Tag: pubmed

Eur J Med Res. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s40001-026-04144-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with increased fracture risk, but changes in bone mineral density (BMD) are site-specific and not always concordant with this risk. Osteocalcin (OCN) reflects bone turnover, yet its relationship with BMD in T2DM is heterogeneous. We examined whether diabetes duration modifies the association between OCN and BMD, with emphasis on the lumbar spine in community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS: We performed a community-based cross-sectional analysis (2017-2018) of 170 adults with T2DM and 170 non-diabetic controls. Diabetes status and duration were ascertained from community health service center medical records and corroborated by participant/family report. Non-diabetic controls were used for descriptive between-group comparisons and control-only models without diabetes-duration terms; duration-interaction analyses were restricted to the T2DM group. For the duration-interaction analyses, 144 participants with T2DM had available duration data (mean age 65.0 ± 7.6 years; 31.9% male). For descriptive presentation, diabetes duration was grouped as ≤ 5, 6-10, and > 10 years. Lumbar spine osteoporosis was defined as lumbar spine (L1-L4) T-score ≤ – 2.5, using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria.

RESULTS: In participants with T2DM (n = 170), the mean lumbar spine T-score was lower than in non-diabetic controls (mean difference – 0.41; P = 0.015), whereas hip T-score was similar (P = 0.180). Within T2DM participants with available duration (n = 144), multivariable linear models showed a significant interaction between z-standardized ln(OCN) and diabetes duration on lumbar spine T-score (β_interaction = 0.049, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.012-0.086; P = 0.009), indicating attenuation of the inverse OCN-BMD association with longer duration. Simple slopes were – 0.70 at 2 years, – 0.35 at 9 years, and 0.18 at 20 years. On the probability scale, adjusted marginal probabilities of lumbar osteoporosis across osteocalcin quartiles and duration strata are reported descriptively; the OCN × duration interaction term was not statistically significant in logistic models.

CONCLUSIONS: Older community-dwelling adults with T2DM showed lower lumbar spine T-scores compared with non-diabetic controls, while hip T-scores were similar. Within T2DM, we observed an OCN × duration interaction for lumbar spine T-score, with a stronger inverse association at shorter duration and attenuation at longer duration. These cross-sectional findings warrant confirmation in longitudinal studies with fracture outcomes.

PMID:41764562 | DOI:10.1186/s40001-026-04144-y

Harm Reduct J. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12954-025-01370-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: History of multiple substance use disorders (SUDs) or polysubstance use is highly prevalent, associated with worse treatment outcomes and higher mortality rates compared to single substance use. Although a few longitudinal studies have measured recovery progress over time, no metric explicitly quantifying recovery from polysubstance use is available. Here, we introduce the concept of proportion of remission (PrR) that provides a more granular and nuanced measure of recovery in individuals with polysubstance use and investigate its association with various Quality of Life (QoL) domains. We also report on individual SUD’s contribution to QoL.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study design.

SETTING: Remote study.

PARTICIPANTS: 2,406 participants with polysubstance use (polySUD; i.e., a history of two or more substance use disorders).

MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed DSM-5 questionnaires regarding their lifetime and past 12-month substance use, Quality of Life measures, and demographics. Remission status was determined for each SUD based on meeting the DSM-5 criteria (excluding craving) in the past 12 months. Proportion of remission was quantified as the number of SUDs in 12-month remission divided by the total number of lifetime SUDs.

RESULTS: PrR was significantly positively associated with environmental (B = 12.13, 95% CI: [9.68, 14.59], f = 0.2), physical (B = 10.75, 95% CI: [8.23, 13.26], f = 0.17), psychological (B = 7.73, 95% CI: [5.93, 9.52], f = 0.17), and social (B = 6.69, 95% CI: [3.45, 9.93], f = 0.08) QoL, after adjusting for covariates. Across SUDs, individuals not in remission exhibited significantly lower QoL compared to those in remission, with stimulants having the largest effect sizes (f = 0.39-0.42).

CONCLUSIONS: We propose a novel construct of polySUD recovery: proportion of remission. Our results indicate the potential of PrR to capture gradual improvements in quality of life and reflect recovery progress.

