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PubMed2026

Primary pulmonary salivary gland-type tumors in cytopathology practice: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary salivary gland-type tumors (PSGTs) are rare but clinically significant tumors that originate from the submucosal glands of the tracheobronchial tree. Cytologic samples taken during bronchoscopy are a key component of preoperative evaluation. However, cytologic diagnosis remains challenging because of the submucosal growth and morphologic overlap of PSGTs. In addition, current knowledge of the cytohistologic correlation of PSGTs is fragmented. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of cytologic diagnoses of PSGTs. METHODS: A comprehensive, systematic literature search of the PubMed database was conducted to identify studies with cytologic and histologic diagnoses of PSGTs. Comprehensive data on diagnostic and clinical factors, when available, were collected for all individual patients. The data were tabulated in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using OpenMeta (Analyst) software. RESULTS: In total, 49 studies comprising 106 patients were identified. Final cytohistologic concordance was demonstrated in 48.1% of cases. Fine-needle aspiration showed the highest sensitivity (75.0%), followed by bronchial/tracheal washing (38.1%), and bronchial brushing (34.2%). Adenoid cystic carcinoma was the most common histologic subtype, accounting for 67 cases, followed by mucoepidermoid carcinoma, which accounted for 27 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The cytologic diagnosis of rare PSGTs remains challenging. Overall, cytohistologic concordance was 48.1%. However, fine-needle aspiration demonstrated greater diagnostic accuracy than exfoliative cytology and may facilitate a more accurate preoperative assessment.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Metatranscriptomic analysis of viral sequences associated with Culex nigripalpus at an Alabama aquaculture site.

Mosquitoes associated with aquaculture habitats can harbor diverse viruses, yet the viromes of many locally abundant species remain poorly characterized. At an aquaculture-associated site in Auburn, Alabama, we surveyed mosquito populations and found Culex nigripalpus to be the dominant species collected. To characterize viruses associated with this mosquito, we performed RNA-seq on pooled female Cx. nigripalpus and compared complementary bioinformatic workflows for viral detection and genome recovery. One workflow removed host-associated reads by mapping to the closest available mosquito reference genome prior to assembly, whereas a second workflow used fully de novo assembly and viral database annotation. Additional protein-level filtering, cross-workflow comparison, and comparison of Trinity and rnaSPAdes assemblies were used to prioritize well-supported viral candidates. Across the original analyses, 16 submitted accessions corresponding to 12 collapsed virus/name groups were recovered, including Merida virus, Hubei mosquito virus 5, Zhejiang mosquito virus, Hubei virga-like virus 3, Rinkaby virus, Elemess virus, Qingnian mosquito virus, Serbia narna-like virus 2, XiangYun narna-levi-like virus 8, Ecclesville picorna-like virus, and baculovirus-like fragments. Several candidates were supported across multiple workflows, while others were recovered only under specific analytical conditions, indicating that candidate recovery was influenced by assembly and filtering choices. Selected viral contigs were independently supported by RT-PCR amplification. Overall, these results provide a first characterization of viral sequences associated with Cx. nigripalpus from an Alabama aquaculture-associated site and show that comparison across assembly and filtering strategies helped prioritize the most consistently supported viral candidates.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Weight Loss without Food Intake Suppression through Size-Dependent Retention of Anti-Inflammatory Nanomedicines.

Obesity is a risk factor for high-mortality health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, which makes the advancement of efficacious and safe weight loss therapies a high priority in pharmacology. The causal link between obesity and its comorbid conditions is believed to be a chronic state of inflammation originating within adipose tissue, with macrophages playing central roles, an axis that is not targeted directly by current therapies. Here, we use nanocarriers to deliver an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid receptor agonist to adipose tissue macrophages and report the impact of size on therapeutic effect. Three dextran nanocarriers between 4-30 nm in hydrodynamic diameter released molecular drug cargo at equivalent rates and exhibited similar biological potency in vitro. In vivo in a mouse model of obesity, body weight and body fat were reduced in a size-dependent manner after 2-4 weeks of treatment. Unlike current clinical pharmacotherapies for weight loss, these body composition changes were not associated with changes in food intake. Greater retention of larger dextran nanocarriers in visceral adipose tissue appears to elicit a local change to promote browning by increasing mitochondrial abundance and lipid droplet fragmentation. Further development of this platform may result in a safe and potent modulator of adipose tissue in the state of obesity without direct action on nutrient intake to address malnutrition and lean body mass deficiencies observed with current weight loss pharmacotherapies.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Organizational bullying among nursing faculty: A systematic review of consequences, contributing factors, and interventions.

