Tag: pubmed

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2025 Feb 27. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5c00725. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This paper reports how the local nanoscale curvature on nanoparticle constructs determines the protein corona distribution in biological conditions. Using transmission electron microscopy, we found that DNA-gold nanostar nanoconstructs (DNA-AuNS) having positive-curvature tips <5 nm in radius showed less dense and less uniform protein corona layers compared to 50 nm gold nanospheres (DNA-50NPs). Statistical analysis based on type of curvature on AuNS revealed that the protein layer thickness on the tips was lower than that on the neutral and negative curvature regions. Since protein coronas screen ligands on nanoparticles, we used DNA hybridization to evaluate whether local ligand functionality was preserved after adsorption of proteins. DNA-AuNS nanoconstructs with less dense protein coronas hybridized more 5 nm gold nanosphere probes (5NPs) compared to DNA-50NPs. Without the protein corona layer, the two classes of nanoconstructs hybridized higher numbers of 5NPs, and differences due to NP shape were minimal. Notably, we found that the tips of DNA-AuNS nanoconstructs exhibited higher percentages of hybridization compared to neutral and negative curvature regions; this trend was independent of DNA sequence. Our work demonstrates the importance of nanoconstruct curvature in mitigating local protein adsorption and preserving ligand functionality at the single-particle level.

PMID:40013422 | DOI:10.1021/acsami.5c00725

Psychophysiology. 2025 Feb;62(2):e70025. doi: 10.1111/psyp.70025.

ABSTRACT

Previous research has produced mixed results regarding the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular reactivity to acute mental stress. This study aimed to re-analyze this relationship as well as test the relationship between sleep and stress-related changes in baroreflex function in order to further clarify the relationship between sleep and stress reactivity. Participants (N = 127, 84 female, mean age = 20.64, 78 White) completed a mental arithmetic stress task, while measures of heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and baroreflex function were undertaken. Participants self-reported sleep duration, timing, efficiency, quality, latency, and wake after sleep onset the night prior to testing. Mental stress caused significant increases in HR and BP and significant decreases in baroreflex sensitivity and effectiveness (all p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant relationships were found between any measures of sleep and HR or BP reactivity (all p ≥ 0.05). Similarly, stress-induced changes in baroreflex function were not associated with any measures of sleep (all p ≥ 0.05). Results suggest that self-reported sleep is not related to cardiovascular or baroreflex reactivity to acute mental stress.

PMID:40013404 | DOI:10.1111/psyp.70025

Int J Eat Disord. 2025 Feb 27. doi: 10.1002/eat.24404. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Eating disorders (EDs) are common among university students, yet most students with EDs do not have access to ED-related care on their campuses.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to test the initial acceptability and feasibility of Help for Overcoming Problem Eating (HOPE), the first digital single-session intervention designed to reduce binge eating for college students with non-low-weight binge-spectrum EDs.

METHOD: Seventy-five university students with non-low-weight binge-spectrum EDs completed HOPE and answered questions about the acceptability and user perceptions of the program following completion. They also completed baseline, 1-week, and 4-week follow-up questionnaires assessing ED symptoms.

RESULTS: Of the eligible participants (N = 190), 70.52% (n = 134) consented to the study, 42.63% (n = 81) started HOPE, and 39.47% (n = 75) completed HOPE. Descriptive statistics showed that HOPE was highly acceptable, with a scaled mean overall acceptability score of 4.35 out of 5. Paired Sample t-tests showed that there were significant reductions in binge eating (p < 0.001, 1-week d = 0.86, 4-week d = 0.98), restricting (p < 0.001, 1-week d = 0.52, 4-week d = 0.41), and cognitive restraint (p < 0.001, 1-week d = 0.63, 4-week d = 0.87) following HOPE completion.

DISCUSSION: Results demonstrated the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of HOPE for those who completed the intervention. Further testing in a randomized controlled trial design is warranted. Although the current findings provided promising pilot feasibility data, additional research is needed to identify reasons for attrition/nonparticipation to reduce barriers for study completion.

PMID:40013388 | DOI:10.1002/eat.24404

Nurs Crit Care. 2025 Mar;30(2):e70002. doi: 10.1111/nicc.70002.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Alarm fatigue negatively impacts nurse well-being and patient safety. Exposure to many alarms causes nurses to become unresponsive to alarms. However, nurses with moral courage are expected to take alarms seriously and maintain patient safety despite challenging circumstances.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the mediating role of moral courage in the relationship between alarm fatigue and patient safety climate among surgical ICU and OR nurses.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 268 nurses who had worked in hospital surgical ICUs and ORs for at least 6 months, volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected between April and May 2024, using the Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire, the Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale, and the Patient Safety Climate Questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and mediation analyses. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist.