PMID:41764560 | DOI:10.1186/s12954-025-01370-1

BMC Vet Res. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12917-026-05383-1. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41764493 | DOI:10.1186/s12917-026-05383-1

Clin Epigenetics. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s13148-025-02042-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is associated with short- and long-term beneficial effects on child health, including greater cognitive development, and enhanced immune programming. However, the underlying biological mechanisms are only partially understood, with epigenetics emerging as a potential contributor. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether breastfeeding practices are associated with differential DNA methylation (DNAm) in childhood blood.

RESULTS: We conducted meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies (meta-EWASs) in 3421 children from eleven international population-based birth cohorts from the Pregnancy And Childhood Epigenetics (PACE) Consortium. Breastfeeding was assessed as “ever” being breastfed vs. “never”, and duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding. DNAm was measured in childhood blood (ages 5-12 years) using the Illumina 450 K or EPIC arrays, with cord blood at birth used as negative outcome control. At False Discovery Rate (FDR) < 5%, positive associations at six cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites were identified in childhood blood: four with duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and three with duration of exclusive breastfeeding of more than three months compared to never. The annotated genes (ALAD, FNBP4, and CHFR) are related to developmental and immune processes. None of these CpG sites were FDR-significant in cord blood prior to breastfeeding.

CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding was associated with differential DNAm in childhood blood at a limited number of CpG sites. Future studies in diverse populations are needed to examine the robustness of these associations, the sources of heterogeneity, and the generalizability of the findings.

PMID:41764488 | DOI:10.1186/s13148-025-02042-4

BMC Endocr Disord. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12902-026-02211-3. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41764469 | DOI:10.1186/s12902-026-02211-3

BMC Health Serv Res. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12913-026-14265-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In diverse healthcare teams, insufficient cultural awareness can lead to communication challenges, interpersonal conflict, and staff turnover, negatively impacting patient care and organizational performance. Culturally competent environments foster inclusive team climates, enhance collaboration, and contribute to higher job satisfaction-key factors in staff retention and the delivery of effective care. This study aims to explore team climate, job satisfaction, cultural competence, and intent to stay among healthcare professionals working in multicultural healthcare teams.

METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design (n = 490) utilizing descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analyses. The electronic survey consisted of three standardized instruments: the Team Climate Inventory, the Kuopio University Hospital Job Satisfaction Scale, and the Cross-Cultural Competence of Healthcare Professionals, all using a 5-point Likert scale. Additionally, one item assessed intention to stay.

RESULTS: A total of 490 healthcare professionals participated in this survey. The participants rated their team climate (M = 3.72, SD = 0.74), job satisfaction (M = 3.76, SD = 0.62), and cultural competence (M = 3.59, SD = 0.55) as moderate. One quarter of the respondents were not satisfied with their current profession. We observed correlations between cultural competence (r = 0.316), team climate (r = 0.709), and job satisfaction. Team climate (r = 0.342) and job satisfaction (r = 0.452) also showed a correlation with the intention to stay. Furthermore, women evaluated their cultural competence higher than men (p < 0.001). Intention to stay was statistically significantly related to team climate (p < 0.001), job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and cultural competence (p = 0.015). Educational level had a statistical association (p = 0.003) with job satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of supportive work environments and international collaboration in fostering retention and inclusivity. Future research should investigate the directionality of the relationships between team climate, job satisfaction, cultural competence, and intention to stay using more advanced multivariate approaches. This could further support organizations in their efforts to foster well-being in multicultural healthcare teams.

PMID:41764467 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-026-14265-z

BMC Med Educ. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-08914-4. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41764461 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-026-08914-4

BMC Vet Res. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12917-026-05381-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli-associated enteric disturbances contribute to health and productivity losses in poultry and pose zoonotic concerns. In the context of antimicrobial resistance, phytogenic feed additives may offer antibiotic-sparing strategies by modulating the intestinal microbiota. We evaluated a fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract combination for its microbiota-modulating effects in a controlled dual-challenge model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 270 Bábolna Tetra-SL chicks were allocated to six groups: low-, medium-, or high-dose phytobiotic; enrofloxacin; infected control; and non-infected control. Birds were orally challenged on days 3-4 post-hatch with clinical isolates of S. enterica and E. coli (both phenotypically susceptible to enrofloxacin). Cloacal swab samples were collected on days 1, 7, and 42 and profiled by V3-V4 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Alpha diversity and beta diversity were assessed in QIIME2 using non-parametric and permutation-based approaches.

