Tag: pubmed

Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1007/s44402-026-00058-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of nightly 0.01% atropine eye drops on choroidal thickness (ChT) in pre-myopic children (at risk of myopia).

METHODS: In a 12-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 54 children aged 5-12 received nightly 0.01% atropine or placebo in both eyes. ChT was measured in 15 macular sectors using swept-source OCT at baseline and every 3 months. Longitudinal mixed-effects models (LMM) compared ChT changes between groups, and an unsupervised clustering analysis of individual ChT trajectories was performed.

RESULTS: Both groups showed progressive choroidal thinning. At 12 months, atropine-treated eyes showed a trend towards less choroidal thinning than placebo, especially in the central, inferior and temporal macular areas, but between-group differences did not reach statistical significance after multiple comparison correction. Clustering of ChT trajectories revealed two exploratory clusters: a “Thinning-dominant” pattern with pronounced mid-year thinning (6-9 months) followed by partial recovery by month 12 and a “Stable ChT” pattern with minimal change. Eyes in the Thinning-dominant group had faster axial elongation than the Stable group, suggesting an association between ΔChT clusters and ocular growth.

CONCLUSIONS: Nightly low-dose atropine in pre-myopic children showed a non-significant trend toward reduced macular choroidal thinning. Clustering and early-change analyses revealed heterogeneity in ChT responses and exploratory associations with ocular growth. These findings require external validation and do not support early ΔChT as a clinically actionable treatment-response marker.

PMID:41949791 | DOI:10.1007/s44402-026-00058-8

J Orthop Traumatol. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1186/s10195-026-00917-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate whether the acetabular angle (AA) by Tönnis and lateral center-edge angle (LCEA) by Wiberg-key radiographic parameters in pediatric hip assessment-have changed in a contemporary pediatric population compared with historical reference values, considering trends in earlier skeletal maturation and body composition.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective diagnostic accuracy study assessed changes in AA and center-edge angle (CE) angles in a contemporary cohort. A total of 1774 anteroposterior pelvic radiographs (3548 hips) from patients aged 0-18 years without hip pathology were analyzed. Radiographs were obtained between 2006 and 2018 and measured using the Supervisely digital platform. Standardized anatomical landmarks were applied. Data were stratified by age and sex and compared with historical values using two-sample t-tests (p < 0.05). To minimize measurement bias, two independent observers conducted all assessments using standardized digital protocols.

RESULTS: A total of 1774 patients aged 0-18 years (mean age, 8.30 ± 5.20 years; 666 females, 1108 males) were evaluated. AA values did not show statistically significant differences in 11 of 16 age groups compared with historical data (p > 0.05). In contrast, LCEAs were significantly higher in the contemporary cohort, especially in the 5-8, 9-12, and 12-16 age groups (all p < 0.01), indicating a trend toward earlier or increased acetabular ossification and femoral head coverage.

CONCLUSIONS: LCEA values were significantly higher in the contemporary pediatric cohort compared with historical data, while AA values remained stable across most age groups. These findings suggest that current radiographic reference standards for LCEA may warrant reassessment to ensure accurate dysplasia assessment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: level 3 (diagnosis).

PMID:41949745 | DOI:10.1186/s10195-026-00917-7

Phys Eng Sci Med. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1007/s13246-026-01718-2. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41949742 | DOI:10.1007/s13246-026-01718-2

Indian J Gastroenterol. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1007/s12664-026-01967-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common biliary tract malignancy and a leading cause for mortality in the Asian sub-continent. The low survival rate is attributed to current invasive diagnostic methods and late-stage disease detection. The aim of this study was to estimate the potential value of miR 183_5p and 3651 as diagnostic blood-based biomarkers in GBC patients.

METHODS: This single center observational study evaluates differential expression of miRNAs in GBC and normal gallbladder tissues via micro-array analysis. The level of selected oncogenic miRNAS were detected in 130 individuals comprising GBC patients, Gallbladder stone (GBS) and healthy controls by using qRT-PCR. The diagnostic value of miR-183-5p and 3651 in GBC was evaluated and compared with the tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA 19.9).

RESULTS: As many as 45 differentially expressed microRNAs (p < 0.05) were determined, of which 23 were upregulated and 22 were down regulated. miR 183_5p (2.5-fold) and 3651 (5.6-fold) were significantly over expressed in GBC patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) value of miR 183_5p and 3651 for GBC diagnosis was 0.684 and 0.752, respectively, which was more valuable than those including CEA (0.617) and CA19.9 (0.718).

