Nevin Manimala

J Clin Lab Anal. 2025 Aug 28:e70094. doi: 10.1002/jcla.70094. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Zhao F. Fan Z. Huang X. Role of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Gene Polymorphisms in Glaucoma: A Hospital-Based Study in Chinese Patients Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis 34 no. 3 (2020): e23105, https://doi.org/10.1002/jcla.23105 The above article, published online on 12 November 2019 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor-in-Chief, Rong Fu; and Wiley Periodicals LLC. The retraction has been agreed due to scientific inconsistencies and major flaws in the statistical evaluation. The journal received a request to retract this manuscript initially. During investigation, the authors stated that original data is no longer available and did not provide documentation for the ethical approval process of this study. Nanchong Central Hospital could not be reached for comment. Subsequently, the authors stopped responding. The conclusions of this manuscript are considered unreliable.

PMID:40874790 | DOI:10.1002/jcla.70094

J Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Aug 28:13872877251371719. doi: 10.1177/13872877251371719. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment represents a critical precursor stage for dementia, and the search for reliable blood biomarkers is essential for early detection and intervention.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the relationship between serum levels of amyloid-β (Aβ)_1-42 and p-tau181 proteins and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), providing a foundation for early detection of MCI.MethodsA total of 128 qualified subjects aged 60 years or above were enrolled according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria at Yangpu Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China, between June 2021 and December 2022. Serum levels of Aβ_1-42 and p-tau181 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Participants were divided into MCI and non-MCI groups based on clinical diagnostic criteria. Statistical analyses were conducted using chi-square tests to evaluate demographic variables, while Mann-Whitney U tests were employed to compare protein levels between groups. Additionally, Spearman correlation analysis was utilized to examine the relationship between protein levels and MCI.ResultsThe MCI group exhibited significantly higher serum levels of Aβ_1-42 (U = 3959.0, p < 0.001) and p-tau181 (U = 3032.5, p < 0.001) compared to the non-MCI group. A strong positive correlation was found between Aβ_1-42 levels and MCI (r = 0.819, p < 0.001), while a moderate correlation was observed for p-tau181 (r = 0.426, p < 0.001). Aβ_1-42 demonstrated high diagnostic value (AUC = 0.975, 95%CI 0.954-0.997; p < 0.001) at its optimal cutoff 105.37 pg/mL, and p-tau181 exhibited moderate diagnostic efficacy (AUC = 0.747, 95%CI 0.658-0.836; p < 0.001) at its optimal cutoff 12.07 pg/mL.ConclusionsSerum levels of Aβ_1-42 and p-tau181 are associated with MCI and may serve as potential biomarkers for early detection.

PMID:40874783 | DOI:10.1177/13872877251371719

J Psychopharmacol. 2025 Aug 28:2698811251364389. doi: 10.1177/02698811251364389. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The optimal lumateperone dose for bipolar depression remains uncertain.

AIMS: To examine its dose-response relationship for efficacy and safety.

METHODS: We systematically searched major databases to 1 July 2025. Efficacy outcomes included change in depression severity, global illness severity, quality of life, responder, and remitter rates. Safety outcomes included all-cause dropout, discontinuations due to adverse event (AE), treatment-emergent AE, mania, suicidality, extrapyramidal symptoms, body weight, lipid profile, and fasting glucose. A one-step dose-response meta-analysis generated effect sizes, reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials involving 1454 patients showed that a 42-mg daily dose of lumateperone significantly improved depressive symptoms (SMD = -0.26; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.02), Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar-Severity (CGI-BP-S) overall bipolar illness (SMD = -0.31; 95% CI: -0.45, -0.16), CGI-BP-S bipolar depression (SMD = -0.33; 95% CI: -0.48, -0.17), quality of life (SMD = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.36), and responder rate (RR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.53), but not remitter rate (1.06; 95% CI: 0.81, 1.38). Compared with placebo, discontinuation due to AE significantly increased at the 42 mg dose (RR = 3.12; 95% CI: 1.68, 5.80), but not at 28 mg (1.58; 95% CI: 0.25, 9.89). Moreover, dropout rates (42 mg RR = 1.15; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.73) and other safety outcomes did not exhibit a dose-response trend.

CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary evidence suggests that 42 mg daily of lumateperone may provide clinical benefit in bipolar depression, yet the higher rate of AE-related discontinuation warrants caution in practice. However, current data remain limited, requiring further studies to establish the optimal dosing range balancing efficacy and safety.

PMID:40874771 | DOI:10.1177/02698811251364389

Br J Soc Psychol. 2025 Oct;64(4):e70010. doi: 10.1111/bjso.70010.

