Nevin Manimala

Poult Sci. 2025 May 7;104(8):105275. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105275. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Fledgling broiler ducks vary in body weight and growth rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum metabolites and the intestinal microbiota in Cherry Valley broiler ducks with different finishing weights and to reveal differences in their metabolic regulation and microbial composition. Serum and cecum content samples were collected from Cherry Valley broiler ducks of different finishing weights. Metabolites were identified and compared using untargeted metabolomics, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, multivariate statistics and bioinformatics. Six key findings emerged. First, serum biochemical parameters showed that AST and ALT levels were significantly lower in the high weight group (Group H) than in the low weight group (Group L), and serum immunoglobulin IgG levels were significantly higher in group H. Second, the chorionic height to crypt depth ratio of the duodenum was significantly higher in group H than in group L. Third, the gut microbial community diversity or abundance was lower in broiler ducks in group L. Fourth, LEfSe analysis showed that the biomarker for group L was Streptococcus, whereas for group H it was Faecalibacterium. Fifth, a total of 127 differential metabolites were identified (49 up-regulated and 78 down-regulated). Finally, Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that Spearman’s correlation analyses showed that the Lipid-related serum metabolites were higher in low-body recombinant broiler ducks, mainly Lathosterol, Cholesterol, Cynaratriol and Leukotriene B4. In addition to lipid-associated serum metabolites in high-body recombination, The water-soluble vitamin-like metabolite Pantothenate and the antibiotic-like metabolite Tylosin were high. The cecum microbiota is strongly associated with metabolites, especially Faecalibacterium, unclassified Tannerellaceae, Subdoligranulum, Alistipes, and [Ruminococcus] torques_group, with which it exhibits strong Correlation. Broiler ducks with higher body weights have a better intestinal villous structure, enhanced digestion and absorption, higher levels of immunoglobulin secretion and superior growth performance. Broiler ducks with different body weights differed in plasma metabolites and cecum flora. Spearman’s correlation analyses showed that the Correlation between differential metabolites and differential gut microbial genera.

PMID:40367572 | DOI:10.1016/j.psj.2025.105275

Eur J Radiol. 2025 May 7;188:112131. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112131. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This retrospective study aimed to compare the effects of unilateral and bilateral percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) procedures on inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHBO).

METHODS: The study included 102 patients with MHBO who underwent PTBD at our institution. Patients were divided into unilateral (n = 46) and bilateral (n = 56) groups based on the drainage method. Demographic information and laboratory parameters were collected, and inflammatory markers were measured at baseline and follow-up intervals (24 h, 1 week, and 1 month). Statistical analyses were conducted to compare clinical and laboratory outcomes between the two groups.

RESULTS: In both groups all types of bilirubin levels showed significant decreaese after succesful cathetarization of at least one biliary duct and obervation of biliary drainage in all patients. Both unilateral and bilateral PTBD groups showed significant improvements in hepatic and cholestatic enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT), coagulation parameters (INR, APTT), and CRP levels over time (p < 0.05). However, most inflammatory markers, including CRP and procalcitonin, showed no significant differences between the two groups. Notably, only unilateral group exhibited significant improvements in platelet and lymphocyte counts from baseline to 1 month (p = 0.05 and p = 0.028, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed a strong negative association between CRP and albumin in the unilateral group (r = -0.713, p < 0.001), whereas the bilateral group showed a positive correlation between CRP and procalcitonin (r = 0.783, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that there were no significant differences between unilateral and bilateral PTBD in recovery of hyperbilirubinemia. However, some inflammatory markers were adversely affected in the bilateral group. Based on these findings, unilateral PTBD may suffice as a first-line approach in patients with MHBO due to its less invasive nature and lower cost. Bilateral drainage should be reserved for cases where sufficient bilirubin reduction cannot be achieved.

