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PubMed2026

A randomized trial of viral vector and adjuvanted protein HBV therapeutic vaccine in people with chronic hepatitis B on nucleos(t)ide analogs.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of a therapeutic immunization strategy aimed at reaching a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), relying on a heterologous prime-boost with viral vectors ChAd155-hIi-HBV and MVA-HBV, combined with sequential or concomitant administration of adjuvanted recombinant HBV proteins (HBc-HBs/AS01B). METHODS: This single-blind, randomized, controlled, first-in-human, phase 1/2 trial enrolled adults aged 18-65 years with HBeAg-negative CHB, virally suppressed on nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs), with HBsAg >50 IU/mL. Participants received NAs and the following regimens of 4 doses (8-week intervals): sequential administration of ChAd155-hIi-HBV, MVA-HBV, and 2 HBc-HBs/AS01B doses; co-administration of ChAd155-hIi-HBV+HBc-HBs/AS01B, followed by 3 co-administered MVA-HBV+HBc-HBs/AS01B doses; 4 HBc-HBs/AS01B doses; 2 placebo doses followed by ChAd155-hIi-HBV and MVA-HBV administered alone or with HBc-HBs/AS01B; or 4 placebo doses. Safety, efficacy (≥1-log decrease in quantitative (q)HBsAg or HBsAg loss 24 weeks post-dose 4 [day (D)337]), antibody, and T-cell responses were evaluated. RESULTS: In all, 134 participants were vaccinated. Grade 3 solicited adverse events (AEs) (median duration: 2-3 days) were more frequent after co-administration (systemic: 59.3%; administration-site: 33.3%) than sequential administration (systemic: 10.3%; administration-site: 12.8%) of high-dose viral vectors and proteins. No vaccine-related or fatal serious AEs were reported. After 4 doses, no participant had HBsAg loss or ≥1-log decrease in qHBsAg (D337 vs. D1). Co-administration induced the strongest anti-HBs response (73.7% achieved anti-HBs ≥10 mIU/mL 2 weeks post-dose 4 vs. 40.0% after sequential administration). Both sequential and co-administration induced HBc-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, with a prime-boost effect of the viral vectors. CONCLUSIONS: Heterologous prime-boost with ChAd155-hIi-HBV and MVA-HBV, combined with sequential or co-administration of HBc-HBs/AS01B, had an acceptable safety profile, were moderately immunogenic, but no participants showed the expected efficacy outcome.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Global Seroprevalence of Q Fever Antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in Children and Adolescents : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively determine global estimates of Q fever seroprevalence in children and adolescents by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Searches of published articles in MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus databases were conducted from inception until February 2025. STUDY SELECTION: Cross-sectional studies reporting seroprevalence of Q fever/ Coxiella burnetii antibodies, using any established laboratory test, in any population of healthy children and adolescents <20 years old were included. The quality of eligible articles was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. DATA EXTRACTION: Data from eligible articles were extracted using a standardized form, which included year of publication, year(s) the study was conducted, numbers of antibody-positive cases/specific population, age, country, geographic region, serology test used and antibody titer cutoff value. DATA SYNTHESIS: DerSimonian and Laird random effects models were used to calculate pooled seroprevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals in data from 41 eligible articles reporting 42 studies comprising 9841 children and adolescents. Q fever seroprevalence was observed in multiple countries across 7 geographic regions, and varied markedly between countries and regions, with the highest estimate observed by an individual country in Ethiopia (45%) and by region in the Middle East (14%). Seroprevalence estimates were higher in older children and adolescents ≥10 years (15%) compared with younger children <10 years of age (8%). CONCLUSION: Despite varying geographical prevalence, our findings demonstrate that widespread exposure to Q fever antigens occurs across multiple global regions in children and adolescents to potentially serious C. burnetii infection, indicating that diagnostic surveillance and preventive measures should be considered in both endemic and previously unreported areas.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Hip Arthroscopy-Assisted Management of Pipkin Types I and II Femoral Head Fracture-Dislocations: Mid-Term Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Hip arthroscopy-assisted surgery has been proposed as a minimally invasive option for femoral head fractures; however, evidence with mid-term follow-up remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of arthroscopy-assisted management for Pipkin Types I and II femoral head fracture-dislocations with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. METHODS: This retrospective study included 23 consecutive adults (19 Pipkin I and 4 Pipkin II) treated with hip arthroscopy-assisted fragment excision or internal fixation between March 2013 and January 2020. Preoperative computed tomography was used for surgical planning, and fixation was placed with arthroscopic headless screws. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Thompson-Epstein (T-E) criteria. Radiographic evaluation included avascular necrosis (AVN), heterotopic ossification (HO; Brooker), osteoarthritis (OA; Tönnis), and fracture reduction quality (Matta's criteria). Group comparisons were evaluated using independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Fisher's exact test. The mean follow-up was 86.2 ± 21.2 months. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 19 males and 4 females with a mean age of 28.7 ± 9.9 years. Fifteen patients underwent fixation and eight underwent excision. The final mean HHS was 98.3 ± 1.9, with 21 patients (91%) achieving excellent and 2 (9%) good T-E criteria. There were no significant differences between the fixation and excision groups in demographic characteristics, operative time, or functional outcomes (all p > 0.05); however, hospital stay was significantly shorter in the excision group (2.9 ± 0.6 vs. 5.5 ± 4.6 days, p = 0.028). In the fixation group, mean maximal displacement improved from 7.6 mm preoperatively to 2.6 mm postoperatively, with anatomic reduction achieved in 6 cases (40%), imperfect in 6 (40%), and poor in 3 (20%). Patients with Pipkin Type I fractures had significantly higher HHS than those with Type II fractures (98.7 ± 1.7 vs. 96.0 ± 0.8, p = 0.018). Complications were rare, with one case of Brooker Grade I HO and one case of mild OA. No AVN or total hip arthroplasty occurred during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Hip arthroscopy-assisted management of selected Pipkin Type I and II femoral head fractures yields excellent mid-term clinical outcomes with acceptable radiographic reduction and a low complication rate. This minimally invasive technique represents a viable alternative in appropriately selected patients when fragment characteristics and surgical expertise permit.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Menopause in the All of Us Research Program: a descriptive summary of electronic health record and survey response across sociodemographic characteristics.