BACKGROUND: Organizational bullying among nursing faculty is a systemic and pervasive issue with profound psychological, professional, and institutional consequences. Despite increasing awareness, the literature remains fragmented, and a comprehensive synthesis is lacking. METHODS: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and examined empirical studies on organizational bullying among nursing faculty, with no date restrictions applied. A structured search across five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Embase) identified studies that met inclusion criteria related to the consequences, contributing factors, and interventions. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess study quality. RESULTS: Fifteen studies meeting the quality threshold were included. Organizational bullying was consistently associated with psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, depression, burnout, suicidal ideation), professional disengagement, and intent to leave. Contributing factors were categorized into structural and organizational (e.g., hierarchical power imbalances, toxic workplace culture), managerial and HR-related (e.g., lack of leadership support, poor reporting mechanisms), and individual/social (e.g., gender or ethnic discrimination, early-career vulnerability). Intervention strategies identified included policy reforms, leadership training, supportive reporting systems, and psychological support services, though evidence on their effectiveness remains limited. CONCLUSIONS: Organizational bullying in nursing academia is a serious and multifaceted challenge with detrimental effects on individuals and institutions. Addressing it requires a comprehensive, evidence-based approach that includes structural reforms, leadership development, and psychosocial support systems. Academic institutions must prioritize the creation of safe, inclusive, and respectful environments to retain faculty and sustain the quality of nursing education.

Faculty, Nursing↗

PubMed2026

Spatially confined electrochemical strategy with DNA-assembled nanogaps for SNP detection.

Accurate detection of low-abundance single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) against a large excess of homologous wild-type sequences requires both selective molecular recognition and effective transduction of small sequence differences into measurable signals. Here, we report a spatially confined electrochemical strategy that couples sequence-selective recognition with size-dependent mass-transport gating. DNA-hybridization-driven self-assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) forms a three-dimensional self-assembled electrode (3D-SAE) with a DNA-defined interparticle architecture. Competitive probes (SP/WP) convert single-base recognition into distinct molecular-size states: the SNP-associated pathway preferentially triggers a hybridization chain reaction (HCR), generating bulky AuNP-anchored HCR/methylene blue complexes (Au@HCR/MB) with reduced electrochemical accessibility through the porous 3D-SAE, whereas the wild-type pathway does not trigger HCR and maintains a high-current response from more readily accessible MB-containing species. Thus, sequence recognition is translated into a molecular-size difference and subsequently into an electrochemical signal through differential mass transport. Under buffer conditions, the platform achieved a statistically estimated detection limit of ∼0.47 fM and a quantitative range of 1 fM-100 pM. It discriminated a 0.1% mutant abundance in a fragmented genomic-DNA background. The downstream signal-transduction chemistry is enzyme-free and isothermal. This work establishes a mechanistical recognition-size-conversion-mass-transport-gating architecture for electrochemical nucleic acid analysis.

Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide↗

PubMed2026

Reference genome of the Californian trapdoor spider Aptostichus stephencolberti Bond 2008 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Euctenizidae).

