Tag: nevin manimala

Vet Res Commun. 2026 Jul 4;50(5):438. doi: 10.1007/s11259-026-11365-3.

ABSTRACT

Opisthorchis viverrini infection remains a major public health concern in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Although animal reservoirs contribute to sustaining parasite transmission, comprehensive evidence on infections in these hosts remains limited. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess O. viverrini infection in animal reservoirs (cats and dogs). Pooled prevalence and infection intensity were estimated using random-effects models and meta-regression, and associated factors were synthesized. Subgroup analyses were performed to examine variability, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the Q statistic and the I² index. The pooled prevalence of O. viverrini infection in animal reservoirs was 4.76% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.83-7.90%, prediction interval (PI): 0.15-61.76%). After trim-and-fill adjustment, the estimate increased to 16.31% (95% CI: 10.00-25.49%, PI: 0.28-93.09%), with wide prediction intervals indicating substantial heterogeneity. Cats showed significantly higher prevalence (11.97%) than dogs (1.89%; p < 0.01). Infection intensity followed a similar pattern, with mean eggs per gram (EPG) higher in cats (151.07) than in dogs (45.77; p < 0.01). No significant difference in overall prevalence was observed between Thailand (4.36%) and Lao PDR (13.44%; p = 0.19), although significant subgroup differences were detected for cats (p = 0.01) and dogs (p < 0.01). Overall reservoir-host prevalence was higher in endemic areas (5.64%) than in non-endemic regions (2.28%; p < 0.001); this difference was significant in cats but not in dogs. Meta-regression showed no significant temporal trend. Linear regression revealed positive associations between human and animal infections, with stronger correlation for cats (R² = 0.86, p < 0.01) than dogs (R² = 0.62, p = 0.02). These findings support an important role of animal reservoirs, particularly cats, in transmission and emphasize the need for improved surveillance and integrated control strategies.

PMID:42400729 | DOI:10.1007/s11259-026-11365-3

J Interv Card Electrophysiol. 2026 Jul 4. doi: 10.1007/s10840-026-02392-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an established treatment for symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). To date, cryoballoon (CB) ablation has been the most widely adopted single-shot approach, while pulsed field ablation (PFA) has emerged as a non-thermal alternative designed to preferentially ablate myocardial tissue and reduce collateral injury. PulseSelect™ is a CE-marked and FDA approved PFA system specifically developed for PVI. We compared acute and one-year outcomes of PulseSelect PFA versus fourth-generation cryoballoon (CB4) ablation in routine clinical practice.

METHODS: This multicenter analysis included 254 consecutive patients undergoing first-time PVI in 10 Italian medium-volume centers between January 2024 and February 2025: 121 treated with PulseSelect and 133 with CB4. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were prospectively collected. Procedural workflow, anesthesia strategy, procedure duration, fluoroscopy time, and periprocedural complications were assessed. Follow-up consisted of scheduled visits with rhythm monitoring, and arrhythmia recurrence was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 254 consecutive patients (mean age 62 ± 9 years, 28.3% women with paroxysmal AF in 76.4%) undergoing first-time PVI were included in the analysis: 133 treated with CB4 and 121 with PS PFA, with largely comparable baseline characteristics. General anesthesia was more frequently used with PulseSelect than with CB4 (74.4% vs. 16.5%). Mean skin-to-skin procedure duration was shorter with PulseSelect (62.4 ± 18 min) compared with CB4 (71.4 ± 30 min; p = 0.005), while fluoroscopy time was longer with PulseSelect. No acute complications occurred in the PulseSelect group; three transient phrenic nerve palsies were observed with CB4. At 12 months, no statistically significant difference in arrhythmia recurrence was observed between PulseSelect and CB4 (17.4% vs. 15.0%; p = 0.46).

CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world multicenter cohort, PulseSelect PFA and CB4 ablation showed excellent acute safety and no statistically significant differences in one-year arrhythmia recurrence were observed between the two treatment strategies.

