Tag: nevin manimala

Cureus. 2026 Jul 3;18(7):e111995. doi: 10.7759/cureus.111995. eCollection 2026 Jul.

ABSTRACT

Background Universal precautions are essential infection control measures aimed at preventing healthcare-associated infections and occupational exposure among healthcare workers (HCWs). However, compliance remains suboptimal, particularly in resource-limited settings. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and compliance regarding universal precautions among the nursing staff at a tertiary care teaching hospital and identify gaps in infection control practices. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2026 among 40 nurses at Government Medical College, Datia, Madhya Pradesh, India. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire assessing knowledge (15 items) and compliance (20 items on a Likert scale). Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi, version 2.6.44 (The jamovi Project, Sydney, NSW, Australia). Results Among the 40 nurses included in the study, 31 (77.5%) were aged 24-30 years, and 24 (60.0%) had 1.5-5 years of work experience. Adequate knowledge regarding universal precautions was observed among 31 (77.5%) nurses, while five (12.5%) demonstrated very good knowledge scores. Knowledge regarding key infection control practices was high, with 40 (100%) participants aware of hand hygiene between patients and 39 (97.5%) reporting correct knowledge regarding glove use for blood collection and avoidance of needle recapping. However, 34 (85.0%) nurses correctly recognized that the primary objective of universal precautions is not limited solely to protecting HCWs, while five (12.5%) believed that such precautions were required only for infected patients. Compliance with hand hygiene practices was high, with 36-38 nurses (90.0%-95.0%) consistently adhering to recommended practices. Similarly, adherence to glove use during high-risk procedures was observed among 37-39 nurses (92.5%-97.5%). Lower compliance was observed for glove use during injections among 22 (55.0%) nurses and for apron and cap/shoe-cover use among 26-27 nurses (65.0%-67.5%). Additionally, 4 (10.0%) nurses reported non-adherence to safe needle recapping and post-exposure management practices. Conclusion Despite adequate knowledge, a notable knowledge-practice gap exists among nurses. Strengthening training, ensuring personal protective equipment (PPE) availability, and reinforcing monitoring mechanisms are essential to improve compliance and enhance infection control practices.

PMID:42544350 | PMC:PMC13429165 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.111995

Can Vet J. 2026 Aug 1;67(8):882-888. eCollection 2026 Aug.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Natural bobtail phenotypes, mostly caused by a mutation in the T-box transcription factor T-gene, occur in several dog breeds. Although generally considered benign, reduced tail length may co-occur with structural changes in the lumbosacral spine, raising potential welfare concerns.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate whether natural bobtail phenotypes (short- and stumptails) are associated with the occurrence of lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV) in Brittany dogs and Danish-Swedish Farmdogs.

ANIMALS AND PROCEDURES: This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 1679 dogs [Brittany dogs (n = 744); Danish-Swedish Farmdogs (n = 935)] screened through the Norwegian Kennel Club’s hip dysplasia program. Standardized ventrodorsal pelvic radiographs were evaluated for LTV and tail phenotypes. Associations were assessed using chi-square tests, odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and post-hoc standardized residuals. Tail phenotypes were analyzed as a binary variable (bobtail versus normal) in both breeds and as a 3-category variable (stump, short, normal) in Brittany dogs.

RESULTS: Lumbosacral transitional vertebra prevalence was 47.8% in Brittany dogs and 14.9% in Danish-Swedish Farmdogs, whereas the natural bobtail phenotype (stump + short) occurred in 26.7% of Brittany dogs and 11.0% (short) of Danish-Swedish Farmdogs. In Brittany dogs, bobtailed dogs had significantly increased odds of being LTV-positive compared with dogs having a tail of normal length (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.47 to 2.85; P < 0.001), with the strongest association observed in stump-tailed individuals. In Danish-Swedish Farmdogs, the association was weaker and did not reach statistical significance (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 0.99 to 2.76; P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Natural bobtail phenotypes are associated with LTV in Brittany dogs, with stump-tailed dogs showing the strongest association. A similar, non-significant trend was observed in Danish-Swedish Farmdogs.

PMID:42544340 | PMC:PMC13429198

Dela J Public Health. 2026 Jul 31;12(3):84-89. doi: 10.32481/djph.2026.07.13. eCollection 2026 Jul.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: . More than two million older adults are homebound and five million need help leaving their homes. They often experience social isolation, food insecurity, and lack of connection to community resources. Affordable, adaptable, comprehensive home-based services for those aging in place are lacking. This study examined the benefits of an intergenerational home-based service-learning program on goal attainment in 1) social support, 2) home safety and cleanliness, 3) access to community resources, 4) food access, and 5) improving physical health.

