Category: Nevin Manimala

BMC Pediatr. 2026 Feb 5. doi: 10.1186/s12887-026-06579-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Burn injuries among children under five remain a significant public health concern globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Tanzania. Despite various national efforts, the burden and associated factors of burns, particularly in relation to rural-urban differences, have not been well-documented in the Dodoma Region. The study aimed to compare the prevalence of burn wounds and associated factors among children under five years old between rural and urban areas in Dodoma Region.

METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2025, involving 299 children under five years from both rural and urban areas in the Dodoma Region. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 27 with descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of burn wounds for children under five was 78 (26%) for both urban and rural areas. By categorizing, 31 (39.7%) of burn wound cases were from urban areas, and 47 (60.3%) cases were from rural areas. In rural areas, good caregiver supervision was associated with the majority of children under five ending up with no burn wound (χ² = 4.16, P = 0.04). The household hazards in urban areas were associated with burn wounds among children under-five (χ² = 17.69, P < 0.001). In rural areas, the under-five children without risk behaviours were associated with most of under five children ending up with no burn wound (χ² = 4.31, P = 0.038). Moreover, several participants’ sociodemographic characteristics were associated with the prevalence of burn wounds.

CONCLUSION: This study found that burn injuries among under-five children in the Dodoma region are more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. In comparing predictors of burn wounds in rural and urban areas, a major contributing factor to burn wounds in rural areas is poor caregiver supervision, while the predictor of burn wounds in urban areas is household hazards.

PMID:41645110 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-026-06579-y

BMC Geriatr. 2026 Feb 5. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06945-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Individuals at risk of frequent hospitalisation often experience complex health and social challenges. Peer health navigation programmes have emerged as a promising strategy to support these patients, improve continuity of care, and reduce hospital use. The strategy has strong alignment with the transition of care management model.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the baseline demographic characteristics, self-reported health status, and frailty of patients enrolled in the Northern Patient Watch (NPW) program. NPW employs peer health navigators, under the supervision of health professionals, to support individuals at high risk of recurrent hospital admissions.

METHODS: This observational study examined all patients who enrolled in the NPW programme between November 2021 and October 2024. Baseline data were collected on demographics, health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5 L), and frailty (Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the findings.

RESULTS: A total of 650 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 70 years, and 56% were female. One-third lived alone, and 29% spoke a language other than English at home. The mean EQ-5D-5 L index score was 0.72, with a mean EQ-VAS of 58.9, indicating moderate health-related quality of life. Moderate issues were frequently reported across all EQ-5D-5 L dimensions, particularly in mobility, pain, and mental health. Two-thirds of participants were classified as vulnerable or frail.

CONCLUSION: Patients who enrol in peer health navigation programmes such as NPW are typically older adults with moderate but not severe health challenges. These individuals may be particularly well positioned to benefit from early, tailored support that can prevent further deterioration. Findings highlight the potential value of peer navigation programmes in engaging at-risk populations before health crises occur.

PMID:41645076 | DOI:10.1186/s12877-025-06945-y

Cancer. 2026 Feb 15;132(4):e70285. doi: 10.1002/cncr.70285.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is an intensive and invasive procedure used in cancer treatment that depends heavily on the involvement of caregivers and places them at high risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. These symptoms are frequently overlooked in oncology and general health care settings. The suitability and utility of the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) within cancer caregivers remains uncertain. This study sought to evaluate its performance as a brief (five-item) case finding screening alternative to the longer (20-item) PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) in caregivers of survivors who received an HCT 1-5 years ago.

METHOD: A total of 106 caregivers completed the PC-PTSD-5 and PCL-5 during recruitment for a randomized clinical trial. Optimal cut scores for identifying probable PTSD and item performance were determined using indices correcting for chance and item response theory analyses.

RESULTS: Of the caregivers evaluated, 33% screened as positive for probable DSM-5 PTSD using the PCL-5. The PC-PTSD-5 exhibited acceptable internal consistency and significant associations with PCL-5 scores (total, r = 0.79; items r [range] [0.60-0.69]). A cutoff score of 3 provided optimal sensitivity for screening (κ[Se] = 1). Item response theory analyses indicated the need for the complete PC-PTSD-5 items to provide the greatest information across varying levels of PTSD.

CONCLUSION: Although not an instrument validation study, these findings provide preliminary support for using the PC-PTSD-5 as a succinct, effective screening tool among cancer caregivers in a clinical context.

PMID:41645050 | DOI:10.1002/cncr.70285

Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng. 2026 Feb;42(2):e70138. doi: 10.1002/cnm.70138.

