Tag: nevin manimala

Front Aging Neurosci. 2026 Jul 23;18:1864037. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2026.1864037. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a frequent complication after surgery, particularly among older adults, and its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key regulator of neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity, and has been implicated in POCD but published findings are inconsistent. We therefore performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between perioperative BDNF levels and POCD across surgical time points. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for observational studies that reported perioperative BDNF levels in patients with and without POCD. Two reviewers independently extraction data and assessed study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted in RevMan 5.3, with mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for absolute BDNF levels and perioperative changes (ΔBDNF) at preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative stages. Six studies including 135 patients with POCD and 247 without POCD met the inclusion criteria. The fixed-effects meta-analysis showed lower intraoperative BDNF levels in the POCD group (MD = -5.62, 95% CI[-8.95, -2.29], P = 0.0009; I ² = 0%). Similarly, intraoperative ΔBDNF was reduced in the POCD group under a fixed-effects meta-model (MD = -9.73, 95% CI[-16.08, -3.38], P = 0.003; I ² = 0%). The subgroup analysis indicated that the type of surgery may contribute to the high heterogeneity observed in 24-h postoperative BDNF and in 24-h postoperative ΔBDNF. These findings suggest that intraoperative BDNF levels and their dynamic changes may serve as preliminary exploratory biomarker for POCD. The intraoperative phase appears to be a critical window for BDNF monitoring, yet prospective cohort studies are urgently needed to externally validate its uesfulness for screening patients at high risk of POCD before clinical implementation. Current evidence remains preliminary, since only six small observational studies were included and substantial statistical heterogeneity was present in multiple postoperative subgroup analyses. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251265921.

PMID:42564570 | PMC:PMC13443294 | DOI:10.3389/fnagi.2026.1864037

Cureus. 2026 Jul 6;18(7):e112184. doi: 10.7759/cureus.112184. eCollection 2026 Jul.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Physical therapy after a femoral neck fracture is essential but is limited by poor compliance and incorrect exercise. To improve this, we developed the home-based video-guided music program (HBW-MV) program. We hypothesize that this program will improve functional outcome.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial from 2023 to 2024 on elderly patients with cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty after femoral neck fracture. Thirty patients were equally allocated into the intervention group and the control group. Both received pre-discharge physical therapy instructions from an orthopedic trainee. Functional outcomes were assessed using Harris Hip Score (HHS) from two to 12 weeks. Hip strength was measured by a handheld dynamometer. Anxiety and pain were assessed using a visual analog scale. Compliance was assessed by a record table.

RESULTS: Both groups showed an increase in HHS at two, six, and 12 weeks postoperatively. The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher HHS compared with the control group at all time points, with mean scores of 49.40±6.10, 65.20±6.09, and 82.30±5.85 versus 39.73±7.80, 53.53±5.84, and 67.67±6.33, respectively (p<0.05). At the 12-week follow-up, significantly higher hip muscle strength in abduction, adduction, and flexion was observed in the intervention group relative to the control group (p < 0.05), whereas hip extension strength, although improved in both groups, did not show a statistically significant between-group difference. At both six and 12 weeks postoperatively, anxiety scores were significantly reduced in the intervention group relative to the control group (six weeks: 2.87±0.91 vs 3.47±0.64, p=0.023; 12 weeks: 1.47±0.51 vs 2.27±0.96, p=0.004). Postoperative pain scores were also significantly lower in the intervention group at 12 weeks (1.20±0.41 vs 1.93±0.88, p=0.004). Patient compliance with the rehabilitation program was significantly higher in the intervention group at six and 12 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS: This research shows the HBW-MV program significantly improved functional outcomes, hip strength, and compliance. Additionally, it reduced anxiety and postoperative pain effectively.

