Tag: pubmed

Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/s12602-026-11161-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the in vitro antiviral-associated effects of prebiotics, probiotic-derived preparations, and synbiotic formulations against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in Vero cells. Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. plantarum preparations were tested as cell-free supernatants, cell sonicates, and combinations with plant-derived prebiotic extracts. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay to determine non-cytotoxic concentrations, while antiviral activity was evaluated by cytopathic effect (CPE)-based TCID50 endpoint titration. Several preparations produced statistically significant reductions in viral infectivity compared with untreated controls (p < 0.05). Among the tested preparations, L. plantarum and L. acidophilus showed the greatest reductions in infectivity, with reductions reaching approximately 41.66% for HSV-1 and 38.88% for VSV under the tested experimental conditions. Selected synbiotic formulations also demonstrated measurable reductions in infectivity. These findings suggest that probiotic-derived preparations and synbiotic formulations may reduce infectivity of both DNA and RNA viral models in vitro and warrant further investigation as adjunct antiviral strategies.

PMID:42545606 | DOI:10.1007/s12602-026-11161-0

BioDrugs. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/s40259-026-00801-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Continuous biologic therapy achieves psoriasis control but may be limited by cost, adherence burden, safety concerns, and patient preference. Evidence on outcomes after early, patient-driven discontinuation of secukinumab in routine practice is limited.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe clinical outcomes after voluntary secukinumab discontinuation among patients achieving predefined week-12 response targets and to explore factors associated with relapse.

METHODS: This prospective single-center cohort enrolled 172 adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis initiating secukinumab during 2022-2024. At week 12, patients achieving target response achievement 1 (TRA1: Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI]75, Physician’s Global Assessment [PGA] 0/1, or body surface area [BSA] <3%) or nested TRA2 (PASI90, PGA 0/1, or BSA <1%) could discontinue secukinumab under supervision and continue topical therapy. Relapse was defined as loss of PASI75 at weeks 24 or 48.

RESULTS: By week 12, 82.6% of patients achieved TRA1 and 66.9% achieved TRA2. Relapse at week 24 and week 48 occurred in 35.9% (51/142) and 45.1% (55/122) of TRA1 patients and in 28.7% (33/115) and 36.7% (36/98) of TRA2 patients, respectively. Week-4 PASI75 responders had lower week-48 relapse rates than non-early responders in TRA1 (29.0 vs 50.5%) and TRA2 (27.6 vs 40.6%). Early response was associated with lower relapse odds in TRA1 at week 48 (adjusted OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.12-0.87). Higher BMI was associated with greater relapse risk, whereas smoking and comorbidities were not independently associated with relapse.

CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients achieving week-12 response targets and voluntarily discontinuing secukinumab, early response and BMI showed exploratory associations with relapse risk. These findings require validation before informing routine discontinuation decisions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200066894).

PMID:42545602 | DOI:10.1007/s40259-026-00801-0

J Robot Surg. 2026 Aug 3;20(1):786. doi: 10.1007/s11701-026-03764-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Telesurgery has emerged as a transformative approach to address geographic disparities in surgical care, particularly in urology. However, robust real-world evidence specifically focused on renal procedures remains limited. We conducted this systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and perioperative outcomes of remote robot-assisted renal surgery.

METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception to July 1, 2026. Studies reporting robot-assisted telesurgery for renal procedures (partial nephrectomy, radical nephrectomy, or renal cyst decortication) were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Case Series Checklist was used for quality assessment. A single-arm meta-analysis with random-effects models was performed to pool surgical success rates, operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), length of hospital stay (LOS), warm ischemia time (WIT), and network parameters. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sample size, study design, and robotic platform. Sensitivity analyses using the leave-one-out method were performed to test the robustness of the pooled estimates.

