Tag: pubmed

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1007/s11356-025-36329-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Surface water is used for a variety of purposes, including agriculture, drinking water, and other services. Therefore, its quality is crucial for irrigation, human welfare, and health. Thus, the main objective is to improve surface water quality assessment and geochemical analysis to evaluate anthropogenic activities’ impact on surface water quality in the Brahmani Watershed, Odisha. In the present paper, emerging techniques such as CRITIC (Criteria Importance Through Inter-criteria Correlation), Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS), Weighted Aggregated Sum-Product Assessment (WASPAS), SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanation), and Geographical Information System (GIS) were used to locate the origins of pollution in the surface water. The 5-year (2018-2023) database was created by analysing samples that varied geographically over seven sampling locations. The dataset was categorized according to its intended usage. The study employed Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) tool, to forecast quantities and their geographical arrangement. The water temperature detected at several locations along the river revealed minor variations. The pH variations indicate that the surface water in the studied area is alkaline. Notably, the water’s lowest temperature ever recorded was 25.72 °C, at Q-(1). In addition, sufficient DO concentrations are monitored to ensure optimal water quality. The major parts of the study area were found to be majorly affected with high concentrations of PO₄^3-, EC, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and SO₄^2-. To determine the degree of contamination, a basic standard reference is necessary to interpret the values, which range from the anthropogenic to the natural contribution. The statistical results reveal the dominant decreasing order amongst the cations, such as: Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ and in anions, namely, SO₄^2- > Cl^– > NO₃^– > F^– > PO₄^3-, respectively. It displays seasonal variations in dissolved and specific phase metal fractions that are not statistically significant at any of the seven sites. Proceeding further, the water quality index showed that the four samples fall in the poor water quality class, whereas the rest, 3 samples, were of good water quality. The surface water is contaminated and negatively affected due to percolation of ions from landfill leachate as per the data of C-WQI. Based on ARAS and WASPAS, Q-(1) and Q-(2) were mainly not fit for consumption. Meanwhile, the SHAP-WQI showed an increase in the number of samples (71.43%) with unsuitable quality for drinking. This emphasizes on the importance of weathering, dissolution, terrigenous, leaching, ion exchange, lithological and evaporation as the primary processes. Human influences were the secondary factors. Overall, the findings indicate that the study area’s surface water is safe to drink, with the exception of a few locations including, Q-(1), (2), (3), (4), and (7), in the river water. Integrating GIS using WQ methods gives a new knowledge on the spatial variation in surface water characteristics for designated use. When enforcing regulations and carrying out pollution control operations, this will help determine the precise sampling sites or the sections of the river that show significant degradation. Thus, the integrated model provides insightful data on surface watershed management for urban planners and decision-makers. In overall, these findings underscore the importance of coordinated efforts across administrative boundaries within the basin to reduce water governance costs, providing valuable insights for fostering the coordinated development of regional economies and environmental sustainability. As a result, future studies should be conducted in the area to precisely state the quality of water used for drinking and domestic purposes.

PMID:40164907 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-025-36329-z

Behav Res Methods. 2025 Mar 31;57(5):131. doi: 10.3758/s13428-025-02647-w.

ABSTRACT

As a method for developing and testing hypotheses, meta-analytic structural equation modeling, or MASEM, has drawn the interest of scholars. However, challenges remain in how we can model and explain meaningful heterogeneity in structural equation modeling (SEM) parameters. To address this issue, two novel methods have recently been proposed in the literature: Bayesian MASEM (BMASEM) and one-stage MASEM (OSMASEM). How the two methods can be applied to address actual psychological research questions involving heterogeneity is a topic of debate and confusion. In this study, we describe and compare the two methods using two illustrations on the mediating mechanism of mindfulness-based intervention and the factor structure of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. In the illustrations, both methods were used to test the moderating effect of a covariate, to build a prediction equation for effect sizes in specific populations, and to evaluate the equivalence of standardized factor loadings of a scale. The study ends with a discussion of practical issues that may arise when applying BMASEM and OSMASEM.

