Nevin Manimala

Psychother Res. 2025 Jul 20:1-14. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2025.2530561. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Objective: As the amount of qualitative psychotherapy research has increased, methodological and reporting practices have evolved and changed to reflect trends in the field. We investigated trends by surveying the methodological characteristics of the qualitative research on therapists’ experiences conducting psychotherapy prior to the publication of the SQIP methodological integrity framework and APA reporting standards for qualitative research. Methods: We identified articles using PsycINFO and coded features including publication year, reported epistemological perspective, number of participants, research design, and procedural checks. We analyzed trends in 140 studies (published 1985 to2015) across these characteristics using descriptive and exploratory inferential statistics. Results: The number of publications grew substantially. Researchers reported their epistemological stance in approximately a quarter of studies, which was not predictive of article age, number of participants, reports of reflexivity, or credibility checks. Additionally, a larger number of participants were associated with grounded theory designs, whereas fewer were associated with phenomenological studies. Higher numbers of reflexivity and credibility checks were associated with consensual qualitative research. Procedures promoting reflexivity, such as formal reflection and self-description by researchers, increased over time, whereas procedures promoting credibility, such as consensus, decreased. Conclusions: Qualitative psychotherapy research is fast-growing and becoming more reflexive, although researchers should more routinely report features related to methodological integrity.

PMID:40684292 | DOI:10.1080/10503307.2025.2530561

Int J Environ Health Res. 2025 Jul 20:1-11. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2025.2534420. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Dengue fever has been increasing in recent decades and has become a key concern for the health sector in the USA. This study aims to investigate the impact of meteorological conditions on the incidence of dengue fever in the USA. This research based on the evidence of weekly dengue cases from January 2015 to December 2021 in 56 regions in the USA. Besides descriptive statistics, association was examined between dengue fever incidence and specific environmental factors. A number of multivariate generalized linear model (GLM) for count data was applied to discover the elements that substantially influence the spread of dengue sickness. The hurdle negative binomial regression (NBR) model was considered the final model based on the AIC and BIC criteria. This study showed that temperature, humidity, rainfall, and surface pressure are positively correlated with dengue cases. However, the sky clearance index has negative relationships with dengue cases. The hurdle-NBR model revealed that humidity, temperature, and air-pressure are more prone to dengue cases. In contrast, precipitation, wind speed, and sky clearance index are negatively associated with dengue incidence. The findings of this research impart crucial information about meteorological parameters that could increase the risk of dengue incidence.

PMID:40684289 | DOI:10.1080/09603123.2025.2534420

Med Educ Online. 2025 Dec;30(1):2535414. doi: 10.1080/10872981.2025.2535414. Epub 2025 Jul 20.

ABSTRACT

Although the number of female medical school students is increasing, there is an imbalance regarding women in neurosurgery. In addition, a huge gender gap concerning leading positions as well as scientific careers exists. We performed a questionnaire-based data assessment of former and current neurosurgical residents, medical school students in their final and medical school students in their first year. The questionnaire assessed reasons for resigning from the residency program as well as possible discrimination or gender-specific disadvantages which prevent medical school students from choosing a surgical speciality. We found that significantly more (p = 0.05) female residents left neurosurgical training and indicated gender-based inequalities during the program (p < 0.001). Significantly fewer final-year students would choose a surgical career compared to first-year medical students (p < 0.001). The main reasons against neurosurgical training were poor work-life balance, psychological stress and difficulties in family/child care. Women must continue to be supported to pursue surgical and scientific careers.

PMID:40684282 | DOI:10.1080/10872981.2025.2535414

Urol J. 2025 Jul 20. doi: 10.22037/uj.v22i.8280. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and complications of low-frequency acupuncture therapy based on Midnight-Noon Acupuncture in the central neurogenic bladder (CNB).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Sixty patients diagnosed with CNB without prior treatment were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=30) was treated with basic rehabilitation training, and the treatment group (n=30) was treated with basic rehabilitation training plus low-frequency acupuncture therapy based on Midnight-Noon Acupuncture flow injection for 4 weeks. The fixed acupuncture points selected were: Sanyinjiao (bilateral), Zhongji (unilateral), and Diji (unilateral). The study compared pre- and post-treatment clinical curative effects, urodynamic indicators, urination status, the Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS), the Urinary Symptom Distress Scale (USDS), the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Inventory (WHOQOL-BREF), and the occurrence of adverse reactions and complications between the control group and treatment group.

RESULTS: The overall efficacy rate of 96.67% in the treatment group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the MBC, MFR, Pdet, DASUV, and WHOQOL-BREF scores significantly increased, while the RUV, DUF, DAUL, NBSS scores, and USDS scores all decreased between the two groups, with the treatment group showing significantly better results than the control group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse reactions and complication rates between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Low-frequency acupuncture therapy based on Midnight-Noon Acupuncture significantly improves bladder function and alleviates urinary difficulties in CNB, demonstrating good safety and considerable clinical applicability.

