Nevin Manimala

Acta Paediatr. 2025 Jul 15. doi: 10.1111/apa.70222. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: Hearing loss occurs more frequently in preterm children. However, the influence of prematurity itself is unclear. We examined whether risk factors for hearing loss differ between preterm and term infants.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of three databases in March 2023 for studies comparing risk factors for hearing loss in preterm and term children. Studies on postnatal trauma, chemotherapy or infections after the age of 5 years were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed. Data were extracted and analyzed using logistic regression to yield odds ratios (95% confidence interval).

RESULTS: Of 10 300 studies screened, 16 met the inclusion criteria, including 9059 preterm and 10 048 term children. Only one study compared risk factors between preterm and term infants as primary outcomes. It identified an increased risk in the preterm but not term group with mechanical ventilation exceeding 5 days, sepsis, and ototoxic medication. No significant differences were found when both groups shared these risk factors, suggesting that prematurity may not be an independent risk factor. Other studies reported variable results.

CONCLUSION: Evidence of different effect sizes of risk factors in preterm and term children remains inconclusive. Preterm children acquire more risk factors in the neonatal period.

PMID:40662234 | DOI:10.1111/apa.70222

Vet Clin Pathol. 2025 Jul 15. doi: 10.1111/vcp.70035. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Regular blood sampling to monitor RBC mass in anemic cats can exacerbate anemia. Laboratory-based reporting can delay clinical decisions. A hand-held hemoglobinometer, HemoCue Hb 201⁺ (HC-201), requires only one drop of blood (10 μL) and provides results within 1 min.

OBJECTIVES: This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the utility of HC-201 in cats and investigate the impact of potential interferents on its performance.

METHODS: One hundred and fifty-four venous blood samples in EDTA from 93 cats were analyzed. Hemoglobin concentration was measured once using an ADVIA 2120 analyzer and compared to the mean of 2-3 replicate measurements from an HC-201. Agreement and systematic bias between HC-201 and ADVIA results, along with precision between HC-201 replicates, were assessed using Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient, non-parametric Bland-Altman, Passing-Bablok regression, and intraclass correlation coefficient. The performance of HC-201 in the presence of anemia, leukocytosis, azotemia, lipemia, icterus, hemolysis, and peripheral versus jugular venipunctures was assessed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

RESULTS: Passing-Bablok analysis revealed a significant constant bias (intercept = -2.242, 95% CI: -4.042 to -0.667) but no significant proportional bias (slope = 1.015, 95% CI: 1.000-1.032). HC-201 demonstrated excellent agreement (ρ_c = 0.989) and precision (ICC = 0.997) with a median bias of -0.67 g/L (p = 0.001). The total observed error was 3.02%, within the allowable limits defined by international standards. Neither anemia, leukocytosis, azotemia, lipemia, nor venipuncture site influenced HC-201 measurements. Samples with icterus and hemolysis were insufficient in number for statistical comparison.

CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study indicates that HC-201 offers reliable point-of-care monitoring for hemoglobin concentration in cats.

PMID:40662223 | DOI:10.1111/vcp.70035

J Xray Sci Technol. 2025 Jul 15:8953996251337889. doi: 10.1177/08953996251337889. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSES: Suppressing noise can effectively promote image quality and save radiation dose in clinical imaging with x-ray computed tomography (CT). To date, numerous statistical noise reduction approaches have ever been proposed in image domain, projection domain or both domains. Especially, a multiscale decomposition strategy can be exploited to enhance the performance of noise suppression while preserving image sharpness. Recognizing the inherent advantage of noise suppression in the projection domain, we have previously proposed a projection domain multiscale penalized weighted least squares (PWLS) method for fan-beam CT imaging, wherein the sampling intervals are explicitly taken into account for the possible variation of sampling rates. In this work, we extend our previous method into cone-beam (CB) CT imaging, which is more relevant to practical imaging applications.

METHODS: The projection domain multiscale PWLS method is derived for CBCT imaging by converting an isotropic diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) in the three-dimensional (3D) image domain into its counterpart in the CB projection domain. With adoption of the Markov random field (MRF) objective function, the CB projection domain multiscale PWLS method suppresses noise at each scale. The performance of the proposed method for statistical noise reduction in CBCT imaging is experimentally evaluated and verified using the projection data acquired by an actual micro-CT scanner.

