Nevin Manimala

Proteins. 2026 Aug 13. doi: 10.1002/prot.70166. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

An advanced theory based on statistical physics was applied to microscopically investigate androstenone adsorption and its relationship with olfactory perception in chimpanzees and gorillas. For this purpose, dose-response curves of androstenone on olfactory receptors of chimpanzee OR7D4 and gorilla OR7D4 were analyzed by statistical physics. The two-energy adsorption model fits the chimpanzee data well, and the gorilla data are best fit by the one-energy adsorption model. The stereographic parameter analysis indicated that the studied pheromones were docked in a nonparallel manner in both species via a multimolecular mechanism. The analysis showed that the molecules interacted with different amino acid residues, resulting in distinct olfactory responses. The positive values of the molar adsorption energies indicate that an exothermic and physisorption process occurred in both olfactory systems. The docking analysis revealed that androstenone binds to the olfactory receptors of chimpanzees and gorillas through specific interactions with amino acid residues in the binding pockets. The docking results indicated distinct binding modes in each species, involving van der Waals, alkyl, and C-H interactions, which corroborated the energy trends predicted by the statistical physics model. These findings provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the differential olfactory responses in chimpanzees and gorillas. Statistical physics was an excellent tool for evaluating and interpreting the interactions between androstenone and olfactory receptors.

PMID:42595735 | DOI:10.1002/prot.70166

J Public Health Dent. 2026 Aug 13. doi: 10.1111/jphd.70073. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop a framework to guide the provision of basic denture services within public oral health facilities in selected districts of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study addressed gaps in oral rehabilitation services, particularly the dominance of tooth extractions, limited prosthodontic capacity, and the lack of systematic, evidence-based planning for denture service delivery in underserved communities.

METHODS: A multi-stage qualitative synthesis integrating four data sources was undertaken: a 5-year review of district-level oral health service statistics, semi-structured interviews with provincial executives, oral health managers, clinicians, and private providers, and a patient survey on tooth loss and oral health-related quality of life. Findings were triangulated and interpreted using Health Needs Assessment Theory, Public-Private Partnership Theory, the Universal Health Coverage framework, and principles of social justice and quality of life.

RESULTS: Analysis revealed persistently high extraction rates, minimal denture provision, rural-urban disparities, and inadequate laboratory and human resources. Stakeholders reported limited financial capacity, infrastructure constraints, and inconsistent understanding of National Health Insurance requirements. Patient responses demonstrated substantial functional and psychosocial impacts of missing teeth and highlighted unmet rehabilitative needs. These insights informed the development of a three-stage framework comprising evidence production, stakeholder engagement, and enactment of program changes.

CONCLUSIONS: The resulting framework offers a context-responsive, evidence-informed approach to improving denture services at district level. By integrating needs-based planning, collaborative implementation, and continuous monitoring, the framework supports equitable access to oral rehabilitation and aligns with national priorities for universal health coverage and improved oral health-related quality of life.

PMID:42595710 | DOI:10.1111/jphd.70073

Restor Dent Endod. 2026 Aug 12. doi: 10.5395/rde.2026.51.e34. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the shear bond strength (SBS) of different resin cements to three-dimensional (3D)-printed restorative resins and to investigate the effects of silane treatment and substrate type on bonding performance.

METHODS: Four resin cements-three self-adhesive and one adhesive-were applied to two types of 3D-printed resins: ODS Permanent Resin (OPR) and Graphy Permanent Resin (GPR). Each substrate was tested with and without silane treatment. SBS was measured, and the failure modes were classified. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze surface morphology of the 3D-printed substrates. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the effects of cement type, silane application, and substrate type on SBS.

RESULTS: Resin cement type significantly influenced SBS, with Clearfil SA (Kuraray) exhibiting the lowest values, while the other cements demonstrated comparable performance. Silane treatment and substrate type did not show statistically significant effects on SBS. SEM analysis revealed smoother surfaces in OPR compared to GPR. Failure mode analysis showed predominantly cohesive failures for OPR, whereas GPR exhibited more adhesive and mixed failures.

CONCLUSIONS: Resin cement selection plays a crucial role in achieving optimal bond strength to 3D-printed restorative resins. Silane application provided limited benefits for filler-deficient substrates, indicating that alternative surface treatments may be necessary.

PMID:42595706 | DOI:10.5395/rde.2026.51.e34

Restor Dent Endod. 2026 Aug 12. doi: 10.5395/rde.2026.51.e37. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Postoperative pain is a frequent complication following root canal treatment, and occlusal reduction (OR) has been suggested as a means to minimize such discomfort. However, existing evidence regarding its effectiveness remains inconclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of OR on postoperative pain following single-visit root canal treatment in mandibular molars. It also examined whether preoperative pain intensity affects the postoperative response to OR.

