Category: Nevin Manimala

Am J Hum Biol. 2025 Aug;37(8):e70120. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.70120.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influences exerted by temperature on the circadian rhythm of births.

METHODS: In the past births occurred mainly between midnight and dawn, while today births tend to be less frequent during the night hours. Today, almost all births are hospitalized and, therefore, they may adapt to the organizational requirements of the health care structures and staff. This piece of research regards births in Udine, a city in north-eastern Italy, recorded at the beginning of the 19th century. The data on births come from the French civil register. Weather data come from very detailed daily collection with three measurements per day. From the statistical point of view, we apply methods developed for circular data. In order to highlight relationships between time of birth and explanatory variables, we estimate MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance) models and perform a statistical test for comparison between groups.

RESULTS: The test against the homogeneity of the hour-of-birth distributions across the 4 seasons is significant (p < 0.01). One-to-one comparison of the distributions is performed via Watson’s two-sample test on data for each couple of seasons: the Summer-Autumn comparison is the only non-significant test of homogeneity. Moreover, we consider daily temperatures in the bivariate model in several different ways and transformations. The daily temperature effect is more significant if considered as the difference between the evening temperature of the day before the birth and the mean daily temperature of the same day, over the nine-year period 1807-1815. Finally, based on this division of the births, Watson’s two-sample homogeneity test for the distribution of the hour of birth is significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: We found that the circadian rhythm of births is influenced by temperature, with an anticipation of the time of birth on warmer days. To our knowledge, our results are the first evidence of the effects of daily temperature on the time of birth.

PMID:40772405 | DOI:10.1002/ajhb.70120

Minerva Urol Nephrol. 2025 Aug 7. doi: 10.23736/S2724-6051.25.06283-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Bladder neck contracture (BNC) is common complication following surgery for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Bladder neck reconstruction such as Y-V plasty may be considered for treatment of refractory BNC. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of robot-assisted modified Y-V plasty (RAMYV) and traditional Y-V plasty (RAYV) for refractory. Additionally, it seeks to establish a potential predictive system for postoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of all patients with refractory BNC who underwent robot-assisted Y-V plasty from October 2022 and January 2024. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 1, 3 and 6 months.

RESULTS: Forty-eight patients with refractory BNC were included. 20 patients underwent RAYV, while 28 patients underwent RAMYV. All patients were followed for a period of six months. All patients had patent repairs and were voiding per urethra. Significant improvements were noted in the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), residual urine, and IPSS scores in both groups at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively, compared to the preoperative state. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups at 1 month postoperatively. At 3 months postoperatively, the RAMYV group exhibited superior outcomes in IPSS and USS-PROM compared to the RAYV group, with statistically significant differences. At 6 months, the RAMYV group also exhibited superior outcomes in QoL and OAB-V8 compared to the RAYV group. Age and corresponding baseline scores on various scales are important predictors of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) after surgery. Preoperative scores on scales emphasizing flow assessment, such as the IPSS and USS PROM, carry significant weight, whereas age is the most influential factor in assessing storage function. This was a retrospective study, data bias was inevitable.

CONCLUSIONS: YV plasty has been identified as an effective option for treating refractory BNC. Compared to RAYV, RAMYV appears to have better efficacy for patient outcomes in our six-month follow-up. Baseline scores related to age and preoperative symptom scores may serve as potential predictive factors for postoperative outcomes.

