Nevin Manimala

J Int Med Res. 2026 Jan;54(1):3000605261416716. doi: 10.1177/03000605261416716. Epub 2026 Jan 31.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundThis study examined disease-specific quality of life among people living with chronic hepatitis B virus infection in northern Ghana, where the condition remains highly endemic.MethodUsing a cross-sectional design, 264 individuals with chronic hepatitis B virus infection were recruited from 1 regional hospital and 3 district hospitals. Data were collected through structured interviews using the validated hepatitis B virus quality of life (HBQoL) instrument and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.ResultParticipants had a mean age of 38 years (±16.5), with a nearly equal sex distribution. The overall global HBQoL mean score was 63.6 (±20.0), reflecting a moderate quality of life. Regression analysis identified age, hepatitis B virus profile, and the presence of complications as significant predictors. Each additional year of age increased the odds of better quality of life by 2.8% (odds ratio = 1.028, p = 0.002). Hepatitis B envelope antigen negativity was inversely associated with high quality of life (odds ratio = 0.344, p = 0.013). Additionally, the absence of hepatitis B virus complications was associated with lower odds of good quality of life in this population (odds ratio = 0.300, p = 0.001).ConclusionsThe findings suggest that psychosocial and clinical interventions should complement biomedical care. Addressing the unique quality of life challenges of people living with the hepatitis B virus is essential for holistic management in Ghana and similar settings.

PMID:41618765 | DOI:10.1177/03000605261416716

J Int Med Res. 2026 Jan;54(1):3000605261416714. doi: 10.1177/03000605261416714. Epub 2026 Jan 31.

ABSTRACT

ObjectivesThis study aimed to comprehensively investigate the possible associations between neutrophil- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)-related inflammatory markers and the incidence of sarcopenia among adults in the United States.MethodsThis cross-sectional study analyzed data from 8878 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The potential associations between neutrophil- and HDL-C-related inflammatory markers and sarcopenia were evaluated using multiple statistical methods, including weighted logistic regression analysis, sensitivity analyses, restricted cubic spline models, and subgroup analyses. A receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to thoroughly analyze the predictive accuracy of various inflammatory markers for sarcopenia risk.ResultsAll examined inflammatory markers were significantly associated with sarcopenia. The association between the neutrophil-to-HDL-C ratio and sarcopenia was nonlinear, with risk increasing notably beyond a certain threshold (breakpoint = 2.791), whereas the neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio demonstrated a linear association. Further threshold effect analyses identified specific breakpoints for neutrophil-to-HDL-C ratio, platelet-to-HDL-C ratio, lymphocyte-to-HDL-C ratio, and monocyte-to-HDL-C ratio. Notably, the area under the curve value for neutrophil-to-HDL-C ratio exceeded those for other inflammatory markers in receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve = 0.632, 95% confidence interval: 0.612-0.652), suggesting its potential as a promising predictor of sarcopenia prevalence.ConclusionsThe findings suggest positive associations between inflammatory biomarkers and sarcopenia, with the neutrophil-to-HDL-C ratio demonstrating superior predictive performance.

PMID:41618762 | DOI:10.1177/03000605261416714

J Environ Qual. 2026 Jan-Feb;55(1):e70141. doi: 10.1002/jeq2.70141.

ABSTRACT

High total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in freshwater such as streams, rivers, and lakes remain a global issue, causing eutrophication and poor ecological conditions. We extracted annual flow-weighted TP concentration data (N = 3144) from 207 monitored Danish headwater streams (catchment area < 50 km²) during the period 1990-2019 as the basis for developing a machine learning (ML) model for diffuse phosphorus in streams, using 22 potential predictor variables. We tested 70 different algorithms, applying an AI platform and a random split strategy with a holdout dataset (20%), a validation dataset (16%), and four training datasets (4 × 16%) in a fivefold cross-validation procedure across a total of 207 stream stations. The ML algorithm “eXtreme Gradient Boosted trees regressor: XGBoost” was identified as the best-performing model, based on 13 predictor variables, with a relatively high explanatory power for the training dataset (R² = 0.68), the cross-validation dataset (R² = 0.71), and the holdout dataset (R² = 0.66). The most important catchment characteristics of the 13 predictor variables were paved area, tile drained area, clay content in subsoil, farmed area, and TP loss from bank erosion. An external test of model transferability on a dataset, using an additional 142 stream stations (N = 1261), revealed a somewhat lower predictive power of the final model (R² = 0.41). The final model was applied to simulate annual diffuse flow-weighted TP concentrations for 3200 unique headwater catchments (ca. 15 km²) and this analysis now supports the calculation of annual TP loadings to surface waters from otherwise ungauged coast-near areas in Denmark.

