Tag: pubmed

BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Apr 3;25(1):498. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12632-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Between 25% and 45% of women experience urinary incontinence. The Tät^® app is intended to treat stress urinary incontinence in women, and has been evaluated for efficacy and effectiveness. The level of usage of digital healthcare differs depending on demographics, and this might lead to unequal access to healthcare. This study aims to analyse the change in level of education and area of residence of users of the Tät app over time, and compare this with overall demographic data for Sweden.

METHODS: When the app was downloaded, the user was invited to respond anonymously to a questionnaire. We included women aged 18-89 years living in Sweden. We weighted the app data to reflect the age distribution of the general female population of Sweden. We then compared the users’ level of education and area of residence with data from Statistics Sweden.

RESULTS: The study encompassed 153,819 users between 2016 and 2021. The percentage of Tät users with university education decreased from 63.14% (95% CI 62.16-64.11) to 61.07% (95% CI 60.53-61.61), and the percentage of users with fewer than 7 years of education increased from 0.02% (95% CI 0.006-0.077) to 1.94% (95% CI 1.80-2.10). In contrast to this, the Statistics Sweden data comparing 2016 with 2020, showed an increase in the category “university or higher education institution” from 38.94 to 42.10% and a decrease in the other categories. Comparing Tät users’ area of residence between 2018 and 2021 showed an increase in the amount of users living in rural areas from 16.90% (95% CI 16.44-17.37) to 20.53% (95% CI 20.08-20.98). Data from Statistics Sweden did not show any significant change, and in 2020 6.23% of women in Sweden lived in rural areas.

CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of Tät users in both the highest and the lowest educational categories had changed to be more like the overall Swedish female population. The proportion of Tät users living in rural areas had increased and was considerably larger than for the population in general. We thus see positive trends in the distribution of users, although users with a university education are still over-represented.

PMID:40176033 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-025-12632-w

BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025 Apr 2;25(1):124. doi: 10.1186/s12906-025-04837-7.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is currently the second most common cause of death worldwide and is often treated with chemotherapy. Music therapy is a widely used adjunct therapy offered in oncology settings to attenuate negative impacts of treatment on patient’s physical and mental health; however, music therapy research during chemotherapy is relatively scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of group music therapy sessions with patients and caregivers on their perceived anxiety, stress, and wellbeing levels and the perception of chemotherapy-induced side effects for patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study following the STROBE guidelines. From April to October 2022, 41 group music therapy sessions including 141 patients and 51 caregivers were conducted. Participants filled out pre- and post-intervention Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) assessing their anxiety, stress, and wellbeing levels, and for patients the intensity of chemotherapy-induced side effects.

RESULTS: The results show a statistically significant decrease of anxiety and stress levels (p < .001), an increase in well-being of patients and caregivers (p < .001, p = .009), and a decrease in patients’ perceived intensity of chemotherapy-induced side effects (p = .003). Calculated effect sizes were moderate for anxiety, stress, and well-being levels, and small for chemotherapy-induced side effects.

DISCUSSION: This is the first study regarding group music therapy sessions for cancer patients and their caregivers during chemotherapy in Colombia. Music therapy has been found to be a valuable strategy to reduce psychological distress in this population and to provide opportunities for fostering self-care and social interaction.

CONCLUSIONS: Music therapy should be considered as a valuable complementary therapy during chemotherapy. However, it is crucial to conduct prospective studies with parallel group designs to confirm these preliminary findings.

PMID:40176020 | DOI:10.1186/s12906-025-04837-7

BMC Med Educ. 2025 Apr 2;25(1):474. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07039-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Learning the anatomy of extraocular muscles and their coordination in eye movements is challenging for undergraduate medical students. We developed a dynamic extraocular muscle simulation model and integrated it into the undergraduate ophthalmic curriculum to evaluate its educational impact.