METHODS: . 201 homebound and near-homebound older adults enrolled in Lori’s Hands in Newark, DE; Baltimore, MD; and Metro Detroit, MI were surveyed between December 2021 and May 2026. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were conducted to examine changes in domain-specific subjective assessment of goal attainment over time.

RESULTS: Findings indicated that 83% of clients reported positive changes in at least one of the five target service areas over six or more months of participation in the program. The majority of participants reported 1) home safety and cleanliness and 2) social support as their most important goals. Results from the chi-square test indicated statistically significant differences in goal attainment for all five service areas.

CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that intergenerational in-home support services can improve social support, home safety and cleanliness, physical activity, food access and nutrition, and access to community resources for homebound older adults, thereby supporting aging in place and reducing the load on informal caregivers.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS: . Policies and practice can support a pipeline of health professionals through innovative service-learning models to benefit older adults, caregivers, students, and the broader community.

PMID:42544333 | PMC:PMC13429250 | DOI:10.32481/djph.2026.07.13

PeerJ. 2026 Jul 30;14:e21550. doi: 10.7717/peerj.21550. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study investigated the effects of different velocity loss (VL) thresholds during squat exercise at 80% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) on post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) in basketball players.

METHODS: Nineteen male collegiate basketball players completed three familiarization sessions and four randomized crossover experimental sessions: control (passive rest), 5% VL, 10% VL, and 20% VL. Countermovement jump height (JH), peak power output (PPO), and reactive strength index modified (RSIm) were measured pre-test and at 3-min and 8-min post-squat. Linear mixed-effects models (LMMs) evaluated the effects of time, condition, and mean-centered relative strength on the outcome variables and repetition counts. To identify responders who exhibited meaningful improvements in jump height, the smallest worthwhile change (SWC) was calculated.

RESULTS: At the group level, no significant condition × time interactions or main effects of condition were observed for JH, PPO, or RSIm (p > 0.05), indicating no uniform PAPE effect across protocols. Furthermore, no statistically significant strength × time × condition interaction effects were observed. Repetition counts did not differ between the 5% and 10% VL conditions but were significantly lower in both conditions compared to the 20% VL condition (p < 0.01). Individual analysis showed the 20% VL condition yielded the highest number of responders (n = 11; 58%).

CONCLUSION: Squat protocols using 5-20% VL at 80% 1RM did not produce significant group-level CMJ performance improvements, suggesting that a comprehensive warm-up may create a performance ceiling. Furthermore, these responses were not moderated by relative strength. However, the high inter-individual variability and responder rates at higher VL thresholds highlight the importance of individualized PAPE programming.

PMID:42544330 | PMC:PMC13429104 | DOI:10.7717/peerj.21550

Dela J Public Health. 2026 Jul 31;12(3):110-113. doi: 10.32481/djph.2026.07.18. eCollection 2026 Jul.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Prematurity remains a significant cause of infant and childhood morbidity and mortality. Infants who are exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months of life have improved outcomes. A majority of premature infants are discharged home on formula. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) design may influence parental involvement and, in turn, affect breast milk utilization. This study assesses breast milk utilization at discharge, before, and after transitioning from a traditional open-bay NICU to a private, single-family room (SFR) NICU.

METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study of infants born at <32 weeks gestation admitted to a level III NICU before and after a transition from a traditional open-bay to a SFR NICU. Infants who received care in both NICU environments were excluded. The primary outcome was breast milk utilization at discharge. Standard descriptive statistics were used.

RESULTS: A total of 276 infants were included in the analysis. Demographic and clinical variables did not differ except for increased socioeconomic disadvantage and eligibility for donor breast milk. There was a significant increase in overall breast milk utilization (p=.04) but not maternal breast milk (p=0.61) in the SFR. Infants admitted to the traditional open-bay unit were younger at first oral feeding attempt (34.2 weeks (2.9)) compared to infants in the SFR room (35.2 weeks (2.4), p=0.007).

