Category: Statistics

Int Ophthalmol. 2026 Jul 22;46(1):307. doi: 10.1007/s10792-026-04183-8.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare the early phase ocular surface retention of five artificial tear formulations using lacrimal scintigraphy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen participants (25-42 years) without ocular or systemic disease were enrolled between January 2023 and January 2025, and both eyes were included. Each subject attended three alternate-day sessions and received one Tc-99 m-labeled drop (150 µCi) per eye per session according to predefined formulation pairs: HP guar + sodium hyaluronate (SH) versus saline; trehalose + SH versus dexpanthenol + SH; and SH alone versus polyvinyl alcohol + povidone. Ten-minute dynamic lacrimal scintigraphy was performed following each instillation to evaluate early-phase pre-corneal retention dynamics. Regions of interest were automatically tracked and manually corrected when required. Absolute scintigraphic counts and baseline-normalized 5/0-min and 10/0-min ratios were calculated. A total of 48 dynamic scans were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc testing.

RESULTS: Scintigraphic counts decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001), with a significant overall difference among formulations (p = 0.006) and no group × time interaction (p = 0.279). Baseline-normalized ratios similarly demonstrated significant group and time effects (each p < 0.001). HP guar + SH showed greater normalized retention than saline (p = 0.031), and trehalose + SH likewise exceeded saline (p = 0.003). HP guar + SH demonstrated the highest overall retention across formulations and showed a numerical advantage over dexpanthenol + SH (MD = 0.117), though not statistically significant (p = 0.155).

CONCLUSIONS: Polymer-hyaluronate combinations, particularly HP guar + SH and trehalose + SH, demonstrated greater early-phase ocular surface retention dynamics compared with saline and several other tested formulations within the observed imaging period. HP guar + SH showed the highest overall retention profile among the evaluated preparations.

PMID:42484903 | DOI:10.1007/s10792-026-04183-8

Eur Radiol. 2026 Jul 22. doi: 10.1007/s00330-026-12733-y. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42484899 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-026-12733-y

Eur Radiol. 2026 Jul 22. doi: 10.1007/s00330-026-12769-0. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42484898 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-026-12769-0

Eur Radiol. 2026 Jul 22. doi: 10.1007/s00330-026-12761-8. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42484897 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-026-12761-8

Eur Radiol. 2026 Jul 22. doi: 10.1007/s00330-026-12734-x. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42484896 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-026-12734-x

Eur Radiol. 2026 Jul 22. doi: 10.1007/s00330-026-12762-7. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42484895 | DOI:10.1007/s00330-026-12762-7

Am J Otolaryngol. 2026 Jul 2;47(5):104882. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2026.104882. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy, optimal timing, procedure and influencing factors of non-invasive correction for various congenital auricular deformities in newborns.

METHODS: Retrospective study of 68 congenital auricular deformities in newborns (117 ears), including morphological and structural defects (2024-2025). Patients were divided into four groups: simple treated with self-made support strips, and others including those helical rim deformities with cartilage adhesions, microtia group and other deformities group corrected with EarWell system. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0.

RESULTS: The average age at initial correction was 22.38 days. No complications occurred in the self-made strip group, while mild adverse reactions in other groups were relieved after symptomatic treatment. The overall excellent rate reached 80.34%, with higher rates in helical rim groups and lower in microtia group. The average correction duration was 6.9 weeks. Notably, the self-made strip group had a significantly shorter correction duration (P = 0.0087).

CONCLUSION: Satisfactory correction outcome can be achieved with a simple helical support strip for mild helical rim abnormalities without skin or cartilage adhesion. The EarWell Infant Ear Correction System effectively addresses external ear abnormalities and minor malformations. Earlier treatment initiation correlates with a shorter correction duration, superior clinical outcomes, and fewer complications.

PMID:42480176 | DOI:10.1016/j.amjoto.2026.104882

Eur J Radiol. 2026 Jul 17;204:113090. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2026.113090. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical feasibility of using the non-zero-calcification-risk Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (nzcr-MESA) score, a simplified risk calculator that includes only age, sex, and ethnicity, for predicting the extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC) as measured by computed tomography (CT).

