Tag: pubmed

J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2026 Jan 5;17:e3. doi: 10.1017/S2040174425100354.

ABSTRACT

Research into the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) has established links between environmental exposures in early life and later-life health outcomes. Emerging interventions typically focus on improving maternal nutrition and neonatal healthcare practices yet often neglect to assess or enhance subject understanding of potential long-term impacts or to communicate the benefits of maximising parental health prior to conception. This study critically evaluates a survey tool developed to measure knowledge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and early-life contributors to lifelong health. The rationale behind the wording and format of the questions is examined alongside options for coding and statistical interpretation of the data. Considerations for implementation are discussed, illustrated by key findings arising from tracking of the tool’s application in Aotearoa New Zealand over ten years. We demonstrate that the survey tool can be adapted for use in a variety of contexts, producing both quantitative and qualitative baseline data suitable for informing health promotion interventions and monitoring changes in population knowledge. This research also highlights a key difference between awareness of and understanding of scientific concepts and the importance of distinguishing between these when considering public engagement with science.

PMID:41489014 | DOI:10.1017/S2040174425100354

JBI Evid Synth. 2026 Jan 5. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-25-00084. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of play therapy versus non-play interventions in improving the quality of life, physical and psychosocial functioning, and activity participation of children and adolescents with cancer in palliative care settings.

INTRODUCTION: Integrating play interventions early in pediatric palliative care for children and adolescents with cancer, especially in low- to middle-income countries where survival rates are low, is essential for addressing the holistic needs of children or adolescents and their families; however, it remains underutilized.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: This review will include studies examining children and adolescents with cancer (≤18 years) receiving palliative care. Interventions of interest encompass play therapy, therapeutic play, or play-based activities. Studies will include a comparator group, which will consist of standard palliative care approaches that do not involve play therapy. The primary outcome is patient quality of life; the secondary outcomes encompass physical and psychosocial functions, and activity participation. Eligible study designs will include experimental and quasi-experimental designs, and analytical observational studies. Mixed methods studies that include quantitative data will also be considered.

METHODS: This review will follow the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of effectiveness. A comprehensive search will be conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, PEDro, ProQuest, World Health Organization, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies will be critically appraised for methodological quality using JBI appraisal instruments. Where possible, statistical meta-analysis will be conducted using a random-effects model. The certainty of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, and a Summary of Findings will be created.

REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD420250655458.

PMID:41489011 | DOI:10.11124/JBIES-25-00084

J Hum Nutr Diet. 2026 Feb;39(1):e70197. doi: 10.1111/jhn.70197.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mothers in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Programme for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) have lower breastfeeding rates than eligible non-participating mothers. The availability of free formula is suspected to make WIC mothers more likely to shift to formula feeding when facing challenges in breastfeeding. Resilience could be a potential factor that facilitates mothers in sticking with their original breastfeeding plan.

METHODS: To understand the complex relationship between breastfeeding and resilience among WIC mothers, we conducted a qualitative study in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA, with 23 in-depth interviews and surveys in English and Spanish with WIC pregnant mothers. The interviews were transcribed, and the transcripts were analysed by independent researchers using NVivo 12. The descriptive statistics of the survey results were estimated.

RESULTS: A conceptual framework was developed in which five dimensions of resilience were identified: optimism, emotion regulation, self-efficacy, adaptation and social support. Resilience was a key factor among WIC mothers, moderating whether they intended to sustain breastfeeding or to switch to infant formula in the face of challenges. Pumping breastmilk was ranked as the first alternative to breastfeeding for most mothers. The common concerns about breastfeeding included milk supply (61%), baby’s health (57%) and convenience (26%).

CONCLUSIONS: This framework provides initial evidence to explain the lower breastfeeding rate among WIC mothers and can guide WIC policies and interventions to promote breastfeeding in the programme. Future research is needed to understand the role of resilience in breastfeeding behaviours and outcomes in the WIC programme.

PMID:41489006 | DOI:10.1111/jhn.70197

JBI Evid Synth. 2026 Jan 5. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-24-00548. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We present a framework to guide researchers in contacting and retrieving trial data from trialists. This framework serves 2 purposes i) to provide a consistent and transparent approach for contacting authors, and ii) to describe how to record clearly all contact attempts and to identify trialists who have not responded to reasonable attempts at communication. This framework will help researchers identify trials that may require investigation for data integrity issues.