PMID:40367561 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112131

Eur J Radiol. 2025 Apr 27;188:112137. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112137. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Accurate segmentation of cerebral arteries on computed tomography angiography (CTA) images is essential for the diagnosis and management of cerebrovascular diseases, including ischemic stroke. This study implemented a deep learning-based U-Net++ model for cerebral artery segmentation in CTA images, focusing on optimizing pruning levels by analyzing the trade-off between segmentation performance and computational cost. Dual-energy CTA and direct subtraction CTA datasets were utilized to segment the internal carotid and vertebral arteries in close proximity to the bone. We implemented four pruning levels (L1-L4) in the U-Net++ model and evaluated the segmentation performance using accuracy, intersection over union, F1-score, boundary F1-score, and Hausdorff distance. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess the significance of segmentation performance differences across pruning levels. In addition, we measured training and inference times to evaluate the trade-off between segmentation performance and computational efficiency. Applying deep supervision improved segmentation performance across all factors. While the L4 pruning level achieved the highest segmentation performance, L3 significantly reduced training and inference times (by an average of 51.56 % and 22.62 %, respectively), while incurring only a small decrease in segmentation performance (7.08 %) compared to L4. These results suggest that L3 achieves an optimal balance between performance and computational cost. This study demonstrates that pruning levels in U-Net++ models can be optimized to reduce computational cost while maintaining effective segmentation performance. By simplifying deep learning models, this approach can improve the efficiency of cerebrovascular segmentation, contributing to faster and more accurate diagnoses in clinical settings.

PMID:40367559 | DOI:10.1016/j.ejrad.2025.112137

Patient Educ Couns. 2025 May 13;137:108821. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2025.108821. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationships between acceptance of illness, psychological resilience, and patient activation (PA) in young and middle-aged patients with lung cancer in China.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2024. Patients with lung cancer completed a survey that included the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and the Summary of the Psychological Resilience Scale brief version (CD-RISC10). Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariate regression analysis were used to identify factors influencing PA.

RESULTS: A total of 292 patients participated in the study. The mean PAM score was 66.77 (SD=13.25). Higher levels of PA were positively associated with acceptance of illness (β=0.475, 95 % CI: 1.073-1.437, P < 0.001) and psychological resilience (β=0.503, 95 % CI: 1.073-1.426, P < 0.001), collectively explaining 78.4 % of the variance after controlling for age, education, and duration of discharge in the multiple linear regression analysis.

CONCLUSION: Age, education, duration of discharge, acceptance of illness, and psychological resilience each influenced PA distinctly, with acceptance of illness and psychological resilience emerging as the most significant predictors.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Professionals should implement targeted interventions for young and middle-aged lung cancer patients, focusing on enhancing illness acceptance and psychological resilience to improve self-care capabilities and promote long-term self-management.

PMID:40367550 | DOI:10.1016/j.pec.2025.108821

Waste Manag. 2025 May 13;203:114879. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2025.114879. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The air classification efficiency of landfilled Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is critical for resource recovery but remains challenged by the heterogeneity and non-spherical morphology of waste. In this study, a probabilistic framework that integrates spheroid modeling with the Monte Carlo procedure to predict and optimize the separation efficiency was developed, and the results were compared using orthogonal experiments. The morphological distributions (elongation, flatness, and size) of 381 landfill samples and the density distributions of 184 landfill samples were statistically characterized. For the numerical model, spheroidal particles were generated by randomly sampling from each parameter’s distribution. Then, a numerical model that incorporates non-spherical drag coefficients was developed. The model achieved a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of < 0.13 in predicting separation indicators, compared to the experimental results. The experimental results demonstrated that, under the same airflow velocity conditions, the recovery of light substances (R_L) in landfilled MSW was lower than that of fresh MSW, partially due to the increase in density resulting from the degradation of organic matter. The numerical model revealed that the separation efficiency (E) exhibited velocity-dependent unimodal trends. The model further identified the optimal performance of the effective separation interval for an airflow direction of 15° under 21.40 m/s (50 Hz), and the interval length was 21 % and 15 % longer compared to 0° and 30°, respectively, under equivalent velocities. The results of this work provide a reference for optimizing the air classification apparatus of landfilled MSW, and a basic method for use in more thorough simulation studies.

