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Exploratory AI-Assisted In Silico Evidence That Bacterial Signaling Molecules May Occupy a Drug-Like Pharmacokinetic Space: A Preliminary Comparative Cheminformatics Analysis and Candidate Identification
Maxwel Adriano Abegg
Posted: 11 February 2026
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Therapeutic Impact, Neurobiological Mechanisms, and Evidence-Based Outcomes (2018-2026)
Luis Miguel Gallardo
Posted: 11 February 2026
Morbidity and Mortality Patterns of Lassa Fever at a Tertiary Treatment Centre in Southern Nigeria: A Five-Year Retrospective Review
Samuel O. Adeleye
,Susan J. Akhere
Background: Lassa fever remains a major public health challenge in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria where recurrent outbreaks continue to place pressure on health systems. Facility-based analyses are important for understanding morbidity and mortality trends in endemic regions. Objective: To assess morbidity and mortality trends of Lassa fever among patients managed at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital over a five-year period. Methods: A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria. Case records of all patients with confirmed Lassa fever managed between January 2018 and August 2022 were reviewed. Data were extracted using a structured checklist and analysed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise socio-demographic, clinical and outcome variables. Results: A total of 191 Lassa fever case records met the eligibility criteria. The estimated mean age was 26.0 ± 18.8 years, with most patients younger than 30 years. There was a slight male predominance (52.4%). Admissions peaked in 2018 (47.1%) and declined thereafter. Most patients presented within five days of symptom onset (46.1%), although 17.8% presented after more than 11 days. The most common symptoms were fever (91.1%), vomiting (50.3%), headache (46.6%), and anorexia (46.1%), while haemorrhagic manifestations were uncommon (4.7%). The overall case fatality rate was 13.6%. Most hospital admissions lasted 6–15 days. Conclusion: Lassa fever remains an important cause of hospital admission and mortality in Edo State. Although mortality in this cohort was within previously reported hospital-based ranges, delayed presentation and non-specific clinical features remain challenges for early diagnosis. Strengthening surveillance systems, improving early detection, and enhancing infection prevention practices are essential to reducing Lassa fever morbidity and mortality in endemic settings.
Background: Lassa fever remains a major public health challenge in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria where recurrent outbreaks continue to place pressure on health systems. Facility-based analyses are important for understanding morbidity and mortality trends in endemic regions. Objective: To assess morbidity and mortality trends of Lassa fever among patients managed at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital over a five-year period. Methods: A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria. Case records of all patients with confirmed Lassa fever managed between January 2018 and August 2022 were reviewed. Data were extracted using a structured checklist and analysed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise socio-demographic, clinical and outcome variables. Results: A total of 191 Lassa fever case records met the eligibility criteria. The estimated mean age was 26.0 ± 18.8 years, with most patients younger than 30 years. There was a slight male predominance (52.4%). Admissions peaked in 2018 (47.1%) and declined thereafter. Most patients presented within five days of symptom onset (46.1%), although 17.8% presented after more than 11 days. The most common symptoms were fever (91.1%), vomiting (50.3%), headache (46.6%), and anorexia (46.1%), while haemorrhagic manifestations were uncommon (4.7%). The overall case fatality rate was 13.6%. Most hospital admissions lasted 6–15 days. Conclusion: Lassa fever remains an important cause of hospital admission and mortality in Edo State. Although mortality in this cohort was within previously reported hospital-based ranges, delayed presentation and non-specific clinical features remain challenges for early diagnosis. Strengthening surveillance systems, improving early detection, and enhancing infection prevention practices are essential to reducing Lassa fever morbidity and mortality in endemic settings.
