Nevin Manimala

Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2026 Jan;40(1):e70058. doi: 10.1111/fcp.70058.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of dependence and abuse of psychoactive substances (PAS) among prison inmates, using data from the OPPIDUM program between 2013 and 2022.

METHODS: OPPIDUM is an annual, cross-sectional national program, conducted among users consulting in specialised addiction centres. Prison inmates were questioned about their PAS use during the week preceding their incarceration. Two groups of participants were compared: prison inmates who reported simple use of PAS and those with abuse/dependence problems.

RESULTS: A total of 2626 individuals responded to the program (men, 91.6%; mean age, 34.4 ± 9.30 years), reporting 5352 PAS. The main PAS consumed were cannabis (52.8%), cocaine/crack (28.6%), benzodiazepines (23.1%) and heroin (14.8%). Opioid substitution treatment (OST) was reported by 54.9% of participants. Several variables were associated with a significantly increased odds of abuse/dependence: intravenous use (OR, 4.608; 95% CI, 1.44-14.69; p = 0.01), PAS illegal acquisition (OR, 3.79; 95% CI, 2.19-6.58; p < 0.0001), heroin/speedball use (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.16-15.48; p = 0.029) and cocaine/crack use (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.47-7.39; p = 0.004). Conversely, being on OST protocol was associated with a lower odds of abuse/dependence (OR, 0.511; 95% CI, 0.28-0.93; p = 0.028).

LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSION: The main limitations of the study include self-reported PAS use without objective diagnoses, sometimes incomplete data on PAS use and incarceration and a sample biased toward inmates linked to substance abuse services, which likely overestimates the prevalence of PAS use. However, these results highlight the importance of assessing factors associated with substance abuse and dependence for appropriate prevention and management among prison inmates.

PMID:41388738 | DOI:10.1111/fcp.70058

Mol Ecol. 2025 Dec 12:e70196. doi: 10.1111/mec.70196. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Altitudinal gradients offer a unique opportunity to understand the drivers of species richness, as mountain regions cover vast areas and contribute disproportionately to global terrestrial biodiversity. However, such gradients are often studied without considering the role of microhabitats, which introduce fine-scale heterogeneity within coarse macroenvironmental conditions. This heterogeneity may be especially important for microscopic animals, whose distributions and interactions are largely confined to the microhabitat scale. In our study, we investigated altitudinal patterns of microscopic invertebrates (Tardigrada), testing the hypothesis that microhabitat characteristics modulate the effects of macroenvironmental gradients on diversity and community structure. We compiled an extensive inventory of tardigrade taxa inhabiting bryophytes across the Western Alps (Northern Italy) and analysed 546 bryophyte samples collected along a broad altitudinal gradient using DNA metabarcoding to characterise tardigrade communities. For each taxon, we gathered functional trait data to assess how species characteristics influence distribution. We then evaluated the effects of macroenvironmental variables (altitude, vegetation type, slope exposition) and microhabitat-level traits (bryophyte biological and structural features) using spatially explicit statistical modelling. We found that species richness decreased with altitude, whereas standardised phylogenetic and functional diversity increased, indicating higher redundancy at lower elevations. Our results reveal that tardigrade communities in bryophyte microhabitats are highly heterogeneous, with strong species turnover and prevalent phylogenetic and functional underdispersion. Despite the influence of stochastic processes in shaping their distributions, we show that macroenvironmental variables such as altitude and geographic location drive species turnover, while microhabitat traits govern trait-based community structure. These findings support the view that microhabitats act as fine-scale filters modulating the broader effects of altitude on diversity, highlighting the importance of incorporating microhabitat heterogeneity when studying organismal diversity along altitudinal gradients.