PMID:42564554 | PMC:PMC13442973 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.112184

Front Plant Sci. 2026 Jul 23;17:1835247. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1835247. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Genomic selection holds the potential to serve as a strategic tool to enhance the genetic gain of complex traits in Miscanthus breeding programs. The development of improved cultivars requires their assessment for various traits across diverse environments to ensure suitable overall performance. Hence, the multi-trait multi-environment (MTME) genomic prediction (GP) models offer an opportunity to improve selection accuracy. This study aims to evaluate the potential of five GP models: (1) three MTME models including genotype-by-trait-by-environment interaction (G×E×T) and (2) two single-trait multi-environment (STME) models (with and without G×E interaction). A Miscanthus sacchariflorus population comprising 336 genotypes evaluated in three environments and scored for four traits (biomass yield YDY, total culm number TCM, average internode length AIL, and culm node number CNN) was analyzed. The predictive ability of the models was evaluated considering three cross-validation schemes resembling realistic scenarios (CV1: predicting new genotypes, CVP: predicting missing traits in a given environment, and CV2: predicting partially observed genotypes). On average, in all cross-validation schemes compared to the STME the predictive ability of the MTME models was 10% to 70% higher for TCM and AIL. On the other hand, for YDY and CNN, both STME models performed similarly or slightly better (between 5 to 64%) than the MTME models in most environments. While the MTME models were not successful for all traits when compared to their STME counterparts, MTME models improved the prediction of the performance of genotypes that were untested across environments or lacked trait information in a specific environment. Overall, our study suggests that MTME GP models can be implemented in Miscanthus breeding programs to improve the predictive ability of the complex traits, shorten breeding cycles, and accelerate selection decisions.

PMID:42564547 | PMC:PMC13443311 | DOI:10.3389/fpls.2026.1835247

Front Med (Lausanne). 2026 Jul 23;13:1884301. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1884301. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A global decline in the number of clinical post-mortems sought and conducted indicates a diminishing necessity for post-mortem exams. Notwithstanding advancements in medical technology, autopsies continue to serve as a pertinent method for ascertaining the cause of death.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify prevalent major misdiagnoses in clinical settings through autopsy and to investigate potential contributing factors.

METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, including 51 autopsies retrieved from the NHLS Laboratory Information System (LIS) and classified as either Class I or Class II discrepancies according to the Goldman criteria. Stata-18 was used to analyse descriptive data and examine the associations between clinicopathological factors and the major discrepancy classes.

RESULTS: Of the 51 autopsies included in the study, 68.63% (n = 35) were female in contrast to 31.37% (n = 16) of males, with a mean death age of 39.3 years. A total of 88.24% (n = 45) of the cases were classified as Class I discrepancies, and 11.76% (n = 6) were Class II. There was no evidence of an association between discrepancies and age, sex and disease type. However, autopsy diagnosis showed a statistically significant association with Class I discrepancies (p ≤ 0.05) accounted for the largest proportion of misdiagnoses, with pulmonary disease being the most frequently misdiagnosed condition at 44.44% (n = 20).

CONCLUSIONS: Autopsies remain a pertinent clinical audit tool despite advances in medical technology. The hospital should provide funds for autopsies and encourage doctors to utilize them as a clinical audit instrument to enhance patient management.

PMID:42564546 | PMC:PMC13444749 | DOI:10.3389/fmed.2026.1884301

Health SA. 2026 Jul 7;31:3331. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v31i0.3331. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed unprecedented global health challenges, necessitating accelerated COVID-19 vaccine development. However, vaccine and booster hesitancy among healthcare workers (HCWs) presented a barrier globally and in South Africa (SA).

AIM: This study aimed to determine the level of vaccine and booster acceptance among HCWs in public, private and public-private sectors in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), SA, and to identify the key reasons of vaccine and booster acceptance and refusal.

SETTING: This study was conducted across KZN.

METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2024 to April 2025 among doctors, nurses and pharmacists using an online questionnaire. Three hundred and thirty-one HCWs participated in this study with a reliable and standardised questionnaire. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. Relevant ethics committees and participants provided ethical approval.

RESULTS: Average vaccine acceptance rate for vaccine and booster was 92.4% (n = 306) and 73.7% (n = 244), respectively. Public-private recorded the highest acceptance rates for vaccine (96.3%) and booster (85.1%). Primary reasons for vaccine refusal included vaccine-related illness in family (52.4%, n = 11) and rapid development and safety concerns (64%, n = 16), predominantly among private sector. Main booster refusal reasons included safety of multiple booster doses (50%, n = 32) and antibodies from previous COVID-19 infection, mostly in the public sector.

