Nevin Manimala

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.1039/d5cp00646e. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The more than 100-year-old Debye-Hückel theory displays the most widely used approach for modeling ionic activities in electrolytes. The Debye-Hückel theory finds widespread application, such as in equations of state and Onsager’s theory for conductivities. Here, a theoretical inconsistency of the Debye-Hückel theory is discussed, which originates from the employed Poisson-Boltzmann framework that violates the statistical independence of states presumed for the Boltzmann statistics. Furthermore, the static permittivity of electrolytic solutions is discussed as not directly measurable, while common methods for its extraction from experimental data are assessed as erroneous. A sensitivity analysis of modeled activity coefficients with respect to the permittivity and ionic radii as input parameters is conducted, showing that their influences overshadow physicochemical differences of common variations of Debye-Hückel models. Eventually, this study points out that the justification of the traditional and still often used Debye-Hückel models by experimental validation is affected by fitting ambiguities that eventually impede its predictive capabilities.

PMID:40151984 | DOI:10.1039/d5cp00646e

Popul Health Manag. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.1089/pop.2024.0232. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Virtual urgent care (VUC) and emergency department at home (ED at home) are two emerging interventions that may help address avoidable health care costs driven by inadequate access to primary care. This study evaluates the integration of VUC and ED at home as a combined mobile integrated care program, into a value-based primary care model that serves Medicaid and dual-eligible populations. Use of embedded VUC and ED at home among individuals with claim-identified physical health needs was associated with a statistically significant 27% reduction in inpatient admissions (P = 0.05), a 61% reduction in readmission (P = 0.04), and a 240% increase in engagement with primary care and care coordination (P < 0.001). Use of these services was also associated with a total cost of care decrease of $550 per member per month (P = 0.07). Findings suggest that virtual and home-based acute care services may be a promising lever for value-based payment models to enhance engagement and realize goals of improved cost and outcomes among populations with complex medical and social needs.

PMID:40151977 | DOI:10.1089/pop.2024.0232

Occup Ther Health Care. 2025 Mar 28:1-17. doi: 10.1080/07380577.2025.2482929. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study measured the effectiveness and feasibility of therapeutic drumming for autistic children, targeting the meaningful occupational components of authentic social and personal participation of children. A 6-week therapeutic drumming intervention was implemented interprofessionally in two early-childhood classrooms with ten autistic children (N = 10), ages two through six. Two outcome measures were completed pre- and post-intervention: the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3), the Social and Personal Relationship Scale (SPRS). Descriptive statistics on pre- and post-intervention mean scores were generated and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to determine the areas where mean score changes were statistically significant. Significant differences were found between each component of the SPRS, and on two BASC-3 subsections (e.g. response to teacher, transition movement). Misalignment between language on the BASC-3 and neurodiversity affirming practice was identified as a notable limitation of the study. Feedback collected from lead facilitators regarding efficacy and implementation feasibility was collected via interview following the program. The implication of this pilot study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness and feasibility of therapeutic drumming, which must be further explored.

PMID:40151974 | DOI:10.1080/07380577.2025.2482929

Conserv Biol. 2025 Mar 28:e70016. doi: 10.1111/cobi.70016. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Wild game harvesting in Amazonia provides rural residents with protein and cash income but can threaten wildlife populations and forest ecosystem functions. As yet, the socioeconomic and environmental drivers that shape hunter livelihoods remain poorly understood. We studied hunting behavior in the Peruvian Amazon through a quantitative characterization of hunters accounting for community and household factors. Data on livelihood activities from a sample of nearly 3800 households in 232 stratified and randomly selected communities were drawn from a survey of the environmental and socioeconomic characteristics of 919 communities. Our double-hurdle model (i.e., 2-stage statistical model that describes whether a household participates in an activity and the amount they participate) separated household game harvesting decisions into 2 parts: first, based on a selection equation that estimated the decision to engage in hunting as a livelihood strategy and, second, based on a truncated lognormal regression equation that estimated total amount of game harvested by households engaged in hunting. We found that 28% of households surveyed reported hunting and that community factors, such as forest cover and distance to the city, drove hunting participation and harvests, although the factors predicting whether a household hunted differed from those that explained game harvests. Household traits, including initial land assets and household head age, were helpful in identifying hunters in communities. Government and nongovernmental organizations should consider socioeconomic and ecological interactions beyond the individual hunter when developing conservation initiatives. Informed targeting of communities in remote areas of Amazonia promises better allocation of scarce resources for wildlife conservation.

