Nevin Manimala

J Med Internet Res. 2025 Mar 10;27:e51804. doi: 10.2196/51804.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Google Trends (GT) data have shown promising results as a complementary tool to classical surveillance approaches. However, GT data are not necessarily provided by a representative sample of patients and may be skewed toward demographic and clinical groups that are more likely to use the internet to search for their health.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to assess whether GT-based models perform differently in distinct population subgroups. To assess that, we analyzed a case study on asthma hospitalizations.

METHODS: We analyzed all hospitalizations with a main diagnosis of asthma occurring in 3 different countries (Portugal, Spain, and Brazil) for a period of approximately 5 years (January 1, 2012-December 17, 2016). Data on web-based searches on common cold for the same countries and time period were retrieved from GT. We estimated the correlation between GT data and the weekly occurrence of asthma hospitalizations (considering separate asthma admissions data according to patients’ age, sex, ethnicity, and presence of comorbidities). In addition, we built autoregressive models to forecast the weekly number of asthma hospitalizations (for the different aforementioned subgroups) for a period of 1 year (June 2015-June 2016) based on admissions and GT data from the 3 previous years.

RESULTS: Overall, correlation coefficients between GT on the pseudo-influenza syndrome topic and asthma hospitalizations ranged between 0.33 (in Portugal for admissions with at least one Charlson comorbidity group) and 0.86 (for admissions in women and in White people in Brazil). In the 3 assessed countries, forecasted hospitalizations for 2015-2016 correlated more strongly with observed admissions of older versus younger individuals (Portugal: Spearman ρ=0.70 vs ρ=0.56; Spain: ρ=0.88 vs ρ=0.76; Brazil: ρ=0.83 vs ρ=0.82). In Portugal and Spain, forecasted hospitalizations had a stronger correlation with admissions occurring for women than men (Portugal: ρ=0.75 vs ρ=0.52; Spain: ρ=0.83 vs ρ=0.51). In Brazil, stronger correlations were observed for admissions of White than of Black or Brown individuals (ρ=0.92 vs ρ=0.87). In Portugal, stronger correlations were observed for admissions of individuals without any comorbidity compared with admissions of individuals with comorbidities (ρ=0.68 vs ρ=0.66).

CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the models based on GT data may perform differently in demographic and clinical subgroups of participants, possibly reflecting differences in the composition of internet users’ health-seeking behaviors.

PMID:40063932 | DOI:10.2196/51804

J Med Internet Res. 2025 Mar 10;27:e59792. doi: 10.2196/59792.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Trajectory modeling is a long-standing challenge in the application of computational methods to health care. In the age of big data, traditional statistical and machine learning methods do not achieve satisfactory results as they often fail to capture the complex underlying distributions of multimodal health data and long-term dependencies throughout medical histories. Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have provided powerful tools to represent complex distributions and patterns with minimal underlying assumptions, with major impact in fields such as finance and environmental sciences, prompting researchers to apply these methods for disease modeling in health care.

OBJECTIVE: While AI methods have proven powerful, their application in clinical practice remains limited due to their highly complex nature. The proliferation of AI algorithms also poses a significant challenge for nondevelopers to track and incorporate these advances into clinical research and application. In this paper, we introduce basic concepts in generative AI and discuss current algorithms and how they can be applied to health care for practitioners with little background in computer science.

METHODS: We surveyed peer-reviewed papers on generative AI models with specific applications to time-series health data. Our search included single- and multimodal generative AI models that operated over structured and unstructured data, physiological waveforms, medical imaging, and multi-omics data. We introduce current generative AI methods, review their applications, and discuss their limitations and future directions in each data modality.

RESULTS: We followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines and reviewed 155 articles on generative AI applications to time-series health care data across modalities. Furthermore, we offer a systematic framework for clinicians to easily identify suitable AI methods for their data and task at hand.

CONCLUSIONS: We reviewed and critiqued existing applications of generative AI to time-series health data with the aim of bridging the gap between computational methods and clinical application. We also identified the shortcomings of existing approaches and highlighted recent advances in generative AI that represent promising directions for health care modeling.

PMID:40063929 | DOI:10.2196/59792

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2025;53(1):100-107. doi: 10.36740/Merkur202501114.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Aim: The research aims to confirm or reject the hypothesis on the possible relationship between the influence of changes in pancreatic vascular variations on the mechanisms of occurrence of pancreatic diseases based on the collected scientific literature..

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The bibliosemantic, bibliographic, statistical research methods were used in the research. Scientometric databases Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and archives of scientific papers such as Google Scholar and Research Gate for the last 6 years (2018-2023) were used to form a study basis.

CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Based on the analyzed sources, blood supply variants to the pancreas do not influence the development of pathological processes. However, vein and artery features impact treatment choices and surgical outcomes. Main and additional pancreatic ducts, and the common bile duct, may be linked to diseases. Atypical pancreatic artery branching affects surgical tactics and increases bleeding risk.