RESULTS: Nurses’ alarm fatigue score was 15.45 ± 6.20, moral courage score was 4.11 ± 0.56, and patient safety climate score was 3.69 ± 0.60. Scale scores significantly differed between surgical ICU nurses and OR nurses. Alarm fatigue negatively affected both moral courage and patient safety climate. Moral courage positively affected patient safety climate. The study confirmed the mediating effect of moral courage on the relationship between alarm fatigue and patient safety climate.

CONCLUSIONS: Alarm fatigue among ICU and OR nurses is a risk factor that threatens the patient safety climate. Moral courage can reduce the negative impact of alarm fatigue on the patient safety climate. This courage makes nursing practice safer and raises the standard of care.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Moral courage was found to contribute positively to the relationship between alarm fatigue and patient safety climate. It is recommended that nurse managers focus their efforts on reducing alarm fatigue and increasing moral courage at the unit level to improve patient safety climate.

PMID:40013358 | DOI:10.1111/nicc.70002

Head Neck. 2025 Feb 27. doi: 10.1002/hed.28125. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aims to report and evaluate the efficacy of using a novel submental flap for addressing laryngeal stenosis.

METHODS: This study involved patients with glottic and supraglottic laryngeal stenosis following horizontal/vertical partial laryngectomy who were refractory to repeated interventions. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to demonstrate the decannulation, and the Mantel-Cox Log-rank test was used to compare the rate difference in quality-of-life subgroup analysis.

RESULTS: The average follow-up time was 30.04 ± 10.60 for all included patients; the flap survival was 100%, with only one patient in the horizontal laryngectomy group reported to have a flap-related complication. The decannulation rate was 93.75% and 80% in the horizontal and vertical groups, respectively, without any statistical analysis (p < 0.05). The average decannulation time was 10.17 ± 5.24 weeks in the horizontal group and 12.25 ± 5.56 in the vertical group.

CONCLUSION: The modified submental flap technique provides a convenient and effective approach for laryngeal reconstruction in patients with postoperative laryngeal stenosis.

PMID:40013344 | DOI:10.1002/hed.28125

J R Soc Interface. 2025 Feb;22(223):20240663. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0663. Epub 2025 Feb 27.

ABSTRACT

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a congenital heart disease responsible for 23% of infant cardiac deaths each year in the United States. HLHS patients are born with an underdeveloped left heart, requiring several surgeries to reconstruct the aorta and create a single-ventricle circuit known as the Fontan circulation. While survival into early adulthood is becoming more common, Fontan patients often have a reduced cardiac output, putting them at risk for a multitude of complications. These patients are monitored using chest and neck magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but their scans do not capture energy loss, pressure, wave intensity or haemodynamics beyond the imaged region. This study develops a framework for predicting these missing features by combining imaging data and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. Predicted features from models of HLHS patients are compared with those from control patients with a double outlet right ventricle (DORV). We infer patient-specific parameters through the proposed framework. In the calibrated model, we predict pressure, flow, wave intensity (WI) and wall shear stress (WSS). Results reveal that HLHS patients have lower compliance than DORV patients, resulting in lower WSS and higher WI in the ascending aorta and increased WSS and decreased WI in the descending aorta.

PMID:40013336 | DOI:10.1098/rsif.2024.0663

Nurs Crit Care. 2025 Mar;30(2):e13307. doi: 10.1111/nicc.13307.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mechanically ventilated patients often experience a loss of smell sensation because of the tubes used in the ventilation process. This can have a significant impact on their overall well-being. As a result, there has been a growing interest in exploring ways to reintroduce and stimulate the sense of smell among these patients.

AIM: To explore the smell ability among tracheal intubated patients and identify the factors influencing olfactory function in this population.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. Data were collected in four adult intensive care units (ICUs) in two hospitals in Egypt. Patients who were intubated via endotracheal or tracheostomy tube with no prior history of olfactory dysfunction were enrolled. Olfactory function was assessed using the Sniffin’ Sticks test, which measured odour threshold, discrimination and identification. The test was validated for the Egyptian population through cultural adaptation and test-retest reliability. Statistical analyses, including multiple linear regression and decision tree regression, were utilized to identify significant predictors of olfactory function. This study adhered to STROBE checklist.

RESULTS: A total of 334 adult patients completed the study. Among the patients, 47.0% were classified as anosmic, 48.8% as hyposmic and 4.2% as normosmic. The mean total olfactory score was 17.64 ± 6.01. Older age and the method of oxygen therapy, particularly mechanical ventilation, were significant predictors of reduced olfactory function (p < .001). The decision tree analysis highlighted age as the primary determinant of olfactory performance, followed by the method of oxygen therapy.

CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a high prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in tracheal intubated patients and demonstrated that age and oxygen therapy methods are critical factors influencing olfactory function.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Recognizing olfactory dysfunction in tracheal intubated patients, may aid in improving patient care, as early detection can lead to better management strategies and improve overall prognosis.

