Nevin Manimala

Bull Tokyo Dent Coll. 2026 Aug 15. doi: 10.2209/tdcpublication.2025-0036. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

As a population ages, the need for complete dentures and other large, removable prostheses remains high in edentulous adults. Appropriate denture fabrication requires comprehension of the anatomical structures of the edentulous mucosa and submucosa. This study aimed to clarify the educational challenges of teaching these structures. Dental student level of comprehension and instructor perception of teaching difficulty when using edentulous models were evaluated. Participants comprised 137 third-year dental students at Tokyo Dental College. Before a lecture on anatomical landmarks and the structure of the edentulous mucosa and submucosa, they were required to complete a pre-test to assess identification of 10 mucosal and 10 submucosal structures in the maxillary and mandibular edentulous ridges. Following the lecture, they participated in a practical session using a commercially available soft-tissue edentulous model under guidance from 19 instructors. A post-test followed this practical session. Correct answer rates were determined and total mucosal and submucosal scores compared. Instructors also completed a questionnaire regarding the difficulty of teaching each structure. The mean mucosal score increased from 60.7% (pre) to 83.8% (post), and the submucosal score increased from 39.3% to 72.3%. Both changes were statistically significant (p<0.0001). However, pre-test scores for submucosal structures were markedly lower than those for mucosal structures. Seven of the 10 mucosal structures were reported by 10% or fewer of the instructors as difficult to teach, whereas 9 of the 10 submucosal structures were reported by over 50% of the instructors as difficult to teach. Despite lectures and currently available models, comprehension of submucosal structures remains challenging for students. Moreover, these structures are perceived to be difficult to teach. Improved educational tools that reproduce the 3-dimensional relationships between mucosa and underlying bone are needed to enhance education regarding complete denture fabrication.

PMID:42604800 | DOI:10.2209/tdcpublication.2025-0036

J Oral Pathol Med. 2026 Aug 16. doi: 10.1111/jop.70175. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a significant public health issue. While tobacco and alcohol are established risk factors, the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oral carcinogenesis remains debated. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are implicated in tumor aggressiveness and therapy resistance. This study investigated the correlation between HPV infection, CSC marker expression (CD44, CD98, ALDH1), and clinicopathological parameters in tongue SCCs.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 1047 OSCC cases (2013-2018) was reviewed. From 452 tongue SCCs, 83 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were randomly selected. HPV DNA detection was performed using qPCR with generic and type-specific primers (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18). Immunohistochemical expression of CD44, CD98, and ALDH1 was evaluated and quantified using digital image analysis (IHC Profiler). Statistical analyses included Kaplan-Meier survival curves, Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-square, and Spearman correlation tests.

RESULTS: HPV DNA was detected in 2/83 cases (2.4%): one HPV16-positive and one with co-infection (HPV6/18). CD44 expression was ubiquitously high, with no significant difference between -High and -Positive categories (p > 0.9999), but both were significantly higher than -Low and -Negative scores (p < 0.0001). ALDH1 exhibited a focal staining pattern. The ALDH1-High score was significantly less frequent than -Positive and -Low scores (p < 0.01) and showed a significant positive correlation with both advanced clinical stage (Spearman r: 0.5062; p = 0.0007) and higher tumor grade (Spearman r: 0.3352; p = 0.0322). CD98 was not detected. An inverse correlation was observed between HPV and clinical staging (Spearman r: -0.2377; p = 0.0305); however, due to the low number of HPV-positive cases, this finding must be interpreted with caution.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a distinct CSC expression profile in this cohort, characterized by ubiquitous CD44 expression and a rare but highly aggressive ALDH1-High subpopulation, concomitant with low HPV detection. The strong positive correlation of ALDH1-High score with advanced stage and grade highlights its potential role as a key driver of tumor aggression, warranting further investigation as a prognostic marker.