PMID:40772398 | DOI:10.23736/S2724-6051.25.06283-4

Br J Haematol. 2025 Aug 7. doi: 10.1111/bjh.70050. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In the setting of haploidentical haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has dramatically reduced the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and non-relapse mortality. To further reduce GVHD incidence, the addition of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) to PTCy was evaluated in retrospective and non-comparative prospective studies showing promising results. We conducted a large retrospective analysis of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) registry to evaluate this approach. We analysed haploHCT with peripheral blood stem cells performed for haematological malignancies between 2014 and 2021. GVHD prophylaxis included either PTCy alone or PTCy+ATG. Four thousand five hundred and nineteen patients were analysed in the PTCy only group versus 675 with PTCy+ATG. Median follow-up was 29.80 months. In univariate analysis, 2-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), cumulative incidence of relapse, non-relapse mortality (NRM) and chronic GvHD (cGVHD) were, respectively: 40.5% versus 37.5% (p = 0.098), 50.9% versus. 45.8% (p = 0.015), 56.9% versus 52.5% (p = 0.01), 24.2% versus 28.1% (p = 0.032), 25% versus 26.1% (p = 0.49) and 28.4% versus 18.5% (p < 0.001). aGVHD did not differ. After multivariable adjustment, OS and RFS were lower in the PTCy+ATG group: HR = 1.18 (p = 0.037) and HR = 1.18 (p = 0.027) and patients receiving PTCy+ATG had less cGVHD: HR = 0.68 (p = 0.004). In that retrospective analysis, the addition of ATG to PTCy for GVHD prophylaxis in haploHCT was associated with a reduction of cGVHD but also a worse OS and RFS.

PMID:40772384 | DOI:10.1111/bjh.70050

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2025 Aug;36(8):e70166. doi: 10.1111/pai.70166.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies between parent reports and electronic health records (EHRs) challenge the accurate estimation of childhood allergic disease prevalence. This study aimed to: (1) compare parent reports of asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis with GP-recorded diagnoses; (2) identify factors associated with reporting differences; and (3) assess the predictive validity of parent reports for future diagnoses.

METHODS: Data were analyzed from 2594 children (aged 4-5 years) in the UK Born in Bradford (BiB) cohort. Parent-reported symptoms and diagnoses from questionnaires were compared against diagnoses in primary care EHRs. Agreement was assessed using prevalence estimates and agreement metrics. Logistic and Poisson regression models were used to identify factors influencing reporting and to evaluate predictive validity.

RESULTS: Agreement varied by condition. For parent-reported “ever-diagnosed” asthma, agreement with GP records was good (Kappa = 0.68), while for recent eczema symptoms, it was poor (Kappa = 0.07), though this improved after adjusting for prevalence (PABAK = 0.66). Parent reports were highly reliable for ruling out diagnoses. Factors including ethnicity and GP visit frequency were associated with reporting discrepancies. Parent reports at age 4-5 strongly predicted a future GP diagnosis, increasing the risk fivefold for asthma and threefold for allergic rhinitis.

CONCLUSION: Neither parent reports nor EHRs alone capture the full picture of childhood allergic disease. Parent reports offer crucial insights into symptom burden and future risk, while EHRs provide objective diagnostic data. An integrating approach, combining both sources, is essential for comprehensive epidemiological research and a more complete understanding of disease burden.

PMID:40772360 | DOI:10.1111/pai.70166

Nord J Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 7:1-9. doi: 10.1080/08039488.2025.2539782. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the empirical validity of the Chinese Brief Cognitive Test (C-BCT) and examine the correlation between cognitive symptoms and functional outcomes in people with schizophrenia.

METHODS: Patients with schizophrenia (n = 145) together with 723 healthy controls underwent testing with C-BCT and MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Clinical staff measured Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Personal and Social Performance (PSP) Scale for patients. One-way analysis of covariance was conducted to compare cognitive performance across groups. The correlation between C-BCT performance and PANSS and PSP was examined using the Pearson product moment correlation. The Global Deficit Score (GDS) was used to identify the severity of cognitive impairment. The generalized linear model was used to analyze the effects of age, sex and education.

RESULTS: The four scales of C-BCT alongside composite scaled score (Css) demonstrated statistical differences between groups with partial eta squared scores between 0.049 and 0.171. Composite scaled score was weakly correlated with each scale of the PANSS (r-value ranged from -0.242 to -0.190), and weakly correlated with PSP. In addition to Digit Span Task, scales of C-BCT had different correlations with PANSS and PSP. There were differences in GDS among patients with different employment status (p < .05). 55.9% of the patient sample had been identified as cognitive impaired using C-BCT.

CONCLUSIONS: The C-BCT exhibits good empirical validity in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Information processing speed, executive function, attention/vigilance, and overall cognitive performance were differently related to clinical symptoms and social function.

