Nevin Manimala

J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2025 Jun 17:1-18. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2025.2521019. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Emotional priming is modulated by word concreteness, yet the literature is inconsistent. This study investigates the effects of affect, lexical features, depressive symptoms, and rumination on emotional priming for abstract and concrete words.

METHODS: Eighty-one healthy participants (48 female, age = 24.12 ± 8.56 years) completed a valence categorization task in which they were asked to decide whether a target word, presented for 500 ms following a 65 ms prime, was pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant. Priming effect (PE) was defined as the RT difference between incongruent and congruent conditions for pleasant and unpleasant primes. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess priming effects and error rates, with fixed effects for prime valence, concreteness, subscales of Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Beck Depression Inventory score, subscales of Rumination Response Scale, semantic relatedness and Levenshtein distance (LD). Model selection was performed using the buildmer algorithm. Post-hoc analyses of interactions and continuous predictor trends across categorical levels were performed using emmeans and emtrends. All statistical analyses were conducted by R 4.4.3.

RESULTS: PEs were stronger for concrete than abstract words, irrespective of prime valence. Positive affect predicted higher error rates for unpleasant targets and enhanced PEs for unpleasant primes, particularly in abstract words. Depressive symptoms were associated with fewer errors for unpleasant targets but did not predict PE. Brooding was associated with larger PEs for abstract words, independent of valence. Lastly, greater semantic relatedness amplified PEs for abstract items, whereas smaller LD both strengthened PEs and increased errors in valence‑incongruent trials.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights the role of emotional and clinical traits in word processing, showing that abstract word priming is driven by the interaction of affect and stimulus value. Future studies examining biases in abstract emotional word processing may guide the development of methods to identify individuals at risk for depression.

PMID:40525403 | DOI:10.1080/13803395.2025.2521019

J Prim Care Community Health. 2025 Jan-Dec;16:21501319251347133. doi: 10.1177/21501319251347133. Epub 2025 Jun 17.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) accounts for approximately 82 billion dollars of Medicare spend. Implementing culturally competent, community-based programs may be a strategy for changing utilization behaviors and lowering cost while maintaining quality in this population.

METHODS: A longitudinal claims based study was carried out from April 2023 to August 2024 in the state of CA to assess the impact of the program on cost, utilization, and quality metrics. A propensity matched approach was leveraged yielding of 203 pairs of CKD Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees. A comparison of the difference of differences was performed between utilization, and available claims-based quality metrics.

RESULTS: Enrollees in the peer support program, Connect For Life (CFL) generated significantly lower costs of $461 pmpm (95% CI = -1037 to -10 037; P = .016) significantly lower inpatient utilization of 172 per 1000 (95% CI = -10 to -330; P = .037) and significantly higher outpatient utilization of 1212 per 1000 (95% CI = 90 to 2340; P = .035). No differences were found in available quality metrics.

CONCLUSIONS: For CKD MA enrollees in the intervention population, more efficient utilization patterns and lower costs while maintaining quality were observed. The tight propensity match left the study underpowered to detect significant changes for other care settings or individual stages of CKD.

PMID:40525376 | DOI:10.1177/21501319251347133

Clin Ter. 2025 May_Jun;176(3):376-385. doi: 10.7417/CT.2025.5237.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The Italian Society of Urology conducted a comprehensive survey across Italy’s urology specialists to assess the prevalence and integration of robotic surgery in the country’s medical landscape. The survey aimed to examine the diffusion and acceptance of robotic surgical platforms and to ascertain surgeons’ preferences regarding the most frequently performed urological procedures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Italian Society of Urology surveyed Italian urologists via SURVEYMONKEY. Emails were sent to society members and clinic heads, covering geographic location, robotic practices, and procedures. The 44-question survey, open from March to June 2023, gathered data on clinic location, equipment, cases, and techniques. Descriptive statistics were used, reporting median and inter-quartile range for continuous variables, and rates for categorical ones. Analysis included respondent characteristics, robotic surgery availability, applications, and technical modifications. Stata 16 conducted statistical analyses (StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, USA).

RESULTS: The study included 339 urologists with varied institutional and professional backgrounds, investigating aspects like the availability of robotic technology, preferences in procedures, surgical methodologies, and training programs. Participants included 50% affiliated with university hospitals, 25% with non-university hospitals, and 25% with IRCCS institutions and accredited private hospitals. The survey showcased significant geographic diversity, receiving responses from urologists across all regions of Italy, with Lombardy being the most represented (19.7%), followed by Lazio (12.9%) and Veneto (11.2%). Notably, 93.7% of respondents associated robotic surgery with economic benefits, attributing to reduced hospital stays and increased facility attractiveness. Among urological procedures, robotic-assisted techniques were preferred for Radical Prostatectomies (88%), partial nephrectomy (87%), and pyeloplasty (79%), while cystectomies and radical nephrectomy were commonly performed using open or lap-aroscopic approaches.

CONCLUSION: The survey findings highlight the widespread use and influence of robotic surgery in Italian urology, showcasing enhanced patient care but also indicating technique discrepancies and restricted access in certain facilities. Standardization, accessibility, and ongoing training are vital for maximizing robotic surgery’s potential across specialties.

PMID:40525372 | DOI:10.7417/CT.2025.5237