Nevin Manimala

BMC Public Health. 2025 Sep 9;25(1):3043. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24378-5.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sedentary behavior (SB) and the absence of physical activity (PA) have become increasingly prevalent in modern societies due to changes in physical and social-environmental conditions, particularly in university students. This cross-sectional study aimed to describe and identify the prevalence and correlates of self-reported and accelerometer-determined SB and PA of German university students.

METHODS: A convenience sample of 532 students participated in a questionnaire survey during the lecture period in the summer term 2018. Self-reported total PA, university-, travel-, and leisure-time-related PA were calculated, in addition to self-reported sitting time (ST) within the university. A sub-sample of forty-six participants also received body composition measurements and then wore an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT for seven consecutive days to objectively determine SB, PA, and sleep duration. Differences in descriptive characteristics between samples were analyzed using independent t-test for normally distributed variables or the nonparametric or Mann-Whitney U-Test for not normally distributed variables. Forward stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to analyze correlates associated with self-reported SB and PA in the university context. Stepwise, multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the associations of anthropometric, sociodemographic, study-related, self-reported SB and PA variables with objectively-determined SB controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS: Self-reported ST within the university was 2020.5 min/week (95% CI: 1915.8-2125.1), while females reported a 4 h per day higher ST compared with male students (p = 0.023). Self-reported PA exclusively at the university was 211.9 min/week (195.3-228.6) with additional time in active travel (AT) of 266.1 min/week (236.8-295.4). Students with higher amounts of sitting (e.g. in the library or in lectures; p < 0.001) and students who had lower time in AT (p = 0.023) were more likely to be sedentary in the university context. Furthermore, students with a higher monthly net household income (p = 0.043), higher values in university-related PA (e.g. walking between lectures or stair climbing; p < 0.001) and students who were also engaged in higher times of AT (p = 0.004) were more physically active at the university compared with students in the reference group. Correlates associated with accelerometer-determined SB included light-intensity PA (LIPA; p < 0.001), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; p < 0.001), sleep duration (p < 0.001), monthly net household income (p = 0.006) and total cycling time at the university (p = 0.032).

CONCLUSION: Our sample of university students were highly sedentary, but also very active and met current PA recommendations. Daily LIPA, MVPA and also sleep duration were negatively associated with accelerometer-determined SB. Beyond that, daily AT might be a supporting correlate to reduce SB in university students and should be considered as a key variable in future longitudinal interventional studies on activity-friendly and health promoting university environments.

PMID:40926191 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-24378-5

Ren Fail. 2025 Dec;47(1):2556301. doi: 10.1080/0886022X.2025.2556301. Epub 2025 Sep 9.

ABSTRACT

The Grams model, designed to predict adverse event risks in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, was evaluated in a Chinese cohort of 1,333 patients with eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m². The model demonstrated moderate to good discrimination across outcomes, performing well in predicting kidney replacement therapy (KRT) but overestimating the risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Calibration for KRT was accurate, while other outcomes required recalibration to improve alignment with observed data. Although recalibration enhanced calibration, it did not improve the model’s discrimination. Importantly, the study identified key predictors, such as albumin levels, that were not included in the original Grams model but significantly improved prognostic accuracy when incorporated. These findings suggest that while the Grams model has moderate applicability to the Chinese CKD population, its predictive performance can be improved by including additional critical variables. Further efforts are needed to improve the Grams model prior to application in the Chinese CKD population, such as the inclusion of novel valuable predictors.

PMID:40926185 | DOI:10.1080/0886022X.2025.2556301

Matern Child Health J. 2025 Sep 9. doi: 10.1007/s10995-025-04157-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While it is well established that trying to conceive while experiencing infertility and undergoing fertility treatment is associated with anxiety, little is known about the mental health toll of trying to conceive without fertility treatment. Minimal contact with the healthcare system while trying to conceive without treatment contributes to low rates of detection and support for this population.

OBJECTIVE: This research aims to provide formative insights into the prevalence of mental health distress and desire for emotional support among people who are trying to conceive without treatment, and how this compares to people who are considering or using fertility treatment.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 3,458 US-based individuals who used Maven, a comprehensive digital platform for reproductive and women’s health. Descriptive statistics and bivariate tests were used to determine differences in prevalence of depression, anxiety, conception-specific anxiety, and interest in receiving emotional support at various stages of the trying to conceive pathway.