ABSTRACT

Existing lumped arterial stenosis models struggle to accurately capture the pressure and flow relationship of complex lesion morphologies, thereby limiting their ability to accurately evaluate lesions. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a geometry-informed, data-driven lumped stenosis model that incorporates realistic lesion shapes using statistical shape modeling (SSM). By generating a large dataset of synthetic coronary stenoses, hence focusing on epicardial lesions, and evaluating them through high-fidelity 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD), we derived reference pressure drops across a diverse range of lesion geometries and flow regimes. These CFD-derived pressures and flows, along with their corresponding shape coefficients, were used to train a lumped parameter model capable of rapidly estimating trans-lesional pressure drops. Remarkably, only five shape modes were necessary to effectively describe the geometric variability, underscoring the efficiency of the approach. Compared to a conventional lumped model, our approach significantly improved pressure drop prediction accuracy, especially in the case of irregular stenosis morphologies. Integration of the new data-driven lumped stenosis model within a 1D pulse wave propagation framework was also successful, aligning simulated pressure and flow waveforms much closer with high-fidelity CFD-coupled results. In turn, the estimation of the fractional flow reserve, a clinically validated index of lesion-specific ischemia, also improved by 18% compared to a conventional lumped model. Although only validated using synthetic lesion data, the model’s architecture allows easy integration of additional shape features and lesion-specific parameters, paving the way for future validation on patient-derived geometries.

PMID:41645049 | DOI:10.1002/cnm.70138

J Prosthodont. 2026 Feb 5. doi: 10.1111/jopr.70100. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This in vitro study aimed to investigate the effect of different grit sizes of dental burs on the marginal adaptation of lithium-reinforced glass-ceramic restorations. The objective was to determine if finishing with fine-grit burs after initial preparation with coarser-grit burs enhances the marginal adaptation of restorations produced using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty impacted human molar teeth with intact enamel were extracted and divided into five groups (n = 10 per group). For group 1, a neutral band chamfer bur (107 µm) was used, while for group 2, a black band bur (181 µm) was used. A green band bur (151 µm) was used for group 3. For group 4, preparation was done using a black band bur and finished with the red band bur (46 µm), while for group 5, a green band bur was used for preparation and finished with the red band bur. Three-dimensional (3D) scans of the prepared teeth were obtained using an intraoral scanner (Virtuo Vivo, Dental Wings), and CAD software was used to design the crowns. The restorations were milled from lithium disilicate blocks (IPS e.max CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent) on a chairside milling machine (M10, Camcube). Marginal gap assessment on the buccal, mesial, palatal/lingual, and distal surfaces by a stereomicroscope at 20× magnification and with 840 LP/mm resolution was performed. The measurements were performed for 32 equidistant points per sample, totaling 1600 points. ImageJ software was used for the analysis. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used on 10 samples for validation. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests at the 0.05 significance level.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in marginal adaptation between the different groups, with groups 4 (Black-Red) and 5 (Green-Red) showing a better marginal fit (p < 0.05). Within each group, no significant difference was observed between the buccal, mesial, distal, and palatal sides.

CONCLUSION: Finishing tooth preparation with a fine-grit red diamond bur after using coarser-grit burs significantly enhances the marginal adaptation of glass-ceramic restorations produced by CAD-CAM technology. This technique could lead to better clinical outcomes in patients treated with such restorations.

PMID:41645020 | DOI:10.1111/jopr.70100

Sci Rep. 2026 Feb 6. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-38472-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Psychosomatic symptoms have become increasingly prevalent among adolescents; however, trends covering a longer period remain underexplored in Hungary. This study examines changes in psychosomatic symptoms among school-aged children using nationally representative data from the Hungarian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, collected in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 (N = 37,930; M_age = 14.88 years, SD_age = 2.36 years; boys = 49.3%). Descriptive statistics, logistic regression analyses, and ANCOVAs were conducted to assess trends from 2002 to 2022. Girls and older adolescents reported more symptoms overall, with 2022 showing the highest prevalence across all symptom categories in both genders. The proportion of adolescents reporting multiple health complaints (MHC) (excluding fatigue) became considerably more common between 2010 and 2022, increasing from 40.6 to 65.6% among girls, and from 30.2 to 42% among boys. Fatigue emerged as the most reported frequent symptom across all survey waves among both genders, peaking in 2022 at 47.5% among boys and 67.6% among girls. The findings point to a trajectory-particularly in recent years-highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy actions to support adolescent health.

