Category: Nevin Manimala

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2026 May 15. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2026-0108. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of maternal β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), neonatal thyroid hormones including free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and neonatal serum testosterone with anogenital distance (AGD) in term male and female newborns, and to assess sex-related differences.

METHODS: This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 133 term newborns (90 males and 43 females) delivered between 37 and 40 weeks of gestation. Maternal serum β-hCG levels were measured before delivery. Cord blood samples were analyzed for fT3, fT4, TSH, and neonatal venous blood samples for serum testosterone. AGD and neonatal anthropometric parameters were measured shortly after birth. Sex-wise comparisons and correlation analyses were performed.

RESULTS: Mean AGD was significantly greater in male newborns than in females (2.62 ± 0.09 cm vs. 1.15 ± 0.05 cm; p = 0.001). Maternal β-hCG levels differed between mothers of male and female newborns (p<0.05). Neonatal serum testosterone levels were higher in males, though not statistically significant (p=0.16). AGD showed positive correlations with maternal β-hCG and neonatal serum testosterone levels. Among thyroid hormones, mean fT3 levels were significantly higher in females (p=0.0001), while fT4 and TSH were comparable.

CONCLUSIONS: AGD at birth shows marked sexual dimorphism and is associated with maternal β-hCG and neonatal serum testosterone measured at birth. These findings provide reference data from an Indian newborn population. Given the timing of measurements, results should be interpreted with caution, and further longitudinal studies are required to clarify developmental determinants of AGD.

PMID:42131996 | DOI:10.1515/jpem-2026-0108

Psychol Med. 2026 May 14;56:e153. doi: 10.1017/S0033291726104644.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent proposals for revising the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) aim to improve psychiatric diagnosis. While these efforts reflect substantial ambition, they continue to operate within assumptions embedded in the DSM’s underlying classificatory logic. This editorial examines whether such incremental revision is sufficient.

METHODS: We provide a critical analysis of the recently published DSM roadmap and accompanying subcommittee commentaries. Drawing on contemporary literature, we identify five structural blind spots in the current reform agenda: public mental health, scientific inference, lived experience, epistemic governance, and the function of diagnosis. Based on this analysis, we propose an alternative dialogical redesign for the DSM.

RESULTS: We argue that current revision considerations risk increasing complexity without resolving fundamental limitations in psychiatric classification. Specifically, our analysis highlights several areas that warrant further consideration, including the relationship between diagnostic expansion and societal conditions, the applicability of group-level scientific findings to individual care, the incorporation of experiential knowledge, participatory governance in revision processes, and the identity-related implications of diagnosis. In response, we propose redesigning the DSM as a hybrid dialogical system that retains coarse-grained classificatory categories for pragmatic purposes while shifting diagnostic practice toward contextual interpretation, collaborative meaning-making, relational understanding, and individualized care formulation.

CONCLUSIONS: The challenges facing psychiatric diagnosis require more than incremental refinement. We therefore argue for a dialogical redesign of the DSM that better reflects the context-dependent, experiential, and relational nature of mental health conditions, positioning diagnosis as a starting point for collaborative inquiry.

PMID:42131991 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291726104644

Can J Nurs Res. 2026 May 14:8445621261451565. doi: 10.1177/08445621261451565. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background and PurposeDespite pervasive structural and systemic adversities, Black children and youth in Canada demonstrate significant resilience. However, mainstream discourse often privileges deficit-based narratives, marginalizing these strengths. This rapid scoping review identifies and synthesizes the breadth and depth of available evidence on resilience among Black young people in Canada to counter these stereotypes and inform culturally responsive interventions.MethodsThis rapid scoping review utilized four electronic databases, ProQuest (gray literature), and a supplemental Google Scholar search. Two independent reviewers performed screening and data extraction. Findings were synthesized using descriptive statistics and narrative description.ResultsA total of 24 reports, including 23 peer-reviewed articles, and one thesis met the inclusion criteria. Our findings reveal: (a) geographic (Ontario-centric) and methodological imbalances; (b) that most studies contextualized resilience around intersecting structural and systemic adversities, including anti-Black racism in schools, socioeconomic hardship, and mental health barriers; (c) that research primarily explored resilience capacities and processes, with less attention given to outcomes; (d) that resilience was supported by a dynamic combination of individual, relational, and community-level factors; and (e) that barriers to resilience spanned systemic, interpersonal, and individual levels, with racial discrimination and structural racism acting as pervasive obstacles.ConclusionsResilience among Black youth is a dynamic process of resistance to structural racism, not just a personal trait. While matrifocal networks and spirituality are powerful facilitators, they are frequently hindered by systemic exclusion in education and healthcare. Future efforts must prioritize structural reforms and relational nursing care.