We present a reference genome assembly for the trapdoor spider Aptostichus stephencolberti. This species, described in 2008, is endemic to the highly fragmented coastal dune habitats of Northern California from Monterey to the San Francisco Bay Area. Trapdoor spiders are ideal taxa for landscape scale genomic studies owing to their extreme site fidelity and limited dispersal capabilities; these same characteristics make them prone to extinction. Genomic studies of species like A. stephencolberti can reveal novel areas of endemism and high conservation value that may not be evident in species with wider ranges and greater dispersal capabilities. As part of the California Conservation Genomics Project, we constructed the A. stephencolberti reference genome from high quality long-read sequences, scaffolded with proximity ligation Omni-C data. The primary assembly comprises 551 scaffolds spanning 3.63 Gbp, a scaffold N50 of 62.2 Mbp and BUSCO completeness of 95.6%. We estimate 52 chromosomes yet find no (TTAGG)n telomer repeats. Expanding the telomeric repeat search finds an ancestral loss of the repeat from all spiders. Automated annotation using the NCBI refseq pipeline and RNAseq data from whole adults finds 14,067 genes with a BUSCO annotation completeness of 95.56%. Repeat annotation identified 77% of the genome to be interspersed repeats. This resource, the first for family Euctenizidae will facilitate future study and resulting conservation actions of A. stephencolberti and other Aptostichus sp. populations associated with the rapidly changing California coastal dune ecosystem.

Aptostichus stephencolberti↗

PubMed2026

Measuring economic efficiency in adult intensive care units: A systematic review of methods, metrics, and evidence.

OBJECTIVES: Intensive care units (ICUs) consume substantial hospital resources, yet "efficiency" is inconsistently defined and measured. This study systematically reviewed how economic efficiency has been conceptualised and quantified in adult ICUs and appraised the quality of evidence. METHODS: Following PRISMA 2020 and a PROSPERO-registered protocol (CRD420251107866), we searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Web of Science (2000-August 2025), plus global grey sources. Eligible studies explicitly defined efficiency and reported an efficiency metric/model linking ICU inputs (e.g., staff, beds/capacity, time, consumables, or costs) to outputs/outcomes (e.g., throughput/discharges, length of stay/resource use, risk-adjusted mortality). Dual independent screening and extraction were performed. Study quality was appraised using MMAT, and findings were synthesised narratively (SWiM), given heterogeneity. RESULTS: 39 studies (2001-2025) from 17 countries were included, all from high-income or upper-middle-income settings. Four methodological families were identified: (1) frontier modelling (predominantly DEA; occasional SFA/RFDH), (2) benchmarking indicators (risk-adjusted mortality and LOS/resource-use ratios; "efficiency matrix" quadrant classification), (3) cost-outcome evaluations, and (4) operational/process metrics. Across families, variation in decision-making units, input/output selection, and risk adjustment limited comparability; long-term and patient-reported outcomes were absent, and equity considerations were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: ICU efficiency research is feasible but fragmented and often methodologically limited. Standardised definitions, validated risk adjustment, uncertainty quantification, and inclusion of patient-centred and equity-relevant outcomes are needed before efficiency metrics can reliably inform value-based decision making.

Intensive Care Units↗

PubMed2026

Preregistration nursing student attrition and strategies to improve student retention in university; an umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: Attrition among preregistration nursing students remains a persistent international challenge, contributing to nursing workforce shortages. Although extensive research has examined factors influencing student attrition and retention, the evidence is fragmented across review-level literature, limiting clarity regarding priority and evidence-informed retention strategies. AIM: To synthesize review-level evidence on factors associated with preregistration nursing student attrition and to identify strategies that support student retention in university-based nursing programs. METHODS: An umbrella review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Six electronic databases were systematically searched for peer-reviewed literature reviews published in English between January 2016 and October 2025. Eligible reviews focused on undergraduate preregistration nursing students in face-to-face university programs. Methodological quality was appraised using the JBI critical appraisal checklist. Findings were synthesised using narrative and thematic approaches. RESULTS: Seventeen literature reviews were included. Attrition was consistently described as multifactorial, influenced by academic preparedness, psychosocial wellbeing, socio-demographic factors, and institutional support. Retention strategies reported across reviews were predominantly relational, developmental, and sustained over time, including mentoring, tutoring, academic skills development, psychosocial support, and interventions that foster belonging. Faculty engagement and holistic approaches were repeatedly associated with improved student persistence. However, the evidence base was largely descriptive, with limited experimental evaluation of intervention effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Preregistration nursing student retention is best supported through multifaceted, sustained strategies that begin at admission and extend throughout the curriculum. While current evidence highlights consistent patterns of effective support, further rigorous research is required to evaluate retention interventions and extend evidence to flexible nursing education pathways.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Tracking microplastic contamination across seasons in a freshwater reservoir: Evidence from surface water, sediments, and fishes.

Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent contaminants in aquatic environments, posing substantial ecological and health risks. These particles migrate within the different layers of aquatic bodies with time and affect the respective biota. Thus, to get an in-depth understanding of the particles, this current study investigated the seasonal distribution, morphological and chemical characteristics, along with potential ecological and human health impacts in the samples including surface water, sediment, and fish from a drinking water supplying reservoir in eastern India. Across three different seasons, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon samples were collected using optimized methods. Results revealed distinct seasonal trends: MP abundance in surface water peaked during the monsoon (mean: 1.15 MPs/L), while sediment showed the highest concentrations in the pre-monsoon (mean: 596 MPs/kg), indicating temporal accumulation dynamics influenced by runoff, hydrodynamics, and sedimentation. Fish gut analysis confirmed ingestion of MPs across five species, with concentrations ranging from 26 to 100 MPs/kg, depending on feeding habits. The most dominant MP type were fragments, followed by fibers, films, and beads. Polymer analysis via µFTIR identified polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride as prevalent, with hazard assessments (i.e., Polymer Hazard Index (PHI)) indicating medium to very high ecological risks. Heavy metal association was more dominant in the MPs isolated from sediments than the waterborne MPs. Pollution Load Index (PLI) values were > 1 in most seasons, confirming contamination. Health risk analysis suggested potential exposure through both drinking water and fish consumption. This study emphasizes the need for seasonal monitoring, improved waste management, and mitigation strategies to address MP pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

Microplastics↗

PubMed2026

Microplastic contamination in South Asian commercially important seafood: A comprehensive assessment of occurrence, source, and human health risk.

Seafood is a cornerstone of global food security and human nutrition, serving as the primary source of animal protein for more than one-fourth of the global population, with South Asia representing one of the world's fastest-growing seafood-consuming regions. However, escalating microplastic (MP) pollution in marine ecosystems poses an emerging threat to seafood safety and human health, yet a comprehensive regional assessment of MP contamination in South Asian seafood remains lacking. This study presents the first region-wide systematic synthesis of the literature on MP contamination in commercially important seafood across South Asia, integrating occurrence patterns, human exposure assessment, polymer-specific hazard evaluation, and bibliometric analysis to address this critical knowledge gap. The meta-analysis estimated an average microplastic exposure of 145 particles/person/day through seafood consumption in South Asia, with fish contributing the highest intake (121 particles/person/day). The detected polymers were classified into PHI hazard levels I-IV, with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), and polyacrylamide (PAM) representing the highest hazard categories. The mean pollution load index (PLI) was 7.71 (Category I), with crustaceans exhibiting the highest contamination (PLI = 10.07). Polypropylene was the predominant polymer, whereas fragments and blue particles were the most frequently reported microplastic characteristics. These findings provide the first regional baseline for assessing microplastic contamination, polymer-associated hazards, and human exposure through seafood consumption in South Asia, underscoring the need for standardized monitoring and targeted mitigation strategies to safeguard seafood safety and public health.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Medication safety in older adults in India: an integrative PhD synthesis of direct evidence and contextual implementation evidence.