PMID:40684275 | DOI:10.22037/uj.v22i.8280

Urol J. 2025 Jul 16. doi: 10.22037/uj.v22i.8348. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate effectiveness of dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) training in children with non-neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) and compare it with biofeedback (BF) treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total of 15 participants aged 6-15 years with non-neurogenic LUTD were divided into three groups: Group I, “DNS exercise training”; Group II, “BF training”; and Group III, “DNS plus BF training.” Participants’ Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence Scoring System (DVISS) scores, uroflowmetry parameters, uroflow curve, post voiding residual (PVR) values, deep trunk muscle strength were evaluated at baseline and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTS: It was observed that total DVISS scores of individuals in Groups I and III significantly decreased after 12 weeks, while individuals in Group II showed significant decrease in total DVISS score after 4 and 8 weeks (P < .05). When examining changes in deep trunk muscle strength between groups at all time periods, it was determined that improvement in Groups I and III after 4 and 8 weeks was significantly greater than that in Group II (P < .05). In Group I, average flow rate value significantly increased after 4 weeks, while flow time value significantly decreased after 12 weeks (P < .05). When examining PVR values between groups, it was determined that there were statistically significant decreases in individuals in Group I after 12 weeks and in individuals in Group III after 8 weeks (P < .05).

CONCLUSION: According to results, DNS and BF training are effective in improving symptoms in patients with non-neurogenic LUTD. However, groups in which DNS exercises were applied were superior in improving some parameters.

PMID:40684271 | DOI:10.22037/uj.v22i.8348

Age Ageing. 2025 Jul 1;54(7):afaf197. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf197.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a serious, acute neuropsychiatric condition associated with fluctuating attention and altered arousal. Delirium in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is common but often missed in hospital due to shared clinical features. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of current tools used to identify delirium in inpatients with PD.

METHODS: People with PD admitted to all hospital wards were invited to take part. Participants completed a standardised delirium assessment based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5) criteria, in addition to standard bedside tools including the 4 As Test (4AT), arousal and cognition. This was a secondary analysis of a prospective observational study; bedside tools were not completed independently of, or blinded to, the DSM-5 criteria. Accuracy was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic area under the curve (AUROC).

RESULTS: Participants included 115 people with PD (200 hospital admissions); 66.1% (n = 76/115) had delirium. Considering all admissions, the diagnostic accuracy of tools was good, ranging from 74% to 89% (AUROC = 0.764-0.923, P < .001 for all). The 4AT scores had the highest sensitivity (96.7%, AUROC = 0.922, P < .001). However, accuracy decreased in those with underlying cognitive impairment (AUROC = 0.499-0.886).

CONCLUSIONS: Current bedside tools can accurately identify delirium in PD inpatients. Although tools were comparable, the 4AT may have greater clinical utility as it had high sensitivity, is quicker to complete and already widely used clinical. However, caution is recommended as tools did not differentiate between symptoms typical in PD and acute symptoms associated with delirium; this should be a focus for future research.

PMID:40684269 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afaf197

HGG Adv. 2025 Jul 18:100482. doi: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2025.100482. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from multiple ancestral populations are increasingly available, offering opportunities to improve the accuracy and equity of polygenic scores (PGS). Several methods now aim to leverage multiple GWAS sources, but predictive performance and computational efficiency remain unclear, particularly when individual-level tuning data are unavailable. This study evaluates a comprehensive set of PGS methods across African (AFR), East Asian (EAS), and European (EUR) ancestries for 10 complex traits, using summary statistics from the Ugandan Genome Resource, Biobank Japan, UK Biobank, and the Million Veteran Program. Single-source PGS were derived using methods including DBSLMM, lassosum, LDpred2, MegaPRS, pT+clump, PRS-CS, QuickPRS, and SBayesRC. Multi-source approaches included PRS-CSx, TL-PRS, X-Wing, and combinations of independently optimised single-source scores. All methods were restricted to HapMap3 variants and used linkage disequilibrium reference panels matching the GWAS super population. A key contribution is a novel application of the LEOPARD method to estimate optimal linear combinations of population-specific PGS using only summary statistics. Analyses were implemented using the open-source GenoPred pipeline. In AFR and EAS populations, PGS combining ancestry-aligned and European GWAS outperformed single-source models. Linear combinations of independently optimised scores consistently outperformed current jointly optimised multi-source methods, while being substantially more computationally efficient. The LEOPARD extension offered a practical solution for tuning these combinations when only summary statistics were available, achieving performance comparable to tuning with individual-level data. These findings highlight a flexible and generalisable framework for multi-source PGS construction. The GenoPred pipeline supports more equitable, accurate, and accessible polygenic prediction.