PMID:40151970 | DOI:10.1111/cobi.70016

J Holist Nurs. 2025 Mar 28:8980101251324696. doi: 10.1177/08980101251324696. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Reiki on surgical fear and anxiety in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients. Study design: This study is a three-arm, parallel, randomized, controlled trial. Methods: Forty-eight patients who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the General Surgery Clinic of a university hospital between November 2022 and December 2023 were included in the study. Patients were assigned to Reiki, Sham Reiki, and control groups according to the group they were assigned to. Surgical Fear Questionnaire and Surgical Anxiety Questionnaire were measured to the patients before and after the procedure according to the group they were assigned to. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results: A statistically significant relationship was found between the surgical fear and anxiety scores of the patients in the Reiki group both within themselves and when compared with the other groups, and they were found to be lower (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Reiki application was effective in reducing preoperative surgical fear and anxiety scores of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of Reiki, an easy-to-apply complementary therapy application, in reducing surgical fear and anxiety.

PMID:40151965 | DOI:10.1177/08980101251324696

CRISPR J. 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.1089/crispr.2024.0058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Design of guide RNA (gRNA) with high efficiency and specificity is vital for successful application of the CRISPR gene editing technology. Although many machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL)-based tools have been developed to predict gRNA activities, a systematic and unbiased evaluation of their predictive performance is still needed. Here, we provide a brief overview of in silico tools for CRISPR design and assess the CRISPR datasets and statistical metrics used for evaluating model performance. We benchmark seven ML and DL-based CRISPR-Cas9 editing efficiency prediction tools across nine CRISPR datasets covering six cell types and three species. The DL models CRISPRon and DeepHF outperform the other models exhibiting greater accuracy and higher Spearman correlation coefficient across multiple datasets. We compile all CRISPR datasets and in silico prediction tools into a GuideNet resource web portal, aiming to facilitate and streamline the sharing of CRISPR datasets. Furthermore, we summarize features affecting CRISPR gene editing activity, providing important insights into model performance and the further development of more accurate CRISPR prediction models.

PMID:40151952 | DOI:10.1089/crispr.2024.0058

Circ Genom Precis Med. 2025 Mar 28:e004968. doi: 10.1161/CIRCGEN.124.004968. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the MI-GENES clinical trial (URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01936675), participants at intermediate risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) were randomized to receive a Framingham risk score (Framingham risk score group, n=103) or an integrated risk score (integrated risk score group [IRS_g], n=104) that additionally included a polygenic risk score. After 6 months, IRS_g participants had higher statin initiation and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We conducted a post hoc 10-year follow-up analysis to investigate whether disclosure of a polygenic risk score for CHD was associated with a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

METHODS: Participants were followed from randomization in October 2013 to September 2023 to ascertain MACE, testing for CHD, and changes in risk factors. The primary outcome was time to first MACE, defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and nonfatal stroke. Statistical analyses included Cox proportional hazards regression and linear mixed-effects models.

RESULTS: We followed all participants who completed the trial, 100 in Framingham risk score group and 103 in IRS_g (mean age at the end of follow-up, 68.2±5.2; 48% male). During a median follow-up of 9.5 years, 9 MACEs occurred in Framingham risk score group and 2 in IRS_g (hazard ratio, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.04-0.94]; P=0.042). In Framingham risk score group, 47 (47%) underwent at least 1 diagnostic test for CHD, compared with 30 (29%) in IRS_g (hazard ratio, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.32-0.81]; P=0.004). A higher proportion of IRS_g participants were on statin therapy during the first 4 years postrandomization and had a greater reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol for up to 3 years postrandomization. No significant differences were observed between 2 groups in other traditional cardiovascular risk factors during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Disclosure of an integrated risk score that included a polygenic risk score to individuals at intermediate risk for CHD was associated with lower MACE incidence after 10 years, likely due to higher statin initiation, leading to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

