Category: Nevin Manimala

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13893. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98515-w.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to assess the levels of anxiety and depression among healthcare workers two years post COVID-19 infection and to validate the reliability and validity of the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales in this population. This cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2024 using a simple random sampling approach to survey healthcare institution workers. A total of 1038 valid samples were collected, and anxiety and depression levels were assessed using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. Participants included healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and students. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, univariate, and multivariate analyses to explore the effects of variables such as occupation and gender on anxiety and depression. Long COVID was reported in 50.8% of participants. Occupational categories significantly influenced anxiety and depression levels: compared to students (reference group), doctors, nurses, and administrative staff exhibited significantly lower scores. Non-long COVID participants showed significantly lower anxiety and depression scores than those with long COVID. Additionally, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales demonstrated high reliability and validity among COVID-19 population. Two years after COVID-19 infection, anxiety and depression levels among healthcare institution workers remain significantly influenced by occupational category and long COVID status. For healthcare workers, particularly those with long COVID and student groups, policymakers and healthcare administrators should consider optimizing mental health support systems. This includes implementing regular mental health screenings, providing personalized psychological interventions, offering counseling services, reducing work-related stress, and promoting the use of mental health assessment tools to improve the psychological well-being of this population.

PMID:40263530 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98515-w

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13997. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98681-x.

ABSTRACT

Approximately 70-75% of the costs of raising chickens are due to feeding expenses. Proteins, and energy account 95% of these costs. Soybean meal is primary protein source in chicken diets; however, it is expensive and not widely available in feed formulations. Therefore, exploring alternative protein sources like sweet lupines could be a promising option. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of substituting soybean meal with sweet lupine (lupinus angustifolius) on the performance of Sasso T₄₄ dual purpose chicken. In the experimental treatments, soybean meal was replaced by sweet lupine at 0% (control), 15%, 25%, 30%, and 50% for T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively. A total of 180-day-old chickens with similar body weights (± 0.4 g SD) were used. A completely randomized design was employed, and the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with SAS software (version 9.1). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in DM intake, body weight, body weight gain, and the characteristics of carcass and offal as the level of partial replacement increased from T1 to T5. Based on the findings of this study, broiler chickens can be fed sweet vitabor lupine as an alternative protein source in place of soybean meal.

PMID:40263525 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98681-x

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13974. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98168-9.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40263520 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-98168-9

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13853. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-97050-y.

ABSTRACT

The in-house ELISA SARS-CoV-2 serological assay, developed by the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) in Ethiopia, measures anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) antibodies. This study aimed to compare the performance of our cost-effective in-house ELISA with two established commercially available SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection assays during the pre-Omicron COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, serum samples were collected from 1441 students across 60 schools in Oromia, from 15 hotspot districts and towns. Socio-demographic data were gathered using CSentryCSProDataEntry7.2.1. Performance agreements between AHRI’s in-house ELISA and the two commercial assays were analyzed in these serum samples. Statistical analyses, including Cohen’s kappa (κ), overall percentage agreement, positive percent agreement (PPA), and negative percent agreement (NPA), were performed using STATA software. Diagnostic parameters were presented with 95% confidence intervals (CI), calculated using the Clopper-Pearson method. The performance comparison of the in-house ELISA showed substantial agreement with the two commercial assays. The overall concordance rate between in-house ELISA and Elecsys CLIA was 80.8% (95% CI 75.0-86.5), while the agreement between in-house ELISA and the Rapid LFA test (IgG + IgM) was 75.8% (95% CI 70.1-81.5). The kappa coefficients were: in-house ELISA vs. Elecsys CLIA (κ = 0.61, 95% CI 0.55-0.67), in-house ELISA vs. Rapid LFA test (IgG + IgM) (κ = 0.52, 95% CI 0.46-0.58), and Elecsys CLIA vs. Rapid LFA test (IgG + IgM) (κ = 0.73, 95% CI 0.67-0.78). The in-house ELISA demonstrated strong agreement with the Elecsys CLIA, showing a PPA of 81.7% and an NPA of 80.1%. Compared to the Rapid LFA test (IgG + IgM), which had a PPA of 83% and an NPA of 70.4%, the in-house ELISA exhibited better overall agreement with Elecsys CLIA. This study’s findings indicate substantial agreement between the in-house ELISA and Elecsys. However, only modest agreement was observed between the in-house ELISA and the rapid test (IgG + IgM). Together, these results suggest the utility of the in-house ELISA as a cost-effective tool for sero surveillance studies and monitoring the effect of interventions in resource-poor settings.