PMID:42131960 | DOI:10.1177/08445621261451565

Chronobiol Int. 2026 May 14:1-7. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2026.2674041. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Night work disrupts the circadian system, alters melatonin signaling, and is associated with sleep and mental health disturbances. The pineal gland is central to circadian regulation. However, structural neuroimaging evidence of pineal adaptation to chronic circadian disruption in humans remains limited. This cross-sectional neuroimaging study included 110 healthcare workers, 32 night workers and 78 day workers. High-resolution T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify total pineal gland volume, parenchymal volume, and cyst prevalence. Circadian-related sleep disturbance was assessed using the General Sleep Disturbance Scale. Associations with night-work exposure and sleep domains were examined using nonparametric statistical methods. Total and parenchymal pineal volumes did not differ between both workers. However, the pineal cyst prevalence was higher among night workers. Within the night-work group, a greater pineal parenchymal volume correlated positively with sleep-maintenance disturbance. Pineal volume increased during early night-work exposure and subsequently stabilized with longer exposure. Night work was associated with distinct pineal structural features, potentially reflecting morphological adaptations of the human circadian system to chronic disruption. These preliminary findings suggest that pineal morphology could serve as a circadian strain structural marker, but longitudinal studies incorporating direct circadian and hormonal measures are required to establish its biomarker potential.

PMID:42131956 | DOI:10.1080/07420528.2026.2674041

J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2026 May 14:10538127261451748. doi: 10.1177/10538127261451748. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundAdult degenerative scoliosis is a common condition in the aging population, and conservative treatment approaches are often used as the first-line management for symptom control.ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of the erector spinae plane block, when administered in conjunction with physical therapy, on pain severity, disability, and quality of life in patients diagnosed with degenerative lumbar scoliosis.MethodsA total of 26 patients aged 60 and older were randomized into two groups: Group 1 received physical therapy, while Group 2 received physical therapy plus an erector spinae plane block. The severity of pain was evaluated using the Numeric Rating Scale, while disability and quality of life were assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index and the SRS-22 questionnaire.ResultsThe severity of pain was statistically diminished in the 1st week, 1st month, and 3rd month after treatment in both groups (p < 0.01). Oswestry Disability Index and SRS-22 total scores showed notable improvements at each time point in both groups (p < 0.01). However, except for pain scores at 3 months, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of pain, disability, or quality of life scores.ConclusionPhysical therapy is an effective method for controlling pain, improving functionality, and improving quality of life in patients with adult degenerative scoliosis. The rapid, short-term pain relief achieved through erector spinae plane block may encourage patient adherence to treatment and enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation. Future studies with larger samples are needed to evaluate long-term effects of these interventions and personalized treatment strategies.

PMID:42131955 | DOI:10.1177/10538127261451748

Lipids. 2026 May 14. doi: 10.1002/lipd.70065. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The serum C-reactive protein-triglyceride glucose index (CTI) is a parameter integrating inflammation and insulin resistance, which are potential mechanisms for osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our study aims to investigate its association with the risk of OA or RA. This study is based on cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2010, involving 6395 participants aged ≥ 20 years. Weighted logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and subgroup analysis were employed to assess the relationship between CTI and OA, RA. After adjusting for confounding factors, CTI showed a significant positive correlation with the risk of OA (p < 0.05), and a non-linear relationship was observed (p = 0.0069). The risk of OA peaked when CTI reached 8.35 and gradually declined beyond this threshold. Subgroup analyses confirmed that this association consistently existed across different populations (all interaction p > 0.05). For RA, after adjustment for metabolic and lifestyle factors, the association between CTI and RA was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There is a significant non-linear association between CTI and the risk of OA, suggesting that CTI may serve as a comprehensive indicator for assessing OA risk.

