Nevin Manimala

Stem Cell Res Ther. 2025 Apr 12;16(1):171. doi: 10.1186/s13287-025-04278-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Poor ovarian response (POR) significantly reduces the success rates of fertility treatments. This study investigates the long-term efficacy and potential complications associated with autologous menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MenSCs) therapy in improving fertility outcomes for women with POR.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and potential complications associated with MenSC therapy in improving fertility outcomes for women with POR.

METHODS: This longitudinal, single-center retrospective observational study included 105 POR patients who received autologous MenSC injections from August 2018 to September 2021. Participants were monitored for at least 3 years, and demographic, menstrual, and fertility data were collected. Potential complications were also assessed during this period. Statistical analyses were performed to determine pregnancy rates and possible complications.

RESULTS: The average age of participants at the time of injection was 37.91 years. During the follow-up period, 36.19% of women became pregnant, with a live birth rate of 30.48% per treatment cycle. The treatment showed no significant difference in pregnancy rates between women with regular and irregular menstrual cycles. The spontaneous pregnancy rate was also notably higher within the first three months post-injection. No significant complications such as endometriosis, ovarian malignancies, or autoimmune disorders were observed. Only one case of an ovarian cyst, which resolved without intervention, was reported. MenSC treatment did not increase the risk of congenital anomalies or infant mortality.

CONCLUSION: Intra-ovarian injection of MenSCs is a safe and promising method for improving pregnancy outcomes in women with POR.

PMID:40221741 | DOI:10.1186/s13287-025-04278-6

BMC Nurs. 2025 Apr 12;24(1):413. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03068-y.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in work performance, especially in high-stress ICU settings. Understanding emotional intelligence’s role can inform targeted interventions to support nurse well-being, enhance resilience, and improve patient outcomes.

METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 226 ICU nurses in Palestine, recruited through a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, including the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Test and a job performance scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and regression models were used to analyze predictors of job performance.

RESULTS: The study included 226 nurses, mostly male (74.3%), aged 21-30 years (71.2%), with a bachelor’s degree (68.1%) and less than five years of ICU experience (59.3%). Emotional intelligence scores were high, with an average of 151.9 ± 1.9, and perception of emotions had the highest subscale score. Work performance was also high, averaging 4.3 ± 0.7, with job quality and job quantity scoring the highest. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.611, P < 0.05) was found between EI and work performance. EI and educational level were significant predictors of work performance (β = 0.123, p < 0.01), explaining 39.3% of the variance.

CONCLUSION: the study highlights the critical role of emotional intelligence in improving ICU nurses’ work performance, particularly in job quality and quantity. Higher emotional intelligence helps nurses meet ICU demands, while educational level serves as a key predictor of performance. These findings highlight the need for EI training in nursing education, professional development, and workplace policies. Structured programs can enhance nurses’ decision-making, communication, and stress management, ultimately improving performance, patient care quality, and safety. Future research should adopt longitudinal or experimental designs to establish causality and evaluate the impact of EI training on nursing performance.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

PMID:40221734 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-025-03068-y

BMC Womens Health. 2025 Apr 12;25(1):176. doi: 10.1186/s12905-025-03712-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although violence is reported in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), preventive interventions are among the essential responsibilities of nurses. This study aimed to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises (PMRE) given to women with PMS on PMS symptoms and violent tendencies.

METHODS: The study was conducted experimentally with a pre-test/post-test control group between January and August 2024 in a province located in the southeastern Anatolia region of our country. The study included 106 participants, 53 experimental and 53 control, who had PMS. Participants were provided with a PMRE application for eight weeks. Data were collected through the ‘Personal Information Form, PMS Scale and Violence Tendency Scale (VTS).’ Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, independent samples t-test and one-way multivariate analysis of variance.

RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group had significantly lower mean scores on the post-test PMS scale and the VTS than participants in the control group (p < 0.05). The difference between the PMS scale’s pre-test and post-test mean scores was statistically significantly lower in the experimental group (P < 0.001). The difference between the groups was statistically significant in terms of the combined dependent variables, including the pre-test and post-test change in the mean scores of the PMS scale and the VTS (F(2,103) = 158.77, P < 0.001; V = 0.245; ηp² = 0.755). This difference explained 75.5% of the variance in the dependent variable.

