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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Efficacy of rebamipide for the treatment of dry eye disease: An updated meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials

Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 May 1;105(18):e48424. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000048424.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disorder characterized by tear film instability and inflammation. Rebamipide 2% ophthalmic suspension, a mucin secretagogue, has been investigated as a potential treatment due to its unique mechanism targeting mucin deficiency and ocular surface repair.

METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library was conducted for studies published between January 2013 and March 2025. Non-randomized and randomized controlled trials evaluating topical 2% rebamipide in patients with DED were included. Outcomes assessed included tear breakup time, Schirmer I test, fluorescein staining scores, ocular surface disease index, and adverse events. Data were synthesized using standard meta-analytic techniques and subgroup analyses.

RESULTS: Thirteen studies, including both randomized and non-randomized trials, were analyzed, comprising a total of 575 participants. Meta-analysis showed that rebamipide nonsignificantly increased tear breakup time at 2 weeks (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI):-0.94 to 3.03; P = .30; I2 = 89.3%), significant at 4 weeks (SMD = 1.19; 95% CI: 0.74-1.64; P < .0001; I2 = 85%) and nonsignificant at 12 weeks (SMD = 0.97; 95% CI:-0.15 to 2.08; P = .09; I2 = 80.1%) indicating enhanced tear film stability. Schirmer I test values showed no significant improvement (SMD = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.35-0.43; P = .83), suggesting limited effect on aqueous tear production. Fluorescein staining scores showed a reduction approaching statistical significance (SMD = -0.68; P = .051), while symptom scores measured by ocular surface disease index trended toward improvement, also approaching significance (SMD = -1.17; P = .055). Subgroup analyses revealed greater efficacy in contact lens wearers and postsurgical patients. Safety analysis indicated excellent tolerability, with a high adherence rate (96.8%) and only mild adverse effects such as dysgeusia and nasopharyngitis.

CONCLUSION: Rebamipide 2% ophthalmic suspension improves tear stability and ocular surface health in mucin-deficient DED with a favorable safety profile. Further high-quality trials in diverse populations are warranted to confirm its role in global clinical practice.

PMID:42065158 | DOI:10.1097/MD.0000000000048424

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A bibliometric review of peripherally inserted central catheters: Knowledge domain mapping and research trends

Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 May 1;105(18):e48516. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000048516.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are commonly used vascular access devices in clinical practice. Due to their numerous advantages, PICCs are widely used globally. However, after decades of iteration and clinical application, while benefiting patients, PICCs also face new opportunities and challenges. Therefore, this study systematically analyzes the current status of global PICCs research through bibliometric methods and predicts future research directions and hotspots, aiming to provide references for further development and innovation of PICCs.

METHODS: CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the bibliometrix R-package were used to perform descriptive statistics and data visualization analyses on literature from the Web of Science Core Collection. A total of 2102 articles were selected, originating from 2722 institutions across 105 countries.

RESULTS: The United States has the greatest influence in the field of PICC research, with the Michigan Health System being the most prolific institution, and Vineet Chopra being the most influential scholar. Keyword and co-citation analysis reveal hot topics: PICC catheterization techniques, complications, and clinical quality control of PICCs.

CONCLUSION: Research on PICCs is showing trends of global collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches. Artificial intelligence and other medical auxiliary technologies demonstrate great potential in addressing PICC complications and insertion challenges. Establishing efficient vascular access teams and solving PICC care issues based on evidence-based practices are crucial for ensuring quality control during PICC usage.

PMID:42065152 | DOI:10.1097/MD.0000000000048516

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Comparative analysis of quality of life post coronary angioplasty and bypass surgery: A follow-up study on cardiac patients

Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 May 1;105(18):e48551. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000048551.