RESULTS: The preliminary result shows that the proposed CB projection domain multiscale PWLS method outperforms the CB projection domain single-scale PWLS, the 3D image domain discriminative feature representation (DFR), and the 3D image domain multiscale nonlinear diffusion methods in noise reduction. Moreover, the proposed method can preserve image sharpness effectively while avoiding generation of novel artifacts.

CONCLUSIONS: Since the sampling intervals are explicitly taken into account in the projection domain multiscale decomposition, the proposed method would be beneficial to advanced applications where the CBCT imaging is employed and the sampling rates vary.

PMID:40662209 | DOI:10.1177/08953996251337889

Emerg Med Australas. 2025 Aug;37(4):e70095. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.70095.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Describe the characteristics and predictors of emergency department (ED) patients who ‘did not wait’ (DNW).

METHODS: Data linkage study using routinely collected public hospital data in New South Wales, Australia. Cases were included if an initial ED episode of care occurred between January 2021 and December 2022 with an ED mode of separation of DNW. The main outcome was representation to an ED within 7 days of the initial DNW episode of care, and the secondary outcome was 30-day mortality from the initial DNW date. Frequent presenters were those with ≥ 10 ED episodes of care within 365 days. Predictors for representation were determined using logistic regression, presented as odds ratio [95% confidence interval].

RESULTS: The 7-day representation rate after a DNW episode was 14.8% (n = 29,030). Of those, 23.1% presented to a different hospital. 30-day mortality was significantly higher in those who were represented within 7 days versus those who did not represent within 7 days (0.4% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.001). The main predictors of representation within 7 days were: frequent presenters (4.35 [4.13-4.58], p < 0.001), increasing age, with those aged > 85 years having the highest odds of representation (1.71 [1.58-1.86], p < 0.001) and initial presentation during the evening (6:00 PM-11:59 PM; 1.49 [1.44-1.53], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: 14.8% of patients who do not wait for care in an ED are represented within 7 days, approximately one quarter presenting to a different facility. Identifying predictors for those patients associated with DNW presentations provides evidence around patient safety and quality of care issues.

PMID:40662202 | DOI:10.1111/1742-6723.70095

Pulm Circ. 2025 Jul 13;15(3):e70130. doi: 10.1002/pul2.70130. eCollection 2025 Jul.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40662200 | PMC:PMC12256269 | DOI:10.1002/pul2.70130

Front Psychol. 2025 Apr 30;16:1588242. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1588242. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

This study presents a systematic review of reviews published in Frontiers in Psychology (2010-2024) to examine methodological and conceptual advances in educational psychology. The objective is to synthesize research trends over 14 years and explore global challenges, such as the digitalization of education and the integration of emerging technologies. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in Frontiers in Psychology, Web of Science, and Scopus, identifying 392 reviews. The selection process involved duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, and full-text evaluation, applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure methodological rigor. Data extraction and classification were carried out using an Excel-based structured database, analyzing publication years, methodological design, data sources, statistical and qualitative analysis methods, validation approaches, theoretical frameworks, thematic areas, geographical distribution, study limitations, reported results, practical applications and study populations. The methodological analysis highlights the predominance of systematic reviews, the increasing adoption of qualitative and mixed-method approaches, and a growing emphasis on digital tools and artificial intelligence. The study also reveals significant regional disparities in research output, with some regions being notably underrepresented. Beyond identifying trends, this review of reviews illustrates how psychology adapts to contemporary educational challenges through interdisciplinary methodologies and evidence-based strategies. The findings provide valuable insights into the evolving challenges in educational psychology, reinforcing the role of Frontiers in Psychology in driving methodological innovation and scholarly discourse. Furthermore, they contribute to the advancement of inclusive and sustainable educational practices aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Future research should focus on meta-analyses of emerging trends, longitudinal methodological studies, and strategies to address regional imbalances, fostering a more globally representative perspective.