CONCLUSION: PMRE administration has a high level of efficacy in reducing PMS and violence tendencies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials ID: NCT06208670 Dated:22.12.2023.

PMID:40221724 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-025-03712-4

J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2025 Apr 11:e70092. doi: 10.1002/acm2.70092. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess the predictive capability of CT radiomics features for early recurrence (ER) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

METHODS: Postoperative PDAC patients were retrospectively selected, all of whom had undergone preoperative CT imaging and surgery. Both patients with resectable or borderline-resectable pancreatic cancer met the eligibility criteria in this study. However, owing to the differences in treatment strategies and such, this research mainly focused on patients with resectable pancreatic cancer. All patients were subject to follow-up assessments for a minimum of 9 months. A total of 250 cases meeting the inclusion criteria were included. A clinical model, a conventional radiomics model, and a deep-radiomics model were constructed for ER prediction (defined as occurring within 9 months) in the training set. A model based on the TNM staging was utilized as a baseline for comparison. Assessment of the models’ performance was based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Additionally, precision-recall (PR) analysis and calibration assessments were conducted for model evaluation. Furthermore, the clinical utility of the models was evaluated through decision curve analysis (DCA), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and improvement of reclassification index (IRI).

RESULTS: In the test set, the AUC values for ER prediction were as follows: TNM staging, ROC-AUC = 0.673 (95% CI: 0.550, 0.795), PR-AUC = 0.362 (95% CI: 0.493, 0.710); clinical model, ROC-AUC = 0.640 (95% CI: 0.504, 0.775), PR-AUC = 0.481 (95% CI: 0.520, 0.735); radiomics model, ROC-AUC = 0.722 (95% CI: 0.604, 0.839), PR-AUC = 0.575 (95% CI: 0.466, 0.686); and deep-radiomics model, which exhibited the highest ROC-AUC of 0.895 (95% CI: 0.820, 0.970), PR-AUC = 0.834 (95% CI: 0.767, 0.923). The difference in both ROC-AUC and PR-AUC for the deep-radiomics model was statistically significant when compared to the other scores (all p < 0.05). The DCA curve of the deep-radiomics model outperformed the other models. NRI and IRI analyses demonstrated that the deep-radiomics model significantly enhances risk classification compared to the other prediction methods (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The predictive performance of deep features based on CT images exhibits favorable outcomes in predicting early recurrence.

PMID:40217563 | DOI:10.1002/acm2.70092

Acta Epileptol. 2025 Jan 15;7(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s42494-024-00192-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Electronic medical records (EMR) can be utilized to understand the impact of the disruption in care provision caused by the pandemic. We aimed to develop and validate an algorithm to identify persons with epilepsy (PWE) from our EMR and to use it to explore the effect of the pandemic on outpatient service utilization.

METHODS: EMRs from the neurology specialty, covering the period from January 2018 to December 2023, were used. An algorithm was developed using an iterative approach to identify PWE with a critical lower bound of 0.91 for negative predictive value. Manual internal validation was performed. Outpatient visit data were extracted and modeled as a time series using the autoregressive integrated moving average model. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 14.2 (Statacorp, USA).

RESULTS: Four iterations resulted in an algorithm, with a negative predictive value 0.98 (95% CI: 0.95-0.99), positive predictive value of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.85-0.99), and an F-score accuracy of 0.96, which identified 4474 PWE. The outpatient service utilization was abruptly reduced by the pandemic, with a change of -902.1 (95%CI: -936.55 to -867.70), and the recovery has also been slow, with a decrease of -5.51(95%CI: -7.00 to -4.02). Model predictions aligned closely with actual visits with median error of -3.5%.

CONCLUSIONS: We developed an algorithm for identifying people with epilepsy with good accuracy. Similar methods can be adapted for use in other resource-limited settings and for other diseases. The COVID pandemic appears to have caused a lasting reduction of service utilization among PWE.