PMID:42604793 | DOI:10.1111/jop.70175

Vox Sang. 2026 Aug 16. doi: 10.1111/vox.70348. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Trans blood donors may be at higher risk of vasovagal reactions (VVRs) if their estimated blood volume is calculated without considering their sex assigned at birth. Yet no studies have addressed this research question. We assessed the rates of VVRs among trans and cisgender blood donors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of whole blood donors in Québec, Canada (11 August 2016-25 August 2021). Trans donors were identified if they self-reported their gender transition or following an interview triggered by affirmative answers to questions on recent physician consultations and medication use. The odds of VVR were modelled using logistic regression analyses, adjusting for donor age and status.

RESULTS: Overall, 377,980 donors were included and made 1,799,509 donations: 29 were trans men (mean age ± standard deviation [SD] = 28.6 ± 9.1), 173,464 were cisgender men (mean age ± SD = 42.5 ± 16.2), 13 were trans women (mean age ± SD = 33.7 ± 9.7) and 204,474 were cisgender women (mean age ± SD = 38.7 ± 15.4). There was no statistically significant difference in the odds of VVR (any severity) between trans and cisgender men (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval, CI] = 1.71 [0.88-3.32]) or between trans and cisgender women (OR [95% CI] = 1.33 [0.40-4.40]).

CONCLUSION: In this study, the risk of VVR was similar among trans and cisgender blood donors.

PMID:42604787 | DOI:10.1111/vox.70348

Vox Sang. 2026 Aug 16. doi: 10.1111/vox.70345. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Maintaining safe and adequate blood supply in low- and middle-income countries requires understanding factors influencing donor return intentions. Nigeria faces chronic blood shortages, yet evidence on determinants of return intention among blood donors in tertiary hospitals remains limited. This study assessed donor motivation, satisfaction and intention to return among blood donors at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and identified factors independently associated with post-donation intention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 1589 consecutive donors using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from validated instruments. Motivation, satisfaction and intention to return were measured using Likert-scale items. Participants retrospectively reported pre-donation intention and current post-donation intention immediately after donation. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, McNemar’s test, subgroup analyses and binary logistic regression were performed.

RESULTS: Most donors were family-replacement (70.5%) and male (91.8%), with a mean age of 30.9 years. Motivation was high (84%), driven primarily by altruism, personal choice and perceived health benefits. Satisfaction was also high (mean 4.59 ± 0.64). Intention to return increased significantly after donation (56.1%-64.2%, p < 0.001). Motivation (odds ratio [OR] = 7.32, p < 0.001) and pre-donation intention (OR = 0.014, p < 0.001) were independently associated with post-donation intention, whereas satisfaction was not significant after adjustment. Family replacement and voluntary non-remunerated donors differed significantly in motivation, satisfaction and post-donation intention.

CONCLUSION: Blood donors at LUTH demonstrated high motivation and satisfaction. Donation experience strengthened intention to return. Differences between donor types highlight the need for donor-specific retention strategies in replacement-dominated blood systems.

PMID:42604766 | DOI:10.1111/vox.70345

Int J Spine Surg. 2026 Aug 16:8931. doi: 10.14444/8931. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Unilateral laminectomy bilateral decompression with unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE-ULBD) is widely used for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). This study introduces a modified UBE-ULBD technique, the “look-back” technique, aiming to reduce postoperative complications.

METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 88 lumbar spinal stenosis patients, with 45 undergoing conventional UBE-ULBD surgery and 43 undergoing the look-back technique. Baseline characteristics, surgical level distribution, operative time, hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, blood loss, hospital stay, complications, visual analog scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, the Oswestry Disability Index, and modified MacNab criteria were assessed.

RESULTS: Demographics, comorbidities, and American Society of Anesthesiologists classifications showed no significant differences between the groups. The calculated blood loss in the look-back group was significantly less than that in the UBE-ULBD group (302 mL [Q1, Q3 166, 424 mL] vs 384 mL [Q1, Q3 267.5, 524 mL], P < 0.05). The VAS for leg pain at 1 day after surgery in look-back group was significantly lower than that in UBE-ULBD group (1.72 ± 0.96/2 [1, 2] vs 2.27 ± 1.25/2 [2, 3], P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in surgical level distribution, surgical time, preoperative/postoperative hemoglobin or hematocrit level, complications, hospital stay, VAS back pain score at 1 day after surgery, VAS low back/leg pain scores at 1 month and 6 months, Oswestry Disability Index scores at 1 month and 6 months, or MacNab outcome at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS: The look-back technique significantly reduces intraoperative blood loss and early leg pain after UBE-ULBD, although it does not significantly lower the overall complication rate.

