Category: Nevin Manimala

J Clin Densitom. 2025 Dec 11;29(1):101658. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2025.101658. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease in the elderly. This study aimed to assess whether routine T1-weighted MR images can visually indicate the presence of osteoporosis by estimating vertebral bone marrow fat content.

METHODS: Lumbar spine MRI and DEXA scans from 320 patients (performed within a 6-month interval) were retrospectively reviewed. Two radiologists independently graded the percentage of high T1 signal within the L4 vertebral body into <50 % or ≥50 %, representing marrow fat content. Visual fat scores were compared with T-scores from DEXA scans. Inter-reader agreement was assessed using Cohen’s and Fleiss’ kappa statistics. Spearman’s correlation was used to evaluate the association between MRI grading and DEXA scores.

RESULTS: Of the 320 patients (mean age 56.8 years; 80.3 % female), 48.4 % had osteopenia or osteoporosis. Visual MRI grading yielded 141 patients with <50 % and 179 with ≥50 % marrow fat. A weak but statistically significant correlation was observed between MRI visual fat scores and DEXA T-scores (ρ = 0.139, p = 0.013). Inter-reader agreement was moderate (Cohen’s kappa = 0.509, 95 % CI: 0.415 to 0.603).

CONCLUSION: Routine T1-weighted lumbar spine MRI may serve as an opportunistic screening tool for osteoporosis. Visual estimation of vertebral marrow fat content shows potential to identify patients who may benefit from further DEXA evaluation.

PMID:41453250 | DOI:10.1016/j.jocd.2025.101658

Aquat Toxicol. 2025 Dec 21;291:107690. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107690. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aluminum (Al) is a widespread aquatic neurotoxic pollutant, yet its brain accumulation is seldom quantified in fish neurotoxicity studies. Here, we investigated the neurobehavioral and molecular consequences of acute waterborne Al exposure in adult zebrafish (n = 227). Fish were exposed for 96 h to 50 mg/L AlCl₃ at pH 5.0 and then transferred to clean water for a 7-day depuration period. Despite the absence of statistically significant Al accumulation in either brain or carcass, exposed animals exhibited consistent neurobehavioral impairments, including reduced non-associative learning (short-term habituation of the acoustic startle response), anxiety- and depression-like phenotypes (positive geotaxis and negative scototaxis), and increased aggressive-like behavior. All behavioral alterations were fully reversed after depuration, indicating a transient effect. Brain oxidative stress markers (catalase, superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation), neurotransmitter levels, and acetylcholinesterase activity remained largely unchanged, arguing against a direct, generalized disruption of brain biochemistry. In contrast, brain expression of appa, gfap, and cat was significantly upregulated immediately after exposure and returned to control levels after depuration, suggesting an early but reversible stress and glial response. Overall, these findings show that short-term acidic Al exposure can induce reversible cognitive and affective disturbances in zebrafish in the absence of detectable brain accumulation, highlighting the importance of transient molecular stress pathways in acute aluminum neurotoxicity.

PMID:41453237 | DOI:10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107690

Public Health Nutr. 2025 Dec 26:1-25. doi: 10.1017/S1368980025101729. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: A Body Shape Index (ABSI) is a validated anthropometric measure describing body shape independently of BMI and height. This study aimed to evaluate the association between ABSI and dietary quality and eating behaviors in a Mediterranean clinical population.

DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study analyzing associations between ABSI and diet/behavior using Pearson correlations and multivariable linear regressions adjusted for age, sex, and BMI.

SETTING: The study took place at a Mediterranean diet-based nutrition clinic in Rome, Italy.

PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 1,640 adult patients attending follow-up visits at the clinic. ABSI z-scores were calculated and standardized by age and sex. Weekly food intake was assessed using 7-day food diaries, and behavioral preferences were collected via structured questionnaires.

RESULTS: The Pearson correlation between BMI and internal zABSI was weak but statistically significant (r = 0.113, p < 0.0001), confirming that ABSI captures body shape independently from BMI. As expected, ABSI strongly correlated with waist circumference (r = 0.78, p < 0.001). Playing a sport was inversely associated with zABSI (β = -0.365, p < 0.001). Nighttime eating (β = 0.237, p = 0.001), snacking between meals (β = 0.133, p = 0.014), and preference for sweet over salty foods (β = 0.025, p = 0.010) were positively associated with higher ABSI values.