PMID:40063918 | DOI:10.36740/Merkur202501114

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2025;53(1):88-93. doi: 10.36740/Merkur202501112.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To investigate the role of thymidine phosphate and IL-6 in the pathogenesis and survival rate in women with breast cancer..

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Sixty women diagnosed with breast cancer (with age ranging between 25-65 years) were included in the current study. Of these, 40 women relapse after 6 months of follow up, while 40 patients were non-relapsed.

RESULTS: Results: Statistical analysis pointed out that thymidine phosphorylase may be significantly increased in relapsed women comparing to non-relapsed women (4.48±0.24 ng/ml and 1.12±0.18 ng/ml respectively, p value <0.0001). Regarding IL-6, the current study also found that IL-6 tends to be increased in relapse BC comparing to non-relapsed BC (8.6±0.92 pg/ml vs. 6.82±1.14 pg/ml respectively, p-value<0.0001. There was a high significant positive correlation between thymidine phosphorylase and IL-6 (r=0.368; p-value <0.01). The sensitivity and specificity in predicting relapse in breast cancer were 0.83 and 0.64 for TP and 0.78, and 0.65 respectively.

CONCLUSION: Conclusions: It is suggested that thymidine phosphate activity and IL-6 serum levels after six months of follow up, have a dual synergistic impact on the pathogenesis of relapse for BC. These biomarkers can also be used in the prediction of relapse rate in women diagnosed with BC.

PMID:40063916 | DOI:10.36740/Merkur202501112

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2025;53(1):81-87. doi: 10.36740/Merkur202501111.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To investigate the impact of the improved Working Program of the academic subject “Special Physical Training” on the dynamics of indicators of cadets’ physical and psycho-emotional state in their training process..

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The research, which was conducted in 2023-2024, involved 167 male cadets of the 3rd and 4th training years of National Academy of Internal Affairs (Kyiv, Ukraine). Two groups were formed: the experimental group (EG, n = 86), whose cadets studied according to the improved Working Program of the academic subject area referred to as “Special Physical Training,” and the control group (CG, n = 81), whose cadets studied according to the existing Working Program. Research methods: bibliosemantic, pedagogical experiment, testing, methods of mathematical statistics.

RESULTS: Results: The research found that at the end of the experiment, most of the studied indicators of physical and psycho-emotional state in the EG cadets were significantly better than in the CG cadets. The most pronounced effect of the training sessions with the improved Working Program was found in the indicators of anxiety, neuro-emotional stability, self-confidence, stress resistance, and endurance of future law enforcement officers.

CONCLUSION: Conclusions: A high level of these indicators will ensure the formation of law enforcement officers’ psychophysical readiness for extreme conditions. It will help to improve the efficiency of their performance of service tasks under martial law.

PMID:40063915 | DOI:10.36740/Merkur202501111

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2025;53(1):12-19. doi: 10.36740/Merkur202501102.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate and correlate psychosocial risks and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) faced by nurses in the hospital work environment..

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 nurses (response rate: 56%) working in a General Hospital of Central Greece, from January to March 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection, which included demographic information, characteristics of the nursing unit, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire Version III (COPSOQ III), and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.

RESULTS: Results: No statistically significant differences were found between individual factors and the COPSOQ scales under examination, except for gender. Professional characteristics, however, were associated with psychosocial risks. For example, an increase in the number of nurses was positively associated with work demands. Conversely, night shifts were negatively associated with freedom of movement, as was the length of employment with opportunities for career development and the assessment of leadership quality. No statistically significant differences were found between MSDs and individual factors. Regarding the correlation between psychosocial risks and MSDs, the study revealed several associations among COPSOQ scales, such as work demands, work-life balance, freedom of movement, social support from colleagues and supervisors, job insecurity and satisfaction, interactions with others, health assessment, and mental exhaustion, with the occurrence of MSDs in body areas such as the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, upper back, and ankles.

CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The hospital work environment entails numerous psychosocial risk factors, and ensuring its safety requires their identification and evaluation. Interventions such as ergonomics training, acquiring ergonomic equipment, avoiding manual lifting, and training on the use of patient handling devices can increase risk awareness, reducing the frequency and intensity of musculoskeletal pain.

PMID:40063906 | DOI:10.36740/Merkur202501102

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2025;53(1):5-11. doi: 10.36740/Merkur202501101.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Aim: The purpose was to determine the morphological features of collagen fibers of the dermis and regenerate filling the cavity of the experimental skin wound during its closure by different methods..

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The experimental study was conducted on 60 rats of the WAG population weighing 250-300 grams. Five groups were formed (12 rats in each group). Rats of groups 1-4 underwent a 1.5 cm long skin incision on the lateral surface of the neck. The formed defect in rats of group 1 was sutured with an interrupted suture, in group 2 it was sutured with an intradermal suture, in group 3 it was closed with skin glue based on 2-octyl cyanoacrylate, in group 4 it was welded with an electrocoagulator PATONMED EKVZ-300 (Ukraine). Group 5 included intact rats that did not undergo any manipulations. On the 7th and 14th day, 6 animals were removed from the experiment in groups 1-4. In group 5, all animals were removed from the experiment on the 7th day. The material for morphological study was a skin sample from the lateral surface of the neck. Histological, histochemical, morphometric and statistical research methods were used.