PMID:41644995 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-38472-0

Sci Rep. 2026 Feb 5. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-39298-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In pursuit of sustainability, it is necessary to comprehend the evolving relationship between economic growth and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study conducts Index Decomposition Analysis (IDA) for comparative sectoral analysis of the world’s ten largest GHG emitting countries across their eight sectors; agriculture, building, fuel exploitation, industrial combustion, power industry, processes, transport and waste, using latest available data from 2000 to 2023. This study disaggregates sectoral emissions to evaluate the extent to which economic growth has been decoupled from GHG emissions, thereby offering insight into national sectoral emission trajectories and sustainability progress. This study offers sectoral ranking of countries based on average GHG emission abatement during 2000-2023 and offers the sectoral GHG emission intensity in these countries relative in year 2000. The agriculture and building sectors demonstrated significant decoupling, abatement of GHG emissions by an average of 6.44 MtCO₂ and 6.34 MtCO₂, respectively, through sustainable practices. The fuel exploitation sector achieved modest abatement of 2.24 MtCO₂, though emissions intensified in China and Indonesia. In the industrial combustion sector, GHG emissions abatement were recorded by 0.74 MtCO₂ but intensified in several emerging economies. The transport sector recorded a slight intensity of 0.36 MtCO₂, highlighting the urgent need for low carbon mobility solutions. The waste sector achieved the most substantial GHG emissions abatement of 16.31 MtCO₂, led by USA, despite intensified in four other nations. The findings emphasized the critical need for tailored, sector specific policy interventions, technology adoption, and behavioral changes to achieve sustained decarbonization. The study contributes to the global discourse on climate mitigation by offering comparative sectors specific insights to align national energy structures with global decarbonizing practices.

PMID:41644989 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-39298-6

Sci Rep. 2026 Feb 5. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-35689-x. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41644971 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-35689-x

J Cancer Educ. 2026 Feb 6. doi: 10.1007/s13187-025-02805-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Didactic lectures play an important role in hematology/oncology fellowship education. How each program structures their curricula is determined independently. To improve the trainee experience, identifying best practices is essential, but limited data about program structure exist. This marks the first cross-sectional analysis of hematology/oncology fellowship didactic curricula from a heterogenous group of programs to-date. Twenty-eight US Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited hematology/oncology fellowship programs were included. Local principal investigators completed a 21-question survey containing a series of multiple-choice and open-ended questions to understand participating programs’ educational curricula and structure. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics for multiple-choice questions and thematic analysis for open-ended questions. All participating programs completed the background assessment (100% response rate), representing a heterogenous group of academic and community programs across the continental US. There was a median of 3 days of lectures (range 1-5 days per week), with slideshow presentations as the primary mode of content delivery (100%). Disease-specific faculty delivered the majority of content for malignant hematology and oncology (n = 26, 93%) and classical hematology (n = 18, 64%) at most programs. Journal club was included in 24 programs (86%), however only four programs invited biostatisticians (17%) and only 8 programs (28%) included introductory biostatistics lectures. The majority of programs also encouraged supplemental resource use. These data suggest that there remains heterogeneity with regards to the structure of didactic curricula in hematology/oncology fellowship programs. Future efforts to evaluate how these variations impact fellow education should be undertaken to identify best practices.

PMID:41644935 | DOI:10.1007/s13187-025-02805-w

Obes Surg. 2026 Feb 5. doi: 10.1007/s11695-026-08500-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Obesity significantly increases cardiovascular risk through insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and systemic inflammation. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) are effective weight-loss interventions that may improve cardiovascular outcomes. However, evidence comparing the long-term cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1RAs versus MBS remains limited. We systematically compare the impact of GLP-1RAs versus MBS on cardiovascular outcomes, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and heart failure (HF) in patients with obesity.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched up to July 30, 2025, for studies comparing cardiovascular outcomes of GLP-1RAs and MBS. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies reporting cardiovascular disease (CVD), including MACE and HF. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed using the R meta package. Heterogeneity was evaluated with I² statistics, and publication bias was assessed via funnel plots and Egger’s test.

RESULTS: Six cohort studies, including over 282,450 participants, compared cardiovascular outcomes of MBS versus GLP-1RAs. MBS was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of CVD (RR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.49-0.81; I² = 87.7%) and HF (RR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.37-0.66; I² = 70.2%) compared to GLP-1RAs. For cerebrovascular events, a non-significant trend favored MBS (RR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.34-1.36; I² = 91%). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings, and no significant publication bias was detected.

CONCLUSIONS: Compared to GLP-1RAs, metabolic bariatric surgery is linked to better cardiovascular outcomes and a decreased prevalence of heart failure in individuals with obesity. Although trends point to possible cerebrovascular benefits, there is insufficient research to draw firm conclusions. These findings might help physicians tailor their approaches to managing obesity in order to maximize the reduction of cardiovascular prevalence.

PMID:41644868 | DOI:10.1007/s11695-026-08500-z