CONCLUSIONS: In this Mediterranean clinical sample, ABSI identified behavioral and dietary correlates of body shape-related risk. Promoting physical activity and addressing nighttime eating may help improve anthropometric profiles linked to abdominal fat distribution.

PMID:41451686 | DOI:10.1017/S1368980025101729

Popul Health Metr. 2025 Dec 24. doi: 10.1186/s12963-025-00437-2. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41444900 | DOI:10.1186/s12963-025-00437-2

BMC Nurs. 2025 Dec 24;24(1):1493. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-04109-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: ICU nurses in China experience substantial psychological stress due to understaffing, employment instability, and emotionally intensive care. While organizational factors have been studied, the role of intrinsic Nursing Occupational Values (NOV) in shaping Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) is underexplored. This study examined associations between NOV and ProQOL among ICU nurses and tested potential mediating mechanisms.

METHODS: We conducted a multi-site cross-sectional study in 12 hospitals in Henan Province (January-March 2022). A convenience sample of ICU nurses (n = 356) completed the Chinese Nurses’ Professional Values Scale (7 domains) and the Chinese ProQOL Scale (Compassion Satisfaction, Job Burnout, Secondary Trauma). Analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, multiple linear regression adjusting for significant covariates (education, employment type, hospital level), and mediation models using bootstrapping (5,000 resamples; α = 0.05).

RESULTS: NOV differed by education, professional title, employment type, income, hospital level, and marital status (all p < 0.05). Compassion Satisfaction was positively predicted by Leadership Attitude and Reward (β = 0.137, p = 0.037), Job Security (β = 0.086, p = 0.028), and Colleague Relationship (β = 0.284, p = 0.019). Job Burnout decreased with Intention of Career Choice (β = -0.164, p = 0.020) and Colleague Relationship (β = -0.308, p = 0.011) but increased with Nurse-Patient Relationship (β = 0.183, p = 0.040). Secondary Trauma increased with Nurse-Patient Relationship (β = 0.204, p = 0.044). Mediation analysis indicated that Job Security significantly mediated the effect of Leadership Attitude and Reward on Compassion Satisfaction (95% CI [0.01, 0.27]).

CONCLUSIONS: Intrinsic professional values, especially Job Security, are associated with higher Compassion Satisfaction and lower Job Burnout among ICU nurses. Interventions that strengthen leadership support and employment stability may enhance nurse well-being and care quality in resource-constrained critical care settings.

PMID:41444890 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-025-04109-2

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2025 Dec 24;21(1):87. doi: 10.1186/s13002-025-00834-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND : Cyperus esculentus a perennial sedge, has been cultivated since ancient times for its nutritious and versatile tubers, which are used in cooking, traditional medicine, and various industries. Despite its potential, the crop remains underutilized in Togo and is grown in limited areas. Moreover, there is a lack of information on its genetic diversity, cropping systems, uses, and the impact of climate change on its productivity; factors essential for effective breeding and sustainable cultivation. This study aimed to document and compare existing knowledge on the uses and production systems of tiger nuts, as well as tiger nut producers’ perceptions of climate change and its impact on tiger nut cultivation in two regions of Togo with contrasting climatic conditions.

METHODS: A total of 206 tiger nut producers from six ethnic groups were selected across 26 villages located in the Savanes region (Sudanian climate) and the Plateaux region (Guinean climate) were selected following the snowball method during a survey conducted from July to September 2023. Data on tiger nut uses, diversity, production systems, and producers’ perceptions of climate change and its impact on the species’ productivity were collected using participatory rural appraisal methods. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher’s Exact Test to examine the relationship between region and sociodemographic factors, and multinomial logistic regression to identify which sociodemographic characteristics influence tiger nut growers’ perceptions of climate change and their views on its impact on production.

RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in the gender distribution of tiger nut producers between the two regions. In the Savanes region, most producers were male (75%), whereas in the Plateaux region, most were female (84%). The area dedicated to tiger nut production also varied significantly between the regions. In the Savanes region, no more than 0.25 ha was allocated to the crop, whereas in the Plateaux region, 58% of producers dedicated more than 0.25 ha of their land to tiger nut cultivation. Seven distinct uses were identified: tuber consumption, commercialization, medicinal applications, soil fertilization, traditional beverage preparation, weed control, and livestock feeding. The last three were reported exclusively in the Savanes region. Eight major constraints were identified across the two regions. The most critical in the Plateaux region was harvesting difficulties, while in the Savanes region it was pest attacks. Regarding climate change, chi-square tests showed a significant association between climatic zones and farmers’ perceptions, as well as between regions and the reported effects of climate change on tiger nut cultivation (P < 0.001). Perceived climate change indicators included irregular rainfall, delayed onset of rains, drought spells, and early rainfall. Reported effects on the crop included reduced yields, abnormal growth patterns, premature yellowing of leaves, seedling desiccation, and small tubers.

