Tag: pubmed

Nicotine Tob Res. 2025 Mar 19:ntaf058. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaf058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Females have poorer smoking cessation outcomes than males, especially with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aided attempts, perhaps due to ovarian hormones. Additionally, Black adults experience higher rates of tobacco-related mortality and also experience important ovarian hormone differences. This is the first study to examine sex, age, and menopause differences in NRT-aided smoking cessation outcomes in an all-Black sample.

METHODS: A secondary-data analysis conducted on non-Hispanic Black adults aged 18+ who smoked 5-30 cigarettes/day for at least 6 months. Participants were categorized by sex assigned at birth (female versus male) and age (<45 versus ≥45 years) with females in the ≥45 age group restricted to those who were postmenopausal (defined as one year post menses per self-report). Smoking status two weeks post-quit date was assessed by cessation attempts, expired carbon monoxide-verified abstinence, and reduction in daily cigarettes. Statistical analyses utilized Mann-Whitney rank-sum tests, chi-square tests, and regression models controlling for baseline cigarettes/day.

RESULTS: Participants (n=340; 55.9% female) were, on average 53.4 (standard deviation: ±11.6) years old. At baseline, males smoked significantly more cigarettes/day than females (13.9±7.7 versus 11.9±6.3, respectively; p-value=0.031). Among those <45 years of age, males (n=30) had a greater reduction in cigarettes/day two weeks post cessation than females (n=52; 11.3±6.1 versus 7.9±5.3, respectively; p-value=0.008), but this difference became null after adjusting for baseline cigarettes/day (p-value=0.989). No other significant differences were identified.

CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for baseline differences in smoking rate, no significant sex differences in smoking cessation outcomes were observed in this all-Black sample. Additional research is needed to replicate this observation.

IMPLICATIONS: Despite known racial disparities and sex-based differences in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) efficacy, little is known about sex differences in cessation among Black people who smoke. While we did not observe any differences by sex in smoking cessation outcomes within this all-Black sample, our results suggest that sex differences in baseline level of cigarettes/day may play a critical role in cessation outcomes. Further research should replicate these observations and examine potential implications for cessation among Black people who smoke.

PMID:40105729 | DOI:10.1093/ntr/ntaf058

Ann Bot. 2025 Mar 19:mcaf046. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcaf046. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Annuals produce little wood due to their short life cycle, while perennials can accumulate more, though not all do. Consequently, lifespan extension is a prerequisite for-but not synonymous with-secondary woodiness. Even if a shift to perenniality does not substantially increase wood production, it may still affect wood anatomy, as annuals prioritise rapid growth, whereas perennials invest in structural resilience. Heliophila, a genus of the Brassicaceae from the Cape Floristic Region, provides an excellent system to investigate drivers of secondary woodiness and the impact of lifespan shifts on wood traits due to its multiple independent lifespan transitions and occurrence of secondary woodiness.

METHODS: We reconstructed evolutionary transitions between annual and perennial lifespans and between herbaceous and secondarily woody habits. Using phylogenetically informed statistics, we analysed the relationship between climate, lifespan, and nine wood anatomical traits. Lifespan-specific evolutionary optima for these traits were estimated and compared. We also tested whether secondary woodiness in Heliophila is associated with specific climatic niches.

KEY RESULTS: Lifespan shifts in Heliophila are primarily driven by water availability and seasonality, with perennials evolving in wetter and less seasonal environments. Secondary woodiness may be more frequent in warmer niches, though this trend was not statistically supported, likely due to the limited number of secondarily woody species. Lifespan, not climate, better predicted wood traits: annuals had longer, thinner-walled cells, while perennials had shorter cells with thicker walls.

CONCLUSIONS: In Heliophila, a shift in climatic niche prompts a change in lifespan, followed by slower adaptations in wood anatomy. Possibly, this pattern arises because alterations in lifespan affect stem architecture, establishing a developmental framework that governs subsequent anatomical adjustments. Furthermore, although not statistically robust, increased wood production may be linked to warmer niches, potentially associated with a temperature-driven enhancement in lignin biosynthesis that reinforces stem structure.

PMID:40105725 | DOI:10.1093/aob/mcaf046

Epilepsia. 2025 Mar;66 Suppl 1:4-14. doi: 10.1111/epi.18307.

ABSTRACT

People with epilepsy who have uncontrolled seizures are at increased risk of all-cause mortality, injuries, comorbidities, mood and psychosocial disorders, and diminished quality of life. For those with focal epilepsy, focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS) pose the greatest risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), a leading cause of premature mortality in people with epilepsy. Cenobamate is a third-generation antiseizure medication with demonstrated efficacy in controlling focal seizures, including FBTCS, in people with drug-resistant epilepsy. Treatment with cenobamate in clinical trials was associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality to a rate statistically indistinguishable from that seen in the general population, and SUDEP rates were lower than expected. As FBTCS are associated with the highest risk of death, prevention of this seizure type is especially important, and physicians should continue to try new therapies to prevent these seizures. A shared decision-making model should be used when interacting with patients and their care providers to achieve and maintain seizure control and maximize treatment outcomes.