PMID:40263514 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-97050-y

Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 22;15(1):13823. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-97414-4.

ABSTRACT

Inadequate self-management has a significant impact on the mortality and morbidity of patients undergoing hemodialysis. The capacity for self-management is contingent on demographic, clinical, psychosocial, and cognitive factors. In particular, the role of family support and quality social interactions in this process is significant. The Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (IFSMT) emphasizes the integration of self-management into the lifestyles of the individual and family. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the factors that affect self-management in patients undergoing hemodialysis based on IFSMT. Data were collected from three tertiary-level hospitals in Korea from May to October 2021. A total of 140 patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis completed a structured self-report questionnaire comprising questions on general characteristics, complexity of disease management, accessibility to healthcare services, health literacy, family functioning, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, and self-management behaviors. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA with Scheffé test as post-hoc analysis, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The study found that self-management in patients undergoing hemodialysis was influenced by “health literacy” contextual factor and “self-efficacy,” “self-regulation,” and “social support” process factors, based on the IFSMT framework. These factors accounted for 45.0% of the variance in self-management. These findings highlight the importance of the IFSMT in predicting self-management behavior in patients undergoing hemodialysis. It is essential to develop a comprehensive intervention that incorporates these contextual and process factors within the family setting, and future research should evaluate its effectiveness.

PMID:40263506 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-97414-4

Lung Cancer. 2025 Apr 19;203:108551. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2025.108551. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Data are limited on the efficacy of different TKIs for patients with atypical EGFR-mutated (AM) mNSCLC, a heterogeneous group excluding classical mutations (CM) L858R and exon19del. In our previous single-institution analysis, AM patients had longer survival with osimertinib than afatinib, but outcomes for patients with specific mutations could not be compared due to sample size.

METHODS: We performed a multi-institution, retrospective survival analysis of atypical EGFR mutated (AM) mNSCLC patients treated with 1L osimertinib or afatinib between 2015-2021 at 12 US institutions. Time to discontinuation (TTD) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using log rank tests between treatment or mutation groups.

RESULTS: Among 52 patients identified, 32 (62 %) were treated with osimertinib and 20 (38 %) with afatinib. 20 had mutations in G719X (38 %), 12 in L861Q (23 %), and 5 in S768I (10 %). 34(65 %) had compound mutations: 20(62 %) had AM + CM, and 14(38 %) had ≥ 2 AMs. Among G719X (n = 20), afatinib was associated with longer time to discontinuation (TTD) (log-rank: p = 0.047) and longer OS (p = 0.043) vs. osimertinib. Median TTD (mTTD) was 20.3 m[95 %CI 7.3-24.2] and 9.4[1.7-14.0], respectively. For L861Q (n = 12), osimertinib was associated with longer TTD vs. afatinib (p = 0.004), with no statistical difference in OS (p = 0.215). mTTD was 7.2 m[2.2-12.3] and 1.3[0-3.1], respectively. In AM + CM (n = 20), osimertinib was associated with longer TTD and OS compared to those receiving afatinib (p = 0.037, p = 0.042, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with G719X alterations experienced longer TTD and OS with afatinib than osimertinib. In contrast, patients with L861Q alterations had longer TTD with osimertinib. In AM + CM pts, TTD and OS with osimertinib were longer than afatinib, suggesting that classical mutations may be driving the outcomes. Atypical EGFR mutations may warrant distinct treatment recommendations based on the specific mutation(s) identified, but more studies are needed.

