Tag: pubmed

Phys Eng Sci Med. 2026 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s13246-026-01760-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) constitute a leading cause of death. Significant reductions in mortality are possible with early detection and treatment of CVDs. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is an easy-to-understand, non-invasive technique for assessing the state of the heart. A specific CVD can be determined by a slight deviation in the ECG, which is difficult and time-consuming to diagnose manually. This work suggests an empirical mode decomposition (EMD)-based approach together with time and frequency series feature extraction for the automated identification of CVDs. Five CVDs are taken into consideration in this work: myocardial infarction (MI), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), bundle branch block (BBB) and coronary artery disease (CAD). The decomposition of signals using EMD yields amplitude- and frequency-modulated waves called intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Temporal and spectral features are extracted from the obtained IMFs. These features are ranked using the one-way anova test, and the ranked features are fed as inputs to the classification model. When combined with eleven features, the extreme gradient boosting classifier allows the suggested approach to attain a maximum classification accuracy of 99.56%. On the proposed database and 92.4% on MIT-BIH database, demonstrating strong generalizability. Clinical validation on 6,55,659 beats from RELA Hospital yielded 81.3% accuracy, highlighting the challenges of real-world deployment.

PMID:42446844 | DOI:10.1007/s13246-026-01760-0

Phys Eng Sci Med. 2026 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s13246-026-01777-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ureteral stents are temporary implantable devices used to maintain urinary drainage and prevent obstruction. Most designs incorporate pigtail coils to reduce migration; however, the contribution of terminal coil configuration to retention strength remains unclear. This study evaluated the retention behavior of five commercially available Double-J ureteral stents commonly used in Indonesia, representing different intended indwelling durations and terminal coil configurations. Stent length, outer diameter, inner diameter, material, angular sweep, and estimated coil number were recorded. Terminal coil number was estimated from available pre-test photographs using manual image-based angular sweep analysis. Specimens were immersed in artificial urine for one month and tested according to ASTM F1828-22 using a custom pull-out device. 1.5 coil stents showed higher mean retention forces (0.061-0.065 N) than 1 coil stents (0.010-0.034 N). Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences among stent types (F = 72.76, p = 4.665 × 10^-10). However, because the tested specimens differed in material and geometry, the observed differences should be interpreted as the combined effect of coil configuration and associated stent design rather than coil number alone. These findings represent comparative in vitro retention behavior and should not be interpreted as direct clinical thresholds for migration prevention.

PMID:42446840 | DOI:10.1007/s13246-026-01777-5

Phys Eng Sci Med. 2026 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s13246-026-01770-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Computer-assisted diagnostic tools may help improve the consistency and reliability of ultrasonographic screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). This study aimed to compare preprocessing strategies for convolutional neural network (CNN)-based classification of infant hip ultrasound images under heterogeneous image quality conditions. We evaluated six approaches for classifying infant hip ultrasound images as normal or abnormal: original-image CNN classification, CycleGAN-based domain translation in two directions, DeepLabV3-Plus-based segmentation preprocessing, and two combined approaches using CycleGAN followed by DeepLabV3-Plus. Each approach was independently trained and evaluated ten times using ninefold cross-validation, and performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The baseline approach using original images achieved a mean AUC of 0.724 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.711-0.737). CycleGAN-based domain translation did not improve performance, with mean AUCs of 0.719 (95% CI: 0.703-0.736) for Dataset A-to-B translation and 0.679 (95% CI: 0.658-0.700) for Dataset B-to-A translation. DeepLabV3-Plus-based segmentation preprocessing showed the numerically highest mean AUC of 0.791 (95% CI: 0.773-0.809), while the combined approaches achieved mean AUCs of 0.780 and 0.783. Pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni correction showed no statistically significant differences between approaches (all adjusted p-values > 0.05). These exploratory findings suggest that segmentation-based preprocessing may be a promising strategy for CNN-based classification of infant hip ultrasound images under heterogeneous imaging conditions, whereas CycleGAN-based domain translation did not provide a measurable benefit in this setting. Further validation using larger multicenter datasets is required before clinical applicability can be established.