PMID:41388713 | DOI:10.1111/mec.70196

Public Health Nurs. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/phn.70057. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Against the dual backdrop of China’s rapid urbanization and deep population aging, a profound mismatch has emerged between the physical environments of old urban neighborhoods and the growing aspirations of older adults for a better quality of life. Developing a scientific evaluation system for age-friendly community environments has therefore become a task of both theoretical value and pressing practical significance. Using Guangzhou-a prototypical high-density metropolis-as a case study, this research constructs and empirically validates an evaluation model for age-friendly community environments, composed of four dimensions (“road systems,” “social spaces,” “landscape configuration,” and “public facilities”) and 26 specific indicators. Taking the Huaqiao Garden Community in Yuexiu District as an empirical case, the study employs questionnaire surveys and statistical analysis to yield three key findings. First, the community road system is the most critical predictor of overall satisfaction among older adults (β = 0.294), exerting a significantly greater influence than “public facilities,” “social spaces,” or “landscape configuration.” This confirms that an accessible, safe, and continuous circulation environment constitutes the essential foundation for seniors’ autonomy within the community. Second, the study identifies strong heterogeneity in environmental needs across different elderly groups, highlighting the ineffectiveness of “one-size-fits-all” construction models. Third, a pronounced “expectation-perception gap” is revealed: seniors’ expectations for age-friendly community environments consistently exceed their actual experiences, particularly in terms of health and safety facilities. The study concludes that future age-friendly community retrofitting must adopt a “road-rights-first” principle as its core philosophy, thereby promoting precise and differentiated renewal strategies. These findings not only provide empirical evidence from a major Chinese metropolis for environmental gerontology but also offer a rigorous decision-making framework and practical guidance for urban managers seeking to optimize resource allocation and enhance the aging-support capacity of older urban communities.

PMID:41388691 | DOI:10.1111/phn.70057

Plant Biotechnol J. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/pbi.70495. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Stomata are microscopic pores that regulate the exchange of CO₂ and water vapour, making them a major target for engineering plants with improved intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE). Proof-of-concept studies have demonstrated the potential to increase iWUE by reducing stomatal density (SD) and stomatal conductance (g_sw) by ubiquitously expressing EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR (EPF) family genes. However, unwanted effects on leaf, stem and reproductive traits are often observed when EPFs are misexpressed in this fashion. We sought to test if these effects result from pleiotropy and to identify a targeted promoter that can circumvent the side effects while retaining the desired reduction in SD. A previously reported synthetic EPF (EPF_syn) was expressed in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) using two putatively tissue-specific promoters from Brachypodium distachyon (BdCESA7p and BdSPCH2p) and a ubiquitous control from Zea mays (ZmUBI4p). BdSPCH2p control reduced SD to statistically equivalent levels as ZmUBI4p on the abaxial (23%) and adaxial (23%) leaf surfaces. ZmUB4p and BdCESA7p induce expression in four tissue types often associated with pleiotropic effects in EPF-expressing low SD plants. Transgenic plants carrying either the BdCESA7p or ZmUBI4p EPF_syn cassettes displayed leaf chlorosis, reduced leaf nitrogen and chlorophyll content, and altered stem architecture. However, transgenic events harboring the BdSPCH2p EPF_syn cassette restricted EPF_syn expression to the stomatal development zone and leaf nodal tissues and produced transgenic plants without the associated pleiotropic effects. These results represent an important step toward engineering low-SD crops since they show that targeted gene expression can engineer stomatal patterning without impairing agronomically important traits.

PMID:41388687 | DOI:10.1111/pbi.70495

Mol Ther. 2025 Dec 11:S1525-0016(25)01046-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.12.023. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is marked by synaptic failure, with actin cytoskeleton alterations playing a key role in its pathogenesis. Cofilin, a regulator of actin dynamics in dendritic spines, forms cofilin-actin rods upon exposure to Amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers, contributing to synaptic loss. Cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) is crucial for regulating cofilin activity. During long-term potentiation, CAP2 dimerization is relevant for cofilin translocation to spines required for spine remodeling. In AD, CAP2 is downregulated, thus disrupting synaptic CAP2/cofilin complexes. To investigate the neuroprotective potential of CAP2 overexpression in preventing Aβ-induced synaptic dysfunction, we used adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV) gene delivery to elevate CAP2 levels in APP/PS1 mice-a model of amyloid pathology-starting from the asymptomatic stage. APP/PS1 animals received bilateral stereotaxic injection of either AAV expressing CAP2 or a control AAV. This approach preserved synaptic CAP2/cofilin interaction, maintained synaptic plasticity pathways, and sustained cognitive function. CAP2 overexpression reduced cofilin-actin rod formation and mitigated tau abnormalities. Notably, CAP2 is present in cofilin-actin rods, and its dimerization is required to prevent Aβ-driven synaptic loss but not to protect neurons from rod formation. These findings highlight CAP2 upregulation as a promising strategy to enhance neuronal resilience and counteract Aβ synaptic toxicity in AD.

