Nevin Manimala

Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Nov 12;12:1678116. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1678116. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

AIM: In this cohort, we aimed to study the evolution of pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) during treatment and compare it with other disease scores such as FIB-4 and PAGE-B.

METHODS: Eighty-eight HBeAg negative CHB who received long-term treatment with NAs were included. A quantitative HBV S antigen (HBsAg) assay was performed, and viral HBV DNA was quantified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Finally, viral RNA levels (pre-core RNA (preC RNA) and pgRNA) were analyzed using the RTPCR protocol. The FIB-4 score was calculated for all patients, depicting the cirrhosis course, while the platelet-related PAGE-B score contributed to the 5-year cumulative prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Statistical multivariate analysis was performed using the R studio and CATREG SPSS optimal scaling algorithm of SPSS 26.0.0.0.

RESULTS: A total of 18.1% of our sample was positive for HBV pgRNA, delineating a positive correlation with cirrhosis and an apparently negative correlation with therapy duration. HBV pgRNA was not independently correlated with FIB-4 (p = 0.137) after adjustment for aminotransferase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT)^1/2, (AST)^1/2, 1/platelets (PLT), age, sex, HBsAg, HBV viral load, regimen administered, and therapy duration (ordinal regression ANOVA p < 10^-12; ${\text{R}}_{\text{reg}}^2$ : 0.794). Moreover, HBV pgRNA was not independently correlated with PAGE-B (p = 0.459) after adjustment for age, sex, AST, 1/PLT, duration of therapy, HBsAg, HBV viral load, regimen administered, and the presence of cirrhosis (ordinal regression ANOVA p < 10^-12; ${\text{R}}_{\text{reg}}^2$ : 0.800).

CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, further longitudinal studies are needed to assess the potential usefulness of HBV pgRNA as prognosticator of liver fibrosis and susceptibility to HCC.

PMID:41312475 | PMC:PMC12647073 | DOI:10.3389/fmed.2025.1678116

Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Nov 12;12:1607191. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1607191. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The relationship between serum bicarbonate levels and 28-day mortality in dialysis patients remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum bicarbonate levels and short-term mortality in patients undergoing dialysis.

METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 4,979 dialysis patients aged 18 years or older from the electronic Intensive Care Unit (eICU) Collaborative Research Database (2014-2015). Serum bicarbonate levels were measured within 24 h of ICU admission. A multivariate Cox regression model was applied to evaluate the association between serum bicarbonate levels and 28-day mortality.

RESULTS: A total of 4,979 patients were analyzed, with a median age of 63 years. Among them, 513 patients (10.3%) died within 28 days. A significant non-linear relationship was observed between serum bicarbonate levels and mortality. Using a two-segment linear regression model, the inflection point was determined to be 30 mmol/L (log-likelihood ratio test, p = 0.029). Below this threshold, serum bicarbonate was inversely associated with 28-day mortality (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.86-0.92, p < 0.0001). Above the threshold, the association was not statistically significant (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.97-1.28, P = 0.1278).

CONCLUSION: Serum bicarbonate levels are non-linearly associated with 28-day mortality in dialysis patients. Levels below 30 mmol/L are linked to an increased risk of death. These findings need to be confirmed in future prospective studies.

PMID:41312462 | PMC:PMC12647071 | DOI:10.3389/fmed.2025.1607191

Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Nov 12;12:1690944. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1690944. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of performing diagnostic hysteroscopy prior to the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle on clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates.

METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted from October 2019 to March 2023 at Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, China. The study population included women under 45 years old with ultrasonographically normal uterine cavities who were undergoing their first fresh embryo transfer through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Primary outcomes included: (1) prevalence of abnormal uterine findings detected by hysteroscopy, and (2) comparative analysis of reproductive outcomes between hysteroscopy and non-hysteroscopy groups.

RESULTS: Among patients undergoing hysteroscopy, 49.63% patients exhibited abnormal uterine findings, with endometrial polyps being the most common pathology (30.03%). A significantly lower rate of good-quality embryos was observed in the hysteroscopy group compared to the non-hysteroscopy group (50.38% vs. 75.11%, p < 0.05). After adjusting for embryo quality, age, BMI, AMH, duration of infertility, and endometrial thickness, multivariable analysis confirmed that the hysteroscopy group had a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.142-1.997, P = 0.004) compared to the non-hysteroscopy group. In the subgroup, the clinical pregnancy rate in these two groups (the endometrial polyp group 63.49%, p = 0.014; the chronic endometritis group 64.12%, p = 0.032) was significantly higher. No statistically significant difference in live birth rate was observed between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic hysteroscopy effectively identifies and facilitates treatment of intrauterine abnormalities in IVF/ICSI candidates to optimize endometrial receptivity. And performance of hysteroscopy prior to IVF is significantly associated with increased clinical pregnancy rates. These findings support the recommendation for pre-transfer hysteroscopic evaluation in the first embryo transfer cycles.