METHODS: A custom simulation model of binocular muscles was developed and assessed for educational effectiveness in undergraduate education. In a comparative study, 84 students from Peking Union Medical College were assigned to either the simulation group (one-hour didactic lecture followed by a half-hour simulator practice) or the traditional teaching group (one-hour didactic teaching followed by a half-hour video review). All students were given 5-point quizzes on the anatomical and functional basics of extraocular muscles before the lecture(Q1), after the lecture(Q2), and after simulator practice/video-review(Q3). Within each group, the scores of Q2 were compared with Q1, and the scores of Q3 were compared with Q2. The effectiveness of the simulation model was evaluated by comparing the improvements in scores from Q2 to Q3 between the two groups. Nonparametric tests were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The simulation and traditional teaching groups were well-matched in terms of age, gender, Grade Point Average (GPA), and average Q1 and Q2 scores. The simulation group demonstrated significant improvements after both the didactic lecture and simulator practice. In contrast, the traditional teaching group showed significant improvement only after the lecture, not after the video review. The simulation model led to greater learning improvements compared to video review (mean(standard deviation)): 0.64(1.23) vs 0.05(0.79), P = 0.006.

CONCLUSIONS: The extraocular muscle simulation model is a valuable adjunct to traditional teaching methods in undergraduate medical education. Simulation-based education should be encouraged for teaching complex anatomical topics.

PMID:40176008 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-025-07039-4

BMC Womens Health. 2025 Apr 2;25(1):154. doi: 10.1186/s12905-025-03680-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Reproductive health has broad implications for individuals, families, and society. This study aims to explore how an educational intervention, centered around PMT, can enhance reproductive health protective behaviors among female students.

METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on female students of Khomein University of Medical Sciences in Markazi Province, Iran, from December 2023 to August 2024. A random cluster sampling method was used for sampling, resulting in 51 female students being selected for the intervention group and 54 female students for the control group. The data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire, which included demographic information and PMT constructs with confirmed validity and reliability. The educational intervention for the intervention group consisted of three one-hour sessions spaced one week apart, incorporating methods such as lectures, group discussions, Q&A sessions, brainstorming, role-playing exercises, as well as distribution of educational booklets. The collected data was then analyzed using various statistical methods including independent t-tests, t-tests, chi-square tests, simple linear regression, and multiple linear regression models.

RESULTS: After the intervention, the mean score for all constructs in the intervention group was higher than that of the control group, except for perceived cost. A statistically significant difference was noted in the mean scores of most constructs, such as perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived self-efficacy, protection motivation, fear, and behavior, between the two groups being studied (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The PMT-based educational intervention has proven to be effective in promoting reproductive health protective behaviors among female students. Given the significance of infertility issues and the value of preserving fertility in young women, it is recommended to implement PMT-based educational programs to safeguard women’s reproductive health.

PMID:40175998 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-025-03680-9

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2025 Feb 17;104:407-413. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2025.02.022. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Careful patient selection and optimal surgical timing are essential to the success of nerve transfers. It is important to understand what factors contribute to this decision-making. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients referred to interdisciplinary peripheral nerve clinics with traumatic upper extremity injuries and compare those who went on to nerve transfer surgery with those who did not.

METHODS: Patient and injury characteristics, preoperative physical examination and electrodiagnostic findings, and patient-reported outcome measures were examined. Inclusion criteria were subjects ≥18 years of age presenting to an interdisciplinary peripheral nerve clinic with traumatic upper extremity peripheral nerve injuries. Subjects were stratified into surgical and non-surgical groups for comparison.

RESULTS: Eighty-three subjects met the inclusion criteria, and 36 subjects received nerve transfer surgery. More male subjects went on to have surgery than female subjects. The surgical group demonstrated a significantly higher ratio of weak and denervated muscle groups than the non-surgical group (p < 0.05). No other statistically significant differences were identified between operative and non-operatively managed subjects.

