Nevin Manimala

Anat Histol Embryol. 2026 Mar;55(2):e70094. doi: 10.1111/ahe.70094.

ABSTRACT

Apoptosis plays a critical role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and preventing pathological conditions. The accurate detection of apoptosis is crucial for both research and diagnostic pathology, yet conventional histological staining methods often lack the sensitivity to identify early apoptotic changes. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of classical and emerging mitochondria-targeting histological techniques in detecting apoptotic hepatocytes. Paraffinated hepatic tissue from five rabbits was analysed using haematoxylin-eosin (H&E), Goldner’s trichrome (GT), immunohistochemistry for caspase-3 (IHC-Casp3) and Heidenhain’s iron haematoxylin (HIH) staining. The percentage of apoptotic hepatocytes was quantified using two assessment methods, and statistical analyses determined the sensitivity of staining protocols. Histologically, the main apoptotic features identified in HIH-stained hepatic specimens were fading ‘ghost’ mitochondria throughout the cytoplasm, chromatin condensation, fragmentation and dissolution and nucleolar margination. A similar proportion of apoptotic hepatocytes on the HIH staining compared to IHC-Casp3 (19.00% ± 0.7 for HIH vs. 18.50% ± 0.7 for IHC-Casp3) was observed. In comparison, significantly lower values were obtained in H&E (5.75%) and GT (7.5%) stains. The lack of statistical significance of HIH vs. IHC-Casp3 demonstrates similar sensitivities. The additional quantitative analysis methods confirmed IHC as the most sensitive method (3.36 ± 3.82 apoptotic cells/field), followed by HIH, H&E, and GT. In situ histological evaluation of apoptosis remains challenging in standard H&E and GT-stained sections. HIH stain, as a cost-effective alternative to IHC, highlights early stages of apoptotic cells, providing a significant advantage over classical staining methods, emphasising their importance in diagnostic histopathology.

PMID:41693633 | DOI:10.1111/ahe.70094

Am J Hum Biol. 2026 Feb;38(2):e70215. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.70215.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine the sleep architecture (proportion of Light, Rapid Eye Movement (REM), and Deep Sleep) of rural villagers using noninvasive, wearable ŌURA rings.

METHODS: From June to August 2023, we collected sleep data from 30 participants (16 men, 14 women, 370 nights) using ŌURA rings. Regression models were used to investigate the effect of gender, age, household size, livestock presence, and temperature on sleep patterns and sleep architecture.

RESULTS: Average Total Sleep Time (TST) in the community was 7.6 h (SD: 1.01). Average proportion (%) Light Sleep was 59.9%, % REM Sleep was 17.9%, and % Deep Sleep was 22.2%. Men who cared for livestock had significantly higher % Light Sleep and lower % REM sleep compared to men who did not have livestock. Presence of livestock did not significantly affect men or women’s % Deep Sleep. Temperature was positively associated with % Light and negatively associated with % REM and % Deep Sleep.

CONCLUSIONS: We found that men who were responsible for livestock tended to have more % Light Sleep and less % REM Sleep than men without livestock. Livestock presence did not affect women’s % Light or REM sleep stages, and % Deep Sleep remained unchanged between groups. Temperature was associated with changes in all sleep stages. Our findings highlight the need for naturalistic studies investigating sleep architecture in non-industrialized settings.

PMID:41693621 | DOI:10.1002/ajhb.70215

Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2026 Dec;17(1):2622767. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2026.2622767. Epub 2026 Feb 16.