PMID:42131950 | DOI:10.1002/lipd.70065

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2026 May 14. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.126.324466. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The incorporation of side branches in vessel geometry influences wall shear stress (WSS) distribution. However, complete vessel reconstruction is time-consuming, and there is no evidence that its WSS estimations better predict atherosclerotic disease progression compared with the output of the conventional single-vessel reconstruction (SVR).

METHODS: Patients who had baseline and 1-year follow-up intravascular ultrasound imaging (n=40 vessels), and patients with neoatherosclerotic lesions (n=13 vessels) on optical coherence tomography were included. All the studied vessels had at least one side branch with a diameter >1 mm; 3-dimensional complete vessel reconstruction and SVR were performed, and the time-averaged WSS and multidirectional WSS were computed. The performance of both methods in predicting disease progression in intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography models was assessed.

RESULTS: The incorporation of side branches in 3-dimensional geometry resulted in lower minimum predominant time-averaged WSS in the intravascular ultrasound (1.09 versus 1.58 Pa, P<0.001) and optical coherence tomography-based reconstructions (0.68 versus 1.33 Pa, P<0.001) and influenced the multidirectional WSS distribution. In native segments, complete vessel reconstruction-derived WSS metrics demonstrated superior predictive performance for disease progression-defined as lumen area reduction and plaque burden increase-compared with SVR, as evidenced by improved out-of-sample accuracy (leave-one-out information criterion: 429 versus 551), discrimination (C statistic: 0.725 versus 0.651), calibration (Brier score: 0.172 versus 0.226), and explained variance (27.8% versus 20.7%). Consistent findings were observed in stented segments, where complete vessel reconstruction-derived WSS metrics more accurately predicted neointimal proliferation than SVR-derived metrics.

CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating side branches into vessel reconstruction influences WSS distribution and enables more accurate prediction of atherosclerotic disease progression in native and stented segments than SVR.

PMID:42131920 | DOI:10.1161/ATVBAHA.126.324466

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2026 May 14:e019402. doi: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.125.019402. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The 2016 American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) guidelines for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) classification resulted in a significant proportion of indeterminate classifications and grades. To address these limitations and incorporate new evidence, the ASE updated its recommendations in 2025. The impact of these revisions in community cohorts remains unclear.

METHODS: We studied 1953 Project Baseline Health Study participants who underwent comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography. LVDD was classified using the 2016 and 2025 ASE recommendations. For the 2025 recommendations, fixed and age-specific thresholds were evaluated separately. We compared LVDD prevalence, reclassification patterns, associations with cardiovascular risk factors, and prognostic value for major adverse cardiovascular events over a median follow-up of 4.3 years.

RESULTS: Median age was 50.6 years (Q1-Q3: 36.3-64.2); 56.3% were female, 35.3% had hypertension, and 14.2% had diabetes. The prevalence of LVDD was higher with the 2025 recommendations than with the 2016 algorithm: fixed criteria 308 (15.8%), age-specific criteria 220 (11.3%) versus ASE 2016 154 (8.0%). Among 119 (6.1%) participants classified as indeterminate by the 2016 algorithm, the 2025 recommendations reclassified 51.2% as no LVDD and 31.8% as Grade 2 LVDD. Participants reclassified as no LVDD had event-free survival that was not statistically different from those without LVDD (P=0.26), whereas those reclassified as Grade 2 had higher event rates (12.5% versus 3.8%; P=0.02). Major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 98 (5.0%) participants over the follow-up period. LVDD by all classification approaches was independently associated with major adverse cardiovascular events after adjustment for baseline risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS: The 2025 ASE recommendations identified more participants with LVDD than the 2016 algorithm without indeterminate classification or grading. LVDD by the 2025 classification was significantly associated with major adverse cardiovascular events, supporting the clinical relevance of the revised framework.