PMID:40262226 | DOI:10.1016/j.lungcan.2025.108551

Nurse Educ Today. 2025 Apr 11;151:106748. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106748. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Postgraduate nursing students face complex academic-clinical integration challenges that may precipitate learned helplessness and impede professional development. The mechanisms through which psychological capital and self-directed learning influence learned helplessness in nursing education remain incompletely characterized.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to (1) evaluate the prevalence and determinants of learned helplessness among postgraduate nursing students, and (2) analyze the mediating pathways between psychological capital and learned helplessness through self-directed learning components.

DESIGN: Multiple academic medical centers and affiliated teaching hospitals across Chinese provinces.

SETTING: Conducted across multiple universities and hospitals in various provinces of China.

PARTICIPANTS: Full-time and part-time postgraduate nursing students and clinical nurses with completed postgraduate degrees were recruited between September and October 2024.

METHODS: Validated instruments assessed psychological capital (PCQ-24), self-directed learning (SRSSDL), and learned helplessness (LHQ). Analyses included descriptive statistics, stepwise regression, and structural equation modeling with 5000-sample bootstrapping to evaluate cognitive and interpersonal mediation pathways.

RESULTS: Participants demonstrated moderate-to-high learned helplessness (41.86 ± 14.03). Multiple regression analysis identified four significant protective factors: higher levels of hope (β = -0.29), enhanced learning awareness (β = -0.20), stronger professional identity (β = 0.23), and supportive mentor communication styles (β = 0.23) (all P < 0.01). In the mediation analysis, cognitive self-directed learning accounted for 81.8 % of the psychological capital-learned helplessness relationship, while interpersonal relationships mediated 23.4 %.

CONCLUSIONS: Psychological capital significantly reduces learned helplessness through dual pathways, primarily through cognitive self-directed learning and secondarily through interpersonal relationships. Educational interventions should adopt a comprehensive approach: (1) implementing psychological capital training programs incorporating resilience workshops and reflective practices, (2) transitioning to competency-based, self-directed learning models, and (3) establishing adaptive mentorship frameworks that prioritize supportive communication styles. These evidence-based strategies could effectively mitigate learned helplessness and enhance academic success among postgraduate nursing students.

PMID:40262224 | DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106748

Cancer Epidemiol. 2025 Apr 21;97:102818. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2025.102818. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Leukemia ranks as the 11th most prevalent cancer globally, contributing significantly to the cancer burden. Despite its rising impact, recent epidemiological data on leukemia in South Africa remain limited. This study investigates the incidence, mortality trends, and disease burden of leukemia in South Africa from 2015 to 2019.

METHODS: Leukemia incidence data were obtained from the South African National Cancer Registry, and mortality data from Statistics South Africa for 2015-2019. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated using mid-year population data and the Segi world standard population for standardization. The burden of disease was quantified using Years of Life Lost (YLLs), Years Lived with Disability (YLDs), and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Rates were compared by age, sex, year, and province.

RESULTS: There were 2 001 new cases of leukemia and 1 244 deaths reported, with an incidence rate of 4.11 per 100,000 and mortality rate of 3.01 per 100,000 population. The male-to-female ratio was 1.1:1 and the mean age was 38 years at diagnosis and 53 at death. Acute myeloid leukemia was the most common type of leukemia in South Africa. Gauteng had the highest age standardized incidence rate (4.92 per 100,000), and the Western Cape had the highest age standardized mortality rate (3.98 per 100,000). In 2019, leukemia accounted for 6 309 DALYs, with a decline in age standardized DALY (-1.04 %) and YLL (-4.7 %) rate, respectively.