CONCLUSION: Study underscores ability of serum miRNAs 183_5p and 3651 as diagnostic biomarkers for early GBC detection.

PMID:41949739 | DOI:10.1007/s12664-026-01967-9

Environ Monit Assess. 2026 Apr 8;198(5):417. doi: 10.1007/s10661-026-15276-3.

ABSTRACT

Urban air pollution remains a critical environmental challenge in rapidly growing Southeast Asian tropical coastal cities. This 5-year air quality monitoring analysis investigates long-term trend patterns and meteorological influences on major air pollutants (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, CO, NO₂, and O₃) in Padang, Indonesia, using continuous observations from 2019 to 2023. Long-term trend analysis based on the Mann-Kendall test indicates significant increasing trends in combustion-related pollutants, particularly CO (+311.5 µg m⁻³ yr⁻¹, p < 0.001) and NO₂ (+2.34 µg m⁻³ yr⁻¹, p < 0.05), whereas O₃ exhibits a significant long-term monotonic decreasing trend (-8.67 µg m⁻³ yr⁻¹, p < 0.01), despite seasonal and episodic increases observed during dry and post-pandemic periods. CO and NO₂ showed positive associations with high solar radiation and pressure and negative associations with precipitation, indicating pollutant accumulation under hot and dry conditions. Conversely, particulate matter demonstrated weak long-term trends but clear wet-scavenging influences. Seasonal monsoon variability and atmospheric stagnation appear to play important roles in shaping pollutant variability. These findings highlight the importance of integrating meteorological influence into air quality management strategies in tropical coastal cities.

PMID:41949715 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-026-15276-3

Clin Rheumatol. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1007/s10067-026-08098-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of fear-avoidance beliefs, anxiety, and depression on disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), focusing on pain as a mediator and exercise as a moderator.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 77 AS patients. We assessed disease activity using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), pain via Visual Analog Scale (VAS), anxiety and depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and fear-avoidance beliefs. We controlled for key covariates including age, gender, disease duration, functional status (HAQ), and medication use (biologic agents, antidepressants). Advanced statistical analyses included bootstrapped mediation (5,000 samples), moderated mediation, tenfold cross-validation, and robustness checks.

RESULTS: Abnormal anxiety (HADS-A ≥ 8) was present in 27.3% and abnormal depression (HADS-D ≥ 8) in 13.0% of patients. Pain was found to be a significant mediator in the pathway between fear-avoidance and BASDAI. The unstandardized indirect effect was 0.265 (95% CI [0.129, 0.446]), accounting for 49.1% of the total effect. This indirect pathway was significantly moderated by exercise, with the effect being stronger in low exercisers compared to high exercisers. A prediction model for high disease activity demonstrated strong discriminative ability (AUC = 0.863) with minimal overfitting confirmed by cross-validation (cross-validated AUC = 0.816).

CONCLUSION: Psychosocial factors are significant predictors of disease activity in AS. Our findings suggest that pain mediates the association between fear-avoidance beliefs and disease activity, a pathway that appears to be attenuated by regular exercise. These findings support a biopsychosocial approach in AS management. Future longitudinal studies are needed to confirm causal pathways. Key Messages • Fear-avoidance beliefs, assessed via a brief screening measure, are associated with disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis. • Pain partially mediates the relationship between fear-avoidance and disease activity, a pathway that is weakened by regular exercise. • Psychosocial screening and targeted interventions should be integrated into standard AS management.

PMID:41949713 | DOI:10.1007/s10067-026-08098-8

J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1111/ddg.70067. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Realistic and accessible models are essential for training physicians in clinical procedures. This study investigated whether a cost-effective 3D-printed skin model is superior to fruit and foam models for teaching skin biopsies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study (10/2023-02/2025) involved 148 medical students who compared the 3D skin model, made of soft silicone, shore hardness 10-A, with fruit and foam for punch biopsy training. Previous cohorts used only fruit and foam. 28 physicians assessed realism of the 3D model versus real skin. Practical skills were evaluated in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and feedback from students and physicians was collected via standardized questionnaires. Economic and ecological impacts were analyzed.

