Tag: nevin manimala

Drug Alcohol Rev. 2025 Nov 4. doi: 10.1111/dar.70064. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: People who inject drugs (PWID) often present to hospital with complicated infections, providing an opportunity to screen and vaccinate for hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). This study evaluated HAV and HBV screening and vaccination among PWID over 3 years.

METHODS: A single-centre retrospective study of all infectious diseases inpatient admissions for current PWID with a length of stay ≥ 48 h, Drug and Alcohol team referral and/or opioid substitution therapy was performed (January 2020-December 2022). Serological screening for HAV (immunoglobulin G [IgG]) and HBV (complete screening: surface antigen, core and surface antibodies), and vaccinations were collected per encounter. The prevalence of serological screening and vaccinations against HAV and HBV and differences in characteristics by screening status were explored with descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: Overall, 115 patients from 159 encounters were included (mean age: 41.8 ± 8.4 years; male: n = 73, 64%; median length of stay: 7 (IQR 4-16) days). Anti-HAV screening was performed for 47 patients across 57 (35.8%) encounters, with 12 patients who screened negative vaccinated (n = 12/21, 57.1%). Complete HBV screening was performed for 75 patients across 85 (53.5%) encounters, with 7 patients who screened negative vaccinated (n = 7/12, 58.3%). Males were more likely to receive HAV screening than females (77% vs. 23%, p = 0.015). HBV screening was less likely in encounters requiring intensive care unit admission (12% vs. 88%, p = 0.038).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: While more than half of eligible patients received vaccination, complete screening for both HAV and HBV was low. Initiatives including electronic serology order sets should be considered to improve screening.

PMID:41186076 | DOI:10.1111/dar.70064

Nurs Health Sci. 2025 Dec;27(4):e70248. doi: 10.1111/nhs.70248.

ABSTRACT

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is shaped by multiple lifestyle factors, yet models with practical behavioral cutoffs remain scarce. This study developed a machine learning model to identify key lifestyle factors and specific thresholds linked to cLBP in adults aged 50 and older, using data from 5607 participants in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Machine learning algorithms were trained and validated, with performance assessed via AUROC and SHAP for interpretability. The logistic regression model performed best (AUROC = 0.721, 95% CI: 0.699-0.742). SHAP analysis revealed that higher cLBP risk was associated with older age, female gender, prolonged sitting (≥ 6 h/day), low walking frequency (< 4-5 times/week), infrequent strength training (< 1 time/week), moderate-intensity work, elevated stress, and smoking over five packs lifetime. Diet also mattered: cLBP risk rose among those dining out less than ~2.2 times/week, consuming under 2.9 servings/day of protein, or with carbohydrate intake outside 55%-65% of total energy. These practical cutoffs can help clinicians identify high-risk individuals through simple assessments, guiding tailored interventions in physical activity, diet, smoking cessation, and stress management to prevent cLBP.

PMID:41186069 | DOI:10.1111/nhs.70248

J Phys Chem Lett. 2025 Nov 4:11770-11776. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5c02949. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Recent atmospheric measurements indicate that bromine and iodine may be responsible for up to 72% of halogen-induced ozone loss near the tropopause, yet there is ongoing uncertainty regarding the multiphase chemistry of bromide and iodide anions in ozone depletion. Here, we demonstrate the unequivocal ozone-dependence of the archetype ¹Br^– + ¹O₃ reaction, which proceeds with an experimental rate constant of 8.9 (±4.4) × 10^-15 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1. The reaction mechanism is revised to proceed via a singlet transition state with a rate-limiting barrier of +22.1 kJ mol^-1 -half that of prior estimates -prior to facile spin-crossing to yield ¹BrO^– + ³O₂. Statistical rate modeling using this new barrier height predicts a rate constant of 5.7 × 10^-15 cm³ molecule^-1 s^-1, which is in excellent agreement with the experiment. This reconciliation of the kinetics for the intrinsic gas-phase reaction will enable systematic evaluation of temperature, pressure, and solvation effects on this ion-molecule chemistry and thus inform the impact of halide anion chemistry on atmospheric ozone.

PMID:41186043 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jpclett.5c02949

Diagn Cytopathol. 2025 Nov 4. doi: 10.1002/dc.70042. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative cytological consultation (IOC) is a practical, rapid, and reliable method for evaluating central nervous system (CNS) tumors, enhancing the neurosurgical oncological approach. While some studies have used Papanicolaou (Pap) staining for diagnosis, its exact contribution in comparison to the rapid hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining technique and its cytological staining characteristics remains to be fully clarified.

METHOD: During 12 months, this prospective study examined and contrasted the final histopathological section diagnoses of 161 specimens collected from 146 consecutive patients who received intraoperative touch-imprint cytology (TIC) and squash smear preparation (SP) techniques, using both HE and Pap staining methods.

RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of TIC, relative to the final integrated histopathological diagnosis, was 85.1%. Although data for frozen sections were not separately quantified, TIC remains a rapid, reliable, and practical method for intraoperative evaluation. The evaluation of CNS lesions is best achieved by histopathology, which is considered the gold standard. The most common neoplasms were glioblastoma IDH-wild type, metastatic cancers, pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (adenoma), and meningiomas. Kappa statistics between Pap and HE staining demonstrated very good overall agreement (kappa 0.9-1, p < 0.01) across all assessed cytological features, with the highest concordance observed for nuclear details, artifacts, mitotic background, necrosis, and cytoplasmic details. Although the Wilcoxon rank-sum test indicated small but statistically significant differences in the median scores for nuclear details and artifacts, these differences reflect minor quantitative variations and do not affect the very good overall agreement between the two staining methods.

CONCLUSION: Intracranial TIC and SP specimens stained with both HE and Pap demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance, characterized by high sensitivity and specificity. The combined use of Pap staining alongside HE provides a reliable and effective alternative to traditional cytological staining methods.

PMID:41186030 | DOI:10.1002/dc.70042

Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2025 Nov 4. doi: 10.1002/ksa.70170. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week prehabilitation programme combined with standardized post-operative rehabilitation in improving functional recovery, pain control and structural healing following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted with 90 male patients undergoing primary unilateral ACLR, randomly assigned to either a prehabilitation group (45 patients) or a non-preoperative rehabilitation group (45 patients). The prehabilitation group participated in an 8-week programme including neuromuscular training, strength exercises and education; another group received a home-based exercise programme for 8 weeks, while both groups received identical post-operative rehabilitation. Primary outcomes were measured using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score at 12 months, with secondary outcomes including pain levels assessed by the visual analogue scale, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, functional performance tests and structural assessments through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Statistical analyses included repeated-measures analysis of variance, multiple linear regression and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS: At 12-month follow-up, the prehabilitation group demonstrated significantly better outcomes compared to the non-preoperative group: IKDC scores improved by 11.3 points (92.4 vs. 77.1), pain scores were lower (0.0 vs. 1.0) and thigh muscle asymmetry was reduced (0.8 cm vs. 1.5 cm). MRI results also showed better structural healing in the preoperative rehabilitation group. The programme was identified as the strongest predictor of improved knee function and reduced recovery time by 2.6 weeks (7.2 weeks vs. 9.8 weeks).

CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative rehabilitation is essential for better recovery after ACLR. These findings support incorporating preoperative rehabilitation into standard treatment protocols. Further research should investigate these effects in broader patient populations and examine underlying biological mechanisms.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

PMID:41186016 | DOI:10.1002/ksa.70170

Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2025 Nov 4:207640251386099. doi: 10.1177/00207640251386099. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) in adolescents enrolled in secondary school.

METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 418 secondary school students who were selected using systematic sampling. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to collect data. Data were entered and analyzed by IBM SPSS version 30. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. In the final model, variables with a P-value <0.05 at 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were declared as statistically significant with DAS.

RESULTS: A total of 418 study participants were included in the study, yielding a response rate of 99.3%. The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in this study was found to be 123 (29.4%; 95% CI [25.0, 33.8%]), 199 (47.6%; 95% CI [42.8, 52.4%]), and 241 (57.7%; 95% CI [53.0, 62.4%]), respectively. The mean ± standard deviation of depression, anxiety, and stress scores were 7.74 ± 1.4, 6.27 ± 1.24, and 13.18 ± 1.76, respectively. In multivariable regression analyses, sex, living arrangement, substance use, connectedness with family, anxiety, and stress were found to be significantly associated with depression. Depression was found to be significantly associated with anxiety and living arrangement, level of education, connectedness with family, and family dispute, and anxiety was found to be significantly associated with stress.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results of the current study revealed that a remarkable proportion of students experienced depression, anxiety, and stress. Generally, socio-economic, academic, relationships with family, and substance use-related factors were identified as having an association with DAS. Strong relationships between depression, anxiety, and stress were discovered. Hence, we recommend structured counselling services for at-risk students for early detection and prevention of DAS.

PMID:41185987 | DOI:10.1177/00207640251386099

Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2025 Oct 13:207640251378601. doi: 10.1177/00207640251378601. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Eco-anxiety has become a prominent emotional response to the global climate crisis, yet there is a lack of empirical research examining its prevalence and correlates across diverse cultural and national contexts.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate levels of eco-anxiety and its associations with age, perceived knowledge, climate risk perception, and beliefs about governmental climate action across participants from six countries.

RESULTS: Data were collected from 2,206 participants across India, Italy, the Philippines, Türkiye, Trinidad and Tobago, and Hungary. Statistically significant cross-national differences were found in eco-anxiety, perceived knowledge, climate risk perception, and beliefs about government action. Italian participants reported the highest levels of eco-anxiety, while Hungarian participants reported the lowest. Correlational analyses showed that eco-anxiety was positively associated with climate risk perception and perceived knowledge, but negatively associated with age and beliefs in government action.

DISCUSSION: The findings reveal that eco-anxiety is shaped by both cognitive and sociopolitical factors. Risk perception and climate knowledge appear to intensify emotional responses, while belief in government action may serve as a mitigating factor. Age-related differences suggest that younger individuals are more emotionally impacted by climate concerns.