PMID:40662182 | PMC:PMC12257778 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1588242

Int J Gen Med. 2025 Jul 10;18:3797-3809. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S511519. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested housework might reduce self-stigma and psychiatric symptoms, but it had not been validated in severe mental illness (SMI) patients. Considering gender differences, we examined the relationship between housework, self-stigma, and psychiatric symptoms to link family, social, and disease factors, aiding rehabilitation from a “life-oriented” perspective, promoting patients from “passive treatment” to “active life reconstruction”.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected 486 questionnaires from SMI patients in Shandong, China (210 men, 276 women, 124 in 0-40 age group, 244 in 41-64 age group, and 118 in 65 or older age group). Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Self-Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness 8-item version were used to measure psychiatric symptoms and self-stigma. Housework and demographic-variables were collected through a questionnaire complied by our research group. Linear regression explicit the relationship between the study variables, based on which a mediation analysis is established to verify the internal mechanism which controls confounding variables (age, religion, marriage, education, occupation, labor capacity, living alone, liability, chronic disease, disease status).

RESULTS: Most participants did housework for less than 1 hour, with men more likely than women (76.2% vs 56.2%). Housework reduced psychiatric symptoms in both genders (men: β = -5.563 (95% CI = -9.513, -1.613), P <0.01, and women: β = -4.088 (95% CI = -7.706, -0.469), P <0.01). However, housework only lowered self-stigma in women (β = -2.322 (95% CI = -3.922, -0.723), P <0.01). Self-stigma fully mediated the housework and psychiatric symptoms (indirect effect = -2.228, 95% CI = -4.046, -0.716).

CONCLUSION: Housework alleviated psychiatric symptoms in both genders, but only reduced the self-stigma of disease in women, suggesting its potential as a modifiable rehabilitation intervention.

LIMITATION: The cross-sectional design precludes causal inferences, self-reported data may introduce recall bias, the Shandong-based sample limits generalizability, unmeasured confounders (eg, medications, comorbidities) warrant further study, and the small sample size may reduce statistical power.

PMID:40662168 | PMC:PMC12258225 | DOI:10.2147/IJGM.S511519

Infect Drug Resist. 2025 Jul 10;18:3415-3425. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S519105. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of amphotericin B colloidal dispersion (ABCD) in treating invasive pulmonary fungal disease (IPFD) through nebulized inhalation combined with intravenous therapy.

METHODS: Patients diagnosed with IPFD who received ABCD from October 2023 to March 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. The treatment protocol for patient was determined by clinicians according to the patient’s condition and clinical practice. According to the treatment protocol, patients were divided into two groups: the ABCD nebulized inhalation combined with intravenous injection (combined therapy group) and the ABCD intravenous injection (intravenous therapy group). Clinical characteristics, ABCD administration (dose and duration), treatment outcomes (favorable response rate), and adverse events (AEs) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were included, with 16 in each group. No significant differences were observed in the clinical characteristics between the two groups. In the combined therapy group, the numbers of proven, probable, and possible cases were 4 (25.00%), 7 (43.75%), and 5 (31.25%), respectively. In the intravenous injection treatment group, 1 (6.25%), 11 (68.75%), and 4 (25.00%) patients were proven, probable, and possible, respectively. The total dose of ABCD was slightly lower in the combined therapy group than in the intravenous therapy group (1675 vs 1800, P=0.611), although the difference was not statistically significant. The duration of combined therapy group was significantly shorter than that of the intravenous therapy group (8 vs 12, P=0.032), indicating that combination therapy can decrease the risk of hospital-acquired infections. The favorable response rate of the combined therapy group was significantly higher than that of the intravenous therapy group (93.75% vs 62.50%, P=0.033). Elevated urea levels emerged as the most common AE in the combined therapy group (68.75%) and intravenous therapy group (50.00%), no statistically significant difference was observed in the incidence of AEs between the two groups. All 32 patients (100%) completed the prescribed treatment regimen, and no patients withdrew from the study due to AEs.

CONCLUSION: The efficacy of ABCD nebulized inhalation combined with intravenous injection was superior to intravenous injection of ABCD alone in the treatment of IPFD, with comparable safety and shortened medication time.