OBJECTIVES: Menopause is a significant physiological transition with implications for health outcomes (eg, cardiometabolic disease), yet gaps remain in understanding this transition, including how menopause timing and type influence health outcomes. Large-scale cohort studies in midlife (age=40-60) females, including the All of Us Research Program (AoURP), provide opportunities to study menopause across diverse populations and data modalities. We characterized menopause-related data in AoURP, focusing on age distributions and concordance between electronic health record (EHR) diagnosis codes and survey responses. METHODS: We analyzed menopause-related surveys, EHR diagnostic codes, and genomic data among ~396,000 AoURP female participants. We summarized menopause-related variables across data sources, evaluated overlap between survey, EHR, and genomic data sets, and described age distributions overall and across sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Among ~396,000 females, survey responses captured ~193,000 menopause observations, nearly seven times more than EHR diagnoses (~28,000), suggesting under-ascertainment in EHR data. Nearly all females (~99%) with an EHR menopause diagnosis reported menopause in the survey. Approximately 22,000 participants had overlapping menopause-related EHR, survey, and genomic data. Survey age patterns matched expectations, with participants predominantly <40 years reporting premenopausal status and those >60 years reporting postmenopausal status. A small subset with age >70 years (N≈1,700; 4%) reported no menopause, suggesting response or recall bias. EHR menopause codes were concentrated after age 45 years, with a notable spike at age 65. Modest differences in survey-based menopause age distributions were observed across sociodemographic characteristics (eg, race and ancestry). CONCLUSIONS: These findings inform sampling strategies, power calculations, phenotype definition, and study design for menopause research using AoURP data.

Age↗

PubMed2026

Integrated exome and mitochondrial genome sequencing reveals the genetic landscape of primary mitochondrial diseases: findings from a large Tunisian cohort.

