Tag: nevin manimala

J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2026 Feb;66(2):272-279. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.25.16750-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Running has increased in popularity as a form of exercise, and with it, the incidence of running-related injuries. Barefoot running has gained attention as a strategy to potentially reduce injury risk, though empirical evidence supporting this remains limited. The purpose of this study was to compare injury incidence between barefoot and shod runners based on self-reported history.

METHODS: A total of 545 participants completed a survey assessing their running patterns and injury history. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to examine associations between footwear type and injury incidence.

RESULTS: Statistical analyses were performed showing strong association between the barefoot group and reduced reports of injury. A post-hoc matched-pair analysis of 21 barefoot runners and 21 shod runners (matched by age, gender, and BMI) indicated a significantly lower reported injury rate among barefoot runners (P=0.011).

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that barefoot running was associated with a lower risk of injury in a matched subgroup, although further research is needed to confirm these results.

PMID:41664970 | DOI:10.23736/S0022-4707.25.16750-9

J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2026 Feb;66(2):204-214. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.25.17064-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of underwater breathing-holding training on the cardiovascular function and swimming performance of athletes.

METHODS: Sixty swimming athletes from sports colleges are separated into an experimental group and a control group, with 30 athletes in each one. Two groups undergo 8 weeks of swimming training with a total of 32 lessons. The control group athletes receive routine swimming training. The experimental group adds breath-holding training during swimming training. Before and after training, cardiopulmonary function tests are conducted on the two groups, including heart rate, lung capacity, blood pressure, and breath-holding time. Meanwhile, the maximum suction pressure, suction flow rate, and maximum ventilation volume of the athletes are tested before and after the experiment. In addition, the study also adds a 50m freestyle swimming test to explore the swimming performance of two groups before and after training.

RESULTS: After 8 weeks, the overall improvement effect of the experimental group was more significant. In the cardiopulmonary function test, the lung capacity of the experimental group athletes increased from 3.24±1.69L to 4.81±1.93L, with statistical significance (P<0.05). For the control group, the lung capacity before and after the experiment did not exhibit statistically significant difference (P>0.05). Meanwhile, the heart rate of the experimental group athletes decreased from 58.61±9.32 beats/minute to 56.39±8.28 beats/minute, with a P value of only 0.1668, lower than that of the control group’s 0.4412. In addition, the breath-holding time of the experimental group increased from 54.36±2.05 s before the experiment to 60.15±3.28 s (P<0.05). In the index tests of maximum suction pressure, suction flow rate, and ventilation volume, the experimental group had statistically significant differences before and after the experiment (P<0.05). The control group only had statistical significance in maximum suction pressure and suction flow rate. In addition, the 50m freestyle swimming time of the experimental group athletes was reduced from 25.52±0.59 s to 25.20±0.66 s (P<0.05). The free swimming performance of the control group before and after training was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The results of lung CT examination showed that the lung function of the experimental group athletes significantly improved. The lung imaging images showed larger lung volume, unobstructed airway, clear alveolar structure, and no obvious lung lesions or atrophy.

CONCLUSIONS: The combination of breath-holding training and routine training in swimming training can improve the cardiovascular function of athletes, enhance their respiratory function, and ultimately enhance their swimming performance. This training method provides a scientifically effective training strategy for swimmers.

PMID:41664967 | DOI:10.23736/S0022-4707.25.17064-3

J Dance Med Sci. 2026 Feb 10:1089313X261417188. doi: 10.1177/1089313X261417188. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The increasing legalization of recreational marijuana worldwide necessitates a comprehensive understanding of its use. While data exists on marijuana use among theater actors and sport athletes, no data on its use within the dancer population exist, hence this study aims to describe the effects and motives of cannabis use within a dancer cohort. Methods: An online survey was conducted October 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024, involving dancers worldwide who had used cannabis in the past 6 months. The survey focused on motives for cannabis use and the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test-Revised (CUDIT-R). Qualitative methodology with thematic content analysis was employed, and statistical analysis was performed using t-test and chi-square. Results: One hundred and eight dancers completed the survey. Sixteen dancers (14.8%) reported failing to do what was normally expected from them as a dancer due to cannabis use. T-test results revealed that these dancers had an average CUDIT-R score of 19.5, significantly higher than the average score of 7.7 for dancers who did not report such failure (P < .001). Chi-square analysis showed that on average, 93.8% of participants who failed to meet dancer expectations due to cannabis scored above 12 on the CUDIT-R compared to 18.5% of those who did not report failure (P < .001). On average, 56.2% of participants who scored above 12 on the CUDIT-R indicated a coping motive for cannabis use compared to 31.6% of those who scored 12 or below (P = .029). On average, 43.8% of participants who scored above 12 on the CUDIT-R indicated an expansion motive for cannabis use compared to 18.4% of those who scored 12 or below (P = .005). Conclusion: Dancers with high CUDIT-R scores are more likely to fail to do what was normally expected from them as a dancer because of using cannabis, and more likely to cite coping and expansion as motives for cannabis use.Level of Evidence: Level 4.