PMID:40367546 | DOI:10.1016/j.wasman.2025.114879

Appl Radiat Isot. 2025 May 9;224:111888. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111888. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cosmetic materials are widely used to enhance or alter appearance and skin care, can increase human exposure to various chemicals, including radioactive elements. This study aimed to assess the concentrations of alpha particles in a total of fifteen different powdered cosmetic samples collected randomly from Iraqi Kurdistan markets. Tracks of alpha particles released from radon gas content in cosmetic samples were recorded using passive detector such as CR-39. The chemical etching solution of NaOH 6.25 N was used at 70 °C for 6 h to enlarge and reveal the alpha tracks, then scanned by microscope. The results showed that the range values of concentration level of radon and radium in the analyzed powdered cosmetic samples were 159.12-422.01 Bq. m^-3 and 0.48-1.27 Bq. kg^-1, respectively. Consequently, the radon concentration values in most studied samples were within the reference limiting range (200-600 Bq. m^-3) reported by ICRP. In addition, health risk parameters of annual effective dose (AED_Rn), excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), lung cancer cases per million people per year (CPPP), the absorbed dose for soft tissues (D_s) and lungs (D_l) were calculated and compared to international standards. The correlation between natural radionuclides concentration and health risk parameters was analyzed statistically using Pearson correlation coefficient. The findings indicate that most of these cosmetic products pose radiation risks. As a result, many of these brands are likely to expose consumers to potential health hazards associated with radiation.

PMID:40367538 | DOI:10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111888

Appl Radiat Isot. 2025 May 13;224:111892. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111892. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The integration of PET and CT technologies has revolutionized medical imaging, particularly in cancer management. However, the associated radiation exposure necessitates a detailed understanding of the risks involved. This study aims to quantify the effective dose (ED) and associated cancer risks from whole-body CT scans in PET-CT procedures.

METHODS: Data from 500 patients (226 men and 274 women) undergoing PET-CT scans were analyzed. Two methods were employed to calculate the ED: The Dose Length Product (DLP) and the NCICT dosimetry system, which utilizes Monte Carlo simulations. Organ doses and ED were compared between genders, and the correlation between ED and patient age was examined.

RESULTS: The mean DLP was 516.4 ± 200 mGy cm, resulting in an ED of 7.76 ± 3.01 mSv using the DLP method, and 6.82 ± 2.56 mSv using NCICT. The thyroid received the highest organ dose, followed by the kidneys in females and the testes in males. A significant decrease in cancer risk with increasing age was observed for both genders.

CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of considering age in assessing the cancer risks from CT radiation in PET-CT scans, particularly for younger patients. It advises caution in recommending CT scans and suggests exploring alternative imaging modalities while adhering to ALARA principles to reduce exposure. It also paves the way for future research aimed at either eliminating or reducing the CT dose component in PET/CT scans, thereby enhancing the overall safety and efficacy of this imaging modality.

PMID:40367536 | DOI:10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111892

Appl Radiat Isot. 2025 May 8;224:111898. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111898. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The present investigation was conducted to quantify the radiological exposure associated with inhalation of attached and unattached ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn progeny concentrations in indoor environments. The total progeny concentrations of ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn were estimated using direct progeny sensors, and the attached progeny concentrations of ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn were measured using wire-mesh-capped direct radon and thoron progeny sensors based on LR-115 type-II detectors. The obtained average unattached fraction of ²²²Rn progeny was 0.14, similar to the UNSCEAR recommended value, while the unattached fraction for ²²⁰Rn progeny was 0.09. In the different indoor conditions, the concentration of total progeny, attached and unattached progeny of ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn are higher in mud dwelling among mud, cement and stone dwellings. In addition to it, a seasonal variation was also studied, and a descriptive statistical analysis was done using a paired student’s t-test to compare progeny fractions between dwelling types. Dose conversion factors for mouth and nasal breathing were further estimated separately and the average dose conversion factors for mouth and nasal breathing were found to be 19.5 ± 6.3 mSv/WLM and 8.5 ± 1.1 mSv/WLM, respectively. The annual effective dose is under the ICRP reference level, however, the inhalation dose estimated for mouth breathing was found to be more than twice that of nasal breathing. In the present study, the unattached radon progeny contributes 14.21 % to the annual effective dose (AEDR).