Primary mitochondrial diseases are a heterogeneous group of neurometabolic disorders recognized as the most common metabolic genetic diseases. They manifest at any age, affecting any tissue or organ, especially those with high energy demands, and are caused by pathogenic variants in both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Here, we aimed to describe the genetic spectrum of a Tunisian pediatric cohort with suspected mitochondrial diseases. We recruited 47 unrelated families who underwent exome sequencing as a first-tier test followed by whole mitochondrial genome sequencing for unsolved cases. Dedicated bioinformatic pipelines and prediction tools were used to determine the potential disease-causing variants. Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence and segregation within parents. For the newly identified variants, structural modeling was conducted to study the impact of these variants on protein structure and motions. Dual genome sequencing yielded a molecular diagnosis in 33/47 families (70%) and 18/47 (38%) showed disease-causing variants in genes encoding mitochondrial proteins. Among them, four families disclosed novel variants in FASTKD2, SERAC1 and GATB, which were supported by in-depth in silico and structural analyses demonstrating their deleterious effect. The remaining families (32%, 15/47) disclosed other metabolic and neurological disorders. An exome-first strategy delivers a high diagnostic yield in Tunisia, where consanguinity remains high and simultaneously captures mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial etiologies. Mitochondrial sequencing remains indispensable in the case of an inconclusive exome. Thus, our data expand the clinical and genetic spectrum of primary mitochondrial diseases in Tunisia, an underrepresented and admixed population.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Perioperative Depression and Anxiety Care in Older Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Depression and anxiety are common among older adults undergoing surgery and are associated with adverse postoperative outcomes. However, effective tailored perioperative mental health interventions are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a perioperative intervention to optimize mental health. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A single-blind, hybrid, type 1, effectiveness-implementation randomized clinical trial was conducted (November 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025), with 3-month postoperative follow-up, at a US academic and community practice hospital network. Participants were 60 years or older; scheduled for cardiac, oncologic, or orthopedic surgery; and had clinically meaningful symptoms of depression and/or anxiety based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety and Depressive Symptom (PHQ-ADS) scale. A total of 3159 patients were screened for eligibility, with 1518 ineligible, 1079 declining participation, and 236 excluded for other reasons. A total of 326 patients were enrolled and randomized (1:1), with 20 excluded after surgery cancelation. INTERVENTION: Participants were assigned to receive a perioperative intervention combining psychological management and pharmacologic optimization or enhanced usual care (materials for self-managing symptoms). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in PHQ-ADS score from baseline to 3 months after surgery. Other outcomes included persistent postsurgical pain, delirium, falls, quality of life, patient satisfaction, length of stay, and rehospitalizations. Implementability was evaluated through semistructured interviews and reach, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, and fidelity measures. RESULTS: A total of 306 older adults were included in analysis (mean [SD] age, 68.5 [6.1] years; 209 [68.3%] female; 153 randomized to intervention and 153 randomized to enhanced usual care): 102 cardiac, 100 oncologic, and 104 orthopedic patients. Participants' mean (SD) baseline PHQ-ADS score was 18.5 (7.4). At 3 months, there was a significant decrease in PHQ-ADS scores in the intervention group compared with the enhanced usual care group (mean difference, 2.20; 95% CI, 0.16-4.24; P = .03). Effects varied by surgical subgroups (oncologic patients: mean difference, 4.93; 95% CI, 1.51-8.36; P = .005; cardiac patients: mean difference, 2.68; 95% CI, -0.98 to 6.35; P = .15; and orthopedic patients: mean difference, -1.11; 95% CI, -4.62 to 2.40; P = .54). Patients and interventionists perceived the intervention as appropriate, with high-fidelity delivery and broad reach across the target population. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this randomized clinical trial, psychological management and pharmacologic optimization reduced anxiety and depression in older adults undergoing surgery. Future studies should assess reproducibility and determine which patients benefit most. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT05575128, NCT05685511, and NCT05697835.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Epidemiological status of bovine viral diarrhea virus in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): A global systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) remains a neglected viral disease in water buffalo despite its significant economic impact in production systems. Although limited epidemiological studies have been reported worldwide, the serostatus and active infection in buffalo have not been systematically reviewed. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate BVDV prevalence in water buffalo and identify associated epidemiological factors. Relevant studies published up to January 31, 2026, were retrieved from five electronic databases. A total of 49 studies were identified from 15 different countries were found for inclusion. A random-effects model was used to estimate pooled-prevalence and assess heterogeneity among studies. A meta-analysis of 37 studies (9270 buffalo) estimated a pooled BVDV seroprevalence of 30.5%, while analysis of 16 studies (7189 animals) indicated an antigen prevalence of 16.5%. Continent-wise analysis revealed the highest BVDV seroprevalence in South-America (44.0%), while antigen prevalence was highest in Africa (21.2%) followed by Asia at 12.2%, and no BVDV data reported from North-America. Among the different countries, the highest BVDV seroprevalence was detected in Turkey (61.6%) and Argentina (59.0%), while antigen prevalence was highest in Egypt (21.2%), with lower estimates in Brazil (11.8%) and Iraq (11.3%). Notably, high heterogeneity (I2 > 90%) was observed in the all-pooled estimates, indicating variations in sampling period, age, sex, sample source and types, diagnostic methods, production-system, and study quality. These findings demonstrate the widespread presence of BVDV in water buffalo populations and indicate the need for targeted control strategies to mitigate its impact on health and productivity.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