BACKGROUND: Individual participant data meta-analysis (IPD-MA) is considered the gold standard for evaluating clinical interventions. The popularity of IPD-MA has increased due to the potential for advanced statistical analyses and the ability to test data veracity prior to analysis. Contacting trialists and requesting data is the most time-intensive step in an IPD-MA project. Often, many datasets are not retrieved, as authors are uncontactable or do not share data. This absence of IPD can bias meta-analysis and interpretation of results. Currently, there is no framework in place to guide researchers in contacting trialists and to define a reasonable point to cease communication attempts.

PROPOSED FRAMEWORK: The framework consists of 4 approaches: first, contacting the listed authors on the trial publication; second, contacting the trialists’ associated institutions (hospitals and universities); third, contacting colleagues from similar regions within a particular country; And fourth, contacting the journal in search of trialists’ contact details. If trialists do not respond to sustained communication attempts, their study should be classified as “non-responding.” Depending on the trial context, non-responding trialists or those who respond with concerning reasons why data are unavailable may be subject to further review regarding trial quality and data integrity concerns.

CASE STUDY: This framework was applied in an IPD-MA comparing misoprostol with oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage, which included 79 randomized controlled trials. With the use of this framework, trialists from 10 trials responded to the IPD invitation and contributed data (6 of which were used in final analysis); 38 trialists responded but did not contribute data; and 31 trialists did not respond and trials were subsequently classified as non-responding.

CONCLUSIONS: The proposed framework provides a uniform structure for contacting authors and requesting data for IPD-MA, which may increase the likelihood that trialists will respond to IPD-MA invitations. This framework will also help to identify trialists who do not respond to reasonable attempts at communication.

PMID:41489000 | DOI:10.11124/JBIES-24-00548

Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Jan 5:ciaf738. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaf738. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The causal relationship between Crohn’s disease (CD) and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) remains controversial.

METHODS: This multicenter observational study was conducted across seven tertiary care centers in India enrolled newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve Crohn’s disease (CD) patients as cases, and treatment-naïve intestinal tuberculosis (ITB), ulcerative colitis (UC), and healthy individuals undergoing sigmoidoscopy for hemorrhoids as controls. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) detection was performed using serology for MAP antibodies, PCR, RT-qPCR, and solid/liquid cultures on blood and colonic biopsies. In situ PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were additionally applied to paraffin-embedded tissue sections to evaluate MAP presence across groups.

FINDINGS: A total of 889 participants were recruited (CD=148, ITB=288, UC=251 and non-IBD controls=202) were included. The seropositivity of MAP was significantly higher in patients with CD compared to controls (20.6% [13/63] vs healthy controls: 16.2% [12/74]; ITB: 7.8% [9/116]; UC: 4.8% [4/84]; p<0.01). On tissue PCR analysis using IS900-specific sequence in colonic biopsies, statistically higher number of patients with CD were positive for MAP compared to controls (11% [9/82] vs 7.1% [5/70]; UC: 1% [2/188]; ITB: 0.5% [1/198]; p<0.01). On solid culture of biopsy samples, MAP was detected in 10% (5/50) of patients with CD compared to 4.1% (4/97) in ITB and 0% (0/78) in UC (p=0.02). However, this difference was not observed when analysed using liquid culture, IHC, in situ PCR, and PCR of blood samples.

INTERPRETATION: Findings of our study suggest an increased association of MAP and CD. Future studies should explore possible causal role of MAP in CD and potential therapeutic options to target MAP.

PMID:41488976 | DOI:10.1093/cid/ciaf738

Front Psychol. 2025 Dec 18;16:1198825. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1198825. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Academic viewpoints on the psychological impact of digital hoarding remain fragmented, and there is a lack of literature exploring the mechanism through which digital hoarding affects job performance in the workplace context.

METHOD: This research draws on three quantitative studies-a primary study (N = 211) and two robustness checks (N = 114; N = 259)-to examine the effects of digital hoarding in the workplace on employee work performance. Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling, bootstrap procedures, and simple slope analysis.

CONCLUSION: The findings show that digital hoarding in the workplace positively predicts job performance. Meanwhile, Job burnout exerts a negative mediating effect in this relationship, whereas thriving serves as a positive mediator. Besides, prevention focus significantly attenuates the positive association between digital hoarding and job performance, while the moderating role of promotion focus is not statistically significant.

DISCUSSION: These results contribute meaningfully to both theory and practice by advancing our understanding of how digital hoarding interacts with individual emotional states and work outcomes. Furthermore, they offer actionable insights for promoting employee wellbeing through health-oriented media use practices and for enhancing organizational effectiveness via performance-driven media management strategies.