CONCLUSION: The ethno-ecological knowledge captured in this study provides a foundational resource for the sustainable management and conservation of tiger nut, and for the development of effective breeding strategies in Togo.

PMID:41444888 | DOI:10.1186/s13002-025-00834-9

BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2025 Dec 24. doi: 10.1186/s12911-025-03326-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Synthetic data generation (SDG) has emerged as a critical enabler for data-driven healthcare research, offering privacy-preserving alternatives to real patient data. Temporal health data – ranging from physiological signals to electronic health records (EHRs) – pose unique challenges for SDG due to their complexity, irregularity, and clinical sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: This review systematically examines SDG methods for longitudinal and time-series health data. Its aims are to (1) propose a lightweight taxonomy to support orientation across the SDG landscape along five structural dimensions, (2) characterize the major synthesis techniques and their alignment with temporal structures and data modalities, and (3) synthesize the utility and privacy evaluation strategies used in practice.

METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across four major databases (ACM, arXiv, IEEE Xplore, Europe PMC) for publications from 2017 to 2025. Eligible studies proposed or applied SDG techniques to healthcare-relevant temporal data with sufficient methodological transparency. Structured data extraction and thematic analysis were used to identify modeling trends, evaluation metrics, and domain-specific requirements, complemented by a comparative synthesis of SDG methods.

RESULTS: A total of 115 studies were included. Deep generative models – especially Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), Autoencoders (AEs), and diffusion-based methods – dominate the field, with increasing adoption of autoregressive and hybrid simulation approaches. Event-based EHR data are most commonly targeted, while continuous and irregular time series remain underexplored. Utility evaluations vary widely, with strong emphasis on descriptive statistics and predictive performance, but limited attention to inferential validity and clinical realism. Privacy assessments are sparse and inconsistently reported: only 30% of studies included any metric, and just around 6% implemented differential privacy (DP), often without parameter disclosure. This limited adoption may reflect technical challenges, limited expertise, and the absence of regulatory incentives.

CONCLUSIONS: Synthetic temporal data play an increasingly vital role across clinical prediction, public health modeling, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. However, SDG research remains fragmented in terminology, evaluation practices, and privacy safeguards. Responsible-AI considerations – such as fairness, transparency, and trust – along with evidence on clinical adoption remain underexplored but are critical for future integration. This review provides a unified conceptual and methodological framework to guide future research, standardization efforts, and interdisciplinary collaboration for responsible, effective use of synthetic health data.

PMID:41444887 | DOI:10.1186/s12911-025-03326-8

BMC Public Health. 2025 Dec 24;25(1):4297. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-25601-z.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to compare physical fitness and body composition in older adults with high and low levels of eating awareness and to examine the relationship between these parameters.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 120 older adults aged 65-70 years (60 with high eating awareness and 60 with low eating awareness). Eating awareness was assessed with the Eating Awareness Questionnaire (MEQ-30). To determine the physical fitness level, 30-second chair sit-and-stand test, Timed Up and Go test, 6-minute walking test, one-leg stand test, hand grip strength with a Jamar dynamometer (Sammons Preston, USA), and knee extension strength with a Lafayette digital dynamometer (USA). For body composition assessment, skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, and body mass index (BMI) were measured with the InBody 120 (InBody Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea). Physical fitness and body composition were compared between older adults with and without eating awareness. In addition, the relationship between eating awareness, physical fitness and body composition was examined in all older adults.

RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found in all physical fitness and body composition assessment results between older adults with high and low eating awareness (p < 0.05). In addition, a statistically significant relationship was found between eating awareness (MEQ-30), physical fitness and body composition results in older adults (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: This study showed that older adults with higher eating awareness tended to have better physical fitness results, greater muscle mass, and lower body fat percentage and BMI compared to those with lower eating awareness. In addition, lower eating awareness was associated with reduced physical fitness, decreased skeletal muscle mass, and increased body fat percentage and BMI. These findings indicate that eating awareness is closely related to both body composition and physical functionality in older adults, highlighting its potential role as an important behavioral factor in healthy aging.

