Tag: nevin manimala

Tree Physiol. 2026 Jul 28:tpag106. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpag106. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Understanding the intra-annual timing of carbon allocation into wood is critical for linking environmental variability to forest carbon sequestration. We quantified the seasonal dynamics of xylem width increase and xylem biomass production in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in Belgium during two contrasting growing seasons, a year characterized by a severe spring drought and peak summer hot drought (2020) and a mesic year (2021), using high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography (XμCT). Point dendrometer and microtomy measurements were used for validation and comparison. Both xylem width increase and cumulated xylem biomass production followed a sigmoidal seasonal trajectory in both years. Contrary to patterns commonly reported for conifers with a clear early- to latewood transition, the temporal lag between xylem width increase and xylem biomass production was minimal (< 3 days) and statistically insignificant, indicating near-synchronous development. XμCT-derived measurements of ring width, wood density, and biomass production broadly matched dendrometer data, as well as independent regional biomass estimates from the literature. Seasonal onset and cessation of xylogenesis shifted between years, with earlier onset and cessation in the dry year, which was aligned to microtomy data. Our results demonstrate that, in semi diffuse- to ring-porous angiosperms like beech, xylem expansion and secondary wall formation are tightly coupled, even under contrasting water availability, and suggest that dendrometer data can serve as a proxy for intra-seasonal wood biomass production at the stand level. XμCT provides a reliable tool for quantifying xylogenesis and carbon allocation, offering new insights into wood formation dynamics under variable environmental conditions.

PMID:42518227 | DOI:10.1093/treephys/tpag106

Lett Appl Microbiol. 2026 Jul 28:ovag065. doi: 10.1093/lambio/ovag065. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa highlights the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. This study evaluated the potential of a commercial bacteriophage cocktail combined with antimicrobial agents and compared two practical methods for screening phage-antimicrobial synergy. A lytic bacteriophage isolated from the PYO phage cocktail was characterized by host range, size, pH and thermal stability, and lytic activity against the reference strain PAO1. Synergy was assessed with nine antimicrobial agents, including conventional antibiotics, efflux pump inhibitors, and essential oil compounds, using agar-based plaque assays and broth microdilution checkerboard assays. Plaque diameter and plaque number were evaluated at sub-MIC concentrations, whereas synergistic interactions were determined by the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Statistical significance was analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparison test, and the association between plaque parameters and FICI values was explored using Spearman’s rank correlation. The isolated phage exhibited a burst size of approximately 259 PFU per infected cell and remained stable over a broad pH and temperature range, with significant reductions under highly acidic, highly alkaline, and high-temperature conditions. In agar-based assays, colistin, meropenem, and cinnamaldehyde significantly increased plaque diameter and/or plaque number (p < 0.05-0.001), depending on the bacterial strain tested. Checkerboard analysis identified the same four combinations as synergistic (FICI ≤ 0.5). Spearman’s rank correlation indicated a relationship between plaque parameters and FICI values. Overall, both methods identified the same synergistic combinations, suggesting that agar-based plaque assays may serve as a practical preliminary screening tool for phage-antimicrobial combinations, although further validation is required.

PMID:42518223 | DOI:10.1093/lambio/ovag065

J Travel Med. 2026 Jul 28:taag068. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taag068. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42518221 | DOI:10.1093/jtm/taag068

J Anim Sci. 2026 Jul 28:skag231. doi: 10.1093/jas/skag231. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Mature cow weight (MWT) is a trait genetically correlated with body condition score (BCS). Previous research has shown that sire rankings can shift depending on how BCS is accounted for, indicating that different modeling strategies can influence selection outcomes. The recursive modeling approach has been established as a method for obtaining MWT that is genetically independent of BCS, providing an alternative to phenotypic pre-adjustment. The objective of this study was to determine whether different modeling approaches capture different genetic architectures or merely produce statistical artifacts. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and functional genomic analyses were performed to compare the genomic architecture of phenotypically pre-adjusted MWT (MWTadj) with MWT that is genetically independent of BCS, obtained using the recursive approach (MWTRM). A total of 42 significant SNP across 8 chromosomes were identified for MWTadj and 44 SNP across 9 chromosomes for MWTRM, with 28 SNP shared between models. These variants corresponded to 107 annotated genes in MWTadj and 137 in MWTRM, including 62 shared genes. Major association signals were concentrated on BTA20, BTA7, and BTA14 for both models, with all significant SNP jointly explaining 3.93% of the total additive genetic variance for MWTadj and 4.29% for MWTRM. The Pearson correlation coefficient of estimated SNP effects between the models was 0.76, while the correlation of genomic estimated breeding values was 0.87. Compared to MWTadj, which shared 19 genes with unadjusted MWT, the MWTRM shared 33 genes. In addition, 28 of the 31 pathways identified for MWTRM were also identified for unadjusted MWT, whereas no Gene Ontology pathways were shared between MWTadj and unadjusted MWT. The MWTRM was associated with genes annotated to growth, skeletal development, feed efficiency, and carcass-related traits, whereas MWTadj identified a distinct set of genes and pathways. Despite these differences, MWTadj and MWTRM converged on similar core biological signals, highlighting that they effectively capture the primary genetic drivers of MWT independent of BCS.