METHODS: A total of 280 eligible patients with irreversible pulpitis in their first or second mandibular molars were enrolled and stratified into four groups based on their preoperative pain intensity using the visual analogue scale (VAS): 0, no pain; 1-3, mild; 4-7, moderate; and 8-10, severe. Each group was further allocated into OR or no occlusal reduction (NOR) subgroups using block randomization. Standardized endodontic procedures were performed under rubber dam isolation. Postoperative pain was recorded at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week using the same VAS scale. Data were analyzed using the chi-square tests (p ≤ 0.05).

RESULTS: Overall, a statistically significant difference between OR and NOR was found at the 48-hour interval, favoring OR. Stratified analysis showed significant pain reduction at 24 hours in the moderate pain category and near-significant differences in the severe pain group at both 24 hours and 48 hours.

CONCLUSIONS: OR reduced early postoperative pain most noticeably in patients presenting with moderate to severe preoperative pain, whereas its effect was minimal in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases.

PMID:42595705 | DOI:10.5395/rde.2026.51.e37

Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2026 Aug 14. doi: 10.24171/j.phrp.2025.0593. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated associations between building structure and managers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding indoor air quality in welfare facilities for persons with disabilities, comparing facilities with and without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cluster outbreaks.

METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted among managers of 242 welfare facilities for persons with disabilities in the Republic of Korea. Facilities were recruited from a national sampling frame of approximately 3,000 facilities, yielding a response rate of 8.1%. The 80-item questionnaire assessed building characteristics and air quality-related KAP scores. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with cluster outbreaks.

RESULTS: Of the 242 facilities, 50.8% had experienced cluster outbreaks. Facilities in complex/multi-use buildings had higher odds of outbreaks than those in detached buildings did (adjusted odds ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-3.91; p=0.006). For managerial factors, facilities with outbreaks tended to have lower attitude scores (p=0.02); however, this association did not remain statistically significant after Bonferroni correction (adjusted α=0.0083). No significant differences were observed in knowledge or practice scores.

CONCLUSION: Building structure, particularly complex/multi-use configuration, was associated with COVID-19 cluster outbreaks. Managerial KAP scores were not definitively associated with outbreaks under the conservative significance threshold, but the observed trends suggest that institutional support, ventilation guidance, and practical training for facility managers may help strengthen future infection-prevention efforts.

PMID:42595695 | DOI:10.24171/j.phrp.2025.0593

Foot Ankle Surg. 2026 Aug 11:S1268-7731(26)00213-4. doi: 10.1016/j.fas.2026.08.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study compared seven large language models (LLMs) to identify the optimal model for foot and ankle clinical decision support.

METHODS: The LLMs answered 20 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and 20 open-ended clinical questions. MCQ accuracy was recorded. Three blinded foot and ankle surgeons evaluated the open-ended responses based on accuracy, completeness, and clinical relevance (total score range: 3-21).

RESULTS: GPT-o3 and GPT-5 Thinking achieved the highest MCQ accuracy (95%). For open-ended evaluations, mean total scores differed significantly across the models (p < 0.001). GPT-5 Thinking (19.98 ± 0.66) and GPT-o3 (19.67 ± 0.51) attained the highest scores, significantly outperforming the other five models, with no statistical difference between these top two performers.

CONCLUSION: LLM performance for foot and ankle disorders differed substantially across models. GPT-5 Thinking and GPT-o3 exhibited superior performance under the tested conditions, emphasizing the necessity of targeted model selection for clinical decision-making. However, because LLMs evolve rapidly, these findings should be interpreted as a time-specific snapshot rather than as fixed or generalizable rankings of model performance.

PMID:42595676 | DOI:10.1016/j.fas.2026.08.002

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2026 Aug 13:503251. doi: 10.1016/j.eimce.2026.503251. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Contact tracing for tuberculosis (TB) is an essential component of public health efforts to detect secondary cases and interrupt transmission chains. This study aimed to assess the risk factors associated with TB diagnosis and to develop a predictive clinical score for TB diagnosis among contacts of people with TB attending the outpatient clinic at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz (HNSP) in Cubal, Angola.

METHODS: Prospective observational study including TB contacts of all ages. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including multivariable logistic regression with multiple imputation for missing data. The performance of the proposed clinical score was assessed through ROC analysis, calibration, bootstrap internal validation, and comparison with the WHO symptom-based screening approach.

RESULTS: Two-hundred and eighty-five TB contacts were included. Fifty (17.5%) contacts were diagnosed with TB, 40 (80%) of whom were children ≤15 years old. Multivariate analysis identified cough, fever, undernutrition, and peripheral lymphadenopathy as independent risk factors for TB diagnosis. These variables were incorporated into a predictive clinical score ranging from 0 to 17 points. Using a cut-off of ≥6 points, the score showed a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 75%, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.85-0.94).

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the high burden of TB among close contacts and the challenges in properly assessing them. An easy-to-use clinical score may support frontline health workers in improving TB contact tracing in settings with high burden of disease and limited resources, such as Angola.