BACKGROUND: Unsafe medication practices among older adults are an important global health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where multimorbidity, fragmented care, self-medication, and informal healthcare provision intersect. OBJECTIVE(S): To synthesize direct evidence on medication safety among older adults in India and contextual evidence on deprescribing and community-level provider interventions relevant to safer medication use. METHODS: This PhD synthesis integrates four studies: a record-based cross-sectional study on polypharmacy and cardiovascular autonomic function in Kolkata; a six-city community study of 600 Indian older adults; a systematic review and meta-analysis on deprescribing preventive medications in frail or end-of-life older adults; and a systematic review of informal healthcare provider interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Studies I-II provided direct Indian older-adult evidence, while Studies III-IV provided indirect contextual evidence for their optimization and implementation. RESULTS: Polypharmacy was associated with higher anticholinergic burden and numerically higher cardiac autonomic neuropathy although residual confounding limits causal interpretation. In the multicity study, one-third had polypharmacy, while potentially inappropriate medications, prescribing omissions, and self-medication were common. Risks were higher with multimorbidity, recent hospitalization, care transitions, or living alone. Deprescribing showed no statistically significant increase in mortality, hospitalization, or major cardiovascular events, but heterogeneity was high and certainty low to very low. Informal-provider interventions showed the potential to improve knowledge, referral, case management, and medication-related practices. CONCLUSIONS: Medication safety among older adults in India requires an integrated continuum approach, but direct evidence supports only some components and implementation strategies that need prospective evaluation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

The Role of Small Segmental Duplications in Generating Identical Isoforms Through Alternative Splicing Sites.

Alternative splicing plays a crucial role in expanding proteomic diversity but can also generate identical isoforms under certain conditions. While mutually exclusive splicing of tandem exons has occasionally been reported to produce identical isoforms, the extent to which other splicing events contribute to this phenomenon remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that alternative 5' and 3' splice site selection can also lead to the formation of identical isoforms, providing an additional type of splicing event for functional redundancy in transcriptomes. To address this, we analyzed reference genome annotations from 15 plant species, including Arabidopsis thaliana and wheat (Triticum aestivum), obtained from the RefSeq database. Identical isoforms were computationally defined as transcripts with distinct exon-intron structures but identical coding sequences. Our analysis reveals that the majority of alternative 5' and 3' fragments originate from small segmental duplications, suggesting that sequence repetition within gene regions facilitates the emergence of such splicing patterns. We also observed differences in the annotated 5' UTRs of some identical isoforms. However, since the alternative splicing sites themselves were not located within UTRs, these differences may reflect annotation uncertainty rather than genuine AS-derived variation. Given that UTR predictions in reference databases are not always precise, such observations should be interpreted cautiously. Expression analysis using an isoform-specific k-mer approach confirmed that identical isoforms can be differentially regulated. These findings suggest that, beyond expanding protein diversity, alternative splicing can also generate redundant isoforms that are differentially expressed at the RNA level, indicating potential regulatory roles. By elucidating the structural and regulatory factors contributing to the formation and retention of identical isoforms, our study provides new insights into the evolutionary and functional significance of alternative splicing in plants.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed2026

Meta-analysis of growth and inactivation kinetics of Legionella.

Quantitative risk assessments intended to inform evidence-based water management plans and public health targets for Legionella in engineered water systems are constrained by fragmented and heterogeneous growth and inactivation kinetics. We conducted a meta-analysis of 25 growth and 39 thermal- and chemical-inactivation studies, fitting microbial persistence models to harmonize parameters. Nonlinear models outperformed first-order formulations, indicating that lag phases and resistant or protected subpopulations are central to Legionella persistence. Random forest analysis identified environmental and methodological drivers of variability based on 226 growth rates and reduction times for thermal (209) and chemical (135) inactivation. Growth was primarily governed by temperature, nutrient availability, and compatible Legionella-host pairings; thermal inactivation by quantification method, temperature, and turbidity; and chemical inactivation by inoculum size, disinfectant type, concentration, and host-associations. Accordingly, temperature-dependent growth parameters and exposure metrics for heat, free-chlorine, and monochloramine, expressed as TT (Temperature×time) and CT (Concentration×time), were derived as condition-specific inputs for predictive models. Growth optima around 37-40 °C, together with lag-time estimates, indicate that hot-water temperature setbacks and energy-saving practices may favor Legionella proliferation under repeated or prolonged lukewarm exposure. Culture- and viability-based TT differences highlight the need to consider viable‑but-non-culturable persistence in monitoring programs. CT comparisons suggest monochloramine may be advantageous because of its lower apparent sensitivity to host-associated protection. Although limited by restricted experimental conditions, the findings show that predictive models should account for microbial ecology, water matrix effects, and quantification endpoints. Future kinetic studies should prioritize realistic multi-host systems, strain pre-adaptation, complementary viability measurements, and standardized protocols and reporting to ensure reproducibility and enable robust system-level predictive modeling.