PMID:41312455 | PMC:PMC12646986 | DOI:10.3389/fmed.2025.1690944

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-27743-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The current study demonstrates the intricate thermo-solutal transportation features of a nanofluid experiencing non-linear kinematics as it flows across a rough porous stretched interface. Previous work has typically been limited to smooth geometries, narrow parameter ranges, and few physical intuitions. However, this paper extends the analysis to include surface roughness, porosity effect, nonlinear stretching and essential physical phenomena like effect of magnetic field, Brownian motion special case thermophoresis effect and variable suction/injection. The resulting extension does not only reproduce realistic flow cases, but reveals extremely sensitive solution behaviors that have been completely untouched in the literature. Using scaling transformation approach, the governing non-linear partial differential equations (PDEs) for the transport of momentum, energy, and solutal in the transformed independent variables are translated into a set of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Numerical simulation of the above transport equations with ten dimensionless parameters is done using the MATLAB BVP4C (built in solver) approach, which ensures computational stability and high precision across broad parametric domains. Additionally, using an expanded parameter domain revealed previously unknown solution properties. For instance, as the thermophoretic limitation raised, the species concentration rose by 5% and fell by 12%. Additionally, sensitivity was demonstrated by the velocity profiles shifting by 20% in response to a small variation in the slip parameter. Finding the limits at which qualitatively reactions to system modifications and other non-physical solutions arise from the qualitative responses is notably innovative. Such findings will propel the development of more efficient coatings and temperature control techniques, offering helpful advice to greatly improve transportation effectiveness in actual nanofluid applications.

PMID:41310388 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-27743-x

Electromagn Biol Med. 2025 Nov 27:1-11. doi: 10.1080/15368378.2025.2593267. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine the impacts of extremely low-frequency (ELF)-electromagnetic field (EMF) on cognitive functions and analgesia in terms of total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) in the experimental pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced epilepsy model. Twenty-four Wistar albino male rats were categorized into four groups: sham, EMF, PTZ, and EMF+PTZ. The rats were repeatedly exposed to alternating 50-Hz and 5-mT EMF for 165 min a day for 7 days. Epileptic seizures were induced with PTZ. The levels of oxidative stress markers were measured. Univariate multifactorial one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey’s test were used for pairwise comparisons between groups. A statistically significant difference was observed in the learning and short-term memory levels in the EMF + PTZ group compared with the PTZ group (p < 0.001). Analgesia latency statistically significantly increased in the ELF-EMF and ELF-EMF+PTZ groups compared with both the control and epilepsy groups (p < 0.001). A statistically significant increase in TOS was found in the prefrontal cortex in the PTZ group compared with the sham group (p < 0.001). Also, TOS statistically significantly increased in the hippocampus in both PTZ and ELF-EMF+ PTZ groups compared with the sham group (p < 0.001). ELF-EMF decreased the increased TOS in the hippocampus of rats in the PTZ group.

PMID:41310382 | DOI:10.1080/15368378.2025.2593267

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42413. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26687-6.

ABSTRACT

We implement a framed field experiment to understand and rationalize previous contradictory calorie labeling findings showing mostly decreasing or null effects, but also some evidence of increasing calorie intake. Our study suggests that the numeric value of calorie information alone is not sufficient to explain the impact of information on food choice, but it is the gap between an individual calorie reference point expectation and the realized actual amount that influences food choices. We manipulate this gap in a carefully controlled experiment creating meals that look nearly identical but substantially differ in their calorie content. There is a sharp contrast in the literature with a large body of research only examining the effect of providing the calorie content for a meal while ignoring individual consumers’ expectations. Understanding the underlying mechanism driving calorie information response is crucial for designing and implementing effective calorie interventions and policies.

PMID:41310375 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26687-6

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42430. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26493-0.

ABSTRACT

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining is time-consuming, costly, hazardous, and prone to technician-dependent quality variations. This calls for fast, low-cost, and standardized computational alternatives. Lately, generative adversarial networks (GANs) have shown promising results by generating virtual stains from unstained tissue sections. However, no prior study has systematically benchmarked GANs for optimizing skin histology. Moreover, prior evaluations have focused mostly on the perceptual quality of virtual stains rather than their diagnostic utility. In this paper, we introduce VISGAB, a virtual staining-driven GAN benchmark. To our knowledge, it is the first to systematically evaluate and compare common GAN architectures for skin histology. We have also introduced a novel histology-specific fidelity index (HSFI), which focuses on diagnostic accuracy. VISGAB has been systematically applied to Cycle Consistent GAN (CycleGAN), Contrastive Unpaired Translation GAN (CUTGAN), and Dual Contrastive Learning GAN (DCLGAN) using the E-Staining DermaRepo skin histology dataset. The dataset contains 87 whole-slide images (WSIs) of normal, carcinoma, and inflammatory dermatoses tissues. VISGAB findings identify CycleGAN with superior structural fidelity (SSIM: 0.93, HSFI: 0.81), diagnostic sufficiency (75% nuclear atypia detection), and Turing test success (81%), despite higher mean inference time (~ 1.96 min) and mode collapse risk (~ 25%). Although CUTGAN and DCLGAN offer faster training, artifacts (blurring, overstaining, hallucinations) limit their diagnostic utility. Qualitative evaluations by experts and statistical rigor further substantiate our findings in favor of CycleGAN. This work supports AI-driven histopathology by addressing critical gaps in the literature.