PMID:40105710 | DOI:10.1111/epi.18307

Epidemiol Serv Saude. 2025 Mar 14;34:e20240256. doi: 10.1590/S2237-96222025v34e20240256.en. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe an interconsultation project with specialists and family health teams participating in a telemedicine project in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

METHODS: Descriptive study with evaluation of TeleNordeste Project interconsultations. Data collection began in November 2022, with consultations with a cardiologist, neurologist, psychiatrist and endocrinologist made available to primary health centers. Patients over 18 years of age were included in the study. Quantitative data were described as medians and percentiles, qualitative data were measured in absolute frequency and percentage.

RESULTS: 572 patients were included and carried out 847 consultations; 71% were women, the median age were 50 years, 96.7% of patients had chronic non-communicable diseases. The median of the waiting time for consultation was 7 days. In total, 565 patients had their complaints completely resolved and did not need to be referred to a specialized service.

CONCLUSION: The TeleNordeste Project brought to Rio Grande do Norte a type of medical care facilitated by digital health, with the possibility of agile contact and easy access in primary health care to cardiologists, neurologists, psychiatrists and endocrinologists, enabling improved care and increased effectiveness in real time.

PMID:40105677 | DOI:10.1590/S2237-96222025v34e20240256.en

Braz J Biol. 2025 Mar 14;85:e288450. doi: 10.1590/1519-6984.288450. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the impact of moisture and wheat bran supplementation on the biological efficiency (BE) and nutritional profile of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm cultivated on peels of Astrocaryum aculeatum G. Mey. Utilizing a factorial design, variations in substrate composition were systematically analyzed to determine optimal conditions for mushroom yield. The methodology encompassed strain acquisition, spawn and substrate preparation, fruiting induction, biological efficiency calculation, and chemical composition analysis of both substrate and mushrooms. Results highlighted a significant variance in BE across different levels of moisture and bran supplementation, with the highest BE (45.6%) observed at 50% moisture and 5% bran supplementation. Statistical analysis revealed that both factors, individually and interactively, significantly influence BE. The chemical analysis of mushrooms showcased a nutritious profile, emphasizing the potential of this cultivation approach for producing high-value food sources. The findings contribute to the understanding of substrate optimization for mushroom cultivation, and provides information on sustainable agricultural practices and food security.

PMID:40105669 | DOI:10.1590/1519-6984.288450

Immun Inflamm Dis. 2025 Mar;13(3):e70167. doi: 10.1002/iid3.70167.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Immunosenescence has been associated with an imbalance in the lacrimal functional unit and histopathological changes in exocrine glands, especially in women.

OBJECTIVE: To define the main lymphocyte subpopulations in the human lacrimal gland and their variations with age and sex, according to scientific articles published between 1960 and 2023.

METHODS: A systematic review was performed on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines were applied for the search and selection of studies. The methodological quality was evaluated with the STROBE guidelines. A meta-analysis of three selected articles dichotomizing lymphocytic infiltrates according to age group was also performed.

RESULTS: We selected 20 observational studies, including 774 healthy individuals (722 cadavers). The articles evaluated the lymphocyte infiltration with hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. There was high variability in the criteria to define the apparently human lacrimal and to quantify the lymphocytic infiltration. There was an underrepresentation of individuals younger than 40 years (12.6%), and female sex (38.9%). Three articles reported an association of age and sex with lymphocytic infiltration in the healthy lacrimal gland, while two articles did not. Plasma cells were the most abundant lymphocyte subpopulation in the healthy lacrimal gland, including IgA-containing plasma cells. B cells were reported to be very scarce in the LG in two articles. In the meta-analysis of three selected articles, no statistical difference in lymphocytic infiltration was found between individuals younger and older than 60.

CONCLUSION: There is the need of further observational studies, better defining the study design, with similar representation across sex and ages to ascertain what are the changes of lymphocytic composition in the lacrimal gland related to age and sex. Further studies are also needed to assess the dynamics of lymphocytic populations in a more detailed manner using cutting-edge methodologies such as single-cell sequencing or transcriptomics.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 2023 CRD42023435653 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023435653.

PMID:40105662 | DOI:10.1002/iid3.70167

Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2025 Mar 14;33:e4500. doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.7255.4500. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: (1) Telehealth practices in PHC take place via voice connection. (2) The nursing team carries out the highest volume of telehealth activities in PHC. (3) Consultations accounted for the largest share of time and frequency of telehealth activities in PHC.

to describe the telehealth activities carried out by professionals in Primary Health Care (PHC).

descriptive observational study, using time-motion methodology. The sample consisted of 31 Family Health teams, 14 Oral Health teams and two multidisciplinary teams working in PHC. An adapted workload instrument was used to collect the data. A descriptive analysis of the data was carried out considering the total time, average time and percentage of activities according to professional category and telehealth modality.