PMID:41664954 | DOI:10.1177/1089313X261417188

Nurs Inq. 2026 Apr;33(2):e70088. doi: 10.1111/nin.70088.

ABSTRACT

Childbearing decisions are a pivotal factor shaping the future professional and personal trajectories of nursing students, profoundly influenced by a confluence of socioeconomic, cultural, and individual factors. This qualitative descriptive study explores the childbearing attitudes, intentions, plans, and their underlying influencing factors among university nursing students in China. The empirical material was generated from semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2024 and March 2025, with thematic analysis applied to the data. Four major themes emerged: a polarized value perception of childbearing, framed as either a path to life fulfillment or a “high-risk event”; childbearing as a rational choice contingent upon constructing a “safe zone” of economic, professional, and psychological readiness; the critical influence of key relational actors, including partners and grandparents; and the structural pressures of the macro-social environment, such as high rearing costs and gender culture. The findings indicate that contemporary nursing students have transformed childbearing decisions into a cautious evaluation of a “high-risk life milestone,” with procreation predicated on achieving an ideal state of readiness-a threshold significantly elevated by a desire to “surpass the previous generation.” Consequently, effective pro-natalist policies must move beyond mere financial incentives to address the structural barriers and deep-seated anxieties related to career development, gender equality, and workforce support within the healthcare sector.

PMID:41664945 | DOI:10.1111/nin.70088

Math Med Biol. 2026 Feb 10:dqag002. doi: 10.1093/imammb/dqag002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Biofilm infections on medical implants are difficult to eradicate because insufficient nutrient availability promotes antibiotic-tolerant persister cells that survive treatment and reseed growth. Existing mathematical models usually omit nutrient-dependent phenotypic switching between proliferative and persister states. Without this mechanism, models cannot capture how environmental conditions control the balance between active growth and dormancy, which is central to biofilm persistence. We present a continuum model that couples nutrient transport with the dynamics of proliferative bacteria, persisters, dead cells, and extracellular polymeric substances. The switching rates between proliferative and persister phenotypes depend on local nutrient concentration through two thresholds, enabling adaptation across nutrient-poor, intermediate, and nutrient-rich regimes. Simulations show that nutrient limitation produces a high and sustained proportion of persister cells even when biomass is reduced, whereas nutrient-rich conditions support reversion to proliferative growth and lead to greater biomass. The model also predicts that persister populations peak at times that vary with nutrient availability, and these peaks coincide with turning points in biofilm growth, identifying critical intervention windows. By directly linking nutrient availability to phenotypic switching, our model reveals mechanisms of biofilm persistence that earlier models could not capture, and it points toward strategies that target nutrient-driven adaptation as a means to improve the control of implant-associated infections.

PMID:41664943 | DOI:10.1093/imammb/dqag002

Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2026 Jan 30;58(1):10-16. doi: 10.5114/ait/216697.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While patient satisfaction is a major marker of quality in healthcare, predictors of Press Ganey scores for anesthesia survey questions have not been well explored. This study aimed to explore factors associated with anesthesia-specific patient satisfaction scores.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of percentile ranking on patient satisfaction questions. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the patient experiences with anesthesia at our institution. Three questions were added to the Press Ganey surveys: (1) rating of anesthesia services, (2) explanations provided by the anesthesiologists, (3) friendliness/courtesy of the anesthesiologist. A total of 3,218, 3,294, and 3,200 patients, respectively, answered the questions on a Likert scale. Covariates included attending anesthesiologist workload, number of comparator healthcare institutions, and season of year.

RESULTS: Lower percentile rank with rating of anesthesia services was associated with greater attending anesthesiologist workload (-13.7; 95% CI: -24.8 to -2.6; P = 0.017), season of year (-9.0; 95% CI: -16.2 to -1.8; P = 0.016), and smaller number of comparator healthcare institutions (2.4; 95% CI: 0.5 to 4.3; P = 0.015). Lower percentile rank with explanations provided by the anesthesiologists (0.7; 95% CI: 0.1 to 1.3; P = 0.021) and friendliness/courtesy of the anesthesiologist (0.9; 95% CI: 0.2 to 1.5; P = 0.008) were associated with decreasing number of comparator healthcare institutions.