PMID:42518219 | DOI:10.1093/jas/skag231

Genome Biol Evol. 2026 Jul 28:evag184. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evag184. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The quantification of genomic conservation has progressed from foundational statistical modeling of evolutionary rates to state-of-the-art deep learning architectures. However, a major resolution gap remains at the zero-rate origin, where standard selection inference tools fail to distinguish between sites that are invariant due to chance (stochastic invariance) or low substitution opportunity, and those that are invariant due to extreme purifying selection. We present B-STILL (Bayesian Significance Test of Invariant Low Likelihoods), a hierarchical Bayesian framework designed to resolve the selective landscape of protein-coding genes near the zero-rate limit. By leveraging gene-level rate distributions (prior calibration) and modeling codon-site specific substitution opportunities (determined by genetic code degeneracy and nucleotide substitution biases), B-STILL quantifies the statistical significance of observed stasis. We define a rate-based stasis threshold to identify Evolutionary Stasis Anchors (ESAs)-sites where the upper bound on the evolutionary rate is statistically constrained relative to the background rate of the gene due to extreme purifying selection. Validation against clinical and pathogen datasets confirms that ESAs are strong predictors of biological fitness and pathogenicity. Applying B-STILL across viral and mammalian genomes, we identify thousands of significantly clustered ESAs that map to known functional domains and uncharacterized structural motifs. These results establish B-STILL as a scalable, statistically rigorous framework for high-resolution genomic annotation, converting previously uninformative invariant sites into precise markers of extreme evolutionary constraint.

PMID:42518208 | DOI:10.1093/gbe/evag184

Brain Behav. 2026 Aug;16(8):e71581. doi: 10.1002/brb3.71581.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The present pilot study aimed to (1) Characterize neural markers of reward sensitivity during periods of social stress; (2) Evaluate clinical relations between neural reward markers and anhedonia; and (3) Investigate if peer victimization was associated with ventral striatum (VS) suppression and anhedonia symptoms during social stress.

METHODS: A total of 28 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 (M_age = 15.31; SD = 1.51; 55.2% cisgender girls) were included in analyses and completed a semi-structured interview, self-report questionnaires regarding social anxiety, stress, depression, and anhedonia, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan while engaging in the Island Getaway task. VS BOLD signal activation estimates were then extracted during discrete phases of the task (e.g., anticipation of social feedback and outcome of social feedback) and statistically compared within-subjects.

RESULTS: Results revealed that when in the presence of social stress (defined as the potential for negative feedback), socially anxious adolescents demonstrated significantly suppressed VS activation relative to feedback anticipation. Additionally, the reduced VS activation during the outcome phase was significantly correlated with anhedonia. Moreover, relational peer victimization was associated with suppressed VS activation.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings identify novel mechanisms associated with anhedonia and blunted reward processing in socially anxious youth that could be improved via interventions that target positive-valence systems.

PMID:42518193 | DOI:10.1002/brb3.71581

Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2026 Aug;28(4):e70175. doi: 10.1111/cid.70175.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare marginal bone loss (MBL) associated with Hybrid Funnel Technique (HFT) and conventional drill osteotomy for implant site preparation when bioactive implants are used, testing the null hypothesis that no significant differences occur at 1- and 3 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective non-randomized controlled clinical trial included patients undergoing implant rehabilitation with bioactive-surface implants. Implants were placed using either conventional subtractive drilling (control group) or HFT (test group), which combines selective cortical preparation with medullary osteocompaction. The primary outcome was radiographic MBL at 3-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes included bleeding on probing (BoP) and plaque index (PI). Statistical analyses were performed at implant level, and linear mixed-effects models were used to account for clustering within patients and adjust for potential confounders.