One in three patients with positional obstructive sleep apnea does not benefit from positional therapy: Insights from a home-based trial.

PURPOSE: Positional obstructive sleep apnea (POSA) is the most common phenotype of obstructive sleep apnea, yet patient selection for positional therapy (PT) remains suboptimal. With this analysis we aimed to clarify how many patients with POSA may not require PT because they do not habitually sleep supine at home, and how many fail vibrotactile PT despite appropriate indication. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of consecutive adults with POSA evaluated at a tertiary sleep center between 2021 and 2024. All patients underwent a home-based trial with a neck-based vibrotactile positional therapy device (Night Shift™), consisting of monitoring mode followed by therapy mode. Outcomes included the proportion of non-supine sleepers at home, failure rate of vibrotactile PT, device compliance and differences in supine sleep time between diagnostic testing and home monitoring. RESULTS: Of 92 screened patients, 74 met inclusion criteria (mean age 60.3 ± 13.2 years; mean AHI 22.9 ± 13.3 events/h). Fifteen percent (11/74) did not habitually sleep supine at home, indicating no clinical need for PT, and an additional 14.8% (11/74) failed vibrotactile PT. Overall, 30% of patients were either unlikely to benefit from PT or failed therapy. Non-response was frequently associated with psychotropic or sedative medication use and neurological or sleep-related comorbidities. CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of patients diagnosed with POSA either do not require or fail vibrotactile treatment in real-world conditions. Incorporating a brief home monitoring and therapy trial into routine clinical practice may optimize patient selection, reduce unnecessary costs, and improve personalized management of POSA.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

A systematic literature review on low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma of the trunk.

BACKGROUND: Low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMS) is a rare malignant mesenchymal tumor, with primary trunk involvement being particularly uncommon. Due to its rarity, associated diagnostic challenges, and variability in management, a comprehensive evaluation of the available evidence is required. This study aims to systematically review the clinical characteristics, treatment strategies, and outcomes of truncal LGMS. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for articles published from January 1998 to January 2026. The review included full-text articles involving patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of truncal LGMS. The collected data included patient demographics, tumor features, treatment modalities, recurrence, and follow-up status. RESULTS: Of the 404 studies initially identified, 30 studies involving 59 patients with pathologically confirmed truncal LGMS met the inclusion criteria. Outcome analyses of therapeutic management and clinical course included 45 patients with complete follow-up data, including 42 surgically treated patients and 3 non-surgically managed patients. The final evidence base consisted solely of retrospective studies and case reports. No prospective studies or randomized controlled trials were identified. Consequently, a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted instead of a meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: Current evidence indicates that wide excision with negative margins may be a reasonable primary treatment option for truncal LGMS, with case-based reports showing numerically lower recurrence after wide excision, although the evidence is limited and potentially confounded by multiple factors. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be considered only on a highly individualized basis for selected unresectable, recurrent, metastatic, anatomically constrained, or margin-positive cases. Given the very limited sample size and heterogeneous treatment indications across published cases, treatment efficacy cannot be reliably estimated from the available data. Prolonged long-term regular follow-up is recommended for all patients, considering the risk of late recurrence.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Comparative in silico analysis of Apis mellifera immune responses to Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae: Common and mite-specific molecular signatures.

