Category: Nevin Manimala

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 May 28;197(6):688. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14124-0.

ABSTRACT

Industrial development has caused significant environmental damage, especially through potentially toxic element (PTE) pollution. Combining pollution indices, health risk assessment, spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I), and receptor modeling (APCS/MLR), this study quantified sources and risks of heavy metals in smelting-adjacent farmland soils, facilitating targeted PTE pollution mitigation. Soil analysis revealed significantly elevated mean concentrations of As (326 mg/kg), Cd (23 mg/kg), Cr (104 mg/kg), Cu (106 mg/kg), Ni (73 mg/kg), Pb (274 mg/kg), and Zn (660 mg/kg), all exceeding Yunnan provincial background values. The average total non-carcinogenic risk index (HIadult = 2, HIchild = 11) and total carcinogenic risk index (TCRadult = 5.52 × 10-4, TCRChild = 6.44 × 10-4) for both adults and children exceeded the threshold (HI = 1, TCR = 1 × 10-04). The results of environmental pollution evaluation show that the overall pollution in the study area is a heavy pollution level. The ACPS-MLR model showed that Cd and Zn in soil mainly came from industrial activities (37%). Cu and Pb were derived from motor vehicle emissions and agricultural activities (20%). As may be derived from agricultural and industrial activities. Furthermore, based on the combination of source apportionalization and the spatial distribution of environmental pollution, the northeastern part of the study area and transportation hubs are the key pollution areas and need to be given priority for treatment. PTEs accumulate in the soil, will be enriched through the food chain, and seriously threaten human health and soil ecological environment. Therefore, this study can provide a basis for identifying, preventing, and controlling the risk of PTEs pollution in soil.

PMID:40434684 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-14124-0

Neurol Sci. 2025 May 28. doi: 10.1007/s10072-025-08256-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) accounts for 0.5-1% of all strokes and 24-50% of these patients develop acute symptomatic seizures (AS). Clinical and radiological characteristics have been associated with an increased risk of AS in CVT. We aimed to identify clinical and imaging predictors associated with a higher risk of AS in CVT patients.We conducted a single-centre, retrospective cohort study and included all patients with CVT admitted to our stroke unit between January/2011-December/2022. Our primary outcome was AS occurence. Clinical and radiological characteristics were compared through a logistic binary regression, followed by a multivariable analysis.We included 156 patients, 80.8% female and a mean age of 41.5 ± 15.2 years. Fifty-two patients (33.3%) had a seizure during follow-up, the majority as AS (30.1%). We found an increased risk of AS in patients with focal signs at presentation (OR 5.35), superior longitudinal sinus (SLS) or cortical vein involvement (OR 5.03; OR 3.94), hemorrhagic lesions or oedema (OR 3.88; OR 4.17) and lesions located in the frontal or the parietal lobe (OR 4.61; OR 4.61). A multivariable analysis was also conducted and only SLS involvement (OR 6.06), cortical vein involvement (OR 2.76) and hemorrhagic lesion (OR 3.47) remained statistically significant.Seizures occurred in about a third of our CVT patients, the majority as AS. Haemorrhagic lesions, SLS and cortical vein involvement had a stronger association with AS that may raise our awareness for the risk of seizures in this population during the acute phase.

PMID:40434683 | DOI:10.1007/s10072-025-08256-x

Exp Appl Acarol. 2025 May 28;95(1):7. doi: 10.1007/s10493-025-01030-w.

ABSTRACT

Mass rearing of the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) using natural prey is costly and labor-intensive, limiting its application in biological pest control. Artificial diets may serve as alternative food sources; however, some studies should be previously conducted, to evaluate the possible biological consequences of their adoption. In this study, we compared the suitability of eight artificial diets, including a basic artificial diet (A) consisting of a combination of 10% honey, 10% sucrose, 5% tryptone, 5% yeast extract, 10% egg yolk, and 60% distilled water (w/w), along with seven other diets, each consisting of 80% of diet A enriched with date palm pollen (B), Typha pollen (C), Ephestia kuehniella eggs (D), Helicoverpa armigera hemolymph (E), a mixture of date palm pollen and E. kuehniella eggs (F), Tetranychus turkestani adults (G), and hen’s liver (H). The data showed that E. scutalis was able to complete its development on all tested diets. Oviposition of the predator was observed on all diets, except for diets E and H. Females reared on diets B and F had the shortest adult pre-oviposition period (APOP), while those on diet B had the shortest total pre-oviposition period (TPOP). Furthermore, the number of oviposition days and fecundity were highest on diets B, D and F. Diets B and F resulted in significantly higher intrinsic (r) and finite (λ) rates of increase than the other diets, with values statistically similar to those obtained on D. The lowest values of r and λ were recorded on diet G. Based on our results, date palm pollen, E. kuehniella eggs or their mixture added to the basic diet A are more beneficial than other options for use in artificial diets for the mass rearing of E. scutalis.

PMID:40434679 | DOI:10.1007/s10493-025-01030-w

Bull Math Biol. 2025 May 28;87(7):86. doi: 10.1007/s11538-025-01462-w.