PMID:42400724 | DOI:10.1007/s10840-026-02392-w

J Artif Organs. 2026 Jul 4;29(3):42. doi: 10.1007/s10047-026-01570-x.

ABSTRACT

Impella is increasingly used as a bridge to durable left ventricular assist device (dLVAD) implantation in patients with advanced heart failure. However, Impella support may worsen aortic insufficiency (AI), raising concerns regarding both AI progression during support and subsequent late AI progression after dLVAD implantation. This study evaluated the impact of Impella bridging on AI progression and clinical outcomes after dLVAD implantation. This retrospective single-center study included 64 patients who underwent primary dLVAD implantation and consisted of three analyses. First, baseline characteristics, perioperative variables, and early postoperative outcomes were compared between the aortic valve (AV) Intervention (n = 12) and No AV Intervention (n = 52) groups at dLVAD implantation. Second, changes in AI severity during Impella support were evaluated in patients with preoperative Impella support (n = 19). Third, long-term outcomes were compared between the Impella Bridging (n = 14) and No Impella Bridging (n = 38) groups after excluding patients who underwent concomitant AV intervention. Preoperative clinical severity was generally comparable between the AV Intervention and No AV Intervention groups, although hospital mortality was higher in the AV Intervention group. AI severity worsened significantly during Impella support (p < 0.001), whereas AV intervention rates did not differ significantly according to preoperative Impella support status (p = 0.32). During long-term follow-up, no statistically significant association was observed between Impella bridging and subsequent AI progression or clinical outcomes. Impella support as a bridge to dLVAD implantation was associated with significant worsening of AI during support. Under the current treatment strategy, including careful assessment of AV function and selective concomitant AV intervention at dLVAD implantation, no statistically significant association was observed between prior Impella bridging and subsequent late AI progression or adverse clinical outcomes. However, given the significantly higher in-hospital mortality in the AV Intervention group, careful patient selection for concomitant AV intervention remains essential.

PMID:42400721 | DOI:10.1007/s10047-026-01570-x

Discov Oncol. 2026 Jul 4. doi: 10.1007/s12672-026-05522-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent malignant tumor with increasing incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Exosomes are secretory vesicles generated by the endosomal system within cells. Previous studies have reported that exosome-related genes (ERGs) are associated with the progression of malignancies. This study investigates the role of ERGs in CRC, evaluates their impact on CRC prognosis, and explores inter-individual differences among CRC patients in different risk groups.

METHODS: Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) algorithm was employed to identify ERGs associated with CRC. Subsequently, various bioinformatics approaches, including enrichment analysis, consensus clustering, and survival analysis, were utilized to investigate the role of ERGs in individual CRC patients. Furthermore, exosome-related signature genes were refined using the Random Forest (RF) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) algorithms based on colon cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. An ERG-related gene signature was then constructed to calculate the ERG-associated risk score for each patient, which was validated using data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Based on the risk scores, we assessed the responsiveness of different CRC individuals to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Finally, single-cell analysis provided deeper insights into the relationship between ERGs and CRC, and a nomogram was established to enhance their clinical utility.

RESULTS: This study identified two ERG-related subtypes that exhibited significant differences in prognosis, enriched pathways, clinicopathological features, and immune characteristics. Moreover, CRC individuals with high ERG-related risk scores were associated with poor responsiveness to immunotherapy and increased sensitivity to various chemotherapeutic agents. Single-cell analysis revealed that ERGs were highly expressed in monocytes. The model developed in this study demonstrated strong predictive accuracy for assessing ERG-related risk in CRC patients.

CONCLUSIONS: This study identified two hub genes, CUL4A and UCHL1, highlighting the diagnostic and prognostic significance of ERGs in CRC and offering new insights into CRC treatment. Additionally, the ERG signature plays a crucial role in predicting individualized prognosis and facilitating the development of novel therapeutic strategies for CRC patients. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to bring statistically derived risk models into clinically applicable assays.

