Category: Nevin Manimala

BMC Psychol. 2026 Apr 11. doi: 10.1186/s40359-026-04187-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the latent profiles of self-stigma and their relationship with meaning in life among individuals with substance use disorders(SUDs).

METHODS: A total of 1001 participants were recruited from six drug rehabilitation centers in Sichuan Province between July and August 2025 and completed the self-stigma Scale for Drug Addicts (SSSDA) and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify latent profiles of self-stigma. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to analyze influencing factors, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare differences in meaning in life across the different profiles.

RESULTS: The self-stigma of individuals with SUDs can be categorized into four latent profiles: the “stigma-resistant profile”(10.0%), “moderate stigma-concealment profile”(46.3%), “internalized stigma profile”(19.5%), and “low internalization-adaptation profile”(24.3%). Among these, the “moderate stigma-concealment profile”, “internalized stigma profile”, and “low internalization-adaptation profile” represent categories with higher levels of self-stigma. Risk factors associated with these profiles include male sex, low income, a history of being left-behind children, low social support, multiple rehabilitation attempts, as well as mental illness or HIV infection. Statistically significant differences were found among the four profiles in the total score of meaning in life and its sub-dimensions-presence of meaning and search for meaning (p < 0.001). The “stigma-resistant profile” presented the highest level of MIL, whereas the “internalized stigma profile” presented the lowest level.

CONCLUSION: Significant heterogeneity exists in self-stigma among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), and the level of self-stigma is significantly negatively correlated with MIL.

PMID:41963971 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-026-04187-0

BMC Health Serv Res. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12913-026-14474-6. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41963954 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-026-14474-6

BMC Med. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12916-026-04858-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Central obesity is a major risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) and may better reflect obesity-related risk than body mass index (BMI). Its global burden, however, remains poorly quantified. We aimed to estimate the number and proportion of CRC cases attributable to central obesity in 2022 across global, regional, and national levels.

METHODS: We estimated population attributable fractions (PAFs) by combining sex-specific prevalence of central obesity from national surveys with pooled relative risks from meta-analysis. Central obesity was defined as elevated waist circumference using standardised sex- and ethnicity-specific thresholds, accounting for variation in definitions via probabilistic modelling. We addressed missing data through multiple imputation. CRC incidence estimates for 2022 were obtained from GLOBOCAN for 185 countries. Monte Carlo simulations propagated uncertainty in exposure prevalence and risk estimates.

RESULTS: In 2022, an estimated 311 418 (95% uncertainty interval 242 603-378 880) CRC cases were attributable to central obesity, corresponding to a global PAF of 16.2% (12.6-19.7). PAFs were higher in females (18.2%, 13.0-23.3) than in males (14.5%, 9.6-19.3), though age-standardised rates (ASRs) were slightly higher in males. The highest PAF was in North America, and the highest ASRs in Australia-New Zealand and northern Europe. PAFs and ASRs declined with decreasing income levels among males but not females. Regional variation in sex differences was substantial, with higher female PAFs in parts of Africa and Asia, and smaller or reversed gaps in high-income settings. In high-income countries, the estimated 10-year CRC risk at screening age (55-69 years) was 1.32% in males with central obesity versus 0.90% in those without, and 0.92% versus 0.64% in females, corresponding to one excess CRC case per 236 (180-353) men and 357 (279-502) women.

CONCLUSIONS: Central obesity accounts for a substantial share of the global CRC burden, with large geographical variability. Applying established waist circumference thresholds in surveillance and incorporating central obesity into individual risk stratification may inform more effective CRC screening and prevention strategies.

PMID:41963940 | DOI:10.1186/s12916-026-04858-0

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s13002-026-00895-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: European landscapes have developed into biocultural heritage over millennia of extensive livestock production. Much of this biodiversity and cultural richness has been preserved by small-scale farms; however, these farms are disappearing across Europe due to intense competition with industrial agriculture. Recognizing the interconnectedness of social and natural systems, this study examined the socio-cultural background of livestock keepers in Estonia. The main research question focused on understanding the context in which livestock keepers decide to begin or continue free-range livestock farming, viewed through the lens of culture and tradition.

METHODS: An anonymous, voluntary online survey was conducted among beef cattle and sheep keepers in Estonia, who are the primary users of semi-natural grasslands. In total, 88 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods.

RESULTS: Nearly one-third of respondents reported continuing a family tradition of livestock keeping. However, 62% of respondents had no prior experience in agriculture before starting their activities, and 58% managed only a single type of agricultural animal. The most frequently reported emotional motive was the desire to maintain aesthetically pleasing landscapes around their homes through grazing (74% of respondents). In addition, 56% of respondents indicated that grazing is the most effective management practice for their farmland. The most commonly cited constraints preventing herd expansion were the lack of additional pastures and the inability to manage larger herds. A slight majority of livestock keepers valued the preservation of national culture, and nearly 40% considered local knowledge, such as unwritten rules, important in their farming practices. Furthermore, more than half of respondents reported the presence of a natural area near their farm that they regard as sensitive or sacred. Livestock keepers generally do not celebrate any specific holidays associated with the traditional folk calendar; the only customary practise reported was giving bread to animals during the Christmas season. Moreover, 76% of respondents declared that they do not engage in any historically significant magical protection rituals aimed at safeguarding their livestock.