RESULTS: Results: In survey microscopy, collagen fibers located in the regenerate and surrounding dermis, in cases of experimental wound closure with nodal or intradermal sutures, had different directions of location, mostly looked thickened, and were interconnected, which led to the disappearance of intercellular spaces. In cases of wound closure with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate-based skin glue or by welding with the PATONMED EKVZ-300 electrocoagulator, collagen fibers looked mostly thinned, chaotically arranged in a dense intertwining network. The density of collagen fibers in the regenerate and the surrounding dermis did not differ depending on the different methods of wound closure. The collagen content in the collagen fibers of the regenerate increased on day 14 compared to day 7 for all methods of experimental wound closure. In cases of wound closure using a nodal or intradermal suture, the collagen content was higher compared to cases when the wound was closed with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate-based skin glue or by welding with the PATONMED EKVZ-300 electrocoagulator. In the collagen fibers of the dermis surrounding the wound, the collagen content was higher in cases of wound closure with a nodal or intradermal suture. In cases of wound closure using 2-octyl cyanoacrylate-based skin glue or by welding with the PATONMED EKVZ-300 electrocoagulator, the collagen content in the dermis surrounding the regenerated tissue corresponded to the control value.

CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Closing the surgical wound with a nodular or intradermal suture is likely to lead to the formation of skin scars in the future. In cases of wound closure using 2-octyl cyanoacrylate-based skin glue or by welding with the PATONMED EKVZ-300 electrocoagulator, all conditions for the manifestation of organotypic skin regeneration are formed.

PMID:40063905 | DOI:10.36740/Merkur202501101

PLoS One. 2025 Mar 10;20(3):e0319102. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319102. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide synthesized evidence to determine whether pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block is superior to local anesthetic infiltration in controlling postoperative pain in total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of science, and the Cochrane library will be systematically searched from their inception to December 30, 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the analgesic effects of PENG block with local anesthetic infiltration for total hip arthroplasty will be included. The time to first analgesics requirement (analgesia duration) will be the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes will include the postoperative analgesics consumption over 24 hours, visual analog scale (VAS) scores at rest and movement, and the incidence of adverse effects. Statistical analysis will be conducted by RevMan 5.4 software.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not applicable. The results of this study will be publicly published.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024590888.

PMID:40063895 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0319102

PLOS Digit Health. 2025 Mar 10;4(3):e0000744. doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000744. eCollection 2025 Mar.

ABSTRACT

The lack of sensitive objective outcome measures for hand dexterity is a barrier for clinical assessment of neurological conditions and has negatively affected clinical trials. Here, we clinically validate a new method for measuring hand dexterity, a novel hand worn sensor that digitises the Finger Tapping Test. The device was assessed in a cohort of 180 healthy controls and 51 people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and compared against rating scales and traditional measures (Nine Hole Peg test and grip dynamometry). 14 features were extracted from the device and using a logistic regression algorithm, a 0-100 dexterity performance score was generated for each participant, which accounted for age/sex differences. The device returned objective ratings of a participant’s hand dexterity (dominant, non-dominant and overall score). The average overall dexterity performance score in all healthy participants was 88 ± 17 (mean ± standard deviation). The overall dexterity score was statistically significantly worse in participants with ALS (age/sex matched healthy subset: 80 ± 20, ALS: 45 ± 32, p-value < 0.0001). The device also had a higher completion rate, (94% dominant hand) compared to the traditional measures (82% dominant hand). This test and scoring system have been validated and the regression model was developed using a framework that is potentially applicable to any relevant condition. This device could act as an objective outcome measure in clinical trials and may be useful in improving patient care.

PMID:40063887 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pdig.0000744

PLoS One. 2025 Mar 10;20(3):e0306266. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306266. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Climate change impacts require us to reexamine crop growth and yield under increasing temperatures and continuing yearly climate variability. Agronomic and agro-meteorological variables were concorded for a large number of plantings of green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in three growing seasons over several years from semi-tropical Queensland. Using the Queensland government’s SILO meteorological database matched to sowing dates and crop phenology, we derived planting specific agro-meteorological variables. Linear and nonlinear statistical models were used to predict duration of vegetative and pod filling periods and fresh yield using agro-meteorological variables including thermal time, radiation and days of high temperature stress. High temperatures over 27.5∘C and 30∘C in the pod fill period were associated with a lower fresh bean yield. Differences between specific bean growing sites were examined using our bespoke open source software to derive agro-meteorological variables. Agronomically informed statistical models using production data were useful in predicting time of harvest. These methods can be applied to other commercial crops when crop phenology dates are collected.

PMID:40063884 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0306266