CONCLUSION: Transition from a traditional open-bay model to a single-family room (SFR) model affected the time of oral feeding initiation but did not significantly impact breast milk exposure, breastfeeding attempts, or parental involvement in feeding. Breastfeeding outcomes may be more strongly influenced by clinical practices and support systems rather than by the physical environment. Understanding the impact of the NICU environment on feeding practices can inform institutional policies aimed at optimizing breast milk utilization.

PMID:42544328 | PMC:PMC13429254 | DOI:10.32481/djph.2026.07.18

J Inflamm Res. 2026 Jul 29;19:613632. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S613632. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke (IS) frequently co-occur and worsen each other. Circulating immune cells may act as a cross-organ inflammatory bridge, but the key immune lineage, genetically supported mediators, and druggable targets remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the immune-cell lineage, candidate gene, and tractable intervention target linking HF and IS.

METHODS: Bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) of genome-wide association study summary statistics was used to assess causal links between HF and IS. Mouse single-cell transcriptomic datasets from HF and IS models were integrated to define a shared immune/stromal atlas and characterize Ly6C⁺ monocyte expansion. Ly6C⁺ monocyte marker genes were mapped to human orthologs and evaluated using peripheral-blood expression quantitative trait locus data for gene-level MR, followed by expression validation, colocalization, summary-data-based MR, and spatial transcriptomics. In HF single-cell data, Ly6C⁺ monocytes were stratified by Nrip1 expression for cell-cell communication, pathway enrichment, and pseudotime analyses. Candidate-drug prediction, druggability evaluation, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and in vitro validation were then performed.

RESULTS: MR supported a bidirectional positive association between HF and IS. Both diseases showed expansion of inflammatory Ly6C⁺ monocytes at single-cell resolution. Among MR-implicated genes, NRIP1 was prioritized as a key gene associated with reduced IS risk, and genetic and spatial evidence supported its monocyte-mediated role in HF-IS coupling. Nrip1-stratified and pseudotime analyses suggested a homeostatic role through modulation of inflammatory thresholds and communication patterns. Drug prediction and in silico analyses indicated that retinoic acid-related small molecules may bind NRIP1 and exhibit preliminary druggability. In vitro, tretinoin alleviated ischemia-like HMC3 cell injury and inflammation by modulating monocyte NRIP1.

CONCLUSION: An NRIP1-centered monocyte network may represent a tractable immune bridge in HF-IS comorbidity, and tretinoin provides an entry point for NRIP1-targeted intervention.

PMID:42544320 | PMC:PMC13429124 | DOI:10.2147/JIR.S613632

Cureus. 2026 Jul 3;18(7):e111994. doi: 10.7759/cureus.111994. eCollection 2026 Jul.

ABSTRACT

Background Hypertension and obesity remain important public health concerns among Indigenous populations in Canada because of their association with cardiovascular disease and related chronic conditions. Limited recent national evidence has examined the relationship between body mass index and hypertension among Indigenous adults in Canada. Objective To examine the association between body mass index classification and hypertension among Indigenous adults in Canada using data from the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey Public Use Microdata File. The study included 1,632 Indigenous adults aged 18 years and older, representing a weighted population of 607,892 individuals. Survey-weighted descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed while accounting for the complex survey design and bootstrap variance estimation. Hypertension was the outcome variable, while body mass index classification was the primary exposure variable. Results Among participants with hypertension, 92,384 (87.03%) were classified as overweight or obese, compared with 351,946 (70.14%) among those without hypertension. Adults aged 50-64 years had significantly higher odds of hypertension compared with adults aged 18-34 years (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=9.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.70-33.69, p<0.001). Participants aged 65 years or older also had higher odds of hypertension (aOR=13.59, 95% CI: 3.68-50.14, p<0.001). High cholesterol was significantly associated with hypertension (aOR=2.40, 95% CI: 1.23-4.70, p=0.011). Overweight or obese participants had higher odds of hypertension compared with underweight or normal weight participants; however, the association did not reach statistical significance after adjustment for demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors (aOR=2.15, 95% CI: 0.95-4.88, p=0.066). Conclusion This study highlights the burden of hypertension among Indigenous adults in Canada. Older age and high cholesterol were significantly associated with hypertension. Although overweight or obese participants demonstrated higher odds of hypertension, the association did not reach statistical significance after adjustment. Further longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the relationship between body mass index and hypertension among Indigenous populations in Canada.

PMID:42544307 | PMC:PMC13429213 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.111994

Clin Transl Sci. 2026 Aug;19(8):e70690. doi: 10.1111/cts.70690.