Parasitic mites Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae represent major threats to global honey bee (Apis mellifera) health and productivity, yet comparative molecular insights into host responses remain limited. To address this, we systematically compiled published studies (2015-2025) reporting genes associated with honey bee interactions with V. destructor (11 studies, 87 genes), T. mercedesae (4 studies, 35 genes), and hygienic behavior (6 studies, 44 genes). Gene identifiers were harmonized to the Amel_HAv3.1 genome assembly, yielding three non-redundant sets: 64 Varroa-associated, 34 Tropilaelaps-associated, and 44 hygienic behavior-associated genes. Venn analysis identified 10 overlapping genes (including A0A088A8D5, A0A088ADL8, ABAE_APIME, Def1, Def2, Gapdh, HYTA_APIME, Imd, LOC726783, and Vg), suggesting conserved defense mechanisms, while 41 and 24 genes were uniquely associated with Varroa and Tropilaelaps, respectively. Enrichment analyses revealed Varroa-responsive genes were enriched in immune processes, chitin catabolism, and signaling pathways (Toll/Imd, MAPK, Wnt). Tropilaelaps-associated genes were enriched for antibacterial defense and stress response, with Toll/Imd signaling as the sole significantly enriched pathway. Overlapping genes reinforced core innate immunity activation. Protein-protein interaction network centrality analysis identified key hub genes: Def1, HYTA_APIME, ABAE_APIME, PPO, Imd, PGRP-LC, Vg for Varroa; and ACPH1_APIME, MRJP1, Vg, LOC726783 for Tropilaelaps. Results demonstrate that, despite differences in mite biology, honey bees show a conserved immune response against both parasites, centered on antibacterial defense, humoral immunity, and activation of the Toll/Imd pathway. Although limited by the in-silico nature and research asymmetries reflecting Tropilaelaps' emergence, this curated resource establishes a comprehensive framework for elucidating shared and distinct molecular defense mechanisms. Ultimately, this approach prioritizes diagnostic markers and candidate genes for functional validation and breeding strategies to enhance colony resilience against mite‑driven disease globally.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

New Evidence in Heart Failure: 2026 Update.

Heart failure (HF) remains a major cause of morbidity, mortality, impaired quality of life and healthcare expenditure worldwide. The global burden of HF continues to increase due to population aging, improved survival, and the growing prevalence of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic comorbidities. Simultaneously, the pace of scientific progress in HF has accelerated considerably. Recent advances have refined our understanding of HF epidemiology, prognosis, and disease trajectories, including emerging concepts of HF improvement, remission, and recovery. The Second Universal Definition of HF has also updated the classification framework, moving beyond the traditional ejection fraction-based categories. HF is now broadly classified into two major phenotypes: heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Novel mechanistic insights highlight the role of inflammation, immune activation, metabolic dysfunction, mitochondrial biology, and multisystem interactions in HF progression. There has also been significant progress in the characterization and management of major comorbidities, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, obesity, atrial fibrillation (AF), pulmonary hypertension, frailty, malnutrition, and cancer. Diagnostic innovations include novel biomarkers, multi-omics technologies, artificial intelligence-based approaches, advanced imaging techniques, congestion assessment tools, and emerging digital health solutions. Important advances have occurred in specific HF aetiologies, including cardiomyopathies, cardiac amyloidosis (CA), myocarditis, arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy (AiCM), and Chagas cardiomyopathy. Therapeutic developments continue to reshape HF management across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction. Recent evidence has focused on optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy in HFrEF, expansion of evidence-based therapies in HFpEF, and growing roles for sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, finerenone, incretin-based therapies, and transcatheter valve interventions. Collectively, these advances support the transition from a predominantly phenotype-based approach towards a more personalized and biologically informed model of HF care, with the potential to further improve outcomes across the entire HF spectrum.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Associations Between Antiparietal Cell Antibody Values and Atrophy in a South and Southeast Asian General Population.