CONCLUSION: This study underscores the need for culturally sensitive public policy and mental health interventions to address the psychological dimensions of the climate crisis.

PMID:41185966 | DOI:10.1177/00207640251378601

Microbiologyopen. 2025 Dec;14(6):e70109. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.70109.

ABSTRACT

Asthma, a chronic bronchial disorder prevalent in children/adolescents, is exacerbated under environmental conditions like dust storms. The current study investigated heavy metal levels, airborne bacteria, and serum IL-4/IL-8 in asthmatics during before/after dust storms in Iraq’s Al-Anbar, Baghdad, and Kirkuk provinces. Airborne heavy metals were quantified by ICP-MS, serum cytokines by ELISA, and bacterial communities via metagenomics. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism (p < 0.05 significant). ICP-MS revealed considerably elevated post-storm concentrations of As, Ag, B, Ba, Co, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sn, S, Ti, and V. Asthmatic subjects presented with considerably elevated IL-4 and IL-8 post-storm (p < 0.05) compared to controls (p > 0.05). Metagenomics revealed storm-induced bacterial alterations: Al-Anbar contained elevated Burkholderiaceae, Methylophilaceae, and Rhodobacteraceae; Kirkuk contained elevated Ilumatobacteraceae, Microbacteriaceae, Burkholderiaceae, and Rhodobacteraceae. Baghdad’s most prevalent species included Rhodocyclaceae (50%), Burkholderiaceae (17%), and Arcobacteraceae (4.5%). Al-Anbar was significantly richer in microbes (Chao1) and more diverse (Shannon) than other regions following the dust storm (p < 0.0001). These findings indicate that dust storms raise heavy metals, alter airborne bacteria, and increase inflammatory cytokines in asthma sufferers, and these emphasize their role in exacerbating asthma in Iraq.

PMID:41185941 | DOI:10.1002/mbo3.70109

Biomater Sci. 2025 Nov 4. doi: 10.1039/d5bm00763a. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Nanostructured surfaces are increasingly used for cell applications due to their enhanced interactions with numerous cell types; yet, their effects on tissues remain unexplored. To address this limitation, we designed vertical silicon nanopillar (Si-NP) arrays with high density, high aspect ratio and submicrometer diameter, as an optimized geometry based on previous cell-nanostructure studies. Using state-of-the-art in vitro and ex vivo assays, we examined adhesion and biocompatibility of biological samples of different origin and level of complexity -human epithelial-like cell lines, Drosophila imaginal discs and patient-derived lung cancer biopsies-laid on Si-NP arrays or unpatterned flat Si surfaces. Our results demonstrated that Si-NP arrays significantly improved cell and tissue adhesion while preventing oxidative damage and early apoptosis. Consistently, focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy imaging of cells and tissues showed extended horizontal protrusions and limited vertical wrapping around Si-NP, revealing enhanced cell-NP interactions without cell/tissue penetration. In contrast, flat Si surfaces showed poor adhesion, increased apoptosis, and failed to support tumor biopsy attachment. Interaction with Si-NP arrays upregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS), yet mitochondria-associated ROS remained unchanged, and consequently apoptosis was not induced, indicating that the increased ROS arose from non-mitochondrial compartments and did not compromise viability. Notably, Si-NP arrays matched or outperformed biological responses on tissue culture plastic and Transwell-based assays, which are common in vitro and ex vivo substrates, respectively. These findings provide the first demonstration of the biological suitability of Si-NP arrays for tissue applications in research and clinical translation.

PMID:41185938 | DOI:10.1039/d5bm00763a

Int J Artif Organs. 2025 Nov 4:3913988251385454. doi: 10.1177/03913988251385454. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the clinical and demographic factors influencing the restoration of sinus rhythm and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) concomitant with mitral valve surgery. By analyzing the associations between rhythm outcomes, mortality, and patient characteristics, this study seeks to identify predictors of ablation success and provide valuable insights into optimizing treatment strategies for atrial fibrillation in this high-risk patient population.

METHODS: Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed. Postoperative electrocardiography (ECG) findings during the first year after surgery were used to classify patients into two groups: those who achieved sinus rhythm (SR) and those who remained in atrial fibrillation (AF). Additionally, patients were categorized into survivors and non-survivors within the first postoperative year for statistical comparisons.

RESULTS: The overall rate of sinus rhythm (SR) restoration within the first year after radiofrequency (RF) ablation was 70.2% (n = 85). When comparing patients who achieved SR with those who remained in atrial fibrillation (AF) postoperatively, the AF group exhibited significantly larger preoperative ascending aortic diameters, left atrial diameters, and interventricular septal thicknesses, along with lower ejection fractions on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) (p = <0.001, 0.015, 0.012, and 0.024, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency ablation is a safe and effective method for maintaining long-term sinus rhythm, with no additional complications. It is associated with a low risk of morbidity and thromboembolic complications.

PMID:41185932 | DOI:10.1177/03913988251385454