ABSTRACT

Coronary artery disease is a major cause of mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Treatments such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) are common; however, their long-term effects on patient quality of life (QoL), particularly in developing nations, are not well understood. This study assessed and compared the QoL of cardiac patients 6 months after post-angioplasty and bypass surgery. A prospective cohort study was conducted over 5 months in 100 patients with Coronary artery disease who underwent PTCA or CABG at the Cardiology Follow-up Clinic of the same hospital. The data were collected using structured questionnaires. The result of this study shows baseline characteristics were similar between PTCA and CABG groups, except for a higher SYNTAX score in the CABG group (29.1 ± 8.6 vs 22.5 ± 7.4; P = .002). At 6 months, symptom relief was reported by 98% (PTCA) and 94% (CABG), with return-to-work rates of 94% and 88%, respectively. The rates of dyspnea, angina, and hospitalization were low and did not differ significantly between the groups. Both groups showed significant improvements in SF-36 and WHO-QoL Physical domain scores (P < .05). No deaths were recorded during follow-up period. Both PTCA and CABG significantly improved patients’ QoL at 6 months, particularly in the physical health domain. While CABG showed slightly more consistent improvements in angina and dyspnea, this was not statistically significant during the short-term follow-up.

PMID:42065151 | DOI:10.1097/MD.0000000000048551

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Analysis of the influencing factors of humanistic care ability of undergraduate nursing students in China

Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 May 1;105(18):e48318. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000048318.

ABSTRACT

Improving the ability of humanistic care can enhance the professional identity of nursing students and establish a harmonious nurse-patient relationship. This study aims to explore the current status and influencing factors of the humanistic care ability of undergraduate nursing students. The results of this study will provide the scientific basis for cultivating nursing students with high humanistic care ability, increasing clinical nurses, and improving nursing quality. This is a cross-sectional study. From September 2024 to November 2024, we conducted a questionnaire survey on 367 nursing undergraduate students from 3 medical colleges in China. Participants self-reported general demographic questionnaires, care ability assessment scales, emotional intelligence scales, and self-efficacy scales. The collected data were analyzed using various statistical methods, including descriptive analysis, independent sample t-tests, 1-way analysis of variance tests, and multiple linear regression analysis. All analyses were performed using the SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk) software (version 27.0). P < .05 indicated that the difference was statistically significant. In this study, the humanistic care ability score of 367 undergraduate nursing students was (194.99 ± 33.31). Cognition is the dimension with the highest score, while patience is the dimension with the lowest score. Multiple regression analysis showed that emotional intelligence, gender, and self-efficacy were the main factors affecting undergraduate nursing students’ ability to provide humanistic care (P < .05). The humanistic care ability level of undergraduate nursing students in this study is at a moderate level. To improve this level, nursing educators should develop targeted intervention measures for various influencing factors. It is recommended that nursing education personnel strategically incorporate training on humanistic care abilities into practical teaching projects, stimulate nursing students to practice the virtue of humanistic care in their daily lives, and ultimately improve the quality of nursing services in clinical practice.

PMID:42065148 | DOI:10.1097/MD.0000000000048318

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Aeroallergen Sensitization Phenotypes and Multimorbidity in Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma: A Large Urban Cluster Analysis

Clin Exp Allergy. 2026 May 1. doi: 10.1111/cea.70331. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42065142 | DOI:10.1111/cea.70331

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Solution-Tunable Interfacial Interaction Landscape Governs Anomalous Nanoparticle Diffusion in Liquid-Phase Electron Microscopy