ABSTRACT

Cancer therapeutic vaccines are used to strengthen a patient’s own immune system by amplifying existing immune responses. Intralesional administration of the bacteria-based emm55 vaccine together with the PD1 checkpoint inhibitor produced a strong anti-tumor effect against the B16 melanoma murine model. However, it is not trivial to design an optimal order and frequency of injections for combination therapies. Here, we developed a coupled ordinary differential equations model calibrated to experimental data and used the mesh adaptive direct search method to optimize the treatment protocols of the emm55 vaccine and anti-PD1 combined therapy. This method determined that early consecutive vaccine injections combined with distributed anti-PD1 injections of decreasing separation time yielded the best tumor size reduction. The optimized protocols led to a twofold decrease in tumor area for the vaccine-alone treatment, and a fourfold decrease for the combined therapy. Our results reveal the tumor subpopulation dynamics in the optimal treatment condition, defining the path for efficacious treatment design. Similar computational frameworks can be applied to other tumors and other combination therapies to generate experimentally testable hypotheses in a fairly unrestricted and inexpensive setting.

PMID:40434675 | DOI:10.1007/s11538-025-01462-w

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2025 Jun 1;155(6):1011-1022. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000011871. Epub 2024 Nov 11.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer excels in dynamic reanimation but is lacking in restoring baseline resting tone. Combining it with fascia lata grafts is expected to more fully enhance facial symmetry. Comprehensive comparison of the results of masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer versus combined static suspension may provide valuable insights into the most appropriate treatment for patients with subacute facial paralysis.

METHODS: In this retrospective study, 104 patients with facial paralysis were categorized by surgical procedure: 39 received masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer (group A), and 65 underwent transfer combined with a fascia lata graft (group B). The groups were further divided by oral commissure drooping, with severity graded as slight (A1, B1) or severe (A2, B2) asymmetry.

RESULTS: Patients in group B2 exhibited significantly better static symmetry than those in group A2, with improvements of 87.87% versus 40%, respectively (P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between groups A1 and B1 in slight asymmetry. The Terzis Smile Function Grading System showed no dynamic symmetry differences (P > 0.05). On objective evaluation, postoperative outcomes indicated better static symmetry in both B groups, and improved dynamic symmetry in group A1, with no statistical difference between groups A2 and B2.

CONCLUSIONS: Masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer combined with fascia lata grafts significantly enhanced both static and dynamic symmetry for patients with varying degrees of asymmetry, particularly benefitting those with severe asymmetry. Patients with slight asymmetry who underwent the combined procedure achieved satisfactory static symmetry, although with a minor compromise of approximately 1 mm in dynamic symmetry compared with those who underwent masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer alone.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

PMID:40434662 | DOI:10.1097/PRS.0000000000011871

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Jun 3;122(22):e2500001122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2500001122. Epub 2025 May 28.

ABSTRACT

NMR-based metabolic biomarkers provide comprehensive insights into human metabolism; however, extracting biologically meaningful patterns from such high-dimensional data remains a significant challenge. In this study, we propose a manifold-fitting-based framework to analyze metabolic heterogeneity within the UK Biobank population, utilizing measurements of 251 NMR biomarkers from 212,853 participants. Initially, our method clusters these biomarkers into seven distinct metabolic categories that reflect the modular organization of human metabolism. Subsequent manifold fitting to each category unveils underlying low-dimensional structures, elucidating fundamental variations from basic energy metabolism to hormone-mediated regulation. Importantly, three of these manifolds clearly stratify the population, identifying subgroups with distinct metabolic profiles and associated disease risks. These subgroups exhibit consistent links with specific diseases, including severe metabolic dysregulation and its complications, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune conditions, highlighting the intricate relationship between metabolic states and disease susceptibility. Supported by strong correlations with demographic factors, clinical measurements, and lifestyle variables, these findings validate the biological relevance of the identified manifolds. By utilizing a geometrically informed approach to dissect metabolic heterogeneity, our framework enhances the accuracy of population stratification and deepens our understanding of metabolic health, potentially guiding personalized interventions and preventive healthcare strategies.

PMID:40434639 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2500001122

Hepatol Commun. 2025 May 29;9(6):e0701. doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000701. eCollection 2025 Jun 1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a syndrome of severe muscle wasting, associated with adverse outcomes related to liver transplantation (LT). There are several approaches used to identify sarcopenia. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia using 3 different criteria and determine how these performed in relation to clinical outcomes.

METHODS: The cohort study included 237 adults with cirrhosis referred for LT. Sarcopenia was identified using (1) CT-defined; and the (2) original and (3) updated European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria (EWGSOP1 and 2). Logistic regression was used to estimate OR and 95% CI for the relationships between sarcopenia and receiving an LT, unplanned admissions pre-LT, surgical complications, and length of stay for the LT admission. Fine-Gray competing risk analysis explored the impact of sarcopenia on receiving an LT and unplanned admissions. The AUC determined the predictive utility of the criteria.

