Nevin Manimala

Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 22;15(1):6494. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-90195-w.

ABSTRACT

The Ryukyu archipelago is located southwest of the Japanese islands, and people originally from this region, the Ryukyu population, have a unique genetic background distinct from that of other populations, including people from mainland Japan. However, few genetic studies have focused on the Ryukyu population. In this study, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, n = 15,224), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, n = 15,203), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT, n = 14,496) in the Ryukyu population. We found 13 loci with a genome-wide significant association (P < 5 × 10^-8), three for ALT, four for AST, and six for GGT, including one novel locus associated with ALT: rs117595134-A in HMMR/HMMR-AS1, ß = – 0.131, standard error = 0.024, P = 4.90 × 10^-8. Rs117595134-A is common in the Japanese population but is not observed in other ethnic populations in the 1000 genomes database. Additionally, 77 of 80 loci derived from Korean GWAS and 541 of 716 loci from European GWAS showed the same directions of effect (P = 1.41 × 10^-19, P = 2.50 × 10^-44, binomial test), indicating that most of susceptibility loci are shared between the Ryukyu population and other ethnic populations.

PMID:39987337 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-90195-w

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2025 Feb 22;114(3):36. doi: 10.1007/s00128-025-04014-z.

ABSTRACT

In recent years, Zinc Sulphur Nanoparticles (ZnS-NPs) have a wide range of applications such as in optical sensor, solid state solar window layers, photoconductors, phosphors and catalysts. There are no clear data on the waste-enriching effects of this nanoparticle, whose annual consumption is over million tons, and concerns remain unanswered. This research was also designed to investigate lethal and sublethal toxicity, as well as survivability and bioaccumulation on Gammarus pulex for the effects of possible waste products of ZnS-NPs. After acute 96-hours experiments, while the lethal concentration (LC50) value was estimated at 3.39 (2.79-4.17) ppm, it was found that both the toxicity and the accumulation levels of ZnS-NPs in tissues increased with increasing exposure durations and doses. Statistically significant differences were observed in ventilation rates of the organisms as exposure durations increased at higher doses such as 2, 5, and 10 ppm. According to our results, the lowest ventilation rate was determined at the highest dose of ZnS-NPs. Moreover, ZnS-NPs was proved to be highly toxic after 3.5 ppm, while ZnS-NPs very slowly accumulate in Gammarus pulex tissues (BCF equal to 5.8.10^{– 4} (4.28.10^{– 4}; 7.2.10^{– 4}) at the highest exposure dose).

PMID:39987312 | DOI:10.1007/s00128-025-04014-z

J Community Health. 2025 Feb 22. doi: 10.1007/s10900-025-01451-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study explores the impact of serious neighborhood crime on levels of stress and prevalence of depression. The target population was adults residing in affected communities, specifically within North Philadelphia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between serious crimes in North Philadelphia and stress/depression among community residents. All participants (n = 577) resided within one of ten zip codes in North Philadelphia. Individual exposure to serious neighborhood crime over four years (2016-2019) was quantified. Levels of stress and prevalence of depression served as outcome measures of mental health. The study results did not support an association between exposure to neighborhood crime and stress/depression as measured by validated instruments. Resilience was identified to have a positive and statistically significant independent impact on both stress (p < 0.0001) and depression (p < 0.0001), serving as a mediator in the association between crime exposure and levels of stress and prevalence of depression. Results from this study can be used as a framework in targeting the needs of Philadelphia residents and improving their overall stress and depression.

PMID:39987310 | DOI:10.1007/s10900-025-01451-z

Eur J Nutr. 2025 Feb 22;64(2):100. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03599-9.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: While children’s nutrition in rural areas has garnered attention, the most studies focus on underweight, obesity and anemia, neglecting the importance of intelligence in children’s current academic performance and future success. This study aimed to examine how food and nutrition literacy (FNLIT) and dietary diversity score (DDS) mediate the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on the intelligence development, offering insights for improving childhood nutrition.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study employed a stratified cluster random sampling method and included 1704 children aged between 8 and 16 years. Questionnaires was used to collect demographic data, FNLIT, DDS and Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) scores. SES was constructed using principal component analysis. Linear regression analysis was used to explore the interrelationship between the variables.