ACS Nano. 2026 May 1. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.6c04149. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Understanding how nanoparticles move near liquid-solid interfaces is central to nanoscale transport in catalysis, biology, and soft materials. Here, we uncover the physical mechanisms governing anomalous surface diffusion of PEG-coated gold nanorods (AuNRs) near the silicon nitride (SiNx) membrane in liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (LPTEM). By systematically tuning the ionic environment (H2O, 5 mM H2SO4, 1.5 mM NaCl, 5 mM PBS), we show how electrostatic screening and ion-specific surface interactions modulate the interaction landscape, altering the strength and abundance of binding sites that govern the confinement and mobility of nanoparticles. Statistical analyses and deep learning classification of particle trajectories reveal a tunable transition between fractional Brownian motion (FBM) in strongly interacting systems (H2O, H2SO4) and annealed transient time motion (ATTM) in screened environments (NaCl, PBS). These results establish electrostatic screening and specific ion effects as external controls that program near-surface transport, shifting the diffusion mechanism from FBM to ATTM and tuning the particle mobility. To further elucidate the interfacial dynamics, we introduce a passive nanorheology framework in LPTEM, modeling the near-surface environment of FBM-classified conditions as an effective viscoelastic medium. Leveraging translational and rotational trajectories as nanoscale rheological probes, we reconstruct frequency-dependent viscoelastic moduli to extract relaxation times and elastic-to-viscous crossover moduli that report on interaction strength at the SiNx interface. Together, these advances provide both control and diagnosis of interfacial mechanical response in LPTEM, positioning it as a quantitative tool for probing nanoscale transport in complex soft-matter and interfacial systems.

PMID:42065132 | DOI:10.1021/acsnano.6c04149

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Microglia Regulatory and T-Helper Cytokine Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Int J Dev Neurosci. 2026 May;86(3):e70135. doi: 10.1002/jdn.70135.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of the microglia-regulating cytokines IL-34 and CSF-1, as well as T-helper cytokines IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β, IL-17 and IL-23, in individuals with autism and healthy controls, and to investigate the relationships between these parameters and the severity of autism symptoms.

METHODS: The study sample consisted of 42 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 40 healthy participants. The severity of autism in the patient group was assessed using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Serum levels of IL-34, CSF-1, IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β, IL-17 and IL-23 were measured using the ELISA method.

RESULTS: Serum levels of IL-34, CSF-1, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-17 were significantly higher in the ASD group compared to the control group. IL-34, CSF-1, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-17 showed significant discriminative power in distinguishing ASD (p < 0.05). ROC analysis indicated that IL-10 had the highest area under the curve (AUC = 0.743; p < 0.001), and Delong test results demonstrated that its discriminative ability was statistically stronger than that of the other parameters. No significant correlations were observed between the examined cytokine levels and autism severity.

CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that IL-34 and CSF-1, along with T-helper-related cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-17), were elevated in the ASD group. These alterations may reflect underlying pathophysiological processes. However, due to the cross-sectional design and limited sample size, the findings should be interpreted with caution, and their clinical utility requires further investigation in larger, longitudinal studies.

PMID:42065128 | DOI:10.1002/jdn.70135

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A Novel Practical Session to Teach Concepts of Allometric Scaling of Brain Structures to Undergraduate Students Using Vertebrate Brains

J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2025 Dec 31;24(1):38-46. doi: 10.59390/001c.154559. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Scaling relationships are central to interpreting patterns of morphological variation in brain composition. However, allometric scaling can be a difficult concept for students to understand, requiring the integration of evolutionary biology with mathematical relationships. The differential scaling of brain components over evolutionary time is particularly complex. The challenges associated with these concepts are further compounded by the lack of practical activities to allow students to explore these concepts in a neuroscience context. In this study, we present a novel practical session to teach these ideas to second year biology and zoology undergraduate students by combining traditional sheep and pig brain dissections with accessible staining techniques, and imaging using freely available software, that together enable allometric scaling relationships among brain components to be visualised and analysed in both an intraspecific and interspecific manner. Objectively, our data shows a statistically significant improvement (p=<0.0001) in performance on questions related to the scaling concepts following the practical session. Subjectively, 93% of students wanted the lecturer to continue teaching this practical (with 0% of students against it being reused in future), with 89% believing the practical had increased their interest in studying neuroscience. Most students believed the practical had improved their understanding of the concepts and enhanced their ability to critically analyse literature on the topic of allometric scaling and brain anatomy. Students’ perceptions of the practical were positive with the average rating of perceived learning 8.11 out of 10 (where 10 is an excellent learning experience and 1 is a terrible learning experience). Aside from minor technical suggestions, the main improvements suggested by students were that they wished they had more time for the practical.