PMID:42604764 | DOI:10.14444/8931

Aust Occup Ther J. 2026 Aug;73(4):e70117. doi: 10.1111/1440-1630.70117.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex and prevalent diagnosis with impact on occupational performance. Occupational therapists are well-placed to provide rehabilitation services for those diagnosed with BPD. Thus, this study aimed to explore the models, approaches, assessment tools, and interventions used by Australian occupational therapists, including perspectives on current practice.

METHODS: An online questionnaire was constructed, piloted, and distributed to occupational therapists in Australia who had experience working with adults diagnosed with BPD within the last 5 years. Demographic details and drop-down responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, while open-text qualitative responses were analysed using summative content analysis.

CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: There was no consumer or community involvement.

RESULTS: Sixty-three occupational therapists across Australia responded, with more than half employed in private practice. Occupation-based, trauma-informed, recovery and sensory approaches were most frequently reported. Over three-quarters of respondents used the Sensory Profile, with all except one respondent using open discussion with clients for assessment. Stress management techniques were the most frequently used intervention. The top three limitations and gaps for BPD practice were time constraints, underdevelopment of practitioner knowledge and skills and workload/capacity. Limited funding and fragmented service/system design (n = 32) were the top contributing factors to practice gaps.

CONCLUSION: Australian occupational therapists work with people diagnosed with BPD across diverse practice areas, predominantly in private practice settings. Trauma-informed care was valued by occupational therapists in practice, but its application needs to be more explicit in assessment and intervention choices. Occupation-based practice needs a distinct and stronger evidence base to determine effectiveness in promoting occupational performance.

PMID:42604761 | DOI:10.1111/1440-1630.70117

Br J Educ Psychol. 2026 Aug 16. doi: 10.1111/bjep.70119. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Statistics-related anxiety is a common barrier to learning in higher education, particularly for psychology and other non-specialist students. High prevalence rates are concerning because statistical literacy is integral to academic success, employability and informed citizenship. Clarifying the nature of statistics anxiety is central to understanding it, yet it remains unclear whether statistics anxiety is genuinely distinct from mathematics anxiety or simply another manifestation of the same construct.

AIMS: We examined the degree of overlap (jangle fallacy) between the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS) and the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (R-MARS).

SAMPLES: Two cohorts of UK undergraduate psychology students participated: Study 1 (n = 489) and Study 2 (n = 245).

METHODS: Each study combined a cross-sectional survey with a between-participants experiment. Surveys included the STARS, R-MARS, parallel forms to control for scale content and measures of trait and state anxiety. In the experiment, participants were randomly assigned to complete either a statistics or mathematics multiple-choice test, with state anxiety measured before and after.

RESULTS: Results pointed to overlap across all analyses and samples. Scales were highly correlated, items did not separate into distinct domains, individuals rarely reported one without the other, and state anxiety increased similarly across test types.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings show that statistics anxiety, as measured by the STARS, is not distinct from mathematics anxiety, as measured by the R-MARS. Recognizing statistics anxiety as part of the broader mathematics anxiety construct can streamline measurement, clarify theory and support more effective interventions for reducing quantitative anxieties in education.

PMID:42604752 | DOI:10.1111/bjep.70119

Personal Ment Health. 2026 Aug;20(3):e70097. doi: 10.1002/pmh.70097.

ABSTRACT

Childhood trauma has been linked to personality pathology, including impairments in personality functioning and maladaptive personality traits. However, studies applying contemporary dimensional models such as the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) remain limited in South Korea. The aim of this study was to examine associations between childhood trauma and personality pathology using the AMPD in 800 South Korean adults. Latent variable structural equation modeling was conducted while controlling for age and gender and allowing covariances among trauma subtypes. Childhood trauma showed significant associations with both impairments in personality functioning (Criterion A) and maladaptive personality trait domains (Criterion B), with stronger associations observed for Criterion B. Compared with the Five-Factor Model, pathological personality traits showed greater sensitivity to childhood trauma. Physical neglect and emotional abuse exhibited the strongest associations across both domains. These findings support the applicability of the AMPD for understanding the impact of childhood trauma in South Korea.