Posted: 11 February 2026
MRI and Ultrasound of the Thoracolumbar Fascia in the Settings of Degenerative Spinal Diseases
Noa Martonovich
,Clara De Luca
,Caterina Fede
,Andrea Angelini
,Pietro Ruggieri
,Carla Stecco
,Carmelo Pirri
Background and Objectives: The thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) has been implicated in low back pain, but imaging-based characterization in specific degenerative lumbar pathologies—particularly in surgical cohorts—remains limited. To evaluate TLF thickness on Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound (US) across common lumbar pathologies, examine associations with age, body mass index, disability, and assess MRI–US agreement for TLF thickness. Materials and Methods: In this prospective single-centre cohort, adults scheduled for elective lumbar surgery underwent preoperative US (short- and long-axis at L3) and review of routine lumbar MRI (axial and sagittal T1-weighted measurements at L3) using standardized protocols. Disability was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Group comparisons, correlation analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to evaluate between-diagnosis differences, patient-factor associations, and MRI–US agreement. Results: Thirty-seven patients were eligible (15 lumbar spinal stenosis, 5 discs herniations, 4 spondylolisthesis, 2 scoliosis, 9 revision surgeries, 2 trauma comparators). Median TLF thickness was 0.86 mm (0.16–1.40) on axial MRI, 1.12 mm (0.47–2.33) on sagittal MRI, 2.38 mm (1.01–5.91) on US short-axis, and 2.87 mm (1.12–5.74) on US long-axis. Axial MRI thickness differed across groups (p=0.010), driven by thinner measurements in trauma versus disc herniation (p=0.031); no significant group effects were observed on sagittal MRI or US. Age correlated positively with axial MRI thickness (p=0.021). No significant correlations were detected between ODI and TLF thickness on MRI or US. MRI–US agreement was poor, indicating the modalities are not interchangeable for TLF thickness measurement. Conclusions: TLF thickness measured on MRI and US did not consistently differentiate diagnostic groups and was not associated with disability. Thickness estimates differed substantially by modality, with poor MRI–US agreement. Larger studies with standardized acquisition and reliability testing are needed to clarify the clinical and mechanistic relevance of TLF imaging in degenerative lumbar disease and to determine whether it can support phenotype-based stratification within degenerative spine disease.
Background and Objectives: The thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) has been implicated in low back pain, but imaging-based characterization in specific degenerative lumbar pathologies—particularly in surgical cohorts—remains limited. To evaluate TLF thickness on Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound (US) across common lumbar pathologies, examine associations with age, body mass index, disability, and assess MRI–US agreement for TLF thickness. Materials and Methods: In this prospective single-centre cohort, adults scheduled for elective lumbar surgery underwent preoperative US (short- and long-axis at L3) and review of routine lumbar MRI (axial and sagittal T1-weighted measurements at L3) using standardized protocols. Disability was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Group comparisons, correlation analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to evaluate between-diagnosis differences, patient-factor associations, and MRI–US agreement. Results: Thirty-seven patients were eligible (15 lumbar spinal stenosis, 5 discs herniations, 4 spondylolisthesis, 2 scoliosis, 9 revision surgeries, 2 trauma comparators). Median TLF thickness was 0.86 mm (0.16–1.40) on axial MRI, 1.12 mm (0.47–2.33) on sagittal MRI, 2.38 mm (1.01–5.91) on US short-axis, and 2.87 mm (1.12–5.74) on US long-axis. Axial MRI thickness differed across groups (p=0.010), driven by thinner measurements in trauma versus disc herniation (p=0.031); no significant group effects were observed on sagittal MRI or US. Age correlated positively with axial MRI thickness (p=0.021). No significant correlations were detected between ODI and TLF thickness on MRI or US. MRI–US agreement was poor, indicating the modalities are not interchangeable for TLF thickness measurement. Conclusions: TLF thickness measured on MRI and US did not consistently differentiate diagnostic groups and was not associated with disability. Thickness estimates differed substantially by modality, with poor MRI–US agreement. Larger studies with standardized acquisition and reliability testing are needed to clarify the clinical and mechanistic relevance of TLF imaging in degenerative lumbar disease and to determine whether it can support phenotype-based stratification within degenerative spine disease.
Posted: 11 February 2026
BiLSTM Guided LPA Planning, Re-Planning, and Backtracking for Effective and Efficient Emergency Evacuation
Ramzi Djemai
,Hamza Kheddar
,Mohamed Chahine Ghanem
,Karim Ouazzane
,Erivelton Nepomuceno
Posted: 11 February 2026
How Effective Public Policies Improve Farmers’ Economic Welfare: The Serial Mediating Roles of Innovation Adoption and Productivity in Tobacco Farming
Suyanto
,Danardana Murwani
,Sopiah
,Agung Winarno
,Syaiful Hasani
,Mirhamida Rahmah
Posted: 11 February 2026
Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviors of Healthcare Professionals Regarding Seasonal Influenza Vaccination: An Umbrella Review
Kougioumtzoglou I.
,Maniadakis N.
,Kouvelas D.
,Kostaki E.-G.
,Selekos N.
,Koulouvari A.
,Lagiou A.