CONCLUSIONS: Improving patient satisfaction may require reduction or redistribution of anesthesiologist workload, improvement in resident communication skills, and increased supervision of junior residents. Anesthesia-specific patient satisfaction scores should be risk-adjusted for contextual factors such as seasonality, workload, and number of comparator institutions before being tied to payment.

PMID:41664907 | DOI:10.5114/ait/216697

Biometrics. 2026 Jan 6;82(1):ujag033. doi: 10.1093/biomtc/ujag033.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41664906 | DOI:10.1093/biomtc/ujag033

Cereb Cortex. 2026 Feb 10;36(2):bhag007. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhag007.

ABSTRACT

Short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), a paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (pp-TMS) paradigm, provides an in vivo marker of GABA-A-mediated inhibitory tone in the human cortex. SICI has been extensively characterized at the local level, but its relationship with brain network dynamics remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether interindividual variability in SICI correlates with resting-state functional connectivity (FC) derived from high-density EEG (HD-EEG). Eighteen healthy volunteers underwent HD-EEG followed by pp-TMS based assessment of SICI and intracortical facilitation. FC was computed in source space across canonical frequency bands using the weighted phase lag index, and its association with conditioned motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) was tested using network-based statistics. Stronger FC in β and high-γ bands was positively associated with reduced inhibition (ie larger conditioned MEPs) at ISI 2 ms. These networks prominently involved sensorimotor, prefrontal, and temporo-parietal regions (β) as well as parieto-occipital, sensorimotor, and temporal regions (γ). Our findings provide the first electrophysiological evidence that local inhibitory tone is mirrored by large-scale frequency-specific networks in the healthy brain. This multimodal approach advances the understanding of how GABA-A-mediated inhibition shapes cortical network organization and may inform future studies on disease-related alterations of inhibitory dynamics.

PMID:41664904 | DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhag007

An Sist Sanit Navar. 2026 Feb 10;49(1):e1152. doi: 10.23938/ASSN.1152.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Observational Gait Scale for Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation, including intra- and inter-rater reliability, minimal detectable change, and construct validity.

METHODS: An observational study was conducted in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation. Gait was recorded under standardized conditions and independently assessed by two trained evaluators using the Observational Gait Scale for Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation, which comprised two sections: 1 – assessment of kinematic gait patterns focused on joint mobility, and 2 – assessment of spatiotemporal parameters. Intraclass correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman plots and Pearson’s correlation with the Houghton Scale were used.

RESULTS: Thirty-seven participants were included, 56.8% women and mean age 45.6 years (SD=13.8). Intra-rater reliability was excellent for the total score (ICC = 0.996), section 1 (ICC = 0.988), and section 2 (ICC = 0.995) with an MDC95 of 0.12 points. Inter-rater reliability was also excellent (total ICC = 0.987; section 1 = 0.966; section 2 = 0.986), with an MDC95 of 0.36 points. Bland-Altman analysis showed narrow limits of agreement (±1.4 points intra-rater and ±2.28 points inter-rater). Construct validity was strong and statistically significant (r= -0.773; p &lt;0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The Observational Gait Scale for Persons with Lower Limb Amputation is a reliable and valid tool for assessing an objective and structured evaluation of gait patterns in individuals with unilateral lower limb amputation. Its design, excellent reliability and strong construct validity support its use in both clinical practice and research.

PMID:41664884 | DOI:10.23938/ASSN.1152

J Learn Disabil. 2026 Feb 10:222194261417589. doi: 10.1177/00222194261417589. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Students in grades 2 through 4 with significant word reading difficulties were randomly assigned to one of two 10-week interventions. In the Dual Treatment condition, decoding instruction emphasized regularity in spelling-sound correspondence, sound-by-sound decoding, and separately taught high-frequency words on a whole-word basis. In the Integrated condition, decoding instruction interleaved regularity and variability in spelling-sound correspondence, targeted larger letter units, and aligned high-frequency word instruction with decoding. At posttest, statistically significant differences favored the Integrated condition on standardized word reading efficiency (g = 0.37), silent word identification fluency (g = 0.41), and an intervention-aligned list of words not targeted in either condition (g = 0.26). Although not statistically significant, effect sizes also favored the Integrated condition on standardized sentence reading efficiency (g = 0.25), intervention-aligned letter-sound correspondence (g = 0.24), and other word lists taught or not taught in both conditions (gs = 0.12 to 0.21). A nonstatistically significant effect favored the Dual Treatment condition on intervention-aligned correct letter sequences spelling (g = -0.19), and null effects were observed on a standardized oral reading fluency (g = 0.04) and intervention-aligned whole word spelling (g = 0.02). Supported exposure to greater variability in spelling-sound correspondence may improve generalized word reading skills.

PMID:41664880 | DOI:10.1177/00222194261417589