ABSTRACT

The alt-right increasingly claims that White men are becoming targets of discrimination, yet few studies examine how, and for whom, perceived (reverse) discrimination manifests among White men. We address this oversight by examining rates of change in perceptions of ethnic and gender discrimination across 10 annual waves of a nationwide sample of White men (2014 to 2023; N = 20,486). Latent class growth analysis revealed that most White men (82.75% of participants) reported low and stable perceptions of discrimination over time, alleviating concerns of widespread discontent. However, we identified a Disenfranchised class (8.49%) that perceived moderate discrimination and a Radicalized class (8.76%) whose initially low levels of perceived discrimination increased markedly over time. These classes differed across socio-demographic variables, socio-political attitudes and well-being measures. We thus identify how, and for whom, perceptions of discrimination change over time among White men and how these changes undermine health and progressive social change.

PMID:40874728 | DOI:10.1111/bjso.70010

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2025 Dec;21(1):2550102. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2025.2550102. Epub 2025 Aug 28.

ABSTRACT

Vaccine-preventable herpes zoster (HZ) poses substantial burden among Australian adults ≥50 years of age (YOA) despite available vaccination. This study aimed to understand the HZ vaccine-related preferences of adults paying out-of-pocket for HZ vaccination, to facilitate targeted recommendations by physicians and ultimately reduce disease burden. A discrete choice experiment was conducted (March-May 2023) to quantify preferences for HZ vaccine attributes among adults 50-64 YOA: HZ-naïve with selected self-reported comorbidities (n = 525; each comorbidity: n = 75), HZ-naïve without comorbidities (n = 150), and current/former HZ patients (n = 150). Each choice task comprised a “no vaccine” option and three hypothetical HZ vaccine profiles characterized by five attributes with varying levels. Attributes and levels were identified through literature review/concept elicitation/cognitive interviews/expert opinion. The attributes that most influenced HZ vaccine choice (measured by relative importance [RI]) were recommendation by government guidelines/medical societies, then HZ lifetime risk reduction, and protection duration. HZ-naïve adults with comorbidities indicated lower RI of recommendation by government guidelines/medical societies and higher RI of HZ lifetime risk reduction than other respondents. Between HZ-naïve adults without comorbidities and HZ patients, there were no significant differences in RI of each attribute. Respondents with comorbidities, whether overall or grouped by comorbidity, shared identical top three attributes. Between HZ-naïve, HZ-vaccinated adults (n = 146) and those without vaccination (n = 529), each top three attribute (recommendation by government guidelines/medical societies, HZ lifetime risk reduction, and protection duration) showed significantly different RI (p <.001). Findings elucidate the motivations underlying HZ vaccine preferences among Australian adults 50-64 YOA, guiding physician-patient conversations about HZ vaccines.

PMID:40874719 | DOI:10.1080/21645515.2025.2550102

Int Nurs Rev. 2025 Sep;72(3):e70086. doi: 10.1111/inr.70086.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To develop an original scale to measure nurses’ attitudes toward incarcerated patients and assess its psychometric properties.

METHODS: This study employed a psychometric testing approach involving test-retest design. The sample size was determined based on the rule of selecting a sample 5 to 10 times the number of scale items. The study included 672 nurses. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form and the Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Incarcerated Patients Scale. Content validity was determined using the Lawshe technique. Construct validity was examined through exploratory (n1 = 336) and confirmatory factor analysis (n2 = 336). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Temporal stability was evaluated through the test-retest method conducted four weeks later (n = 32).

RESULTS: The scale consists of 12 items and was categorized into three factors-discriminatory attitudes, emotional discomfort, and patient equality-accounting for 67.6% of the variance. Items with factor loadings between 0.69 and 0.85 supported the scale’s validity. The fit indices from confirmatory factor analysis indicated an acceptable model fit. Internal consistency was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.84. Test-retest reliability analysis showed moderate, significant correlations among subdimensions.

CONCLUSION: The scale is valid and reliable in assessing nurses’ attitudes toward incarcerated patients. Future research should test its applicability across diverse cultural and geographical contexts to enhance generalizability.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: This study underscores the need for policies addressing nurses’ attitudes toward incarcerated patients. The developed scale may support the identification of biases and emotional discomfort, guiding targeted education and institutional interventions to promote equitable, ethical, and nonjudgmental healthcare practices.

PMID:40874718 | DOI:10.1111/inr.70086

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2025 Aug 28. doi: 10.1002/jmri.70053. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) is a cardiovascular disease risk factor in children, but normative data for PAT thickness, area, and volume are lacking.

PURPOSE: To establish the percentile reference values for MRI PAT parameters in healthy Chinese children aged 3-18.

STUDY TYPE: Prospective.

SUBJECTS: 218 healthy children divided into 3-10 years (n = 125, 62 males) and 10-18 years (n = 93, 53 males).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Balanced steady-state free-precession cine sequence at 3.0 T.

ASSESSMENT: PAT thickness, area and volume.