PMID:41444885 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-25601-z

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2025 Dec 24;26(1):1105. doi: 10.1186/s12891-025-09344-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hip preservation remains a significant surgical challenge in adolescent and young adult patient with unilateral developmental dysplasia of hip (DDH). We compared the clinical and radiographic results of modified Colonna capsular arthroplasty in unilateral DDH patients.

METHODS: The records of 19 consecutive patients (19 hips) who underwent modified Colonna capsular arthroplasty between 2017 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 3 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 19.1 years at the time of surgery. We used the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and limb-length discrepancy (LLD) to evaluate the clinical outcomes. X-ray was used to measure the femoral anteversion angle, lateral center-edge angle and acetabular coverage.

RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 70.7 months. The average operative time and intraoperative blood loss were 80.5 ± 5.0 (range 75 to 95) minutes and 189.7 ± 15.3 (range 165 to 210) mL, respectively. The average mHHS improved from 58.6 ± 3.6 (range 50.5 to 62.5) preoperatively to 86.9 ± 2.1 (range 82.5 to 90.5) at the final follow-up (p < 0.05). The mean femoral anteversion angle had decreased from 40.8° ± 2.4° (range 36.5° to 44.6°) preoperatively to 15.2° ± 1.8° (range 12.2° to 18.8°) at the final follow-up with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). The average LLD decreased significantly from 28.3 ± 4.6 mm preoperatively to 10.8 ± 2.4 mm at the final follow-up, respectively. One patient was converted to total hip arthroplasty at 6 years postoperatively. However, there was no significant difference in VAS between preoperative and the final follow-up. According to the curative effect evaluation standard score of DDH, the excellent and good rate was 73.7%. Furthermore, the lateral center-edge angle and the acetabular coverage showed significant improvement in all hips after operation.

CONCLUSIONS: The modified Colonna capsular arthroplasty demonstrates favorable mid-term outcomes for adolescent and young adult patients with unilateral DDH. This procedure effectively improves hip function and radiographic parameters. Nevertheless, further studies with longer follow-up are need to determine the long-term efficacy.

PMID:41444880 | DOI:10.1186/s12891-025-09344-x

BMC Public Health. 2025 Dec 24;25(1):4300. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-25632-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care (ANC) is essential for maternal and newborn health, yet its utilization and quality remain suboptimal in many low-income settings. Evidence on the effectiveness of non-financial incentives to improve ANC is limited. This study examined the effect of a performance-based non-financial incentive (PBNI) intervention on the quality and optimal utilization of ANC in northwestern Ethiopia.

METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre-post study with a comparator group was conducted in 2020-2021 involving 1,927 women. The intervention provided non-financial incentives such as smartphones, power banks, scholarships, and certificates, which were distributed at the facility, departmental, and individual levels. Incentives were tied to the performance of the Routine Health Information System(RHIS), focusing on data quality and utilization, including maternal care indicators among the evaluation criteria. Quality ANC was defined as receiving at least 8 of 9 essential components, while optimal ANC was defined as having four or more visits, in accordance with 2020-2021 national guidelines. The analysis used difference-in-differences robust Poisson regression, reporting incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS: The study revealed a significant 1.44-fold improvement in ANC quality through a PBNI (IRR = 1.44, 95% CI [1.07-1.96]). However, no statistically significant association was found for optimal ANC (IRR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.68, 1.05]). The adjusted analysis identified rural residence (IRR = 1.43, 95% CI [1.12, 1.83]), husbands with primary education (IRR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.09, 1.55]), and birth intervals of 24 to 33 months (IRR = 1.59, 95% CI [1.16, 2.19]) as factors associated with quality ANC. Besides, women with higher education (IRR = 1.98, 95% CI [1.55, 2.52]), engagement in housework (IRR = 0.63, 95% CI [0.52, 0.77]), and awareness of at least two danger signs (IRR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.02, 1.29]) were linked to optimal ANC.

CONCLUSION: PBNI significantly enhances ANC quality but lacks statistical significance for optimal utilization. PBNI can motivate providers and enhance service quality when integrated with RHIS-strengthening efforts; however, longer implementation and complementary demand-side strategies may be necessary for sustained optimal ANC improvements.

PMID:41444879 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-25632-6