Background: Seasonal influenza remains a major public health challenge worldwide, causing significant morbidity each year and imposing substantial burdens on individuals, healthcare systems and national economies. Vaccination is considered the most effective available strategy for prevention; however, uptake rates vary considerably across countries, with many failing to achieve the recommended coverage levels. The aim of this review is to examine the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of healthcare professionals worldwide regarding seasonal influenza vaccination. Methods: This is an umbrella review, according to the PRISMA Statement 2020, searching PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. The following search terms were used: beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, influenza vaccination, flu vaccine, health professionals, primary health care. Selection criteria were the following: 1) Reviews, 2) Published after 1/1/2000, 3) English language 4) Healthcare professionals as target-population. Results: Twenty-five studies met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Twelve out of 25 studies were systematic reviews. Globally, vaccination uptake among healthcare professionals remains below recommended national and international targets. North America demonstrates the highest vaccination coverage, while the lowest coverage is reported in Africa and South America. Overall, low- and middle-income countries show significantly lower vaccination behavior compared with high-income countries. Attitudes and beliefs appear to shape vaccination behavior in high-income countries. The main driver of acceptance is perceived protection of oneself and family, whereas hesitancy is mainly driven by concerns about side effects and vaccine safety. Across studies, non-physician healthcare professionals consistently demonstrated lower influenza vaccine acceptance compared with physicians while pediatricians and general practitioners were found to receive the influenza vaccine more frequently. In addition, younger physicians and those with fewer years of professional experience showed higher vaccination coverage and a greater likelihood of recommending influenza vaccination to patients. Conclusions: Vaccination coverage, worldwide, is lower than what is recommended by the World Health Organization. Healthcare professionals, working in hospital settings, tend to be vaccinated at a higher rate and are more likely to recommend the vaccine to their patients. The recommendations that health professionals give are influenced by whether they accept influenza vaccines themselves. Beliefs and attitudes seem to influence behavior in countries where structural barriers, such as limited access to primary healthcare and socio-economic status are absent.
Background: Seasonal influenza remains a major public health challenge worldwide, causing significant morbidity each year and imposing substantial burdens on individuals, healthcare systems and national economies. Vaccination is considered the most effective available strategy for prevention; however, uptake rates vary considerably across countries, with many failing to achieve the recommended coverage levels. The aim of this review is to examine the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of healthcare professionals worldwide regarding seasonal influenza vaccination. Methods: This is an umbrella review, according to the PRISMA Statement 2020, searching PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. The following search terms were used: beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, influenza vaccination, flu vaccine, health professionals, primary health care. Selection criteria were the following: 1) Reviews, 2) Published after 1/1/2000, 3) English language 4) Healthcare professionals as target-population. Results: Twenty-five studies met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Twelve out of 25 studies were systematic reviews. Globally, vaccination uptake among healthcare professionals remains below recommended national and international targets. North America demonstrates the highest vaccination coverage, while the lowest coverage is reported in Africa and South America. Overall, low- and middle-income countries show significantly lower vaccination behavior compared with high-income countries. Attitudes and beliefs appear to shape vaccination behavior in high-income countries. The main driver of acceptance is perceived protection of oneself and family, whereas hesitancy is mainly driven by concerns about side effects and vaccine safety. Across studies, non-physician healthcare professionals consistently demonstrated lower influenza vaccine acceptance compared with physicians while pediatricians and general practitioners were found to receive the influenza vaccine more frequently. In addition, younger physicians and those with fewer years of professional experience showed higher vaccination coverage and a greater likelihood of recommending influenza vaccination to patients. Conclusions: Vaccination coverage, worldwide, is lower than what is recommended by the World Health Organization. Healthcare professionals, working in hospital settings, tend to be vaccinated at a higher rate and are more likely to recommend the vaccine to their patients. The recommendations that health professionals give are influenced by whether they accept influenza vaccines themselves. Beliefs and attitudes seem to influence behavior in countries where structural barriers, such as limited access to primary healthcare and socio-economic status are absent.
Posted: 11 February 2026
Development and Comprehensive Evaluation of 3D-Printed Prosthetics Feet: Modelling, Testing and a Pilot Gait Study
Anton Kurakin
,Anton Sergeev
,Darya Korostovskaya
,Anna Kurenkova
,Vladimir Serdyukov
Posted: 11 February 2026
Barriers to the Uptake of Praziquantel and Albendazole for Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in Primary Schools Without Feeding Programs During Mass Drug Administration in Malawi: A Qualitative Study
James Simwanza
,Tisungane Chitimbe
,Rejoice Msiska
,Andrew Ngulube
,Kalua Khumbo
Posted: 11 February 2026
Incidental Gallbladder Carcinoma Detected in Routine Cholecystectomy Specimens: A Fifteen-Year Evaluation from a Tertiary Referral Center
Gokay Cetinkaya
,Ahmet Baskent
,Mehmet Furkan Baskent
,Hasan Fehmi Kucuk
Posted: 11 February 2026
Measuring Velocity Using Moving Clocks—The Surprising Test of Tangherlini’s Theory
Andrew Wutke
Posted: 11 February 2026
Plant-Derived Amino-Acid vs. Bovine-Derived Protein Human Milk Fortifier in Preterm Infants < 34 Weeks’ Gestation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Nikhil Kumar M.