PMID:42400715 | DOI:10.1007/s12672-026-05522-y

Int Microbiol. 2026 Jul 4. doi: 10.1007/s10123-026-00847-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Talaromyces purpurogenus is a filamentous fungus capable of producing red polyketide-like pigments with potential as natural alternatives to synthetic colorants. This study investigated the ecological distribution, phylogenetic diversity, and relative pigment-producing capacity of T. purpurogenus isolates recovered from agricultural soils, decaying fruits, spoiled grains/cereals, and stored feed/food materials. A total of 35 isolates were obtained, with the highest isolation frequencies observed in agricultural soils and spoiled grains/cereals. Molecular identification based on ITS rDNA and β-tubulin sequence similarity supported the assignment of the isolates to T. purpurogenus. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis revealed well-supported intraspecific subclades, suggesting notable genetic diversity among the examined isolates. Pigment production, semi-quantitatively evaluated spectrophotometrically at 500 nm (OD₅₀₀) following ethyl acetate extraction, varied significantly among isolates. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant association between phylogenetic clustering and relative pigment production (p < 0.001), as well as between ecological origin and pigment production levels (p < 0.01), indicating that pigment-associated phenotypes are influenced by both genetic background and environmental factors. Strain PP05 exhibited the highest relative pigment production and was selected for optimization studies. Experimental analysis showed that pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources, and incubation period significantly affected pigment production (p < 0.001), with maximum relative pigment production recorded at pH 5.0 and 24 °C in sucrose-peptone medium after 7 days. These findings provide an eco-phylogenetic perspective on pigment-associated variability in T. purpurogenus and highlight its relevance for future strain-selection and biotechnological studies.

PMID:42400698 | DOI:10.1007/s10123-026-00847-8

J Med Syst. 2026 Jul 4;50(1):107. doi: 10.1007/s10916-026-02434-w.

ABSTRACT

Medically specialized AI systems that have obtained regulatory clearance as medical devices can be deployed for patient-specific clinical decision support under defined compliance requirements. However, it remains unclear whether medical specialization and regulatory status translate into higher-quality breast cancer treatment recommendations than those produced by a general-purpose large language model (LLM). This blinded, multicenter study compared the performance of two medically specialized AI systems with a general-purpose model in breast cancer care. Two medically specialized (Prof. Valmed and OpenEvidence) and one general-purpose system (ChatGPT-5 Thinking) were prompted to generate treatment plans for 20 standardized breast cancer patient cases. Outputs were rated and ranked by blinded, board-certified breast cancer specialists from seven university breast cancer centers for safety, guideline adherence, medical adequacy, completeness, overall quality, and logical coherence. Statistical analyses comprised descriptive statistics, inter-rater reliability assessment, non-parametric performance comparisons of rating and ranking outcomes, and correlation analyses. Mean (± standard deviation) processing time for ChatGPT-5 Thinking (159 ± 58 s) was more than fourfold higher than that of Prof. Valmed (35 ± 4) and OpenEvidence (9 ± 1). ChatGPT-5 Thinking achieved significantly higher ratings across all evaluation categories, with no significant differences between the two medically specialized systems. Treatment plans generated by ChatGPT-5 Thinking were ranked as the top choice in 96.4% of rater-case combinations, compared with 3.6% for OpenEvidence, while Prof. Valmed was never ranked first. In this blinded, multicenter evaluation, a general-purpose LLM outperformed two medically specialized, retrieval-augmented systems in generating breast cancer treatment plans across all assessed categories. These results indicate that while regulatory clearance and domain specialization address key requirements for AI-enabled clinical decision support systems, these factors alone do not translate into superior performance in breast cancer care. At present, medically specialized systems may be best used as supportive tools under expert oversight, while further optimization and real-world validation are needed.Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

PMID:42400697 | DOI:10.1007/s10916-026-02434-w

Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol. 2026 Jul 4;54(4):87. doi: 10.1007/s10802-026-01473-8.