PMID:40217558 | DOI:10.1186/s42494-024-00192-1

J Act Sedentary Sleep Behav. 2025 Feb 13;4(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s44167-025-00072-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) in childhood is critical for establishing a healthy lifestyle across the lifespan, particularly to treat and prevent obesity. This study aimed to explore PA and sedentary behaviour (SED) in 6-12-year-old children with obesity and their parents, and possible associations in these behaviours between children and parents.

METHODS: Children referred to outpatient paediatric healthcare for obesity treatment and one of their parents wore accelerometers (Axivity) on their hip during seven consecutive days. Accelerometer data were processed using the 10 Hz frequency extended method. Correlations between child and parent PA and SED, respectively, were analysed using intra-class correlation coefficient.

RESULTS: Thirty-nine children (19 female) and 38 parents (20 female) were included. The mean age of the children was 9.7 years (SD 2.0) and the mean parent age was 42.2 years (SD 6.1). The mean child BMI-SDS was 3.0 (SD 0.4). Fifty-seven % of the parents were born in Sweden, 16% in other European countries, and 27% outside Europe. Children spent an average of 9.8 h/day in SED, while parents spent an average of 12.3 h/day. The mean daily time spent in low-intensity PA was 3.9 h for children and 3.4 h for parents, while moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA averaged 0.7 h/day for children and 0.3 h/day for parents. Only six of the children (15%) reached the recommended minimum of 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA per day and only two parents (5%) reached the recommended weekly minimum of 150 min of moderate intensity PA. Child and parent SED was significantly correlated, although the correlation was weak (ICC 0.14; p = 0.017). No statistically significant correlations were found for any of the analysed PA intensity levels.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate an association between children’s and parents’ SED in this sample of school-aged children with obesity, while no association was observed in PA behaviour. Generalisability of our findings is limited and more research is needed- in larger samples, other settings, and using longitudinal designs- to better understand the potential links between the PA patterns of children with obesity and that of their parents.

PMID:40217557 | DOI:10.1186/s44167-025-00072-0

J Act Sedentary Sleep Behav. 2024 Jul 3;3(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s44167-024-00055-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is a prevalent metabolic disease. While single component movement behaviors have been related to its development, comprehensive assessments of their joint associations are scarce.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the single-component and multi-component associations of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (LPA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep with prevalent SLD in Brazilian adults.

METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis using data from the third wave of the ELSA-Brasil cohort (2017-2019). Participants wore an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT in the waist for seven days and completed a sleep diary. SLD was defined by a Fatty Liver Index ≥ 60. To investigate single-component and multi-component associations, we used three exposure modeling approaches based on Poisson models: multivariable-adjusted regression, restricted cubic splines, and compositional data analysis.

RESULTS: Among 8569 participants (55.7% women, mean age 59.2 ± 8.60), 43.9% had SLD. Total activity volume adjusted for covariates was inversely associated with prevalent SLD. Every 1 mg/day increase in total activity volume was associated with a PR of 0.95 in individuals sleeping < 7 h/day (95% CI 0.94-0.97) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.96) in those sleeping ≥ 7 h/day. Increasing 30 min/day of MVPA was associated with decreasing prevalence of SLD (sleep ≥ 7 h/day [PR 0.83; 95% CI 0.77-0.89]; sleep ≥ 7 h/day [PR 0.78; 95% CI 0.74-0.83]). Sleep, SB, and LPA were not associated with SLD. Associations of total activity volume and MVPA were more pronounced among females. Adjustment with adiposity markers attenuated the associations.

CONCLUSIONS: In adults, total activity volume and MVPA were inversely associated with SLD in a dose-response fashion. Substituting lower-intensity behaviors with MVPA was associated with a lower prevalence of SLD independent of sleep duration, sex, and age.

PMID:40217540 | DOI:10.1186/s44167-024-00055-7

BMC Psychol. 2025 Apr 11;13(1):370. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-02698-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Depression during pregnancy poses significant challenges for both the mother and fetus, especially in cases where pregnancy complications become life-threatening. Recognizing the prevalence and risk factors associated with prenatal depression in critically ill pregnant women is essential, particularly in resource-limited settings like Palestine.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 304 critically ill pregnant women in eight Palestinian hospitals between January and March 2024. Data were collected through the Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) and analyzed using SPSS Version 25. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were applied to identify significant factors associated with depression severity.