GOALS: To investigate the association between atrophy severity and antiparietal cell antibody (APCA) levels in South and Southeast Asia. BACKGROUND: APCA is an autoantibody that damages gastric parietal cells; autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a chronic gastric inflammatory disease related to APCA and severe predominant corpus atrophy. Although a positive APCA result is a key clinical diagnostic tool for AIG, its rates vary widely among ethnic groups, and its exact relationship with AIG and predominant corpus atrophy remains unclear. STUDY: Associations between histopathology-assessed and endoscopy-assessed atrophy, APCA positivity rates, Helicobacter pylori status, and pepsinogen levels were investigated in 1982 symptomatic patients from Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal. RESULTS: Overall, 38.5% of participants were negative for Helicobacter pylori infection, while 57.6% had a current infection. A positive APCA result, defined as a titer >10, was present in 44.0% of participants (95% confidence interval: 41.8%-46.3%, 873/1982). Pathologic atrophy, corpus atrophy, and predominant corpus atrophy were found in 8.7% (169/1982), 5.1% (101/1982), and 4.1% (81/1982) of participants, respectively. Positive APCA rates significantly differed among countries (10.6% to 63.8%, P <0.001). No significant correlation was found between APCA results and the presence or severity of atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Although APCA positivity was high among symptomatic patients from South and Southeast Asian countries, few had severe predominant corpus atrophy or positive pepsinogen tests, which suggests a low rate of AIG in this population. Long-term surveillance of APCA-positive individuals is necessary to determine the clinical significance of a positive APCA result without AIG.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Assessing perinatal depression identifying abilities among maternal and child health workers in rural China using smartphone-based virtual patients: a multi-center cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess rural maternal and child health (MCH) workers' virtual patients (VPs)-assessed performance in identifying perinatal depression (PND) using smartphone-based VPs, and to identify factors associated with this performance in rural Hunan, China. METHODS: A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan Province, China. A standardized questionnaire collected demographic and work-related characteristics of rural MCH workers. Smartphone-based VPs were used to assess PND identification performance in a simulated clinical scenario. An overall score ≥60 was used as a prespecified operational benchmark across consultation, ancillary assessment, diagnosis, management, and health education domains. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. RESULTS: A total of 375 rural MCH workers participated, yielding an effective response rate of 90.4%. Only 25.9% met the prespecified operational benchmark for VP-assessed PND identification performance. The mean accuracy scores for consultation, ancillary assessment, diagnosis, management, and health education were 94%, 48%, 64%, 58%, and 74%, respectively. Complete consultation accuracy was higher among MCH workers from township health centers than among those from county-level MCH hospitals. MCH workers aged 18-39 years showed higher odds of complete diagnostic accuracy for PND than those aged ≥40 years. CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone-based VP assessment was feasible in rural MCH settings and revealed suboptimal PND identification performance. Mobile VPs may help identify frontline performance gaps and inform targeted training, but further validation against real-world clinical performance, or standardized patient encounters is needed before large-scale implementation. These findings may support targeted capacity-building for rural MCH workers and more equitable perinatal mental health care.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Privacy, security, and reliability risks of artificial intelligence in healthcare: a systematic review of empirical evidence.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare information systems, supporting clinical decision-making, imaging analysis, and predictive modeling. While these applications offer operational and clinical benefits, they also introduce emerging risks to patient privacy, data security, and system reliability. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review empirical evidence on privacy breaches, security vulnerabilities, and misuse associated with AI applications in healthcare settings. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library were searched for empirical studies published between January 2015 and November 2025 that evaluated AI use or misuse in clinical diagnosis, treatment, or decision-making. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data using a standardized form. Findings were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity in study designs, AI methods, and reported outcomes. RESULTS: Of 7,285 records identified through database searches and 205 through citation screening, 22 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria, spanning multiple clinical domains and data modalities, predominantly medical imaging applications. Five recurring threat categories were identified: patient re-identification, membership inference, unauthorized access and adversarial exploitation, input manipulation, and misuse or overinterpretation of AI outputs. Across studies, AI models were shown to encode latent biometric signals across diverse data types, limiting the effectiveness of traditional anonymization and synthetic data approaches. Adversarial attacks and input manipulation were also shown to compromise diagnostic performance and system integrity. CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides empirical evidence suggesting that contemporary AI systems in healthcare introduce privacy and security risks that may challenge traditional assumptions about data protection. These findings underscore the need for privacy- and security-by-design approaches and governance frameworks that address risks across the AI lifecycle.