PMID:42131912 | DOI:10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.125.019402

Stroke. 2026 May 14. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.126.055924. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Vascular cognitive impairment and dementia is characterized by profound demyelination of white matter and the loss of myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. Clinical reports reveal negative correlations between plasma levels of adiponectin, the most abundant adipokine, and the severity of white matter lesions and cognitive impairments. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of adiponectin and adipoRon, a small-molecule agonist of adiponectin receptors, on white matter integrity after chronic hypoperfusion-induced vascular cognitive impairment and dementia.

METHODS: Male C57BL/6 wild-type, adiponectin knockout, and wild-type microglia-depleted (PLX5622-treated) mice were subjected to asymmetrical common carotid artery stenosis to model vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. White matter integrity was measured by immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy, electrophysiology, and ex vivo diffusion tensor imaging. Cognitive functions were evaluated by Morris water maze, Y maze, and passive avoidance tests. A model of lysophosphatidylcholine/LPC (lysolecithin)-mediated demyelination using ex vivo organotypic cerebellar slice cultures was used to assess white matter repair. Primary microglia and oligodendrocytes were prepared for in vitro studies. Statistical tests (t test or ANOVA) were based on the group numbers, types of variables, and data structure.

RESULTS: Adiponectin deficiency worsened white matter lesions and impaired axonal conduction compared with wild-type mice 42 days after asymmetrical common carotid artery stenosis. Conversely, adipoRon improved white matter integrity for the long term in both young and aged mice, consistent with their superior cognitive functions after asymmetrical common carotid artery stenosis. Adiponectin and adipoRon directly protected primary oligodendrocytes against oxygen/glucose deprivation, enhanced microglial engulfment of myelin debris, and promoted oligodendrogenic capacities of microglia in vitro. AdipoRon treatment enhanced microglial engulfment of damaged myelin after asymmetrical common carotid artery stenosis and boosted oligodendrocyte regeneration and white matter integrity in a microglia-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS: Adiponectin strengthens white matter integrity in chronic hypoperfusion-induced vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, providing a novel therapeutic target. Adiponectin may exert dual mechanistic effects by enhancing oligodendrocyte survival and promoting a reparative microglial phenotype.

PMID:42131908 | DOI:10.1161/STROKEAHA.126.055924

Food Nutr Bull. 2026 May 14:3795721261450295. doi: 10.1177/03795721261450295. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundAnimal-source foods (ASFs) are critical for addressing child undernutrition, yet consumption remains low in Ethiopia. Prevailing evidence often aggregates ASFs, potentially obscuring the unique socioeconomic and demographic determinants of specific, nutrient-rich foods like dairy, eggs, and meat.ObjectiveThis secondary analysis aimed to compare the determinants of dairy, egg, and meat/poultry consumption among children aged 6 to 23 months in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia, using existing cross-sectional data.MethodsThis secondary analysis utilized data from an institution-based cross-sectional study conducted among 542 mother-child pairs from July to August 2024. The original data were collected electronically via structured questionnaires. For this analysis, consumption of each ASF (dairy, eggs, meat/poultry) in the preceding 24 h was the primary outcome. Separate multivariable logistic regression models identified adjusted factors associated with each food type. The very low prevalence of meat/poultry consumption (4.5%) limits statistical power for detecting associations.ResultsConsumption prevalence was 28.6% for dairy, 15.0% for eggs, and 4.5% for meat/poultry. Household wealth exhibited a strong, positive gradient for all ASFs, most pronounced for eggs (richest vs poorest: Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 3.50, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.33-9.24). Maternal primary education was significantly associated with higher odds of dairy (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.17-3.19) and egg consumption (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.26-5.05) but not meat. Large family size (≥7 members) was a major constraint, reducing the odds of egg consumption by 70% (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.13-0.74).ConclusionsThe socioeconomic and demographic determinants of ASF consumption are not uniform but are distinctly patterned by food type. Nutrition-sensitive interventions must therefore be equally specific, combining economic strategies to improve affordability with targeted education-particularly for dairy and eggs-while addressing intrahousehold food allocation in larger families.

PMID:42131902 | DOI:10.1177/03795721261450295