METHODS: In this retrospective study, 241 Caucasian patients underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) for the assessment of coronary artery disease. The objective extent of coronary calcification was quantified using Agatston scores. The nzcr-MESA score was calculated based on patient demographics and compared to the extent of calcification. Statistical analysis involved Spearman correlation coefficients and regression models to determine the relationship between nzcr-MESA and CAC. Significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: A positive correlation was found between nzcr-MESA scores and the degree of CAC (P < 0.0001, females R = 0.56, males R = 0.39) as well as to disease severity according to the coronary artery disease-reporting and data system (CAD-RADS) scores (P < 0.0001, females R = 0.45, males R = 0.42), suggesting that the simplified score is a predictor of calcification and coronary disease. The optimal nzcr-MESA cutoff values for preselecting patients with severe coronary artery calcification (Agatston Score ≥ 400) were 90 % for females and 95 % for males.

CONCLUSION: The nzcr-MESA score offers a clinically feasible, simplified method for estimating CAC extent, with significant implications for CT coronary imaging. Given its ease of use and its capability to correctly predict severe CAC, nzcr-MESA can be useful to preselect suitable diagnostic protocols. Integrating nzcr-MESA into clinical routine may help to streamline diagnostic workflows.

PMID:42480173 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejrad.2026.113090

J Pediatr Nurs. 2026 Jul 21;90:641-648. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2026.07.019. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: First-degree relatives (FDRs) of type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients are at high risk for T1D. Early screening enables timely intervention, yet participation remains suboptimal, missing opportunities in this high-risk group. Understanding determinants of screening participation and translating them into actionable, theory-informed, family-centered strategies is essential to optimize preventive care.

METHODS: In this qualitative study in China, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 adult T1D probands or parents of pediatric T1D patients who have unaffected children. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) guided data collection and analysis. Barriers were mapped to Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs).

RESULTS: We identified 18 facilitators, 11 barriers, and 2 neutral factors, mapped across 12 TDF domains. Key barriers included limited awareness, misconceptions, cost, restricted medical resources, insufficient publicity, and anxiety; key facilitators included perceived benefits, optimism, health beliefs, and social support. Through TDF-BCT mapping, 34 intervention strategies were categorized into 13 categories targeting knowledge enhancement, environmental adaptation, social and emotional support, and self-efficacy building.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a systematic, theory-based analysis of factors influencing screening participation for T1D. The resulting strategy map offers a set of theory-informed, family-centered suggestions to guide nurses and educators in supporting parents and improving early detection in clinical practice, subject to future empirical validation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses and educators should develop localized, family-centered screening promotion programs guided by theory-driven frameworks and BCTs. Concurrently, systemic enablers-such as resource allocation, financial support, and routine follow-up guidance-must be established to comprehensively address barriers to participation in screening.

PMID:42480168 | DOI:10.1016/j.pedn.2026.07.019

Tissue Cell. 2026 Jul 16;104(Pt 1):103791. doi: 10.1016/j.tice.2026.103791. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Osteoporosis, a prevalent skeletal condition defined by diminished bone density and disrupted microarchitecture, dramatically elevates fracture risk. Its pathophysiology is now understood to extend beyond classic remodeling imbalances to include a pivotal shift in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) differentiation, where adipogenesis is favored over osteogenesis-a key feature of aging and estrogen deficiency. The emerging “gut-bone axis” suggests that microbiota-derived metabolites can systemically influence skeletal homeostasis, presenting new therapeutic possibilities. This research uncovers the direct osteoanabolic and anti-adipogenic properties of Reuterin (3-hydroxypropionaldehyde, Reut), a principal antimicrobial metabolite from Lactobacillus reuteri. In vitro, Reut (5-20 μM) showed excellent cytocompatibility, dose-dependently boosting osteogenic differentiation (increased ALP activity and mineralization) while effectively suppressing adipogenic differentiation (decreased lipid accumulation) in BMSCs. Mechanistically, Reut specifically activated the canonical BMP-Smad pathway, demonstrated by the rapid phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad1/5/9 and the upregulated expression of its direct targets (ID1, ID2). This activation was crucial, as the BMP receptor inhibitor LDN-193189 completely negated Reut’s effects. In an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, systemic Reut administration (10 mg/kg, every other day for 8 weeks) not only mitigated trabecular bone loss and enhanced biomechanical properties but also markedly reversed the OVX-induced expansion of marrow adipose tissue (MAT). Remarkably, the bone-preserving efficacy of Reut was statistically equivalent to that of teriparatide (TPTD), a clinically approved anabolic agent, while both treatments similarly and significantly countered the pathological marrow adiposity. These results establish Reut as a novel, gut microbiome-derived therapeutic metabolite that rectifies the fundamental lineage imbalance in osteoporosis by directly engaging the BMP-Smad pathway, offering a distinct postbiotic strategy for anabolic bone therapy.

PMID:42480125 | DOI:10.1016/j.tice.2026.103791