Category: Nevin Manimala

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-59917-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Despite efforts to increase gender diversity in leadership, women remain undervalued, mainly due to gender stereotypes portraying females as less competent and of lower status. This study employs a novel mixed-gender dyad collaborative task with electroencephalography (EEG) and dipole source localization to investigate the neural mechanisms underpinning gender-biased rejection decisions in a real-time social context. In half of the trials, the male participants were designated as decision-makers, who evaluated their female partners’ suggestions and provided the final team answer. EEG data collected from the male low-biased (LB) and high-biased (HB) groups, classified according to the Implicit Association Test (IAT), were analyzed during the decision periods which resulted in the rejection of female answers. The HB group rejected their female partners’ choices at 57% in trials with conflict, which was similar in the LB group (55%). However, many rejections by the HB group resulted in wrong decisions (54%) which was significantly lower in the LB group (34%). Although criterion-based bias index from the signal detection theory could not explain this difference, a novel biased-rejection index (BRI), which measured the costly rejection behavior, could significantly separate the two male groups. Dipole source localization based on EEG during the entire decision period revealed significantly lower middle frontal gyrus (MFG), but higher inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) activation in the HB group compared to the LB group. Temporal dynamics analysis (resolution: 0.34 s) further showed (but not at a statistically-significant level) less activation in MFG for the HB group during the early stage, and a similar trend in SFG during the middle stage of cognitive processing. On the other hand, the moment magnitudes of IFG dipoles during the entire decision period were significantly correlated with the IAT D-scores, i.e. less IFG activation with lower implicit bias. Given the limitations of the study (lack of EEG from female decision-makers and 10-20 system montage), these findings suggest altered lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) activations as part of the neural correlates of gender-biased undervaluation of female contributions during a collaborative task.

PMID:42380222 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-59917-6

Nat Commun. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-74651-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Intense tropical cyclones (TCs), which pose serious threats to human life and property, often occur within a short period of time each year, known as the intense TC season. Changes in the lengths of intense TC seasons under climate change are critical scientific and socioeconomic issues. While trends in overall TC seasons have been widely studied, the response of intense TC seasons to climate change remains underexplored. Here, we show that intense TC seasons have been lengthening globally since 1980, with statistically significant increasing trends ranging from 9.9-13.8 days/decade across all basins, equivalent to 7.4-21.9% increase in intense TC season lengths per decade. This is primarily due to the enhancing probability of off-season TCs experiencing rapid intensification, which is partly driven by oceanic warming. Meanwhile, changes in background atmospheric circulation play a role in the complexity of intense TC seasonality change. As a result, off-season TCs are more likely to develop into intense TCs. The findings in this study indicate an increasing exposure of human societies to intense TC risks outside historical seasonal norms. This suggests the urgent need for preparation and mitigation measures for the potential risks of intense TCs under future climate change.

PMID:42380198 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-026-74651-3

Sci Rep. 2026 Jul 1. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-58835-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Substitution boxes (S-boxes) are a type of nonlinear component which provides confusion and robustness to cryptanalysis in modern symmetric ciphers. Due to the requirements of lightweight encryption (LWE) systems to achieve a high degree of security while minimizing computational overhead, we propose chaos-driven constructions of highly nonlinear S-boxes using permutations of the logistic map to create bijective and statistically randomized substitution patterns. We have extensively evaluated the cryptographic strength of our proposed S-box using standard metrics, including Nonlinearity (NL), Strict Avalanche Criteria (SAC), Bit Independence Criteria (BIC), Balancedness, Differential Approximation Probability (DAP), and Linear Approximation Probability (LAP). Our proposed S-box has demonstrated competitive performance with existing S-boxes by achieving average nonlinearity values of 112.75 and SAC/BIC values very close to ideal thresholds. To demonstrate practical applicability, we have integrated the proposed S-box into an image encryption scheme, where statistical analyses confirm near ideal entropy and negligible pixel correlation, demonstrating strong resistance to both statistical and differential attacks. Additionally, our proposed scheme has achieved comparable levels of security within a smaller number of rounds than traditional methods, thus enhancing both computational efficiency and throughput, making it suitable for real-time and resource-constrained multimedia security applications.

PMID:42380173 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-58835-x

Nat Commun. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-74759-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The Mid-Pleistocene Transition ( ~ 1200-650 ka) marked a shift to 100-kyr glacial cycles, despite no significant change in insolation cyclicity. In this study, a high-resolution pollen record from the southwestern Iberian margin, combined with climate modeling, reveals a three-phase climate evolution linked to boreal summer insolation amplitude. In the early phase ( ~ 1200-930 ka), strong insolation minima shifted westerlies north, boosting ice accumulation, while maxima promoted melting, limiting ice growth. The middle phase ( ~ 930-790 ka) followed regoliths loss and featured weaker insolation extremes, leading to the southward migration of the westerlies, mega-droughts and greater ice buildup. In the late phase ( ~ 790-680 ka), stronger minima pushed westerlies north, aligning with longer, colder glacials. These findings suggest that changes in insolation amplitude drove shifts in westerly wind patterns, influencing hydroclimate and ice sheet development, and may have contributed to the transition to 100-kyr glacial cycles.