ABSTRACT

Externalising behaviour-such as aggression, impulsivity, and defiance-is a persistent form of childhood maladjustment, yet the mechanisms linking early risk factors to later outcomes remain debated. Research has focused on harsh parenting practices and children’s emotion regulation difficulties as key processes shaping conduct problems across early childhood. However, while prior research has predominantly examined parent-driven pathways, transactional models suggest that parent and child influences may be bidirectional. Using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (N = 16,328; 51% male), this study examined reciprocal longitudinal associations between harsh parenting, emotional dysregulation, and conduct problems across ages 3, 5, and 7. A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) was used to test whether emotional dysregulation mediates associations between harsh parenting and conduct problems in both directions. Results provided evidence for reciprocal mediation processes: harsh parenting was associated with subsequent increases in emotional dysregulation and later conduct problems, and early conduct problems were associated with later emotional dysregulation and harsher parenting practices. Both indirect effects were statistically significant. The child-driven pathway (β = 0.055) was larger than the parent-driven pathway (β = 0.013), although both effects were modest in magnitude. Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses addressing measurement overlap and unmeasured time-varying confounding. These results extend prior research by demonstrating that emotional dysregulation mediates bidirectional parent-child processes, with asymmetry favouring child-driven effects. Findings are consistent with transactional models of parent-child dynamics and suggest that interventions targeting both harsh parenting and children’s emotion regulation difficulties may help disrupt escalating cycles of risk in early childhood.

PMID:42400690 | DOI:10.1007/s10802-026-01473-8

Cancer Causes Control. 2026 Jul 4;37(8):122. doi: 10.1007/s10552-026-02184-7.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to elucidate life-course and current exercise levels among women aged 50-69 who participated in BreastScreen Norway during the period from 2006 to 2015, and to estimate the risk of breast cancer based on exercise trajectory classes and current exercise level.

METHODS: Self-reported data from 325,953 women were utilized for descriptive and exploratory analyses. Retrospective information about exercise levels at ages 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, and 40-49 was used to establish exercise trajectory classes, while reported exercise at ages 50-69 was considered as current activity. Hazard Ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for age, educational level and body mass index (BMI).

RESULTS: Adjusted HR of breast cancer was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.87-0.98) for women in the stable high class and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.89-0.99) for those in the increasing trajectory class compared to the stable low class. The HRs was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.82-0.97) for 4.5 h current exercise per week and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.84) for ≥ 6 h, compared to those reporting no current exercise. Statistically significant results were observed for asymptomatic (screen-detected) and symptomatic cancers. Stratification by BMI and smoking status did not reveal substantial differences in the risk estimates.

CONCLUSION: Engaging in high-level exercise throughout one’s lifetime significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer. This study highlights the importance of maintaining or increasing physical activity levels throughout life to mitigate breast cancer risk.

PMID:42400682 | DOI:10.1007/s10552-026-02184-7

J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2026 Jul 4. doi: 10.1007/s10911-026-09611-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent multicenter studies aim to define the effects of mothers’ blood glucose levels during pregnancy on mammary gland function and breast milk composition. Gene expression measured in cells in milk can serve as a liquid biopsy to evaluate the molecular biology of the mammary gland. Critical to this aim is reproducible and high-quality extraction of RNA from milk and harmonized collection protocols from across centers. To address this, we performed a study to optimize milk RNA quality metrics where samples are collected at multiple centers and shipped to a central laboratory for processing and analysis.

METHODS: Lactating mothers provided breast milk following informed consent. The treatments of the samples were as follows: (1) 200 µL of fresh, never frozen milk used as control (FRESH); (2) 1.7 or 5 mL of milk frozen and thawed on ice before adding TRIzol (FRZ); (3) 200 µL of milk frozen and thawed after adding TRIzol (FRZ 200); and (4) 200 µL of milk with 20 µL of RNA preservative added, frozen and thawed after adding TRIzol (FRZ + INH). In all scenarios, RNA was extracted using TRIzol followed by purification with a Qiagen RNeasy Mini kit. For the FRZ 200 and FRZ 200 + INH samples, TRIzol was directly added at the start of thawing, before extraction. Outcomes included RNA concentration, RNA purity (260/280 ratio), RNA fragmentation (DV 200), RNA integrity number (RIN), quantification via Qubit fluorescence-based assays, and visualization of RNA size on an Agilent TapeStation. A RIN cut-off value ≥ 7 indicated acceptable quality for transcriptomics studies. RNA quality metrics were modeled as continuous outcomes using linear mixed-effects regression models.