PMID:42446839 | DOI:10.1007/s13246-026-01770-y

Prog Orthod. 2026 Jul 14;27(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s40510-026-00638-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to clarify the involvement of the root formation stage and apical foramen diameter (AFD) of adjacent teeth in the occurrence of external root resorption (ERR) associated with impacted maxillary canines (IMCs), and to identify novel risk indicators for more accurate clinical prediction.

METHODS: Forty patients with IMCs (58 canines) who underwent cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) between May 2017 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The developmental status was assessed using the root formation stage and AFD of the central incisor (U1), lateral incisor (U2), and first premolar (U4). Additionally, spatial factors, including inter-root distance and the 3D position of the IMC, were evaluated in relation to ERR.

RESULTS: ERR was detected in 72.5% of patients, affecting 37.1% of all examined adjacent teeth. Among the affected teeth, U2 showed the highest incidence (65.3%), followed by U1 (28.6%) and U4 (6.1%). In exploratory tooth-level comparisons, AFD was smaller in the ERR group for U1 and U4. In the supplementary affected-side-level mixed-effects analysis, no statistically significant independent association was demonstrated between maximum AFD and side-level ERR occurrence.

CONCLUSIONS: Developmental indicators, including AFD, may provide clinically relevant information when assessing ERR associated with IMCs. These indicators should be interpreted as potential modifying factors in conjunction with established spatial relationships rather than as independent predictive markers.

PMID:42446836 | DOI:10.1186/s40510-026-00638-x

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2026 Jul 14;218(1):12. doi: 10.1007/s10549-026-08027-y.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Risk-adapted strategies are central to early breast cancer (EBC) management, particularly in HR+/HER2 – disease. Prosigna/PAM50 combined with clinicopathologic factors refines prognosis, with clearer guidance at ROR extremes, while decisions in the intermediate-risk (i-ROR) group remain challenging. Although adjuvant iCDK4/6 therapy improves outcomes in high-risk patients, eligibility in i-ROR may be overlooked. This study outlines clinicopathologic features, recurrence-free survival, and iCDK4/6 eligibility in i-ROR EBC to support treatment decision-making.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 554 EBC patients who underwent PAM50 testing at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre (2015-2024). Clinical, pathological, diagnostic, follow-up, and recurrence data were obtained from records. Kaplan-Meier analyses estimated RFS, while multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of chemotherapy use within i-ROR. Descriptive statistics assessed eligibility for adjuvant ribociclib (NATALEE) and abemaciclib (monarchE).

RESULTS: Among 212 i-ROR patients (38%), 71.7% were postmenopausal, 65.5% Luminal A and 34% Luminal B intrinsic subtypes, and 53.7% node-negative. 68.4% did not receive chemotherapy. There were 11 relapses, predominantly Luminal A (72.7%), node-negative (63.6%), and chemotherapy-naive (90.9%). RFS at 12, 36, and 60 months was 100%, 97.9%, and 96.9%. Chemotherapy use was associated with younger age (p = 0.006), node positivity (p = 0.021), and luminal B subtype (p = 0.001). CDK4/6 eligibility was 44.3% for NATALEE and 14.6% for monarchE, with 10.8% meeting both; chemotherapy use was higher in monarchE-eligible patients (41.9% vs. 31.9%).

CONCLUSIONS: This real-world cohort of PAM50 i-ROR HR+/HER2 – EBC patients showed excellent prognosis (5-year RFS > 96%), yet relapses still occurred, highlighting the need for improved risk stratification and consideration of adjuvant therapies, including iCDK4/6.

PMID:42446834 | DOI:10.1007/s10549-026-08027-y

Mol Neurobiol. 2026 Jul 14;63(1):758. doi: 10.1007/s12035-026-06045-x.