PMID:40164904 | DOI:10.3758/s13428-025-02647-w

Neurosurg Rev. 2025 Mar 31;48(1):342. doi: 10.1007/s10143-025-03476-3.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Recent robotic-assisted surgical systems have shown promising efficiency and accuracy in brain surgeries. However, their application in deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery remains limited.

METHODS: Studies from the Embase, Scopus, and Pubmed databases were included using a modified search string, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We extracted technical aspects of robotic-assisted DBS (RA-DBS) surgery, patient characteristics, accuracy, safety, and overall clinical results. We applied a random effects model for analysis. Heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran’s Q test and the I² statistic. Additionally, subgroup analysis was conducted for the type of anesthesia, and frame-based versus frameless procedures and using microelectrode recordings (MER). Quality appraisal was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS: The pooled mean radial error (RE) and Euclidean distance (3D-EE) in robotic surgeries were 1.04 mm (95% CI 0.93 to 1.15 mm) and 1.19 mm (95% CI: 0.94 – 1.45 mm). RA-DBS outcomes regarding RE were comparable to conventional stereotactic DBS (C-DBS) surgery (SMD: -0.56, 95% CI: -1.35 – 0.22, P-value: 0.16). Also, the difference in the rates of reported complications was insignificant (OR: 0.26, 95% CI: -0.64 – 1.15, P-value: 0.58). None of the frame-based or frameless (P-value: 0.36), the use of MER (P-value: 0.11), or the type of anesthesia (P-value: 0.27) showed significant differences. However, there was an insignificant lower RE trend in the studies that employed frame-based techniques, used general anesthesia, and did not utilize MER.

CONCLUSION: Our study shows an acceptable level of error associated with RA-DBS. We found that the accuracy and complication rates were comparable to C-DBS. Due to substantial heterogeneity in the pooled mean RE and 3D-EE, more studies with higher sample sizes are required to evaluate RA-DBS.

PMID:40164900 | DOI:10.1007/s10143-025-03476-3

Support Care Cancer. 2025 Apr 1;33(4):335. doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09408-7.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Treatment decisions are often highly complex when the outcomes are uncertain. In Japan, the consultation fees incurred can be reimbursed when physicians and nurses work together with patients to provide shared decision-making (SDM) on treatment plans. However, the extent to which reimbursed consultations are used by clinicians is unclear. This study aimed to determine the extent to which so-called “reimbursed SDM consultations” are used in cancer treatment and to identify the characteristics of patients having these consultations using a nationwide database.

METHODS: This retrospective study used health service utilization data linked to hospital-based cancer registries from 591 hospitals in Japan. Data for patients aged 18 years or above diagnosed with cancer in 2019 were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the association between reimbursed SDM consultations and patient characteristics.

RESULTS: Overall, 74,828 patients (12.2%) received reimbursed SDM consultations in 533 hospitals. The presence of breast cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 2.00), treatment types of radiotherapy (OR = 1.86) and pharmacotherapy (OR = 1.76), and distant metastasis (OR = 1.49) and the invasion of adjacent organs (regional) (OR = 1.47) were positively associated with reimbursed SDM consultations. Cervical (OR = 0.38) and renal cancers (OR = 0.49) were negatively associated with reimbursed SDM consultations.

CONCLUSION: This study is the first to determine the extent to which reimbursed SDM consultations are used and the characteristics of the patients receiving them. Further studies should investigate the factors influencing the use of reimbursed SDM consultations.

PMID:40164872 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-025-09408-7

Qual Life Res. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1007/s11136-025-03959-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: When confronted with healthy functional impairments, the attribution of disease-induced distress plays a key role in the prognosis of health outcomes. This study examined the effects of an attribution-related intervention, namely WeChat-based EPIC (enter, practice, intensify, consolidate) training, on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), attribution, and life attitude in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

METHODS: Eligible patients were recruited using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group via stratified block randomization. The former received WeChat-based EPIC training plus routine nursing care for 6 months. The latter received only routine nursing care. HRQoL (primary indicator), attribution and life attitude (secondary indicators) were measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast version 4.0 (FACT-Bv4.0), Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and Life Attitude Self-rating Questionnaire for Breast Cancer (LASQ-BC), respectively. A linear mixed model was used to examine the score fluctuations at the 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals relative to the baseline.