CONCLUSION: Subjects that received nerve transfer surgery demonstrated a significantly higher ratio of weak and denervated muscles than those managed non-surgically, and males were disproportionately represented in the surgical group. These findings suggest that anticipated motor recovery is the most important factor driving surgical decision-making and that male subjects may be more likely to proceed with surgery. Understanding which patients undergo nerve transfer surgery allows clinicians to interrogate their decision-making, address patient-related barriers to surgery, and better understand surgical outcomes.

PMID:40174258 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2025.02.022

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2025 Mar 22;104:398-406. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2025.03.039. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Digital anthropometry is a useful tool for surgeons and patients in breast reconstruction surgery (BRS). Owing to advancements in smartphone technology, these devices can be used for three-dimensional (3D) surface imaging. In this prospective study, anthropometric measurements of the breast were performed using a smartphone and compared with measurements obtained using an established 3D surface imaging system.

METHODS: In this study, 40 patients who underwent BRS were included. 3D-surface models (SMs) were obtained using the Vectra H2 stereophotogrammetry camera (Canfield Scientific, USA) and an iPhone 15 (Apple Inc., USA) in combination with the 3D Scanner App (Laan Consulting Corp., USA). Fourteen measurements were performed on all 3D SMs. Subsequently, smartphone-based measurements were compared to Vectra-based measurements. Statistical methods used were the paired t-test, paired Wilcoxon-signed ranks test, Bland-Altman analyses, and calculation of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS: All measurements demonstrated excellent agreement between those obtained using the smartphone and Vectra H2 (ICC between.963 and.998). No statistical differences were found for 11 of the 14 anthropometric measurements. The Bland-Altman analyses yielded promising results, demonstrating 95% limits of agreement within a range of less than ±2 mm between the 2 methods.

CONCLUSION: The proposed method for smartphone-based anthropometry of the breast showed moderate accuracy for clinical use. However, the approach used to create and evaluate the 3D SMs is considered laborious. Therefore, further refinement of the method may be necessary to enable the implementation of smartphone-based surface imaging in plastic surgery.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00034221.

PMID:40174257 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2025.03.039

Zootaxa. 2025 Mar 17;5604(4):401-447. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.1.

ABSTRACT

Species groups of Western Hemispheric Onthophagus Latreille (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagini) are suggested using COI barcoding and gene trees and supported by congruence with external morphology, behavior, ecology, and biogeographic evidence. New species groups, complexes, and taxonomic statuses are offered, and other preexisting proposals are confirmed. No barcoding gap w as found between the intragroup and intergroup genetic distance blocks, but the average intragroup (8.38%) and intergroup (13.88%) Kimura-two-parameter distances are statistically different. The following seven preexisting species groups were supported by the congruence between the mtDNA barcode analysis and other independent evidence: O. chevrolati, O. clypeatus, O. dicranius, O. gazellinus, O. hircus, O. landolti, and O. mexicanus. Eight new species groups are suggested: O. crinitus, O. curvicornis, O. eulophus, O. hecate, O. hoepfneri, O. marginatus, O. nasutus, and O. velutinus. Possible behavioral/ecological adaptations of morphological characters are also discussed. New biogeographic and evolutionary hypotheses are also advanced. An identification key for species groups is presented.

PMID:40174196 | DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.1

Zootaxa. 2025 Feb 19;5589(1):166-189. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5589.1.14.

ABSTRACT

The systematics of pheretimoids have been hindered by limited diagnostic traits and extensive homoplasy. This study utilized an integrative taxonomic approach, combining morpho-anatomical traits and mitochondrial COI data, to delineate species and clarify phylogenetic relationships among Indian pheretimoids. Three new species of Metaphire (Megascolecidae) were identified: Metaphire manipurensis Tiwari & Yadav sp. nov., belongs to M. houlleti group with three pairs of spermathecal pores (6/7-8/9) and no post-clitellar markings; Metaphire thabiensis Tiwari & Yadav sp. nov. classified within the M. javanica group, with two pairs of spermathecal pores (7/8-8/9) and copulatory pouches lacking stalked glands and Metaphire churachandpurensis Tiwari & Yadav sp. nov., which lacks spermathecal pores but has stalked genital marking glands. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of COI data confirmed species placements with strong statistical support and validated species delineation through congruent OTUs. These findings advance phylogenetics and evolutionary trajectory of the group, though expanded COI datasets are needed for broader insights.