PMID:40684263 | DOI:10.1016/j.xhgg.2025.100482

Postgrad Med J. 2025 Jul 20:qgaf107. doi: 10.1093/postmj/qgaf107. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40684261 | DOI:10.1093/postmj/qgaf107

Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Jul;21(7):e70485. doi: 10.1002/alz.70485.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive impairment is common but often overlooked due to motor symptoms in progressive supranuclear palsy-Richardson syndrome (PSP-RS). This study investigates whether cognitive deficits predict disease progression in PSP-RS.

METHODS: A total of 146 PSP-RS from the Tilavonemab trial were evaluated at baseline and over 52 weeks using the PSP-Rating Scale (PSPRS), the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part-II (UPDRS-II). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed between the RBANS, UPDRS-II, and the PSPRS change. Clinical scores, gray matter volumes, and neurofilament-light chain (NfL) were compared using analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) and linear mixed models between language score-groups.

RESULTS: Lower RBANS-language at baseline predicted greater PSPRS worsening over time. The low language-score group showed poorer cognitive performance, elevated NfL, and reduced gray matter volume in language-related areas.

DISCUSSION: Speech/language deficits predict worse prognosis in PSP-RS, emphasizing the value of including language scores in clinical trials.

HIGHLIGHTS: Speech and language deficits predict a worse prognosis in progressive supranuclear palsy-Richardson syndrome (PSP-RS). Lower language scores are associated with worse cognitive performance over time. Lower language scores related to higher neurofilament-light chain (NfL) at baseline. The low language-score group presented greater atrophy in language-related brain areas. Stratifying PSP-RS cases using language scores may improve clinical trials.

PMID:40684253 | DOI:10.1002/alz.70485

J Health Popul Nutr. 2025 Jul 19;44(1):261. doi: 10.1186/s41043-025-01019-6.

ABSTRACT

One of the most significant global public health concerns for women of reproductive age is the unmet need for modern contraceptives. The goal of increasing the use of modern contraceptives is to lower mother and child mortality and morbidity. Since East African nations are part of sub-Saharan Africa, a region primarily composed of low-income countries, they face significant challenges in accessing modern contraceptives due to limited healthcare infrastructure, economic constraints, and socio-cultural barriers. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with modern contraception utilization among reproductive-age East African women.

METHODS: The data was taken from the individual records (IR) of the ten East African countries’ Demographic and Health Surveys. The study included 112,810 women of reproductive age. The primary outcome was modern contraceptive utilization, defined as a binary variable (yes = use of modern methods; no = use of traditional/folkloric or no methods). Key predictors included age, place of residence, marital status, sex of household head, wealth index, exposure to media (newspaper, radio, television), pregnancy termination history, and number of living children. Bivariate analysis was utilized to select the variables for multivariable analysis. At last, 95% CIs for the odds ratio and percentage were presented.

RESULTS: Among women of reproductive age, 33.81% of them used modern contraceptives, with a 95% CI of [33.53-34.09]. Individuals aged 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-39 demonstrate the following statistically adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and confidence intervals (CI): AOR = 1.68, 95% CI (1.68, 1.79); P = 0.0001; AOR = 1.56, 95% CI (1.46, 2.65); P = 0.0001; AOR = 1.43, 95% CI (1.33, 1.54); P = 0.0001; and AOR = 1.34, 95% CI (1.24, 1.44); P = 0.0001, respectively. urban residence is associated with an AOR of 1.06, 95% CI (0.91, 0.97); P = 0.001; being married [AOR: 1.20, 95% CI (1.13, 1.28); P = 0.0001]; belonging to the highest wealth quantile [AOR: 1.34, 95% CI (1.27, 1.43); P = 0.0001]; reading magazines at least once a week [AOR: 1.07 (1.00, 1.14); P = 0.032]; listening to the radio almost daily [AOR: 1.91 (1.69, 2.17); P = 0.0001]; watching television daily [AOR: 1.62 (1.45, 1.82); P = 0.0001]; and having 3-4 children [AOR: 11.68, 95% CI (10.78, 12.66); P = 0.0001] were found positively associated with modern contraceptive utilization. Conversely, having a history of pregnancy termination [AOR: 0.83 (0.80, 0.87); P = 0.0001] and belonging to a household headed by a woman [AOR: 0.95 (0.92, 0.99); P = 0.037] were found to be inversely associated with modern contraceptive utilization.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: This study identified key factors influencing modern contraceptive use among women in East Africa. Higher utilization was associated with being aged 20-39, urban residence, being married, higher wealth status, media exposure, and having more children. In contrast, lower use was observed among women living in female-headed households and those with a history of pregnancy termination. Despite these influencing factors, modern contraceptive use in East Africa remains below the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target. Therefore, to improve uptake among women of reproductive age, healthcare providers and policymakers should design and implement targeted interventions focusing on adolescents, rural residents, women with a history of pregnancy termination, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups to enhance contraceptive use and reproductive health outcomes in the region.

PMID:40684244 | DOI:10.1186/s41043-025-01019-6