ABSTRACT

Identification of modifiable risk factors for prescription opioid use disorder (OUD)-related emergency department (ED) visits (ICD-10 F11.xx) is a clinical priority; however, most published models remain cross-sectional and lack pharmacogenomic (PGx) enrichment or dual-method feature confirmation. Using Virginia All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) data (2016-2019; 6,929,576 patients), we analyzed prescription OUD-related ED visits ( n = 1,505,138 cases; 5:1 matched controls) across seven age bands. CatBoost, XGBoost, and XGBoost-RF ensembles were trained within four utilization-density strata (25-split MCCV; 2016-2018 training; 2019 holdout) using PGx burden and pre-index temporal dynamics. Risk features were identified via a Consensus Filter (SHAP ∩ FFA) requiring SHAP values ≥ 75th percentile and FFA rule support ≥ 0.05. Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) characterized pre-index trajectories. On the 2019 low-density holdout, PR-AUC lift over prevalence ranged from 2.3× to 3.4×; the 25-44 band achieved an AUROC of 0.800 and 3.3× lift ( n = 4942 holdout cases). Top Consensus-Risk features included gabapentin, long-term opioid use (Z79.891), and pgx_num_drugs. DTW yielded three utilization archetypes in the 25-44 band ( n = 59,813), with a mean pre-index time-to-target of 6.8 months. While SHAP/FFA specify how to intervene (medication and care targets), DTW specifies when to act (surveillance window). These findings provide an observational risk-attribution framework for Consensus-Risk priority features and pre-index trajectory windows in claims-based prescription OUD-related ED care rather than identified causal treatment effects. We maintain the association-versus-causation distinction to support safer clinical use and preserve a path to prospective causal validation.

PMID:42543496 | DOI:10.1111/cts.70690

J Oral Rehabil. 2026 Aug 2. doi: 10.1111/joor.70256. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Bruxism and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are multifactorial conditions in which cognitive and behavioural traits may play an underrecognised role. Hyperfocus, defined as intense and sustained attentional engagement, has been proposed as a potential driver of heightened sensorimotor activity and pain vulnerability, yet its relevance to bruxism and painful TMD remains poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether hyperfocus is associated with probable bruxism and painful TMD (pTMD), and to determine whether probable bruxism mediates the relationship between hyperfocus and pTMD.

METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study included eighty-five adults attending a university dental clinic who underwent standardised assessments for probable bruxism, pTMD, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and hyperfocus. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with probable bruxism and pTMD. Mediation analyses tested whether probable bruxism explained the association between hyperfocus and pTMD.

RESULTS: Higher hyperfocus scores were significantly associated with both probable bruxism and pTMD. Each one-point increase in hyperfocus was linked to a 6.5% increase in the odds of PB and a 5.5% increase in the odds of pTMD. Hyperfocus was also associated with self-reported probable bruxism frequency in a dose-response pattern. Probable bruxism did not remain independently associated in the final multivariable model and therefore did not statistically explain the observed association between hyperfocus and pTMD, indicating that hyperfocus may act as an independent factor linked to both conditions.

CONCLUSION: Hyperfocus emerged as a trait associated with probable bruxism and painful TMD in this exploratory cross-sectional study. Longitudinal and mechanistic studies are needed to determine whether these associations reflect causal relationships.

PMID:42543493 | DOI:10.1111/joor.70256

Nurs Health Sci. 2026 Sep;28(3):e70406. doi: 10.1111/nhs.70406.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the relationship between symptom clusters (depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and pain) and frailty in older adults, with a specific focus on mediation and moderation effects. Data from two cross-sectional studies in Changsha and Hong Kong were analyzed, including nursing home residents without cancer and older adults with cancer. Study-stratified analyses were conducted in SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS, with adjustment for available covariates. Mediation tested whether sleep disturbances were indirectly associated with depressive symptoms and frailty, and moderated mediation examined whether pain severity or interference conditioned the association between depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances. In both groups, frailty, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and pain were significantly associated. Sleep disturbances showed a significant indirect association between depressive symptoms and frailty in both groups. Pain interference, but not pain severity, moderated the association between depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances only among older adults without cancer. The findings highlight the importance of assessing and managing depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and pain-related interference when addressing frailty in older adults, particularly among those without cancer.

PMID:42543491 | DOI:10.1111/nhs.70406