HIGHLIGHTS: Cognitive impairment is one of the core symptoms and dimensions of schizophrenia.The Chinese Brief Cognitive Test (C-BCT) is a simplified cognitive assessment tool based on the Chinese cultural environment.The C-BCT has good empirical validity in Chinese patients with schizophrenia, and can evaluate neurocognition in Chinese patients with schizophrenia in a shorter time.The C-BCT may be helpful for clinicians and researcher because of its convenience and efficiency.

PMID:40772332 | DOI:10.1080/08039488.2025.2539782

Ren Fail. 2025 Dec;47(1):2539933. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2025.2539933. Epub 2025 Aug 7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients often requires continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), yet predictors of successful transition off CRRT remain unclear. This study aimed to identify clinical factors associated with successful and sustained CRRT discontinuation.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 924 adult ICU patients who received CRRT between January 2010 and December 2024. The primary outcome was successful CRRT transition, defined as discontinuation without CRRT re-initiation within 7 days or transition to intermittent hemodialysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associations with clinical, hemodynamic, and biochemical parameters.

RESULTS: Of 924 patients (mean age 60 ± 14 years; 66% male), 823 (89%) successfully transitioned off CRRT. Vasopressor use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.68, p = 0.0001) and mechanical ventilation (aOR 0.56, p = 0.02) were associated with lower odds of success. On transition day, higher urine output (per 1 L, aOR 1.39, p = 0.003), serum bicarbonate (aOR 1.10, p = 0.032), and mean arterial pressure (aOR 1.02, p = 0.031) were positive predictors, while elevated blood urea nitrogen (aOR 0.98, p = 0.05) and higher obligate fluid intake (per 1 L, aOR 0.84, p = 0.032) were negative predictors. At day 7, sustained success was positively associated with urine output (aOR 1.35, p = 0.008) and serum pH (aOR 1.58, p = 0.049), and negatively associated with vasopressor use (aOR 0.69, p = 0.0001) and obligate intake (aOR 0.68, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Higher urine output, better acid-base status, and stable hemodynamics predict successful and sustained CRRT discontinuation. Ongoing vasopressor use and high fluid burden reduce the likelihood of success.

PMID:40772290 | DOI:10.1080/0886022X.2025.2539933

Front Genet. 2025 Jul 23;16:1635734. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1635734. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) is a force-multiplier for human identification, leveraging dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to infer relationships through identity by descent (IBD) segment analysis. Although powerful for investigative lead generation, broad adoption of SNP-based identification methods by the forensic community, especially medical examiners and crime laboratories, necessitates likelihood ratio (LR)-based relationship testing, to align with traditional kinship testing standards. To address this gap, a novel method was developed that incorporates LR calculations into FGG and SNP testing workflows. This approach is unique in that it dynamically selects unlinked, highly informative SNPs based on configurable thresholds for minor allele frequency (MAF) and minimum genetic distance for a robust and reliable analysis. Employing a curated panel of 222,366 SNPs from gnomAD v4 and data from the 1,000 genomes project, high accuracy in resolving relationships up to second-degree relatives can be achieved. For example, a subset of 126 SNPs (MAF > 0.4, minimum genetic distance of 30 cM) yielded 96.8% accuracy and a weighted F1 score of 0.975 across 2,244 tested pairs. This LR-based methodology enables forensic laboratories to select informative SNPs and integrate modern genomic data with existing accredited relationship testing frameworks, providing critical statistical support for close-relationship comparisons and enhances the rigor of FGG- and SNP-based human identification applications.

PMID:40772272 | PMC:PMC12325062 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2025.1635734

Front Genet. 2025 Jul 23;16:1599724. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1599724. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, a prevalent subtype of breast malignancy, demonstrates complex etiological associations with multiple risk factors. Micronutrients, as essential nutritional components for human physiology, may potentially influence the pathogenesis and progression of breast carcinoma. This investigation employs Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology to assess causal relationships between 15 micronutrients and ER+ breast cancer.

METHODS: In this study, instrumental variables (IVs) for 15 micronutrients were extracted from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database, including copper, calcium, carotene, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and zinc. Concurrently, summary data related to ER+ breast cancer were obtained from the FinnGen database. Following the selection of appropriate IVs, we conducted a two-sample MR analysis. This analytical framework incorporated comprehensive sensitivity analyses to evaluate potential heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, with the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method established as the principal analytical approach.

