease and to ensure that these strategies improve the functional status and work performance of healthcare professionals.

PMID:40421562 | DOI:10.1177/10519815241311189