RESULTS: After 6 months, the intervention group (n = 84) showed statistically significant higher total scores in the FACT-Bv4.0 [mean difference: – 15.01; 95% confidence interval: – 17.96, – 12.07; p < 0.001], ASQ [- 4.16 (- 4.45, – 3.86); p < 0.001], and LASQ-BC [- 6.77 (- 8.27, – 5.27); p < 0.001] than that of the control group (n = 82). The total scores of the three indicators also showed significant group, time, and group-by-time interaction effects (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The WeChat-based EPIC training was an effective intervention for improving HRQoL and psychological health in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry www.chictr.org.cn , prospectively registered on 11 April 2020, ChiCTR2000031827.

PMID:40164865 | DOI:10.1007/s11136-025-03959-2

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Mar 31;197(4):492. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13957-z.

ABSTRACT

The spatial distribution of particulate matter pollution in urban areas is as complex as the complexity layout of buildings and streets and the various emission sources. Because of relatively high costs and inflexibility, the traditional fixed station monitoring is not able to satisfy the demand of dynamic particulate monitoring. A particulate sensor (OPC_N3) was installed on a trailer of a bicycle and applied to investigate spatio-temporal distributions of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations in summer time of Karlsruhe, Germany. Before that, the sensors were calibrated against a standard instrument (Fidas200). Temporal variations show that PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass concentrations in the morning were on average higher 2.7 ± 1.2 µg/m³ than in the afternoon and evening. The highest PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations were observed in the southern forest of Karlsruhe (segment 9), and the street surface is the primary influencing factor. Walking at 5 km/h has a higher concentration than speed at 5 km/h of riding. When riding at different speeds on the same gravel and potholed path, higher speeds are associated with higher particulate matter (PM) concentrations. Distribution pattern of particulate matter on workday and weekend was also different: Mean PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations of southern forest (segment 10) in the morning and evening at weekend are on average higher by 11.2 ± 10.3 µg/m³ than at workday. Construction activities on workday also had significant effect on particulate matter concentration. Spatial distribution of aerosol concentrations was highly depending on land use and city structure. These results provide good insights for the application of low-cost sensors in urban environments monitoring and a basis to develop potential mitigation measures.

PMID:40164845 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-13957-z

Surg Endosc. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1007/s00464-025-11676-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted and laparoscopic techniques are widely used for inguinal hernia repair. While robotic-assisted transabdominal preperitoneal (rTAPP) repair is believed to offer ergonomic advantages for surgeons, there is limited evidence comparing its ergonomic impact to conventional laparoscopic TAPP (cTAPP) repair. This study aims to assess the ergonomic strain on surgeons during these procedures using subjective and objective measures.

METHODS: This crossover observational study involved four experienced hernia surgeons who performed two procedures using each technique. Ergonomic strain was evaluated through self-reported perceived exertion (using the Borg scale), surface electromyography (sEMG) of select muscle groups, and posture analysis using rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) scores derived from kinematic data collected via Xsens Awinda. Statistical comparisons were conducted using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, with adjustments for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS: Subjectively, surgeons perceived rTAPP as less physically demanding, with lower postoperative perceived exertion scores (median 1.5 vs. 3.0, p < 0.01). Objective measurements showed higher static muscle activity in the left erector spinae and median activity in the right trapezius during rTAPP (p = 0.016), but overall ergonomic strain, as indicated by RULA scores, was similar across modalities. Median RULA scores for both techniques were 3, and no significant differences were observed in work posture scores. Despite these findings, discomfort during cTAPP was more frequently reported, with surgeons citing the neck, shoulders, and lower back as affected areas.