,Viraraghavan Vadakkencherry Ramaswamy
,Nasreen Banu Shaik
,Laxman Basany
,Abid Ali Hasan Ali
,V. Sree Ramya
Posted: 11 February 2026
Understanding the Optical Behavior and Spectral Signature of Dredging-Induced Plumes in Coastal Waters
David Doxaran
,Isabella Mayot
,Liesbeth De Keukelaere
,Robrecht Moelans
,Niels Verdoodt
,Els Knaeps
Posted: 11 February 2026
The Mathematical Foundations of Constrained Object Hierarchies-A Universal Framework for World Modeling, General Intelligence and Agentic Systems
Harris Wang
Posted: 11 February 2026
Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Clinical Review of Diagnostic Features, Genetics, Current Management and an Update on Targeted and Immunotherapies
Murad Mir
,Hardeep Singh Mudhar
,Mandeep S. Sagoo
,Stephen Gichuhi
,Yamini Krishna
Posted: 11 February 2026
Geometric Origin of the Hydrogen Lamb Shift from Riemann Zeta Zeros
Felipe Oliveira Souto
Posted: 11 February 2026
An Improved Column Generation Algorithm Based on Minimum-Norm Multipliers
Dingfang Su
,Jie Tao
,Jiaxu Huang
,Erzhan Gao
Posted: 11 February 2026
Enhancement of the Wastewater Treatment Process of a Petro System by Natural and Commercial Coagulants
Phillimon Tlamelo Odirile
,Nkgopolang Matthews Boima
Posted: 11 February 2026
Primary and Hepatogenous Photosensitization in Livestock: A Review of Plant-Derived Phototoxins and Veterinary Implications
Evelin Ramóna Péli
,Dániel Cserhalmi
Photosensitisation is a clinically significant dermatological and systemic disorder affecting grazing livestock worldwide. The condition arises following the ingestion or dermal exposure to photodynamic compounds that, upon activation by ultraviolet (UV) or visible light, induce tissue injury. Plant‑associated photosensitisation remains one of the most important aetiological categories in veterinary toxicology and may occur via primary (direct phototoxic) or secondary (hepatogenous) mechanisms. This review synthesises current knowledge on the occurrence of photosensitising compounds in plants, their biochemical and toxicodynamic properties, and their clinical relevance in livestock species. Emphasis is placed on major primary photosensitising taxa, including Heracleum spp. and Hypericum perforatum, as well as hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid‑containing plants such as Senecio spp. Mechanistic pathways, plant metabolite ecology, and toxicopathological outcomes are discussed alongside illustrative case material. The review aims to provide a consolidated veterinary toxicology framework for understanding plant‑associated photosensitisation in grazing systems.
Photosensitisation is a clinically significant dermatological and systemic disorder affecting grazing livestock worldwide. The condition arises following the ingestion or dermal exposure to photodynamic compounds that, upon activation by ultraviolet (UV) or visible light, induce tissue injury. Plant‑associated photosensitisation remains one of the most important aetiological categories in veterinary toxicology and may occur via primary (direct phototoxic) or secondary (hepatogenous) mechanisms. This review synthesises current knowledge on the occurrence of photosensitising compounds in plants, their biochemical and toxicodynamic properties, and their clinical relevance in livestock species. Emphasis is placed on major primary photosensitising taxa, including Heracleum spp. and Hypericum perforatum, as well as hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid‑containing plants such as Senecio spp. Mechanistic pathways, plant metabolite ecology, and toxicopathological outcomes are discussed alongside illustrative case material. The review aims to provide a consolidated veterinary toxicology framework for understanding plant‑associated photosensitisation in grazing systems.
Posted: 11 February 2026
Concept and Feasibility of Heliocentric Artificial Planets for Scalable Power Generation and Autonomous Space Infrastructure
Jeongsik Choi
Posted: 11 February 2026
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