PMID:40013332 | DOI:10.1111/nicc.13307

Cancer Med. 2025 Mar;14(5):e70667. doi: 10.1002/cam4.70667.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: After colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment, patients undergo five-year follow-up involving carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) tests, imaging, and colonoscopies. This retrospective cohort study explores adherence to the CRC follow-up guideline in the Netherlands until 2021 and its association with treatment of recurrences with curative intent.

METHODS: Stage II/III CRC patients with recurrent disease within 3 years after diagnosis were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (n = 430). Adherence to CEA tests, imaging, and colonoscopy was classified as ‘according to/more follow-up’ or ‘less follow-up’ than recommended. Logistic regression analyses examined factors associated with receiving less follow-up and the relationship between ‘follow-up adherence’ and ‘treatment with curative intent’, potentially mediated by ‘mode of detection’ (symptomatically vs. routine test).

RESULTS: In total, 18.3% patients had fewer CEA tests, 41.4% fewer imaging, and 56.1% fewer colonoscopies than recommended. Factors associated with fewer follow-up moments were tumor localization, age (≥ 75 years), comorbidities, tumor differentiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients receiving fewer CEA tests faced 4.8 times higher odds (95% CI: 2.9-8.1) of symptom-detected recurrence and were less likely to be curatively treated (OR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3-0.9). Mediation analysis indicated a significant average causal mediation effect (p = 0.003), emphasizing the mediating role of mode of detection. Receiving fewer imaging and colonoscopies showed insignificant total effects on treatment with curative intent.

CONCLUSION: Our findings offer insights into follow-up adherence, detection mode, and treatment with curative intent. The discovery that adherence was highest for CEA, along with the correlation between CEA adherence and treatment with curative intent, aligns with the recent adaptation of guidelines emphasizing CEA measurement over imaging.

PMID:40013322 | DOI:10.1002/cam4.70667

J Oral Biol Craniofac Res. 2025 Jan-Feb;15(1):159-162. doi: 10.1016/j.jobcr.2024.12.014. Epub 2025 Jan 10.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The intricate process of chewing and swallowing is compromised following mandibular resection. An evaluation of chewing and swallowing is crucial to comprehend the quality of life following surgery in cases when bone repair was not performed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate chewing and swallowing in mandibulectomy patients without bony reconstruction.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study involved ten patients, including four with H defects, three with L defects, and three with LC defects, after a one-year postop period. Using Robbin’s penetration aspiration scale, video fluoroscopy was used to evaluate swallowing. Using a functional oral intake scale, chewing was assessed. Fischer’s exact test was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Robbin’s penetration aspiration scale score of 1 was noted in all 10 patients. According to FOIS, 50 % of patients with H defect scored 4, and 66.7 % of those with L defect scored 6. The results were not significant when the scores were correlated with the type of defect.

CONCLUSION: Mandibular surgical defects which were not reconstructed with bone were shown to affect the quality of life in our study. Chewing efficiency was poorest in patients with H defect. Swallowing efficiency was not affected adversely in this group of patients.

PMID:40013302 | PMC:PMC11864122 | DOI:10.1016/j.jobcr.2024.12.014

J Adv Vet Anim Res. 2024 Dec 28;11(4):1023-1029. doi: 10.5455/javar.2024.k853. eCollection 2024 Dec.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the viability of nitrogen distribution in milk to detect adulteration in market milk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Raw cow milk was obtained from the dairy farm at Bangladesh Agricultural University Dairy Farm (BAUDF). Fluid market milk, nonbranded bulk powdered milk, and local brand powdered milk were bought from the Mymensingh city area. The milk samples were T1 (milk from a known source-BAUDF, control group), T2 (reconstituted nonbranded bulk powdered milk), T3 (reconstituted local brand powdered milk), T4 (fluid market milk from Goala), T5 (mixture of 75% T1 and 25% T2), and T6 (mixture of 50% T1 and 50% T2). There were four replications in each variable, and the samples were tested for their physicochemical properties (specific gravity and acidity), gross composition (total solids, ash, milk fat, lactose, and total protein), and nitrogen distribution [casein nitrogen, noncasein nitrogen (NCN), and nonprotein nitrogen (NPN)].

RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) among the milk samples about their physicochemical properties and gross composition. The T2 and T6 samples imparted lower protein content (p < 0.05). Much lower (p < 0.05) casein content was found in T2 and T6 than in T1. The NCN content among the samples also differed significantly (p < 0.05). All groups showed similar NPN values (p > 0.05) but the T1 (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The results from this study show the potential of the nitrogen distribution of milk to detect adulterated and reconstituted market milk; however, a hefty dataset is required before being adopted at the field level.

PMID:40013295 | PMC:PMC11855442 | DOI:10.5455/javar.2024.k853