PMID:42595669 | DOI:10.1016/j.eimce.2026.503251

Eur Urol Oncol. 2026 Aug 13:S2588-9311(26)00214-2. doi: 10.1016/j.euo.2026.07.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PROpel (phase 3 randomized [1:1], double-blind trial: NCT03732820) met its primary endpoint, showing statistically significantly improved investigator-assessed radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) with olaparib plus abiraterone versus placebo plus abiraterone in biomarker-unselected first-line metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC; hazard ratio [HR], 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.81; p < 0.0001). Median overall survival (OS) was 42.1 mo with olaparib plus abiraterone, a 7.4-mo improvement versus placebo plus abiraterone. We report efficacy in patients with single homologous recombination repair gene mutations (HRRm). Before primary analysis, HRRm status was determined by aggregating tumor tissue (FoundationOne CDx) and circulating tumor DNA (FoundationOne Liquid CDx) assay results. Overall, 28.4% of patients had an HRRm, predominantly BRCA2 (7.3%), ATM (6.2%), and CDK12 (5.0%). HRs numerically favored olaparib plus abiraterone for rPFS (BRCA2, HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.08-0.44; ATM, HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.20-1.38; CDK12, HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.20-1.18) and OS (BRCA2, HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.07-0.48; ATM, HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.33-1.77; CDK12, HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.24-1.27). Other single-gene mutations were rare (<5 events in either arm), limiting interpretation. Findings support olaparib plus abiraterone as an important first-line option for patients with mCRPC. PREVIOUS PRESENTATION: Results were previously presented in part at the ASCO-GU 2024 congress, held on January 25-27, 2024: San Francisco, CA, USA.

PMID:42595654 | DOI:10.1016/j.euo.2026.07.014

Allergol Int. 2026 Aug 13:S1323-8930(26)00084-5. doi: 10.1016/j.alit.2026.07.004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Banana allergy varies geographically, but molecular sensitization patterns and fruit co-reactivity remain incompletely defined.

METHODS: We analyzed adults with IgE-mediated banana allergy from Thailand (n = 169) and Austria (n = 70) using banana extract-specific IgE (ImmunoCAP), ALEX (a multiplex allergen-specific IgE macroarray), and complementary line blotting. Country-stratified multivariable models assessed associations of sensitization patterns with systemic reactions and reaction severity.

RESULTS: Systemic reactions predominated in Thailand (156/169, 92.3%), whereas isolated oral allergy syndrome (OAS) was more common in Austria (31/70, 44.3%). Banana extract-specific IgE was positive at ≥0.35 kUA/L in 115/168 (68.5%) Thai and 48/68 (70.6%) Austrian sera. Among samples with undetectable banana extract-sIgE (<0.10 kUA/L), molecular testing identified IgE reactivity to banana allergens or cross-reactive components in 16/18 (88.9%) Thai and 6/6 (100%) Austrian sera. ALEX-based profiling showed more heterogeneous sensitization patterns in Austria, with more frequent reactivity to nsLTPs, profilins, and latex allergens, whereas isolated ALEX reactivity to the TLP surrogate Act d 2 was common in Thailand but rare in Austria (55.6% vs 6.2%). Line blotting showed markedly more frequent IgE reactivity to TLP from banana (Mus a 4) in Thai than Austrian participants (90.5% vs 45.7%). In country-stratified analyses, TLP sensitization was independently associated with systemic reactions and greater severity in Austria. Thai estimates were imprecise because TLP sensitization was near-ubiquitous and non-systemic reactions were uncommon.

CONCLUSIONS: Thai adults showed a TLP-dominant sensitization pattern, whereas Austrian profiles were more heterogeneous. TLP sensitization was associated with systemic reactions and greater severity in Austria.

PMID:42595651 | DOI:10.1016/j.alit.2026.07.004

Ann Chir Plast Esthet. 2026 Aug 13:S0294-1260(26)00047-6. doi: 10.1016/j.anplas.2026.04.003. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Despite the high incidence of 5th metacarpal neck (5MCN) fracture, the literature lacks concise information about the ideal treatment option. This review aimed to compare the functional outcome of conservative and operative management of 5MCN fractures.

METHODS: The electronic databases PubMed and Scopus were used for the literature review. This review is intended to include all original studies comparing the outcomes of 5MCN fractures that were managed operatively and conservatively.

RESULTS: The final inclusion of 5 eligible studies was based on full-text screening. A total of 311 patients were analyzed from the included five studies, with a majority of males (178/203, 83.7%). Significant reduction in palmar angulation (SMD -1.23, 95% CI -2.21 to -0.25) was noted in surgical group as compared to the conservative group. No significant difference was noted in terms of grip strength (SMD 0.96, 95% CI -2 to 3.98) or shortening (SMD 1.65, 95% CI: -2.39 to 5.69) in both the groups.

CONCLUSION: Although no significant difference was noted in grip strength and shortening, there was statistically significant palmar angulation in patients treated conservatively. The vocation and expectations of each patient should be carefully considered before deciding on the course of treatment. Future studies with uniform functional outcome measurements must establish unambiguous clinical guidelines for treating 5MCN fractures.

PMID:42595633 | DOI:10.1016/j.anplas.2026.04.003