PMID:41488956 | PMC:PMC12756427 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1198825

Front Psychol. 2025 Dec 19;16:1606131. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1606131. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Since independence, African states have faced armed conflicts and economic crises, disrupting traditional cultures and causing trauma. In Sub-Saharan Africa, psycho trauma is seen as a shared expression of distress rather than a medical condition. Understanding these cultural manifestations is crucial for evaluating Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria. This review explores how PTSD symptoms manifest differently in these communities, aiming to enhance cultural understanding and improve patient care.

METHODS: We conducted a double bind scoping review following the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was performed across multiple databases, including ScienceDirect, Cairn.info, SAGE Journals, Google Scholar, APA PsycInfo, Springer Link, PubMed, and ProQuest, for publications from 2016 to 2024 using the keywords PTSD, Sub-Saharan Africa, war trauma, sexual violence, culture, and expression of trauma.

RESULTS: The search returned 268 records. We identified 15 studies, written in English and French, that met the inclusion criteria. The studies were conducted in 8 countries Burkina Faso (n = 1) Cameroon (n = 2), Democratic Republic of the Congo (n = 4), Ivory coast (2), Kenya (1), Republic of Congo n = 1), South Africa (3) and Togo (n = 1). Nine studies (60%) highlight the symptoms related to PTSD showing that the DSM-5 emphasis psychological dimensions, whereas in sub-Sahara PTSD is primarily attributed to spiritual causes. Six studies (40%) highlight the meaning of symptoms in African anthropological structures, and the challenges faced by clinical psychologists in the context where mental health is not integrated in the cultural model of healing which involves spiritual rituals, traditional healers, and religious interventions.

CONCLUSION: This scoping review underscores the necessity of a comprehensive understanding of PTSD in Sub-Saharan Africa, where trauma is predominantly expressed through somatic and spiritual frameworks. Recognizing these cultural expressions is essential for developing contextually relevant diagnostic approaches and improving culturally adapted patient care.

PMID:41488943 | PMC:PMC12757261 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1606131

Front Psychol. 2025 Dec 19;16:1636209. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1636209. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: College students’ academic success and future growth are greatly impacted by achievement motivation, an innate desire for excellence. Higher education is an important time for students to socialize, and achievement motivation has a big impact on personal values, which is important for producing top-notch workers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the current state of college students’ achievement motivation and the elements that influence it.

METHODS: 2,849 students from a university in Shandong Province participated in a cross-sectional survey. The Achievement Motivation Scale was used to measure the motivation to strive for achievement vs. the motivation to avoid failure. SPSS version 27.0 was utilized for conducting descriptive statistics, single-factor analysis, and performing multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS: College students’ average achievement motivation score was 4.38 ± 12.99, with a noticeably unequal distribution across motivation levels. Gender, parental literacy level, personal and parental health condition, family annual income, future goals, and short-term plans all showed statistically significant variations in achievement motivation, according to a single-factor analysis (p < 0.05). However, multiple linear regression analysis showed that the direct effects of variables like family annual income and parental literacy level were no longer significant after adjusting for inter-variable interactions.

CONCLUSION: This study confirms that gender, personal health condition, and short-term plans are important influencing factors and demonstrates considerable individual differences in university students’ achievement motivation with an uneven overall distribution. It offers both practical advice and theoretical foundations for applying differentiated instruction in higher education settings.

PMID:41488939 | PMC:PMC12757273 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1636209

Front Physiol. 2025 Dec 18;16:1726454. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1726454. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated three-dimensional changes in incisive canal (IC) morphology, root-IC proximity, and apical root resorption following fixed orthodontic retraction, comparing extraction and non-extraction protocols.

METHODS: CBCT scans of 86 patients (172 maxillary central incisors; mean age 22.3 ± 5.7 years) were analyzed before (T1) and immediately after treatment (T2). Participants were assigned to extraction (n = 42) or non-extraction (n = 44) groups. Linear measurements (IC width, cortical bone width, root-IC distance, U1 length/width, IC height) were recorded at three vertical levels (H1-H3). IC and U1 volumes and surface areas were quantified using standardized 3D segmentation. Continuous group comparisons were performed using patient-averaged data, whereas incisor-level categorical outcomes were analyzed using cluster-adjusted statistical models. Root-IC proximity patterns were evaluated using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE), and apical root resorption and volumetric changes were assessed using Linear Mixed Models (LMM). Predictors of root-IC contact/invasion and predictors of root-IC distance reduction were examined using multivariable GEE and LMM, respectively. Multiplicity was controlled using Holm-Bonferroni correction.