PMID:42604727 | DOI:10.1002/pmh.70097

J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2026 Aug 5:S0278-2391(26)00797-4. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2026.07.011. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mandibular bone invasion is a critical determinant of staging and surgical planning in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Although multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is widely used, its diagnostic performance in gingival OSCC requires multi-institutional validation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative MDCT in detecting mandibular bone invasion in gingival OSCC patients, using histopathologic findings as the reference standard.

STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE: A multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients with gingival OSCC who underwent surgical resection at 7 university hospitals between 2020 and 2024; those with prior head and neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy, previous mandibular surgery, or extensive dental artifacts on MDCT were excluded.

PREDICTOR VARIABLE: The predictor variable was the radiologic diagnosis of mandibular bone invasion (present/absent), determined via consensus review of preoperative MDCT images by 2 oral and maxillofacial radiologists.

MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE: The primary outcome variable was histopathologic confirmation of mandibular bone invasion (present/absent) through microscopic examination of decalcified surgical specimens.

COVARIATES: Covariates included demographics (age, sex [male/female at birth]), surgery type (marginal or segmental resection), and MDCT bone invasion patterns (cortical destruction, medullary invasion, inferior alveolar canal involvement).

ANALYSES: Diagnostic performance parameters with 95% CIs were calculated, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of mandibular invasion; statistical significance was defined as a two-sided P value < .05.

RESULTS: A total of 145 patients were screened, and 121 (83.4%) subjects met the inclusion criteria for the final analysis. The sample was composed of 121 subjects with a mean age of 64.2 (SD, 12.8) years, and 74 (61.2%) were male at birth. MDCT showed a sensitivity of 83.5% and a specificity of 61.9% for detecting mandibular bone invasion. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 76.0%. Statistical analysis revealed that cortical destruction and medullary invasion on MDCT were statistically significantly associated with histopathologic bone involvement (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: MDCT is an accurate imaging modality for detecting mandibular bone invasion in gingival OSCC, exhibiting high sensitivity (83.5%) but lower specificity (61.9%) due to inflammatory mimics. These findings suggest that while MDCT is excellent for preoperative screening and surgical planning, positive radiologic findings should be interpreted with caution to avoid potential over-treatment.

PMID:42604725 | DOI:10.1016/j.joms.2026.07.011

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2026 Aug 16:S0003-9993(26)00883-X. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2026.08.008. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine demographic differences in health outcomes among adults with mobility limitations who participated in the telewellness health promotion program Mindfulness, Exercise, and Nutrition to Optimize Resilience (MENTOR), and to assess the influence of social support on program outcomes.

DESIGN: Retrospective secondary analysis of longitudinal survey data from participants completing pre- and post-assessments of the MENTOR program.

SETTING: MENTOR is delivered remotely via a telewellness platform.

PARTICIPANTS: Adults with mobility limitations (N = 599) who completed both assessments.

INTERVENTIONS: MENTOR, an 8-week, 40-hour telewellness intervention incorporating mindfulness, exercise, and nutrition education, offered free to U.S. residents with mobility limitations.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in overall wellness scores across physical, mental, and emotional domains. Differences were examined by age, sex, race, residence, education, income, disability onset, assistive device use, and functional limitation. Social support was assessed via employment, marital status, household composition, and perceived emotional support.

RESULTS: MENTOR produced statistically significant improvements in wellness across participants, even after adjusting for demographic and social support variables. Individual characteristics modestly explained variation in improvement magnitude. Age and unmarried status slightly reduced gains. Higher baseline emotional support was linked to smaller improvements, suggesting greater benefit among participants with lower initial levels of perceived support.

CONCLUSION: MENTOR improves wellness for adults with mobility limitations regardless of demographic or social support factors. Smaller gains among participants with higher baseline emotional support highlight the program’s potential to particularly benefit individuals with mobility limitations who have lower initial levels of support.

PMID:42604720 | DOI:10.1016/j.apmr.2026.08.008