ABSTRACT

Our study aims to examine possible Parkinson Disease (PD)-related circulating microRNAs (miRNA) and their potential roles and use cases in screening, diagnosis, and the disease progress in Turkish population. For this purpose, we selected 7 promising candidates namely miR-16-1, miR-24-3p, miR-30a, miR-30e, miR-34a, miR-34b, miR-331 from multiple studies and bioinformatic web tools. For our study, 51 PD patients with no other severe disease except for hypertension and 20 healthy matching controls were included. Serum samples were collected from venous blood and stored properly. RNA extraction, reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for each pre-determined miRNA were applied to all samples with a strong normalization method to determine expression levels. Additionally, validated miR-24-3p target genes were intersected against publicly available CSF proteomics (PXD011216), PBMC transcriptomics (GSE22491), and serum metabolomics (MTBLS10958) datasets. miR-24-3p expression was also examined in two independent miRNA datasets (GSE269775; GSE16658). Statistical analyses were done using SPSS and Qiagen GeneGlobe webtools. Between PD and the control group, miR-24-3p serum levels were found increased 1.7 times (p = 0.0001). Among patients, miR-331 serum levels changed significantly with UPDRS scores (p = 0.027). Multi-omics analysis identified 21 differentially abundant miR-24-3p target proteins in PD CSF (81% downregulated), three cross-platform concordant targets, and five metabolically linked pathways. miR-24-3p levels may differ in different biological compartments in PD. In serum, miR-24-3p may provide significant value as a diagnostic biomarker with 80.4% sensitivity and 85% specificity. miR-331 might be a candidate for predicting the severity of the disease.

PMID:42446817 | DOI:10.1007/s12035-026-06045-x

Pain Ther. 2026 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s40122-026-00857-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The burden of migraine on an individual’s life is associated with an individual’s background. However, limited evidence in Japan exists on the association of age, sex, employment, income, and family caregiving with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and migraine treatment patterns. This analysis of the ObserVational survey of the Epidemiology, tReatment, and Care Of MigrainE (OVERCOME [Japan]) 2nd study describes the migraine burden and treatment usage of individuals with migraine across these demographic subgroups.

METHODS: Participants self-reported demographic and clinical characteristics, and PRO instrument responses, such as Headache Impact Test-6, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1, Migraine Interictal Burden Scale-4 (MIBS-4), and Impact of Migraine on Partners and Adolescent Children Scale. They also reported use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs for migraine, and headache-related expenses. Descriptive statistics were reported according to sex, employment status, menstrual-related migraine status and frequency, annual personal and family income, age, and family caregiving status for the elderly.

RESULTS: Female sex, unemployment, presence of menstrual-related migraine, low personal or family income, and family caregiving for elders appeared to increase migraine burden and impact prescription drug use. Specifically, men tended to have higher triptan (11.7% vs. 8.7%) and preventive medication use (18.3% vs. 11.2%) than women; unemployed women had the highest proportion of MIDAS grade IV (14.1%); women with menstrual-related migraine appeared to have greater MIBS-4 severe burden (36.3% vs. 27.8%) than those without; and family caregivers tended to have higher MIBS-4 severe burden (39.2% vs. 26.0%) and prescription drug use than non-caregivers. Respondent sex further appeared to influence migraine burden and treatment patterns within the employment and income subgroups.

CONCLUSION: These data suggest certain sociodemographic groups may suffer from greater migraine burden and have reduced access to effective treatment and care. We hope this study’s results will help healthcare providers and societies identify such populations with migraine and address potential clinical care gaps.