PMID:41618754 | DOI:10.1002/jeq2.70141

Clin Transplant. 2026 Feb;40(2):e70444. doi: 10.1111/ctr.70444.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) has emerged as a valuable preservation technique, expanding the donor pool and improving clinical outcomes in liver transplantation (LT). Despite its growing adoption and reported advantages, the perioperative impact of NMP remains incompletely defined. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of NMP versus static cold storage (SCS) on postreperfusion blood product utilization, hemodynamics, and vasopressor requirements.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult LT patients at our institution between January 2017 and November 2024. The NMP and SCS groups were matched using propensity scores generated from preoperative and prereperfusion variables.

RESULTS: A total of 1059 patients underwent LT, including 86 NMP and 973 SCS patients. Before matching, significant differences were noted in several preoperative and prereperfusion variables. After 1:3 propensity match, these differences were eliminated. Post-match analysis showed that the NMP group required significantly fewer transfusions (approximately 40% reduction observed across all blood products). NMP was also associated with significantly higher mean arterial pressure and reduced vasopressor requirements following reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS: NMP was associated with reduced blood transfusion, improved hemodynamic stability, and decreased vasopressor support during the postreperfusion phase of LT.

PMID:41618723 | DOI:10.1111/ctr.70444

Eur J Dent Educ. 2026 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/eje.70101. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Despite the increasing representation of women in the dental profession, gender inequality remains in academic leadership roles. This study aimed to evaluate the gender distribution of academics and deans working in dental faculties in Türkiye.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using publicly available data from 154 dental faculties (73 state and 81 foundation) between January and March 2025. Information was collected from 3061 academics, including their gender, academic title, specialty, and university affiliation. Gender classification was confirmed using the records of the Council of Higher Education and cross-validated using the Gender API and NamSor software. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Statistics (version 23).

RESULTS: Among participants, 62.3% were women and 37.7% were men. Notably, women outnumbered men in nearly all academic ranks, with the highest proportion observed among lecturers (76.5%). Most professors were also women (51.5%), highlighting a remarkable shift in traditional academic gender dynamics. The gender distribution varied across disciplines: women were predominant in pedodontics (80.5%) and restorative dentistry (70%), while men were predominant in oral surgery (62.5%) and implantology (83.3%). In contrast, only 25.8% of deans were women, indicating persistent underrepresentation in high-level administrative positions. Gender detection tools showed high concordance with the actual data (Cohen’s κ > 0.91).

CONCLUSION: Although women represent the majority of academics in Turkish dental faculties, a significant gender gap remains in the top leadership roles. Institutional policies and targeted mentorship programs are needed to promote gender equity in academic advancement and decision-making.

PMID:41618714 | DOI:10.1111/eje.70101

Psychophysiology. 2026 Feb;63(2):e70221. doi: 10.1111/psyp.70221.

ABSTRACT

Objects typically appear within rich visual scenes. By capitalizing on learnt statistical pairings between objects and scenes, the visual system can use scene information to generate predictions about objects likely to occur within a given environment. Some models of visual system function propose that scene information is extracted from low-spatial frequency components and rapidly propagates through the visual processing hierarchy. This contextual information may help bias perceptual inferences toward objects that are likely to appear within a scene, enacted via top-down feedback carrying predictions. We tested this hypothesized influence of low spatial frequency information through newly learnt predictive object-scene associations. We recorded electroencephalographic (EEG) data from 40 participants who viewed high-spatial frequency objects either in isolation or embedded within low- or high-spatial frequency scenes. Object-scene pairings were probabilistically manipulated such that certain objects more frequently appeared in certain scenes. We trained classifiers on EEG data from object-only trials and tested them on object plus scene trials. We did not observe differences in classification accuracy across expected and unexpected objects for both low- and high-spatial frequency scenes, and any interaction between spatial frequency and expectation. However, we observed expectation effects on event-related potentials for both spatial frequency conditions. These effects arose at similar latencies for both low- and high-spatial frequency scenes but interacted with the expectation effects. Together, we report evidence that expectations induced by object-scene pairings influence visually evoked responses but do not modulate object representations.

PMID:41618713 | DOI:10.1111/psyp.70221

J Esthet Restor Dent. 2026 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/jerd.70118. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the surface roughness and wear effect of three different ceramic materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty ceramic discs (10/group) were fabricated: Lithium disilicate (IPS e.max CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent, Switzerland); Zirconia (Zolid Gen-X, Amanngirrbach, Austria); Zirconia reinforced lithium disilicate (Vita Suprinity, Vita Zahnfabrik, Germany). Ceramic specimens underwent surface roughness measurements, thermocycling (10,000 cycles), then used to abrade opposing materials for 250,000 cycles. Opposing material wear was quantified using a scanner and software for wear effect measurements. Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks, and Spearman’s correlation tests (α = 0.050).