RESULTS: Eight studies comprising 98 patients were included. All studies were of moderate-to-high methodological quality (JBI scores: 8-10/10). The pooled surgical success rate was 100%, with a local surgeon take-over rate of 2.1% (2/98). No Clavien-Dindo grade III or IV complications were reported. The pooled estimates were: operative time 99.52 min (95% CI: 77.10-121.94; I² = 92.5%), EBL 28.30 mL (95% CI: 18.18-38.41; I² = 87.9%), LOS 5.31 days (95% CI: 3.29-7.33; I² = 98.0%), and WIT (for partial nephrectomy) 21.14 min (95% CI: 17.76-24.53; I² = 0.6%). Network parameters remained below the 200-300 ms safety threshold, with a mean round-trip time of 51.79 ms (95% CI: 1.25-102.34) and maximum latency of 128.26 ms (95% CI: 95.38-161.13). Subgroup analyses by robotic platform revealed significant between-group differences for operative time (p = 0.000) and EBL (p = 0.000), but not for LOS (p = 0.703). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the pooled estimates for operative time and EBL, whereas the LOS estimate was sensitive to the inclusion of studies reporting extreme values.

CONCLUSIONS: Remote robot-assisted renal surgery demonstrates high technical success rates, low complication rates, and favorable perioperative outcomes, with network parameters well within established safety thresholds. These findings support the clinical implementation of telesurgery for appropriately selected renal surgery patients, particularly in underserved regions. However, the substantial heterogeneity observed highlights the need for large-scale, prospective comparative studies with standardized outcome definitions and longer follow-up.

PMID:42545600 | DOI:10.1007/s11701-026-03764-0

Radiol Phys Technol. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/s12194-026-01111-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A high-fidelity electron-source Monte Carlo model of a mobile C-arm fluoroscopy system was developed using Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code system (PHITS) to evaluate scattered radiation and calculation acceleration. Electrons were injected into the X-ray tube target, and energy spectra, dose profiles, and scattered doses around the tube head and in the room were calculated. Simulated spectra Simulated spectra agreed with the measured spectra with a root mean square error of 0.06 or less, and the simulation-to-measurement ratios of the scattered air kerma from the electron-source simulations were within 20% at every measurement point. In the simulated two-dimensional distributions, the electron-source simulations showed higher scattered doses than the photon-source simulation at heights above 150 cm. The time required to reach 10% statistical uncertainty decreased from 168.28 h to 72.33 h using the dump technique and to 1.25 h, excluding the dump-generation stage, when combined with the weight window method. The method supports characterization of scattered air-kerma distributions relevant to occupational exposure.

PMID:42545599 | DOI:10.1007/s12194-026-01111-4

Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2026 Aug 3:48674261471314. doi: 10.1177/00048674261471314. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Local socioeconomic status may influence psychiatrist distribution, yet this remains systematically unexamined in Australia. We aimed to assess how psychiatrist availability varies across regions with differing socioeconomic advantage.

METHODS: Psychiatrist workforce data from the Health Workforce Data Tool (2013-2023) were linked to local government areas-level quintiles of the Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage. We calculated and compared the proportion of local government areas with psychiatrists, psychiatrist counts per local government area, and psychiatrists per 10,000 population by Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas quintile. Panel regression analyses examined per capita variations, adjusting for state/territory and year effects in the same analyses.

RESULTS: Outer regional/remote/very remote areas had relatively low access to psychiatrists compared to metropolitan/inner regional areas. Disparities widened over time between the highest socioeconomic status quintile and all others. The average psychiatrist count per 10,000 population for top-quintile local government areas was 2.8 (standard deviation: ±4.8; from 0.6 (standard deviation: ±1.0, Northern Territory) to 5.5 (standard deviation: ±7.0, South Australia)), compared with 0.2-0.5 per 10,000 population for all lower socioeconomic status quintiles. In panel regression with interaction between Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas and remoteness, psychiatrist counts (adjusted for state/territory and year) in non-top-quintile local government areas were 2.6 (95% confidence interval: -4.1 to -1.1) to 3.0 (95% confidence interval: -4.4- to -1.7) per 10,000 population lower than top-quintile metropolitan and inner regional local government areas.

CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists are densely concentrated in high socioeconomic status and metropolitan/inner regional areas. Lower socioeconomic status local government areas shared similar, limited psychiatrist distributions. Targeted strategies are required to improve the equitable distribution of mental health resources across socioeconomic gradients.