CONCLUSION: Addressing complex determinants of vaccine hesitancy across healthcare sectors necessitates an integrated and sustained approach reinforced by multidisciplinary stakeholder engagement.

CONTRIBUTION: This study contributes to future pandemic preparedness and vaccination programmes by elucidating reasons influencing vaccine acceptance and refusal among HCWs.

PMID:42564541 | PMC:PMC13443733 | DOI:10.4102/hsag.v31i0.3331

Sci Rep. 2026 Aug 6;16(1):24321. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-64016-7.

ABSTRACT

Odontogenic facial cellulitis is the most common facial space infection worldwide, originating from untreated dental caries and progressing to life-threatening complications. This stems from the polymicrobial nature of the disease, along with the widespread and over-the-counter misuse of antibiotics in Egypt. This study aims to identify the pathogenic bacterial species involved in odontogenic facial cellulitis in an Egyptian patient sample. Forty-four samples were collected from patients presenting with odontogenic facial cellulitis. Bacterial profiles were investigated using selective media, Gram staining/colony identification, biochemical tests, and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standardized antibiotic susceptibility testing. Resistant strains (≥ 3 agents) were identified using 16 S rRNA sequencing and deposited in the NCBI GenBank. Odontogenic cellulitis originated primarily from lower posterior teeth, specifically the lower first molar, and spread commonly in the submandibular and submental spaces. Regarding bacterial profile, the Gram-positive cocci were the predominant ones. Complete resistance to metronidazole was reported, while previous antibiotic administration showed no statistically significant association with susceptibility to amoxicillin and clindamycin. Among multidrug-resistant isolates, 16 S rRNA sequencing identified predominantly Bacillus, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus species. Two isolates showed < 90% identity to known species, suggesting possible novel taxa and informing empirical therapy through phenotypic resistance profiles.

PMID:42562861 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-64016-7

Sci Rep. 2026 Aug 6;16(1):24317. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-56105-4.

ABSTRACT

Timely asset maintenance remains a critical challenge in Industry 4.0 environments. Predictive Maintenance aims to anticipate failures and estimate Remaining Useful Life (RUL), enabling cost reduction and minimizing production downtime. However, real-world industrial scenarios are often characterized by noisy telemetry data, incomplete information about operating conditions, and weak degradation signals, which limit the effectiveness of conventional data-driven approaches. This paper proposes a methodology for RUL prediction under such challenging conditions, leveraging raw sensor telemetry without requiring detailed knowledge of machine operating characteristics. The approach introduces a novel Degradation Index, combined with a Health Index, to better represent degradation patterns. Additionally, signal preprocessing techniques, including Savitzky-Golay and Kalman filters, are applied to mitigate noise and improve data quality. The methodology integrates statistical analysis, similarity-based pattern extraction, and machine learning techniques, including Convolutional Neural Networks and Long Short-Term Memory models, for feature selection and prediction. Experiments conducted on real-world industrial datasets demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly improves prediction performance, achieving high accuracy and enabling failure anticipation up to five days in advance. The results highlight the importance of feature engineering and signal processing in PdM applications, showing that combining degradation modeling with deep learning yields robust, generalizable RUL predictions, even in noisy, partially observed environments.

PMID:42562859 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-56105-4

Commun Med (Lond). 2026 Aug 6;6(1):426. doi: 10.1038/s43856-026-01792-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-induced food cravings are associated with excessive gestational weight gain and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study aimed to measure brain responses to food pictures with varying fat and carbohydrate content during pregnancy in women with and without GDM.

METHODS: To characterize brain-metabolism coupling, we recorded visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in pregnant individuals with and without GDM (24-36 weeks gestation) while they viewed food pictures varying in fat and carbohydrate content. Eighteen women with untreated GDM and 21 healthy pregnant controls participated. HbA1c levels were obtained from blood samples. Statistical analyses assessed group differences and interactions.