RESULTS: IC width and cortical bone width decreased at several levels in both groups, more prominently in extraction cases (P < 0.05). Root-IC distance decreased in all patients, with an adjusted overall mean reduction of 1.33 mm (95% CI, 1.28-1.37). LMM showed no independent effect of extraction status on root-IC distance change (B = 0.08, P = 0.079). Each millimeter of U1 retraction produced an additional 0.40 mm reduction in root-IC distance (95% CI, 0.37-0.43; P < 0.001). GEE demonstrated that each millimeter of U1 movement increased the odds of root-IC contact or invasion by 1.76-fold (95% CI, 1.21-2.56; adjusted P = 0.030). Apical root resorption was significantly higher in teeth showing canal contact or invasion, with an average 0.38 mm greater shortening compared with separated roots (95% CI, 0.08-0.69).

CONCLUSION: Changes in root-IC proximity during orthodontic retraction are driven primarily by the magnitude of tooth movement, not extraction status. Greater retraction increases both canal approximation and the likelihood of contact/invasion, which in turn intensifies apical root resorption. Pre-treatment CBCT assessment of IC morphology and careful force and torque control are essential to minimize biomechanical overload and reduce iatrogenic risk during orthodontic retraction.

PMID:41488921 | PMC:PMC12756103 | DOI:10.3389/fphys.2025.1726454

Front Pediatr. 2025 Dec 18;13:1634178. doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1634178. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive approaches are being increasingly employed in pediatric orthopedic trauma surgery. Clinical practice has seen applications of minimally invasive techniques for fractures such as intercondylar eminence avulsion fractures, femoral shaft fractures, and humeral shaft fractures. However, open reduction remains the primary surgical approach for pediatric humeral lateral condyle fractures. Open reduction disrupts peripheral blood circulation and increases the risk of epiphyseal injury. Damage to the epiphysis may affect a child’s growth and development; therefore, surgical approach selection requires careful consideration. Our institution has accumulated substantial experience in applying arthroscopic techniques to trauma management. Through clinical exploration, we have developed an approach for treating pediatric humeral lateral condyle fractures involving arthroscopic reduction under endoscopic guidance combined with Kirschner wire fixation, aiming to provide new insights for clinical treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of arthroscopic reduction vs. open reduction for Jacob type II pediatric humeral lateral condyle fractures.

METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 60 pediatric patients with Jacob type II humeral lateral condyle fractures treated at Liuyang Orthopedics Hospital between January 2021 and June 2022. The cases were divided into an Arthroscopic Group and an Open Reduction Group based on surgical approach. The Arthroscopic Group underwent arthroscopy-assisted reduction with Kirschner wire fixation, while the control group (Open Reduction Group) received open reduction with Kirschner wire fixation. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss volume, and incision length were compared between the two groups; Pre- and postoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were compared; To assess whether arthroscopic reduction offers advantages over open reduction for pediatric humeral lateral condyle fractures, outcomes including the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) and Baumann angle were evaluated at 3 months postoperatively.

RESULTS: Incisions healed by first intention in both groups. No statistically significant difference was found in operative time between groups [(30.17 ± 8.342) min vs. (29.07 ± 9.340) min, P = 0.632]. Incision length was significantly shorter in the Arthroscopic Group [(2.07 ± 0.254) cm vs. (4.63 ± 0.809) cm, P = 0.000]. Intraoperative bleeding was significantly less in the Arthroscopic Group [(7.59 ± 1.167) mL vs. (11.83 ± 2.706) mL, P = 0.012]. Both groups showed reduced VAS scores postoperatively, with significantly better scores in the Arthroscopic Group (P = 0.000). Postoperative CRP and ESR levels increased in both groups compared to preoperative values, but the Open Reduction Group demonstrated significantly greater increases (P < 0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, the Arthroscopic Group showed superior Mayo Elbow Performance Scores (P = 0.013), while no significant difference was observed in Baumann angle measurements.

CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic reduction for pediatric humeral lateral condyle fractures offers smaller incisions, reduced bleeding, attenuated inflammatory response, and is more conducive to postoperative functional recovery.

PMID:41488908 | PMC:PMC12756486 | DOI:10.3389/fped.2025.1634178