PMID:40173784 | DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.5589.1.14

Zootaxa. 2025 Jan 14;5569(2):253-281. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5569.2.3.

ABSTRACT

A new species of gekkonid lizard is described from Phnom Khpoh, an isolated karstic hill within an extensive karstic archipelago in Battambang Province, western Cambodia. Phylogenetic analysis using a 1041 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial gene ND2 recovered Hemiphyllodactylus khpoh sp. nov. as the sister species of H. pardalis, found 335 km to the west in southern Thailand. Analyses of meristic, morphometric, and categorical characters of morphology and color pattern differentiated H. khpoh sp. nov. from both the morphologically distinct H. pardalis and the very similar Hemiphyllodactylus sp. from Phnom Kulen, approximately 130 km to the northeast in Siem Reap Province. The statistical morphological analyses and comparisons also showed that H. khpoh sp. nov. is well-differentiated from the recently described H. bokor and H. samkos from the nearby Cardamom Mountains as well from species in clade 6-a recently designated lineage from China, Laos, and Vietnam to which H. khpoh sp. nov. + H. pardalis compose the sister lineage. The discovery of H. khpoh sp. nov. highlights the rich but understudied biodiversity of karstic landscapes, emphasizing the need for continued research in the extensive unexplored karstic archipelago of western Cambodia. This region is poised to reveal unparalleled gekkonid diversity, comparable to that observed in the similarly sized karstic archipelago of the Salween Basin in southern Myanmar. Although karstic landscapes are proving to be some of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet, less than 1% of them are afforded any formal protection.

PMID:40173545 | DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.5569.2.3

J Med Internet Res. 2025 Apr 2;27:e72414. doi: 10.2196/72414.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of internet-based health information has intensified cyberchondria, or anxiety resulting from excessive health-related searches. The relationship between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation remains underexplored, although there are indications that people with high levels of cyberchondria may also be suicidal. Understanding this relationship is critical, given rising digital health-seeking behaviors and the need to mitigate suicide risk. Emerging evidence suggests that psychological distress can mediate the relationship between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation. However, to the best of our knowledge, no research has directly examined these associations.

OBJECTIVE: This study had two aims. The first was to examine the relationship between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation in a sample of the general Chinese population. The second aim was to investigate the possible role of psychological distress, reflecting the symptoms of depression and anxiety, as a mediator in the relationship between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation.

METHODS: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional and web-based survey conducted in 2024. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to assess the hypothesized association between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation, as well as the mediating effect of psychological distress on this association. The Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 items, Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale, and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-10 items were used to measure cyberchondria, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress, respectively. Standardized (β) estimates, along with their 95% CIs, were calculated for all structural paths, adjusting for participants’ background characteristics.

RESULTS: A total of 2415 individuals completed the questionnaire (response rate=98.5%). Scores on the Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 items ranged from 12 to 60, with the mean score being 40 (SD 7.9). The mean score on the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale was 12.7 (SD 9.9). Scores on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-10 items ranged from 10 to 50, and the mean score was 22 (SD 6.9). Cyberchondria, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress were significantly correlated. Structural equation modeling revealed a significant association between cyberchondria and psychological distress (β=.281; P<.001), between psychological distress and suicidal ideation (β=.504; P<.001), and between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation (β=.107; P<.001). The indirect effect of cyberchondria on suicidal ideation through psychological distress was also significant (β=.142; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The main contribution of this study is that it highlights an important relationship between cyberchondria and suicidal ideation, with a direct and statistically significant association between these variables. Their relationship is also mediated by psychological distress, which reflects the role of depressive and anxiety symptoms.

PMID:40173445 | DOI:10.2196/72414