RESULTS: The findings of our study revealed a significant causal relationship between vitamin B6 and ER+ breast cancer. Notably, genetically predicted elevated vitamin B6 levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of ER+ breast cancer [Odds Ratio (OR): 1.275; 95%Confidence Interval (CI): (1.017-1.600); P = 0.035]. In contrast, no statistically significant associations were observed between the other 14 micronutrients and ER+ breast cancer risk (P > 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that higher concentrations of vitamin B6 may be positively associated with ER+ breast cancer risk, and further research is needed to elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms of this association. This study provides new insights into understanding the role of micronutrients in breast cancer.

PMID:40772270 | PMC:PMC12325068 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2025.1599724

J Arrhythm. 2025 Aug 6;41(4):e70156. doi: 10.1002/joa3.70156. eCollection 2025 Aug.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ventricular arrhythmias are prevalent among heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients. Rapid rate non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (RR-NSVT) and sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) can be detected on implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) interrogation due to discrimination algorithms that differentiate supra-ventricular from ventricular tachycardia. This study aims to assess the incidence of RR-NSVT and sustained VT on ICD interrogation and their correlation with HFrEF guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) compliance.

METHODS: DesignCross-sectional, analytical study. SettingHeart rhythm device clinic, Electrophysiology department, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan. ParticipantsPatients implanted with dual chamber ICD or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), aged 18 years or above with HFrEF. Outcome MeasureCovariates included demographics, comorbidities, medications, GDMT compliance, and cardiac rhythm device parameters. Incidence of RR-NSVT, sustained VT, and their correlation with HFrEF GDMT compliance was assessed using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS: Study evaluated 139 patients. Men 77.7%. The mean age was 56.4 ± 13.9 years. The mean LV ejection fraction was 26.4% ± 5.5%. 109 (78.4%) were GDMT compliant (94.3% on beta-blockers, 93.5% on renin-angiotensin inhibitors, 71.9% on aldosterone antagonists, and 15.8% on SGLT-2 inhibitors). RR-NSVT episodes were observed in 54 (38.8%) patients, out of whom 37 had RR-NSVT despite GDMT compliance, although this correlation was not statistically significant. Twelve (8.6%) patients had sustained VT, which was significantly less common with GDMT compliance.

CONCLUSION: More than one-third of participants had RR-NSVT episodes despite HFrEF GDMT compliance. These patients also had associated sustained VT episodes, the occurrence of which was significantly less with GDMT compliance.

PMID:40772237 | PMC:PMC12326080 | DOI:10.1002/joa3.70156

Neurobiol Lang (Camb). 2025 Jul 22;6:nol.a.8. doi: 10.1162/nol.a.8. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Prediction has become a key concept for understanding language comprehension, language production, and more recently reading. Recent studies suggest that predictive mechanisms in reading may be related to domain-general statistical learning (SL) abilities that support the extraction of regularities from sequential input. Both mechanisms have been discussed in relation to developmental dyslexia. Some suggest that SL is impaired in dyslexia with negative effects on the ability to make linguistic predictions. Others suggest that dyslexic readers rely to a greater extent on semantic and syntactic predictions to compensate for lower-level deficits. Here, we followed these two research questions in a single study. We therefore assessed the effects of semantic and syntactic prediction in reading and SL abilities in a population of university students with dyslexia and a group of typical readers using fMRI. The SL task was a serial reaction time (SRT) task that was performed inside and outside the scanner. The predictive reading task was performed in the scanner and used predictive versus nonpredictive semantic and syntactic contexts. Our results revealed distinct neural networks underlying semantic and syntactic predictions in reading, group differences in predictive processing in the left precentral gyrus and right anterior insula, and an association between predictive reading and SL, particularly in dyslexic readers. These findings contribute to our understanding of the interplay between SL, predictive processing, and compensation in dyslexia, providing new insights into the neural mechanisms that support reading.

PMID:40772236 | PMC:PMC12328026 | DOI:10.1162/nol.a.8