ABSTRACT

Background: The mental health impact of different forms of childhood maltreatment remains understudied in low- and middle-income countries.Objective: This study used a Mexican sample to examine the associations of five childhood maltreatment subtypes (emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, and emotional and physical neglect) with psychopathology symptoms encompassing depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and domains of the psychosis spectrum.Method: Participants were 1,612 adults from the general population (M_age = 30.3 years, SD_age = 8.1 years; mostly women [79.4%], with a high school education or higher [97%], currently working [55.8%] or studying [30.7%]) who completed self-report measures of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, positive psychotic experiences, multidimensional (positive, negative, and disorganised) schizotypy, and childhood maltreatment.Results: Linear regression analyses examining the unique association of the childhood maltreatment subtypes with the outcome measures indicated that emotional abuse was associated with all the outcomes except negative schizotypy. In addition, emotional neglect was associated with negative and disorganised schizotypy and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and sexual abuse was associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms.Conclusions: The findings contribute to efforts to elucidate patterns of association between childhood maltreatment and mental health outcomes across diverse contexts. Furthermore, they point to the need for increased attention to the impact of emotional maltreatment in low- and middle-income countries.

PMID:41693619 | DOI:10.1080/20008066.2026.2622767

Biometrics. 2026 Jan 6;82(1):ujag018. doi: 10.1093/biomtc/ujag018.

ABSTRACT

The concept of RNA velocity has made it possible to extract dynamic information from single-cell RNA sequencing data snapshots, attracting considerable attention and inspiring various extensions. Nonetheless, existing approaches often lack uncertainty quantification and many adopt unrealistic assumptions or employ complex black-box models that are difficult to interpret. In this paper, we present a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate RNA velocity, which uses a time-dependent transcription rate and non-trivial initial conditions. We discuss identifiability of the model parameters, including larger values of the latent time, which has not been done so far. Our approach allows for well-calibrated uncertainty quantification, through a novel algorithm that combines Markov chain Monte Carlo and consensus approaches for full Bayesian inference. The proposed method is validated in a comprehensive simulation study that covers various scenarios, and compared to several other widely embraced and commonly recognized approaches for RNA velocity on single-cell RNA sequencing data from mouse embryonic stem cells. Our method provides estimates of gene-shared latent time and velocity vectors with well-calibrated uncertainty, which align with the cell cycle phases of the cells.

PMID:41693613 | DOI:10.1093/biomtc/ujag018

Laryngoscope. 2026 Feb 16. doi: 10.1002/lary.70441. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of globus pallidus interna (GPi) and ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (VIM) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on patients with adductor laryngeal dystonia (ADLD).

METHODS: Seven patients with ADLD underwent DBS (GPi = 4; VIM = 3) surgery. Postoperative voice testing was performed after stable DBS programming. Primary outcome measures included tremor rate, extent of fundamental frequency/intensity modulation, percentage of voicing, duration/number of voice breaks, and cepstral peak prominence. Linear mixed effects models tested voice improvement after GPi and VIM surgery, with significance determined after controlling for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS: GPi-DBS showed trends for improved percentage of voicing, duration of voice breaks, number of voice breaks, and extent of intensity modulation pre-post within-group with large effect size. VIM-DBS showed trends for improved tremor rate within-group with large effect size. Between-group comparison showed greater improvement in percentage voicing and extent of intensity modulation in patients with GPi-DBS compared to VIM-DBS, whereas tremor rate showed greater improvement after VIM-DBS compared to GPi-DBS. Duration of voice breaks showed more improvement in GPi than VIM but it did not achieve statistical significance after multiple comparison adjustments.

CONCLUSIONS: Objective acoustic voice analyses provide preliminary, target-specific patterns that warrant confirmation of bilateral GPi-DBS for patients with ADLD and bilateral VIM-DBS for those with both ADLD and vocal tremor. Future research with larger sample sizes, along with investigations into the neuronal mechanisms underlying laryngeal neuromodulation, is needed to further evaluate the role of DBS in treating ADLD.

PMID:41693579 | DOI:10.1002/lary.70441

Nucleic Acids Res. 2026 Feb 5;54(4):gkag052. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkag052.