PMID:42065109 | PMC:PMC13127676 | DOI:10.59390/001c.154559

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Spectator attendance without spectators: stakeholder insights from a national athletics championships

Front Sports Act Living. 2026 Apr 15;8:1818383. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2026.1818383. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Spectator attendance at the national athletics championships in Slovakia has been low for a long time, despite free admission. Not even the elevated performance of Slovak athletes in certain disciplines and the growing media interest in leading Slovak athletes has contributed to higher spectator attendance at these events. For this reason, the aim of this study was to map the current state of attendance, to identify satisfaction with selected factors that condition low spectator attendance and to develop recommendations for the Slovak Athletics Federation.

METHODS: The study employed cross-sectional ex post facto research, which was based on questionnaire data collected during the Slovak Athletics Championships. The Motivation Scale for Sport Consumption questionnaire, which is focused on surveying basic data about the respondents, their motivation for attending an athletics event, their satisfaction with the championships with regard to selected aspects of the event and their motivation to consume sport, was used. The research sample comprised 39 respondents from among athletes, coaches, family members and friends. The Chi-square goodness of fit test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS: The results indicated that all respondents had a direct personal or professional connection to athletics, and independent spectators were not represented in the set. Through the questionnaire, we determined that the accompanying programme of the championships had a statistically significant negative impact on the satisfaction of stakeholders (p = 0.003). In contrast, the positive satisfaction of stakeholders with the date and venue of the championships was statistically significant (p = 0.003). Direct participants expressed statistically higher satisfaction compared to indirect participants in the areas of event organisation (p = 0.004; r = 0.46) and transportation and parking (p = 0.039; r = 0.33).

DISCUSSION: Direct and indirect participants have a similar psychological profile, since they are motivated by the same areas, particularly the physical attractiveness of the athletes and the drama of the competition. The low attendance at Slovak Athletics Championships is a result of the event’s limited attractiveness to the wider public and its poor promotion. The audience is comprised exclusively of people with a direct relationship to athletics, which suggests the absence of effective strategies aimed at reaching potential spectators. What’s more, the results of the study indicate that the sporting experience itself is not enough to create a comprehensive spectator experience and highlight the need for appropriate promotional activities. On the basis of these results, recommendations were developed for the Slovak Athletics Federation.

PMID:42065085 | PMC:PMC13127306 | DOI:10.3389/fspor.2026.1818383

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A reproducible infection protocol for entomopathogenic nematodes in the natural host Plodia interpunctella larvae

MethodsX. 2026 Apr 21;16:103926. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2026.103926. eCollection 2026 Jun.

ABSTRACT

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are important for the biological control of insect pests. At the same time, EPNs are excellent research tools for understanding the molecular and functional bases of the insect defense against parasitic nematode infection. Implementing insect models and natural hosts forms an important strategy for characterizing EPN virulence factors and insect anti-nematode immune responses. The Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella is a world-wide insect pest of stored-products and processed food commodities. This insect species is also commonly infected by EPNs, and therefore, it can be used as a natural host to determine how insect pests interact with EPNs during infection. Obtaining this information is critical because it will allow agricultural practitioners to design improved EPN management tactics in the field. Here we describe a protocol for infecting P. interpunctella larvae with the EPNs Steinernema carpocapsae and S. hermaphroditum. The method is outlined below:•Third instar P. interpunctella larvae are infected with infective juveniles of either S. carpocapsae or S. hermaphroditum. Uninfected control larvae are exposed to sterile water only.•Insect survival is recorded at regular intervals.•Survival curves are constructed and results are statistically analyzed to compare the P. interpunctella larval mortality against the EPNs.

PMID:42065081 | PMC:PMC13125908 | DOI:10.1016/j.mex.2026.103926