PMID:42380158 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-026-74759-6

Sci Data. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1038/s41597-026-07680-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Long-term deep ocean temperature monitoring is crucial for understanding the ocean’s role in climate variability and storage of heat in the deep ocean. Observation of the ocean surface is relatively accessible via both in-situ and remote sensing; however, continuous, high-temporal resolution, decade-long temperature records from abyssal depths face the technical challenges of sustained deep ocean deployments. The addition of calibrated, internally-recording temperature sensors to deep-ocean moorings not far from the sea floor provides a means of making high temporal resolution temperature observations. Quality controlling and merging records from successive mooring deployments results in a decade-long time series. Our work has been to optimize approaches for ensuring data quality and continuity in multi-year deep ocean temperature datasets. Here we show a comprehensive processing framework that yields 13 years (2012 to 2025) of continuous temperature measurements at approximately 4200 to 4500 meters depth from the Stratus Ocean Reference Station near 22 °S, 85 °W, 1500 km off the coast of Chile in the Southeast Pacific. Our framework incorporates timing checks, automated spike detection, systematic multi-sensor validation, statistical validation, human-in-the-loop quality control, and merging protocols. This framework establishes reproducible standards for processing long term oceanographic observations from multiple deployments. For the Stratus data set, the result is a unique, decade-long abyssal temperature record with quantified uncertainties that constitutes a benchmark time series for evaluating the realism of deep ocean temperature in models.

PMID:42380150 | DOI:10.1038/s41597-026-07680-8

Stat Med. 2026 Jul;45(15-17):e70657. doi: 10.1002/sim.70657.

ABSTRACT

We apply covariate adjustment to the Wilcoxon two sample statistic and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test in comparing two treatments. The covariate adjustment through calibration not only improves efficiency in estimation/inference but also widens the application scope of the Wilcoxon two sample statistic and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test to situations where covariate-adaptive randomization is used. We motivate how to adjust covariates to reduce variance, establish the asymptotic distribution of adjusted Wilcoxon two sample statistic, and provide explicitly the guaranteed efficiency gain. The asymptotic distribution of adjusted Wilcoxon two sample statistic is invariant to all commonly used covariate-adaptive randomization schemes so that a unified formula can be used in inference regardless of which covariate-adaptive randomization is applied.

PMID:42380083 | DOI:10.1002/sim.70657

Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2026 Jun 30:25785478261465275. doi: 10.1177/25785478261465275. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a prevalent major cause of low back pain and radicular syndromes in the lower extremities. Elevated disc herniation volumes and the subsequent progression of spinal canal compromise are positively correlated with higher severity of radicular symptoms, functional disability, and neurological deficits.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) on disc size and functional outcomes in patients with LDH.

METHODS: This study enrolled 40 patients of both sexes (40% male and 60% female), ages from 30 to 45 years, all presenting with lumbosacral radiculopathy secondary to L4-L5 or L5-S1 disc herniation. Participants were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Group A (study group) received HILT group treated with a combined standard physical therapy exercise program, while Group B (control group) underwent a sham HILT procedure alongside the same physical therapy exercise program. Interventions were conducted three times a week over 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in disc herniation size in anteroposterior, transverse, and posterior vertical diameter as measured by magnetic resonance imaging. The secondary outcomes included pain intensity assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).

RESULTS: The HILT group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in all disc size parameters compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the HILT group showed significantly higher reduction in VAS scores (63.88% vs. 26.04%) and ODI scores (53.5% vs. 24.58%) compared with the control group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: HILT serves as a potent noninvasive modality for reducing the herniated lumbar discs size and providing significant pain relief and improving functional outcomes in individuals with lumbosacral radiculopathy.

PMID:42380073 | DOI:10.1177/25785478261465275

Ther Apher Dial. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1002/1744-9987.70178. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic micro-inflammation in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a significant driver of cardiovascular complications and diminished quality of life. While standard hemodialysis (SHD) effectively manages small-molecule clearance, its ability to remove medium-to-large uremic toxins-the primary catalysts of systemic inflammation-remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the comparative clinical benefits of hemodiafiltration (HDF) and hemoperfusion (HDP) relative to SHD, specifically focusing on inflammatory control, dialysis adequacy, and patient safety.

METHODS: This was a 10-week, single-center, non-randomized prospective observational study evaluating 365 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients divided into three cohorts: standard hemodialysis (SHD, n = 145, thrice-weekly), online hemodiafiltration (HDF, n = 115, twice-weekly hemodialysis plus once-weekly HDF), and hemoperfusion (HDP, n = 105, twice-weekly hemodialysis plus once-monthly hemoperfusion). Primary endpoints were restricted to short-term surrogate outcomes, including shifts in serum inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP)) and clearance adequacy indices (Kt/V, URR).

RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were well-balanced across all three cohorts. Following 10 weeks of treatment, the HDF (84.2%) and HDP (77.1%) groups demonstrated significantly higher effective treatment rates (defined by clinical symptom improvement and biochemical stability, a composite of symptomatic improvement and biochemical stability) compared to the SHD group (61.4%; p < 0.05). Advanced modalities achieved increased association with biomarker reduction of middle-molecule toxins, with HDF showing the most profound reductions in IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP (p < 0.001). Dialysis adequacy was significantly improved in the HDF group, which showed the highest increases in dialysis adequacy. While the incidence of acute complications such as hypotension and muscle cramps did not differ significantly between groups, both HDF and HDP cohorts reported a notable reduction in post-dialysis fatigue compared to SHD (14% and 16% vs. 19%, respectively). However, HDF and HDP cohorts experienced lower incidences of cognitive dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS: Over a 10-week observation framework, advanced hybrid modalities (HDF and HDP) are independently associated with superior clearance of middle-to-large molecular uremic toxins and attenuated systemic inflammation compared to SHD. However, these short-term surrogate improvements did not translate into a statistically significant reduction in clinical adverse events or post-dialysis fatigue, indicating the need for long-term longitudinal evaluation.

PMID:42380071 | DOI:10.1002/1744-9987.70178

Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2026 Jun 30:25785478261465277. doi: 10.1177/25785478261465277. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Laser-tissue interactions induce photothermal effects governed by wavelength-dependent absorption and circulation of energy. While 980 nm targets hemoglobin for hemostasis and 1470 nm targets water for vaporization, their synergistic optimization in living liver tissue remains undefined, as existing studies predominantly examine ex vivo models or single wavelengths. This study establishes quantitative relationships between laser parameters and tissue outcomes in an in vivo model.

METHODS: Twenty rabbits (female New Zealand White, 1.5-2 kg) underwent hepatic transection using a 400 μm bare fiber diameter (3 mm tissue distance, 10 mm/s advancement speed) in continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed-modulated (100 ms pulse, 50% duty cycle, 5 Hz) modes. Output power: 980 nm (12-160 W) and 1470 nm (6-48 W), with different dual-wavelength power ratios. Measured outcomes: cutting depth, vaporization depth, coagulation depth, and thermal injury depth (quantified by hematoxylin and eosin staining).

STATISTICS: analysis of variance for continuous variables, chi-square/Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables, and the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal distributions (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: CW mode achieved greater cutting depth than pulsed-modulated mode (median 943.97 μm vs. 689.43 μm, p < 0.05). In CW mode, 1470 nm-dominated ratios (0:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4) achieved greater cutting depths than 980 nm alone (1:0). Cutting depth increased with peak power from 6 to 120 W, then decreased at 160 W due to carbonization. At 24 W total power with 1:2 ratio (8 W 980 nm/16 W 1470 nm), cutting depth was 1249.3 ± 15.55 μm, vaporization depth 739.5 ± 35.32 μm, coagulation depth 1302 ± 125.44 μm, and thermal damage 1987.53 ± 154.61 μm.

CONCLUSIONS: The 980/1470 nm wavelength power ratio of 8/16 W in CW mode for liver tissue cutting offers high efficiency, safety, and minimal thermal damage, providing an effective surgical energy device for minimally invasive and precise treatment.

PMID:42380070 | DOI:10.1177/25785478261465277

J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1111/jgh.70512. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the gastric mucosa of patients with gastric precancerous lesions, establish a differential protein expression profile, and investigate the associated biological processes.

METHODS: Quantitative proteomic analysis of gastric mucosal tissues from 60 patients-including 20 each diagnosed with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), intestinal metaplasia (IM), and low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN)-was performed using data-independent acquisition liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (DIA LC-MS/MS). DEPs were identified using stringent statistical criteria (|log₂fold change [FC]| > 1.2, false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.05). Subsequent bioinformatic analyses included Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, as well as receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve assessments.

RESULTS: A total of 591 proteins were identified across the CAG, IM, and LGIN groups. Comparative analysis revealed 21 statistically significantly DEPs primarily associated with metabolic pathways, signal transduction, cytoskeletal organization, viral infection, carcinogenesis, endocytosis, and the spliceosome. Notably, Parkinson’s disease protein 7 (PARK7) was consistently downregulated and exhibited differential expression across all three pathological stages.

CONCLUSION: This study delineates characteristic protein alterations in the gastric mucosa throughout the progression of gastric precancerous lesions along the CAG-IM-LGIN sequence. PARK7 demonstrates high diagnostic potential and may serve as a promising biomarker for monitoring disease progression in gastric precancerous conditions.

PMID:42380053 | DOI:10.1111/jgh.70512