PMID:41310372 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26493-0

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-30141-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Modeling mineral and ore bodies from gravity anomalies remains challenging in geophysical exploration due to the ill-posed and non-unique nature of the inverse problem, particularly under conditions of noisy or sparse data. Established inversion methods, including local optimization and metaheuristic algorithms, often require extensive parameter tuning and may yield unstable or poorly constrained solutions. This study proposes a regularized ensemble Kalman inversion (EKI) framework enhanced by Tikhonov regularization to improve numerical stability and mitigate sensitivity to ensemble degeneracy, thereby enabling efficient uncertainty quantification through ensemble statistics. Controlled numerical experiments show that the ensemble size is larger than [Formula: see text] with moderate regularization, we can achieve an optimal balance between convergence stability and model resolution. Benchmarking against established metaheuristic algorithms (PSO, VFSA, and BA) suggests superior computational efficiency and stable convergence. Synthetic and real gravity data inversion (chromite, Pb-Zn, sulphide, and Cu-Au deposits) suggests that the regularized EKI yields stable, geologically consistent results with prior interpretations and drilling data. These results highlight the regularized EKI framework as a robust and efficient tool for mitigating mining risks and supporting strategic decision-making in mineral exploration.

PMID:41310348 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-30141-y

Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 27;15(1):42449. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-26503-1.

ABSTRACT

Reminiscence therapy and exercise therapy have both proven beneficial for individuals with dementia. However, there is limited information on the effects of combining these two approaches in older adults with dementia. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of combined group reminiscence therapy (GRT) and group exercise therapy (GET) on psychological well-being and functional fitness in this population. A total of 32 older adults with mild to moderate dementia living in care homes were randomly assigned into either intervention or usual care groups. The study was conducted from January to June 2021. Intervention: Participants in intervention group received weekly an hour session of GRT and biweekly 1.25-hour session of GET. Reminiscence therapy was based on Remembering Yesterday and Caring Today module, adapted and modified according to participants’ cultural background. GET consisted of stretching, strengthening, aerobic and multicomponent exercises. Outcome measures include the Quality of Life – Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD), Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Functional Fitness MOT (FFMOT). Independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test show that the participants from the GRT + GET group reported statistically significant higher quality of life and satisfaction with life, with a medium to large effect size. There are no other statistically significant results found for other psychosocial measures. FFMOT was found to deteriorate in both groups with a lesser amount in the intervention group. This study suggests that combined GRT and GET may induce some psychosocial benefits, in particular quality of life and some positive trend in deceleration of functional fitness deterioration among older adults with mild to moderate dementia. Preserving psychological and physical wellbeing is essential for older adults with dementia to maintain their functional independence for as long as possible.

PMID:41310327 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-26503-1

Int J Legal Med. 2025 Nov 28. doi: 10.1007/s00414-025-03681-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In the estimation of the Post-Mortem Interval (PMI), semi-quantitative methods have been proposed to overcome the challenges associated with determining the time of death. Among these, the Total Decomposition Score (TDS) method, developed by Gelderman et al., offers a systematic and semi-quantitative approach for estimating PMI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the TDS by assessing its interoperator variability and comparing the results obtained with known reference data. A TDS-based questionnaire was administered to 100 participants – including forensic pathologists, residents in forensic medicine and professionals in forensic thanatology – using a dataset of six outdoor cadavers representing different decomposition stages. Data were analyzed using Fleiss’ Kappa (K) to assess inter-rater agreement and Spearman’s rank correlation to evaluate consistency. The results showed moderate overall agreement, with inter-rater reliability decreasing in cases with PMI exceeding 30 days. Linear regression analyses between estimated and actual post-mortem intervals yielded low coefficients of determination, with R² = 34.1% for the TDS-based model and R² = 20.5% for the ADD-based model, indicating that both methods explain only a limited portion of the variance in the actual PMI (PMIa). No statistically significant differences were observed among the professional categories, supporting the method’s applicability across different levels of expertise. While TDS shows promise as a practical tool for PMI estimation in field conditions, inter-operator variability remains a limiting factor in advanced decomposition stages.

PMID:41310302 | DOI:10.1007/s00414-025-03681-1