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Revisiting somatosensory evoked potentials in motor neuron diseases: neurophysiological insights from a large cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically investigate Somatosensory Evoked Potential (SEP) abnormalities in a large cohort of patients with Motor Neuron Disease (MND), and to explore their relationship with Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) and clinical phenotypes. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 267 patients with confirmed MND who underwent standardized SEPs and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Patients were divided into pure/predominant Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) and pure/predominant Lower Motor Neuron/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (LMN/ALS) groups. SEP abnormalities were assessed using internal normative data, including prolonged latencies, reduced amplitudes, and increased N20-P25 amplitudes. MEPs were classified semi-quantitatively as normal or abnormal by independent raters. RESULTS: At least one SEP abnormality was detected in 75 % of patients, with no significant differences between the UMN and LMN/ALS groups. Increased N20-P25 amplitudes were observed in both phenotypes, suggesting widespread sensory cortical hyperexcitability across the MND spectrum. In contrast, abnormal MEPs were significantly more frequent in UMN patients (p < 0.001). No significant association was found between SEP abnormalities and MEP findings. Upper- and lower-limb SEP latencies were strongly correlated (all p < 0.001), whereas increased SEP amplitudes did not correlate with latency abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: SEP abnormalities are highly prevalent in MND and appear largely independent from corticospinal dysfunction. Increased SEP amplitudes likely reflect primary cortical sensory hyperexcitability rather than impaired sensory conduction. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings support the concept of MND as a multisystem network disorder that involves sensory cortical circuits and highlight the role of SEPs in the diagnostic workup.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Clinical outcomes of zirconia dental restorations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the survival and success rates of zirconia dental restorations (ZDRs) and their complications. DATA & SOURCES: Electronic searches of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Web of Science were conducted up to January 1, 2026. Clinical studies with at least 1-year follow-up evaluating zirconia dental restorations in natural teeth were included. Survival rates, success rates, and biological and mechanical complications were analyzed. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and Joanna Briggs Institute tools (JBI). Certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. STUDY SELECTION & RESULTS: Sixty-six studies published between 2008 and 2025 were included. Pooled survival rates ranged from 92.9% to 98.7% up to 10 years for single crowns (SCs), 77.6% over 10 to 13 years for fixed dental prostheses (FPDs), 97.4% for resin-bonded FPDs (RBFPDs) over 10 to 15 years, from 50.0% to 52.6% over 9 to 13 years for conventional cantilever FPDs (CFPDs) and 89.0% for inlay-retained FPDs (IRFPDs) over 10 years. Pooled success rates were 46.1% for SCs over 10 years, 40.1% for FDPs over 10 to 13 years, 84.3% for RBDPDs over 10 to 15 years, 12.5% to 22.6% for CFPDs over 9 to 13 years and 70.3% for IRFPDs over 10 years. Biological and mechanical complication rates were 12.1% and 53.9% for SCs at 10 years, 19.4% and 46.7% for FPDs over 10 to 13 years, 50.0% and 37.5% for CFPDs at 9 years, 21.4% and 14.3% for IRFPDs at 3 years, and 3.3% and 8.0% for RBFPDs over 10 to 15 years. Restorations treated with airborne-particle abrasion (APA) combined with 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) achieved favorable short-term clinical outcomes, with pooled survival and success rates of 98.6% and 97.7% for SCs, and 98.1% and 70.1% for IRFPDs, respectively. The included studies were assessed as having low to moderate risk of bias using RoB 2, NOS, and JBI tools, but GRADE assessment yielded evidence of very low certainty. CONCLUSIONS: ZDRs generally demonstrated acceptable to excellent short- to long-term survival and success outcomes. Mid- to long-term clinical performance was varied according to restoration types. The RBFPDs had relatively low complication rates, followed by the SCs, the FPDs and the IRFPDs. CFPDs exhibited relatively low success rates and high complication rates. The predominant biological complications were secondary caries and pulpitis or apical periodontitis, while chipping and debonding were the most common mechanical complications. APA treatment followed by application of MDP is capable of producing favorable short-term clinical outcomes. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: ZDRs except for CFPDs could achieve favorable mid- to long-term clinical performance. CFPDs should be conducted with caution.