PMID:40151934 | DOI:10.1161/CIRCGEN.124.004968

J Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Mar 28:13872877251328712. doi: 10.1177/13872877251328712. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundMild behavioral impairment is a neurobehavioral symptom characterized by the onset of a new and persistent neuropsychiatric syndrome. Patients with co-occurring mild behavioral impairment and mild cognitive impairment have the relatively highest probability of developing dementia than sick mild behavioral impairment or mild cognitive impairment alone.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the currently available best estimate of mild behavioral impairment prevalence and clarify the reasons for the difference in estimates.MethodsData were retrieved and collected from five electronic databases. Two reviewers independently appraised the methodological quality of included studies. Heterogeneity was assessed by using the I² statistic and random effects models were employed. Sources of heterogeneity were investigated by subgroup analysis and meta-regression. All statistical analyses were conducted by Stata.ResultsA total of 23 reports involving 5397 participants were included in this systematic review. The pooled effect size for the overall mild behavioral impairment was 52% (95%CI 42-62%). In the subgroup analysis and regression analysis, we found that study type, study area, assessment tools, and study subject gender could explain part of the source of heterogeneity.ConclusionsThe results of this review suggest that 52% with mild cognitive impairment combined with mild behavioral impairment; there is a close relationship between the two. Future studies should pay more attention to the underlying mechanism between the two and provide a more scientific basis for early discrimination of clinical dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

PMID:40151921 | DOI:10.1177/13872877251328712

Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2025 Jan-Dec;24:15330338251330781. doi: 10.1177/15330338251330781. Epub 2025 Mar 28.

ABSTRACT

PurposeTo compare the dosimetry and biological risk of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), helical tomotherapy (HT) and cyberKnife (CK) in the treatment of lung oligometastases.Methods and materialsThis retrospective study included a cohort of 21 lung oligometastasis patients, each with 2 or 3 lesions, who had previously undergone stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). VMAT, HT and CK plans were made for each patient. The dose distribution of planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs) were evaluated. Three biological risks were evaluated, namely radiation pneumonitis (RP), coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF). Monitor Units (MUs) and beam-on-time were also recorded.ResultsAll techniques were able to produce clinically deliverable plans. The expected biological risks for VMAT plans, CK plans, and HT plans were 6.69%, 5.05%, 5.88% for RP, 1.20%, 1.15%, and 1.17% for CAD, 1.26%, 1.19%, and 1.22% for CHF. The expected risks of RP were slightly lower in CK plans compared to VMAT and HT plans (p < 0.001), with VMAT plans showing the highest expected risks. For central lung cancer, the expected CAD risks of CK and HT plans were lower than those of VMAT plans (p < 0.05). The delivery efficiency of VMAT plans was significantly higher than that of CK plans and HT plans.ConclusionsAll three techniques, VMAT, HT, and CK, meet the therapeutic requirements for target coverage and dose constraints for OARs. Although there are statistical differences, the difference between the expected risk values of RP and CAD is very small, so the clinical manifestations may not show differences.

PMID:40151878 | DOI:10.1177/15330338251330781

Anatol J Cardiol. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2025.5105. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study addresses a topic that has been explored globally but has not yet been investigated in the Türkiye. Considering that all diseases and treatments may vary due to genetic diversity, the aim is to examine the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and COVID-19 disease on heart conditions in patients in the Türkiye.

METHODS: A total of 1935 patients who underwent angiography were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were provided in terms of numbers and percentages, as well as means and SD.

RESULTS: There was no relationship found between the occurrence of COVID-19 at any time before data collection and the presence of severe coronary artery disease (CAD). Additionally, there was no relationship found between the time elapsed between COVID-19 infection and angiography and the presence of severe CAD among individuals who underwent angiography at a later date (n = 689). Between November 2021 and May 2022 (fifth 6 months) and May 2022 and November 2022 (sixth 6 months), the rates of severe CAD in angiograms conducted compared to the baseline were higher. There was no significant relationship found between the number of doses of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine received and the risk of developing severe CAD (P = .139). Similarly, there was no significant relationship found between the number of doses of inactivated vaccine received and the risk of developing severe CAD (P = .382).

CONCLUSION: In the long term, neither infection nor vaccination increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of the time elapsed since the COVID-19 infection or the type of vaccination received.

PMID:40151843 | DOI:10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2025.5105