RESULTS: The study found high levels of prenatal depression, with a mean CUDOS score of 55.72. Frequent crying (51%) and persistent fatigue (42.4% always, 41.1% sometimes) were common symptoms. Financial instability (p = 0.003), history of miscarriage (p = 0.005), unintended pregnancies (p = 0.001), and residing in rented housing (p = 0.004) were significant predictors, explaining a substantial variance in depression scores (adjusted R² = 0.56, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the importance of routine mental health evaluations for critically ill pregnant women. Early detection and targeted interventions can improve outcomes for both mothers and their babies, offering essential insights for healthcare providers and policymakers.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Incorporating mental health screening and support within maternal care programs in Palestine can help mitigate depression among high-risk pregnant women, improving maternal and fetal health outcomes.

PMID:40217530 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-025-02698-w

Int J Health Geogr. 2025 Apr 11;24(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s12942-025-00394-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Emissions from wildfire plumes are composed of modified biomass combustion by-products, including carcinogens. However, studies of the association between wildland fires (WF; includes wildfires, prescribed burns, and resource management fires) exposure and lung cancer are scant. We evaluated geographic patterns in these exposures and their association with lung cancer mortality (LCM) rates across the conterminous United States (US).

METHODS: We extracted data from the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program (1997-2003) and derived county-level exposure metrics: WF density by area, WF density by population, the ratio between total burned land area and county area, and the ratio between total burned land area by population. We obtained sex-specific, county-level LCM rates for 2016-2020 from the National Center for Health Statistics. Counties with fewer than 10 cases were suppressed. To account for cigarette smoking, we first modeled residual values from a Poisson regression between cigarette smoking prevalence and sex-specific, age-adjusted LCM rates. We then used Lee’s L statistic for bivariate spatial association to identify counties with statistically significant (p < 0.05) associations between WF exposures and these residuals. In a sensitivity analysis, we applied a false discovery rate correction to adjust for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS: We observed geographic variation in bivariate associations between large WFs and subsequent LCM rates across US counties while accounting for ever cigarette smoking prevalence. There were positive (high WF exposures and high LCM rate) clusters for males and females in counties within the mid-Appalachian region and Florida, and modest differences across WF metrics in the cluster patterns were observed across the Western US and Central regions. The most positive clusters were seen between WF density by area and LCM rates among women (n = 82 counties) and a similar geographic pattern among men (n = 75 counties). Similar patterns were observed for males and females in the western US, with clusters of high WF exposures and low LCM rates. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, a positive cluster pattern among both sexes persisted in Kentucky and Florida with area-based exposure metrics.

DISCUSSION: Our analysis identified counties outside the western US with wildfires associated with lung cancer mortality. Studies with individual-level exposure-response assessments are needed to evaluate this relationship further.

PMID:40217528 | DOI:10.1186/s12942-025-00394-x

Acta Epileptol. 2024 Apr 3;6(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s42494-024-00154-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to evaluate the stigma and quality of life (QoL) in adult patients with epilepsy (PWEs) and explore the relationship between stigma and QoL.

METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-eight PWEs admitted to the Epilepsy Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University during September 2020 and March 2021 were enrolled in this study. All participants completed self-reported questionnaires including the Stigma Scale for Epilepsy and the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31).

RESULTS: A total of 146 (49%) PWEs reported an experience of stigma. The total score of QOLIE-31 and the individual scores of seven subscales (worry about new seizures, emotion, well-being, energy and fatigue, cognitive impairment, medication effect, and social function) were significantly decreased in these patients (P < 0.001). Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that the annual household income per capita, the number of antiseizure medications and stigma had statistically significant effects on QoL (P < 0.05). Among them, stigma had the most significant negative effect.

CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of PWEs have experienced stigma. Stigma, lower household income per capita, and polypharmacy treatment are associated with poorer QoL. Stigma has the most obvious negative impact.

PMID:40217523 | DOI:10.1186/s42494-024-00154-7