CONCLUSIONS: Grazing in heritage grasslands supported by nature conservation subsidies is increasingly carried out by a new generation of livestock keepers who are establishing their own traditions. To effectively understand and communicate with livestock keepers, it is essential to consider their socio-cultural background and the motives underlying their decisions. We conclude that, when transitioning to an agroecological system, livestock keepers are strongly motivated by the pursuit of personal well-being, which in turn contributes to the overall health of the environment and society. Supporting the social well-being of farmers therefore requires expanding the concept of livestock keepers as custodians of biodiversity beyond protected areas and recognizing the value of their everyday practices, which play a crucial role in slowing the decline of small farms and traditional livestock farming practices.

PMID:41963938 | DOI:10.1186/s13002-026-00895-4

BMC Palliat Care. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12904-026-02084-2. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41963933 | DOI:10.1186/s12904-026-02084-2

BMC Oral Health. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12903-026-08246-1. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41963919 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-026-08246-1

BMC Pediatr. 2026 Apr 11. doi: 10.1186/s12887-026-06835-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aimed to investigate the association between a low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) score and the prevalence of obesity in a large, nationally representative sample of children and adolescents in the United States.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data from participants aged 2-17 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2003 to 2018. The exposure of interest was an LCD score, calculated based on the relative intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from the mean of two 24-hour dietary recalls. The primary outcome was obesity, defined as a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with three progressive models, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis, and subgroup analyses were performed.

RESULTS: A total of 12,684 participants were included in the final analysis, including 7,392 with obesity and 11,679 without obesity. After comprehensive adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and dietary covariates (including total energy intake), a higher LCD score was positively associated with the odds of obesity. When treated as a continuous variable, each one-unit increase in the LCD score corresponded to a 2% increase in the odds of obesity (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03, P < 0.001). When categorized into quartiles, participants in the highest quartile (Q4) had 40% higher odds of obesity compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.17-1.68, P < 0.001). The RCS analysis confirmed a significant non-linear association between the LCD score and the odds of obesity (P for non-linearity = 0.001). Furthermore, subgroup analyses indicated that the association varied across strata; for instance, a significant positive association was observed in children aged 12 years and younger but not in older adolescents, and was stronger in males than in females, though formal tests for interaction were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: In this nationally representative sample of U.S. children and adolescents, a higher LCD score was associated with increased odds of obesity. This finding suggests that a dietary pattern characterized by a lower proportion of carbohydrates and higher proportions of fat and protein may reflect poor overall dietary quality rather than a structured, health-promoting diet, which is associated with higher obesity prevalence.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

PMID:41963893 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-026-06835-1

BMC Public Health. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-27147-0. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41963892 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-27147-0

BMC Med Genomics. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12920-026-02364-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Biallelic DIAPH1 mutations are linked to hereditary microcephaly syndrome, yet the underlying pathogenic mechanism remains unelucidated. This study aimed to clarify how DIAPH1 biallelic mutations cause microcephaly and visual impairment, focusing on the gene’s regulatory role in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was performed on a patient’s peripheral blood to identify DIAPH1 mutations. A zebrafish model was established by microinjecting mutant human DIAPH1 cDNA into one-cell embryos (no zebrafish DIAPH1 homolog exists). Phenotypic analyses (morphology, neuronal axon growth, behavior) and quantitative real-time PCR for Wnt/β-catenin pathway genes were conducted. Data were mean ± SEM; statistical tests (Student’s t-test, ANOVA, χ²) used GraphPad Prism 5.0 (P < 0.05, P < 0.0001 for significance).

RESULTS: Compound heterozygous DIAPH1 mutations (c.1051 C > T, p.R351X; c.609delA, p.E203E fs*19) were found and associated with clinical symptoms. Mutant DIAPH1 zebrafish showed abnormal eye shape, shortened body length, axis defects, impaired motor axon growth, reduced locomotor activity, upregulated WNT8A, WNT9A, LRP5, LRP6, and downregulated AXIN1, AXIN2, β-CATENIN, indicating excessive Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation.

CONCLUSIONS: DIAPH1 compound heterozygous mutations may trigger microcephaly and visual impairment by abnormally activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The zebrafish model provides a reliable in vivo system for studying DIAPH1-related microcephaly, advancing understanding of hereditary primary microcephaly pathogenesis and potential therapeutic target exploration.

PMID:41963888 | DOI:10.1186/s12920-026-02364-z

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2026 Apr 10. doi: 10.1186/s12884-026-09047-8. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41963856 | DOI:10.1186/s12884-026-09047-8