RESULTS: For FRESH milk (n = 15) the estimated marginal mean (EMM) RIN was 7.48 (SE 0.29). For FRZ 200, (n = 22), the EMM RIN was 6.94 (SE 0.26). Samples of FRZ 200 + INH (n = 21) had an EMM RIN of 7.81 (SE 0.26). However, FRZ (n = 19) samples demonstrated markedly reduced RNA integrity with an EMM RIN of 1.92 (SE 0.26). RIN was not significantly different in FRESH versus FRZ 200 or FRZ 200 + INH milk. FRZ 200 + INH samples showed a statistically significant improvement in RIN compared to FRZ 200 (p = 0.0038). RNA quantities were sufficient for sequencing across all treatments.

CONCLUSIONS: The addition of TRIzol directly to a 200 µL aliquot of milk at the start of thawing provided the highest integrity of extracted milk RNA, as measured by RIN. Adding RNase inhibitor at the time of sample collection, prior to freezing, also enhanced RNA integrity. We have developed a method to optimize the integrity of RNA from frozen human milk samples. This is a crucial methods improvement for multi-center studies where freezing of milk samples is often required prior to RNA extraction and analysis. These results can inform reproducible research protocols for evaluating the use of breastmilk as a liquid biopsy for mammary gland function.

PMID:42400681 | DOI:10.1007/s10911-026-09611-0

Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2026 Jul 4;36(1):273. doi: 10.1007/s00590-026-04854-3.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether incorporation of arterial injury into CT-based zone-of-injury (ZOI) models improves complication prediction after open tibial shaft fractures.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at an urban multicenter academic hospital (2012-2024). Patients ≥ 18 years with open OTA 42A-C tibia fractures, preoperative CT, and ≥ 6 months follow-up were included. Arterial injury and wound location within the anterior tibial, posterior tibial, or peroneal angiosomes were identified on CT angiography. Soft-tissue ZOI (longitudinal extent of soft-tissue air) and fracture ZOI (fracture span) were normalized to tibial length. The primary outcome was a composite complication of fracture-related infection, nonunion, or amputation. Logistic regression identified predictors, and ROC analysis compared discrimination of (1) an angiosome-augmented ZOI model, (2) a standard ZOI model, and (3) Gustilo-Anderson classification.

RESULTS: Eighty-two patients were included: 32 (39.0%) developed major complications. Arterial injury was present in 11 patients and significantly associated with complications (72.7% vs 33.8%, p = 0.020). The augmented ZOI model included arterial injury, anterior angiosome involvement, number of angiosomes affected, normalized soft-tissue ZOI, and BMI (AUROC 0.777), outperforming the standard ZOI model (AUROC 0.707) and Gustilo-Anderson classification (AUROC 0.592). DeLong testing showed no significant difference between ZOI and the augmented model.

CONCLUSION: The original CT-based ZOI model, which incorporates soft-tissue injury measurements normalized to tibial length and BMI, remains a robust objective predictor of complications following open tibial shaft fractures, consistent with prior published work. While arterial injury is associated with adverse outcomes, its addition to ZOI-based models does not significantly improve predictive performance. Notably, only the arterial-augmented ZOI model demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in discrimination over the Gustilo-Anderson classification, whereas the standard ZOI model did not reach significance in this cohort, suggesting that augmentation may be necessary to meaningfully surpass subjective wound grading.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

PMID:42400670 | DOI:10.1007/s00590-026-04854-3