PMID:42544569 | DOI:10.1177/00048674261471314

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.1039/d6cp01708h. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The quasi-classical trajectory method is a standard tool for studying gas-surface interactions. However, its purely classical treatment of molecular motion, particularly the lack of quantization of internal degrees of freedom, may limit its accuracy compared to quantum mechanical descriptions. To address this limitation, semi-classical corrections have been developed over the years, most notably Gaussian binning combined with the adiabaticity correction. This framework introduces non-uniform weighting of trajectories, grounded in semiclassical theory, to better align with quantum results. Recently, this approach was refined for H₂ scattering on W(100), where adiabatic trajectories were more rigorously characterized and assigned appropriate statistical weights. In this work, we extend this analysis to H₂ scattering on Pd(111), a system governed by distinct dynamical features. Our results confirm the validity of the method, providing a theoretical foundation for earlier more empirical studies. By reconciling classical and quantum perspectives, this work establishes a robust framework for investigating gas-surface interactions with improved accuracy.

PMID:42544566 | DOI:10.1039/d6cp01708h

Palliat Med. 2026 Aug 3:2692163261468152. doi: 10.1177/02692163261468152. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Place of death is a key population-level indicator for palliative care and health services planning. However, substantial international variation in how it is recorded limits cross-country comparisons and health system evaluations.

AIM: Analyse the technical qualities of national place of death classifications and data, and identify strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of researchers using death certificate data.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional online survey. The questionnaire design was informed by the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for international statistical and health classifications, and included closed- and open-ended questions.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen researchers identified through published place of death studies participated. Collectively, they had analysed data from 67 countries until 2022, most for over 10 years.

RESULTS: Most researchers reported that national classifications were stable, had mutually exclusive categories, and included a category for “home”. However, shortcomings were identified: lack of detailed categories for relevant settings (e.g. hospice, nursing home), ambiguous or inconsistent terminology, and limited use of hierarchical or multi-axial structures. Participants emphasised the need for greater standardisation of categories, clearer definitions, and improved data quality through training on completing death certificates.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to assess place of death classifications and data from researchers’ perspectives. Findings highlight critical limitations in current classification systems and provide guidance for developing an international classification aligned with UN and WHO recommendations. This will enable more meaningful cross-country comparisons and strengthen evidence to inform palliative care and health services planning worldwide.

PMID:42544535 | DOI:10.1177/02692163261468152

J Vet Intern Med. 2026 Jul 1;40(4):aalag156. doi: 10.1093/jvimsj/aalag156.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Necrotic laryngitis is an important cause of respiratory distress and economic loss in feedlot cattle.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Describe the clinical presentation, pathologic lesions, and microbiologic findings associated with necrotic laryngitis in feedlot steers.

ANIMALS: Four 20-month-old feedlot steers diagnosed with necrotic laryngitis. Clinically affected steers exhibited inspiratory stridor, increased respiratory effort, and flared nares, indicative of upper airway obstruction.

METHODS: Samples from inflamed nasopharyngeal tissues were collected endoscopically using guarded cytology swabs and submitted for culture, with concurrent blood collection for CBC and plasma and serum biochemistry analyses.

RESULTS: Endoscopic examinations identified laryngeal chondritis, mucopurulent diphtheritic membranes, and necrotic inflammation of the vocal folds. Aerobic cultures were negative, but anaerobic cultures yielded Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum and or F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme. Hematologic evaluation indicated leukocytosis and increased plasma fibrinogen concentration, whereas serum biochemistry disclosed marked hyperglycemia and mild increases in hepatic enzyme activities, consistent with stress-related metabolic alterations. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that F. necrophorum isolates were susceptible to β-lactams, tetracyclines, florfenicol, tiamulin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and resistant to aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and with respect to macrolides, 4 strains were susceptible and 1 strain was resistant to tylosin, tilmicosin, and tulathromycin.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These findings indicate involvement of either F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum or subsp. funduliforme in necrotic laryngitis of feedlot cattle. Observed antimicrobial susceptibility patterns indicate ongoing susceptibility to β-lactams and tetracyclines, supporting their continued use as first-line therapeutic options.