Legionella↗

PubMed2026

First identification and molecular subtyping of Blastocystis spp. in donkeys in Aksaray province, Türkiye.

Blastocystis is a common intestinal protist worldwide that can infect humans and animals. Although its molecular epidemiology in Türkiye is mostly focused primarily on humans and livestock, equids have received limited attention despite their traditional roles and frequent contact with humans and other animals in rural environments. This study aimed to determine the molecular prevalence and subtype (ST) distribution of Blastocystis spp. in donkeys in Aksaray Province, providing the first molecular data on donkeys in Türkiye. A total of 182 fresh fecal samples were collected from donkeys in nine villages within Aksaray province. Genomic DNA was extracted, and the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene fragment of Blastocystis spp. was amplified via PCR analysis. Positive isolates were sequenced bidirectionally for identification and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis in donkeys. The overall molecular prevalence of Blastocystis spp. in donkeys was 4.4% (8/182). The infection rate was higher in young donkeys (under 3 years old; 8.33%) than in adults (3 years or older; 2.46%). However, this difference was not statistically significant. Sequence analysis of the positive PCR products revealed the presence of one known livestock-specific subtype, ST10. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the ST10 isolates characterized in this study clustered with isolates identified from different hosts. This study provides the first molecular data on Blastocystis presence in donkeys in Türkiye. The exclusive detection of ST10 suggests potential cross-species transmission, likely facilitated by the traditional practice of co-housing donkeys with other animals in confined barns. These findings indicate that donkeys may contribute to Blastocystis transmission, underscoring the importance of a "One Health" approach in future epidemiological surveillance.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Polygenic risk scores in major depressive disorder: A systematic review across diagnostic, treatment, course/severity, and subtype domains.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is heterogeneous across diagnostic, treatment-related, course/severity, and subtype domains. Polygenic risk score (PRS) studies have examined these domains, but differences in PRS sources, samples, methods, and endpoint definitions have fragmented the evidence. We synthesised findings and examined potential contributors to heterogeneity. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for studies published from January 2016 through 25 November 2025. Result records were synthesised using SWiM, and certainty was assessed with an adapted GRADE framework. RESULTS: Sixty studies contributed 493 retained records; 450 were descriptively classified as positive, null, or reverse, although records were not independent. Positive findings accounted for 44/56 diagnostic, 61/273 treatment-related, 64/100 course/severity, and 14/21 subtype records. For MDD/depression-derived PRSs and case-control MDD status, all 10 contributing studies showed higher liability in cases (exploratory exact sign test p = 0.002; FDR q = 0.004). The same PRS group showed positive findings for overall depressive symptom severity (14/18), although the study-level test was imprecise (5/5 studies; p = 0.063). Pharmacological response/remission findings for these PRSs were mostly null or directionally mixed (10 positive, 18 null, and 9 reverse). Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) findings differed by operational definition. Atypical and psychotic subtype signals arose mainly from single-study PRS and endpoint contrasts. CONCLUSIONS: PRS evidence was clearest for MDD diagnostic status and showed a tentative pattern for overall symptom burden. Treatment and subtype findings were less consistent or less replicated. Larger, ancestrally diverse studies with standardised endpoints and transparent PRS methods are needed.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Patterns and implications of co-use between vaping and hallucinogens: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The co-occurrence use of e-cigarettes and hallucinogens has become increasingly common, particularly among youth and young adults. However, evidence regarding the association between these behaviors remains limited and fragmented. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize current evidence, examining the correlation between hallucinogen use and the likelihood of being an e-cigarette user. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL up to June 2025. Eligible studies measured both hallucinogen and e-cigarette use and reported quantitative associations between these behaviors. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessments were performed independently by three reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model (REML). Certainty of evidence was evaluated with the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 247,904), and seven were included in the meta-analysis (n = 217,478). The pooled analysis demonstrated that hallucinogen users had 4.47 times higher odds of being e-cigarette users (OR: 4.47, 95% CI 2.72 to 7.34; p < 0.001; I2 = 95.7%, n = 7). The certainty of evidence was rated as low. CONCLUSIONS: Hallucinogen use is directionally and strongly associated with e-cigarette use across diverse populations. Although the direction of association was consistent across studies, the magnitude of effect was heterogeneous. These behaviors likely share psychosocial and environmental determinants, although alternative explanations, including shared genetic liability, recall bias, and residual confounding, cannot be excluded. Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms of this association and establish temporality. The findings also support integrating hallucinogen-use screening into e-cigarette prevention and harm-reduction programs targeting youth and young adults.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Targeting Both Oncogenic Signaling and Dependence Receptor Function is Required to Fully Suppress MET Exon 14 Skipping-Driven tumorigenesis.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) classically function as oncogenic drivers that promote survival and proliferation upon ligand binding. A subset of RTKs can also function as dependence receptors, inducing apoptosis in the absence of their ligands. Genetic alterations that enhance RTK signaling are well characterized in cancer and can be targeted with kinase inhibitors, which show limited efficacy in some clinical settings. Elucidation of whether oncogenic mutations can promote tumorigenesis by directly abolishing the pro-apoptotic activity of dependence receptors could help improve strategies to target RTKs. Here, we identified MET exon 14 skipping (METex14Del) as a paradigmatic example of an oncogenic alteration that drives tumorigenesis through genetic inactivation of the dependence receptor function of an RTK. METex14Del removed both the caspase cleavage site and adjacent CBL-binding motif, preventing generation of the pro-apoptotic p40MET fragment while sustaining oncogenic MET signaling. Uncoupling regulatory functions of MET using genome editing showed that loss of apoptosis capacity is a critical determinant of METex14Del-driven tumorigenesis. Combined-but not individual-mutation of the caspase and CBL sites was sufficient to recapitulate resistance to apoptosis and tumor growth induced by METex14Del in HGF-humanized mouse models. Importantly, inducible re-expression of p40MET in METex14Del-expressing cells restored apoptotic sensitivity, decreased tumor formation in vivo, and resensitized tumors to capmatinib. Together, these findings redefine RTKs as receptors with dual oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions and show that disruption of dependence receptor-mediated apoptosis is an oncogenic mechanism. These results provide a conceptual framework explaining why therapies targeting only RTK signaling may fail and support strategies restoring dependence receptor function to achieve durable tumor suppression.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Thyroid-joint crosstalk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunction in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Recent observational studies outlined the concomitant presence of autoimmune diseases in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), including endocrine autoimmunity. Despite the growing evidence of thyroid involvement in JIA, available data are heterogeneous and fragmented. We aimed to systematically review the available evidence on the prevalence of thyroid autoantibody positivity and thyroid dysfunction in patients with JIA. METHODS: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were approached to identify studies reporting data on thyroid autoantibody positivity and dysfunction in children with JIA. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies were included in the final analysis, encompassing 19 015 children with JIA (13 225 females, 69.6%) with a weighted mean age of 8.0 years (range 1.8-21 years). The pooled prevalence estimates of antithyroid antibody positivity and thyroid dysfunction were 0.04 (95% CI: 0.03-0.05) and 0.04 (95% CI: 0.03-0.08), respectively. The risk difference for thyroid autoantibody positivity between children with JIA and controls was 0.08 (95% CI: 0.02-0.14). Possible risk factors were analyzed: the presence of family history for thyroid autoimmune disease (odds ratio - OR 3.91, 95% CI 1.86-8.25), concurrent Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) positivity (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.13-2.31), and older age (MD 2.10 years, 95% CI 1.32-2.89) were associated with thyroid autoantibody positivity and/or thyroid dysfunction in children with JIA. No significant difference emerged for the specific JIA form. CONCLUSION: Thyroid dysfunction may be detected in children with JIA, with a significant risk difference in comparison to healthy controls. Specific clinical characteristics, such as family history, ANA positivity, and older age at JIA onset, may suggest which patients should benefit from thyroid autoantibody screening.

Humans↗