RESULTS: Median values (for all surface roughness parameters and wear effect) showed significant differences between the study groups (p < 0.050). All study groups showed a significant increase in the median surface roughness values after wear (p < 0.050). No significant correlation was found between surface roughness and wear effect (p > 0.050).

CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant difference in the median surface roughness (before and after wear) and wear effect between the study groups. No significant correlation was found between ceramic surface roughness and their wear effect.

PMID:41618709 | DOI:10.1111/jerd.70118

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2026 Jan 31:traf145. doi: 10.1093/trstmh/traf145. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malaria is a serious public health issue in Pakistan. This study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns, seasonal dynamics, and molecular confirmation of malaria in District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from 2011 to 2017.

METHODS: Clinical data were collected from the District Headquarters Hospital over 7 y. A random sample of 120 patients from 2017 was used for microscopic and molecular identification. Spatial-temporal patterns were analysed using ArcGIS (Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), Redlands, California, United States). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (IBM Corporation, Armonk, New York, United States) and R software (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria).

RESULTS: Of 41 863 tests, 6246 were positive, yielding an overall test positivity rate of 14.92%. Males (58.89%) were more affected than females. The highest proportion of cases was in the 1-20-y age group. The annual test positive rate declined from 32.97% in 2011 to 10.77% in 2017. Seasonally, autumn had the highest case proportion (46.73%); winter the lowest (7.09%). Spatial analysis identified Gharhi, Dargai and Haryankot as high-burden areas. Inverse distance weighting highlighted these as hotspots for potential transmission. PCR confirmed microscopy-based species identification.

CONCLUSIONS: Malaria in Malakand peaks in autumn, affecting males and individuals aged <20 y most. Neighbouring villages are at risk from hyper-endemic areas. Microscopy remains a dependable diagnostic tool here.

PMID:41618708 | DOI:10.1093/trstmh/traf145

Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2026 Feb;20(2):e70235. doi: 10.1111/irv.70235.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Male sex is a well-known risk factor for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization in children, but there are no data on potential differences in clinical features between boys and girls hospitalized with RSV infection.

METHODS: We compared the average population-based rates of hospitalization and the clinical features of the illness between boys and girls hospitalized with virologically confirmed RSV infection during 2006-2020 at Turku University Hospital, Finland. During this period, testing for RSV was routine in all children admitted with respiratory infections. The comparisons were performed in different age groups of children up to 5 years of age.

RESULTS: Among all 1204 children < 5 years of age hospitalized with RSV, the average annual RSV hospitalization rates were 4.0/1000 in boys and 3.3/1000 in girls (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07-1.35; p = 0.001). The difference was greatest in children aged 3-23 months, among whom the corresponding rates were 5.4/1000 in boys and 3.6/1000 in girls (IRR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.25-1.80; p < 0.001). The occurrence of respiratory distress was consistently higher in boys than in girls among children aged 6-17 months. In this group of 233 children, 128 of 141 (90.8%) boys had documented respiratory distress, compared with 70 of 92 (76.1%) girls (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS: Except for the first 3 months after birth, boys have a 50% higher risk of RSV hospitalization than girls during the first 2 years of life. In that same age group, boys hospitalized with RSV have also significantly more respiratory distress than girls.

PMID:41618700 | DOI:10.1111/irv.70235

Clin Oral Implants Res. 2026 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/clr.70093. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether adding a connective tissue graft (CTG) to guided bone regeneration (GBR) improves clinical and radiographic outcomes in surgical peri-implantitis treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with peri-implantitis were randomly assigned to receive GBR and CTG (test group, TG) or GBR alone (control group, CG). Clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded at baseline, 6, and 12 months. The primary outcome was the change in clinical attachment level (CAL), while secondary outcomes included pocket probing depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BoP), plaque index (PI), keratinized mucosa width (KMW), mucosal thickness (MT), recession (REC), suppuration (SUP), marginal bone levels (MBL), bone defect morphology, and disease resolution (DR).

RESULTS: At 12 months, CAL gain was significantly higher in TG compared with CG (3.21 ± 1.57 mm vs. 1.65 ± 1.28 mm; p = 0.022), and TG achieved significantly greater increase in KMW (2.25 ± 2.89 mm vs. 0.26 ± 1.49 mm; p = 0.010). Both groups showed significant PPD reduction, with a greater, though not statistically significant, improvement comparing TG with CG (3.25 ± 1.59 mm vs. 1.97 ± 1.23 mm; p = 0.052). Additionally, MBL improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.001), with higher gains in TG (p < 0.001). However, DR was comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS: GBR effectively improves peri-implant parameters after 1 year. Adding a CTG enhances CAL and KMW gains and may promote more favorable bone levels, although the impact on DR remains inconclusive. Long-term studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04323540.

PMID:41618697 | DOI:10.1111/clr.70093