PMID:41388626 | DOI:10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.12.023

J Rural Health. 2025 Sep;41(4):e70099. doi: 10.1111/jrh.70099.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To identify and analyze facility-level strategies that support the sustainability of rural maternity and delivery care programs in the United States.

METHODS: This qualitative, cross-case study draws from data collected during the March 2024 Rural Maternity Innovation Summit in Clifton, Texas. Six rural health care organizations from diverse geographic regions shared their approaches to sustaining maternity and delivery services. Data include transcripts and presentation materials from summit sessions involving clinical, financial, and operational representatives of 6 rural hospitals. Thematic analysis was applied to identify cross-site strategies.

FINDINGS: Three core themes emerged: financial sustainability, workforce development, and community engagement. Strategies included maximizing payment mechanisms, forming partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers, employing family physicians with obstetric training, establishing rural residency pipelines, and implementing culturally responsive community outreach. These practices were adapted to local contexts but shared a focus on aligning maternity and delivery services with broader organizational and community goals.

CONCLUSION: Sustaining rural maternity and delivery care requires an integrated approach that combines financial acumen, strategic workforce development, and strong patient and community engagement. Facility-level innovations offer replicable strategies for improving maternal health access and outcomes in rural settings.

PMID:41388613 | DOI:10.1111/jrh.70099

Anaesthesia. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1111/anae.70100. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Pre-operative anaemia is an established risk factor for mortality after cardiac surgery. The extent to which this risk is mediated by complications related to red blood cell transfusion remains uncertain, particularly across different age groups.

METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included adult cardiac surgery patients from the Netherlands Heart Registration. Pre-operative anaemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria and red blood cell transfusion as any red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay. The main study endpoint was 120-day mortality. We used multivariable logistic regression to quantify the associations between pre-operative anaemia, red blood cell transfusion and 120-day mortality. Subsequently, a mediation analysis was conducted to quantify how much of the effect of pre-operative anaemia on postoperative mortality is because of red blood cell transfusion.

RESULTS: Of 71,053 patients, 14,452 (20.3%) had pre-operative anaemia. Of these, 7621 (52.7%) received red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay, compared with 9930 (17.5%) of patients without anaemia (p < 0.001). Observed 120-day mortality was 612 (4.2%) and 901 (1.6%), respectively. In multivariable regression analysis, pre-operative anaemia remained independently associated with postoperative mortality (adjusted odds ratio 1.66, 95%CI 1.47-1.87), with consistent effects across age groups. Mediation analysis showed that red blood cell transfusion accounted for 58.9% (95%CI 41.3-76.5%) of the association between pre-operative anaemia and 120-day mortality. The proportion mediated was larger in patients aged ≥ 70 years (77.3%, 95%CI 43.1-100%) compared with younger patients (39.3%, 95%CI 21.4-57.2%).

DISCUSSION: A substantial part of the association between pre-operative anaemia and mortality after cardiac surgery is mediated by red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay. The mediating role of red blood cell transfusion was more pronounced in older patients.

PMID:41388606 | DOI:10.1111/anae.70100

Stress Health. 2025 Dec;41(6):e70130. doi: 10.1002/smi.70130.