RESULTS: Users trying to conceive without treatment, considering treatment, and using treatment screened positive at comparable rates for depression (4.1%, 4.2%, 4.6%; p = 0.82), generalized anxiety (7.5%, 8.9%, 8.8%; p = 0.77), and conception-specific anxiety (22.0%, 23.5%, 20.4%; p = 0.13). Interest in receiving emotional support was lowest in people trying to conceive without treatment, higher among people considering treatment, and highest among people using treatment (32.0%, 34.6%, 39.5%; p = 0.005), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: People trying to conceive without treatment had comparable rates of anxiety and depression to users considering or undergoing treatment. Across all groups, more than 30% of users reported interest in support for their emotional well-being. Primary care providers and digital health platforms can screen and support this population.

PMID:40926166 | DOI:10.1007/s10995-025-04157-9

Metabolomics. 2025 Sep 9;21(5):136. doi: 10.1007/s11306-025-02335-y.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Initially developed for transcriptomics data, pathway analysis (PA) methods can introduce biases when applied to metabolomics data, especially if input parameters are not chosen with care. This is particularly true for exometabolomics data, where there can be many metabolic steps between the measured exported metabolites in the profile and internal disruptions in the organism. However, evaluating PA methods experimentally is practically impossible when the sample’s “true” metabolic disruption is unknown.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to show that PA can lead to non-specific enrichment, potentially resulting in false assumptions about the true cause of perturbed metabolic states.

METHODS: Using in silico metabolic modelling, we can create disruptions in metabolic networks. SAMBA, a constraint-based modelling approach, simulates metabolic profiles for entire pathway knockouts, providing both a known disruption site as well as a simulated metabolic profile for PA methods. PA should be able to detect the known disrupted pathway among the significantly enriched pathways for that profile.

RESULTS: Through network-level statistics, visualisation, and graph-based metrics, we show that even when a given pathway is completely blocked, it may not be significantly enriched when using PA methods with its corresponding simulated metabolic profile. This can be due to various reasons such as the chosen PA method, the initial pathway set definition, or the network’s inherent structure.

CONCLUSION: This work highlights how some metabolomics data may not be suited to typical PA methods, and serves as a benchmark for analysing, improving and potentially developing new PA tools.

PMID:40926162 | DOI:10.1007/s11306-025-02335-y

Thromb Res. 2025 Sep 5;254:109452. doi: 10.1016/j.thromres.2025.109452. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Warfarin is a widely used vitamin K antagonist (VKA) with known pleiotropic effects beyond anticoagulation. Preclinical and case-control evidence suggests that warfarin may affect hematopoiesis, but longitudinal human evidence is lacking. To explore this potential effect, we conducted a post-hoc analysis of participants in the Hokusai-VTE and ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trials, which randomized patients to warfarin or the direct oral anticoagulant edoxaban with routine laboratory testing at predefined follow-up visits. We analyzed changes in total circulating white blood cells (WBC) and subpopulations (lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes) using linear regression and mixed-effects models, adjusting for baseline counts, age, sex, and time. Among 23,618 patients enrolled in the two phase 3 trials, warfarin use was associated with a modest but statistically significant reduction in WBC count (-2.3 %, 95 % CI -2.9 % to -1.7 %) and granulocyte count (-3.6 %, 95 % CI -4.5 % to -2.7 %) compared with edoxaban, while lymphocyte and monocyte counts did not differ. The associations remained consistent across multiple sensitivity analyses. No increase in clinically relevant granulocytopenia was observed. In the context of two large randomized trials, these findings support a subtle hematologic effect of warfarin, particularly in granulocytes, that aligns with preclinical findings and warrants further investigation into the long-term impact of VKAs on hematopoiesis.

PMID:40925065 | DOI:10.1016/j.thromres.2025.109452

Thromb Res. 2025 Sep 5;254:109452. doi: 10.1016/j.thromres.2025.109452. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Warfarin is a widely used vitamin K antagonist (VKA) with known pleiotropic effects beyond anticoagulation. Preclinical and case-control evidence suggests that warfarin may affect hematopoiesis, but longitudinal human evidence is lacking. To explore this potential effect, we conducted a post-hoc analysis of participants in the Hokusai-VTE and ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trials, which randomized patients to warfarin or the direct oral anticoagulant edoxaban with routine laboratory testing at predefined follow-up visits. We analyzed changes in total circulating white blood cells (WBC) and subpopulations (lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes) using linear regression and mixed-effects models, adjusting for baseline counts, age, sex, and time. Among 23,618 patients enrolled in the two phase 3 trials, warfarin use was associated with a modest but statistically significant reduction in WBC count (-2.3 %, 95 % CI -2.9 % to -1.7 %) and granulocyte count (-3.6 %, 95 % CI -4.5 % to -2.7 %) compared with edoxaban, while lymphocyte and monocyte counts did not differ. The associations remained consistent across multiple sensitivity analyses. No increase in clinically relevant granulocytopenia was observed. In the context of two large randomized trials, these findings support a subtle hematologic effect of warfarin, particularly in granulocytes, that aligns with preclinical findings and warrants further investigation into the long-term impact of VKAs on hematopoiesis.