PMID:40662166 | PMC:PMC12258249 | DOI:10.2147/IDR.S519105

Virus Evol. 2025 May 20;11(1):veaf048. doi: 10.1093/ve/veaf048. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

The evolution of HIV-1 virulence has significant implications for epidemic control. Recent phylogenomic analyses identified low-prevalence HIV-1 variants exhibiting significant differences in disease progression. We analysed 40 888 partial HIV-1 pol sequences from the UK HIV Drug Resistance Database (UKRDB) across subtypes B, C, A1, and CRF02AG. We identified phylotypes with putative differences in transmission/phylogenetic patterns and assessed their virulence trends using pretreatment viral loads, CD4 cell counts, and four statistical methods. We classified three subtype B phylotypes-PT.B.40.UK, PT.B.69.UK, and PT.B.133.UK -as variants of interest (VOIs) due to significantly higher viral loads and/or accelerated CD4 decline. PT.B.40.UK and PT.B.69.UK exhibited higher viral loads, 4.93 log₁₀ copies/ml (95% CI: 4.73-5.13) and 4.87 (4.65-5.10), representing 0.30-0.36 log₁₀ copies/ml higher than the reference group (4.57; 4.55-4.59). Despite uncertainties in baseline CD4 counts, all three VOIs reached the clinically relevant threshold of 350 CD4 cells/mm³ significantly faster than the reference group (3.5 years, 3.1-3.9 years): 2.3 years (1.0-5.1) for PT.B.40.UK, 2.0 years (10.8 months-4.4 years) for PT.B.69.UK, and 1.8 years (10.8 months-3.6 years) for PT.B.133.UK. These VOIs and their closest relatives have been circulating in the UK for decades with limited international spread and did not exhibit unusually rapid growth rates. Although these findings suggest a heritable high-virulence HIV-1 phenotype, we did not find evidence that convergent genetic polymorphisms or switches in coreceptor usage explained these differences. The small fraction of HIV-1 subtype B variants in the UK evolving towards higher virulence is unlikely to pose a public health concern, given the ongoing decline in new HIV diagnoses following the widespread adoption of pre-exposure prophylaxis and targeted prevention campaigns. However, this study-alongside the detection of the VB variant in the Netherlands-demonstrates that more virulent variants are not rare and can emerge independently in multiple countries. Consequently, HIV-1 genomic surveillance remains crucial to monitor HIV-1 virulence and mitigate its healthcare impact.

PMID:40662162 | PMC:PMC12257091 | DOI:10.1093/ve/veaf048

Curr Med Mycol. 2024 Dec 31;10:e2024.345311.1585. doi: 10.22034/cmm.2024.345311.1585. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Candida albicans is currently recognised as an opportunistic pathogen that can cause many invasive infections. Resistance mechanisms and fungal virulence factors play an important role in the effectiveness of treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fluconazole resistance, proteinase activity and ERG11 (sterol 14-demethylase)- SAP2 (secreted aspartic protease 2) gene expression levels in C.albicans strains.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Candida albicans strains isolated from patient samples sent to Medical Microbiology laboratory of Düzce University from various clinics were included in the study. Fluconazole susceptibilities of the isolates were determined by broth microdilution method. The increase in fluconazole MIC values at 48 hours and proteinase activities of the isolates were analysed. ERG11 and SAP2 gene expression levels were measured by real time qPCR.

RESULTS: Fluconazole resistance rate was found to be 3.14% in 127 C. albicans strains. A moderate positive correlation was found between ERG11 and SAP2 values (p=0.029, r:0.655, p<0.001). There was no correlation between SAP2/ERG11 expression levels and fluconazole resistance. Proteinase positivity was detected in 81.1%, of 127 strains and no statistically significant correlation was found between proteinase activities and SAP2/ERG11 expression levels. While there was a statistically significant relationship between ERG11 expression levels and 48th hour MIC elevation, there was no statistically significant relationship between SAP2 levels and 48th hour MIC elevation.

CONCLUSION: In addition to the moderate positive correlation between ERG11 and SAP2 values, a significant correlation was found between ERG11 expression and fluconazole tolerance.

PMID:40662151 | PMC:PMC12257049 | DOI:10.22034/cmm.2024.345311.1585