ABSTRACT

Childhood adversity is an important determinant of undergraduates’ drinking and smoking behaviours; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Self-schemas are one possible pathway that may help explain this relationship. The vulnerability of self-schemas and behaviours resulting from childhood adversity may vary according to the level of childhood poly-adversity. This study examined the differential effects of low and high childhood poly-adversity on drinking- and smoking-related self-schemas and behaviours among undergraduates over time. Whether self-schemas mediate the relationship between childhood poly-adversity and behaviours was also examined. A prospective study was conducted among 275 first- and second-year Taiwanese undergraduates who reported any adverse childhood experiences in Wave I. An anonymous digital survey was administered at five-time points (6 months apart). Results showed that undergraduates with high poly-adversity had higher drinker and smoker self-schema scores and more drinking and smoking behaviours than those with no or low childhood poly-adversity. Childhood poly-adversity had significant indirect effects on drinking and smoking behaviours through drinker and smoker self-schemas. Findings suggest that low and high childhood poly-adversity have differential effects on self-schemas and behaviours. Self-schemas may be an underlying mechanism linking childhood poly-adversity to undergraduate drinking and smoking behaviours. Early identification of childhood poly-adversity experiences and interventions to promote positive self-conception may mitigate undergraduate drinking and smoking behaviours.

PMID:41388574 | DOI:10.1002/smi.70130

Med Sci Monit. 2025 Dec 13;31:e950470. doi: 10.12659/MSM.950470.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND The timing of growth plays a crucial role in effective orthodontic treatment planning. This is also true for cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), which does not always align with chronological age (CA). This study evaluated the correlation between indices of CVM and CA in 240 lateral cephalometric radiographs (LCRs) of male and female Yemeni children and adolescents, 8 to 19 years of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective study of 240 LCRs of 120 males and 120 females aged 8 to 19 years, was conducted from December 2022 to October 2023 using Baccetti’s method, with some modifications to CVM. The superior, inferior, posterior, and anterior borders of second, third, and fourth cervical vertebrae were traced to identify the inferior concavity depth and shape of the vertebrae. CVM stages were assessed at 6 different growing times. Pearson correlation coefficient was used, and a P value of <0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS Spearman correlation revealed a statistically significant association between CVM stage and CA (r=0.887; P<0.000). Significant differences between males and females were found in cervical stage (CS) 4 and CS5 (P<0.05). Mean CA at CS4 was 13.18±1.58 years for males and 12.15±1.10 years for females, and the mean CA at CS5 was 16.33±1.29 years for males and 15.23±1.62 years for females. CONCLUSIONS Pubertal growth spurts occurred at 10.25-13.18 years in males and 10.04-12.15 years in females, indicating females achieve maturation earlier than males. This research provides a reliable framework for orthodontic treatment planning.

PMID:41388571 | DOI:10.12659/MSM.950470

Syst Rev. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1186/s13643-025-03015-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a significant reduction in muscle mass and strength, typically associated with the ageing process. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that sarcopenia not only affects functional health in the elderly but may also be closely associated with the onset of cardiovascular diseases, particularly atrial fibrillation. However, the association between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation has not yet been adequately systematically evaluated. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS: The study will adhere to the PRISMA-P guidelines to ensure a transparent and rigorous methodology and will conduct a comprehensive literature search using databases PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, with the search period spanning from the establishment of the databases to 15 May 2025. Included will be clinical observational studies that meet the criteria, including prospective cohort studies, and case-control studies. The included studies must explicitly assess the association between sarcopenia and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. We will assess the risk of bias of all included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the AHRQ quality assessment tool. The data for this study will be analyzed using Stata 15. We will employ random-effects models for statistical analysis, along with subgroup analysis, to further explore the potential influence of factors such as age, gender, and disease status on the results.

DISCUSSION: The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of sarcopenia on atrial fibrillation and to analyze their potential association. This study is expected to reveal the potential association between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation and provide evidence-based support for clinical prevention and treatment. The study results will help promote early identification and intervention for sarcopenia, thereby reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation and improving health outcomes for the elderly population.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Prospero CRD420251054023.

PMID:41388557 | DOI:10.1186/s13643-025-03015-7