RESULTS: Alpha diversity increased with age across groups. On day 42, the medium-dose phytobiotic group exhibited the most balanced community profile among treated groups, whereas enrofloxacin was associated with the strongest early community disruption followed by partial recovery by day 42. Beta diversity ordinations and clustering indicated clear time-driven separation, with treatment-associated differences observed within time points and supported by permutation-based multivariate statistics.

CONCLUSIONS: A fenugreek-turmeric phytobiotic modulated cloacal microbiota structure in chickens under a controlled dual-challenge model. Medium-dose supplementation was associated with the most balanced community configuration at the end of the trial, while enrofloxacin induced marked early perturbation. These findings support further evaluation of phytogenic additives as components of antibiotic-reduction strategies in poultry production.

PMID:41764458 | DOI:10.1186/s12917-026-05381-3

BMC Plant Biol. 2026 Feb 28. doi: 10.1186/s12870-026-08434-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Genotypic differences in nitrogen use efficiency strongly influence sorghum growth and yield, highlighting the need for precise and reliable prediction of cultivar responses to nitrogen (N) availability. This study investigates the impact of two N treatments on sorghum cultivars, using artificial intelligence (AI) models for prediction.

RESULTS: A randomized complete block design with two treatments: 0 kg N ha^{– 1} (0 N) and 238 kg N ha^{– 1} (238 N) was used. Six hybrid sorghum cultivars (Gustav, Estyphon, Foehn, Vegga, Aday1 and Beydarı) were evaluated for different traits. Statistical analysis included two-way ANOVA and factorial regression to assess treatment effects. Significant treatment effects were observed. Beydarı and Estyphon exhibited larger stem diameter and leaf area under 238 N, while Aday1 had the smallest values under 0 N. Gustav showed the highest panicle width, panicle weight, and grain yield under 238 N. Stomatal conductance showed an opposite trend, decreasing with N supplementation. Machine learning models, specifically Random Forest (RF) and Light Gradient-Boosting Machine (LightGBM), were used to model the interaction, achieving R² values ranging from 0.759 to 0.966 for RF and 0.729 to 0.980 for LightGBM, indicating strong predictive accuracy.

CONCLUSION: LightGBM consistently achieved R² values greater than 0.92 for key traits, such as stomatal conductance, panicle width, and grain yield, demonstrating its potential to optimize N management. Gustav performed best under high N, whereas cultivar responses to low N were genotype-specific, captured effectively by the machine learning models. These findings highlight the role of AI models in predicting cultivar performance and supporting sustainable agricultural decisions.

PMID:41764445 | DOI:10.1186/s12870-026-08434-9

Bioinformatics. 2026 Mar 1:btag090. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btag090. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

MOTIVATION: Understanding the functional roles of lipids is essential for interpreting metabolic phenotypes in health, disease, and dietary interventions. However, lipidomic analyses typically focus on individual lipid species, making it difficult to extract mechanistic and systems-level insights. We therefore asked how quantitative lipidomic data can be translated into biologically structured and function-oriented interpretations.

RESULTS: Here, we present a major update to LipidOne (lipidone.eu), introducing the novel analytical module: Functional Lipid Analysis (FLA). FLA computes 42 indices describing lipid functions related to membrane structure, energy storage, and signaling. Indices are derived from lipid classes and fatty acyl-, alkyl-, and alkenyl-chain composition, statistically compared across experimental groups, and explored using multivariate and visualization tools. Each index is semantically annotated and linked to predicted protein mediators, enabling pathway- and network-based interpretation. Application to published datasets confirmed previous conclusions while uncovering additional biologically coherent functional insights.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: New FLA module is freely available through LipidOne.eu web platform. The LipidOne FLA core R script (v1.0.0) is archived on Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18468230). The LipidOne web platform is available at https://lipidone.eu.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID:41764409 | DOI:10.1093/bioinformatics/btag090