RESULTS: The mean scores for FNLIT, DDS, and SPM were 58.06 ± 7.00, 6.25 ± 1.64, and 37.60 ± 8.91, respectively. SES is positively correlated with SPM (B = 0.434, p < 0.01); FNLIT mediates the relationship between SES and SPM (B = 0.065, 95% CI: 0.035, 0.098). Among participants with DDS ≤ 6, DDS mediates the relationship between SES and SPM (B = 0.017, 95% CI: 0.0002, 0.044). For students with DDS ≤ 6, FNLIT + DDS has a positive mediated (B = 0.003, 95% CI: 0.0004, 0.007), while for primary students, it show a negative effect (B = – 0.003, 95% CI: – 0.008, – 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Both FNLIT and DDS have impacts on children intelligence. Nutrition education and dietary interventions should prioritize children with low SES and inadequate DDS to enhance intellectual development.

PMID:39987304 | DOI:10.1007/s00394-025-03599-9

Lipids Health Dis. 2025 Feb 21;24(1):59. doi: 10.1186/s12944-025-02484-y.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The monocyte-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) serves as an integrated indicator of the pro-inflammatory role of monocytes and anti-inflammatory properties of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Research has shown that the MHR is associated with the onset and prognosis of some diseases. However, no study has examined the link between the MHR and prognosis of populations with asthma.

METHODS: This study included data from 2,023 participants with asthma from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This survey applied various statistical models, such as Cox proportional hazards, restricted cubic spline (RCS), threshold effects analysis (TEA), Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and survival area plots, to assess the correlation between the MHR and mortality in participants with asthma.

RESULTS: According to the Cox hazard models, the MHR and mortality were positively correlated (hazard ratio: 1.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-3.11). Additionally, the RCS and TEA demonstrated a positive and linear relationship between the MHR and mortality. Participants with asthma who had a decreased MHR had better survival, compared with those who had an elevated MHR, as per the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and survival area plots.

CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal investigation indicated that an increased MHR was associated with elevated mortality in individuals with asthma. Therefore, the MHR may serve as an independent biomarker for predicting the prognosis of individuals with asthma.

PMID:39985043 | DOI:10.1186/s12944-025-02484-y

J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 Feb 21;20(1):187. doi: 10.1186/s13018-025-05591-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aims to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis to assess the clinical outcomes and complications associated with the one-hole split endoscopy (OSE) and unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) in the treatment of lumbar degenerative disease, thereby offering a reference for clinical decision-making.

METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted utilizing databases such as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Database, China National Knowledge Network, Wanfang Database, and China Biomedical Literature Database, in conjunction with specific search terms. The retrieved literature was subsequently screened according to stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed using Stata 15.1 software.

RESULTS: A total of 513 patients were included across five studies, comprising 246 patients in the OSE group and 267 patients in the UBE group. The findings of this meta-analysis indicated that the incision length in the OSE group was significantly shorter than that in the UBE group (SMD = – 1.92, 95%CI: -3.03 to -0.80, P = 0.001). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores at various postoperative time points, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) values at various postoperative time points, rates of excellent and good outcomes, sagittal translation (ST), range of motion (ROM), and complication rates.

CONCLUSIONS: Both OSE and UBE techniques are considered safe and effective for the management of LDD, demonstrating comparable treatment outcomes. However, OSE techniques offer the advantages of smaller surgical incisions and potentially reduced trauma.

PMID:39985036 | DOI:10.1186/s13018-025-05591-9

Biomed Eng Online. 2025 Feb 21;24(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s12938-025-01353-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Established assessment scales used for Parkinson’s disease (PD) have several limitations in tracking symptom progression and fluctuation. Both research and commercial-grade wearables show potential in improving these assessments. However, it is not known whether pervasive and affordable devices can deliver reliable data, suitable for designing open-source unobtrusive around-the-clock assessments. Our aim is to investigate the usefulness of the research-grade wristband Empatica E4, commercial-grade smartwatch Fitbit Sense, and the Oura ring, for PD research.