PMID:40925065 | DOI:10.1016/j.thromres.2025.109452

Int J Orthop Trauma Nurs. 2025 Aug 29;59:101221. doi: 10.1016/j.ijotn.2025.101221. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disorder that significantly impairs physical function and daily activities. While conventional treatments focus on symptom management, complementary therapies such as aromatherapy massage have gained attention for their potential benefits.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effects of peppermint oil aromatherapy massage on functional impairments in KOA patients.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 120 KOA patients at Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran at October 2024 to December 2024. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: intervention (peppermint oil massage), placebo (paraffin oil massage), and control (no intervention). The intervention and placebo groups received biweekly 15-min knee massages for four weeks. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Statistical analyses included chi-square, ANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA.

RESULTS: Baseline characteristics and KOOS subscale scores were comparable across groups (p > 0.05). The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in pain reduction, symptom relief, and daily function over time (p < 0.001), while no significant changes were observed in the sports and recreation subscale (p > 0.05). ANOVA confirmed significant intergroup differences in KOOS subscales of pain, symptoms, and daily function at all time points (p < 0.05), except for sports/recreation and quality of life (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Peppermint oil aromatherapy massage significantly alleviates KOA-related pain and functional impairment, enhancing daily activities and overall well-being. Given its non-invasive nature and ease of application, this intervention could be recommended as an adjunctive therapy for KOA management.

PMID:40925064 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijotn.2025.101221

Int J Orthop Trauma Nurs. 2025 Aug 29;59:101221. doi: 10.1016/j.ijotn.2025.101221. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disorder that significantly impairs physical function and daily activities. While conventional treatments focus on symptom management, complementary therapies such as aromatherapy massage have gained attention for their potential benefits.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effects of peppermint oil aromatherapy massage on functional impairments in KOA patients.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 120 KOA patients at Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran at October 2024 to December 2024. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: intervention (peppermint oil massage), placebo (paraffin oil massage), and control (no intervention). The intervention and placebo groups received biweekly 15-min knee massages for four weeks. Functional outcomes were assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Statistical analyses included chi-square, ANOVA, and repeated measures ANOVA.

RESULTS: Baseline characteristics and KOOS subscale scores were comparable across groups (p > 0.05). The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in pain reduction, symptom relief, and daily function over time (p < 0.001), while no significant changes were observed in the sports and recreation subscale (p > 0.05). ANOVA confirmed significant intergroup differences in KOOS subscales of pain, symptoms, and daily function at all time points (p < 0.05), except for sports/recreation and quality of life (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Peppermint oil aromatherapy massage significantly alleviates KOA-related pain and functional impairment, enhancing daily activities and overall well-being. Given its non-invasive nature and ease of application, this intervention could be recommended as an adjunctive therapy for KOA management.

PMID:40925064 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijotn.2025.101221

J Econ Entomol. 2025 Sep 9:toaf204. doi: 10.1093/jee/toaf204. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The Citrus Under Protective Screen is a novel production system implemented to grow citrus free of huanglongbing disease vectored by Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Other significant pests such as mites, scales, thrips, mealybugs, and leafminers, as well as parasitoids and small predators, have been identified from Citrus Under Protective Screen and require management. Chrysomphalus aonidum (L.), an armored scale is a major pest of citrus. We determined the incidence of C. aonidum and parasitoid Aphytis melinus in 4-quarter-acre Citrus Under Protective Screen structures and open-air controls planted with grapefruit (Citrus paradisi). The greatest difference between the 2 production systems in temperature and humidity was observed using daily maximum values. Except for 2 of the 26 mo of study, the maximum daily temperature was significantly higher in the Citrus Under Protective Screen than in open-air, ranging from -0.6 to 16.1 °C. The maximum relative humidity between the 2 systems averaged 91% to 99%. C. aonidum was exclusively found in the in-ground trees in the Citrus Under Protective Screen, infesting 11% to 12% of trees from 2020 to 2022. The density of C. aonidum increased from 2020-2021 to 2021-2022 sampling cycle, averaging 7.81/cm2 and 15.55/cm2 on the leaves, respectively, and 3.09/cm2 and 5.63/cm2 on fruit, respectively. A. melinus captures on the yellow sticky cards were significantly higher in the Citrus Under Protective Screen than in open-air. Significantly higher numbers of C. aonidum were parasitized on leaves than on fruit, averaging 19% to 23% and 0.78% to 1.53%, respectively. Findings suggest the risk of C. aonidum infestation and prospects for biological control in Citrus Under Protective Screen.

PMID:40925045 | DOI:10.1093/jee/toaf204