RESULTS: Within the initial ~150 ms post-stimulus onset, VEPs exhibited Group × Fat (p = 0.047, ηp² = 0.103), but no Group × Carb, interactions: Healthy pregnant controls showed stronger responses to images of high- versus low-fat foods, whereas individuals with GDM did not. Source estimations localized these effects to brain regions associated with control, attention, and reward. Moreover, brain responses correlated with HbA1c levels in GDM (p = 0.01, ηp² = 0.351), but not with pre-pregnancy BMI in either group.

CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence of links between spatiotemporal brain responses to visual food cues and metabolic health in pregnancy.

PMID:42562858 | DOI:10.1038/s43856-026-01792-3

Sci Rep. 2026 Aug 6;16(1):24336. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-64048-z.

ABSTRACT

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) are the most prevalent cutaneous malignancies. C-Kit plays a role in tumor initiation, progress, recurrence, and metastasis. Several medicinal treatments target the c-Kit pathway. The aim of the study was to assess the expression of c-Kit in BCC and cSCC. Furthermore, the study aimed to correlate c-Kit expression with available pathological data of the tumor and clinical data of the patients. A total of 62 excision specimens from patients with BCC (n = 41) and cSCC (n = 21) were histopathologically and immunohistochemically evaluated using anti-c-Kit, a rabbit monoclonal antibody clone IHC526. More than half of BCC cases (63.4%) showed positive c-Kit expression. C-Kit expression was significantly correlated with age (p-value = 0.011). The intensity of positive c-Kit staining was statistically related to tumor size (p-value = 0.028). All cSCC cases (100%) showed negative c-Kit expression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.817 (95% confidence interval: 0.714-0.920, p-value < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 63.4% and a specificity of 100% in differentiating BCC from cSCC. Assessment of c-Kit expression may be beneficial in the diagnosis of BCC and in distinguishing it from cSCC. Its high specificity supports its diagnostic utility; however, due to its moderate sensitivity, it should be interpreted in conjunction with routine histopathological findings. While this study was a diagnostic, it suggested that c-Kit inhibitors may have therapeutic effects in BCC cases that express c-Kit; however, more research is needed to validate this.

PMID:42562854 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-64048-z

Sci Rep. 2026 Aug 6;16(1):24308. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-64165-9.

ABSTRACT

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and has gained wide application in bone regeneration, particularly in maxillofacial and dental research. HA derivatives and HA-incorporated composite scaffolds demonstrate strong potential in enhancing osteogenesis and mineralization. The aim of this work was to evaluate clinical and radiographic effects of natural bovine bone with HA on immediate implants. Sixteen immediate implants were placed in medically free patients with non-restorable single-rooted maxillary anterior or premolar teeth; Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: Group 1 (Control): Implants placed in 8 fresh extraction sockets. Group 2 (Study): Implants placed in 8 fresh extraction sockets followed by grafting with a natural bovine bone material with HA. Implant stability quotient (ISQ) was measured at the time of implant surgery and 4 months postoperatively. Bone density and buccal bone width were measured immediately and 6 months postoperatively using Cone Beam CT. After 4 months, the study group showed higher ISQs values than the control group (72.25 ± 2.66 vs. 64.88 ± 1.36, p < 0.001). Bone density was significantly higher in the study group at 6 months (1163.38 ± 112.64 HU vs. 1034.13 ± 71.19 HU, p = 0.016). A significant reduction in buccal bone width was observed at 6-month follow-up in both groups. The reduction was more pronounced in the control group (15.99%; p < 0.001) than in the study group (3.88%; p = 0.014). No statistically significant differences were detected between the groups at either the immediate postoperative assessment or the 6-month follow-up. The use of natural bovine bone with hyaluronic acid after immediate implant placement enhances early implant stability, increases peri-implant bone density, and contributes to preservation of buccal bone dimensions, thereby supporting improved osseointegration.Trial registration: Current controlled trials NCT07199725 “Retrospectively registered” (registration date 02/09/2025).

PMID:42562852 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-64165-9