CONCLUSION: This study provides up-to-date incidence and mortality data, expressing the burden of leukemia in South Africa. The age-standardized mortality and DALY rates showed favorable patterns over the study period. However, the incidence rates showed an increase, which may reflect the progressive aging and growth of the population. These findings highlight the need for sustained efforts to improve leukemia detection, treatment access, and healthcare quality in South Africa.

PMID:40262221 | DOI:10.1016/j.canep.2025.102818

Hum Reprod. 2025 Apr 22:deaf062. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deaf062. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY QUESTION: Is there an increased risk of immunological diseases among endometriosis patients, and does a shared genetic basis contribute to this risk?

SUMMARY ANSWER: Endometriosis patients show a significantly increased risk of autoimmune, autoinflammatory, and mixed-pattern diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, coeliac disease, osteoarthritis, and psoriasis, with genetic correlations between endometriosis and osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, and a potential causal link to rheumatoid arthritis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: The epidemiological evidence for an increased risk of immunological diseases among women with endometriosis is limited in scope and has varied in robustness due to the opportunity for biases. The presence of a biological basis for increased comorbidity across immunological conditions has not been investigated. Here we investigate the phenotypic and genetic association between endometriosis and 31 immune conditions in the UK Biobank.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Phenotypic analyses between endometriosis and immune conditions (17 classical autoimmune, 10 autoinflammatory, and 4 mixed-pattern diseases) were conducted using two approaches (8223 endometriosis, 64 620 immunological disease cases): (i) retrospective cohort study design to incorporate temporality between diagnoses and (ii) cross-sectional analysis for simple association. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses for those immune conditions that showed phenotypic association with endometriosis (1493-77 052 cases) were conducted.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Comprehensive phenotypic association analyses were conducted in females in the UK Biobank. GWAS for immunological conditions were conducted in females-only and sex-combined study populations in UK Biobank and meta-analysed with existing largest available GWAS results. Genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted to investigate potential causal relationships. Those immune conditions with significant genetic correlation with endometriosis were included in multi-trait analysis of GWAS to boost discovery of novel and shared genetic variants. These shared variants were functionally annotated to identify affected genes utilizing expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data from GTEx and eQTLGen databases. Biological pathway enrichment analysis was conducted to identify shared underlying biological pathways.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: In both retrospective cohort and cross-sectional analyses, endometriosis patients were at significantly increased (30-80%) risk of classical autoimmune (rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, coeliac disease), autoinflammatory (osteoarthritis), and mixed-pattern (psoriasis) diseases. Osteoarthritis (genetic correlation (rg) = 0.28, P = 3.25 × 10-15), rheumatoid arthritis (rg = 0.27, P = 1.5 × 10-5) and multiple sclerosis (rg = 0.09, P = 4.00 × 10-3) were significantly genetically correlated with endometriosis. MR analysis suggested a causal association between endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.02-1.33). eQTL analyses highlighted genes affected by shared risk variants, enriched for seven pathways across all four conditions, with three genetic loci shared between endometriosis and osteoarthritis (BMPR2/2q33.1, BSN/3p21.31, MLLT10/10p12.31) and one with rheumatoid arthritis (XKR6/8p23.1).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: We conducted the first female-specific GWAS analyses for immune conditions. Given the novelty of these analyses, the sample sizes from which results were derived were limited compared to sex-combined GWAS meta-analyses, which limited the power to use female-specific summary statistics to uncover the shared genetic basis with endometriosis in follow-up analyses. Secondly, the 39 genome-wide significant endometriosis-associated variants used as instrumental variables in the MR analysis explained approximately 5% of disease variation, which may account for the nominal or non-significant MR results.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Endometriosis patients have a moderately increased risk for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and to a lesser extent, multiple sclerosis, due to underlying shared biological mechanisms. Clinical implications primarily involve the need for increased awareness and vigilance. The shared genetic basis opens up opportunities for developing new treatments or repurposing therapies across these conditions.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): We thank all the UK Biobank and 23andMe participants. Part of this research was conducted using the UK Biobank Resource under Application Number 9637. N.R. was supported by a grant from the Wellbeing of Women UK (RG2031) and the EU Horizon 2020 funded project FEMaLe (101017562). A.P.M. was supported in part by Versus Arthritis (grant 21754). H.F. was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 32170663). N.R., S.A.M., and K.T.Z. were supported in part by a grant from CDMRP DoD PRMRP (W81XWH-20-PRMRP-IIRA). K.T.Z. and C.M.B. reported grants in 3 years prior, outside the submitted work, from Bayer AG, AbbVie Inc., Volition Rx, MDNA Life Sciences, PrecisionLife Ltd., and Roche Diagnostics Inc. S.A.M. reports grants in the 3 years prior, outside this submitted work, from AbbVie Inc. N.R. is a consultant for Endogene.bio, outside this submitted work. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