METHOD: The study included participants with PD (N = 15) and neurologically healthy controls (N = 16). Data were collected using established assessment scales (Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire, Hoehn and Yahr Stage), self-reported diary (activities, symptoms, sleep, medication times), and 2-week digital data from the three devices collected simultaneously. The analyses comprised three steps: preparation (device characteristics assessment, data extraction and preprocessing), processing (data structuring and visualization, cross-correlation analysis, diary comparison, uptime calculation), and evaluation (usability, availability, statistical analyses).

RESULTS: We found large variation in data characteristics and unsatisfactory cross-correlation. Due to output incongruences, only heart rate and movement could be assessed across devices. Empatica E4 and Fitbit Sense outperformed Oura in reflecting self-reported activities. Results show a weak output correlation and significant differences. The uptime was good, but Oura did not record heart rate and movement concomitantly. We also found variation in terms of access to raw data, sampling rate and level of device-native processing, ease of use, retrieval of data, and design. We graded the system usability of Fitbit Sense as good, Empatica E4 as poor, with Oura in the middle.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study we identified a set of characteristics necessary for PD research: ease of handling, cleaning, data retrieval, access to raw data, score calculation transparency, long battery life, sufficient storage, higher sampling frequencies, software and hardware reliability, transparency. The three analyzed devices are not interchangeable and, based on data features, none were deemed optimal for PD research, but they all have the potential to provide suitable specifications in future iterations.

PMID:39985029 | DOI:10.1186/s12938-025-01353-0

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2025 Feb 21;22(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s12966-025-01722-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The relationship between 24-hour (24-h) movement guidelines and frailty remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the associations between meeting 24-h movement guidelines and frailty and to conduct secondary analyses by age, gender, and ethnicity.

METHODS: In this study, we extracted data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2018) database. A total of 5,726 participants (50.25 ± 0.31 years) were included in this analysis, representing 38,240,356 noninstitutionalized U.S.

INDIVIDUALS: Three 24-h movement behaviors, namely, physical activity, sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep, were self-reported using the standardized questionnaires. The 49-item frailty index was used to measure frailty. Multivariable logistic regression models and trend tests were used to examine the associations between meeting 24-h movement guidelines and frailty. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted to ensure the robustness of our results.

RESULTS: The total age-adjusted prevalence of frailty was 30.5%. In the fully adjusted model, compared with not meeting any of the 24-h movement guidelines, the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of frailty were 0.786 (95% CI: 0.545, 1.133), 1.161 (95% CI: 0.787, 1.711), and 0.915 (95% CI: 0.616, 1.358) for participants meeting only moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), only SB, and only sleep guidelines, respectively, but no statistically significant differences were observed (all P values > 0.05). Participants who met the SB + sleep guidelines (AOR = 0.613, 95% CI: 0.423, 0.887), MVPA + sleep guidelines (AOR = 0.389, 95% CI: 0.255, 0.593), and MVPA + SB guidelines (AOR = 0.555, 95% CI: 0.383, 0.806) presented a significantly lower risk of frailty by 39%, 61%, and 45%, respectively. Meeting all 3 guidelines (AOR = 0.377, 95% CI: 0.264, 0.539) and meeting 2 guidelines (AOR = 0.527, 95% CI: 0.377, 0.736) were associated with a lower risk of frailty (P value < 0.001), showing a linear trend (P for trend < 0.001). The strength of these associations varied somewhat by age, gender, and ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS: Significant associations between the 24-h movement guidelines and frailty were observed among U.S. adults. Future studies are warranted to examine the causality and trajectory of these associations.