PMID:40367533 | DOI:10.1016/j.apradiso.2025.111898

J Clin Neurosci. 2025 May 13;137:111326. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2025.111326. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The increasing use of single (SAPT) and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in endovascular treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) raises concerns about ventriculostomy-related hemorrhage (VRH). This study evaluates the impact of platelet transfusion, timing of ventriculostomy placement relative to antiplatelet therapy (APT), and APT type (DAPT vs. SAPT) on VRH risk and clinical outcomes.

METHODS: A retrospective study of a prospectively collected cohort of aSAH presenting to a single academic center from 2016 to 2023 was conducted. Patients who underwent ventriculostomy placement and APT were included, while those on anticoagulation were excluded. The cohort was then split into three groups: 1) patients on APT at the time of ventriculostomy placement and who were not given platelet transfusion, 2) patients on APT at the time of ventriculostomy placement and who were given platelet transfusion, and 3) patients who were initiated on APT after ventriculostomy placement as part of their endovascular therapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed examining rates of tract hemorrhage, symptomatic tract hemorrhage, and poor neurologic outcomes at three-months, defined as modified Rankin scale (mRS) > 3.

RESULTS: Among 404 cases identified, 129 patients were on APT during or after ventriculostomy placement. Mean age was 59.5 ± 13.9 years, 38.8 % male, and 74.4 % were White. When comparing those who were on APT and did not receive platelet transfusion (n = 24) with those who received platelet transfusion (n = 34), there were no differences in rates of VRH or symptomatic VRH on univariate (37.5 % vs. 29.4 %, p = 0.52 and 4.2 % vs. 5.9 %, p = 0.77, respectively) or multivariate analysis (OR 0.79, 95 %CI [0.24, 2.61], p = 0.7 and OR 0.28, 95 %CI [0.01, 7.99], p = 0.4. Comparing those already on APT versus those with APT initiation after ventriculostomy, there were no statistically significant differences in rates of VRH or symptomatic VRH on univariate (37.5 % vs. 25.4 %, p = 0.26 and 4.2 % vs. 1.4 %, p = 0.42, respectively) or multivariate analysis (OR 0.74, 95 %CI [0.42, 1.31], p = 0.3 and OR 0.28, 95 %CI [0.01, 7.99], p = 0.4). Furthermore, there were no differences in functional neurologic outcomes at 3-month follow-up on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION: Our study did not identify benefits conferred from platelet transfusion with regard to VRH or outcomes after ventriculostomy placement in aSAH on APT. We also found no differences in VRH in patients who had ventriculostomy placement before or after APT initiation. With the increasing use of endovascular therapies, ventriculostomy placement under APT is increasingly common, necessitating further research to mitigate the risk of significant VRH.

PMID:40367531 | DOI:10.1016/j.jocn.2025.111326

J Craniofac Surg. 2025 May 14. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000011496. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The corpus callosum plays a crucial role in interhemispheric communication. Although callosal circularity has demonstrated promise as a marker for differentiating a range of neurological conditions, research investigating the impact of chronic high-altitude hypoxia on corpus callosum morphology remains limited. This study aims to investigate the circularity and eccentricity of the corpus callosum in Tibetan adults, as well as their interrelationship, to assess how the hypoxic environment influences corpus callosum morphology.

METHODS: This study enrolled 262 Tibetan adults. MRI scans were employed to obtain measurements of callosal length, height, perimeter, and area, from which circularity and eccentricity values were derived. Statistical analyses involved Mann-Whitney U tests to evaluate sex differences, partial correlation analyses to assess age effects, and quadratic regression models to elucidate the relationship between circularity and eccentricity.

RESULTS: The analysis revealed no statistically significant sex differences in either circularity or eccentricity. Circularity exhibited a biphasic, inverted U-shaped trajectory across the lifespan, reaching a peak at 22.8 years, with men attaining peak values earlier than women. Moreover, a significant quadratic relationship between circularity and eccentricity was identified, delineating a critical threshold at an eccentricity value of 0.939.

CONCLUSIONS: Although the high-altitude hypoxic environment does not markedly alter the overall stability of callosal circularity and eccentricity, deviations from normative values may serve as sensitive biomarkers for neurological anomalies. These novel morphological metrics provide valuable quantitative insights into corpus callosum integrity, potentially facilitating the early detection of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

PMID:40367501 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000011496