PMID:42544489 | DOI:10.1093/jvimsj/aalag156

Age Ageing. 2026 Aug 3;55(8):afag227. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afag227.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Older adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) following a fall are at high risk for recurrent falls, injuries and increased healthcare utilisation. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of interventions initiated upon ED presentation in reducing falls (primary outcome) and fall-related outcomes (secondary outcomes) among older adults.

METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed in Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, Web of Science, and Scopus up to June 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. This yielded 9624 references, of which 4811 records remained after deduplication and were screened for eligibility. Meta-analyses and descriptive methods, including vote counting, were applied where appropriate. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted.

RESULTS: Thirty articles were included. Interventions were associated with a significant reduction in fall incidence (rate ratio 0.69; 95% CI 0.54-0.88; I2 = 95%), supported by vote counting. While reductions were also observed in the proportion of fallers (odds ratio 0.87; 95% CI 0.71-1.07; I2 = 61%), fall-related and all-cause ED revisits, hospital admissions, recurrent falls and mortality, these trends did not reach statistical significance. Sensitivity analysis excluding studies with modified usual care showed a significant reduction in fall-related ED revisits and people sustaining an injurious fall. Secondary outcomes including quality of life, fear of falling and physical functioning generally showed trends favouring the intervention group. Considerable heterogeneity and variation in intervention characteristics were noted across studies.

CONCLUSION: Interventions for older adults presenting to the ED after a fall suggest a favourable effect on fall rate. Non-significant trends favouring the intervention group were observed for several other outcomes, but heterogeneity and methodological limitations preclude definitive conclusions.

PMID:42544467 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afag227

J Sex Med. 2026 Jul 3;23(8):qdag108. doi: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdag108.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) is a prevalent male sexual dysfunction with unclear neurobiological mechanisms. Despite its high prevalence, the etiology of LPE remains debated, often attributed to psychological or biological factors. Recent neuroimaging studies have highlighted the role of central nervous system dysregulation in sexual behavior.

AIM: This study investigates abnormal brain functions and altered network connectivity in LPE patients after visual sexual stimuli (VSS) using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

METHODS: Twenty-five LPE patients and 31 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state and task-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Clinical data, including sexual history, self-reported intravaginal ejaculatory latency time, International Index of Erectile Function-5, the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation, anxiety/depression scores, and serum testosterone levels, were collected. Neuroimaging preprocessing and analysis focused on amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, fractional ALFF, and regional homogeneity. Task-state fMRI compared brain activation patterns after VSS. Statistical analyses included voxel-based comparisons and network connectivity assessments using SPM12 and DPABI v3.0.

OUTCOMES: LPE patients demonstrate distinct neurofunctional abnormalities after VSS, particularly hyperactivation in the precuneus.

RESULTS: ‌Clinical Data‌: LPE patients exhibited significantly lower International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores and higher depression rates compared to HCs, with no differences in age, BMI, or testosterone levels. Brain Activation‌: During VSS, LPE patients showed relative signal decrease in the middle cingulate cortex and left precentral gyrus compared to HCs. Regional homogeneity analysis revealed hyperactivation in the precuneus and fusiform gyrus post-stimulus. Network Connectivity‌: Altered connectivity in premature ejaculation patients involved the fusiform gyrus (linked to posterior cingulate, hippocampus, parahippocampus, and supplementary motor areas) and the superior parietal lobule (connected to the angular gyrus).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that aberrant central nervous system processing of sexual stimuli contributes to premature ejaculation pathophysiology, offering potential targets for neuromodulatory therapies.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The study focuses on the different activation patterns of patients with LPE from the perspective of sexual arousal. The methodological aspects of research, such as the use of images or videos in sexual stimulation, remain controversial. The findings of our network analysis only demonstrated a limited number of altered functional connections, and no established network metrics were provided to substantiate the claim of extensive network disruption. These factors collectively represent important limitations of the present study.

CONCLUSION: The hyperactivity in this brain region observed in patients could represent a unique response to VSS among those with LPE, ultimately leading to alterations in their ejaculatory behavior.‌‌‌.

PMID:42544459 | DOI:10.1093/jsxmed/qdag108