632 telehealth activities were observed, representing 2.67% of all activities. The most used modality was voice calls (60.28%). The average nursing consultation time was 4.86 minutes and 6.17 minutes for medical consultations. The greatest number of telehealth activities and time spent in PHC was carried out by the nursing team.

PHC professionals carry out a variety of telehealth activities, predominantly by voice connection, with the nursing team being the most expressive. In addition, the study shows the time dedicated and the distribution of activities, supporting discussions on the planning and sizing of the digital health workforce.

PMID:40105658 | DOI:10.1590/1518-8345.7255.4500

Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2025 Mar 14;33:e4440. doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.7402.4440. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: (1) Health literacy of riverine populations is inadequate. (2) Health literacy was not associated with quality of life. (3) Health literacy was associated with sociodemographic aspects of riverine populations. (4) Quality of life was related to the sociodemographic profile of riverine populations.

to analyze functional health literacy and health-related quality of life in riverine populations using primary care services, according to sociodemographic variables.

an analytical, cross-sectional study with 312 users of the riverine family health strategy. Data were collected using a health literacy test, the 12-item Health Survey, and a socioeconomic questionnaire adapted by the researchers. Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, as well as multiple logistic regression were performed, considering p≤0.05.

65.7% presented inadequate functional health literacy, with higher risk for men (p<0.001), aged 40-49 (p=0.010) and 50-59 years (p=0.031), incomplete (p<0.001) and complete (p=0.024) elementary education, and residing far from health services (p<0.001). Quality of life showed no association with health literacy. However, lower quality of life was related to female gender (p=0.049), incomplete elementary education (p=0.016), use of mobile phones with internet and radio (p=0.013), advanced age (p<0.001), increased number of children (p=0.002), and lower age at the start of work activities (p<0.001).

functional health literacy of riverine populations is inadequate and not associated with quality of life. However, both are influenced by the sociodemographic profile.

PMID:40105656 | DOI:10.1590/1518-8345.7402.4440

J Rural Health. 2025 Jan;41(1):e70016. doi: 10.1111/jrh.70016.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Sexual minority young adults (SMYAs) residing in rural (vs. urban) areas report higher tobacco use rates. Less work has assessed associations of rural-urban residential movement/stability with SMYAs’ tobacco use and factors driving these associations.

METHODS: We analyzed 2023 survey data from 1082 US SMYAs (aged 18-34). Multivariable regressions controlling for sociodemographics examined associations of: (1) rural-urban movement/stability (urban stability, rural-urban movement, rural stability [REF]) with minority stress-related factors (mental health symptoms, internalized stigma), perceived tobacco norms (peer tobacco use, social acceptability of tobacco use), and tobacco use (past-month cigarette, e-cigarette, any tobacco use, number of products used); and (2) minority stress-related factors and tobacco norms with tobacco use.

FINDINGS: Relative to SMYAs reporting rural stability, those reporting rural-urban movement and urban stability displayed lower odds of any tobacco use and mental health symptoms, and less peer tobacco use. Those reporting rural-urban movement also reported lower odds of cigarette use and less internalized stigma. Peer tobacco use was associated with higher odds of cigarette and any tobacco use; reporting ≥ moderate mental health symptoms and greater internalized stigma and social acceptability was associated with higher odds of cigarette use.

CONCLUSIONS: These novel findings provide preliminary evidence that, relative to their SM peers who reside in rural areas, SMYAs who move from rural to urban areas may experience less minority stress-related factors and lower tobacco use norms, which may reduce risk for cigarette and other tobacco use. Findings highlight the need for public health messaging interventions targeting SMYAs in rural communities.

PMID:40102197 | DOI:10.1111/jrh.70016

Anaesthesia. 2025 Mar 18. doi: 10.1111/anae.16563. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous lidocaine is a promising complementary strategy for sedation during surgical procedures. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare intravenous lidocaine with placebo as an adjuvant to propofol-based sedation in patients undergoing colonoscopy.

METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases for randomised controlled trials comparing sedation with propofol and lidocaine vs. propofol and placebo in patients undergoing colonoscopy. The primary outcome was total propofol dose. A random-effects model was used to estimate the mean differences and risk ratios.

RESULTS: We included eight trials with 520 patients. Compared with placebo, intravenous lidocaine reduced propofol consumption during the procedure (mean difference (95%CI): -42.93 mg (-62.89 to -22.97)); shortened awakening time (mean difference (95%CI): -3.38 minutes (-5.92 to -0.84)); reduced post-procedural pain scores (mean difference (95%CI): -1.38 (-2.72 to -0.04)); and increased patient satisfaction scores (mean difference (95%CI): 0.50 (0.30 to 0.70)). There were no significant differences between the groups in procedure duration; endoscopist satisfaction scores; and risk of hypoxia or hypotension.

DISCUSSION: In patients undergoing colonoscopy, the addition of intravenous lidocaine to propofol-based sedation reduced propofol consumption, shortened awakening time, mitigated post-procedural pain and enhanced patient satisfaction compared with placebo. Although the findings are statistically significant, clinical relevance and cost-effectiveness are unclear.

PMID:40102176 | DOI:10.1111/anae.16563