PMID:42446809 | DOI:10.1007/s40122-026-00857-4

Odontology. 2026 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s10266-026-01497-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This retrospective study evaluated the anatomical variations and morphological interrelationships of mandibular anterior, premolar, and first molar (MFM) teeth in a Turkish subpopulation using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), while categorizing and comparing root canal anatomies based on both the traditional Vertucci and contemporary Ahmed’s classification systems. The study analyzed CBCT images of 9,504 mandibular teeth from 792 patients. Root canal configurations were classified utilizing both the Vertucci and Ahmed’s systems. The study additionally evaluated root counts, distolingual root (DLR) presence in MFMs, bilateral agreement, and cross-group anatomical correlations. All anterior teeth were single-rooted but displayed significant internal morphological diversity. MFMs predominantly featured a two-rooted structure, with a DLR (Radix Entomolaris) observed in 5.3%-6.8% of cases. A significant positive correlation emerged between complex canal configurations in lateral incisors and the presence of an ipsilateral MFM DLR (p = 0.003, OR = 2.23). Males exhibited significantly higher anatomical complexity in premolars than females. Mandibular teeth demonstrate high morphological diversity and bilateral agreement. The statistically significant but weak correlation between lateral incisor canal complexity and MFM DLR presence may represent a preliminary indicator that requires further validation. Furthermore, the Ahmed’s system provides broader descriptive coverage for for defining complex root canal anatomies compared to the traditional Vertucci classification.

PMID:42446776 | DOI:10.1007/s10266-026-01497-y

J Mol Histol. 2026 Jul 14;57(4):234. doi: 10.1007/s10735-026-10893-1.

ABSTRACT

Serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages and is associated with poor clinical outcomes, highlighting the urgent need for reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Long non-coding RNA MEG3 and the autophagy-related protein Beclin-1 are recognized tumor suppressors; however, their combined diagnostic relevance in SOC remains insufficiently explored. This case-control study included 24 patients with histopathologically confirmed SOC. Paired tumor and adjacent non-tumorous ovarian tissues were analyzed for lncRNA MEG3 expression using quantitative real-time PCR and for Beclin-1 protein expression using immunohistochemistry. Serum CA-125 levels were assessed by ELISA. Associations with clinicopathological parameters were evaluated, and diagnostic performance was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Both lncRNA MEG3 and Beclin-1 were significantly downregulated in SOC tissues compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.0001). Reduced expression was significantly associated with tumor grade and ascites. The relationship with FIGO stage was not uniform in this cohort and should be interpreted cautiously because of the small sample size and unequal distribution of early and advanced cases. Beclin-1 expression was notably higher in premenopausal patients and in well to moderately differentiated tumors. A strong positive correlation was observed between lncRNA MEG3 and Beclin-1 expression (r = 0.96, P < 0.001), indicating a strong statistical association rather than a proven regulatory interaction. ROC curve analysis suggested diagnostic potential for lncRNA MEG3, Beclin-1, and serum CA-125. The concurrent downregulation of lncRNA MEG3 and Beclin-1 in SOC tissues suggests that these markers may serve as promising complementary biomarkers. However, their clinical utility should be considered preliminary and requires validation in larger, multicenter cohorts with functional studies before routine clinical application can be recommended.

PMID:42446766 | DOI:10.1007/s10735-026-10893-1

J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2026 Jul 14;47(3):17. doi: 10.1007/s10974-026-09735-0.

ABSTRACT

Resistance training in rodent models is widely used to investigate muscular and cardiovascular adaptations. Traditional models often attach loads to the tail. The present study aimed to develop and validate a resistance training model for rats using a pulley system combined with a load-bearing vest, allowing progressive overload without tail attachment. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were assigned to control (CTR, n = 4) or resistance training (RT, n = 6) groups for a 10-week ladder climbing protocol. Functional and morphometric adaptations were evaluated in the soleus and flexor hallucis longus (FHL) muscles. Resistance training resulted in a significant increase in relative maximum load carried (p = 0.0007), corresponding to a 79.5% improvement in strength capacity. The RT group also showed increased relative mass of the FHL muscle (p = 0.002). Gene expression analyses did not show statistically significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). The pulley-vest system proved to be a viable and effective resistance training model for rats, allowing controlled overload while avoiding tail load attachment and potential vascular interference. This model represents a refined experimental approach for resistance training studies in rodent models, particularly in conditions where tail circulation must be preserved.

PMID:42446765 | DOI:10.1007/s10974-026-09735-0