Zirconium↗

PubMed2026

Assay-dependent variability in peptide biomarker quantification: experimental evidence from renalase in chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Renalase is a promising biomarker for kidney disease, but published levels vary widely between studies. We hypothesised that variability in commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) kits and matrix effects (serum vs plasma) drive these inconsistencies. METHODS: Paired serum and plasma samples from 56 participants (28 chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 2-5, 28 healthy controls) were tested using three commercial renalase ELISAs (BTLAB, Cloud-Clone, EIAab). We assessed intra-assay precision, inter-assay agreement (Spearman's rank correlation and Bland-Altman analysis on log10-transformed values), matrix effects, and associations with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Diagnostic performance was evaluated by Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Inter-assay renalase concentrations differed markedly (up to orders of magnitude), with weak inter-assay correlations (r ≤ 0.25). Bland-Altman analyses revealed large, systematic biases between kits. Only the BTLAB assay showed consistent serum/plasma agreement, a significant correlation with eGFR (ρ ≈ 0.32-0.42, p < 0.05), and moderate discriminatory performance for CKD in serum (AUC = 0.70) and plasma (AUC = 0.68). Cloud-Clone and EIAab produced divergent results and strong matrix-dependent biases. CONCLUSIONS: Observed variability among commercial ELISA platforms may compromise comparability between studies. Harmonisation, standardised reference materials, and cross-validation are necessary before renalase assays can be used reliably in clinical practice.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

The utility of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography in relapsing polychondritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare chronic autoimmune inflammation of the cartilage associated with life-threatening respiratory complications. Currently, no clear role of imaging modalities such as 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) is defined in the literature. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide current evidence on the PET-positivity rate and utility in relapsing polychondritis. Prospective or retrospective studies with more than five patients of suspected relapsing polychondritis who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT during their management and reported a PET-positivity rate were included. Low-sample-size studies describing chondritis due to other aetiologies or utilizing PET-based radiopharmaceuticals other than FDG were excluded. A systematic search using relevant keywords was conducted across four databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science) to include studies up to 25 April 2025. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used for risk-of-bias analysis. Data were analysed using the R software package (v4.3.1; 2023). Out of 962 articles, three with a total of 97 patients were included. With a pooled PET-positivity rate of 94% [95% confidence interval (CI): 73-99%, I2 = 0%, P = 0.76] and a pooled baseline SUVmax of 4.0 (95% CI: 3.5-4.6, I2 = 32%, P = 0.23), 18F-FDG PET identified asymptomatic cartilage involvement in more than 25% patients and PET parameters correlated well with inflammatory markers. It had a higher positivity rate for inaccessible sites, such as peripheral airways, and was crucial in treatment monitoring. The pooled PET-positivity rate of 18F-FDG PET in relapsing polychondritis is high but requires prospective large-sample-size studies to explore the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic implications of 18F-FDG PET in relapsing polychondritis.

Polychondritis, Relapsing↗