ABSTRACT

DNA origami has become a ubiquitous platform because it enables straightforward design of nanostructures that self-assemble with high yield. The interactions between the cooperative effects involved in its assembly are currently not well understood. Fortunately, the nearly infinite number of choices available to the origami designer provides a rich environment in which to explore cooperativity. The DNA domains comprising origami have predictable energetics, and the sources of cooperativity are conceptually straightforward, and the difficulty in predicting assembly comes from their large number of cooperative interactions. We are able to probe cooperativity by using design variations and measuring their effect on assembly yield. We employ an accelerated assembly protocol that increases the sensitivity of structural perfection, or lack thereof, to design variation, and apply this approach to survey a broad set of design features. Using the resulting dataset, we develop metrics to correlate thermal stability, beneficial cooperativity from short folds, and detrimental cooperativity from long folds, with defectivity. Surprisingly, these metrics can be combined to create a single parameter with a clear correlation to yield, which serves as a useful starting place for a predictive understanding of the interplay between cooperativity and design. In doing so, we also identify qualitative trends that provide useful insight into design best practice.

PMID:41693566 | DOI:10.1093/nar/gkag052

Circ Popul Health Outcomes. 2026 Feb 16:e012757. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.125.012757. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with increased long-term risk of both maternal and offspring cardiovascular disease. The incidence of HDP has increased concurrently with the upward shift in maternal age distribution; however, the association between changes in maternal age distribution and rates of HDP in the US is unknown.

METHODS: Data from 2011 to 2021 were abstracted from the National Center for Health Statistics, which includes all live births in the United States. Births to individuals aged 15 to 44 years were included, given that 99% of all births occur in this reproductive age group. HDP was coded as yes/no and included both gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. We described changes in HDP per 1000 live births between 2021 and 2011 by calculating rate ratios. We then decomposed the change in frequency of HDP with the Kitagawa technique into the 2 rate change components: (1) change in maternal age distribution and (2) change in age-specific HDP rates (ie, the incidence rate at a given age).

RESULTS: In 2011 and 2021, there were 7 595 018 live births that occurred. The mean maternal age increased from 27.9 (6.1) to 29.9 (5.7) years. The frequency of HDP increased significantly from 43.8 (43.6-44.0) to 90.9 (90.6-91.2) per 1000 live births from 2011 to 2021. The Kitagawa decomposition revealed that the change in maternal age distribution had no association with the increased rate of HDP (0.0 [-0.1 to 0.1]). Conversely, the age-specific rate of HDP increased across all age groups and was responsible for the total change in HDP (47.1 [46.7-47.4]).

CONCLUSIONS: Although both maternal age and frequency of HDP increased significantly between 2011 and 2021, the higher rates of HDP were not due to the upward shift in the age distribution, but rather, to increases in HDP frequency within all age groups.

PMID:41693558 | DOI:10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.125.012757

Circ Popul Health Outcomes. 2026 Feb 16:e012216. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.125.012216. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether social determinants contribute to major ECG abnormalities (MEA), an early marker of cardiovascular disease, which predicts adverse cardiovascular events and mortality. We investigated the of MEA incidence and its associations with race and life-course socioeconomic position, as well as gender differences.

METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 11 761 participants from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil [Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto-Brasil]) free of MEA and cardiovascular disease at baseline (2008-2010). Incident MEA cases were identified by ECG at the second (2012-2014) and third (2017-2019) cohort visits. Explanatory variables included life-course socioeconomic position (childhood, youth, and adulthood); intergenerational social mobility; and race, and racial discrimination. Parametric survival models with interval censoring and Weibull distribution stratified by gender were used.

RESULTS: The mean age was 51 years (SD±8), and 55.5% of participants were women. The cumulative incidence of MEA was 15.8% in 8 years follow-up. Low childhood socioeconomic position (versus high socioeconomic position) was associated with a 48% higher incidence of MEA (95% CI, 1.17-1.87), only among women. In adulthood, low income and educational level were associated with a higher incidence of MEA in both genders, whereas occupational variables were associated only among women. Social immobility at the base of the educational and socio-occupational hierarchy was associated with an increase of 25% (95% CI, 1.04-1.49) and 31% (95% CI, 1.08-1.61) in the MEA incidence, respectively, only among women. MEA incidence was 35% higher (95% CI, 1.13-1.61) among Black women (versus White women). Furthermore, lifetime exposure to racial discrimination was associated with a higher incidence of MEA among both Black women (hazard ratio, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.04-1.82]) and Brown women (hazard ratio, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.07-2.70]). These associations were not observed among men.