RESULTS: A total of 87 implants in 43 patients were analyzed (42 control, 45 HFT). At 1-year follow-up, the test group reported significantly lower MBL (0.33 ± 0.43 mm vs. mean = 0.78 ± 0.82 mm; Mann-Whitney p-value = 0.006). At 3 years, MBL was significantly higher in the conventional site preparation group compared with the HFT group (1.34 ± 0.79 mm vs. 0.46 ± 0.69 mm; p < 0.001). In multivariate mixed-effects analysis, the implant site preparation technique was the only variable independently associated with MBL at 3 years (β = -1.10 mm, 95% CI = -1.675 to -0.527, p < 0.001), while insertion torque and other baseline variables showed no significant association. In addition, the HFT group demonstrated significantly lower BoP and PI scores, indicating more favorable peri-implant soft tissue conditions.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the use of identical bioactive-surface implants, implant site preparation technique significantly influenced peri-implant bone remodeling. HFT demonstrated superior preservation of marginal bone over 3 years, suggesting that reduction of cortical compression during osteotomy provides a biological advantage. Implant site preparation remains a key determinant of long-term peri-implant bone stability.

PMID:42518174 | DOI:10.1111/cid.70175

Ecohealth. 2026 Jul 28. doi: 10.1007/s10393-026-01829-y. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42518163 | DOI:10.1007/s10393-026-01829-y

Updates Surg. 2026 Jul 28. doi: 10.1007/s13304-026-02780-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Adrenal tumors with unenhanced attenuation of 11-20 Hounsfield units (HU) are indeterminate on noncontrast computed tomography (CT). This interval is clinically relevant because it usually triggers additional biochemical, radiological, and multidisciplinary assessment rather than an immediate decision to operate or observe. We evaluated the pathology-confirmed histological spectrum of resected adrenal lesions across guideline-consistent attenuation categories, with particular focus on the 11-20 HU grey zone. We retrospectively reviewed 383 adults who underwent minimally invasive adrenalectomy between 2022 and 2025. Unenhanced CT attenuation values were recorded in 202 cases; two necrotised-tissue cases were excluded from the HU-based histology analysis. The final analytic cohort comprised 200 tumors classified as ≤ 10 HU, 11-20 HU, or > 20 HU. The primary outcome was final histopathology grouped as benign lesion, pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL), metastasis, or primary malignant lesion. Clinical background was reviewed for the five non-benign 11-20 HU lesions. Exploratory multivariable logistic regression evaluated non-benign versus benign histology. The final cohort included 82 tumors with ≤ 10 HU, 44 with 11-20 HU, and 74 with > 20 HU. In the 11-20 HU group, histology was benign in 39/44 lesions (88.6%), PPGL in 3/44 (6.8%), metastasis in 1/44 (2.3%), and adrenocortical carcinoma in 1/44 (2.3%). Non-benign pathology increased from 4.9% at ≤ 10 HU to 11.4% at 11-20 HU and 33.8% at > 20 HU. In multivariable analysis, > 20 HU was associated with non-benign histology compared with ≤ 10 HU (odds ratio [OR] 10.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.18-31.30), whereas 11-20 HU was not independently associated with a statistically significant increase (OR 2.81, 95% CI 0.69-11.50). Larger tumor size was also associated with non-benign histology (OR 1.30 per cm, 95% CI 1.09-1.56). Most resected adrenal tumors in the 11-20 HU grey zone were benign, but this interval still contained clinically important non-benign pathology. These findings should be interpreted as surgical-cohort data, not as prevalence estimates for true adrenal incidentalomas. Intermediate attenuation should be used as a prompt for integrated biochemical, imaging, oncological, and multidisciplinary assessment rather than as an isolated indication for adrenalectomy.

PMID:42518161 | DOI:10.1007/s13304-026-02780-x

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2026 Jul 28. doi: 10.1007/s40615-026-03133-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: We examined if the Index of Concentration at the Extremes, a measure of neighborhood disadvantage, was associated with preterm birth (PTB) and assessed mediation by allostatic load (AL).

METHODS: We examined a subset of the Michigan Archive for Research on Child Health, a prospective ongoing cohort that began in 2016, with select biomarkers and prenatal records. We operationalized AL from the sum of eight parameters drawn from inflammatory biomarkers and prenatal records, which we dichotomized as ≥ 4 (High) or < 4 (Low). We tested for mediation of AL using Generalized Estimating Equations models clustered by zip code.

RESULTS: Of the n = 392, 46% were Black, 16% of which delivered preterm. Black pregnant people had 1.21 times higher PTB odds if they lived in a more privileged county compared to those who did not (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.54, 2.73) while non-Blacks had 36% lower odds (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.22, 1.85), but neither were statistically significant. Living in a more privileged county was significantly associated with 70% lower odds of high AL (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.68). Both groups had higher although not statistically significant odds of PTB if they had high AL scores (Black: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.42, 3.57; Non-Black: OR = 3.24, 95% CI = 0.32, 33.11).

CONCLUSION: Although we observed trends in neighborhood disadvantage on PTB, the effects were not significant. Black pregnant people had a higher AL, but there was no evidence that AL mediated the association.

PMID:42518157 | DOI:10.1007/s40615-026-03133-5