STATISTICAL TESTS: Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson correlation, the generalized additive model for location scale and shape, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: PAT volume showed no significant sex difference in the overall (boys: 32.7 ± 16.2 mL, girls: 28.2 ± 10.0 mL, p = 0.179) or childhood group (boys: 22.9 ± 7.9 vs. girls: 22.9 ± 6.6 mL, p = 0.954), but adolescent boys had a higher volume than girls (44.1 ± 15.9 vs. 36.9 ± 8.4 mL). PAT thickness at the right ventricular free wall (RVFW) was greater in boys across both age groups. PAT volume correlated strongly with age (r = 0.672) and BSA (r = 0.741). Age-specific percentile curves showed a progressive PAT volume increase with no clear plateau, with the most rapid growth between ages 10 and 14. BSA-specific curves revealed gradual PAT parameter increases, with steeper trends in boys. Good to excellent inter- and intra-observer agreement was observed for almost all PAT parameter measurements (95% CI > 0.75).

CONCLUSION: This study proposes sex-, age-, and BSA-specific reference values for pericardial adipose tissue in healthy Chinese children and showed developmental patterns and sex differences that may have potential to inform future clinical and research applications.

EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2.

TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

PMID:40874717 | DOI:10.1002/jmri.70053

Afr J Reprod Health. 2025 Aug 28;29(8s):31-42. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2025/v29i8s.4.

ABSTRACT

Despite growing African immigration to Spain, research that examines how language barriers affect acculturative stress and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services by sub-Saharan women is scarce. This study addresses this gap in knowledge by investigating the relationships between proficiency in Spanish language, acculturative stress and access to SRHR services among 384 African immigrant women in Spain using a cross-sectional, quantitative design. Data were collected via online snowball sampling, employing validated measures of Spanish proficiency (CEFR), acculturative stress (RASI), and SRHR access (WHO/UNFPA). Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that higher Spanish proficiency reduced acculturative stress (β = 0.50, *p* < 0.01) and directly improved SRHR access (β = 0.56, *p* < 0.01), with stress mediating this relationship (indirect effect: β = 0.24, *p* < 0.05). Findings highlight language proficiency as a dual pathway for mitigating stress and enhancing healthcare access. The findings of this study are important for immigration and re-settlement policies to promote cultural integration, access to social services, as well as culturally sensitive care, especially for minority women in order to address systemic disparities.

PMID:40874711 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2025/v29i8s.4

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025 Aug 1;66(11):72. doi: 10.1167/iovs.66.11.72.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To analyze the short-term effects of hypergravity on ocular parameters, particularly retinal and peripapillary microvasculature changes, in participants undergoing human centrifuge training.

METHODS: This prospective, observational study enrolled healthy trainees who participated in centrifuge training at the National Army GangShan Aviation Training Center, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, from August to September 2023. Ocular data were collected at four time points: 24 hours before training, immediately after, and 15 and 30 minutes after exposure to gravitational force along the head-to-foot axis. Assessments included non-contact tonometry, optical biometry, and optical coherence tomography angiography. Nonparametric statistical methods were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: Nineteen participants (12 male, seven female) with a mean age of 27.89 ± 4.4 years were included. Intraocular pressure, corneal curvature, and pupil diameter remained unchanged after centrifugation. However, axial length decreased immediately after centrifugation (25.79 ± 1.54 mm vs. 25.77 ± 1.57 mm; P = 0.012), then rebounded at 15 minutes (25.81 ± 1.53 mm) and 30 minutes (25.81 ± 1.54 mm; both P = 0.005). Central corneal thickness increased and remained elevated for 30 minutes. Retinal and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses significantly increased after training (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the parafoveal and perifoveal vessel density of the right eye showed a decreasing trend immediately after hypergravity exposure, followed by a rebound, although the change was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Short-term exposure to hypergravity induces transient yet measurable alterations in ocular parameters, particularly retinal thickness and vascular density. These novel findings suggest potential mechanisms underlying hypergravity-associated visual impairment and highlight the importance of monitoring ocular health in individuals exposed to high-G environments.

PMID:40874695 | DOI:10.1167/iovs.66.11.72

Afr J Reprod Health. 2025 Aug 28;29(8s):22-30. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2025/v29i8s.3.

ABSTRACT

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a primary risk factor for cervical cancer development. In low-resource settings, HPV screening uptake is often limited by health literacy barriers. This study examined how health literacy affects willingness to undergo HPV screening (as a cervical cancer prevention method) among 384 pregnant women (aged 15-45) in Lahore, Pakistan using cross sectional data. We assessed health literacy using Kharazi’s validated questionnaire, with evaluation done across four dimensions: health information comprehension, critical evaluation, informed decision-making, and practical application. We assessed the HPV screening willingness using a WHO’s instrument, with evaluation done across two dimensions: an awareness and an attitude and willingness section. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 through simple and multiple linear regression models. The results from the simple linear analysis showed that health literacy had a significant positive effect on women’s willingness to undergo HPV testing (β=0.811, 95% CI=0.753,0.875, p=0.001). From the multiple linear regression analysis, the different dimension of health literacy had significant positive effect on willingness to undergo HPV testing, with the health information comprehension dimension having the strongest positive effect (β=0.724, 95% CI=0.676, 0.801, p=0.001). These findings suggest that enhancing pregnancy health literacy could improve HPV screening acceptance. The results have important implications for designing cervical cancer prevention programs in high-risk populations through antenatal care services.

PMID:40874691 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2025/v29i8s.3