RESULTS: The prevalence of CT-defined sarcopenia (52%) was more than twice and 4-fold that of EWGSOP1-defined (22%) and EWGSOP2-defined (11%) sarcopenia, respectively. No criteria demonstrated a significant association with time to LT nor the time to unplanned admissions pre-LT. Similarly, none of the 3 criteria had superior predictive utility for the clinical outcomes for unplanned hospital admissions pre-LT of receiving an LT, with all 3 criteria having identical moderate AUCs for unplanned admissions (0.70) and similar weak AUCs (≤0.55) for the likelihood of receiving an LT.

CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia in patients undergoing LT evaluation is prevalent. EWGSOP criteria appear to offer no advantage over CT-only criteria in identifying patients at increased risk of adverse LT outcomes. Bedside measures of muscle function may be of benefit in tracking the effectiveness of interventions targeting sarcopenia.

PMID:40434634 | DOI:10.1097/HC9.0000000000000701

Clin Exp Reprod Med. 2025 May 28. doi: 10.5653/cerm.2024.07304. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: In the application of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), selection of the optimal sperm presents a challenge. This study introduces an innovative microfluidic device that utilizes rheotaxis to efficiently sort sperm, offering superior selection of high-quality sperm compared to conventional methods.

METHODS: We analyzed 30 normal samples from couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles at the Infertility Center of Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan, Iran. Each sample was divided into three groups: the initial sample, representing the control group; direct swim-up sperm selection; and sperm selection using rheotaxis. A syringe pump connected to the microfluidic device generated optimal flow conditions. Spermatozoa were evaluated regarding concentration, motility, morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). Statistical significance was determined using one-way analysis of variance and the Student t-test.

RESULTS: The concentration (7.46±2.84 million cells/mL vs. 56.67±18.27 million cells/mL, p<0.0001) and DFI (2.93±2.70 vs. 21.13±5.27, p<0.0001) were significantly lower in the sperm selected using the rheotaxis microfluidic device than in the control sperm. Progressive motility (98.10%±2.41% vs. 44.13%±7.06%, p<0.0001), normal morphology (8.36%±1.47% vs. 5.20%±1.15%, p<0.0001), and MMP (99.63%±0.71% vs. 81.13%±9.19%, p<0.0001) were significantly higher with the device than in the control group.

CONCLUSION: The use of a rheotaxis-based microfluidic device appeared effective in selecting high-quality sperm, demonstrating improvements in motility, morphology, and MMP and a reduction in DFI. This advancement has the potential to improve the outcomes of ART.

PMID:40433763 | DOI:10.5653/cerm.2024.07304

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2025 May 28:e202507348. doi: 10.1002/anie.202507348. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has become a powerful tool in structural biology for investigating protein structure, dynamics, and interactomics. However, short-range cross-links, defined as those connecting residues fewer than 20 positions apart, have traditionally been considered less informative and largely overlooked, leaving significant data unexplored in a systematic manner. Here, we present a system-wide analysis of short-range cross-links, demonstrating their intrinsic correlation with protein secondary structure. We introduce the X-SPAN (Cross-link Structural Pattern Analyzer) software, which integrates publicly available XL-MS datasets from system-wide experiments with AlphaFold-predicted protein structures. Our analysis reveals distinct cross-linking patterns that reflect the spatial constraints imposed by secondary structural elements. Specifically, α-helices exhibit periodic cross-linking patterns consistent with their characteristic helical pitch, whereas coils and β-strands display nearly monotonic distributions. A context-dependent protein grammar reinforces short-range cross-link specificity. Short-range cross-links can enhance the statistical inference of secondary structures within integrative modeling workflows. Additionally, our work establishes a framework for benchmarking AlphaFold’s local prediction accuracy and provides novel quality control criteria for XL-MS experiments. We anticipate that X-SPAN and our short-range cross-link database will serve as a valuable resource for exploring local secondary structure rearrangements and their potential roles in protein function and allosteric regulation.

PMID:40433759 | DOI:10.1002/anie.202507348

Curr Eye Res. 2025 May 28:1-8. doi: 10.1080/02713683.2025.2503207. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to provide an evidence-based protocol for iris measurement from ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) images with reproducibility analysis and resulting normative iris thickness dataset of the pediatric human iris by age.

METHODS: Healthy pediatric subjects (14 subjects, 25 eyes, mean age 2.0 ± 1.2 years) were recruited prospectively and underwent UBM imaging. Iris parameters were measured in 4 UBM images per eye in raw image and processed edge detection format. Agreement and variability were evaluated. Regression assessed the association between measurement differences and the variables expected to influence measurement reproducibility (image quality, orientation, and processing). Iris thickness by age was reported.

RESULTS: Intraclass correlation was >0.6 and correlation was >0.7 for all parameters. Coefficient of variation was <30% for iris measurements not involving the ciliary body. Image quality improved reproducibility but was not statistically significant (p = 0.10). Age of subject, edge detection, and image orientation were also not significant. Iris thickness increased with increasing age (r = 0.63, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated reproducible iris measurements using a prospective protocol. We found image features, including image quality and edge detection pre-processing, were not critical to reproducibility. In the future, clinical correlations with iris morphology may be more rigorously studied using a well-defined, reproducible, and quantitative approach as presented in this UBM-based image analysis protocol.

PMID:40433750 | DOI:10.1080/02713683.2025.2503207