CONCLUSIONS: Life-course social and racial inequalities are associated with MEA incidence, particularly among women, underscoring the importance of social determinants in cardiovascular health.

PMID:41693557 | DOI:10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.125.012216

Endocr Connect. 2026 Feb 16:EC-25-0541. doi: 10.1530/EC-25-0541. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To establish sex- and age-specific reference intervals for plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and direct renin in healthy youth.

DESIGN: 529 healthy subjects (5.8 to 20.4 years) were recruited as part of the third Copenhagen Puberty Study, an ongoing cross-sectional study of healthy Danish participants attending compulsory school and high school.

METHOD: Using GAMLSS statistics, sex- and age-specific reference intervals and standard deviation (SD) scores for plasma ACTH and direct plasma renin concentrations were established. Concentrations were evaluated according to pubertal stage and oral contraceptive (OC) use.

RESULTS: ACTH concentrations did not differ between sexes. ACTH concentrations were higher in pubertal males than in prepubertal males (P = 0.015); however, this difference was not statistically significant when analyses were restricted to samples collected before 10:00 AM. In females, ACTH concentrations did not seem to differ according to pubertal status. In both sexes, renin concentrations were lower in pubertal than in prepubertal subjects (females: P < 0.001, males: P = 0.016). Renin SD scores were lower in OC-users than in non-OC users (P = 0.007), while ACTH SD scores did not differ between these groups.

CONCLUSION: Sex- and age-specific reference intervals for plasma concentrations of ACTH and direct renin in young, healthy subjects were provided, reflecting changed levels through puberty and significantly lower renin SDS in OC-users. Application of these biomarkers’ SD scores may enhance the management of patients with adrenal disorders.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Reliable reference data for plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and direct plasma renin in healthy children are limited. This large population-based cohort study of healthy participants attending compulsory school and high school provides comprehensive sex- and age-specific reference intervals for plasma ACTH and renin. Furthermore, absolute concentrations were converted to relative standard deviation (SD) scores, thereby providing a more unified and standardized tool for clinical assessment. Reporting ACTH and renin concentrations by pubertal stage represents a novel aspect. These new reference intervals enhance the clinical utility of biomarker-based monitoring and treatment of pediatric endocrine disorders like congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), addressing a critical gap in current clinical pediatric practice.

PMID:41693548 | DOI:10.1530/EC-25-0541

Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2026 Feb;9(2):e70498. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.70498.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Africa and sub-Saharan Africa reported higher cervical cancer cases globally. Cervical cancer is the second most leading cause of cancer in Ethiopia. Yet, the evidence was low for cervical cancer screening practices in Ethiopia.

AIM: In this study, we assessed the cervical cancer screening and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Sidama Region, Bensa, Ethiopia.

METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from January 1, 2023 to March 30, 2023 in Bensa district. Data were collected using a pre-tested and structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the associated factors with knowledge, attitude, and practice of cervical cancer screening.

RESULTS: One hundred forty-seven 147 (36.7%) had good knowledge, 218 (54.4%) had a favorable attitude towards cervical cancer screening and only 60 (15%) respondents were screened for cervical cancer. Women having better educational status was 1.6 (AOR: 95% CI: 1.0, 2.5) times more likely to have knowledge of cervical cancer screening. Women being the protestant religion followers (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI; 1.0-3.4), Sidama ethnic group (AOR: 4.5; 95% CI: 2.1-9.7), having no formal education (AOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.7), and having good knowledge of cervical cancer (AOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.4-3.4) were associated with a positive attitude towards screening for cervical cancer. The odds of cervical cancer screening were low among Amhara’s ethnic categories (AOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1-0.5), while higher in women with single marital statuses (AOR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.2-4.8), and those who have information about cancer screening (AOR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1-3.8).

CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that cervical cancer screening practice was low. The respondents’ knowledge and education status were positively associated with screening for cervical cancer.

PMID:41693541 | DOI:10.1002/cnr2.70498