PMID:39985025 | DOI:10.1186/s12966-025-01722-x

Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2025 Feb 21;23(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s12955-025-02340-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Estimation of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients is important to assess the impact of disease, to monitor the treatment outcomes, and conduct health technology assessments. The study aimed to measure the HRQoL in DR patients using the generic as well as disease specific instruments, identify the determinants of HRQoL, empirically investigate the concurrent validity between the QoL instruments, and to develop statistical approaches to map NEI-VFQ-25 (National Eye Institute- Visual Function Questionnaire- 25) composite score based on EQ-5D-5 L (EuroQol 5-dimensions 5-levels) utility values.

METHODS: A facility based cross-sectional study was carried out to measure the HRQoL of 300 DR patients using EQ-5D-5 L, EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS), and NEI-VFQ-25 instruments. Mean HRQoL scores, along with DR state specific and visual acuity specific utility values were analysed. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to ascertain concurrent validity between NEI-VFQ-25 composite score and its sub-scale scores, EQ-5D-5L index value, and EQ-VAS score. Lastly, we evaluated statistical models using predictor sets based on the EQ-5D-5 L utility scores to estimate NEI-VFQ-25 scores.

RESULTS: The mean EQ-5D-5 L utility value for DR patients was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.65-0.73). The mean NEI-VFQ-25 composite score and EQ-VAS score were 61.1 (95% CI: 57.5-64.5), and 67.6 (95% CI: 65.6-69.5), respectively. Both EQ-5D-5 L and EQ-VAS had a strong concurrent validity with NEI-VFQ-25 composite score. ‘Tobit regression with log of composite score’ was assessed to the preferred model to predict the NEI-VFQ-25 composite score using EQ-5D-5L utility values.

CONCLUSION: Diabetic retinopathy has a decremental impact on quality of life, which increases with severity in vision loss. Both generic as well as disease-specific outcome measures are equally reliable to determine quality of life of patients with DR. The EQ-5D-5 L can be utilized for measurement of HRQoL in DR in clinical settings to optimize time of clinicians, with further derivation of NEI-VFQ-25 values through application of the crosswalk algorithm for predicting vision- related QoL.

PMID:39985016 | DOI:10.1186/s12955-025-02340-8

Respir Res. 2025 Feb 21;26(1):62. doi: 10.1186/s12931-025-03142-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study provides a detailed analysis of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and immunity levels against influenza and SARS-CoV-2 among soldiers and military personnel in Poland. Owing to their unique service environments, this occupational group is at high risk. During deployments, they often face adverse physical conditions, close living quarters, and exposure to both local and endemic pathogens. It particularly increases their susceptibility to RTIs, which remain a leading cause of illness worldwide.

METHODS: The study cohort included 379 participants aged between 19 and 60 years. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to detect 34 common respiratory pathogens and analyzed blood serum samples to assess the degree of immunity against the influenza A, B, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. In 78.10% of the participants, at least one respiratory pathogen was detected.

RESULTS: Human rhinovirus (HRV) was the most common (8.71%), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (4.75%) and influenza A (H1N1) sw (2.90%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent bacterial pathogen (18.47%), with significant occurrences of Haemophilus influenzae (14.24%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.76%). Additionally, 52.3% of those with coinfections had combinations of bacterial and viral pathogens, highlighting the complexity of diagnosing and managing these infections. We also assessed immunity levels, which focused on antibodies specific to influenza A/B and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. For all the results obtained, statistical analyses were performed. A weak positive correlation between age and levels of anti-influenza antibodies was observed, suggesting a slight increase in antibody levels with age. A total of 81.53% of the participants had received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. A significant correlation between the number of vaccine doses and higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies was observed, indicating stronger immunity with more vaccinations.

CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the importance of specialized health monitoring and preventive measures such as vaccinations to protect military personnel from RTIs and maintain their operational readiness. The detailed analysis of pathogen prevalence and immunity levels offers valuable insights into this occupational group’s health risks and needs.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

PMID:39985005 | DOI:10.1186/s12931-025-03142-8