CONCLUSION: While rTAPP was subjectively perceived as less physically demanding, objective metrics did not corroborate these perceptions, showing comparable ergonomic strain between techniques. These findings highlight a complex relationship between subjective and objective ergonomic measures and suggest a need for further research, incorporating broader assessments of cognitive and physical loads, to optimize surgeon ergonomics in minimally invasive procedures.

PMID:40164838 | DOI:10.1007/s00464-025-11676-7

Ophthalmologie. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1007/s00347-025-02222-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intravitreal injections (IVI) are the most commonly used procedure worldwide in the treatment of retinal vascular diseases.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the endophthalmitis rate, the frequency of subjective complaints and potential risk factors associated with IVI.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the first part of this monocentric study the number of cases of endophthalmitis and potential risk factors were analyzed based on routine hospital documentation of 123,373 IVI procedures from 2013 to 2022. In the second part, subjective complaints and potential risk factors following IVI were investigated through a survey involving 584 patients.

RESULTS: From 2013 to 2022 a total of 27 cases of endophthalmitis occurred following IVI (0.02%). The analysis of potential risk factors (age, gender, disinfection method, number of prior injections, day of the week, year, bilateral injection) revealed that none of these factors were associated with an increased risk of endophthalmitis. The initial identification of bilateral injection as a risk factor was disproven through further analysis and classified as a statistical artifact. More than 10% of patients reported complaints the day after the injection, such as foreign body sensation (18%), seeing air bubbles (17%), itching (12%) and reddening of the eyes (11%). Subconjunctival hemorrhage (4%) or severe pain the day after the injection (2%) occurred less frequently. Male patients reported severe pain the day after less often (odds ratio 0.18, 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.72). Nearly 2% of patients sought unplanned ophthalmologist visits or considered treatment discontinuation due to the complaints.

CONCLUSION: Subjective complaints are more prevalent than severe complications and can jeopardize treatment adherence. Therefore, providing information about expected discomfort is advisable.

PMID:40164833 | DOI:10.1007/s00347-025-02222-w

Lifetime Data Anal. 2025 Mar 31. doi: 10.1007/s10985-025-09649-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Double truncation commonly occurs in astronomy, epidemiology and economics. Compared to one-sided truncation, double truncation, which combines both left and right truncation, is more challenging to handle and the methods for analyzing doubly truncated data are limited. For the situation, a common approach is to perform conditional analysis conditional on truncation times, which is simple but may not be efficient. Corresponding to this, we propose a pairwise pseudo-likelihood approach that aims to recover some information missed in the conditional methods and can yield more efficient estimation. The resulting estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. An extensive simulation study indicates that the proposed procedure works well in practice and is indeed more efficient than the conditional approach. The proposed methodology applied to an AIDS study.

PMID:40164827 | DOI:10.1007/s10985-025-09649-y

Discov Oncol. 2025 Mar 31;16(1):437. doi: 10.1007/s12672-025-02177-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involves a variety of environmental risk factors, some of which have yet to be fully clarified. Using the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, this study comprehensively investigates the causal effect of genetically predicted modifiable risk factors on HCC.

METHODS: Genetic variants related to the 50 risk factors that had been identified in previous research were derived from genome-wide association studies. Summary statistics for the discovery cohort and validation cohort of HCC were sourced from the FinnGen consortium and the UK Biobank, respectively. Bidirectional MR analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to establish causative risk factors for HCC.

RESULTS: Through the inverse variance weighted method, the results of the discovery cohort indicated that waist circumference, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly linked to HCC occurrence risk. Furthermore, body fat percentage, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), obesity class 1-3, waist-to-hip ratio, iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, and urate had suggestive associations with HCC. The validation cohort further confirmed that NAFLD and ALT levels were strongly related to HCC. Reverse MR indicated that genetic susceptibility to HCC was connected to NAFLD and transferrin saturation. Sensitivity analyses showed that most of the findings were robust.

CONCLUSION: This MR study delivers evidence of the complex causal relationship between modifiable risk factors and HCC. These findings offer new insights into potential prevention and treatment strategies for HCC.

PMID:40164825 | DOI:10.1007/s12672-025-02177-z