PMID:40262193 | DOI:10.1093/humrep/deaf062

J Med Internet Res. 2025 Apr 22;27:e69425. doi: 10.2196/69425.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although mobile health (mHealth) interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in modifying 1 or 2 health-risk behaviors at a time, there is a knowledge gap regarding the effects of stand-alone mHealth interventions on multiple health risk behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the 2- and 4-month effectiveness of an mHealth intervention (LIFE4YOUth) targeting alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and smoking among Swedish high school students, compared with a waiting-list control condition.

METHODS: A 2-arm parallel group, single-blind randomized controlled trial (1:1) was conducted from September 2020 to June 2023. Eligibility criteria included nonadherence to guidelines related to the primary outcomes, such as weekly alcohol consumption (standard drinks), monthly frequency of heavy episodic drinking (ie, ≥4 standard drinks), daily intake of fruit and vegetables (100-g portions), weekly consumption of sugary drinks (33-cL servings), weekly duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity (minutes), and 4-week point prevalence of smoking abstinence. The intervention group had 16 weeks of access to LIFE4YOUth, a fully automated intervention including recurring screening, text message services, and a web-based dashboard. Intention-to-treat analysis was conducted on available and imputed 2- and 4-month self-reported data from participants at risk for each outcome respectively, at baseline. Effects were estimated using multilevel models with adaptive intercepts (per individual) and time by group interactions, adjusted for baseline age, sex, household economy, and self-perceived importance, confidence, and know-how to change behaviors. Bayesian inference with standard (half-)normal priors and null-hypothesis testing was used to estimate the parameters of statistical models.

RESULTS: In total, 756 students (aged 15-20, mean 17.1, SD 1.2 years; 69%, 520/756 females; 31%, 236/756 males) from high schools across Sweden participated in the trial. Follow-up surveys were completed by 71% (539/756) of participants at 2 months and 57% (431/756) of participants at 4 months. Most participants in the intervention group (219/377, 58%) engaged with the intervention at least once. At 2 months, results indicated positive effects in the intervention group, with complete case data indicating median between-group differences in fruit and vegetable consumption (0.32 portions per day, 95% CI 0.13-0.52), physical activity (50 minutes per week, 95% CI -0.2 to 99.7), and incidence rate ratio for heavy episodic drinking (0.77, 95% CI 0.55-1.07). The odds ratio for smoking abstinence (1.09, 95% CI 0.34-3.64), incidence rate ratio for weekly alcohol consumption (0.69, 95% CI 0.27-1.83), and the number of sugary drinks consumed weekly (0.89, 95% CI 0.73-1.1) indicated inconclusive evidence for effects due to uncertainty in the estimates. At 4 months, a remaining effect was observed on physical activity only.

CONCLUSIONS: Although underpowered, our findings suggest modest short-term effects of the LIFE4YOUth intervention, primarily on physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption. Our results provide inconclusive evidence regarding weekly alcohol consumption and smoking abstinence.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN34468623; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN34468623.

PMID:40262133 | DOI:10.2196/69425