RESULTS: Students rated the 3D skin model significantly higher for realism and training suitability than fruit and foam (p < 0.001). OSCE scores indicated comparable skill acquisition (p = 0.2005). Physicians found the 3D model more anatomically and haptically realistic than foam and fruit (each p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The 3D-printed skin model is a superior, cost-effective training tool that overcomes limitations of traditional models, improves confidence, and enhances skill acquisition. Although production is resource-intensive, its reusability and low-cost materials make it sustainable. Anatomical realism fosters interest in dermatology, making it a promising innovation in medical education.

PMID:41948892 | DOI:10.1111/ddg.70067

Am J Hum Biol. 2026 Apr;38(4):e70255. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.70255.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have long been associated with poor health in adulthood, with many researchers interpreting these findings as evidence of a “fast” life history. In this study we utilize data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS) to test the expectations of this framework among inhabitants of the Cebu metropolitan area in the Philippines.

METHODS: Data on development, behavior, and reproduction were collected from study participants (N = 1288, 54% male) over the course of multiple survey rounds, beginning before their birth in 1983-84. In 2018, participants completed a retrospective ACEs questionnaire. We built discrete hazard models and generalized linear models to test whether recalled ACEs predict characteristics of a “faster” life history in CLHNS.

RESULTS: There was no significant relationship between ACEs and maturational timing, but individuals who recalled more ACEs engaged in health-risk behaviors earlier and exhibited younger ages at sexual debut. Among women specifically, ACEs also predicted a younger age at first reproduction and higher gravidity. After splitting ACEs into two dimensions, the same results were observed in response to deprivation but not threat.

CONCLUSIONS: As in other low resource settings, physical maturation in Cebu was accelerated in households with greater access to resources but not in response to early psychosocial stressors as indicated by recalled ACEs. However, individuals who experienced ACEs did exhibit behavioral profiles consistent with faster life history scheduling and greater investment in reproduction.

PMID:41948874 | DOI:10.1002/ajhb.70255

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2026 Apr 8. doi: 10.1039/d5cp04712a. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Advances in single-molecule measurements, active-matter control, and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics are transforming our understanding of thermodynamics in small, strongly fluctuating systems. Biological molecular motors, driven chemical-reaction networks (e.g., gene regulation), artificial active matter, autonomous engines, and synthetic nanomachines all operate via inherently irreversible, dissipative processes in noisy environments, while producing entropy. Quantifying this entropy production (EP) has therefore become central to understanding both the physical limits and design principles of nanoscale systems. This review surveys principled routes to characterize and quantify EP from time-series and trajectory data. Because experimental observables are often coarse-grained and only partially resolve the underlying dynamics, we discuss how dissipation can be inferred from incomplete information, and how coarse-graining systematically biases EP estimates. This overview maps the current toolkit for estimating EP and outlines open challenges in unifying inference approaches to obtain reliable and tight bounds on EP in living and engineered nanoscale systems.

PMID:41948859 | DOI:10.1039/d5cp04712a

Adv Mater. 2026 Apr 8:e22059. doi: 10.1002/adma.202522059. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Vanadium oxides have emerged as attractive cathode materials for zinc-based batteries owing to their high theoretical capacity and versatile redox chemistry. Nevertheless, their persistent dissolution in aqueous electrolytes remains a long-standing challenge, hindering real-world implementation. Here, we develop a cation-engineered electrolyte strategy enabled by a data-driven framework that integrates density functional theory (DFT) calculations, discrete wavelet transform (DWT)-based multi-scale analysis, and differential feature extraction, to efficiently screen potential hetero-cations and their combinations with objective statistic quantification, while minimizing trial-and-error experimentation and selection bias. As a proof of concept, the Zn/VOx batteries with the predicted Na⁺-Mg²⁺-Zn²⁺ tri-cation electrolyte (NMZ) achieved exceptional reversibility and record-long cycling stability, sustaining 500 cycles at 0.2 A g^-1 (1400 h) and 10,000 cycles at 5 A g^-1. The tri-cation electrolyte successfully triggers a potential-driven sequential ion insertion pathway involving Na⁺, Mg²⁺, and Zn²⁺, thereby fundamentally suppressing proton intercalation above 1.3 V and hydrated Zn²⁺ insertion near 1.0 V (vs Zn²⁺/Zn). This work not only provides valuable data-driven insights into ion-engineering electrochemistry for regulating insertion stability but also uncovers critical ion-related factors that are frequently overlooked. This approach establishes a reusable and statistically robust framework for guiding research across diverse battery chemistries.

PMID:41948846 | DOI:10.1002/adma.202522059